《Building the Strongest Undead Empire from Scratch》 Chapter 1: Well, being a girl isn’t too bad Chapter 1: Well, being a girl isn''t too bad At a wild office party, Alex went all out on the booze and ended up totally plastered. He felt like he was spinning in a dizzy haze, as if the whole world was doing somersaults around him. Right then, a voice that sounded like it was straight out of a sci-fi movie echoed in his head. [Galactic Announcement: Everyone will be transported to the planet Astralon in six hours.] [Countdown: 05:59:52] [Here, everyone gets a fair shot at supremacy.] [Astralon is massive, larger than a star system, home to a hundred thousand races, filled with opportunities, dangers, and challenges.] [You start with a castle and a barracks.] [Summon troops, raid resources, grow your empire, dominate the planets.] [Here, you can have everything you desire¡ªpower, wealth, even immortality!] [Lords, go forth and conquer!] Alex couldn''t care less about the voice; he just wanted to crash and sleep off the booze. He wasn''t in the mood for games! But in the next moment, he snapped open his eyes and found himself in a strange room. [The game is about to begin, please select your character''s appearance] [Available genders: A Male B Female C Other] Though confused, as a seasoned gamer, Alex had a peculiar habit. He wasn''t keen on staring at male characters'' ass, so he almost always played as female characters! So, completely sloshed, Alex took this all as just another game and instinctively picked option B. [Gender confirmed, generating character appearance...] Under the influence of alcohol, Alex couldn''t hold up any longer and just collapsed onto the floor, passing out. When Alex woke up again, he found himself in an unfamiliar room, and despite it being a scorching summer, the room was surprisingly cool. Alex lifted his head to scope out the surroundings when suddenly a strand of hair slipped past his ear, and he was totally gobsmacked. "White hair! When did I turn into an old dude?" "Wait, why''s this hair so long?" Alex blurted out in surprise, but what came out was a crisp, pleasant female voice. He shot up from the floor, and immediately, a pair of boobs caught his attention. Pfft... Alex was stunned. Was this game seriously this realistic? He then peeked between his legs and his face turned beet red... Alex couldn''t believe how lifelike this game was; it felt like he was literally in a woman''s body. Now, he was starting to wonder, is this really just a game or is it reality? If it''s just a game, he could just log out and end this madness. But if it''s real, suddenly switching from a dude to a chick was seriously awkward! Thinking this, Alex couldn''t help but peek again and suddenly thought, well, being a girl isn''t too bad, lol... Right then, a virtual panel appeared in front of Alex, displaying some basic info about his current state. Name: Alex Age: 18 Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Height: 5.5 feet Weight: 95 pounds Measurements: 33 / 23 / 34 Appearance Rating: SSS Though the body looked great, Alex couldn''t just stay naked, so he grabbed some clothes from a nearby dresser. Alex shyly tried on a bra, but struggled big time to clasp it from behind. Then it hit him, why not clasp it in front and spin it around? Genius! Afterward, Alex changed into a white sailor dress. "Why does this feel a bit tight? No, wait, it''s just the boobs are too big!" Once dressed, Alex''s figure was undeniably prominent. Alex slipped on a pair of white knee-high socks, pulling them up to his calves, then looked down at his tiny feet in white socks. "These feet are so small, they''re smaller than my hands." Then Alex reached out with his hands and suddenly realized they were tiny too. Oops, he had forgotten he had crossed over. Next, Alex found a pair of black leather shoes under the bed, picked them up, and saw they were only size 36 (EU). Alex put on the shoes, got out of bed, and walked over to a full-length mirror to check out his reflection. His beautiful face was even prettier than models at Paris Fashion Week. The white sailor dress paired with white knee-high socks exuded a youthful vibe. The real Alex, introverted and self-conscious, wouldn''t even dare to talk to a girl like this, but here in this confusing game-or-reality scenario, his dream had come true. Alex admired his reflection in the mirror. "Ah, it''s a pity it''s a game, such a waste." Just then, a divine-sounding voice echoed in Alex''s mind again. [Galactic Announcement: Preparation phase has ended, you will enter the continent of Eldoria in one minute.] [Countdown: 00:00:58] "What the heck, am I not already in the game?" Alex realized something was off and instinctively tried to quit the game. But despite trying everything, there was no option to exit! "No way! Can someone tell me if this is just a prank?" Chapter 2: Undead Lord Chapter 2: Undead Lord **WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT** **Welcome, players, to the Universal Lords game!** **Universal Lords is a hyper-realistic game developed by the gods themselves, combining management, strategy, and warfare.** **In Universal Lords, every player is a lord, with their own territory and castle.** **Every lord will receive the loyalty of a troop type at the beginning of the game.** **The specific initial troop type will be randomly drawn by each lord.** **The main goal of the game, in this boundless continent teeming with myriad races, is for each player, as a lord, to embark on the path of conquering the world.** **In Universal Lords, as long as you are smart enough and strong enough, you will have everything!** **Even becoming a god is no longer a pipe dream!** ... Alex slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was an old castle. She was standing right in front of it. "Castle" might be a bit of an overstatement; "tiny castle" would be more accurate. The castle before Alex wasn''t big at all. It covered an area of a little over a hundred square meters, about the size of a small villa. Moreover, the castle walls were mottled and worn, looking like they were about to collapse. It made Alex seriously wonder if the whole thing would just crumble overnight. As Alex was mentally roasting her miniature fortress, a translucent screen, looking surprisingly high-tech, popped up in front of her. **[Respected Lord, would you like to draw your initial troop type?]** **[Yes]** or **[No]** *Initial troop type?!* Alex instinctively looked at the [Yes] option. Immediately afterward: **[Drawing initial troop type, please wait...]** Staring at the screen, Alex suddenly had second thoughts. "Darn it! I should''ve played it safe and learned more about the game first!" But, as they say, there''s no use crying over spilled milk. In the blink of an eye, the initial troop type draw was complete: **[Respected Lord, congratulations! Your initial troop type is Death Knight...]** **[Beep¡ª!]** **[Detected that the Lord is exceptionally handsome and possesses the bloodline of an ancient god...]** **[Initial troop type undergoing optimization and upgrade...]** **[Ding¡ª!]** **[Respected Lord, congratulations!]** **[You have obtained the Undying Legion''s oath of loyalty!]** **[Oath of Loyalty: Other lords will no longer be able to gain the service of the Undying Legion.]** **[You will also receive the "Lich King" inheritance!]** *Huh?* Alex was genuinely bewildered by the barrage of messages. "I know I''m good-looking, but what''s this about an ancient god''s bloodline?" she thought. "My initial troop type went from Death Knight to the entire Undying Legion? That''s an upgrade from a single unit to an entire race! And now only I can command the Undying Legion? And what''s the deal with this Lich King inheritance?" Although Alex didn''t quite understand what was happening, her gut told her it wasn''t a bad thing. Suddenly, a purplish-black light descended from the sky and landed on Alex. **[Lich King inheritance acceptance in progress...]** The message on the screen reassured her. As Alex relaxed, the purplish-black light gradually seeped into her body. In a short while, it had completely vanished within her. Outwardly, Alex looked the same, but... She slowly clenched her fists, feeling a surge of power coursing through her. "I could punch the lights out of the world heavyweight champion right now!" Clearly, Alex''s physical strength had been significantly enhanced. With her current strength, she was basically Earth''s ultimate fighting machine. She opened her personal information panel: **[Lord: Alex]** **[Race: Human (Lich King Inheritance)]** **[Life Tier: King]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: ¡Þ (Undying Legion trait: Soul fire inextinguishable, thus immortal)]** **[MP: 20 (Recovery rate: 1 point per minute)]** **[Strength: 5 (Normal creatures start at 1)]** **[Endurance: 5 (Normal creatures start at 1)]** **[Spirit: 5 (Normal creatures start at 1)]** **[Castle Level: Lv1]** **[Undead Altar Level: Lv1]** **[Initial Troop: Undying Legion (including but not limited to Undead Skeletons, Undead Zombies, Death Knights, Liches...) (Unique)]** **[Skills: Undead Summoning, Parasite, Contamination, Enslave]** * **Undead Summoning:** Summons an Undead Skeleton from a target corpse. (The Undead Skeleton''s level is the same as the deceased''s level before death.) * **Parasite:** Inflicts a curse on the target, causing continuous damage. If the target dies from this skill, the corpse will automatically transform into a zombie under the caster''s control. * **Contamination:** Casts dark water over an area, causing continuous corrosive damage to targets within. If a target dies within the dark water, the corpse will automatically transform into an Undead Skeleton under the caster''s control. * **Enslave:** Targets a single individual, forcing them into a state of soul chaos. While in this state, the caster can control the target''s actions. **[Equipment: None]** ... After closing her personal information panel, Alex noticed a ten-meter diameter altar next to the castle. In the center of the altar stood a towering throne! And on that throne sat a tall humanoid figure. The figure wore imposing armor, a menacing helmet, and gripped a broad, heavy sword in both hands¡ªa picture of pure badassery. They looked like a world-conquering overlord. "I guess this is the so-called Undead Altar," Alex murmured. As she spoke, a screen popped up from the altar. **[Undead Altar (Unique Building)]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[One summon can be performed daily]** **[Current summonable troop types (choose one): 1. Ten Undead Skeletons; 2. Ten Undead Zombies; 3. Two Liches; 4. Two Death Knights; 5. One Skeletal Dragon; 6. One Zombie Titan.]** **[Upgrade Requirements: 100 Magic Stones, 5 Red Crystals]** *"Undead Altar! Unique Building!"* Anyone who''d played a game before knew that the word "unique" meant rare and powerful. "I can actually *choose* my troops!" According to the information, Alex could choose what to summon each day. Currently, there were six options. "Six options, not bad! Judging by the summon quantities, the Skeletal Dragon and Zombie Titan are the strongest, followed by the Death Knights and Liches. Undead Skeletons and Zombies are the weakest." Alex thought for a moment but didn''t rush to summon anything. "Better get a handle on the situation first," she decided. With that, she turned and entered her castle. As soon as she stepped inside, another screen appeared. **[Respected Lord, welcome home!]** **[Your castle is currently under beginner''s protection.]** **[During the beginner''s protection period, your castle is invincible. No creature, not even a god, can breach it.]** **[Please note, Lord, your beginner''s protection period has 6 days, 23 hours, 55 minutes, and 18 seconds remaining...]** **[After the beginner''s period, your castle''s invincibility will be lifted, and other native forces or other lords can attack your castle.]** **[Furthermore, after the beginner''s period ends, your castle will face the first wave of the beast horde.]** **[Please take this seriously, Lord. If your castle is destroyed by the beast horde, you will lose your foothold in the Endless Continent.]** **[And a lord who loses their castle and foothold will be¡ªobliterated!]** Reading the message, Alex felt a sudden sense of urgency. "Only seven days of beginner''s protection! And then a beast horde... If I can''t defend against it, I''m dead!" Alex wasn''t ready to die. Nobody is! "Seven days..." Her gaze hardened. "I have to develop my strength within these seven days! And my advantages are..." she thought, "the troops summoned from the Undead Altar, and... my own skills!" After receiving the Lich King inheritance, Alex had gained four skills, three of which could create undead! "If I use them well, my army will only grow stronger!" With her mind made up, Alex left the castle and returned to the Undead Altar. **[Undead Altar (Summon Available)]** **[Summon the Undying Legion?]** **[Yes]** or **[No]** "Yes!" Alex chose without hesitation. **[Please select the troop type for this summon:]** **[1. Ten Undead Skeletons]** **[2. Ten Undead Zombies]** **[3. Two Liches]** **[4. Two Death Knights]** **[5. One Skeletal Dragon]** **[6. One Zombie Titan]** "Time is of the essence. I''m going with the strongest!" "I choose¡ª5! A Skeletal Dragon!" As Alex made her choice, a purplish-black light erupted from the Undead Altar, looking eerily like some sort of evil ritual. ... In an instant, a five-meter-tall figure appeared on the altar. It was a dragon-shaped... creature?... made entirely of bones, without a shred of flesh. Alex wasn''t even sure if it qualified as a living being. The Skeletal Dragon planted its massive bone feet on the altar, spread its bony wings, extended its neck, and roared towards the sky: "ROAR!" Along with the roar, a stream of blazing fire erupted from the Skeletal Dragon''s mouth! Having expressed its excitement, the Skeletal Dragon lowered its head. Two soul fires ignited in its empty eye sockets as it looked respectfully at Alex. "My respected master, your loyal servant greets you." Thanks to the Undying Legion''s oath of loyalty, Alex was the absolute, unquestionable master in the Skeletal Dragon''s eyes. And finally, Alex could see the Skeletal Dragon''s information panel. **[Skeletal Dragon (Unnamed)]** **[Race: Undead]** **[Loyalty: 100 (Will never betray)]** **[Life Tier: God]** S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: ¡Þ (Undying Legion trait: Soul fire inextinguishable, thus immortal)]** **[MP: 20 (Recovery rate: 1 point per 50 seconds)]** **[Strength: 6]** **[Endurance: 6]** **[Spirit: 6]** **[Skill: Dragon Flame]** * **Dragon Flame:** Spews scorching flames to incinerate enemies! **[Equipment: None]** Chapter 3: Skeletal Dragon Chapter 3: Skeletal Dragon "Arthur!" Alex declared, naming her first minion. "From now on, you shall be called Arthur!" Skeletal Dragon Arthur. One word¡ªpowerful! **[Life Tier: God]** Alex now understood what that meant. Life Tier represented a creature''s potential. It was divided into Normal, Elite, Commander, Lord, King, and God. Arthur''s God Tier potential meant he could eventually reach the level of a god. *A dragon god!* Plus, Arthur''s starting stats were 6, while Normal creatures only started with 1! Their growth potential was even more incomparable. Arthur gained 6 points per level, while Normal creatures only gained 1. The higher the level, the wider the gap! In short, Alex''s Skeletal Dragon was incredibly strong, with immense potential. Of course, creatures that started at Normal Tier *could* theoretically increase their Life Tier through hard work, climbing from Elite to Commander, Lord, King, and finally God. Theoretically. In practice, it was harder than a snowball''s chance in hell, especially the jump from King to God. That was a fundamental transformation of life essence, way more difficult than a man giving birth! But these weren''t concerns for Alex right now. "Growth!" she thought. "Time to go grind!" The castle''s beginner''s protection only lasted seven days, after which the first beast horde would arrive. Alex had only seven days to power up. No time to waste! ... **[Castle Level: Lv1]** **[HP: 10k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 500-meter radius]** **[Functions: Within the territory, the Lord has omniscience; can collect spoils of war; can decompose monster corpses to obtain materials.]** **[Upgrade Requirements: 1000 units of wood, 500 units of stone]** Thanks to her castle''s abilities, a mini-map appeared before Alex, centered on her castle and covering a 500-meter radius. Every rustle of leaves, every movement, was crystal clear. "Northwest, 380 meters out, deep in the jungle... a pack of gray wolves," she observed. "Lowest level 7, highest level 43. Yikes, not messing with those... yet." A level 43 gray wolf, even with Normal Tier growth, would have at least 43 points in each stat. Arthur, at level 1, only had 6. No match. "But once Arthur reaches level 10, his stats will be at 60! Then I can wipe out that wolf pack. No dangerous elements allowed in my territory!" Adding the gray wolves to her hit list, Alex scanned for closer, lower-level prey. She quickly found a suitable target. "Southeast, 50 meters, a huge flock of roosters! Mostly level 1, a few level 2, and only five level 3." **[Rooster]** **[Race: Native Monster]** **[Life Tier: Normal]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: 20]** **[MP: None]** **[Strength: 1]** **[Endurance: 1]** **[Spirit: None]** sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Normal Tier roosters. Weak growth potential. Even a level 3 rooster only had 3 points in Strength and Endurance. No match for Arthur, or even Alex herself, with her 5 points in each stat. Clearly, roosters were the perfect monster for a power-leveling grind. Alex immediately marched towards the flock with Arthur in tow. First step to conquering Eldoria: chicken slaying! "Arthur, kill them all!" "Yes, master!" With a command from Alex, Arthur spread his bony wings, swooped down, and lunged at the unsuspecting roosters. "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" "Dragon Flame!" Arthur unleashed his ultimate attack. A wave of scorching fire swept across the flock. The roosters that couldn''t dodge in time were instantly engulfed in flames, roasted alive in seconds. It was a poultry massacre. "Damn," Alex muttered, wiping away a tear... or was it drool? "That smells *amazing*..." She gazed at the rampaging Arthur and the piles of roasted chicken, swallowing hard. With an effort of will, she suppressed the urge to dive in and feast. Instead, she focused on a rooster corpse and extended her hand. "Time to test out my skills." Alex had gained four initial skills from the Lich King inheritance: **[Undead Summoning]**, **[Parasite]**, **[Contamination]**, and **[Enslave]**. **[Undead Summoning]** allowed her to summon an Undead Skeleton from a corpse. This was the secret to the Undying Legion''s resilience, their ability to not only survive attrition but actually *grow* stronger from it. They couldn''t be killed, and they could turn enemy corpses into more undead. Locking onto the target corpse, Alex used **[Undead Summoning]**. No chanting, no incantations. As simple as snapping her fingers, the skill activated instantly. A black magic circle appeared on the corpse. "Clack¡ª!" A pale, bony hand emerged from the circle, followed by an arm, a head, a torso... An Undead Skeleton crawled out. Strangely, despite being summoned from a chicken, it was humanoid. Alex stared at it, puzzled. **[Undead Skeleton]** **[Race: Undead]** **[Loyalty: 100 (Will never betray)]** **[Life Tier: Normal]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: ¡Þ (Undying Legion trait: Soul fire inextinguishable, thus immortal)]** **[MP: None]** **[Strength: 1]** **[Endurance: 1]** **[Spirit: 1]** **[Skills: None]** **[Equipment: None]** The Undead Skeleton, upon emerging, immediately prostrated itself before Alex. "I greet you, master!" *Holy crap, it talks!* This **[Undead Summoning]** skill was ridiculously good. And it got even better. Alex noticed that the rooster corpse she''d used was still there! One corpse, infinite skeletons? She could have a million-strong undead army in no time! "Holy moly," she thought. "I''m gonna conquer Eldoria before the beginner''s protection even ends!" Chapter 4: Kill every last chicken here Chapter 4: Kill every last chicken here Alex''s dream of instantly raising a million-skeleton army was dashed. The rooster corpse she''d used for **[Undead Summoning]** couldn''t be used again. "So, one corpse, one skeleton," she noted in her little notebook. At least, that was the rule for now. She also noticed a detail she''d missed before: **[Undead Summoning]:** Summons an Undead Skeleton from a target corpse. *Cost: 2 MP.* Alex checked her current MP: **[MP]: 18/20 (1 point per minute)**. One summon cost 2 MP, leaving her with 18 points, enough for 9 more summons. After that, she''d have to wait two minutes for her MP to regenerate. "So even with enough corpses," she realized, "I can only summon one skeleton every two minutes with **[Undead Summoning]**. At this rate, a million-skeleton army would take... well, let''s just say it wasn''t happening anytime soon. Her dream of a massive undead horde was on hold, at least for now. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But," Alex declared with a determined glint in her eye, "one day, I *will* have my instant million-skeleton army!" She had immense faith in her troops and her Lich King inheritance. The Undying Legion would only grow with time. That was undeniable. They were, after all, *undying*. Arthur, Alex herself, and even the freshly summoned level 1 skeleton all had infinite HP. How were they supposed to die? Not only were her troops immortal, but their numbers would increase with every battle. Alex''s confidence in her future was unshakeable. ... **[Killed Level 1 Rooster, gained +1 experience]** **[Killed Level 1 Rooster, gained +1 experience]** **[Killed Level 2 Rooster, gained +3 experience, gained +1 Magic Stone]** **[Killed Level 1 Rooster...]** ... Meanwhile, Arthur, diligently following Alex''s "kill them all" order, was carrying out a genocidal campaign against the roosters. Each kill granted Alex 1 experience point, and occasionally, a Magic Stone. "Magic Stones! Just what I need to upgrade the Undead Altar!" Alex observed Arthur, who stood tall and imposing, bony wings spread, blasting flames from his massive skull at the fleeing chickens. "Dragon Flame!" The roosters, facing the mighty Skeletal Dragon, could only run. Resistance was futile. But could they escape? Arthur''s Dragon Flame had a range of 50 meters. The roosters were trapped within his fiery domain. Their frantic flight only bought them a few extra seconds of life before they met their crispy end. "Just needs some cilantro and cumin," Alex mumbled, wiping her mouth. She targeted the nearest rooster corpse. "Undead Summoning!" The black magic circle appeared, a humanoid skeleton emerged, and prostrated itself. "My respected master!" Alex nodded and immediately cast **[Undead Summoning]** on another corpse. "Undead Summoning!" "Undead Summoning!" "Undead Summoning!"... Nine more times, gaining nine more skeletons. With the first one, she now had ten. **[Undead Skeleton] (x10)** **(Same stats as before)** Alex reviewed the skeleton''s stats and nodded in satisfaction. Then, she issued her first command to her ten prostrate minions. "Go help Arthur. Kill every last chicken here!" "Yes, master!" The skeletons slowly rose and began their lumbering march towards the scattering roosters. Alex noticed a problem. Undead or not, they were *slow*. They couldn''t keep up with the winged, occasionally flapping chickens. "Good thing Arthur''s got this covered." Unlike the slow, stiff skeletons, Arthur was surprisingly agile. He could even duck his head and blast Dragon Flame under his belly at the chickens chasing his tail. Show-off. "Maybe that''s the difference in Life Tier," Alex mused. Arthur was God Tier, while her summoned skeletons were Normal Tier. A huge difference. "Looks like these summoned skeletons are only good for cannon fodder, or maybe manual labor. The troops from the Undead Altar are my main fighting force." Comparing Arthur and the skeletons, Alex understood their respective roles. Everything had its place. As a lord, she needed to recognize that, to put her troops in positions where they could be most effective. ... Two minutes later, Alex''s MP regenerated, and she summoned another skeleton. The process continued. Arthur as the main damage dealer, the skeletons as a distraction, and Alex as the commander. Working together, they quickly wiped out the entire flock of over a hundred roosters, leaving behind a field of roasted poultry. Alex then spent the next few hours summoning skeletons from every corpse, gaining five level 3, seventeen level 2, and one hundred twenty-three level 1 skeletons. Her forces had grown exponentially! And there was another pleasant surprise. The rooster corpses could be salvaged! **[Respected Lord, monster corpses detected within your territory. Decompose and salvage?]** **[Yes]** or **[No]** "Yes!" No hesitation there. **[Decomposition and salvage successful]** **[Respected Lord, congratulations! You have obtained 145 rooster combs, 321 portions of roasted chicken, and 3 Magic Stones.]** "Jackpot!" Alex grinned at the sudden influx of resources in her castle''s warehouse. Just then, a chat window popped up. "Bro, add me! Gotta show you my Golden Retriever King!" The message was from Sophie, Alex''s younger sister. *"Sophie''s in the game too? What about my older brother, my other sister, and my parents? Universal Lords... could they all be...?"* Chapter 5: Highway robbery Chapter 5: Highway robbery Seeing Sophie''s message, Alex felt a mix of relief and anxiety. Relief that even after this crazy isekai trip, her family was here, together. Anxiety because, despite being called a game, *Universal Lords* felt terrifyingly real. Death here was *permanent*¡ªnot a simple logout back to reality. Honestly, Alex wished her family *wasn''t* here, not in this dangerous world. She worried for their safety. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She quickly added Sophie to her friends list. **[Alex]:** Sophie, is that you? **[Sophie]:** Alex! It says my level''s too low for video calls or sending pictures... Alex saw the grayed-out video and picture icons in their chat window. *Seriously?* she thought. *Total cheap web game vibes.* But that wasn''t important right now. Family came first. **[Alex]:** Sophie, where are you? Are you safe? **[Sophie]:** Where... I don''t know where I am! My castle''s surrounded by a giant grassland, bigger than the one we went to last month! I''m safe though, don''t worry. The castle has seven days of beginner''s protection. As long as I stay inside, I''m good! And guess what? My initial troops are Golden Retriever Kings! I wish I could show you how awesome they look! Sophie''s rapid-fire messages made Alex smile. Knowing her sister was safe eased her mind. Still, she couldn''t resist giving some advice. **[Alex]:** Be careful, Sophie. Stay inside the castle for now. Let your Golden Retriever Kings do the hunting. Don''t take any risks! I''ll figure things out here and give you some game tips later. **[Sophie]:** Okay, Alex! You''re the best! *Of course I am,* Alex thought. *You''re my little sister.* **[Alex]:** Let me know if you need anything. **[Sophie]:** Alex... I''m hungry... **[Alex]:** Send your Golden Retriever Kings out to hunt. Stick to low-level monsters for now, levels 1 and 2 are ideal. And hunt within your territory so you can use the castle to decompose the corpses for food directly. Dragging corpses back from outside your territory is a waste of time. **[Sophie]:** Alex... I *have* food. My Golden Retriever Kings hunted some level 1 antelopes. I have tons of meat, but... it''s all raw! There''s no kitchen in the castle, and I can''t find any fire to cook it. I can''t eat raw meat! Alex could practically feel Sophie''s misery through the chat window. Food, but inedible. *Wait a minute...* Alex looked around her own castle. No kitchen? What kind of castle was this? Was a kitchen, like video chat, a level-up unlock? She''d investigate later. For now... Alex opened her castle warehouse: **[Roasted Chicken: 321 units]**. She immediately sent 21 units to Sophie. **[Alex]:** I have some roasted chicken. This should tide you over. Let me know if you need more. A while later, Sophie replied. **[Sophie]:** Mmm, Alex, this chicken is so good! This is plenty! One portion is enough for a whole meal! *(Universal Lords: 1 unit of food is enough for one person.)* A thought struck Alex. Were other lords facing the same raw meat problem? She doubted many modern people could stomach raw meat. If no one else could cook, this was a business opportunity! Her Skeletal Dragon breathed fire! Acting on the idea, Alex opened her lord panel and found what she was looking for: **[World Chat]** and **[Free Market]**. The market was already bustling with activity. **[Wood]** **[Sale Type: Fixed Price]** **[Price: 1 unit of water or 1 unit of cooked meat per 1 unit of wood]** **[Remaining: 27 units]** ¡ª **[Stone]** **(Similar listing)** ¡ª **[Fresh Water]** **(Similar listing, price 1 cooked meat)** ¡ª **[Pork (Raw)]** **[Price: 1 unit of cooked meat per 2 units of raw pork]** ... Most listings were for wood, stone, and water. And the most common requests? Cooked meat! Someone was even offering *two* units of raw pork for one unit of cooked meat! This confirmed two things. First, Alex was right about the modern aversion to raw meat. Second, most lords couldn''t cook! They had no fire, or no way to make fire. They could *get* raw meat, but not *cook* it. And Alex''s fire-breathing Skeletal Dragon might be unique. On day one of *Universal Lords*, cooked meat was a hot commodity! "I''m gonna be rich!" Alex cackled. "Arthur, the Undying Legion, all bone, no stomachs! They don''t need food. They can just absorb... whatever... from the air. Same for me with this Lich King thing. And even if I *did* eat, I wouldn''t need much. Plus, with Arthur, I have an unlimited supply of cooked meat!" Alex opened her warehouse and listed all her roasted chicken on the market. **[Roasted Chicken]** **[Sale Type: Fixed Price]** **[Price: 20 units of wood or 20 units of stone per 1 unit]** **[Remaining: 300 units]** The moment her listing went live, World Chat exploded. "Who the hell is this?!" "Highway robbery!" "Everyone else is trading 1 for 1, and this jerk is charging *twenty* times the price!" "Talk about a capitalist pig!" "Even a black market isn''t this shady!" "I''m not even this shady!" Chapter 6: I can upgrade my castle Chapter 6: I can upgrade my castle On the first day of Universal Lords, half a day had passed since billions of humans from Earth arrived in Eldoria. Many lords had food in their castle warehouses. After all, every lord had initial troops. Even the weakest troops could easily handle level 1 Normal monsters. And with monster corpses, lords could obtain food through their castle''s decomposition and salvage function. The catch? The food¡ªwhether mutton, pork, or chicken¡ªwas all raw, bloody, and unappetizing. And there were no kitchens in the castles! The newly arrived lords hadn''t yet figured out how to unlock them. No kitchen meant no fire. In modern society, fire was readily available, but in this world, it was a precious resource. Without fire, no cooked food. And right now, anyone with cooked meat was a big deal. It meant they''d either unlocked the castle kitchen or had another fire source. Either way, Alex, with her 300 units of roasted chicken, was clearly someone to be reckoned with. Yet, World Chat was filled with complaints. **[World Channel 35623 players]** "Price gouging! Boycott this profiteer!" "Don''t buy! Let it rot in her warehouse!" "1 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat is the fair price. Twenty times the price? She''s taking us for fools!" "Anyone who buys is an idiot!" "You buying? I''m not!" ... There were millions of World Chat channels, each holding up to 10,000 players. After Alex posted her listing, at least a hundred thousand channels were filled with people bashing her, calling her greedy, exploitative, and worse. She was infamous! Mainly because her prices were *insane*. The accepted market price, based on other market listings, was 1 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat. Alex had multiplied that by *twenty*. Who wouldn''t be furious? Chopping wood and mining stone took effort! But... as millions continued to rant, someone noticed something terrifying. **[World Channel 251 (10,000 players)]** "Holy crap, you two-faced bastards!" "What happened?" "You''re all dogs! I hesitated for half a second, and it''s gone!" "I didn''t even hesitate, and I still missed out!" "What''s going on? Tell us!" "Check the Free Market." "Don''t bother. Alex''s 300 units of roasted chicken are *sold out*!" "???" "What the hell? Weren''t we boycotting this profiteer?" "Are you all crazy?! Twenty times the market price?!" "Have you never eaten meat before?!" "Anyone who bought is an idiot! You''re the reason profiteers like Alex exist!" "Boycott the profiteer! Boycott the idiot consumers!" "+1" "+2" "+999" ... "Lol, you guys can boycott all you want. I''m not playing that game. Hey, Alex, you got any more cooked meat? I''ll buy!" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are you insane? Licking the boots of a profiteer? Twenty times the price?!" "Price? What price? Tell me, what the hell is the ''price''?" "1 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat! That''s the price! Everyone agreed on it!" "Hah, flawed logic! That''s the price *buyers* are offering, a price that benefits *them*. If buyers set the prices, you''d be asking for 100 cooked meat for 1 wood!" "Look at the Free Market! Almost every listing is *buying* cooked meat. No one else is *selling* it, except Alex! That means cooked meat is scarce! And Alex is the only supplier! It''s a seller''s market! Billions of buyers, one seller! Alex sets the price, take it or leave it! It''s simple. Stop with the moral outrage. 20 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat isn''t even expensive. One tree gives you at least 8-10 units of wood. You could''ve gathered 20 while you were busy complaining!" "I... I... My castle is on a grassland! No trees! No stones! I''m screwed! Alex, can I trade grass for cooked meat? 100 grass for 1 meat? I''m so hungry..." ... World Chat had done a complete 180. From furious boycott to desperate pleas for more cooked meat. Alex didn''t quite understand the logic, but she understood the *behavior*. Her 300 units of roasted chicken had sold out in under a minute. "Actions speak louder than words," she chuckled. The sale netted her 4210 wood and 1790 stone, all deposited in her castle warehouse. "No transaction fees!" she noticed. Another bonus. And the best news yet... "I can upgrade my castle!" Alex exclaimed, her face beaming. **[Upgrade Requirements: 1000 wood, 500 stone]**. She had more than enough. Chapter 7: Undead Altar Chapter 7: Undead Altar **[Respected Lord, congratulations! Upgrade successful!]** Without hesitation, Alex spent 1000 wood and 500 stone to upgrade her castle. **[Castle Level: Lv2]** **[HP: 20k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 1000-meter radius]** **(Same functions)** **[Upgrade Requirements: 2000 wood, 1000 stone]** "10k more HP, and my territory''s doubled in size... Is that it?" Alex blinked, checking her warehouse. **[Wood: 3210, Stone: 1290]**. Enough for another upgrade! "Do it!" **[Upgrade castle for 2000 wood and 1000 stone?]** S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Yes]** or **[No]** Alex firmly chose **[Yes]**. **[Respected Lord, congratulations! Upgrade successful!]** **[Castle Level: Lv3]** **[HP: 30k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 1500-meter radius]** **(Same functions)** **[Upgrade Requirements: 3000 wood, 2000 stone]** "So..." Alex was a bit underwhelmed. Level 1 to 3, and all she got was more HP and a bigger territory. No new functions, no bonus rewards. "If that''s all there is, there''s no point upgrading during the beginner''s period," she thought. The castle was invincible anyway. Better to save the resources. Her gaze shifted to the Undead Altar. The only other thing she could upgrade. **(Undead Altar stats, same as before)** But the altar needed Magic Stones and Red Crystals, not wood and stone. "If I''m not rushing the castle upgrades, I can sell the cooked meat for Magic Stones and Red Crystals," Alex mused. "Cooked meat is still in high demand. As long as the price isn''t *too* outrageous, billions of lords will be fighting over it. Upgrading the altar might increase my daily summons. Okay, new plan: focus on the altar for the next seven days. Castle upgrades can wait." Alex jotted down her new seven-day plan. And then immediately changed it. Because... in the sky, 10,000 meters from her castle, she saw a massive... dragon. Not a Skeletal Dragon like Arthur, but a real, flesh-and-blood, *living* dragon. A huge, mountain lion-like body, giant bat wings, a long, sinuous tail, powerful limbs... a Western dragon. In every story, dragons were powerful creatures, often slain, but still representing the peak of a world''s power. Seeing this dragon, Alex''s face went pale. And when the dragon started circling and descending... her heart sank with it. *"Crap. Am I neighbors with a dragon?!"* This was not good. Who knew what this dragon''s temperament was like? Maybe it would ignore her. But what if it didn''t? Alex wasn''t taking that chance. Her life was too precious to gamble on a dragon''s mood. The beginner''s protection only lasted seven days... no, less than that. It was already late afternoon on day one. *"Can''t rely on anyone but myself,"* she thought. She immediately used her castle''s scouting function to check the dragon''s stats. Know thy enemy. *"Let''s see what kind of stats a dragon has in this world!"* **[Beep¡ª!]** **[Target outside territory range. Cannot view detailed information.]** "Oh!" Alex realized. Her castle''s omniscience only worked *within* her territory. That''s how she''d seen the wolves'' and roosters'' stats. Outside her territory, she was on her own. And right now, she couldn''t judge a dragon''s power to save her life. "So..." she concluded. "Castle upgrades are back on the menu." A bigger territory meant a bigger scouting range. Once the dragon was within her range, she could assess its strength and decide whether to slay it or... run for the hills. Survival was paramount. "I need to expand my territory to at least 10,000 meters before the beginner''s protection ends!" Her resolve hardened. "And the Undead Altar needs to be upgraded too!" The altar''s troops were her best bet against the dragon. Castle and altar, both were crucial. Alex revised her plan again. "Cooked meat is still valuable. I need to milk this for all it''s worth." "Arthur!" The Skeletal Dragon flew to her side and bowed his bony head. "My respected master, your most loyal servant awaits your command." "Skeleton Squad!" The 145 skeletons lumbered over and knelt. "My respected master!" Alex pointed to a level 3 skeleton. "You 145 skeletons are now Skeleton Squad 1. You are the squad leader." "As you command, master!" Alex turned to Arthur. "Arthur, I command you to lead Skeleton Squad 1 and hunt monsters. Focus on low-level targets, and use your Dragon Flame to roast the corpses. I need lots of cooked meat. Understood?" Arthur spread his wings. "Master, entrust this task to Arthur. You will not be disappointed." "Go. Don''t let me down." "Yes, master!" Arthur and Skeleton Squad 1 marched off to hunt. Alex felt confident in Arthur. He was God Tier, with immense potential. And he''d already leveled up! After slaughtering the chickens, he was now level 2. **[Skeletal Dragon (Arthur)]** **(Stats doubled from before)** Arthur, now twice as strong, followed Alex''s instructions to the letter. His opening move against any prey? "Dragon Flame!" Chapter 8: Night descends, the Blood Moon rises Chapter 8: Night descends, the Blood Moon rises Arthur was a beast! God Tier was no joke. His **[Dragon Flame]** could blast continuously for over two minutes, costing 2 MP per use. But he regenerated 1 MP every 50 seconds, meaning he could keep the flames going indefinitely as long as he wanted. And at level 2, his damage had doubled! He could roast three chickens per minute on average. Of course, even a relatively weak creature like a rooster wasn''t going to just stand there and get barbequed. They ran, scattered, making Arthur chase them down. Three kills per minute was still impressive. Whenever Arthur roasted a chicken, Alex, if she had 2 MP available, would immediately cast **[Undead Summoning]**. The summoned skeleton would be the same level as the chicken and completely loyal to Alex. A truly god-level skill, its power would only grow as she leveled up. An ever-expanding army of immortal undead... And after summoning a skeleton, Alex could still salvage the chicken corpse for roasted meat! Even a capitalist would weep at the efficiency! The roosters were getting the three-stage exploitation treatment: killed for experience and Magic Stones, their corpses used for summoning, and then salvaged for food. "The indignity!" a rooster might cry. "You''ve wrung me dry!" With Arthur''s fiery rampage, the Skeleton Squad''s harassing tactics, and Alex''s steady summoning and strategic direction, their teamwork was flawless. Soon, Alex leveled up too! **[Lord: Alex]** **[Level: Lv2]** **(Stats doubled from before)** Alex''s stats had doubled! She was King Tier, one below Arthur''s God Tier. Her base stats and stat growth were slightly lower. That small difference would add up. At level 100, ignoring equipment, she''d be 100 points behind Arthur in each stat. The gap between King and God Tier was real. "But," Alex mused, stroking her chin, "I''m not the main fighter. Arthur is! And he''s *my* soldier!" The thought filled her with glee. She was incredibly pleased with Arthur. ... After a merciless slaughter, Arthur hit level 3! His stats jumped again, each increasing by 6. **[Strength: 18]** **[Endurance: 18]** **[Spirit: 18]** Another power surge! But just as Alex was basking in the joy of her growing power... ...it got dark. **[WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT!]** **[Night descends, the Blood Moon rises!]** **[Monsters will be empowered during the night!]** **[Random 1-10x stat boost!]** **[Calculating tonight''s boost...]** **[Beep¡ª!]** **[9x!]** **[Tonight, monsters will receive a 9x stat boost!]** As the announcement ended, the level 3 rooster Arthur was chasing suddenly glowed with blood-red eyes. Bloodthirsty, enraged, and *very* dangerous. "Something''s wrong!" Alex quickly checked the rooster''s stats. **[Rooster (Night Frenzy, 9x)]** **[Level: Lv3]** **[HP: 480]** **[Strength: 27]** **[Endurance: 27]** "Holy sh*t!" Alex swore. This was insane! A Normal Tier level 3 monster, normally with 3 points in each stat, now had *27*! Nine points *higher* than Arthur''s level 3 stats of 18! The tables had turned. The empowered rooster was now chasing *Arthur*. "Arthur, retreat!" Alex yelled, fearing for her dragon''s safety. But Arthur didn''t obey. "Master, you go back to the castle! I''ll hold it off!" His words jolted Alex awake. *"I''m in its attack range too!"* Cold sweat trickled down her back. *Retreat! Back to the safety of the invincible castle!* She ran, then calmed down slightly, issuing commands as she retreated. "Arthur, come back with me! Skeleton Squad 1, distract that rooster!" "Yes, master!" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She could resummon lost skeletons. Losing Arthur would be devastating. But just as she gave the order, Arthur and the night-empowered rooster clashed. *BOOM!* The tiny rooster sent the 5-meter-tall Arthur flying ten meters! Alex gasped. Night monsters were *strong*. The rooster''s 27 in each stat was far superior to Arthur''s 18. Arthur being knocked back was inevitable. But... Alex looked closer. Things weren''t as they seemed. **[Rooster HP: 478/480]** **[Arthur HP: ¡Þ]** The Undying Legion... *undying*. "Ha ha ha!" Alex burst out laughing. Arthur hadn''t lost a single HP! The rooster, despite its apparent advantage, had lost 2 HP! If the fight continued, the rooster would lose! Arthur was immortal! "Undying Legion, baby!" she yelled, her voice cracking. But even with immortality, killing the rooster would take time. Arthur could only inflict 2 damage per hit, and the rooster had 480 HP, slowly regenerating. "Arthur, Skeleton Squad 1, retreat!" Alex ordered. No point fighting a monster on a rampage. They could deal with it tomorrow, when it lost its night boost. "Revenge is a dish best served cold!" ... Alex and Arthur retreated to the castle. Skeleton Squad 1 was still slowly making its way back. Their speed was... an issue. But they were also immortal, so no worries. Alex focused on the important task: salvaging the corpses. **[Salvage monster corpses?]** "Yes! Yes! Yes!" **[Salvage successful!]** **[Obtained 876 rooster combs, 2034 roasted chicken, and 31 Magic Stones.]** A massive haul! Keeping 34 units of chicken for herself, Alex listed the remaining 2000 on the Free Market. **[Roasted Chicken]** **[Price: 20 wood or 20 stone or 1 Magic Stone]** **[Remaining: 2000 units]** Then, she went to World Chat. **[World Channel 1 (10,000 players)]** **[Alex]:** I''ve listed some roasted chicken on the Free Market, same price as before. "Alex!" "Front row!" "Holy crap, are you all single? 2000 units gone already?!" "Sold out!" Alex stared at the messages, dumbfounded. *Gone? Just like that? 2000 units?* Chapter 9: I need to get stronger Chapter 9: I need to get stronger 2000 units of roasted chicken, gone in a flash. Billions of hungry lords, and Alex was the only supplier. It was a feeding frenzy. The sale netted her 24,680 wood, 12,320 stone, and 150 Magic Stones. Adding that to her existing stockpile, she now had 25,890 wood and 12,610 stone. Five digits! And her Magic Stone count was at 185, closing in on 200. Another massive win! Immediately, Alex upgraded her castle. **[Upgrade castle for 3000 wood and 2000 stone?]** "Yes!" **[Castle Level: Lv4]** "Keep going!" **[Castle Level: Lv5]** ... **[Castle Level: Lv6]** Alex spent a total of 12,000 wood and 9,000 stone, reaching level 6. **[Castle Level: Lv6]** **[HP: 60k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 3000-meter radius]** S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **(Same functions)** **[Upgrade Requirements: 6000 wood, 5000 stone]** "3000-meter radius!" Alex thought. "Almost to that dragon''s lair! Dragons love treasure, right? Its lair must be full of it! Once my territory covers it, I can monitor the dragon''s movements. The moment it leaves, I''ll raid its lair!" *Perfect plan!* She couldn''t upgrade further because she was out of stone. **[Wood: 13,890, Stone: 3610]**. The next upgrade needed 5000 stone. "No problem. Another day of selling roasted chicken, and I''ll have enough." Tomorrow, she could summon again. Another Skeletal Dragon. More fire, more roasted meat. Two dragons working together... double the fun! "I might get over 10,000 units of cooked meat tomorrow! Imagine the resources I can get for that! Massive castle upgrades! Yes!" The Undead Altar, however, remained stuck at level 1. She had 185 Magic Stones, but zero Red Crystals. "Do I need to kill higher-level monsters for Red Crystals?" she wondered. A dilemma. Higher-level monsters *might* drop Red Crystals, but would mean less cooked meat. Sticking to low-level monsters meant more meat, but maybe no Red Crystals. Life always presented choices. Alex decided to stick with low-level monsters for now. "The cooked meat gravy train won''t last forever. Someone else will figure out how to cook soon. I need to maximize my profits while I can." She opened her **[Contacts]** and was greeted with 530 million friend requests! "Alex, how did you get fire? Teach me!~" "Alex, add me! I have questions!" "You''ve caught my attention, man!" "Add me, I have a sister!" ... Alex scrolled through the bizarre requests and rejected them all. This was a competition, against both native forces and other lords. She didn''t know who these people were. It wasn''t time for random friend requests. She was looking for her family. "Mom, Dad, brother, sister..." But there was no search function! How was she supposed to find them in a sea of billions? "Ask Sophie how she found me!" **[Alex]:** Sophie, you there? How did you find me on the friends list? **[Sophie]:** Alex, I''m scared! Alex''s heart leaped into her throat. **[Alex]:** Don''t be scared, Sophie. I''m here! What''s wrong? **[Sophie]:** There''s a big gray wolf outside my castle! It killed my Golden Retriever King! I''m so scared! *Oh no!* Sophie must have let her Golden Retriever King out at night, after the monster boost. **[Alex]:** Stay inside, Sophie. The wolf can''t hurt you in the castle. **[Sophie]:** I know, but... my Golden Retriever King is dead! **[Alex]:** Did you only have one? **[Sophie]:** I had two. Two... So, King Tier, like Alex. 5 points per stat, 5 points per level. A top-tier troop. Losing one wasn''t a disaster. She could summon two more tomorrow. **[Alex]:** Don''t worry, Sophie. You can summon two more tomorrow. Remember, stay inside if there''s danger. And watch the time! Don''t go too far from the castle, and always get back before nightfall. Monsters get stronger at night. **[Sophie]:** Okay... **[Alex]:** How did you find me on the friends list? **[Sophie]:** I don''t know. There was a recommended friend, and it was you. "Recommended friend?" Alex checked her contacts. Nothing. The trail went cold. *"Mom, Dad, brother, sister... you have to survive!"* This world was dangerous. A place where cooked meat was a luxury item couldn''t be safe. She worried for her family, but she couldn''t find them. She could do nothing. *"I''m too weak. I need to get stronger. If I had a million undead, if my territory covered all of Eldoria... I could find them in an instant...*" Chapter 10: My respected master Chapter 10: My respected master "My respected master, your loyal servant greets you." A level 3 Undead Skeleton knelt before Alex. Alex nodded, gesturing for it to rise. "Is Skeleton Squad 1 back?" "Yes, master. All 337 Undead Skeletons have returned." 337 skeletons. Over a hundred summoned in the morning, and another hundred-plus in the afternoon. 12 were level 3, 57 level 2, and the remaining 268 level 1. Mostly level 1 because roosters were mostly level 1. The summoned skeletons'' levels matched the corpses'' levels. Alex would have summoned more, but **[Undead Summoning]** cost 2 MP, and she only regenerated 1 MP per minute. Her army-building ambitions were being throttled by her MP regeneration rate. "I need a solution," she muttered. "The Undying Legion''s biggest advantage is rapid, unlimited growth. A million skeletons in minutes! I''m way too slow." To increase her summoning speed, she needed to increase her MP regeneration. Or... "Summon two Liches!" Her summoning skill came from the Lich King inheritance. Liches should have summoning abilities too! "Tomorrow, I''ll summon another Skeletal Dragon. One more day of cooked meat profits. Then, on day three, Liches. Time for explosive growth!" She couldn''t miss out on another day of selling cooked meat at exorbitant prices. 20 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat was too good to pass up. ... After instructing Arthur and the skeletons to stay inside until dawn, Alex went to the third floor of her castle. When she''d upgraded to level 5, she''d unlocked the master bedroom: a two-meter bed, luxurious carpet, fancy decorations, and a huge private bathroom. After a relaxing hot bath, Alex lay in bed with her notebook. "Level 5 castle unlocks the master bedroom. Maybe every 5 levels unlocks something new? I wonder what level unlocks the kitchen?" The level 1 castle had been barebones. She shared her discovery with Sophie. **[Alex]:** Sophie, focus on gathering wood and stone. Upgrade your castle to level 5. You''ll unlock the master bedroom with a bathroom and hot water. **[Sophie]:** Really? **[Alex]:** Of course. Would I lie to you? **[Sophie]:** Yay! Hot baths, here I come! I''ll make my Golden Retriever Kings chop trees tomorrow! Alex cringed. Golden Retriever Kings chopping trees? With their paws? Their teeth? How efficient would *that* be? And wasn''t Sophie''s castle on a grassland? Not exactly a lumberjack''s paradise. Without help, Sophie would be gathering resources for years. **[Alex]:** No! Have your Golden Retriever Kings hunt low-level monsters tomorrow. Focus on efficiency, get as much raw meat as possible, and send it to me. I can cook it for you, and you can sell it on the Free Market. They''ll work hard, but you should have enough resources for the level 5 upgrade by tomorrow night. **[Sophie]:** Thanks, Alex! You''re the best! Mwah! Alex smiled. *Of course I''m the best. I''m your big sister.* As the youngest, Sophie was the family princess, spoiled by everyone. The youngest child always got the most love. ... The night passed uneventfully. Day two of Universal Lords. Dawn broke. **[WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT]** **[Night ends, the Blood Moon retreats.]** S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Monster boost deactivated. Returning to normal strength.]** **[World Channel 9872 (10,000 players)]** "Finally, morning!" "9x boost was brutal!" "My troops all died protecting me last night!" "A few of my friends are gone..." "Gone means dead. No one expected the night boost." "A lot of lords must have died last night..." ... "Forget the depressing stuff. I''m starving after that terrifying night. Alex, you got any more cooked meat?" "Me too! I tried raw meat. Couldn''t swallow it." "Alex, please, we need cooked meat!" "Please!" Alex glanced at World Chat. **[Alex]:** One sec, gotta restock. Ignoring the rest of the chat, Alex got up and got ready. Having a bedroom and bathroom was pure bliss. She went outside to the Undead Altar. **[Undead Altar (Summon Available)]** **[Summon the Undying Legion?]** "Yes!" **(Summon options, same as before)** "Option 5, Skeletal Dragon!" The purplish-black light appeared, and another Skeletal Dragon, identical to Arthur, materialized on the altar. **(Stats same as Arthur''s level 1 stats)** "So new summons always start at level 1," Alex noted in her notebook. "You," she said to the new dragon, "shall be called John." "John thanks master for the name," John replied respectfully. Alex called Arthur and the 337 skeletons over. Time to assign tasks. Today''s to-do list was long. Chapter 11: I’m going to be rolling in it Chapter 11: I''m going to be rolling in it "Arthur, take John with you. You''re the main force, responsible for hunting monsters within our territory. Focus on low-level monsters for efficiency. I need roasted meat, and lots of it!" Arthur''s soul fires flickered in his empty sockets. "Yes, master." "Skeleton Squad 1, all twelve level 3 and fifty-seven level 2 skeletons, follow Arthur and John. Support their hunt." A level 3 skeleton stepped forward. "As you command, master." "The remaining 268 level 1 skeletons, gather firewood! As much as you can carry! I''m building a giant outdoor barbeque pit!" The pit would be for cooking the raw meat Sophie would be sending. With Arthur and John''s Dragon Flame, she had a steady fire source. "Wait a second... *cooking*..." Alex''s eyes widened. "How could I forget?!" She could cook for *other* lords, for a fee! She was the only one with a reliable fire source, at least for now. A little processing fee seemed perfectly reasonable. "I''m going to be rolling in it!" ... Meanwhile, in World Chat... **[World Channel 111122 (10,000 players)]** "How do you think Alex got fire?" "Friction fire, maybe? I saw a survival show where they used sticks." "Don''t sticks make water?" "Dude, what?" "Those TV shows are fake." "I''m a professional survivalist. Friction fire is real, but... this world''s different. I rubbed my hands raw, and nothing." "See? Sticks make water." "Back to the topic. If not friction fire, then how?" "Maybe she unlocked the castle kitchen?" "Impossible! Level 5 unlocks the master bedroom. Unless... she''s level 10?" "Level 5 unlocks something? How do you know?" "Because *I''m* level 5!" "Whoa, big shot! My castle''s still level 1..." "Me too..." "Level 1 checking in..." "Resources are so hard to get!" "Any tips, oh wise one?" "Sure. I pretended to be a cute girl and begged 1893 lords for 1 wood and stone each. Easy upgrade." "...Damn." "Gross." "Wait, if you''re telling the truth, then Alex is even more terrifying! She''s level 10?!" "Even worse. When did she start selling cooked meat?" "Yesterday at noon, I think. I bought some." "So either she gathered enough resources in half a day to reach level 10, maybe even 15... or she leveled her troops to 10 in half a day and unlocked a fire skill." "Huh?" "Our initial troops have no skills. They unlock their first skill at level 10." "Level 10?!" "Yep. No skills before that, not even for dragons or titans." "What about above King Tier?" "No idea. No one''s reported anything higher than King Tier. Maybe that''s the highest in the game?" "So Alex might have leveled her troops to 10 in half a day? That''s crazier than upgrading the castle! You can trick people into giving you resources for the castle, but troop levels require actual monster grinding!" "I wonder what her troops are. Must be something big to grind that fast." "Yeah, gotta be a large creature for that kind of efficiency." "Hey, don''t underestimate small but mighty!" "Dude, not everything''s a euphemism!" ... Alex''s name was spreading. Mysterious, powerful, greedy. Those were the labels. Envy, jealousy, and a desire to... well, you know... those were the common reactions. And then, Alex''s messages flooded World Chat. **[Various World Channels]** **[Alex]:** Sexy Lord taking orders! Cooked meat processing services! I have a controllable fire source. 1 raw meat cooked for 10 wood or stone, or 0.5 Magic Stone, or 0.1 Red Crystal, or other rare treasures! ... The chat channels were filled with her ads. "10 wood for cooking? That''s highway robbery!" "Easiest job ever!" "Not falling for that!" "Is there no one else who can break Alex''s cooked meat monopoly?" "Damn monopolies! We''re at their mercy!" "I''d rather starve!" ... The outrage was predictable. But among the billions, there were plenty of sharp minds. The moment Alex''s ads appeared, they saw the opportunity. **[798,627,365 new friend requests]** "Alex, I''ll pay 12 wood per unit, priority processing please!" "15 wood!" ... These clever lords saw the profit margin. Alex charged 10 wood or stone. Cooked meat sold for 20. Even accounting for the cost of raw meat, they could make a tidy profit as middlemen. But Alex wasn''t about to let others steal her business. She contacted Sophie. **[Alex]:** Sophie, what are you doing? **[Sophie]:** Hunting monsters, like you said. **[Alex]:** Send your Golden Retriever Kings. You get back to the castle. I have something important for you. **[Sophie]:** Okay! Sophie always listened to her big sister. **[Sophie]:** I''m back. **[Alex]:** Good. I''m starting a cooked meat processing business. I need you to be my sales rep. Contact lords who need cooking services, take their orders and raw meat, send it to me, I''ll cook it, send it back to you, and you deliver it to the customers. You''re the liaison. I won''t deal with them directly. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Sophie]:** Alex, you''re terrible at business. Why not just talk to them yourself? This is inefficient. **[Alex]:** Because I''ll announce you as my exclusive agent. They *have* to go through you. I''ll charge 10 wood or stone per unit. You can add a 2-unit agent fee! That''s 2 wood or stone per unit for you, just for being the middleman. Get enough orders, and you''ll have enough for the master bedroom upgrade by this afternoon! Faster than hunting monsters, right? Sophie''s eyes lit up. **[Sophie]:** Alex, I love you! **[Alex]:** Less talk, more work! **[Sophie]:** Yes, ma''am! Chapter 12: Need cooked meat? Contact me Chapter 12: Need cooked meat? Contact me After finalizing the plan with Sophie, Alex announced it in World Chat. **[World Channel 274894 (10,000 players)]** **[Alex]:** I, Alex, hereby appoint Sophie as my exclusive agent for cooked meat processing. All orders must go through her. Thank you. **[Sophie]:** Hee hee, that''s me! Need cooked meat? Contact me! World Chat erupted in a mixture of salt and... other bodily fluids. "Sophie, riding on Alex''s coattails, eh?" "Alex, I was here first!" "Alex, look at me! I''m a girl! I don''t mind being a... uh... secondary agent!" "Turn off the lights, and I''m a girl too!" ... While the masses stewed in their jealousy, the smart ones contacted Sophie directly. **[Friend Requests]** "Sophie, big order!" "Placing an order!" ... Sophie was overwhelmed with requests. "I''m rich!" she squealed, then remembered Alex''s instructions. **[Sophie]:** Alex charges 10 wood or stone per unit of raw meat. My agent fee is 2 wood or stone per unit. More outrage followed. "Agent fees are charged to the *seller*, not the *buyer*!" "That''s a 20% markup!" "Greedy middleman!" "Alex, get a new agent! Like me..." Some lords tried to bypass Sophie, offering Alex 15 wood or stone per unit and begging to be her agent. Alex ignored them all, rejecting their friend requests. The message was clear: Sophie was the *only* agent. "What did that vixen do to Alex?" "Maybe they''re siblings? " "Siblings? I have 239 siblings and 108 aunts and uncles, and I can''t find any of them! There''s no search function. How did she find her sister?" "Maybe... Alex is unique, the only one with fire. Maybe she has some special way to find family?" "Damn, she''s hogging all the benefits!" Meanwhile, Sophie was drowning in orders. Even with the 2-unit fee, lords were still buying. Why? Because there was still profit to be made! Raw meat cost, at most, 3 wood. Processing cost 10, plus 2 for Sophie, totaled 15. Cooked meat sold for 20. That was a 5-unit profit! Alex got the lion''s share, Sophie got a decent cut, and the resellers got a little something too. Lords scrambled to buy raw meat on the Free Market and rushed to Sophie with their orders. Alex and Sophie were the hottest names in Eldoria. ... Sophie sent Alex the first batch of raw meat. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Sophie]:** Alex, get to work! **[Alex]:** Hey, who''s the boss here? **[Sophie]:** (¤Å£þ3£þ)¤Å¨q?¡« I wanna unlock my master bedroom! **[Alex]:** You will, don''t worry. **[Sophie]:** Why only a 2-unit fee? They can resell the cooked meat for a 5-unit profit! That''s more than me! I should charge 5! They''d still make 2 units! **[Alex]:** Win-win is the best win. Give them enough profit, and they''ll work hard to get us raw meat. 5 units is enough incentive for them to scour the world for us. We just sit back, relax, and collect our 2 units per order. What''s not to like? **[Sophie]:** You''re right! You''re the best, Alex! Better than my brother and other sister! Alex paused, reading Sophie''s message. *"Mom, Dad, brother, sister... please be safe."* She shook off the worry and got to work. "Arthur! John!" The two Skeletal Dragons flew to her, bowing their heads. "Master." "Change of plans. No more low-level monsters. The experience is too low. I need you to level up fast! Understood?" Arthur, acting like a true general, replied, "As you wish, master." "Go." "Yes, master." They flew off. A dozen skeletons followed, eager to fulfill their assigned task: assist Arthur and John. Meanwhile, the remaining 268 level 1 skeletons, despite their weak stats, were a force to be reckoned with in sheer numbers. They were perfect for simple tasks like gathering firewood. Soon, a massive barbeque pit¡ªessentially a giant pile of firewood¡ªwas ready. "Oh!" Alex smacked her forehead. "Arthur, get back here and light this thing!" Chapter 13: The Undying Legion just kept growing Chapter 13: The Undying Legion just kept growing "Boom!" A bonfire roared to life before Alex. She waved Arthur away and pulled out the raw meat Sophie had sent: 17,900 units! Those resellers were quick to jump on that 5-unit profit margin. The more, the merrier! More orders, more profit for Alex. The sheer volume of meat was impressive. It was strange, though, how food placed in the castle warehouse remained in its original state, whether stored or taken out. No spoilage, no decay. Magic! Alex summoned her 268 level 1 skeletons. "168 of you, keep gathering firewood! More! More!" "Yes, master!" To the remaining 100, she said, "Come here. Hang some meat on yourselves." Skeletons, being all bones, had plenty of places to hang meat. In their mouths, in their skulls, dangling from their ribs, held in their bony hands... each skeleton could carry at least 20 units. That was 2000 units of meat ready for cooking! "Now, walk into the fire!" Alex commanded. "Roast yourselves... and the meat!" It was a crazy idea, but it worked. No tools, no problem. The Undying Legion were immune to fire. They didn''t even feel heat. Skeletons had no senses. Only soul attacks could truly harm them. So, Alex marched her meat-laden skeletons into the bonfire. A few minutes later, 2000 units of roasted meat, ready to go. 20,000 wood in processing fees. Pure profit! Easier and faster than selling cooked meat directly. "I need more skeletons!" she thought. Faster cooking! She checked her stats. **(Alex''s stats, same as before)** Her 40 MP had fully regenerated. 20 summons! A 20% increase in processing speed! "Corpses!" she thought. She needed corpses to summon. Where to find them? Arthur and John, of course! They were out hunting. Alex used her castle''s scouting ability. Level 6, 3000-meter radius. She could see anything within that range. "Southwest, 800 meters... what''s that? Giant pigs?" Arthur and John were facing off against a herd of... **[Pink Pig]** **[Race: Native Monster]** **[Life Tier: Normal]** **[Level: Lv10]** **[HP: 200]** **[Strength: 10]** **[Endurance: 10]** "Level 10, but Normal Tier, so only 10 in each stat. No match for Arthur!" Arthur was level 3, with 18 in each stat. Even John, at level 1, had 6. "Time for some over-leveled hunting!" John roared. Arthur, head held high, breathed a plume of fire into the sky. "Master wants us to level up fast. Over-leveled hunting is the quickest way!" A bit of pride was understandable for a God Tier creature. John wholeheartedly agreed. Over-leveled hunting was child''s play for them. Arthur charged, bony wings spread. "John, I''ll lead the charge. You use Dragon Flame to cover my flanks. Don''t let them escape!" "Got it!" John replied, flapping his wings. Arthur lunged, sinking his teeth into a pig''s neck and snapping it with a sickening crunch. **[Killed Level 10 Pink Pig, gained 20 experience (Over-level bonus)]** Arthur tore through the pigs with teeth, claws, and wings. Despite their higher level, their stats were no match for his. He didn''t use Dragon Flame because pigs, unlike chickens, had too much HP. A quick bite to the neck was much more efficient. **(More pig kill notifications)** S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. John leveled up! **[Skeletal Dragon (John)]** **[Level: Lv2]** **(Stats doubled)** John, now with 12 in each stat, could actually hurt the pigs. He retracted his Dragon Flame and joined the melee. "I''m here to help, bro!" "Good timing!" Arthur replied, still rampaging through the herd. With John''s help, the slaughter accelerated. Arthur leveled up again! **[Level: Lv4]** **[Strength: 24]** **[Endurance: 24]** **[Spirit: 24]** The pigs, with their measly 10 points in each stat, were being utterly decimated. **(More pig kill notifications)** Alex leveled up too! Minions'' kills granted experience to their lord. She was now level 3. She checked her MP. **[MP: 60 (1 per minute)]** A bit disappointing. More MP, but the same slow regeneration. "Do I need equipment to boost MP regen?" she wondered, then shook her head. "Focus on the task at hand." She assigned one skeleton to oversee the meat-roasting operation and headed towards Arthur and John. "60 MP, 30 summons. 30 more skeletons!" The Undying Legion just kept growing. Chapter 14: Send me more raw meat Chapter 14: Send me more raw meat **[Undead Skeleton]** (Same stats as before) A level 10 Undead Skeleton! Alex had summoned it from the corpse of a level 10 Pink Pig. She continued summoning, draining her MP completely. Thirty level 10 skeletons! "Undead army building is so easy!" she exclaimed. With enough MP, she could summon an army of level 10 minions in minutes. A level 100 corpse would give her a level 100 skeleton instantly! "I should become a corpse thief," she mused. "One level 100 corpse, and I''m flying!" But there was a catch. Summoned skeletons couldn''t level up. No experience, no progress. A significant drawback. Alex recalled the 12 level 3 and 57 level 2 skeletons she''d assigned to Arthur. Along with the thirty new level 10 skeletons, that was 99 skeletons. "You''re off hunting duty. Back to barbeque duty!" The low-level skeletons weren''t much help against stronger monsters, and they couldn''t level up anyway. Better to use them for cooking. With 99 extra skeletons, her cooked meat output doubled! She could now produce over 4000 units every few minutes. Double the output, double the profit! "Sophie, send me more raw meat!" **[MP: 1/60 (59 minutes to full recovery)]** "Arthur, John, keep grinding. I''ll summon more skeletons in an hour." "Yes, master!" That MP regen was killing her. ... Sophie delivered the first batch of cooked meat: 17,900 units, in under half an hour! The buyers immediately listed it on the Free Market, at 20 wood or stone per unit. They were still making a 5-unit profit. The entire batch sold out instantly. **[World Channel 998 (10,000 players)]** "Almost 20,000 units gone, just like that?!" "400,000 wood or stone! New record!" "Are these people idiots? Alex only charges 10 wood for processing!" "Yeah, just hunt some monsters and get free raw meat!" "Even buying raw meat is cheaper!" "You''re all idiots!" "You think you''re so smart?" "Let me tell you why I bought 100 units. 1 unit is a meal. My troops are human. Raw meat lowers their loyalty! They get lazy, inefficient, and run from fights. Did you know *that*?" "Exactly! Alex is busy! She has an agent! Good luck getting an order in. By the time your meat is cooked, your human troops will be useless!" "My troops are human too. I''ll pay extra for loyalty. Low loyalty kills your growth." The mystery was solved. Human troops needed cooked meat. And some saw the bigger picture. The demand for cooked meat was huge! And Alex was the only supplier who could meet that demand. Her fame grew. Lords resorted to increasingly desperate measures to curry favor with her. **(Friend requests, now over 1.7 billion)** "Alex, I have twin sisters! Give me an agent spot, and, well, you know..." "Alex, my sister is a famous actress! Give me the agency, and she''s yours!" "Alex, my troops are elves! Beautiful, long-legged... I tested them out last night... Want a few?" ... Alex rejected them all. Not out of snobbery, but because there were just too many. Almost 1.8 billion requests! More than the population of most countries! Even if she wanted friends, finding them in this sea of requests was impossible. **[Alex]:** (In various World Chat channels) For cooked meat processing, contact Sophie. She''s my exclusive agent. I only fulfill her orders. Sophie''s fame grew. Lords, realizing Alex''s unwavering stance, started showering Sophie with compliments along with their orders. But not everyone was impressed. **(In a team channel)** **[Edward Scissorhands]:** Alex is so full of herself! Just got lucky with fire on day one. Big deal! Once I find her castle, my Iron Rhinos will crush it! **[Steffan Ludson]:** I''ll bring my Big Kongs! **[Kazuma Nokima]:** My Flashwings will join the fray! **[Hero (Team Leader)]:** Did you miss the key point? **[Edward Scissorhands]:** What key point? That she''s a stuck-up b*tch? **[Kazuma Nokima]:** What do you mean, Leader? **[Hero (Team Leader)]:** She processed almost 20,000 units of meat in half an hour. **[Edward Scissorhands]:** So? **[Hero (Team Leader)]:** Getting fire on day one is lucky. Processing that much meat on day two... that means she either has hundreds of troops, which is impossible on day two... or she has a meat processing factory. There''s no other explanation. Silence fell over the channel. **[Edward Scissorhands]:** Just lucky, that''s all! Doesn''t mean she''s strong! **[Hero (Team Leader)]:** Luck is a form of strength. Maria, contact her. Recruit her. **[Maria]:** I tried yesterday. She rejected me. **[Kazuma Nokima]:** Someone rejected *Maria*? Impossible! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Hero (Team Leader)]:** Try again. Everyone add her. Having her on our team would be a huge advantage. Keep scouting for strong lords. Recruit them. After the beginner''s period, Eldoria will be chaos. The war for dominance has already begun. We need to unite. **[Maria]:** I''ll try again. In Eldoria, billions of lords, countless native factions... the forward-thinking ones were already planning for the future. Chapter 15: Giant Spider Chapter 15: Giant Spider A million units of raw meat! Sophie had sent a million! That was 10 million wood or stone in processing fees! **[Sophie]:** ( ? ?¦Ø?? )? Alex, we''re rich! Two million in agent fees for me! **[Alex]:** Sophie, I can''t keep up! Money was piling up faster than she could collect it. A good problem to have, but still a problem. She had 367 skeletons. 168 were gathering firewood, and she couldn''t reduce that number or she''d run out of fuel. The remaining 199 were cooking, at a rate of about 20 units per skeleton every five or six minutes. That was roughly 4000 units every five minutes, or about 40,000 per hour. It was 9 AM on day two. Nightfall was at 6 PM. She had less than 9 hours to work, which meant she could only process about 360,000 units. She was leaving over 600,000 units of raw meat, and millions in potential profit, on the table! "Gotta do what I can," she muttered. "Every little bit helps. I''ll summon more skeletons when my MP regenerates." The million units of raw meat formed a small mountain before her castle. She pointed to a level 10 skeleton. "You''re the new squad leader. Manage these 367 skeletons." "Yes, master." "Keep cooking, same as before." "Yes, master." The skeletons resumed their self-immolation barbeque routine. ... S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, Arthur and John had good news. After slaughtering a herd of Pink Pigs, Arthur reached level 5, and John was close to level 4. God Tier was powerful, but the experience requirements were steep. Arthur, at level 5, had 30 in each stat. A Normal Tier creature would need to be level 30 to match that, an Elite Tier creature level 15. Lord and King Tier monsters were rare in her 3000-meter territory. "Bro, now that you''re level 5, let''s take on those gray wolves!" John suggested, referring to the wolf pack Alex had spotted on day one. The alpha wolf was level 43, possibly Elite Tier. Arthur glared at John. "Are you crazy? Master said the alpha is level 43, maybe even Elite! We can''t see their stats, remember?" John puffed out his bony chest. "Who cares? We''re undead! We can''t die! Over-leveled hunting is the best!" *WHACK!* Arthur smacked John with his wing. "We''re both Skeletal Dragons, but you have the brains of a... well, a skeleton. Over-leveled hunting is good, but not *that* over-leveled. We can''t kill a level 43 wolf, even if it''s Normal Tier. If we can''t kill it, we can''t level up! Level 10 is our sweet spot right now. Even Elite Tier level 10s are easy pickings. Focus! Don''t screw up master''s plans, or you''ll answer to me!" John, suitably chastised, mumbled, "Okay, bro." They found a new target. **[Giant Spider]** **[Race: Native Monster (Large)]** **[Life Tier: Elite]** **[Level: Lv10]** **[HP: 400]** **[MP: 50]** **[Strength: 20]** **[Endurance: 20]** **[Spirit: 20]** **[Skill: Web Shot]** * **Web Shot:** Shoots sticky, poisonous webs. Giant Spiders, level 10, Elite Tier. And this was their first encounter with a monster that had a skill. Of course, they couldn''t see the spider''s stats. "These guys are stronger than the pigs," Arthur assessed, "but still weaker than me!" The spiders were huge, the size of yaks, with legs spanning twenty square meters. One spider could fill a small bedroom! But Arthur and John were also large. Arthur was five meters tall and twenty meters long. Skeletal Dragons vs. Giant Spiders. A true clash of titans! The spiders, being large, were also alert. They spotted Arthur and John approaching. *HISS!* A spider hissed a warning. Arthur and John, being predators, ignored the warning and charged. The spiders retaliated with their **[Web Shot]**. *SPLAT!* John, running ahead, got a face full of web. The sticky, poisonous strands glued his feet to the ground. He tripped and fell, landing face-first in the dirt. "What the¡ª?!" Before he could react, more webs covered him, pinning his wings, limbs, and tail. Even his mouth was sealed shut. Fortunately, Skeletal Dragons spoke through soul fire vibrations, not with their mouths. "¡ªBro, help! They''re cheating!" Being immobilized was still annoying, even if he could still talk. "So embarrassing!" Arthur chuckled, then flapped his massive wings, creating a gust of wind that blew the incoming webs off course. The spiders'' first attack failed. They followed up with a melee assault, slashing at Arthur with their razor-sharp legs, while others shot webs to hinder his movement. Arthur took to the air, using his flight advantage. Air superiority! "Dragon Flame!" He incinerated the incoming webs and unleashed a torrent of fire upon the spiders. *WHOOSH!* The spiders'' hairy bodies ignited. Spiders feared fire, and Giant Spiders were no exception. Arthur''s flames caused massive damage. He then burned away the webs holding John, freeing him. John immediately took to the air and joined the fiery assault. With air superiority and fire, they quickly killed a spider. **[Killed Level 10 Elite Giant Spider, gained 40 experience, 20 Magic Stones, 1 Red Crystal!]** "Red Crystal!" Alex''s eyes lit up. She needed those to upgrade the Undead Altar! She already had the 100 Magic Stones. Now, she had a Red Crystal! Just when she was wondering where to find them! She was ecstatic! Chapter 16: Had a seriously lucky Chapter 16: Had a seriously lucky Alex had a seriously lucky streak today. Killing a Level 10 Elite Giant Crab Spider? Score! +40 EXP, 20 Magic Crystals, 1 Red Crystal, and a Black Iron Chest? Jackpot! [Killed a Level 10...] [Killed a Level 10...] ... This kept happening. Like, *really* happening. Alex was starting to think she''d found a four-leaf clover in her pocket or something. But... could her luck really be *this* good two days in a row? Talk about hitting the jackpot! Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After nearly two hours of relentless grinding, Arthur and John finally wiped out the entire horde of Giant Crab Spiders. Arthur leveled up three times, jumping straight to Level 8! John, not to be outdone, powered up to Level 7! Even Alex, who was basically just chilling and soaking up the experience points, reached Level 6! The EXP from those Level 10 Elites was an absolute feast for their lower levels. And the cherry on top? Alex finally had the 5 Red Crystals she needed to upgrade her Necromantic Altar! Plus, a Black Iron Chest dropped! This haul was absolutely insane! Casually assigning her 30 newly summoned Skeletal Warriors to the command of the Skeleton First Squad Captain, Alex, with a grin stretching from ear to ear, began taking stock of her loot. First up: [Skeleton Dragon (Arthur)] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100 (Will never betray)] [Life Hierarchy Rank: God] [Level: Lv8] [HP: ¡Þ (Undead characteristic: Soul fire inextinguishable, therefore immortal)] [MP: 160 (Regenerates 1 point every 50 seconds)] [Strength: 48] [Endurance: 48] [Spirit: 48] [Skill: Dragon Flame] Dragon Flame: Spews scorching flames to incinerate enemies! [Equipment: None] As Alex''s number one heavy hitter, Arthur, the Level 8 Skeleton Dragon, now boasted a terrifying 48 in all three stats! His skillset, however, remained limited to just Dragon Flame. New skills would unlock when he hit Level 10. Her second-in-command, John, at Level 7, also packed a punch with 42 in all three stats. Neither Skeleton Dragon had any equipment yet, but their stats were already more than formidable. "They really live up to their God-level ranking!" Alex thought. Besides her two skeletal powerhouses, Alex herself had also reached Level 5... make that Level 6! [Lord: Alex] [Race: Human (Lich King Inheritance)] [Life Hierarchy Rank: King] [Level: Lv6] [HP: ¡Þ (Undead characteristic: Soul fire inextinguishable, therefore immortal)] [MP: 120 (Regenerates 1 point per minute)] [Strength: 30] [Endurance: 30] [Spirit: 30] [Castle Level: Lv6] [Summoning Altar: Lv1] [Initial Units: Undead (Including but not limited to Skeletal Warriors, Undead Zombies, Death Knights, Liches...)] [Skills: Necromantic Summoning, Parasitism, Contamination, Enslavement] Necromantic Summoning: Summons a Skeletal Warrior from a target corpse. (The Skeletal Warrior''s level matches the deceased''s level before death.) Parasitism: Curses a target, inflicting continuous damage. If the target dies from this skill, their corpse automatically transforms into a Zombie under the caster''s control. Contamination: Casts dark water over an area, inflicting continuous corrosive damage to those who enter. If a target dies within the dark water, their corpse automatically transforms into a Skeletal Warrior under the caster''s control. Enslavement: Targets a single individual, forcing them into a state of mental chaos. While in this state, the caster can control the target''s actions. [Equipment: None] Her stats were decent, but not her primary focus. As the lord, Alex wasn''t expected to be on the front lines. Combat was her Skeleton Dragons'' domain. Of course, if any lord-on-lord fisticuffs broke out, Alex was more than happy to throw down. What Alex *really* cared about was her Mana Points. Sadly, the regeneration rate hadn''t improved, but at least the total had increased to 120. "Maybe when I hit Level 10, the regeneration rate will get a boost," she mused hopefully. After reviewing her stats and those of her Skeleton Dragons, Alex turned her attention to the rest of her spoils. "1320 Magic Crystals, 18 Red Crystals, and one Black Iron Chest!" she exclaimed. Plus, a mountain of Giant Crab Spider corpses still waiting to be harvested. 1320 Magic Crystals! Combined with the 185 she already had, that brought her total to a whopping 1505! Only 18 Red Crystals, but enough to upgrade her Necromantic Altar! And then there was the mysterious chest... With a flick of her wrist, a plain, black, iron chest materialized before her. It wasn''t exactly flashy. "A Black Iron Chest? A little underwhelming, don''t you think?" she muttered. Despite its unassuming appearance, Alex was buzzing with anticipation. Opening loot boxes was always a thrill! [Respected Lord, do you wish to open the Black Iron Chest x1?] [Yes] or [No] This time, Alex resisted the urge to rip it open immediately. Instead, she headed back to her castle, went up to the third floor, and drew herself a nice hot bath in her master bedroom''s en-suite. Gotta cleanse before the bless! After her bath, Alex returned to the chest, grabbed a piece of wood, and summoned Arthur. "Dragon Flame!" she commanded. *Whoosh!* The wood ignited instantly. With a solemn expression, Alex planted the burning wood in the ground. Gotta burn some incense for good luck! Having completed the ritualistic pre-opening ceremony, Alex reverently reached out and opened the chest. "Please be something good!" she whispered. *Ching!* A blinding light erupted from the chest. [Respected Lord, congratulations on opening a Black Iron Chest! You have obtained an Equipment Forge Construction Blueprint x1 and a Rank 1 Dragon Sparrow Saber Crafting Blueprint x1!] "Holy moly!" Alex''s eyes widened in disbelief. What a haul! An Equipment Forge blueprint *and* a weapon crafting blueprint? "Looks like I''m about to become an arms dealer!" she thought excitedly. Well, in pre-Eldoria days, it would have been called a "weapons dealer," but in this world, weapons were basically military-grade. Alex was ecstatic. "Just when I was wondering what to do after the cooked meat business dries up, this falls right into my lap!" She couldn''t believe her luck. Billions of other lords were still running around bare-bones, equipment-less. Even *she* didn''t have any gear yet. The equipment market was a wide-open ocean of opportunity, brimming with potential profits! She could already tell it would be even more lucrative than the cooked meat market. The thought alone made her giddy. "Let''s do this!" She pulled out the blueprints. [Equipment Forge Construction Blueprint] [Required Materials: 10,000 units of Wood, 10,000 units of Stone, 1000 Magic Crystals, 10 Red Crystals] "Are you kidding me?!" That was a steep price to pay. Not only did it require a mountain of wood and stone, but also a hefty chunk of precious Magic and Red Crystals. Upgrading her castle to Level 6 hadn''t even cost that much wood! Grumbling aside, Alex made up her mind. She was building it. The strategic and practical value of an Equipment Forge was too significant to ignore. Besides, she had the resources. Her first batch of processed orders had netted her nearly 200,000 units of wood. She had enough Magic Crystals, and even after using 10 Red Crystals, she''d still have enough to upgrade her Necromantic Altar. And let''s be real, the game had practically gift-wrapped the first weapon blueprint for her. It was a sign! [Respected Lord, do you wish to consume the Equipment Forge Construction Blueprint x1 to build an Equipment Forge?] [Yes] or [No] "Yes!" [Respected Lord, please select a location...] Alex surveyed her territory and chose a spot southeast of her castle. *Swish!* A golden light flashed, and a two-door shop materialized before her eyes. [Respected Lord, congratulations! Construction complete!] [Resources consumed: 10,000 units of Wood, 10,000 units of Stone, 1000 Magic Crystals, 10 Red Crystals] Chapter 17: Equipment Forge Chapter 17: Equipment Forge [Equipment Forge] [Level: Lv1] [Function: Forge Equipment] Note 1: Can currently forge Rank 1 equipment. Note 2: Current forging quality rates for Rank 1 equipment are: Normal 90%, Fine 9%, Perfect 0.99%, Legendary 0.01%. [Currently Craftable Equipment: None] Note: Unlock using equipment crafting blueprints. [Equipment Blacksmith: None] Note 1: Requires at least one blacksmith to activate forging function. Note 2: Current level allows a maximum of two blacksmiths, enabling the simultaneous forging of two pieces of equipment. [Upgrade Requirements: 10,000 units of Wood, 10,000 units of Stone, 1000 Magic Crystals, 10 Red Crystals] The Equipment Forge was built! However, Alex needed two things before she could start churning out shiny new gear. First, she needed a blacksmith. A forge needs a smith, just like a factory needs workers. Someone''s gotta swing the hammer! Fortunately, the job requirements weren''t exactly demanding. Any unit under Alex''s command would do. Piece of cake! Alex might have been short on a few things, but she had an army! With the Lich King''s inheritance, she could confidently say that as long as she had enough mana, she could raise a million-strong undead army faster than you could say "braaaains." Currently, on just the second day of Eldoria, Alex commanded 397 Skeletal Warriors, plus the two Skeleton Dragons summoned from the Necromantic Altar. Just one shy of 400! No other lord among the billions in Eldoria could boast such numbers at this stage of the game. And with her current mana regeneration rate (1 point per minute), she could summon another thirty Skeletal Warriors every hour, provided she had the corpses. (Her Necromantic Summoning skill cost 2 mana points per use.) Manpower? Not a problem. She could just assign a couple of Skeletal Warriors to the forge. The image of skeletons hammering away at an anvil was a little... grim. Kind of a spooky blacksmith shop, but hey, if it worked, it worked! The second requirement was an equipment crafting blueprint. Like tofu needs a mold, a forge needs a blueprint. This, too, wasn''t an issue. The Black Iron Chest, besides the Equipment Forge itself, had also coughed up a Rank 1 Dragon Sparrow Saber crafting blueprint. Two birds, one stone! Or in this case, two blueprints, one chest! Immediately, Alex placed the Dragon Sparrow Saber blueprint into the forge. [Respected Lord, congratulations! You have successfully unlocked the Rank 1 Dragon Sparrow Saber!] The Equipment Forge''s crafting menu updated. [Dragon Sparrow Saber] [Type: Weapon] [Rank: 1] Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Current Success Rates: Normal 90%; Fine 9%; Perfect 0.99%; Legendary 0.01%] [Crafting Materials: 20 units of Refined Iron, 2 Magic Crystals] "Refined Iron..." Alex deflated. She didn''t have any. No refined iron, no Dragon Sparrow Sabers. Her gaze drifted towards her hundreds of Skeletal Warriors diligently grilling meat. "I wonder if they know anything about mining and smelting," she mumbled. The Skeletal Warriors remained silent, offering no helpful metallurgical advice. The lack of refined iron put a temporary hold on Alex''s arms dealing aspirations. Fortunately, the cooked meat processing business was still booming. Sophie''s second batch of a million orders? Alex had only completed less than 100,000. Still a long way to go! "Gotta keep at it, Alex!" she muttered, giving herself a pep talk. She looked at the two hundred or so Skeletal Warriors huddled around the bonfires, each laden with slabs of raw meat. "You guys gotta keep at it too!" "As you command, my master!" they rattled in unison. Nodding in satisfaction, Alex walked away. She had a more pressing matter to attend to. It was time to upgrade the Necromantic Altar! She was starting to have second thoughts. "I should have upgraded the Necromantic Altar first!" she thought. "That darn Equipment Forge, such a temptress!" After Arthur and John''s spider-slaying spree, Alex had collected 18 Red Crystals. Building the Equipment Forge had consumed 10, leaving her with 8. More than enough for the altar upgrade. [Necromantic Altar (Unique Building)] [Level: Lv1] [Allows one summoning per day] [Current summonable unit options (choose one): 1. 10 Skeletal Warriors; 2. 10 Undead Zombies; 3. 2 Liches; 4. 2 Death Knights; 5. 1 Skeleton Dragon; 6. 1 Zombie Titan] [Upgrade Requirements: 100 Magic Crystals, 5 Red Crystals] Alex approached the Necromantic Altar. The imposing Demon King still sat upon his throne in the center, radiating an aura of silent power and authority. "I wonder what level I''ll have to reach to summon *him*," Alex mused. "He must be incredibly powerful!" She checked her inventory. [Magic Crystals: 505, Red Crystals: 8] Enough for the upgrade. "Upgrade!" she commanded. [Respected Lord, do you wish to consume 100 Magic Crystals and 5 Red Crystals to upgrade the Necromantic Altar?] [Yes] or [No] "Yes!" The altar shimmered. [Respected Lord, congratulations! Upgrade successful!] The whole process took less than three seconds. Alex wasn''t one to fuss over details. She quickly checked the upgraded altar. Outwardly, it looked the same. The changes were in the stats. [Necromantic Altar (Unique Building)] [Level: Lv2] [Allows one summoning per day] [Current summonable unit options (choose two): 1. 10 Skeletal Warriors; 2. 10 Undead Zombies; 3. 2 Liches; 4. 2 Death Knights; 5. 1 Skeleton Dragon; 6. 1 Zombie Titan] [Upgrade Requirements: 500 Magic Crystals, 10 Red Crystals] Subtle, but significant. Still one summon per day, still the same six unit options. But now... Level 2 allowed her to choose *two* unit types! "So tomorrow, I can summon a Skeleton Dragon *and* a Zombie Titan!" she realized. Based on the principle of power balance, the Zombie Titan was likely on par with the Skeleton Dragon. A God-level being! "If the Skeleton Dragon is anything to go by, the Zombie Titan must be a beast!" Alex was practically drooling with anticipation. Just then, Sophie contacted her, sounding panicked. [Sophie]: Alex, emergency! [Sophie]: Some lord on the world channel is saying he got a fire source! [Sophie]: Alex, someone''s trying to muscle in on our meat-processing gig! Alex frowned. "Someone else has fire?" She''d never doubted that others would eventually obtain fire, but this was sooner than she''d expected. She''d hoped to milk the cooked meat monopoly until at least tonight. Now, on just the second day at noon, competition was already emerging? "Please don''t let them start a price war," she thought nervously. After reassuring Sophie, Alex opened the world channel. Chapter 18: Partnership Chapter 18: Partnership [World Channel 9527 (10,000 users)] "Guys, I found a dead Eldoria native soldier in my territory, and guess what? Two pieces of flint on him!" "Newbie question: What''s flint?" "Flint, aka fire starter. You can use it to make fire!" "Make fire? Fire? Holy crap! Dude, you''ve hit the jackpot!" "Hey, are you selling? I''ll give you 1000 units of wood!" "Something about that offer feels...cheap. Is it just me?" "You might be pure of heart, but that offer is pure garbage. 1000 units of wood? Don''t sell to him! I''ll give you 1200!" "...You''re a real comedian, aren''t you?" "Sell to me! 1500!" "2000!" "3000!" "I''ll give you my aunt! She''s thirty, only been married two years..." "Erm, thanks for the offer, but I''ll pass on the aunt. I need wood and stone to upgrade my castle. Anyone else wanna bid?" "Whoa, hold up! Flint? Fire? You''re actually selling?" "Yeah, why not? Can''t eat the stuff. Might as well trade it for resources to upgrade my castle, right?" "Wait, what''s going on? Is flint some kind of super rare treasure? I''ve been busy trying to find the market near my castle, haven''t been paying attention to the world channel. Someone fill me in!" "Long story short, fire is a big deal. Now, about that flint... I''ll offer 10,000! 5000 wood and 5000 stone!" "Whoa, price gouging much?" "I''ll give... darn it, I''m broke! Poverty makes me so envious it''s physically painful!" "Don''t sell! You''ll regret it!" "Yeah, you''ll lose a billion!" "A billion?! Seriously? Two pieces of flint are worth that much?" "Clearly, you haven''t heard of Alex." "...Nope." "...Right. So, Alex is the first lord, out of billions, to get fire. Yesterday, day one, she somehow managed to get a fire source. She ate cooked meat on the first day! The first out of billions! And she sold thousands of units of cooked meat at the Free Market. 20 units of wood per unit of cooked meat." "Whoa! 20 units of wood?! That''s highway robbery!" "Yep. Pure profit. And people were fighting over it. But it gets crazier. Today, day two, before you showed up, Alex was *still* the only one with fire. So, she switched tactics and started a cooked meat processing business. 10 units of wood to process 1 unit of raw meat." "10 units is still a lot!" "The kicker? She''s processed an estimated 200,000 units of raw meat! That''s two million units of wood in processing fees! Two. Million." "Two million... imagine how many castle upgrades that is!" "Two million is just the beginning! Cooked meat is in high demand. The market is huge! Twenty million? Two hundred million? The sky''s the limit!" "Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! That''s all I can say. Holy crap!" "So, as the second lord with fire, you gotta seize this opportunity! Alex made a killing because she had fire first. Now, you have the same chance. You could make two million too. Or four, six, eight... who knows!" "Man, you''re making me rethink my life choices..." "Don''t just think, act! You have the flint, you cook the meat. I have the resources and the connections, I''ll buy the raw meat and sell the cooked meat. We split the profits 50/50! Together, we''re unstoppable!" "Alright, brother, let''s do this! We''ll make four million! Two million each!" "My man!" "My brother!" "Hold on! Don''t get scammed! Sophie is Alex''s exclusive agent, and she only takes a 2-unit cut. Why split the profits with this guy? You have the flint! You''re the key ingredient! Without you, there''s no business! You should take the lion''s share! Partner with me! 80/20 split, in your favor!" "Now *you''re* talking! My true brother!" "Haha, my man!" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Haha, my brother!" "...." And just like that, a partnership was born. Cain, the lucky finder of flint, and Mike, the smooth-talking negotiator with a keen eye for profit, joined forces. Their first order of business? Pricing. [Cain]: "Brother, let''s undercut Alex. 9 units of wood or stone per unit of meat. Grab that market share!" [Mike]: "Nah, man, no need! The market is huge! Alex can''t handle it all. We don''t need to compete with her." [Cain]: "Okay, I trust you." "So, what''s the plan?" [Mike]: "You just focus on cooking. I''ll handle everything else. I''ll take care of you." [Cain]: "Alright, brother, I believe in you!" After their chat, Mike, channeling his inner Alex, posted an ad on the world channel. [World Channel 69699 (10,000 users)] Mike: "Mike and Cain here. We have a controllable fire source and are now offering raw meat processing services. 10 units of wood or stone per unit of meat! Large orders only! Serious inquiries only! DM me!" He sounded like a true tycoon, reveling in his newfound power. "Hee hee hee," Mike giggled, hiding in his castle like a kid in a candy store. [Ding!] [Friend Request!] [39,870,000 requests!] Nearly forty million friend requests flooded in. "Holy moly!" Mike had never seen anything like it. He felt like he was about to be crowned king. [Hey boss, placing an order, 100,000 units!] Mike opened the first request. A meat processing order. 100,000 units! A whale! [100,000 units, not bad. I''ll take it.] Mike typed, trying to sound nonchalant despite the ecstatic cartwheels his heart was doing. Being Cain''s partner had definitely gone to his head. [Boss, I have 50,000 units.] [...70,000 units.] [...100,000 units.] Mike cherry-picked the orders, ignoring anything below 50,000 units. Soon, he had booked 1,500,000 units worth of orders. "1,500,000 units!" he thought, barely able to breathe. "That''s 15 million in processing fees!" The cooked meat business was ridiculously easy! After calming down, he forwarded the 1,500,000 units of raw meat to Cain. Running off with the goods? Not possible. Eldoria had safeguards against that. Cain was equally stunned. [Cain]: "1,500,000 units! Brother, we''re rich!" [Mike]: "We sure are! Get cooking! I''m going back to the world channel to drum up more business while the competition is still weak." [Cain]: "You''re the best, brother!" [Mike]: "You too, boss!" *Hahaha!* Chapter 19: Lowered their prices Chapter 19: Lowered their prices Nearly 200,000 units of raw meat processed! Two million units of wood in fees! Alex''s eyes nearly popped out of her head reading the world channel''s estimations of her earnings. "They almost had me believing it myself!" she thought. "I haven''t even processed half that much!" Alex only had 200 Skeletal Warriors... well, 230 now, after her recent summoning. Minus the ones gathering firewood, she had 229 little boneheads working the grills. Production had increased slightly; she could now process 50,000 units of raw meat per hour. But even at that rate, 200,000 units would take at least four hours! "Those darn armchair analysts! Talking about 200,000 units like it''s nothing. I wish!" On the bright side, Mike and Cain hadn''t started a price war. They were sticking to her original price. And the market for processed meat was still enormous. Even with Mike and Cain horning in, demand far outstripped supply. The core issue was still the scarcity of fire. Besides Alex and the Cain-Mike duo, billions of lords were still fire-less. This extreme scarcity created an equally extreme market. A bizarre kind of historical anomaly. A profit boom born from a fireless age. It wouldn''t last forever. Once more lords found fire, the cooked meat gravy train would dry up. But Alex had never planned on this being a long-term venture. She was just grabbing a quick buck while she could. Since Cain wasn''t undercutting her, Alex decided to ignore them. But just as she left the world channel, it exploded again. [World Channel 2391 (10,000 users)] "Hahaha! I got fire too! I''m gonna be rich!" "Whoa, another one?!" "Breaking news: Fire sources emerging! Alex''s first-mover advantage dwindling!" "Dude, spill the beans! How''d you get fire?" "Yeah, tell us!" "Tell us!" "Hahaha! I don''t even know how it happened! I was pretending to be a cute girl, scamming my 2371st lord for resources. To convince him I was a real girl, I swore an oath to the heavens. Said if I wasn''t a girl, if I wasn''t pretty, if I didn''t have a killer bod, I''d be struck by eighty-one bolts of lightning! And guess what? Right after I finished, the sky started booming! One of the bolts hit right next to me! Split a tree in half! Scared the crap outta me! But then I realized... the tree was on fire! I grabbed some wood and snatched that fire right up!" "Wait, you''re that ''maid service'' scammer who tricked thousands of lords by pretending to be a girl?!" "Guilty as charged! But now I have fire, so no more scamming!" "...Seriously? That worked?" "Hey, it worked for me. Not keeping it a secret. Try it yourselves if you want fire." "I want fire, but... I can''t pull off the whole girl thing." "What do you mean you can''t pull off the girl thing?" "Do *you* have the right measurements?" "Alright, enough chit-chat. Time to make some serious money! Listen up, everyone! I''m the third lord in all of Eldoria with fire! I hereby announce the grand opening of the Maid Meat Processing Factory! I''m not greedy like Alex and Cain. I''m only charging 5 units of wood per unit of meat! That''s half their price! Just a small fee for my hard work! Place your orders now! Bulk discounts available! Special deals for huge orders!" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Dude, you say you''re done with the girl thing, but look at your factory name!" "Haha, force of habit! Don''t mind me!" "Seriously, only 5 units of wood?" "Cross my heart! I feel bad about scamming all those lords. Time to give back to the community with a fair price!" "Sure, ''giving back.'' You just want to undercut Alex and Cain." "Mind your own business!" "Yeah, let them fight it out! The more they compete, the lower the prices go, the better for us!" "Placing an order, 200 units!" "500 units!" "1000 units!" "..." These were just the small-fry orders. The real bulk orders were happening through private messages. [Boss, placing an order, 10,000 units!] [Big boss, 50,000 units!] [100,000 units!] ... The Maid Factory''s low prices were incredibly tempting, and orders poured in. Within moments, the owner had a million units booked. He was overjoyed. But one lord''s joy is another''s sorrow. Many of Alex and Cain''s customers, seeing the Maid Factory''s rock-bottom prices, jumped ship. [Cancellation!] Alex and Cain were suddenly hit with a wave of cancellations. Sophie''s inbox was flooded with the same message: Cancellation! A few lords offered to pay the 1% cancellation fee. Most just demanded their raw meat and processing fees back. Sophie, a fifteen-year-old girl, was completely overwhelmed. She was on the verge of tears. Luckily, she had someone to turn to. [Sophie]: "Alex, someone on the world channel is stealing our business! They''re charging half our price! Everyone''s cancelling! They''re yelling at me, demanding refunds!" Alex paused, momentarily confused. Cain wasn''t supposed to be starting a price war. But that wasn''t important. What *was* important was... [Alex]: "Who''s yelling at you? Give me their names. I''ll avenge you!" [Sophie]: "Alex, that''s not the point! The point is, a million orders, all cancelled! What do we do? Should we lower our prices?" [Alex]: "That *is* the point! No one yells at my little sister!" [Sophie]: "Alex, you''re the best! But we still need to fix this! What do we do? How much do we lower the price?" [Alex]: "Lower the price? Never! Tell them this: Cancellations are fine, as long as we haven''t started processing. But if they cancel now, I''ll never take another order from them again. Got it?" [Sophie]: "Alex, but if we don''t lower our prices, no one will come to us! Their prices are so much cheaper." [Alex]: "Don''t worry. We''ll get business. Even if we don''t, it''s fine. This cooked meat thing wasn''t going to last forever anyway. I have my eye on something else. Something way better than cooked meat!" [Sophie]: "Really, Alex? Don''t lie to me!" [Alex]: "Would I lie to you? Just wait and see! Oh, and have your Golden Retrievers sniff around your castle. See if they can find any iron ore." [Sophie]: "...Alex, they''re Chow Chows, not Golden Retrievers... and dogs can''t find iron ore." [Alex]: "Well, you look for it then." [Sophie]: "Okay, Alex!" "..." "...Alex, I''m not a dog either!" After their discussion, Sophie refunded the unprocessed orders and relayed Alex''s warning. The lords scoffed. *Who''s going to pay your prices when the Maid Factory is so much cheaper?* they thought. *Get real!* ... The lords who cancelled their orders with Alex weren''t rushing to the Maid Factory just yet. They were waiting. Waiting for the prices to drop even further. Where there''s competition, there''s a price war! And when the prices dropped, *they* would be in control. And sure enough... Mike panicked and contacted Cain. [Mike]: "Boss, everyone''s cancelling! What do we do?!" [Cain]: "How many?" [Mike]: "All of them! 1,500,000 units! They''re all going to the Maid Factory!" "Boss, we have to lower our prices!" [Cain]: "Fine, but by how much?" [Mike]: "4 units!" [Cain]: "Whoa, that''s low!" [Mike]: "We have to compete! Low prices win!" [Cain]: "...Okay, 4 units it is." Mike rushed to the world channel to make the announcement. [World Channel 37537 (10,000 users)] Mike: "In the spirit of inter-lord cooperation, Cain and I have decided to... lower our prices! Only 4 units of wood or stone per unit of cooked meat!" "Whoa, they actually lowered their prices!" "Good!" "Hey Maid Factory, Cain just lowered his price to 4 units. You gonna match it? Gotta stay competitive!" "Can''t do it!" The Maid Factory owner declared. "5 units is already rock bottom. Any lower, and I might as well go back to pretending to be a cute girl and scamming lords! But I''m not gonna let Cain push me around! If he wants a price war, let''s do it right! 2 units! If he goes to 2 units, I''ll respect him. But this nickel-and-diming crap is just annoying! Here''s what I''ll do: Maid Factory price stays at 5 units. But for orders over 10,000 units, it''s 4 units! Over 50,000, it''s 3! Over 200,000, it''s 2! And for orders over a million... I''m going all in! 1 unit!" Chapter 20: We need her on our team Chapter 20: We need her on our team Seeing the new prices on the world channel, Mike erupted. "That''s it! He started it! He''s the one being ridiculous!" He raged, "How dare he accuse *us* of being annoying?! What a jerk!" [Mike]: "Boss, what do we do? That lunatic is like a rabid dog! If we keep this up, he''ll be offering free processing!" [Cain]: "Ugh, this is a headache! Everything was going so well, and now this clown shows up! What about Alex? Why isn''t she reacting? She''s losing the most!" [Mike]: "I don''t know! She hasn''t said a word on the world channel. Doesn''t seem interested in a price war at all!" [Cain]: "Is she giving up on the cooked meat market?" [Mike]: "No way! It''s too profitable! I wouldn''t give it up!" [Cain]: "Forget about her. Let''s figure out how to deal with the Maid Factory." [Mike]: "What else can we do? Match their prices. We might not have a monopoly anymore, but we can still get a decent chunk of the orders. The market is still huge!" [Cain]: "The same prices as them? ...Fine. This is so frustrating!" [Mike]: "Don''t worry, boss! We''ll play the long game. Once the seven-day newbie protection period is over, we''ll get our chance to take them down!" [Cain]: "Good! Now go announce our new prices and drum up some business." [Mike]: "Right away, boss!" Mike returned to the world channel and announced their revised pricing, mirroring the Maid Factory''s. Seeing this, the lords holding large orders knew the prices weren''t going any lower. Cain had folded. They placed their orders, mostly with the Maid Factory, who snagged the lion''s share of the business. Cain and Mike got the scraps. The cooked meat price war was over. The combatants: Cain and Mike versus the Maid Factory. Alex, the original cooked meat mogul, hadn''t even participated, still holding firm at 10 units. It was as if she didn''t even care about the booming business. The billions of lords watching the drama unfold were baffled. In a certain team chat channel... [Edward Scissorhands]: "Hahaha! Alex got played!" [Stefan Luxon]: "Serves her right!" [Kazuma Nokima]: "I''m curious. Why didn''t she lower her prices? Even at 5 units, 100,000 orders is 500,000 units of resources!" [Edward Scissorhands]: "You don''t understand, Kazuma. Young people have their pride. She''s too stubborn to back down!" [Kazuma Nokima]: "I don''t quite follow." [Stefan Luxon]: "Let''s just say Alex is... prone to digging her heels in." [Kazuma Nokima]: "Oh. What a waste. Such a huge advantage, thrown away for a little pride. She could have been so far ahead by the end of the newbie period. Foolish." [Edward Scissorhands]: "Couldn''t have said it better myself! Alex is a total idiot!" [Hero (Captain)]: "Alex is not an idiot." [Edward Scissorhands]: "Whoa, Captain, why are you defending her? You''re boosting her morale and deflating ours!" [Maria]: "*Pfft*... Edward, it''s ''boosting her morale and deflating our own.''" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Edward Scissorhands]: "Right, right! That''s what I meant!" [Hero (Captain)]: "I''m not deflating our morale. Just watch. Those lords will be crawling back to Alex, begging to pay her 10 units." [Edward Scissorhands]: "What?! No way! Are they crazy? Why would they pay double?" [Hero (Captain)]: "Because they''ll have no choice." [Edward Scissorhands]: "Why? I don''t believe it!" [Hero (Captain)]: "Wanna bet?" [Edward Scissorhands]: "Sure. What''s the wager?" [Hero (Captain)]: "Your Ironclad Rhino. If they go back to Alex at 10 units, you give me one. King-rank unit." [Edward Scissorhands]: "Deal! If they don''t, you give me one of your Griffins. King-rank. I need some decent DPS." [Hero (Captain)]: "Done. Kazuma, Stefan, Maria, you''re witnesses." [Stefan Luxon]: "No problem, Captain!" [Kazuma Nokima]: "Of course, Captain." [Maria]: "Sure." [Hero (Captain)]: "Maria, have you added Alex yet?" [Maria]: "...No." [Hero (Captain)]: "Prioritize it. She''s not someone to underestimate. I suspect her units are... unique. We need her on our team." [Maria]: "I''ll do my best, Captain." [Hero (Captain)]: "If necessary... employ a little... charm." [Maria]: "..." Chapter 21: That’s sneaky Chapter 21: That''s sneaky And so it was. On the afternoon of the second day in Eldoria, the very afternoon of the Maid Factory vs. Cain price war, the lords who had cancelled their orders with Alex were filled with regret. Why? [World Channel 90273 (10,000 users)] "Mike, you think you can ignore my messages? Think again!" "Wait, Mike? Isn''t he the one running the cooked meat business with Cain?" "(?¦Ø?) Sounds like juicy gossip!" "Front row seats! Selling snacks and drinks!" "Spill the tea, folks!" "It''s about the meat processing!" "Did Mike run off with the money?" "Nah, Eldoria has systems in place to prevent that." "Then what happened?" "I placed a 10,000-unit order with him this morning. Just now, he told me it''ll take a *month* to complete! A month! This whole cooked meat market is about speed! The longer it takes, the lower the profit! In a month, everyone will have kitchens! Who''s gonna buy cooked meat then? He''s costing me a fortune! I invested everything I had in this! Mike, you''re dead to me!" "Mike: 10,000 units? You want priority? Dream on! (dog face emoji)" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hahaha!" "He''s got a point. He''ll prioritize the bigger orders. Just gather another 100,000 units worth of resources, throw it in his face, and say, ''Now do I have your attention?''" "Hahaha! Genius!" "If I had another 100,000 units of resources, I wouldn''t be complaining on the world channel! Mike, that snobby little..." "Mike, that snobby little..." "Mike, that snobby little..." "*ahem* Just breaking up the echo chamber (clown face emoji)" "Don''t assume it''s about order size! I placed a 100,000-unit order, and he told *me* to wait until next month! Is 100,000 units a small order now?" "Whoa! 100,000 units of raw meat... at 3 units of wood each, plus 5 units processing fee... that''s an 800,000-unit investment!" "800,000 units! Big spender!" "Not just me. It''s a group investment. We pooled our resources for a large order, hoping for faster processing. And what do we get? Next month!" "Wow! 100,000 units, and he still told you next month? I guess my 10,000-unit order waiting till next month doesn''t seem so bad now..." "My 20,000-unit order is next month too!" "My 5,000!" "My 1,000!" "Me..." "So *everyone* is waiting until next month? What''s Mike doing this month? Not taking any orders? He was all over the price war this morning. What''s going on?" "Beats me. Seems like all orders, big or small, are next month." "If that''s true, Mike''s actually the good guy. The Maid Factory is telling people to wait six months! Some even a year!" "*Pfft*¡ª!" Edward Scissorhands: "Liar, liar, pants on fire! A thousand needles for you!" Kazuma Nokima: "Edward-san, it''s ''liar, liar, pants on fire.'' Not needles." Edward Scissorhands: "Whatever! What''s going on?" "It''s obvious! After the price war, Mike and the Maid Factory realized they went too low. This is a coordinated delay tactic! They''re not in a hurry. It''s the resellers who are panicking! They know the cooked meat boom won''t last. So, Mike stalls, the resellers get desperate, and they offer higher prices! Mike wins!" "Whoa, that''s sneaky! I''m learning so much!" Just as everyone thought they''d cracked the case, Mike appeared on the channel. Mike: "Whoa there! Cain and I would *never* intentionally delay orders!" "The man himself!" "Get him!" "Wait! I have a question! Mike, why the delays? Are you trying to raise prices?!" Mike sounded genuinely distressed. "No, seriously! It''s not me! It''s Cain! His meat processing... it''s... slow." "What? I don''t understand." Mike sighed. "Cain''s units are Elite Great Apes. He can summon 15 a day. It''s day two, so he has 30. Plus him, that''s 31... let''s call them people. They can cook, at most, 500 units of meat per hour. Even if they worked 24/7, that''s barely over 10,000 units a day! It''s not intentional! We just... can''t keep up!" The world channel was abuzz. "Wait, that slow? Alex processes 20,000 units in half an hour!" Mike quickly clarified, "I''m not lying! That''s Cain''s limit. 500 units an hour. As for Alex... I wish I knew how she did it!" "So *that''s* why Alex didn''t bother with the price war! She knew they couldn''t handle the volume! If we want cooked meat now, we have to go back to her, even at 10 units!" "Alex is a genius!" "I regret cancelling my order..." "Me too..." "I even yelled at her agent..." "10 units isn''t so bad..." "Yeah, pretty reasonable..." "Alex, I''m sorry!" "Alex, look into my eyes! See my tears of remorse!" "..." Edward Scissorhands watched the mass apology in disbelief. "They''re actually going back to Alex? At 10 units?" [Ding!] [You have a new message!] Edward reluctantly opened it. [Hero]: "Hahaha! Told you they''d come crawling back! Even at 10 units! My Ironclad Rhino!" Hero was claiming his prize, loud and clear. Edward grumbled, but a bet was a bet. [Edward Scissorhands]: "Fine! I''m not a welcher! But you have to come get it yourself!" [Hero]: "Still salty, I see! Hahaha!" Chapter 22: She rejected every single request Chapter 22: She rejected every single request [Alex, I was wrong!] [My lord, I want to apologize...] [My lord, I''ve contacted my aunt!] [Big boss...] ... sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the resellers realized Cain and the Maid Factory owner could only process a few hundred units per hour, they immediately backpedaled, ditching the "mistress" and trying to return to the "wife." Apologies and friend requests flooded Alex''s inbox, all promising to accept the 10-unit fee and swearing never to cancel again. Alex ignored them. They had treated her like dirt; now she would treat them like dust. She rejected every single request. Undeterred, the resellers turned to Sophie, Alex''s sole agent. Sophie, being a tender fifteen-year-old, was easily swayed by their groveling and small gifts of resources. [Ding!] [You have a new message!] It was Sophie. [Sophie]: "Alex, we''re back in business! All the cancelled orders are back! Plus some new ones! I estimate almost two million units! That''s four million units in commission for me! I''m gonna be rich!" Alex rolled her eyes. [Alex]: "Seriously? Have you forgotten how they were cursing you this morning? There are no take-backs. I told them, cancellations are fine, but I won''t work with them again. And I''m still going to beat up everyone who insulted you! I wouldn''t even yell at you myself!" Sophie wanted to point out that Alex''s first sentence *was* kind of a scolding, but she appreciated the concern. [Sophie]: "Thanks, Alex!" [Alex]: "What are siblings for? I''ll go set things straight on the world channel." Alex switched to the world channel. [World Channel 11111 (10,000 users)] Alex: "Announcement. One: I said I wouldn''t take orders from anyone who cancelled this morning. That hasn''t changed. Two: To those who insulted my agent, stay alive. Once newbie protection ends, I''m coming for you. I keep my promises. Three: I''m still processing meat. The fee is 10 units. However... the agent fee is now 3 units. Four: My current processing capacity is 50,000 units per hour. It''s 2 PM. Four hours till nightfall. I can process 200,000 more units today. First come, first served. Contact Sophie." The world channel erupted. Some cursed her... "Who do you think you are?! Just because you got lucky with fire! You think you''re hot stuff?!" "Never take my orders again? You know what my units are? Hellhounds! King-rank! 5 points in all stats at level 1! Five times stronger than your average scrubs! Don''t mess with me!" "You''re gonna beat up everyone who insulted your agent? Come at me! Don''t wait for newbie protection to end! I''m in the Sunset Mountains! Come find me, you coward!" ... Most of the haters were the ones who had cancelled their orders. A few others were just annoyed by what they perceived as Alex''s arrogance. But they were the minority. Most were... impressed. "Did she say 50,000 units per hour? How many units does she have?!" "Let''s do the math. Mike said Cain has 30 Elite Great Apes, plus himself, and they can process 500 units per hour. So, 31 units for 500 units of meat. 200,000 divided by 500 is 400. 400 times 31... 12,400 units! Alex has 12,400 units!" "12,400?! No way! It''s only day two!" "Well, it''s just an estimate. Maybe she has a factory or something..." "A factory would be even more insane!" "Yeah, we can''t even get cooked meat, and she has a *factory*?" "Suddenly, I feel like I''m just... here to make up the numbers." "+1" "+2" "+123456!" ... The world channel was always full of noise. The smart ones went straight to Sophie with their resources. [Sophie, I want to place an order!] [Hee hee, order!] [I want to order! Missed the first batch, missed the second... third time''s the charm, right?] Following Alex''s instructions, Sophie accepted the first 200,000 units worth of orders. [Sorry, you''re too late! Today''s quota is full. Come back tomorrow!] She even politely informed those who missed out. A kind soul. Alex''s affection for her wasn''t just familial. Alex received the 200,000 units of raw meat and set her Skeletal Warriors to work. 229 walking, talking (well, not talking) barbeque grills, each laden with meat, shuffling towards the bonfires. A truly skeletal spectacle. Two hours later, Alex''s mana was full. [Mana: 120 (Regenerates 1 point per minute)] "Time to summon more!" Necromantic Summoning. 2 mana per skeleton. And the corpses? The Giant Crab Spiders Arthur and John had slain were still lying around, fresh as daisies. A veritable buffet of bodies. It would be a shame to waste them. "Arthur, pick me up!" Time for Alex''s signature move: the Corpse Crawl. Chapter 23: Skeletal Warrior Chapter 23: Skeletal Warrior "Hey, Arthur..." Alex began, looking at the dutifully bowed head of her Skeleton Dragon. "Yes, my master?" Arthur rumbled. Alex hesitated, then said sheepishly, "Nothing, just... your spine is kinda... pointy." Arthur had flown Alex back to the mountain of Giant Crab Spider corpses, a good half-mile from the castle. Alex had envisioned soaring majestically through the air, but the flight was more like... opening a folder labeled "epic adventure" only to find it empty. The letdown was palpable. And Arthur, being a skeleton, didn''t exactly offer a plush ride. Her bony spine was decidedly uncomfortable. But Alex couldn''t really complain. It wasn''t Arthur''s fault she was made of bones. "Oh well," Alex sighed, positioning Arthur and John as her bodyguards. She approached the room-sized carcass of a Giant Crab Spider and cast Necromantic Summoning. A black, swirling rune appeared above the corpse. A pale, bony hand reached out, followed by a full skeletal figure. Alex had learned by now that Necromantic Summoning always produced humanoid skeletons, regardless of the source. All her hundreds of skeletons looked the same: six-foot-tall, bone-white humanoids. Of course, there were differences. Like this one... [Skeletal Warrior] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100 (Will never betray)] [Life Hierarchy Rank: Elite] [Level: Lv10 (Cannot level up)] [HP: ¡Þ (Undead characteristic: Soul fire inextinguishable, therefore immortal)] [MP: 30] [Strength: 20] [Endurance: 20] [Spirit: 20] [Skill: Bone Hardening] Bone Hardening: Hardens bones locally or across the entire body, significantly increasing defense and attack. (Mana cost increases with the amount of bone hardened, minimum 2 MP.) [Equipment: None] As always, the summoned skeleton inherited the original creature''s level and rank. This Giant Crab Spider had been a Level 10 Elite, so the resulting skeleton was a Level 10 Elite Skeletal Warrior. Double the stats of a normal skeleton! And... "An Elite skeleton with a skill!" None of Alex''s other skeletons had skills. This was a first. "So this is the Elite perk," she mused. "I wonder what Commander, Lord, King, and... God-rank skeletons are like." Her mind raced with possibilities. "Master," the new skeleton said, approaching Alex and kneeling gracefully. "Allow your loyal servant to offer greetings." Elite indeed! Normal skeletons just flopped at her feet. This one had class. "You''re my first Elite skeleton," Alex declared. "I shall name you... Mike." Mike placed a bony hand on his ribcage and bowed. "Thank you for the name, Master." "You will command my Skeleton First Squad." "As you command, Master." And so, the captain of the Skeleton First Squad was replaced. Again. Alex couldn''t help it. Her underlings were evolving too fast. Alex checked her mana. [Mana: 118/120 (Regenerates 1 point per minute)] Two hours of charging, 120 mana, 2 spent on summoning Mike, 118 remaining. 59 more Necromantic Summonings. And she had way more than 59 spider corpses. She could have had her castle automatically process the corpses, but that would have wasted valuable summoning material. [Necromantic Summoning!] Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Necromantic Summoning!] [Necromantic Summoning!] [...] ... 59 times! 59 black runes, 59 bony hands reaching out, 59 Level 10 Elite Skeletal Warriors, each with the Bone Hardening skill. Plus Mike, that made 60! Her forces had more than doubled in power! These 60 new recruits could crush all her previous skeletons combined! (Excluding the dragons, of course.) "The key to a powerful army is... fighting!" Alex realized, a surge of ambition coursing through her. *The more high-level monsters I kill, the stronger my army becomes!* This was the Undead way! She jotted it down in her little notebook. With the new additions, Alex now commanded 457 Skeletal Warriors. Almost 500! On day two! Most lords barely had 60. She was leagues ahead. This was the Undead advantage. *It''s so... satisfying!* she thought. Corpses equal power. This kind of exponential growth was intoxicating. Looking at her new Elite squad, Alex raised a hand, feeling a rush of power. "Let''s go cook some meat!" Chapter 24: Sunset Mountains Chapter 24: Sunset Mountains 60 Skeletal Warriors could cook roughly 12,000 units of meat per hour. A 20% production boost! Alex immediately added them to the ranks of the walking barbeque brigade. "More orders!" she told Sophie, who promptly booked another 40,000 units. And with more mana on the way, Alex could summon even *more* skeletons! The production snowball was rolling! Four more hours of daylight. 300,000 units might actually be within reach! While Alex was busy building her meat empire, Arthur was facing a... challenge. South of Alex''s castle lay the vast Sunset Mountains. Arthur and John were hunting nearby. "Big bro!" John called out. Arthur, mid-chomp on some unfortunate critter, turned his empty sockets towards John. His soul fire flickered in a specific pattern that, translated from Skeleton Dragon, meant, "Are you trying to slack off?" John shook his bony head. "No, big bro! Look!" He pointed a claw towards the forest. "Green things! Spying on us!" Arthur spotted several small, green figures lurking among the trees. "They''re not on our territory. Ignore them. If they cross the border, we squash them. Our priority is leveling up! Master''s orders are absolute!" John looked at the forest, then at Arthur, then back at the forest. "I understand, big bro, but... they seem to have... opinions about you." Arthur looked. The green figures were aiming bows and arrows at him. *Thwip!* An arrow struck Arthur square in the skull. *Clang!* It bounced harmlessly off his thick bone. No damage, but maximum insult. Arthur roared, "Do you know who I am?! I am Arthur, the Skeleton Dragon! I am a force of nature! Not a target!" *Clang!* Another arrow pinged off his skull. The green figures cheered, sounding oddly... delighted? *Thwip! Thwip!* Two more arrows. *Clang! Thud!* One hit, one miss. Arthur saw the one who missed hand a small piece of metal to the one who hit. John exclaimed, "Big bro, they''re using you for target practice! The ones who hit you get paid!" Arthur crushed the arrow under his foot. "No duh!" "Big bro, we don''t have eyes," John helpfully reminded him. *Bonk!* Arthur headbutted John. "Shut up!" "Big bro, we don''t talk either. We use our soul fire to vibrate the ambient mana, creating¡ª" Arthur jammed his claws into John''s eye sockets, muffling his soul fire. "Silence!" *Clang!* Another arrow hit Arthur''s skull. "That''s it!" Arthur roared, slapping John with his tail. He spread his wings and charged towards the Sunset Mountains. He would have his revenge! The green figures didn''t flinch. *Interesting.* As Arthur got closer, he saw them clearly. Much smaller than Alex, barely waist-high. Bright green skin, pointy ears, hunched backs, hideously ugly. Wearing nothing but loincloths. Disgusting. If Alex were there, she would have recognized them as Goblins. Arthur sensed their levels: no higher than 15, even the strongest among them. And their Life Hierarchy Rank was Commander at best. Arthur was Level 8, but a God-rank being. Even a Level 15 Commander-rank wouldn''t stand a chance. His stats were superior. He landed among them, his anger burning. The Goblins, far from being afraid, looked excited. "Catch it! A weird skeleton like that will fetch a fortune in the human cities! Those humans love collecting strange creatures!" "We''ll be rich!" "Rich!" "Rich!" Driven by dreams of wealth, the Goblins charged, a chaotic wave of green. Their signature move: the group beatdown! "Get it! I want to be rich!" "Take it down! I want to be rich!" "Rich! Rich!" Arthur had never seen creatures charge into battle yelling about money. *How greedy can you get?* He had to admit, their enthusiasm was slightly unnerving. But... *Boom!* Arthur slammed into the Goblins, sending a dozen flying. They were surprisingly flimsy. "That''s it? That''s all you got?" He was even more insulted. "Dragon Flame!" A torrent of fire erupted from his jaws, engulfing the Goblins and igniting the surrounding trees. They didn''t stand a chance. John finally arrived, hovering nervously beside Arthur. "Speak," Arthur growled. "Oh, thank goodness! Big bro, we''re outside Master''s territory! Let''s go back!" Arthur nodded, about to take off, when something on the ground, among the burning Goblin remains, shimmered. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Wait." He walked towards the glow, unfazed by the flames of his own making. He carefully picked up a fist-sized lump of metal. "What''s that, big bro?" John asked. Arthur didn''t know. "Go away!" he snapped, kicking John. He didn''t recognize the metal, but he knew it was what the Goblins had been using as wager. It had melted together in the fire. It must be valuable! Master would be pleased. He spread his wings and flew back towards the castle, John trailing behind. "Wait for me, big bro! I''ll be quiet next time!" Arthur ignored him. Back at the castle, he presented the lump of metal to Alex. "Master, I have a treasure for you!" Alex didn''t recognize it either. Luckily, the castle had the Analyze skill. "Whoa!" Alex exclaimed. "Refined Iron!" Talk about finding what you need when you least expect it! This was exactly what she needed for the Equipment Forge! "Arthur, you''re a lifesaver!" Arthur beamed. "It was my honor, Master. And John helped too!" John added, finally catching up. "You both get gold stars!" Alex laughed. Then, grabbing one of Arthur''s wing bones, she asked excitedly, "Where did you find this?" "South of the castle, in the Sunset Mountains," Arthur replied, recounting the Goblin encounter. Alex nodded, her gaze turning south. "The Sunset Mountains..." she murmured. Chapter 25: Goblin Chapter 25: Goblin The Sunset Mountains were a no-go zone for most lords on Day Two of Eldoria. Venturing beyond your castle''s territory meant losing the Analyze skill, leaving you blind to the dangers lurking in the wild. A miscalculation could be fatal. But Alex needed Refined Iron, and the Refined Iron was calling to her from beyond the border. "Arthur!" "Master?" "How far is that Goblin... infestation... from the castle?" "About 5,000 meters, Master. Right on the edge of the Sunset Mountains." "5,000 meters..." Alex mused, calculating not the potential rewards, but the escape route. A good general always plans for retreat. 5,000 meters. A 10-second flight for Arthur and John. Doable. Other lords might be afraid, but Alex had flying, immortal Skeleton Dragons. A whole screen of HP bars. Nothing to fear. "I''m getting that iron." "Mike!" Mike, the Elite skeleton, marched smartly from the barbeque pit. "Master?" "Mike, take the Elite squad. We''re going hunting." "Yes, Master!" For her first foray beyond the border, Alex wanted to bring the big guns. Her army assembled: * Heavy hitters: Arthur (Level 8) and John (Level 7), the God-rank Skeleton Dragons. * Front line: 60 Level 10 Elite Skeletal Warriors, the Skeleton First Squad. * Supreme Commander: Alex. "Let''s roll!" Mike and the Elites clambered onto the dragons, clinging to every available bone. Arthur and John, each carrying 30 skeletons, looked like macabre, skeletal pi?atas. Alex hopped onto Arthur''s skull, the smoothest part of his bony frame. "Arthur, lift off!" With a powerful beat of their wings, the dragons shot into the sky. 5,000 meters zipped by in a blur. Alex spotted the scorched earth from Arthur''s breath attack. "There, Master," Arthur confirmed. "Master! Big bro! More green things!" John yelled, pointing. Alex saw them. Goblins, poking around the burnt forest. "Land! Capture them alive!" "Roger that!" John, always eager to please, whipped his tail, accelerating downwards, and landed with a resounding *CRASH*. "Goblin scum! Bow before your mighty overlord, John!" He''d practically pulverized them. "John, you imbecile! Alive!" Arthur roared. John picked up a squashed Goblin, grinning. "Don''t worry, big bro! They''re still kicking!" Arthur landed smoothly with Alex. She rushed over to find the Goblins half-embedded in the dirt, miraculously still alive. "These Eldoria creatures are ridiculously resilient!" John nudged Alex with his head. "Good job, right, Master?" *You''re a moron,* Arthur thought, his soul fire dimming with shame. "Excellent work, John," Alex said, patting his head. John''s tail wagged like a metronome gone wild. Alex chuckled and approached a Goblin, holding out the lump of Refined Iron. "Where did this come from?" The Goblin, pinned and partially buried, had no choice but to answer. "We... dug it up..." "You dug it up... like *this*?" Refined Iron, ready-made? "No! We dug up rocks! The Dwarves... they forged it." Dwarves... "You''re in cahoots with Dwarves?" "No! Just... trading." "Where do you dig these rocks? Where''s your tribe?" Alex pressed. "How many? Highest level? Rank?" The Goblin hesitated. John applied pressure. "Agh! I''ll tell you!" "John, ease up." "Yes, Master." The Goblin gasped for air. "Talk! Or you become fertilizer!" John growled. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The rocks... they''re from the mountains behind our tribe! 500 meters south, in the valley! 520 Goblins! Our chief is Level 18, Elite rank!" Level 18, Elite... 36 in all stats. Arthur could handle that. "Take me to your tribe." The Goblin whimpered. "W-what are you going to do?" "Just... borrowing a few things." Chapter 26: Arthas Chapter 26: Arthas "Enemy attack!" The Goblins spotted Arthur and John long before they reached the valley. The Goblin Chief, a Level 18 Elite, emerged from his hut. "Holy moly! Skeleton Dragons!" Gold coins danced in his eyes. "Humans love these things! We''ll be rich!" "My children! To battle! We''re going to be swimming in gold!" Naked green bodies, clad only in loincloths, popped out of every nook and cranny. "Chief, is it them?" "Whoa, they''re huge!" The Chief, his gaze fixed on Arthur, drooled, "Skeleton Dragons! Humans collect them like trophies! We can sell them to Rondo City for a million gold coins!" "A million?!" The Goblins swarmed out, their eyes gleaming with avarice. "Who said ''enemy attack''? This is a gold delivery service!" "A million gold coins! We''re gonna be rich!" Greed was the defining characteristic of Goblins. And they were incredibly arrogant. Before a fight, they believed they could take on gods. They weren''t afraid of Arthur. They saw him as a walking, breathing million-gold-coin payout. "Grab your weapons, boys! It''s payday!" "Rich! Rich!" "For a million gold coins! Charge!" "For riches!" So, when Alex, riding Arthur, with John and her skeletal entourage in tow, arrived at the Goblin village, they were met with... a mosh pit. 500+ Goblins, the entire village''s fighting force, chanting "Rich!" and swarming them. It was... a sight to behold. Arthur, having learned his lesson, said, "Don''t worry, Master. They''re all bark and no bite." Alex nodded. "Arthur, John, Mike, take them down!" "Yes, Master!" Two Skeleton Dragons and sixty Elite Skeletal Warriors versus a horde of avaricious Goblins. "Dragon Flame!" Arthur opened with his signature move, incinerating dozens of Goblins. John, not to be outdone, whipped his tail, sending Goblins flying. "The Harbingers of Death are here! Tremble, Goblin scum!" Mike declared, though he and the Elite squad hadn''t even engaged yet. Arthur and John had already wiped out a fifth of the Goblin force in a single pass. Skeleton Dragons were truly terrifying. The Goblin Chief, seeing this, realized his dreams of riches were... premature. *Time for a strategic retreat!* He turned and ran. No hesitation. This was the Goblin way. Supreme arrogance before the fight, lightning-fast retreat at the first sign of trouble. This was why no one in Eldoria hired Goblin mercenaries. Their morale was... unreliable. Alex, witnessing this abrupt change of pace, yelled, "Arthur, don''t let them escape!" "Got it, Master!" Arthur took to the sky, intercepting the fleeing Goblins. "Dragon Flame!" *Whoosh! Boom!* The forest ahead of the Goblins ignited, blocking their path. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Scatter!" the Chief yelled, leading the charge... to the left. The Level 18 Elite Goblin, the strongest in the tribe, didn''t even try to fight. "Note to self: Goblins are only good for winning battles," Alex muttered, jotting it down in her notebook. She''d considered enslaving the Chief, but... what was the point? She didn''t need more laborers. She could summon as many skeletons as she needed. Then, something caught her eye. Her own skill list. [Skills: Necromantic Summoning, Parasitism, Contamination, Enslavement] Contamination. *Targets killed by the dark water become Skeletal Warriors.* "This is... amazing!" she thought. "If I use Contamination on all these Goblins, I''ll have hundreds of new skeletons!" Her workforce would double! More barbeque chefs, more miners... She cast Contamination, firing a blob of black goo that spread into a puddle the size of a small apartment. [Contamination]: Deals 30 damage per second to enemies within the dark water. Consumes 5 mana per second. Alex checked her mana. [Mana: 27/120 (Regenerates 1 point per minute)] Summoning Mike had drained her reserves. 27 mana. 5 seconds of dark water. She quickly retracted the spell, but it still cost her 5 mana, leaving her with 22. 4 seconds. 120 damage. Should be enough... right? "Arthur, don''t kill them outright. Just... leave them barely alive." "On it, Master!" John chirped. The dragons controlled the air, while Mike and the Elites rounded up the Goblins on the ground. An hour later, all 520 Goblins, battered and bruised, were dragged back to Alex. Even the Chief, a Level 18 Elite, was no match for Arthur, or even John. Arthur tossed the Chief onto the pile of groaning Goblins. He and John circled overhead, watching for other threats from the Sunset Mountains and preventing any escape attempts. Not that the Goblins could escape. Mike and the Elites had them surrounded. The Chief, lying on the ground, started to cry. No million gold coins for him. "Please, spare me! I''ll give you anything! I''ll buy my life! My eldest son has 3 gold coins under his bed! My daughter has 2 in the sugar jar! My youngest has 1 in his loincloth! I know where everyone in the tribe hides their gold! I''ll get it all for you!" Alex was speechless. He was offering other people''s gold to save his own skin! Talk about greedy! But Alex wasn''t interested in gold. She wanted iron. "Where do you get the rocks?" "Rocks?" the Chief thought, bewildered. *She nearly wiped out my entire tribe for rocks? Not gold?* *Humans are so weird!* "From the mountains behind our village, your Excellency! Take all you want!" "Can you smelt iron?" If they could, Alex might spare them. "Smelt iron? No, your Excellency." "Then what do you do with the rocks?" "The Dwarves buy them. We trade them for gold." "Oh." No smelting skills. Useless. "Where''s this Dwarf tribe?" "Far, your Excellency. Fifty kilometers south." Fifty kilometers... too far. "How do you trade with them?" The Chief, desperate to live, spilled everything. "They come here once a month. Last time was half a month ago." So no Dwarves for a while. Alex''s plan to acquire Refined Iron directly from the source was... on hold. "Fine." She cast Contamination. A puddle of black water appeared beneath the Goblins. "Arthur, kick those stragglers into the puddle!" A few Goblins were outside the area of effect. Alex only had 4 seconds. Arthur and John quickly nudged the remaining Goblins into the dark water. The black water hissed and bubbled. The Goblins'' flesh began to dissolve. It was a gruesome sight. Alex turned away. "This skill is... disturbing." [Killed a Level 18 Elite Goblin. Gained +36 EXP, 5 Magic Crystals, 1 Red Crystal.] [Killed a Level 9 Goblin. Gained +9 EXP, 1 Magic Crystal.] [Killed a Level 4 Goblin. Gained +2 EXP.] [Killed...] ... *Well, that was efficient.* It didn''t even take the full four seconds. All 520 Goblins were dead. The black water vanished. The Goblins vanished. In their place were 520 Skeletal Warriors. These skeletons were different. They were small, barely reaching Alex''s waist. No more than four feet tall. Her summoned skeletons were all six feet. "I see," Alex realized. "Contamination uses the existing bodies, so it inherits their size. If I threw a dying dragon into the dark water, would I get a Skeleton Dragon? Would it be as strong as Arthur and John?" So many questions! She added them to her notebook. She stepped forward. The 520 new skeletons prostrated themselves. "Greetings, Master!" "Since you were once Goblins, I shall call you... the Skeleton Second Squad, aka... the Goblin Skeletons!" "Roar! Goblin Skeletons!" "We are the Goblin Skeletons!" "Thank you, Master!" Alex pointed to the skeleton that had been the Goblin Chief. A Level 18 Elite. "You. You''re in charge now. Your name is... Arthas." Arthas knelt, kissing the ground. "Arthas greets Master! May your name be praised in the heavens and feared in hell! You are supreme!" Alex chuckled. "A bit of a flatterer, aren''t we?" "Only speaking the truth, Master," Arthas replied smoothly. "Alright, take me to where you dig those rocks." Time was running short. Less than two hours till nightfall. "Yes, Master!" The Contamination skeletons retained their memories. Arthas knew the area well. He led Alex and her army to a crude quarry behind the village. Iron ore. "Iron ore... Refined Iron, here I come!" Alex thought excitedly. "Arthas!" "Master?" "You and the Goblin Skeletons will stay here and mine this ore. Deliver it to my castle every morning." "As you command, Master." A steady supply of iron ore! Now she just needed a way to process it. Find the Dwarves, partner with a lord who could smelt, or... build her own smelting facility. Any of those would give her a steady stream of Refined Iron. And then... equipment! A long-term, high-profit business. Even more valuable than cooked meat right now. "Do you have any Refined Iron in the village?" Alex asked casually. "Yes, Master." Alex''s heart skipped a beat. "How much?" "About a thousand pieces. The Dwarves sometimes pay us with it when they''re short on gold." "A thousand?!" That was a nice bonus! "Bring it all to the castle!" "Yes, Master!" Chapter 27: Perfect quality Chapter 27: Perfect quality Upon returning to her castle, Alex surveyed the spoils of her first military expedition. One Goblin tribe utterly crushed by two Skeleton Dragons and 60 Elite Skeletal Warriors. Over 520 Goblins slain. A resounding victory! And Alex? She''d leveled up to 7! King-rank experience bars were long, but 500+ Goblin souls provided a substantial boost. [Lord: Alex] [Race: Human (Lich King Inheritance)] [Life Hierarchy Rank: King] [Level: Lv7] [HP: ¡Þ (Undead characteristic: Soul fire inextinguishable, therefore immortal)] [MP: 140 (Regenerates 1 point per minute)] [Strength: 35] [Endurance: 35] [Spirit: 35] [Castle Level: Lv6] [Necromantic Altar: Lv2] [Equipment Forge: Lv1] [Initial Units: Undead (Including but not limited to Skeletal Warriors, Undead Zombies, Death Knights, Liches...)] [Skills: Necromantic Summoning, Parasitism, Contamination, Enslavement] ...(Click to expand) [Equipment: None] The stat boost was nice, but the real prize was the experience gained from the Goblin massacre. Interestingly, Arthur and John hadn''t received any experience. "So only *I* get EXP for kills, but I get a share when *they* kill something," Alex mused. Eldoria, the game created by the gods, was designed to cultivate leaders, not fighters. Generals, not grunts. Finders of fire, not flippers of burgers. Alex''s path forward became clear: focus on development, amass resources, and bide her time. One day, her million-strong undead army would conquer Eldoria. "From now on, Arthur and John handle the monster slaying. I''ll get a cut of the EXP, and they''ll level up. Win-win. I''ll focus on... strategic castle management." *...and maximizing relaxation time.* Besides EXP, the expedition had yielded other rewards: [Wood: +6028 units] [Stone: +9012 units] [Magic Crystals: +189] [Red Crystals: +7] [Refined Iron: +1032 units] [...] Plus a bunch of miscellaneous junk, which Alex promptly deposited in her castle''s warehouse. Combined with her previous earnings, her resource stockpile looked like this: [Wood: 89347 units] [Stone: 76248 units] [Refined Iron: 1032 units] [Magic Crystals: 694] [Red Crystals: 15] She ignored the less useful items like chicken crests, boar bristles, spider legs, and Goblin loincloths. "Wow, I''m richer than I thought!" Castle upgrade, altar upgrade, Dragon Sparrow Saber crafting... so many possibilities! And after delivering the 200,000 units of cooked meat, she''d have another four million units of resources! Seven figures! She was taking off! And with the Goblin Skeletons mining iron ore, her ascent would only accelerate. By the end of the newbie period, she''d be leaving the other billions of lords in the dust. Eating her dust. Dust was all they''d get. First things first: the Necromantic Altar. Her undead army was her greatest asset. The altar was her top priority. [Upgrade Necromantic Altar? Cost: 500 Magic Crystals, 10 Red Crystals.] [Yes] or [No] "Yes." [Congratulations! Necromantic Altar upgraded!] [Necromantic Altar (Unique Building)] [Level: Lv3] [Allows one summoning per day] [Current summonable unit options (choose three): 1. 10 Skeletal Warriors; 2. 10 Undead Zombies; 3. 2 Liches; 4. 2 Death Knights; 5. 1 Skeleton Dragon; 6. 1 Zombie Titan] [Upgrade Requirements: 3000 Magic Crystals, 50 Red Crystals] Still one summon per day, same six options, but now she could choose *three*! Skeleton Dragon and Zombie Titan were must-haves. And then... a Lich or a Death Knight? Spooky magic or badass cavalry? Her undead army was shaping up nicely. But that was for tomorrow. She couldn''t summon again today. Next up: the Equipment Forge. Time to make some weapons! The castle upgrade could wait. She assigned two Level 1 Skeletal Warriors to the forge. Someone had to work the bellows. Skeletons would do. Anyone with hands would do. With staff in place, the Dragon Sparrow Saber unlocked, and Refined Iron in hand, she was ready to go. [Craft Dragon Sparrow Saber?] [Yes] or [No] "Yes." [Cost: 20 units of Refined Iron, 2 Magic Crystals.] One of the skeletons started working, expertly melting and hammering the iron. The forge imbued them with the necessary skills. Anyone could be a blacksmith! Even Alex! [Ding!] [Congratulations! You have crafted a Dragon Sparrow Saber!] The skeleton presented Alex with a broad, heavy blade. The back of the blade was thick, with a row of circular holes and rings. Images of sparrows in flight adorned the rings. A coiled green dragon wrapped around the hilt. The Dragon Sparrow Saber. [Dragon Sparrow Saber] [Type: Weapon] [Rank: 1] [Quality: Fine] [Attribute: +10 Strength] "Fine quality?!" Equipment quality ranged from Normal to Fine to Perfect to Legendary. And she''d gotten a Fine quality item on her first try! "Clearly, being awesome comes with perks," she thought smugly. +10 Strength. That was a significant boost! It was the difference between her Level 10 Strength and Arthur''s Level 10 Strength, despite the difference in their Life Hierarchy Ranks. This saber could bridge the gap between King-rank and God-rank! Incredible! Life Hierarchy Ranks were notoriously difficult to advance. This weapon could bypass that limitation. Priceless. And this was just a Rank 1 Fine quality item. Imagine the power of a high-rank Legendary item! The potential profits were mind-boggling. Alex crafted as many sabers as her resources allowed. [Congratulations! You have crafted a Dragon Sparrow Saber!] [Congratulations! You have crafted a Dragon Sparrow Saber!] [Congratulations! You have crafted a Dragon Sparrow Saber!] [...] 51 sabers in total. 1020 units of Refined Iron and 102 Magic Crystals. * 1 Perfect quality. * 7 Fine quality. * 43 Normal quality. The Perfect quality saber granted +23 Strength! That was the Strength of a Level 23 Normal unit! Insane! "This will sell for a fortune!" The other lords would go crazy for this. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 28: 10x strength boost Chapter 28: 10x strength boost [World Announcement!] [Night falls, the Blood Moon rises!] [Monsters will be empowered by the night!] [Random 1-10x strength boost!] [Calculating boost...] [Beep!] [10x!] [Tonight, all monsters will receive a 10x strength boost!] Nightfall on Day Two of Eldoria. And tonight, the world outside the castle walls was getting a 10x power boost. A Level 10 Elite Giant Crab Spider, normally boasting 20 in each stat, would now have a whopping 200! "Holy crap!" Alex thought. "No way I''m going out there!" Luckily, she was paying attention. The moment the announcement appeared, she retreated inside her castle, still safely cocooned in its newbie invincibility. She sent the 200,000 units of cooked meat to Sophie, who promptly sent back four million units of wood and stone. No one was wasting precious Magic or Red Crystals on processing fees. Alex was ecstatic. Four million resources! Her skeleton workforce was paying off. Cain and the Maid Factory, with their limited manpower, could only dream of such production. Alex, on the other hand, had an army of... well, skeletons. Close enough. With the new influx of resources, plus what she already had, Alex now possessed 1.96 million units of wood and 2.207 million units of stone. Seven figures! Time to upgrade! [Castle Level: Lv6] ... "Upgrade!" she yelled, clicking the button with glee. 7... 8... 9... 10... 11... 12... 13... 14... 15... 16... 17... 18... 19... 20! She''d spent over 3.5 million resources, but her castle was now Level 20! [Castle Level: Lv20] [HP: 300k (Invincible)] [Territory: 15,000 meter radius] [Functions: Analyze, Collect Spoils, Process Corpses, Teleport, Invincibility] [Upgrade Requirements: 500k Wood, 500k Stone, 10k Refined Iron] Her territory had expanded dramatically! Even the dragon''s lair was now within her domain! She could spy on it anytime. And if the dragon wasn''t home... "Dibs on the treasure!" The HP boost was irrelevant for now, thanks to newbie invincibility. But the new skills were amazing! [Teleport]: Once per day, teleport yourself or units anywhere within your territory. [Invincibility]: Once every seven days, make your castle invincible for three hours. "A new skill every 10 levels," she noted, adding it to her ever-growing list of Eldoria observations. Teleport and Invincibility were incredibly powerful, potentially turning the tide of battle. Imagine teleporting your troops behind enemy lines during a siege! At Level 10, she''d also unlocked a kitchen. Level 15: a training room. Level 20: a meditation room. Her castle was becoming a proper fortress. "Time to sell some gear and buy some iron!" She opened the Free Market and listed her Perfect Dragon Sparrow Saber. [Dragon Sparrow Saber] [Auction type: Limited Time] [Starting bid: 100k Red Crystals] [Quantity: 1] 100,000 Red Crystals. An absurd price. No one could afford it. It was a marketing ploy. Get everyone''s attention. Make them notice Alex. Make them notice her equipment. And then... list the rest of her sabers at more reasonable, though still exorbitant, prices. The bidding would be fierce. .. With the 10x monster boost in effect, Eldoria''s lords were huddled inside their castles. The lucky few with Level 5 castles could enjoy a hot bath. The rest were stuck in their bare-bones halls, chatting on the world channel to pass the time. [World Channel 87374 (10,000 users)] "Man, I''m so jealous of those Level 5 lords. Bedrooms, beds, hot baths..." "Right? Tears of envy!" "I wonder what level Alex''s castle is. She made at least four million resources today." "100! I saw it with my own eyes!" "Sure you did." "More importantly, what''s her initial unit? Someone calculated she must have over 12,000 units to process that much meat. 12,000 units on Day Two? Insane!" "No idea. She''s never said." "Probably some special King-rank unit." "Speaking of special King-rank units, remember that guy who got Elves?" "Elves? Yeah, that''s pretty special." "I know that guy! He''s my old roommate! He just messaged me asking for... uh... dating advice. The nerve!" "Ew!" "Jealousy is a disease." "While other lords are cuddling with Elf princesses, I''m stuck with... *looks at Beastgirl in lap* ...well, I guess I can''t complain." "Whoa! Why do you guys get all the good units? I got freaking Minotaurs!" "Minotaurs? Lucky! I got Grey Dwarves! Useless for anything but mining! They''re shorter than the monsters!" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Guys, check the Free Market! Something crazy is happening!" "What is it?" "Just look!" "...." "Holy crap! 1 million Red Crystals?!" "What''s going on? What''s with the Red Crystals?" "Alex listed something for auction. Starting bid: 1 million Red Crystals!" "Is she insane? What''s worth that much?" "You only get Red Crystals from Level 10+ Elites. No one has that many on Day Two! And you need them for the Necromantic Altar! They''re super rare! Is she selling an artifact or something?" "It''s a weapon! A Perfect Dragon Sparrow Saber! +23 Strength!" "+23?! Seriously?!" "Yeah, I saw it. +23 Strength." "That''s practically an artifact!" "My Elite Gale Wolves only have 18 Strength at Level 9... a weapon that''s stronger than my Level 9 Elites?!" "It''s definitely powerful, but not a million Red Crystals powerful." "That greedy scammer! I knew she was a scammer when she was selling cooked meat!" "I don''t care if she''s a scammer. Alex, 1 million is too much! Discount, please?" "How much of a discount?" "Even a 99% discount is too much for you!" "True." "If I had that saber, my Level 7 Ironclad Rhino would have 46 Strength! I could take on Level 30 monsters easily!" "Noob! I could take on Level 40s!" "Wait, can Rhinos even use weapons?" "Why not? It''s a game! Why can''t we give our units equipment?!" "I don''t know. I haven''t tried." "Then buy the saber for a million Red Crystals, give it to me, and I''ll try it on my Gale Wolf. Problem solved." "You''re a genius..." Alex was famous again. And so was the Dragon Sparrow Saber. The first piece of equipment ever listed on the Free Market. Its incredible stats had everyone drooling. But no one could afford it. Half an hour later, the auction ended with no bids. The saber returned to Alex. But the desire remained. Everyone wanted that power. Alex knew the time was right. She listed the rest of her sabers. [Dragon Sparrow Saber (Normal)] [Auction type: Limited Time] [Starting bid: 200 Magic Crystals] [Quantity: 43] [Dragon Sparrow Saber (Fine)] [Auction type: Limited Time] [Starting bid: 500 Magic Crystals] [Quantity: 7] The prices were high. 200 Magic Crystals for a saber that cost 2 Magic Crystals to make? Highway robbery! But Alex had a monopoly. Monopoly rules applied. Thanks to the Perfect saber''s publicity, everyone was watching. The new listings were instantly noticed. [World Channel 63523 (10,000 users)] "Alex listed more sabers! Normal and Fine quality this time." "Normal is +5 Strength, Fine is +11." "Not as good as the Perfect one, but still pretty good!" "My Level 9 Elite Gale Wolves would get a 60% Strength boost! From 18 to 29! That''s Commander-rank level Strength! I''m buying one!" "Wake up! You don''t have 500 Magic Crystals!" "I don''t even have 200..." "I''m so poor. Only 37 Magic Crystals..." "Pathetic! I have 117! Hahaha!" "Alex, can you lower the price? We don''t have a million Red Crystals, and we don''t have 200 Magic Crystals either!" "Another failed auction, I guess. Too expensive!" "It''s only Day Two! No one can afford this!" In a certain team chat... [Edward Scissorhands]: "Captain, lend me some Magic Crystals! I need to bid on a saber!" [Stefan Luxon]: "I thought you hated Alex?" [Edward Scissorhands]: "I hate her arrogance, not her merchandise! That saber is awesome! +11 Strength on my Ironclad Rhino? He''ll have 46 Strength at Level 7! I could take on Level 20 Elites!" [Kazuma Nokima]: "I''d like a Fine saber as well." [Edward Scissorhands]: "Hey, I called dibs! Don''t steal my saber!" [Kazuma Nokima]: "There are seven. We can bid on different ones." [Edward Scissorhands]: "Fine. I''m bidding on number six. My lucky number." [Kazuma Nokima]: "I''ll take number five." [Stefan Luxon]: "Number three for me!" [Hero (Captain)]: "I''ll go for number four." [Maria]: "Number two, then." [Stefan Luxon]: "Captain, loan me some crystals!" [Kazuma Nokima]: "Captain, loan, please!" [Edward Scissorhands]: "Captain, money, please!" [Maria]: "Captain, I need crystals!" [Hero (Captain)]: "I''m broke! All of you!" ...Half an hour later... "Holy moly! They all sold?!" "Am I dreaming? Are there that many rich lords?" "The Normal sabers went for 287 to 479 Magic Crystals! The Fine ones went for 834 to 1198!" "1198 Magic Crystals! I''ve never seen so many!" "Just wait. You''ll get there." "By the time I have 1000 Magic Crystals, Alex will have a million!" "Why is life so unfair?!" "Wait, how much did Alex make?" "Too tired to calculate. She''s not sharing it with me anyway." "Good point." Just then, Alex appeared on the world channel. Alex: "Looking for a lord who can process Refined Iron. I have iron ore. Will pay handsomely for services rendered." "It''s Alex!" "Hi Alex! Notice me!" "Alex, how handsome is this handsome payment?" "Refined Iron? Iron ore? She has iron ore already? Does she own a mine?!" "Has she started conquering territory already? Terrifying!" The world channel exploded again. Alex had done it again. Chapter 29: Time to scale up Chapter 29: Time to scale up "Alex, I can''t smelt iron, but my aunt can sharpen needles!" "Alex, marry me! I have... skills..." "My lord, I''ll lend you my Elves for two days if you give me that Perfect saber!" "I can smelt Refined Iron! My units are Grey Dwarves! They''re experts!" Alex''s plea for a blacksmith on the world channel had resulted in an avalanche of friend requests. Millions of them. Mostly sycophants trying to curry favor with the supposed "strongest lord" in Eldoria. After all, who else had conquered a mine on Day Two? Alex sifted through the requests until she found the one. "I can smelt Refined Iron! My units are Grey Dwarves! They''re experts!" The desperation was palpable. This was her blacksmith. "Grey Dwarves, huh..." she mused, accepting the request. [Luo Jia]: "Holy crap! Alex! Is that really you? I''m friends with Alex?!" [Alex]: "...Yes." This girl was... enthusiastic. [Luo Jia]: "You accepted my request! I''m so excited!" [Alex]: "...You have Grey Dwarves?" [Luo Jia]: "Yeah! They''re driving me crazy! Useless in combat, useless for logging, only good for mining and smelting! I haven''t even hit Level 2 yet!" [Alex]: "...That''s... unfortunate. Dwarves are bad at fighting?" [Luo Jia]: "Not all Dwarves! Just *my* Dwarves! The Grey Dwarves! Apparently, there are different kinds of Dwarves. Some are really strong! But mine... they just want to mine and smelt! They''re terrible fighters! I could beat them all up myself!" [Alex]: "...Right." This girl was a force of nature. "I need someone who can smelt. I''ll provide the iron ore. You make Refined Iron. I''ll pay you for your services. Deal?" [Luo Jia]: "Deal! Anything to work with the legendary Alex!" [Alex]: "How''s your production speed?" [Luo Jia]: "No problem! My Grey Dwarves can build these... dirt furnaces! It''s amazing! They just... *poof*... make fire!" [Alex]: "...Okay. We''ll start tomorrow." [Luo Jia]: "Yes, boss!" Meanwhile, in a dilapidated castle on the Greyball Desert... "I''m back in the game!" Luo Jia, a young woman with short hair, bright eyes, and long legs, jumped for joy. She was a 9 out of 10, easily, if not for her slightly boisterous personality. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Finally! I have fire too! I just... haven''t had much luck." Her Grey Dwarves, despite being Elite rank, were... special. Pacifists, basically. They loved mining, smelting, and crafting. Nothing else. They couldn''t fight, but they had a unique ability: they could build dirt furnaces and... *poof*... make fire! Luo Jia had fire on Day One! She''d seen Alex''s success with cooked meat and tried to do the same. But her Dwarves couldn''t hunt, so she had no raw meat. She tried to buy some, but she didn''t even have enough wood for that! Her castle was in the middle of a desert! She''d tried advertising her processing services, but no one believed her. She couldn''t produce a single piece of cooked meat as proof! "I have fire too!" she''d wailed. "Why can''t I be like Alex?!" But now, she was working with Alex! "This is my chance! Grey Dwarves or no Grey Dwarves, I''m going to make it big!" Back at her castle, Alex was counting her earnings. 50 Dragon Sparrow Sabers sold for a total of 22,087 Magic Crystals! She''d never had so many! "Jackpot! Equipment is where the real money is!" The sabers had cost her 1000 units of Refined Iron and 100 Magic Crystals. Refined Iron didn''t have a market price yet, but based on what Arthas had said, it traded for 10 units of iron ore per Magic Crystal among the native Eldoria factions. The lord economy was different, but it was a starting point. So, 1000 units of Refined Iron was worth 100 Magic Crystals. Her total investment: 200 Magic Crystals. Her profit: 21,889 Magic Crystals. Over 100x return! "Time to scale up!" Day Three. Dawn. [World Announcement] [Night ends, the Blood Moon sets.] [Monster boost deactivated.] S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The lords of Eldoria rejoiced. Time to go outside! And time for the daily summoning! The number of units summoned depended on the level of your Summoning Altar and the rank of your units. A Level 1 altar with Normal units summoned 30. Elite: 15. Commander: 8. Lord: 4. King: 2. God: 1. Higher altar levels meant more units. Alex''s altar was Level 3. [Necromantic Altar (Unique Building)] [Level: Lv3] ... She could choose three unit types today! [Necromantic Altar (Ready to Summon)] [Summon Undead?] [Yes] or [No] "Yes!" [Choose three unit types:] [1. 10 Skeletal Warriors] [2. 10 Undead Zombies] [3. 2 Liches] [4. 2 Death Knights] [5. 1 Skeleton Dragon] [6. 1 Zombie Titan] "3, 5, and 6!" She''d already decided. Skeleton Dragon and Zombie Titan were the strongest, based on their single-unit summoning limit. And Liches... Alex suspected they had necromantic abilities, just like her. Essential for building her million-strong army. Three glowing runes appeared at the base of the Demon King''s throne. The center rune produced a familiar sight: a five-meter-tall, twenty-meter-long Skeleton Dragon. Alex named him Baxter. The right rune summoned... a Zombie? A massive, eight-meter-tall Zombie, even taller than the dragon. Half its face was rotted away, its teeth and gums exposed in a gruesome grin. Its eyes were vacant. It looked... not very bright. But terrifying nonetheless. A Zombie Titan. [Zombie Titan (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead] ... [Skill: Blood Frenzy] Blood Frenzy: Consumes mana to enter a frenzy. (Frenzy: +50% Strength, +50% Endurance, -50% Spirit) "A skill at Level 1! Just like the dragons!" Alex grinned. God-rank units were born with skills. +50% Strength and Endurance? That was insane! A Level 8 Zombie Titan, normally with 48 in all stats, would jump to 72 in Frenzy mode! Arthur would need to reach Level 12 to achieve the same stats. A four-level difference! This lumbering giant was a powerhouse! The left rune summoned two... humans? Humanoid figures in black robes and hoods, wielding staffs. Mysterious and spooky. Liches. [Lich (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead] ... [Skills: None] A slight disappointment. No skills at Level 1. But that was normal for non-God-rank units. Two Liches, a Skeleton Dragon, and a Zombie Titan. A good haul. "Arthur! John!" The dragons flew over. "Master?" Alex gestured towards the new arrivals. "New friends! Arthur, your mission today is to level them up!" "As you command, Master!" Arthur bowed, then led his team out to hunt. Just then, a horde of small skeletons marched into Alex''s territory. The Goblin Skeletons! "Oh!" Alex remembered. "The iron ore!" Chapter 30: Gift Chapter 30: Gift "Greetings, great Queen! Your loyal servant, Arthas, offers his humble salutations!" Arthas, the Level 18 Elite Skeletal Warrior and leader of Alex''s 500+ Goblin Skeleton army, had arrived with his first iron ore delivery: 16,876 units. Alex nodded approvingly. "Good work." Not bad at all. Arthas and his crew had only been mining for a few hours yesterday afternoon, and they''d already produced nearly 17,000 units of ore. Free labor was a beautiful thing. She sent the ore to Luo Jia. [Alex]: "Get smelting. I need that iron." [Luo Jia]: "You got it, boss!" Alex winced. This girl was... a character. If she wasn''t so cheap, Alex would have looked for a different blacksmith. "Arthas!" she called out as Arthas was about to leave. "Master?" "Tell me more about those Dwarves you used to trade with." "Yes, Master. They live in the Sunset Mountains, about 55 kilometers south. A large tribe, tens of thousands of them. Their chief is a Level 57 Titanium Dwarf, Commander-rank. Very powerful." Level 57, Commander-rank... That meant 171 in all stats. Way out of Alex''s league. "Titanium Dwarf? What''s that?" "A type of Dwarf, Master. The Titanium Dwarves are warriors. They love a good fight. Always battling, or on their way to a battle. They favor giant hammers, taller than themselves." Fascinating. So many different kinds of Dwarves. Luo Jia''s Grey Dwarves were pacifist miners and smiths. These Titanium Dwarves were battle-hungry hammer-wielding maniacs. Interesting. "You can go back to work now." Alex had learned enough. Those Dwarves were a no-go for now. Just as Arthas left, Sophie sent her 200,000 units of raw meat. [Sophie]: "Alex, first batch of the day, sent!" [Alex]: "Received!" [Sophie]: "Things aren''t looking so good, Alex." [Alex]: "What''s wrong?" [Sophie]: "It''s Day Three. The top lords have Level 10 castles and kitchens. They''re cooking their own meat now. And other lords are finding fire. Cain, the second guy with fire, just announced he''s trading with the natives for flint! He''s selling it for 10,000 basic resources! Everyone''s demanding lower prices for cooked meat! Our business is in trouble, Alex!" Sophie wasn''t wrong. The cooked meat bubble was about to burst. As more lords acquired fire, the price of cooked meat would plummet. And then what? If Alex didn''t lower her prices, the resellers would go elsewhere. But how low could she go? She''d end up making less than the resellers! "It''s okay," Alex replied. "We''ve made a good profit. We''ll finish these 200,000 units, and then... we''ll see. We''ll ride the wave as long as we can. But I have a new plan." [Sophie]: "What plan?" [Alex]: "Equipment. I need you to do two things. One: check for iron ore near your castle. Two: buy iron ore, crafting blueprints, and Refined Iron on the world channel. Priority on number two." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Sophie]: "Okay, Alex!" The cooked meat boom was temporary. Equipment was forever. Alex set Mike and the Skeleton First Squad to work on the new batch of meat. Every little bit helped. Just as she was about to take a break, John flew in, panting. "Master! I have a gift for you!" "A gift?" Alex was surprised. This was a first. John puffed out his bony chest. "I found a... a Dirt Farmer! I didn''t kill it! I followed it! It led me right to its nest!" He looked expectantly at Alex. "Smart, right?" Alex stared at him. "Did Arthur tell you to do that?" John flinched. "H-how did you know?" *Figures.* Arthur had found something interesting and sent John back to report. And John, wanting all the credit, had taken Arthur''s story as his own. "What''s a Dirt Farmer?" "They... farm, Master. Arthur says they grow... Healing Herbs. They restore health." "Healing Herbs?!" Alex''s eyes widened. That sounded incredibly useful! "Take me there!" She hopped onto John''s skull, having learned that it was the least pointy part of his anatomy. John took off, carrying Alex towards the Dirt Farmers'' nest. Chapter 31: Healing Herbs Chapter 31: Healing Herbs Healing Herbs. Useful for other lords, but not for Alex or her undead army. Still, a huge market opportunity. Cooked meat was a temporary fad. Healing potions were a timeless necessity. Alex, perched on John''s skull, felt a familiar thrill. *Time to get rich.* John flew swiftly, arriving at a small hill east of the castle within thirty seconds. Arthur, Baxter (the new Skeleton Dragon), the Zombie Titan, and the two Liches were waiting at the top. "Master," they greeted Alex as she landed. Arthur pointed a bony claw towards the base of the hill. "The Dirt Farmers are inside this hill, Master. Underground." "Underground?" Alex asked. "Like... a subterranean civilization?" "Yes," Arthur confirmed. "They''re burrowers." John, ever curious, whispered to Baxter, "What''s a burrower?" Baxter, the Level 1 newbie, dutifully replied, "A creature that lives in burrows, underground." John squinted at him. "I thought *you* wouldn''t know either." *Weird. All the other dragons knew that.* Alex spotted several large holes in the ground. Entrances to the Dirt Farmers'' underground lair. "Are they strong?" she asked. Arthur shrugged. "Not sure. The one we saw was maybe Level 4 or 5. But they''re communal creatures. We didn''t go inside. Could be stronger ones down there." Alex nodded. Unknown enemy strength. No problem. Her Level 20 castle gave her a 15,000-meter Analyze range. This hill was well within that range. She discreetly glanced at Arthur. "*Know thy enemy,* huh? This dragon has been studying Sun Tzu. He didn''t rush in blindly. He sent for me, knowing I could Analyze them. Smart. Cautious. A true general." Alex was impressed. She cast Analyze. The Dirt Farmers'' stats appeared before her. [Dirt Farmer] [Race: Humanoid] [Life Hierarchy Rank: Elite] [Level: Lv28] ... [Skills: Bountiful Harvest, Accelerated Growth] Bountiful Harvest: Passive. Increases crop yield by 15%. Accelerated Growth: Reduces crop growth time. [Equipment: Iron Hoe] Iron Hoe: Rank 1 Normal weapon. +5 Endurance. Over a thousand Dirt Farmers, led by a Level 28 Elite. And he had equipment! An Iron Hoe! A first for Alex. The Chief''s stats were higher than any of her units, even Arthur. Arthur could outlast him, being undead, but he couldn''t hurt him. His Strength wasn''t high enough to penetrate the Chief''s Endurance. "Time to break out the big guns." Alex pulled out her Perfect Dragon Sparrow Saber. She''d sold all the others, but this one was too good to part with. [Dragon Sparrow Saber (Perfect)] [Type: Weapon] [Rank: 1] [Attribute: +23 Strength] "Here. Equip this." She tossed the saber to Arthur. "Thank you, Master!" The saber vanished into Arthur''s bony form. His stats updated. [Skeleton Dragon (Arthur)] ... [Strength: 71] ... [Equipment: Dragon Sparrow Saber] "71 Strength! That should do the trick." The Chief''s attacks wouldn''t be a problem. Arthur was immortal. "Arthur, John, I need them *alive*. Capture them. I need them for their... gardening skills." "Yes, Master!" Arthur declared. "Wait." Alex turned to John. "Go get Mike and the Elite squad. Surround the area. Don''t let any of them escape." "You got it, Master!" John puffed out his chest and zoomed off at supersonic speed. *I should get John a weapon too,* Alex thought, making a note. She''d been so focused on profits that she''d forgotten to equip her dragons. John returned quickly with Mike and the Elites clinging to his ribs. "Master, Mike is ready to serve!" "Mike, surround the area. No escapes." She pointed to the entrances to the underground lair. "Yes, Master!" With Mike and the Elites in position, Alex gave the order. "Arthur, go! Capture them!" "Yes, Master!" Arthur roared, launching himself into the sky. Higher and higher he climbed, until he was a tiny speck against the clouds. Then, he turned and dove, a blur of bone and fire, a skeletal meteor hurtling towards the Dirt Farmers'' lair. Alex saw a trail of fire ignite behind him as he broke the sound barrier. *Boom!* A massive explosion rocked the ground. A crater, over a hundred meters wide, appeared where Arthur had landed. He''d practically caved in the Dirt Farmers'' underground world, exposing a large section of their lair. Alex''s face palmed. "Seriously?! I just praised you for being cautious! I had Mike guarding the entrances! Now there are holes everywhere! And you buried Mike and his squad!" Her admiration for Arthur evaporated. She was *this* close to yelling. The Dirt Farmers were also... displeased. "Who dares attack us?!" The Chief, a red-skinned, irascible old man wielding a hoe, emerged from the rubble. He spotted Arthur in the crater. "An Undead Skeleton Dragon?" he yelled. "Get out of my garden, you overgrown lizard! Go find your own dirt to play in!" Alex looked at the Chief. A four-foot-tall, red-skinned, fully clothed old man with pointy ears. "So that''s a Dirt Farmer..." she thought. "Looks like a Goblin''s distant cousin." Arthur climbed out of the crater, shaking off the dust. He looked down at the Chief. "Our Master, the great Queen, offers you her protection in this dangerous world! Pledge your loyalty!" The Chief raised his hoe. "I''m a farmer, not a knight! I don''t need a queen! Tell her to get lost!" "You dare insult the Queen?!" Arthur roared. "Dragon Flame!" Diplomacy had failed. Time for fire. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Chief leaped back, narrowly avoiding the flames. "There''s a human on the hill! Probably the dragon''s master! Capture her!" Dozens of Dirt Farmers charged towards Alex. "Dragon Flame!" John intercepted them with a blast of fire. Mike and the Elites emerged from the rubble, surrounding the Dirt Farmers. There was nowhere to run. Arthur and the Chief clashed. Arthur had 71 Strength, but only 48 Endurance. The Chief had 56 Strength and 61 Endurance. Arthur''s claws dealt 10 damage per hit. The Chief''s hoe dealt 8. But the Chief had finite HP. Arthur had infinite HP. The Chief was getting frustrated. *Why isn''t he dying?!* Without the Dragon Sparrow Saber, Arthur would have only dealt 1 or 2 damage per hit. Negligible. But with the saber, his Strength had surpassed the Chief''s Endurance, allowing him to inflict real damage. And he wasn''t dying. The Chief was starting to panic. Chapter 32: Dirt Farmers Chapter 32: Dirt Farmers "Dragon Flame!" John''s fiery breath forced the Dirt Farmer Elites back underground. His Level 7 stats were overwhelming. Even the Level 22 and 23 Elites were no match for his immortal might. With the help of Mike and the Elite skeletons, John even managed to kill a few, scoring the first kills of the battle. He puffed out his bony chest, proud of his accomplishment. Alex, ever the encouraging master, rewarded John''s efforts. "Summon!" A black rune appeared above a Dirt Farmer corpse, and a Level 20 Elite Skeletal Warrior emerged. 40 in all stats! Almost as strong as John himself! John had killed nine Dirt Farmers in total, ranging from Level 18 to 20. Alex now had nine new Elite skeletons, further bolstering her forces while simultaneously weakening the enemy. The Undead advantage in action. With the reinforcements, John became even more aggressive. "Dragon Flame!" The Dirt Farmers cowered. They couldn''t afford to die. Every death empowered the enemy. "This is insane! Fall back! Don''t fight them! It''s pointless!" "Then what do we do?! Give up our ancestral home?!" "Better to live and rebuild than die for nothing!" "But they''ve blocked the exits! We''re trapped!" "We have to fight!" "But we can''t kill them! They''re Undead!" "This is a nightmare!" The Dirt Farmers watched John, the fire-breathing dragon, with despair. How could they fight an immortal enemy? "We''re just farmers! Why are we fighting monsters?!" John hovered above them. "Ahem," he said, channeling his inner Arthur. "Our Master, the great Queen, offers you her protection in this dangerous world! Remember her mercy! Uphold her glory! Pledge your loyalty! Serve the Queen!" He''d added a few flourishes, hoping to impress Alex. Alex, watching this, just shook her head. The Dirt Farmers murmured. "What''s he saying?" "They want us to surrender." "To their queen?" "Yeah." "Will they spare us?" "Probably." "Then let''s surrender!" "But..." "Is dying better? We can''t win! They''re immortal!" The Dirt Farmers weren''t exactly warriors. Surrender seemed... reasonable. But they couldn''t make that decision. Their Chief was still fighting. "Accelerated Growth!" The Chief cast his skill on a weed, which instantly grew into a massive vine, ensnaring Arthur. "Dragon Flame!" Arthur incinerated the vine. The Chief looked defeated. His only effective skill was useless against dragon fire. He was outmatched, outskilled, and outgunned. "Chief... we should surrender..." the other Dirt Farmers pleaded. Their Chief couldn''t win. Surrender was their only hope. The Chief trembled. "Have we... come to this?" He had no choice. "...We surrender. We pledge our loyalty to the... great Queen." He dropped his hoe and knelt, bowing towards Alex. The other Dirt Farmers followed suit. "We surrender to the great Queen!" Alex, arms crossed, accepted their surrender. *Queen, huh? Sounds villainous.* Still, she was pleased. She looked at their ruined lair. "Everyone, relocate! To my castle!" The Dirt Farmers obeyed, returning to their burning homes to salvage what they could. "Mike, help them." "Yes, Master!" the Level 10 Elite replied. *Another Mike bites the dust,* Alex thought. During the battle, John had killed nine Dirt Farmers. Alex had summoned them as skeletons, adding nine more Elites to her army, including two Level 20s. The old Mike''s days as captain were numbered. "Mike," she said to the Level 10 skeleton. "In your memory... all future Skeleton First Squad captains will be named Mike." *So... I''m nameless now?* the old Mike thought, his nonexistent heart breaking. [Healing Herb] [Effect: Instantly restores 20 HP, then 5 HP per second for 10 seconds.] Alex acquired a Healing Herb from Kuri, the Chief. 70 HP. Very useful. "Do you have a name, old man?" "Kuri, your Majesty." "Kuri, you''re still in charge. Keep farming." "As you command, your Majesty." "What else can you grow?" Kuri puffed out his chest. "Anything, your Majesty! Even a World Tree!" Alex raised an eyebrow. *If only I had a World Tree seed...* "What seeds do you have?" "Wheat, rice, mint, sunflowers, Healing Herbs, corn, soybeans..." Kuri listed over twenty crops. "How long do they take to grow?" "A week for wheat and rice. A day for mint and sunflowers." A week?! A day?! Alex was shocked. "This world is... insane." "Plant them all! I''ll send skeletons to help!" Kuri beamed. "Thank you, your Majesty!" He was a farmer at heart. This surrender wasn''t so bad after all. After an hour of salvaging, Alex had acquired a mountain of crops: [Wheat: 186,473 units] ... [Healing Herbs: 23,748] ... A massive haul! She deposited everything in her warehouse. Arthur, John, and Baxter became transport dragons, ferrying the Dirt Farmers back to the castle. Four trips later, everyone was back. Loading and unloading the short farmers was a slow process. Back at the castle... "Mike!" The Level 10 Elite skeleton turned, but Alex pointed to a Level 20 Elite. "You''re Mike now." The old Mike stood still, speechless. "Mike greets the Queen!" the new Mike declared. "You''re the new captain of the Skeleton First Squad. Go cook some meat." Alex had summoned 150 new skeletons during the expedition. Her Skeleton First Squad now numbered 602. Their meat-processing capacity was now 120,000 units per hour! At 10 resources per unit, that was 1.2 million resources per hour! "Skeleton First Squad, get grilling!" She turned to the Dirt Farmers. "Kuri, do you *have* to live underground?" "Not necessarily, your Majesty. We lived underground for safety. Now, we can live above ground." Alex considered this. Safe during the day, but not at night. "Stay underground. I don''t want living beings near my castle at night." Kuri sighed. "As you command, your Majesty." He led his tribe to a new location east of the castle and began digging. *No skeleton labor for us,* he thought glumly. Alex opened the Free Market and listed her new crops. [Wheat] [Price: 1 Magic Crystal per 5 units] ... [Healing Herb] [Price: 5 Magic Crystals per unit] ... As Eldoria''s most famous lord, Alex''s listings caused an immediate uproar on the world channel. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 33: A massive pack [World Channel 69699 (10,000 users)]"Cain is selling flint! Can you believe it?" "Yeah, but who can afford it?" "10,000 basic resources? I''d rather buy cooked meat and save for a kitchen." "Smart move. Cooked meat is much more cost-effective." "Still, some people are buying the flint." "There''s always a few whales, right? And don''t forget that Maid Factory scam. Dude''s castle is Level 11 now, all from ripping people off." "Wow. Just wow." "Guys, check the Free Market! Alex listed a ton of stuff!" "Big deal. She''s rolling in resources." "Look at *what* she''s selling!" "¡­." "Wheat? Rice? I thought Eldoria was a steak-and-potatoes kind of world." "Corn, mint, sunflowers! Mountains of it!" "What did she do? Raid a farm?" "More like wiped out an entire village." "No way she got that much from monsters." "Someone counted 27 different resources, from 20,000 to 300,000 units each! That''s not monster loot. That''s a village raid." "I have a native village near me, and I wouldn''t touch it with a ten-foot pole, even with my King-rank units! What kind of army does she have? And isn''t she worried about losing units?" "Maybe her units¡­ don''t die?" "Hello! Healing Herbs! She''s selling Healing Herbs!" "70 HP! That''s insane!" "Why is she selling them? I''d keep every single one!" "Either she has something better, or¡­ her units are immortal¡­" "If her units are immortal, we might as well all just log out now. Game over, man. Game over." "She took a mine on Day Two, a village on Day Three¡­ what''s next? Conquering the world on Day Four? I haven''t even unlocked a freaking kitchen yet!" "If Alex declares herself Empress, someone let me know. I''m joining her court." "You know what that entails, right? *Snip snip.*" "I''m not applying to be a eunuch! I''m aiming for Empress Consort!" "Sure, Jan. Pics or it didn''t happen." "Can''t send pics. Too low level. And once Alex is Empress, those pics are for her eyes only." "Concubines spend a lot of time on their knees, you know." "Oh, honey, you have *no* idea what Alex likes." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Whoa there! This chat is getting NSFW! I''m gonna need to see some ID." "I''ll let anyone drive me if they conquer a country. You in?" "Nah, I''m good. Beastgirls are enough for me." "Guys, the Healing Herbs are gone!" "What?!" The Healing Herbs had indeed vanished from the Free Market. Alex had received over 100,000 Magic Crystals. More than she''d made from the sabers! *Raiding is definitely the way to go,* she thought, her eyes gleaming with avarice. More good news: Arthur had reached Level 10! * John: Level 9. * Baxter: Level 6. * Zombie Titan: Level 6. ???¦®§®???.?§°? * Liches: Level 7. Arthur''s hunting spree had cleared out the nearby Elite monsters. Only one threat remained: the Grey Wolves to the northwest. Their Alpha, a Level 43 Elite, was too strong. [Grey Wolf] ¡­ Even with the Dragon Sparrow Saber, Arthur''s 83 Strength couldn''t break through the Alpha''s 86 Endurance. But at Level 11, Arthur''s Strength would be 89. "Level 11, and those wolves are mine!" She wouldn''t tolerate such a threat so close to her castle. But the wolves also felt threatened. They''d watched Alex''s army grow exponentially. They decided to strike first. "Awooo!" The Alpha rallied his pack. 300 to 500 wolves! A massive pack. Most packs were only 20 or 30 strong. This Alpha was clearly a force to be reckoned with. The wolves marched towards Alex''s castle. A preemptive strike. Even wolves understood basic military strategy. Alex, alerted by her castle''s surveillance, summoned her forces. A battle was imminent. "Awooo!" The Alpha howled at Alex from a distance. Alex was confused. *Was he trying to negotiate?* Arthur and the other undead roared in response. *Oh, he''s definitely not negotiating,* Alex realized. *He''s insulting me.* "Arthur, wipe them out!" "Yes, Master!" "Fireball!" Arthur unleashed his new Level 10 skill. [Fireball]: Launches an exploding fireball, dealing massive damage. "Wind Blade!" The Alpha countered with his own ranged attack. *Boom!* The fireball and wind blade collided in a fiery explosion, leaving a crater in the ground. "Fireball!" "Dragon Flame!" "Dragon Flame!" The three Skeleton Dragons unleashed their ranged attacks. "Wind Blade!" "Wind Blade!" "Wind Blade!" "¡­." The wolves responded with a barrage of wind blades. They had the numbers advantage. Too many wind blades for the dragons to intercept. "Bone Hardening!" Mike, the Level 20 Elite, and his squad braced themselves, their bones gleaming with a metallic sheen. *Clang!* They intercepted the stray wind blades, their hardened bones deflecting the attacks. Arthur was blocking most of the attacks, but the sheer volume was overwhelming. "Fireball!" Arthur launched another fireball. His explosive attacks were effective against the wolves'' cutting wind blades, often detonating multiple wind blades at once. But Alex was still outnumbered, especially in high-level units. Besides the Alpha, there were two other wolves above Level 40. The odds were stacked against her. "My only chance is to exploit their mortality," she thought. "Wear down their strongest units, then summon them as skeletons." It was her only hope of victory. "Arthur!" Alex called out. "Don''t engage them head-on! Use your air advantage! Pick them off one by one!" "As you command, my Queen!" Arthur replied, dodging another volley of wind blades with a well-placed Fireball. He, John, and Baxter took to the skies, Baxter carefully carrying Alex. With Alex safely airborne, the other undead were unleashed. The Zombie Titan, the Liches, and Mike the Elite skeleton scattered, engaging the wolves in guerilla warfare. Undead didn''t fear death or injury. Hit-and-run tactics were perfect for them. Every wolf they killed would become another soldier in Alex''s army. "Fireball!" Arthur searched for weaker targets, but the Alpha Wolf was always watching, intercepting his fireballs with wind blades. The Level 43 Elite was a tough nut to crack. "Dragon Flame!" John tried to find an opening, but the other two Level 40+ wolves kept him busy. "Wind Blade!" A wind blade sliced through John''s Dragon Flame. No luck there either. Baxter, carrying Alex, stayed out of the fight, prioritizing her safety. "Blood Frenzy!" The Zombie Titan saw his chance. The wolves'' top brass were focused on the dragons, the biggest threats. He lumbered towards a Level 25 Elite wolf. Initially, he was outmatched. His Level 6 stats were no match for the wolf''s Level 25 stats. But he was immortal. He could take the punishment. As the wolf gained the upper hand, the other wolves moved on to different targets, leaving the Titan in a one-on-one fight. Chapter 34: Strongest skeleton "Blood Frenzy!" The Titan activated his skill. His Strength and Endurance surged, surpassing the wolf''s.*Slam!* He landed a solid blow. Then another. And another. A flurry of bone-jarring punches, each one a critical hit. The wolf went down. "Excellent!" Alex cheered from Baxter''s head. "Necromantic Summoning!" A black rune appeared above the wolf''s corpse. A Level 25 Elite Skeletal Warrior emerged. "Roar! Bone Hardening!" The new skeleton hardened its fists and punched a nearby wolf, sending it sprawling. "Wind Blade!" A wind blade slammed into the skeleton, sending it flying, breaking two ribs. A Level 40 Elite wolf''s attack. But the skeleton got back up, looked at its broken ribs, and shrugged. *No big deal. They''ll grow back.* "Roar! Bone Hardening!" The newly summoned skeleton, unfazed by its missing ribs, attacked the nearest wolf. The Alpha Wolf watched, its eyes narrowing. "Fireball!" Arthur launched a fireball, then charged at the Alpha. "You''re distracted! Your opponent is me!" He''d feinted, hoping to catch the Alpha off guard. "Shadow Stealth!" The Alpha vanished into its shadow, teleporting away from Arthur''s attack. *Boom!* The fireball hit empty ground. But Arthur wasn''t disappointed. He glanced at the Alpha, now some distance away, and sneered. "Idiot." "Enslavement!" Alex''s voice rang out. She''d cast her skill on a Level 35 Elite wolf near Arthur. The Alpha realized too late what Arthur had been planning. "Wind Blade! Wind Blade! Wind Blade!" He fired three wind blades, trying to save his comrade, but it was too late. The Level 35 wolf, frozen by Alex''s Enslavement, couldn''t move. The control only lasted two seconds, but it was enough. "Fireball!" Arthur blasted the wolf point-blank in the face. *Boom!* A direct hit, a critical hit, but not enough to kill it outright. Arthur was only Level 10, after all. But the wolf was severely injured. "Fireball!" Arthur pressed his advantage, blasting the wolf again, then finishing it off with a few well-placed claw strikes to the head. *Crack!* The wolf''s skull shattered. The Alpha''s wind blades arrived, but Arthur just chuckled, shrugging off the attacks. 200 damage? Meaningless to an immortal. "Necromantic Summoning!" Alex summoned a Level 35 Elite Skeletal Warrior from the wolf''s corpse. Her strongest skeleton yet! 70 in all stats! "Bone Hardening!" The new skeleton hardened its fists and punched a nearby wolf, knocking it off its feet. "Dragon Flame! Fireball!" Arthur and John seized the opportunity, finishing off the stunned wolf. "Necromantic Summoning!" Another skeleton, this one Level 30, joined Alex''s army. The tide was turning. The Alpha Wolf watched, its eyes cold. It turned and fired a wind blade at Alex. *She has to die.* Every dead wolf became another skeleton. This couldn''t continue. But Baxter, ever vigilant, dodged the attack with a graceful sidestep. "Wind Blade! Wind Blade!" The Alpha fired two more wind blades, but Baxter evaded them easily. "Dragon Flame!" Baxter retaliated, but his Level 6 flames couldn''t harm the Level 43 Alpha. The attack missed, but the insult stung. "Swift Claw!" The Alpha lunged at the Level 30 skeleton, its claws tearing through the skeleton''s neck. *Thud!* The skeleton''s head rolled on the ground. But the headless skeleton simply picked up its head and reattached it. Then, it counterattacked. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Bone Spike!" It launched a volley of bone spikes at the Alpha. "Wind Blade!" The Alpha sliced through the spikes, then blasted the skeleton with the remaining force of the wind blade, sending it flying, breaking three ribs. ???¦®§®???.?§°? But the skeleton got back up, unfazed, and charged again. The Alpha was losing its mind. *Why won''t they die?!* "Wind Blade! Wind Blade! Wind Blade!" He unleashed a barrage of wind blades, chopping the skeleton into pieces. But the skeleton reassembled itself and charged again. The Alpha was on the verge of a breakdown. He was the strongest, but he couldn''t kill these¡­ immortal nuisances! "Wind Blade! Wind Blade! ¡­" "Fireball!" Arthur saw his chance. While the Alpha was distracted, he and the Level 35 skeleton flew over to John. The three dragons would focus on the other two Level 40+ wolves. John and the Level 35 skeleton engaged one wolf, while Arthur targeted the other. Arthur''s 83 Strength, boosted by the Dragon Sparrow Saber, was finally enough to pierce the Level 40 wolf''s 80 Endurance. "Enslavement!" Alex, seeing Arthur''s plan, assisted with a perfectly timed Enslavement. One second of control. "Fireball! Fireball!" Arthur unleashed two fireballs at the wolf''s head. The wolf was severely injured. "Fireball!" Arthur fired a third fireball down the wolf''s throat. *Boom!* A critical hit. The wolf went down. "Necromantic Summoning!" A Level 40 Elite skeleton joined Alex''s army. "Bone Hardening! Bone Spike!" The new skeleton joined the fight against the remaining Level 40 wolf. With the help of the two new skeletons, the tide turned decisively in Alex''s favor. Every dead wolf became another skeleton. The wolves'' numbers dwindled, while Alex''s army grew stronger. Arthur reached Level 11, then 12. [Strength: 95] ¡­ With the Dragon Sparrow Saber, his Strength was now 95! Enough to pierce the Alpha''s defenses! "Fireball!" He blasted the Alpha. "-11!" The Alpha was hurt! And the flames continued to burn, dealing more damage. Arthur roared and charged, engaging the Alpha in close combat. "Wind Blade! Swift Claw!" The Alpha fought back fiercely. *Boom!* The two powerhouses clashed, forcing the other wolves and skeletons to back away. The Alpha, with its superior stats, had the upper hand, but Arthur, immortal and relentless, fought with unmatched ferocity. And now, he could hurt the Alpha. "Fireball!" "Wind Blade!" They traded blows, but only the Alpha was taking damage. Arthur''s health bar remained stubbornly full. "Fireball!" John, now Level 10, had also unlocked the Fireball skill. "Big bro, I''m here!" "Bone Spike!" The two Level 40 skeletons added their support. The Alpha howled in frustration. *They''re ganging up on me! And they won''t die!* "Enslavement!" Alex seized the opportunity, freezing the Alpha for a fraction of a second. "Fireball! Fireball! Bone Spike! Bone Spike! Dragon Flame!" Even Baxter joined in, blasting the Alpha with Dragon Flame. *Boom!* The Alpha, a Level 43 Elite, finally fell. "Necromantic Summoning!" A Level 43 Elite Skeletal Warrior emerged from the Alpha''s corpse. The new Mike. Alex''s strongest skeleton yet. Chapter 35: Just trust me With the Alpha dead, the remaining wolves were quickly overwhelmed. The battle was over. Alex had won.487 wolves slain. Arthur had reached Level 14. John was 13. Baxter and the Titan were 10. The Liches were 11, and had unlocked Skeleton Summoning. [Skeleton Summoning]: Summons a skeleton from a corpse. Maximum level: 10 levels above the Lich''s level. Not as powerful as Alex''s Necromantic Summoning, but still useful. Alex''s Skeleton First Squad, now over 1,000 strong, was renamed the First Skeleton Army, with Mike the Level 43 Elite as its general. Alex herself had reached Level 10, unlocking the ability to send pictures in chat. *Meh,* she thought. *Not a game-changer.* She had bigger problems. The cooked meat market was about to crash. At Alex''s mine in the Sunset Mountains, the Goblin Skeletons were busy mining. Hidden in the nearby forest were eight Goblins, wearing only loincloths. "Big bro, what are those things?" "I''ve never seen anything like them," the leader replied. "Never?! They must be valuable! Humans will pay a fortune for them! Let''s capture them and sell them in Rondo City!" The other Goblins'' eyes lit up with greed. "You''re right! Humans love weird stuff!" "Let''s do it!" The leader looked at his seven companions, then at the hundreds of skeletons. "Alright!" Goblins were nothing if not brave¡­ or foolish. *Thwip!* An arrow flew, striking Arthas, the Level 18 Elite, harmlessly on the head. Arthas looked up and saw eight Goblins charging towards them, yelling, "We''re gonna be rich!" Arthas sighed. *Eight versus hundreds? Seriously?* "Attack!" The Goblin Skeletons rose. Arthas leaped forward and swatted the lead Goblin to the ground. "¡­Run!" the other seven Goblins yelled, fleeing instantly. The swatted Goblin, unharmed, got up and ran after them. Classic Goblin strategy. Arthas, a former Goblin himself, understood. He shook his head and returned to mining. "Master''s orders are paramount." The eight Goblins, panting in the forest, regrouped. "Big bro, there were too many! We need reinforcements!" "Yeah! Let''s get the Kobolds!" "And the Dwarves!" "No, not the Dwarves! They''re too greedy! They''ll take all the gold! Just the Kobolds!" "Right!" "Big bro, how much do you think those¡­ things¡­ are worth?" "Hmm¡­ never seen anything like them. 200 gold coins each, at least!" "200?! Really?!" "We''re gonna be rich! Thousands of gold coins!" The Goblins got excited¡­ and charged back towards the mine, yelling, "We''re gonna be rich!" Arthas swatted one, and the other seven scattered. "Big bro, we need *more* reinforcements!" "Yeah, let''s go get them!" "We''re gonna be rich!" "Gold! Gold! Gold!" .. It was mid-afternoon on Day Three. Alex was busy processing the 487 wolf corpses, reaping a bountiful harvest of resources, Magic Crystals, Red Crystals, and three treasure chests: one bronze, two iron. [Process Level 43 Elite Grey Wolf corpse. Obtained: Elite Grey Wolf Meat x36, Elite Grey Wolf Pelt x1, Magic Crystal x27, Red Crystal x3, Bronze Treasure Chest x1.] ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? She now had 52 Red Crystals, enough to upgrade her Necromantic Altar. "Hopefully, these chests have more," she thought. "Enough for two upgrades!" Time for the chest-opening ritual: bath, incense, and¡­ [Ding!] [You have a new message.] *Sophie, seriously?* Alex thought, sighing. Interrupted rituals were bad luck. She had to start over. [Sophie]: "Alex! Cooked meat prices are plummeting! Down to 15!" The cooked meat bubble had burst. Predictable. But the resellers had been the first to lower their prices. Smart move. Minimize losses. Alex wasn''t worried. She had other revenue streams now: equipment, potions, and crops. Plus, she''d made a killing in the cooked meat market. Almost ten million basic resources, with Sophie earning a cool three million in commission. [Alex]: "Don''t worry, Sophie. We''ll find something else. I''ll hook you up." [Sophie]: "I''m not worried! Just letting you know! And¡­ I''ve already found a new way to make money!" [Alex]: "Oh? You''re getting good at this!" [Sophie]: "My Golden Lion killed a Level 13 Elite and got an iron chest! Guess what I found?" [Alex]: "A crafting blueprint?" [Sophie]: "How did you know?!" [Alex]: "You said you found a new way to make money¡­" [Sophie]: "You''re so smart, Alex! It''s a blueprint for an Apothecary! And a potion recipe! For Healing Potions! Using those Healing Herbs you were selling!" [Alex]: "¡­Wow, Sophie. Lucky you!" [Sophie]: "I know, right? I''m on fire! Don''t sell those Healing Herbs anymore, Alex! Give them to me! I''ll make potions! We''ll split the profits, 80/20, your favor!" [Alex]: "Deal! But¡­ does your Golden Lion know how to make potions?" [Sophie]: "Uh¡­ no. That''s why I recruited some Goblins!" [Alex]: "¡­Goblins?" [Sophie]: "There''s a Goblin tribe near my castle. About a hundred of them. Level 10 Elite was the strongest. So, my Golden Lion and I paid them a visit. He''s *so* awesome! One Wind Blast took out two of their huts! They surrendered immediately! It was amazing! He just¡­ *roared*, and they were all like, ''We surrender!''" [Alex]: *¡­Sure. "Roared."* She decided not to question Sophie''s¡­ interpretation of events. [Sophie]: "I built the Apothecary! The Goblins are working! Just send me the Healing Herbs!" [Alex]: "Not today. My Dirt Farmers are still building their new homes. Tomorrow. I''ll have them start growing Healing Herbs tomorrow." [Sophie]: "Okay!" [Alex]: "¡­Sophie?" [Sophie]: "Yeah?" [Alex]: "Promise me you won''t use those Goblins in battle." [Sophie]: "Why not?" [Alex]: "Just¡­ trust me." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After her chat with Sophie, Alex checked the Free Market. Cooked meat was down to 14 resources per unit. At that price, no one would be hiring her processing services anymore. Her fees were too high, and everyone knew the price would keep falling. With no more meat to process, Alex''s 1,000+ skeleton army was idle. Unacceptable. Skeletons didn''t need breaks. "Everyone, go help the Dirt Farmers dig their new home! Make it spacious!" Mike led the First Skeleton Army to the excavation site, and the sound of a thousand skeletons digging filled the air. Alex, finally undisturbed, resumed her chest-opening ritual. Bath. Incense. And¡­ [Congratulations! You have opened an Iron Treasure Chest. Obtained: Fish Scale Armor crafting blueprint (Rank 1), Magic Crystal x253, Red Crystal x12.] [Congratulations! You have opened an Iron Treasure Chest. Obtained: Flour Mill blueprint, Magic Crystal x178, Red Crystal x17.] [Congratulations! You have opened a Bronze Treasure Chest. Obtained: Silver Dragon Spear crafting blueprint (Rank 2), Pastry Shop blueprint, Wall blueprint, Magic Crystal x523, Red Crystal x61.] Chapter 36: Kill the Goblin leader As more and more undead arrived, the Goblins began to falter, with only a few Goblin Mages and Goblin Warriors in the center of the field still desperately holding on.Even at level 1, the Goblins were no match for the Undead. With a casual breath of dragon, Arthur could instantly freeze dozens of Goblins. He then turned and dove towards the Goblin Commanding below. Arthur''s massive skeletal frame plummeted from the sky, and with tremendous inertia, his powerful claw smashed directly onto the Goblin leader, who was engaged in combat with a bone beast werewolf. Both the Goblin leader and the werewolf were sent flying by Arthur''s impact. "Well done, just like that, beat the hell out of it!" Alex shouted from the back of the gargoyle, cheering Arthur on. The Goblin leader was stunned by the sudden blow, seeing stars and lying dazed on the ground for a long time before regaining his senses. "Ow, ow, ow!" The Goblin leader got up, continuously pounding his chest with his fists and letting out angry howls. Protected by the evil tree spirit suit, the bone beast werewolves'' bones hadn''t scattered. It was the first to stand and charge at the Goblin leader, who was still howling in anger and didn''t notice the werewolf rushing towards him. In an instant, the werewolf''s claws penetrated the Goblin leader''s anus, causing green fluid to spray from his body. Fortunately, the Goblin leader''s sturdy physique saved him from instant death. The Goblin leader stopped howling foolishly, infuriated to the brink of death by the werewolf''s sneak attack. "Big Greenbean, take this!" The Goblin leader heard a human female''s voice, crisp and pleasant, even somewhat charming. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a black fireball flying towards him. !!! The Goblin leader swung his large bone club at the fireball, aiming for a home run. But Alex''s Black Flame Blast wasn''t a baseball; the fire directly shattered the Goblin leader''s bone club, and the fireball splattered under the impact, instantly creating a black firework. The bone beast werewolves and Arthur quickly retreated, fearing they''d be splashed by the black flames. The Goblin leader at the center wasn''t so lucky. The flames splashed onto his feet and arms, causing him excruciating pain. The Goblin leader frantically tried to extinguish the strange flames. The bone beast werewolves and Arthur, seeing the Goblin leader burning, turned and left to attack other Goblins, while Arthur flew up to avoid being affected. The Goblin leader was baffled; no matter what he tried, he couldn''t extinguish the flames. He stomped on them, buried them with dirt, even tried urinating on them, but the flames kept spreading. In agony, the Goblin leader rolled on the ground, wishing he had a knife to chop off his own hands and feet to stop the pain. The flames continued to burn the Goblin leader''s body as he rampaged through the battlefield between the Goblins and the undead. The undead fled in terror, while other Goblins, confused, were accidentally hit by their own leader, and the flames quickly spread to them. Soon, the Goblins engulfed in black flames began screaming and rampaging just like their leader. The other Goblins finally realized something was wrong and started to panic. The battlefield descended into chaos. Wherever the burning Goblins went, other Goblins and undead scattered in all directions. Some lower-level Goblins, with weaker souls, were burned to ashes almost immediately. "Alright, now let me down," Alex said, sensing that the Goblin leader would soon die from the burns. The Goblin tribe had already suffered heavy casualties. Although she hadn''t leveled up yet, she was sure that once the leader died, she would definitely level up. The recent Black Flame Blast had been cast using Alex''s scythe. Once the Goblin leader died, he would immediately turn into an undead, not waiting for his body to be completely reduced to ashes. Once his health was nearly depleted, she could stop the magic and just disassemble what was left of the body. Disassembling a Goblin corpse didn''t drop food, so the completeness of the body didn''t affect the drop of non-food items. For example, a Goblin would drop a magic crystal by default, even if Alex burned it down to just a toe, it would still drop a magic crystal. However, if it were a chicken''s body, and Alex burned it down to just a leg, the originally five portions of food might reduce to one. Alex moved to the rear of the battlefield, continuing to observe the developments. The Goblin leader, now ignored by everyone, had one of his feet burned off and couldn''t run around anymore, which somewhat relieved the other Goblins. "Please, your leader is about to die, and you''re relieved?" Seeing that the Goblin leader was no longer rampaging, a level 9 Goblin Mage tried to step forward to rescue their leader, but the black flame was too bizarre, leaving even the typically fire-savvy Goblin Mage at a loss for words. The Goblin Mage raised his staff, and flames gathered at the tip, slowly forming into a fireball. Whoosh! The Goblin Mage''s fireball unexpectedly hit the nearly dead Goblin leader. Goblin leader HP-3 ??? Alex was stunned, then realized what was happening. "Trying to steal the kill, huh?" Alex raised her hand and cast another Black Flame Blast. With increasing use, she was becoming more adept at casting the spell. The black fireball flew straight towards the Goblin Mage, whose gaze was still fixed on his leader, pondering how to kill... ah, rescue his leader. The Goblin leader, his head tilted to one side, saw the incoming Black Flame Blast and weakly pointed behind with his other intact arm. ? The Goblin Mage, puzzled, looked back. ! The Goblin Mage, terrified, dropped his staff and scrambled away. The Goblin leader''s pupils dilated with fear, and he let out a resentful roar, "You damn fool, I told you to block it, not run away!" The Black Flame Blast successfully hit the dying Goblin leader. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully killed a level 1 Commanding level Goblin, earning 400 experience points (double during night).] A pale blue experience orb emerged from the Goblin leader''s corpse and drifted towards Alex. Finally dead. Goblins, being lower creatures, even with a night-time double attribute boost, were just that. The experience orb merged into Alex, and she felt her experience reach a critical point. "I''m about to level up!" ... With the Goblin leader dead and the remaining Goblins surrounded by the undead, the Goblin group had no more resistance left. At this moment, Alex finally met the conditions to level up. She couldn''t help but check her attribute dashboard each time she leveled up, reveling in the joy of her increased strength. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv9 (Max) Standard (can be increased by personal and troops'' kills)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 200] [Mana Points: 80] [Strength: 50] ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® [Stamina: 48] [Agility: 51] With a surge in attributes, Alex had finally reached level 9. Although her attributes weren''t the highest, her level certainly was. The Goblin leader had been killed by Alex using the Grim Reaper''s Scythe with a Black Flame Blast, and after death, automatically transformed into undead. What creature would it be? Bone beasts Goblin? Alex quickly shook her head, feeling that it didn''t seem quite right. Comparing Goblins to Skeleton Soldiers, Goblins weren''t even as strong as Skeleton Soldiers; transforming them into bone beasts would be a total loss. Might as well leave it to fate. What if the Goblin leader''s corpse summoned a Commanding level gargoyle? Heh heh. The black flames burning on the Goblin leader''s corpse had already been extinguished by Alex, and smoke wafted from the body as a black magic circle glowed beneath it. The first thing to emerge from the formation was a large wing, and seeing this, Alex was delighted. "Just as I thought, it really is a gargoyle!" Alex discovered that unlike other undead, gargoyles couldn''t change classes to undergo some kind of transformation. Maybe, just maybe, it only had this one form? As Alex''s first Commanding level undead, it was worth checking its attributes to compare with Arthur and get a clearer understanding of Arthur''s combat capabilities. [Gargoyle] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 60] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 45] [Growth Limit: King level] 60 Strength? Considering that level 7 Arthur has 70 points, is the gargoyle too weak, or is Arthur just too strong? Arthur is a being that could ascend to divinity; how could he be compared to these ordinary undead? Later, Alex planned to enhance the gargoyle at the Blackwater Altar, which could increase its attributes by another 5 points. The slaughter on the battlefield continued, with the undead growing in number while the Goblins dwindled. The remaining few level 9 Goblins soon met their siblings in hell. At this moment, obscured by mist on the endless eastern horizon, the sun slowly revealed a bit of its outline, welcoming dawn to the land of Eldoria. The Goblin tribe was successfully annihilated by Alex before daylight. With so many experience points, not only did Alex level up, but Arthur also successfully advanced a level. The experience contributed by these more than a thousand Goblins brought a significant boost to Alex''s undead army. [Bone Dragon King (Arthur)] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv8 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 120] [Strength: 80+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 80+10] [Growth Limit: Divine level] [Active Skill: Nether Dragon Breath] [Passive Skill: Elemental Magic Immunity, Dragon''s Presence] Arthur had also reached level 8, with each level consistently increasing his attributes by ten points, although he gained no new skills. However, this was still very powerful. Transforming this group of Goblins into undead, Alex felt her power could rank in the top hundred among all Lords¡ªno, more confidently, in the top ten. "Arthur, have the other undead move these Goblin corpses into the nearest territory." Once the Goblin corpses entered the territory, Alex planned to use magic to summon them all and then use the one-click Disassemble recovery feature within the territory. This would be much faster than summoning them to drag the bodies back. The Goblin corpses needed to be piled together for convenient summoning, and besides, this was outside the castle territory, where Alex felt no sense of security. "At your command, respected Queen." Arthur began directing the undead to transport the Goblin corpses, while Alex walked alone to the center of the battlefield, approaching the Goblin leader''s corpse. "Disassemble." [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully Disassembled a lv1 Goblin Commanding corpse, obtaining 1 Commanding level equipment, 20 magic crystals, and 3 Essence Shards.] The Commanding level equipment was a large bone maul, adding 5 points to Strength. Alex wasn''t interested and casually tossed the weapon to the werewolf wearing the evil tree spirit suit, instructing it to bring it back to the castle. The staff was rudimentary, merely a stick with its top wrapped in vines holding an object. When Alex picked it up, he was surprised to find it was an Essence Shard. Alex promptly removed the Essence Shard from the staff and tossed the stick aside. "Who do you think you are to deserve an Essence Shard?" Wait, Alex thought of something, picked up the stick she had just thrown away, and then buried a small mound of dirt, planting the stick on top of it. [The night retreats, dawn arrives.] At this moment, the sun fully rose, marking the end of Eldoria''s long night and welcoming Alex''s fourth day on the continent. The sunlight cast a long shadow on Alex''s clothes, perfectly covering the small mound she had just made. "Rest in peace, fellow. I''ve avenged you. I''ll take good care of your legacy. I hope in your next life, when you cross over, you find the brain you left in the toilet." Now it was time for the joyful moment of counting money! Alex: (???) === *Some readers commented that the earlier content was not well written, so I am trying to rewrite it, which is why there are some inconsistencies in the plot at this point.* Chapter 37: Im rich Alex removed all the Essence Shards from the staffs of the surrounding Goblin Mages, totaling seventeen.She felt incredibly delighted. "I''m rich, I''m rich!" She glanced at the nearby Goblin lair, certain that it contained a treasure trove. However, the entrances on the hillside were too small for most undead to enter, so she had to send in the Skeleton Soldiers for a thorough search. The Skeleton Soldiers, slightly taller but similar in size to Goblins, had no trouble entering the caves. The Goblin tribe''s cave system was extensive, with over a thousand members. Alex sent three hundred Skeleton Soldiers to search, instructing them to bring out anything they could carry. Alex approached the largest cave, which was the residence of the Goblin leader. Curious, she picked up a torch and cautiously entered. The cave was spacious, over two meters high, so Alex didn''t have to stoop. It was dark and damp inside, with a particularly foul smell that nearly made her vomit. She wondered if the Goblin leader liked to defecate while sleeping. After a short walk, Alex reached the end of the cave. With the dim light of the torch, she could see the layout. There was a pile of straw with a burlap mat on top¡ªpresumably the leader''s sleeping area. It was incredibly crude; she couldn''t understand how such slovenly creatures could be considered intelligent. At the back of the cave were two smaller openings too narrow for Alex to enter. She approached with the torch to get a better look. !!! Using the light from the torch, Alex thought she saw several boxes made of bones, more like open-topped containers. She saw them filled to the brim with magic crystals, poking out. "Hmph, I can definitely get in there!" Alex stepped back, raised her left hand to gather magic, and blasted the entrance open with a Black Flame Blast. She stooped and walked into the cave, reaching the bone boxes. Each box was about one meter long and half a meter wide, filled entirely with magic crystals! Inside the cave, Alex also found a special structure blueprint, a map, and a magic book. "Holy fuck, there''s even a magic book!" Alex was stunned; she had thought Goblin Mages naturally knew how to cast fireballs, but they had learned it from this book. She opened the magic book to find it was an intermediate-level fire magic book. Fireball was just the most basic spell in it. The Goblin Mages had been practicing from this book, but their talents were so poor that only a few could master even the simplest fireball spell. Since all humans who arrived on Eldoria automatically learned the common language of Eldoria, Alex could understand the language of other native forces and read their books. This was part of the ''newbie package'' given to all Lords by the system. This intermediate fire magic book was incredibly simple compared to Alex''s dark magic. The basic principles were the same, involving chanting spells to manipulate elemental forces around and concentrate them on the staff. Thus, Alex could definitely learn from this fire magic book. She tucked the special structure blueprint and map into the magic book to examine more closely back at the castle. Additionally, she placed the Essence Shards and magic crystals she was holding into the box. The value of this magic book was immeasurable, far more precious than a box full of magic crystals. Alex exited the small opening and returned to the larger cave of the Goblin leader. Her heart was pounding with excitement as she eagerly looked towards another opening. "Damn it, why even look? Just blast it open." Boom! Alex slowly lowered her left hand after successfully blasting open the other entrance with magic. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Excited, she stooped and hurried inside. "Ah, why is it like this..." Disappointed by what she saw inside, Alex was puzzled why the contents of the two caves didn''t match in value. What was Big Greenbean thinking? The cave was filled with miscellaneous items that seemed useless at first glance. There were some of the Goblins'' usual equipment, unfinished staffs, some stinky food, and a pile of rocks in the corner. "Are their brains broken, putting rocks in a cave? What''s that about?" Alex approached with the torch to take a closer look. "Huh, these seem a bit different. Why are all these rocks black?" Upon closer inspection with the torchlight, Alex realized that nearly half the cave was filled with black rocks. "They look familiar, what do they remind me of... Hmm... they kind of look like iron ore?" ?! Could it really be iron ore? Where did these Goblins get so much iron, and they don''t even have the technology to smelt it. Never mind. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex exited the cave, quickly stepping outside to breathe in some fresh air; the inside was truly too foul, almost suffocating. After this campaign, besides strengthening her undead army, the greatest gain was probably the magic book. Alex instructed a few Skeleton Soldiers to carry out the items she had just seen; she supervised from outside. It took the Skeleton Soldiers nearly an hour to completely empty the Goblin caves. There were quite a few valuable items in the other Goblin caves as well, but they paled in comparison to the Goblin leader''s hoard. By now, all the Goblin corpses had been transported in one batch, and the remaining Skeleton Soldiers returned to carry the treasures from the Goblin caves back. Alex carefully climbed onto Arthur''s back. Rip... Her black stockings were torn again, revealing enticing thigh skin. Alex was speechless; her black stockings had been snagged by Arthur''s bones again. The quality of these stockings was really poor; the more careful she was, the more likely they were to tear. Alex was used to it by now and decided to just make do. She looked back at the Goblin tribe''s site one last time. There were no Goblin corpses left on the ground, just puddles of green fluid. The contents of the Goblin caves had been completely emptied by the Skeleton Soldiers. It must be said, the Skeleton Soldiers were quite thorough. Alex had instructed them to take everything they could carry out of the cave, and they did exactly that, not even sparing the Goblins'' underwear¡ªeverything was brought out. Outside the cave, there was a pile of miscellaneous items, including the clothes worn by the Goblins, all of which were useless. Looking at the scene, Alex felt as if the Goblin tribe had been robbed by thieves who, upon being discovered, had no choice but to kill everyone¡ªa classic case of burglary turned robbery and murder. Chapter 38: Alexs undead army had significantly increased in strength "Arthur, take off!" With a flick of her hand, Arthur flapped his wings and ascended.It wasn''t long before they reached the edge of the territory. Alex climbed down from Arthur''s back, though she really wanted to jump off stylishly, the height was prohibitive. "I mean, I''m level 9 now, surely a drop from 25 to 30 feet won''t hurt me, right?" While that made sense, Alex hadn''t overcome her psychological fear. After dismounting, Arthur flew off to provide aerial cover for the undead army. What if some unforeseen enemy tried to snatch the Queen''s treasures? Alex looked at her somewhat tattered stockings and decided to just take them off, not forgetting to sniff them as she did. "Hmm, not smelly at all." She stuffed the stockings into the pocket of her pleated skirt, planning to restore them later using her wardrobe back home. She thought about the other Lords who came to Eldoria from Earth with only the clothes they wore, while she had more clothes than she could wear. She was right at the boundary of her castle''s territory, with hundreds of Goblin corpses just inside the territory line. As soon as Alex stepped into her territory, she heard the system''s prompt. [System: Intermediate fire magic detected. Would you like to spend 500 magic crystals to learn it immediately? [Yes] or [No]] "Can I really learn it directly with magic crystals?" She was surprised by the convenience; she thought she''d have to study the magic book slowly. Alex opened her Warehouse, which still had 661 magic crystals¡ªenough. She tapped [Yes]. The magic book in her hand disappeared, transforming into a stream of energy that flowed into Alex. The special structure blueprint and map that were tucked inside fell out, and she quickly caught them. Alex felt her body for any discomfort but found none. Instead, her understanding of fire magic deepened suddenly; she felt as if she could use these spells effortlessly. The only regret was that the magic book disappeared after she learned the magic, thwarting her plan to make a little fortune from it. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex opened her hand, and a red magic circle appeared. As she channeled her magic power, a huge pillar of fire shot out from the circle, exploding in the distance into a sea of flames. [Mana Points: 70/80] This fire spell also consumed ten mana points, but its power and range were substantial, leaving Alex very satisfied. "From now on, call me the Queen of Flames!" Alex got a bit carried away in her excitement. It turned out that as a lord of undead, not only could she practice soul magic, but other types of magic were also accessible to her. Alex felt that with a little research, she might combine dark and fire magic, although currently, she only mastered undead summoning magic, dark magic, and fire magic, none at the highest level. Her understanding of magic wasn''t very deep yet, and some techniques still needed to be explored gradually. Setting aside these thoughts for now, Alex picked up the special structure blueprint she had found, curious about it since she had been focused on the magic book earlier. [Special Structure Blueprint: Specter Chandelier.] ???¦®§®???.?§°? [Building Level: Monarch level] [Feature 1: Conceals all structures within the territory.] [Feature 2: Reduces the chance of being detected by surrounding native forces.] [Note: The building is only affected by the Specter Chandelier, which disrupts the sightlines of other creatures, making it difficult to be detected within the territory. It does not truly render anything invisible (ineffective against Monarch level and above).] [Note 2: The location of the building does not change, and the concealment effect is lost if a creature accidentally enters the building, discovering the castle''s presence.] [Note 3: Effective against other Lords as well, but ineffective against forces that have already discovered the castle. It does not affect the Lord who built the Chandelier or their troops.] [Construction Materials: 10k wood, 5k stone, 100 magic crystals, 10 Essence Shards.] This auxiliary building was intriguing; it could conceal her castle. According to the notes, even if creatures entered her territory, they wouldn''t discover the castle unless they came near it. This could effectively reduce unwanted attention from neighboring forces, minimizing unnecessary trouble. And the required materials were quite manageable; Alex had them in stock. "Construct!" The materials in the Warehouse vanished instantly. From her distance, Alex could only vaguely see her castle becoming blurred in the distance, like a mirage. Further observations would have to wait until she returned to the castle. While Alex was busy with magic and constructing the special building, the undead had transported all the remaining Goblin corpses back. The last group of Skeleton Soldiers moving the materials was slow, and Alex estimated it would take a bit longer. The undead had piled the Goblin corpses into two small hills. Alex stepped back, her left eye emitting a pale blue light, and a huge grey magic circle appeared beneath the piles of Goblin corpses. Undead began to crawl out from the circle, and Alex endured the headache from the massive summoning effort. Indeed, summoning over a thousand undead at once was too taxing even for her level 9 capabilities. It took a full five minutes for all the undead to be summoned. After dispelling the magic, Alex felt dizzy and slightly oxygen-deprived, but it was worth it for the 1,200 undead she gained. Two level 9 Skeleton Warriors, two level 9 Death Warriors, three level 9 Phantoms, three level 9 Death Conquerors, and two level 9 Gargoyles. Alex''s undead army had significantly increased in strength. If she had a few more Commanding level units, she felt she could even take on the Moon Silver Wolf in the snowy mountains. "Maybe not, what if a frost dragon notices?" Although the undead wouldn''t be killed by a frost dragon, they could still be frozen by its breath, effectively immobilizing them, which was almost as bad as being dead. However, these undead had reached their level cap since they were summoned by Alex, locking their levels permanently. "Everyone, head back to the Blackwater Altar for a soak!" Alex commanded the newly arrived undead, who began their march back to the altar. Chapter 39: let these foolish Lords be shocked Alex watched the undead march towards the castle, then turned her attention to the remaining Goblin corpses on the ground. Approaching a corpse, a semi-transparent system prompt appeared in front of her."Disassemble!" Alex commanded with a simple touch. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully Disassembled 1208 Goblin corpses, obtaining 2416 pieces of standard equipment, 4039 magic crystals, and 300 Essence Shards (double drop).] "Wow¡ªjackpot!" Alex had never seen so many materials before. Previous claims of fortune were just talk, but this time, she truly struck it rich. Since these Goblins were slain at night, even though it was now daylight, the disassembly still yielded double drops, a fact she had previously experimented with. It wouldn''t make sense for their night-enhanced attributes to benefit them in life but not offer double in death, much like how the Moon Silver Wolf, once dead in its werewolf form, wouldn''t revert to a regular wolf. Alex swiftly transferred all the resources to her Warehouse, instantly clearing the land in front of her. Soon, under Arthur''s escort, the last of the Skeleton Soldiers finally arrived with the Goblin''s legacy. After tallying these items, she could head back to the castle for some rest. Alex used the territory''s one-click recovery feature, and the materials in the Skeleton Soldiers'' hands vanished into thin air, leaving only the original bone boxes. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 900 magic crystals, 200 pieces of standard equipment, and 4500 units of iron ore.] "Huh, it really is iron ore, and so much of it! It''s a shame it''s raw and needs processing. I just don''t know what the output ratio will be." "Oh right, [QuartzStriker] can process iron ore. How could I forget him? I can ask for his help, but I need to figure out the ratio first." Watching the sudden disappearance of the materials, the nearby Skeleton Soldiers were baffled. They had just seen the items a moment ago; how could they vanish so suddenly? They shook their heads, looking around with the creaking sound of their bones. "Stop looking, I took them..." Their lack of intelligence was exasperating. Alex facepalmed as she watched the bewildered Skeleton Soldiers. "Go back to hunting." Rest? That was impossible, not in this lifetime. Do undead need rest? Of course not. "Hey, hey, wait a minute, bring me that equipment." Alex quickly stopped a bone beast werewolf, asking it to hand over the evil tree spirit suit and another large bone maul. Clearly, the bone beast werewolf''s trial period for the suit had expired, and the equipment no longer belonged to it. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such low-level equipment was subject to wear and tear; keeping it on constantly caused deterioration, which could affect the selling price if it was severely worn. "Arthur, go go go!" Alex, holding the four pieces of equipment, sat on Arthur''s back, ready to fly back to the castle. The mission to eradicate the Goblin tribe was perfectly concluded. When Alex once again set foot inside her castle, a sense of security filled her at that moment. Outside the castle''s gate, two new outdoor chandeliers had been added. Each chandelier, made of a hexagonal base and six sides, had a simple black frame made of an unknown material, very plain without any fancy decorations, hanging on either side of the gate. This was the special building, the Specter Chandelier. If anyone looked towards Alex''s castle from a distance, they would see nothing but barren land and dead trees¡ªnothing else. Outside the castle were also some animal carcasses, the result of the undead''s hunting before they attacked the Goblin tribe. Since they had also fought with werewolves, there weren''t many carcasses. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Now a wealthy lord, Alex no longer cared for mere hundreds of food items. Food had become so devalued, its cost-effectiveness ever decreasing. Alex sighed. She disassembled these corpses, obtaining 1000 food units and 100 magic crystals. Given the undead''s tireless work 24 hours a day, it is evident that the number of wild animals has begun to sharply decline. Inside the castle, the newly summoned undead were crammed into the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. Once enhanced, Alex immediately sent them away. The castle was only so big; with so many undead, it was simply too crowded. Besides, was her castle a place where these low-level undead could just wander into? Humph. Alex opened the trading post and checked the elite food trades, surprised to find they had all been completed. She had thought there wouldn''t be any trades at night. It seemed elite food was incredibly popular, but unfortunately, she didn''t have any extra elite food to trade at the moment. Alex collected the materials from the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 1437 units of elite food, obtaining 874 magic crystals and 1000 iron ingots.] Another small profit. Alex then looked at other orders in the trading post, mostly still involving food trades, but now it was mostly Lords selling food, with few buying. She also noticed that almost all orders could be traded with magic crystals, which seemed to be becoming the common currency among Lords. Looking at the 6000 magic crystals in her Warehouse, Alex''s lips curled into a charming smile. "Just over a thousand units of elite food and you''re overwhelmed? What would you do if I put up over two thousand pieces of standard equipment for trade?" [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One piece of standard equipment, trade for ten magic crystals or five iron ingots.] [Remaining quantity: 2622 pieces.] [Three pieces of Commanding level equipment, trade for 1000 magic crystals or 500 iron ingots or six Essence Shards.] [Note: The three pieces of Commanding level equipment make up a complete set.] [Remaining quantity: three pieces.] [One piece of Commanding level equipment, trade for 500 magic crystals or 300 iron ingots or three Essence Shards.] [Remaining quantity: one piece.] Alex listed all the equipment she had obtained on the trading post. She wasn''t short of stone or wood, and all trades were for magic crystals and iron ingots. Her undead army was continuously replenished, and she didn''t need weapons. If it weren''t for the scarcity of Lords with iron ingots, which had driven up the price of iron ingots, a magic crystal would typically be worth more than an iron ingot. The evil tree spirit suit, comprising three pieces of defensive equipment, was undoubtedly more valuable when sold as a set than if sold separately like a comparable weapon. "Alright, let these foolish Lords be shocked." Chapter 40: Frostwind Snowy Mountains Alex glanced at the system time; it was only about seven in the morning. The usually quiet World Chat started to explode with activity due to the large number of items being listed simultaneously.[NotARobot]: "What''s happening? Am I seeing things? Just woke up and already shocked by Big Shot!" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Holy moly, over two thousand pieces of equipment? Did Hamburger Big Shot wipe out a whole tribe or what? This is insane!" [NoYuri]: "And there''s Commanding level equipment too? It''s only day four, and Hamburger is already taking down Commanding level creatures? Too strong, bowing down to Big Shot!" [I have three succubus slaves]: "The evil tree spirit suit is the real shocker, though. It''s just too expensive for me." [Big Lemon]: "How much for your succubus slaves? Can I buy them with food or magic crystals? My troops are orcs, and those female orcs are just too ugly..." ... What the heck, as the World Chat conversation started to derail, Alex decisively closed it. Typical Big Lemon, always thinking about naughty stuff. "I''m too pure for this; can''t let them corrupt me." Now that Alex was wealthy, it was time to splurge a bit. Having 323 Essence Shards meant she wouldn''t have to worry about acquiring more for a while. Aside from iron ingots, which Alex currently couldn''t procure herself, she was well-stocked with all other resources. With the number of wild animals dwindling, Alex had half of her undead workforce chopping wood and mining stone. This way, even if she didn''t need the wood and stone immediately, her stock would continue to grow. In less than a day, Alex''s Barracks were ready for an upgrade, which was really exciting. [Upgrade Barracks required: 2000 magic crystals, 20 Essence Shards] "Upgrade!" [Undead Crystal: lv4 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 4 Barracks can summon: Skeletons, Zombies, Specters, Death Conquerors, Gargoyles, Bone Dragons¡ªsix major troops (random ten) with a 5% chance of summoning higher-level troops, and an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 4000 magic crystals, 40 Essence Shards] Level 4 Barracks unlocked Bone Dragons, and the upgrade materials doubled, but that wasn''t a problem since Alex was quite affluent. "Upgrading again!" [Undead Crystal: lv5 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 5 Barracks can summon: Skeletons, Zombies, Specters, Death Conquerors, Gargoyles, Bone Dragons, Ghost Dragons¡ªseven major troops (random ten) with a 6% chance of summoning higher-level troops, and an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 8000 magic crystals, 80 Essence Shards] Another new troop, the Ghost Dragon, was unlocked. Alex wasn''t too familiar with Ghost Dragons, thinking they might be similar to Specters in being incorporeal, but she wouldn''t form an opinion until she saw one summoned. "Oops, forgot about the magic crystal consumption." Alex, who had just considered herself wealthy, suddenly felt ''bankrupt''. She still had 263 Essence Shards, more than enough, but not enough magic crystals for another upgrade... Just moments ago, she was marveling at her newfound wealth, but after upgrading the Barracks twice, her stockpile of 6000 magic crystals was completely depleted. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® However, considering she had successfully upgraded the Barracks twice, it was all worth it. Magic crystals were still easy for Alex to earn. Unlocking two powerful troops made her feel great. She believed she was definitely a T0 Lord on Eldoria. "Not so fast, can''t get too excited yet. Summoning is random, and it would be embarrassing if I couldn''t summon a Bone Dragon or Ghost Dragon tomorrow." Alex had just experienced what it was like to spend money like water. The next level of Barracks would need 8000 magic crystals¡ªhow long would that take to save up? As the undead finished their enhancements at the Blackwater Altar, Alex dismissed them, sending them out to hunt in farther areas, and Arthur was also sent to continue leveling up. The undead were busy again, and Alex walked into the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes, revealing her full, firm breasts and her completely hairless pubic area. The sound of running water filled the bathroom, and ten minutes later, Alex emerged wrapped in a bath towel, walking barefoot into the bedroom. She pulled a black sleep robe from the closet and put it on. "Why is this robe so short?" Alex realized after putting it on that the robe barely covered below her hips, exposing her long legs. The size was definitely right, so the robe was meant to be this revealing¡ªit was a lingerie robe. Sitting in the bedroom chair with her legs crossed, Alex pulled out the map she had obtained from the Goblin tribe. She had been on Eldoria for several days but still didn''t know the name of her location. The map was crudely drawn, and it only covered the area around her castle. Despite its simplicity, Alex could make out that the triangle on the map represented snowy mountains. With the snowy mountains as a reference, she could easily identify other locations. "Damn, there''s writing on the back!" Alex flipped the map over and realized she had made a basic mistake by not checking both sides first. It turned out she had been holding the map upside down... The snowy mountains were called Frostwind Snowy Mountains, and the map showed that the area was quite large; what Alex had seen from her castle was just the tip of the iceberg. The Frostwind Snowy Mountains were marked as dangerous, seemingly a forbidden area for Goblins. To the west of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains was a vast forest called the Dark Forest, also marked as dangerous by the Goblins. It might be due to the Goblins'' weakness as a species that they saw danger everywhere... Alex''s castle was located at the junction of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains and the Dark Forest, where there were few trees, just a few scattered dead ones. "According to this Goblin map, both east and west of my castle are dangerous!" Alex''s castle was outside the Dark Forest and closer to the Frostwind Snowy Mountains. "Could both places really be forbidden areas?" Alex''s current strength was only slightly better than a Goblin tribe and nowhere near a Moon Silver Wolf. If a place was considered forbidden by Goblins, it was likely forbidden for her too, at least for now. Moreover, the most important fact was that the Moon Silver Wolf tribe resided on the Frostwind Snowy Mountains. Surviving in a place considered forbidden by Goblins indicated that the tribe''s strength was extraordinary. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 41: You’re actually a woman Having familiarized herself with her surroundings, Alex tossed the map aside, ready to hit the sack for a good nap.In life, the most important things are eating, sleeping, and leveling up. Scratch that, eating can be crossed off; Alex can do without food. Inside the castle of [QuartzStriker], Sophie had just woken up to see the Lords in the World Chat heatedly discussing something, leaving her puzzled. Driven by curiosity, Sophie paused the World Chat and started scrolling up through the messages, one by one. All the messages were about a Big Shot who had listed over two thousand pieces of equipment at the trading post. Sophie hurriedly opened the trading post to check, and indeed, it was true! Sophie''s dwarf troops were capable of crafting equipment themselves, so she wasn''t concerned about the gear. What intrigued her was which Lord was so formidable, and whether she had a chance to get acquainted with them. Sophie clicked on the trade information. "Hamburger!" "It''s him!" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sophie''s mouth gaped wide enough to fit a long eggplant, her face a picture of disbelief. That was Commanding level gear! Could he really have taken down a Commanding level so quickly? That seemed a bit exaggerated. If Sophie had been considering an alliance with Alex before, this confirmed her decision. Sophie had initially hoped that Alex''s ability to procure so much food was just due to his troops'' special skills, but as Alex traded over a thousand portions of elite food, she realized this Lord was no ordinary player. And now, with Alex directly trading over two thousand pieces of equipment, including several Commanding level items, Sophie was convinced of the strength of Alex''s troops. [Hamburger] was definitely a powerful Lord! Sophie immediately opened her dashboard and sent a message to [Hamburger]. Just as Alex lay down to sleep, a system notification popped up. She reached out from under the covers, opened the dashboard, and it was a message from [QuartzStriker]. She had thought it was just another system alert. "Wonder what he wants this early in the morning." [QuartzStriker]: "Respected Lord, in order to establish a long-term trade and cooperation, fostering friendship and relations between us, could we possibly form an alliance?" "An alliance?" Alex looked at [QuartzStriker]''s message, not replying immediately but instead glanced at the [Alliance] option next to the chat. She clicked on [Alliance], briefly reviewed what it entailed, and understood what this feature meant. In simple terms, it meant that both parties'' trades would be guaranteed by the system, preventing scams where one might run off with the other''s resources after receiving them. After forming an alliance, it would also eliminate any hostile relations between the two Lords, allowing them to jointly face other enemies. A maximum of five Lords could form an alliance. The limit was probably set to prevent too powerful alliances; otherwise, billions of Lords from Earth could just band together. Ultimately, it still boiled down to the individual strength of each Lord; the alliance seemed more like a lifeline for the weaker ones. However, for Alex, an alliance was beneficial. She was counting on [QuartzStriker] to help process her 4500 tons of iron ore, and with an alliance, she wouldn''t have to worry about him pocketing it. [Hamburger]: "Only stable friendships can promote long-term development and cooperation, I agree to the alliance." [QuartzStriker]: "Great, thank you, love you!" Sophie hadn''t expected Alex to agree so readily, her prepared arguments unused. [QuartzStriker requests an alliance with you!] "Agree." Alex directly chose to agree, looking at [QuartzStriker]''s message, a bit speechless at the overly familiar tone. Who says ''love you'' like that, really? Alex quickly replied. [Hamburger]: "Hold up, I''m not gay." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? [QuartzStriker]: "Respected Lord, I am a woman." [Hamburger]: "Are you Yuri?" [QuartzStriker]: "No." Wait, Sophie suddenly realized, her brain kicking into gear. "[Hamburger], you''re actually a woman!" While Sophie was surprised that Alex was a woman, she felt somewhat relieved that Alex wasn''t a handsome guy, which at least lessened her own psychological burden. Relationships between women can be complicated... If Alex had been a man, Sophie could have flirted or acted cute, at worst paying a small price, since men are creatures that think with their cock. But Alex is a woman, so this method won''t work. ... Lying in bed, Alex suddenly remembered something, got out of bed, and went to the Warehouse. She had forgotten to check the iron ore. Alex picked up a piece of iron ore and compared it with iron ingots. If she remembered correctly, based on knowledge from her previous life, the refining ratio of iron ore was about 1.5 to 2.5:1. Given the system''s nature, it was likely close to reality. That meant 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of iron ore could be refined into 1 pound of iron, and the iron ore in Alex''s hand was exactly double the weight of the iron ingots. Based on the fixed ratio in the continent of Eldoria, she guessed that one piece of iron ore should be able to refine into one iron ingot. "That means the 4500 tons of iron ore in the Warehouse equals 2200 tons of iron ingots." Alex felt relieved and went back to her bedroom to sleep, feeling that by the time she woke up, the equipment would probably have been traded. [Hamburger]: "What''s the refining ratio for iron ore?" Alex still unsure, asked Sophie. [QuartzStriker]: "One to one, what''s up?" Sophie''s response took Alex by surprise; she hadn''t expected that ore refining in this world would be different from Earth, achieving a 1:1 ratio with no loss at all. [Hamburger]: "I have 4500 tons of iron ore here, can you process it for me? Name your price." Sophie was sitting at the dining table drinking water when she heard this, and she almost spit out her drink. The reason Sophie''s daily production of iron ingots was low was due to the difficulty of mining; she obtained too little iron ore each day. Otherwise, her furnace would be refining non-stop, reaching a production of three thousand. Big Shot indeed, managing to secure so much iron ore was impressive. Sophie now understood why Alex had agreed to the alliance so decisively; she had been waiting for her. Sophie realized her only role was to act as labor to help the Big Shot process the iron ore... When Sophie realized her role was limited to this, she naturally didn''t dare to make excessive demands on Alex. [QuartzStriker]: "It''s no big deal, let''s skip the payment. If possible, just give me some food; my troops eat a lot, and we go through food quickly." Alex thought about it; her current stock of food was indeed not very useful, and food had severely depreciated in value, now trading at ten pieces of wood or five stones per unit. To maintain her Big Shot status, Alex sent over 4500 tons of iron ore and 1000 units of food. [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you for your generosity and trust!" Alex didn''t bother with Sophie anymore, lying back down and closing her eyes. "Alright, time to sleep!" Chapter 42: Local forces On the distant shores of a vast continent, the landscape is dominated by a fiery red hue, barren of any vegetation due to the presence of several massive volcanoes.Atop one of these volcanoes stands a castle built from obsidian. Inside, the Lord of the castle is a young man dressed in black shorts, his upper body bare, his complexion cool and handsome, his body slick with sweat due to the scorching heat around him. This man is Lord [Flame Spirit], known as Cain. At this moment, Cain is looking at the information on the trading post, his face a picture of shock. "Hamburger can kill Commanding level already?" Cain prides himself on being stronger than Alex and other Lords, but it seems he''s fallen behind. Cain''s troops are Flame Spirits, elemental beings naturally endowed with fire elements and lacking physical bodies. They don''t need to eat or sleep and can grow stronger by absorbing the power of fire elements while bathing in magma. Most outrageously, the Flame Spirits survive on Essence Shards within them, meaning each Flame Spirit represents an Essence Shard. Conversely, Cain can summon Flame Spirits by acquiring Essence Shards, quickly boosting his strength. This ability allows Cain to rapidly increase his power, though acquiring Essence Shards is challenging, significantly limiting his potential. However, Cain is not without danger, his situation mirroring Alex''s and perhaps even worse. The volcano where Cain''s castle stands is not the largest; within the magma at the top of the central, largest volcano resides a Magma Dragon, posing the greatest threat Cain might face in three days. Fortunately, the Magma Dragon spends most of its time asleep and has not shown much hostility towards Cain''s castle. Spurred by Alex''s progress, Cain''s resolve to become stronger is more urgent than ever. He immediately orders all Flame Spirits to leave the volcano and level up in the wild. Another classic protagonist template, a Lord facing both pressure and opportunity. With billions of Lords on the continent of Eldoria, there''s no shortage of those with both opportunity and strength. Although Alex is currently powerful, it''s improbable that she ranks first among billions of Lords. Unaware in her sleep, Alex doesn''t know that at the location of the Goblin tribe, two tall humanoid creatures stand atop a hill, overlooking the ruins of the Goblin village below. "They''re all dead, not a single body left, and the cave is emptied. Must be the work of those extraterrestrial visitors again. What are they really after?" One of the men, his voice hoarse, speaks to the other. "I don''t know. The latest message from above says these extraterrestrial visitors are all humans, and their castles are protected by a powerful force. Our leader tried to intervene but failed." "What, a protection not even a demigod can breach?" "I heard there''s some friction between the Moon Silver Wolf tribe and these extraterrestrial visitors. Tell them to stop provoking these humans for now." The two men transform into giant black wolves and vanish like the wind. On the snowy mountain, the leader of the Moon Silver Wolf tribe kicks the she-wolf beside him, "Damn it, this is too much!" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s all because of your damn bad ideas!" he kicks the she-wolf again. "All the other wolves are sent to the Dark Forest to enjoy themselves, and just my luck, I''m stuck in this godforsaken Frost Wind Snowy Mountain. I''ve had enough, it''s been a hundred years, how much longer do I have to stay here!" ... Alex groggily opens her eyes, sits up in bed, and feels refreshed under the bedroom''s restorative effects, compensating for the mental energy spent summoning earlier. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Checking the system time, it''s already noon. She goes to the window and sees a pile of animal carcasses, along with wood and stone, at the castle gate. Alex recycles the wood and stone with a single click. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 4000 units of wood and 2000 units of stone.] Wearing slippers, Alex goes downstairs to the outside of the castle, instructing her undead to throw the carcasses into the Blackwater Altar, adding fifty new members to her undead army. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 30 wild boar carcasses, obtaining 600 units of food, 60 wild boar tusks, 30 wild boar hides, and 20 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 20 antelope carcasses, obtaining 400 units of food, 20 antelope hides, and 10 magic crystals.] A total of 1000 units of food, just enough to earn back the processing fee given to [QuartzStriker] this morning. "Only 30 magic crystals after a morning''s work, that''s too few. As her strength grows, Alex is gradually becoming dissatisfied with the meager resources she''s obtaining." "Let''s see if the equipment has been traded yet." Alex checks her orders at the trading post and finds that all but the evil tree spirit set have been traded. Perhaps the evil tree spirit set is too expensive; poor Lords can''t afford it, and rich Lords aren''t interested. "Let it hang there, someone will buy it eventually." Thinking this, Alex then collects the materials from the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 2266 pieces of regular equipment, obtaining 20,000 magic crystals and 3110 iron ingots.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded one Commanding level equipment, obtaining 500 magic crystals.] That''s a direct gain of 20k magic crystals! At this moment, Alex feels only one thing: exhilaration, sheer exhilaration! In addition, she has gained 3110 iron ingots. Indeed, Lords capable of refining iron ingots are numerous; to those without iron ingots, they are valuable, but for those who can produce them, they are not as precious. Compared to magic crystals, they naturally use iron ingots for trading, which is exactly what Alex currently needs most. Including the iron ore processed by [QuartzStriker], Alex now has over 9000 iron ingots, just a step away from upgrading her town. "Hehe, I''m rich again, indeed the most profitable role is that of a merchant." Alex rubs her hands together, her face breaking into an excited smile. If she had to rely solely on wild hunting for magic crystals, who knows how long it would take to accumulate 20,000. [QuartzStriker]''s furnace can refine up to 3000 iron ingots a day, and Alex''s 4500 iron ingots will take at least two days to process. If Alex can secure another 1000 iron ingots within two days, she can upgrade to a town by the sixth day. Alex doesn''t know the exact strength of the upcoming beast tide, but it''s undeniable that the beast tide in seven days will likely kill a large number of negligent Lords, so Alex wants to become as strong as possible before then. "Ah, the protective shield will disappear in three days, I''m really ''scared''." Chapter 43: Magic Stone Pillar Currently, the only building Alex can upgrade is the Barracks, as the castle still lacks some iron ingots, and special buildings cannot be upgraded either.Who cares, money is meant to be spent. [Upgrade Barracks Required: 8000 magic crystals, 80 Essence Shards] "Upgrade!" [Undead Crystal: lv6 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 6 Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons¡ªsix major troops (random twenty) with a 6% chance of summoning high-level troops, and an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks Required: 10k magic crystals, 100 Essence Shards] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully upgraded the Barracks to lv6, rewarded with a random special structure blueprint.] Huh, lv6 Barracks didn''t unlock new troops, but the number of troops summoned increased to twenty. Damn, what''s the use of increasing the number of summons? Alex can summon herself without any limit; this upgrade isn''t perfect. The next level requires ten thousand magic crystals and one hundred Essence Shards. Alex plans not to upgrade the Barracks for now and first see what this special structure blueprint can reveal; otherwise, if upgrading the Barracks just increases the number of summons again, she''ll be devastated. Twenty thousand magic crystals gone in an instant, nearly half spent just to increase quantity¡ªAlex''s heart is bleeding. Alex collects the reward for the special structure blueprint. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained a special structure blueprint, Magic Stone Pillar.] [Special Structure Blueprint: Magic Stone Pillar.] [Building Level: None (Gargoyle exclusive)] [Feature: Gargoyles perched on the Magic Stone Pillar will gain 2 experience points per minute.] [Note 1: Gargoyles on the Magic Stone Pillar will enter a dormant state, only awakening when enemies invade the territory or when called by the Lord.] [Note 2: Gargoyles on the Magic Stone Pillar will be bound and cannot be replaced.] [Construction Materials: 8k stone, 4k magic crystals, 4 Essence Shards.] A troop with its own exclusive special building? Two points of experience per minute, that''s one point every thirty seconds, which continuously for twenty-four hours a day equals, uh, Alex quickly calculates... 2880 experience points! That''s much faster than gargoyles hunting wild boars; even non-stop hunting wouldn''t yield nearly three thousand experience points a day. Outrageous, awesome! Alex almost wants to stand there herself and become a statue. The level cap for gargoyles is King level, which means a solid future King level force. It will be bound to this special building, destined to be just a guardian, but that''s still powerful. Luckily, Alex didn''t rush to upgrade the Barracks, or else she wouldn''t have enough magic crystals to build the Magic Stone Pillar. "Build!" This is a good thing, much better than just adding ten undead to the summoning count at the Barracks. Alex chooses to build without hesitation. Four circular stone pillars rise from the ground at the castle''s front gate, with square tops and the entire pillar in black, carved with majestic gargoyle reliefs. The four pillars are arranged in a trapezoidal pattern, two on each side of the gate and two more behind, with the overall height matching that of the castle gate. "What if binding a non-upgradable gargoyle breaks the limit?" Alex looks at the Magic Stone Pillar and suddenly thinks of the gargoyle Commanding she summoned from the Goblin chief''s body. If the undead she summoned could also gain experience from the Magic Stone Pillar, they would start at a higher level. ????????.??? "Never mind, can''t take the risk. If it still can''t upgrade, I''d be stuck, and it''s irreplaceable." Alex calls over four gargoyles summoned from the Barracks. Alex gestures to the four gargoyles, looking from them to the Magic Stone Pillar, the intent clear. The four gargoyles understand Alex''s gesture and immediately fly towards the four Magic Stone Pillars. The gargoyles perch on the pillars, tuck in their wings, and sit squatting on top. Their skin begins to petrify bit by bit until it covers their entire bodies, and the pale blue glow in their eyes completely extinguishes. The four gargoyles, in a squatting position, turn completely into four statues. "Alright, done. I hope you all can reach King level soon!" Alex leisurely walks back into the castle. [QuartzStriker] is refining her iron ore, her equipments have been traded away, and food trades aren''t viable now; she feels like there''s nothing left to do. Alex lies on her bed, her gaze fixed on the chandelier above, just staying still. She feels she shouldn''t be so idle; she should do something. Alex is currently lv9, still a way from leveling up. She suddenly sits up from the bed, sweeps the hair from her face, revealing her beautiful features. "No, I need to get stronger!" Alex takes off her robe and finds a set of ordinary black sportswear to put on, changing her usual style of wearing over-the-knee socks, casually picking a pair of white short socks and cute leather shoes. "Ah, remember to wear a bra, or the bounce will be too noticeable when moving." Alex takes out a black bra, lifts her T-shirt, and ties it back. She plans to go outside the castle to study her magic, get a handle on it in advance, and maybe wander around the castle to hunt some wild beasts for practice. Since Alex sent her undead further away from the castle to hunt, the wild beasts around the castle have reproduced and refreshed. Now at level 9, Alex, who is within the Bone Throne territory, is confident in her safety as long as she stays within the territory. The Dark Forest is dangerous, Frostwind Snowy Mountain is dangerous, making this area at the junction of the two a relatively safe zone. The exact amount of experience doesn''t matter much now; Alex mainly wants to hone her combat skills. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex ties her hair at the back of her head as she walks out of the castle. Intermediate fire magic doesn''t have a particularly large area of effect. To achieve the kind of power seen in xianxia novels, where a huge fireball destroys a town, Alex estimates she''d need high-level magic, or even higher. Alex extends a finger, and a flame bursts forth, a basic manipulation of fire elements that doesn''t require chanting. "Natural lighter!" Alex plays with the flame in her hand as she leisurely walks out of the castle. Since learning fire magic, she has developed some resistance to fire elements; her fingers feel no heat at all now. Outside the castle gate, Alex spots a rabbit grazing. Alex shapes her hands like two small pistols, aiming at the rabbit not far away. "biu biu biu!" Instantly, many small flames burst from her fingers, flying towards the rabbit. The rabbit reacts quickly, spotting the flames and darting away before they reach it. The flames hit the ground, igniting a small fire. Alex quickly points at the fleeing rabbit, with small flames exploding continuously behind it, chasing after the rabbit. "Da da da da!" Chapter 44: Is this how you treat your guests? The little rabbit could only run desperately forward, trying to avoid the flames chasing it from behind.Alex, however, didn''t manage to hit it even once, which left her feeling quite frustrated. "You wretched rabbit!" Alex''s left hand suddenly opened, and a red magic circle appeared, launching a large fireball directly at the rabbit. Still, it missed... With a loud boom, the fireball exploded next to the rabbit, and the shockwave from the explosion killed it. "Not fun at all." Alex walked over, picked up the charred rabbit carcass, and swung it into the Blackwater Altar at the castle gate. Alex looked doubtfully at her enhanced attributes: [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 Commanding level (personal and troops can increase by killing enemies)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 220] [Mana Points: 100] [Strength: 60] [Stamina: 58] [Agility: 61] [Bone Throne Enhancement Level +1] Right, now at Commanding level, it''s a disgrace that a lv1 rabbit almost got away! Alex continued walking outside the castle. To the east was Frostwind Snowy Mountain, a high-risk area, so she chose to head west, hoping to reach the edge of the Dark Forest. It mainly depended on whether her castle''s territory extended that far; otherwise, Alex wouldn''t risk leaving her territory. Along the way, Alex also killed several wild boars, which were much easier to deal with than rabbits. Rabbits would run upon seeing you, but boars would charge at anything they saw, and their larger size made them easier targets. The boars Alex killed were used to summon undead, which she then instructed to carry the original carcasses back to the castle. Efficient and effective. Unknowingly, Alex wandered further from the castle, heading towards the western edge of her territory. It was six miles from the castle to the territory''s edge, and as she hunted and observed her surroundings, after more than two hours, the dead trees became more numerous than near the castle. The black soil underfoot became more moist, and there were more wild creatures around. Seeing more and more trees in front of her, Alex felt like setting them all on fire. But she thought better of it, as attracting the attention of high-level creatures in the forest would not be wise. "This is the edge of the territory, and there are plenty of wild creatures here, a good place to practice magic." Alex quietly practiced with the wild boars, becoming increasingly proficient in the use of fire magic, even managing to combine it slightly with her dark magic. Just then, Alex heard a loud noise from the western forest and stopped what she was doing to look. Several large, sturdy dead trees suddenly collapsed, scattering the crows perched on them. "What''s going on?" Before Alex could understand the situation, a huge, blood-soaked black cat burst out of the forest, a golden cross sword sticking out of its back. The black cat, seeing Alex, charged directly at her. !! Alex reacted quickly, though she hadn''t figured out the situation, deciding it was best to attack first. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? She opened her left hand, and from the palm, five huge red magic circles appeared on either side. Five fireballs, each a meter in diameter, shot out from the magic circles towards the black cat. Boom! Boom! The fireballs exploded, creating a sea of fire. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully killed a lv1 Commanding level Night Charm Cat, gaining one hundred twenty experience points.] "Is it dead?" Alex lowered her hand, the magic having consumed 40 of her Mana Points. As the fire dissipated, the charred body of the black cat was revealed. Alex looked up and saw a man in white-gold armor, holding a shield, walking towards her from the forest. A person?! Could it be a Lord? Alex felt nervous, as if facing a great enemy. The man reached the black cat''s body and pulled the cross sword from its back. "Thank you for your assistance, beautiful miss. I am Charles, a novice knight of the Holy Court." The man bowed to Alex, introducing himself. "I saw you use a fireball just now. May I ask which mage guild you belong to?" This caught Alex off guard. From Charles''s words, it was clear he was not a Lord, which left only one possibility¡ªhe was a native of the Eldoria continent! It was Alex''s first time hearing about humans on the Eldoria continent. Caught off guard and to avoid suspicion, Alex quickly replied. "Uh, respected knight of the Holy Court, my name is Carrie Oakey, I''m unaffiliated, and I live nearby." Unexpectedly, Alex''s response made Charles suspicious. "Miss, you are lying. All mages are governed by the Mage Association, and it''s impossible for a freelancer to learn magic!" Charles approached Alex with his sword, a glint of greed in his eyes. Since you''re not with the Mage Association and we''re in this deserted place, maybe... "I shall take you to the Mage Association, but before that, please entertain me, beautiful miss." Damn, I didn''t know ordinary people couldn''t practice magic, and nobody told me! Alex internally ranted as she watched Charles approach with his sword. She decisively opened her palm, and a fire dragon spiraled out from the magic circle towards Charles. Charles raised his shield and surprisingly blocked Alex''s magic. Alex quickly raised her other palm, a black magic circle appearing, merging with the red one. The fire on the dragon turned black in an instant, striking Charles''s shield. Boom! Charles was unharmed, shaking off his shield to disperse the last traces of the black flames. Seeing the black flames burning on his shield, his expression turned grave. "Is this... dark magic?" "Dark magic has been lost for ages; you are an alien!" "Be purged!" Only these extraterrestrial visitors could possess such inexplicable abilities, and this girl fit the bill. The greed in Charles''s eyes vanished, replaced by endless killing intent. If previously Charles wanted to capture Alex for his lust, now he wanted her dead. Really? Just one sentence and one skill, and you''ve figured me out? Charles''s shield emitted a holy light, extinguishing the black flames. Holding his cross sword, he vanished from his spot, charging rapidly towards Alex. "Is this how you treat your guests?!" Chapter 45: Ethereal Wraith Alex unleashed a massive pillar of fire directly at Charles, who blocked it with his shield and continued advancing through the flames.Suddenly, two black fireballs attacked from both sides. Despite wearing heavy armor, Charles was exceptionally agile and performed a backflip to dodge Alex''s two Black Flame Blasts. Charles had realized that Alex''s proficiency in fire magic was at best intermediate, and her dark magic seemed limited to just one move. The most effective way to combat a mage is to get close. Mages are physically weak, and if he could close the distance, she would undoubtedly lose. "Holy sword, slay the person before me!" Charles raised his cross sword, the blade shining brightly, and a slash made of condensed light cleaved through Alex''s incoming fire magic, continuing its trajectory towards her. "Damn, he''s strong!" Alex quickly dodged to the side, but Charles seized the moment she evaded to close the distance, swinging his sword at her. "Damn it, you really think I''m just a mage?" In an instant, Alex produced a large scythe in her hands to meet Charles''s cross sword. The moment the sword met the scythe''s blade, the bells on the scythe jingled crisply. Charles suddenly felt a severe pain in his head. As Alex drew her scythe, her attributes doubled instantly¡ªher 60 points of Strength became 120, and she forcefully pushed Charles back. The large scythe blade nearly wounded him. "Mind attack, sudden appearance of a weapon, inexplicably enhanced Strength, truly bizarre!" Charles shook his head, the pain in his mind gradually subsiding. Alex, holding the scythe with one hand and dragging the blade along the ground, swung it at Charles. Though Alex lacked close combat skills, she knew one thing from childhood fights¡ªforce can work wonders. Charles was about to raise his shield to block. Ding-a-ling¡ª The sound of the bell distracted him, slowing his reaction. Slash¡ª Charles was struck by Alex''s scythe, the blade clashing against his armor with a grating noise. With a loud thud, Charles was knocked to the ground not far away, his shield flung aside by Alex''s strike. "Damn, thought you were strong. Turns out you''re not, feel the thrill of being beaten by double attributes." Alex felt a bit regretful; if it weren''t for his armor, he would have been dead. "Cough, cough..." As Charles tried to stand up, a black fireball came flying straight at him. Charles immediately swung his cross sword at the black fireball. But there wasn''t just one fireball¡ªBoom, boom, boom! Knowing her melee skills were lacking, Alex wouldn''t risk getting close. She preferred to wear him down from a distance first. Three Black Flame Blasts hit Charles squarely, knocking him down again, his armor ablaze with black flames. Then, his armor emitted a holy light, and the black flames were quickly extinguished. Alex noticed that this knight seemed not very susceptible to her dark magic; on the contrary, it seemed to be countered by their abilities. Charles realized he was completely outmatched by this extraterrestrial visitor. Wait, weren''t the previous extraterrestrial visitors weak? Why is she so strong? Charles had previously interacted with these Lords under the guise of being a native, then lured them out to kill them. The Holy Court had ordered that all extraterrestrial visitors be killed without mercy. Charles kicked up the moist black soil at Alex and then quickly got up, unleashing two golden sword energies before decisively turning to flee. He didn''t want to die here! Charles saw an unidentified creature flying towards them in the distance. Upon recognizing the creature, his pupils shrank. "A bone dragon! Why is there a bone dragon here?" Then, Alex''s voice came from behind him. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? "Arthur, stop him!" Charles was startled by Alex''s command. "They''re together!" Charles again decisively gave up on fleeing, dropped his cross sword, and turned to kneel before Alex. "Respected Miss Carrie Oakey, I submit to you, please spare my life!" Well, a man''s got to do what a man''s got to do. Arthur''s massive form landed behind Charles, who shuddered and bowed even lower. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Arthur, why are you here?" Alex was curious why Arthur was there. "Responding to my queen, Arthur received a distress call from a phantom saying that you were engaged in combat here, so I hurried over." That made sense. With a large base of undead within her territory, it wasn''t surprising that they noticed the fight. Alex looked down at Charles, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, wanting to violate and kill her, and now he was kneeling and begging for mercy. Alex signaled Arthur with her eyes, and understanding her intent, Arthur acted before Charles could react, ending his life with a breath of dragon. Charles''s body, still in a kneeling position, was frozeninto an ice sculpture. It wasn''t that Alex didn''t want to act personally; it was just that if she did, it would have been too cruel. Whether using her scythe or burning him with fire, having Arthur freeze him was somewhat more dignified. [Congratulations Lord, you have killed a lv2 Commanding level Holy Court knight.] "Huh, no experience points?" "Is it because he''s human?" Alex cast a spell, and a magic circle appeared beneath Charles, emitting a gray mist that formed a Phantom above his body. It looked like a Phantom but was distinctly different; its ethereal form was less human-like, its eyes glowed green, and its soul aura was denser, its size slightly larger than a typical Phantom. Alex sensed that something had changed and quickly checked the information. [Ethereal Wraith (ethereal)] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv2 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Mind: 45] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 40] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] [Skill: Soul Curse] Soul Curse: Casts a guaranteed hit curse on the target''s soul, cooldown thirty minutes, consumes 20 Mana Points. Ethereal Wraith! Indeed, a class change. The growth limit for the three basic troops is Commanding level, it seems the final class change must be after reaching Commanding level. A new curse skill added, along with the undead race''s traits, definitely a powerful combatant. "Arthur, you continue leveling up. I''ll practice here a bit longer." "You go back to the castle and strengthen yourself at the Blackwater Altar." Alex instructed the figures before her, Arthur and the Ethereal Wraith. "Yes, my queen." Arthur and the Ethereal Wraith flew away, the Necromancer heading towards the castle, while Arthur chose to delve deeper into the Dark Forest, opting to stay by Alex''s side. Chapter 46: Skeletal Demon Alex picked up the cross sword and shield that Charles had discarded nearby, noticing nothing particularly unusual about them. They seemed to be made of mithril, perhaps?Impossible, how could a novice knight''s weapons be made of mithril? Alex guessed that they might contain just a bit of mithril metal. "Have to admit, this gear is pretty decent. It definitely looks stronger than the evil tree spirit set and the large bone maul." Alex approached Charles''s body. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled and obtained five Commanding level items.] No experience, no drops... What the heck, don''t the humans of Eldoria have game attributes assigned by the system? This disassembly was a letdown; Alex could have stripped the equipment from him herself. This set looked luxurious at first glance. Let''s see what effects it has. [Equipment Name: Holy Court Novice Knight Set (5/5)] [Equipment Level: Commanding level] [Set Effect: Significantly increases the wearer''s defense, immune to 40% elemental magic damage, Strength +20, Agility +5, Stamina +5.] [Note: Receives 10% more Mind damage.] Is there such a big difference between a five-piece set and a three-piece set? This is pure heavy armor¡ªtanky and damaging. Alex stored the set in the castle''s Warehouse, planning to deal with it back at the castle. She then turned her attention to the black cat she had killed earlier. She had been so focused on Charles that she almost forgot about it, another Commanding level force. She hadn''t expected that leaving the castle would trigger such a lucky buff, yielding two Commanding level forces. "This black cat was probably quite strong in combat. Should I transform it into bone beasts or just ordinary undead?" After some thought, Alex decided to transform it into ordinary undead. Bone beasts, similar to skeletons at Commanding level, don''t undergo special changes; they just retain some characteristics from their lives. Now that Alex had discovered that undead could undergo special transformations upon reaching Commanding level, how could she waste this opportunity to satisfy her curiosity? Alex''s left eye flickered, and a gray formation appeared around the black cat''s corpse. The ground began to tremble slightly, and then a skeletal arm, larger than the black cat''s head, emerged. Although Alex referred to it as a black cat, its size was comparable to a tiger. Soon, an 26 feet tall giant skeleton crawled out from the magic circle, its body white, holding a massive bone maul. A skeletal giant?! 26 feet tall, that''s nearly the height of a three-story building! Commanding level, such a huge size, and with the undead trait, this was incredibly imposing. [Skeletal Demon] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 50] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 24] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] 50 points of Strength is quite high for a typical Commanding level. Don''t look at Arthur, who had this much at levels five or six; Arthur is a Divine limit being, not the same as these Commanding level creatures. ????????.??? But this Agility, a bit low, and why doesn''t a Commanding level skeletal demon have any skills? Is it because skeletons don''t deserve them?! "Back to the castle for strengthening." Alex waved at the skeletal demon, which started walking away, each step causing a slight tremor in the ground. Wait, it''s so big. "Be careful, don''t damage my castle!" Alex shouted at the skeletal demon. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled a lv1 Commanding level Night Charm Cat corpse, obtaining 100 elite food, 10 magic crystals, and 2 Essence Shards.] "Elite food dropped, not bad." Alex sat down, reflecting on her recent fight with Charles. Although she had equipment bonuses, her close combat skills were too weak, lacking any finesse, relying solely on overpowering attributes. In other words, no technique, all about strength. And her fire magic wasn''t fully mastered yet; there was still much room for improvement. "Continue practicing fire magic, after all, ranged combat is much safer than melee." Alex sheathed her scythe and continued to conjure magic until her Mana Points were depleted, then took out her scythe again, using the double attribute bonus from the scythe to continue practicing magic. Once her Mana Points were depleted, Alex picked up her scythe to practice, at least getting used to her weapon. Otherwise, if she couldn''t even use her weapon properly, she might be ridiculed by other Lords. As the leader of the undead race, how couldshe be incompetent? As the saying goes, you might choose not to strike, but you can''t afford to be weak. Alex practiced until evening, alternating between using her scythe when her Mana Points were depleted and practicing magic when they were replenished. By now, Alex was drenched in sweat, her T-shirt soaked through. As night approached, Alex finally stopped, planning to return to the castle. Nighttime offered double experience, and with the Bone Throne''s enhancement, it was triple, a significant increase compared to the 1.5 times during the day. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] As Alex walked back to the castle, the sky had completely darkened. Returning to the castle, she saw a pile of animal carcasses soaking in the Blackwater Altar, the afternoon''s hunting bounty collected by her undead, with a pile of wood and stone at the gate. "Recycle!" [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 4000 units of wood and 4000 units of stone.] The piles of wood and stone at the gate instantly disappeared, neatly stored in the Warehouse. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 20 antelope carcasses, obtaining 400 units of food, 20 antelope hides, and 10 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 40 rabbit carcasses, obtaining 400 units of food, 40 rabbit hides, and 20 magic crystals.] That''s another 800 units of food and 30 magic crystals in the bank, the endless labor of the undead meaning Alex''s undead army had grown by 60 members. [You have new unread messages!] Alex guessed it was from [QuartzStriker], having ignored her all afternoon. She wondered how the processing was going. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, today I processed 2500 iron ingots for you and sent them over!" The message was sent half an hour ago, while Alex was still on her way back and hadn''t checked her messages. She glanced at the Warehouse and indeed, there were 2500 more iron ingots. Alex sent back 500 units of food to [QuartzStriker]. Right now, keeping the food didn''t serve much purpose; the trade for wood and stone wasn''t as efficient as what the undead could gather themselves. [Hamburger]: "Consider it a tip!" [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you, you''re too generous!" Alex no longer paid attention and walked into her bedroom to take a bath. She was too sweaty, her clothes sticking to her skin. She tossed all her clothes at the bathroom door and headed in for a shower, completely bare. Chapter 47: Ghost dragon Alex, fresh from her bath and wrapped in a towel, reflected on her afternoon''s practice. It wasn''t without progress; she had become more proficient with fire magic, and wielding her weapon felt increasingly natural.She sensed that the Dark Forest was extraordinary, possibly hiding secrets. She just hoped it wouldn''t attract the attention of the local human factions. "Next time, it might be best to play dumb. According to what Charles said, the native human factions on Eldoria are quite powerful and harbor significant hostility towards us Lords who suddenly appeared from Earth." Alex''s castle was located in a remote area, a place unlikely to interest the powerful native factions who probably congregated in more prosperous areas. With so many Lords around, who would bother with her out-of-the-way spot? Alex planned to sell the Holy Court Novice Knight Set; it was of no use to her, and the set had no benefits for her personally. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [Holy Court Novice Knight Commanding level Set (5/5): 4,000 magic crystals or 3,000 iron ingots] [Set Effects: Significantly increases the wearer''s defense, immune to 40% of elemental magic damage, Strength +20, Agility +5, Stamina +5, receives 10% more Mind damage.] [Remaining Quantity: One set.] Alex opted for a bundle sale, offering all five pieces at once, and set the price in magic crystals higher than in iron ingots, hoping to encourage Lords to trade using iron ingots. She also carefully detailed the set effects to ensure the Lords recognized the value. "Might as well sell the food too, keeping a thousand units in stock should suffice." [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One unit of food, trades for eight units of wood or four units of stone.] [Remaining Quantity: 2,700 units.] [One unit of elite food, trades for two magic crystals.] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Remaining Quantity: 100 units.] [BaconWrapped]: "Look, Hamburger has listed some great stuff again!" [Queen of Harpies]: "Holy Court knights?! I''ve seen one; they are part of the native human factions of Eldoria. Even the lowest among them is at Commanding level, and they are incredibly strong, very hostile towards us outsiders. My troops are harpies, and we''ve seen them execute a Lord with our own eyes." [KingOfTheForest]: "Such a formidable Holy Court knight taken down, just how strong is Hamburger? He''s an idol to all of us Lords!" [NotARobot]: "Man, don''t scare me, I met a human in white gold armor today wanting to collaborate, asking me to leave the castle to a strange place, he couldn''t be a Holy Court knight, could he?!" [Donut Princess]: "Wow, that set is so powerful, are all the native human faction''s equipment this good? I really want it too..." ... The fifth day is approaching fast, and time is getting tight. Alex just hopes that after tonight''s monster hunting, she can level up to Commanding level herself. Ideally, Arthur would reach Commanding level too. With nearly 3K undead in her army and three at Commanding level, she doesn''t believe the beast tide could bring forth Monarch level wild beasts. With her current strength, she feels fully capable of handling the beast tide. Wait, doesn''t the beast tide adjust based on the Lord''s strength? Alex pondered this possibility. How would those unfortunate Lords with weak troops handle the beast tide, and what about those born on islands and deserts, where there are hardly any wild beasts around? Being born on an island has its perks; you can fish when hungry and don''t have to worry about wild beasts. Surely sea creatures wouldn''t come ashore to attack the castle; that would make them sea monsters, not wild beasts. Alex stayed in her bedroom, pulling up a chair to sit by the window, gazing out and occasionally checking the World Chat, watching the Lords boast to each other. There are always some Lords with boundless optimism, treating this place like a game without any sense of crisis. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Alex is different; she''s always been someone who prepares for the worst, never taking uncalculated risks. As midnight approached, Alex got up, dressed in slippers, and headed to the Barracks to summon her troops, completing her tasks for the day so she could go to sleep with peace of mind. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon now!] "Yes!" She was close to unlocking all the high-level troops, wondering what use there was for the Barracks'' 6% chance to summon high-level troops when only liches and zombie titans remained to be unlocked. She felt that upgrading the Barracks to full level would likely unlock all troops. The green glow from the undead crystal filled the room, forming twenty silhouettes around it. Surprisingly, six of these were massive figures,which Alex recognized as bone dragons, no doubt about it. "Cool, summoning six at once, what luck!" Alex was thrilled. She looked at the other figures: six Skeleton Soldiers, four zombies, three death conquerors, and one gargoyle. The massive bone wings unfolded, and the four bone dragons materialized successfully. They were smaller than Arthur, lacked dragon horns on their heads, and otherwise didn''t look much different from Arthur before he was enhanced. The other two, as they extended their wings, Alex noticed something was off¡ªnot bone wings, but translucent wings ablaze with ghostly fire. They were ghost dragons! Ghost dragons were entirely ethereal, a translucent light blue in color, their bodies aflame with blue ghostly fire. Unlike bone dragons, ghost dragons consisted only of a soul, protected by this ghostly fire. Both creatures were of the same size, one a white skeletal dragon, the other a light blue ethereal dragon. "Respected Queen, we await your commands!" The four bone dragons and two ghost dragons spoke simultaneously, indicating they possessed intelligence. This was excellent news. [bone dragon] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 15] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 15] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Skill: breath of dragon] breath of dragon: Spews scorching flames to destroy everything in front of it. Even the basic attributes of a standard bone dragon were strong at 15 points, but this standard bone dragon''s breath of dragon... If I''m not mistaken, it should be a fire-breathing ability, right? Chapter 48: Leaderboard Alex felt a bit let down, but the growth limit of a regular bone dragon is Emperor level, which, aside from Arthur, is the highest among her troops. All she could hope for now was some special change in the future.Surely an Emperor level bone dragon can''t be incapable of any magic, right? It''s understandable that it no longer knows the magic of dragons from its past life, but to only be able to breathe fire seems a bit underwhelming, doesn''t it? [ghost dragon] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Mind: 25] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 15] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Skills: Death Ray, Death Mist] Death Ray: A death ray emitted from its mouth that withers enemies, sapping their vitality and lifespan. Death Mist: A large triangular cone of mist emitted from its mouth that reduces the Strength and Agility of any enemy it touches. One damage skill and one support skill, the ghost dragon actually has two skills. Why is there such a disparity among dragons? This ghost dragon is clearly too strong, and its base attributes are even higher than those of the bone dragon, possibly due to an imbalance between Mind and Strength attributes. Arthur, as the Dragon King, finally has some minions now, and Alex hopes they will play a key role in the beast tide three days from now. "You guys go ahead and strengthen yourselves at the Blackwater Altar." Alex waved her hand and led the way out of the Barracks, while twenty undead entered the Blackwater Altar for a soak. Alex opened the information panel for the Blackwater Altar. [bone dragon race: Skeleton enhancement, significantly increases defense and attack power, immune to 40% elemental magic damage, all attributes +6 points.] [ghost dragon race: Soul enhancement, Mind strength enhanced, Mana Points consumption for skills reduced, all attributes +7 points.] Alex looked at the bone dragon''s enhancement; this was more like it, just breathing fire was too low. The ghost dragon, on the other hand, had its soul enhanced, reducing mana consumption, which was also strong. Although the bone dragon, like the skeleton, also received a Skeleton enhancement, its bones did not turn black but became whiter, as if waxed. The ghost dragon didn''t have any significant changes; its ethereal form seemed more solid, but it was still translucent, emitting a faint blue light, still very distinctive. Alex sent these six dragons to the west to find Arthur, letting Arthur lead them in leveling up, while the rest of the undead were arranged by Alex to start leveling up from the wild and then hunt some high-level monsters together with other undead once they leveled up. However, they couldn''t fly and lacked aerial advantage, making it difficult for them to level up. Alex, wrapped in a towel, walked back to the bedroom, having completed her tasks for the day, it was time to sleep. Upon entering the bedroom, she flung off her towel and quickly dove under the covers. She quickly fell asleep, her arms hugging a pillow, one leg stretched outside the covers, her legs trapping the blanket. [The night recedes, dawn arrives.] The continent of Eldoria welcomed the dawn, and the Lords entered the fifth day of the newbie protection period. At six in the morning, still in her dreams, Alex heard the system''s notification sound. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? [Dear Lords, congratulations on surviving to the fifth day. There are only three days left until the beast tide arrives.] [The system will temporarily open a [Leaderboard] Feature for three days, continuing until the end of the beast tide.] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Afterwards, the leaderboard will be refreshed for one day each week, based on the strength and influence of the Lords.] [After the beast of the tide, Lords still ranked in the top tier will receive special rewards.] [Lords, go forth and conquer, among the myriad races there must be a place for you!] "Ugh... so noisy..." Alex muttered, tossing and turning in bed, annoyed by the noise early in the morning. "What leaderboard? Leader... leaderboard!?" Suddenly, Alex''s eyes snapped open, and she sat up abruptly, not minding the fallen blanket or her completely naked body. She pulled up the system dashboard, and sure enough, there was a new leaderboard feature on the far right of the main interface, complete with a countdown. [65 hours 55 minutes 32 seconds.] Alex calculated the time; it was exactly until the end of the eighth day, by which time the beast tide would also be over. She opened the leaderboard to see which Lords were impressive. [Top Tier (Top 1000)] [ID: Flame Spirit, King Ultraman, Troll Lord, Lucky Angel, Hamburger, Island Realm, Sky Dominator...] [Second Tier (Top 10,000)] [ID: Forest King, Golden Lion King, Stone Pillar, Round Table Knight, Dinosaur Warrior...] [Third Tier (Top 100,000)] [ID: Do You Believe in Light, Joker, Defending God, Donut Princess, Big Lemon...] [Fourth Tier (Top 1,000,000)] ... [Fifth Tier (Beyond 1,000,000)] ... [Your current position: Top Tier.] Alex looked at the leaderboard, and it actually made a lot of sense to rank only the top million Lords, considering there are several billion Lords on the continent of Eldoria. Many of the top Lords actually have similar strengths, and it would be hard to clearly determine who is slightly stronger without a real fight. Seeing her own name in the top tier, Alex couldn''t help but smile. "I knew it, there''s no way my strength wouldn''t make it into the top thousand." The top tier includes a thousand Lords, meaning the system will issue a reward to each one, but if every Lord gets the same thing, then it''s as if they''ve given nothing at all. Classic Canyon Relativity, slowing down the enemy is equivalent to speeding oneself up. This also widens the gap between those in the top tier and the Lords below, the very top Lords will still remain unchanged. Alex also saw many familiar names in the top tier; indeed, those who could offer food for trade in the past few days were among the top echelon. "This leaderboard feature is a bit rudimentary, though; it only shows the Lord''s ID and ranking, without any other features. Shouldn''t you be able to click on these Lords'' names to see their basic information? I understand not showing troops, but at least something like the castle level should be displayed." Alex had a feeling, now being the fifth day, that the castles of these top-tier Lords must all be at level 9, fully upgraded, ready to advance to town at any moment. "Well, I''m awake now, no more sleep. I must seize the time to enhance myself." Chapter 49: Upgrade Barracks Alex rolled out of bed and walked towards the wardrobe, her enticing breasts bouncing with each step."What should I wear today?" While Alex was still pondering over her outfit for the day, Sophie was already silenced by her ranking on the leaderboard. [Your ranking: Fifth Tier.] Sophie couldn''t believe she didn''t even make it into the top million. "Are you kidding me? What a crappy system. My castle is at least Lv9, and I can''t even make it into the top million?" Sophie grumbled in disbelief, clearly not trusting the system''s ranking, although her troops weren''t great at fighting, it shouldn''t be this low. "Right, let''s see if Hamburger is in the top tier!" The top tier only had a thousand people, and it didn''t take long for Sophie to spot the name [Hamburger] among them. Sure enough, there it was... the gap was so big... But at least, the Big Shot she was trying to please was strong enough to be in the top tier, which somewhat reassured Sophie. Sophie walked barefoot towards the dining room, her stockings had just been washed and were still wet, so she couldn''t wear them yet. She arrived at the dining room and began to enjoy her exquisite breakfast. Actually, after eating barbecue for four days straight, Sophie was almost sick of it. She felt like she had gained several pounds, but in this godforsaken place, there were no vegetables to eat, and now the sight of barbecue was starting to make her physically nauseous. Yesterday, another dozen dwarves came to seek refuge with Sophie, increasing her food expenses again. If it weren''t for Alex generously giving her 1,500 portions of food, she would be worrying about food again. With billions of Lords, the population was simply too large. Among a billion, there are a hundred million, and with several billion, there are many Lords like Sophie who were lucky enough to upgrade their castles to full level. It was quite normal not to make it into the top million. Although the leaderboard was a comprehensive ranking of strength, it mainly looked at the Lords'' own power. At this moment, our protagonist Alex was dressed in a black mini dress, her hair fluffy and spread out on her back, and she was wearing a pair of flip-flops as she walked into the yard. Today, Alex didn''t plan to leave the castle, so she could dress more casually. She went to the yard to check the spoils from last night''s undead. Speaking of which, Alex found that she hadn''t leveled up after waking up. The triple experience boost overnight didn''t help her break through to the Commanding level; it seemed that the experience needed to go from level 9 to level 1 Commanding was quite substantial. At the castle gate, there were piles of wood and stone, and the Blackwater Altar was soaking a bunch of animal corpses. "Recycle!" [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 2,000 wood, 4,000 stone.] "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 40 wild boar corpses, obtaining 1,600 portions of food, 160 wild boar tusks, 80 portions of wild boar skin, 60 magic crystals (double drop).] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 60 rabbit corpses, obtaining 1,200 portions of food, 120 rabbit skins, 80 magic crystals (double drop).] Just yesterday, she traded some food, and today she gained another 2,800 portions. For Alex, it was too much; she couldn''t possibly eat all this food. She opened the trading post to check the orders she had listed last night. "Ah, great, all traded." Alex clicked to collect all at once. [Congratulations Lord, you have traded for 4,200 magic crystals, 10,800 wood, 5,400 stone.] !!! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Holy Court Novice Knight Set was sold, but the buyer didn''t use iron ingots for the trade, opting instead for the more expensive magic crystals. It makes sense, as Lords are currently rushing to upgrade their towns, and a small amount of iron ingots is manageable, but no one would want to part with three thousand iron ingots all at once. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Recently, Arthur hadn''t brought back any high-level monster corpses; he probably was leveling up by killing these ordinary animals. That Lord living next to Alex, who summons Red Blood Gorilla troops, seems to have been scared off from sending his troops outside his castle territory after Arthur killed a few of his troops. Alex guessed that once she upgraded to a town, she would immediately border him. If that Lord wasn''t friendly, she would deal with him then. Alex glanced at the current supplies in her Warehouse. [Warehouse: 12,910 magic crystals, 181 Essence Shards, 62,800 wood, 28,400 stone, 7,010 iron ingots, 3,800 food.] There were some other miscellaneous resources, but Alex couldn''t be bothered to tally them. The magic crystals from today''s equipment sale were enough for Alex to upgrade her Barracks again. She couldn''t help but feel a bit emotional; it would have been nice if the other party had traded with iron ingots, then she could have upgraded to a town directly. [Upgrade Barracks required: 10k magic crystals, 100 Essence Shards] "Upgrade!" [undead crystal: lv7 (unique Barracks)] [Level 7 Barracks can summon: skeleton, zombie, specter, death conqueror, gargoyle, bone dragon, ghost dragon, zombie titan¡ªeight major troops (random twenty), 7% chance of high-level troops, extremely low chance of Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 12k magic crystals, 120 Essence Shards] This time Alex was really broke, with only 81 Essence Shards left, and just over two thousand magic crystals, barely enough for a fraction of the next upgrade. The new troop, zombie titan, directly bolstered Alex''s undead army''s ground force, while other Barracks remained unchanged except for becoming more expensive. Sell the food just obtained! Upgrading the town required 30k stone, and because Alex used some for building the Magic Stone Pillar, she was still short by over a thousand. [Hamburger initiated a trade!] [One portion of food, trading for eight portions of wood or four portions of stone.] [Remaining quantity: 2,800 portions.] Alex still reserved a thousand portions of food, as it wouldn''t spoil in the Warehouse, just in case. She opened the trading post to check the orders inside, looking for Lords selling iron ingots, hoping to snatch some from the trading post. Alex searched for keywords, and all the orders that came up were for buying iron ingots. She scrolled for half an hour and didn''t see a single one selling iron ingots; they might have been listed but were immediately snapped up. The trading post was no help to Alex; it seemed she could only hope for [QuartzStriker] now. Sophie''s cooperation with Alex was still ongoing, trading two hundred iron ingots for three hundred portions of food, a low price Sophie deliberately offered to please Alex. Including the two thousand iron ingots Sophie hadn''t processed yet, that totaled nine thousand for Alex. If Sophie traded two hundred a day, it would take five days to gather enough iron ingots... Too slow, not good. See if [QuartzStriker] could be negotiated with to prioritize trading 1,000 iron ingots to her. No time like the present, Alex immediately clicked on [QuartzStriker]''s chat box and sent a message to Sophie. Chapter 50: Hobgoblin [Hamburger]: "How many iron ingots do you have right now? Could you lend me a thousand for now?"Meanwhile, Sophie, who was daydreaming, received Alex''s message and was pleasantly surprised. "Ah! Big Shot actually messaged me first!" Is Big Shot just a thousand short of upgrading to a town? Sophie checked her Warehouse for iron ingots. With the increasing number of dwarves, the production of iron ingots naturally increased. Now, Sophie''s furnace could produce up to eight hundred iron ingots a day (since currently, the dwarves could only mine eight hundred unprocessed iron ores daily). Sophie had unlocked her furnace on the second day, and now on the fifth day, she had produced just under three thousand iron ingots in total. During this time, she had used some to buy elite food and various supplies, leaving only seven hundred in her Warehouse. Sophie''s furnace efficiency could smelt three thousand iron ingots a day, and with the two thousand unprocessed ores at Alex''s place, plus Sophie''s daily production of eight hundred, she could smelt them all by evening. This was Big Shot''s only request to her so far; if she refused, Sophie felt that all her previous efforts to please Hamburger would have been in vain. Absolutely not! After calculating, Sophie immediately replied to Alex. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I don''t have enough iron ingots in my Warehouse right now, but I''ll send you all the remaining ones by tonight!" Alex didn''t expect Sophie to be so accommodating and agreed right away. [Hamburger]: "Thanks a lot!" [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, you don''t need to be polite with me!" Alex didn''t reply to Sophie again. She leisurely walked around the yard, practicing her control over fire magic. Small fireballs appeared on her fingertips, tossed back and forth like a baseball. [Your troops have successfully killed a lv6 Hobgoblin, gaining sixty experience points.] [Your troops have successfully killed a lv6 Red Blood Gorilla, gaining sixty experience points.] !!! Hobgoblin? Alex was surprised to encounter a Hobgoblin here. Wait, Red Blood Gorilla... isn''t that the troop of the Lord named [King Kong]? That''s the lord near Alex''s castle whose troops were previously killed by Arthur, causing that lord to curse loudly in the World Chat. How come the messages about killing a Hobgoblin and a Red Blood Gorilla came at the same time? Could it be... Meanwhile, in the unfortunate King Kong''s castle, Chi-Chi looked at the system''s notifications and was already getting furious. [Your lv6 Red Blood Gorilla has been killed by a lv7 Hobgoblin!] [Your lv5 Red Blood Gorilla has been killed by an enemy Lord!] Chi-Chi''s mentality was breaking down. Red Blood Gorillas could only summon two per day, and by today, the fifth day, there were only ten in total. Previously, four were killed by an unknown Lord, and now two more had died, leaving only the last four. ???¦®????.??? Chi-Chi, who just started ninth grade this year, unlike other girls who liked various cosmetics, chasing celebrities, or discussing which male classmate was handsome, had always been a fan of the anime character Goku. When the game descended into the real world, Chi-Chi was still sleeping at home. So, she did nothing during the six hours of preparation time and came to this Eldoria continent wearing a cartoon pajama. After arriving, Chi-Chi wanted to name her castle after Goku. However, she found these names were already taken by other Lords. Eventually, she noticed her summoned Red Blood Gorillas resembled King Kong, so she named her castle after King Kong. "Damn it, it must be that Lord again, so annoying. What the heck is a Hobgoblin?" Chi-Chi had always been very cautious, especially at night, never encountering any high-level monsters, which made her think her starting location was relatively safe. Since the last time another Lord killed four of her Red Blood Gorillas, Chi-Chi started sending her troops out in turns to hunt, two monkeys per team. Unfortunately, two of the Red Blood Gorillas outside died today. Chi-Chi looked at the last four Red Blood Gorillas in her castle, one of which was lucky enough to have survived from the first day and had reached lv7. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Chi-Chi''s castle was upgraded to lv3, she drew a piece of equipment that Alex had been longing for¡ªthe ability to fly by summoning a cloud that one could stand on and fly in the sky. Chi-Chi called it the Flying Nimbus. "Let''s go, time for revenge. A lv7 Hobgoblin dares to kill my troops!" Chi-Chi immediately led the four Red Blood Gorillas towards the direction where the other two had died. With one lv7 and the rest lv6, Chi-Chi didn''t believe they couldn''t kill a single lv7 Hobgoblin. Chi-Chi guessed that the Hobgoblin must be fighting with that Lord''s troops by now. When both sides were weakened, she would take advantage, avenging her troops and letting that Lord know she was not to be trifled with! Chi-Chi summoned the Flying Nimbus, stepped on it, and took off, with the four Red Blood Gorillas huffing and puffing behind her. ... [Your troops have killed a lv7 Hobgoblin, gaining seventy experience points.] [Your troops have killed a lv5 Hobgoblin, gaining fifty experience points.] The system continuously sent messages about killing Hobgoblins, and Alex realized that the appearance of Hobgoblins was no coincidence; her troops were likely fighting a large group of them. As for the unfortunate Lord''s troops that were mistakenly killed, well, that''s just bad luck for him. Alex, now intrigued, knew that in this world, Hobgoblins were much richer than Goblins, not just stronger. Simply put, Hobgoblins were the pro max version of Goblins. Alex thought about capturing a live Hobgoblin to gather some intelligence, especially since she forgot to leave a couple of Goblins alive last time to ask about the power distribution on Eldoria continent. And whether this game world was actually spherical, or perhaps it was indeed flat. Wait, why am I focusing on this? Alex called over a gargoyle, jumped onto its back, and had it carry her to the battlefield. Riding a dragon would have been cooler, but Arthur was hardly ever around, and it might even be Arthur fighting those Hobgoblins. Her undead had killed a Red Blood Gorilla, and Alex remembered that Lord''s castle was to the south of hers, seemingly closer to the original Goblin tribe than Alex''s location. Alex immediately directed the gargoyle to fly south. Chapter 51: White haired witch? Chi-Chi sat on her Flying Nimbus and finally arrived at the battlefield, only to witness a scene she would never forget.Below, over a hundred Hobgoblins were fighting... with a bunch of skeletons? There were also several huge skeletal dragons in the sky, breathing fire down on the Hobgoblins. Chi-Chi had always thought that creatures on Eldoria continent would at least be, well, creatures. Why were these skeletal beings moving? Chi-Chi recognized the bone dragons in the sky; those had to be that Lord''s troops! The last time Chi-Chi saw them from a distance, the impact wasn''t as profound as now, observing them up close, she realized just how enormous they actually were. Chi-Chi immediately turned around to see her four Red Blood Gorillas still running towards the area. She quickly flew back, shouting, "You idiots, do you have a death wish? Run, run!" Chi-Chi had a feeling that any single one of these troops could easily match her Red Blood Gorillas, and there were nearly a hundred of them. She looked back at her four meager troops. "You can''t get hurt, you''re my last hope." The four Red Blood Gorillas were quickly driven away by Chi-Chi. Driven by curiosity, she still stayed far back in the sky, lying on her Flying Nimbus to watch the battle. Chi-Chi couldn''t believe that those skeletal creatures were a Lord''s troops; they were incredibly strong! Fortunately, Chi-Chi was flying high enough that even if the Hobgoblins had anti-air capabilities, they couldn''t reach her, and the bone dragons in the sky seemed not to have noticed her either. Chi-Chi watched intently as the Hobgoblins threw spears, used magic, and wielded knives, torches, and hammers. Especially a giant Hobgoblin at the forefront of the group was much larger than the others, its huge hammer raising a cloud of dust on impact. Chi-Chi could feel its immense power. There was also a Hobgoblin wearing a strange long robe, holding a staff taller than Chi-Chi herself, constantly casting various spells on the battlefield. The skeletons were even more bizarre; Chi-Chi couldn''t even count how many types there were. And after being smashed by the Hobgoblins, they could reassemble themselves, as if they couldn''t die. Chi-Chi watched the supernatural melee between the Hobgoblins and the undead, realizing it should be called a magical battle. She thought about how her Red Blood Gorillas were limited to physical combat with monsters, highlighting a significant disparity in capabilities. At that moment, Alex was leisurely riding a gargoyle towards the area, not worried about the safety of her undead, only concerned that the Hobgoblins might escape. This was a huge opportunity for experience and resources! Quickly, Alex also spotted the green dots on the ground from the sky, which must be the Hobgoblins. The number of undead fighting the Hobgoblins wasn''t very large, about a hundred, mainly aerial units, all from nearby. "Hey, what''s that yellow dot on the horizon?" Chi-Chi''s Flying Nimbus was yellow, and against the dark, sunless sky, it was quite conspicuous. Arthur, who was fighting the Hobgoblins, had noticed Chi-Chi a while ago but since she didn''t show any hostility and her power was too weak, he hadn''t bothered with her. As Alex rode the gargoyle closer, she finally saw it clearly; it was a small yellow cloud, and there was a Lord on it! And why was Alex sure Chi-Chi was a Lord? Who else would wear pajamas here? Chi-Chi, engrossed in watching the fight, looked up and saw a nine feet tall creature with wings carrying a person flying towards her. That white hair was too conspicuous! Chi-Chi''s eyes met Alex''s. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Wow, what a beautiful woman." "No, wait, run!" Chi-Chi immediately turned her Flying Nimbus around to flee. The only humans who would appear here were those skeletons'' Lord. "Arthur, catch her!" ???¦®§®???.?§°? Alex shouted to Arthur, who naturally prioritized Alex''s command. He immediately flapped his wings and turned to pursue Chi-Chi. "Holy fuck! Shit!" Chi-Chi looked back to see the biggest of the troops chasing after her and cursed out loud. Her heart rate nearly broke 200, terrified by the chase. At this moment, Chi-Chi wished she could slap herself. Why did she have to come out here? Now she was done for. Whoosh! Chi-Chi felt a gust of wind above her head as Arthur''s massive form quickly overtook her and flew in front of her. "You better stop voluntarily!" Arthur''s ability to speak shocked Chi-Chi anew; troops could talk? Why did her Red Blood Gorillas only howl stupidly? Arthur didn''t want to grab her with his claws because she was too weak, and he was afraid he might accidentally kill her with his strength. Alex''s order was to capture her alive. Chi-Chi braked sharply, controlling her Flying Nimbus to stop in mid-air. The big guy was much faster than her; she couldn''t escape. "It''s not fair, why can something so big fly so fast!" "Spare my life, I won''t run!" Chi-Chi''s heart pounded wildly, clearly terrified by Arthur. A fifteen-year-old girl had never experienced anything like this. Arthur ignored Chi-Chi and stayed in the air because he saw Alex approaching on a gargoyle. "Put away your little yellow cloud and land immediately." Alex arrived and immediately spoke to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi looked back and saw the white-haired beauty from before. She then looked forward at the menacing big bone dragon and obediently controlled her Flying Nimbus to descend. Alex also commanded her gargoyle to slowly land, while Arthur kept his eyes on Chi-Chi, making her scalp tingle. Chi-Chi landed slowly, put away her Flying Nimbus, and looked timidly at the white-haired beauty in front of her. Alex jumped down from the gargoyle''s back, facing away from the battlefield where Hobgoblins and undead were still fighting. "You seemed quite bold when you were running away, said some curse words, I didn''t catch them, could you repeat them?" Alex pretended to clean her ear with her pinky, sizing up the young girl in front of her. Respected lady, I was wrong. I didn''t say anything just now. Please, overlook my minor offenses. Please don''t kill me! Chi-Chi, frightened, looked at the white-haired beauty in front of her, trembling as she spoke. She knew that in this world, there were no rules, and she could very well be killed by this person. Thinking this, Chi-Chi became even more frightened, internally trying to comfort herself. Chi-Chi, don''t be deceived by her beauty, she must be a terrifying white haired witch. Chapter 52: Submission Alex looked at Chi-Chi, who appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. She thought to herself, why bother arguing with a child?"Are you King Kong?" Just as Alex finished speaking, a Hobgoblin sneaked up from behind and launched a sneak attack on her. Alex casually threw back a large fireball, sending the Hobgoblin flying. "So strong! This is a white-haired witch! My mom said white-haired witches eat children. I''m done for; I''m going to die. What do I do?" Chi-Chi thought to herself in shock. "I... I am!" Chi-Chi stammered, clearly frightened. "Respected lady... you... you know me?" "More than know you, you cursed me out in the World Chat." Alex said teasingly. "Ah, haha, that... that was just a joke, yes, a joke." Chi-Chi forced a laugh. Alex wasn''t angry; she wasn''t about to stoop to arguing with a little girl. "You have two choices. First, Submission." Before Alex could finish, Chi-Chi immediately interrupted. "I choose Submission!" Hearing that she wouldn''t have to die, Chi-Chi immediately felt a lot more relaxed. That decisive? Alex hadn''t expected Chi-Chi to agree so readily. It wasn''t that Alex saw anything particular in her; it was just that she couldn''t bear to harm a minor. However, their castles were too close, which would definitely affect Alex''s development. If Chi-Chi refused Submission, Alex would have had no choice but to send her to meet her maker. Alex wasn''t a saint; if Chi-Chi hindered her progress, she would have to eliminate the trouble. In this competitive continent, Alex felt this was quite appropriate for the current survival environment. It would be foolish to hinder her own progress for a stranger. "Aren''t you going to ask what the second option is?" "Isn''t it death? That''s what they always say in the novels." Chi-Chi said seriously. "No, it would have allowed you to live a few more days." Alex spoke frankly. "That''s the same thing..." Chi-Chi felt like the white-haired witch was joking with her. "Name?" "Chi-Chi." "Height?" "5.1 feet." "Weight?" "85 pounds." "Measurements?" "Why do you even need to ask that?!" "Less talking back." Alex glared at her, and Chi-Chi immediately wilted and answered truthfully. "27 / 25 / 29." "A bit flat-chested." Alex commented. "What! I haven''t even started developing yet!" Chi-Chi retorted immediately. "Tell me about your own level, and the levels of your castle and Barracks." As for troops, Alex already knew about the Red Blood Gorillas; ten summoned in five days, yet Alex had killed five of them. "I''m currently level 4, my castle is level 5, and my Barracks is level 1. How about that, not bad, right?" Chi-Chi asked Alex, somewhat expectantly. "Pretty weak." Alex''s blunt reply threw cold water on Chi-Chi''s hopes. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Well, [QuartzStriker] has geographical and troop advantages, although weak in combat but can develop quickly. Maybe Chi-Chi''s level is what most Lords are at right now. "Add me as a friend." Submission could only be achieved through adding as a friend, a feature Alex had learned about before. A Lord under Submission becomes a territory of the other, similar to a main city and a sub-city, and it''s irreversible. The submissive party cannot defy the commands of their master, and if the master dies, the submissive party dies too, but not vice versa. Chi-Chi choosing to submit to Alex meant putting her life in Alex''s hands. If Alex died, she would too. Submitting to another Lord also meant losing the chance to participate in the All-Races Battle Royale. But this was trivial for Chi-Chi, as she hadn''t considered these things anyway. "Lady, what''s your ID?" Before adding as a friend, one must at least know the other''s ID. "Hamburger." "Ah! You''re the Hamburger Big Shot from the leaderboard?!" "That''s me." Alex nodded. Chi-Chi was shocked. The recent buzz in the World Chat about this Big Shot and the top-tier Lords all involved the person right in front of her. Seeing Alex''s powerful troops, it made sense; only a top-tier Lord could have such strength. No wonder she thought I was weak. Who would have thought that the top-tier Hamburger Big Shot would be such a beautiful lady! And she''s right here beside me! If being under the Submission of this Big Shot could be dangerous, then probably very few of the billions of Lords could survive. Chi-Chi quickly typed the nine letters of ''Hamburger'' into the friend search. [£ÛKing Kong£Ý requests to add you as a friend!] Alex clicked accept, and then Chi-Chi initiated something on her system dashboard. [£ÛKing Kong£Ý has initiated Submission to you!] Alex chose to accept, but after clicking accept, she had to enter her name. Alex signed a beautiful signature with her hand. [Contract generated, irreversible!] Suddenly, Alex''s system dashboard added a new section [Territory]. Curious, Alex clicked to see. [Territory Lord: Chi-Chi] [Strength: lv4 Standard] [Territory Level: lv5 Initial Castle] [Barracks Level: lv1 Gorilla Crystal] [Special Buildings: None] [Troops: Red Blood Gorilla] [Equipment: Flying Nimbus] It contained all sorts of information about Chi-Chi. It seemed the system was quite thoughtful. Similarly, Chi-Chi had some basic information about Alex, though not as detailed as what Alex had. "Big Shot lady, I still don''t know your name." Chi-Chi could have seen it from the system dashboard, but she hadn''t looked yet, and it was more polite to ask Alex directly since she was right there. "Alex." "Then I''ll call you Miss Alex from now on!" "Suit yourself." "Miss Alex, what kind of troops are these, and how are they so powerful?" Now free from the threat to her life, Chi-Chi relaxed and, upon learning that Alex was the Hamburger Big Shot, instantly became a little fan. "Undead." "Undead? I think I''ve read about them in novels, aren''t they like ghosts?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chi-Chi, being a ninth-grade student, had limited knowledge and didn''t quite understand what exactly undead referred to. "You could say that." "Miss Alex, can I visit your castle?" Chi-Chi asked Alex, now very curious about everything related to the Big Shot. As a territory, strictly speaking, Chi-Chi and Alex''s troops weren''t much different; naturally, she was part of Alex''s castle and could freely enter. "Let''s wait until the battle is over." Chapter 53: Promoted to Commanding level Alex turned to watch the chaotic battle between the Hobgoblins and the undead, and only then did Chi-Chi shift her gaze from Alex to the battlefield behind them.Standing next to Alex, Chi-Chi could catch a whiff of her faint body fragrance and couldn''t help but glance at her stunning profile. It''s true what they say, comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable. Miss Alex is not only beautiful but also incredibly powerful. Alex stood at the edge of the battlefield, watching calmly. Although Chi-Chi was nervous, she tried to appear composed next to Alex. If any reckless Hobgoblin dared to attack Alex, it would be met with a fireball and sent flying. Alex noticed that most of these Hobgoblins were just standard level, except for the strong, bulky Hobgoblin and a Hobgoblin mage at the center, both at Commanding level. Alex informally referred to the bulky one as "Big Guy." This Big Guy was quite dumb, lacking any means to attack from the air, making it an easy target for the bone dragons. The Hobgoblin Mage was somewhat more capable, not only able to shoot fireballs but also able to summon a barrier. When the barrier hit the ground, it created a shockwave that could shield nearby Hobgoblin allies¡ªa useful support skill. However, that was about it. It seemed that once the barrier took enough damage, it would shatter, proving ineffective against the undead. If it weren''t for the presence of two Commanding level Hobgoblins among their ranks, and the absence of any Commanding level undead arriving yet, these Hobgoblins would have been wiped out already. "Go fetch the Ethereal Wraith," Alex instructed the gargoyle that had served as her mount, which immediately flew off. It wasn''t that Alex didn''t want to call another Commanding level Skeletal Demon; it''s just that the creature was too slow. By the time it would arrive, it might well be dawn the next day. "Miss Alex, that big Hobgoblin seems to be charging towards us!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, noticing the Big Guy breaking through the undead''s lines and heading straight for them. Relying on its Commanding level attributes, the Big Guy bulldozed its way through, scattering the undead blocking its path and resisting the Phantoms'' mental attacks with the shield provided by the Hobgoblin Mage, all while advancing through the bone dragons'' flames. "Step aside," Alex said calmly. "Ah, okay." Alex gently pushed Chi-Chi back and stepped forward, raising her right hand towards the charging Big Guy. Do you think it''s nighttime? You''ve messed with the wrong person! A magic circle appeared on the ground right in front of the Big Guy, perfectly sized to encompass it. Unaware or perhaps undeterred, the Big Guy stepped right into the magic circle. As soon as its entire body was inside, the ground''s fire elements rapidly converged, and a massive pillar of fire shot up, engulfing the Big Guy completely. Alex''s Mana Points visibly decreased at a rapid rate. Soon, the protective shield the Hobgoblin Mage had provided shattered under the excessive damage, and the Big Guy, engulfed in flames, endured Alex''s magic thanks to its own physical resilience and defense. Only a few hairs on its head were singed¡ªthough perhaps not only those. As the Big Guy stepped out of the magic circle, Alex clenched her fist, and the red magic circle on the ground darkened, losing its brightness. The flames turned into eerie black fire, and the Big Guy screamed in agony, falling to its knees. The black flames disappeared almost instantly because the Mana Points Alex used were enormously draining; just that brief moment had nearly depleted her reserves. As the flames dissipated, the Big Guy was left kneeling, screaming in pain, its body still burning with black flames that it couldn''t extinguish no matter what it tried. "So powerful!" Chi-Chi watched in awe as Alex effortlessly handled the situation with a single skill. The Big Guy, clearly the leader of the Hobgoblins, was brought down by Alex in one move. "Arthur, finish it off!" Alex called out to Arthur in the sky. If Arthur made the kill, both he and Alex would gain experience. If Alex did it alone, only she would benefit, which would be a loss. Besides, the main reason was that Alex was out of mana. Arthur, hearing Alex''s call, unleashed a Nether Dragon Breath. Just as it was about to hit the Hobgoblin Big Guy, Alex withdrew the black flames from its body. Seeing the black flames disappear, the Big Guy tried to get up and flee, but Arthur''s dragon breath arrived too swiftly, freezing it into an ice sculpture and extinguishing its soul instantly. [Your troops have successfully killed a lv1 Commanding level Hobgoblin Brute, gaining 120 experience points.] "It''sover," Alex informed Chi-Chi, who finally breathed a sigh of relief. In the distance, the Hobgoblin Mage, seeing how easily the Hobgoblin Brute was dispatched by the white-haired human girl, immediately started its escape. However, lacking the brute''s size and defense, and knowing only a fireball spell and a shield spell, it couldn''t break through like the Hobgoblin Brute. Even though it knew magic, there would come a moment when its Mana Points ran out. Just then, the gargoyle returned, accompanied by a Commanding level Ethereal Wraith. The efficiency was quite impressive. The Ethereal Wraith immediately spotted the strongest Hobgoblin Mage below. Seeing the Hobgoblin Mage attempting to flee, the Ethereal Wraith launched its ability, Soul Curse. A black chain made of soul energy shot towards the Hobgoblin Mage. Although the mage was intent on escaping, it kept a vigilant watch on its surroundings and saw the attack coming. Without hesitation, it cast a shield spell on itself. What the Hobgoblin Mage didn''t expect was that the black chain was intangible, passing right through its magical barrier and striking it directly. The mage felt as if its soul was being torn apart, a powerful Mind attack that it had no way of anticipating. The Hobgoblin Mage spat out a mouthful of green blood inside its barrier and then fell to the ground lifeless, the magical barrier dissipating with its death. So powerful, is this what a Commanding level mind attack looks like? Alex felt a slight shock. [Your troops have successfully killed a lv1 Hobgoblin mage, gaining 120 experience points.] It might have been the Hobgoblin mage''s frail body that led to its instant defeat by the Ethereal Wraith. But wait, aren''t mages supposed to have strong mental powers? It turns out that the Hobgoblin mage had already depleted its Mana Points and was overexerting its mental strength to cast spells, which made it particularly vulnerable when the Ethereal Wraith, who specializes in soul attacks, struck. Chi-Chi watched in awe. The two strongest Hobgoblins were dead just like that? With the Ethereal Wraith joining the fray, the standard Hobgoblins were even less of a challenge, easily obliterated by a single mental attack. Moreover, Ethereal Wraiths, unlike other undead, are inherently intelligent, making them much easier for Alex to command. "Remember to leave a few alive!" Alex shouted. The undead understood and began a one-sided slaughter of the Hobgoblins. Ten minutes later, Alex finally achieved a level up. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 Commanding level (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 250] [Mana Points: 120] [Strength: 65] [Stamina: 62] [Agility: 66] Sweet! As expected, advancing to Commanding level significantly boosted her attributes, with each increasing by about 15 points. Her health alone had increased by 50 points, and her Mana Points by 20. It was fantastic. After this enhancement, it seemed that among her undead peers, only Arthur had higher attributes than Alex. This at least proved that Alex''s growth potential was high. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? She couldn''t guarantee she was at a Divine level, but her attributes were currently better than those of a same-level bone dragon, whose growth limit was at the Emperor level. [Congratulations Lord on reaching lv1 Commanding level, Companion Weapon [Grim Reaper''s Scythe] will also advance.] So this is what a Companion Weapon means? It will advance as Alex levels up. When Alex was at Standard level, the scythe was at Commanding level. Now that Alex herself is at Commanding level, does that mean the scythe has become King gear? Dare to dream bigger, when Alex breaks through to Monarch level, does it mean she will directly obtain a Divine gear? Wow, just thinking about it is exciting. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Monarch level weapon (upgradable)] [Soul Concentration: 12%] [Active Skill: Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 3), Dark Magic (Tier 2)] [Passive Skill1: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects, victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.] [Passive Skill2: The weapon can be enchanted with magic, no chanting or magic circle needed.] Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 3): Can summon two of the four basic troops each time, with unchanged Mana Points consumption. Indeed, it has become a Monarch level weapon! Not only have the magic levels been upgraded by one tier, but it also gained an additional passive skill. This Passive Skill essentially cancels the casting delay, no need to foolishly stand still while casting. Undead Summoning Magic has also advanced to Tier 3, although it''s still not very useful. Although the variety of summonable undead has increased, Alex has tested that this magic will always produce two undead. That means using the scythe''s Undead Summoning Magic can only summon the four basic troops, and this highly unstable double summoning currently does not work on anything above Commanding level, making it somewhat useless. It probably needs another upgrade to become useful. Alex summoned a gargoyle, which is certainly better than two Skeleton Soldiers and a zombie, right? If Alex could describe her current weapon in one word, it would be: powerful! It''s just too strong! At the moment, Alex really wanted to play with her scythe, but with Chi-Chi around, she felt a bit embarrassed. A master shouldn''t casually show their trump cards, huh. They must be revealed at a critical moment to shock everyone! ... The battle between the undead and the Hobgoblins was nearing its end. Three gargoyles each grabbed a Hobgoblin by the neck, bringing a total of six to Alex. "Miss Alex, why are you capturing these Hobgoblins?" Chi-Chi, now seasoned by significant events, wasn''t easily shocked anymore and believed more in Alex''s strength. "Don''t you want to know what kind of place this is, and what forces and dangers exist here?" "Wow, Miss Alex truly is my idol Lord, I''ve never thought about these things!" Indeed, Chi-Chi''s thinking clearly lagged behind that of a Big Shot like Alex. "Alright, enough with the flattery!" Alex said as she watched the six Hobgoblins being dumped on the ground by the gargoyles. They stood up instead of kneeling or begging for mercy, understanding that they might as well die than submit to the despised human race. Alex looked at the ugly Hobgoblins in front of her. They were about 2.1 feet tall when they stood up, barely reaching Alex''s legs. How to describe them? From a human aesthetic point of view, they were hideously ugly. "Despicable and foolish humans, we, the mighty Hobgoblin warriors, will never submit to you, even in death!" one of the Hobgoblins snarled at Alex, baring its yellow teeth. "Grant its wish!" Alex had no belief in creatures that weren''t afraid of death. A gargoyle behind her promptly grabbed the Hobgoblin''s head and crushed it like a watermelon. The warm mix of green and white splashed onto the face of another Hobgoblin next to it, which shuddered in fear. Even Chi-Chi, standing behind Alex, jumped in fright as if it wasn''t the Hobgoblin''s head that had been crushed, but her own. "I ask, you answer. If you cooperate, I''ll spare your lives." Alex''s voice reached the ears of the remaining five Hobgoblins. The one that had just spoken immediately knelt down. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk, respected human warrior, please spare my life!" "Traitor!" Another Hobgoblin that refused to submit tried to attack the kneeling one but was instantly blown away by a fireball from Alex. Half of its shoulder melted away, and it fell to the ground, wailing in agony. "My hand! My hand!" The screams of the Hobgoblin terrified the other three, who quickly knelt down before Alex. So there are those who fear death after all. Alex firmly believed that no intelligent creature truly wishes to die. "Good. First question, why are you here?" Alex asked. "The swamp''s Goblins were sent by our Hobgoblin kingdom to monitor the Frostwind snowy mountain. Today was the scheduled day to contact the Goblins, but we found their tribe annihilated, so we were sent to investigate." The kneeling Hobgoblin spoke tremulously. Alex understood the situation and became more interested. It seemed these Hobgoblins suspected that a nearby Lord was responsible, especially since Chi-Chi''s castle was close by and had shown signs of conflict with Chi-Chi''s troops. Alex guessed that the Hobgoblins had clashed with Chi-Chi''s Red Blood Gorillas. Coincidentally, Arthur and his minions were leveling up nearby and encountered the Hobgoblins, leading to the fight. It turned out the Goblins were just a watchful eye the Hobgoblin kingdom had placed in the snowy mountain, too weak to stay there and had to hide near the swamp. "What''s on the snowy mountain?" Alex continued her questioning. "I don''t know, I''m just a regular member following orders, that''s all I know." Alex suddenly wondered if the Moon Silver Wolves on the snowy mountain were also there on a mission, similar to the Goblins. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Do you know what the Moon Silver Wolves on the snowy mountain are up to?" "I know that. They belong to a branch of the werewolves from the Skyreach Mountains, relatively weak and probably also sent to the snowy mountain on a mission." The Skyreach Mountains? Indeed, behind the Moon Silver Wolves was a larger organization of werewolves, using them merely as cannon fodder. "How does the Skyreach Mountains compare to your Hobgoblin kingdom?" "Stronger... a bit stronger." "Hmm?" Alex clearly didn''t believe the Hobgoblin''s understatement. "Much stronger, much stronger than our Hobgoblin kingdom!" Afterward, Alex gathered some basic information about Eldoria continent from the Hobgoblins, though they knew little else. This world wasn''t a single landmass but was divided into seven continents, separated by vast, endless seas that only Divine beings could cross alone. The continent where Alex was located, known as Eldoria, was so vast that even the Hobgoblins had limited knowledge about it. According to the Hobgoblins, Eldoria had never been united historically. Although they didn''t know about the other six continents, it was likely that Eldoria was the most chaotic of them all. The most powerful forces on Eldoria included demons, angels, titans, dragons, and slightly less powerful races like humans, elves, orcs, and dwarves. It was said that the strength of humans wasn''t as simple as it appeared; the Holy Court''s influence, for example, spanned all seven continents of Eldoria. The dragon race even ruled an entire continent, and there were powerful sea gods in the endless seas. Of course, these claims were yet to be verified, merely hearsay. For ordinary lords, even leaving Eldoria continent was a significant challenge, let alone understanding the powers of other continents. Alex and the billions of other Lords were scattered across these seven continents. The native human populations of Eldoria viewed these Lords as extraterrestrial visitors, seeking to exterminate all Lords. Other races also saw the Lords as invaders from another world, harboring great hostility towards them. Indeed, Alex now had a basic understanding of Eldoria continent. Simply put, this game was a confrontation between all Lords and the native races of Eldoria, where ultimately, perhaps only one side could survive. The relationships between Lords and the native races of Eldoria were the same; they shared common enemies yet each fought their own battles. This information was quite a shock to Alex, and even more so for Chi-Chi beside her. Chapter 54: I said I wouldnt kill, but I didnt say my troops couldnt "Respected human mage, I have told you everything I know, please keep your promise and spare us!"The Hobgoblins thought Alex would ask them about the Hobgoblin kingdom, but she only asked for some basic information that any intelligent race would know. It made sense, these extraterrestrial visitors had only arrived in this world a few days ago, so it was normal for them not to know these details. The Hobgoblins had already decided that once they returned to the Hobgoblin kingdom, they would immediately seek help to avenge themselves. Among these extraterrestrial visitors, there were some with considerable strength, not as easily defeated as those around the Hobgoblin kingdom. Alex nodded, "Yes, I am someone who keeps her promises. I said I won''t kill you, and I won''t." The Hobgoblins were overjoyed, thinking the extraterrestrial human in front of them was foolishly naive. They stood up and immediately tried to flee. Roar! Arthur unleashed a breath of dragon, engulfing the four Hobgoblins completely. They didn''t even have time to react before their souls were sent to hell. "I said I wouldn''t kill, but I didn''t say my troops couldn''t." "Arthur, have the undead bring these Goblin corpses back to the castle." With all the Hobgoblins dead, Alex thoughtfully ordered the undead to clean up the battlefield. Chi-Chi thought Alex wanted the bodies for disassembly. "Don''t just stand there, let''s go!" Alex expertly jumped onto the back of a gargoyle, which slowly took off. Chi-Chi also summoned her Flying Nimbus again and followed Alex into the sky. Alex led the way with Chi-Chi following behind as they flew towards Alex''s castle. Now that Chi-Chi was in a servile relationship with Alex, which was irreversible, some special enhancements of Alex''s castle also benefited Chi-Chi. As Chi-Chi entered Alex''s castle territory, her Flying Nimbus suddenly sped up, and she felt her strength increasing. Chi-Chi quickly checked her attributes and exclaimed, "Hey, I''ve leveled up!" "Oh, that''s the special building enhancement of my castle. It disappears once you leave the territory," Alex explained to Chi-Chi, who was behind her. Chi-Chi was stunned again; she had never seen a special building before. Were their attributes really that strong? She then remembered she could access some of Alex''s information. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 Commanding level] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle (MAX)] [Barracks Level: lv7 Undead Crystal] [Number of Special Buildings: 6] [Troops: Undead race (unique troops)] [Number of Equipments: 1] Chi-Chi was dumbfounded. Alex was far stronger in every aspect compared to her, and Chi-Chi couldn''t even see what the special buildings of Alex''s castle were, only their number. Chi-Chi thought having one special building was outrageous enough, but Alex had six. Her strength had reached the Commanding level, and even her castle was at maximum level... This was a huge blow. Compared to Alex, Chi-Chi felt like a waste... The invisibility effect of the Specter Chandelier didn''t work on Chi-Chi. The moment she entered Alex''s territory, she could see Alex''s castle from afar. But the castle... why did it look a bit terrifying? Soon, Chi-Chi followed Alex as they landed at the castle entrance, where four menacing statues with bared fangs greeted them. Chi-Chi noticed they resembled the creature that had flown Alex here. They entered the castle gate and came to a courtyard with an altar the size of half a football field in the center. The skulls on the four pillars emitted a creepy blue light, and below was a pool of black, unidentified liquid. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? "You better not walk into this; if you can''t get out, I can''t save you," Alex warned Chi-Chi, who was staring at the Blackwater Altar. Currently, only the undead and Alex could freely enter and exit the barrier around the altar, and Alex wasn''t sure if Chi-Chi could come out if she went in. Alex glanced at the time; it was noon. She didn''t need to eat, but Chi-Chi probably did. "Are you hungry? There''s food in the Warehouse; you can take it to the kitchen and cook." "I am a bit hungry, can I really cook it?" Alex took out a portion of food from the Warehouse and handed it to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi, a bit embarrassed, took it and turned towards the castle. After a few steps, she turned back. "Miss Alex, aren''t you going to eat? I can''t finish this food by myself." "Alright, I''ll eat a bit too." Due to the Hobgoblin incident, Alex had been delayed all morning and hadn''t managed to deal with some supplies. Alex and Chi-Chi walked towards the kitchen while collecting the materials traded at the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 2800 portions of food, receiving 11200 units of wood and 5600 units of stone.] Once in the kitchen, Alex chopped the food into small pieces, threw them into a pot, added water, and prepared to stew everything together. "Given your age, you must still be a student, right? Have you found your parents here?" Alex asked, trying to make conversation while they waited for the food to cook. Alex, you really know how to start a conversation, bringing up such a heavy topic right away. As soon as she asked, Alex regretted it, noticing a flash of sadness in Chi-Chi''s eyes before she put on a brave face. "No, I haven''t. I believe they''re fine. Maybe they didn''t come to this world." For a child of her age, suddenly being transported to a strange world and being alone would undoubtedly be frightening and make her miss home. Unlike Alex, who had been an orphan since childhood and was used to living alone, and had already experienced one such transition, making it easier for her to adapt psychologically. "What about you, Miss Alex? Have you found your parents? Someone as strong as you could surely protect them." Chi-Chi, concerned about herself, also cared enough to ask about Alex. "Me? I don''t have parents." Alex''s response was startling. "Ah? I''m sorry, Miss Alex..." Chi-Chi realized she might have said something wrong and quickly apologized. "I''ve been an orphan since I was young, I don''t remember anything about my parents, you don''t need to apologize." Alex said nonchalantly, standing up to fetch two plates. She served the cooked meat onto the plates and placed one in front of Chi-Chi. "The meat''s ready, eat up." Chi-Chi began to eat hungrily, using the knife and fork. "Thank you, Miss Alex, you''re really kind." Alex also sat opposite Chi-Chi, leisurely eating the meat with a fork. "I''m not as kind as you think." Chapter 55: Shadowghast Knight and Black Warrior Alex had finished her modest portion of food quickly, just as the undead outside began to return, carrying the bodies of the Hobgoblins."Take your time, I''m going to check outside," she said, setting down her fork and standing up from the kitchen table. In the courtyard, the undead were methodically placing the Hobgoblin corpses into the Blackwater Altar. Given the small stature of the average Hobgoblin, a single gargoyle could grasp four of them in its two hands. There were only about one hundred and twenty Hobgoblins in total, each at least level 5, including two at the Commanding level¡ªthe Hobgoblin Brute and the Hobgoblin Mage. Alex surmised that these one hundred and twenty Hobgoblins constituted a complete squad sent to investigate the demise of the Goblin tribe. Due to the presence of only her and Chi-Chi''s castles nearby, and her castle being shielded by the Specter Chandelier, the Hobgoblins had failed to detect her fortress. Even if they had, it would have been futile; Alex''s castle was guarded by over two thousand undead, against which a mere hundred Hobgoblins stood no chance. Hobgoblins, being a technologically advanced but physically weak intelligent species, were no match for Alex''s forces, prompting her decision to transform them into ordinary undead. One by one, the undead enhanced by the Blackwater Altar emerged, each now above level 5, significantly bolstering the overall strength of Alex''s undead army. Otherwise, despite their numbers, most of Alex''s undead were only at level 1 and incapable of leveling up. At that moment, Alex noticed a particularly imposing undead climbing out of the Hobgoblin Brute''s corpse. This undead, engulfed in blue flames and wielding dual swords, was a death conqueror. Its body was larger, clad in black floating armor with blue flames burning within, and even its undead horse was draped in thick battle armor. If the previous death knights and death conquerors were akin to light cavalry armed with scythes, this Commanding level death conqueror was an upgrade to heavy cavalry. [Shadowghast Knight] [Race: undead race] S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 44+3] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 35+3] [Growth Limit: Monarch level] [Enhancement: Soul, all attributes +3.] [Skill: Death Charge] Death Charge: A charge initiated by an army of death conquerors formed from soul flames. The Shadowghast Knight was likely the final form of a death conqueror, now equipped with an additional skill¡ªa significant improvement. Alex then turned her attention to the undead emerging from the Hobgoblin Mage''s corpse, hoping for a grand slam. A thin mist rose from the small body of the Hobgoblin shaman, coalescing into a humanoid undead wielding a long sword, standing about 6.3 feet tall¡ªroughly the height of an adult human male. Could the size of the transformed undead be related to the size of the original body? The undead from the Hobgoblin Brute''s body was large, while that from the Hobgoblin Mage was smaller. Had Alex not seen it summoned from the Hobgoblin mage, she might have mistaken it for a mere zombie, albeit one armed with a weapon. [Black Warrior] [Race: undead race] ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 32+2] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 34+2] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] [Enhancement: Body, all attributes +2] [Skill: Vertical Slash] Vertical Slash: The skill activates instantly, tripling Agility and doubling Strength, delivering a downward slash that can tear apart both the flesh and soul of an enemy. Indeed, the attributes of the Commanding level Black Warrior were significantly lower than those of a Shadowghast Knight of the same level. However, Alex found the skill intriguing; while other undead had flashy attack methods, the Black Warrior''s was a simple yet potent slash, which Alex suspected to be very powerful. In summary, it was short-ranged but highly explosive. All the undead were becoming larger, except for the Black Warrior, who was an exception¡ªnot only did it not increase in size, but it actually became smaller. The Black Warrior wielded a narrow straight sword, not a katana, and its entire body was clad in black armor. If not for the strong scentof decay surrounding it, from a distance, it might be mistaken for a human. Just then, Chi-Chi, having finished her lunch, came out and was startled to see new undead continuously emerging from the Hobgoblin corpses in the dark waters of the Altar. She suddenly remembered Alex''s warning about the danger of stepping into the Altar, fearing she might end up as a pile of bones herself. "Miss Alex, is this also a special building?" Chi-Chi asked, intrigued by the structure that seemed to continuously summon undead. Each Lord''s castle had slight variations in its layout, and while Chi-Chi and Alex were in the same location, the differences in their castles were minimal. In other regions, most castles were built with materials sourced locally¡ªfor instance, [Flame Spirit]''s castle was constructed from obsidian, and [QuartzStriker]''s from stones quarried from nearby mountains. "Yes, it can continuously summon undead as long as there are corpses," Alex confirmed. "Cool, that''s so powerful. No wonder you have so many troops. How come I never get that lucky to have a special building?" Chi-Chi mused internally, slightly envious of Alex''s resources. Alex noticed something amiss¡ªthe one hundred and twenty Hobgoblins had transformed into the usual five types of troops: Skeleton Soldiers, zombies, specters, death conquerors, and gargoyles. Surprisingly, there wasn''t a single bone dragon or ghost dragon among them, even though Alex''s level 7 Barracks had already unlocked these types. Something must have gone wrong. Alex had been planning to build an army of bone dragons, but it seemed that plan was prematurely dashed. It might be a hidden attribute that the system didn''t mark, possibly due to the Barracks'' level being too low, or it might relate to the Blackwater Altar. Alex decided she would conduct her own summoning experiments next time. "Disassemble!" Alex commanded. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 120 Hobgoblin corpses, obtaining 118 ordinary equipment pieces, 2 Commanding level equipment pieces, 250 magic crystals, and 79 Essence Shards.] As expected, disassembling Hobgoblins didn''t yield any food, similar to Goblins. Could it be because they are an intelligent race? But then again, Moon Silver Wolves are also considered an intelligent race, and they drop food. However, it''s not entirely the same; lower-level Moon Silver Wolves lack intelligence, which might explain the discrepancy. Who cares about their food anyway? The biggest gain this time is these 79 Essence Shards. Chapter 56: Keep going With the Essence Shards now sufficient and only needing over nine thousand more magic crystals to upgrade the Barracks, Alex decided to sell the equipment first to earn some magic crystals. The remaining needed crystals would be figured out later.[Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One Standard equipment, trading for ten magic crystals or five iron ingots.] [Remaining quantity: one hundred eighteen pieces.] [One Commanding level equipment, trading for three hundred magic crystals or one hundred fifty iron ingots.] [Remaining quantity: two pieces.] Chi-Chi watched as Alex expertly listed these weapons and equipment for sale, feeling a bit envious. So this is how Miss Alex acquires resources? It seemed so different from her own struggles, where she labored daily for food and worried about her troops being killed. In contrast, Miss Alex seemed on the verge of achieving financial freedom. Chi-Chi couldn''t help but wonder if Alex had some secret system boost or cheat. Chi-Chi opened the World Chat to see the reactions of other Lords. [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Big Shot has listed weapons again, everyone hurry!" [Night Queen]: "Excited over a bunch of ordinary weapons, a bunch of mongrels." [King Kong]: "Look at you guys acting like you''ve never seen the world." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chi-Chi couldn''t resist chiming in. [BlackTigerI]: "@King Kong, did you find that bastard Lord who killed your troops?" (?Skipping several messages?) [King Kong]: "@BlackTiger, I suggest you speak with some respect. The person beside me is ranked in the top tier [Hamburger], I am now a loyal follower of hers, so watch your tone!" Chi-Chi, now a keyboard warrior in the World Chat, flaunted her connection, attracting more Lords'' envy. They all envied Chi-Chi for having the protection of a Big Shot like Hamburger. [NotARobot]: "Holy fuck, you''re so damn lucky, what kind of troops does Hamburger have, please tell @King Kong." [BaconWrapped]: "What level is Hamburger now? Damn, you got taken in as a minion by Big Shot, you must be a lucky star @King Kong." [Fuuuuuck]: "Seeing your good fortune makes me feel worse than if you''d killed me!" A flood of Lords joined the discussion, and the name King Kong was quickly remembered by many. Chi-Chi, watching these unlucky fellows, couldn''t help but smirk. They''re asking about Miss Alex''s troops, do they think I''m a fool? Alex saw the messages in the World Chat too, but it didn''t matter to her. The Lords who chatted here daily were generally not very powerful. What would a real Big Shot do? Would they ignore the World Chat? No, no, they would, like Alex, secretly monitor but never engage. Coincidentally, Sophie saw the message. "What! Someone became a follower of Big Shot before me!" "Ah, damn, someone beat me to it!" The dwarves working in Sophie''s castle yard looked at her, puzzled by her outburst. Are all human females like this? Sophie was fuming. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? How lucky was this King Kong to be born near Big Shot''s castle, while she only had rocks for company? When the dwarves sought refuge with Sophie, she had asked them for some basic information about Eldoria continent, even before Alex knew. Besides mountains, Sophie''s castle was surrounded by more mountains, hundreds of square miles with nothing, not even another Lord''s castle! No wonder the distressed dwarves all ran this way. Could it be that King Kong was an incredibly handsome guy who had charmed Hamburger? Yes, that''s possible. That despicable fellow, using his good looks to seduce Big Shot. If only she had submitted to Big Shot right from the start, now suddenly there was a competitor vying for favor! Sophie was still in the midst of a furious brainstorm. Alex and Chi-Chi were chatting in the hall, a rare opportunity for Alex to talk to someone after so long in this strange world. They waited for the trading post transactions to complete, after which Alex could upgrade her Barracks. As the afternoon approached, Chi-Chi prepared to return to her own castle. Alex courteously tried to persuade her to stay; after all, there were plenty of rooms in the castle, and one more person wouldn''t be a problem. But Chi-Chi declined, worried that her Red Blood Gorillas might revolt from hunger if she didn''t return to take care of them. Alex didn''t insist. Given their current location, aside from the frost dragon in Frostwind snowy mountain, there really weren''t any powerful flying creatures to worry about. Chi-Chi had her Flying Nimbus, so basic safety wasn''t a concern, but Alex still thoughtfully arranged for an Ethereal Wraith to escort her back to her castle. Knowing that Alex had arranged for a Commanding level undead to protect her all the way made Chi-Chi incredibly touched. "Miss Alex, goodbye!" Chi-Chi called out as she waved from the sky, with Alex waving back from the ground. Now, Alex''s undead army included five Commanding level undead, although Arthur hadn''t yet been promoted to Commanding level, he still possessed the combat power of one. Along with a dozen level 9 undead within her territory, they could perform at Commanding level capabilities. Alex felt completely unafraid of the upcoming beast tide in two days. With two days left, there was plenty of time for Arthur to be promoted to Commanding level. Alex collected the resources from the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded one hundred eighteen Standard equipment pieces, receiving 1180 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded two Commanding level weapons, receiving 600 magic crystals.] With over a thousand magic crystals now accounted for, she was only eight thousand short of the needed amount to upgrade her castle. Keep going! Ah, she had forgotten to change her clothes. The blood from the Hobgoblin had splashed on her during the battle and had now dried... Because Chi-Chi hadn''t left, Alex felt awkward about changing in her bedroom and only remembered now. Alex decided that next time she went out, she definitely needed to wear pants. Time for a bath first! After her promotion to Commanding level, Alex felt a significant enhancement in her physical condition; her strength had increased considerably. She felt that now she could do more than just punch a hippopotamus to death¡ªit was more like she could smash a car with a single punch. Alex walked into the bathroom, naked, and admired her perfect body in the mirror for a moment. "This body is just too perfect!" she exclaimed. Chapter 57: A very reliable ally On the fifth day in Eldoria, after her bath, Alex walked naked to her bedroom, unconcerned about privacy since she was alone in the castle.She casually pulled on a loose white T-shirt, deciding to stay in for the evening. It was getting dark, and she didn''t feel like changing again later. Although she didn''t wear a bra, she still wore something on the bottom. Alex casually put on a pair of cartoon underwear, and the length of the T-shirt perfectly covered it. As evening approached, Alex received a private message. It was from Sophie. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I''ve finished processing your iron ore and my own thousand iron ingots. Should I send them over now?" Perfect timing! This meant Alex could upgrade her castle. [Hamburger]: "Send them over now, thanks a lot." [QuartzStriker]: "No need for thanks, we''re allies after all." Sophie''s three thousand iron ingots were transferred instantly, two thousand from processing Alex''s ores and a thousand from Sophie''s reserves. Alex owed her a big favor now, highlighting the benefits of having allies who could support each other. Though Sophie''s castle was far from being upgraded to a town and she could have stored the iron ingots in her warehouse, her willingness to lend such a significant amount to Alex showed deep trust. Alex could have easily used up the iron ingots and ignored QuartzStriker, especially since they were already spent and couldn''t be reclaimed. But was that Alex''s style? Of course not. Alex was a girl of her word, not one to renege on promises. "Sigh, now I need to think about how to repay [QuartzStriker]. I don''t like owing favors." [town upgrade requirements: 50k wood, 30k stone, 10k iron ingots.] "Upgrade!" The moment Alex pressed the upgrade button, a blue light surged through the castle. She hurried to the courtyard to see the transformation. The castle had expanded significantly, growing from seven to twelve floors, and was now adorned with a faint blue glow that added a mysterious aura. This glow resembled the blue flames of the Shadowghast Knight and ghost dragon, suggesting that the castle''s architectural style was becoming more aligned with her troops. The castle was larger, and so was the courtyard, though the special buildings like the Blackwater Altar now occupied relatively less space. "Wait, isn''t it supposed to be a town now? Where are the other buildings?" The castle gates were open, allowing Alex to see outside, but there was nothing there, just bare ground. Alex had a sinking feeling and stepped outside to inspect the surroundings. The ground around the castle seemed to have been cleared by the system, devoid of any trees or rocks. "Meow, they just left space, and I have to build the rest myself?" [town level: lv1] [Health Points: 80k (invincible)] [town area: 2 square miles] [Territory Area: 6 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special Buildings: Maiden''s Wardrobe, Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Maiden''s Bedroom, Specter Chandelier] [Upgrade requirements: 80k wood, 40k stone, 12k iron ingots.] Reviewing the information, Alex realized that the cleared areas were intentionally left for the town''s territory. But as she was checking the town''s details, the system popped up more notifications. [Congratulations Lord on successfully upgrading your castle to a town, you receive two random special structure blueprints.] [Congratulations Lord on unlocking the town-exclusive building: Portal of Transit.] [Congratulations Lord on your castle''s upgrade to a town, you may now draw a random ability related to your lineage.] "Cool, what a pleasant surprise," Alex chuckled, pleased with the unexpected rewards. "I knew it, upgrading to a town couldn''t possibly come without any perks." Was it only her who received special structure blueprints upon upgrading? Chi-Chi''s castle was at level 5 and had no special buildings. The overall strength hadn''t increased much after upgrading to a town, but the accompanying perks were crucial. Alex was curious about the exclusive building: Portal of Transit. The name suggested some unique features. [town exclusive building: Portal of Transit] [Building level: none] [Feature: Constructs a two-way portal that allows free travel between the territories of the Lord''s allies and subjects.] [Building materials: 10k wood, 5k stone, 1k magic crystals.] "Damn!" Alex was initially excited but realized it was just a portal, and it only worked if the other party had the same structure. It seemed like a waste of resources, probably a feature unlocked by all Lords upon upgrading to a town. For now, Alex was likely one of the first Lords to upgrade to a town. Her allies were Sophie and her subject Chi-Chi, both far from upgrading their castles to towns, making the Portal of Transit currently useless. Thankfully, the territory hadn''texpanded with the town upgrade, which would have brought her closer to dangerous areas like the Frostwind snowy mountain and the Dark Forest. With the newbie protection period ending soon, any expansion could have been risky. .... First, claim the skill unlocked by upgrading the town¡ªthis is a great opportunity to get stronger! Although Alex doesn''t know what she''ll draw, the abilities are too many and too mixed to have any clue. But Alex hopes it will be an advanced ability that allows her to fly. After all, as a subject, Chi-Chi can fly, and it wouldn''t make sense if she, the boss, couldn''t. "Claim!" [Congratulations Lord on successfully drawing dark magic (intermediate level).] [It has been detected that Lord has already mastered dark magic (basic level), learning cost is halved, would you like to spend 50 magic crystals to learn it immediately?] Pfft¡ª Alex spits blood, her fantasies harshly slapped by reality. ????????.??? What bad luck, drawing a skill she already mastered, and she was so full of expectation. She''s also a bit confused about the ranking of the magic; previously, she wondered why her dark magic was basic level and her fire magic was intermediate. She thought it was because the magics were different, hence the different levels. Now that she''s drawn dark magic again, and it shows as intermediate, it means all magic categories are the same. However, one thing is certain, intermediate magic is definitely higher than third-level magic, because Alex''s Undead Summoning Magic is third-level and didn''t offer much of an upgrade. In contrast, intermediate fire magic can be freely combined with dark magic, showing a clear difference. "Learn." [Congratulations Lord on mastering dark magic (intermediate level).] S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This time Alex didn''t even see what the magic book looked like, just like the last time she mastered intermediate fire magic, and there was nothing unusual about her body. But her understanding of the dark element deepened, and several fixed skills appeared in her mind, making the use of magic more whimsical. She''s no longer just a weak mage who can only use Black Flame Blast. Dark Barrier: Uses dark energy to form a barrier, a defensive skill. Dark Corrosion: Uses dark energy to create a large area of black poisonous fog, corroding enemies while also obscuring their vision, an auxiliary skill. Dark Transference: Merges with the power of darkness, the body dissipates into black mist and reappears elsewhere, with a maximum distance of about 1 miles, similar to spatial teleportation but not as fast, basically, it''s a blink, good for both offense and defense. These are some of the feature skills, aside from the inherent offensive skills, Alex can even improvise. Now her magical abilities are more comprehensive, good for offense, defense, and support, and she can even wield a scythe for close combat. Although she didn''t learn to fly, being able to teleport is still pretty cool, definitely very cool. Alex suddenly realizes that although it''s the same old dark magic, it has directly boosted her combat level by several notches. Indeed, for Alex, dark magic is still a perfect fit. She hopes the last two special structure blueprints will turn up something good. Alex quickly pinched her breasts, even using both hands, having forgotten that this always brings her good luck. "Claim two special structure blueprints!" Alex frees one hand to click claim, while still pinching her breast with the other. [Congratulations Lord on obtaining the special structure wall.] [Congratulations Lord on obtaining the special structure defense tower.] Wow! Indeed, luck has improved, this really does bring good fortune. The defense tower is an offensive special structure, and the wall is a defensive special structure, suddenly Alex''s town is fully enhanced. [special structure blueprint: wall] [Building level: Commanding level (resources can be used to upgrade)] [Feature: Commanding level defense] [Building materials: 5k wood, 10k stone, 1k magic crystals, 5k iron ingots.] The building materials are a bit expensive, especially since iron ingots are scarce, and the fact that this wall is upgradeable is the most outrageous part. That means the wall won''t be phased out as Alex''s strength increases, but the upgrade materials will probably be difficult to manage, just building it requires a lot of materials. It kind of reminds Alex of some games she used to play. "Let''s check the defense tower!" [special structure blueprint: defense tower] [Building level: Commanding level (grows with the castle crystal level)] [Building limit: 20 towers] [Feature: Connected to the castle core crystal, attacks enemies entering the territory with magic.] [Building materials: 1k wood, 2k stone, 100 iron ingots, 1 Essence Shard.] [Note: Can only be built on the wall.] "Grows with the castle crystal level?" "So, a level 1 town corresponds to a level 1 Commanding?" This defense tower is nonsense, it can''t be built without a wall, and building a wall requires five thousand iron ingots, creating a vicious cycle. Sigh, it''s really impossible to get iron ingots without being restricted everywhere. Alex decides that she must find a way to produce iron ingots herself, although Sophie helps, her production is too low and not even enough for Sophie''s own use. Alex never counts on others, just struggling to find an effective way to produce iron ingots. Suddenly unlocking three buildings, Alex''s resources suddenly became tight. Stone and wood are also running low, and she needs to hurry up with the magic crystals. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] "Ah, is it already night?" She needs to hurry and have the undead hunt and gather resources. Arthur and the bone dragons'' upgrades can''t be neglected, hoping Arthur can smoothly level up to Commanding level tonight. Another day, and after summoning the troops, she can go to sleep. At this moment, the system notification sounds, Sophie suddenly sends Alex a message. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, do you have extra wild beast materials? Today I got another special structure blueprint, called the Blacksmith Shop, where dwarves can use it to make equipment, and it needs those wild beast materials." Alex is silent again, really lucky, if those miscellaneous items can be used to make equipment, the profit in it would be huge. [Hamburger]: "I have some, how much do you need?" [QuartzStriker]: "One wild boar tusk and any animal fur can be made into a piece of ordinary equipment, according to the market price of Standard equipment one piece of ordinary equipment costs ten magic crystals, you give me two hundred pieces, consider it repayment for those one thousand iron ingots." Two hundred pieces of materials made into equipment can sell for two thousand magic crystals, the market price of one thousand iron ingots is also about two thousand magic crystals, but they are priceless. Actually, Alex is still getting a good deal, using two hundred pieces of miscellaneous items to offset one thousand iron ingots, not even counting Sophie''s processing fee. "Could it be that I saved the galaxy in my past life? QuartzStriker is truly a very reliable ally." Chapter 58: New revenue model Alex was a bit puzzled as to why QuartzStriker was being so nice to her, almost to the point of being overly ingratiating.But Alex isn''t the type to take advantage of others. She sent over 250 pieces of materials instead, the extra 50 pieces'' profit enough for her to make a tidy sum. For Sophie, it was simply swapping iron ingots for magic crystals, no loss really, since she couldn''t upgrade her town anytime soon anyway, but upgrading her Barracks required a lot of magic crystals. Sophie didn''t lose out, but she did help Alex a great deal. [QuartzStriker]: "Dear Big Shot, you sent too much, I can''t use all of these!" [Hamburger]: "No worries, consider it a gift, thanks for your help." Actually, Alex could also collaborate with Sophie, leveraging Sophie''s ability to manufacture equipment, by buying up boar tusks and animal fur from the trading post and then reselling them for a profit. Sophie had thought of this too, but buying up large quantities of boar tusks and animal fur would require a lot of magic crystals, which Sophie didn''t have in abundance. Teaming up with Hamburger, using her funds and prestige, was a good choice to maintain a good relationship. So, before Alex could message Sophie again, Sophie had already shared her thoughts. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, we can collaborate, buy up boar tusks and animal fur in bulk at the trading post, then resell them for a profit. The dwarves can craft equipment quickly; a hundred dwarves working together can produce thousands of items in an hour." [Hamburger]: "Sounds good, I was thinking the same. How shall we split the profits?" [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I don''t have the magic crystals needed for buying, you''ll need to handle that. How about we split the profits fifty-fifty?" [Hamburger]: "Sounds fair, thanks." Alex got a great deal again. Even without her initial capital, Sophie could have made a profit by flipping the two thousand magic crystals, though it would be slower, but eventually, it would still be a substantial gain. Of course, it might be three days later, or maybe two, when these Lords might realize that these miscellaneous items could be used to craft equipment, and then the prices would skyrocket, no longer as cheap as now. So, even though there was money to be made, timing was crucial. Alex immediately listed all her magic crystals on the trading post. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One magic crystal, trading for one piece of boar tusk and any animal fur.] [Remaining quantity: 4000.] Alex originally had 4980 magic crystals, but listing them all, both odd and even numbers, could arouse suspicion among other Lords, so she chose a round number. Even so, some of the top-tier Lords noticed something was up. Why would a top-tier Lord like Alex suddenly buy up these seemingly useless items? Even if these Lords guessed that Alex was buying these items to craft equipment, they were powerless to do anything about it because they couldn''t use these items themselves. Those Lords who noticed kept their miscellaneous items for the time being. The moment the order was listed, it caused a sensation among the other Lords, who began to scramble for the deal. These weaker Lords were very short on magic crystals, and seeing that two useless items could be traded for one magic crystal, they didn''t need to think twice. At this stage, where else could they find such a profitable deal? ???¦®§®???.?§°? They didn''t care what Hamburger wanted with these items, as long as they could earn magic crystals. In less than ten minutes, the 4000 magic crystals were snapped up, and Alex collected 4000 boar tusks and 4000 pieces of various sizes of animal fur. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex immediately sent all 8000 pieces of materials to Sophie, who would probably be working overtime tonight. [QuartzStriker]: "You''re so efficient~ It''s a pleasure working with you." [Hamburger]: "I have 160 more boar tusks left in my Warehouse, forge those too." [QuartzStriker]: "Alright Big Shot, you handle the sales when the equipment is ready. Your prestige is high, most Lords will think you got these from slaying monsters, they won''t think of crafting." [Hamburger]: "Okay." Then Alex took out another 160 pieces of materials from her Warehouse and sent them to Sophie. A total of 4160 pieces of materials, with a fifty-fifty split, Alex would get 20800 magic crystals. Suddenly, Alex''s Barracks could be upgraded again. If these Lords discovered that miscellaneous monster drops could be used to craft equipment, they would definitely raise the prices, and Alex didn''t want her business to be unable to continue after just a few transactions. Alex had a feeling that this secret might be discovered by the Lords before the beast tide arrived,and it definitely wouldn''t last long. With billions of Lords on this continent alone, it was impossible that none would discover it; that would be too unrealistic. Moreover, as the Lords grew stronger, the value of Standard equipment would inevitably depreciate. Even if the price of miscellaneous items rose, it wouldn''t exceed the price of equipment, but the final profit might only be one or two magic crystals, not like the current tenfold margin. By then, Alex wouldn''t be able to collaborate with Sophie anymore, as the profit of one or two crystals would be too low and not worth Sophie''s time. With that time, Alex could have her undead hunt and earn more. Alex suddenly thought that with her current strength, she might be able to take on the Moon Silver Wolf tribe. Their tribe was located in the snowy mountains, but Alex wasn''t sure of the exact location; she''d need to send undead to scout the area first to ensure there were no dangers before making a move. Moreover, it had to be done at night to maximize resources. Alex remembered that high-level monsters appeared at night. Since the Goblin tribe was wiped out by Alex, the Moon Silver Wolf tribe had been no further disturbances. Thinking this, Alex immediately summoned an Ethereal Wraith and ordered it to scout the snowy mountains for information. Firstly, the Ethereal Wraith could fly and was immune to physical attacks; secondly, being in an ethereal state, it was not easily detected at night. Most importantly, the Ethereal Wraith was intelligent and wouldn''t attract the enmity of frost dragons. Alex dared not send Arthur; if he unluckily encountered a frost dragon, trouble would ensue, as the two dragon-like creatures would definitely fight. Moreover, Arthur''s large size made him too conspicuous a target. Once the Ethereal Wraith gathered the information, Alex decided she would risk an attack on the Moon Silver Wolf tribe the following night. Ideally, waiting for a full moon night would be best, as all the Moon Silver Wolves could transform into werewolves. Although their combat power would increase, Alex would also gain a powerful group of allies. However, the last full moon had just passed, and waiting for the next one would take a month¡ªtoo long for Alex to wait. Alex glanced at the system time. "It''s midnight!" She walked out of her bedroom towards the Barracks outside. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon!] Chapter 59: Skeleton King "Yes!"Alex, one hand pinching her breast, now firmly pressed the confirm button. Originally, Alex planned to wait until Sophie had crafted the equipment and sold it for magic crystals before upgrading her castle and then performing the summoning. But now it was midnight, and there was still no response from Sophie, which probably meant a long wait. Alex didn''t want to waste time and decided to go ahead with the summoning herself so she could head to bed afterward. The Barracks crystal emitted a green glow, and twenty figures began to coalesce in the light. Another tall figure appeared, about ten feet tall, similar in size to a gargoyle but humanoid and wingless. Alex was sure this was a troop she had never seen before. "A rare troop has appeared!" Alex exclaimed as a figure wearing a crown and heavy armor, wielding a broadsword, materialized. However, inside the armor was a skeleton, not flesh. Its eyes burned with a distinct red flame, different from other skeletons, exuding an undeniable leadership aura. "Skeleton King!" Alex recognized at a glance that it was a king among the skeleton race. The appearance of the Skeleton King made the other nineteen troops seem less impressive, although the presence of two bone dragons and two ghost dragons was still notable. The Skeleton King, holding his greatsword, knelt on one knee and saluted Alex, with the other undead adopting a submissive posture. "Greetings, my queen!" The intelligent undead spoke in unison to Alex, who then motioned for them to rise and excitedly checked the Skeleton King''s information. [Skeleton King (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (Can be increased by slaying enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 12] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 8] [Growth Limit: Divine level] [Active Skills: Skeleton Fall, Soul Siphon] Skeleton Fall: Summons countless giant flaming skeletons from the sky, causing area physical and magical damage, Mana Points cost: 20. Soul Siphon: Drains the souls of all nearby creatures lower than its own level, causing soul damage while strengthening itself, Mana Points cost: 20. Similar to Arthur, who initially had one active and one passive skill, the Skeleton King had two active skills, both area damage skills costing 20 Mana Points each. "From now on, you shall be called John, and all Skeleton Soldiers will be under your command!" "Thank you, my queen, for naming me." Alex then led them to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. Knowing that Arthur had gained a skill during his enhancement, she was confident John would be no different. Alex let John go first for the enhancement, while the other undead waited. After about fifteen minutes, John''s enhancement was complete. Alex then allowed the other undead to enhance and opened the Blackwater Altar''s information to check John''s changes. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? [Enhancement: Comprehensive enhancement, the burning nether fire increases soul defense, hardened bones increase physical defense, skill breakthrough unlocked, all attributes +10 points.] Like Arthur''s enhancement, it was a comprehensive boost in soul, skeleton, and other aspects, also unlocking a skill. As kings, both John and Arthur received a 10-point increase in attributes. [Passive Skill: Breakthrough] Breakthrough: Allows all Skeleton Soldiers to break through their level limits. Holy fuck, this skill is insane! While it didn''t enhance John''s combat abilities directly, it significantly empowered Alex''s skeleton army. Breaking level limits meant that Skeleton Soldiers Alex personally summoned could now upgrade just like those summoned from the Barracks. With nearly three thousand undead under her command, and Skeleton Soldiers making up more than a third of that number, about 1300, the potential for upgrading them all was epic. It seemed Alex would return to her old ways of using weapons for summoning, as two Skeleton Soldiers capable of reaching Commanding level were far stronger than a Standard-level gargoyle. "John, your main task tonight is to level up and use the Breakthrough skill to unlock all skeletons'' level caps." The double experience at night was too good to waste. With low initial levels, leveling up was quick. Skeleton Soldiers could assist, and John could deliver the final blow if needed. "Your Majesty, my breakthrough skill does not need to be activated; the Skeleton Soldiers just need to see me to have their limits automatically lifted." John''s ethereal, raspy voice reached Alex''s ears, bringing more good news. "Great!" Alex slapped her thigh in excitement. Ouch, that hurt. She hadn''t expected this passive skill to be so user-friendly. Alex had thought it would take days to fully unlock so many skeletons, but this saved a tremendous amount of time. A godsend indeed! With all undead assigned theirtasks, Alex prepared to head back to her bedroom for some sleep, hopeful that both Arthur and John would bring pleasant surprises tomorrow. "By the way, John, let everyone know not to throw animal corpses directly into the Blackwater Altar anymore." "Yes, my queen." As John left, Alex glanced at the system time; it was nearly 1 AM. She walked to her bedroom, stripped off her clothes, and lay down in bed, pulling the covers over herself, ready to sleep. Ten minutes later, Alex suddenly opened her eyes again, still reveling in her joy, finding it hard to fall asleep. Suddenly, Sophie sent a message. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, all 4160 pieces of equipment are crafted and ready to be sent to you!" S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Hamburger]: "OK, I''ll list them right away." Sophie was always a bit late, but Alex didn''t mind too much. Even if the equipment had been processed earlier, it would still take some time to trade, and who knew what time it would be when she finished? By now, Alex figured most Lords were probably asleep. Not everyone was like her, staying up until 2 or 3 AM, right? [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One piece of ordinary equipment, trading for ten magic crystals.] [Remaining quantity: 4160 pieces.] Alex felt that by the time she woke up, the trading would be nearly done. This was equipment worth 40,000 magic crystals, a peak she had never reached before. Every night, lying in bed, Alex liked to ponder life. Is this world really a sphere? If it is, there should be time differences, right? So while she''s sleeping, there must be other Lords whose day is just beginning? "Sleep, sleep, stop thinking about such things. What does it have to do with me!" Chapter 60: Moon silver wolfs lair [Night retreats, dawn arrives!]It''s Alex''s sixth day on the continent of Eldoria. The moment the system notification sounded, Alex was already up. As her strength increased, she felt her energy levels soaring too. "Another new day!" Alex started by pulling on a sports bra, comfortable and without clasps, then slipped into a black sailor blouse paired with a black pleated skirt, black tights, and black leather shoes. The first thing Alex did after getting dressed was to open the trading post to collect yesterday''s earnings. [Congratulations Lord on successfully trading 4160 ordinary pieces of equipment, earning 41,600 magic crystals.] Forty-one thousand magic crystals¡ªhow cool is that! Next, Alex relisted all her magic crystals, preparing to buy more materials. The Lords hadn''t discovered her secret yet, so it was the perfect time to use all her magic crystals to buy more materials at low prices and make a big profit. Only those who dare to invest can expect returns. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One magic crystal, trading for one boar tusk and one piece of any animal fur.] [Remaining quantity: 42,000 crystals.] Alex added 400 of her own magic crystals to round out the number. Sophie''s equipment production rate was about 1000 per hour, but unlike the undead, dwarves need to eat and sleep, so 10,000 pieces of equipment per day was probably Sophie''s limit. It would take Sophie at least four days to use up over 40,000 pieces of material, and by then, it''s likely that other Lords would have caught on to the use of these materials for crafting equipment, causing prices to skyrocket. But Alex''s latest listing had already started to raise suspicions among most Lords. Who would use 40,000 magic crystals to buy a bunch of useless junk? Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And the buyer is a Big Shot¡ªwhat does that tell you? These items aren''t junk; they''re treasures with some special use! Alex listing 40,000 magic crystals shocked the Lords. [BigEarBull]: "Forty thousand magic crystals? I''ve never seen that many in my life, and Hamburger is using them to buy junk?" [BigLemon]: "The guy above is an idiot. It''s obvious these items are important; we just don''t know their use yet, that''s why Big Shot is buying them cheap." [Green Forest]: "From my years of gaming experience, these materials are likely used for enhancing or crafting equipment!" [King Ultraman]: "Everyone stop guessing. These materials are used for crafting equipment, but you need special buildings and humanoid intelligent creatures to do it." [PigPeppa]: "Big Shot Ultraman has spoken. It''s clear these materials are undervalued, and Hamburger is making a killing. We should all stand firm and demand she raises the prices!" [MilkCoffee]: "Sorry, I''m just a bit short of magic crystals to upgrade my Barracks. I''m trading now. These items are useless to keep anyway. The beast tide is coming the day after tomorrow; it''s crucial to boost our strength now. Who cares about losses? If you die the day after tomorrow, you won''t lose anything. You guys can keep raising the prices!" [Thunder]: "Exactly, currently only Hamburger is collecting this resource. If you raise the price, won''t she just stop buying? Wait until after the beast tide to sell these materials." "I''m trading now, you guys can keep them in your Warehouse as souvenirs!" "+1" "+2" ... ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Phew, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Although these Lords had become aware of her actions, everyone was focused on the upcoming beast tide, eager to enhance their strength without caring how much Alex earned, as long as they made their own profits. It''s likely that after the beast tide, those Lords who survive won''t sell these materials anymore. Alex went outside the castle, ready to collect the materials and bodies. [Congratulations Lord on successfully obtaining 2k wood, 6k stone.] After collecting the materials and looking at the mountain of animal bodies piled up at the door, a massive summoning project was about to begin again. Alex took out her scythe and started the tedious summoning process. An hour later, Alex had successfully completed the summoning. After upgrading to Commanding level, she had regained the ability to double summon. Moreover, her summoning efficiency had significantly improved, no longer constrained by the 5-minute cd. This unstable summoning effect puzzled her. Perhaps these summoning effects were also related to Alex''s strength? That seemed the most likely explanation. It was unclear, however, whether the summoning effects would continue to grow stronger as her level increased. After a busy period, 60 bodies were summoned into 120 undead, with skeletons accounting for about one-third, or 45 skeletons. Although she could simultaneously double summon four types of troops, the probability ofsummoning a death conqueror was always much lower. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 40 boar carcasses, obtaining 1600 food portions, 160 boar tusks, 80 boar skins, and 45 magic crystals (double drop).] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 20 antelope carcasses, obtaining 800 food portions, 40 antelope skins, and 25 magic crystals (double drop).] With an additional 160 materials, Alex promptly stored these materials and collected the previously listed materials from the trading post. Even though all Lords now knew the use of these materials, they still completed the trade of Alex''s magic crystals amidst envious and jealous remarks. [Congratulations Lord on successfully trading 42,200 magic crystals, obtaining 42,200 boar tusks and 42,200 pieces of animal fur.] Alex immediately sent these materials, along with the freshly collected 160, directly to Sophie. [Hamburger]: "A total of 42,160 materials, take them and start forging as soon as possible." As she spoke, Alex also sent 1000 portions of food to Sophie, who would be busy crafting equipment for the next few days and likely wouldn''t have time to gather food. The dwarves needed to smelt iron ingots and craft equipment, leaving them no spare energy for other tasks. Alex sent her 1000 portions, enough for her and her troops for two days. [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you, I''ll get right on the equipment crafting!" Sophie, seeing the 40,000 materials, was as excited as if she saw 400,000 magic crystals waving at her¡ªhow could she not be thrilled? With 1000 portions of food still in the warehouse and an extra 1400 portions of food, Alex could trade these for some wood and stone. Tonight, Alex and QuartzStriker would reap 10,000 pieces of equipment, worth 100,000 magic crystals. Splitting the profits fifty-fifty, Alex would gain a fabulous 50,000 magic crystals, enough to upgrade her Barracks. Just then, the Ethereal Wraith silently flew back to the castle. Alex saw it arrive. It looks like it found the Moon Silver Wolf''s lair! "How did it go, did you pinpoint the location?" The Ethereal Wraith had just landed in front of Alex and bowed. "Your Majesty, I have located their tribe. The Moon Silver Wolf tribe is situated on the outskirts of the snowy mountain. I observed the surroundings and did not detect any dangerous creatures." "Well done, tell me more!" Chapter 61: Melee on the Snowy Mountain Alex listened as the Ethereal Wraith, with its gender-neutral ethereal voice, relayed information about the snowy mountain.The snowy mountain that unfolded before Alex''s eyes was the outermost part of the Frostwind snowy mountain range. The mountain itself was already massive. Entering deeper into this mountain range, one would find a world blanketed in snow, with countless peaks closely linked to each other. Between two mountains lay gentle slopes, creating a plateau-like terrain. It was high, but uneven. The Moon Silver Wolf lair was situated halfway up the backside of this snowy mountain. The leader of the Moon Silver Wolves had commanded their subordinates to build a castle at this mid-mountain location, while the rest of the tribe was stationed around it. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Ethereal Wraith had surveyed the surroundings but did not venture deep into the snowy mountain. The area around the Moon Silver Wolf lair seemed to have been cleared by them. After all, wolves are creatures with a strong sense of territory. From the information Alex had about the Moon Silver Wolf lair, seven or eight Commanding level werewolves posed no threat to her. However, she was unsure about the level of the Moon Silver Wolf leader; if it was a level 9 Commanding, that could be problematic. "Well done, you may go now," Alex dismissed the Ethereal Wraith, which, as an intelligent undead, knew what it had to do even though it couldn''t level up. Tonight, regardless of the risks, Alex planned to rally all her undead to strike against the Moon Silver Wolf lair. The reasons were twofold: to gather resources and to strengthen her forces in preparation for the beast tide arriving tomorrow. It was her last day to prepare. Alex had already encountered these werewolves; they couldn''t kill her undead. Even if the werewolf leader was powerful, Alex believed her undead army, with infinite stamina, could wear them down. However, she couldn''t bring Arthur and the bone dragons on tonight''s mission, only the other undead. She had initially thought the frost dragon she saw was an adult until she summoned the bone dragon. Arthur was much larger than the frost dragon she had seen, which she had attributed to Arthur being a bone dragon king. But upon seeing the bone dragon, she realized that even a regular bone dragon was larger than the frost dragon she had encountered. The truth was clear: that frost dragon was a juvenile, meaning there was an adult frost dragon on the snowy mountain! This was a critical issue to consider. Bringing the bone dragons could attract the attention of the adult frost dragon, leading to significant trouble. Soon, Alex''s trade of 1400 food portions was completed, netting her 3200 units of wood and 4000 units of stone. With all immediate tasks handled and nothing else to do, Alex waited for nightfall. As the afternoon wore on, Alex, bored in her bedroom, looked out the window and chatted with Chi-Chi to pass the time. Suddenly, while sitting by the window, Alex stood up sharply. A thick golden beam burst from the snowy mountain in the distance, shooting straight into the sky and dispersing the clouds. It was the first time Alex had seen the sky of Eldoria, a blue indistinguishable from Earth''s. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the clouds onto the snowy mountain, adding a touch of brightness. "What is that?" Alex had never seen such a terrifying attack before; even the mist between the snowy mountain and her castle couldn''t block the dazzling golden light. The holy light emanated from deep within the snowy mountain, far from her castle. She quickly summoned a specter to check it out, not daring to risk the Ethereal Wraith in case it got caught in the crossfire. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Alex sensed the terrifying power of that attack; apart from the invincibility shield provided during a newbie''s grace period, no Lord could withstand such a strike. An hour later, the specter surprisingly returned to the castle, much to Alex''s relief. "What''s happening on the snowy mountain?" "Your Majesty, I saw a six-winged angel battling a frost dragon in the sky. Below on the ground, countless armored humans and werewolves, along with stone giants, are in a three-way battle. It seems they are fighting over something. I didn''t dare get too close to confirm." The specter''s report shocked Alex, who then asked for more details. The strongest among them seemed to be the six-winged angel, responsible for the earlier attack. According to the specter, the frost dragon was severely injured and appeared to be no match for the angel. The battling frost dragon had a smaller frost dragon behind it, confirming Alex''s guess. The armored humans below were likely knights from the Holy Court, numbering in the hundreds. An apprentice knight was at Commanding level, so these knights were probably regular troops. Alex couldn''t imagine the strength of an army with over a hundred Commanding level knights. As for the MoonSilver Wolves and the stone giants, they seemed to be allied with the frost dragon, jointly opposing the Holy Court knights. The two sides were fiercely contesting something. The plan to eliminate the werewolves'' lair was now in jeopardy. Three thousand Moon Silver Wolves were no match for over a hundred Commanding knights. In the depths of Frostwind snowy mountain, at the center of the battlefield, the frost dragon was battered and bleeding, its wounds inflicted by the angel and quickly freezing into ice crystals. Facing the frost dragon was a majestic six-winged angel, two wings covering its face, two shielding its body, and two enabling flight. The angel''s face was obscured, but a rich golden light radiated from behind it, and the long sword in its hand exuded a holy aura. "Hand over the item, and I will spare your life!" the angel commanded. "There is nothing here for you, leave my territory!" the frost dragon retorted in human speech, its massive wings beginning to accumulate layers of ice crystals. Roar (Leave this place)! With a furious roar, the frost dragon also communicated to the smaller frost dragon behind it. Between the frost dragon''s wings, a blue-white light emerged, and it chanted in a deep voice, singing strange syllables. The entire snowy mountain darkened again as a fierce blizzard swept across the battlefield. The strong winds made it impossible for the Holy Court knights below to see, and in an instant, dozens of knights were frozen into ice sculptures, with even the allied Moon Silver Wolves not spared. Giant ice walls suddenly rose from the ground, encasing the frost dragon and all nearby enemies, isolating the smaller frost dragon outside. Roar (Go)! The frost dragon unleashed a massive breath of dragon, a mix of ice and lightning, directed at the six-winged angel. Chapter 62: Shard of the Frost Heart The little frost dragon roared angrily, glanced at the frost dragon trapped by the ice wall, and turned to fly directly towards the outside of the snowy mountain.Alex had been standing at the window, her gaze fixed in the direction of the snowy mountain. She sent out a few specters to secretly check the situation, waiting for the final outcome of this great battle. Maybe she could even pick up some leftovers on the snowy mountain¡ªthere had to be some corpses after such a fight, right? Alex didn''t dare hope for more; she was just there to collect the bodies. That wasn''t too much to ask, was it? The golden light on the snowy mountain lit up again, and this time, even from a distance, Alex could clearly see a golden holy sword forming in the sky and plunging straight into the snowy mountain. A huge golden ripple spread out from within the snowy mountain, and Alex could even feel a slight tremor coming from the ground. "What kind of power does this angel have? This is terrifying!" Those two specters actually survived? Alex had thought the specters she sent out would be killed by the shockwave, but it seems she was wrong. The specters, being intelligent, had hidden away in advance when they saw the danger. It might also be that the angel''s attack didn''t include mind damage, which is why the two specters were spared. Suddenly, Alex saw a blue figure flying towards her castle from the sky. "Holy fuck, why is this frost dragon flying towards the castle!" The little frost dragon had seen Alex''s castle before and knew a bit about these extraterrestrial visitors'' castles, which don''t change location. Even if it couldn''t see Alex''s castle on its way, it firmly believed her castle was still in the same place. The little frost dragon also saw many undead, which it recognized naturally, and even a few bone dragons, a look of disgust flashing in its eyes, but it chose to ignore them. It wasn''t until the little frost dragon flew into Alex''s territory that all the undead realized this was an intruder and began to converge towards it. The little frost dragon had no choice; its mother had told it to leave, but where else could it go? The powers of the Holy Court on the continent of Eldoria were not something the little frost dragon could confront on its own, let alone the angelic race. Faced with the pressure from the Holy Court and the angels, it had no choice but to seek refuge with the extraterrestrial visitors, as there was absolutely no possibility of assimilation with these native human races. Although these extraterrestrial visitors were currently weak, they possessed strong potential for growth, and their castle''s defenses were astonishingly high. Even the little frost dragon''s mother had said that with its strength, it couldn''t make a dent. There were castles of these extraterrestrial visitors around the perimeter of Frostwind snowy mountain and inside it, but the reason for not choosing them was simply because Alex''s castle was the strongest. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeking refuge with the extraterrestrial visitors and hiding in the castle, neither the Holy Court nor the angels could do anything to it if they found it. But, what the little frost dragon didn''t know was that Alex''s invincible protective shield had only one day left... If the little frost dragon knew, who knows what it would think. At this moment, the little frost dragon was already nearing Alex''s town territory. Arthur led the dragons circling in the sky, while below, the undead crowded densely. Even the four statues at the entrance of Alex''s castle opened their crimson eyes, the statues began to shake, and their stone skin flaked off layer by layer. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Four gargoyles came back to life at this moment, all emitting a commanding level aura, flying towards the sky. With the enhancement of the Bone Throne, Alex''s undead included several commanding level beings, both in the army and the air force. The little frost dragon was surprised; it had only been a few days since it last saw these extraterrestrial visitors, and they had already grown to such an extent. If a real fight broke out, it might not be able to escape unscathed from the siege of these undead, even if it exhausted its dragon''s breath and froze all the undead. However, it wasn''t here to fight. The castle''s protective shield was right in front of it, and it could feel the infinite power contained within. The protective shield blocked it from advancing further. All the undead did not attack, just surrounded it. Alex could see clearly from inside the castle that this little frost dragon seemed to have no hostility, otherwise it would have attacked the moment it entered Alex''s territory. "I want to see your Lord!" The little frost dragon spoke in human language, looking at the largest bone dragon, Arthur. "See me?" Alex heard clearly inside the castle. What was this, seeking refuge? "Don''t fucking bring the angels here!" Alex was a bit panicked; if the angels followed soon after,she would be doomed. Alex stepped outside the castle, and all the undead voluntarily cleared a path for her. She stood not far from the courtyard gate, looking up at the frost dragon. The little frost dragon, seeing Alex emerge from the castle, immediately landed on the ground. The intelligent undead around did not panic, as their queen was still within the range of the castle''s protective shield. There was no danger. "Human, I wish to submit to you!" The little frost dragon''s words startled Alex, but she was too wary to believe in such a stroke of luck falling from the sky. "I refuse. You would bring those native human forces down on me." The little frost dragon was also stunned, not expecting Alex to refuse. After all, it was a noble dragon; why would it submit to humans if not out of desperation? But the little frost dragon didn''t want to give up. It had nowhere else to go, and it was still too young and weak to risk seeking refuge with other powers. The little frost dragon opened its mouth and spat out a shard emitting a cold light, and Alex felt the temperature around her drop several degrees, even feeling a chill. "I am willing to offer my tribe''s sacred artifact to you. The angels and those human races have been trapped by my mother''s magic; they do not know where I have gone, nor do they know that the sacred artifact is inside me. Please be assured." If it could prevent the angels from getting it, what harm was there in handing this useless thing over to the extraterrestrial visitors? At this moment, the little frost dragon was ready to risk everything. Alex looked at the mysterious shard on the ground; even the aura it emitted let Alex feel this was no ordinary object. It seemed the angels and the frost dragon were fighting over this very thing. This was a tricky item indeed, but as long as the angels didn''t notice it, it would be fine. Seeing Alex silent, the little frost dragon spoke again. "I am willing to sign the lowest level of master-servant contract with you, as long as you promise not to hand this item over to the angelic race or other human races, no matter what you use it for, I will not interfere." Alex immediately used her territorial authority to check the information on the shard. [Detected: Shard of the Frost Heart (1/7), would you like to collect it now?] "Can you tell me about the origin and function of this Frost Heart?" Chapter 63: Little frost dragon The little frost dragon didn''t understand how this human knew the name of it''s sacred artifact."Frost Heart is the sacred artifact of our frost dragon clan. Each dragon lineage has its own sacred artifact. Five hundred years ago, during a great war between our clan''s deity and the angels, the Frost Heart was shattered. Our deity fell, and the angelic deity was severely wounded and died shortly after. To preserve the fragments of the sacred artifact, my frost dragon clan fled with the pieces, scattering them across various continents. Subsequently, a great war broke out between the angelic clan and our dragon clan. However, our forces on the continent of Eldoria were not strong, and with our species being few in number, we were no match for the combined forces of humans and angels. Eventually, we were defeated and forced into hiding. The only function of the sacred artifact, Frost Heart, is to create gods!" Is this a piece of Divine gear?! Alex was astonished. She was only at a commanding level now; wasn''t it too early for her to be dealing with such things? In summary, the frost dragons, bolstered by their sacred artifact, were more likely to ascend to godhood than the Angel clan, or perhaps there were special conditions needed for ascension that the angels desperately needed. Alex didn''t know; these were all her speculations. Thus, the angelic clan, in their determination to eradicate any threats, seized the fragments of the frost dragon''s sacred artifact, giving no chance for a reversal of fortunes. But that was Divine gear, surely it would be of great use to the angels as well. As for why the two clans went to war, the little frost dragon was unclear; after all, it had been just an egg at that time, not yet hatched. "This is a piece of Divine gear, the very thing you''ve been fiercely guarding. Are you really okay with entrusting it to me?" Alex was puzzled. "There are seven fragments. The angelic clan has already obtained four. We fight desperately just to keep them from getting it. After Frost Heart was shattered, it lost all its powers and became useless to us." The little frost dragon was responsive to Alex''s questions, patiently explaining everything. Alex understood now; the thing was a complete white elephant unless all the fragments were gathered. With four fragments still in angelic hands, and their strength so formidable, it was impossible to retrieve the remaining pieces. No wonder the little frost dragon had handed over the fragment so readily. Wait a minute, seven fragments... why does this feel like a Dragon Ball scenario? As a condition of the little frost dragon''s submission, Alex was to help guard this fragment, preventing it from falling into the hands of the angels and the local humans. Alex boldly speculated that if the angels managed to assemble this Divine gear, they might indeed bring forth a new deity. That would spell doom for the frost dragon clan, perhaps that''s why they were so desperate not to let the fragments go. Since the angels hadn''t discovered her location, it wasn''t impossible to subdue this frost dragon, which would be a significant boost for her. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. According to the little frost dragon, the angels weren''t sure if there were fragments of Frost Heart here; they had just happened to find their lair, which triggered the war. So Alex wasn''t too worried about the angels sending a massive search party around, after all, such a powerful being couldn''t possibly be idle all the time, focusing only on the snowy mountains, right? The more Alex thought about it, the more the benefits seemed to outweigh the risks. At least she''d have a mount now, right? No more worrying about getting her stockings snagged by bones. "I agree!" As soon as Alex spoke, the little frost dragon bowed its head, and a magical contract appeared, as if it had been prepared in advance. Alex confirmed it was indeed a master-servant contract, then wrote down her name. The little frost dragon touched the contract with the horn on its head. The contract was instantly completed. Alex felt a slight soul connection with the frost dragon in front of her; she could kill it with just a thought. The life and death of the frost dragon were now entirely in Alex''s hands, this master-servant contract was essentially similar to a Lord''s submission contract. With the frost dragon fully submitted to Alex, the surrounding undead began to disperse to do their own things, and the four gargoyles once again turned into statues and returned to the Magic Stone Pillars. The frost dragon also felt it could freely enter and exit the protective barrier now. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? "What''s your name?" Alex thought it best to ask, needing something to call it by. "Pablo Alejandro Sandigar Valeriz de la Cruz y Fernandez III." "What the heck? Why is your name so long! Forget it, from now on you''re Ice Cream..." Such a long name, who could remember that! The frost dragon didn''t understandhuman culture, and to it, a name was just a label, so it didn''t matter what it was called. Of course, Alex wouldn''t tell anyone its real name, because she hadn''t remembered it herself. Alex looked at the Frost Heart fragment on the ground, covered in Ice Cream''s drool¡ªdisgusting. She didn''t reach for it; since it was entrusted to her, she used the territory''s one-click retrieval feature to store the Frost Heart fragment in her warehouse. Then it was time to check Ice Cream''s attributes; Alex at least needed to know its capabilities and strength. [Frost Dragon] [Race: Dragon] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv5 (Can be increased by killing enemies and growth)] [Health Points: 500] [Mana Points: 200] [Strength: 140] [Stamina: 120] [Agility: 100] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Active Skills: Breath of Dragon, Dragon Roar, Dragon''s Presence] [Passive Skills: Dragon Scales, powers of ice, wind, and lightning elements] It was a level 5 commanding level, and Alex was not only surprised by its level but also by its capabilities, which were much stronger than a bone dragon that could only breathe fire. Dragon''s Presence and Breath of Dragon didn''t need much explanation; Arthur had them too. Dragon Scales enhanced its defense, not only against physical and magical attacks but even somewhat against mental damage. And then there were the passive skills; Ice Cream''s attacks could carry these three elemental attributes, and it had a home-field advantage in favorable terrains. The most outrageous part was its method of leveling up. After being endowed with attributes by the system, it could not only level up by killing enemies. Its original method of leveling was still in place; even if Ice Cream did nothing, by the time it reached adulthood, its strength would still rise to Emperor level. But dragon lifespans were so long, meaning this growth would take a very long time. So living dragons were so much stronger than a dead bone dragon? Or was it just that this dragon was particularly talented? Now, with the situation on the snowy mountain unclear, Alex didn''t dare let Ice Cream leave her castle. Staying inside at least had the support of the Specter Chandelier, making it less likely to be discovered. Even if they were unlucky enough to be discovered, there was still a protective barrier. In any case, without absolute safety assured, Alex wouldn''t dare let Ice Cream leave her castle lightly. "You just stay in the castle for now. I''ve sent undead to the snowy mountain, and they''ll report back if there''s any news." Chapter 64: Inspect the battlefield "Yes, master."The little frost dragon was smart. Having chosen to submit, it naturally adapted to its new role, addressing Alex as its master. Deep in the snowy mountains, the sky was chaotic. A six-winged angel, its two wings broken, hovered above. The ground was littered with numerous angel feathers, still radiating a holy aura despite the turmoil. The massive body of the frost dragon lay on the ground, pierced through by a giant sword of holy light, its eyes lifeless, having lost all signs of life. The surrounding ice walls were also destroyed, and the ground was covered with countless werewolf corpses, among them the bodies of some human Holy Court knights. The battle had ended, and the Moon Silver wolf lair, frost dragon, and stone giants had all been slain by the Holy Court knights and angels. The six-winged angel paid no attention to the corpses on the ground and flew straight towards the frost dragon''s lair. "Nothing I was looking for?" There was nothing of interest in the lair, but he was not disappointed; this was just a chance encounter. "The contents of the lair are yours to take. Bring the dragon''s body along, clean up, and move on." The authoritative voice of the six-winged angel echoed from the sky. He had no interest in the treasures within the lair, but he knew the human knights serving him were fond of the gold and jewels. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, the knights on the scene had divided the treasures of the lair and left with the bodies of the frost dragon and their fallen comrades. As for the bodies of the Moon Silver Wolves, they held no value to them. Perhaps in less than two hours, these bodies would be completely buried by the blizzard, erasing any trace of the battle that had taken place here. They had other missions to attend to, and time was pressing. They had stumbled upon the frost dragon during their passage through the area. For these Holy Court knights, the Frostwind snowy mountains might be considered forbidden areas, but for the angel in the sky, it was merely a bit more effort. Alex had been waiting for over two hours, and it was almost dark. There was no more noise coming from the snowy mountains. "Is it over?" At that moment, Alex saw two specters flying back. She immediately walked out of the castle into the courtyard. Ice Cream, seeing the two specters return, also knew there was news from the Frostwind snowy mountains and raised its head. "What''s the situation on the snowy mountain?" Alex asked eagerly. The two specters relayed everything they had seen. When Ice Cream heard that its mother had been killed, it visibly paused. From the moment its mother had told it to flee with the fragment, it knew she was no match for the angel, and she had been prepared to die in battle. Roar! Ice Cream roared towards the sky, venting its grief and anger, determined to seek revenge once it gained enough strength. Alex listened quietly to the specters'' account, already knowing the outcome. Fortunately, the angel had not bothered with the fleeing Ice Cream. Perhaps a commanding level was no different from an ant in his eyes, or maybe he thought it was normal for a mother to sacrifice herself to protect her child, not realizing the fragment was with Ice Cream. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? After killing the frost dragon, the angel and Holy Court knights left, taking the bodies of the frost dragon and their comrades with them. When Alex heard that the Moon Silver wolf lair had also been wiped out, leaving the werewolves'' bodies buried in the snow, her interest was piqued. These bodies could still be of great use to Alex; there seemed to be an opportunity to scavenge. Wait, that''s odd. If the angel was after the frost dragon''s sacred artifact, why would the Moon Silver wolf lair also be involved in the battle? "Ice Cream, why did those Moon Silver Wolves and stone giants help you?" Hearing Alex''s question, Ice Cream looked up. "The stone giants aren''t very intelligent; they didn''t know the angel was after the fragment. They were just defending against invaders. As for the werewolves, they''ve had a deep-seated hatred with the Holy Court, sent to the snowy mountains from the Skyreach Mountains a hundred years ago. I don''t know their purpose, my mother might have known, but she never told me. But it''s certain their goal wasn''t the Frost Heart fragment." So, the Moon Silver wolf lair had reasons to fight that weren''t just about old grudges? Surely facing over a hundred commanding level Holy Court knights with only a dozen wolves wasn''t just a suicide mission. The Moon Silver Wolf''s castle was on the edge of the snowy mountains, untouched and intact. There must be plenty of valuable items inside, plus the thousands of bodies buried in the snow¡ªthese two factors alone were enough for Alex to make a personal visit. But Alex was still cautious, repeatedly sending out specters toconfirm the situation deep in the snowy mountains. Finally, when Alex was completely sure that the Frostwind snowy mountains had fallen silent, she decisively took Ice Cream and a host of undead towards the snowy mountains. Ice Cream wanted to return to inspect the battlefield, and Alex did not refuse. After all, it was currently her strongest force and a valuable ally. This time, Alex''s ride was different. Previously, she could only ride a hard, uncomfortable bone dragon; now, she could ride a real dragon. Ice Cream lowered its body, and Alex climbed onto its back, straddling its neck. The only discordant note was that Alex was wearing a skirt, which made the posture somewhat awkward. "Let''s go." Alex signaled Ice Cream to take off, bringing all her aerial forces for convenience. Their first destination was naturally the outermost Moon Silver wolf lair in Frostwind snowy mountains. Alex couldn''t help but suspect that it was the distance of the wolves'' den from the depths of the snowy mountains that had spared it from being affected. Alex''s castle wasn''t very far from the outer edges of the snowy mountains, and it didn''t take long before she rode Ice Cream into the snowy mountains. The sky began to dump heavy snow, and even Alex felt a chill. Ice Cream stopped at the mid-slope of the outer snowy mountains. Alex jumped down from its back, stepping into ten inches of snow that reached up to her ankles. Fortunately, Alex had some undead traits in her body, making her immune to the cold; otherwise, her attire would have likely led her to freeze in the snowy mountains. Looking ahead, there was a castle built of stone, slightly smaller than Alex''s town before it had been upgraded. "Go check it out." Alex commanded the two gargoyles. The sky was already very dark, and with the arrival at the snowy mountains and the onset of a blizzard, it appeared even more ominous. The two gargoyles landed, opened the castle gates, and walked inside. Chapter 65: Werewolves castle With two gargoyles leading the way, Alex followed behind and entered the castle, while Ice Cream and the bone dragons waited outside.The interior of the werewolves'' castle was quite different from those of the Lords from Earth. On wooden racks on either side of the rooms hung unknown black fur, and animal skulls were scattered in the corners. At the center of the castle stood something akin to a stone monument with four sides, each side having some rotting animal entrails placed beneath it. The pungent, foul smell made Alex nauseous. "It seems there''s no danger left in this castle." Alex instructed the gargoyles to start searching separately while she ascended the stone stairs to the upper floors. She checked each room one by one; most contained a pile of straw covered with animal fur, likely the sleeping quarters of the werewolves. After searching, Alex found nothing of value. Disappointed, Alex returned the way she came and proceeded to the third floor. As she entered, one room caught her attention. The doorway was adorned with two necklaces made from animal fangs and two fire pits supported by wooden sticks, flickering with red light. Alex approached the door and kicked it open. Just as she was about to step inside, a fierce claw strike came from the side. Fortunately, Alex reacted quickly, stepping back out of the room to dodge the attack. She saw her assailant clearly: a werewolf wrapped in animal fur, noticeably thinner than typical werewolves, with more vigorous fur on its wolf head and a protruding chest. "Female werewolf?" This was Alex''s first thought, having never seen a female werewolf before. "Human, I will kill you!" The werewolf''s voice was shrill as it crouched on its forepaws, ready to charge at Alex. Alex extended her arm, her two fingers hooking upward in a taunting gesture that seemed to say, "Come at me!" But in that instant, she activated a spell. The two fire pits behind the werewolf burst into flames, and two fire dragons emerged, engulfing the werewolf in fire. Only when Alex smelled the scent of roasted meat did she withdraw the flames, and the fire in the pits returned to normal. The werewolf''s charred body lay motionless on the ground. Alex stepped over it and entered the room. This room was larger and differently arranged from the others, even having a rudimentary bed made of stone, topped with dirt, straw, and several layers of animal fur. "This must be the werewolves'' leader''s room. Was that female the leader''s mate?" Alex searched the room but was disappointed to find nothing of value. "This is too poor." Alex left the room and continued her search upwards until she reached the top floor. The top floor had only one room, with windows on all four walls letting in the cold wind, and a thin layer of snow already on the floor. At the center, Alex found a human-height stone pillar with a red-glowing crystal embedded at the top. "What is this?" Alex approached the crystal, and a system prompt appeared. She tapped it with her hand. [Discovered werewolves'' castle crystal. Disassemble now?] "Castle crystal?" Realizing this was the core of the castle, Alex knew that disassembling it would likely cause the castle to vanish. She returned to the ground floor, refusing to believe such a large castle had nothing of value. ???¦®§®???.?§°? The gargoyles had already brought out many boxes, and more were being moved out. "Where did you find these?" Alex asked a gargoyle, which pointed to a corner of the hall. Following its direction, she discovered stairs leading to a basement. The basement was a large space with three passageways on the walls, all built of stone and covered with a thick layer of ice. "They even have a basement reinforced with ice. Are these werewolves too clever?" Alex didn''t go further, assuming this was where the werewolves stored their supplies. She returned to the first floor and began inspecting the boxes. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Food." "Magic crystals!" "Food." "Fur." "Essence Shard!" Most boxes contained food, stored in the basement for preservation, along with two boxes of magic crystals and one box of Essence Shards. The boxes for magic crystals and Essence Shards were much smaller than those for food, and the Essence Shard box also contained other miscellaneous items, possibly considered valuable by the werewolves. Alex didn''t inspect them closely. "Take these boxes back to my castle." "You, come with me!" Alex ordered the gargoyles to transport the supplies back first and led one gargoyle back to the top floor. Once again in front of the crystal, Alex commanded, "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled the werewolves'' castle crystal, obtaining 10k wood, 20k stone, 5k iron ingots.] As Alex tapped ''Disassemble,''the castle suddenly vanished, transforming into piles of wood, stone, and iron ingots scattered on the ground. The blizzard surged from all directions towards Alex, who quickly grabbed onto a gargoyle and flew into the air. "Phew, I knew it." Fortunately, Alex had anticipated this. The gargoyle gently landed with Alex, who immediately ordered the undead to start collecting the scattered resources and materials, then began transporting them back to the castle. However, since the materials were loose, transportation was a bit of a hassle. Alex had to wait for the gargoyles to bring back the boxes they had used to transport the other supplies. This would at least speed up the process. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] "Is it night already?" The severe weather on the snowy mountain made it impossible for Alex to discern the time of day; she only remembered it being very dark when she first entered the castle. Now, with the blizzard intensifying and the sky darkening further, she was completely disoriented. Once Alex had nearly finished organizing the transportation of the materials, she planned to proceed with Ice Cream to the deeper parts of the snowy mountain. From what Alex understood, the strongest entity in the entire Frostwind snowy mountain was the frost dragon, and with the angels and Holy Court knights gone, she was relatively safe for now. "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Chapter 66: Damn, theyre here to snatch the loot [You have a new private message!]Just as Alex was about to take off on Ice Cream, she saw the system notification and quickly opened it. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, ten thousand pieces of equipment are refined and sent to you!" That was quick. Alex thought she''d have to wait until midnight, but she was outside now and couldn''t access the trading post until she got back. [Hamburger]: "OK, I''m outside now, I''ll list them when I get back to the castle." Sophie couldn''t imagine why Alex would be out of the castle late at night. Do all the Big Shots level up by battling monsters at night? The gap is indeed big... Even though there were no dangers near Sophie''s castle at night, the timid her dared not step out. The night''s double attributes were for those Lords with courage, strength, and opportunity. But Sophie was overthinking it; Alex was only out because she had left in the afternoon and got delayed until evening. "Let''s go." Ice Cream took off instantly with Alex, and the gargoyle and bone dragon also took flight, leaving some undead on the ground to pick up materials as they headed deep into the snowy mountains. The blizzard at night grew fiercer, and Alex, in the air, could barely open her eyes due to the storm, trying her best to lie close to Ice Cream to minimize wind resistance. There was no moonlight over the snowy mountains, and it was pitch black all around; Alex couldn''t see anything. Fortunately, the reflection from the snow gave her some visibility. Lying on Ice Cream''s back, Alex turned her head slightly downwards as they flew over a snowy mountain, and she saw a monster on the peak with eyes glowing red. Because of the glowing eyes, Alex could only make out that it was a pair of eyes, but unlike Ice Cream, the undead could see clearly at night, unaffected by the darkness, and even in this weather, Ice Cream''s vision was enhanced. "What is that?" Alex knew Ice Cream must have seen the figure; this was its home, no one knew this place better. "Frost Sprite, a creature that only appears at night, wandering inside the snowy mountains, not very intelligent." Ice Cream didn''t seem too worried about it, so Alex didn''t ask further. These snowy mountains were not only full of dangers, but the harsh weather was also not something ordinary creatures could withstand. Alex just quietly lay on Ice Cream''s back, waiting to reach their destination. Ice Cream flew faster than Arthur, and with its attributes already higher than Arthur and the other bone dragons, plus the attribute boost from being in the snowy mountains, its speed was extremely fast. To hasten their journey, Alex had Ice Cream leave the other undead behind, with only Arthur following close by. Otherwise, waiting for the gargoyle to catch up while flying would be too slow and torturous. Phew! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two dragon shadows, one large and one small, sped through the dark sky above the snowy mountains. Even flying at such a high speed, it still took over two hours, showing just how vast these snowy mountains were. During the flight, Alex kept an eye on the system time, and it was now approaching 9 PM. As Ice Cream slowed down, Alex knew they were finally about to arrive. After two hours of flying, they could finally land. "Master, there are people below." Ice Cream immediately spotted several figures moving below, searching through the snow for werewolf corpses. The frozen werewolf corpses they found were set aside, seemingly ready to be transported away. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? How could a frail human lift a werewolf corpse with one hand? This was beyond Ice Cream''s understanding of humans. Alex was stunned to hear this; in such harsh weather, there were still people competing with her for corpses? "Holy Court knights?" If they were Holy Court knights, Alex would have no choice but to retreat, as they were dozens of Commanding, and she couldn''t possibly win against them. "No, they are humans but also not quite humans; I''ve never seen them on the snowy mountains before." With that, Alex understood. Damn, they''re here to snatch the loot! "Arthur, go!" Alex immediately commanded Arthur to test the strength of the opponents; after all, Arthur couldn''t be killed. On the snowy ground below, the leader, a man dressed in a black tailcoat, looked like a polite gentleman. The man directed others to search for werewolf corpses in the snow; they were far from the depths of the snowy mountains but had arrived earlier than Alex. The frozen werewolf corpses had already been transported back by the man, valuable items for them, which is why the man risked coming deep into the snowy mountains. The man''s keen senses detected an unusual sound in the air, and looking up, he saw a huge bone dragon descending from the sky. The man instantly dodged, turning into a black shadow. The huge noise caused by Arthur''s landing startled the surrounding figures, who all turned to look and, upon realizing it was an enemy, all transformed into shadows and attacked Arthur simultaneously. Only the man stood calmly at the back, watching everything unfold. Roar! Arthur let out a roar carrying the Dragon''s Presence, a massive breath of dragon that swept away the surrounding snow and snowflakes in an instant. A few unlucky ones couldn''t dodge in time and were hit by Arthur''s breath of dragon, their souls instantly extinguished. Yet many figures managed to reach Arthur and attacked him with sharp black claws. Arthur''s defense was already formidable, and after being fully enhanced at the Blackwater Altar, these people couldn''t even break through his defenses. Not to mention killing Arthur, they couldn''t even scatter his bones. "Commanding level bone dragon." The man quickly assessed Arthur''s strength. His own Commanding level troops had gone to escort the werewolf corpses and were not here now. How could there be a bone dragon, an undead creature, in the snowy mountains? This must be one of some Lord''s troops, the first time the man had encountered an undead creature. The man looked around; his night vision was limited, but he could still vaguely see a blue figure high in the sky. The man was confident in his own strength. To kill an undead, one needed a soul attack, but he currently lacked such skills. However, there was a quicker way ¨C to kill its Lord. The man had a feeling that the Lord must be on that blue figure. The man turned into a shadow and flew up directly. "It''s the frost dragon from the snowy mountains!" The man saw the blue figure clearly, and also saw Alex on Ice Cream''s back. Dressed in a black short skirt suit, with blue eyes and white hair. Definitely a Lord, the clothes completely out of this world were proof enough. Although the man didn''t know why a frost dragon would appear here with this human Lord, this frost dragon was smaller than the bone dragon and its strength couldn''t possibly exceed Commanding level. Chapter 67: Mysterious man From the moment he took to the air, the man didn''t hesitate and charged at Alex on Ice Cream''s back with his fastest speed.At that moment, Alex was completely unaware, only able to hear the sounds of fighting coming from the ground. Although Alex shared some traits with the undead, she didn''t know why she couldn''t ignore the darkness like they could. Suddenly, Alex felt Ice Cream move, followed by a muffled sound. Bang! The man hadn''t expected the frost dragon to react so quickly, and he was slapped away by its claw. The man dusted the snow off his clothes and stood up from the snowy ground. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ice Cream, what happened?" Alex couldn''t see anything and had to ask Ice Cream. "The figure on the ground flew up and attacked, but I slapped him away." Alright, Alex could be sure now; this was definitely not human. Ice Cream hadn''t sensed any magical aura or seen any weapons, which meant this "person" could fly on his own without relying on anything. "Ice Cream, what''s his strength like?" "Low-level Commanding." "How does he compare to me?" "Stronger than you." Alex pulled out her scythe, and her attributes doubled instantly. "And now?" "Weaker than you." Alex felt relieved and immediately ordered Ice Cream to start descending to assist Arthur. After enduring two hours of blizzard, Alex had finally made it here; she wasn''t about to let someone else steal these werewolf corpses. As Ice Cream landed, Alex jumped down, the snow on the ground had reached about 8 inches deep, covering up to her lower legs. Alex launched a fireball upwards, which exploded directly. The entire battlefield was momentarily illuminated by the firelight. Alex could now see the man opposite her and the figures fighting with Arthur. Their first impression on Alex was their paleness, too white, even whiter than Alex''s skin, an unhealthy pallor that didn''t seem normal for humans. The man wore a black tailcoat, while the other figures were all in red tailcoat, standing out starkly against the white snow. The fire magic was ineffective in this weather condition, the light maintained only for a moment before dissipating. But Alex still saw the frozen werewolf corpses behind the man. Alex''s left eye emitted a pale blue light, and instantly a magic circle appeared beneath the werewolf corpses. The man also sensed the magical aura behind him and looked back, only to see bone beast werewolves crawling out from the corpses. The first reaction of these bone beast werewolves was to attack the man in front of them. At this moment, the man finally understood why this Lord wanted these corpses; she could actually use them to summon undead! The man quickly dispersed the bone beast werewolves attacking him; their bones were restricted by the snow, slowing their reassembly. The moment Alex used her left eye magic, she suddenly realized she could now ignore the darkness! Everything around her was clear under the enhancement of her left eye, no different from daylight. As long as she kept her left eye open, she could ignore the darkness without using magic, consuming no Mana Points, only requiring mental effort. Although the vision was limited to one eye and might be a bit narrower, it wasn''t a big problem. At least she wouldn''t be troubled by visibility at night anymore. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Are you a Lord?" Holding her scythe, with one eye emitting a blue light, Alex asked the man in front of her. The man, dressed differently from the others, was clearly the leader of the group, while the others were all in uniform attire. The man, seeing the girl nearby whose aura had strengthened, next to a frost dragon he couldn''t defeat, and on the other side, a bone dragon that could never be killed, made a decision. "Retreat!" The man''s cold voice rang out, not answering Alex''s question, and all the figures around him turned into shadows, shooting up into the sky and scattering. With her left eye enhanced, Alex felt her senses sharpened and her body became more agile. Alex cast dark magic, her figure instantly turning into a black mist and disappearing, reappearing in front of the man. She swung her scythe, the large blade burning with black flames, slashing towards the man. The black flames formed a long tail as Alex swung rapidly. The man hadn''t expected the girl in front of him to be so fast. He lifted the tail of his coat, trying to envelop Alex with a large piece of black cloth. But the cloth was easily torn by Alex''s scythe, and the man grew long nails on his hands to block the scythe''s attack. The man was pushed back several steps by the scythe, a wound on his hand burning with black flames, the pain of his soul burning contorting his face. Not only that, he also felt his lifespan diminishing. Decisively, the man chopped off his injured arm with his other hand. The fallen arm quickly turned to ash on the snowyground, and the man, clutching his severed limb, disappeared from the spot. "He''s quick on his feet." Arthur, meanwhile, took to the skies to pursue the group. Ice Cream stayed in place, ensuring Alex''s safety. Alex''s scythe transformed into a stream of light and reverted back into a bracelet on her wrist. Unable to fly, Alex could only watch helplessly as they escaped. Arthur had gone after them, but the enemy''s flying speed was not slow, and their small size made them more agile. Even if they couldn''t escape, they could easily hide. It turned out that activating her left eye also came with hidden attribute bonuses, something Alex had never realized before, having only used it as a summoning skill. The snow was disturbed in many places, indicating that these people had been here for a while and had already transported away many werewolf corpses. It seemed someone had beaten her to it. Alex specifically asked Ice Cream about them, but Ice Cream also had no recollection of them, suggesting that this man''s castle was likely outside the snowy mountains and also capable of observing the battles within the center of the snowy mountains. Alex couldn''t understand what use these corpses could have for other Lords besides her. Anyone with the strength to venture deep into the snowy mountains surely wouldn''t be interested in the food disassembled from these corpses, right? The werewolf corpses that those people had found had just been summoned by Alex, and now she had to search the area like them. Alex chose to summon all the werewolf corpses as bone beast werewolves, and for regular wolves, she used double summoning to turn them into other undead. "Ice Cream, can you clear the snow on the ground?" Alex remembered that Ice Cream had control over ice and snow, so this shouldn''t be difficult. Ice Cream lowered its head. Roar! A deafening roar erupted, carrying a massive gust of wind that instantly blew away all the snow on the ground in front of them, revealing the brown frozen earth below. The frozen corpses, being too heavy, surfaced. "Well done, Ice Cream." At that moment, Arthur also returned from his pursuit, having killed a few of the figures along the way but worried about chasing too far, he hurried back. "Ice Cream, take a look around. Arthur is back, and he can protect me now." Chapter 68: Free stuff, what more could one ask for Ice Cream flapped its wings and flew away, heading towards its nest.Meanwhile, Alex was on the ground, tallying the corpses. She used her left eye to summon from the werewolf corpses, and for regular wolf corpses, she used her scythe for double summoning. The frozen werewolf corpses, hard as ice blocks, would take an unknown amount of time to transport back for summoning. She figured she might as well summon what she could right there. Moreover, this was deep in the snowy mountains, not only was the terrain difficult, but the distance from Alex''s castle was also considerable. She couldn''t even imagine how long it would take for the land-based undead summoned here to reach her castle. Alex planned to summon some of the corpses here and then disassemble each one. It would be more convenient to transport the remaining bodies and materials back this way. An hour and a half later, the other bone dragons and gargoyles also arrived one after another, bringing help to transport the materials. By then, Alex had nearly finished summoning and disassembling the corpses. Besides discovering werewolf corpses, Alex also found a few strange stones, likely the stone giant corpses Ice Cream had mentioned. Beyond that, there was nothing else. Ice Cream returned as well, finding its nest raided and nothing left behind. Its mother''s body must have been taken too. Alex couldn''t believe that not a single Holy Court knight had perished in such a fierce battle; the absence of any human corpses suggested that they had likely been taken as well. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In any case, anything of value was gone, all that remained were these bodies, and even some of those had been stolen. Alex approached the stone giant corpses and casually disassembled them. The stone giant''s body turned into a thousand units of stone and a glowing red Essence Shard. Alex picked up the Essence Shard from the ground. As for the stones, she had no interest in them; transporting a bunch of rocks back would be too much of a hassle. Alex looked around to see if there were any other stone giant corpses but found none. She didn''t find any bodies, but she did find quite a few units of stone. The useful items had all been taken by that other Lord after his disassembly; this body was only left because it was well-hidden and they hadn''t discovered it. However, stone giants were rare, and that Lord could have taken no more than ten at most. Alex wasn''t too upset about missing out on a few Essence Shards; she was more interested in how she might reunite him with his ancestors the next time they met. By 11:30 PM, Alex had completely tallied, disassembled, and summoned from these bodies. There were a total of 1,800 Moon Silver Wolf corpses. Alex remembered clearly that Greenbean had initially said there were over 3,000 wolves in the Moon Silver wolf lair, which meant that the other Lord had already transported away at least 1,200 Moon Silver Wolf corpses before Alex arrived. This indicated that the other Lord was not only early, but he also had a substantial number of troops, all capable of flying, and his own strength had reached the Commanding level. He was definitely a top-tier Lord in the first echelon! "The Eldoria continent is so vast; how did I end up meeting him?" Conversely, the same could be said for the other party. Of the 1,800 Moon Silver Wolf corpses, only 300 were in werewolf form, the remaining 1,500 were regular wolves. Among the 300 werewolf corpses, there were five Commanding level werewolves. Alex summoned only one Commanding level bone beast werewolf, the other four were summoned as other types of undead. The four Commanding level were one Skeletal Demon, two Ethereal Wraiths, and one gargoyle. From the 300 werewolf corpses, disassembly yielded 6,000 units of elite food, 500 magic crystals, and 160 Essence Shards. The remaining 1,500 corpses could be used to summon 3,000 undead, allowing Alex''s undead army to expand significantly. Wishes are beautiful, but reality is often different. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Summoning 1,500 corpses was a massive undertaking. Alex calculated that although there was no cooldown limit now, it still required Mana Points. Her Mana Points were 120, and each summoning consumed 3 points, with 1 point regenerating per minute. It would take two hours to summon 40 corpses, producing 80 undead. Alex would need to summon continuously for over three days without sleep to complete the summoning of 1,500 corpses. Wait, pulling out the scythe would double the Mana Points, meaning she could summon 80 corpses in two hours, significantly speeding up the process. But completing all the summoning before the beast tide was still unrealistic because Alex couldn''t afford to summon without rest. Alex abandoned the idea of summoning 3,000 undead from 1,500 regular wolf corpses as it was simply not feasible. After brief consideration, Alex decided to first summon from the 300 werewolf corpses because she could use her left eye magic for direct summoning without consuming Mana Points. As for the remaining 1,500 corpses, they would have to be transported back to the castle for slow summoning. Although swinging the scythe allowed summoning two at a time, it still consumed 3 Mana Points per use, and Mana Points needed time to regenerate, allowing only single-entity summoning. It would be more efficient to just throw them into the Blackwater Altar for rapid summoning, all in the interest of saving time. With the last day approaching and the beast tide imminent, Alex could at most summon from 400 corpses, producing 800 undead. She planned to throw the remaining 1,100 corpses directly into the Blackwater Altar. Summoning so many corpses using her left eye would probably knock her out from exhaustion. Alex used up her Mana Points to summon a portion tonight and would continue slowly the following night. Alex instructed the undead that had arrived to start transporting the Moon Silver Wolf corpses. As for the newly summoned land forces, she didn''t trouble them further, letting them head straight back to the castle. Since these undead couldn''t die, even if their movement through the snowy mountains was slow, they would still make it back. The good news was that Alex had brought all her aerial forces this time. The number of gargoyles was sufficient, and with the help of the bone dragons, they could transport all the corpses back in one go. Alex ordered Arthur to escort from behind while she rode Ice Cream back to the castle first. Two hours later, Alex finally flew out of the snowy mountains and returned to the castle, ending a night of grueling activity. It was now 2 AM, and the first thing Alex did upon returning to the castle was to list the 10,000 pieces of equipment Sophie had sent. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One ordinary piece of equipment trades for ten magic crystals.] [Remaining quantity: 10,000 pieces.] Now she only needed magic crystals to upgrade the Barracks, with the last day of the novice period already starting. Alex planned to upgrade the Barracks before continuing with summoning. After all, with her current number of undead, she wasn''t short of twenty. Alex collected the materials piled outside the gate, which had been scavenged from the werewolf castle. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 4,000 magic crystals, 5,000 units of food, 2,000 units of stone, 80 Essence Shards, and 200 pieces of animal fur.] These were the materials from inside the werewolf castle, along with 10k units of wood, 20k units of stone, and 5k iron ingots Alex had obtained from disassembling the werewolf castle''s crystals. This scavenging trip could definitely be called a huge harvest. Free stuff, what more could one ask for! Chapter 69: Prepare for the beast tide Alex harvested 2,800 units of wood and 2,000 units of stone, all collected by the land-based undead in one night.As for the animal corpses by the castle gate, Alex planned to leave them be until the next morning to disassemble and recycle them all at once. It was already late, and Alex decided to go to sleep. It would take at least three more hours for the Moon Silver Wolf corpses to be transported back. Waiting another three hours would mean daylight was upon them. She would arrange the resources obtained tonight the next morning. "Ice Cream, you''ll stay in the castle for the next few days to avoid drawing attention, just in case those Holy Court knights discover you." Alex had no plans to ride Ice Cream out anymore; such a conspicuous target was manageable at night, but would be problematic if spotted during the day. Being seen by that Lord tonight was already an unexpected mishap. Once the castle''s protection period ended, Alex planned to settle scores with him. She wanted to show him that even among top-tier Lords, there could be significant gaps in strength. Yawning, Alex was already tired. She entered the bathroom, kicked off her shoes, peeled off her black stockings, and stripped off her clothes completely. The shower sprayed warm water that was soothing against Alex''s smooth skin. Her feet pressed against the soft carpet, leaving wet footprints. Wrapped in a towel, Alex moved to the bedroom and sat on a chair, drying her damp hair with a towel. "All set." Alex crawled into bed and drifted off to sleep. [Night ends, dawn arrives!] It was the seventh day on the continent of Eldoria, and the last day of the novice protection period. Even the world channel chat had quieted down considerably. Every Lord felt the pressure; it was the last day, and everyone was doing their utmost to enhance their strength. No one knew the intensity of tomorrow''s beast tide, nor whether they would survive it. The undead had also transported the wolf corpses back, and even Arthur had ordered the bone dragons to go to the snowy mountains to pick up the ground-based undead. Otherwise, it would take them a month to return to the castle. It wasn''t until 8 AM that Alex, rubbing her eyes, prepared to get out of bed. "Ah, that was refreshing!" Alex felt as if she had replenished her mental energy, and her body was more relaxed than ever. She sat up, threw off the covers, and got out of bed. Today, Alex''s task was to use her scythe to double summon as many undead as possible. Whatever she couldn''t summon by the end of the day would be thrown into the Blackwater Altar for summoning. She needed to prepare for the beast tide. Alex dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt, paired with shorts and casual shoes, and twirled in front of the mirror. Hmm, a different vibe. Alex opened the trading post to collect the equipment sold last night. It was a tense time for all Lords, and equipment was sure to sell well since no one wanted to miss even the slightest chance to become stronger. Conversely, after the beast tide, these pieces of equipment would lose their value. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 10,000 ordinary pieces of equipment, receiving 100,000 magic crystals.] Alex sent 50,000 to Sophie and stored the remaining 50,000 magic crystals in the Warehouse. Alex had also obtained 5,000 iron ingots from the werewolf lair, enough to build a wall, although a defense tower was still out of reach. "Build!" At the moment Alex clicked build, black walls rose from the ground at the edges of the town''s territory, completely encompassing the area. The black walls were 40 feet high and 15 feet wide, with a gate at the center of each side. Above each gate and at the four corners, there were square recesses, twenty in total, likely intended for building defense towers. Unfortunately, Alex didn''t have enough iron ingots to construct defense towers now. [Special Building: Wall] [Building Level: Commanding level (can be upgraded with resources)] ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? [Feature: Commanding level defense] [Upgrade Materials: 50k wood, 100k stone, 10k magic crystals, 50k iron ingots.] The upgrade materials had increased tenfold... Monarch level was still too far off for Alex to consider right now. With the Commanding level defense of the wall, most of the beast tide could be kept outside the town''s territory. Combined with Alex''s undead army, there was nothing to fear! Alex went to the castle entrance to disassemble last night''s animal corpses, then threw them all into the Blackwater Altar. These lower-tier animal corpses weren''t worth using her Undead Summoning Magic on. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides, with so many Moon Silver Wolf corpses to summon, she didn''t have time to bother with them. A Moon Silver Wolf, at minimum, was level 5, far stronger than those other beasts, right? "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 30 antelope corpses, obtaining 1,200 units of food, 20 magic crystals, and 60 antelope skins (double drop).] There was too much food now; Alex had over 7,000 units of food and 6,000 units of elite food. However, she decided not to sell this batch of elite food but to keep it as feed for Ice Cream, which could also gain extra experience points from it¡ªperhaps even leveling up while eating. The regular food wasn''t much use anymore, so Alex sent 1,000 units each to Chi-Chi and Sophie. This food would last Chi-Chi a while, at least temporarily freeing her from worrying about food. As for Sophie, she had been too helpful to Alex to need any mention. Next, Alex planned to upgrade the Barracks, as today''s troops hadn''t yet been summoned. [Upgrade Barracks required: 12k magic crystals, 120 Essence Shards.] "Upgrade!" ... [Upgrade Barracks required: 14k magic crystals, 140 Essence Shards.] "Upgrade!" [Undead Crystal: Level 9 (Unique Barracks)] [Ninth-level Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancer, liches¡ªten types of troops (random thirty), with an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 16k magic crystals, 160 Essence Shards] After two consecutive upgrades, the results were good. If not for the shortage of Essence Shards, Alex could have upgraded another level. Alex glanced at the Warehouse, still stocked with plenty of wood and stone, over 20,000 magic crystals, and more than a hundred Essence Shards. Except for iron ingots, she really wasn''t short on other materials. There was still one town-specific building, the [Portal of Transit], left to construct. Since resources were plentiful now, she might as well build it too. Alex clicked to build directly. The castle gate faced a black structure that emerged about 2,000 meters away from the wall gate, roughly in the middle. Alex walked over to inspect this teleportation portal. The black structure was about 16 feet high, with steps leading up to a large door. Alex opened it and saw an empty interior, except for a large rectangular teleportation portal at the far end. Next to the portal, Alex found a system dashboard where she could set the destination. The list only included Chi-Chi and Sophie, both in gray and unclickable. "Boring." Feeling uninterested, Alex returned to the castle. She approached the Barracks, ready to summon troops, hoping to draw some new types this time. Alex once again grabbed her breast, a unique technique to boost her luck. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon now!] Alex pressed firmly, not hesitating to click. "Summon!" Chapter 70: Necromancer The undead crystal emitted a familiar pale green glow. Twenty figures began to coalesce behind the Barracks crystal.Alex saw that ten unique figures had emerged, unlike any undead she had previously summoned. These were new troops, and ten of them appeared at once! Each figure was gaunt, with dark, sickly-looking skin, resembling a severely malnourished person rather than a typical humanoid form. Each one was draped in a loose, large black robe that stretched from their heads to their feet, and each held a long black magic staff in their hands. Upon seeing Alex, the ten figures immediately prostrated themselves. "Your most devout apostles greet you, my queen." The remaining twenty undead were ordinary summons, with no liches or zombie titans among them, so Alex didn''t pay them much attention. However, she did manage to summon two ghost dragons, which was a decent gain, although the elusive zombie titan and lich, despite being unlocked and having fifty chances, had yet to appear. The ten figures remained kneeling before Alex, clearly dressed as mages, undoubtedly necromancers. [Necromancer] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: 1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points:Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 30] S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Strength: 5] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 5] [Growth Limit: King level] [Skills: Ghost Form, Undead Summoning] Ghost Form: Allows the necromancer to turn into a ghost. In this form, the necromancer can become invisible and fly silently but cannot cast spells. Undead Summoning Magic: Similar to Alex''s 1-tier Undead Summoning Magic. Having two skills at level 1 was quite impressive for these troops. Although essentially human, they were endowed with undead traits by the system, allowing them to be immortal. As mages, their primary mode of attack was to use magic, specifically harnessing frost and dark elements to inflict damage, and they were also capable of flight. Alex mused that it seemed every troop could fly these days. Was she the only one who couldn''t? She hadn''t forgotten about the enhancement effects of the Blackwater Altar. Typically, those enhanced by the Blackwater Altar gained at least one passive or active skill. Alex intended for these necromancers to help alleviate her summoning duties. After all, she was the Queen of the Undead; why should she summon personally? She sent them into the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. The undead previously summoned on the snowy mountains were now almost fully enhanced. Minutes later, the necromancers were enhanced, and Alex eagerly checked their attributes. [Necromancer: Magic Enhancement] ???¦®§®???.?§°? [Enhances the power of their magic, allowing negative attributes to stack with each other, adds 20 points to Mana Points limit, increases all attributes by 3 points.] While the attribute boosts were modest, the necromancers primarily relied on magic attacks. A level 1 necromancer, post-enhancement, having 50 Mana Points was quite significant. Since it was a magic enhancement, Alex revisited the necromancer''s skills. The enhanced Ghost Form now allowed them to cast spells or attack while remaining invisible. Alex was even more pleased to see the Undead Summoning skill; the necromancer''s Undead Summoning Magic had been elevated to about a second-tier level, allowing them to summon two undead at a time, though limited to skeletons. With skeletons breaking their level caps and John around, even the Skeleton Soldiers summoned by the necromancers could level up. Alex smiled happily; not only could all 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf corpses be summoned, but she wouldn''t have to lift a finger¡ªperfect! With the Bone Throne''s boost inside the castle, the necromancers gained an additional level and ten more Mana Points, allowing them to summon three more undead each. These necromancers were indeed the core of her undead army''s rapid expansion! Alex immediately set them to work on the massive task of processing the 1,500 corpses; there was no time for slack. While checking the system dashboard, Alex noticed a cluster of red notifications and realized something. Right, Arthur had slain many of that Lord''s troops last night, and there were kill notifications. Because the killings occurred outside her territory, the system didn''t pop up notifications during combat¡ªthat would be disastrous during a fight. Moreover, these notifications could be set to "Do Not Disturb" mode, as Alex''s undead were constantly in battle, and the constant alerts were nearly driving her mad. Especially that time they cleared a chicken coop¡ªthe notifications were incessant, prompting Alex to turn on the "Do Not Disturb" mode. Alex opened the system notifications. [Your troops have killed a level 6 vampire, gaining sixty experience points!] Vampires? Alex recalled the group she saw last night; aside from the Lord, they all had unnaturally pale faces, were incredibly fast, and could fly. That did fit her understanding of vampires, though she hadn''t considered it at the time because she didn''t see them feeding. Damn, undead don''t have blood, and the werewolf corpses were frozen solid, likely along with their blood. What did those vampires want with the corpses? While unsure of that Lord''s methods, Alex was certain he had some means other than a Barracks to summon vampires. And considering that Lord''s appearance, he was likely transformed into a vampire himself. Vampires granted him the power of immortality, meaning that as long as he didn''t seek his own death, just living could outlast many Lords. However, this was impractical, even if he could hide, his castle could not. Regardless, he dared to steal Alex''s corpses, and she had no intention of letting him live. He might also have vampire lineage like Alex''s undead lineage. Alex opened the leaderboard to check the top-tier Lords'' IDs, hoping to find some clues. Indeed, she found a few suspicious candidates: [Count Night], [Dracula], and [Supreme Bloodline]. The last one was too juvenile; Alex passed on it, suspecting it was one of the first two. Alex had already dispatched dozens of gargoyles to search around the snowy mountains. She would not let him off easily. Once Alex locates the vampire''s castle, she will certainly make them witness the formidable power of the undead scourge. Chapter 71: Barren Plains On the other side of the Frostwind snowy mountains, unlike Alex''s castle which is situated between the Dark Forest and the Frostwind snowy mountains, this area transitions into a desolate plain devoid of life, known as the Barren Plains.This territory belongs to a human empire, but it''s on the empire''s fringe. Even the empire itself keeps a respectful distance from the Frostwind snowy mountains. There used to be a human village here, but now it''s desolate, devoid of any human presence. Not far from this abandoned village lies the castle of a Lord named [Dracula]. The real name of this castle''s master is Lucian, the very Lord who clashed with Alex last night, and his arm has since healed. The humans of the village haven''t exactly died; rather, Lucian has granted them unnaturally long lives and peculiar abilities. Indeed, Lucian has transformed all the humans of this village into vampires, totaling about two thousand. Located on the edge of the empire and adjacent to the Frostwind snowy mountains, countless people have gone missing here, so the fall of the village didn''t attract much attention from the empire, which inadvertently allowed Lucian to strengthen his forces. Lucian awakened the bloodline of Dracula upon his arrival, becoming a true vampire. His castle is named after this lineage. His Barracks naturally summons vampire troops, but only Lucian himself possesses the ability to transform humans into vampires. The transformation of over two thousand vampires nearly drained him. Vampires require human blood to maintain their longevity and boundless vitality, but the human forces native to Eldoria are overwhelmingly strong. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Some weaker vampires have no chance to feed on human blood. Coupled with human oppression and their natural enemies, the werewolves, these vampires have had to settle for animal blood, which is far less effective but better than starvation. Since becoming a vampire, Lucian not only gains strength from killing enemies but also from consuming blood, which is even faster than from killing. This is why he needed the werewolf corpses. "Lester, you will absorb all the blood from these corpses," Lucian commanded the strongest vampire in his castle. The encounter with Alex last night made him aware of the gap in their strengths, but his Commanding level subordinates were not present, so Lucian didn''t believe he was truly outmatched. Lucian has six Commanding level vampires under his command, one of whom, Lester, has reached level 2. All the werewolf blood absorbed by Lester would significantly boost his strength, making dealing with a bone dragon and a frost dragon a trivial matter. Lucian thought of Alex''s stunning face and perfect figure from last night, imagining capturing her, piercing her neck with his sharp fangs, and deeply drinking her blood. Lucian''s vampire troops are not unique, meaning other Lords can also summon vampires, and there are native vampire forces on Eldoria. Lucian has always wanted to contact them and join them. Only there would he find the highest quality blood and resources, something he has long desired. "My lord, there are suddenly many gargoyles patrolling over Frostwind snowy mountain. They seem to be searching for our location," reported a vampire who had been out hunting, appearing instantly in the castle as a shadow. "I haven''t even gone looking for her, and she''s already searching for me!" "Send some of you to find her castle''s location and draw those gargoyles away!" ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Lucian was now curious about Alex''s troops. Initially, he thought Alex''s troops were bone dragons, but now with so many gargoyles appearing, it seemed unlikely she could summon the entire undead race. He also checked the leaderboard, where none of the Lord names were associated with the undead, except for a few ambiguous ones. The names of these castles were chosen randomly, revealing no clear intent. Lucian guessed Alex was one of them. Once the beast tide was over and he found Alex''s castle, he planned to capture her and bring her to his castle to provide fresh blood daily. Lucian smiled wickedly. ... Meanwhile, Alex felt much relieved with her necromancers, though she didn''t completely neglect them and occasionally helped with summoning. As the number of undead increased, the wildlife near Alex''s castle was nearly extinct, with most animals migrating to farther areas to survive, likely considering Alex''s castle a forbidden zone. Moreover, as the undead''s levels increased, killing simple wildlife like boars or chickens became less effective, and the undead army''s range of activity expanded. Some undead had even started hunting near Chi-Chi''s castle. The current situation was no longer sufficient for the undead''s leveling, so Alex began arranging for them to hunt on the outskirts of the snowy mountain and the Dark Forest. These areas still harbored many high-level beasts, providing a good source of experience. With Frostwind snowy mountain being so vast, it naturally housed more than just frost dragons, Moon Silver Wolves, and stone giants. There were also creatures like Frost Sprites, ice bears, and snow foxes. With the absence of the Moon Silver wolf lair, the snowy mountain was relatively safer. Plus, with the angels having killed the frost dragon, Alex could advance into higher-level maps earlier. Considering the frost dragon was among the strongest in Frostwind snowy mountain, though not Divine, Alex estimated it was at least Emperor level, possibly even Sovereign level. And the Moon Silver wolf lair was merely Commanding level, located on the outermost edges of the snowy mountain. There couldn''t be such a huge gap in strength in the middle; there must be other dangerous races present. Since undead don''t die, Alex let them roam the outskirts of the snowy mountain. With her current strength, Alex was more than capable of handling the beast tide, but if the beast tide''s intensity was influenced by the Lord''s overall strength or the terrain, it might still pose a challenge. Given that Alex''s castle was adjacent to two major forbidden areas, filled with countless magical beasts, it was understandable if the beast tide was particularly tough, especially since her castle had been upgraded to a town. The beast tide brought not only destruction and death but also immense rewards for those Lords who survived, including food, magic crystals, Essence Shards, experience, and other resources. Alex suddenly thought of Chi-Chi. Her castle was not far from Alex''s, and the scale of their beast tides was likely similar. Relying on a few Red Blood Gorillas, Chi-Chi would hardly survive the beast tide without Alex''s help. However, this also benefited Alex greatly. While other Lords gained from one beast tide, Alex could reap rewards from two if she helped Chi-Chi survive. Once the beast tide was over, Alex''s undead army would reach a terrifying scale. Chapter 72: Beast tide (1) As the afternoon approached, less than ten hours remained until the beast tide. All Lords were scrambling to enhance their strength.Alex''s undead were spread out beyond the castle''s territory, leveling up. John had successfully reached level 7, thanks to all the Skeleton Soldiers yielding their kills to him. Alex was confident that after the beast tide, even if John didn''t reach Commanding level, reaching level 9 should be feasible. Arthur did not disappoint Alex; he advanced to Commanding level. [Bone Dragon King (Arthur)] Race: Undead Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray) Life Tier: Commanding level Level: 1 (can be increased by killing enemies) Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns Mana Points:150 Strength: 100+10 Stamina: ¡Þ Agility:** 100+10 Growth Limit: Divine level Active Skills: Nether Dragon Breath, Withering Space Passive Skills: Elemental Magic Immunity, Dragon''s Presence Withering Space: Creates a barrier that drains the life force and souls of enemies within it, temporarily enhancing its own attributes. Arthur''s advancement to Commanding level added a powerful group active skill, perfect for the upcoming beast tide. Alex herself was also busy. Every two hours, as soon as her Mana Points were fully restored, she would assist the necromancers in summoning, aiming to have all corpses summoned by midnight. To ensure she had enough energy to face the beast tide, she planned to rest at 10 PM, ensuring her Mana Points were full and she was ready for battle. The World Chat fell into an eerie silence, a tense atmosphere pervading everyone''s mind. In the evening, Sophie sent a private message. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, the equipment has been sent." [Hamburger]: "Okay." Their conversation was brief and to the point, with no time wasted on small talk. It seemed Sophie also understood the importance of the last day; the equipment was clearly rushed. Alex checked the Warehouse, confirmed everything, and immediately listed the weapons for sale. There couldn''t be a better time to sell equipment. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One ordinary piece of equipment trades for ten magic crystals.] [Remaining quantity: 10,000 pieces.] Alex''s listing caused some stir, but not much. These Lords were now only concerned with their survival. Seeing Hamburger list equipment, and knowing their troops needed it, they began to frantically buy up the gear. No one could be sure they would survive the beast tide; what use were magic crystals if they were dead? [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] As night fell, Alex''s equipment sold out. She immediately sent fifty thousand magic crystals to Sophie, who might rely on these to boost her strength at the last minute. Inside Sophie''s castle, over two hundred dwarves had stopped mining and working, now gearing up for the beast tide at midnight. Sophie used the magic crystals from Alex to upgrade her Barracks, unlocking dwarf warriors, ready to be summoned after midnight. Sophie felt the time was excruciatingly slow. Although her location had few wild beasts, it didn''t necessarily mean the scale of the beast tide would be small. "Suddenly, I envy those powerful Lords. They must not have these worries..." [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I hope I can still see you tomorrow!" [Hamburger]: "You''ve never seen me, have you?" Alex replied. [Hamburger]: "Believe in yourself. Once your castle upgrades to a town, you''ll see me." [QuartzStriker]: "I''ll upgrade to a town as soon as possible!" ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® [Hamburger]: "Good luck!" Thanks to the relentless efforts of Alex and the necromancers, all 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf corpses were finally summoned. Alex''s undead army expanded to over eight thousand, with more than five thousand Skeleton Soldiers alone. But don''t underestimate these five thousand Skeleton Soldiers; each one was level 5 or above. Just the thought of five thousand level 5 Skeleton Soldiers was terrifying. "Disassemble!" Alex could finally disassemble the mountain of corpses. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf corpses, obtaining 30k units of food, 3k magic crystals, and 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf pelts.] The Moon Silver Wolf corpses vanished in an instant, and Alex''s castle yard was now much emptier. These undead, having been summoned in batches, had already been enhanced by the Blackwater Altar. Alex also needed to prepare for the beast tide. She summoned all her undead back and ordered them to surround the walls outside. "John, take a thousand Skeleton Soldiers to Chi-Chi''s castle, protect her, and help her withstand the beast tide." Alex commanded John, hoping that a thousand level 5 Skeleton Soldiers would be enough to handle Chi-Chi''s beast tide. Since John hadn''t reached Commanding level, Alex also sent two Commanding level Skeletal Demons. Two Commanding level and a thousand level 5+ Skeleton Soldiers¡ªif this formation couldn''t withstand the beast tide, Alex figured that 99.9% of Eldoria''s billions of Lords would perish. Sending John was mainly to let him gain more experience and quickly increase his strength. If John stayed by Alex''s side, he would struggle to gain significant experience, especially with the Bone Throne''s boost and the many Commanding level undead in the castle. ... Meanwhile, Chi-Chi was shivering in her castle, surrounded by her eight Red Blood Gorillas, each now above level 5, but she felt no sense of security. "Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh!" At that moment, the eight Red Blood Gorillas made strange noises. Chi-Chi looked out and saw a vast array of skeletons appearing outside the castle. Leading the skeletons, one wore heavy armor and wielded a broadsword, looking like a grand general, flanked by two huge skeletal giants. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chi-Chi recognized these skeletons. "These are Miss Alex''s troops!" She hadn''t seen so many skeletons at Alex''s castle before; it was like an army! As John entered Chi-Chi''s territory, she checked their levels and was shocked again. The two skeletal giants were not only Commanding level, but all the skeletons, even those Chi-Chi thought were just ordinary soldiers, were incredibly strong¡ªall one thousand skeletons were above level 5! "My God, are these really troops?" Chi-Chi turned to look at her eight monkeys: What are these things? The difference is too huge! Although somewhat disheartened, Chi-Chi''s worries vanished with Alex''s help; surviving the beast tide was no longer a problem for her. John led the skeletons to surround Chi-Chi''s castle. Compared to Alex''s, Chi-Chi''s castle was much smaller, and a thousand skeletons could defend it without any blind spots. As midnight approached, all Lords were ready for their final, desperate struggle. Time: 23:50 With the last ten minutes remaining, all Lords seemed unable to withstand the immense psychological pressure. Agony, fear, and even despair spread among the Lords. The World Chat became lively at this moment, perhaps as a way to relieve their immense stress, or maybe to say one last word. [Tunnel Rat]: "I don''t know if I can survive, if I''ll see tomorrow''s sun again." [Crow]: "Don''t talk like that, aren''t you a Tunnel Rat? If your castle is breached, you can just hide!" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Sigh, I''m done for, see you all in the next life." [SirLaughsALot]: "Look on the bright side, maybe dying will let you exit the game and return to Earth." [Orc]: "Quick, say you want to live!" [QuartzStriker]: "I hope everyone survives!" [Sardine]: "This isn''t a game, it''s the real world, we can''t go back, everyone must survive!" With one minute left, Alex was already on top of the wall, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Today, Alex wasn''t wearing a skirt to facilitate movement. All her troops were fighting outside; she wouldn''t cowardly stay inside the castle. She planned to personally join the battle and keep the beast tide outside the walls. Alex noticed the protective shield in front of her beginning to flicker. As time drew closer, the flickering became more frequent, like a light bulb about to burn out. Time: 0:00 As the protective shield flickered rapidly, it finally vanished completely. At this moment, all Lords lost their last line of defense and faced the harsh realities of Eldoria. The upcoming beast tide would be the first step for all Lords transitioning from novices to participants in the All-Races Battle Royale! Chapter 73: Beast tide (2) Thud, thud, thud!The ground trembled as if a mighty army was charging forward. All the undead, including Alex standing on the wall, stared intently ahead at this moment. As the clock struck midnight, all the mists of Eldoria dissipated, confirming that these mists existed because of the Lords, not as a natural feature of Eldoria itself. Alex scanned the horizon, now clear. From nowhere, a dense horde of beasts had appeared, surrounding the castle. These included armored rhinos, giant black gorillas over ten feet tall, colorful pythons, and even some massive mammoths. These were just the creatures Alex could identify; many more bizarre and unknown species were present, all with eyes glowing red, seemingly driven mad, launching a fierce assault on Alex''s castle. Giant birds in the sky shot beams of light, and flocks of crows executed kamikaze attacks on Alex''s castle. "Kill!" Alex raised her hand and shouted commandingly. If this was all the beast tide had to offer, Alex would be profoundly disappointed. The creatures were merely Standard level; not even a Commanding level beast was in sight. In contrast, Alex''s forces were formidable. The sky above the castle was filled with hundreds of gargoyles flapping their wings, hundreds of ethereal specters floating around, and even a dozen bone dragons. The ground teemed with thousands of various undead¡ªbone beast werewolves, Skeleton Soldiers, zombies, and death conquerors. This was the first time Alex had amassed such a large undead force at the castle, a scene far more awe-inspiring than the beast tide itself. Beast tide? A joke! Alex scoffed coldly, ready to show these beasts what a real undead tide looked like. No need for defense; an offensive strike was more fitting. As the forefront of the beast tide approached, the undead clashed with the horde. The beasts seemed formidable but couldn''t even break through the undead''s ground blockade, not to mention that Alex''s aerial undead forces were the main strength. Standing on the wall, Alex looked up to see more magical beasts rushing down from the snowy mountain in the distance. She turned to see the same happening in the Dark Forest behind her. It seemed this beast tide was not as simple as she had thought. The initial wave was probably what all Lords faced, a standard beast tide, but what followed likely varied based on the castle''s location and the Lord''s overall strength. Alex unleashed fire magic from the wall, attacking the magical beasts in the sky. After using about a third of her Mana Points, she pulled out her scythe and used dark magic to teleport directly from the wall to the ground. The beast tide was not particularly strong, providing Alex with a perfect opportunity to hone her combat skills. Moreover, using her scythe to kill beasts would directly transform them into undead, while other beast corpses were summoned by the necromancers on the wall. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the battle continued, Alex''s undead army only grew larger. For some Lords, the beast tide might be a disaster, but for Alex, it was an excellent opportunity to grow stronger. Beasts below level 9 were transformed into bone beasts by Alex, while those below were summoned as regular undead. These beasts, all below level 9, fell easily under Alex''s enhanced abilities from the Bone Throne and her scythe''s double properties¡ªalmost like slicing through butter. At this moment, Alex was merely using her scythe for basic attacks, not even needing to resort to magic. The beast tide stood no chance. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Alex could only kill one beast at a time, but Arthur was merciless. His Withering Space skill instantly annihilated swathes of magical beasts. As magical beasts from the Frostwind snowy mountain and the Dark Forest, two major forbidden areas, joined the fray, the overall strength of the beasts increased. Now at Commanding level, Alex led the undead from the rear on her own. A massive white bear charged at Alex, its powerful swipe shattering Skeleton Warriors on either side. The bear, with eyes blazing red, lacked intelligence like a typical beast, relying solely on brute force. As the bear swiped at Alex, she deftly dodged and countered with her flaming scythe. Tingling! The bear, momentarily confused by the sound from the scythe, paused, its red eyes flickering with doubt. Why am I here? Why am I fighting this girl? Before it could ponder further, Alex''s scythe slashed a massive wound on its side, the flames charring the flesh. In pain, the bear swiped at Alex again. Bang! The force created a crack in the ground, but Alex had already vanished. The bear noticed a red magic circle under its feet, too late to react as a towering pillar of fire engulfed it. Then, several black spears flew into the flames, impaling the bear. The pain of the soul-piercing spears brought the bear fully to its senses, its eyes clearing of red as it tried to speak. But the surrounding flames vanished, the magic circle turned gray, and the bear, impaled and burning with eerie black flames, was overwhelmed. The bear felt its life force rapidly draining. Yes, this gray magic circle was Alex''s Undead Summoning Magic. Alex had been under the misconception that it could only be used on corpses, thinking it was a non-damaging skill. What if it was used on living beings? The answer was now clear: while living beings couldn''t be summoned, their life force would rapidly decay until death. This meant that Undead Summoning Magic could indeed harm living beings, with a slight restraining effect to prevent escape from the magic circle. A healthy bear might have broken free instantly, but now, severely injured, it couldn''t escape. It could only wait to die quietly within the summoning circle. As the bear died within the circle, a massive Skeletal Demon emerged and joined the battlefield, charging at the surrounding beasts. Alex couldn''t double summon from this beast because her current level of Undead Summoning Magic didn''t allow for doubling Commanding level corpses¡ªonly one could be summoned. [Congratulations Lord, you have killed a level 1 Winter Ice Bear, gaining 240 experience points.] Nighttime double experience¡ªwhat a thrill! With so many beasts, it was exhilarating! Chapter 74: Your most loyal subjects have come to see the Queen With so many beasts tonight, leveling up should be a breeze, and with the addition of the beast from Chi-Chi''s side, Alex''s level could rise by at least two.A level 1 Commanding beast was easily taken down by Alex, who is now a level 2 Commanding herself. With the enhancement from her scythe, she faced almost no pressure. It''s just that she used up a bit too many Mana Points, but for the sake of resolving the battle more quickly, it''s understandable. Right now, outside Chi-Chi''s castle, with John''s help, handling the beast tide has become incredibly easy. Even the second, more intense wave of the beast tide, which only brought some beasts from the Dark Forest, posed no challenge at all. Chi-Chi, of course, knew that if it weren''t for Alex, she would have been killed by the beasts by now. Several Red Blood Gorillas were also not idle; they were outside helping Alex''s troops fight, and although their impact was minimal, at least they felt involved. In Sophie''s castle, Sophie anxiously watched a group of dwarves, clad in armor, fighting the beasts outside. Just as Sophie had guessed, her castle was surrounded by mountains, posing no real danger, so the beast tide was just the basic level, without even a single Commanding level beast. Due to its remote location, the number of ordinary beasts in this tide was much fewer than that faced by other Lords. But the dwarves are not undead; many of them died in battle despite wearing armor. They were originally refugees, having suffered oppression and hunger before fleeing here. Sophie provided them with food and drink, and they only had to work eight hours a day. Being a wise race, they felt respected by Sophie here. These commoners didn''t care about extraterrestrial visitors; they only knew that the human woman in the castle behind them had helped them in their most difficult times. Now that she was in trouble, these dwarves were ready to risk their lives to protect her. Sophie watched the brave dwarves fall one by one in front of her, feeling indescribably sad, but she was too weak to help. This was a cruel battlefield, and Sophie understood that a Lord like herself couldn''t survive without relying on others. The beast tide was just a way to force out Lords like her, and being forced out meant death. Meanwhile, similar scenes were unfolding around the world. Beasts rampaged through the gates of castles, leaving only corpses of troops inside. "No!" A beast tore a Lord into pieces, and at that moment, the castle began to fade as if it had never existed. Except for the remains and bloodstains on the ground, there was nothing to show that a great battle had taken place here. As the castle vanished, the beasts also came to their senses and began to wander back to their own territories. At the Lava Volcano, Lord Cain of the Flame Spirits had successfully destroyed a salamander lair before the beast tide arrived. He had also reached the Commanding level, mastering an ability to transform himself into flames, allowing for rapid movement and immunity to physical damage. Compared to mages who control fire to cast fire magic, the flames seemed like an innate ability of Cain, making it more intuitive for him to use than for mages. Simply put, while mages control fire, Cain himself is fire. The Flame Spirits did not disappoint, and during Cain''s extermination of the salamander lair, they collected several hundred Essence Shards. Cain summoned all his troops, and several Flame Spirits also broke through to the Commanding level due to the experience gained from destroying the lair. They transformed into ten-foot-tall, floating fire giants. Under the attack of the Flame Spirits, the beast tide turned into roasted meat. Even the beasts on the Lava Volcano posed no challenge for Cain. On the other side of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains, Lord Lucian of the Draculas also found the beast tide easy to handle, with over two thousand vampires overwhelmingly crushing the beasts. Lucian''s top vampire general, Lester, had absorbed the bodies of fifteen hundred werewolves and reached the level 4 Commanding level. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was currently battling a Commanding level Flame Demon Wolf that emerged from the Frostwind Snowy Mountains. The Flame Demon Wolf, like the Frost Sprites, was active only at night in the Frostwind Snowy Mountains, spending most of the day in caves. Fortunately, there were caves near Lucian''s snowy mountain, and the night''s beast tide had successfully summoned them. This was the first time Lucian learned that in such harsh and cold conditions of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains, there existed Flame Demon Wolves that used fire magic. Although called Flame Demon Wolves, they were not in wolf form but rather in werewolf form, with red fur and black limbs, a black cloak over their heads, and their bodies covered in faint flames. The Flame Demon Wolf was at level 3 Commanding, and it struggled a bit against the level 4 Commanding vampire. But at that moment, the Flame Demon Wolf had lost its rationality, its claws continuously spewing flames, scorching the surrounding vampires and causing widespread destruction. The vampires had once slashed through the Flame Demon Wolf''s skin, but like a mummy, it bled not a drop. Even though the Flame Demon Wolf had double attributes at night, the vampires were also nocturnal creatures, similarly enhanced at night. Even so, the level 3 Flame Demon Wolf still firmly entangled the level 4 vampire, giving the vampire no chance to kill it alone. Suddenly, a huge black cloth appeared above the Flame Demon Wolf, enveloping it completely. Instantly wrapped up, the Flame Demon Wolf''s body burst into huge flames, but the black cloth was unaffected. Soon, the flames on the Flame Demon Wolf gradually extinguished, and it was tightly bound, unable to move. The black cloth was Lucian''s weapon. The level 4 vampire seized the opportunity and directly killed the bound Flame Demon Wolf. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? ==== Alex wielded her scythe, reaping the lives of the beasts as their numbers dwindled and the undead grew in number. The beasts, no match for the undead army, were increasingly on the defensive. Suddenly, from behind the beasts, a black bird-like creature swooped low and fast towards Alex. Fighting at night without night vision was a disadvantage for Alex, but upon hearing a warning from a necromancer above, she instantly activated her left eye, enhancing her senses. She immediately detected an approaching creature and, using her night vision, saw it clearly: a muscular humanoid body with a dog''s head and a pair of black wings granting it the ability to fly. Its entire body, including its skin, was black, and it wielded two objects resembling a scepter and a magic wand¡ªlikely its weapons. In an instant, the black dog-headed bird creature attacked, and Alex''s scythe burst into flames, illuminating the surroundings. With her heightened senses, Alex deftly dodged the bird creature''s attack. Upon seeing Alex''s left eye up close, the creature regained its clarity, stopped its attack, and a look of shock appeared on its dog face. The scythe swiftly struck the bird creature''s body. Strangely, the flames on the scythe were completely absorbed by the creature, and the wounds inflicted by the scythe began to heal. Alex felt the creature''s aura strengthen slightly after absorbing her fire magic. What was this creature? It was Alex''s first encounter with such a bizarre being. The bird creature, still in a dazed state, sensed the noble aura and power emanating from Alex. It immediately landed and knelt on one knee before her. "I have seen the Queen, my apologies for the offense, please punish me, Your Majesty!" it said, bowing its head even lower. What? What was happening? Alex was baffled, not understanding the situation at all. Seeing that Alex harbored no intention of blaming it, the bird creature''s dog head seemed to relax. It quickly flapped its wings and flew up, its eerie voice echoing across the battlefield, "The Queen has emerged, the undead race shall unite, submit swiftly!" A commotion arose from behind the beast tide; one by one, dozens, then hundreds of bird creatures flew from the rear. Not just in the sky, but even on the ground behind, there was disturbance. Alex, through her left eye, saw these ground-crawling creatures: humanoid, with legs like pig''s trotters, hunched backs, but walking upright on two legs, their hands large claws, their bodies covered in fungi. Before they even reached Alex, she could smell the foul odor emanating from them, due to their bodies being covered in fungi and their flesh highly decomposed, with bits of meat even falling off as they moved. What were these disgusting creatures? They were nearly as numerous as the dog-headed bird creatures. Both types of creatures approached Alex, seemingly sensing the aura she emitted. The disgusting creatures immediately knelt on all fours, and the bird creatures also landed and knelt. "Your most loyal subjects have come to see the Queen," they declared. Wait, Alex realized something. Only the undead would refer to her as "Queen," combined with the bird creature''s words and its strange abilities. So, these disgusting creatures and the group of bird creatures were all undead! Eldoria had other undead beings, but from the bird creature''s words, it seemed they had been scattered. It wasn''t that Alex was the only one summoning undead race troops, indicating that there were no other undead beings on Eldoria. There were others, but not many, mainly because there were too many types of undead. These native undead might have once been glorious, but now, for some unknown reason, they had fragmented and were fighting each other, their status essentially at the bottom of Eldoria''s hierarchy. According to the bird creature, the undead race once had a king, and after his death, the undead race fragmented into several smaller factions. "Kill all these beasts!" Alex commanded the more than two hundred undead who had submitted to her. These creatures immediately turned against the beast tide, attacking the surrounding beasts. Alex teleported to the top of the wall, sheathing her scythe. The beasts had stopped appearing. Alex glanced at the time. 00:45 In another fifteen minutes, these beasts would likely be slaughtered by her undead army. Alex still didn''t know what races these two types of undead were. She accessed the system dashboard to check. [Destroyer] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv2 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 100] [Strength: 65] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 70] [Maximum Growth: Emperor level] [Active Skill: Magic Devour] Magic Devour: Absorbs magic to strengthen oneself, initial mana at 0, when Mana Points reach 100, can advance and release the skill again, magic explosion. [Passive Skill: Magic Immunity] Chapter 75: Zombie Titan So strong! No wonder the fire magic she hit it with had no effect; it had been absorbed.Destroyers, with a life attribute cap at the Emperor level, over a hundred with the potential to reach Emperor level¡ªthis was Alex''s biggest gain this time! Among all Destrotyers, only one Destroyer was at the Commanding level, the one that had just attacked Alex. Alex had always seen in the World Chat that Lords had troops coming to join them, and today, it finally happened to her. [Ghoul] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 28] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 20] [Maximum Growth: King level] So, they were called Ghouls. None of the ghouls were at the Commanding level, so Alex randomly checked a level 5 for information. The conclusion was that they were quite ordinary. Too ordinary, indeed. Although their growth cap was the same King level as gargoyles, they had no special abilities, only describable as lackluster. Ghouls felt to Alex like a lower version of gargoyles, and crucially, they couldn''t even fly. "Can''t fly, and they''re so disgusting, ugh!" Of course, Alex just inwardly despised them a bit. After all, these ghouls had come to join her, and perhaps the Commanding level ones might have skills. ... After slaying so many beasts and gaining double the experience, Alex finally leveled up again. She felt that ever since she reached the Commanding level, the pace of her leveling had slowed considerably. Time: 01:00 AM Nearly all the beasts had been eradicated by Alex''s undead army. The beast tide was almost over, and the eyes of the remaining wild beasts suddenly returned to normal, no longer the eerie crimson, indicating they had regained their senses. All the wild animals and beasts began to turn away, losing interest in Alex''s castle. Some of the beasts, now rational, even showed a hint of fear in their eyes. They fled in panic, crashing through numerous trees. It seemed the beast tide was a system-designed purge to eliminate unfit Lords, forcibly controlling these beasts to follow a set program. This caused them to lose their sanity completely and attack all Lords indiscriminately. Alex returned to the bathroom in her castle, covered in blood from the battle, needing a wash. She took a cold shower, the cool water on her skin providing immense relief and reducing the fatigue from the battle. After a quick shower, wrapped in a towel, Alex headed to her bedroom to change into clean clothes. She stepped out of the castle; the battle outside was over. She needed to summon today''s troops first, then deal with the corpses outside¡ªthere was much to do. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon!] "Summon." A pale green light filled the room, and a massive figure materialized out of nowhere, instantly capturing Alex''s attention. Standing nearly sixty-six feet tall with robust limbs and somewhat human-like features, its gray skin and eye sockets devoid of eyeballs but burning with green flames made it imposing. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® A giant! That was Alex''s first thought, and being an undead, it could only be a zombie titan. Alex could hardly imagine the sheer scale of destruction this creature could cause, even without any special abilities. Among the other twenty-nine undead, there were ten necromancers¡ªwell done! There was also one bone dragon and one ghost dragon; the rest were lower-tier undead. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Greetings, Queen." "First, go to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement," Alex instructed the undead. Ten minutes later, after the enhancements were complete, Alex checked the attributes of the zombie titan. [Zombie Titan] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 30] [Strength: 12+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 8+10] [Maximum Growth: Emperor level] [Skills: Flame Body, Ice Body] [Enhancement Effect: Physical body significantly strengthened, reducing the mana consumption of body skills, all attributes +10 points.] This zombie titan was incredibly powerful! Likely one of the highest single-entity attributes, aside from Arthur, John, and Ice Cream. With a base Strength of over twelve points, enhanced by an additional ten points, Alex also reviewed the titan''s two skills, both enhancement types but with different attributes, continuously consuming Mana Points until depleted. The appearance rate of the zombie titan was quite low, much lower than other troops. If Alex could summon zombie titans as easily as skeleton soldiers, she felt she could sweep across the continent of Eldoria! Alas, it wasn''t feasible; zombie titans couldn''t fly, a significant drawback. Alex directed the undead on the wall to transport the beasts'' corpses, all within the town''s territorial range, with twenty necromancers beginning the lengthy summoning process. Alex also chose to directly summon some of the more powerful beasts into bone beasts. The siege on the castle this time wasn''t large, just over seven thousand beasts, bolstered by those from the Dark Forest and Frostwind Snowy Mountains. Alex estimated that a typical Lord''s beast tide ranged from three to five thousand, depending on the situation. She glanced at the time: 1:30 AM. Most Lords'' beast tides would have ended by this time, but the World Chat was eerily quiet. Perhaps everyone was still reveling in the joy of survival, or maybe they were busy clearing resources. At Chi-Chi''s castle, John had also eradicated all the beast tide. John had successfully leveraged the beast tide and the double experience at night to reach the Commanding level. John was directing skeletons to transport corpses, while Chi-Chi showed a slight smile of relief in her castle. Her castle, not far from Alex''s, faced a much smaller beast tide of just over three thousand beasts, likely due to her distance from the snowy mountains and weaker strength. John began leading skeletons to transport the beasts'' corpses back to Alex''s castle. Standing on the wall, watching the busy undead below, Alex finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew¡ª" "The beast tide is finally over; now onto the next journey!" Chapter 76: Sophies Submission Alex opened the dashboard to check her current stats.[Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv3 Commanding level (personal and troops can increase by killing enemies)] [Territory Level: lv1 town] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 300] [Mana Points: 150] [Strength: 77] [Stamina: 72] [Agility: 76] After tonight''s beast tide, Alex had indeed leveled up twice! Although her current attributes are strong among ordinary Commanding levels, they still fall short compared to some of the more powerful Commanding levels. She''s about upper-middle tier. However, while her attributes aren''t outstanding, her equipment provides significant bonuses! This beast tide was both an opportunity and a disaster. For some weaker Lords, it could have been catastrophic, but for top-tier Lords, it was a feast. With Alex''s current strength, plus her numerous undead army, she was nearly invincible. However, her castle is surrounded by forbidden areas, and there are many stronger beings above the Commanding level, so she still needs to keep a low profile and not get too arrogant. ... Alex stood on the wall; feeling somewhat puzzled at that moment. Wasn''t there supposed to be a reward after the beast tide ends? It''s already 2 AM, why hasn''t there been a notification of the end? Alex opened the system leaderboard to check, and there were only twenty-one hours left on the leaderboard timer. She guessed that the rewards might be announced after the leaderboard countdown ends. While checking the leaderboard, Alex noticed that many Lords who were previously shown as online had turned gray. They had permanently gone offline, completely dead. In this beast tide, the top-tier Lords hardly had any offline, but from the second tier down to the fifth, the number of grayed-out Lords increased significantly. Alex didn''t need to think about it; these were the Lords who had died, and the number was much more staggering than she had anticipated, with a death rate close to seventy percent in the fifth tier. Looking around, more than half of the Lord names were gray. In contrast, there were virtually no gray names among the T0-T1 tier Lords. Lords in the World Chat also started to become active, celebrating the joy of surviving the beast tide. [Chatgpt-9]: "Hahaha, I actually survived!" [BlackTiger]: "Who would have thought, I actually made it!" [Biglemon]: "Although my troops all died, at least I survived. But now I''m the only one left in my castle..." [Rex]: "Tremble, everyone, from now on you are all my enemies. I''m starting an All-Races Battle Royale, hahaha..." [BigEarBull]: "Is the guy upstairs stupid? Got shocked?" Alex glanced at the World Chat, ignoring these Lords spamming crazily, and prepared to go back to sleep. The corpses outside could be slowly summoned by the necromancers; after all, their stamina is infinite, and they never tire. On her way back to the castle, Alex encountered a Destroyer and inquired about the origins of these creatures. As for the Ghouls, she decided not to bother since they couldn''t speak and wouldn''t be able to provide any information. Through some communication and understanding, Alex roughly figured out that both the Destroyers and Ghouls came from the Dark Forest. This forest was teeming with various wild animals and beasts, as well as some high-level intelligent races that had fled from other continents to seek refuge in the Dark Forest. The depths of the Dark Forest were very mysterious, and even the Destroyers didn''t know what lay at the deepest part; they only dared to linger on the outskirts. According to the Destroyers, Alex guessed that there must be an extraordinary powerhouse in the deepest part of the forest, and the danger level was very high, which is why it was called a forbidden area by weaker creatures. So far, the Destroyers hadn''t encountered any undead other than Ghouls, so Alex''s idea of recruiting other undead creatures through diplomatic means fell through. The beast tide was over, and a new journey began, leading to the brutal All-Races Battle Royale. To enhance her strength, Alex felt it was time to explore the Frostwind Snowy Mountain and the Dark Forest. She could send aerial forces to the snowy mountain, as its rugged terrain was unsuitable for ground undead forces. The ground undead forces would head to the outskirts of the Dark Forest to deal with lower-level Commanding creatures. Alex reorganized her undead forces, sending the air force to the snowy mountain and the ground forces to the forest, leaving some to do the heavy lifting, assisting the necromancers in summoning undead and transporting bodies. Of course, the logging and stone mining couldn''t stop; Alex still needed a lot of resources to upgrade her castle. Adhering to the principle of not wasting, Alex ordered the Destroyers and Ghouls to return to their old haunts to start moving. This wild undead force from the Dark Forest, numbering over two hundred, including Commanding level leaders, couldn''t possibly have nothing; they must have some assets. After arranging everything, Alex went to her bedroom, took off her clothes, including her panties. The clothes she took off were thrown directly into the wardrobe; the next time she wore them, they would be as good as new. Alex walked naked to the kitchen and gulped down several sips of water, alleviating her thirst somewhat. As she was about to return to her bedroom, she received a system notification. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I don''t want to struggle anymore, I want to submit to you!" [Hamburger]: "What?" ... Sophie''s beast tide had ended, with over twenty dwarves dead and several severely injured, currently being cared for by other dwarves. But the dwarves had also gained a lot, with several reaching lv9 and one breaking through to the Commanding level. If not for this Commanding level dwarf turning the tide, Sophie felt her castle might have been breached by the frenzied beasts. Sophie felt sad; she realized her strength was too weak. At the same time, she felt this world was too cruel. Why had she been so unlucky to be transported to this world to participate in some damn All-Races Battle Royale? Sophie had no ambitions for domination, nor did she have the strength; her survival was a big problem. After a few days of interaction, Sophie found Alex to be quite nice, and since she was also a girl, Sophie made a bold decision. She would submit to Alex! ... [QuartzStriker]: "My dwarf troops are really weak in combat, summoning twenty a day, only one hundred and forty in seven days. If not for the dwarves who joined me, I might be dead by now. After the beast tide, I truly realized how cruel this world is. Relying on dwarves alone, I can''t survive. You are a powerful Lord without this worry, but I can''t, I''m afraid of dying. The dwarves are also very kind to me; apart from being a bit short, they are almost no different from normal humans. They talk to me, feel pain, and die. These days, I''ve treated them as humans because I gave them food, and they would even risk their lives to kill the invading beasts, even if they were severely injured and couldn''t get up. But seeing me still alive, they still smile. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? I don''t want them to die, nor do I want to die. I want to submit to you and become your territory. This is a well-considered decision, and I hope you will consider it." Damn, Alex wasn''t paying attention, and Sophie directly sent such a long text. Alex skimmed through it. Wait, submit to me?! Are you serious? Alex had never seen anyone voluntarily submit before. Submission is entirely one-sided. If you encounter some bad Lords, there''s absolutely no bottom line. Not only would they drain Sophie of all her value, but they might even sell her as a sex slave to other Lords. So, unless driven to desperation, who would willingly hand over their life to someone else? Alex guessed that Sophie must be feeling desperate right now. For her, it''s because she''s afraid of dying that she''s gambling on submitting to Alex. If Alex were a bad person, it would just be a different way to die, and Sophie''s situation wouldn''t change at all. But at least it would be more dignified than being bitten to death by beasts. If she''s lucky and Alex is a good person, then her chances of surviving on Eldoria would greatly increase. Sophie knew that her role was very important to Alex now. If she waited until later to submit, her usefulness might be negligible, and why would Alex accept her, a useless waste? So, after careful consideration, Sophie decided to submit to Alex. [Hamburger]: "This is no joke, are you sure you''ve thought it through?" Sophie''s role was still very important to Alex at the moment, and since she chose to submit voluntarily, Alex had no reason to refuse. Seeing Alex''s reply, Sophie knew the other party would definitely agree, and her nervous mood eased a lot. [QuartzStriker]: "I''ve thought it through, either way, I''m dead. Following you is my only way out!" [Hamburger]: "Okay." Alex just replied with an okay, giving Sophie a glimpse of hope. Sophie quickly clicked on the [Submit] feature above her friend''s list. [You have joined an Alliance, you cannot initiate [Submission] to other Lords!] Seeing this message, Sophie thought about it and decided to talk to Alex before dissolving the Alliance. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I need to dissolve the Alliance first before I can initiate Submission. I''ll dissolve the Alliance first." [Hamburger]: "Okay." Alex replied to Sophie, seeing from her words that a Lord who submits cannot be part of an Alliance. A submitting Lord has lost sovereignty and thus also loses the power to form alliances with other Lords. Conversely, those in an Alliance can at least be sure that their teammates are not another Lord''s territory. But there''s no limit to the number of territories; an Alliance of up to five Lords can have countless territories. [Your ally [QuartzStriker] has dissolved the Alliance with you. Since there is only one Lord left in the Alliance, the Alliance is automatically dissolved.] Dissolving the Alliance didn''t involve reclaiming anything; the two hadn''t borrowed anything from each other, it was just a very ordinary transaction between Lords. [Lord [QuartzStriker] has initiated Submission to you!] Alex clicked agree, and both started writing their names on it. The contract was successfully generated, and Alex''s system territory dashboard also added a new Lord. [Territory Lord: Sophie] [Strength: lv8 Standard] [Territory Level: lv9 initial castle] [Barracks Level: lv3 dwarf crystal] [Special Buildings: Furnace, Blacksmith Shop] [Troops: dwarf (artisan, warrior)] [Equipment: none] ... [Hamburger]: "Alright, it''s late, rest now." Sophie replied to Alex, noticing a new belonging feature on her system dashboard. Sophie opened it and saw some basic information about Alex. [Belonging Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv3 Commanding level] [Territory Level: lv1 town] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Barracks Level: lv9 undead crystal] [Number of Special Buildings: 7] [Troops: undead race (unique troops)] [Number of Equipments: 1] Sophie had always been curious about Alex''s troops, wanting to know what kind of troops made Alex so strong. As for Alex''s lv3 Commanding level strength and the upgrade to town information, Sophie wasn''t too surprised. Alex is a Big Shot; if she wasn''t stronger than Sophie, could she be called a Big Shot? "Undead?" Sophie''s first thought was of a bunch of slow-moving, clumsy skeletons that couldn''t hit anyone and would fall apart if hit. Could these skeletons be that strong? "Unique means only Alex can summon undead?" Wait, the system said undead, not skeletons. Sophie suddenly realized, could Alex be able to summon the entire Undead Race? This would explain why Alex was so strong. Actually, Sophie''s understanding of undead was too one-sided. Even if Alex relied solely on skeletons and their variants, she could still comfortably sit in the first tier. But if she could control the entire undead race, she would undoubtedly become an even stronger presence! Alex sent a message to Sophie and then ignored it. She lay down on the bed, ready to sleep. Ah, there''s no helping it, sleeping naked had become a habit. That''s it for today. Chapter 77: Elemental Alliance At 3 AM, as Alex and Sophie, among others, drifted into sleep, all the Lords who survived the beast tide began to trend towards one thing: forming Alliances!Nearly all the surviving Lords had barely withstood the beast tide, much like Sophie, and had come to a clear realization about their own strength¡ªthey were too weak! So, other than increasing their own strength, was there another way to become stronger? Yes, forming Alliances. Alliances became the go-to choice for all weaker Lords. Although an Alliance could only have up to five members, the resource sharing and mutual support among them could greatly enhance the Lords'' sense of security. From the moment the first Lord suggested this idea in the World Chat, it completely ignited the enthusiasm of all Lords. The World Chat was abuzz with one topic: finding teammates to form Alliances! They even increased the conditions for joining and the penalties for leaving an Alliance to prevent members from leaving casually. Of course, these restrictions were part of a contract agreed upon by all members of the Alliance, enforced by the system, making it impossible not to comply. At the Lava Volcano, Cain was still tallying his spoils from the beast tide. Due to his castle''s location at the volcano, most of the beasts that attacked his castle were native fire-element creatures from the volcano itself. Of the four thousand beasts that participated in the attack, more than half were from the volcano, and their strength was at level 5 or above. Based on the drop rate of Essence Shards from level 5 and above beasts, the bodies of over two thousand level 5 beasts could drop around a thousand Essence Shards. A thousand Essence Shards could allow Cain to summon a thousand flame spirits, multiplying his strength many times over. Even the usually expressionless Cain showed a rare smile. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since Cain''s troops consisted only of flame spirits, after several upgrades to his Barracks, not only did the daily summoning quantity of flame spirits increase, but their base level did as well. Cain placed all the Essence Shards into a magma pool inside his castle, a special building similar to Alex''s Blackwater AltarFeature. This building could transform Essence Shards into flame spirits and was connected to the Barracks crystal, meaning that as the Barracks increased the base level of summoning flame spirits, the level of flame spirits Cain summoned himself would also increase. This indeed could bring a significant boost to Cain''s strength. As for the biggest threat on the volcano, the lava dragon, it had mysteriously awakened from its slumber a few days ago, roared, and then flew away from the volcano. It had not returned since. Watching the continuously emerging flame spirits, Cain''s confidence soared. Just as Cain was about to go to sleep, the system suddenly popped up a message. Somewhat puzzled, Cain opened it¡ªit was a friend request. "[Ice Queen]?" Cain didn''t understand why this person was adding him as a friend. He accepted the friend request, thinking this person might need something from him or something else. [Flame Spirit]: "What''s up?" [Ice Queen]: "Hello Big Shot, are you interested in joining an Alliance? We already have four Lords in our Alliance, all from the second tier, and we''re looking for a top-tier Lord from the first tier to join us. Are you interested?" Being in the top thousand, Cain was skeptical about being specifically chosen. [Flame Spirit]: "Why me?" Seeing Cain''s curiosity, the Ice Queen sensed a glimmer of hope and decided to reveal more details. [Ice Queen]: "Big Shot, to be honest, among all the Lords in the first tier, only your troops seem to be elemental beings." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? [Flame Spirit]: "Because of the name of my castle?" [Ice Queen]: "Not to hide anything from you, all three of my current allies and I command troops of elemental beings." Cain was genuinely intrigued by how these four Lords, all summoning elemental beings, had managed to come together. The Ice Queen and her allies were confident in their first-tier strength, but unfortunately, the leaderboard only had a thousand spots. They believed it was just bad luck that pushed them into the second tier. Even if not, they were among the top combatants in the second tier. [Ice Queen]: "Big Shot, I believe you''ve made a preliminary judgment about our strength. If you''re willing to join, we''d be honored to have you as our Leader." The Ice Queen was very sincere, and she was confident that Cain''s troops were elemental beings. Based on the strength of troops that summon elemental beings, they should be at least in the second tier, if not the first. Out of ten thousand in the second tier, the Ice Queen had reviewed them all and even conversed with a few suspicious Lords. None fit the criteria, so they must be in the first tier, and the only one who fit the name criteria there was Cain. After some thought, Cain realized the Ice Queen was right. Indeed, if they were all elemental beings, it would be greatly beneficial for him. The features of an Alliance surely weren''t limited to what was currently shown; there must be more functions that hadn''t been displayed yet. That meant only one thing: their current castle levels were too low to unlock the corresponding features. [Flame Spirit]: "I agree, an Alliance would indeed be very helpful under the current circumstances." [Ice Queen]: "Praise the Elemental Gods, this is truly our honor." Following that, the Ice Queen added Cain to the Alliance, and Cain''s World Chat channel now included an option for Alliance chat. [Ice Queen]: "@All members, Big Shot has arrived. Let''s all introduce ourselves to [Flame Spirit] and get familiar with each other''s troops." To Cain''s surprise, aside from the Ice Queen, the other three members were also awake. [Earth Lord]: "Hello Big Shot, my troops are earth monsters, and my castle is located within a human empire in the Barren Plains of Eldoria continent." [Vine Fairy]: "Sir, my troops are tree spirits, and my castle is in a forest on the Bodel continent. I''m so envious that you all are in the same place." [Wind Fury]: "My troops are wind spirits, and my castle is in the Wolf Valley of Eldoria continent." [Ice Queen]: "I summon snow maidens, probably the only high-intelligence beings among us. My castle is in the Frostwind Snowy Mountain of Eldoria continent." As everyone introduced themselves, Cain got a better understanding of their troops, and their names indeed sounded like elemental beings. [Flame Spirit]: "Just as the Ice Queen guessed, my troops are flame spirits, and my castle is in the Lava Volcano of Eldoria continent." [Vine Fairy]: "Wow, one of you is in the snowy mountain and the other in a volcano, how romantic." [Ice Queen]: "It''s been a bit unsafe here recently. There are always vampires and gargoyles appearing on the snowy mountain, fighting on sight. If it weren''t for my snow maidens being immortal and able to hide in the ice and snow, they would have been killed countless times by now." [Flame Spirit]: "How come there are vampires and gargoyles on the snowy mountain? Those are two Lords'' troops, what''s their strength?" [Ice Queen]: "Both the vampires and the gargoyles are about as strong as me." Chapter 78: The castle of vampires [Night retreats, dawn arrives!]The next morning, Alex woke up from her sleep. Although the protective barrier had disappeared, the presence of the Specter Chandelier, along with the guard of her undead army, meant she wasn''t overly worried, such as fearing sleeplessness. It might also be the calming effect of the bedroom. As the saying goes, the most dangerous places are often the safest. Frostwind Snowy Mountain and Dark Forest are both dangerous, which paradoxically makes Alex''s location between them quite safe. Alex jumped out of bed, took her time choosing her outfit, and decided to start the beautiful day by dressing up. She chose a crop top white shirt paired with a strapless invisible bra, which made her breasts look even larger. She felt her breast size had increased by a size, though it was a bit tight, probably due to the push-up effect. For the bottom, she selected a black micro skirt, paired with plain white socks and cute little leather boots. After getting dressed, Alex prepared to check the supplies near the castle. Glancing down at her outfit, she noted humorously that her large breasts almost blocked her view of her feet. Alex teleported to the wall using dark magic, collecting the stone and wood from the castle along the way, netting 3k wood and 2k stone. During the day, Alex could see the entire battlefield below the wall more clearly. John had already led the skeleton army back, and the bodies were piled on the other side. The ground was littered with various limbs and entrails of wild beasts, the bodies already stacked together by the undead, but the severed limbs and spilled guts still remained on the battlefield. The ground was stained red and green, likely from the beasts'' blood. However, this scene was much milder compared to other Lords''. After all, in Alex''s undead army, only skeletons, zombies, and gargoyles directly tore apart and chopped up enemies. Specters, ghost dragons, and death conquerors mostly killed enemies with curses and soul attacks, leaving intact bodies, so it wasn''t as bloody. Even the bone dragons burned the beasts to a crisp. After a night of continuous summoning by the necromancers, three thousand beast bodies had been summoned, of various levels. These bodies piled up under the wall were an eyesore, so Alex chose to Disassemble them, gaining 1200 magic crystals, 5k food, 1k elite food, and 500 Essence Shards. Looking at these dropped resources, Alex felt somewhat disheartened. The beast tide had arrived at midnight, but there was no double drop! It seemed that the newbie protection period had ended, and the normal conditions had resumed after seven nights, with all wild monster kills no longer offering double drops. Wait, she distinctly remembered getting double experience last night when killing that ice bear! Alex opened the system dashboard, and indeed there was an announcement: [Congratulations to the Lords for successfully surviving the beast tide, officially starting the All-Races Battle Royale journey!] [From the eighth day onwards, the double drop from night beasts will change to normal drops, but the double attribute enhancement and double experience drop will still be retained (only effective against beasts below Monarch level).] Damn, Alex thought she was going to make a fortune with so many beasts yielding a large amount of magic crystals and Essence Shards. Instead, the benefits were halved. Fortunately, the double experience was still there. As for the settings below Monarch level, with Alex''s current capabilities, she didn''t need to worry about it. Alex thought about it; indeed, the surviving Lords wouldn''t necessarily kill all the beasts during the beast tide, but they would at least hold out until the end of the beast tide. By then, every Lord would definitely have magic crystals and Essence Shards, which would severely depreciate in value. With the end of the beast tide, all Lords'' strengths would rapidly develop. There were still seven thousand bodies left, and the necromancers could likely finish summoning them within a day and night, which was quite fast. "Hey, John actually made it to Commanding level, sweet." ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Skeleton King (John)] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 150] [Strength: 120+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 80+10] [Maximum Growth: Divine level] [Active Skill: Skeleton Fall, Soul Siphon] [Passive Skill: Breakthrough, King''s Glory] King''s Glory: Skeletons fighting alongside the Skeleton King gain +5 to all attributes and faster reassembly. Although the description is simple, it''s a powerful supportive enhancement skill. Skeletons'' maximum level is only Commanding, so a comprehensive increase of five points in attributes is quite significant. Moreover, as long as John is nearby, this skill is always active. John is increasingly resembling a general. Alex also checked the other undead; most of the skeletons that could level up had done so, and the bone dragons had reached level 7. Most of the other undead were no longer upgradable. What was thought to be the weakest, the Skeleton Soldier, had become the strongest force in Alex''s undead army since John was summoned. The zombie titan had also reached level 8 overnight; just killing one high-level beast, along with the double experience, allowed for rapid level advancement. Early stages level up quickly, but it slows down later¡ªthere won''t be a second beast tide. At that moment, Alex saw a specter flying back towards the castle. This one had returned from the snowy mountain, and Alex knew without thinking that it was bringing a message. Alex prepared to return to the castle, as watching a bunch of corpses wasn''t particularly interesting. She teleported back inside using magic and approached the specter. "Respected Queen, the gargoyles have located the castle of those vampires." Lucian''s vampires, of course, couldn''t find Alex''s castle, as the Specter Chandelier is not just for show. Without Monarch level strength, the concealment effect cannot be penetrated. Instead, it was the encounters of the vampires and gargoyles on Frostwind Snowy Mountain that completely exposed Lucian''s vampire castle to Alex''s field of vision. Chapter 79: Lets head to snowy mountain At the same time, a red figure suddenly appeared inside Lucian''s castle."My lord, the gargoyles have found our castle!" Lucian was startled. Hadn''t he ordered them to lead the gargoyles away? How had they still been discovered? It wasn''t a big deal that the enemy had discovered his castle; the real issue was that his own troops hadn''t managed to gather any information about the enemy''s castle. These gargoyles and the Lord girl from that night seemed to appear out of nowhere. However, the vampires did bring back some good news; they had discovered the lair of the Flame Demon Wolf from last night''s beast tide. Lucian decided to eliminate them to quickly enhance his own strength, especially since the oppressive presence of Alex was still palpable, and now his own castle had been discovered. But the location of the cave was not as close to his castle as Lucian had guessed; it was still some distance away, leading him to suspect it was a different cave altogether. Lucian immediately set out with his vampires. But neither Alex nor Lucian had realized that another Lord was hidden within Frostwind Snowy Mountain¡ª[Ice Queen] Samson. Yes, Samson. Who would have thought that the Lord known as [Ice Queen] would be a burly man! Alex''s castle was located on the eastern side of the snowy mountain, while Lucian''s was on the western side outside the mountain, with the distance between them spanning the entire Frostwind Snowy Mountain. In the middle of Frostwind Snowy Mountain, between two mountains forming a valley, lay Samson''s castle, covered in snow and indeed difficult to detect. Other Lords'' castles were either built on the mountainside or at the summit, but only Samson''s castle was uniquely located. Samson''s troops, the snow maidens, were beings formed from ice and snow, resembling bird-like creatures. These beings had a woman''s head and body, with arms that were wings made of frost, and their feet were large bird claws. Although the snow maidens were beautiful, they were not humanoid, having lost their legs in exchange for bird claws, which were their main method of attack. These ice-elemental beings also had a combat bonus in Frostwind Snowy Mountain and could remain immortal as long as they were in an icy environment. This was snowy mountain, covered everywhere with ice and snow, and Samson believed his snow maidens were invincible here. While the combat power of the snow maidens was not strong, they were highly intelligent and known for their immortality. Samson thought that the two factions of gargoyles and vampire Lords were like him, second-tier Lords who had somehow become enemies, constantly seeking each other''s locations and fighting on sight. Samson felt that these two forces were much stronger than his own, but his snow maidens were renowned for their wisdom and immortality. Even though undead were hard to kill, Samson didn''t see this as a problem. If they couldn''t be killed, why not just freeze them solid? In such a cold mountainous region, was being sealed away any different from being dead? "My lord, a frost cave has been discovered!" Upon hearing this, Samson''s face lit up with joy. Frostwind Snowy Mountain had several frost caves, each containing valuable treasures, much like instances in games from a previous life. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the locations of these frost caves were extremely hard to find, and each one contained at least a few Commanding level beings. While the two Lords fought each other, Samson could quietly develop his strength in the dangerous Frostwind Snowy Mountain with his snow maidens. He even fantasized about making those two Lords submit to him, kissing his toes. "Let''s go!" ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Samson and his snow maidens transformed into a pile of snow and disappeared from sight. ... Meanwhile, Alex was still in her castle, listening to the specter''s report. "His castle is outside the western side of Frostwind Snowy Mountain?" Alex fell silent; this was going to be tricky. Not to mention the dangers of crossing Frostwind Snowy Mountain, just the distance alone was a challenge. Ice Cream, flying at full speed, would take over four hours to cross Frostwind Snowy Mountain, and Arthur would need five hours in the harsh mountain environment. The bone dragons and gargoyles would take about eight hours. Alex couldn''t possibly think that just bringing Arthur and Ice Cream, both Commanding level, would be enough to destroy the vampire''s castle. As top-tier Lords, the enemy''s castle must have at least seven or eight Commanding levels. Moreover, it was a special period, and Ice Cream couldn''t just leave casually; he had to keep a low profile. Without Ice Cream, her strongest level 5 force, Alex wasn''t 100% confident she could defeat the enemy. She couldn''t really lead her undead army on a long march, taking half a month to get there, could she? The longer they stayed in snowy mountain, the greater the risk of encountering danger. "Respected Queen, the gargoyles have also discovered a strange cave in snowy mountain. I''ve been inside to check it out, and through the walls, I saw some strange werewolves, mostly at Commanding level." Hmm? Could this be an instance? With only a few Commanding levels inside, and it being daytime when the dangers of snowy mountain are relatively lower, and the cave''s monsters not having double attribute enhancements, wasn''t this just delivering resources on a platter? There should be treasures inside the instance, right? This was definitely worth exploring. Alex would not miss any opportunity to grow stronger; she had to make good use of the resources around her. "Arthur, John, let''s go!" Since it was a cave, they definitely needed to enter it. Arthur''s size was too large, probably unable to fit. So, Alex chose to bring John, who had a normal human form and could definitely enter. Having John as the main force should be sufficient. After all, Alex''s own strength was not to be underestimated now. As for why she brought Arthur, it was purely to serve as a flying mount. Alex rode on Arthur, his bony neck still as uncomfortable as ever. Because John couldn''t fly, Alex specifically brought a level 8 bone dragon to carry John. "Let''s head to snowy mountain!" Arthur, carrying Alex, took flight directly from the castle into the sky, followed by John, who transformed into a dragon rider, riding a bone dragon behind the undead queen. Alex didn''t bring the specter, as it was too slow and would delay them. She had the specter point in a general direction; once they reached the approximate location in snowy mountain, other gargoyles would lead the way. The location of the frost cave was on the northern side of Frostwind Snowy Mountain, slightly on the outer edge, which also proved that the guards inside the cave wouldn''t be too strong. With Arthur''s flying speed, it would take just over an hour to reach the destination. Chapter 80: Snowy mountain melee The icy winds mixed with snow began to howl across Alex''s face.This time, entering the snowy mountain was during the day, not as harsh as the nighttime weather of the previous visit. Although Alex, high in the sky, still couldn''t open her eyes due to the blizzard, she knew it was because she was flying too fast. Daytime visibility was at least much better than at night. Suddenly, upon spotting a gargoyle ahead, Arthur stopped flying, and the two undead began to communicate. Taking advantage of this break, Alex observed the surrounding scenery of the snowy mountain. After the newbie protection period had passed, the mist had lifted, and she could see through the snow to the distance. The entire snowy mountain was white, filled with continuous mountain ranges, offering an absolutely soul-purifying breathtaking view. After about 2 minutes, the conversation between the two undead ended. The gargoyle pointed in a direction, and Arthur immediately flew full force towards it, with the bone dragon following behind. About twenty minutes later, they encountered a few more gargoyles along the way. Arthur flew all the way and stopped atop a snowy mountain. Alex noticed nothing unusual, feeling it was no different from the usual snowy mountains. "Arthur, is the cave here?" Alex asked, puzzled. "Yes, my queen, the first gargoyle we met pointed out this location," Arthur replied. Arthur began to descend, landing halfway up this snowy mountain where there was a flat area. Alex jumped down directly and discovered a cave entrance frozen by ice and snow halfway up the mountain. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The entrance to the cave was very hidden; indeed, it was hard to spot from a distance. Just as Alex was about to shatter the ice at the entrance, she suddenly turned her head to the side. Five figures appeared out of nowhere¡ªit was Lucian and four Commanding level vampires. Lucian hadn''t expected the undead Lord to also be here. As soon as the two met, they didn''t exchange words and immediately started attacking each other. As the saying goes, sworn enemies dive straight into battle mode, no need for chatter. Alex thought, "This damn vampire, stealing so many werewolf corpses wasn''t enough, now he wants to take this cave too?" She used dark magic to teleport instantly, and a huge scythe appeared in her hand. The blade of the scythe, burning with flames, swung towards Lucian. Lucian clapped his hands over his ears, instantly becoming deaf. Then, Lucian''s nails grew long, and he met Alex''s strike. Alex didn''t expect him to be so decisive, turning himself into a deaf man, which made the bells on her scythe ineffective against him. However, it wasn''t a big problem; being cut by the scythe still inflicted soul damage. Arthur and the bone dragon took flight, spewing dragon''s breath at the other vampires, while John also came forward with a broadsword. The two sides instantly clashed into a melee. At that moment, on the other side of the snowy field, the snow began to stir and finally formed the bodies of Samson and eight snow maidens. Samson had just steadied himself when he was stunned, "What''s going on, are these two Lords fighting?" Samson quickly looked at the troops on both sides¡ªone side was vampires, but why weren''t there gargoyles on the other side, but a bone dragon instead? Three exclamation marks appeared above both Alex and Lucian''s heads. !!! In the midst of battle, Alex and Lucian suddenly turned towards Samson and his snow maidens. "Uh... haha... hello everyone? What a pleasant day today, what did you have for breakfast?" Samson laughed awkwardly. John and the opposing Commanding level vampire simultaneously stopped fighting and, as if by tacit agreement, directly attacked Samson. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "Damn, did I offend you guys?!" Samson and his snow maidens were also forced into the battle. Among Lords, you''re either allies or mortal enemies, especially with another Lord stirring trouble. Even if Alex could tolerate it, Lucian couldn''t. John''s sword cut a snow maiden in half, but instead of blood, the body simply fell and merged with the snow on the ground, then regenerated elsewhere. A vampire also pierced a snow maiden with a palm strike, resulting in the same scenario as John''s side. Samson broke into a cold sweat; those two snow maidens were Commanding level, his most elite troops. Although snow maidens have immortal abilities in the snow, watching them being instantly killed by the opposing Commanding level was a bit too much for him. The two regenerated snow maidens immediately flew into the sky, and the vampires, not to be outdone, also took to the air. The snow maidens released a tornado, carrying a blizzard towards John. But before the attack reached John, it was smashed by Arthur''s massive body in the sky, forcibly interrupting the spell. "Are you kidding me?" Samson was stunned again; his snow maidens, although the most numerous on the field, couldn''t completely handle these skeletons and vampires. Even if they successfully froze the vampires'' limbs, the vampires would unhesitatingly chop them off and quickly grow new ones. Trying to freeze the bone dragon was even more unrealistic; its body was too large, probably requiring five or six snow maidens to act together, and that''s only if the bone dragon didn''t resist. A terrifying thought suddenly occurred to Samson¡ªcould both these Lords be top-tier Lords from the first echelon? Oh, god! His castle was now surrounded by two top-tier Lords. Because John couldn''t fly, Samson became his target. Seeing the huge skeleton charging towards him, Samson hurriedly scrambled to the side. But a snow maiden who tried to come to his rescue was flung away by Arthur''s tail. On the other side. The scythe in Alex''s hand spun, the flames on the blade forming a ring of fire as she swung. Alex swung her scythe through the air, missing as Lucian turned into an afterimage and disappeared. Through a period of fighting, Lucian seemed to have discovered Alex''s weakness of not being able to fly and began to exploit his speed and aerial advantage. "Picking on me because I can''t fly, huh!" Having fought Alex once before, he knew the terror of the black flames on her body, so he was always looking for an opportunity. Lucian slashed his wrist, flinging his blood towards Alex, which formed into fine needles in the air. A wall of fire rose in front of Alex to block, but unexpectedly, the blood pierced right through the flames. She immediately cast a Dark Barrier for defense. The blood hit the Dark Barrier, emitting puffs of black smoke, all blocked by the Dark Barrier. The blood that didn''t hit Alex sizzled as it fell to the snowy ground, corroding a hole in the surface. "What is this? Are you an Alien?" Alex instantly turned into a black mist and vanished. When she reappeared, she was already in front of Lucian in the air. Lucian was shocked; he hadn''t expected this girl to also teleport. The flames on the scythe instantly turned black as Alex gripped the scythe with both hands and swung it towards Lucian. "I''ll chop you down, you alien!" Chapter 81: Lets team up Seeing the black flames so close yet feeling no heat, Lucian''s pupils constricted, and he decisively threw away his black cloak once again.His black cloak had only just been repaired from the last time it was damaged by Alex''s scythe, costing him a great deal of resources. The black cloak instantly floated up, positioning itself in front of him. Without hesitation, Lucian turned into an afterimage and retreated. Rip¡ª The black cloak was sliced directly down the middle by Alex''s scythe, nearly splitting it in two. The black cloak seemed to lose its spirit, falling straight to the ground. Because Alex couldn''t fly, her body also began to fall. She teleported in an instant to adjust her position and landed steadily on the snowy ground. The black cloak, burning with black flames, was retrieved by Lucian from a distance. Miraculously, the black flames extinguished as soon as Lucian took it back. Although Alex felt the black cloak was quite ordinary, she had thought about burning it directly, but that plan fell through. Meanwhile, John had caught up with Samson and launched an attack. Samson had nowhere to hide. His own strength was at the Commanding level, and with some of the snow maidens'' traits, his combat power enjoyed an extra boost in the snowy terrain. Therefore, John couldn''t defeat Samson quickly. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. John swung his broadsword at Samson, who used a roll to dodge the attack. After creating some distance, he stretched out his hands, and the snow around John seemed to be enchanted, instantly forming a sphere that trapped John inside. The snow mixed with ice began to erode John''s body, causing slight stiffness in his limbs. A smile appeared on Samson''s face; he had also seen Alex and Lucian fighting. He admitted he was no match for Alex and Lucian, but it would be too embarrassing if he couldn''t even beat the troops of those two Lords. "Hmph, even a mere skeleton thinks it can kill me. Be forever frozen in this snowy mountain!" Just as Samson was feeling somewhat smug, the ice-encased John raised his broadsword high, and his heavily armored body began to glow red. "Skeleton Fall!" John activated his skill. Unbeknownst to them, the sky had filled with giant flaming skulls that began plummeting towards the ground. The burning skulls, trailing long tails, resembled shooting stars. Boom! Boom! Boom! The giant skulls exploded upon hitting the flat area halfway up the mountain, melting the surrounding snow with the flames produced, and the snowflakes in the sky turned into droplets. Not only Samson, but even Lucian was taken aback. Such powerful magic from a skeleton? The surrounding snow quickly melted, and a snow maiden was hit by a skull, vaporized before it could turn into snow, and was directly killed by John. Samson was terrified; even he was too scared to turn into snow and escape, opting instead to use a huge ice shield formed from the ice to block. A skull smashed directly onto the snowball above John''s head. John shook his body, and the ice ball trapping him exploded, allowing him to walk out. Samson realized a problem; he seemed unable to even defeat a skeleton. The effect of Skeleton Fall continued, and one of the skulls smashed right at the entrance of the frost cave, blowing the ice blocking the entrance apart. Roar!!! A fierce roar came from the cave entrance, shaking it. ????????.??? Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked towards the cave entrance. A big fellow had awakened, seemingly disturbed from a pleasant dream by the battle of the three Lords, and it appeared extremely angry. Bang! A white figure burst through the cave entrance. The three saw a creature similar in size and stature to the Howling Moon Werewolves, except it was covered in a layer of frost armor, stood 15 feet tall, had very long claws, blood-red eyes, and drool dripping from its open mouth. Lucian, being closest to the cave entrance, followed by Alex, was caught off guard by the werewolf creature''s incredible speed. Before he could react, its five long, sharp claws pierced through his chest. Thinking Lucian was dead, the werewolf creature tossed him aside and immediately charged at Alex. Its long claws aimed straight for Alex''s chest. Alex quickly cast a Dark Barrier for defense, but the creature''s strength was so immense that it pushed her back several steps, nearly causing her to fall. This creature''s attributes were even higher than Alex''s when her attributes were doubled! At that moment, Lucian''s wounds slowly healed, and he stood up again, his complexion somewhat pale. This creature was beyond his expectations. The werewolf creature didn''t expect not only that Alex wasn''t killed by its attack but also that the human it thought it had just killed had also stood up again. At the same time, other creatures inside the cave, awakened by the werewolf creature''s roar, began to emerge continuously¡ªFlame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites. The scene became even more chaotic. The Flame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites, not very intelligent and acting on instinct, considered everyone in their territory as enemies. "Let''s team up!" Alex shouted, realizing she couldn''t defeat this creature alone. Although the creature was strong, it wasn''t invincible. Alex estimated its strength might be comparable to that of Ice Cream, and it was fightable. Naturally, Lucian didn''t want to give up the cave. The stronger the creature, the more resources it indicated. Without a second thought, Lucian attacked the werewolf creature. Seeing the situation, Samson hesitated for a moment before also attacking the werewolf creature. The three Lords, who had just been fighting each other, now cooperated to tackle the werewolf creature. Their troops also began to attack the group of Frost Sprites and Flame Demon Wolves. "Let''s split the loot three ways." Lucian said coldly, regretting that his black cloak had just been damaged by Alex, which would have otherwise increased his combat level. Alex, while fighting, activated her left eye. Unlike Lucian, if she wasn''t careful and got hit by this creature, she could really get hurt. Alex''s scythe, burning with flames, swung down, easily blocked by the werewolf creature''s claws. Lucian seized the opportunity to stab at the werewolf creature''s neck with his claws, while Samson cast a spell to instantly freeze the creature''s feet, and countless ice spikes surged from the ground towards its lower body. Facing the combined attack of Lucian and Samson, the werewolf creature suddenly turned into an ice sculpture, successfully defending against their attacks. The moment the werewolf creature turned into an ice sculpture, it stirred up a blizzard, pushing the three back. At first, Alex thought Samson had frozen it, but it was clear now that the werewolf creature had frozen itself. At the same time, Alex felt a sharp pain in her arm. Looking down, she saw a piece of ice crystal had splashed onto her arm, causing frostbite from just a small shard. Flames instantly ignited on Alex''s arm, melting the ice crystal. As the werewolf creature actively thawed, a huge magic circle appeared in the sky, enveloping the three. Countless ice spikes formed from the condensed ice smashed down towards them. This werewolf creature could also perform magical attacks! Chapter 82: Shut up, dont tell me what to do Flames immediately ignited around Alex, enveloping her body and melting the ice upon contact.Similarly, Samson conjured a huge ice ball around himself to dodge the werewolf creature''s attacks. Lucian, who couldn''t use magic, had to endure the werewolf creature''s magical attacks directly, which was somewhat embarrassing. He once again pulled out his damaged black cloak, floating it above his head to block the ice crystals. The werewolf creature noticed¡ªone was in a fireball, another in an ice ball, and only this one holding a tattered cloth was easy to attack. Just as Lucian used the black cloak to defend against the werewolf creature''s magic, the creature approached him, its claws piercing through Lucian''s body once again. This time, the werewolf learned from its experience; the claws that penetrated Lucian''s body sliced upward, nearly tearing his body in half. Lucian fell to the ground, blood gushing out, his eyes widening in shock. The blood around him instantly formed into spikes, attacking the werewolf creature in front of him. The werewolf formed an ice armor for defense, but unexpectedly, it was corroded by Lucian''s blood. The blood-formed spikes successfully penetrated the werewolf creature''s body, corroding holes and leaking green pus. Roar! The werewolf roared in anger, surprised that it had been breached by this nearly split human. Lying on the ground, Lucian''s body was again pierced by ice spikes emerging from the ground, lifted high, with layers of ice forming on his surface. His blood flow slowed, and his bodily functions declined, as he was about to be completely frozen by the werewolf creature. Suddenly, a red magic circle appeared on the ground. Boom! A massive column of fire shot up, covering Lucian completely. Alex''s fire magic successfully thawed him. Lucian burst through the flames, holding a sword formed from his own blood, and stabbed directly at the werewolf creature''s throat. The werewolf creature, now aware of the effects of Lucian''s blood, wouldn''t be fooled a second time. A huge ice wall appeared in front of it to block Lucian. But just as the ice wall formed, it suddenly shattered. It was Samson in the distance controlling the ice elements! Samson realized his half-baked frost magic was nowhere near as strong as the werewolf creature''s; his magic was basically ineffective against it, so he could only assist from the side, disrupting the ice elements the werewolf conjured. Lucian, holding the blood sword, stabbed at the werewolf, but the brief moment of delay was enough for the creature to react. The werewolf dodged, but Alex suddenly arrived from behind, blocking its path with her scythe. Lucian, now quite pale from blood loss, attacked again with the blood sword. If he didn''t strike the werewolf soon, the remaining blood wouldn''t be enough to maintain the weapon''s form. Lucian''s blood sword successfully pierced the werewolf creature''s back, hissing as it corroded. The werewolf, in pain, flung Alex away and swiped at Lucian with a claw. Lucian''s newly healed body was torn open again. At this moment, Lucian felt like his two teammates were just acting, and he was the only one truly fighting. Alex felt it was about time; she could probably steal the kill now. She raised her hand, and a huge fire magic circle appeared. Instantly, a sea of fire surged towards the werewolf, melting the surrounding snow. The werewolf not to be outdone, also conjured a blue-white frost magic circle. A blizzard mixed with ice crystals met Alex''s sea of fire. The contact between the fire and the blizzard created a massive steam explosion, surrounding the area in fog. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Samson was dumbfounded. She''s an undead Lord, how can she have such strong fire magic? ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Lying on the ground, Lucian cursed Alex countless times in his mind. With such powerful magic, why hadn''t she used it earlier! The steam mixed with the blizzard obscured everyone''s vision. Alex teleported in front of the werewolf creature, which, though it couldn''t see, sensed the girl''s position and defended with its claws. Alex''s left eye emitted light, instantly capturing the werewolf creature''s attack. She deftly dodged to the side, her scythe cutting directly into the werewolf creature. The scythe easily broke through the werewolf creature''s armor, slicing into its flesh. A severed arm with long claws flew backward, landing right in front of Lucian, who twitched. Roar! The soul-deep pain made the werewolf unable to endure, letting out a painful roar, its severed arm still burning with black flames. Alex punched the werewolf creature in the stomach, and from her fist to her wrist, three black magic circles of increasing size appeared. Boom! Black flames burst from the magic circles, piercing through the werewolf creature''s stomach, the immense force sending it flying backward. Alex teleported and landed steadily. The werewolf creature fell next to Lucian, who was startled and quickly moved aside. "Did you do that on purpose?" Lucian said angrily. "What? I can''t hear you!" Alex tilted her head and shouted next to her ear. The werewolf creature, severely injured by Alex''s dark magic, tried to extinguish the flames but failed despite all attempts. Alex approached the severely wounded werewolf with her scythe. "Why didn''t you use that black flame earlier!" Lucian seriously suspected Alex was throwing the fight, but he had no proof. "My Mana Points aren''t unlimited; of course, I need to recover." Alex shrugged, indicating it wasn''t her fault. Samson, realizing there was no longer any danger, also approached from a distance. "Hey, man, you''re pretty lame!" Alex teased Samson. Samson laughed awkwardly, not knowing how to respond. How could he have imagined that this white-haired girl was so powerful? "Can you stop talking and just kill it with your black flame!" Lucian urged, looking at the ice-encased werewolf creature''s body. He dared not use his blood for attacks anymore; if these two Lords changed their minds, he wouldn''t even have the strength to run. "Shut up, don''t tell me what to do!" Samson shivered on the side, not daring to speak, surprised that such a pretty girl could be so fierce. Alex raised her hand, and five black spears appeared, instantly piercing the werewolf creature''s body. Three in the head, two in the chest¡ªthe red light in the werewolf creature''s eyes completely extinguished. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing a level 6 Commanding level Frost Werewolf, gaining 160 experience points.] Chapter 83: Search for treasure within the fortress Alex stared at the dead Frost Werewolf before her, pondering her next move.Should she turn it into bone beasts or just a regular undead? Turning it into bone beasts would definitely strip it of its original magical abilities, but opting for regular undead felt a bit like a lottery. Moreover, there was no guarantee of summoning powerful troops like bone dragons, ghost dragons, or zombie titans¡ªit was all uncertain. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, with a Commanding level of 6, even if she summoned a piece of shit, it would still be stronger than a standard creature. "Hurry up and disassemble it!" Lucian, unaware of what Alex was contemplating as she looked at the werewolf creature, urged her from the side. Alex shot Lucian a glare. Beneath the massive body of the Frost Werewolf, a gray magic circle suddenly emerged, completely covering the corpse. Lucian and Samson watched in confusion. What was she doing, desecrating the corpse? Did all powerful beings have this quirk? But soon, Lucian and Samson''s mouths fell open in shock. From the gray magic circle, a gaunt humanoid creature clad in a black robe and holding a staff crawled out. Even the dimmest could tell this was summoned from the dead werewolf creature. Lucian thought to himself, "How can we even play this game? Someone''s cheating here!" Samson, relieved that the werewolf creature''s body was still there, wasn''t surprised by Alex''s move. As a second-tier Lord, he had other methods of summoning troops, but seeing a first-tier Big Shot perform this wasn''t shocking; it just made him realize the huge gap between the second and first tiers. He wouldn''t boast again. Indeed, second place is always just second place. Alex, on the other hand, was thrilled to have directly summoned a necromancer¡ªan unexpected delight. She hadn''t intended to reveal this ability, but with the other two eager to divide the spoils, she couldn''t just waste the body. Basic trust among people had to be maintained, especially since these two had indeed contributed. Without them, Alex wouldn''t have been a match for the Frost Werewolf, considering there was a whole group of subjects nearby. The necromancer initially wanted to bow to his queen, but a look from Alex stopped him. As an intelligent being, how could the necromancer not understand her intentions? "Go help," she commanded. The troops of the three Lords were still battling behind them, and Alex instructed the necromancer to hurry over and assist (steal some kills). Alex approached the Frost Werewolf''s body to disassemble it first, knowing the other two were probably impatient. She tapped the Disassemble button on the system interface that popped up. The body of the Frost Werewolf instantly vanished, and she received a system notification. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully disassembling the body of a level 6 Commanding level Frost Werewolf. You have obtained a Frost Armor Set (4/4), 100 portions of elite food, 100 magic crystals, and 3 Essence Shards.] ???¦®§®???.?§°? Seeing a pile of items scattered inside the ice, Alex walked over, flames igniting in her hand, and retrieved the two pieces of equipment from the ice. "The two pieces of equipment are mine; you guys split the rest," she declared, then headed towards the frost cave. As for the armor set, Alex couldn''t be bothered to check it. Seeing Alex enter the cave, Lucian and Samson didn''t dare lag behind, fearing she might reach the treasures first. They quickly divided the remaining spoils and followed her. Lucian took the three Essence Shards and a piece of equipment, leaving the remaining equipment, elite food, and magic crystals for Samson. Holding a fireball for light, Alex entered the cave and hadn''t walked far when she encountered a fork in the path. Two paths continued straight ahead, while directly in front was a downward slope, the floor entirely smooth ice, resembling a slide. With her previous experience looting werewolves'' castles, Alex was certain there would be valuable items below and didn''t hesitate to head straight down the icy slide. Samson and Lucian, arriving just in time to see Alex descend, exchanged a knowing look and split up, one going left and the other right. What they would find in the cave was entirely up to their luck. Alex slid down, and after about three minutes, she reached the end of the slope. The scene before her resembled a fortress, the cave opening located one meter above the fortress''s wall, the ground below no longer icy but smooth stone. Every five meters along the corridor, a brazier burned, illuminating the surroundings. Clearly, this was man-made. Alex hadn''t expected such a scene inside the frost cave. She jumped down from the opening and started down the corridor. If the fortress was large enough, the other two openings above likely also led here. Alex needed to hurry and find the treasures. As she passed a doorway, a huge burst of flames surged towards her. Luckily, Alex was always on alert and quickly raised a Dark Barrier to block the attack. The flames dissipated, revealing two Flame Demon Wolves. Alex raised her hand, and the flames from the braziers on either side turned black, forming two black fire dragons that flew towards the wolves, instantly killing them. After disassembling the two Flame Demon Wolves, Alex glanced inside but saw nothing of value and turned to leave. As she wandered the fortress, encountering several more forks and nearly getting lost, she also encountered several more Flame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites. Without any suspense, all were swiftly killed by Alex; the Commanding level ones must have been above, as these were just weak Standard level creatures. Eventually, Alex saw a staircase leading upwards not far from a junction. She sensed something unusual; there must be something valuable there. Reaching the corner with the staircase, Alex looked up to see a wooden dome door with braziers on either side, their flames long extinguished, giving the area a dim appearance. Ascending the stairs, Alex reached the wooden door and lit the two braziers before taking a deep breath and kicking the door open. A cloud of dust accompanied by a musty, moldy smell rushed towards Alex, and the door latch broke in two under her kick. The room was dark, so Alex threw in a small fireball for light, ensuring there were no dangers. The faint light instantly illuminated the room, and Alex saw directly in front of her a stone chair with a skeleton in armor sitting on it, staring right at her. Chapter 84: Ring of Space Alex was somewhat surprised at first, immediately thinking of undead.But then she thought, if it''s undead, what''s there to fear? Soon, Alex realized something was off¡ªit was just a long-dead person, decayed down to a skeleton. Realizing this, Alex, holding a fireball for light, walked in. Her shoes left thick footprints on the floor, indicating that no living creature had entered this place for many years. Still feeling a bit uneasy, Alex first approached the skeleton to check it thoroughly, making sure there was nothing wrong with it. "Anything interesting?" Alex found a letter in the skeleton''s embrace, tucked inside the armor. She felt no fear, reaching directly to retrieve the letter. She opened it, and the paper was very yellowed, showing its age, with some of the writing faded due to the passage of time. Holding the fireball in one hand for light and the letter in the other, Alex began to read. "To His Majesty, the Emperor of Starfallen, your most loyal servant has now been at the Frostwind snowy mountain for twelve years, and I have yet to find the item, disappointing you. ... I have encountered werewolves from the Skyreach Mountains, goblins from the Hobgoblin kingdom, and even the Demon race. My encounter with the Demon race attracted a frost dragon, and I was severely injured by it. My life is not long for this world, and I have led the surviving soldiers to hide in a frost cave within the Frostwind snowy mountain. One day, the arrival of knights from the Holy Court gave me hope, and I immediately sent all my soldiers to find the Holy Court knights. Unexpectedly, there were spies from the Demon race within the Holy Court, and our entire army was wiped out, with only one soldier who accidentally fell off a cliff surviving. He barely managed to bring me this news. I am writing this letter in the hope of sending this message back to the empire, but the entire snowy mountain''s Demon race is searching for me, and my chances of returning alive are slim." Alex guessed the rest¡ªthe letter was never sent, and the person died here, turning into a skeleton. From the letter, it was clear that the Starfallen Empire was definitely a human force. Looking at the skeleton''s attire, his identity must have been something like a general of the empire. But what did that have to do with Alex? Besides, as a Lord who was an extraterrestrial visitor, the more severe the internal conflicts among these native forces, the better for them. Thinking this, Alex decided to keep the letter, just in case she had a chance to contact this empire in the future and could stir up trouble among the Starfallen Empire, the Holy Court, the Demon race, and the Angel race. "Man, you''ve been dead for so many years, let me make use of what''s left of you. I''ll take your legacy without hesitation." Alex stripped the armor off the skeleton, clearly recognizing it as valuable. She also found a ring on the skeleton''s finger and eagerly began to check the properties of the equipment. [Armor Set Name: Fearless Set (Damaged)] [Equipment Level: Commanding level] [Set Effects: Increases defense to Commanding level, reduces all damage except physical by 10%, adds ten points to all attributes.] §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? [Note: Irreparable] The equipment properties dashboard was full of red downward arrows, even next to the equipment level, indicating that this damaged set was originally Monarch level equipment, but unfortunately, it was beyond repair. It was somewhat useless now, but still stronger than a typical Commanding level set. Alex then looked at the ring, its simple, unadorned design and as wide as her thumb, clearly a men''s model. [Equipment Name: Ring of Space (Unbound)] [Equipment Level: Monarch level] S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Equipment Effect: Contains an internal space of 3000 cubic feet for storing items, cannot contain living beings. Once bound, if the holder dies, the ring''s self-destruct mechanism will activate, destroying everything inside.] This was clearly a storage ring. Just by seeing the name, Alex understood its function and was delighted. There must be the general''s legacy inside this ring. But seeing the latter part of the equipment description, she felt a bit dismayed¡ªit could self-destruct, which was frustrating. Missing out on a fortune, Alex felt a pang of regret. However, acquiring a Monarch level ring was still a cause for celebration. Alex clicked the bind option on the equipment dashboard, and the ring instantly resized from large and thick to small and thin, transforming into a white women''s ring. She slipped it onto her right index finger, a perfect fit. No legacy, no problem¡ªat least with this ring, things would be much more convenient. Alex directly stored the six pieces of equipment from the Frost Werewolf and the human general into the ring, along with the letter. After finishing this, Alex checked the rest of the room, finding nothing else. After all, with a space ring, why would any valuables be left out? Everything had turned to dust with the general''s death. She left the room and continued exploring. She hadn''t found the Frost Werewolf''s lair yet. After another fifteen minutes and checking several rooms, collecting some magic crystals and a few Essence Shards, she found no other significant items. Alex had now reached the edge of the fortress, the stone floor beginning to be covered with ice. The environment was changing, and she saw a huge cave, about 16 feet high, definitely the Frost Werewolf''s cave¡ªnormal Flame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites were only about 6.5 feet tall, so they couldn''t have such a large cave. There was even an opening above the cave, leading outside to the snowy mountain, which also served as lighting during the day. "The interior of the cave is indeed interconnected," Alex realized, as this cave was right next to the other fork she had entered earlier. She had circled back here after all her wandering. Entering the cave, Alex found it cluttered with various items, magic crystals carelessly thrown in corners, and rotting flesh and bones everywhere. Alex didn''t see the Frost Werewolf as an intelligent being, just a beast with no intelligence, only fighting instincts. However, it might have been influenced by something, as she had never seen a creature above Commanding level without intelligence. Chapter 85: Dont worry, I wont chop you Alex''s guess was soon confirmed when she discovered a magic book inside the Frost Werewolf''s cave. It was a book on intermediate frost magic.During the battle, the Frost Werewolf''s eyes had glowed red, and it drooled all over the place, looking every bit the mad creature. Could such a creature really learn magic? This proved that the Frost Werewolf originally possessed intelligence, and its frost magic wasn''t an innate talent but acquired through learning. The truth was clear. Initially, the Frost Werewolf must have been normal, but something later influenced its mind, making it appear mad. Could this be related to the mysterious item everyone was searching for? Alex casually pocketed the magic book¡ªa valuable find, as it was one of the few ways to enhance strength besides leveling up. She then scoured the cave for anything useful. Having explored the area thoroughly, Alex prepared to leave. This expedition had been quite fruitful. The magic crystals and Essence Shards were secondary; the real prizes were the Ring of Space and the frost magic book. These items would be incredibly helpful to Alex. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She retrieved the two pieces of equipment from the Frost Werewolf from the ring, careful to keep this precious ring hidden from others. Pretending to have found nothing else, she walked towards the cave entrance with the two pieces of equipment. As Alex reached the entrance, Samson emerged, using magic to freeze a large pile of supplies behind him and controlling them to move forward. Alex glanced over; nothing valuable, just some iron ingots, stones, a few magic crystals, and Essence Shards. However, Samson looked rather disheveled, with part of his hair burned off and his face scorched. Alex couldn''t help but laugh. "You''re at Commanding level and you still got burned by a Standard Flame Demon Wolf? Look at you now." Facing Alex, Samson was somewhat timid, and despite noticing that she had not obtained any loot, he dared not mock her. He approached her with a charred face, managing a smile that showed his white teeth. "Hey, those two frost pieces you''ve got, you won''t need them, right? You''re probably going to trade them at the trading post. How about we swap?" "Why can''t I wear them myself?" Alex suddenly noticed the iron ingots behind Samson. He must have found the warehouse used by the general to build the fortress; it was normal to find iron ingots there. Hearing Alex''s response, Samson''s smile widened, his eight teeth now appearing to be twelve. "You haven''t checked the properties of the equipment, have you? They''re not suitable for you." Seeing that Alex hadn''t even checked the properties, Samson assumed she didn''t care about the equipment and that he could secure them with a satisfactory offer. Curious about what made these items so desirable to this Lord, Alex decided to check the properties. [Equipment Name: Frost Breastplate] [Equipment Level: Commanding level] [Set Effect (1/4): Amplifies own frost magic by 10%, reduces own fire magic by 15%, increases Mana Points by 20, adds six points to all attributes.] The properties were indeed impressive, enhancing the wearer''s magical power¡ªno wonder Samson wanted them. The set could be somewhat useful to her, now that she had an intermediate book on frost magic. However, the reduction in fire magic power was a drawback; in a world where even those without magical knowledge could produce flames, reducing fire magic power was a significant disadvantage. ???¦®§®???.?§°? This was a close-combat set, with weapons being two wolf claws, perfect for compensating for Samson''s weak close-combat abilities and enhancing frost magic¡ªit seemed tailor-made for him. No wonder he was so eager to get it and claimed it was useless to Alex. Alex used fire magic, and wearing something that reduced fire magic power was out of the question for her. "What do you want to trade?" Alex asked, though her gaze was fixed on the iron ingots behind Samson. Even Samson could tell what she wanted. "How about I trade you these two pieces of equipment for a thousand iron ingots?" A thousand iron ingots were worth two thousand magic crystals at base price. With the beast tide just ended, surviving Lords had plenty of magic crystals, but iron ingots were becoming rarer and had started to appreciate in value. Thus, a thousand iron ingots were actually worth far more than two thousand magic crystals. Samson''s offer was quite generous. "No," Alex flatly refused. "One of the pieces is a weapon. I''ll need two thousand." Alex boldly doubled the price. She wasn''t worried about Samson backing out; if he didn''t agree, she could simply keep the equipment, and he would never complete the set. Understanding this, Samson knew upgrading his town without strengthening his capabilities first would only increase the risk of exposure. If he didn''t upgrade his town, then the iron ingots were of no immediate use. Completing the set was worth it, especially since he had already traded with Lucian for other parts and only needed the two pieces Alex held to complete it. Of course, all this was just Samson reassuring himself. He knew they were outside the castle, and what if this fierce young lady decided to kill him? "Miss, why are you taking out the scythe...?" Samson was genuinely frightened. He couldn''t afford to disagree. "Oh, it''s nothing. We''re about to leave the cave, right? What if there''s danger outside? I''m just getting my weapon ready in advance. Don''t worry, I won''t chop you." Alex added that last bit, making Samson even more nervous. "Two thousand, then. It''s a deal, no going back on it," Samson confirmed one last time. "Don''t worry, I''m very trustworthy," Alex assured him. Samson thawed the ice block and counted out two thousand iron ingots. "Could you freeze these for me and maybe compress them a bit with magic? Thanks." Reluctantly, Samson froze the counted iron ingots into a sphere. Alex, her fingers ablaze, plunged her hand into the ice sphere like grabbing a bowling ball and lifted the frozen ball of two thousand iron ingots. She tossed the two pieces of equipment to Samson and walked out of the cave. Samson quickly donned the completed set, perhaps feeling a bit safer in it. Outside the cave, Alex found that the battle had long since ended. With a level 6 Commanding level necromancer present, victory was assuredly in the hands of the undead. Chapter 86: Intermediate Frost Magic Alex almost forgot; she hadn''t checked the properties of the Commanding level necromancer yet. She was curious about what skills it had compared to a Standard one.[necromancer] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv6 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 200] [Strength: 65] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 60] [Growth Limit: King level] [Skills: ghost form, undead summoning, bone manipulation] Bone manipulation¡ªa spell that controls the bones in a corpse for combat¡ªwas a decent addition, enhancing its combat capabilities. Moreover, the Commanding level Undead Summoning Magic was an upgrade, even more advanced than Alex''s own Undead Summoning Magic. Originally, Alex could only summon the three basic troops, but the Commanding level necromancer could summon five types, including death knights and gargoyles. At the moment, the three Lords'' troops were in a standoff, not attacking each other without their Lords'' commands. The vampires and undead were unharmed, but of the eight snow maidens Samson had brought, only six remained. One had been killed by John earlier, and another likely succumbed to its weakness against Flame Demon Wolves. The undead and snow maidens, seeing Alex and Samson clad in frost armor emerging from the cave, were gearing up for battle. The vampires, seeing their Lord hadn''t appeared yet, hesitantly stepped back. Being intelligent creatures, they could discern the situation and make their own decisions without their Lord''s command. Alex glanced at the bodies on the ground; the dead Flame Demon Wolves had turned to char. Only the Frost Sprites'' bodies were relatively intact. There were twenty in total, with each faction having made some kills. The snow maidens had the fewest, while the necromancer had the most, having killed nearly half the enemies by itself. "Respected Queen, Frost Sprites have no souls and cannot be summoned," the necromancer respectfully informed Alex. Alex was taken aback; the last time she encountered a soulless creature was the Commanding level evil tree spirit in the swamp. What was with these creatures, either going mad or losing their souls? There was definitely a problem here. Out of the twenty bodies, twelve were Frost Sprites, and of the six Commanding level creatures, four were Frost Sprites, yet they couldn''t be summoned. The necromancer had already summoned the other bodies before Alex emerged, resulting in sixteen undead, including two at the Commanding level. Alex disassembled a Frost Sprite body, finding only an Essence Shard and a piece of equipment, then nothing else. The equipment was a wolf claw, a lower-tier version of the frost set claw. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? However, Alex wasn''t entirely selfish; she only disassembled the twelve bodies her troops had killed. She obtained 12 Essence Shards, 30 magic crystals, and 4 Commanding level pieces of equipment. By the time Alex and Samson had dealt with the bodies and were ready to leave, Lucian still hadn''t appeared. Alex guessed he might have been too injured earlier and was hiding in the cave to recover, particularly from her. Alex suspected he wouldn''t come out until she had left. Holding the iron ingots frozen into a sphere, she climbed onto Arthur''s back. John also mounted other bone dragon, which even carried the newly summoned non-flying undead, turning the bone dragon into a sort of transport vehicle. The necromancer''s body began to turn transparent, activating its ghost form skill. "I''m heading out first. You should pray that you don''t run into me again," Alex called out to Samson below as she rode Arthur. With a flap of his wings, Arthur dispersed the surrounding snow and soared into the sky, and the necromancer''s figure vanished in an instant. Watching Alex shrink to a speck in the sky, Samson breathed a sigh of relief. If they met again, he feared this formidable young woman might actually kill him. Lucian finally emerged from the cave, directing his vampires to transport supplies and disassemble bodies. Seeing nothing left to explore, Samson and his snow maidens dissolved into the snow and departed. Lucian glanced over but didn''t bother with them. Flying, Alex stored the supplies in her ring and headed back to her castle. Over an hour later, she successfully returned and dumped all the materials from the ring into her Warehouse. [System Notification: Lord has acquired Intermediate Frost Magic. Would you like to spend 1k magic crystals to learn it immediately?] The price had gone up, but it was a minor issue for Alex. "Learn," she commanded. The magic book vanished, and Alex''s mind filled with various techniques for using frost magic. Intermediate magic was different from basic levels; lower-tier magic only allowed fixed spells, but reaching intermediate level enabled personal spell development, a completely different class. Now, the most important thing was the 2k iron ingots. Compared to other resources, iron ingots were what Alex currently lacked the most. Although 2,000 iron ingots weren''t enough to upgrade her castle, they were just right to build twenty defense towers. Luckily, Alex had demanded an extra thousand iron ingots from Samson; otherwise, she could only have built half the towers. [Building Materials: 1k wood, 2k stone, 100 iron ingots, 1 Essence Shard per tower.] A defense tower required only these materials, which were quite cheap except for the iron ingots. "Build," Alex decided. The Warehouse''s 20k wood, 40k stone, 2k iron ingots, and twenty Essence Shards vanished instantly. Alex''s stone supply hit zero; the stone in the Warehouse, including some collected by the undead outside, just reached 40k. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Twenty defense towers rose instantly at designated spots along the town wall, their bases square and tops round, matching the wall''s dark gray color. An Essence Shard floated at the top of each, drawing energy from the tower. Seeing the twenty new defense towers, Alex felt a slight increase in her sense of security; after all, each tower possessed Commanding level attack power. The necromancers on the wall continued their summoning tasks, and Alex had the Commanding level necromancer join them, greatly increasing their efficiency. Tonight, they would finish processing all the bodies. Looking at her Warehouse''s remaining resources, Alex noted plenty of magic crystals and Essence Shards, enough to upgrade the Barracks, but wood and stone were becoming scarce. "Ah, it always feels like there''s never enough resources!" Alex sighed. Chapter 87: Acolyte Alex opened the trading post to check the current market prices, and she was taken aback by what she saw.Just as she had guessed, after the beast tide, the weaker Lords had perished, and those who survived had amassed a great deal of resources. Some of the slightly stronger Lords had even begun promoting their troops to Commanding level, and with these Lords forming alliances, the circulation of resources had become more widespread. Previously, a standard piece of equipment could sell for ten magic crystals each, but in just half a day, the price had plummeted to five magic crystals per item. Alex and Sophie still had over 20,000 standard pieces of equipment unsold. This was a significant loss... Conversely, as the Lords'' Commanding level troops increased, the demand for Commanding level equipment rose, making it more expensive than before. The price of a single piece of Commanding level equipment had jumped from 500 to 1,000 magic crystals, and that wasn''t even the price for sets, which were even more costly. The materials for forging standard equipment had been figured out by some Lords in the World Chat, leading to more Lords being able to forge their own gear. This caused the price of animal hides to rise to 1 magic crystal per piece, and wild boar tusks, essential for standard equipment, had increased to 2 magic crystals each. The cost to produce a standard piece of equipment had reached 3 magic crystals, while the selling price was only 5 magic crystals. The profit margin had shrunk to just 2 magic crystals, a far cry from before. Alex decided not to focus on equipment sales anymore; the profits were no longer sufficient for her and Sophie to share. If Sophie wanted to continue, she could handle it herself. Alex listed over a thousand pieces of animal hide on the trading post, exchanging them one-for-one for magic crystals. However, Alex wasn''t in need of magic crystals right now; her Warehouse still held over 80,000. What she really needed was stone. While wood could be sourced by sending undead to the edges of the Dark Forest, where trees were abundant, stone was more problematic. Although Sophie had plenty of stone, her dwarves had suffered losses during the beast tide and were busy forging equipment and processing iron ingots, leaving no spare hands for stone mining. Alex planned to sell a few pieces of Commanding level equipment to acquire some stone as a reserve. Once Sophie upgraded her town, perhaps they could use the Portal of Transit to send troops to her location, significantly speeding up the process. Just as Alex was about to list the items, she hesitated. The wolf claw weapons were too recognizable. If she listed them, the other two Lords might recognize them and realize that Hamburger was Alex. Then, all the Lords would know her troops were undead capable of infinite summoning. She couldn''t sell the wolf claws, but she could sell the human general''s armor set. The other two Lords hadn''t seen this equipment. Alex started calculating the exchange rate; currently, one magic crystal could buy about three pieces of stone. The four pieces of Commanding level equipment from the armor set should be worth at least 6,000 magic crystals. Although the set was originally Monarch level and couldn''t be repaired, its attributes were much stronger than a typical Commanding level set. Only 18,000 stones? "No, that''s too little. Let''s make it an even 30,000." This time, Alex was smarter. With such a powerful Commanding level set, she set it up for piece-by-piece trading. She didn''t give Lords who had the resources but were still deliberating any chance because if they hesitated even slightly, one of the pieces might be sold, and they would lose the set bonus. Alex chose to list the items and didn''t bother checking the World Chat. Less than ten seconds later, she received a system notification. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully trading the Fearless Set (4/4) for 30k stone.] "Wow!" Alex hadn''t expected the armor set to sell so quickly. She gave the remaining four pieces of Commanding level wolf claw equipment, two each, to Chi-Chi and Sophie. Alex also warned Chi-Chi not to sell them carelessly, as Chi-Chi had once openly admitted in the World Chat channel that she was a subject of Hamburger. If she sold the equipment, Alex''s identity would still be exposed. [King Kong]: "Thank you, Miss Alex!" [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you, Big Shot! I really appreciate your generosity!" Alex casually responded to them and got down to serious business, upgrading the Barracks. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Upgrade Barracks Requirements: 16k magic crystals, 160 Essence Shards] "Upgrade." [Undead Crystal: lv10 (Unique Barracks)] [Ten-level Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancers, liches¡ªten major troops (random thirty), with an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Unlock special fixed unit: Acolyte] [Note: Every day, ten Acolytes will appear alongside other troops summoned by the Lord, not occupying other troops'' summoning slots. However, they cannot be obtained through other summoning methods.] "Acolyte, what kind of troops are these?" Alex hadn''t heard of such a unit among the undead before. The level 10 Barracks looked no different from before, except for the addition of this Acolyte unit. Unlike the castle, which entered a new tier after reaching level 9, the Barracks did not. Just then, Alex heard a noise from the Barracks and turned to look. She saw ten figures in black-gray robes, with red decorations on their sleeves and shoulders, wearing black masks, and holding daggers. From their partially visible faces, Alex could tell they were almost indistinguishable from humans, more so than necromancers. "Greetings, respected Queen," the ten figures knelt and spoke, their voices not much different from humans. "Rise," Alex commanded, sensing they must have some special function, otherwise they wouldn''t be unlocked only at level 10 Barracks. [Acolyte] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be upgraded by killing enemies)] [Health Points: 80] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: 10] [Agility: 5] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] [Active Skill: Shadow Form] [Passive Skill: Resource Gathering] Shadow Form: Transforms into a shadow for rapid movement; cannot attack while in shadow form. Resource Gathering: Increases the speed of gathering various resources by 20%. They had health and stamina, a growth limit of Commanding level, and two skills. At first glance, impressive, but upon closer inspection, Alex realized they were essentially worker units. With health and stamina, it indicated they were not pure undead but living beings, likely humans. This meant they couldn''t be enhanced at the Blackwater Altar, as they would simply die. Well, they were essentially workers and scouts combined. Chapter 88: Quantity could lead to a qualitative change "Are you humans?" Alex asked uncertainly."Your Majesty, we have offered our souls to the queen and joined as members of the undead race," the Acolytes replied respectfully. Since they were human, this was good news. Not only dwarves could mine and forge equipment¡ªhumans could too. If they could forge equipment, then mining was certainly within their capabilities. Right now, Alex was short on iron ingots, but mining posed a significant challenge. She had neither the ore nor a furnace. What was she going to do, bake them with her laser eyes? The Acolytes'' Shadow Form skill could be used not only for scouting but also for escaping when gathering resources became dangerous. It seemed that the skeletons could be relieved from resource gathering duties, as their efficiency was quite low. However, for now, that wasn''t feasible due to the limited number of Acolytes. Alex reviewed her remaining resources and was pleasantly surprised to find she could upgrade her Barracks again. [Undead Crystal: lv11 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 11 Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancers, liches¡ªten major troops (random thirty), with an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King. Summoned troops start at base level 3.] [Unlock special fixed unit: Acolyte] S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Upgrade Barracks Requirements: 22k magic crystals, 220 Essence Shards.] There wasn''t much change, just an improvement in the base level of summoned troops. The summoning didn''t extend to all undead races, indicating that some troops were still locked. Alex hoped the last two troops wouldn''t be Destroyers and Ghouls. Alex needed to keep some resources in reserve; she couldn''t afford to use up all her resources at once. "Let''s leave it at that for now..." Upgrading the Barracks required a significant amount of resources, and the current benefits were minimal. Meanwhile, Samson had returned to his own castle, lamenting the loss of his snow maidens. After managing his resources, Samson kept his castle at level 9, wary of upgrading his town while his iron ingots were still insufficient. But these were minor issues compared to the significant boost in combat ability he gained from acquiring the frost armor set. With this set, a level 1 Commanding Samson felt he could defeat a level 2 Commanding. Especially that vampire Lord, only at level 2 Commanding, didn''t seem very powerful. "I could crush his testicles with one hand!" he boasted. As for the undead Lord, Samson shuddered; he knew he couldn''t defeat that one. Samson immediately shared his encounter with the two Lords in the Alliance chat group. [Ice Queen]: "I encountered those two Lords on the snowy mountain and engaged them in combat. Their strength is definitely top-tier. One is a vampire Lord, and the other an undead Lord. Like us, they can summon their own troops through special methods." [Vine Fairy]: "Wow, you''re so strong! Did you take them both down?" Samson nearly choked on his drink when he saw this message. He couldn''t very well admit he was nearly the one defeated, could he? Choosing to ignore Vine Fairy''s question about the battle, he continued. [Ice Queen]: "We three met in a cave and immediately started a melee with our troops. The battle awakened the cave''s leader, a level 6 Commanding Frost Werewolf. We had to cooperate to defeat it. Because I wield ice magic and had the geographical advantage on the snowy mountain, I took the lead and ultimately killed the Frost Werewolf, which dropped a full set of armor. The other two Lords acknowledged my strength and willingly gave the equipment to me." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? [Earth Lord]: "Strong. You''ll definitely be top-tier in the next leaderboard update." The conversation continued sporadically, with Cain silently monitoring the chat. "Undead and vampires?" Cain murmured. The strongest Lords relied not only on troops summoned from Barracks but also had the ability to summon independently. Both undead and vampires nearly had immortality, not much weaker than their elemental spirits, which were affected by terrain and thus had unstable combat power. For example, Cain''s flame spirits and Samson''s snow maidens could perform about 1.5 times better in their respective home terrains of volcanoes and snowy mountains. But swapping their locations would be lethal for both, reducing their power significantly. The undead category was vast, and Samson hadn''t specified which type the undead Lord commanded. Cain, always striving to grow stronger, was surrounded by few and weak Lords. Although he knew he was top-tier, he was curious about the gap between him and other top-tier Lords. Cain''s castle had also successfully upgraded to a town today. He discovered a group of goblins transporting iron ore outside the volcano, led by a Hobgoblin. Not knowing their destination but having stumbled upon them, Cain attacked, seizing the iron ore. Though Cain lacked a furnace, the volcano itself served the purpose. He threw all the iron ore into the scorching lava, quickly melting the impurities. Before the iron completely melted, flame spirits scooped it out. The iron, still mixed with impurities, was taken back to the castle where the system disassembled it into individual iron ingots. Cain had built the Portal of Transit, realizing that allied Lords of towns could traverse distances instantly. However, among his allies, only his own castle had upgraded to a town level. ... As evening approached, Sophie''s ten thousand pieces of equipment, forged day and night, were finally ready. Alex hurriedly listed them on the market, as these items couldn''t just sit idle. However, sales were slow, with only a few pieces sold every few minutes. She could only hope they would all be traded by morning. The necromancers had finished summoning from the seven thousand beast corpses left from the beast tide, transforming Alex''s undead army, which had multiplied two or three times in number. Her undead forces now exceeded 30K. If assembled, they would present an overwhelming force, terrifying any Lord who witnessed it. However, despite their numbers, their overall strength was still weak. A Emperor level expert could easily overpower 30K undead. But Alex firmly believed that quantity could lead to a qualitative change. Now that the summoning process was complete, it was time to disassemble the beast corpses around the castle. The constant temperature around Alex''s location was about 75¡ãF, a very comfortable climate. If the beast corpses were left out much longer, they would rot and stink up the place. Alex disassembled the seven thousand beast corpses, obtaining 100,000 portions of food, 7,140 magic crystals, and 890 Essence Shards. She gave some animal hides and standard equipment to Chi-Chi, who sent a 500-word email thanking Alex, which we''ll skip over here. These items currently held no allure for Alex, but the rewards from two waves of beast tides were indeed substantial. She now had over 100,000 portions of food, more than she knew what to do with. After a beast tide, which Lord would lack food? Sitting in her castle, Alex pondered her next moves. Conquest was a long way off; upgrading was the immediate priority. Less than two hours remained on the leaderboard, and the rewards from the beast tide were likely to be distributed tonight. Alex guessed that the rankings would refresh one last time before the end, and the final rewards would be determined based on those rankings. Alex sat quietly in her bedroom, watching the seconds tick down on the leaderboard. Finally, the system notification sounded! [Dear Lords, the leaderboard will refresh in the final minute. Lords ranked in the top 1000 will receive additional rewards.] Chapter 89: Eye of Magic Time: 23:59In the final minute, the leaderboard began to flicker, capturing the undivided attention of all Lords watching the system''s display. As the leaderboard stopped flickering and the refresh completed, the countdown for the last minute began. Every Lord immediately focused on their own ranking. With just one minute left, there was no time to check the rankings of other Lords. As expected, Alex remained in the top tier. Chi-Chi was still in the fifth tier, while Sophie had advanced to the third tier due to the emergence of her Commanding level troops. Samson''s previous boasts to his allies quickly backfired as he failed to make it to the top tier. Adding to his embarrassment, another Lord in their Alliance, [Earth Lord] from the Barren Plains, had ascended to the top tier. [Earth Lord]: "Guys, I''ve made it to the top tier!" Earth Lord shared his joy in the Alliance group chat, but at this moment, everyone was too preoccupied with their own rankings and rewards to respond. Samson felt incredibly awkward, as if he had dug himself into a whole new level of embarrassment. The minute passed in a flash, and the leaderboard permanently disappeared from the system interface, turning gray. A new countdown appeared, indicating the time until the next leaderboard refresh. At the same time, Alex received a message from the system. [Congratulations on your final ranking in the top tier. You have received a special reward: Essence of Bloodline (Universal).] Alex had a feeling that this was something similar to what was used in the Blackwater Altar, capable of enhancing her various abilities and possibly causing some unusual changes. "Claim it!" It was a good thing, so claiming it was the right move. Alex felt a surge of energy enter her body, similar to when she was enhanced at the Blackwater Altar, but this time the sensation was much more intense. Alex''s body trembled, which was a bit uncomfortable. After five minutes, Alex took a deep breath. The overwhelming Essence of Bloodline had been fully absorbed by her body. The discomfort had passed, though her face was still flushed, and she felt weak. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully absorbing the Essence of Bloodline (Universal). You have awakened the Undead Queen''s Right Eye. All attributes permanently increased by 15 points, Health Points and Mana Points permanently increased by 10 points.] Just as she had suspected, a special change had occurred. Additionally, her mind was filled with a plethora of memories, not only about the newly appeared right eye but also enhancements to the magic of her left eye. Since this reward was specific to Alex, her scythe received no benefits and thus underwent no special changes. The Undead Queen''s Left Eye, also known as the Eye of the Undead, previously mastered only summoning and dark magic. Now, it had gained curse, alchemy, and plague magics. Only curse and plague could be used directly for attack, while alchemy was about using magic and undead materials to concoct potions or dark items, which seemed of limited use. These auxiliary tools were something a necromancer would handle in the future; it wasn''t something a queen would do personally. The dark magic was intermediate, summoning magic was third-tier, and the rest¡ªalchemy, plague, and curse¡ªwere only first-tier, which were basically useless with only minor skills. The Undead Queen''s Right Eye, also known as the Eye of Magic, was not just about undead magic; mastering other types of magic was also essential. Unlike the left eye, the right eye did not come with inherent skills but had the ability to record. Since other magics were not part of the inheritance, Alex needed to learn them herself; the right eye merely added a learning aid. The Right Eye could record up to seven types of magic, allowing for the enhancement and fusion of recorded magics while also increasing their power and reducing Mana Points consumption. The magics recorded in the Right Eye could also be cast without chanting. In simple terms, the Eye of the Undead helped enhance her own legacy, while the Eye of Magic helped enhance Alex''s other abilities. Alex went to her bedroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her right eye had changed from its original blue to red! She had heterochromia now... Activating the ability of her right eye, it emitted a red light, and a hexagram magic circle appeared in her pupil, with symbols of fire and ice at two of its points, glowing red and blue respectively¡ªrepresenting the fire and frost magics she had just recorded. She felt that if she recorded all types of magic, this hexagram might become multicolored. Alex also activated her left eye, which emitted a blue light. Inside the pupil, a circular magic circle would change color depending on the magic she used; for example, black for dark and curse magics, gray for summoning, green for plague, and so on. However, unless someone observed Alex''s pupils closely, these subtle differences would go unnoticed. Using both eyes simultaneously was a huge drain on her mental energy. She could distinctly feel that with both eyes open, the world around her seemed to slow down. Standing by the window, Alex could even see insects crawling on the ground outside her territory through the darkness. With a blink, the glow disappeared, and her eyes returned to normal. She couldn''t just go to sleep yet; there were troops to summon, and she wanted to experience the effects of her newly enhanced magics. Most importantly, Alex wanted to check on Sophie''s situation, as she didn''t even know where Sophie''s castle was located. Her plan was for Sophie to upgrade to a town level as soon as possible and build a Portal of Transit so that Alex could send Acolytes to help mine. Being limited by iron ingots was not ideal. ... Besides obtaining the Eye of Magic, Alex had also leveled up. Upon checking, she indeed found that she had leveled up twice. This was quite surprising, especially since all top-tier Lords had received the same reward. It seemed that Lords below the top tier would only fall further behind. [Lord: Alex] [Power: lv5 Commanding level (can be increased by personal and troops'' kills)] [Territory Level: lv1 town] [Troops: undead race] ???¦®§®???.?§°? [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe, Ring of Space] [Health Points: 350] [Mana Points: 180] [Strength: 103] [Stamina: 97] [Agility: 101] With the attribute enhancements from the Eye of Magic and the two-level increase, Alex''s attributes had significantly improved. Now at the same level as Ice Cream, if she encountered that level 6 Frost Werewolf again, Alex was confident she could defeat it alone. Alex sent a message to Sophie, asking if she had gone to bed yet. [QuartzStriker]: "Not yet." [Hamburger]: "Have you summoned your troops?" [QuartzStriker]: "No, the dwarves need to rest at night. They won''t work if summoned now, and they might even demand a midnight snack, so I usually summon them in the morning." Alex checked Sophie''s Barracks level on the system dashboard; it was already level 7, four levels higher than before, and the Essence Shards from the beast tide were probably almost used up. Alex opened the description of her Barracks. [lv7 Dwarf Crystal: Can summon dwarf race''s warriors and artisans, randomly forty units, initial level raised to lv3.] Alex sent Sophie 480 Essence Shards. As for magic crystals, Sophie surely had enough and didn''t need Alex to worry about them; the only thing lacking was Essence Shards. Based on Alex''s estimation, it would be difficult for Sophie to obtain Essence Shards after the beast tide. [Hamburger]: "Upgrade your Barracks to level 10, then focus on mining iron ore. Upgrade your town as soon as possible and build a Portal of Transit." Sophie was pleasantly surprised; Alex had just given her nearly five hundred Essence Shards, exactly enough to upgrade to level 10 Barracks. Although Sophie didn''t know what a Portal of Transit was, she understood it was a key structure that could only be unlocked by reaching town level. Sophie''s Warehouse currently held four thousand iron ingots. With the dwarves working at full capacity, it would take about two days to upgrade the town. [QuartzStriker]: "Okay, thank you so much for your generous support, Big Shot!" Sophie upgraded her Barracks to level 10, increasing the number of dwarves summoned to fifty, with an initial level of lv5. [Hamburger]: "By the way, where is your castle located?" Alex almost forgot to ask this crucial information. Sophie''s castle housed native dwarves, so she must know its location. [QuartzStriker]: "My castle is in the White Rock Mountains on the Arsen continent, not far from the border of the Dwarf Kingdom." She wasn''t on the Eldoria continent? That made sense. With so many Lords transported from Earth to this world, how could they all be on one continent? Alex suddenly remembered what Greenbean had said: apart from Divine beings, no creature could cross continents on its own. But considering the Holy Court, which had a presence on seven continents, Alex didn''t believe they lacked the ability to traverse continents. Once Sophie upgraded her castle, would Alex be able to use the Portal of Transit to cross from the Eldoria continent to the Arsen continent? A journey across an entire continent? After ending the conversation with Sophie, Alex began summoning troops. Before summoning, she used her resources to upgrade her Barracks by two more levels, spending a total of 55k magic crystals and 550 Essence Shards. This nearly depleted the Essence Shards and magic crystals in her Warehouse, leaving only 8k magic crystals and 170 Essence Shards. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sure enough, the two-level upgrade to the Barracks unlocked the troops Destroyer and Ghoul, which Alex should have anticipated. "Ah well, they had to be unlocked sooner or later." Alex sighed, but before starting, she habitually placed her hand on her breast to increase her ''luck value.'' At this moment, Alex began summoning troops. Fortunately, the lucky Alex once again summoned a zombie titan, seven necromancers, and two bone dragons. Ten Acolytes also appeared beside the Barracks. As more troops were unlocked, the chances of summoning ordinary skeletons decreased, and most Skeleton Soldiers were now summoned by the necromancers. Then, Alex experimented with her newly enhanced magic outside the castle. She discovered that using her right eye seemed to create a zone with a radius of about 500 yards where she could manipulate fire elements at will. The magic was incredibly powerful, nearly twice as effective as before. Alex was delighted and tested the Frost Magic with similar results. She really wanted to record dark magic and others in her right eye, but unfortunately, those magics belonged to the left eye and couldn''t be recorded. After some experiments, Alex had a basic understanding of her newly enhanced powers. She returned to the castle, finally ready to rest. Chapter 90: The hostile lords of the Dark Forest [Night retreats, dawn arrives!]The next day, Alex woke up promptly at 6:00 AM. Before even getting out of bed, she opened the trading post to check on the status of the ten thousand pieces of equipment. Fortunately, despite the price drop, they had all sold. Alex collected 50,000 magic crystals, sharing half with Sophie and storing the rest in her Warehouse. Today, Alex dressed casually in a white, loose-fitting T-shirt, a light blue skirt, white socks adorned with two white bows at the back, and a pair of casual shoes. She then headed outside the castle and fed some elite food to Ice Cream. Since the end of the beast tide, Alex had stopped sending the undead to hunt nearby. After all, food was no longer useful to her, and the local beasts, peaking at level 3, provided only ten experience points each¡ªhardly enough to level up a level 9 undead to Commanding level. Alex had now directed the undead air forces to expand towards the snowy mountain, while the ground forces were sent to the Dark Forest. Of course, with only twenty Acolytes, resource gathering was still slow, and some skeletons were needed to assist with chopping wood and mining stone. The outskirts of the Dark Forest had been stripped bare by the skeletons, yielding 8k wood but only 4k stone per day. However, the indiscriminate felling of trees in the Dark Forest had drawn the ire of one particular inhabitant. Unlike the Frostwind snowy mountain, all territories within the Dark Forest were clearly demarcated, and the beasts had a strong sense of territoriality. To claim another''s territory, one had to defeat its ruler. The outermost territory belonged to a level 1 Commanding Bloodrage War Bear, whose territory was not originally on the periphery. However, nine days ago, a castle suddenly appeared in its territory, bringing other creatures with it, which the Bloodrage War Bear perceived as an invasion. It led its kin in an assault on the castle. But the castle was protected by a strong barrier, which the Bloodrage War Bear could not breach until two days ago when the barrier suddenly disappeared. Many beasts, including the Bloodrage War Bear and its kin, had their minds affected and launched a frenzied attack on the castle. However, that Lord used purification magic, and most of the beasts were cleansed and regained their senses, naturally leaving the area. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only the Bloodrage War Bear and its kin continued the attack, but after just seven days, it realized the castle now housed Commanding level forces. It was no match for that Lord and had to leave with its kin in disgrace. The Bloodrage War Bear had no choice but to relocate its territory to the outskirts of the Dark Forest, driving out the beasts there and taking over their land. However, it soon discovered that all the trees within its territory had been chopped down by a group of skeletons. Although only at level 1 Commanding, it could not tolerate its home being destroyed. It immediately led its kin in a brutal beating of the invading skeletons. To the Bloodrage War Bear''s dismay, these skeletons could resurrect, making them impossible to kill. The skeletons, not fools themselves, quickly called for backup from the undead, and the sight of a few dozen skeletons swelling to hundreds panicked the Bloodrage War Bear. It realized it might have to move again... Among the undead, the Bloodrage War Bear even recognized some Ghouls, which it knew lived in the Dark Forest with a group of Destroyers, holding a territory much larger than its own. It couldn''t understand why they would help these skeletons against it. Its bear brain was baffled, only knowing that these skeletons were immortal, and it needed to move. Just then, the Bloodrage War Bear heard the sound of footsteps on leaves behind it. Turning around, it saw a young man in an open shirt and beach shorts approaching. Floating beside the man was a magic book glowing with golden light, followed by a group of armored soldiers. Startled, the Bloodrage War Bear recognized this human as the one who had taken over its territory. Without hesitation, it turned and fled. The man did not pursue but instead looked interestedly at the undead nearby. "Undead creatures, huh? The species diversity in the Dark Forest is truly rich." The magic book moved in front of the man and began flipping rapidly. A holy light suddenly converged in front of the Skeleton Soldiers, hitting many and extinguishing their soul fires, reducing them to piles of bones that no longer showed signs of reassembly. The man watched the system''s kill log, his expression subtly changing before breaking into a smile. "So, these are the troops of a Lord." This was the man''s first time venturing outside the Dark Forest, and he hadn''t expected to encounter other Lords so soon. For him, eliminating other Lords was an excellent opportunity to grow stronger. The man, named James, had initially arrived in this forbidden area of the Dark Forest. With seven days of development, he had reached Commanding level. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? But he wasn''t the only Lord born in the Dark Forest; nearly ten others had started here, though only four survived. James and the other three survivors formed an Alliance, struggling to survive in the perilous Dark Forest. Any Lord who could live here was no ordinary individual. James had discussed leaving the Dark Forest to seek development elsewhere with his allies, but being the closest to the edge, he was tasked with this challenging mission. He had just reached the edge of the Dark Forest when he discovered other Lords'' troops, delighting him. He immediately informed his three allies. These people were all Lords who had survived in the forbidden Dark Forest, so their strength was formidable. The other three Lords were: Jareth; Isran; and Halvar. Among them, Isran was the strongest, at level 4 Commanding, while the other two were levels 3 and 2, respectively. James was only level 1. Upon receiving James''s message, the three Lords immediately led their troops towards this location, not wanting to miss this chance to strengthen themselves. James immediately engaged his troops with the skeletons, waiting for his allies to arrive. The skeletons, lacking high intelligence and fear, continued to attack the enemy even though James had the ability to kill them. However, James''s troops lacked the ability to kill the skeletons. To buy time, James was not in a hurry to finish them off. During the battle, a Ghoul from the rear turned and left. It wasn''t fleeing out of fear but because it possessed some basic intelligence. Knowing the undead were no match for this human, it needed to report back to the castle for reinforcements. James watched the departing Ghoul but didn''t interfere, assuming it was fleeing in fear. He planned to use the Ghoul''s escape direction to determine the location of this Lord''s castle. Even without the Ghoul''s report, Alex in her castle received system notifications. [Your lv5 Skeleton Warrior has been killed by an enemy Lord!] [Your lv6 Skeleton Warrior has been killed by an enemy Lord!] ... A series of messages popped up, startling Alex. This was the first time her undead had been killed. Although she didn''t know where the battle was taking place, the continuous notifications, all involving Skeleton Soldiers, zombies, and death knights, indicated they were all ground troops. Thus, Alex quickly deduced that the battlefield was likely in the direction of the Dark Forest. If native creatures had done the killing, Alex might have needed more information. But since it was an enemy Lord, she didn''t need to worry. The strongest Lords currently were only at Commanding level, posing no threat to her. All the air forces in her castle had gone to the Frostwind snowy mountain, and the bodies had all been summoned, with the necromancers also dispatched for leveling. "Shoot, I have no mount..." Just then, a specter flew over. It had encountered the Ghoul en route and was coming to deliver a message to Alex. Chapter 91: Have you figured out how youre going to die? Specter relayed the intelligence to Alex, and she instantly pinpointed the enemy''s location.Despite the lack of air power, with John and other commanding-level troops among the skeleton soldiers, zombies, and death conquerors, Alex was undaunted. "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Currently, there were no air forces in the castle. If she called back the gargoyles or the bone dragon, who knows how many of her Skeleton Soldiers would perish. Alex decisively mounted Ice Cream, pointed in a direction, and sped towards the battlefield. ... Meanwhile, James''s first assistant had arrived; it was Lord Halvar, who was closest to James. His troops were a group of giant lizards with a faint trace of draconic blood, thus their combat ability was decent. With Halvar''s giant lizard troops joining the battlefield, the undead were no match, constantly suppressed, though they couldn''t die. Suddenly, all the giant lizards seemed to sense something and stopped their attack, lying prostrate on the ground. Halvar noticed the unusual behavior of his troops and was puzzled. No one but he could make them show such a submissive posture. No, there was another creature¡ª Halvar looked up: "A dragon!" It was a true dragon! "What the fuck!" James also looked up and saw a frost dragon flying towards them with a human girl on its back. Could this beautiful girl be the undead Lord? From atop Ice Cream, Alex already had a bird''s-eye view of the two Lords below. "Ice Cream, attack!" As they neared the two, a magic circle began to form in front of Ice Cream. A blizzard carrying huge ice crystals instantly poured down towards the ground. Even then, the giant lizards dared not move; those hit by Ice Cream''s magic instantly turned into ice sculptures, which were then shattered by the ice crystals. James quickly cast a spell for defense, but his shield was soon shattered. Fortunately, Halvar intervened just in time, and together they barely managed to block Ice Cream''s magic. Alex''s right eye glowed, and the hexagram magic circle in her pupil transformed into an ice crystal pattern. She also cast Frost Magic, enhancing Ice Cream''s magic circle. The entire battlefield was now engulfed in a blizzard, the ground slowly icing over. Even James''s soldiers were struggling, their movements becoming sluggish and gradually freezing. Seeing that both Lords were mages, Alex decisively chose to close in and finish them off. Alex''s body on Ice Cream''s back slowly became transparent, and a stunning figure emerged from the snow below. Alex drew her scythe and vanished in a puff of black mist. In an instant, Alex appeared before the two Lords, swinging her scythe decisively at them. With her Eye of Magic activated, Alex''s senses were incredibly sharp. She suddenly sensed a dangerous aura and then a fierce blade light emerged from Halvar''s shadow, slashing towards her. Fortunately, Alex had anticipated this and blocked the blade with her scythe. Alex took a closer look¡ªit was a middle-aged man with a beard, wielding a long sword. "Another one?" Alex used the momentum to leap backward, while Isran licked his lips. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? "What a beautiful girl!" It wasn''t until Isran helped Halvar and James block Alex''s sneak attack that the two Lords finally reacted. "Well done." "Has Jareth not arrived yet?" "He''s always slow." The three of them talked while forming a triangular position around Alex, with Isran in front and James and Halvar behind. Isran''s troops were a group of armored warriors, including a few Commanding level ones. As the three Lords'' troops launched an attack on Alex''s undead army, Ice Cream provided support from the sky. Other undead reinforcements hadn''t arrived yet, but some fast-moving death conquerors had made it, which was enough to handle the other three Lords'' troops. Alex had observed that none of the troops present had the ability to kill undead, only James''s magic could, so he was the first target Alex planned to eliminate. The Lord named Isran was the strongest, only one level below Alex. At that moment, as the four stood in confrontation, Jareth finally arrived late with his troops, a group of pythons. "Ah!" Jareth roared, and then his body began to convulse wildly, swelling in his limbs and torso, eventually transforming into a 10-foot tall red giant. Transformed, Jareth stood next to Isran, two in front and two behind. "I can take less resources, but I want the girl''s corpse!" "I want her too, but wouldn''t it be better if we captured her alive and made her a sex slave?" "I totally agree." "But who gets to enjoy her first?" These four men, still in the mood to chat, completely disregarded Alex and her undead army, clearly blinded by Alex''s beauty ¡ª it seemed her looks had temporarily lowered their IQs. They had never seen such a beautiful girl and were completely lost in their fantasies! Alex stood by, scythe on her shoulder, one hand on the handle, fearless. Despite the combined strength of the four men, Alex could easily handle and defeat them all in a 1v4 fight, thanks to the enhancements her scythe provided to her attributes. Daring to fantasize about defiling her body? Once Alex''s reinforcements arrived, they would completely surround the area, leaving the four Lords no chance to escape. Then, Alex would lead her undead army to demolish their castle. Alex noticed the four seemed to have finished their discussion and turned their gaze towards her. "Done talking?" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Have you figured out how you''re going to die?" Alex picked up her scythe, dragging one hand along the ground, her right eye emitting a red glow, the ice crystal pattern in her pupil replaced by a flame pattern. The surrounding area within 500 yards instantly burst into flames, the snow began to melt, trees burned down, and the ground completely disappeared, leaving only a sea of fire. The troops of the four Lords also began to flee. The burning fire formed a red hell, enveloping the four Lords. Alex stood unscathed, her eyes reflecting the wrath of the flames. Chapter 92: 1 vs 4 The four hostile lords all felt the heat of the flames, but each had equipment and magic to resist it, so the flames couldn''t harm them immediately."What is this, a domain?" Halvar looked around in surprise as the flames even altered the terrain, creating a battlefield advantageous for the caster. "Impossible, only Monarch level strength can create a domain. This is a pseudo-domain," Isran countered first. He had once witnessed a clash between Monarch level creatures in the Dark Forest, and their domains were truly terrifying. "Don''t worry, she''s just a mage," James reassured as his spellbook floated in front of him, flipping pages, preparing to attack. Although unsure why this undead Lord could wield fire magic, James believed his holy light, effective against undead, would surely work against her too. Isran, the strongest of the four lords but unable to use any magic, charged at Alex with his sword. All his enhancements were in his physical and sword skills. Clang! Sparks flew as Alex''s scythe clashed with Isran''s long sword. Behind them, Halvar chanted an odd incantation, his staff striking the ground heavily. A massive stream of water appeared before him, attacking Alex and extinguishing the surrounding flames, sending up plumes of steam. Just as Isran seemed to be gaining the upper hand, he suddenly heard the sound of bells. His head started to ache, slowing his reaction time. Alex raised her hands, and from the flames on either side, two fire dragons surged forth, pushing Isran back. His armor protected him from injury. Alex, having repelled Isran, faced the incoming tidal wave with her palms as if launching an air cannon. The wave shattered into a spray of water droplets, which then instantly turned into steam under the intense heat. Taking advantage of the moment, Jareth launched a sneak attack. A massive red fist, larger than Alex''s head, aimed at her. The sheer force and size of the fist would have crushed a normal person''s skull. But Alex didn''t dodge; instead, her left fist met it head-on, a magic circle in front of her fist preventing actual contact. Jareth''s full-force punch was not only caught by Alex, but she didn''t even step back, leaving him both puzzled and shocked. What the fuck, how could a female mage have such strength? Though Jareth was physically large, he was the weakest there, only a level 2 Commanding, despite his transformation significantly boosting his strength attribute. But Alex, now at level 5 Commanding and with her scythe''s double attribute enhancement, easily caught his attack under her complete suppression of level and attributes. Jareth tried to wrestle with Alex, but she wasn''t about to waste time as Isran and James attacked her simultaneously. A huge pillar of fire erupted from the magic circle in front of Alex''s fist, blasting Jareth away. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Isran''s sword missed as Alex turned into a mist and vanished, reappearing in front of James. James was taken aback by her speed, unable to react as the scythe swung towards him. He hurriedly used his spellbook to block. Alex''s scythe sliced the spellbook in two, its light fading as it fell to the ground and was consumed by the flames. Losing his spellbook, James was furious. A golden magic circle appeared in front of him as he tried to counterattack with holy light magic. However, before his spell could complete, Alex dispersed it with a slap. James looked at Alex, noticing black flames burning in her palm. "You''re brave, kid? Heard you killed my undead?" Alex taunted. Isran and Jareth tried to help James, but walls of fire rising from the ground trapped them. While ordinary fire magic posed no threat, these walls could suddenly turn into black flames, whose power was formidable, forcing them to be cautious. At that moment, Alex''s left eye emitted a blue light, and the flames around James turned black, engulfing him. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Ah!" James screamed in agony as dark magic corrosion began. Already weak without his spellbook, he couldn''t dispel the dark magic consuming him. James rolled on the ground, unable to extinguish the black flames consuming him, his screams of pain weakening until he was completely lifeless. Alex turned to the other three Lords. Halvar tried to attack with water magic but was completely suppressed by Alex''s flame domain, losing control of his water magic. Of the remaining two, only Isran had some strength, but he couldn''t withstand Alex''s soul damage. Jareth, aside from being slightly larger, was practically useless. "Damn it, you killed James, I''ll avenge him!" Isran shouted, unleashing a circular sword energy that broke through the surrounding fire walls and charged at Alex. Under the enhancement of Alex''s Eye of the Undead and Eye of Magic, Isran''s speed slowed, as if time around him was decelerating. Isran and Alex engaged in hand-to-hand combat, Alex taking the opportunity to hone her melee skills, thus temporarily refraining from using other magic against Isran. Meanwhile, Halvar, knowing he''d be suppressed within Alex''s pseudo-domain, stepped out of the range of her flame domain. Removing his robe to reveal his muscular torso, he slammed his staff into the ground again. Chanting a complex and strange incantation, Halvar summoned a river that began to erode the edges of Alex''s fire domain. Though the river appeared murky, its power was formidable, slowly extinguishing the flames on the ground. Jareth joined the fray against Alex and Isran, but each time he was blasted away by Alex''s controlled fire magic. Despite this, he persisted in disrupting Alex''s battle. Engaged in combat with Alex, Isran didn''t notice the red flame pattern in her right pupil turning into a blue ice crystal pattern. The surrounding flames began to diminish, leading both to believe Halvar''s water magic was taking effect. Even Halvar himself thought he had the upper hand, a confident smile spreading across his face. As the flames dwindled, unable to resist Halvar''s magic any longer, the river broke through the fire, extinguishing it completely and surging towards Alex. Isran and Jareth quickly dodged aside, but Alex calmly stood her ground. Isran''s smile began to form, but his mouth soon dropped open wide enough to fit an egg. "What the hell?!" In an instant, the river froze solid, its icy surface reflecting Halvar''s shocked face. The surroundings morphed into a frozen tundra, the ground sheathed in solid ice, intensifying the biting cold. Halvar never expected to be frozen within the river he had summoned, losing his ability to move. His eyes darted around, his breath trying to melt the ice. But as oxygen grew scarce, his body became colder. Halvar realized that if no one came to his aid, he might suffocate before freezing to death. He could only cast pleading looks at Isran and Jareth. The two exchanged glances; Isran decisively charged at Alex, while Jareth quickly went to rescue Halvar. Before Jareth could reach Halvar, countless ice spikes surged from the ground, piercing Jareth''s limbs and spilling bright red blood. Jareth tried to break free, but four thicker ice columns emerged, compressing him at the center, further impaled by ice spikes. Thus, Jareth was completely immobilized before reaching Halvar. Frost Magic, unlike fire magic, could restrict an enemy''s movements, the only downside being its inability to merge with Alex''s dark magic. Isran''s eyelids twitched as both his teammates were quickly incapacitated, realizing he was no match for this girl alone. It was all James''s fault for provoking someone they shouldn''t have, leading them to their deaths! Chapter 93: Energy Cannon Isran didn''t hesitate; he turned and ran, not even bothering with his own warriors. All he wanted now was to survive."Hey, where''s that bravery gone? Don''t run away!" Alex taunted. Isran ran with all his might, but how could he possibly outrun Alex? With a blink, she teleported in front of him, her scythe ablaze with black flames, slashing towards him. Isran reacted quickly, trying to block Alex''s attack, but the bell on her scythe slowed him down just enough. His chest armor was easily breached, a huge wound opening across his chest, blood spurting out nearly reaching Alex, who quickly used Frost Magic to block it. Thud! Alex kicked him away, and the ground ice surged, instantly encasing Isran in ice. "Phew¡ª" Alex took a deep breath. The sight was a bit too bloody for her, making her slightly nauseous. Her previous kills had been more gentle, and mostly non-human, so she hadn''t felt much of a burden. But this time, she had literally ripped open a living man''s chest. For a moment, her enhanced vision even allowed her to see his internal organs clearly. Feeling queasy, Alex quickly kicked him away and used magic to freeze him. Strictly speaking, this was her first kill in this world, and it was quite direct. Calm down, there''s no law in this world. It''s an All-Races Battle Royale, a kill or be killed world. The weak have no place here. Alex quickly adjusted her mindset and looked towards the other two Lords. Jareth had already lost the ability to resist and had returned to his normal human form, his limbs still dripping blood down the ice spikes. Halvar, completely encased in ice, had passed out, and it was unclear whether he was in shock or dead. Halvar was not the weakest of the four, but his sole mastery of water magic was his downfall against both Alex''s fire and ice magic, which severely countered him. Alex''s eyes returned to normal, as using both the Eye of the Undead and the Eye of Magic simultaneously was too draining. She felt a bit tired. Raising her arm towards the three, she clenched her fist. In an instant, all three incapacitated Lords were killed by Alex. After deactivating her Eye of the Magic, the environment slowly returned to normal. She dispelled the magic, and the frozen river fell to the ground, turning into puddles. With the three Lords dead, the giant lizards and pythons scattered, showing their low loyalty to Halvar. In contrast, the warriors and soldiers continued to fight the undead even after their Lords had died, with none fleeing. This showed that James and Isran''s troops had a loyalty level above 80, willing to fight to the death with their Lords. The undead reinforcements had arrived, and these troops stood no chance. Some undead began chasing the pythons and lizards; they couldn''t let them escape, as they were all valuable experience points. Meanwhile, in the Dark Forest, four distinct castles began to shake violently. The crystals at the top of the castles shattered, and the structures began to collapse. Alex opened her system dashboard, and four notifications popped up. [Congratulations on successfully killing the hostile Lord [Blessing of the Holy Light]!] [Congratulations on successfully killing the hostile Lord [Will of the Sword]!] ... [Resources are being tallied...] [You have obtained a special structure blueprint: Energy Cannon] [You have obtained 80% of the enemy Lords'' Warehouse resources: 8k magic crystals, 200 Essence Shards, 10k food, 70k wood, 8k stone, 7k iron ingots, and various other materials] [Note: After defeating other Lords, you obtain 80% of their Warehouse resources, and the drop rate for special buildings and other items within the castle is 35%. Resources used for upgrading the castle will not drop. This is your first time defeating other Lords, hence this declaration.] So little resources from four Lords? Combined, they weren''t as wealthy as Alex alone, but obtaining a special building was quite a catch, especially something sounding as powerful as a cannon. It wasn''t that the four Lords had only one special building; it was that Alex''s victory resulted in only one dropping. If only the resources they used for upgrading their castles could drop, but the system didn''t allow it, and even the Warehouse drop was only 80%. The Essence Shards were few, clearly, they had used up their rewards from the beast tide. However, the system was quite user-friendly, transferring the resources of the defeated Lords directly to Alex''s Warehouse, saving her the trouble of locating their castles in the vast Dark Forest. At the same time, Alex noticed one thing: in the Dark Forest, there was no shortage of wood. All Lords had it in abundance. The four Lords were all Commanding level, ranging from levels 4 to 1. Alex used her Undead Summoning Magic, and her undead army gained four more Commanding level commanders. Their troops also included four Commanding level troops, which Alex generously allowed to remain by their Lords'' sides in undead form. The combined troops of the four Lords totaled about five hundred, and aside from a few pythons and lizards that escaped early, nearly all were slain by the undead army''s numerical superiority. These soldiers and warriors strangely left no bodies upon death, vanishing completely, so they couldn''t be summoned as undead. Alex tallied up; only two hundred bodies could be summoned. She didn''t bother summoning them one by one and used her left eye to summon them all at once. Halvar''s staff was an amplifying weapon, not very useful. Alex had destroyed James''s spellbook, Jareth had no weapon, and only Isran''s long sword was a decent weapon. Alex stored all the obtained magic crystals and equipment in her ring, then rode Ice Cream back to her castle. The undead dispersed, some upgrading and others gathering resources. Back at the castle, Alex put all the miscellaneous items, including some equipment, up for sale at the trading post. ????????.??? Now, standard equipment and animal hides were considered miscellaneous and not very valuable. The only valuable items were the two Commanding level pieces of equipment and a full Commanding level suit. The two pieces of equipment belonged to the two Lords, and the suit was from James''s deceased Commanding level soldier. After dealing with the miscellaneous items, Alex turned her attention to the special structure blueprint she had acquired. [special structure blueprint: Energy Cannon] [Building level: Commanding level] S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Feature: Commanding level offensive turret.] [Description: Connected to the castle crystal, the damage caused is related to the level of the castle crystal, and the attack range always matches the Territory Area of the castle.] [Construction materials: 10k wood, 10k stone, 2k magic crystals, 36 Essence Shards, 1k iron ingots.] "This is quite impressive, an attack with no blind spots within the territory." Alex was surprised; she hadn''t expected the four Lords to have such a valuable item. The defense towers on Alex''s wall had a limited attack range, only activating when enemies approached the wall, which is why she had built a circle of twenty towers around the wall. Traditional defense towers seemed rather low-tech. The only advantage was their quantity. But this turret was better, offering full-map coverage. "Build it!" Alex wasn''t short on resources, especially now that she had acquired some iron ingots, making construction a breeze. In the center of her castle, between the Blackwater Altar and the castle gate, a white turret appeared. It had strange patterns that flickered with light, and a huge cannon extended upwards, aiming at the sky. The turret''s internal energy unit was connected to the castle crystal, just like the defense towers. It looked a bit like a mortar, Alex thought, though she couldn''t underestimate the power of a Commanding level weapon. After defeating the four hostile lords, Alex had gained some iron ingots. She no longer needed to wait for Sophie to produce them and could even provide some to Sophie. Alex immediately sent a message to Sophie. [Hamburger]: "How many more iron ingots do you need to upgrade your castle to a town?" [QuartzStriker]: "I''m short 3k." Once Sophie replied, Alex immediately sent her 3k iron ingots. [Hamburger]: "Upgrade to town, then build a Portal of Transit." [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you so much!" Sophie was surprised at how quickly Alex had obtained the iron ingots. She immediately accessed her system dashboard and chose to upgrade her castle to a town. Sophie''s castle, nestled among mountain peaks, began to emit a white glow, becoming even more majestic. The dwarves were drawn by the activity at the castle, stopping to watch. The system also cleared a large area outside the castle, where Sophie''s Blacksmith Shop and Furnace were repositioned within the town''s territory. The uneven rocks within the town''s territory were disassembled by the system into stone materials, forcibly leveled. Sophie hadn''t even had time to look over her castle when she received a system notification, unlocking the exclusive building, Portal of Transit. "Portal of Transit, building materials: 10K wood, 5K stone, 1K magic crystals." This wasn''t expensive for Sophie, as she usually stockpiled some wood, and she had more than enough of the other resources. As Sophie clicked to build the Portal of Transit, a structure appeared in front of her castle within the town''s territory. Sophie had always been curious why Alex was so insistent on her building a Portal of Transit. Curious, she walked into the grand hall of the Portal of Transit and instantly understood. "A teleportation portal!" Sophie read the system''s description. As a Lord under Submission, she couldn''t have allies, so she could only teleport to other Lords who were also under Submission to Alex or to Alex''s castle. Next to the portal, she could choose the destination castle, with only two options: [King Kong] and Alex. But [King Kong]''s option was grayed out, indicating her castle hadn''t reached town level yet. "Should I go now?" Sophie was excited, not just about seeing Alex but about seeing another human. She had been isolated in this place for nine days and had never left. It felt like being quarantined at home with the flu, which was really hard to bear. Sophie firmed up her resolve and stepped through the portal. Chapter 94: Time Chamber These past few days, Chi-Chi had been in a foul mood, constantly snapping at her Red Blood Gorilla.Why were her troops so weak? Of course, if it hadn''t been for Alex''s selfless help during the beast tide, she might have perished. Alex not only helped her fend off the beast tide but also left her with over six hundred beast corpses. Chi-Chi disassembled these beasts, gaining a whopping 60 Essence Shards, 500 magic crystals, and a large amount of food. With these resources, she was finally able to upgrade her Barracks, and she did so twice in a row. Perhaps because Chi-Chi had submitted to Alex, her castle''s level 1 Gorilla crystal upgraded to a level 3 beasts crystal when she upgraded her Barracks. Chi-Chi initially thought all Lords'' Barracks were like this, so she wasn''t particularly surprised. The level 3 Barracks unlocked two new troops: the Prairie Lion and the Swamp Crocodile. Not only that, but their potential was also high, reaching up to the Monarch level. The only downside was that, like the Red Blood Gorilla, she could only summon two of each species per day. Now, Chi-Chi could summon six beasts daily, which was a significant improvement for her. Chi-Chi''s beasts were actually juveniles, similar to Alex''s Ice Cream, and could gain experience through aging. Once they reached maturity, they would become very powerful. Previously, Chi-Chi had naively sent her troops into battle without realizing that they just needed to survive to increase their strength, resulting in several Red Blood Gorillas dying. Now that she knew, Chi-Chi regretted her past actions, but her mood quickly shifted to excitement. After upgrading to a level 3 Barracks, she unexpectedly received a special structure blueprint: the Time Chamber. The Time Chamber had one function: to accelerate the flow of time within the room by a factor of 100. A hundredfold increase in time meant that a year inside the chamber was equivalent to a hundred years outside. This might seem useless to others, but for Chi-Chi, it was divine gear. She could let her troops stay inside to rapidly mature. By the time they were nearly grown, they would emerge with the strength of Commanding level troops. Why not Monarch level? Because the building only affected creatures below Monarch level, and it only worked on living beings. This was a way for Chi-Chi to strengthen her troops effortlessly, a zero-loss strategy. All she needed to do was feed them enough each day. Chi-Chi was in high spirits, planning to gather Essence Shards once her beasts had grown a bit, to quickly upgrade her Barracks. This would allow her to develop normally and strengthen her forces. ... Meanwhile, Alex had already sent her undead to find the Acolytes, planning to bring them back and send them to Sophie''s castle to mine with her dwarves. Of course, Alex''s cheap labor force of skeletons would also help. With the Portal of Transit, travel between the two Lords'' territories was much easier, and troops could move back and forth without issue. It was then that Alex remembered the function of her Bone Throne''s Feature1. [Feature1: Increases troops'' loyalty to their Lord.] This wasn''t to increase the undead''s loyalty to Alex, as their loyalty was already maxed out. The Bone Throne''s feature was meant to increase the loyalty of the troops of Lords who had submitted to Alex. Alex hadn''t fully understood this before, but the realization struck her suddenly when she thought about the Portal of Transit. Indeed, everything exists for a reason. At that moment, a burst of red light flashed through Alex''s castle''s Portal of Transit, and a woman stumbled out. "Ugh!" Sophie felt dizzy and disoriented, unable to tell up from down, her stomach churning until she couldn''t hold back and vomited. "That was rash, and no one... told me teleporting... ugh... was like a roller coaster..." It took a while for Sophie to recover. She wiped her mouth and awkwardly stood up. The doors of the great hall were open, and she could see the outside from within. The outside was eerie, emitting a strange aura. Even during the day, the sky was devoid of any light. A bit terrifying... Sophie looked back uncertainly to make sure it was indeed a teleportation portal before stepping outside. Is it always so oppressive around Hamburger''s place? Sophie suddenly felt that her own castle was quite nice, at least sunny with blue skies and white clouds, resembling a normal Earth environment. Hamburger''s surroundings, however, seemed bizarrely ominous. Since she was within the town''s territory, there weren''t many undead around, but Sophie still occasionally saw ghosts and creatures flying in the sky, making her shiver. Aren''t undead supposed to be just big skeletons? Why are there so many flying creatures? That''s terrifying... She suddenly thought dwarves were quite cute, although it would be better if they ate a little less. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Sophie saw two dimly lit yellow lanterns at the castle''s main entrance and four winged creature statues, the castle itself dark in color. Gathering her courage, Sophie walked towards the castle. Inside, Alex was fetching some elite food from the Warehouse for Ice Cream. Although she didn''t need to eat, Ice Cream''s diet couldn''t be neglected. Alex glanced at the castle entrance and saw someone standing there. Turning her head, Sophie also looked at Alex in the courtyard, their eyes meeting. "Big Shot?" "Sophie?" Alex and Sophie spoke simultaneously, and Ice Cream, hearing the noise, also turned to look towards the entrance. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With Ice Cream''s massive size, Sophie couldn''t help but notice, but she continued inside bravely. "Why are you here?" Alex sized up Sophie, who was dressed in a business suit, looking like an office worker. Her beauty could probably be rated A-grade, but Alex wondered why she walked with a swaying motion, giving her a strange impression. "Big Shot, I came to see you. You were so eager for me to build the Portal of Transit, wasn''t it to find me?" Sophie''s voice was coquettish, causing Alex to grimace involuntarily. "Speak properly, don''t disgust me." "Okay, Big Shot!" Seeing Alex a bit displeased, Sophie immediately reverted to normal. After approaching Alex, Sophie dared to take a closer look. She had been too nervous walking over, her eyes fixed on Ice Cream, fearing it might eat her. Alex was wearing a white T-shirt paired with a black pleated skirt, looking youthful, vibrant, and exceptionally beautiful, more so than any woman Sophie had encountered. Besides her striking beauty, Sophie noticed that Alex''s eyes were two different colors. "Big Shot, what is that?" Sophie stood beside Alex, pointing at Ice Cream and whispering. "A dragon, can''t you tell?" Sophie''s unfamiliarity with other races was understandable, but not recognizing such a famous creature as a dragon baffled Alex. "Stupid woman." Ice Cream''s face was full of disdain. After finishing its meal, it curled up on the ground, closed its eyes, and began to rest. Sophie was mortified to realize the dragon had heard her and her heart raced with fear. Alex called over a specter. "Call back the Acolytes and the skeletons who are chopping wood and mining." Then Alex led Sophie into the castle to chat while waiting for the Acolytes to return, planning to send them to help Sophie with mining. "Big Shot, what is this place? It feels a bit scary." Sophie finally remembered to ask about the location of Alex''s castle. "Eldoria continent, at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Dark Forest." "Ah, we''re not on Arsen continent anymore?!" Sophie was shocked to realize she had crossed a continent. She had heard from the dwarves that their kingdom''s explorers had never reached the edge of Arsen continent in their lifetimes, which spoke volumes about the vastness of a continent. "By the way, Big Shot, after I upgraded to town, the system gave me this." Sophie pulled a flat, shield-shaped token from her shirt pocket and handed it to Alex. Chapter 95: Submission Token Alex curiously took the token from Sophie, examining it closely. The word "Submission" was inscribed on it.[Special Item: Submission Token] [Belonging Lord: Sophie] [Feature: Allows the construction of a subsidiary castle within the territory of the Lord to whom one has submitted. The subsidiary castle will have the same features as the main castle, and as long as the subsidiary castle remains, the belonging Lord will remain unaffected even if the main castle is destroyed.] [Usage Condition: Must be approved by the Lord to whom one has submitted.] Alex was momentarily taken aback; this item was quite interesting. It functioned somewhat like a city relocation feature from traditional games, but instead of moving, it allowed for the construction of a subsidiary castle within her town''s territory while retaining the original castle. This must be a system benefit for Lords who have submitted, as even if a submitted Lord dies, it has no impact on the Lord to whom they have submitted. The Submission Token allows them to have two castles. If they can build a subsidiary castle within Alex''s town, it acts as an additional layer of security. If the external castle is destroyed, as long as the castle within Alex''s territory remains, they would still be safe. "This is a great item!" Alex hadn''t expected the system to pull off such a feat, allowing for the relocation of castle locations. "Big Shot, I''d like to use this Submission Token." This was Sophie''s main reason for visiting Alex''s castle¡ªto discuss this matter since constructing a subsidiary castle required Alex''s approval. Sophie didn''t really have a choice; the Submission Token had only this function, to use it or not. Clearly, using it was all benefit and no downside for Sophie. "Is your area very dangerous?" "Not really, my castle is in the mountains, but it''s not far from the dwarf kingdom''s territory. The dwarf kingdom is still in civil war, and the conflict could reach here any day." Sophie expressed her concerns. If the noble dwarves of the dwarf kingdom found her troops, they would capture these dwarves to bolster their own forces and send them to the front lines, which was unacceptable to Sophie. "I approve. Go ahead." "Thank you, Big Shot!" Sophie was relieved, feeling much more secure now. However, the subsidiary castle had a drawback; it had to be built within Alex''s town territory and strictly speaking, could only be considered a building within Alex''s town. Therefore, this subsidiary castle had no territory of its own and could not be upgraded, but it did have a subsidiary Barracks where troops could be summoned. The subsidiary Barracks was only level 1 and needed to be upgraded separately, and its cooldown time was shared with the main Barracks. The Acolytes and skeletons had already assembled outside the castle, ready to be sent to help at Sophie''s castle. Sophie''s dwarves totaled only about two hundred, and in front of a group of skeletons and Acolytes, their numbers seemed insignificant. Skeletons might not be able to forge equipment, but digging stone was no problem for them. Even if they were slow, working 24 hours a day could match the output of dwarves working eight hours a day. "Let''s go to your castle. I''ve brought a group of helpers for you." As they spoke, Alex stood up and walked outside, with Sophie quickly following. It was a good opportunity for her to also retrieve the resources needed to build the subsidiary castle. "Helpers?" Sophie saw the skeletons outside the castle, looking a bit dim-witted, and felt uncertain. "Don''t underestimate them; they can work non-stop, 24 hours a day." Alex seemed to notice Sophie''s skepticism and explained. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "24 hours non-stop, that intense?" Alex ignored Sophie''s ambiguous remark and led the group of undead towards the Portal of Transit. Alex and Sophie, accompanied by the undead, approached the portal, which emitted a bright orange-red glow, illuminating the entire room. Smaller creatures could pass through this portal, but for zombie titans and creatures like Arthur, the portal was simply too small. "You two go first." Alex directed two skeletons, unsure if the portal could transport troops as well as Lords. As the skeletons stepped through the portal, Alex checked her system dashboard. She noticed that there had been a notification when Sophie arrived at her castle, but it was a regular message and she had it blocked. Only official notifications like leaderboard updates and remarks about her first Lord kill were forced through by the system. After waiting three minutes without any system alerts, it seemed the skeletons had successfully transported. "Let''s go." Alex stepped into the portal first, followed by Sophie and the undead. Alex felt a dizzying sensation, as if her head had been shaken twenty times to each side. She stumbled out of the portal, nearly falling. Thump! Thump! The undead following her tumbled out, piling up on the ground. "Ugh¡ª" Sophie, lying on top of a few skeletons, couldn''t hold back and vomited, her partially digested meal mixed with stomach acid covering the skulls beneath her. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Alex, intending to help, recoiled from the sudden onslaught of vomit. "Teleportation is really uncomfortable, feels like I''m going to throw up everything, ugh¡ª" "It''s okay, think of it as a diet." Alex tried to offer some comfort. Outside, the sky was clear with a bright sun shining down, making Alex feel much better, almost like being back on Earth. After so many days in this world, it was Alex''s first time seeing such good weather and the sun. "How about it, Big Shot? Nice weather over here, right?" Sophie, having finished her bout of nausea, joined Alex, with the undead gradually standing up, awaiting Alex''s next command. Not far away was a white stone castle surrounded by mountains, and Alex could see some dwarves mining. "The weather is indeed nice. Get all these undead to start mining. Right now, we''re most in need of iron ingots. Any spare dwarf you have should be put to work mining full-time." Alex instructed Sophie, who was standing nearby. "Okay!" Sophie called over a dwarf to lead the undead to help, while other dwarves curiously watched this strange group. Sophie had also told the dwarves that the abundance of food they had was all thanks to Alex''s help. Thus, the dwarves treated Alex with a mix of curiosity and respect, understanding that they were now subordinate troops to this beautiful but powerful girl. This was the dwarves'' first impression of Alex, interestingly, their loyalty to Alex was at 70, even higher than Sophie''s. This was likely due to the loyalty boost from the Bone Throne''s feature, which had no range limit and affected all troops of Lords who had submitted to Alex. Alex sat in the castle for a while as Sophie went to fetch the materials needed to build the subsidiary castle. Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains, at [Earth Lord]''s castle... The real name of the Lord of this castle was Earl. At that moment, a flash of yellow light passed through his castle, which suddenly grew larger, and a cleared area appeared around it. Earl''s castle had successfully upgraded to a town, and he had built thick stone walls around the town''s perimeter with his powers. The exclusive building unlocked by upgrading to town, the Portal of Transit, didn''t surprise him, as Cain had already explained its function in the Alliance chat group. What Earl didn''t expect was the special item he received upon upgrading. Earl checked the information on this item. [Special Item: Alliance Token] [Belonging Leader: Earl] [Feature: Alliance members can relocate their castles to the vicinity of the Leader''s castle. The highest-ranking Alliance allies can share territories and some special buildings.] [Usage Condition: The Leader must invite Alliance members.] Alliance members are classified into three levels: junior allies, mid-level allies, and senior allies. Junior allies have few privileges and can leave the Alliance at will, while senior allies are the highest-ranking and cannot leave the Alliance without strong contractual obligations. Leaving the Alliance also requires the consent of all allies, but the benefits include resource sharing, representing a level of complete trust. Originally, the position of Leader was promised to Cain when Samson invited him into the Alliance. Cain, not fully trusting them, declined the offer. Later, as Earl advanced to the first tier, Samson passed the leadership to him. Besides Cain, the other members were all senior allies, fully trustworthy. The Submission Token was for building a subsidiary castle, while the Alliance Token allowed for a complete relocation, gathering all Alliance allies together. Resources returned at 50%, and the relocated castles needed to be upgraded again. The Alliance Token was unlocked simply by the Leader upgrading to town, with no restrictions on the castle levels of the allies, differing from the Submission Token in this respect. Earl, honest and straightforward, might not be eloquent, but he wasn''t foolish. His rise to the first tier was not just due to luck but also his own strength. Earl immediately shared the information about the Alliance Token in the chat group, and the other four Lords saw the item almost simultaneously. [Vine Fairy]: "Wow, the Alliance Token allows for relocation, huh? Do you have any trees over there? I want to come to you guys!" The lively [Vine Fairy] was always quick to respond. As for another Lord and Cain, they were considering their options. Their current environments were very beneficial for their strength development, so they weren''t planning to move just yet. The only one somewhat undecided was Cain. If the lava dragon returned and unfortunately discovered him, he would have no choice but to move. Samson, on the other hand, didn''t hesitate. He couldn''t stand another day in the Frostwind snowy mountain, not only because of the undead Lord but also the vampire Lord, and he was trapped in the dangerous snowy mountains. Even if leaving meant significantly reducing the combat effectiveness of his snow maidens, he would move without hesitation. More and more undead were flying around in the sky, and it was only a matter of time before his castle was discovered. Once the undead filled the snowy mountains, it would be too late to escape. Chapter 96: Undead relied not on individual strength but on sheer numbers Samson immediately sent a private message to Earl, asking for an invitation. Earl gladly agreed.Compared to Samson''s snowy mountain and Cain''s volcano, Earl''s Barren Plains were much safer. Although located within the borders of the Starfallen Empire, they were on the edge, unlikely to attract much attention. After Earl sent the invitation, Samson immediately received a system notification and without hesitation, clicked ''accept''. At that moment, Samson''s castle began to shake violently, as if it was about to collapse. Magical runes appeared on the floor of the castle, and Samson guessed it was the teleportation matrix for the castle. As the magical runes spread throughout the castle, the shaking intensified. The vibrations of Samson''s castle attracted a passing gargoyle, which noticed the strange phenomenon and decided to investigate. Suddenly, the shaking stopped, and along with it, Samson''s entire castle disappeared. Two miles outside the territory of Earl town, Samson''s white castle abruptly appeared. Originally a level 9, Samson''s castle had fallen to level 7, and the Barracks had also dropped two levels. However, it was all worth it, as Samson had successfully escaped the dreaded Frostwind snowy mountain. The environment of the Barren Plains was at least a hundred times safer than the Frostwind snowy mountain. At that moment, Samson suddenly noticed that besides his own and Earl''s castles, another castle had appeared nearby, completely enveloped in vines and tree branches¡ªit was Lord Ivy of the [Vine Fairy]. Both had chosen to move their castles next to Earl''s, and together, their combined strength was formidable. The three Lords met for the first time at the entrance of Earl''s castle. Earl was a towering figure at 7 feet tall, muscular and robust. Ivy, on the other hand, sported a cyberpunk look and was about 5.7 feet tall. Samson, wearing glasses, appeared scholarly, but among the three, he was the weakest, both in overall and individual strength. Regaining his confidence, Samson felt their collective strength had greatly increased now that they were together! Ivy suggested that today was a great day and must be celebrated. What Samson and Earl, who were almost sick of eating roasted meat, did not expect was that Ivy''s Warehouse was not only full of fungi but also various wild fruits and vegetables, offering a rich variety of ingredients. "Where did you get all these from?" sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Just picked them up from the forest!" Ivy said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ... On the continent of Arsen, atop a mountain outside Sophie''s castle, Alex stood surveying the surrounding terrain, which was entirely mountainous. The complex terrain made it difficult for the dwarves of the dwarf kingdom to locate Sophie''s castle. The vast mountain range was perfect for air forces, but since dwarves couldn''t fly and the area was rugged and wild, it was no wonder the dwarves chose to flee here. Pondering, Alex suddenly thought she could use Sophie to deploy undead on the continent of Arsen, as the area around Sophie''s castle was relatively safe compared to the Dark Forest and Frostwind snowy mountain, offering a more stable development. She only needed to send a few necromancers and eliminate the surrounding Lords to endlessly expand her military forces. Alex didn''t believe such a vast mountain range housed only Sophie as a Lord. Later, Alex and Sophie returned to Hamburger. Sophie brought the resources needed to build a subsidiary castle and eagerly clicked to construct. ???¦®§®???.?§°? A castle similar in style to Alex''s rose next to her own, though it was much smaller, about a quarter of the size and five stories high, without a courtyard. The subsidiary castle also had a level one dwarf Barracks, and other facilities were quite comprehensive, though special buildings were non-transferable and moving them to Alex''s location was pointless. Sophie, somewhat excited, ran into the castle to inspect it. The two castles had different styles and the internal room distribution varied slightly, but they were generally similar. With this subsidiary castle, Sophie could choose to sleep there at night and return to the continent of Arsen during the day. She no longer had to worry about enemies invading her castle at night and killing her. "Big Shot, I''ll be staying here at night from now on!" "Suit yourself." Alex paid no mind to the excited Sophie beside her, as she saw a gargoyle flying back. "Translator, come here!" Alex called over a specter, as she couldn''t understand what the gargoyle was trying to say. "What, you saw a castle suddenly disappear? Are you sure the disappearance of the castle wasn''t because the Lord was killed?" The gargoyle, sensitive to magical fluctuations, was indeed certain that the entire castle had disappeared, not just destroyed due to the Lord being killed. "Big Shot, you better check the World Chat, they''re all talking about something called an Alliance token, seems similar to the Submission token." Sophie familiarly opened the World Chat to look for information, and indeed, she found that all the Lords were discussing a strange item, the Alliance token. Alex opened the World Chat, where Lords were frantically spamming messages. Alex paused to read them one by one, discovering that everyone was looking for a Lord Alliance, this time with a peculiar condition added. [Petted Kitten]: "Looking for a powerful Lord Alliance." [Harem]: "My place is very safe, scenic with plenty of wild animals, first choice for moving Alliance! Currently only accepting single women under 29." [Pea Shooter]: "I''m about to upgrade my town, book your Alliance move in advance!" ... This was outrageous, Alliance members could actually move directly?! Alex seemed to understand a bit; it appeared that an Alliance Leader promoting their town could allow Alliance members to move, and all Lords were frantically seeking allies in the World Chat. This meant that Alliances would no longer be mere decorations; Lords would start banding together, significantly boosting their strength. This wasn''t good news for Alex, a lone wolf, as future enemies would change from a single Lord to an entire Alliance. Under the huge temptation of the Alliance token allowing relocation, the vast majority of Lords began choosing Alliances, forming one powerful group after another. Even an Alliance of five second-tier Lords already had the strength to confront a first-tier Lord. What about an Alliance of five first-tier Lords? Alex didn''t think her current strength could simultaneously confront five top-tier Lords, but fortunately, her castle was still relatively hidden. As long as she kept a low profile, she could quietly develop on the continent. Undead relied not on individual strength but on sheer numbers, and she had to make use of this. "Quick, call back my necromancers!" Chapter 97: Silverbeard Clan The first to return was the highest-level necromancer, currently at lv6 Commanding level. Alex tasked it with leading the team to the continent of Arsen.Arthur was not suitable; his size was too large to pass through the portal. John was also unsuitable; unable to fly, he couldn''t maximize his combat effectiveness in the mountainous terrain. The necromancers were the best choice. Not only could they fly, but they were also intelligent and strong, ranking as T1 level within Alex''s undead army. Besides them, Alex also summoned two Ethereal Wraiths and two gargoyles, making a total of five Commanding level beings, which she felt was more than sufficient. Watching the growing number of undead gathering outside, Sophie couldn''t help but ask, "Big Shot, what are you planning?" "They''re going to develop on your side; it''s much safer than here." Soon, Alex had gathered five hundred specters and gargoyles, in addition to ten more necromancers, besides the five Commanding level beings. She felt this should be enough and had already planned out her strategy. The land forces summoned by the necromancers would return to Hamburger, while the air forces would remain on the continent of Arsen. "Once you''re on the continent of Arsen, follow the necromancer''s commands. If there''s any intelligence, the specters will contact me. Alright, move out." Alex organized the tasks for the undead in front of her, and they all headed towards the Portal of Transit. On the continent of Arsen, the primary objective of the undead was to use Sophie''s castle as a base to spread out and start gathering intelligence. Whether it was other Lords or local forces, they were all targets. On the outer edges of the White Rock Mountains, there was a mine belonging to the dwarf Silverbeard Clan. A Lord named Gordon, born here, was thrilled by the rich environment and resources, unaware that he was already under the dwarves'' surveillance. Gordon''s troops consisted of robust wild boars, larger and darker than ordinary ones, with much greater stamina and strength. The leader of the dwarf Silverbeard Clan took an interest in Gordon''s troops and personally came forward to recruit him. Gordon could continuously provide mounts for his clan, allowing him to build an invincible cavalry. Even the materials for upgrading Gordon''s castle and barracks, including handling the beast tide, were all taken care of by the leader of the Silverbeard Clan. Gordon had little choice but to comply, at least it made his life more comfortable. Even if he didn''t surrender, the dwarves could easily imprison him. Lords like Gordon who allied with local forces were not uncommon. Lords received rewards for killing local forces, and vice versa, local forces also benefited from killing extraterrestrial visitors. But in the face of these interests, they could restrain their inner urge to kill, showing they were intelligent races, understanding how to maximize their benefits. Although the terrain of the White Rock Mountains was rugged, it was insignificant in front of flying undead like gargoyles and specters, and it wouldn''t be long before they were discovered. On the continent of Eldoria, at the lava volcano. Cain was worried about the return of the lava dragon, and the next, he saw a huge figure flying in the sky. It was the lava dragon! At that moment, the lava dragon was furious, with many injuries on its body, appearing as if it had been in a fight and returned wounded. Fire dragons are naturally temperamental, and now, injured, it was even more irritable. Previously, because Cain had newbie protection, the calm lava dragon had ignored him. But now, things were different. Cain had lost his newbie protection, and the enraged lava dragon could easily annihilate him! §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Cain didn''t dare to gamble. Earl had already sent him an invitation, and without hesitation, Cain clicked confirm. As Cain''s castle began to shake and magical runes started to cover it, Cain grew nervous. The flying lava dragon also noticed the vibrations coming from Cain''s castle in the distance. Teleportation magic, this human wants to run? The lava dragon opened its mouth, and a fiery red energy began to gather. Roar! A devastating column of molten lava fire shot towards Cain''s castle at high speed. Cain''s heart was in his throat, confirming that the lava dragon had indeed attacked him. The scorching temperature carried immense energy, and Cain faced death head-on for the first time. Just as the dragon''s breath was about to strike Cain''s castle, the teleportation matrix completed, and Cain''s castle vanished from sight. Boom! A massive explosion sounded, and the volcano where Cain''s castle had been was flattened by the lava dragon''s breath of dragon, with lava flowing out from both sides. The lava dragon, realizing it hadn''t hit the human, didn''t care and flew back to its nest. It was like a human trying to step on an ant, which luckily escapes into a cave; it simply didn''t matter. Meanwhile, on the Barren Plains, an elite human scouting team from the Starfallen Empire was heading towards the Frostwind snowy mountain. This elite imperial scouting team consisted of twelve people, all at Commanding level, clad in armor and riding warhorses, speeding across the Barren Plains. They were investigating the annihilation of a village within their territory, suspecting it was destroyed by beasts from the Frostwind snowy mountain, but they needed to confirm the situation. Although Lucian''s castle was located at the junction of the Frostwind snowy mountain and the Barren Plains, deeper into the Barren Plains, several Lords had gathered again, belonging to the Elemental Alliance. Cain''s castle suddenly appearing here also caught the attention of the other allies, and the obsidian and flowing lava on the castle indicated that this newly arrived Lord was [Flame Spirit]. At this moment, Cain''s lv1 town had fallen to a lv8 castle, but he wasn''t concerned about that. He was still somewhat shaken by the power of the lava dragon, which had shown him that the volcano was no place for a weakling like him. Fortunately, Cain had been cautious and was grateful that he could relocate through the Alliance, otherwise he would have been dead by now. The trio, Earl, Samson, and Ivy, had thought that [Wind Fury] Lord would be the first to move here, but it turned out Cain was even quicker. The three came together in front of Cain''s castle, welcoming this new ally. "Welcome, Big Shot, to joining us!" Samson and Ivy said happily, while Earl stood by, smiling. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cain, influenced by their enthusiasm, also smiled, feeling for the first time that forming an Alliance might indeed be a good choice. Chapter 98: The strength of top one tier Lords This might have been the most Cain had ever spoken, as he shared his ordeal with his three allies.All three were astonished, realizing that Cain''s homeland was a hundred times more dangerous than their own. "That''s really thrilling; I''ve never even seen a dragon before," Ivy remarked, while Samson was drawn into a moment of reflection. He vividly remembered the battle between two top-tier powers in the snowy mountain. Being inside the snowy mountain, he felt the distant tremors more acutely. If not for the newbie protection, those vibrations alone could have collapsed his castle. Since Samson''s castle was situated lower, surrounded by towering snowy mountains, he didn''t know what creatures were fighting. Although unsure of the creatures, he doubted anything could be stronger than a dragon. Samson thought better of voicing his thoughts; firstly, it would only add to their worries, and secondly, he could already imagine what Ivy would say next. "Hey, your place is that dangerous, and you haven''t made it to the top one tier yet?" If Ivy said something like that, Samson would feel even more embarrassed. ... Meanwhile, the scouting team from the Starfallen Empire was resting by a river, feeding their warhorses. The scout who had been leading the way returned, dismounted, and immediately approached Captain Mos. "Captain Mos, we''ve discovered four castles of extraterrestrial visitors ahead!" "Hmph, it must be those damned extraterrestrial visitors who killed His Majesty''s subjects. Follow me, let''s eliminate these extraterrestrial visitors!" Captain Mos was shrewd. His team, all at Commanding level and part of an elite guard squad within the empire, had been assigned to this desolate area to investigate the cause of a small village''s demise. The hardships of traveling and camping out were unbearable for them, accustomed to a life of luxury. The appearance of extraterrestrial visitors was timely. Whether these visitors were responsible for the village''s slaughter was no longer important. By killing them and pinning the blame on them, Mos could complete his mission and return to the empire. Mos was inwardly pleased with the sudden appearance of a scapegoat, but he maintained a serious demeanor as he issued orders to his subordinates. The group rode their warhorses at full speed towards the location of the extraterrestrial visitors'' castles. At this moment, the Lords were still unaware of the impending threat, all gathered in Cain''s castle talking. It wasn''t until a noisy commotion erupted outside that a flame spirit hurried into the castle, alerting them to the trouble. The four Lords stepped outside and saw a group of human knights battling with elemental troops. "Native humans?" Cain voiced his confusion, having never seen native humans before. "They must be troops from the Starfallen Empire." Earl, familiar with his surroundings, naturally knew his castle was within the territory of the Starfallen Empire. Samson quickly assessed the battlefield. Although there were only twelve of them, each was at Commanding level. Now that these native humans had discovered them, they couldn''t let these knights live to report back. While eliminating these knights would also arouse suspicion from the Starfallen Empire, it could at least buy them some time. They didn''t know why the human troops had found them, but regardless of the reason, they couldn''t just stand by. "Earl, Cain, you two are the strongest here. Flank them from behind to cut off their retreat. Ivy and I will lead the troops to hold them off at the front." Samson''s strategy was sound; they needed to annihilate these humans. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Cain immediately led his troops, transforming into a blaze of fire and soaring into the sky, while Earl burrowed into the ground. With the strength of these four Lords, each had at least three Commanding level troops. The Starfallen Empire''s cavalry, numbering only twelve, posed no threat to them. Mos was still commanding his subordinates to attack these troops, but as time passed, he realized these troops seemed virtually indestructible. Huge stone giants, fire elementals burning with flames, tree beings made of wood and vines, and flying snow maidens filled the battlefield. "Elemental creatures?" Although Mos had only heard of elemental creatures and had once seen a terra creature, which was somewhat different from Earl''s earth monster, the fact that they were all composed of earth elements and had undead properties confirmed his suspicions. "This is trouble. Damn, I should have called those arrogant mages from the magic association''s branch." Mos was already considering a retreat, as they had no effective means to combat elemental creatures. But seeing Samson and Ivy appear ahead, Mos smiled again. Why bother with these elemental creatures? Why not just kill these Lords? "Kill these extraterrestrial visitors!" Boom! Boom! Behind Mos, several balls of fire descended from the sky, forming a human figure and several flame spirits, while the ground beside them began to churn as stone and mud coalesced into a humanoid form. It was Cain and Earl, who had flanked to the rear with their troops. Cain''s lower body was entirely aflame, his hands forming two fireballs. With flames jetting from beneath him, he shot towards one of the knights like a cannonball. Cain tackled the knight off his horse, pinning him down with both hands. The intense heat quickly melted holes in the knight''s armor, and the knight was consumed by flames in an instant, losing his life. Facing the knights charging at Earl, Earl calmly placed his hands on the ground. The earth around the knights immediately softened, as if Earl had breathed life into it. The earth controlled by Earl shot up, enveloping three troops in pillars of mud, which hardened into stone columns as they rose. The three troops were trapped by Earl without any chance to resist. The Commanding level earth monsters and flame spirits were overwhelmingly powerful, immune to physical attacks, making them invulnerable to the knight troops'' assaults. The flame spirits, acting like powerful artillery, and the high-defense, robust earth monsters served as frontline shields. Their massive size and strength meant that even their basic attacks were devastatingly effective against the human knights. Such was the strength of top one tier Lords. Facing these lower-level Commanding level troops, they could easily handle them. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And Samson, a dignified Lord of elemental creatures, was now clad in frost armor, wielding twin wolf claws, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the troops. Despite the boost from his melee gear, not everyone is naturally skilled in combat. Samson''s armor bore several scratches, marks from the knight''s sword strikes. If not for his armor, Samson wouldn''t know how many times he''d have been wounded. Even Ivy was shocked by Samson''s approach. "You, a mage, going up to brawl with knights?" Chapter 99: How could there be a beast tide in the White Rock Mountains? It was utterly embarrassing!Earl and Cain had already taken down three or four enemies each, and even Ivy was managing to suppress her opponent. Why couldn''t Samson defeat even one? In a flash, Samson transformed into a snowflake, instantly drifting away to create distance from his enemy. It seemed he was being forced to use his ultimate move. "Winter is coming!" Samson spread his arms wide, and a magic circle rapidly expanded, forming a barrier that enveloped the three troops in front of him. Inside the barrier, countless giant ice crystals fell from the sky, striking the troops, while the ground around Samson rapidly froze. Just as the entire barrier was about to be covered, Samson felt his Mana Points deplete. The three troops were only frozen from the waist down; their upper bodies could still move. They swung their swords to block the falling ice crystals, preventing their frozen bodies from being shattered. This was awkward; he had used too much mana earlier. "Ivy, help me out here!" "Huh?" Suddenly, countless vines sprouted under the three troops, wrapping around them. Deprived of their ability to resist, they were finally killed by Samson''s magic. "Samson, you''re so small!" Although Samson knew Ivy was referring to his mana bar, he couldn''t help but feel there was something off about her comment. Mos, seeing his subordinates being defeated, realized the danger and decisively chose to flee. However, he was quickly stopped by Cain and Earl, his horse''s legs sinking deep into the mud, rendering it immobile. The four surrounded Mos. Samson, seeing that the enemy was down to one man who had lost the ability to fight, was about to ask why they had attacked them. But then he felt the question was stupid and quickly changed his approach. "This place is so remote, what are you doing here?" Now a captive, Mos had no choice but to submit. If he didn''t cooperate, he was sure to die. Telling the truth might give him a slim chance of survival, and it wasn''t any imperial secret anyway. Mos thought for a mere fraction of a second, quickly understanding the stakes, and immediately spoke. "An imperial border village was slaughtered. We were ordered to investigate the cause of their deaths." "Earl, did you kill them?" Ivy immediately turned to ask Earl. Earl shook his head; he too was encountering the native humans for the first time. Seeing Earl shake his head, Samson naturally chose to trust his ally. Besides, even if Earl had been responsible, it wouldn''t matter. "Where is this village?" Samson continued to question Mos, certain he knew some information. "The village is at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains, some distance from here," Mos replied truthfully. "So you think the humans in that village were killed by us, the extraterrestrial visitors?" Ivy looked enlightened. Mos nodded reluctantly. Samson pondered for a moment, then seemed to realize something and signaled to Cain and Earl. Earl was still unclear about Samson''s intentions, but Cain understood. A pillar of fire pierced through Mos''s chest. Earl and Ivy looked at Cain, puzzled, with three question marks appearing above their heads. ??? The conversation wasn''t even finished. Why did you kill him? Cain, facing their gazes, looked helpless and turned to Samson as if to say, wasn''t it your command? Explain, please. "Earl, Ivy, don''t rush. I asked Cain to do it. You all know my original castle was near Frostwind snowy mountain, right?" ????????.??? The three turned to Samson, waiting for him to continue. "There are two powerful Lords on the snowy mountain, an undead Lord and a vampire Lord. Both have one thing in common: they can transform corpses into their troops. I''ve never met the vampire, but I''ve heard of him; he''s no longer human. As for the undead Lord, she still looks human, but I''ve seen her transform a wolf''s corpse into an undead." The three listened to Samson''s explanation, slightly shocked. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "My goodness, so it''s likely they were the ones who killed the villagers?" Ivy felt like a genius for instantly pinpointing the crucial issue. "Not only that, these two Lords have clashed with Samson on the snowy mountain, which means their castles are nearby, matching the location of the Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains border mentioned by this human," Cain analyzed. "Ah, Cain, you''re so smart. I didn''t even think of that." Cain ignored Ivy''s flattery and continued, "We''ve become scapegoats." "That won''t do. If the Starfallen Empire comes seeking revenge, it''ll be trouble. We must find a way to pin this on those two Lords," Samson said, frustrated. He had just moved his castle here and already encountered such trouble. "Samson, Earl, you two are more familiar with this environment. It''s up to you," Cain said. Samson and Earl understood that not only would Cain''s flame spirit be greatly limited on the snowy mountain, but Cain''s own strength would also be significantly reduced, making it unsuitable for him to act in this environment. Ivy felt somewhat disappointed, internally roaring, ''What about me? Why didn''t you mention me? I''m useful too!'' With their roles assigned, two were responsible for investigating, and two for guarding the castle, determined not to become scapegoats for others. Back at the castle, Ivy, having nothing else to do, relayed the day''s events to another ally, [Wind Fury]. [Wind Fury] was also excited, almost ready to relocate immediately, but the wild wolf valley where he was located still offered some benefits to his strength, so he restrained himself for the time being. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] As night fell, Sophie''s dwarves completed the last batch of standard equipment purchased before the beast tide, totaling 11,600 pieces, which Alex listed on the trading post. The price of standard equipment, which had already fallen to 5 magic crystals, dropped again to 4 magic crystals each, with raw materials priced at 3 magic crystals. Alex was indifferent; she had purchased the raw materials at a price of one magic crystal each, so she was not at a loss regardless. Once these equipments were sold, she planned to abandon this method of resource generation. All-Races Battle Royale, Struggle for Lord Supremacy, the fastest way to gather resources was through plundering. After building her subsidiary castle, Sophie no longer cared about her main castle''s level, using all resources to upgrade the Barracks. Now, the subsidiary castle''s Barracks were on par with the main castle''s. If her main castle were ever breached, it would be a significant loss. But her subsidiary castle was safer next to Alex''s castle, with no security risks. At that moment, Sophie was in the castle courtyard, munching on a greasy lamb leg, while Alex sat beside her, deep in thought. "Big Shot, are you really not going to eat?" Sophie''s mouth was stuffed with roasted meat, her speech unclear as she spoke to Alex. "I don''t eat, and stop calling me Big Shot; it feels weird. Just call me by my name." As Alex finished speaking, she saw a specter fly out of the Portal of Transit and immediately stood up. Could there be trouble on the continent of Arsen? "Respected Queen, there''s a large-scale beast tide near the castle over there." Beast tide?! How could there be a beast tide in the White Rock Mountains? Could it be those dwarves driving them here? "Quick, stop eating, there''s trouble on your side." Alex pulled Sophie up and headed outside, the lamb leg falling to the ground, leaving Sophie visibly distressed. "Ah, my roasted lamb leg!" Chapter 100: Things were not as simple as they seemed On the continent of Arsen, 100 miles north of the White Rock Mountains, there lies a castle. The lord of this castle is named Sienna, and fittingly, the castle bears her name as well.Sienna is extremely cautious. She waited until the beast tide had ended before daring to venture out from her castle to expand her territory. Tonight, she discovered the location of Sophie''s castle. Upon realizing that Sophie''s troops consisted only of dwarves, she didn''t hesitate to launch an attack. Her troops are griffins, which have a distinct advantage in the terrain of the White Rock Mountains. But that''s not all; she also possesses a weapon that can control and influence some lower-level wild beasts, compelling them to act. Currently, Sienna is atop a mountain, with a griffin crouching beside her. She plays a flute that drives the beasts below into a frenzy, furiously attacking Sophie''s castle. Sienna intended to use the beast tide to deplete the enemy castle''s main forces, then send in the griffins to finish the job. The tactic was flawless, but the first step encountered a problem. The beasts she had driven were completely ineffective. From somewhere within the castle below, a group of flying creatures emerged, and with their abilities, they slaughtered the beast tide. While Sienna was still puzzled above, she was unaware that the commotion she caused had already been detected by nearby dwarves. The dwarves of the Silverbeard Clan had orders to scout the White Rock Mountains for extraterrestrial visitors, and the beast tide Sienna created was too conspicuous. Given the geographical environment of the White Rock Mountains, where wild beasts are relatively scarce, the sudden appearance of a beast tide was highly unusual. At this moment, several patrolling dwarves at the top of a mountain peak were using binoculars to observe the direction of Sophie''s castle, faintly spotting a glimmer of light. The circling black eagles also relayed the observed information back, making the dwarves even more certain of their suspicions. The dwarves immediately descended the mountain, quickly relaying the information back to their clan. Meanwhile, Alex and Sophie had just stepped through the portal again. "Ugh¡ª" Alex immediately moved away from Sophie, knowing she was about to vomit. "I just had dinner, wuu wuu wuu..." "Forget about your dinner, your castle might be gone soon." Saying this, Alex walked outside. It was just some beast tide, and of course, the undead could handle it. But she knew very well that things were not as simple as they seemed. Initially, Alex suspected that Sophie''s castle might have been discovered by the guards of the dwarf kingdom, which had led to this trouble. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon arriving here, however, Alex realized that the beast tide was too weak, even for the Skeleton Warriors she had sent as workers, who couldn''t be defeated by them. Sophie''s town had no walls to block the beasts rampaging outside the castle. Except for the Portal of Transit, all buildings were damaged to varying degrees. The Portal of Transit, a crucial structure connecting two places, was protected by the undead and therefore remained undamaged. The grand doors of the Portal of Transit were open, and the orange-red light emitted from the portal suddenly became blinding, naturally attracting the attention of Sienna on the mountain top. "Someone is coming through the Portal of Transit, is it his ally?" Alex began to survey the surroundings. This beast tide was too weak, clearly man-made, and felt different from those controlled by the system. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Woo~ Woo~ Alex heard a melodious sound, barely distinguishable unless listened to carefully. "Is that the sound of a musical instrument?" Alex stood still, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound, but it seemed to come from all directions, making it impossible to discern the location. Sophie stood by, not disturbing her, knowing Alex might have sensed something. Truly a Big Shot, incredibly impressive! At that moment, a necromancer flew over to Alex. "My Queen, there is a sound-based magic on the battlefield controlling these beasts." Trust a necromancer to be so knowledgeable. "Can you locate this person?" Alex asked the nearby necromancer. If they could find the location, that would be great. She wasn''t concerned about the beasts; such a level of beast tide could never breach Sophie''s castle. The main thing was to find the person behind this, which was crucial. "My Queen, you could have the gargoyles spread out in all directions. They are very sensitive to magic and will quickly locate the source of this magic." The necromancer suggested to Alex, who agreed with this point. Gargoyles and Destroyers, these two troops, were like magic detectors, easily capable of finding the enemy when dispersed. Alex immediately ordered the gargoyles to stop fighting and spread out in all directions. Even with just the skeletons and specters, they could easily defeat the group of beasts. Alex didn''t let the dwarves join the battle; they were her excellent workers, and she couldn''t afford to lose any. The dwarves hiding in the castle were stunned by the combat capabilities of the undead. In their view, some of the dangerous beasts were easily handled by the undead, who were also very numerous, not fewer in number than the beasts. For the first time, the dwarves felt that their new lord was incredibly powerful. Atop the mountain, Sienna continued to play her flute, intending to exhaust all the beasts before commanding the griffins to raid Sophie''s castle. At this moment, Sienna was still observing the defensive capabilities of Sophie''s castle. If the beasts couldn''t inflict significant damage on Sophie''s castle, she planned to lead her griffins in a raid and then retreat. After all, griffins could fly, and in these continuous mountains, ground forces had no ability to catch up with her. Of course, it would be best to annihilate the castle in front of her. At this moment, a gargoyle in the sky sensed stronger magical fluctuations here than in other locations and immediately flew towards this spot. Sienna looked up and suddenly noticed a winged creature diving towards her. Startled, Sienna was about to stop playing and counterattack the gargoyle when the griffin beside her reacted first, soaring into the sky to attack the gargoyle. The griffin beside Sienna was at Commanding level, while the gargoyle that had discovered Sienna was only a lv5 Standard, no match for the griffin. The gargoyle''s wings were torn apart, and its stone and metal body was shattered by the griffin, falling towards the ground. Sienna breathed a sigh of relief. If she had stopped playing, the beasts would have regained their senses and scattered. However, Sienna knew her location had been discovered and that she needed to make a quick decision. Chapter 101: You dare to attack first? The sound of the gargoyle''s shattered body reached Alex effortlessly, and she immediately looked in Sienna''s direction.In the night, Alex could only see a small black dot rising into the air, gradually enlarging, and the sound of the flute becoming clearer. Soon after, the griffins hiding behind Sienna also soared into the sky, revealing dozens of them. "You dare to attack first?" Alex scoffed. She hadn''t even gone looking for her, yet she had come running over. "What?" Sophie was still confused, following Alex''s gaze and also vaguely seeing dozens of small black dots flying towards them in the sky. As Sienna drew closer, she chose to stop playing the flute and prepared for battle. The beasts below, no longer controlled by the flute''s sound, began to scatter and no longer engaged in the pointless fight with the undead. With a wave of her hand, Alex summoned all remaining gargoyles and the dispersed destroyers to converge in the sky. As Sienna approached, Alex, with her superior vision, could clearly see the creatures in the night sky¡ªgriffins. Alex was familiar with griffins, having killed one before. The griffins'' flying speed was not slow, making them a good match for the gargoyles. Although Alex had over five hundred undead on her side, most were specters, which, being incorporeal, were better suited for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. Specters, although also part of the air force, were too slow for this battle, so the main force was left to the gargoyles. Of course, Alex never considered the possibility of losing; she deployed the gargoyles to use their speed advantage to prevent the enemy from escaping. Even though most of the undead here were specters, Alex had hundreds of gargoyles, more than enough to handle the dozens of griffins. Sienna, flying over Sophie''s castle, only then realized that hundreds of gargoyles had suddenly appeared in the air around her, nearly three times her number. But Sienna was not panicked. She had seen the griffins engage with the gargoyles and knew these gargoyles were not strong; sometimes, numbers alone do not guarantee victory. "Attack!" Sienna commanded the griffins. After dealing with them, her next targets were Alex and Sophie below, whom Sienna had noticed early on. Countless wind blades formed at the griffins'' talons and shot towards the surrounding gargoyles. The scene Sienna imagined, where the gargoyles were directly sliced apart, did not occur. The gargoyles remained unscathed, absorbing the wind blades! Seeing that the creatures could absorb magic, Sienna immediately abandoned magical attacks and opted for a melee tactic with the griffins engaging the gargoyles. With similar sizes and strengths, it was clear the gargoyles were more formidable. Sienna''s previous assumption of their weakness was merely due to a level advantage. Gargoyles were also highly agile in the air, easily grasping the griffins'' necks or wings with their hands, while the griffins'' talon strikes had no effect on the gargoyles'' hard bodies. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The griffins'' proudest magic was also completely ineffective against the gargoyles. If not for the presence of three Commanding level griffins among them, and only one among the gargoyles, the battle would have ended sooner. No griffin could defeat a gargoyle of equal strength alone. "What kind of creatures are these!" Sienna looked distressed, riding her griffin in circles in the sky, battling these gargoyles. As time passed, Sienna noticed her griffins dwindling in number, while the gargoyles maintained their initial count. Sienna clearly remembered that she had personally killed several gargoyles. Her weapon, a black whip capable of mid-range attacks and enchanted with magic, was very powerful. Below, Alex appeared very relaxed, showing no intention of assisting. She noticed Sienna wearing a pointed mage hat and dressed in a black mage robe, with various pendants hanging from her chest and hat brim, holding a whip while riding a griffin. The outfit was quite strange. "Should we go help them?" Sophie asked worriedly. Without Alex''s help, relying solely on the dwarves to deal with the griffins, she would have been defeated long ago. "You''re right, we can''t play anymore. It would be troublesome if she escapes later." Alex said seriously. "Ah?" So that was it. Sophie had been anxiously cheering for the gargoyles, fearing they couldn''t overcome the enemy, while Alex was actually worried that the enemy might escape? Sienna was just within the range of Alex''s magical attacks. As Alex observed the battlefield from below, she prepared to intervene. Above, Sienna thought the two Lords below were very weak, good-looking but useless, unable to fly or attack from a distance, otherwise they would have joined the battle by now. Alex activated her right eye, which also enhanced perception and strength among other passive abilities. She seized the moment when Sienna, riding her griffin, dodged a gargoyle attack and entered Alex''s magical attack range. Sophie, still curious, saw Alex just staring at the sky. She even had a ridiculous thought¡ªwas Alex trying to kill someone with her gaze? Could that work? But the next moment shocked Sophie. She saw a light emanating from Alex''s right eye, and then the wings of the griffin Sienna was riding began to freeze. Not good! The griffin, in pain and with one side frozen, lost balance and began to fall. Below it, the ground surged with huge ice spikes. If the griffin fell on them, it would undoubtedly be impaled. The griffin, being a Commanding level creature, immediately launched wind blades at the ice spikes below, following the trajectory of the blades as it fell. Boom¡ª The griffin crashed heavily onto the ground, shattering the ice spikes and sustaining many cuts, bleeding profusely. Sienna looked disheveled but was unharmed thanks to the griffin''s protection. She caressed the griffin beside her, her palm glowing green, and the wounds on the griffin''s body visibly healed. Sophie was still confused, not understanding how the griffin flying in the sky had suddenly fallen. When she turned to ask Alex for an explanation, she found that Alex had already disappeared from her side. Ah, where did Big Shot go?! Chapter 102: I didnt say you could leave Although Sienna is a girl, she is indeed a powerful mage, mastering three types of magic: sensory magic, music magic, and healing magic.With her sensory magic, she detected Alex''s disappearance in an instant and swung her whip towards the predicted landing spot of Alex. Sensory magic also allows her to detect elemental fluctuations in the air, so Sienna was confident that Alex would appear at that location. Sure enough, Alex materialized there, but now she held a scythe in her hand, blocking Sienna''s preemptive strike. "Are you ready to meet your death?" !!! Three exclamation marks appeared above Sienna''s head, shocked by Alex''s incredible speed. Ice pillars surged towards Sienna, who responded by cracking her whip, shattering the ice with the sound waves it emitted. Sienna, leveraging her longer attack range, began to engage Alex. She was adept at predicting each of his teleportations in advance, narrowly avoiding them each time. After several such exchanges, Alex realized something was amiss. The opponent seemed to possess some magic or ability that could predict her landing spots and attacks, which was particularly effective against melee combat. Realizing this, Alex immediately retreated, opened her palms, and a sea of fire surged towards Sienna. Even if Sienna could predict the attacks, how could she possibly dodge an AOE attack? Boom, boom, boom! Explosions continuously erupted within the sea of fire, each creating a vacuum in the flames. Boom! A sonic explosion erupted beside Alex, who quickly dodged, her fire magic forcibly interrupted. If not for her enhanced senses, she might not have been able to evade the invisible sonic magic attack. "This sonic magic is indeed a bit tricky, but don''t think you''re the only one who can use such magic. I also have an invisible magic of my own!" Alex, still holding her scythe but not approaching, watched Sienna from a distance, making it difficult for Sienna to detect any anomalies. "Your strength is indeed formidable, but you''re no match for me," Sienna confidently stated, relying on her sensory and music magic combined with her melee capabilities. Not only were her attacks unpredictable, but they also compensated for the typical weaknesses in a mage''s defense. From a distance, Sophie hid behind a lv6 Commanding level necromancer, watching the battle between Alex and Sienna in shock. First, Alex''s attacks were impressive enough, and the enemy was also strong¡ªSophie couldn''t even discern her attack methods. Both women were so powerful¡ªwhy was she the only one who seemed useless? Sophie''s self-confidence took a deep hit. Suddenly, a loud horn sounded from behind the mountains. Everyone and every creature turned to look back, seeing many torches burning on a distant mountain peak, creating a swath of light. "Charge! Kill these extraterrestrial visitors and traitors!" The leader, a dwarf in black armor riding a boar with a war hammer in hand, pointed towards Sophie''s castle below. Instantly, hundreds of cavalry dwarves, each holding a torch and a war hammer, charged down the mountain. They had been discovered by the dwarf kingdom''s guards! The dwarves inside Sophie''s castle realized the severity of the situation. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Some trembled with fear, while others grabbed weapons to fight against the dwarves outside. They recognized the sound of the dwarf horns; these nobles had made them homeless, and now they were trying to take away their last hope. They would not allow it. Of course, the dwarves summoned from Sophie''s Barracks didn''t share these emotions. These summoned dwarves were also considered extraterrestrial visitors, while the other dwarves were seen as traitors by the dwarf kingdom. Alex and Sienna were also startled by the untimely arrival. It seemed she couldn''t continue their duel with Sienna; it must have been her flute playing that had drawn these local dwarves here. Sienna made a quick decision to jump onto her griffin''s back and leave. She didn''t want to get involved with the local forces. The best course of action was to retreat immediately; her castle was far from here, and the dwarves couldn''t fly, making it highly unlikely they would find her castle. Sienna had just reached her griffin when the ground beneath it suddenly turned to ice, freezing the griffin''s limbs. Sienna tried to use her sonic magic to shatter the ice, but as she was about to do so, she spat out a mouthful of blood. "I didn''t say you could leave." Alex held a ball of flame in her hand, addressing Sienna from a distance. What happened? When? Sienna immediately used her sensory magic to check her body and discovered she had been poisoned without realizing it. "Did you do this?" "Weren''t you supposed to foresee this?" Alex taunted as she approached Sienna, holding the fireball, her presence overwhelmingly oppressive. Sienna tried to use her healing magic to treat her wounds, but the green magic circle in her palm extinguished instantly, her entire arm turning cold and numb, losing sensation. A curse? Curses typically hit their mark without fail, and Sienna, even if she could sense them, couldn''t dodge. How many types of magic does this girl know? sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the explosion cleared, Sienna saw Alex surrounded by a black protective shield; her powerful sonic attack had been useless against Alex. Sienna despaired. Her most powerful magic had struck Alex but had no effect. Alex had demonstrated mastery over at least five different types of magic and formidable melee skills. Afflicted with plague magics, Sienna was severely weakened. Now cursed, her hands numb, she was completely unable to resist. She looked to her last hope, the griffin, which was still struggling but remained frozen in place, unable to break free from Alex''s magic. Then, the ground around Sienna turned to ice, freezing her limbs along with the ground, leaving only her head exposed to prevent suffocation. Alex, observing the powerless Sienna, offered neither mockery nor ridicule. "Just stay here for now. I''ll settle the score with you after dealing with these dwarves." Alex found the griffins quite useful and, therefore, decided to spare Sienna''s life for the time being. She also planned to interrogate Sienna about the magic she wielded, as her equipment and spells were of great interest to Alex. Chapter 103: One-sided slaughter instead Alex used frost magic to handle the remaining griffins, restricting their mobility and leaving only their heads exposed for breathing.However, the charging dwarf knights were the real concern now, and Alex couldn''t spare her attention for the griffins. "What are you all doing outside? Get back into the castle now!" Alex shouted to the dwarves who had stepped out of the castle, ready to join the fight. "Lord, we know you are strong, but this trouble is our doing. Please allow us to fight!" A dwarf, who seemed to be the leader among those who had pledged allegiance to Sophie, spoke up to Alex. "But war carries the risk of death. What if you die? Also, who are these dwarves, and how strong are they?" Alex questioned the dwarf leader, trying to gather some information. She knew these refugees might not know much, so she didn''t hold much hope. Hearing Alex''s concern for their safety, the dwarves were even more moved. Their loyalty to Alex increased by 5 points. "Two hundred miles outside the White Rock Mountains lives a noble faction from the dwarf kingdom, the Silverbeard Clan. Since the death of the dwarf king, they''ve harbored ambitions to unify the dwarf kingdom. It''s said they''ve been secretly building a force of boar cavalry," the dwarf leader shared everything he knew with Alex. Analyzing this, Alex guessed that this dwarf army wouldn''t be weak. But they wouldn''t all be at a Commanding level; otherwise, the Silverbeard Clan would have already had the strength to unify the dwarf kingdom. Ultimately, Alex allowed the dwarves to join the battle. Dwarves are straightforward and value loyalty; she didn''t want to force them against their will. "Big Shot, what do we do? The dwarf army is coming!" Sophie was panicking. It was all Sienna''s fault; if not for her interference, her castle wouldn''t have been discovered by the dwarf army so soon. Unlike Sophie''s panicked state, Alex was somewhat looking forward to this. It was her first time engaging with a local force''s army. Before the enemy arrived, Alex positioned two hundred Skeleton Warriors at the forefront, accompanied by the dwarves¡ªcurrently her entire ground force. Her advantage lay in the air forces, with five hundred gargoyles and specters ready in the sky, while the remaining necromancers guarded the Portal of Transit. With a level 6 Commanding necromancer there, Alex felt relatively secure. "Sophie, you and the Acolytes should hide inside the castle. It''s too dangerous outside." "Big Shot, are you sure you''ll be okay?" "Don''t worry, I''ve got this." Alex''s reassurance gave Sophie a great sense of security. Believing in Alex''s confidence, Sophie trusted that she had everything under control. As Sophie took refuge inside the castle, the dwarf knights charged down the mountain on their massive boar mounts. Using her enhanced right eye, Alex''s vision was so sharp she could even see in the dark. She noticed not only the knights wielding war hammers but also some dwarves pulling out firearms. Firearms? ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Bang! Bang! The dwarf knights began firing at range, shattering Skeleton Warriors directly and piercing through the bodies of gargoyles. However, the bullets passed harmlessly through the specters. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the dwarf knights drew closer, the undead launched their counterattack. Gargoyles dove from the sky, using their sturdy bodies to tackle the dwarves on their boars, while specters, invisible and elusive, launched psychic attacks from the air. The battlefield erupted into chaos as the dwarf knights clashed with the undead. The dwarf leader, clad in black armor, was stunned. These soulless spirits and animated skeletons reminded him of one thing¡ªundead. Undead on Arsen? They were supposed to have been extinct for years! Though the dwarf leader had never seen real undead, his experience led him to identify these creatures. He paused to survey the surroundings. If the opponents were indeed undead, then his forces stood no chance. Earlier on the mountain, the dwarves had only observed a group of beasts and griffins. They had seen gargoyles but hadn''t considered the possibility of undead because such creatures were numerous. As for specters, they were invisible in the dark night, making them hard to spot from such a distance. Just then, the dwarf leader spotted the glowing orange Portal of Transit. A portal? He realized that these undead might have come through the portal. Although he didn''t know where it led, it must be destroyed. The dwarf leader set his target, charging towards the Portal of Transit on his boar. He fired his firearm at the undead blocking his path, moving swiftly. But just as he was about to reach the portal, numerous bone spikes emerged in front of him. It was too late to dodge; he leapt from his boar, decisively abandoning it to avoid the attack. The boar was impaled by the bone spikes, turning into a corpse. The dwarf leader then faced his opponent, a level 6 Commanding necromancer. Bang! He fired his firearm at the floating necromancer, who easily blocked it with a bone shield. The bullet left only a black mark on the white bone, not even a crack. The necromancer''s power far surpassed the dwarf leader''s. His only aerial defense was his firearm, but it was ineffective. As the necromancer attacked, the dwarf leader dodged while using his weapon to fend off the bone spikes. Suddenly, a bone dagger appeared beside him, nicking his cheek. He turned to see a skeleton had appeared beside the corpse of his boar. He couldn''t understand how this skeleton had come into being. On the other side, Alex found it much easier to deal with the dwarf cavalry. Their only advantage was the massive impact of their charge. Once that was withstood, the dwarven knights had no advantage against the undead air forces. As the battle continued, the number of dwarves and their boar mounts dwindled, but the number of undead not only didn''t decrease¡ªit increased! Alex had expected a battle of equals but found it to be a one-sided slaughter instead. Chapter 104: Master-servant contract Although the knights of the Silverbeard Clan were among the bravest and most fearless warriors, they had never encountered such bizarre creatures before.The two Ethereal Wraiths hovering above were motionless, yet a single curse from them could kill a dwarf knight, leaving the dwarves utterly helpless. Unable to strike back and being randomly slain, fear began to spread through the ranks of the dwarves. As the dwarf leader struggled valiantly, his feet suddenly froze¡ªAlex had made her move. The necromancer''s twin bone spikes pierced through the joints of the dwarf leader''s arms, pinning him to the ground. It must be said, the dwarf leader''s armor was tough; the necromancer''s bone spikes only sparked against it and couldn''t fully penetrate, hence why they targeted the joints. Their boar mounts were nothing special, but the dwarves'' gear was top-notch for its class. Seeing their leader captured, the dwarf knights didn''t choose to flee; instead, they all attempted to rescue him. As a result, they were all frozen by Alex, losing their ability to move. It was like moths to a flame, and the battle ended in this strange manner. The dwarves inside Sophie''s castle also suffered some damage; after all, facing the dwarf knights was practically a suicide mission. However, the main force was on the undead side, and the battle was resolved quickly, so there were no significant casualties. Alex kept these dwarves alive, actually hoping to recruit them to join Sophie''s castle as her auxiliary troops. "Milord, are you thinking of recruiting them?" asked the only commanding level dwarf in Sophie''s castle, approaching Alex. Seeing that Alex had subdued them without killing them, even a fool could guess her intentions. "Yeah, got any advice?" Alex wasn''t in a hurry and wanted to hear what the local dwarf had to say. "Milord, these dwarves are all members of the Silverbeard Clan, immensely proud at heart and unlike us commoners. They would rather die than surrender," the dwarf explained. How could clan members be like ordinary folks? The turmoil in the dwarf kingdom was stirred up by them, brainwashed by their clan leader, fanatically following him. Such dwarves would never surrender. "Is that so?" Since that was the case, Alex didn''t waste any more words. These dwarves were all under the control of Frost Magic, their lives hanging by a thread. A glint flashed in Alex''s right eye, and in an instant, all the dwarf knights were impaled by ice spikes, earning Alex a hefty batch of experience points. "Summon them all!" Alex commanded her necromancer. "As you wish, my queen." Alex led the dwarf towards the castle, suddenly struck by a thought. Since the noble dwarves couldn''t be recruited, perhaps the common dwarf folk wouldn''t be a problem. "What''s your name?" "Milord, Balin Forgeheart." Balin Forgeheart followed behind Alex, curious about what the beautiful Lord wanted with him. Having risen to the commanding rank after surviving a beast tide since arriving at Sophie''s castle, his background was clear and trustworthy. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Considering the oppression that other dwarf kin have suffered under the Silverbeard Clan, I''m eager to rescue them and establish a land of peace, free from exploitation and oppression," Alex said, and Balin Forgeheart''s face lit up with joy. Alex suddenly changed the topic. "But unfortunately, I can''t find the right person to lead these wandering, suffering dwarf kin. It''s not that there aren''t candidates, but I can''t fully trust them. After all, who knows if they might become the next Silverbeard Clan? Surface promises hold no weight, as people''s hearts can change. Otherwise, the major clans wouldn''t have rebelled." As she spoke, Alex sighed deeply, her face clouded with worry. "Poor friend of mine, naturally simple and kind-hearted, so easily trusting others. What if he gets swayed by other dwarves with ulterior motives down the line?" Alex painted a picture of a perfect future for Balin Forgeheart, who was initially thrilled. But as Alex voiced her concerns about loyalty, Balin wanted to argue that dwarves are loyal and straightforward, never betraying allies. Yet, recalling the chaotic dwarf kingdom and the Silverbeard Clan that came to kill them, he found himself unable to voice his objections. In Balin''s eyes, Sophie had sheltered them and was their benefactor. But to the clans, they were traitors for siding with extraterrestrial visitors, completely ignoring the clans'' exploitation and oppression of ordinary dwarves. The root cause of their displacement was clearly the wars stirred up by the clans. Suddenly, Balin thought of a type of contract that could enforce loyalty, where betrayal would result in death by the contract''s backlash. Surely, such a contract could prove his loyalty? Balin had the heart to save his fellow dwarves; otherwise, he wouldn''t have become the hardest-working and strongest dwarf in Sophie''s castle. "Lord, I''ve heard of a contract that ensures absolute loyalty. I''m willing to sign it voluntarily. Please, take action to save our suffering dwarf kin!" With that, Balin Forgeheart knelt on one knee and spoke earnestly to Alex, who nodded. To recruit dwarves, relying on a dwarf was essential. "Balin Forgeheart, you needn''t do this. Saving dwarf kin is my duty, and I''m truly heartened by your willingness. If a contract is necessary, sign it with my friend here." Inside the castle, Sophie watched as Balin Forgeheart and Alex approached, unsure what Alex was so pleased about. Although Balin wasn''t familiar with master-servant contracts, Sophie had a system to help. A voluntary submission between a creature and a lord was just like any other submission, resulting in a forced signing of the contract. Balin Forgeheart submitted to Sophie, and Sophie submitted to Alex, which meant Balin Forgeheart also submitted to Alex. With Alex''s assistance, Sophie and Balin Forgeheart signed a master-servant contract. Alex even gifted all the confiscated dwarf cavalry equipment to Sophie''s dwarves. Previously, they had only worn ordinary armor and wielded the poorest weapons. Now, they all received a significant upgrade. Balin Forgeheart donned the black armor of the dwarf leader, a commanding-level suit that greatly enhanced his combat abilities. Alex also equipped each of them with a musket, in addition to their war hammers. Sophie''s combat power saw a tremendous boost. The only slight regret was that the dwarves'' boar mounts had been killed by Alex''s undead. Although there were no boars left, Alex looked towards the distance at Sienna, only her head sticking out of the ice. Well, there were still griffins available. Chapter 105: Devouring an enemys crystal might also yield their troops? To continuously produce griffins, Sienna would need to submit to Alex, but currently, Alex has no interest in making this witch submit to her.All 150 dwarf warriors have had their equipment updated, and the older dwarves are left to continue working in the castle. Of course, everyone else needs to work too, but they must be ready to fight when necessary. "Balin Forgeheart, you''re familiar with this area. It''s already late today, so start tomorrow. Take a few dwarves and find other suffering kin to rally them. We''re still short on hands," Alex instructed Balin Forgeheart, while Sophie was completely unaware of what Alex and Balin were plotting. "Yes, my lord!" Balin Forgeheart responded enthusiastically. His own village had been raided by another clan, and the Silverbeard Clan, under whose banner they served, had ignored their plight. Balin had grown to despise these clans that had made them homeless. Eventually, Balin and some robust villagers had found Sophie''s castle by chance. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The undead don''t need rest. After the battle, the skeletons resumed their work, heading out to mine ore. Alex also dispatched all specters to locate the Silverbeard Clan''s stronghold. If they could find Sophie''s castle, they definitely weren''t too far away, certainly within the bounds of the White Rock Mountains. "Dare to attack my castle, better not let me find you!" Alex walked towards Sienna, pulling Sophie along before leaving. "Ah, what are we doing?" Sophie asked. "I''m giving you a mount." "Don''t you want one for yourself?" "Have you seen the dragon in my castle?" Sophie had nothing to say to that¡ªokay, you win... Sienna, still thinking Alex was coming to kill her, was surprised when Alex ignored her and walked straight to the griffin. After some coercion, Alex finally forced the griffin to sign a contract with Sophie, making this Commanding level griffin her mount. Sophie was thrilled. Although her own power wasn''t as great as her mount''s, having such an impressive mount was truly prestigious. Initially, Sienna had brought dozens of griffins, but most were killed in the battle with the gargoyles, leaving only about a dozen alive. "Not enough, huh?" "Hey, where''s your castle?" Alex asked Sienna, who just turned her head away, ignoring Alex. "I see you don''t understand your situation, do you?" Alex approached, looking down at Sienna from a position of authority. "Hmph, you''re dreaming! Pah!" Sienna spat. Huh? Ignorance is bliss, huh? Alex was certain this person was not normal. She then unfroze Sienna, handed the weapon to Sophie, and let her handle the situation. "It''s up to you now!" Alex walked away, leaving professional matters to the professionals. Sophie, somewhat baffled, took the weapon from Alex''s hand. How could she refuse a task given by Big Shot? "I advise you to cooperate nicely." Sienna glared at Sophie but said nothing, her defiant look infuriating Sophie. Alex, listening from a distance, timed the interaction. After about fifteen minutes, she figured it was enough. Alex approached, and Sophie stopped interrogating Sienna. Both stared coldly at Sienna on the ground, who was covered in wounds and breathing heavily, blood seeping from her injuries. It was clear Sophie hadn''t held back. But even in her weakened state, Sienna, being Commanding level, hadn''t suffered any real damage; her pain was all an act. "Ready to talk now?" Alex crouched down to look at the battered Sienna. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk!" Sienna looked up at Alex, pleading. Sienna quickly divulged all the information she knew. Alex and Sophie then mounted the griffin, with Sienna slung across its back. The moment the griffin signed the contract with Sophie, it signified its defection from Sienna''s castle. Not all Lords sign master-servant contracts with all their troops; troop defection is actually quite common for Lords. Alex and Sophie, riding the griffin, took off towards Sienna''s castle. Although they couldn''t claim the griffins as their own, after midnight, they could force Sienna to summon a few more. This was much more profitable than simply killing Sienna. Sophie was experiencing flight for the first time, her hair blowing back in the wind, her face filled with joy. The griffin''s speed was comparable to that of a gargoyle, and though slightly injured and carrying three people¡ªwhich would definitely affect its speed¡ªit still made good time. After an hour and a half of flight, they finally saw Sienna''s castle, just as it was nearing midnight. Sienna''s castle was almost identical to Sophie''s, except Sophie''s had been upgraded to a town, while Sienna''s remained at level 9. As soon as Alex and Sophie landed, the defense towers at Sienna''s castle gate attacked them. Alex responded with two fireballs, obliterating them. "What kind of defense tower is this?" Between the exploded towers, a blueprint slowly fell to the ground. Lucky? Alex picked up the blueprint from the ground and handed it to Sophie without even looking at it, knowing the defense tower wasn''t strong. "Here, build this in your castle when you get a chance." "Thank you, Big Shot!" Sophie, who hadn''t done much, kept reaping benefits in the background, her heart filled with gratitude and admiration for Alex. After landing, Alex and Sophie entered Sienna''s castle. As for Sienna, Alex unfroze her legs, restoring her mobility, and had her lead the way to prevent any tricks. Inside the castle, they found about ten griffins below lv3 Standard, likely summoned by Sienna the previous day and too low-level to participate in the battle. "Hey, summon your troops!" Alex commanded Sienna to summon troops. Sienna raised her hands to show they were bound and couldn''t access the system dashboard. After unfreezing her, Sienna reluctantly summoned ten lv1 Standard griffins. Now, with about twenty in the castle and the captured ones, there were over thirty in total. For now, that would have to suffice. Alex walked around the castle but didn''t find anything valuable. The special buildings were just the defense towers they''d seen, and the Barracks level wasn''t high. Although also located in the White Rock Mountains, there weren''t iron mines everywhere, so Sienna''s Warehouse was devoid of iron ingots. Even if there were iron mines, the griffins wouldn''t be mining them. Alex collected all the resources from Sienna''s Warehouse. There was a pitiful amount of stone, almost no wood, and very few magic crystals and Essence Shards, but there was a lot of food. ???¦®????.??? It was clear these griffins, aside from fighting, could do almost nothing else. Sienna was the poorest Lord Alex had ever seen, with virtually nothing to her name. However, Alex had discovered a system loophole: if she plundered an enemy Lord''s castle, she could obtain 100% of the Warehouse''s resources, whereas direct killing only transferred 80% to her Warehouse. The system was taking a 20% cut. At the top of the castle, Alex found Sienna''s castle crystal. [Enemy Lord''s castle crystal detected. Do you wish to devour it immediately?] [Note: There is a 5% chance of obtaining the subsidiary Barracks crystal of the enemy''s castle.] [Special note: Unique Barracks cannot obtain subsidiary Barracks crystals.] This was Alex''s first encounter with another Lord''s castle crystal, and the system also forced a reminder on her. There are two ways to defeat a Lord: kill the Lord directly or destroy their castle crystal. "So, devouring an enemy''s crystal might also yield their troops?" Alex muttered to herself, seeing this information for the first time. If other Lords knew this, it would likely intensify the battles between them. This mechanism provided a chance for Lords with weaker troops to turn the tables, which seemed quite fair. The special note was obviously for Alex since her Barracks were unique. If it were any other Lord, this note wouldn''t appear. Alex immediately called Sophie over. It was clear that for Alex to devour the crystal herself would be a loss; it was more beneficial for Sophie to do it, with a 5% chance of gaining a subsidiary Barracks. "Big Shot, I''m here!" Hearing Alex''s call, Sophie hurriedly dragged Sienna to the top floor. Boom! Suddenly, a loud noise came as Sienna, whose hands had just been freed, saw no way out and launched a sonic blast attack at Sophie. Previously, Alex had been by Sophie''s side, so Sienna dared not act. It was only when Alex left them on the sixth floor and went alone to the seventh floor that Sienna saw her chance. Thinking about how to escape, Sienna suddenly heard Alex''s voice as Sophie pulled her to the top floor. But as they turned a corner, Sienna saw Alex standing next to her castle''s crystal and chose to go all out. Even if she couldn''t kill Alex, she wanted to take Sophie down with her. Although her restored strength wasn''t sufficient, Sienna had been observing Sophie and noticed she had no real power. Her sonic blast magic could easily kill her. "Ah!" A scream echoed down the corridor. As the smoke from the explosion gradually cleared, a protective shield of black flames appeared, completely shielding Sophie, who was unharmed. Sophie had just been startled by the explosion. Sophie realized she was unscathed and looked towards the end of the corridor. There, Alex stood with one palm facing her direction, her eyes flashing blue, calm and powerful. "Ah, ah, ah, Big Shot, I love you!" Joking aside, Alex couldn''t let Sophie die. If Sophie died, and if her castle was lost, how would she return to the undead castle? Moreover, Alex''s plans for development on Arsen had just begun; she couldn''t afford any mishaps. As for how Alex detected Sienna''s sneak attack, she had been watching them since they started upstairs. Not all mages can cast spells instantly like Alex. Sienna''s sonic blast, even if fast, required a startup gesture, and at such close range, Sienna herself wouldn''t be spared. She had launched the attack fully prepared to die, and now Sienna, blown away by her own sonic blast, lay nearby, looking as though she was barely clinging to life. "Don''t just stand there, come over here!" There was no need to bother with Sienna now; letting Sophie merge with the castle crystal was the priority. "I''m coming!" Sophie hurried over, still unclear about what Alex wanted her to do. "Merge with this crystal." Alex pointed to Sienna''s castle crystal and instructed Sophie. Sophie couldn''t believe Alex was passing such a great opportunity to her; she was deeply moved. Sophie, encountering another Lord''s castle crystal for the first time, also received a system prompt. Sophie looked at Alex, puzzled. "Big Shot, aren''t you going to devour it yourself? I see there''s a chance to obtain a subsidiary Barracks." "My Barracks is unique; I can''t have a subsidiary Barracks," Alex explained patiently. In fact, Alex initially wanted to say, "Isn''t yours mine, silly?" Sophie seemed to understand Alex''s intention, hoping she would be lucky enough to obtain the subsidiary Barracks. Sophie clicked to devour, and the entire castle began to shake. As for other equipment, there was no need to pick it up; it would automatically transfer to Sophie''s Warehouse. Sophie had submitted to Alex, who could access Sophie''s Warehouse. As the castle began to collapse, all resources were transferred to Sophie''s Warehouse, and Alex teleported Sophie away from the castle. The collapsing ruins completely buried Sienna''s body. The griffins in the castle scattered, flying away. The newly summoned griffins had little loyalty to Sienna, and with her death, they naturally fled. Alex and Sophie, riding the griffin, naturally wouldn''t allow these newly summoned griffins to escape. At this moment, Sophie on the griffin''s back was still a bit dazed, probably because the system was tallying the spoils of war. Alex, meanwhile, used Frost Magic to capture them all. The lv1 Standard griffins were too fragile; Alex had to be careful not to handle them too roughly. Alex prepared to control the griffin to land, using this Commanding level griffin to intimidate the others and then bring them back. Chapter 106: The queen is the new ruler of our undead race After the griffin landed, Alex dismounted and took some time to communicate with the Commanding level griffin and the surrounding Standard griffins. As expected, the griffins were cooperative and readily agreed to her terms.About fifteen minutes later, Alex initiated the conversation. "Did you get the subsidiary Barracks?" "No..." Sophie replied, her voice tinged with disappointment. She hadn''t been lucky enough to secure the 5% chance of obtaining the subsidiary Barracks, and she worried that Alex might be disappointed. "It''s okay if you didn''t. We can''t always be that lucky. Don''t be disheartened. What about the other loot?" Alex asked, maintaining a practical outlook. The griffin subsidiary Barracks was a long shot anyway; it would have been a bonus but wasn''t essential. Alex''s undead didn''t need to ride griffins in the sky; she had merely entertained the idea of forming a dwarf griffin cavalry to enhance Sophie''s combat capabilities. Now that the plan had fallen through, they still had gained over thirty griffins. They would just have to focus on an elite strategy, promoting dwarfs to Commanding level and pairing them with a griffin. "We got two of that Lord''s weapons, the whip and the flute she used before, and a book on second-tier healing magic. That''s about it." These items had been transferred to the Warehouse, and Sophie couldn''t physically show them to Alex but reported what she had. Of course, that was all they had because Alex had taken everything else from Sienna''s warehouse. The special buildings were limited to the defense tower they had encountered earlier. As for Sienna''s abilities, Alex knew of three types of magic she possessed, but unfortunately, only the healing magic dropped, which had no offensive power and was of no use to Alex. The flute, according to Sophie''s description, was interesting because it didn''t require the user to know sonic magic; it inherently carried sonic and psychic magic attacks when played. Its only feature was to manipulate low-intelligence wild beasts. For Alex, the flute was somewhat useless. As for the whip, it was just a standard enchanted weapon, nothing special. "Keep these items. They will be helpful in enhancing your current strength," Alex told Sophie, then mounted a griffin. "Thank you, Big Shot." Sophie seemed to have gotten used to Alex''s personality by now. She was the Big Shot, unimpressed by anything less than extraordinary. What seemed valuable to Sophie might just be mundane to Alex. Sophie also climbed onto the griffin''s back, ready to leave the area. The griffin flapped its wings, kicking up dust as it carried Alex and Sophie, followed by twenty other griffins, back towards Sophie''s castle. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time: 02:00 AM Alex and Sophie successfully returned to the castle. The ground was cleared of dwarf corpses, and Alex had added nearly a thousand new undead to her forces. Each dwarf knight equated to one dwarf plus one boar, which meant four undead per knight. Alex handed over the griffins to the dwarfs, who were thrilled to learn that these griffins would be their mounts, cheering excitedly. Alex allowed Balin Forgeheart, the first to reach Commanding level, to pick a griffin and sign a master-servant contract, greatly motivating the dwarfs to strengthen themselves. The limited number of griffins meant it was first come, first served. "Big Shot, are you sure you don''t want this healing magic? It just costs a hundred magic crystals to learn," Sophie asked, still looking over her loot. "No need," Alex declined, and Sophie spent a hundred magic crystals to learn the second-tier healing magic. Alex, looking at the flute in Sophie''s hand, suddenly thought it could be the bane of dwarf cavalry. Although the flute couldn''t affect the dwarfs'' minds, it could influence their boar mounts, potentially disrupting the cavalry''s effectiveness. Then, Alex reminded the undead and dwarfs of their respective tasks. "Balin Forgeheart, remember your task for tomorrow." "Specters and gargoyles, hurry up and locate the dwarf stronghold." "Necromancer, the safety of the Portal of Transit and the castle is in your hands." Today, the dwarfs had mined a lot, but due to the invasion by Sienna and the Silverbeard Clan dwarfs, the mining targets were not met. However, to thank Alex for her help, the dwarfs were working overtime through the night. Alex leisurely walked towards the Portal of Transit, ready to head back and rest. Sophie quickly followed, feeling increasingly fearful after today''s events. Sleeping in the castle in the White Rock Mountains no longer felt safe. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Indeed, the red moon in the sky suits me better." Alex and Sophie exited, with Alex heading towards her own castle and Sophie towards her subsidiary castle. Back in her castle, Alex summoned her troops. The green light of the Barracks flickered, and forty figures appeared: the usual ten Acolytes, eight necromancers, seven Destroyers, and six Ghouls. No surprises there. "Let''s continue tomorrow," Alex decided, almost forgetting something important as she was about to head to bed. She immediately called a specter at the door, "Notify everyone, I want to see two thousand Death Knights here by dawn!" [The night recedes, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up on time, got out of bed, and began dressing. The weather in her castle was a bit cool, given the constant overcast skies, but considering the recent focus on development in Arsen, she decided to dress more comfortably and suitably for battle. After a casual outfit and a high ponytail, she was ready. Alex went to the castle yard to collect the basic materials. Outside, two thousand Death Knights had gathered, mostly Death Conquerors, with five Shadowghast Knights leading them. Their strength was considerable, at least in Alex''s view. Her plan was for the specters and gargoyles to locate the dwarf stronghold today and then destroy it. Sophie was probably still asleep at this point, and Alex didn''t plan to wake her. With or without her, Alex had access to her castle''s permissions, so she let her sleep a bit longer. "March to the Portal of Transit!" Alex commanded the Death Conquerors outside, who turned and orderly entered the portal. Yes, Alex intended to use the Death Conquerors against the Silverbeard Clan dwarfs. They like to conduct cavalry raids, right? Sorry, I have cavalry too. Alex was the last to step through the portal. Upon arriving in Arsen, Alex saw the diligently guarding necromancer by the Portal of Transit. Two thousand Death Conquerors had already gathered, just as Sophie''s castle had upgraded to a town, providing enough flat land between the mountains. "Found them yet?" Alex immediately asked a nearby specter. "Not yet, my queen," the specter respectfully informed her, stationed there specifically to relay messages to Alex. Alex wasn''t disappointed; it had only been four hours since midnight, too short a time to expect results. The scouting undead couldn''t determine the direction yet and had to spread out, which took time. "Go back to the castle and bring five hundred more specters to intensify the search," Alex instructed the specter, who then entered the Portal of Transit to fetch help. Her plan was to locate the Silverbeard Clan''s stronghold by the end of the day. It was unclear if there were other Lords nearby, but hopefully, they were stronger than those who summoned beasts, as those Lords were too poor since beasts don''t work. Meanwhile, Sophie had also gotten up. She put on black stockings and then took down the clothes currently drying on the balcony of her castle. The weather at Alex''s castle was a bit chilly, and Sophie layered up, still feeling a bit cold. Sophie''s castle was close to Alex''s, and it didn''t take long for her to arrive at Alex''s castle. However, she didn''t dare shout because Ice Cream was still in the castle, and his oppressive presence was too strong. "The queen has entered the Portal of Transit," a specter at the castle gate informed Sophie. Hearing that Big Shot had already gone through so early, Sophie also wanted to go and see, having no use staying behind and feeling quite frightened. Suddenly, Sophie paused, curiosity piqued. Why did all of Alex''s troops call her "queen"? Was it at her request? Sophie, finding herself alone with the specter, quietly asked, "Hey, why do you call her ''queen''? Did she ask you to?" The specter, faced with such a naive question, looked at Sophie as if she were a fool. "Because the queen is the new ruler of our undead race." Chapter 107: What are you doing sneaking around near my castle? After saying this, the specter stopped paying attention to Sophie.Sophie was taken aback, realizing that these undead voluntarily referred to Alex in this manner. She suddenly realized something¡ªAlex''s identity seemed pretty badass. Sophie had seen in the World Chat before that some Lords awaken special bloodlines or something of the sort, and it turned out to be true. Just as Sophie was about to enter the Portal of Transit, she noticed a small yellow dot in the distant sky flying towards her. Sophie had never seen any of Alex''s troops that could fly and were yellow. Of course, it wasn''t troops; the small yellow dot was Chi-Chi riding a Flying Nimbus. As Chi-Chi got closer, Sophie could see the small yellow dot clearly. There was a person on it?! Sophie''s first reaction was that it was an enemy, but seeing that the other troops were indifferent, she realized that this must be the Lord who had previously submitted to Alex. Sophie remembered that this Lord''s castle was not far from Alex''s. As Chi-Chi landed, just as she was excited to go find Alex, the specter at the door told her Alex was not there. "Portal of Transit?" "What is that?" Chi-Chi looked in the direction the specter pointed and saw Sophie standing outside the Portal of Transit. Their eyes met. Actually, Sophie had been watching Chi-Chi approach. Dressed in cartoon pajamas and with a youthful face, Sophie realized this Lord was actually quite young, looking like a student. "Old witch, prepare to die!" Clearly, Chi-Chi didn''t think so, as she suddenly had a stick in her hand and charged at Sophie. Sophie: ????? "Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Chi-Chi screamed in pain as Sophie pinched her face, grabbing the stick with her other hand. Both were Standard, but Chi-Chi was only level 4 while Sophie had the attributes of level 9, so she easily subdued Chi-Chi. "Are you King Kong?" Sophie asked, puzzled, having thought King Kong was a man, only to find it was just an underage girl. "I am King Kong! Let go of me!" "Ah, still talking tough." Sophie''s grip tightened, causing Chi-Chi to nearly cry from the pain. "Wait till my Miss Alex comes back, then you''re done!" Sophie let go of Chi-Chi, who quickly covered her face with her hands. She had thought about retaliating, but a stern look from Sophie made her back down immediately. "Aren''t you looking for your Miss Alex? I''ll take you to her." Sophie said with a grin, looking at Chi-Chi. "Really? That''s great!" Chi-Chi immediately cheered up, now understanding that Sophie, appearing in Alex''s castle, must also be an ally or friend of Alex. "She is just across from the portal that''s behind us." Sophie pointed at the Portal of Transit, not really angry with a child, especially since this child was technically under Alex''s command. Sophie and Chi-Chi walked into the Portal of Transit together, and as expected, they both started vomiting wildly as soon as they stepped out. Luckily, Sophie hadn''t eaten breakfast, so after a few heaves, she was fine. Chi-Chi, on the other hand, threw up her breakfast from the day before. "Ugh, fuck, what kind of shitty portal is this!" Slap! Sophie smacked Chi-Chi on the head, "Watch your language." Oh, right, about to meet Miss Alex, can''t swear anymore. Chi-Chi immediately shut up. ???¦®????.??? The two walked out of the Portal of Transit, and what they saw was Sophie''s castle. Chi-Chi realized that this portal could connect two castles. "Is this your castle?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No shit, if it''s not mine, is it yours?" The two bickered all the way to the castle. For Chi-Chi, everything here was too novel, even the long-missed blue sky and white clouds made her happy for a long time. Of course, Alex was not in the castle; she had already gone to scout the nearby terrain riding a griffin. The dwarves also didn''t know where Alex had gone, so Sophie and Chi-Chi couldn''t just wander aimlessly; they had to wait for Alex to return. Barren Plains, Elemental Alliance. Cain and Ivy had already cleaned up all traces of the Starfallen Empire elite scouting team, creating fake battle marks on the other side of the Alliance. When people from the Starfallen Empire arrived, they would be led by the fake clues directly to the border of Frostwind snowy mountain. This way, they could divert attention to the real culprits behind the village slaughter, temporarily securing the safety of the Elemental Alliance. Samson and Earl also arrived at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains, but the border was too long to be found in a short time. Samson''s snow maidens could fly, making scouting much easier, while Earl''s earth monster was not good at reconnaissance. The two were sitting on the ground, eating grilled meat and drinking melted snow water, leaving all the scouting tasks to Samson''s snow maidens. "Earl, if we don''t find it today, let''s head back. Just create some signs of a fight here to mislead them. Staying here like this isn''t a solution." Samson said to Earl, as they had been out for nearly a day and a night, and there wasn''t even a hint of a Lord''s castle in sight. "Mm." Earl nodded, agreeing with Samson''s point. After all, their own strength was too weak. If their strength had been greater than that of the Starfallen Empire, they wouldn''t have feared them. After eating, they set off again to search, and it wasn''t entirely fruitless. Samson''s snow maidens found a frost cave, and Samson and Earl successfully looted it, making the trip worthwhile, even turning a small profit. However, this frost cave wasn''t as strong as the one Samson had encountered before; its strength was very ordinary, and the two easily took it down. By noon, just when Samson and Earl thought they had still found nothing in the morning, the snow maidens brought news. "Sir, we''ve found that vampire Lord''s castle, about fifty miles north of here." The snow maidens fluttered their wings in the sky, speaking to Samson, who immediately showed a delighted expression. "Has he spotted you?" "No, we scouted from the edge of Frostwind snowy mountain, quite a distance away, but there are now more undead on the snowy mountain." The snow maidens respectfully spoke to Samson, who didn''t care why there were so many undead on the snowy mountain; framing Lucian was the real task at hand. "Shall we take him out?" Earl asked, puzzled. "No, if we kill him, the Starfallen Empire will definitely point their spears at us. We just need to quietly make the marks and frame him, let the Starfallen Empire deal with him." Samson explained, the biggest threat now being the fear that the Starfallen Empire would come knocking. They wouldn''t be lenient just because you killed the murderer and handed him over; to them, all extraterrestrial visitors were enemies. So Lucian couldn''t be killed; he had to be kept to attract the Starfallen Empire''s firepower. "snow maidens, lead the way!" The two and the snow maidens chose to start from the direction of Frostwind snowy mountain, which was more covert and less likely to be discovered by the enemy. On the snowy mountain, Samson could transform into accumulated snow and sink into the ground, greatly speeding up his stealth movement. Conversely, Earl''s movement speed would be relatively slower because the ground beneath the snow was frozen soil, and Earl had to break through the frozen soil along the way, not only slow but also consuming a lot of energy. An hour later, the two stood on a mountainside looking towards the distant Barren Plains, where there was a small black dot, which upon closer inspection, was a castle. It was Lucian''s castle. Samson took out the armor of the human troops they had killed, forcefully scratching it with wolf claws. He then buried several sets under his feet. "Earl, wait here for me; I''ll go make some battle marks." Samson said to Earl, who nodded, knowing Samson was faster and more agile than him, and would definitely do a better job. Samson transformed into snow and disappeared in an instant, reappearing at the foot of the mountain at the border. He carefully approached Lucian''s castle, and when he was close enough, he used Frost Magic to freeze the surrounding ground and then instantly destroy it, then withdrew his magic, making it look like a battle had taken place there. Then Samson scattered the scratched weapons randomly on the ground, having already damaged the equipment beforehand, giving the impression that the damaged weapons hadn''t been taken because they were partially buried. Otherwise, perfectly intact weapons half-buried in the soil and not taken by extraterrestrial visitors would be too suspicious. "Hey, what are you doing sneaking around near my castle?" Chapter 108: Please dont let me die here !!!Three exclamation marks appeared above Samson''s head as he looked up, only to see the pale-faced, tuxedo-clad Lucian standing not far from him. This ghostly thing, making no sound as he walked. Samson had calculated the range of Lucian''s castle territory, yet he was still discovered. Seeing that his plan to frame Lucian was failing, Samson stood up, ready to leave the area. As Samson tried to leave without another word, Lucian wasn''t about to let him go. In an instant, Lucian transformed into a blur and charged towards Samson. "Damn, you really think I''m afraid of you?" Seeing that Lucian had no backup, Samson decided not to run anymore and resolved to teach him a lesson right there, to show him that he was no longer the weakling from the snowy mountain. Ice armor appeared on Samson, and he used his wolf claw weapon to block Lucian''s palm strike. Samson, slightly arrogant, flashed a crooked smile. "Kid, is that all you''ve got?" Samson then conjured several ice spikes around him and thrust them towards Lucian, who teleported to dodge. At this moment, Lucian was puzzled, wondering how this Lord had become so arrogant in just a few days. In battle mode, Lucian didn''t waste words and ignored Samson''s taunts, pulling out a black cloak to shatter the incoming ice spikes. "Oh, your rag isn''t torn yet?" Samson continued to provoke, now more confident than ever. Knowing his melee skills were lacking, he decided to use his suit-enhanced Frost Magic against Lucian. A horde of ice wolves surged from the ground, as if given life by Samson, and attacked Lucian. Lucian was forced to keep his distance by Samson''s magic, but his strength lay in close combat. Now, seeing Samson growing more arrogant in the distance, a rare flash of anger appeared on Lucian''s face, even though becoming a vampire had greatly dulled his emotions. Fighting was just fighting; even if he lost, Lucian wouldn''t get angry. He would only blame his own lack of strength. But what was with this kid? He hadn''t even won yet and was already relentlessly mocking. "Hey, it is only been a few days, how come this vampire Lord is so down?" Lucian''s forehead bulged with veins, and he was thoroughly angered now. Lucian simply didn''t want to waste his own blood. Lucian tore through the attacking ice wolves with his claws, deciding it was time to get serious with this arrogant kid, probably the only way to shut him up. Lucian slashed his wrist, and blood sprayed out instantly. "You''re not going crazy, are you? Starting to hurt yourself because you know you can''t beat me?" Samson gathered his hands, summoning two giant ice wolves to attack Lucian. If they were on the snowy mountain, this magic would be even more powerful. But soon, Samson was about to be shocked. Lucian''s blood gathered in his hand into a sword, easily breaking through Samson''s attack. The excess blood formed spikes that flew towards Samson. Samson immediately summoned an ice wall to block, but the blood easily pierced through the ice, luckily Samson reacted in time and transformed into snow to dodge Lucian''s attack. Samson was stunned; although he had reacted quickly, his armor was still stained with Lucian''s blood, which had already corroded it to black. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? How had he become so much stronger all of a sudden? While Samson was still in shock, Lucian had taken advantage of the moment Samson defended against his attack to get close. Lucian''s blood sword thrust directly towards Samson''s left chest, where his heart was. Samson immediately used his wolf claw to defend, but it was too late to transform into snow to escape. Unexpectedly, the wolf claw was directly chopped off by Lucian, but fortunately, it also deviated from its trajectory, and the blood sword that was supposed to stab Samson''s heart pierced through his left shoulder instead. Samson instantly transformed into snow and reappeared at a distance, unable to use his snow escape continuously since they were not on the snowy mountain. "Ah¡ª" Samson clutched his left shoulder, blood flowing from the pierced wound, which was still being corroded by Lucian''s blood, causing unbearable pain. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Samson used Frost Magic to freeze his wound, which somewhat alleviated the pain. Samson dared not talk nonsense anymore; Lucian''s attack had made the power difference between them clear, and he had almost been killed instantly. Why had Lucian suddenly become so fierce? Now Samson was in a desperate situation, unable to fight or escape. Samson could only hope that Earl would come to his rescue soon. He looked back towards the snowy mountain, feeling utterly hopeless. Damn it, there was a bone dragon fighting with Earl in the sky¡ªwasn''t that one of the undead Lord''s troops? What was it doing here?! Of course, the snow maidens had warned him earlier that the undead on the snowy mountain had increased. It was over; he could only rely on himself now. Earl didn''t understand the undead! Samson knew the power of the undead; if he didn''t run now, more undead would appear soon. Foolish, you shouldn''t have fought it! One of the snow maidens tried to assist Samson but was directly dispersed by Lucian''s blood. There was no advantage in the sky, as vampires could fly too. Samson released his ultimate move, covering the surroundings with frost, countless ice crystals attacking Lucian. Anything hit by the ice crystals would be frozen, including Lucian''s black cloak, which was also frozen. Lucian didn''t want to be restrained. Although being frozen wouldn''t cause him any real harm, it would greatly affect his mobility. Samson kept up his magic effectively, holding Lucian back, but it was futile because Samson''s Mana Points would eventually run out. Just as Samson''s Mana Points were about to be exhausted, he had secretly created an ice path with his magic behind him. Samson instantly transformed into snow and quickly escaped towards Earl''s direction along the ice path. Lucian blocked the last of the ice crystals, and as the blizzard dissipated, Samson''s figure had already vanished from the spot. Lucian immediately transformed into a black shadow and chased after him. On the mountainside, Earl saw Samson frantically running towards him from a distance, with a black shadow in hot pursuit. Realizing Samson was in trouble, Earl immediately abandoned his struggle with the undead and burrowed into the ground, running towards Samson. Arthur also followed closely behind, diving down the mountain after Earl. At this moment, Samson was drenched in cold sweat, praying frantically in his heart. "Please don''t let me die here!" Chapter 109: Rock giant Earl and Samson quickly met up. Earl placed his hands on the ground, and massive rocks surged up, forming a sphere around them.Earl''s rocks successfully blocked Lucian''s blood attack. Soon after, Lucian and Arthur arrived. Arthur glanced at Lucian but ignored him, and Lucian, understanding the situation, did the same. The vampire and the bone dragon simultaneously attacked Earl and Samson. Arthur knew this was Lucian''s territory, and he had many allies here. Killing Lucian was unrealistic, but these two isolated Lords were perfect targets. Lucian had the same thought. The bone dragon was nearly impossible to kill with conventional means and was as fast as Lucian. Fighting it was a waste of time. Without a word, Arthur and Lucian tacitly agreed to cooperate and began attacking Earl and Samson together. Inside the stone sphere, Samson was anxious. "Earl, we need to find a way to escape. This is their territory. The longer we stay, the more enemies will come." Before Earl could respond, he sensed something and looked up. Boom! The stone sphere shattered. Earl grabbed Samson''s shoulder and quickly burrowed underground to escape. Arthur''s powerful dive had smashed the stone sphere. Seeing the two Lords fleeing, Arthur immediately took to the air to pursue them. "You''re injured. Go ahead. I''ll hold them off!" Earl decided to let Samson escape alone. If they both ran, neither would get away. By staying behind, he could buy Samson some time to find allies. Earl pushed Samson away and turned to face the charging Lucian and Arthur. His hands transformed from flesh to rock, connecting with the ground. The earth around Earl began to tremble violently. His rock-formed arms gradually extended to cover his entire body, as dirt and stones gathered around him. A massive stone pillar engulfed Earl and then rose from the ground. As the pillar shattered, countless rocks fell to the ground, revealing Earl transformed into a gigantic rock giant. Lucian was stunned. It was the first time he had seen such a magical transformation. Samson glanced back at the rock giant Earl and decisively fled. Earl couldn''t hold out for long; this form must consume a lot of Mana Points. As he ran, Samson sent a distress message in the Alliance chat group. Without help, escaping unscathed would be difficult. [Ice Queen]: "Help! Urgent!" [Vine Fairy]: "What''s going on? Did the Starfallen Empire''s soldiers find you?" [Ice Queen]: "We''ve been discovered by a vampire Lord and undead Lord''s troops. I''m injured. This is their territory, and there are too many enemies. Earl is covering my retreat. We''re at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains. Hurry and save Earl!" [Wind Fury]: "Why do you guys keep getting into trouble? Can''t you stay out of it for a while?" [Flame Spirit]: "I''m on my way." Cain immediately left the castle, and Ivy ran over. "I''m coming too!" The two grabbed onto the feet of snow maidens and took off, as neither had a mount, and riding horses would be too slow. This was their only option, albeit not a graceful one. Meanwhile, the rock giant Earl, now as large as Arthur but taller, engaged in close combat with him. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Arthur, with only lv1 Commanding, was at a disadvantage against Earl''s lv4. Their strength was evenly matched. The rock giant''s regenerative abilities allowed it to quickly heal any damaged limbs as long as there was soil around. Arthur could only be knocked off some skeletons by the rock giant''s powerful attacks, which it could also reassemble. Lucian, on the other hand, was having a tough time. Earl''s rock giant form was impervious to his attacks. Even if he managed to damage some limbs, they would quickly regenerate. It was like a rogue facing an unkillable tank. Similarly, Earl couldn''t do much to Lucian, who was too agile to hit. Earl''s goal was to stall Lucian, preventing him from chasing Samson. Lucian, constantly targeted by Earl, had to give up the pursuit to avoid taking hits. Facing Earl''s massive fists, Lucian could only dodge. Avoiding the attacks was much easier than taking them head-on. Lucian believed Earl couldn''t maintain this form for long. Once it ended, Earl would be done for. Lucian overlooked one thing, or perhaps Earl intentionally misled him: the rock giant Earl could still use magic, not just physical attacks. As Lucian dodged a punch, the ground erupted with sand and dirt, binding him in mid-air. Before he could react, the rock giant''s full-force punch landed. Boom! Lucian was sent flying, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His body crashed into the ground, creating a six-foot-deep crater, showing the punch''s immense power. Lucian''s body suffered multiple fractures. If it were any other Lord, they might have died mid-air. But Lucian, being a vampire, had incredible vitality and self-healing abilities. This was just a minor injury for him. Coughing up blood in the crater, Lucian''s body rapidly healed. "I was careless," he muttered. Earl didn''t receive a system notification, confirming Lucian wasn''t dead. In battles between Lords, the system ensured no one could fake death. Earl wanted to finish Lucian off, but more vampires were swarming around, flying like annoying flies. Arthur also attacked Earl, but his attacks couldn''t cause significant damage. Arthur had to rely on close combat, using his strong attributes to gain some advantage. The vampires and Arthur flying around made it hard for Earl''s magic to trap them. The rock giant''s slow movements couldn''t hit them either. Seeing the stalemate, Earl decided to retreat. His Mana Points were nearly depleted. Without them, he couldn''t even cast escape spells. Suddenly, a transparent chain shot out, piercing directly into the rock giant''s body. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The rock giant''s fist, which was swinging towards Arthur, froze mid-air and shattered. The entire rock giant began to shake violently, breaking apart inch by inch. Lucian, who had just gotten up, saw this and turned his head. In the sky not far away, a ghostly undead figure had appeared. It was the Ethereal Wraith, launching a soul curse attack that shattered Earl''s final defenses. The rock giant could resist physical and magical damage and even regenerate infinitely, but its resistance to soul attacks was nearly zero. As the rock giant shattered, Earl''s form gradually separated from it. He was now weak, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he fell. A vine suddenly appeared, wrapping around Earl''s body to prevent him from hitting the ground. It was Cain, Ivy, and the returning Samson who had come to support him. Lucian hadn''t expected them to have reinforcements. With two more Lords joining the fray, if they were as strong as Earl, things could get really troublesome. Chapter 110: Cain VS Lucian Ivy and Cain released the snow maidens'' feet and jumped down from the air. Samson stepped forward to support Earl, and the four of them faced off against Lucian and Arthur in the sky.Lucian was deep in thought. Earl was out of commission, and he wasn''t sure if he and his vampires, along with the undead, could handle these two new Lords. As for Samson, Lucian dismissed him outright; someone of his caliber wasn''t worth considering as an opponent. "Are you the one who injured Earl?" Ivy spoke first, taunting Lucian. With four of them here, there was no way they could lose to him alone. "Don''t waste time talking to this guy. Cain, take him down!" Samson was furious and didn''t care about anything else. He wanted to kill this vampire first and then pin everything on Lucian to avoid a direct conflict with the Starfallen Empire. Despite his bravado, Samson didn''t dare to step forward himself. Fortunately, Cain was here, the strongest among them, and Samson was counting on him to beat Lucian to a pulp. Arthur had no interest in listening to these human Lords bicker. He immediately activated two of his skills: Dragon Breath and Withering Space. The Ethereal Wraith also launched its soul curse attack. "Watch out, that undead uses soul attacks!" Earl warned from the side. Cain''s arms erupted with massive flames, colliding with Arthur''s Nether Dragon Breath. Ivy cast a green magical shield around them. Arthur''s Dragon Breath was dispersed by Cain''s flames, and Withering Space and the soul curse were blocked by Ivy''s life magic, rendering them ineffective. Seeing the enemy launch an attack, they didn''t hold back either. It was a fight to the death. "Ivy, you handle the undead. Samson, protect Earl. I''ll take on the vampire Lord," Cain ordered. With that, Cain transformed into a blazing inferno, his eyes glowing red, and his body seemed to flow with molten lava. Whoosh! Cain''s figure vanished from in front of the three, leaving behind a wave of intense heat. Lucian was ready. A blood sword formed in his hand, and he turned into a shadow, charging at Cain. They clashed instantly. Cain''s magma-like hand grasped Lucian''s blood sword, the sound of corrosion filling the air, but it didn''t affect Cain''s hand at all. Cain''s other hand pierced through Lucian''s chest, spewing intense flames and magma, sending Lucian flying with a single blow. "Cain, he can self-heal!" Samson reminded from a distance. "Pathetic. I seriously doubt he''s in the top tier just because he''s hard to kill," Samson spat, conveniently forgetting how close he had come to being one-shotted by Lucian. Hearing Samson''s reminder, Cain immediately went after the airborne Lucian again. Lucian realized this flame Lord was even stronger than the rock Lord. Now wasn''t the time to conserve his blood. Lucian clenched his left fist, piercing his palm with his nails, letting the blood flow. The blood sword in his right hand disappeared, and blood began to surge, covering his arms. Lucian met Cain''s fists head-on. This time, he only took a few steps back, successfully blocking Cain''s attack. Magma burned Lucian''s hands, while Lucian''s blood corroded Cain''s arms. Blood flew from Lucian''s arms, attacking Cain. Cain turned into flames, disappearing from the spot, and reappeared at Lucian''s side. Cain''s flaming foot aimed for Lucian''s head. Lucian crossed his arms to block, but the force sent him flying back. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Lucian felt the difference in their attributes. This flame Lord''s level was much higher than his. Cain''s arm turned into a mass of magma, shooting towards Lucian. Lucian used his black cloak to block, trying to confuse Cain while he circled to attack from the side. But as the magma was about to hit the cloak, it suddenly changed direction, flying upwards. Before Lucian could understand what was happening, Cain''s figure emerged from the magma above. Cain leaped down, grabbing Lucian''s neck. The scorching hand burned Lucian''s skin, filling the air with the smell of cooked flesh. Cain''s other hand pierced Lucian''s chest again, and the hand gripping Lucian''s neck gathered flames, trying to incinerate Lucian''s head. At the last moment, Lucian''s blood surged out, enveloping him and turning him into a puddle of black water that fell to the ground. The blood quickly reformed into Lucian''s figure a short distance away, and he flew into the sky. Blood dripped from his chest, and the burned skin slowed his self-healing. Lucian finally realized he wasn''t a match for this flame Lord. But killing him wouldn''t be easy either. Lucian turned into a shadow and fled. The surrounding vampires, seeing their leader leave, also scattered. Cain could only watch Lucian escape, as he couldn''t fly. Arthur, meanwhile, burned away the vines entangling him and flew high into the sky, out of their attack range. Arthur couldn''t handle a two-on-one fight. Seeing Lucian flee, he chose to leave as well. He didn''t have enough allies at the moment. These Lords were all higher level than Arthur. It would be hard to kill them alone. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing the bone dragon leave, Ivy sighed in relief. These undead were too troublesome. Ivy suspected that if they hadn''t had the numbers, the undead would have kept harassing them. Luckily, Samson and Earl''s magic bindings were strong. Even if they couldn''t kill it, they could restrain it, which might be why it chose to leave. "Cain, you were amazing. That vampire was no match for you," Samson praised, running over to flatter Cain. Cain returned to his normal state and, seeing Samson''s injured shoulder, remained silent. Samson fell quiet. "Cain, should we go destroy that vampire''s castle?" Ivy suggested. They knew its location, and the enemy wasn''t their match. Cain looked at the injured Samson and the weakened Earl and shook his head. They hadn''t brought troops for this support mission, and the other two were barely combat-capable. Charging in with just the two of them was too risky. Who knew how many vampires Lucian had under his command? A village could have at least a thousand people. If Lucian had slaughtered the villagers, his castle could house over a thousand vampires. That many could wear them down to death. Once their mana was depleted, they''d be done for. Cain didn''t want to take that risk. Ivy clearly hadn''t thought of this, but Samson had. "Next time. Once we''re healed, we''ll gather all our troops and come back. That way, we can''t fail." "By the way, how strong is that undead Lord?" Cain asked Samson, recalling the undead he had seen today. Chapter 111: Plundering was faster than mining Samson pondered for a moment before speaking."Very strong. I haven''t seen her go all out, but there''s no doubt that the vampire Lord we just faced wouldn''t stand a chance against her. Her strength isn''t just in her personal power; her castle''s forces are also incredibly formidable." Cain saw the seriousness in Samson''s expression and knew he wasn''t joking. Samson was conveying that the undead Lord was the most powerful Lord he had encountered so far. This meant that in a one-on-one situation, none of them might be able to defeat her. Of course, Cain didn''t include himself in that assessment. While he wasn''t arrogant, he believed that even if he couldn''t defeat the undead Lord, he wouldn''t be easily beaten by her either. "Alright, let''s head back to the castle," Cain said. .... On the continent of Arsen, in the White Rock Mountains. Alex had returned to the castle, flying around on her griffin. She noticed that the surrounding mountains stretched endlessly. Sophie''s castle was fortunately located in the center of the White Rock Mountains, far from any immediate danger. The White Rock Mountains were a typical, desolate terrain on the Arsen continent. The peaks were barren, just as their name suggested, with no greenery in sight, making it unsuitable for most life forms. Perhaps this was why Sophie''s birthplace was relatively safe, though it also meant a scarcity of basic resources. Thankfully, there was a trading system; otherwise, they might have starved in such a place. As Alex landed with her griffin, Chi-Chi hurried over to greet her. "Miss Alex!" Chi-Chi waved at Alex, while Sophie looked at Alex in surprise. Wait a minute, why is Alex wearing different clothes?! Could she have found clothes to wear here? But no, these were clearly modern clothes! Alex was dressed in a loose white T-shirt and casual pants, with her hair tied up in a high ponytail. Sophie distinctly remembered Alex wearing a dress yesterday. How could she change clothes so easily? Did she know she was coming to this world and brought extra outfits? Alex hadn''t expected Chi-Chi to be with Sophie. Even before landing, she had noticed the two of them looking rather stern, indicating they hadn''t gotten along well. "Miss Alex, my castle leveled up to lv6! Look what I got!" Chi-Chi excitedly showed her new staff, likely a reward for reaching lv6. Alex smiled. "Not bad." Chi-Chi beamed with joy at Alex''s praise, while Sophie internally rolled her eyes, thinking Chi-Chi was just a kid. It seemed that Alex had a soft spot for Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi''s castle was near Alex''s, hindering her expansion. Alex must have felt sorry for Chi-Chi and decided to make her submit. This realization reassured Sophie, as Chi-Chi''s help to Alex wasn''t as significant as she had feared. Alex chatted with them briefly before noticing Balin Forgeheart flying back, likely with news. Balin Forgeheart approached Alex. "My lady, I found some wandering dwarf kin in other villages. They are eager to move here but need some time to pack their belongings." "Well done, Balin Forgeheart. Continue overseeing this. I welcome our dwarf kin with open arms. There''s plenty of food here, but they must work for it. We''re not a charity, and we don''t support freeloaders. Make sure they understand that," Alex said, clearing her throat and putting on a serious face. "Thank you for your kindness, my lady. Rest assured, there are no lazy dwarves among us. If there are, I''ll deal with them before they become your problem," Balin Forgeheart replied, feeling that Alex was a genuinely good person, contrary to the rumors about humans being deceitful. ????????.??? "Go on," Alex dismissed him. With the dwarves'' help, she could continuously obtain iron ingots, easing her worries about castle upgrades. As for food, Alex''s warehouse had tens of thousands of portions, increasing steadily every day. That should be more than enough to feed them. Moreover, Alex didn''t plan to keep them in the mountains forever. She thought the Silverbeard Clan''s territory looked promising. However, Alex wasn''t sure about the Silverbeard Clan''s strength. She didn''t know if she could defeat them with her current power. If she could conquer the Silverbeard Clan, controlling a clan of dwarves would mean access to vast resources. The first step of her plan was to venture out of the White Rock Mountains. After hours of scouting and with more specters joining the effort, they finally discovered a Lord''s castle. "Your Majesty, we found a Lord''s castle at the western edge of the White Rock Mountains. There''s also a dwarf mine nearby," a specter reported respectfully to Alex. Sophie stood up, surprised they had found a stronghold so quickly. "That close? Why haven''t the dwarves fought the Lord?" Alex wondered. If there was a dwarf mine, there would be troops guarding it. How could they tolerate a Lord''s presence? "Your Majesty, we don''t know. They seem to be getting along well," the specter replied, having observed from a distance and lacking detailed information. Getting along well? That was unusual. Alex had never heard of local forces and Lords coexisting peacefully. Her encounters had always been hostile. "Big Shot, should we attack them?" Sophie asked. "Of course. Look, the two thousand death conquerors are ready," Alex replied. Although the Lord might be poor, the mine was the real prize, likely containing plenty of iron ore. Plundering was faster than mining. "Miss Alex, are you going to fight? I want to come too!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, excited at the prospect of action. She was tired of being cooped up in the castle and wanted to see the excitement. "You''re too weak. What would you do?" Sophie retorted. "It''s dangerous. You''re too weak. The dwarf army has firearms. Flying won''t help if you get shot," Alex explained, pulling a musket from her warehouse to show Chi-Chi. "Here, take this to play with," Alex said, handing the musket to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi took it happily but then paused. "Miss Alex, I''m not a child anymore!" "No, you''re not going," Alex said firmly, giving her a stern look. Chi-Chi wilted and didn''t dare argue further. The specters continued gathering intelligence, while Alex summoned all her gargoyles, totaling three hundred, along with the two thousand death conquerors. Their combat strength was more than sufficient. After last night''s encounter with the dwarf knights, Alex realized they weren''t very strong and had no effective means against the undead. She wasn''t worried at all. Alex mounted her griffin, with Sophie following closely behind. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lead the way. Let''s go!" Alex commanded the specter. Chapter 112: Dwarf fortress With a wave of Alex''s hand, the griffin carrying her and Sophie took to the skies, followed by all the gargoyles. A specter led the way, while two thousand death conquerors charged forward on the ground.Chi-Chi could only watch enviously from the castle. Despite her desire to join, her lv4 strength was no match even for one of Alex''s skeleton soldiers. An hour later, Alex, riding her griffin, could vaguely see the outskirts of the White Rock Mountains. The area ahead was lush and green, likely a verdant grassland. After the specter pointed out a general direction, Alex and Sophie flew ahead on the griffin, as the death conquerors and specters were too slow. As they drew closer, Alex could see a castle in the distance, though she hadn''t yet noticed the dwarf mine. Let''s start with this Lord''s castle, she thought. Inside the castle, Gordon was lounging in the courtyard, basking in the sun with a bottle of fine dwarf wine beside him. Gordon found this life incredibly comfortable. Though a bit boring, it was far better than the brutal battles other Lords faced. He spent his days idly watching the World Chat, observing the various emotions of other Lords¡ªcomplaints, anger, regret, fear. Sometimes, Gordon would even engage in heated arguments to add a bit of excitement to his dull life. Unaware of the impending danger, Gordon believed that with the dwarves guarding him, he was safe from any threats. Alex and Sophie descended from the sky on the griffin, landing directly in Gordon''s castle courtyard. Alex grabbed Sophie and teleported just before hitting the ground, landing gracefully while Sophie stumbled and fell. They looked at the man lounging in the sun. Gordon heard the commotion and opened his eyes. "Holy fuck!" Gordon''s plump body jerked upright, his fat jiggling with the movement. Alex and Sophie thought he was scared by the sudden appearance of enemies, but his next words left them stunned. "Great dwarves, you are truly merciful and kind, sending me two girls. The white-haired one is stunning, and the other one isn''t bad either. Big tits, heh heh heh." Gordon wiped the drool from his mouth, his lecherous gaze making Alex and Sophie feel disgusted. "What are you waiting for? Get over here! Do I need to teach you what to do?" Gordon demanded arrogantly, oblivious to the fury in the girls'' eyes. In Gordon''s mind, it was normal for them to be angry, as they were likely forced by the dwarves. "Have you allied with the dwarves?" Alex asked coldly, realizing that this Lord was like a pig being fattened by the dwarves. Gordon didn''t answer but began to unbuckle his pants. "Disgusting," Alex muttered, casting a fireball that set Gordon ablaze. She turned and walked away without looking back. "Ahhh! Help!" Gordon screamed, rolling on the ground in agony. "You stupid women, help me put out the fire!" Gordon, somehow finding the strength, stood up and charged at Alex and Sophie, his massive body causing the ground to tremble. Whack! Sophie lashed out with a whip, knocking Gordon to the ground. His face split open, blood pouring out, and the flames intensified his pain. Despite this, he continued to curse them, running towards the castle to find water. Alex added more fire, turning the flames black. Gordon''s massive body finally collapsed, the soul-burning pain too much to bear. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? His screams echoed through the castle. If it were a normal person, Alex wouldn''t have tortured them, but this man was too vile. Her verdict: He deserved to die. Alex and Sophie mounted the griffin, and the castle began to shake, on the verge of collapse. They flew into the sky, searching for the dwarf mine. Although the Lord had allied with the dwarves, the castle was empty. There were no dwarves or troops in sight. Alex checked the loot from killing the Lord, finding only a pile of food. This Lord had set a new low for poverty. Most likely, the dwarves controlled all other resources, treating him like a fattened pig. What benefit did the dwarves gain from subjugating extraterrestrial Lords? It had to be the Lord''s troops. Considering Alex''s desire for the griffin barracks, it seemed likely that this Lord''s troops were valuable to the dwarves, which was why they spared him. But that was no longer Alex''s concern. She and Sophie were now at the edge of the White Rock Mountains, overlooking the grassland. It was their first time leaving the mountains. They flew along the mountain''s edge, searching for the dwarf mine or another stronghold, which shouldn''t be far from the Lord''s castle. After about ten minutes of flying, they hadn''t found the mine but spotted a dwarf fortress on the grassland. The fortress was about the same size as Alex''s castle, surrounded by walls with dwarf guards patrolling. Inside were several buildings, resembling a military camp or defensive outpost. Alex guided the griffin closer to get a better look. From a distance, she couldn''t see much. As they approached, Alex noticed about five to six hundred dwarves outside the fortress. Including those inside, the total wouldn''t exceed two thousand. She also saw a transparent shield around the fortress, preventing a direct aerial assault. "Such advanced technology?" Alex mused. The shield was similar to the protective barrier Lords had during their novice period, though not as strong. The patrolling dwarves below sounded the alarm, and the fortress went on high alert. "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The griffin''s large size made it an obvious target. The dwarves spotted the two humans riding it and knew they were enemies. Clang, clang¡ª Two iron wheels rolled on the stone bricks of the wall, as two dwarves pushed a cannon into position. One dwarf adjusted the cannon''s angle with a crank, while another loaded a black spherical cannonball. The cannonball rolled to the bottom of the barrel, and a dwarf with a torch stood ready to light the fuse. Once the cannon was aimed, the dwarf lit the fuse. Boom! The black cannonball shot out with a loud bang, heading straight for the griffin in the sky. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex, drawn by the noise, saw a black dot rapidly approaching. Chapter 113: Attack the dwarf fortress Boom!The cannonball hit the griffin, causing an explosion and a cloud of black smoke. The dwarves inside the fortress cheered, thinking they had successfully eliminated the enemy. As the smoke cleared, Alex was already riding the griffin away from the fortress. The cannonball hadn''t hit her; she had intercepted it with a fireball. "Was that a cannon?!" Sophie asked, still shaken. "Yes, something like a medieval cannon," Alex replied, suddenly understanding how the dwarves managed to survive in this dangerous world. She had thought a musket was outrageous enough, but they also had protective shields and cannons. They were a technologically armed race. No wonder the Commanding level dwarves seemed so weak; they relied heavily on their equipment. While the human empire likely had similar technology, humans had a cultivation system that made them stronger than the dwarves. What Alex didn''t know was that the Holy Court, despite its power, no longer considered itself part of the human race. They called themselves the Chosen of the Gods. The stronger and more intelligent a race, the more likely it was to experience internal divisions. This world was no exception. Alex decided to retreat for now and wait for the undead army to arrive before attacking the fortress. In the meantime, she would search for the dwarf mine, which was her primary concern. It was bound to be rich in resources. Inside the fortress, the dwarves realized they hadn''t killed the enemy. They quickly lit a bonfire on the massive central furnace, producing thick purple smoke that rose into the sky, signaling the surrounding dwarves. When Alex intercepted the cannonball, the dwarf commander in the fortress had assessed the human''s strength on the griffin, determining she was at least Commanding level. There were no human lairs or cities nearby, so these two had to be extraterrestrial visitor Lords. Such Lords always had their own troops, and upon discovering the fortress, they would likely send their troops to attack. As the fortress leader, the dwarf had to prepare in advance. Soon, Alex and Sophie noticed a large number of dwarf cavalry riding boars heading towards the fortress. The dwarves on the ground also spotted Alex in the sky but ignored her, focusing on speeding up. Following the direction from which the dwarf cavalry had come, Alex found a mine at the edge of the White Rock Mountains. The mine entrance was hidden by large rocks, making it hard to spot. No wonder she hadn''t found it earlier. Alex and Sophie landed the griffin and approached the mine entrance, which was about 7 feet high but quite wide inside. The height was just right for dwarves. Fortunately, Alex and Sophie weren''t particularly tall; otherwise, they would have had to stoop to enter. They walked into the mine, which extended deep into the mountain. The iron ore was located at the mountain''s core, hence the tunnel. Along the way, they encountered some dwarf troops who hadn''t managed to escape, easily dealt with by Alex. Strangely, even though all the dwarf troops had left, Alex could still hear the sound of mining from within. "Is someone still here?" They reached the deepest part of the mine, which had been excavated to a height of nearly 10 feet. There, they found a group of dwarves in shackles and tattered clothes, still mining. Several carts filled with iron ore were nearby. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? The dwarves, hearing the commotion, turned to see two humans and trembled in fear. "These must be dwarf civilians enslaved by the Silverbeard Clan," Sophie whispered to Alex. "Don''t be afraid. I''m here to rescue you!" Alex declared, using her scythe to cut their shackles and giving an impassioned speech. The dwarves believed her and explained that the iron ore mined here was transported to the fortress every few days and sometimes to more distant locations. These dwarf slaves weren''t allowed to leave the mine, living their entire lives inside it. They didn''t know much more. "I''ll take you to a safe place first. Other dwarves will come to help you soon. The troops outside have been dealt with, so don''t worry," Sophie reassured them, seeing this as an opportunity to gain prestige among the dwarves. The dwarves, having no other choice, decided to trust Alex. Nothing could be worse than their current enslavement. Alex and Sophie led the dwarves out of the mine and hid them on a mountaintop, waiting for the undead to arrive. The fifty or so dwarves looked at each other, still anxious and fearful, but the blue sky above gave them some hope in Alex''s words. Soon, the specters and gargoyles arrived, spotting Alex on the mountaintop and flying towards her. Alex smiled and instructed a specter, "Send a gargoyle back to the castle to fetch Balin Forgeheart. He''ll take care of these dwarf kin." "Yes, my queen," the specter replied, signaling the nearest gargoyle. The gargoyle, still airborne, turned back immediately, flying much faster without having to wait for the death conquerors. Alex left a few gargoyles to guard the dwarves. She still had to deal with the dwarf fortress and couldn''t waste time here. After leaving the guards, Alex and Sophie mounted the griffin and took off. The gargoyles followed closely behind, while the death conquerors sped across the grassland below. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The death conquerors moved much faster on the grassland than in the White Rock Mountains. Twenty minutes later, Alex saw the dwarf fortress again. This time, a large number of dwarf knights had gathered outside the fortress, at least a thousand strong. The fortress couldn''t accommodate them all, so they had to camp outside. The dwarf commander on the fortress wall spotted Alex''s return. Seeing the mass of death conquerors and the flying creatures, his pupils contracted in fear. The commander immediately ordered all dwarves to prepare for battle. Cannons were pushed onto the walls, loaded, and aimed at the distant enemy. Boom! Boom! Boom! Before the undead could reach the dwarf fortress, the commander initiated the attack. Massive cannons lit up with sparks on the castle walls, followed by huge explosions within the undead army. The charging death conquerors were hit by the cannonballs, their bodies instantly shattered and scattered across the ground. The remaining death conquerors took advantage of the dwarves reloading the cannons to continue their charge towards the fortress. Boom! Boom! Boom! Another round of cannon fire, and countless more death conquerors were obliterated. By now, the death conquerors were almost at the fortress gates. The cannons were no longer effective at such close range. The dwarf commander below immediately ordered the dwarf knights to charge. "Kill!" In an instant, the dwarves yanked their reins, and the boars reared up on their hind legs, beginning their charge towards the death conquerors. Chapter 114: Complete victory The death conquerors and dwarf knights quickly clashed.The immense force from the death conquerors'' charge easily knocked the short-statured dwarf knights off their boars. In contrast, the death conquerors were fused with their mounts, and their larger size gave them an advantage. Although the dwarves had protective gear to withstand physical damage, they couldn''t defend against the death conquerors'' curses and mind attacks. The dwarf commander on the fortress wall noticed that the death conquerors shattered by the cannons were regenerating, with some already rejoining the battle. This defied the commander''s understanding. Those undead should have been completely destroyed. But why have they come back to life? Not only the death conquerors but also the gargoyles exhibited the same resilience. Since the dwarves lacked aerial forces and the dwarf knights were engaged with the death conquerors, the cannons were redirected to target the gargoyles. Standard gargoyles, when hit by cannon fire, would also be shattered, but they too would regenerate. This was beyond the dwarf''s comprehension and seemed utterly illogical! The dwarf knights outside were no match for the death conquerors, forcing the commander to send reinforcements from within the fortress. These dwarf knights were elite troops crafted by the Silverbeard Clan. What was supposed to be their debut battle turned into a complete rout by the undead. Alex launched several fireballs at the fortress''s protective shield, causing only ripples. The shield was technologically advanced, blocking external attacks while allowing internal attacks to pass through¡ªa one-way barrier. Alex continued her assault on the shield, noticing that it seemed powered by some internal energy source. With sustained attacks, the shield''s glow weakened. Sensing the time was right, Alex summoned a scythe and leaped off the griffin. The dwarf commander, watching the shield''s durability decrease and the dwarf knights'' defeat outside, felt his heart ache. He had no solution. Their only long-range weapon was the cannon, which was ineffective against the girl. He could only watch as she attacked the shield from the sky. Seeing Alex leap down, the commander gripped his warhammer tightly, knowing the shield was about to break. Alex descended, her fist engulfed in black flames. Using the momentum, she punched the shield. The shield shattered instantly under her blow. Alex teleported to the wall, landing gracefully. The dwarf commander, gripping his warhammer, charged at Alex. His warhammer crackled with lightning, fully enchanted. The commander leaped high, both hands gripping the hammer, and swung it at Alex with all his might. Alex spun her scythe, meeting the airborne dwarf with a slash. The scythe ignited with black flames, its bell ringing crisply. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The commander felt a sharp pain in his head as the lightning warhammer clashed with the black-flamed scythe. Boom! Shockingly, the commander''s warhammer shattered upon impact with Alex''s scythe. The scythe then easily sliced through his armor, sending him flying into the wall. The commander lay on the ground, barely alive. The scythe''s damage was corroding his body, tormenting his life, soul, and flesh. He clutched the broken hammer handle, coughing up blood. The dark magic-imbued scythe was incredibly sharp, capable of destroying equipment of the same level, including dwarf gear. Alex''s hand tingled slightly, but it was manageable. She flicked the scythe, extinguishing the flames. With the commander defeated, the other dwarves roared in anger, drawing their muskets and firing at Alex. Bullets rained down, but Alex walked towards them, her magical barrier deflecting every shot. Clang, clang¡ª With just two attacks, Alex eliminated them all. Seeing Alex''s prowess, Sophie, who had been watching from the sky, felt relieved and landed the griffin inside the fortress. "Big Shot, you''re amazing!" Sophie gave Alex a thumbs up. Alex nodded at her and then returned to the battlefield. With nothing else to do, Sophie began searching for loot but found only a few cannons and an ammunition depot. As for the fortress''s special buildings, she would wait for Alex to inspect them. She didn''t dare overstep. Outside, the death conquerors continued battling the dwarf knights. The knights'' numbers dwindled, and with the gargoyles'' aerial support, the fortress was no longer a safe haven. The dwarf knights, trapped and surrounded by the undead, were gradually overwhelmed. The battle was a resounding success, though Alex regretted not bringing necromancers. Even if she had, it would have been time-consuming to summon all the corpses. Transporting the dwarf bodies back to the castle might also frighten the other dwarves. Alex decided to summon them all here. While double summoning was useful, it was time-consuming and situational. She couldn''t linger here long, as reinforcements could arrive at any moment. As more dwarves fell, the undead''s advantage became apparent. The dwarves'' armor could withstand some physical attacks but offered no protection against soul attacks. Even if the specters couldn''t kill the dwarves, their powerful soul attacks disrupted their actions, allowing the other undead to inflict significant damage. Most of the dwarves'' equipment was standard, with limited stamina, breaking after a few hits. Dwarves could easily smash skeletons with their hammers, but they struggled against the agile zombies and death conquerors. With the specters and gargoyles providing aerial support, the dwarves were doomed. Sophie returned to the wall, observing the battle below. ????????.??? The sounds of combat outside the fortress had diminished significantly. The battle was nearing its end. Under Alex''s leadership, she and Sophie began searching the fortress for useful items. Alex used a fireball to destroy the door of a hidden room, revealing over ten thousand iron ingots and a massive furnace in the warehouse. The dwarves of the Silverbeard Clan must have used this furnace to smelt the iron ore into ingots. This furnace was enormous, about twice the size of the one in Sophie''s castle. Alex was thrilled, feeling as if Lady Luck had smiled upon her. Without hesitation, she destroyed the furnace. As expected, it dropped a special structure blueprint. Alex picked it up and examined it. "Advanced Furnace?" "Here, take it," Alex said, tossing the blueprint to Sophie. With this, they could significantly increase their smelting efficiency. Alex and Sophie also discovered the structure that generated the protective shield. It was a spire-like building with a recessed area at the base. Alex opened it to find twelve Essence Shards neatly embedded inside. She had thought it was some high-level item, but it turned out to be powered by Essence Shards. She destroyed it, and another special structure blueprint dropped. Alex picked it up and read the information. "Essence Shard Shield, Commanding level..." Seeing that the building was only Commanding level, Alex dismissed it and handed it to Sophie. Although Alex didn''t have any protective structures in her special buildings, a Commanding level defense was useless to her at this point. She preferred the Specter Chandelier. Her standards had risen, and she no longer valued anything below Monarch level. Aside from these, the fortress had little of value¡ªsome magic crystals, Essence Shards, food, and a few dwarf household items and equipment. Standard equipment was now of low value. In a corner of the fortress, they found a small warehouse filled with black cannonballs. Alex decided to blow it up when they left. After loading all usable materials into the Ring of Space, Alex and Sophie climbed onto the wall. The battle outside was nearly over. Nearly three thousand dwarves, including a thousand boar-mounted knights, had been defeated. Alex could summon at least four thousand undead from these corpses, so she got to work immediately, wasting no time. The undead below were already moving the bodies to make summoning easier for Alex. Her left eye glowed a ghostly blue as summoning circles appeared beneath about a thousand dwarf corpses. From these thousand or so bodies, she summoned nearly a hundred necromancers, who then performed double summoning. However, without the Blackwater Altar''s enhancement, the lv1 necromancers could only summon Skeleton Soldiers, and their limited mana made them barely effective. Despite their inefficiency, the lv1 necromancers were better than nothing. Alex took a break to recover her mental energy. An hour later, she had summoned all the corpses, disassembling the dwarf bodies. The ground was now filled with over four thousand undead of various types. Sophie was stunned, finally understanding why Alex was so powerful. She was like a Zerg Queen! They had arrived with just over two thousand undead and were leaving with over six thousand. It was terrifying. However, Alex was now feeling a bit of a headache from the mental strain. She needed a good night''s sleep. "All specters stay behind to continue scouting the area. The rest of the undead, follow me back to the castle!" Alex commanded from the fortress wall. At her command, the flying undead took to the skies, and the ground-bound ones began running. Alex and Sophie mounted the griffin, ready to leave. As the griffin took off, Alex turned and extended her hand, conjuring a Black Flame Blast aimed at the fortress''s ammunition warehouse. Boom! Boom! Boom! The first cannonball exploded, triggering a chain reaction that caused a series of explosions. The entire fortress was destroyed, with Alex flying away on the griffin, the exploding fortress serving as her backdrop. The summoning had drained her mental energy, and Alex just wanted to get back and sleep. She flew the griffin to the hiding spot of the dwarf slaves, relieved to find they and the specters had already left. She then headed back to the castle. She wasn''t foolish enough to leave undead to guard the area. The Silverbeard Clan might not seem strong, but Alex didn''t know their full capabilities. She couldn''t take risks. A quick hit-and-run was the best strategy, a retaliation for their attack on her castle. The lv1 specters she had summoned were weak and couldn''t level up. Without physical bodies, they were perfect scouts, almost invisible at night. An hour later, Alex and Sophie returned to the castle on the griffin, with the undead army still trudging along the mountain paths. Alex saw the dwarf slaves in Sophie''s castle, brought back by Balin Forgeheart, along with some new faces. Dismounting the griffin, Alex was followed by Sophie. Balin Forgeheart and the dwarves came to greet them. "Everyone, these are the two Masters I mentioned. Though they are human, they treat us like family," Balin Forgeheart said. Hearing this, the dwarves stepped forward to greet Alex and Sophie. Alex pushed Sophie forward to handle the greetings. The dwarf slaves from the mine believed Alex''s words, as many of their kin praised the two girls. They chose to trust their kin and what they saw with their own eyes. The first thing Balin Forgeheart did upon returning was to provide a hearty meal for the dwarves, who were now deeply grateful to Alex and Sophie. Balin Forgeheart explained the rules: this was a sanctuary, not a retirement home. Every dwarf had to work for their food. Though the dwarves'' fate of mining hadn''t changed, their work hours were shorter, the workload lighter, and their living conditions better. Surrounded by enthusiastic dwarves, Sophie handled the greetings while Alex slipped away to the Portal of Transit. She needed a good night''s sleep. "Miss Alex, are you leaving?" Chi-Chi hurried to catch up with Alex. She didn''t want to be left alone with that "old woman." Chapter 115: Tiger beings The portal emitted a flickering orange-yellow light as Alex and Chi-Chi emerged from the Portal of Transit."I''m a bit tired and need to rest," Alex said, feeling a headache coming on. Chi-Chi, still bent over and retching, understood that Alex was likely exhausted from the battle. "Miss Alex, go ahead. Don''t worry about me," Chi-Chi said with a cheerful smile. Her beasts were in the Time Chamber, accelerating their leveling up, and she had enough food for a day, so she had nothing to worry about. The only downside was that she had to go hunting periodically for food, and she wasn''t gaining any experience herself, meaning she couldn''t level up. With nothing else to do, Chi-Chi wandered around Alex''s castle, occasionally chatting with other Lords on World Chat. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex headed to the bathroom, stripped off her clothes, and took a shower. After her shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and walked barefoot to her bedroom, picking up her clothes from the bathroom floor on the way. She tossed her clothes into the wardrobe and slipped under the covers, discarding the towel. Time: 15:00 Alex slept for four to five hours, waking up feeling refreshed and full of energy. It was already afternoon when she woke up. The first thing she did was check the system for the time. She also checked her personal dashboard. After the battle with the dwarves, she had leveled up to lv6 Commanding level, with slight improvements in her attributes, though the changes weren''t significant. She felt that unless the level difference was substantial, a single spell or piece of equipment could provide a greater boost than leveling up. Alex got out of bed, walked to her wardrobe, and dressed. This time, she wore a white short-sleeved shirt, a khaki vest, a red tie, a black pleated skirt, black stockings, and small leather shoes. She looked in the mirror. Hmm, the only good thing about shirts is that they make your chest look bigger. Even if you''re a C cup, it looks like a C+. Alex let her hair down and left the bedroom. She noticed that Chi-Chi was still in the castle, now angrily arguing on World Chat, clearly bored. Seeing Alex, Chi-Chi closed World Chat. "Miss Alex, you''re awake! Wow, you look so pretty!" "Has Sophie come back?" Alex asked. "No, that old woman is probably having fun with the dwarves," Chi-Chi replied. Ignoring Chi-Chi''s nonsense, Alex opened her Warehouse and saw that some resources were missing, likely used by Sophie to build those special structures. There were still fifteen thousand iron ingots left, just enough for Alex to upgrade her town. Might as well upgrade the Barracks too. [Upgrade requirements: 80k wood, 40k stone, 12k iron ingots.] "Upgrade!" Chi-Chi watched as Alex upgraded the town. A flash of light, and the town upgrade was complete. There were no significant changes, just a deeper glow around the castle. [town level: lv2] [Health Points: 100k] [town area: 2 square miles] [Territory Area: 6 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special structures: Maiden''s Wardrobe, Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Maiden''s Bedroom, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon] [Upgrade requirements: 100k wood, 50k stone, 14k iron ingots.] Aside from increased health, there were no other changes. The territory and town area remained the same. Alex glanced at it and moved on to upgrading the Barracks. [undead crystal: lv14 (unique Barracks)] [Ninth-level Barracks can summon: skeleton, zombie, specter, death conqueror, gargoyle, bone dragon, ghost dragon, zombie titan, necromancer, liches, Destroyer, Ghoul (randomly thirty units), with a very low chance of summoning a Race King. Summoned troops'' base level increased to lv5.] [Unlock special fixed unit: Acolyte] [Upgrade requirements: 30k magic crystals, 300 Essence Shards.] No significant changes... Alex was a bit disappointed. The Barracks only increased the base level of troops from lv3 to lv5. Chi-Chi was stunned, watching in awe. Alex glanced at her and gave her a light smack on the head. "Hurry up and upgrade. My Barracks level is higher than yours!" "Got it, Miss Alex. I won''t hold you back!" Chi-Chi said, holding her head. "By the way, your beasts should be in that special building, right? I''ll give you some food." Seeing the tens of thousands of food portions in her Warehouse, Alex decided to give some to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi watched in amazement as Alex sent her fifty thousand portions of food and another hundred thousand to Sophie, clearing out her Warehouse of ordinary food. "Wow, Miss Alex, that''s a lot!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, shocked by Alex''s generosity. Chi-Chi understood that Sophie had more dwarves to feed than she had beasts, so most of the food went to Sophie. She didn''t mind. But Chi-Chi was deeply touched that Miss Alex remembered her. "There are also some Commanding level equipment. If you can use them, take them. If not, sell them," Alex said, organizing her cluttered Warehouse and giving the items to Chi-Chi. Commanding level equipment was a huge deal for Chi-Chi, who was only lv4 Standard. These items were outdated for Alex. Now that she was in the latter half of the Commanding level, only Monarch level items caught her interest. With greater power came easier access to resources. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Take the dwarf fortress, for example. In just one battle, she had gained twenty thousand magic crystals, equivalent to twenty Commanding level items. "Thank you, Miss Alex!" "By the way, Miss Alex, are we going back?" Chi-Chi asked, sensing that Alex had left something unfinished. "Why go back? Didn''t you say she''s having fun with the dwarves? Why disturb her?" Alex replied, rolling her eyes. ... While feeding Ice Cream, Alex noticed Arthur flying back from the snowy mountain. Arthur usually didn''t return to the castle, so it must have been important information. Arthur''s massive form landed in the town, kicking up dust. "Your Majesty, Arthur has information to report." Alex turned to Arthur, listening to his report about the battle with the vampire Lord and the other four Lords. "You saw the snow maidens Lord among them?" Alex asked, puzzled. "Yes, Your Majesty. There were four of them, with the flame Lord and rock Lord being the strongest, on par with the vampire Lord." Alex realized that the Lord who had disappeared from the snowy mountain was likely Samson. They were an Alliance, and Samson must have used the Alliance token to relocate. But it seemed his new territory wasn''t far from Frostwind snowy mountain, just on the Barren Plains. Alex knew Lucian''s castle was at the border of Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains. If it weren''t for the long travel time across the snowy mountain, she would have dealt with him already. Now it seemed the vampire Lord had escaped her wrath only to face a new problem. But Alex was just gathering information. It didn''t concern her directly. "Let them fight. The more intense, the better. It has nothing to do with me," Alex said, feeling indifferent. "Wait, Miss Alex, isn''t this the part where you usually say, ''I''m going to take them down''?" Chi-Chi asked, surprised by Alex''s uncharacteristic response. "There are five of them. What if they team up against me? Didn''t you hear Arthur? At least three of them are top-tier Lords. Do I look like a fool?" Alex replied. "But we have three people too," Chi-Chi said, confused. Three against four didn''t seem too bad. "Your combined combat power is too weak!" Alex sighed. Even the weakest among them, Samson, could easily defeat Chi-Chi and Sophie. Chi-Chi felt a bit ashamed, knowing Miss Alex thought she was weak. Sophie could at least provide minerals, but Chi-Chi felt she wasn''t much help to Miss Alex. Feeling dejected, Chi-Chi quickly cheered herself up. "I''ll work hard and get stronger!" Chi-Chi summoned her Flying Nimbus and stood on it. "Miss Alex, I''m heading back. I''ll work hard to get stronger. Next time you see me, I''ll be stronger than that old woman!" With that, Chi-Chi left. "Huh? Why did she leave so suddenly?" "Arthur, continue upgrading and have the undead keep an eye on the snowy mountain and those Lords," Alex instructed. Meanwhile, in the southern part of Frostwind snowy mountain. A pack of black wolves was racing through the snow, heading deeper into the mountain. They moved swiftly, like shadows, reaching the depths of Frostwind snowy mountain in no time. They were sent to investigate the battle between the angel and the frost dragon. The Moon Silver Wolf, their eyes in the snowy mountain, had been mysteriously wiped out, and they needed to find out why. In the depths of the snowy mountain, another force was already investigating. These beings had tiger heads but human bodies, standing around 8 feet tall, with bulging muscles and large tiger claws. Their white fur had black stripes. They resembled werewolves but were more tiger-like. When the wolves arrived, they noticed the tiger beings, who also turned to look at the wolves. The reactions were starkly different. The tiger beings showed a hint of concern but no fear, as they weren''t sure if the wolves were a threat. The wolves, on the other hand, didn''t regard the tiger beings as a threat at all. "If you don''t want to die, get out of here. This isn''t a place for refugees!" one wolf snarled, baring its teeth. The tiger beings exchanged glances, looking to their leader. "Young one, I advise you to know your place. Frostwind snowy mountain isn''t Skyreach Mountains!" the tiger leader warned, indicating that this wasn''t the wolves'' territory. "Do you think you can compare to Skyreach Mountains? Kill them!" the wolf, feeling provoked, recognized the race. While individually strong, their background was nothing compared to Skyreach Mountains. The wolves'' bodies began to swell, transforming into werewolf form, and they charged at the tiger beings. The tiger beings outnumbered the werewolves, but their leader was only lv7 Commanding level, while the werewolf leader was lv8. Werewolves had terrifying self-healing and bloodlust abilities, making them superior in close combat. Just as the werewolf leader was about to reach the tiger beings, a little girl stepped out from among them. She wore a princess dress, clearly human attire, with long white hair and animal ears, indicating she wasn''t human. Her pupils contracted, becoming needle-thin, and a surge of spatial power surrounded her. The charging wolves were frozen in place, and massive claw marks appeared on each of them. As the spatial power dissipated, the werewolves were torn apart and flung away, howling in pain and bleeding profusely. The girl, knowing the werewolves'' self-healing abilities, froze them before they could recover. Only the werewolf leader, heavily injured, escaped the freezing, glaring at the girl from a distance. "Damn it, you''ll pay for this!" he snarled before transforming back into a wolf and disappearing. The girl buried the frozen werewolves in the snow, then collapsed from exhaustion. The tiger leader caught her and addressed the others. "The queen has fallen asleep again to save us. It''s confirmed that the frost dragon is dead. Find a hiding place quickly!" Chapter 116: Imperial cavalry [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!]After a busy day, Sophie left the continent of Arsen and returned to her subsidiary castle. Alex sent another batch of gargoyles to Arsen, recalling the previously summoned miscellaneous troops to enjoy the enhancements of the Blackwater Altar. Sophie''s castle now housed two thousand death conquerors, one thousand gargoyles, nine hundred specters, and one hundred necromancers. With a total of four thousand undead, the leader of the Silverbeard Clan would be wise not to launch an attack. In addition, Alex had twenty thousand undead on the continent of Eldoria. She felt her forces were now incredibly strong. As long as no enemies above Monarch level appeared, her advantage was overwhelming. Even if lv7 and lv8 Commanding creatures showed up, she could grind them down with sheer numbers. Alex glanced out the window at Sophie, who looked exhausted and had returned to her subsidiary castle. Bored, Alex scrolled through World Chat and noticed something odd. [Flame Spirit] was buying up Essence Shards at the trading post, offering iron ingots in exchange. Most Lords hadn''t upgraded their castles to towns yet, so iron ingots were still scarce. Alex was surprised to see someone selling them. But she didn''t dwell on it. Having passed the novice period, there was no need to stay up late summoning troops from the Barracks. She went to bed early. Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains, the Elemental Alliance gathered. A cracked castle appeared, belonging to the last member of the Elemental Alliance, [Wind Fury] Lord Boreas. Boreas, aware of the Alliance''s situation and the looming threat from the Starfallen Empire, decided to help his allies. The Elemental Alliance members welcomed Boreas. Samson had always thought Boreas would be an older man, but he turned out to be the youngest of the five, an eighteen-year-old boy. Boreas had a unique item that absorbed wind element strength to summon wind spirits. He hadn''t come earlier because the Wild Wolf Valley, where he was based, frequently experienced hurricanes, aiding his troop summoning. But now his troop numbers were nearly saturated, and he realized he had focused too much on quantity over quality, keeping him in the second tier. Wind spirits were the strongest troops among the five. Though elemental beings, they had physical forms and could take different shapes. Currently, Boreas''s wind spirits could transform into a ten feet long bird or a tiger-like beast. Being wind elementals, they could fly even in land beast form. "Now that we''re all here, and my injuries are healed thanks to Ivy, I propose we attack the vampire Lord tomorrow," Samson said, still shaken from nearly being killed by Lucian and eager to eliminate him with the Alliance''s help. Boreas, wanting to prove himself, quickly agreed to Samson''s proposal. Earl and Ivy were indifferent, leaving the decision to Cain. Seeing everyone eager to take down the vampire Lord, Cain agreed. As the first battle of the Elemental Alliance, targeting a top-tier Lord was a good choice. "Alright, we''ll set out tomorrow morning," Cain said. With Cain''s agreement, Samson and Boreas smiled. The vampire Lord was doomed. Time: 06:00 AM [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] In the depths of the Barren Plains, a massive city stirred. A general in armor led fifty thousand troops out of the city. The emperor of the Starfallen Empire was furious upon learning that his elite squad had been wiped out. He had received crucial information from the empire''s mage association: a six-winged angel had slain the frost dragon. The intelligent beings of Frostwind snowy mountain wouldn''t provoke the mage-backed Starfallen Empire, and the mindless creatures lacked the strength to annihilate his elite squad. The ministers quickly deduced that extraterrestrial visitors were causing trouble. The newly crowned emperor, realizing the situation, dispatched his general to eliminate the extraterrestrial visitors. Meanwhile, Cain and the other four Lords left three Commanding level troops each to guard their castles, taking the rest to march on Lucian''s castle. Boreas''s wind spirits carried the four Lords, moving much faster than Samson''s snow maidens. Below, their diverse troops followed: flame spirits, earth monsters, wind spirits, tree spirits, and snow maidens, totaling over six thousand, with Boreas and Cain having the most troops. Lucian, aware of the Alliance''s threat, had been desperately seeking allies. But having always been a lone wolf, suddenly asking to join another Lord''s Alliance or inviting them to his castle was impractical. Other Lords weren''t fools. Such a request would be seen as suspicious, and even if an Alliance was formed, no one would relocate their castle. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Desperate, Lucian saw a glimmer of hope. He guessed the Alliance would soon attack, and with his castle''s location exposed, he couldn''t run. If anyone could save him, it was the undead Lord Alex. Knowing her strength, Lucian believed that with Alex''s help, the four Lords would be no match. He was about to message Alex but realized he didn''t know her castle''s name. Lucian looked towards the snowy mountain, needing to find an intelligent undead to relay a message to Alex. Gargoyles lacked intelligence. He needed a higher-level undead and didn''t trust his vampires with such an important task. Promising Alex enough benefits, he believed she would be tempted. Lucian transformed into a shadow and disappeared from his castle, heading towards the snowy mountain. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Lucian searched the snowy mountain for over an hour before encountering a bone dragon, though not the one he had met before. He wasn''t sure if it was intelligent. "Hey!" Lucian shouted. The bone dragon turned and unleashed a breath of dragon at him, forcing Lucian to dodge. "I''m not here to fight. I need you to deliver a message to your Lord," Lucian said, waiting for the bone dragon''s reaction. "What do you want to tell our Queen?" The bone dragon''s ethereal voice reached Lucian''s ears, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Lucian relayed all the information to the bone dragon, emphasizing that if the Elemental Alliance attacked, he hoped Alex would intervene. To show his sincerity, he even revealed his castle''s name, [Dracula]. The bone dragon seemed to understand, or at least Lucian hoped it did. As long as it conveyed the message accurately to Alex, that was enough. "I will relay the message," the bone dragon said before flying off. Lucian could only wait for Alex''s response. Suddenly, a system notification startled him. [Your lv8 Standard vampire has been killed by an enemy Lord!] Apart from the Elemental Alliance, the only other nearby force was the undead Lord. Based on his observations, Alex''s castle was likely on the other side of Frostwind snowy mountain. The only ones who could have killed his troops now were the Elemental Alliance. With a heavy heart, Lucian rushed back to his castle. An hour later, Lucian''s castle came into view. The enemy had indeed arrived! Lucian saw five Lords leading numerous troops, attacking his vampires. His vampires, numbering just over a thousand, were outmatched in both quantity and quality. There was an additional Lord this time; the Elemental Alliance had fully mobilized. Lucian hadn''t done much to provoke them, yet they were determined to destroy his castle. He had been attacked multiple times, and if not for his vampire traits, he would have died. Now they were attacking his castle. It seemed they intended to kill all his troops. They didn''t realize Lucian wasn''t in the castle. Wait, what''s that?! Lucian''s eyes widened as he saw a cavalry force approaching from the horizon. Starfallen Empire! Lucian quickly realized that the village massacre had drawn the empire''s attention, and they had sent troops to kill him. But instead of panicking, Lucian smiled. The Starfallen Empire''s arrival was timely; he might not need to call for help after all. He could use the Starfallen Empire to fight the Elemental Alliance. The human cavalry, numbering in the tens of thousands, were potential reinforcements for Lucian. These imperial cavalry were practically delivering themselves to him. Lucian hurried back to his castle. As the Starfallen Empire cavalry approached, Samson and the others noticed the enemy force. "What''s going on? There must be tens of thousands of them!" Ivy exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock. "Damn it, just our luck. This guy has incredible luck," Samson muttered, begrudgingly admiring Lucian''s fortune. "Let''s deal with the human cavalry first. They''re not that strong, just numerous. Don''t be afraid," Boreas said, his blood boiling with excitement at the prospect of a large-scale battle. He didn''t take the Starfallen Empire cavalry seriously. The five Lords didn''t abandon their attack on Lucian''s castle. Their troops prepared to face the Starfallen Empire cavalry, while the vampires returned to defend the castle. "There are six extraterrestrial visitor Lords. The emperor was right; they are heretics and must be exterminated!" General Baldwin, clad in silver armor, drew his silver sword, ready for battle. "Kill! Exterminate the extraterrestrial visitors for the glory of the empire!" Baldwin and his fifty thousand cavalry charged at the six Lords. Baldwin didn''t care about the conflicts between the extraterrestrial visitors. To him, they were all the same. Lucian planned to watch them fight each other, focusing on protecting his castle. The Elemental Alliance, with their larger numbers, were the primary target for the cavalry. The Lords underestimated the imperial cavalry, thinking their advanced troops could easily handle them. They didn''t have specialized countermeasures, believing their elemental beings and vampires were nearly invincible. Baldwin led the charge, disappearing from his horse''s back and heading straight for the Elemental Alliance''s Commanding level troops. Ignoring the troops, Baldwin swiftly bypassed them, targeting the five Lords. "Watch out, he''s coming!" "He''s so fast!" The five Lords felt immense pressure, immobilizing them. Baldwin slashed with his sword, sending a silver blade of light that knocked all five Lords back. Lucian, watching from his castle, was stunned. What was happening?! The five Lords, injured, had used their defensive measures. Ivy and Earl''s bodies turned to wood and stone, healing. Samson, Cain, and Boreas transformed into their elemental forms, avoiding the attack. Despite their efforts, they couldn''t fully negate Baldwin''s damage, and blood trickled from their mouths. As they tried to get up, the oppressive force returned, pinning them down. "A domain?!" "He''s Monarch level!!" Chapter 117: Lich In the undead territory, after feeding Ice Cream, Alex walked towards the Barracks, intending to summon her troops.On the way, she noticed a bone dragon flying in from the direction of the snowy mountain. Alex paused, deciding to see why the bone dragon had returned. Undead without messages typically didn''t enter the castle on their own, so the bone dragon must have news to report. The bone dragon landed in the castle and began speaking rapidly to Alex. "What? He wants me to kill him?" Alex was baffled. What kind of brain-dead Lord was this? If he wanted to die, he could just bash his head against a wall. Alex was confused, unable to understand the bone dragon''s message. Lucian had said too much, and the bone dragon had mixed up a lot of the information. "Did he say his name or where he is?" "Yes, my Queen. He mentioned his castle''s name, Dracula." "What?!" Alex was surprised. She hadn''t expected it to be that Lord. Although the bone dragon''s explanation was unclear, Alex quickly guessed his identity. "Why is Lucian looking for me? Could it be business?" Alex waved the bone dragon away and continued towards the Barracks, opening her system dashboard. She entered the castle''s name and initiated a private chat with Lucian. ? Alex sent a question mark and then turned her attention back to the Barracks, clicking the summon button. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A ghostly green light flickered, and along with ten Acolytes, thirty identical skeletons emerged. Skeletons?! Could she be this unlucky? But as they fully materialized, Alex noticed they were different from Skeleton Soldiers. They had no weapons, wore black robes, and their eye sockets burned with purple flames, unlike regular skeletons. "Your most loyal apostles greet you, my Queen." They could talk?! Alex quickly checked their information, finding it astonishing. [lich] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: None (Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns)] [Mana Points: 80] [Strength: 24] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 25] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Skills: Skeleton Magic, Bone Magic, Frost Magic] Wow, she hadn''t had a single lich before, and now she had thirty. Alex examined the two magics. One was Bone Magic, similar to necromancers, and the other was Skeleton Magic, allowing them to summon all skeletons and their variants. As for Frost Magic, Alex didn''t need to look. It was standard ice damage spells. The most exciting part was that all liches had an Emperor level growth limit. They were quite powerful. "Go to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement!" Alex commanded. ... ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains. Lucian hid in his castle, watching Baldwin fight five Lords and even gain the upper hand. Lucian quickly realized Baldwin was Monarch level. Seeing the five Lords suppressed by Baldwin, Lucian felt a bit smug, but he soon realized the problem. If those five Lords died, Lucian would be next. So, he couldn''t just sit in the castle. He chose to join the battle, fighting Baldwin alongside the Elemental Alliance. The five stood together, facing the towering Baldwin. Just standing there with his sword, Baldwin exerted immense pressure, his domain power immobilizing them. Lucian joined them, ready to fight Baldwin with all his might. "Six Commanding levels, impressive, but not enough. I''ll ask you one more time: did you kill the villagers and the imperial scout team?!" Baldwin demanded, needing to confirm the true culprits. None of the six responded, essentially confirming Baldwin''s accusation. As Baldwin''s expression grew colder, the pressure increased. Samson, the weakest, was about to collapse. "Silence means affirmation." Boom! As Baldwin finished speaking, a lava projectile shot towards him. Cain had broken free, now a fiery figure covered in magma, charging at Baldwin. The smoke cleared, revealing Baldwin unharmed. He caught Cain''s attack with one hand and swung his sword with the other. Bang! A giant covered in rocks crashed into Baldwin, allowing Cain to escape. Earl had also broken free. Though his charge didn''t harm Baldwin, it distracted him, weakening the domain''s power. The remaining four unleashed their full strength. Ivy transformed into a treant, covered in vines, with countless tendrils reaching for Baldwin. Lucian, covered in blood, turned into a red bat, while Samson became an ice sculpture. Both attacked Baldwin simultaneously. Boreas, surrounded by wind blades, disappeared like the wind, reappearing with a massive wind blade aimed at Baldwin. Facing the combined assault, Baldwin remained unfazed. He could rely on his Monarch level armor to block most damage, but he chose not to. He wanted to show these Lords the true power of a Monarch level and his domain. The oppressive force suddenly vanished. As the six Lords'' attacks neared Baldwin, a surge of power erupted from him. Before they knew it, the six were flung back dozens of meters by Baldwin''s domain power, dirt and rocks flying in all directions from the impact. Everyone was left in a disheveled state, except Ivy, who had attacked from a distance. "The enemy is too strong. How can we fight him? We can''t even get close," Lucian realized the immense power of a Monarch level, far beyond what their Commanding levels could handle. "His domain power has intervals. We need to coordinate!" Samson shouted, rallying the others. They knew running was futile; attacking was their only chance. Earl raised four massive earth walls around Baldwin, blocking his view. Boreas sent a spiraling wind blade towards Baldwin. "Cain, add fire!" Boreas shouted. Cain followed, merging fire with the wind blade, creating a massive flaming wind blade, charging at Baldwin. Baldwin shattered Earl''s earth walls, only to face Cain''s flaming wind blade. As Baldwin prepared to swing his sword, vines wrapped around his arm, freezing it with Frost Magic. He broke free but couldn''t stop Cain''s attack in time. Boom! Cain was blasted away by the explosion, while Baldwin merely took a few steps back, his armor slightly charred but unbroken. Samson''s face grew grim. The enemy''s defense was too strong. How could they break through? Wait, break through! Samson remembered Alex''s black flames'' incredible piercing ability during their fight with the Frost Werewolf. Lucian''s blood also had good piercing power. Alex was currently unavailable, but Lucian was here! Samson turned to Lucian, who had just received a private message. [Hamburger]: "?" Chapter 118: Alexs support Lucian naturally recognized the name [Hamburger]. Early on, Hamburger had made a significant impression by selling large quantities of food to many people.Why is Hamburger messaging me? In the heat of battle, Lucian had no time for idle chat. He was about to close the interface when a realization struck him. Hamburger is the undead Lord! Hamburger is Alex! But the situation was different now. The opponent was from the Starfallen Empire and at Monarch level. Would she take such a risk? Wait, if they could kill this Monarch level enemy and promise her the corpse, she might agree! "Hey, you stupid bat! What are you doing? This is no time for chatting! Do you want to die faster? We need you to pierce through!" Samson shouted at Lucian, attacking as he spoke. "I can try to contact the undead Lord," Lucian replied coldly, ignoring Samson''s insults. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Samson''s mood lifted at the thought. If Alex could come, they might actually stand a chance against this Monarch level enemy. After all, Alex was the strongest Lord in the vicinity. "Wait, why would she help us?" "The corpse," Lucian said, and Samson instantly understood. She could summon from corpses, and a Monarch level corpse was too valuable to refuse unless she was foolish. "Contact her now!" In this life-or-death moment, Samson didn''t waste any more time on Lucian and turned back to attack Baldwin. The five had ways to forcibly break free from the domain. With their cooperation, they could hold Baldwin off, even if they couldn''t defeat him. Lucian quickly messaged Alex. If the five died, he wouldn''t survive either. [Dracula]: "We are under attack by the Starfallen Empire. The leader is Monarch level. There are six of us, including the Elemental Alliance, fighting him. We need your help. If you can kill him, the corpse is yours. Location: near my castle at the snowy mountain and plains border." Lucian sent the message and started counting. If Alex didn''t reply within a minute, he would join the battle. 3, 2, 1... At the last moment, Alex saw the message and replied. [Hamburger]: "Is this for real? Are you sure you can make that call?" [Dracula]: "I''ve already discussed it with them." [Hamburger]: "Just make sure you don''t die before I get there." Lucian closed the chat and charged at Baldwin. "She agreed!" Samson smiled, hoping Alex''s castle wasn''t too far away. "Everyone, the undead Lord is coming to help. If we kill the enemy, the corpse is hers!" Samson shouted to the others. No one objected; survival was their priority, and the corpse was useless to them. ... Before Lucian''s message, Alex was examining a corpse brought back by a Destroyer from the depths of the snowy mountain. The corpse was unusual, a tiger being. "Ice Cream, this isn''t a race from your snowy mountain, is it?" Alex had never seen such a creature. The Destroyer had sensed a strong magical fluctuation in the area, which quickly vanished. Investigating, it found the corpse buried under snow and ice, along with werewolf bodies, and reported to Alex. Alex rode Ice Cream to the site to investigate. The werewolf bodies were laid out, but there was only one tiger being. Alex noted that the werewolves'' wounds were similar, as if they had been instantly killed. The tiger being, however, had many old wounds and seemed like a refugee. Ice Cream pondered, recalling something its mother had mentioned. "Arctic Tigerfolk, a race from the northern extreme cold regions. I don''t know much about them." ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Arctic Tigerfolk? Alex guessed they had fled from the far northern cold regions to Frostwind snowy mountain. Just then, Alex received Lucian''s private message. Intrigued by the more pressing matter, she stopped questioning Ice Cream about the Arctic Tigerfolk. "A Monarch level enemy?" Alex was genuinely surprised. She had never encountered a Monarch level creature. She had thought they would be incredibly powerful, capable of instantly killing Commanding level beings. But from Lucian''s message, it seemed the six Lords could hold their own against the Monarch level enemy, though they couldn''t win. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have sought her help. "If we can really kill him, that''s a Monarch level corpse. Worth a try." Alex felt a surge of excitement. "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Alex mounted Ice Cream and instructed the Destroyer, "Summon all flying units to the Lord''s castle at the snowy mountain and plains border." An imperial expedition wouldn''t come without troops, which meant more resources. Most importantly, if they reneged on the deal, Alex alone wouldn''t suffice. She needed a large undead force for deterrence. Ice Cream took flight, heading for the western border of Frostwind snowy mountain. Ice Cream was the fastest flyer in the snowy mountain, and Alex was starting from the central region, so it wouldn''t take long to reach Lucian. During the flight, Alex formulated a plan. She wouldn''t rush in blindly. She would observe the situation first. If it was winnable, she would join the fight; if not, she would retreat. ... On the battlefield, the five Lords had used up nearly two-thirds of their Mana Points. Lucian, relying on blood attacks, was nearly "anemic." Even Baldwin hadn''t expected the six Lords to put up such a strong fight. He had underestimated them and overestimated himself. If an Monarch level mage had come, these extraterrestrial visitors would be dead. Baldwin, no longer arrogant, realized he needed a strategy. He decided to eliminate one of them first. After prolonged combat, Baldwin identified Samson and Ivy as the weakest, followed by Lucian and Boreas, who could fly and were the hardest to kill. Baldwin targeted the Frost Magic user. He released his domain, sending Lucian, Cain, and Earl flying. Multiple uses of the domain had taken a toll on Baldwin, and this time the force was weaker, pushing them back less than ten yards. Using the dust and smoke as cover, Baldwin charged at Samson. Boreas''s wind blade was deflected by Baldwin''s armor. Eight vines rose, trying to entangle Baldwin, but his domain shattered them instantly. Samson''s Frost Magic summoned a giant ice bird for the next attack. Baldwin''s silver sword glowed purple, shattering Samson''s magic and slashing at him. Under the domain''s gravity, Samson couldn''t turn to snow to dodge. He hastily summoned an ice armor and thick ice wall to block. It was futile. Bang! The ice wall shattered, and Baldwin''s gravity-enhanced sword sent Samson flying, crashing to the ground. "Ugh¡ª" Samson spat a mouthful of blood. His chest armor cracked, and a deep wound on his chest bled profusely. He used magic to staunch the bleeding. Samson was out of the fight. Without help, he would die. In his view appeared a pair of alluring legs and a black pleated skirt. Even lying on the ground, he could smell her faint fragrance. This girl was stunning. Samson wished he could just lie there and admire her beauty, but this was a battlefield. "Hey, it''s been a few days. Why do you look so pathetic?" Chapter 119: Your strength has earned my respect The weakened Samson could no longer muster a retort; he only knew that the undead Lord had arrived."You look pretty bad. Need a hand?" Alex teased, looking down at Samson with a smirk. "No... no need... go help... them..." Samson, though barely able to speak, hurriedly refused Alex''s offer, fearing she might actually take the opportunity to kill him. "You should stop talking," Alex said, turning her gaze forward. She had seen Baldwin''s strike that had severely injured Samson. Without the frost armor, Samson would likely have met his end already. In the distance, Ivy noticed Samson being flung away and saw a white-haired girl talking to him. "Thank goodness, Samson''s not dead!" As the healer on the field, Ivy knew she could save any teammate as long as they were alive. She immediately rushed towards Samson. Baldwin also noticed Alex in the distance but didn''t pay her much mind. He regretted not killing Samson with one strike and knew he couldn''t let Ivy heal him. Baldwin charged at Ivy, while Cain, Earl, and Lucian tried to catch up, but they were too far away. Just as Baldwin was about to reach Ivy, her body trembled with fear, but she prepared to defend with all her might. At that moment, a figure suddenly dashed past Ivy. A scythe burning with black flames met Baldwin''s sword. Bang¡ª S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The scythe and sword clashed. Despite Alex''s double attribute boost, she felt immense pressure. The ground beneath her feet caved in, forming a pit. Alex felt her entire body creak, her wrists numb from gripping the scythe. Baldwin was surprised. This little girl had blocked his full-strength attack. Unbelievable! Moreover, her eyes glowed red and blue, giving her a mysterious aura. She seemed to be struggling to hold on. Baldwin was about to increase his strength when he noticed the black flames on the scythe corroding his weapon. He quickly retreated, not wanting to engage in a prolonged clash. Baldwin wasn''t a mage, but he understood that his prized armor couldn''t withstand those black flames. The five Lords watched in astonishment, especially Ivy, who felt it most acutely. "She... she... she actually repelled a Monarch level attack!" Cain and the others were equally shocked. Cain realized that Samson''s assessment of the undead Lord had been too conservative. They knew they couldn''t withstand a Monarch level strike. If Alex hadn''t intervened, Ivy would have ended up like Samson. Taking advantage of the time Alex bought them, the others surrounded Baldwin again. Baldwin''s gaze remained fixed on Alex, recognizing her as the most powerful and threatening among them. Alex, holding her scythe, didn''t say a word but internally cursed. ''Holy fuck, his strength is insane. My wrists are killing me!'' Her hands still felt numb, and she had to lean the scythe on the ground, glaring fiercely at the Monarch level enemy. Ivy, snapping out of her shock, rushed to Samson. If she didn''t heal him soon, he might really die. Alex stood facing Baldwin, with Earl and Cain behind him, and Lucian and Boreas in the sky. The five surrounded Baldwin. As he swung his sword, they all attacked simultaneously. But Baldwin seemed to see only Alex as his enemy. He dodged her scythe before she could strike, kicking Cain away and slashing at Lucian. Lucian''s blood-formed sword was shattered by Baldwin, but Lucian turned into a shadow to evade the attack. Lucian wasn''t attacking blindly. As a vampire, his vision was far superior, and he noticed the burn marks on Baldwin''s sword from Alex''s flames. His blood had a similar, though weaker, effect, so he targeted that spot. Baldwin ignored Boreas''s attacks, relying on his armor to block the wind blades, which frustrated Boreas. Boreas, feeling insulted, decided to use a mana-intensive spell, his self-proclaimed ultimate move. All the wind elements around him gathered and compressed into a spinning wind blade slightly larger than his hand. "Cain!" Boreas, struggling to hold the wind blade, called out to Cain before launching it. Cain understood immediately. As Boreas released the wind blade, it ignited, turning into a flaming wind blade spinning towards Baldwin. Alex, hearing Boreas''s shout, looked up. The wind blade spun rapidly. Baldwin, turning around, saw Boreas''s attack and sneered. Wind blades were useless against his armor. But Baldwin''s eyes widened as the flaming wind blade turned black upon reaching him. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Boom! The attack was the most effective yet, sending Baldwin flying and crashing to the ground. Everyone turned to Alex, who still had her hand raised. They had seen the black flames on her weapon when she blocked Baldwin, confirming that the attack was hers. Samson and Ivy smiled, realizing that calling the undead Lord for help had been the right choice. Under Ivy''s healing, Samson''s wound stopped bleeding and began to heal slowly. Ivy''s life magic couldn''t instantly heal like werewolves or vampires, so Samson needed time to recover. "Ivy, go help them. I''ll be fine here." Samson sighed. "Alright, rest well." Samson felt dejected, sitting painfully on the ground and watching the distant battle. Baldwin, being of Monarch level strength, had nearly one Commanding level captain for every thousand troops in his army. With fifty thousand cavalry, there were fifty Commanding level captains, while the six Lords had fewer than twenty Commanding level troops combined. Lucian had the most, as the Elemental Alliance members had left some Commanding level troops to guard their bases. Elemental beings weren''t immortal; they just had high limits. Flame spirits, for example, weakened with each death as their fire elements diminished, eventually dying when they couldn''t reform. Other elemental troops had similar weaknesses, like elemental countering. Snow maidens could melt into snow to avoid attacks but would die if evaporated instantly. Tree spirits feared fire, and flame spirits feared water. Only Earl''s earth monsters, drawing power from the ground, were the strongest among the Elemental Alliance troops. The fifty thousand human cavalry outnumbered the six Lords'' troops five to one. If not for the special nature of their troops, they would have been slaughtered. Even so, troops continued to die. The cavalry captains wore heavy Commanding level armor, easily blocking most elemental attacks. Supported by the mage association, the Starfallen Empire''s Commanding level troops practiced magic, mastering basic elemental spells like fire, water, and earth. These magic-wielding captains had the simplest and most direct methods to kill elemental beings. Ordinary cavalry relied on numbers, repeatedly killing and reforming the elemental beings until their cores were exposed and destroyed, a laborious process. All troops fought desperately. Even surrounded by human cavalry, they charged fearlessly at the enemy. Even the vampires, the most advantaged on the battlefield, weren''t invincible. Some captains wielded mithril weapons, which could directly harm vampires, preventing them from self-healing. ... In the northern part of Frostwind snowy mountain, the Arctic Tigerfolk had just settled when they saw undead flying overhead. "Something''s happening..." Among the undead were Commanding level beings. Nearly ten Commanding level undead flew over their cave, causing one Arctic Tigerfolk to feel a sense of crisis. It felt that Frostwind snowy mountain wasn''t as safe as they had thought after the frost dragon''s death. It decided to report to the tribe immediately. Meanwhile, the smoke cleared, and Baldwin stood up, looking disheveled. Though his armor had blocked the damage, the impact had left him uncomfortable. His armor was covered in scratches, with many black marks standing out. His sword had a small crack from the previous attack. The last time Baldwin had been this battered was decades ago when he was a lowly soldier. He couldn''t believe he had been injured by Commanding level beings. Now understanding their abilities, he wouldn''t be caught off guard again. "Your extraterrestrial visitor abilities are diverse. Even if you defeat me, can you defeat the entire empire?!" Baldwin threatened, knowing that Lords had castle limitations. Once their castle was discovered, they were exposed. Lucian had already decided to move his castle afterward. Everyone here knew its location, making it too dangerous. Even if they repelled Baldwin, what about next time? What if two Monarch level enemies came? "I''ll give you a chance. Your strength has earned my respect. Submit to the empire, and all past grievances will be forgiven." Baldwin tried to sow discord, knowing the extraterrestrial visitor Lords couldn''t be united. Seeing the others hesitate, Alex felt exasperated. "Hey, do you really think his words matter? If they did, why would they need an emperor?" Her clear, melodious voice snapped them out of their thoughts. Alex led by example, charging at Baldwin. She didn''t care if they surrendered. If they did, the promised corpse would be lost! Chapter 120: Time to settle the bill Seeing Alex initiate the attack, the others had no choice but to join in. Baldwin''s hatred for Alex skyrocketed as he glared at her.Alex stomped her left foot, and in an instant, the area around her turned into a sea of flames. The fire spread towards Baldwin but was halted by his gravity domain. Cain was stunned. He had no idea the undead Lord could use fire magic. Was this a domain? Baldwin immediately intensified his domain, increasing the gravity''s pressure on everyone. The flames were nearly extinguished under the weight. Cain poured his own flames into the ground, bolstering the fire and preventing it from going out. This environment was perfect for his combat style. However, this enhancement benefited Cain but left Ivy unable to contribute. Cain, now a being of fire, charged at Baldwin. Black fire pillars erupted from the sea of flames, causing Baldwin to dodge warily. The domain returned to its previous state, and the fire expanded again. Cain''s arm, encased in Earl''s rock, transformed into molten lava, forming a massive fist that he swung at Baldwin. Baldwin used his domain to defend but noticed the flames shifting. Alex appeared at his side, her scythe ablaze with black fire, slashing at him. The scythe''s bell''s interference was ineffective against Monarch level Baldwin, who quickly reacted. While using his domain to block Cain''s attack, he swung his sword to meet Alex''s scythe. This was the one attack Baldwin dared not block with his armor. Alex''s scythe struck the crack in Baldwin''s sword, and Lucian appeared beside her, his blood sword attacking the same spot. The black flames and blood corroded Baldwin''s sword, rapidly consuming Lucian''s remaining blood. In the sea of flames, Boreas''s attacks intensified, each wind blade now carrying fire. Crack¡ª The sword''s crack widened, and Baldwin noticed immediately. If this continued, his weapon would be destroyed. Baldwin tried to kick Alex away, but a Dark Barrier appeared in front of her, blocking his attack. She continued to press him. Seeing his attack fail, Baldwin released his sword with his left hand, gathering gravity in his fist, and punched Lucian away. His domain''s power surged, repelling Cain and Earl''s attacks. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No longer spreading his strength to counter the other Lords, Baldwin quickly forced Alex back and followed up with a powerful strike. Alex teleported away just in time, retreating to a safe distance. From afar, Samson watched the battle. Since Alex''s arrival, the situation had improved, shifting from a disadvantage to a slight advantage. Suddenly, Samson felt a gust of wind above him. He instinctively looked up and witnessed the most shocking sight since arriving on Eldoria. Countless undead flew from the snowy mountain, descending on the battlefield like a swarm of locusts, even blocking out the sun. "It''s her troops!" Leading the charge was a massive bone dragon, the same one that had fought Samson and his allies before. Following it were smaller bone dragons and ghost dragons, gargoyles, Destroyers, and specters. "There must be over ten thousand! How is this possible?" Samson was stunned. He didn''t know this was only about 30% of Alex''s undead forces, with the rest being ground troops. Alex''s troop count alone exceeded the combined total of the six Lords'' troops. The combatants paused, looking towards the snowy mountain. The sight of ten thousand undead flying towards the battlefield was overwhelming. Though the number was around ten thousand, these weren''t human troops. Except for the specters, which were similar in size to humans, the gargoyles and Destroyers were massive. The bone dragons, over 30 feet long, were far more intimidating than thousands of human troops. Baldwin''s expression darkened. Undead were the hardest to kill among all troops because they lacked souls to attack. Cain and Earl were shocked, as were Lucian and Samson, who had dealt with Alex before. They hadn''t imagined her troops were this formidable. The undead quickly joined the battle, fully exploiting their aerial advantage. Cavalry relied on the momentum of their charge for powerful attacks, but the gargoyles'' diving strikes were even more terrifying. Gargoyles could easily tear through cavalry with their sheer impact and tough bodies, killing them effortlessly. Moreover, the gargoyles'' stone and metal bodies could crush weaker enemies just by falling from the sky. The bone dragons'' flames and ghost dragons'' breath scorched and destroyed the battlefield, while the specters'' soul attacks invisibly reaped the cavalry''s lives. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Arthur, the bone dragon king, wielded overwhelming power. His Withering Space skill instantly annihilated large numbers of human cavalry souls. The imperial cavalry had no means to counter this. Except for the gargoyles, all the undead had ranged attacks, making it impossible for the cavalry to reach them. Even if they did, they couldn''t kill them. The battle shifted from the imperial cavalry surrounding the six Lords'' troops to the undead surrounding the cavalry. Cain had always thought of undead as weak, slow-moving skeletons with low combat power. Seeing Alex''s undead, he was utterly shocked. Over ten thousand undead, and not a single skeleton? Even though Alex''s troops were impressive, Cain still hoped they were just numerous but weak. But the undead''s performance against the imperial cavalry was overwhelming. At that moment, the six Lords'' troops seemed like mere decorations. Alex smiled. Her troops had finally arrived. To her, these imperial cavalry were just experience points. "Fuck, it''s the undead." If this continued, the cavalry would be wiped out. These were the empire''s elite troops; they couldn''t all die here. "Retreat, retreat!" Baldwin shouted, and the captains quickly organized the troops to retreat. Without Alex''s command, the undead naturally pursued. The cavalry couldn''t outrun the flying undead. Clang! Alex''s scythe clashed with Baldwin''s sword again. The other Lords also attacked Baldwin. Seeing Alex''s strength, they no longer feared the Monarch level enemy. Baldwin, exhausted, could no longer kill them. Baldwin, realizing he couldn''t win, decided to retreat. These Lords were too troublesome. He unleashed his domain power, briefly repelling the Lords, and fled. The Lords, wary of Baldwin''s attack, were surprised when he ran. Alex wanted to chase but saw the other Lords not moving. She couldn''t take him down alone. Sigh, a Monarch level corpse slipped away. The undead stopped pursuing as Baldwin rejoined his troops. His gravity domain suppressed most of the undead''s speed, making further pursuit futile. The other Lords sighed in relief as Baldwin left. "Alright, time to settle the bill!" Alex, holding her scythe, looked at the others. She hadn''t gotten the Monarch level corpse, but she wouldn''t leave empty-handed. The Elemental Alliance members exchanged glances, all silent. What did she mean? Did she still want compensation? They hadn''t killed the Monarch level enemy, but it wasn''t their fault. Everyone had tried their best. Besides, it was the vampire who had called for help; she should ask him. "What, trying to renege on the deal?" Alex''s eyes glowed, and the undead in the sky spread out, surrounding the Lords. "Fine, fine, calm down. We''re all friends here." Samson, limping, tried to mediate. Angering her would be disastrous, especially with so many undead overhead. "Cut the crap. Who''s friends with you? Five thousand iron ingots each. If you don''t have it, trade other resources." Alex demanded payment. Lucian''s castle was right there; he couldn''t escape. "Five thousand iron ingots? Why don''t you just rob us?" Boreas protested. Everyone was short on iron ingots. He didn''t even have a thousand in his Warehouse. Before Boreas finished speaking, Alex appeared before him. He hadn''t expected her to act so quickly. She grabbed his neck and slammed him to the ground. Black flames appeared on Alex''s hand. "Do you think I''m joking?" Chapter 121: Seven thousand corpses The others hadn''t expected Alex to act so suddenly, and they instinctively prepared for battle.Lucian, on the other hand, watched with interest. If a fight broke out, he would definitely side with Alex, considering these guys had just tried to kill him. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Samson trembled with fear, his body shaking. How could this girl be so quick to resort to violence? "Miss, he doesn''t know any better. Please don''t take it out on him. We''ll give you what you need," Ivy pleaded, her voice quivering. "Who''s your leader? Speak up!" Alex demanded, looking directly at Cain and Earl, ignoring the woman who had spoken earlier, as she couldn''t possibly be the leader. "I''m the leader. We''ll give you what you want, just let him go," Earl stepped forward, speaking up. If Alex didn''t release Boreas soon, he might actually die. Alex took a step back and released her grip. Boreas immediately scrambled to the side. "Cough... cough..." Boreas coughed violently. When Alex had grabbed his neck, he genuinely thought he was going to die. This woman wasn''t just threatening; if they didn''t agree, she could kill them all and then plunder their castles. The end result wouldn''t change. Boreas''s face was flushed from lack of oxygen, and he felt humiliated being defeated by a girl. But he couldn''t fight Alex, so he could only seethe with impotent rage, not daring to breathe too heavily. The Elemental Alliance couldn''t just abandon Boreas. Losing trust among allies over resources would be a disaster. If they didn''t save Boreas now, what would happen next time if someone else was in danger? Without trust, the Alliance would be meaningless. Most importantly, they couldn''t afford the cost of fighting Alex. The best-case scenario would be three dead and two escaping, with their troops annihilated. Even Cain and Earl couldn''t bear that price. The five conferred briefly, and Samson, with a forced smile, approached Alex. "Miss, we don''t have that many iron ingots. How about we trade other resources instead?" "Two thousand magic crystals, thirty Commanding level equipment, or one thousand Essence Shards. You can choose one," Alex offered. These resources were equivalent to five thousand iron ingots. If they couldn''t provide the ingots, they would need to pay with other resources. "Deal," Samson agreed quickly. He returned to the group, and they seemed to reach a consensus. They began organizing the resources using their system dashboards. "Miss, what''s your castle''s name? I''ll send the resources to you," Samson asked, approaching again. The others had transferred their resources to Samson''s Warehouse, and he would send everything to Alex at once. "Hamburger," Alex replied. Samson''s hand froze for a moment as he entered the name. He had guessed correctly. Such a powerful undead Lord couldn''t be unknown on the world channel. He had suspected a few names, including this one. Samson added Alex as a friend and sent all the resources. Alex checked and saw a total of ten thousand iron ingots, four thousand magic crystals, and thirty pieces of Commanding level equipment. Perfect, five shares. Alex nodded, indicating she had received the payment. Her eyes returned to normal, the scythe disappeared, and the sea of flames extinguished, revealing a pure and innocent-looking girl. Seeing Alex relax, the others also breathed a sigh of relief. They quickly gathered their troops and retreated. Alex was a person of her word. She didn''t pursue the Elemental Alliance but watched them leave. Then she turned to Lucian. "And you?" ???¦®????.??? "I''ll give you all the human corpses I killed on the battlefield. How about that?" Lucian offered after a moment''s thought. The undead had joined the battle late, and most of the enemies had been killed by the vampires before they arrived. There were over a thousand corpses. The Elemental Alliance''s five troops had killed three thousand human cavalry, suffering heavy losses themselves. The undead, though powerful, had joined the battle late, and Baldwin had retreated soon after. Even so, the undead had killed three thousand enemies. The Starfallen Empire''s cavalry numbered fifty thousand. In this battle, fewer than ten thousand had died, with the rest retreating under Baldwin''s cover. Alex considered it. Over a thousand corpses, including a few Commanding level ones, were indeed more valuable than direct resources, as they would directly enhance her combat power. "Deal." With Alex''s agreement, Lucian felt relieved. At least Alex had a reputation for keeping her word. Lucian led his vampires back to the castle, activating a red protective shield. Alex ignored him. The seven thousand corpses left on the battlefield were the most valuable and troublesome. She needed to find a way to handle them. After some thought, Alex had a plan. She stored four thousand corpses in her space ring and had the undead carry the remaining three thousand. Alex called Ice Cream from the snowy mountain and rode it back to her castle. Although she hadn''t obtained a Monarch level corpse, the payment she received was substantial. Meanwhile, the Elemental Alliance members were returning to their castles, each looking grim and defeated. How could a single Lord rival an entire Alliance? Earl and Cain were top-tier, and the other three were second-tier. Yet, their combined Alliance couldn''t defeat a single girl. The gap was too vast. They had thought their Alliance was among the strongest, but reality had slapped them hard. "Why didn''t we fight her?" Boreas fumed, seeing compromise as a sign of weakness. "Sigh, this isn''t a novel, and none of us are the protagonists. What would we fight her with? She can withstand Monarch level attacks and has a pseudo-domain. She''s far stronger than us," Samson sighed. If they had fought, Boreas would have been the first to die, followed by the injured Samson. "Her undead number at least twenty thousand. Let''s keep a low profile for a while. Her castle can''t be far. Avoid being discovered by her," Cain advised. Alex''s undead were too diverse, unlike their single-type troops. She must have ground troops too. Given the undead appeared in the snowy mountain, her castle was likely inside or nearby. Earl remained silent, lost in thought, while Ivy envied Alex. That girl was not only beautiful and well-built but also incredibly powerful. As a woman, which Lord wouldn''t envy such strength? Alex could survive in this world on her own, unlike Ivy, who relied on others. Most of the resources given to Alex had come from Cain. He had provided ten thousand iron ingots and twenty thousand magic crystals, showing his generosity. Samson had nothing left from the snowy mountain, and Ivy and Boreas weren''t much better off. The three felt ashamed, realizing they were burdens to the Alliance. If a fight had broken out, Cain would have had the best chance to escape. He could have left them behind. The five fell silent, continuing their journey back to the Alliance. Chapter 122: Theres really a frost dragon outside On Frostwind snowy mountain, the tiger being who had reported the earlier sighting was once again stationed at the cave entrance.It had only been a few hours since it saw the undead flying over the snowy mountain, and now it saw them returning. "Frost dragon?" The tiger being couldn''t believe its eyes. It rubbed its eyes with its paws and looked again, but the frost dragon had already disappeared. The tiger being''s body was white, blending perfectly with the snow. It buried itself in the snow, leaving only its nose and eyes exposed to avoid detection by the undead above. A gargoyle carrying a human corpse flew overhead, and blood dripped from the sky. Plop! A drop of blood landed right on the tiger being''s nose. The tiger being shuddered, nearly jumping out of the snow in reflex. It touched its nose with a paw, then looked at it and sniffed. Human blood. The tiger being looked up again and saw that nearly every undead was carrying a human corpse. Had they fought humans somewhere? No, the snowy mountain was very unsafe! The tiger being quickly covered its head with snow and began to crawl slowly towards the cave, careful not to be seen. After several hours of travel, Alex finally returned to her castle. Seven thousand corpses were a massive undertaking, and Alex needed to gather all the necromancers to complete the summoning. Indeed, only war could rapidly increase strength. Alex dumped the corpses from her ring outside the town and summoned a hundred necromancers to start their work. It turned out Monarch level strength wasn''t as formidable as Alex had thought. This trip had been an eye-opener. Though Alex didn''t know Baldwin was one of the weakest Monarch levels. "Damn, I was in such a hurry to get back, thinking only about these resources, that I forgot the corpses deep in the snowy mountain!" "No way, I have to go back!" After storing the resources in the Warehouse, Alex mounted Ice Cream and headed back to the depths of the snowy mountain. In the depths of the snowy mountain, the Arctic Tigerfolk took the report very seriously. Their queen, who had absorbed the bloodline power of the previous queen, was currently digesting this power. Though her strength was growing rapidly, she often fell into deep sleep and couldn''t always protect her people. With the queen asleep, all matters were handled by the tiger being leader, the previous queen''s guard. She sent scouts to re-examine the site of the battle with the werewolves, looking for any clues. They found that all the werewolf corpses had been unearthed, even the one of their kin who had died from old injuries. Snow burial was the highest respect for the Arctic Tigerfolk. The burial site was some distance from the battlefield, yet it had been found and disturbed. The tigers feared it was the werewolves from Skyreach Mountains, but it wasn''t. The leader ordered a clever white tiger to retrieve the dead kin and rebury them. Coincidentally, Alex, riding Ice Cream, saw a tiger being carrying the dead tiger being''s corpse below. The tiger being also saw the frost dragon above and was utterly shocked. The frost dragon''s size was unmistakable. The tiger being had thought the scout''s report of a possible frost dragon sighting was nonsense, but now it saw it with its own eyes. The tiger being''s feline instincts kicked in, and it dropped the corpse, transforming into a white tiger and bolting out of sight. Alex, watching from above, was puzzled. The tiger being had fled at the sight of her. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "Am I that scary?" Alex landed with Ice Cream and inspected the abandoned tiger being corpse, finding nothing unusual. Why had it come back for this corpse? The tiger being''s body was similar in size to a werewolf''s. Summoning it as a bone beast would be fine, but Alex''s slight OCD made her prefer summoning it as a regular undead. With a gray magic circle, the tiger being''s corpse transformed into two Phantoms. It seemed this tiger being was of a high level. Indeed, Alex noticed that high Life Tier beast races didn''t have lv1 Standard members. They naturally grew stronger with age. This was the difference between beasts and ordinary animals. Beast races had some level of civilization and intelligence, necessary for survival on the diverse continent of Eldoria. Alex looked at the frozen werewolf corpses. Besides Frost Magic, she sensed another magical force in them. But she couldn''t identify it yet. Using Frost Magic, she thawed them and began summoning. To her surprise, the werewolves'' wounds started healing, and some even opened their eyes. "They''re not dead?!" Crack, crack¡ª The healing stopped, and the eyes closed again. Alex refroze them. The gray magic circle enveloped them, and the summoning began. The werewolves, already weak from being frozen, quickly died from the summoning''s minor damage. Undead broke through the ice, emerging from the corpses. Summoning bone beasts wasn''t very beneficial now. Regular undead were stronger, and Alex needed more air units. "Another forty undead." Alex disassembled the corpses, stored the materials in her ring, and prepared to return on Ice Cream. In a spacious bunker within the cave, the tiger being guard and other tribe members gathered in a hall. Nearby was a small room, once used by the werewolves, now converted into their queen''s resting place. Their queen''s habits differed greatly from theirs. She ate cooked meat, slept in a bed, and even wanted to eat vegetables, claiming a balanced diet was important. But she was a tiger! In the snowy plains, where could they find such things? The queen knew this and reluctantly gave up. The tiger being who had fled from Alex returned to the Arctic Tigerfolk''s hidden cave. "Madam, I saw it. There''s really a frost dragon outside!" Tiger Being''s guards and the nearby clan members were all stunned. "Madam, should we consider moving again? This place is too dangerous." "Yes, Madam, it feels like Frostwind snowy mountain is even more perilous than where we lived before." The tribe members voiced their concerns. They had barely escaped to this place, only to find it chaotic and unsafe. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Undead, frost dragons, werewolves, humans¡ªthese were all powerful entities they dared not provoke. And from the intelligence gathered, these factions seemed to be in conflict. The tiger being guard glanced at the room where their queen was sleeping, deep in thought for a moment. "No, we can''t move. The queen is still in her slumber. The snowy mountain is at least a suitable habitat for us. Everyone, stay hidden here for now. The queen''s safety is paramount. Let''s not forget why we fled our original home." Chapter 123: Why were all these forces converging on the snowy mountain? The tiger being guard spoke gravely, deciding to lead the tribe to hide deep within the bunker of the snowy mountain cave, waiting for their queen to complete her bloodline inheritance.Once the queen completed the inheritance, her strength would reach Monarch level, giving them the ability to protect themselves in Frostwind snowy mountain. When the queen grew stronger, they would have the power to return and confront the traitors of their tribe. Unfortunately, there were very few tribe members loyal to the queen. Most did not recognize her because she was not a purebred Arctic Tigerfolk but a human-beast hybrid. In reality, the Arctic Tigerfolk in the far north were the true traitors. Only this small group still supported the queen, fleeing from persecution to this place. Not only did the Arctic Tigerfolk see them as traitors, but almost all beast races viewed the queen as an outcast. The Beast Empire wanted to claim the queen for themselves, and humans hated them deeply, likely due to some significant entanglement between the queen''s father and the human race. At the root of it all was the queen''s extraordinary talent, surpassing even the previous queen. No faction wanted to see the rise of another powerful figure, so they fabricated charges to justify their pursuit. If not for the queen''s treasures, relics left by the previous queen, they would have died countless times. If it had been a normal beast and human falling in love and having children, there would have been no issue. Otherwise, there wouldn''t be so many half-beasts in the world. "Have you covered the entrance well? For the next few days, only go out to search for food. Do not venture out unnecessarily," the tiger being guard instructed the others. "Understood." ... Alex returned to her castle and deposited the resources into the Warehouse. The appearance of new forces in the snowy mountain was not a good sign. Werewolves and tiger beings were not native to Frostwind snowy mountain. There was also the Hobgoblin that appeared when Alex met Chi-Chi. The Hobgoblin kingdom was very powerful, and they would surely seek revenge for their fallen kin. This raised a question for Alex. Why were all these forces converging on the snowy mountain? What was there in the snowy mountain? "I should remind Chi-Chi to be cautious of the Hobgoblins." Chi-Chi''s castle had already been discovered by the Hobgoblins, making it very dangerous. The recent series of events gave Alex a sense that something big was about to happen. "By the way, those people ''sponsored'' ten thousand iron ingots. I can upgrade the town again." The next level was town level 3. Based on past patterns, this upgrade should reward a special structure blueprint. Alex found that the blueprints from rewards were usually valuable, unlike many she obtained through other means, which were often useless. With a flash of light, the town upgrade was complete. Fortunately, Sophie produced iron ingots daily. With two furnaces, production was faster. Otherwise, the ten thousand iron ingots wouldn''t have been enough. As for wood, stone, and food, Alex had no shortage of these basic resources. The Dark Forest had plenty of trees, and the White Rock Mountains had abundant stone. Nearly a thousand dwarves and skeletons were mining, providing an endless supply. [Congratulations, Lord, for upgrading the town to level 3. You have received a special structure blueprint. Would you like to claim it now?] "Claim!" [special structure blueprint: Crystal Shield] [Defense Level: Commanding level (upgrades with town level)] [Feature 1: Connects to the castle crystal to generate a shield covering the entire town.] [Feature 2: The shield does not block the Lord or their troops.] [Construction Materials: 10k magic crystals, 100 Essence Shards.] "Such straightforward materials..." Alex needed a defensive special structure, and this came at the perfect time. "Build!" Alex saw the resources disappear from her Warehouse, but nothing seemed to change. The Warehouse now had fewer than fifty Essence Shards, but that wasn''t important. Disassembling the seven thousand corpses would yield a large amount of resources. The priority was to upgrade the town quickly. Both Alex''s shield and defense tower were connected to the town crystal. As the town level increased, the castle''s defense and attack power would also rise. She went to the top floor where the castle crystal was located and found it now encased in a spherical transparent shield. This must be the Crystal Shield. Alex approached and found a control panel. She activated it. Instantly, a transparent shield expanded from the crystal, passing through Alex and the castle, eventually covering the entire town. Alex noticed the shield''s size could be adjusted. She experimented with the size, finding that a smaller shield increased its thickness, enhancing its defense. Alex set the shield to cover only her castle, Sophie''s subsidiary castle, and the Portal of Transit, slightly increasing the defense. Returning to the ground floor, Alex instructed all airborne troops in the snowy mountain to focus on the Dark Forest''s perimeter, reducing the attention on the undead from the snowy mountain''s creatures. She also increased the number of specters sent to the snowy mountain to observe the races and gather intelligence. Two new races appearing in one day was highly unusual. Being so close to the snowy mountain, Alex needed to be cautious. As night fell, Alex decided not to visit Sophie and planned to take a relaxing bath. ... In the depths of the snowy mountain, Alex had disassembled the werewolf corpses, only bloodstains remained on the ground. A burly werewolf clawed a snow fox licking the blood to death. Twenty more werewolves followed, including the one driven away by the Arctic Tigerfolk queen. "There''s a magical scent on the ground. It must be those Arctic Tigerfolk," one werewolf sniffed the ground and rasped to the leader. "These nobodies dare to ignore Skyreach Mountains. Find them. I want her captured alive!" ... The next morning, Alex woke up early and checked the system dashboard, a habit she had developed. ???¦®§®???.?§°? ?! [Your lv5 Standard Phantom was killed by an enemy creature!] Alex sat up abruptly, her breasts bouncing with the motion. The last time her troops were killed was by James in the Dark Forest, who had holy magic. This time, the notification didn''t indicate an enemy Lord, and most specters were in the snowy mountain or White Rock Mountains. It was clear the enemy was in the snowy mountain. "Something is definitely happening in the snowy mountain!" Alex quickly got dressed and went outside to investigate. In a blue and white sailor dress, Alex arrived in the courtyard. The specter had been killed at 3 AM, along with about ten others. She couldn''t believe they hadn''t reported anything. The specter guarding the courtyard gate immediately reported to Alex. "Killed by werewolves?!" Alex was silent. It must be the same group of werewolves from yesterday, seeking revenge for their fallen kin. It was normal for specters to be discovered, but Alex hadn''t expected the werewolves to have the ability to kill them. "Continue observing, but be careful." If the enemy could kill undead, Alex had to be cautious. Most specters were Standard level, but she needed to understand the werewolves'' purpose in the snowy mountain. "I heard wolves have a keen sense of smell. I brought their kin''s corpses back. Will they track me here?" Alex was worried and turned to Ice Cream. "Ice Cream, how strong is Skyreach Mountains compared to the dwarf kingdom, Hobgoblin kingdom, and human empire?" Ice Cream: ? Why ask such a question? To dragons, these forces are all the same... Wait, Skyreach Mountains is different. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Skyreach Mountains is decent. Their leader is said to be Sovereign level, with potential to become a god. My mother said their leader is slightly stronger than her. The dwarves and Hobgoblins are weak, without even an Sovereign level. The human empire is slightly stronger." Both humans and dragons had produced Divine level beings or currently had them. The wolves were close but not quite there. The dwarves and Hobgoblins were strong to lower-tier forces but weak to upper-tier ones. "So strong?!" Alex had thought Skyreach Mountains was at most King level, but they had an Sovereign level! Wait, so the frost dragon and six-winged angel were Sovereign level. Alex, then a Standard level, had witnessed an Sovereign level battle? Sovereign level was the upper limit for most strong beings. Ascending to Divine level was extremely difficult, requiring talent, opportunity, and luck. "Would an Sovereign level willingly die for this?" Alex held the Frost Heart, puzzled. Maybe different species had different beliefs. Never mind, better be cautious. She was too weak now; encountering a Monarch level would be fatal. Alex suspected there was a Monarch level werewolf in the snowy mountain. She decided to recall all ground troops from the Dark Forest perimeter, concentrating them in her territory to reduce the chance of being discovered. Fortunately, the Specter Chandelier was a Monarch level structure, making it invisible to anyone below Monarch level, giving Alex some peace of mind. "I need to increase my strength quickly. I''m only lv6 Commanding, far from Monarch level." Alex sighed, wondering where to find more experience. Meanwhile, in Lucian''s castle on the Barren Plains. Lucian faced a dire situation, discovered by three factions, each of which he couldn''t defeat. With werewolves in the snowy mountain, Alex wouldn''t go there for now, but Lucian didn''t know that. The Elemental Alliance, having suffered heavy losses, wouldn''t target Lucian for now. Both the Elemental Alliance and Lucian faced the same threat: the Starfallen Empire. The Alliance was better off, as their location was still hidden. Lucian was unlucky; if the Empire attacked, he was doomed. Lucian hadn''t slept, desperately seeking allies to relocate. Despite many Lords seeking allies, most were third-tier or lower. Second-tier and above had either found allies or decided to go solo, with few seeking alliances. Lucian couldn''t be picky. He needed to move, regardless of the ally''s strength. He even offered resources, but instead of attracting allies, it made the Lords think he was a scammer. One Lord, who had noted all first-tier Lords'' names, exposed Lucian on World Chat. [Peppa]: "Don''t trust him. I noted all first-tier Lords'' names. He''s definitely one of them, trying to scam an Alliance, move in, and kill everyone!" [White Tiger]: "My silence is deafening." [Banana Lover]: "Bro, now that you mention it, it makes sense. Why would a first-tier Lord seek us weaklings as allies and offer resources? He must be trying to scam us!" ... Lucian''s forehead veins bulged as he read World Chat. He wanted to kill these foolish Lords. Despite the insults, Lucian didn''t give up. He didn''t want to die. Finally, he found an ally. Amidst the scorn, someone chose Lucian. He almost thought he had found true love. But he was soon disappointed. The ally''s castle was in an even more dangerous location, and they wanted to move to Lucian''s place. Lucian sighed, realizing they were both in the same boat. He agreed, hoping the ally wasn''t too weak. [Dracula]: "I''ve invited you. Move over." Chapter 124: Lucians new ally On the other side of the continent, Peter, Lucian''s newly found ally, known by his castle ID [Lone Wolf], looked at Lucian''s invitation on his system dashboard and smiled."Finally, I can leave this hellhole. If I stayed a few more days, my corpse would probably be crawling with maggots." Peter didn''t hesitate to accept the invitation. As his castle was gradually covered by the teleportation array, it vanished from its original location. In the Barren Plains, Lucian stood outside his castle, ready to welcome his new ally. With a flash of light, a black castle covered in claw marks appeared in Lucian''s view. Lucian suddenly caught a whiff of a foul stench, the air filled with a nauseating odor. "Oh, my esteemed ally, was your castle located in a garbage dump?" Peter emerged from his castle, covering his nose. When Peter and Lucian''s eyes met, it was as if they were long-lost enemies. Their eyes turned red with inexplicable rage. Both knew this wasn''t their doing. Could it be their bloodlines? What kind of bloodline would make a vampire feel such revulsion? Werewolves! The Flame Demon Wolves, Frost Werewolves, and Frost Sprites Lucian had fought before weren''t true werewolves. They were merely creatures resembling werewolves. Peter seemed to realize this too. His previous castle location had been overrun with vampires, prompting his urgent move. "Lowly werewolf!" "Weak vampire!" Vampires and werewolves had been mortal enemies since ancient times. Legend had it that the ancestors of both races were twin brothers who became bitter foes. Vampires enslaved werewolves for centuries. The werewolves eventually rose up, overthrowing the vampires'' rule, discovering that the high-and-mighty vampires weren''t invincible. Vampire and werewolf blood were incompatible. If either was bitten by the other, their blood cells would lose vitality, leading to instant death. Compared to other races, both vampires and werewolves had exaggerated self-healing abilities and formidable physical traits, making them nearly impossible to kill. But for these two races, killing each other was as simple as a single bite. Peter''s muscles bulged, his body swelling and tearing through his shirt. Fur sprouted all over his body, his head transforming into a wolf''s, revealing rows of sharp fangs dripping with foul saliva. In an instant, Peter became a 10-foot-tall werewolf covered in gray fur. "Fuck, this is so unlucky!" Even the usually emotionless Lucian couldn''t help but curse. He hadn''t just failed to find an ally; he had brought in an enemy. In a flash, they charged at each other, their newly formed alliance shattered. Countless vampires and werewolves poured out of their respective castles, clashing violently. Lucian was agile, and Peter was quick to react. They exchanged dozens of blows, leaving wounds that quickly healed, showing that such attacks were ineffective. Their enmity was ingrained in their blood, a primal instinct, leaving no room for negotiation. They saw only each other, intent on killing the other. Vampires outnumbered werewolves. Lucian had the luck to transform an entire village of humans, while Peter, born in vampire territory, wasn''t as fortunate. Each werewolf faced three to four vampires. Despite their superior individual strength, werewolves were at a disadvantage due to the vampires'' agility and ability to fly. The werewolves were quickly overwhelmed and killed by the vampires. Lucian realized Peter wasn''t his match. Finally, he had found someone he could defeat besides Samson. Lucian, done testing Peter, went all out, using his blood to attack. ????????.??? Lucian''s blood could be controlled and manipulated, posing a significant threat to Peter. A single wound from Lucian''s blood would be fatal. Peter''s only weapon was his claws, lacking any special abilities, making it increasingly difficult to counter Lucian. "Fuck you!" Peter, enraged, resorted to verbal attacks. Unlike the vampires'' inherent rationality and calm, werewolves became violent and frenzied when transformed. Peter leaped into the air, claws extended towards Lucian, but missed. Lucian''s sword slashed Peter''s hand, and Peter immediately severed his own hand, which turned to ash on the ground. His hand quickly regenerated. Lucian''s blood rained down, and Peter dodged swiftly, running on all fours. He didn''t believe Lucian''s blood was endless. Once it was exhausted, he could counterattack. As time passed, Peter hadn''t depleted Lucian''s blood, but his werewolves were all dead, surrounded by countless vampires. Lucian hovered above, sneering at Peter below. "I submit to you!" Seeing the hopeless situation, Peter chose to surrender. Besides Lucian, there were many other Commanding level vampires, making victory impossible. "Do you think I would trust a werewolf''s words?" Lucian knew that under the influence of racial hatred, even if Peter submitted, he would likely betray Lucian at the first opportunity. "Kill him!" The surrounding vampires, already furious at the werewolf, swarmed at Lucian''s command. In his final moments, Peter didn''t resist. In this harsh world, death was just an end. He sent a message on World Chat. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Lone Wolf]: "Brothers, I sacrificed my life to expose [Dracula] Lord''s plot. His troops are vampires, capable of transforming humans. He deceived everyone to strengthen himself!" [Lace Panties]: "A great pioneer!" [Cuban Cigar]: "I knew it! Thanks for your sacrifice!" As Lucian''s blood pierced Peter, his body turned to black smoke and dissipated, and his castle began to crumble. Lucian was puzzled. Why had Peter opened the chat interface before dying? Was he saying goodbye to loved ones? Curious, Lucian opened World Chat. Lucian: "Holy fuck." Lucian''s message was immediately met with a barrage of insults from the entire channel. ... Just at this moment, Alex was also browsing World Chat. "Did he break some kind of sacred rule?" Alex wondered, realizing she hadn''t spoken in World Chat for days. Feeling a bit sympathetic towards Lucian, she decided to speak up for him. [Hamburger]: "Sometimes, it''s worth reflecting on yourself. Have you gotten stronger over these days? Have you been seriously developing?" As a well-known Lord, Alex''s message immediately drew a flood of praise from other Lords, completely ignoring her actual words and forgetting their recent anger at Lucian. Alex didn''t reply further. She remembered she hadn''t visited the continent of Arsen for a day. With the snowy mountain in chaos, she couldn''t develop here, so she planned to send more undead to Arsen. Just as she was about to enter the Portal of Transit, she received simultaneous messages from Sophie and Chi-Chi. [King Kong]: "Miss Alex, I''ve discovered a group of Hobgoblins!" [QuartzStriker]: "Specters have detected Silverbeard Clan dwarves heading into the depths of White Rock Mountains!" Chapter 125: Monarch-level dwarf？ This was exactly what she feared.Sophie had some undead, enough to fend off the Silverbeard Clan''s attack. Alex needed to first understand the situation with the Hobgoblins from Chi-Chi. [Hamburger]: "Have the Hobgoblins discovered your castle?" [King Kong]: "No, I observed them in the swamp. There''s one that looks like a mage, and it can fly. It''s leading a group of Hobgoblins towards the snowy mountain." Alex breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they hadn''t been discovered, Chi-Chi was safe for now. The flying mage-like Hobgoblin was likely a Hobgoblin Shaman. But Alex remembered that the Hobgoblin Shaman she had killed before couldn''t fly. Wait, could this Hobgoblin be Monarch level?! Alex felt she might be right. But what puzzled her was why the Hobgoblins were heading to the snowy mountain. What were they all after? Despite her curiosity, the immediate priority was to fend off the Silverbeard Clan''s attack. With that in mind, Alex stepped through the portal and arrived at White Rock Mountains. She noticed that Sophie''s castle now had two additional ballista towers, and a transparent shield covered the sky. A larger furnace had been built next to the existing one, likely the advanced furnace. The number of busy dwarves had increased, and Alex estimated there were at least five to six hundred of them. With two furnaces working, they could now produce eight thousand iron ingots daily, enough to upgrade the town every two days. Alex felt immensely satisfied with her decision to save the dwarves. As she walked towards the castle, the dwarves greeted her warmly. "No need to be so formal. Don''t use this as an excuse to slack off," Alex said, waving them off as she entered the castle. She found Sophie directing the dwarves to distribute food; it was mealtime. "Big Shot, you''re here! I noticed you weren''t in the castle several times yesterday." "Yesterday? Nothing much, just went out to collect some protection fees. What''s the situation with the dwarves?" Alex had been feeling uneasy lately. Since the battle with Baldwin, Monarch level beings had started appearing more frequently, making her suspect that the dwarves might also have a Monarch level among them. Though she wasn''t sure, she felt it was highly likely. "The specters at the White Rock Mountains'' border spotted ten dwarves investigating the dwarf mine and fortress, heading deeper into the mountains," Sophie reported. "Only ten?" Alex felt a pang of anxiety. The fewer the number, the higher the quality. Could there really be a Monarch level enemy? "Did they have any unusual features, like the ability to fly?" "No, but their armor and weapons were better than the dwarves we''ve encountered before," Sophie said, recalling the specters'' descriptions. Alex didn''t believe they were just there to investigate. No, she couldn''t sit idly by. If there was a Monarch level enemy, they were in serious trouble. "Don''t look so relaxed. I''m not invincible. Come with me; there''s a high chance one of them is Monarch level. We can''t let them find this place." Alex mounted her griffin, and Sophie hesitated for a moment. Monarch level? She had never even dared to think about it. She didn''t even have a Commanding level yet. ????????.??? Sophie tried to ride with Alex on the same griffin, but Alex stopped her. "You''ll lead the way. If the enemy is Monarch level, return immediately and warn everyone to evacuate. I''ll try to hold them off," Alex said seriously. Sophie nodded, realizing the gravity of the situation. She quickly found another griffin and mounted it. Whoosh¡ª Sophie took off on her griffin, with Alex following closely, heading towards the outskirts of White Rock Mountains. Meanwhile, deep within White Rock Mountains, a group of ten dwarves continued their advance. They wore deep blue armor with faint arcs of electricity. The nine dwarves wielded war hammers, while the leader carried a spiked mace. They rode lizard-like beasts, swiftly navigating the rugged terrain of White Rock Mountains. Ahead, a tall mountain stood, the highest peak in the area. They climbed towards it, planning to survey the surroundings from the summit. "They must be hiding within White Rock Mountains. Send out all the scout eagles. Report to the leader as soon as you find them," the leading dwarf ordered. The dwarves stood on the summit and blew their whistles. The eagles circling above scattered in all directions. The dwarves took out telescopes, scanning the area for any signs, waiting for the eagles to report back. Alex and Sophie, flying on their griffins, soon spotted a group of eagles ahead. Alex wondered where so many eagles had come from, while Sophie shouted. "Those are the dwarves'' scout eagles, Big Shot! Kill them!" The eagles, seeing Alex and Sophie, began circling back. Alex closed her eyes, then opened them, her left eye glowing blue. The eagles burst into black flames and plummeted to the ground. Alex and Sophie flew towards the direction the eagles had come from, knowing the dwarves must be there. "Big Shot, they''re on that mountain peak!" Sophie exclaimed, pointing. "I see them. Stay here and observe. I''ll go down and test them." Alex, riding her griffin, saw the dwarves, who also saw her. Without hesitation, she leaped off the griffin. As she fell, the wind whipped her face, her white hair streaming behind her. Below, ten dwarves stood, one with a spiked mace standing out. If anyone was likely to be Monarch level, it was him. In mid-air, Alex drew her scythe, black flames trailing behind it, her eyes glowing different colors. Not knowing if he was Monarch level, Alex decided to go all out from the start, targeting the dwarf with the spiked mace. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dwarf, seeing her, swung his mace, arcs of electricity gathering, ready to strike Alex with a full-force blow. As Alex landed, she teleported in front of the dwarf, swinging her scythe. The dwarf met her attack with his mace. Boom! The small summit exploded, lightning arcing out, causing explosions around them. A circular shockwave spread from the summit, forcing the other nine dwarves to shield their faces from the dust and debris. Chapter 126: Alex VS dwarf leader Through this test, Alex judged that the opponent''s strength was on par with hers, not at Monarch level.Alex breathed a sigh of relief. However, even with the scythe''s double attribute boost, she could only barely match her opponent. This meant the dwarf was at least lv8 or lv9 Commanding level. Fortunately, it wasn''t a Monarch level. Monarch level beings were extremely powerful; it was unlikely to encounter them every time. The dwarf was equally surprised by the strength of this extraterrestrial visitor girl, marveling at the rapid growth of these visitors. The small, irregularly shaped flat area on the mountaintop felt like a makeshift arena for the two of them. The dwarf''s deep blue armor seemed to activate, sending arcs of lightning from his hands into the spiked mace, increasing the force Alex had to withstand. In an instant, Alex turned into black mist, evading the dwarf''s attack. She reappeared among the other dwarves. She couldn''t let that dwarf hold her back; all these dwarves had to die to prevent them from reporting back. "Kill her!" the dwarf leader commanded, seeing Alex appear behind them. He ordered the surrounding dwarves to attack the human girl. He could sense that Alex''s strength was on par with his, so he planned to use the other dwarves to wear her down, giving him a chance to kill her. The surrounding dwarves, wielding war hammers, charged at Alex, surrounding her. Some dwarves'' war hammers crackled with lightning as they swung at her, while others leaped from their mounts, attacking from different directions. Alex''s right eye displayed a frost pattern, and the entire mountaintop was instantly frozen, exuding a bone-chilling cold. Countless ice spikes shot out from around Alex, striking the surrounding dwarves and forcing them back. Some dwarves shattered the ice spikes, while others were injured by them. Alex swung her scythe at one of the dwarves in front of her, shattering his war hammer and sending him flying with a single strike. Apart from the dwarf with the spiked mace, Alex found the others weren''t very strong. One-on-one, Alex could easily kill any of them. "Cough, cough..." The dwarves injured by the ice spikes suddenly started coughing, struggling to breathe. "There''s poison in the ice!" The dwarves noticed a faint green glow beneath the ice. Though the poison wasn''t lethal, it significantly weakened their combat abilities. Countless ice spikes shot out again, and this time the dwarves didn''t dare to take them head-on, scattering to avoid them. Two dwarves, poisoned and unable to dodge in time, had their feet frozen, and black flames quickly consumed them. In just a few breaths, Alex had killed three of the nine dwarves. The dwarf leader, seeing this, could no longer stand by. He had hoped they could hold Alex off, but she was killing them too quickly. The dwarf leader, wielding his spiked mace, leaped into the air, aiming to smash Alex from above. The ground shattered, sending ice shards flying. Alex teleported away, reappearing beside another dwarf and killing him instantly. The dwarf leader, enraged, found Alex''s teleportation speed too fast for the other dwarves to react. Alex used 50 Mana Points to cast a curse on the remaining five dwarves. The first-level curse magic had only one skill: physical curse, similar to a weakening effect, unable to kill enemies of the same level. The five dwarves spat blood, their faces pale. Alex was about to kill the five dwarves when she sensed a strong wind behind her. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Clang! Alex turned and blocked the spiked mace with her scythe, her feet sliding back on the ice. "Leave here. I''ll handle this girl!" the dwarf leader ordered the remaining five dwarves, who immediately prepared to ride their lizards away. Suddenly, a melodious flute sound filled the air, and the five lizards inexplicably ran towards Alex instead of fleeing. ??? The dwarves quickly dismounted, trying to escape on foot. Alex reappeared behind one dwarf, her scythe easily cutting through his armor and killing him. Dark magic formed a spear, piercing another dwarf, while the ice on the ground surged, freezing another. The last two dwarves tried to run, but Alex intercepted them. They stopped, gripping their war hammers, too scared to move. The dwarf leader charged at Alex, who met him head-on. As she passed the two dwarves, she lightly touched them, freezing them in despair. These nine dwarves were all between lv1 and lv3 Commanding level, considered low-level Commanding. Alex, at lv6, could easily kill them. Hearing the continuous clash of weapons below, Sophie, riding her griffin in the sky, was stunned. It was her first time seeing Alex fight at full strength; she was incredibly powerful. Sophie put away her flute, silently praying for Alex. She could see that the dwarf with the spiked mace was very strong. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? The dwarf leader, seeing the nine dead dwarves, was furious but helpless. He couldn''t stop Alex. Alex''s teleportation made her very agile. However, to quickly deal with the dwarves, she had used a lot of magic, leaving her with only half her Mana Points. Alex considered deactivating her pseudo-domain to save mana, but then she saw the dwarf leader''s armor glowing blue, with lightning arcing from his spiked mace. A field of lightning elements formed around him, making Alex feel a tingling sensation all over. A domain? No, it was also a pseudo-domain! The dwarf leader''s spiked mace, now crackling with more lightning, swung at Alex. Even his armor was covered in lightning, glowing blue. Alex met the attack with her scythe, her hands numbed by the electricity, almost dropping her weapon. She quickly retreated, not wanting to take another direct hit. She couldn''t dispel the electric elements for now. The more they fought, the more electricity would accumulate in her body, eventually paralyzing her. Alex began dodging the dwarf leader''s attacks, knowing that the dwarf''s pseudo-domain must consume a lot of mana. He wouldn''t last long. It was a matter of who would run out of mana first. To Alex''s surprise, the dwarf leader could also attack from a distance with his pseudo-domain. Seeing Alex constantly dodging, he started launching lightning attacks at her. Alex countered with ice pillars rising from the ground, blocking the lightning. The dwarf leader, enhanced by his pseudo-domain, moved much faster, almost matching Alex''s usual speed. But Alex could teleport, remaining more agile. "Extraterrestrial visitors!" the dwarf leader shouted in anger. "Hello!" Alex responded politely. He chased, she dodged. They continued this dance until Alex felt the electric elements in the air diminishing. She guessed the dwarf leader''s Mana Points were nearly depleted. Alex suddenly stopped, turning to strike with her scythe. Black flames clashed with blue lightning, and they both stepped back. Alex noticed the numbness in her arms had lessened. Even so, Alex wasn''t entirely at ease. Her whole body was still numb, to the point where pinching her thigh wouldn''t hurt. At that moment, the dwarves Alex had frozen earlier died. Alex gained 120 experience points, leveling up. The level-up increased her attributes slightly, but it didn''t restore her state or remove the negative effects. The dwarf leader felt a strange sensation. The girl before him seemed stronger and quicker. He couldn''t understand it, but he had no interest in human girls. He preferred sturdy, bearded dwarf women. Human girls seemed too frail to him. "Now it''s my turn!" Alex swung her scythe, pushing the dwarf leader back. Countless ice pillars shot at him, but he shattered them with his spiked mace. Alex could only rely on her dark magic now. But dark magic couldn''t create a domain, a current limitation. The dwarf leader''s lightning pseudo-domain was fading. He canceled it, channeling all the electric elements into his spiked mace. The lightning turned from blue to purple, becoming thicker and more powerful. It seemed slow, but the dwarf leader absorbed the lightning in an instant. Alex wasn''t foolish enough to take the hit head-on and used her speed to dodge. The dwarf leader suddenly pulled out a flintlock pistol and fired at Alex. She hadn''t expected this move. "Damn, sneak attack!" Alex''s defense wasn''t strong. Even a firearm, which armor could block, forced her to dodge. She teleported away from the unexpected shot, while the dwarf leader, veins bulging, shattered the ice and charged at her, spiked mace crackling with purple lightning. Alex had just landed from her teleport when the dwarf leader reached her. She barely had time to teleport again, narrowly avoiding his attack. Bang! The dwarf leader''s spiked mace struck Alex''s scythe, sending it flying. Alex quickly enveloped herself in a Dark Barrier, but the impact still sent her crashing to the ground. Sophie, watching from above, was terrified. She saw Alex take a direct hit and immediately wanted to dive down to rescue her. "Big Shot, please be okay!" Alex hit the ice hard, shattering the surface. The Dark Barrier protected her from external injuries. She felt sore all over, her stomach churning, and a metallic taste in her mouth. Her hands were numb from the lightning, completely losing sensation. Alex struggled to move, surrounded by scorched earth from the lightning attacks. Only the spot where she lay was untouched. The dwarf leader wouldn''t miss this opportunity. He charged at Alex again, but she teleported away, landing near her fallen scythe. With the double attribute boost, the numbness in her body lessened. Chapter 127: Go to the Dark Forest Sophie sighed in relief. The dwarf leader''s speed had scared her, but Alex was unharmed.Alex had been careless. If not for her strong dark magic, she would have died. Facing Baldwin had made Alex overconfident. She thought Monarch level beings weren''t that formidable and felt no fear against lower levels. Clearly, she was wrong. He was surprised that Alex seemed unscathed after taking his full-force hit. Alex flexed her wrists, trying to regain some feeling. Her scythe ignited with black flames, and she charged at the dwarf leader. Through their previous exchanges, Alex realized that the dwarf leader''s equipment was quite formidable, with the entire set working in unison to greatly enhance his combat abilities. The dwarf leader, standing at about 5 feet tall, was considered tall for a dwarf. To gain an advantage, Alex targeted his chest armor with Frost Magic in every attack, always hitting the same spot. Despite his rich combat experience, the dwarf leader had no idea that Alex could use other types of magic, as she had never shown it until now. After several attacks, when Alex''s scythe clashed with his spiked mace again, she unleashed a pillar of fire at the same spot on his chest armor. The clash of extreme cold and intense heat. Crack¡ª A small crack appeared in the dwarf leader''s chest armor. Even a tiny crack significantly weakened the synergy of his armor set. The dwarf leader looked at his chest in surprise, then at Alex''s flaming left hand, his eyes widening in shock. With his chest armor cracked, the dwarf leader''s defense was greatly compromised. Suddenly, flames erupted around them, creating a sea of fire. Alex raised her left hand, gathering countless flames above her palm, forming a massive fireball. Alex hurled the fireball at the dwarf leader. He tried to dodge, but it was futile. The fireball hit the ground beside him, causing a massive explosion that engulfed the entire mountaintop like a volcanic eruption. Alex stood amidst the flames, surrounded by a sea of orange and red, obscuring everything from view. She conjured a spear burning with black flames. With a swift motion, she hurled the spear through the fire towards the dwarf leader. This was Alex''s last bit of Mana Points. If this didn''t kill him, she knew she wouldn''t have another chance. The dark spear pierced the dwarf leader''s chest armor, impaling him and allowing the black flames to corrode his life force. The dwarf leader, already exhausted and out of Mana Points after his strongest attack, found his defense severely weakened with his armor broken. His body grew weaker. His vision blurred, blood pouring from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground, lifeless. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing a lv9 Commanding enemy. You have gained 200 experience points.] So, he was lv9 Commanding level! Alex closed the system interface. As the flames died down, the mountaintop came into view. The surrounding dwarves'' bodies were completely incinerated, and the dwarf leader''s armor was destroyed by the black flames, leaving only the spiked mace intact. Alex collected the remaining equipment. With the bodies gone, there was nothing left to Disassemble. The fire had erased all traces of the battle. "Big Shot, are you okay?" Sophie landed her griffin and rushed to Alex, concerned. Alex shook her head weakly, indicating she was fine. Suddenly, she felt a surge in her stomach. "Ugh¡ª" Alex vomited a mouthful of clotted blood, a result of the dwarf leader''s impact. Sophie quickly placed her hand on Alex''s back, a soft green glow enveloping her as healing magic flowed through her body. Alex felt her condition gradually improve, her complexion becoming rosier. Healing magic was a slow process, not instantly curing injuries but providing significant relief. After about ten minutes, Alex''s injuries were mostly healed, and she felt much better. "This spiked mace is pretty good. It could be useful for Balin Forgeheart," Alex said, examining the spiked mace''s attributes. It was indeed powerful. The mace enhanced the wearer''s abilities and sensitivity to electric elements, boosting various attributes by nearly fifteen points. It was likely the armor set that had allowed the dwarf leader to develop a pseudo-domain. "Let''s head back. Keep an eye on things here with the Phantoms. I need to focus on leveling up," Alex said. Fortunately, the dwarves were in the midst of internal strife, their forces scattered. Otherwise, a Monarch level enemy would have come. Alex had barely managed to defeat a lv9 Commanding level; a Monarch level would have been impossible. "Got it!" Alex and Sophie mounted their griffins and flew back to the castle. Upon returning, Alex distributed the dwarves'' equipment to the castle''s dwarves. Dwarves using dwarven equipment¡ªno problem, right? The Commanding level equipment wasn''t worth much, but it allowed the dwarves to study the forging methods. Alex handed the spiked mace to Balin Forgeheart, whose bearded face lit up with joy. Though it was just one piece, it was a top-tier Commanding level item, far superior to ordinary Commanding level gear. Balin Forgeheart wanted to express his gratitude, but Sophie intercepted him at Alex''s signal. Alex finally had time to check her personal dashboard. She was now lv7, with attributes significantly higher than when she leveled from lv5 to lv6. Her health and mana had also increased. Through numerous battles and level-ups, Alex noticed a pattern: levels one to nine could be divided into three stages. Within the same stage, there wasn''t much difference in strength. Every three levels, the attribute boost was more substantial. "So, it''s early, mid, and late stages?" Alex muttered as she walked towards the Portal of Transit. Before entering, she waved to Sophie. "I''m leaving this to you. See you!" With a flash of the portal, Alex returned to her castle. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? She needed to level up quickly. Her encounters with the dwarf leader and Baldwin had shown her the strength of the local forces. Maybe it wasn''t that they were too strong, but that the extraterrestrial visitors from Earth were too weak. Even common beast tribes often had Monarch level members, while the highest among the Lords was Commanding level. With many foreign forces arriving at the snowy mountain, it had become a highly sensitive area. Alex didn''t dare send out her undead, only dispatching specters for reconnaissance. Smaller units like Ethereal Wraiths, Shadowghast Knights, and John were sent to the Dark Forest to develop. Their small size and agility made them hard to detect, unlike a zombie titan, which would be spotted immediately. Alex planned to have these undead secretly gain experience in the Dark Forest. She couldn''t remain idle either. Killing a few enemies of the same level would quickly level her up. But before grinding levels, Alex needed to disguise herself to blend in with the locals. Otherwise, she''d be recognized as an extraterrestrial visitor and attacked on sight. "Ice Cream, do you know what the mages from the mage association look like?" Alex asked, hoping for some insight. "Human mages? They probably wear black robes and carry magic staffs, maybe like necromancers," Ice Cream said, trying to recall. "Probably? Maybe?" Alex felt Ice Cream''s description wasn''t very reliable, but she figured the general image was close enough. She found a black robe in her wardrobe, similar to a raincoat, with a loose hood. The robe was large and comfortable. There were also some strange clothes, likely from the local human culture, but Alex found their fashion sense questionable. She kept her sailor dress on and donned the black robe, tying her hair into a bun. The hood covered her eyes, hiding the upper part of her face. To see the road ahead, she had to walk with her head slightly lowered. No wonder mages always looked like that; they couldn''t see the road otherwise. The pointed tip of the hood was crooked. Alex checked herself in the mirror, thinking she looked more like a witch than a mage. "Ice Cream, how do I look? Like a mage?" Ice Cream examined her and, after a moment of silence, replied, "Like." Satisfied, Alex dragged her robe and headed outside. At the castle gate, she tripped on the robe and nearly fell, but teleported to avoid the embarrassment. Alex called John and the Ethereal Wraiths, Shadowghast Knights, and set off stealthily to the Dark Forest. Today''s mission was simple: grind and level up! ... In the southern part of Frostwind snowy mountain, a group of werewolves had carved out a cave to temporarily settle. Without enough manpower to build a castle, they had to make do with the cave. "Have you found those tigers yet?" the werewolf leader asked impatiently. "Sir, their scent has been masked. We''ve searched most of the snowy mountain but haven''t found them," a giant wolf explained respectfully. The werewolf leader was annoyed. "No results mean no results. What''s the point of all this talk? You lot are just picking up useless human habits." "And the undead?" "None." The werewolf leader''s face twisted in anger. "Useless!" "Leader, we did find something. A group of Hobgoblins has also entered the snowy mountain," the giant wolf quickly added, wagging its tail. "Hobgoblins?" The werewolf leader''s mood improved as he stepped outside. "These lowly creatures, what makes them think they can meddle here?" Since the frost dragon''s death, all sorts of riffraff dared to venture into Frostwind snowy mountain. The werewolf leader decided to lead his pack to kill the Hobgoblins and feast on their meat. Meanwhile, in a hidden bunker on the other side of the snowy mountain, the Arctic Tigerfolk hadn''t ventured out for two days. They had sent a tiger being to forage, but after discovering the werewolves, they stayed inside. They survived on stored food, but supplies were running low, forcing them to ration. To conserve energy, the tiger being guard instructed everyone to sleep as much as possible, though they weren''t bears and couldn''t hibernate. This reduced food consumption but wasn''t sustainable long-term. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tiger being guard glanced at the queen''s chamber. If food ran out, they would have to risk foraging, but the harsh environment and scarcity of prey made it dangerous and likely to attract other forces. Sighing, the guard looked at the sleeping tribe members. He couldn''t let them starve. ... The perpetual blizzards and cold winds of Frostwind snowy mountain, with no clear skies. Werewolves and tiger beings, with their thick fur, were naturally resistant to the cold. But the Hobgoblins struggled. Their small bodies sank into the snow, sometimes burying them completely. Wrapped in thick animal pelts, the Hobgoblins trudged through the snow, cursing their fate. Why did they have to come to this godforsaken place? They glanced at the flying Hobgoblin Shaman, too afraid to complain. Suddenly, a group of giant wolves appeared ahead, led by the werewolf leader. The werewolf leader was surprised to see the Hobgoblin Shaman, recognizing him. "Snazzle, it seems your Hobgoblin kingdom is serious about coming to the snowy mountain," the werewolf leader mocked, implying that the Hobgoblins were too weak for this place. A Monarch level was high-end combat power in the Hobgoblin kingdom, but in Skyreach Mountains, a Monarch level was nothing. The werewolf leader wasn''t afraid, but he found shamans and similar opponents annoying and didn''t want to waste time. Chapter 128: Count Nocturne The Hobgoblin Shaman, seeing the werewolf leader, became visibly tense. Skyreach Mountains was a force that the Hobgoblin kingdom could only look up to.Monarch levels were rare in the Hobgoblin kingdom, so it wasn''t surprising that the werewolf leader, backed by Skyreach Mountains, knew his name. In contrast, Skyreach Mountains had countless Monarch levels, and every wolf face looked almost identical, making it impossible for Snazzle to recognize the werewolf leader before him. "Are you here to stop us, leader of Skyreach Mountains?" Snazzle asked, his eyes wary as he hovered in the air, watching the werewolves below. The Hobgoblins on the ground were equally tense, not expecting to run into such bad luck right after arriving at the snowy mountain. The werewolf leader scanned the Hobgoblins, his gaze settling on Snazzle in the air. Snazzle was a Monarch level, flying around and using magic like an annoying fly. Among the Hobgoblins, there were also many Commanding levels, so the werewolves didn''t have a significant advantage. Without saying a word, the werewolf leader turned and left, followed by his pack, disappearing from the Hobgoblins'' sight. All the Hobgoblins breathed a sigh of relief. Although their strength was not inferior to the werewolves, they didn''t want to provoke the powerful Skyreach Mountains. As for the werewolf leader, he decided against engaging because the Hobgoblins had a Monarch level among them, making it a troublesome fight. Besides, they had more important tasks at hand and didn''t want unnecessary casualties. Meanwhile, Lucian''s castle received a group of unexpected visitors. They were pale, elegant, and the leader wore a black suit, contrasting sharply with Lucian''s attire. The only difference was his high-collared cloak, black on the outside and red on the inside. The group behind him wore white shirts and black vests, with red bow ties at their chests, looking very gentlemanly. The leader gazed at Lucian''s castle, sensing a familiar aura from this extraterrestrial visitor''s stronghold. Initially, they were just passing through and had no interest in these extraterrestrial visitors, unless they were Lords with human troops, which they would eliminate to obtain fresh blood. But according to this vampire leader, all Lords were supposed to be human. Some had other bloodlines, but they were generally weak, with their primary bloodline still being human. Such Lords'' blood disgusted vampires, like drinking coffee mixed with chili oil. The vampire leader stepped towards Lucian''s castle. The vampires inside sensed the intruders and wanted to attack, but the superior bloodline of the newcomers suppressed them, forcing them into submission. "A bunch of blood thralls." The vampire''s guess was confirmed. Only vampires with a count-level bloodline could transform blood thralls, and only pureblood direct-line vampires could reach the count level. Inside the castle, Lucian noticed the group of native vampires entering. He felt a surge of tension, his eyes wary as he watched them. Lucian sensed immense pressure from the leader, even greater than when facing Baldwin. The leader''s bloodline was on par with his own. However, Lucian didn''t detect any hostility from him and quickly calmed down. "Who are you?" Lucian asked. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Count Nocturne of the Nocturne family," the vampire leader said with a charming smile and a magnetic voice that seemed to captivate. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "I am here today to invite you to join the blood clan and become part of our family." Lucian''s bloodline was not inferior to Count Nocturne''s, making it impossible to replicate or transfer. It could only be absorbed by the same clan, but it wouldn''t benefit Nocturne much. The blood clan had been forced into hiding for too long. Rather than killing Lucian, it was better to have him join and strengthen the clan. Nocturne knew that a vampire with such a high bloodline had immense potential, and killing him would be a waste. Of course, they wouldn''t force the Lord. If he refused, they could always kill him later. Such a high-level bloodline that couldn''t be controlled by the clan couldn''t be allowed to exist. Lucian fell silent, deep in thought. His first instinct was to find a way to kill the intruders, but seeing how their mere presence suppressed his troops, he abandoned that hope. This vampire was undoubtedly Monarch level, far stronger than Baldwin. "Do you have any concerns? Rest assured, if you join the blood clan, your status will be equal to mine. I guarantee you will not become a slave," Count Nocturne said, his tone casual and calm. "What if I refuse?" Lucian asked, knowing that vampires lacked emotions and couldn''t be read through their expressions. Lucian had no other options. Since the vampire was willing to talk, he had to ask, even if it seemed foolish. "You are an extraterrestrial visitor. Naturally, we would kill you," Count Nocturne replied, extinguishing Lucian''s last hope. Lucian had already prepared himself for this outcome. It was the classic choice: submit or die. "In that case, I don''t seem to have any other choice," Lucian said, resigning himself to his fate. At least joining them was better than dying, and he wouldn''t become a slave. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Count Nocturne smiled knowingly. He had expected Lucian to agree. Extraterrestrial visitors feared death, just like vampires. The higher the bloodline, the more they feared death. "Give me a drop of your essence blood. I will present it to the progenitor to complete the bloodline link," Count Nocturne said. Lucian pierced his chest and extracted a drop of his essence blood. A vampire quickly collected it in a special container designed to prevent corrosion. "Not submitting to you?" Lucian asked, surprised. He had expected to be controlled by the vampire before him. "You jest. Your bloodline is equal to mine. I don''t have that authority," Count Nocturne replied, pleased with the unexpected gain of a high-level bloodline. He knew the progenitor would reward him. Count Nocturne, in high spirits, stored Lucian''s blood and looked at him, his wound healing rapidly. The air was filled with the scent of Lucian''s blood, confirming he was a pureblood vampire. "Life in a dull castle can be boring, like a cage. Why don''t I take you out to see the world?" Count Nocturne suggested. Lucian couldn''t refuse and agreed. The group of vampires left Lucian''s castle, heading towards Frostwind snowy mountain. Chapter 129: Specter King [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends]Night fell once again on the continent of Eldoria, and Alex returned to her castle. The creatures on the outskirts of the Dark Forest were now too weak for her, most being Standard level, with only the highest leaders barely reaching low-level Commanding. Today, the specters brought no news from the snowy mountain, as if it had suddenly fallen silent. This struck Alex as odd. She didn''t believe that the Hobgoblins and werewolves had just taken a stroll through the snowy mountain and left. Stretching as she walked into the castle, Alex had already stashed the uncomfortable black robe into her ring. With the undead forces needing to pull back, Alex wasn''t gaining much experience without going out to fight. White Rock Mountains had nothing but the Silverbeard Clan dwarves. It wasn''t that Alex didn''t want to attack them; she was genuinely afraid that next time, a Monarch level dwarf might show up, equipped with Monarch level gear. That would be a nightmare. Dwarves were master forgers, and Alex had never seen a dwarf without equipment. So, she could only hope to break through from the Dark Forest side, hoping the undead would kill more enemies at night, allowing her to enjoy the triple experience boost while lying in her castle. Alex wasn''t missing any opportunity for experience. She even started snatching Ice Cream''s food, eating some elite food herself. Even if it only gave her two points of experience, it was still experience. "Forget it, I''ll sleep first and deal with it tomorrow." Alex stripped off her clothes, preparing for a relaxing bath. It had been over ten days, and Alex figured that by now, the lowest level Lords should be at Commanding level. She wondered how many Lords had disappeared from this world over these days. She also wondered when this ordeal would end. Sometimes, Alex fantasized that this was all just a dream. After her bath, Alex slipped naked into bed, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. She smoothed her hair, pulled up the covers, and went to sleep. Time: 06:00 AM Alex had developed a fixed biological clock, waking up at six every morning. If she remembered correctly, today was the thirteenth day. Tomorrow¡ªno, tonight¡ªthe leaderboard would refresh again. Alex was somewhat looking forward to it. She got out of bed and walked to her wardrobe. Opening it, she saw a white camisole. Alex was silent, feeling as if the wardrobe was hinting for her to wear it. She looked down at herself, realizing her breasts weren''t as large as she had imagined. So, even if she danced in that camisole, she wouldn''t have to worry about exposing herself. However, Alex decided against wearing it. She planned to venture deeper into the Dark Forest today, which would inevitably involve combat, so a skirt was out of the question. She opted for her usual attire. Ten minutes later, dressed in casual clothes and draped in the same black robe from yesterday, Alex was ready to head out. Before leaving, she checked the Warehouse. Another five thousand iron ingots had been produced, indicating the dwarves hadn''t been slacking. She glanced at the seven thousand corpses outside the wall, half of which had already been summoned. Alex quickly Disassembled the remaining corpses. Luckily, it had only been a day. If it had been two more days, the corpses would have started to rot, and the stench would have been unbearable. Alex would have had to throw them all into the Blackwater Altar, even if it meant losing the double summoning bonus. Alex clicked Disassemble within the castle, processing four thousand corpses, leaving only three thousand. The pile of corpses outside the wall instantly halved. Alex gained 3k magic crystals, 300 Essence Shards, nearly four thousand pieces of Standard equipment, and a few Commanding level items. She tossed all the Disassembled equipment to Chi-Chi, as it was of no use to her. "Perfect, I have 350 Essence Shards now. Time to upgrade the Barracks." Alex upgraded her Barracks by one level. Apart from the higher cost for the next upgrade, there wasn''t much change. The next level required 350 Essence Shards and 35k magic crystals, an increase of fifty and five thousand, respectively. The benefit was that the summoning quantity increased from thirty to forty. Early on, with fewer materials and lower levels, the upgrades were significant. Later, with more materials and higher costs, the upgrades became less impactful. After upgrading the Barracks, Alex remembered she hadn''t summoned today''s troops yet. She headed to the Barracks to do so. As the green light filled the room, today''s troops were freshly summoned. Bone dragons, specters, zombies, zombie titans, Destroyers¡ªthere was a bit of everything. Of course, there were also the ten adorable Acolytes she received daily. Just as Alex finished summoning and was about to leave, she noticed a strange figure emerging. ?! Alex turned back to see an undead floating in the air, also draped in a black robe. Blue flames burned within the robe, with no physical body, and its eyes glowed from within the hood. Alex could tell it was a specter, but it had distinct differences from ordinary specters. "Your most loyal servant greets you, my Queen." Those who could speak did so, and those who couldn''t, Alex didn''t mind. "What is this?!" Alex was incredulous. Often, the best luck came when she was least expecting it. As the Barracks level increased, the chances of summoning a race king also increased. Alex couldn''t wait to check its attributes. [Specter King (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Can level up by killing enemies)] ???¦®§®???.?§°? [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 110] [Mind: 55] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 50] [Growth Limit: Divine level] [Active Skill: Soul Storm, Soul Blade] [Passive Skill: Heart of the Specter] "It''s really a Specter King!" Alex had guessed it. It looked like a specter, so it had to be one. She quickly glanced at the two Active Skills¡ªone was an area attack, and the other boosted combat power. The Passive Skill was similar to John''s, allowing all specters to remove their level cap. Even specters summoned by Alex and necromancers could continue to level up. Sweet, Alex thought. She desperately needed to boost her strength, and the Specter King came at the perfect time. Looking at the blue flames burning within its robe and eyes, Alex decided to name it. "Azure, from now on, you''ll be called Azure!" "Thank you, my Queen, for the name." In high spirits, Alex took Azure to the Dark Forest. Such a small, agile figure was the perfect choice. Alex realized she needed to allocate resources more effectively. She couldn''t let the undead kill indiscriminately anymore. She was already lv7, while Arthur and John were only lv3. This disparity couldn''t continue; she needed to focus resources on the top-tier units. When she reached Monarch level, if they were still mid-level Commanding, they would be useless. Alex had nearly a hundred Commanding level undead, with many stronger than the three kings, but they couldn''t level up. She decided to focus on Arthur, John, and Azure. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If they grew strong, they would be as powerful as Lords. In contrast, ordinary undead of the same level had more limited abilities and couldn''t match them. Alex had been too casual in her development. Now, she needed a proper plan. She led John, Azure, and some Commanding level Shadowghast Knights and Ethereal Wraiths deeper into the Dark Forest. Meanwhile, Chi-Chi, determined not to be a burden to Alex, led her beasts to the nearby swamp. The Dark Forest was too dangerous, so the swamp became her leveling ground. Despite some losses, the rewards were substantial. Chi-Chi felt she was adapting to this world. Hiding was not an option; to grow stronger, she had to kill. Chi-Chi earned money by selling the equipment Alex gave her. While ordinary gear was worthless to Alex, who had thousands of magic crystals, it was valuable to Chi-Chi. A single piece of ordinary equipment could sell for two magic crystals. Alex had given Chi-Chi thousands of Standard items and a few Commanding level ones. Chi-Chi sold them all, earning thousands of magic crystals. It was the first time she had seen so many. She used the magic crystals to upgrade her Barracks, significantly speeding up her development compared to hiding in her castle. Chi-Chi had reached lv7, close to Sophie''s level. The Red Blood Gorilla that had accompanied her from the start was now lv9, just a step away from breaking through to Commanding. Chi-Chi knew to funnel all experience to the Red Blood Gorilla, accelerating its growth. During the day, the beasts hunted, and at night, they rested in the Time Chamber. Chi-Chi believed she would soon catch up to Sophie. However, the beasts couldn''t mine or gather stone. While she could upgrade the Barracks with magic crystals and Essence Shards, she lacked resources to upgrade the castle. This frustrated her. If she traded magic crystals for wood and stone, she wouldn''t have enough to upgrade the Barracks. Collecting magic crystals herself was too slow. Chi-Chi was in the sky, directing her beasts to attack a tree monster, a lv1 Commanding level creature, the best target for her to kill with low risk and high reward. Finding one was rare, so Chi-Chi was excited, shouting commands to her beasts. "Go, kill it! Red Blood Gorilla, what are you doing? Use your hands! Do I need to lend you a stick?" Ding! [You have a new private message!] The system notification popped up, blocking Chi-Chi''s view. [Big Boobs]: "Chi-Chi, it''s Luca!" "Brother!" Seeing the name, Chi-Chi was certain it was her long-lost relative. Chi-Chi laughed and cried, overwhelmed with joy. In this foreign world, nothing was more comforting than knowing her family was alive. Ignoring her beasts, Chi-Chi started chatting with her brother, sharing all her experiences. She laughed through her tears, learning from Luca that their father was alive, though their mother was still missing. Luca had formed an Alliance near the desert, a relatively safe area, and had survived the beast tide thanks to the Alliance. Luca urged Chi-Chi to join him, but she hesitated. Miss Alex had been good to her, and she had already submitted, making it impossible to leave. Still, Chi-Chi was content knowing her family was alive and in contact. Chapter 130: The mysterious persons help In the Dark Forest, Alex was leading John, Azure, and a group of undead in pursuit of a horde of giant spiders.These spiders had legs that stretched over six feet, with ghostly face patterns on their abdomens and six glowing red eyes on their heads, making them a nightmare for anyone with arachnophobia. The trees around were all connected by white webs, indicating this was their habitat. Some webs even held the corpses of birds and beasts, corroded by the webs and oozing pus. "Disgusting and foul," was Alex''s assessment. Alex only dared to use magic for ranged attacks. The spiders'' shattered limbs and green blood were highly toxic, so she left the close combat to the undead. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among the spiders were several Commanding levels. Whenever the undead got entangled in the webs, Alex would use fire magic to burn the webs and free them. Soon, the spiders realized Alex wasn''t their prey but the hunter, and they began to flee frantically. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv3 Commanding level bloodlust spider, gaining 150 experience points!] "Finally, they''re all dead." Alex carefully walked over, avoiding the green liquid on the ground, and summoned the corpses before Disassembling them. She checked the time and realized it was getting late. She had no idea how far into the Dark Forest she had chased these spiders. Alex continued to lead the undead, searching for enemies nearby, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The interior of the Dark Forest wasn''t flat; there were ravines, rivers, and even hills up to twenty-five feet high, all covered in trees. Speaking of trees, Alex paused, realizing the trees around her had changed. "These are fir and pine trees?" Alex looked at the towering trees, each at least 130 feet tall, with lush branches blocking out the sky. She retracted her earlier statement about a zombie titan being easily spotted in the Dark Forest. These trees were easy to distinguish. Alex felt like she had entered a primeval forest, with trees so thick it would take two or three people to encircle them. This was completely different from the outskirts of the Dark Forest she had entered before, where the trees were just a few feets tall, leafless, and barren. "Is this the real Dark Forest?" Alex looked around, feeling like she had stepped into another world, entirely different from the terrain near her castle. She was stunned. She had thought the Dark Forest was just an ordinary forest. Alex walked forward, spotting a massive boulder about ten feet wide and high on a slope. She decided to climb it to get a better view of the surroundings. With a teleport, Alex landed on the boulder, immediately dropping to her stomach. "What is that?!" Alex exclaimed. Ahead was a downward slope, giving her a clear view. At the bottom was a river, and beside it stood a nearly thirty-foot-tall blue creature. The creature held a massive wooden club, looking like a giant human, but with blue skin, no hair on its head, and yellow mane running from its head down its spine. Of course, it wasn''t human. Alex only saw its back, not its front. The blue creature seemed to sense it was being watched and turned to look directly at Alex. It had a pointed nose, yellow eyes, and yellow fur on its ears. As their eyes met, Alex felt an intense sense of danger and immediately teleported away from the boulder. She hadn''t figured out how it had spotted her from such a distance when the boulder exploded, startling her. "Run!" Alex turned and fled with the undead, but the creature appeared in front of her, swinging its club. "How is that possible?!" The creature had been so far away, yet its attack seemed to be about to hit Alex. Boom! Alex and the undead suddenly vanished from the Dark Forest, the creature''s attack missing. Alex felt the surroundings blur, turning black as if she were in a void, with a faint light at the end rapidly growing. "Child, it''s late. Go back." "Who?!" Alex shouted, but the light engulfed her, blinding her. When her eyes adjusted, she found herself outside the Dark Forest, recognizing the area as even further out than where she had been hunting spiders. It was already dark. Alex looked back, seeing the undead had followed her out. She didn''t hesitate to leave. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? "Return to the castle." This was too bizarre. Alex was bewildered, her mind reeling. Who had spoken and saved her? Alex clearly remembered the voice, guessing it was a middle-aged man. Why would a native human save an extraterrestrial visitor like her? And how had it gone from daylight to night so quickly? The Dark Forest was not only strange but terrifying. Even back at the castle, Alex''s heart was still pounding. "Ice Cream, do you know anything about the Dark Forest?" Alex asked, hoping the native dragon might have some information. But Ice Cream''s answer was disappointing. Without much thought, it said, "Because the Dark Forest is a forbidden area." "The Dark Forest is a forbidden area? Isn''t Frostwind snowy mountain also a forbidden area?" Alex didn''t understand. "Frostwind snowy mountain was called a forbidden area because of my mother''s presence. The Dark Forest is different." Alex wanted to ask more, but it seemed Ice Cream knew no more than that. Alex now knew the Dark Forest was a true forbidden area, while Frostwind snowy mountain had lost that status after the frost dragon''s death. Today''s accidental venture into the Dark Forest''s depths had left Alex shaken. The outskirts couldn''t even be called the Dark Forest. The creature''s attack was too bizarre. She had never seen such a strange attack. Whoosh¡ª Alex turned on the shower, taking a cold bath to calm herself. "Forget it. I''ll develop in White Rock Mountains." The unknown was the most terrifying. At least she understood the dwarves better. After drying off, Alex put on a loose T-shirt and went out. The corpses outside had been Disassembled, yielding over 2k magic crystals, 200 Essence Shards, and more Standard equipment, which she gave to Chi-Chi. Alex checked Chi-Chi''s progress. [Territory Lord: Chi-Chi] [Strength: lv7 Standard] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Barracks Level: lv7 Beasts Crystal] [Special Building: Time Chamber] [Troops: Seven types of beasts] [Equipment: Flying Nimbus, Doran''s Blade] "Wow, her castle is already lv9?" Alex understood the Barracks upgrade, given the equipment she had provided, but the castle upgrade seemed fast. But she didn''t question it. Chi-Chi might have had some fortuitous encounters. Alex asked Sophie about the situation in White Rock Mountains and was relieved to hear there were no issues. She sent all available necromancers, including liches, specters, death conquerors, Destroyers, and Ghouls, through the portal to Sophie''s side. With her area unsafe for development, the undead couldn''t sit idle. They could at least mine stone in White Rock Mountains. What? They don''t know how? They can learn. They can''t just do nothing. Alex returned to her bedroom, waiting for the leaderboard to refresh at midnight. She sat in her room, passing the time by browsing World Chat, finding the Lords'' discussions amusing. Time flew by, and at midnight, the long-awaited announcement appeared. Chapter 131: Traitors [Honorable Lords, the leaderboard has been refreshed!][Special Announcement] [Some Lords have chosen to betray and join other races on the continent of Eldoria. They are hereby designated as [Traitors].] [Additionally, for those Lords who have no desire to participate in the All-Races Battle Royale, there is an option to change your role to [Freelancer]. By doing so, you will give up all Lord privileges, but the native races of Eldoria will no longer see you as an enemy (this option is permanently available and will not remove basic system features such as World Chat).] [All Lords, except for those who become [Freelancers], will be in opposition to [Traitors]. [Traitors] cannot form Alliances or submit to others. Within a certain range, Lords will be able to sense your location.] [The leaderboard will now feature a Hunt Ranking, lasting one week. The top ten on both sides, based on the number of kills, will receive final rewards!] [Lords, make your choices wisely, then fight and conquer!] "What the hell?!" Alex was stunned by the sudden influx of new information. The system had introduced the option to change roles. Alex tried to process the information. The system had pitted Lords against those who had joined the native races, forcing them into conflict. "Traitors, Freelancers, Lords¡ªthis is like evil, neutral, and lawful alignments." Becoming a Traitor meant no Alliances or submission, essentially preventing them from relocating. Not being able to submit meant the system offered no mercy to these Traitors. It felt like the system was targeting them specifically. As for Freelancers, it seemed more humane. They could abandon their castles and troops, becoming wanderers without the constraints of a castle, significantly increasing their chances of survival. Alex guessed that with this new option, more than half of the Lords would choose to become Freelancers. Since there was no time limit, everyone had time to consider and could switch roles at any moment. "The top ten will receive rewards. No doubt, they will be far more generous than the previous rewards for the top thousand. The system is really going all out to deal with these Traitors!" Alex opened the leaderboard to check the rankings. The previous five tiers were still there, but a new Hunt Ranking had been added. The system had marked names in different colors: green for Lords, white for Freelancers, and red for Traitors. Dead Lords were marked in gray, but since the leaderboard had just refreshed, there were no gray names yet. Curious about the Hunt Ranking, Alex quickly checked it. She found her name with a score of 2, tied with over a hundred other Lords, both green and red names. The top spot had 6 points, held by a single Lord, a Traitor. Alex remembered that the Lord she had killed in White Rock Mountains was a Traitor. Seeing the rankings could be tied, she realized the top ten could include many people. Just as she was about to complain about the system''s lack of humanity, she noticed a small question mark next to her score. Clicking on it, she learned that killing a first-tier Traitor earned 5 points, a second-tier Traitor 4 points, and so on. Points could be plundered but only from other participants. "This is forcing Lords to fight and grow stronger!" It seemed the Lord she had killed was from the fourth tier. Alex thought of a loophole: what if she captured a Traitor and had them kill other Lords? This would speed up point accumulation. But she quickly realized her mistake. The hunt was aimed at Traitors, and Freelancers didn''t participate. Lords could switch to Freelancers at any time, making the strategy of using Traitors to farm points ineffective. For the rewards, Alex decided to give it a shot. She didn''t need to be first; being in the top five would be enough to secure a good reward. The leaderboard announcement quickly ignited the Lords in World Chat. The news was explosive, hard for many to accept. World Chat was flooded with messages, while Sophie and the others showed no reaction. Having submitted to Alex, their alignment followed hers. If Alex became a Freelancer, so would they. If Alex became a Traitor, they would too. [Cat Slave]: "I want to be a Freelancer, free from oppression and abuse!" [Yellow Bean]: "Heh heh heh, you Lords better prepare for the despair brought by the Hobgoblin kingdom!" [A Big Banana]: "My cousin is a Traitor. Today, I will uphold justice and show her the power of the Big Banana!" ... Alex glanced at World Chat, seeing the Lords'' reactions. Looking back at her ranking, she noticed she was still in the first tier. "[Dracula] is a red name!" Alex saw Lucian''s name in red, indicating he was a Traitor. The announcement said Lords could sense Traitors within a certain range. The snowy mountain was too large for her system interface to show nearby Traitors, but Alex knew where Lucian''s castle was. For the reward, she had to kill him. Although Lucian hadn''t made a pact with the vampires, he had clearly aligned with them, marking him as a Traitor. The system didn''t allow any loopholes. The snowy mountain was too dangerous at night. Alex decided to set out in the morning, planning to circle around the mountain to reach Lucian''s castle and kill him. Meanwhile, in the snowy mountain, Lucian informed Count Nocturne of the new information. "You mean other extraterrestrial visitors will come to kill you?" Count Nocturne knew that destroying a castle could kill an extraterrestrial visitor. He pondered this. The snowy mountain was relatively calm for now. They had been sent to monitor the situation, so staying at Lucian''s castle was fine. It wasn''t far from the snowy mountain. Lucian was silent, not expecting the system to pull such a move right after he had aligned with the vampires. He couldn''t face the Elemental Alliance or Alex alone, hoping Count Nocturne would help him. Count Nocturne wasn''t too concerned. From Lucian, he learned that the strongest extraterrestrial visitors were only Commanding level, not worth worrying about. Count Nocturne led Lucian and the vampires away from Frostwind snowy mountain, heading back to Lucian''s castle. During the journey, he had a Commanding level vampire take Lucian''s blood back to the family, requesting reinforcements to guard Lucian''s castle. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Clearly, Lucian''s bloodline was more valuable to Count Nocturne than the contested treasures in the snowy mountain. With Count Nocturne accompanying him back to the castle, Lucian felt relieved. Count Nocturne was a Monarch level, far stronger than Baldwin. With Count Nocturne, even the combined forces of the Elemental Alliance and Alex wouldn''t stand a chance. Meanwhile, the Elemental Alliance also noticed Lucian''s Traitor status but decided not to act. The memory of the Monarch level battle and Alex''s intervention was still fresh. Fortunately, Samson confirmed that Alex wasn''t a Traitor. Otherwise, they feared the two Lords might join forces against them. This was good news, ensuring Alex and Lucian would no longer cooperate. After summoning her troops, Alex prepared to sleep. Eldoria was vast, and there weren''t many Traitors. Those Lords were just unlucky, forced to align with local forces to survive, but the system clearly didn''t want them to have it easy. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up on time, dressed, and tied her hair. She wore the same casual clothes from yesterday, freshly washed. She planned to circle around the northern edge of Frostwind snowy mountain but couldn''t ride Ice Cream, as it would draw too much attention. With Lucian now a Traitor, Alex feared Samson and the others might kill him first, so she had to hurry. Checking the leaderboard, Alex saw Lucian was still alive, reassuring her. She entered the Portal of Transit, arriving at Sophie''s place. She planned to ride a griffin, as gargoyles weren''t comfortable mounts. Bathed in orange light, Alex arrived on the continent of Arsen. There were more undead and dwarves around, forming a lair centered on Sophie''s castle. The dwarves had built houses nearby for themselves. Alex found a Commanding level griffin, not the one Sophie had contracted, but another. "Big Shot, where are you going this time?" Sophie asked, curious. "Oh, by the way, have the undead and dwarves spread out to find any Traitors. Notify me immediately if you find any, and I''ll take care of them." Sophie promised to search diligently, knowing the dwarves were familiar with the area beyond White Rock Mountains. If there were Traitors, they were likely aligned with the dwarves. "Alright, I''ll leave this to you. I''m off." Alex waved and entered the portal, surprising Sophie, who thought she was going to do something in White Rock Mountains. "So, Big Shot came just to ride a griffin?" Back at her castle, Alex took off on the griffin, heading north, planning to circle around the snowy mountain. It would take longer but was safer. The Commanding level griffin wasn''t slow, but the detour was cumbersome. The snowy mountain was too dangerous. Alex didn''t want to risk encountering werewolves or Hobgoblins. After two hours of flying, Alex was still circling the snowy mountain. Suddenly, she noticed several small black dots in the distance, floating in the air. "What are those, flies?" Alex had a bad feeling. Activating her left eye to enhance her vision, she saw the figures clearly. "People?" Alex was puzzled, wondering how people could float in the air. Then she saw their black robes and realized. "Damn, they''re mages from the local human mage association. Run!" Alex turned the griffin towards the snowy mountain, but the mages saw her and gave chase, attacking. Alex glanced back, startled. The leading mage was flying faster than the griffin, closing the distance rapidly. She couldn''t keep this up. Alex''s mind raced, spotting a familiar area below. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was the cave where she had defeated the Frost Werewolf! Alex remembered the cave was halfway up the snowy mountain ahead. The mage''s attack range was closing in. As the mage chanted, eight magic circles surrounded Alex. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Countless wind blades shredded the griffin into pieces. Alex teleported to the back of the snowy mountain, reaching the frost cave, a blind spot for the mage. The cave had signs of being covered, indicating it might be occupied, but Alex had no choice. It was better than being killed by the Monarch level mage. She cleared her footprints and entered the cave, covering the entrance. Only close inspection would reveal her hiding spot. The mage, seeing the griffin killed and Alex vanished, searched briefly before leaving. Inside the cave, Alex stood at the edge, awkwardly facing two tiger beings guarding the slope. "Uh... hello?" Chapter 132: Exchange information The two tiger beings were bewildered by the sight of a human in a black robe at the entrance of their hidden cave. They couldn''t fathom how someone had discovered such a secretive location.Danger! The two tiger beings weren''t foolish enough to confront Alex head-on. They immediately turned and ran deeper into the cave. With so many tiger beings inside, they weren''t about to sacrifice themselves needlessly. Of course, they needed to get help! "Am I that scary?" Alex muttered, surprised that the two tiger beings had fled at the sight of her. They looked different from the one she had seen before¡ªthinner, perhaps even malnourished. Alex sat down by the entrance, deciding not to pursue them. The outside was too dangerous, and fighting these tiger beings was clearly unwise. She wasn''t sure if the mage had left, and being discovered would spell disaster. Alex felt a bit anxious. She feared there might be a Monarch level among the tiger beings, so she stayed near the entrance, ready to escape if necessary. But on second thought, the probability seemed low. The fact that they were hiding so secretively suggested they didn''t have a Monarch level among them. If they did, they would have been more assertive. The two tiger beings stumbled back to the bunker, where most of the tiger beings were still asleep. Only the tiger being guard stood vigil before the queen''s chamber. Seeing the two tiger beings rushing in, the guard asked, "What''s going on?" "Leader, we''ve been discovered! There''s a human at the entrance!" The guard tensed up. Their queen was still asleep, and her safety was paramount. "Just one person?" "Yes, leader. We don''t know her strength. She didn''t attack us, but she sealed the entrance and is guarding it. She''s cutting off our escape and waiting for reinforcements!" The guard realized the gravity of the situation. If this was true, they were in serious trouble. The guard immediately roused all the able-bodied and combat-ready tiger beings, preparing to eliminate this threat. They couldn''t let anything happen to their queen. Leaving two Commanding level tiger beings to guard the queen''s chamber, the guard led over a hundred tiger beings up the slope to the entrance, where they saw Alex sitting, watching them warily. The guard''s eyes narrowed. She was indeed guarding the entrance, waiting for reinforcements! Alex saw the tiger beings and immediately identified the guard as their leader. She stood up, taking a step back, ready to flee at any moment. Without a word, the guard launched countless ice spikes at Alex. Alex sighed in relief, sensing the magic''s weak power. This meant the guard wasn''t a Monarch level. Since it wasn''t a Monarch level, there was nothing to fear. An ice wall rose before Alex, blocking the guard''s attack. The clash made the cave tremble slightly, worrying Alex about being discovered. The ice wall shattered, and the guard lunged with a slender ice spike. Alex grabbed it, her hand emitting heat, melting the spike. She kicked the guard back. "Can you understand me? I''m not here to cause trouble. I''m just seeking refuge. Don''t force my hand." If not for the fear of being discovered, Alex wouldn''t have bothered talking. She would have dealt with them already. The guard, hearing Alex''s words, signaled the others to stop attacking. The guard sensed Alex''s strength and knew they were no match for her. If they could talk it out, it would be best. Fighting would only result in many tiger beings dying, which the guard wanted to avoid. "Why seek refuge here? Can''t you find another place? This is our territory," the guard said, eyeing Alex. "Would you be able to choose your refuge if you were being hunted by a Monarch level? Besides, I cleared this cave initially. When did you outsiders from the snowy mountain come and claim it as your territory?" Alex hated negotiating with other species. Despite their intelligence and ability to speak, their logic often differed from humans. The guard was speechless. Indeed, when they found the cave, it was empty, clearly cleared out. Its hidden location made it ideal, but Alex had found it, lending credibility to her claim. The guard picked up on a crucial detail: Alex was being hunted by a Monarch level, matching the intelligence they had received. The snowy mountain was indeed dangerous, and coming here had been a mistake. The guard feared their hiding place being discovered. With their queen still asleep, they dared not leave the cave, knowing little of the outside world for the past two days. "Is it a werewolf hunting you?" the guard asked, changing the subject. Alex froze. If the tiger being was right, the werewolf that killed her undead was indeed a Monarch level. "Not telling you." Alex tilted her head. Even if it was useless information, why give it away for free? ??? The guard was puzzled by the human''s strange way of speaking. "We could exchange information." Alex likely knew more than they did, better than risking sending out scouts who might get killed and increase their exposure. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Alex looked at the thin tigers, almost certain they were starving. They seemed more like refugees. Considering they were an outsider race, Alex doubted they had much valuable information. She was most curious about why so many strong beings had gathered in the snowy mountain recently. Well, Alex''s curiosity got the better of her. She could ask why they were here. "Alright, I agree to exchange information." Through their exchange, Alex learned that the tiger beings were indeed refugees, just as she had suspected. They had fled to Frostwind snowy mountain because it was one of the few places suitable for their survival. As for why they were fleeing, the tiger being guard only mentioned racial conflicts and didn''t elaborate. Alex didn''t press for more details. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It turned out that these unfortunate creatures had provoked the werewolves of Skyreach Mountains shortly after arriving in the snowy mountain. These were the same werewolves Alex had encountered deep in the snowy mountain. Now it all made sense to Alex. Tiger beings had inadvertently let an enemy escape, who had then returned with a Monarch level werewolf, searching for the tiger beings. Terrified, the tiger beings had hidden in this cave, surviving on the rotten meat Alex had discarded earlier, which explained their emaciated state. The snowy mountain already had scarce resources, further depleted by the undead, werewolves, and hobgoblins, all of whom needed food. This made the already resource-poor snowy mountain even more desolate, leaving the tiger beings struggling to find sustenance. "How pitiful. I didn''t expect you all to have such a tragic fate," Alex said, feigning sympathy. "Now, can you tell me about the situation outside the snowy mountain?" the tiger being guard asked, more concerned about the outside world. If possible, they wanted to leave the snowy mountain. Their queen''s slumber duration was unknown, and the guard couldn''t risk keeping her in such a dangerous place. "Emm... The one chasing me is a mage, probably from the human mage association, not a werewolf," Alex said, somewhat uncertain. She only knew the pursuer was a mage and human, nothing more. "Are you an extraterrestrial visitor?" the tiger being guard blurted out. Alex didn''t know how her identity had been exposed and immediately took a step back, eyeing the guard warily. "No need to be nervous. Given our current situation, extraterrestrial visitors are actually more trustworthy than other races," the guard said, noting Alex''s reaction and confirming her identity as an extraterrestrial visitor. This meant they didn''t have to worry about her posing a threat to their queen. "How did you guess?" Alex asked, lowering her guard slightly. "The human mage association is generally benevolent and aims to develop and strengthen the human race. They rarely attack other humans without reason, except for human traitors and extraterrestrial visitors. They even protect ordinary humans," the guard explained. The mage association''s core mission was well-known across the continent. Alex understood now. But the guard fell silent, realizing that the presence of humans, along with the werewolves of Skyreach Mountains, made the snowy mountain''s situation even more complicated. "Oh, by the way, hobgoblins have also come to the snowy mountain, led by a hobgoblin Shaman, likely a Monarch level," Alex added. The guard was disheartened. From Alex, they learned that the snowy mountain had been peaceful before their arrival. How unlucky could they be? The guard only hoped their queen would wake up soon. Once she absorbed the bloodline power, her strength would reach Monarch level, giving the Arctic Tigerfolk the ability to defend themselves in the snowy mountain. Not only were the tiger beings unlucky, but Alex also felt her luck had run out. She had planned to deal with Lucian, only to be chased by a mage and forced to seek refuge here. The worst part was that her griffin had been killed, leaving her without a mount and making escape from the snowy mountain much harder. Who knew if the mage was still waiting outside? "Oh, I have some food here. I''ll give it to you. I might need to stay here for a while," Alex said, realizing she had over a thousand portions of food in her space ring from Disassembling enemies in the Dark Forest. Yesterday''s events had left her so shaken that she hadn''t dealt with the items in her ring. These were normal beast drops, not from the disgusting spiders, whose Disassembled food she hadn''t even picked up. Seeing Alex produce food out of thin air, the tiger beings were stunned, their mouths watering uncontrollably. "Are you sure you want to give us this food?" the guard asked, incredulous. Food was their most pressing need. Alex nodded. With her confirmation, the tiger beings swarmed the food, tearing into it ravenously. The food was useless to Alex, but it could earn her the tiger beings'' goodwill. She needed to stay here for a while, and having them eyeing her hungrily wasn''t ideal. If they got desperate and tried to eat her, it would lead to a fight. Of course, the tiger beings didn''t know Alex didn''t need to eat and that the food was almost worthless to her. She carried it mainly for Chi-Chi''s beasts and Sophie''s dwarves. "Thank you for your generosity. You are our benefactor!" the guard said, not joining the others in eating but thanking Alex first. The guard saw that the food would last them three days, finally freeing them from the disgusting rotten meat. The guard had the food moved deeper into the cave and invited Alex to rest inside. Alex hesitated but agreed. She wasn''t afraid of a trap. Her strength was her greatest assurance, and she was somewhat familiar with the bunker. Unlike other intelligent species, tiger beings kept gratitude and grudges separate. Once they trusted someone, they wouldn''t easily betray them. Indeed, Alex followed the guard deeper into the bunker, finding that the remaining tiger beings were mostly old, sick, or injured, with little combat ability. The ones she had seen at the entrance were their entire fighting force. The tiger beings were all asleep. The guard woke them, distributing food and introducing Alex. They were all grateful to her. Alex sat aside, removing her hood, letting her white, beautiful hair cascade down. The guard stared at her, his expression one of shock. "Why are you staring at me?" Alex asked, puzzled. Chapter 133: Drastic change in the Snowy Mountains "It''s my mistake. Your appearance reminded me of our Arctic Tigerfolk queen," the tiger being guard said apologetically, though he wasn''t sure why it was considered a mistake."Is your queen in that chamber?" Alex asked, having noticed something peculiar about it. The other tiger beings were casual, but that chamber was guarded, and all the tiger beings seemed to be subtly protecting it. "Yes, our queen is still asleep," the guard confirmed. "So, your queen looks a lot like me?" "Her hair is the same color as yours, white," the guard said, struggling with the human terminology for hair. At that moment, Alex felt the entire bunker begin to tremble slightly. The tiger beings continued eating happily, oblivious to the tremors. The guard stopped eating and looked at Alex, who had stood up. "Do you feel that?" "The ground is shaking, very slightly. Maybe something''s happening outside," Alex speculated, hoping the cave wouldn''t be discovered. Outside the frost cave, the entire Frostwind snowy mountain was experiencing slight tremors. At Lucian''s castle, Count Nocturne looked towards the snowy mountain. Even from there, he could feel the tremors. "Could the legends of Frostwind snowy mountain be true?" he wondered. The vague stories had led him here, but he had always been skeptical. With the mountain shaking, Nocturne couldn''t sit idly by. He led the vampires towards the snowy mountain, taking Lucian with them and leaving a few vampires to guard the castle. Inside the snowy mountain, the werewolves and hobgoblins also noticed the tremors. They observed that the entire mountain was shaking but didn''t know the cause. The human mages, all in black robes, stood silently on the highest peak of Frostwind snowy mountain, unmoving. The weather grew more ominous, the sky gray and the blizzard raging fiercely. Weaker races hid in their caves, trembling. Their instincts warned them of a great disaster in the snowy mountain. Inside the frost cave, Alex was unaware of the outside changes. The tremors continued. "The shaking seems stronger than before," Alex noted, wondering if two Monarch levels were fighting outside. She hoped one would kill the other. The tiger beings, now full, picked at their teeth, ignoring the tremors. ''No common sense. If this is an earthquake, you deserve to be buried,'' Alex thought, rolling her eyes. Suddenly, the chamber door was kicked open with a bang. The tiger being queen stormed out, furious. "Who is making all this noise?!" The queen''s anger was evident. Alex saw that, despite being a tiger being queen, she looked almost human. She had white hair like Alex, though it was messy. She was wearing a gothic-style princess dress, clearly a local fashion. The only difference was the pair of white, furry ears on her head. The tiger beings were delighted to see their queen awake. "Your Majesty, you''re awake," the guard and others greeted her. But the queen ignored them, her attention on Alex. "Wow, a human! I haven''t seen a human in months!" she exclaimed, ignoring the tiger beings and approaching Alex, inspecting her closely. "So pretty, and with white hair like mine. We must be fated," she said, sniffing Alex. "Uh... Your Majesty, she gave us food. She''s an extraterrestrial visitor," the guard explained, knowing their queen''s curiosity. "An extraterrestrial visitor? That''s so cool! What''s your name? I''m Ruby. Nice to meet you," Ruby said, her anger forgotten, smiling at Alex. Alex was surprised by the queen''s demeanor. Ruby was slightly shorter than Alex and seemed eager to make a good impression. "I''m Alex. Nice to meet you." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alex, what a lovely name. These are my kin who have protected me. Thank you for helping them. You''re the best extraterrestrial visitor I''ve met," Ruby said, bowing to Alex. "It''s nothing, really. I just happened to be seeking refuge here," Alex replied, feeling a bit embarrassed by the bow. Ruby then turned to the guard, who had been waiting expectantly. But Ruby''s news disappointed him. She hadn''t broken through to Monarch level. The snowy mountain''s tremors had disturbed her, and she had sensed another energy that had forcibly awakened her. Alex remembered what the goblin and Ice Cream had mentioned. Could something in the snowy mountain be affecting her slumber? "Wait, haven''t you heard the legends of Frostwind snowy mountain?" Alex asked, realizing the tremors weren''t from a Monarch level fight. The ground was shaking more violently now, and Alex felt the tremors growing stronger. "What legends? Alex, do you know something? Tell us," Ruby asked, the tiger beings looking puzzled. "I don''t know the details, but there''s a legend that something is hidden in the snowy mountain, attracting all these forces. It might be what''s disturbing your sleep. Just a guess," Alex said. As she finished speaking, the ground shook violently. The bunker began to collapse, cracks forming everywhere. Alex and Ruby saw a blue orb floating in a crack caused by the tremors. The orb emitted a strong light, sending a blue beam into the sky, piercing the snowy mountain and shooting into the heavens. All the forces¡ªhumans, vampires, werewolves, hobgoblins¡ªsaw the beam and rushed towards it. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? The blue beam of light vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving a person-sized hole in the bunker ceiling that opened directly to the outside of the snowy mountain. Snowflakes and wind drifted in through the opening. "What is this thing?" the tiger being guard muttered, his gaze fixed on the object. The bunker hadn''t completely collapsed, but it was in ruins, a chaotic mess. "Damn it!" Alex realized the gravity of the situation. The commotion had undoubtedly attracted all the forces in the snowy mountain. "What are you standing around for? Run! At least three Monarch levels are heading this way!" she shouted, preparing to leave. She had no intention of staying to face certain death. Ruby, having heard Alex''s warning, quickly grasped the situation. The snowy mountain was teeming with forces, all likely drawn by this object. Alex had no plans to take the object. Holding onto it would make her a target for all the Monarch levels. It was better to leave it and let it distract them, giving her an 80% chance of escaping. After all, they were all here for the object. They wouldn''t chase an escaping extraterrestrial visitor when the prize was right in front of them. Ruby glanced around, making a quick decision. "Hide here!" she ordered the other tiger beings. She knew leaving the object here would doom her kin. She grabbed the crystal from the crack and chased after Alex, intending to flee together and draw the Monarch levels away to protect her people. "Hey, don''t take that!" Alex saw Ruby with the object and shouted. "I can''t leave it here. My people will die," Ruby said firmly. Her kin had protected her all this way; she couldn''t let them die. Many of them were Standard level, unable to escape a Monarch level. "Let''s run together. We''ll have a better chance of surviving. Once we draw them away, we can ditch the object," Alex conceded. It was a plan. Together, they might stand a chance against a Monarch level. Alone, they were doomed. Alex quickly messaged Sophie, instructing her to gather all the undead outside Alex''s town territory and call Arthur to assist. She told the undead to wait between the territory and Frostwind snowy mountain. With so many Monarch levels, she wouldn''t risk exposing her castle''s location. "Let''s go," Alex said, and they ran towards the exit. The tiger beings began hiding in the more intact rooms of the bunker. Outside, the blizzard raged, the wind howled, and the sky was dark as night. The snowy mountain was riddled with massive cracks, as if struck by a natural disaster. Even the battle between the six-winged angel and the frost dragon hadn''t caused such destruction. "Which way?" Ruby asked Alex, unfamiliar with the snowy mountain. She didn''t even know where the cave was located. "East, outside the snowy mountain," Alex said, stepping into the snow. Ruby hesitated. "You''re just going to run?" "My mount was killed when I arrived," Alex explained. Suddenly, they both noticed a giant wolf figure ahead. So fast¡ªit was the Monarch level from Skyreach Mountains! The werewolf, closest to the location, had arrived first. The werewolf''s eyes locked onto the object in Ruby''s hand, filled with greed. Without a word, it attacked. Alex reacted first, grabbing Ruby''s shoulder and teleporting them away, dodging the werewolf''s strike. "Run!" Alex shouted, sprinting away. She didn''t use teleport again, as it had a five-second cooldown and couldn''t be used continuously. For a werewolf, a Monarch level known for physical prowess, the distance was nothing. In an instant, it was behind Alex and Ruby again. Alex hadn''t expected the werewolf to be so fast. With no time to dodge, she drew her scythe to block. Boom! Alex felt a tremendous force hit her, sending her flying into the snow. This werewolf was far stronger than the human empire knight Baldwin! The werewolf swiped at Ruby, who teleported away, landing beside Alex and helping her up. "Take this!" Ruby handed the object to Alex, transforming into a nearly ten-foot-long white tiger. "Get on!" Ruby''s voice was no longer that of a human girl but an ethereal, slightly distorted sound, though still recognizable. Alex climbed onto Ruby, thinking they couldn''t outrun the werewolf even in tiger form. To her surprise, Ruby took flight, narrowly avoiding the werewolf''s attack. "You can fly?" Alex was astonished. Ruby wasn''t even Monarch level, yet she could fly. "Of course, I''m the queen!" Ruby said, carrying Alex into the sky. The werewolf, unable to fly, transformed into a giant wolf and chased them on the ground. The giant wolf conjured numerous wolf shadows, launching them at Alex and Ruby. Though it couldn''t fly, it had ranged attacks. Ruby dodged in the air, relying on her ability to stay aloft. This state was draining her mental energy quickly. Alex, riding on Ruby''s back, didn''t have time to examine the object. She used Frost Magic to attack the giant wolf below. The werewolf was faster than them. They had to avoid getting too close to the mountain, as the werewolf could leap up and knock them down. Alex took the brunt of the werewolf''s attacks, preventing it from forcing Ruby into a bad position. The werewolf was growing desperate. It wasn''t worried about Alex and Ruby, but about the other Monarch levels arriving soon. If it couldn''t seize the object before they arrived, it would have to compete with them, increasing the pressure. Suddenly, several large wind blades attacked from the side. Alex turned to see the human mage who had chased her earlier. He had arrived too! The wind blades were too fast to dodge. Alex used Dark Barrier to envelop herself and Ruby. Chapter 134: Godhead The skill Dark Barrier was practically invincible, having never been broken before. However, its strength was tied to Alex''s mana. The stronger the attack it withstood, the more Mana Points it consumed.If the attack was too powerful, it would deplete Alex''s Mana Points, causing the Dark Barrier to shatter. In theory, as long as Alex had enough Mana Points, the Dark Barrier''s defense was unbeatable. Boom! Boom! Countless wind blades struck Alex''s barrier, producing loud crashes. The impact was so strong that it nearly knocked Alex and Ruby out of the sky. Fortunately, Ruby managed to stabilize herself. To withstand this attack, Alex had used up nearly half of her Mana Points. Although they weren''t knocked down, the situation was dire. With the mage able to fly, their aerial advantage was gone. The werewolf''s expression darkened, not expecting the human mage to interfere. The mage was equally surprised that his attacks had been thwarted by this extraterrestrial visitor girl. The hobgoblin Shaman arrived as well. The three Monarch levels, without acknowledging each other, all attacked Alex and Ruby. Alex''s heart sank. There was no way to escape the snowy mountain now. One Monarch level was already a life-and-death crisis; now there were two more. No, she couldn''t hold onto this thing any longer. Alex glanced at the three Monarch levels and, without hesitation, threw the object towards the werewolf. The werewolf was overjoyed, instantly transforming from a giant wolf to a werewolf, catching the object securely before running off. He wasn''t foolish. With the object in hand, he didn''t want to be attacked by both the human and the hobgoblin. Alex had counted on this. The werewolf couldn''t fly, and escaping two Monarch levels was nearly impossible. As expected, the hobgoblin and mage, seeing the werewolf with the object, immediately attacked him. Alex and Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, feeling temporarily safe. The mage and hobgoblin surrounded the werewolf, forcing him to stop, his eyes wary of the human mage and hobgoblin. "Bodhi Uss, that belongs to the human race. Hand it over, and I''ll pretend none of this happened," the mage said coldly, ignoring the hobgoblin. "Ridiculous. This thing has been dead for centuries, its bones gnawed clean by maggots, and you claim it belongs to the human race?" the werewolf retorted, then turned to the hobgoblin. "Snazzle, join me in killing him. Do you really think your hobgoblin kingdom can claim this? If you attack me today, Skyreach Mountains will destroy your kingdom tomorrow. Think carefully!" Clap, clap¡ª Count Nocturne walked elegantly through the snow, followed by several vampires, including Lucian. "Typical werewolf, crude and disgusting," Nocturne sneered, clapping. "Snazzle, don''t listen to this filthy werewolf. Join us in killing him. If Skyreach Mountains dares trouble the hobgoblin kingdom, they can deal with my blood clan." "You''re courting death!" the werewolf roared, enraged. Seeing vampires made him furious. He lunged at Count Nocturne. The human mage and hobgoblin Shaman attacked simultaneously. The hobgoblin chose to offend the werewolf, showing the object''s allure. Meanwhile, Ruby reverted to human form, watching the Monarch levels fight from a snowy mountain with Alex. "Aren''t we running?" Ruby asked, thinking it was the perfect time to escape. Alex shook her head. When Alex had thrown the object, she had used the system to check its information. She could absorb it. "I know what that thing is," Alex said, noticing Lucian and the vampires below. So, Lucian had joined the vampires. "What is it?" Ruby asked, curious. "Do you know about Godheads?" Alex asked abruptly. "Yes, wait, are you saying that thing is a Godhead?!" Ruby was shocked, unable to believe it. She had heard of them but never seen one. "You know we extraterrestrial visitors have special abilities, right? I used mine to find out," Alex said, referring to the system, though explaining it would be complicated. "To ascend to godhood, one must ignite the divine fire and achieve a Godhead. Absorbing a Godhead skips the first two stages, becoming a pseudo-god. Pseudo-gods lack their own Godhead, their power between Sovereign level and true gods. Their strength is controversial; even several max-level Sovereign levels can kill a pseudo-god. Absorbing another''s Godhead also blocks the path to true godhood. So, no Sovereign level wants to absorb a Godhead," Ruby explained in one breath, leaving Alex stunned. "How do you know so much?" "My father told me," Ruby said, recalling her childhood memories of her father. "Is your father human?" Alex asked, knowing Ruby was a human-tiger hybrid, so one parent must be human. "Yes, a very powerful human, not a mage," Ruby said. "Is he a god?" "I don''t know. He left when I was very young, and there''s been no news since," Ruby said, looking dejected. It seemed her human habits were inherited from her father. Alex decided not to pry further. It was personal. She pondered Ruby''s words, guessing her father was at least Sovereign level if not a Divine. "Why don''t Sovereign levels want to absorb Godheads?" Alex asked, remembering Ice Cream saying it was hard for frost dragons to become gods, even needing the Frost Heart. Why wouldn''t other Sovereign levels absorb Godheads? "I don''t know. My father said to become a true god, you must rely on yourself. Only those who can never reach Sovereign level would choose a Godhead," Ruby said, recalling her father''s words. "I see," Alex said. Sovereign levels wouldn''t stoop to becoming pseudo-gods. So why did they want the Godhead? Maybe to absorb the divine power left by the previous god. "Do you understand? Any more questions?" ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "No," Alex said. This was a chance to become stronger, and she didn''t want to miss it. She decided to wait with Ruby on the snowy mountain for an opportunity. "You want that Godhead?" Ruby asked, seeing Alex nod. "If you ask nicely, I''ll help you." Alex ignored her, focusing on the battlefield below. "Hey, Alex, I''m talking to you!" "Quiet, someone''s coming." At that moment, a group of mages flew over, surrounding Alex and Ruby. Below, the werewolf was struggling against the three Monarch levels. His domain was being suppressed, and his body''s healing couldn''t keep up with the new wounds. Whether it was the hobgoblin, the human, or the vampire, they could all fly, putting the werewolf at a severe disadvantage. Seeing that he couldn''t run or fight effectively, the werewolf decided to mimic Alex''s earlier tactic. He threw the Godhead to the hobgoblin, who immediately found himself under attack from the mage and the vampires. The werewolf finally got a moment to breathe. The vampires clashed with the hobgoblins, while the mages turned their attention to Alex and Ruby. The four Monarch levels realized that trying to take the Godhead and escape was nearly impossible. They shifted their strategy, no longer aiming to retreat with the Godhead but to fight to the death. With the Godhead in the hobgoblin''s hands, the three Monarch levels attacked him, not just because of the Godhead but also because he was the weakest among them. The mage''s domain was a stormy field, filled with howling winds and a raging blizzard. As the mage chanted, countless magic circles appeared in the sky, unleashing fire, ice, rock, and wind magic at the hobgoblin Shaman. The mage attacked without hesitation, confident in the human race''s strength. He didn''t consider the other creatures a threat. The hobgoblin Shaman defended with a shamanic barrier and counterattacked with blue-flamed magic, clashing with the mage''s spells. The battlefield was a spectacle of colorful explosions. Count Nocturne drew his weapon, a slender sword. The hilt absorbed his blood, turning the blade from white to blood-red. Nocturne vanished, his sword piercing the hobgoblin Shaman''s barrier and body. He quickly retreated from the mage''s attack range. The hobgoblin Shaman, wounded, had his spells interrupted, and countless magical attacks struck him. The hobgoblin Shaman was knocked to the ground by the mage''s relentless magic. Nocturne and the werewolf stood by, waiting for the mage to finish him off. Severely injured, the hobgoblin Shaman threw the Godhead away. It rolled to the werewolf''s feet, who recoiled as if seeing a plague. Nocturne and the mage were also drawn to the Godhead. But this time, no one dared to pick it up. The Godhead lay quietly in the snow, surrounded by the four Monarch levels, who eyed each other warily. The mage began chanting again, and the werewolf and Nocturne attacked the hobgoblin Shaman once more. The hobgoblin Shaman, dragging his injured body, tried to flee. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the mountaintop, Alex and Ruby were fighting six mages. All were Commanding level, each mastering an elemental magic. Their coordination was impeccable, and their ability to fly made them agile. Alex couldn''t deal with them quickly. Without the ability to fly, Alex was at a disadvantage. The mages, being natural artillery, could unleash their full power from the air, bombarding Alex with spells. However, Alex was very agile and could teleport. Though she couldn''t kill the mages, they couldn''t defeat her either. It was a stalemate, with both sides draining each other''s mana. Ruby''s unpredictable attacks added to the mages'' difficulties. Alex used an ice wall to block the mages'' attacks and glanced at the battlefield below. She saw the Godhead lying in the snow, untouched, while the three Monarch levels attacked the hobgoblin. A perfect opportunity! "Ruby, get it over here," Alex whispered to Ruby, who nodded in understanding. The ice wall shattered under the fire mage''s assault. The ground rose, forming earthen walls to trap Alex and Ruby. Their feet were frozen by Frost Magic, and a lightning bolt and wind blades descended upon them. Alex and Ruby, both proficient in Frost Magic, easily broke free. Alex shot a pillar of fire into the sky, disrupting the mages'' lightning. By the time the lightning struck, they had already broken the stone walls and moved. At that moment, a massive figure finally arrived, and a breath of dragon scattered the mages'' formation. The mages turned to see a giant bone dragon, burning with blue ghostly flames. "Ruby, now!" Alex shouted. Ruby extended her hand, and the Godhead appeared in her grasp, its original place now occupied by a stone. With the prize in hand, Alex grabbed Ruby''s shoulder and teleported onto Arthur''s back. Arthur soared into the sky, the mages'' spells bouncing off his elemental immunity. His speed left the mages behind. Below, the three Monarch levels attacking the hobgoblin noticed a magical fluctuation. The mage turned to see the Godhead replaced by a stone. The mage saw the bone dragon in the distance and realized what had happened. "The Godhead has been taken by the extraterrestrial visitors!" he shouted, stopping his attack and leading the mages in pursuit. The Bodhi and Nocturne saw the mage stop and looked back, understanding immediately. "We''ve been tricked by two Commanding levels!" Chapter 135: The power of the Undead Army The hobgoblin Shaman watched the three Monarch levels retreating into the distance and breathed a sigh of relief. He completely abandoned any hope of seizing the Godhead, dragging his heavily injured body and leading the hobgoblins away.Initially, he had only harbored a glimmer of hope. Who would have thought that the snowy mountain not only truly had a Godhead but also caused such a massive commotion? This attracted the attention of all the Monarch levels, leaving the hobgoblin Shaman utterly hopeless. The hobgoblin Shaman and his hobgoblins staggered away, while Lucian and the vampires also flew off, following Count Nocturne. Lucian was curious to see how Alex dared to snatch the Godhead right under the noses of three Monarch levels. How could she, a mere Commanding level, possibly keep the Godhead? At this moment, Alex and Ruby were riding Arthur, flying as fast as they could out of the snowy mountain. Alex knew that no matter how fast Arthur flew, he couldn''t outrun the Monarch levels. Alex kept an eye on their rear and soon saw the human mage leading the other mages in pursuit. "This big fellow is your subject? So cool!" Ruby was still thrilled by the novelty of riding a bone dragon, something she had never seen before. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Of course. Be careful, they''re catching up," Alex said, glancing back with a serious expression. She had hoped to deceive them for a while, but they had discovered the Godhead immediately after she took it. Moreover, Alex couldn''t store the Godhead in her space ring; she had to hold it in her hand. If not for her mid-level Frost Magic resistance, she felt her hand would have been frostbitten by the Godhead. "Alex, I don''t think we can outrun them. They''re not fighting each other; they''re all chasing us!" Ruby looked back and saw not only the human mage but also the vampires and werewolves close behind. Ruby now understood why Alex hadn''t run earlier. It was all because of the Godhead. Wherever the Godhead was, it was the focal point. But now, it seemed they couldn''t escape. Unless they dealt with the Monarch levels, they wouldn''t stop pursuing. Alex''s heart was pounding. They were almost out of the snowy mountain. Once they were out, she would be safe. Her undead army was already waiting outside the snowy mountain. With over thirty thousand undead, Alex was confident that sheer numbers could overwhelm the Monarch levels. Fortunately, her undead had been concentrated at the castle, making it easy to mobilize them quickly. However, nearly ten thousand undead were still with Sophie and couldn''t be summoned immediately. But that wasn''t a big issue. Alex felt that thirty thousand should be enough. If not, an extra ten thousand wouldn''t make a difference. Sophie''s undead were mainly skeletons, specters, and gargoyles, with limited combat power. Alex had already messaged Sophie to send as many as possible. Soon, Arthur flew Alex and Ruby out of the snowy mountain, and the undead army came into view. Alex finally felt a bit relieved. "Alex, look at that! What is it?" Ruby exclaimed, seeing the dense mass of undead below, creatures she had never seen before. Whether it was the massive zombie titans, bird-like Destroyers, or the ghastly Ghouls, Ruby sensed no life from any of them. "Don''t worry, they''re all my subjects," Alex said with a smile, directing Arthur to land among the undead. Alex and Ruby landed at the rear of the undead army. Not far behind was Alex''s territory, but thanks to the Specter Chandelier''s effect, only Alex could see her castle. "Wow!" Ruby''s mouth hung open in disbelief. She seemed to understand why Alex dared to snatch the Godhead. Anyone with such an army would be confident enough to make a move. Surrounding Alex and Ruby were Commanding level undead, including Arthur, John, and Azure. All Commanding level undead, except those with Sophie, were present. Over a hundred Commanding level undead, including Ethereal Wraiths, Skeletal Demons, Death Warriors, Shadowghast Knights, gargoyles, ghost dragons, and bone dragons, representing nearly every race. "Honorable Queen, more undead are coming through the Portal of Transit from White Rock Mountains," Azure reported respectfully. Alex nodded, pleased with Sophie''s efficiency. Ruby, triggered by Azure''s words, stared at Alex. "You''re a queen too?!" "No way, there can only be one queen!" Ruby said loudly, baring her small fangs in displeasure. "It doesn''t matter. You''re the Arctic Tigerfolk Queen, and I''m the Undead Queen. No conflict," Alex said, rolling her eyes. At that moment, the human mage arrived, floating in the sky with the other mages, looking down at Alex and Ruby among the undead. The dense mass of undead made the mages'' eyes narrow. There were more undead here than on the entire continent of Eldoria, clearly the troops of the extraterrestrial visitor. "In less than a month, the extraterrestrial visitors have developed to this extent," the mage thought, realizing the threat they posed to all races on the continent. No wonder all races wanted to eliminate the extraterrestrial visitors. "Leader, what do we do?" a mage asked, shaken by the undead horde. As knowledgeable mages, they knew undead were immortal as long as their soul fire burned. To extinguish the soul fire, one needed soul and mind or holy magic. As elemental mages, they could only restrain the undead, not kill them. "Don''t get entangled with the undead. Seize the Godhead from the extraterrestrial visitor and retreat immediately," the mage ordered, diving towards Alex and Ruby. The Commanding level mages followed, covering their leader. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Count Nocturne arrived slightly later, seeing the undead horde below. Without hesitation, he attacked. Commanding level vampires had soul attack capabilities, making the undead less of a problem for them. Lucian, knowing Alex best, was stunned by the sight of over thirty thousand undead. He couldn''t believe a Lord could achieve this in half a month. The vampires, led by Count Nocturne, attacked, while Lucian observed from the sky. The main force was the Monarch levels; his Commanding level wasn''t needed. Lucian wanted to see if Alex''s thirty thousand undead could really hold off two Monarch levels. No, three, as the werewolf had arrived. With Alex''s command, all airborne undead, including gargoyles, Destroyers, specters, bone dragons, and ghost dragons, took to the sky, attacking the mages and vampires. The ground undead surrounded Alex and Ruby, moving to engage the werewolf. The scene was chaotic, with undead fearlessly charging at their enemies. "Ruby, cover me. I''m going to absorb the Godhead''s energy," Alex said, planning to use the system to absorb the Godhead immediately. It would boost her strength, giving her an edge in the battle. After all, it was uncertain if the undead could defeat three Monarch levels with sheer numbers. "I''m a queen, not a bodyguard!" Ruby protested, though she was worried. If the undead couldn''t hold off the enemies, they were doomed. "Alright, my dear queen, please take care of me," Alex said, coaxing her. "That''s more like it. Leave it to me!" Ruby said confidently. Alex summoned four ice walls around herself, preparing to absorb the Godhead. She guessed it would either boost her abilities or give her experience points. If it gave experience points, she would level up. But there could be side effects, so she took precautions. Alex held the Godhead, looking at the blue-glowing orb. [Detected Frost Godhead. Do you want to extract and absorb its energy?] [Extracting the energy will greatly reduce the Godhead''s effect but won''t affect your path to divinity.] "Yes," Alex confirmed, and the Godhead''s blue glow vanished, absorbed into her body. The Godhead in her hand stopped emitting cold, becoming a transparent orb, like a glass ball. Alex felt her experience points break through a bottleneck, leveling up. She looked at the empty Godhead, wondering if the others would still want it. Meanwhile, notifications of undead being killed flooded Alex''s system. She ignored them. It would be absurd if a Monarch level couldn''t kill ordinary undead. Outside the ice walls, the three Monarch levels found the undead horde troublesome. The undead were too numerous. The mage and vampires tried to fly past, but countless gargoyles charged at them. The mage knew that the undead feared no death and were utterly loyal. Being already dead, they had nothing to lose. The mage tried to shatter the gargoyles with magic, but they absorbed the spells, unharmed. The mage realized the gargoyles'' unique trait. Unlike other undead, they could absorb magic. Seeing the gargoyles closing in, surrounded by specters and Destroyers, the mage stopped conserving mana. His wind domain swept the area, blowing the undead away. The mage chanted, releasing an invisible force. The specters were killed by his mind attack. As a Monarch level mage, he specialized in wind magic but knew other elements. Only mind magic could kill undead. Wind blades in his domain shredded the gargoyles, exceeding their absorption limit. Destroyers, however, remained unscathed, absorbing the wind blades. The mage was surprised, recognizing the creatures from his studies. "Destroyers!" the mage thought, knowing their abilities well. A wind shield formed around the mage, but explosions followed as the Destroyers released their stored energy. The mage aimed to kill Alex, knowing he couldn''t kill all the undead. But a spatial barrier from Arthur blocked his path, draining his life force. The mage chanted, preparing a soul attack, but a sudden force disrupted him. Arthur''s breath of dragon hit him, pushing him back. The mage, disheveled, saw his robe burning with blue flames, revealing his face¡ªa blond man. He realized the specters'' coordinated soul attack had disrupted him, led by a special specter, Azure. Count Nocturne, wielding his slender sword, faced the undead horde. Limited to melee, he was at a disadvantage against the airborne undead. But with the mage and vampires'' help, the pressure was manageable. Nocturne''s speed allowed him to kill several specters with each strike. Unlike the mage''s active soul attacks, vampires and werewolves had innate soul attack abilities. However, they only had an overwhelming advantage against ordinary undead. Stronger undead posed a challenge. A vampire, about to strike a Death Warrior, was hit by a ghost dragon''s blue beam, disintegrating into black smoke. The ghost dragon''s beam, a powerful soul and physical attack, was something even Nocturne avoided. Chapter 136: Reaching Monarch level Count Nocturne moved swiftly and gracefully through the air, trying to get close to Alex. All the vampires were covering him.However, the necromancers and liches'' curses and withering skills were not to be underestimated. No matter how fast Count Nocturne was, these skills were unavoidable within their range. Although these skills didn''t cause significant damage to Count Nocturne, they greatly restricted his mobility. For an assassin who relied on speed, this was extremely frustrating. The most unfortunate was the Bodhi. His werewolf subordinates hadn''t arrived yet, leaving him to face countless undead alone. Skeletons were shattered one by one by the Bodhi, his claws tearing through zombies'' bodies, killing them. He deftly avoided the death conquerors'' charges. Even a Monarch level werewolf would get injured facing so many undead, but his powerful self-healing ability allowed him to instantly heal any wounds. He only needed to be wary of undead using mind attacks. The zombie titans were very noticeable among the undead army due to their massive size. Facing the giant fists of the zombie titans, Bodhi couldn''t dodge and had to take the hit head-on. The descending fists ignited in flames, the dried cracks on the zombie titans'' bodies glowing red and covered in magma. It was the zombie titans'' enhancement skill, Flame Body. Boom! Bodhi raised his claws to block the zombie titan''s punch. The immense strength caused the ground to crack and dust to rise. If the werewolf hadn''t been a race that fought by enhancing their bodies, this punch would have severely injured him. Even so, Bodhi''s arms were broken but healed instantly. Bodhi began to pay more attention to the zombie titans, avoiding their attacks to conserve his strength. John swung his sword at the Bodhi, who caught the blade and kicked John away. John cast his spell, a giant flaming skull falling from the sky towards the Bodhi. The werewolf transformed into a giant wolf, weaving through the undead army to avoid the attack. Bodhi grew increasingly furious, becoming more agitated. The three Monarch levels had been fighting for over ten minutes but hadn''t broken through the undead to reach Alex. They realized the severity of the situation; they could be worn down at this rate. They faced two choices: flee or continue fighting for the Godhead. The three Monarch levels hadn''t gone all out, saving their trump cards to use against each other after obtaining the Godhead. But now, surrounded by so many undead, they decided to stop holding back. ... Because Alex had absorbed the Godhead using a special method, she felt slightly uncomfortable but quickly adjusted and fully recovered. Ruby hadn''t issued a warning, indicating the Monarch levels were still being held off by the undead. Alex''s complexion returned to normal, and Ruby''s white, furry ears twitched. "Alex, are you okay? You seemed out of breath," Ruby asked, worried that something had gone wrong with Alex''s absorption of the Godhead''s energy. "I''m fine!" Alex quickly replied. Absorbing the Godhead''s energy had brought immense benefits. The system filtered out impurities, so although it seemed like Alex absorbed the entire Godhead, the utilization rate was low. The Godhead''s energy had dwindled over the centuries, forming the snowy mountain and then erupting. After filtering out impurities and divinity, the remaining energy was minimal. Alex melted the ice walls, reappearing in Ruby''s view. "Alex, I noticed something!" Ruby said, her keen observation skills picking up on the change. She could see that Alex''s strength had significantly increased. "What''s the situation?" Alex asked, looking at the aerial battle between the undead and the enemies. Ruby, still curious, sniffed Alex. "Did you break through to Monarch level?" Ruby asked, surprised. "You can smell that?" Alex asked, surprised. Absorbing the Godhead''s energy had allowed her to level up three times, which wasn''t surprising given the divine energy involved. Reaching Monarch level made Alex very happy, but she tried to remain composed in front of Ruby. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not only had her level increased, but every major breakthrough also enhanced her weapons. Absorbing the Frost Godhead had also advanced her Frost Magic to a higher level. There were many new abilities to explore, but Alex had no time to delve into them now. She quickly checked her system dashboard. [Lord: Alex] ???¦®§®???.?§°? [Strength: lv1 Monarch level (can be increased by personal and troop kills)] [Territory Level: lv3 town] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe, Ring of Space] [Health Points: 500] [Mana Points: 300] [Strength: 160] [Stamina: 145] [Agility: 150] "Of course!" Ruby said proudly, lifting her head. "So, can we take revenge on them now?" Ruby asked, looking at the three Monarch levels. The vampires were nearly all dead, two mages had fallen, and the others were heavily injured. Ruby thought it was time for revenge now that Alex had reached Monarch level. Alex looked at Lucian floating in the distance, thinking he was an easy target. Their goal was the Godhead. They wouldn''t leave without it, so the undead could keep fighting them as long as they didn''t break through the undead''s defenses. If they tried to flee, the undead couldn''t stop them, and Alex would have to intervene. She couldn''t let them escape like Baldwin did last time. Alex smiled wickedly at Lucian and the three Monarch levels. "No rush. Let them fight my subjects for a while. When have you ever seen a queen casually enter the fray?" "True," Ruby agreed, forgetting their earlier desperate escape. Even at Monarch level, Alex couldn''t take on three Monarch levels alone. With so many undead, she needed to wear down the three Monarch levels. Once they were exhausted and low on Mana Points, it would be Alex''s turn. Three Monarch level beings. If she killed them all and then summoned undead from their corpses, Alex had a feeling that if there were a precise power ranking, she would undoubtedly be at the top. Bodhi seemed to be getting desperate. Seeing Alex calmly observing from the rear only made him angrier. A giant wolf shadow appeared behind the Bodhi, blood-red and seemingly formed from his blood. He stopped dodging the undead''s attacks, charging through them with the wolf shadow''s support. Skeletons'' soul fires were extinguished upon impact, making it hard for the undead to get close. Count Nocturne wielded a blood-red whip, each strike carrying a soul attack, killing the surrounding undead and creating a clear area. The human mage retracted his domain, using fusion magic. He combined wind and mind magic, creating invisible wind blades imbued with mind damage. Every undead approaching him was killed by the wind blades. The undead feared no death but wouldn''t die needlessly, especially with Azure commanding them. The undead resorted to ranged attacks, but they were no match for the mage''s long-range capabilities. The undead could only drain the Monarch levels'' stamina and Mana Points. Inflicting real damage was nearly impossible. Even if they hit, it only made the Monarch levels look disheveled. A loud noise came from behind Alex, and she and Ruby turned to look. It was some of the undead Alex had previously sent to Sophie''s castle, mostly consisting of gargoyles and death conquerors. The White Rock Mountains had about ten thousand undead, but many were specters sent out for reconnaissance. The reinforcements numbered around five thousand. The three Monarch levels'' faces darkened. Despite the large number of undead, there were still reinforcements! How could an extraterrestrial visitor Lord have so many troops?! They couldn''t comprehend it. But that was the undead''s charm¡ªsheer numbers were their greatest advantage. Chapter 137: Death Domain "Wow, you really have a lot of subjects!" Ruby exclaimed with envy, imagining how amazing it would be to have so many subjects herself.Sophie had wanted to come over, but Alex had refused. Without any teleportation abilities, it would be suicide. Sophie was currently at the top of Alex''s castle, watching the battle through a reconnaissance telescope she had taken from the dwarves. Alex looked at the notifications of her undead being killed, feeling no emotional disturbance. Even if ten thousand undead died, it didn''t matter. As long as she could wear down and kill the three Monarch levels, it would be a huge win. Almost simultaneously with the arrival of the undead reinforcements, the other Commanding level werewolves finally arrived and joined the battle. However, the Commanding level werewolves lacked soul attack capabilities, meaning they couldn''t kill the undead. Twenty Commanding level werewolves had no significant impact on the battle. Today''s battle gave Alex a clear understanding of her undead army''s combat power. This was the first time she had deployed nearly all her undead. The combat power of nearly forty thousand undead was indeed formidable. But these undead could only hold off three Monarch levels simultaneously. If it were just one Monarch level, the undead army could easily kill it. Two Monarch levels could be surrounded and worn down to death. However, if three Monarch levels decided to flee, the undead couldn''t stop them. It was fortunate that the hobgoblin Shaman hadn''t come. Otherwise, Alex''s undead army might have struggled. "Ah, I recognize that wolf! It was the one causing trouble when we first arrived. I was too weak to kill it then!" Ruby pointed out one of the werewolves she had encountered when she first came to the snowy mountain. "Huh?" Alex followed Ruby''s direction and saw a group of werewolves, but she couldn''t tell which one Ruby was referring to. "How can you tell? Don''t they all look the same?" "Of course not! That werewolf has a big mouth, that one has a small nose, and that one has a scar on its face. Are all humans face-blind?" Ruby analyzed the werewolves'' appearances, but Alex wasn''t interested in listening. She pulled up her system dashboard to check her new abilities and enhancements. The system dashboard was invisible to the native races of this world. Only Lords and their troops could see it. So Ruby only saw Alex''s hands moving in the air, not knowing what she was doing. Alex was reviewing the abilities and enhancements she gained from reaching Monarch level, familiarizing herself with them. She needed to be prepared for the battle, knowing her capabilities. Alex''s magic now included seven types: alchemy, curse, plague, dark, summoning, fire, and frost. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The last two were learned later, while the first five, except dark magic, had all been upgraded to mid-level. Dark magic had been mid-level due to a previous draw, but it hadn''t upgraded to high-level with this advancement, which slightly disappointed Alex. Although dark magic hadn''t reached high-level, she felt it had been subtly strengthened. She would need to test it in battle to understand the changes. Frost Magic had advanced to high-level due to the Godhead''s power, while the other magics remained at mid-level. Alex''s domain was named Death Domain, encompassing all undead traits like decay, withering, and death. It also integrated her five main magics, greatly enhancing her combat power within the domain. Her right eye''s ability to enhance magic meant her fire and frost pseudo-domains had become true domains, with the frost domain being stronger due to its high-level status. Reaching Monarch level, Alex instantly had three domains, which was extraordinary. However, her left eye lacked the right eye''s ability, so dark magic and other magics couldn''t form separate domains. Her Death Domain was a combination of these magics. Alex''s weapon had also been enhanced. Previously, her weapon''s tier had always been higher than her level, but this time it hadn''t advanced. Even so, it had still been significantly strengthened. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Monarch level weapon (upgradable)] [Soul Concentration: 15%] [Active Skill: Five types of undead magic.] [Passive Skill 1: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects; victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.] [Passive Skill 2: The weapon can be enchanted with magic without chanting or forming magic circles.] [Passive Skill 3: The bell''s soul strike range and damage are increased.] In simple terms, the scythe''s bell now had a larger influence range and could be enchanted with five types of magic, enhancing Alex''s combat power. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Alex was no longer worried. With Monarch level strength, she wasn''t afraid of them. Once the undead had worn down the three Monarch levels, Alex would step in to finish them off. In the sky, Lucian continued to observe the battle, amazed by the different races'' Monarch level strengths. He was also shocked by the full strength of the undead Lord, Alex. He hadn''t expected her to hold off three Monarch levels with her troops. Lucian regretted not having such power. If he did, he wouldn''t have been forced to submit to the vampires. He had considered rebelling, but his blood had already been taken. Even if he resisted now, it was futile. The system was deliberately targeting Traitors like him, leaving them no options. Lucian watched the two white figures in the distance, wondering why Alex was so confident. Even if her troops could hold off the Monarch levels, killing them seemed impossible. The Monarch levels were getting closer to Alex. Why wasn''t she running? Alex was also observing the three Monarch levels. The werewolf was unstoppable, but as he advanced, more undead surrounded him. Despite getting closer to Alex, he was increasingly entangled. Bodhi was the least concerning. Alex could wear him down with her troops. Most of the undead were ground forces, surrounding a single Monarch level. Since Bodhi couldn''t fly, he had no escape. Alex''s main targets were the vampire and the human mage. Bodhi didn''t realize his life was ticking away. He kept trying to approach Alex but failed, surrounded by too many undead, including thirty to forty Commanding levels. Under John''s command, the undead coordinated to block Bodhi, giving him no chance to break through. Bodhi''s wolf shadow sprayed blood, forming giant wolves that attacked the undead. He leaped towards Alex, only to be intercepted by a zombie titan''s punch, forcing him back into the undead horde. A Black Warrior slashed deep wounds into him, and death conquerors and bone beasts swarmed him. Without life, Bodhi''s bloodlust ability was useless, leaving him constantly drained and unable to recover or enter a berserk state. Fifteen thousand undead surrounded Bodhi, with Alex and Ruby nearby but out of reach. Just at this moment, a human mage was knocked down by the undead, severely injured. Bodhi saw an opportunity and pounced, killing the mage and absorbing his blood, transforming him into a dried corpse. Bodhi''s muscles bulged, his eyes turned blood-red, and a violent aura surrounded him. Bodhi''s attributes were enhanced, his body restored, and his wolf shadow grew brighter. Alex was stunned. Was that even possible? Clearly, Monarch levels were never simple. Even the seemingly easiest to kill, Bodhi, would require a significant effort from the undead. In less than ten minutes, Bodhi could reach Alex. She placed her left hand on her right wrist, ready to act. "Ruby, hide behind me," Alex warned. Ruby reluctantly retreated. Alex ignored the empty Godhead shell, burying it in the ground. She didn''t want the enemies to realize it was useless and leave. None of the enemies could escape this time. In the sky, Count Nocturne was hit by a ghost dragon''s beam, transforming into a swarm of bats that flew towards Alex. The ghost dragon, bone dragon, liches, and necromancers attacked the bats, but one bat broke through and reached Alex. Count Nocturne had planned to use this move to ambush the other Monarch levels, but with the werewolf and mage unable to break through the undead, he couldn''t wait any longer. The bat transformed into Count Nocturne, who lunged at Alex with his clawed hand, aiming for her heart. Confident in his speed and surprise attack, Count Nocturne believed a Commanding level couldn''t react in time. But Alex had been watching the bat. She summoned her scythe, severing Count Nocturne''s arm and counterattacking. Count Nocturne, shocked, transformed into bats and retreated, reforming in the distance. Alex''s attack had only killed a few bats. Count Nocturne hadn''t expected his ambush to fail. His severed arm burned with black flames, preventing immediate healing. He needed to end this quickly or be overwhelmed by the undead. He also needed to retrieve his arm. Count Nocturne, not used to wielding a sword with his left hand, drew his blood whip and lashed at Alex. Chapter 138: Frost receding and darkness spreading At the moment Count Nocturne launched his attack, Alex''s arm was covered in a layer of ice crystals. She boldly grabbed Count Nocturne''s blood whip.As soon as she grasped the blood whip, frost began to spread rapidly from Alex''s hand towards Count Nocturne at the other end. The blood whip sprouted countless blood spikes, piercing through the frost. The spikes then transformed into several tendrils, flying towards Alex. Alex used Dark Barrier to block all of Count Nocturne''s attacks. She glanced at her Mana Points, noting that she had only used about ten points. If she were still at Commanding level, Count Nocturne''s attack would have cost her at least half her Mana Points. One tendril from the blood whip didn''t attack Alex but extended to the ground, retrieving Count Nocturne''s severed arm. Count Nocturne reattached his arm and flexed his shoulder. Count Nocturne had never encountered Alex before; this was their first battle. He realized this girl was quite strong. He had been disarmed by a Commanding level. Could she be a lv9 Commanding? The blood whip melted into a pool of blood and disappeared. Count Nocturne drew his slender sword again and launched an aerial assault on Alex. Several ice dragons surged around Alex, seemingly alive. They flew towards Count Nocturne, who used his speed to dodge and occasionally shattered an ice dragon. But the ice dragons seemed endless, with new ones forming around Alex and attacking continuously. The mage, besieged by undead, glanced at the battle between Alex and Count Nocturne, surprised. He recognized that Alex''s Frost Magic had reached a high level. A massive tornado formed around the mage, with winds swirling violently. The mage''s figure became transparent and then vanished, transforming into wind and flying towards Alex. The mage''s figure suddenly appeared beside Alex, chanting rapidly. In an instant, a massive wind blade formed in his hand. Wind blades were usually invisible, but under the mage''s enhancement, Alex could see the air distorting around it. She knew her Frost Magic alone couldn''t block the mage''s enhanced wind blade. The surrounding ice dragons were instantly sliced apart by the wind blade, their surfaces smooth as mirrors. Count Nocturne shattered the last ice dragon and looked towards where Alex had been. But Alex had already teleported away. The ground around them froze instantly, and a blizzard began to fall from the sky, the temperature plummeting to snowy mountain levels. "Domain," the mage muttered. This wasn''t a pseudo-domain but a genuine Monarch level domain. This meant the extraterrestrial visitor had reached Monarch level! The mage was puzzled. If she had been Monarch level, why had she run from him earlier? This was bad. He had used too many Mana Points while being entangled with the undead. Count Nocturne had also expended too much energy earlier. They looked at the werewolf below, who was still rampaging. It seemed relying on him was futile. The ice on the ground began to form Alex''s figure. The mage sent a wind blade to shatter the ice. But Alex suddenly appeared beside him, scythe in hand, slashing at him. ???¦®§®???.?§°? The mage quickly conjured a magical barrier to block the attack. The moment the scythe touched the barrier, it ignited with black flames, shattering the barrier instantly. The mage was shocked and hastily formed an earth magic circle to defend himself. No matter how powerful a mage was, being close to an enemy was always a disadvantage. Fortunately, Count Nocturne''s backstab arrived just in time, forcing Alex to dissolve into snowflakes and disappear. "She could appear in any snowflake," the mage warned Count Nocturne, then released his wind domain, blowing away all the snowflakes to prevent Alex from ambushing them. The wind raged within Alex''s frost domain, creating an even more intense blizzard. But Alex wasn''t limited to appearing in snow and ice. She reappeared in front of Count Nocturne, then teleported again, making him prepare to counter. Instead, Alex appeared beside the mage, attacking him again. The scythe, burning with black flames, easily tore through the wind blades and the mage''s barrier. The mage, knowing Alex could teleport, had prepared defenses. He could withstand the scythe''s soul attack thanks to a crystal necklace designed to resist such attacks. But as the mage tried to escape, he suddenly started bleeding from his nose, coughing violently, and lost feeling in his hands. Alex had anticipated the mage''s resistance to soul attacks and had prepared accordingly. Her undead had tested the enemies'' abilities, while the enemies knew little about her. The mage gritted his teeth and teleported out of Alex''s domain. Alex hadn''t expected him to have another trick up his sleeve, and her attack missed again. The mage chanted a purification spell to remove the curse from his body, then began healing himself. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Dark magic!" the mage muttered, his face grim. This magic could destroy everything, and its black flames were considered ominous. It had been lost for centuries. The mage knew dark magic was lost because it was too powerful, capable of destroying all elements, making it the bane of mages. The Archmages of the past had ensured it wouldn''t be passed down. Every child in the mage association knew that magic wasn''t inherently good or evil; it depended on the user. The mage also recognized plague and curse magics, which were nearly impossible to defend against. He couldn''t let Alex get close again; his life-saving measures were limited. Count Nocturne was also affected by plague magic, but his powerful self-healing ability allowed him to ignore most of its effects. Alex realized the mage was very weak in close combat. If she got close again, he would be dead. The vampire and mage floated in the sky, watching Alex below. The werewolf broke through the undead horde and reached Alex. For a moment, the three Monarch levels surrounded Alex from above and below. The undead army surrounded the three Monarch levels, creating a reverse encirclement. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, the frost receding and darkness spreading. "Come on!" Chapter 139: Death Domain The ground around Alex turned a desolate gray, vegetation withered, stones crumbled into dust, and the air filled with a dry, metallic scent. In areas shrouded by darkness, objects that couldn''t be corroded ignited with black flames.Within Alex''s domain stood a dead tree. Instead of burning, it underwent a transformation. The tree was imbued with a soul, its branches twisted, roots pulled from the ground, and a ghostly face formed on its trunk, eerie and sinister. This was a new undead, transformed by Alex''s domain, which combined all her undead magics¡ªcurse, plague, dark, summoning, and alchemy. The Death Domain repelled all living things, resembling a hellish landscape. Count Nocturne and the werewolf were within Alex''s Death Domain, feeling their healing abilities significantly reduced. The mage, at a distance, was horrified by Alex''s domain. This was unlike anything recorded in the association''s magic books, utterly bewildering. Lucian, further away, was stunned. He had initially thought Alex''s ability to fight Monarch levels was a fluke. But when she released her domain, he realized she had somehow ascended to Monarch level. The Death Domain consumed Mana Points at nearly twice the rate of the Frost Domain, so Alex needed to end this quickly. Surrounded by dense dark elements, Alex merely glanced at Count Nocturne, and he was instantly engulfed in black flames. Count Nocturne transformed into countless bats, but Alex''s dark elements formed thousands of arrows, piercing every bat. Count Nocturne reformed into a massive red shadow, covered in blood, transforming into a creature made entirely of blood. He lunged at Alex, while the werewolf controlled his wolf shadow to strike at her as well. Alex vanished, reappearing in mid-air to confront Count Nocturne, avoiding simultaneous attacks from the werewolf and the vampire. With one slash, Alex tore Count Nocturne''s form apart. His body split into blood, attempting to envelop Alex in mid-air. But countless black flame spikes erupted outward, breaking through Count Nocturne''s defense, corroding his blood and emitting white smoke. The blood reformed into Count Nocturne''s shape at a distance, looking weak and bleeding from the mouth. Dark magic could completely corrode his blood; he was no match for Alex. Alex landed, and countless undead swarmed the werewolf, preventing him from attacking her. As time passed, the werewolf''s bloodlust would fade, leading to his demise. Her undead army was fully capable of killing him, so Alex didn''t focus on him. The vampire and mage, who could fly, were the most likely to escape. The werewolf was already sentenced to death. Alex noticed that the werewolf and vampire lacked domains, or their domains differed from other Monarch levels. Their domains seemed to be enhancement types, unable to project outward, making them vulnerable to Alex''s domain. The mage''s wind domain clashed with Alex''s Death Domain. Dark magic burned away other elemental forces, making the mage''s domain no match for Alex''s, slowly being eroded. However, the mage''s immediate surroundings were within his domain, protecting him from Alex''s plague and curse magics. The mage was frustrated that his elemental attacks couldn''t even reach Alex, dissipating before hitting her. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Count Nocturne was severely injured, the mage couldn''t exert his full power, and the werewolf couldn''t touch Alex. They had been fighting since the snowy mountain, worn down by the undead. Facing Alex, they couldn''t use their full strength. They were trapped, unable to advance or retreat. Advancing meant facing Alex, retreating meant being surrounded by undead. The mage didn''t hesitate, turning to flee. He valued his life over the Godhead. Count Nocturne saw the mage fleeing and chose to escape as well. Even if they obtained the Godhead, surviving to take it back seemed impossible. As for the werewolf, he was left to his fate. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Stop them!" Alex commanded, and the undead attacked the vampire and mage. Alex vanished, reappearing near the mage instead of the closer vampire. She had two reasons: the mage association was a powerful force, and mages were easier to kill. Alex teleported, closing most of the distance. A black vortex appeared before the mage, forcing him to change direction. In that moment, Alex teleported again, appearing beside him. Enhanced dark magic shortened teleport intervals, extended distances, and reduced mana consumption, making it a comprehensive upgrade. The mage conjured a lava wind blade with his left hand and an ice wind blade with his right, hurling them at Alex. He didn''t expect the wind blades to harm Alex, just to knock her back and buy time to escape. Alex shattered the wind blades with her scythe, the wind blowing her hair. Her left eye glowed as she stared at the mage. Alex floated in the air, not falling. The mage panicked. She could fly! Alex had planned to hide this ability, using it to severely injure or kill one of them. But with the Monarch levels fleeing, she had to act. The mage transformed into wind, distancing himself from Alex. A highly compressed wind blade formed before him. The massive wind blade sliced through the air, heading for Alex. Gargoyles, Destroyers, and bone dragons were cut in half, falling to the ground. Alex raised her left hand, summoning Dark Barrier. She also cast a soul curse on the mage. The wind blade struck Dark Barrier, depleting a hundred Mana Points, but Alex remained unharmed. The mage''s head emitted black smoke, blood streaming from his eyes, nose, and mouth. He fell, his wind domain dissipating. Alex ignored the mage, knowing from her system dashboard if he was dead. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv1 Monarch level mage association mage, gaining 300 experience points.] Alex turned to Count Nocturne, who was severely injured and entangled by undead, unable to escape. Count Nocturne''s bat transformation consumed blood, weakening him with each use. Each transformation resulted in many bats being killed, significantly affecting him. In his current state, another transformation would be fatal, even without Alex''s intervention. Count Nocturne saw Alex approaching after killing the mage. Panicking, he transformed into bats again, trying to flee. But Alex''s teleportation was swift, and her Death Domain enveloped the bats. The bats ignited, turning to ash. Count Nocturne reverted to human form, looking old and frail, his skin wrinkled and covered in black spots, his self-healing greatly diminished, and his body rotting from plague magic. "Blood, I need blood!" Count Nocturne raved. Alex approached and sliced him in half, dark magic corroding his body and soul, killing him. Alex extinguished the flames on Count Nocturne''s corpse, preserving it. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv1 blood clan vampire count, gaining 300 experience points.] Chapter 140: Three Monarch-level undead "This can''t be happening!" Lucian, watching from a distance, was in utter disbelief as he witnessed Alex kill two Monarch levels.Seeing Count Nocturne fall, Lucian didn''t hesitate to flee. He hadn''t dared to run while Count Nocturne was alive, but now he had no such reservations. Alex noticed Lucian''s escape but didn''t pursue him. They were too far apart, and maintaining the Death Domain was already consuming a significant amount of her Mana Points. Alex''s flying skills were still unrefined, relying mostly on floating and teleporting for movement. Lucian''s castle wasn''t going anywhere. Alex needed to handle the immediate situation and get accustomed to her new abilities first. She retracted her domain and slowly descended to the ground. She walked over to where she had buried the Godhead, kicked away the dirt, and retrieved it. Ruby ran over as soon as she saw Alex had dealt with her opponents. "That was so cool, Alex! But your domain looks a bit... evil." "Undead are inherently dead things. Domain isn''t inherently good or evil; it depends on the user," Alex replied, her gaze shifting to the battlefield where her undead were fighting the werewolf. The werewolf''s bloodlust had faded, and he was visibly exhausted. Alex had no intention of personally dealing with the werewolf. The undead could handle it; he wasn''t going anywhere. Ruby listened to Alex and seemed to understand a bit. Her own abilities were inherited from the Arctic Tigerfolk, so it made sense that Alex, as the Undead Queen, would have undead abilities. When Alex killed the two Monarch levels, her Death Domain automatically began summoning, but even after five minutes, the process wasn''t complete. Alex''s mid-level Undead Summoning Magic allowed her to choose what to summon, unlike before when it was random. She decided to summon a necromancer and a lich from the two Monarch level corpses. They were small, mobile, and powerful, making them the best choices. Alex finally understood the magic grading system. She had been confused about the difference between third-tier and mid-level. Now she knew that the most basic magic had nine tiers, followed by mid-level, high-level, and forbidden spells. Thinking back, Alex realized she had been lucky to get a mid-level fire magic book directly. Each tier from one to nine essentially granted one skill, which was considered basic. "Now you don''t have to worry about the dangers of the snowy mountain, but be cautious. " Alex warned Ruby. With the Godhead now out in the open, the snowy mountain was in chaos and would no longer be considered a forbidden area. But just as the mage had threatened before, no one could guarantee that if you beat the small ones, the big ones might not come. "Don''t worry. Once I get back, I''ll sleep and ascend to Monarch level. Then I''ll be the boss of the snowy mountain!" Ruby said confidently, hands on her hips. Alex checked the system time. It had been fifteen minutes since the mage died. Finally, a necromancer appeared over the mage''s corpse. Alex couldn''t understand why summoning a Monarch level took so long. "Kill him," Alex ordered the necromancer. The werewolf was already on the brink of death, and with a Monarch level necromancer joining the battle, his fate was sealed. "Is this how you get so many undead?!" Ruby asked, suddenly envious of the extraterrestrial visitors. No wonder Alex took such risks; the rewards were incredibly tempting. "Of course," Alex replied, checking her system dashboard. The Monarch level necromancer had mid-level Bone Magic and ninth-tier summoning magic, making him very powerful. The necromancer waved his staff, and countless bone spikes erupted around the werewolf, piercing and immobilizing him. The werewolf howled in agony. His bloodlust had faded, and his wolf shadow was dissipating. Weak and bound by the necromancer, he was doomed. "You''ll face the retribution of Skyreach Mountains, and you''ll regret your foolish actions today!" the werewolf snarled, trying to turn his head to glare at Alex. Alex wasn''t afraid. All the werewolves were dead, leaving no witnesses. After summoning and disassembling the bodies, she''d burn everything, leaving no trace for Skyreach Mountains to find. Ignoring the werewolf''s threats, Alex didn''t bother responding. Who argues with a dying werewolf? The necromancer''s Bone Magic drained the werewolf''s blood and dismembered him, ending his life. Alex cast a summoning spell on the werewolf''s corpse and left it to the undead, then began cleaning up the battlefield. She had considered summoning other Monarch levels but decided against it. Bone dragons, ghost dragons, and zombie titans were too large. Alex wanted undead that could pass through the Portal of Transit, which would be useful in the war against the dwarves. Necromancers were essential for raising armies, so she decided to summon another necromancer from the last Monarch level corpse. Three Monarch level corpses yielded two necromancers and one lich. ... "Do you want this food?" Alex asked Ruby, offering the elite food dropped from the disassembled werewolf and vampire corpses. "No, thanks. Now that it''s safe, they can find their own food," Ruby declined. Since Ruby didn''t want it, Alex stored the food. Ruby found Alex''s ability to disassemble corpses into food fascinating. She only saw Alex point at the air, and the corpses turned into food. The abilities of extraterrestrial visitors were indeed strange. With three new Monarch level undead, Alex didn''t need to personally hunt for points. She instructed the three Monarch level undead to head to Lucian''s castle. "Go take him out." "Yes, honorable Queen," the necromancers and lich replied, flying towards the snowy mountain. Alex knew she needed to act quickly before Samson and the others claimed Lucian''s head. Surveying the battlefield littered with bones and undead corpses, Alex estimated that nearly three thousand undead had died in the battle. But gaining three Monarch level undead was a huge win. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? With the snowy mountain no longer dangerous, it would become Alex''s backyard. The undead could now develop without hiding in the castle. Alex disassembled the three Monarch level corpses, finding only magic crystals and Essence Shards. However, the vampire dropped his slender sword, a Monarch level weapon that required blood to use, clearly designed for vampires. This was Alex''s first Monarch level weapon, excluding her scythe. The trading post had no records of Monarch level weapons, so Alex priced it at ten thousand magic crystals and listed it. Standing in the center of the battlefield, Alex ignited black flames, burning the bloodstains and undead corpses to ashes. Satisfied that no traces remained, Alex turned to the undead tree affected by her domain. The system identified it as a Ghostface Tree, with a Commanding level cap, slow movement, and the ability to disguise as a dead tree, attacking only when enemies approached. It was similar to gargoyles but weaker. With everything settled, Alex prepared to return to the castle. She looked at the Godhead in her hand, deciding to keep it for future use. "Alex, are you leaving?" Ruby asked as Alex approached. "Yeah, I can''t stay here forever. My castle is just ahead. Want to come see it?" Ruby hesitated, clearly curious about the outside world but ultimately decided against it. "No, I need to take care of my people and find a place to sleep." Ruby felt unbalanced seeing Alex ascend to Monarch level. She knew she could grow stronger by sleeping, but she had fallen behind. "Alright. The area is full of undead. If you need to find me, just ask one of them. I still owe you a big thanks for your help." Without Ruby''s space magic to steal the Godhead, Alex might have given up. Running into three Monarch levels was nearly suicidal. "No need to thank me. It was nothing. I know you extraterrestrial visitors live in those big castles." Ruby looked towards the Dark Forest, seeing only flat land. "Stop looking. My castle has special concealment. You can''t see it." At the top of Alex''s castle, Sophie had watched the entire battle. Her expressions ranged from fear to worry, joy, and shock in just twenty minutes. When Alex urgently called for all the undead, Sophie knew it was serious. She had seen Alex go out often but never in such an emergency. Thankfully, the crisis was over, and Alex''s strength had grown significantly. The sight of three Monarch levels fighting thirty thousand undead was still etched in Sophie''s mind. She realized Alex had over a hundred Commanding level troops, while she was only a lv9 Standard. As the undead returned, Sophie went to the castle grounds. Alex and Ruby were saying their goodbyes. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''m leaving," Ruby waved to Alex, then remembered something. "Alex, we''re friends now, right?" "Yes," Alex nodded. Ruby smiled, showing her small fangs. She had made her first friend. "Can humans tell extraterrestrial visitors apart?" Ruby was curious about human society. Alex was the first extraterrestrial visitor she had met. Alex thought for a moment. Without revealing abilities and ignoring cultural differences, extraterrestrial visitors and native humans were indistinguishable. "Just by appearance, if you change clothes, they can''t tell." Lords wore modern clothes, different from the native Gothic style. "Then take me to human society sometime." "Sure." Ruby transformed into a white tiger and flew towards the snowy mountain. Alex led her undead back to the castle. Having ascended to Monarch level, Alex no longer feared the Silverbeard Clan dwarves. She planned to send an army of ten thousand undead, five thousand air units, and five thousand death conquerors. Necromancers were essential, so once the three undead killed Lucian, she''d send a Monarch level necromancer. Alex tested her abilities, now able to fly freely using dark elements, similar to teleportation. Flying consumed Mana Points, but it felt great. "Flying feels amazing!" Alex finally had the flying ability she had longed for. Though she flew slowly without the Death Domain''s boost, she was content. She still had teleportation. Meanwhile, the three Monarch level undead flew out of the snowy mountain, spotting Lucian''s castle. Floating in the air, one necromancer rasped, "This must be the place the Queen mentioned." Chapter 141: The demise of Lucian To maximize the combat effectiveness of his troops, Samson had brought them to the snowy mountain, coincidentally experiencing the mountain''s upheaval.Samson didn''t know why the snowy mountain was shaking; he only saw a blue beam of light shoot into the sky and then disappear. Realizing something was wrong, Samson decided to retreat, informing the other Alliance members along the way. While on the edge of the snowy mountain, Samson saw three undead flying towards Lucian''s castle. He knew Alex''s humanoid undead were intelligent. "Could this undead Lord have some connection with these Traitors?" If they hadn''t been worried about the Starfallen Empire''s army, they would have gone to kill Lucian as soon as the leaderboard was announced. Samson found a vantage point on the snowy mountain where he could see Lucian''s castle from a distance. He wanted to observe any activity there, knowing that as a Traitor, Lucian''s castle would likely have local forces present. Three undead alone couldn''t possibly be there to kill Lucian. Samson checked the leaderboard again, confirming Alex''s name was still green, which reassured him. If Alex had become a Traitor, they would be in serious trouble. But soon, Samson saw the three undead attacking Lucian''s castle from the air. He couldn''t believe it. Did they really think three undead could kill Lucian? The vampire headquarters was far from the snowy mountain, and the scattered vampire outposts only had Commanding level vampires. Commanding level vampires couldn''t withstand Monarch level undead. However, only Count Nocturne''s group knew about Lucian''s submission to the vampires. Even though they had sent Lucian''s blood back to the headquarters, reinforcements wouldn''t arrive in time to provide support. Lucian was isolated, relying only on the two lv9 Commanding level vampires left by Count Nocturne and his own troops. Lucian hadn''t expected Alex to send only three undead, without any additional troops, and certainly not three Monarch levels. The presence of three Monarch levels was overwhelming. Lucian had no choice but to fight to the death. All the vampires took to the sky, a thousand strong with ten Commanding levels, swarming the three undead. Lucian could only hope that the undead summoned from Monarch level corpses were weaker than true Monarch levels. After all, he had seen Alex''s thirty thousand undead and over a hundred Commanding levels fail to kill three Monarch levels. The necromancer released his domain, and countless bones erupted from the vampires'' bodies, draining their blood. A thousand vampires weren''t enough to handle one Monarch level, let alone three. The necromancer''s Bones Domain instantly killed all the Standard vampires around him. The slain vampires transformed into various undead, attacking the remaining vampires. Lucian''s scalp tingled. This Monarch level couldn''t be defeated by sheer numbers. The more troops he had, the more undead the enemy could summon. Thinking quickly, Lucian realized that these undead were essentially mages, meaning they had fragile bodies. If he could get close, he might be able to kill them. Vampire blood could kill undead, so Lucian ordered all Commanding level vampires to attack the necromancer. They needed to focus on one target to have any chance of victory. The vampires used their speed to dodge the bone attacks, trying to get close to the necromancer. But they overlooked the lich. Although also a mage, liches had some close combat abilities. Liches could reach Emperor level, while necromancers capped at King level. The lich used ice magic, but his domain was the Skeleton Domain. A massive ice wall appeared, blocking the vampires. When it shattered, countless bone spikes shot towards them. Just as vampire blood could kill undead, the magic of liches and necromancers could kill vampires. Lucian and the vampires couldn''t afford to be hit by the bone spikes, dodging frantically. Floating bones formed a massive bone dragon, covered in frost, which roared and attacked the vampires. On the ground, countless skeletal archers appeared, their arrows long bone spikes, all aimed at the vampires. The arrows burned with blue flames, turning any hit vampire to ash. This was the lich''s domain, controlling and using all skeletons within it, even forming undead to command. These were temporary, as the undead summoned by the lich would dissipate when the domain ended. To summon them permanently, the lich needed corpses, which the necromancer had already used. Bone dragons were beyond the summoning range of a Monarch level lich, who could only summon various skeletal variants. Necromancers and liches were the least vulnerable to swarm tactics. Lucian felt despair. This Monarch level lich was even more troublesome than the two necromancers. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? In a short time, nearly a thousand vampires were killed, transformed into two thousand undead by the necromancer. Only Lucian and a few Commanding level vampires remained, struggling. Watching from a distance, Samson was stunned. How could three undead defeat nearly a thousand vampires? But the reality was that in less than ten minutes, the three undead had killed all the vampires. A terrifying thought crossed Samson''s mind. Could these undead be Monarch levels? If he replaced the three undead with the human empire''s Monarch level general Baldwin, Samson shook his head. Baldwin couldn''t achieve this. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "All three are Monarch levels?!" Samson was shocked. From his distant vantage point, he couldn''t see the undead domains clearly, only their continuous summoning and control of bones and ice magic. Samson quickly led his snow maidens away from the snowy mountain, informing the Alliance of this significant discovery. Meanwhile, Sophie was waiting for Alex at the castle, having discovered a Traitor near White Rock Mountains, though it was far away. With the three Monarch levels attacking Lucian, Alex decided to go to White Rock Mountains herself. After arranging the undead at White Rock Mountains, Alex and Sophie used the portal to travel there. "Tell me about this Traitor," Alex said, surprised to find one so quickly. With seven days and the vast distances between Lords, the leaderboard''s top scorer wouldn''t have many points by the end. After all, castles were fixed, and the continent was vast. Finding many Traitor Lords was unlikely. "It''s far from White Rock Mountains. Specters detected it using the talent. The Traitor has likely allied with the dwarves, probably the Silverbeard Clan," Sophie explained as they walked towards the castle. "How can you be sure they allied with the dwarves?" Alex asked, puzzled. While the area was the Silverbeard Clan''s territory, White Rock Mountains was on the edge, and other races were possible. "Because the specters found a dwarf city near the Traitor Lord," Sophie explained. Alex was surprised. She hadn''t seen much of this world''s civilized society. Different races had different lifestyles, and humanoid races built cities to live together, even if weak. The Lord was unlucky, forced to submit. Being near another race''s city was fortunate enough not to be destroyed. "Big Shot, should we gather the undead to take him out?" Sophie asked. For Alex, even a fifth-tier Lord worth one point couldn''t be ignored. No one knew how many Traitor Lords they could find in seven days. "No need. I''ll go alone." With a dwarf city nearby, bringing undead would be too conspicuous. As a Monarch level, Alex couldn''t be stopped by less than ten thousand troops. Going alone was safest. "Be careful," Sophie urged. Alex nodded, mounted a griffin, and set off, donning a black robe to conceal her appearance. Her white hair, along with her stunning beauty, was too noticeable. Meanwhile, Lucian was severely injured, his left arm limp, and his right shoulder bleeding from a gaping wound that wouldn''t heal. All the vampires had been killed by the undead, leaving Lucian alone, surrounded by over two thousand undead. Even if the vampire carrying Lucian''s blood died en route, and Lucian became a Freelancer, abandoning his castle, he couldn''t escape. The undead had orders from Alex to kill him, regardless of his status. Lucian and Alex had always been enemies, from their first meeting to the battle with the Frost Werewolf. Their cooperation was purely for mutual benefit, with Alex keeping her promise. Now, with the system designating them as enemies, and Alex having dealt with the snowy mountain forces, she had no reason not to kill him. Lucian would have done the same in her place. His mistake was not fleeing when his castle was discovered, instead of stalling with the surrounding forces. In just a few days, Lucian had lost the ability to contend with Alex. Her troops could easily wipe him out. The Elemental Alliance, Starfallen Empire, and Alex all wanted him dead, and he couldn''t fight any of them. He failed to escape, attracted a werewolf Lord, fought him, then was discovered by Count Nocturne and forced to submit, leading to his current predicament, surrounded by undead and facing death. Perhaps this was fate. Lucian accepted it, feeling a strange calm instead of fear as death approached. Lucian''s broken body was pierced by the lich''s Ice Magic, his blood and life draining away. Feeling drowsy, blood gushing from his mouth, Lucian looked at the three undead in the distance and smiled. "Finally, I can be free." Chapter 142: Dwarf city Lucian turned to ash and dissipated. With his death, his castle began to shake violently, eventually collapsing into ruins.The resources didn''t need to be collected by the undead, as the Lord''s Warehouse contents were automatically transferred to Alex''s Warehouse upon his death. With Lucian''s demise, the vampire corpses created from his blood also vanished, leaving no trace. Only a few scattered vampire corpses summoned from the Barracks remained. Now, the primary use of corpses for Alex was summoning undead. The materials obtained from disassembling corpses were negligible unless they were Commanding level or higher. The lich and two necromancers, along with over two thousand undead, left the area, taking the Commanding level vampire corpses with them. Alex received a system notification while in the air, confirming that the three undead had completed their mission and were returning to the castle. "This time, I even gained an extra two thousand undead. Summoning necromancers was the right choice." A Monarch level necromancer could summon undead just by releasing their domain, meaning Alex no longer needed to personally handle summoning tasks. Alex instructed Sophie to have one of the Monarch level necromancers take charge of defending White Rock Mountains, ensuring the castle''s safety in her absence. The other necromancer and the lich would guard Alex''s own castle, as the main base''s security was paramount. Flying on her griffin, Alex checked the loot from killing Lucian: a special structure blueprint for a blood pool and a blood clan core, along with some ordinary loot. The special structure was useless for her, meant for summoning vampires. The blood clan core, however, was intriguing, as it could transform humans into vampires, though not with Lucian''s high-level bloodline. "Is this a vampire starter pack?" Alex decided to store it in the Warehouse for now and deal with it later. She couldn''t imagine anyone wanting to become a vampire. While it might tempt weaker Lords, Alex wouldn''t let Chi-Chi or Sophie become vampires. Flying away from White Rock Mountains, Alex headed deeper into the plains. From high above, she surveyed the vast grasslands, spotting several dwarf fortresses. She wondered what they were guarding. These fortresses seemed like small dwarf settlements. As Alex flew further north, their numbers increased. After flying north for over two hours, the outline of a city appeared on the horizon. The Traitor was northwest of the dwarf city. Alex descended from the sky, choosing to approach on foot to avoid detection by the city''s dwarf sentries. Dressed in a black robe, Alex descended like a ghost, using dark elements to slow her fall and land smoothly. The griffin flew away, circling around to the back of the Traitor''s castle to await Alex''s signal. Alex looked towards the distant dwarf city, curious about this world''s urban centers. From afar, she could see the city was built on a raised hill, surrounded by tall white stone walls and covered by a transparent protective shield. A moat encircled the city, with a drawbridge over it. The area outside the city was empty, with only a few dwarf guards patrolling the walls. The defenses seemed lax, likely due to the city''s remote location. "This city looks like something from the classical era, just with a different style." Alex noted that the closer she got to the city, the more dwarf fortresses she saw. It seemed to be a defensive strategy, with the city at the center and fortresses spread out around it. She admired the specters'' efficiency in finding this place, thanks to their unlimited stamina, allowing them to execute orders tirelessly. Pulling her hood lower to conceal her face, Alex vanished from sight. Northwest of the dwarf city stood a modest castle on the plains, some distance from the city. The area was mostly empty grassland, but the castle was surrounded by many dwarves, as if waiting for something. Approaching from the back, Alex used the castle walls for cover, observing the dwarves. The castle was clearly low-level, disappointing Alex. It was likely a fifth-tier Lord''s castle. "No matter, a point is still a point." Peeking around the corner, Alex saw about thirty dwarves gathered at the castle gate, with several beasts or ponies tied to posts. Most bizarrely, a dwarf in armor stood at the gate, collecting money. ??? Alex was baffled by the scene. A satisfied dwarf emerged from the castle, greeting the others and preparing to leave. The dwarves chatted, but Alex couldn''t hear them clearly. She had checked earlier and knew no more dwarves were approaching, so she acted swiftly, releasing her Frost Domain. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? The dwarves at the gate saw the black-robed Alex appear and were instantly frozen. "A human mage!" The armored dwarf exclaimed in disbelief, unable to comprehend how a human mage could be here. Mistaking Alex''s attire and Frost Magic for a human mage was understandable. After his exclamation, the armored dwarf was frozen solid by Alex. The thirty dwarves, including their mounts, were turned into ice sculptures. Retracting her domain, Alex walked towards the castle, the ice sculptures shattering behind her. Entering the empty courtyard, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. A dwarf descending the stairs was immediately frozen by Alex as she passed his corpse and continued upstairs. The second floor had rooms lined up on both sides. A woman with golden hair, blue eyes, and pointed ears, wearing dirty, ill-fitting clothes, emerged from one of the rooms. Not human, Alex realized instantly. An elf. The elf''s eyes were red and swollen, and she limped as she walked past Alex, expressionless, like a dead person. Alex felt a surge of unease and continued forward. The hallway was filled with lewd sounds, making it clear what the dwarves were doing. "oh yes, oh yes..." The sounds from a nearby room caught Alex''s attention. She knew the Lord of this castle must be inside. Kicking the door open, Alex saw a naked dwarf. With a flick of her wrist, she sent an ice spike through the dwarf, freezing him solid. The dwarf''s body fell to the floor, revealing a human woman, about thirty years old, chained to the bed by a collar around her neck. This was no different from livestock. These damned dwarves! Seeing the dwarf killed, the woman turned and vomited over the side of the bed, then reflexively covered herself with a nearby cloth upon seeing Alex. "Th-thank you." The terrified woman had white, unknown fluids on her face. Realizing the black-robed figure had killed the dwarf, she remained desperate, unable to see an end to her suffering. She had tried to kill herself many times but couldn''t. "What''s your name?" A melodious female voice came from the black robe, slightly easing the woman''s fear. Tears welled up in her red eyes. "I''m Elizabeth. Please, kill me!" Elizabeth''s emotions surged, rattling her chains as she struggled. Alex felt a mix of emotions. The castle crystal was the Lord''s life. Elizabeth''s castle was here, and she had been forced to become a Traitor. She was a pitiful Lord. All the Traitors Alex had encountered were forced into it, none willingly submitting to local forces. The system seemed to be helping them find release rather than targeting them. Seeing Elizabeth''s suffering, Alex knew death would be a mercy. "Don''t be afraid. I''ll help you find peace." Alex removed her hood and approached. Elizabeth smiled, showing no fear. Alex ended her life swiftly and walked out of the room. Elizabeth''s troops were likely elves. Once the newbie protection period ended, the dwarves from the city must have taken control, turning her castle into a place for their depravity. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They even turned it into a business. Disgusting. Standing in the hallway, Alex felt the castle shake as Elizabeth died. Dwarves ran out of their rooms in panic, seeing Alex at the end of the hall. Alex''s eyes glowed blue, and the dwarves burst into flames, screaming in agony as they fell. The collapsing castle buried them. Alex grabbed a dwarf and dragged him outside, throwing him to the ground. The pain from the black flames burning his soul was unbearable. "Tell me about the city to the southeast." Chapter 143: Miss Alex, thank you Alex''s cold voice emanated from within the black robe, and the flames on the dwarf''s body were extinguished. He immediately fell to his knees, begging Alex for mercy.The reputation of dwarves as honest and straightforward seemed unfounded now. These dwarf nobles had become corrupt, proving that any intelligent being could succumb to the lure of power. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk! Please, honorable mage leader, spare my life," the dwarf pleaded, his face contorted with pain, sweat pouring down his face. The agony of having his soul burned had left him weak. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The city is called Grimstone, ruled by the youngest son of the Silverbeard Clan''s chieftain. There are twenty thousand dwarf soldiers stationed there." That didn''t make sense. Alex had seen the city from afar, and it was quite large. How could it only have twenty thousand soldiers? "Such a large city with only twenty thousand soldiers?" Alex questioned, clearly skeptical. Black flames flickered in her hand, causing the dwarf to panic and beg for mercy. "Please, leader, calm down! I''m not lying! You see, Grimstone is on the edge of the Silverbeard Clan''s territory, far from the front lines. The chieftain dotes on his youngest son and placed him here because it''s relatively safe. That''s why there are only twenty thousand soldiers; the rest are just civilians." The dwarf hurriedly explained, terrified of experiencing the soul-burning pain again. So that''s it. The Silverbeard Clan was embroiled in internal conflict, vying for the throne. Fearing for his youngest son''s safety, the chieftain had stationed him in this remote location. "How many dwarves are in the Silverbeard Clan?" "There are fewer than ten thousand nobles. Including the army and civilians, there might be close to a million, but there''s no exact count." The dwarf didn''t dare look up at Alex, recognizing her as a human female mage from her voice. Alex extracted more information from the dwarf, learning about the surrounding area. Grimstone''s highest combat power was Monarch level, but the dwarf didn''t know how many or their exact levels. The dwarves Alex encountered in White Rock Mountains were sent by the chieftain''s second son. The iron mining in White Rock Mountains and the dwarf fortresses were all under Grimstone''s control. The Silverbeard Clan had seven cities and countless fortresses, with most of their forces engaged in battles with other clans. Alex didn''t know the exact strength of the clan chieftains, but the late dwarf king had reached King level. She estimated the clan chieftains were likely high-level Monarchs at most; otherwise, they would have rebelled long ago, not waiting for the king''s death. The dwarves, as a mid-tier race on Eldoria, weren''t particularly strong. For Alex, they weren''t too challenging. To be safe, Alex decided to proceed cautiously. While undead could quickly expand in number, she couldn''t indiscriminately slaughter dwarf civilians. Moreover, there was a significant gap between Monarch levels. A lv1 Monarch level and a lv9 Monarch level were worlds apart. Alex wasn''t confident she could take on a lv9 Monarch level dwarf. The distance between White Rock Mountains and Grimstone was considerable. Alex doubted that with dwarf technology, there must be teleportation arrays or similar structures between cities. If she couldn''t capture Grimstone in one go, she would face reinforcements from the Silverbeard Clan. Alex had no intention of exterminating all the dwarves. Her plan was to subdue them and have Sophie manage them, providing a steady supply of resources and support for her castle. "Let''s put this on hold for now. We''ll focus on Traitors this week and deal with the dwarves later when we''re stronger." Alex had silently marked the dwarves as her first opponents in the All-Races Battle Royale. She dealt with the dwarf, ensuring no traces were left, and whistled sharply. The griffin circling above descended swiftly, and Alex mounted it, flying back towards White Rock Mountains. On the way, Alex noted the general location for future reference. She expected the chieftain''s second son to send more dwarves to White Rock Mountains soon, given how many she had killed. Checking the leaderboard, Alex saw her score was now 8, putting her ahead of the 7-point Traitor Lord and into first place. It seemed climbing the ranks was easier than she had anticipated. By the time the sky had fully darkened, Alex returned to Sophie''s castle. "Big Shot, it looks like everything went smoothly. You weren''t spotted by the dwarves, were you?" Sophie asked, having been monitoring the leaderboard. She knew Alex had dealt with the Traitor when her score increased a few hours ago. "The Traitor was a pitiful soul. I gave her peace. As for the dwarf city, I''ll deal with it soon enough," Alex replied casually, not going into detail. She hoped Sophie and Chi-Chi would never have to face the world''s harsh realities. "I''ve left a Monarch level necromancer here. You don''t need to worry about safety for now. Keep having the undead search for Traitors." Alex waved her hand and headed towards the Portal of Transit. The presence of a Monarch level necromancer gave Sophie a great sense of security. Her castle, deep within White Rock Mountains, was indeed very safe for now. Sophie would stay to manage the dwarves and gather intelligence. The Monarch level necromancer replaced the previous lv6 Commanding level necromancer, taking charge of the area. It would manage the undead, ensure the castle''s safety, and expand the undead forces. "This place is in your hands now." "Yes, my Queen." Alex stepped into the Portal of Transit, returning to her castle. She removed her black robe, satisfied with its effectiveness. While humans could easily see through it, it was useful for deceiving other races. "Arthur, John, Azure, focus on leveling up and gathering experience," Alex instructed the three race kings. Their ascension to Monarch level would be her greatest support. She then used the iron ingots she had collected to upgrade her town to lv4. After completing these tasks, she collected the ten thousand magic crystals from selling Count Nocturne''s Monarch level weapon on the trading post and fed Ice Cream. With her tasks for the day complete, Alex took a bath and went to bed. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up on time, getting dressed and ready for the day. She hadn''t checked World Chat when she sold the Monarch level weapon, unaware that her listing had shocked many Lords. Selling a Monarch level weapon implied the ability to kill a Monarch level! Most Lords chose not to believe it, thinking it was too soon for anyone to have developed that much. However, the five members of the Elemental Alliance believed it, as Samson had witnessed it firsthand. Alex''s strength was far beyond what other Lords imagined. Alex expected the next couple of days to be quieter. With the snowy mountain''s troubles resolved, finding Traitors wouldn''t be easy. She headed to the Barracks to summon troops. Meanwhile, at Chi-Chi''s castle, Chi-Chi had just killed a beast, successfully reaching Commanding level. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Chi-Chi had woken up early, taking advantage of the double attribute boost at dawn to hunt. She had been lv9 Standard for a long time and felt she was on the verge of breaking through. Eager to level up, she had gone out at dawn and succeeded with her first kill. Chi-Chi was proud to have reached Commanding level before Sophie and planned to boast about it. She also wanted to visit her family, feeling more confident in her ability to protect herself now. But she wasn''t sure how to bring it up with Alex. Chi-Chi had discussed it with her brother Luca, who suggested using the Portal of Transit to visit, then dissolving the Alliance afterward. Chi-Chi knew Alex didn''t have an Alliance, and her brother''s side only needed one person to temporarily leave their Alliance to make room. Alliances could be dissolved unilaterally if there were no shared resources or personnel. If there were interactions, both sides had to agree to dissolve it. For example, if Alex used the portal to visit another Lord''s castle, they couldn''t dissolve the Alliance and leave her stranded. Chi-Chi''s brother had tested this, so even if her castle couldn''t be moved, she could still visit her brother. With this plan, Chi-Chi was eager to see her family. She had mapped out the swamp creatures and felt her beasts could manage without her. Determined, Chi-Chi rode her Flying Nimbus to Alex''s castle. Regardless of Alex''s response, Chi-Chi needed to discuss it with her. At Alex''s castle, she had just finished summoning troops and was instructing the undead to search for Traitors and hobgoblin kingdom traces. From the hobgoblin Shaman''s retreat and lack of pursuit, Alex deduced that the hobgoblin kingdom was the weakest of the four factions, likely just trying their luck in the snowy mountain. Alex saw the hobgoblin kingdom as a potential target for expansion, so she wanted to locate them while searching for Traitors. "Chi-Chi''s here." Alex remembered Chi-Chi''s promise to visit once she reached Commanding level. Checking her dashboard, she saw Chi-Chi had indeed leveled up. "Not bad. She really made it to Commanding level." Chi-Chi waved from the sky as she approached the castle courtyard. Landing her Flying Nimbus, she ran to Alex. "Miss Alex, I reached Commanding level!" Chi-Chi shared her joy with Alex. "Impressive. How were you so weak before?" Alex teased, genuinely impressed. For someone so young, reaching this level was remarkable. They chatted briefly, but Alex noticed Chi-Chi seemed troubled. She knew Chi-Chi had more on her mind and pressed her to share. Chi-Chi revealed she had found her family and explained her plan to visit them. Alex was silent for a moment, understanding Chi-Chi''s desire to see her family. "Are you sure your brother can be trusted? Is he a Traitor? Is it safe there?" Chi-Chi was touched by Alex''s concern. "Miss Alex, my brother and I have always been close. He''s not a Traitor, and he''s with my dad in a desert or wasteland. It''s safe there. That''s how they survived the beast tide." Chi-Chi explained, and Alex understood her longing to see her family. From Chi-Chi''s explanation, Alex knew what she wanted. Being in a foreign world, facing its harsh realities, Chi-Chi had done well to stay strong. "Alright, I respect your decision. But first, I''ll upgrade your castle to a town and build a subsidiary castle in my town. It''s too dangerous to leave your castle unattended." Alex had enough iron ingots to upgrade Chi-Chi''s castle and build a subsidiary castle. With full control over her subjects, Alex upgraded Chi-Chi''s castle to a town and built a subsidiary castle in her town, making Sophie a neighbor. "Miss Alex, I don''t know how to thank you. You''ve been so kind to me." Chi-Chi was emotional. Alex not only agreed to her plan but also ensured her castle''s safety by building a subsidiary castle. "Enough with the mushy stuff. Go contact your brother. I''ll have Sophie watch over your Barracks." Alex dismantled Chi-Chi''s Time Chamber and rebuilt it in her town, upgrading Chi-Chi''s Barracks to lv9, even higher than her main castle''s Barracks. Alex saw Chi-Chi''s beasts as valuable, especially when combined with Sophie''s dwarves to form a special army. With the focus on Alex''s castle, it would be easier for Sophie to manage. Alex wanted the dwarves to become her logistical backbone, not to destroy them, so Sophie would eventually manage the other dwarves. Chi-Chi messaged her brother while Alex summoned Chi-Chi''s beasts to her castle, then sent them to Sophie''s castle. Soon, Alex received a friend request from a Lord named [Big Boobs]. Luca knew Chi-Chi had submitted to a top-tier Lord who was kind to her, so he was very polite to Alex. He expressed gratitude for taking care of Chi-Chi, and Alex sensed he didn''t plan for Chi-Chi to return, but that was Chi-Chi''s decision. Alex and Luca formed an Alliance, and she and Chi-Chi went to the Portal of Transit, setting the destination to Luca. As the portal glowed orange, Chi-Chi hesitated, then hugged Alex. "Miss Alex, thank you." Alex gently patted Chi-Chi''s back. "If you face any trouble, let me know. I''m a Monarch level now, very strong." Chi-Chi nodded, releasing Alex and stepping into the portal. "Miss Alex, I''m leaving." Chapter 144: Alexs Plan Alex watched as Chi-Chi''s figure disappeared completely into the portal. Shortly after, Luca sent Alex a request to dissolve the Alliance.The portal returned to its default state, and moments later, it flickered as Sophie emerged from it. "Big Shot, you said Chi-Chi left to find her family?" Sophie asked, having received Alex''s message to come over and manage Chi-Chi''s beasts. Alex had simply said it was to find her family. "Yes, she just left," Alex replied, heading towards the door with Sophie following. "I wondered why I couldn''t use the portal earlier," Sophie said, noticing a new small castle next to her subsidiary castle. It was obviously Chi-Chi''s. "Don''t worry, Big Shot. I''m an orphan with no family, so I won''t be leaving," Sophie added, trying to reassure Alex. Alex responded with an eye roll. The beasts would take some time to reach Alex''s castle, and Chi-Chi had already summoned today''s troops. Sophie, with nothing to do, waited idly in the castle. Alex, however, was inspired by Luca''s method. Chi-Chi had mentioned her brother was a gaming nerd, and Alex hadn''t thought much of it. But it turned out he was quite clever. The inspiration was that Alex could form temporary Alliances with other Lords, using the Portal of Transit to quickly deal with nearby Traitors. This would be much more efficient than searching aimlessly and would expand her range. Acting on this idea, Alex realized that many Lords might have Traitors nearby but lack the strength to eliminate them. By offering to help, she could earn points while providing a service, a win-win situation. Although this might expose some of Alex''s strength, the leaderboard rewards were worth it. Other Lords knowing her power would only fear and envy her, but it wouldn''t change their weakness. Alex immediately posted a message in World Chat. [Hamburger]: "If anyone has Traitors nearby, you can private message me to add me as a friend and form an Alliance. I''ll teleport over to help eliminate the Traitors." [Rex]: "Big Shot, can I ask how you got that Monarch level weapon? Are you really a Monarch level?" [Boggle]: "You dare kill us traitors? I''ll show you the might of the hobgoblin kingdom!" [Cocck]: "Wow, Big Shot is speaking! Too bad I don''t have any Traitors nearby, so I can''t be your friend." [FunkyFerret]: "Do you have any specific requirements for forming an alliance? Can I just apply, or is there a process I need to follow?" [Hamburger]: "Your castle must be upgraded to a town and have a Portal of Transit. If you''re threatened by Traitors, you can contact me, and I''ll help for free." As soon as Alex spoke, World Chat exploded with activity, messages flooding in rapidly. Alex stared at the tens of thousands of friend requests and thousands of private messages, feeling overwhelmed. She regretted speaking up. Most of the messages were nonsense, with some even offering male sex slaves, boasting about their stamina and endurance. Alex ignored these, wondering how these Lords would defend their castles with their supposedly talented cocks when Traitors attacked. Despite the overwhelming number of private messages, Alex didn''t ignore them. She quickly browsed and filtered through them. There might be a genuine request among them. All for the rewards! Alex sat down and began sifting through the messages, rejecting all friend requests for now. She would add them if needed later. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? She noted the name of the [Boggle] Lord, who seemed to be in the hobgoblin kingdom. He''d better hope her undead didn''t find him. That way, he might live a few more days. It took Alex several hours to go through all the private messages, responding to those that seemed to have genuine Traitor information. By the time she finished, it was noon, and her backside was sore from sitting. She stood up to stretch. Sophie had taken Chi-Chi''s beasts to White Rock Mountains, leaving some in the Time Chamber to develop. Since White Rock Mountains wasn''t constantly under threat, development would slow down there. Soon, a Lord named [QuantumQuokka] replied to Alex. [QuantumQuokka]: "Big Shot, there''s a Traitor near me, very strong. I found his location, not far from my castle. Can you come help? I''m really scared with him nearby." [Hamburger]: "How strong?" [QuantumQuokka]: "He has Commanding level strength." You call that strong? Without hesitation, Alex formed an Alliance with this Lord. Since there was indeed a Traitor, she wouldn''t miss the opportunity. Alex only asked about the Traitor''s strength, not their troops or allied forces. It wasn''t arrogance; she never intended to go personally. Her reliable Monarch level necromancer would handle it. The necromancer could kill the enemy''s troops and bring back a batch of undead. As Alex formed the Alliance with the necromancer, another Lord replied. [Black Swan]: "Big Shot, help! There''s a Traitor here. Please help me. He attacked me once, but we''re evenly matched. Now he''s probably seeking local reinforcements. If they arrive, I''m done for." [Hamburger]: "Join the Alliance." Alex''s response was simple, inviting the Lord to join the Alliance without even asking about the enemy''s strength. She didn''t believe any Lord at this stage could be a Monarch level, and if they were, they wouldn''t be Traitors. Since the enemy wasn''t a Monarch level, Alex wasn''t worried about the undead''s safety. To reveal as little strength as possible, she decided to send another Monarch level necromancer, keeping the lich hidden for now. Soon, the three-person Alliance was formed, and the two Monarch level necromancers stood beside Alex. "Go to their castles and eliminate the Traitor Lords." "Yes, honorable Queen." The two necromancers entered the Portal of Transit one by one, disappearing from Alex''s sight. With the necromancers dispatched, Alex resumed her screening process. With so many Lords and Hamburger''s fame, there were bound to be genuine requests. Alex''s points would rise quickly. Other powerful Lords, seeing Alex''s method, began offering similar services in World Chat, competing with her. A wave of support for Lords against Traitors swept through the community. The Traitors, though fearful and angry, could do nothing but hope their allied local forces were strong enough. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 145: My god, this is OP At [QuantumQuokka]''s castle.Located in a canyon, the Lord''s castle was halfway up the cliff, with troops of seven feet long black eagles. The Lord, a middle-aged man, had discovered the Traitor''s castle thanks to his troops and remained hidden. He had never allied with other Lords before, and now, witnessing Big Shot''s arrival, he wanted to see the gap between himself and a first-tier Lord. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the Portal of Transit''s hall, the light flickered, and the waiting man saw a black-robed figure with a staff emerge. This Big Shot looks so eerie. The man felt a chill, hoping more troops would follow, but the portal''s light dimmed. He hadn''t expected Big Shot to come alone, without troops. Such confidence, facing a Commanding level enemy. "Where is the Traitor?" The necromancer''s raspy voice sounded as if he hadn''t spoken in years. "At the end of the canyon, at the top." As soon as the man spoke, the necromancer flew towards the canyon''s end without acknowledging him. The man wasn''t surprised by the necromancer''s ability to fly, as his own troops had taught him to fly. He sprouted wings and followed the necromancer, finding the frail-looking figure at odds with the Big Shot image. Can he really defeat a Commanding level enemy? At the canyon''s end stood a gray castle. The necromancer saw no local forces around, not that Alex cared. The distance between castles was unknown, and Alex wouldn''t waste time worrying about local forces. It was irrelevant. The Traitor Lord was a plump woman in her thirties, with troops of bird-headed creatures. The necromancer, with human intelligence, had a straightforward plan: destroy the castle crystal. A bone spike shattered the castle''s shield, alerting the troops and Traitor Lord inside. They rushed out, seeing two figures in the sky. The plump woman''s troops attacked the necromancer. Calmly, he raised his hand, releasing the Bones Domain, instantly killing the troops. "Wow! Am I dreaming?" QuantumQuokka exclaimed, shocked that so many enemies were instantly killed. The plump woman was equally stunned, realizing she was doomed. This is a Monarch level! This battle ended even faster than QuantumQuokka imagined. The necromancer destroyed the castle crystal, killing the Traitor. Her troops were summoned as undead, about three hundred in total. The necromancer returned with the undead, leaving QuantumQuokka in shock. Among the three hundred undead, the Lord saw many similar to the necromancer. So this necromancer wasn''t the Big Shot herself, but one of her troops! This is Hamburger''s true power? My god, this is OP! At [Black Swan] Lord''s castle, the other necromancer arrived. This was a dense, ancient forest, filled with towering trees. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? The Lord, a woman in her twenties, had goblins as her troops. However, the necromancer noticed that the goblin numbers were low, likely due to the war between Black Swan and the Traitor. This forest was home to the centaur race, and naturally, the Traitor had allied with them. Black Swan''s castle was on the edge of centaur territory, but she was unfortunate enough to be discovered by the Traitor. Traitors often sought to kill Lords for points. Not all Traitors were pitiable; many actively sought protection from local forces. Black Swan personally led the necromancer deeper into the forest. The terrain was complex, and she couldn''t just point out the location. Black Swan knew this was just one of Big Shot''s troops, as she had just explained the situation to Alex, and the necromancer had arrived immediately. She didn''t question why Big Shot only sent one troop but believed in its strength. "It''s just ahead," Black Swan said to the necromancer. Soon, they crossed a river, and the trees thinned out until they reached a clearing with a wooden castle. "The Traitor''s troops are female centaurs, who have bewitched the centaur race, making him second only to their leader." Black Swan blushed slightly. These female centaurs weren''t strong, which was why she could fight them with goblins. If they were the brutal male centaurs, she would have been killed long ago. The female centaurs roamed freely, attracting male centaurs daily. The castle was heavily guarded by centaurs, as it was crucial for their race''s development. The necromancer listened to Black Swan''s explanation and soon saw a female centaur emerge from the castle. The centaur had the upper body of a beautiful woman with short brown hair, slender limbs, and slight muscle definition. She was naked, her upper body exposed, and her lower body was that of a white horse. As she walked, her breasts bounced visibly. Being non-human, she had no sense of shame, which might have caused Black Swan''s blush. But the necromancer was indifferent to her charms, focused only on gathering information about local forces for the Queen. The necromancer waved his staff, and a massive bone spike pierced the centaur''s stomach, killing her instantly. The necromancer flew towards the castle, targeting it directly. The Traitor and the centaurs inside had no time to react before being impaled by the necromancer''s bone spikes, turning into undead. Black Swan covered her mouth in shock. She had seen Monarch level beings and knew about domains, so she was certain Hamburger''s troop was a genuine Monarch level. Otherwise, it couldn''t have instantly killed the Commanding level centaurs. "It''s so strong!" .... At Alex''s castle, she continued sifting through Lord messages. The two necromancers returned, one reporting on the centaur race. "So, are those female centaurs considered human or horse creatures?" Alex pondered a philosophical question, leaving the necromancer unsure how to respond. Alex checked her points, now at 11. This indicated she had killed one fourth-tier and one fifth-tier Lord. It seemed most Traitors were weak, unable to grow strong near local forces. Alex remained in first place, with the second-place Traitor now in third. After dealing with two Traitor Lords, Alex left the Alliance. She had spent the day chatting with other Lords and sending necromancers to kill Traitors. She only sent two necromancers, never going herself or sending the lich. At this stage, only first-tier Traitors could potentially hold off a Monarch level undead with all their troops. Other Lords couldn''t. But there were no first-tier Traitors now. For other tier Traitors, a Monarch level necromancer could easily handle them. Necromancers weren''t afraid of swarm tactics. The more enemies, the more undead they could summon. Chapter 146: Sunset Alliance [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!]It was evening, and Alex had killed six Traitors using this method, reaching 26 points, far ahead of the second place with 10 points. A Monarch level necromancer took between half an hour to three hours to kill a Traitor. The necromancers not only completed their tasks but also brought back over a thousand undead and resources from the defeated Lords. Alex was making a fortune. Others tried to imitate Alex, but they lacked her fame. Lords helped by Alex inadvertently revealed her strength, confirming she had a Monarch level troop. This revelation shocked the Lords, proving Alex''s Monarch level weapon sale wasn''t a fluke. Alex''s strength and reputation made her the top choice for Lords. However, not every Lord had Traitors threatening their lives. Some wanted to kill Traitors themselves for points, and others competed with Alex for business. Alex never expected many requests, so having a few was already good. Bored, Alex saw a Lord in World Chat who had failed to kill a Traitor and was now being berated by his Alliance partner for exposing their castle location. The partner cursed him for an hour, using every foul word imaginable. Alex listed a high-priced order on the trading post: one Essence Shard for 100,000 magic crystals. The note read: "Private message for help killing Traitors." This way, she wouldn''t need to keep posting messages. Any Lord browsing the trading post would see it. She didn''t set the price too high, in case a Lord disliked her and bought the order just to spite her. Ignoring World Chat, Alex waited for requests. With 26 points, she was likely secure in the top ten. Alex prepared to rest. The two necromancers waited in the castle, with the lich temporarily replacing them at Sophie''s. If anyone needed help before she slept, Alex would send the necromancers. No matter how the Lords speculated, they believed Alex had only one Monarch level troop. Not seeing Alex herself kept her strength a mystery. At 10 PM, Alex received over a hundred private messages. One Lord offered a deal, saying he had a Traitor nearby and wanted Alex to name her price. He wanted enough resources or magic crystals to reveal the Traitor''s location. Alex ignored him. "Asking me for payment? Dream on. Keep that Traitor near you and hope you don''t get killed." ... Alex didn''t take a bath today because she hadn''t gone out or sweated. She simply stripped off her clothes and slipped into bed. In White Rock Mountains, Sophie also dragged her tired body to complete the day''s tasks. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Balin Forgeheart had returned with another group of dwarves, not many, only a few dozen, but among them were several high-level artisans capable of crafting Commanding level equipment. Sophie''s castle happened to have a high-level Furnace and Blacksmith Shop. These artisans, if working at full capacity, could produce about forty pieces of standard Commanding level equipment per day, similar to the quality found on the trading post. If they focused on higher-quality sets, they could make around twenty pieces a day. Sophie immediately shared this good news with Alex, asking how to handle the Commanding level equipment. Alex entrusted Sophie with full responsibility, as long as the magic crystals in the castle were sufficient for the needs of several castles. The remaining equipment could be used to arm the dwarves. The high-level dwarf artisans were grateful to Balin and Sophie for saving their lives and generously shared their crafting knowledge with other dwarf artisans. Besides Balin Forgeheart, several other dwarves had advanced to Commanding level, and one of the dwarves Balin brought back was already at Commanding level. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Overall, the dwarves'' strength had significantly increased over the past few days. The beasts Sophie brought back, like the griffins before them, could be chosen as mounts by the Commanding level dwarves, without needing a contract. Since they were Alex''s subsidiary troops, their loyalty was assured. With so many dwarves settling in Sophie''s town, the territory was filled with houses, surrounding Sophie''s castle at the center. It had reached the point where upgrading the town to expand the territory was necessary. Sophie applied to Alex for the upgrade, and Alex agreed, allowing more dwarves to be accommodated. Sophie''s town now looked more like a town than Alex''s. The dwarves provided iron ingots and equipment for Alex. The undead ensured the castle''s security and gathered intelligence. With Sophie managing logistics, Alex was spared many hassles. Of course, resource allocation prioritized Alex, as her strength ensured their safety. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex''s displayed strength had shocked everyone, even the first-tier Lords who had high hopes for the All-Races Battle Royale. One of the Lords who sought Alex''s help to eliminate a Traitor was a first-tier Lord. He didn''t believe the other Lords'' claims that Alex had reached Monarch level. As a first-tier Lord at lv7 Commanding level, he considered himself among the top in the first tier. He had a Traitor nearby and initially planned to kill them for points. But to verify the claims, he let Alex handle it. He saw only one of Alex''s troops arrive, confirming the other Lords'' statements¡ªit was indeed a Monarch level. There were a thousand first-tier Lords, and Alex couldn''t remember all their names. But this first-tier Lord harbored deep malice towards Alex. He couldn''t allow such a powerful Lord to exist, threatening everyone. Such a frontrunner had to be eliminated. He believed other first-tier Lords felt the same. The leaderboard allowed checking if Lords had Alliances. Allied Lords had a mark next to their names, while unallied Lords did not. But it only showed the mark, not the specific Alliance members or their numbers. He checked all first-tier Lords, excluding the deceased Lucian. Only three Lords had no Alliance: [Hamburger], [Calamity Source], and [Inferno]. [Hamburger] had Monarch level strength and undead troops, likely not needing an Alliance. The other two were mysterious, even within the first tier. But the official Alliance limit was five members. Five Lords combined might have over a hundred Commanding levels, maybe even fewer. Given Alex''s unknown personal strength and troop numbers, even a first-tier alliance would still find it very difficult to defeat Alex. But that was just the system''s official Alliance. Couldn''t Lords form private Alliances? Of course, they could, but without the system''s support, trust was hard to build. Lords would struggle to unite and help each other, always at risk of betrayal, as they were inherently enemies. But to jointly target one Lord, it was enough. This Lord immediately messaged his Alliance. [Ember]: "This [Hamburger] Lord is severely disrupting the balance. We must unite with others to take him down." [Mishus]: "Galvin, what are you up to now? The guy has done nothing to you, and she''s a Monarch level." [Pandemonium]: "Mishus, you idiot, using your real name as your ID. Galvin''s right. Our Sunset Alliance can join forces with other Alliances to take down this Lord. Monarch level isn''t invincible." Chapter 147: Sunset Alliances plan Soon, Galvin and his allies reached an agreement. Most of them supported forming an Alliance to take down Alex.They began by slandering Alex in World Chat, claiming her troops were evil, ominous, and filled with violence and bloodshed. They said countless Lords had died at her hands and that she grew stronger by killing others. Quickly, those who admired Alex but didn''t know the full story started to believe these twisted facts. Jealous Lords, envious of Alex''s strength, found a sense of balance in these accusations. No wonder Hamburger was so powerful¡ªher troops were a bunch of ominous creatures! They joined in the denunciation, successfully stirred up by Galvin and the Sunset Alliance. Unaware, Alex found herself being vilified by the Lords in World Chat. This was just the first step for the Sunset Alliance. Their next plan was to contact all first-tier Lords who had already formed Alliances, recruiting as many as possible to form a larger Alliance. Once their combined strength was sufficient, they would locate Alex''s castle and plan to eliminate this "evil" Lord. They hoped to use their numbers to counter Alex, but they seemed to forget that undead were least afraid of numbers. The Sunset Alliance''s campaign in World Chat quickly drew attention, including from first-tier Lords. This gave them an opportunity to contact other first-tier Lords more easily. Soon, the five members split up to contact the Elemental Alliance. Cain and Earl, as first-tier Lords, received the message. They gathered the remaining three members to discuss the matter. The Elemental Alliance knew Alex better than most. They hadn''t attacked Lucian, the Traitor, partly because of the Starfallen Empire and partly out of concern for encountering Alex. Sure enough, Alex had overwhelmed Lucian. When Samson relayed the news, everyone was shocked. The Lords in World Chat knew too little about Alex. She had more than just one Monarch level undead. "So, you''re saying the first-tier Lords want to unite to eliminate her?" Samson asked, considering the feasibility of such a plan. Ivy opened World Chat, reading the messages. "Wow, they make a good point. Undead do seem ominous, and they''re right about one thing¡ªshe can grow stronger quickly with corpses." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I think we should join their Alliance and reveal her true strength. I don''t believe so many first-tier Lords can''t take her down," Boreas said, still bitter about their previous encounter with Alex. "Don''t be rash. Let me analyze this," Samson interrupted Boreas, taking over the conversation. "First, let''s assess her strength. She has at least three Monarch level undead. Her own strength is unknown. Besides that, she has at least thirty thousand undead. Among them, how many Commanding levels can we estimate? We, as an Alliance, have fewer than seventy Commanding levels combined. That''s not enough to defeat even one Monarch level undead. To match her strength, we need at least five Alliances, or twenty-five Lords, with strength comparable to ours. Only then do we have a chance to defeat the undead Lord." Samson''s words left Boreas silent. "Twenty-five Lords, just to have a chance to defeat her?" "I think we should avoid making an enemy of her. Her behavior so far seems more greedy than bloodthirsty. If she were truly violent, she would have sent her undead to find our castles by now. Clearly, she''s not very interested in us. So why provoke such a powerful enemy?" Cain added, speaking more than usual. Earl also opposed making an enemy of Alex, while Ivy''s stance wavered. Only Boreas initially wanted to join other Alliances to attack Alex, but after the discussion, he reconsidered, realizing it was better to stay alive than seek death. The Elemental Alliance decided not to join other Alliances in attacking Alex or reveal her true strength. They would remain observers. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? How other Lords found Alex''s castle was their problem. The Elemental Alliance''s decision was wise, but the Sunset Alliance''s actions cut off Alex''s path to earning points. Alex was puzzled by the sudden hostility in World Chat. Why was she being attacked online? Fortunately, Alex was mentally strong and unaffected, though she regretted losing a way to earn points. She considered using Sophie''s name to post similar messages, but Sophie''s fame wasn''t as great, so it wouldn''t be as effective. She abandoned the idea. Alex''s goal was simply to make it into the top ten. Her castle was between two forbidden areas, protected by the Specter Chandelier, and she had cleared the surrounding Lords. Only the Elemental Alliance knew the general location of Alex''s castle. Other Lords had no idea where it was. At that moment, Alex received a message from Sophie. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, more dwarves are approaching our territory!" "Why doesn''t the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s second son learn his lesson?" Alex headed to the Portal of Transit and stepped through. With a Monarch level lich guarding Sophie''s place, the combat strength was sufficient. Alex wasn''t there to fight; she had something else in mind. Last time, a lv9 Commanding level dwarf squad was wiped out. This time, they might send a Monarch level enemy for revenge. Alex was there to add an extra layer of security. "Where''s Balin Forgeheart?" Alex asked Sophie upon arrival, not too concerned about the dwarf attack. "Balin Forgeheart went out on a griffin early this morning," Sophie replied honestly, unsure why Alex was looking for him. "Tell Balin Forgeheart to find some clever dwarves to infiltrate Grimstone and gather intelligence on how many Monarch level dwarves are there. Also, what strength are the dwarves sent by the Silverbeard Clan this time?" Alex figured that since Grimstone had civilians, it couldn''t be a closed city. Entering as a human would be conspicuous, but as dwarves, it wouldn''t be a problem. Having Balin Forgeheart gather intelligence would help Alex decide whether to attack and understand the Silverbeard Clan better. "Big Shot, the dwarves this time are airborne, riding strange birds. There are about two to three hundred of them. Once they entered White Rock Mountains, they spread out, covering a large area. This could be troublesome," Sophie said, worried. The Silverbeard Clan''s dwarves were clearly prepared, sending an aerial reconnaissance force. Hundreds of dwarves spread out could easily discover Sophie''s castle. Once they returned, the dwarves would surely send an army. Alex realized the dwarves had learned from their previous losses. The destruction of a fortress, the mining tunnels, and two dwarf squads had caught their attention. "Have all the gargoyles and specters follow them. You come too." To guard against a possible Monarch level dwarf, Alex brought the lich along. Sophie was needed for her flute, which could disrupt the beasts'' minds. Dwarves couldn''t fly, making aerial combat easier. Killing the beasts would cause the dwarves to fall to their deaths. Alex ordered a thousand gargoyles and specters to spread out in a larger circle to prevent the dwarves from escaping. Chapter 148: Something unexpected happened Alex and Sophie each mounted their griffins and flew towards the direction of the incoming dwarves.Soon, Alex spotted the dwarves riding beasts in the sky. As expected, they were scouts. Upon seeing the undead, they immediately turned to retreat. Although this wasn''t the main base of the undead, the dwarves had already pinpointed a general location. Realizing they had been discovered, they chose to retreat. Hundreds of dwarf riders circled in the air, turning to flee. The sky offered an unobstructed view, and even though the dwarf riders were spread out, they could still see each other and the approaching undead. Sophie quickly played her flute, and the sound spread through the air. Some nearby beasts were affected, flipping backward and throwing their dwarf riders to the ground. However, the distant dwarf riders, being farther away, were less affected and remained in control. But the gargoyles were faster than the beasts and outnumbered them. They quickly caught up to the dwarf riders and began cutting them down. Alex had overestimated these dwarves. This scouting force was merely cannon fodder, with no Monarch levels or even Commanding levels among them¡ªmostly seventh or eighth-level Standard dwarves. The dwarf riders were equipped with flame-enchanted crossbows, firing red-glowing bolts that ignited anything they hit. However, such attacks were ineffective against the gargoyles, only slightly slowing their flight. The gargoyles'' tough bodies were resistant to piercing attacks like crossbow bolts. Blunt force from war hammers would be more effective. The flames did no damage, as the gargoyles could absorb them instantly. Soon, dwarves and beasts began falling from the sky. Alex didn''t pursue them excessively. The gargoyles could handle it. She only killed the dwarf riders within her attack range. But then, something unexpected happened. Seeing no escape, the dwarf riders pulled out signal flares from their pockets and ignited them. Hundreds of dwarf riders, each with a signal flare. Even if Alex acted quickly, she couldn''t kill them all at once. Some would succeed. They were clearly prepared. Even if Alex tried to stop them, it was too late. The gargoyles could only ensure the dwarf riders didn''t escape White Rock Mountains but couldn''t prevent them from calling for reinforcements. White flares shot into the sky, exploding above the undead and dwarf riders. Boom! Boom! Alex''s heart sank. At the edge of White Rock Mountains, another group of dwarf riders had been lying in wait. With the signal flares, they immediately flew deeper into the plains, accompanied by a flock of scout eagles. Chasing them was futile. They were already dispersing, and the eagles made it even harder. "Big Shot, what do we do?" Sophie asked, panicking. Their location had been completely exposed. Although this wasn''t their castle, it was close enough. Alex remained silent, realizing she had to confront the Silverbeard Clan sooner than planned. Unbeknownst to them, the signal flares not only indicated urgency or a target but also signaled the presence of a Monarch level enemy. The dwarf riders were soon all killed, none escaping. Alex led the undead back to the castle. "If they dare attack, let them come. White Rock Mountains will limit their combat abilities, while we have the advantage with our air force." Alex felt something was off and began to ponder. Sophie stayed silent, unsure what to do. The first time the dwarves discovered them was when the sound mage attacked Sophie''s castle. All the dwarves were killed, leaving no survivors. The second time was the attack on the dwarf fortress to rescue the dwarf slaves. Alex flew over but didn''t follow the troops and rode a griffin. Even if the dwarves reported back, they wouldn''t know Alex''s troops were undead. The third time was the Commanding level dwarf squad. The leader, a lv9 Commanding level with a spiked mace, injured Alex. Their scout eagles and the squad were all killed. So, only today did the dwarves successfully report back, learning for the first time that Alex''s troops were undead. Dwarves were intelligent and knew the undead''s immortality. They wouldn''t attack without preparation, needing weapons with soul damage to kill the undead. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We can''t wait for them to attack. We must strike first before they prepare. Once they have weapons to counter the undead, we''ll lose our advantage." Alex''s resolve hardened. Waiting for the prepared dwarves would result in heavy undead losses. As Alex and Sophie returned, Balin Forgeheart also arrived on his griffin. Sophie looked between Balin and Alex. "Should we still send Balin to infiltrate Grimstone?" "No, we''ve been discovered. We must face them head-on." ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Alex returned to her castle to gather the undead. The longer she waited, the worse it would be. She knew nothing about Grimstone''s internal strength, but there were undoubtedly Monarch level dwarves, and she didn''t know how many. Sending three Monarch level undead to attack was unwise. They were her key strength and couldn''t waste Mana Points on ordinary dwarves. Alex needed to be cautious. Her troops had a numerical advantage, so she wouldn''t take unnecessary risks. ============= Frostwind snowy mountain was west of Alex''s castle, and Dark Forest was to the east. Dark Forest was a vast north-south forest, with Chi-Chi''s castle south of Alex''s, making it adjacent to Dark Forest. However, the west was no longer adjacent to the snowy mountain but close to the swamp. Dark Forest extended south to its edge, far from Chi-Chi''s castle, about ten times the distance between Chi-Chi and Alex''s castles. In this remote part of Dark Forest, even Alex''s undead rarely explored deeply, a Lord''s castle stood hidden, undetected by Alex''s undead. This Lord''s castle wasn''t hidden by terrain but by his own abilities. Blonde, the Lord''s name, was a priest but not a pure one. Before coming to this world, he had relations with 21 nuns, naming his castle [21 Nuns] in their honor. Blonde''s troops were alchemy warlocks, human but wielding dark alchemy magic. Yes, the same alchemy magic Alex mastered. Through dark alchemy, they could even turn inanimate objects into living beings. They could create undead, though flawed, with weak souls and limited stamina, only able to transform into skeletons. Even so, Blonde felt fortunate. He knew the power of undead and believed that with a summoning spell, he could quickly amass an army, making first-tier Lords seem trivial. Though he was third-tier, he thought first-tier Lords were overrated. Until he discovered real undead, perfect ones, not made by alchemy. Blonde realized they were natural undead, and though he didn''t know why they were there, he was thrilled and sent his skeletons to investigate. Learning the truth shattered his confidence. The undead were all troops of a Lord! He had painstakingly researched undead with his troops, summoning nearly a thousand skeletons in half a month without upgrading his castle or Barracks. But there were over 5,000 undead near Dark Forest alone. Blonde had always been resilient, but Alex''s power was overwhelming. Alex could summon all undead, while he could only summon weak skeletons through his troops. Blonde wondered if killing Alex would grant him her Barracks, letting him reach the pinnacle without alchemy. But he wasn''t foolish. He knew challenging Alex was suicide. After discovering the undead were Alex''s troops, he used alchemy to hide his castle. Today, Sunset Alliance''s campaign in World Chat made Blonde realize they were targeting a first-tier Lord. He immediately linked it to Alex. Blonde knew other Lords might have undead troops, but any Lord with undead troops wouldn''t be weak. He understood the terror of undead. If the nearby undead Lord was their target, Blonde saw an opportunity. Even if not, they wouldn''t tolerate a second undead Lord. He realized he could ally with them, using them as a stepping stone to attack the undead Lord. Blonde felt blessed by fate. "Amen," he prayed. Chapter 149: She didnt need to develop, growing stronger through war Sunset Alliance, led by Galvin, reached out to all first-tier Lords. Most of them read the messages but didn''t respond, choosing to observe the situation.A few Lords agreed to join Galvin''s Alliance, but two first-tier Lords, [Flame Spirit] and [Earth Lord], outright rejected him. This made the suspicious Galvin even more wary, thinking these two must know something about Alex. But no matter how much Galvin pressed, Cain and Earl didn''t respond. Galvin had asked all the first-tier Lords, but the Alliance''s effectiveness was limited, with only a dozen Lords agreeing to join. First-tier Lords had their own ambitions and didn''t want to get involved in matters unrelated to them. Moreover, the world''s vastness, with several continents, made finding another''s castle a significant challenge. Frustrated, Galvin turned to second-tier Lords. Surprisingly, many second-tier Lords were willing to join, but they were more concerned about rewards and benefits. Under Galvin''s promises, he only recruited a few strong-looking Lords, avoiding a large crowd. After all, the resources of an undead Lord wouldn''t be enough for so many to share. Soon, Galvin bought crucial information about Alex from a second-tier Lord for 20,000 magic crystals. The revelation shocked Galvin, realizing how naive he had been. The undead Lord was far stronger than they had imagined. Galvin continued to prepare, informing his four companions of the news. As the leader, Galvin hosted the meeting at his castle. Their Alliance consisted of four towns together, with a fifth town left in its original location as a last-resort escape route. The five gathered quickly. Galvin began, "Important news: [Hamburger] has three Monarch level undead, not just one. Her troops exceed 10,000, with over a hundred Commanding levels." "What?!" The four were stunned. Such strength was terrifying, surpassing several Alliances combined. "Where did you get this information? Is it accurate?" Mishus asked, finding the strength unbelievable. "I bought it from a second-tier Lord. He not only saw the undead Lord but also knows her location, though he wouldn''t reveal it. I suspect his castle isn''t far from hers." Galvin felt regretful, almost learning Alex''s castle location. He had offered an Alliance to the Lord to jointly eliminate the undead Lord but was refused. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Galvin had no choice but to give up. To attack Alex, they needed a nearby Lord to use the Alliance rules, allowing members to teleport through the Portal of Transit. But with billions of Lords in the world, finding a nearby Lord was a daunting task. Just then, Galvin received a private message. [21 Nuns]: "I know the undead Lord''s location and can cooperate, but my castle isn''t upgraded to a town, so I can''t teleport." [Ember]: "What level is your castle?" [21 Nuns]: "lv3" "Fuck!" Galvin cursed and immediately blocked Blonde. "What''s wrong?" the others asked, confused. "A scammer claiming to know the undead Lord''s location, asking me to help upgrade his castle." Galvin felt insulted, thinking the Lord took him for a fool. How could a Lord''s castle still be lv3 at this stage? Even scammers should come up with better lies. Blonde, seeing his message failed to send, was baffled, not understanding what he had said wrong. His castle was indeed lv3! ... On the continent of Valoria, a massive abyss cut through the land, desolate and lifeless. The abyss, known as the Endless Abyss, housed a black, imposing castle at its deepest point. This castle belonged to one of the three first-tier Lords without an Alliance, named [Inferno]. The Lord, a young man with a wicked look, was named Satan. Sitting on a throne in the grand hall, facing the open doors, Satan watched World Chat. "Undead, ominous creatures, huh." Satan sneered. If undead were considered ominous, what about his troops? He knew about Galvin''s plan to rally Lords against Alex, having been invited but ignored it. To Satan, these first-tier Lords were fools, never amounting to anything. The undead Lord might be a worthy opponent someday, though she seemed troubled now. "Let''s lend a helping hand." Satan searched for Alex in the friend list and sent her a message. ???¦®????.??? [Inferno]: "These Lords are forming an Alliance to attack you. One Monarch level troop won''t be enough. Ally with me, and I''ll help you deal with them." [Hamburger]: "You just want to leech off my spoils, don''t you?" Satan: ??? Satan felt insulted. He merely disliked the other Lords'' actions, not seeking spoils. "Forget it. She doesn''t know how strong I am." Alex was gathering undead in her castle, unsure of the Lords'' plans but sensing they intended to supply her with resources. Her revealed strength was only one Monarch level undead. No one knew, including herself, that she actually had four, making her confident in handling the Lords. Alex didn''t know her information had been leaked. [Inferno]: "I don''t want spoils. I''ll help for free." [Hamburger]: "Is there really such a fool¡ªno, I mean, such a good person?" Without a chat recall feature, Alex''s slip was visible. Satan: ... Satan sent an Alliance request, but Alex disappeared, not replying. Still, Satan sent another message. [Inferno]: "Agree to the Alliance, and I''ll support you immediately. For free!" Satan closed World Chat. With his strength, he needed no allies, just wanting to prevent a promising Lord from being killed by trash. After all, the All-Races Battle Royale would lose its fun otherwise. "Abaddon, guard the Portal of Transit. Notify me if it activates." ... Alex had never encountered someone offering free help. But she didn''t need anyone''s assistance, as she could handle everything on her own. In her view, the enemy''s targeting and attacks were merely acts that helped her expand her troops. With some free time, Alex decided to check out this person. He had to be a first-tier Lord to offer such help. "Wow, really a first-tier Lord, and without an Alliance." Alex found [Inferno] on the first-tier leaderboard, ranked fourth. While the leaderboard didn''t guarantee absolute strength, top ten in the first tier indicated strong capabilities, requiring both luck and skill. As for the Lords planning to attack her, Alex wasn''t too concerned. They were essentially delivering resources. Whether they could find her castle was another matter. She just needed to have more undead monitor the Barren Plains. The only nearby Lords were the Elemental Alliance and Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi was an ally, leaving the Elemental Alliance as the only potential informants. But first, she had to deal with the trouble at Grimstone. ... On the continent of Arsen, atop a towering stone pillar, stood a golden castle. The castle radiated a holy light, perched above the clouds. At the base of the pillar, four towns stood at the cardinal points, forming an Alliance centered on the castle. The Lord of the castle, named [Holy Wing], was Raphaela. Due to her bloodline, her hair was golden, her robe spotless, and she had white wings, floating in the air with a holy aura. "Undead, a scourge." Arsen, the smallest and weakest of the seven continents, was often overlooked by major powers. Major powers spanned multiple continents, focusing on the stronger ones. This gave Arsen''s Lords ample time to develop, as long as they avoided provoking mid-sized forces. Consequently, Arsen''s Lords were the strongest overall, having a safer environment for growth. Of course, this was also due to the higher survival rate of Arsen''s Lords. ... Another powerful Alliance joined Galvin''s, promising to find Alex''s castle and attack her. With more Lords joining, all idle Lords searched for Alex''s castle. If Alex''s troops were just a branch of the undead race, she might not be targeted. But her troops seemed to encompass the entire undead race, instilling fear in the Lords. Galvin had seen a Monarch level necromancer arrive alone and return with hundreds of various undead. She didn''t need to develop, growing stronger through war. This was an insurmountable advantage. Chapter 150: Set out to attack Grimstone In Galvin''s mind, such a Lord could not be allowed to exist. The ability to summon an entire race of undead was a terrifying concept.Undead were not like goblins or slimes, low-tier races. An entire race of undead was something that instilled fear in everyone. This was the chain reaction caused by Alex revealing her strength. Now, almost every Lord knew that the [Hamburger]''s troops were undead. Alex, of course, wasn''t afraid. After all, if they really attacked, she had the home-field advantage. What Alex didn''t know was that due to more detailed information being leaked, the Alliance searching for her was growing stronger, potentially exceeding what she could handle. In the westernmost part of the Arsen continent, there was the territory of the last of the three first-tier Lords without an Alliance, [Calamity Source]. The owner of Calamity Source was named Lilith. Her castle was perched on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the vast ocean. Beyond the sea lay an unknown continent. Not far from here was the border of the elf kingdom, and the occasional harassment from sea creatures also contributed to her rapid development. Outside the castle were thousands of sea and elf warriors under her control. Inside, her troops stood solemnly on either side, eerie yet dignified. Lilith, dressed in a black gown, stood on the castle balcony, gazing at the sea behind the castle, lost in thought. She had also received Galvin''s Alliance invitation. For lone wolves like Lilith and Satan, who had no Alliances, Galvin''s plan was to temporarily unite them. Lilith didn''t give a clear response, choosing to observe for now. World Chat was still targeting Alex, recruiting members for an attack. For some reason, watching this unfold, Lilith felt a sense of human hypocrisy. Claiming that undead were a symbol of disaster and ominous creatures, it was really just fear of someone being too strong and threatening these Lords. Disasters weren''t limited to undead; any creature could be a disaster if the Lord was strong enough. Lilith''s resources came entirely from the sea and elf races, rarely trading on the trading post, making her less known in World Chat. Castle and Barracks levels didn''t directly affect her strength, and she never planned to form an Alliance, keeping her town at lv1. Lilith turned from the balcony, walking through the castle. She looked at the thousands of elves and sea creatures under her influence and the troops standing motionless inside the castle. A black feather at the door caught Lilith''s attention. She bent down to pick it up, examining it. "Perhaps my troops are more ominous than the undead." If the undead Lord died, would she be the next "ominous"? S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To Lilith, good and evil, ominous and holiness, couldn''t be defined by one or a few people. Lilith remembered a Lord named [King Kong] who was near the undead Lord. The undead Lord didn''t kill her but made her submit. The submitted [King Kong] Lord hadn''t suffered misfortune; otherwise, she wouldn''t be active in World Chat. Lilith searched for this Lord, finding her alive and well. From this, Lilith deduced that the so-called ominous of the undead Lord wasn''t a madman. Lilith decided to help Alex. The actions of these Lords were truly disgusting. ===== "What kind of day is this, meeting all these strange people?" Alex wondered. Was it because someone wanted to attack her that they all wanted to help? But given the unique nature of the undead, no matter how many enemies came, if they couldn''t defeat Alex, her troops would only grow stronger. Even within the first tier, there were differences in strength. The top first-tier Lords were on a different level from the average first-tier Lords. Alex was directing the undead to enter the Portal of Transit. Many large undead couldn''t pass through, so she didn''t summon them. She gathered only twenty thousand undead, leaving some to guard the castle. With Arthur and Ice Cream there, she felt secure enough not to leave any Monarch level undead behind. Though twenty thousand undead weren''t many, Alex had other plans. Upon arriving at White Rock Mountains, the dwarves were ready, each wearing armor they had crafted, wielding swords or war hammers, lined up neatly. There were fewer than a thousand dwarves ready for battle. Not everyone had a mount, so Sophie only equipped the stronger dwarves with them. Without the ability to enchant equipment, the dwarves wore Commanding or Standard level gear, providing basic attribute boosts but no special effects. The batch of muskets Alex had seized was likely their most powerful weapon. The dwarves were needed because if Alex wanted to take over Grimstone, she needed them to govern it. Sending undead would cause panic and chaos among the dwarf civilians. Alex wasn''t a butcher; she only killed the corrupt dwarf nobles. ???¦®§®???.?§°? It was afternoon, and marching to Grimstone would take until night. The distance was greater than crossing the entire Frostwind snowy mountain. Alex pondered, with all the dwarves and undead looking at her, waiting for her command. Her plan was to time the attack for the next morning. Without knowing Grimstone''s exact strength, a night attack would be risky, as the enemy would have double attribute boosts. "Move out!" Alex and Sophie mounted their griffins, leading the undead and dwarves. Due to the presence of ground troops, the march through the mountains was slow. In Grimstone, the youngest son of the Silverbeard Clan chieftain, Nori, lay in a luxurious palace, two dwarf women massaging his feet. The women were unwilling, as they weren''t Nori''s servants but the wives of two civilian dwarves, forcibly taken because Nori fancied their looks. If they disobeyed, the dwarf nobles outside would be waiting, and their husbands'' lives would be at risk. "Leader, we''ve found the extraterrestrial visitors in White Rock Mountains!" A dwarf troop burst in. Nori, about to get angry, brightened at the news, kicking the women to the ground. Nori stood up, towering at 5 feet, half a head taller than the dwarf troop, with fair skin, not looking much like a dwarf. "Mobilize the army immediately. We can''t allow extraterrestrial visitors behind our lines. I''ll wipe them out!" The previous scouting squad''s disappearance had enraged Nori. There were no major forces nearby, so it had to be extraterrestrial visitors. "Leader, their troops are undead." "Those disgusting things. No wonder our elite warriors vanished. If it''s undead, that explains it. Prepare immediately and enchant weapons with soul damage." Nori knew how to counter undead. Though they had disappeared from Arsen for years, the clan''s records detailed the terror of undead sweeping the continent a thousand years ago, including their weaknesses. Nori had suspected extraterrestrial visitors, now almost certain. He believed the legends were exaggerated. Undead were low-tier creatures, easily dealt with if you knew how. Alex''s army reached the outskirts of White Rock Mountains, 5 miles from the endless green plains. Alex halted the army, addressing three specters. "Tell me about the nearest three dwarf fortresses." "Yes, Queen." Only 20K undead troops came through the portal, and facing 20K dwarf soldiers is already quite challenging. Moreover, this is a siege battle, so the number of undead seems a bit insufficient. No problem. If there weren''t enough, she''d summon more. That''s why Alex arrived early. The specters knew the locations of the dwarf fortresses around Grimstone. Each fortress had about three thousand troops. Three fortresses meant nearly ten thousand, allowing Alex to summon twenty thousand undead. Alex planned to send two necromancers and a lich to fortress, increasing efficiency. The necromancers'' summoning magic wasn''t mid-level, so they could only summon random types. The lich could only summon skeletons. It didn''t matter to Alex. She couldn''t personally visit each fortress to summon air troops. She sent the three alone, without additional undead support. Alex led the army to wait. She looked up at the starry sky, knowing it would be a sleepless night. Ice Cream took four hours to fly over the snowy mountain. Ground troops would take at least ten hours. The distance to Grimstone was even greater, making an all-night march inevitable. The undead''s infinite stamina was an advantage. The dwarves and beasts, though not infinite, could endure a night of intense marching. They were only for cleanup; the undead would lead the siege. Alex worried Grimstone might have a teleportation array, but at the same time, she also hoped it did. If Grimstone was attacked, the news would reach the Silverbeard Clan chieftain, a downside. The upside was that the dwarves could replicate the array, easing future marches. Otherwise, Alex would have to leave troops at Grimstone, limiting her strength. She couldn''t afford to run a day''s journey for reinforcements, arriving too late. Chapter 151: Offer your souls to the great Queen of the Undead The necromancer, following the coordinates provided by the specter, transformed into ghost form and swiftly flew towards the target.Half an hour later, the necromancer arrived above the dwarf fortress. Although it was daytime, the necromancer remained in ghost form, unnoticed by the dwarves below. The necromancer waved its staff, releasing a blue fireball, a standard attack. Instantly, the necromancer''s form became visible in the sky. By the time the dwarves on the wall reacted, it was too late. The necromancer easily shattered the Commanding level protective barrier. The patrolling dwarves were shocked and immediately sounded the alarm, mobilizing the entire fortress. The dwarf leader ordered the signal fire to be lit, attempting to send a message. But before the dwarves could reach the tower, the necromancer destroyed it with a single blast. The dwarves on the wall quickly adjusted their cannons and crossbows, aiming at the necromancer in the sky. As the fuses burned down, the cannons fired. Boom! Cannonballs and arrows flew, but the necromancer blocked them all with a bone shield, emerging unscathed. The necromancer descended slowly, landing in the center of the fortress. All the dwarves turned pale, even the dwarf leader gripped his weapon tightly, eyeing the necromancer warily. In an instant, the area transformed into a bone hell, with dwarves impaled by bone spikes, writhing in agony. Only the dwarf leader narrowly avoided the initial domain attack. "Domain!" the dwarf leader exclaimed, but the necromancer gave him no second chance. Bone spikes surged around him, binding him tightly. His armor was no match for the spikes. His weapon fell to the ground, and as his blood drained rapidly, he lost his life. A Commanding level had no chance against a Monarch level. From the corpses of the slain dwarves, various undead emerged, both airborne and ground troops. The necromancer destroyed all the fortress''s structures, including barriers and furnaces. Unfortunately, no blueprints were found. The necromancer didn''t summon the dwarf leader''s corpse but grabbed it and flew into the sky. With the undead summoned, the necromancer began returning, leaving the corpses behind. In these special times, Alex wasn''t greedy for minor gains and didn''t bother disassembling them. The necromancer detonated the ammunition depot, obliterating the dwarf fortress and incinerating the bodies. Meanwhile, the lich took a more straightforward approach. In terms of raw power, the lich was stronger than the necromancer, not just because of its higher potential but also due to its additional abilities. The lich didn''t bother with stealth, flying openly to the dwarf fortress. The dwarves noticed the black-robed skeleton in the sky immediately. The dwarf leader ordered all dwarves to prepare for battle. As the lich released its Domain, the fortress''s shield shattered instantly, and the cannons on the wall froze solid. The dwarf fortress began to tremble, freezing outward from the lich''s center. The dwarves, confused, were soon impaled by flying bone spikes. They might have dodged, but their legs were frozen to the ground, rendering them immobile. Skeletons rose from the lich''s domain, finishing off the surviving dwarves. The dwarf leader, gripping his war hammer, struck at the lich standing silently on the ground. The lich blocked the hammer with a skeletal hand, then froze the dwarf leader entirely. A massive ice spike emerged beside the lich, piercing the dwarf leader and killing him. The lich also destroyed the fortress''s structures but was luckier than the necromancer. The lich picked up a blueprint from the ground, a high-level Furnace design. Using Skeleton Magic, not summoning magic, the lich didn''t have the double summoning effect. Looking at the three thousand skeletons, the lich seemed dissatisfied. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® The lich flew into the sky, conjuring two red orbs in its hands. The three thousand skeletons below disintegrated, their bones floating into the sky, swirling around the lich and coalescing. The remaining soul fires on the ground merged, and every group of ten formed a single flame. The bones assembled into bone dragons, the soul fires igniting in their eye sockets. The lich had the power to create these bone dragons because their souls were sacrificed to it. Other Skeleton Soldiers'' souls were sacrificed to Alex, so even with Skeleton Magic, the lich couldn''t control them. The lich''s potential was Emperor level, but currently, it was only Monarch level, so the bone dragons it summoned were also Monarch level at best. These bone dragons were inferior to those summoned by the Barracks. The lich continued casting, adding abilities to the bone dragons, making them more than mere skeletons. The bone dragons'' horns emitted a chilling aura, and their claws glowed faintly blue. The bone dragons inherited the lich''s abilities, their breath becoming frost breath, and their claw attacks gaining weak soul damage. Three thousand skeletons were transformed into three hundred frost bone dragons, now flying in the sky. The massive mana expenditure left the lich drained. "Offer your souls to the great Queen of the Undead." The lich''s raspy voice echoed as it conjured a blue light in its hand, the souls of the bone dragons. With a chant, the lich dispersed the souls, ensuring they weren''t bound to it. If the lich died, the bone dragons it created would vanish. The lich, riding a bone dragon, led the others back, destroying the dwarf fortress along the way. The two necromancers and the lich completed their tasks. The necromancers returned to Alex first. The lich, having spent time reshaping skeletons, hadn''t returned yet. Alex smiled at the Commanding level dwarf corpse the necromancer brought back. She hadn''t instructed them to bring corpses, so only one necromancer did. Understanding the necromancer''s intent, Alex''s left eye glowed, and a large gray magic circle summoned a Commanding level bone dragon. Alex dismounted her griffin, standing on the bone dragon''s back. The Commanding level bone dragon flew faster than a griffin of the same level. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How considerate, bringing me a mount," Alex remarked. Alex now had a Commanding level bone dragon, while Sophie took the only remaining Commanding level griffin. Alex, now mastering mid-level summoning magic, could specify the type of undead she wanted to summon. However, these high-tier undead didn''t benefit from the double summoning effect. "Oh my god!" At that moment, Alex saw the lich returning, followed by hundreds of bone dragons. Alex''s own bone dragon count had never reached such numbers, and the lich had brought her three hundred at once. She had been pleased with the necromancer''s thoughtfulness in bringing her a mount, but the lich''s surprise was on another level. Alex recognized that these bone dragons were summoned using the lich''s Skeleton Magic, making them different from the bone dragon she was riding. But for her undead army, these bone dragons were top-tier combatants. After all, Alex''s bone dragons and zombie titans were too large to pass through the portal. Her undead army had now grown from 20K to 33K. With these reinforcements, Alex''s confidence soared. Taking Grimstone was now a certainty. The lich also handed Alex a high-level Furnace blueprint, a valuable find. "Move out!" Destroying the three dwarf fortresses had taken two hours. They needed to hurry to reach Grimstone before dawn. Chapter 152: Trying to run? The blood-red moonlight cast an eerie glow over the silent plains.Over thirty thousand undead marched silently across the grasslands. In the sky, Alex stood on her bone dragon, the wind rushing past her. Sophie remained silent, feeling both fear and excitement, with no trace of sleepiness. The dwarves followed behind the undead army, fully aware of their mission. They all envied Balin Forgeheart, who flew above them. If they successfully captured Grimstone, he would govern the city. The blood moon gradually set, and dawn was approaching. Grimstone''s outline finally appeared in Alex''s view. The dwarf guards on the walls were drowsy. This was the time when people were most prone to sleepiness, and dwarves were no exception. Moreover, being stationed in the safe rear of the clan for so long had made them complacent. Nori never expected these extraterrestrial visitors to launch an attack at dawn the next day after being discovered. "John, you''ll command the ground troops once the attack begins. Azure, you''ll command the air troops." "Yes, Queen," Azure and John replied in unison. Alex, of course, would first assess the enemy''s strength. "And remember, gain as much experience as possible. Your levels are still too low." The two race leaders understood this well. If they didn''t level up quickly, their usefulness to Alex would diminish. As Grimstone''s outline grew larger in their view, they were about to enter the undead''s attack range. The primary target was to break Grimstone''s protective shield. As for the moat, it posed no problem for the undead. The air troops would simply carry the ground troops over it. "Attack!" With Alex''s command, the two necromancers and the lich simultaneously launched their attacks on Grimstone''s shield. Three massive bone spikes struck the shield, causing ripples to spread across its surface. Clang! The sound instantly woke the drowsy dwarf guards. Despite their long period of peace, they retained their training and emergency protocols. The guards quickly sounded the alarm, waking all the dwarves in the city, both soldiers and civilians. The city quickly descended into chaos as the army mobilized. Nori, awakened by the commotion, was shocked by the reports. Meanwhile, Alex was surprised that the combined attack of three Monarch levels hadn''t broken Grimstone''s shield, alerting the dwarves. It had to be a Monarch level or higher defense shield. "I''ll handle this!" Alex floated off the bone dragon, wielding her scythe. With a powerful swing, a dark blade of energy shot towards Grimstone''s shield. The dark magic''s high corrosion instantly created a crack in the shield. Alex followed up with two more swings, and with a loud crash, the shield shattered. It was only a Monarch level shield. Without needing Alex''s command, the undead dove down, carrying the ground troops and flying towards Grimstone. Alex knew the shield could be reactivated, so they had to act quickly. The air troops carried the ground undead, dropping them onto the walls. Inside the city, they clashed with the dwarf army. A blue beam shot from the wall, freezing a gargoyle mid-air, causing it to fall. But a nearby death conqueror quickly destroyed the weapon. Dwarves poured out from the gates, blocking the undead''s advance. A group of dwarves on flying beasts took to the sky, engaging the undead. Chaos erupted at the gates, but Alex didn''t let the undead penetrate deep into the city to avoid harming the dwarf civilians. In single combat, the dwarves were weaker than the undead, and they were outnumbered. Despite their powerful equipment, the large devices were ineffective in close combat. Against the undying undead, the unprepared dwarves stood no chance. Alex stood on her bone dragon, observing the battle. She wondered why the Monarch level dwarves hadn''t appeared yet. The enemy''s strength seemed too weak. Balin Forgeheart, riding his griffin, was stunned by the undead''s terrifying power. Seeing the nobles who had oppressed them being overwhelmed by the leader''s forces, the nearly thousand dwarves below were equally excited. Boom! A massive hammer struck the ground, creating a shockwave that instantly killed the surrounding undead, scattering skeletons. "The Monarch level enemy is here. Attack!" At Alex''s command, the three Monarch level undead launched their assault on the Monarch level dwarf on the wall. Alex had held them back to conserve Mana Points and preserve their strength. She feared Grimstone''s Monarch level might be formidable. Now that the enemy had appeared, Alex was ready to act. Nori, wielding his hammer, looked at Alex standing on the bone dragon, realizing she was the extraterrestrial visitors'' leader. Nori had enchanted his weapon, making the undead easy prey. Nori, clad in enchanted armor and wielding a massive hammer, was flanked by two strong dwarf guards. These guards were Nori''s personal bodyguards, sent by the Silverbeard Clan chieftain to protect him and the city. Both were Monarch level. The guards wielded flails, swinging them at the approaching necromancers. ???¦®????.??? S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the highest combat power in Grimstone, their weapons were the first to be enchanted. The necromancers blocked the flails with bone shields, sending a barrage of bone spikes down at the wall. The guards'' armor glowed blue, and they shielded their faces, enduring the necromancers'' attacks. The bone spikes sparked against their armor, leaving no marks, let alone injuring them. The lich unleashed its domain, sending countless ice lances at Nori. Nori sneered, using his hammer and domain to shatter the attacks before they reached him. Arrogant, Nori underestimated the three Monarch level undead, thinking they were merely agile but lacked the destructive power of a Monarch level dwarf. Nori used his domain to withstand the lich''s attacks while smashing the surrounding undead with his hammer. Any ground undead hit by Nori''s shockwaves had their soul fires extinguished instantly. "Monarch level set." Alex''s eyes narrowed. This dwarf Monarch level was a high-defense tank, with only his bulkiness as a drawback. With the Monarch level set, his combat power was formidable. But the lich, with its Emperor level potential, couldn''t be so easily dismissed. Countless bone spikes, imbued with frost, attacked Nori. The lich''s magic focused on restricting Nori''s movements. Nori, though inexperienced in battle, was knowledgeable and quick-witted. He knew his weaknesses well. Nori''s domain ability was similar to Baldwin''s, altering his weight to wield the heavy hammer with agility. Nori, now agile, dodged the lich''s attacks, leaping from the wall and swinging his hammer at the lich mid-air. The hammer, carrying immense power, struck the lich''s bone shield. The shockwave, infused with soul damage, sent the lich flying. Fortunately, the lich had soul protection, surviving the attack. Nori, unable to regain his footing mid-air, was vulnerable to a counterattack. His arrogance had led him to believe his strike would kill the lich. He couldn''t understand why the undead hadn''t died from the soul attack. As Nori fell, the lich formed a sphere around him, encasing him in ice. The lich''s hand glowed white, and bone spikes extended inside the sphere, piercing Nori. Nori, unable to move, shielded his face with his arms, as his armor protected the rest of his body. Nori activated his domain, increasing his weight to several tons, breaking the bone sphere and crashing into the wall, creating a crater. But it wasn''t over. As Nori tried to catch his breath, the lich''s bone spear loomed, aiming for his face. Nori dodged, but the spear still grazed his left eye and cheek, narrowly missing his brain. "Argh!" In pain, Nori smashed the surrounding bone spikes and swung at the lich. The lich, quick to react, ascended, avoiding Nori''s wild swing. The two guards rushed to Nori, helping him up and retrieving his weapon. Nori, clutching his bleeding eye, glared at the lich with hatred. The two necromancers joined the lich, the three Monarch level undead facing the three Monarch level dwarves. Compared to Nori, the guards fared better, easily handling the necromancers'' Bone Magic. But the lich, with its flexible attacks combining Skeleton and Bone Magic, along with frost and soul damage, was much more challenging. The other undead had descended from the wall. Even without intentional summoning, the domains'' presence increased the undead numbers. Nori''s expression darkened. The dwarf warriors were dwindling, while the undead multiplied, overwhelming them. With three Monarch level undead blocking them, Nori understood why the ancient texts described undead as terrifying. Knowing how to kill undead was one thing, but the extraterrestrial visitors'' strength was formidable, threatening the clan''s rear. Grimstone''s fall was inevitable, and Nori realized he might not be a match for the lich. Nori exchanged glances with his guards, who nodded resolutely. The guards threw their flails, and Nori, using his domain, hurled his hammer at the lich. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] As dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight illuminated Grimstone. The necromancers blocked the flails with bone shields, but the bones turned liquid, trapping the weapons. The guards pulled the chains, engaging in a tug-of-war with the necromancers. The lich conjured bone chains, binding Nori''s hammer mid-air, freezing it. Chains also targeted the unprepared guards. Nori, fleeing, saw a white-haired girl with a giant scythe blocking his path. "Trying to run?" Chapter 153: Join us and overthrow these corrupt nobles The girl''s cold voice echoed, making Nori''s face turn grim. He recognized her as the leader of the extraterrestrial visitors.Without his weapon, Nori knew he stood no chance against Alex. "Do you know who I am? I am Nori of the Silverbeard Clan, one of the seven noble families of the dwarf kingdom. Do you really want to make an enemy of the entire dwarf kingdom?" Nori tried to use his background to intimidate the extraterrestrial visitor. In his mind, these visitors were cowardly and feared death. "Hmph." The surroundings turned into a frozen wasteland as Alex''s figure vanished, reappearing in front of Nori, swinging her scythe at his head. Nori seemed prepared, holding a device resembling a mechanical sphere. As Alex disappeared, he activated the device. A surge of spatial energy enveloped Nori, and he vanished, leaving behind his armor and clothes. Nori reappeared a hundred miles away from Grimstone, naked and panicked, fleeing immediately. This teleportation device was a new invention developed by the three major clans of the dwarf kingdom, given to Nori by the Silverbeard Clan chieftain for emergencies. Alex hadn''t expected Nori to have such a trick, allowing him to escape. But it didn''t matter. Alex wasn''t afraid of the Silverbeard Clan knowing about the attack on Grimstone. From Grimstone''s defenses, the Silverbeard Clan was weaker than Alex had anticipated. Given time, Alex believed Sophie could lead the dwarves to overthrow the Silverbeard Clan. With Nori''s escape, the two Monarch level dwarf guards were quickly overwhelmed by the undead. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex stood behind the two dwarf guards, knowing the outcome was inevitable. The guards were doomed. Alex ordered the undead to surround the remaining dwarf troops, making them her prisoners. Although Alex wanted to kill them to summon more undead, she needed them to defend the city and operate the weapons. Sophie''s thousand dwarves wouldn''t be enough. Alex doubted all the remaining dwarf troops were loyal to the Silverbeard Clan. If they were, it was even better. She could kill them and increase her undead numbers. The massive zombie titan smashed open the city gates, allowing Balin Forgeheart and the dwarves to enter. The battle had been confined to the gates, minimizing the impact on the civilians. "Balin Forgeheart, it''s up to you now. If any dwarves don''t cooperate, John will handle them." "Yes, leader." Pacifying the civilians and troops was simple. The troops were conscripted by the Silverbeard Clan due to the kingdom''s internal war, and the civilians were heavily taxed. As long as Sophie and Balin were more benevolent than Nori, they would gain support. The two Monarch level dwarf guards were killed by the undead. As nobles, they refused to surrender, adding two more Monarch level undead to Alex''s forces. The battle had killed nearly ten thousand dwarf troops, increasing Alex''s undead army from thirty thousand to fifty thousand. Alex checked John and Azure''s levels, both reaching lv7 Commanding level, closer to Monarch level. Only Arthur remained at lv4. With the death of the two Monarch level dwarves, the remaining noble troops surrendered. The battle ended, and Alex withdrew the fifty thousand undead, leaving only herself, Sophie, the three Monarch level undead, and the dwarves. The three Monarch level undead were left to intimidate the dwarf troops, while their withdrawal allowed Balin Forgeheart to rally the civilians against the nobles. Balin Forgeheart passionately denounced the nobles'' injustices. Alex, uninterested, decided to search the city with two dwarf artisans for useful items. Nori and the nobles lived in the city center. Though not luxurious, their homes were far superior to the surrounding dwellings. Alex''s first target was Nori''s room, easily identifiable as the largest. The castle held no valuables, only miscellaneous items. However, Alex discovered a hidden chamber. ???¦®????.??? Inside, a room filled with torture devices held a dying dwarf. Seeing Alex, the dwarf struggled to lift his head, surprised to see a human girl instead of Nori. "Where''s Nori? Cough, cough..." The dwarf, lying on the ground, weakly asked. How could a human enter Grimstone? He thought Nori was playing a trick. "He ran away." Alex casually replied, standing outside the iron bars, looking at the dying dwarf chained to the wall. The dwarf was a strong male. Alex wondered why Nori tortured him instead of killing him. "Hey, who are you?" The dwarf, seemingly enraged, or perhaps because Alex was close, suddenly lunged, punching through the bars at Alex. The bars were wide enough for the dwarf''s fist. Alex easily dodged, and the dwarf collapsed, exhausted. Alex considered killing him but sensed domain power in his punch, deciding to investigate further. "You''re a Monarch level, yet Nori tortured you. Why?" Before the dwarf could answer, a dwarf artisan entered. "Leader, we found Grimstone''s teleportation array in the castle''s basement, but it''s small." The imprisoned dwarf looked up, seeing the artisan''s attire and behavior, realizing he wasn''t a noble or soldier. Could the human girl be telling the truth? Had Nori been defeated? He had been imprisoned for months, hearing the recent battle outside, involving at least four or five Monarch levels. The dwarf pondered. Grimstone might have fallen, and perhaps the girl was worth talking to. "I am... the lord of Grimstone." As soon as the dwarf finished speaking, both Alex and the other dwarf artisan turned their attention to the imprisoned dwarf. "You say you''re the Lord of Grimstone. Then what''s Nori''s deal?" Alex asked, surprised to find Grimstone''s Lord imprisoned in Nori''s castle. She was skeptical. "First, tell me what happened in the city," the dwarf demanded, even as a prisoner, refusing to submit. He wanted to know the situation in the city. Alex saw no harm in telling him. He was just a prisoner, after all. "Grimstone is under my control now. The nobles are all dead. Nori had some kind of escape device and fled." "Why do the dwarves... serve you?" the imprisoned dwarf asked again. This time, the dwarf artisan stepped forward before Alex could respond. "We were refugees. This girl took us in and saved our lives. We follow her willingly," the artisan explained. Hearing this, the imprisoned dwarf fell into deep thought. He then began to recount his story to Alex. His name was Durin Silverbeard. His father was a Silverbeard Clan noble, and his mother was a commoner. Due to his exceptional talent, the chieftain appointed him as the Lord of Grimstone. Unlike other nobles, Durin treated everyone equally, whether they were commoners or nobles. He even punished nobles who committed crimes, which naturally made him unpopular among them. Because his mother was a commoner, he was often scorned and considered unworthy of being a noble, labeled a half-breed. After the Silverbeard Clan lost a battle to the Stoneforge Clan, the chieftain ordered the conscription of commoners from all cities. Durin refused to forcibly recruit soldiers, leading the nobles to accuse him of conspiring with commoners to rebel. They imprisoned him. Nori then took over Grimstone with his noble guards. He began torturing Durin, trying to force a confession of rebellion. Without sufficient evidence, and given Durin''s noble birth, neither Nori nor the chieftain could kill him outright. So, Nori resorted to brutal torture to extract a confession. After hearing Durin''s story, Alex didn''t know what to make of it. She could only marvel at the dwarves'' internal strife, even as their race remained divided. "Why not join us and help overthrow these corrupt nobles?" Alex suggested. Chapter 154: Win over Durin Sophie''s dwarves lacked high-level combatants, and Durin seemed like a good candidate.After months of torture, Durin had lost faith in the Silverbeard Clan. Nori, being the chieftain''s son, made it clear that the chieftain was complicit in his suffering. The city''s commoners believed their beloved Lord Durin was dead. "I am a noble. Can you trust me?" Durin asked. "Words alone aren''t enough. We need a contract," Alex replied. Durin fell silent. Signing a contract meant he couldn''t betray Alex, which was the safest option, but he also didn''t fully trust her. "I need... to see outside," Durin said. Alex used her scythe to break the iron door and cut the chains binding Durin. Durin struggled to stand, stumbling towards the exit. Alex watched silently. In Durin''s current state, she could kill him instantly if he tried anything. Outside the castle, Durin, covered in wounds, finally saw the sunlight. The bright light made him squint, taking a moment to adjust. Durin''s body was covered in scars, both old and new. His appearance was frightening. Some commoners peeking through windows recognized their former lord. "Look, isn''t that Lord Durin?" "Yes, it''s Lord Durin! He''s alive!" Brave dwarf commoners soon stepped into the streets, bringing clothes and food. They dressed Durin and supported his frail body. "Take me... to the gate," Durin said. The dwarves didn''t understand why Durin wanted to go to the gate despite his injuries, but they helped him anyway. Alex followed silently to avoid misunderstandings. "Fellow dwarves, to the nobles, we are nothing but livestock. They exploit and oppress us. In their eyes, we are not even considered sentient beings. Are you willing to continue living like this? Why not be brave and fight for freedom and equality with your own hands?" Before reaching the gate, Durin heard a dwarf passionately speaking. A crowd had gathered around him. On the wall stood a human and three undead, watching silently. They were the companions of the human girl. Durin also saw many dwarves from outside the city. Their armor was less refined, indicating they weren''t regular troops. Despite this, they maintained order. The city guards had been subdued, laying down their weapons. Balin Forgeheart''s speech was swaying many hearts. Durin was stunned. Alex hadn''t lied. From the dwarves'' behavior, it was clear they weren''t being coerced. "What do you think? While you may not fear death, I must say, if you choose to side with the nobles, I will kill you," Alex said, stepping in front of Durin. The two dwarves supporting him looked at the human girl in fear. "I am willing... to take a chance with you. The corrupt noble system... I''ve had enough of it," Durin said, coughing. He had long wanted to overthrow the nobles. "Good!" Alex waved to Sophie on the wall, who quickly came over. "Heal him and make a contract with him." Sophie, though puzzled, complied. She conjured a green magic circle, and life energy flowed, healing Durin''s wounds visibly. Durin''s complexion improved, and the dwarves released their hold on him. Durin then signed a contract with Sophie, not a life-and-death master-servant contract. It wouldn''t bind him to die if Sophie did. "Help stabilize the city," Alex instructed. She had other matters to attend to, such as the city''s equipment and resources, and the surrounding dwarf fortresses. Leaving the city''s affairs to Sophie and the dwarves, Alex returned to the central castle with the dwarf artisan to inspect the basement''s small teleportation array. "It seems the dwarves'' magic technology isn''t that advanced," Alex remarked. She had expected a large portal like the Portal of Transit but found a small one, only allowing one person through at a time. It was likely Nori''s emergency escape route. Where it led, Alex didn''t know. "Can you replicate it?" Alex asked the two dwarf artisans. They were among the few in Sophie''s castle capable of crafting Commanding level equipment. If they couldn''t, she''d have to abandon the idea. The artisans examined it carefully and shook their heads. "Leader, there''s magic involved. We don''t understand magic, so we can''t replicate it." Alex had expected this answer. She destroyed the teleportation array and left the basement. The castle held some ancient texts about the Silverbeard Clan, but they contained little useful information. Who cared about the clan''s history? Durin knew everything she needed. ???¦®????.??? The city also had many weapons and equipment, superior to those in the dwarf fortresses. Alex handed these over to the dwarves, as they were useless to her undead troops. "Durin, can you mobilize the troops in the surrounding dwarf fortresses?" Alex asked at the gate. If he couldn''t, she''d send the undead army to eliminate them. With Grimstone secured, Alex wouldn''t tolerate other dwarf fortresses between it and Sophie''s castle. "I can, but it will take some time." The troops within the city were not all loyalists of the nobility; those in the fortresses even less so. They simply followed orders from their superiors, and as for who those superiors were, that was not their concern. "Gather all the troops from the fortresses to Grimstone and restart the White Rock Mountains'' mines." Alex had a defense plan. The fortresses were too spread out, with scattered forces. Concentrating them in Grimstone was more effective. She''d withdraw all fortress troops to Grimstone. Excess dwarves would be sent to the White Rock Mountains to restart the mines, providing resources for Alex''s castle. Combining the fortress troops would yield about twenty thousand, plus the city''s remaining ten thousand, totaling thirty thousand. To be safe, Alex planned to leave twenty thousand undead in Grimstone to help Durin and Balin Forgeheart maintain control. These undead were all ground troops, too slow for long marches. Alex didn''t want to bring them back, as they were summoned from the corpses of the fallen dwarf troops. If the Silverbeard Clan attacked, Durin would lead the dwarves in defense, with the undead as a last resort, also collecting and summoning corpses on the battlefield. The lich remained the most powerful undead, with Emperor level potential, the highest among her troops besides the three race leaders. Alex summoned a lich and a Destroyer from the two Monarch level corpses. Though the zombie titan also had Emperor level potential, its size made it impractical for now. In this battle, Alex gained two additional Monarch-level fighters. To be precise, it was actually three, since Durin also counted. However, Durin had to stay and guard Grimstone, so Alex couldn''t bring him back. Alex gave Durin Nori''s armor and weapon to enhance his combat ability. With Durin, the former lord, the transition was smoother. His speech quickly rallied the commoners, who pledged to help overthrow the nobles. Balin Forgeheart led the dwarves in rooting out the remaining nobles, with the commoners'' support. Soon, Balin captured a group of Silverbeard Clan nobles who had hidden during the battle. With the commoners'' help, they were easily found. Balin brought them to the gate for Durin to deal with, as the troops and commoners watched. "Durin, are you betraying the clan to side with these lowly commoners? How dare you!" "This is treason!" The kneeling nobles cursed Durin, forgetting he was a Monarch level. Perhaps they thought Durin''s previous capture showed he was a coward, incapable of killing them. Durin knew this was the time to assert his authority. Without a word, he activated his domain, confining it to the nobles. They coughed blood and died instantly. The onlookers were stunned, then erupted in cheers, their faces alight with excitement. "Good, they deserved it!" Meanwhile, Alex inspected the dwarves'' high-tech equipment on the wall. She noted their proficiency in enchanting gear for various situations. Alex was glad she had attacked quickly. Given more time, the dwarves would have enchanted weapons with soul damage, causing heavy losses to her undead. By noon, the city''s affairs were mostly settled, and Alex prepared to leave. "Durin, what''s the Silverbeard Clan''s strength?" Alex almost forgot the crucial information. As a former noble, Durin would know the clan''s capabilities. "Leader, I haven''t seen the chieftain in six months. He was lv6 Monarch level then. The Silverbeard Clan controls seven cities, ranking mid to low among the seven clans. I don''t know the exact number of Monarch levels." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Durin thought for a moment before answering. They talked for a few more minutes, and Alex learned that the former dwarf king had reached King level, the highest among the seven clans. None of the other clans had a King level, or they would have unified the kingdom. King level seemed to be the minimum strength to establish a kingdom. With this information, Alex realized she had overestimated the Silverbeard Clan. The chieftain was just a high-level Monarch, not a King level, making them less threatening. Durin and the dwarves could handle them. Alex left Grimstone to Durin and Balin, with twenty thousand undead, and took the remaining thirty thousand undead back to her castle. She also took several thousand dwarves to man the White Rock Mountains mines and Sophie''s castle. Chapter 155: Baldwin appeared again By the time Alex and Sophie returned to the castle, it was already afternoon. Looking at Sophie''s town and the surrounding mountains, it felt like returning from a city to a rural village.During their absence, the dwarf mines had been restarted. The dwarves would now settle near the mines. Alex, being considerate, arranged for the undead to handle the transportation of iron ingots, given the difficulty of transporting them over mountain paths. The dwarves only needed to focus on mining. Once the iron was transported back to the castle, the three Furnaces were put to work¡ªtwo for smelting ore and one for crafting equipment. As for the dwarf fortresses around Grimstone, Alex trusted Durin to handle them. Currently, the Silverbeard Clan was at war with other clans and had no time to deal with Alex. Besides, the rebellion was led by the dwarf commoners themselves, so other clans wouldn''t assist the Silverbeard Clan. Unless the Silverbeard Clan mobilized a large force, reclaiming Grimstone would be unlikely. Alex hadn''t even plundered Grimstone''s resources, knowing that maintaining a city consumed a vast amount of resources. She decided to leave those resources for Durin to allocate. "You should stay here for the next few days. I might have some trouble on my end," Alex told Sophie. Sophie was worried. She knew the Lords were forming an Alliance to find Alex''s castle, which was indeed a big problem. But she couldn''t help much, as the dwarves had just started to make progress, and there were plenty of issues to handle. "Big Shot, are you sure you''ll be okay? Maybe you should find an ally. Surely some Lords would be willing to form an Alliance with you." Sophie knew it was a long shot. With so many Lords targeting one, only a fool would ally with Alex. But there was always a chance. "Don''t worry. Whether they can find my castle is another matter. And being in the first tier doesn''t mean invincible. This is my home turf," Alex said nonchalantly. She had been worried before, but now, with five Monarch level undead under her command, she had no reason to fear them. Moreover, several undead had reached lv9 Commanding level. With the Bone Throne''s boost, they could become additional Monarch level forces. How could those Lords compete with her? If those fools dared to come, her fifty thousand undead army would teach them a lesson. Alex directed the undead army through the Portal of Transit back to the castle. Proper defenses were still necessary. With Grimstone secured, there was no need to station undead at Sophie''s castle anymore. Only the Acolytes would remain to mine. The iron ingot production had reached a high level, allowing Alex to upgrade her castle almost daily. The Barracks couldn''t be upgraded as frequently due to the scarcity of Essence Shards, despite having plenty of magic crystals. Excess resources could be used to upgrade Sophie''s castle, and then Chi-Chi''s. "I wonder what a fully upgraded town will look like," Alex mused, upgrading her town to lv5 and summoning her troops near the Barracks. Currently, only skeletons and specters were free from level restrictions. Other undead summoned by Alex couldn''t level up, which would severely weaken her combat power. Without quality, sheer numbers wouldn''t suffice. As Alex''s exploration range expanded, the time spent traveling became a significant drawback. "Sigh." Alex sighed. There was nothing she could do but hope for the system''s favor. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? She glanced at the distant snowy mountain. The constant blizzards had finally ceased, though the massive cracks in the ground remained. It seemed that with the emergence of the Godhead, the snowy mountain''s influence was waning. Perhaps it wouldn''t remain a snowy mountain in the future. A dead deity''s residual power could alter the landscape, and the Godhead''s emergence had shattered the entire snowy mountain. Alex thought of the battle between the six-winged angel and the frost dragon. Both were Sovereign level, the highest below Divine, causing significant destruction. But compared to a deity, it seemed insignificant. Of course, the snowy mountain''s formation wasn''t instantaneous. It was likely a gradual process as the deity''s power seeped out over time. Having flown most of the way and barely fought, Alex''s stamina and soul power were nearly untouched. She didn''t need to rest. Alex went to the kitchen, tied on an apron, and began cooking. Though she hadn''t taken resources from Grimstone, she had secretly stashed a lot of food in her ring. These were mostly vegetables. Alex hadn''t eaten well in half a month, surviving on roasted and stewed meat. If she weren''t immune to hunger, she would have been sick of it. Seeing the vegetables, Alex''s eyes lit up. She cooked while checking World Chat to see how the Lords were progressing. It had been a day; surely things had calmed down. But Alex quickly regretted it. The situation had escalated, and the hatred towards her had spread from the first tier to the second tier. Lords below the second tier knew their place, staying out of Big Shot affairs and enjoying the show, occasionally making snide comments. In a few days, the number of white names in the channel had increased, almost surpassing the green names of the Lords. This indicated many had switched to Freelancers. Alex decided to stop reading. The constant vilification had made her a public enemy. Even a fifth-tier Lord dared to call her troops a disaster and an omen in World Chat. Alex didn''t care about these baseless accusations. She finished cooking, served the dishes, and enjoyed her meal of various vegetables and meat soup, looking satisfied. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, at the border of the Barren Plains, a group of human troops arrived. Leading them was Baldwin, who had been repelled by Alex before. This time, he brought reinforcements, including a Monarch level mage from the Empire''s mage association. With two Monarch levels and ten thousand elite troops, they stood at the ruins of Lucian''s castle. They knew about the snowy mountain incident. The mage was here not only to kill the extraterrestrial visitors but also to investigate the previous mage''s death. Initially, the mage thought his colleague was killed by vampires or werewolves. The Eldoria continent''s mage association demanded answers from them. But the response was that their people had also died in the snowy mountain. The Starfallen Empire''s association branch, being closest, was tasked with investigating. "Search the area. There are at least six extraterrestrial visitor castles nearby!" Chapter 156: Crisis of the Elemental Alliance There were originally seven Commanding level extraterrestrial visitors here.Every time Baldwin thought about being defeated by these seven, he felt immense anger. He hadn''t killed a single one of them, only some of their troops, and the Empire''s cavalry had suffered heavy losses. When he returned with his troops, he found that the vampire Lord was already dead. But the other extraterrestrial visitor Lords could bring troops over, meaning they weren''t too far away. Except for the undead flying from the snowy mountain, none of the elemental troops could outpace the Empire''s cavalry. Moreover, the extraterrestrial visitors weren''t friends; they were competitors. The snowy mountain was treacherous, and the undead Lord was powerful. Baldwin decided not to send troops to search for the undead Lord yet. His primary targets were the others. Soon, the human cavalry split into two groups, advancing along both sides of the snowy mountain, while the remaining forces stayed behind to wait. The mage from the mage association looked ahead, deciding to investigate personally. "General Baldwin, I''ll leave this place to you. I''m going to the snowy mountain to check things out." A magnetic voice came from within the black robe. Baldwin was taken aback. His plan was to eliminate the extraterrestrial visitors first and then investigate the snowy mountain together. He didn''t expect the mage to be so eager. "Gareth, the snowy mountain might be dangerous. It''s not wise to go alone." The appearance of the Godhead, the mysterious deaths of three Monarch levels¡ªeverything that happened on the snowy mountain was a mystery. "Don''t worry about me. I''ll just do a preliminary investigation and won''t go too deep." With that, Gareth flew towards the snowy mountain. He understood that any force capable of killing three Monarch levels was beyond his ability to handle, so he proceeded with caution. Baldwin had no choice but to wait with his troops. Gareth stood atop a mountain, surveying the devastated snowy landscape, filled with massive cracks and fewer and fewer living creatures. He didn''t know the exact location of the Godhead''s emergence, so he searched aimlessly. According to intelligence, there was an undead extraterrestrial visitor in the snowy mountain, but Gareth hadn''t seen a single undead on his way. "Strange." As Gareth ventured deeper, he encountered no danger. He noticed more cracks in the ground, leading him to the Godhead''s emergence site. Finally, Gareth arrived at the frost cave where the Godhead had appeared. The mountaintop had a gaping hole, surrounded by web-like cracks. Entering the cave, Gareth found it empty. "There are signs of life here." Gareth picked up a small piece of food residue and some hairs on the ground. It seemed to be from some beast race. Beast races shed fur, and Gareth estimated they had recently vacated the cave. As for what kind of beast race, Gareth couldn''t tell. The snowy mountain''s races mostly had white fur, making it impossible to identify by color alone. He''d have to take it back for magical analysis. Gareth exited the cave and found signs of a Monarch level battle. "Four Monarch levels?!" Gareth was shocked. The intelligence only mentioned werewolves and vampires sending forces, but the battle traces indicated three Monarch levels attacking another. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? He couldn''t sense any lingering elemental energy in the air. In a magically blasted pit, he brushed away the snow and found a green coagulated substance, possibly blood. Gareth immediately returned with these findings, not continuing his investigation. Unbeknownst to him, an Arctic Tigerfolk hidden under the snow was watching. Once Gareth flew away, it darted back to its tribe. Back at the Starfallen Empire''s mage association, Gareth personally delivered the findings for analysis, believing the unknown fourth Monarch level was the key to the mystery. He didn''t think the extraterrestrial visitors had the power to do all this. With Gareth gone, Baldwin was left to guard the area alone. ... In the Barren Plains, the Elemental Alliance. Because Samson and Boreas''s troops could fly, they handled all the scouting. Since repelling Baldwin last time, the Elemental Alliance had kept a low profile, fearing the Starfallen Empire''s return. But Starfallen Empire had shifted from investigating the border village deaths to exterminating extraterrestrial visitors. Even with Lucian dead, they wouldn''t spare the Elemental Alliance. And now, the inevitable had come. Wind spirits and snow maidens spotted a group of human cavalry heading towards their castle from the north, along the snowy mountain''s edge. It seemed they were specifically investigating extraterrestrial visitors. If they moved a bit south, they''d soon find the Elemental Alliance''s castle. In the open Barren Plains, without cover or special measures, their castle was too easy to spot. Samson and Boreas quickly informed the others, and they gathered at Earl''s castle. Everyone looked grim. What they feared had come to pass. "Do we know their strength?" Earl asked first, all eyes turning to Samson and Boreas. Samson shook his head. "The Starfallen Empire''s troops are numerous and spread out. I didn''t dare send the snow maidens too deep, fearing they''d be discovered. But they came from the east, likely finding the vampire Lord''s destroyed castle and now searching for us." "I''ve sent troops to the snowy mountain to circle around. It should be safe, but it''ll take time for them to report back," Cain said. Boreas was also anxious. Monarch levels were too powerful, and their current strength was insufficient to handle them. "This time, their strength will be greater than before. I''m afraid..." Cain didn''t finish. Their priority was survival. Fighting head-on would be suicide. The only options were to disband the Alliance and relocate or ally with Alex, using her powerful undead army to eliminate the threat. Cain saw that Alex wasn''t bloodthirsty. With her current strength, she likely didn''t covet their resources. Constantly fleeing would hinder their town''s development and risk demotion to a castle. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The others were silent, contemplating the situation. Time was running out. The human cavalry would soon find their castle. Only Ivy remained silent, deep in thought. Chapter 157: There was no justice or evil, only the strong defining the weak "Actually, we could trade the undead Lord''s location to those first-tier Alliances and let them handle our problem," Ivy finally voiced her idea, shocking everyone. This was completely contrary to their previous decision not to antagonize Alex."Why not just seek her help directly? How do you know she''s alone without allies? And even if she only has one Monarch level undead, do you think those first-tier Alliances can defeat her?" Samson immediately countered. In his view, those Alliances wouldn''t stand a chance against Alex. If they failed, the Elemental Alliance would be implicated, and they''d face Alex''s wrath with no chance to escape. "I..." Ivy wanted to argue but realized it was futile and fell silent. "Samson is right. If we ally with other Lords and they lose to the undead Lord, we won''t be able to escape," Cain agreed, believing the Lords wouldn''t be able to defeat Alex. "What''s the panic? Worst case, we switch to Freelancers and leave. Running around is a hassle, and the castle is a burden," the young and hot-blooded Boreas added. Though he disliked Alex, he despised the other Lords'' actions more. Alex had no quarrel with anyone, yet they targeted her just because she was the strongest. "So, what do we do?" Ivy asked, seeing everyone oppose her idea, her face showing frustration. "Fight or flee. Becoming Freelancers is the last resort," they concluded. In the end, they decided to station troops around the castle for defense, even building some makeshift fortifications. But with the enemy''s main force nearby, this wouldn''t hold for long. Samson was tasked with contacting Alex for help, while Boreas and Ivy sought allies as a backup plan. Earl and Cain, being first-tier Lords, found it hard to be accepted by weaker Lords who feared their strength. No Lord wanted a stronger Lord near their castle, as it would put them in a vulnerable position if the stronger Lord had ill intentions. At this moment, the Elemental Alliance members regretted gathering five Alliances together. In hindsight, they shouldn''t have invited Boreas, as it left them with no retreat. ... Sunset Alliance, Galvin received Raphaela''s Alliance request with a smug expression. He didn''t know how strong Raphaela and her Alliance were, only that all five members were first-tier Lords, which was formidable. With the combined strength of multiple Alliances, Galvin believed they could handle Alex. The focus now was finding her castle. Galvin planned to attack before the leaderboard rewards were distributed, as Alex''s strength would increase further with the rewards. Alex''s troops being undead was known, and they had prepared accordingly. Though the combined troops of all Lords numbered a hundred thousand, Galvin knew quality mattered more than quantity against undead. Sending weak troops would only bolster the undead ranks. Galvin planned for all Lords to deploy only Commanding level troops. With nearly a thousand Commanding levels, even if Alex had three Monarch level undead, they would have the advantage. These Commanding level troops would be fully equipped, making it easy to kill low-level undead with soul attacks. Facing such a large-scale assault, Galvin didn''t believe Alex could resist. Without an Alliance, she couldn''t even flee. No Lord would be foolish enough to ally with her now, opposing all other Lords. Confident, Galvin suddenly received a private message, smiling as he saw it. Opportunity had come quickly. ... At the southern edge of Dark Forest, Blonde was furious. He had told the Lords he knew the undead Lord''s location, but no one believed him. Instead, he was insulted as a beggar. Blonde hadn''t expected this. He thought his castle would be upgraded to a town, and the Lords would flock to him. "Do I have to upgrade to a town first?" Blonde muttered, frustrated. He looked at the distant undead and abandoned his plan to send troops for resources. Wood was easy to gather at the forest''s edge, but stone, magic crystals, and iron ingots were out of reach. "Better keep trying. May the Holy Lord bless me." Blonde knew the first-tier Lords were forming an Alliance but didn''t know who exactly. He targeted the active Lords in World Chat, messaging them one by one. Blonde didn''t want to miss the chance to eliminate Alex. Only by removing the true undead Lord could he become the second undead Lord. Blonde had endured sixteen days of hardship¡ªno women, no going out, barely enough food, and constant company of skeletons. He felt he was going mad. Finally, Blonde messaged [Holy Wing] Lord, who responded differently. ... On the stone pillar mountain in Arsen, Raphaela looked at her system dashboard, her eyebrows raised. Her intuition told her the Lord named [21 Nuns] wasn''t lying. If he dared deceive her, he would have nowhere to hide once they relocated. Raphaela wasn''t worried about ambushes, confident in her strength. Raphaela and Galvin were the main decision-makers in the Alliance. Though Galvin hadn''t met Raphaela, he felt her invisible pressure. Raphaela decided to consult Galvin, as he was coordinating most of the Lords. She had a premonition they would soon find the undead Lord. Raphaela''s holy wings gently flapped as she flew down the mountain to discuss with her allies. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The four castles surrounding the mountain made it seem like Raphaela''s subordinates, but they were equals. They had moved here for safety, and the mountaintop could only accommodate one castle, so the others were spread around. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] Night had fallen, and Alex, having enjoyed a hearty meal, was sitting on the rooftop of her castle, gazing at the stars, though she could barely see them. It was rare to have such a peaceful moment, staring blankly at the night sky with nothing to worry about. Alex had instructed Sophie to have the dwarves carve out a vegetable garden in the White Rock Mountains, so they wouldn''t have to eat just roasted meat anymore. After spending so many days together, Sophie had noticed Alex''s ability to not feel hunger even without eating. So, in her eyes, the vegetable garden Alex built was for her. Sophie was, of course, very happy about this, as it meant she could also enjoy some vegetables. Just as Alex was about to jump down from the castle to go to bed, a private message came through. It was from Chi-Chi. ????????.??? Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, my brother successfully infiltrated those Lords'' Alliance and got important information!" Alex was taken aback, not expecting Chi-Chi to still be concerned about her affairs while reuniting with her family. Alex: "Your brother made it to the second tier?" Chi-Chi: "No, he tricked them. There are ten thousand in the second tier; how could they check each one? Anyway, Miss Alex, let''s get to the point." Chi-Chi: "They have thirty-one first-tier Lords and over fifty second-tier Lords. The leader''s castle is named [Ember], and the Lord''s name is Galvin. Their combined troops total over 100K, with more than 1K Commanding level troops." How could there be so many? Even Alex was shocked. Nearly a hundred Lords with over 100K troops. Her castle only had 50K undead. Logically, they wouldn''t go to such lengths unless they were serious. Alex felt this was beyond her expectations. With so many troops, she estimated at least fifteen hundred Commanding levels. Fifteen hundred Commanding levels against five Monarch levels. On average, three hundred Commanding levels against one Monarch level. Clearly, her lv1 Monarch level undead couldn''t win. Alright, so they''re targeting me like this? Alex was furious. She had no quarrel with them, just wanted to develop peacefully and earn some system rewards, yet they united against her. Although her troops were undead, she hadn''t committed any atrocities or evil deeds. Alex didn''t consider herself a saint, but in this world, there were no absolute saints. Those kind-hearted people had long perished. Though Alex knew Chi-Chi''s brother took this risk for Chi-Chi''s sake, she still had to thank him. Alex: "Thank your brother for me. I owe him one. And tell him not to worry. I don''t want to die any more than he wants me to." Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, with so many of them, are you sure you''ll be okay?" Alex could see Chi-Chi was still worried. Alex: "Silly, did you forget Alliances can relocate? I''ll just move my castle. They won''t find me. Don''t worry, I''ve already found allies, but I can''t ally with them now, or they''ll notice." Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, I believe in you. If things get really bad, you can ally with my brother and move here. It''s poor, but safe." Alex: "Alright, get some rest." Alex didn''t want to trouble them. That was a last resort, only to be used if absolutely necessary. Besides, she said it to comfort Chi-Chi. Alex never planned to run. Running away would only embolden them, and they''d start targeting her everywhere in World Chat. They''d be relentless, and that''s not what Alex wanted. She needed to teach these Lords a lesson, showing them that in this world, absolute strength was everything. There was no justice or evil, only the strong defining the weak. Alex felt like her true strength had been exposed. Otherwise, they wouldn''t go to such lengths. When Alex and the Elemental Alliance had repelled Baldwin, it was just five Commanding level Lords. Despite Baldwin''s Monarch level strength, he struggled against five. Facing three hundred Commanding levels, her lv1 Monarch level undead couldn''t win. Alex had thought they''d gather a dozen Lords at most, but nearly a hundred? "Treating me like a boss fight? Don''t blame me for treating you like mobs." Alex jumped down from the castle, thinking of the first-tier Lord who wanted to ally with her. There was also a Lord named [Calamity Source], whom Alex remembered. These two, like her, were first-tier Lords without Alliances. Alex analyzed this. As first-tier Lords, they couldn''t be weak. Not allying meant they believed they didn''t need one, just like Alex. This indicated they were not only strong but also willing to help Alex, which was good news. Knowing she couldn''t defeat the enemy alone, Alex sought their help. She didn''t know the exact strength of the enemy Alliance, only estimating based on available data. Alex checked the time. It was past nine at night, so the Lord was probably still awake. She sent a message. Meanwhile, at the Elemental Alliance, Samson and Boreas''s troops returned, reporting that the Starfallen Empire had camped at Lucian''s castle. The snow maidens and wind spirits only saw Baldwin, with no other Monarch level individuals. As night fell, all human troops returned, not venturing further south. The further south, the closer to the Empire''s territory. The troops likely didn''t expect the Elemental Alliance to be deeper in the Barren Plains. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Boreas had been tasked with finding an ally, and no one had high hopes. But Boreas had a friend no one knew about, whom he assured was trustworthy. This must be Boreas''s backup plan. Though he seemed impulsive, the young man understood the need for a backup plan. He and his friend hadn''t joined the same Alliance, but no one minded. In this strange world, even absolute allies couldn''t be fully trusted. Because Boreas contacted his friend, they had a fallback, so Samson didn''t contact Alex. The Elemental Alliance decided that if the Starfallen Empire found them, they''d leave. If not, they''d stay and develop. There was no absolutely safe place in this world. No one could guarantee they''d be safer elsewhere. Chapter 158: Undead would never oppose this girl, no matter who created them In the abyss, Satan hadn''t seen the portal light up but instead received a private message from Alex.Satan had no friends, and it was rare for anyone to talk to him late at night. He opened the message and saw it was from Alex. [Hamburger]: "I think an alliance is necessary." [Inferno]: "Finally figured it out?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Hamburger]: "Their strength is beyond my expectations. If you don''t have Monarch level troops, stay put and let me teleport you." [Inferno]: "You''re underestimating me. Do you think they can muster a hundred Monarch levels?" [Hamburger]: "They have nearly a hundred Lords and over 100K troops." Satan was stunned by this message, clearly underestimating the determination of these Lords to take down Alex. He had casually mentioned a hundred Lords, not expecting it to be true. Satan thought this undead Lord was just a coward, and he was full of disdain. But now, fuck, Satan realized he''d get his ass handed to him just the same. But Satan didn''t feel fear; he was excited. So many Lords fighting would be thrilling. [Inferno]: "This is..." [Hamburger]: "Too cool?" [Inferno]: "What?" [Hamburger]: "Nothing. So if you don''t have the strength, just leave me a way out." [Inferno]: "Don''t look down on me. You''ll see tomorrow!" As for why tomorrow, Satan was already preparing to sleep. Alex, lying in bed with a blanket wrapped around her, exposing her fair shoulders and arms, closed the chat with Satan. She found it strange that he seemed even more eager after learning about the Alliance''s strength. Alex wasn''t arrogant enough to think she was the only first-tier Lord with Monarch level troops. There had to be other hidden powerhouses. Alex had exposed herself to climb the leaderboard. Even if Satan had Monarch level troops, Alex wasn''t entirely reassured. One or two Monarch levels wouldn''t decide the battle. Who knew if the Alliance would recruit more Lords before finding her? Alex then messaged [Calamity Source] Lord, remembering that this person had also offered to help but wasn''t as arrogant as Satan. On the cliffside by the sea in Arsen, Lilith, about to sleep, received Alex''s message. [Hamburger]: "I might really need your help now." [Calamity Source]: "Is the enemy too strong?" [Hamburger]: "Yes, their strength is beyond my expectations. Nearly a hundred Lords and over 100K troops." [Calamity Source]: "No problem. If you want to fight, I''ll support you. If you want to flee, you can move here. It''s relatively safe." [Hamburger]: "Why help me? This means going against all the Lords." [Calamity Source]: "No reason. If I had to say, maybe it''s because I''m also seen as ''ominous'' like you." [Hamburger]: "Thank you. I''ll make them pay. I won''t back down." [Calamity Source]: "Good." Lilith knew this undead Lord wouldn''t back down. Her instincts were never wrong. Hesitation and indecision wouldn''t make a top-tier Lord. If it were Lilith, she wouldn''t back down either. Two Lords chose to help Alex despite knowing the enemy''s strength. These top-tier Lords weren''t fools; it showed their confidence in their own strength. Alex closed the dashboard, slid under the covers, and prepared to sleep. She hoped these two wouldn''t disappoint her. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM A new day began, and it was the third day of the leaderboard update. Alex woke up on time. Before sleeping, she had thought a lot, increasingly convinced that her strength had been leaked, leading to this situation. But all the enemies in that battle had died. Three Monarch level undead killed Lucian. Could Lucian have spread the news before dying? If so, Alex would accept it. As for the Elemental Alliance? No, since the battle with Baldwin, she hadn''t interacted with them. They shouldn''t know she had three Monarch level troops. Could the hobgoblin Shaman have returned to the kingdom and leaked the news through the Traitor Lord? Unlikely. The undead hadn''t found the hobgoblin kingdom, indicating it wasn''t nearby. Alex ruled out all possibilities, leaving only one explanation. There was a hidden Lord nearby who had evaded the undead and leaked the information! "There''s a sneaky bastard!" Alex sat up abruptly, the blanket sliding off. She quickly dressed and went outside the castle. After summoning her troops, she ordered the gargoyles and Destroyers around the castle to spread out and search for the sneaky bastard. If the undead hadn''t found them, they must have special means. She hoped the gargoyles and Destroyers could use their magical senses to find the hidden Lord. Alex directed them to search near Dark Forest, as her air troops had been focused on the snowy mountain. If there were a hidden Lord, they would have found them, especially with the recent upheaval. This time, Alex sent them to recheck areas previously scouted by ground troops. If there was a sneaky bastard nearby, they might leak Alex''s location, leading the Alliance to launch a surprise attack. Alex increased the undead''s vigilance, ordering immediate reports of any unusual activity. Meanwhile, Satan wanted to come over immediately, but Alex refused. She wanted the Alliance to think she was a lone wolf with no retreat. Forcing Alex to become a Freelancer was one of their main goals. Alex believed becoming a Freelancer wasn''t just about abandoning the castle and troops. For Alex, if she became a Freelancer, the undead army would still follow her, but the system wouldn''t let Freelancers live comfortably. Becoming a Freelancer might mean losing her bloodline and heritage. Alex would never become a Freelancer. With Satan and Lilith, two top-tier Lords, joining her, Alex was determined to fight to the end. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Lilith claimed her troops were also "ominous," making Alex curious about them. ... At the edge of Dark Forest, Blonde had reached an agreement with Raphaela. She provided the resources to upgrade his castle to a town. But after upgrading one level, Raphaela told him to stop and continue hiding, awaiting further instructions. Blonde''s lv3 castle wasn''t large, and he had used alchemy magic to hide it. The expansion from the upgrade strained the formation, increasing the risk of discovery. Blonde was swearing like a sailor, knowing that getting caught in this situation would be a death sentence. He quickly took the risk of stepping out of the formation and started fixing things up with his troops around the castle. From last night until daylight, Blonde didn''t dare stop, fearing discovery. His skeletons patrolled the perimeter. A warlock tapped Blonde, who irritably asked, "What?" Blonde looked up and froze. A black bird was flying overhead. "Undead?!" Blonde panicked. How had they found him so quickly? His heart raced as he frantically tried to contact Raphaela. The Destroyer, being an intelligent race, knew what Blonde was trying to do and swooped down to grab him. The Destroyer was Commanding level, and Blonde''s troops had no Commanding levels or effective attacks. The skeletons, though undead, were no match for the Destroyer. It knew this needed to be reported to the Queen. Blonde and his troops couldn''t stop the Destroyer. His dark alchemy warlocks had attacks, but they were ineffective. "Is this really undead?!" Blonde''s thousand skeletons were useless. He knew too little about undead. The Destroyer interrupted Blonde''s call for help, grabbing him and flying back to the castle. Soon, more Destroyers and gargoyles arrived, surrounding Blonde''s castle and troops. Blonde was ashen-faced, knowing he was doomed. The Destroyer carried Blonde to the edge of the town''s territory and stopped. "Report to the Queen. I''ll watch him." The Destroyer told a gargoyle, which flew back to the castle. The Destroyer stopped here to prevent Blonde from learning more, unsure if he had other means to send messages. The gargoyle quickly returned to the castle. With many intelligent undead, it was easy to learn what had happened. "Undead??" Alex was puzzled. Wasn''t she the only one with the undead crystal? How could someone else summon undead? She hadn''t expected a hidden Lord nearby, evading detection. The truth was clear. This bastard had leaked her information. The Destroyer held him at the town''s edge. Alex flew over. She soon arrived and saw the Lord, a priest-like man with curly hair, held by the Destroyer. Seeing Alex, the Destroyer dropped Blonde to the ground. Blonde, dizzy and in pain, looked up at the undead Lord. The legendary undead Lord was a beautiful girl? And she looked no older than twenty. "Spare me, leader! I have no quarrel with you. Please don''t kill me. I''ll submit." Blonde crawled and cried, begging Alex, making her disgusted. "Kick him to wake him up." Alex told the Destroyer, who kicked Blonde in the stomach, sending him flying. Three ribs broke, and he spat blood, writhing in pain, unable to speak. "You''re the one who leaked my information, right?" Alex''s tone was hostile. Blonde, confused about why he was kicked, was even more bewildered by Alex''s accusation. He hadn''t left his castle. How could he know her information? "Leader, I''m innocent. I''ve never left my castle and don''t know anything about your information. Wait, you''re [Hamburger]?" Blonde suddenly realized why he hadn''t thought the nearby Lord was the undead Lord being hunted. "Yes, and it seems you''re not being honest. You planned to leak my location to those Lords, right? Kick him again!" Blonde tried to explain, but the Destroyer kicked him again, breaking three more ribs. "Take me to his castle." Alex was done questioning. The Destroyer grabbed the nearly unconscious Blonde and followed Alex to his castle. People like him always used the same excuses. He was the closest to Alex''s castle. If he didn''t leak the information, who did? Facing death, he still wouldn''t admit it. Soon, Alex arrived at Blonde''s castle, surrounded by gargoyles and Destroyers. "Undead?" Alex saw the thousand skeletons, similar to her Skeleton Soldiers, clearly undead. The skeletons trembled and knelt, submitting. Some extinguished their soul fires, turning to bones. Blonde was stunned. Why were his undead submitting to this girl? He was their creator. Seeing more undead turning to bones, Alex asked the Destroyer. "What''s happening?" "Queen, they believe their souls betrayed you and extinguished themselves to atone." The Destroyer explained, and Blonde seemed to realize a shocking truth, looking incredulous. Undead would never oppose this girl, no matter who created them. Chapter 159: Dark alchemy warlock Watching the undead below gradually turn into bones deeply impacted Blonde, making him forget his pain.Who is she, really? Alex turned her gaze to the alchemy warlocks. They were humans, likely Blonde''s original troops. "Dark alchemy warlocks?" Alex suddenly understood why they could create undead. Dark alchemy magic was a branch of undead magic. Alex herself had mid-level alchemy magic, but it was more for support and features, not combat, so she rarely used it. Alex walked closer, observing the alchemy warlocks and skeletons up close, noticing the flaws. "I see. The craftsmanship is so crude, no wonder the undead created are so flawed and weak." Alex also noticed the hidden formation at the edge of Blonde''s castle. She picked up an enchanted stone from the ground. As the dark green light flickered, Alex re-energized the stone and placed it back into the magic circle. The magic circle rewove itself, and the cracks in the shield disappeared instantly. Blonde and the surrounding dark alchemy warlocks were astonished. It would take three of them at least half an hour to repair it, yet she did it in an instant. Such alchemy magic could only be achieved at mid-level. Blonde couldn''t believe this girl had such high alchemy magic proficiency. His tricks were like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs in front of her. "Alright, I forgive you. I''ll give you a chance to pledge your loyalty." Alex addressed the skeletons. By the time she finished examining the formation, over half of the thousand undead had already perished. Hearing the Queen''s voice, they stopped their self-destruction and knelt motionless. Alex ignored them and entered the castle. It was even lower level than she thought, only lv4. Combined with the formation traces around the territory, Alex understood. This Lord had been hiding using alchemy magic. Alex''s undead didn''t understand alchemy magic, and she hadn''t personally visited, so he remained hidden until now. Upgrading the castle expanded its range, touching the formation and causing it to break, leading to the undead discovering it. Inside the castle, Alex first checked the Warehouse. The reserves were pitifully low. Besides alchemy materials and bones, there was some food. Magic crystals and Essence Shards were scarce. There was some wood and stone. Wait, why are there iron ingots? And so many, about 10K? Alex, familiar with upgrading castles, quickly estimated the resources. She found enough to upgrade a lv4 castle to a town, with nothing left after building a Portal of Transit. This was proof. He couldn''t have gathered so many resources alone; other Lords must have helped. "Stop playing dumb. Beat him until he talks!" "I..." Blonde tried to speak but was interrupted by the Destroyer. The Queen was angry, so he had to endure a beating first. Blonde''s wails echoed outside the castle. Every time he tried to speak, the Destroyer punched his stomach, making him howl in pain, unable to talk. The surrounding alchemy warlocks trembled in fear, finding the scene brutal. The castle was small and poor. Its total resources were worth less than what other Lords gave him to upgrade to a town. Alex had seen enough and walked to the castle entrance. Seeing her, the Destroyer stopped. Blonde seized the chance to speak. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk. Please stop hitting me." Blonde quickly confessed everything. He had only planned to lure the Alliance Lords here and hadn''t done anything else. He didn''t even know if Alex was the undead Lord they were hunting until today. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? As for information, he knew nothing, having never left his castle. At this point, he had no reason to lie. The resources were given by a Lord named [Holy Wing], but they hadn''t moved in immediately. After hearing Blonde, Alex pondered. The information wasn''t leaked by him; there was someone else. Combining [Holy Wing] Lord''s actions, Blonde seemed like a backup plan. Who was it? Was there another Lord nearby? Alex felt she was being watched, an unsettling feeling. The enemy might not know her exact location but knew the general area. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Could it be the Elemental Alliance? Samson knew her castle was outside the snowy mountain, but they shouldn''t know her exact strength. It didn''t make sense. "Once this is over, I''ll clear out all the nearby Lords." Alex flew back to her castle. Blonde was overjoyed, thinking Alex would spare him. But as he was about to celebrate, the Destroyer grabbed him and snapped his neck, killing him instantly. For enemies, unless the Queen said otherwise, they were to be killed. The alchemy warlocks were also killed by the Destroyer. The remaining five hundred skeletons returned to Alex''s castle with the Destroyer and gargoyles. [Detected Dark Alchemy Warlock Barracks (absorbable). Absorb now?] What''s this? Alex didn''t understand but knew it had to be beneficial, so she chose to absorb it. She looked at the Barracks, noticing a change. [Unlocked special fixed unit: Dark Alchemy Warlock] [Note: Summoning troops daily will include ten of these, not occupying other summoning slots. They cannot be summoned by other means.] Unlocked a special fixed unit like the Acolyte? What a pleasant surprise. Alex turned to the Barracks, seeing ten Dark Alchemy Warlocks emerge. Like Acolytes, they were humans who sacrificed their souls to join the undead. They weren''t direct combat units but had support roles. Equivalent exchange was the principle of alchemy. Dark Alchemy Warlocks could craft dark items, enchant equipment, and more. With enough of them, Alex could fully arm her undead army, enhancing even low-level skeletons. Alex then looked at the undead created by the Dark Alchemy Warlocks. She didn''t know their potential, but they were all Standard and couldn''t level up. Even John couldn''t raise their limits. These skeletons had many flaws compared to true skeletons, essentially defective products. But Alex wasn''t discouraged and sent them to the Blackwater Altar, which indeed caused a change. The undead''s level restrictions were lifted, making them no different from regular Skeleton Soldiers. Alex discovered the Blackwater Altar could repair flawed undead. "This isn''t bad. It was worth bringing you back." Chapter 160: Move into the snowy mountain Alex needed to contact the Elemental Alliance next, wanting to meet them face-to-face to gauge their intentions.If they knew Alex had Monarch level strength and were intimidated, they wouldn''t dare come. If they didn''t know, why would five Commanding levels fear Alex alone? sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If they remained neutral, Alex could tolerate them for now. But if they allied with those Lords, Alex would be the first to settle the accounts with them. Alex only had Samson as a friend, added when he gave her supplies last time. She believed she had been friendly enough, and as neighbors, they had no reason to be enemies. [Hamburger]: "Are you guys allying with those Lords to take me down?" Alex was direct. There was no need to beat around the bush. [Ice Queen]: "No way, we wouldn''t dare!" [Hamburger]: "Come to the snowy mountain. Let''s talk alone. Don''t tell anyone else." [Ice Queen]: "The Barren Plains have Starfallen Empire troops. I can''t go. They''re still searching for us, and we''re ready to flee." Is that so? Alex chuckled. At such a critical moment, someone was coming to deliver troops for free. [Hamburger]: "Stop whining. If the Starfallen Empire troops show up, I''ll handle them. Just come to the snowy mountain." "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Alex figured it was likely the same human general as last time. With her strength, she could easily handle it, no need to worry. With the snowy mountain situation settled, Ice Cream needed to level up quickly to keep pace with Alex''s upgrades. ... In the Barren Plains, Gareth had returned, and Baldwin ordered his men to resume the search. Samson closed the private chat with Alex. Though he hadn''t agreed, he knew Alex would come. "What could be so important that I have to go alone?" With all five Lords'' castles together, Samson needed an excuse to leave. Disappearing without a word would arouse suspicion. Just then, Boreas spoke in the Alliance chat. [Wind Fury]: "The Starfallen Empire troops found us! They''re fighting the wind spirits!" Everyone was shocked, thinking they needed to move before the Monarch level arrived. Samson thought differently. Alex had promised to help, so she would. If Alex intervened, the Starfallen Empire troops wouldn''t be a threat, and they wouldn''t need to move. The troops had only found their forces, not the castles. Killing them would buy time. [Ice Queen]: "Don''t worry. The undead Lord has spotted them and is heading to the Barren Plains. I''ll divert the human troops there." Samson had already left the castle, heading to the snowy mountain. He had to mislead the troops, or their castles would be discovered. The others felt relieved knowing Alex was coming. Alex would handle the enemies, keeping their castles safe. On Frostwind snowy mountain, in a small frost cave, the Arctic Tigerfolk had found a new home, having dealt with the magic wolves. Even with the snowy mountain incident over, they didn''t dare move openly, remaining cautious. Their caution paid off when an Arctic Tigerfolk spotted a human mage in the snowy mountain. Fortunately, they had moved early, and the mage didn''t seem interested in them. Two tiger beings were dozing in the cave when a slight noise startled them. The wooden door opened, and Ruby, with her messy hair, yawned and stepped out. "Your Majesty, you''re awake!" The tiger beings were delighted, and the others in the cave were also pleased. Their queen had awakened on her own, undoubtedly reaching Monarch level. "It stinks in here. I''m going for a walk!" Ruby vanished, leaving the bewildered tiger beings behind. She appeared outside the cave. The previous bunker had only a musty smell, but this place reeked of the wolves, which Ruby couldn''t stand. Ruby immediately went outside, wanting to find Alex. Coincidentally, she saw a frost dragon flying overhead, with a figure standing on its back. "Alex!" Ruby shouted, and Alex looked down. ????????.??? "Ruby?!" Ice Cream descended, and Alex saw the messy-haired girl, clearly just awakened. "You broke through to Monarch level?" "Of course, hmph." Ruby stood proudly with her hands on her hips. "Come on, get on the dragon!" Alex grabbed Ruby and jumped onto Ice Cream''s back, which took off again. "Where are we going?" Ruby asked curiously. "You wanted to see humans and extraterrestrial visitors, right? You''ll see them soon." Ruby looked enlightened. "Oh, so we''re going to see your friends!" "No, enemies." Alex explained the extraterrestrial visitors and their relationship with the native races. "Even though they''re the same race, they''re enemies. It''s like our Arctic Tigerfolk." "Pretty much. Conflicts between races and within tribes never stop. It''s frustrating." Soon, Ice Cream flew to the edge of the snowy mountain, and Alex saw Samson on a peak. On the other side was the vast Barren Plains, filled with human troops, led by Baldwin, whom Alex had repelled before. Alex also spotted a mage among them, another Monarch level. She wasn''t surprised by the mage''s presence. Baldwin wouldn''t return without a Monarch level mage. Samson had taken a great risk coming from the snowy mountain. His stealth ability was useful, but he wasn''t fast. If discovered, he''d be doomed. If Alex hadn''t promised to come, Samson wouldn''t have taken the risk. "Wow, so many humans!" Ruby had never seen so many humans before. Alex decided to talk to Samson first. The Starfallen Empire had two Monarch levels, which would take some time to deal with. Ice Cream descended on the snowy mountain''s inner side to avoid being seen by the humans. Alex and Ruby flew to the peak where Samson was. ... The Starfallen Empire troops were spread out searching for extraterrestrial visitor castles, reporting every three hours. The troops that found the Elemental Alliance were all killed, leaving Baldwin and Gareth waiting. "Gareth, did you find anything on your return?" Baldwin asked curiously. "I found some blood and hair. Preliminary tests show the blood is from hobgoblins, and the hair is from tigerfolk. The white hair suggests Arctic Tigerfolk." Gareth spoke calmly, indicating the fourth Monarch level was a hobgoblin. The hobgoblin kingdom wasn''t strong, with few Monarch levels. The mage association had sent people to negotiate with them. As for the Arctic Tigerfolk, Gareth knew they were likely seeking refuge in the snowy mountain, unrelated to the main event. The mage association didn''t contact the Arctic Tigerfolk in the far north, as they didn''t know about the rebel group hiding here. "Hobgoblins and Arctic Tigerfolk? One in the north, one in the south. What role do they play in this?" Baldwin thought the Arctic Tigerfolk might have a motive to seize the Godhead, fitting their race''s characteristics. But the mage association handled such matters, and it wasn''t the Starfallen Empire''s concern. "General Baldwin, are you sure one extraterrestrial visitor came from the snowy mountain?" Gareth pondered, feeling the extraterrestrial visitor might be involved. "Yes, the other five seemed allied, coming from the west. Only one came from the northern snowy mountain. Do you suspect her involvement? She''s the strongest of the extraterrestrial visitors but far from Monarch level. She shouldn''t be involved in Monarch level conflicts." Baldwin didn''t believe Alex could seize the Godhead and kill three Monarch levels alone. "General Baldwin, after the troops report, let''s consolidate our forces and move into the snowy mountain." Gareth decided. Though they showed mutual respect, Gareth held more power. The Starfallen Empire relied on the mage association for protection, and no one dared disrespect a mage. Chapter 161: So, were doing the giant thing now, huh? On the snowy mountain, Alex and Ruby stood face-to-face with Samson. To be honest, Samson was quite scared."Samson, last time I sent troops to kill Lucian, you must have seen it, right?" After killing Blonde, Alex had eliminated her last doubts. All signs pointed to the Elemental Alliance. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On her way here, Alex had been thinking and vaguely understood the truth. Alex hadn''t come personally; the three Monarch level undead had killed Lucian, and the Elemental Alliance must have seen it, leading to her information being leaked. After all, they were all in the Barren Plains, not too far apart. Samson didn''t expect Alex to ask this right away and was a bit confused. "Yes, I went to the snowy mountain last time and saw three undead wipe out over a thousand vampires. I informed the other Alliance members." So, her guess was right. Everything made sense now. "What do you think about the many Alliances in World Chat uniting to hunt me down?" Alex looked at Samson, worried he might have concerns, and added, "Don''t worry, just speak the truth. This is just a casual conversation. I will also share some information with you. As long as you haven''t done anything foolish, I won''t harm you. I value honesty." Samson didn''t know Alex well, but he knew she wouldn''t target him specifically because there was no need. Samson thought for a moment, recalling their discussions. "Our Alliance''s stance is to remain neutral. Those Lords approached us, but we refused because we believed you only had one Monarch level troop. But in reality, you have three. They won''t be your match, and finding your castle is another matter. Why would we be foolish enough to ally with them and offend you?" Samson didn''t know his information had been leaked. He was just choosing the best option, wanting to develop long-term and knowing interaction with Alex was inevitable. "Someone betrayed my information. The enemy has gathered nearly a hundred Lords. Your Alliance has a traitor." "What!" Samson was shocked, not understanding why someone would do this, risking the wrath of the undead Lord. "Why are you sure it''s our Alliance?" "Because besides your Alliance and me, there are no other Lords nearby." In other words, the Lords who interacted with Alex were limited. Alex didn''t suspect Samson because she could see he wasn''t foolish. He was just weaker. If it were Alex, she would use the information to gain rewards, then provide a passage and earn more, before relocating her castle and ignoring the others. Samson fell silent. He understood the simple logic. After informing his allies, someone sold the information, leading to the large Alliance. Samson now worried that Alex, pushed to the edge, would stop the enemy by killing them all. "What can I do to help?" Samson realized the severity. He had no clue who the traitor was. His first thought was Cain, who joined last, but Cain had been the first to support him, so it shouldn''t be him. Could it be Boreas? He had wanted to unite the Alliance to kill Alex but calmed down after learning her strength. Samson knew Boreas wasn''t brainless, so he was a likely suspect. "Don''t rush to think. The traitor will reveal themselves. I never said I feared those Lords." Whether she could win against a hundred Lords'' troops was a question, but Alex had to make them pay. Against the undead, numbers were never an advantage. "You''re going to fight them?" Samson was stunned. He didn''t doubt Alex''s information but thought she was crazy to want to fight a hundred Lords. Seeing Samson''s bewildered expression, Alex laughed. "Of course. I need you to help me spread false information. The traitor in your Alliance will fall for it." This was Alex''s main goal. She wouldn''t wait for the enemy to find her castle. She would choose the battlefield. "Okay." Samson agreed. Someone endangering the Alliance for personal gain couldn''t be tolerated. If Alex feared being targeted by the hundred Lords, she would definitely use the undead to find the Elemental Alliance and eliminate them, so she could avoid being detected by her enemies. Even if it was Samson''s personal guess. The traitor''s selfishness nearly doomed the entire Elemental Alliance. ... In the Barren Plains, it was reporting time. All squads reported in, except one. Ten thousand elite troops were divided into twenty squads, each with five hundred men. When five hundred men went silent, Baldwin knew what had happened. "General, the missing squad is the fifteenth. They were scouting southwest." Baldwin and Gareth were puzzled. The Lords were deeper in the Barren Plains, not at the snowy mountain and Barren Plains border as they thought. "All troops, march southwest!" Baldwin shouted, and the squads reformed into a single army formation, marching southwest. Baldwin led from the front, with Gareth flying above. On the snowy mountain, Alex saw the plains army moving and stopped talking to Samson. "You''ve explained enough. I understand the situation. Return quickly. I''ll handle them." Alex and Ruby flew down the snowy mountain. Samson acknowledged and sank into the snow, disappearing. "Alex, were you sharing secrets with him?" ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? As soon as Samson left, Ruby couldn''t wait to ask. She hadn''t had a chance to speak, only listening to their conversation. "Where did you learn to talk like that?" "My father told me. He often locked himself in a room with my mother. When I asked, he said they were sharing secrets. And it always took over an hour." "Your father, uh, must be quite strong." Baldwin had barely taken a few steps with his army when two white figures appeared before him. "It''s you!" Baldwin exclaimed, surprised to see the extraterrestrial visitor appear before him. "Gareth, she''s the Lord from the snowy mountain!" Baldwin shouted to Gareth, drawing his sword and activating his domain to attack Alex. Clang! Alex easily blocked Baldwin''s strike with her scythe. Now a Monarch level, Alex could clearly feel that Baldwin was the weakest Monarch level she had faced. Baldwin''s domain expanded, trying to push Alex away. Alex''s right eye glowed red, and the surroundings turned into a lava hell. A giant humanoid creature formed from flames behind her, punching Baldwin. Boom! A yellow shield appeared before Baldwin, blocking the attack. Baldwin was pushed back several meters by the force. Staggering, Baldwin steadied himself, his face full of disbelief. In just a few days, this extraterrestrial visitor had reached Monarch level. If Gareth hadn''t saved him, he would have been injured in one move. Baldwin''s domain had no effect on Alex. Alex looked at Gareth, who had five yellow orbs floating behind him, glowing and rotating. A Monarch level earth mage. "Ruby, take care of the weak warrior. I''ve never seen an earth mage before." Alex charged at Gareth with her scythe. Baldwin tried to intercept but couldn''t fly. He turned to face the beast-eared girl. Daring to look down on me? Baldwin condensed a longsword with gravity, the ground cracking under the immense pressure. Can''t beat her, but I can beat you! Baldwin swung his sword, creating a massive chasm that sped towards Ruby, gravity tearing everything apart. Boom! A loud noise erupted, dust flying everywhere. Baldwin was sure his opponent was dead. As the dust settled, Ruby stood with her palm out, unharmed. The chasm stopped a few meters in front of her. "What?!" Baldwin couldn''t believe it and charged at Ruby, holding a shield in one hand. Boom! Before Baldwin understood what happened, he was sent flying, crashing to the ground. Baldwin was bewildered. He hadn''t seen Ruby''s attack but was hit in the chest, denting his armor. "You''re really Monarch level? So weak!" Ruby hadn''t moved from her stance. Ruby''s taunt enraged Baldwin. He adjusted and charged again. Boom! Baldwin was sent flying again, and Ruby laughed. Baldwin was shocked. What ability was this? He couldn''t get close. How could he fight? "It''s spatial magic. Feel the elemental fluctuations!" Gareth reminded Baldwin, but Baldwin wasn''t a mage and couldn''t use it. Gareth wanted to throw his tools to Baldwin but was blocked by Alex. Gareth''s earth magic had high defense but no close combat ability. Gareth''s five orbs unleashed powerful earth magic, but Alex''s flame giant blocked it, turning rocks into lava. Alex''s agility made Gareth realize that dragging the fight would be disadvantageous. His earth magic was defensive, not offensive. Gareth released his domain, filling the area with dust and debris. Rocks broke from the ground, gathering around Gareth. He was soon encased in rock, growing into a 30-foot rock giant. The domain''s power merged into the giant. The five orbs embedded in the giant''s eyes and forehead, with the last two in its palms. Alex looked up at the rock giant, its three eyes glowing, providing endless energy. The rock hands glowed yellow, distinct from the rest. "So, we''re doing the giant thing now, huh?" Chapter 162: Bone dragon legion The rock giant''s massive fist slammed into the ground, and Alex quickly dodged. She felt the ground beneath her feet soften, as if quicksand was trying to devour her.Alex immediately decided to fly into the sky, but the surrounding soil and rocks shot up, enveloping her entirely. The soft soil turned into hard rock. Just as Gareth thought this move would be enough to subdue Alex, the rock pillar trapping her exploded. Alex had disappeared, merging with the flames and the fiery creature behind her. The flames within her domain continued to pour into the creature, making it grow larger until it matched the rock giant in size. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gareth was stunned. He had studied magic for decades and had never seen fire magic used this way. This was clearly an earth magic technique. The flame giant punched the rock giant, melting the surrounding rocks into lava, resembling blood from a wound. Gareth retaliated with a punch, but it went straight through the flame giant''s body. The flame giant had no physical form. Alex could hit him because she relied on the impact force of fire magic. But Gareth wasn''t worried. With his feet on the ground, he could continuously draw power from the earth. He was confident he could outlast Alex. The two began a primitive brawl, exchanging punch after punch. Although Gareth couldn''t hit Alex, each attack drained her mana. When Alex hit Gareth, he quickly repaired the giant''s wounds with earth elements. Baldwin watched the battle above, feeling bitter. The ten thousand troops they brought had no chance to intervene in a Monarch level fight. They were too weak, with some not even reaching Commanding level. Even when surrounding Ruby, the troops gained no advantage. Ruby''s spatial magic was too fast, even for Baldwin, let alone the troops. Alex and Gareth continued their duel. The earth mage''s defense and vitality were enhanced, and his ability to continuously recover by standing on the ground was annoying. The flame giant and rock giant clashed, causing the ground to crack and tremble. The rock giant punched again, and the flame giant instinctively blocked. But after being hit by the orb on the rock giant''s forehead, its movements slowed. The rock giant punched through the flame giant''s chest. Flames surged from the giant''s back, forming the shape of a beautiful girl. Alex wasn''t forced out; she left the flame giant voluntarily. In mid-air, Alex''s left palm held a strange black energy. As she clenched her fist, the energy dissipated. Instantly, the flame giant turned into a sea of flames and vanished. The rock giant began to crumble. Gareth fell from it, blood at the corner of his mouth. As he was about to hit the ground, Gareth regained consciousness and stabilized himself, avoiding a crash. "This is a curse!" Gareth examined his body, seeing black smoke, a sign of being cursed. Curse magic was insidious and hard to detect. Once cursed, the consequences were severe. It was that girl! Gareth realized but had no anti-curse items, putting him at a significant disadvantage in the upcoming battle. Before Gareth could react, Alex appeared before him. He reflexively used earth magic to defend, while the five orbs attacked Alex. As the orbs reached Alex, their yellow glow dimmed, and they fell to the ground. Alex''s hands burned with black flames. She punched through Gareth''s stone wall, shattering his earth shield. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Alex''s punch sent Gareth crashing to the ground. Before he landed, Alex appeared at his landing spot, scythe in hand, and swung it down. "I have seven types of magic and close combat skills you lack. Even if we are both at level 1 Monarch, how can you compete with me?" Seeing Gareth slain by Alex, Baldwin was terrified and ordered his troops to retreat. But it was too late. Darkness spread from Alex, and countless troops fell, vomiting blood as their life force drained away. Bone dragons emerged from the corpses, attacking the remaining human troops. In Alex''s domain, the troops couldn''t move. Only a few Commanding levels could barely function, but they soon succumbed to plague magic and darkness, dying in agony. "How do you have two domains?" Baldwin was shocked, helplessly watching his troops die. "You have much to learn." Alex walked towards Baldwin, scythe in hand, like a grim reaper harvesting lives. "Alex, he''s really weak. He couldn''t even touch me." Seeing Baldwin slain, Ruby couldn''t help but comment. This was her first opponent after reaching Monarch level, and she had hoped to test herself, but Baldwin was too weak. "Yes, he''s the weakest Monarch level I''ve faced." Alex retracted her domain and scythe. Summoning Gareth and Baldwin''s corpses would take time, so Alex and Ruby waited. Though Ruby fought with magic, Alex knew she was a tigerfolk, a warrior, not a mage. Close combat was her strength. Except for a few escapees, the Starfallen Empire''s troops were nearly wiped out, leaving about 9,500 corpses. Alex summoned bone dragons, forming a bone dragon legion. Bone dragons, as high-level undead, couldn''t benefit from double summoning, but one bone dragon was far stronger than two skeletons or zombies. If there had been more corpses, Alex would have wanted to additionally create a ghost dragon legion. Fifteen minutes later, the two Monarch level corpses were ready. Alex summoned a Gargoyle and a Destroyer. Both were resistant to magic attacks, though weaker in close combat, making them effective against mages. Alex''s troops gained two more Monarch levels, boosting her confidence for the upcoming battle with the Lords. "Let''s go. I''ll take you to my castle." With the summoning complete, Alex didn''t waste time and prepared to return. Alex communicated with Samson. If the Lords dared to come, she would know immediately and respond quickly. "Alright!" Ruby nodded, and they mounted Ice Cream, leading the bone dragon legion back towards the castle. The massive skeletal forms blotted out the sun, casting vast shadows of death across the ground as the undead army marched homeward. Chapter 163: The decision of the Elemental Alliance Samson returned to the Alliance, relieved that Alex had dealt with the danger. For now, they didn''t need to leave.The Elemental Alliance was his creation, and he vividly remembered the initial discussions with the other four members. Technically, the person who sold the information wasn''t a traitor, just someone who went against the Alliance''s collective decision. The Elemental Alliance had no direct ties to Alex. Whether they chose to oppose her or remain neutral was their decision. But despite this, Alex had been relatively friendly towards them. Others might not feel it, but Samson, having interacted with Alex multiple times, could sense it easily. Given this, why make an enemy of her? The All-Races Battle Royale wasn''t about killing everyone. Lords weren''t absolute enemies. Samson understood his members'' thoughts. Selling Alex''s information for resources seemed safe since Alex couldn''t find them. But this would rapidly deteriorate their relationship with Alex, making the Barren Plains uninhabitable for them. Samson wasn''t troubled by the member who sold the information. As an Alliance member, he naturally sided with the Alliance. He was thinking about the Alliance''s future. Though someone went against the decision, it wasn''t enough to label them a traitor. Samson had deep feelings for the Elemental Alliance. Samson''s resolve hardened. He had a plan. He couldn''t tell the others about this, as it would create distrust. Samson decided to go with the flow, openly providing a passage for those Lords and then leaving. Abandoning the castle and developing elsewhere. Of course, moving depended on Alex winning. If she lost, they wouldn''t need to leave. He would still release the information Alex gave him but wouldn''t hand over the traitor. That would be truly betraying his allies, something Samson couldn''t do. At worst, they would all leave together. Eldoria was vast; surely Alex couldn''t find them. Having made up his mind, Samson called a meeting at his castle to announce his decision. Soon, the other four arrived, curious about what he had to say. Usually, such meetings were for major decisions. Otherwise, they communicated through the system. "The Starfallen Empire crisis is resolved. Besides the human general, there was a Monarch level mage from the mage association. The undead Lord fought them both and killed them but was injured. She fled southeast, and I followed her to a swamp where I lost her. I suspect her castle is there." Samson scanned the four, noting their reactions. They didn''t understand why he mentioned Alex''s castle. Cain was the first to react, looking surprised. "You mean..." "Yes, since we have a way out, why not sell her information? Those Lords are looking for her. We can make a profit and leave before she finds us. There''s no need to fear her." Samson''s strategy was the opposite of before, confusing the others. He had been against this, so why the sudden change? "The Barren Plains are resource-poor and affected by the Starfallen Empire. Staying here is pointless. We can provide a passage for those Lords and tell them the undead Lord''s castle location, making a profit and leaving safely." Samson''s analysis tempted the others. He was right. Staying wasn''t viable. They had angered the Starfallen Empire. Though safe now, another attack would doom them. Better to move and profit before leaving. "Exactly. You should''ve fucking listened to me before. Why the hell didn''t you think this way then?" Boreas was puzzled, swearing. "It''s different now. The undead Lord is injured. Those Lords know the location of her castle; they have a chance to defeat her. Plus, with the threat from the Starfallen Empire, that''s why I changed my mind." Samson explained again. Earl remained silent, supporting whatever benefited the Alliance. Cain was also silent, sensing something off about Samson but unable to pinpoint it. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Boreas agreed directly. Ivy seemed troubled, less lively than usual. "Who will contact those Lords?" Cain and Earl stayed silent. Boreas was about to speak when a soft voice interrupted. "I will." Ivy volunteered, and Samson''s gaze fixed on her. Samson was now certain. Ivy was the one who sold the information. "Alright, Ivy will handle it." The meeting ended quickly. Cain wanted to say something but hesitated and left with a sigh. Samson watched them leave, his gaze lingering on Ivy. He thought, "I''ll give you another chance. Don''t harm the Alliance''s interests again." Such foolishness could only be her doing. She could''ve discussed it with everyone. Samson took the blame, becoming the bad guy. Otherwise, if Ivy was exposed, everyone would see her as a traitor. The Elemental Alliance was Samson''s creation. He didn''t want it to fall apart over this. Back at her castle, Ivy was pleased with Samson''s sudden change of heart. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now she could openly contact Galvin. She traded Alex''s information with Galvin, who eagerly accepted, gaining details about Alex''s injury and castle. Galvin offered too many benefits to refuse. Galvin was thrilled, feeling like the luckiest person. Ivy didn''t mention moving the castle, as they had already planned it. [Vine Fairy]: "Don''t forget your promise." [Ember]: "Don''t worry. I keep my word. With me, they won''t touch you." ... In the Sunset Alliance, Galvin smiled, more out of disdain. "This Lord is naive. No wonder she''s only second-tier." Meanwhile, Raphaela, realizing Blonde was killed, knew the undead Lord had likely found them. Whether the undead Lord near Blonde was their target or not, Raphaela felt it necessary to inform Galvin. They might have alerted the enemy. Blonde hadn''t sent a message before dying, indicating the enemy''s strength, able to kill him before he could. [Holy Wing]: "How''s the preparation? [21 Nuns] was killed. We might have alerted the enemy. The undead Lord near him is likely our target." [Ember]: "Almost ready. The Lord who sold me information just revealed the undead Lord''s castle location. She was injured fighting two Monarch levels. It''s time to act." [Holy Wing]: "It''s late. We need time to notify the other Lords. Confirm with them and act at dawn." [Ember]: "Agreed. Let''s do it. We still need some equipment." Chapter 164: Demon and fallen angel As the enemies discussed their plans to attack Alex, she had just returned to her castle on Ice Cream, her undead army now numbering 60K."Wow, your castle is huge! Do you live here all by yourself?" Ruby exclaimed, looking around in awe. Compared to the stinking cave she had been in, Alex''s castle was a paradise. "There are two others, but they''re not here right now." With the impending attack from over a hundred Lords, Alex had instructed Sophie to stay safely in the White Rock Mountains. Ruby wandered curiously around the castle, but Alex had no time to entertain her. She needed to mobilize all her undead troops to the southern swamp. She left only twenty-five lv9 Commanding level undead to guard the castle. With the Bone Throne''s boost, they could fight at Monarch level strength, though without domains, making them pseudo-Monarch levels. After all, the Bone Throne was only a Monarch level structure. These undead were early summons from chickens or rabbits, reaching lv9 Commanding level but still just Skeleton Soldiers, specters, and zombies. Their ceiling was Commanding level, making them cannon fodder even with the level cap lifted. Alex wasn''t without allies. She had the support of two Lords, so she decided to set the battlefield outside her town. It wasn''t arrogance; the castle crystal was her life. She wouldn''t expose the castle unless absolutely necessary. The undead began moving, a dense mass heading towards the southern swamp. With the information leaked, Alex had to prepare early. "Ruby, have you marked the target?" Alex called back to Ruby. "Don''t worry, I''m not that unreliable!" Ruby''s spatial magic included a skill to mark targets, allowing her to sense and manipulate them. Ruby had helped Alex obtain the Godhead by marking it when it appeared, enabling her to perform a remote switch. Meeting Ruby on the way to see Samson had changed Alex''s plans and strategy. She had Ruby mark Samson. Ruby''s spatial magic, mostly inherited, was undetectable unless by a highly sensitive Monarch level mage. Ruby could now easily find the Elemental Alliance, her sensing range vastly increased after reaching Monarch level. Alex wouldn''t blindly trust Samson to betray his allies for her. Most importantly, Alex wanted to ensure these Lords had no escape, cutting off their retreat. Chi-Chi''s castle was Alex''s second layer of defense. She would fight with the undead, while Chi-Chi''s castle would likely be mistaken for hers. With a hundred Lords, Alex doubted they would all charge blindly. Some would surely search for her castle. Chi-Chi''s castle was the perfect decoy. Alex used alchemy magic to create enchanted crystals, instructing the alchemy warlocks to hide Chi-Chi''s castle. A visible castle wouldn''t be believed to be Alex''s, so it had to be hidden. "Alex, what are you doing?" Ruby asked, seeing Alex busy since returning. "Today, tomorrow, or the day after, a large group of extraterrestrial visitors will come to attack me. I''m preparing." "Why are they attacking you?" In Ruby''s mind, extraterrestrial visitors lived alone. Why would they fight? "Maybe because I''m different from them." Soon, Alex''s town was empty, leaving only twenty-five undead and Ice Cream. The swamp''s terrain would hinder the ground troops. Alex just hoped the swamp would still exist after the battle. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] Night fell on Eldoria. Alex watched messages indicating the undead were clearing swamp monsters. Suddenly, a message from Chi-Chi popped up. Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, accurate intel¡ªthey''ll attack at dawn!" Alex was surprised. It was sooner than expected, likely because Blonde''s death alerted them. Alex: "Don''t worry, I''m ready." Chi-Chi didn''t ask about Alex''s injury, suggesting the enemy leaders hadn''t disclosed it. Alex closed the chat and accepted the Alliance requests from Satan and Lilith. She informed them of the attack time. They were likely still awake. Accepting the Alliance would notify them. Satan replied first. Satan: "I thought it was just me. Who''s the other one?! Are you looking down on me?" Satan stood in his castle, surprised by the "Alliance members (3)" notification. With the Alliance formed, the Portal of Transit lit up, casting an orange glow in the abyss. Abaddon appeared before Satan, silent. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan acknowledged Alex''s strength but was curious about the other Lord helping her. "Gather the troops. We''re going through the Portal of Transit." Black figures appeared before Satan, silent, their eyes glowing red in the darkness. ???¦®????.??? Knowing the attack time, Satan prepared immediately. He didn''t care if it was night; he wanted to see the undead Lord. Twelve black figures and over 10K troops followed Satan through the Portal of Transit. On the other side, they saw a desolate landscape, with the snowy mountain to the west and a dark forest to the east. The castle stood on a plain between them. High walls surrounded the castle, which seemed ordinary. Satan was puzzled by the emptiness. He strode forward, his troops following. Inside the castle, Alex watched the system dashboard, aware of the arrival. She looked up, curious which Lord had come. A man, appearing no older than thirty, dressed in black sportswear, with a short haircut and an arrogant expression, approached. Behind him were twelve strange troops, some with two heads, black wings, feathers, scales, or red-skinned females with horns. Alex had never seen such creatures. "Didn''t expect the legendary undead Lord to be such a pretty girl." Satan was momentarily stunned by Alex''s appearance¡ªher delicate features and perfect figure looked like something straight out of a novel or anime. Satan wasn''t attracted but surprised that such a top-tier Lord was a girl who looked under twenty. He quickly composed himself and introduced himself politely. "I''m Satan, Lord of [Inferno]. My troops: demons." "I''m Alex." Alex replied politely. Her troops and ID were well-known, no need to repeat. She hadn''t expected Satan''s troops to be demons, explaining his previous outrageous actions. "Behind me are four Monarch level demons. With your undead, dealing with a hundred weak Lords will be easy." Satan''s words showed his displeasure at Alex seeking another Lord''s help, feeling it underestimated him. Alex hadn''t expected demons to be so powerful. Satan had four Monarch levels, while she could only gain Monarch levels through corpses. Seeing Alex''s slight surprise, Satan scoffed. "He volunteered to help, like you. I didn''t seek him out." Alex shrugged. "Wait a bit. He might come too. I sent false intel, setting the battlefield in the south, away from the castle. I''ll take you there." "Fine. Fighting near the town is risky." Though displeased, Satan decided to follow Alex''s plan. Satan''s over 10K troops arrived, neatly arranged in Alex''s castle. These were demon minions, sustained by the demons'' power, soulless, with standard eternal resilience. A versatile force. Satan''s true troops were the twelve demons, who summoned the minions. The minions were mindless killing machines, obeying orders without question. "Why are you helping me?" While waiting, Alex asked Satan. "Heh, I despise those Lords'' actions. They claim righteousness but seek personal gain. Besides, after half a month of development, I want to test my strength." Satan spoke disdainfully of the Lords. "I owe you one." Alex said seriously. Satan glanced at her but didn''t respond. Regardless of the reason, Alex would remember anyone who helped her unconditionally. Meanwhile, Ruby, after exploring Alex''s castle, found her bedroom and was now asleep in her bed. After a while, Satan grew impatient. [Inferno]: "Are you a dawdler? Hurry up!" Satan messaged in the Alliance chat. As they waited near the Portal of Transit, it lit up. A woman in a black dress appeared. Elegant and stunning, even Alex thought she was the most beautiful woman she''d seen, aside from herself. Lilith exuded an aura of aloofness, or perhaps majesty and sanctity. Alex and Satan felt a strange but indescribable vibe. Alex saw no "righteous race" traits in Satan. But this woman possessed both righteous and evil traits simultaneously. "You''re a woman too?!" Ignoring Satan''s exclamation, Lilith smiled and walked towards Alex, extending her hand. "I''m Lilith. Nice to meet you. My troops: Fallen Angels." Chapter 165: Light Alliance Just as Lilith finished speaking, the portal behind her lit up again, and angels with black wings began to emerge.These angels were completely different from the ones Alex had seen before. Regular angels gave off an aura of holiness and inviolability, but these fallen angels were sinister and ominous. No wonder Lilith said her troops were the real ominous ones. If the other Lords knew about the troops of the three present, it would likely provoke their wrath. Lilith wasn''t as aloof as Alex had initially thought. Her attitude towards Alex was actually quite friendly. Alex and Lilith shook hands, and for some reason, both of their hands were cold, neither feeling any warmth from the other. "Nice to meet you, I''m Alex." Satan, standing nearby, also eyed the fallen angels. He realized that this was another top-tier Lord, no less powerful than the two of them. "Why are you helping her?" Satan asked Lilith, feeling a sense of shared fate among the three of them. "Angel''s intuition," Lilith replied coolly, her tone completely different from how she spoke to Alex. Satan didn''t mind; he accepted this new ally. Lilith''s distinguished fallen angels numbered eight, similar to Satan''s twelve demons, all with the potential to become gods. Currently, there were three Monarch-level fallen angels. Compared to Satan, Lilith could also summon ordinary fallen angels and use their abilities to corrupt and control other races. In terms of sheer numbers, Lilith''s troops outnumbered Satan''s, but she had only brought her elite troops this time¡ªthree thousand fallen angels. As the three got to know each other, Alex decided to share her plans with them. But first, Alex went to the bedroom to find Ruby. Alex slipped her cold hand under the covers. "Ah, so cold!" Ruby jolted awake and sat up. "Come on! Haven''t you slept enough in the cave?" Ruby wasn''t really trying to sleep; Alex''s bedroom was just too comfortable, making her drowsy. Alex took Ruby outside the castle. "Is this your sister?" Satan asked, looking at the girl who was even smaller than Alex. "This is a friend of mine. She''s also Monarch-level, and her skills and abilities are quite impressive." Ruby''s ears twitched, and she lifted her head proudly. Alex explained her plan to the three of them. Satan quickly noticed a flaw in the plan. "Even if you have a hidden castle, what if it''s discovered? Who''s guarding it?" Alex pointed to the twenty-five undead at the castle gate. They instantly exuded a powerful aura in response to Alex. "Twenty-five Monarch-level?!" "No, they''re pseudo-Monarch-level. Your castle must have some special building that boosts their levels. They''ve reached Monarch-level but don''t have domains." Satan quickly noticed the discrepancy, but twenty-five pseudo-Monarch-level troops were more than enough to guard the castle. After all, aside from the top-tier Lords, no other Lords had Monarch-level troops. "If the enemy has a fast and stealthy Monarch-level, it could still be risky," Lilith cautioned, knowing the enemy''s goal was to capture the castle crystal. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? However, Lilith believed that with the castle''s shield, defenses, and twenty-five pseudo-Monarch-level guards, it was well-protected. She was just pointing out a possibility. Alex snapped her fingers, and the four statues at the castle gate began to tremble. Stones fell off, their eyes lit up, and the gargoyles spread their wings, coming to life. The four gargoyles exuded an astonishing aura, each releasing a domain. Satan and Lilith were both taken aback. Each of these gargoyles was stronger than anyone present. Not to mention, the four together were Alex''s true trump card. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Each gargoyle was Monarch-level, but not the lowest tier. They were at least level 3 Monarch-level. Satan even thought that if Alex relied on this castle to defend against enemies, no matter how many there were, they wouldn''t be able to breach it. Indeed, no top-tier Lord was simple; not just any Lord could be easily provoked. "Let''s go, I''ll lead the way." The four of them flew into the sky, heading towards Chi Chi''s castle, with their army following closely behind. Soon, they arrived at Chi Chi''s castle, planning to rest there for the night. After all, they couldn''t wait in the swamp until dawn. "This formation is good. Even Monarch-levels wouldn''t notice it without careful observation. Commanding-levels definitely wouldn''t," Lilith commented after examining the alchemy formation. "There''s a Lord so close to you, and you haven''t killed him?" Satan quipped. "She''s just a kid, and now she''s useful. These intel reports were given to me by her." The three of them stood outside the castle, looking at the swamp to the south. Even at night, Lilith and Satan could vaguely see the endless undead army inside the swamp under the red moonlight. "After this, we''ll officially enter the sights of all the Lords, standing against them." "So what? If our troops are exposed, we''ll face the same situation as Alex. Undead are already ominous. Demons? Fallen angels? Ha, hitting them hard once will make them behave." Satan was full of confidence. Fourteen Monarch-level troops, plus three Lords and Ruby, made eighteen Monarch-level powerhouses. Satan didn''t believe the Lord Alliance could muster such a strong force. "No, I mean this alliance can last long-term. What do you think, Alex?" Lilith looked at Alex. "I think so too." Alex could already imagine the future. Having allies was indeed better than fighting alone. Moreover, their castles were on different continents, allowing for better development. The three of them decided to name their alliance the [Light Alliance]. Despite their troops being ominous and disastrous, they hadn''t done anything evil. Alex believed that what mattered was not what the troops were, but what they did. Even though Blonde holds the title of a priest, he had sexual relations with 21 nuns, completely disgracing the sanctity of his position. Their alliance name also symbolized a bright future. As dawn approached, Alex felt it was time. "Ruby, you can go now." Alex called out, but there was no response. She turned around to find Ruby wasn''t there. "Alex, why is the bedroom here so shabby?" Ruby suddenly appeared in front of Alex, having heard her call. Alex watched as Ruby left Chi-Chi''s castle, flying towards the snowy mountain. Chapter 166: Shes just a plaything On the other side, the members of the Sunset Alliance led by Galvin and the Justice Alliance led by Raphaela had also stayed up all night, coordinating with other members and making final preparations for the attack.Raphaela''s four allies were [King Ultraman] Titus, [Monolithia] Magnus, [Blue Giant] Grom, and [Sky Dominator] Drake. Their troops consisted of Titans, Behemoths, Trolls, and Rock Dragons, all possessing Monarch-level strength. Any one of them alone could be considered a top-tier Lord, let alone an alliance of five such Lords. This was the confidence behind Raphaela and her allies'' decision to attack Alex. As a fellow top-tier Lord, Alex was bound to be their enemy in the future. They needed to eliminate this threat before she could grow stronger. Raphaela''s decision was unanimously supported by all members. They could allow themselves to be powerful, but they couldn''t tolerate anyone else being equally strong. Some races were mortal enemies, but this didn''t affect the relationships between Lords. For example, dragons and angels were natural enemies, but as Lords, they didn''t carry the burden of racial conflicts. Summoning powerful race troops came with significant risks. If Raphaela were discovered by the Angel race, she would face either submission or death, and the same applied to other Lords. An alliance only needed one castle as a base. The others could use the Portal of Transit to quickly bring their troops for support. In the Barren Plains, everyone in the Elemental Alliance except Ivy had already gone to bed. They knew the attack on Alex would happen at dawn, and it had nothing to do with them, so they didn''t waste time. Ivy''s heart was racing, filled with anxiety as she watched the World Chat, waiting for a message from Galvin. The World Chat was eerily quiet, as if most Lords knew what was going to happen this morning. Time: 04:00 AM Galvin sent Ivy a message. Ivy quietly left the Alliance, encountering no resistance since this had been discussed beforehand. Four unfamiliar Lords suddenly added Ivy as a friend. After she accepted, they immediately formed a new alliance. Ivy invited the four of them, and with a few slight tremors, four new castles appeared near Ivy''s castle. Ivy went to the balcony to check the situation outside by moonlight. When she looked back at the system, the four had already left the alliance. Then the ground began to shake more violently, and more castles appeared around the initial four. The commotion outside woke the other members of the Elemental Alliance. They came out of their castles to see what was happening near Ivy''s castle. A total of eighteen castles had appeared, representing eighteen alliances and ninety Lords, making the area instantly crowded. And this was with some Lords opting out of the siege on Alex; otherwise, there would have been even more. Lords began emerging from their castles to confirm each other''s identities before summoning their troops. After all, they hadn''t met each other since forming the alliance, and no one knew anyone else. With so many people, they needed to choose a leader and discuss their attack strategy. Earl, outside Ivy''s castle, re-invited Ivy to join the alliance but received no response. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? The Lords were chattering away, excited to see so many people for the first time since arriving in this world. Raphaela, dressed in a white robe, led her alliance members out of their castle, instantly drawing everyone''s attention. Raphaela exuded a holy aura, and her stunning beauty combined with her Monarch-level strength made many Lords turn their heads, nominating her as their leader. Galvin''s eyes showed a flash of greed when he saw that the Lord he had been in contact with was a beautiful woman, but he quickly hid it. Raphaela''s four allies were all very strong, each at Monarch-level, likely the strongest in the alliance. Galvin regretted not having gathered everyone to attack Raphaela if he had known her strength. She was a far greater threat than the undead Lord, and most importantly, she was a stunning beauty. If they succeeded in the siege, Galvin could imprison her and force her to become his sex slave. But now it was too late. Galvin pushed aside his inappropriate thoughts and approached Raphaela with his alliance members to greet her. When Raphaela learned that the man in front of her was Galvin, she decisively declined the nomination to be the leader, passing it to Galvin. She didn''t want to be a leader; she just wanted to kill the undead Lord and leave as quickly as possible. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Galvin naturally became the leader, a smug smile on his face. "Ladies and gentlemen, please wait a moment. I want to especially thank a Lord who helped provide the passage for everyone to gather here to attack the undead Lord." With everyone''s eyes on him, Galvin walked towards the northernmost castle of the Elemental Alliance. Samson and the others watched Galvin warily, knowing they were no longer allies with Ivy. Ivy saw Galvin approaching from the balcony and came out of the castle, her eyes avoiding Samson and the others at the castle gate, not saying a word. "You must be Miss Ivy, who has been in contact with me," Galvin said, a hint of joy in his voice. Ivy was also quite beautiful and had a sexy figure. Although her beauty didn''t match Raphaela''s, it was enough to add some excitement to his otherwise dull life in this world. "Hello, Mr. Galvin," Ivy said, extending her hand for a handshake. Galvin shamelessly held onto Ivy''s hand, not letting go, making her face turn slightly uncomfortable. "Friends, from now on, Miss Ivy is no longer part of your alliance. She has officially joined our Sunset Alliance," Galvin announced with a smile, looking at Samson and the others. This wasn''t a discussion; it was a notification. Samson was stunned, his mind blank, not understanding why Ivy would do this. "Ivy, what are you doing? Are you being forced? Did we do something wrong?" "This is my own choice. It has nothing to do with you. Everyone has the right to make their own choices, don''t they?" Ivy''s voice echoed in Samson''s ears, cold and unfamiliar, making it hard for him to believe this was the Ivy they knew. "You guys are so naive. Don''t you get it? The root of the problem is that you''re too weak. You can''t give her what she wants. Only someone strong like me can survive here," Galvin said, pulling Ivy close and grabbing her breast. Ivy bit her lip, silently lowering her head, her hands pulling her clothes tightly to avoid being seen by others. Galvin wore a provocative expression, as if to say: "See? She was an indispensable ally to you, but to me, she''s just a plaything." Seeing this, Samson erupted in anger, ready to attack Galvin. "You bastard, I''m going to kill you!" Chapter 167: The real battle was just beginning Galvin unleashed his Monarch-level aura, instantly sending Samson flying. Earl and Boreas quickly caught Samson, glaring at Galvin with hostility."Know your place. You should be grateful there are so many Lords watching; otherwise, today would be your last." Galvin was a Monarch-level! The Elemental Alliance was no match for Monarch-level strength. Everyone could only watch in anger as Galvin continued to squeeze Ivy''s breast, while Ivy remained unresponsive. Galvin was right; the Elemental Alliance was too weak. They had been powerless against the Starfallen Empire multiple times, and perhaps this was Ivy''s own choice. Galvin led Ivy away, leaving the remaining four standing there with mixed emotions. Samson silently returned to his castle, unable to understand why things had turned out this way. He could tolerate Ivy hoarding resources and even forgive her for selling information, but her departure had completely shaken the trust among the others. As for the other three, they each had their own thoughts. This time, no one discussed anything with each other. Galvin, pretending to be a gentleman, introduced Ivy, the key contributor, to the other Lords. Ivy revealed all the information she knew. "The undead Lord is a woman?" A scar-faced Lord licked his lips lecherously, already excited. "How does she compare to our Justice Alliance leader?" Another Lord jeered. These Lords had been suppressing their desires in this world for so long that they had become twisted. The Justice Alliance leader, of course, referred to Raphaela. Raphaela hadn''t revealed her troops, as angels were a sensitive race. With so many people around, she had to be cautious. The others only knew that Raphaela was a powerful Lord, but they had no idea what troops she commanded. "Different aura, but equally stunning," Ivy replied expressionlessly, playing along with these disgusting people. After all, she wouldn''t see them again after this. Galvin was also getting excited. He couldn''t wait to start the siege on Alex. Raphaela, seeing the ugly faces of these Lords, remained expressionless. Her goal was simply to kill the undead Lord. She was more interested in Alex''s ability to summon undead from corpses. The information Ivy provided was crucial. They couldn''t blindly pursue troop numbers, as that would only increase Alex''s forces. The other Lords, led by Galvin, were discussing strategies. Their goal was to kill Alex, but ideally, they wanted to capture her alive. The Lords were all excited and confident, already fantasizing about what they would do after capturing Alex. The Justice Alliance, led by Raphaela, formed a separate group. They disdained the behavior of the other Lords. The quickest and most effective way to kill Alex was to destroy her castle, without wasting troops fighting the undead. "Grom, you stay here and guard the castle. The rest of you, come with me to find and destroy the undead Lord''s castle," Raphaela instructed her four allies. As the other Lords began deploying their troops, Raphaela''s group decided to go alone, not revealing their troops. With Galvin and the other Lords fighting the undead at the front, they would take the opportunity to locate Alex''s castle. Raphaela''s goal was clear: kill Alex and leave immediately, without getting entangled with the others. By 5:00 AM, all the Lords had gathered their troops. Knowing Alex could summon undead from corpses, they only deployed Commanding-level troops and above, totaling around 10,000 Commanding-level troops and 10 Monarch-level troops. For the Lords, this was already a formidable force. Many second-tier Lords marveled at the strength of the first-tier Lords. The troops were diverse, including towering stone giants and beasts, flying light spirits and exotic birds, and strange races moving through shadows. There were even humans and orcs. Galvin was frustrated by the Justice Alliance''s refusal to deploy troops, but he didn''t dare say anything. After all, all five of them were Monarch-level, and the combined strength of the eighty-five Lords might not be enough to defeat them. "Iago, you stay and guard the castle, and keep an eye on Miss Ivy. Her former allies might do something drastic," Galvin instructed his trusted aide. He didn''t trust anyone else; these Lords needed to be watched, so the person guarding the castle couldn''t be weak. Each alliance chose one person to guard their castle, totaling eighteen people. They were still allies on the surface, wary of the Elemental Alliance and any potential dangers. Ivy didn''t follow the Lords. She only pointed Galvin and the others in the right direction. Now alone, she didn''t trust anyone to guard her castle. "Everyone, let''s move out and head to the undead Lord''s alliance!" Although it was still a bit before dawn, Galvin noticed that Alex had created an alliance, meaning she could escape at any time. No one wanted to miss this perfect opportunity, so they set off immediately. Samson, standing at his castle window, watched the Lords heading towards the swamp. He finally decided to send a message to Alex. If Samson had hoped for Alex to lose before, now he hoped she could kill all these Lords. Galvin led the Lords and over 10,000 Commanding-level troops towards the eastern swamp. The troops spread out, forming a large encirclement to prevent Alex from escaping. Raphaela and her four allies followed, but when they reached the edge of the swamp, they chose to circle around instead of entering. What they didn''t know was that Alex had already led her undead army to wait in the swamp. Beside Alex was Satan, hands in his pockets, along with all his troops. Satan found defending the castle boring, so Lilith stayed behind to ambush. To avoid exposing Lilith, her troops were hidden inside the castle, waiting for the right moment. If Alex and Satan couldn''t handle the enemy, the fallen angels would support them. Otherwise, they would remain hidden, aiming to kill as many Lords as possible. In the distance, the sound of marching could be heard. Crows scattered from the dead trees, and Alex and Satan looked ahead. "They''re here!" [Night retreats, dawn arrives] A ray of light pierced the darkness, and Eldoria welcomed the dawn. All the undead troops went on high alert. The ground shook as a massive stone giant rose from the undead army, attacking the surrounding undead. Various airborne troops also attacked the undead army, engaging in aerial combat. From discovery to attack took only a few seconds, showing the enemy''s troops were well-trained. In the sky, light spirits wielded holy light, which was highly effective against the undead. A single light blade could kill dozens of standard undead. A white unicorn, its horn gathering golden lightning, created a no-man''s land within the undead army. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? A shadowy figure emerged from the shadows behind the undead, spreading darkness and killing swathes of undead. In just a moment of battle, Alex lost 1,000 undead. The enemy troops continued to push into the undead army, aiming for Alex. Taking advantage of this, the undead began to encircle the advancing enemy troops. As the enemy gradually became surrounded, 2,000 elite undead suddenly counterattacked. Light spirits in the sky and unicorns on the ground were instantly targeted by several Ethereal Wraiths'' soul attacks, killed by Commanding-level Bone Dragons and Skeletal Demons. Their bodies decayed and began to transform into undead, causing the Lords to break out in cold sweats. 10,000 Commanding-level elite troops against 60,000 undead should have been a massacre, but the sudden counterattack by Commanding-level undead killed several Commanding-level troops, turning them into undead and shifting the balance. Galvin realized that if they couldn''t quickly defeat the undead, their numbers and strength would only grow stronger. Over 10,000 bone dragons flew in the sky, raining fire down and turning the swamp into a sea of flames. Stone giants, unafraid of fire, smashed bone dragons with their fists, but the dragons quickly reformed. The other troops were not so fortunate. Without fire resistance, the flames burning all around them scorched their skin, and they quickly perished. Meanwhile, the falling corpses of Bone Dragons from the sky occasionally crushed a few smaller creatures. The battle continued, with both the undead and the alliance forces suffering heavy losses. But to the Lords'' despair, the undead''s numbers weren''t decreasing; they were increasing! An orc struck down a death knight, but a massive gray magic circle appeared on the nearby kodo beast''s corpse. A Commanding-level zombie titan emerged, crushing the orc underfoot. It then used Flame Body, spewing molten lava and killing a tauren with a single punch. The zombie titan''s massive size made it impervious to attacks, and it could crush enemy stone giants with a single punch. One by one, zombie titans rose from the magic circles, dominating the battlefield. Satan realized his worries were unnecessary. The Commanding-level undead were as strong as any other race''s Commanding-level troops. At that moment, a light spirit charged at a zombie titan, transforming into a beam of light and piercing the titan''s chest. The zombie titan''s lava extinguished, its eyes dimmed, and it fell heavily to the ground. Aside from soul attacks, holy light was the undead''s greatest weakness. Several light spirits took on the task of dealing with the remaining zombie titans. As the light spirits slaughtered the zombie titans, liches appeared before them, blocking their path. The battlefield constantly shifted as troops countered and were countered. As the battle continued, dead trees in the swamp fell and burned, and the ground''s water and mud turned into cracked earth from the heat. The enemy''s Commanding-level troops outnumbered Alex''s Commanding-level undead five to one, but Alex believed this gap would soon be closed. Satan''s demon followers also joined the battle, but the light spirits'' attacks were highly effective against them. Aside from the Commanding-level followers, the other followers were no different from ordinary undead, easily killed but able to revive. The swamp became a chaotic battleground, with various abilities and magic wreaking havoc. The enemy''s advance was successfully halted by the undead. Alex stood behind, looking at the Lords on the other side, not choosing to flee, as if taunting them. Suddenly, a shadow behind Alex shifted, and a Lord with a dagger lunged at her back. Satan grabbed the attacker''s arm, crushing it and causing the dagger to fall. He then grabbed the Lord''s neck and lifted him. Crack¡ª Satan snapped his neck without hesitation. A Commanding-level assassin dared to launch a sneak attack? How naive. At that moment, dozens of Lords emerged from the shadows of the dead trees, surrounding Alex and Satan. They had used special means to sneak in. Whoosh! A throwing knife flew towards Alex, who easily dodged it. The knife transformed into a Lord, attacking Satan, who punched him away. In an instant, the surrounding Lords all attacked Alex and Satan. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These Commanding-level Lords were fearless, thinking that a dozen of them together could kill a Monarch-level. Satan was about to act when he sensed Alex''s aura and stopped. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, and the surroundings turned dark. Dead trees transformed into undead, flames turned black, and the air filled with decay and poison. Countless black spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the attacking Lords. Their weapons fell, and they writhed in pain, realizing the gap between their strength and Alex''s. But it was too late. They couldn''t escape and watched their life force drain away, turning into skeletons and becoming undead. Alex retracted her domain and looked at the battlefield ahead. "You don''t seem like an undead; you seem more like a devil," Satan said with a smile, complimenting Alex on his strength. The Lords and their troops no longer held back, with all Monarch-levels unleashing their domains. Ten Monarch-level Lords soared into the sky, attacking the battlefield. The real battle was just beginning. Alex and Satan were momentarily stunned, their expressions strange. This Lord alliance was weaker than expected. Seven undead and four demons released their domains, and eleven Monarch-levels charged at the enemy. Galvin was dumbfounded. The undead Lord''s intel was wrong; she had seven Monarch-levels and that man helping her. Alex''s strength far exceeded their expectations. Galvin couldn''t believe a Lord could have such power. Galvin had seen Alex and Satan kill those ambushing Lords, proving they were both Monarch-level. Including them, the enemy had thirteen Monarch-levels. "Damn it, where''s that Justice Alliance when you need them?!" Chapter 168: Nope At this moment, Raphaela and her three companions were circling the swamp. Feeling the intense magical fluctuations emanating from swamp, Raphaela''s face tightened."Titus, Magnus, you two go help them. They won''t hold out much longer. Drake and I can handle things here." "Got it." Raphaela was in charge of the search because, as an angel, she had a heightened sensitivity to anything impure or ominous. She was confident that this ability would lead her to Alex''s castle. Titus and Magnus immediately turned and flew towards the depths of the swamp, cursing Galvin and his crew for being useless. The intel suggested that Alex''s castle was nearby. But Raphaela had already ruled out the possibility of it being inside the swamp. Raphaela and Drake began their search on the outskirts. The demon Lord was also powerful. If finding Alex''s castle wasn''t the priority, Raphaela would have loved to kill that demon Lord as well. It wasn''t about any "impure or ominous"; it was in her very blood that demons shouldn''t exist in this world. If they couldn''t find Alex''s castle, Raphaela would abandon the search and return to support the others, aiming to kill Alex and the demon Lord head-on. Destroying the castle was just a way to save effort and avoid exposing her own abilities. Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains. Iago figured it was about time; they should be engaging the undead Lord by now. He boldly walked towards Ivy''s castle. Everyone was guarding their own castles, so no one paid much attention to Iago stepping out. Inside the castle, Ivy was startled to see Iago approaching. But seeing the lecherous look in his eyes, she knew exactly what he wanted. "What do you want? Fuck off!" Ivy glared at Iago, green vines wrapping around her hands, ready to fight back. "Don''t be scared. I''m just here to help you relieve some stress." Iago smiled as he continued to approach. Seeing that her warning was useless, Ivy lashed out with her vine whip. Iago caught the whip with one hand, feeling the sting of pain. He was more angry than surprised that Ivy would dare strike him. "You bitch! Is this how you treat your allies?" With a yank, Iago pulled Ivy off balance and pinned her to the ground, revealing his lv9 Commanding level strength. Ignoring the fact that they were in the castle courtyard, he began tearing at Ivy''s clothes. "Let me go, you bastard!" Pinned to the ground, Ivy struggled desperately, but Iago seemed impatient. Slap! Iago slapped Ivy across the face, leaving her cheek swollen and red. He then tore open her top, exposing her breasts, which only excited him further. "Ah!" Ivy screamed, her heart filled with despair. The other members of the Elemental Alliance heard Ivy''s scream but remained indifferent to her betrayal. Samson couldn''t stand it any longer. He rushed out of his castle and ran towards Ivy''s. "Let her go!" Iago turned to see Samson, his face twisted with anger. "This has nothing to do with you. She''s no longer your ally. If you don''t want to die, get lost!" Samson responded Lago with a blast of Frost Magic. Seeing that persuasion was useless, Iago threw Ivy aside and charged at Samson. Iago''s attack shattered Samson''s Frost Magic, sending him flying with a single blow. "Cough, cough..." Samson felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, coughing uncontrollably on the ground. He couldn''t believe he couldn''t even withstand one hit. Ivy, now devoid of the will to fight, sat on the ground, covering her chest with her hands, silently crying. Samson looked at Ivy, who was trying to cover herself, and then at Iago, who was approaching him step by step. Gritting his teeth, Samson stood up, ready to fight to the death. The area around them instantly turned icy, forming a frozen space that began to encase Iago. Iago laughed mockingly, showing disdain for Samson''s full-strength attack. "You''re as stupid as that woman. You come to save her, risking your life, but look at her. She can be toyed with by Galvin and me, but in front of you, she pretends to cover herself. And you, dying to save her, haven''t heard a word from her. She''s just a bitch. Isn''t it pathetic? "I''ll give you a chance. Submit to me, and after I''m done fucking her, I''ll let you have a taste. Don''t worry, Galvin won''t mind. His focus is on the undead Lord now." Ignoring Samson''s attack, Iago shattered the ice barrier with a punch. His strength was just a step away from Monarch level, far beyond what an ordinary Commanding level could handle. Iago smirked, waiting for Samson''s response. "You''re full of shit!" Before Samson could finish, Iago sent him flying again, this time leaving him too weak to stand. "Ungrateful fool. Fine, just watch." Iago grinned lecherously, ready to humiliate Ivy in front of Samson. Ivy''s eyes were vacant as Iago pinned her down again. This time, she didn''t even resist, not saying a word, only tears streaming down her face. "That''s more like it! Such an obedient bitch." Iago laughed triumphantly, tearing off Ivy''s skirt and panties, exposing her completely. Samson lay helplessly on the ground, hoping someone would come to Ivy''s rescue. But the other three members of the Elemental Alliance remained indifferent. If they had wanted to help, they would have come by now. Their strength and speed surpassed Samson''s. Perhaps they also resented Ivy, believing she had betrayed the Alliance and wasn''t worth saving. Maybe Samson was just that naive. Samson closed his eyes, unable to watch Ivy''s humiliation. "Hey, what''s going on here?" A young girl''s voice suddenly broke the silence. Samson opened his eyes, and Iago turned to see who had spoken. A white-haired girl sat on the castle wall, her legs swinging, her expression curious. Iago''s eyes lit up. He had never seen such a beautiful girl in his life. Samson recognized Ruby. She had found her way to Samson by following her senses, stumbling upon this strange scene. "How did she find her way here?" Samson wondered. Iago approached Ruby, a lecherous grin on his face. Ivy, now free, curled up into a ball. "Little girl, come here. I''m not a bad guy. I''ll give you a lollipop, heh heh heh." "Sure!" Ruby jumped down from the wall, dusting off her clothes, and walked towards Iago. Iago was ecstatic, marveling at his luck. He opened his arms, ready to embrace the little girl. Squelch¡ª The sound of flesh being torn filled the air, and blood splattered everywhere. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Iago''s pupils contracted as he looked down at his chest, where three deep gashes had appeared. Ruby stood still, not having moved an inch. "You..." Iago tried to speak but couldn''t. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Blood splattered on Samson''s face, the smell jolting him into a state of shock and clarity. "Alex mentioned that anyone outside the Elemental Alliance should be killed." Ruby pondered, glancing at the naked Ivy and the bloodied Samson. The ground shook as Iago''s castle collapsed, scattering its resources and debris. The commotion drew the attention of the surrounding Lords, who stepped out of their castles to investigate. They were filled with confusion and concern, unsure of how Iago had died. "Wasn''t he a member of the Sunset Alliance? What happened?" "Could there be an enemy nearby, or did the Elemental Alliance do this?" The Lords speculated, ignoring the scattered resources. They were more concerned about their safety. "He went to that woman''s place," Grom said coldly, turning back to his castle. Their fate was none of his concern. The sixteen Lords exchanged glances. "Could she have killed him?" "Maybe. He was probably caught off guard while having sex." "Haha, if that''s the case, then that woman is mine!" Another lecherous Lord stepped forward, ignoring the others. He headed towards Ivy''s castle, followed by the other Lords, eager to see what was happening or perhaps engage in some group activity. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside the castle, Ruby squatted next to Samson. "Hey, did you find the traitor?" Samson glanced at the silently crying Ivy and remained silent. By now, Samson understood that Alex hadn''t fully trusted him. This girl was her backup plan. She was here not only to cut off the Lords'' escape but also to kill the traitor. "Don''t play dumb. If you don''t talk, everyone here will die." Ruby''s attitude towards Samson was far from friendly. She didn''t know the other members of the Elemental Alliance, only recognizing Samson. But it didn''t matter; if everyone here died, there would be no problem. Ruby''s ears twitched, and she stood up. "Someone''s coming." Ruby turned to see a group of extraterrestrial visitors approaching the castle gate. They wore different outfits, one leading the way while the others followed, entering the castle. Naked Ivy directly spiked their lust, turning the 206 bones in their bodies into 207. When they saw Ruby, they were even more amazed, unable to take their eyes off her. But the sight of Iago''s bloodied corpse and the injured Samson brought them back to reality. "Come on, what are we afraid of? There are so many of us against two girls." One Lord jeered, emboldening the others. They ignored Iago''s death, focusing on their desires. "Let''s go! Whoever catches her first gets her!" The sixteen Lords charged, most heading towards Ruby, while the lecherous Lord sneaked around to Ivy. "Idiots. They''ll fight over the girl, but this woman is mine," he thought, grinning. Ruby watched them approach, counting. "Only sixteen? Including the one on the ground, that''s still one short." Alex had told Ruby there were eighteen Lords. The castle count was accurate; she had counted twenty-three, subtracting the five Elemental Alliance castles, leaving eighteen. No need to search for them one by one. As the Lords neared Ruby, they found themselves unable to move. No matter how hard they tried, they were paralyzed. The lecherous Lord behind Ruby also froze, panic on his face. "What''s happening? Why can''t I move?" The Lords realized they had underestimated the girl. "Is this a domain?" The others'' faces turned pale. If she had a domain, she was Monarch level, which meant... Ruby extended her hand, making a grasping motion. Three deep gashes appeared on each Lord''s chest, blood spraying everywhere. As Ruby released them, they were flung back, some dying instantly, others barely clinging to life. Commanding level Lords, powerless against a little girl. Samson''s eyes widened in shock. He hadn''t expected the girl with Alex to be Monarch level. The ground shook violently, and Samson felt it clearly. The surrounding castles were collapsing. The Lords attacking Alex were doomed. Their escape route was cut off, leaving no chance of survival. Ruby finished off the remaining Lords, then turned to the trembling Ivy. She knew Ivy was next. Ruby looked down at Samson, meeting his gaze. Her expression was cold; she didn''t want to waste time. Ruby had a hunch. She knew these five castles were close, likely an alliance, but she didn''t know the traitor. She assumed Ivy was Samson''s ally, playing some strange game with the extraterrestrial visitors. "Are you the traitor?" Ruby''s face lit up with realization, thinking she had guessed correctly. If he remained silent under threat of death, it must be him. "Alex said if you''re the traitor, the whole alliance dies." Samson felt bitter. He knew Ruby wasn''t joking. This girl could wipe them out. "It''s her," Samson finally said, pointing to Ivy. He turned away, ignoring Ivy''s pleading eyes, closing his own. Ruby looked at the naked Ivy. As a half-human, half-tiger, she had no sense of shame. She walked towards Ivy, expressionless. "Please, spare me. I''ll submit to the undead Lord. I''ll be her servant. Just don''t kill me!" Ivy was terrified, tears and snot streaming down her face. She didn''t care about her state or shame. She knelt, kissing Ruby''s feet. Ivy crawled forward, trying to grab Ruby''s legs, but an invisible barrier stopped her. Ruby didn''t understand her actions or listen to her pleas. She simply raised her hand. "Nope." Chapter 169: Chaotic melee In the southern swamp, with the arrival of Magnus and Titus, the enemy''s Monarch-level count increased to twelve.The battlefield had begun to shift due to the necromancers'' involvement, but even as Monarch-levels, the necromancers struggled against their counterparts. However, the liches and Destroyers, with their bizarre attack methods, were pushing the enemy Monarch-levels back. Magnus immediately engaged a lich, relieving some of the pressure on his allies. Titus had a clear target: Alex and Satan at the rear of the undead army. With no other Monarch-levels available to intercept Titus, Alex realized she couldn''t afford to be lazy. But Satan stepped forward, cracking his knuckles and neck. Satan stomped the ground with immense force, launching himself like a cannonball towards Titus in mid-air. Satan had come here to fight, and he wasn''t about to miss this opportunity. Satan''s punch collided with Titus, but the immense force didn''t push Titus back. Titus''s body was covered in molten lava patterns, radiating intense heat as he stared at Satan with a serious expression. The two clashed and separated, exchanging dozens of blows in mid-air. Black and red energies collided violently in the sky. "This Lord''s abilities are so similar to the zombie titan''s," Alex observed, watching the intense battle. These two seemed to be the strongest Monarch-levels on the field. Indeed, Titus''s troops were titans, and he naturally used titan abilities. With these abilities, his close combat skills reached terrifying levels. Unfortunately for him, he faced Satan, a demon who also specialized in close combat. Satan exuded a sinister black and red aura, his eyes glowing red, and a horn growing from his head. This demonic energy formed a protective barrier around Satan, with strong offensive and corrosive properties. Even if Satan didn''t land a direct hit, the claws formed by the demonic energy could easily tear through Titus''s body. Titus''s body displayed strange patterns, like grooves, and he didn''t dodge Satan''s attacks. Even when hit, he healed instantly. A second blue pattern lit up on Titus, followed by a third golden pattern. The golden light instantly shredded Satan''s demonic energy. Golden and black energies exploded in the air, and even the golden light''s shockwaves could easily kill an undead or demon follower. Satan didn''t fall behind, and Alex didn''t intervene. Her purpose here was not only to oversee the battlefield but also to act as a sneaky bastard, ready to ambush any struggling Monarch-level. This was war; there was no need for chivalry. To Alex''s surprise, Satan''s four Monarch-level demons were all gaining the upper hand. One demon, with purple skin and a somewhat plump body, wielded a flag and wore dazzling golden ornaments on its head and neck. It had a bull''s head and a dog''s head on its shoulders and a pair of black wings on its back. It looked not only bizarre but also terrifying. This demon, named Greed, faced a Monarch-level thunderbird with a pterosaur-like appearance but covered in blue feathers. The thunderbird''s domain was filled with countless feathers, as hard as steel, as fast as lightning, and as sharp as blades. Alex hadn''t even seen Greed use its domain. It simply waved its flag, blocking all the feathers. The bull''s head and dog''s head on its shoulders glowed yellow, transforming into two creatures that attacked the thunderbird. The thunderbird quickly began to falter, sustaining injuries. Of the enemy''s twelve Monarch-levels, only Galvin, Titus, and Magnus were actual Lords. The rest were troops. Alex guessed these Lords had concentrated their experience to raise these Monarch-level troops. The Lords hiding behind these troops were mostly between lv2 and lv7 Commanding level. ???¦®§®???.?§°? But this battle was between Monarch-level troops. The four necromancers weren''t skilled in combat and were at a disadvantage. The four demons had the upper hand, and the other undead had slight advantages. Just as Greed was about to deliver a fatal blow to the thunderbird, a light spirit intervened, allowing the thunderbird to escape. The thunderbird barely had time to breathe before countless giant bones formed a cage around it. Galvin quickly disengaged from his opponent, appearing before the lich and launching a massive fireball at it. The lich had to abandon its attack, using a bone shield to block Galvin''s assault but still being pushed back by the impact. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom! Galvin didn''t have time to react as a violent explosion occurred around him. The Destroyer''s skill followed, and a yellowish-brown barrier appeared before Galvin, blocking the sneak attack. A gargoyle activated its domain, shattering Galvin''s barrier. Another lich attempted to ambush but was intercepted by a scaly humanoid creature. Except for Satan and Titus, who were dueling, all the Monarch-levels were engaged in a chaotic melee, with no one-on-one battles. On the other side, Magnus''s hands grew three massive claws each, his mouth sprouting two curved fangs. His eyes turned crimson, and his skin turned gray as his body rapidly enlarged. "Stop wasting time! Kill that undead Lord!" Magnus roared, his figure disappearing in an instant. He shredded the bone shield before him and sent the lich flying. Magnus moved swiftly across the battlefield, each strike repelling an undead. His massive size, speed, and explosive power were terrifying. Even demons hit by Magnus were sent flying, though his attacks were purely physical and couldn''t kill undead or demon followers outright. Magnus unleashed his domain, filling the area with countless claw blades. Any undead or demon follower caught in the blast was instantly pulverized. "What kind of magic is this?!" Alex was stunned. This creature''s strength rivaled Titan''s. Ordinary undead and demons were no match for him. Magnus had a clear target: Alex. The undead and demons couldn''t stop him. His full-force attack also relieved the pressure on the enemy Monarch-levels. "Damn, I can''t slack off anymore!" The seemingly evenly matched battle between Satan and Titus began to shift. But Satan, noticing Magnus charging at Alex, only grew more excited. A pair of black wings sprouted from Satan''s back, along with a tail. He wielded a black longsword, his demonic energy surging. With one strike, he pierced Titus''s chest and kicked him into the ground, creating a massive crater. "Hahaha, I like this guy. He''s all yours!" As Alex watched in bewilderment, Satan ignored the fallen Titus and turned to attack Magnus. Alex always found Satan''s behavior during battle a bit manic and strange. She turned to the crater where Titus had fallen. As the dust settled, Titus stood up, his eyes glowing gold, and his chest wound healed. Alex drew her scythe and walked towards Titus. Chapter 170: Powerful self-healing The castle interior began to shake, growing more intense by the second.Ivy was completely frozen into an ice sculpture, her face twisted in terror, her skin turning purple as she suffocated to death. Samson sighed deeply, but Ruby paid him no mind. She teleported outside the castle. There was still one Lord left to deal with. As Alex''s first request, Ruby felt she had to complete the task perfectly. The simultaneous collapse of so many castles naturally caught Grom''s attention. He was shocked and stepped outside to see Ruby floating in the air. Indeed, only a Monarch-level could instantly kill these Lords. This Monarch-level might be an ally of the Elemental Alliance or a subordinate of the undead Lord, but it didn''t matter. The goal was to cut off their escape route, leaving them no way out. Without their castles, the Lords would be forced to abandon everything and become Freelancers. Although Grom had Monarch-level strength, his troops weren''t strong enough to reach Monarch-level, so he had to take matters into his own hands. Grom''s muscles bulged rapidly, his body enlarging until his clothes tore apart. A row of bone spikes grew along his spine, transforming him into a blue giant. However, his size wasn''t as exaggerated as Magnus''s, only about the size of a normal werewolf. Grom gripped a large, chipped blade, the iron rings on its back clinking. Without a word, he leaped towards Ruby, swinging his blade at her. Ruby teleported to dodge Grom''s attack and countered with spatial magic. But the expected result didn''t occur. Grom wasn''t blown away; his chest merely dented before quickly returning to normal. Grom activated his domain. Everything around seemed unchanged, but when Grom attacked Ruby again, she found she couldn''t teleport. An invisible barrier blocked Grom''s blade, and countless ice spikes surged towards him. He didn''t dodge, letting the ice pierce his body, blue blood oozing out. Blue flames ignited on his blade, his arm muscles bulging with immense strength, nearly shattering the spatial barrier. Clang! A white, curved blade appeared in Ruby''s hand, radiating cold and spatial energy, blocking Grom''s blade. Grom tried to push Ruby back but found she was immovable, her small body containing astonishing strength. Grom withdrew his blade and attacked again. Ruby parried gracefully, their blades clashing in a flurry of strikes. Grom couldn''t find a single opening. Grom was surprised. He had assumed Ruby was a mage, vulnerable in close combat, but she turned out to be a warrior. Ruby spun elegantly, her blade infused with spatial energy, striking Grom and sending him crashing to the ground. A white spatial blade formed from her sword, descending towards Grom, giving him no time to react. Falling, Grom barely managed to counterattack, his blade glowing blue as he swung a massive slash at Ruby, intending to trade blows. But Ruby''s spatial blade pierced Grom, pinning him to the ground, while she swapped places with a stone, dodging his attack. Pinned, Grom unleashed his domain, shattering Ruby''s attack. He stood up, his wounds healing instantly. Trolls'' regenerative abilities were even more terrifying than werewolves'' and vampires''. Grom''s eyes turned blood-red, bone spikes emerging from his shoulders, arms, and thighs, his strength increasing. He slashed the ground, causing it to crack, but couldn''t hit Ruby. In her domain, Ruby could freely change positions, manipulate objects, and enhance her combat power. Grom''s domain was more of a support, while Ruby''s every strike carried spatial energy, making it impossible for Grom to react in time. If not for his powerful self-healing, any other Monarch-level would have died. Ruby manipulated countless rocks to attack Grom. As he prepared to counter, she swapped places with a rock, severing his arm with a single strike. Grom seemed unfazed by pain, immediately swinging his remaining arm at Ruby. She blocked with her curved blade, retreating and creating distance. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? In his berserk state, Grom''s attributes were fully enhanced. Ruby struggled to face him head-on, relying on her agility to gain an advantage. But her strikes seemed ineffective, as Grom''s arm regenerated instantly. "How disgusting is this ability?" Ruby was frustrated. Grom''s self-healing seemed limitless, rendering her attacks futile. This could turn into a battle of attrition, seeing who would tire first: Ruby or Grom''s healing. Alex had told her to leave if she encountered a Monarch-level, but Ruby didn''t listen, insisting on fighting. Reaching Monarch-level meant none of these Lords were simple. Stubbornly, Ruby continued battling Grom. Her agility far surpassed his, making it impossible for him to catch her if she chose to flee. Ruby had initially planned to destroy Grom''s castle, but its strong shield, numerous defenses, and countless troops made it difficult. Meanwhile, in the ruins of Ivy''s castle, a slightly recovered Samson crawled out, standing unsteadily and watching Ruby and Grom''s fight from afar. As a Commanding level, even severely injured, he couldn''t be crushed by the rubble. Samson limped towards Earl''s castle, not returning to his own. He remembered Ivy''s gentle healing, feeling a mix of emotions. He couldn''t understand how things had come to this. What a joke this All-Races Battle Royale was. Fuck that. Reaching Earl''s castle, Samson dumped all his resources. Earl stepped out, puzzled. "What are you doing?" "Earl, do you think coming to this world is a blessing or a curse? It''s brutal, bloody, survival of the fittest, with no laws. The strong can dominate everything, while the weak are trampled. But do the weak not deserve to live? Are some people born strong?" Samson rambled, lost in thought. Earl remained silent, unsure how to respond. Samson continued transferring his castle''s resources until his Warehouse was empty. Finally, Samson looked at Earl, a relieved smile on his face. "Earl, I''m leaving the Alliance." "Samson, why?" Earl was puzzled. This Alliance was Samson''s brainchild, but due to his lack of strength, he had handed the leadership to Earl. As a founding member, Earl had watched as more members joined and the Alliance grew to its current size. He couldn''t understand why Samson would suddenly want to give it all up. Was it because of Ivy? No, Earl didn''t think so. He hoped Samson would give him an explanation. Otherwise, the original purpose of forming the Alliance¡ªto help each other and grow together¡ªwould seem like a sham. "Earl, I''m sorry. I''m just a weak person." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Samson finished speaking, Earl suddenly felt a tremor coming from the left side of the castle, where Samson''s castle was located. Earl turned sharply and saw Samson''s castle covered in cracks, shaking violently, and gradually collapsing. Samson, however, seemed unaffected, standing in the castle with Earl, watching the scene unfold. Earl had never seen anything like this but quickly realized what was happening. "You''re becoming a Freelancer?!" In Earl''s shocked exclamation, Samson nodded and turned to leave the castle. He could feel the changes in his body, his strength diminishing. Earl wanted to say something more but didn''t know how to begin. He could only watch as Samson''s figure disappeared from sight. Chapter 171: Lilith VS Raphaela The battle outside the castle had ended. Ruby couldn''t kill Grom and had to give up, leaving the area.Eighteen Lords had come, and seventeen were dead. They had formed an alliance to attack Alex, but as soon as they arrived, Alex cut off their escape route. Twenty-three castles had stood in the Barren Plains, but within a few hours, only four remained. Grom reverted to his human form. Though uninjured, he was drenched in sweat, his gaze fixed on the spot where Ruby had disappeared, his expression grim. Meanwhile, outside the southern swamp. "There are traces of dark magic here." Flying in the air, Raphaela suddenly sensed a magical fluctuation below and stopped with Drake, descending to the ground. The damp, black soil was barren, looking unremarkable at first glance. There were subtle signs of disturbance, barely noticeable unless closely examined. Drake crouched down, digging out a black stone emitting magical energy, and showed it to Raphaela. "The energy inside is flowing in another direction. This must be part of a magic circle." Quickly, they unearthed all the enchanted stones in the area, revealing the magic circle. Without hesitation, Drake destroyed it, breaking the alchemy magic''s concealment effect and revealing Chi-Chi''s hidden castle. "So, it was hidden here." Their efforts paid off. Drake didn''t care if this was Alex''s castle or not. Hidden so well, it had to be significant. They had searched the surroundings and found no other castles. "The flaw in this magic circle is quite large. If one part is found and destroyed, the entire circle loses its effect." Raphaela and Drake approached the castle. Destroying it would ensure Alex''s death. Raphaela smiled, confident that Alex wouldn''t have expected her castle to be found and attacked. Suddenly, Raphaela and Drake stopped in their tracks as someone emerged from the castle. A stunning woman in a black dress stood at the entrance, calmly watching them. Three more women soon joined her, standing by her side. Clearly, another Lord was present. The two hadn''t expected the castle to hide an ally. But victory was within reach, and they wouldn''t give up easily. Drake didn''t take the newcomer seriously, though Raphaela''s intuition sensed something unusual. "Go kill the man," Lilith said calmly, her voice neither loud nor soft, but audible to Raphaela and Drake. Drake sneered, but their expressions soon turned to shock. The three women behind Lilith stepped forward, their eyes glowing red. Black wings sprouted from their backs, black feathers drifting to the ground. Some donned black armor, others grew strange horns, and one even transformed into a male. The three fallen angels, each unique, exuded a powerful and ominous aura. Fallen angels could take human form upon reaching Monarch level, but Lilith preferred them to remain female. Drake was stunned. Three Monarch-level beings! "What are they, angels or demons?!" "Fallen angels," Raphaela replied calmly. Despite the four Monarch-level opponents, she showed no fear. Drake had never heard of fallen angels, but now wasn''t the time for questions. His hands hardened into massive dragon claws, his body covered in fine, earth-colored scales. Four curved horns grew from his head, and his eyes turned into yellow slits. Drake charged at the fallen angels, dragon''s might radiating, cracking the ground. Raphaela faced Lilith, the two locking eyes. Though meeting for the first time, they felt like lifelong enemies. This enmity, etched in their blood and souls, couldn''t be reconciled, even as Lords. From the moment they met, they were destined to be foes. Raphaela no longer hid her angelic identity. Almost simultaneously, black and white wings unfurled behind them. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Raphaela radiated holiness, surrounded by holy light, her face becoming indistinct. She held a golden, glowing holy sword, her feet lifting off the ground as she ascended. Lilith, unlike other fallen angels, retained her original appearance even after transforming. Her eyes turned purple, her aura more noble and menacing. Darkness enveloped her, and she wielded a sword shrouded in black energy, its outline obscured. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They rose into the air, facing each other, not exchanging a single word. Below, Drake and the fallen angels'' battle was ignored. In an instant, they unleashed their domains, gripping their weapons and charging at each other. Their weapons clashed silently, but the immense shockwaves roared outwards. Their domains clashed continuously, the sky erupting in blinding light. Drake and the fallen angels paused, looking up at the duel above. The sky was split, one half a dazzling gold, the other a devouring black. Gold drove back black, black devoured gold. Drake looked down. Raphaela''s domain had made grass and flowers sprout, bathed in holy light, full of life. Across from him, the barren land turned even grayer, tainted with black, as if to corrode everything. At that moment, Raphaela seemed to forget her mission, fully engaged with Lilith. Drake wanted to destroy the castle, but the fallen angels blocked him. Fallen angels weren''t ordinary troops; Drake knew angels'' terror, and fallen angels were no different. Facing three fallen angels, Drake wasn''t sure he could win. Destroying the castle today seemed impossible. Drake formed a yellow energy ball, gathering more energy until a massive beam shot out. One armored fallen angel stepped forward, a black shield blocking the beam, splitting it and dissipating it. The other two fallen angels attacked Drake from the front and back. Drake backflipped, spreading large, earth-colored wings, flying into the sky, the fallen angels in pursuit. Drake lacked the self-healing abilities of his allies, relying on his scales'' defense. But the deep gash on his chest showed his scales weren''t invincible, cut by a fallen angel''s sword. Drake could only avoid close combat with the opponent. With a clap of his claws, two massive earth dragons burst from the ground, lunging at the two fallen angels. Then he swiftly turned around, his claws encased in thick rock, forming a massive fist, smashing at his enemy in front of him. A thin black beam shattered the earth dragons, and a fallen angel, caught off guard, was punched to the ground. Drake quickly turned to the other two fallen angels, his pupils contracting as they began to petrify, slowing down. But this seemingly powerful skill was ineffective against equals. The fallen angels ignited in flames, reversing the petrification. The ordinary-looking flames were anything but simple. In the brief skirmish, Drake could hold off the fallen angels, but his disadvantage grew over time. In the sky, Raphaela and Lilith clashed, white and black feathers falling around them. Raphaela raised her holy sword, her wings spread wide, the brilliant gold light brightening the dawn, making everything holy. A town-destroying attack swept towards Lilith, unavoidable. Lilith''s black wings wrapped around her, forming a black cross, flames igniting at the tips, enveloping her in fire, blocking Raphaela''s attack. Sss¡ª Raphaela''s holy light didn''t cut through Lilith but was corroded, hissing. Lilith''s wings lost some feathers, looking disheveled but unharmed. Chapter 172: Their only fate was death Raphaela was growing increasingly anxious. Lilith was equally powerful, and their battle wouldn''t be decided quickly.But the situation was different on the other side. Drake was being overwhelmed by three Monarch-level fallen angels. Raphaela knew the strength of fallen angels and realized Drake wouldn''t hold out much longer. As time dragged on, their defeat seemed inevitable. It was too late to call for reinforcements from their troops. The Justice Alliance members had come alone, without their troops, while Lilith had the support of her forces, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Lilith''s strategy was simple: she didn''t need to fight Raphaela to the death. She just needed her troops to defeat Drake. Once Drake was dead, Raphaela would inevitably fall. Alex''s precautionary measures had proven correct. Even though this was a decoy castle, it had been found by the enemy. But even if Raphaela and Drake found Alex''s real castle, they wouldn''t stand a chance against the four statues guarding it. With Lilith''s command, three thousand fallen angels from Chi-Chi''s castle took to the skies, heading towards the southern swamp. After this battle, the troops of all three would be exposed. To expedite the situation, Lilith sent her troops to assist, hoping Alex and Satan could quickly finish their fight. Raphaela and Drake tried to stop them but were powerless, watching as the troops flew off to provide support. Suddenly, Raphaela and Drake paused mid-battle, receiving a message in their Alliance chat. All four were fighting, leaving only Grom to send the message. "What? A Monarch-level little girl killed all the Lords guarding the castles?!" Drake exclaimed, but Grom''s next words brought some relief. The girl couldn''t kill Grom and had already retreated. Raphaela''s eyes narrowed. She hadn''t expected the enemy to have another hidden Monarch-level. At this stage, most Lords were at Commanding level, and a Monarch-level was a nightmare for them. Their plan to ambush Alex''s castle had failed. Although their own Justice Alliance castle remained intact, the other Lord Alliances weren''t so lucky. "Raphaela!" Drake shouted, urging her to leave. There was no point in staying; they had no chance of taking this castle. Raphaela understood, though reluctantly. Lilith''s displayed strength was superior, and her intuition told her the odds of winning were slim. Raphaela disengaged from Lilith, joining Drake. With a surge of magical energy, a massive earth dragon emerged from the ground, devouring them both before dissipating in the air. The battle in the southern swamp was still ongoing, making this the best time for Raphaela and Drake to escape. If they waited until the battle ended, facing multiple Monarch-level opponents would make escape nearly impossible. Most importantly, Magnus and Titus were still there. Raphaela and Drake couldn''t abandon them. They had to rescue them, and the fate of the other Lords was irrelevant. "Chase them!" Lilith and the three fallen angels immediately flew towards the southern swamp. Whether they were fleeing or providing support, even if it was a decoy plan by the enemy, Lilith wasn''t worried. The castle behind them belonged to Alex''s subjects. Her town had a subsidiary castle, so even if this one was destroyed, Alex wouldn''t suffer much loss. The other Lords were either fully engaged in battle or already dead. They had no time to check Alliance messages, and most hadn''t realized their allies were dead. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They were trapped on Eldoria, with no way back. Their only fate was death. ... Alex drew her scythe and approached Titus. Titus was furious, having been pummeled by Satan, which was humiliating. But seeing the undead Lord approaching, he smiled. This was his chance. Titus flexed his massive hands, clenching his fists. His face and body markings glowed again. In the next second, the ground shattered, and Titus vanished, reappearing in front of Alex, throwing a punch. "Too slow!" Titus''s punch was about to land on Alex, who seemed unfazed. Compared to the demon Lord, this undead Lord seemed much weaker. Boom! A black shield appeared before Alex, absorbing Titus''s molten punch without budging. She didn''t even step back. Titus quickly retreated, dodging Alex''s scythe. But the ringing of a bell made Titus uncomfortable, though it was quickly dispelled by holy light. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? As Titus landed, still unsteady, Alex appeared before him. He realized then that this girl was faster than him! Titus crossed his arms, the markings merging and glowing gold. He went all out because the black flames on Alex''s scythe made him uneasy. Alex''s attack came swiftly, causing Titus intense pain. Golden blood splattered as he was pushed back several yards. The wounds on his arms didn''t heal immediately; he needed time to dispel the dark magic. Titus glanced at his arms, his face grim. If he hadn''t reacted quickly, his arms might have been severed. All five of Titus''s markings lit up simultaneously¡ªgold, brown, red, blue, and purple¡ªeach representing one of his divine abilities. He realized the undead Lord was more lethal than the demon Lord, forcing him to fight with all his might. Titus stomped the ground, a crack rapidly spreading towards Alex. The crack seemed harmless, so Alex planted her scythe''s head into the ground, using it to block the attack. But the crack exploded in front of Alex, dust obscuring her vision. It was a distraction, not an attack. Titus''s right fist enlarged, purple lightning crackling around it, and he swung a powerful punch at Alex. Alex''s left eye glowed, her Death Domain expanding, clearing the dust and revealing Titus''s approach. Her domain ignited with black flames, converging on her arm and spreading to her scythe. Alex charged, dragging her scythe, and swung it at Titus. Boom!! This wasn''t just a clash of fist and scythe but a collision of domains. Purple lightning raged, but Alex''s domain devoured it. The holy light on Titus''s fist resisted the dark magic''s corrosion. Suddenly, black flame creatures formed within the domain, a fusion of dark, alchemy, and summoning magic, moving freely within Alex''s domain. They wielded spears, thrusting at Titus. He knew their lethality and tried to retreat from Alex. But a black creature beside Alex caught a dark green energy ball she threw. Titus hesitated, trying to pull back. Splat¡ª Titus spat blood, his body pierced by seven or eight black spears. Alex''s scythe struck, sending him flying. Titus crashed to the ground, his right arm paralyzed by dark magic, black spots spreading across his body, his face pale. A swarm of fallen angels suddenly flew in, joining the chaotic battle in the swamp. "It seems Lilith has engaged the others." On the other battlefield, an excited Satan was pummeling Magnus. In his Behemoth form, possessing immense physical attack and armor-breaking abilities, Magnus was unstoppable against ordinary Monarch-level troops, but against Satan, he struggled. In his demon form, Satan grabbed Magnus''s tusks and threw him. Magnus barely reacted before finding himself airborne. Satan''s weapon floated nearby, and with a thought, it shot like a black lightning bolt at the still-airborne Magnus. Magnus twisted in mid-air, blocking with his claws. He crashed to the ground, his hand impaled by Satan''s weapon, pinning him. Magnus tore his hand free, ignoring the pain, standing as his wound slowly healed. "Roar¡ª" Magnus charged at Satan again but froze mid-charge as a sharp blade sliced his arm off. Thud. His massive arm fell, unable to react to the spatial slash. Standing there was Ruby, her curved blade in hand, having rapidly reappeared with her spatial magic. Chapter 173: Soul judgment "Well done!"A black sword flew into Satan''s hand as he praised Ruby. Magnus had seemed formidable, but in reality, he was less of a challenge than Titus. Just a brute, Satan thought, regretting letting Alex handle Titus. "Of course," Ruby replied smugly. The two hovered in the air, weapons in hand, looking down at Magnus as if judging a dead man. Magnus, no longer as crazed, seemed to sense his impending death. Just as they both moved to strike Magnus, the ground began to tremble, and a cloud of dust and debris erupted into the air. By the time Ruby and Satan tore through the dust, Magnus had vanished. "He ran?!" Satan was furious. He had fought for so long and hadn''t claimed a single kill. "Over there!" Ruby shouted. Alex was about to finish off Titus when a beam of golden light descended from the sky, blocking her attack and saving Titus. Alex looked at the woman with a holy aura standing before her. She had a pair of pure white wings and radiated holy light. Her aura bore an uncanny resemblance to Lilith''s. "An angel," Alex muttered, gripping her scythe tightly, her right eye glowing red. Raphaela stared intently at the undead Lord before her, saying nothing. At that moment, Ruby and Satan joined Alex, and Lilith and her three fallen angels descended from the sky. Raphaela and the severely injured Titus were surrounded by seven Monarch-level beings. For the first time, Raphaela''s face showed a hint of worry. She glanced back at the injured Titus. "Drake, take Titus and Magnus and go. I''ll buy you time!" Drake didn''t hesitate. His body glowed with an earthy yellow light, and sand began to swirl around Titus, preparing to take him away. In an instant, all seven moved. Ruby''s attack was the fastest. Her slash shattered the sand around Titus before Raphaela could react, interrupting his escape. Spatial magic! Raphaela knew a bit about Lilith and her fallen angels'' abilities, but she had no knowledge of Satan, Alex, or Ruby. Raphaela tried to use her domain, golden holy light enveloping the ground and Titus. But her domain was nearly torn apart in an instant. Everyone''s domain, except Ruby''s, greatly suppressed hers. Raphaela bit her lip, her eyes turning gold. She radiated a blinding holy light, forcing everyone back. Holy light was also effective against them. But the intense holy light lasted less than half a second before dissipating. When they looked again, Titus was gone. Raphaela''s aura had noticeably weakened, indicating the high cost of such a powerful holy light attack. "I think you''ve lost your mind. First time I''ve seen someone willing to die for others," Satan remarked, almost using "dumb blonde" but reconsidering since the rest were women. Satan charged at Raphaela, sword in hand, and everyone else followed suit. Raphaela barely blocked Satan''s attack with her holy sword when Lilith''s strike arrived. She turned to defend, her shield also blocking Ruby''s ranged slash. Just fending off three attacks drained her significantly. With the three fallen angels joining in, she was overwhelmed. Alex attacked from the side. Raphaela tried to use her holy light shield to block, but it shattered instantly. She could only shield herself with her wings, but Alex and the fallen angels still left four wounds on her. Alex''s wound was the deepest and most painful. The seven Monarch-level beings attacked in two waves, effortlessly wearing Raphaela down. Raphaela lost her once-holy, pristine aura. Her wings were stained with blood, her holy light tainted by darkness, making her look pitiful. The three Lords had escaped, but Raphaela couldn''t be allowed to leave. Surrounded by seven Monarch-levels, even Drake couldn''t save her. Raphaela knew from the moment she stayed that she wouldn''t escape. At lv1, facing seven equals, she had no chance of winning. But why did she choose to stay? She hadn''t expected Lilith and her fallen angels to arrive so quickly, nor the addition of Ruby. ????????.??? Drake had intended to save their alliance members, but Alex''s quick reaction thwarted his rescue. Raphaela had to cover, but as soon as she landed, she was surrounded. As for the other Lords, they were a joke compared to these opponents. The other Lords had only ten Monarch-levels, already at a disadvantage. They struggled against the undead. With Titus and Magnus gone, they wouldn''t hold out long. Their castles destroyed, their escape routes cut off, they had no hope of leaving. Raphaela''s Justice Alliance could safely retreat because Grom held their castle. Seeking help from the other Lords was futile. Summoning their troops wouldn''t work either. Though the Justice Alliance had five Monarch-levels, their combined troops were fewer than Alex''s. By the time reinforcements arrived, the battle would be over, and Alex''s undead numbers would swell, making their troops cannon fodder. Raphaela quickly realized she had only one option: wait for death. Despite knowing her fate, Raphaela wouldn''t go down without a fight. She decided to give it her all. Raphaela suddenly flew skyward, and everyone thought she was fleeing, so they chased her. In the sky, Raphaela turned abruptly, her holy sword glowing brightly. She poured all her Mana Points into one strike, gripping her sword with both hands and pointing it at the ground. "Judgment!" The clouds parted, revealing seven beams of sunlight. Seven holy swords formed from the golden light, descending upon the group. Alex''s eyes narrowed. She recognized this move from when the six-winged angel killed the frost dragon! "Soul Judgment!" All the black flame creatures in Alex''s domain, along with hundreds of undead on the battlefield, perished instantly. The holy swords descended, and Alex raised her left hand, a dark vortex forming in her palm to meet Raphaela''s desperate attack. The holy swords'' judgment couldn''t be dodged; everyone had to withstand it. Satan threw his weapon into the sky, choosing to face it head-on. Lilith and her three fallen angels combined their domain powers to resist. The holy swords'' judgment seemed ineffective within Ruby''s domain. She swapped places and successfully dodged, stunning everyone. Raphaela, now severely injured and exhausted, suddenly felt a powerful soul attack. In her prime, she could have resisted, purifying everything with holy light. But now, drained and out of Mana Points, she couldn''t. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Raphaela''s mind went blank. Her body didn''t change, no blood flowed, but she began to disintegrate into golden light. Her entire body vanished. [Congratulations on successfully killing lv1 Monarch-level Angel Lord, earning 300 experience points.] Alex''s vortex dissipated, and she lowered her arm, still tingling from blocking Raphaela''s attack. Seeing the system notification, Alex confirmed Raphaela''s death and looked at the others. Except for Satan, who looked a bit disheveled from taking the attack head-on, everyone else was fine. If the attack had been focused on one target, it would have been powerful. But split into seven, it was manageable for top-tier Lords. "I think these angels are all a bit crazy. No wonder so many factions hate them," Satan said, reverting to his human form. "I thought she had some trump card, but that''s it?" Alex complained. She died without leaving a corpse, which was disappointing. "Is she dead?" Satan asked Alex, watching Raphaela disintegrate. He had clearly seen Alex''s attack hit her. "The system says she is," Alex replied. "It says she''s dead." Hearing Alex''s confirmation, everyone relaxed. The system wouldn''t lie. Lilith signaled to her three fallen angels, who immediately joined the battlefield to clean up the remaining enemies. The three of them hovered in the air, positioned behind the undead army, observing the battle below. At this point, even without their intervention, their troops could easily secure victory. There was no need for concern. "All these extraterrestrial visitors must come from the same world, right?" Ruby suddenly asked. Lords were called extraterrestrial visitors because they came from another world. Alex nodded, acknowledging Ruby''s question. "But if they''re from the same world, why do they have to fight each other here?" Ruby''s question left the three of them silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Chapter 174: They cant go back With the addition of the three fallen angels, Alex''s side now had fourteen Monarch-level beings, while the enemy still had only ten. Their defeat was inevitable."Do you want the bodies?" Alex shifted the topic, asking Satan and Lilith. From her observations, Alex suspected that Satan might have a similar ability to manipulate corpses. As for Lilith, she had only brought fallen angels, so Alex wasn''t sure. After all, it wouldn''t be fair to let them help without some form of compensation. Giving resources seemed redundant since top-tier Lords didn''t lack them. These bodies, however, could be more valuable. "My troops can control minds, but corpses are useless. I need them alive," Lilith replied, hinting at her preference for capturing live targets. "I don''t need them either. Demons can control followers, even if they are corpses, but they won''t retain their domains. Monarch-levels would become pseudo-Monarch-levels, which is a waste," Satan explained. To get true Monarch-level followers, demons needed to reach King level. The difference between pseudo-Monarch-level and Monarch-level was significant. "Got it. That''s easy to handle," Alex said, immediately ordering the undead to leave some alive. Down below, Galvin was panicking. With the Justice Alliance gone, their Lord Alliance was no match for the undead. When the Justice Alliance fled, Galvin had wanted to leave too. But when he opened the Alliance interface to notify Iago, he was stunned to see the Alliance''s member count had dropped to four. The worst had happened¡ªthe Lords guarding their castles were dead! Galvin scanned the battlefield. At this moment, their Alliance had fewer than twenty Lords left. They were desperately fighting the undead, but as the number of undead grew, they were gradually being overwhelmed. They had been fighting continuously, immersed in the joy of gaining experience points from killing the undead, without realizing they had no escape route left. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the only remaining Monarch-level Lord, Galvin was receiving special attention from the undead. Galvin was fighting alone against a gargoyle and a destroyer, both Monarch-levels. Even one of them was hard for Galvin to handle, especially since he was a mage. And Gargoyles and Destroyers were the worst opponents for a mage. With their domains activated, Galvin''s magic attacks were rendered ineffective. As the undead devoured more magic, their attributes were enhanced. Galvin was terrified of gargoyle and destroyer. He hadn''t known there were undead immune to magic. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the sight of Alex floating above, overseeing the battlefield, only added to his fear. On the ground, the Commanding-level undead were initially at a disadvantage, but with the addition of a Monarch-level necromancer, the tide turned. The necromancer''s Bones Domain could instantly kill several Commanding-level troops. As these Commanding-levels were summoned as undead, Alex''s Commanding-level undead numbers grew, creating an overwhelming advantage. The enemy had only 5,000 troops, while Alex''s undead army boasted 65,000. "How did the Lords guarding the castles die?!" A Lord''s exclamation drew attention, and others checked, finding their guarding Lords all dead. "We''re finished. We have no way out... we can''t go back..." "It must be the Elemental Alliance. They betrayed us. Damn it, fuck!" "I submit!" Realizing the situation, the Lords fell into chaos. Some panicked, some despaired, and others raged. In this situation, there were only three options: defeat Alex, which was impossible; escape and become Freelancers, but the chances of escaping through the growing undead were nearly zero; or submit and hope for Alex''s mercy. Alex ignored the submitting Lords, while Satan and Lilith watched coldly. How ironic. These people had come to kill Alex, and now they wanted to submit. What a joke. The Lords, in their desperate cries, had lost the will to fight. They were Commanding-level, facing 66K undead, utterly hopeless. Alex gave them no chance. They had chosen to target her, and their fate was sealed¡ªdeath. The previously injured Monarch-level thunderbird had been slain by a demon. After fifteen minutes of summoning, the process was complete. Boom! A massive gray magic circle appeared, and a terrifying sight unfolded¡ªa Monarch-level zombie titan was summoned. This creature''s combat power was the most terrifying among all land-based undead. Now, a Monarch-level had emerged. The zombie titan''s five markings lit up, and its terrifying punch made even other Monarch-levels scramble to avoid it. Boom! A massive shockwave radiated from the zombie titan''s fist, covering the ground in dust and causing violent tremors. The Monarch-level troops managed to dodge, but the Commanding-level troops weren''t so lucky. The zombie titan''s punch killed over a hundred Commanding-level troops. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "What the hell is this thing? Is it really an undead?!" Galvin was distracted by the zombie titan, not noticing the Destroyer charging its Mana Points. Boom! A brilliant explosion lit up the sky, bursting into a display of colors. Galvin was hit before he could react. After fighting the Destroyer for so long, he hadn''t expected such a powerful attack. "Cough, cough..." Galvin fell to the ground, coughing violently, several bones broken. He struggled to rise but failed. Suddenly, a broad sword filled his vision, and then everything went black. Galvin was successfully killed by John. A magic circle appeared beneath Galvin''s corpse, and fifteen minutes later, a ghost dragon wreathed in blue flames emerged. The ghost dragon''s attack was a soul ray, resembling a laser, causing massive damage to the surroundings. The ghost dragon then activated its domain, blue flames that could corrode souls flaring up. Any enemy touched by the flames had their soul instantly extinguished. The Monarch-level ghost dragon was larger than typical ghost dragons, its blue flames purer. Flying among the ghost dragons and bone dragons, it stood out. "Wow, that''s so cool!" Ruby exclaimed, noticing the ghost dragon among the undead. This ghost dragon had been summoned from Galvin''s corpse. Alex had expected Galvin, as one of the few Monarch-level Lords, to have some trump card. But the Destroyer''s attack had severely injured him, and John had easily finished him off. Alex''s side now had sixteen Monarch-level beings, while the enemy had only eight left. The swamp had been devastated by the battle, no longer resembling a swamp. Ruby went off to be a sneaky trickster, though her attacks were direct. Her unique methods left the Monarch-levels unable to react. Satan, finding the pace too slow, charged back into the fray. Alex and Lilith landed, waiting for the battle to end. Alex had muted the system notifications again. Each Lord''s death triggered four or five messages, which was annoying. It was always the same stuff, and she couldn''t be bothered to read it. In the Barren Plains, the three members of the Elemental Alliance saw the Justice Alliance Lords return and immediately move their castles. Realizing the swamp battle might be ending, they saw the Justice Alliance''s panic and knew they had been defeated by Alex. For the Elemental Alliance, it was time to leave the Barren Plains. Even without direct conflict with Alex, they couldn''t guarantee they wouldn''t be targeted. They were now filled with fear of Alex. Even if they wanted to submit, they feared rejection. The safest option was to leave the Barren Plains. "What about the resources outside?" Boreas asked, standing on the steps, looking at the supplies left in the castle ruins. Hearing Boreas, the other two understood. "We''re leaving anyway. Take everything!" Eighteen castles'' worth of resources couldn''t be left behind. Boreas went out to gather the supplies. Earl and Cain exchanged glances and followed. Grabbing the resources before leaving was a no-brainer. To their surprise, Ivy''s castle had the most resources, more than the three of them combined! "That bitch deserved to die," Cain spat. Ivy had gone back on their agreement, trying to hoard the resources and leave the Alliance. It was despicable. This was why they hadn''t helped her, choosing to stand by. Luckily, they hadn''t intervened, or Ruby might have killed them. The three quickly gathered all the resources, not wasting a moment, then returned to their castles. Boreas contacted his friends, and the three abandoned their castles, preparing to move. With three flashes of white light, the last three castles vanished, leaving the Barren Plains in silence¡ªa wasteland slowly dissipating in the wind. Chapter 175: Only the victors were remembered [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends]The sky darkened as the battle in the southern swamp concluded. Alex handed over three captured Monarch-level beings to Lilith as a token of gratitude for her assistance. As for Satan, Alex gave him two thousand corpses. While he didn''t need Monarch-level bodies, Commanding-level cannon fodder was still quite useful to him. Regarding the loot from the slain Lords, Alex had killed the most and wanted to share some with Satan and Lilith, but they insisted on declining, so she let it go. Alex divided the remaining Monarch-level corpses, summoning various undead: two bone dragons, two zombie titans, two ghost dragons, and more. Alex''s Monarch-level strength now totaled fourteen, a significant advantage. As an undead Lord, war only made her stronger. Seeing this, even Lilith and Satan felt a twinge of envy. With the undead''s unique trait, Alex''s power growth was undoubtedly the fastest among all Lords. For the remaining Commanding-level troops, Alex used summoning to bolster her ranks with various high-level undead. Although she had a 65K-strong undead army, most were weaker undead. The powerful ones were too few. High-level undead couldn''t be double-summoned, but Alex could now specify what undead she wanted to summon. The battlefield was quickly cleared by the undead, and Alex disassembled all the corpses, not wasting any resources. She busied herself on the battlefield, as the undead couldn''t help with disassembly. So, Alex had to do it herself. Satan''s eye twitched. This woman was incredibly frugal, not even sparing the corpses. These corpses only provided basic materials, and all combined, they weren''t as valuable as the loot from a single slain Lord. For example, stone giants, thunderbirds, and unicorns didn''t have weapons in life, so they wouldn''t drop Monarch-level equipment in death. "All done," Alex said, walking over after disassembling all the corpses. Suddenly, Alex remembered something and quickly asked Ruby. Learning that Ruby hadn''t checked the loot after killing the Lords, Alex immediately sent undead to see if the resources were still there. Nearly twenty Lords'' worth of loot was a significant fortune. But Alex suspected the resources were already gone. The Justice Alliance had fled, and it was reasonable to assume they took the loot with them. If Alex were in their shoes, she would have done the same. The undead army had suffered losses in this battle. Some troops were highly effective against Standard-level undead. Though many Standard-level undead had perished, it was worth it. Through the corpses, Alex''s undead army numbered close to 66K, with fourteen Monarch-level beings. Seeing this formidable lineup, Alex felt a surge of excitement. To hell with the Silverbeard Clan and the hobgoblin kingdom¡ªshe was going to crush them! Alex''s next goal was clear: to clear out all surrounding forces for better development, except for the Dark Forest. "It''s getting dark, and everything''s settled here. Why don''t you all stay for dinner at my castle? Let''s celebrate," Alex suggested. === All day, the Lords in the World Chat had been waiting for news. Though they hadn''t participated in the attack on Alex, they were eager to see the outcome. In the morning, many Lords had boasted in the World Chat about their plans to defeat the undead Lord. A day had passed with no updates. Soon, some Lords noticed something odd. The leaderboard was still up, and seeing the blacked-out names of first and second-tier Lords, while Alex''s ID remained green, the battle''s outcome was clear. [CerealKiller]: "Shocking!! The Lord Alliance couldn''t defeat the undead Lord!" [PurrfectStorm]: "Holy fuck! It''s true? How did they lose?" [SofaKingCool]: "Wow, that''s so cool. This is a true powerhouse. Miss Alex, do you need more undead? I''m willing to offer my summoned troops daily for you to transform into undead. Please take me as your subject!" [Boggle]: "Bunch of idiots. That undead Lord isn''t worth a hobgoblin kingdom''s toe!" [WombRaider]: "Traitors, fuck off!" ... On another continent, in a desert wasteland, five castles stood. Chi-Chi, having received confirmation of Alex''s victory, was overjoyed. Initially, hearing that Alex hadn''t fled but chose to fight had made Chi-Chi anxious. After all, facing such overwhelming odds seemed impossible. "I told you Miss Alex is amazing. Those Lords are just trash!" Chi-Chi sighed in relief, and Luca and Chi-Chi''s father shared a knowing smile. They had worried that Chi-Chi''s submission to another Lord meant putting their lives in someone else''s hands. But given the circumstances, it was the only way to survive. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Chi-Chi''s submission to Alex had turned out to be a blessing. Alex was incredibly powerful. Submitting to her meant gaining her protection, greatly increasing Chi-Chi''s chances of survival. Now, with Alex displaying such overwhelming strength, many Lords would be vying to submit to her, but they wouldn''t have the chance. With Alex''s Alliance defeating over a hundred Lords, the negative talk about undead in the World Chat had mysteriously vanished. Now, there was only fear of Alex. In this world, strength was everything. In the castle, Alex personally cooked for the three of them. While her cooking wasn''t exceptional, she considered it decent. Soon, a variety of dishes made from strange vegetables and meats were served. Due to their bloodline'' influence, none of them could eat much. Lilith elegantly used a knife and fork, taking small bites. Satan ate quietly, saying nothing. As for Ruby, being a native race of this world, she didn''t know human etiquette and simply grabbed the food with her hands. Most of the food was eaten by Ruby. Despite her small size, she had the biggest appetite. "Mmm... so good! This is a hundred, no, a thousand times better than raw meat!" Ruby said, patting her stomach with satisfaction. "The negative talk in the World Chat has disappeared," Lilith said, wiping her mouth with a napkin and looking at the World Chat. The other two checked and saw that the discussions were now focused on Alex''s strength. Only the victors were remembered. "What? What are you talking about? What negative talk disappeared?" Ruby asked, confused, seeing the three of them tapping the air. "It''s the system," Satan explained, glancing at Ruby. But what Ruby heard was, "It''s ** (system)." "Huh?" Ruby was even more confused. Native races couldn''t see or hear anything about the system. "Oh, I almost forgot, you''re not a Lord," Alex said, standing up and clearing the plates. "You can think of it as a special ability among extraterrestrial visitors." "Our troops have been exposed," Satan said, seeing the discussions in the World Chat. The Lords knew that Alex and two other powerful Lords had formed an Alliance to defeat the enemy, and that the other two Lords had demon and fallen angel troops. "You two are famous now," Alex said with a smile. It was obvious that the escaped Lords had spread the word. Alex decided to use their own tactics against them. "What troops do those escaped Lords have?" Alex asked. They hadn''t brought their troops, so it was hard to tell. Raphaela was obvious, and she was likely dead. Alex knew Titus''s troops were titans, similar to zombie titans but more versatile. As for Magnus, Alex couldn''t identify him, and Drake had revealed too little. "Behemoths," Satan said. He had seen these beasts before. They had no special abilities but possessed high physical attack and armor-piercing capabilities. "The other one''s troops should be rock dragons. He used earth elements, so it must be Rock Dragons." The fallen angels'' battle with Drake had revealed enough to deduce this. Ruby also described the abilities of the Lord guarding the castle, and Satan guessed they were likely trolls. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex and Lilith looked at Satan in surprise, and he shrugged. "I''ve seen these creatures before. I''ve killed many of the weaker ones, so I recognize them." The three then shared information about their castle surroundings, planning to be long-term allies and needing to understand each other''s situations. After hearing each other''s stories, they fell silent. No wonder they were top-tier Lords; their experiences were rich and varied. Each had thought they were the first or only Monarch-level, but they were wrong. Lilith had developed by stealing resources from sea and elf races. Satan was in a high-risk, high-reward abyss. His original demons were only twelve, but they developed the fastest, with base levels different from other Lords'' troops. The twelve demons started at lv5 Standard, accelerating Satan''s early development. The abyss was filled with powerful races but had few inhabitants, requiring careful progress. All three had grown rapidly under high pressure, combined with their strong troops, to reach their current strength. Chapter 176: Harvest and upgrades After their discussion, Lilith and Satan returned to their respective castles.As for Ruby, she hadn''t had enough fun yet and decided to stay at Alex''s castle. After all, the castle was huge with plenty of rooms. The three chatted late into the night. After summoning her troops, Alex planned to rest, leaving the distribution of resources for the next day. When Alex returned to her castle, she was astonished to see the nearly overflowing warehouse. This time, she had truly struck it rich. In the White Rock Mountains, Sophie also breathed a sigh of relief. This battle had directly doubled Alex''s strength. Now, Alex had enough power to rely on war to grow rapidly. After reaching Monarch level, Alex''s experience points could accumulate. In other words, she could control when to level up. Even if she didn''t level up immediately, the experience points would continue to accumulate and wouldn''t be wasted. Theoretically, a lv1 Monarch level could save enough experience to jump straight to lv9 Monarch level. Alex glanced around her castle and, seeing the red moon in the sky, suddenly paused. There was a detail she hadn''t noticed until now. During the day, it was always overcast with no sun, but at night, the moon appeared, meaning the night sky was clear. Why was it overcast during the day but clear at night? "Strange." "Alex, goodnight!" Ruby''s head popped out from the fifth floor, pulling Alex from her thoughts. "Goodnight." Alex entered the castle, ready to take a bath and sleep. The night passed without incident. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex hurriedly got up, and began dressing. She used her accumulated experience to level up, jumping two levels to lv3 Monarch level. "Why does leveling up as a Monarch level seem to require less experience than going from lv9 Commanding to lv1 Monarch level? Maybe it''s because it''s a major rank jump?" Alex brushed her hair, dressed, and walked out of the castle. Defeating Galvin''s alliance had brought Alex a massive haul. So many resources awaited distribution, and she felt this would lead to a significant power boost. A necromancer approached Alex, reporting on the situation in the Barren Plains from the previous day. It had returned last night, but Alex was already asleep, so it had waited at the castle gate until now. "Barren Plains is completely empty?!" Alex was furious. There were no castles left in the Barren Plains, and the Elemental Alliance had moved out. Whether Grom or the Elemental Alliance took the resources, Alex didn''t know. However, this was expected by Alex¡ªfinders keepers, after all. Although the Elemental Alliance had fled, this was actually beneficial. The area was now thoroughly cleared, with no Lords left to interfere with Alex''s development. Alex decided to upgrade her town and Barracks first, as they were the most crucial and their resource requirements didn''t conflict. Her town, originally lv5, was upgraded to the maximum level, lv9. Alex didn''t know what changes would occur beyond that. With resources running low, Alex saved some for upgrading the wall. [town level: lv9 (max)] [Health Points: 150k] [town area: 40 square miles] [Territory Area: 75 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special Buildings: Maiden''s Wardrobe, Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Maiden''s Bedroom, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon, Crystal Shield] [Upgrade Requirements: 300k wood, 250k stone, 30k iron ingots.] Alex then upgraded the wall to Monarch level defense. Commanding level defense was now as flimsy as paper to her. The wall''s appearance didn''t change much, still black but looking sturdier. Other defensive structures were also enhanced with the town''s upgrade, so Alex didn''t need to upgrade them separately. With the wall upgraded, she turned to the Barracks. The Barracks were upgraded four levels, and to Alex''s surprise, new races could be unlocked. [undead crystal: lv20 (unique Barracks)] [Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancers, liches, Destroyers, Ghouls, Reaper Guards (random fifty), with a very low chance to summon a race king. Summoned troops'' base level increased to lv7 Standard.] [Unlocked special fixed units: Acolyte, Dark Alchemy Warlock] [Upgrade Requirements: 55k magic crystals, 550 Essence Shards.] Alex had unlocked thirteen undead races so far, which she found a bit strange. "How many undead races are there?" Unlike the other lords, who had single-type troops, Alex commanded an entire array of undead species. Seeing nearly half the Warehouse''s resources gone, Alex''s castle had been significantly strengthened. With some resources left, not enough for further upgrades, Alex upgraded Sophie''s Barracks and castle by three levels each. Alex then went to the Barracks to summon her troops. This time, she was pleased to see the newly unlocked troops. The Reaper Guards resembled the Grim Reaper, wearing black robes, floating, and lacking a physical form. Their weapon was a short scythe connected to a long chain with strange runes. They exuded a mysterious aura, fitting for undead. One of their skills was teleportation, allowing them to instantly appear by Alex''s side, serving as her protectors. The Reaper Guards had an Emperor level cap, with high potential. If she had more corpses, Alex would summon a Monarch-level Reaper Guard to see its power. "Go do what you need to do." Alex waved them off. They were born at lv7, so reaching Commanding level should be easy. Alex then checked on the three race kings'' levels after the battle. Arthur was lv7 Commanding, John was lv8 Commanding, and Azure was lv9 Commanding. "Why do they level up so slowly? And why is Arthur leveling up even slower?" Maybe because their level cap was Divine, their leveling speed was slower? "Whatever, I''ll take it one step at a time." Alex left the Barracks and saw Ruby yawning as she came downstairs. "Alex, why are you up so early?" "Just a habit." "I helped you a lot this time. How are you going to thank me? Remember what I said last time?" Ruby teased. "Ah, you mean visiting a human city? Do you know where one is?" Alex asked, stumping Ruby. She had lived in cold regions and didn''t know where human cities were. Ruby looked at Alex expectantly. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "I''m an extraterrestrial visitor. I don''t know where human cities are either." Ruby deflated at Alex''s words. "We''ll have to wait for another time." Alex knew the general direction of the Starfallen Empire but didn''t mention it. It was dangerous, with unknown strength, and she didn''t want to risk taking Ruby there. The Starfallen Empire, supported by the mage association, was likely stronger than the hobgoblin and dwarf kingdoms. Alex wouldn''t take Ruby to human territory, where escape would be difficult if they were targeted. With the recent upgrades, Alex''s castle territory had expanded significantly, now bordering the Dark Forest. Further expansion might encroach on the forest''s outskirts. Despite the large castle, it lacked life. Aside from Alex and Ice Cream, there were no living beings in the castle. This contrasted sharply with Sophie''s lively castle. Alex had many tasks to handle, so Ruby mimicked human behavior and made her own breakfast. With her Monarch-level strength secured, Alex''s first thought was Chi-Chi. She planned to send a necromancer to protect them. A necromancer could summon an army, making it a formidable protector against Commanding-level Lords. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex contacted Luca, Chi-Chi''s brother, instead of Chi-Chi directly. If Luca was smart, he''d understand the immense advantage of having a Monarch-level protector. Unless he was foolish enough to think Alex''s necromancer had ulterior motives. But given Luca''s ability to infiltrate enemy alliances, he was clearly not the latter. Luca was overjoyed at Alex''s offer and expressed his gratitude. Alex didn''t waste words and invited Luca to join her Alliance. After leaving his own Alliance, Luca quickly joined Alex''s. [Big Boobs has joined the Alliance.] [Inferno]: "?" Seeing the names of the other two Lords in the Alliance, Luca was awestruck and didn''t dare speak. As the World Chat had said, these were top-tier Lords with demon and fallen angel troops. "You''ll go protect Chi-Chi and her family. Follow her instructions," Alex told the necromancer. "Yes, my queen." A Monarch-level necromancer disappeared into the Portal of Transit. Five minutes later, Luca left the Alliance. With the necromancer''s help, their safety was assured. While there were many strong beings in this world, Monarch-levels were rare. Alex handed the miscellaneous Commanding level equipment in the Warehouse to Sophie for handling. Next, she examined the special buildings and strange items dropped by the slain Lords, diving into the Warehouse for a closer look. "Energy Fruit, grants 1,000 experience points when consumed. This is great! Wait, why is it only for native races?" Alex looked at the green fruit in her hand, puzzled. It didn''t make sense for such a valuable item to be unused. Unbeknownst to Alex, the Lord who owned it had stone giants as troops, who couldn''t consume it. Without trading it, it had remained in the Warehouse, now a lucky find for Alex. "Undead can''t consume this either..." "Ruby, Ruby!" Alex called Ruby over, who came running with a piece of burnt meat in her mouth. "Here, take this." "What''s this?" Ruby sniffed the fruit, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "It looks super gross." "It grants 1,000 *** (experience points)." "Huh? 1,000 what?" "..." "I don''t want it. It has energy but tastes awful. I''m not eating it." Since Ruby refused, Alex gave the Energy Fruit to Ice Cream, who swallowed it whole. With the 1,000 experience points, Ice Cream leveled up to lv7 Commanding. Alex continued examining the Warehouse items. "A beginner wind magic book, nice!" Alex spent 100 magic crystals to learn it but didn''t record it, planning to upgrade to mid-level later. "Elemental Shield, useless." "Contract Statue, for signing contracts? Useless." "Storm Cannon, requires manual operation, useless." ... Alex sifted through the Warehouse, finding most special structure blueprints unhelpful. Keeping them seemed pointless, but discarding them felt wasteful. While she couldn''t use them, Sophie could benefit greatly from most special buildings. "Wait, what''s this?" Alex found some blue energy stones and checked their information. [Enhancement Stones, can enhance special buildings, improving their level and quality.] "Such a good find?" Alex gathered all the Enhancement Stones, ten in total, and after five seconds of thought, decided to enhance the Bone Throne. The Bone Throne provided direct combat benefits, far more valuable than other buildings. The Magic Stone Pillar was unaffected, as it couldn''t raise the gargoyles'' level cap, which was fixed at King level. Alex enhanced the Bone Throne and upgraded it with resources. Now, the Bone Throne''s cap was King level, allowing Monarch-level Alex to enjoy a 1.5x experience boost. The remaining items were miscellaneous and not particularly useful. Not every slain Lord dropped special structure blueprints. Suddenly, Lilith sent a message in the Alliance chat. Lilith: "I found a group of captured dark elves. Alex, do you want them? Your castle is too empty. They can be your servants." Satan: "I want them too." Lilith: "I also have some male dark elves." Satan: "..." Alex: "Sure!" Chapter 177: Dark elves The elf race has many varieties, such as fire elves, light elves, dark elves, forest elves, storm elves, and more.Relations between the different races are not harmonious. Near Lilith''s castle is the forest elf kingdom, known for their expertise with bows and daggers and their excellent stealth abilities. Dark elves, on the other hand, have pale skin, slender bodies, and silver or platinum hair. They excel in using dark elements. Compared to forest elves, dark elves are more powerful but fewer in number. They were likely discovered and captured by the forest elves. Lilith noticed the dark elves'' white hair and their use of dark magic, which reminded her of Alex. Alex was still sorting through the special structure blueprints in the Warehouse, planning to check on the dark elves afterward. After going through the blueprints, she found few that were useful to her. Once she finished, Alex greeted Ruby and then headed to the Portal of Transit. Basic wind magic had little offensive power, but its main use was to assist Alex in flying, slightly increasing her speed. With a flash of orange-red light, Alex appeared in Lilith''s town. Splash! Alex heard the sound of crashing waves as she arrived. Looking around, she saw a towering cliff behind her, with turbulent waves crashing against the rocks below, creating a thunderous noise. "Why is the weather always so good on Arsen Continent?" Alex wondered aloud. Every time she came to Arsen, it was sunny and clear. "Not always. It rains occasionally," Lilith replied, walking over. She had seen the system notification when Alex teleported. "I didn''t realize there were so many types of elves. I thought they were like dwarves." "Of course not. On this continent, there are dwarves, elves, humans, orcs, trolls, goblins, and beastmen, each with varying strengths. Humans are the strongest, followed by elves, with dwarves being the weakest." Lilith, who could infiltrate other races with her troops, had a wealth of information. All the elf races combined ranked among the top three on Arsen Continent, though this didn''t include super races like humans, angels, and dragons, whose influence spanned all continents. Elves were confined to Arsen, making comparisons difficult. Among the elves, light elves were the strongest, followed by dark elves and storm elves. The other elves had similar strength levels. Alex also noticed the sea race in Lilith''s castle. These races, controlled by fallen angels, appeared normal, making it easy for them to return to their tribes and infiltrate. It was Alex''s first time seeing the sea race, and she was curious. Lilith shared some basic information about the sea race. The sea race under Lilith''s control weren''t true sea races. They lived in the sea and were collectively referred to as the sea race by land dwellers. True sea races were powerful, among the top races on the continent, with Divine beings ruling the seas beyond the seven continents. They had no conflicts with land races, maintaining a mutual non-aggression pact. While true sea races were strong, those under Lilith''s control were mostly Standard and Commanding level. Their combat power weakened on land, so Alex didn''t see their strength. "Are you planning to attack the elf kingdom?" Alex asked Lilith, who nodded. The forest elf kingdom''s king was a mid-level Monarch, not too difficult to deal with, similar in strength to the dwarf Silverbeard Clan. However, the Silverbeard Clan''s ruler had recently died, leaving no King level to defend them. The forest elves had more Monarch levels and strong combat power. Lilith didn''t plan a direct assault but intended to use the fallen angels'' abilities to incite conflict among the elf races, leading them to war. Though different, the elf races were still kin. They would oppress and exploit each other, but the defeated would become slaves rather than being exterminated, unlike the dwarves. "I have no choice. They''re in the way," Lilith said. To continue her development, she had to deal with the forest elves. Attacking the sea race was suicidal. "Do you want the dark elves to submit willingly or forcibly?" Lilith asked Alex. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Alex thought for a moment. Whether willing or forced, the result would be the same¡ªabsolute loyalty. Given Lilith''s information, elves seemed united, making voluntary submission unlikely. "Force them to submit. The result will be the same." Alex waited for the fallen angels to bring the dark elves. She wandered to the back of the castle, sitting down and dangling her legs over the cliff, gazing at the sea. "I never thought I''d see the ocean for the first time in a place like this." "Before coming to this world, I lived by the sea. Even here, I''m still by the sea. Whenever I miss home, I stand on the balcony and look at the ocean," Lilith said, joining Alex and looking out at the sea. Soon, the fallen angels brought the dark elf captives. There were about thirty to forty dark elves. Most were attractive, but a few were not. Seeing themselves brought to an extraterrestrial visitor''s castle and noticing some forest elves showing great respect to the visitor, these intelligent elves immediately sensed the danger. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The forest elves brought the dark elves before Alex and Lilith. Lilith, like a queen, exuded an invisible aura that intimidated the dark elves. She spoke slowly. "Submit or die. The choice is yours." "Despicable extraterrestrial visitors! You dream of making us submit!" one older dark elf shouted defiantly, despite the fear on the others'' faces. A fallen angel killed him and threw his body off the cliff, making the other dark elves tremble. Under Alex''s threats and promises, they eventually submitted to her. However, Alex didn''t take them all. Out of over thirty, she chose ten of the most attractive ones. She didn''t want the rest. "Greetings, Master," the ten dark elves said, bowing to Alex, who nodded in satisfaction. "If you need help, just ask," Alex said to Lilith before leaving. "I believe that day will come soon," Lilith replied with a smile, watching Alex enter the Portal of Transit. For the first time, the dark elves left Arsen Continent with Alex. Seeing so many Monarch levels in Alex''s castle, they were astonished. Their new Lord''s strength rivaled that of an elf kingdom! "You''ll live in the castle and handle logistics," Alex said. She didn''t plan to send them into battle. Staying in the castle was safe, with food and shelter, a good deal in this harsh world. The dark elves went to familiarize themselves with the castle, while Alex began planning the undead''s development. With a bit more resources, she could upgrade the town further. In two days, the leaderboard would end, and rewards would be distributed. Alex checked her ranking, still firmly in first place. With many first-tier Lords dead, four of the top ten were now Traitors. They occupied the seventh to tenth spots. The tenth name was familiar¡ª[Boggle]. Alex remembered him as the Traitor Lord who joined the hobgoblin kingdom and was very arrogant in the World Chat. With two days left, she wondered if she could find him before the leaderboard ended. But it didn''t matter. Alex was already secure in first place. Chapter 178: Three new Race Kings After the events at the snowy mountain, no other powerful forces had appeared, and things had remained peaceful for many days. Alex decided it was time for Ice Cream to go out and develop. After all, Ice Cream had a high level cap, and as Alex''s future mount, its strength needed to keep up.Additionally, the three Race Kings needed to level up quickly to reach Monarch level, which was the most important task at hand. Alex could finally relax for a couple of days. With more Monarch levels under her command, she didn''t need to handle everything personally. "Huh, Samson''s name has turned white. He''s become a Freelancer," Alex noticed. It seemed something had happened within the Elemental Alliance. In the evening, Alex and Ruby sat at the dining table, enjoying the delicious food cooked by the dark elves. Their culinary skills far surpassed Alex''s. Ruby was happily eating, her hands and feet moving in excitement. These dark elves had great potential as maids. Alex hadn''t eaten much before because she didn''t need to, but mostly because she was lazy. The twelve-story castle had hundreds of rooms, enough to accommodate hundreds of people. However, not everything could live in the castle. Alex had now categorized the undead. Aside from the three Race Sovereigns and the Monarch levels, no other undead were allowed inside the castle. Alex''s next goal was to locate the hobgoblin kingdom. They were her next target for development. As for the dwarves, she left them to Durin. If he couldn''t handle it, he would ask for her help. She had given them enough equipment to fight the Silverbeard Clan. After dinner, Alex and Ruby sat together, chatting. Alex told Ruby many fascinating things, leaving her amazed. "We all have this strange feeling that killing extraterrestrial visitors will drop special items. I think this intuition is why races and extraterrestrial visitors can''t coexist peacefully." "According to our system prompts, the final outcome might be that most extraterrestrial visitors will die. As for how to conquer, we don''t really know." "Do you miss home?" Ruby asked. "Of course. No one wants to be dragged into something like this. I guess many chose to commit suicide, while others are desperately trying to develop under immense pressure." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They chatted late into the night. Alex then went to the Barracks. Since it was past midnight, she decided to summon her troops before going to bed. The Barracks glowed with the usual eerie green light. Alex didn''t bother with the ritual of touching her breast for luck anymore. Luck was a mysterious thing, after all. When the light faded, three exclamation marks appeared above Alex''s head. !!! Three unique undead forms caught Alex''s attention. There were three of them! Alex was already excited. The three undead were not large, so she hadn''t noticed anything unusual during the summoning. Zombie King: Its form was similar to that of the Black Warrior, clad in black armor, and its body appeared more human-like. The most striking feature was the long sword in its hand, burning with black flames¡ªdark magic. This meant that once it reached Monarch level, its close combat abilities would be terrifying, and it could fly using dark magic. Its weakness was obvious¡ªno ranged attacks. Similarly, the level cap for ordinary zombies was lifted. If John the Skeleton King was like a general, the Zombie King was more like a cold-blooded, invincible fighter. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Ghost Dragon King: Alex hadn''t seen a large form, but one of them was the Ghost Dragon King. Ghost dragons had no physical form, composed entirely of blue ghostly flames. As the king of its kind, the Ghost Dragon King burned with purple flames, a stark contrast to other ghost dragons. Ghost dragons, as high-level undead, had comprehensive abilities, including single-target and area attacks, support, and healing. The Ghost Dragon King''s most powerful support skill was a group shield that protected undead souls from soul damage. Alex was most pleased to summon them. Compared to their attributes and skills, nothing surprised her. Each Race King had at least three skills, so Alex wasn''t surprised, just curious about their unique abilities. Satan and Lilith''s twelve demons and eight fallen angels were equivalent to Alex''s Race Kings. They had their powerful troops from the very beginning, whereas Alex had to slowly gather her race kings through summoning. The last figure was the most intriguing undead to Alex because it didn''t look like an undead. It resembled a human in blue heavy armor. Unlike John, whose helmet revealed his skeletal face, this one''s helmet was fully enclosed, with blue glowing eyes emitting a chilling aura. "What is this?" Lich King! It was the Lich King, a name Alex had known even before understanding undead. Clad in blue armor, with a crown-like helmet adorned with upward spikes, a tattered black cloak on its shoulders, and a blue-glowing sword in its hand. The Lich King''s skills shocked Alex¡ªfive in total. Frost and dark magic, bones and skeleton magic were its basic abilities. Its summoning ability was a combination of lich and necromancer, able to create skeleton undead and summon other undead races. Compared to the Ghost Dragon King''s shield, the Lich King was more powerful. It could reignite soul flames, resurrecting undead in the truest sense, even those whose soul flames had been extinguished. Combined with its close combat abilities, Alex knew the Lich King would be her greatest asset. "Your most loyal servants greet you, esteemed Queen," the undead said in unison, bowing to Alex. This was Alex''s luckiest summoning ever, gaining three Race Kings at once. "From now on, you''ll be called Crane (Zombie King), Riven (Ghost Dragon King), and Arthas (Lich King)!" "Thank you, Queen, for the names!" Alex waved them off to develop on their own. Though their potential was high, they were currently weak, only lv7 Standard, and couldn''t help Alex much. These Race Sovereigns were highly intelligent, with Arthas and Azure being the smartest, followed by John and Crane. Arthur and Riven had intelligence comparable to liches and necromancers. They had normal human intelligence and thinking but couldn''t command undead armies with tactical precision. But it didn''t matter. With undead troops, sheer numbers were enough. Who needed strategy? Alex went to bed, finally able to relax. The undead needed time to develop, and raising the Race Sovereigns'' overall strength was crucial. Currently, the outskirts of the Dark Forest were the best place for them to level up. With the town''s upgrade, the Dark Forest was now connected to Alex''s territory. She wouldn''t miss the resources on its outskirts. Though the Dark Forest''s depths held terrifying beings, the outskirts were a different world. With Alex at Monarch level and a massive undead army, as long as she avoided the depths, there was no danger. Chapter 179: Elemental beings of light and dark [Night retreats, dawn arrives]In the White Rock Mountains, Sophie''s dwarves had captured a herd of beasts near the mountain''s edge, allowing Sophie to finally reach Commanding level. The White Rock Mountains were slightly smaller in area compared to the Frostwind snowy mountain. Heading north from the White Rock Mountains led to the Silverbeard Clan''s stronghold, Grimstone. To the south, beyond the White Rock Mountains, lay numerous smaller hills. Unlike the barren peaks of the White Rock Mountains, these hills were lower and covered in vegetation. The area featured sparse forests, uneven hills, and several rivers running through it. If Alex were here, she would notice that, unlike the plains north of the White Rock Mountains, there were no signs of intelligent life in this region. At this moment, a specter was flying southward, having traveled far from the White Rock Mountains. They were ordered to scout the surroundings and would continue flying in the same direction unless they encountered something unusual. The White Rock Mountains had long been scouted by the undead. Including Sophie, there were only three Lords, but Alex had already eliminated the other two. The specter flew for an unknown duration, and the forest below began to thicken. In the forest below, trees swayed, and countless birds and beasts scattered in all directions. Shouts and cries echoed as a group charged in one direction. The specter''s eyes glowed, and it immediately changed direction to follow. In the forest was a group of orcs. They had wide mouths, fur-covered bodies, tails, and intelligence comparable to humans. Overall, they looked like large, muscular beings with few remaining animal traits, appearing more humanoid but taller and stronger than humans. They wore rough, beast-skin clothing, with teeth decorations on their chests and noses, wielding large bones as weapons. The orcs were excited, charging in one direction. Dozens of miles ahead, by a wide lake, stood two castles. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The orcs were attacking these two Lords. Inside one of the castles, a man and a woman sat together, the man looking irritated. "These orcs are relentless!" Reports from their troops informed him that the orcs were attacking again. Since discovering them, the orcs had frequently harassed them. The orc camp wasn''t close, and their attacks weren''t particularly threatening. What worried and annoyed the man was the orcs'' persistence, attacking almost daily. As the attacks increased, so did the orcs'' strength. The man feared that one day they wouldn''t be able to fend off the orcs. "This time, let''s deal with them and find a way to leave. We can''t develop like this," the girl said, her face troubled. "They''re almost here. Let''s prepare for battle," the man said resolutely, pulling the girl up to go outside. Both were first-tier Lords, not the top but among the upper ranks. They were both lv7 Commanding level, with special troops and great potential. While not as powerful as Alex, they could at least protect themselves. Unfortunately, they had encountered an orc camp. The orcs were stubborn, never giving up despite repeated failures. On average, they attacked every two days, starting with a few Standard-level orcs and now numbering in the thousands, with countless Commanding levels. The specter followed the orcs'' charge and saw the lake and castles in the distance. If it had only seen other races, it might not have reported, but discovering other Lords required a report. The specter turned back, and on its way, it spotted another orc unit. This unit was different in decoration and slower, clearly from a different camp. The specter, with its basic judgment and intelligence, was Alex''s preferred scout. The specter returned to the castle as quickly as possible and reported to Sophie. "Two Lords discovered?" Sophie listened to the specter''s report. According to its description, the Lords'' castles were far away, even farther than Grimstone. "Orcs, huh? I''ve never seen them and know nothing about them. I''ll go personally to gather information on the orcs and those two Lords," Sophie decided. Sophie had a plan. It was just two Lords, not worth bothering Alex with. She would report back after gathering information. To get information from the orcs and Lords, strength was needed. The specter couldn''t handle this task. Sophie couldn''t either, but the necromancer in the castle was formidable. As a Lord, Sophie could gather more details. Sending the necromancer alone might only result in bringing back a horde of undead. Soon, Sophie mounted a griffin and, with the necromancer, flew south of the White Rock Mountains. Without Monarch levels, Sophie had no worries. If there were Monarch levels, the specter would have been detected. Few Lords had Monarch-level strength, and Sophie doubted she would randomly encounter two such Lords. Without Monarch levels, the necromancer was invincible. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Meanwhile, by the lake south of the White Rock Mountains. The man, named Xiao Mu, had extremely rare elemental troops. This was why he was in the first tier and had some confidence. His troops were called Light Phoenix, elemental beings formed from light, resembling large golden birds. Each Light Phoenix had long golden feathers formed from light elements. Their attacks were like lasers, causing explosions on the ground and killing orcs. The orcs were prepared, with orc shamans spreading green mist that polluted the Light Phoenix, allowing the orcs to kill them. Xiao Mu wielded a light sword formed from light elements, becoming a light shadow and charging into the orc army. This attack was fiercer than usual, worrying both of them. They had to fight personally. Their troops were being depleted, while the orc attacks never ceased. The girl''s troops were the opposite of Xiao Mu''s, dark elemental beings called Dark Jiao. Dark Jiao flew like dark loongs (Eastern dragons), breathing black flames of pure dark elements, burning souls and impossible to extinguish by conventional means. Similar to Alex''s dark magic, dark magic manipulated dark elements, while Dark Jiao were formed from them. Normally, dark and light elemental beings would be mortal enemies, never allying. But the girl, named Xiao Hui, was Xiao Mu''s sister. Both had top-tier elemental troops and, by chance, had come together. They had been developing here, seeking a place to survive on this continent. But since being discovered by the orcs, trouble had been constant. Initially, they thought it was a good thing, as the weak orcs provided experience. But they soon realized their mistake. The orc camp was like a persistent fly, never giving up until it was finally defeated. This time, the orc attack numbered in the thousands, with over a hundred Commanding levels, pushing the siblings to their limits. Dark Jiao and Light Phoenix flew in the sky, gold and black figures attacking the orcs below. The orcs had countermeasures for Dark Jiao, each warrior equipped with containers to store light elements, using Light Phoenix''s light elements to counterattack Dark Jiao. These containers couldn''t absorb dark elements and would be damaged, so the orc shamans polluted the Light Phoenix to kill them. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui fought silently, killing orcs with their elemental powers. Elemental beings didn''t tire, but Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui did. The orcs were large and tough, hard to kill even with their powers. After a long battle, most orcs were dead or injured, and the Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao had suffered significant losses. The siblings were exhausted, their elemental powers draining their stamina and soul energy. Sophie, riding her griffin, arrived and circled high above. As the specter reported, the orcs were fighting the two Lords. Sophie arrived as the battle was nearing its end. Another orc unit was stealthily following the first, but the first unit was dead. The second unit would likely track them to the Lords'' castles. The second unit was stronger than the first. In their current state, the Lords would be doomed if they encountered it. "What are those troops?" Sophie wondered, seeing the Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao. "Elemental beings of light and dark." The necromancer, a Monarch-level mage, sensed the elemental fluctuations. "Elemental beings of light and dark?!" Sophie was surprised. If so, their strength was top-tier, even if not the strongest Lords. Sophie worried if a Monarch-level necromancer could handle them but quickly realized her foolishness. The ground was littered with thousands of orc corpses. How could the necromancer lose? Initially, Sophie planned to capture them for information. But seeing their troops, she changed her mind. Dark elemental beings would be useful to Alex, and she wanted to try recruiting them. If recruitment failed, she would kill them. As for the light elements, they were enemies. Sophie felt they should be killed but decided Alex should make the final decision. Sophie was glad she came personally but puzzled. "Strange, why would light and dark elemental beings ally?" Chapter 180: Orc camp The strength of this wave of orcs wasn''t particularly high, and their numbers were dwindling, soon to be wiped out. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui focused intently, fully engaged in the battle, completely unaware of Sophie high above.Suddenly, Xiao Hui stumbled and fell to her knees. Xiao Mu, quick to react, blocked a fatal blow from a Commanding level orc, pushing it back. "Are you okay?" Xiao Mu asked, keeping his eyes on their surroundings without turning to look at Xiao Hui. "I''m fine, just a bit tired..." Xiao Hui replied, sounding dejected. Hearing this, Xiao Mu immediately picked her up and retreated to the castle. He didn''t say a word, gently laying her down and covering her with his coat. "Take care of yourself," he said before charging back into the fray. Xiao Mu was also injured, but his wounds were not as severe. Aside from some blood loss, his combat ability was largely unaffected. However, Xiao Hui didn''t recover as quickly. Once injured, she would remain weak for about twenty minutes, which was extremely dangerous on the battlefield. Before Xiao Mu could finish off the orcs, another orc unit arrived, launching a fresh assault. Both the previous orcs and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s troops were seen as enemies by this new orc unit, which attacked indiscriminately. Xiao Mu''s face darkened, feeling a sense of despair. This new orc unit was more elite and numerous than the previous one. Even at their peak, they couldn''t guarantee they could fend them off. The original orc unit was quickly slaughtered, and Xiao Mu was forced to retreat, nearing the town''s territory. The town''s defense towers activated, sensing the enemy''s invasion. Xiao Hui, hearing the commotion, came out to check. The sight before her was despairing: countless orc warriors charging at the town. To resist the orc charge, the Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao had abandoned their aerial advantage, fighting on the ground to block the orcs. Xiao Mu, already exhausted, was injured again in the struggle. Ignoring her own weakened state, Xiao Hui rushed to fight alongside him. "Brother, I don''t think we can hold out this time," Xiao Hui said. "Stay strong. Don''t give up until the last moment," Xiao Mu replied. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though both had reached lv8 Commanding level, the orc leader was a pseudo-Monarch level, with two lv9 Commanding level guards. They were no match. "Excuse me, but it seems you two could use a little help," Sophie said, suddenly appearing around Xiao Mu''s castle. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were startled, turning to see two figures and a griffin behind them. From their attire, they immediately recognized Sophie as a Lord. But Sophie didn''t wait for a response. As she spoke, the necromancer had already acted. Bones Domain activated instantly, and the orcs before Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were pierced by bones and killed. The siblings were shocked, realizing the necromancer was a undead, not a Lord. The orc leader, a pseudo-Monarch level, was familiar with domains. Seeing the opponent was a Monarch level, it didn''t flee but instead joined its two guards in attacking the necromancer. These orcs seemed to have lost their minds, showing no fear of the Monarch level. The biggest difference between Monarch and Commanding levels was the domain. Though the orc leader had Monarch-level strength, without a domain, it couldn''t be considered a true Monarch level. The domain''s gap couldn''t be bridged by attributes alone. The necromancer''s attack displayed immense pressure, with endless bones easily piercing the two lv9 Commanding level orc guards and trapping the orc leader. Other orc warriors abandoned their attack on Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and their troops, swarming the necromancer instead. To them, the necromancer was a frail mage with a staff. Even a Monarch level would die if overwhelmed. Unfortunately, the orcs didn''t understand undead. They had high battle lust but couldn''t kill the necromancer. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were stunned. A Monarch-level undead was too powerful, capable of fighting thousands of orcs alone. As more orcs died, Sophie finally relaxed. She had been gripping the griffin''s reins, ready to fly away if the necromancer was overwhelmed. The necromancer wouldn''t die, but the time it took to revive could be enough for the orcs to kill her. But she had underestimated the necromancer and overestimated the orcs. The ground trembled as more undead rose from the corpses. The necromancer summoned over three thousand corpses, creating more than six thousand undead. In an instant, the undead outnumbered the orcs, engaging them in battle. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Initially, the orcs looked down on the undead, but they soon realized the undead couldn''t be killed. Skeletons, zombies, death conquerors, specters, ghouls, and gargoyles began slaughtering the orcs. Green blood stained the ground as the undead multiplied, and for the first time, fear appeared on the orc warriors'' faces. The necromancer''s growth cap was King level. Though it could double summon, it couldn''t summon undead beyond its level cap. Thus, it couldn''t summon high-level undead like liches, bone dragons, or Destroyers. The necromancer''s Bones Domain covered the battlefield, ceasing its attack and flying into the sky to prevent the enemy''s escape. Sophie stood with undead guards summoned from the two lv9 Commanding orc guards, watching the two Lords. "These are... undead!" If the siblings hadn''t recognized the necromancer''s troop before, the summoned skeletons made it clear. Xiao Mu was shocked. He knew the undead Lord was on Eldoria, so why were there undead on Arsen? Xiao Hui looked at Sophie with concern. The Monarch-level necromancer and the undead summoned from orc corpses were beyond their ability to handle. The undead''s power shattered their understanding. A Monarch level could summon ten thousand undead in an instant, each one unkillable. What a terrifying troop. Xiao Mu knew they had no choice. Regardless, the other party had saved them. "Thank you for your assistance, Undead Lord," Xiao Mu said. Xiao Hui quickly followed, "Thank you for saving us." Sophie, seeing their similar faces, understood why light and dark elemental beings could ally. They were siblings. "Why are these orcs attacking you? I saw their camp was far from here," Sophie asked, adopting a friendly approach. "These orcs are a bit crazy. They attack nearby Lord territories for no reason every so often," Xiao Hui explained, with Xiao Mu occasionally adding details. There had been other Lords to the south, but some died resisting beast tides, and others were killed by orcs after their novice protection period ended. The siblings had survived due to their strength, but even a small orc camp had a Monarch-level leader. In the orc society, only Monarch levels could establish camps. Orcs governed by camps were similar to feudal lords. Monarch levels could create camps and receive land from the empire or stay in their original camp. The empire allocated land based on strength. To grow stronger, one had to defeat other camp leaders and annex their camps. Theoretically, a strong enough camp could overthrow the empire, becoming the new ruler. But in reality, the royal camp had remained unchallenged for thousands of years. Other camps couldn''t even shake it. Orcs valued freedom and power, leading to constant camp conflicts. The royal camp never intervened, as this was their belief, producing strong orc warriors. Sophie understood this was different from the dwarf kingdom''s rule. This was why orcs were stronger, not because of unity. The more intelligent a being, the more it craved power and absolute rule. "So, this is within the orc empire''s territory?" "This area is called the Emerald Hills. There are many orc camps here. The further south you go, the stronger the camps. The orc empire has no defined borders; they claim to be an empire," Xiao Hui explained, seeing Sophie''s interest in the orc empire. With her strength, ruling the Emerald Hills would be easy. "So, the orc camps aren''t united?" "On the contrary, orcs fight among camps, but they unite against external threats, fighting to the death," Xiao Mu explained. He described the orcs as vengeful mad dogs. "By the way, what are your names?" Sophie asked, as the battle ended and the necromancer returned. "I''m Xiao Hui, and this is my brother, Xiao Mu." "How about submitting to the undead Lord? The orcs won''t be a threat, and you''ll have security," Sophie suggested, her tone leaving little room for refusal. This was the confidence Alex had given her. Chapter 181: Youve finally arrived Even though Sophie''s tone wasn''t particularly harsh, Xiao Mu could sense that this wasn''t a negotiation.At the same time, Xiao Mu picked up on a crucial detail in Sophie''s words. She said "Submission to the undead Lord," not "Submission to her." "You''re not the undead Lord?" Xiao Mu asked. "Of course not. I''m just her subject. She''s still on Eldoria," Sophie revealed, hinting that the undead Lord they would be submitting to was the same one currently being hunted by many Lords on Eldoria. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui weren''t fools. They quickly pieced it together. The controversy surrounding the undead Lord hadn''t died down, and the information shared by Lords in the World Chat was plentiful. They knew all about it. So, the person before them wasn''t the undead Lord. She didn''t have that kind of aura anyway. Xiao Mu thought about it. Sophie must be a Lord from Arsen who had submitted to the undead Lord, allowing the undead Lord to expand across two continents. They had no choice. Even if given the opportunity, the complete annihilation of two orc camps meant they might not find allies in time to relocate before another attack. Moving two people was much harder than one. An Alliance could only have five members, and the two of them would take up two slots, making it unlikely anyone would accept them. Xiao Mu didn''t want to be separated from Xiao Hui. His primary concern was his sister''s safety. Submitting to someone meant placing their lives in another''s hands. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui exchanged a silent, conflicted look. "Can''t we form an Alliance?" Xiao Hui suggested. They could offer resources and pathways to conquer the orc camps. "Alliances are built on equal strength and trust, which we can''t guarantee," Xiao Mu explained, telling her that the undead Lord wouldn''t ally with weak Lords like them. "Exactly. The undead Lord''s allies are demons and fallen angels, each with several Monarch levels. They''re incredibly powerful. Think it over," Sophie said, implying they were too weak for an Alliance. Sophie, as Alex''s subordinate, now had a Monarch-level dwarf. With the leaderboard refresh, she would surely enter the first tier. "No need to think it over. We agree to submit," Xiao Mu said, understanding that their element troops were likely the reason for the offer. Other Lords wouldn''t have bothered with so much talk. "Good. That''s a wise decision. I''ll inform the undead Lord immediately," Sophie said, smiling at the fruitful outcome. "Wait, the undead Lord doesn''t know about this yet?!" Xiao Mu was stunned, and Xiao Hui was equally shocked. Even if they submitted, the undead Lord''s acceptance was uncertain. They felt a surge of anger, thinking Sophie was toying with them, but her next words reassured them. "Don''t worry. If she doesn''t agree, I''ll release you and leave with the undead," Sophie said. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui watched nervously as Sophie accessed the system interface. Sophie: "Big Shot, south of White Rock Mountains is Emerald Hills, within the orc empire. I, along with a necromancer, wiped out two orc units, summoning 10K undead. We also found two Lords." In her castle, Alex saw Sophie''s message and checked her system interface, seeing 999+ messages. Sophie was right; she hadn''t noticed. Alex was puzzled. If Sophie found two Lords, why not just eliminate them? Why contact her? Sophie: "Big Shot, they''re light and dark elemental lords. They admire you and want to submit willingly. Will you accept them?" Light and dark lords? Alex was intrigued. No wonder Sophie contacted her. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Elemental troops were high-level. While becoming top-tier Lords might be challenging, they could easily be upper first-tier. Cain''s fire elements and Earl''s earth elements were mid-first-tier. Light and dark elements were top-tier. Unless the Lords were incompetent, they wouldn''t be weak. At least the siblings had some combat ability and great potential, giving Alex control over two elemental troops. Alex: "Yes." Sophie: "Great. I''ll have them add you!" Sophie closed the system interface, and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui watched her, waiting. "She agreed. Add her yourselves," Sophie said. They sighed in relief, though their feelings were mixed. They opened the system interface and searched for Alex''s name to send friend requests. [Dragonridge] requests to add you as a friend! ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? [Phoenixcrest] requests to add you as a friend! Alex accepted their friend requests, and soon their submission requests popped up. With the ceremony complete, Alex felt a strange connection. She checked their subject information for a preliminary understanding. [Territory Lord: Xiao Mu/Xiao Hui] [Strength: lv8 Commanding level/lv8 Commanding level] [Territory Level: lv4 town/lv4 town] [Barracks Level: lv14 Light Crystal/lv14 Dark Crystal] [Special Buildings: defense tower, energy cannon.../Dark Pool, shield...] [Troops: Light Phoenix/Dark Jiao] [Equipment: None/None] No wonder they were siblings. Their development was balanced, with only special buildings differing. Alex guessed they shared resources for joint development. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui saw Alex''s information. She only displayed basic info, but it was enough to shock them. The gap in their strength was immense. "Don''t be too shocked. There''s more to come. Honestly, I was more shocked than you when I first met Alex. Now that you''ve submitted, I can take a shortcut back," Sophie said, preparing to return via the Portal of Transit with the undead. "Wait, is she easy to get along with?" Xiao Hui asked, worried about the undead Lord''s temperament. "Forgot to mention, she''s quite nice. Though I submitted to her, she never treated me as a subordinate. I just help her as much as I can," Sophie reassured them. "How many subjects does she have?" Xiao Mu asked. "Technically, just me. There''s also a child she spared, who left to find their family," Sophie replied. "Is it that King Kong?" Xiao Hui remembered a Lord who hindered Alex''s development but wasn''t killed. "Yes!" With a flash of orange-red light, the three disappeared from Emerald Hills, followed by the undead. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu left Arsen for the first time, seeing Eldoria''s gloomy sky. Sophie hadn''t been here for days. As they walked through the town, they noticed new buildings and busy Dark Alchemy Warlocks. In open rooms, they saw dark alchemists experimenting with strange green potions. Alex''s castle had two subsidiary castles, representing her two subjects. Sophie saw these troops for the first time. The town was bustling with undead, making it look like an undead empire. The siblings recalled Sophie''s words about greater shocks ahead. Seeing Alex''s castle was a hundred times more impressive than just reading her info. "This is a true top-tier Lord!" "So powerful!" Sophie led them to the castle, ensuring a less awkward meeting. The castle gates and doors were open, giving them a direct view of the grand hall. In the dim light, a massive throne was faintly visible, with a small figure seated on it. Though they couldn''t see her face clearly, the white hair was unmistakable. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui knew the white-haired girl was the undead Lord. As they entered the castle, two dark elves greeted them with smiles and gestures. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui didn''t dare look around, feeling the figure on the throne watching them. As they approached, the figure raised her head and spoke in a chilling voice. "You''ve finally arrived!" Startled by her tone, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui froze. Chapter 182: Experience farm Sophie was utterly baffled. What was going on here?It had only been a few days, and Alex''s castle had changed so much. And the girl on the throne wasn''t Alex; it was the one who mastered spatial magic. "Ruby, what kind of prank are you pulling now?" A voice came from upstairs, and Ruby''s expression changed. She quickly vanished from the throne. Xiao Mu: ??? Xiao Hui: ??? "She''s not the undead Lord. This is," Sophie explained with a hint of exasperation. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui then saw Alex, with her white hair and wearing slippers, descending the stairs. Alex noticed Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. They looked about her age, both quite young. "Hello, Sophie, take them to the living room. I''ll go change," Alex greeted them and went back upstairs. "She''s really beautiful!" Xiao Hui said enviously. Sophie led the siblings to the castle''s hall to wait for Alex. During their wait, the servants thoughtfully brought them some water, as there wasn''t much else in the castle at the moment. Soon, Alex returned, now wearing a dress and with her hair tied up. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu were still a bit nervous, but Alex was very casual, chatting with them normally. "We''re all on the same side now, no need to be so formal." After some conversation, the siblings found Alex to be very approachable, without any airs. Sophie hadn''t lied to them, and they weren''t treated differently just because they had submitted to Alex. They soon discussed the orcs, and Alex, learning about their habits, couldn''t help but marvel. "Orcs, huh? I''ve heard they''re stronger than dwarves. That''s great; it''s like a natural experience farm!" "Experience farm?" Xiao Mu was puzzled. Do all Big Shots think this way? What they saw as a life-and-death enemy, Alex saw as a source of experience points. "Don''t look at me like that. Didn''t you say that as long as you don''t provoke them, you won''t anger all the orc camps? These two camps will keep attacking, bringing experience to us. Isn''t that an experience farm?" Alex didn''t have the strength to provoke the orc empire directly, but whether they attacked her or she attacked them, the result was the same. These orcs seemed to have lost their minds, with an intense battle lust that drove them to attack relentlessly. Other camps saw it as a private matter and wouldn''t unite against her. Alex already saw the opportunity for her six Race Kings to reach Monarch level. Well, four of them. Arthur and Riven were too large to pass through the portal. Alex''s logic was sound. Enemies that couldn''t defeat her would only make her stronger. "Indeed, farming experience this way is effective." "Any news from Grimstone?" Alex asked Sophie, who shook her head. The Silverbeard Clan had yet to make a move. Alex, now at lv3 Monarch level, no longer saw the Silverbeard Clan as a threat. If not for wanting the dwarves'' support, she would have wiped them out already. "The orc camps must be troublesome. If you find it hard to develop there, you can stay here. I''m right next to the Dark Forest, a forbidden area. I''ll send undead to guard Emerald Hills." Hearing Alex''s offer, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded. The orcs had worn them down, and their troops were severely depleted. They needed time to recover. Compared to the orc empire, the outskirts of the Dark Forest were at least populated by low-intelligence beasts that wouldn''t use tactics against elemental beings. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "Where should we focus our development?" Xiao Mu asked. "Here on Eldoria. The forces are more complex, allowing for faster growth. Emerald Hills will serve as a pathway to the orc empire." Facing an empire directly was impossible for early-stage Lords. Only in a place with complex forces and constant struggle could they maximize their potential. Also, Lilith was on Arsen. One Sophie was enough; Alex''s focus remained on Eldoria. Soon, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui built subsidiary castles here, on the left side of Alex''s castle, opposite Sophie and Chi-Chi''s castles. They moved some special-feature buildings but left the defensive and offensive facilities in their original castles. By noon, the servants had prepared a meal, and the four of them sat in the dining room, enjoying the food. The siblings, like Alex before, hadn''t had vegetables in a long time. The meat they ate was from some unknown animal, and they were tired of its strange taste. Xiao Hui watched Ruby devour her food, her ears twitching. So cute! Xiao Hui couldn''t resist wanting to touch her, but Sophie stopped her with a look and mouthed, "Don''t. She''s a Monarch level!" Startled, Xiao Hui quickly withdrew her hand and quietly ate her meal. Alex didn''t join them for lunch. Instead, she used the Portal of Transit to visit Emerald Hills. She wasn''t planning anything specific, just curious and wanted to take a look. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex looked north, seeing a blurry mountain range in the distance, likely the White Rock Mountains. It seemed far away. She also saw the elemental beings, which were different from Cain''s flame spirits. These elemental beings took animal forms. After a while, Alex returned to her castle. The four had finished their meal, and Sophie was about to leave when she ran into Alex. "By the way, send a Monarch-level lich to Grimstone to assist Durin." With more Monarch levels, Alex needed to allocate them wisely. She wasn''t satisfied with just Durin and 20K undead. "Got it." Sophie took a necromancer and a lich, one to guard her castle and the other to Grimstone. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were busy building their subsidiary castle. Alex returned to her castle and spoke to a nearby dark elf. "Summon John, Crane, Azure, Arthas, and have them take a necromancer and a lich to Emerald Hills." These six undead were more than enough to guard Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s castle. Alex''s main goal was to level them up to high Monarch level. "Yes, Master." Today was the last day of the leaderboard. After midnight, the rewards would be distributed. This would bring another wave of strengthening. With the system''s help, Lords progressed quickly. Alex''s resources were almost enough. By tomorrow, she could upgrade her town to the maximum level, though she didn''t know what changes would occur. Alex was filled with anticipation for the leaderboard rewards and the town upgrade. Chapter 183: The hidden hobgoblin kingdom South of the Dark Forest, in a very distant place.This was a vast plain, more desolate than the Barren Plains, with an environment harsher than a desert. The plain was filled with decay and desolation¡ªwithered leaves, dried-up riverbeds, and the rotting carcasses of animals long dead. A few vultures scared off a flock of crows, descending upon the carcasses to feast on the decaying flesh. In the distance, a few bare tree trunks stood as a testament to a once fertile land. The further south one went, the harsher the environment became. A weak antelope staggered forward, followed by a flock of crows, seemingly waiting for its death. The antelope hadn''t eaten for days and was extremely weak. Suddenly, it saw a shimmering lake in the distance¡ªwater. The antelope quickened its pace, hope igniting in its eyes. But just as it was about to reach the lake, a green figure, seemingly waiting for a long time, appeared. Clad in a robe and holding a staff twice its height, the figure stood beside a pile of animal corpses stacked like a small hill. The antelope, terrified, tried to turn and flee, but it was too late. White energy began to flow from its body, and the antelope grew weaker, finally collapsing and losing its life. The white energy gathered and flowed into the green figure. "Just a bit more, and the injuries I sustained at the snowy mountain will be healed. Damn those bastards!" Indeed, this hobgoblin was the Monarch-level hobgoblin Shaman, Snazzle, who had fled from the snowy mountain during the Godhead battle. Snazzle walked towards the lake, and with a flash of light, disappeared. The lake was not a lake at all but a barrier created using hobgoblin technology. The true hobgoblin kingdom lay beneath this barrier. Originally a massive basin, the hobgoblins, weak in power, had combined magic and technology to protect themselves from other forces. They had moved their kingdom into the basin and used technology to disguise it as a lake. South of the basin was what other forces believed to be the hobgoblin kingdom, but the elite hobgoblins had long since moved. What remained was a shell, inhabited only by common hobgoblins. This was why the undead hadn''t found the hobgoblin kingdom¡ªit was too far and too well-hidden. The Lord who constantly boasted in the World Chat, [Boggle], had her castle located in the basin from the start, sealing her fate. [Boggle], named Mary, had slime troops, the most basic kind. Mary was short and plump, but her appearance was favored by the hobgoblins. Mary thought she was doomed, but her ''beauty'' caught the eye of Muckmire, the eldest son of the current hobgoblin king and the next in line for the throne. Mary initially resisted, disliking the green creatures. But after repeated advances, she relented, finding it better than being tortured to death. Mary happily became Muckmire''s wife, and her status in the hobgoblin kingdom soared. Muckmire adored her, declaring he would marry no one else. Though Mary was human, no hobgoblin dared speak ill of her, not wanting to offend Muckmire. Mary enjoyed royal treatment in the hobgoblin kingdom and often boasted in the World Chat, believing no Lord could rival the hobgoblin kingdom. At this moment, Mary nestled in Muckmire''s arms, trying to appear delicate as they watched the monthly alchemy competition. "Darling, life under this barrier is so dull. Will you take your dear wife out for a walk?" Mary''s voice, grating to the ears, caused several hobgoblins to lose control of their potions. "Oh no, my potion!" A hobgoblin looked sadly at his potion, and the judge hobgoblin measured it, shaking his head. "Disqualified!" ???¦®§®???.?§°? Muckmire stroked Mary''s hair, smiling with yellowed teeth. "No problem. I need to inspect the old kingdom tomorrow. Mary, come with me." "Okay!" Mary nodded shyly, snuggling closer to Muckmire, the stench almost making her vomit, but she pretended not to notice. Outside the basin, a mage flew quickly southward. "Strange, why does the Tara Plain look like this?" "Wait, what''s that?" The mage descended, finding the animal carcasses Snazzle hadn''t yet dealt with. "This is hobgoblin magic." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The mage examined the carcasses, then looked at the strange lake. Why was there a lake with abundant water in such a desolate place? It was too odd. The mage''s hand hovered in the air, noticing something off about the lake. He didn''t touch it but moved away, a look of realization on his face. "I see." The mage flew away, not continuing south but returning the way he came. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The red moon hung high, and the sky turned eerily clear again. The Tara Plain seemed to return to its desolate peace. In the castle, Alex, Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Ruby were having dinner. The siblings had finished transferring their buildings and would now focus on upgrading their subsidiary castle''s Barracks. Today, they had explored the Dark Forest with the undead. Compared to the orc-inhabited Emerald Hills, the Dark Forest''s outskirts were much more comfortable for development, though slower for now. But it was better than losing their troops. "The leaderboard rewards will be distributed tonight." Hearing Alex, the siblings nodded. This time, the leaderboard had two rewards: one for the first-tier fixed reward and another for the Traitors'' ranking reward. Time: 23:59 Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu had returned to their castles, and Alex, having bathed, locked herself in her bedroom. [Dear Lords, the leaderboard will refresh in the final minute, determining the top 1,000 Lords who will receive rewards.] In the last minute, the leaderboard refreshed, followed by a one-minute countdown. Due to the recent Lord battles, nearly a hundred first and second-tier Lords had died, allowing third-tier Lords to advance. The most excited were the second-tier Lords who hadn''t fought, now with a better chance to enter the first tier and receive rewards. The system seemed fair but was actually cultivating the top first-tier Lords. Below the first tier, the system offered no support. The system''s goal appeared to be forcing Lords to fight for survival, strengthening themselves through conflict. The World Chat fell silent as all Lords checked their rankings in the final minute. In the White Rock Mountains, Sophie smiled at her ranking. [Your current ranking has advanced to: First Tier.] As expected, Sophie had successfully entered the first tier. This made her very happy. With her Monarch-level dwarf, she was now among the upper ranks of the first tier. In her castle, Alex received the notification but was more interested in the rewards. Chapter 184: Massive upgrade: from town to Undead City [Congratulations, Lord, for ranking in the top tier and receiving the fixed ranking reward: equivalent experience points (universal).]Alex had anticipated the underwhelming reward this time. After all, the previous ranking reward was mainly due to the beast tide. Without it, the reward was just experience points. Moreover, the term "universal" meant that all top-tier Lords received the same amount of experience points. Sophie leveled up from lv1 to lv5, the most significant increase, making her the weakest among the top-tier Lords. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui each leveled up once, reaching lv9 Commanding level, very close to Monarch level. Alex also leveled up to lv4 Monarch level. The experience required to go from lv9 Commanding to lv1 Monarch level was much more than what Alex needed to level up now. It was no surprise that the siblings hadn''t reached Monarch level. Besides, Alex had some experience before leveling up, while Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had just reached lv8, with empty experience bars. For others, the ranking reward might have ended, but for Alex, it wasn''t over yet. [Congratulations, Lord, for ranking first in the hunt leaderboard with 26 points.] [You have received a random primal ability. Drawing random ability...] [Congratulations, Lord, for obtaining the skill: Life Link.] Indeed, these points were harder to earn than expected, and Alex remained firmly in first place. This primal ability, if Alex understood correctly, should be related to her inherent abilities or bloodline, drawn from her primary class. For example, Alex would only draw undead abilities, and Satan would only draw demon abilities. They wouldn''t get something like holy light magic. "Just a skill?" Alex muttered, noting that the name didn''t sound like an offensive skill. Curious about the hunt ranking reward, Alex checked the skill. Life Link (Passive): As the noble Undead Queen, your life is linked to all your undead in a one-way life-sharing bond. Any damage you take will be distributed among all your undead. Conversely, the death of undead will not affect you. "Wait, what?" "Holy fuck!" Alex was stunned by the skill description and shouted in excitement. "Alex, what are you doing so late at night?" "Uh, nothing..." Alex realized she had woken Ruby up. This was definitely a top-tier passive skill. Alex double-checked the skill description several times, unable to believe her eyes. It was true. This meant Alex, like her undead, had become effectively immortal. As long as all her undead weren''t wiped out, she couldn''t die. Her undead would share her damage, making her truly the Undead Queen. "The number of undead now represents my health bar. I can be reckless from now on!" Eager to test the skill, Alex checked her health points. [Health Points: 600 ] To experiment, Alex formed a small wind blade and cut her wrist. The wound healed instantly before any blood could flow. Thinking boldly, Alex cast a curse on herself, targeting herself and bearing the cost. [Your lv7 Skeleton Warrior has died!] ... Three messages popped up. Though Alex''s curse wasn''t strong, it had some damage. Alex was unharmed, but three undead had died, with no indication of the cause. "This skill is too powerful!" The second place on the points leaderboard was still the Traitor, with 25 points, just one point behind Alex. Including ties, the top ten had fewer than twenty Lords. These Lords received similar primal abilities, shaping the future landscape of Lords. Alex noted their names. The leaderboard had closed, and Alex eagerly awaited the next one. Still excited, Alex''s shout had woken Ruby, who couldn''t sleep. Her ears twitched, picking up the rapid breathing of several people. "What''s going on? Are you all suffocating in your sleep?" ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex woke up on time, putting on her favorite sailor dress. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui came over for breakfast, enjoying the stark contrast to their previous diet of roasted meat. Now, they had freshly prepared meals with vegetables and fruits. Xiao Mu didn''t pay much attention to Alex, finding it impolite to constantly watch a girl. But Xiao Hui noticed Alex had changed clothes again. Since their arrival, she had seen Alex in at least three different outfits, which was unusual. Without knowing Alex was a Lord, Xiao Hui might have thought she was on vacation. "You guys eat. I''ll go summon troops." After summoning her troops, Alex checked her Warehouse resources. Thanks to the dwarves'' mining and refining, the iron ingots were nearly sufficient. With many low-level undead working, Alex never lacked basic resources like wood and stone. Additionally, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had some stock in their Warehouse, which Alex could use. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Alex: "Send undead to collect the iron ore from the dwarf mines immediately." Sophie: "Got it, Big Shot." Sophie didn''t question Alex, knowing she might need resources to break through the town''s level cap. Alex flew into the sky, looking at the area where her town bordered the east. The trees had been cleared by the Acolytes. Countless beasts, displaced from their homes, had invaded other territories, uniting to resist the undead but were killed by Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. Their goal was to use the Dark Forest''s outskirts to quickly reach Monarch level, while Emerald Hills would help Alex''s four Race Kings grow rapidly. Following this plan, Alex''s strength would see a significant boost. Soon, the undead from the White Rock Mountains brought the iron ore to Sophie''s castle. Alex didn''t wait for the dwarves to refine it in the Furnace, which was too slow. She used her fire magic for a rough purification, then had the system disassemble it. Though some was wasted, Alex didn''t mind. With these resources, Alex had enough to upgrade the town. She couldn''t wait any longer. [lv9 town upgrade requirements: 300k wood, 250k stone, 30k iron ingots.] "Upgrade!" Alex wanted to see what changes would occur. The Warehouse emptied instantly, and the ground shook. Black and gold light spread around, more intense than the town''s previous upgrade. Outside the town wall, tall black walls rose, towering over the town''s walls. The ground cracked, revealing black stone tiles that covered the entire town, leaving no dirt visible. Alex stumbled as the castle courtyard disappeared, replaced by a massive stone staircase lifting her up. Looking back, Alex saw her castle had transformed into a luxurious palace exuding a dark, eerie aura. The four subsidiary castles became auxiliary palaces, surrounding Alex''s palace. The palace was much larger than the original castle, nearly surpassing the town''s previous area. The former town wall now protected the palace. The palace complex was uneven, with Alex''s palace being the tallest and grandest. The black stone staircase led directly to the wall gate. Special buildings within the town were rearranged to optimal positions. The Blackwater Altar, Portal of Transit, and defense towers were placed outside the palace, while the Magic Stone Pillar and Specter Chandelier remained at the wall gate. The stone pillars along the staircase were adorned with skulls, their eye sockets burning with blue flames, adding to the palace''s eerie atmosphere at night. "Wow~" Alex stood on the staircase, amazed by the transformation. The siblings and Ruby, hearing the commotion, came out and stood at the palace entrance, equally astonished. "This... is a city!" The luxurious palace felt like the royal palace of a city. [Congratulations, Lord, for upgrading to a city. You have unlocked the conditions to build a kingdom: lv9 city, lv1 King level, Kingdom''s Tear!] Building a kingdom! Alex was shocked again but saw the requirements were still far off. She needed to upgrade the city to the maximum level, reach King level, and obtain an item called the Kingdom''s Tear. Alex checked the item, finding it simple yet difficult to obtain: destroy a kingdom. From the system''s information and what Alex knew, the kings of these native kingdoms were at least King level! Alex stood in shock, her mind reeling from the information. The system had revealed so much. Before upgrading, she hadn''t even known the next level after town. The city''s tremors hadn''t stopped, and Alex guessed she might receive a special building like when upgrading the town. She checked her system interface for city information. [City Name: Undead City] [City Level: lv1] [Health Points: 1M] [City Territory: 150 square miles] [Buildings: Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon, Crystal Shield, Portal of Transit.] [Upgrade Requirements: 1M wood, 2M stone, 500K iron ingots.] Seeing the attributes, Alex felt like pulling his hair out. The upgrade was massive, but the resource requirements had increased tenfold, making it hard to bear. "Alex, what''s going on with your castle?" Ruby called from behind. Ruby and the siblings had come down the stairs to join Alex. "It''s no longer a castle. This is the City of the Undead." Chapter 185: Undead Fortress "City?!""Above town is city!" Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui looked at the majestic city before them, unable to see any trace of the former town. "This is simply unbelievable." Even Ruby began to envy the special abilities of these extraterrestrial visitors. They did nothing, yet a city appeared out of thin air. The system''s power was indeed formidable. The vibrations within the city were gradually subsiding and would soon cease. The city also included many houses, though Alex wasn''t sure what they were for. The undead were equally baffled, staring at the city, not understanding why such a transformation had occurred. Finally, the town fully upgraded to a city, and the vibrations stopped. A black, eerie city now stood at the edge of the Dark Forest. The forest, city, and land, all composed of decay and withering, had become one. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully upgrading to a city. You have unlocked the troops'' exclusive building: Undead Fortress.] [Undead City Exclusive Building: Undead Fortress] [Building Level: None] [Number of Constructions: None] [Feature: A comprehensive fortress integrating offense, defense, and teleportation.] [Building Materials: 100K wood, 200K stone, 50K magic crystal, 100K iron ingots, 100 Essence Shards.] [Note: The Undead Fortress consists of one main fortress and several subsidiary fortresses. The main fortress can only be built within the city and has the feature of teleporting subsidiary fortresses. The main fortress produces one subsidiary fortress Essence Shard daily, which can absorb the materials needed for construction and be built anywhere. The construction materials for both are the same.] Alex was once again shocked. What kind of divine building was this?! A fortress that could be built anywhere and connected to the city. This meant that in future battles against dwarves, hobgoblins, or orcs, she wouldn''t have to march her undead army long distances. The system was clearly encouraging Lords to attack these native races! With the Undead Fortress, even without a Lord as a stepping stone, she could teleport her undead army. The leap from town to city brought an enormous upgrade. Alex looked at her empty Warehouse and then at Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s Warehouse. Although they had some iron ingots, it was far from enough to build the Undead Fortress. Her hope of immediately constructing the Undead Fortress was dashed; she would have to gather resources for a few more days. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her decision to subdue the dwarves instead of destroying them was indeed wise. They provided a steady supply of resources. But now, with the city''s upgrade, the resource requirements had increased tenfold. The current supply from the dwarves might not be enough; she needed to conquer the Silverbeard Clan quickly. "Let''s go." Alex walked up the stairs to inspect the palace''s interior rooms for any changes. Her own bedroom, due to its special building, looked the same, but other rooms, including the kitchen, bathroom, and hall, had changed, becoming more spacious and tidy. "One day, I''ll have to get more elves from Lilith. This place has become too big." Alex was already planning for Arthur and the Xiao siblings to break through to Monarch level and start external conquests. The first targets would naturally be the hobgoblin kingdom and dwarf kingdom. As for the Orc Empire... "Wait, Orc Empire, dwarf kingdom, Empire, kingdom?" "What''s the relationship between kingdom and Empire?" But it was clear that an Empire was stronger than a kingdom, which was troubling. Then again, Lilith had said elves were stronger than orcs, yet elves were just a kingdom. It might refer to overall strength, as elves had multiple kingdoms. The Orc Empire was self-proclaimed, and the human Starfallen Empire hadn''t shown exceptional strength. In fact, it seemed the weakest among the forces Alex had encountered, possibly due to the mage association. Alex was confused. Perhaps Empire and kingdom were just different names for similar entities. In the Undead City, the palace''s main gate faced a black-tiled road leading to the unchanged Bone Throne. Alex sat on the throne, looking out the door, feeling quite pleased. But the vast city felt empty with so few people. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Master, the undead have discovered hobgoblin traces to the south, along with a woman who appears to be an extraterrestrial visitor." A dark elf stood beside Alex, respectfully reporting. Alex perked up. After searching for so long, they had finally appeared. As for the extraterrestrial visitor, could she be the boastful [Boggle] from the World Chat? "Where are they coming from and going to?" Alex asked. Since the snowy mountain incident, the hobgoblins had vanished, no longer troubling Chi-Chi, leaving no trace. "The undead found them suddenly appearing on the black plain to the south, heading further south." The Tara Plain had been thoroughly scouted by the undead, with no buildings or hiding places. The hobgoblins'' sudden appearance seemed like they had emerged from underground. "Could they be returning to the hobgoblin kingdom? Is it further south?" Alex mused. No matter. Following them was troublesome. Now that the undead had found them, they wouldn''t be let go. As always, if there were a Monarch level, they would detect the undead. Even if there were, the undead''s death would reveal their location to nearby specters. "Tell Xiao Mu to take two Monarch levels and capture them!" With many Monarch-level troops, Alex could afford to be extravagant. A task that one Monarch level could handle, she sent two. In the Undead City, Xiao Mu was inspecting his subsidiary palace, finding it better than their own castle. Soon, the dark elves informed Xiao Mu, giving him a chance to explore the surroundings. Xiao Mu didn''t know the specific abilities of the undead. Assuming all Monarch levels were similar in strength, he chose the most impressive ones. A white and a blue giant figure flew from the Undead City, heading south. Yes, Xiao Mu chose a Monarch-level bone dragon and a Monarch-level ghost dragon. No man could resist such magnificent dragons. Flying creatures that reached Monarch level had their flight advantages magnified. The Monarch-level bone dragon flew at incredible speed. Riding the bone dragon, Xiao Mu watched the desolate, black landscape pass quickly below. ... On the Tara Plain, a seemingly luxurious convoy was heading south. In front were several riders on fly-like beasts, clearing the way. Below, a sturdy black beast pulled a cart made of straw and wood, creaking as if it might fall apart at any moment. Inside the cart were Muckmire, the hobgoblin kingdom''s crown prince, and his wife, Mary. The enclosed space amplified the unpleasant odors, making Mary gag. She looked out the window, trying to breathe fresh air. This was her first time leaving the basin since arriving. She felt oppressed, knowing she couldn''t escape, but used this opportunity to get some fresh air. Mary, being human, could never truly love an ugly hobgoblin. It was all due to circumstances. Before coming here, she was looked down upon, unable to find work. But here, she enjoyed unprecedented respect. No matter how the hobgoblins viewed her, she only needed Muckmire. "Dear Mary, the kingdom is just ahead. The commoners will be thrilled to see you and will bow in reverence." Muckmire smiled at Mary, having been sent to a human city before and fascinated by their culture. This was why he was captivated by Mary. Muckmire didn''t cackle like other hobgoblins and didn''t share female hobgoblins. Most importantly, he knew how to please the hobgoblin king. Even if he was otherwise useless, these were things he learned from humans. "Okay." Mary responded indifferently, her mind elsewhere. Suddenly, she saw a massive bone dragon fly by the window. Chaos erupted outside. "Enemy attack! Enem¡ª" A hobgoblin''s shout was cut short. Chapter 186: I promised not to kill you, but I didnt say Id protect you Mary''s face was filled with panic as Muckmire leaped out of the carriage upon hearing the commotion.All the hobgoblin riders on their flying mounts were dead, their charred bodies falling to the ground, emitting the smell of roasted meat. A bone dragon and a ghost dragon surrounded Muckmire and Mary from the front and back. Muckmire didn''t panic. Despite losing all his guards in an instant, as the eldest son of the hobgoblin king and a member of the royal family, he possessed Monarch-level strength. Had he not been preoccupied with Mary, he wouldn''t have been caught off guard so easily. Xiao Mu stepped out from beside the bone dragon, his expression cold as he looked at Muckmire and the carriage behind him. "The woman in the carriage, stop hiding. You must be [Boggle]." Mary, hearing this, lifted the curtain and saw the man standing opposite. "Lord!" "Mary, don''t be afraid. I''ll protect you. It''s just two undead." Muckmire still hadn''t realized that the "just two undead" he dismissed were both Monarch-level. In his mind, as long as he confirmed the opponent was an extraterrestrial visitor, they couldn''t possibly have Monarch-level troops. His brain rarely engaged in deep thought. "Undead?! Are you the undead Lord?!!" Mary was terrified. She knew the undead Lord''s power well from the World Chat. She had thought she was far from the undead Lord and hadn''t mentioned it to Muckmire. But here they were, encountering them just days later. "Attack!" Xiao Mu didn''t waste words. As long as they didn''t kill them, it was fine. The bone dragon''s flaming domain expanded instantly, and it lowered its head to unleash a breath of dragon fire at Muckmire. ??? Muckmire was stunned. How could this be a Monarch level? He turned to see the ghost dragon''s domain spreading and a Death Ray coming straight at him. This was also a Monarch level!!! Boom! The combined attacks of the two dragons hit Muckmire. They didn''t use their full strength, fearing they might accidentally kill him. The initial attack was just a test. But Muckmire didn''t dodge at all. In reality, Muckmire, like Baldwin and the dwarves, relied heavily on equipment for combat despite being a Monarch level. Today, he thought it was just a sweet outing with Mary, so he hadn''t brought his equipment. According to intelligence, there were no significant forces nearby. This made him let his guard down. He never expected extraterrestrial visitors to have Monarch-level troops, which contradicted his understanding. In Muckmire''s mind, the opponent should be Commanding level, allowing him to elegantly defeat them and make Mary admire him more. Bang! Xiao Mu kicked the heavily injured Muckmire several meters away, bringing him back to reality. "If you''re not dead, move." "And you, do I have to invite you personally?" Xiao Mu looked at the trembling, bewildered Mary. "I am the crown prince of the hobgoblin kingdom. I advise you to think carefully!" Muckmire struggled to stand, glaring at Xiao Mu. "Who cares about your status? Take them away!" Xiao Mu leaped onto the bone dragon''s back. The bone dragon grabbed Muckmire and Mary with its claws and flew north. The ghost dragon spewed blue dragon breath on the ground, incinerating everything before taking off to follow the bone dragon. Muckmire, held in the bone dragon''s massive claw, felt humiliated and kept cursing, trying to regain his lost dignity. Mary, in the other claw, was pale with despair. She knew she was doomed. Just days ago, she had slandered the undead Lord in the World Chat. As a Traitor, the undead Lord had every reason to kill her. She had thought herself invincible under the hobgoblin kingdom''s protection, but now, facing the undead Lord, she no longer dared to think so. The hobgoblin kingdom was among the lowest of the intelligent races, facing one of the top lords. Who would win? The outcome was clear. Soon, Mary and Muckmire saw a grand, black city. They had entered Alex''s territory, and the Specter Chandelier''s effect had vanished. To them, the city seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Why is there a city here?!" Muckmire couldn''t believe his eyes. Inside and outside the city, on the ground and in the sky, undead were everywhere. Could an extraterrestrial visitor achieve this? Mary was equally stunned. Her castle hadn''t even upgraded to a town, and she didn''t know castles could become cities. But the undead everywhere proved this was the undead Lord''s stronghold. "Has the undead Lord developed to such an OP level?!" In Mary''s shocked gaze, they were taken to a palace. ????????.??? "Leader, I''ve brought them." Xiao Mu threw Muckmire and Mary to the ground. They trembled in fear, not daring to resist. Alex saw the hobgoblin and the Traitor and approached. "Are you [Boggle]?" "No, no... I''m not!" "Huh?" "Okay, I am, I am..." Seeing her admit it, Alex lost interest. The hunt ranking was over, and the Traitor wasn''t important. She was more interested in hobgoblin kingdom intelligence. "Tell me about the hobgoblin kingdom." Muckmire, seeing the palace and realizing there were no undead, only Alex and Xiao Mu, thought of resisting. But sensing Alex''s aura, he realized she might also be a Monarch level. Muckmire looked at the terrified Mary, who frantically signaled him to cooperate and not provoke them. Even the hobgoblin king might not be a match for this undead Lord. "Extraterrestrial visitor, you''re making an enemy of the entire hobgoblin kingdom. State your terms, and we can negotiate. I can overlook today''s actions." "What makes you think the hobgoblin kingdom can threaten me?" Alex''s eyes grew cold as she stepped forward, exuding killing intent. If he wouldn''t cooperate, she would kill him. She still had Mary, the Traitor, who surely knew the kingdom''s location. "Muckmire, please, I don''t want to die. She''s different from ordinary extraterrestrial visitors!" Mary was on the verge of tears, unable to understand Muckmire''s misplaced confidence. Alex sensed something unusual about their relationship. Xiao Mu informed her that Muckmire was the hobgoblin king''s eldest son. Such a high status? "Mary, you''re too naive. With her castle so hidden, we won''t leave here alive." Muckmire was firm, reminding Mary that with such a powerful opponent targeting the hobgoblin kingdom, he wouldn''t cooperate even if it meant death. As a hobgoblin royal, his insight was different from the brainless hobgoblins. "Quite clever. What about you? Do you think the same?" Alex turned to Mary, knowing this Lord from the Earth wouldn''t have such a strong mindset. "By the way, if the hobgoblin kingdom is destroyed, you could shed your Traitor status. I promise not to kill you if you cooperate." Alex''s words were like a ray of hope in the darkness for Mary. "I''ll talk, I''ll cooperate, just don''t kill me!" As expected, Mary quickly gave in. "Mary! Are you betraying the hobgoblin kingdom?" Before Muckmire could finish, Alex kicked him aside. "Fuck off." Alex approached Mary, who looked at her in fear. "What''s your relationship with him?" "I''m his wife." "Willingly?" Mary hesitated, then shook her head. Muckmire''s face turned even uglier. "Oh, I see. No human would willingly love an ugly hobgoblin. If you were forced, it makes sense." Alex''s words seemed to be aimed at provoking Muckmire. Under Alex''s questioning, Mary revealed all the information she knew. Her status in the hobgoblin kingdom was special, giving her access to the power center and a wealth of information. "One last question. What''s the hobgoblin king''s strength? Is he King level?" Alex turned her back to Mary. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mary thought back, recalling what Muckmire had told her. "I don''t know the exact level, but he''s definitely not King level." As soon as Mary finished speaking, Muckmire, who had been gathering strength, suddenly attacked. With Alex''s back turned and Xiao Mu distracted, no one could react in time. Muckmire punched through Mary''s chest, unwilling to let a kingdom traitor live. Alex and Xiao Mu "belatedly" reacted. Mary''s life was slipping away. She looked at Alex with pleading eyes. "I promised not to kill you, but I didn''t say I''d protect you." Alex said with a faint smile. Chapter 187: Just do it The dying Mary finally understood. With the undead Lord''s power, how could she not be faster than Muckmire? She had done it on purpose.Mary lost her life and collapsed to the ground. Muckmire, resolute, showed no fear of death. This woman had driven him mad. He thought he had found true love, but Mary was no different from other hobgoblins, only coveting his power. A black line sliced across Muckmire''s neck. With a spray of green blood, his vision spun until it finally stopped. His head ceased rolling on the floor. The intelligence about the hobgoblin kingdom differed from Alex''s expectations. First, the system''s conditions for establishing a kingdom were off. The hobgoblin king didn''t have King-level strength, disproving the theory that all kingdoms had at least one King-level combatant. Alex was puzzled. Moreover, according to Mary''s information, there were no powerful forces around the hobgoblin kingdom, yet they chose to relocate and hide their true kingdom. Muckmire, as the hobgoblin king''s eldest son, was Monarch level but pathetically weak. "This hobgoblin kingdom is quite weak, just far away." Alex felt relieved. As long as there was no King level, it was manageable. No matter how many Monarch levels there were, they couldn''t threaten her. But she wouldn''t rush. She would wait until the Undead Fortress was built before launching a formal attack on the hobgoblin kingdom. The city they had exposed, the old hobgoblin kingdom, wouldn''t be spared either. It was another experience farm, after all. Unlike the dwarves, Alex had found the hobgoblin kingdom''s capital. Why waste effort attacking other places? "Xiao Mu, take Xiao Hui, Arthur, and Riven, along with two Monarch levels, to the exposed kingdom site to farm experience and quickly reach Monarch level." Following Alex''s orders, they soon departed. As for Muckmire''s corpse, Alex summoned it into a Reaper Guard. This troop could support Alex from any distance, a must-have for lone wolves. Alex should have summoned a necromancer. With her expanding territory, there were too many places to defend. The number of necromancers was becoming insufficient. They could summon undead, each one an undead army. Emerald Hills, Grimstone, King Kong, and Sophie''s castle all needed Monarch-level undead to guard them. Especially Emerald Hills and Grimstone, where wars could break out at any time. Necromancers were essential. "Never mind, I''ll summon a necromancer next time." Currently, only Alex could summon Monarch-level corpses. Monarch-level necromancers couldn''t summon them. The Blackwater Altar could, but its summoning was random, unlike Alex''s specific summoning. Alex devised a plan. Before attacking the hobgoblin kingdom, she would wait for the siblings, Arthur, and Riven to reach Monarch level. Then, with the Undead Fortress built, she could begin the assault. This would maximize benefits. Otherwise, the chaotic battlefield would make gaining experience difficult. Alex had nothing to do but wait in the palace for their upgrades. She could take this time to rest. On Arsen Continent, in Grimstone. Since the Silverbeard Clan nobles were purged, the oppressed dwarf commoners rejoiced. The city was now peaceful, and the dwarves were very supportive. Durin and Balin had completely taken control of Grimstone. Grimstone, near the White Rock Mountains, had its surrounding dwarf fortresses dismantled, and the dwarf army gathered in Grimstone. The city now housed 30,000 dwarf soldiers and 20,000 undead. Additionally, two Monarch levels guarded it: Durin and a necromancer. The city''s strength was no less than before. However, the city''s equipment and defenses were outdated. The forging techniques and personnel were controlled by the nobles, which was why they could firmly control the clan. But the remaining equipment was enough to defend Grimstone. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? A few days had passed, and the Silverbeard Clan, now able to act, should have made a move. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Durin had been busy. As a former Silverbeard Clan noble, he knew the clan well. To overthrow the Silverbeard Clan, he needed the support of dwarf commoners from various cities and villages. Durin had sent dwarves to give speeches and rally the commoners while gathering intelligence on the Silverbeard Clan. Soon, they had collected the intelligence. The Silverbeard Clan faced a joint attack from two clans and was struggling to hold on. The Silverbeard Clan had seven cities, but three had been lost, and half their territory was gone. They couldn''t deal with Durin in the rear, giving him an opportunity. Rather than waiting to be attacked, Durin decided to strike first. The nearest city to Grimstone was Rockhammer City, one of the Silverbeard Clan''s four remaining cities. Rockhammer City was the clan''s logistics hub, surrounded by the other three cities. The two attacking clans aimed to capture Rockhammer City. The Silverbeard Clan wouldn''t let this city fall and was fighting desperately against the two clans. The two clans, though temporary allies, both wanted to unify the dwarf kingdom. Neither wanted to face the Silverbeard Clan head-on, fearing heavy losses and losing the chance to dominate. The stalemate gave Durin the perfect opportunity. Though Grimstone wasn''t directly behind Rockhammer City, attacking it was easier than for the other two clans. Rockhammer City was now poorly defended, with its main forces in the other three cities. Only a few dwarf fortresses stood between Grimstone and Rockhammer City. But as the Silverbeard Clan''s most important logistics city, even poorly defended, its defenses and fortifications were second only to the main city. A frontal assault would be costly. So Durin planned to take it by cunning. "Tomorrow night, I''ll disguise myself and a few dwarves as refugees from Grimstone and infiltrate Rockhammer City. Balin, you must seize the moment and attack the fortresses, creating as much chaos as possible. The more chaos, the better." Durin had decided to act that night, giving Balin instructions. "But..." Balin was worried. Would Rockhammer City really take in refugees in these times? The nobles didn''t care about commoners. "Don''t worry. This will create an illusion. They''ll think we''re escaping from Grimstone. To gather intelligence, they''ll take us in and report to the clan, seeking credit and requesting reinforcements." "Before dawn, I''ll disable the city''s defenses and open the gates. Then we''ll take Rockhammer City. Once the other clans see Rockhammer City fall, they''ll attack the Silverbeard Clan''s main city, and the clan will be finished." Durin knew the Silverbeard Clan''s nature well. Even if they couldn''t infiltrate, he could use his noble status. He had been missing for six months, so the guards wouldn''t recognize him. In the chaos, they wouldn''t have time to verify his identity. "Alright, let''s do it." Balin trusted Durin wouldn''t take unnecessary risks. Besides, he had submitted to Sophie and wouldn''t betray them. Soon, Balin and Durin informed Sophie of the Silverbeard Clan''s intelligence and their plan to strike first. Alex had entrusted Sophie with this task. If her dwarves couldn''t handle it, the undead would step in. It was also a test of Sophie''s abilities. Without combat talent, she had to prove her value in other ways. Sophie agreed without hesitation. With Alex''s city needing more resources, she had to accelerate the unification of the dwarves. Moreover, with two Monarch-level undead and 20,000 undead soldiers at her disposal, she didn''t think she would lose. Taking the entire Silverbeard Clan would provide more resources to help Alex. Sophie informed Alex, who had no comment. Her focus was on the hobgoblin kingdom and the Orc Empire. Alex simply replied, "No matter what difficulties you face, confront them bravely. The best way to eliminate fear is to face it. Just do it." Chapter 188: The experience farm of the Race Kings Sophie felt deeply encouraged and resolved not to disappoint Alex''s expectations.While Alex was resting, she was still contemplating the construction and development of the city. Through observation, she realized that the resources consumed to upgrade from a town to a city were not much, but the resources required for further upgrades after reaching city level would skyrocket. If conditions allowed, Alex even considered upgrading one of Sophie''s or the Xiao siblings'' castles to city level. However, for now, the priority was Alex''s own castle. After all, only by strengthening herself could she ensure the strength of everyone else. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] The night sky cleared once again, and the black undead city seemed to blend into the darkness, with only the eerie red moonlight casting a faint outline of the city. Tonight''s dinner was prepared for only two, as Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had already left the city to head towards the hobgoblin kingdom. Ruby was devouring her food at the dining table, not forgetting to wipe her mouth and let out a satisfied burp. "Alex, I''m leaving," Ruby suddenly said. She had been out playing long enough. "Tonight?" "Yes," Ruby nodded. "My primal power can continuously support my cultivation to King level without any pressure. Even though I don''t need to sleep now, I still need to focus on my training. Only by becoming stronger can I return to the far north and settle the score with those bastards." Although Ruby was playful, she hadn''t forgotten her race''s hatred. She still needed to lead her people back to their homeland and reclaim what was once theirs. "I don''t care much about those things, but they were left by my mother, so I must do it." Ruby''s eyes became resolute. Only she knew the hardships she had endured. To protect her, her people had willingly sacrificed themselves, leaving only a few hundred survivors. "If you encounter any difficulties, don''t hesitate to ask for my help. I''ll always be here, and you can come to play whenever you have time." "Thank you. I''ve had a lot of fun these past few days." Ruby stood up and walked towards the outside. "Don''t worry, I''ll definitely come back. We haven''t gone to the human city together yet." "Alright, I''m leaving." Ruby turned back, showing Alex her small fangs. Alex didn''t know the strength of the Arctic Tigerfolk, and she hadn''t asked Ruby, but she believed Ruby could do it. "Be careful, don''t be impulsive, and don''t do anything foolish." Alex gave one last piece of advice. "I know, I know, you''re so naggy." Ruby waved at Alex and disappeared. This time, who knew when they would meet again. Alex turned and walked deeper into the palace. She needed to become stronger quickly. She didn''t know what the system would come up with when the leaderboard refreshed next week. The Dark Alchemy Warlocks in the city had created some interesting gadgets, like containers that could release potent plague magic, various auxiliary potions, and some metal constructs. These things weren''t very useful for the undead, and nothing had particularly impressed Alex yet. It was probably because their levels were too low. Maybe things would improve as they leveled up. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Weapons, equipment, and potions couldn''t be used by Xiao Mu because of his light attribute, but others could use them. The metal constructs were still limited due to immature technology. The useless potions were regularly stored and handed over to the dwarves by Sophie for use or research. Alex didn''t know what would come from the fusion of dwarf technology and alchemy technology. Currently, there were too few dwarves under her control. Alex planned to bring all the dwarf inventors to the Undead City once she fully controlled the dwarf kingdom. To become a powerful empire, she needed not only strong military power but also various talents. With only Alex and the dark elves left in the palace, she returned to her bedroom and went to bed early. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex woke up on time. The sudden appearance of the Undead City seemed to have caused some impact on the outskirts of the Dark Forest. She might have already attracted the attention of the deeper parts of the Dark Forest. Alex''s next plan was to build the Undead City into a kingdom. To achieve this, the Dark Forest had to become her backyard, just like the Frostwind snowy mountain. This was a problem she needed to solve. She couldn''t afford to let anyone pose a threat in her backyard. All the Lords and dangers around the Undead City had been cleared by Alex, leaving only the Dark Forest as a problem. Meanwhile, in the Emerald Hills, the orcs launched another attack, their battle lust fueled by a desire for revenge. Previous orc attacks on Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s castle had failed, but they had managed to retreat without being wiped out. However, the last attack was different; thousands of orcs had died, enraging the orc camp leaders. Two orc camps sent their armies, but before reaching the siblings'' castle, they encountered each other and began fighting. Afterward, the camp leaders learned that their warriors had been killed by extraterrestrial visitors, prompting them to stop fighting and unite to eliminate the visitors before settling their own scores. They believed the visitors had suffered heavy losses and had few troops left, making a large-scale attack unnecessary. Each camp leader sent a pseudo-Monarch level leader and 2,000 orc warriors, totaling 4,000 orcs, to attack the siblings'' castle. This time, they intended to wipe out the two hated extraterrestrial visitors. The Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao had been moved to the Undead City and sent to the Dark Forest. Now, the siblings'' castle was defended by six undead. A Monarch-level necromancer and lich, along with four Race Kings. The undead''s plan was simple: the two Monarch levels would defend the castle while the four Race Kings attacked the orc army. If the Race Kings couldn''t hold, the necromancer and lich would summon an undead army to eliminate the orcs. To prevent any orcs from escaping and reporting back, none could be allowed to flee. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The orcs, facing undead for the first time, wouldn''t be prepared. They didn''t know the undead couldn''t be killed, allowing the Race Kings to farm experience without worry. Soon, the 4,000-strong orc army from two camps gathered at the castle, puzzled by the empty fortress. Only a few strange creatures stood before the castle. Had they fled? The leading orcs couldn''t return empty-handed. They exchanged glances, raised their weapons, and shouted to their warriors. "Destroy the castle, for the glory of the orcs!" Chapter 189: Defeat of the Orc leader "For the glory of the orcs!"The orcs, clad in tattered beast hides, raised their weapons and charged towards the two castles. As natives of Arsen Continent, they had no concept of what undead were. To them, the skeletal, diminutive undead were weaklings. Sss¡ª Just as the orcs were about to reach the castle gates, the surrounding ice froze several orcs in place. Arthas swiftly cut them down, instantly leveling up from lv7 Standard to lv8. Among the four Race Kings, John and Azure had the highest levels, making their battles the easiest. John raised his broad sword, and countless flaming red skulls rained down, causing massive casualties among the orcs. Not to be outdone, Azure summoned a blue orb above its head, which then split into numerous beams, striking the orcs below. The orcs felt a sharp pain in their hearts before succumbing to curses and dying. Crane''s attacks were the simplest, with no flashy effects. He wielded a long sword wreathed in black flames, cutting down any orc that approached. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The orcs, fearless of death, continued their charge. The two Commanding-level orcs watched from the rear, showing no signs of retreat even as their warriors were slaughtered. The orcs trampled over their fallen comrades, pressing forward. John and Azure fought effortlessly, their high Commanding levels and infinite stamina making the orcs no challenge. But Arthas and Crane, still at Standard level, were at risk of injury or death. A Commanding-level orc warrior smashed Crane with a hammer, sending him flying. Instantly, countless orcs swarmed Crane. No matter how they attacked Crane, his wounds healed instantly. A burly orc tried to tear Crane apart but found it impossible and was instead killed by Crane. "He''s immortal!" A one-eyed Commanding level orc shouted in horror. Despite Crane being only Standard level, their attacks couldn''t kill him. After suffering heavy losses, the orcs reached a terrifying conclusion. The one-eyed orc''s shout caught the attention of the two orc leaders. Observing closely, they realized these small enemies were indeed unkillable! "What are these strange creatures?!" "Use shamanic attacks!" Without needing a reminder, the orcs understood. They pulled teeth from their bone necklaces and crushed them, releasing green mist. The green mist spread quickly, but the leaders were shocked to see it had no effect on the strange creatures. Did they lack life force? As Crane killed more enemies, he broke through his bottleneck and reached Commanding level. With his level up, Crane''s power surged. A black ring of energy slashed out, cutting nearby orcs in half. Crane broke through the encirclement and continued his assault. "These are evil creatures! But orcs never retreat!" If 4,000 orc warriors couldn''t defeat these four strange beings, their camps'' honor would plummet in the Orc Empire. For the sake of their camps'' honor, the pseudo Monarch level orc leader didn''t retreat. He charged at Crane with a massive bone hammer. He needed to prove his courage and defend his camp''s honor. He also didn''t believe in the existence of immortal beings. If other orcs couldn''t kill them, it was because they weren''t strong enough, not because he couldn''t. The orc leader swung his giant bone hammer at Crane, finding him the most bizarre. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? As the hammer was about to strike Crane, a broad sword blocked it. "Your opponent is me!" John, having leveled up to lv9 Commanding level from his earlier area attack, was now capable of fighting a pseudo Monarch level. The two clashed fiercely, creating a spectacle that left Standard-level orcs no chance to intervene. They gave their leader space to fight. The remaining orcs didn''t stop. They swarmed the other three undead. To the orcs, killing the enemy was the priority. Destroying the castle was secondary. As the battle dragged on, nearly two hours passed. The other orc leader, who hadn''t joined the fight, realized something was wrong. Even if these evil creatures couldn''t be killed, they should have exhausted their stamina by now. The orc leader fighting John was losing strength, his combat ability halved. He used a berserk potion from the orc shamans to recover somewhat. Seeing the growing number of orc corpses, the other orc leader decided to retreat. This leader was more rational. While orc warriors were brave and fearless, they couldn''t make meaningless sacrifices. But they couldn''t leave empty-handed. They couldn''t return and tell their leaders they were defeated by four strange undead. Moreover, the enemy had no Monarch level, only four Commanding levels. The orc leader eyed the siblings'' castle, forming a plan. If they couldn''t kill the undead, they could at least destroy the extraterrestrial visitors'' castle. He decided to destroy the castle and then retreat, avoiding further entanglement with the strange beings. The four undead saw the orc leader running towards the castle. "Azure, go." Azure understood. The queen''s task was for them to reach Monarch level, and Azure was the closest, already at lv9 Commanding level before coming here. Azure flew into the sky and headed towards the castle. The orc leader saw the empty castle guarded only by a small mage with a staff. He charged at the necromancer without hesitation. He imagined the mage''s head being smashed. "Roar!" The sound of bones piercing flesh echoed. The orc leader''s charge halted, and he let out a pained scream. Before he could react, more bone spikes pierced his limbs, pinning him in place. He writhed in agony, each movement causing immense pain. The unfortunate orc leader didn''t have time to be shocked by the presence of a Monarch level. A transparent, eerie attack from behind pierced his body. His mind exploded, and he lost consciousness, dying without feeling pain. At that moment, Azure''s form became more solid, its soul stronger. The curse energy around it grew denser. Azure had reached Monarch level. Azure left the battlefield, leaving the experience for the other three undead. Unless John killed all the remaining orcs, he wouldn''t reach Monarch level. Knowing their leader was dead, the orcs would likely flee. Azure hovered in the sky, ready to prevent their escape. The three undead saw Azure stop fighting and realized it had reached Monarch level. John was now lv9 Commanding, and Crane and Arthas were around lv3-4 Commanding. The orc leader fighting John, his berserk potion wearing off, regained some clarity. Seeing the other leader head to the castle but not destroy it, and Azure emerging instead, he knew something was wrong. The orc leader likely was dead. Chapter 190: Iron beast South of Tara Plain, at the ruins of the hobgoblin kingdom. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.This place was farther from the hobgoblin kingdom. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, along with Arthur and Riven, brought two Monarch level beings to the outskirts of the kingdom ruins. In the distance lay a dilapidated city, filled with ruins and rubble, showing no signs of its former glory as the hobgoblin royal city. Outside the city, a few chevaux-de-frise were placed, but not a single hobgoblin was guarding them. Only a few sleepy hobgoblin sentries on the wall were dozing off, barely keeping their eyes open. The defense was shockingly lax. "The hobgoblin king''s eldest son is supposed to return here. How could they not have any news? Now that he''s missing, the city''s defense is still so slack. Isn''t that a bit unusual?" Xiao Mu found the hobgoblins'' reaction odd. Even if they didn''t know Muckmire was dead, they should at least put on a show of welcoming him, right? "I think we should just charge in. These hobgoblins seem super weak," Xiao Hui suggested, believing brute force could solve everything. "No way. Do you think you''re undead? What if there''s danger?" Xiao Mu disagreed, feeling it was too reckless. "We can always run if we can''t win," Xiao Hui muttered. "I''ll go," Arthur''s ethereal voice came from behind. He then spread his wings and flew towards the ruins of the hobgoblin royal city. A ghostly blue breath of dragon shot towards the hobgoblins on the wall but was blocked by an invisible barrier, causing a transparent ripple. Immediately after, Arthur was hit by an unknown attack. Half of his body was obliterated in mid-air, and he began to plummet to the ground. The siblings hiding behind were startled. "Brother, I was wrong!" Xiao Hui admitted she had been naive. The hobgoblins might be weak, but they weren''t as dumb as she thought. There was indeed an ambush. Arthur, with his level 7 Commanding strength and immunity to elemental magic, was undoubtedly attacked by a Monarch level being. The two Monarch level Destroyers in the rear, seeing Arthur under attack, no longer hid and launched their assault. At the very least, they needed to break the city''s defenses and take down the opposing Monarch level. This time, the enemy didn''t react as quickly. The two Destroyers attacked simultaneously, instantly shattering the city''s shield. Unexpectedly, the hobgoblins didn''t choose to defend passively. Instead, they opened the city gates and launched a counterattack. But what emerged from the gates weren''t hobgoblins; they were several iron beasts covered in magical runes. These iron beasts were entirely covered in magical runes, exuding a strong elemental aura. It was unclear whether hobgoblins were driving them from within or if they were operating autonomously. Inside the city, there were not only Monarch level guards but two of them, clearly prepared for this. The attack on Arthur came from one of the hobgoblin Shamans. Arthur''s body had already reformed and was attacking the iron beasts again. Riven and the siblings also charged towards the enemy. The most peculiar sight on the battlefield was the six iron beasts. Despite their large size, they were dwarfed by Arthur. However, their defense was astonishing, able to withstand Arthur''s attacks. "What the hell are these things?" Xiao Mu wondered. If it weren''t for the lack of a domain, he would have thought they were Monarch level. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Whether it was Arthur or the siblings, facing an iron beast alone was challenging. With more iron beasts than them, plus the hobgoblins on the wall occasionally firing cannons, the situation quickly turned against them. These mechanical and magical constructs resembled oversized felines. Despite their bulky appearance, they were more agile than expected and had incredible magical and physical defenses. Xiao Mu''s holy light was completely blocked. Even when he blinked to the beast''s head and struck with all his light-element power, it caused no significant damage. The iron beast merely lowered its head slightly, unscathed, and Xiao Mu''s hand throbbed with pain. Arthur stopped wasting Mana Points and engaged the iron beast in close combat. Xiao Mu used his speed advantage to hold off two beasts, but that was his limit. He observed the beasts and the others'' battles, trying to find a weakness. To Xiao Mu''s surprise, the first problem arose with Riven''s opponent. It wasn''t Riven who had an issue, but the beast facing her. Previously, the iron beasts had seamlessly alternated between physical and magical attacks, even timing their ranged attacks perfectly. But Riven''s opponent now moved sluggishly and stiffly, as if its brain had shrunk. "I get it! These iron beasts are piloted by hobgoblins!" Xiao Mu realized, spotting the flaw. Alex had previously briefed the siblings on undead abilities, including specters and ghost dragons, which attacked with soul, life, or curse-based attacks. As a Ghost Dragon King, Riven had released an invisible attack that the hobgoblins couldn''t react to or fully defend against, killing the hobgoblin inside the iron beast. Given the iron beast''s size, it was unlikely to be piloted by just one hobgoblin. Xiao Mu guessed Riven had killed the hobgoblin controlling the beast''s limbs. With this realization, the situation became clear. If there were pilots, the beasts had weaknesses. When Xiao Mu looked at his sister, he was stunned. The joints of the iron beast she faced were oozing black mist, and its magical runes were destroyed, emitting a sizzling sound. The beast stood frozen, rendered useless. Xiao Hui''s dark element had spread throughout the beast, destroying its internal mechanisms. Xiao Hui raised her right hand, and a giant fist formed of dark energy smashed into the iron beast. Boom! The iron beast exploded, its mechanical parts intact but scattered instantly. Broken hoses fell to the ground, spewing green pus like the beast''s blood. As the beast disintegrated, Xiao Mu saw six bewildered hobgoblins fall from its belly. The cockpit was in the belly, and six hobgoblins piloted it together! The fallen hobgoblins were quickly killed, and Xiao Mu noticed that more than half were Commanding level. Xiao Hui saw Xiao Mu watching her from the sky and realized she was the first to take down a iron beast. She proudly showed off to Xiao Mu. "How about that? Am I awesome or what?!" Xiao Mu, exasperated, didn''t praise her but instead scolded her. "Focus! Stop showing off. This is a battlefield." Chapter 191: The Destroyers charged strike "Blah blah blah!" Xiao Hui stuck her tongue out at Xiao Mu.Arthur and Riven quickly caught on to the iron beasts'' weakness. With this knowledge, taking them down became much easier. Arthur unleashed his skill, Withering Space. A transparent diamond-shaped barrier enveloped the iron beast, draining the life force of the hobgoblins inside. This was a continuous skill, and Arthur''s only task was to prevent the enemies from breaking the barrier and escaping. With Arthur''s massive body blocking the iron beast, it didn''t take long for the beast to stop moving entirely. The six hobgoblins inside perished from excessive life force loss. Riven should have been the nemesis of these iron beasts, but since she hadn''t reached Commanding level, her damage was low, only able to kill the Standard level hobgoblin pilots. Even so, this left many iron beasts severely hampered. In the sky, two hobgoblin Shamans were battling the two Destroyers. One of them was Snazzle, who had appeared on the snowy mountain. The hobgoblin kingdom had limited Monarch level beings, so even though Snazzle was still injured, he had to join the fight. As a Shaman, who didn''t rely on equipment, his combat power was stronger than the average hobgoblin, making him highly valued by the hobgoblin king. Of course, this was relative to other Monarch level hobgoblins. The hobgoblins'' life cap was Monarch level, and to advance further, they had to rely on technology. A Monarch level hobgoblin Shaman was no match for a Destroyer, especially since Destroyers could ignore and be immune to most magic. Snazzle was already exhausted, his soul power and Mana Points severely depleted, while his opponent remained in peak condition. The other hobgoblin Shaman, uninjured and clearly stronger, rushed to the forefront of the battlefield to earn the hobgoblin king''s favor. But he was met with a barrage of dazzling magic bullets, forcing him to use a shamanic barrier to defend and counterattack with blue waves of light against the Destroyer. The Shaman''s counterattack, imbued with soul damage, should have been effective against all undead. But against the Destroyer, the attack dissipated before reaching its target. Initially, the Shaman thought this was some defensive ability of the Destroyer. It wasn''t until now that he realized it was the Destroyer''s domain. The Destroyer''s domain was invisible, undetectable by most creatures. Its domain ability was a simple amplification of its own powers. Below Monarch level, the Destroyer had to physically block magical attacks to absorb them. At Monarch level, the Destroyer only needed to release its domain, and any magic within that area would be absorbed into its body. This ability was something the hobgoblin Shaman had never seen or heard of. But he believed one thing: nothing was eternal. There were no immortal beings, and the Destroyer couldn''t absorb magic indefinitely. Once it reached its limit, it could be defeated. In fact, the Shaman was half right. The Destroyer''s Mana Points had indeed reached their limit, fully charged. Boom! A massive explosion erupted. The hobgoblin Shaman at the forefront didn''t even have time to react. His first thought was that the Destroyer had exploded from too much mana, but the explosion came from beside him. The Shaman''s brain momentarily froze. He was blasted against the wall by the explosion, dying instantly. The Destroyer''s charged attack was so powerful that even the ground and the hobgoblins on the wall felt the tremor. Xiao Mu could hardly believe the Destroyer could unleash such a powerful attack, instantly killing a Monarch level hobgoblin Shaman. He had thought the Destroyer was unimpressive aside from its magic immunity and had worried whether it could defeat the hobgoblin Shamans. Clearly, he had underestimated it. Snazzle was stunned. As a Monarch level being, he realized that if he had been at the forefront, he might have been the one to die. No wonder the Destroyer''s attacks had seemed weak; it had been charging up! How could they fight this? These undead were unbeatable! ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Snazzle turned to flee without hesitation, but the other Destroyer blocked his path, trapping him. "Leaders, could you spare my life?" Snazzle pleaded. The two Destroyers ignored him and charged. Snazzle felt foolish for trying to reason with these undead. How could they possibly talk? He attempted to fight back but was unsurprisingly captured alive by the two Destroyers. Oddly, Snazzle felt a glimmer of hope. Being captured alive meant he might still have a chance to survive. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other Destroyer returned to the battlefield once again, releasing all the Mana Points it had absorbed, instantly destroying all the remaining iron beasts. Though this attack was less powerful than the first due to not being fully charged, its destructive force was still immense. Xiao Mu couldn''t help but marvel at the power of Monarch level beings. They were leagues above Commanding level. He had struggled to kill one iron beast, while the Destroyers wiped them out with a single attack. "Leaders, I intended to capture the enemy alive, but they were too weak, and I accidentally killed one. I apologize for failing your trust," one of the Destroyers said in a raspy voice, holding Snazzle. The reason for capturing them alive was, of course, for experience points. It was the queen''s order to help Xiao Mu and the others advance to Monarch level. Snazzle''s eyes widened in disbelief. These bird-like undead could talk; they just didn''t want to talk to him. "No worries, it''s not your fault. They were just too weak," Xiao Mu said nonchalantly. What kind of statement was that? Try taking one of those attacks yourself! Snazzle cursed the human a hundred times over in his mind. Humans were truly despicable. "Wow, hobgoblins are so ugly. Gross," Xiao Hui couldn''t help but comment. Snazzle: Humans are despicable and hateful. Xiao Mu felt there was no useful information to be gained. It was clear the hobgoblin kingdom had discovered their movements and set up an ambush here. They just didn''t know who their enemy was or where they came from. "Any movements from the hobgoblin kingdom?" Xiao Mu asked Snazzle, not expecting an honest answer, given Muckmire''s precedent. "No movements. We were just ordered to defend here. The king suspects it''s the work of some major power and doesn''t dare to act rashly." Losing a son and still swallowing their pride, these hobgoblins were really cowardly. "Where is the hobgoblin kingdom?" Xiao Mu asked again, verifying the truth of Snazzle''s words. "Under a lake to the north. The lake is actually a barrier created by hobgoblin technology. The real hobgoblin kingdom is beneath it," Snazzle answered truthfully. Unlike Muckmire, he wasn''t willing to die for the kingdom. Cooperation was his best chance at survival. Xiao Mu was surprised by the honesty. Since Snazzle was so cooperative, they would take him back and let Alex decide his fate. Chapter 192: Alexs plan Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui led the undead into the hobgoblin royal city (old), finding that there weren''t many hobgoblin guards inside¡ªonly a few hundred, specifically tasked with managing the city''s defenses. Most of these hobgoblins were Standard level, likely because all the Commanding level ones were piloting the iron beasts.With just these hobgoblins, they couldn''t gain much experience, and the rest were just civilians. These hobgoblin civilians were dressed in rags and looked emaciated, clearly having a hard life. They were probably abandoned when the hobgoblin kingdom relocated. Seeing Xiao Mu and the others, the civilian hobgoblins knelt and begged for mercy, not daring to resist. Although they desperately needed experience points, Xiao Mu and the others didn''t slaughter these civilians. They made their way to the hobgoblin kingdom''s palace, which was less luxurious than the stables of Undead City. It was likely a difference in aesthetic taste due to their different races. Inside the palace, they found a hidden puppet king, thanks to Snazzle''s tip. As for whether there were any useful supplies in the city, there were none¡ªnot even a single hair. Disappointed, Xiao Mu and the others returned with Snazzle. Although they gained fewer experience points than expected, they did acquire two Monarch level combatants, which was a decent haul. When the siblings and the undead returned, the task of reporting naturally fell to Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. Arthur was too large to enter the palace. Xiao Mu initially thought of contacting Alex directly, but then realized it didn''t matter whether Snazzle lived or died; they would bring the body back anyway. Upon arriving in Undead City, Snazzle was utterly despairing. This city was undoubtedly more grand and powerful than their hobgoblin royal city. Even with Arthur and Riven gone, leaving only Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, Snazzle didn''t dare resist. Of course, his staff had been confiscated, rendering him unable to use any magic. The siblings escorted him to the deepest part of the palace. Inside, Azure was reporting on the situation in Emerald Hills to Alex. Alex was delighted to learn that Azure had advanced to Monarch level. Unexpectedly, the first Race King to reach Monarch level wasn''t Arthur but Azure. John was also close to advancing, and after him, it would be Arthas and Crane. Alex examined Azure''s new Monarch level abilities, noting enhancements to his soul attacks and curses, with his domain power following the same theme. Notably, as the specter king, Azure could now summon his subjects after advancing to Monarch level. Alex was already looking forward to the other Race Kings'' performances after their advancements. At this moment, Alex saw Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui entering the hall, dragging one dead and one alive hobgoblin. Snazzle froze upon seeing Alex. "It''s you!" Snazzle recalled the painful experience of being beaten on the snowy mountain. If this girl hadn''t taken the Godhead, he might have died. Alex was puzzled: "Do I know you? You''ve seen me before?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex couldn''t remember the faces of hobgoblins¡ªthey all looked equally ugly to her. "Snowy mountain." "Oh, it''s you!" Alex suddenly realized. It was the hobgoblin Shaman who had escaped from the snowy mountain. "Did you kill the Monarch levels of the human race, werewolves, and blood clan?" ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "They''re dead, and I''m alive. What do you think?" Alex replied dismissively, then turned to Xiao Mu, who quickly recounted their journey. After Azure finished his report, he returned to Emerald Hills through the portal. "No worries. Two Monarch level corpses are still a gain, and Sophie will be taking action tonight. If we capture Rockhammer City, we''ll have plenty of resources," Alex said nonchalantly. Since the hobgoblin kingdom had relocated, the old city was bound to be devoid of resources. The unexpected gain of two Monarch levels was a pleasant surprise. Snazzle was shocked by Alex''s words and became agitated. "What do you mean, two corpses? I''ve been so cooperative, and you still want to kill me? I can help you take down the hobgoblin kingdom. Please, spare me..." Before Snazzle could finish, he was completely frozen, and Xiao Mu quickly let go. "Who needs your help?" Alex remarked, deeming Snazzle less useful than summoning an undead. "Kill him," Alex instructed the siblings. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui exchanged a glance, and Xiao Mu spoke first. "You do it. You should be the one to advance to Monarch level first." Xiao Hui understood her brother''s intentions and didn''t waste time with thanks. She formed a spear from dark energy and pierced Snazzle. Xiao Mu watched expectantly, but Xiao Hui didn''t level up. Xiao Hui''s experience points were shared with Alex. Subjects killing enemies still granted Alex experience points, but not when subjects'' troops did the killing. Soon, the two Monarch level corpses were summoned: one reaper guard and one necromancer. Alex had a slight obsession with symmetry, and having just one reaper guard felt off. Now, with two, it felt much better. "So, what''s next?" Xiao Mu asked Alex, disappointed that neither of them had leveled up. Both were at level 9 Commanding level and had hoped at least one of them would advance. "Rest for today. Tomorrow, when the dwarves capture Rockhammer City and we have resources to build an undead fortress, we can launch an attack on the hobgoblin kingdom," Alex replied. She planned to establish undead fortresses not only in the southern hobgoblin kingdom but also in Emerald Hills, Barren Plains, and Rockhammer City. The nearby fortresses would serve to protect Undead City. After all, the number of undead was constantly increasing, and they couldn''t have millions of undead crowding around the city, blocking the roads, and leaving no room to move. "Alright, we''ll wait then," Xiao Mu agreed. There was no rush. The hobgoblin kingdom didn''t know who their enemy was and still believed their kingdom was well-hidden, though it had already been discovered. "Let''s go eat. Are you joining us?" Xiao Hui asked. "Go ahead, I''m not hungry," Alex shook her head. Xiao Hui dragged Xiao Mu towards the dining hall, where the dark elves began preparing lunch for them. As Xiao Hui pulled him away, Xiao Mu complained, "Seriously, can''t you have some ambition? All you think about is eating!" Chapter 193: Successful ambush [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends]A strange red moon hung high overhead on a clear, cloudless night. On the continent of Arsen, in Grimstone. Durin led a group of raggedly dressed dwarves away from Grimstone. They looked disheveled and hurried, with Durin carrying a bundle on his back that jingled with the sound of metal clinking in the silent night. Two hours after Durin and his group left, a dwarf cavalry unit of three thousand set off in pursuit in the same direction. Balin didn''t know Rockhammer City, but Durin had given him precise directions. All he had to do was follow them, and he would eventually encounter the fortress guards of Rockhammer City. The distance between the two guard fortresses was quite far, but Durin was still spotted by the fortress guards as he passed by. At night, the scout eagles'' vision was limited, so Durin deliberately exposed his whereabouts to the dwarves in the guard fortress. The dwarves on the fortress noticed the situation. Since Grimstone had long fallen, and these dwarves were fleeing from that direction, they couldn''t afford to ignore it. The lead dwarf quickly relayed the information, but before long, he saw a dwarf cavalry unit approaching from the southeast. "Attention, enemy attack!" The fortress leader was shocked. Rockhammer City''s defenses were thin, relying mainly on these guard fortresses in the south. They couldn''t let any enemies through. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The fortress leader quickly organized the fortress''s dwarf troops, relayed the information again, and prepared to leave the fortress to meet the enemy. He never expected the extraterrestrial visitors ruling Grimstone to dare launch an attack on them. Soon, over two thousand dwarf cavalry were ready. The leader opened the fortress gates, and the dwarves on the fortress wall began adjusting their cannons, aiming at the enemy. Rockhammer City was known for its stout ponies, and all the dwarf mounts were these ponies. In contrast, Balin''s side had a mix of various beasts, looking more intimidating. Balin wasn''t foolish. He knew the enemy would intercept them, so he wouldn''t stupidly enter the range of the fortress cannons. "Charge! Don''t let those traitors cross Fortress Three!" The fortress leader swung his warhammer, and the two thousand dwarf cavalry charged at the enemy. As the dwarves closed in, the front-line dwarves pulled out their muskets. Bang! Bang! Bang! Countless sparks lit up the night. Balin''s troops held round shields in front of them, protecting their vital areas. Despite this, some were unlucky enough to get hit, but the spherical bullets only sparked against their armor. The dwarves of Fortress Three didn''t know that the front-line dwarves were wearing Commanding level gear, making them impervious to mere muskets. As for the beasts, such minor injuries didn''t affect them. Chi Chi''s beasts had been enhanced by Alex, with the lowest level being lv5 Standard. They were massive and incredibly fast. Balin''s troops also pulled out muskets to retaliate. After capturing Grimstone, they had acquired a lot of loot, so their equipment was no worse than the enemy''s. Before the two sides even clashed, casualties had already occurred, with Fortress Three''s leader suffering more losses. Soon, the two sides collided, engaging in a chaotic melee. The fortress leader realized that the enemy was not only well-trained but also superior in equipment, mounts, and numbers. This was completely different from the reports of Grimstone''s defenders being mere civilians. These civilians'' combat prowess shattered his expectations. Moreover, the enemy leader was clad in Commanding level gear, matching his own strength. The fortress leader could only hope for reinforcements from other fortresses to arrive quickly, or they were doomed. Behind them, Fortress Three was already ablaze, thick smoke signaling the enemy''s presence to other fortresses and Rockhammer City. Meanwhile, Durin saw Rockhammer City on the horizon. He quickly smeared mud on his face and ran towards the city in a panic. Rockhammer City''s city lord, Bofur, had just received news from Fortress Three when his troops reported someone approaching the city. "Lord, those suspicious dwarves are here!" §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Hmph." Bofur snorted, getting up and heading to the wall. He had been woken up in the middle of the night, and anyone would be annoyed. On the wall, Bofur saw a group of disheveled dwarves running towards them in a panic. "Refugees?" Soon, Durin reached the base of the wall, ignoring the muskets aimed at them by the dwarf troops, and began to wail. "Honorable leader, please take us in! We escaped from Grimstone and have important information. Their pursuers are right behind us! We must report to the city lord!" Durin and the other dwarves prostrated themselves, repeatedly kowtowing. With mud on their faces and the dim light, Bofur couldn''t see their features clearly. "I am the city lord here. You say you escaped from Grimstone. How can you prove it?" Bofur''s cold voice came from the wall. Suddenly, a dwarf scout hurried over, and Bofur saw the distant fire and smoke. "Lord." The scout handed a letter to Bofur without saying much. After reading it, Bofur''s eyes turned cold. The enemy had indeed attacked! "Tell me everything you know!" Bofur demanded, signaling a scout beside him, who immediately left to relay the message. "Honorable city lord, Grimstone, under the extraterrestrial visitors, plans to overthrow the clan. They started mobilizing, and we learned of their plan early, so they came out before they were fully prepared. There''s a Monarch level in the city, 30K troops, and various weapons. We must be cautious." Durin reported, and Bofur''s face grew colder, realizing the gravity of the situation. As Durin finished, Bofur turned to leave. In such a critical moment, why would he take in a few refugees? Their lives meant nothing to him. Seeing Bofur about to leave, Durin''s next words stopped him. "Lord, I have Prince Nori''s weapon on my back. I risked my life to steal it from the city, and that''s why they''re chasing us." A Monarch level set of armor was invaluable, especially Prince Nori''s. "Throw it up here!" Bofur intended to retrieve it without letting them in. If they refused, he would kill them. Durin remained calm. "Lord, you must take us in. The armor is too heavy, and the wall is too high. I can''t throw it up." Durin dropped the bundle, revealing the blue-white armor and distinctive weapon. Seeing this, Bofur decided to go out and retrieve the equipment himself, to ensure there was no trickery. His dwarf troops couldn''t handle it, but as a Monarch level, he had no such concerns. The gate creaked open, and Bofur, dressed in animal skins, stepped out. Durin and the other dwarves kept their heads down, not moving. "Lord, the breastplate seems damaged. Take a look." Durin offered the breastplate with both hands. Bofur took it, noting the severe damage but still usable. "This is the leg armor, this is the arm guard, and this is the helmet." Durin handed over each piece, helping Bofur inspect the armor. Nori''s armor was a full set with many parts, and Bofur checked to ensure nothing was missing. "Finally, this is the weapon." Durin suddenly lunged. Bofur looked up to see Durin wielding a hammer crackling with electricity, swinging it towards him. Boom! Caught off guard, Bofur was struck with Durin''s full force, sent flying, and killed instantly without his armor. Chapter 194: Conquer Rockhammer City The dwarves of Rockhammer City were stunned by the sudden turn of events, caught completely off guard.Durin saw Bofur get flung away but wasn''t sure if he was dead. He quickly moved in to finish him off, then rushed towards the still-open city gate. Bofur, until his dying breath, never imagined that the supposed refugee was actually a Monarch level. He didn''t even have time to release his domain before Durin''s sneak attack killed him. Bang! Bang! The dwarves, snapping out of their shock, immediately opened fire, but such attacks were useless against Durin. He activated his domain, blocking all the shots, and charged into the city. Uncertain if there were other Monarch levels in the city, Durin quickly began donning Nori''s Monarch level armor, which was why he had brought it along. The other dwarves disguised as refugees were all Commanding level and followed Durin into the city. Rockhammer City descended into chaos. Many warriors and officials were roused from their sleep, gathering their forces and rushing towards the wall to desperately hold off the enemy. This was Rockhammer City, the logistical hub of the Silverbeard Clan. It couldn''t be lost! Soon, dwarves from within the city rushed towards the gate. Durin stood on the wall, watching the approaching dwarves. As for the guards on the wall, he had already dealt with them. He observed the enemy''s movements and confirmed that the Silverbeard Clan couldn''t spare any more Monarch levels to defend Rockhammer City. As a noble, Durin was well aware of all the Monarch levels within the Silverbeard Clan. Seeing the enemy forces gathering, Durin remained calm, knowing that reinforcements were on their way. Looking back, the fire at Fortress Three had died down, indicating the crisis was over. The black smoke had turned white, signaling the enemy''s retreat, but reinforcements were still needed. "I am Durin of the Silverbeard Clan. Bofur conspired with other clans to rebel and has been slain by me. Do you also wish to rebel?" Durin shouted from the wall, throwing down a token. The leading dwarf officer below picked it up and examined it. The front bore the Silverbeard Clan''s emblem, and the back had Durin''s name. It was indeed a noble''s token, a symbol of their identity. The officer was momentarily at a loss, unsure of what to do. Rockhammer City, being an important city of the Silverbeard Clan, was naturally staffed entirely by nobles, making it unlikely for them to be swayed by Durin. However, while they were nobles, they weren''t the main branch and had no knowledge of Durin''s imprisonment. The Silverbeard Clan''s chieftain would never publicize such a family scandal. Only a few core members knew, and Bofur was one of them. But dead men tell no tales. The dwarf troops below also saw Durin''s token. The officer, being a direct subordinate of Bofur, knew Bofur couldn''t have conspired to rebel. But given the current situation, it was clear this was a conflict among the high nobles. With Bofur dead, Durin had won. Why should he offend a noble? "Leader, forgive us. We were unaware of City Lord Bofur''s conspiracy with other clans. Our loyalty to the Silverbeard Clan is as steadfast as rock. We are at your command!" The officer knelt on one knee, addressing Durin on the wall. The other dwarves followed suit. Seeing the officer submit, Durin relaxed his grip on his hammer. This was a smart man; otherwise, Durin would have killed him first. Durin''s subordinates were impressed by how easily he had stabilized the situation in Rockhammer City. One crucial reason was that Rockhammer City''s defenses were thin, with the main forces at the front lines. Otherwise, a city like Rockhammer would have at least three Monarch levels stationed. Meanwhile, at Fortress Three, Balin had won but didn''t occupy the fortress, fearing reinforcements from other fortresses. He immediately began to retreat. Balin''s forces reached the designated location and joined the 30K dwarf army waiting there, heading straight for Rockhammer City. Grimstone was left with 20K undead and necromancers to hold it. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Sophie, who had stayed up all night in the castle, finally received a report from the dwarves: Rockhammer City had been successfully captured! Excited, Sophie immediately sent a message to Alex, sharing the good news. Alex, just waking up, saw Sophie''s message and knew they now had the materials to build the undead fortress. Alex hadn''t doubted the success of the Rockhammer City assault, given the 20K undead army and necromancers. Sophie and the dwarves had proven their capabilities, achieving a brilliant victory without the undead''s help. The next target was the hobgoblin kingdom. But before that, Alex wanted to experiment with the undead fortress''s features by building one outside Grimstone. This would also serve as a final line of defense for Sophie''s castle. Dismantling a fortress would return resources, but Essence Shards wouldn''t be refunded. So, the location of the first undead fortress had to be chosen carefully. After capturing Rockhammer City, they had seized a lot of loot. However, transporting all the resources to Sophie''s castle was a logistical challenge. "There''s so much stuff here. I don''t know when we''ll be able to move it all," Sophie sighed. The distance from Rockhammer City to Grimstone was several hours by bone dragon flight, and even longer for ground troops. The distance from Grimstone to Sophie''s castle was even greater. Alex thought for a moment and asked, "Doesn''t Rockhammer City have a teleportation array?" Sophie was taken aback. "I don''t know!" Alex slapped her forehead, almost forgetting that the dwarf clan''s teleportation arrays only connected to a fixed location and weren''t interconnected. Undead City also needed its own teleportation array! The Portal of Transit was too limited. While the undead fortress could also serve this purpose, it required carrying the fortress''s Essence Shard. "Too bad Ruby''s gone. Otherwise, I''d ask her for help." Ruby could use spatial magic, making teleportation arrays a simple task for her. Alex had asked her Dark Alchemy Warlocks if they could create teleportation arrays, but it was beyond their capabilities. "It looks like I''ll have to go myself." Alex couldn''t rely on the slow-moving undead ground troops from Grimstone. Plus, no one else could use her storage ring, so she had to handle it personally. Besides, there was a Monarch level corpse waiting for her to summon. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex called all the Monarch level undead capable of using the Portal of Transit to help transport the resources, ensuring maximum efficiency. Alex and five Monarch level undead teleported to the White Rock Mountains, disappearing from Undead City. Chapter 195: Dont ask me, do what you think is right "Please have a seat, leaders. Here is today''s breakfast. Enjoy," said the dark elves as they served breakfast to the siblings.Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu were surprised to find that Alex was not in the palace early in the morning. "Huh, where did Miss Alex go?" Xiao Hui wondered aloud. "Master left the palace with a few undead just before you two arrived," one of the dark elves explained helpfully to Xiao Hui. "She probably went to check on the situation in Arsen after capturing that dwarf city," Xiao Mu said nonchalantly as he ate his breakfast. Given their current progress, they could launch an attack on the hobgoblin kingdom by tomorrow or the day after. By noon, after nearly six hours of long-distance flight, Alex and a few undead finally arrived at Rockhammer City. The distance was quite far, and if not for the fast flying speed of Monarch levels, Alex estimated she wouldn''t have arrived until the afternoon. Alex landed inside Rockhammer City, where Durin and Balin hurried out to greet her. The dwarf garrison in Rockhammer City had already been subdued by the dwarf army Balin had brought. Durin knew that the news of Rockhammer City''s fall must have already reached the Silverbeard Clan. He had also informed the other two clans besieging the Silverbeard Clan, ensuring that the Silverbeard Clan would soon be in dire straits. Without logistical support, they wouldn''t last long. The first thing Alex did upon arriving was to summon Bofur''s corpse, turning him into a necromancer. Currently, necromancers were the most helpful to Alex. Then, under Durin''s guidance, Alex headed to Rockhammer City''s warehouse. Upon entering the warehouse, Alex was stunned by the sight before her. The room was filled with equipment materials, iron ingots yet to be forged into equipment, magic crystals, and Essence Shards, all neatly stacked in boxes. There were also stones polished for wall repairs. "One Silverbeard Clan is this wealthy. I can''t imagine what the other dwarf clans are like!" Alex exclaimed. And this was just one warehouse. Durin then led Alex to another warehouse. This warehouse contained heavy weaponry. It wasn''t full, and the cannons at the back were covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating they hadn''t been used in a while. The outer area showed signs of recent movement, likely taken to the front lines. In another section, boxes of cannonballs were stacked. Alex pried open a wooden box to inspect the contents. Besides the large spherical cannonballs, there were also special types of ammunition. "Ice charged crystals? Fire charged crystals?" Alex picked up a long crystal, feeling the strong elemental power within. "Lord, these are ammunition for the charged cannons. They can be inserted into the weapon''s end, and the cannon will absorb the elemental power to unleash a powerful attack," Durin explained, seeing Alex''s curiosity. Alex turned to see the cannon Durin mentioned, which was indeed more advanced than the regular ones. These charged crystals weren''t consumables and could be recharged and reused. There were also some finished armor and weapons, including muskets. "And what''s this?" Alex asked, pointing to a hexagonal object covered in magical runes, filled with Essence Shards likely providing its energy. "Lord, this is the energy core for the city shield, probably a spare," Durin explained. Alex saw various other strange items, and Durin patiently explained each one, giving her a better understanding of the Silverbeard Clan''s technological level. Finding nothing immediately useful, Alex generously left these items for Durin to allocate, strengthening their forces. Durin was thrilled. With this equipment, aside from lacking top-tier combat power, he no longer feared the Silverbeard Clan. The sheer quantity of these items would be enough to give them a headache. ???¦®§®???.?§°? There was also a third warehouse, much smaller than the first two, used to store food. The entire warehouse was filled with preserved meats and magically preserved greens. Although Alex was tempted to take the greens, she remembered her mission and couldn''t let food take up space in her ring. After a quick glance, Alex left the food for Durin''s dwarf army. "Lord, there''s also a place where books are stored. Would you like to take a look?" Durin suggested, while Balin looked puzzled. Why bother with books? Alex''s eyes lit up. "Let''s go." Inside, Alex found books filled with practical knowledge and techniques, not just dwarf history. There were books on crafting various weapons and armor, enchanting methods, and the integration of technology and magic, including taming beasts and weaving clothes. These books encompassed the entire Silverbeard Clan''s civilization. Alex guessed other clans had similar collections, possibly with different focuses. With these books, even ordinary dwarf artisans could become top-tier craftsmen. No wonder the clan kept these tightly controlled. Without external help, it was nearly impossible for commoners to successfully rebel. "Teleportation array?!" Alex exclaimed, finding a book on teleportation arrays. She thought it was fate, but the book was incomplete. The technology was similar to the teleportation array in Grimstone, allowing only one person to pass at a time, making it useless to Alex. "Never mind, I''ll take it back and see if someone can improve it," Alex said, putting the book in her space ring and leaving. She ordered Durin and his men to transport all the books, equipment, and food back to Grimstone, which would now be their main dwarf city. Alex and the undead began collecting the warehouse''s materials, quickly filling Alex''s ring. The necromancers and liches used Bone Magic to encase the boxes in bone, making them easier for the undead to carry. Before leaving, Durin briefed Alex on the current situation and asked about her next steps. Durin understood that the human girl before him was the true mastermind. The undead she commanded had grown even more powerful. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Durin could sense that Alex had become stronger since their last meeting, and the undead with her were all Monarch level. It had only been a few days, yet the extraterrestrial visitors'' potential was terrifying, explaining why all races were hostile towards them. "Don''t ask me. Do what you think is right. I''ll support you and won''t interfere," Alex replied. It seemed the Silverbeard Clan would soon fall. Alex and the undead, carrying the crucial materials, headed south. By the time Alex returned to the city, it was already dusk. She had spent nearly a whole day traveling back and forth. Alex felt a bit embarrassed. Clearly, not having a teleportation array was a problem. As she entered the range of Sophie''s castle, Alex used the system''s one-click recovery feature to transfer the materials to the warehouse. "Finally, we can start building the undead fortress," Alex said. Chapter 196: Accelerate expansion and building an undead fortress Alex entered the palace and found Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui there. She initially thought they were waiting for her, but it turned out they were just there for dinner."Miss Alex, how did things go?" Xiao Hui asked eagerly upon seeing Alex. "Everything went smoothly," Alex replied with a smile. Alex then flew to the top of the palace. In the twilight, the wind blew through her white hair, and her dress fluttered gently. She gazed out over the entire Undead City. Outside the palace, there were a few houses and facilities, but not many. To Alex, the city felt too large for its current population. The areas near the city walls were mostly empty, with only a few undead stationed there, making the place look desolate. Undead City, where the dead outnumbered the living, felt more like a ghost town. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Undead fortress construction materials: 100K units of wood, 200K units of stone, 50K magic crystals, 100K units of iron ingots, 100 Essence Shards.] These resources were a significant fortune. "Build!" Alex commanded. To her surprise, nothing happened in the empty space before her. She turned around and realized the construction was happening behind the palace. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui heard the commotion and joined Alex, watching the scene unfold behind the palace. Hundreds of Essence Shards floated in the air, and massive bones emerged from the ground, assembling like building blocks. A colossal circular structure slowly took shape, its outer walls towering as high as the walls of Undead City, reaching two-thirds the height of the palace. The walls, made entirely of bones, were eerily white and unsettling. Facing Alex was a skull gate, with a giant skull emitting black mist. The mist fell to the ground, obscuring the land beneath. Aside from the mist, the structure was a simple, flat-topped cylinder. Alex jumped down to inspect the interior, with the curious siblings following closely. Upon approaching the building, Alex realized it was even taller than she had imagined. There were eight doors, each adorned with a strange skull emitting black mist from its eye sockets. Alex walked through the mist, which felt comfortable to Xiao Hui but made Xiao Mu uneasy, despite not harming him due to his connection to Alex. As they reached the undead fortress, the doors opened automatically, revealing a dark barrier inside. Even with the doors open, they couldn''t see what lay beyond. Xiao Hui felt a bit scared, imagining monsters lurking behind the barrier. Alex didn''t hesitate. She touched the Dark Barrier, her hand passing through it, and then stepped inside, disappearing from the siblings'' view. They exchanged glances and followed her in. Inside, Alex found a separate space, like a small world filled with twisted black light and endless darkness. "This place has spatial properties!" Alex observed. She looked up to see only darkness and down to find her feet hidden in black mist. Before her stood a massive black portal, large enough for a zombie titan to pass through easily. The circular, smooth black walls were covered in strange runes, each missing a piece, losing their original charm. A black hexagonal crystal slowly emerged from the mist at her feet. Alex picked it up to examine it. [Item Name: Undead Fortress Essence Shard] [Item Level: None] [Feature: Constructs an undead fortress] [Supplementary Materials: 100K units of wood, 200K units of stone, 50K magic crystals, 100K units of iron ingots, 100 Essence Shards.] "So expensive, it''s the same as the main fortress''s construction materials," Alex noted. She clicked to supplement the materials, and the Essence Shard was encased in bones, forming a sphere that emitted a special glow, indicating it was fully charged. The usage was simple: click to build and throw it on the ground. The feature seemed singular, but the teleportation function alone was impressive and would be very useful to Alex. "Miss Alex, will our castle upgrade to a city and have something like this?" Xiao Hui asked curiously. "I don''t know. It''s unclear if this is a special reward or a standard upgrade feature," Alex replied. She couldn''t tell if the teleporting undead fortress was a unique system reward or a fixed upgrade reward. Other Lords might have hobgoblin fortresses, demon fortresses, or similar structures. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "Let''s go. There''s nothing else here," Alex said, turning to leave. The siblings quickly followed. "It''s almost dark. I''ll build the first fortress Essence Shard at Grimstone to see its effect. When the second one refreshes tomorrow, we''ll prepare to attack the hobgoblin kingdom," Alex explained. She guessed the Essence Shard refreshed every twenty-four hours, like the Barracks. "Xiao Mu, could you take this to Grimstone and build it in a suitable spot? It''s fully charged," Alex handed the fortress Essence Shard to Xiao Mu, not wanting to make another trip herself. She planned to use the fortress''s teleportation to travel directly from Undead City. "Sure," Xiao Mu agreed, taking the Essence Shard. "Miss Alex, I want to go too!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, eager to see the dwarf city. "You both go," Alex said, watching the siblings enter the Portal of Transit to the White Rock Mountains. After greeting Sophie at her castle, the siblings, accompanied by an undead mount to guide them, set off north to Grimstone. The sky cleared, revealing the red moon as night fell. Alex waited patiently in the palace for them to build the undead fortress. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Time: 10:00 PM Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui finally arrived at Grimstone. The city, once under noble rule, wasn''t as prosperous as Xiao Hui had imagined. Grimstone was silent at night, with only a few houses still lit. Durin and Balin had left with the dwarf army, leaving the city much quieter. The siblings didn''t enter the city but searched for a suitable spot to build the undead fortress. "The area around here is all grassland. It feels the same no matter where we build it," Xiao Hui muttered. "Let''s build it south of Grimstone, within sight but not too close, so we can quickly support it," Xiao Mu suggested. "Sounds good. I was thinking the same," Xiao Hui agreed. They moved south until Grimstone looked as small as an egg in the distance. Xiao Mu took out the fortress Essence Shard, opened the system dashboard, and clicked to build, then casually tossed the Essence Shard to the ground. They flew into the sky, away from the Essence Shard''s location. The bones encasing the Essence Shard shattered, and the core emitted a green glow. A massive magic circle appeared, and a bone fortress began to rise from it. The fortress, a hexagonal structure with walls and everything inside made of bones, was larger than the siblings had expected. Compared to the dwarf guard fortresses, this undead fortress was even bigger, covering one-fifth of Grimstone''s area. The six walls had no gates, but each corner where two walls met had a round turret, six in total. Each turret had battlements and eerie cannon muzzles connected to them. The fortress''s interior was simple, with a tall undead tower at its center. The tower''s peak held the undead fortress''s Essence Shard, forming a transparent, slightly dark barrier. The Essence Shard at the top not only provided defense but also acted as a defense tower, automatically attacking nearby enemies. The siblings landed on the bone wall, which looked fragile but was incredibly sturdy. Each turret''s top had a black triangular flag, whose purpose they couldn''t discern but believed wasn''t just decorative. The undead tower''s base, the fortress''s interior, was also a hexagonal structure. Five of its walls had black teleportation arrays, with only one wall serving as an entrance. The five teleportation arrays were angled to maximize their passage area. The floor inside the fortress was also covered in bones, with stairs leading up the six walls. "This fortress is so eerie. Why is there so much empty space inside?" Xiao Hui wondered. Wouldn''t it be strange without other facilities? "Undead don''t need fancy stuff. Their mission is probably just war. Do you want them to build houses inside?" Xiao Mu retorted, using the time to contact Alex. Receiving the message, Alex entered the main fortress in Undead City. She noticed that one of the runes on the walls, previously missing a piece, was now complete and glowing green. "I see, building an undead fortress activates a rune," Alex realized. The massive teleportation gate lit up, and she walked through it. Chapter 197: This fortress isnt a building; its an undead As the teleportation gate activated, the five gates within the fortress began emitting black mist, and Alex''s figure appeared before the siblings.Alex started examining the fortress. Setting aside other features, the space was vast and spacious, capable of accommodating 30K small-sized undead without any issues. With her highest level of access, Alex could gather more information than the siblings. She first went to the turrets to inspect the undead cannons. These cannons were integrated with the turrets, immovable, and could only fire from the fixed battlements, though their angles could be adjusted. "Strange, how do they fire without ammunition?" Alex wondered aloud. "Don''t tell me I have to make the ammo myself. If that''s the case, these cannons are useless." Wait, Alex noticed a hole at the back of the cannon. Could it be that undead were supposed to crawl inside and be used as ammunition? That seemed absurd. Each turret had six undead cannons, which Alex temporarily called scatter cannons. In contrast, the opposite turret had only one massive cannon, several times larger than any cannon Alex had seen before. This time, there was no hole at the back but rather at the top. If it were to load Skeleton Soldiers, it could fit at least ten at a time. Alex dubbed it the big cannon. The scatter cannons and big cannons were alternately arranged, meaning three turrets had scatter cannons and three had big cannons. From a functional perspective, Alex found the undead fortress quite impressive. She planned to notify the 20K undead army at Grimstone to station here, avoiding scaring the dwarf civilians outside Grimstone. "Miss Alex, what powers this fortress? I remember most facilities use Essence Shards for energy, but I can''t find any here," Xiao Hui asked, puzzled by the undead Essence Shard at the tower''s peak. Her question reminded Alex that there should be a place to insert the Essence Shards. "Miss Alex, there''s another room near the teleportation gate!" Xiao Hui shouted, pointing out the sixth wall, which wasn''t a teleportation array. Alex jumped down from the wall and walked over to investigate. The siblings watched as Alex entered. They had tried to enter before but were denied access due to insufficient permissions. Alex expected to find a place for Essence Shards but found the room empty, save for a floating blue flame. "Soul Fire? How is this possible?!" Alex exclaimed. She discovered she could access the system dashboard here, but it only had one feature. Alex quickly left the room, looking shocked. The siblings were confused, not understanding what she had seen. "I understand why it doesn''t need Essence Shards for energy. It''s because it has a soul!" Alex explained. "This undead fortress isn''t a building; it''s an undead!" "What? This huge thing is an undead?" Xiao Hui''s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Alex had seen its mana value, a whopping thousand points. Even with the shield constantly active, its Mana Points regenerated faster than they were consumed. So the shield could stay up indefinitely unless under heavy attack or shattered by a powerful blow. "If it''s an undead, it makes sense. All its energy comes from its own Mana Points, so it doesn''t need external sources," Alex continued. The system dashboard feature she saw was the ability to self-destruct the fortress, transforming it into an undead. Such a massive fortress being an undead was unimaginable. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Self-destructing the undead fortress to transform it into an undead was a last-resort measure, as it would waste a significant amount of resources. Alex hoped never to use this ability unless absolutely necessary. Now, Alex was more convinced that this was a unique feature for her. Other structures might have similar teleportation abilities, but nothing quite like this. "By the way, you two should try passing through the teleportation gate," Alex suggested, concerned that the gate might be exclusive to undead. As the Undead Queen, she had no issues, but it would be problematic if Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui couldn''t pass. "Alright, I''ll give it a try," Xiao Mu volunteered, walking towards the gate and passing through without hesitation. It seemed to work, possibly because they were Alex''s subjects or because the undead fortress, having a soul, could determine who could pass. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? "Let''s head back," Alex said, and Xiao Hui followed her through the gate. Their vision spun, and they found themselves in the main fortress of Undead City. The teleportation experience was far superior to the Portal of Transit. It was getting late, and the three decided to call it a night. Back at the palace, Alex gave her orders. "Tell Arthas to summon as many skeleton archers as possible with all the liches," Alex instructed. "Yes, Master," a dark elf replied. The skeleton archers would be stationed at the undead fortress, providing long-range attacks from the walls. This was currently the most efficient ranged unit Alex could mass-produce. Alex had seen liches summon a batch of skeleton archers before and realized their necessity now. She planned to learn more about the liches'' Skeleton Magic to see what other undead variants they could create. After a bath, Alex slipped into bed, enjoying the improved facilities of the palace, including hot water for bathing. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] The next morning, Alex received more good news: John had advanced to Monarch level. Arthas and Crane had also reached level 7 Commanding level, indicating they would soon advance to Monarch level as well. Including the newly advanced Azure and John, Alex now had twenty Monarch level undead. From the information obtained from Muckmire, the hobgoblin king wasn''t at King level, so Alex had no concerns. A force of twenty Monarch level undead was more than enough to annihilate the hobgoblin kingdom. With nothing pressing to do, Alex joined the siblings for breakfast. "Miss Alex, after we conquer the hobgoblin kingdom, we should be able to advance to Monarch level, right?" Xiao Hui asked, already looking forward to her advancement. "It shouldn''t be a problem. Once the fortress Essence Shard refreshes at dusk, we''ll launch the attack on the hobgoblin kingdom. By the way, any movements from their side?" Alex inquired, having left the monitoring of the hobgoblin kingdom to the siblings. "No movements. It''s been eerily quiet, as if the old city has nothing to do with them," Xiao Mu replied, finding the hobgoblins'' behavior cowardly. Either that, or they were hiding something under the shield. Despite the heavy losses and the fall of their royal city, the hobgoblins had shown no reaction. In reality, the hobgoblin king had been terrified since learning about the snowy mountain incident, losing sleep every night, fearing retribution. With the Monarch levels of the three races dead and only the hobgoblin Monarch level surviving, the snowy mountain incident remained a mystery. The hobgoblin king couldn''t provide an explanation, adding to the tension. The complex power dynamics of the Eldoria continent left the weak hobgoblins in a precarious position. If they were on the Arsen continent, they might have thrived, but their weakness prevented them from relocating. The nearest power was the mage association''s branch, and the hobgoblin king worried daily about the human mages causing trouble. Living under the barrier, the hobgoblin kingdom was timid and cautious. However, the mage association had no interest in them, only wanting to investigate the snowy mountain incident. They knew the hobgoblin kingdom lacked the strength and courage for such actions. The hobgoblins'' relocation of their royal city only increased the mages'' suspicion, as humans were known for their cunning and distrust. At dusk, the main fortress refreshed another fortress Essence Shard. Alex, standing in the black mist, held the hexagonal shard and charged it with resources. "Finally, we can start the operation," Alex said, leaving the main fortress. She planned to place the fortress Essence Shard directly under the hobgoblin kingdom''s barrier, allowing the undead to confront the hobgoblins head-on and test the fortress''s offensive capabilities. As Alex exited the main fortress, she checked the system dashboard for the time, and a sudden message popped up. [Your lv1 Monarch level necromancer has been killed by an enemy angel!] What the hell??? Her Monarch level troop had been killed, and by an angel, no less? Chapter 198: Alex vs Two-Winged Angel Alex currently had four necromancers stationed in Rockhammer City, Emerald Hills, White Rock Mountains at Sophie''s castle, and with Chi-Chi.Emerald Hills and Sophie''s location were secure, and Alex would receive immediate updates from them. Chi-Chi had mentioned that her area was a desert and very safe. Could it be Rockhammer City? But why would there be angels in Rockhammer City? S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A sense of foreboding washed over Alex. Sure enough, the system''s voice chimed in again, confirming her fears. [Big Boobs]: "Big Shot, please help Chi-Chi! We''re under attack by a powerful enemy!" Alex immediately flew towards the Portal of Transit, sending an Alliance invitation to Luca and replying. [Hamburger]: "Where''s Chi-Chi? Why didn''t she contact me herself?" Luca quickly accepted the Alliance invitation and responded. [Big Boobs]: "She was worried the enemy was too strong and didn''t want to risk your safety. She refused to ask for help, so I..." Luca''s message abruptly ended. The siblings saw Alex flying towards the Portal of Transit. "Miss Alex, where are you going?" Xiao Hui asked, puzzled. Weren''t they supposed to attack the hobgoblin kingdom? Alex took ten seconds to briefly explain the situation to them before turning back to the Portal of Transit. "Leader, wait! This is too unusual. She didn''t contact you herself, but had someone else do it. Could she be captured, and the enemy is luring you into a trap?" Xiao Mu cautioned Alex. Alex considered it for a moment but deemed it unlikely. Luca had previously helped her gather intelligence for Chi-Chi, and they were family. Betraying Alex would mean betraying Chi-Chi. Besides, Alex had the Life Link passive skill, making her nearly invincible. Xiao Mu didn''t know this, which was why he tried to stop her. "Take this," Alex said, tossing the charged fortress Essence Shard to Xiao Mu. "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. Stick to the original plan and attack the hobgoblin kingdom. I''ll be back soon!" Alex''s figure disappeared into the Portal of Transit. When Alex reappeared, the scene before her left her stunned. She was in a vast desert, barren and devoid of greenery. The night air was cold, and even Alex felt a chill. She didn''t know the name of this place or which continent it was on, as she had never asked Luca. Alex quickly flew out of the Portal of Transit, finding herself amidst ruins. Except for the castle before her, everything else had collapsed. A holy, two-winged angel hovered in the night sky, radiating a sacred golden light. He looked at Alex as she emerged from the Portal of Transit. Below, a group of Templar Knights battled the undead, likely summoned by the necromancer. But the undead were no match for the Templar Knights and were nearly wiped out. Where were Luca and Chi-Chi? Alex scanned the area but saw no sign of them. "Are you looking for them?" a Templar Knight sneered, holding an unconscious Chi-Chi and a severely injured Luca. He threw them to the ground and stepped on Luca. The Templar Knight gripped his cross sword, ready to kill Luca. The angel in the sky ignored Alex and flew towards the castle''s top floor, clearly well-informed about the extraterrestrial visitors. Fuck! Alex''s eyes glowed red and blue, and she vanished from her spot. She reappeared before the Templar Knight, swinging a black scythe and decapitating him in one swift motion. The knight didn''t even have time to react before he was dead. In the brief moment Alex saved Luca, the angel was already looking down at her from above, holding a red crystal¡ªLuca''s castle crystal! Before Alex could move, the angel crushed the crystal without hesitation. "Save... save Chi-Chi..." Luca, on the brink of death, pleaded with Alex to take Chi-Chi away. As the castle began to shake, Luca''s life force faded completely. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Alex''s face darkened as she glared at the angel above. The surrounding Templar Knights encircled her. Alex unleashed her Death Domain, instantly killing all the Commanding level Templar Knights around her. The angel''s expression turned cold upon seeing Alex''s domain, and he launched an attack. Alex, wielding her scythe, charged at the angel. Holy Light Domain clashed with Death Domain, light and dark intertwining. Alex could feel that the angel''s strength was on par with hers, if not higher. Their battle created a vortex, sending sand flying. As Alex was pushed back, her left eye flashed black, and several invisible curse spells shot towards the angel. The angel, seemingly able to see the attacks, enveloped himself in golden light, dispelling the curses. The angel''s holy light could purify Alex''s curse and plague magics, rendering them ineffective. He then spread his wings, raised his holy sword, and gathered all the golden light into the blade, forming a beam that reached the sky. The angel swung his holy sword at Alex. She didn''t choose to defend; only her dark magic could counter the holy light. Alex spun her scythe, creating a massive arc of black flames, like a crescent moon, and met the angel''s attack head-on. However, the angel''s attack wasn''t completely nullified, only dimmed. In contrast, Alex''s attack was cut through, forcing her to use Dark Barrier to block the remaining force. Alex couldn''t believe that an angel a few levels higher could be this powerful, even with her scythe''s attribute boost. She decided to change her strategy. Several massive ice dragons appeared behind her, and with a wave of her left hand, they shot towards the angel. The angel dodged the ice dragons with ease, shattering them with a single swing of his sword. To him, elemental magic was no match for holy light. But as the ice dragons shattered, they turned into countless ice crystals, slowing the angel''s movements. He tried to dispel them with holy light but found it slower than dispelling darkness. Alex noticed this. It seemed the angel''s holy light wasn''t omnipotent. Her right eye turned icy blue, and numerous magic circles appeared around the angel. As he dodged an ice dragon, a blue magic circle behind him released an ice chain. The angel dodged again, only to find another magic circle above him. He teleported away, escaping the attack range. The angel, cold-faced, was about to relax when magic circles appeared on all sides, completely surrounding him. Ice chains shot out from every circle, threatening to freeze him instantly. The magic circles were interconnected, preventing him from using holy light to escape. A golden transparent barrier appeared, enveloping the angel. The ice chains struck relentlessly, the air thick with ice elements, assaulting the angel''s barrier. Inside, the angel''s holy light was rapidly depleting. At this point, it was a battle of Mana Points. But the angel couldn''t dispel the ice elements as fast as Alex could generate them. Suddenly, all the magic circles stopped attacking and merged into a single blue sphere, rapidly shrinking. Not good! The angel''s pupils contracted. Boom! A muffled explosion sent a blue shockwave outward, and the angel was completely frozen. Alex summoned countless ice pillars to reinforce the seal. "Hu..." Alex panted heavily, her head aching. She released her grip on her left arm. This angel excelled in close combat, and his holy light magic was stronger than Alex''s dark magic, putting her at a disadvantage. But if her dark magic were stronger, she would have had the upper hand. Unexpectedly, high-level Frost Magic proved to be very powerful, even more so than her current dark magic, with the added ability to seal. "It''s just too mana-intensive. Now I understand why mages are so strong," Alex mused. For a Monarch level, casting high-level magic consumes too much mana, which is far beyond what a Monarch level can withstand. The angel, connected to the ice pillars, remained suspended in mid-air, sealed. Alex didn''t pay him any more attention and flew down to the unconscious Chi-Chi. Chapter 199: Miss Alex... is that you? Alex knelt beside Chi-Chi, checking her breathing. It was faint.Chi-Chi had no visible wounds, but Alex, though not an expert in soul magic, had some understanding of souls. She guessed that Chi-Chi''s soul had been damaged. "I''m too late," Alex murmured, cradling Chi-Chi in her arms. Chi-Chi seemed to sense Alex''s warmth, her fingers twitching slightly, but she remained unconscious. Chi-Chi had likely been struck by the angel''s holy light, an attack that, like Alex''s dark magic, directly harmed the soul. Ironically, angels would call it soul purification. Alex''s escape route was cut off, surrounded by ruins in the desert. The angel had destroyed the castle crystal to prevent Alex from fleeing, but hadn''t anticipated losing to her. Despite the dire situation, Alex didn''t panic. She knew that if she could leave the desert and find a Lord, she could easily return to Undead City. Among the ruins, Alex saw the bodies of Luca''s other allies, including a middle-aged man who bore a resemblance to Chi-Chi. They were all dead, with no chance of survival. "Sigh," Alex sighed, realizing that Chi-Chi''s family was gone, and she herself was in grave danger. Alex dug a large pit, placing the bodies inside and setting them ablaze. She then buried their ashes in the desert sand. "Rest in peace," she whispered. Next, Alex approached the ice-sealed angel. His golden eyes glared at her with fury. Alex raised her right hand, conjuring a black spear that pierced the angel through the ice. With the angel dealt with, Alex quickly gathered the scattered supplies and summoned the angel and Templar Knights as Reaper Guards. She then ordered the Reaper Guards to leave and await further commands elsewhere. Summoning Reaper Guards was practical; regular undead would draw too much attention, but Reaper Guards could hide in shadows and teleport to Alex when needed. Alex buried all traces of the battle under the desert sand, ensuring no one would know what had happened there. She hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back, donned a black robe from her ring, and used the red moon in the sky to orient herself before flying east. In Undead City, the siblings waited for hours, but Alex didn''t return. "Do you think something happened over there?" Xiao Hui asked, worried. Even attacking a castle shouldn''t take this long. "I''ll ask," Xiao Mu said, sending a message to Alex. "Leader, how''s it going? Is it resolved?" Alex quickly replied, "There''s a problem. They were all wiped out. I couldn''t save them, and my escape route is cut off. I can''t return to Undead City for now." Xiao Mu: "What about the enemy? How will you get back?" Alex: "I killed the enemy. Returning to Undead City isn''t an issue. I just need to find a Lord." Alex: "Don''t worry about me. Proceed with the attack on the hobgoblin kingdom as planned. You take command and focus on gaining strength." Xiao Mu: "Got it." Xiao Mu closed the chat interface. Xiao Hui, who had been peeking over his shoulder, understood the situation. "Those damn angels are so despicable. They destroyed the castle just as Alex got there. Now Miss Alex might not be back for days," Xiao Hui fumed. The distance between Lords wasn''t fixed. If lucky, Alex might find a Lord in a few hours and return. If unlucky, it could take a month. "Don''t worry. She took a huge risk to save a subject, showing she''s worth following," Xiao Mu reassured her. "I know. I just hate those native races," Xiao Hui grumbled. "When should we attack the hobgoblin kingdom? Now?" Xiao Hui asked. Xiao Mu checked the system time. It was past eleven at night. "Tomorrow. We need to inform Alex''s undead," Xiao Mu said. Although he had Alex''s orders, coordinating all the undead required the cooperation of the Monarch levels and Race Kings. "Alright, let''s get some sleep," Xiao Hui said, heading to her palace, leaving the matter to Xiao Mu. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] The next morning, the undead army was assembled outside the main fortress. Azure and John had returned from Emerald Hills. With four Monarch levels stationed at Sophie''s and Emerald Hills, all other Monarch levels were in Undead City. Including Azure and John, there were fifteen Monarch levels in Undead City. In the city square, the siblings and several undead gathered to plan the attack. Since a necromancer had died and none were stationed in the city, Xiao Mu arranged for a necromancer from Emerald Hills to switch places with one of the Monarch levels. "We''ll build the undead fortress as leader instructed, directly under the hobgoblin kingdom''s barrier. You all will provide cover," Xiao Mu explained to the undead. "Five stay behind, not enough, support," Azure''s ethereal voice suggested. Xiao Mu understood, meaning ten Monarch levels would fight, leaving five to guard the city, with reinforcements if needed. "Alright, let''s move out," Xiao Mu said decisively. "Arthur, carry them. Focus on advancing to Monarch level," Azure instructed Arthur. "And me," John added. As a newly advanced Monarch level, John could fly but was slower than a Commanding level bone dragon. Xiao Hui noticed Azure''s blue eyes glance at John. Arthur carried the siblings and John south, followed by Azure, Riven, and ten Monarch levels. The massive zombie titan, though a Monarch level, was too slow and stayed to guard Undead City. Meanwhile, Alex was growing frustrated. The desert was larger than she had imagined. She had flown all night without seeing the end, and there were no signs of life, let alone a Lord. Alex felt she might have flown in the wrong direction. Luca and his allies couldn''t have thrived in such a barren place. One direction must be closer to the desert''s edge. But having flown all night, she decided to continue east. Luca hadn''t had time to tell her anything before he died. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ugh... cough..." Chi-Chi suddenly coughed and spat out blood. Alex quickly landed and gently laid Chi-Chi down. "Miss Alex... is that you?" Chi-Chi asked weakly. Alex noticed her forehead was burning, her face pale, and her lips bloodless. "It''s me. I''m here," Alex said, letting Chi-Chi lean against her arm. She used ice and fire magic to create water, which she floated to Chi-Chi''s lips with wind magic. But Chi-Chi only managed a few sips before vomiting violently, expelling blood and remnants of food. "Miss Alex... thank you... where''s the enemy... and my father and brother?" Chi-Chi asked, her voice growing weaker. Alex hesitated for a moment. "The enemy is dead. They''re all fine, but you''re seriously injured. You need to speak less. I''ll find a way to heal you." "Okay..." Chi-Chi nodded weakly, not asking further questions, and Alex sighed in relief. "I didn''t want... to trouble Miss Alex anymore..." Chi-Chi said dejectedly. She could sense her own injuries clearly, feeling as if her soul and body were rejecting each other. "Don''t say such nonsense," Alex replied, seeing Chi-Chi grow weaker. She quickly hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back and flew east, ignoring her Mana Points'' consumption. She needed to get out of the desert fast. "Miss Alex... that angel... he emitted a golden light... and all our troops died... I was hit by the light... and then I lost consciousness..." Chi-Chi explained weakly. Alex''s eyes narrowed. That was the angel''s domain. She was surprised that Chi-Chi, as a level 1 Commanding, had survived the angel''s domain. "That angel... was really strong... but... Miss Alex is the strongest... I didn''t expect even an angel... couldn''t beat Miss Alex..." "I want to become as strong as Miss Alex... those damn angels... I thought they were supposed to be good..." Alex responded absentmindedly, but internally, she was growing more concerned. Chi-Chi''s increasing chatter was not a good sign, as if she were experiencing a final burst of energy before the end. Alex sped up, flying east as fast as she could, disregarding her Mana Points'' depletion. She needed to leave the desert as soon as possible. Before she knew it, Chi-Chi had passed out again. Chapter 200: They dont need any strategy, just sheer numbers to overwhelm the enemy At Tara Plain, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, along with their undead forces, arrived at the location of the lake based on the intelligence they had gathered."The real hobgoblin kingdom is hidden beneath this lake," Xiao Mu said gravely. "These hobgoblins must be really dumb. This is the most desolate place I''ve ever seen, and there''s a lake here? It''s like they''re begging to be discovered. What were these ugly hobgoblins thinking? It''s an insult to our intelligence," Xiao Hui couldn''t help but scoff. "Let''s see if we can get in. If not, we''ll break through by force," Xiao Mu suggested, walking over to inspect the area. However, being clueless about magic, he couldn''t discern anything. Xiao Mu couldn''t sense the barrier''s presence at all and was shocked when he actually touched the lake. He had expected to encounter the barrier immediately, but it seemed that without knowledge of magic, he couldn''t even detect it. In the end, it was the necromancer and lich who discovered the way to enter. The necromancer and lich looked at Xiao Hui. "We need dark elements." Xiao Hui nodded without hesitation. Although Xiao Mu''s light elements could achieve the same effect, both were undead, making dark magic more compatible. The necromancer and lich began casting spells together, and soon, a barrier appeared before them. "Attack," Xiao Hui commanded, gathering dark elements and punching the barrier. It cracked instantly, revealing a large opening. Before the hobgoblins inside could react, the siblings and their undead forces quickly entered. Inside the barrier, a city was under construction, nearing completion. Outside the city were numerous makeshift hobgoblin camps, complete with arrow towers and watchtowers. In the middle of these camps, a large bonfire burned, around which hobgoblins danced wildly. The basin was vast, large enough to build five cities simultaneously. The walls around it were dotted with caves, likely used for storage. In addition to the surface arrow towers and watchtowers, the high walls were lined with black ballistae. The defenses didn''t seem lax, but the hobgoblins'' relaxed demeanor betrayed their complacency. Long hidden under the barrier, they had let their guard down. The siblings and their undead forces descended through the barrier''s crack, landing steadily on the ground. The hobgoblins dancing around the bonfire froze, and the world seemed to fall silent. "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The hobgoblins panicked, grabbing their weapons and charging at the undead. Alarms blared throughout the basin. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Arrow towers and watchtowers responded quickly, with magic and arrows flying towards the intruders. The ballistae on the walls also turned to target the enemies below. These attacks were nothing more than a nuisance to the undead. Besides the siblings, Arthur, and Riven, all the undead present were Monarch level. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were stunned as ten domains unfolded simultaneously. They had never seen such a sight. In an instant, all attacks were blocked, and the attacking hobgoblins were annihilated. Even the distant watchtowers, arrow towers, and ballistae were destroyed by massive bone spikes. Xiao Mu took out the fortress Essence Shard, clicked to build, and threw it onto a large patch of empty ground. A massive magic circle covered the earth, and a towering undead fortress emerged. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? In Undead City, a Monarch level Reaper Guard saw the second rune on the main fortress''s wall light up, indicating the undead fortress was complete. The Reaper Guard immediately commanded the undead army to charge into the main fortress, entering the massive black teleportation array. In the basin, countless undead of various types poured out from the five teleportation gates within the fortress. The siblings and several Monarch levels floated in the air, silently observing from behind the fortress. The hobgoblin guards outside the royal city were bewildered as a giant fortress suddenly appeared before them. Undead swarmed up the bone stairs inside the fortress, climbing the walls like locusts and jumping down. Flying undead emerged from the gates, taking to the skies. The undead fortress activated its shield upon appearing, and the central undead tower began its assault. The hobgoblins were stunned, watching in disbelief as the fortress spewed forth enemies. The hobgoblins'' response was slow compared to the undead. The royal city behind them was still mobilizing troops, while the scattered hobgoblins outside numbered only a few thousand, unable to match the relentless undead. Slow-moving skeletons climbed the turrets, using their bodies as cannonballs. The undead seemed to instinctively know how to operate the cannons. Inside the turrets, other battlements were filled with skeleton archers, their arrows glowing blue, enhanced by liches to be stronger than regular skeleton archers. The fortress automatically adjusted the cannons'' angles. Since the cannonballs were undead, accuracy wasn''t an issue. Boom! Boom! White cannonballs shot towards the hobgoblins'' rear. The skeletons'' bodies, though fragile compared to stronger beings, were incredibly tough to the hobgoblins. The big cannon and scatter cannons fired in unison, skeletons crashing into the hobgoblins. As they landed, Skeleton Soldiers and Skeleton Warriors wielding bone blades attacked the surrounding hobgoblins. The already faltering hobgoblin army fell into chaos, further disrupted by the airborne undead. The hobgoblins had no means of defense. The undead, fearless and relentless, poured from the fortress, jumping from the walls and flying out, quickly numbering in the tens of thousands. They advanced towards the hobgoblin royal city, overwhelming everything in their path. "This is terrifying. They don''t need any strategy, just sheer numbers to overwhelm the enemy." Xiao Hui exclaimed, her mouth agape in astonishment. "Maybe it''s a case of quantity turning into quality?" Xiao Mu suggested, equally shocked by the undead''s combat prowess. No wonder the Lord Alliance suffered heavy losses. The undead feared no death, and with so many liches and necromancers, the rate of summoning new undead outpaced the enemy''s ability to kill them. "We need to join the fight. Our goal is to advance to Monarch level. We can''t just stand here and watch. If the undead kill them all, what will we have left to kill?" Xiao Mu urged, feeling they needed to act before it was too late. The siblings, along with Arthur and Riven, joined the battle. Their mission was not just to destroy the hobgoblin kingdom but to advance to Monarch level. Azure, John, and the other Monarch level undead continued to observe from the air, their target being the hobgoblin kingdom''s Monarch levels. Inside the undead fortress, a specter floated above the teleportation gates, monitoring the situation and determining if support was needed. Chapter 201: The authority of the Skeleton King In the hobgoblin royal city, inside a palace, the elderly hobgoblin king was trembling with fear. His legs shook uncontrollably.He had spent years living cautiously, always on edge, and now the first enemy to challenge him wasn''t a local superpower but an extraterrestrial visitor. And this enemy was incredibly powerful! "We must hold them off! Notify the other reinforcements immediately! Open the teleportation gates and have them come to our aid at once!" the elderly hobgoblin king commanded, his voice trembling as he addressed his sons and the kingdom''s nobles. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had goblin allies and guards from other cities. With the combined strength of the entire kingdom, how could they not defeat a single extraterrestrial visitor? Despite the sudden attack, the hobgoblin king, though panicked, didn''t believe his kingdom would fall. The hobgoblin kingdom had only been established for a few hundred years, making it the youngest and weakest kingdom on the chaotic continent of Eldoria. He knew a bit about the undead, but not much. Outside the city, as the tide of undead approached the hobgoblin royal city, the hobgoblins inside finally gathered and launched a counterattack. Dozens of iron beasts leaped from the walls. Unlike last time, there were not only beast-shaped ones but also towering iron giants and even flying iron beasts. The addition of these mechanical creatures disrupted the undead army''s advance. The iron beasts crushed and shattered swathes of undead, who then slowly revived. The defensive structures on the walls also began to retaliate against the undead below. Hobgoblins wielded bows and javelins, operated giant ballistae, and several hobgoblin shamans floated in the air. Hobgoblin berserkers led the charge, wearing makeshift armor, and with the support of iron beasts and city defenses, they managed to hold the undead at bay outside the city gates. The number of hobgoblins in the royal city was even greater than the siblings had imagined, and most were troops. The hobgoblins charging out now matched the undead in numbers. "Those iron beasts again!" Xiao Hui exclaimed. These iron beasts were a nightmare for anyone below Monarch level, nearly impossible to kill. Against these pseudo-Monarch level iron beasts, the undead struggled, falling wherever the iron beasts went. Xiao Mu thought perhaps only the zombie titan could contend with these iron beasts. But he soon realized he was wrong. "Soul Resonance!" Azure''s ethereal voice echoed across the battlefield. All the specters, upon hearing Azure''s command, simultaneously launched soul attacks. These attacks intertwined, creating a resonance that greatly amplified their power. Ding¡ª The normally silent soul attacks produced a piercing sound. Several iron beasts piloted by hobgoblins froze in place, ceasing all movement. Undoubtedly, the hobgoblins inside had perished. However, not all iron beasts were immobilized. The iron giants and flying iron beasts seemed to have more advanced features, equipped with devices to defend against soul attacks. Even so, the siblings were astonished. It was clear that only the Race Kings truly understood their race''s capabilities. If Xiao Mu were in command, he wouldn''t even know what abilities each undead had, let alone coordinate them effectively. "Holy fuck, aren''t these specters supposed to be scouts? How are they this powerful?" Xiao Hui was equally shocked. She had always thought specters were weak. In the sky, bone dragons pounced on the flying iron beasts, dragging them down to the ground. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Tens of thousands of specters, ghost dragons, and death conquerors attacked the iron beasts. Soul defense was a hobgoblin weakness, and the sheer volume of soul and curse attacks overwhelmed the mechanical limits. Soon, the iron beasts began to fall under the undead onslaught. All the Monarch level liches, necromancers, and John simultaneously acted. The fallen hobgoblin corpses turned to bones, and soul flames began to gather in the air. Countless bones floated towards the soul flames, as if drawn by gravity, and soon a massive skeletal creature, comparable in size to the undead fortress and the hobgoblin royal city, emerged. The skeletal creature had no legs, its arms were grotesquely long, and its hands were larger than its head. A black mist swirled within its ribcage, enabling its movement, and its eye sockets burned with large red flames. Though it lacked a domain, its power surpassed that of a typical Monarch level. However, its range of activity was limited, and it couldn''t return to Undead City. It would guard the outskirts of the undead city. John, having reached Monarch level, unlocked the authority of the Skeleton King, making him the core summoner of this creature. The other liches and necromancers merely assisted. This sight shocked not only the hobgoblin royalty but also Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. These mysterious undead, how many more hidden abilities did they have? Amidst the tens of thousands of undead, the red skeletal creature stood out, its size nearly matching that of a city. "This is like a battlefield boss!" Xiao Hui was awestruck, and Xiao Mu gave her a light tap on the head. "Stop gawking. If the undead kill all the enemies, we won''t get any experience points!" The giant skeletal creature was indeed impressive, but summoning it came at a cost¡ªJohn and three other Monarch levels were nearly drained of Mana Points. However, with Azure present, the undead weren''t too worried. A Race King advancing to Monarch level was far stronger than a typical Monarch level undead. The giant skeletal creature slowly advancing towards the hobgoblin royal city. It crushed any resisting hobgoblins like ants, and even the iron giants seemed like slightly larger ants to it. The giant skeletal creature raised its massive hand, and several flaming skulls shot from its head towards the hobgoblin royal city. This attack was similar to John''s skill. Boom! Boom! Boom! The flaming skulls struck the hobgoblin royal city''s shield, causing the entire city to shake violently and creating massive ripples in the shield. Seeing this, the Monarch level hobgoblins on the wall could no longer sit still. They took to the air, flying down from the wall, knowing the city''s shield wouldn''t hold for long. Five Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans summoned a shield, and ghostly blue fire pillars shot towards the skeletal creature. The skeletal creature opened its mouth, unleashing a massive beam of blue and red light that obliterated the Shamans'' attacks. The beam continued towards the royal city, causing the five Monarch level hobgoblins to panic. This creature was stronger than they had imagined. The hobgoblin second prince on the wall threw a device in front of the beam, creating a green shield that only held for a moment before shattering. However, it weakened the beam enough for the five Shamans to block it. This single skeletal creature was enough to break through the hobgoblin defenses, not to mention the tens of thousands of undead. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui watched, preparing to strike as the Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans fell. They were ready to finish them off and gain the experience needed to advance to Monarch level. Chapter 202: Was this the true strength of a kingdom? In the hobgoblin royal city, the teleportation array within the city began to glow green, and one by one, hobgoblin lieges emerged. They were all Monarch level, usually stationed to guard other hobgoblin cities. There were over twenty of them, representing the last reserves of the entire hobgoblin kingdom.Inside the palace, the elderly hobgoblin king received infuriating news. The goblins had betrayed them, seeking to establish their own kingdom and break free from hobgoblin rule! The aged hobgoblin king trembled with rage. Those filthy goblins chose this moment to rebel. Although the goblins were weak, they did have a few Monarch levels among them. The hobgoblins treated the goblins poorly: not allowing them into the city, using them as cannon fodder in battles, making them do hard labor, and not paying them while taking their females. And for this, they dared to rebel? Under normal circumstances, the hobgoblin king could easily suppress them, reminding them who their master was. But now was different. He decided to deal with them later. The hobgoblins didn''t need to rely on the goblins. Despite his anger, the hobgoblin king knew he had to focus on the immediate threat. Soon, the hobgoblin lieges charged out of the royal city and joined the battlefield. Along with the five Monarch level Shamans and the king''s sons, there were now thirty Monarch levels floating in the sky. The siblings'' faces changed at the sight. Thirty Monarch levels! This far exceeded their expectations. Was this the true strength of a kingdom? And this was just the weakest hobgoblin kingdom. Seeing this, Azure immediately led the undead into battle. Although John was out of mana, his combat strength remained, and he also joined the fight. With the Undead Queen absent, they couldn''t replenish their Monarch level forces by converting the enemy''s Monarch levels. Sensing the dire situation, the specter within the fortress quickly entered the teleportation array to return to Undead City and summon the remaining five Monarch levels. After killing a few Commanding level hobgoblins, Xiao Hui finally broke through her experience threshold. ... Meanwhile, after flying for two and a half hours since dawn, Alex finally left the desert. Beyond the desert was a rocky wasteland, but it wasn''t vast, and Alex could see an oasis on the horizon. "Finally out," Alex sighed. She regretted giving the fortress core to Xiao Mu; otherwise, she could have built a fortress and returned to the castle directly. Alex had flown for a day and a night, indicating the desert''s vastness. Despite its size, she hadn''t encountered a single Lord. She didn''t know if it was bad luck or something else. Soon, Alex left the rocky wasteland and entered a forest, hoping to find a Lord and return to Undead City. Suddenly, Alex spotted several angels flying overhead, followed by Templar Knights. Alex quickly hid behind a tree. If it were just one, she would have attacked without hesitation, but she couldn''t take on a group. The angels soon disappeared from view, and Alex, cloaked in black, cautiously emerged. She didn''t even glance at the angels, remembering Lilith''s warning that angels could sense disrespectful gazes. If the angels had spotted her, it would have been trouble. Alex continued her journey with increased caution. She didn''t know why angels were frequenting this area, but it couldn''t be good. She needed to learn more about this continent. Looking around, she saw denser forests to the south, likely inhabited by some race. She didn''t need them to be highly intelligent, just capable of speech. She couldn''t keep flying aimlessly. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? In the forest''s center, five people¡ªthree men and two women¡ªwere being attacked by tiger-like beasts. Two men were injured, wielding weapons to protect the trembling women behind them. "What do we do? There are too many of them!" said the uninjured man, the group''s leader, at level 5 Commanding. The others were mostly level 2. "Fight to the death! We''re already in this mess; what''s there to fear?" shouted one severely injured man, adrenaline masking his pain. He was like a berserker, unafraid of death. As the beasts prepared to pounce, footsteps sounded behind them. The beasts turned to see Alex, cloaked in black and carrying Chi-Chi. Two beasts broke from the pack, charging at Alex, seeing her as easy prey. Alex''s left eye, hidden under her hood, flashed blue, and all the beasts were instantly cursed and killed. The five people didn''t even see Alex move before the beasts that nearly wiped them out were dead. As Alex approached, the five didn''t thank her but instead looked terrified, ready to fight. "Who are you? Where is this place?" came a clear, cold female voice from under the cloak, indicating the speaker wasn''t old. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The five were stunned. Shouldn''t they be asking her that? She appeared at their doorstep and asked who they were? "We''re wanderers, living in this forest. What do you want?" one woman quickly explained. Alex examined the group. Their clothes were tattered, some ill-fitting, making them look like beggars. The woman who spoke caught Alex''s attention. A black, semi-transparent strap with lace peeked from her shoulder, partially covered by her ill-fitting clothes. It was a bra strap, and Alex noticed it immediately. "You''re Freelancers!" Alex exclaimed. The five were shocked, ready to fight Alex to the death. If discovered as extraterrestrial visitors here, they would be killed, whether Lord or Freelancer. Better to fight and possibly survive than wait to die. "Relax, I''m a Lord too," Alex said, surprising them. If they were Freelancers, they must know about this place. Alex''s slender fingers emerged from her cloak, removing it to reveal her white hair, stunning the three men. Seeing her casual clothes confirmed her Lord status. Only then did they notice Alex was carrying someone. "Thank you for saving us. Since you''re a Lord, why are you here?" one woman asked, now relaxed. "I ended up here by chance. You said Lords can''t be here. What do you mean?" Alex asked, puzzled. "You''re really unlucky. You should switch to Freelancer and hide," sighed an injured man, implying Alex''s days were numbered. The group began treating their wounds, with one woman using healing magic. Alex, hopeful, stepped forward. "Ms, can you help my friend?" "You saved us; we must repay you. I''ll treat her first," said the injured man, making way for Alex. Alex laid Chi-Chi on the ground before the healer. Chapter 203: Go to the Human Empire "What''s wrong with your friend? I can''t see any injuries," the woman asked Alex as she examined Chi-Chi''s body.Alex thought for a moment. She didn''t want to reveal that Chi-Chi had been injured by an angel. "I''m not sure, but I suspect it''s a soul injury." Hearing Alex''s words, the woman didn''t ask further. She had never encountered a soul injury before and wasn''t sure if she could heal it. As life energy flowed from her hands, she began to heal Chi-Chi. Seeing that it might take a while, Alex turned to the other woman. "Can you tell me about this place? The more details, the better." The woman was puzzled about how such a powerful Lord could survive without knowing anything about this place, but she decided to explain. "This area is ruled by angels and Templar Knights. You won''t see much conflict between races here because the angels and Templar Knights suppress it. As for us Lords, they don''t allow us to exist. Even Freelancers are hunted down. They aim to eradicate all Lords. So, we had no choice but to become Freelancers and live on the run. If we''re discovered, it''s a death sentence. We can''t integrate with the local humans and are forced to wander outside the cities." The woman looked lost as she spoke. They were just hoping for a full meal, not knowing if they would see the next sunrise. Alex fell silent. The worst-case scenario had happened. Based on the information, this might not be the continent of Eldoria anymore. Eldoria was too complex, with many powerful factions, making it impossible for angels to unify it completely. No wonder there were so many Templar Knights and angels but no Lords¡ªthey had all been killed. "Which continent is this?" Alex asked. "This is the continent of Nytheria, where the headquarters of the angels and Templar Knights are located," the woman replied, puzzled. Wasn''t this common knowledge? Why did this Lord seem so clueless? Alex nodded, understanding the situation. But now she faced a significant problem: how to return to Undead City without finding a Lord. No wonder Luca and his allies were attacked even in such a vast and hidden desert. The angels were purging Lords. "Ugh..." Chi-Chi suddenly coughed up a large amount of blood, drawing Alex''s attention. Turning back, Alex saw Chi-Chi''s face had become even paler, her life force extremely weak. "What happened?" Alex asked, rushing over. "I don''t know. I checked her body and found no injuries. I have no idea where she''s hurt," the woman said, looking at Alex with fear, worried that Alex might blame her for worsening Chi-Chi''s condition. Alex remained silent, knowing it wasn''t the woman''s fault. It was the angel''s holy light causing this. Soul injuries couldn''t be healed with ordinary life magic. What to do? Chi-Chi''s life was hanging by a thread, and returning to Undead City was now a problem. Damn it! Roar¡ª A loud tiger''s roar echoed through the forest. "It''s the companions of those beasts from earlier!" The five people panicked. The two injured men hadn''t received proper treatment while Chi-Chi was being healed, significantly weakening their combat strength. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? A massive beast silently emerged from the forest. Seeing the beast, the five knew they couldn''t win. But Alex showed no fear. This was just a pseudo-Monarch level tiger. Alex raised her hand and clenched her fist. The tiger froze, panic in its eyes. Its limbs were encased in ice, unable to break free. It realized it had encountered a formidable opponent. Alex, deep in thought, ignored the panicked tiger and the shocked five. Even if there were surviving Lords, they would be hiding in extremely secretive places, making them hard to find. But it wasn''t impossible. "Have you encountered any other Freelancers or Lords?" Alex asked the five, who shook their heads. They hadn''t been an alliance before switching to Freelancers, just meeting by chance. They knew a bit about the area but not much. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The woman who had spoken to Alex seemed to realize something. How could someone so powerful know nothing about Nytheria? The only explanation was that she wasn''t a Nytheria Lord but from another continent! "Miss, you..." the woman began. Alex interrupted her. "Don''t think about it. I''m trapped here too. If I had a way out, would I be asking you?" The woman''s face fell, her hope of leaving Nytheria with Alex dashed. "Is there a city nearby?" Alex asked, making the woman''s eyes light up. "I remember now. The only place unaffected in Nytheria is the mage association. They have a branch here, within a human empire. They''ve built a city there, where you might find a way to heal your friend and a way to leave." "You''ll get her killed! She''s our savior. The mages may not hunt us like the Templar Knights and angels, but they don''t accept us either. Entering their city is very dangerous!" the uninjured man argued, believing there must be another way. Alex thought for a moment and decided to try the human empire. Chi-Chi''s injuries were severe, and life magic was ineffective. Even returning to Undead City might not help. "Where is this human empire?" Alex asked. The man sighed, seeing Alex''s determination. "The empire is called Celestian Empire. Head south, and you''ll enter its territory. I escaped from there." "Thank you. But before I leave, I need you all to sleep for a while," Alex said, casting a curse spell that put the five to sleep for a day and a night. Alex hid the five in the forest, digging a hole to place them in and covering it with branches. She dispersed their scent and set up an array to ensure their safety. With everything done, Alex hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back, pulled up her hood, and approached the frozen tiger. The tiger looked at Alex in fear, thinking she was going to kill it. "Carry me. Behave, and I''ll let you go," Alex said. Chapter 204: Chaotic melee Tara Plain, the battlefield of the hobgoblin kingdom.In the sky, the battlefield had largely become a stage for the Monarch levels, with nearly fifty Monarch levels clashing in a chaotic melee. With the addition of the Monarch levels, the scene had descended into utter chaos. Xiao Hui, who had just advanced to Monarch level, was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu was being pursued by a Monarch level hobgoblin. The enemy had too many Monarch levels for the undead to intercept them all. As a result, Xiao Mu, being identified as an extraterrestrial visitor, became their primary target. Xiao Mu''s light attribute gave him speed, his greatest advantage, allowing him to dodge effectively. Otherwise, he would have been killed by the enemy Monarch levels long ago. Now, he could only evade and engage in a cat-and-mouse game with his pursuer. The situation looked grim. Would they be forced to use the undead fortress''s ultimate ability? But the problem was, he didn''t even know how to activate it! As Xiao Mu ran, he analyzed the situation. The creatures summoned by the Monarch levels could fight five enemies at once. The undead fortress, transformed into an undead, should be even stronger. Currently, including the giant skeletal creature, there were only eleven Monarch levels on their side. Each undead had to face nearly three Monarch level hobgoblins, not to mention the powerful hobgoblin king who had yet to join the fray. Whoosh¡ª As Xiao Mu fled, he felt a gust of wind pass over his head, parting his hair. A Monarch level gargoyle had swooped in to attack the hobgoblin Shaman chasing him. Xiao Mu finally escaped the pursuit of the enemy Monarch level. Next, two massive figures emerged from the undead fortress¡ªzombie titans had arrived. With the addition of five Monarch level undead, the tide of battle began to shift slightly in their favor. The zombie titans, with their massive size, rampaged through the battlefield, crushing countless hobgoblins with each punch. But the hobgoblins quickly responded, and two Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans teamed up to attack the zombie titans. The Shamans, capable of flight, were agile and could strike from a distance, effectively countering the grounded zombie titans. The Shamans'' blue flames, different from the undead''s, clung to flesh and couldn''t be extinguished, though they lacked soul damage. Soon, the zombie titans were covered in flames, their bodies corroding and revealing the bones beneath. But the titans couldn''t hit the flying Shamans, lacking any ranged attacks. On the other side, John, liches, and necromancers struggled. Their Mana Points were nearly depleted, and they were losing ground to the hobgoblin Shamans, especially the necromancers, who were weak in one-on-one combat. Fortunately, the giant skeletal creature summoned by John held off six Monarch level hobgoblins, easing the pressure on the undead. In this chaotic battle, the Destroyer stood out, able to fight two enemies without falling behind. The enemy''s magical attacks only served to recharge it faster. Once fully charged, the Destroyer didn''t create an advantage for itself but used its skills to launch surprise attacks across the battlefield. Besides the Destroyer, Azure also performed exceptionally. Surrounded by countless soul-forged weapons, Azure''s every attack carried devastating soul damage. A hobgoblin Shaman, unaware of Azure''s abilities, was severely injured. If not for the intervention of two more Shamans, Azure would have killed it. Suddenly, the injured hobgoblin Shaman sensed a strange energy fluctuation around it. But it was too late. Boom! The Destroyer''s charged attack exploded around the three hobgoblin Shamans, catching them off guard. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Two Shamans died instantly, and one was severely injured. The hobgoblin Shaman fighting the Destroyer was stunned, and all the hobgoblins turned to look, shocked. With the hobgoblins now on guard, the Destroyer found it harder to launch surprise attacks. Azure seized the opportunity to kill the remaining hobgoblin Shaman. "Didn''t expect to kill three Monarch levels directly. Looks like we won''t need to destroy the undead fortress," Xiao Mu thought, observing the aerial battle while fighting hobgoblins on the ground. As a level 9 Commanding level, Xiao Mu was nearly invincible below Monarch level. He could kill hobgoblins in droves with his laser attacks. "Why haven''t I leveled up yet? I''ve killed so many enemies," Xiao Mu wondered, puzzled. Boom! Under relentless attacks, a zombie titan''s massive body collapsed, crushing undead and hobgoblins alike. Half its body had turned to bone, its eyes losing their light. The zombie titan had been killed by the combined efforts of the Monarch level hobgoblins! Xiao Mu frowned, but it wasn''t over. A necromancer in the sky also fell at the same time. Without Mana Points, a necromancer was just a melee mage with basic attacks, no match for a hobgoblin Shaman. And they didn''t revive, indicating the hobgoblin Shamans knew how to kill undead. At that moment, the giant skeletal creature seized an opportunity, striking a Monarch level hobgoblin berserker and severely injuring it. The berserker''s body crashed to the ground near Xiao Mu. A perfect chance! Xiao Mu transformed into light, disappearing and reappearing before the hobgoblin berserker. He conjured a massive blade of light and struck down, finishing off the injured berserker. Xiao Mu finally felt his experience break through the threshold, and in the next moment, he advanced to Monarch level. Xiao Mu''s light element differed from the angels'' holy light. It didn''t purify everything but provided incredible speed and power, along with dispelling darkness. He didn''t release his light domain, worried that his newly gained power might harm the surrounding undead. Instead, he formed a small barrier of light around himself. Xiao Mu shot into the sky, kicking a hobgoblin Shaman fighting John. With a golden beam, Xiao Mu''s kick sent the Shaman flying, the beam causing a massive explosion upon impact. The hobgoblin Shaman, injured by Xiao Mu''s sudden attack, looked up in confusion. How had this once-weak human become so powerful? Xiao Mu didn''t care about the Shaman''s thoughts. He wanted to test his new strength and abilities. He crossed his arms, gathering intense light energy, his body glowing brightly. Then he spread his arms, releasing countless light projectiles like falling stars, targeting the hobgoblin army on the ground. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 205: Orc assault Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!The explosions from the light projectiles were continuous, detonating amidst the hobgoblin army and causing massive casualties. Despite some hobgoblins deploying barriers for defense, they were largely ineffective. The hobgoblin army suffered heavy losses, their numbers quickly overwhelmed by the undead. Commanding level necromancers began summoning corpses, continuously generating new undead. The undead pushed the front lines forward, pressing towards the hobgoblin royal city. As the battle progressed, they moved beyond the range of the undead fortress''s attacks. "Damn, this consumes a lot of mana," Xiao Mu muttered. He had intended to repeat his previous attack but found his mana severely depleted, forcing him to abandon the idea. The hobgoblin Shaman he had previously fought stood up again, engaging Xiao Mu in battle. Meanwhile, the hobgoblins devised a countermeasure. They couldn''t allow the undead to continue advancing. These undead were fearless, and if they reached the royal city''s walls, it would be disastrous. A dozen hobgoblin Shamans descended from the battlefield, landing on the ground. They simultaneously released eerie shamanic magic, emitting green mist. Any undead touched by the mist had their soul flames extinguished, turning into piles of bones. In an instant, thousands of undead perished. Commanding level undead could resist for a while, but they were no match for the Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans and eventually fell as well. Seeing this, the Monarch level undead on the battlefield didn''t seem anxious. The loss of a few thousand undead was insignificant to the undead army, which could summon replacements with a wave of their hands. As long as there were corpses on the battlefield, the undead didn''t worry about their numbers. On the royal city''s walls, hobgoblin warriors deployed their hastily developed weapons. With a loud bang, a black cannonball exploded behind the undead army. This special black cannonball didn''t explode like a regular one. Instead, it created a black circular area upon detonation, killing any undead within it. The area lasted about a minute, forcing the undead to maneuver around the black spheres as they advanced. Meanwhile, a dozen hobgoblin Shamans'' combined soul poison mist spread rapidly, killing nearly ten thousand undead. They stood within shamanic barriers, unaffected by the undead''s attacks. Suddenly, a massive black sphere flew towards the hobgoblin Shamans. They quickly ceased their poison mist and combined their efforts to defend against the attack. The black sphere exploded silently against their barrier, dark elements spreading along its edges. "Damn it, nothing happened! Are you kidding me?" Xiao Hui, flying in the air, exclaimed in frustration. She had hoped to deliver a fatal sneak attack after her upgrade, but the results were disappointing. "Wait, are these dark elements?" Xiao Hui noticed the black areas created by the hobgoblin cannons. She extended her hand, forming a black vortex that absorbed all the dark elements from the battlefield. Seeing her sneak attack fail, Xiao Hui descended to the battlefield, releasing her dark domain. The undead, infused with dark elements, were strengthened, while the hobgoblins had their souls and life force drained, nourishing Xiao Hui. Three hobgoblin Shamans quickly attacked Xiao Hui, not because she was particularly strong, but because they wanted to eliminate her swiftly. Roar¡ª A dragon''s roar echoed, and the surroundings turned into a domain of blue flames. Hobgoblin corpses within the domain transformed into bone dragons, rising into the sky. Hobgoblins touched by the blue flames felt no heat but were instead frozen. Within the blue flame domain, hobgoblins'' life force rapidly dwindled, aging them quickly. Those trying to escape found an invisible barrier blocking their way. Arthur had broken through to Monarch level. His massive bone dragon form appeared before Xiao Hui, and a breath of dragon fire forced the three Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans back. Seeing another powerful undead join the fray, the hobgoblin lieges changed their strategy, deciding to eliminate the enemy Monarch levels first. The royal city''s teleportation gate opened again, and countless hobgoblin warriors poured out to replace the fallen, desperately defending the royal city. On the royal city''s walls, an elderly hobgoblin king, holding a scepter and wearing a crown, was helped up by two hobgoblins. He looked solemnly at the fierce battle outside the city, saying nothing. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, in the Emerald Hills, Arthas, Crane, two Monarch-level beings, and a group of undead were stationed at the siblings'' castle. In the distant forest, birds and beasts scattered as an orc army approached once again. This time, the orc army numbered over 10K, clearly a serious assault. The leading orc was tall and imposing, adorned with numerous bone ornaments, marking him as the leader of an orc camp. ==== On the continent of Nytheria, Alex rode the tiger southward. She passed several human villages, confirming she had entered the Celestian Empire. Alex continued riding the tiger, using magic to cover her tracks and avoid detection by ordinary people, heading deeper into the Celestian Empire. She glanced at the sky, the scorching sun high overhead. It had been half a day since Chi-Chi was treated by the woman, but she still hadn''t woken up. Alex could feel Chi-Chi''s life force weakening. She wouldn''t last much longer. Riding the tiger conserved Alex''s Mana Points, allowing her to retain her strength. She didn''t know if Chi-Chi''s injuries could be healed or if any residual holy light would be detected by the mages, so she needed to be prepared for anything. "I have to take a chance," Alex thought. She needed to find a way to heal Chi-Chi and a way to return to Undead City. "Now that I''ve just entered the Empire, the mage branch should be deeper within. I''ll keep heading south and ask for directions," Alex murmured, watching the trees fly by. After over an hour of travel, Alex saw a city on the horizon, indicating nearby villages. She wouldn''t enter the city but planned to ask the villagers for information. Soon, Alex found a village and saw two farmers clearing land. She rode the tiger towards them, intending to display her power and avoid suspicion. In Nytheria, where Lords had been purged, someone openly riding a beast couldn''t possibly be an extraterrestrial visitor. The farmers, hearing the commotion, looked up and were terrified, dropping their tools and freezing in fear. But they soon saw the cloaked figure on the tiger, realizing she was a powerful mage. In Nytheria, ruled by angels and Templar Knights, the mage association was the highest human authority. The farmers recognized the mage''s protective role and knew a cloaked figure wasn''t an apprentice. They prostrated themselves before Alex, showing utmost respect. Alex dismounted, seeing their reaction and knowing she had them fooled. "There''s no need to be afraid. I''m from the mage association''s branch on the Arsen continent. I was caught in a spatial rift during teleportation and ended up in Nytheria. I didn''t arrive at the branch here and am unfamiliar with the area. Can you tell me where the association''s branch is?" Alex asked. The farmers, hearing a young female voice, paused. Was she a disciple of a great mage? They dared not delay, hoping to help her and possibly earn a reward from the mage association. "Honorable mage, it''s our duty to assist you. We are forever grateful to the mage association for bringing us stability and prosperity. You are the saviors of humanity, and we..." one farmer began, but the other quickly interrupted, knowing mages valued efficiency. "Leader, this is the Celestian Empire. The mage association''s branch is in Thunder City, about five hundred miles northwest," the other farmer answered succinctly. "Thank you," Alex said, turning to leave. A gust of wind blew, and the farmers fainted. Alex hadn''t killed them, just put them to sleep. "Northwest, Thunder City," Alex muttered, looking at the sun to determine direction. Based on her previous path, she quickly figured it out. "Five hundred miles. Let''s go. I''ll release you once we reach our destination," Alex said, patting the tiger''s rump. They set off again, heading straight for Thunder City. Chapter 206: Satans support Arsen Continent, Emerald Hills.With John and Azure gone, Arthas and Crane were the highest-ranking commanders here, both at level 8 Commanding, close to reaching Monarch level. Before them stood a complete orc army, with even its leader present. The opposing force consisted of over ten thousand orc warriors, likely the entire strength of this camp. Standing in front of the orc warriors were five figures, all undoubtedly Monarch level, with the strongest being the orc camp leader. This was not a battle Arthas, Crane, and their undead could win, even with their ten thousand undead army. "Crane, return to the main city and contact the Queen," Arthas said, his blue eyes glowing through his mask. Crane immediately headed back to the castle and entered the Portal of Transit. Arthas wasn''t seeking reinforcements; he knew the undead were currently attacking the hobgoblin kingdom and couldn''t spare any forces. He also knew Alex wasn''t in the castle. He needed to ask if they should abandon the two castles if necessary. Crane understood Arthas''s intent without words. After stepping out of the portal, Crane adjusted his target and re-entered the Portal of Transit, heading to Sophie''s castle to contact Alex through her subjects and allies. Sophie, with nothing else to do, spent her days overseeing the dwarves'' equipment forging and resource production. Seeing the Portal of Transit''s system alert, she hurried out of the castle. To her surprise, it was an undead that looked like a zombie. "Please inform the Undead Queen that the orc camp is attacking Emerald Hills. We cannot defeat the enemy. Should we abandon the area?" Crane quickly explained without elaborating on the situation. They couldn''t win, and he wouldn''t make excuses. Sophie didn''t think much of it. She was unaware of Alex''s recent troubles, having stayed in her castle without visiting Hamburger. She didn''t know Alex was trapped, nor about the attack on the hobgoblin kingdom or the upgrade of Hamburger. Sophie assumed Alex had left the castle for some reason, and the undead had come to her for contact. She didn''t question why they didn''t contact the siblings or why the undead couldn''t defeat the orc army. Meanwhile, Alex, still on her journey, received Sophie''s message. Though not detailed, Alex understood the situation. An orc camp had mobilized its entire force against Emerald Hills, and with the main undead force at the hobgoblin kingdom, Arthas, Crane, and two Monarch levels couldn''t handle it. The hobgoblin kingdom couldn''t spare any forces. Though Alex didn''t know the exact battle situation, it must not be going smoothly. Otherwise, the Monarch levels in the city would have aided Emerald Hills instead of having Sophie message her. Should they abandon the castles in the Emerald Hills? The Orc Empire was some distance from White Rock Mountains, but it wasn''t insurmountable. Plus, Alex had the undead fortress; the Orc Empire couldn''t escape. However, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s castles were there, and Alex didn''t want to abandon it easily. It could be upgraded to a city. "Of course!" Alex suddenly thought of something and slapped the tiger''s flank. She wasn''t a lone wolf anymore; she could ask Lilith and Satan for help. This way, she wouldn''t have to abandon the siblings'' castle and could deal with the orc camp perfectly. Asking for help, it had to be Satan. Lilith was busy with the forest elves kingdom and likely couldn''t spare the time. Satan, who loved fighting, was perfect. Alex: "Got a moment? Need a favor." Satan: "What? How did you know I reached level 2 Monarch level?" Alex: "Did I ask you that?" Satan: "Got time for a fight, nothing else." Alex: "Come to my castle now. It''s urgent. Bring a few Monarch levels. The enemy is a bit strong. I''ll have my people meet you." Satan: "No enemy a level 2 Monarch level can''t handle." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan seemed eager to show off his strength, but Alex didn''t reply further. She messaged Sophie and continued her journey. Meanwhile, Sophie, having received Alex''s reply, informed Crane and then passed through the portal with him. Satan had just arrived through the portal, seeing Sophie and Crane. "Lead the way," Satan said, knowing this woman was Alex''s subordinate. He and two demons followed her out. As Satan opened the door, Sophie saw the scene outside and was stunned. ???¦®????.??? Satan: ??? Sophie: ??? What was this? A castle? "Holy fuck, what''s going on? Did I come to the wrong place?" Satan exclaimed, heading back to the Portal of Transit. "This is Undead City," Crane rasped. Sophie remembered Alex asking for resources and then eagerly taking all the Monarch levels to move them after capturing Rockhammer City. "Could it be that a city is a level above a town?" Sophie speculated, shocked but quickly understanding. Satan reluctantly accepted the reality. He had an eighth-level town, but how had Alex developed so quickly? "No need to leave the city. We''re going to Emerald Hills through the Portal of Transit," Sophie called, setting the portal''s target and gesturing for Satan to follow. Satan, silent, led his two demons through the portal, with Sophie and Crane following. At Emerald Hills, the undead and orcs were already fighting. Four Monarch level orcs were engaged. If they hadn''t been unfamiliar with the undead, the two Monarch level undead would have died many times over. The orc leader''s initial confidence had turned to confusion as he searched for the undead''s weakness. The orcs had never encountered undead before, having never left the Arsen continent. Satan, emerging from the Portal of Transit, forgot his earlier frustration and flew into the sky to observe the battle. "Where are the undead? Only this many? Where are the Monarch levels?" Satan wondered, seeing only five Monarch levels. He thought the undead could handle it easily. Why had they called him? Did they know he had leveled up? "I don''t know," Sophie replied, also unsure where the other Monarch levels had gone. "Where''s Alex? Where did she go?" Satan asked. "I don''t know," Sophie shrugged. "Aren''t you her subordinate? How do you know nothing?" Satan ignored her and charged into battle with his two demons. Satan immediately targeted the Monarch level orc leader, assuming it was the enemy boss, and attacked without hesitation. Sophie watched from the castle, knowing such large-scale Monarch level battles were rare. Satan transformed into a black streak, his arms shrouded in black mist, his hands growing long claws. He envisioned piercing the orc''s chest with this strike. The orc leader, wielding a bone weapon, met Satan''s attack head-on. Boom! Satan''s body was sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a large crater. ??? Satan was stunned, pulling his limbs from the dirt. His right hand hung limp, broken by the orc''s strike. Satan stood, his right hand healing instantly. He stretched his limbs, feeling like they might fall apart. "Alex, I believed your nonsense. You call this ''a bit strong''?" "But I like strong opponents!" Satan''s skin turned black, shrouded in black mist. Wings and a tail sprouted, and black horns emerged from his head. His eyes turned blood-red. Satan drew his weapon, flying into the sky and targeting the orc leader. In a flash, Satan charged like lightning. "Now I am the complete form of a demon!" Chapter 207: Enter Thunder City Satan, in his fully transformed demon form, charged at the orc leader once more.Boom! Satan was sent flying again, though this time he wasn''t as disheveled and didn''t get embedded in the ground. He quickly adjusted his posture in mid-air, looking at the orc leader with a mix of surprise and frustration. "Maybe we should get some help..." Sophie suggested from the rear, her voice tinged with resignation. She didn''t mean to belittle Satan, but the opponent was clearly too strong to handle alone. Satan, however, didn''t take it that way. He shot Sophie a glare. "Shut up and watch. I can handle this," he snapped, charging at the orc leader again. This time, he didn''t go for a head-on collision. Realizing he couldn''t match the orc leader in brute strength, he decided to use his abilities to wear the opponent down. It might not look as impressive, but a win was a win. Sophie sighed, thinking how stubborn Satan was. She couldn''t gauge the exact power difference between Satan and the orc leader, but seeing Satan get knocked back twice made it clear he wasn''t a match. Satan unleashed his demon domain, conjuring a massive black blade with his demonic power, slashing it towards the orc leader. The orc leader, seemingly without any special abilities, blocked every attack with his weapon. Even though Satan''s attack was powerful, the black blade couldn''t cut through the orc leader''s seemingly ordinary bone weapon, puzzling Satan. No matter the angle of Satan''s aerial attacks, the orc leader stood firm, countering effortlessly. This infuriated Satan, his eyes glowing brighter with rage. He could channel the power of his twelve demons, and now he was using the power of Wrath. Influenced by the demons, Satan''s body housed twelve balanced emotions, slightly affecting his personality but not driving him mad. This was his first time fully tapping into demonic power. His body transformed again, becoming more muscular, with his tail and wings disappearing, and his black skin turning black-red. Satan landed, punching at the orc leader. The orc leader raised his weapon to block. Boom! Satan''s strength surged, pushing the orc leader back a step. Feeling the shock in his hands, the orc leader was puzzled, while Satan''s hand bled profusely, red blood dripping down. Satan didn''t pause, attacking relentlessly. This time, they clashed on the ground, with Satan still at a disadvantage but no longer being knocked away. Ignoring his pain and injuries, Satan fought the orc leader, trading blows. The orc leader sustained minor injuries, becoming more disheveled. Meanwhile, the two demons Satan brought relieved the pressure on the two undead, turning a four-on-two into a four-on-four. In one-on-one combat, both the undead and demons had the upper hand. The undead here weren''t necromancers but liches. Sophie sighed in relief. As long as Satan could hold his ground, they could kill the orcs and then gang up on the orc leader, increasing their chances of victory. As for the battle between the undead and the orc army, the orcs relied on brute strength, while the undead couldn''t be killed, making them a tough match for the orcs. "Retreat!" the orc leader shouted, releasing his domain, causing numerous explosions around him, forcing Satan back. The other four Monarch level orcs used the cover to disengage and retreat. The orc leader wasn''t foolish. Realizing they couldn''t kill the undead and the battle''s outcome was uncertain, he decided to avoid unnecessary losses. He didn''t want his warriors to die in vain or his camp to be erased from the Orc Empire. He regretted not bringing another camp''s forces. The orcs retreated, leaving their fallen comrades behind. Satan, though furious, didn''t lose his mind and didn''t pursue. "Such cowards, unworthy of being camp leaders," Satan taunted. The retreating orc leader gripped his weapon tightly, seething but knowing he had to endure for his camp''s sake. He vowed to find a way to deal with these extraterrestrial visitors and return with greater force. With the enemy retreating, Satan reverted to his human form, covered in wounds and bleeding. His injuries slowly healed as he stretched, feeling a bit unsatisfied. "Tell Alex the enemy was too weak. I wasn''t even warmed up before they ran," Satan said, glaring at Sophie before heading to the Portal of Transit with his demons. Sophie, speechless, decided to let it go. Crane and Arthas had reached level 9 Commanding during the battle, nearing Monarch level. With the orc leader''s failed attack, they likely wouldn''t return soon, at least not until they found a way to kill the undead. Crane planned to stay and guard, but Arthas had a different idea. "Staying here will slow our advancement. Leave the liches to guard. We should go to the hobgoblin kingdom to aid the other undead," Arthas suggested. Crane agreed, and the two undead race kings instructed the liches before entering the Portal of Transit. Sophie, returning to the Portal of Transit hall after Satan, found him observing Undead City. "Greed, Abaddon, look at this city. It''s magnificent. We need to gather resources and upgrade to a city too!" Satan said. Abaddon ignored him, while Greed''s three heads grinned. Satan noticed Sophie watching and felt awkward. "Ahem, let''s go," he said, leading his demons away. He decided he needed subordinates like Alex. Sophie, puzzled, watched him leave and reported to Alex before returning to her castle. With no further orders from Big Shot, she assumed her presence wasn''t needed. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Meanwhile, on the continent of Nytheria, Alex saw Thunder City on the horizon and closed her system interface. For safety, she decided to walk the remaining distance. "You''ve had a tough journey. You can go now," Alex said, looking at the tiger behind her and signaling it to leave. "Roar!" The tiger looked puzzled but relieved. It hadn''t expected this human to keep her promise and not kill it. It quickly turned and left. Alex pulled her hood lower and walked towards Thunder City. Outside Thunder City, people were coming and going freely. Contrary to Alex''s expectations, the city gates were wide open, and there were no guards in sight. Anyone could enter and exit as they pleased. Among the crowd were many mage apprentices, and even some mages flying in the sky. Most of the people on the ground were ordinary folks hoping to try their luck in Thunder City, dreaming of becoming great mages. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This made it easier for Alex to enter the city without drawing unnecessary attention. Her attire didn''t stand out among the crowd. Being deep within the Celestian Empire and home to the mage association''s branch, it made sense that there were no guards. As Alex approached, she slowed her pace, walking steadily into the city, feeling a bit anxious inside. Ordinary people stepped aside for Alex, not daring to speak to her. The mages in the sky were too busy to notice her, each preoccupied with their own tasks. Alex entered the city without arousing any suspicion. Inside, Thunder City was unlike any city Alex had seen. She was struck by its unique atmosphere. Thunder City wasn''t large, about the size of a level 1 Undead City. However, there were few residential houses for commoners. The most prominent features were the tall spires scattered throughout the city. Each spire emitted different elemental energies, indicating the residences of the mages. Alex continued walking, avoiding lingering at the city gate, which might seem suspicious. The wide, clean stone roads were lined with vendors. "Come and see! We have all kinds of elemental stones!" "Today''s special at the tavern: Martino Wine! Experience exotic flavors!" "I''m a guide in Thunder City. Do you need assistance?" The bustling atmosphere made Alex feel a bit out of place. These businesses had likely developed within Thunder City, where commoners couldn''t live long-term but could stay temporarily. Despite this, many commoners flocked to the city daily. Nobles, dressed in luxurious clothes and adorned with strange jewelry, also roamed the streets. Though arrogant outside, they dared not act haughty here. Regardless of their status, no one dared approach Alex. Her black robe marked her as a mage, a symbol of nobility and sanctity to the commoners. Mages were busy and powerful, rarely interacting with commoners. Alex walked at a measured pace, neither too slow nor too fast, scanning her surroundings. If the city had businesses, there must be a place to heal Chi-Chi. In the city center stood an ancient palace, surrounded by mage towers. The area bustled with mages, making Alex wary of getting too close. She searched the perimeter instead. At a corner, Alex finally found her target: a small shop with a green symbol representing life magic. It had to be the right place. The shop was small, near the corner, with wooden doors and windows open. From across the street, Alex saw it was empty inside. Life magic treatments were expensive, affordable only to the Empire''s nobles. Commoners couldn''t pay the fees, explaining the shop''s emptiness. Alex crossed the street and entered the shop. A young woman in a black cloak, marked as a mage apprentice, stood at the counter. "Welcome, great mage. How can I assist you?" the woman asked, assuming Alex was here to see her mentor. "My friend is gravely injured and needs treatment," Alex said directly. The woman wasn''t surprised and left the counter. "Please follow me." She led Alex to a room. Alex gently laid Chi-Chi, whom she had been carrying, on a bed. Chi-Chi''s clothes had been changed to local attire, making her look like a young local girl. No one in Nytheria would suspect she was an extraterrestrial visitor. The woman didn''t ask questions, focusing on her duty as a life mage. As life energy flowed from her hands, she began examining Chi-Chi. Alex sensed the magic''s fluctuations and realized the woman was only a Commanding level mage. She doubted the woman could heal Chi-Chi. Before Alex could speak, the woman said, "I''m sorry, but her injuries are soul-related. I can''t help." Alex remained silent. "If you agree, I can call my mentor. He might be able to help," the woman offered. So, she wasn''t the shop owner. Would her mentor be a Monarch level or King level mage? Would they discover Alex''s identity? Alex hesitated, weighing the risks. Healing Chi-Chi was crucial, but she couldn''t make a reckless decision. "Don''t worry. My mentor is a recluse, only interested in research. He doesn''t meddle in other affairs," the woman reassured, sensing Alex''s concerns. She suspected Alex wasn''t a registered mage, but it wasn''t her place to care. "Thank you," Alex finally agreed. Chi-Chi didn''t have much time left. "Please wait a moment. My mentor isn''t here, so I need to fetch him," the woman said, leaving the room. After she left, Alex sat by the bed, placing her hand on Chi-Chi''s chest. Chi-Chi''s heartbeat was faint, her face pale, and her condition dire. Alex sighed, feeling helpless. She knew how to destroy souls but not how to heal them. Chapter 208: So, you are the new undead lord Alex waited in the room for about half an hour before the door opened again. The young woman from earlier stood at the door, waiting without entering."Mentor, she''s in here," she called out. Alex stood up and looked towards the door. A moment later, a scruffy, disheveled old man with a beard walked in. Despite his frail appearance, Alex could sense his immense power. He didn''t look at Alex; his eyes were fixed on Chi-Chi as he approached the bed. Alex followed him silently, praying he could heal Chi-Chi. The mage''s expression shifted between confusion and deep concentration. His magic was far more advanced than the young apprentice''s, but Chi-Chi''s condition showed no signs of improvement, making Alex increasingly anxious. If even this mage couldn''t help, Chi-Chi''s chances were slim. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "If I''m not mistaken, her injuries were caused by an angel," a male voice suddenly said from behind. Alex turned quickly, as did the mentor and apprentice. "Archmage Eldrin, what brings you here?" the young woman asked respectfully. Her mentor looked puzzled, unsure why Eldrin was there. Alex''s heart raced. This man was incredibly powerful, even more so than the mentor. She began to think about how to escape. "I came to take a look," Eldrin said, his gaze shifting to Alex. "Don''t be nervous, young one. Let me introduce myself. I am Eldrin, Vice President of the mage association''s branch in Thunder City and on the continent of Nytheria. You remind me of an old friend," Eldrin said, smiling warmly. Alex didn''t know how to respond. Lying would be futile; Eldrin would see through it. Despite his friendly demeanor, Alex remained on guard. Eldrin didn''t seem to mind and turned his attention to Chi-Chi. "Mage Sylas, her injuries are soul-related, caused by an angel. Life magic won''t heal her," Eldrin explained. Sylas nodded in understanding. "I see. My apologies, but I can''t help her." "Can you save her?" Alex asked Eldrin, her voice filled with hope. If he could diagnose Chi-Chi''s injuries so easily, he might have a way to heal her. "Who is she to you?" Eldrin asked instead of answering. "A friend," Alex replied. "You risked coming to Thunder City for a friend. Do you realize that if you''re discovered, your strength won''t save you?" Eldrin''s words revealed much. He knew Alex''s true identity! Alex was stunned, unsure how to respond. Sylas remained indifferent, while the young woman assumed Alex was a rogue mage. "I can try, but don''t get your hopes up. She should have died long ago. It''s a miracle she''s still alive," Eldrin said. Sylas and the young woman stepped aside as Eldrin approached the bed. He didn''t start healing immediately but examined Chi-Chi''s condition more closely. Regardless, Eldrin''s willingness to help was a good sign. Maybe he had mistaken her for someone else. Before Eldrin began, he stood up. "You two, leave the room," he instructed. Once Sylas and the young woman left, Eldrin waved his hand, creating a barrier around the room. "I''m sorry, but your friend doesn''t have much time left. Even I can''t save her. Perhaps only a god could," Eldrin said. Alex fell silent. A gust of wind blew, knocking back Alex''s hood and revealing her white hair. Eldrin saw her face clearly. Alex looked at Eldrin, confused. Their eyes met, and she felt a surge of energy. Her eyes glowed blue and red. "So, you are the new undead lord," Eldrin said, confirming his suspicion. "Yes," Alex admitted. From the moment Eldrin identified her, she knew she couldn''t escape if he decided to act against her. "Aren''t you curious how I knew?" Eldrin asked, surprised by Alex''s calmness. "You mentioned an old friend. It must be the previous undead lord," Alex guessed. "Correct. I knew the previous undead lord well. We met when we were both Monarch level. He once did me a great favor. One day, he predicted a new undead lord would appear years later and asked me to help them. Then he disappeared. He was my only friend. How could I refuse such a small request?" Eldrin reminisced. Alex understood. Eldrin had set up the barrier to share these secrets. ???¦®????.??? "How did you recognize me?" Alex asked. "You have a similar aura to his. It''s unique, and I''ve only sensed it in you. It means you share the same origin, making you the new undead lord," Eldrin explained, sighing. "He said your appearance meant he had either fallen or left this world. Unfortunately, my talents are limited, and I couldn''t join him in seeking the world''s truths," Eldrin added. Alex was taken aback by the mention of leaving this world. "Was he an extraterrestrial visitor?" she asked. Eldrin shook his head. "Do you not know, or is he not?" Alex pressed. "He wasn''t an extraterrestrial visitor. He was human and became undead later. I don''t know the specifics," Eldrin replied. Alex recalled what the Destroyer had said during the beast tide. The undead seemed to recognize her as the undead lord, even though she was human. "How did you know I was an extraterrestrial visitor?" Alex asked. Eldrin looked puzzled, realizing Alex had revealed her identity. He wasn''t surprised. "I didn''t know you were an extraterrestrial visitor. But many legendary figures have fought the undead lord and are familiar with their aura. You''re still weak. If discovered, you''ll be killed. As an extraterrestrial visitor, you should stay in your castle and grow stronger. Why are you wandering around?" Eldrin scolded. Alex felt embarrassed but relieved that Eldrin, as a friend of the previous undead lord, wasn''t hostile. "I got trapped on the continent of Nytheria..." Alex briefly explained her situation, and Eldrin found it quite intriguing. No wonder the angels were purging extraterrestrial visitors from the continent of Nytheria. These visitors had the ability to traverse continents at only the Commanding level, a feat only possible for those whose races had produced Divine-level beings. Eldrin didn''t know much about extraterrestrial visitors, and this was the first time he had heard of such an ability. "I see. So, you can''t go back," Eldrin said. Alex nodded helplessly. "Follow me," Eldrin said, waving his hand to dispel the barrier and heading towards the door. "But..." Alex glanced back at Chi-Chi. She couldn''t leave her behind. Eldrin looked back at Chi-Chi but said nothing. They left the room, and Eldrin led Alex towards a mage tower in the city center. It was his tower, where he lived and conducted his research. Mages they passed greeted Eldrin warmly, showing him great respect. No one suspected the girl following him was an extraterrestrial visitor. Soon, they arrived at Eldrin''s mage tower. The entrance was sealed with magical wards, and there was a single-person staircase leading up. Eldrin stepped forward and opened the door. "Go in," he said. Alex, carrying Chi-Chi, entered. The interior was much larger than it appeared from the outside, divided into several areas, rivaling a castle in size. "This place is infused with spatial magic. It''s quiet and undisturbed, perfect for a mage''s studies," Eldrin explained as he led Alex up to the seventh floor. This floor was lined with bookshelves filled with incomprehensible books. By the window, there was a desk and several chairs. Eldrin gestured for Alex to sit there. "I need to step out for a bit. Stay here; no one will find you," Eldrin said before leaving. Alex had many questions for Eldrin, about this world and the previous undead lord. As the vice president of a continent''s mage association branch, he was the highest-ranking person Alex had encountered. Alex took off her black robe, laid it on the floor, and gently placed Chi-Chi on it. Sighing, she thought, Chi-Chi might not even wake up. Alex looked out the window. It was the only window on this floor, and Eldrin''s mage tower was the tallest structure in Thunder City, offering a view of the entire city. Feeling bored, Alex browsed the bookshelves, but the books were too specialized for her to understand. She gave up and returned to her seat. Suddenly, she noticed Chi-Chi''s fingers twitch. Chapter 209: High-level lightning magic Alex hurried over to Chi-Chi, who was groggily opening her eyes. Her complexion looked slightly better than before."Miss Alex, I feel like I had a really long dream. Where are we now?" Chi-Chi asked, trying to move but finding herself too weak. She could only stare blankly at the black ceiling. "We''re in Thunder City, the city of the human mage association," Alex replied, helping Chi-Chi sit up in the chair. Chi-Chi looked out the window and saw the city outside. "This is the first time I''ve seen a city in this world. It''s completely different from what I imagined," Chi-Chi said with a smile, marveling at the wonders of this world. "Miss Alex, this is a human city. Are we in danger here?" Chi-Chi asked, worried after hearing Alex''s earlier words. "Don''t worry. If it were dangerous, would I have brought you here?" Alex reassured her. Chi-Chi''s condition had miraculously improved. She spoke more fluently and seemed much better than when Alex first found her, though still weak. Maybe Chi-Chi had something special about her that allowed her to withstand the angel''s holy light. "You''re right. But Miss Alex, when can we go back? I''m a bit worried about them," Chi-Chi said. "How are you feeling now?" Alex asked, holding Chi-Chi''s wrist and touching her forehead. Her heart rate was faster than before. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I feel a bit dizzy and tired, and my limbs are weak, like having a fever," Chi-Chi said after thinking for a moment. "Speaking of tired, I suddenly feel very sleepy. Miss Alex, could you help me lie down again?" Chi-Chi asked. "Sure, you''ve had a tough journey. You should rest," Alex said, laying Chi-Chi back down on her black robe. "Yawn~" Chi-Chi yawned and suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot. I have a gift for you. I put it in the Warehouse during the attack. You''ll have to get it yourself," Chi-Chi said. "Okay," Alex replied, brushing Chi-Chi''s hair aside and searching the Warehouse for the item. Since Alex was far from her territory, she couldn''t retrieve items from the Warehouse, but she found it quickly. "It''s the butterfly hairpin, right? I really like it. It''s been very helpful. Thank you," Alex said. "I''m glad you like it, Miss Alex. I''m going to sleep now. I''m really tired," Chi-Chi said with a smile. "Sleep well," Alex said. "Goodnight, Miss Alex. See you tomorrow," Chi-Chi said. "Goodnight. See you tomorrow," Alex replied. ... Alex wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and stood up with a cold expression. Chi-Chi was dead. Everything that had just happened was merely a final burst of energy. Even Eldrin couldn''t save her. Alex had hoped for a miracle, but it didn''t happen. "She passed without any pain. In this world, death is common. Don''t let it affect your mindset. Your path is much longer than hers," Eldrin''s voice came from behind Alex. She hadn''t noticed when he returned. "I know," Alex replied. From the moment she decided to participate in the All-Races Battle Royale, she knew she might not come out unscathed. Alex turned to look at Eldrin, who was holding a set of clothes and a medal. He placed them on the table. "Mages are divided into seven levels: Apprentice, Novice Mage, Mage, Magus, Archmage, Saint Mage, and Divine Mage. This is an honorary medal for a four-star mage, representing your level 4 Monarch strength. Honorary mages are those who have made special contributions to the association. With my authority, this is the best I can get. Regular mages require assessments, and even I can''t interfere. But often, honorary mages are more respected than regular ones. This robe is the honorary mage''s robe. Your current attire, though similar, can be easily identified by keen eyes," Eldrin explained patiently, giving Alex some basic knowledge about mages. This was to help her have a better disguise when she left the castle. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? The honorary medal was made of special materials and would change its stars as Alex''s strength increased. The mage robe also had magic to conceal Alex''s undead aura, making it undetectable by beings below Divine level. "Got it," Alex replied coolly. Eldrin didn''t mind her tone and smiled. "You even have a similar personality. It''s quite strange." "And this," Eldrin said, placing an old magic book on the table. Alex looked puzzled. "Don''t look at me like that. This book belonged to the previous undead lord. Consider it a return to its rightful owner," Eldrin said. Alex didn''t rush to look at the book but asked a question that had been on her mind. "What was the previous undead lord''s name? How strong was he, and why did he disappear?" "His name is now a taboo, erased from history. As for his strength, I only know he disappeared while attempting to break through to Divine. I don''t know the details," Eldrin said, pointing to the sky. A name erased from history must have been done by a god. "Then why are those associated with him unharmed?" Alex asked. "He didn''t wage war against the world; he disappeared suddenly. Though he had many enemies, he also had many friends. And this happened hundreds of years ago," Eldrin explained, answering Alex''s question. It seemed Eldrin wouldn''t reveal much more about the dreaded undead lord, so Alex asked another question. "Can you tell me about the world''s structure and the distribution of powers?" Eldrin thought for a moment and shared what he could. This world had seven continents, not just Eldoria. Only the angels, with the help of the Templar Knights, had unified a continent. Other races, though powerful, didn''t have the strength to rule an entire continent. For example, the dragon race''s main forces were spread across two continents, ignoring weaker races. Humans were widespread across all seven continents, with a philosophy of coexistence rather than domination. The titan race, Behemoths, shadow race, hydra race, and other powerful but sparse races kept to themselves. Only the demon race was aggressively expanding, trying to rival the angels. Eldoria had the most diverse races, while Arsen was the weakest continent. Nytheria, where Alex currently was, was the strongest. The war between angels and demons had lasted thousands of years, with the appearance of fallen angels and recent conflicts between the angel race and dragons adding to the strain. Even the powerful angel race was feeling the pressure, leading them to expand and strengthen their forces. The sea race of the Endless Sea was also becoming restless, testing the boundaries of other races. "The angel race has always wanted to control humans. The mage association has been resisting their pressure. The Templar Knights are foolish to follow the angels," Eldrin said, expressing his disdain for the hypocritical angels. Humans had two major forces. The Templar Knights'' allegiance to the angels had strengthened the angel race and weakened the humans. Fortunately, a human genius had recently risen to Divine Mage, deterring the angels from overstepping. However, human attitudes towards extraterrestrial visitors were divided. Some believed they could strengthen humanity, while others wanted them eradicated. "Eldoria is becoming more chaotic?" Alex asked. "Yes, tensions among races have reached a peak. Your arrival might be the final straw," Eldrin replied. The major powers of Eldoria hadn''t expected extraterrestrial visitors to descend from the sky. "Thank you for the information," Alex said. Eldoria seemed the best place for her to develop. Looking out the window, the horizon was painted orange by the setting sun, casting a warm glow into the mage tower and onto Chi-Chi''s peaceful face. Alex turned and donned the black robe, pinning the four-star medal to her chest. She picked up the old magic book and her eyes widened. High-level lightning magic! Chapter 210: I hope one day you can lead the undead race to the pinnacle of all races "Did the previous undead lord save your life? Just a word from a vanished person is enough for you to help me like this?" Alex asked, finding it hard to believe."Not just that. Without his help, I wouldn''t be who I am today. This is the only request he ever made of me in all the years we knew each other," Eldrin said meaningfully. "So, I shouldn''t thank you but thank him?" Alex asked. "Interesting logic," Eldrin chuckled, then continued, "Thunder City has a teleportation array to Hurricane City on the continent of Eldoria. I can send you back. Just give me some time to coordinate with the branch there." Finally, a way back. It seemed coming to Thunder City was the right choice. "Alright," Alex nodded, placing Chi-Chi''s body into her ring. She planned to bury her properly once she returned to Undead City. With her new attire, Alex could now walk openly in human cities without any issues. Following Eldrin, Alex navigated through the city center''s castle, bypassing numerous guards and checkpoints, until they reached the teleportation array. The room was spacious, with a large magic circle on the floor emitting a dense spatial energy. The walls were covered in runes, and elemental stones were arranged around the teleportation array. Unlike the Portal of Transit, this teleportation array was entirely constructed with spatial magic. "Is your castle far from Hurricane City?" Eldrin asked openly in the room. "Hurricane City is in the Starfallen Empire, right? If so, it''s not far," Alex replied, knowing that Starfallen Empire was the only human empire she was aware of on the continent of Eldoria. Eldrin nodded, confirming that Hurricane City was indeed a city in the Starfallen Empire. A piece of paper and a pen floated in front of Eldrin, writing quickly on its own. "I''ll notify their branch. Hand this letter to their president," Eldrin said, giving the letter to a mage who had accompanied them, likely his disciple. Soon, the magic circle was ready. With a flash of white light, the mage disappeared, taking Eldrin''s letter to the continent of Eldoria. Alex and Eldrin waited for about half an hour before the mage returned. "Mentor, I delivered the message and handed the letter to their branch president," the mage reported. Eldrin nodded slightly, then turned to Alex. "It''s ready." Alex stepped into the teleportation array, and Eldrin''s disciple began adjusting the magic circle. As the white light around her intensified and the spatial energy grew stronger, Alex said, "Thank you for your help. I will remember this." Whoosh¡ª With that, Alex''s figure vanished from the room. "I hope one day you can lead the undead race to the pinnacle of all races," Eldrin murmured to himself. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] After a dizzying whirl, Alex found herself in another room. Two mage apprentices were already waiting. Alex looked around, confirming she was no longer in the previous room. "Honorable mage, we are honored to have you here. We have prepared dinner for you," one apprentice said, gesturing politely. "Due to recent unrest at the Empire''s borders and tensions between the Mage Association and the Temple, the city has been under lockdown. You won''t be able to leave until morning. Please allow us to host you," the other apprentice explained. Alex wanted to leave immediately, but with Hurricane City under lockdown, she couldn''t force her way out without raising suspicion. Even as a Monarch level mage, she couldn''t act recklessly. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Thank you," Alex replied courteously. Eldrin had already paved the way for her, so she wasn''t worried about being exposed. "May we know your name?" one apprentice asked as they led Alex, trying to be polite. After a moment''s thought, Alex replied, "Alyssa." ... Meanwhile, on Tara Plain, a group of mages heading to the hobgoblin kingdom suddenly stopped. "The president wants us to return. An Honorary mage has been assigned here," the leading wind mage informed his two companions, followed by a group of Novice Mages. "It''s been years since we''ve had an Honorary mage. Which branch are they from?" one mage asked. "The president said they''re from Thunder City, a four-star," the wind mage replied. "A four-star lightning mage? The president should have told us earlier. Now the city is locked down. How do we get back?" the female mage in the group complained. "We''ll have to stay at the border outpost for the night," the wind mage suggested. "Looks like it," the female mage agreed. The group of mages left, heading towards the Empire''s border, leaving the quiet and desolate Tara Plain behind. At the same time, within the hobgoblin kingdom, all hobgoblins had retreated into the city, activating a green barrier around the hobgoblin royal city. This barrier couldn''t be broken by the undead alone, and all the Monarch levels were exhausted from a day''s battle, having depleted their mana and unable to use their skills. The undead had also retreated to their fortress, with the hobgoblin royal city and the undead fortress facing off, the plaza between them littered with hobgoblin corpses and bones. The attack hadn''t gone as smoothly as expected, which was why Xiao Mu decided to halt the assault. Another reason was that at night, hobgoblins below Monarch level temporarily gained enhanced attributes. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Arthas and Crane, who had arrived as reinforcements, had also advanced to Monarch level. Including the newly advanced Arthur and Riven, the siblings Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, and the giant skeletal creature summoned by Arthur, the undead had twenty Monarch levels in total. The hobgoblins, after losing three Monarch levels, still had twenty-seven left. It was a balanced battle, and by dusk, the undead had killed six more Monarch level hobgoblins, losing two of their own, and the situation looked promising. But then, the elderly hobgoblin king, who had been hiding on the wall, suddenly attacked. With the undead''s Mana Points nearly depleted, the hobgoblin king''s powerful wave attack killed tens of thousands of undead and five Monarch levels. Facing such a formidable foe, Xiao Mu and the undead chose to retreat. The hobgoblin king didn''t pursue but activated the royal city''s protective magic circle. The undead suffered heavy losses. The hobgoblin king''s attack left them with only thirteen Monarch levels, including six Race Kings, the siblings, and the giant skeletal creature. Even with twenty-one remaining Monarch level hobgoblins, the undead weren''t overly concerned. The real problem was the hobgoblin king, who, despite his age, was incredibly powerful in magic. "Miss Alex isn''t here. Otherwise, we could summon seven more Monarch levels," Xiao Hui said, looking at the seven hobgoblin corpses piled up on the undead fortress''s bone wall. These were brought back by the undead. Without Alex, they couldn''t generate high-level undead and could only summon cannon fodder from the corpses. "Monarch level corpses have a preservation limit of twenty-four hours. After that, their souls dissipate, and they can''t be summoned," Arthas explained. "So, if Alex doesn''t return by noon tomorrow, these corpses will be useless?" Xiao Hui asked, realizing the time constraint. "The stronger the soul, the faster it dissipates, and the shorter the summoning window," Arthas confirmed. Everyone hoped that Alex would return as soon as possible. Chapter 211: Crazy goblins Among the undead present, Arthas, the Lich King, was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable about summoning spells. However, even he couldn''t summon a Monarch-level corpse on his own."How about summoning a skeleton creature instead?" Xiao Hui suggested. Arthas immediately dismissed Xiao Hui''s idea. "All the necromancers are dead. Summoning a skeleton creature would drain all of John''s and my mana. It''s not worth it." Xiao Mu agreed with Arthas. Xiao Hui always came up with useless ideas. Among all the Monarch-level beings, Arthas was the most powerful. If he lost his combat ability, they would be in an even more passive position. "Strange, these hobgoblins clearly have the advantage. Why aren''t they attacking?" Xiao Hui wondered aloud. Given their advanced technology, they didn''t seem like idiots. "They''ll probably attack soon," Xiao Mu said thoughtfully. "How can you be so sure?" "Idiot, because their Mana Points are almost fully restored!" "You''re the dumb one. I already figured that out!" Meanwhile, in the hobgoblin royal city, the elderly hobgoblin king made a move. Despite his age, he still had the strength to fight. "Mudhollow City has been taken by the goblins?!" In the palace, the hobgoblin king received the shocking news. It was one thing for the goblins to rebel, but to attack his city? Before the hobgoblin king could get angry, the teleportation array in the city lit up, and a group of goblins emerged. They carried no weapons, their eyes bloodshot, each holding a bomb as they charged at the surrounding hobgoblins. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions echoed throughout the hobgoblin royal city. The hobgoblins had never seen such a suicidal attack and were thrown into chaos. Fortunately, the hobgoblin shamans arrived in time, quickly subduing the goblins and shutting down the teleportation array, cutting off the connection between Mudhollow City and the hobgoblin royal city. "Are they insane?" The hobgoblin king thought the goblins must have conspired with the undead to destroy the hobgoblin kingdom. As Xiao Mu and the others stood on the fortress wall, watching the explosions in the hobgoblin royal city, a section of the distant wall suddenly shattered, and a goblin emerged. The goblin held a strange device, which it immediately activated, creating a teleportation array. Xiao Mu noticed the goblin appearing on the empty ground and saw countless goblins emerging from the array. He quickly informed the other undead. He knew goblins were hobgoblin slaves, and their appearance was clearly to help. Endless goblins poured out of the teleportation array, soon numbering in the tens of thousands. They wore elaborate armor, with goblin mages wielding staffs made from Essence Shards and goblin warriors carrying metal clubs. Finally, five Monarch-level goblins and a human appeared, clearly leading the goblins. The man wore a checkered shirt, a crooked tie, and black suit pants. His gaze was dark and aggressive. "Hobgoblin kingdom, here I come." "Take down the hobgoblin kingdom. I will conquer the hobgoblin race!" With his words, tens of thousands of goblins charged at the hobgoblin royal city, while the five Monarch-level goblins stayed behind. The man then noticed the undead fortress. He knew extraterrestrial visitors were attacking the hobgoblin kingdom but didn''t realize they were undead lords. "Looks like the undead lord isn''t as strong as the rumors say." With the man''s help, goblin technology had advanced rapidly, and since it shared roots with hobgoblin technology, breaking the hobgoblin royal city''s shield was no challenge for the goblins. Facing their former slaves'' attack, the hobgoblins were furious. With their Monarch-level mana points nearly restored, they didn''t wait for the goblins to break the shield; they deactivated it themselves. The hobgoblins charged out to meet the enemy, with Monarch-level beings flying from the walls to bombard the goblins indiscriminately. Seeing the goblins being slaughtered, the man''s expression remained unchanged, even showing a satisfied smile. He knew the goblins couldn''t defeat the hobgoblins. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? But the teleportation array behind him continued to flash, with more goblins emerging. Goblins loved to reproduce and had little interest in anything else. Female goblins were rare, but they could capture females of other races as substitutes. Goblins born from these unions inherited some of the mother''s power. The stronger the mother, the stronger the goblin offspring. But that wasn''t the most important thing. He needed the goblins to reproduce quickly. The goblin population was already three times that of the hobgoblins. Under the man''s rule, their numbers had exploded, all in preparation for this day. Attacking only the hobgoblin kingdom seemed too slow, so the man ordered the goblins to attack the undead fortress as well. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and the other undead on the wall were puzzled. These weak goblins were attacking both the hobgoblins and the undead? Even with the man, they only had six Monarch-level beings. Both the hobgoblins and the undead had two to three times that number. How could they possibly win? Was this a suicide mission? With the man''s sudden appearance leading the goblins, the hobgoblins stopped attacking the undead and focused on eliminating the traitors. As for Xiao Mu and the others, they knew the undead were weaker than the hobgoblins and wouldn''t actively attack them. The goblins'' sudden interference caused both sides, either passively or actively, to target the goblins. The undead didn''t even leave the fortress, attacking the goblins below from their stronghold. The Standard and Commanding-level goblins couldn''t even breach the undead fortress. Xiao Mu looked at the man in the distance, puzzled by his calm demeanor and slight smile. "Arthas, that man is a Lord. These goblins are too numerous to be his troops. Whatever his goal is, we should take him out first." The more Xiao Mu thought about it, the more he felt something was off. With their superior strength, they should eliminate him. Agreed. Let''s kill these goblins ourselves. It''ll give us a lot of experience points. The Race Kings agreed with Arthas and descended to kill the goblins themselves. Most undead couldn''t level up, so it was better for the Race Kings to gain the experience. The goblins were only Standard and Commanding level, easily killed by Monarch-level undead without wasting mana. Meanwhile, the Monarch-level hobgoblins weren''t fools. They knew the importance of capturing the leader. While the goblins'' fate didn''t concern them, their leader had to die. A dozen Monarch-level hobgoblins flew low, heading for the man. He calmly took out two devices. One created a circular barrier, enclosing him, the five Monarch-level goblins, and the teleportation array. The other formed another teleportation array, from which emerged a giant centipede, more like a beast. The centipede charged at the hobgoblins in the sky. Xiao Mu''s face changed as he watched from the fortress. The centipede was clearly the man''s troop, but it seemed to be a nemesis for the hobgoblin shamans. The shamans'' magic was ineffective against the centipede, and its hard exoskeleton resisted physical attacks. The centipede''s attributes allowed it to hold off a dozen hobgoblin shamans. While it couldn''t kill them, its venom could stall them indefinitely. "A dozen Monarch-level beings held off by a single centipede?" Xiao Mu was incredulous. He had thought the hobgoblins would handle the man, but now it was clear the man had come prepared. Xiao Mu stood on the wall, raising his hand to gather a bright elemental laser. Since attacking the hobgoblins was ineffective, he aimed for the large centipede. Zap! A blinding beam shot from the undead fortress toward the centipede. But the man had anticipated this. He appeared in front of the laser, casually blocking Xiao Mu''s attack. Xiao Mu wasn''t disappointed. This confirmed that the centipede was meant to counter the hobgoblins and had no advantage against other Monarch-level beings, which was why the man intervened. The man shook his blackened hand, glaring at Xiao Mu on the fortress wall, as if warning him not to interfere. Chapter 212: Devour centipede So brazen? Where does he get his confidence from? A Goblin (centipede) Lord reaching Monarch level?Xiao Mu dissolved into light and reappeared in front of the man, delivering a kick infused with light elements. To his surprise, the man blocked Xiao Mu''s kick with his right forearm, not budging an inch. Before Xiao Mu could react, the man grabbed his ankle and flung him away. Xiao Mu dissipated into light particles mid-air, reappearing as countless laser beams shooting towards the man. A barrier appeared, instantly blocking all of Xiao Mu''s attacks. He''s stronger than me! That was Xiao Mu''s first thought. The man smirked coldly, looking at Xiao Mu with disdain. "I suggest you let the undead Lord come here personally. You''re no match for me." Ignoring the man''s taunt, Xiao Mu attacked again. After a few exchanges, it was clear the man outmatched him in both speed and strength. Seizing an opening, the man''s right arm glowed with five purple rings, resonating with each other. He punched Xiao Mu in the stomach, sending him flying. As Xiao Mu flew back, he felt a wave of nausea, almost throwing up. The man vanished, and the ground cracked like a spiderweb. Just as the man was about to land another punch, Xiao Hui appeared, kicking him back. The man took a few steps back, looking at the dark elements on his hand. With a clenched fist, he dispelled them instantly. "Are you the undead Lord?" Dark magic, a woman¡ªit had to be her. Xiao Hui helped Xiao Mu up, glaring at the man. "Who are you?" "I''m Thalor, Simp Knight. I believe this castle ID isn''t unfamiliar to you." Thalor spoke nonchalantly, thinking only the undead Lord was worthy of knowing his name among all the Lords. "Simp Knight?" Xiao Hui looked puzzled, feeling the name was familiar. "You''re that traitor who almost surpassed Alex in the hunt rankings!" Xiao Mu blurted out. "Good memory. But I''m no longer a traitor," Thalor said, showing no interest in continuing the fight and instead engaging in conversation with Xiao Hui. The siblings were stunned. Could a traitor become a Lord again? "Did you unify the race you defected to?" Xiao Hui asked, recalling Alex''s speculation, which turned out to be true. "Exactly. You and I have no quarrel. These goblins can''t harm the undead. They can give you experience points. Why not cooperate and kill more goblins? You''ll gain experience and increase your troop numbers. It''s a win-win." Thalor''s words shocked the siblings. It was the first time they''d heard someone asking others to kill their troops. There had to be a catch, but they couldn''t figure out why he was doing this. Xiao Mu guessed that Thalor must have unified the entire goblin race, meaning his defection was part of a larger plan. "Why are you doing this?" "That''s a stupid question. I refuse to answer. With your abilities, you''ll figure it out soon enough. After all, you''re the undead Lord. As for information about my abilities, that''s classified." Thalor crossed his arms, looking at the siblings coldly. The brief skirmish had shown him that neither of them was his equal. After tonight, they would never have a chance to defeat him. Thalor had initially considered allying with the undead Lord, but now he saw that the so-called undead Lord was overrated. They weren''t worthy of an alliance with him. "Also, the hobgoblin kingdom is mine. After you kill these goblins, I suggest you leave. I''m giving you experience points and corpses, so it''s not a wasted effort." Thalor turned and headed back to the teleportation array, ignoring the siblings. Thalor''s arrogance infuriated Xiao Hui. With so many Monarch-level beings on their side, why should they fear him? "Who do you think you are? We don''t take orders from you. The undead Lord will decide whether to fight or not." Thalor stopped in his tracks. "What did you say? You''re not the undead Lord?" Veins bulged on Thalor''s forehead. He felt tricked, having wasted time talking to two lackeys. "You''ve wasted my time. I''ll teach you a lesson!" Thalor charged at the siblings, who attacked him together. Xiao Hui wielded a dark blade, engaging Thalor in close combat, while Xiao Mu attacked from a distance. The siblings coordinated well, making it difficult for Thalor to suppress them despite his superior attributes. But Thalor''s abilities were diverse, with various small skills that caught them off guard. Thalor''s rise to Monarch level was thanks to his troop: the devour centipede. This troop could only exist as one, and its sole ability was to devour. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Devouring different species granted it corresponding resistances, which it then transferred to Thalor. Thalor had grown stronger through the centipede, gaining diverse abilities and enhanced attributes. The centipede had devoured mostly goblins and hobgoblins, making it highly resistant to hobgoblin shamanic magic. This allowed it to hold off a dozen hobgoblin shamans, though it couldn''t kill them, nor could they kill it. In Simp Knight''s castle, only Thalor and the centipede resided. Thalor had initially defected to the goblins to provide his centipede with a constant food source to grow stronger. Goblin offspring had strange bloodlines, which Thalor desired. As a traitor, Thalor had used the goblins to attack Lords, earning rewards. But after reaching Monarch level, he found leveling up slow. He decided to wage war. After unifying the goblin race, he discovered a faster way to level up than having the centipede devour enemies. This method compensated for his slow leveling, while the centipede''s abilities provided him with various skills. Today, Thalor led the goblins to attack the hobgoblin kingdom. His goal was simple: to annihilate the goblin race and then conquer the hobgoblin kingdom. The goblins, unaware of his true intentions, believed Thalor was leading them to avenge themselves against the hobgoblin kingdom and were attacking with all their might. ... Thalor and the sibling duo fought to a standstill, but he remained unperturbed, even exuding confidence. The siblings were curious about his confidence, knowing that the undead had far more Monarch-level beings than Thalor. Xiao Hui glanced at Xiao Mu, and they shared a mutual understanding. If they couldn''t defeat him, they would exhaust his Mana Points and let the undead finish him off. A massive black projectile appeared behind Xiao Hui, crashing down on Thalor. Black mist surged, and countless dark-element spikes flew into it. The surrounding dark elements seemed to come alive, grabbed by Xiao Hui, and swept towards Thalor in the mist. A large purple ring appeared in front of Thalor, blocking all the attacks. A vortex formed around him, dispersing the black mist. Xiao Hui had hoped her attack would sever his legs, but Thalor vanished into a blur. He reappeared behind her, green poison mist emanating from his body, even his eyes glowing green. He reached out to grab her head. Fortunately, Xiao Mu intervened, kicking Thalor''s hand away and using several laser beams to push him back. Xiao Mu recognized the ability¡ªit was hobgoblin shamanic magic, capable of draining life force. Thalor, now with his hands open, conjured blue fireballs and hurled them at the siblings like stones. They dodged and began exchanging long-range attacks with Thalor, causing collateral damage to the surrounding goblins. "Whoosh¡ª" Thalor exhaled deeply. The fireballs he had thrown split in mid-air, covering the area and hovering. Boom! Boom! Boom! All the fireballs exploded simultaneously. Xiao Mu appeared in front of Xiao Hui, a light barrier forming around them, shielding them from the omnidirectional blast. Before the explosion ended, Thalor charged in, his fist''s purple rings bursting with energy. He shattered the light barrier with one punch, sending Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui flying. They landed smoothly using their elemental abilities, but the pain in their stomachs was unbearable. Xiao Mu lifted his shirt to reveal a purple ring-shaped mark on his abdomen. "It hurts so much. How did he suddenly get stronger?" Xiao Hui also felt the pain but couldn''t lift her shirt to check her injuries in public. "He leveled up," Xiao Mu said gravely, puzzled by Thalor''s sudden power increase. If this continued, wouldn''t he just keep getting stronger? Meanwhile, Thalor''s centipede was struggling. The five Monarch-level goblins had to join the fight against the hobgoblin shamans. Seeing the goblins'' limited strength, all the Monarch-level hobgoblins converged on the centipede. With twenty-one Monarch-level hobgoblin shamans attacking, Xiao Mu wondered how Thalor would respond. Just then, goblins stopped emerging from the teleportation array, indicating that all had been transported. Thalor decisively left the battlefield, no longer entangled with the siblings, who were no longer his match and couldn''t stop him. He reappeared in the teleportation array, and with a flash, he, his centipede, and the five Monarch-level goblins vanished. He ran?! "He''s really decisive. I thought he had more tricks up his sleeve," Xiao Mu said, returning to the undead fortress with Xiao Hui. The hobgoblin shamans, having missed their target, began slaughtering the goblins. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were nearly 100,000 goblins on the battlefield, including warriors and even elderly goblins who could barely hold weapons. It was a massacre. "The souls of these dead goblins are disappearing," Arthas said as the siblings returned to the fortress. "Why are their souls disappearing?" Xiao Hui asked, puzzled. Weren''t weaker creatures'' souls supposed to linger longer? "I don''t know. It might be related to that Lord''s power," Arthas speculated, unable to explain the phenomenon otherwise. "Though we don''t know the reason, it''s clear that these goblins'' deaths are making Thalor stronger. If I''m not mistaken, he started at level 2 Monarch and leveled up to level 3 as more goblins died, making us no longer his match," Xiao Mu explained his theory, which seemed the only plausible explanation. Otherwise, why would a few Monarch-level beings dare to attack the hobgoblin kingdom? "Then we can''t summon undead from these corpses. What a waste," Xiao Hui lamented. "It doesn''t matter. Most of them are Standard level. Even if we summoned them, they wouldn''t be much use," Xiao Mu reassured her. The siblings then joined the fray, with six Monarch-level undead guarding the fortress perimeter, relentlessly hunting down the suicidal goblins. The goblins seemed bewitched, showing no fear. The hobgoblins, seeing the Monarch-level goblins and Thalor flee, initially considered persuading the goblins to surrender. However, they quickly realized these goblins were undeterred, continuing their desperate charge. Seeing this, the hobgoblins had no choice but to kill them all. Chapter 213: Mana hairpin [Night retreats, dawn arrives!]Alex spent the night in Hurricane City, where the food was truly delicious. Ruby would probably love it here. Alex got up, put on her mage robe, pinned her medal to her chest, and used her hat to cover her hair before stepping out of the room. "Good morning, esteemed Alyssa. Did you sleep well?" "Yes, thank you very much for your hospitality." The maid at the door greeted Alex politely, and Alex responded courteously. Leaving the palace, Alex walked outside the city. Hurricane City was still quiet in the early morning, though a few early-rising mages were already busy. Hurricane City might not be as bustling as Thunder City, but its clever use of wind magic in its architecture gave it a unique charm. The shield outside the city had disappeared, indicating that Hurricane City was no longer under lockdown. Alex was eager to leave; she felt no sense of security staying here. "Alyssa, are you leaving the city so early?" This one-star mage, named Onak, seemed to have been waiting for her. He was the one who had hosted Alex at the banquet the previous night. "Yes, I have some matters to attend to." "Alyssa, you are indeed diligent. I won''t ask you to stay longer, as mages are always busy." Onak smiled, as if he and Alex were old friends. "By the way, please take this. When traveling, such items can be quite necessary. As protectors of humanity, we can''t always rely on others for food and drink." Onak handed Alex a heavy gray cloth bag. Opening it, she found it filled with gleaming gold coins, the common currency among the human empires. Onak had paid out of his own pocket, thinking that someone as young and powerful as Alex was worth befriending. "Thank you for your kindness." Alex knew this might come in handy later, so she accepted it, and Onak smiled. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Alex left. Onak watched Alex leave, then went to a study in the city''s palace. He knocked lightly on the doorframe. "Come in." A woman''s voice came from inside. Onak entered, facing a middle-aged woman with a mage hat, writing with a quill at her desk. "President, she has left." Onak spoke respectfully. "Did you find out her relationship with Eldrin?" The woman paused her writing and looked at Onak, her tone indifferent. "I discussed it with her. When I mentioned Vice President Eldrin, she didn''t seem particularly respectful, more like... grateful?" Onak thought for a moment, feeling this was the best way to describe it, though he didn''t understand why the president didn''t ask Eldrin directly. "Alright, let me know when she returns." After a brief exchange, the woman dismissed Onak, who bowed and left, leaving the woman deep in thought. Meanwhile, Alex, leaving the city, was grateful she had learned basic wind magic. Otherwise, a Monarch-level mage who couldn''t fly would be too suspicious. As an Honorary Mage, Alex moved freely in Hurricane City. A casual inquiry to a guard even got her a map of the entire Starfallen Empire. Through brief conversations, Alex learned some basics about the Starfallen Empire. It was vast, with a population in the billions, housing nearly half of Eldoria''s human population and protected by the mage association. The strength of the Starfallen Empire relied entirely on the power of its mage association branch. Hurricane City was the main hub for wind magic within the mage association. Most mages there practiced wind magic, though other types were also present, albeit less common. Talented mages were often sent to other major cities for further training. Located in the northwest of the Starfallen Empire, near the capital, Alex needed to leave quickly. She avoided using dark magic within the empire to prevent exposure. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? She also avoided using Hurricane City''s teleportation array to the empire''s border to keep her movements hidden. Alex had enough experience to level up but chose to continue accumulating it. Soon, Alex flew out of the core area of the Starfallen Empire, entering the Barren Plains, a near-border wasteland with only a few villages. No longer hiding, Alex stored her mage robe and medal in her ring and used dark magic to fly at full speed. Basic wind magic was too slow. Instead of crossing the Frostwind snowy mountain to return to Undead City, she headed south to the swamp near Chi-Chi''s castle. The castle was now ruins, soon to be reduced to sand by the wind. Alex landed and entered the alchemy magic circle she had set up, digging a pit to bury Chi-Chi''s body. "I wanted to bury you with your family, but I didn''t have the time or opportunity. Rest here." "From here it begins, and from here it ends." Alex wasn''t one for sentimental words. She had seen too many deaths, perhaps making this a fitting end. If asked whether she regretted saving Chi-Chi, Alex would say she would regret it either way. It was a choice with no perfect answer. After a few minutes of gazing at Chi-Chi''s peaceful face, Alex knew it was time to leave. Chi-Chi''s story ended here, but Alex''s was just beginning. Alex buried Chi-Chi, flattened a stone from the ruins as a tombstone, and carved Chi-Chi''s name on it. Standing up, she took one last look at the grave hidden by the alchemy magic circle before turning away. Undead City wasn''t far. At Alex''s flying speed, it would take only minutes to return. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That battle had cost many Monarch-level undead lives, showing Alex the hobgoblin kingdom was no easy foe. She had underestimated them. Without Alex, the Monarch-level forces couldn''t be replenished, making victory against the hobgoblin kingdom uncertain. "But according to the system messages, no undead have died since dawn. What''s going on?" Alex was puzzled, not paying much attention to the goblin kill messages, knowing goblins were hobgoblin slaves. [Congratulations, Lord, on obtaining high-level lightning magic. Do you want to use 1,000 magic crystals to learn it right now?] Entering her territory, Alex received a system prompt and chose to learn without hesitation. Instantly, a flood of knowledge filled her mind. She could now touch and use the lightning elements in the air without discomfort. Alex knew the power of high-level magic. As a destructive force, lightning magic became her second high-level spell. She quickly integrated it into her right eye for enhancement. A purple arc flashed in her right eye, lighting up the third element on the six-pointed star magic circle. Alex then took out the gift Chi-Chi had intended for her from the Warehouse. [Item Name: Mana Hairpin] [Item Grade: Commanding level] [Item Feature: Increases Mana Points limit by 30, enhances Mana Points recovery efficiency.] It was a red butterfly hairpin with long ribbons, an auxiliary item. Alex pinned it to her hair, perfect for recovering Mana Points after flying. Originally, she recovered one Mana Point per minute. With the hairpin, it increased to 1.5 times, recovering three points every two minutes. With 300 Mana Points, full recovery took five hours. The hairpin reduced it to three hours and twenty minutes. This saved a lot of time, helpful in battles. Entering Undead City, Alex saw the army had stopped teleporting and gathered outside the main fortress. She didn''t notify the siblings of her return; the system dashboard showed no undead deaths, only goblin kill messages. Seeing this, Alex wasn''t in a hurry. She decided to take a bath and level up before checking the situation. Alex undressed, walked barefoot into the bathroom, and pulled the shower curtain closed. Chapter 214: Take the initiative Tara Plain, hobgoblin kingdom.The battlefield was littered with goblin corpses, dismembered limbs scattered everywhere, and the thick blood staining the ground green. At this moment, only a few goblins remained, on the brink of total annihilation, yet they continued their relentless assault, showing no fear of death. Most of these goblins were at the Standard level, offering little experience points. Throughout the night, the six Race Kings and the sibling duo had been killing enemies, but only Arthas and the siblings had leveled up to lv2. The other Race Kings remained at lv1 Monarch level. The hobgoblins, unlike the undead, had both their shamans and regular hobgoblins fighting, resulting in some losses, though not significant. From the goblins'' behavior, it was clear they couldn''t kill the undead and were merely throwing their lives away. In contrast, the goblins attacking the hobgoblins were well-equipped, using both technology and magic, aiming to kill as many hobgoblins as possible. Thus, the undead faced less pressure compared to the hobgoblins. "It looks like the battle is coming to an end," Xiao Mu murmured, gazing at the hobgoblin royal city in the distance. The goblins were nearly wiped out. Around the undead fortress, goblin corpses had piled up into small hills, emitting a foul stench. Bone dragons were spewing flames, burning the goblin bodies. With the fall of the last goblin, the battlefield fell silent, leaving only the hobgoblins and undead facing each other. But neither side attacked immediately, as the matter with the goblins wasn''t over yet¡ªThalor hadn''t reappeared. A few minutes later, Thalor, no longer receiving notifications of goblin deaths, confirmed that all the goblins were dead. A teleportation array lit up again, this time in another cave entrance, likely a contingency plan he had left behind. Seconds later, Thalor emerged, rolling up his shirt sleeves and adjusting his loosened tie, exuding confidence. Behind him were the giant centipede and five Monarch-level goblins¡ªhis final forces. Xiao Mu, watching from the fortress, saw no changes in Thalor and wondered where his confidence came from. Seeing Thalor reappear without goblin cover, the remaining Monarch-level hobgoblins quickly launched an attack on him. From the walls of the hobgoblin royal city, the hobgoblin king watched the battlefield. The suicidal charge of nearly ten thousand goblins had drawn its attention, something it had never seen before and wanted to investigate. Thalor, seemingly anticipating this, remained unflustered. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The centipede and the Monarch-level goblins fought together, holding off nearly half of the Monarch-level hobgoblins. Thalor himself unleashed a powerful aura, single-handedly facing dozens of hobgoblin shamans. Countless purple rings appeared, swirling around him. Purple and green energy surged from his body, and his seemingly slow punches landed precisely on each hobgoblin shaman. The struck hobgoblins were sent flying, their shamanic barriers offering no protection. In no time, Thalor had knocked out five or six hobgoblin shamans with single punches, appearing incredibly strong. The defeated hobgoblin shamans were all lv1, while the remaining higher-level shamans could barely hold their ground against Thalor. From a distance, Xiao Mu saw that even these remaining shamans were no match for Thalor and would eventually be defeated. "How did he get so much stronger?" Xiao Hui was shocked. How powerful must one be to single-handedly defeat so many Monarch-level hobgoblins? "What should we do? Just watch?" "Judging by Thalor''s displayed strength, he shouldn''t be stronger than the hobgoblin king. The hobgoblin king won''t stand by and watch his shamans get killed. He''ll intervene, and when they both exhaust their Mana Points, we''ll strike," Xiao Mu analyzed. Suddenly, Xiao Mu considered a startling possibility. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Wait, if his troops are resistant to shamanic magic, he must have their abilities too. So, he might be resistant to hobgoblin shamanic magic. Given his confidence, the hobgoblin king might not be his match. If he can control hobgoblins like he did goblins, we could face a suicidal charge from the entire hobgoblin race." "That''s very likely. It might be why he''s confident enough to attack the hobgoblin kingdom," Arthas agreed with Xiao Mu''s speculation. "Then we can''t just sit here. Doing nothing plays into his hands. We should take the initiative," Xiao Hui realized. "Finally, you had a smart idea," Xiao Mu praised. "I''ve always been smart!" Xiao Hui retorted, though Xiao Mu wasn''t really listening. Under Xiao Mu''s temporary command, all Monarch-level undead, except the giant skeleton creature, flew out of the fortress, heading towards the battle between Thalor and the hobgoblins. Their goal was clear: kill Thalor first, then attack the hobgoblins. The hobgoblin king on the wall was puzzled. This man was the strongest extraterrestrial visitor it had ever seen, already at lv4 Monarch level. It couldn''t understand how an extraterrestrial visitor could grow so strong overnight. Extraterrestrial visitors were indeed mysterious. If the hobgoblins had this ability, they would have become a dominant force on Eldoria long ago, instead of hiding here. Seeing that the hobgoblin shamans couldn''t defeat Thalor, the hobgoblin king wouldn''t let his subordinates be killed. Just as the hobgoblin king was about to intervene, he saw the undead attacking Thalor. Their goal was clear, so the hobgoblin king decided to wait and see. Whoever won, they would exhaust their Mana Points, and that would be the best time for the hobgoblin king to strike. Thalor, seeing the undead and the sibling duo charging at him, felt a change in his expression. Even at lv4 Monarch level, he couldn''t face both the hobgoblins and undead simultaneously. Thalor glared at the siblings with anger. "I advise you to stay out of this!" Thalor hadn''t expected the siblings to bring the undead into the fray. From a rational perspective, staying neutral would maximize their benefits. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui ignored Thalor, attacking from both sides with light and dark elemental strikes. Thalor immediately blocked, but the surrounding undead and hobgoblin shamans also converged on him. Xiao Mu''s guess was correct¡ªThalor had significant resistance to hobgoblin shamanic magic but not to the undead. In an instant, Thalor''s green and purple shield shattered, and he was knocked to the ground by the combined assault of the Monarch-level beings. The hobgoblin shamans and undead, in a rare moment of cooperation, refrained from attacking each other and focused solely on Thalor and his minions. "You are just a bunch of low-level undead. How can you hope to defeat the hobgoblin kingdom? Why not join forces with me? Together, we can take down the hobgoblin kingdom, and you can have the lion''s share of the spoils!" Thalor stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth, trying to persuade the undead to ally with him. He didn''t want his plans to fail at the last moment due to the undead''s interference. Taking down the hobgoblin kingdom had seemed like a sure thing, but these undead were complicating matters. "Do you think we''re fools?" Xiao Mu retorted, implying that their confidence in attacking the hobgoblin kingdom meant they had the strength to take it down. To Xiao Mu, Thalor was an unstable factor, and allying with him was too risky. "So, there''s no room for negotiation?" Thalor''s face turned cold. It seemed he would have to use his trump card sooner than planned. Chapter 215: Esteemed Queen, your return ensures our triumph In an instant, Thalor''s purple domain enveloped the entire battlefield. His centipede swung its massive body, blocking several hobgoblin shamans from attacking its master. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.The centipede opened its gaping maw, and a purple vortex appeared at its head. Catching the five Monarch-level goblins off guard, it devoured them all in one gulp. They didn''t even have time to scream before their forms vanished completely. The five Monarch-level hobgoblins fighting the centipede were startled, fearing they might be next. They quickly retreated to avoid its attack. Both the hobgoblins and undead were stunned by the centipede''s unexpected move. It was the first time they realized the centipede had such a bizarre devouring ability. The key point was that this unexpected move wasn''t used to devour enemies but rather to consume its own allies in a disadvantageous situation. In an instant, the centipede digested the Monarch-level goblins, and Xiao Mu could clearly feel its aura growing stronger. All the hobgoblin shamans looked at the giant centipede with fear, worried they might be its next target. But then, the centipede, now within Thalor''s domain, began to shrink, quickly becoming the size of a normal centipede. It flew towards Thalor, and to everyone''s astonishment, Thalor swallowed it whole! "Ugh, that''s disgusting!" Xiao Hui covered her mouth in disbelief. As Thalor and his centipede fused, his aura surged, and the surrounding purple domain turned green. Thick armor began to grow over his skin, tearing through his shirt and pants. Curved skeletal structures, resembling the centipede''s mandibles, sprouted from his body. Thalor''s entire body was now covered in brown armor, including his head. Two curved spikes grew from his chin, and long antennae sprouted from his head. Thalor had transformed into a humanoid centipede, or more accurately, an insectoid creature. "What kind of creature is this? Did he merge with his centipede?" Xiao Hui felt Thalor''s power had increased significantly. Was this his trump card? Thalor became a blur, attacking the hobgoblin shamans. Two lv1 shamans couldn''t react in time and were caught by the pincers on Thalor''s arms. A purple vortex appeared on Thalor''s chest, instantly draining the life force from the hobgoblin shamans. The armor on Thalor''s neck split open, releasing two streams of green smoke, expelling the excess impurities from the hobgoblin shamans. The siblings felt Thalor grow even stronger, and the other hobgoblin shamans'' faces turned pale as they retreated. Now, Thalor was a figure of fear. Neither the undead nor the hobgoblins dared to attack him together. If he caught them, he would only grow stronger. This was exactly what Thalor wanted. If he feared a combined attack, he wouldn''t have shown up so early. He could have waited until both sides were exhausted before appearing. Thalor waved his hand, and countless giant whips formed from centipede bodies appeared within his domain, sweeping everything around them. Xiao Mu grabbed Xiao Hui and used his speed to dodge out of Thalor''s attack range. The other undead weren''t so lucky. Those hit by the whips disintegrated on the spot. The attacks carried the soul-damaging properties of shamanic magic, which, while not fatal to Monarch-level beings, could still injure them. Only Arthas, wielding his weapon, managed to shield Azure and Riven from the attacks. As soul entities, they were more vulnerable to soul attacks. Arthur used his body to protect John and Crane, being the most resistant among the six Race Kings. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Thalor charged at the injured undead, intending to devour them and gain the means to counter the undead. The siblings and Arthas attacked Thalor simultaneously, trying to stop him, but Thalor''s reaction speed and explosive power had greatly increased. In just five seconds, he had repelled the siblings. Facing Arthas''s attack, Thalor single-handedly grabbed his weapon, and using shamanic magic, sent Arthas flying. Just as Thalor was about to absorb the two trapped Monarch-level undead, he sensed something and turned sharply. Countless green vines intertwined, forming a massive maw that lunged at Thalor. Caught off guard, Thalor''s armor glowed brown, and a centipede shadow appeared behind him. Boom! The massive impact sent nearby undead flying, but Thalor, at the center of the attack, remained unmoved, blocking the powerful strike. As the attack dissipated, Thalor''s armor was slightly reddened, and a large crater appeared on the ground, but he was uninjured. Thalor looked up at the small figure floating in the sky, a smile forming under his mask. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "Hobgoblin king, lv6 Monarch level, is this all you''ve got? Or are you just too old and useless?" Thalor taunted, revealing the hobgoblin king''s strength. Thalor''s focus was entirely on the hobgoblin king. His goal was clear: kill the hobgoblin king and conquer the hobgoblin race. The hobgoblin king finally made his move. Despite his age, he possessed lv6 Monarch level strength. Xiao Mu could feel the power of the previous attack; it would have killed any of them. Yet Thalor had blocked it without injury, confirming Xiao Mu''s suspicion that he had high immunity to shamanic magic, likely due to his centipede devouring hobgoblin shamans. "The hobgoblin king is at level six, and Thalor is even stronger," Xiao Hui said worriedly. With Thalor''s monstrous strength, taking down the hobgoblin kingdom would be even harder for the undead. Unless they could defeat Thalor in one go, he would continue to devour other undead, growing stronger. Regular Monarch-level beings were no match for him, only making him more powerful. Xiao Mu was at a loss. He had never encountered a Lord with such formidable abilities. Even with Thalor''s back turned to the undead, no one dared to attack. The hobgoblin shamans in the sky were equally hesitant, placing their hopes on the hobgoblin king. But if the hobgoblin king failed, all would be lost. "So, you''re the Lord who defected to the goblins and controlled them," the hobgoblin king said in goblin language, his voice aged. "That''s right. Soon, it will be your turn. Surrender and become my nourishment," Thalor replied confidently. Even if the hobgoblin king was higher level, his centipede had devoured many hobgoblins, giving him high resistance. He feared nothing. Once he devoured the Monarch-level hobgoblins, he would level up again. He didn''t need troops, just his centipede. Thalor soared into the air, attacking the hobgoblin king. Countless centipede shadows swirled within his domain, and his right hand transformed into a giant pincer aimed at the king''s head. The hobgoblin king had no choice but to fight. Behind him was his kingdom. Even if he couldn''t win, he had to try. He refused to believe this strange ability was unbeatable. The hobgoblin king released his domain, gathering life energy to protect himself and attack Thalor. But Thalor''s centipede shadows absorbed the attacks, unable to stop his advance. Just as Thalor was about to strike, the hobgoblin king swung his staff, unleashing a powerful shockwave that pushed Thalor back. Thalor steadied himself mid-air and attacked again, his body a blur. "Let''s see how many times you can use that trick!" Thalor taunted. The hobgoblin king''s face was grim. His attacks were ineffective. In his younger days, he could have fought Thalor with armor and weapons, but now he was too old. With no other choice, the hobgoblin king continued using shamanic magic. Blue and red flames spewed out, forming a fiery tornado that swirled around him and gathered above. The hobgoblin shamans behind him also channeled their energy into the tornado. Soon, a massive blue, white, and red tornado appeared above the hobgoblin king. He ignored Thalor''s approach. The tornado spun rapidly, the flames intertwining and merging, growing more powerful. Thalor didn''t care. He struck the hobgoblin king''s shamanic barrier with his domain-infused attack, cracking it instantly. But as the barrier shattered, the hobgoblin king''s crown glowed brightly, forming another shield. Thalor''s attack didn''t even ripple the new shield. Thalor increased his power, while the fiery tornado above the hobgoblin king reached its peak. The surrounding hobgoblin shamans retreated. Xiao Mu, sensing danger, also led the undead away, but it was too late. The fiery tornado exploded, sending a terrifying shockwave across the battlefield. Boom! A brilliant flame erupted where the hobgoblin king and Thalor clashed, and a ring-shaped shockwave spread out, shaking the entire basin. The walls cracked, and the sky above fractured. Even the hobgoblin royal city wasn''t spared. The shockwave shattered its shield and cracked its walls. The hobgoblin shamans, exhausted of Mana Points, were thrown to the ground by the shockwave. Despite their quick reaction, Xiao Mu and the undead couldn''t escape the blast. As they braced for impact, a massive black barrier appeared, shielding them from the shockwave. The siblings and the undead turned to see Alex standing not far behind them. "Miss Alex, you''re back!" "Esteemed Queen, your return ensures our triumph!" the six Race Kings said with utmost loyalty. Chapter 216: You brought this on yourself Alex appeared on the battlefield, followed by seven Monarch-level undead, summoned from the seven corpses within the fortress."This guy can actually devour?" As the explosion''s shockwave dissipated, Alex saw that while the hobgoblin king was not visibly injured, he was utterly exhausted and unable to continue fighting. The hobgoblin king had intended to go down with Thalor, but the effect was less than ideal. Thalor''s armor was shattered, and blood seeped from within. Though he appeared gravely injured, lying there pretending to be dead, his body was rapidly healing. During the explosion, his chest had even absorbed some of the energy. His ability was undeniably terrifying. "Isn''t this the classic protagonist template?" Alex quipped, to which Xiao Hui had a different take. "He''s nothing. Miss Alex is the real protagonist!" Xiao Mu was taken aback. Since when did his sister become so good at flattery? Though Alex had grown stronger, she wasn''t reckless enough to charge in headfirst. The current situation was perfect; they hadn''t been able to defeat her at their peak, and now they were all half-dead. Victory was practically assured. With the seven Monarch-level undead Alex had summoned, the undead forces, which had been reduced to thirteen Monarch-level combatants, were now bolstered to over twenty, surpassing the hobgoblin kingdom''s Monarch-level numbers. Thalor had devoured two Monarch-level hobgoblins, leaving no corpses, which irked Alex. This centipede-man had to pay. "Kill them all." At Alex''s command, the Monarch-level undead charged at the weakened hobgoblins. Alex''s return had greatly boosted their confidence. Alex, along with the siblings, approached the prone Thalor. Hearing the undead''s movements, Thalor struggled to his feet, turning to see Alex and the siblings. Upon seeing Alex, Thalor''s pupils contracted in disbelief. "Wow, such a beautiful girl exists in this world!" Alex remained vigilant, unsure of Thalor''s intentions. "Beautiful lady, allow me to introduce myself. I am Thalor. Praise the Creator, you are truly stunning!" Thalor, visibly excited, reverted to his human form. Seeing Alex ignore him, Thalor felt a bit awkward, while the siblings looked on curiously. "Though this is our first meeting, I am completely captivated by your beauty. If you accept me, I am willing to share everything with you, including my centipede!" Hearing this, Alex felt a wave of disgust. That centipede could stay with him; she had no interest in it. Thalor believed he had made an irresistible offer, but received no response. Feeling slighted, he looked at Alex with a mix of longing and frustration. "Pfft, what a simp," Xiao Hui couldn''t help but comment. "Shut up! I am the most devoted man in Eldoria!" Thalor shouted. "Oh, really? So what?" Alex replied coldly, her eyes filled with disdain and disgust. Thalor was taken aback by her indifferent reaction. Realizing Alex''s status from the siblings'' respectful demeanor, Thalor had an epiphany. "You must be the undead Lord, right? I know you. Your name is Alex!" Thalor laughed maniacally. "I fell for you at first sight. Be my girlfriend! Together, we can form the strongest alliance and build a powerful empire." "I refuse. I don''t like you." Alex''s response was immediate, to avoid any misunderstanding from the siblings. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have bothered to reply. "Why?! Can''t you feel my affection for you? Why don''t you react at all?" Thalor''s face twisted in anger and frustration. He had made so many concessions, yet Alex still rejected him. "That''s your choice, not mine," Alex said again. Xiao Mu sighed. This approach was highly disrespectful and would only make a girl more repulsed. Even a ten-year-old boy would understand this. How could Thalor not? "I am now at lv5 Monarch level. The hobgoblin king is only lv6. I can devour endlessly and grow rapidly. You are a revered undead Lord, a topic of great interest in World Chat. You understand what this means, right?" Thalor''s pursuit had no effect, but he didn''t give up. He thought Alex found him too weak and a burden, hence her refusal. Suddenly, Thalor had an epiphany. This wasn''t Earth anymore. "This is Eldoria. The strong make the rules. If you won''t agree willingly, I''ll take you by force. Let''s see if you''ll beg for mercy in bed!" Thalor''s face twisted with malice as he reverted to his previous form, stepping out of the crater towards Alex and the siblings. During their conversation, his external wounds had mostly healed. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "Holy shit, the simp is going berserk!" Xiao Hui thought they might negotiate since they seemed to know each other. But how did it escalate so quickly? Thalor vanished from the crater''s edge, aiming to capture Alex. With her, the undead would fall, and he could conquer the hobgoblin kingdom and command the undead. Thalor''s domain swept everything aside, his arm transforming into a centipede pincer, reaching for Alex. "I''ve given you enough face. You started this, so don''t blame me for defending myself!" Alex''s left hand ignited with black flames, catching Thalor''s attack. With a squeeze, Thalor''s centipede pincer shattered. Before Thalor could react, Alex spun and kicked him away. Xiao Hui looked at her own dark elements, feeling they were nothing compared to Alex''s. Thalor, regaining his senses, found himself flying backward. What just happened? The next moment, Alex appeared before him, kicking him to the ground. Thalor crashed heavily, shocked. Even if he wasn''t at full strength, how could a girl send him flying? Thalor''s armor hadn''t fully repaired, leaving him vulnerable. Alex approached him unhurriedly. Thalor tried to rise, but Alex stomped on his chest. "You brought this on yourself." Alex looked down at Thalor''s centipede-masked face, her tone cold. Thalor tried to get up, but Alex''s strength was greater. He could only move his hands, summoning two centipede shadows to attack Alex. She blocked them with a Dark Barrier. The relentless Thalor summoned his centipede to devour the barrier, but it was incinerated by black flames. "Your centipede isn''t as strong as you claimed. It can''t devour everything." Alex''s right hand, covered in icy frost, exuded a chilling aura. Thalor saw the killing intent in Alex''s eyes. She intended to kill him! Realizing he couldn''t capture Alex, Thalor understood he wasn''t even a match for her at his full strength. Thalor''s centipede armor opened, revealing a purple vortex, attempting to devour Alex. Alex''s right foot, engulfed in black flames, remained on Thalor''s chest, letting the flames pour into the vortex. Thalor smirked, thinking his plan was working. But the black flames erupted with destructive power, shattering the vortex. "Ahhh!" The soul-wrenching pain made him scream. Alex''s icy right hand struck Thalor''s chest. Though in pain, Thalor reacted quickly, abandoning his centipede armor to escape. Alex''s attack destroyed the empty armor. [Congratulations, you have killed lv2 devour centipede, gaining 400 experience points.] Thalor''s centipede was dead. He stood, drenched in sweat, looking at Alex in terror. "Can''t you feel my love for you? Must you kill me?" "Drop the disgusting act, and maybe I''ll let you die with some dignity." Countless ice crystals floated behind Alex as she approached Thalor. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without his centipede, Thalor was no match for Alex, retreating in fear. "Give me another chance. I was wrong. Please don''t kill me, Alex. You''re my goddess!" "You should be grateful." Alex said. Thalor''s face lit up, but turned to despair at Alex''s next words. "I''ll give you a chance to stay by my side, but not in your current form." Alex''s icy right hand struck Thalor''s chest, freezing him rapidly. A curse ended Thalor''s life. Alex left him a whole corpse, a dignified death. "I guess I''m still too kind." [Congratulations, Lord, for killing lv4 Monarch level Lord, gaining 800 experience points.] Chapter 217: Kingdoms tear After killing Thalor, Alex turned her gaze towards the hobgoblin king. At this point, all the hobgoblin shamans had been slain, leaving only the weakened hobgoblin king surrounded by undead.The remaining hobgoblin army in the distance had also ceased their assault. With their king captured, they had lost the will to fight. "Esteemed extraterrestrial visitor, I am willing to submit to you!" The hobgoblin king prostrated himself before Alex as she approached, expressing his submission. Alex touched her cheek with her left hand, looking upwards in thought. If the hobgoblin king chose to submit, wouldn''t that count as the fall of the hobgoblin kingdom? The system should reward her with the Kingdom''s Tear. Wait, this wasn''t certain. Killing the hobgoblin king would not only grant her experience but also allow her to summon an undead and definitely earn the Kingdom''s Tear. There was no need to consider further. Without hesitation, Alex used her scythe to kill the hobgoblin king. The hobgoblin king died in confusion, thinking that Alex''s contemplation meant he had a chance, only to be struck down suddenly. [Congratulations, you have killed lv6 hobgoblin king, gaining 1,000 experience points!] [Congratulations, Lord, for destroying the hobgoblin kingdom, gaining the hobgoblin Barrack crystal and the exclusive item Kingdom''s Tear.] [Conquered Race count: 1] "A Barrack crystal? What does ''conquered race'' mean?" Alex immediately checked the system, feeling that Thalor''s rapid leveling method was hidden here. [The old king falls from the throne, and the new king will be reborn in glory] [Congratulations on conquering your first race. The entire race will submit to you, their souls sacrificed to you. Even in death, you will still gain experience points.] [Note: Only those who die in external battles will grant experience points, and only half of the original amount. Brutal slaughter and tyranny will lead to rebellion (eliminating a rebelling race will no longer grant experience points).] "So that''s how it works." Alex understood, and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui also gathered around to read the system description. "So, Thalor ruled the entire goblin race, using their hatred for hobgoblins to wage war. Even though he only gained 50% experience from their deaths, the nearly 100,000 goblins allowed him to reach lv4." "So that''s why Thalor sent the goblins to their deaths, just to gain experience points." Xiao Hui understood after Xiao Mu''s explanation. So, this was the method to conquer races? Just destroy their core rulers? Alex had always thought conquering a race meant eliminating all its members. Killing the hobgoblin civilians was pointless for Alex. At least keeping them alive meant they could mine resources and develop technology. With the hobgoblin king''s death, the battle was over. Aside from the entire hobgoblin race submitting to Alex, allowing her to utilize their resources, there didn''t seem to be any other benefits. Using these hobgoblins in battle was a joke. The system didn''t give any special rewards, or maybe it did, but Alex wasn''t the first Lord to conquer a race. Given Alex''s understanding of the system''s quirks, there might be a race conquest leaderboard in the future, but not yet. In that case, she needed to find ways to increase her conquered race count. "Xiao Hui, take the undead into the city and see if there are any resources we can use. Bring them back, and leave the rest for the hobgoblins." "Xiao Mu, there should be surviving goblins. They can''t be completely wiped out. Find out from the hobgoblins where their stronghold is and take it over. Also, bring the best hobgoblin artisans to Undead City." Alex assigned tasks to the siblings, who immediately set to work. In Eldoria, magic and supernatural powers were mainstream, but technology was also indispensable. With advanced technology, Alex could build special structures and even upgrade them. As development progressed, she could become less reliant on system rewards. However, participating in system events was still necessary, as they allowed Lords to grow stronger quickly, mainly through system rewards. After handling these matters, Alex took stock of her losses on the battlefield. Aside from the hobgoblin shamans devoured by Thalor, all the Monarch-level hobgoblins had been summoned as undead. Alex now had a staggering 43 Monarch-level undead, including the high-level hobgoblin king and Thalor, significantly boosting her strength. This didn''t include the six Race Kings, the Siblings, and Alex herself. In total, Alex had fifty Monarch-level combatants, an overwhelming force. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Even Alex was surprised by the number, believing she must be the strongest among all Lords. "Arthas, Crane, take ten Monarch-level undead to Emerald Hills!" "Yes, my queen." The battlefield held nearly 40,000 hobgoblin corpses. Alex used her domain to summon 20,000 high-level undead, while the remaining 20,000 were summoned as regular undead by necromancers, enjoying a double summoning bonus. In total, she had 60,000 undead. Despite the losses in Monarch-level combatants and the undead army, the post-battle gains were substantial, with the undead numbers multiplying several times. The hobgoblins had lost all their high-end combatants, now weaker than the goblins. They lay prostrate, awaiting Alex''s judgment in fear. Alex didn''t concern herself with them. How they lived was their business. She only cared about their abilities and whether they could aid her development. The lv6 hobgoblin king was summoned as a Reaper Guard, the highest level currently, and would undoubtedly be useful to Alex. As for the other Monarch-level corpses, Alex summoned necromancers for mass production, while the rest became bone dragons, ghost dragons, and liches. Zombies, skeletons, and specters had low caps, maxing out at Commanding level, and couldn''t be summoned as Monarch-level beings. The battle ended, and the giant skeleton creature sank into the ground, leaving a massive circular magic circle, ready to awaken when enemies attacked again. The undead fortress needed a few Monarch-level guards. Alex looked up at the sky, thinking the hobgoblins should repair it. This would enhance the fortress''s concealment. Alex took a brief tour of the hobgoblin royal city, deciding to keep the teleportation array for communication with other hobgoblin cities. Next was cleaning the battlefield and tallying the spoils. Alex sat on the wall, swinging her legs, waiting for the cleanup to finish. "Hey, Azure, tell Xiao Mu not to bother looking for goblins." Alex noticed a special item in the Warehouse after clearing Thalor''s belongings, resembling a tear, similar to the Kingdom''s Tear. Though she couldn''t take it out, she could view its attributes. [Name: Race''s Tear] [Item Level: None] [Description: A special item dropped after destroying or ruling an entire race. Its use is currently unknown. Can be absorbed by the Kingdom''s Tear to enhance its quality.] Alex also noticed her conquered race count had increased from 1 to 2. "It seems this item is key to conquering races." Alex speculated that if she gave the Kingdom''s Tear to someone else, the hobgoblins would submit to them instead. "Absorbing it means permanent submission, with no chance of rebellion?" At least, that was Alex''s current guess. By dusk, Xiao Hui returned with a large haul of resources, and Xiao Mu brought several hobgoblins. "Leader, these hobgoblins are responsible for most of their technology and research." "Esteemed leader." The hobgoblins trembled as they bowed to Alex. "Good. Arrange for them to live in Undead City." Alex nodded in satisfaction. Though she knew little about technology, she believed in the hobgoblins'' potential. As for the resources Xiao Hui brought, they were useful to Alex. She had no interest in weapons and armor. "Miss Alex, I found a batch of silver weapons in the city." Xiao Hui tossed a sword at Alex''s feet. These swords, shields, and armor were clearly not hobgoblin-made but human equipment. Alex picked up the sword and examined it. Made of specially processed silver, it could inflict soul damage, making it a bane for undead, werewolves, and vampires. "This equipment looks like Starfallen Empire''s, but different. Could it be from the templar knights?" Alex had seen both factions'' equipment, but these weapons were distinct. "Sell them on the World Chat." With no way to trace their origin, and the hobgoblin leaders dead, the trading post was the best place to offload them. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Keeping them was pointless for Alex. Selling them quickly was best. With everything packed up, the undead army began to withdraw in an orderly fashion. "Let''s go." Alex called out, leading everyone back to the city. Chapter 218: Auxiliary barrack [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!]Alex walked from the main fortress to the palace, noticing that the left annex was missing a section. The siblings noticed too but chose not to mention it. Alex arrived at the Barrack to summon troops, while the dark elves prepared dinner for the siblings, who hadn''t eaten in nearly two days. After summoning the troops, Alex took out the Kingdom''s Tear and the Race''s Tear from the Warehouse. When the two items collided, the latter was immediately absorbed. Alex didn''t notice any special changes and had to check the system for details. [Name: Kingdom''s Tear] [Level: None] [Progress: 1/100] [Description: Essential for establishing a kingdom.] There was a note next to [Progress], which Alex clicked to view. [Note: By merging a certain number of Kingdom (Race) Tears, it will upgrade to an Empire''s Tear. Possessing an Empire''s Tear allows the establishment of an empire without meeting the usual prerequisites.] "So that''s how it works." Alex studied it for a while and understood its use. Establishing a kingdom would require fusing the Kingdom''s Tear with the city crystal. The Race''s Tears seemed to enhance the kingdom''s energy. If one possessed an Empire''s Tear, it might be possible to bypass the kingdom stage and directly establish an empire. So, turning Undead City into an Undead Kingdom required her to reach King level, and an empire would require Emperor level? But Monarch level could also establish a kingdom. Strange. Native races in this world could, but Lords from Earth like Alex were not allowed. Alex had decided that a kingdom wasn''t her end goal. She planned to build the Strongest Undead Empire. However, compared to reaching King level and maxing out the city, conquering a hundred races seemed too difficult. Alex guessed that absorbing Race''s Tears wouldn''t always add just one point of progress. The differences between races, like dragons and rats, were too vast. "Leader, dinner is ready." A dark elf came to remind Alex. "Oh, okay." Alex joined the siblings for dinner. Xiao Hui seemed to have just taken a bath, her hair still damp. After dinner, Alex addressed the siblings, "Sophie is progressing too slowly. Her strength isn''t enough. Tomorrow, take the undead and help her. Finish off the dwarf kingdom quickly, then focus on the Orc Empire." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In this world, one could never slack off. Only by constantly growing stronger could one survive. Alex wanted them to help Sophie not just to speed up progress but also to help the three of them develop quickly. "No problem, but there''s only one Monarch-level dwarf and two Monarch-level undead there. Can we handle it?" Xiao Hui felt it was risky, as the dwarf kingdom was likely stronger than the hobgoblin kingdom. "It''s fine. We''re not fighting all seven clans head-on. If they destroy one clan in their civil war, we''ll have a chieftain''s corpse, giving us a chance to turn the tide." Xiao Mu explained. "True, they''re not united and are still fighting among themselves." Compared to the hobgoblin kingdom, the dwarf kingdom was easier to deal with unless they united overnight. "Don''t worry, I''m here this time, and I''ve prepared in advance." ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Alex took out a fully charged fortress Essence Shard from her ring, showing it to the siblings to reassure them. With this experience, Alex wouldn''t make the same mistake again. Even if she wasn''t crossing continents, she didn''t know how large a continent was or if she could return, so she had to keep a fortress Essence Shard as a backup. After dinner, the three planned to rest. The siblings'' troops had been steadily growing in the Dark Forest, their numbers increasing. Alex suddenly had a new question. She was undoubtedly the ruler of the undead race, so why didn''t she have a Race''s Tear? Could there be other undead races scattered around the world? There were too many questions, and Alex didn''t want to think about them. She remembered the Hobgoblin Barrack crystal in the Warehouse hadn''t been built yet. Apparently, unique Barracks couldn''t acquire other Lords'' Barracks, but after conquering a race, even a unique Barrack would gain their corresponding Barrack crystal. This made things much easier. But how to conquer unorganized races? Boars were everywhere. How to conquer them? Kill them all? Alex took out the Hobgoblin Barrack crystal and clicked to build it. She looked towards the palace where the undead Barracks were but didn''t see the Hobgoblin Barrack there. "Where did it go?" Alex flew into the sky, activating her left eye to survey Undead City. She finally saw the Hobgoblin Barrack on a plot of land in the west. The area was divided into grid-like sections, which Alex had thought were for building houses. Now she saw the hobgoblin barrack fit perfectly into one of these sections. "So, it''s for building auxiliary Barracks. But Undead City is too dark, surrounded by barren mountains. When can we get some light here?" Alex landed back in the palace. The palace was the only illuminated area, and with the red moon hidden behind clouds, the outside was pitch black and a bit eerie. The city''s layout reserved the west for auxiliary Barracks, but there wasn''t much space, meaning selective construction was necessary. But that''s okay. There were other cities besides Undead City. When Undead City upgraded to a kingdom or empire, the space would increase again. As Alex walked towards the palace, she opened the system to check the auxiliary Barrack''s basic information. [Auxiliary Barrack: hobgoblin crystal] [Status: Cannot upgrade] [Barrack can summon: Automatically summons one hobgoblin daily, one major level below the Lord.] [Current summoning level: lv5 Commanding level] Alex had expected differences between main and auxiliary barracks but was still surprised. Summoning one lv5 Commanding level hobgoblin daily was frustrating, as her Barrack could only summon lv7 Standard level undead. The auxiliary Barrack couldn''t upgrade and summoned automatically, which was convenient. The hobgoblins'' life cap was King level, so even if Alex reached Sovereign Level, the auxiliary barrack couldn''t summon Empire level hobgoblins. But Sovereign Level was far off. When Alex reached King level, the auxiliary Barrack would summon Monarch-level hobgoblins daily. Though only one, it would add up over time. This was fantastic. In high spirits, Alex decided to take a relaxing bath and then go to sleep. Chapter 219: Miss Alex, thank you [Night retreats, dawn arrives]Time: 06:00 AM Alex, just waking up, glanced at the system dashboard to check the time. Only eighteen hours remained until the leaderboard refreshed, meaning it would reappear at midnight tonight. Alex chose an outfit from her wardrobe that matched this world''s style, making her look more like a native and less like a Lord. Downstairs, the siblings were already preparing breakfast. Xiao Hui was wearing a gray hoodie and casual pants, but her clothes were in a state that was hard to describe¡ªlikely damaged from yesterday''s battle. The hoodie had turned into an off-shoulder design, revealing her black lace bra, which was quite inappropriate. "Xiao Hui, go to my room and find something to wear. They''re all new. I didn''t notice yesterday that your clothes were in such a state..." Hearing Alex''s words, Xiao Hui felt a bit embarrassed. She didn''t want to wear animal skins, so she had been making do. "We''re about the same size, so they should fit. As for you, Xiao Mu, you''ll have to make do. I don''t have any men''s clothes." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Mu nodded, not minding. He was more concerned about his sister''s modesty. "Miss Alex, thank you!" Xiao Hui happily went upstairs. She had noticed that Alex always wore different and beautiful clothes, indicating she had plenty. "Fifth floor, second room on the left," Alex called out to the hurried Xiao Hui. Xiao Mu continued eating breakfast while Alex went to summon the troops. The hobgoblin artisans brought back yesterday were now living with the Dark Alchemy Warlocks in the eastern part of the city, busy building houses. Alex had authorized them to use any materials from the Warehouse. Once all the preparations were complete, they would first develop a prototype, and only after Alex''s approval would they mass-produce it, ensuring no excessive material consumption. For living needs, the Warehouse had tens of thousands of food portions, enough to last them centuries. The Auxiliary Barrack summoned a hobgoblin, which Alex sent back to the hobgoblin kingdom to help stabilize the chaotic situation there. These summoned hobgoblins were perfect for maintaining order. When Alex reached King level, the Auxiliary Barrack would summon Monarch-level hobgoblins, making them a race fully under her control. For the races that had submitted, Alex adopted a laissez-faire approach. Those useful for her development were brought to Undead City, while the rest continued their lives as usual. Her troops were undead, so she didn''t need these races'' military forces, except for high-end combatants. "Ahhh!! Holy fuck!!" A scream from upstairs startled both Xiao Mu, who was eating breakfast, and Alex, who was outside the palace. What happened? Alex looked up and saw Xiao Hui peeking out the window. Their eyes met. Xiao Hui looked delighted, while Alex was puzzled. Xiao Hui''s shoulders were bare, with black straps prominently visible, making it seem like she wasn''t wearing anything, though most of her was hidden by the window. "Miss Alex, there are so many beautiful clothes and dresses here! I love them!" Xiao Hui shouted excitedly. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Oh, it was because of the clothes. Understandable. For a girl who had worn the same outfit for a month, suddenly seeing countless clothes was indeed thrilling. "The clothes I''ve worn are in the bottom drawer. The ones on the hangers are all new. Take as many as you like, don''t be shy." Alex generously offered. With over a thousand outfits, even wearing one a day would take more than three years to go through them all. The two were similar in height and weight, so all the clothes would fit. "Thanks a lot!" Xiao Hui disappeared from the window, likely to try on more clothes. Alex continued checking the Warehouse, using the resources gained yesterday to upgrade the city''s level. The changes weren''t drastic; the walls extended outward, and the city''s territory expanded slightly. Alex also upgraded the Barracks by one level. The undead crystal reached lv21, raising the summoned undead to lv9 Standard level, though no new troops were unlocked. When the Barracks reached lv22, Alex could summon Commanding level undead directly. After these upgrades, Alex decided not to continue. Upgrading the city consumed too many resources. Unless the hobgoblins and dwarves could keep up with production, the Warehouse would be emptied quickly. She couldn''t deplete all resources at once, needing to reserve some for the undead fortress. With nothing valuable left in the Warehouse, Alex noted that the system didn''t automatically clear resources after conquering a race, nor did it destroy the city. Lords had to collect resources themselves. Special buildings and strange materials that seemed unrelated to city construction were left behind. After handling these matters, Alex returned to the palace just as Xiao Hui came downstairs in new clothes. Though she loved the dresses and high heels, she chose a hoodie and casual pants for their trip to the White Rock Mountains. Xiao Hui carried a few other outfits, suitable for daily wear but not for battle. She had a good figure and looks, easily rated at least S-rank. Unfortunately, Xiao Mu never saw his sister as a beauty. "Miss Alex, how do I look now?" Xiao Hui twirled in front of Alex, the clothes fitting perfectly. "I think you look the same as usual. It''d be better if you tied your hair up," Xiao Mu said before Alex could respond. "Did I ask you?" Xiao Hui glared at Xiao Mu but still tied her hair up, knowing they were about to leave for the White Rock Mountains. "You look great, very fitting. Feel free to take more clothes later, don''t be shy," Alex said. Though Alex offered, Xiao Hui politely took only two outfits, not wanting to seem greedy. "Miss Alex, this is enough for now," Xiao Hui said, holding several outfits and feeling a bit embarrassed. "Just take them," Xiao Mu insisted, pulling Xiao Hui away by the wrist. "Leader, we''re heading to the White Rock Mountains!" Xiao Mu waved to Alex and then walked away without looking back, while Xiao Hui looked at her brother with some annoyance. "Xiao Mu, you know, you''re really rude!" Chapter 220: Chieftains corpse White Rock Mountains, Sophie was still asleep, not yet awake.With nothing much to do these days, Sophie spent her time arranging for the dwarves to gather materials and forge equipment, chatting on World Chat, and then sleeping. After all, besides these activities, there wasn''t much for her to do in the castle. The dwarves were all working, and she could only rely on the dwarves at the Rockhammer City front line to kill enemies and gain experience, making her level up very slowly. As of now, Sophie had barely reached lv6 Commanding level, which was quite weak. However, Sophie didn''t mind at all, as she was only responsible for logistics, and being a bit weaker was acceptable. The siblings didn''t teleport directly from the main fortress to Grimstone but used the Portal of Transit to come to Sophie. This place was assigned to Sophie by Alex, and the siblings needed to understand the situation from her. "Leader is actually very kind to us. From these past few days of observation, she isn''t a cold and ruthless person, but she also doesn''t seem like someone who would easily accept subjects," Xiao Mu whispered to Xiao Hui in the palace. "I know, I think so too," Xiao Hui nodded in agreement. "Then what do you know? Tell me," Xiao Mu gave Xiao Hui a sideways glance, thinking she knew nothing. "Well, you go first. I''ll see if it matches what I think." "I think maybe Alex didn''t know what was happening in Emerald Hills at the time. It was all Sophie''s doing, and Alex thought we submitted voluntarily. That''s why she''s been so friendly to us, treating us as friends, which is different from the ''submit or die'' scenario we were told." Xiao Mu felt he had been deceived by Sophie. "Yeah, I noticed that too. With Miss Alex''s personality, she wouldn''t kill us if we didn''t submit. She wouldn''t kill the innocent. This kind of deceit is really annoying. What''s the word for it?" Xiao Hui pondered. "It''s called cunning and deceitful. But maybe we should thank her. After joining Alex, we no longer have to worry about our lives, unlike in Emerald Hills, where we lived in constant fear." Xiao Mu understood that, in a way, Sophie had helped them by deceiving them. Since they and Sophie were both Alex''s subjects, it was best to maintain a harmonious relationship. "Of course, I know that. Don''t worry, I''m not a child anymore." The main reason was that Alex treated them well. Otherwise, they would definitely hold a grudge against Sophie. As they whispered to each other, they reached Sophie''s castle. But upon learning from the dwarf guards that Sophie was still asleep, Xiao Hui exploded. "What? We''re out there fighting enemies, and she''s still sleeping in?" The dwarf guards trembled, not daring to speak. They knew the two before them were also subordinates of the leader, with positions no lower than their Lord. "Alright, alright," Xiao Mu pulled Xiao Hui back. The dwarf guards went into the castle to report but only dared to knock on the door from outside. Knock, knock, knock¡ª The frequent knocking woke Sophie. "What is it?" Sophie''s voice came from inside, and the dwarf guards immediately reported that two of the leader''s subordinates had arrived. Sophie felt embarrassed and quickly peeked out the window, seeing Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu. She hurriedly pulled down the black stockings drying outside the window, but Xiao Hui saw this. Xiao Hui''s eyelid twitched, feeling speechless. She could only think to herself, "These stockings are really good quality. They''ve been worn for a month and still haven''t torn?" ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? In no time, Sophie rushed out, her hair still messy, having only washed her face. Sophie knew that the siblings'' sudden arrival must mean Alex had a task for them. "Please come in." Sophie didn''t have an arrogant attitude towards her allies, always maintaining a calm demeanor. "We do have a task here, but it''s not urgent. Let''s go inside first," Xiao Mu said, pulling Xiao Hui along. Sophie followed them into the castle. Inside, the dwarves served the siblings a special dwarf beverage. "This is a specialty of the dwarves. You should try it; it tastes pretty good," Sophie said with a smile. "Miss Alex is unhappy with your slow progress in conquering the dwarf kingdom. She sent us to help. Just tell us the situation with the dwarves," Xiao Hui said bluntly, though she couldn''t resist taking a sip of the drink, finding it delicious. Xiao Hui''s eyes widened, looking at Xiao Mu, then back at the drink, as if to say it was really good. Xiao Mu sighed. The aura they had tried to project was now halved. Sophie then explained the current progress and intelligence regarding the dwarf kingdom. After losing Rockhammer City, the Silverbeard Clan was exterminated under the combined assault of two major clans. The Silverbeard Clan chieftain chose death over surrender and was killed. Due to being of the same race, the two major clans absorbed the remaining Silverbeard Clan forces and gave the chieftain a proper burial. Durin hadn''t been idle. Using his former noble status, he infiltrated the clan territory last night and stole the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s corpse. No one would heavily guard a graveyard, and even if they did, they wouldn''t be a match for a Monarch level. Durin also took advantage of the chaos to recruit many civilians and deserters, strengthening his forces. Since Rockhammer City was the Silverbeard Clan''s logistics city, the two major clans didn''t know it had been emptied by Durin. The enemy was preparing to gather forces to capture Rockhammer City, Durin knowing he couldn''t win, had already retreated to Grimstone with the materials and equipment. Not only was the Silverbeard Clan unified, but two other weaker clans had also been absorbed. Now, the four clans had merged into two factions, fully attacking each other. Three major clans were attacking the once strongest royal clan. "That''s the current situation," Sophie sighed. The dwarf kingdom was in chaos, with civil wars and battles everywhere. They had gone mad. Xiao Hui didn''t care about the details. She only knew they had lost one city, which was a loss for their side. "Hmph, pathetic." Xiao Hui turned away. "By the way, I want another cup of that drink!" Only Xiao Mu focused on the crucial issue. "Where is the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s corpse? If it''s been dead for over twenty-four hours, our leader can''t summon it as an undead." "What!" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sophie hadn''t known about this limitation and quickly calculated the time. "It''ll be over twenty-four hours by noon. The corpse is still in Grimstone!" Xiao Mu immediately stood up. This was a high-level Monarch level corpse, and losing it would be a huge loss. "Quick, notify Alex to summon it. Why didn''t you say this earlier?" Sophie felt helpless. "I... I wanted to wait until the corpse was brought back. I didn''t know about the time limit." Chapter 221: Not just to overthrow the Silverbeard Clan, but to unify the Dwarf Kingdom Upon receiving the news, Alex didn''t panic. There were still several hours until noon, and with the undead fortress at Grimstone, there was plenty of time.Alex entered the main fortress and teleported to the undead fortress on the outskirts of Grimstone. "Esteemed Queen, your apostles greet you," the undead guards inside the fortress saluted Alex, who gave them a quick glance. "Notify everyone to bring in two more Monarch-levels. We don''t lack Monarch-levels anymore." With that, Alex left the undead fortress and flew towards Grimstone. Grimstone was on high alert, with dwarf troops patrolling everywhere. The other clans had learned that the Silverbeard Clan''s rear border city had been taken by rebels, orchestrated by extraterrestrial visitors, which they couldn''t accept. When the two major clans discovered Rockhammer City had become a ghost town, they would realize the supplies had been moved to Grimstone and would likely attack in unison. This was why the city had been so tense recently. Durin alone couldn''t fend off two major clans; he needed the undead''s help. "Move the body to the undead fortress!" Durin commanded the surrounding dwarves. The Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s body was wrapped in layers of animal skins to avoid detection by the civilians. "No need, I''m here," Alex''s voice came from behind Durin, who immediately knelt on one knee. "Esteemed leader." "Rise." Alex waved her hand and casually summoned the corpse the dwarves were carrying. With this high-level undead, Alex could be much more at ease. Otherwise, attacking the dwarf clans would require her personal involvement. "Tell me the situation," Alex asked Durin. Although she had learned some details from Sophie, it wasn''t comprehensive. Durin explained the current situation in detail. The Silverbeard Clan hadn''t been completely wiped out; only the chieftain and a few of his sons were killed. Most of the clan members were still alive but had been absorbed by the other clans. Nori, leading most of the clan members, chose to defect. "Again, Nori?" Alex had previously noted his impure bloodline, resembling a hybrid. Now, at the critical moment of the clan''s survival, he had chosen to betray. "Which clans are left, and how strong are they?" Durin''s intelligence was more detailed than Sophie''s. "The remaining clans are Ironfist, Hardbeard, Broadbeam, and Darkale. The Ironfist clan was once the royal family and is the strongest. They are currently resisting the combined forces of the other three clans." "The Ironfist clan is stronger than the Silverbeard Clan but not by much. However, as the former royal family, their strength is formidable. It''s said that the Ironfist chieftain reached lv8 Monarch level long ago, and he might be lv9 by now." After hearing Durin''s explanation, Alex understood why the other three clans had united against the Ironfist royal family. Durin also explained why the six clans hadn''t initially united to eliminate the Ironfist royal family. Initially, the Hardbeard clan and another now-extinct clan hadn''t rebelled, firmly supporting the Ironfist royal family. But the seven clans had their own agendas and weren''t united, leading to the current fragmented situation. Soon, the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s body was summoned as a lich, with lv6 Monarch level strength, comparable to the hobgoblin king. A lich could continue to level up, and might even reach lv7 or lv8 during this war. "Esteemed Queen," the lich spoke, bowing respectfully to Alex. "It will assist you, and I''ll send more help. My goal is simple: not just to overthrow the Silverbeard Clan, but to unify the dwarf kingdom." Alex shared her plan with Durin, who, despite having guessed it, still showed surprise. "Yes, I will not fail you, leader!" With the lv6 Monarch level lich, Durin''s confidence was greatly boosted. With nothing more to do here, Alex gave Durin a few instructions and left the lich behind as she departed Grimstone. If a lv6 lich couldn''t handle the trouble, her presence wouldn''t make a difference. Alex herself was only lv5. If the hobgoblin king and Thalor hadn''t weakened each other, she wouldn''t have had such an easy victory. Meanwhile, at Sophie''s castle. "What? Chi-Chi is dead?!" Sophie was shocked, looking incredulously at the siblings. Xiao Mu nodded and explained the situation. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Her subsidiary castle has been destroyed." "Wasn''t her place very safe? How did this happen?" §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Xiao Mu shook his head, indicating he didn''t know. "How did Big Shot return?" Sophie asked Xiao Mu again. "We don''t know. The leader didn''t say, and we didn''t ask." Sophie fell silent. Chi-Chi had chosen to leave despite the safety of staying with Alex. If it were her, she might have made the same choice, resolutely seeking her family. "Sigh." Sophie sighed. Meanwhile, Xiao Hui was on her third drink, completely uninterested in the conversation. "By the way, not to discourage you, but you''re too weak. If you don''t get stronger soon, you''ll be left behind. And then, well..." Xiao Hui wanted to say that if Sophie didn''t improve, she might be the next to die, but Xiao Mu''s glare made her stop. "Are you both Monarch level now?" Sophie asked uncertainly. "Correction, lv2 Monarch level," Xiao Hui said, holding up two fingers seriously. Sophie was taken aback. When she first met them a few days ago, Xiao Hui had just reached lv8 Commanding level, only two levels higher than her. Now they were lv2 Monarch level, while she remained stagnant. Sophie glanced at Alex''s information: lv5 Monarch level! She had thought Alex had just reached Monarch level recently, but now she was already lv5. Damn, they''re all freaks, leveling up so fast. Even the demon Lord is only lv2! "My brother''s point is simple: if you don''t work harder, you''ll be useless." Xiao Hui took the opportunity to remind (warn) Sophie. At that moment, Alex notified them that the summoning was complete. "Let''s go to Grimstone. The leader entrusted us with this task. If we fail and she has to step in, it would be embarrassing." After the siblings left, Alex was alone in the vast Undead City. Alex took out the map of the Starfallen Empire, which marked the distribution of nearby powerful forces. She drew an X over the Frostwind snowy mountain in the north. With the frost dragon dead, the Empire''s eastern side, south of Undead City, had no strong races, only an autonomous human city, home to a Temple branch. Though nominally under the Empire''s jurisdiction, the Empire had no real control over the Temple. As minions of the angels, Alex despised the Temple, but their branch was beyond her current capabilities, even at King level. Take the mage association branch in Nytheria, for example. Eldrin, the Vice President, was a nine-star Archmage, a lv9 Emperor level powerhouse! Not to mention the President and possibly higher-ranking members. The Temple branch, being on par with the mage association, was undoubtedly formidable. Thus, Alex marked it as a no-go zone. She couldn''t go further south or west, as crossing the Frostwind snowy mountain led to the Starfallen Empire. With the mage association backing the human Empire, its strength was immense. Alex couldn''t afford conflict with them, especially with her Honorary mage title. East was the Dark Forest, and north was unknown. To develop in Eldoria, she could only choose these two directions. There was also the Arsen continent, with no powerful races, only mid-to-low-tier races, making it ideal for development. This was why many top Lords gathered there. But in Nytheria, Lords had no room to survive. Even the luckiest Lords born there couldn''t thrive. "Tough situation. Let''s check out the Dark Forest first." Alex didn''t dare venture deep, fearing getting lost. She planned to scout the outskirts for any clues. Logically, her city''s area already occupied the forest''s edge, with many trees cleared by the system. Yet, no races had come to cause trouble. Were the real secrets hidden deeper? Alex didn''t act overly cautious. With many undead and the siblings'' troops present, any issues would have triggered alarms long ago. Chapter 222: Though my troops are demons, it doesnt mean Im a devil Meanwhile, on the continent of Valoria, a battle was raging over a canyon.A group of dark figures clashed with massive rock giants and flame creatures. Not far from the battlefield, at the edge of the canyon, stood two castles. A slender man with a stern expression watched the distant battle, his face tense. Beside him stood a tall, burly man who looked simple and honest, lost in thought. "These black creatures are like the undead; ordinary methods can''t kill them," Cain observed. They were violent and frenzied, showing no signs of civilization. They weren''t a race but rather puppets under someone''s control. So, they were likely the troops of a Lord. Otherwise, they wouldn''t attack so madly upon sight. "This is a troublesome problem. We were so close to reaching Monarch level, and now we encounter them," Earl said in a deep voice. Their once five-member alliance was now down to just the two of them. Boreas had led them out of the Barren Plains and then left the Elemental Alliance, his whereabouts unknown. "Don''t worry. As long as there''s no Monarch level, it''s not a big problem," Cain reassured. He noticed the enemy''s troop numbers were similar to theirs. The frenzied black creatures were hard to kill, but their elemental beings weren''t easy to defeat either. "But the Lord of those troops hasn''t shown up," Earl worried about the Lord behind them. "Valoria is vast, with a billion Lords on this continent alone. Currently, fewer than 50 have reached Monarch level. Our luck can''t be that bad," Cain comforted Earl. Judging by the enemy troops'' performance, their Lord was likely on par with them. The chance of encountering a Monarch level was only 0.001%. "You''re right, but I must say, Lady Luck doesn''t seem to favor you," came a playful, unfamiliar voice from behind them. Startled, they turned around, ready for battle. They saw a man in black sitting on the castle''s courtyard wall, legs crossed, looking down at them. "Who are you?!" Cain demanded. Their castle had a barrier, yet this man had easily breached it, indicating Monarch level strength. Damn, why were they so unlucky lately? "Allow me to introduce myself. My castle''s name is [Inferno], and I am Satan!" Satan floated down, landing smoothly, looking at Cain and Earl with ease. To Satan, Commanding levels posed no threat. He could easily defeat them. "You''re that demon Lord!" Cain and Earl were drenched in sweat. "You''ve heard of me?" Satan''s grin widened. Cain and Earl felt immense pressure. The demon Lord was not only Monarch level but one of the strongest among all Lords. During the Lord wars, few names were remembered besides the standout Alex, and Satan was one of them. But Satan hadn''t attacked immediately, indicating a chance for negotiation. Cain quickly assessed the situation, remaining calm. "What do you want? Resources, crystals, or troops? We can even abandon everything and become Freelancers if you spare us," Cain offered. Though both were lv9 Commanding level, they were no match for Satan. Fighting would only provoke him, sealing their fate. Asking Alex for help was unrealistic as well. The Demon Lord and Undead Lord were equal allies, and Cain had no personal connection with Alex. Would she risk offending her ally for them? "I''m not interested in your resources. As for troops, do you think your elemental beings can compare to my demons?" Satan''s arrogance was palpable. "Then what do you want?" Cain asked, his face serious. Now was the time for patience; fighting was the last resort. Satan stepped forward, looking at them. "Let''s play a game. You two fight me. If you win, I''ll let you go. If you lose, you submit to me. How about it?" "It seems we have no choice," Cain and Earl exchanged glances, stepping back to prepare for battle. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Why fight him? If they lost, they had no choice. If they won, they wouldn''t need his permission to leave. "Smart choice. Come on," Satan taunted, curling his finger in a slow, mocking gesture. Though unsure of Satan''s intentions, they had no other option. Cain''s hair floated up, turning into flames. His skin became black and red like charred coal, flames covering the area, transforming the terrain into his domain. Earl''s skin was covered in rock, his body hardening. His eyes turned into blue crystals, glowing. The ground rippled, and like Cain, he had touched the threshold of a domain despite not being Monarch level. "You both have pseudo-domains. Impressive. Out of respect, I''ll use 50% of my power," Satan said, evaluating their transformations. Cain charged at Satan as a flame, with Earl following, surrounded by spiraling rocks. Satan raised his arm, dark energy swirling. He caught Cain''s punch with a light grip and kicked him back. Facing Earl''s charge, a black barrier appeared before Satan. The rock attacks dissipated against it, and Earl''s collision didn''t budge Satan. Instead, Earl''s rock armor crumbled into sand. Earl was no match for Satan, who punched his chest and kicked him away. Satan didn''t pursue, waiting for them to rise. Their pseudo-domains were useless against Satan, the strongest Monarch level they''d faced. Satan was leagues above Baldwin, even at 50% power. Cain''s battle lust surged, his flames intensifying, his skin dripping like lava. Inspired, Earl controlled the surrounding rocks, which seemed alive, converging on Satan. Initially, Satan easily shattered the rocks, but as they multiplied, he struggled. The rocks clung to Satan, covering and compressing him. The rocks formed a massive sphere, which Earl levitated. Cain, having charged his right fist, struck with a magma-covered punch, shattering the rock. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom! The rock exploded, revealing Satan, who had blocked Cain''s punch but was finally pushed back. They saw a glimmer of hope. Satan''s arms were scorched, but he smiled. His wounds healed instantly, their combined attack having no effect. "Nice teamwork. Now it''s my turn." As soon as Satan finished speaking, his figure vanished, and multiple shadows simultaneously attacked Cain and Earl. They couldn''t distinguish the real one from the fakes. Cain chose to face the attack head-on but was overwhelmed after just a few moves. He realized that each of these shadows seemed almost real. Earl opted for defense, confident in his earth element''s protective power. However, he fared worse than Cain. The earth elements were insignificant against the demon, shattering completely after just a few punches. Earl was pinned to the ground by two of Satan''s shadows, while another shadow, emanating black mist, looked down at him. "You''ve lost." Seeing Earl captured, Cain stopped resisting and chose to surrender. "I concede." Satan''s shadows dissipated, merging back into his true form. This was the only skill he had used during the fight. Cain and Earl realized the vast gap between them and Satan. He had defeated them with overwhelming ease, without using any special skills or even his domain. "Very good. A wise man knows when to yield. Rest assured, though my troops are demons, it doesn''t mean I''m a devil. I never mistreat my own." Chapter 223: Soul Hunter Satan felt incredibly fortunate. He hadn''t expected to gain two top-tier subordinates on this outing. This was far superior to Alex''s acquisition of that Commanding-level woman.Earl and Cain remained silent. They had no choice but to quietly accept Satan as their master. They had initially believed they could escape from Satan with their own strength. Reality, however, was often harsh. They couldn''t even handle 50% of Satan''s power. The two submitted to Satan, but he didn''t immediately accept. Instead, he smiled and said, "Don''t rush. Let me help you both ascend to Monarch level first, then you can submit." With a flash of red in his eyes, Satan''s demon followers were compelled to walk towards them. "Don''t just stand there. Kill them all." Earl and Cain were stunned. What kind of operation was this? He wanted them to kill his own troops to help them ascend to Monarch level? Wasn''t Satan afraid that once Earl and Cain reached Monarch level, they might turn against him? Was this confidence or arrogance? Satan didn''t mind. These demon followers weren''t technically his troops. He only had twelve true demons, so he didn''t care if these followers died. If he waited for Cain and Earl to submit and then level up, it would take too long. This method was much faster. Seeing their confused expressions, Satan said earnestly, "I trust you both are men of your word. Since you''ve decided to submit to me, helping you ascend to Monarch level is my gift to you." Earl and Cain nodded, saying nothing as they began to slaughter the unresisting demon followers. In this manner, they quickly ascended to Monarch level. With their newfound strength, Cain and Earl didn''t attempt to rebel. Satan, as a top-tier Lord, was no fool. His confidence stemmed from absolute faith in his power. Cain and Earl dared not take the risk. "Excellent, you truly are wise men." Satan smiled as he signed the contract with them. Only then did four hidden demon figures emerge from the shadows. All of them were Monarch level. Cain and Earl''s faces tightened. Their suspicions were correct; Satan had a backup plan. They were also relieved by their decision. If they had shown any resistance after ascending to Monarch level, they would have sealed their fate. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Alex returned to the palace from the Dark Forest. She had circled the forest''s outskirts but found nothing unusual. It was just like any other forest. The only difference was that there were signs of undead presence everywhere, severely damaging the environment. Large swathes of forest had been cut down, making it look nothing like a forbidden area. "The secrets must be hidden deep within the Dark Forest." Alex murmured. So far, there had been no significant changes in the Dark Forest, indicating nothing had happened. The forest currently didn''t hinder Alex''s development, only blocking her eastward expansion. "For now, I''ll head north. The forest''s depths are too dangerous... better to wait until I reach King level." To be safe, it was best to wait until she ascended to King level before venturing deeper. She just hoped nothing would change in the forest before then. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "Right, the leaderboard refreshes tonight." Alex cared about this. The leaderboard rewards were crucial. Besides her own efforts, system rewards were the fastest way to grow stronger. Back at the palace, Alex took a bath and changed clothes. Soon, with her hair still damp, she wrapped herself in a towel, sat casually on a chair, and used her scythe to trim her nails. She then idly browsed World Chat. After a few days of not checking, Alex noticed World Chat had become quieter, indicating many Lords had died recently. Or perhaps those from Earth had realized the world''s harshness and were less willing to speak. The trading post was still bustling, but it was filled with low-tier items. Alex, now far ahead in development, had no interest in these goods. Midnight approached, and as the system''s numbers hit zero, signaling a new day, Alex received a mandatory system notification. [Esteemed Lords, the leaderboard has been refreshed] [Special Announcement] [This leaderboard will no longer be divided into five tiers. Instead, it will use an Alliance-based ranking system (Lords without an Alliance will be ranked individually. This ranking includes all Lords, Traitors, and Freelancers)] [The Soul Hunter has awakened and will devour your souls!] [Your presence has attracted a certain creature''s attention. They are powerful and lonely, numerous and omnipresent. They enjoy consuming high-quality souls, and you will be their prime targets!] [You will be hunted by these creatures, whose strength ranges between Monarch level and King level. Killing them will earn points. The faction with the highest points (all members) will receive exclusive rewards!] [Lords, go forth and fight, grow stronger through slaughter, and good luck!] At that moment, every Lord worldwide received the system announcement. World Chat fell silent as everyone processed the information. No Lord who had survived this long was foolish. System messages were crucial. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex understood the message clearly. The previous event had Lords hunting Traitors; this time, an unknown creature would hunt all Lords. "But the final faction ranking rewards include all members. If I understand correctly, subjects should be included too, right?" Alex mused over the system message. This meant not only Alliance members would receive rewards, but even subordinate Lords of Alliance members would benefit. The system was being unusually generous. "I wonder how strong these creatures are. But with their strength between Monarch level and King level, even the weakest are Monarch level." Alex decided not to worry about it. The ranking system was different this time, and the system had stated that without points, rankings were based on overall strength. Since no one had points yet, it was a good time to see which Alliances were strong. Alex opened the leaderboard, which was simple and straightforward, showing only rankings. First place: [Light Alliance]. Second place: [Justice Alliance] Third place: [Mythril Alliance]. ... Your current rank: First place. Chapter 224: A strange human-like figure Alex scrolled through, seeing that the top 1000 were all Alliances, with no individual Lords ranked.The lack of points indicated the rankings were purely based on strength. Alex''s three-member Alliance was unsurprisingly in first place. It seemed she had indeed pulled ahead of other Lords. ... On the continent of Valoria, within a castle nestled in the abyss, Satan burst into laughter. "See? You arrived just in time. This reward is only for the first place." Cain and Earl looked at the leaderboard in astonishment. [Your current rank: First place] It seemed that following Satan was far more advantageous than struggling to develop on their own. This time, the first-place reward on the leaderboard granted each member of the alliance a substantial amount of resources and experience, significantly enhancing their overall strength. Especially the resources, which were essential materials for city construction or rare blueprints. Satan didn''t let the joy cloud his judgment. He pondered the strength of the Soul Hunters, ranging from Monarch level to King level. Such power meant not every Lord would encounter them; otherwise, except for a few, 99.99% of Lords would be doomed. If they were unfortunate enough to meet a high-level Monarch or King level Soul Hunter, even the Light Alliance would struggle to cope. Satan sent a message in the Light Alliance group. Satan: "If you encounter difficulties, notify each other for support. I have a bad feeling about this." Alex: "You''re worried about encountering a King level Soul Hunter, right?" Satan was speechless at Alex''s message. Wasn''t that obvious? Was she not afraid? Had her strength reached such a level? Lilith: "No problem. Let''s all pause our activities this week to ensure we can provide timely support. Encountering a high-level Soul Hunter could be troublesome." To be honest, Alex wasn''t too worried about the Soul Hunters. As long as they weren''t Emperor level, she was confident. This confidence stemmed from her mastery of the Life Link skill, making her virtually unkillable. What was there to fear? Besides, if things went south, she could always flee to the mage association, which housed at least one Emperor level mage. Meanwhile, World Chat was buzzing. For most Lords still at Commanding level, the Soul Hunter pursuit was a nightmare. They could only pray not to encounter these creatures. [Phantom Werewolf]: "Fuck, this damn system, always finding ways to kill us!" [Daniel]: "Maybe you''re just too weak?" [Redcowl]: "Haven''t you noticed? The names of undead, demon, and fallen angel Lords haven''t appeared. This means they''re still maintaining their Alliance. Does anyone know what their Alliance is called?" [Sherlock Holmes]: "First, rule out Justice Alliance. That leaves Light Alliance and Mythril Alliance. I think the former is more likely." [I_like_pizza]: "Light Alliance currently has only three members. If only I could join them." [Tyrannosaurus Warrior]: "Are you an idiot? Have you even checked your own strength?" [Source of Life]: "At least you could try to get some rewards. Hurry up and submit. Becoming their ally seems unlikely." Alex was puzzled by what she saw. Suddenly, she received hundreds of friend requests, all with notes about submission and Alliance. Holy fuck, these people were crazy! Of course, it wasn''t just Alex''s Alliance. The top Alliances were all receiving similar requests. However, most of these Alliances were already full, leaving many Lords with no choice but to submit. This event targeted not only Lords but also Freelancers and Traitors. Soul Hunters weren''t creatures created by the system out of thin air. They were a native race of this world. The system merely utilized this fact to establish the leaderboard and distribute rewards, something no one could interfere with. Freelancer status wasn''t a guaranteed safety net. Soul Hunters had a way to identify souls, making it impossible to hide. Though hiding in human cities was safer, it wasn''t foolproof. "Yawn~" Alex closed World Chat, went to the Barrack to summon troops, and then went to sleep. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? ... Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] A new day began. Alex, as usual, checked the system for the time and glanced at World Chat. They were discussing the creature, indicating some unlucky Lords had been attacked last night. Opening the leaderboard, she saw that all scores were still zero, meaning someone had already been killed by the Soul Hunter. "A strange human-like figure?" Soul Hunters were human? Or some humanoid creature? The Lords'' descriptions were unclear, but the common trait was that Soul Hunters had human-like features. This meant hiding wouldn''t work, and even hiding in human cities wasn''t safe. If Soul Hunters were human, they could chase their targets into cities. It wasn''t that simple, after all. Alex chose a combat-ready outfit. Battles could happen anytime in the coming week, and she needed to be prepared. She also notified the siblings and Sophie to slow their assault on the dwarf kingdom and stay within a manageable range. Alex feared she might not be able to provide timely support otherwise. The main task now was to find Soul Hunters. The first-place reward was too tempting to ignore. "Maybe there are no such creatures in Eldoria." Alex didn''t know why this thought crossed her mind. Ding-dong, a message arrived in the Alliance group. Satan: "Hahaha, the demons score first!" Alex: "?" Lilith: "You killed a Soul Hunter?" Alex checked the leaderboard and saw Light Alliance''s score had changed from 0 to 1. Satan had indeed killed one. Satan: "Yes, it was a piece of cake. How about we compete to see who gets the most points?" Alex: "Boring." Lilith: "Haha, is this a man''s strange sense of competition?" Satan: "Stop talking nonsense. Don''t let your combined scores be less than mine." Lilith: "Well, reasonable competition can promote progress. I''m in." Alex: "Fine, I agree. So, can you share some intel on the Soul Hunters?" Satan: "Not telling." Alex/Lilith: "?" Of course, as allies, Satan wouldn''t withhold information. He was just joking. However, his intel was limited. The Soul Hunter he killed was only lv1 Monarch level, easily crushed by Satan. It had no special abilities and matched World Chat''s description: a strange human-like figure with a peculiar crow. Additionally, Soul Hunters seemed to have a way to track Lords, making hiding futile. ... Meanwhile, in Grimstone, the trio received Alex''s instructions. "Durin, plans have changed. This week''s task is to defend the city," Sophie instructed. Durin, though puzzled by the sudden change, chose to obey. "If we''re defending, there''s nothing for us to do. With a lv6 lich, we should be fine. Shouldn''t we spread out to find Soul Hunters?" Xiao Hui pointed out the key. To secure first place, they needed to be proactive. Waiting for points to come to them wasn''t an option. "Someone has already killed a Soul Hunter. Our score is now 1," Xiao Mu said, just as Alex sent him information about the Soul Hunters. "So, how do we find Soul Hunters?" Sophie asked, feeling it was like finding a needle in a haystack. "No need to search. We''ll stay in Grimstone. If they can track us, our combined presence will be a bigger target, making it easier to lure them in." This was the safest approach, avoiding dispersing their strength while ensuring timely support. With Grimstone as their base and a lv6 Monarch level lich, they were well-prepared. Chapter 225: Desperate Drake Meanwhile, on the other side of the Arsen continent, atop a steep mountain range, two figures¡ªone yellow and one black¡ªwere engaged in a high-speed chase.The fleeing man had a pair of large, fleshy wings on his back, with endless rock energy swirling around him, propelling him forward at great speed. Yet, he couldn''t shake off the black figure pursuing him. The black figure, wearing a hood and wielding a firearm, continuously attacked the fleeing man. It floated in mid-air with incredible speed, accompanied by a crow that followed closely behind. "Damn it, I can''t shake this guy off," the man cursed. He couldn''t understand how this strange figure had appeared on the continent. These Soul Hunters had many bizarre weapons, making them difficult to defeat even at the same level. The man abruptly changed direction, diving straight down. Under the puzzled gaze of the Soul Hunter, he burrowed into the ground and disappeared. The surroundings fell silent, as if the man had vanished into thin air. But the Soul Hunter didn''t stop. It seemed to know where the man was hiding and continued its pursuit. From within the Soul Hunter''s black robe, two tridents emerged, spinning in the air before being charged with immense energy. They shot towards the distant ground at an exaggerated speed. Boom! The rocks exploded, dust and debris flying everywhere. As the smoke cleared, the man reappeared, his arms transformed into massive claws covered in earth-colored scales, blocking the tridents. Drip¡ª Red blood dripped to the ground. Although the man had blocked the attack, his arms were still injured. The figure in the sky raised its firearm, aiming at the man. As the trigger was pulled, a lava projectile shot out. The man quickly used rocks to shield himself, but they were easily shattered. Boom! A massive explosion rocked the ground, creating a large crater filled with cracks. The rocks and soil melted into scorching lava. The Soul Hunter looked ahead, seeing the man taking a desperate gamble. Using the force of the explosion to propel himself, he protected his vital areas and flew far away. At the critical moment, he spread his wings and accelerated, quickly escaping. The Soul Hunter, undeterred, donned a black, pointed mask and entered a strange state. The Soul Hunter''s figure vanished, leaving only a black feathers drifting down. The fleeing man was none other than Drake from the [Justice Alliance]. Since his last battle with Alex, Drake had moved his castle from Stone Pillar Mountain. The area lacked resources for development, and hunting required long journeys. His troops were dragons, and in such a resource-poor area, development was difficult. The teleportation gates couldn''t accommodate his large dragons, limiting his growth. After discussing with his allies, they agreed that staying there would hinder Drake''s development, so he temporarily moved. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Drake relocated to the Arsen continent, to a place called the Desolate Mountains, the very mountains he was now fleeing from. This area bordered the dwarf kingdom to the east, with the Medusa tribe to the north and the Azure Cloud Giant Eagles to the south. These were the known factions, making it a strategic location for development. The Desolate Mountains were barren. Unlike the White Rock Mountains, which had minerals, the Desolate Mountains had nothing. No creatures lived there. The mountains ran north to south, forming the eastern border of the dwarf kingdom and separating it from other races. Drake had only been there a few days, just getting his development on track, when the leaderboard event updated. Unluckily, he encountered a Soul Hunter and was no match, being chased all the way here. If not for the earth dragon''s resilience, he would have died already. Soul Hunters were strange. They didn''t kill troops or destroy castles, only targeting the Lords themselves. When discovered, Drake wasn''t in his castle and couldn''t call for help. The Soul Hunter appeared on his way back, and after a brief fight, Drake was quickly defeated and forced to flee in the opposite direction. Drake continuously called for help from his allies, who agreed to assist. But as he got further from his castle, he feared his allies wouldn''t arrive in time, leaving him with no escape. Desperate, he fought the Soul Hunter to buy time for his allies. After half an hour of fighting, covered in wounds and still without help, Drake realized his allies wouldn''t come. He had a hunch why. Drake decided to stop fighting and fled west. Among the nearby factions, the dwarf kingdom was the strongest, offering his best chance of survival. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? His plan was simple: hide in a dwarf city, burrow underground, use the Soul Hunter''s attacks to break the shield, and slip into the city, causing a battle between the dwarves and the Soul Hunter, allowing him to escape. Drake had flown out of the Desolate Mountains, with the Soul Hunter close behind. "A river!" Drake, battered and bruised, was relieved to see a rushing river at the border of the Great Wasteland and the plains. A river meant a dwarf city downstream. Drake wrapped himself in his wings, diving into the water like a cocoon, creating a huge splash. He submerged beneath the riverbed, using his ability to avoid breathing, though it consumed Mana Points. He swam rapidly downstream. The Soul Hunter hesitated only briefly before following. Drake clung to this lifeline. In the distance, the river flowed rapidly, and a dwarf city stood on the high cliffs by the river. Drake accelerated, reaching the cliff base and leaping out of the water, burrowing into the soil outside the shield. The Soul Hunter attacked as Drake emerged, its lava projectile destroying the riverbank, causing large rocks to fall and creating massive splashes. Boom! The explosion and ground tremors alerted the dwarf guards, who saw the figure floating above the river and sounded the alarm. The figure ignored them, sensing Drake near the dwarf city, and fired again. The spinning lava projectile shattered the dwarf city''s shield in one shot. It wasn''t that the Soul Hunter was exceptionally strong, but its weapon was designed to break energy shields. Drake was overjoyed. Hiding in the soil, with the dwarves'' attention on the Soul Hunter, he slipped into the city through the broken shield. Dwarf gunners fired back, but their attacks were like mosquito bites to the Monarch level Soul Hunter. The Soul Hunter ignored the attacks, sensing Drake in the city, and prepared to enter. But several figures on the wall blocked its path. "Anvilcliff is not a place for your mischief!" The dwarf speaking was the city''s ruler, flanked by two guards, all Monarch level. The Soul Hunter didn''t respond, either unable or unwilling to speak. If these dwarves blocked its path, it would take their souls too. Lord souls were delicious, but native souls would suffice. The two dwarf guards, wielding hammers, flew up to fight the Soul Hunter. Using agile movements and a variety of weapons, the Soul Hunter easily countered them. Harpoons, firearms, scythes, bombs¡ªeach weapon had different features, making it hard for the dwarf guards to defend. But their superior equipment allowed them to hold their ground, avoiding immediate defeat. The dwarf ruler, observing the battle, seemed to recognize something. The crow beside the figure felt familiar. "It seems I''ve read about this figure in some ancient texts." Though humanoid, the figure''s weapons and fighting style indicated it wasn''t human. "I remember now. This is a Soul Hunter!" The dwarf ruler was surprised. Why was a Soul Hunter here? They hadn''t appeared in years. Why had one suddenly come to Anvilcliff? Ancient texts described Soul Hunters as creatures that fed on souls, with an insatiable appetite for them. No one knew how many there were, where they lived, or why they appeared. The only certainty was that when a Soul Hunter appeared before you, it wanted to devour your soul! Chapter 226: Oh my god, how could there be undead on the Arsen continent? The dwarf ruler decided not to stand idly by and joined the battle. It was said that these creatures had limitless stamina and relied heavily on their weapons. Engaging them in a prolonged fight would be disadvantageous. The only option was to overpower and kill it swiftly.Meanwhile, Drake, hiding within the city, didn''t dare move. He feared the Soul Hunter would abandon the fight and come after him. Drake sneaked into an alley, emerging from the ground. If he stayed underground any longer, his Mana Points would deplete before the battle outside ended. He opened the Alliance chat group, finding it eerily silent. No one seemed concerned about his safety. "What a bunch of cold-hearted bastards," Drake muttered. He realized that the so-called mutual aid and survival were lies; only self-interest was real. Drake could only hope the three dwarves outside could kill the Soul Hunter. Otherwise, he was doomed. While Anvilcliff''s dwarves battled the Soul Hunter and the civilians panicked, a blue-bearded dwarf cautiously moved through the alleys, quickly reaching a corner of the city. In this blind spot, he rolled up a letter, summoned a carrier pigeon, and placed the letter in its tube. He applied a special powder to the pigeon''s wings to deter hawks. Releasing the pigeon, it flapped its wings and flew into the sky. The dwarf quietly left, unnoticed by the patrolling guards focused on the city gate. Twenty minutes later, in Grimstone, Durin received the message. The trio was resting in a room, waiting for other clans or the Soul Hunter to attack. "Leaders, we have intel from Anvilcliff. It''s under attack by a figure resembling a Soul Hunter," Durin reported, surprising the trio. The Soul Hunter was supposed to attack Grimstone, so why was it at Anvilcliff? Durin detailed the letter''s contents and additional descriptions. "It does sound like the Soul Hunter described by the system," Sophie pondered. Though they didn''t know why it hadn''t come to Grimstone, they didn''t want to miss this opportunity. "What''s Anvilcliff''s strength, and how far is it?" Xiao Mu asked Durin, trying to gauge the Soul Hunter''s level based on the city''s defenses. "Anvilcliff has three Monarch levels, likely between lv1 and lv2. It''s not far from Grimstone, to the north, in Hardbeard clan territory, also on the kingdom''s border." Durin''s intel on Anvilcliff indicated that the Soul Hunter could handle three Monarch levels, suggesting it was at least lv3 Monarch. Xiao Mu doubted they could handle it alone. "Can we take Anvilcliff in the process?" Xiao Hui asked suddenly. "Anvilcliff has substantial defenses, and Hardbeard clan''s rule is stable, making it hard to incite rebellion. Additionally, Anvilcliff''s unique geography makes it hard to conquer. I don''t recommend attacking," Durin advised. "Then we''ll just kill the Soul Hunter. I''ll bring the lich with me. You two stay and defend," Xiao Mu decided. With the lv6 Monarch level lich, there was no need for others to follow. Xiao Mu and the lich headed towards Anvilcliff. By now, the battle at Anvilcliff was nearing its end. Drake noticed that the combined strength of the three dwarf Monarch levels was barely equal to the Soul Hunter. The dwarves'' stamina wasn''t infinite, and their defeat was only a matter of time. Drake didn''t wait for the battle to end and fled Anvilcliff. Abandoned, with no one to save him, he had to save himself. The Soul Hunter, sensing something, looked towards the city outskirts. It sensed Drake''s departure. But it didn''t immediately pursue. It decided to finish off the three dwarves first, angered by their interference and determined to take their souls. Drake, seeing the Soul Hunter not pursuing, was relieved. This gave him more time to escape. He believed the Soul Hunter''s sensing range was limited. Once out of range, it couldn''t find him. Drake fled west for over an hour before stopping. Continuing west would take him deeper into the dwarf kingdom. He intended to mislead the Soul Hunter. He changed direction, heading south towards the dwarf kingdom''s border. After flying south for about half an hour, Drake saw two small black dots in the distance. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Human?!" The dwarf kingdom''s border was desolate, with few cities or villages. Only birds flew in the sky. Dwarves couldn''t fly, so these figures were undoubtedly not friendly. Drake''s first thought was another Soul Hunter. His pupils dilated in fear, his body trembling. As the figures became clearer, Drake realized they were Lords. Drake, proud as a top-tier Lord, didn''t plan to flee. This wasn''t Eldoria, so he was confident he wouldn''t encounter the undead Lord. He decided to ask the figures about the area. Drake, focused on escaping, knew nothing about his surroundings and couldn''t continue blindly. Xiao Mu, seeing Drake, realized they were close to Anvilcliff. The appearance of a Lord at this moment suggested the Soul Hunter was chasing him, leading it to the dwarf city, allowing his escape. If so, it explained why the Soul Hunter attacked the dwarf city. A Lord escaping a Soul Hunter must be Monarch level. At this stage, such Lords were not common, but Xiao Mu wasn''t worried. A low-level Monarch Lord was no threat. The lich beside him was lv6 Monarch. Seeing the figure approaching, Xiao Mu smiled playfully. "Looks like I''ve been underestimated." As they drew closer, Drake noticed something off. The figure beside Xiao Mu didn''t look like a Lord. It looked like an...undead?! Oh my god, how could there be undead on the Arsen continent? Drake still couldn''t believe it. How could he be so unlucky, encountering undead everywhere he went? He was sure he must be seeing things. Drake stopped first, waiting for Xiao Mu and the lich to approach, suppressing his growing unease and maintaining his composure. "Are you the Lord being chased by the Soul Hunter? Where is the Soul Hunter now?" Xiao Mu asked as he approached, his voice preceding him. Drake was startled. The other party knew he was being chased by the Soul Hunter, indicating they were here to kill the Soul Hunter for points. "Are you a dwarf Lord?" Drake didn''t answer but instead questioned Xiao Mu. Having encountered no other forces along the way, the only possible identity for this man was a dwarf Lord. Most of Drake''s battles had been against fallen angels, and he had rarely seen undead. He only guessed the lich''s identity based on its undead characteristics. But Drake dismissed this idea internally, which was why he dared to stand confidently. "It seems you haven''t grasped the reality. You''re fleeing from the Soul Hunter, while I''m here to kill it. If you didn''t have some useful information, do you think you''d still be standing here talking to me?" Xiao Mu didn''t like his attitude. He was like a frog in a well, only seeing a small part of the world around him. Thus, Xiao Mu didn''t hesitate to threaten him. Drake, though not angered, had no intention of cooperating. "Let''s see what qualifies you to talk so big." Drake attacked without hesitation. His right hand transformed into a massive claw, with earth-colored energy gathering in his claw, striking directly at Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu didn''t move, not even making a defensive gesture. But the lich behind him stepped forward, extending its bony hand from within its black robe, effortlessly catching Drake''s attack. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Drake''s eyes widened, his heart racing, and he was utterly shocked, nearly wetting his pants. Without thinking, he quickly retreated. "Undead! Oh no! This can''t be real!" Drake exclaimed, now certain that the black-robed figure was indeed an undead, and a powerful one at that! "How can there be undead here?! Who are you really?" Chapter 227: I really want to tell you, but I genuinely dont know Drake could no longer maintain his previous composure. His first thought was that there was another undead Lord on the Arsen continent.But he knew that undead Lord was unique. Could this man''s troop be a part of the entire undead race? Drake would never have guessed that someone would willingly submit, providing Alex with the means to cross continents. "This isn''t something you need to know. Just cooperate and tell me everything you know," Xiao Mu said, stepping forward as the lich moved aside, staring intently at Drake. "It''s fighting three Monarch-level dwarves in a dwarf city, but those dwarves are no match for the Soul Hunter. I took the opportunity to escape and ran into you here," Drake admitted, feeling the pressure. This undead gave him a stronger sense of danger than the Soul Hunter. "In that case, you''ll come with us," Xiao Mu declared. A Monarch-level Lord was valuable, whether they killed him or not. Letting him go was not an option. Drake understood this and could only lament his unfortunate fate. Just as they were about to head towards Anvilcliff, a small black dot appeared in the distant sky, rapidly approaching. "It''s chasing me?!" Drake instinctively wanted to flee, but Xiao Mu''s face lit up with joy. He hadn''t expected the Soul Hunter to come to them. --- Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was examining the latest product developed by the hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks. Named the [Teleportation Dark Alchemy Enchantment Stone], Alex simply called it the Return Stone. The feature combined the hobgoblins'' teleportation ability into a device shaped like a multifaceted stone, or crystal. By holding the Return Stone and using Mana Points, one could instantly teleport back to Undead City. The artisans had built an altar-like structure for testing, with a circular altar surface inscribed with intricate magic circle patterns. Alex could see traces of alchemy magic within. "Infusing Mana Points will teleport directly here?" Alex asked the alchemy warlock beside her, holding the Return Stone. "Yes, Your Majesty. Testing has shown no issues, and it can be used. However, we don''t yet know the upper limit. We can confirm it works for anyone below Monarch level. The teleportation range depends on the Mana Points used. The farther the distance, the more Mana Points required. If it can''t teleport, the device won''t activate," the alchemy warlock explained respectfully, noting Alex''s interest in the new invention. "Good job. Start mass production. But remember, this is for emergencies, not for attacks. We also need to develop a device for teleportation," Alex said, pleased. Combining two technologies had indeed produced something unique. Neither hobgoblin artisans nor alchemy warlocks alone could have created this. "Yes, Your Majesty," the alchemy warlock replied, bowing and leaving. Alex flipped through their design sketches, mostly weapons, which didn''t interest her much. One design caught Alex''s attention. It involved basic applications of spatial attributes, similar to her space ring. Though the technology was still immature, with limited internal space, it was a start. Alex''s alchemy magic expertise surpassed that of the Dark Alchemy Warlocks, allowing her to occasionally guide them. Troops with special skills could gain experience not only through combat but also through activities like research and resource extraction, though at a slower rate. Alex had some useful items and equipment packed and sent to her allies'' palaces, keeping some for herself. However, the Return Stone had a clear drawback: it couldn''t teleport over long distances. It was useful for emergencies but not entirely reliable. Improvements were needed, as using it in a life-or-death situation required sufficient Mana Points. Alex returned to the palace and had just sat down when she received a message from Xiao Mu. "You mean you not only killed a Soul Hunter but also captured a Monarch-level Lord?" Alex checked the leaderboard. The good news was that Xiao Mu''s kill had earned them three points. The bad news was that [Light Alliance] was now in second place. [Justice Alliance] was in first with five points. "Who are these guys, getting points so quickly?" Alex wondered, heading to the main fortress while messaging the Alliance group. Alex: "@Satan, undead 3 points." ???¦®§®???.?§°? Lilith: "Impressive, looks like I need to step up." Alex waited a couple of seconds. Satan, likely feeling competitive, remained silent. Far away on the Valoria continent, Satan was fuming as he looked at the system interface and the points ranking. "Damn it, I have to surpass her!" Satan muttered, banging his head against the wall in frustration. Abaddon ignored Satan, but Cain, entering the room, saw the scene. Satan quickly composed himself, becoming the master of facial expressions. "Ahem..." Cain, having seen enough, felt awkward. This demon Lord wasn''t quite what he had imagined. Meanwhile, Alex had teleported to the undead fortress outside Grimstone and quickly flew into the city. Landing in the central square, she saw the Xiao siblings, Sophie, and an unfamiliar man, presumably the captured Lord. At least tie him up. This is so unprofessional, Alex thought, approaching. Though Drake had suspected, seeing Alex confirmed his fears. It really was the undead Lord! Drake had hidden underground when rescuing his allies, so Alex hadn''t seen his face. But he had seen her clearly. "You''re Alex?!" Drake blurted out. The siblings looked at Alex in confusion, their eyes asking: Do you know him? Alex: ??? sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who are you? Do I know you?" Drake realized they had fought but never truly met, so it was normal for Alex not to recognize him. "I''m the one who saved the titan Lord and Behemoths Lord." "Oh, it''s you. So you''re hiding on the Arsen continent," Alex said, drawing out her words, feigning realization. Drake felt a hint of killing intent when Alex mentioned the Arsen continent. With her strength, she could indeed act on it. "Tell me where your castles are. Since you came here, don''t tell me you don''t know." Alex didn''t waste time, directly questioning him. She needed the information before deciding his fate. Drake was stumped. He had teleported here and didn''t know the way. He could only tell the truth, but Alex clearly didn''t believe him. "Stone Pillar Mountain? Is there such a place on the Arsen continent? Sounds made up," Alex said, asking Lilith, who confirmed she had never heard of it. "You''d better think carefully. If you tell me where the other three Lords in your alliance are, I might spare you. I keep my word." Drake was on the verge of tears. "I really want to tell you, but I genuinely don''t know!" Chapter 228: Angel resurrection pool "Since you know nothing, what''s the point of keeping you alive? Let''s just kill him!" Xiao Hui said viciously from the side."But I know other information, about the angel Lord. To be honest, I''ve been abandoned by the [Justice Alliance], and I want to join another alliance," Drake said, believing that as a top-tier Lord, he had a chance to join Alex''s Alliance. He offered information about the angel and the Justice Alliance to pique Alex''s interest. After all, they had abandoned him, so why shouldn''t he sell their secrets? "Get a grip. Besides Sophie, you''re the weakest one here," Xiao Hui laughed. Sophie shook her head helplessly. She couldn''t argue, as it was the truth. Drake was even more confused. He thought this woman must be joking. He acknowledged Alex''s strength and status, but why were these two subjects mocking him? "Don''t doubt it. They''re both lv2 Monarch level. Even without the undead, you''re no match for them," Alex said. Drake had no choice but to believe her, though he was still in disbelief. Following the undead lord, even the subjects had reached lv2 Monarch level? This was unbelievable. Realizing he had no chance of becoming an ally, he resorted to his last option. "I am willing to submit!" "Stop. I don''t accept just anyone. You''d better spill the Justice Alliance''s secrets," Alex interrupted Drake. Drake had no choice but to reveal what he knew. After hearing him out, Alex learned that their alliance was called [Justice Alliance], currently ranked first in points. Drake mentioned the Angel Lord. Could she still be alive? This piqued Alex''s curiosity. Could this be an angelic trait, allowing for resurrection? "Alright, I''ll start with the information. [Holy Wing], the angel Lord Raphaela, has indeed been resurrected." Drake began to explain about the angel Lord and the Justice Alliance. Raphaela''s castle housed an angel race-exclusive structure: the Angel Resurrection Pool. The Resurrection Pool allowed her not only to revive but also to mass-produce troops, which was another reason Raphaela became a top-tier Lord. Reviving through the Resurrection Pool had side effects, but they were minimal for Raphaela at the time. This is why she chose to stay behind to buy time for her allies to escape. The side effect was that her strength would drop to the lowest level of her current tier upon revival. If Raphaela were killed at lv9 Monarch level, she would resurrect at lv1 Monarch level, a significant drawback. But if she was already lv1, the side effect was negligible. Besides birthing angels, the Resurrection Pool had another powerful ability: transforming all non-male (including female, asexual, and neutral) creatures into angel beasts. Transformed angel beasts had their life cap increased by one tier, but their current level dropped by one. For example, if Ice Cream was Commanding level with an Emperor level cap, it would drop to Standard level but have a Divine level cap after transformation. This was a terrifying ability. Raphaela could quickly mass-produce troops, breed angels, and command various races, making her even more formidable than the undead. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Raphaela''s troops, though few, were elite with high life caps, while Alex''s undead were mostly cannon fodder. For the first time, Alex felt the immense potential of the angel Lord, something she hadn''t sensed with Lilith or Satan. During the attack on Raphaela, she hadn''t deployed her troops, so Alex''s understanding was limited to that battle. In contrast, the undead''s information had been significantly gathered by the enemy. To kill her, one had to destroy the Angel Resurrection Pool first to prevent her from reviving. In essence, destroying the castle was more appropriate. But with her development, it wouldn''t be long before [Holy Wing] evolved into an angel city or even an angel kingdom. Hearing this, the siblings were also shocked. They had never encountered a Lord comparable to Alex, explaining why the Justice Alliance was second in overall strength but first in points. Moreover, Raphaela was no longer limited to the Alliance, aggressively recruiting Lords and forcing them to submit. According to Drake, there were already over a dozen Lords at Stone Pillar Mountain. Some came willingly, some were subdued, and others were influenced by holy light, all submitting to Raphaela. Their troops became a continuous source of angel beasts for Raphaela. Alex realized that the Angel Resurrection Pool was currently Monarch level, not very efficient. But if it leveled up, it would become increasingly terrifying. "Why didn''t your allies save you from the Soul Hunter?" Xiao Hui asked, hitting the key question. Everyone looked at Drake. "Because Raphaela is becoming less human. Angels have a sensing ability, similar to mind reading. I believed gathering together hindered development and wanted to move away. This went against Raphaela''s will, and she sensed my resentment. The other three might have been influenced by Raphaela, becoming very devoted to her. We used to be equals in the Alliance, each with our own development ideas. But since her last death, the others have started following her blindly, losing their independence. The equal relationship turned into one led by Raphaela." Drake spoke in a low voice, recalling his experiences in the Justice Alliance. Looking back, he noticed many unusual things. Raphaela sensed his realization but maintained a facade, not explaining, making Drake more suspicious. He suspected Raphaela''s holy light could influence minds. Drake wasn''t affected due to his high soul resistance as a dragon Lord. Realizing the anomaly, he used development as an excuse to move away, forcing them to agree. This led to the subsequent events, including Drake''s belief that he had been abandoned. Drake had other suspicions. As Raphaela''s strength grew or she resurrected, her so-called divinity was taking over, making her less human. She was losing her emotions, becoming a true angel, no longer a living person. "Can you contact her and find her location?" This was a future threat, but Alex''s current strength was enough to kill her ten times over. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Drake shook his head. "No, she''s already guarding against me." Chapter 229: I want to join you If what Drake said was true, Raphaela would undoubtedly become a significant threat to Alex in the future. She couldn''t tolerate the rise of other powerful races.But why were angels like this? It contradicted her previous understanding of just and benevolent angels. Alex pondered but couldn''t come to a clear conclusion. The best course of action seemed to be directly attacking [Holy Wing] and killing Raphaela. However, with only Drake''s information, finding [Holy Wing] would be challenging. Indeed, a continent was vast, and teleporting to another place without knowing the original location was understandable. Drake only knew it was a place called Stone Pillar Mountain, with a towering stone pillar reaching the clouds, where Raphaela''s castle was situated among the clouds. It seemed they would have to wait for an opportunity to find that place, hoping it wouldn''t be too late. As for why the [Justice Alliance] had so many points, Alex guessed it was because they had gathered many Lords, attracting nearby Soul Hunters. "If we can''t find her, can we inform the angel race and have them eliminate Raphaela?" Xiao Mu suggested. "Once Raphaela fully transforms into an angel, she might no longer be seen as an extraterrestrial visitor by the angels. We can''t be sure if the angels will help her or kill her. Besides, how would we contact the angels?" Alex raised several critical questions. For now, they could only hope she and Lilith would be lucky enough to find Raphaela quickly. No one had an answer. Drake looked at Alex. "Your information is valuable," Alex acknowledged. "But it''s not enough. At most, it means I won''t kill you." Drake frowned. If he left the Justice Alliance, Raphaela would surely retaliate. Drake had used Raphaela''s subject to teleport to the Desolate Mountains. She had left some Lords who hadn''t submitted but had signed contracts outside for convenient teleportation. So Drake didn''t know the location of Stone Pillar Mountain, but the Justice Alliance knew his castle''s location. "Why? Isn''t my sincerity enough?" Drake was frustrated. Not killing him but not accepting him¡ªwhat did she want? "Miss Alex, we can use him to lure Raphaela out, then surround and...," Xiao Hui suggested, making a throat-slitting gesture and rolling her eyes, tongue out. "Hmm, that''s a good idea, but I doubt Raphaela will fall for it," Alex smiled and nodded. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I think we must actively attack the Justice Alliance to have a chance to kill her. She won''t agree to let Drake return," Xiao Mu reminded Alex. "Maybe I''ll be controlled if I go back," Drake said, spreading his hands helplessly. "In that case, we won''t attack her castle for now. We''ll find a way to lure her out and kill her once, resetting her experience points!" Alex said confidently, puffing out her chest. Xiao Mu/Xiao Hui/Sophie: ??? Drake was stunned. Was this undead Lord planning to torment Raphaela? Indeed, Alex''s plan was to avoid the risky task of killing Raphaela outright. Home-field advantage was significant, and the Justice Alliance might have unknown trump cards. Alex didn''t want to take such uncertain risks. "Hey, earth dragon, what do you think?" Alex turned to Drake. "If you can lure her out for me to kill, I''ll let you go." Drake internally ranted: Why not just kill Raphaela outright? If she revived, she''d surely seek revenge on me. "I want to join you." ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Drake said solemnly. "The Justice Alliance has no place for me anymore. I don''t want to become a puppet like them." "That''s easy. Of course, you can join. You mentioned the Desolate Mountains have two races, Medusa and Giant Eagle. They sound like small races. I won''t ask too much. Just conquer one of them and bring me the Race''s Tear, and I''ll let you join us." Alex quickly thought of using Drake as a free enforcer. To her, Drake had no choice but to grow stronger. He could either become a lone wolf hunted by Raphaela or rely on Alex and her allies for protection and development. In this world, where not growing stronger meant elimination, Drake understood his current predicament. Drake pondered, his mind racing. Though he didn''t know what the Race''s Tear was, it was undoubtedly related to ruling a race. These two races weren''t strong. He could handle them alone, and he needed to develop anyway. "Alright." Drake agreed, seeing more benefits than drawbacks. "But I can''t guarantee she''ll come." "That''s your problem." Alex and Drake then signed a contract, not a system submission contract but one that restricted some of Drake''s abilities to prevent betrayal and escape. Luring Raphaela out might take time. Alex couldn''t wait indefinitely, but she wouldn''t release him without assurance. "Just in case, I''ll give you something useful. Don''t use it unless absolutely necessary." Alex handed Drake a fortress Essence Shard, worried she might not reach him in time if he was attacked. The shard was a precaution. Drake examined it briefly, understanding its use. No wonder she told him not to use it lightly; the resource consumption was immense. "I understand." In their recent conversations, Drake discovered that Alex''s presence exerted more pressure than Raphaela''s. However, unlike Raphaela, Alex didn''t give off a cold, inhuman vibe. She seemed more like a normal human girl. But Drake knew that didn''t mean Alex wouldn''t kill him. Survival depended on his efforts. Alex checked the system, then looked at Drake. "Seven days. Before the leaderboard event ends, get the Race''s Tear and lure out Raphaela." Seven days was neither long nor short. Drake nodded. Drake left Grimstone under everyone''s watchful eyes. Alex gave a few instructions and returned to Undead City. The angel lord''s talents and abilities were terrifying. She needed to be dealt with. Alex shared the information with Satan and Lilith, who also felt the pressure. Their usual lighthearted tone was gone, replaced by serious responses. They, too, felt the threat from Raphaela. Alex had thought only fallen angels had the ability to manipulate other beings. She hadn''t expected angels to have it too. It made sense. Both originated from the same source. If fallen angels had certain abilities, angels likely did too. What a troublesome opponent. Meanwhile, on the cliff edge of the Endless Sea, Lilith pondered Alex''s message. "Stone Pillar Mountain?" She summoned her forest elf subordinates, instructing them to return to their tribe and search for this place. The angel Lord was a significant threat and couldn''t be allowed to grow unchecked. Chapter 230: Attack the orc camp [Night retreats, dawn arrives]The sky over the Arsen continent remained bright and sunny, while in Emerald Hills, four Race Kings had gathered. Aside from Arthur and Riven, who were responsible for clearing out the remnants of the hobgoblin kingdom, most of the undead main force was stationed here. "Leaders, we have located the camp of the orcs that attacked last time," an Ethereal Wraith reported, appearing ghost-like before Arthas and the other undead. "Continue scouting and find the other orc camps," Azure''s ethereal voice commanded, giving the next orders to the Ethereal Wraiths before turning to Arthas. Although all four were Race Kings, they needed a leader to unify their decisions. Among them, Arthas was the highest level and the strongest lich, naturally taking the lead. "We will attack proactively, eliminate them, and strengthen our forces," Arthas rasped, his voice sounding like that of a middle-aged human. In fact, Arthas did exist in a human form. Inside his armor was a fully intact human body. The other three kings were entirely different, showing no human traits. With the presence of a lv6 Monarch lich, the undead army had the confidence to destroy the orc camp and chose not to remain on the defensive. "Move out." Led by the four Race Kings, followed by Monarch-level undead, over 10,000 undead took to the skies, heading towards the orc camp as directed. At that moment, the orc camp was unaware of the impending danger. Female orcs played with young orcs, elderly orcs sat by the campfire eating roasted meat, and groups gathered to drink orc-made wine. Orc warriors received blessings from the priest near the altar. The orc priest, hunched over and holding a staff made from a deer antler, looked like a clothes rack. The orc priest, draped in animal pelts, waved his hands laboriously in the air, green energy swirling around as he chanted incomprehensible spells. The orc leader was in the central tent, meeting apostles from another camp to discuss plans to destroy the extraterrestrial visitors'' castle by the lake. "Who would have thought the brave warriors of the royal tribe couldn''t take down two extraterrestrial visitors? They disgrace the orc name," the apostles mocked the leader''s failure, angering him. "Say another word, and I''ll rip your head off!" the leader threatened, silencing the apostles who had only intended to taunt. "As for cooperation, our camp agrees. We''ve lost too many strong warriors to let them go unpunished, but¡ª" Before the apostle could finish, the ground shook violently. Boom! Boom!! Explosions erupted outside, accompanied by the chaotic sounds of orcs running and screaming. "What''s happening?" the apostles and the camp leader rushed out of the tent, witnessing an unbelievable scene. Massive flaming skulls fell from the sky like meteors, crashing into the ground. Giant bone dragons flew overhead, spewing fire and burning everything. The camp was littered with orc corpses, both elderly and female, who had no idea what hit them. Orc warriors, summoned by the priest, fought the incoming undead army, but they were vastly outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed. Fallen orc warriors rose again as part of the undead, further tipping the scales against the orcs. Seeing his camp being destroyed, the orc leader grabbed his weapon and charged at the undead. "For the honor of the orc!" The orc leader''s roar rallied the confused orc warriors, boosting their morale. Even the elderly and infirm orcs picked up weapons to fight back. The orc priest cast a spell from the rear, affecting all orcs. Their eyes turned red as they entered a berserk state, becoming fearless and relentless, determined to use their last strength to kill the invaders. The apostles were shocked, recalling the leader''s description of the undead. Realizing the danger, they tried to flee. Turning around, they found a black, eerie figure standing behind them, a long blade burning with black flames in hand, instilling fear. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, a dark, sharp blade flashed, and the apostles felt their vision freeze. The world spun as they saw their headless bodies, blood spurting from their necks. John, not directly involved in the battle, stood behind, his broadsword embedded in the ground, continuously unleashing his skill. With his promotion to Monarch level, the skill''s destructive power had skyrocketed. The entire orc camp was covered by his skeletons, exploding skulls destroying everything and preventing any orc from escaping. The four Race Kings'' domain powers spread out. Even without necromancers, as kings of their race, they could summon their troops. Skeletons and zombies rose, while liches and specters dominated the skies. John stayed at the rear, Azure in the air, Crane moved through the chaos, and Arthas stood at the forefront of the undead army, like a commander. Arthas swung his weapon, each strike unleashing terrifying frost, freezing everything around. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Raising his left hand, soul fire erupted from orc corpses, glowing blue as he clenched his fist. The floating soul fire exploded among the orc army. The invisible shockwave swept through, seemingly harmless. Orcs ignored it and continued charging, but after a few steps, they collapsed. Their souls extinguished, their bodies unscathed. Monarch-level liches flew overhead, breaking the orc formation. Their domain powers killed countless orcs, transforming them into various undead creatures. The battle was one-sided. Led by Arthas and the Monarch levels, the undead suffered no casualties. As time passed, the undead grew more adept at fighting. For the first time, the orc leader felt fear. He couldn''t believe such strange creatures existed in the world. But under the influence of the orc priest, the orc leader quickly became frenzied, his fighting spirit overcoming his fear. With a roar, he grabbed his weapon and charged at Arthas. He recognized Arthas as the leader, thinking that defeating him might kill the other creatures. As orcs fell around him, watching his once-proud camp being destroyed was something he couldn''t accept. With all his rage, the orc leader swung his weapon at Arthas with all his might. Bang! A wall of bones appeared in front of him, and his full-force strike couldn''t break through it! As the orc leader''s attack lost momentum, the bone shield dissipated, and countless bone spikes and ice shards pierced his body, causing him immense pain. He finally saw his opponent clearly. It was a skeleton draped in a black robe. From all directions, bone chains attacked, trying to bind him. The orc leader swung his weapon desperately, but the bones that pierced his body drained his life force, making him weaker. He felt the power gap. He couldn''t even get close, being firmly restrained. He was no match for this lich. More and more bone chains pierced his body, eroding his life force. The orc leader''s movements slowed, his struggles futile. He felt death''s call. If he could turn back time, he would never have attacked those two castles. Just then, a green barrier appeared, blocking the lich''s fatal blow and saving the orc leader. It was the orc priest who had been hiding in the rear. Two Monarch-level orcs quickly dragged their leader away, pulling out the bone spikes. The orc leader, weak and nearly collapsing, had lost too much life force and couldn''t fight anymore. The hunched orc priest approached slowly. The orc leader was about to thank him, but the priest grabbed his head instead. Chanting a spell, green energy flowed from the leader into the priest. "Ahhh!" The orc leader screamed in pain, struggling desperately, but to no avail. The two Monarch-level orcs held him down, leaving him powerless. The priest''s eyes turned white, glowing as he greedily absorbed the leader''s energy. The leader''s struggles weakened, his face aged, and he died, eyes wide open, glaring angrily at the priest who betrayed him. But the orc priest wasn''t satisfied, entering a frenzied state. He struck the ground with his staff, releasing a wave of green energy that swept across the battlefield. The energy wave had no lethal effect on the undead, but the orcs it touched clutched their heads in agony, green energy pouring from their eyes, mouths, ears, and noses, all converging on the priest. These orcs had all received his "blessing." The remaining elderly and infirm orcs were quickly slaughtered by the undead. The orc priest''s aura grew stronger. He swung his staff, sending countless eerie green mist attacks in all directions, targeting the undead. With a bang, the attacks exploded, killing the undead they touched, who didn''t rise again. The other Monarch-level orcs were astonished. This was the first time they had killed these creatures, giving them hope. "The leader is dead! Avenge the leader! Fight for the honor of the orcs!" A shout echoed across the battlefield. The orcs on the outskirts, unaware that their leader was killed by the priest, charged at the undead in fury. After testing his power, the orc priest decided to flee. He had a teleportation array ready in his tent, allowing him to leave quickly. But just then, a long blade burning with black flames appeared in his sight. The priest hesitated, wanting to turn around, only to find Arthas, clad in deep blue armor, standing behind him, weapon in hand. Chapter 231: Do you think Im an idiot? John, wielding his broadsword, approached with heavy steps, while Azure silently descended from the sky. The four Race Kings surrounded the orc priest.The priest stood still, contemplating whether he could defeat the four enemies before him. Just as his bony fingers tightened slightly around his staff, even before he could lift it, the four Race Kings simultaneously launched their attacks. The surrounding mist began to swirl around the priest, forming a venomous snake that lunged at Arthas. A second snake targeted John. As the priest was about to conjure a third, a sharp pain shot through his head, blood trickling from his mouth, and his staff fell to the ground. Squelch¡ª A black long blade pierced through his back, effortlessly breaking the barrier and stabbing through his heart. "No..." Crane withdrew his weapon, and the priest collapsed lifelessly to the ground. As for his attacks, Arthas and John easily shattered them. The priest''s strength was inferior to the orc leader''s. "lv3." Crane, usually silent, spoke up, indicating the priest''s level. In reality, the orc leader was only lv4. Crane had already advanced to lv2 during the earlier slaughter, and his long blade, enchanted with dark magic, had significantly increased its damage. Without another word, Crane returned to the battlefield to continue the fight. The battle was nearly over, with only a few Monarch-level orcs offering futile resistance. John''s initial area-of-effect skill had earned him a lot of experience, promoting him to lv2 Monarch level. Among the four Race Kings, only Azure remained at lv1, though he was close to leveling up. "Send the Monarch-level corpses back to Undead City for the Queen," Arthas ordered the surrounding liches. With the battle over, the undead began to clean up the battlefield and collect resources. Not a single orc survived, allowing them to keep the attack a secret for a while. This small orc camp, with about 10,000 orcs, was completely annihilated. The undead, summoned by the four Race Kings (without double summoning), and the Monarch-level necromancers totaled 15,000 undead. Among the Monarch levels, there were six in total: the lv4 orc leader, the lv3 orc priest, and the rest were lv1. The orc camp was now in ruins, with flames burning everywhere. The orc corpses were gathered and burned to ashes, erasing all evidence. "Return to the castle!" With Arthas''s command, the undead began to retreat with the collected resources. An orc camp on the border of the Orc Empire was silently wiped out. In Undead City, Alex noticed the undead emerging from the Portal of Transit, carrying a pile of resources, which surprised her. Soon, she saw the Monarch-level orc corpses and understood. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Esteemed Queen, Leader Arthas led us to destroy an orc camp. These are the spoils," a lich reported respectfully to Alex. "I see." Alex casually summoned the six corpses and collected the resources. "Well done. Keep up the good work. You may go." Alex dismissed the undead and checked the levels of the Race Kings. Except for Azure, they had all leveled up, which was excellent. Although Alex''s current strength was still somewhat insufficient to confront the Orc Empire directly, careful planning could allow the undead to grow stronger quickly. Arthas and the others could continue to target orc camps on the fringes. If they couldn''t win, they could always retreat. The siblings'' castles could be abandoned if necessary. After organizing the resources, Alex set off for the Dark Forest. She wanted to see if she could skirt around the forest''s edge to continue expanding eastward. She had no intention of venturing into the depths of the Dark Forest until she reached King level. Alex didn''t know her city''s exact position on the Dark Forest''s edge, so she flew north along the perimeter. "This Dark Forest is enormous." Alex flew north for an hour without reaching the end. Along the way, she saw some strange races, like a six-legged dog with wings. In the past, Alex might have taken a closer look, but now, as a Monarch level, such Commanding level creatures didn''t interest her. Alex also discovered that a Race''s Tear only appeared if the race had at least one Monarch level member. Conquering ordinary creatures like boars or chickens, or races with a maximum level of Commanding, wouldn''t yield a Race''s Tear, which was why she ignored them. Suddenly, Alex stopped in her tracks. A black figure had appeared before her without her noticing. "Soul Hunter!" Alex''s face lit up with joy. She hadn''t expected to find a Soul Hunter here, ready to give her points. Alex touched her bracelet, drawing her scythe. Her attributes instantly boosted, and she charged at the Soul Hunter without hesitation. The Soul Hunter also drew a scythe, though much smaller than Alex''s. Clang! The blades clashed, sparks flying in the dim environment. The bell''s soul attack had no effect on the Soul Hunter, but Alex''s physical strength sent it flying. ???¦®§®???.?§°? The Soul Hunter looked at its hands and abdomen in confusion, seeing its weapon broken and a massive wound from its chest to its stomach. But the Soul Hunter didn''t bleed. Instead, its body began to slowly heal. Alex, however, didn''t give it the chance, slashing it down with one strike. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing a lv1 Monarch level Soul Hunter, earning 1 point.] The Soul Hunter''s body turned to black dust and vanished. Killing a Soul Hunter didn''t grant experience or leave a corpse, as Alex already knew. Only system points were awarded, making it a significant loss if she didn''t secure first place. A lv1 Monarch level Soul Hunter earned 1 point, while a lv3 Monarch level earned 3 points, indicating that their level determined the points awarded. "Only a lv1 Monarch level? What a letdown." From the ease of her victory, Alex had already guessed its strength. Just as she was about to leave, a strong sense of danger washed over her. Danger!! Unable to dodge, Alex quickly summoned a Dark Barrier to cover herself. Boom! A massive explosion rocked the forest, sending birds and beasts fleeing. Alex was thrown to the ground by the force, finding herself surrounded by molten lava, with trees burning around her. The attack had consumed a third of her Mana Points. With her scythe''s attribute boost, she had 1,000 Mana Points, but this single attack had drained 300. Alex was shocked, as was the Soul Hunter behind her, who looked at its fire gun in confusion. This was the first time it had encountered a barrier it couldn''t break. "Another Soul Hunter!" This time, Alex wasn''t pleased but rather serious. The attack indicated this Soul Hunter was very strong! Several harpoons fell from the Soul Hunter''s robe, all seemingly alive, attacking Alex. Alex swung her scythe, deflecting them, but the force pushed her back. Unwilling to be outdone, Alex slashed a black arc of energy at the Soul Hunter, who easily blocked it. Suddenly, a massive magic circle appeared above Alex, exuding a terrifying and violent aura. "It can use magic?!" Alex had thought Soul Hunters only used various weapons. A terrifying flame creature emerged from the magic circle, burning with red and blue flames, surrounded by purple lightning. The creature lunged at Alex, the air around it distorting from the heat. Alex''s eyes glowed with different colors, and a thick ice wall rose around her, forming an ice mountain. Alex sealed herself inside. Boom! The magical collision created explosive elements, leveling the area. Trees turned to ash, the ground scorched, and rocks melted. Alex''s surroundings resembled an apocalypse. Far away in the Dark Forest, thousands of undead died, sharing Alex''s damage. The seal broke, and Alex, unable to use Dark Barrier in time, was hit. Facing such a powerful attack, she dared not use Dark Barrier recklessly. The previous attack had already consumed a third of her Mana Points. Alex feared using Dark Barrier again would deplete her Mana Points, leaving her defenseless. Fear gripped Alex, her hand trembling as she held her scythe. She tried to fly but couldn''t. Bang! The Soul Hunter appeared before Alex, wielding a flaming short sword, sending her flying. Her scythe fell to the ground, and Alex crashed heavily. Why am I so afraid of it that I can''t even hold my weapon? Domain, it must be its domain! Alex realized she was affected by the Soul Hunter''s domain. Her mind raced. The Soul Hunter didn''t give her time to recover. Without her scythe, her combat power was greatly reduced. Lying on the ground, Alex teleported away from the Soul Hunter''s attack. Alex retrieved her scythe, eyeing the Soul Hunter. Wait, the mage robe! Eldrin had said he had specially treated her mage robe to conceal her unique soul, making her appear normal. Would this make her indistinguishable from the native humans to the Soul Hunter, stopping its pursuit? Alex quickly donned the mage robe from her ring. The Soul Hunter looked at Alex in confusion. Though it couldn''t sense her unique aura, it wasn''t blind. It understood what she was trying to do. Soul Hunter: Do you think I''m an idiot? Chapter 232: Dwarf war The Soul Hunter paused for only 0.25 seconds before launching another attack on Alex."Damn, it doesn''t work!" Alex quickly used teleportation to create distance. It seemed she had no choice but to use her trump card. She released her Death Domain. Although her domain was weaker than the Soul Hunter''s and would be suppressed, by compressing it to the extreme, Alex could temporarily escape the influence of the Soul Hunter''s domain. Alex compressed her domain to the smallest range, just enough to envelop herself. As expected, the fear in her heart vanished. She took out the Return Stone and injected Mana Points without hesitation. She hadn''t expected to be the first to use this newly developed item. With a flash, Alex disappeared, leaving the Soul Hunter bewildered and at a loss. It tried to sense Alex''s presence but couldn''t detect her at all, nor did it know where she had gone. Frustrated, the Soul Hunter had no choice but to abandon the search for Alex and look for its next target. Meanwhile, Alex reappeared on the teleportation altar. Without hesitation, she entered the Portal of Transit and headed to Emerald Hills. Undead City wasn''t safe; she feared the Soul Hunter might follow her. Leaving the Eldoria continent was the safest option. Soul Hunters were strange creatures, uninterested in anything but souls. They hunted Lords but didn''t destroy castles¡ªunless the castle was caught in the crossfire. Otherwise, few Lords would survive. Even in Emerald Hills, Alex was still shaken. The Soul Hunter wasn''t King level, but judging by its strength, it was at least three levels higher than Alex, leading to such a one-sided battle. What she thought was a lucky day nearly turned into her death day. Alex informed the siblings and Sophie to avoid returning to Undead City. She wasn''t sure if the Soul Hunter had left, so it was best to hide here for now. "Esteemed Queen, you have arrived," the undead guarding the Portal of Transit greeted her respectfully. "Uh, I''m just here to check things out," Alex said, calming herself. Fortunately, she hadn''t overused Dark Barrier; otherwise, she would have been unable to use the Return Stone to escape her enemies once her mana ran out. The four Race Kings were still discussing finding and destroying another orc camp. The Monarch-level corpses Alex had summoned were all sent here, making Emerald Hills the strongest in terms of combat power. These orc camps were nomadic, frequently changing locations, especially the smaller ones. They moved often, making it hard to pinpoint their exact positions. "Azure, have the specters found another orc camp?" Arthas asked Azure. "Not yet. They must be farther away. Finding them will take time. We could also head south to search for other orc camps," Azure suggested. "Agreed," Crane and John concurred. Multiple camps could be searched simultaneously. Alex didn''t join the Race Kings'' discussion. She went to the castle rooftop to bask in the sun, recovering her Mana Points with her hairpin. Meanwhile, north of the vast White Rock Mountains, Grimstone faced retribution from the Stoneforge Clan of the dwarf kingdom. Stoneforge Clan and Broadbeam Clan had defeated the Silverbeard Clan and taken their territory. Seven cities were divided between the two clans, with Grimstone, the last border city, assigned to Stoneforge Clan. However, Grimstone was still in the hands of extraterrestrial visitors, and Stoneforge Clan had to reclaim it themselves. Before the enemy even reached the city, Grimstone''s alarm sounded throughout the city. Under Durin''s command, dwarf troops swarmed the walls, readying their weapons to repel the invaders. Dwarf technology was akin to that of humans, making this a true siege battle. Countless cannons and firearms were brought to the walls. With Alex''s support, Grimstone''s equipment had been significantly improved, allowing for continuous fire without worrying about ammunition or supplies. The dwarves were fighting a well-equipped battle for the first time. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Sophie also climbed the walls, observing the distant Stoneforge Clan army, which was pushing massive siege weapons, clearly prepared for battle. "Why do I feel so anxious about this dwarf war? I didn''t feel this way during the hobgoblin and undead battles," Xiao Hui said, frowning at the approaching dwarf army. "Because dwarves are similar to humans. Your subconscious sees them as kin, making you more anxious," Sophie explained. Though it was her first time in such a scene, as a dwarf Lord, she had witnessed many dwarf deaths. "Should we call the undead for help?" Sophie asked Durin, worried. "No need. They underestimate Grimstone''s defenses. They won''t breach the city," Durin assured confidently. A long horn sounded from outside the city, signaling the Stoneforge Clan''s advance. Sophie looked out and saw they weren''t charging immediately. Instead, they brought out massive catapults, each stone larger than several dwarves combined. As the levers were pulled, the catapults were readied. With a command, countless boulders flew towards Grimstone. Boom! Boom! The boulders shattered against the shield, revealing strange red shells inside. Boom! Boom! The red shells exploded, not with great force but releasing a strange adhesive that corroded the shield, creating holes and quickly disabling it. The enemy charged, with countless flying knights taking to the sky and ironclad rhinos leading the ground assault, clearing the way for dwarf knights. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "Attack!" Durin ordered, and the dwarves on the walls began their counterattack. Blue beams swept across the battlefield, piercing the ground dwarves, leaving no remains. Countless shells fell like stars, causing massive destruction among the enemy ranks. Dwarves manned heavy crossbows, adjusting their aim to target the airborne enemies, shooting them down with giant bolts. The enemy suffered heavy losses before even reaching Grimstone. The Stoneforge Clan leader had expected them to have many weapons but hadn''t anticipated such relentless firepower. Didn''t they consider running out of supplies for future defenses? S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Grimstone had no logistics or resupply! ... Outside Grimstone, corpses littered the ground, blood soaking the earth. Countless dwarves died in the charge. The dwarf leader, his face grim, ordered the troops to blow the horn again, changing their strategy. This time, the horn was short and urgent, its sound spreading across the battlefield. The dwarves understood their leader''s command. The flying dwarf knights circled above Grimstone. Without ground support, entering the city was suicide, so they waited for an opportunity. Hearing the horn, they took out fiery red crystals from their pouches and threw them into Grimstone. Boom! Boom! Boom! Countless explosive crystals fell, creating continuous explosions. The fire element within them ignited, forming a massive blaze, burning everything around. Chaos erupted in Grimstone. The enemy no longer cared about civilian casualties. As long as they took Grimstone, the commoners'' lives didn''t matter. "Fire!" The catapults launched flaming boulders, creating red arcs in the sky, smashing into the walls. The defending dwarves suffered heavy losses, with weapons destroyed and walls crumbling. The boulders that landed inside the city caused immense destruction, collapsing buildings and creating chaos among the fleeing civilians. Their screams and cries turned Grimstone into a scene of panic. Grimstone''s defenders suffered minimal losses compared to the enemy, but they couldn''t allow the enemy to massacre civilians and destroy their homes. "These madmen are killing civilians. How long until the shield is restored?" Durin was furious. The shield needed to be restored quickly to extinguish the fires and save the dwarves. "Is there a way to destroy the enemy''s catapults?" Xiao Hui asked. It was clear these were the main threat. Why not destroy them? "Out of range. The catapults'' range is twice that of our defenses. We can''t hit them. To destroy them, we''d have to leave the city," Durin explained. The catapults, though small from a distance, were massive. They required dozens of dwarves to operate. "Xiao Hui, go put out the fires in the city. I''ll handle the catapults," Xiao Mu said to his sister. His attacks had the longest range and should be able to reach them. Xiao Hui nodded and flew into the city. Xiao Mu''s figure shimmered on the wall, then flashed into the sky, emitting a brilliant golden light. Several golden beams shot out, targeting the distant catapults. Some airborne enemies were also hit, falling from the sky. With a series of explosions, golden waves spread through the enemy ranks, causing massive destruction. Even the enemy leader, after blocking a few attacks, was shocked. "A Monarch-level extraterrestrial visitor!" Looking back, he saw the catapults destroyed, reduced to rubble. In the city, Xiao Hui released her domain, dark elements extinguishing the flames. At that moment, Grimstone''s shield was restored, reactivating its protection. With heavy losses, the enemy had no hope of taking Grimstone. "Retreat!" The enemy leader ordered a retreat. They had underestimated Grimstone''s defenses, resulting in heavy casualties. They abandoned their comrades'' bodies and unnecessary equipment, retreating like a tide. "They''re retreating!" Sophie exclaimed from the wall. "We can''t let them escape. Seize this opportunity to capture their leader." Chapter 233: Silverscale Leviathan Xiao Mu decisively ordered a nearby lich to pursue the retreating enemy. The lich leaped off the wall and flew towards the dwarf army.The lv6 Monarch level lich''s flying speed far surpassed the dwarves'' movement speed. In no time, the lich descended before the army. The dwarf leader raised his hand, his face grim as he stared at the lich. The army halted, frozen in place. "You dare to chase us alone?" the dwarf leader shouted, charging at the lich with his weapon. He had never seen such an arrogant enemy. The lich hovered silently, making no move. The dwarf leader leaped high, his warhammer growing massive as he swung it with all his might at the lich. Bang! The dwarf leader''s full-force strike was effortlessly blocked. The lich grabbed the dwarf leader by the throat, lifting him into the air. The dwarf leader''s legs kicked frantically. He tried to resist, but the lich''s grip tightened, and he heard the sound of his bones about to break. He stopped struggling. The Bones Domain spread out, and the surrounding dwarves fell, writhing in agony. Their bodies shriveled and turned to bones. The dwarves were terrified. They had never seen such a bizarre creature or attack. It was beyond their comprehension. Thud¡ª Desperate dwarves dropped their weapons and knelt, not wanting to die so inexplicably. The lich, though silent, spared those who submitted. Seeing this, more dwarves knelt, expressing their submission. The lich, holding the dwarf leader, returned to Grimstone. The kneeling dwarves followed, having no desire to escape. Meanwhile, skeletons rose from the dwarf corpses, heading south to the undead fortress. "The lich is back, and it has the enemy leader. How pathetic," Xiao Hui remarked, seeing the lich return. Xiao Mu and Sophie looked over. Seeing the lich return with over a thousand captured dwarves, Durin was astonished. He knew the lich was strong but hadn''t expected such overwhelming power. ... Emerald Hills, Alex returned to Undead City after recovering her Mana Points. Confirming there was no danger, she finally relaxed. She kept her mage robe on, trusting Eldrin''s assurance that it could conceal her undead aura and her extraterrestrial visitor aura. Surely, an Emperor level mage wouldn''t overlook such a detail. His magic should surpass a King level Soul Hunter''s detection. She just hoped the Soul Hunter had moved on. Alex checked the leaderboard. They had surpassed the Justice Alliance. Currently, Light Alliance had 7 points, and Justice Alliance had 6 points. The gap was narrow, indicating Satan and Lilith had encountered Soul Hunters while she was fleeing. "We need to keep hunting Soul Hunters," Alex thought. With only five days left, the Justice Alliance could easily overtake them due to their numbers. The Soul Hunter''s interference had delayed their progress in the dwarf kingdom, hindering their development. Alex hoped the system''s final rewards would compensate for the lost time. Arthur and Riven returned from the main fortress, having cleared the remaining hobgoblin cities. They brought back many resources and some submissive hobgoblins. With the hobgoblins'' cooperation, consolidating the hobgoblin kingdom and integrating resources was easy. "Good job," Alex praised. Arthur and Riven had completed their task well and were now free to support other areas. Alex considered sending them to Grimstone. Their large size prevented them from using the Portal of Transit, making Emerald Hills inaccessible without a long detour. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unless the siblings'' castle was upgraded to a city, there was no way to fully connect the two locations. Large undead couldn''t cross over. The Orc Empire''s foothold was uncertain. If necessary, they could abandon it. Upgrading to a city and then losing it would be a significant loss. "Arthur, Riven, go support Grimstone," Alex ordered. "Yes, Your Majesty," they replied. Alex also sent a lv4 Monarch level undead and instructed the siblings to begin their assault on the dwarf kingdom. She decided not to waste any more time. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? With Arthur, Riven, the lv6 Monarch level lich, and the dwarf army, they could launch a counterattack. The lv4 Monarch level undead would protect the siblings, who would stay in Grimstone to avoid encountering a powerful Soul Hunter. If they couldn''t defeat a Soul Hunter in Grimstone, they could escape to the undead fortress. But encountering a Soul Hunter stronger than the lv6 Monarch level in the field would be fatal. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell over Undead City, eerie yet peaceful. Only the palace in the center emitted a faint light, indicating someone lived there. Alex worked late into the night, sorting the resources from the hobgoblin kingdom. She kept useful items and distributed the rest. Since the last Lord attack, Alex rarely listed items on the trading post. With the warehouse full of resources, she could upgrade the city again. Though it would deplete her resources, she didn''t need to build another undead fortress yet. Two fully charged fortress Essence Shards were enough. Alex upgraded Undead City, causing the entire city to tremble as the territory expanded in the night. Current city level: lv3 "One step closer to max level," Alex noted with satisfaction. Upgrading required vast resources, and even conquering the hobgoblin kingdom only raised her city by two levels. This was partly because Alex hadn''t traded for the necessary materials. No one stockpiled building materials in their warehouse. "Next, the Barracks." Alex''s warehouse held over a thousand Essence Shards and more than 100,000 magic crystals. Upgrading the Barracks twice was feasible. [Upgrade Barracks: 55k magic crystals, 550 Essence Shards.] Alex focused on the Barracks information and initiated the upgrade. The troops interface didn''t change, indicating either an increase in summoning level cap or quantity. The latter was less useful to Alex, so she hoped for the former. "Initial level raised to Commanding level!" Alex was delighted. The previous cap was lv9 Standard. Now, it was Commanding level. This upgrade had little impact on low-level undead, but it greatly benefited high-level and specialized troops. Future Race Kings wouldn''t start from Standard, and troops like Acolytes and alchemy warlocks would see significant improvements. "Sweet!" The next Barracks upgrade required more resources but was still within Alex''s expectations. The remaining resources were enough for another upgrade. Alex upgraded the Barracks again, depleting her resources. She eagerly checked the Barracks information, hoping for new troops. "There is!" [Unlocked special fixed unit: Silverscale Leviathan] [Note: Each day, one Silverscale Leviathan will be summoned with other troops, not occupying other summoning slots. It cannot be summoned by other means.] "A special fixed unit? What''s that?" Alex was curious. The Barracks would automatically summon the unit today, so she would soon see it. She closed the system interface and looked towards the Barracks. In the red moonlight, she saw a massive creature appear. To get a better view, Alex used her left eye, revealing the creature''s true form. It was a long, rectangular creature covered in alternating silver and black scales. The scales weren''t tightly packed, revealing the writhing black flesh beneath. It floated in the air, and Alex couldn''t understand how it flew or where its head was. From her vantage point, she could only see its underside. She had no idea what the top looked like. The creature gave her a strange feeling, a sense of dissonance. It didn''t look like an undead. It resembled... a zeppelin? Chapter 234: Features of the Silverscale Leviathan Alex didn''t even know why such an outlandish thought had crossed her mind.Curious, Alex flew up to get a better look at the creature. Its lower half was indeed a semi-circular structure, but the upper part was completely different¡ªa massive platform. The front half, which Alex assumed was the head, had two deep, cavernous openings on either side, resembling nostrils but more accurately described as cannon ports. Having seen the undead fortress, Alex wasn''t too surprised by this zeppelin-like undead. She landed on the platform, which was made of some unknown keratinous or hard material. It wasn''t soft but rather quite solid. The rear half of the platform had four hemispherical protrusions arranged in pairs. Whether these were rooms or limbs, Alex couldn''t tell. The edges of the platform were lined with large, undulating scales, each about the size of Alex herself. Additionally, two thick tentacles extended outward from either side. Its size was comparable to Arthur''s wingspan, making it one of the largest troops, second only to the zombie titan. It didn''t look like an undead or a building but more like an alien creature. Alex checked the basic information of the Silverscale Leviathan. [Silverscale Leviathan (Special Unit)] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: lv1 Commanding level (Can level up by killing)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 500] [Growth Cap: King level] [Undead Capacity: 5,000 (based on volume)] [It doesn''t understand language and has no intelligence. It will unconditionally follow the Queen''s orders. It is an undead formed from fragments of unyielding souls killed by dark magic, combined into a unique soul collective.] Its primary feature was transporting undead. Its flying speed was comparable to a bone dragon, making it the fastest undead below Monarch level. It also had basic attack and defense capabilities, but like Acolytes and alchemy warlocks, it wouldn''t have a domain even after reaching Monarch level. "Indeed, ground undead like skeletons, death conquerors, and ghouls are too slow." As Alex''s expansion and development continued, she realized that ground undead couldn''t keep up. Even with undead fortresses, she couldn''t build one every few miles. The Silverscale Leviathan could carry idle undead within its body. Skeletons wouldn''t appear on the Silverscale Leviathan''s deck unless attacking, at which point they would leap off. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, the fully loaded Silverscale Leviathan took to the skies again, its deck covered by a black barrier. The four tentacles retracted, and the scales aligned along the edges. The Silverscale Leviathan entered a dormant state, hovering motionless above Undead City. "Interesting. This special unit is today''s pleasant surprise." Alex withdrew her gaze and headed back to the palace. Tonight, Alex didn''t take a bath before bed. She didn''t remove her mage robe and even abandoned her habit of sleeping naked, opting to sleep in the robe. It felt like being back in the newbie protection period, making her anxious. World Chat was in a state of panic. Many Lords had encountered Soul Hunters, but most had died. Alex uneasily drifted into sleep. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM ???¦®????.??? Alex threw off the covers, jumped out of bed barefoot, and began her morning routine. A new day had begun, and it was time to summon troops again. Alex glanced at the Silverscale Leviathan in the sky, knowing a second one would soon appear. Two Silverscale Leviathans could carry 10,000 undead. Excited, Alex began summoning, hoping for new luck. But life is full of disappointments. Alex didn''t summon a Race King this time. Race Kings were rare. Next time, she would have to squeeze her breasts harder for better "luck." Meanwhile, in Grimstone, Durin led the dwarves and undead in a counterattack against the Stoneforge Clan. The dwarf kingdom''s internal strife had reached a stalemate, making it the perfect time to strike. If they waited for the kingdom to unify, they''d face the entire kingdom''s might. While they could still win, it would be much more troublesome. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Sophie remained in Grimstone, along with a lv4 Monarch level undead, to attract Soul Hunters. Conquering the dwarf kingdom was important, but system rewards were the fastest way to grow stronger and couldn''t be missed. "We''ve been here for two days, and not a single Soul Hunter has come for us," Xiao Hui complained, bored out of her mind. "These things are unpredictable. It''s a matter of luck. The leader encountered two on her own," Xiao Mu said, hoping they wouldn''t face one too strong. "Maybe there are too few Soul Hunters around here. Should we try another location?" Sophie suggested, also bored. She didn''t dare stay in the castle alone, as a Monarch level Soul Hunter would be a nightmare for her. "That''s a good idea. We could go to Emerald Hills and leave the lich here. The forces there are much stronger, so there''s nothing to worry about," Xiao Hui surprisingly agreed with Sophie. "No need," Xiao Mu interrupted. "Why¡ª" Xiao Hui turned to argue but stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening. Outside Grimstone, a Soul Hunter floated in the air, staring at the three of them. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui flew out of the city, not wanting to endanger the dwarves inside. The Soul Hunter, its attention on the siblings, followed them, ignoring Sophie. To the Soul Hunter, 2 > 1. It naturally pursued the larger group. Xiao Mu, pulling Xiao Hui along, flew at high speed, reaching the outskirts near the undead fortress in an instant. The Soul Hunter, in pursuit, was met with Xiao Mu''s surprise attack. It blocked Xiao Mu''s light beams with its robe, unharmed. Xiao Mu teleported and kicked the Soul Hunter, pushing it back several yards. Though it didn''t cause significant damage, Xiao Mu was pleased, indicating the Soul Hunter wasn''t too strong. The Soul Hunter drew two black short swords from its robe and attacked Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu conjured a sword of light and met the attack. To his surprise, the Soul Hunter was skilled in swordsmanship. Unlike Xiao Mu''s wild swings, the Soul Hunter''s strikes were precise, targeting vital points. Suddenly, the Soul Hunter''s black sword emitted a strange aura, slicing through Xiao Mu''s light weapon. Just as it was about to strike Xiao Mu, he teleported away, his body turning into light particles. Xiao Mu reappeared, and Xiao Hui, wrapped in dark energy, kicked the Soul Hunter''s wrist, disarming it. The Soul Hunter tried to attack Xiao Hui with its other weapon, but she unleashed a burst of dark energy, sending it flying. In mid-air, the Soul Hunter was trapped by a cage of giant bones, covered in black runes, preventing escape. The lv4 lich had arrived. The lich controlled the bone cage, suspending it in the air. The Soul Hunter inside frantically tried to break free, but it couldn''t do so quickly. Before it could escape, they had plenty of time to kill it a hundred times over. Chapter 235: Long time no see, Angel Lord Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui approached, closely observing the Soul Hunter.It had the face of a young boy, with dull, gray eyes devoid of any spark. They tried to communicate with it but failed. Clearly, it couldn''t speak. Soul Hunters didn''t leave corpses when they died, and even if you took their weapons while they were alive, they would soon turn into black mist and dissipate, making it impossible to keep them. "Let''s kill it. It doesn''t provide experience points anyway," Xiao Mu said. The lich ended the Soul Hunter''s life and followed the siblings back to Grimstone. Seeing them return, Sophie finally breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Mu checked the leaderboard and saw their points had increased from 7 to 10, indicating that the Soul Hunter they had just killed was a lv3 Monarch level. "Looks like we got lucky," Sophie said with a smile. "Yeah, its strength wasn''t too high, similar to the last one," Xiao Mu replied. Meanwhile, in the Desolate Mountains. For the past few days, Drake had been attacking the Azure Cloud Giant Eagles in the mountains and pondering how to lure Raphaela out. The Azure Cloud Giant Eagles were weaker than the Medusa and, being an aerial species, were easier to deal with. But to prove his strength and value, he decided to defeat both races. Although Alex only required one Race''s Tear, his pride wouldn''t allow him to settle for less. He didn''t know how far Alex had developed, but before he left the Justice Alliance, Raphaela''s castle was already maxed out and preparing for the next level. Drake believed Alex''s castle must be even more advanced. Drake was convinced that the Race''s Tear was a special item needed to upgrade the castle further. Additionally, after escaping from the Soul Hunter, he pretended to be angry and scolded the others in the Alliance chat. Their responses were flawless, claiming they were either attacked or couldn''t find him. Drake didn''t believe them. He suspected it was all part of Raphaela''s plan. Raphaela had tried to persuade Drake to return to the Alliance, promising resources for his development and assuring him that once the town was upgraded, the issue of dragons not fitting through the teleportation gates would be resolved. But when Drake asked what was beyond the town level, Raphaela evaded the question, saying she hadn''t seen it herself. These suspicions made Drake uneasy. Raphaela and the others were trying too hard to get him back into the Alliance, which was suspicious in itself. Drake became increasingly certain that something was amiss. At that moment, Drake was high in the sky, standing on a massive Rock Dragon, overlooking the endless Desolate Mountains below. He glanced at the system leaderboard and saw that Alex''s Alliance was now in first place. Raphaela must be anxious. Raphaela had gathered many Lords at Stone Pillar Mountain, aiming to secure first place on the leaderboard and quickly boost her strength with the system rewards. Drake had an idea. If he used the Soul Hunter as an excuse, would she take the bait? When Drake left the Alliance, Raphaela was already lv2. If she had talents and opportunities comparable to the undead Lord, she was likely lv3 by now. The chances of encountering two Soul Hunters simultaneously were low. If the Soul Hunter was too strong, it wouldn''t explain how he escaped. A level three Soul Hunter would be just right. Drake pondered on the back of his dragon. Two days had passed. To win Drake back, the initial tension had eased considerably. Drake decided it was time. If he claimed a Soul Hunter was attacking him again, Raphaela would have to come, either to win him back or for the points. "It''s time to go back." The dragon roared, carrying Drake towards the dwarf kingdom. At the same time, Drake contacted Alex, asking her to come. He couldn''t guarantee Raphaela would show up, but if Raphaela didn''t come this time, she probably never would. Alex didn''t know the location of his castle, so he had to meet her at Grimstone. In her palace, Alex received the message and was thrilled. Finally, she could deal with that detestable woman. "Teaming up with other Lords to attack me back then, now it''s my turn," Alex thought. She quickly traveled through the main fortress to Grimstone. The three there were curious about her sudden arrival. "Leader, why are you here?" ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? "Drake is planning to lure out the angel Lord. You guys stay here. She can revive, so don''t reveal too much information to her." Alex didn''t plan to bring any undead. The high-level undead were either attacking the orc camp in Emerald Hills or the dwarf kingdom here. As for the lv4 Monarch level lich? It wasn''t even as strong as Alex. Why bring it? If Alex couldn''t handle this with her current strength, she might as well throw in the towel and call it quits. Soon, Drake arrived at Grimstone on his dragon. The earth-colored Rock Dragon circled high above, and Drake leaped down into the city. "It''s really a dragon!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, seeing a dragon other than Ice Cream for the first time. Though smaller than an adult dragon, it was still impressive. This was Drake''s only Monarch level dragon, which had helped him reach Monarch level. "How do you plan to lure her out?" Alex asked curiously. "Soul Hunter." "That''s a good plan. Let''s go." The siblings and Sophie watched as Alex and Drake left. The dragon carried them northeast for over an hour, finally leaving the dwarf kingdom and entering the Desolate Mountains. Continuing east, they reached a valley where Alex saw Drake''s castle, a sparse town built from rocks with few buildings outside the central castle. After landing, Drake shared his thoughts. "Angels have a sensing ability. To be safe, when I contact her, we need to calm our minds and emotions." Alex nodded, understanding. She moved to the back of the Portal of Transit building, crossed her arms, and leaned against the wall, waiting. She knew the Alliance mechanics well. Once Raphaela arrived, Drake couldn''t leave the Alliance to block her escape. To prevent her from fleeing, Alex needed to seal the Portal of Transit immediately. "Alright." Drake took a deep breath, calming his emotions and clearing his mind. He opened the system dashboard and sent a message to Raphaela. As planned, Drake claimed a Soul Hunter was attacking him again, urgently requesting Raphaela''s help and expressing his anxiety, indicating the Soul Hunter was stronger than before. Meanwhile, atop the towering Stone Pillar Mountain, a majestic, holy city stood in the sky. Raphaela had just upgraded her town to a city today. Below Stone Pillar Mountain, a dozen towns surrounded it, like devout worshippers kneeling before a deity. In the city, Raphaela, dressed in a white robe, received Drake''s message. Her expression was blank, lost in thought. Raphaela closed her eyes, emitting a holy light. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She was predicting the danger of this trip. There was some risk, but it wasn''t a death trap, confirming Drake''s claim of a powerful Soul Hunter. The holy light around Raphaela faded, and she opened her eyes. This trip was necessary. To reclaim a follower and earn points. Raphaela didn''t call for help from the towns below. She took two Monarch level angels and headed to the city''s Portal of Transit. Meanwhile, in Drake''s castle, the Portal of Transit glowed orange-red. Drake watched from a distance, feeling anxious. Alex straightened up, sensing their arrival. As the Portal of Transit light faded, Raphaela and two angels appeared in the room. The angels immediately flew out, hovering above the town. Holy light illuminated the ground as Raphaela walked out, her gaze fixed on Drake. "Why did you deceive me?" The moment she arrived, Raphaela sensed there was no Soul Hunter. Drake had lured her here. Footsteps echoed behind her. Alex approached with a smile, her hand touching the wall of the Portal of Transit room. "Long time no see, Angel Lord." Chapter 236: You possess a Divine level bloodline Raphaela turned around and saw Alex, causing a rare ripple of emotion in her usually calm demeanor.Buzz! Dark Barrier enveloped the Portal of Transit, completely blocking Raphaela''s escape route. Raphaela immediately became alert, spreading her wings and flying into the sky to distance herself from Alex, drawing her holy sword. She finally understood the source of her sense of impending doom. This was a death trap! Alex made no effort to hide her killing intent. The two angels in the sky immediately dove down to attack Alex. Drake, realizing the situation had escalated beyond reconciliation, couldn''t stand by and watch. Snap¡ª Alex raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. Two Monarch-level Reaper Guards appeared beside her, intercepting the angels. Drake halted his advance, and Raphaela was momentarily stunned. She had never seen this type of undead before. "You betrayed the Alliance to conspire with her against me?" Raphaela asked angrily, unable to believe Drake would do such a thing. "There''s nothing to say. I refuse to be your puppet. You always preach kindness, but your actions are deceitful and selfish. This is all part of your scheme," Drake retorted, not seeing his actions as betrayal. The Alliance was meant for mutual development, but Raphaela''s attempt to turn him into a puppet forced his hand. Raphaela didn''t argue further. She charged at Drake with her holy sword, determined to eliminate the traitor in this life-or-death situation. Clang! A scythe burning with black flames blocked Raphaela''s attack, shielding Drake. "Do you think you can just ignore me?" Alex said, her voice dripping with menace. A sharp black blade flashed, and Raphaela, holding her holy sword, barely managed to block it before being sent flying by Alex''s strike. Drake, standing behind Alex, was both terrified and awed. Raphaela had already seemed formidable to him, yet she was so easily overpowered by Alex. Alex dragged her scythe along the ground, sparks flying as she walked forward, resembling a grim reaper. When Alex''s strength surpassed her opponent''s, darkness absolutely suppressed light. There was no scenario where light could counter darkness. As an angel, Raphaela''s holy light was her greatest asset. But against Alex, it was rendered useless. Conversely, Alex had other options if she were countered. High-level elemental magic was also potent. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, and the Reaper Guards'' scythes in the sky ignited with black flames, empowered by Alex. The previously balanced battle turned into a one-sided slaughter. Raphaela watched Alex approach, shocked by her rapid growth in power. She had to do something before she died. Raphaela released her holy light domain, flooding the area with holy light, but it dissipated before reaching Alex. Raphaela raised her sword high, golden light radiating brilliantly, a beam shooting skyward. She slashed down with all her might, the ground cracking and debris flying towards Alex. The destructive force made Drake''s heart race. Damn, this was his castle... So, you want to go all out? Alex planted her scythe in the ground, black flames rising from it. In her Death Domain, a massive shadow formed, mirroring Alex, wielding a scythe made of dark elements. The golden sword beam rushed forward, but as it entered the domain, it mysteriously dissipated. The giant shadow swung its scythe, and a wave of darkness engulfed the area. Raphaela tried to defend, but it was futile. Her holy light vanished upon contact with the darkness. Countless dark blades pierced her, leaving her physically unharmed but severely weakened. Raphaela fell to her knees, her weapon slipping from her grasp, golden blood spilling from her mouth. Her life force was nearly extinguished. Alex lifted her scythe with one hand, dispelling the giant shadow, and walked towards Raphaela. Seeing Alex approach, Raphaela struggled to pick up her weapon and stand, her gaze now filled with astonishment. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® She wasn''t surprised by Alex''s strength, which she had anticipated. She was shocked by the giant shadow behind Alex, a manifestation of divine bloodline power. But the shadow wasn''t an undead deity; it was Alex herself! "You possess a Divine level bloodline!" Raphaela, who had always seen Alex as a rival, felt a surge of frustration. Her angelic bloodline couldn''t compare to Alex''s. "Looks like you''re at least lv3. You''ve developed quickly," Alex said, carrying her scythe. Unfortunately, Raphaela was about to be reset to lv1. "No need for words," Raphaela said weakly, attacking Alex again, only to have her weapon easily knocked away. "Still not giving up? I heard you''re not human anymore," Alex continued, advancing. She wanted to test if Drake''s suspicions were true, whether Raphaela was still human. "I am who I am, unchanged," Raphaela said coldly as she retreated. Suddenly, she shielded herself with her wings and fired countless feathers at Alex. But the attack was useless. The feathers ignited and disintegrated upon entering Alex''s domain. Alex vanished and reappeared before Raphaela, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her to the ground. Black flames corroded Raphaela''s skin, causing her pain. "Why are you controlling those Lords?" Alex asked, partly for Drake and partly to confirm her own suspicions. "Heh... They willingly follow me. How is that control?" With her Angel Resurrection Pool, Raphaela wasn''t afraid of death and refused to answer Alex''s questions. "I heard it''s to gather faith power. Their faith strengthens you, right? Otherwise, how could you reach lv3 so quickly? Do you think you''re the protagonist?" Alex''s words caused a subtle reaction in Raphaela, which Alex noticed. "So, my guess was right," Alex said with a cold smile. Black flames began to burn Raphaela, but unlike usual, they didn''t kill her instantly. Alex guessed this was due to Raphaela''s strong angelic bloodline. The most absurd part was that the flames didn''t kill her but burned off her clothes, revealing her naked body. Drake, watching from a distance, was stunned. He wouldn''t miss such a sight. Raphaela was a beautiful woman, after all. Alex felt awkward. She hadn''t expected this. She released Raphaela, intending to use a curse to kill her like last time. But she noticed Raphaela showed no shame, indifferent to her exposed breasts and genitals. Drake''s suspicion was correct. Raphaela was transforming into an emotionless angel. No normal person would remain so calm in such a situation. A fatal curse ended Raphaela''s life. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv3 Monarch level angel Lord, earning 300 experience points.] Raphaela''s body disintegrated into light particles, just like last time. She was truly dead, but she would soon revive. Alex had a wild idea. If she could control Raphaela and kill her repeatedly, could she farm infinite experience? Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright, the body''s gone. Stop staring," Alex said, giving Drake a look. He didn''t seem to mind. "Raphaela was a beautiful woman. I once liked her, but she''s changed. She''s now a cold machine with a beautiful exterior," Drake said. Alex nodded and looked at the two remaining angels, now bound by Reaper Guards. Alex was about to kill them when Drake spoke up. "Her angels can also revive. I''m not sure of the exact rules, but the side effects are greater than her own revival. I suspect only pure souls can revive. If you kill them with dark magic, their souls might be corrupted and unable to revive." "Even troops can revive?" Alex was surprised. While undead could revive, only Arthas had that ability, and it didn''t work on those of the same level. Monarch level Arthas could only revive undead below Commanding level. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, and the two bound angels burst into flames. Their bloodline was lower than Raphaela''s, making them susceptible to dark magic. Creatures killed by dark magic had their souls and bodies completely destroyed. Revivable angels couldn''t be summoned as undead, just like Raphaela. The two bodies quickly turned to ash and vanished. Chapter 237: Why is there an undead presence? "Alright, it''s done," Alex said, clapping her hands. However, Drake''s town was now in shambles.Drake decisively left the Alliance, returning to being a lone wolf to avoid Raphaela''s revenge. Just as he didn''t know where Stone Pillar Mountain was, Raphaela didn''t know where the Desolate Mountains were, so he didn''t need to worry too much for now. Moreover, knowing that Drake had cooperated with Alex and having fallen back to lv1, Raphaela wouldn''t dare to cause trouble again anytime soon if she didn''t want to be killed again. "Keep up the good work. I''m leaving now. You did well this time," Alex said, retrieving the Essence Shard she had given him earlier. She then prepared to return to her city with the Reaper Guards. After Alex left, Drake used resources to repair his castle and immediately set out with his dragon to continue his conquests. He needed to quickly gain Alex''s approval and join her, as it was the fastest way to increase his strength. Meanwhile, atop Stone Pillar Mountain, in the City of Angels. Raphaela appeared, her expressionless face betraying her deep anger and helplessness. Her eyes now held a cold glint. The two angels hadn''t reappeared. She knew Alex had used some method to prevent their resurrection. The drawbacks of angelic resurrection were significant, lowering their growth cap. She would have to cultivate new Monarch-level angels again. Being tricked by Drake and Alex had reset her experience points and cost her two Monarch-level angels, which was unacceptable. "Undead Lord!" Of course, there was another difference: Raphaela had to guard against the Angel race, while Alex didn''t need to worry about the undead race. On her way back to the city, Alex briefly explained the situation to Lilith and Satan. Both were particularly interested, as angels were their mortal enemies. Satan: "Next time, take me with you. I want to beat up some angels." Lilith: "We need to find a way to eliminate this threat completely. I''ll focus on locating Stone Pillar Mountain." Alex: "Alright." After two hours of flying, Alex finally arrived at Grimstone. As soon as she landed, Xiao Hui eagerly asked, "Miss Alex, did you take her down?" "Piece of cake. She had leveled up quickly to lv3, but now she''s back to lv1," Alex replied. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having flown for two hours, Alex''s Mana Points were depleted. With undead guarding Grimstone, she decided to stay in Undead City for the rest of the week. The timing was unfortunate, as the Soul Hunter event made it impossible to act. "Let''s all head back. We''ll stay in Undead City for the next few days. With Arthur and Riven here, Grimstone should be fine. The main goal is to rack up points." The four of them returned to the city, hoping their presence would attract more Soul Hunters. Currently, Light Alliance had 12 points, Justice Alliance had 9 points, and even the third-place Mythril Alliance had 5 points. Three days had passed, and the gap hadn''t widened. Alex hated events that relied partly on luck. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] That evening, the four of them had dinner together, but no Soul Hunters showed up. A dark elf seemed to receive a message from the undead outside and approached Alex. "Master, the Arctic Tigerfolk of Frostwind Snowy Mountain have all retreated," the dark elf reported softly. Alex was surprised. She hadn''t been monitoring them; some passing undead had noticed by chance. "Which direction did they go?" "North," the dark elf replied, making Alex realize Ruby might be leading her people back to the far north. In such a hurry to return? ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Alex hoped Ruby had a plan. With only Monarch-level strength, overthrowing the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe was nearly impossible. Alex had thought Ruby would at least train to King level before returning. She hadn''t expected her to be in such a rush. "Alright, I understand. Tell the undead to keep an eye on the snowy mountain and report if they return." Though she said this, Alex doubted Ruby would come back. "Yes, Master," the dark elf said, leaving to relay the orders to the undead. Alex changed her clothes, washed up, and went to bed early. Meanwhile, in Whispering Meadows, a handsome blond man was leisurely walking towards the hobgoblin kingdom. "The hobgoblin kingdom has been destroyed?" Arriving at the hobgoblin royal city, he found it nearly deserted, with only a few ragged civilians remaining. Disgusted, the man walked through the streets, unable to tolerate the stench and complaining incessantly. "Why bother with such disgusting creatures?" After wandering around and finding nothing, he decided to question a hobgoblin. "Hey, what happened here? Where''s the royal family?" he asked, kicking a hobgoblin. "Sir, the royal city moved months ago, leaving us to fend for ourselves," the hobgoblin replied, trembling. "Where did they go?" "To the lake on the plains, I heard." The blond man kicked the hobgoblin again and walked away, thinking. "Damn it, couldn''t you just say you didn''t know? Then I could have gone back and reported." Before coming, he had studied the map. The only lake in Whispering Meadows was the one he knew of. It seemed the real hobgoblin royal city was hidden there. Soon, he arrived at the lake, pondering the strange sight before him. The lake clearly didn''t match the surrounding environment. He stepped forward, surprised to find his boots sinking into the water. In the dim light, he couldn''t see the details. A holy light appeared in his hand, revealing a magic circle on the lake''s surface. "So that''s it." He examined the magic circle and found the breach Xiao Mu and the others had made. To avoid alerting anyone, he chose to enter through the same gap. Inside the basin, the sight made his face change. He immediately noticed the massive undead fortress. "What is that? Why is there an undead presence?" The blond man also saw the hobgoblin royal city in the distance, sparsely populated and poorly defended. A huge undead fortress stood opposite the hobgoblin royal city, which had no defenses. The man smiled, not wanting to alert anyone. He quietly retraced his steps. "Great, if the hobgoblin kingdom is in disarray, my mission is complete. Let them handle the rest." Chapter 238: Could it be a coincidence? [Night retreats, dawn arrives]South of Emerald Hills, deep into the Arsen continent. Here lies a massive and filthy city, surrounded by countless towers and camps. Whether on the tall walls or outside the city, burly orcs patrol everywhere. These orcs are different from those in the small camps of Emerald Hills. They wear heavy armor and are equipped with various weapons. Their faces are fierce, and they maintain strict discipline, ensuring the city''s security. This is Bloodrock City, the power center of the entire Orc Empire and the gathering place of the orc Bloodrock royal family camp. They named the city after their camp, showcasing their dominance. Before the Orc Empire was established, it was a chaotic period of camps fighting each other. Bloodrock camp eventually unified all the camps and founded the Empire. However, they retained the camp tradition. Although it appears to be a centralized Empire, each camp still fights independently, only restrained by Bloodrock camp''s strength. If Bloodrock camp ever shows weakness, the other camps will unite to overthrow its rule. Thus, internal strife is severe within the Orc Empire, with constant battles for dominance. Despite being a chaotic and uncivilized nation, Bloodrock City currently hosts several human guests. They wear bright silver-white armor, their eyes filled with disdain as they stand in the orc palace, refusing to sit. "Honorable Orc King, I am Gawain, representing the Holy Court to negotiate with Your Majesty," Gawain said, bowing slightly to show respect. The Orc King sat on the throne, his large yellow teeth exposed. He glared at the humans with undisguised hatred. He despised humans and had no intention of cooperating with them. Humans were deceitful and cunning, like detestable insects. "I have nothing to discuss with humans. Please leave!" the Orc King said bluntly, feeling he had already shown them enough respect by allowing them into the city. A knight behind Gawain was instantly enraged by the Orc King''s attitude. "Gawain, you''re a fool for trying to reason with these brainless creatures." "No, this is my knightly duty, Tristan. You seem more like a raging bull than a knight," Gawain replied, drawing his weapon and glaring at the Orc King, clearly ready to fight. "Orc King, I think you misunderstand. We''re here to inform you, not to negotiate!" Gawain declared. The atmosphere grew tense as many burly orc warriors flooded into the palace to protect their king. The Orc King reached for his giant axe, but the palace was suddenly bathed in golden light. Boom! A massive explosion reduced the palace to rubble. The Orc King remained in his previous stance, but his hand no longer dared to reach for his weapon. A sword was pressed against his throat, wielded by the much smaller Gawain. The surroundings were in ruins, and the orc warriors who had rushed to protect their king were all instantly killed. Hearing the explosion, Bloodrock City''s warriors rushed to the palace, but they only dared to surround the templar knights from a distance, not daring to approach. The Orc King''s pupils contracted. This human''s strength far surpassed his own. He was no match. To his surprise, Gawain withdrew his weapon and stepped back. "Orc King, shall we discuss the cooperation between the orcs and the Holy Court now?" "Speak. What does the Holy Court want?" the Orc King asked, setting aside his pride. "You will become vassals of the angel race," Gawain said calmly. The Orc King was instantly furious, unable to believe his ears. "Orcs will never be slaves! You''re dreaming!" Gawain wasn''t surprised by the Orc King''s response. He had expected it. "After hundreds of years, it seems the Orc Empire''s royal family needs a change." "Disgusting creature, we''re offering you a chance to submit. Even without the angel race''s leader, we could destroy Bloodrock City ourselves," Tristan snarled, unleashing a terrifying aura equal to Gawain''s. All five templar knights present were King level, each stronger than the Orc King. The defiant Orc King finally realized the power gap, feeling a sense of helplessness. Five King levels¡ªhis entire Bloodrock camp couldn''t match them. "Even if I agree, the other camps won''t necessarily follow." The Orc King''s tone softened. He didn''t want to lose his royal position and knew that if his camp refused, other camps would agree. "No problem. Just summon the other camp leaders to the royal city. We''ll handle the rest. Surely you have that authority?" Gawain said with a smile. "Fine," the Orc King reluctantly agreed. "Then I wish you a successful cooperation with the Holy Court," Gawain said, bowing slightly before leaving the ruined palace with the other knights. The terrified orcs made way for the five knights. Once they were gone, the Orc King slumped in his chair, drenched in cold sweat. "Summon the camp leaders to the royal city for a council. Tell them the Hundred Tribes Sacrifice is being held early." ... Meanwhile, at the Xiao siblings'' castle in Emerald Hills. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Leader, we''ve found orc camps to the north and south," an Ethereal Wraith reported to Arthas. "Good. We''ll split into two groups and take down both camps." The four Race Kings quickly gathered all the undead and, led by the Ethereal Wraith, split into two groups to attack the camps. Arthas and Crane led one group, taking most of the Monarch levels. Azure and John led the other, with the lv6 lich for added security. ... In Undead City, Alex had encountered another lv2 Monarch level Soul Hunter that morning, easily defeating it and gaining 2 points. The Xiao siblings and Sophie were leisurely having breakfast, while Alex, as usual, chose not to eat. After summoning troops, she watched the Silverscale Leviathan load undead. Suddenly, an orange-red light flashed, and Alex looked towards the Portal of Transit. "Who''s here?" Alex saw Lilith, in a black dress, elegantly emerge from the portal, followed by two fallen angels and a group of dark elves. Alex smiled, realizing Lilith had brought her servants. But she was curious¡ªLilith wouldn''t come personally just for this. As Lilith stepped into Undead City, she wasn''t surprised, only curious about the large city. To her, Alex upgrading to a city was expected. "Alex, I''ve basically taken control of the forest elves kingdom. These dark elves were captured during that time. Knowing you like them, I brought them for you," Lilith said with a smile. Alex welcomed her, leading her into the palace. Inside, they sat facing each other. Although their development was on track, leaving them some free time, Lilith''s visit surely had a purpose. "I was close to fully controlling the forest elves kingdom, but the elves seem to have internal issues. The light elf king, storm elf king, and dark elf king have summoned all the elves for a major discussion. The forest elves kingdom is too low in status to get any information. If I act now, it will attract attention from other elf races," Lilith explained, frustrated by the sudden change among the elves. Her town was already lv9, but the forest elves kingdom lacked building materials, preventing her from upgrading to a city. "These elves have always been full of conflicts. It''s strange for them to suddenly gather," Alex said, puzzled. The elves were stronger than the orcs, making Lilith cautious. "Are they unifying?" Alex could only think of this possibility. "Unlikely. They''ve ruled separately for thousands of years. They won''t change easily," Lilith said, shaking her head. She then spoke seriously. "I can''t let this delay my development. Alex, I might need your help." "No problem, happy to help," Alex agreed readily, owing Lilith a favor. "One more thing. I heard from the forest elves kingdom that the Holy Court has been very active lately. Be careful." The Holy Court was a vast force, spanning seven continents, far more threatening than the elves or orcs. Lilith''s warning was well-intentioned. If the Holy Court discovered their cities, it would be trouble. "Got it. I''ll be careful." After chatting a bit more, Lilith left. Alex watched her disappear into the Portal of Transit. Xiao Hui and the others approached. "Miss Alex, she''s so beautiful," Xiao Hui said. "Yes, she is. She came to ask for help. She''s facing some trouble," Alex explained. The lack of nearby forces was a disadvantage. Changes among the elves directly affected her development. Before leaving, Lilith had asked Alex to find a Lord on Eldoria for her. Alex understood her intention. Lilith wanted the Lord to submit, using the Portal of Transit to expand her influence to Eldoria. Her current situation was too limiting, so she needed other ways to grow. She likely asked Satan the same. Alex could help, but she had already explained her situation to Lilith. Finding a Lord at this stage was unlikely. Alex herself was expanding northward. Where would she find a Lord for Lilith? But there was a possibility¡ªDrake. He was a good candidate, but Alex didn''t want to reveal him yet. Drake could be a mobile Lord. The Desolate Mountains were too poor; Alex didn''t plan to keep him there. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As evening approached, Eldoria was already dark. Arthas returned to Undead City with the undead, carrying a large amount of resources. "Looks like they took down another orc camp," Alex said happily. "Esteemed Queen, we destroyed two orc camps. One in the south was stronger, but the leader was absent, so we easily took it down. Azure also gathered some information from the other camp," Arthas reported. "Esteemed Queen, the orc leaders have been summoned by the Orc Empire. The camp I attacked was remote and had just received the message, so they hadn''t left yet," Azure added. Alex pondered their reports. Although they had successfully attacked both camps simultaneously, their actions would surely attract the attention of the Orc Empire. Their operation had been exposed. Would the Orc Empire retaliate? That could be troublesome. Alex didn''t know the Orc Empire''s governance, but Lilith had mentioned similar events in the elf kingdom. Could it be a coincidence? Chapter 239: lets launch a full-scale attack on the Orc Empire The elf kings'' gathering and the orc camp leaders'' summoning¡ªwas there a connection? Lilith had said the templar knights were active on Arsen. Could they be involved?"Forget it, no point in overthinking it. That''s Arsen''s problem, not Eldoria''s," Alex said, shaking her head and quickly shifting her focus to the more pressing matter of handling the resources. They had eliminated two camps, gaining fourteen Monarch-level corpses in total. One of the camps had nine Monarch levels. If it weren''t for Alex, any other Lord would have struggled against such a force. Although there were many Monarch-level corpses, the highest was only a lv6 Monarch level. They had also lost four Monarch-level undead in the battles. Unfortunately, Arthas hadn''t reached King level, so he couldn''t revive them. Moreover, Arthas''s resurrection skill consumed a lot of mana and caused a brief period of weakness, preventing frequent use. On the bright side, Azure had successfully advanced to lv2 Monarch level, and Arthas had reached lv3 Monarch level. The other Race Kings remained at their current levels. The number of ordinary undead had increased by 30,000, bringing the total undead army close to 200,000. Alex eagerly anticipated the day they would all mobilize again. "Since being discovered is inevitable, let''s launch a full-scale attack on the Orc Empire!" Alex declared. She had previously refrained from upgrading the siblings'' town as a fallback plan. But now, thinking back, she felt guilty for those undead who called her "Esteemed Queen" with every breath. As undead, there''s no need to always be on the defensive. They must take the initiative and use their numbers to gain an absolute advantage. Conquering these orc camps would bring in a wealth of resources. The only unchanging eternal truth was that strength mattered above all. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As night fell, Alex stood on the palace steps, looking down at the four Race Kings with determination in her eyes. "Azure, Crane, John, you three will follow Arthas''s lead and launch a full-scale attack on the Orc Empire starting today!" Alex''s melodious voice echoed outside the palace, and the four Race Kings knelt on one knee, bowing their heads. "At your command, Esteemed Queen!" Alex turned and walked back into the palace. The four Race Kings rose and returned to Emerald Hills. "Sophie, after this week, regardless of the progress in the dwarf kingdom, sign contracts with the powerful dwarves and level up quickly. Although you''re in charge of logistics, I only allow you to be ten levels below me. I don''t want to see another situation like Chi-Chi''s." Alex suddenly addressed Sophie as she entered the palace, catching her off guard. "Yes, Big Shot, I''ll do my best," Sophie replied, determined. Xiao Hui looked at Alex expectantly, hoping for a goal as well, but Alex said nothing. Currently, the siblings'' growth rate was not slow; they were already stronger than most Lords. Alex''s requirement for them was simple: they must not be surpassed by the six Race Kings. As for their potential, Alex didn''t know. Not every Lord could reach Sovereign level, let alone Divine. However, Alex would find ways to help them improve. Humans are social creatures. If there were no living beings in the vast Undead City, spending all her time with undead might eventually affect Alex''s mental state. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "By the way, we have three development routes: Sophie and two Race Kings will handle the dwarf kingdom, the four Race Kings will take on the Orc Empire, and you two will continue developing with me in Eldoria," Alex said seriously. "What about the dragon Lord?" Xiao Hui asked, eyes wide. "Emm... I haven''t decided yet," Alex replied, scratching her chin. Alex had some ideas but wasn''t ready to share them yet. She sat down on a chair and opened the system dashboard. The resources from the two orc camps were substantial but still insufficient for her Undead City. However, they were more than enough to upgrade the siblings'' town to a city. Upgrading a town to a city required fewer resources. But the siblings'' towns were too close. Expanding one would destroy the other. "Miss Alex, upgrade my brother''s town. Mine is useless anyway; it''s more comfortable living in the palace," Xiao Hui suggested. "No, upgrade Xiao Hui''s town. Her dark attribute will benefit the undead when her town becomes a city. It won''t have negative effects," Xiao Mu countered. Alex hadn''t considered this. Xiao Mu''s point was valid. Upgrading his town might introduce light elements harmful to the undead. Even Xiao Hui agreed with her brother''s reasoning. With that settled, Alex began upgrading Xiao Hui''s town. Only as a city would it have the features necessary for undead warfare. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex upgraded Xiao Hui''s town to lv9. When she clicked to upgrade it to a city, a system prompt appeared. [Upgrading [Phoenixcrest] town to a city will destroy [Dragonridge] town. Continue?] [Note: Two closely located towns can merge into one city (requires both towns to be max level).] "Huh?" Both siblings and Alex were surprised. They hadn''t known this was possible. "Looks like we don''t have to sacrifice a town," Alex said with a smile. However, merging the towns would consume more resources. Alex suspected the resulting city would be grander than a typical lv1 city. Alex canceled the upgrade and began upgrading Xiao Mu''s town. Soon, both towns were max level, consuming nearly half the warehouse resources. [Merge the two towns into a city?] Alex clicked yes. The system prompt disappeared, indicating the towns were merging into a city. But since they were in Undead City, they couldn''t witness the city''s birth. "We''ll check it out tomorrow. It''s too late now," Alex said. Xiao Hui, though excited, had to agree. Nighttime visibility was poor. "Alright, everyone, get some rest," Alex said, heading upstairs. The others returned to their quarters. Back in her castle, Sophie sighed. "When will my town become a city?" Sophie realized she must also work hard to improve her own strength. Chapter 240: Is this a new race king? [Night retreats, dawn arrives]Time: 06:00 AM As dawn broke, Alex wanted to sleep a bit longer, but Xiao Hui was already eagerly heading to their new city to check it out. The moment Xiao Hui stepped out of the Portal of Transit palace, she was astonished, marveling at the system''s power. The first thing she saw were two towering palaces on either side of her. These palaces were incredibly tall, like two high towers, with completely opposite styles. The palace on the left had warm yellow walls, emitting a faint golden glow, with a giant Light Phoenix statue perched on top. The palace on the right had eerie black walls covered in strange patterns, with a dark Jiao dragon coiling up to the highest point, its head at the top, eyes glowing red. The two original Portals of Transit had merged into one, situated between the two palaces. Xiao Hui flew into the sky and saw that the city''s area was enormous, almost as large as the current Undead City, which was a level 3 city. Apart from the two palaces and necessary buildings, the city was still quite empty, with only the tall outer walls. Additionally, many of Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu''s similar structures had merged. For example, they both had basic shields. Originally, there were two Commanding level shields, but after merging, there was one Monarch level shield. Despite the city''s emptiness, it wasn''t desolate, as there were many undead on standby. Xiao Hui carefully checked her system mail. Besides necessary notifications, she and Xiao Mu each received a random special structure blueprint. The sudden appearance of a city was hard to ignore. The orcs, puzzled by the sudden destruction of several camps, had already sent scouts to investigate. When the orc scouts arrived, they were shocked to find a city! The orc scouts hurriedly rode their wolves back to the camp to report this news to their leader. Xiao Hui, still excited, continued exploring their city. Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex had just woken up. "My experience points are almost full. I''ll level up soon," Alex thought, as she skillfully put on her panties and bra, then sat on the edge of the bed, still a bit groggy. "Right, I forgot to check their city''s information yesterday. I wonder what special features the merged city has." Alex opened the system dashboard to check the city''s information. [City Name: Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao City (can be renamed)] [City Level: lv1] [Health Points: 1 million] [City Territory: 150 square miles] [Buildings: Energy Cannon, Dark Pool, Defense Tower, Wall, Fusion Shield, Portal of Transit.] [Upgrade Requirements: 1 million wood, 2 million stone, 500k iron ingots.] sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Note: Some special buildings in the city can receive double effects and bonuses.] As a level 1 city, its size was indeed impressive, and the resource consumption was higher. Alex checked the special buildings in the city and found that most could be enhanced. For example, the Defense Tower''s number hadn''t increased, but its power had. "This name is too long. It definitely needs renaming." Alex dressed and left her bedroom, planning to ask the siblings. Alex is a Gemini, and since Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui are twins, why not call it Gemini City? [By the way, what are everyone''s zodiac signs? :)] Soon, Alex found Xiao Mu in Undead City, but Xiao Hui was nowhere to be seen. Knowing his sister well, Xiao Mu immediately knew where she had gone. Alex shared her idea with Xiao Mu. "I have no problem with it. A name is just a label. It''s more convenient for future reference. The name doesn''t really matter," Xiao Mu said without much thought. He didn''t see the need to ponder over it, as naming things could be a hassle. "By the way, did you receive any special notifications?" ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Alex almost forgot to ask. When she upgraded Undead City, she received the undead fortress and the conditions for establishing a kingdom. She wondered what they had received. Xiao Mu shook his head and handed Alex a special structure blueprint. "Nothing special, just this." Alex took the blueprint and examined it, her expression turning curious. "A steam room?" Xiao Mu shrugged helplessly. "The blueprint is random. I don''t know why I got something like this." A steam room was a combination of a gym and a bathhouse. It cost 1 magic crystal to build and had limited effects, granting 1 experience point per hour spent inside. Though not powerful, Alex liked it. She wouldn''t have to take cold showers every day. Back to the main topic, it made sense that Xiao Mu didn''t receive a kingdom establishment prompt. Since they had submitted to Alex, they couldn''t establish a kingdom. This also confirmed that the undead fortress was Alex''s special reward. It was possible the system saw them as a unit, hence only one teleportation building was awarded. While Alex and Xiao Mu chatted, Xiao Hui finally returned. "Hahaha!" Hearing that Xiao Mu''s special building was a steam room, Xiao Hui boasted, "My special building is a super-strong defense tower covering the entire city. It''s a hundred times better than yours!" Xiao Mu could only shrug, but he could sense that Alex seemed to really like the steam room. "By the way, Xiao Hui, the city can be renamed. How about calling it Gemini City?" Alex suggested. "Great! I''m all for Gemini City. Brother, what''s your zodiac sign?" Xiao Mu: ??? Alex: ??? Xiao Hui looked at Xiao Mu in confusion, only to find both he and Alex staring at her like she was a fool. "Huh?" In the end, the city was named [Gemini City], and the steam room was built in Undead City. Hearing Xiao Hui''s exaggerated description, Xiao Mu became curious about the city and let Xiao Hui drag him to Emerald Hills. Alex had another theory. Perhaps Gemini City, once maxed out, would be truly maxed out and unable to advance further. But Undead City could still advance after reaching max level. "Soon, I''ll help upgrade Sophie''s castle to a city. She was the first to follow me." Alex then went to the Barracks to summon today''s troops. This time, before starting, Alex squeezed her breasts, hoping it would bring her more luck. The Barracks emitted a faint glow, but nothing miraculous happened. Feeling a bit disappointed, Alex was about to leave when she sensed a large concentration of death energy behind her. As an undead queen, she was highly sensitive to such things. "What''s happening?" Alex stopped and turned around. The Barracks summoned fifty undead each time, plus twenty-one special units, totaling seventy-one undead. Scanning the area, Alex spotted a unique figure among them. It was a humanoid undead entirely composed of black death energy, wearing a black robe. It had no arms or legs, with black death energy billowing from the bottom, causing it to hover above the ground. Unlike liches, necromancers, or Reaper Guards, whose hoods revealed glowing eyes, this undead''s hood was a pitch-black abyss, devoid of any features. The sight was so strange that even Alex found it unsettling. She had never seen an undead entirely made of death energy. It hadn''t spoken yet, so its intelligence was unknown, but it was clearly unable to communicate. "Is this a new Race King?" Chapter 241: Death Spirit Alex opened its information to check.[Death Spirit (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding Level] [Level: lv1 (Can level up by killing or absorbing death energy)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 200] [Soul: 50] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 25] [Growth Cap: Divine Level] [Skills: Death Energy Clone, Teleportation, Undead Summoning, Death Spirit Possession.] Seeing the name and growth cap, Alex knew it was a Race King, but the system didn''t specify what kind of king it was. And since it couldn''t speak, naming it seemed pointless. "From now on, you''ll be called Death Spirit," Alex said, keeping the original name. To her surprise, the Death Spirit suddenly turned into black mist and flowed into a nearby Ghoul. The Ghoul was instantly filled with death energy, becoming eerie. Its attributes increased, jumping from lv1 Commanding to lv3 Commanding. The Ghoul knelt on one knee. "Esteemed Queen, your most loyal apostle greets you. Thank you for the name," it said. Alex was taken aback. It could speak after all. A Race King with a Divine level cap that couldn''t speak would indeed be too lowly. The Death Spirit had many skills and a unique leveling method. Its special abilities made Alex quite pleased. After reviewing the Death Spirit''s four skills, Alex had one thought: Sweet! The Death Spirit was more of a support unit. None of its skills were direct damage abilities; they all had other uses. First, its leveling method allowed it to absorb death energy to level up. On the battlefield, there was plenty of death energy, which could be as effective as killing enemies for experience points. Experience points were shared among all undead, but death energy could only be absorbed by the Death Spirit. Death Energy Clone: It can create countless clones. The more clones, the weaker the main body. These clones can''t attack but can absorb death energy. The main body and clones can switch places. Teleportation: It can teleport to any undead marked by the Death Spirit (clones excluded) and can also teleport to Alex''s side, similar to the Reaper Guards. Undead Summoning: Similar to Alex''s summoning magic but stronger than a regular necromancer. The Death Spirit can summon undead of its level. If it reaches Monarch level, it can summon Monarch-level corpses even without Alex present. However, it can''t summon higher-level corpses. The hierarchy of Undead Summoning Magic is: Alex > Death Spirit > Necromancer > Other Race Kings. The Death Spirit had already demonstrated its possession ability. It could merge with other undead to enhance them. Below Race King level, the Death Spirit was dominant. At Race King level, the host was dominant. The Death Spirit could also possess enemies, its only offensive skill. Even speaking required possession, making it a complete support unit. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Currently, the Death Spirit was only Commanding level. Its clones could only absorb death energy, but Alex believed it would show more impressive abilities at Monarch level. Alex was very satisfied with the Death Spirit''s abilities, which filled some gaps in the undead''s capabilities. She immediately sent the Death Spirit''s clones to the dwarf and orc battlefields. Though a support unit, Alex believed it would level up the fastest. In high spirits, Alex left the Barracks. The hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks had developed new weapons, which Alex had the undead transport to Gemini City to bolster its defenses. As for Alex''s side, she didn''t need those weapons. If the undead couldn''t stop an enemy, those weapons wouldn''t help either. The focus was now on researching feature-based or support equipment. With the siblings'' castle upgraded to a city, there was no need to build more undead fortresses. The Portal of Transit had expanded to accommodate the Silverscale Leviathan. The Silverscale Leviathans, hovering above Undead City, were like small, mobile undead fortresses. Alex immediately dispatched two fully loaded Silverscale Leviathans to Gemini City to support Arthas. On the other side of the Arsen continent, in the dwarf kingdom. With Alex''s order for a full-scale attack, Durin chose not to attack the Stoneforge Clan to the west but instead headed north, planning to swiftly capture the undefended Hardbeard Clan. The undead army continued north, with Arthur and Riven leading the undead in two directions, accelerating the attack. They planned to capture all the Hardbeard Clan''s cities in a day. Durin''s task was easier, focusing on calming the populace and executing those who resisted. An hour north, Durin led the dwarf cavalry to a city in the mountains, on the edge of the Desolate Mountains. This city, Anvilheim, was in chaos, with smoke rising and ruins everywhere. Buildings had collapsed, and the streets were littered with dwarf corpses, blood staining the ground. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Flames burned the bodies, filling the air with the smell of cooked meat. The panicked civilians desperately tried to extinguish the fires. Arthur had launched an aerial assault on Anvilheim, leaving the gates closed, trapping the civilians inside. They screamed and cried, trying to escape, but the water they used to fight the fire was insufficient. A dwarf, despairing, dropped his bucket and sat down, seemingly waiting for death. This was the reality of war; civilians always suffered the most. Durin arrived to change that. Though harsh, he knew that saving the desperate civilians would make them willingly submit. Boom! Durin smashed the gate open with a hammer, and flying dwarf knights descended from above while Durin led the ground troops through the gate. The civilians saw hope and rushed to the gate, but the knights held them back. Armored Durin entered, swinging his hammer to create a massive whirlwind that extinguished the flames. Putting out the fires was effortless for a Monarch level. Durin quickly extinguished the fires and, guided by the knights, gathered the civilians. Durin''s speech was more effective than expected. To the civilians, all nobles were the same, offering no rights during war. Now, a rebel army promised peace, telling them they had to fight for it themselves. The civilians were stirred. They had been oppressed all their lives but now wanted to fight for their descendants'' future. Anvilheim''s civilians quickly submitted. Durin didn''t linger and moved on to the next city. He couldn''t waste time, as Arthur and Riven''s assault was swift. If he arrived late, there might be no dwarf survivors, only countless undead rising from the corpses. Chapter 242: Unexpected visitors At that moment, in another city, alarms blared throughout, and the dwarves on the walls were thrown into panic at the sight of the massive ghost dragons sweeping in like a dark tide."What are those things?!" The city ruler''s face was grim. Most of the city''s troops had been sent to the front lines to fight the Ironfist royal family, leaving the city defenseless. Watching the sky fill with ghost dragons¡ªat least a thousand of them¡ªwhile the city had only three thousand defenders, he felt a deep sense of dread. "Alert! Alert! We''re under attack!" They never expected their city, near the Desolate Mountains and on the kingdom''s border, to be attacked by such creatures. Even the city ruler had never heard of these beings and had no idea what they were. Boom! At that moment, several blue beams struck the city, shattering the shield in an instant. The city ruler was shocked but powerless to stop it. Countless ghost dragons flew over the city like bombers, emitting eerie beams that obliterated everything. In just a moment, the dwarves suffered heavy losses. They manned the giant cannons on the walls, aiming at the ghost dragons, but the shells passed right through the enemies'' bodies without causing any harm. It was then that the dwarves realized these enemies had no physical form! The city ruler was terrified. These creatures were too bizarre. Ordinary dwarf warriors had few means to fight airborne enemies, relying mostly on the city''s defenses. But against these intangible beings, how could they defend? The experienced city ruler thought of using soul attacks, as physical strikes were ineffective. But the attack was so sudden, they were unprepared. At that moment, the city ruler noticed a black figure standing still in the city. Black mist drifted from the dwarf corpses, slowly converging on the black figure, whose surrounding black fog seemed to thicken. The Death Spirit''s level was rapidly increasing. ... The battle was brief. Riven, leading the ghost dragons, swept through the city. Unlike the city Arthur had attacked, this one showed almost no signs of warfare. Only the scattered dwarf corpses indicated that something eerie had happened here. As the strongest member of the Hardbeard clan, the Hardbeard chieftain was not in his clan''s territory. These city rulers were all below Lv 3 Monarch, no match for the undead. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell, and the undead army had captured all eight cities in the Hardbeard clan''s territory. The Hardbeard clan was on the brink of annihilation. Arthur, Riven, and all the undead were stationed in the Hardbeard main city, waiting for the Hardbeard chieftain to return with his people. When the Hardbeard chieftain discovered his cities had been taken over by the undead, he would surely go mad. .... [Night retreats, dawn arrives] "It''s already the sixth day." Time: 7:30 AM Alex was awake but hadn''t gotten out of bed. She was checking the leaderboard. Raphaela''s Alliance was now 6 points behind Alex''s. Alex had gained a small advantage. Unless Raphaela could kill a lv6 Soul Hunter, she wouldn''t catch up. But thinking about it, Alex shook her head and smiled. A lv6 Monarch could probably wipe out the entire Justice Alliance at this stage. It was almost impossible for the Justice Alliance to overtake them. Alex went to the bathroom to wash up, then put on her shoes and tied her hair before leaving her bedroom. After summoning her troops, Alex received a message from Drake. Her first thought was: Drake finally got the Race''s Tear. It had been six days since the start, and the leaderboard would end the day after tomorrow. As a top Lord, failing to conquer a weak race would be disgraceful. Drake: "I''ve done it. Can I earn your approval now?" Alex: "Well done!" Drake immediately sent the Race''s Tear to Alex. "Two of them?" Alex was surprised. She had been about to criticize him for taking six days to conquer a small race, but two made sense. Alex: "You managed to conquer both races?" Drake: "Otherwise, wouldn''t I look useless?" Alex: "True." Drake: "......" Alex took out her Kingdom''s Tear and touched it to the two Race''s Tears. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 4/100] Meanwhile, in the Desolate Mountains, Drake looked at the chat log, feeling both speechless and proud. From Alex''s words, it was clear she hadn''t expected him to get two Race''s Tears. This wasn''t just to prove himself to Alex but to show his determination. There were only two races here. After conquering them, he gave both Race''s Tears to Alex. He could have kept one for himself but chose not to. Upon touching the Race''s Tear, Drake guessed its use. But since his town hadn''t upgraded to a city and he didn''t have a Kingdom''s Tear, the system gave him little information. But it was clear this item was crucial for Lords. Conquering a race to obtain a Race''s Tear and upgrading a town to a higher level might signal the start of the All-Races Battle Royale. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Alex: "Keep the resources and equipment from these races for yourself." ??? Drake was stunned, almost unable to believe Alex''s message. She didn''t want the resources? She was giving them to him? Drake: "Why leave these resources to me?" Alex: "They''re too poor, and so are you. Consider it charity." Drake was stunned, feeling as if several daggers had pierced his heart. This was... S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he also felt a bit touched. Without comparison, there was no harm. Compared to the selfish Raphaela, Alex was like a benevolent goddess. Though Alex didn''t say it outright, this meant she had accepted Drake. Drake immediately sent a Submission request to Alex. [Your Submission request has been rejected!] Alex: "What are you doing? I don''t need your Submission. First, find a way to leave there. It''s best if you can leave the Arsen continent altogether." So she wanted him to move first. Drake realized. Drake: "Got it. You''re thorough as always. I was too hasty." Alex: "???" Drake: "By the way, what''s above a town?" Alex: "A city." Drake looked at the two words on the system screen, deep in thought, refining his theories. In her palace, Alex was also a bit exasperated. She always felt like she and Drake were on different wavelengths. ... At that moment, an alchemy warlock slowly approached the palace, coming before Alex. "Esteemed Queen, the improved Return Stone has been completed. Please take a look." The alchemy warlock bowed, holding the Return Stone with both hands. Alex took it and examined it closely, finding it not much different from before. The only difference was that it could now set coordinates, not just teleport back to the city but also to specific points. "The feature is more refined. Well done, a definite improvement." Alex was impressed by the hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks'' research speed. "Thank you, Esteemed Queen. It is our honor to serve you." The alchemy warlock bowed and left the palace. Alex studied the Return Stone in her hand. With current technology, it could only teleport one person at a time. Setting coordinates could save travel time, but it had no other special uses. Alex then thought about the dwarf artisans in Sophie''s town. Their role seemed less important now, as resource acquisition no longer relied on the trading post. The Commanding level equipment they forged was almost useless. With the undead joining, Alex believed they could soon conquer the dwarf kingdom. The dwarf artisans could be moved to Undead City to collaborate with the alchemy warlocks and hobgoblins on new inventions. Sophie could oversee this, so she wouldn''t have to stay alone in the White Rock Mountains. After handling these matters, Alex went to the steam room for a bath. Meanwhile, in Whispering Meadows, the hobgoblin kingdom received unexpected visitors. Outside the lake, a group of knights in silver armor gathered. "This is the place, right?" The blond knight in the lead asked the person beside him. "Yes, there''s an undead presence below. The hobgoblin kingdom has likely become slaves to the undead." Another knight responded casually. "Why not just integrate this undead force?" One of the knights behind them voiced his confusion. Other forces were usually integrated, but the Holy Court had sent them to eliminate the undead. Their attitude was firm, leaving no room for the undead. "Watch your words. The leaders despise the undead. Even a weak skeleton must be destroyed." The blond knight leader warned, telling them to follow orders and not seek to understand too much. "Prepare to enter!" At the leader''s command, all the knights donned their helmets, drew their swords and shields, and readied for battle. A golden slash cut through the barrier, creating an opening. They all leaped through. Thud! Thud! Their armored bodies landed heavily, making a dull sound, not far from the undead fortress. "There really are undead here!" The knights behind saw the massive fortress, half the size of a small city, and were astonished. The fortress exuded a strong undead aura, making them highly alert. Only the blond leader frowned slightly. Such a large undead fortress likely housed tens of thousands of undead. The undead had formed an army, with different undead units even coordinating. This was going to be tricky. Chapter 243: These undead were far more powerful than he had imagined The Holy Court is currently short on manpower, and each force they dispatch is just enough to overpower the opposition. They wouldn''t send a King level warrior to deal with a force that only has Monarch levels¡ªit''s overkill and they simply don''t have the numbers.Thus, the Holy Court sent Sir Roland and his men to the hobgoblin kingdom. Most of them were Monarch level, with a few Commanding level apprentice knights, but they were more than enough to handle the hobgoblin kingdom. "Edwin, gather intelligence. The rest of you, attack!" Roland ordered immediately. They had no reason to hide; the moment they landed, the undead in the fortress had already noticed them. Rumble! The ground began to shake, and a massive magic circle glowed. Sir Roland then noticed a buried magic circle not far ahead. A giant skeletal hand burst from the ground, followed by the massive head and body of a colossal skeletal creature. Roar¡ª A deafening roar shook all nearby creatures, even causing the hobgoblins in the royal city to hide in fear. The wind howled, forcing the templar knights to shield their faces. Roland was shocked. He hadn''t expected to find a Monarch level among these undead. He hadn''t seen a Monarch level undead in years and had assumed someone was controlling them. Now it seemed these undead had their own consciousness. With the skeletal creature''s roar, a terrifying beam swept across, and the skeleton descended like a meteor, destroying everything in its path. Just this one colossal skeletal creature could cause such massive destruction. Roland stepped forward, his shield glowing with golden light, blocking the skeletal creature''s beam without flinching. He raised his silver sword, sending a massive golden slash toward the skeletal creature, then charged at it. The skeletal creature was too large, trading agility for destructive power. It couldn''t dodge the golden slash. It could only cross its massive hands to protect its head, where its soul fire resided. Boom! Even the colossal skeletal creature was pushed back, its massive hands severed and falling to the ground. With its hands gone, the skeletal creature''s vision cleared, and it saw Sir Roland leaping higher than itself. Roland gripped his sword with both hands and plunged it downward. The skeletal creature had no time to defend or counterattack. Bang! Roland''s sword pierced the skeletal creature''s head, the powerful golden light penetrating its entire body. The flames in the skeletal creature''s eyes dimmed, and its bones scattered. Roland landed gracefully behind it. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though he had easily dealt with the skeletal creature, Roland didn''t relax. He saw more Monarch level undead emerging from the fortress, engaging the other templar knights. At that moment, the knight named Edwin approached Sir Roland. "Sir, there''s a teleportation array inside the fortress. This isn''t their base!" "What?!" With so many undead here, and this not being their base, where were they coming from? How advanced was their origin? "Edwin, I order you to return to the branch immediately and report this!" "Yes, Sir!" ... Countless undead leaped from the fortress walls, stumbling toward the enemy. Swarms of airborne undead took to the sky. Six turrets and the fortress''s attacks swept the battlefield. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? The undead outnumbered the templar knights a hundred to one, with tens of thousands of undead surrounding them. In contrast, the templar knights numbered only about a hundred, most of them Commanding level. Soon, some Commanding level apprentice knights couldn''t hold out and were slain by the undead. Facing the overwhelming number of undead, Roland expanded his domain, exterminating the ordinary undead around him. He thought, thankfully, they were Holy Court knights; otherwise, they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. He recalled the ancient texts in the Holy Court about the horrors of the undead apocalypse. "No wonder the angels want to exterminate the undead race." Roland muttered to himself, momentarily lost in thought. "Sir, there are too many undead, and there doesn''t seem to be a leader. What should we do?" A knight shouted to Sir Roland. They couldn''t waste their lives fighting these undead without purpose. The knight''s words snapped Roland back to reality. These Monarch level undead had no leader, indicating the one controlling them wasn''t here. "Destroy the fortress and retreat, quickly!" Roland surged forward, heading for the undead fortress. Any undead in his path were obliterated by his domain. The Monarch level undead tried to stop him but were intercepted by other knights, who fought with all their might to clear the way for their leader. Among the templar knights, Roland was the strongest, so the task of destroying the undead fortress fell to him. The undead fortress, being sentient, sensed the approaching threat and focused all its attacks on Roland. But these attacks couldn''t stop Roland. He shattered undead projectiles with his sword and blocked energy blasts from the fortress''s Essence Shard with his shield. He soon reached the fortress. With a single strike, Sir Roland shattered the fortress''s shield. Facing the towering bone wall with no gate, Sir Roland leaped to scale it. At that moment, a white figure appeared on the wall, wielding a massive scythe. Sir Roland quickly raised his shield to defend. Clang! The force knocked Sir Roland back, but he landed steadily, taking a few steps back. He looked at his shield, seeing a long black scratch. Sir Roland looked at the white figure. Alex had jumped down from the fortress, standing opposite him with a massive black and red scythe. Of course, Alex wasn''t alone. As they faced off, dozens of undead flew out of the fortress, all Monarch level. Sir Roland was shocked. The enemy''s numbers were far greater than he had anticipated¡ªthere were over thirty Monarch levels! The Monarch levels quickly spread out, forming a circle to surround the templar knights, preventing their escape. Damn, these undead were far more powerful than he had imagined! Sir Roland gripped his weapon tightly and charged at Alex without hesitation. Though the girl before him was an extraterrestrial visitor, he didn''t know what role she played among the undead. Roland had his suspicions. He thought this girl might be the undead lord, but he quickly dismissed the idea. He believed that no extraterrestrial visitor could have developed to such an extent at this stage. However, given her formidable strength and unique presence, killing her might be the key to breaking the deadlock. Chapter 244: Holy Court Clang! Clang!Alex swung her scythe, clashing with Sir Roland. For a moment, they were evenly matched. With her extensive experience in close combat, Alex''s melee skills had become formidable. The scythe moved fluidly in her hands, a testament to her training. Facing enemies like angels and templar knights, Alex''s dark magic was the perfect test of her strength. If her dark magic could hold its own against their holy light, it meant they were evenly matched. But right now, Alex was at a disadvantage, indicating that Sir Roland''s level was higher than hers. However, under the influence of the scythe, Alex''s attributes were enhanced, and she wasn''t falling behind. After hundreds of exchanges, Sir Roland seemed to gauge Alex''s strength. As time passed, he felt a headache coming on, likely due to the bell on Alex''s scythe. Sir Roland suddenly surged with power, his sword glowing gold. Hundreds of slashes flew toward Alex. She used Dark Barrier to defend but quickly realized her Mana Points were depleting rapidly. She teleported out of the attack range. This played right into Roland''s hands. He raised his sword to the sky, summoning countless golden sword shadows from above¡ªa lower-tier version of the skill used by the angel in the snowy mountains. Alex dodged, but Sir Roland didn''t stay still while casting. He attacked Alex again. Alex couldn''t dodge and fight simultaneously, so she activated Dark Barrier Possession and engaged Sir Roland once more. The golden sword shadows drained her Mana Points when they hit her, but they also struck Sir Roland, who absorbed the attacks to strengthen his next strike. Alex soon found herself at a disadvantage in close combat. Templar knights were melee specialists, and with Sir Roland''s higher level, it was impressive that she could hold her own. Several golden slashes tore through the ground, forcing Alex back. Her right eye began to glow purple. Alex''s toes pointed downward as her body floated up. Her white hair billowed behind her, and her right eye emitted a purple glow, surrounded by arcs of electricity. Crackle¡ª Holding her scythe, Alex was enveloped by thunderclouds, darkening the surroundings. Lightning flashed around her, and bolts struck the ground. Sir Roland frowned, realizing the girl could use magic. But before he could react, Alex vanished from the sky. His pupils contracted, sensing imminent danger. He quickly raised his sword and shield above his head to defend. Boom! A violent purple slash struck, creating a crater in the ground. The purple lightning struck Roland, tearing through the ground like a giant claw and even destroying the wall on the opposite side of the basin. "High-level... magic!" Thud! Sir Roland fell to his knees, his sword and shield shattered, his armor covered in purple cracks. "Leader!" The other templar knights couldn''t believe their eyes. Their leader had been defeated by an extraterrestrial visitor. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv8 templar knight, earning 800 experience points.] Alex''s hair slowly fell back into place, her eyes returning to their normal color. The arcs of electricity disappeared as she landed steadily, looking at the fallen templar knight. "Leave two alive. Kill the rest!" Among the templar knights, only a few were Monarch level, no match for thirty-plus Monarch level undead. Alex glanced at the battlefield. The templar knights, seeing their leader fall, were panicked and despairing. They knew their chances of escape were slim against so many Monarch levels. As for why these templar knights attacked, it was simple. They weren''t here specifically to attack the undead fortress. They likely had a mission in the hobgoblin kingdom and discovered it had submitted to the undead, prompting their assault. Since killing an apprentice knight in the Dark Forest, Alex hadn''t seen any templar knights for a month. Just as Lilith mentioned the Holy Court''s recent activity, Alex encountered templar knights in Eldoria, which was unusual. The templar knights quickly fell. Most of the Monarch level knights were around lv5, requiring six or seven undead to hold them off and wear them down. ???¦®????.??? Alex decided not to waste time. She joined the battle, finishing them off and capturing the last Monarch level knight. She held a massive scythe to his neck, staring coldly at him. The templar knight''s eyes were resolute, showing no fear of Alex''s threat. Alex liked such tough opponents. Soon, the pain of soul burning made him scream in agony, a pain few could endure. Without his holy light protection, he might have already passed out. "Tell me your mission, and I''ll give you a quick death." Alex looked down at the templar knight writhing in pain. "Never! A knight... never betrays his faith!" Despite his weakness and sweat, he didn''t relent. Alex had no idea what kind of nonsense the Holy Court had filled them with to make them so stubborn. Since the Monarch level knight wouldn''t yield, she''d have to question the Commanding level ones. Soon, several Commanding level apprentice knights were brought before Alex. "Cooperate, or you''ll end up like him." Seeing the Monarch level knight in agony, they were terrified. "Lord, we''re too low-ranked to know much." "Cut the crap. Tell me everything you know." Alex''s shout made them tremble. "You dare... betray the Holy Court..." The Monarch level templar knight tried to threaten them, but Alex froze him solid, rendering him powerless. "Lord, we only know that the Holy Court has been moving people around a lot recently. Each team has different tasks. Our only mission was the undead fortress." "That''s it?" Alex frowned. They hadn''t said much. But it did show the Holy Court''s strict hierarchy, with lower members knowing very little. "Lord, I heard some rumors. A friend in another team said their mission was to subdue a race." Another apprentice knight spoke up, trying to please Alex. They were less brainwashed than the Monarch level knight. "Was the hobgoblin kingdom one of your targets?" Combining her earlier guess, Alex was almost certain. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''m not sure, but someone was assigned here before us. Their task was likely to subdue the hobgoblin kingdom." "I see." Alex understood. After their confession, the apprentice knights awaited release, but death awaited them instead. The greatest mercy Alex gave them was to kill them directly, sparing them the agony of soul torment. This place was compromised. Facing the Holy Court was a huge problem. To keep Undead City hidden, she might have to abandon this undead fortress. Alex summoned the templar knights as undead, the strongest being a lv8 Reaper Guard from Roland''s body, capable of supporting her in all directions and ensuring her safety. The remaining three lv5 Monarch levels were also summoned as other undead. "Retreat." At Alex''s command, the undead returned to the fortress to lie dormant, and the Monarch levels used the portal to return to Undead City. Suspecting the location was compromised, Alex left two Monarch levels to monitor and relay information. She temporarily marked the undead fortress as semi-abandoned. Alex grabbed the frozen templar knight and returned to Undead City. She didn''t kill him immediately. As a Monarch level knight, he knew more. If she couldn''t make him talk, she''d take him to Lilith, hoping the fallen angel could extract information. Chapter 245: Alexs concerns Arsen Continent, Lilith''s town.Lilith wasn''t particularly surprised by Alex''s sudden visit, but she did look puzzled when she saw Alex dragging a frozen templar knight along. Alex quickly informed Lilith about the templar knights'' attack and shared some of her suspicions. "You suspect the templar knights in the elf kingdom are also there to subdue the entire elf kingdom?" Lilith was shocked. If it was the Holy Court, the elves'' strength would indeed be insignificant in comparison. "This is troublesome. If what you say is true, my development will become very difficult," Lilith said, her face showing concern. As for why the Holy Court was subduing these races, it was something far beyond their current reach. "Yeah, I''m at risk of being exposed too. But don''t worry too much. They can''t stay here forever, and the lower-level elves are bound to resist their rule. When the templar knights leave, it might even spark a rebellion. You can take advantage of that," Alex reassured her, though it was clear this wasn''t Lilith''s main concern. "I''m more worried that the elf kingdoms will merge because of this. If that happens, they''ll definitely clear out the surrounding forces, and the coastal areas will be their primary focus." All the border races on the continent were constantly on guard against the powerful races in the ocean, without a doubt. "These are just our guesses for now. See if you can control this knight. If we can gather information from him, we''ll know for sure." Alex unfroze the templar knight, and Lilith approached him. She extended her finger, black energy dancing at her fingertip, and touched his forehead, causing the knight to look terrified. The templar knight''s head immediately glowed with holy light, which clashed with Lilith''s black energy. Suddenly, the templar knight''s eyes rolled back, and he died instantly. ??? S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex was confused and looked at Lilith, who stood up and shook her head. "It''s no use. He had holy light protection inside him. When my energy invaded, the two forces clashed and destroyed his soul." Lilith felt it was a pity. She hadn''t expected the Holy Court to be so meticulous, preparing for capture and preventing information leaks. "Even his soul was protected? This knight must have known he''d die if he said anything he shouldn''t, which is why he refused to talk," Alex said, feeling a bit horrified. These templar knights seemed more like the angels'' minions and puppets than followers. "We''ll have to rely on our own investigations. Be extra careful in the coming days," Lilith advised Alex. Both of them were serious and didn''t chat much. Alex dragged the templar knight''s body back to Undead City. As for Satan in Valoria, Alex didn''t ask much. Most of the races there were evil, and the angels'' influence seemed weak. The templar knights wouldn''t try to subdue those "evil" races; they''d likely wage war to exterminate them. Thus, Satan''s side was relatively safe, at least from the Holy Court. "Let''s just hope Undead City remains undiscovered." Alex shook her head, pushing these thoughts aside. Upon returning to the city, she received good news. During her busy time, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had killed another Soul Hunter, earning 2 points. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] By nightfall, Alex received three more pieces of good news. Arthas had captured another orc camp, bringing all the resources back to the palace. Arthur and Riven had annihilated the Hardbeard clan''s main force, and both Race Kings had advanced to lv3. The Death Spirit had absorbed death energy from several battlefields, reaching Monarch level. Alex was amazed by the Death Spirit''s rapid leveling. In just two days, it had advanced from Commanding level to Monarch level. After reaching Monarch level, its abilities were greatly enhanced. Its clones could now possess and strengthen multiple undead simultaneously. Alex had a feeling that the Death Spirit''s rapid growth would play a crucial support role for the entire undead army. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Alex looked at a dwarf corpse brought back by the undead. It was the Hardbeard clan''s chieftain. The Hardbeard chieftain was a middle-aged dwarf with long hair and a beard braided into plaits. This dwarf had lv7 Monarch strength and was summoned by Alex as a lich to assist Arthur, along with the Death Spirit''s clones, in the dwarf kingdom. So far, the dwarf kingdom''s front line had a lv7 and a lv6 undead. The remaining clans would have no chance of resisting. With the Death Spirit''s addition, Alex didn''t need to personally summon corpses on the front lines. The core of the undead was to wage war; only war and death could quickly expand the undead''s scale and strength. "The day after tomorrow, go sign contracts with those dwarves," Alex said, turning to Sophie, who nodded. As for the orc camp Arthas had destroyed, it wasn''t very strong, ranking low in the Orc Empire. There were no high-level Monarchs among them. Although the Orc Empire''s summoning of all camp leaders had accelerated Arthas''s progress and difficulty in eliminating these camps, it also prevented Alex from summoning high-level Monarchs. "Arthas, we need to speed up the progress in the Orc Empire. Destroy as many camps as possible before the leaders return and plunder their resources." Alex didn''t know what was happening in the Orc Empire or if the gathering of leaders was related to the templar knights, but speeding up progress was always a good idea. "Yes, Esteemed Queen." Arthas firmly supported the queen''s command and led the undead through the Portal of Transit, leaving the city. Alex tallied the current number of Monarchs and found it had reached nearly eighty! She could hardly believe the staggering number, not counting the seven Race Kings, the siblings, and herself. With today gaining a lv8 lich, her forces were nearing the peak of Monarch strength. Alex herself was only lv6. As long as she didn''t encounter a King level, Alex was confident her power was unmatched among Monarchs! But she still had concerns. The biggest fear was the templar knights sending a King level knight next time, which would be troublesome. The stronger the level, the more apparent the gap. A lv9 Commanding would struggle against a lv1 Monarch. Could a lv9 Monarch defeat a King level? Alex assessed her state. Her experience points were about halfway, still some distance from leveling up. Reaching King level would take time. "Ice Cream hasn''t come back for days. I wonder where it went." Since Alex let Ice Cream roam freely, it had left the castle and hadn''t returned. These native creatures leveled up too slowly, incomparable to Lords. If Ice Cream followed its natural growth, it might reach Sovereign level in a few hundred years, by which time Alex''s undead might have already conquered the world. Alex walked into the palace, leaving the siblings puzzled. "Who''s Ice Cream?" Xiao Hui asked Sophie, confused. Ice Cream had been absent from the city since they submitted to Alex. "It''s an Azure Dragon. I don''t know where it went either." "Oh, so having a dragon is standard for a Big Shot?" Xiao Hui seemed to understand why she wasn''t a Big Shot herself, not questioning why Alex had tamed a dragon. Chapter 246: Mossvale continent [Night retreats, dawn arrives]Today is the last day of the leaderboard event, and Alex is very focused on her ranking. She checked and saw that she had pulled nearly ten points ahead of the Justice Alliance. They had no chance of catching up. Indeed, killing Raphaela was the right move, dropping her to lv1 Monarch and severely limiting her development. Alex stepped out of the palace. The resources seized from the Hardbeard clan had arrived, and Alex processed them, upgrading Undead City. It took the resources from an orc camp and a dwarf clan to upgrade Undead City by one level. There were still some surplus resources in the warehouse, which Alex used to charge a few fortress Essence Shards for future use. Undead City''s area expanded again, with a significant portion of its eastern territory now extending into the Dark Forest. The resources required for the next upgrade were even greater, increasing exponentially each time, making future upgrades more challenging. "This event is finally almost over, but I''m only lv2 Monarch. It''s really frustrating," Xiao Hui said as she entered the palace, wearing a black dress. She complained to Xiao Mu while eating. Due to the event, for everyone''s safety, they hadn''t gone out to fight, making their experience gain painfully slow. They had mostly been idle for a week, leaving them at only lv2 Monarch. Sophie, who hadn''t reached Monarch level yet, felt a bit embarrassed hearing this and pretended not to notice. Meanwhile, in the Desolate Mountains, at Drake''s town. Drake smiled as he looked at the system dashboard. He had found a way to relocate his castle. This was a new trading method emerging in World Chat, known only to Lords who paid close attention to it. It involved trading castle locations. Typically, a lone wolf or a Lord not yet gathered with an Alliance would offer their location for a price before moving to join their allies. Naturally, this wasn''t free. These Lords came up with the idea to profit by selling their location. They would list a common food item at an exorbitant price, like 100,000 magic crystals, in the trading post. Interested Lords would then privately message them to get the location and Alliance information for verification. Drake found a Lord willing to trade their castle location and negotiated a price of 150,000 magic crystals. The Lord''s castle was in a primeval forest, with no further details. As for danger, there was always some risk, but it wasn''t overly concerning. Few Lords traded locations, and even fewer could afford to buy them. Such listings often stayed on the trading post for a long time. If the location were truly dangerous, these Lords would have sought allies long ago. No one would risk their life for money. However, Drake had to proceed with caution. Having left the Justice Alliance, he knew Raphaela''s methods well. She had a unique ability to control Lords without their submission. Drake couldn''t be sure this wasn''t a trap set by Raphaela. To be safe, Drake proposed to ally with the other Lord to verify the location. [Sky Dominator]: "I need to verify the location in person." [Pink Vibrator]: "You know the location is highly confidential and can''t be disclosed without extra payment, right?" Drake frowned. This was the first time he''d heard of paying extra for verification, but he had no choice and agreed. [Sky Dominator]: "How much?" [Pink Vibrator]: "50k!" [Sky Dominator]: "Deal. Let''s start." [Pink Vibrator]: "No, pay first." [Sky Dominator]: "I''ll pay a 20k deposit first. If it doesn''t work out, forget it." [Pink Vibrator]: "Fine." The Pink Vibrator''s Lord, Lenny, agreed to Drake''s alliance request. The Portal of Transit connected, glowing brightly. Drake stepped through without hesitation, feeling a dizzying sensation before arriving at the new location. He immediately went on alert, fearing an ambush by Raphaela, but quickly realized there was only a sleazy-looking man waiting for him. Lenny seemed pleased with the money Drake had paid. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Drake stepped outside the Portal of Transit and was stunned by the surroundings. The sky was green, with leaves blocking out the sun, creating a Tyndall effect as sunlight filtered through the gaps. Giant ancient trees surrounded him, one tree trunk even wider than Lenny''s town. The town nestled at the tree''s roots looked tiny in comparison. Drake had never seen such massive trees. Even a dragon flying among them would look like a small bird. The sight deeply impressed Drake. This was indeed a primeval forest, but magnified many times over. "What do you think of the surroundings?" Lenny asked. Drake snapped out of his reverie at the question. "A forest this large can''t be without danger." What kind of creatures lived here? Drake couldn''t imagine. "Information costs money. I risked my life to gather this intel," Lenny said matter-of-factly. "But considering your interest, I''ll give you a discount. Just 5,000 magic crystals, and the information is yours." Lenny extended his hand. The information was crucial. To impress Alex, this small amount was nothing. Thinking this, Drake immediately traded 5,000 magic crystals to Lenny, who smiled upon receiving the payment. "The creatures here are a type of sub-dragon, giant herbivores with a gentle nature, generally not dangerous. But beware of the carnivorous dragons. They''re violent and prey on herbivorous sub-dragons. However, to them, we''re too small to be worth their attention, so they''re rarely a threat. As for strength, most low-tier adult sub-dragons are around Monarch level. They''re not very intelligent and lack domains, but they''re tough and powerful, stronger than typical Monarchs. There might be more intelligent sub-dragons, but I haven''t seen any yet." ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Lenny shared all the information he had, though it was unclear if he held anything back. Most sub-dragons couldn''t fly. As Drake suspected, the creatures in this giant forest were also enormous. Some bipedal sub-dragons could reach 150 feet, comparable to an adult dragon. Though not as strong as dragons, they had dragon blood, making them formidable. "Sub-dragons, huh?" Drake wondered if this was fate. His troops were dragons, and now he was in a forest full of sub-dragons. Seeing Drake deep in thought, Lenny worried he might back out. This was a big client. "Don''t worry. I''ve lived here for over ten days and seen many sub-dragons. I''m still safe, aren''t I?" "No, I like it." Phew¡ª Lenny sighed in relief. "Then don''t delay. Move your castle here immediately." Lenny urged Drake, eager to finalize the deal. "No rush. I need to observe a bit more." Drake remained cautious. He had to be thorough. He inspected the surroundings, finding nothing but endless giant trees. Satisfied, he returned to the town. Lenny frowned slightly at Drake''s caution. After confirming the area was safe, Drake returned to the town and closed his eyes under Lenny''s watchful gaze. An invisible dragon''s aura enveloped the town. Though not as powerful as Raphaela''s angelic sense, it was enough to detect any life forms nearby. Moments later, Drake opened his eyes. The town was empty except for Lenny, with no ambushes. It seemed safe. "Alright, invite me." Drake said to the puzzled Lenny, who smiled and used the alliance function to invite Drake. "Done." Drake nodded, confirming the invitation and transferring the remaining magic crystals to Lenny. But Drake didn''t return to his castle. He stood there, staring at Lenny, and accepted the invitation. In just thirty seconds, a town appeared in the primeval forest. "Welcome to your new domain." Lenny smiled and left the alliance with Drake. The Portal of Transit dimmed. "By the way, what''s this forest called, and which continent is this?" Drake almost forgot to ask. The Portal of Transit glowed again as Lenny rejoined his original alliance. "These low-intelligence sub-dragons don''t name forests. This is the Mossvale Continent." Lenny seemed in high spirits, grinning widely, likely from the joy of making money. But after two minutes of staring at each other, Lenny still hadn''t left. "Why aren''t you leaving?" Drake asked, puzzled. "We agreed on 300,000 magic crystals, but you only paid 150,000. How can I explain that to my allies? How can I leave with peace of mind?" Lenny smiled, his eyes turning sinister. The Portal of Transit glowed as four more Lords emerged, surrounding Drake. "I advise you to listen to my brother and pay up." Drake laughed. He hadn''t expected these Lords to try and rob him. "Big brother, stop wasting time. He''s just a sucker. Kill him quickly; I have another client waiting," one of the Lords urged. Their conversation made Drake realize they weren''t genuinely selling locations. They lured people in to kill them, having done this many times. The five Lords drew identical magic wands and began chanting, unaware they had picked the wrong target. Drake might not match Alex, Raphaela, or Satan, but he was still a top-tier Lord, not someone these small fry could bully. "I intended to be honest, but you want to rob me. Don''t blame me for not leaving you a way out." Drake''s tone was calm, devoid of emotion. A brown domain slowly expanded, unnoticed by the five Lords, who continued to approach with sinister smiles. Suddenly, they found themselves unable to move. Looking down, they saw their bodies encased in stone, leaving only their heads exposed. "Oh my, he''s a Monarch level!!" Their eyes filled with terror, realizing they had provoked an unbeatable foe. They froze for a second, then, unable to break free, began begging for mercy, crying and pleading, ready to kneel if not restrained. Drake found their noise annoying. With a flick of his finger, the ground''s sand formed a sharp blade, slitting their throats. Blood spurted, and their cries faded. The castle began to shake. Drake sneered. These Lords could have developed properly but chose robbery, sealing their fate. After killing the five Lords, the system began tallying their alliance''s resources. Drake returned to his castle, awaiting the rewards. "50K magic crystals?!" Seeing the amount, even Drake was shocked. How many Lords had these scoundrels robbed? Chapter 247: Enhancement Crystal [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends]As night fell, only a few hours remained until the end of the Soul Hunter event. At this moment, Drake sent a message to Alex. "You mean you''ve arrived on the Mossvale Continent?" Alex pondered. She remembered Eldrin mentioning that the Mossvale Continent''s dominant force was the Dragon Race. It was also one of the two continents where the Angels and the Holy Court had the weakest presence. The dragon race was incredibly powerful, making it difficult for the angels to establish a foothold in their stronghold. It was said that the angels and dragons were constantly clashing on the Mossvale Continent, with the potential for a large-scale war at any moment. Alex hadn''t expected Drake to end up there. She hoped he could develop rapidly in that environment, at least without worrying about Raphaela''s revenge¡ªunless she had a death wish. Drake''s move to the Mossvale Continent was good news for Alex. It meant she could now expand her influence on the Mossvale Continent as well. Developing on three continents simultaneously would significantly accelerate her power growth. Who would have thought that a Lord with only Monarch level strength could span three continents? A subsidiary palace floated into existence on the left side of the Undead City palace, completing its construction in an instant. The three palaces became four once again. Initially, Alex hadn''t wanted Drake to submit, but considering that without submission, he wouldn''t benefit from the leaderboard rewards, it seemed too much of a loss. Moreover, Alex didn''t want to expose Drake to others, so she had to accept his submission. The sudden appearance of an additional subsidiary palace didn''t go unnoticed by Xiao Mu and the others. They immediately guessed that it must be Drake''s. With only a few hours left until the event ended, they were finally free from being confined within the city and could start expanding outward. As night deepened, everyone returned to their respective palaces, waiting for the leaderboard rewards to be distributed. With less than an hour left, no more Soul Hunters would appear. Alex was pleased to find that during Drake''s time as a lone wolf, he had killed a few Soul Hunters, earning 3 points. With his submission to Alex, those points naturally counted towards her total. At this moment, she had pulled nearly ten points ahead of the Justice Alliance, securing first place in advance. Ding! A message popped up in the Alliance chat. Satan: "I got 8 points. I''m sure I''m not the lowest." Lilith: "I only got 6 points. Seems my luck wasn''t great." Satan: "Haha, I knew I wasn''t the lowest!" Satan: "Wait, a total of 27 points means Alex got 13 points?!" Alex: "You guessed right." Satan: "It was luck, pure luck!" Lilith: "Considering she has the most subordinates, it''s not surprising she got the most points." In his castle, Satan was puzzled. "More subordinates?" He looked at Cain and Earl nearby, feeling that he and Alex were about the same. "Could it be that women naturally have better luck?" Cain and Earl were used to Satan''s odd behavior. He always boasted while using the system functions to chat with others, but within a minute, he''d start acting crazy, his face turning incredulous. And shouting: "Impossible, absolutely impossible." Satan then noticed Cain, Earl, and the surrounding demons looking at him with strange expressions. He quickly regained control of his expressions, his face returning to its usual cold and calm demeanor. Cain and Earl were no longer surprised by this. Time: 23:59 [Dear Lords, the leaderboard will refresh in the final minute, and the top-ranked alliance will receive rewards based on points. Rewards will be distributed accordingly.] [Now announcing the rankings:] [First Place: [Light Alliance] Points: 27] [Second Place: [Justice Alliance] Points: 18] [Third Place: [Mythril Alliance] Points: 10] ... [Congratulations, your alliance is ranked first. All members receive fixed experience and resource rewards, as well as a special item (random type).] Alex felt her experience points surge to the brink of leveling up. She then took out the special item, a diamond-shaped crystal emitting a rainbow glow, slightly larger than her palm. [Item Name: Enhancement Crystal (Unbound)] [Item Level: None] [Item Feature: Enhances special buildings and items, improving quality without resource consumption. Cooldown: 24 hours. Enhancement level cannot exceed the current Lord level.] "Well, this is quite special." The description was straightforward. The feature was similar to the Enhancement Stone Alex had obtained before, but that was a one-time use item that consumed resources. This one was clearly much more powerful. Alex held the Enhancement Crystal and infused it with mana to bind it. Most of the special buildings in Undead City were already at Monarch level, so she couldn''t test it on them. She took out a Return Stone from her space ring to test the enhancement. The Enhancement Crystal glowed, enveloping the Return Stone. Moments later, the glow faded, and the crystal dimmed, with only a faint light at its base slowly spreading outward, indicating it was in cooldown. Alex examined the Return Stone and found that mana consumption had decreased, and the teleportation array''s range had expanded. Though she hadn''t tested it personally, the system''s analysis was reliable. This confirmed the Enhancement Crystal''s effectiveness. However, it was somewhat limited at the moment. Its true value would be realized when Alex reached King level. Most of Alex''s special buildings were capped at Monarch level and couldn''t be upgraded further. But with the Enhancement Crystal, those special buildings and other items wouldn''t become obsolete when Alex reached King level. "Tomorrow, give this enhanced Return Stone to the alchemy warlocks for further research and improvement." Alex placed the Return Stone on the table and stored the Enhancement Crystal in the warehouse. It wasn''t something to carry around, as losing it would be a significant loss. ???¦®????.??? ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex leveled up, feeling a surge of comfort and power throughout her body. As expected, Sophie had jumped from lv7 Commanding to Monarch level, making Alex realize that the experience rewards for alliance members were the same as hers. The only difference was that those who chose submission might not receive the special item reward. Alex had only leveled up once, reaching lv7 Monarch, but her experience points were more than halfway to lv8. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had also each leveled up, and based on Alex''s experience, they would soon reach lv4. For Alex and her allies, the leaderboard rewards were a significant boost. Other than the Light Alliance, no other Lords received any rewards. "Oh, and there''s Drake." Alex checked Drake''s information. [Territory Lord: Drake] [Strength: lv3 Monarch] [Territory Level: lv9 Town] [Barracks Level: lv15 Rock Dragon Crystal] [Troops: Rock Dragon] Alex was surprised that Drake had reached lv3. She remembered when she first met him in Grimstone; he was weaker than Xiao Mu. But he had caught up quickly. It made sense, though. Drake was a top-tier Lord, and his strength wasn''t low. Conquering two races had brought him to lv2, and the system rewards had pushed him to lv3. Not bad. Now all of Alex''s subordinates had reached Monarch level. Alex gathered everyone together. "The event is over. Remember the plans we discussed. After breakfast, get moving." After breakfast, Sophie left the palace and headed to her town. Sophie had already appointed new managers in her town to oversee resource extraction and equipment forging, freeing her to focus on her own strength. Though she hadn''t been back for days, the dwarves hadn''t stopped working. She checked the resource extraction progress and consumption, then called the town manager to reorganize and plan new tasks. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After handling town affairs, Sophie used the undead fortress to travel to Grimstone, where the Death Spirit transported her to the front lines. This was another powerful support ability of the Death Spirit. Its clones were interconnected, allowing Alex''s orders to be quickly relayed, whether on the battlefield or elsewhere. This eliminated information delays, enabling Alex to receive real-time updates from all battlefields and respond accordingly. Meanwhile, in Undead City. "Miss Alex, are we heading north?" Xiao Hui asked, approaching Alex. "No, not yet. We''re still gathering intelligence there. The undead have found a few races, but they''re too weak and far from Undead City. We should head to the Dark Forest. There''s a race near the southern depths that we need to conquer." Alex felt this was a pleasant surprise. She thought the Dark Forest''s outskirts had been fully explored by the undead, but there was still a hidden race. And it wasn''t just a race; it was a kingdom. Alex could almost see the Kingdom''s Tear beckoning her. "Let me change my clothes first!" Xiao Hui didn''t want to dirty her new clothes and ran back to the palace to change into yesterday''s dirty ones. Women''s intuition was spot on. This target location was indeed related to "dirty." As Undead City''s area expanded, it encroached on the Dark Forest, yet the forest showed no reaction. This indicated that the mysterious race within the Dark Forest was at least friendly towards Alex. Thus, Alex became bolder. With countless undead and the Life Link, she had no reason to fear death. With accurate intelligence and no danger, there was no reason to worry. "Miss Alex, I''m ready!" Xiao Hui quickly returned, having changed her clothes. "Alright, let''s go." Alex smiled and led the siblings out of the palace, where forty undead awaited, led by a shadowy figure¡ªthe Death Spirit. All of them were Monarch level. This wasn''t a mission for the undead army. With these undead and Alex, they could quickly amass more troops if needed. "Wow, this lineup is amazing!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, surprised by the number of Monarch levels. It seemed they were ready to dismantle the enemy kingdom. "Leader, how strong is the enemy?" Xiao Mu asked, seeing the formidable lineup. Alex pressed her finger to her chin, thinking. "Hmm, probably similar to the hobgoblin kingdom?" ??? Xiao Mu was puzzled. Was such a large force necessary for an enemy like the hobgoblin kingdom? "Wow, Miss Alex, do you have a deep grudge against them or something? Are we going to dig up their ancestors'' graves?" Xiao Hui asked, confused. "No, it''s just that their lair is hard to find." "Huh?" Xiao Hui silently mourned for the race for two and a half seconds. Alex led the forty undead south of the city. Of course, they flew. Walking was too slow, and flying was easy for Monarch levels. Chapter 248: Man-eating ant kingdom Upon entering the Dark Forest, the group decided to proceed on foot, guided by a specter, as they ventured deeper into the forest.Along the way, they encountered numerous creatures, such as giant spiders and black worms with sharp fangs¡ªcreatures that made Xiao Hui scream in fright. Most of these creatures were only Commanding level, living in the Dark Forest without any race civilization. The passing Monarch level undead easily dispatched them, turning them into undead that silently followed the group. Intelligent creatures, sensing Alex and her party''s presence, fled in all directions. "These creatures are so disgusting," Xiao Hui muttered, stepping cautiously on the fallen leaves, wary of any large bugs that might suddenly appear. Despite her strength, she didn''t act like a Monarch at all. As they ventured deeper into the Dark Forest, the number of creatures gradually decreased. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex signaled for the group to stop. In the distance, Alex had just seen a crow fly into an area and disappear, causing her expression to change slightly. If her guess was correct, that was the entrance to the Dark Forest''s depths. If not for the crow''s sudden disappearance, she wouldn''t have realized they were so close to the core area of the Dark Forest. From here, it looked no different from the rest of the forest. There was an invisible barrier; creatures passing through it would vanish, like entering a different realm. No wonder she had accidentally wandered into it before. Alex suspected that once inside, getting out wouldn''t be easy. This might be why the Dark Forest was considered a forbidden area. Countless people had entered, only to disappear into its depths, never to return. The forest seemed like a giant abyssal beast, devouring all who approached. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were puzzled, but Alex didn''t offer an explanation. Fortunately, they had reached their destination. "Miss Alex, are we there?" Xiao Hui looked around, seeing nothing that resembled a kingdom. Alex noticed their confusion and pointed downward. "We''re here. They''re right beneath us." Alex approached a spot where a specter stood. Though it looked no different from the surrounding area, lifting the fallen leaves revealed freshly turned soil. Alex conjured a massive ice spike with her right hand and pierced the ground, revealing a circular hole large enough for a person to enter. "Such a big hole¡ªwhat kind of creature lives here? Rabbits? Mice? Or snakes?" Xiao Hui shuddered at the thought of snakes, her greatest fear. "No, it''s man-eating ants," Alex said calmly. "Huh?" The two were shocked. They had never heard of such large ants. These ants, known as man-eating ants, were the size of an average human when fully grown. Their hard exoskeletons and sharp mandibles gave them formidable combat and adaptability. With the queen''s terrifying reproductive speed, no race on the Dark Forest''s outskirts dared provoke them. Everything here could be their food. They weren''t very intelligent and couldn''t communicate with other creatures, but they were known for their social behavior. Even without high intelligence, they gathered to form a massive man-eating ant kingdom, creating vast underground caves. This was just one entrance, discovered by a specter by chance. They usually sealed their entrances with acid, making them hard to detect even for undead. This was a complete man-eating ant kingdom, with an unknown number of ants. They needed food and hunted outside, yet had remained undetected by the undead. Alex found this puzzling. The information about the man-eating ant kingdom came from other creatures. These mindless creatures wouldn''t call themselves a kingdom; it was a term used by other races. Soon, everything would be revealed once they entered. ???¦®????.??? Alex hadn''t brought the undead army for two reasons: the man-eating ant kingdom was underground with limited space, and the ants'' numbers were likely sufficient, so there was no need to worry about a lack of undead troops. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu joined Alex, peering into the deep, dark hole. It was pitch black inside, seemingly endless. The entrance was surrounded by a mix of green acid and mud, both disgusting and foul-smelling. But Alex had already frozen it with ice. "Let''s go." Alex''s words made Xiao Hui nervous, but she didn''t show fear and was about to jump in when Alex grabbed her. "What''s the rush? Let the undead go first." "Hehe." Xiao Hui scratched her head, embarrassed. The undead, unaffected by darkness, jumped into the hole. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui followed, with Alex bringing up the rear. The three Lords and forty undead entered the hole. The entrance was a winding, downward tunnel, like a slide. At the bottom was a slightly larger platform where the undead gathered. Xiao Mu could have landed steadily, but Xiao Hui fell on top of him, knocking him down. "Ouch!" Xiao Hui rubbed her head and stood up. "Hey? Xiao Mu, why are you underneath?" Xiao Mu stood up, brushing off the dirt, his face dark. He conjured a light ball to illuminate the area. Alex floated down from the tunnel entrance. The circular platform had dozens of tunnels leading in different directions, like a maze. Alex had anticipated this. The man-eating ants'' caves were complex, and only they could navigate them by following their companions'' scents. The tunnels were small, requiring them to stoop to enter, which was inconvenient. But Alex wasn''t here to play a maze game. Each tunnel would have enemies, so Alex didn''t need to explore. She just needed to attack. "Advance. Death Spirit, lead the way." At Alex''s command, the undead began to move. With eleven tunnels, they split into ten groups, each with four Monarch undead, more than enough. The Death Spirit created eleven clones, turning into shadows that entered the tunnels. Alex, with the siblings, took the remaining tunnel. The Death Spirit led the way, followed by Xiao Mu holding the light ball, then Xiao Hui and Alex. "This tunnel is too small. It''s hard to even turn around," Xiao Hui complained as they walked. Alex, at the rear, suddenly sensed something. She conjured a barrier in front of Xiao Mu, just as a ripple spread out. A terrifying icy force surged forward, freezing the tunnel walls. A giant man-eating ant ice sculpture appeared in front of Xiao Mu. "Damn, they can turn invisible!" Chapter 249: The depths of the cave So that''s why the undead couldn''t detect these man-eating ants¡ªthey could turn invisible. However, even invisibility couldn''t hide their life activities, and they would still be discovered.Xiao Mu shot a laser from his finger, piercing the man-eating ant. Green fluid splattered out, corroding the surrounding ice and emitting white smoke. "Their blood is highly corrosive," Xiao Mu warned. Alex then summoned the man-eating ant as a skeleton, placing it in front of Xiao Mu to clear the path. At this moment, the Death Spirit had reached the end of the tunnel, where it encountered a fork. It sensed many invisible life forms around it. The Death Spirit waited quietly for Alex to arrive. Suddenly, ice shot out from the tunnel behind, instantly freezing everything, revealing the invisible man-eating ants. Soon, Alex and the others arrived. The space here was slightly higher, allowing them to stand, though Xiao Mu still had to duck. The tunnel''s height was only suitable for Alex and Xiao Hui. Alex quickly dealt with the frozen man-eating ants, turning them into undead. The Death Spirit possessed the strongest Commanding level undead among them. "Esteemed Queen, please wait here while I explore further," the Death Spirit said, then split into several clones and entered the tunnels. Alex and the siblings waited in the dark, damp cave. The Death Spirit, being a flying undead without a physical form, could ignore all obstacles and move quickly through the tunnels. It created clones at every fork, and given enough time, it could fully explore the vast underground cave of the man-eating ants. Nearly half an hour later, the Death Spirit returned, possessing an undead. "Esteemed Queen, I have explored the area. We are still on the outskirts. Deeper inside, there is a massive underground space where the queen and king ants reside. There are many man-eating ants there, including several Monarch level ants. They seem to have sensed the intrusion and are gathering there." "Good. Lead all the Monarch level undead there," Alex ordered. The underground cave was suffocating, and she didn''t want to stay any longer. At that moment, the Death Spirit relayed Alex''s command to all the Monarchs scattered throughout the cave. They all followed the Death Spirit''s lead, converging on the center of the man-eating ant kingdom. The Death Spirit led the way, and Alex flew through the tunnel in a low, ground-hugging position. Her ice domain spread out, turning everything into solid ice and emitting a chilling aura. This eliminated any possibility of invisible man-eating ants hiding within. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui quickly followed. Xiao Mu transformed into a light element, becoming a golden streak of light that illuminated the tunnel as he chased after Alex. Xiao Hui turned into a black mist, closely following behind. As elemental Lords, flying was a trivial matter for them. They had been able to fly even before reaching Monarch level. The complexity of the cave system surprised even Alex. The numerous forks made it easy to get lost. Without the Death Spirit, just exploring this place would take a tremendous amount of time. Deep within the cave, a massive underground plaza teemed with thousands of man-eating ants, crawling back and forth. These man-eating ants had red and black markings, with mandibles resembling giant pincers lined with sharp teeth. Corrosive green saliva dripped from their mouths, merging with the ground. Their antennae twitched, seemingly communicating, and their mandibles clacked loudly. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ????????.??? At the edge of the spacious underground plaza were two caves, one large and one small, belonging to the queen and king ants. The king ant, aware of the impending attack, was busy with the queen, producing more ants. Worker ants diligently handled the newly laid eggs, placing them in the hatching cave. In addition to the man-eating ants, there was a middle-aged man named Donghae. Donghae was both a traitor and a freelancer. The man-eating ants had no concept of submission, so Donghae wasn''t initially labeled a traitor. The king ant, one of the few intelligent ants, listened to Donghae''s advice on race development. This collaboration saved Donghae''s life, and he became the "strategist" of the man-eating ant kingdom. With human intelligence and the ants'' abilities, their hunts were highly successful, with minimal casualties. The colony thrived and grew stronger. Donghae, valued by the king ant, rose in status. When he could switch to a freelancer, he abandoned his castle and troops without hesitation. Before coming to Eldoria, Donghae was an unemployed middle-aged man in Korea, with no hope for the future. After arriving here, he was even more despondent, contemplating ending his life. But things took a turn. The king ant could communicate with him, and Donghae''s methods proved effective, aiding the kingdom''s development. As a result, Donghae was allowed to taste the food first, except for the queen. He decided to live as an "ant," staying in the underground cave. However, long-term consumption of food contaminated with man-eating ant acid caused his hair to thin, and he was nearly bald. Donghae didn''t want to comment on the king and queen ants'' obsession with producing offspring. It was a primal instinct. He was more concerned about the current enemy. Living in the dark underground for so long, Donghae had adapted to the darkness. He stood beside the king ant, eyes fixed on the northern caves. Hiss¡ª Ice spread out, emitting a chilling white mist. Alex and the Xiao siblings flew out, golden light filling the underground space and illuminating the surroundings. Undead of various forms emerged from other tunnels, gradually filling the spacious underground area. The undead gathered in front of Alex, their eyes burning with eerie blue flames, staring at the man-eating ants. In an instant, thousands of man-eating ants'' antennae twitched wildly, all facing the intruders. Alex observed the surroundings, not worried but rather impressed. "I didn''t expect such a large space here. It seems man-eating ants like big places too." The moment Alex finished speaking, a ripple of transparency spread through the ground. Instantly, thousands of man-eating ants vanished where they stood and then, without hesitation, launched an attack on the intruding enemies. Chapter 250: The powerful Reaper Guard Alex stood still, watching as the forty Monarch level undead charged forward. Various domains unfolded, crushing the invisible enemies despite their stealth.Seeing this, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui also joined the fray. These ants were precious experience points, and if the undead killed them all, how would they level up? S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Countless man-eating ants died instantly, their shattered bodies becoming visible before being summoned as undead by the necromancers. In less than a minute, the original forty undead had multiplied into thousands, charging at the remaining man-eating ants. Even though the undead couldn''t see their targets, it only affected those with single-target attacks. For undead like Ethereal Wraiths, which dealt area-of-effect soul and curse damage, invisibility was meaningless. On the battlefield, a Skeleton Warrior, unable to see its enemy, still charged forward, heading straight for the king and queen ants. The ant guards defending them crushed the Skeleton Warrior with their powerful mandibles, but their acid couldn''t corrode the bones. The bones slowly reassembled, and the Skeleton Warrior stood up again, charging forward. This was the nature of the undead: even the weakest Skeleton Warrior would charge fearlessly, never retreating. The powerful liches cast Bone Magic, summoning skeletal archers from the man-eating ants killed within their domains. Arrows imbued with blue light shot out, creating a rain of arrows that streaked through the dark cave like blue meteors. The man-eating ants were densely packed, and many invisible ants were hit by the soul arrows. A single arrow was enough to annihilate the souls of lower-level man-eating ants. More and more undead emerged from the corpses of the fallen ants. The number of undead now matched that of the man-eating ants! Inside the cave, the king and queen ants finally stopped their spawning. They had assumed their army had defeated the enemy. But when the king ant emerged to check its spoils, it found the undead army nearly at its tunnel entrance. Instinct told it that the enemy was very powerful. Its black compound eyes immediately spotted the human girl leisurely combing her hair at the back of the undead army. It knew she was the leader of these enemies, just like Donghae¡ªa human! It must have been Donghae who led her here. Traitors! The king ant, enraged, turned to confront Donghae. Donghae was terrified. He had never seen such a horrifying scene. Living underground, he had no idea of the outside world''s situation. Had the Lords outside all developed to this level? Seeing the king ant approach, Donghae clung to a desperate hope. If he could convince the king ant to flee, they might have a chance to escape with so many man-eating ants holding off the enemy! But Donghae, being human, couldn''t understand the thoughts of a man-eating ant. He didn''t sense the king ant''s murderous intent, thinking it was seeking his advice. Donghae saw the giant mandibles rapidly enlarge in his vision, and then he lost consciousness. Crunch¡ª The sound of bones breaking echoed as the king ant devoured him whole. A green light enveloped the king ant, and its body began to undergo a strange transformation after consuming Donghae. The middle legs of the six-legged king ant started to atrophy, the hind legs grew larger and stronger, and the front legs became slender and articulated. Its massive abdomen shrank, and its body became more balanced and coordinated. Finally, the king ant stood upright on its hind legs, with its front limbs transforming into human-like arms. It had evolved into a humanoid form! The king ant looked at its new body in confusion, its face showing a human-like expression for the first time. "Kill the intruders!" the king ant roared, speaking human words. The man-eating ants around the king and queen, all with wings, took flight and turned invisible, attacking the undead army. Alex was momentarily stunned by the king ant''s roar. Though she understood its meaning, she knew it wasn''t a human voice. She flew into the air, her gaze fixed on the king ant. She saw the humanoid figure clearly. "A humanoid creature?" Alex couldn''t tell if it was the king ant or a guard, but its ability to command the man-eating ants indicated it was no ordinary ant. Suddenly, Alex sensed something. She unleashed an icy wave, instantly freezing the airborne man-eating ants, which fell to the ground. "Kill that standing man-eating ant!" Alex ordered. A black shadow flew into the air, heading straight for the king ant. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Countless man-eating ants swarmed to protect their king, but a scythe wreathed in black flames swung out, forming a black arc that instantly killed them. Among the man-eating ants was a lv1 Monarch ant, which was easily slain by the undead. Monarch level man-eating ants lacked domains, making them weaker than typical Monarchs. Facing a lv8 Monarch Reaper Guard, they stood no chance. The king ant felt fear but also excitement. If it could devour this enemy, its body might undergo another transformation. In an instant, most of the Monarch level man-eating ants fighting the undead army turned to attack the Reaper Guard, hoping to eliminate it. But these low-intelligence ants underestimated the Reaper Guard''s power. Sometimes, sheer numbers couldn''t defeat a stronger enemy. Invisible chains shot out, piercing the man-eating ants and revealing their souls as ghostly images. Unaware of the danger, the ants continued to charge at the Reaper Guard. As they reached the Reaper Guard, it turned into a black mist and vanished. The mist swirled and reformed into a massive scythe. The scythe swung, severing the chains and destroying the souls. In an instant, the Reaper Guard reappeared, and the man-eating ants fell dead, their souls extinguished. The scythe shot out, the chains clinking ominously. The king ant leaped back, narrowly avoiding the Reaper Guard''s attack. Even the king ant was unsettled. So many Monarch level man-eating ants had been killed by a single skill. It was terrifying. It sensed the enemy''s immense power. Looking at the distant white-haired girl, still calmly combing her hair, the king ant knew she was an even more formidable foe. The king ant made a swift decision, releasing a cloud of acidic poison mist that spread around, blocking the Reaper Guard''s advance. Unlike the other man-eating ants'' acid attacks, the king ant''s attack carried soul damage. The Reaper Guard watched as the king ant retreated into the cave, not rushing to pursue. In its domain perception, it knew the cave was a dead end, so it wasn''t worried about the king ant escaping. Even the king ant itself didn''t fully understand its actions. Upon realizing it could evolve, instead of fleeing from such a formidable enemy, it felt an urge to devour the opponent. But the enemy was too strong. To devour it, the king ant needed to increase its strength. With the Reaper Guard having cleared the area, there were no targets left to consume. So, the king ant turned its sights on the queen ant! The queen ant was merely a tool for laying eggs, with a massive body that was almost entirely non-combative, possessing only Commanding level strength. However, as a queen, it had its own special abilities. Soon, a scream echoed from the tunnel, causing chaos among the man-eating ants. They wanted to rush back to help, but to their shock, it was the king ant that emerged from the tunnel. The king ant had killed the queen ant! This threw the man-eating ants into disarray, unsure of what to do. The king ant, however, paid no mind to the chaos. It was focused on the newfound power it felt, its confidence soaring as it faced the Reaper Guard again. The poison mist dissipated, and the king ant''s powerful hind legs shattered the ground as it leaped forward. It conjured a green energy ball in its right hand and hurled it at the Reaper Guard in the sky. Boom! The green, corrosive energy exploded, but the Reaper Guard easily blocked it with a black barrier. The king ant''s face showed terror¡ªthis wasn''t how it had imagined it! A black, sharp blade of energy flashed, slicing off the king ant''s shoulder. Green fluid gushed out. A black wave of energy followed, knocking the king ant to the ground, creating a deep crater and shaking the entire underground cave. The king ant, thinking its increased power would allow it to fight back, was nearly killed in the first exchange, unable to even touch the Reaper Guard. As it lay on the ground, its wound began to heal, but its green face looked noticeably paler. Before the king ant could stand again, countless chains wrapped around it. It struggled fiercely but to no avail, as the Reaper Guard slowly lifted it into the air with the chains. The king ant opened its massive mandibles, roaring defiantly at the Reaper Guard, spraying green, foul-smelling saliva in a final, futile struggle. The blue flames flickering in the Reaper Guard''s black hood seemed to be watching the king ant''s last moments. Whoosh¡ª A wind rose from nowhere, black energy swirling around the Reaper Guard and the king ant, enveloping them both. The king ant''s body began to glow with a ghostly blue light, its soul being absorbed by the Reaper Guard. The chains vanished, and the king ant''s lifeless body fell to the ground. Chapter 251: Ant King Evolution Energy [Congratulations on successfully killing the lv6 Monarch man-eating ant king, earning 600 experience points.][Congratulations on conquering the man-eating ant kingdom, earning skills: Invisibility, Ant King Evolution Energy, Auxiliary Barrack, and Kingdom''s Tear.] With the death of the king ant, all the man-eating ants were slain by the undead and converted into new undead. This underground cave housed fifty thousand man-eating ants. Summoning them all as undead resulted in an army of one hundred thousand. In other caves, there were still some young and elderly man-eating ants. Alex didn''t bother having the undead kill them, as they had already submitted to her. There was no need for total annihilation. It wasn''t out of mercy but rather a strategic thought inspired by Thalor. These man-eating ants were of little use to Alex, but their rapid reproduction rate was beneficial. Once their population recovered, she could command them to fight, and their deaths would continuously provide her with experience points. Moreover, their low intelligence made them easy to control. The dead man-eating ants could be reused, summoned again as undead. However, with the queen ant dead, it would take some time for their population to recover. These man-eating ants survived by digging, and their lairs held little of value to Alex¡ªmostly rotting food, unappetizing and useless. Though she didn''t gain much in terms of resources from the man-eating ant kingdom, the other benefits were substantial. The system rewards for conquering the man-eating ant kingdom were even more generous than those for the hobgoblin kingdom. Alex''s experience points were maxed out, allowing her to level up at any time. Additionally, some of the lower-level Monarch undead had leveled up, though the lv7 or lv8 ones still had a long way to go. "Let''s get out of here. This underground cave is too oppressive," Alex said, gesturing to Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. "Let''s go. The undead can handle the rest," she added. "Miss Alex, I can level up again!" Xiao Hui exclaimed excitedly, amazed at how quickly her experience had increased. Following Alex had benefits beyond her imagination. The three of them, led by the Death Spirit, retraced their steps and left the underground cave. This wasn''t the nearest exit to the surface, but Alex worried that other exits might lead them into the depths of the Dark Forest. To be safe, they returned the way they came. It''s worth noting that the Death Spirit''s leveling speed was astonishing, having jumped from lv1 Monarch to lv3 Monarch. Phew¡ª The three of them breathed a sigh of relief. The dark, damp, sunless underground cave was suffocating, and they were finally back on the surface. "Finally out!" Xiao Hui took a deep breath of fresh air, feeling much better. "Death Spirit, you handle the rest. I''m heading back to Undead City," Alex instructed. The Death Spirit didn''t respond, but Alex knew it had heard her. Back in the city, Alex didn''t waste time and immediately checked her rewards. First, she took out the Kingdom''s Tear from the man-eating ant kingdom and absorbed it, increasing her progress by two points. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 6/100] This revealed a pattern: Race''s Tear added one point, while Kingdom''s Tear added two. "I wonder if it depends on the strength of the race," Alex mused. The man-eating ant kingdom and the hobgoblin kingdom were among the weakest. Surely stronger kingdoms like the Titans would add more than just two points? Next was the Auxiliary Barracks from the conquered race. Although Alex found the man-eating ants disgusting, she built their Auxiliary Barracks in Gemini City, adhering to her principle of not wasting resources. Like the hobgoblin Auxiliary Barrack, it automatically summoned units one major rank below Alex. However, the man-eating ants'' maximum rank was Monarch, making them suitable only as cannon fodder. Then there was the race skill Alex had gained¡ªthe man-eating ants'' invisibility. This skill was quite useful. Alex activated the skill, and a transparent ripple spread out, making her body disappear instantly. She looked down, unable to see her legs or arms but still feeling their presence. She took out her scythe, which also turned invisible in her hand. Pleased, Alex decided to test further. She walked over to Xiao Mu and placed her hand on his shoulder. Xiao Mu immediately sensed it and was about to react when he noticed his body becoming transparent and disappearing. "Leader, did the system reward you with the man-eating ants'' skill?" Xiao Mu quickly realized. In Undead City, it was safe, and only Alex could have done this. If it were Xiao Hui, Xiao Mu guessed she would have kicked him instead. "Yes, it seems this skill is quite good. Not only can I turn invisible, but I can also make those around me invisible," Alex said as she and Xiao Mu reappeared. Invisibility combined with teleportation made for a powerful ambush combo. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Finally, there was the most peculiar reward: [Ant King Evolution Energy]. From the name alone, Alex had no idea what it was. She needed the system to check it. Alex took out the energy orb, and Xiao Mu curiously looked over. "Does this mean absorbing it will give you the ability to devour and evolve?" Xiao Mu speculated, seeing the name. "Evolve? I don''t want to turn into a slime. I think being a mage is fine," Alex said. If it was as Xiao Mu guessed, she didn''t want it. [Name: Ant King Evolution Energy] [Effect: After consuming the target''s flesh, gain the ability to evolve and acquire the target''s skills and race traits. Enhancement lasts one hour, with each evolution permanently increasing one attribute point.] [Note: Can continuously consume different flesh to extend enhancement time. Side effects stack.] Side effect: Weakness, vulnerability. [Absorb now?] Alex clicked "No" without hesitation. She shouldn''t have expected much from a Monarch-level man-eating ant. This ability was too disgusting. Especially the side effect¡ªAlex was stunned. Each evolution permanently increased one attribute point, which seemed strong but was actually quite useless. It added one point in total, not one point to each attribute. Alex''s level-ups added at least thirty points to her attributes. What use was one point? She handed it to Xiao Mu, who stepped back, clearly uninterested and disdainful of it. Just then, Xiao Hui, looking refreshed in new clothes, walked over. "Here''s something good for you," Alex said, tossing the Ant King Evolution Energy to Xiao Hui, who caught it, puzzled. "Huh?" Xiao Hui checked the system interface. "Ah! I don''t want to turn into a man-eating ant. Don''t give it to me!" Xiao Hui was about to throw it to Xiao Mu but then stopped, a sly smile forming. ??? Alex was confused. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Miss Alex, this thing is useless to Xiao Mu and me. Look, even Sophie is at Monarch level now. As your earliest follower, she has no combat ability. This thing would be wasted if thrown away. Why not give it to her?" Xiao Hui suggested, pretending to be considerate of Sophie. "That makes sense," Alex thought. No one wanted it, and it seemed suitable for Sophie, whose rank cap was the lowest among them. Without special opportunities, Sophie might cap at King level. Alex wanted to help her, as strength was necessary for self-protection. Alex agreed but needed Sophie''s consent. She sent Sophie a message, showing her the Ant King Evolution Energy and asking for her opinion. Sophie understood her situation. Her combat ability was the lowest, and her value to Alex was mainly due to her early allegiance. With more elite Lords joining Alex, Sophie knew her role was diminishing. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu noticed Xiao Hui secretly messaging Sophie, persuading her. Under Xiao Hui''s persistent persuasion, Sophie agreed to absorb the Ant King Evolution Energy to enhance her strength. As for consuming flesh, Alex had the alchemy warlocks prepare pills from parts of powerful Monarch corpses, making it easier to consume and store. The only issue was the side effect, but Alex couldn''t help with that. There had to be some trade-off; otherwise, it would be too easy to boost attributes indefinitely. Xiao Hui smiled, pleased with her plan. She was eager to see Sophie''s transformation. Chapter 252: Enemy attack [Night retreats, dawn arrives]Night quickly fell, and the undead army gradually returned. The original forty Monarch level undead had increased to over fifty, accompanied by a hundred thousand undead troops. As Alex had expected, there wasn''t much of value among the spoils. The stored, rotting food was useless to anyone. But it didn''t matter. The experience points, the Invisibility skill, and the Kingdom''s Tear made the trip worthwhile. While Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were still downstairs having dinner, Alex had already gone upstairs to rest. After a bath, Alex slipped naked into bed. Downstairs, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui continued their banter at the dinner table, while the alchemy warlocks outside the hall worked noisily to turn the retrieved Monarch corpses into pills. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Having gone to bed early, Alex woke up early. She got dressed quickly, putting on her bra and panties, then her top and short skirt, followed by her favorite white over-the-knee socks and a pair of local noble-style leather boots. After tying her hair and washing up, Alex jumped out of the window, landing gracefully on the ground. Taking the stairs was too much trouble; this was much faster. After summoning her troops, Alex began organizing the loading of undead onto the Silverscale Leviathan, which would then travel through the Portal of Transit to Gemini City to aid Arthas. It''s worth mentioning that after becoming a city, the Portal of Transit''s functionality had greatly improved. It could now project above buildings, like futuristic technology. This reminded Alex of the sci-fi movies she had seen in her previous life. This was why the massive Silverscale Leviathan could pass through the Portal of Transit, and the zombie titan was no exception. "Oh, right, I almost forgot." Alex remembered noticing something strange in the ant cave yesterday: the Reaper Guard seemed to have leveled up. She had intended to ask about it upon returning but had forgotten due to the Ant King Evolution Energy. Reaper Guards were summoned by Alex herself, and it was unusual for them to level up without their race king being present. "Could it be due to the Reaper Guard''s unique nature?" But this was a good thing. Perhaps this lv8 Monarch Reaper Guard would be the first to advance to King level. Previously, the lv8 Monarch Reaper Guard was the strongest in Alex''s ranks. Now, with Alex herself at lv8, she believed it wouldn''t be long before she reached King level. Once she conquered the dwarf kingdom and the Orc Empire, Alex was confident she would reach King level. With a thought, the lv8 Reaper Guard appeared before her. "Esteemed Queen, at your service." "Why can you, who were summoned by me, continue to level up? Your race king hasn''t even appeared yet." Alex didn''t expect the Reaper Guard to know, but she asked anyway. Surprisingly, it did know something. "Reaper Guards have no king. Our only king is you, the Undead Queen." !!! Wait, Alex thought she understood. "So, I am your race king?" "Yes, Esteemed Queen." If that was the case, it made sense. The Reaper Guard had no king and only followed Alex. Being summoned by Alex, they could naturally level up. Moreover, if their king died or disappeared, the Reaper Guard would vanish until the next king appeared to reawaken them. The previous undead lord was a good example. The Reaper Guard had reformed after dispersing, so they had no memory of the previous king. To them, Alex was their first and eternal king. "I see." Alex waved her hand, dismissing the Reaper Guard, now understanding her earlier confusion. The Reaper Guard''s words also reminded Alex that not all undead races had kings. Some undead races were kingless. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The first that came to mind was the zombie titan. Titans, symbols of light and divinity, became undead after death, retaining some of their former abilities. They weren''t originally undead, so it made sense they had no king. As for bone dragons, though they were dragons in life, their undead form was entirely different from zombie titans. They had completely shed their former abilities, making them true undead. Bone dragons were more like skeletal beasts than dragons. At least, that''s how Alex analyzed it for now. She wasn''t sure about other races. After all, even an undead being with only one member in the entire race, like the Death Spirit, could be summoned, so there might be other unique race kings out there. The undead Barracks hadn''t reached its maximum level yet, so there could still be new troops to unlock. "Miss Alex, what are our plans after this?" Xiao Hui approached, just in time to see Alex dismiss the Reaper Guard. "No rush. I''ve already sent the undead to clear out the small races to the north. They have a Return Stone with them. Once they reach a suitable location, they''ll notify us." The Return Stone was meant to be placed at the destination, not for the undead to return. This way, Alex could teleport directly to the location and build an undead fortress. "Got it. So, it''s free action time?" Xiao Hui, relieved there was no immediate task, ran towards the dining room, calling out to Xiao Mu. "Xiao Mu! Let''s go to Gemini City after breakfast!" After breakfast, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui headed to the Orc Empire. Gemini City felt like home to them, more so than watching dwarves fight in the dwarf kingdom. Killing orcs was less of a psychological burden. To Xiao Hui, dwarves were almost human, while orcs were just beasts. Two Silverscale Leviathans floated above Gemini City, standing still. Inside the city, Arthas and the other five race kings had gathered. There were no more orc camps nearby. The camps at the intersection of Emerald Hills and White Rock Mountains to the north of Gemini City had been cleared. To continue attacking the Orc Empire, they would have to move south. When Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu found Arthas, they saw it interrogating an orc priest, who was barely alive. The Death Spirit then possessed the priest, taking control of its body. Moments later, the orc priest raised its head, its green eyes now black, surrounded by eerie black mist. "The orc chieftain will return in three days. The Orc Empire is undergoing a major change, and all camps will migrate to Bloodrock City to merge!" The Death Spirit, controlling the orc priest, spoke in a raspy, indistinct voice. After extracting all the information, the black mist around the orc priest surged, and the Death Spirit exited its body. It couldn''t stay possessed for long, as it consumed Mana Points. Arthas turned to Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. "You''re just in time. Please relay the Orc Empire''s intelligence to the Queen." Arthas knew they had special communication methods, faster than the Death Spirit possessing an undead to meet Alex. The siblings had heard the information and immediately sent it to Alex. The reason for the Orc Empire''s change in governance and merger was still unknown. The orc priest was merely an apostle sent by the royal city to deliver orders and had limited information. "Wait, if the chieftains are returning to their camps in three days to migrate, it means their mission is complete. We might have been discovered," Xiao Mu said suddenly. The Orc Empire had gathered all the chieftains, and they would notice the dead orc chieftains, determining the enemy''s location. "Why couldn''t it be other orc camps killing each other?" Xiao Hui asked, puzzled. They were the first to encounter the orcs and had some understanding of their habits and system. "If other camps had killed the chieftains, they would have claimed it as an honor, so they wouldn''t hide any information unless the camp had been destroyed by an external force," Xiao Mu explained. Defeating other camps was a glory for the orcs, and the royal family would reward them. "You''re right," Arthas agreed. They needed to be more vigilant. Boom! A loud noise interrupted them, and everyone looked up. Several boulders, like meteors, were crashing towards Gemini City, hitting the transparent shield and creating ripples. "Enemy attack!" The Silverscale Leviathans in the sky began to move, their scales flapping, six giant tentacles extending from their sides, glowing with eerie purple light. The massive zeppelin-like bodies started moving towards the city outskirts. The siblings and the five race kings flew to the city wall, witnessing the scene outside. A massive square portal glowed green, with orcs pouring out, attacking Gemini City. Next to the portal stood four burly orcs, each dressed differently and carrying various weapons. They were clearly the chieftains of four camps. Chapter 253: Full attack "They came so quickly?" Xiao Hui was puzzled but not panicked.The orcs swarmed in like a tidal wave, and the undead quickly launched a counterattack. Although Gemini City didn''t have as many undead as Undead City, it still boasted 80,000 troops, plus over twenty Monarch level undead, including five race kings. This wasn''t something a few orc camps could handle. It saved them the trouble of hunting the orcs down. Unlike the orcs, who could only fight on the ground, the undead had an air force. Combined with the city''s defenses, the orcs couldn''t get close. The orcs had clearly underestimated the strength of the northern border invaders. As the orc army charged towards the city, a massive shadow suddenly appeared, blocking out the sun like a dark cloud. The orcs looked up in confusion as two black beams descended from the sky, slicing through the battlefield and piercing their ranks. Fallen orcs looked up, and in their dying moments, they noticed a massive zeppelin-like figure floating in the sky. The Silverscale Leviathan hovered above the orc army. Under the puzzled gaze of the four orc chieftains, it began to drop undead. In an instant, 5,000 undead rained down, landing behind the orc army. They quickly stood up and launched an attack on the orcs. The orcs had already failed to break through the undead''s front lines and couldn''t even reach Gemini City''s moat. Now, with the undead attacking from behind, they had to pull back to protect the portal. If the portal was destroyed, their retreat would be cut off. What the orcs didn''t realize was that this was part of Arthas''s plan. If they had intended to destroy the teleportation array, they would have done so from the start. The array was left intact to continuously draw in orc reinforcements, providing a steady stream of experience points. The orcs, unaware of this, believed they were losing because they were outnumbered. Soon, more orc warriors poured out of the portal, bringing reinforcements. Two more orc chieftains appeared, making a total of six. These orc warriors were the elite troops from six orc camps. Now, the orcs outnumbered the undead and began to push the front lines towards Gemini City. The six orc chieftains smiled, seeing a glimmer of hope for victory. But then they noticed something strange. The undead that the orc warriors had killed were reassembling and coming back to life. Seeing this, the six chieftains joined the battle alongside other Monarch level orcs, causing the undead to start losing ground. "Aren''t we going to join the fight?" Xiao Hui asked anxiously, watching the undead retreat and the orcs advance towards Gemini City. "Wait a bit longer," Arthas said calmly. It could see that this was the full strength of the orc attack. If they continued to hold back, they might attract even stronger enemies. To maximize their gains, they needed to wait until the orcs had fully deployed before cutting off their retreat. Soon, the flow of orcs from the green teleportation array dwindled. All the troops from the six orc camps were now present. The orcs had crossed the moat and were at the city walls. It was time! §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Full attack! Destroy the enemy''s teleportation array!" Arthas shouted. The last part was directed at the Monarch level undead, as only they had the power to do so. At Arthas''s command, the remaining tens of thousands of undead in Gemini City leaped from the walls, exiting the city in a simple and brutal manner, without using the gates. Nearly thirty Monarch level undead also surged out, attacking the orcs outside the city. Domains unfolded in the air, crushing all enemies within. Most of the Monarch level undead were liches, powerful and highly skilled in control. In an instant, two liches easily killed a Monarch level orc. A shadow teleported in, and the surrounding death energy thickened. The Death Spirit''s true form had swapped places with a clone, immediately summoning the corpses of the fallen Monarch orcs. Three lv6 liches and other lower-level liches charged at the six orc chieftains. The six orc camps had only brought about twenty Monarch level orcs, while the undead, including four race kings and the Xiao siblings, had nearly thirty. This wasn''t a fair one-on-one fight. As soon as a low-level Monarch orc died, the Death Spirit would summon it to undead, gradually tipping the balance in favor of the undead. The Death Spirit split into four clones, each merging with a race king. They were enveloped in eerie black mist, their levels increasing by one, and their attacks now carried death energy and soul damage. This was just the Death Spirit''s clones. If it canceled all clones and used its true form, the four race kings'' levels would increase by two. Arthas, now lv4 Monarch, was no longer a mere lv3. This was the dividing line between lower and mid-level Monarchs. Arthas plunged its sword into the ground, instantly freezing the area in an icy domain, killing all nearby orcs with Bone Magic. While the orcs struggled with their opponents, Arthas was unstoppable. It flew into the air, heading for the orc portal. A massive icy blade cut through everything, destroying the orc portal. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The six orc chieftains looked on in despair, realizing this was the true strength of the city. They had never stood a chance against this combined force. The key issue was that the orc warriors were the only ones participating in the attack. The orc priests, who could deal soul damage, were absent. Each camp typically had only one priest, who wasn''t meant for combat. This made it difficult for the Monarch level orcs to kill the undead, especially since they were facing such enemies for the first time. The orc chieftains'' morale broke. They lost the will to fight and only wanted to escape. They didn''t want to die here. One chieftain raised his giant axe, his arms bulging with veins as green energy flowed into the weapon. With a powerful swing, the ground cracked, and a massive energy slash surged towards Gemini City, killing any undead in its path. Even some Monarch level undead struggled to withstand it. Most Monarch level undead were mages or assassins, making it hard to block a warrior''s attack head-on. But then, Crane appeared, his blade engulfed in flames. He stood firm, forming a black barrier in front of him. Crane, at lv3 Monarch , was going to block the orc chieftain''s attack! Chapter 254: What is the Holy Court up to? Boom!The green axe light struck the black barrier, shattering it instantly, but the attack was weakened. At that moment, Crane''s blade, burning with fierce black flames, slashed out, splitting the attack in two. Crane was thrown back, crashing into Gemini City''s shield. However, such physical impacts had no effect on him. The split attacks were intercepted by two liches, successfully neutralizing them. Defense wasn''t Crane''s strong suit; it was offense. He had the highest single-target damage among all the kings. While zombies were weak, their king was not. Of the four race kings, excluding Azure, all were warriors. At the same level, they had no fear of these orc chieftains. As Crane recovered and looked at the enemy, he saw the orc chieftain fleeing. The chieftain was retreating rapidly, with only a few ordinary undead in his path, unable to stop him. "Stop him!" Crane roared, gripping his curved blade and charging after the enemy. All the Monarch level undead heard Crane''s command and saw the fleeing orc chieftain. Seeing him flee, the other chieftains also wanted to retreat, but they were blocked by more Monarch level undead, leaving them no chance. On the battlefield, more and more Monarch level orcs were falling, increasing the number of Monarch level undead. The fleeing orc chieftain gradually broke through the undead encirclement. With fewer undead around him, he swept them aside, seeing a glimmer of hope. Suddenly, a golden light condensed in front of him, forming a figure that delivered a swift kick to his head, catching him off guard. The light-element-infused kick sent the orc chieftain flying, crashing heavily to the ground. In terms of speed, Xiao Mu was the fastest present. The orc chieftain, enraged, quickly got up and swung his axe at Xiao Mu, but Xiao Mu had already transformed into light and teleported away. In the brief moment the chieftain was down, Crane and Arthas arrived. Arthas wielded the frost-emitting Frostmourne, Crane wore black armor and held a long curved blade burning with black flames, and Xiao Mu shone with golden light. The three surrounded the orc chieftain and attacked simultaneously¡ªtwo lv3s and one lv4 against a lv6 orc chieftain. Darkness, light, frost, and bone. The four powers intertwined, quickly covering the orc chieftain in wounds, with Crane''s attacks causing the most damage. The chieftain, focused on escaping and already weakened by the liches, had no will to fight. Bone Magic and Frost Magic restricted his movements. He swung his axe wildly, but Arthas blocked it, though the force pushed Arthas back several meters. The orc chieftain exposed a fatal flaw! A sharp black blade flashed, severing the chieftain''s arms, and his axe fell to the ground. Xiao Mu teleported in, delivering a kick to the chieftain''s jaw, a golden light piercing through his head. Thud! The orc chieftain''s eyes widened, and his massive body, over 9 feet tall, collapsed. The remaining orcs despaired. Soon, the chieftain Xiao Mu had killed rose as a lv6 Monarch lich. The undead, now seemingly unkillable, multiplied, and the orc warriors felt an overwhelming sense of futility. Some orcs even dropped their weapons in despair, but they couldn''t escape death. Dozens of Monarch level undead surrounded the remaining five orc chieftains. Despite having lv6 Monarchs, the orcs were outmatched by the stronger undead. Several liches combined their spells, creating a giant skeletal serpent that swept across the battlefield. Bone dragons, massive skeletal giants, and skeletal archers were summoned. These undead, unlike the original ones, were truly unkillable, as their soul flames were controlled by the liches. Under the liches'' command, they attacked the orc chieftains, draining their stamina. The orc chieftains crushed the undead, turning them to ash, but the liches quickly summoned more, an endless cycle. The orc chieftains grew exhausted, more orcs fell, and more undead rose. "WAAAAGH! Orcs never retreat! For eternal glory!" one chieftain shouted, rallying the remaining orcs to charge the undead. ???¦®????.??? But the other four chieftains looked at him like he was a fool. Some orcs were confused, others bewildered. One chieftain dropped his weapon and knelt. "I submit!" He prostrated himself, trembling, fearing the undead would kill him. The liches paused, looking to Arthas. Arthas nodded, and the liches turned their attention to the other orc chieftains. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, the other orcs quickly surrendered. "I submit!" The liches were momentarily confused but followed Arthas''s orders, leaving the surrendering orcs and attacking the last chieftain. The frenzied orc chieftain, shouting "WAAAGH," fought desperately against the undead, unaware that nearly forty Monarch level undead were closing in. Unsurprisingly, he died, seeing his kneeling, surrendering comrades in his final moments. His mouth moved, eyes filled with resentment, cursing the surrendering chieftains even in death. One kneeling chieftain shouted back, "The camp is gone! What glory is there to defend?" His eyes widened, understanding, and he died peacefully. "Take them into the city and await the Queen''s judgment!" Arthas ordered. The Monarch level undead surrounded the four orcs, escorting them into Undead City. Creak¡ª The city gates opened, and the undead began to enter in an orderly fashion. The Silverscale Leviathan landed, collecting the undead. A portion of the undead remained outside, transporting the orc corpses. Xiao Mu stopped them, using the system to disassemble and recycle the orc corpses, leaving nothing behind. Apart from the blood-soaked ground and cracked earth, there was no sign of the battle between the two races. Meanwhile, when Alex received the update from Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, the sudden war had already ended. The number of Monarch level undead in Gemini City had doubled from twenty to forty, and the undead army had grown from sixty thousand to one hundred fifty thousand. The four race kings each leveled up, and the Death Spirit gained two levels. The Xiao siblings were nearing their level cap, about to level up. Although Alex hadn''t been on the battlefield, as their leader, she received a significant share of the experience points. "Enemies that can''t defeat me only make me stronger," Alex said softly, looking into the distance. Gemini City''s defenses now rivaled those of Undead City. However, this meant they needed to strengthen Gemini City''s defenses. The orcs'' sudden attack had gone undetected by the undead, showing that the orcs weren''t entirely incompetent. It might also be due to their advanced teleportation methods. Despite no pre-marked coordinates around Gemini City, the orcs had managed to teleport nearby. "The Orc Empire is merging. It seems we won''t need to seek them out," Alex mused. She didn''t know what the Orc Empire was planning, but they would undoubtedly attack Gemini City, saving her the trouble of finding them. The only downside was that this proactive attack meant no resources to loot. "Wait, the Orc Empire also has templar knights!" Alex suddenly remembered. The Orc Empire had existed in camp form for hundreds of years. Why merge now? It was similar to the situation in the elf kingdom. Alex was almost certain that templar knights were involved in the elf kingdom. The Orc Empire, also on the Arsen continent, was likely influenced by templar knights as well. After all, Alex had previously encountered their attacks. "What is the Holy Court up to? Could the Angels be involved too?" Chapter 255: Set out immediately Alex arrived in Gemini City through the Portal of Transit and saw the four orcs who had chosen to submit. They could tell that all the Monarch level undead present deferred to this girl. Upon seeing Alex, they immediately prostrated themselves, displaying utmost humility."At least they know their place," Xiao Hui remarked sarcastically. The orc chieftains'' voluntary submission was a good thing. They might have valuable information about the Orc Empire, which would allow Alex to gather intelligence and prepare in advance. "Tell me everything you know about why the Orc Empire summoned you," Alex''s cold voice echoed. She stared at the orcs, indifferent to their fate. If they cooperated well, Alex might consider letting them submit. Otherwise, they''d just become undead. "Leader, Bloodrock camp summoned us by force, compelling us to submit and merge all camps under the Angel race!" one scar-faced orc quickly said, his face filled with anger and helplessness. The orc''s words were shocking, even to Alex. So, it was indeed related to the Angel race. The Holy Court''s actions were directed by the angels. The orc chieftain then detailed the events of Bloodrock camp''s summons. In an instant, Alex understood many things, including the templar knights'' missions in the elf kingdom and hobgoblin kingdom. The Holy Court was secretly recruiting races for the angels, forcing their submission. Why did the angels need so many races? For war, of course! In places Alex couldn''t see, the angels were aggressively recruiting races by force. She believed the Angel race would soon make a significant move. Through the orc chieftains'' accounts, Alex learned the specifics. The news was widespread in Bloodrock City, making it hard for the chieftains not to know. But the more Alex learned, the more alarmed she became. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Five King levels?!" "Just five of them forced the entire Orc Empire to submit!" The Orc King was also a King level, yet he was powerless. In three days, after the chieftains returned to their camps, they were to immediately relocate their members to the royal city for the merger. Before the chieftains returned, Bloodrock camp had already sent people to notify them. The camps were in turmoil, with some dissenters being executed by the templar knights as a warning. After a few chieftains were killed, the others, like the Orc King, complied. They had no choice; refusal meant death. The six orc chieftains had been tasked with eliminating the undead in the northern Empire, which is why they still haven''t gone to the royal city. This explained why one of them had said, "The camp is gone! What glory is there to defend?" The Orc King had signed a knight contract with the Holy Court, declaring the Orc Empire''s submission. Orcs, used to their freedom, were naturally resentful of this forced submission. Losing their camps also meant losing their faith, and they had lost all hope in the Orc King. Submission to anyone no longer mattered. Alex suddenly thought of something and quickly asked, "So, the orc camps are currently moving to Bloodrock City?" This worried Alex. If they all relocated and gathered, how would she attack them? "Yes, but I know the locations of all the surrounding camps. The other chieftains should have just returned and haven''t moved yet," the scar-faced orc chieftain said, bowing his head. "Good. I accept your submission." Alex looked at the siblings, and Xiao Mu stepped forward to sign a contract with the orc. The other three orc chieftains, seeing this, regretted not speaking up first. "What''s your name?" Xiao Mu asked the orc. "Leader, my name is Bloodfang." Bloodfang was the name of his camp. He straightened up, showing his high emotional intelligence among the orcs. "And you three, do you have anything to add?" ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? The three orc chieftains, seeing a chance to live, quickly shared their information, which was almost identical to Bloodfang''s. "Alright, they are now your subordinates," Alex said, waving her hand, uninterested in their chatter. She kept them purely for strategic purposes. Thus, the four orc chieftains became a hierarchy, with Bloodfang as their leader. Clap! Alex clapped her hands. Four Silverscale Leviathans descended from the sky, hovering above the city walls. Two Reaper Guards appeared beside Alex. "No time to waste. Set out immediately, split into four groups!" At Alex''s command, the two Reaper Guards and four race kings divided into four teams, boarding the Silverscale Leviathans. The four orcs each took charge of navigation. Alex stood on the city wall, looking at the undead on the Silverscale Leviathans. "Wow, a giant zeppelin!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, shaking Xiao Mu''s arm excitedly. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui also boarded a Silverscale Leviathan. With their combined forces, including some Monarchs and the troops inside the Leviathans, they could easily wipe out an orc camp each. "Let''s go!" At Alex''s command, the Silverscale Leviathans ascended rapidly, flying south. After watching them disappear from sight, Alex left the wall. With nothing else to do, she wandered around Gemini City. This was her first visit since upgrading the siblings'' castle to a city. While strolling, Alex informed Lilith about the angels'' involvement, advising her to be cautious in the elf kingdom. Now was the best time to act. If they waited until the elves consolidated, Lilith would face not just the forest elves kingdom but the entire elf kingdom. That''s why Alex had decisively sent the Silverscale Leviathans with the undead to attack orc. Whether Lilith realized this wasn''t Alex''s concern. Besides the attacking undead, the city still had twenty Monarch level undead and 20,000 troops for defense, which was sufficient. Satisfied with her curiosity, Alex left Gemini City. Meanwhile, on the distant shores of the Arsen continent, in Lilith''s town, she received Alex''s warning and knew she couldn''t delay any longer. Lilith''s face was serious. Finding a Lord to submit across two continents was incredibly difficult. So far, Lilith was still alone. This severely limited her development, putting her at a disadvantage. Lilith had encountered other Lords but hadn''t chosen to make them submit, thinking weak Lords would only drag her down. But now, she realized that even top-tier Lords like Alex and Raphaela had many subjects. Her troops were strong, but being confined to one continent was problematic. "Morgana, gather all the sea races and attack the forest elves kingdom!" Lilith ordered a fallen angel. She couldn''t delay any longer. She planned to disguise the attack as a sea race invasion, forcing the elves to defend the coastline, then use the chaos to control the forest elves from within and take over. The intelligence was clear. Except for the light elves, dark elves, and storm elves, the other elf kingdoms had no King levels. Their kings were only Monarch level, so Lilith had no worries. With the three elf kings preoccupied with the templar knights, they couldn''t intervene in the other kingdoms. Lilith just needed to install a puppet as the new forest elves king to cover her tracks. Once she controlled the forest elves kingdom, she could expand inland. But Lilith''s development had stalled recently, barely reaching lv3 Monarch. She couldn''t imagine how powerful Alex had become. She might need Alex and Satan''s help. Her current strength was insufficient. Just then, the system notified her of a private message from Satan. "I found a Lord!" Lilith''s tense expression finally relaxed a bit. Great, now she could expand to other continents. Chapter 256: Youre already lv8 Monarch? At this moment, on the Valoria continent, far beyond the abyss, there lay a valley lush with dense trees.The valley was almost devoid of danger, inhabited mostly by ordinary animals, giving it a dreamlike quality that made one forget they were in another world. In this tranquil valley, a Lord had hidden himself. His castle was so well concealed that if not for the demon followers discovering traces of human activity, they might never have realized a Lord was lurking here. Satan stood outside the valley, his gaze fixed on the beautiful scenery within. He had found the Lord but chose not to alert him, waiting for Lilith to arrive. This Lord was too weak for Satan to bother with as a subject. But to help Lilith cross two continents, this was the best candidate. As time passed, finding another Lord would become increasingly difficult. At this moment, a pair of black wings slowly descended¡ªit was Lilith, arriving alone because her troops were dealing with the forest elves. "He''s hiding in there. The scenery is quite nice," Lilith remarked. "Indeed, I didn''t want to ruin it, so I waited for you," Satan said, feeling quite gentlemanly. Lilith smiled. "Thank you for that." Lilith retracted her wings and elegantly walked into the valley, her black dress trailing behind her. An invisible aura seemed to emanate from her, causing the flowers and grass to wilt as she passed. Lilith didn''t ask Satan if this Lord had allies. Judging by his demeanor, he probably knew nothing, so asking would be pointless. If this Lord had allies on other continents, that would be even better, opening up her development route completely. Inside the castle, the man was oblivious to the events outside, leisurely enjoying a massage from his troops, eating delicious food, and savoring life. He was arguably the most indulgent of the billions of Lords. The valley remained untouched because it was once a demon''s garden. The demon''s dormant presence kept weaker creatures at bay. Of course, Satan and Lilith were unaware of this. Since entering this world, the man had encountered no danger, leading him to believe the other Lords in World Chat were crazy. Beast tide? Nonsense, it never came. Rankings? He was perpetually last. He eventually ignored the other Lords, dismissing their talk of alliances and crusades as make-believe. Why bother when he could live comfortably in his castle, enjoying gourmet food and honeyed wine? His troops were top-tier: cat-eared maids, the ultimate all-purpose butlers. These maids, though non-combative, excelled in all domestic skills. They could be seen, touched, and even loved. Who wouldn''t adore a cat-eared maid that catered to all your needs? Yet, the man was somewhat dissatisfied. Despite living better than any other Lord, he was unaware of it. Without the internet, he found life boring. Every day was a cycle of eating and making love. It got tiresome. He just wanted this reality show to end so he could go home. "Don''t use your teeth; they''re too sharp!" The man''s reluctant voice echoed from the castle, puzzling Lilith. What was going on? The defenses were so lax that she had walked into his territory unnoticed. Seeing the castle, Lilith was speechless. Was this a lv1 castle? "So fishy, meow~" "Don''t spit it out; swallow it all." Lilith approached the castle, overhearing their conversation. What were they doing? It sounded odd. The man was likely the Lord, his tone brooking no argument. Lilith thought as she pushed open the castle door. Creak¡ª S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The heavy door groaned, letting sunlight into the dim hall, adding a touch of brightness. The cat-eared maid inside froze, her heart racing as she locked eyes with Lilith, sensing immense danger. "Someone''s here... meow..." A commotion erupted upstairs, indicating they knew someone had arrived. The man upstairs seemed unusually excited. Lilith stood at the entrance, watching the staircase. Soon, the man, having put on his pants, ran down excitedly. "Miss, are you staff? Is this reality show finally over?" "Reality show?" Lilith covered her mouth, laughing. She hadn''t expected such naivety. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Explaining would be tedious. Lilith pondered but decided there was no need to explain. He was just a puppet. "Add me as a friend and submit to me, and I''ll tell you when the show ends." The cat-eared maids wanted to warn the man, but Lilith''s presence was too intimidating. "Sure." The man agreed without hesitation. It was just a game, and the woman was beautiful and elegant... He looked up at Lilith, his gaze fixed on her stunning face. At that moment, his eyes glazed over, his pupils flashing black. The submission process was smooth. Lilith didn''t care about the man, not even asking his name. She let him continue his indulgent life. Lilith immediately upgraded his castle to a town and built a Portal of Transit. She then expressed her gratitude to Satan. "Want a ride back? We can go together." Lilith smiled at Satan, who predictably declined. "No, I have a fight to catch!" Satan left the valley with his demons, never stepping inside. Lilith returned to her town through the Portal of Transit. Unnoticed, the grass and plants Lilith had stepped on began to revive, the black mist seeping into the soil and disappearing. Everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. The man, regaining his senses, noticed his castle had grown but didn''t think much of it, continuing to enjoy his time with the cat-eared maids. === [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell, and by ten o''clock, Alex finally received the news she had been waiting for. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had returned to Undead City. With the orcs leading the way, finding the surrounding orc camps was a breeze. Besides the six orc chieftains'' own camps, they had wiped out five additional camps, capturing over ten thousand orcs. The resources were transported back to Undead City by the Silverscale Leviathan. Thus, the northern camps of the Orc Empire were completely eradicated. This time, the focus was on capturing rather than killing, so the experience points gained were not substantial. The undead army only summoned 40,000 elite undead, without doubling. Summoning low-tier undead that couldn''t fly was inefficient, as the Silverscale Leviathan had to transport both resources and the undead, wasting time. Therefore, they summoned higher-tier airborne undead instead. "You two have worked hard. Get some rest," Alex said, sitting at the dining table and watching Xiao Hui devour her food without any regard for her image. "Leader, it won''t be as easy to attack them next time. There are no more orc camps around," Xiao Mu pointed out. "I know. We''ll leave the Orc Empire alone for now and wait for them to attack us," Alex replied. She understood the situation well. With all the orc camps gathered in Bloodrock City, she could wipe them out in one go once she reached King level. "By the way, have the camps of these submissive orcs relocate around Emerald Hills to protect Gemini City." These submissive orcs were now Alex''s reserve troops, saving her the trouble of building an undead fortress and ensuring Gemini City''s safety. After all, once the Orc Empire was conquered, some of them would need to submit. It was better to start preserving their population now. After dinner, the Xiao siblings went to rest, while Alex continued to process the resources. Orcs, living in camps, had very few construction resources, and there were even unprocessed iron ores. Could they have been mined from White Rock Mountains? The resources from eleven camps, though limited, were enough to upgrade Alex''s city. The city leveled up by one, reaching lv5. Other resources were sufficient, but iron ingots were lacking. She would have to wait to seize more from the dwarf kingdom. Meanwhile, on the Mossvale Continent, in the primeval forest. Drake, who had activated the town shield, was asleep when he suddenly felt a violent tremor, like an earthquake. Drake woke up with a start, his eyes glowing yellow, and flew out of the castle through the window. He saw the ground shaking, the town fracturing, and a majestic city rising from the earth. The territory area expanded, towering walls rose, and the castle behind him transformed into a palace. "City..." Drake relaxed, observing his new city with a sense of bewilderment. He hadn''t expected Alex to upgrade his town to a city. When he checked Alex''s level, he was shocked. "You''re already lv8 Monarch?!" Chapter 257: The attack of the Bone Dragons and Ghost Dragons [Night retreats, dawn arrives]On the Arsen continent, the dwarf kingdom had reached its final battle. The Stoneforge Clan had been annihilated and fully captured. Only Broadbeam clan and the Ironfist royal family remained. Facing the powerful dwarf army led by Durin, the two clans had no choice but to set aside their differences and join forces. Nori, the former Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s second son who had fled to the Stoneforge Clan, was now captured by Durin and imprisoned in Grimstone. Ironforge, once the royal city of the dwarf kingdom and the largest city within its borders, had fallen into the hands of the Ironfist clan after the dwarf king''s death and the subsequent division of the seven clans. Now, Ironforge was fortified with a hundred thousand dwarf soldiers, both inside and outside the city, waiting for Durin to walk into their trap. Of course, they no longer had the courage or capability to launch an offensive. Durin, Arthur, and Riven had divided their forces into three armies, surrounding Ironforge in a triangular formation, effectively besieging the city. After absorbing the remnants of the Stoneforge Clan and other clans, Durin''s dwarf army was as numerous as the forces within Ironforge. However, Durin''s army consisted mostly of civilians, whose combat effectiveness was slightly weaker than the regular dwarf army. But the main force of this attack wasn''t Durin''s dwarves; it was the undead army led by Arthur and Riven. Facing the blitzkrieg tactics of the undead, which had already wiped out two major clans, the Ironfist clan was well aware of their enemy''s identity by now. They knew Durin had the undead''s support and had prepared accordingly. The dwarf kingdom''s history spanned thousands of years, and as the former royal family, the Ironfist clan had extensive knowledge about the undead, thanks to the royal archives. At dawn, the Death Spirit conveyed the undead queen''s orders to the three armies, and they marched towards Ironforge. Sophie and Durin led the dwarf army behind, while the undead, primarily airborne and requiring no logistics, moved swiftly. Meanwhile, in Grimstone, Nori was imprisoned in the same dungeon where he had once held Durin. His hands and feet were shackled, and the dungeon space was very confined. Yet, Nori showed no signs of despair. "Do you think you can hold me and torture me like this?" Nori sneered, even letting out a cold laugh. As Alex had suspected, Nori wasn''t a purebred dwarf. He lowered his head, trying to touch an earring on his ear with his hands. It was a gift from his mother, and everyone thought it was just a simple ornament, overlooking its true nature. The earring concealed a tiny magic circle, covered by its special material, making it very discreet. This technology wasn''t of dwarf origin; otherwise, Durin wouldn''t have overlooked it. Nori fiddled with the earring, and the covering ring opened, revealing the miniature magic circle inside. Instantly, the room filled with light, and Nori''s body vanished in an instant. Bang! The door burst open, and a lich rushed in, having sensed the magical fluctuation from the dungeon. But it was too late. The dungeon now only held Nori''s clothes on the floor, and the empty shackles clinked as they swung. Nori had vanished right under the noses of the dwarf and undead guards. ... On the walls of Ironforge, massive energy cannons were mounted, and the dwarves stood ready. Their weapons and armor glowed faintly blue, enchanted specifically to combat the undead. The walls were lined with dwarf riflemen and a few mages. These mages could only perform basic spells, relying on their wands, which was why magic wasn''t popular in the dwarf kingdom. Only the Ironfist royal family had a few dwarf mages; other clans had almost none. In the city''s central plaza, four formations of griffon riders stood ready, each armed with a crossbow and a quiver of arrows. The Ironfist chieftain and the Broadbeam chieftain stood side by side on the wall, looking out with worried expressions. This was their last stand. If they failed, the dwarf kingdom might cease to exist, and their clans would become prisoners. "The enemy is here!" A cry rang out, and the city went on high alert. The shield activated instantly, and the dwarves loaded energy crystals into the cannons, aiming at the approaching enemy. The sight before them left even the two chieftains in shock. Countless undead filled the sky, blocking out the sun. Massive figures instilled fear in the dwarves, as if the apocalypse had arrived. Arthur and Riven had brought no other undead, only bone dragons and ghost dragons, numbering over ten thousand! These massive undead created a terrifying visual impact and pressure. Roar! ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Dragon roars echoed, shaking the dwarves'' spirits. Flames spewed from the dragons'' mouths, destroying everything in their path. The dwarves'' pre-made defenses on the ground were utterly ineffective, easily destroyed by the bone dragons. The bone dragons swooped low, breathing fire, then soared high, circling back for another attack like cavalry preparing for another charge. Ironforge''s shield, under the relentless dragon breath, grew hot and strained, its energy rapidly depleting. The dwarves inside the city were terrified, their hands trembling on their griffons'' reins. How could they defeat these dragons? Despite their fear, the dwarves, following their officers'' orders, gritted their teeth and flew into the sky to engage the bone dragons. The size difference was immense. The bone dragons'' massive bodies easily crushed the griffon riders, killing them with a single swipe. The enchanted weapons prepared by the two clan chieftains were effective against ordinary skeletons but had little effect on bone dragons and ghost dragons. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The muskets and cannons couldn''t penetrate the bone dragons'' defenses, let alone kill them. The mages'' elemental attacks were also ineffective, as bone dragons had strong resistance to such attacks. Some dwarves, just taking off on their griffons, were instantly killed by ghost dragons passing through them, their souls extinguished. In less than ten minutes, the dwarves were in full retreat, unable to kill a single undead. The two clan chieftains were in despair. The undead''s power was beyond their imagination. These giant creatures required dozens of dwarves working together to have a chance of killing one. And even then, it was only a chance. The risk of the dwarves being wiped out was much higher. Roar! A massive blue breath attack, cold and deadly, surged towards the city''s shield. Arthur aimed to destroy the shield in one blow. "Protect the shield!" The Ironfist chieftain roared, leaping high with his weapon to block Arthur''s attack. If the shield fell, Ironforge would be overrun by the undead, turning it into a fiery wasteland. The Ironfist chieftain''s hammer struck Arthur''s dragon breath, forming a barrier that blocked it. He used his body to shield the city''s barrier. Zap! Two icy blue beams struck the Ironfist chieftain, carrying soul-destroying energy. It was Riven''s attack. Boom! A massive explosion occurred as Arthur and Riven''s attacks collided, sending the Ironfist chieftain crashing down. "Ironfist!" The other clan chieftain on the wall cried out. Arthur and Riven circled high, preparing for another attack. The Ironfist chieftain stood up, tearing off his chest armor and throwing it aside. The soul-enchanted armor had saved his life, but it was now useless. Without it, his combat effectiveness was reduced. He looked up and saw Durin''s dwarf army approaching from the distance. "Traitor!" The Ironfist chieftain''s leg armor glowed green, and he floated into the air, weapon in hand, charging at Arthur. Flying leg armor was rare, so most dwarves couldn''t fly. They were helpless against the bone and ghost dragons, forced to watch. Arthur saw the approaching enemy and breathed another dragon breath, aiming to knock him down again. The Ironfist chieftain, using his level advantage, shattered the attack with his hammer, only to be met by Arthur''s flaming blue tail. Wham! The Ironfist chieftain lost balance, flying backward. His flight ability, granted by equipment, was not well-practiced. He crashed into the ground, creating a crater. Though unharmed, he felt humiliated. Despite his higher level, he couldn''t match Arthur in aerial combat. On the ground, he was confident he could kill Arthur in three moves. But Arthur ignored him, continuing to attack the dwarves and the city. "Ironfist chieftain, surrender now, or Ironforge will be reduced to rubble," Durin''s voice called from the side. The Ironfist chieftain glared at him. "Silverbeard Clan Durin, you traitor, allying with outsiders!" "You couldn''t end the chaos in the dwarf kingdom, but I can. Your throne was seized by force, wasn''t it? Your words are naive and laughable. Think carefully," Durin replied coldly. He preferred not to storm the city, as it would cause more casualties. Chapter 258: Enemy invasion "Go to hell! I will never surrender!"The Ironfist chieftain gripped his warhammer tightly and suddenly lunged, channeling his full lv7 Monarch level power into a strike aimed at Durin. Even if he died, he would take down this traitor! Bang! A bone shield materialized out of thin air, blocking the Ironfist chieftain''s strike. The energy from the warhammer couldn''t even scratch it. Then, several bone spikes extended from the sides, instantly forcing the Ironfist chieftain back. He looked up to see three undead floating beside Durin, each as powerful as himself! "Kill him!" Sophie commanded coldly from not far away. There was no need to make such a stubborn individual submit. The three liches immediately surrounded the Ironfist chieftain, while Durin pulled the reins to steer his mount away from the battle, leading the dwarves towards Ironforge''s gates. Even though the dwarves'' mounts could fly, they dared not ascend recklessly. The sky was now a battlefield dominated by bone dragons and ghost dragons. With a crack, Ironforge''s shield, having endured so many dragon breaths, finally shattered. Countless bone dragons poured into the city, their flames destroying everything. The massive dragons landed within the city, their claws and tails wreaking havoc, and their breath of dragon incinerating the dwarves. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Some bone dragons landed on the walls, their weight causing the structures to crumble, destroying weapons and equipment, and knocking dwarves off the walls. Almost instantly after the shield shattered, the dwarves on the walls were wiped out. The dwarf cavalry in the sky fared no better. The ghost dragons were even more terrifying than the bone dragons. Just opening their mouths could devour the dwarves'' souls. The souls burned in their mouths, then were expelled as breath of dragon, the corrosive blue beams annihilating everything. The dwarves fled in terror. If they were burned by the bone dragons'' flames, they might survive if lucky. But a ghost dragon''s attack meant certain death. Ironforge''s walls crumbled, the city engulfed in flames and smoke. The dwarves'' anguished cries filled the air, their faces etched with despair. This war was overwhelmingly one-sided. The undead''s power was terrifying. "Broadbeam chieftain... stop this futile resistance. Surrender..." "They''re all dead. Don''t send more to their deaths!" "What are these creatures? They can''t be killed. Why are we fighting them?" Some dwarves, their spirits broken, lost the will to fight and knelt. This was a war they couldn''t win. Whoosh¡ª A dragon tail swept through, killing one of the despairing dwarves. The bone dragons continued their battle, indifferent to the tiny figures below. In the sky, countless ghost dragons had completely covered Ironforge. They didn''t care if the enemy surrendered. They only followed Arthur and Riven''s orders. Without a command to stop, they would continue attacking until everything was destroyed. At the gates, Monarch level dwarves guarded the Broadbeam chieftain, fighting the bone dragons. Suddenly, a lv7 lich entered the fray, quickly overwhelming several lower-level Monarchs. The Broadbeam chieftain was shocked. He had long abandoned the idea of defending Ironforge with the Ironfist clan. Now, he only wanted to escape under his subordinates'' cover. Staying meant certain death. But it was too late. "Broadbeam chieftain, will you fight to the death like the Ironfist chieftain?" Durin asked, not just as a threat but as a final warning. Four liches surrounded the Broadbeam chieftain. The ground and sky were filled with undead. Even if he could fly, escape was impossible. "I surrender," the Broadbeam chieftain said through gritted teeth, dropping his weapon and kneeling. Durin sighed in relief. Continuing the fight would have killed all the dwarves in Ironforge. This was the best outcome, preserving some strength for the unified dwarf kingdom. The other Monarch level dwarves, seeing the Broadbeam chieftain kneel, also knelt, expressing their submission. Even the Ironfist royal family''s Monarch dwarves followed suit. Durin looked at Sophie. "Leader, they''ve surrendered. We can have the two race kings stop the attack." Sophie nodded. The battle was finally over, and the dwarf kingdom could be unified. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? ... [Congratulations on conquering the dwarf kingdom, earning Auxiliary Barracks and Kingdom''s Tear.] In her palace, Alex received the system notification and was instantly delighted. "Why are the rewards so few?" Alex was a bit disappointed. The rewards were less than those for the man-eating ant kingdom. Without hesitation, she built the Auxiliary Barrack in Sophie''s town, giving her two dwarf Barracks. As for the Kingdom''s Tear, Alex took it out and merged it with her own, absorbing it instantly. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 13/100] It increased by 7 points. Clearly, Kingdom''s Tears varied in value. The dwarf kingdom was stronger than the hobgoblin and man-eating ant kingdoms, even in their divided state. Resource tallying would take some time, but Alex wasn''t in a hurry. She could wait. The dwarf kingdom''s resources were undoubtedly the most abundant. She would soon have an abundant supply of iron ingots. Additionally, the dwarves provided countless laborers and artisans, making them more valuable than hobgoblins. This battle had cost tens of thousands of dwarf lives, with two-thirds of the main force lost. If not for the Ironfist chieftain''s death, they would have fought to the last. But Alex gained significant experience points, nearing her level cap. Opening multiple battlefronts accelerated her leveling. "I''m almost lv9 Monarch." She hoped the experience required to reach King level wouldn''t be too much. Meanwhile, in Whispering Meadows, within the hobgoblin kingdom''s basin. A blond man with flowing hair arrived, observing the undead fortress without attacking. He seemed to be sensing something. "So, the ones who obtained the Godhead were these undead." The blond man pondered, recalling the Godhead incident and the mysterious deaths of several Monarchs. A faint ripple of holy light spread out as he closed his eyes, sensing everything around him. Moments later, his eyes flashed gold as he opened them. "North." He whispered with a smile, disappearing instantly. Neither the hobgoblins nor the undead noticed. "An undead city?" The blond man stepped into Undead City''s territory, a massive black city appearing before him. Facing the shield blocking his path, he lightly touched it, and a golden light flashed, shattering the shield instantly. He continued walking towards the city, unfazed. The defense towers sensed the intrusion and began charging, firing at the man. The undead outside the city were also alerted, swarming towards him. But the man walked leisurely, not even bothering to counterattack. The artillery vanished before him, and the undead began to fall within ten yards of him, their soul flames extinguished, their bones turning to dust. [Warning! Enemy invasion!] [Warning! Crystal Shield shattered!] Alex, who had just finished upgrading, saw the system''s urgent alerts, a sense of dread washing over her. How did someone find my city?! Immediately after, she saw notifications of nearly a thousand undead deaths. Chapter 259: A formidable enemy Alex swiftly flew out of the palace and landed on the wall, spotting the enemy.It was a young blond man, dressed in a simple black robe with a scarf tied at his chest, and striking white high-heeled boots. With just one glance, Alex''s pupils contracted. Thousands of undead couldn''t get close to him. Alex couldn''t even see how he was attacking; all the undead around him were annihilated by an invisible force. Alex had never seen such a bizarre method of attack. Even at her current lv9 Monarch level, she couldn''t achieve this. King level! He must be King level! Rather than believing he had some special magic, Alex was convinced he was a King level. At the very least, he could see through the Specter Chandelier''s effect. Alex immediately became vigilant. The pressure he exerted on her was immense, and he had already found her castle, leaving her with nowhere to hide. Without hesitation, Alex summoned all the Monarch level undead in the city. Over fifty of them quickly gathered and charged at the blond man at the gate. "So, extraterrestrial visitors, no wonder you''re so rude," the man said, smiling as he looked at the tense Alex on the wall. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A strong golden light radiated from his body, instantly killing over 10,000 undead, including some low-level Monarch level undead. What?! Alex was shocked. How could this man be so powerful? With just one strike, he had killed nearly ten lv1 Monarchs and over ten thousand undead. Alex stared at the man in disbelief. He suddenly looked up at her, and their eyes met. A golden light flashed in his eyes, and Alex felt a sharp pain in her head, but it disappeared instantly. Alex wasn''t harmed, but the undead army below suffered heavy losses. Many undead died, leaving a field of bones. The man seemed to understand something, a playful smile on his face. "Damn it, is the gap between Monarch level and King level this huge?!" Alex had never seen a King level in action. She didn''t know this man''s exact level or the true extent of the power gap between Monarch and King levels. Wait, he''s in my territory! The system interface instantly displayed his information. [lv8 King level Templar Knights Captain] Almost max-level King level?! No wonder he could easily kill so many undead. "Damn it, let''s go all out!" Even if he was lv8 King level, Alex couldn''t just sit and wait for death. She''d start over if she had to! The four statues at the palace entrance shook violently, cracking and breaking apart. Wings extended as Alex awakened the gargoyles from the Magic Stone Pillar. Unfortunately, they hadn''t reached King level, remaining at lv9 Monarch, but with the Bone Throne''s boost, they could approach King level strength. All Monarch level undead gained a level. They''d wear this enemy down if they had to. Alex wouldn''t die, so what was there to fear? "Attack together!" At Alex''s command, all Monarch level undead launched an assault on the man. Alex stood on the wall, watching the man below. He looked relaxed, not even using a weapon. Each attack easily killed a Monarch level undead. Seeing her accumulated Monarch level undead die before her eyes, Alex felt no sorrow. As a Lord, survival was paramount. An lv8 King level was incredibly powerful. Even a group of low-level King level undead would struggle against him, let alone a mix of Monarch level undead. The man got a bit more serious. He summoned a sword made of golden light. He casually swung and stabbed, effortlessly killing every undead that attacked him, even the massive zombie titan. Conversely, the undead''s attacks were almost entirely ineffective against him. No, "almost" could be removed¡ªthey were completely ineffective. A transparent golden barrier surrounded the man, impenetrable by any attack. A Monarch level Death Conqueror approached the man, raising its bone sword to strike. But as soon as the weapon touched the golden barrier, its soul was extinguished, leaving only bones that turned to dust. The man remained relaxed, a faint smile on his lips. Though he hadn''t spoken to Alex, she could tell he was merely stretching, not taking the fight seriously. Even so, his power could utterly destroy Undead City. But the man''s goal wasn''t just destruction; he was observing. From the moment he realized the undead could absorb damage for Alex, he knew that girl status among the undead was extraordinary. An extraterrestrial visitor commanding so many undead, willing to die to protect her, was intriguing. "Interesting. Looks like I''ve stumbled upon something fun." ???¦®§®???.?§°? The Holy Court and angels despised the undead, seeking to eradicate them not just due to their opposing natures but because of the undead''s terrifying growth rate. Even angels found them troublesome. They once ignored those weak skeletons, which brought extremely serious consequences, leading to the rise of the undead Empire, a formidable enemy. The former undead lord''s talent and power had frightened many factions. Only after the undead lord''s disappearance did the angels begin a large-scale purge, nearly wiping out the undead Empire. Now, they wouldn''t allow a second undead Empire to rise, though they doubted an extraterrestrial visitor could achieve that. Undead not under the Holy Court and angels'' control couldn''t be allowed to exist. But if they could control the undead? The undead would become their greatest asset! To control the undead, the man looked at Alex on the wall. This was why he hadn''t fought seriously. He was observing Alex, intending to capture her. The blond man was certain Alex held a high position among the undead. Even if he couldn''t control the entire undead race, her ability to mass-produce troops was enough. Why bother subduing weak races when the undead sufficed? Having observed enough, the man decided not to waste more time. Suddenly, Alex felt the space around her twist. The wall beneath her, the surrounding undead, all vanished. Alex found herself facing the blond man in a space filled with blinding golden light. Everything else had disappeared, leaving just the two of them in this strange realm. "A barrier space?!" What kind of power was this? Alex was shocked. This man could directly isolate her. The space was filled with holy light, golden as far as the eye could see, seemingly endless. Not only was Alex''s dark magic suppressed, but she couldn''t sense any elemental power to cast other spells. "Don''t struggle. This is my realm; you can''t escape." The man''s voice echoed from all directions, filled with contempt and arrogance. "Submit to me, and I will spare your life." A golden knight contract appeared before Alex. Seeing the contract, Alex laughed. Sign it? No way! A sharp blade of light shattered the contract. Alex held her scythe, her gaze calm and cold. Without magic, she still had her scythe. "Arrogant fool!" The golden light surged, the space boiling. An invisible force sent Alex flying, crashing to the ground. "How long do you think you can last?" In Undead City, the undead were at a loss, unable to find Alex or the man. Suddenly, more undead began to die, the numbers increasing with no end in sight. In the space, the man stood still, instantly appearing before the fallen Alex. Alex sprang up, swinging her scythe, but the man caught it with his hand. Bang! He kicked Alex, sending her flying, her scythe slipping from her grasp. He walked towards her leisurely. "Extraterrestrial visitor, I''ll give you one more chance to choose." Another golden knight contract appeared before Alex. The overwhelming power difference made Alex feel helpless. But even Alex didn''t know that the mage honor medal in her space ring was glowing faintly purple. Meanwhile, in Starfallen Empire, within Hurricane City. "Archmage Eldrin, what brings you here?" "Official business, we''ll talk later." With that, Eldrin transformed into a purple blur and vanished, leaving behind a massive magical ripple. In the palace study, a woman holding a quill watched the direction Eldrin had left, lost in thought. In the Frostwind snowy mountains, Eldrin had traveled thousands of miles in an instant, suddenly stopping mid-air, halting his flight. "She has connections with that one?" "Never mind, I''m already here. Time to call in a favor. I just hope my words still carry weight." Eldrin sighed and continued flying towards the Dark Forest, though this time at a more leisurely pace. Chapter 260: Arthur and Riven return At this moment, within the blond man''s realm in Undead City.Even when faced with the blond man''s second demand for submission, Alex remained defiant. "You want to control the undead for the angels? Dream on!" Alex raised her head, fearlessly meeting the man''s gaze. This time, the man was momentarily taken aback, surprised that Alex had guessed his intentions. "You''re quite clever, but that won''t help you." The man raised his hand, and countless beams of golden light surged forth, converging towards Alex''s head. Since this girl wouldn''t agree, he would use holy light to forcibly control her soul. Just then, the golden light began to dissipate, and the entire holy light realm collapsed. The two of them were back in Undead City. Blood trickled from the man''s mouth; the collapse of the realm had left him severely injured. The man''s face turned pale with fear, his previous composure gone. "Master, this is Holy Court''s affair. Why do you interfere?" Facing the immense pressure, the man was drenched in sweat but couldn''t afford to lose the honor of the Holy Court and the Templar Knights Captain. "Fuck off!" A raspy male voice echoed from the Dark Forest. Alex recognized it as the voice that had once guided her out of the depths of the Dark Forest. The man clutched his chest, wiped the blood from his mouth, and vanished from Undead City without a word. He had sensed the killing intent and knew that sparing his life was already a concession to the Holy Court. Alex stood up, looking towards the Dark Forest. "Thank you, for your assistance!" The mysterious figure did not respond, disappearing once more. Alex bowed for a moment, and seeing no response, she turned back to Undead City. This time, Alex''s undead suffered significant losses, the worst in history. She realized she needed to assess the strength of her undead forces. Regarding the mysterious figure in the Dark Forest, Alex had no way to reach out. As long as the figure remained friendly, that was enough. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If the mysterious figure had been hostile, Alex would have been dead long ago. Undead City wouldn''t have grown to its current scale. The mysterious figure could injure an lv8 King level Templar Knight Captain from a distance, so their power might be Sovereign level. Alex didn''t know for sure, but she knew they were incredibly strong. Deep in the Dark Forest, a purple figure appeared out of thin air¡ªit was Eldrin. He looked at the middle-aged man meditating on a boulder not far away. "Thank you for your help. But someone like you wouldn''t care about old favors, would you?" Eldrin spoke politely. "She is a friend of an old friend''s child." The mysterious man didn''t open his eyes, maintaining his meditative posture. "I see. Regarding the human race, I apologize." Eldrin showed a look of realization, then apologized to the man. "No matter. Humans are like that." The mysterious man''s voice was raspy, devoid of emotion, as if indifferent to everything around him. "How much time do you have left?" "Not much. Today''s intervention wasted some energy. It''s a pity she hasn''t grown yet." For some reason, Eldrin thought of Alex at that moment and spoke. "Actually..." ==== In the palace of Undead City, Alex was physically and mentally exhausted. She realized she needed to quickly increase her strength. This was the first time an enemy had come to her doorstep, but it wouldn''t be the last. With the mysterious figure''s deterrence, the Holy Court likely wouldn''t cause trouble for a while. Alex needed to reach King level as soon as possible. But the undead''s existence would surely be exposed. She hoped trouble wouldn''t come too quickly. The losses from this battle were severe. Over twenty Monarch undead were killed, and 80,000 standard undead died protecting Alex. The power of a King level was truly terrifying. Alex didn''t feel sorry for the dead undead because it was pointless. Arthas currently lacked the ability to resurrect Monarch undead. Dead was dead. As for standard undead, Alex could summon large numbers in a short time if she wished, so there was no need to worry about their numbers. Near dusk, Arthur and Riven returned to Undead City with the spoils from conquering the dwarf kingdom. The dwarf kingdom''s resources were so abundant that the Warehouse was nearly full, allowing the city to be upgraded again. Additionally, the undead army had grown. When Arthur and Riven were dispatched, Grimstone had only 20,000 undead. Now, they returned with 100,000. Most of these undead were bone dragons and ghost dragons, personally summoned by Arthur and Riven. This was partly because they had captured some dwarves and spared the civilian dwarves. Otherwise, the number of undead would be even higher. Fifteen new Monarch undead were added, and twenty captured Monarch dwarves signed contracts with Sophie, becoming her subordinates. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Durin led the dwarves in rebuilding their war-torn homes and handling post-unification affairs. Naturally, Durin became the new dwarf king. As for Nori''s escape, Alex didn''t pay much attention. What could a lv1 Monarch do? "Big Shot, I''ve had Durin gather the high-level dwarf artisans at Grimstone. What should we do with them?" Sophie asked. She had gained a lot from signing contracts with many Monarch level dwarves, though most of the experience went to the undead. Alex had already planned for this. "Move some skilled artisans to Undead City to collaborate with the hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks on technology. I''ll upgrade your town to a city soon, so the dwarves can develop industry. The dwarf kingdom will focus on the area from Grimstone to White Rock Mountains and your city." Sophie was delighted. This way, she wouldn''t have to shuttle back and forth and could stay in Undead City. "No problem, Big Shot." Alex opened the system interface to upgrade Sophie''s town. For Alex, upgrading a town to a city didn''t require many resources, so there was no need to worry about consumption. Soon, Alex upgraded Sophie''s town to a city. "Big Shot, I''ll notify Durin to send the artisans over and then check out my city." Sophie said happily. "Go ahead." The system''s power was truly impressive. When a town in the mountains was upgraded to a city, the area expanded significantly, flattening the surrounding mountains into a vast plain. In this transformed landscape, a dwarf city with two barracks was established. While Sophie arranged for the artisans, Alex didn''t idle. She began upgrading Undead City. The city''s area expanded, the walls emitted a faint black energy, and the palace behind Alex became more magnificent, covered in a mysterious blue energy. Undead City reached lv7, just two levels from max. Alex then upgraded the Barracks. The dwarf kingdom''s resources were comprehensive, covering everything. The biggest gain from conquering the dwarf kingdom was the resources. Currently, Drake''s Barracks were the strongest. Alex didn''t upgrade the Barracks for the Xiao siblings or Sophie but directly upgraded Drake''s Barracks. Drake''s Barracks went from lv16 to lv20, a significant boost. Alex''s own Barracks were only lv21. [Rock Dragon Crystal: lv20] [Barracks can summon: Rock Dragon troop, fixed at one, bloodline activation concentration 40%, initial level lv9 Commanding.] This was Drake''s Barracks information. The bloodline activation concentration indicated the dragons'' growth rate, ensuring they didn''t take too long to mature and could grow stronger faster. These dragons had a level cap of Sovereign level, equivalent to normal adult dragons, but their growth was slow. The most absurd part was that Drake''s Barracks differed from other Lords. Normal Barracks had a 24-hour cooldown, but Drake''s Barracks had a 120-hour cooldown, or five days. In other words, he could summon one Rock Dragon every five days, so his troops have never exceeded ten up to now. Dragons were powerful but had clear drawbacks: low numbers and slow growth. Next, Alex upgraded her own Barracks by five levels, depleting the resources from the dwarf kingdom. The Undead Barracks reached lv26. The upgrade removed the summoning of races under a race king, meaning skeletons, specters, zombies, liches, bone dragons, and ghost dragons would no longer be summoned. The initial level increased to lv3 Commanding, the summoning number doubled from fifty to one hundred, the chance of summoning a race king increased, and a new troop, the Crypt Fiend, was unlocked. Alex wasn''t particularly interested in the new troop. It had no standout features, with a level cap similar to Death Conquerors and Gargoyles, serving as a ground-based ranged unit. That was all for the five-level Barracks upgrade. The description page became simpler. Alex was puzzled. Shouldn''t higher levels unlock more advanced troops? The system wasn''t following the usual pattern. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The system prompt sounded, signaling nightfall. Alex had used up all the resources, closed the system interface, and returned to the palace. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui returned from Gemini City, shocked by the devastation outside and the piles of undead bones. "What happened?" Xiao Hui covered her mouth in surprise. Xiao Mu, without a word, pulled her into the palace, where they found Alex sitting there eating dessert. They sighed in relief, glad Alex was unharmed. "Miss Alex, what happened outside?" Xiao Hui asked urgently, seeing the countless undead bones, estimating at least tens of thousands. "Nothing much, just got beaten up." Alex said nonchalantly, as if it had nothing to do with her. Xiao Hui wanted to ask more, but Xiao Mu stopped her, and they headed out. "Leader, we''re going to eat." "Go ahead." Chapter 261: Liliths plea [Night retreats, dawn arrives]The experience bar for lv9 Monarch felt like a bottomless pit, making Alex wonder when she would finally reach King level. Now that the dwarf kingdom was unified and the Orc Empire was off-limits due to the Holy Court, it seemed Alex had no more places to expand. Alex didn''t want to take unnecessary risks by confronting the Orc Empire''s King level prematurely. Even if she reached King level, she might not be a match for the Orc King, who could be higher than lv1. To continue developing, Alex had two options: head north or go to the Mossvale Continent. These were the best choices for now. Alex took stock of her current forces. She had 70 Monarch undead, including one lv8, two lv7, and ten lv6. Her undead army totaled over 360,000. She also had seven race kings: Arthur, Riven, and Arthas were lv5, Death Spirit was lv8, and the other three were still lv3. Among her subjects, the Xiao siblings were lv4 Monarch, Drake was lv3 Monarch, and Sophie was lv2 Monarch. The dwarf troops that had submitted included over twenty Monarch levels. The Xiao siblings'' troops had four Monarch levels combined, and Drake had six Rock Dragons at Monarch level. This was Alex''s current strength. At first glance, over a hundred Monarchs seemed formidable. But against true powerhouses, it was insignificant. Undead City needed its own King level! After summoning her troops, Alex pondered her next move. "Although it''s not the best choice, it seems we have no option but to attack the Orc Empire. Anyway, I don''t need to be on the battlefield myself." Alex stood up from the steps and walked towards the palace. Fortune favors the bold. Maybe by the time they reached Bloodrock City, she would have ascended to King level. The main thing was that the Orc Empire was now a pawn of the Holy Court and angels. If they wanted to make her life difficult, she would return the favor. "Notify Arthur and Riven to start attacking the Orc Empire with the other four race kings." Alex instructed the Death Spirit beside her. "Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, take the undead and clear out the small races north of Undead City." It was time to clear them out and push northward, the only direction left for development on the Eldoria continent. As for Sophie, once the dwarves recovered, the small races around the dwarf kingdom wouldn''t be spared either. "As you command." Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui left the palace immediately. At this stage, Alex needed a lot of experience to level up, so the best strategy was to stay in the palace, enjoy the 1.5x experience boost, and quickly reach King level. Ding! [You have a new private message!] S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Huh?" Alex opened the system and saw it was from Lilith. Lilith: "The progress in the forest elves kingdom has reached a critical point. I need your help." Alex: "Okay." "I thought I could stay in the castle, but now I have to go out again." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Alex sighed. She owed Lilith a favor for helping her before, so she couldn''t ignore this request. Besides, sending only undead would be too dismissive. Alex grabbed two liches and set off, hoping to resolve the matter quickly and return. On the Arsen continent, in the city of the fallen angels. As soon as Alex stepped out of the Portal of Transit, she noticed something unusual. In just a few days, Lilith''s town had upgraded to a city. A black statue of a fallen angel stood in the central plaza, and many more fallen angels flew around the city compared to her last visit. Alex walked up the steps towards the palace. Lilith, having received the notification, came out to greet her, and they quickly entered the palace together. "What do you need me to do?" The surroundings of Lilith''s city looked secure, so it couldn''t be for city defense. "To infiltrate the forest elves kingdom and kill the forest elves king." The forest elves king''s level was much higher than Lilith''s, beyond her control. The best solution was to kill him and install a puppet elf, secretly making the kingdom a vassal of Lilith. Lilith had already chosen the puppet, a lv3 Monarch female elf, the highest level she could control. "What level is the elf king?" Alex asked curiously. "Lv7 Monarch, with several high-level Monarch guards. Their bodies will be your reward." Lilith explained, watching Alex''s expression. Seeing Alex remain indifferent, she felt relieved, knowing the forest elves king wasn''t a threat to Alex. Lilith was also curious about Alex''s current strength. Alex thought, just a lv7 small fry, not even as strong as the liches behind her. Both liches were lv7 Monarch. As for the bodies, Lilith had to give them to Alex because she couldn''t control dead bodies, and living elves were beyond her power. Alex then learned more about the forest elves kingdom''s situation and formed a plan. When Lilith controlled the sea race to attack the forest elves, the elf king couldn''t ignore the threat and sent a large force. They found the sea race was just a bluff, posing no real danger. This led to the near-total annihilation of the sea race controlled by Lilith, but the goal was achieved, drawing out the forest elves'' main force. Now, the forest elves'' royal city was left with Lilith''s puppets, poorly defended. A staged assassination of the elf king by the puppets would allow Lilith''s puppet to take the throne. The puppet was a royal bloodline. With the elf king''s authority, Lilith could quickly transform the high-ranking elves into puppets, making them her vassal troops. It wasn''t easy, but it was a clever plan because Lilith wasn''t as powerful as Alex at the moment. If it were Alex, she would have wiped out the forest elves before the templar knights could consolidate the elf kingdom. After all, the elf kingdoms weren''t all adjacent. Some were far apart. For example, the forest elves'' kingdom was on the continent''s edge. Even if they were wiped out, no one would know for half a month. But Alex kept these thoughts to herself. "No time to waste, let''s set off immediately." Alex didn''t want to delay. Repaying the favor and gaining some bodies was a good deal. "Wait a moment, I need to prepare." Lilith stood up and left the hall. Alex leaned back in her chair, resting. Chapter 262: Elf King In the depths of the vast, verdant forest lies the gathering place of the forest elves.They cherish the forest and nature, maintaining their own order and civilization without cutting down trees to build grand cities. Their homes are various treehouses. Deep within the forest stands a palace nestled among the trees, woven from wood and vines, exuding beauty and tranquility, signifying the extraordinary nature of its inhabitants. Yes, this is where the king of the forest elves resides. Beside the palace stands a sturdy tree, its leaves emitting a gentle green energy, with several vines hanging down, bearing green fruits. This tree is peculiar, entirely different from the surrounding trees, and is heavily guarded. "This tree is called the Lumoria Tree, also known as the Tree of Life. It''s the sacred tree of the elf race and crucial for their reproduction." Seeing Alex''s curiosity about the tree, Lilith patiently explained. The two had already sneaked close to the palace, successfully infiltrating the depths of the forest elves'' kingdom. The kingdom was poorly defended, and no one noticed the two intruders. "Elves reproduce through a tree?" Alex looked puzzled; it was the first time she had heard of such a thing. "Yes, when I first learned about it, I had the same expression as you. See those fruits? Those are unborn forest elves." Lilith smiled, her gaze fixed on the palace. This wasn''t her first time here. "So, moving this tree would be like having an Auxiliary Barrack?" Alex suddenly realized a loophole. "It''s a good idea, but the Tree of Life is said to be hard to maintain. Besides, uprooting it might drive all the elves insane." Lilith didn''t mention that the real Tree of Life wasn''t the one before them. Alex was merely curious. She wasn''t particularly interested in this tree; she had her sights set on the entire elf kingdom. The forest elves weren''t an independent race. Even if Lilith ruled them, it wouldn''t count as a conquest. Alex''s goal was the entire elf race. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The forest elves'' king is inside?" Alex turned to Lilith, who nodded. "Alright, I''ll go in and kill him!" Alex, accompanied by two liches, stopped hiding and flew towards the palace. Along the way, many forest elf guards finally noticed them. Lilith hadn''t expected Alex to be so reckless. With no other choice, she followed with her fallen angels. The royal puppet had already returned to the kingdom. Seeing the beautiful palace, Alex felt a bit reluctant to destroy it. Then, a massive fireball struck the ground, igniting a fierce blaze. The two liches immediately attacked the surrounding elves, unstoppable. No elf could withstand their assault. The remaining Monarch level elves spread their wings and controlled natural elements to attack the liches. In just one encounter, a lich used Bone Magic to kill a Monarch level elf guard. Lilith was stunned. Were these undead so powerful? To kill an equal-rank opponent instantly, the liches had to be at least five levels higher, meaning they were at least lv6 Monarch. The forest elves'' king was only lv7! When Lilith looked back at Alex, she found that Alex had already disappeared. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? While the liches caused chaos outside, Alex had already entered the palace. Alex had instructed the liches not to kill too many elves or summon them as undead. She didn''t want to feel like she was taking advantage. She was here to help, and a few bodies would suffice. Alex kicked open the palace door and walked in openly. A group of forest elf guards surrounded her with weapons. "The style here is nice. I like it." The interior was indeed ornate, with various decorations dazzling Alex. Many pieces of furniture and structures were made of wood, with vines everywhere, creating a green ambiance. The entire place had a natural feel. What was this style called again? Never mind. Alex''s figure suddenly vanished, leaving the elf guards bewildered. Since she was here to help, Alex thought it best to kill as few elves as possible. Invisible, Alex strolled through the palace, reaching a garden where she saw an elf man. He wore a green crown adorned with gems, a luxurious light green robe, and had long, pale golden hair draped over his shoulders. He held a scepter symbolizing his throne. No doubt, this was the king of the forest elves. Alex''s figure appeared at the garden entrance, her footsteps catching the elf king''s attention. "Do you know we have submitted to the Holy Court? You are opposing them." The elf king spoke calmly, his voice melodious and gentle, stating a fact rather than a threat. "Of course, that''s why we''re acting now." Alex looked at the elf king, puzzled. It seemed he already knew about Lilith''s puppet infiltration. "Nothing surprising. I''ve lived for 539 years, ruling for 361. I saw the lack of loyalty in the eyes of those manipulated elves." He sighed. "Unfortunately, I realized it too late. I am willing to lead the forest elves to submit to you. We are but lost insects in the vast forest, too weak to control our fate." Alex was taken aback. This wasn''t how she expected things to go. The elf king was clearly wise, with a long-term vision, understanding the situation. He knew that resistance was a dead end. Now, under the eaves, he had to bow. Whoever held the knife to their throats, they would submit to. Clearly, Alex''s scythe was closer to his throat than the Holy Court''s blade. But Alex disagreed. If he submitted, her trip would be in vain. Not getting a single body was hard to accept. "You better give me enough compensation." Alex''s cold voice broke the silence after a moment of thought. The elf king observed her expressions closely. "So, you''re just an outsider''s hired help. You''re in a mercenary relationship." The elf king saw through it. His voluntary submission disrupted her original plan. He also understood that if he didn''t offer enough compensation, the girl would still kill him. After all, that was their original plan. Chapter 263: Primal Nature As he spoke, the elf king''s palm glowed with green life energy, which coalesced into a glowing orb. He raised his hand, and the orb floated towards Alex.Curious, Alex extended her hand, and the orb hovered above her palm. She then looked back at the elf king. "This is the life energy of the forest elves'' royal lineage, passed down through generations. Absorbing it will grant you the ability to control nature. This should be sufficient compensation." The elf king''s tone remained calm, showing no reluctance or regret even as he handed over their royal family''s ancestral energy. He seemed to understand the situation well. After all, death would mean losing everything, while giving up the life energy would only weaken the future potential of the forest elves, which could be regained over a few thousand years. Alex didn''t immediately agree. She used the system to check the information before making a decision. The elf king, understanding that Alex was assessing the energy, remained silent and waited patiently. [Energy Source: Primal Nature] [Description: Pure primal power passed down through the forest elves'' royal lineage for millennia, possessing indescribable special abilities.] [Effect: Master high-level nature magic, and enhance all nature-based magic.] [Side Effect: Elf transformation (can be removed by consuming experience points)] Seeing the description, Alex couldn''t help but smile. It was a stroke of luck, far more valuable than a few Monarch level corpses. No wonder the elf race could stand strong on the Arsen continent; their heritage was indeed rich. However, Alex didn''t want to transform into a blond, pointy-eared elf. As for appearance, she already considered herself much more beautiful than any elf. So, she chose to consume experience points to remove the side effect. The elf king, noticing Alex''s smile, understood. "It seems you are satisfied." "Indeed. You can live. Hand over your life energy." The energy in Alex''s hand was just a sample. The elf king wasn''t foolish; he feared Alex might go back on her word. "No problem. Please come closer." The elf king stepped forward. Alex approached, showing no signs of defense, standing right in front of the elf king. Though she was shorter, her presence was imposing, exerting an inexplicable pressure on him. The elf king held his scepter and tapped it on the ground. Green energy radiated from him, causing the flowers around them to bloom, filling the area with vitality. Then, the energy from the elf king began to flow into Alex. As soon as it entered her body, she chose to remove the side effect. Ten minutes later, the transfer was complete. The elf king was surprised to see that Alex''s ears hadn''t elongated; she showed no signs of elf transformation. At that moment, a green light flashed in Alex''s right eye. "Can you take me to see her now?" "Yes." Alex led the elf king out of the garden. As they entered the palace, the surrounding elf guards immediately surrounded Alex with weapons. The elf king waved his hand, and the elves stepped back, clearing a path for them. Outside the palace, many buildings had burned from Alex''s earlier fire magic. However, the liches had used frost magic during the battle, turning the area into a snowy landscape. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Lilith and her fallen angels were fighting other Monarch level elves, creating chaos outside. Alex called off the liches, who then approached her. The elf king''s pupils contracted upon seeing the liches, solidifying his thoughts. Lilith was surprised to see Alex and the elf king together. Had the elf king decided to submit? Order was quickly restored. The fallen angels ceased fighting, and the forest elves, having suffered heavy losses, stopped as well. Several Monarchs had died, and the ordinary elves had fared even worse. Lilith stood opposite, with her fallen angels and controlled elves behind her. On the other side were Alex and the elf king, with the central elves looking confused, unsure of what was happening. "It seems you are trustworthy." The elf king condensed the remaining energy and handed it to Alex, who absorbed it. With the system''s detection, Alex knew the elf king had held back earlier. Now, with the energy complete, it was clear he had no more tricks up his sleeve. "You are wise, elf." Alex briefly explained the situation to Lilith, who chuckled upon hearing it. She hadn''t expected all her efforts to be in vain. If she had known, she would have just had Alex threaten the elf king. However, Lilith didn''t mind Alex''s deal with the elf king. After all, Alex could have killed him and summoned him as an undead. The elf king''s submission added a high-level Monarch to Lilith''s forces, greatly benefiting her. This outcome was far better than she had hoped. It was a win-win. Under Alex''s watch, the elf king led the forest elves to submit to Lilith, becoming undercover agents within the elf race for the Holy Court. "Great, now I can continue expanding inland." Lilith was in high spirits, grateful for Alex''s help. "Handle your affairs. I''ll take a walk." Alex knew Lilith would have her own plans and arrangements, but that was no longer her concern. The task was complete. Aside from the initial fireball, Alex had barely lifted a finger. An hour later, Alex and Lilith left the forest elves'' kingdom and returned to the city of the fallen angels. As for the bodies, Alex hadn''t planned to take them, but Lilith insisted, so she summoned five Monarch level undead from them. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their levels were low, but it was better than nothing. As for the ordinary elves, Alex didn''t summon them as undead, respecting Lilith''s territory. In the city of the fallen angels, Lilith invited Alex to dinner. It was clear that Lilith was genuinely happy this time. Alex couldn''t refuse, not wanting to dampen her spirits. "What''s your next plan for development?" Alex asked, leaning on the table with her chin resting on her hand. "With the forest elves'' intelligence, the Holy Court shouldn''t mobilize the entire elf race for now. I can continue to secretly control other elf races or expand inland to other races. Things are much easier now." Lilith smiled, sensing that the coming period would be a peak in her development. Chapter 264: The first King level among the Lords was about to emerge [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.]That night, Alex returned to Undead City. The Xiao siblings were already waiting in the palace, ready to report on the day''s battles. Alex entered the palace. "Miss Alex, we took down a race to the north in just one day," Xiao Hui eagerly announced as soon as Alex walked in, holding out a race''s Tear. "So quickly?" Alex was a bit surprised. It seemed the Xiao siblings had grown stronger. She took the race''s Tear from Xiao Hui and absorbed it. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 14/100] It only increased by one point, which Alex had expected. This race was called the [Burrowing Beast], a small group with only a few low-level Monarchs. By eliminating the Burrowing Beasts, they gained an Auxiliary Barrack, which Alex built in Gemini City. Additionally, they acquired a race skill: digging. It wasn''t a conventional earth magic but rather an ability to channel energy through their hands to dig directly. Alex didn''t learn it, nor did the Xiao siblings or even Sophie. The skill was just too... underwhelming. "There are two more races to the north, but they''re a bit farther away. After dealing with the Burrowing Beasts, it was getting late, so we came back. They were hiding underground, and their king was a coward. It took too long to find him," Xiao Hui complained. Otherwise, they could have progressed even faster. The Burrowing Beasts provided Alex with five Monarchs, who joined the undead army clearing the north. "No worries, these small races are just appetizers. The best would be to find a kingdom." Conquering small races one by one was too troublesome. Alex needed to hurry. She needed to reach King level quickly, max out Undead City, and accelerate the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade progress. After chatting with the siblings for a bit, they all returned to their quarters to sleep. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] In the vast expanse of the Eldoria continent, a massive volcano erupted. A mushroom cloud of volcanic ash and embers formed, with lava flowing down, burning everything in its path. Countless animals fled in panic, trying to escape the danger. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But one man walked towards the volcano. He had a youthful yet handsome face, with short ice-blue hair, looking only fifteen or sixteen years old. Despite his cold demeanor, he exuded a powerful aura, dressed in black like a cold-blooded assassin. The ground he stepped on was left with a thin layer of frost, which quickly evaporated. Suddenly, his eyes glowed blue, and a fiery figure appeared before him. It was a middle-aged man with a beard, his bright red hair striking. He wore an open red vest, revealing his muscular physique. His body was covered in scars, making him look like a seasoned fighter compared to the boy''s youthful face. He looked disheveled and irritable, but seeing the boy calmed him down. "What are you doing here?" The red-haired man spoke gruffly, his voice rough and unkind. "Uncle Barja, I heard you fought them and got hurt?" The boy asked with concern. "I''ve had worse. They think they can kill me?" The red-haired man scoffed, then seemed to remember something. He bent over and retched, spitting out a blue energy crystal. "Uncle, you..." ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Seeing the crystal, the boy''s pupils contracted, understanding why the red-haired man was injured. "Take your family''s thing. I''m not keeping it for you." The red-haired man tossed the blue crystal to the boy, who quickly caught it. "Let''s go. I''ll find a way to get you off the Eldoria continent." The red-haired man grabbed the boy''s arm, ready to leave, but the boy didn''t move. The man looked at him, puzzled. "No, Uncle. I''m staying. I want revenge." The boy''s eyes were cold and filled with killing intent. "You? A Monarch? Don''t be ridiculous. You''ve lost your mind!" The red-haired man laughed, turning to leave. "Fine, do what you want. Don''t blame me if you die." He walked towards the volcano. "Thank you, Uncle!" The boy''s voice came from behind, but the red-haired man didn''t respond, quickly disappearing. The boy also left the area. Uncle wasn''t a literal uncle; they had no blood relation. It was just a term of respect for an elder. They were from the same race, nothing more. The red-haired man left because he saw the determination in the boy''s eyes. This wasn''t just a personal grudge. If a youngster could be so resolute, how could he not be? ... Back in Undead City, Alex had just finished summoning her troops. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were already rushing north again. "Today should be uneventful, right?" Alex decided to stay in the city all day, enjoying the 1.5x experience boost to quickly reach King level. As for Drake, aside from resource allocation after submission and upgrading his Barracks and city, Alex didn''t interfere. She chose to let Drake develop on his own unless he asked for help. Drake had top-tier talent and troops. If not for Alex, he could have developed well on his own and become a significant figure. But now, Alex no longer saw other Lords as competitors. Her focus was on the native races. While many troops had higher potential than the undead, in the early stages, the undead were unbeatable. By leveraging her early advantage, Alex could outpace all other Lords. It wouldn''t be long before Alex leveled up. The first King level among the Lords was about to emerge! "Esteemed Queen, the orc army is attacking Gemini City." The Death Spirit, possessing a specter, flew to Alex to report. "Good. Let the surrounding orcs join in and handle it together with the undead!" Orcs, man-eating ants, and burrowing beasts were all potential experience points. Alex needed to develop her vassal races to fight for her. As for the hobgoblins and dwarves, they were still useful. Medusas and giant eagles were with Drake, and Alex didn''t plan to interfere. "Orcs are great. They''re delivering experience points." Today, Alex wasn''t planning to go out, so she didn''t even wear shoes. She sat in the hall with her bare legs, relaxed in a chair. Chapter 265: Beast Empire North of Undead City, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui continued their journey northward.The Burrowing Beasts were the closest race to Undead City. Further north, there were other races, and their mission was to eliminate these small races. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The terrain here was similar to the Barren Plains¡ªdesolate, devoid of greenery, and lifeless. The only difference was the presence of more dead trees and some peculiar large rocks, making the landscape less flat. "Xiao Mu, how much more experience do you need to level up?" "More than half, but I''m getting there." The siblings stood on the back of a bone dragon, flying rapidly forward, accompanied by a few liches and the Death Spirit. These were all the undead they brought. Dealing with these small races didn''t require the entire undead army. Of course, ahead of them were numerous scattered specters, gathering intelligence. After flying for an unknown amount of time, they saw a continuous mountain range stretching east to west. The peaks soared into the clouds, covered in snow, appearing white. "Wow, those mountains are so high!" Xiao Hui stood on the bone dragon, flying high, yet the mountain peaks were still higher. Soon, the siblings and their undead landed on the mountain. The area was filled with dead trees and unknown black vines, along with many creepy-looking insects. "The last two races are on this mountain. Let''s go." Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and the undead followed the specters deeper into the mountain. Halfway up, they found a massive tunnel, large enough for the bone dragon to enter. It was pitch black inside, like a lurking abyssal beast. "Leaders, the race inside is called the Rockfang Beasts. There are nearly a hundred of them on this mountain, a unique creature forming a race." The specter informed the siblings about the creatures. These creatures were scattered across the mountain, each living in similar large caves. Each adult had strength ranging from Commanding level to Monarch level. There were only about a hundred of them, but being unique to this area, they were considered a race by the system. "Ugh?" Xiao Hui groaned, sensing trouble. "We have to find a hundred caves? That''ll take forever. Why can''t they just gather in one place for us to wipe out?" These creatures had no ruling class, each being independent. This meant there was no king to kill to indirectly control them. "It is troublesome, but we have no choice." Xiao Mu led the way into the cave, followed by the undead. Suddenly, a pair of yellow eyes lit up in the darkness, and the cave shook as a massive figure charged at them. Slash! A huge bone blade pierced it, pinning it to the wall. Xiao Mu used a light orb to illuminate the cave, finally seeing the creature''s appearance. It was a massive beast standing on four legs, with a head resembling an enlarged lizard, deep green skin, sharp black claws, and yellow bone spikes on its back. Its long tail ended in a spiked ball, like a flail. "So this is a Rockfang Beast? What a strange-looking creature." Xiao Hui commented. The Rockfang Beast was only Commanding level, easily killed by a Monarch level lich. However, it was only pinned to the wall, not killed, as the lich looked to Xiao Mu. "Kill it. These creatures are rare. Commanding level is useless. If a Monarch level submits, we can spare it, but they must relocate." Hearing Xiao Mu''s decision, the lich ended the Rockfang Beast''s life, summoning it as an undead. "Let''s split up. Searching cave by cave is too slow." Xiao Mu instructed the surrounding Monarch level undead. The undead split into ten groups, searching the mountain for Rockfang Beasts, leaving Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and a specter behind. "Aren''t we going to search the caves?" Xiao Hui asked. "I want to check out the mountain peak first." Xiao Mu looked up at the towering peak, shrouded in thick clouds, disappearing into the sky. Maybe there was something at the top. In typical web novels, isn''t that how it goes? But Xiao Mu had other reasons, unlike Xiao Hui''s whimsical thoughts. "It''s so high. It must be beautiful up there. I can already imagine standing above the clouds!" Xiao Hui was excited. "Let''s go!" She pulled Xiao Mu towards the peak, with the specter following silently. As they neared the peak, they could almost touch the clouds. Seeing the clouds so close, Xiao Hui closed her eyes. Xiao Mu pulled her through the clouds. After a moment of darkness, they were greeted by blinding light. Xiao Mu squinted, standing on the peak. The peak was barren, covered in ice and snow, surrounded by a sea of clouds, with the dazzling sun above. The sunlight had no warmth. Xiao Mu opened his eyes, observing the surroundings. "Wow, it''s so beautiful. It''s my first time flying this high." Xiao Hui marveled, feeling her spirits lift at the sight of the sun. "It''s my first time seeing the sun on the Eldoria continent." Xiao Mu was also filled with emotion. The endless sea of clouds seemed to cover the entire continent. "Xiao Mu, there''s nothing here. Why did you come up?" Xiao Hui wasn''t stupid. She knew her brother wasn''t here for the view, as he was never one to please girls. ???¦®????.??? "This mountain is like a natural barrier, separating the north and south. The scenery to the north is completely different, with many races and no major powers. It''s perfect for us now." Xiao Mu explained, taking out a black energy crystal from his space ring¡ªthe fortress Essence Shard. He activated the construction and placed the Essence Shard in the center of the peak, then pulled Xiao Hui to the edge. A massive black magic circle spread from the Essence Shard, the ground trembling as the undead fortress slowly emerged. Xiao Mu faced north, looking at the endless sea of clouds. "This place is like the backyard of the Eldoria continent, or a zoo. No major powers interfere, making it a great place to develop. But we can''t guarantee the undead won''t be discovered, so building the fortress here is the most hidden option." With the lesson from the hobgoblin kingdom''s undead fortress being discovered, future fortresses had to be hidden, not in enemy territory. Distance wasn''t an issue with the Silverscale Leviathan for transport. "That makes sense. I knew you weren''t just here for the view." Xiao Hui pouted. "I did consider it." Xiao Mu''s words made Xiao Hui smile. "That''s more like it." "What''s the other race here?" Xiao Hui almost forgot there were two races. "The other race is on the other side of the mountain. Want to know the mountain''s name? Follow me." Xiao Mu led Xiao Hui off the northern edge, descending into darkness as clouds blocked the sky. Below, the scene was entirely different. The mountain was covered in green trees, with endless grasslands below, a stark contrast to the other side. "Eldoria has places like this?" Xiao Hui was surprised. She thought Eldoria was all desolate and corrupt, with no clear skies or green plants. "This mountain is called [Twinface Mountain]. The race on the lush side is the [Longtail Apes], but our target today is the Rockfang Beasts." Xiao Mu explained as they flew. "We came together, but you seem to know everything." Xiao Hui was puzzled. "The specters told us. You just didn''t listen." Xiao Mu rolled his eyes. "Really?" Xiao Hui was skeptical. The specter kindly explained again, and this time Xiao Hui listened. The northern grasslands were called [Savage Plains]. The Savage Plains were known as Eldoria''s backyard or zoo because most races here were strange beast races. Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was listening to the Death Spirit''s report. "What? The race at the foot of Twinface Mountain is the Minotaur?" According to the Death Spirit, it was indeed minotaurs¡ªcreatures with bull heads and human bodies, with purple skin. But the key point was that the minotaurs were organized. The Savage Plains had many such races, like lion-men and centaurs. These weaker races formed an alliance and joined the largest northern power. That was the Beast Alliance, or Beast Empire. A coalition of many races with a parliamentary system, don''t be fooled by the name. The beasts at the center of power were highly intelligent. These beasts were different from the Orc Empire on the Arsen continent, and they weren''t a single race. They were much stronger than the Orc Empire. Most of their groups were hybrids, rejected by their original races, forming independent races. These outcast hybrids united to become strong and establish themselves among the races. Strictly speaking, Ruby was also part of the beast race. The Beast Empire''s growing strength made them more aggressive, even developing bloodline extraction technology. For selfish gains, some Beast Empire rulers began forcibly taking beasts'' bloodlines. A talented beast like Ruby was rare even in the Empire, which was why they hunted her. If you didn''t join the Beast Empire, they would extract your bloodline and transfer it to others. At its peak, the Beast Empire had hundreds of races, rivaling the werewolves of Skyreach Mountains and the vampires of Eternal Night City. It was a powerful force, possibly with an Emperor level being, far beyond Alex''s current capabilities. But the situation wasn''t all bad. The Beast Empire''s forces were scattered, not concentrated. Races like the minotaurs were peripheral, and their elimination wouldn''t attract attention. Alex didn''t know the exact location of the Beast Empire, but it wasn''t on the Savage Plains. Even a few thousand miles was too close for comfort. The mage association wouldn''t allow it, and the Beast Empire wasn''t bold enough to provoke humans. Humans might not be united, but mages were. No race would dare provoke human mages unless they had a death wish. "The Beast Empire, what a headache." Alex was troubled. Why did every force have a background now? Was it impossible to survive without one? "The angels wouldn''t control the Beast Empire, would they?" Alex shook her head. If the angels could easily control a force with a Sovereign level being, they would have unified the world by now. A Sovereign level being was rare; having one meant a top-tier race. Minotaurs were beasts, but not part of the core race, just cannon fodder. To be safe, Alex needed to investigate the Savage Plains before deciding to act. She didn''t want to provoke a bigger enemy. Chapter 266: Attack the orc camps The evening had arrived, and Alex was once again bored, using her scythe to trim her nails.Suddenly, a system notification sounded. [Congratulations on successfully conquering the Rockfang Beast tribe. You have obtained an Auxiliary Barrack and Race''s Tear.] This weak race, without any special traits, usually didn''t offer much in terms of rewards. Alex had already noticed the pattern. After absorbing it, sure enough, it only added a bit to her Progress. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade Progress: 15/100] "Already 15%. It''s getting close." Alex was eagerly anticipating the day when the Progress would reach 100/100. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As night fully fell, the siblings finally returned to the palace in the Undead City. Surprisingly, they didn''t use a Return Stone but came back from the main fortress, indicating they had built an undead fortress in the Savage Plains. "Miss Alex, we''re back!" Xiao Hui walked in, immediately taking off her coat and pulling the hair tie from her hair, letting it fall loose. "I need to take a bath first. My hair got dirty from the dirt falling in the cave." Xiao Hui tossed her coat to Xiao Mu and headed towards the bath. "Leader, what about the Minotaur camp?" Xiao Mu looked at Alex, his eyes full of inquiry. "Let''s take Twinface Mountain first. We''re not sure if there are other Beast Empire forces in the Savage Plains. While we need to develop quickly, it''s more important to be steady." Alex wanted speed but valued stability even more. The closer she got to advancing to King level, the more cautious she needed to be. Xiao Mu then explained the location of the undead fortress to Alex, which made her eyes light up. No one would have thought there was an undead fortress above the clouds, making it a natural barrier. "Aren''t you going to eat?" Alex asked curiously. "I''ll wait for Xiao Hui." "Are you sure?" Xiao Mu looked puzzled. What was there to be unsure about? In the end, Xiao Mu waited for two hours before Xiao Hui finally finished her bath. He seemed to understand why Alex had questioned him earlier. "Wow, you actually waited for me. Unbelievable." Xiao Hui took the coat from Xiao Mu''s hand, put it on, and walked with him to the dining room. Alex didn''t go to eat, and Sophie had already finished her meal. "Death Spirit, what''s the situation with the Orc Empire?" Alex found it strange that no information had come from Gemini City so late. "Esteemed Queen, the orcs only launched a feint attack this time, seemingly to gather intelligence. They sent only low-level orcs, not even a single Monarch level orc." Death Spirit''s ethereal voice echoed in the hall, as it had possessed a specter to communicate with Alex more conveniently. This had almost become its exclusive undead host. "Even the orcs are getting cautious now!" Alex lamented the missed opportunity for experience points. "In that case, notify Arthas to send the undead army to attack and clear out all the orcs outside Bloodrock City." As long as they didn''t face the Orc King of Bloodrock City, Alex didn''t believe he would personally join the battle. "Yes, Esteemed Queen." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? The night in Gemini City was silent and eerie. As soon as Arthas received Alex''s order, he set out with several other race kings. For the undead, there was no difference between day and night. They had infinite stamina and never felt tired. But for the orcs, it was a disadvantage. Their population was too large, and even if they gathered around Bloodrock City, they would be spread out far. To ease tensions between camps, there had to be buffer zones between them. This meant that the camps on the outermost edge were quite far from Bloodrock City. At this moment, a huge bonfire illuminated the central square of the camp. Several orcs patrolled with torches and weapons, while the others had already crawled into their tents and fallen into a deep sleep. They had no idea that a crisis was quietly approaching. Time: 00:00 AM A massive zeppelin silently appeared above the camp. In the pitch-black night, the orcs below had no way of noticing it. Swish, swish, swish! Several bone blades sliced through the night sky, piercing the chests of a few patrolling orcs. With a thud, they fell silently to the ground. "Kill them all, leave no one alive!" Azure didn''t make a sound but used soul vibrations to convey the message to every undead present. With Azure''s command, several Monarch level undead descended from the sky, attacking the surrounding orcs. This was a critical time for Alex to advance from level 9 Monarch to King level, and killing enemies to gain experience was the main goal. Although Alex had said she would accept the orcs'' submission, the loyal Azure, for Alex''s maximum benefit, didn''t give the orcs a chance to submit. He aimed for total annihilation from the start. All the undead deployed were high-level Monarchs, not a single one below Monarch level. They could easily kill the orcs without making a sound. This was an assassination mission, and the purpose of bringing the Silverscale Leviathan was not to deploy an undead army but to conveniently carry away the newly summoned undead. The orc Chieftain in the tent seemed to hear something and woke up with a start. His weapon was right by his side. The orc Chieftain jumped out of bed, immediately smashing a lich that tried to ambush him, and rushed out of the tent. He felt something sticky under his feet. Looking down, he saw orc blood flowing around him. Shadows flew everywhere in the sky, slaughtering the orcs around him, making the orc Chieftain furious. Roar! A roar echoed through the camp, waking all the remaining orcs, who rushed out. But by then, most of the orcs in the camp were already dead, and there were more than a dozen enemies in the sky, each one a Monarch level! There was no way he could resist. "Retreat, head towards Bloodrock City!" The orc Chieftain grabbed his weapon and charged at the surrounding undead, ordering his people to retreat while he bought time. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks as a ghostly enemy appeared before him, emitting a strange blue-black aura. It was Azure, enhanced by the Death Spirit. Several soul attacks hit the orc, and Azure immediately engaged in a fierce battle with the orc Chieftain. As for the fleeing orcs, the Silverscale Leviathan in the sky was not just for show. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The same thing was happening in other camps. Six orc camps were simultaneously attacked by unknown creatures at night. The attackers were powerful, with strange abilities, and all were Monarch level. The sudden assault caught them completely off guard. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Sunlight bathed the land, heralding the dawn. The six orc camps lay in ruins, blood and corpses everywhere. In one night, the six orc camps were utterly annihilated. Chapter 267: Went all out In the morning, the Patrol Leader of Bloodrock camp was making his routine rounds of the various camps. This was a daily task mandated by the Orc King after gathering all the camps to Bloodrock royal city.Firstly, there were no communication methods other than sending messengers, and secondly, it was to prevent these unruly camps from secretly banding together to rebel. When the Patrol Leader from Bloodrock royal city arrived at the outermost camp and saw the devastation, his pupils instantly contracted in fear. "The Twilight Hammer Camp has been wiped out!" The Patrol Leader hurried back to Bloodrock royal city. The situation was too severe¡ªa camp had been reduced to ruins overnight. He had to inform the Orc King immediately! Meanwhile, the same thing was happening at the other destroyed camps. Orc patrol leaders were riding their mounts, frantically returning to Bloodrock city from all directions. Outside Gemini City, a massive pile of orc corpses had formed a small mountain. Last night, Death Spirit hadn''t summoned them into undead but had brought all the bodies back instead. These orc corpses had now been fully summoned, and disassembling nearly a hundred thousand orc bodies provided a significant amount of resources. With the addition of these thirty Monarchs and the hundred thousand undead army, combined with Gemini City''s original defenses, it was now a formidable force. As long as they didn''t encounter a King level enemy, no creature could take down Gemini City. The undead had already wiped out nearly twenty orc camps of the Orc Empire, turning half of the Orc Empire''s orcs into undead. The blatant destruction of six camps right under Bloodrock City''s nose had thoroughly enraged the Bloodrock camp. The remaining orc camps on the outskirts were all on edge, fearing they would be the next to be wiped out. They began to pray for the Orc King to quickly deal with the enemy. Faced with the camps'' pleas and the enemy''s provocation, the Orc King had no choice but to respond, or his authority would be completely undermined. What he had initially thought was just a small kitten of an enemy turned out to be a fierce tiger, now powerful enough that even the Orc King had to take notice. His original intention was to let this enemy reduce the internal conflicts of the camps, uniting them against a common foe and thereby reducing orc infighting. In the face of a powerful enemy, the orc infighting did stop, but half of the camps were destroyed, taking half of the Orc Empire with them. Now that the templar knights had left and the Orc King had regained full control, it was time to eliminate this enemy. With a command from the Orc King, the entire Bloodrock city mobilized. He wanted to show the enemy the consequences of angering the Orc Empire! ... On the other side, in Undead City, Alex had just woken up and felt a significant surge in her experience points. Alex carefully sensed her experience points and found they had increased substantially, making her very pleased. Alex opened the system dashboard to see what was going on. Seeing the system notifications, with kill records of 9999+, all orcs, she understood. It seemed the undead race kings had made a big move last night. "At this rate, one more wave and I can level up to King level!" At night, undead gained triple experience points for killing creatures below Monarch level, causing her experience to skyrocket, which made Alex very happy. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Meanwhile, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had left the main fortress and headed to Twinface Mountain, leading the undead to attack the Longtail Apes. Alex chose to stay in the palace to enjoy the 1.5x experience boost from the throne (with an additional double experience boost at night). By noon, Death Spirit came to report to Alex. "Esteemed Queen, the orc army is about to launch an attack, and the Orc King is suspected to have appeared!" This was information from an orc spy in Bloodrock city. The entire Bloodrock city had mobilized all the camp armies, even the Bloodrock camp had sent troops, and they were building a portal. Building a portal could only mean one thing: an attack on Gemini City. Alex couldn''t think of any other possibility. This put Alex in a difficult position, and she instantly frowned. The Orc King was a King level enemy, and this was bad news. They had pushed the enemy too far. The strength of that templar knight from a few days ago was still fresh in Alex''s mind. She didn''t want to be beaten by a King level enemy again. "Gather the man-eating ants, Burrowing Beasts, Rockfang Beasts, and some hobgoblins. Let them be the vanguard. All Monarch level troops from Undead City and the dwarf city should head to Gemini City for support." Alex had no other choice but to go all out. Either the Monarch level troops would wear down the Orc King through attrition, or she would accumulate enough experience to level up to King level and take him down herself. Whether relying on the Monarch level troops to gang up or leveling up through experience, Alex wasn''t very confident. This was why she had to drag the other subordinate races, even though their numbers hadn''t fully recovered, onto the battlefield. At this moment, every bit of experience was crucial. "Yes, Esteemed Queen." Death Spirit immediately withdrew to carry out Alex''s orders. All the undead from the three cities began to move towards Gemini City. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In terms of troop numbers, Alex wasn''t afraid of the Orc Empire. Hundreds of thousands of undead were enough to crush the orcs. The main problem was the Orc King. Other camp leaders would also need undead to deal with them, so some Monarch level troops would have to be spread out. "Let''s hope everything goes smoothly." Alex''s beautiful face showed a hint of worry. To maximize her experience gain, she naturally couldn''t leave Undead City. This war would have to be commanded by the undead. Soon, the man-eating ants from the Dark Forest were mobilized and entered Gemini City through the Portal of Transit. These were the survivors from the last great battle. They were all elderly man-eating ants. Alex kept the young and strong ones to continue repopulating the species. Even though the situation was urgent, Alex wouldn''t kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. These ants would be very useful in the future. The same went for the hobgoblins. These two races had the largest numbers mobilized, with the Rockfang Beasts being the fewest, only a handful, and the Burrowing Beasts next. The four races combined had nearly 10,000 troops, but they were all old, weak, sick, and disabled, purely sent to die and increase experience points. Alex never intended to rely on them to kill the enemy. Once the four races were fully mobilized, all the undead were in position. Alex and Sophie stayed in Undead City, while the dwarf city was guarded by Durin. All Monarch level undead from Undead City headed to Gemini City. With the twenty taken by the Xiao siblings, Gemini City now had nearly a hundred Monarch level undead, and the troop count had reached 200K. This was Alex''s highest combat power at the moment. If this couldn''t wear down the Orc King, she might as well find a soft pillow and smother herself. Alex didn''t believe the Orc King could have the strength of a level 8 King. Chapter 268: The siege of Gemini City On the other side, in Gemini City, nearly a hundred Monarch level undead stood atop the wall, led by Arthas and the other six race kings.Inside the city, all the buildings were unmanned except for the shield. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Outside the wall were the four races Alex had conquered, totaling nearly 10,000, with an additional 100,000 undead army stationed outside, providing these races with a great sense of security. In the city square, another 100,000 undead army, all air units, were quietly stationed on the ground, ready to take to the skies and tear apart any incoming enemies. Above the sky, six massive Silverscale Leviathans hovered silently. As for the orcs who had submitted and were stationed around Gemini City, Arthas had already ordered their retreat. Unless the entire orc race submitted, they were of no use. For the undead, there was never a shortage of low-level troops. Sending them to die was less beneficial than keeping them as potential experience points after the Orc Empire''s submission. Maximizing benefits was key. Whether a hundred Monarch level undead of varying strengths could defeat a low-level King would be determined by this battle. Arthas stood silently on the wall, holding Frostmourne. The other race kings had also received Alex''s orders: this battle must not be a mindless charge. If the Orc King''s strength proved too terrifying, the undead''s task was to spread out and kill as many other orcs as possible to gain experience points. If the Orc King''s performance was average, then the priority was to kill the Orc King. After all, killing the Orc King would mean Alex would gain her first King level undead. With a King level addition, the outcome of this battle would no longer be in doubt. As for how to judge, with Alex not present, it was up to the seven race kings to decide. ... At this moment in Bloodrock city, the leaders of various camps had gathered their elite warriors and were heading towards the city. In the square, over 200,000 orc troops from more than twenty camps had gathered, wearing different animal skins and bone ornaments to distinguish the warriors from each camp. These orcs surrounded the central square, with the Chieftains of each camp standing at the forefront of their respective camps. In the center of the square, several orc priests were waving their staffs, performing a strange ritual and chanting bizarre incantations. On either side were several large iron cages, holding various humanoid creatures, all tortured beyond recognition. Among them was even an elf. They clung to the cage bars, struggling desperately to escape, their wails and curses mingling with the orc priests'' incantations, creating a chaotic and noisy scene. Clearly, these prisoners knew what was about to happen, and their faces were filled with fear, some even hugging each other and crying. But no one paid them any mind. The surrounding orcs were excited at the prospect of going to war. A few camp Chieftains who knew the inside story were initially worried, but their confidence soared upon learning that the Orc King would personally lead the charge. As the first warrior of the Orc Empire, the Orc King had never faced an enemy he couldn''t defeat. Of course, except for the Holy Court. At this moment, the Orc King sat on a high platform outside the square, coldly observing everything below. He said nothing, waiting for the orc priests to complete the ritual. As the orc priests'' eyes glowed green and their staffs swung towards the prisoners in the cages, the prisoners let out agonizing screams. White energy began to pour from their mouths, eyes, and even ears, converging on the pre-arranged magic circle on the ground. They aged rapidly, turning into skeletal corpses in an instant, collapsing to the ground. Buzz! ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? A massive rectangular portal appeared on the ground, pulsating with green energy, revealing the scene on the other side. It was Gemini City, filled with undead, ready for battle! Seeing this, countless orcs raised their weapons in excitement. After sacrificing hundreds of lives, the orc priests had constructed this enormous portal. The Orc King stood up, weapon in hand, and took a few steps forward, looking down at the orc army. "For the glory of the orcs, destroy the enemy!" The Orc King raised his battle axe and shouted to the orc army below. "Orcs never retreat!" The orcs below, faces full of excitement, raised their weapons and shouted. "WAAAGH!" "Charge, kill the invaders!" With the Orc King''s command, countless orc warriors swarmed towards the portal, disappearing one by one as green ripples appeared. ... Outside Gemini City, a massive green portal appeared out of thin air, and countless orcs poured out. They raised their weapons, charging towards the enemies standing at the edge of the moat, beneath Gemini City. "Attack!" Arthas immediately ordered from the wall, and the undead and subjugated races below charged at the orcs. Meanwhile, at Twinface Mountain, Death Spirit suddenly possessed a lich and spoke to the Xiao siblings. "Gemini City is under attack by a King level enemy. Queen urgently needs experience points to level up to King level. Therefore, when facing the Longtail Apes, prioritize killing them and refuse their submission." Xiao Mu was momentarily stunned. Alex hadn''t mentioned this to them, and he immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. If Alex didn''t level up to King level, even with over a hundred Monarch levels, they might not be a match for the enemy''s King level. "Shouldn''t we go back to support? That''s a King level enemy!" Xiao Hui was very worried. She was only a level 4 Monarch and couldn''t even fathom the power of a King level. "No need. Killing the Longtail Apes here is also helping her. Alex can still share our experience points." Xiao Mu quickly calmed down. The King level enemy was attacking Gemini City, not Undead City. The worst-case scenario was losing the battle and Gemini City being destroyed. The King level in Arsen couldn''t threaten Alex''s safety in Eldoria. Of course, none of them wanted to see Gemini City destroyed. "Let''s act quickly. Summon the Monarch level corpses with Death Spirit, then return from the undead fortress to support Gemini City." Xiao Hui felt the pressure and became unusually serious. "Got it!" The siblings immediately led the undead forces into action. The Longtail Apes were a small race with only a few thousand members, and their Monarch levels could easily be counted on one hand. Facing the determined siblings and twenty Monarch level undead, the Longtail Apes stood no chance. Chapter 269: Orcs vs. Undead In Gemini City, with Arthas''s command, the undead army and the cannon fodder from other races outside the city walls immediately launched an attack on the orcs.The orc portal was enormous, much larger than the one used in the previous attack on Gemini City. Thousands of orcs poured out every second. This portal was constructed by the orc priests through the sacrifice of lives, creating a void gate. The orcs seemed to appear out of thin air through a thin membrane. This meant the teleportation array on this side couldn''t be destroyed to stop the orcs'' advance. The orcs had learned their lesson. The first wave consisted of Standard level and Commanding level orcs¡ªessentially cannon fodder. The undead were now locked in battle with them. The 100,000-strong ground undead army initially overwhelmed the orcs in numbers, creating chaos outside the city walls. Arthas hadn''t ordered the Monarch levels to engage yet, as the orc Monarch levels and the most threatening Orc King hadn''t appeared. The 100,000 undead air force inside the city also remained inactive for now. Below, the charging orcs wielded massive bone hammers, swinging them wildly. Their robust bodies and immense strength, even Skeleton Warriors and Death Warriors were shattered by their powerful blows. In the heart of the battlefield, countless bones and limbs flew through the air¡ªremnants of the undead. But it didn''t matter; the undead''s limbs quickly reassembled and came back to life. On the battlefield, Rockfang Beasts charged through with their massive bodies, their sharp bone spurs piercing through orc bodies with the force of their momentum. However, the Rockfang Beasts soon found themselves surrounded by the orc horde. Countless swords and axes hacked at them, and after killing a few orcs, the giant beasts lost their lives. As for the hobgoblins, they were no match for the orcs. The inherent size difference was an insurmountable disadvantage. Without technological support, the orcs easily cut down the hobgoblins, who were essentially cannon fodder. Thud! An orc suddenly fell to the ground, pain shooting through its calf. Looking down, it saw an invisible man-eating ant had ambushed it, its massive mandibles and corrosive acid biting through the orc''s leg. Just as the orc was about to be killed by the man-eating ant, another orc noticed and smashed the ant with a hammer. But before the orc could celebrate, a curse attack followed, instantly killing it. Death Conquerors, riding skeletal warhorses and wielding scythes, rampaged through the battlefield, harvesting orc souls. As one Death Conqueror activated its skill, countless others did the same. In an instant, ghostly knights wreathed in blue flames surged from the undead army, charging at the orcs and extinguishing their souls wherever they passed. For a moment, the orc offensive was halted. They hadn''t expected Commanding level and Standard level Death Conquerors to have such powerful skills. Seeing their offensive stall, the orcs decided to use their trump card early. "Use the potions!" The orc priest guarding the portal shouted. It was the only Monarch level orc present, having arrived first to command the orc army. Countless orcs heard the priest''s command and tore off the bone necklaces from their chests. The necklaces varied in shape¡ªsome were teardrop-shaped, others flask-shaped¡ªbut all were hollow and filled with green potion. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the orcs bit down on the necklaces, the bone containers shattered, and the potion flowed into their mouths. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? In moments, all the orcs on the battlefield had consumed the potions. Their eyes turned blood-red, veins bulged, and their bodies emitted green energy that even enveloped their weapons. The orcs felt an immense surge of power, and indeed, they had gained it. A Commanding level orc wielding a giant axe charged into the undead army, its axe sweeping through the ranks. Skeletons, zombies, Death Conquerors, and ghouls alike were shattered in an instant. The green energy corroded their bodies on contact, extinguishing the blue flames representing their souls. The orcs'' green energy not only enhanced them but also killed the undead! The seven race kings on the wall noticed this but remained unperturbed. After so many battles with the orcs, if the orcs hadn''t figured out how to kill the undead, the Orc Empire wouldn''t have lasted this long. The fallen were just Standard undead; it didn''t matter. The undead''s relentless assault, their fearlessness in the face of death, kept them at the forefront. This ensured the subjugated races remained relatively safe, suffering minimal losses. Even with the orcs'' newfound ability to kill the undead, the seven race kings made no immediate changes. They allowed the orcs to kill the undead, maximizing the Queen''s experience points. Sure enough, the orcs soon regained the upper hand, pushing back the undead and advancing towards Gemini City. This boosted the orcs'' confidence, and with the undead''s fierce assault waning, the subjugated races quickly neared total annihilation. Compared to the undead, the subjugated races were no match for the orcs. The orc army continued to pour through the portal, though the later arrivals didn''t use the green energy, seemingly saving it for the next wave or believing they could now crush the undead without it. Soon, the undead army suffered heavy losses. Of course, "heavy losses" meant the kill ratio had shifted from 0:1 to 2:1. Even with the orcs'' ability to kill the undead, the undead''s skills allowed them to roughly trade two for one. This was all part of the seven race kings'' plan, as the giant undead and air force had yet to engage. The orcs would soon learn what true undead were. The 10,000 troops from the subjugated races were nearly wiped out, and the flow of orcs from the portal began to slow. Monarch level orcs started to appear, but like the initial orc priest, they stood guard by the portal, waiting for something. Undoubtedly, they were waiting for the Orc King. Outside Gemini City had become a hellscape, with countless orc corpses littering the ground, blood soaking the earth. The orcs continued their relentless charge towards Gemini City. The undead slowly retreated, giving the orcs a glimmer of hope for victory. Gemini City was within sight! Chapter 270: The arrival of the Orc King Seeing that the subjugated races were nearly wiped out, the seven race kings knew it was time to show the orcs the harsh reality."Silverscale Leviathans, commence action! Deploy the troops!" With Arthas''s command, the Silverscale Leviathans in the sky began to move. This time, they weren''t carrying ordinary undead. The charging orcs suddenly noticed a massive shadow blocking out the sun. Many orcs stopped and looked up curiously. In the sky, a gigantic creature was descending, its deck packed with some kind of beings. As they leaped off the Silverscale Leviathans, small black dots rapidly grew larger. Boom! One of them landed heavily on the ground, causing a tremor. Before the surrounding orcs could react, a massive bone blade swept across the battlefield, instantly slicing five or six orcs in half. These creatures stood 20 feet tall, their bodies composed of thick, black-glowing skeletons. They dragged enormous bone blades that looked incredibly heavy. The orcs, standing just over 7 feet tall, barely reached the knees of these skeletal giants. These undead were the Skeletal Demons, the highest form of Skeleton Soldiers, preloaded onto the Silverscale Leviathans! Thud, thud, thud! The sound of heavy landings echoed as countless Skeletal Demons descended from the sky, sweeping through the orcs around them. In an instant, the battlefield, once dominated by smaller undead, was now dotted with thousands of towering Skeletal Demons, making the orcs feel like they were facing giants. The orcs had never seen such creatures before, let alone imagined that the undead could have such colossal beings. But it wasn''t over yet. Several massive magic circles appeared on the ground, and from them emerged zombie titans standing nearly 100 feet tall! Some glowed with fiery red magical runes, others with icy blue ones. Their enormous fists pounded the ground, creating massive craters and unleashing explosive shockwaves that instantly killed hundreds of orcs. In front of the zombie titans, even the Skeletal Demons seemed small, let alone the orcs. The orcs were stunned. This was terrifying¡ªhow could there be such enormous creatures? Could they even be killed? Even with the help of potions that could kill undead, facing the Skeletal Demons might be possible with sheer numbers and encirclement. But what about the zombie titans? Their size and strength were overwhelming. Perhaps only Monarch levels could take them down? The moment the orcs saw the zombie titans, they felt an insurmountable fear, even though these zombie titans were only Commanding level. The sheer size of the zombie titans shattered their mental defenses, and the battlefield began to turn once more. The orc army continued to pour through the portal, their numbers swelling to 198,000, nearing 200,000, while the undead army remained at 95,000. The undead losses had become negligible, while the orc losses continued to mount. Another ten minutes passed, and the flow of orcs from the portal finally stopped. The 200,000-strong orc army was fully assembled, but the battlefield was a gruesome sight, with heavy orc casualties. The portal''s shimmering membrane rippled again, and the leaders of the orc camps, along with their Monarch level elites, emerged. From twenty orc camps, over a hundred Monarch level orcs gathered, standing respectfully on either side of the portal. They were awaiting their king! As the portal shimmered once more, a towering orc figure stepped through, wielding a giant axe and bearing a massive scar across his face. His presence exuded an unmatched aura of power. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? The Orc King stood taller than any other orc, bare-chested with his animal skin clothing tied around his waist. He glared at Gemini City in the distance. Seeing the countless orc corpses on the ground and realizing that the combined might of the orc empire was still struggling against the enemy, he was furious. Without a word, the Orc King swung his giant axe, unleashing a green axe light that swept across the battlefield. Boom, boom! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All the zombie titans on the battlefield were instantly slain by the Orc King''s attack. But the axe light didn''t stop there; it continued, striking Gemini City''s shield. In an instant, the shield shattered. Boom! A massive crack appeared on the wall, and even the seven race kings on the wall felt the intense tremor. The Orc King''s single attack had killed all the zombie titans, shattered the city''s shield, and caused a huge crack in the wall! Was this the power of a King level? The seven race kings were shaken by the terrifying attack. With the Orc King''s arrival, the orcs completely overwhelmed the undead. The presence of over a hundred Monarch level orcs nullified the undead''s advantage. "Implement the second plan. Kill as many orcs as possible to provide experience for our great queen!" Arthas immediately abandoned the idea of fighting the Orc King. His hundred Monarch-level subordinates were not just for show. These Monarch-levels came from twenty different orc camps, and each camp leader was undoubtedly a high-level Monarch. Killing these Monarch-level undead and then surrounding the Orc King wouldn''t be easy. Moreover, with the Orc King on the battlefield, he wouldn''t just stand by and watch his Monarch level orcs get killed. "For the Esteemed Queen, to battle!" With Arthas''s command, the hundred Monarch level undead on the wall leaped down, charging at the orc army below. The undead air force also took to the skies, tens of thousands of bone dragons and ghost dragons darkening the sky, sweeping across the battlefield. Following them were countless gargoyles, Destroyers, Ethereal Wraiths, Liches, and Necromancers. All the undead poured out, determined to take the enemy down with them, not allowing the orcs to get within a step of Gemini City''s gates. The Orc King had been closely monitoring the battlefield. He hadn''t expected the undead to have such reserves, nor had he anticipated the presence of over a hundred Monarch level undead and 100,000 undead air force within the city. The Orc King was pleased with his decision to come. If he hadn''t, the orcs might not have been able to defeat these undead. "For the glory of the orcs, charge!" The Orc King raised his battle axe and roared, and the hundred Monarch level orcs charged into the battlefield. With the Orc King''s roar, all the orcs were invigorated. Those who hadn''t used their potions now did so, their combat power surging as they charged at the undead. The Orc King, wielding his giant axe, also charged into the fray, moving even faster than the Monarch level orcs. The Orc King ruled the orc empire through his strength and his invincible presence on the battlefield. The orcs revered strength and power, unlike other races whose kings stayed in the rear, waiting for the right moment or commanding from afar. The Orc King''s reputation was built on bloodshed. On the battlefield, he was fiercer than any orc, never retreating. Chapter 271: Crisis on the battlefield On the other side, at Twinface Mountain, Xiao Mu used a laser to kill the Alpha of the Longtail Apes. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead; killing these Longtail Apes had drained a significant amount of his elemental power, leaving him quite exhausted."Finally done!" Xiao Mu took a deep breath. Although the experience points weren''t much, they would still be somewhat beneficial to Alex¡ªbetter than nothing. "Xiao Mu, go and get the necromancer to summon these corpses. Let''s head back immediately." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Hui approached Xiao Mu, and the surrounding Monarch-level undead gathered around. This race, which numbered only a few thousand, had been completely wiped out. However, with the Auxiliary Barrack, their species wouldn''t go extinct. If their deaths allowed Alex to ascend to King level, future individuals of their race would all be Monarchs. Quickly, the corpses were all summoned into undead, and Death Spirit used magic to corrode and destroy the remains. The Xiao siblings and the undead immediately flew towards the mountain peak. Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was constantly monitoring her experience points and checking the system dashboard. [Congratulations, Lord, for killing the lv4 Monarch Longtail Apes Alpha and conquering the Longtail Apes race. You have obtained Natural Elemental Power, Auxiliary Barrack, and Race''s Tear.] "Natural Elemental Power?" Alex had inherited natural elemental magic from the Elf King, and this seemed like something she could absorb. After checking with the system and finding no issues or side effects, Alex absorbed it without hesitation. It added a small amount to her experience points and slightly enhanced her natural elemental magic. These were ways for Alex to grow stronger that she couldn''t afford to miss. Currently, Alex''s right eye controlled five types of magic: fire, ice, wind, lightning, and nature (wood). Among them, wind magic was only at the beginner level, acquired from the last Lord battle. Fire magic was mid-level. The remaining three types were high-level, serving as her primary combat methods aside from her innate abilities. High-level magic had unique abilities, such as Frost Magic''s sealing, natural elemental magic''s life force, and lightning magic''s annihilation. Alex built the Auxiliary Barrack in Gemini City and absorbed the Race''s Tear as usual. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade Progress: 16/100] Alex sensed her experience points had risen from around 60% to 80%, bringing her closer to leveling up to King level. Being in Undead City, Alex was unaware of the battle''s progress in Gemini City, so she kept an eye on the system dashboard for updates. She had just seen numerous notifications of zombie titan deaths and messages about the shield shattering almost simultaneously, making her realize that the Orc King had likely made a move. This worried Alex, as the Orc King''s exact strength was the biggest variable in this war. With the Orc King''s involvement, Monarch level undead were starting to die one by one. As for those below Monarch level, the casualty notifications were flooding in at a rate of 99+ per second. The war''s brutality was evident. At this moment, the Xiao siblings returned to the city with twenty-five Monarch level undead. Xiao Hui was the first to rush into the palace. "Miss Alex, how''s the situation? How much more experience do you need to level up to King level?" Xiao Mu followed closely behind, looking at Alex. "About 20% more. The situation isn''t looking good; that Orc King might be very strong." Alex had already decided that if she couldn''t level up to King level, she would personally fight the Orc King with her lv9 Monarch strength, hoping for a chance to kill him. After all, with Life Link, she wouldn''t die, and as the undead lord, she had no reason to retreat. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Of course, this was all contingent on the Orc King not being overwhelmingly powerful. Otherwise, Alex''s efforts would be futile. However, based on the current situation, the Orc King''s performance seemed inferior to that of the templar knights'' captain from before, suggesting the Orc King was likely no higher than lv3, an entry-level King. In that case, Alex might stand a chance. "20% more, we''re almost there. We''ll head to Gemini City with the undead immediately!" "Yes, you stay here and enjoy the experience boost. We''ll report any issues to you right away!" Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui quickly set off for Gemini City. "Be careful, both of you. Keep a close eye on the intel over there. We''ll stay in touch so I can make an informed judgment." Alex spoke in a serious tone. "By the way, aren''t you calling Drake and your allies for help? They have quite a few Monarch levels, right?" Xiao Hui suddenly remembered and reminded Alex, but Alex shook her head. She had already considered it. Satan and Lilith as allies to fight a King level? Alex didn''t want to comment further on that. Drake, although an ally, wouldn''t make a significant difference in this battle. The outcome wouldn''t hinge on an entry-level Monarch. "It''s not very useful. I have my plans. Don''t worry too much; prioritize your safety." Alex advised. "Got it." The siblings headed out of the palace towards Gemini City. ... In Gemini City, the siblings had just stepped out of the Portal of Transit when they heard the loud sounds of battle outside the city. Over a hundred Monarch levels were engaged in a fierce fight, and the entire city was at risk of being destroyed. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui flew up to the wall and saw the brutal scene below. "Orc King!" Xiao Hui immediately spotted the Orc King on the battlefield, not because he was easy to distinguish, but because he was overwhelmingly powerful, like a beast rampaging through a flock of sheep. No Monarch level could withstand the Orc King''s attacks, not even the Monarch undead. "Xiao Hui, it''s too dangerous. Stay on the wall and attack from here." Xiao Mu was also deeply shaken by the Orc King''s strength. "What about you?" Xiao Hui asked. "I''ll stay on the wall and attack too, but I''ll look for opportunities to kill the heavily injured Monarch level orcs," Xiao Mu said seriously. His elemental power gave him high mobility. Xiao Hui knew her brother''s abilities. As long as he stayed on the periphery and wasn''t targeted by the Orc King, he should be fine. Meanwhile, the Orc King noticed the twenty-plus Monarch undead emerging from Gemini City but paid them no mind, even showing disdain. He would prove through action that the gap between King level and Monarch level was insurmountable! Chapter 272: Arthass Tactic On the battlefield, the massive axe light tore through the ranks, with each swing from the Orc King causing the deaths of hundreds of undead.Whether it was the towering zombie titans or the ordinary Skeleton Soldiers, none could escape the Orc King''s wrath. Despite his overwhelming power, the Orc King didn''t charge into Gemini City to destroy it. Instead, he roamed the battlefield, slaughtering the Monarch level undead. He knew he could easily kill these undead, and destroying Gemini City held no real significance. He wanted to make the undead pay a heavy price. Additionally, he could gain a lot of experience in the process, potentially leveling up. The Monarch level undead, following Arthas''s plan, spread out as soon as they entered the battlefield. Their targets were the weaker orcs, avoiding the Monarch level orcs and staying on the battlefield''s periphery. However, the Monarch level orcs wouldn''t allow the undead to massacre their orc warriors. To them, the Monarch level undead avoiding direct confrontation and targeting Standard level orcs was a sign of cowardice and weakness. The number of Monarch level orcs was no less than that of the Monarch level undead. They spread out and quickly moved to intercept the undead. This played right into Arthas''s plan. Killing these Monarch level orcs would bolster their forces and give them a better chance against the Orc King. From the start, the orc corpses on the battlefield hadn''t been summoned into undead. The orcs were unaware that the undead could transform their fallen comrades into allies on the spot. This was part of Arthas''s second plan: to scatter the Monarch level orcs, kill them, and then have Death Spirit summon them all at once to surround the Orc King. But plans often change. The Orc King''s nearly invincible strength wreaked havoc on the battlefield, easily killing low-level Monarch undead. His keen senses allowed him to pinpoint the Monarch level undead on the battlefield. Under the Orc King''s targeted attacks, the plan to kill the Monarch level orcs hadn''t even begun, and the undead had already lost several Monarchs. Only some high-level Monarch undead, using their aerial advantage, could barely evade the Orc King''s attacks. The other Monarch level undead had to use various means to dodge his strikes. At the battlefield''s edge, Crane was engaged in combat with a Monarch level orc. Using a black blade, he blocked all of the orc''s escape routes, easily breaking the orc''s weapon. Without a weapon, the orc was as good as dead. Just as Crane was about to deliver the killing blow, a massive axe light suddenly struck from the side. Crane, with incredible reflexes, dodged, but not completely. Thud! Crane fell heavily to the ground, his legs completely severed. If not for his quick reaction, he would have been killed instantly. Even so, he was severely injured. Crane looked back to see the Orc King, momentarily stunned, seemingly wondering why his attack hadn''t killed the undead. The Orc King then charged at Crane with incredible speed. Boom! A Monarch level bone dragon crashed to the ground, attempting to block the Orc King. But it was no match. The Orc King halted his charge, an upward axe light shattering the bone dragon''s domain and breath of dragon, splitting it in two. As the Orc King scattered the bone dragon''s massive corpse and prepared to kill Crane, he found that Crane had already disappeared. Meanwhile, the severely injured Crane had been taken to the sky by Arthur, with Riven using her healing skills to treat him. Crane''s legs quickly regrew, but the soul damage inflicted by the Orc King was something Riven couldn''t heal quickly. "Don''t waste your Mana Points on me. Go kill the enemy." Crane rasped. Seeing the limited effectiveness of her healing, Riven had no choice but to stop. The weakened Crane, to avoid being targeted by the Orc King again, mounted a bone dragon to recover in the air. The Orc King spotted Crane and glared at the sky. He wanted to use his realm to lock onto Crane, but Crane immediately had the bone dragon ascend, out of the Orc King''s attack range. The Orc King considered flying up to kill him, but flight wasn''t his strong suit, and his speed wasn''t particularly fast. More importantly, he worried that focusing on killing one undead would cause greater losses elsewhere. The Orc King looked around and saw that in the brief moment he had stopped attacking, the orcs had fallen back into a disadvantage. Reluctantly, the Orc King resumed his assault on the Monarch level undead. Crane''s escape was a stroke of luck. Other Monarch level undead weren''t so fortunate. Once targeted by the Orc King, escape was nearly impossible. Arthas, having just killed a Monarch level orc, noticed Crane''s situation. Arthas quickly deduced that the Orc King was exceptionally sensitive to dark magic and death energy, prioritizing the elimination of undead with these abilities. Arthas swung his weapon, freezing the surrounding orcs with a blast of frost before cutting them down with a sword light. He then turned to a nearby Death Spirit Clone. "Death Spirit, use your Clones to possess other undead and create a diversion. Draw the Orc King away and have the other race kings converge here. We have only one chance to kill as many Monarch level orcs as possible." Arthas quickly relayed the plan to Death Spirit, whose Clone turned into black mist and vanished. This tactic could only be used once. The Orc King wasn''t foolish and wouldn''t fall for it a second time. Across the battlefield, a small group of Monarch level undead began converging on the western side, while the Monarch level orcs naturally pursued them. On the eastern side, the six race kings and all high-level undead were subtly gathering together. The Monarch level orcs, thinking the undead were retreating, didn''t give it much thought and continued their pursuit. The battlefield, with nearly 400,000 undead and orc troops, was vast. Even the Orc King couldn''t notice every detail. The undead''s coordinated movements were largely thanks to Death Spirit, who could quickly relay plans to all undead. Suddenly, on the western side, several black mists shot into the sky. The Monarch level undead fused with Death Spirit''s Clones, their combat power surging as they attacked the pursuing Monarch level orcs. The Orc King''s attention was immediately drawn. A massive axe light split the sky as he charged towards the western side. The gathering of Monarch level undead was exactly what he wanted! §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? ... On the western side of the battlefield, over thirty Monarch level undead had gathered, merging with Death Spirit''s Clones. These Monarch level undead were being used as bait. Though the losses would be significant, it was necessary when facing the King level Orc King. Arthas knew that these low-level Monarch undead had little chance of survival if the Orc King got close. On the eastern side of the battlefield, nearly fifty Monarch level undead, led by the six race kings, had quietly gathered. Even ghost dragons and bone dragons circled above them. As the battle raged on, the number of Monarch level orcs outnumbered the Monarch level undead. The Orc King''s rate of slaughtering undead was astonishing. Soon, nearly seventy Monarch level orcs noticed the six race kings. Seeing the undead gathering together boosted their confidence, making them believe the opportunity to eliminate the enemy''s main force was at hand. "Take down the enemy now!" Seeing the timing was right, Arthas immediately gave the order. At the same time, Death Spirit beside him split into nearly fifty Clones, each possessing a Monarch level undead to enhance them. In an instant, the concentration of death energy on the eastern side far exceeded that on the western side. The Orc King glanced back but didn''t pay much attention, deciding to kill the enemies in front of him first. After all, the distance between the eastern and western battlefields was vast. Even if the Orc King wanted to rush over immediately, it would take nearly half a minute. He couldn''t just charge through in the most brutal manner, as that would risk injuring other orcs. With Death Spirit''s possession, all the undead''s levels increased instantly. Some low-level Monarchs even jumped two levels, resulting in a significant boost in overall combat power. Especially the highest-level Reaper Guard, which reached lv9 Monarch, becoming the strongest force on the battlefield aside from the Orc King. At that moment, all the undead launched a counterattack against the surrounding Monarch level orcs. Frost, bone, fire, and soul attacks, all now accompanied by a black mist that corroded everything, absorbing the orcs'' life force and damaging their souls. This gave the previously less lethal undead terrifying destructive power. Death Spirit''s level: lv9 Monarch! The six race kings realized that Death Spirit might ascend to King level even before their Queen. Arthas wielded his sword, wreaking havoc on the battlefield. A casual strike could cause widespread damage, while his other hand cast spells to assist in combat. Blocking an orc''s attack with his sword, Arthas''s left hand surged with icy power, transforming into a massive spike that impaled his opponent. Another orc attacked from the side, but the ice spike quickly vanished, replaced by a large bone shield. The orc saw a small gap in the shield, through which Arthas''s weapon thrust. But this orc was a leader, clearly higher in rank than the previous one. It blocked Arthas''s attack with the axe handle and retreated, raising its axe for a powerful strike aimed at splitting Arthas in two. Crack! The raised axe couldn''t descend, no matter how hard the orc tried. Looking up, it saw a chain wrapped around it. In the next instant, a black blade flashed, and the orc''s pupils contracted. With a thud, its head fell to the ground. The Reaper Guard retrieved its scythe and moved on to other orcs. A rectangular barrier appeared on the battlefield, enveloping five Monarch level orcs. It was Arthur''s skill from the sky. Arthur, originally burning with blue flames, now emitted black flames after being possessed by Death Spirit, looking even more eerie and powerful. Inside the barrier, the five Monarch level orcs'' life force rapidly drained. They decided to attack a single point together to break the barrier, but were met with a blue Death Ray. Riven''s skill ignited ghostly flames within the barrier, flames that were cold rather than hot. The five Monarch level orcs were quickly covered in frost, their souls and bodies weakened, leaving them unable to resist. Soon, their eyes went blank, and they died. Azure moved through the battlefield like a ghost, using his curse skill to ambush any injured orc he encountered. Soul damage was unavoidable and inescapable. No orc could evade Azure''s ambush. Soon, several Monarch level orcs had fallen to Azure. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Crane, still injured, didn''t perform as well but managed to kill a few enemies. John, the Skeleton King, was the most formidable after Arthas. Lacking magic for combat support, John relied entirely on his own abilities. Orcs were known for their strength and bravery, but to John, this was no advantage. John''s broadsword clashed head-on with any orc weapon, relying on attribute boosts for power. To the orcs, John was the true warrior. Boom, boom! The battlefield echoed with the sounds of John clashing with Monarch level orcs. John''s broadsword, glowing with red runes, struck at his opponent. The orc, not to be outdone, met the attack with a green-glowing giant axe. Boom! The impact sent shockwaves outward, kicking up dust and obscuring the view. Red and green energies clashed within the dust, continuing their battle. A red slash, accompanied by a massive red skull, sent the orc flying out of the dust, crashing heavily to the ground. The orc spat blood, its weapon shattered, unable to fight any longer. Surrounding orcs rushed to aid their Chieftain, but in John''s domain, they were quickly killed. Other Monarch level orcs were too engaged in their own battles to help. The fallen orc Chieftain looked around in confusion. They should have had the numbers advantage, so why couldn''t they spare anyone? In an instant, the orc Chieftain''s pupils contracted. They had lost their numerical advantage, and now the Monarch level undead outnumbered them! But there was no time to ponder this, as a scythe rapidly filled his vision. Chapter 273: Kill the enemy for our great Queen On the battlefield, the Reaper Guard was the most efficient at killing enemies, thanks to its lv9 Monarch strength, leaving it virtually unmatched.The Reaper Guard''s ability to easily kill the orc Chieftain was due not only to its high level but also to the enhancements provided by Death Spirit. Death Spirit played a crucial and powerful support role on the battlefield. However, this also meant that Death Spirit couldn''t summon the orc corpses into undead in a timely manner, as it had split into over eighty Clones, consuming a significant amount of energy. Even at lv9, possessing and enhancing over eighty Monarchs was taxing. At this moment, more than seventy Monarch level orcs had been slain, and Death Spirit released some of the possessed undead to focus on another task: summoning undead. On the eastern battlefield, the undead had gained the upper hand over the orcs. The six race kings, along with liches and necromancers, began using their summoning powers. Instantly, the aura of death enveloped the battlefield, and tens of thousands of gray magic circles appeared. Countless skeletons, bone dragons, ghost dragons, and other undead emerged from all directions. In just a few breaths, the number of undead on the battlefield doubled, turning the original hundred thousand undead army into a terrifying three hundred thousand! Meanwhile, the orc army had dwindled to just over a hundred thousand, and their numbers continued to plummet. The Orc King on the western side immediately noticed this. Seeing the undead numbers double in an instant, his pupils trembled slightly¡ªnot out of fear, but because he had never encountered such a troublesome enemy. Despite their weak individual strength, they were incredibly persistent, like an endless swarm of locusts. The Orc King, while fighting, observed these newly summoned undead and realized they were emerging from the corpses of orc warriors! A bad premonition struck the Orc King. If the undead had such a unique ability, why hadn''t they summoned earlier? These Standard undead were very weak and had little impact on the battle. Why had they been hidden until now? As the Orc King pondered, he casually killed a Monarch Undead and suddenly had an unbelievable thought. Why would a force with over a hundred Monarch levels not have a King level leader? If they could summon Standard level undead, could they also summon Monarch level undead? Seeing the few remaining Monarch Undead before him, the Orc King decided to ignore them. He shot into the sky, heading towards the eastern battlefield. At that moment, nearly twenty Monarch Orcs on the eastern battlefield had yet to be killed, but some Monarch Undead had already been summoned. The number of Monarch Undead there now exceeded a hundred. "The Orc King is coming!" As soon as the Orc King took off, Death Spirit informed all the Monarch Undead through its Clones. The remaining Monarch undead on the battlefield began converging towards the eastern side. Countless undead surged forward, fearlessly charging at the Orc King. In the sky, the Orc King wore an expression of anger and surprise. These undead continually brought new shocks. Not only could they summon Standard Undead, but they could also summon Monarch Undead. The Orc King finally realized he had fallen into the undead''s trap. He had been deliberately lured to the western battlefield, giving the enemy time to summon Monarch undead. Facing the incoming Standard undead, the Orc King casually waved his weapon, killing hundreds at a time. But more and more undead swarmed towards him like locusts, making the Orc King increasingly irritable. He swung his weapon forcefully, a sharp axe light obliterating them all. He then landed heavily, the ground cracking like a spiderweb beneath him. Green energy blades swept across the area, forming a storm that instantly killed all nearby undead, leaving none standing. The Orc King expanded his domain, crushing everything in his path, and slowly advanced towards the gathering Monarch Undead. The undead hoped to exhaust the Orc King''s Mana Points with weak Standard undead, but the Orc King saw through this simple tactic and didn''t care. The gap between King level and Monarch level was vast. The six race kings watched in silence. The orc army was dwindling, and the Orc King had become the enemy they had to face head-on. Through the recent summoning, the number of Monarch undead exceeded one hundred again. These Monarch undead gathered around, encircling the Orc King, ready to fight to the death. The remaining twenty-plus Monarch Orcs gathered around the Orc King, but he dismissed them. "Go kill the others. I can handle these Monarch undead alone." As soon as the Orc King spoke, his eyes began to glow red, and red energy surged around him. His domain turned from green to red, and his giant axe was enveloped in red energy. The Orc King entered a berserk state, stomping the ground and disappearing in an instant. "Prepare for battle!" Arthas warned the undead as the Orc King vanished. Suddenly, his pupils contracted¡ªthe Orc King had appeared behind him, killing a lv7 Monarch level Reaper Guard with a single axe strike. The Orc King charged forward, beginning his slaughter. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The surrounding Monarch Undead quickly reacted, launching a coordinated attack on the Orc King. It seemed like the undead were surrounding the Orc King, but in reality, no one could stop him. With a roar, the Orc King unleashed his domain power, sending hundreds of axe blades sweeping across the battlefield, striking the surrounding undead. Red light filled the area, some undead were sent flying, some blocked the attacks, and others were killed instantly. The Orc King not only had immense offensive power but also a red energy armor that protected him from the undead''s attacks. Only a few undead could injure him, but the Orc King was too quick, giving them no chance to get close. Crane, waiting on the periphery, was one of the few who could harm the Orc King. But just as Crane prepared to attack, a barrier suddenly appeared, rapidly expanding in the battlefield''s center, isolating all the undead. The Orc King vanished from the undead''s sight. Inside the barrier were only six undead: Crane, Arthas, John, Riven, Arthur, and Azure. "You must be their leaders? Too bad you''re too weak." The Orc King''s eyes glowed crimson. Within his realm, unless another King level realm clashed with it, no creature trapped inside could escape or break free. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? This was the Orc King''s confidence and the true gap between Monarch level and King level. The power of the realm could lock down targets, making it irrelevant how many Monarch levels attacked. With the realm''s power, he could come and go as he pleased, killing whoever he wanted. The six race kings found themselves in the Orc King''s realm, their expressions grim. Despite Alex''s warnings about the terrifying abilities of a King level, they had no choice but to confront the Orc King head-on. The six race kings stood in a strange space enveloped by red and green energy, seemingly endless and empty, with only the Orc King standing silently, holding his giant axe. Arthas, Crane, and John gripped their weapons tightly, while Arthur, Riven, and Azure hovered in the air, eyes fixed on the Orc King. "Delay him as long as possible." Arthas''s voice was low. He didn''t utter naive words about killing the Orc King. They were mid-level Monarchs at best, and even if they were all lv9 Monarchs, they wouldn''t be confident in killing him. "For the Great Queen!" Crane roared, and in an instant, the six race kings charged forward. Outside the realm, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui on the wall were terrified by what they saw. The Orc King''s power was overwhelming! "The six race kings and the Orc King have disappeared!" Xiao Hui, observing the battlefield, suddenly exclaimed. She saw the energy surging around the Orc King, enveloping the six race kings and making them vanish. Xiao Mu saw it too, his eyes fixed on where the six race kings had disappeared, his brow furrowed. "This must be some King level ability!" Xiao Mu made a quick decision, jumping off the wall and diving into the battlefield below. The six race kings were likely trapped, and the only thing they could do now was kill as many orcs as possible to provide Alex with experience points. "Don''t just stand there, kill the enemy! Only if your queen ascends to King level do we have a chance to win!" Xiao Mu teleported into the midst of the undead, shouting to remind them. "Kill the enemy for our great Queen!" Death Spirit''s voice echoed in the ears of All Undead. With their strength, they couldn''t break the realm. Staying here to try and rescue the six race kings would be a waste of time. It was better to kill the enemy quickly. With reminders from Death Spirit and Xiao Mu, nearly a hundred Monarch Undead quickly dispersed, attacking the surrounding orc army. At this point, the orc army had dwindled to less than a hundred thousand, with only about twenty Monarch Orcs left. Without the Orc King''s help, they were no match for over a hundred Monarch Undead and the three hundred thousand undead army. Seeing the undead charging, the orc army showed fear, instinctively stepping back. But their king hadn''t given the order to retreat. As long as the Orc King didn''t order a retreat, the orcs would fight the undead to the death. Xiao Hui also joined the battlefield, knowing that time was of the essence. They had to kill as many enemies as possible to help Alex ascend to King level. Inside the realm, the six race kings were still fighting the Orc King. Rather than fighting, it was more about desperately trying to delay him. The race kings understood that if the Orc King didn''t leave the realm, the orc army outside would surely be defeated. The Orc King understood this too, which is why he was going all out from the start, aiming to kill them all. The Orc King even speculated that once the six race kings were dead, the undead they had summoned might also perish. Of course, the Orc King didn''t know that the undead were loyal to Alex first and the six race kings second. This was just his speculation. In reality, the death of the six race kings wouldn''t affect the undead army. Inside the realm, the six race kings seemed silenced, unable to use their skills or magic, while also enduring the corrosive power of the Orc King''s realm. Endless red and green blades swept across the area, causing great trouble for the six race kings. Azure and Riven, being ethereal undead, were particularly vulnerable. Silenced and assaulted by the blade storm, they were injured and lost their combat effectiveness before even engaging the Orc King. The remaining four race kings faced the Orc King alone, the pressure mounting. Crane, with his strong body, resisted the realm''s power and slashed at the Orc King. But the Orc King''s giant axe came down, instantly destroying Crane''s weapon and splitting it in two. The giant axe cut into Crane''s shoulder, sinking into his chest. Just as it was about to cleave him in half, John and Arthas attacked from both sides, forcing the Orc King to withdraw his axe to block their strikes. Crane avoided being bisected, but his right arm was severed, leaving him gravely injured. The Orc King didn''t finish him off, knowing that Crane would die within three minutes from the realm''s corrosion. The Orc King kicked John in the chest, sending bones flying and scattering him. The giant axe slashed diagonally, and Arthas blocked with Frostmourne. Though he deflected the axe, the immense force sent him flying. The Orc King moved to pursue, but Arthur attacked from the sky, relying on his body to fight without skills. Before Arthur could get close, a red and green axe light severed his wings. Arthur opened his jaws to devour the enemy, but the Orc King raised his left hand, and the realm''s protective power isolated him. Boom! The red and green realm energy erupted, the massive shockwave shattering Arthur like John, scattering his bones. In just one move, four race kings were severely injured by the Orc King. Arthas struggled to stand, looking at the other kings. They were all gravely injured, their soul flames weakening under the realm''s corrosion, on the brink of death. Delaying time seemed laughable in the face of a King level enemy. Before Arthas could steady himself, the Orc King charged at him. The Orc King had timed it perfectly; by the time he killed Arthas, the other undead would have succumbed to the realm''s corrosion. Chapter 274: Alex ascended to King level At that moment, the Orc King''s realm space began to tremble violently, and the surrounding realm started to tear apart.A black figure appeared in front of Arthas, with a Reaper Guard emanating death energy standing beside it. "Arthas, take the other kings and leave. I''ll buy you some time!" Death Spirit''s hollow voice echoed through the space. Now, surrounding Death Spirit and extending behind it was an eerie blackness, filled with dense death energy¡ªDeath Spirit''s realm! The other half of the space was the Orc King''s red and green realm, but it was clear that the Orc King''s realm occupied a larger portion. Indeed, Death Spirit had ascended to King level at this moment. However, being primarily a support entity, it knew it wasn''t a match for the Orc King, but it could still delay him. Seeing Death Spirit ascend to King level, Arthas finally breathed a slight sigh of relief. The remnants of the other kings were moved into Death Spirit''s realm, and in the next moment, the six race kings were transported out of Death Spirit''s realm, returning to the battlefield outside. The Orc King was momentarily stunned. He had observed Death Spirit before and knew it was one of the undead leaders, but with so many clones, it was hard to kill. However, the Orc King knew this leader wasn''t skilled in combat, so he hadn''t considered it a threat. As for the Reaper Guard beside it, this was Death Spirit''s way of compensating for its lack of combat power. The Reaper Guard had initially been at lv8, and through the slaughter in the army, it had ascended to lv9. Now, with Death Spirit possessing it, the Reaper Guard could reach a power level infinitely close to King level. Death Spirit''s realm would now become its realm! To maximize combat power, Death Spirit had recalled all its Clones, leaving only one Standard level Clone in Gemini City as a last-resort safeguard. The only drawback was the Reaper Guard''s body. The combined King level power of Death Spirit and the Reaper Guard was naturally inferior to a true King level entity. After all, Death Spirit''s realm wasn''t the most suitable for the Reaper Guard. Death Spirit split into two Clones. One Clone hid in the darkness to manipulate the realm''s power, while the other Clone directly possessed the Reaper Guard, preparing for a head-on clash with the Orc King! The Orc King sensed the strengthened Reaper Guard and showed a hint of surprise, but it still wasn''t enough. In an instant, the powers of their realms collided, causing the entire space to tremble and begin to collapse. The Reaper Guard attacked the Orc King, its scythe blade shooting out. The Orc King blocked with his axe, then swung his giant weapon, sending several axe blades toward the Reaper Guard, whose figure quickly vanished. The axe blades struck Death Spirit''s realm, corroding its space, while the Orc King''s realm power grew stronger. Just as the Orc King''s morale soared, an invisible curse struck, causing a trickle of blood to appear at the corner of his mouth¡ªhis first injury. Red and green energy coalesced, quickly forming armor on the Orc King''s body, completely isolating the curse. Although the Orc King still held the advantage, quickly resolving the battle without being delayed was no longer easy. Outside the realm, the severely injured five race kings were already being protected by other Monarch Undead. With Death Spirit buying time, Arthas felt more at ease and rejoined the battle. In just a few minutes, the six race kings had been reduced to this state, shocking the Xiao siblings. "Brother, why hasn''t the Orc King come out?" Xiao Hui asked Xiao Mu in confusion. The six race kings were only Monarch level and couldn''t leave the realm on their own. Xiao Mu found it strange too. He scanned the battlefield and suddenly noticed that Death Spirit''s Clone had disappeared. Could it be Death Spirit? "I don''t know. Don''t worry about it. Just kill the enemy." Xiao Mu said, diving back into the battlefield. Xiao Hui, left pondering, soon resumed fighting as well. The battle outside continued, with the orc army''s numbers dwindling to just over fifty thousand. Facing the nearly three hundred fifty thousand undead army, their morale had collapsed, and they were trying to flee. As the orcs scattered, over a hundred Monarch Undead flew over the battlefield, unleashing domain powers to easily slaughter the orcs. Some Monarch Orcs continued to fight the undead, believing that once the Orc King reappeared, they would win and be rewarded. However, these Monarch Orcs suddenly froze, realizing that although the undead leaders were severely injured, none had died, and their Orc King had yet to reappear. One orc Chieftain, realizing the imminent collapse of the Orc Empire, abandoned any hope of the Orc King''s reward and turned to flee, prioritizing survival. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But as he tried to escape, Xiao Mu, tipped off by Death Spirit, teleported in front of him, and several lasers pierced him before he could react. The battle between the two races was nearing its end, and with the Orc King still absent, Xiao Hui suddenly remembered something Alex had once said. "I remember now. Alex said that Death Spirit''s level must not surpass hers!" --- In Undead City, the entire palace was empty, with only alchemy warlocks and hobgoblins in the outer city working on various research projects. In the vast palace, Alex was alone. If one listened closely, a faint humming sound could be heard from within, growing clearer as the perspective drew closer. Alex was curled up on the throne, her face flushed, undergoing some kind of transformation. Her aura grew steadier, and the various elemental energies within her raged through the hall. After an unknown amount of time, Alex''s aura began to stabilize, and the surrounding energy started to retract into her body. At that moment, a system dashboard automatically popped up in front of Alex. [Congratulations on ascending to King level!] Seeing this message, Alex finally smiled, knowing it wasn''t over yet. Sure enough, the system continued to display several notifications. [Your attributes have increased, allowing you to wield your bloodline power more effectively] [Special ability reward: Soul Magic (high-level)] [Other enhancements, please check on your own] ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "Huh?" Half-lying on the throne, Alex''s eyes widened. The system''s introduction was too brief. Was it really that simple? Only one high-level magic? Alex intended to integrate the new magic into her right eye''s abilities, but then she paused. It was actually left-eye magic? But the surprises didn''t end there. Alex discovered that all her existing magic had become high-level! The six high-level magics in her left eye began to merge, forming a pitch-black abyss, her pupils turning a deep, eerie blue. This was Alex''s realm, named Annihilation. The realm''s abilities were incredibly overpowered. Alex realized that a King level couldn''t be defeated by sheer numbers of Monarch levels. Her previous thoughts had been too naive. With her ascension to King level, she sensed that both her domain and realm had room for further improvement, and there was a level beyond high-level magic. A King level''s realm was unique, unlike domains, which could be multiple. But Alex was still puzzled. Her realm was centered on her left eye, and while it would still exist without the aid of her left eye, it would be significantly weaker. Yet her right eye was also real, so why didn''t it have a similar effect to her left eye? Strange. Before Alex could ponder further, the system displayed new information. [Kingdom establishment conditions: Lord level reaches King level (achieved); Kingdom''s Tear (achieved); city reaches max level (not achieved).] [Unlock Empire ascension conditions: Lord level reaches Emperor level; kingdom has at least thirty cities; at least twenty subjugated races.] [Note: Possessing an Empire''s Tear allows direct establishment of an Empire, bypassing kingdom ascension. Empire''s Tear can only be obtained by upgrading Kingdom''s Tear.] "So, kingdoms can continue to ascend and become empires." But the ascension conditions seemed as challenging as upgrading the Kingdom''s Tear. The last two conditions were manageable, but reaching Emperor level seemed extremely difficult. If she completed the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade conditions before reaching Emperor level, she would use the Empire''s Tear. Otherwise, she would ascend normally. Whichever was faster. But these weren''t Alex''s immediate concerns. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 King level (personal and troop kills can increase)] [Territory level: lv7 city] [Troops: undead] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe, Ring of Space, enhancement crystal] [Health Points: 2k (¡Þ)] [Mana Points: 1k] [Strength: 310] [Stamina: 305] [Agility: 300] Alex glanced at her attributes. Ascending to King level had increased each attribute by a hundred points. With all her left-eye magic now high-level, Alex understood what the system meant by "attributes increased." "Oh right, I still have the enhancement crystal." Alex remembered that the Bone Throne would be obsolete when she at King level. Perfect timing to use the enhancement crystal on the Bone Throne. The other features weren''t as important, but the 1.5x experience boost was crucial. Alex used the crystal to enhance the Bone Throne, which lost its luster and needed twenty-four hours to recharge. As expected, upgrading the Bone Throne to a King level special building increased the experience boost to King level. Moreover, the effect now covered the entire city, meaning Alex could enjoy the experience boost anywhere in Undead City. "Sweet!" Alex was full of joy, but more pressing matters awaited her. Upon ascending to King level, Alex''s body underwent significant enhancement and transformation. Her bloodline became purer, expelling many impurities and toxins from her body in the process. This left her drenched and sticky, especially her clothes, which were completely unwearable. Alex tied her hair up high and took a quick shower, finishing in under two minutes. She didn''t even bother to dry off; her body emitted intense heat, instantly evaporating the water from her skin. With another teleport, Alex was already in her bedroom, hastily putting on clothes. There was no time to be picky; she grabbed whatever was at hand. "Damn it!" Fully dressed, Alex suddenly realized she had forgotten to put on a bra. Oh well, the situation was urgent; it would have to do. With that, Alex teleported outside the palace and sped towards the Portal of Transit. Chapter 275: We exist to serve the Queens greatness The battlefield outside Gemini City.The space suddenly tore apart as the realms of Death Spirit and the Orc King could no longer hold, finally shattering. Both figures emerged at that moment. The Reaper Guard was covered in wounds, its weapon shattered, and its soul fire flickering weakly. Death Spirit was also severely weakened, its death energy much thinner than before. Both the possessed Reaper Guard and Death Spirit were gravely injured. In contrast, the Orc King was also in a sorry state, with several scars on his body, his green skin stained red with blood, and his chest bone ornaments long gone. The Orc King was breathing heavily, clearly exhausted. But his eyes still burned with fighting spirit. These injuries were merely superficial; his greatest depletion was in stamina and Mana Points. Death Spirit''s attacks weren''t strong, but they were incredibly persistent. To deal with it quickly, the Orc King had to use skills, draining his Mana Points. But it was worth it. Both Death Spirit and the Reaper Guard were now out of the fight, and the undead were at their last gasp. The Orc King scanned the surroundings, his pupils contracting before they burned with rage. There wasn''t a single orc standing. He was surrounded by an endless sea of undead, completely encircled. The Orc Empire''s army was reduced to just the Orc King, alone! Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite the dire situation, the Orc King showed no fear or intention of retreating. His gaze locked onto the seven race kings and the Reaper Guard. He intended to kill them all first. "WAAAGH!" The Orc King let out a furious roar, unleashing a terrifying aura that instantly killed the ordinary undead nearby. His giant axe lifted off the ground, and the Orc King vanished, intent on slaughtering every undead present. Swish! At that moment, a blade flashed. The giant axe that had accompanied the Orc King for hundreds of years was suddenly cut in half. The Orc King''s pupils contracted as he looked at the white-haired girl with a high ponytail who had appeared before him. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s faces lit up with joy, and the seven race kings and surrounding undead were equally astonished. Boom! An invisible force sent the Orc King flying, crashing heavily into the undead army behind him. The undead quickly retreated, clearing a space. The Orc King couldn''t believe it. The undead had a King level! This wasn''t a support like Death Spirit but a genuine King level combatant! The Orc King stood up, his gaze fixed on Alex. His rage had been mostly extinguished, replaced by a cold calm. Why hadn''t their King level acted from the start? Had she just ascended to King level? The Orc King knew that, in his current state, he could easily be defeated by even a newly ascended King level. He was too depleted, his Mana Points nearly exhausted, leaving him with only basic attacks. The Orc King decided to escape into his realm, but Alex stood still, not pursuing. Her left eye glowed deeply, and a point of darkness rapidly expanded, enveloping the entire area and crashing into the Orc King''s realm. Crack! The Orc King''s realm cracked. He tried to retreat into it but was interrupted by Alex. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? The Orc King remained in place, as if nothing had happened, but blood trickled from his mouth. He knew he couldn''t escape. If he couldn''t run, he would fight to the end! The Orc King discarded his broken weapon, and his realm''s power surged, forming an axe made of rage in his right hand. He charged at Alex with all his might. But the same thing happened again. The rage axe was easily cut down by Alex''s scythe. The energy dissipated, and a massive black blade swept towards him. The Orc King dodged but still lost an arm. Before he could react, Alex was in front of him, several invisible blades piercing him. The Orc King found himself cursed, unable to move. His pupils contracted sharply as a black scythe rapidly filled his vision. The black scythe sliced upward, effortlessly cutting through the Orc King''s body, splitting him in two. Silence. The battlefield fell silent. Alex spun her scythe with one hand, transforming it into a bracelet. Thud! The Orc King''s bisected body fell to the ground, marking the complete annihilation of the Orc Empire. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were stunned. They hadn''t expected Alex to be so powerful now! [Congratulations on killing lv1 Orc King, conquering the Orc Empire, and obtaining the skill Berserk, Auxiliary Barrack, and Kingdom''s Tear.] Alex casually closed the system interface, planning to deal with it later. She turned away from the Orc King''s corpse and walked towards the rear. The undead parted to make way, all kneeling on one knee to show their utmost respect to their queen. "All hail the Great Queen, now ascended to King level!" The seven race kings were at the forefront, bowing respectfully to Alex. Alex looked at them, then at the smiling Xiao siblings in the distance. Surrounded by nearly four hundred thousand undead in varied forms stretching as far as the eye could see, with all the air units now grounded, the sky was clear and sunny. The undead outside Gemini City represented nearly all of Alex''s current combat power. Alex felt a surge of emotion. It had been a long journey since arriving in Eldoria, and she and the undead race had grown to this scale. But Alex wouldn''t stop. She aimed to build the strongest undead Empire and even compete with all the races! Back in the present, Alex looked at the severely injured seven race kings, extending her left hand. A radiant white energy gathered in her palm, spreading out to heal the race kings and the Reaper Guard. This was the power of her high-level soul magic, capable of healing soul injuries. "Death Spirit, Arthas, Arthur, John, Riven, Crane, Azure, and Reaper Guard, you all performed excellently in this battle." Alex hadn''t expected them to deplete the Orc King to this extent. The orc army was entirely wiped out. Without the experience from killing the orcs, Alex wouldn''t have ascended to King level, and they would have lost the battle. "It is our duty. We exist to serve the Queen''s greatness." The seven race kings and the Reaper Guard accepting Alex''s healing. Otherwise, the King level injuries would take a long time to heal. This battle had added three new King levels to Undead City, marking the official start of Alex''s All-races Battle Royale! The Queen''s ambition knew no bounds. Chapter 276: The changes of the scythe The injuries of the seven race kings were quickly healed under Alex''s treatment, and Crane''s weapon was also restored.The surrounding orc corpses had all disappeared, disassembled by the Xiao siblings and stored in the Warehouse, leaving no need to clean the battlefield. "Let the submitted orcs return and have them lead the way to completely clear out the remaining forces of the Orc Empire and confiscate their resources. Oh, and destroy Bloodrock City." Alex began issuing orders to handle the post-battle matters. There were bound to be surviving orcs in the camps, and they had two choices: submit or die. After destroying Bloodrock City, the remnants of the Orc Empire would migrate north to the vicinity of Gemini City, making it their new center. The annihilation of the Orc Empire had to be concealed to prevent the Holy Court from discovering that the undead could operate across continents. Alex couldn''t always rely on the mysterious figure from the Dark Forest; she had to depend on herself. "Yes, Esteemed Queen!" The seven race kings dispersed to carry out their tasks efficiently. With Death Spirit around, the remaining Monarch Orcs were no match for it. Even as a support-oriented King level, Death Spirit held a significant advantage over Monarch levels. The Orc King''s body was summoned by Alex into a Reaper Guard. She then turned her attention to another lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard, planning to cultivate it further as her next potential King level troop. "Miss Alex, you were so cool just now!" Xiao Hui ran over excitedly, with Xiao Mu following closely behind. "So, did you level up in this battle?" Alex turned to them, and both Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui nodded. They had both reached lv5 Monarch, and the surviving Monarch undead had also gained considerable experience, with some leveling up. The number of Monarch undead had increased by over a hundred. Although many had fallen in battle, the final total still resulted in a net gain of about fifty. Alex now had over a hundred and fifty Monarch undead. Even without considering King level power, this number of Monarch level undead alone surpassed all other Lords. Ascending to King level had significantly boosted Alex''s power. Not only had her personal strength increased, but her nine Auxiliary Barracks could now produce nine Monarch level troops daily. Some Lords didn''t even have a single Monarch level troop, while Alex received nearly ten Monarch level troops daily for free. "Let''s head back." Alex, Xiao Mu, and Xiao Hui vanished, returning to Undead City. The undead army at Gemini City also began to return. With nearly four hundred thousand undead, they couldn''t all stay there; Undead City needed defending too. Back at the palace, the first thing the siblings did was take a bath. Xiao Hui was in better shape, but Xiao Mu was covered in orc blood, his clothes stained red. Alex sat in a chair, crossing her legs, and opened the system dashboard. She first built the orc Auxiliary Barrack in Gemini City. As for the skill [Berserk], Alex didn''t even need to check to know it had side effects, as such short-term power-boosting skills always did. She didn''t consider using it herself. She thought about giving it to Sophie, but Sophie already had the side effects of Ant King Evolution Energy and didn''t want another burden. Alex agreed it wasn''t suitable and gave up on that idea. Alex asked everyone around her, but no one wanted the skill. It didn''t fit well with their abilities and was more suited for close combat. Suddenly, Alex thought of the perfect candidate and sent him a message. Alex: "Want a skill? [Berserk]" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan: "What? How did you know I reached lv4 Monarch?" Alex: "???" Alex wanted to say that his level wasn''t even as high as her subordinates, but decided against it to avoid discouraging him. Satan didn''t reply immediately, seemingly checking the skill Alex sent. ???¦®????.??? Less than a minute later, he responded with a puzzled tone. Satan: "Are you sure you''re giving this to me for free?" Alex: "Well, not exactly free." Satan: "I knew it! You need something from me, don''t you?" Alex: "Consider it payment for your help last time. So, it''s not exactly free." Satan: "I take back what I said. You, my friend, are the true hero!" Alex ignored him, wondering what nonsense he was spouting this time. Giving the skill to Satan was putting it to good use. Next, she absorbed the Kingdom''s Tear. Alex took out her own Kingdom''s Tear and the one rewarded for conquering the Orc Empire, touching the two crystals together and initiating the absorption. Instantly, the original Kingdom''s Tear in her left hand turned into a stream of light and was absorbed by the Orc Empire''s Tear in her right hand. ?!! Alex was stunned, staring at her empty left hand. "Holy fuck, the Orc''s Empire''s Tear swallowed mine!" She quickly checked the information and sighed in relief. "Phew, thank goodness. If the progress bar had reset, all this effort would have been for nothing." [Kingdom''s Tear upgrade Progress: 26/100] The progress had increased by ten points, proving that stronger forces provided more energy. The progress had reached a quarter, bringing Alex one step closer to establishing the Undead Empire. At that moment, Xiao Mu emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, his clothes washed and unwearable. Alex curiously watched from the doorway as Xiao Mu, instead of heading to the palace, walked outside with his wet clothes. Roar! With a dragon''s roar, a flame shot into the sky from the city. Xiao Mu was using a bone dragon to dry his clothes with fire. Alex gave him a thumbs-up. Soon, Xiao Hui also came out, in much better shape than Xiao Mu, at least having clean clothes to wear. "Miss Alex, can your weapon be upgraded too?" Xiao Hui sat beside Alex, curious. "Why do you ask?" Alex realized she hadn''t checked her scythe''s information yet. It must have become a King level weapon. "Because your scythe seems much sharper now. It even cut through the Orc King''s weapon like it was nothing." The scene of Alex slicing the Orc King in half had left a deep impression on Xiao Hui. She couldn''t help but notice the scythe''s enhanced sharpness. Even the previously enchanted black flame scythe hadn''t been this effective. It was the first time Xiao Hui had seen Alex''s weapon cut through an opponent''s weapon so effortlessly. Alex took out the scythe, placing the towering weapon on the table. It looked the same as before. If there was a change, it was that the scythe''s color was even darker than before. Chapter 277: Cut through anything Alex clicked on the system dashboard to check the messages.[Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: King level weapon (upgradable)] [Soul Concentration: 30%] [Active Skill: All magic mastered by the user] [Passive Skill 1: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects; victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.] [Passive Skill 2: The weapon can be enchanted with magic without chanting or forming magic circles.] [Passive Skill 3: The bell''s soul strike range and damage are increased.] [Passive Skill 4: The weapon has the ability to cut through anything (based on current level and below).] "Cut through anything?" Alex''s eyes zeroed in on the last feature. This "anything" could refer to weapons, equipment, creatures, and even energy forms. But it couldn''t exceed King level, which was almost a given. Anyone wielding a weapon above King level would undoubtedly be stronger than Alex herself! If she couldn''t defeat them, what good would it do to just cut their weapon? Alex felt a surge of joy. Her scythe had become even sharper, making it more convenient for trimming her nails in the future! However, the "Soul Concentration: 30%" still puzzled her. Could it be referring to a weapon spirit? Seeing Alex''s weapon description, Xiao Hui was stunned. The features were overwhelming. "I suddenly want a weapon too," Xiao Hui said enviously. "Your hands are good enough," Xiao Mu retorted as he walked into the hall. It wasn''t that they couldn''t use weapons, but as elemental Lords, their need for weapons wasn''t as significant. "You don''t know anything!" Xiao Hui shot back, unwilling to be outdone. Alex put away her scythe. The weapon''s enhancements were crucial for her. Without the scythe, she''d just be a mage. "Make sure to learn about the surrounding environment from the orcs. See if there are any races or kingdoms nearby." Alex instructed the two. Of course, the dwarf kingdom couldn''t be neglected either. Typically, a kingdom or empire would be surrounded by weaker races, serving as buffer zones against other major powers. So far, Alex hadn''t seen any two major powers adjacent to each other. They would inevitably clash over territory or other reasons, leading to the eventual extinction of one race. "Got it." The siblings knew the benefits of conquering these races were immense. If the undead could wipe out a massive force like the Orc Empire, the smaller races around it posed no threat. "Also, tell the undead to let the orcs handle the investigation around the Orc Empire. But those orcs must sign soul contracts to prevent leaks." Alex was wary of the Holy Court. If they came to the Orc Empire and saw the undead, everything would be ruined. But if the Holy Court''s templar knights saw orcs, they wouldn''t think much of it. Even if they interrogated the orcs, the soul contracts would automatically trigger, erasing their souls and leaving the templar knights with nothing. Now that Alex had mastered soul magic, such contracts were a piece of cake. She could have the alchemy warlocks develop them into scrolls or other portable items. "Got it." Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui nodded repeatedly. "The most critical area to watch is the Orc royal city. Also, keep an eye on the hobgoblin royal city. These are places the templar knights have been." ???¦®????.??? Alex added, though the siblings were already aware and needed no further reminders. The dwarf kingdom hadn''t been visited by templar knights, likely due to the seven clans'' division. The Holy Court didn''t want to deal with that mess. The dwarves'' strength wasn''t high, and they had no King level, making it not worth the effort. So the dwarf area was relatively safe. The only concern was the Desolate Mountains, where they might encounter the Justice Alliance. Another area to watch was the Savage Plains north of Twinface Mountain. Once the Minotaur camp''s intelligence was clear and it was far from the Beast Empire, Alex''s next target would be to wipe them out. Alex chatted with the siblings a bit more. By the time everything was arranged, it was getting late. The three, exhausted from the day''s work, planned to have dinner and rest early. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The clouds began to disperse, revealing twinkling stars and a massive, eerie red moon. Darkness enveloped the land, and the red moonlight added a touch of light to the blackened ground, making it even more eerie. "What a big moon, and it''s a full moon tonight!" Xiao Hui stood at the palace entrance, gazing up at the red moon. Alex remembered the first full moon when her castle was visited by a pack of lv5 Standard Moon Silver Wolves. They could transform into werewolves under the full moon, posing a significant threat to her at the time. Times had changed. The Moon Silver Wolves were extinct, her small castle had become a large city, and she had grown from a Standard level lord to a King level lord. Even now, her undead included bone beast werewolves summoned back then. "Let''s go have a meal." Alex called out, turning towards the dining hall. The siblings quickly followed, diving into their meal. In contrast, Alex ate much more elegantly. She didn''t need to eat but did so to enjoy the food and remind herself she was still human. After dinner, the siblings returned to their respective quarters. Alex stretched and headed upstairs. Only the dark elves remained downstairs, cleaning up the dishes. In her room, Alex stripped off her clothes, intending to sleep soundly. But she suddenly remembered she hadn''t bathed since returning from the orc battlefield. "I heard soaking in a bath relieves fatigue?" Alex looked down at her firm breasts and smooth legs. She remembered the palace had a bathhouse. Why not try it out? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Getting dressed was too much hassle. After all, she was a King level now; who needed to walk? A white blur vanished from the room, and the next second, Alex teleported to the entrance of the women''s bathhouse. She didn''t even wear shoes, walking in barefoot. The bathhouse, like her wardrobe, had an automatic cleaning function. The water in the bath was fresh daily, no need for manual changes¡ªvery convenient. Alex walked to the edge of the bath, lightly touching the water with her toes. "Perfect temperature." "Wait, I''m a King level! Even bathing in lava wouldn''t feel hot!" With that, Alex jumped in, leaning against the edge and enjoying the bath. Clear water rippled, revealing a beautiful scene beneath the surface, with steam rising above. "This is definitely not like my bathroom!" Chapter 278: Bathe in the bathhouse "Ah, this feels so good~"Alex sighed in satisfaction, closing her eyes to enjoy the moment. "???? La la la~????" A voice singing a tune approached, accompanied by strange dance steps. Alex''s eyes snapped open, and she looked towards the entrance. Xiao Hui, completely naked, pulled back the bath curtain and walked in. Seeing Alex already in the bath, she was momentarily stunned. Their eyes met. Without hesitation, Xiao Hui slipped into the large bath as well. After all, there was nothing inappropriate about sharing a bath, especially since they were both women. "This feels amazing. Miss Alex, I didn''t know you took baths too?" "Why wouldn''t I? I''m a normal person, aren''t I?" Xiao Hui chuckled and swam to the other side of the bath. "Miss Alex, your breasts are so beautiful. Not only are they well-shaped, but they''re also so perky. You''re at least a C cup. Compared to you, I feel so inadequate." "Can you not be so blunt?" Alex opened her eyes and gave Xiao Hui a sidelong glance. "I''m serious. Look at mine; they''re so small, not even a B cup. It''s pathetic." Alex didn''t know how to respond, so she decided to pretend she hadn''t heard. Xiao Hui dunked her head underwater, blowing bubbles. Underwater, Xiao Hui opened her eyes, her gaze darting around. She saw Alex''s private area, even noticing the pearl. Xiao Hui couldn''t help but admire Alex''s perfection. Her entire body was flawless, even in such intimate areas. Splash! Xiao Hui suddenly surfaced, creating a large splash, her body swaying with the momentum. She froze, looking towards the entrance. Alex, hearing the commotion, opened her eyes in confusion. "Oh my, they''re too huge!" Xiao Hui exclaimed. Sophie stood at the bathhouse entrance, looking a bit unsure. Xiao Hui''s exclamation didn''t embarrass Sophie; instead, it made her feel proud. Perhaps this was a woman''s competitive spirit? Sophie walked towards the bath, her large breasts swaying. Alex didn''t mind, closing her eyes to continue her bath, though she occasionally peeked at the two. Alex was in the middle of one side of the bath, while Xiao Hui and Sophie were on the other side. Sophie was more confident, even deliberately shaking her chest in front of Xiao Hui, then looking at her provocatively. "Jealous? Have you ever seen breasts this big?" Sophie was responding to Xiao Hui''s initial exclamation. "Who knows if they''re real or not." Xiao Hui blushed, turning her head away. "Of course they''re real. Don''t believe me?" "They''re bigger than your head!" Xiao Hui retorted, and Sophie quickly shot back. "You''re just jealous, little one." "At least mine don''t get in the way when I walk!" "Little one, your breasts look like they haven''t even developed yet. Maybe you should find a boy friend; they might grow bigger." The two started bickering, while Alex, looking like she was resting with her eyes closed, was actually watching them intently. "Your vaginal color looks a bit dark. You must have a chaotic sex life, tsk tsk." Xiao Hui eyed Sophie with a playful smile. "That''s nonsense. It''s no darker than yours, hmph." ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Sophie retorted, but Xiao Hui immediately stepped forward, placing one foot on the edge of the bath. "Take a good look!" Even Alex was taken aback by Xiao Hui''s bold move, her eyes widening. Sophie was momentarily speechless. From this distance, she could see clearly that Xiao Hui''s private area was indeed very delicate and tight... Xiao Hui, having won this round, began to gloat. "Old woman." Xiao Hui returned to her spot in the bath, ignoring Sophie. "You don''t understand. It''s melanin deposition, a normal physiological phenomenon!" But Xiao Hui ignored Sophie''s explanation. Silence fell over the bath. Seeing no more drama, Alex closed her eyes to continue her bath. Thirty minutes later, Xiao Hui was the first to get up. As she passed Sophie, she couldn''t resist a parting shot. "I''m leaving, old woman~" Sophie couldn''t argue. She knew Xiao Hui was indeed younger, so she just huffed and turned away, waiting for Xiao Hui to leave, choosing not to engage further. "Why do you two always clash the moment you meet?" Alex''s voice broke the silence, her eyes opening to look at Sophie. Sophie didn''t know how to explain, so she just shook her head. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don''t know. Maybe she''s just crazy." Alex didn''t press further, just sighed. Women''s relationships were indeed complicated. Today, she finally understood. A while later, Sophie also got up to leave and shower. "Miss Alex, I''m heading out!" Xiao Hui''s voice echoed in the bathhouse. Alex, with her back turned, raised an arm out of the water and waved. Splash! Alex stood up, leaving the bath. She pulled the hair tie from her head, letting her white hair cascade down, covering her shoulders. Her wet, smooth shoulders and white hair clung together. Alex found a showerhead and began rinsing off. At that moment, Sophie noticed Alex was barefoot. She suddenly remembered that when she had come to the changing room outside, she hadn''t seen any clothes. This had led her to believe the bathhouse was empty. If she had known Xiao Hui was inside, Sophie wouldn''t have entered. "Big Shot, didn''t you bring any clothes?" Sophie asked curiously. "Why bring clothes? I can just teleport back to my room." "Then why didn''t Xiao Hui bring any?" "Huh? She didn''t bring clothes either?" Alex realized Xiao Hui might have teleported just like she did. "She probably teleported too." Alex added quickly. Great, you can both teleport, and I''m the primitive one. Sophie fell silent. She resolved to become a woman who could teleport. A while later, Sophie left, leaving Alex alone in the empty bathhouse. She steamed in the sauna for a bit before finally leaving. Back in her bedroom, Alex looked out the window and saw that the lights in the other palace buildings were off. It seemed everyone was asleep. Alex evaporated the water from her body and slipped into bed. She quickly drifted into sleep. Chapter 279: Skeleton enhancement magic circle [Night retreats, dawn arrives.]In the continent of Mossvale, within the dragon city, Drake rose early. Today was the day he would summon troops again, and he was excited to add another Rock Dragon to his forces. In this brutal world where only the strong survive, constant empowerment was the only way to secure a semblance of safety. However, just as Drake completed the summoning of the Rock Dragon, he was shocked to discover that the aura emanating from two of his city''s auxiliary barracks¡ªthe Azure Cloud Giant Eagles and the Medusa race¡ªwas of Monarch level. Drake was familiar with the rules of the Auxiliary Barracks; previously, the barracks automatically summoned Commanding level troops each day. However, now the barracks automatically summoned Monarch level troops. "Alex has reached King level already!" Drake was astounded by Alex''s rapid development. Currently, he was only at level 3 Monarch level, a standard that most top Lords strived to achieve. Yet, Alex had surged ahead, ascending to King level and becoming a unique force. Drake couldn''t fathom the consequences of being an enemy to such a Lord. "Mossvale continent, dragons, come forth!" His eyes glowed with a golden light. He didn''t aspire to surpass Alex, but since he had submitted to her, he refused to become a burden. Moreover, Alex had helped him upgrade his city and barracks, and even the daily summoning of two Monarch level troops from the Auxiliary Barracks greatly boosted his strength. Drake''s bloodline was of the pure Rock Dragon lineage, with a potential to reach Sovereign level. Thus, he was confident in his heritage. A stream of earthy yellow light shot into the sky as Drake, accompanied by his Rock Dragon, flew towards the vast forest outside the city to continue his development journey. ... In the Undead City, Alex had just finished summoning her troops. The other three, still groggy, were quietly having breakfast in the dining hall. Alex sat on the steps outside the palace, watching yesterday''s undead army orderly enter the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. Today, however, Alex chose not to enhance the Blackwater Altar but instead strengthened the Magic Stone Pillar, a crucial defensive asset. Although she couldn''t change the gargoyle''s limit of King level, this enhancement allowed the four gargoyles on the pillar to gain experience more rapidly. Moreover, with the enhancement from the Bone Throne, they could reach near-Emperor level combat prowess. For Alex, this was more than sufficient; she wouldn''t be defenseless against a high-level King level enemy. The typical upper limit for undead didn''t guarantee a breakthrough to peak levels. Take the death conqueror, for instance; reaching Monarch level was challenging enough, let alone peaking at level 9 Monarch. The race kings also had a divine limit, with only a chance of ascension. Whether they could become gods depended on fate and opportunity. So, the gargoyles on the Magic Stone Pillar reaching level 9 King level was a significant enhancement. "Why aren''t there other special undead structures?" Alex wondered. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? As her power grew, the system seemed less inclined to provide special structure blueprints. "Wait, this is part of black alchemy magic, right?" Alex was proficient in high-level alchemy magic. Realizing she could now construct special buildings on her own, whether the system provided blueprints became irrelevant. Alex quickly recalled the information about undead in alchemy magic. With an overwhelming undead army, summoning more lower undead seemed pointless. Now that the Death Spirit had reached King level, it could handle all the heavy lifting alone. Along with the seven race kings, the lich, and the necromancer, rapidly bolstering forces was easy even without other standard undead. If these lower-level undead couldn''t reach their potential, they would be meaningless. In the presence of absolute power, weaker undead wouldn''t even qualify as cannon fodder. Alex found what she was looking for. "Sweet, there really is one!" Alex jumped down from the rooftop, landing steadily on the ground, then instantly disappeared, reappearing where the alchemy warlocks were studying in the eastern part of the city. "Come with me, everyone. I''m setting up a magic circle in Undead City." Alex led hundreds of alchemy warlocks to the city center''s square, where a black skull statue stood, signifying the city''s undead nature. She raised her right hand, and an Essence Shard appeared in her palm. She then taught the warlocks how to set up the magic circle using the shards. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An hour later, hundreds of Essence Shards had been meticulously engraved. Alex floated in the air, slowly rising as the surrounding Essence Shards also levitated. With a sweep of her hand, the shards shot out in all directions, embedding evenly into the ground, covering the entire city except for the central palace. A massive dark green magic circle emerged from the ground beneath Alex''s feet, spreading rapidly. The surrounding warlocks chanted spells, infusing their alchemy magic to assist their queen. Soon, the entire city was covered by the magic circle, with the empowered Essence Shards cleverly positioned at the nodes of the circle, quickly resonating together. Half an hour later, Alex gently landed, having spent nearly five hundred Mana Points to complete the magic circle, while the warlocks'' magical energy was also depleted. "Finally done, though it sure burned through my Mana Points," Alex exhaled. The city-wide magic circle, similar in function to the Magic Stone Pillar, was essentially a replica Alex had created. However, it targeted the skeleton race. The skeletons in the city would disintegrate into piles of bones, entering a dormant state while gaining experience¡ªthough their limit was only Commanding level, the sheer number of over 100K Skeleton Soldiers was formidable. As for the energy source, Alex chose not to connect to the city crystal but used Essence Shards as containers, relying on the internal magic circle''s elemental transformation for power. This allowed the skeletons to continuously gain experience, albeit less than what the Magic Stone Pillar provided, but Alex was satisfied. With hundreds of thousands of skeleton soldiers in the city, space was a significant issue. Once transformed into bone piles, this problem was eliminated. Chapter 280: Bone piles Alex''s interest in alchemy magic had been piqued, and she planned to delve deeply into it. The effects on the skeletons had already been tested and proved to be without issues.With nothing pressing to attend to, Alex found herself with some free time to tinker around in the city, aiming to boost the combat capabilities of her undead forces. Currently, the Undead City was a chaotic sprawl of bones everywhere¡ªone could hardly step without crunching on them. These were the remains of the Skeleton Soldiers that had been stationed within the city walls. More bones piled up as Skeleton Soldiers from outside the city continued to stream in. "What''s with all these skeletons falling apart? Are they dead?" Sophie asked, puzzled as she looked out from the palace, where she and the others had gathered after hearing the commotion caused by Alex setting up the magic circle. "These skeletons are absorbing energy!" Xiao Hui, a Lord of the dark elements, had a keener sense of these energies than Xiao Mu and Sophie and could discern what was happening. "It''s like the effect of a special building, isn''t it? The undead can not only rapidly increase their numbers but now they can also collectively strengthen and absorb energy," Xiao Mu observed, having noticed the enhancements in the undead more than once. It was almost like having a cheat code. Meanwhile, Alex was deep in thought, then came to a realization. "Undead Summoning Magic can be combined with dark alchemy magic!" Her summoning magic was also high-level, capable of more than just raising undead from corpses. The magic directly affected both corpses and the undead. This new idea came to her as she observed the city filled with piles of bones. The piles of bones could be fused using summoning magic to form a sort of core that autonomously summons entities. In simpler terms, under the influence of Alex''s summoning magic, the city''s piles of bones could merge into a single massive pile, with the enhancement effects of alchemy magic still intact! Moreover, Alex could also fuse skeletons together, potentially breaking through the upper limits of the Skeleton Commanding level. However, this ability didn''t particularly surprise her, as John and the liches had demonstrated similar capabilities before. Alex cast her magic again, and a gray-white magic circle rapidly expanded, enveloping all the bone piles in the city. Moments later, all the bone piles began to merge, and a deep green magic circle was released, covering them as the two magics worked in tandem. Soon, Alex completed her masterpiece. After the fusion, what remained was a vast mound of bones, slightly raised in the middle like a small hillock, topped with numerous skulls burning with blue flames. Moreover, a dark, mysterious energy enveloped the mound, with faint blue sparks moving about like fireflies, emitting an ominous aura. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Although the result is sweet, I feel like the magic circle was a bit wasteful..." Alex mused. It would have been sufficient to set up a magic circle just beneath this bone mound; covering the entire city seemed excessive. "Oh well, who doesn''t make mistakes on their first try?" Alex consoled herself, moving the bone mound to the main gate''s wall of the city, then set up another magic circle. Whenever undead city sensed an enemy approaching, Skeleton Soldiers would continuously emerge from the bone mound. Alex tested it, and hundreds of soldiers appeared each second¡ªnot too shabby a speed. But that wasn''t all. Not only could she disassemble it, but under her summoning magic, these hundred thousand Skeleton Soldiers could also be fused into a gigantic skeletal creature. The more she fused, the stronger the summoned entity would be. Alex estimated that the upper limit was close to half-step Emperor level. "Now this is a real bone pile," Alex nodded in satisfaction. Although it indirectly cost her an army of a hundred thousand skeletons, it could serve as a handy ace up her sleeve. "Summoning magic isn''t weak; it''s just that its lethality isn''t as conspicuous, which is why I''ve always felt it only played a supportive role." The bone pile formed from a hundred thousand skeletons was Alex''s current limit, not the limit of summoning magic. Alex believed that as her power continued to grow, she could fuse even more, turning what was once mere cannon fodder into a formidable force. Nowadays, the battle hardly relied on standard-level skeletons, and their role was indeed diminishing. "Bone dragons are technically skeletons too, right? Could they even be considered a type of bone beast?" Alex pondered anew. If skeletons could be used this way, why not bone dragons, since they seemed quite similar in appearance? She spent the afternoon researching this, not even returning to the palace once. This left the trio at the distant palace dumbfounded. "What''s gotten into Miss Alex? Has she gone mad?" "Bone dragons and skeletons, although both made of bones and seemingly of one race, differ vastly in strength. It''s probably not so easy to figure out," Xiao Mu knew Alex was trying to create something akin to a bone pile with bone dragons, but she hadn''t succeeded yet. "Knowledge is static in the mind; it needs to be applied flexibly. Big Shot might just not have figured it out yet, but I believe she can," Sophie said, and surprisingly, Xiao Hui didn''t retort but nodded in agreement. "I get it, it''s like how a math teacher teaches you to count to a hundred, but the exam is on quadratic equations. How''s that for an analogy?" Xiao Hui looked around, seeking approval. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Sophie remained silent, while Xiao Mu gave Xiao Hui a look as if he were an idiot. "Hey! Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?" Just as Xiao Hui loudly questioned Xiao Mu, they saw a specter flying towards them. A specter approaching the palace meant only one thing: there was news from outside. Xiao Hui immediately stopped fooling around. "Leaders, there''s news from the Savage Plains," the specter announced, having chosen to come to the palace since Alex was busy, and it happened to find the three there. The news was about the Minotaur camp and the Beastman Empire. The ancestors of the Minotaurs were said to be born from a human male and a beastman, a history only a few hundred years old. Naturally, the Minotaurs couldn''t be accepted by humans, as such unions were taboo. Besides, apart from walking upright like humans, Minotaurs bore no resemblance to humans. It took hundreds of years for the Minotaurs to develop into the small-scale race they were now. Interestingly, the ancestors of the Minotaurs were a male and a female twin. The trio found this detail rather odd. "So all their descendants are from inbreeding?" Xiao Hui felt uncomfortable all over, almost wishing he could slap a Minotaur. "No wonder they have descendants and formed a camp," Sophie realized. But if you asked how other beasts reproduced, the answer would, of course, involve plundering females from other races, much like the Goblins. Over time, this layering of mixed blood led to increasingly bizarre appearances in newly born Orcs. Meanwhile, the truly powerful beastmen focused more on their bloodline, practicing survival of the fittest and gradually strengthening their genetic traits. The idea of mixed-blood beastmen caring about bloodlines sounded like a joke. Eventually, all the beastmen united to form an Empire, slowly becoming a force that lesser powers steered clear of. This was the brief history of the Beastman Empire. As for its location, the specter hadn''t yet discovered it, but it was definitely not in the Savage Plains. The Minotaur camp was merely an auxiliary race of the Beastman Empire, which had grown too powerful to accept just any riffraff. The trio took this as just another story, finding the beastmen disgusting yet somewhat fascinating. It was hard to believe that a group of mixed creatures could develop to such a scale. "So, to sum up, we can completely wipe out the Minotaur camp without any problem, right? The Beastman Empire won''t come knocking," Xiao Hui caught the essence of the matter and pulled Xiao Mu outside. "What for?" "To wipe them out!" "It''s getting dark." Xiao Mu noted the dimming sky. "Perfect, it''s double experience at night. Just call up the Death Spirit; it''s King level now!" That made sense. The Death Spirit quietly appeared beside them, and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui entered the main fortress, leaving the Undead City. Only Sophie remained, standing alone at the palace entrance, watching Alex in the distance. Chapter 281: Undead Quintessence [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.]"Where did those two go?" Alex suddenly appeared beside Sophie. "They took the Death Spirit to wipe out the Minotaur camp," Sophie explained, recounting the intelligence from the Savage Plains. Alex was unconcerned; without the backing of the Beastman Empire, the Minotaur camp was a minor issue. For forces below King level, Alex didn''t need to intervene personally; the Death Spirit alone could handle it. However, Alex couldn''t rely solely on the Death Spirit. Due to its unique nature, its level could always match Alex''s without needing to worry about experience points. If the Death Spirit was used for everything, then Alex''s other undead wouldn''t have the chance to level up. Thus, the Death Spirit served as a safety net, while the bulk of the experience needed to be allocated to other undead. "Let''s not worry about them for now; let''s go eat," Alex suggested, turning towards the palace to instruct the dark elves to prepare dinner. Throughout dinner, Alex pondered how to strengthen her undead during non-combat times. Clearly, it was a challenging problem, not solvable in the short term. She finally understood why so many researchers were bald. "Ah, this is so frustrating, it''s giving me a headache!" Alex decided to stop thinking about it. Starting with the bone dragon might have been a mistake; she should proceed step by step, starting with simpler tasks. She stripped off her clothes, dove into bed, pulled the covers over her head, and went to sleep. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM Upon waking, Alex''s first sight was a system notification. [Congratulations on successfully conquering the Minotaur tribe, you''ve obtained an Auxiliary Barrack and a Race''s Tear.] Alex glanced at the time in the bottom right corner; the message had come at 1:30 AM. By now, the siblings had already returned to the undead city. Alex, wearing shorts and a long coat over her slippers, descended the stairs. The Race''s Tear was absorbed, increasing slightly. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade Progress: 27/100] As for the Auxiliary Barrack, after some thought, Alex decided to build it in Drake''s dragon city. A Monarch level Minotaur daily would be a significant aid to Drake. Dragons, though powerful, grew too slowly and could hinder Drake''s development pace. After summoning the troops, Alex resumed her research. Now that the development of the Undead City was on track, she could continue her studies while enjoying an experience boost. Her principle was simple: avoid direct involvement unless absolutely necessary, though she would intervene when needed. By midday, the siblings had just woken up. Learning that Alex hadn''t built the Minotaur Auxiliary Barrack in Gemini City, Xiao Hui showed no displeasure; in fact, she wasn''t fond of Minotaurs. As for Minotaur captives, there seemed to be none... All the Minotaurs had already been summoned by the Death Spirit and brought back as undead. In the afternoon, the six race kings had nearly cleared the remnants of the Orc Empire. The resources from Bloodrock City and surrounding camps had been brought back. Bloodrock City was burned to ashes by the undead, and the camps were destroyed. The surviving orcs were escorted north towards Gemini City by the undead. The triumphant race kings were now directing undead through the Portal of Transit to transport resources to the Undead City. Although the orc camps resources were meager, those from Bloodrock City were substantial. Meanwhile, the dwarf kingdom had restored order within a few days, and resources from some remote cities were also being transported to the Undead City. The dwarves'' labor productivity had significantly increased, boosting resource output by dozens of times. If asked what the most common building in the dwarf cities was now, it would undoubtedly be the Furnace. Even without relying on plunder from wars, Alex could sustain the Undead City''s consumption through production alone, though plundering was undoubtedly faster. With resources from both dwarves and orcs arriving almost simultaneously at the Undead City, Alex temporarily set aside her research to deal with these materials. After collecting the resources with a single click and reviewing the system''s tally, Alex estimated she might be able to upgrade the city to its maximum level. "Looks like I can max out the city now?" Alex clicked to upgrade the city, and indeed, as the city reached level 8, just one level shy of level 9, the resource growth remained steady without the last level spiking in consumption. Without hesitation, Alex clicked to upgrade again, bringing the city to its maximum level. The entire Undead City began to expand; the walls grew taller and turned obsidian-like. The previously empty spaces were now covered with black stone surfaces. The palace area also expanded, with the black energy flowing through the walls becoming more solid, intertwining and covering the entire palace. Alex even felt that the blue flames burning in the skull''s eye sockets atop the black palace seemed more vigorous. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? "The area has expanded by about a quarter; this is the final scale of the Undead City," Alex observed from the air, overlooking the entire city. The exposed soil inside the city had turned into neat stone pavements. Although spacious, it at least looked decent now, unlike the previous impression of building a villa in a junkyard. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully upgrading the city to max level!] [You can now carry the city crystal and relocate the city at any time without wasting any resources, with a cooldown of seven days.] [From now on, your city crystal will no longer be linked to your life, but destruction of the city crystal will still have unknown effects on you.] A sudden system message made Alex think it was a reward notification, but it was actually informing her that even if the Undead City was destroyed, it wouldn''t affect her life anymore. "That''s... sort of good news, right?" At least now she wouldn''t be threatened by her city''s location being exposed or destroyed. "But what''s with this ''unknown''? There better not be any catch," Alex mused. She guessed that the city crystal might be crucial later on, so unless absolutely necessary, it shouldn''t be abandoned. Now that she could relocate the city at will, even if the Holy Court discovered the location of the undead city, Alex could easily move it, though she would need to scout a new location in advance. Overall, the two new features added to the max-level city made Alex much more flexible, no longer bound to her city and its original location. [City Name: Undead City] [City Level: lv.9 (Max)] [Health Points: 3000k] [City Territory: 30 square miles] [Buildings: Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon, Crystal Shield, Portal of Transit, undead fortress.] [Barracks: undead crystal, hobgoblin Auxiliary Barrack] [Upgrade Conditions: Non-upgradable] "Indeed, it''s maxed out, showing it can''t be upgraded anymore. I wonder if there will be changes after establishing the Undead Empire," Alex pondered, looking at the system dashboard. It seemed that not only the cities she subjugated but even her own city had reached their limits. The display of special buildings had eliminated those related to living conditions, showing only the barracks built within the Undead City. Now that the city was maxed out, the demand for resources was not as high, allowing her to focus on upgrading other cities. "I wonder when the Undead Barracks will reach max level," Alex mused, looking at the Essence Shards and magic crystals in the castle, mostly seized from the Orc Empire. These resources were not highly demanded for city construction but were plentiful for stockpiling. Alex chose to continue upgrading the barracks, but with her continuous upgrades, only four levels were achieved before the warehouse still had plenty left, and the barracks displayed a non-upgradable status. "The barracks are maxed out too?" Alex was surprised, followed by a system prompt. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully upgrading the undead crystal to max level!] [Special reward received: Undead Quintessence.] [The summoning method of the undead crystal has changed; it will now automatically summon thirty undead of any race each time, still able to randomly summon a race King (existing race kings will not be summoned), and it will not affect the summoning of special units.] The last system message provided Alex with a significant amount of information, giving her an epiphany. Recently, her attempts to summon troops had involved squeezing her chest, but it seemed not to bring her any luck. "So, it''s not that my luck has worsened or that I can''t summon a race King; it''s that their race Kings are still alive!" Alex became more convinced of her idea. Information from the Destroyer, Ghoul, and Eldrin had already informed her that the original undead Empire had nearly been wiped out, but some races had escaped the purge and hidden away. Now, it seemed not just the undead races had escaped the purge, but their race Kings had fled. A race King could endlessly summon their troops; a fleeing race King meant the race itself had escaped. Alex thought about her own situation¡ªif one day the Undead City lost her, the seven race kings would likely each go their own way. As for those undead without a king to command them, they would naturally be annihilated. Chapter 282: The ability to transform other beings into undead What exactly happened to the ancient undead Empire? Alex suspected that there were hidden secrets unknown to most. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.The previous undead lord was a native of the Eldoria continent and had many friends, yet he still disappeared in the end. His talents were undoubtedly not inferior to Alex''s. At his level, Alex couldn''t even begin to imagine how powerful the undead Empire must have been¡ªprobably filled with Emperor level beings as common as dogs and Sovereign levels everywhere. Influenced by her past life''s perspectives, "disappearance" often implied death. Otherwise, the vast undead Empire wouldn''t have crumbled. For instance, when Alex was trapped in the Nytheria continent, the Undead City continued to operate normally because all undead knew their queen was still alive. When Eldrin mentioned that the previous undead lord had disappeared, Alex was more inclined to believe he had died. Even the gods had decreed an oracle, turning the undead lord''s name into a taboo. "I hope I don''t end up like him," Alex thought. "Forget it, I shouldn''t dwell on this. I need to reach Emperor level before I can even think about approaching his level. Let''s check out the reward first." Alex decided not to ponder these thoughts anymore. Her only concern was that the feuds of the undead lord would inevitably involve her. For now, surviving and developing was the true path. As for other race Kings, it would depend on whether fate would allow her to encounter them. Even without them, the seven race kings were sufficient. What she needed to focus on now was the reward given by the fully upgraded Barrack system. Generally speaking, "Quintessence" was always valuable. [Energy: Undead Quintessence] [Effect: Has the ability to transform any living being into undead, with strength and form varying by species; enhances all personal undead magic; grants experience points.] [Side effects: Only absorbable by those with undead bloodline, otherwise, it will backfire and cause death.] "Sweet, this reward is really nice!" Alex was instantly thrilled. It seemed that Quintessence (primal power) of any species typically had severe side effects. For instance, Elf Quintessence would cause one to exhibit physical elf traits, and since undead were essentially reanimated dead, absorbing Undead Quintessence could likely cause instant death in ordinary beings. Alex took out the Undead Quintessence, a mass of black energy that looked unremarkable. "Absorb." Without hesitation, she chose to absorb it. Her experience points skyrocketed, and her six undead abilities were significantly enhanced, naturally granting her the ability to transform other beings into undead. Her magic was enhanced, but Alex didn''t feel a significant boost¡ªher understanding of her own magic deepened. For example, while both dark magic and lightning magic were high-level, her grasp of dark magic far exceeded that of lightning magic. "It looks like my research will progress quickly now." Alex stretched out her hand, feeling the growth in her strength. Although the description mentioned enhancing her magic, Alex distinctly felt a substantial increase in her attributes as well. "It''s a pity such a great reward only comes once." Alternatively, maybe this was always part of Alex''s abilities, just unlocked naturally at a certain level. With this thought, Alex felt much more comfortable. The Barrack would now automatically summon troops, freeing her from the daily reminder. Undead troops actually relied little on the Barrack; its remaining function might just be the random selection of race Kings, completely different from Drake''s reliance on his Barrack for troops. So whether the Barrack was at max level or not didn''t greatly benefit Alex. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? [Undead Crystal: lv30 (Max) (Unique Barrack)] [Troops: Skeleton Soldier, Zombie, Specter, Death Conqueror, Gargoyle, Bone Dragon, Ghost Dragon, Lich, Zombie Titan, Necromancer, Destroyer, Ghoul, Reaper Guard, Crypt Fiend.] [Description: Each undead type fixed at thirty units, extremely low chance to randomly summon a race King and special units, summoning troops'' base level raised to lv6 Commanding.] [Special Units: Acolyte, Dark Alchemy Warlock, Silverscale Leviathan] [Note: Special units have a fixed summoning number, not affected by Barrack changes, including: ten Acolytes, ten Dark Alchemy Warlocks, one Silverscale Leviathan.] "Fourteen types of troops, thirty each, that''s... four hundred and twenty units!" Alex was still a bit surprised. A max-level Barrack was something else, able to summon 441 undead daily. Special units and race Kings were now randomly drawn daily, rather than being obtained through Barrack upgrades. This was the most significant upgrade ever. Now, Essence Shards and magic crystals had purely become Alex''s alchemy materials, achieving resource independence. This greatly pleased Alex, as her power had indirectly increased again. As for the remaining resources, Alex allocated them all to Drake. His Barrack was upgraded six levels, and the resources in the Warehouse were completely depleted. Drake''s Rock Dragon Barrack reached level 21, reducing the cooldown from five days to three days. Alex''s next goal was to max out Drake''s Barrack to help him rapidly develop in the Mossvale continent. The Death Spirit''s clones were also in Dragon City, one to absorb the death energy produced by Drake''s battles, and the other to provide security protection. If Drake encountered a powerful enemy, the King-level Death Spirit could intervene. For the rest of the day, Alex didn''t continue her research but experimented with her newly acquired abilities. Suddenly, Alex paused. "Angels, Trolls, Titans, Dragons... could they all be transformed into undead? Wouldn''t having undead angels be cool?" Alex wasn''t sure, as angels and titans possessed divine attributes that might counteract her abilities. As for dragons, would transforming them into undead simply create bone dragons? No, bone dragons were summoned after death, which is [summoning]. The transformation from Undead Quintessence occurs while the target is alive, which is [transformation]¡ªthey are different abilities. So it definitely wouldn''t just create bone dragons; Alex suspected it would be a completely new type of undead. But these creatures were too powerful, and Alex had no opportunity to test this personally. "Looks like I need to focus on Raphaela!" Alex had set her sights on Raphaela, the angel Lord, surrounded by top-tier Lords¡ªexcellent subjects for experimentation. As Alex''s influence on the Arsen continent grew, Raphaela couldn''t hide for much longer. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The sky gradually darkened, and Alex returned to the palace to dine with the trio. Xiao Hui and Sophie were still laughing and chatting like old friends, which Xiao Mu found very strange, but Alex didn''t notice because her mind was elsewhere. After dinner, Alex went upstairs to rest, and everyone else dispersed. Tonight at midnight was the leaderboard update, but Alex no longer cared. With her current stats, she didn''t think anyone could surpass her. After a bath, Alex stripped and fell into a deep sleep, not even waiting for the leaderboard refresh. Chapter 283: The first place on the leaderboard [Night retreats, dawn arrives.]Time: 7:00 AM The first thing Alex did upon waking was to level up to lv2 King level. As she opened the system dashboard to check the time, she was completely oblivious to the fact that she was sitting on her bed, stark naked. If anyone happened to be outside her window at that moment, they would have gotten quite the view. Fortunately, other than Alex, no one could access this place. "Why are there so many messages?" Alex noticed her private messages were at 999+ and so were her friend requests. Without even looking, she dismissed them all with a single click. Then she opened the system notifications in the bottom right corner, guessing it was probably due to the leaderboard update. As she read the dashboard, she got out of bed, barefoot, and started walking across the carpet to her wardrobe to get dressed. [The leaderboard has been refreshed!] [This ranking will conduct the most precise peak strength ranking. All Lords, Freelancers, Traitors, and Submissions will participate, and the leaderboard will now be permanently open!] [Special note: The leaderboard will no longer distribute special rewards, but Lords in the top ten will receive ten attribute points weekly, with double for the first place, uncapped.] [More and more local forces have started to notice the Lords; you must strive to become stronger!] After reading the message, Alex had put on her underwear and a skirt, and clattered downstairs in her slippers. By this time, the trio had already finished their breakfast and were casually chatting in the hall. "Ah, Big Short is here." Hearing the noise, the trio turned their heads as Alex slowly approached, casually pulled out a chair, yawned, and sat down. "Miss Alex, this time all four of us are in the top ten!" Xiao Hui was excited. It was the first time she had made it onto the leaderboard after so many updates. The only thing that slightly ''disappointed'' her was that Sophie was ranked ahead of them. But considering that after unifying the Dwarf Kingdom, many Monarch level dwarfs had submitted to her, and this ranking was about overall strength, not just personal power, it seemed reasonable that Sophie was ahead. "Is that so? Then we''ll be getting attribute points weekly, although the rewards aren''t as rich as before." Alex hadn''t checked the ranking yet, so she opened the leaderboard to see. | First place: [Hamburger] | Second place: [Calamity Source] | Third place: [QuartzStriker] | Fourth place: [Sky Dominator] | Fifth place: [Dragonridge] | Sixth place: [Phoenixcrest] | Seventh place: [Inferno] ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? | Eighth place: [Holy Wing] | Ninth place: [King Ultraman] Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. | Tenth place: [Amethyst] | ... "Huh, no wonder the Alliance has been so quiet. Could it be that Satan is sulking because his two allies are first and second, and he''s only seventh?" Alex could almost picture Satan''s expression. He wouldn''t know that Lilith ranked second because she had subjugated the elf king. Despite Alex''s efforts to suppress her, Raphaela still managed to stay in the top ten, which indicated that the current Lord hierarchy was settling. It was clear that these Lords were no longer a match for Alex. Half of the top ten were her people, and two others were allies, leaving only Raphaela, a potentially powerful hostile Lord. Aside from keeping an eye on Raphaela, Alex found the other Lords too weak to bother with. Raphaela wasn''t a threat yet, but Alex wasn''t about to wait for her to grow stronger before dealing with her. "Miss Alex, let me tell you, when I woke up today, I had 99+ messages. They all want to acknowledge me as their boss," Xiao Hui shared her excitement about receiving so many messages overnight, feeling like an overnight celebrity. "These Lords are strange. They''re so weak and yet they don''t focus on developing themselves, just on idle chatter," Sophie commented, but Xiao Hui just gave her a cold look and didn''t respond. Deep down, Xiao Hui knew that if it weren''t for the many Monarch Dwarfs, Sophie wouldn''t be ranked third. "This group of Lords lost their drive after surviving the beast tide. For them, staying hidden and alive is what matters most," Xiao Mu explained with a shrug, the World Chat was their only form of entertainment now. These Lords not only lacked initiative but also indulged in daydreams, hoping to latch onto the coattails of the top ten Lords. It was a typical gambler''s hope, like a street beggar dreaming of being noticed by a beautiful heiress and living a life of wealth. But is that realistic? Who would take in a useless person? However, this gave Raphaela a great opportunity to gather other Lords. While most of the leaderboard rejected these Lords, Raphaela''s acceptance would surely attract more followers, increasing her power through their faith. But not necessarily, as the surviving Lords had become very cautious and wouldn''t easily relocate their castles, making it not so easy for Raphaela to subdue them. Raphaela''s approach was something Alex disdained. She had already opened passages to three other continents, which was more than sufficient for her needs. "Now, World Chat is mostly about the leaderboard. One topic is about our leader, and the other is about us three because our names have never appeared before. Now we''re celebrities too," Xiao Mu said. "Yeah, Lords keep sending friend requests every moment. Now I understand why Alex always blocks system messages. It''s really annoying," Xiao Hui pretended to be distressed, but couldn''t quite suppress a smile. "Heh, before they only knew these top Lords were powerful. Now with a precise ranking of strength, there''s no more debate about which Lord is stronger," Sophie added, who followed World Chat daily. This topic was always under discussion, and now the leaderboard had effectively shut them up. "This leaderboard will always be there now, which is good because it clearly shows the current level of Lord strength." Alex was familiar with the top seven, and knowing each other''s strengths, she ranked first with her King level, indicating that the current Lords were only at the early to mid-level Monarch stage. The Lords'' growth time was still too short. Compared to the Local forces, they were still very weak. Alex scrolled through the leaderboard, but it was too long to see the end, and the system didn''t display the total number of Lords. She had hoped to use this opportunity to see how many Lords were left, but now she had to abandon that idea. Chapter 284: Mage captives In the continent of Valoria, deep beneath the surface in the town of demons, Satan was fuming with rage, a reaction that had him ironically laughing for the first time."What kind of ridiculous ranking is this? I''m only in seventh place? Who are Dragonridge and Phoenixcrest? I''ve never even heard of them, and they rank higher than me! I want all their information in three minutes!" he commanded. Abaddon, standing beside him, simply turned and walked away. He wasn''t actually going to look up the information; it was an impossible task. He just didn''t want to deal with Satan''s frenzy. Inside the castle, Cain and Earl had grown accustomed to Satan''s antics. They acted as if they hadn''t heard anything and quietly moved away. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan continued to rant and rave for ten minutes before he realized that, at some point, he had been left completely alone in the town. "Where is everyone, damn it?!" His voice echoed through the abyss, but no one responded. Meanwhile, on the continent of Arsen, several thousand yards away from Ironforge, atop a desolate mountain, stood three figures. Two were cloaked in black robes, their faces hidden. The third, slightly shorter and dressed in plain clothes that seemed to be women''s attire, had no discernible chest, confirming his male identity. "Gentlemen, just ahead lies the destroyed Ironforge; the dwarf kingdom has fallen," Nori said obsequiously to the two cloaked mages. The trio had traveled together to the dwarf kingdom, which indeed lay in ruins as Nori had described, obliterated by an unknown force. One mage lifted his head to look at the other, his eyes clear beneath the hood. "Could it be the Holy Court?" "Let''s go and see for ourselves," responded the other mage, a man of action who preferred not to overthink. Known among mages as a barbarian for his straightforward approach, he was not one to engage in unnecessary contemplation. However, Nori stopped them. "Gentlemen, I know where their headquarters are, at the southern border in Grimstone." "And how would you know that?" asked the mage, skeptical yet not entirely dismissive. "Gentlemen, I was once the city lord of Grimstone. I escaped from there; I assure you, I am not lying." Convinced by Nori''s earnestness, and knowing they were sent to investigate the fall of the dwarf kingdom, the mages decided to trust him. The group immediately set off for Grimstone to the south. Nori knew the creatures responsible were undead, supported by extraterrestrial visitors, but he kept this to himself. The idea was too far-fetched for the Mage Association to believe that extraterrestrial visitors had annihilated the dwarf kingdom. Thus, Nori provided only hints, leaving the mages to uncover the truth themselves. His lineage, as Alex had guessed, was indeed part human, part dwarf, born during a tumultuous time when the dwarf king had just died, and the kingdom was on the brink of chaos. The ambitious chieftain of the Silverbeard Clan, knowing he couldn''t seize the throne alone, had secretly sought human support from the Mage Association. The Mage Association, primarily concerned with human affairs, bluntly refused to help unify the dwarf kingdom under the Silverbeard Clan. The dejected chieftain then came to a human city tavern, hoping to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but this decision led to a fateful encounter. Known for his love of ale, the chieftain met a one-star mage from the Mage Association in a tavern. Unaware of each other''s identities, they drank heavily and, under the influence of alcohol, the dwarf and the human female mage had sexual relations. This encounter directly led to the human female mage''s pregnancy with the dwarf''s child, who would become Nori. The human female mage then used cloning technology to extract the embryo from her body. The ''Nori'', still just a fertilized egg, was sent back to the Silverbeard Clan. It was then that the chieftain realized the gravity of his mistake. ???¦®????.??? The human mage did not pursue the matter but severed all contact after imposing a gag order. ''Nori'' was implanted into a female dwarf and born into the world, only learning of his true heritage as an adult. When the Silverbeard Clan faced extinction, the chieftain again sought help from the human mage, only to be rebuffed. After the clan''s fall, Nori fled to other clans and eventually escaped from Grimstone to the Mage Association, where he met his biological mother for the first time. She denied their relationship and threatened him but agreed to use her influence to combat the forces that destroyed the dwarf kingdom¡ªa task fitting the Mage Association''s role, especially since a neighboring kingdom had been mysteriously wiped out. However, the precondition for action was to gather detailed intelligence and find a suitable pretext, which was why Nori and the two mages had come to this place. As they approached Grimstone, the silhouette of the town began to emerge. "What is that?" one mage asked, noting the ominous aura emanating from an undead fortress not far from Grimstone. "Be careful, do not engage with the enemy. We are here to investigate," the other mage cautioned, aware that the force capable of annihilating an entire kingdom was beyond their ability to confront. Their mission was to gather information covertly and then return to the Mage Association. "Nori, well done bringing two humans here," a raspy, chilling voice suddenly echoed. "Who''s there?" the mages reacted defensively, spotting a floating creature nearby. "It looks like... a lich?! What the hell, how could there be undead here?" The mages prepared to strike, hoping to eliminate the lich quickly before any major forces reacted. However, as they began to form a magic circle, several bone constructs swiftly bound them, preventing any rash actions. Seeing the situation turn dire, Nori pulled out a teleportation device and vanished, leaving only his womanly garments floating down from the sky. The lich had intentionally let Nori escape, following orders from the Death Spirit, which maintained clones in all cities for rapid intelligence transmission and defense¡ªa highly effective strategy commanded by Alex. The two human mages, merely level 2 Monarchs, stood no chance against a level 7 lich. They were taken to Grimstone, already under surveillance by the dwarfs, and Alex had been informed early on. Surprised by Nori''s audacity to return, Alex admired his courage. His bringing the mages indicated he had sought refuge with the humans after his escape. Why the humans had come here was unknown to Alex, but she did not wish to provoke the Mage Association. Thus, she had spared the two mages'' lives and intentionally let Nori escape to sow discord between him and the humans. The mages were now bound to the walls of Grimstone, silent and contemplative, aware that their fate might soon be sealed. The town housed only one lich, with other undead stationed in the distant fortress. However, a significant number of Monarch-level dwarfs, mostly mid to high-level, remained in the town, having submitted to this unknown force. These dwarfs alone were more than a match for the two mages. Their capture, rather than immediate execution, gave them a sliver of confidence. As members of the Mage Association, no power would openly antagonize them and risk becoming enemies. Their identity was their bargaining chip, hoping their captor was not a reckless madman. Soon, Alex arrived at Grimstone via the undead fortress, spotting the two mages in mage robes on the wall as she descended from the sky. The situation had been clarified to her by the Death Spirit before her arrival. Alex landed on the wall and slowly approached the mages, the dwarfs parting to create a path for her. The moment the mages saw Alex, their pupils constricted¡ªthey had not expected an extraterrestrial visitor! And judging by the dwarfs'' deference, this extraterrestrial visitor was likely the mastermind. How could an extraterrestrial have such formidable power? Alex, uninterested in interrogation since mastering high-level soul magic, now had the ability to control others, albeit briefly compared to the long-term control exerted by Raphaela and Lilith. As a flash of blue light passed through her left eye, the mages'' expressions became vacant and listless, their eyes dulling as they came under her influence. Chapter 285: The location of Stone Pillar Mountain Alex released their bindings and began to question them."Where are you from?" "We are from the Mage Association of the Southridge Republic, specifically from the Yellowrock City branch, as one-star mages." "Why did you come to the dwarf kingdom?" "We were ordered to investigate because we received information that the dwarf kingdom has fallen." "What do you know about Nori?" "We''re not sure. It''s very likely that he was the one who spread the news of the dwarf kingdom''s demise. He informed higher-level mages and accompanied us here to assist with the investigation." Alex paused her questioning and began to ponder, while the two mages stood motionless, caught in their thoughts. Nori''s mysterious identity seemed to confirm that letting him escape had been a wise decision. These two mages were at the Monarch level, and anyone capable of commanding them must be at least at the King level. Therefore, killing Nori outright could have drawn unnecessary complications; it was better to gather more information first. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Republic seemed somewhat different from an Empire, but Alex suspected it was just a matter of terminology; in reality, their scale and power were probably comparable. What truly intrigued Alex was Yellow Rock City. From the name alone, she deduced that the Mage Association''s branch in this city likely specialized in earth-based magic. Since these two mages were unclear about Nori''s origins, Alex decided not to probe further and instead shifted the conversation to gather some information about the human race. From their discussion, Alex learned that the Southridge Republic was located north of the dwarf kingdom, at least ten thousand miles away¡ªa considerable distance. The buffer zones between them were inhabited by relatively weaker races that posed no threat to either humans or dwarfs. Even a Commanding level bone dragon would need several hours to cross such a distance. It seemed unlikely that the events in the dwarf kingdom would attract human attention, as a power without even a King level presence wouldn''t be taken seriously by the humans. Through further questioning, Alex discovered that the president of the Yellow Rock City branch was a seven-star Archmage, a level of power even weaker than the Vice President of Nytheria Continent. Eldrin, a nine-star Archmage, was a half-step Emperor level being. "By the way, do you know where Stone Pillar Mountain is?" Alex suddenly asked. She had previously inquired about this location with orcs, dwarfs, and even Lilith had asked the elves, but none knew of its whereabouts. Perhaps the humans had some information. After reaching the maximum city level, Alex was even more eager to locate Raphaela, as once her city reached max level, she could relocate it at any time, making it difficult for Alex to find her later. The two mages remained silent for a minute without speaking. Alex felt somewhat disappointed. Could it be that even the humans didn''t know the exact location of Stone Pillar Mountain? "It was originally called Mount Halo, wasn''t it? Stone Pillar Mountain is just a later name given by the beings," one mage finally spoke. "It''s said that Mount Halo is located at the very center of the continent, where the elemental forces are incredibly dense. It''s a place where various races go to seek blessings from their deities, hence it''s called a sacred mountain." ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "There''s also a belief that only those with sincere hearts can reach the sacred mountain, but we in the Mage Association don''t believe in deities because we have our own gods." "Senior officials once investigated and found out that the Angel race was manipulating things to gather faith power. After an unpleasant negotiation, the matter was dropped." "Once the truth was revealed, the so-called sacred mountain became a joke and was later referred to as Stone Pillar Mountain by the beings. It''s actually located on a rocky wasteland north of the Republic, not at the center of the continent as previously thought, roughly equidistant from the Holy Court and the Republic." The two mages took turns adding details, recounting the legend and the unveiled truth of Stone Pillar Mountain to Alex without missing a beat. Unexpectedly, the humans indeed knew the location of Stone Pillar Mountain! It seemed a visit to the Southridge Republic was in order. To reach Stone Pillar Mountain, bypassing the Republic was not an option. With her status as an Honorary Mage, Alex felt confident. In the relatively weaker Yellow Rock City branch, her two-star Magus status would certainly hold more sway than most mages there. Alex had no intention of revealing her plans to the humans. The identity of the Angel Lord required cautious handling. Moreover, although there were no angels on the Arsen Continent, there was a Holy Court. If they learned that one of the extraterrestrial visitors was an Angel Lord, the outcome could become unpredictable. One possibility was that they might kill Raphaela outright, which Alex would prefer; another was that she could be accepted by the Angel race, after which Alex would lose any chance to eliminate her. The Holy Court was also human; what if they had insiders within the Mage Association? To be safe, Alex decided to take matters into her own hands. "You saw nothing today. The dwarf kingdom has not fallen; Nori tricked you into coming here to incite a war between the humans and dwarfs, understand?" Alex''s left eye flashed with a white light as she spoke to the two mages. "Understood," the mages nodded, and then Alex released them, allowing them to return to Yellow Rock City. When Nori next encountered these mages, he would surely be in for a shock. Since Nori was acquainted with higher-level mages, Alex decided to create some trouble for him. After manipulating the mages with her soul magic, they now harbored intense hatred for Nori and would not hesitate to kill him upon their next meeting. These two mages could not be killed; doing so would only bring trouble for Alex, and with her already vast number of undead, these two low-tier Monarch level mages were not essential. For Alex, these mages were far more valuable alive. "Well done. Increase surveillance in the area, and report any information on other races immediately to the Death Spirit," Alex instructed the gathering of dwarfs and liches. "Yes, leader (queen)," they responded. Soon, the two Monarch mages flew away from the dwarf kingdom. As they moved further from Grimstone, the confusion in their eyes faded, and they regained their senses, remembering nothing of what had just transpired. "Damn it, that scoundrel Nori dared to set us up!" one mage fumed. "Let''s report back immediately. I want to personally execute him!" the other declared, and they hastened their pace back to Yellow Rock City. As for why they thought they had escaped, they didn''t dwell on it, assuming it was due to the prestige of the Mage Association and their own strength. How could a bunch of non-flying dwarfs possibly hold them? Chapter 286: Fuse same races tears After handling matters on this end, Alex returned to Undead City, feeling elated upon learning the location of Stone Pillar Mountain.Raphaela was ranked eighth. As long as her ranking didn''t rise, Alex could roughly gauge her strength based on the top few ranks. Regarding the speed of upgrading the city, Alex considered herself quite fast. Normally, reaching a max-level city would require a Lord to have King-level power. Therefore, Alex wasn''t worried about Raphaela''s city reaching max level anytime soon. As for informing her two allies, Alex deemed it unnecessary. She could handle this herself, and neither Lilith nor Satan were mages. They''d likely expose their identities the moment they entered the Southridge Republic. Even as an honorary Magus, it wouldn''t make sense for Alex to appear in a human city with fallen angels and demons in tow. "Big Shot, did you catch Nori?" Seeing Alex return, Sophie immediately approached and asked. As for the siblings, they had no idea who Nori was. "No, I let the lich release him. He has some ties with the mage association. I''ll check it out myself another day." After all, he''s just a level 1 Monarch. He can''t stir up much trouble. If he had any real backing, he would''ve already led mages to attack Grimstone instead of investigating. "I could tell right away he''s a half-breed between a dwarf and a human. I''ve seen many dwarves, and his features are quite different. Plus, he''s taller than the average dwarf." Hearing that Nori had ties with humans, Sophie became even more convinced of her theory. She knew a lot about dwarves. Even dwarf women looked similar to men, with beards and rough features. Without close observation, it was hard to tell dwarf men and women apart. But Nori had no beard, which was very unusual. "That makes sense. It''s quite possible." Sophie''s words made Alex think it was indeed possible. Maybe Nori''s mother was a human mage. "Big Shot, I even asked Durin about this. Other dwarves know Nori is a dwarf, but Durin has no memory of ever seeing Nori''s mother. There''s definitely something fishy here." "Seems like our guess is pretty close to the truth." Alex didn''t pay much attention to it. If Nori was indeed born of a human, it would be even more taboo, especially if his mother was a human mage. Alex was sure the other party wouldn''t dare admit to any relationship with Nori. "Ah, so this Nori is just a half-dwarf?" Listening to their conversation, Xiao Hui couldn''t help but chime in. "Yeah, that sounds about right. But at least they''re both human, so the offspring wouldn''t be some creature that everyone would reject." Sophie nodded, and Alex remembered something Lilith had told her. Elves and humans often intermarried because many human men were fond of female elves... "It depends on the genes. Look at goblins; they rely on females of other races to reproduce. But their genes are special, so their offspring always look like goblins." Xiao Mu gave an example that made the three of them feel quite disgusted. "Alright, let''s drop this topic. By the way, I forgot to enhance the buildings today." With that, Alex left the palace and took out an enhancement crystal. "Should I enhance the Blackwater Altar first or the Specter Chandelier?" Enhancing the Specter Chandelier to a King-level building might strengthen its concealment effect, making it undetectable even to King-level beings. But there was no guarantee of this effect. After some thought, Alex decided to enhance the Blackwater Altar first. The city''s location was already exposed, so enhancing the Specter Chandelier wouldn''t be very useful. A better approach would be to find a suitable place to relocate the castle. Once she ensured her city''s absolute safety, she would head to Stone Pillar Mountain to attack Raphaela''s city. After enhancing the Blackwater Altar, several new abilities were added. First, the range of increasing troop loyalty expanded to all cities under her command. Second, the enhancement level was raised to King level. Previously, it could only enhance troops below King level, granting them special abilities. Now, it could also enhance directly summoned King-level undead, addressing a previous shortcoming. Of course, some undead that couldn''t be enhanced, like Death Spirits, were still unaffected. The Blackwater Altar was more like an auxiliary building for enhancing low-level undead. While it had some effect on high-level undead, it was mostly useful in the early stages. Next, Alex assigned tasks to everyone. The current goals were twofold: relocate the undead city to a new location and eliminate Raphaela. The long-term goal was to establish an undead empire and become the strongest. The small races near the Orc Empire couldn''t be touched for now. The four King-level templar knights were still a strong deterrent. They had to be cautious and let the orcs explore the outskirts first. As for the dwarf kingdom, it was relatively safer. They could first eliminate the surrounding small races to upgrade the Kingdom''s Tear. Alex dispatched Crane and John for this task. With the Death Spirit Clone and a group of Monarch Undead assisting, there was no need to worry. The next target was the Savage Plains north of Twinface Mountain. There were many beast races there, which Alex couldn''t ignore. These Monarch races no longer posed any threat to Alex. She needed to focus on empires established by King-level beings to speed up the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade. Alex had already met the three basic conditions and could establish the Undead Kingdom at any time. As for the Undead Empire, it depended on whether the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade progressed faster or Alex''s own level-up speed. Without the system''s experience rewards, leveling up would only get slower as the level increased. Soon, the four race kings and the siblings headed directly to the undead fortress at Twinface Mountain and began their conquest of the Savage Plains. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Alex controlled the overall situation from Undead City, while Sophie went to Grimstone to oversee the dwarves'' next actions. Everything was falling into place. Meanwhile, on the Mossvale continent, Drake, along with the Rock Dragon and a group of Monarch levels summoned from the Auxiliary Barrack, successfully conquered a race. This was a small sub-dragon species in the primeval forest, about the size of an adult human, feeding on the carrion of other herbivorous sub-dragons. Their strength was naturally weak, with the highest being only level 6 Monarch. But they lived in groups, and Drake found their lair and wiped them out. It''s worth mentioning that Drake''s Rock Dragon was a purebred dragon, which had absolute dominance over these sub-dragons with diluted bloodlines. This was the main reason he could easily conquer them. These creatures were called [Flame Dragon Lizards], bipedal with clawed forelimbs, resembling featherless chickens. As the name suggests, they could breathe fire and were known for their speed. However, they couldn''t fly due to the lack of wings. "How many types of dragon lizards are there?" Drake stood before the slain Flame Dragon Lizard leader, holding a race''s Tear. This wasn''t the first race he had conquered here. He had previously conquered two other races: Frost Dragon Lizards and Thunder Dragon Lizards. They were similar in size and appearance to the Flame Dragon Lizards but could breathe frost and lightning, respectively. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Logically, these three creatures should belong to the same race. But when Drake conquered them, each rewarded him with a race''s Tear. This puzzled Drake, so he temporarily stored these race''s Tears in the Warehouse. He initially thought two races were a coincidence, but encountering a third one today was unexpected. These lizards had very weak dragon bloodlines. Drake didn''t even understand why they were called sub-dragons. As for why he conquered them, it was because they were weak and close to Dragon City. Drake didn''t even bother to disassemble the corpses, instead feeding them directly to the Rock Dragons. These sub-dragons with a trace of dragon blood were the best food for them. Whoosh¡ª A gust of wind blew, scattering leaves and dust as a Rock Dragon retracted its wings and landed. "Master, another type of dragon lizard has been found to the south." The Rock Dragon spoke to Drake. "Lead the way!" Drake leaped onto the Rock Dragon''s back, and five Rock Dragons and six Monarch levels flew south. The dragons weaved through the massive trees, then soared above the forest. Drake used magic to clear the leaves blocking his view. Instantly, a blinding light shone through, and the surroundings became clear. The dragons flew out of the primeval forest formed by giant ancient trees, soaring in the sky. The forest stretched endlessly in all directions, with no end in sight. Drake didn''t dare to imagine how vast this primeval forest was. The forest wasn''t suitable for the large dragons to fly in, but flying above the forest helped conceal their presence. After flying south for twenty minutes, the dragons dove into the forest. On the ground, the Rock Dragon Lizards were gnawing on a large carcass. When they heard the commotion and looked up, it was too late. Boom! The massive bodies of the Rock Dragons landed, surrounding the Rock Dragon Lizards. The lizards sensed danger but were paralyzed by the Rock Dragons'' Dragon''s Presence, unable to move. The leader roared, awakening the surrounding lizards, which trembled as they attacked the dragons. A yellow mist spewed out, their ability to petrify creatures, essential for hunting and defense. However, their survival skill had no effect on the Rock Dragons. A Rock Dragon opened its jaws and instantly devoured a Rock Dragon Lizard, scaring the others into fleeing. Roar! A breath of dragon''s earth-yellow flame engulfed them, turning them into statues. Drake kicked the lizard leader, shattering it. With the system''s prompt, he successfully conquered this race. "Rock Dragon Lizards..." What a strange race. Four types of lizards, each rewarding a race''s Tear and an Auxiliary Barrack, all with special rewards. Because of Drake''s dragon bloodline, some races with dragon bloodline offered special rewards that could be exchanged for Dragon Quintessence in the system. This was something Drake discovered after conquering the first sub-dragon race here, realizing he had a ''talent.'' Compared to the rewards of skills or items, Dragon Quintessence was clearly more important. Depending on the bloodline''s dilution, the size of the Quintessence varied, but without exception, the Quintessence not only enhanced his bloodline power but also provided experience points. Drake casually retrieved the race''s Tear and planned to return with his troops. Although this place was full of opportunities, it was also very dangerous, so he had to be cautious. Without stabilizing the city''s surroundings, he wouldn''t venture deeper. But just as Drake obtained the Rock Dragon Lizard''s reward, the system displayed a prompt he had never seen before. [Detected four types of the same race''s Tear. Fuse them?] [Note: Auxiliary Barrack will also fuse, granting additional rewards.] Drake hesitated for just a split second before choosing to fuse, not for the additional rewards, but out of curiosity to see what would happen after the fusion. Chapter 287: The mysterious mans plea for help [Congratulations on successfully fusing four types of the same race''s Tear, upgrading to Kingdom''s Tear, and obtaining an Auxiliary Barrack and Dragon Quintessence.]As night fell, Drake, who had been busy all day, needed rest and returned to his city alone. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] Back in the city, Drake immediately absorbed the Dragon Quintessence. His body trembled, and soon his level reached lv5, matching the Xiao siblings. He then checked the Auxiliary Barrack. As for the Kingdom''s Tear, he didn''t know its use and decided to leave it to Alex. [Auxiliary Barrack: Dragon Lizard] [Description: Automatically summons one Dragon Lizard daily. Current summoning level: lv2 Monarch.] "Dragon Lizard?" So the special change after fusion was just removing their prefixes? Drake didn''t mind; as long as he got the reward, it was fine. He then built the Auxiliary Barrack. Alex had previously said he could handle the Auxiliary Barracks he obtained from conquered races as he saw fit, either building them himself or handing them over to her. Drake chose to build it himself, making it the first Auxiliary Barrack he constructed here. Once the Barrack was completed, a lv2 Dragon Lizard was summoned. Seeing the Dragon Lizard, Drake''s mouth twitched. This Dragon Lizard wasn''t much different in size from the previous four types, except it had wings. The front claws were gone, replaced by wing tips like a bat''s wings. But its wings had feathers, and combined with its bipedal stance, it looked more like a... "Holy shit, it''s just a chicken!" Drake couldn''t help but curse, then checked the Dragon Lizard''s attributes. Unlike the previous four types with different attributes, this one had all four attributes, could fly, and had a domain. In terms of abilities, it completely surpassed the four different lizards, as those Monarch-level lizards didn''t have domains. Though it was still a Monarch, Drake could accept it. Sub-dragons came in various shapes and forms, many of them bizarre. "Sigh, if the dragons don''t hurry up and level up, the Auxiliary Barrack troops will surpass them." Sometimes Drake felt helpless. Alex''s leveling speed was too fast. She had just reached Lv1 King level not long ago and was already Lv2. Back in the palace, Drake started preparing his dinner. He casually took a Rock Dragon Lizard''s corpse and divided it into several pieces. Due to his dragon bloodline, he had developed a preference for meat. As his strength grew, he found more parts of his body could transform into dragon form. From his hands to wings and tail, it wouldn''t be long before he could perfectly switch between human and dragon forms. "So dragons can also take human form?" Based on his abilities, he speculated that powerful dragons might have a way to transform into human form. He just didn''t know if this was based on strength or bloodline awakening. Drake placed a large plate of roasted Dragon Lizard meat on the table and began feasting. While eating, he reported the day''s strange events to Alex, mainly to remind her about the Kingdom''s Tear in the Warehouse. Otherwise, Drake seriously doubted Alex would notice it for days... Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was having dinner with the three others when she received Drake''s message. She put down her knife and fork, listening to Drake''s account. Alex: "Four Auxiliary Barracks fused to summon a chicken?" Drake: "Correction, it''s a Dragon Lizard, not a Chicken. This fusion Barrack feature is new to me, so I thought I''d let you know." Alex: "I''ve never seen it either, but it''s not important. The important thing is getting the reward." Drake: "Also, the four race''s Tears fused into a Kingdom''s Tear. I already put it in the Warehouse." Alex: "Yeah, I noticed." It was indeed strange. Normally, it should only give one race''s Tear. Clearly, these four lizards belonged to the same race. Maybe they were once part of the same kingdom and later split up. Anyway, the rewards improved, so why overthink it? Alex took out two Kingdom''s Tears from the Warehouse. If Drake hadn''t mentioned it, she might not have noticed. But as their leader, could she admit that? Of course not. Seeing the suddenly appearing Kingdom''s Tears, everyone looked over in confusion. "Drake got them," Alex explained, then began absorbing them. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade progress: 31/100] It increased by 4 points, bringing her closer to upgrading to Empire''s Tear. "How did he manage to conquer a kingdom in just a few days?" Xiao Hui was surprised by Drake''s speed. "It''s normal. His troops are dragons, very powerful," Xiao Mu explained. The races near them had been cleared out, so their situation was different. "No, it''s four race''s Tears fused into one," Alex explained to the three, who were equally astonished. "Maybe it was originally one Kingdom''s Tear that split," Xiao Mu analyzed, which made sense to Alex. Otherwise, it wouldn''t explain why they could fuse, and each Dragon Lizard had one. As night fell, everyone dispersed and returned to their palaces. They had to fight enemies during the day, so these evening chats were their most relaxing moments. At dawn, unnoticed by anyone, a black energy beam shot into the sky from the center of the Dark Forest, then quickly disappeared. The mysterious figure meditating at the center had a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, and his aura weakened. "Sigh, maybe it''s time to bring her to the Dark Forest..." [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Dim light filtered into the room, and Alex groggily opened her eyes, got out of bed, and started her usual morning routine. As she bent down to put on her white thigh-high stockings, a system prompt suddenly appeared, making her pupils contract. [Your territory is under enemy invasion!] ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Alex immediately jumped out the window, grabbing her scythe mid-air and flying rapidly towards the city outskirts. An invasion of the city could only mean a King-level enemy! "Detect invading creature information!" [Enemy strength: lv3 King-level Troll, quantity: 1] As Alex wondered where this Troll came from, she reached the city edge and saw the creature outside the walls. The others had also responded, and the city''s defenses were now exceptionally tight after the last King-level templar knights'' invasion. Four gargoyles awakened and flew over the outer city; the bone piles on the walls shattered into a giant skeletal creature exuding King-level aura! The Death Spirit clone swapped places with the main body, appearing beside Alex, along with several Reaper Guards. The siblings and Sophie arrived last. "Wait!" Just as the King-level undead were about to swarm, Alex stopped them. She recognized this Troll as the one that attacked her when she first entered the Dark Forest. She didn''t expect it to be King-level. The Troll stood quietly outside the city gate, not even holding its weapon, with no killing intent. Considering its position deep in the Dark Forest and its possible connection to the mysterious figure, it might be here because the mysterious figure wanted to see her. Alex jumped off the wall. The Troll''s strength wasn''t enough to kill her instantly, especially on undead territory. "Does the one in the Dark Forest want to see me?" Alex asked, looking at the Troll''s towering figure. "Yes, my leader wants to see you. Follow me," the Troll''s rough voice replied, looking down at Alex before turning towards the Dark Forest. "Wait a minute!" Alex called out, and the Troll turned back, puzzled. "I need to put on my shoes first." With that, Alex flew back to the city, and the Troll noticed she was wearing only socks. The Troll thought for a moment, realizing its leader also wore shoes, and quickly understood. Back on the wall, the siblings were the first to ask. "What happened? Isn''t it an enemy?" "No, I need to go to the Dark Forest. You all carry on with your tasks." With Alex''s order, the undead began to disperse. "Will it be dangerous?" Xiao Mu asked, worried. "He saved me before. It should be safe. Don''t worry," Alex reassured them, and they had no choice but to let it go. Alex then flew to her palace bedroom. Within minutes, Alex, now wearing shoes, reappeared before the Troll. "Let''s go." Alex called out, and the Troll silently led the way into the Dark Forest. Entering the outskirts, Alex felt a bit embarrassed seeing the dead trees felled by skeletons. As she wondered why the Troll was walking so slowly, it suddenly stopped. A white magic circle appeared under its feet. With her knowledge of high-level magic, Alex recognized it as a spatial teleportation circle. She finally understood the Troll''s strange ability to appear instantly during the attack¡ªit involved spatial magic. But could a Troll, seemingly clumsy and not very smart, use magic? Alex had seen the Troll Lord before and remembered his transformation ability, with no trace of magic. The Troll looked at Alex, clearly indicating she should stand in the magic circle. Without hesitation, Alex stood beside the Troll in the teleportation array. With a flash of white light, they disappeared from the Dark Forest outskirts. After a moment of disorientation, Alex opened her eyes to observe her surroundings. The uneven terrain, towering pines and firs, and the faint sound of flowing water. Not far ahead, an elderly man with disheveled hair sat cross-legged on a boulder. His hair was shoulder-length, as if it hadn''t been groomed for years. When Alex saw his shoes, she was shocked. "You''re a Lord?!!" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The white shoes bore a three-stripe logo, impossible to be from Eldoria. Hearing Alex''s exclamation, the mysterious man slowly opened his eyes, unsurprised by her reaction, as he had anticipated it. "Lord? I haven''t heard that title in many years," the mysterious man spoke slowly. His voice, mismatched with his appearance, sounded like a thirty-year-old despite looking ninety. Alex''s mind was in turmoil. This mysterious man couldn''t be from her batch of Lords. There had been another batch of Lords before they crossed over! This was shocking. The mysterious man didn''t rush to speak, giving Alex time to process. The Troll silently left after delivering Alex. Alex had many questions but didn''t know where to start. After a moment, the mysterious man broke the silence. "My name is Edgar. It''s been so long I can barely remember. I know you have many questions, but I''m here to ask for your help. I''ll answer your questions afterward." "What kind of help does someone as powerful as you need from me?" Alex asked humbly. After all, the mysterious man had saved her, but she needed to know the situation before agreeing to help. "There is some risk, but it should be manageable for you. If successful, you should receive a system reward," Edgar said calmly, waiting for Alex''s response. Chapter 288: Source of Fear Alex felt utterly bewildered by what she heard, but the promise of a reward and Edgar''s confident tone convinced her to give it a shot."Though I''m not sure what you see in me, you saved my life, and I''ll do my best to repay you," Alex replied politely. "It was nothing. Even if I hadn''t saved you, someone else would have. This information was given to me by that person," Edgar said, leaving Alex puzzled. Huh? Since when did I have such a mysterious benefactor? Could it be that the missing undead lord suddenly appeared, wreaking havoc to protect his heir? "Can you tell me who this person is?" Alex asked with a curious, almost childlike expression, only for Edgar to respond with a simple, "That''s classified." "Alright then, let''s get down to business," Alex said, slightly miffed but willing to move on. "It''s a hidden threat in the Dark Forest. I''ve heard that the Undead Lord''s weapon has powerful sealing abilities. As the new Undead Lord, you likely have this ability too. Could I take a look at your weapon?" Edgar''s calm demeanor belied the shocking information he casually revealed, leaving Alex stunned. He was from the same era as the undead lord! Edgar remained seated on the boulder, unmoving, as Alex approached and handed him her scythe, taking the opportunity to ask, "Master, were you friends with the undead lord?" Edgar shook his head, accepting the scythe. "We only met a few times. We weren''t exactly friends." "What kind of person do you think the undead lord was?" Alex asked, seizing the chance to learn more while Edgar examined her weapon. Edgar pondered for a moment, as if recalling distant memories. "Most people saw him as a reckless youth, but his talent was undeniable." Reckless youth? Maybe that''s why he ended up being betrayed. Seeing Alex''s interest in the undead lord, Edgar shared a bit more from his memories. "From the fall of the undead Empire to your emergence, it''s clear he''s dead. The dark clouds over Eldoria are his doing. The red moon has a strange power, dispersing the clouds at night, only for them to return by day. This has been going on for centuries." Edgar sighed, perhaps lamenting the fall of a genius or simply sharing all he knew. It confirmed Alex''s suspicions. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex absorbed the information, noting two key points: the undead lord was almost certainly dead, and he died on Eldoria. There might be some mysterious connection to her own origins here. Edgar offered no further details, and Alex didn''t press for more, waiting patiently as he examined her weapon. After a moment, Edgar returned the scythe to Alex. "Though I''ve never seen the previous undead lord''s weapon, yours is indeed extraordinary. What he said is true; your weapon has strong sealing capabilities." "What do I need to do?" Alex asked, holding the scythe. She hadn''t known about its sealing power, as the system description didn''t mention it. But Edgar had no reason to deceive her. She figured the sealing power must be related to the weapon''s "Soul Concentration." "A powerful creature is sealed in the forest. I need your scythe to seal it completely," Edgar said, looking at Alex. "Can you tell me more?" Alex asked, estimating Edgar''s strength to be at least Emperor level, possibly Sovereign level. If he couldn''t handle it, how could a King-level weapon suffice? And why "seal" instead of "kill"? Was the creature too strong for him to defeat? If so, how could she seal it? "The creature is called the [Source of Fear]. It''s formless and intangible, impossible to kill, only seal. As for its origin..." Edgar paused, a pained expression crossing his face before he continued, and Alex listened silently. ???¦®????.??? "It''s not a native creature but a troop of a Lord. I won''t name him, but he was my close friend, as talented as the undead lord, the top Lord of his time, much like you now." Edgar paused, giving Alex time to process the information. She wasn''t too surprised; having such an immortal, soul troops would make anyone formidable. "He and the undead lord had a complex relationship, both rivals and friends. When he learned of the undead lord''s failed attempt to break through to godhood and subsequent ambush, he was furious and sought revenge. But his strength wasn''t enough, and he was gravely injured by the major powers, forcing him to hide." Alex could tell this Lord was a hot-blooded youth, much like the reckless undead lord, which explained their mutual respect and rivalry. "While in hiding, he fell in love with a woman who wasn''t human. They had a child, and once healed, he broke through his limits and reappeared before the major powers. Unknown to anyone, he had found me before this." Alex could predict the outcome. Such a disillusioned youth wouldn''t rest until he avenged the undead lord. By then, it wasn''t just about revenge; he was enraged by the corrupt, dog-eat-dog world and wanted to eradicate the vile powers. But fighting alone, his fate seemed sealed. "He told me he was affected by the Source of Fear, a fusion troop. If he died, he''d be controlled and turned into a puppet, killing everyone in his memory. He didn''t want his wife and child harmed, so he forcibly separated it and gave me a high-level spatial magic book. Through his guidance, I advanced it to a forbidden spell and learned how to seal the Source of Fear. He was weakened by this, but knowing he couldn''t escape unscathed, he chose to continue because it was his path to godhood, his choice. Before leaving, he hoped that if I ever met his daughter, I''d tell her he loved her very much." Edgar took a deep breath, followed by a long sigh. "Have you met his daughter over the years?" Alex asked Edgar. "I have, but she hasn''t met me. She''s your friend, Ruby!" Alex was taken aback, never expecting it to be Ruby. In her memories, Ruby''s father was indeed a powerful human, but Alex never imagined Ruby''s father was also a Lord. However, Ruby had suffered a coup and was hunted, yet Edgar hadn''t intervened to save her. From his earlier words, it was clear he was a Sovereign-level powerhouse. Edgar seemed to notice Alex''s confusion and began to explain. "The reason I agreed to help him seal the Source of Fear and confine myself to the Dark Forest is because my journey from Standard to Sovereign level was largely due to his help. His kindness to me is immeasurable, and this is the only way I can repay him. Since choosing to seal the Source of Fear, I haven''t been able to leave the Dark Forest. I wanted to help his daughter, but I was powerless. As the sealing power weakens, I can''t even move my body now." "Can''t you release the seal after his death? Why persist?" Alex asked, not understanding why Edgar seemed so stubborn, even seeking her out to continue sealing the Source of Fear. "It''s not that simple. Over the years, the Source of Fear has developed some intelligence. It''s like his shadow, and anything related to him will restore its power. His weapon is with his daughter now. If the seal is broken, the Source of Fear''s first target would be her. Moreover, his weapon was left to his daughter as a contingency against the Source of Fear. Once Ruby reaches King level, some of her memories about him will awaken, guiding her to the Dark Forest. With his weapon, she can seal the Source of Fear again. At that point, the Source of Fear will become Ruby''s ally. However, the risk is significant. If Ruby can''t control it, she could be consumed. This is both an opportunity and a danger for her." Chapter 289: Absorb the Source of Fear Edgar''s meaning was crystal clear. He would temporarily seal the Source of Fear, waiting for Ruby to reach King level. Then, he would transfer the seal to Ruby''s weapon. At that point, the Source of Fear would become either her greatest opportunity or her gravest danger.As a father, this was a last resort. Given a choice, he wouldn''t want Ruby to shoulder the burden of the Source of Fear. After all, if she couldn''t control it, it would consume her. The risk was simply too great. Alex''s arrival was perfectly timed. "So you found me for this reason?" Alex asked. "Exactly," Edgar replied patiently. "Even he admitted that the undead lord''s weapon was incredibly powerful. You''re not only his successor but also a Lord yourself. With the system''s help, you''re the most qualified person for this." Since he was asking for help, he needed to be upfront about the stakes. "I see," Alex murmured, pondering the situation. If the system couldn''t neutralize this ticking time bomb, wouldn''t it pose a serious threat down the line? Suddenly, something struck Alex as odd. Ruby was only a teenager, which meant her father had died roughly a decade ago. But the Dark Forest had existed for far longer. The timeline didn''t add up. "Was the Dark Forest created because of the Source of Fear''s sealing?" she inquired. Edgar wasn''t surprised by Alex''s sharp mind. He knew exactly what she was getting at. "Yes," he confirmed. "He died over three hundred years ago, and I''ve been sealing the Source of Fear ever since. The original forest was consumed by it, twisted into what you see now." "Ruby was infused with primal power by her parents at birth, a legacy to accelerate her cultivation and ensure her safety. She''s been asleep ever since, only waking up a few years ago." "So, Ruby is actually over three hundred years old?" Alex exclaimed, astounded. No wonder she was betrayed and hunted by her own kind. The tiger being queen''s followers from three centuries ago would be long gone. "You could say that," Edgar chuckled. "Mentally, though, she''s still a teenager." "Three hundred years of sealing has taken its toll. My power has dwindled to Sovereign level, while the Source of Fear has grown to King level. Now is the perfect time to reseal it." "Although your weapon differs from the previous undead lord''s, the lineage is the same. Your power won''t be any weaker. In fact, you''re far stronger than I was at your stage." "As compensation for sealing the Source of Fear, I''ll pass on the spatial magic he entrusted to me. This Dark Forest will be yours to command." Alex''s eyes lit up at the offer. This was turning out to be quite the deal. Still, she needed clarification. "I''ll be using my weapon for the sealing. Won''t really need spatial magic, will I?" "Don''t worry, you won''t be bound here like I was. It won''t affect you in any way. With your talent, suppressing the Source of Fear will be child''s play. Consider it a reward for helping Ruby," Edgar reassured her, a wistful smile gracing his lips. Looking at Alex, he was reminded of their old Lord companions. "Alright, let''s do this," Alex agreed, eager to learn more about Lords from Edgar once this was over. "Good. When the time comes, touch the seal with your scythe. It should trigger a system prompt. Just follow the instructions. That''s the beauty of being a Lord," Edgar explained, forgoing any detailed instructions. He knew the system would guide her. Alex watched as Edgar, who had remained motionless, suddenly raised his hand. As he moved, the surroundings grew dark. His meditating body slowly levitated, and the boulder beneath him crumbled, revealing a bottomless tunnel. A King level aura erupted from the chasm as a dark figure shot out. But just as it emerged, Edgar clasped his hands together, freezing the space around them. The Source of Fear was trapped, unable to move. Alex finally got a clear look at the Source of Fear. It was a grotesque mass of black energy, distinct from both death energy and dark attributes. She drew her scythe and approached it, effortlessly passing through the spatial barrier. With the back of the blade, she tapped the Source of Fear. **[Special lifeform detected. Use Grim Reaper''s Scythe to absorb?]** "Absorb!" Alex commanded, tapping the confirmation on the system interface. The top of the scythe pulsed with an unseen force, greedily devouring the immobilized Source of Fear. It was then that Alex noticed a crack in Edgar''s spatial seal. It had only been a few seconds, yet his temporary seal was already on the verge of breaking. Once it shattered, the Source of Fear would vanish into thin air, becoming impossible to track. Fortunately, the system was powerful enough. The Source of Fear was essentially an evolution of Ruby''s father''s troops, and troops were summoned with the system''s aid. There was no way it could resist. Within moments, the Source of Fear was completely extracted from the spatial seal, absorbed entirely by Alex''s scythe. **[Congratulations! Your weapon''s Soul Concentration has reached 100%. Do you wish to designate the Special lifeform as your weapon spirit?]** **[Note: Any soul can become a weapon spirit. The weapon spirit''s abilities will be bestowed upon the weapon. Each weapon can only have one weapon spirit, and the choice is permanent.]** Was there even a question? The Source of Fear had accompanied Ruby''s father through countless battles. Its soul had to be at least Emperor level. Where else would she find a weapon spirit like this? Alex selected "Yes" without hesitation. Another message popped up. **[Designating the [Special lifeform] as your weapon spirit will erase its sentience. It will be fully integrated with the weapon, becoming inseparable. It will grow alongside the weapon''s level. Do you wish to proceed?]** What? Alex was taken aback. It gets even better? Wouldn''t that make it an inherent part of the weapon? She hit "Proceed." The scythe pulsed with an eerie black energy, gradually solidifying. ????????.??? Alex examined her weapon, noticing a faint black aura clinging to the blade. The blue flames within the skull''s eye sockets at the top of the hilt had turned black. She swung it experimentally, leaving a black trail in its wake. As Alex admired her enhanced weapon, Edgar gently landed. Years of constant meditation had stiffened his body. Every movement elicited a symphony of pops and cracks. As he slowly straightened up, the seal that had bound him for centuries finally dissipated. Yet, instead of elation, he gazed at Alex''s scythe with awe. He could tell that this wasn''t solely the system''s doing. The power emanating from her weapon was undeniable. The system had merely assisted; with any other Lord or weapon, the outcome wouldn''t have been as impressive. Meanwhile, Alex was engrossed in her scythe''s updated information, her eyes gleaming with delight. **[Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe]** **[Quality: King level weapon (upgradable)]** **[Weapon spirit: Source of Fear]** **[Active Skill 1: Enter the soul realm, instantly severing the target''s soul regardless of distance.]** **[Active Skill 2: Absorb target''s fear, summoning fear troops: Scarecrow (strength capped at weapon''s current level)]** **[Passive Skill 1: Attacks inflict soul strike and withering effects. Victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.]** S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Passive Skill 2: The weapon can be enchanted without chanting or magic circles.]** **[Passive Skill 3: Increased soul strike range and damage.]** **[Passive Skill 4: The weapon can cut through anything (based on current level and below)]** Two new Active Skills! Alex immediately activated Skill 1, eager to test it out. The world shifted. Every living being appeared as a white silhouette, each with a faint white shadow trailing behind them. Everything seemed frozen in time. Alex focused on a nearby tree and swung her scythe. The shadow behind the tree vanished, and a wisp of black energy flowed into her weapon. That was the fear value for Skill 2, used to summon those special troops. So, it wasn''t just about instilling fear; killing them directly also yielded fear value. The more fear Alex accumulated, the stronger the summoned troops would be. It was similar to sacrificing, with the summoned being''s strength capped at King level. But it could reach level 9 King level! Edgar, observing from the sidelines, saw Alex swing her scythe at a pine tree. The tree instantly withered and decayed, ready to crumble into ash at the slightest breeze. Its soul was gone, devoured by the same soul-piercing ability as the Source of Fear! Even Edgar was stunned. Not only had the Source of Fear not become a burden, it had actually made Alex stronger. Alex deactivated the skill, and the soul realm faded from view. With this ability, she could launch surprise attacks that bypassed physical defenses. "It seems the Source of Fear is no longer a threat. Could I have a look at your weapon?" Edgar asked, curiosity piqued. Alex handed him the scythe. As he took it, he offered her a book on spatial magic. Alex accepted it without hesitation, learning it on the spot and storing it within her right eye. Edgar merely chuckled at this, reminiscing about his own struggles with deciphering magic books. "Having the system''s help sure is nice," he remarked. "Huh? Aren''t you a Lord too? Why don''t you have the system?" Alex tilted her head, looking up at Edgar. She was half a head shorter, getting a clear view of his face beneath his messy, graying hair. He was surprisingly youthful, with sharp features etched with experience. His eyes were deep and alert, defying his age. Besides, she had seen the system interface in his eyes earlier. "The system only lasts for a century," Edgar explained, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. "Once that time is up, it disappears. We can''t even summon Barracks anymore; troops can only reproduce naturally. All the other features vanish too. Even building an outhouse becomes a manual chore." "Basically, after a century, we''re no different from the natives. We''ve fully integrated." Alex was stunned, speechless for a moment. The system...disappears? But Edgar continued, as if a dam had broken, his gaze distant as he examined her scythe. Perhaps this was the joy of a man finally free after centuries. "Do you know how many Lords survived in the end?" he asked, holding up his hand, fingers splayed, then closing them into a fist, except for his thumb and index finger. "Eight hundred?" Alex guessed, thinking that was already a horrifying casualty rate. Billions of Lords reduced to a mere eight hundred. "Eight hundred?" Edgar scoffed. "Try eight." Chapter 290: The path to godhood "What?!" Alex gasped, flabbergasted. Only eight Lords made it out alive? "That can''t be right. Over three billion people transmigrated, practically everyone except the elderly and children. Everything seemed fine before I arrived!"This was huge! How could she have overlooked such crucial information? If thirty billion people crossed over, wouldn''t humanity be extinct? "Perhaps we''re not from the same world," Edgar suggested, a knowing look in his eyes. "Parallel universes?" Alex breathed, stunned. "Transmigration is real, so why not parallel universes?" Edgar countered, leaving Alex speechless. He had a point. It was the only logical explanation. But dwelling on the multiverse wasn''t a priority. Alex needed intel on the previous batch of Lords. Or were there even earlier generations? "Were there other Lords before you?" she pressed, her gaze fixed on Edgar. "Yes," he confirmed, a hint of solemnity in his voice. Just as she suspected! "We don''t even know which batch we were. We were just as shocked as you when we encountered the previous generation. Seeing them, learning about even earlier Lords...it led us to a bold theory." Edgar handed Alex back her scythe. "This world...it didn''t originally have races. We believe all the races are descended from the troops of past Lords!" "This weapon is powerful. It will serve you well," he added, but Alex barely registered his words. She was floored. "How old is this world?" she asked, her mind racing. "I don''t know for sure. Eldoria has existed for at least tens of thousands of years. A new batch of Lords arrives every millennium, like clockwork." Edgar himself had no knowledge of the world''s true age. Tens of thousands of years? That meant dozens of Lord generations! If Edgar and the others were right, Eldoria was once a barren wasteland. Then, the first Lords arrived, summoning troops and waging war. The troops of fallen Lords were either enslaved, scattered, or completely wiped out. But even a handful of surviving troops, given millennia to develop, could become a distinct race. Especially after the system vanished after a century, eliminating experience gain from combat. Those surviving troops would be left to their own devices, free from systematic culling. Even if Alex hadn''t completely conquered the man-eating ant kingdom, she wouldn''t need to worry about their revenge. Their strength capped at Monarch level. Why would a King level like her worry about a few ants? Then again, who knew what mutations and advancements millennia could bring? But after a certain point, who cared? Lords would be ancient history. So, the races populating the continents were remnants of the first Lords'' wars, multiplying with each subsequent generation of Lords. The world became a chaotic tapestry of power struggles, until eventually, the native races established their dominance, shaping the world as they saw fit. That''s why the current races were so powerful, while the Lords were locked in their own petty squabbles. At this rate, their numbers would only dwindle further. Eight survived from Edgar''s batch. How many would make it from hers? Three? One? Or would they all perish? "How many Lords are still alive now? Are any from your generation still around?" Alex asked, seizing the opportunity to glean as much information from Edgar as possible. "After losing the system and assimilating for centuries, we''re no longer Lords. Even if I encountered one, I wouldn''t recognize them. And how would I even learn such a thing?" Edgar sighed, settling onto a boulder. Alex sat beside him. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "This world is vast. Seven continents scattered across its expanse, impossible to traverse without divine power. Perhaps some from the previous generation still live. But I can tell you this: I''m the last of my batch." "Could the current humans be the descendants of those original Lords?" Alex pondered. The native humans consist of three races, along with the divisions of the Holy Court and the Mage Association. If this hypothesis is correct, the reason humans stand at the pinnacle of power today might not be due to just one Lord or their troops. "I''ve been stuck here for far too long. There''s much I don''t know. But I''m fairly certain some remnants of the previous Lords still exist within the human race," Edgar agreed, his voice heavy with unspoken knowledge. Alex''s suspicions were confirmed. The humans were different, their actions shrouded in mystery. There had to be more to the story. "How did the war between Lords end?" Alex asked, shifting gears since Edgar''s knowledge of the current situation was limited. Edgar raised a finger, pointing ahead. Despite being a Lord from millennia past, he was still a modern man underneath, just like Alex. They understood each other. The only difference was the weight of centuries etched on his face. "One? Only one faction can survive?" Alex guessed, recalling his earlier gesture and the fact that eight from his generation had survived. "When the century ends, the system strips all Lords ranked outside the top ten of their status, turning them into Freelancers. Then, it disappears." "Of course, if a Lord conquers the world before the century is up, the system disappears prematurely. The victor receives a reward: the remnants of the system''s power. But there''s a catch. Only one Lord can remain." Alex''s eyes narrowed. The conditions for ending the war were simple: either secure a spot in the top ten within a century or conquer everything yourself. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But that only ended the war between Lords. What about the local forces? "The reward for harnessing the system''s remnants must be incredible," Alex mused, her curiosity piqued. Edgar chuckled, surprised that her first thought was about the reward. "One remaining Lord includes those who submitted, but not allies. So, if you have any allies, don''t get too close. They''ll eventually turn on you." "As for the reward...it''s the same for anyone who achieves unification within the century: the path to godhood." "The path to godhood?" Alex echoed, her brow furrowing. "Can''t one ascend to godhood through their own talent?" She thought of the seven race kings with their Divine level potential. If their limits reached that high, it had to be possible. Edgar shook his head, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Perhaps. But no one I know of has ever received that reward, nor has anyone achieved godhood in my lifetime. Understand this, the system''s reward can shave centuries off your journey. In the past millennium, only one being has ascended to Divine level ¨C a young mage from the Mage Association." Alex nodded slowly, her earlier excitement fading. She knew full well that the Lords'' rapid growth was entirely thanks to the system. Without it, they were lambs to the slaughter, barely clinging to survival, let alone vying for dominance. Then again, if it weren''t for that blasted system, they wouldn''t be stuck in this mess in the first place! It seemed the path to godhood was incredibly difficult. At this rate, most wouldn''t stand a chance. Alex had envisioned her undead empire teeming with gods, crushing all opposition. Reality, it seemed, had other plans. "Ruby''s father once told me that those who reach Sovereign level have found their own path to godhood. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have reached that level in the first place," Alex recalled, a flicker of hope returning. "That''s not entirely wrong," Edgar conceded. "But didn''t he ultimately perish on his own path? Finding the path and walking it are two different things. You''re still young, your level too low. Everyone''s path is different. Knowing this now won''t benefit you. You''ll understand when the time is right." Edgar''s words resonated with Alex. Ruby''s father, a man of unparalleled talent, the first of their generation, couldn''t even achieve godhood. It was clear that reaching Divine level was incredibly difficult. Chapter 291: The Dark Forest is yours now "I see," Alex replied, nodding in understanding.Edgar turned his gaze towards the horizon, as if gathering his thoughts. "Now, let me tell you about the eras of this world..." Every millennium, coinciding with the arrival of a new batch of Lords, was marked as an era. It was initially a term used amongst Lords, but somehow, it had spread to the local forces and eventually became a universally recognized system of timekeeping. Each era represented the reign of a particular race, a testament to their overwhelming power. Eras were named after these dominant races ¨C Angel Era, Sea God Era, Dragon God Era, Human Supreme Era, Demon Era, and so on. As for the time before, when Astralon was still a primordial void, the Lords referred to it as the First Lord Era. The local forces, however, refused to acknowledge this, simply calling it the First Era. No one knew for sure how many eras had passed. Perhaps only the gods held that knowledge. The transition between eras occurred a century after the arrival of new Lords, giving them time to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with. However, as the local forces grew stronger, this grace period would only shrink further. The seven continents were currently mired in chaos, with no single race holding absolute dominance. Hence, the present era was known as the Chaotic Era. It was now the 901st year of the Chaotic Era, marking the first year since Alex and her cohort had arrived. If Edgar hadn''t mentioned it, Alex would have remained oblivious. She hadn''t bothered reading the books from the conquered dwarf kingdom. However, as an intelligent race, their records undoubtedly contained this history. It explained why races like dwarves and orcs were so much weaker than humans. Their ancestors simply weren''t as formidable. Furthermore, if humans were indeed a blend of multiple Lord troops, it would explain the Holy Court''s close ties to angels, a relationship potentially forged over several eras. Ultimately, Alex believed that human dominance stemmed from the influence of those ancient Lords. This naturally created an inherent animosity between Lords and the native powers. While smaller races might not care much for the arrival of new Lords, the rulers of powerful factions viewed them with open hostility, eager to eliminate the threat they posed. They feared the potential disruption to Astralon''s power balance. As for the humans'' ambiguous stance towards Lords, Alex suspected they were biding their time, waiting to assimilate them and bolster their own strength. After all, Lords were fundamentally human. What difference would there be after a century of assimilation? This realization unlocked a cascade of other mysteries for Alex. Even Eldrin''s kindness towards her made sense now. It wasn''t just because he was a friend of the previous undead lord. He was extending an olive branch on behalf of humanity. The rise of the undead lord was inevitable. By fostering a connection now, Eldrin ensured that even if Alex didn''t become an ally, she wouldn''t become an enemy. As a friend of the previous undead lord, Eldrin was privy to information about Lords that most weren''t. Edgar''s revelations had been a treasure trove of knowledge, illuminating the hidden workings of this world. "So, every powerful Lord who rises in an era establishes their troops as a dominant force?" Alex asked, wanting to confirm her understanding. "Indeed," Edgar affirmed. "The oldest among them are the dragons, while the youngest are the angels. The era preceding the Chaotic Era was the Angel Era." It didn''t take a genius to figure out why the Angel Era had fallen. Arrogance and greed were a potent combination for self-destruction. The angels were already at odds with demons, and their actions against the dragons and humans hadn''t helped their case. "By the way," Alex interjected, another question bubbling to the surface. "What''s the deal with forbidden-level magic?" Edgar''s words had hinted at something deeper, and she wanted to be sure. "Forbidden-level magic?" Edgar mused. "Normally, high-level is the pinnacle for ordinary magic. Unless you have a unique understanding of a particular spell, advancing it to forbidden-level is nigh impossible. Even the system can''t help you with that." "So, it requires personal enlightenment?" "Precisely." Their conversation continued for a while longer, with Edgar patiently answering every question Alex threw at him. While this information might have been common knowledge to him, it was invaluable to Alex. Edgar, too, held a sliver of hope that Alex, as the current frontrunner among Lords, might one day reshape Astralon''s destiny. As dusk settled around them, their conversation drew to a close. Edgar had shared all he could. He stood up and extended his hand, three Race Tears materializing in his palm. "Take these. The Dark Forest is yours now." "Race Tears?" Alex exclaimed, surprised by the unexpected gift. These were likely from the three races residing within the Dark Forest. Edgar chuckled, seeing right through her. She already had the ability to establish a kingdom but hadn''t done so yet. Clearly, her goal was an empire, and for that, she needed these Race Tears. "You''re giving me the Dark Forest?" Alex asked, her voice laced with disbelief as she accepted the Race Tears, her mind already racing with possibilities. "The threat of the Source of Fear is gone, and I''m free," Edgar replied, a youthful energy returning to his voice. "Three hundred years I spent trapped in this place. My strength has waned. It''s time I moved on." "The spatial barrier surrounding this place is forbidden-level. Those below Emperor level can''t break it. You can move your city here. It''ll serve as your shield, ensuring your city''s safety." Edgar had even considered the security risk posed by the Templar Knights'' discovery. Few knew the true nature of the Dark Forest''s forbidden areas. It was why the previous undead lord had chosen this location for the sealing. Security wouldn''t be an issue. With countless forbidden areas scattered across Eldoria, the major factions wouldn''t waste resources on a place of no consequence to them. "Where will you go?" Alex asked, her curiosity piqued. "Will you seek revenge for him?" §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Edgar let out a dry chuckle. "I''m no match for that. If a genius like him couldn''t succeed, what hope do I have? I''ve repaid my debt by sealing the Source of Fear for three centuries. I won''t throw my life away for a dead man." He pulled out a weathered piece of parchment and handed it to Alex. "I''m going to uncover the truth of this world. Why we''re here, what our existence means. Take this. It will reveal certain information when the time is right." Alex accepted the parchment, her mind buzzing with questions, and tucked it away in her spatial ring. "I initially sought your help solely for the sealing," Edgar admitted, his gaze softening. "But seeing your talent...I believe you can stand above all else, ushering in the Undead Era." His words were heavy with meaning, a passing of the torch. With a flick of his wrist, several spatial blades shot out, shearing away his unruly hair and beard. He straightened his back, a newfound determination in his eyes. "Brak! Brok!" he boomed. Two hulking trolls materialized before Alex. "This is your new leader," Edgar announced, his voice firm. "I''m leaving. Guard this forest well." The trolls, as if anticipating his departure, remained silent, their eyes filled with unspoken farewell. Alex turned to Edgar, her expression a mixture of awe and a newfound sense of responsibility. Would she one day guide those who came after her, just like he had? Edgar''s form began to shimmer, fading into transparency. He offered Alex one last smile before vanishing completely. No one knew where he went, but perhaps that was the true meaning of freedom. "The leader said you''re our new leader now," Brok rumbled, looking down at Alex with a surprisingly gentle expression. "But I gotta say, if the old leader ever comes back, he''s still our leader." "Sure, sure," Alex replied. "What do you guys usually do around here?" "Eat, sleep, bash heads of anyone who enters uninvited," Brok answered matter-of-factly. "Right. Well, carry on then. Just like always." The trolls, looking slightly confused, lumbered off, following Alex''s instructions. Looking up at the sky, now blanketed by the darkness of night, Alex vanished, making her way back to Undead City. She wasn''t sure if relocating the city would trigger any unforeseen consequences. It was best to wait until morning. Back in Undead City, the palace was brightly lit. Xiao Hui, Xiao Mu, and Sophie had been waiting anxiously in the main hall. A whole day had passed since Alex entered the Dark Forest, and her prolonged absence had filled them with worry. "It''s past eleven! Why isn''t Miss Alex back yet?" Xiao Hui paced back and forth, unable to contain her anxiety. "The undead in the city haven''t moved. She must be fine. It seemed like she knew that person," Xiao Mu reasoned, stifling a yawn. He couldn''t bear to watch his sister fret any longer. He pulled out a chair and gently guided her towards it. "She''s back!" Sophie announced, her voice laced with relief. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu immediately turned towards the entrance, just as Alex strolled in. "Sorry to worry you all," she greeted them with a smile, settling down on a nearby chair. "But I have good news. That mysterious person in the Dark Forest was actually a Lord from the previous generation. I learned a lot from him." Her words hung in the air, momentarily stunning her three companions into silence. "Wait, did you just say...the previous generation?" Xiao Mu stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief. Sophie, too, stared at Alex, her expression mirroring her brother''s astonishment. "You heard right. There was another batch of Lords before us. He was one of the survivors," Alex reiterated, enjoying their gobsmacked expressions. She proceeded to share some of the less sensitive information, like the history of Astralon and the theory about the Lords'' origins. As for the undead lord and the sealing, that was a secret she would keep to herself for now. Her companions listened with rapt attention, their minds struggling to process this deluge of information. It was like explaining calculus to toddlers. "That''s all ancient history," Alex said, waving her hand dismissively. "No need to dwell on it now. Besides, it''s just a theory." Despite her words, she was convinced it was the truth. "It''s still mind-blowing," Sophie breathed, her mind still reeling. "To think that Astralon was shaped by Lords..." "Hey, doesn''t this mean the Dark Forest is our backyard now?" Xiao Hui interjected, her earlier anxiety forgotten. "And we got ourselves two King level bodyguards!" This was definitely a win. Their safety was practically guaranteed. "Exactly," Alex agreed. "We''ll move Undead City to the Dark Forest tomorrow morning. And another thing, from now on, whenever we conquer a new race, make sure to collect any books they might have." She was eager to learn more about this world. Knowledge, as always, was power. "Yes, leader (big shot)!" they replied in unison. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was almost midnight. They retired to their respective quarters, ready to rest. Chapter 292: Move the undead city [Night retreats, dawn arrives]Alex rose with the sun, eager to relocate Undead City. However, she wasn''t keen on subjecting her companions to the "delightful" experience of the city vanishing from under them, potentially leaving them stranded in their birthday suits. She decided to wait until they were awake and presentable. Besides, there was no rush. As she waited in the main hall, she pulled out the parchment Edgar had given her. The system identified it as an information storage device, with no level or special features. It didn''t seem particularly remarkable, except for the pungent, musty odor clinging to it. With no immediate use for it, Alex tossed it into her Warehouse and turned her attention to the three Race Tears. One by one, she absorbed them into her Kingdom''s Tear. **[Congratulations, Lord! You have conquered the Soul Devouring Crow race. You have obtained an Auxiliary Barrack.]** **[Note: The Soul Devouring Crows are a race influenced by a [Special Unknown Lifeform]. You can choose to absorb the Auxiliary Barrack into your weapon spirit.]** Interesting. A connection to the Source of Fear. Alex didn''t hesitate. She absorbed the Barrack without a second thought. Her scythe pulsed with power. It wasn''t a dramatic increase, but it seemed to primarily affect the Scarecrow, the Source of Fear''s summoned being. Alex hadn''t summoned it yet, so she couldn''t gauge the exact enhancements. She''d have to experiment later. The other two Race Tears belonged to the [Rock Serpents] and the [Vine Serpents]. These weren''t your average snakes. They possessed a unique ability to merge with each other, like skeletal warriors coalescing in a bone pit. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Vine Serpents were venomous wood-attribute snakes lurking beneath the forest floor, while the Rock Serpents were massive earth-attribute pythons dwelling underground. Each race boasted over twenty Monarch level individuals. Combined with their remaining kin, they could rival a King level entity in strength. Moreover, their chieftains were both genuine King level powerhouses. They would be valuable assets, bolstering the Dark Forest''s defenses alongside the two trolls. With the Dark Forest under her control, Alex had gained four King level guardians, plus two more in the form of the serpent chieftains. Her sense of security skyrocketed. Since both serpent races were native to the Dark Forest, Alex decided to establish their Auxiliary Barracks in Undead City instead of her other cities. With the Soul Devouring Crows, Rock Serpents, and Vine Serpents accounted for, Alex had effectively taken control of the Dark Forest''s core. As for the weaker races on the outskirts, she''d deal with them at her leisure. **[Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 51/100]** A significant jump of 26 points! It seemed upgrading the Kingdom''s Tear directly was far more efficient than slowly expanding her kingdom. Both serpent races, like the Orc Empire, had contributed ten points each, while the Soul Devouring Crows provided five. This confirmed Alex''s theory: factions with at least one King level individual, be it a race, kingdom, or empire, provided a fixed ten points towards the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade. As for Monarch level factions, the contribution likely varied based on their overall strength. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? This expedition to the Dark Forest had been incredibly fruitful. Alex had gained spatial magic, a strengthened weapon, powerful allies, and most importantly, invaluable information ¨C offering a glimpse into the true nature of this world. Undead City was thriving. With the twins, Drake, the seven race kings, and Sophie holding down the fort, it was time for Alex to venture out. She needed to experience the world firsthand, understand its conflicts, and uncover the truth behind the previous undead lord''s demise. Why were they so terrified of the undead? Was it simply because of the relentless undead scourge? Alex refused to believe it was that simple. Only by exploring, by challenging herself, could she hope to avoid her predecessor''s fate, ascend to the pinnacle of power, and unravel the mysteries of this world. Lost in thought, Alex didn''t notice her companions entering the hall until Xiao Hui''s cheerful voice broke through her contemplation. "Miss Alex, we''re ready to move the city!" she chirped, practically bouncing with excitement. Alex turned to greet them, glancing at the clock. "It''s still early. No need to rush. Have some breakfast first." "We can eat while we move!" Xiao Hui protested. "You goofball, the city disappears when we move it," Xiao Mu deadpanned, flicking his sister''s forehead. "Oh, right." As the dark elves bustled about, preparing breakfast, Alex joined her companions, forcing down a few bites. After breakfast, Alex gathered all the alchemy warlocks, dark elves, hobgoblins, and dwarves in the city center. Over a thousand individuals assembled before her. With a final glance around, Alex teleported to the top floor of the palace, where the city crystal stood. It pulsed with black energy, radiating outwards, encased within a transparent barrier ¨C the [Crystal Shield], a special structure designed to protect the entire city. Today''s enhancement hadn''t been used yet. Alex decided to reinforce their defenses, upgrading the Crystal Shield to King level with an enhancement crystal. The barrier shimmered, now stronger than ever. With the Dark Forest''s natural barrier and the enhanced Crystal Shield, the Specter Chandelier seemed somewhat redundant. Alex decided to prioritize other upgrades for now. Deactivating the Crystal Shield, Alex placed her hand on the city crystal. It flared to life, and with a gentle tug, she lifted it free. The city around them dissolved, leaving Alex floating in mid-air, surrounded by open ground and the expectant gazes of her assembled forces. They couldn''t use the recall feature, so they were depending on her to transport them to the Dark Forest. Alex had anticipated this. Landing gracefully, her right eye pulsed with white light, and a massive spatial teleportation array unfolded before them. "Let''s go," she said, holding the array stable. She had marked their destination beforehand, and Edgar had taught her how to manipulate the spatial distortions within the Dark Forest. Her teleportation array wouldn''t be hindered. First, the special troops, followed by the ground troops, marched into the swirling vortex of the teleportation array. Once they were all inside, Alex stepped in, and the array winked out of existence. As for the flying troops...well, they could make their own way there. She wasn''t about to deplete her energy teleporting hundreds of thousands of undead. Chapter 293: Misunderstanding Deep within the Dark Forest, Alex hovered in the air, surveying the vast expanse below. The heart of the forest was far larger than she had imagined, easily capable of accommodating several fully upgraded Undead Cities."This is perfect," she murmured. Undead City''s sudden appearance wouldn''t disturb the surrounding ecosystem. With a tap on the system interface, she initiated the construction. The ground rumbled as if awakening from an ancient slumber. Ravines were effortlessly filled, trees vanished into motes of light, and a vast clearing emerged, ready to receive its new master. A moment later, Undead City materialized in all its imposing glory. Alex and her companions watched from a safe distance. "Alright, guys, welcome home!" she announced, a satisfied grin on her face. "Woohoo!" The twins erupted in cheers, their earlier worries forgotten. As they explored their new domain, everything seamlessly resumed its functions. Outside, the undead army, led by Death Spirit, continued their march towards the heart of the forest. Suddenly, Alex noticed something peculiar. A nearby cedar tree, once withered and lifeless, sprouted a single, vibrant green leaf. "It seems the Source of Fear''s demise has breathed new life into the Dark Forest," she mused, a hint of wonder in her voice. Back in Undead City, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui prepared for their next conquest, leading a contingent of undead towards the Savage Plains. The four race kings, meanwhile, had split up and ventured into the dwarf kingdom, aiming to subjugate the surrounding races. With the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade already past the halfway point, Alex was confident that it wouldn''t be long before she could establish her undead empire. Meanwhile, on the continent of Mossvale, Drake soared above the primeval forest surrounding Dragon City, his keen eyes scanning the landscape below. He had already cleared out the nearby races. Now, only wild beasts remained. He needed to venture deeper, seeking out new lairs to conquer. "Northwest," he commanded, his voice sharp. "I sense two races clashing." The Rock Dragon beneath him responded instantly, diving towards the source of the commotion. Crash! The dragon''s massive form slammed into the forest floor. The two battling factions, caught off guard, froze mid-fight, their gazes fixed on the unexpected intruder. One group consisted of massive rhinoceroses with twin horns protruding from their snouts. The other was a pack of sabertooth-like predators, smaller than the rhinos but clearly holding the upper hand. They had the rhinos surrounded, herding them like cattle. Drake didn''t care who started it. "Kill them all!" The Rock Dragon obliged, unleashing a torrent of searing dragon breath. The rhinos, caught in the blast, were instantly petrified. The agile sabertooths managed to dodge, but they were no match for Drake''s follow-up attacks. Within moments, the clearing was littered with corpses. There were about thirty of them, the strongest barely reaching Commanding level. They were nothing more than insects before Drake''s might. As he prepared to interrogate the few survivors, a system notification caught his eye. **[Congratulations, Lord! You have slain enemy Lord troops: Level 4 Commanding Swamp Rhinos. You have gained 140 experience points!]** "A Lord''s troops?" Drake muttered, surprised. He hadn''t encountered any other Lords since arriving in this continent. It dawned on him that rhinos weren''t exactly native to a primeval forest. They must have been brought here. He landed and quickly subdued a sabertooth, demanding information. Their nomadic nature and the distance to their current camp made them a low priority for now. Drake was more interested in this mysterious Lord. Before he could press the rhino for answers, he sensed movement in the distance. A figure was charging towards them from the depths of the forest. A moment later, a young man with short, spiky hair burst into the clearing, his eyes locked on Drake, rage burning in their depths. "Well, well. Looks like someone''s eager to join the party," Drake chuckled, unfazed by the newcomer''s fury. He casually swatted the rhino aside, its body splitting in two, and strode towards the approaching figure, ready for a fight. The Rock Dragon moved to flank him, its massive wings unfurling. The young man, consumed by anger, paid no heed to the dragon. He urged his rhino mount forward, a battle cry escaping his lips. A heartbeat later, a deafening roar ripped through the air. Wind howled, carrying with it a storm of razor-sharp rocks that tore through the ranks of rhinos behind the young man, leaving a trail of carnage in their wake. The young man, his blood running cold, slammed his heels into his mount''s flanks, bringing it to a screeching halt. His anger evaporated, replaced by a chilling fear as he watched a cascade of system notifications flood his vision, each one announcing the death of another one of his troops. This enemy...he was on a whole other level! Realizing he was outmatched, the young man spun his mount around, desperate to escape. But it was too late. Drake stood before him, his expression cold. "Do you have any idea who I am?" the young man blustered, trying to regain some semblance of control. He had recently sworn allegiance to a powerful Lord. Surely, his name would be enough to deter this attacker. "I don''t give a damn who you are," Drake snarled, his patience wearing thin. A blade of solidified earth shot out, narrowly missing the young man, who had leapt from his mount just in time. The unfortunate rhino wasn''t so lucky. Drake raised an eyebrow, impressed by the young man''s reflexes. He was clearly at least Monarch level. "My boss is the number seven ranked Big Shot! You''d better think twice before you mess with me!" the young man shouted, his voice trembling despite his attempt at bravado. Number seven? Drake wracked his brain. Who was that? He didn''t know Lilith or Satan''s aliases, or even the twins'' for that matter. But he could make an educated guess based on the ranking. The Justice Alliance''s names were well-known. That left only Alex''s faction. Seeing Drake hesitate, the young man mistook it for fear. His confidence swelled. "Yeah, that''s right! Now you''re scared, huh?" In reality, Drake was simply trying to avoid a misunderstanding. Attacking an ally wouldn''t do anyone any good. But the young man''s smugness was pushing his buttons. A predatory grin spread across Drake''s face. "You really think you''re a big shot?" "What are you doing? Stay away from me!" the young man shrieked, backing away, his bravado crumbling as the fear of death tightened its grip. "You should know better than to kick a dog without checking its owner first!" a voice boomed from behind Drake. A black-clawed hand shot towards him. Drake crossed his arms, deflecting the blow. Four gashes appeared on his arms, oozing with an eerie black mist. His flesh rapidly petrified, crumbled away, and then regenerated, good as new. He turned to face his attacker. A demon, with leathery black wings, a barbed tail, and a single, wicked horn protruding from his forehead, hovered in the air. Despite the demonic transformation, Drake recognized him instantly. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "Satan!" Satan stared back, his brow furrowed in confusion. This opponent...he was strong. Familiar, even. But he couldn''t quite place him. And why did he seem to know who he was? Drake hadn''t revealed his true form during the rescue mission. Only Lilith had seen him then. However, Drake had seen everyone on Alex''s side. It was no surprise that Satan didn''t recognize him. "Wait a minute..." Satan''s eyes widened, a flicker of recognition igniting within them. "You''re one of those Angel Lord''s minions!" His eyes blazed crimson as he activated his Berserk skill. A black greatsword materialized in his hand. Without another word, he lunged at Drake, giving him no chance to explain. Drake instantly transformed into his dragon form, meeting Satan''s attack head-on with a swipe of his claws. The force of their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the air, kicking up a massive dust cloud. Demonic bloodline versus dragon bloodline. The young man, who had been about to celebrate Satan''s arrival, was sent flying by the sheer force of their confrontation. Clearly, he was just a fast Commanding level Lord, not a true Monarch. Both Drake and Satan were level 5 Monarchs, both champions among their peers. Their strength was nearly equal. Satan excelled in close-quarters combat, his attacks a whirlwind of demonic fury. Drake, on the other hand, relied on his superior defense and unmatched vitality. For a while, they were deadlocked, neither able to gain an advantage. The Rock Dragon watched from the sidelines, refraining from interfering. Drake had given the order, otherwise, the young man would have been reduced to a smear on the forest floor by now. Drake wasn''t in a hurry to explain. He wanted to test his strength against Satan, a worthy opponent who shared his level and pedigree. The young man, meanwhile, watched in terror. He hadn''t expected Drake to be this powerful. Even Satan couldn''t overpower him. Could he be a Big Shot too? Satan was equally surprised. This Angel Lord''s minion...he had grown strong in the few days since their last encounter. His demonic energy couldn''t fully penetrate Drake''s earth domain. Drake''s body pulsed with a golden light. Within his domain, a colossal dragon formed from solid rock, charging towards Satan. "Roar..." Drake roared, unleashing a torrent of ancient draconic, incomprehensible to most. A blinding beam of golden light erupted from his maw, aimed directly at Satan. Attack after attack crashed against Satan, who could only parry desperately, his demonic energy struggling to keep pace. He shattered the rock dragon with a wave of his greatsword, then raised his arms defensively, summoning a black energy barrier to block Drake''s onslaught. The impact sent him flying, half his body obliterated. But he regenerated instantly, twisting in mid-air to regain his footing, avoiding the indignity of crashing to the ground. Satan, his chest heaving, was starting to feel the strain. Both his stamina and mana were nearing their limits. Their eyes met. Satan, the battle-hungry demon, was eager to continue. But Drake had seen enough. He had gauged his current strength. Satan lacked endurance. In a prolonged fight, Drake would inevitably win. Moreover, Drake was nearing level 6, while Satan had only just reached level 5. It was a small difference, but at their level, even the slightest edge could decide the outcome. The system had ranked him fourth, Satan seventh. It wasn''t just because Drake had more Monarch level troops. Drake''s abilities were a hard counter to opponents who relied on burst damage over sustained assaults. "This is a misunderstanding," he called out. "Stand down. I am [Sky Dominator] Drake, your ally." The young man''s jaw dropped. He frantically opened his system interface, scrolling through the rankings. Number four! Higher than his own master! Satan, however, didn''t buy it. "Lies!" he roared, ready to resume their fight. Just then, Cain and Earl arrived, flanked by a contingent of Monarch level demons. "Perfect timing!" Satan bellowed. "Kill him!" Drake couldn''t believe his ears. Was this guy serious? He wasn''t even listening! The demons, eager to prove themselves, charged towards the Rock Dragon. It seemed Satan was determined to fight Drake one-on-one. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Drake sighed. This was getting ridiculous. "Death Spirit!" A ripple of spatial distortion, and Death Spirit materialized beside him, its presence radiating an overwhelming King level aura that sent everyone, demons included, sprawling to the ground. "King...King level!" The stunned onlookers stared up at Death Spirit in terror. Its power was beyond anything they had ever encountered. Death Spirit might not be a combat specialist, but it was a genuine level 2 King, more than capable of wiping the floor with a bunch of Monarchs. "What are you waiting for? Run!" Satan screamed, wasting no time in beating a hasty retreat, his demon horde following close behind. Drake stared after them, dumbfounded. Death Spirit''s appearance had been meant to defuse the situation. It wasn''t about to attack Alex''s allies. Besides, they couldn''t outrun a King level entity even if they tried. Within moments, only Drake and the young man remained. The young man, his face ashen, fell to his knees, begging for his life. "I''m sorry! I was wrong! You''re the real boss! Please spare me!" Drake ignored him, shaking his head as he mounted the Rock Dragon and took off. Well, that was one way to end a fight. He hadn''t even needed to explain himself. Death Spirit had scared them off. He couldn''t very well kill the young Lord now. Drake sighed. It seemed he''d have to keep searching for a suitable target. Still, the fact that a top-ranked Lord like Satan was only on par with him was reassuring. It seemed his level hadn''t fallen as much as he had feared. Long after Drake had disappeared, the young man finally dared to raise his head, his gaze darting around frantically. Once he was certain the coast was clear, he scrambled to his feet and sprinted away, fear lending speed to his steps. "Number seven, my ass! He couldn''t even beat a number four!" Chapter 294: The arrival of the Arctic Tigerfolk Drake filled Alex in on the whole debacle, just to be safe.Later that night, Alex read through Drake''s message, her expression a mixture of amusement and disbelief. The fact that Satan had completely ignored Drake''s explanation and just bolted was too funny. What was that guy''s deal? As for the Lord who had pledged allegiance to Satan in Mossvale, it was probably a strategic move, a way to secure a powerful backer. And Satan, always eager to expand his influence, wouldn''t say no to a foothold on another continent. "Well, it''s just a misunderstanding," Alex muttered to herself. She doubted Satan would be showing his face in Mossvale anytime soon. Still, she was surprised to learn that he had already recruited two subject Lords. As the night deepened, Alex headed upstairs to bed. Meanwhile, in the Dark Forest, Alex''s influence was slowly transforming the withered trees. Many had already been reborn as [Grimface Trees], a type of undead unique to her domain. These weren''t your average combat units. They were her eyes and ears, silent sentinels scattered throughout the forest. Disguised as ordinary dead trees, they were virtually indistinguishable from their surroundings. But if an enemy drew near, they would awaken, their true nature revealed. And if they were destroyed, Alex would be instantly alerted, knowing that her domain had been breached. Compared to using undead scouts, which could easily raise suspicion, the Grimface Trees were the perfect spies. Most wouldn''t even recognize them as undead, mistaking them for a peculiar feature of the Dark Forest. With the Dark Forest now firmly under her control, Alex could continue her eastward expansion. But she wasn''t about to get careless. Prudence was always the best policy. She hadn''t asked Edgar about the surrounding factions. After three hundred years trapped in the forest, his knowledge was likely outdated. Besides, asking him about every little thing would make her look weak. She had tasked Azure with scouting the eastern borders of the Dark Forest, leading a contingent of specters. He had orders to eliminate any weak races he encountered. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Alex drifted off to sleep, the Dark Forest settled into an uneasy silence. Nocturnal creatures stirred, their eyes gleaming in the darkness. Owls hooted from the trees, their calls echoing through the silent woods. Vine Serpents, their scales glistening in the moonlight, slithered through the undergrowth, their forked tongues tasting the air. Meanwhile, on the Savage Plains, north of Twinface Mountain, a white tiger was racing towards the mountains, its breath coming in ragged gasps. Its body was covered in wounds, some fresh, some scarred over, all temporarily held at bay by a thin layer of ice. As it ran, several wounds reopened, staining the snow with crimson. But the tiger didn''t slow down. It couldn''t afford to. It was running on fumes, its mana reserves completely depleted. It crossed the Savage Plains and climbed the slopes of Twinface Mountain, its pace never faltering. Then, it descended into the Frostwind snowy mountain, heading south. The blood moon had set, and the sky was beginning to lighten. The white tiger pressed on, driven by unwavering loyalty to its queen. It remembered her words, spoken in a moment of desperation. East of Frostwind snowy mountain, near the edge of the Dark Forest, resided a powerful ally. Drops of blood, hot against the snow, melted tiny craters in its wake. The tiger''s body was screaming for rest, but it was so close. It had to keep going. As it entered the snowy mountain, the icy air invigorated it, replenishing its strength. It pushed eastward, towards the Dark Forest. The moment it left the mountain''s protective embrace, the boost faded. But the tiger didn''t despair. The Dark Forest was in sight, a beacon of hope in the distance. Still, a part of it worried. Would the queen''s ally help them? After all, they were dealing with an extraterrestrial visitor, a being of immense and unknown power. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex stirred awake, glancing at the system clock. Time to start the day. She pulled on a pair of comfy sweatpants and a t-shirt, then headed downstairs. A dark elf, waiting patiently by the door, greeted her with a bow. "Good morning, Master. Today''s breakfast is a croissant sandwich with a side of fresh fruit and a glass of cold milk." "Sounds delicious," Alex replied. She wasn''t usually one for breakfast, but she had started letting the dark elves choose her meals. If the name sounded appetizing, she''d give it a try. As for milk, wheat, and other such staples, those were easily procured from the dwarf kingdom. Dwarves, it turned out, had similar tastes to humans, with a particular fondness for meat and ale. She had just taken a bite of her sandwich when another dark elf rushed into the room, an urgent look on her face. "Master, our specters have spotted a critically injured Arctic Tigerfolk at the edge of the Dark Forest." Alex froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. The Arctic Tigerfolk had migrated weeks ago. Could it be...? She set down her sandwich and stood up. A spatial teleportation array shimmered into existence, and she stepped through without hesitation, vanishing from the dining room. She reappeared at the edge of the Dark Forest, where Undead City had once stood. In the distance, she spotted a white tiger, collapsed on the ground, flanked by two specters. With a thought, she teleported to their location. She recognized the tiger instantly. It was one of Ruby''s guards! "What happened?" she demanded. "We found it unconscious, my Queen," one of the specters reported. Alex knelt beside the tiger, examining its wounds. "It''s not fatally injured. Just completely drained." There wasn''t much she could do except wait for it to regain consciousness. Green energy flowed from her hand, mending the tiger''s wounds. Then, she activated her ice domain. The air around them grew frigid, snowflakes swirling down as the temperature plummeted. Her domain was far more potent now that she was a King level. This should help speed up the recovery process. It was the least she could do. She couldn''t exactly invite the tiger up to her bedroom for a nap. "You''re dismissed," she told the specters. "I''ll handle this." "At your command, my Queen," they replied, melting back into the shadows. Alex crafted a chair from ice and sat on it, crossing one leg over the other, quietly waiting for the Arctic Tigerfolk to awaken. Chapter 295: To go rescue Ruby After a long while, the tiger being guard slowly regained consciousness, blinking groggily. The first thing he saw was a beautiful human girl sitting nearby, legs crossed, watching him. Around them, ice covered the ground, and snowflakes drifted gently down.Upon seeing Alex, the tiger guard became visibly agitated. Despite his exhaustion, he transformed into human form and knelt on one knee before her. "Leader, please save our queen!" His eyes were sincere, filled with anxiety as he bowed his head. "Get up. What happened? Wasn''t Ruby leading you back to the far north?" Alex asked, her expression confirming her suspicions. This tiger being guard, as Ruby''s trusted aide, had clearly come all the way to the Dark Forest specifically to find her. Something must have gone wrong on Ruby''s end to drive him to such desperation. "Our Queen intended to lead us back to our homeland, investigate the situation, and quietly gather strength. Once she reached King level, she planned to reclaim her rightful place," the tiger guard explained briefly, recounting why they had left ahead of time. Ruby was too hasty. She could have waited at Frostwind Snowy Mountain until she broke through to King level before returning to her homeland. But soon, Alex learned the specific reasons from the guard. The Arctic Tigerfolk, though secluded in the icy north, were stronger than most empires. The tribe was governed by seven elders, all King level, who handled all matters without a true chieftain. These seven elders belonged to different camps, and after the previous queen''s death, they each went their own way. To prevent internal strife, the tribe was divided among the seven camps. Among them, there were those close to Ruby, neutrals, and adversaries. The ratio was 1:2:4, with most elders unwilling to let Ruby lead the tribe. The faction close to Ruby, even if aware, was powerless. The adversaries went so far as to sell Ruby''s information to the Beastman Empire, even sending assassins after her. Ruby''s urgency to return was to win over the two neutral elders, but things took an unexpected turn. The white tiger tribe received uninvited guests¡ªhigh-ranking members of the Beastman Empire. Their intentions were unclear, possibly to recruit the Arctic Tigerfolk or for other reasons. Among them was a Kobold with a bloodline Quintessence skill that allowed him to smell other Beastmen. Ruby was discovered. The Arctic Tigerfolk didn''t want to join the Beastman Empire, but they were powerless against their pressure. The Kobold''s discovery of Ruby gave them leverage. The adversaries were furious, the neutrals turned against her, and the faction close to Ruby was helpless. They mobilized the entire tribe to capture Ruby, with four elders personally involved. Ruby was severely injured but managed to use spatial magic to hide in the place where she had once slept, a location sealed by her father. Even after centuries, the seal''s power, though waning, wasn''t something a few King levels could easily break. However, the tribe''s foundation was formidable, and Frost Magic also had sealing power. They must have studied the seal over the years. The tiger guard didn''t know how long the seal would hold. It could be destroyed at any moment, and Ruby, gravely injured, had no strength to resist. The guard managed to escape with the help of a tiger being from the faction close to Ruby, likely with an elder''s tacit approval. By the time he was discovered, he had already left the homeland. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Ruby''s situation was dire, and the tiger guard had no one else to turn to for help. His last hope rested with Alex. Would she help the queen, even if it meant opposing seven King levels and possibly offending the powerful Beastman Empire? After recounting everything, the tiger guard lowered his head, staring at Alex''s swinging shoes. "Seven King-level tiger elders?" Alex murmured, analyzing the situation. She had a fair number of King-level forces, but she couldn''t mobilize Brak and Brok, and the far north was a long way off. Sending troops would take too much time. Of course, not all seven elders might act. The neutrals were uncertain, and the faction close to Ruby wouldn''t oppose Alex. "What about the strength of those Beastman Empire leaders?" Alex asked, standing up from her icy seat, looking down at the tiger guard. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "They''re said to be a group of Monarchs, possibly led by a King level. By now, they might have left the far north," the guard replied, unsure of the exact details. "Lead the way," Alex''s cool voice commanded, surprising the guard with her quick agreement. Seven King levels were no small matter! Alex''s plan was simple. The high-ranking elders wouldn''t personally guard the outside. If she couldn''t win, she''d rescue Ruby and retreat. But if they were weaker than her, well, she wouldn''t mind granting them eternal life. "Death Spirit," Alex called, and the Death Spirit appeared before her. "I''m going out for a few days. You''re in charge of the undead city while I''m gone," she instructed. The Death Spirit''s shadowy form flickered, acknowledging the command before vanishing. "Leader, are you planning to go alone?" the tiger guard asked, worried. In his mind, Alex and Ruby were of similar strength. Even as a King level, she couldn''t possibly take on the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe. "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing. I won''t risk your queen''s life. Just lead the way," Alex reassured him, not offended by his doubts about her strength. Seeing the confidence in Ruby''s friend, the tiger being guard set aside his worries and chose to trust her. A spatial portal opened before Alex. "Let''s go. It''ll be quicker to travel from my city." The journey from here to Twinface Mountain was long, requiring even Monarch levels to fly for hours, let alone a Commanding level. Without hesitation, the tiger being guard stepped into the teleportation array, with Alex following closely behind. When they reappeared, they stood outside the main fortress gate. Through the undead fortress''s teleportation, they could reach the top of Twinface Mountain directly. Chapter 296: The greedy Beastman Empire At the summit of Twinface Mountain, Alex gazed out at the sea of clouds, the sun in the sky a little too bright for her eyes. It was the first time she had seen the sun of the Eldoria continent.The tiger guard was also a little dazed, having never seen the sun before. As a native race of the Eldoria continent, it had never seen the sun for as long as it could remember. "You''re way too slow. I''ll take you flying, you just point the way." As soon as Alex finished speaking, a spatial cage appeared around the tiger guard, trapping it inside. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their figures disappeared in an instant, speeding north. Meanwhile, in the far north... Here lay a vast, boundless expanse of ice fields, with white ice mounds rising and falling, crisscrossed by several frozen rivers. Vegetation was scarce, and the environment was harsh. Most races couldn''t stand such a harsh environment, so there were almost no races living in the far north. The Arctic Tigerfolk were arguably the only rulers here. They relied on hunting marine life under the frozen rivers for a living. The rivers here were interconnected, and there was a huge underground river, which was said to be connected to the Endless Sea, and also became their constant source of food. The center of the far north was also the gathering place of the Arctic Tigerfolk. There were eight tall mountain peaks here. Although they were relatively small compared to the real mountains, such as Frostwind Snowy Mountain and Twinface Mountain, they already looked very abrupt in this almost entirely flat far north. There was a city on top of each mountain peak, but obviously the top of the mountain peak was not enough to carry a whole city, so all the surrounding edges were reinforced by huge ice pillars, standing on top of the mountain peak. A total of seven cities, representing the seven camps of the Arctic Tigerfolk. The distance between the mountain peaks varied, but without exception, they were all surrounding the tallest iceberg in the center. The iceberg in the center of the seven mountain peaks stood tall and imposing, taller than the seven mountain peaks. Its surface was smooth and flat, revealing a chilling coldness. This was an iceberg built with magic! On a huge platform at the top of the mountain peak, there was a magnificent complex of palaces. The cities on the top of the seven mountain peaks were all connected by a huge chain of ice. The totem of the Arctic Tigerfolk was displayed on it, and just by looking at it, one could tell that this was the center of their power. Of course, it used to be. This palace was originally the residence of their previous queen. It had been abandoned for a long time since the death of the previous Arctic Tigerfolk queen, and now it had become a place for the seven elders to gather and discuss matters. Except for the people from the seven camps, no tiger beings could live on top of the mountain peak. They all gathered around the mountain peak. The entire Arctic Tigerfolk population was as high as several hundred thousand, and the seven camps alone accounted for nearly half. At this moment, around the iceberg below the central palace, the tiger being army was densely packed, and there were even several figures of Monarch level guarding here. This iceberg was where Ruby had slept, and it was also here that she had used the spatial coordinates she had set up in advance to hide a few days ago. It could be said that Ruby''s hiding place was right under the noses of the seven camps, and the situation was very dangerous. On top of the mountain peak, one of the cities was the largest, and at this time, the hall inside the palace seemed very crowded. On one side were four Arctic Tigerfolk elders and their confidants, and on the other side were a few Beastmen that looked like they had been put together with spare parts. "Master, please rest assured, that bastard won''t be able to hide for long. Soon we will be able to break the sealing. She is already seriously injured. Once caught, I will definitely offer her to the leaders to enjoy first." One of the elders flattered with a flattering smile, trying to please the creatures from the Beastman Empire. ????????.??? "Hmph, you better. My patience is limited. If she escapes again, you can wait to face the wrath of the Beastman Empire." The creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a man, with a pair of wings on its back, sneered. Its name was Windrider, and it was the "master" that the Arctic Tigerfolk elder had addressed, and also the leader of the Beastman Empire''s group. "Hehe, I can''t wait to taste her flesh. It must be delicious!" A creature with the head of a dog and the body of a man wagged its tail and stuck out its tongue at the eagle, revealing a lewd smile. "Masters, I hope that after we offer this bastard, your Beastman Empire will not entangle us anymore." Another elder ignored the disgusting faces of these Beastmen and spoke with a suppressed anger. Their tolerance was more for the benefit of the race. Otherwise, the four King levels could kill these Beastman Empire bastards in an instant. "Don''t worry, we will ask the higher-ups when we get back. As long as you can guarantee to hand her over, everything will be fine." A brown-maned lion sneered. Compared to other Beastmen who tended to have human appearances, it looked more like a beast that had just learned to stand. Obviously, its bloodline was not strong, and its status in the Beastman Empire was also low. Windrider on the side snorted disdainfully. The Beastman Empire was not only interested in Ruby, but also in the bloodline of their Arctic Tigerfolk. If they chose submission and contributed their bloodline to the Beastman Empire, then so be it. If they resisted stubbornly, they wouldn''t mind just wiping out the Arctic Tigerfolk, so that they could still get their bloodline. A race with an upper limit of King level, and their bloodline came with ice power, how could the Beastman Empire let it go? Did they think that handing over Ruby would bring peace? This idea was too naive. As early as the first time the Beastman Empire visited, they had no right to refuse. The four Arctic Tigerfolk elders were also secretly relieved to see the other party agree. Of course, they knew what it meant to join the Beastman Empire. They would gradually be assimilated, and the entire race would become all sorts of mixed-blood Beastmen. This was not what they wanted to see. "I wonder why the other three elders are not here?" Windrider spoke up, which gave it a reason to say that the other party did not respect the Beastman Empire, and it could take the opportunity to extort more benefits. One of the elders looked embarrassed and hurriedly smoothed things over. "The three elders are in charge of guarding that bastard, in case she uses that strange spatial power to escape again." In terms of power, the seven of them were equal, and there was nothing they could do if the other three elders didn''t come. One of them was a radical, very irritable, and wanted to directly kill the envoys of the Beastman Empire. How could the other elders let it come? The ones present were three elders from the hostile faction and one from the neutral faction. Another elder from the neutral faction was in charge of guarding the irritable one. As for the last elder who was close to Ruby, he rarely participated in such occasions, as if he was intentionally or unintentionally fading out of the sight of the other elders. This answer left the Windrider with nothing to say. Ruby''s priority was higher than that of the entire Arctic Tigerfolk, so capturing Ruby was their primary concern at the moment. "Three days, I''ll give you three more days. You must bring her to me." Chapter 297: Archipelago ice canyon At that moment, within the sealing of the central iceberg, Ruby lay quietly on an ice bed, surrounded by tiger beings who were responsible for taking care of her.The space here was very large, and there were traces of spatial magic carved everywhere. The ice-blue dome reflected the scene outside. The constant loud noises and the vibrations inside the iceberg all told these tiger beings that the sealing here would not last long. The tiger beings were restless and terrified. They could only look at Ruby, who was in a coma, hoping that their queen would wake up soon. Compared to the previous time in Frostwind Snowy Mountain, the number of tiger beings hiding in the iceberg had decreased again. Ruby had paid a considerable price to save them. If they were caught, they would basically die. They had resolutely betrayed their camp to follow Ruby and secretly provided her with help to leave the far north. After the incident, they were also branded as traitors, but even so, they still chose to follow Ruby. It was fair to say that if Ruby, who had just woken up, had not had their help, she would never have been able to escape the far north with her own Commanding level strength. At this time, Ruby, who was lying on the ice bed, suddenly moved her finger, and then slowly opened her eyes. "Queen, you''re awake!" A tiger being noticed the situation on Ruby''s side and said happily. The attention of the other tiger beings was also attracted, and they all surrounded her. "How long have I been unconscious?" Ruby wanted to sit up, but she felt weak all over. She tried but gave up. "Queen, you are still very weak now. Don''t sit up. It''s more important to heal your injuries." A tiger being immediately helped Ruby lie down again. "Queen, you have been in a coma for five days. Winterfang left three days ago. It was the help of the Claw camp people in secret." The other tiger beings told her what had happened in the past few days when she was in a coma. The tiger guard had left when Ruby was in a coma, so she didn''t know what it was doing. "Five days?" Ruby didn''t expect that she had been unconscious for so long. When she hid here, she knew that this sealing could only block them for seven days at most, which meant that she only had two days left. "What did Winterfang go to do?" "It didn''t say specifically. It only said that we can''t just sit here and wait for death. It''s going to move reinforcements." Reinforcements? Who would come to save her? Ruby was a little puzzled, but it was not so easy to escape from the heavy siege of several camps. It was only a Commanding level. Although she didn''t want to admit it, Ruby had already prepared for the worst, that Winterfang was likely dead outside. And Ruby didn''t know where Winterfang would go to find reinforcements, or who to look for, so now she could only rely on herself. She couldn''t just sit here and wait for death. "Everyone, be prepared. Tomorrow, at the latest the day after tomorrow, when I recover a little, I will take you out of here." Ruby''s eyes were firm, and her eyes were full of determination as she looked at the heavily guarded Arctic Tigerfolk outside the dome. Even now, she still had a trump card. "Queen, your injury..." What the other tiger beings were more worried about at the moment was Ruby''s injury. "It''s okay, I''m not that fragile. Thank you all for taking care of me along the way. I promise that I will definitely lead you out of here alive." Ruby''s eyes were a little apologetic. If it weren''t for her, these tiger beings wouldn''t have ended up like this. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Queen, what are you talking about? We have already put our lives on the line since we decided to follow you." "Yeah, the queen is the rightful one. They are just rebels who want to usurp the throne!" "Sworn to follow the queen to the death!" More than a hundred tiger beings in the iceberg knelt down on one knee. Ruby looked at them sideways, her eyes a little moist. What they didn''t know was that because of the decision of these tiger beings today, they would become the absolute top brass of the entire Arctic Tigerfolk Empire in the future. Of course, that was something for later. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] On the other side, Alex, who was flying in the air, looked at the continent that had completely turned pitch black. The system prompt also sounded at this time. A King level flying at full speed, for a whole day, from the Dark Forest, had not yet reached the far north! "How much further?" Alex asked the tiger guard beside her. At this moment, it had been flying all the way, and its physical strength had recovered a lot. "Back to the leader, the archipelago ice canyon is not far ahead. After passing through there, you can enter the far north." The tiger guard observed the rapidly retreating environment around it and judged their current location. It had originally relied on the clan''s teleportation equipment to leave, and then it began to run wildly. Otherwise, with its Commanding level strength, it would have taken ten days to travel. "Archipelago ice canyon? Is this a canyon or a strait?" Alex didn''t recognize any of the places she had passed along the way, let alone their names, so she had to ask the tiger guard to confirm the exact terrain information so that she could make a judgment. And the tiger guard only knew the general direction of the far north and the surrounding areas. As for other places, it didn''t recognize them just like Alex. "Back to the leader, it is a strait frozen by ice. There are many small islands there, all connected by ice, which looks like a white continent." "Strait? Is the far north an island?" Alex was a little surprised. She originally thought that the far north was just an ordinary name there. If it was an island, it meant that the far north was located on the edge of the Eldoria continent! Don''t tell me it''s an inland island. "Leader, the far north is not an island, but a peninsula, but it is said that further north of the far north, there is a huge island, but it has not been confirmed, and it is still unknown whether it is true or a legend." The tiger guard answered honestly. Because of its low status, it didn''t know much. It only knew that their Arctic Tigerfolk turned a deaf ear to this unknown island, and other races around them were not interested at all. But whether the far north was a peninsula or an island, Alex''s conclusion still held true. That was, the far north was on the edge of the Eldoria continent. From this, Alex could also judge her approximate location on the Eldoria continent. Undead City was located in the north of the continent. Although Undead City was not adjacent to the sea, it was also a relatively remote place. "There are no sea races in the far north?" If it was the edge of the continent, it would probably be harassed by sea races. "Sea race?" Looking at the puzzled expression of the tiger guard, Alex also knew that they had never seen a sea race, so she stopped asking and concentrated on rushing. When they arrived in the far north, everything would be clear. Chapter 298: Its waking up The night on Eldoria was eerie and silent, with only the howling wind echoing in the ears. Alex, accompanied by the tiger guard, traveled through the night. The mana cost of flying was negligible for her now, so even flying all night wouldn''t deplete her mana reserves.Time: 11:30 PM In a certain valley on the continent of Valoria, the first Lord that Lilith had subdued resided. This idyllic place was about to receive a group of uninvited guests, who were well-informed and had come with a purpose. They were a group of shadowy figures, blending seamlessly with the night, their red eyes glowing, faces hidden behind dark masks. The leader wore an elegant black high-collared coat, his skin deathly pale, eyes filled with a sinister gleam. The leader led the shadows into the valley, crouching to scoop up a handful of soil, sniffing it. "This place is indeed tainted by other dark energies. Our worst fears have come true; the fallen angels have made their base here." The man''s expression turned angry. He couldn''t allow these intruding outsiders to disrupt their master''s plans. "Kill all these fallen angels. We must not let [Croakzoth] awaken!" The shadows behind him surged forward, racing into the valley''s depths. Inside the valley, the cat-eared maid Lord continued his monotonous life, finding joy only in flirting and making love with his maids. The cat-eared maids, conditioned to serve, complied with the Lord''s every whim. He had reached the point where he could make love with three maids at once, but his indulgence, lack of exercise, and absence of experience points had left him physically weak. After Lilith subdued him, she didn''t alter his lifestyle, using him merely as a teleportation conduit and not engaging with him. The fallen angels stationed there had begun to expand their influence, unaware they had provoked a demon. Outside the town, the fallen angels detected the shadows'' assault, taking to the skies to survey the town and quickly spotting the figures hidden in the darkness. Without a word, both sides clashed, dozens of shadows and fallen angels locked in combat. The shadow leader approached, gazing at the distant town with a look of realization. "So there''s an extraterrestrial visitors Lord here. No wonder fallen angels appeared." With that, black mist swirled from his palm, instantly killing several fallen angels in the sky. Meanwhile, on the continent of Arsen, Lilith received the notification of her troops being slain. She quickly rose, organizing the fallen angels in her city to head to Valoria. The Valoria passage was a rare opportunity for development, and she wasn''t willing to abandon it unless necessary. Thus, she had to rescue the detestable cat-eared maid Lord. But Lilith wasn''t foolish. Without knowing the enemy''s strength, she wouldn''t risk going herself, opting to send troops to gauge their power. Outside the town, the man saw more fallen angels emerging, his expression displeased. "Let''s see how many more you have!" He shot forward, aiming to destroy the castle and eradicate the fallen angels. Along the way, he casually slaughtered the angels, unaware that their bodies turned into black blood upon hitting the ground, seeping into the soil. In the dark night, no one noticed this small detail. As he neared the town, thinking he could easily handle them, a fallen angel with a spear ambushed him from above. He dodged skillfully, but his path was blocked. ???¦®§®???.?§°? "Monarch level?" The man touched his cheek, feeling a shallow cut oozing blood. Despite his quick reflexes, the fallen angel''s spear had grazed him. He was a noble demon! To be wounded by a fallen angel was a disgrace! Black mist surged around him, and the demon clashed fiercely with the fallen angel. Boom! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The battle between two monarch-levels triggered a fierce storm, with echoes that were deafening. Under the impact of the immense noise, the body of the lord with cat ears in the castle suddenly started twitching, and then his dick went limp. He finished before he even started, feeling both frustrated and furious. "Fuck, who''s out there!" The sudden noise killed his mood. He pushed the maid off, rushing to the window. "What the hell are you doing out there!" His shout caught the attention of the combatants. The demon squinted, realizing the Lord''s low level. Killing him would destroy the castle. "What the fuck? Is this some new kind of cosplay?" The Lord, oblivious, admired the approaching demon. Suddenly, Lilith appeared outside the window, wearing a black long skirt. A swift sword strike severed the demon''s arm, black blood spraying as the limb fell. The demon clutched his wound, retreating in alarm. This extraterrestrial visitor posed a lethal threat. "Wow, the special effects on that severed arm are amazing, better than the real thing," the cat-eared maid Lord exclaimed, oblivious to the danger. Lilith''s gaze was icy, the demon on high alert. But his fallen arm was corroded by the earth, turning into black blood that seeped into the ground. Realizing his arm''s disappearance, the demon felt a surge of dread, scanning the area. "Not good!" He noticed the fallen angels he had slain left no bodies. "All this dark energy is being absorbed!" Without hesitation, the demon turned to flee. Lilith, puzzled, moved to strike him down. But then, the entire valley began to tremble violently. Plants withered rapidly as a black barrier, thick and opaque, rose ominously to enclose the valley. "Not good, it''s waking up!" Roar! A deafening roar shook the valley, echoing off the distant mountains. Lilith felt her head splitting, blood trickling from her nose. Inside the castle, the Lord and maids were knocked unconscious by the sheer force of the roar. The ground cracked, earth churning as a massive green figure emerged. Its enormous belly resembled a small mountain, limbs short in comparison. Its head was like a toad''s, skin deep green, mouth full of sharp fangs, lips bright red. It surveyed everyone with a sinister smile, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light. Chapter 299: Stop using these excuses to cover up your incompetence The sky was already bright. The scenery beneath Alex''s feet had transformed into a boundless expanse of ice.The frozen sea connected numerous irregularly shaped islands, making them appear as a single, massive landmass. This was the Archipelago Ice Canyon that the tiger guard had mentioned. Even without being told, Alex could feel the surrounding temperature gradually dropping. They would reach the Far North soon. Meanwhile, within the iceberg of the White Tiger Tribe''s territory, Ruby had recovered some strength and vitality. Her complexion was slightly better than the previous day. The place where she had been sleeping was formed from the purest ice elemental energy. The ice bed beneath her, in particular, was personally crafted by her father. It could gather all the ice elemental energy within the entire space and channel it into Ruby''s body. This naturally advantageous condition for Arctic Tigerfolk could greatly accelerate the recovery of Ruby''s injuries and stamina. However, the ice elemental energy within the space couldn''t be replenished. Sooner or later, it would be exhausted, and now, very little remained. Ruby sat up from the ice bed, her gaze fixed on the tiger beings outside the dome. Today, they were unusually calm, and they hadn''t attempted to break through the sealing again. Something was off! Ruby had an ominous premonition that the enemy might have found a way to break through the sealing. Ruby looked down at the ice bed. It was showing signs of melting, its function gradually fading. Time was running out. "All forces, prepare yourselves!" Ruby commanded, ready to use her last resort for escape. Although her injuries had just slightly healed, she had no time to waste. The tiger beings loyal to Ruby immediately began to assemble upon hearing their queen''s order. Ruby, on the other hand, entered a chamber carved from ice. This chamber was not only small but also completely empty. There was nothing inside, except for a white tiger paw print carved on the icy wall. Ruby pressed her hand against it. Instantly, a blue light wave spread out from her palm, reaching every corner of the entire structure. A blueish-white light emanated throughout the grand hall within the iceberg. Ruby had activated the backup hidden energy source. The sealing was reinforced at this moment. Of course, she didn''t do this to continue hiding here. This energy could only last for half a day at most and wouldn''t change the final outcome. Ruby arrived at the grand hall, where over a hundred tiger beings stood in formation. She stood at the head of the hall. Although she was a bit short, she exuded an air of regal authority. Ruby didn''t speak. She simply locked eyes with them for two seconds. Then, she walked to the center of the hall and abruptly smashed her fist into the ground. The ice shattered, her hand sinking deep into it. Immediately afterward, a spatial magic circle rapidly expanded with her as the center, and the surrounding blueish-white energy converged towards it. Ruby stood up coldly and glanced at the tiger beings around her. The magic circle had now enveloped them all. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This spatial magic circle wasn''t cast by Ruby. It had been set up beforehand, and she was only responsible for activating it. "I will lead you into the teleportation array shortly. Our destination is the Subglacial River. Follow the current downstream, and you will reach the Endless Sea directly." Ruby''s words surprised and delighted the tiger beings. They were delighted that their queen still had a trump card up her sleeve and surprised that the Subglacial River of the Far North was actually beneath the iceberg. Previously, the tiger beings had only heard rumors of a massive Subglacial River in the Far North that led to the Endless Sea, but no one had ever seen it. Some even dismissed it as a myth. Now it seemed that it was all true. As for the spatial magic circle that Ruby activated, it was merely a switch, another exit from this chamber. It didn''t have any teleportation effects. When this place was first built, its security level was extremely high, reinforced with various abilities to protect Ruby''s safety. As for teleportation, such a minor trick couldn''t possibly penetrate this sealing. Otherwise, the elders wouldn''t have gone through so much trouble to attack it. Back then, let alone five King levels, even an Emperor level might not have been able to break through by force. It was precisely because Ruby''s father had made this place too secure that he realized he hadn''t left himself a way out. By then, it was too late to add a teleportation array, so he had to settle for an exit that led directly to the Subglacial River. He never expected that his decision back then would actually be used by Ruby today. This was the heart of the Far North. Going downstream would save energy, but Ruby wasn''t sure if these tiger beings could make it to the Endless Sea. After all, the distance was too great, and no one knew the exact condition of the Subglacial River. If there were no places to breathe along the way, lack of oxygen alone would be a fatal problem. But now, there was no other way. Ruby could only try this. Even so, she was still very worried. At this point, she was willing to expend her own Mana Points to cast a shield on the tiger beings to prevent any accidents. "Your Highness, what are you doing?" The tiger beings were puzzled. "Yeah, Your Highness, are you worried that we''ll drown? Don''t worry, swimming is my forte." "Your Highness, please don''t waste your Mana Points on us." The tiger beings all refused to be covered by the protective shield. They knew how far the Subglacial River below was from the Endless Sea and the dangers involved. But they wouldn''t let the injured Ruby waste her precious Mana Points on them. "You go first. I''ll be the last one. I need to see all of you enter the magic circle." Ruby commanded in an unquestionable tone, her voice extremely serious. The tiger beings didn''t speak and all looked at Ruby. "Get ready, hold your breath!" All the tiger beings took a deep breath. With a wave of Ruby''s arm, their figures instantly vanished from their spots. Ruby controlled the magic circle to become transparent, allowing her to see the true appearance of the Subglacial River. Beneath the darkness, the turbulent current surged against the surrounding rock walls. The tiger beings fell into the water one after another and disappeared from her sight. Ruby shrank the magic circle until it only covered her. She used the remaining energy to reinforce a mechanism here. Then, her figure completely disappeared within the iceberg, leaving the entire hall empty. Moments after Ruby''s disappearance, the magic circle began to dissipate, and the previously shattered ground returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened. With a splash, the icy river water instantly soaked Ruby''s entire body, making her mind incredibly alert. It was pitch black all around, the only sound being the roaring of the rushing water as it slammed against the rock walls. Fortunately, their Arctic Tigerfolk race was born with night vision, so this level of darkness didn''t affect them much. Ruby controlled her body, moving swiftly through the current towards the front. She quickly caught up with the tiger beings ahead, her heart filled with anxiety. She had observed the area above. There was a gap between the river''s surface and the rock walls, making it easy to come up for air. This was only easy for Ruby, a Monarch level. For the other tiger beings, it was extremely challenging. Maintaining their balance in such a dark and fast-flowing underground river was already difficult enough, let alone surfacing for air. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? But if they couldn''t breathe, they would all drown in less than half an hour. After drifting along the river for about ten minutes, most of the tiger beings were already struggling to hold their breath. They were only at the Standard level and couldn''t use magic. Just as Ruby was getting desperate, she suddenly saw a white light flickering on the distant rock wall. Saved! Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed her father had thought of this. The magic circle on the rock wall was activated simultaneously with the one inside the iceberg. Ruby leaped out of the water and teleported next to the magic circle, activating it. The white spatial magic circle instantly emitted a transparent barrier, sealing off the entire Subglacial River cave. The tiger beings were carried by the current through the barrier, their figures instantly disappearing, their destination unknown. Ruby didn''t overthink it. Watching all the tiger beings vanish into the Subglacial River, she too entered it. Then, the one-time teleportation array completely disintegrated, leaving no trace of magic behind. On the northeastern edge of the Far North, there was a cluster of scattered islands, a vast expanse of ice stretching as far as the eye could see. Bang! The smooth, icy surface instantly shattered. With a splash, a tiger being leaped out of the water, followed by the continuous sound of ice breaking. One by one, tiger beings emerged from the water, gasping for fresh air. Ruby was the last to surface. She quickly flew into the air, surveying the surrounding terrain. While underground, she hadn''t noticed any signs of the subglacial river merging with other bodies of water. This meant that the teleportation array didn''t directly transport them to the exit, which was the Endless Sea. It seemed her old man had been incredibly thorough. "We''re at the outskirts of the Far North." Ruby was completely relieved. This way, they had completely escaped their pursuers. The tiger beings quickly helped each other climb onto the ice, awaiting Ruby''s next command. "Clear any traces. We''ll hide on the largest outer island." Ruby''s gaze was determined. This time, she was unexpectedly discovered solely because of that dog-like creature from the Beastman Empire. If it weren''t for its interference, Ruby could have remained hidden, advanced to King level, rallied the neutral faction, and with the support of an elder confidant, could have stood toe-to-toe with the other tiger beings. Currently, Ruby was only at lv9 Monarch, just one step away from King level. Her top priority now was to recover from her injuries, break through to King level, and then put her plan into action again. This was the fastest way for her to unify the Arctic Tigerfolk. Otherwise, who knew how long it would take for her to reach Empire level. At the tiger being tribe''s territory, outside the iceberg, the sudden strengthening of the sealing alarmed the four elders and the Beastman Empire''s representatives. They rushed over to investigate. "What''s going on? Didn''t you say you would definitely break the sealing and capture her alive today?" Windrider''s face was cold as he looked at the sealing around the iceberg, which had obviously been reinforced. He was furious. Windrider''s followers immediately glared at the four Arctic Tigerfolk elders. But the four elders were also dumbfounded. They couldn''t understand what was happening. The sealing''s energy had almost dissipated, so why was it suddenly strengthened? "Perhaps there''s some kind of backup energy source, but I believe that once the backup energy is exhausted, they won''t have any other options." One of the elders quickly came up with an explanation, trying to appease the angry Beastmen. "Cut the crap. Stop using these excuses to cover up your incompetence. We must see her today, no matter what!" The dog-headed man snarled at the four elders threateningly. "Why don''t you try testing the strength of this sealing yourself? It''s better than just talking big!" One of the elders at the back couldn''t stand it any longer and retorted sarcastically. The Gnoll immediately shut up upon hearing this. It was only at Monarch level. How could it possibly break through a sealing that even several King levels combined couldn''t? It could only look pleadingly at Windrider, wagging its tail. Windrider ignored the elder and instead tried to attack the sealing on the iceberg. A black claw struck the iceberg, but it remained unscathed. Even Windrider himself was a little surprised. It seemed that the Arctic Tigerfolk elders hadn''t exaggerated. This level of sealing couldn''t be broken by brute force. "Although this sealing has been strengthened, it has lost some of its previous properties. Perhaps if all of us here work together, we might be able to break it." One of the Arctic Tigerfolk elders placed his hand on the iceberg, carefully sensing it. After a moment, he came to a conclusion. "The sealing has been strengthened, but not completely. It''s like another layer of sealing has been added on top of the original one. Although it strengthens the original sealing, it''s not by much. This also indicates that they used some kind of internal backup energy source, which is completely different from the original caster personally casting it." The elder''s words enlightened everyone present. The other three elders immediately stepped forward to examine it. It was just as he said! Seeing the reactions of the four elders, Windrider instantly understood. "Let''s attack together and destroy the sealing!" In an instant, the remaining Monarch level Beastmen began to gather their strongest attacks. The four elders and Windrider simultaneously attacked a single point on the sealing. Boom! A powerful shockwave spread throughout the area, kicking up a blizzard. With a cracking sound, a crack finally appeared on the sealing. "Again!" The five King levels and dozens of Monarch levels joined forces once more. This time, the sealing shattered completely, and a large section of the iceberg collapsed, revealing the ice palace within. Before the four elders could react, Windrider charged straight in without hesitation, searching for Ruby. A moment later, the four elders and the other Beastmen arrived at the main hall. Windrider walked out from inside, his face grim. "She''s gone?" Windrider looked at the Gnoll, unable to understand how Ruby could have escaped from such a tightly sealed place. He was more inclined to believe that she had used some special method to hide herself, trying to mislead them. The Gnoll dropped to all fours, pressed its nose to the ground, and began sniffing around. After a while, the Gnoll stood up and shook its head at Windrider. Windrider immediately glared at the four elders angrily, demanding a reasonable explanation. Chapter 300: Well said At the same time, Alex finally arrived at the Far North with the tiger guard.She continued to fly with the tiger guard, heading straight towards the heart of the Far North, with no intention of concealing their presence. Seeing Alex''s plan to directly attack, the tiger guard couldn''t help but feel a bit worried. It thought this woman was too reckless. However, it didn''t want Alex to lose her life because of this, so it kindly offered a suggestion. "Leader, we can contact Elder Maulclaw from the seven tribes. He has always been on my queen''s side. With his help, the chances of rescuing my queen will be greatly increased." During this time, Alex had learned from the tiger guard about the place where Ruby was sleeping. It was practically surrounded by seven King level powerhouses. Thinking about it carefully, directly confronting seven King levels was indeed a tricky situation. Moreover, if they didn''t contact the pro-Ruby faction in advance, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Overall, one less enemy was better than one more. The more critical the situation, the calmer they needed to be. Alex naturally understood this principle, as did the tiger guard. "Alright, after we enter the tiger being territory, I''ll conceal myself. You take me directly to Maulclaw." Seeing Alex agree, the tiger guard secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, it didn''t know Alex''s true strength and still thought she was just a Monarch. For a Monarch level to try to save someone right under the noses of King levels was simply a fool''s errand. An hour later, Alex and the tiger guard slowly landed from the sky. "Are those seven mountain peaks ahead the power center of your tribe?" Alex looked at the city built on the mountain peaks with curiosity. "Yes, leader. The closest mountain peak city ahead belongs to Elder Maulclaw''s jurisdiction." The tiger guard replied respectfully. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s perfect. We can ask him for some information. Let''s go." As she spoke, Alex grabbed the tiger guard''s shoulder, and in the blink of an eye, both of them vanished before the tiger guard could even react. The tiger guard was amazed. When they reappeared, they were already inside the city. The cities of the tiger beings were very different from human cities. After all, their lifestyles were quite different from humans. Most tiger beings preferred to live in their beast forms. Nearly half of the city''s layout was dedicated to defense. There were no ordinary houses inside, mostly scattered castles. Alex guessed that these were probably the residences of the powerful and influential. After all, there were many tiger beings gathered at the foot of the mountain. Those who could live in the city must have extraordinary status. Moreover, there was nothing in the city that resembled the functions of a city. There were no merchants, no guards, and no entertainment facilities. It was more like a village than a city, no, perhaps not even a village. The lifestyle of the tiger beings in the city was no different from that of the ordinary tiger beings gathered at the foot of the mountain, except for the better living environment. It felt to Alex as if a group of savage beasts had been forcibly brought into the civilized world. As Alex stood there, observing the surrounding city, the tiger guard remained vigilant. Its current identity was that of a traitor, so it was very worried that Alex and itself would be discovered by the tiger beings coming and going on the streets. But soon it found that the tiger beings around it would ignore it even if they passed right by. Just as it was puzzled, it suddenly realized that it was actually invisible. No wonder... It just didn''t know if it could hide from the elders'' scrutiny. While it was lost in thought, Alex had already found Maulclaw''s residence and directly teleported there with the tiger guard. At the very back of the city stood a magnificent palace, a landmark of the entire city. It was seven stories high, and from the top floor, one could overlook the entire city. Inside the palace, Elder Maulclaw was enjoying a steaming bowl of fish soup with another elder. "Maulclaw, my dear friend, your codfish soup is truly exceptional!" ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® The elder said with a smile. Maulclaw responded politely, and for a moment, silence fell over the hall. "Shadowfang, pal, what are your thoughts on the Beastman Empire''s visit this time?" As Maulclaw spoke, Shadowfang''s tiger face immediately darkened, and a hint of anger flashed in its eyes. "Hmph, those mongrels! If it weren''t for you and Bravetail stopping me, I would have slaughtered them already!" "Shadowfang, mind your words. Don''t say such things again. Killing them would completely offend the Beastman Empire. What will happen to our tribe then?" Maulclaw lowered his voice and spoke with a serious expression. "Maulclaw, my brother, I call you brother not just because you are older than me. Can''t you see? Even if we compromise, the Beastman Empire won''t let us off the hook! It''s better to stand up and resist than to be passively beaten. Even death in battle is better than becoming vassals!" Shadowfang said somewhat agitatedly. If it weren''t for Maulclaw sitting opposite him, it would have already lashed out after saying such cowardly words. Seeing that Shadowfang was getting a little worked up, Maulclaw changed the subject. "Shadowfang, you are indeed perceptive. Then tell me, what do you think will become of the tribe with Ironstripe and the others colluding and leading it together?" "Hmph, handing over the tribe to those old geezers will only lead to our demise. I bet those elders have forgotten what kind of species they are!" Shadowfang said with disdain, scornful of the other five elders'' collusion and appeasement. "You''re right. The tribe has been divided for too long. We need a new leader." Maulclaw took a sip of fish soup and said these meaningful words to Shadowfang. Shadowfang was impulsive, but not stupid. It naturally understood the meaning behind Maulclaw''s words. "I won''t accept a Beastman. What''s the difference between that and submitting to the Beastman Empire?" "But she is the queen''s only bloodline. To whom do we owe the tribe''s current state of development? She is the queen''s only heir and the only royalty. Are you going to betray the queen too?" Maulclaw suddenly stood up, releasing his King level aura, and looked at Shadowfang coldly. "This..." Shadowfang was momentarily speechless. It truly resented the Beastmen, but it was also loyal to the tiger being queen. For a moment, Maulclaw''s words made it waver, caught in a dilemma. The other elders hadn''t put it this way before. "Don''t you want to change all of this?" "But what can we do with just the two of us?!" Shadowfang immediately retorted. Of course, it wanted to change things, but they were too weak. Let''s not even talk about resisting the Beastman Empire, even within the tribe, there were countless dissenting voices. Clap, clap¡ª A round of applause rang out. "Well said!" A clear female voice suddenly echoed through the room, instantly startling both Maulclaw and Shadowfang. "Who?!" They immediately turned their heads to see Alex leaning back on the sofa, crossing her legs, and tilting her head as she looked at the two tigers. The tiger guard standing beside her stared at Alex in bewilderment. Oh my godness, leader, didn''t you see two King levels here? Why did you just drop your invisibility?! Chapter 301: That man, he was a Sovereign level The tiger guard''s heart was pounding. Exposing themselves so openly was far too risky.Across from them, Maulclaw was a bit puzzled. It recognized the tiger guard; it was the one Maulclaw had helped escape. To think this guard would return so soon, and with a human no less. Reinforcements? But this was too reckless! Maulclaw frowned slightly, still pondering how to calm the impulsive Shadowfang and prevent a conflict. However, the moment Shadowfang saw Alex, it charged towards her without a word. "Be careful!" Maulclaw warned Alex out of goodwill. It knew this girl was here to rescue Ruby, and to be able to arrive here undetected meant she was no ordinary individual. On one side was Shadowfang, on the other, Ruby''s rescuer. Just as Maulclaw hesitated about whether to intervene, Shadowfang had already reached Alex. A giant tiger claw imbued with frost power shot straight towards Alex''s face. But at that moment, Shadowfang felt like its brain was about to explode, blood trickling from its eyes and ears. Under the assault of the curse magic, Shadowfang''s attack slowed down. Then, Alex, who had been sitting in the chair, moved. She lowered her crossed right leg, using it as a pivot, and swiftly raised her left leg. A beautiful roundhouse kick sent Shadowfang flying ten yards away. Shadowfang was incredulous. Its eyes flashed blue, and a chilling air emanated from its body. Just as it was about to unleash its realm power, a black scythe was already resting against its neck. Everything happened too fast. Not only Shadowfang, but even Maulclaw and the tiger guard were stunned. Shadowfang, unwilling to submit, still wanted to resist. But the eerie aura emanating from the scythe made it sense a tremendous danger. It felt that its head would roll before it could even fully unleash its realm. "This is just a misunderstanding. We can talk things through. Shadowfang is just a little impulsive. Please don''t take offense." Maulclaw immediately stepped forward to mediate, releasing its own aura. Alex sensed from it that Maulclaw was at least a lv3 King level, while the Shadowfang she had subdued was only lv1. "Are you Maulclaw, the one who supports Ruby?" Alex lowered the scythe and sat back in the chair, completely disregarding Shadowfang as she directly questioned Maulclaw. Shadowfang was furious but held back by Maulclaw. It couldn''t understand why they were being so polite to this human girl when they had two King levels on their side. Maulclaw shook its head slightly, signaling Shadowfang not to act rashly. Alex gave it a mysterious feeling, one that even it, a lv3 King level, couldn''t quite grasp. Shadowfang, as the youngest elder, was only at lv1 King level. It couldn''t perceive these nuances and simply thought it had been countered by Alex''s abilities. Alex was an undead queen, with enhanced magic and attributes, further amplified by the scythe. She was practically unrivaled at the same level, let alone against a newly advanced lv1 King level. "Did you come here specifically for me?" Maulclaw seemed to have figured something out. Seeing Alex sit back down, it withdrew its aura and stepped aside. "That''s right. He said you support Ruby. You can cooperate with me and help me rescue her." Alex pointed at the tiger guard, her tone indifferent. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Only now did the tiger guard come back to its senses. The helper it had brought actually managed to intimidate two elders of the tiger being tribe! "As for certain irrelevant individuals, if you''re willing to help Ruby, I won''t hold this against you. But if you side with the other elders, I won''t hesitate to kill you all. I have my own ways to help Ruby ascend to the throne." Alex glanced at the enraged Shadowfang. Her presence had been discovered, so Shadowfang''s fate was sealed: submission or death. Before gathering information from Maulclaw, Alex naturally had to deal with the troublemaker Shadowfang first. This way, not only would Alex have one less King level opponent, but she would also gain a King level undead, greatly increasing her chances of success. This was also the reason why Alex chose to reveal herself and subdue Shadowfang first. To deal with them, she had to eliminate them one by one. "Who do you think you are? This is tiger being territory!" Shadowfang roared. As an elder, it was treated with respect wherever it went. Now, it was being looked down upon by this human girl. "Shadowfang, make your decision." Maulclaw said meaningfully to Shadowfang. "Maulclaw, what are you saying? Are you choosing to believe this human girl?" Shadowfang was incredulous. It couldn''t believe that Maulclaw, who was still on good terms with it not long ago, would choose to side with Alex without hesitation after her appearance. "Shadowfang, no matter what, I will stand by the queen''s side. She is the only one who dared to openly stand against the entire Arctic Tigerfolk when Ruby''s life was in danger. I believe she is not as simple as she appears." Maulclaw declared its stance. As the longest-serving elder, it had a long-term vision and was a staunch supporter of the queen. Now, with Alex''s help, perhaps they could change the entire landscape of the tiger being tribe, end the rule of those corrupt elders, and support the queen''s bloodline to regain the throne. It also believed that Alex must have some kind of backing to dare to come here alone, so it chose to gamble. Otherwise, many years later, when it was old and frail, the entire tiger being tribe would stand against Ruby. Alex remained silent, quietly waiting for Maulclaw to persuade Shadowfang. This was the last chance she was giving it. Shadowfang fell silent. Without Maulclaw''s help, it was no match for this human girl. Moreover, judging from her confident demeanor, it was highly likely that it wouldn''t leave this room alive. "Why do you have so much faith in Ruby? Are you certain she can lead the entire Arctic Tigerfolk (tiger being) to become strong and free from the Beastman Empire''s oppression?" "You have to understand, Ruby is the child of the queen and that man. The queen was the most talented individual in generations, almost breaking through the King level life limit. And that powerful human man, do you know his true strength?" Maulclaw didn''t answer Shadowfang''s question but instead countered with another question. The life limit for Arctic Tigerfolk was King level, and the previous tiger being queen''s cultivation had reached lv9 King level, just a step away from breaking through to Emperor level. If it weren''t for the accident, with the help of Ruby''s father, her breakthrough to Emperor level would have been only a matter of time. Shadowfang was young and didn''t know these past events. Among the seven elders, Maulclaw was the oldest and had some understanding of what had transpired back then. At this moment, the youngest elder and the oldest elder locked eyes. "What... what was that man''s strength?" Shadowfang looked at Maulclaw''s deep gaze with confusion. "That man, he was a... Sovereign level!" Chapter 302: We attack directly "What?!"Shadowfang was taken aback. It had always assumed that the human man had married above his station, but in reality, it was their queen who had done so? This was a lot to process for Shadowfang. It contradicted everything it had heard. Now it made sense why the other elders always avoided mentioning the former queen''s husband. "He was truly a Sovereign level?" "As true as day. And with his talent and strength, an average Sovereign level wouldn''t stand a chance against him. I witnessed him battling another Sovereign level in the Endless Sea. After that, he vanished." Maulclaw seemed lost in thought, recalling that scene from centuries ago. The sheer power of a Sovereign level still sent shivers down its spine. Shadowfang fell silent. So, the Arctic Tigerfolk''s prosperity might have been partly due to that man''s help. But it was all in the distant past. Even if there was evidence, the other elders probably erased it. "And Ruby is their daughter. She inherited his bloodline. Do you really think her potential is limited to King level? Forget Emperor level, she might even reach Sovereign level!" Maulclaw continued, and this wasn''t just speculation. It was a conclusion drawn from observing Ruby. These words deeply shocked Shadowfang. It had never heard any of this before. For Shadowfang, its loyalty lay first with the tribe, and then with the queen who had led them to prosperity, even though it had never met her. The Beastman Empire dared to be so arrogant mainly because they had a Sovereign level. If their Arctic Tigerfolk also had one, why would they submit to those half-breed mongrels? Maulclaw''s words resonated with Shadowfang. Ruby had the potential to lead their tribe to greatness, at least more so than those corrupt elders. "It''s not too late to pledge your support to Ruby. Those old geezers will face their reckoning eventually." Seeing Shadowfang waver, Maulclaw pressed on. Alex stood up, the scythe reappearing in her hand. "I don''t have much time. So you have three seconds to decide." Between submitting to the Beastman Empire and following Ruby, Shadowfang chose the latter. Besides, it was still young. While not afraid of death, it didn''t mean it wanted to die. "Alright, I agree to support Ruby." Shadowfang hesitated for a moment before making up its mind. Maulclaw breathed a sigh of relief. It knew Shadowfang was just impulsive and resented the Beastmen. It wasn''t truly against Ruby, which was why Maulclaw had tried to persuade it. Alex put away the scythe and sat back down. Shadowfang''s submission didn''t make much difference to her. "Now, tell me about Ruby''s situation." Maulclaw gestured for Shadowfang to sit down and took a seat itself, beginning to explain Ruby''s situation to Alex. The tiger guard, whose emotions had gone from terror to joy to worry, finally relaxed, silently listening to the conversation between these powerful figures. It finally understood that this outcome was all thanks to Alex''s overwhelming strength. "Ruby escaped?" Alex was taken aback, while the tiger guard''s face lit up with joy. It seemed her injuries weren''t serious, or perhaps she had other tricks up her sleeve. The enraged elders had destroyed the palace within the iceberg and discovered the Subglacial River. The tiger beings had searched along the river, even reaching the Endless Sea to the north. ????????.??? But they still couldn''t find any trace of Ruby. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. The high-ranking Beastman was furious and threatened to wipe out the entire Arctic Tigerfolk. It had run out of patience. "It dared to say that? Do those elders plan to let it leave the Far North alive?" Alex was puzzled. She had learned about the Beastmen''s strength from Maulclaw. She couldn''t understand their audacity. "You don''t understand. I suspect their plan is to wait for the Beastmen to leave, then move the entire tribe away from the Far North, escaping the Beastman Empire." Maulclaw sighed. Shadowfang snorted, clearly angered by the elders'' cowardice. Letting them leave would leave room for negotiation with the Beastman Empire. But killing them would be a blatant declaration of war. No force would tolerate the loss of a King level without retaliation. The reason these Beastmen were considered high-ranking was that the King level among them was rumored to be a descendant of a certain Alpha in the Beastman Empire. This was another reason why the elders didn''t dare to act rashly. "Have they left yet?" Alex was already planning to intercept and kill them on their way out. "Not yet. They''re still waiting for the search results from the Endless Sea. They should have an answer by tonight. If they still can''t find Ruby, they''ll probably leave in a rage." Although Maulclaw rarely participated in tribe meetings, as the longest-serving elder, it had its eyes and ears everywhere. It was privy to most of the tribe''s affairs. Ruby was a Monarch level with spatial magic. Catching her was no easy feat. Therefore, the search party mainly consisted of Monarch levels, personally led by two elders. Their goal wasn''t to capture Ruby but to find the tiger beings who had escaped with her. As long as they found them, they could force Ruby to show herself. "Are there any other elders we can try to persuade?" Alex remembered the two neutral elders. If they could be won over, it would be a great help to Ruby. "It''s chaos out there now. I''m afraid there''s no opportunity to persuade them. Besides, those two old geezers are unlikely to give up their power." Maulclaw shook its head. If Ruby returned and overpowered the other elders with her strength, they might accept her without question. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But asking them to relinquish their power and acknowledge a girl who was only at Monarch level as their queen? Even if they agreed, they wouldn''t be truly convinced. It would be a hidden danger in the future. Moreover, one of the neutral elders had already gone with the other elders to entertain the Beastmen. This was a clear indication of its stance. "I see. Then there''s no need to bother. If even you''re not confident, it''s better to just kill them." Alex stood up and walked towards the window, looking out at the city. "Don''t be rash. Now that Ruby has escaped, our top priority is to find her before they do. As for what comes next, we need to plan carefully." Maulclaw hurriedly tried to dissuade her. There were at least three King levels down there. If a fight broke out and alerted the other elders, the situation would spiral out of control once they returned. Alex didn''t answer Maulclaw but instead smiled at Shadowfang. "What do you think?" Shadowfang didn''t understand why Alex suddenly asked for its opinion. They had three King levels on their side, and there were three more down there. Two had already left to search for Ruby, leaving at most one neutral elder in the city. However that elder might not necessarily support the other elders. So, the worst-case scenario was a three-on-three. As long as they ended the fight quickly, there was nothing to worry about. "I say we attack directly!" Shadowfang blurted out. Alex''s smile widened. "I agree." Chapter 303: Liliths Plea "Let''s wait a little longer, until those Beastmen leave."Alex had already made up her mind. While they wouldn''t necessarily lose in a direct confrontation, it was better to be safe and eliminate those Beastmen first. Hearing Alex''s words, Maulclaw was about to breathe a sigh of relief when it tensed up again. It knew it couldn''t dissuade Alex. It could only hope that this girl wasn''t alone and had other cards up her sleeve. Ideally, she would have an army of over a thousand troops, with at least three Monarch levels among them. Only then would they have a decent chance of killing those Beastmen. "Aren''t we going to look for Ruby?" Maulclaw still believed that finding Ruby should be their top priority. "Then have Shadowfang send out some Monarch levels to search. It would be too suspicious otherwise." Alex looked at the tiger guard, who shook its head. As Ruby''s confidant, even it didn''t know where she was hiding. Alex didn''t hold out much hope in that regard. The Far North was vast. Even if all one hundred thousand Arctic Tigerfolk spread out, they might not be able to find Ruby if she was deliberately hiding. Instead of wasting time searching for Ruby, it was better to take care of those disobedient elders. "I agree." Maulclaw nodded. It was more worried that Ruby would be captured, rendering all their preparations for naught. Of course, Alex had another reason for delaying the attack. While she was talking to Maulclaw, she received a message from Xiao Mu. === Two hours earlier, in Undead City. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With Alex gone, Xiao Mu was in charge of managing all the subjects and the city''s operations. In short, he was responsible for internal affairs, while the six race kings were in charge of military matters, with Death Spirit overseeing everything. Xiao Mu remained in the city, Xiao Hui led the undead army to conquer the Savage Plains. Suddenly, the Portal of Transit shimmered with an orange-red light. Lilith had arrived in Undead City. The moment Xiao Mu saw Lilith, a strange feeling washed over him. Lilith''s state was peculiar. Her entire body was enveloped in black mist, her face obscured, and her aura faint. Lilith gave Xiao Mu the impression that she wasn''t quite real. Were all fallen angels like this? Xiao Mu was puzzled. If a normal person was like a 4K resolution image, then Lilith was currently at 360p. Although she had never met Xiao Mu, Lilith knew that whoever was in Undead City at this moment must be one of Alex''s subjects, and a high-ranking one at that. After a brief exchange, Lilith learned from Xiao Mu that Alex wasn''t in Undead City. Resigned, she revealed the purpose of her visit. She had come to ask for help. Lilith hoped that Xiao Mu could contact Alex on her behalf. "Why don''t you contact her yourself? Why go through all this trouble?" Xiao Mu asked, puzzled. After a moment of silence, Lilith explained her situation. Her true body was trapped within the realm of a demon in the Valoria Continent. What stood before Xiao Mu wasn''t her true form but a clone-like entity. This body could transform into her second life if her true body perished or die in her place. However, while her true body was trapped, she couldn''t access the system or any of its functions. Moreover, the memories of her two bodies weren''t shared. She could only judge her true body''s condition based on her current state. ????????.??? If she became clearer, it meant her true body was closer to death. After listening to Lilith''s hurried explanation, Xiao Mu understood. While he could command the undead to help Lilith, he had to consult with Alex first. What if Alex refused to help? "That cat-eared maid lord is still alive?" Xiao Mu was surprised. Logically, a King level should have been able to instantly kill them, especially with the use of a realm. "I''m not sure. I don''t know anything right now. But the Portal of Transit in my city is still active, which means he''s not dead." Lilith only had one subject. She was certain of that. "When will Alex be back? She should be King level by now, right?" This was Lilith''s only hope. If Alex wasn''t King level yet, then there was no way she could be saved, unless Alex was willing to sacrifice a large number of undead for her. "She''s been gone for two days. She didn''t say when she''d be back. I''ll ask." Having grasped the situation, Xiao Mu quickly relayed everything to Alex. In her current state, Lilith couldn''t even see the system interface. She could only wait anxiously. Ding dong! The system notification sounded. Xiao Mu quickly checked the chat interface. Alex: "Cat-eared maids? Sounds interesting. Get me a few." Xiao Mu: "Leader... why is that your focus?" Alex: "A King level demon of unknown strength? Have Death Spirit investigate first. If it''s high-level, we''ll abandon the mission. But if it''s not high-level, we must help, as it''s a King level corpse!" Xiao Mu: "Yes, leader." Alex: "Oh, and if you kill it, have Death Spirit summon it as a Reaper Guard." After replying, Xiao Mu closed the system interface and turned to Lilith. "Alex won''t be back anytime soon, but I''ve obtained authorization. I can have the undead help you." Alex hadn''t mentioned anything about returning to Xiao Mu, so naturally, she wouldn''t be coming back. With two King level undead in Undead City, they were more than enough to handle the situation. "The undead can fight a King level?" Lilith was rarely surprised, but she couldn''t help but blurt out. Xiao Mu just smiled without saying a word. Although he was Alex''s subject and Lilith was Alex''s ally, he didn''t feel inferior. Moreover, his strength was on par with hers. Soon, Xiao Mu summoned Death Spirit and two Reaper Guards, ordering them to accompany Lilith back to her city. After a moment of thought, Xiao Mu decided to go and see for himself. This way, he could report back to Alex with more detailed information. Besides, Sophie was still in Undead City. "I''m going out for a bit." Xiao Mu informed Sophie before stepping into the Portal of Transit. Sophie had sensed Lilith''s arrival, but since Xiao Mu was handling it, she didn''t intervene. She was currently engrossed in designing new clothes with the dwarves. Why hadn''t she thought of this before? She could have the dwarves make clothes for her! "Strange, why is everyone going out?" Sophie muttered to herself, only half-listening to Xiao Mu''s words. Her mind was preoccupied with designing clothes. Her goal was to create a fashion trend that would take this world by storm. Chapter 304: The Death Spirits true objective Arsen Continent, Lilith''s city.Xiao Mu''s figure arrived close behind. Lilith wasn''t surprised by Xiao Mu''s arrival; she was more concerned about the strength of these three undead. Standing before the Portal of Transit, she paused, looking back at Xiao Mu and the three undead. "Are you all going together?" "No, we need to assess the demon''s strength first." Xiao Mu explained, then gestured for Death Spirit to proceed. Without a word, Death Spirit flew into the Portal of Transit. Lilith watched anxiously as the orange-red light of the portal shimmered, her heart heavy with worry. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, on the Valoria Continent, the valley had been razed to the ground. The once idyllic scenery of birdsong and fragrant flowers had transformed into a desolate wasteland, reeking of decay. The cat-eared maid Lord, the demon man, Lilith, and even the King level demon had all vanished, leaving only a ruined town behind. They were now trapped within Croakzoth''s realm. Instead of an empty void of darkness, the realm was littered with crumbling ruins. Croakzoth wasn''t its usual gigantic self here. It had taken on a human-like size, and instead of killing them outright, it was toying with them. Perhaps its long slumber had left it feeling playful, or maybe it simply enjoyed watching its prey struggle in vain. After all, who knew what strange whims a creature that had slept for centuries might have? This, however, gave Lilith and the others a chance to survive within Croakzoth''s realm. They hid among the ruins, desperately seeking a way out. Whenever Lilith or the demon man were about to be discovered, they would order their troops to distract the demon, buying them precious time. After a whole night of evasion, Lilith''s fallen angels, the demon man''s shadowy figures, and even the cat-eared maids had all been wiped out, sacrificing themselves to buy time for their masters. Lilith knew her time was running out. By morning, despair had set in. No matter what they tried, they couldn''t escape the demon''s realm. The time their troops had bought them only amounted to a few extra hours of life. A King level''s realm was entirely under their control. To those below King level, it was an endless prison, boundless and timeless, beyond their reach. The only way to break it was with another King level''s realm, and even then, escape was not guaranteed. For them, the realm was an inescapable cage. Lilith and the cat-eared maid lord were hiding inside a dilapidated building. Her face was haggard as she looked up at the endless darkness above, knowing that escape was unlikely. She had kept the maid lord alive for one reason: to facilitate their escape through teleportation. The maid lord was terrified. Faced with the cruelty of this world, he had lost control of his bladder and bowels, his eyes rolled back, and he nearly fainted. If he weren''t still useful, even if Croakzoth hadn''t killed him, Lilith would have lost her patience and killed him herself. He was completely useless. As a lord, he wasn''t even as brave as those cat-eared maids. If that demon found them again, she would have to abandon him. Lilith sighed, glancing at the trembling figure huddled in the corner. Suddenly, the building above them began to shake. Cracks appeared on the walls and ceiling, and debris rained down. Lilith looked around in alarm, her eyes meeting Croakzoth''s, who was approaching with a sinister grin. This is bad! The maid lord beside her fainted dead away. Lilith immediately tried to spread her wings and flee. She had been holding back her fallen angel powers, afraid of attracting the demon''s attention. But as she was about to escape, she realized Croakzoth was staring at her with blood-red eyes. She can''t move! Lilith found herself rooted to the spot, her body refusing to obey her commands. She could only watch helplessly as Croakzoth approached. With each leisurely step, the demon closed the distance between them by dozens of meters. Even now, Lilith refused to give up. She knew she was going to die, but instead of panicking, she became calmer, focusing all her energy on breaking free. But courage and composure couldn''t bridge the gap in their strength. As the demon drew closer, Lilith felt a surge of resentment. She didn''t want to die like this. It seemed Alex''s rescue wouldn''t arrive in time. She knew herself well enough to know that her clone would definitely seek Alex''s help. But there was still no sign of reinforcements. Lilith sighed. Could it be that even Alex was powerless against this? Just as Croakzoth was about to reach them, the ground between them suddenly split open. A black light shot up into the sky, forcing Croakzoth to take a step back. The force of it slammed into Lilith, forcing her to close her eyes. A moment later, she felt the pressure vanish and slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the surrounding wasteland, then the ruined town in the distance. "I''m out of that creepy space!" Lilith was overjoyed, knowing she had been saved. It had to be Alex. She really had reached King level... "I... I''m out of hell! Hahaha!" The demon man behind her also woke up. Seeing their surroundings, he burst into laughter, overcome with relief. Lilith shot him a glare, then turned to return to her city. Whether this guy lived or died was of no concern to her. The Valoria Continent was too dangerous, filled with hidden threats. The Arsen Continent was much more to her liking. Within the realm, Croakzoth looked at the intruder with confusion, then flew into a rage. Its body swelled in size, and it charged towards Death Spirit. Its realm power clashed against Death Spirit''s, shaking the very foundation of the realm. Buildings crumbled, and space itself seemed to warp and crack under the immense pressure. The demon man watched in terror and relief. The sudden arrival of this King level intruder had given him a chance to escape. Cracks spread across Death Spirit''s realm, on the verge of collapsing, while Croakzoth''s realm only showed minor damage. It''s not enough! The demon man could see that this King level creature was no match for Croakzoth. At this rate, it would never escape. Gritting its teeth, the demon man decided to use its trump card, to aid Death Spirit and create an opportunity for its own survival. He pressed his fingers together, forming a sharp point, and plunged them into his own heart. With a grimace of pain, he drew out a single drop of black blood. A black magic circle appeared beneath his feet. He knelt, offering his most precious heart''s blood as a sacrifice. After a chant, the magic circle blazed with crimson light. Power surged into his body, etching red lines across his skin. His power surged, leaping across several levels, reaching half-step King level. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? The demon man seized the opportunity. He unleashed his full power, striking at the crack in Croakzoth''s realm. Boom! The crack, eroded by the demonic energy, widened slightly. The demon man didn''t hesitate. He transformed into a shadow and vanished. Croakzoth, locked in battle with Death Spirit, whirled around, eyes blazing with fury. "Korvex!" It roared, its power surging. Death Spirit''s realm, unable to withstand the onslaught, shattered. Croakzoth stood amidst the ruins, its chest heaving. It could sense that the Death Spirit it had just destroyed was merely a clone. Not only had the fallen angel escaped, but that damned demon had gotten away too! As the demon man fled, Croakzoth recognized the power it emanated. It was a minion of that other demon, Korvex! Outside the realm, Lilith, about to return to her city, spotted the fleeing demon man. He was weak, his energy depleted. Lilith wouldn''t miss this opportunity. If it weren''t for him, she wouldn''t be in this mess. The demon man, having just escaped Croakzoth''s realm, never expected to be ambushed by Lilith. He was swiftly cut down. Fallen Angel City. Just as Death Spirit entered the Portal of Transit, another Death Spirit clone appeared here. Lilith was puzzled but didn''t question it. Clearly, this undead possessed a cloning ability similar to hers. About ten minutes later, Death Spirit possessed a nearby lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard. Xiao Mu knew they had their answer. "The demon''s strength doesn''t exceed mid-level King. And it seems it can''t fully utilize its power, perhaps because it recently awakened and hasn''t mastered its full strength." Death Spirit spoke through the Reaper Guard, its voice raspy. It then saw the hope in Lilith''s eyes. "Your true body has been rescued. There''s no need to worry. But my clone won''t last much longer." Xiao Mu was relieved. This meant the demon could be killed by the undead. "Then we must act swiftly. Go to the Valoria Continent and kill it!" Death Spirit nodded and, along with the other Reaper Guard, stepped into the Portal of Transit. Lilith stared after them, stunned. Heavens, they were actually going to kill that demon?! Valoria Continent. Lilith''s true body had just slain the demon man. Within the realm, Croakzoth had destroyed Death Spirit''s clone. As Lilith prepared to return to her city, two shadows shot out from the ruined town. A giant black rift appeared, swallowing them whole. Two King level undead! Lilith gasped, realizing that it wasn''t Alex who had rescued her, but her troops. With the arrival of these two King level undead, she understood. Alex wasn''t here to save her; she was here to kill. Lilith decided to stay. She brought the cat-eared maid lord to the town, ensuring his safety and providing a return portal for the undead. Besides, she wanted to witness a battle between King levels. Only now did Lilith truly grasp the terror of the undead. It wasn''t that the undead were inherently stronger than their troops, but that Alex''s abilities were simply too overpowered. If they killed this demon, Alex would gain another King level powerhouse. The undead''s rise to power was happening at an alarming rate. As Lilith watched, space above the valley shattered. A green figure plummeted from the sky. Boom! Croakzoth''s massive body crashed into the ground, sending dust and debris flying. The impact created a crater. Black blood trickled from its mouth, and wounds marred its body. Its realm had been destroyed, leaving it severely weakened. Hovering in the sky, a Reaper Guard, radiating death energy, leveled its scythe. Lilith couldn''t believe it. This powerful demon had been wounded so quickly. Moreover, the Reaper Guard''s aura seemed even stronger than Croakzoth''s. "That''s right, I can use the system to check!" Lilith suddenly remembered that they were within the territory of her subject''s town. She quickly used the system to check their stats, hoping to glean more information. [lv2 King level Demon: Croakzoth] [lv1 (+2) King level Undead: Reaper Guard] [lv9 Monarch Undead: Reaper Guard] Lilith didn''t understand the "+2" next to the Reaper Guard''s level. She didn''t know it was due to Death Spirit''s possession. But then, the stats changed again. The King level undead dropped to lv1 (+1), while the lv9 Monarch became a half-step King level. What was going on? Lilith realized that she couldn''t even comprehend Alex''s troops anymore. On the battlefield, Death Spirit had split its consciousness, possessing both Reaper Guards. With Croakzoth''s realm destroyed, even a half-step King level could injure it. But Death Spirit''s goal wasn''t simply to injure the demon. Otherwise, it would have possessed the King level Reaper Guard and finished it off. The lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard was on the verge of a breakthrough. Killing this demon might be enough to push it to King level. That was Death Spirit''s true objective. Croakzoth, lying wounded on the ground, finally felt fear. It sensed the undeniable presence of death. Even at its peak, it wouldn''t be able to defeat these creatures. As it looked at the two Reaper Guards in the sky, realization dawned, and its eyes widened in horror. It finally recognized the familiar aura. These were undead! "You''re Zarvox''s minions?! I bear it no ill will! Why is it targeting me? Isn''t it afraid of angering all demonkind?!" The Reaper Guards ignored Croakzoth''s roars and questions. They charged, their scythes gleaming. The battle lasted less than ten minutes. Lilith witnessed a complete and utter beatdown. The demon was no match for the two undead. She was puzzled as to why the undead kept holding back, choosing to wear down the demon''s stamina and mana instead of finishing it off. Then, the lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard delivered the final blow, and she understood. The lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard had broken through to King level! Chapter 305: Youll never know Two hours later, in the Far North...Alex''s initial plan was to intercept the Beastmen as they were leaving and turn them into undead. This way, she would have enough power to confront the five elders of the Arctic Tigerfolk. But fate, it seemed, had other plans. Lilith''s sudden crisis had presented Alex with an unexpected opportunity. Not only had she gained a lv2 King level undead, but Reaper Guard had also broken through, adding two more King levels to her forces. Alex was ecstatic. With three King level undead, herself, and the two elders, their combined might could challenge the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe. With this lineup, Alex didn''t need any elaborate tactics. She had expected to wait until nightfall, but now it seemed unnecessary. Alex abruptly stood up, drawing the attention of Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Shadowfang knew it was time for action. It was raring to go. Just then, an young Arctic Tigerfolk barged in, freezing in its tracks upon seeing everyone in the room, unsure whether to speak. "How many times have I told you to knock before entering? Speak!" Maulclaw said, annoyed. The younger generation was always so impetuous. "Elder, the Beastman Empire''s envoys have left." Maulclaw was taken aback. "When did they leave? Which direction?" "They left towards the southwest, just now." The young Arctic Tigerfolk replied respectfully. "You are dismissed." Maulclaw waved its paw. As the Arctic Tigerfolk retreated, Maulclaw turned to Alex. A smile spread across Alex''s face upon hearing the news. What perfect timing. "What are you planning to do?" Maulclaw sensed the human girl''s recklessness and worried that she would kill the Beastmen, bringing trouble to the Arctic Tigerfolk. "Get rid of them, of course." Alex said with a charming smile. Why would she let those Beastmen go? Killing them meant more King level undead. As for Maulclaw''s concerns, Alex had a simple solution. She would wait until the Beastmen left the Far North, then eliminate them with magic, leaving no trace. She would pin the blame on the human Mages'' Association. Even the mighty Beastman Empire wouldn''t dare to provoke the humans directly. That would be suicide. "You can''t do that!" Maulclaw''s worst fear was realized. It hurriedly tried to dissuade her. "Maulclaw, your ways are outdated. I won''t bring trouble to the Arctic Tigerfolk. Trust me." "Wait for me here. We''ll proceed with our plan when I return." With that, Alex vanished, her voice echoing in the room. Maulclaw sighed, worry etched on its face. This upheaval would cost the Arctic Tigerfolk dearly. If they provoked the Beastman Empire, they would be forced to abandon their ancestral home. Alex activated Invisibility and flew southwest at full speed. The Beastmen had just left, and considering most of them were Monarch level, their speed wouldn''t be too fast. Alex estimated she would catch up to them soon. The vast, open expanse of the icy plains made it difficult for anything to escape her sight. Half an hour later, she spotted them. But Alex frowned. She hadn''t found them in the sky, but on the ground. ???¦®????.??? sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Those Beastmen were running? Only an eagle was flying. The rest were sprinting across the frozen wasteland. Alex saw Dogs, Lions, leopards, horses, and with various other animalistic features. It was like a bizarre zoo. As she got closer, Alex realized why these Monarch level Beastmen chose to run. They were faster on land than in the air. They were completely oblivious to Alex, who was tailing them from the sky. Even eagle, soaring above, remained unaware. Alex followed them northwest, out of the Far North. Soon, they arrived at a mountain peak covered in lush forests, teeming with small animals. Alex followed the Beastmen into the mountains, reaching a hidden cave halfway up the slope. Several Beastmen stood guard at the entrance. "Leader Windrider, you''re back." The guards bowed respectfully to eagle. "Prepare the teleportation array. We''re returning to the Empire." Windrider said coldly, still fuming from their encounter in the Far North. It led the Beastmen into the cave. Alex followed, strolling casually past the guards. If even the King level Windrider couldn''t detect her in her invisible state, these two Commanding level Beastmen didn''t stand a chance. As she brushed past them, a white light flashed in Alex''s left eye. She took control of their minds with soul magic and entered the cave. Time to end this. The cave''s interior was larger than it appeared from the outside, with various facilities. It was clearly a hidden Beastman outpost. Windrider sat at the center, surrounded by its subordinates, angrily discussing how to deal with the Arctic Tigerfolk. "Why didn''t we just wipe them out?" A beastman with a Leon head and a human body asked, confused. It didn''t understand why they had been sent to negotiate time and time again. "You idiot, Leonidas. Do you think our Alpha has nothing better to do? They''re busy dealing with pressure from all the major factions. Besides, a living race is always more valuable than a dead one." A Gnoll sneered at Leonidas. This stupid question was the perfect opportunity for it to show off in front of Windrider. Windrider shot Leonidas a glare. The Gnoll, smug, puffed up its chest. But then, Leonidas noticed something strange about the Gnoll. A red line appeared around its neck, and its smug grin froze. Thump! The Gnoll''s head rolled on the ground, silencing the Beastmen. Windrider sensed something was wrong and leaped to its feet, claws slashing towards the tunnel entrance. Bang! An invisible barrier materialized, blocking its attack. A transparent ring expanded rapidly, engulfing the entire cave. In an instant, every Beastman except Windrider was sliced in half. Flames erupted, engulfing the cave in a fiery inferno. Alex reappeared, smiling at Windrider. She wasn''t afraid. Beacuse she could summon her undead army at any moment. "Who are you?" Windrider snarled, wary of the beautiful girl with human features. "You''ll never know." Alex''s right eye glowed red, and magic circles of various colors appeared around her. Elemental energy crackled, and a torrent of spells, woven together in a deadly symphony of destruction, hurtled towards Windrider. Chapter 306: Rubys whereabouts Boom!A kaleidoscope of magical energies flooded the tunnel, pulverizing the Beastman hideout. An invisible shield shimmered around Alex, deflecting dust and debris. A gust of wind followed, clearing the air. Bang! Windrider emerged from the rubble, disheveled but largely unharmed. Alex''s attack had been a mere probe. It unfurled its wings and shot into the sky. Its sharp eyes locked onto Alex below. It recognized a powerful human mage when it saw one. In an instant, possibilities raced through its mind. Why was a human mage here? Had something happened to the Alpha? But there was no time to ponder. Alex''s next attack was already upon it. Windrider snarled, flapping its wings furiously. Feathers shot out, transforming into razor-sharp darts that intercepted Alex''s magic. At the same time, Windrider''s body contracted, launching itself at Alex like an arrow loosed from a bow. It knew human mages were physically frail. If it could get close, victory would be swift. The darts shattered Alex''s spells, then continued their deadly trajectory. But as they were about to pierce her flesh, they stopped abruptly, half a meter from her body, held at bay by an unseen force. An invisible barrier surrounded Alex, deflecting all of Windrider''s attacks. The strange magic seemed familiar, but Windrider couldn''t quite place it. As Windrider dove, Alex vanished. Its eyes narrowed. It adjusted its course mid-flight, soaring back into the sky and circling, searching for its elusive opponent. But no matter how hard it looked, it couldn''t find any trace of Alex, not even a hint of her aura. Windrider hovered, flapping its wings, its expression grim. Had she retreated, fearing close combat or doubting her ability to defeat it? Then, a jolt of realization. No, that girl had come here with the intention to kill. She wouldn''t run. And if she wasn''t running, there was only one explanation. An ambush! But it was too late. A white light flashed above Windrider, severing its left wing. If it hadn''t shifted slightly at the last moment, it would have been cleaved in two. As the white light dissipated, searing pain brought a wave of icy clarity. Windrider finally recognized the familiar magic. Spatial magic! It tried to put distance between them, but Alex was nowhere to be seen. Then it remembered. She possessed an invisibility ability that even it couldn''t detect. Despite losing a wing, Windrider could still fly, but its advantage in the sky was gone. It had underestimated its opponent, assuming that all mages were physically weak and specialized in only one type of magic. It had believed that close combat guaranteed victory. In reality, many mages were dual or even triple-elemental specialists. Some could even wield four elements. These mages had few weaknesses, and with the right equipment and spells, they could be formidable in close combat. "Father warned me not to underestimate mages..." But the realization came too late. Without its wing, escape was unlikely. Windrider activated its domain. A raging gale erupted, whipping the air into a frenzy. Its pupils narrowed to slits, senses on high alert, scanning its surroundings. It would use the wind to pinpoint Alex''s location. Only then could it counterattack. Sensing Windrider''s plan, Alex deactivated her invisibility. Their eyes met. "Perhaps we can come to an understanding. I believe there might be a misunderstanding between us and the Mages'' Association." Windrider hoped this was just a warning from the humans, who had discovered their activities and sent a mage to destroy their outpost. But Alex ignored its plea. She raised her hand, summoning a giant purple magic circle. Lightning crackled, gathering power for a high-level spell. Alex didn''t know if the Beastman Empire''s Alpha would discover this place. To be safe, she stuck to elemental magic, not even using her scythe. She had to maintain the identity of a mage. Otherwise, she would have summoned her Reaper Guards to eliminate this Beastman long ago. Alex didn''t speak. A giant purple lightning dragon, crackling with energy, was her only response. Windrider''s expression darkened. This mage refused to communicate. It had its own concerns. As a descendant of one of the five Alphas of the Beastman Empire, its actions represented the entire empire. Killing a human mage here would give the Mages'' Association a legitimate reason to declare war. Seeing Alex''s resolve, Windrider decided to stop holding back. Its initial hesitation, stemming from its respect for the Mages'' Association and its underestimation of Alex, had cost it dearly. Or so it thought. The purple dot in Windrider''s vision expanded rapidly. The lightning dragon struck, sending jolts of electricity through its body, paralyzing its movements. But at that moment, a blood-red giant eagle materialized behind Windrider, enveloping it in a crimson sphere. The sphere exploded, transforming Windrider into a monstrous chimera. Six wings, covered in black feathers, sprouted from its back. Three heads, each with piercing eagle eyes, snapped and snarled. Its talons morphed into wicked hooks, and three long tails lashed out wildly. It was as if three eagles had been fused into one terrifying creature. Screech! It roared, its talons contracting. It shot towards Alex, its massive body angled for a deadly strike. Its tails, extending like flails, whipped out, aiming to bind her. Alex showed no fear. Her right eye glowed red, activating her magic enhancement. With a flick of her wrist, she froze Windrider mid-air. A cracking sound echoed as space itself fractured. Hundreds of cuts appeared on Windrider''s body as spatial blades materialized around it, slicing through flesh and bone. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Countless miniature magic circles, glowing green like a field of stars, surrounded them. Then, vines, as thick as a man''s finger, shot out, piercing Windrider''s flesh. Ice spread across Windrider, encasing it in a solid block of ice. The spatial and frost magic held Windrider in an unbreakable grip. It could only watch helplessly as the vines burrowed into its flesh, drawing out a strange red energy. The tips of the vines had turned crimson, snaking towards the source of the magic circle. But as they pulsed with green energy, the red energy dissipated, neutralized. Windrider''s strength waned with each passing moment. Its struggles were futile. It could only watch as the green energy purged the red, leaving it weaker than before. As time passed, Windrider grew weaker, the red energy draining away. Finally, it reverted to its original form. "Spare... me... We can... talk..." Windrider pleaded, its eyes filled with fear and desperation. It knew humans valued profit above all else. But Alex remained unmoved. Besides, she wasn''t a human mage. A blade of lightning pierced Windrider''s chest. The restraints vanished, and its body plummeted towards the ground. Alex clapped her hands. Done! Three high-level spells to deal with a single, ordinary King level. What a waste. But while this method was effortless, it consumed a significant amount of mana. "Still, my undead magic is the most cost-effective." Alex descended slowly, casting a high-level summoning spell. Windrider''s soul was extracted, forming a swirling ball of energy in her palm. She then flicked a spark of fire, igniting Windrider''s body. She controlled the flames, ensuring they would incinerate the corpse without completely destroying it, leaving enough evidence while concealing any trace of her summoning magic. With that done, Alex held the soul in her hand and summoned a spatial magic circle beneath her feet. She had marked Maulclaw''s room earlier. With a thought, she could teleport back instantly. A white light engulfed her, and she vanished. In the Far North, Maulclaw, Shadowfang, and the tiger guard waited anxiously. Maulclaw paced back and forth, worry etched on its face. Shadowfang, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement, as if it had personally slain the Beastmen. The tiger guard trembled, intimidated by the presence of the two elders. "She''s too reckless. How could she just kill them?" Maulclaw fretted. It was worried about Alex''s safety and the possibility of the Beastman Empire retaliating against the Arctic Tigerfolk. "Good riddance! Those cowardly bullies had it coming." Shadowfang scoffed, unconcerned. That Beastman was, at best, equal in strength to itself. It never doubted Alex''s ability to handle the situation. Crash! The door burst open, and a burly Arctic Tigerfolk stumbled in, its face pale with panic. "Elders! We''ve found those traitors!" Maulclaw and Shadowfang turned to the tiger being, who continued without hesitation, "The other elders found them. They captured some sea folk at the coast and learned of their whereabouts." "Sea Folk? What are sea folk doing here?" Maulclaw sighed. It didn''t know that Ruby was still in the Far North, hiding along the northwestern coastline. Ruby had chosen her hiding spot well, but her starving subordinates had been forced to hunt, attracting the attention of the sea folk. These sea folk were scouts, mere cannon fodder. They were no match for Ruby and her group. Unable to complete their mission or return home, they fled westward along the coastline, only to encounter the Arctic Tigerfolk searching for Ruby at the source of the Subglacial River. The sea folk, facing so many Monarch levels, were easily captured. Under interrogation, they revealed everything, including their encounter with a group of Arctic Tigerfolk on the northwestern coastline. The Monarchs were ecstatic. The western coast was on the fringes of the Far North, outside their search radius. The Arctic Tigerfolk they encountered there could only be Ruby and her group. They immediately reported their findings to the four elders. Without alerting the rest of the tribe, two elders had already set out. This explained why Maulclaw hadn''t noticed anything unusual. The other elders suspected that Ruby had inside help, allowing her to escape time and time again. And Maulclaw was their prime suspect. Ruby, still recovering from her injuries, had wanted to conserve her mana. She hadn''t anticipated that those sea folk would inadvertently expose her location. She also hadn''t expected the remnants of the sea folk to travel further inland instead of returning to the ocean. Maulclaw dismissed the messenger, its expression grave. It turned to Shadowfang, deep in thought. It didn''t fully trust Shadowfang yet and couldn''t risk bringing it along. But leaving it here wasn''t an option either. Maulclaw couldn''t be sure that Shadowfang wouldn''t betray their plan. "We must act quickly. Let''s go now. We have a better chance of rescuing Ruby before Bravetail and the others arrive." Shadowfang urged. Time was of the essence. They couldn''t wait for Alex. Two against two, they had a good chance of success. Clearly, Shadowfang was unaware of Maulclaw''s concerns, but it understood the urgency. "I''m afraid Bravetail has already sent someone to watch us. If we leave now, we''ll be intercepted." Maulclaw sighed. It knew Bravetail would be wary of it. "Are you going to wait until they bring Ruby back before you act?" Shadowfang was getting impatient. Maulclaw was too cautious. If it were up to Shadowfang, they would have left already. "Do you really think we should wait for her return? By then, Ruby would be imprisoned by Bravetail and the others." Maulclaw considered this. Shadowfang was right. It decided to trust Shadowfang this once and take a gamble. This was their best chance to rescue Ruby. Once she was taken back to the tribe''s territory, it would be much more difficult. Maulclaw turned to the tiger guard. "Stay here. We''ll go ahead. When Alex returns, tell her we''ve gone to rescue Ruby." Chapter 307: Hey Ruby, its been ages After giving the instructions, Maulclaw activated its realm power and vanished before the tiger guard''s eyes, leaving no room for reply.High above the city, three powerful auras surged skyward, converging on the spot where Maulclaw had disappeared. Three elders, led by Bravetail, hovered in mid-air, their gazes fixed on the city below. The tiger guard peeked through the window, its heart sinking. This is it, we''re done for. Bravetail, positioned in the center, frowned, its face contorted with rage. "Hmph, I knew that traitor Maulclaw was behind this!" The three elders unleashed their realm powers, attempting to trap Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Just as their realms were about to collide with Maulclaw''s, a black blade of energy sliced through them, severing the connection. "Who?!" Bravetail scanned their surroundings. As the energy dissipated, Alex materialized, her white hair billowing in the wind. She held a massive scythe, her gaze cold and unwavering as she stared down the three elders. "A human?" Bravetail was bewildered. Why was a human powerhouse here? "So it was Maulclaw, that treacherous old fool! To think he would collude with humans!" Seeing Alex outside Maulclaw''s city, Bravetail naturally assumed she was working with him. Bravetail wasn''t worried. Maulclaw only had one ally. They couldn''t stop them. And even if they did, there were two more elders waiting at their destination. They wouldn''t stand a chance. Alex''s reason for intercepting them was simple. Since they were here, might as well take care of them. It was a fortunate coincidence. They had to be dealt with sooner or later, and this was a good opportunity to test Shadowfang''s loyalty for Ruby. "Attack!" Bravetail roared. The three elders combined their realm powers, unleashing a devastating attack on Alex. They held nothing back. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Aren''t you afraid of offending the Mages'' Association by killing me?" Alex smirked, revealing her two-star magic mentor badge. The elders froze, their realm powers dissipating. They stared at the badge, dumbfounded. It couldn''t be fake. It dawned on them that a human powerhouse wouldn''t be without credentials. Bravetail stepped forward, forcing a smile. "We apologize deeply. We were blind to your esteemed status. Please forgive our transgression. May we inquire if your presence here concerns our Ruby?" Alex inwardly scoffed at Bravetail''s fawning. It had been a simple test. If these elders feared the Beastman Empire so much, then they would surely show respect to a human, representing a force even mightier than the Beastmen. Just as she had predicted. But her expression remained impassive. The mocking smile vanished. "You spineless sycophants, you parasites of the Arctic Tigerfolk!" Alex''s cold voice echoed across the snowy expanse of the Far North. Now she understood why Ruby, the daughter of the Arctic Tigerfolk queen, was being targeted. The elders flinched but maintained their smiles. They attributed Alex''s anger to their previous offense. "Kill them!" Three black vortexes appeared before Alex, coalescing into three Reaper Guards. One radiated an intense aura of death, distinct from the other two. But all three were King level. "You''re not with the Mages'' Association! They don''t have such strange magic!" Bravetail exclaimed. It had dealt with humans before and had never seen such magic. Alex ignored them and vanished. The three Reaper Guards charged towards the elders, led by Bravetail. Bravetail bristled at being ignored. It scoffed at the three shadowy figures. "You think you can stop us with three oddly dressed lackeys?" "Take them out! We need to reach Sabertooth!" Bravetail knew Alex must be a King level as well. Her involvement could jeopardize their plan to capture Ruby. That was unacceptable. Of course, it might soon be unable to see anything at all. The six King levels clashed in a fierce battle above the city. ... Meanwhile, on a small island off the northwestern coast of the Far North, Ruby and her followers were hiding. She was focused on healing her injuries, oblivious to the approaching danger. They had dug a series of interconnected ice huts beneath the surface, concealing themselves from prying eyes. Such a large group needed sustenance, and in this environment, that meant fishing. This was one of the reasons Ruby had chosen this remote coastline. It was close enough to the Far North, the cold climate was conducive to their strength, and food was readily available. But the main reason was that Ruby had reached a bottleneck in her cultivation. She needed a specific environment to break through to King level, and this was the perfect place. That was why she hadn''t left the Far North entirely. The exit was to the northwest, a vast expanse of the Endless Sea and countless islands. To leave the Far North, they would have to travel south, crossing the entire region, increasing the risk of discovery. Ruby had a feeling that she would break through to King level once she fully recovered, so she focused on healing. As for hunting, surely that wasn''t a task for the queen. This had led to their encounter with the sea folk. A careless mistake, a coincidence, or perhaps fate. The ice huts, flush with the surface, were only meant to blend in from a distance. A Monarch or King level could easily detect the Arctic Tigerfolk hidden within. Sabertooth and another elder were scouring the coastline, island by island. They knew Ruby was somewhere along the northwestern coast, but the area was vast. Even they couldn''t pinpoint the exact location. They had to resort to a slow and methodical search, flying low, extending their senses, checking every nook and cranny. They hadn''t brought any followers, fearing they might alert Ruby. But searching with only two elders was a slow process. Fortunately, their King level senses had a wide range. They would cover the area soon enough. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Ruby was only a Monarch. Even with her powerful spatial magic, she wouldn''t be able to escape in this open terrain. Suddenly, Sabertooth paused, its eyes narrowing. It thought it saw movement on the ice in the distance. "Over there! Let''s check it out!" Trusting its keen eyesight, it alerted the other elder and changed course, flying towards the spot at full speed. The Arctic Tigerfolk beneath the ice, about to head out for a hunt, lifted the ice sheet slightly to peek outside. It spotted two white dots in the sky. There were no birds in the Far North. These were undoubtedly powerful members of their tribe, sent to search for them! It quickly concealed itself, hoping to avoid detection. At this distance, a Monarch level wouldn''t have noticed it. But these were two King level elders. As the Arctic Tigerfolk trembled in fear, a blinding light suddenly pierced through the ice. It looked up, its eyes widening in terror. "Found you!" Sabertooth grinned triumphantly, staring down at the trapped Arctic Tigerfolk. It had no intention of killing it. "She must be nearby. Seal off this area." Sabertooth acted decisively, snatching the Arctic Tigerfolk with a flick of its paw. It then split up with the other elder, moving in opposite directions to surround the island. Meanwhile, Ruby, hidden beneath the ice, remained oblivious to her discovery, focusing on enhancing her powers. Their hideout consisted of interconnected chambers carved out of the ice, concealed beneath the original ice sheet, blending seamlessly with the surroundings. However, these chambers weren''t connected to Ruby''s. Even if they realized they had been discovered, they couldn''t warn her. Surfacing would expose them and draw the elders'' attention to Ruby''s location. The Arctic Tigerfolk that had been spotted was merely a scout, stationed some distance from their main hideout. But they knew they couldn''t hide for long. If they didn''t warn Ruby now, she would have no chance to escape. Inside one of the ice chambers, a group of Arctic Tigerfolk huddled, their faces grim. They had sensed the elders'' arrival and were frantically discussing their options. "There are only two of them, but they''re elders! We have to warn the queen!" "But if we surface, they''ll spot us. The queen''s resting place is miles away. How do we reach her?" The Arctic Tigerfolk were in a panic. They were all Standard level. Their speed compared to a King level was vastly inferior. Then, one of them came up with an idea, their only option. "We''ll all surface and scatter, alerting the others. We''ll distract the elders while one of us sneaks off to warn the queen." By creating chaos, they could prevent the elders from pinpointing Ruby''s location. It was a desperate gamble, sacrificing themselves to buy Ruby time to escape. If Ruby escaped, they would have no chance of survival. Sabertooth had already found seven or eight Arctic Tigerfolk, each hiding alone in a separate chamber. The island was large, and their distribution was irregular, but Sabertooth wasn''t worried. There were only a hundred or so of them. It was only a matter of time before it found them all. The other elder was circling above, keeping watch, while Sabertooth searched for the hidden Arctic Tigerfolk on the ground. Ruby''s spatial magic shielded her from their senses, preventing them from finding her quickly. "Sabertooth, they''re all coming out!" The elder in the sky shouted. Sabertooth looked around, surprised to see over a hundred Arctic Tigerfolk emerging from the ice. "Hmph!" Sabertooth scoffed, seeing through their ploy. It soared into the sky, ignoring the fleeing Arctic Tigerfolk. It watched them from above. Most of them scattered in all directions, but the fewest were heading northwest. Sabertooth smirked. "She must be hiding there." It flew towards the northwestern part of the island, leaving the other elder to continue observing the fleeing Arctic Tigerfolk. Moments after Sabertooth left, Maulclaw and Shadowfang appeared in the distance. The elder''s eyes widened in alarm. Why hadn''t Bravetail and its companion stopped them? And why was Shadowfang with Maulclaw? Maulclaw and Shadowfang only needed to find traces of Sabertooth and the other elder. They didn''t need to waste time searching for Ruby, which was why they had arrived so quickly. Sabertooth, spotting them, ignored them, signaling the other elder to intercept them. Once they captured Ruby, they would have leverage over Maulclaw. It wasn''t worried. Meanwhile, Ruby opened her eyes inside her ice chamber. The commotion outside and the alarm she had set up told her she had been discovered. She didn''t waste time wondering how. She burst out of the chamber and onto the ice, coming face to face with Sabertooth, who was flying towards her. She glanced at the distance and saw Maulclaw and the other three elders. Without hesitation, she activated her spatial magic, attempting to escape. Sabertooth was the strongest of the elders, besides Maulclaw and Bravetail. Even at her peak, Ruby wouldn''t be able to handle a lv1 King level, let alone Sabertooth in its current state. "You''re not getting away!" Sabertooth roared, accelerating. Suddenly, it sensed danger and abruptly changed course, dodging to the side. A black scythe, wrapped in chains, slashed through the air where it had been a moment ago. Sabertooth stared at the attacker, a shadowy figure cloaked in black, wielding a chained scythe. "What is that thing?" Sabertooth was bewildered. It had never seen such a creature, but it sensed a King level aura from its attack. The Reaper Guard, rarely speaking except to their queen, ignored Sabertooth''s shock and charged. Sabertooth unleashed its full power, unwilling to waste time on this strange creature. Its only goal was to capture Ruby. Ruby, fleeing in the distance, sensed the clash behind her. She turned and gasped. That was Alex''s undead! Why was it here? Did that mean Alex was here too? She sensed a familiar aura and looked ahead, her face lighting up with joy. Standing before her was a beautiful girl with flowing white hair. "Hey Ruby, it''s been ages!" Chapter 308: I was just unlucky, not having a powerful friend like this human girl Alex smiled at Ruby. It had been a while since they had seen each other. Ruby looked weary, her breathing ragged, her injuries far from healed."Alex!" Ruby threw herself into Alex''s arms, and they embraced tightly. Alex gently patted Ruby''s back. "This was reckless, you know." Alex whispered. Tears welled up in Ruby''s eyes. "I just... I just wanted..." "It''s alright. I''m here now. Your subordinate found me, but you had already left by the time I arrived. That''s why I wasn''t here sooner." Alex interrupted Ruby, sensing her distress. She understood. After centuries of slumber, Ruby was still a child at heart, prone to impulsive actions. "Sit down. Let me heal you." Ruby obeyed, trusting Alex completely. With her mastery of high-level soul and nature magic, Alex could heal both physical and spiritual wounds. "I''ve persuaded Maulclaw and Shadowfang. They''re on your side now. As for your opponents, I''ll take care of them. You will rule the Arctic Tigerfolk. Now, focus on your healing and don''t worry about anything else." While healing, Ruby explained the situation within the tribe. "There are still three elders at the tribe''s territory. They''re all King level. Can you defeat them?" Despite Alex''s reassurances, Ruby couldn''t help but worry. "Don''t worry. They won''t be a problem." Alex smiled. Death Spirit possessing the lv2 King level Reaper Guard, was now lv4. Even Bravetail wouldn''t stand a chance. And Maulclaw, the second strongest elder, was a lv3 King level. Alex glanced at the sky. The remaining elder would soon be defeated by Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Soon, Ruby''s injuries were healed. She was still weak, but no longer in danger. Ruby stood up, her face glowing with renewed vitality. She looked at Alex, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Alex." "No need for thanks between friends." Alex sensed that Ruby had reached half-step King level. In system terms, she was at max experience as a Monarch and could break through to King level at any moment. "Alex, I want to break through to King level!" Ruby''s eyes were filled with determination. Even with Alex''s help in unifying the tribe, she needed to be strong herself. Without King level power, she wouldn''t be truly accepted as their leader. "Alright, I''ll help you." Alex didn''t ask any questions. Ruby sat down, a transparent spatial barrier forming around her. Icy energy swirled within, and the faint outline of a white tiger began to materialize. Alex observed for a moment, realizing that Ruby''s breakthrough was different from that of other lords. It would take time, much slower than the instant level-up process for lords using experience points. She decided to leave Ruby to it and turned her attention to the battlefield. Sabertooth and the Reaper Guard were locked in combat. The Reaper Guard, outmatched, was struggling to hold its own against Sabertooth''s relentless attacks. Sabertooth glanced at Alex, its expression grim. It didn''t know who this girl was, but it had witnessed her healing Ruby and Ruby''s imminent breakthrough to King level. Clearly, this girl, was most likely a King level as well. And this strange shadowy creature was probably her subordinate. With the two elders occupied, the Arctic Tigerfolk, sensing the shift in power, stopped fleeing and began to gather around Ruby. They recognized Alex and knew she had saved their queen. "Thank you for saving us!" They surrounded Alex, expressing their heartfelt gratitude. "Rise." Alex waved her hand, instructing them to protect Ruby. The battle between Sabertooth and the Reaper Guard would take some time. Alex was the deciding factor now. She would end this quickly and ensure Ruby''s safety. A flash of light, and her scythe materialized in her hand. Sabertooth, seeing this, braced itself for the attack. But in the next instant, Alex vanished. Sabertooth''s eyes widened in alarm. It knew she was coming for it. It swung its weapon, a pair of elongated fangs, forcing the Reaper Guard back. Sabertooth reacted quickly, but Alex was faster. She appeared behind it, her scythe raised. Sabertooth whirled around, its eyes meeting Alex''s deep blue gaze. Its mind went blank. Its surroundings shifted, dissolving into an empty void. It felt as if it was falling into an abyss, paralyzed, utterly alone. In reality, Sabertooth stood frozen, its eyes glowing blue. It was Soul magic, amplified by her scythe''s weapon spirit, and was one of Alex''s realm abilities. A mere glance into her eyes had trapped Sabertooth in an illusion. Within Alex''s realm, Sabertooth was helpless prey. A single swing of her scythe would end its life. But Alex didn''t kill it. She bound it with thorny vines, intending to let Ruby decide its fate. When Sabertooth''s mind cleared, it found itself entangled in thorny vines that pierced its flesh. The plague magic coursing through its veins prevented it from resisting. The longer it remained bound, the weaker it would become, but it wouldn''t die. "Keep an eye on it." Alex instructed the Reaper Guard, then flew towards the other battle, deciding to lend Maulclaw and Shadowfang a hand. The Reaper Guard stood silently, its scythe a grim reminder of Sabertooth''s impending judgment. Sabertooth''s face was ashen. It knew its mission had failed, and its life hung in the balance. Fear gnawed at its heart. It couldn''t understand why Bravetail and the others hadn''t arrived to help or intercepted Maulclaw. They shouldn''t have failed. It struggled against the vines, but they only tightened their grip. The potent toxins coursed through its body, turning its skin a sickly hue. The Reaper Guard''s looming presence and its deadly scythe felt like a death sentence. Their intentions were clear. They would hand it over to Ruby. And Ruby, facing a traitor, would show no mercy. On the other side of the battlefield. "Maulclaw, Shadowfang, are you betraying the tribe?!" The elder, battered and bruised from Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s combined assault, could only roar in anger. It was nearing its limit. "The true traitors are you!" Maulclaw retorted. The elder paused, assessing the situation. It noticed the human girl''s intervention and Sabertooth''s capture. Sensing imminent defeat, it decided to flee. But Alex appeared before it, blocking its path. Maulclaw and Shadowfang closed in, forming a triangle. With her mastery of high-level spatial magic, Alex was practically unmatched in speed among King levels. "Are you coming quietly, or do I have to persuade you?" Magic circles materialized around Alex, thorny vines snaking out. Seeing no chance of escape, the elder surrendered. Unlike Sabertooth, it had been a neutral elder. It might still have a chance to survive under Ruby''s rule. Shadowfang took charge of guarding the captured elder. Alex glanced at Shadowfang''s retreating figure, a thoughtful expression on her face. Despite its impulsive nature, it had kept its word. It hadn''t betrayed them. After all, Shadowfang''s allegiance was based on a verbal agreement, not any binding contract. With the two elders captured, the battle here was over. Now they just had to wait for Ruby to break through to King level. Maulclaw, however, remained worried. It remembered Bravetail''s attempt to stop them when they left. Alex had intercepted them, but now she was here, and the other three elders were nowhere to be seen. Maulclaw didn''t believe Alex could kill three elders in an instant. It feared their arrival would turn the tide of battle. Only Shadowfang was excited, curiously examining the Reaper Guard, wondering how Alex had acquired such a powerful ally. "What about the other three elders?" Maulclaw asked Alex, its voice laced with concern. "My subordinates will handle them." Alex''s casual dismissal surprised Maulclaw. This girl was clearly more than she appeared. Meanwhile, at the heart of the Arctic Tigerfolk territory... The clash of six King levels sent the Arctic Tigerfolk scattering, fleeing the city in terror, fearing the devastating power of the battle raging above. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As they ran, they glanced anxiously at the sky. To them, those strange black figures were invaders, and they hoped their elders would prevail. Their feelings towards Ruby were ambivalent. Thanks to the elders'' deliberate misinformation, they were completely unaware that the former queen had an heir. Bravetail''s face was grim. It had initially dismissed the three black figures as mere distractions, but it soon realized its mistake. ???¦®§®???.?§°? These creatures were incredibly powerful. The three elders were no match for them. The other two elders were holding their own, but Bravetail was already wounded, its strength waning. "What the hell are these things? They''re unkillable!" Bravetail''s eye twitched. It had initially scoffed at their reckless, injury-for-injury fighting style. Now, it was sweating, desperately searching for a way to kill them. If this dragged on, they would lose. And they had heard Alex''s parting words loud and clear. [Kill them!] Suddenly, the Reaper Guard fighting Bravetail split into two shadows, merging with the other two Reaper Guards. Bravetail was momentarily relieved, thinking its opponent had weakened. But the other two elders were caught off guard and severely wounded. Then, all three Reaper Guards unleashed their realm powers, merging them into one! Bravetail and the other elders tried to resist, but their combined realm power shattered instantly. They coughed up blood. Bravetail could only watch helplessly as they were enveloped by the enemy''s realm. They were all Arctic Tigerfolk, but their realms distinct and incompatible. How could those three black figures merge theirs? A merged realm was unheard of among the Arctic Tigerfolk. They didn''t know that this was one of Death Spirit''s abilities. Even with identical realms, the three Reaper Guards wouldn''t be able to merge them without it. The moment they entered the enemy''s realm, Bravetail and the others knew their fate. They couldn''t defeat the master of this realm. They were plunged into an endless abyss of darkness, their night vision useless. Bravetail knew the enemy''s realm power had blocked their senses. It couldn''t even sense the other two elders. Perhaps they were right beside it, or perhaps light-years away. A scythe pierced Bravetail''s chest from behind. It coughed up blood. Without its realm, it was as helpless as a newborn cub. Whether it was a realm or a domain, being shattered by an opponent''s power resulted in severe injuries, preventing its immediate re-activation. Losing one''s realm meant losing both combat power and a means of escape. This was why many King levels hesitated to use their realms unless they were certain of their opponent''s strength. Great power came with significant drawbacks. Bravetail felt its life force draining away. It wanted to warn the other elders, but no sound escaped its lips. It wouldn''t go down without a fight. It grabbed the scythe, preventing it from penetrating further, and activated the last vestiges of its realm power. A brilliant blue light emanated from its body, dispelling the darkness. But it couldn''t find the other elders. The blue light intensified, turning white as it reached its peak. Boom! A deafening explosion rocked the realm. The Reaper Guard, hidden in the shadows, retreated deeper into its realm, avoiding the blast. Bravetail had detonated its realm, hoping to take its enemy down with it. But its remaining realm power was too weak. It barely scratched the merged realm, causing only a slight tremor. A Reaper Guard appeared before Bravetail''s mangled remains, casting a summoning spell to extract its soul and raise it as an undead. As for the other two elders, they had been swiftly killed by the Reaper Guard the moment they entered the realm. === The Blood Moon hung high in the night sky, casting an eerie crimson glow over the Far North. On the island, Alex stood silently beside Ruby, guarding her as she went through her breakthrough. She was closest to Ruby, surrounded by the Arctic Tigerfolk, with Maulclaw and Shadowfang forming an outer perimeter. The Arctic Tigerfolk clearly trusted Alex more than the two elders. Maulclaw didn''t mind. It could tell from their attitude that Alex and Ruby were close friends. Sabertooth and the other captured elder had resigned themselves to their fate, no longer struggling or pleading for mercy. Bravetail hadn''t come to their rescue. Sabertooth had to accept Alex''s words. They were most likely dead. Tonight, the Arctic Tigerfolk would see a change in leadership. Before finding Ruby, Alex had instructed her Reaper Guards to kill their opponents. It was easier and more efficient than capturing them and guarding them. Now that Ruby was safe, she would decide the fate of these two elders. Suddenly, Alex sensed a shift in Ruby''s aura. A smile spread across her face. The other King levels present also noticed it, but Alex, being closest and constantly observing Ruby, was the first to react. Sabertooth''s heart sank. It knew judgment was upon it. Ruby''s breakthrough had reached a critical stage. A King level aura emanated from her. A majestic white tiger phantom materialized behind her, radiating an aura of power and authority, its chilling presence lowering the already frigid temperature. A wave of potent bloodline power washed over them, forcing the surrounding Arctic Tigerfolk to their knees. Only now did Shadowfang believe Maulclaw''s words. This overwhelming bloodline power couldn''t be faked. The pressure emanating from Ruby''s very soul commanded their obedience. She was their queen! Every Arctic Tigerfolk, except Alex, knelt, including Sabertooth and the other elder. Even bound and restrained, they didn''t want Ruby''s first act as queen to be their execution. Survival was their priority now. A little kneeling wouldn''t hurt. Anyone could put on a show. A surge of spatial energy erupted, cracking the solid ice beneath their feet. Ruby opened her eyes, her aura surging as she crossed the threshold from Monarch to King level. "Congratulations, great queen, on your ascension to King level! May you lead the Arctic Tigerfolk to greatness once more!" The Arctic Tigerfolk cheered. Alex smiled. "Congratulations." "Thank you, Alex. I couldn''t have done it without you." Ruby acknowledged Alex before addressing her subjects. "You''re welcome." Alex stepped aside, revealing Maulclaw and the captured elders. It was time for Ruby to assert her authority and deal with them personally. Ruby approached slowly, Alex following close behind. The Arctic Tigerfolk watched intently. Ruby knew everything that had transpired. Maulclaw, defying the tribe, had secretly helped her by allowing the tiger guard to escape and find Alex. Shadowfang, persuaded by Maulclaw, had pledged its allegiance. She could forgive these two elders and enlist their help in ruling the tribe. But the others would face her judgment. Sabertooth watched Ruby approach, remaining silent. It had planned to beg for mercy the moment she awoke. But now, facing her unwavering gaze and youthful appearance, it couldn''t bring itself to grovel. The other captured elder, however, writhed desperately against its restraints, pleading for its life. "Please, have mercy! I was forced by Bravetail and the others! I''m weak, with no power or influence. I had to obey them! I never wanted any of this!" But Ruby remained impassive. She had tried to win this elder over before, but it had refused. Now, it had chosen to oppose her. She couldn''t tolerate such a fickle individual. "Enough!" Ruby raised her hand, and a spatial blade flashed, decapitating the elder. Its head rolled on the ground, its eyes wide with disbelief. Maulclaw, ever composed, wasn''t surprised. This was a show of force. Ruby wouldn''t spare any of the elders who had betrayed her. Sabertooth had already accepted its fate. Now, facing death, it felt a strange sense of calm. "Do you have any last words?" Ruby asked, her voice cold. Alex watched silently. "Hmph, if it weren''t for that human helping you, you wouldn''t be standing here saying that. I was just unlucky, not having a powerful friend like this human girl. I have nothing to say!" Sabertooth maintained its haughty demeanor, clinging to its pride as an elder, forgetting its previous display of subservience. It didn''t respect Ruby. It believed she had only won because of outside help. Otherwise, victory would have been theirs. Ruby didn''t argue or show anger. They could grovel before the Beastman Empire, but they still looked down on her, the rightful heir to the throne. Talking to them was a waste of time. She ended Sabertooth''s life without hesitation. She felt no remorse, only a fleeting thought: would it have been so defiant if it were facing execution by the Beastman Empire? "Alex, you can summoning them as undead." Ruby turned to Alex. Alex didn''t refuse. Two King level corpses were valuable assets, far more useful than the experience points gained from killing them. "By the way, I was in a hurry when I arrived. My undead intercepted Bravetail and the others. They''re probably dead by now." Ruby wasn''t bothered. In fact, she was relieved. She had been worried that Alex''s undead wouldn''t be able to handle Bravetail and the others, resulting in the loss of valuable high-level undead. "It''s fine, those three elders should already be dead. Let''s go back." Chapter 309: Unified the Arctic Tigerfolk The crimson moon hung high overhead, bathing the Far North in an eerie red light. It was midnight.Most of the tribe was asleep, and only the gentle lapping of waves against the shore of the northern coastline disturbed the peaceful silence. But at the heart of the Far North, in the Arctic Tigerfolk territory, the seven mountain peak cities blazed with light, their fires casting a warm glow across the vast, icy expanse. At the center, the queen''s palace, the previously destroyed iceberg had been restored. Upon their return, Alex, Ruby, and the other Arctic Tigerfolk had immediately set about repairing it with their frost magic. Reconstructing an iceberg was a simple task for four King levels working together. The underground chamber where Ruby had slept was filled in, and the iceberg was restored to its former glory. Finally, Alex and Ruby reinforced it with spatial magic, making it virtually indestructible. Meanwhile, Maulclaw and Shadowfang had been busy. Upon returning to the tribe''s territory, they quickly summoned the Monarchs from their respective camps, instructing them to gather the entire Arctic Tigerfolk at the foot of the iceberg. Soon, a massive crowd of Arctic Tigerfolk had assembled, surrounding the iceberg. They were unaware of the reason for this sudden summons, assuming it was another late-night meeting to discuss tribal matters or strategies against other races. Maulclaw and Shadowfang hovered above, observing the gathering. Once everyone had arrived, Maulclaw descended, landing in the center of the crowd. The Arctic Tigerfolk stared at the elder, who rarely made public appearances, wondering what announcement it was about to make. "We have gathered you all here tonight for a very important announcement." Maulclaw''s voice boomed across the crowd, silencing the murmurs. It continued, "Three hundred and seventy-two years ago, our queen perished, and the royal bloodline was thought to be extinguished. To prevent internal strife, the seven camps decided to rule the tribe jointly, forming the Elder Council. But as time passed, the flaws of the Elder Council became apparent. Parasites emerged within the tribe, prioritizing their own interests over the tribe''s well-being. They were selfish, corrupt, and formed factions. They forgot the true purpose of strengthening and expanding the tribe, blinded by power. They betrayed the queen''s legacy and are unworthy of their positions!" Maulclaw''s words were met with confusion. The Arctic Tigerfolk didn''t understand why the elder was telling them a story. To these Standard level beings, with their short lifespans, events from centuries ago were irrelevant. "We have discovered that the queen''s bloodline survives! Yet, these elders, clinging to their power, sought to eliminate the queen''s only heir! They are guilty of treason!" Maulclaw''s declaration sent shockwaves through the crowd. The queen''s bloodline still existed! The elders had tried to kill the queen''s heir to maintain their grip on power! To them, the queen from centuries ago was a legend, a symbol of their faith. Without her, the Arctic Tigerfolk wouldn''t exist as they did today. They would still be wandering nomads. Those who had heard rumors of these events finally understood the elders'' recent actions and the reason for the tribe''s mobilization. "They are traitors! They betrayed the tribe! According to tribal law, they must be executed!" Maulclaw''s words stunned the Arctic Tigerfolk. Executing elders? That was unthinkable! But what happened next shocked them even more. Thump! Thump! Several heavy thuds echoed through the air, drawing their attention. They rushed forward, their eyes widening in horror. The bodies of the elders lay before them! Maulclaw wasn''t joking. They had actually killed those elders! Maulclaw, seeing their reaction, knew they were shaken by the elders'' deaths. It continued, "Today, I announce that the Arctic Tigerfolk will follow our new queen!" Maulclaw and Shadowfang unleashed their King level auras, silencing the restless crowd. They turned towards the palace, bowing respectfully. "Let us welcome our new queen!" Ruby, standing atop the palace, knew it was her cue. She stepped forward, walking on air, her aura flaring as she activated her bloodline power. This was the most direct way to prove her royal lineage. A giant white tiger phantom materialized behind her, roaring fiercely. The soundless roar sent shivers down the spines of every Arctic Tigerfolk present. This was a bloodline power far superior to their own. There was no doubt that the young girl in the sky was the queen''s heir! Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s camps were the first to react, kneeling in unison, pledging their allegiance. "Long live the queen!" With the two largest camps declaring their loyalty, the smaller camps followed suit, their chieftains bowing before Ruby. Three of the remaining five camps quickly joined them, two of them former neutral factions, the other sensing the shift in power and choosing to side with the winner. The last two camps, facing immense pressure, reluctantly pledged their allegiance as well. Maulclaw observed the scene, taking note of the hesitant chieftains. They were Bravetail''s loyalists and would be dealt with later. Ruby hovered in the air, glancing back at Alex, who stood outside the palace, a sweet smile on her face. Then, she turned to her subjects. This day had finally arrived. She had unified the Arctic Tigerfolk! === Three days had passed. It had been a week since Alex left Undead City. She had spent her time exploring the Arctic Tigerfolk territory, reading their books, and investigating the Sea Folk situation along the coast. Ruby, now queen, had many matters to attend to. Fortunately, Maulclaw, her loyal steward, handled most of the administrative tasks, easing her burden. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® She consolidated her rule, purged dissenters from the camps, and formulated plans for the tribe''s future. Five of the seven camps, having lost their King level elders, were no longer at the top of the hierarchy. They were now on equal footing with the other camps. Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s camps became the largest, and to demonstrate their loyalty, they sent their elite warriors to serve in the palace atop the central iceberg. The palace was being expanded, transforming into a city to accommodate them. As for the seven vacant mountain peak cities, all Arctic Tigerfolk would have the opportunity to live there in the future. The first thing Ruby did after becoming queen was to announce the abolition of previously unequal treatment, ensuring now that all Arctic Tigerfolk could enjoy the same treatment. Alex was lounging in a room within the palace, her eyes closed, enjoying a nap. It was time to fulfill her promise to Ruby. Undead City was running smoothly, and after much deliberation, Alex had decided to stay here for a while. The Arctic Tigerfolk''s library was surprisingly small, hardly befitting a race with centuries of history. Perhaps they valued brute strength over intellectual pursuits. The books chronicled the tribe''s history and the surrounding regions of the Far North. To Alex''s surprise, there was no mention of the large island to the north. She was intrigued by this mystery, but whether the island was real or just a legend remained to be seen. The books also confirmed that the Far North was indeed on the edge of the Eldoria Continent, bordering the Endless Sea. The numerous islands and harsh environment had turned the coastal regions into a frozen wasteland. Even the Sea Folk avoided this place, preferring the warmer depths of the ocean. Yet, they had encountered Sea Folk just a few days ago. They had come ashore through tunnels dug in the ice. These coastal Sea Folk were weak. They weren''t true Sea Race. Even if they possessed valuable information, it would be useless. "Why are the Sea Folk venturing onto land instead of staying in the ocean?" Alex was puzzled, but it wasn''t her concern. If the Sea Race were planning something, it would be the major land races that would bear the brunt of their actions. The true Sea Race, it was said, were as powerful as the Angel Race, surpassing even demons and dragons. Humans were weaker than all of them. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex didn''t believe such a powerful race would lack ambition. The Angel Race was already making their intentions clear. As for the Far North, its climate was harsh, with freezing temperatures year-round. What lay beyond the Endless Sea, north of the Far North? Was this world flat or round? Perhaps she would have to travel to human lands or seek out a more knowledgeable race to find the answers. But Alex wasn''t just driven by curiosity. To survive in this world, she needed to understand it. She hadn''t been idle during these three days. The Far North was two days'' travel from Undead City, far beyond the range of her teleportation magic. Unless she used a pre-constructed teleportation array, relying solely on her mana reserves would drain her completely. Although she had successfully framed the human Mages'' Association for the Beastman Empire incident, there was no guarantee they wouldn''t investigate further. As a precaution, after discussing it with Ruby, Alex had constructed an undead fortress to facilitate teleportation and provide support if needed. Naturally, such a large structure had to be hidden. The iceberg beneath her palace was the perfect location. She carved out a space within, reinforced it with spatial magic, and concealed the undead fortress inside. Thanks to the sealing, the Arctic Tigerfolk couldn''t see the fortress from outside. Alex hadn''t stationed any undead there. The fortress''s sole purpose was to serve as a teleportation hub. Just as Alex was about to doze off, the heavy wooden door creaked open. Ruby entered, her face etched with exhaustion. Alex straightened up, lowering her crossed legs, and opened her eyes, teasing, "So, how does it feel to rule a tribe?" "It''s awful! It''s so much work..." Ruby groaned, clearly exhausted from the past few days. "You can build a team, delegate tasks, and rely on Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s advice. With those two elders, you don''t have to worry about any unrest. Focus on the tribe''s overall well-being, and you''ll gain their trust and solidify your rule." Alex offered her advice. "But it''s a long process. How long it takes depends on how much authority you command as queen." Ruby''s face fell. It would take a long time? "Ugh, so I can''t just go out and have fun..." "Did you think ruling a tribe would be easy?" If it weren''t for her absolutely loyal undead, Alex would have to worry about consolidating her rule and preventing rebellions. "Well, wait a few more days. I''ll talk to Maulclaw, and then we can visit a human city together!" Ruby''s eyes lit up at the prospect of a trip. She was suddenly full of enthusiasm again. Alex chuckled. "Alright." Chapter 310: The world is vast. I need to see more of it The plan to venture into human territory didn''t worry Alex much.After all, she had a human identity here. It was also a good opportunity to learn more about the outside world. She had originally planned to leave Undead City, but Ruby''s situation had brought her to the Far North. It would take a few more days for Ruby to solidify her rule, and Alex had already explored the surrounding area. The undead fortress was complete. She didn''t want to waste any more time here. She decided to return to Undead City. It had been a while. Ruby knew all about the undead fortress''s capabilities. Once she had settled everything here, she could simply send a specter to inform Alex. After bidding farewell to Ruby, Alex teleported to the heart of the iceberg, stepping into the undead fortress''s portal. Dark Forest, Undead City. A white figure materialized in the throne room. Xiao Mu looked up, recognizing Alex. "Leader, you''re back!" Xiao Mu stood up, greeting Alex. Nothing significant had happened in Undead City, so he hadn''t contacted her. "Yes. Is everyone else still out?" Alex nodded. She had sensed that only Xiao Mu and the undead were present. Even the seven race kings were absent. The elders she had killed and summoned as Reaper Guards had returned earlier to help with the development of Undead City. Xiao Mu began reporting on their progress. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. During Alex''s absence, Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Sophie had taken turns guarding the city, ensuring that Xiao Mu''s level didn''t fall behind. The siblings were still at the same level, but Xiao Hui had more experience points. Both were currently lv6 Monarch. Sophie was lv3 Monarch. They had each leveled up only once in the past few days. Their progress was steady. When checking Drake''s level, Alex was surprised to find that he had surpassed the siblings, becoming the highest-leveled subject after her. Drake was now lv7 Monarch. It seemed his development on the Mossvale Continent was going well. Alex estimated he would break through to King level soon. Dragons, undoubtedly, had greater potential than elemental beings. Alex suspected that the siblings'' level cap might be King level. Without some extraordinary opportunity, reaching Emperor level would be difficult. Of course, their cap might be Emperor level. The system didn''t display level caps for subjects, not even for Alex herself. Drake, on the other hand, being a dragon lord, most likely had a Sovereign level cap. As their levels increased, the leveling speed for species with lower level caps would slow down significantly. High-cap races would also experience a slowdown, but it would be less pronounced. At least for now, Alex hadn''t encountered any difficulty leveling up. She was confident that her current level cap was at least Sovereign level. It seemed she would have to prioritize giving any non-essential items or resources to her other subjects. The seven race kings had also leveled up. Their progress was comparable to the siblings''. Excluding Death Spirit, who was at the same level as Alex, four of the six race kings had reached lv7 Monarch. Riven was still lv6, while Arthas had taken the lead, reaching lv8. This was impressive progress. Although they were only Monarch level, with the help of the Reaper Guards, the race kings could easily conquer forces with King level leaders. And by defeating higher-level opponents, their leveling speed would naturally increase. At this point, Arthas alone could probably crush most lords. "Wait, why aren''t you using the resources in the warehouse?" Alex looked at the overflowing warehouse, puzzled. "We estimated that these resources wouldn''t be enough to max out a city, and we weren''t sure which city to prioritize. So we decided to leave the allocation to you." Xiao Mu explained. Of their three cities, only Dragon City was on the front lines. It was developing the fastest and had the greatest potential. Moreover, Drake was developing it independently, without relying on undead assistance, unlike Gemini City and the dwarf city, which benefited from Undead City''s support. After a moment of thought, Alex decided to upgrade Dragon City. Upgrading a city not only expanded its territory but also increased its capacity for auxiliary barracks and enhanced its castle crystal, which would benefit Drake. Most importantly, a max-level city could be relocated at will. Now that Alex was King level, the daily output of a Monarch level unit from each auxiliary barrack was significant. Every barrack was strategically valuable. No matter how repulsive the troops were, Alex wouldn''t pass up the opportunity. She quickly used up the materials, along with magic crystals and essence shards, to upgrade Drake''s barracks. Dragon City reached lv6, three levels away from max level. The barracks also went from lv21 to lv26, nearing its maximum level. "Next time we have resources, prioritize upgrading Dragon City. Once it''s maxed out, focus on Gemini City." Alex instructed Xiao Mu after reviewing the status of their cities. It wasn''t favoritism. The dwarf city was located deep within the White Rock Mountains. To the east was the dwarf kingdom, and to the west, across the Emerald Hills, was Gemini City. It was the safest of their cities, sandwiched between two allies. "Alright, understood." Xiao Mu nodded. Alex entrusted Undead City to Xiao Mu, not the race kings, not only because he was human and more adaptable but also because he could contact her at any time and access the system interface. It was midday. They had plenty of time before nightfall. They sat down, and Xiao Mu began reporting on the races they had conquered recently. This was more of a casual conversation. The conquered races were a done deal, and the rewards were fixed. Alex was more interested in the undead''s exploration progress and the surrounding power dynamics to formulate their next move. First, there was the Savage Plains north of Twinface Mountain. Besides the previously conquered Minotaur camp, there were several other minor races of comparable strength. They had all been conquered, and the undead were expanding outwards, pushing the boundaries of the Savage Plains. Next was the dwarf kingdom. To the west of the kingdom lay a vast desert, home to numerous minor races. But they were all Commanding level at best. Conquering them wouldn''t yield any race tears, and even if it did, Alex had no interest in expanding in that direction. Beyond the desert to the north lay the Southridge Republic, a human nation. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? In short, the desert was a buffer zone between the Southridge Republic and the dwarf kingdom. To the east of the kingdom lay the Desolate Mountains, which Drake had already pacified. The only option was to push further east. They had discovered a new kingdom there, ruled by the Featherfolk. Calling it a kingdom was an understatement. Based on its strength, it could easily rival an empire. The Featherfolk were comparable in strength to the elves. Their king, or chieftain, was at least a mid-level King, possibly even a high-level King. They were clearly stronger than the Arctic Tigerfolk. In the Arsen Continent, the Featherfolk were considered top-tier local beastmen, while the Arctic Tigerfolk on the Eldoria Continent were still being bullied by the Beastman Empire. This highlighted the power disparity between the two continents. Local races referred to those incapable of intercontinental travel. The top-tier races were spread across multiple continents. Even powerful factions like the Beastman Empire, Skyreach Mountains, and Eternal Night City, with their Emperor level leaders, possessed methods of intercontinental travel. They were considered high-level powers. But even among these high-level powers, there were differences. The Arctic Tigerfolk and the Beastman Empire were both King level factions, but their overall strength was vastly different. The Featherfolk were a formidable opponent. Even at its full strength, Undead City might not be able to defeat them. But that wouldn''t stop the undead from waging war. The undead were endless, possessing conventional immortality and the ability to travel between continents. They had nothing to fear. Xiao Hui and Arthas were in charge of this region, along with Undead City''s nine King level undead. They were currently engaged in battle with the Featherfolk. This was a war of attrition. It would likely take Alex reaching high-level King to conquer them completely. But it didn''t matter. As long as the Featherfolk didn''t flee, the undead would keep them occupied. The experience points and potential troops were valuable assets. As for the Emerald Hills, with Gemini City at its center, their influence extended to the eastern border of the Orc Empire. Beyond the Orc Empire''s territory lay a ravaged plain, half of which had already turned into a rocky wasteland. The Orc priests'' pollution had devastated the land, forcing the local races to flee. It was now a desolate wasteland, devoid of life. The refugees had sought shelter in a forest on the northeastern plateau. This forest wasn''t as eerie as the Dark Forest or as vast as the primeval forest. It was just an ordinary forest. But it was also home to another race: the centaurs. The same centaurs Alex had sent her undead to eliminate when dealing with the traitors. They weren''t particularly strong. They had only recently reached King level status. Their chieftain was a low-level King, easily dealt with. Sophie was currently leading the undead in conquering them. Based on Xiao Mu''s report and her own observations, Alex had to admit that the Arsen Continent was no different from their original world. It was a beautiful land, with lush forests, clear rivers, and relatively weak local races. It felt more like a vacation destination than a battleground. After listening to Xiao Mu''s report, Alex leaned back, deep in thought. "Xiao Mu, have them build undead fortresses in the Featherfolk and centaur territories. Traveling back and forth is too time-consuming." Xiao Mu nodded. He had been thinking about building more fortresses but hadn''t wanted to bother Alex with such a minor decision. "You can build them wherever you see fit. I''m giving you the authority. Don''t be so hesitant. As long as it benefits us, I won''t fault you." Alex appreciated Xiao Mu''s initiative. He didn''t bother her with trivial matters. "Oh, and you can send undead to scout the area east of the Dark Forest and west of the Barren Plains. Allocate your forces wisely and expand our influence." If they encountered minor factions, they could conquer them. But if they found a major faction comparable to the Featherfolk, it was best to avoid confrontation for now. Undead City could only handle one major war at a time. Moreover, the Eldoria Continent was different from the Arsen Continent. This was Alex''s base of operations. She couldn''t be too reckless. "Alright, understood." Xiao Mu sensed the underlying message. Alex was giving him detailed instructions, which meant she was planning to leave again soon. "Leader, are you leaving again?" "The world is vast. I need to see more of it." This was Alex''s carefully considered decision. Even without Ruby''s request, she would have left eventually. "We''re lords, outsiders. We know so little about this world. To survive, we need to learn more. Even if we don''t integrate with them, we need to understand them." Xiao Mu was taken aback. Alex''s words made sense. It was something most lords hadn''t considered. As lords, they were different from freelancers. They were inherently opposed to the native races. After all this time, Xiao Mu couldn''t imagine how many lords had never even left their castles. They only focused on developing their immediate surroundings, afraid to explore the outside world. They would never become truly powerful that way. Without understanding the shifting power dynamics of the continent, they were vulnerable to unforeseen threats. "Leader, you''re right. I support you. We''ve come this far. It''s time to venture out." Xiao Mu looked at Alex with determination. It was a risky move, but the knowledge they would gain was worth it. "Leader, do you think there might be former lords among the human rulers? What''s their attitude towards us?" Xiao Mu didn''t believe that none of the previous lords had survived. They must have integrated into human society. Alex agreed. Edgar had only mentioned the number of surviving lords. But there were also freelancers, whose survival rate was likely higher. "Humans are suspiciously powerful. I doubt they achieved it without the help of former lords." That was Alex''s conclusion. As a fellow weak, intelligent race, she had been pondering a question: why were races like hobgoblins, beastmen, and dwarves limited to King level, while humans could ascend to godhood? They were all physically weak races, relying on magic and technology, with a high level of intelligence. Why was the power disparity so vast? Humans, unlike demons, angels, and dragons, were relatively weaker creatures. Yet, they were considered equals. Why? After receiving Edgar''s information, Alex understood. Humans had the accumulated knowledge and experience of previous generations of lords, even the very first lords. With their help, humans had gained a significant advantage, allowing them to develop rapidly. But this was just a theory. Whether the other races were eradicating lords for the "reward" or to suppress humanity remained a mystery. There were too many unanswered questions. Besides uncovering the truth about this world, Alex had to end the lord war and increase her own power. The undead race, once forgotten, would now rise to the top! Chapter 311: Raphaelas plans "Be careful out there, leader. And whatever you do, don''t let them find out you''re a Lord," Xiao Mu cautioned, a hint of worry in his voice.Alex simply grinned and pulled out her badge, handing it to Xiao Mu. The golden badge was heavy in his hand. Two stars adorned its front, while the back displayed a six-pointed star magic circle, a bolt of purple lightning striking through its center. "Leader, this is... a mage association badge?" Xiao Mu carefully examined the badge, venturing a guess. "Bingo. That''s my cover while I''m out and about," Alex said with a smile. Xiao Mu hadn''t expected Alex to get her hands on one of these. Having it would certainly make things easier. "Don''t worry about Undead City, leader. I''ve got this," Xiao Mu declared, assuring Alex with unwavering confidence. "Good. And remember, you have the authority to utilize any resources you need. No need to run every little thing by me." Alex granted him full authority. "Yes, ma''am!" Xiao Mu responded without hesitation. With their business concluded, Alex turned her attention to the race''s Tears she had acquired over the past few days. She had five in total. Three were obtained from the Savage Plains, while the remaining two were tributes from Drake. These races, all Monarch races, lived in camps and hadn''t established kingdoms. Alex absorbed them all. The reward notifications, tucked away in the system messages, had long been ignored. She wasn''t in the mood to sift through them now. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 81/100] A wave of excitement washed over Alex as she saw the progress. The Kingdom''s Tear upgrade was nearly complete! She briefly pondered whether she should wait until after establishing her Empire before leaving, considering the progress was close to maxing out. Ruby still had a few days left. She should have enough time. Drake had already constructed two Auxiliary Barracks in his city. Alex decided to build the remaining three in Dragon City. Five Auxiliary Barracks meant five new Monarch level troops every day. Even as cannon fodder, they would still provide Alex with some experience points. "And done!" Alex put away the Kingdom''s Tear and clapped her hands together. After a few more words with Xiao Mu, she returned to her bedroom. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As evening descended, Alex, wrapped in a towel, made her way to the bath. She hadn''t had a chance to bathe with all the running around lately. Xiao Mu was still out having dinner. As for Xiao Hui and Sophie, they hadn''t returned yet. Without an undead fortress constructed there, traveling back and forth was inconvenient and time-consuming. However, Xiao Mu had already informed them of Alex''s return, and an undead would soon deliver the fortress core to them. Once the undead fortress was built, they could return to Undead City every day, eliminating the need to spend nights in the wilderness. After her bath, Alex simply evaporated the water from her body with a flick of magic. Her figure vanished from the bath and reappeared in her bedroom. Alex walked over to her closet and began searching for clothes worn by the native humans. She couldn''t very well stroll into a human city wearing her pleated skirt; it would be a dead giveaway. While she couldn''t alter her face, she could at least blend in with her attire. Although the presence of Lords had diminished, it was better to be safe than sorry. She couldn''t wear her black robes everywhere, after all. She also needed to find some clothes for Ruby. Her attire was too flashy, and she had to find a hat to conceal her ears. Alex quickly located suitable clothes and stored them in her ring. With that taken care of, there wasn''t much else to prepare. It was then that she remembered the bag of gold coins the mage from Hurricane City had given her. She retrieved it from her ring and weighed it in her hand before opening the bag and taking out a coin for closer inspection. "This can''t be real gold, can it?" Alex held the coin under the light, scrutinizing it. She paid little attention to the image on the coin, as she didn''t recognize the old man depicted on it. However, as her gaze swept across the coin''s face, she froze. "Why does this old geezer look familiar? I swear I''ve seen him somewhere!" A strange feeling washed over Alex. No matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn''t recall where she might have seen the man before. With a shrug, Alex tossed the coin back into the bag and put it away. She slipped under the covers. After all the hustle and bustle, she could finally get a good night''s sleep. === [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] ????????.??? Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up promptly at six in the morning. Dressed and ready for the day, she stepped outside, where a dark elf was already waiting for her. "Master, breakfast today is sandwiches and vegetable salad." Alex nodded and made her way downstairs. Xiao Hui and Sophie still hadn''t returned, and only a few dark elves were downstairs preparing breakfast. Xiao Mu arrived shortly after, and the two of them sat down at the dining table to eat. "Hey, did you ask Lilith to bring over some cat-eared maids?" Alex suddenly thought of this and joked with him. "Huh???" Xiao Mu looked confused. "Leader, I heard that those cat-eared maids were all taken by that Lord..." Xiao Mu didn''t finish his sentence, but his odd expression gave away a hint. Alex felt nauseous, thankful that there was no milk in this morning''s breakfast. "Can''t we just summon new ones every day?" "Leader, if I may speak frankly, I believe a normal male would never pass up these newly summoned cat-eared maids, especially since they are all virgins." Xiao Mu explained earnestly. "Let''s just send a few to Satan. I''m sure he''d be delighted," Alex said, finding the idea rather amusing. "Leader, Lilith and Satan''s levels are even lower than mine now. They''re no longer useful as allies," Xiao Mu said, steering the conversation in a different direction. "I know, I know. But forcing their submission wouldn''t be of much help either. No Lord can keep up with me anymore." Alex spread her hands. She had nothing to hide from Xiao Mu. "Besides, whether it''s submission or alliance, if I continue to grow stronger and widen the gap between us, the end result will be the same." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I see," Xiao Mu said. After breakfast, Alex sat idly in a chair, suddenly remembering that she hadn''t checked the World Chat in ages. It was the perfect way to kill some time this early in the morning and see what the other Lords were up to. Before opening the World Chat, however, Alex glanced at the leaderboard. She noticed some changes in the rankings. Drake had climbed to second place, surpassing Lilith. Sophie remained firmly in fourth, with the Xiao siblings trailing closely behind. Poor Satan was still stuck in seventh place. Opening the World Chat, Alex noticed that the once-frantic scrolling had slowed considerably. A significant number of Lords had perished during this time. Most of the names in the chat were white, indicating Freelancers. Green names, representing Lords, were few and far between. It seemed the Lords had settled into their roles and were no longer engaging in idle chatter. Only the Freelancers currently residing in human cities were busy boasting about their lives. [Amethyst]: "Looking to join a thriving community? Come pledge your allegiance to me! We have everything you could ever desire!" [GlitchWizard]: "Whoa, a top ten big shot! Joining them means we can rule the world! Guys, I''m in. See ya!" [SnackAttacker]: "??? Are you nuts? What if it''s a trap? How did you even survive this long with that pea-sized brain of yours?" [MemeMaestro]: "Don''t listen to those clueless Freelancers. We, the Lords, need to unite and rise together. Aligning ourselves with the top players is the only logical path." [Blue Giant]: "I''m also recruiting. Come join our ranks, and let''s build a powerful alliance. We don''t need the system''s Alliance mechanism; we can create our own. Only by standing together can we survive in this world!" Alex stared at the World Chat in astonishment. What in the world was going on? Raphaela''s lackeys were still relentlessly spamming the chat, trying to recruit Lords. There were even some unfamiliar names among them. She quickly opened the leaderboard to investigate. To her surprise, they were all Lords ranked in the top twenty. There were even some obvious "shills" urging others to join them. They were pulling out all the stops to attract new recruits. Most of the active Lords in the chat were indeed Raphaela''s subordinates. Only the Freelancers were genuinely criticizing them. What had happened to the World Chat? Alex observed for a while longer, realizing that these individuals were simply finding creative ways to spam and entice other Lords into joining their ranks. She briefly considered intervening but decided against it. While Alex''s influence could easily disrupt Raphaela''s plans, it wasn''t worth the effort. They posed no threat to her at the moment. Even if she managed to recruit dozens or even hundreds of Lords, most of them were only at the Commanding level, weaker than even one of Alex''s skeletons. Although she didn''t fully understand how faith power was calculated, Alex was certain it couldn''t compare to the exponential growth of Death Spirit''s power through absorbing death energy. Otherwise, Raphaela would have already become unstoppable. "How boring." Alex closed the World Chat. Apart from those who had submitted to Raphaela, most of the active participants were Freelancers. The Lords were eerily silent. She had a feeling that more of them would transition into Freelancers and integrate into human society in the coming days. If a significant portion of Lords chose this path, wouldn''t that ultimately strengthen the human race? Alex rose from her chair and headed towards the main fortress. It was time to visit Ruby in the far north. Chapter 312: The lord of Sea Lions Alex pushed those thoughts aside for the time being. She stood up and made her way towards the main fortress, intending to visit Ruby in the far north.Upon arriving, she found Ruby still occupied with other matters. Not wanting to interrupt, Alex decided to wait. It was then that she received unexpected news: a Lord had been discovered on a small island. "Where is this... extraterrestrial visitor?" Alex asked, turning to a nearby Arctic Tigerfolk. "This one''s on an uninhabited island to the northwest," the Arctic Tigerfolk replied respectfully. Alex pondered this. This Lord posed no immediate threat nor offered any particular advantage. Whether to eliminate them or not seemed like a decision driven more by whims than strategy. Without the promise of system rewards, Alex wasn''t keen on unnecessary bloodshed. This Lord wasn''t causing any trouble, but leaving them to develop unchecked in the vicinity didn''t sit well with her either. Suddenly, a thought struck her. She could use this Lord as a pawn to get closer to Raphaela! It would save her the trouble of going all the way to Stone Pillar Mountain and potentially provide a way to eliminate several enemies at once. "Take me to this extraterrestrial visitor," Alex instructed the Arctic Tigerfolk. The tiger being, unsure of Alex''s intentions but bound by Ruby''s decree to obey Alex above all others, complied without question. They departed from the settlement, soaring towards the northwest. Shortly after their departure, Ruby burst into the room, her face alight with excitement. Her cheerful expression morphed into confusion upon finding the room empty. "Huh? Where is everyone?" The northwestern region of the far north was a sprawling archipelago of over a hundred islands, both large and small. The Lord''s island lay on the northwestern edge of this chain, bordering the Endless Sea. Its location was similar to Lilith''s city, but it was devoid of any signs of life. Even the Arctic Tigerfolk rarely ventured into this desolate region, which explained why the Lord had remained undetected for so long. However, after Ruby became queen, the Arctic Tigerfolk, bound by tradition, were obligated to patrol their entire territory. While their official territory didn''t encompass the entire far north, the absence of other races had led them to regard it as their own. It was during one such patrol of this desolate expanse that they stumbled upon this Lord. The island''s remote location, buffered by the Arctic Tigerfolk territory, made it relatively safe, save for the scarcity of resources. From her vantage point in the sky, Alex spotted a white castle in the distance. Judging by its appearance, it had reached the town level, though its level wasn''t particularly high. "Such a large town, and it''s gone unnoticed for so long. This extraterrestrial visitor is one lucky fellow." "The Seven Elders, during their rule, were pressured by the Beastman Empire. Our people were forced to consolidate our forces and prepare for a potential migration. We haven''t paid much attention to these border areas." The Arctic Tigerfolk, mistaking Alex''s words as criticism, hastened to explain. "Wait for me here. I''m going to have a little chat," Alex instructed, gently lowering the Arctic Tigerfolk to the ground with her magic before flying towards the castle alone. As she approached the castle, Alex noticed several sea lions frolicking near the island''s shores. Unlike ordinary sea lions, these creatures sported a single, spiraled horn on their heads, resembling a drill bit. This, coupled with their long fangs, gave them a rather intimidating appearance. Alex had never encountered such creatures before, but she surmised they were the Lord''s troops. Several circular tunnels, carved into the thick ice sheet, revealed the churning, icy seawater beneath. These were clearly the work of the sea lions. It seems that a Lord''s summoned troops are often influenced by their native environment. Even under such harsh conditions, they are not starved to death. Alex bypassed the Monarch level shields, which were nothing more than an inconvenience to her now, and landed in the castle''s courtyard. The surroundings were blanketed in a thick layer of snow. Icicles, long and sharp, hung precariously from the eaves. It was clearly freezing. The sea lions, alerted to the intruder''s presence, converged on the castle, intent on eliminating the threat. Alex merely glanced at them, and in an instant, they were encased in ice, transformed into icy statues. Inside the castle, the Lord, alerted by the system''s intrusion notification, didn''t hesitate. He jumped from a window seven stories high. He landed gracefully on the ground, his eyes fixed on Alex, wary and alert. He appeared to be in his early thirties, clad in a thin, black down jacket, camouflage pants, and sturdy boots. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice laced with hostility. His body was tense, poised for action. As if remembering he could use the system to glean information, he brazenly opened his system interface right in front of Alex. Alex stared at him, a bemused expression on her face. She glanced down at her pleated skirt and white stockings, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind. Did she really look like a native in this outfit? [Intruder information detected: lv2 King level hostile Lord!] The man''s eyes widened in disbelief as he read the notification. The fight seemed to drain out of him as he processed this information. This Lord was leagues ahead of him. Resistance was futile. "Which one of the top lords are you?" he asked, his tone softening considerably. His own ranking was far lower, and he wasn''t familiar with the true strength of those at the top. However, he estimated that reaching King level at this stage meant being ranked within the top five, at the very least. "Relax. We have no quarrel. I''m not here to kill you. Just need a small favor. I''m a reasonable person, you see," Alex replied casually. The man frowned. Reasonable? Was she kidding? He knew better than to refuse. If he displeased this top lord, his life would end here and now. "No problem," he agreed readily, not even bothering to ask about the favor. His compliance was immediate and absolute. "You won''t regret this," Alex said with a smile. "It''s simple, really. I need you to contact these Lords: [Amethyst], [Blue Giant], [King Ultraman], [Holy Wing]. Send them a message expressing your desire to join their ranks." "That''s it?" The man looked at Alex, puzzled. ???¦®§®???.?§°? "What if they refuse?" "They won''t. Once they agree, all you need to do is connect your Portal of Transit with theirs," Alex said, her voice turning cold as she mentioned those names. The man sensed the animosity radiating from her. It was clear she had a score to settle with these individuals and intended to use him as a stepping stone. Those names rang a bell, though he couldn''t quite place them. Seizing the opportunity while Alex seemed amicable, he discreetly opened the leaderboard on his system interface, careful not to directly add them as friends just yet. His eyes narrowed as he saw their rankings: eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh. A particular incident, widely discussed and debated, flashed in his mind. "You... You''re that top-ranked undead Lord!" He had spent countless hours on the World Chat, never imagining he''d meet the legendary top lord in person. "Sharp as ever, I see. Now, less talk, more action," Alex urged. The man quickly opened his friends list and sent a message to Titus, adding him as a friend in the process. The friend request remained pending, but Titus responded almost immediately. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [King Ultraman]: "Ranking, strength, troop type and quantity, town and Barrack levels. Report everything." Alex was taken aback. They had an interview process now? The man looked at Alex, seeking guidance. "Tell him," she said. [PixelPirate]: "Rank 8008, lv8 Commanding, lv12 Sea Lion Barracks, 119 troops, lv5 town." [King Ultraman]: "My Alliance is currently full. Would you consider submission? If so, you can immediately relocate your town to my territory." Alex, observing the exchange, raised an eyebrow. They were turning him down? Before she could instruct him further, the man retorted. [PixelPirate]: "Full? You can always kick someone out. I haven''t even met you or seen your setup, and you expect me to hand over my life and hard work just like that? Do you top lords think we lower-ranked Lords are idiots?" Alex was surprised by the man''s boldness. He didn''t hold back. Silence followed. Titus seemed to be pondering his response. The man waited anxiously, stealing glances at Alex. Finally, a system notification chimed. [Your friend request has been accepted!] [King Ultraman]: "How about we form an alliance first? I''d like to assess your situation personally. What do you say?" The man immediately looked at Alex, who gave him a subtle nod. [PixelPirate]: "Sounds good." [King Ultraman]: "Tell me the exact location of your castle." Titus, seemingly suspicious, requested the man''s town coordinates. "Tell him you''re on a glacial island off the coast of the Mossvale continent," Alex instructed. To avoid raising suspicion, she couldn''t reveal his true location deep within the Eldoria continent. It seemed Titus was wary of this exact scenario. If Raphaela knew Alex well enough, she would realize that Alex currently had no presence on the Mossvale continent. This explained why Titus, tasked with recruiting Lords, insisted on personally verifying their claims. It prevented Alex from using the Portal of Transit to reach Raphaela directly. After all, Raphaela had already fallen for a similar trick once. She wouldn''t make the same mistake twice. "Well, taking out this Titan Lord wouldn''t be so bad either," Alex mused. She now knew their location. Eliminating them was only a matter of time. The man relayed the fabricated information to Titus. Meanwhile, on the Arsen continent, at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain... Titus stood beside Raphaela, who stood with her eyes closed, bathed in a holy light, seemingly sensing something. Moments later, she opened her eyes. "He''s telling the truth." Titus relaxed, relieved. "Shall I head over then?" "No. As a precaution, relocate your town first. Then you can investigate." Raphaela, it seemed, wasn''t taking any chances. Titus nodded and immediately contacted one of his subjects, instructing them to move his town away from Stone Pillar Mountain. They had been actively recruiting Lords, and to prevent Alex from using this to track them down, they had taken extensive precautions. Raphaela watched as Titus''s town vanished, a flicker of unease crossing her cold, stoic features. "Let''s hope everything goes according to plan." A large number of Lords had already gathered at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain. Their submission had significantly bolstered Raphaela''s power. "Still not enough. I need to regain my full strength and break through to King level as soon as possible." Chapter 313: Titan bloodline In the far north, as they waited, the man noticed Alex''s lack of hostility and found himself relaxing. He decided to strike up a conversation."Excuse me, but is this place... the Mossvale continent?" he asked Alex, hoping she could shed some light on his whereabouts. He had been here for a while, but all he knew was that it was called the far north. He had no idea which continent it belonged to. His description of the island as a glacier-ridden wasteland wasn''t a lie, which was why it had fooled Raphaela''s senses. "No, this is the Eldoria continent," Alex replied. It wasn''t much of a secret, and judging by his question, she figured he didn''t even know where he was. For these isolated Lords who rarely ventured out, such basic information remained a mystery. As the man established an Alliance with Titus, the Portal of Transit sprang to life, pulsating with an orange-red glow. "He''s here," the man announced, though the system notification beat him to it. Alex, however, remained motionless, her expression unchanged. The man was puzzled. Wasn''t she going to kill him? The Portal of Transit shimmered, and Titus, clad in a brown leather jacket and sporting short hair, stepped out. A blast of frigid air hit him, sending a shiver down his spine before he could acclimate. His eyes fell upon the two figures waiting for him: a burly man and a beautiful girl... Titus froze, his blood turning to ice. Fear gripped him, paralyzing his thoughts. Without hesitation, he spun around, intending to dive back into the Portal of Transit. But as he turned, the air thickened, holding him captive. It was as if he were trapped in quicksand, unable to move a muscle. "Since you''re here, why the rush?" a voice that sent shivers down his spine echoed behind him. Titus tried to summon his powers, attempting to break free from the force that bound him, but his efforts were futile. He felt a disorienting shift in space, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing before Alex, ripped away from the safety of the Portal of Transit. The man beside Alex watched, bewildered. As a mere Commanding level Lord, the intricacies of this display of power were beyond his comprehension. He watched as fear contorted Titus''s face, wondering why he didn''t run, why he willingly moved closer to Undead Lord. Alex didn''t waste time with words. With a flick of her slender finger, a spatial blade materialized, slicing through Titus in an instant. From the moment he saw Alex to the moment he died, barely five seconds had passed. He didn''t even have the chance to utter a final word. As Raphaela''s minion, he elicited no sympathy from Alex. She had no need for his information, nor his submission. She could sense two distinct types of holy power emanating from his remains. One belonged to Titus himself, his titan power. The other, she surmised, was Raphaela''s angelic power. A quick glance at the system rewards brought a satisfied smile to her face, but now wasn''t the time to delve into those. "Good work," she said to the man, ignoring the corpse at her feet as she turned and left the island. The man stood there, alone, buffeted by the wind, the gruesome sight of Titus''s headless body etched into his mind. The sheer power undead lord had displayed in that single, fleeting moment sent shivers down his spine. Both were ranked among the top ten, yet that girl had obliterated Titus with such ease! A gray magic circle formed beneath Titus''s corpse, and a lich crawled out from its depths. Alex had initially planned to use his corpse to summon a zombie titan, but its sheer size would have been impractical. So, she opted for a lich instead. Lords with powerful bloodlines typically needed to reach the later stages of the King level for their bloodline to fully awaken. Therefore, technically speaking, Titus was still human, not even a half-titan. Meanwhile, in a remote region of the Arsen continent... Two towns stood side by side. Suddenly, one of them began to shake violently before collapsing in on itself. The Lord nearby gasped. "Titus is dead!" The titans within the crumbling town, now masterless, remained within the ruined walls. Their eyes flickered with a golden light. Then, in unison, they turned to the nearby Lord, offering their submission. The Lord readily accepted, immediately relaying the news to Raphaela. Raphaela received the news with a stoic expression. She let out a soft sigh and returned to her city. "Tell the others to ease up on the Lord recruitment for now." ... ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Back in the far north, Alex, accompanied by the Arctic Tigerfolk, returned to the palace. She settled into a chair and opened her system interface, eager to review the notifications. [Congratulations! You have slain a unique Barrack Lord and earned special rewards: Titan Bloodline Power, Titan Barrack.] [Note: Only one unique Barrack can exist at a time.] Alex shot up from her chair, her eyes wide with surprise. She had only skimmed the notification earlier, focusing on the word "titan." She hadn''t realized the rewards included not only the Barrack but also the bloodline power! So, Titus, like herself, possessed a unique Barracks. This was still Alex''s first time killing a Lord with a unique Barrack. Moreover, the system message implied that these unique elements could be plundered. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "With these, I could create a new titan Lord!" This was far more advantageous than simply turning them into undead. Titans'' primary attribute was holy, and they could wield other elements as well, a stark contrast to Alex''s own affinities. But that didn''t matter. If she couldn''t utilize it, Xiao Mu could. As a light element Lord, the Titan Bloodline Power was practically tailor-made for him. With the Titan Bloodline, Xiao Mu''s potential would skyrocket, his growth no longer capped at the King level. He could reach the Emperor level! Furthermore, absorbing the Titan Bloodline wouldn''t clash with his existing abilities. It was perfect. And she couldn''t simply discard the Titan Barrack. She could have Xiao Mu switch from his current one. She had known for a while that only one unique Barrack could exist at a time. This explained why some Lords could plunder and possess multiple Barracks, while others had to rely on conquered races for Auxiliary Barracks. The difference was significant. Unique Barracks could be upgraded, unlike Auxiliary Barracks, which were limited to summoning a single unit. Glancing out the window, Alex noted the late hour. It was time to return to Undead City and rest. Sleeping on the cold, hard ice here couldn''t compare to the comfort of her bedroom back home. Besides, she could deliver the good news and the rewards to Xiao Mu in person. Upon her return to Undead City, she found Xiao Hui sitting outside the palace, lost in thought. Alex''s sudden appearance startled her. "Geez, you scared the life out of me! You just appear out of thin air like that," Xiao Hui exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. "What are you doing out here? Where''s Xiao Mu?" "He''s leading the undead army in an attack on the Featherfolk. I''m keeping watch for him, making sure he doesn''t fall behind in experience points," Xiao Hui explained. A smile spread across Alex''s face. "Don''t worry, you''ll be the one falling behind soon enough." She knew that absorbing the bloodline power would grant a significant experience boost and enhance the recipient''s talent. Xiao Mu''s leveling speed would soon surpass Xiao Hui''s. "Huh?" Xiao Hui looked at her, confused. They entered the palace and waited for Xiao Mu''s return. As the sky darkened, the red moon gradually ascended. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Sophie was the first to return. She looked surprised to see Alex. "Big Shot, I thought you weren''t coming back for a few days?" "Who said that?" "Xiao Hui did." Sophie turned to Xiao Hui, who immediately became defensive. Alex didn''t mind these; she just smiled. "Miss Alex, why are you waiting for Xiao Mu? What''s going on?" Xiao Hui asked, sensing something was up. She had a feeling Alex was about to give Xiao Mu some kind of advantage. "I took care of that titan Lord today," Alex said, deciding to be vague for now. Sophie immediately checked the leaderboard. [King Ultraman] was gone, replaced by an unfamiliar name in tenth place. Just then, Xiao Mu entered the palace. Xiao Hui jumped to her feet and shouted, "Brother! Miss Alex has a special treat just for you!" Alex: ??? Chapter 314: Light Titan Xiao Mu shot Xiao Hui a confused look, wondering what had gotten into her.Alex stood up and opened her system interface, claiming the two rewards. The Titan Bloodline Power materialized as a ball of golden energy, while the Barracks took the form of a dark gold crystal. Even from a distance, Alex could feel the heat radiating from them, searing her skin. "Whoa, Big Shot, what are those?" Sophie asked curiously. "These are the rewards for defeating the Titan Lord: his bloodline and his Barracks," Alex explained, using spatial magic to handle the objects without directly touching them. "What?!" Xiao Hui shrieked, rushing over from Xiao Mu''s side to get a closer look. The others followed suit, their curiosity piqued. "You can absorb those things?" "So you''re saying you can directly gain a Titan Lord''s bloodline abilities and his Barracks?" Alex nodded. "That''s right. And Xiao Mu, these are for you." "Oh, man, Miss Alex, I want some too!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her eyes filled with envy. "Sorry, but these are light-aligned. Neither you nor I can absorb them," Alex explained. Xiao Hui pouted, her gaze lingering on Xiao Mu with a mixture of envy and anticipation. Xiao Mu accepted the two objects, surprised by the sheer intensity of the holy power emanating from them. "Leader, I know bloodline power is a Lord ability, but what exactly does it do?" he asked, a hint of apprehension in his voice. He had never encountered a Lord with such a powerful bloodline before and worried about potential side effects. "It''s probably similar to Drake''s ability, some kind of transformation," Alex speculated. She wasn''t sure if titans could assume human form. Besides, bloodline powers varied. Some altered the user''s race entirely, while others granted them access to the abilities of that race. Lucian and Raphaela were examples of the former, while Titus and his ilk exemplified the latter. "I fought this Titan Lord back when I was at Monarch level. His power felt like a transformation," Alex recalled, adding, "So, does the system say you can absorb them?" Xiao Mu nodded, setting the Barracks crystal aside for the moment. "It does. I can absorb them right here." "Alright. We''ll be right here if you need anything," Alex assured him. Xiao Mu opened his system interface and selected the absorption option. The ball of golden energy slowly rose and surged into his body. A blinding golden light erupted from him as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his head, his face contorted in pain. The others backed away, watching anxiously as Xiao Mu grappled with the bloodline power coursing through his veins. His brow furrowed, his clothes becoming damp with sweat. The golden light showed no signs of abating. "Let''s give him some space. It looks like it''ll take a while," Alex said, taking a seat at the large meeting table in the hall. With the system''s assistance and the compatible attributes, the absorption shouldn''t fail, right? [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] They waited patiently as the hours ticked by. Sophie, curled up in a chair, was dozing off. Only Xiao Hui remained alert, her eyes glued to her brother, eager to witness the transformation''s outcome. Xiao Mu''s breathing gradually steadied, and the golden light pulsated rhythmically. Alex sensed that it was almost over. Suddenly, his skin began to bulge and darken, taking on a rough, brown texture. The transformation was still in progress. His limbs thickened, and strange, intricate patterns spread across his body. Alex''s eyes widened. This was eerily similar to Titus''s transformation. She braced herself, expecting him to grow even larger. She was ready to use spatial magic to move him if necessary. The palace wouldn''t be able to contain a full-grown titan. The ceiling would cave in. But just as she was about to intervene, the transformation halted. Xiao Mu''s body, no longer expanding, began to shift, gradually molding itself back into a humanoid form. The golden light slowly dissipated, and he opened his eyes. "How do you feel?" Alex asked, approaching him with a smile. Xiao Hui hurried over as well, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Leader, this bloodline is incredible. Top-tier races are something else," Xiao Mu replied, flexing his arms, testing his newfound strength. He opened his system interface to review the changes. Alex could also see her subordinate''s system interface, and her excitement grew with each line she read. This was even better than she had anticipated. It seemed that unique troops weren''t the only ones with special qualities. Elemental Lords, like Xiao Mu, possessed their own unique traits. Their elemental power could seamlessly fuse with any bloodline power. In essence, their elemental power acted as a catalyst, enhancing and complementing the bloodlines of unique troops. Xiao Mu''s light elemental power had merged with the Titan Bloodline Power, creating a brand new bloodline race: The Light Titan. "Wait, does that mean the Barracks can fuse too?" Alex retrieving the Titan Barrack crystal. As Xiao Mu initiated the absorption, a prompt appeared: [Your Light Phoenix Crystal can fuse with the Titan Barrack Crystal. Fuse?] [Fusion Result: Light Titan Barrack] Xiao Mu looked at Alex, seeking confirmation. With a nod from her, he selected "Fuse." Moments later, the fusion was complete. Xiao Mu was no longer just a Light Element Lord. He was now a Light Titan Lord! The others erupted in cheers and gasps of amazement. "I had no idea elemental Lords had this hidden ability," Alex admitted. This was a game-changer. If Cain or Earl had absorbed the bloodline, they would have likely become Flame Titan or Rock Titan Lords, respectively. Of course, certain opposing elements were incompatible. If Xiao Hui had tried to absorb it, she wouldn''t have become a Dark Titan Lord. Titans were inherently light-aligned. Attempting to fuse their bloodline with a diametrically opposed element would likely result in rejection or worse. Alex exchanged a knowing look with Xiao Hui. Whether Xiao Hui truly grasped the implications of this discovery remained to be seen. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? This solved their earlier dilemma of finding ways to help the siblings reach their full potential. Now, the question was, which troops possessed an innate darkness affinity? Xiao Mu''s power surge lifted everyone''s spirits. Alex''s forces had just gained a significant advantage. Xiao Mu was now a true top-tier Lord, on par with Demon, Angel, and Dragon Lords. Alex knew for a fact that many Lords possessed unique Barracks, at least those ranked within the top ten. Whether this bloodline and troop plundering was linked to top-tier troops remained to be seen. It seemed slaying elemental Lords came with its own set of unique rewards. "This system is cleverly pushing us towards annihilation," Alex mused. Even with the current power balance, she had a feeling the system would continue to find ways to pit Lords against each other. "It seems bloodline Lords can be further categorized, perhaps into half-bloodline and pure-bloodline. And then there are the elemental Lords. Who knows what other types of Lords are out there," Xiao Mu pondered. "What about ordinary Lords who don''t have any of that?" Xiao Hui voicing a valid concern. "They''ll have to rely on system rewards or the world''s existing cultivation systems," Xiao Mu explained. This was precisely why such Lords remained at the bottom of the food chain. Xiao Hui, her eyes shining with longing, couldn''t help but envy her brother''s newfound power. "Don''t worry, I haven''t forgotten about either of you," Alex assured them. She had an idea, but it needed further testing. If only elemental Lords possessed this unique trait, then they couldn''t let Xiao Hui''s potential go to waste. It meant not only enhancing her abilities but also potentially gaining another top-tier Barracks. Reassured by Alex''s promise, Xiao Hui''s mood brightened considerably. She skipped over to Xiao Mu, her curiosity bubbling over. "So, did you level up after absorbing the Titan Bloodline?" "Just one level. I''m lv7 Monarch now." It seemed the bloodline primarily enhanced talent and bloodline strength. The experience gain was minimal. Xiao Hui had secretly hoped he would reach at least lv9 Monarch. "Xiao Mu, once Drake''s Barracks reach max level, we''ll focus on upgrading your Light Titans," Alex announced. She had decided to entrust Xiao Mu with overseeing their expansion on the Arsen continent. It would not only hone his leadership skills but also accelerate his growth. Light Titans had a life level cap of at least Sovereign level, possibly even Divine level. "Alright, everyone, get some rest," Alex said, dismissing the group. They dispersed, returning to their respective quarters to rest and recuperate. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] The following morning, everyone was bustling with activity. Alex, after reminding them to prioritize conquering new races and accelerating their development, departed for the far north. Once the Kingdom''s Tear reached 100% progress, she could establish the Undead Empire. And once that was stable, she could finally take a step back from the constant strategizing and micromanaging. However, the Featherfolk were proving to be formidable opponents. Most of her undead forces were tied up on that front, and she doubted the centaur race crystals would be enough to fully power up the Kingdom''s Tear. "Looks like it''s up to Drake. Hopefully, he''s having better luck conquering those races," Alex mused, gazing out the window at the endless expanse of ice and snow. Just then, the door swung open, and Ruby entered, her face beaming with excitement. "Alex, guess what? I''ve taken care of everything here!" "Already?" Alex turned around, surprised by her swift efficiency. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Of course! I delegated everything to Maulclaw. Shadowfang is assisting him and overseeing the tribe''s defenses." Ruby had already achieved Alex''s goal and transitioned into a hands-off leadership role. "Make sure they''re extra vigilant against the Beastman Empire. They might come looking for trouble," Alex cautioned. "Already taken care of. We fight if we can; we run if we can''t," Ruby replied, her approach far more pragmatic than Maulclaw''s constant worrying. She knew that the higher the level, the rarer the powerhouse. The Beastman Empire wouldn''t have an unlimited supply of King level individuals, and their Emperor level count wouldn''t exceed three. Besides, the major factions kept each other in check. The Beastman Empire wouldn''t launch a full-scale assault with Emperor level combatants just to eliminate them. Moreover, the Beastman Empire''s rule resembled a federation. Those alpha Emperors had their pride. Ordering them around wouldn''t be a walk in the park for the Beastman Ruler. "That''s a good strategy. Uprooting the Arctic Tigerfolk from their ancestral home after all these years would only breed resentment," Alex agreed. Most of the tribe was unaware of the recent events and the precarious situation they were in. It wouldn''t be wise for Ruby, still solidifying her position as their new leader, to rock the boat. "Alex," Ruby began, her expression turning serious. "Yes?" "After I ascended to King level, my bloodline awakened, and some of my sealed memories surfaced. It''s about my father. Do you know anything about him?" Ruby asked, her gaze unwavering. Her fragmented memories pointed her towards the Dark Forest, hinting at answers regarding her father''s past. And Alex''s undead city just happened to be located within the Dark Forest. She wasn''t sure if it was a coincidence, but she trusted Alex''s judgment and abilities. "Yes, I do know a few things," Alex confirmed, gesturing for Ruby to sit down. She pulled up a chair beside her. "You know we have a name for ourselves, right?" "You mean... extraterrestrial visitors?" Ruby asked, confused. "No, that''s just what you call us. We call ourselves Lords," Alex explained patiently. Ruby frowned, trying to process this new information. What did "Lord" even mean? And why was Alex telling her this? "Every millennium, Lords descend upon this world. We fight amongst ourselves, against the native races, against each other. It''s a battle for survival." Alex tried to explain it in a way Ruby could understand. Suddenly, it clicked. "I remember now. When we first met, you killed one of those... extraterrestrial visitors. No, you called him a Lord." "That''s right. We''re enemies. It''s kill or be killed." "But what does that have to do with my father?" Ruby asked, still puzzled. "Your father... was one of the Lords who descended upon this world a thousand years ago," Alex revealed, her voice grave. Ruby''s eyes widened in shock. "What? My dad was an extraterrestrial visitor?" Chapter 315: Special effects Alex had expected Ruby to have some recollection of her father''s past, given her surprised reaction. However, it seemed her memories held little beyond the pull towards the Dark Forest.It made her wonder. If even a powerhouse like Edgar refused to speak his name, perhaps Ruby''s father, like the former undead lord, was subject to some divine taboo. Just how far did the gods'' power extend? Could they truly erase someone''s existence from the world? After a moment of thought, Alex decided not to directly share what she knew with Ruby. Instead, she started from the origins of their group of Lords. Ruby, hearing about the Lords for the first time, found their situation somewhat pitiable. They were living well, only to be suddenly transported to this strange world to survive. Through Alex''s explanation, Ruby became curious about Earth, where Alex and the others originally came from. To her, it sounded like a paradise¡ªno fighting, no killing, no need to strive for power, just living peacefully. There were even people called ''police'' who maintained order. Ruby listened quietly, a look of envy on her face. "If I could, I''d love to live on this Earth you speak of." As for the system''s existence, Alex vividly described it as a deity. Indeed, in Alex''s view, the system''s power was comparable to that of a god. Boldly, she even considered that the system might actually be a god in disguise. Hearing this, Ruby, who had been puzzled, finally understood where the extraterrestrial visitors got the power to build castles and even cities out of thin air. "So, some of the words you say are blocked because it doesn''t allow us natives to hear them, right?" "Exactly, that''s one way to put it," Alex nodded. "Do you think the deity brought so many of you here to choose a successor?" Ruby''s words left Alex momentarily stunned. It was a possibility she hadn''t considered! Perhaps the previous Lords hadn''t become gods not because of their lack of talent. The system''s Lord competition might be a way to select its successor. The end of the path for a Lord was to become a god, but who knew if becoming a god meant turning into the next emotionless system? The thought was terrifying. Alex resolved that once she reached the Sovereign level, she must uncover the truth! Alex forced herself to remain calm, so Ruby wouldn''t notice anything unusual, and continued their conversation. Ruby had learned enough about the Lords, so Alex moved on to the main topic, sharing all the information she had gathered about Ruby''s father in the Dark Forest. After listening, Ruby fell silent, contemplating. "So, he left suddenly to protect us from getting involved, and he has many powerful enemies out there." "Yes, that''s my guess too. The native powerhouses wouldn''t allow an extraterrestrial visitor to become a god." A deity could transcend races and establish their own power, becoming a top force in the world. This would be a huge threat to the natives, who would naturally resist it. "Alex, you''ve helped me a lot. I''ve heard the Source of Fear is dangerous, constantly affecting its owner''s mind." This was Ruby''s impression of the Source of Fear, a memory that seemed to constantly remind her not to contact it. "Indeed, without [his] help, it would have been a big problem for me," Alex explained, referring to the system. "That''s all I know about your father. If you want to avenge him, you''ll need to reach the Sovereign level. Until then, don''t act recklessly." Alex spoke sternly to Ruby, knowing how deeply Ruby cared for her father. It showed that he had given Ruby a happy childhood. Now, suddenly learning of his death, it was hard to accept, even though she had suspected it. Seeing the determination in Ruby''s eyes, Alex knew she wouldn''t let this go. "I know, don''t worry." Ruby seemed to remember something and added, "So, this has been going on for at least three hundred years. I''ve been asleep, while the enemy has grown stronger. I don''t even know who my father''s enemies are." "It''s good you think that way. In this world, strength is everything." "I understand. Alex, are you the top Lord right now?" Ruby thought Alex was exceptional, progressing so quickly, unlike any Lord she had met before. Alex didn''t downplay it. The system''s rankings didn''t lie, and half of the top ten were her people. She was undoubtedly the top Lord. Seeing Alex nod, Ruby wasn''t surprised. In fact, she would have been surprised if Alex wasn''t number one. "Alex, I''ll finish handling my tribe''s affairs tonight, and then I can leave. I''ve been asleep too long; I need to see the world outside." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruby''s expression was serious. This time, she didn''t mention going to the human city for fun. After all, Ruby''s mind was that of a teenager, having lived in the far north all her life. Since waking from her slumber, she had faced life-and-death crises and started a life on the run. "Alright, I also need to learn more about this world." Alex planned to wait for Ruby to finish her tribe matters while she upgraded the Kingdom''s Tear to establish the Undead Empire. It was something she had to do before setting out. "I''ll go take care of things now. I need to gather some tirbe members and give them instructions. Feel free to do as you please here. If you need anything, just ask them." Ruby needed to leave temporarily to instruct the other elders and set up contingency plans. "Alright, go ahead, don''t worry about me." With that, Ruby left the room, and Alex, naturally, wouldn''t just stay put. Being close to the Endless Sea, she could take the opportunity to learn more about the Sea Folk. The room quickly became empty, with only the cold wind howling through the window. [Blood Moon in the Sky, Darkness Descends] As night fell, Ruby concluded her tribal affairs, while Alex returned from her exploration near the Endless Sea. Despite her status as a King-level character, Alex wasn''t proficient in swimming and lacked the ability to breathe underwater. Initially, she had planned to explore the underwater realms, but she soon reconsidered. Diving unprepared into unknown waters could expose her to unforeseen dangers. Without the necessary magical abilities, her capabilities would be significantly reduced underwater, prompting her to decide against the venture. While exploring the coastal areas, Alex observed the Sea Folk. These creatures were not particularly strong. In fact, compared to the undead, their status was even lower than that of the most basic Skeleton Soldier, making them the weakest among the sea races. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Like on Earth, the oceans in this world were vaster than the lands, and the sea races inhabiting the Endless Sea were undoubtedly the most numerous of all races. It was no wonder that Lilith''s enslavement of some sea creatures went unnoticed by the sea races; their sheer numbers made them difficult to keep track of. "Miss Alex, shall we go?" Ruby''s voice lacked excitement and seemed distracted, likely still pondering her father''s situation. "Do your people know you''re leaving?" Alex asked as they walked toward the undead fortress. "They don''t. Only Maulclaw, Shadowfang, and a few of my guards know. Very few have the information. I told them I''d be gone for a few days with you, and they''re at ease." The two passed through the undead fortress and were instantly transported to Undead City. Ruby was curious about the changes around her, constantly looking around and observing the grand undead city as Alex led her toward the palace. It was dinner time, and although Alex had the ability to go without eating without starving, others, including Ruby, needed to eat. "Did you have dinner before coming here?" "No, I eat fish every day, and I can''t cook. It''s awful." The Arctic Tigerfolk''s diet was primarily raw, unlike humans who preferred cooked food. "Perfect, let''s eat here then," Alex said, leading Ruby up the palace steps. From the high vantage point, Ruby noticed a black forest surrounding Undead City and was puzzled. Had the city moved? "This is deep within the Dark Forest." Hearing this, Ruby immediately wanted to fly outside, but Alex held her back. "Don''t bother; he''s long gone." Ruby was disappointed, realizing she wouldn''t get more information about her father. "Take it easy, one step at a time. Your strength is still lacking. Even if you learned something about your father now, what could you do?" "Yeah, I get it," Ruby nodded, acknowledging Alex''s point. At the palace entrance, dark elf servants respectfully opened the doors for Alex. "Master, tonight''s dinner is steamed freshwater dragon fish." "Ugh, fish again?!" Ruby exclaimed, hoping for a change of taste at Alex''s place, only to find they were also having fish. Alex looked at the dark elves, who quickly explained, "Master, these dragon fish were all sent by the leader from Mossvale Continent. After seeing them, the leaders unanimously decided on fish for dinner. If you don''t like it, we can prepare something else." It turned out Drake had sent them. Alex turned to Ruby, "Well, at least it''s cooked." The two entered the palace and headed to the dining room, where three others were already dining. The fish were large, weighing at least ten pounds each, with three in total¡ªone for each of them. Alex''s eyebrow twitched; could they really finish all this? Soon, the dark elves brought in two more fish, and Ruby immediately grabbed one and started devouring it. "Leader, you have to try this; it''s super tasty!" The others weren''t surprised by Ruby''s presence, as Alex had mentioned it earlier. "I can''t eat that much..." "This was sent by Drake. He found them by a freshwater lake. They''re a type of fish with a trace of dragon blood, and there are many of them. He caught dozens. They''re delicious and have special effects." Even Xiao Mu couldn''t help but praise it, indicating how good it was. Alex sat down, picked up a fork, and tasted the fish. The tender meat was unlike anything she''d ever had, prompting her to admit it was the best fish she''d ever eaten. [Consumed dragon fish meat, gained 10 experience points, acquired special effect: Soul Gathering] [Soul Gathering: Enhances soul power.] "Yeah, this is some good stuff," Alex remarked after checking the system information. "Miss Alex, what special effect did you get from eating the dragon fish?" Xiao Hui eagerly asked, as Alex closed her system interface. "Wow, you got such a good effect? Enhancing soul power?" Xiao Hui reopened her system interface, double-checking her own effect. [Nutrient Absorption: Speeds up metabolism.] As soon as Alex saw this peculiar effect, Xiao Hui dashed to the restroom. That fast? "What special effects did you two get?" Five minutes later, Alex was nearly full and curiously asked. "Stamina recovery," Xiao Mu replied, glancing at Sophie, who seemed hesitant. "Big Shot, I... I''d rather not say," Sophie stammered. Just then, Xiao Hui returned from the restroom. "Haha, I know! I peeked earlier. Her special effect is drooling!" Xiao Hui laughed. "Drooling?" Alex looked at Sophie, noticing only a ring of oil around her mouth, with no sign of any liquid. Wait a minute... Could Xiao Hui actually be referring to a more intimate kind of moisture? "Ahem!" Xiao Mu coughed loudly, glaring at Xiao Hui for her indiscretion. Xiao Hui stuck out her tongue and resumed eating. Alex was speechless. No wonder Xiao Mu initially mentioned "special effects." "How many more of these fish are there? Tell Drake to catch them all for me!" Hearing Alex''s command, Xiao Hui was taken aback, then grinned mischievously. "Oh~ so that''s the kind of leader you are!" Chapter 316: Why do I have to wear this? ??? sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Alex was bewildered, realizing Xiao Hui had misunderstood her. "What are you thinking? Ruby just loves eating," Alex said, giving Xiao Hui a glare. In the corner, Sophie breathed a sigh of relief; she wasn''t keen on eating this stuff every day. She had seen other Lords discussing in the world chat channel about similar foods that, once consumed, could grant many special effects. One special effect that was most talked about among the lords¡ªafter obtaining this ability, merely touching anyone with a hand could induce a prolonged and intense state of orgasm in the target. Honestly, Sophie was curious about gaining such an ability, but with others around, she didn''t want to embarrass herself. While Sophie was lost in thought, Ruby had already finished two fish and was on her third. To speed up her eating, she even started to hold the fish with her hands and gnaw on it directly. "What kind of fish is this? It''s so delicious! If we had this in the far north, I wouldn''t have become a tiger queen who hates fish!" "This is dragon fish from the Mossvale Continent. Probably not found on other continents," Xiao Hui explained to Ruby, who was eating with gusto. "Eat as much as you like; there''s plenty more," Alex said, smiling at Ruby. An hour later, the final tally was: Alex ate 0.2 fish, Sophie 0.5, Xiao Mu 1, Xiao Hui 1.5, and Ruby 3.5. Ruby''s appetite amazed everyone; despite her small stature, she could eat a lot. "Ugh... I''m so full!" Ruby patted her slightly rounded belly. "Arrange a room for Ruby," Alex instructed a nearby dark elf, who promptly went upstairs to prepare a room. "Come on, let''s pick out some clothes. It''s best to keep a low profile when we go to the human city," Alex said, leading Ruby upstairs. Ruby was already familiar with Alex''s room. Although it had transformed from a castle to a palace, the basic layout hadn''t changed much. Alex opened the wardrobe, revealing a dazzling array of clothes that left Ruby momentarily unsure where to look. Besides Earth-style outfits, there was a cabinet filled with local human attire. "Don''t look at the others, come here!" Alex motioned to Ruby. Ruby approached, finding the clothes in the cabinet more fitting. "Can I pick anything?" "Of course." Ruby and Alex were about the same height, so the slight difference wouldn''t affect the fit. Ruby was a bit shorter and had a smaller bust, but that was about it. Ruby quickly chose a dress similar in style to what she was wearing, clearly a garment only human nobles could afford. The wardrobe seemed to contain only such clothes, with no common linen garments. While changing, Ruby casually removed her dress in front of Alex, showing no hint of modesty. Alex quickly shut the window. "Wait, you''re not wearing a bra or panties?!" "Huh? Wear what? What are those?" Ruby asked, puzzled. Alex didn''t explain, instead rummaging through the cabinet. She soon found two pieces of underwear. Although Ruby''s bust was slightly smaller, it could be padded if necessary. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Put this on first." "What kind of weird clothes are these?" Ruby was confused as she took the garments from Alex. Seeing Ruby''s reaction, Alex realized Ruby had no idea how to wear them. "Why do I have to wear this?" Ruby tilted her head, looking at Alex. Alex didn''t explain, instead helping Ruby put on the bra. "There, all set. Try this dress now," Alex said, handing Ruby the noble attire. Ruby put it on without question. It fit well, not too revealing, and the gathered bust filled out the dress nicely. "So, why do I have to bind myself before dressing?" "Don''t ask. Just know that all humans dress this way. If you don''t, they''ll notice," Alex said, placing a hat on Ruby''s head to cover her beast ears. With her long hair, Ruby''s ears were naturally hidden, perfectly concealing her identity. She couldn''t tie her hair up like Alex, so it had to stay loose. After changing, Alex led Ruby to a mirror. Ruby spun around, satisfied with her reflection. "Looks good!" "If you like it, pick a few more," Alex suggested. Preparations were necessary, as Alex wasn''t sure if her Honorary Mage status would be recognized everywhere. Besides, using that status too often might draw unwanted attention. A King-level mage suddenly appearing in a city would surely attract notice. A moment later, Ruby had chosen her clothes. Alex''s plan for this trip wasn''t just the human city; she wanted to explore other places too and wouldn''t return to Undead City anytime soon. Alex glanced at the five fully charged fortress Essence Shards in her ring, smiling. Whatever she did, she couldn''t forget the goal of expanding the territory. With Ruby in tow, Alex headed downstairs, finding the three gathered around a table, shouting excitedly. As she approached, three question marks popped into her head. They were playing cards?! "Seriously, whose idea was this?" Sophie and Xiao Mu immediately pointed at Xiao Hui, who pointed at Xiao Mu with both hands, then split them to point at both when Sophie joined in. "Hehe, the night is long, and there''s nothing else to do, so why not relax a bit?" Xiao Hui explained awkwardly, like a child caught misbehaving. Alex picked up a card, noting it was made of thin wood with symbols drawn using Xiao Hui''s dark energy. "Pretty clever," Alex remarked. It was indeed boring in the palace with nothing to do but check World Chat, so a little relaxation was fine, as long as it didn''t interfere with important matters. "Go ahead, just don''t neglect your duties," Alex said, putting the card back and waving Ruby along. "Alex, what are they doing?" Ruby asked, intrigued. "Playing," Alex replied, unsure how else to explain it to Ruby. Opening the system dashboard, Alex checked the Warehouse. Drake had indeed lived up to expectations, conquering a small race in just two days. According to Xiao Mu, the centaur conflict was nearing its end and should conclude by tomorrow. Alex wondered if these two race''s Tears would be enough to upgrade the Kingdom''s Tear. Once upgraded, Undead City would become history, paving the way for a true undead empire. Chapter 317: Trying to outnumber me? Alex took out the Kingdom''s Tear and the race''s Tear submitted by Drake. As the two touched, they instantly fused together.Ruby watched in awe, amazed by the system''s power as she witnessed a race''s Tear vanish before her eyes. [Kingdom''s Tear Current Upgrade Progress: 87/100] "Only 6 points? Still 13 to go," Alex sighed. A Monarch-level force couldn''t add more than ten points, so it seemed they''d have to wait another two days. "Alex, was that a race''s Tear just now?" Ruby asked, a bit unsure. "Yes, Lords can obtain them by conquering races. Collect enough race''s Tears, and you can establish a kingdom," Alex explained. "Sounds like a task given by a god?" "You could say that," Alex admitted. Ruby had a knack for understanding certain things. "We might have to wait two days before we can set off. The Kingdom''s Tear upgrade is almost complete. I need to transform Undead City into an Undead Empire before we leave, so I can be a hands-off leader," Alex said, not noticing Ruby''s subtle movements beside her. "Alex," Ruby called out. "Hmm?" Alex turned, momentarily stunned. "Here," Ruby said, handing over a white crystal. "Have you lost your mind? Take it back. Building the Undead Empire is just a matter of time; I don''t need your help," Alex refused outright, even a bit angry. "No, I''m serious," Ruby said earnestly, her gaze fixed on Alex. "Do you know what Submission means? It''s madness. Following me could endanger your entire tribe!" Alex''s voice rose, but Ruby remained unmoved. Alex had made it clear before that Lords were destined to be lonely, to stand against the world, and the risks were immense. "Ruby, you can''t gamble your fate and your tribe''s future on an extraterrestrial visitor," Alex said solemnly, reminding her that her father''s fate could very well be Alex''s future. "No, without you, I might have died long ago, and I certainly wouldn''t have united my tribe. I can''t do much for you. I know your talent; I probably won''t even have the chance to catch up to you, but this is all I can do," Ruby insisted stubbornly, ignoring Alex''s advice. Meanwhile, the three playing cards in the hall had stopped, secretly observing the argument. At such close range, they couldn''t avoid overhearing, so they remained silent, listening intently. "That''s still not okay. Listen, even though you''re the queen, the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe isn''t just yours," Alex''s tone softened. "How about this: go back and ask Maulclaw and Shadowfang. If the whole tribe agrees, we''ll talk. Is that okay?" Alex proposed a compromise, believing Maulclaw and Shadowfang would never agree. Even if Maulclaw did, the hot-tempered Shadowfang wouldn''t; it was a matter of principle. This was purely to placate Ruby. Her decision wouldn''t benefit her and would only put her in greater danger, something Alex didn''t want for Ruby. "Fine, I''ll go right now!" Ruby put away the race''s Tear and stormed off. Standing aside, Alex quietly summoned a Death Spirit. Instantly, a black mist formed beside her. "Death Spirit, inform Maulclaw and Shadowfang in the far north not to agree to Ruby''s Submission request." The Death Spirit dissipated immediately. The Death Spirit had a Clone there and could relay the message to Maulclaw and Shadowfang instantly, more efficiently than Ruby could. Alex valued her friendship with Ruby. The Kingdom''s Tear upgrade progress was close, but it wasn''t worth involving the Arctic Tigerfolk tribe. Alex''s initial intention in helping Ruby wasn''t to absorb her race''s Tear. Besides, the Arctic Tigerfolk''s strength was average and wouldn''t offer much help to Alex at this stage. There was no need to drag Ruby''s entire race into it just to establish the Undead Empire two days earlier. "Ah, still too young," Alex sighed, a bit helpless. The three nearby didn''t dare comment, nor would they interfere with Alex''s decision. For the Xiao siblings, Alex and Ruby had been close even before they joined, and their relationship was naturally strong. From the first day they met Ruby and from her attitude toward Alex, it was clear her identity was significant. "Stop staring and go to bed," Alex said, giving them a look. The three slunk away quietly. But just in case, Alex decided to work overtime tonight. She headed upstairs to change shoes; she couldn''t fight in slippers, after all. "Centaurs, tonight I''ll deal with you!" Alex declared, sending a message to Drake to check on his situation. Her plan was to personally eliminate three or four small races, max out the Kingdom''s Tear, and upgrade Undead City to an Undead Empire. Alex: "Do you have any races you''re currently dealing with, or other targets?" Drake: "There are a few, but they''re all King-level forces. I''m not a match for them yet and need to proceed gradually." Alex: "Get ready. In half an hour, I''ll take them out myself. By morning, I want the Undead Empire established!" Drake: "Understood." Alex put on her shoes and socks, her figure disappearing from the bedroom, reappearing at the main fortress. She entered alone, not informing anyone of her whereabouts. ... sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Arsen Continent, centaurs'' territory, undead fortress. The fortress was pitch black, surrounded by dense forest. Looking up, Alex could vaguely see several massive Silverscale Leviathans hovering above. The undead army stationed here was relatively weak, with only a few dozen Monarch-level members and a Death Spirit Clone. Of course, Alex wasn''t relying on them. As a King-level, Alex could conquer a Monarch race effortlessly. She stood on the bone wall, scanning the surroundings, spotting several hidden centaur sentries in the distant forest. Her eyes flashed blue, and the centaurs were instantly frozen into ice sculptures, caught off guard. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? "Death Spirit, lead the way to the centaurs'' royal family!" A black and a white figure simultaneously rose into the air, disappearing as they flew into the depths of the forest. Deep within the heart of this dense forest, there lay a massive cave, the gathering place of the centaurs'' royal family. Even at night, the tunnel was brightly lit with reflected light. Nighttime was when the centaurs reveled. Known for their brutality, love of drink, lust, and savagery, their celebrations were anything but wholesome. Outside the cave, the scene was one-on-one mating, but inside, it was sheer madness. A fully aroused male Alpha had grown five penises, mating with five Omegas simultaneously in the night. [I''m just trying this out, in fact, I''m still not very clear about the relationship between Alpha and Omega. Is there anyone who can tell me if my expression is accurate?] The undead hadn''t crushed them with sheer numbers of Monarch level forces because these centaurs lived like nomads. Besides their formidable sexual prowess, they were naturally adept at running and archery. While Monarch level centaurs couldn''t fly, they could easily lose a few undead in the dense forest. Without eliminating their royal family, the system wouldn''t consider the conquest successful. It wasn''t that they couldn''t win, but the undead were hindered by the terrain. This had delayed the conquest until now, but the encirclement was complete. The entire forest was surrounded by undead, ready to close in and conquer them completely. For the centaurs, tonight was unfortunate because Alex had arrived. When Alex reached the cave, the Death Spirit''s Clone dissipated. A white figure suddenly appeared outside the cave, unnoticed by the Alphas and Omegas who had just finished mating and were still lost in their lust, their vigilance greatly reduced. Alex felt no disturbance at the debauchery around her. They weren''t human, and aside from their unusually large genitalia, there was nothing appealing. She''d seen enough. A spatial ripple emanated from her, instantly dismembering all the centaurs outside the cave. "Who goes there!" came an angry shout from within the cave, followed by the sound of a centaur collapsing and the clatter of hooves. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Several flaming arrows shot out from the tunnel, aimed straight at Alex. But such primitive attacks were ineffective even against a Commanding level, let alone a King level. The arrows halted before Alex, exploding in mid-air. In that moment, she vanished, charging into the cave. Moments later, crimson blood trickled out of the tunnel, the internal fires extinguished, leaving silence in their wake. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully conquering the centaurs. Reward: race''s Tear, Auxiliary Barrack.] Alex''s clothes remained pristine, untouched by the chaos. They hadn''t even had a chance to lay a finger on her. Back at the undead fortress, Alex appeared. "Death Spirit, lead the undead to continue expanding. As for those centaurs, kill any who don''t comply." Returning to Undead City, Alex immediately absorbed the Kingdom''s Tear. The Auxiliary Barrack was constructed in Dragon City. [Kingdom''s Tear Current Upgrade Progress: 89/100] "Damn, only two points. I shouldn''t have expected much from them," Alex muttered, notifying Drake before entering the Portal of Transit. Her goal was to finish before midnight so she wouldn''t miss her sleep. Mossvale Continent, Dragon City. Drake was already waiting for Alex at the Portal of Transit. He suspected her urgency was due to the Kingdom''s Tear nearing its upgrade, eager to establish an Empire. The thought excited Drake; Alex, the top Lord, was skipping straight to an Empire. Arriving on Mossvale Continent, even in the dim night, the surroundings left Alex astounded. The trees were enormous, so much so that Dragon City seemed insignificant in the vast forest. Drake had mentioned it was a primeval forest, but Alex hadn''t paid much attention until she saw it herself. "It''s like a dreamscape!" Alex exclaimed. "I was even more shocked when I first saw it," Drake replied, standing nearby. "Let''s not waste time. Lead the way, and let''s head out," Alex urged, eager to get moving. Drake nodded, both ready for action. He summoned two Rock Dragons, and they each mounted one, flying out of Dragon City. On the way, Drake explained the situation, but Alex was distracted. She only knew the target was a weak King level force. Only the chieftain was King level, resulting in a Race''s Tear worth ten points, perfectly stopping at 99! This frustrated Alex, who had anticipated this outcome. She considered changing targets, but all nearby forces were similarly weak King level, and not close by. Even at Monarch Rock Dragon''s speed, it would take nearly two hours to reach them. Alex couldn''t leave them behind because she didn''t know the way. With nothing else to do, she admired the primeval forest''s scenery. The target race, [Winged Bird Sub-Dragon], numbered around ten thousand, with the strongest at King level, residing atop the giant trees. Sub-dragons, like dragons, had fewer numbers with higher bloodlines. The Winged Bird Sub-Dragon''s large numbers indicated a diluted bloodline. "Better be cautious. This Winged Bird Sub-Dragon might not be a low-tier King level," Drake shouted from the dragon''s back, warning Alex. Alex nodded. If needed, she''d call for help. The stronger the opponent, the more race''s Tear points they''d provide, saving the trouble of conquering a second race and saving time. Soon, the Rock Dragons brought them to the Winged Bird Sub-Dragon''s territory. Perched on the treetops, they spotted the intruders. A sharp screech echoed, and the treetops of several towering trees shook, sending room-sized leaves fluttering down. Instantly, thousands of Winged Bird Sub-Dragons took flight, charging at Alex and Drake, undeterred by the pure-blood Rock Dragons. Drake and the dragons were ready for battle, but Alex remained unfazed. Seeing the swarm of Winged Bird Sub-Dragons, she smirked. "Trying to outnumber me?" Chapter 318: Maulclaw agreed to Rubys request Dozens of black teleportation arrays materialized around Alex, and in a heartbeat, Monarch level Reaper Guards poured out, their ghost forms a stark contrast to the vibrant forest. Their black, chained scythes shot forward, reaping tools of death given unholy life.The Winged Bird sub-dragons, caught completely off guard, were easy prey. The scythes ripped through their ranks, Dark Corrosion clinging to the wounds, dragging their lifeless forms down towards the forest below. As they fell, gray magic circles bloomed beneath them. Before gravity could claim them, undead clawed their way out, taking to the sky to join the fray. The initial charge of the Winged Bird sub-dragons was utterly decimated in a single, brutal exchange, their bodies quickly turned into undead by Alex. Drake watched, momentarily stunned. He''d almost forgotten about Alex''s unique talent. Even alone, she was never truly outmatched. As an undead lord, she had an army at her beck and call. The remaining Winged Bird sub-dragons, finally realizing the threat, scattered as their hidden leader let out a piercing shriek. From the shadows of the canopy, Monarch level Winged Birds launched themselves into the fray. Alex''s head snapped up. This time, she''d pinpointed the source of the call, the unmistakable sound of their leader. With a flicker of movement, she vanished from Drake''s back, diving towards a specific point within the dense foliage. Drake watched as a fiery red ring exploded outwards, momentarily illuminating the night sky. The tops of dozens of ancient trees were sheared off, engulfed in flames. The forest floor was instantly cleared, revealing the Winged Bird leader, exposed and vulnerable. It beat its wings furiously, its gaze fixed on Alex, who stood calmly amidst the inferno, a massive, flame-wreathed scythe gripped tightly in her hand. The Winged Bird sub-dragon resembled an oversized, featherless bird, about the size of a gargoyle, perhaps ten feet tall. An icy aura emanated from the leader, prompting Alex''s choice of fire magic. Judging by its presence, it was a low-level King level, just like her. But Alex was confident in her abilities. She lunged, her scythe a blazing arc of destruction. The Winged Bird leader retaliated, flapping its wings to conjure a blizzard that instantly encased the surroundings in ice. Even Alex''s flames, though still burning brightly, began to sputter and shrink. "Mid-level fire magic is starting to lose its edge," Alex thought, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She needed to step it up. With a snap of her fingers, the orange flames turned black, their heat intensifying as they devoured the blizzard, leaving behind a trail of corrosive smoke. For a split second, the Winged Bird leader''s eyes glazed over. When its vision cleared, it was no longer staring at the familiar expanse of the primeval forest. Instead, it found itself teetering on the precipice of an endless abyss. It reacted instinctively, trying to deploy its realm to counter Alex''s attack. But that was precisely what Alex had been waiting for. Just as the Winged Bird leader''s realm was about to pierce through the oppressive darkness, Alex unleashed her full power. The two realms collided, locked in a stalemate. Then, a black blur flashed past the Winged Bird leader. It flinched, a cry escaping its throat as a searing pain ripped through its side. It whirled around, its eyes widening in horror as it saw a gaping fissure in its once-impenetrable realm. Alex''s scythe, imbued with the power to sever anything, including the realms of those within her power range. Its only limitation was the need for direct contact. The shockwaves from her swings didn''t carry the same potency. The Winged Bird leader reeled, fear gripping its heart. This girl, this seemingly harmless human-like creature, could shatter its realm! It had been a setup, a carefully orchestrated trap to lure it into a vulnerable position. With a desperate surge of power, it contracted its realm, pushing Alex back. It couldn''t afford to retract it completely while still trapped within her domain. Distance. It needed distance to regroup, to prevent another devastating attack. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? But this was Alex''s domain, her world. Even if it managed to create some space, where could it possibly run? Carelessness. That was its downfall. Two King level combatants, facing each other head-on, wouldn''t be caught off guard so easily. It bolted, choosing a random direction, hoping to tear through the fabric of her realm and escape. The surrounding darkness churned, coalescing into towering reapers, their scythes raised high, ready to strike. While these manifestations of Alex''s realm power posed a minor nuisance, they weren''t the real threat. They were merely buying her time. Within the Annihilation Realm, all her magic was amplified. And unlike her scythe''s unique ability, her other spells, except for dark magic, were not bound by range. Her left eye glowed with an icy blue light, a beacon in the oppressive darkness. In her right hand, the black-flamed scythe hummed with power, a grim reaper ready to claim another soul. Outside the realm, Drake, witnessing the sudden disappearance of both Alex and the Winged Bird leader, didn''t hesitate. He charged into the fray, his draconic might unleashed. Waves of ochre dragon breath swept across the battlefield, petrifying everything in their path. The two Rock Dragons, unstoppable forces of nature, tore through the remaining sub-dragons, their jaws crushing bone and flesh. The Winged Bird sub-dragons, their Monarch level champions outnumbered and outmatched, stood no chance. One by one, they fell, their bodies vanishing into the depths of the green abyss below. Then, Alex reappeared, the lifeless body of the headless Winged Bird leader floating beside her. Panic seized the remaining sub-dragons. They scattered, desperate to escape the carnage. But Alex wouldn''t let them deny her the experience points. Her Ice Domain expanded, engulfing the battlefield in a flash freeze, trapping the fleeing sub-dragons in their tracks. Then, her Spatial Domain descended, a wave of invisible blades reaping a bloody harvest. Most of the remaining sub-dragons were obliterated in an instant. She left the stragglers to her undead, their fate already sealed. Drake stared at the sheer scale of Alex''s domain, awestruck. Was this the true extent of a King level''s power? Alex, still hovering in mid-air, casually resurrected the Winged Bird leader as an undead, tossing the worthless corpse to one of the Rock Dragons, who swallowed it whole. "To the Featherfolk battlefield," she commanded, addressing the King level undead. "As you command, my queen." As the undead vanished into the night, Drake landed beside Alex, a wry smile on his face. "Should I have just let you handle this from the start?" "Nah, the undead will help you. There are plenty of King level ones now. I''ll be leaving Undead City soon.." Drake''s eyes widened in realization. He had a feeling she was showing off, but he couldn''t deny the truth in her words. She had earned the right to be confident. As they spoke, the Death Spirit materialized beside them, swiftly possessing a nearby Death Knight. "My queen, Maulclaw defied my orders. He''s agreed to Ruby''s request!" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 319: Upgrade Progress: 99/100 "What?!" Alex exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. Drake, sensing her shock, turned to her, his brow furrowed in confusion."Maulclaw? Has he gone mad?" Alex had planned for everything, even sending the Death Spirit ahead to reason with Maulclaw, to urge him to dissuade Ruby from acting rashly. And yet, he had agreed? Maulclaw, in Alex''s experience, was cautious, conservative, even somewhat set in his ways. The idea of him willingly submitting their entire race to an extraterrestrial visitor was unfathomable. "Did you explain that I''d already diverted the Beastman Empire''s attention towards the humans? That the Arctic Tigerfolk were no longer in danger?" Alex asked, struggling to comprehend the situation. "I did, my queen. But he offered no explanation. He simply stated his intention to accompany Ruby to Undead City," the Death Spirit replied, his voice devoid of inflection. "Those stubborn fools!" Alex abandoned her plans to conquest the next race. She needed to return to Undead City immediately and get to the bottom of this. It had only been two hours, and somehow, Ruby had managed to sway Maulclaw. Drake, sensing her urgency, asked, "We''re not conquesting the next race?" "No, I need to return immediately." And with that, Alex vanished, the Death Spirit dissolving into a wisp of black smoke. Drake and the two Rock Dragons were left alone, the silence of the forest pressing in around them. "Well then, let''s head back," Drake said. ... Dark Forest, Undead City. It was nearing midnight. The city was shrouded in an eerie silence, its inhabitants either asleep or diligently carrying out their tasks. Ruby, flanked by Shadowfang and Maulclaw, entered Undead City through the main fortress. The two Arctic Tigerfolk elders struggled to contain their astonishment as they took in the sight of the sprawling, macabre city. Silverscale Leviathans, resembling colossal warships, hovered in the sky, the city itself exuded an aura of darkness and power, sending a shiver down their spines. Bizarre undead creatures, unlike anything they had ever seen, roamed the streets, their presence both unsettling and awe-inspiring. "This... is her city?" Shadowfang, his usual boisterous demeanor subdued, whispered, his voice barely audible. He could sense dozens of half-step King level presences within the city walls. And that wasn''t even counting the four King level undead he knew Alex had at her disposal. But it wasn''t just the city itself that unnerved him. The surrounding forest, cloaked in an unnatural darkness, pulsed with an unseen power. Even with their King level senses, they couldn''t penetrate the veil shrouding the Dark Forest. Maulclaw, ever the pragmatist, had agreed to Ruby''s decision for two reasons. Firstly, Ruby, as their new leader, held the ultimate authority. The elders, bound by tradition, had to respect her choices, even if they didn''t fully understand them. Secondly, Ruby''s revelations had shaken him to his core. Alex, an extraterrestrial visitor of immense power, was already a cause for concern. But it was the truth about Ruby''s father that truly shocked him. The Sovereign level powerhouse who had protected the Arctic Tigerfolk for centuries, the one they had revered as a guardian deity, was, in fact, the former top-ranked Lord. And now, Alex held that title. Maulclaw understood the implications. Alex''s potential was limitless. If she survived long enough, godhood was not out of the question. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? And the benefits of being associated with a future god were self-evident. Offering support in times of need was far more valuable than pledging allegiance after one had already achieved greatness. Alex was still on her rise to power. Their support, as a King level race, would be invaluable to her. But once she reached Emperor level or, heaven forbid, Sovereign level, their loyalty would mean little. Besides, there was no guarantee that Alex would always be there to bail them out. Submitting to her, however, would make their enemies think twice before attacking. In essence, Maulclaw was gambling on their future, betting that their connection to Alex, through Ruby, could elevate their race to new heights. The Arctic Tigerfolk, even without submitting to Alex, were living under the constant threat of the Beastman Empire. Submitting to a powerful leader, one with the potential to become a god, was starting to look like the safer option. Ruby led Maulclaw and Shadowfang towards the palace. The dark elves, sensing their approach, opened the grand doors, ushering them inside. The Death Spirit, possessing a specter, drifted towards them. "Greetings. The queen will return shortly. Please make yourselves comfortable." Ruby frowned. So Alex wasn''t asleep. "Where did she go?" The Death Spirit hesitated for a moment before deciding that honesty was the best policy. Ruby would find out eventually anyway. "The queen is currently on the Mossvale continent, gathering race''s Tears." Maulclaw''s eyes widened. Not only did the undead possess the ability to teleport, but they could also cross the Endless Sea and reach other continents? It seemed the rumors about the extraterrestrial visitors'' diverse and potent abilities were true. Currently, only races who had produced gods could traverse the vast expanse of the Endless Sea. Weaker races relied on the teleportation arrays of the stronger ones. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And those were rarely shared, a measure to prevent the spread and potential rise of rival powers. After all, even the strongest races had relied on their gods to establish those initial connections, bridging the gap between continents. The extraterrestrial visitors, however, possessed this ability from the get-go, even only at the Commanding level. It was simply unheard of. Maulclaw, despite his initial skepticism, was starting to understand the true extent of their power. "She went through all that trouble just to avoid accepting our submission?" Ruby exclaimed, her shoulders slumping. She couldn''t access the system and had no way of knowing Alex''s current progress. She could only hope that Alex hadn''t reached her goal yet. Their offer of submission had to coincide with Alex''s needs. It had to be a mutually beneficial arrangement. Meanwhile, Alex had returned to Undead City. However, she remained within the confines of the Portal of Transit chamber. She opened her system interface and claimed her rewards. [Congratulations! You have conquered the Winged Bird sub-dragon race. Rewards: Auxiliary Barracks, Race''s Tear.] Alex retrieved the Kingdom''s Tear from her Warehouse and held it in her hands, channeling the newly acquired Race''s Tear into it. "Please, let this be it," she whispered, her voice tight with anticipation. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 99/100] "Are you kidding me?!" Chapter 320: Tomorrow, we establish the Undead Empire Although Alex had anticipated this outcome, she couldn''t help but feel a wave of exasperation wash over her.She exited the Portal of Transit chamber and made her way towards the main hall. The grand doors were wide open, granting her a clear view of Ruby, seated upon her throne, flanked by Maulclaw and Shadowfang. The Death Spirit hovered nearby, awaiting her arrival. As Alex stepped inside, it dissipated into a wisp of black smoke. "Alex! Maulclaw and Shadowfang have agreed. What do you have to say now?" Ruby exclaimed, her voice brimming with triumph. Alex turned to Maulclaw, her expression unreadable. "Explain yourself. I find it hard to believe you''d go along with Ruby''s antics." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hey! I''m not being unreasonable!" Ruby protested, but Alex ignored her. Maulclaw, seemingly prepared for this line of questioning, launched into a detailed explanation, his deep voice echoing through the hall. Alex listened patiently, her gaze fixed on him. Ruby interjected occasionally, her excitement palpable. Shadowfang, however, remained silent, his expression unreadable. As Maulclaw concluded his explanation, Alex understood. He had been upfront about his motives. He saw potential in Alex, a chance to elevate his people, much like Ruby''s father had done centuries ago. "You''re surprisingly honest," Alex remarked, her tone neutral. She then turned to Shadowfang. "And you? Don''t give me the ''worried about other races'' excuse. We''re all in the same boat here. Strength is the only guarantee of survival. I''m a King level, just like you. We all face the same risks." Shadowfang met her gaze, his demeanor surprisingly calm and collected. He had clearly matured since their last encounter. "Change is inevitable if we want our people to thrive. The Arctic Tigerfolk''s level cap is King level. We''re not exactly a force to be reckoned with on this continent. Even without the Beastman Empire, there will always be another threat, another empire looking to expand its territory. As the weaker party, submission might be our best chance at survival." "They''re right, Alex. You saved my life. You''ve helped us so much. Offering our race''s Tear is the least we can do. Besides, most of the elders know and respect you," Ruby added, her voice softening. Alex sighed, pulling a chair back and settling into it, crossing her legs. "And what about the Beastman Empire? Aren''t you worried about dragging me into that mess?" Maulclaw and Shadowfang exchanged uneasy glances. She was right. The Beastman Empire was a formidable force, even for the strongest Lord. Wouldn''t this jeopardize her own safety? "Didn''t you say you took care of that? What''s there to worry about?" Ruby countered. "Rest assured, our submission is a collective decision. If the Beastman Empire targets us, we will handle it ourselves. We won''t burden you with our problems," Maulclaw declared, his voice firm. Alex, however, knew she couldn''t simply abandon them. Even without their submission, her friendship with Ruby compelled her to protect them. "That''s easy for you to say," Alex scoffed, her resolve unwavering. "I won''t allow it. End of discussion." Ruby''s face fell. She had been so sure that bringing Maulclaw and Shadowfang would sway Alex''s decision. A white vortex shimmered into existence before her. She reached into it, retrieving a blue-white crystal, the Arctic Tigerfolk''s Race''s Tear. It had formed within her after she became their ruler. It seemed they were intrinsically linked to the ruler, explaining why conquering a race and claiming their Race''s Tear required defeating their leader. "You''re taking it, whether you like it or not!" Ruby slammed the crystal onto the table. "Come on, let''s go!" She turned to leave, her anger palpable, Maulclaw and Shadowfang trailing behind her. Alex, however, was faster. She teleported in front of them, blocking their path. The Race''s Tear vanished from the table, reappearing in her hand. "Alex, don''t stop me! If you don''t accept, we''re through!" Ruby shouted, her voice trembling with emotion. "Don''t joke about something like that." "I''m not joking! Are you really going to deny me the chance to repay my debt?" "You and the Arctic Tigerfolk are two separate entities. Don''t conflate the two." "I speak for the Arctic Tigerfolk!" Ruby stood her ground, her gaze unwavering. Alex stared at her, her expression softening. She sighed, defeated. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "Fine. I accept." Ruby, Maulclaw, and Shadowfang''s faces lit up with relief and joy. But before they could celebrate, Alex held up a hand. "On one condition. I won''t interfere in any of your internal affairs or decisions. You''re on your own. And vice versa." She stepped aside, clutching the Race''s Tear, and turned to leave. "Wait!" Ruby called out. Maulclaw and Shadowfang looked at her, confused. What more could she possibly want? "What is it?" Alex asked, her brow furrowed. "Absorb it. Now. Don''t think I don''t know what you''re planning. You''re going to stash it away and try to return it later, aren''t you?" Ruby might not have access to the system, but she had witnessed Alex absorbing a Race''s Tear before. Maulclaw chuckled, impressed by Ruby''s newfound astuteness. Alex didn''t argue. She retrieved the Kingdom''s Tear and channeled the Race''s Tear into it. She could see the determination in Ruby''s eyes. This wasn''t a joke. As the last vestiges of the Race''s Tear flowed into the Kingdom''s Tear, Ruby felt a strange pull, a sense of confirmation. Alex hadn''t lied. "You can go. I''m staying here," Ruby said, dismissing Maulclaw and Shadowfang with a wave of her hand. She, however, showed no intention of leaving. She bounded up the stairs, her earlier anger forgotten. "Honestly..." Alex muttered under her breath. Ruby, despite her newfound responsibilities, was still a child at heart, her impulsiveness a constant source of exasperation. She opened her system interface. The notification, bold and impossible to miss, brought a smile to her face. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 100/100] [Upgrade Kingdom''s Tear to Empire''s Tear?] "Upgrade," Alex said, her voice flat, devoid of the excitement one might expect from such a momentous occasion. She tapped the upgrade option. A surge of energy pulsed through the Kingdom''s Tear. The tiny black speck at its core expanded rapidly, consuming the entire crystal in an instant. The once pristine, translucent crystal was now a swirling mass of obsidian, radiating an unsettling aura. Its shape remained largely unchanged. A system notification popped up, as if eager to usher in this new era. [Congratulations! You have successfully upgraded the Kingdom''s Tear to the Empire''s Tear. Establish Undead Empire now?] Alex, however, selected "Cancel." Experience had taught her that establishing an Empire would inevitably trigger a transformation, affecting both her palace and her city. Such a momentous occasion, she decided, deserved a proper ceremony, one witnessed by all her undead and subjects. After all, the establishment of an Empire was a significant milestone, the ultimate goal for any Lord. There were no higher levels of territorial expansion beyond Empire. According to the system, an Empire was on par with an Emperor level powerhouse. The next step was Sovereign level. Empire was the pinnacle of a Lord''s domain, just as Sovereign level was likely the ceiling for most Lords. No, most wouldn''t even reach Sovereign level. Even Emperor level was a distant dream for many. [Item: Undead Empire''s Tear] [Level: None] [Effect: Establishes an Empire. Exclusive to undead.] The description was frustratingly vague. All Alex could glean from it was that this Empire''s Tear was a limited edition, a one-of-a-kind item, exclusive to the undead. She tucked the Empire''s Tear away and summoned the Death Spirit once more. "Inform the six race kings and all undead of Commanding level and above. Cease all frontline operations and return to Undead City. Tomorrow, we establish the Undead Empire!" "As you command, my queen!" Chapter 321: The undead shall rise above all others The Death Spirit''s clone dissipated, its task of notifying the undead underway. Its other clones, scattered across various battlefields, received the message simultaneously, ensuring a swift dissemination of the queen''s command.Alex, feeling the weight of exhaustion, glanced at the time. It was past two in the morning. She retreated to her bedroom, ready for some much-needed rest. Before drifting off, she remembered to send a message to Drake, informing him of the upcoming event. Lilith and Satan, however, were left out of the loop. They were, after all, former allies, not part of her inner circle. She snuggled into her blankets, closed her eyes, and was soon fast asleep. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Arsen Continent, Featherfolk territory. The Featherfolk chieftain perched atop a grand throne, its blue-feathered face creased in confusion as it listened to the reports from the front lines. "The undead powerhouses are retreating? All of them?" "Chieftain, should we pursue them? Strike while they''re vulnerable?" "But we don''t even know where their lair is!" "Then let''s destroy that fortress!" The Featherfolk alphas below erupted in a cacophony of suggestions, their voices echoing through the hall. The chieftain frowned, its patience wearing thin. They had learned, through countless skirmishes, that the undead, while susceptible to soul attacks, were relentless and seemingly inexhaustible. If not for their aerial advantage and the favorable terrain of their territory, the chieftain believed they might have been locked in a stalemate. Of course, with their superior numbers of powerhouses, they held a clear advantage in battles involving alphas. The lower ranks, however, were evenly matched. Most importantly, they had a high-level King level powerhouse on their side, a deterrent that the undead couldn''t easily overcome. But the sudden, coordinated retreat of the undead powerhouses raised alarm bells. "There''s no need for such drastic measures. The human Holy Court has been eager to collaborate. We''ll inform them of the situation. If they help us eliminate these undead, we''ll agree to their terms." The chieftain had found a convenient solution. These undead, their numbers swelling with each battle, were a drain on their resources. Letting the Holy Court deal with them was the most logical course of action. Despite their consistent victories, the Featherfolk had suffered significant losses. The chieftain, recognizing this unsustainable trend, had been actively avoiding direct confrontations with the undead. While not particularly powerful individually, their ability to teleport, coupled with the presence of King level undead among them, made it difficult to gauge the true strength of their leader. The chieftain wasn''t willing to risk facing a high-level King level opponent. Shifting the burden onto another race was the safest bet. The Featherfolk territory was relatively close to the dwarf kingdom, which, in turn, bordered the Southridge Republic. This proximity meant they were within the sphere of influence of the human factions. While the humans generally left them alone, the Holy Court couldn''t openly coerce them into submission without attracting the attention of the Mage Association. Such a blatant power grab, if exposed, would create unnecessary complications. Therefore, the Holy Court''s strategy regarding factions near the Mage Association''s territory was simple: collaborate if possible, abandon if not. They decided to ignore the retreating undead, leaving them to the Holy Court''s machinations. A decision they would come to regret. ... Time: 06:30 AM, Undead City. Xiao Hui woke with a start, not to the gentle caress of dawn, but to a cacophony of sounds echoing through the city. She scrambled out of bed, her curiosity piqued, and peered out the window. "What''s with all the undead today?" The source of the commotion was clear. Undead were pouring into the city through both the Portal of Transit and the main fortress. The largest undead, their movements ponderous and earth-shaking, were the main culprits. Xiao Hui, her sharp eyes scanning the scene, quickly noticed something unusual. Not only were all seven race kings present, but all ten King level undead had also returned. "Did the Featherfolk campaign end already?" "No, wait... all these returning undead are Monarch level!" Something big was happening. She quickly threw on some clothes and hurried downstairs. She found Xiao Mu, emerging from his adjacent palace, and Sophie, still half-asleep, her hair a tangled mess. "Xiao Mu, what''s going on?" "I have no idea." As they stood there, bewildered, a massive orange-red portal shimmered into existence above the Portal of Transit chamber. Drake, riding a Rock Dragon, emerged from its depths. Xiao Hui stared, her jaw slack. "Why is Drake here?" Drake landed gracefully, the Rock Dragon soaring towards the outer city. He looked at them, confused by their stunned expressions. "What''s with the stares? Do I have dragon droppings on my face?" "What are you doing here?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice laced with suspicion. "What do you mean? Why wouldn''t I be here for the establishment of the Undead Empire? It''s a momentous occasion!" Drake replied, genuinely puzzled by their reaction. Had he done something to offend them? "Huh?" "Did you say... Empire?" ???¦®????.??? The three of them gasped. Xiao Mu suddenly recalled the argument between Alex and Ruby the previous night, the one about the Race''s Tear. "Yeah," Drake said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why didn''t Alex tell us she was establishing an Undead Empire? That''s so unfair!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, finally understanding the situation. That explained the influx of undead. They were preparing for the establishment of the Undead Empire. "Just a thought, but maybe it''s because we''re already in the city? No need for notifications?" Sophie chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Shut up! I know that!" Xiao Hui snapped, her fangs bared. Sensing another pointless argument brewing, Xiao Mu quickly pulled Xiao Hui towards the palace. "Come on, let''s go inside." The main hall was bustling with activity, dark elves scurrying about, attending to their duties. But Alex was nowhere to be found. "Where''s the leader?" "Maybe she''s still asleep?" Drake suggested, only to be met with a chorus of denials. "Impossible. Alex is always the first one up. She wouldn''t be sleeping at this hour. She must be out doing something." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oh, right." Drake, unfamiliar with Alex''s daily routine, accepted their assessment. Outside, the seven race kings buzzed with anticipation. They had waited for this moment, the establishment of the Undead Empire, for far too long. The Undead Empire''s name would once again be etched into the annals of history. "Organize your troops and assemble in the square!" Arthas barked, directing the Monarch level undead. They quickly fell into formation. An unruly mob of undead wouldn''t do for such a grand occasion. John, Crane, and Azure, however, found themselves in an awkward position. Their troops, limited to Commanding level, had no Monarch level units. Arthas, realizing his oversight, quickly issued new orders. "Destroyers, Ghouls, Zombie Titans, Gargoyles, Death Conquerors, Necromancers, Crypt Fiends, Reaper Guards! Take your positions behind the four leaders!" The Death Spirit, like the three kings, had no troops of its own. As for the vast majority of Commanding level undead, they were currently stationed within the Silverscale Leviathans, hovering above Undead City. A colossal serpent, its body composed of rock, slithered up the city wall. A smaller, green serpent coiled around its neck. They were the chieftains of the Vine Serpent and Rock Serpent races, King level powerhouses who had pledged their allegiance to Alex. Their presence was expected. Brak and Brok, the two trolls, were absent. Their agreement with Alex lacked any formal binding oaths. All other subjugated races with Monarch level individuals were present. Those below Monarch level were gathered outside the city walls. With nearly a million undead already within the city, allowing everyone inside would create chaos and overcrowding. Time: 7:00 AM Alex finally stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She glanced at the time displayed on her system interface. "Seven o''clock already?!" She jumped out of bed and peered out the window, surprised to see the sheer number of subjugated races gathered below. "The Death Spirit must have informed them. But only Monarch level and above are allowed inside the city. Good work." She quickly freshened up, letting her long white hair cascade down her shoulders, and headed downstairs. "No breakfast today." She waved away the concerned dark elves and entered the main hall, where the other four were already waiting. "Miss Alex, you''re finally here!" "Yeah, overslept," Alex admitted sheepishly. The three exchanged awkward glances. Drake, oblivious to their discomfort, looked at them, confused. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing, nothing at all," they replied quickly, changing the subject. Just then, Ruby descended the stairs. Her enhanced hearing had alerted her to the commotion long ago, but she had waited for Alex to wake up before making an appearance. "You overslept too?" "Nope. I was woken up before dawn by all the noise outside," Ruby explained. She didn''t ask about the day''s events. She had overheard Alex''s orders to the Death Spirit and knew that today was the day the Undead Empire would be established. Alex retrieved the Undead Empire''s Tear from her Warehouse and walked towards the exit, her steps measured and deliberate. The two dark elves guarding the doors quickly opened them, and the four followed closely behind. Alex stood at the top of the grand staircase, the vast expanse of Undead City''s central square spread out before her. Hundreds of undead and other creatures, all Monarch level and above, stood in silent anticipation. The only sound was the rustling of leaves from the Dark Forest beyond the city walls. Alex cleared her throat, holding the Undead Empire''s Tear aloft, her King level aura radiating outwards, commanding attention. The four flanking her, two on each side of the staircase, watched in silence. At the forefront of the assembled crowd stood the seven race kings and the King level undead, their gazes fixed on Alex, their loyalty unwavering. All subjugated races with Monarch level individuals were present. Hobgoblins and dwarves were the most numerous, followed by orcs. Medusas, Longtail Apes, Minotaurs, Dragon Lizards, Man-eating Ants, and other races had fewer representatives, most of them summoned through Auxiliary Barracks. Xiao Mu and Drake''s troops stood out, their presence a testament to their unique abilities. Rock Dragons, Light Titans... Their massive forms towered over the other races, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Zombie Titans and Bone Dragons. Alex raised the Undead Empire''s Tear high, her voice amplified by magic, echoing across the silent square. "Today, we establish the Undead Empire! The undead shall rise above all others!" As she spoke, she opened her system interface and selected "Establish Empire." Chapter 322: Glory to the Undead Empire The moment Alex initiated the construction, a surge of black energy erupted from Undead City, shooting skyward like a dark beacon.The palace beneath her feet trembled, its foundations groaning as it rose from the ground, pulled upwards by an unseen force. A wave of black energy washed over it, transforming its once-pale stone into a deep, unsettling obsidian. Alex felt a strange pull, a surge of power coursing through her veins. Her aura flared uncontrollably. Her left eye blazed with a cold, destructive blue light, while her right eye pulsed with a captivating crimson energy. Dark energy poured from her, swirling around her like a living shroud. She couldn''t tell if it was her own realm power or dark magic. It felt like both, intertwined and amplified. The black energy emanating from Alex merged with the city''s own dark aura, coalescing above the palace into a colossal shadowy figure. It stood tall, its long hair flowing like a banner, its mismatched eyes gazing down upon the city. In its hand, it clutched a massive, shadowy scythe. It was the embodiment of Grim Reaper itself. The Undead Empire''s Tear, instead of vanishing, rose slowly, drawn upwards by the same unseen force that had lifted the palace. Alex, sensing something, turned her head. From the ascending palace''s peak, a black crystal emerged, pulsing with power. It was Undead City''s city crystal! The city crystal and the Empire''s Tear, like magnets drawn to each other, drifted towards one another. As Alex watched, mesmerized, they fused, becoming one. A wave of black energy erupted from the newly formed crystal, spreading outwards, enveloping the entire city. The assembled creatures below looked up, their gazes following Alex''s ascending form. The palace was now shrouded in darkness, the only visible light emanating from Alex''s glowing eyes. Then, the transformation ceased. The city''s expansion halted. The palace at the city''s heart stood tall and imposing, its obsidian walls radiating an aura of power and dread. A mere glance at its imposing structure sent shivers down one''s spine. Alex, standing atop the palace, felt the change most acutely. The palace was immense. Its grand doors were now large enough to accommodate even a Zombie Titan with ease. From her vantage point, she could see the entire Dark Forest spread out before her. The palace''s height rivaled that of the distant Frostwind Snowy Mountain. The city itself had grown as well. If one were to compare the old Undead City to its current form, the former would occupy only a quarter of the space. The city crystal, its energy expenditure complete, returned to its resting place within the palace. The black energy that had engulfed the city slowly dissipated. Alex frowned. Establishing an Empire shouldn''t be this simple. As the last vestiges of the transformation faded, the city fell silent. The undead below, as if awakening from a trance, dropped to one knee, their heads bowed in submission. The other races, taking their cue from the undead, followed suit. Dragons, massive and powerful, lowered their heads alongside the smallest skeletons. "Long live the queen!" "Glory to the Undead Empire!" The undead roared in unison, their voices echoing across the city, reaching the ears of the hundreds of thousands of undead stationed beyond the walls. "Long live the queen!" they echoed, their voices a thunderous wave that shook the very foundations of the Dark Forest. The Grim Reaper behind Alex dissipated, its energy flowing back into her. She slowly retracted her aura, the oppressive pressure lifting from the assembled crowd. A strange sensation washed over her, a newfound connection to her city, her empire. It was a consequence of the transformation, a subtle shift in her being. Before she could open her system interface, it appeared before her, as if anticipating her needs. [Congratulations! You have established the Undead Empire. Your city has been upgraded to the Undead Imperial Capital. You have gained the special skill: Sacrifice. You have received the special reward: Undead Quintessence (Complete).] [Within your domain, all is yours! As the Undead Queen, you possess the ability to perceive all that transpires within your territory. Your subjugated races can establish vassal kingdoms (0/7) to gather faith power for you.] [Note: Faith power is a necessary element for some Sovereign level powerhouses seeking to ascend to godhood.] The word "godhood" snagged Alex''s attention. Her gaze darted to the note at the bottom. "So becoming a god isn''t just about finding your divine path, igniting your divine fire, and achieving god. You also need faith power from your followers?" It was a startling revelation. The system had revealed so little about the path to godhood, and she was still largely in the dark. "Wait, I can only gather faith power after establishing an Empire. But what about Raphaela? Are angels just naturally predisposed to god?" It was infuriating. No wonder she was progressing so rapidly. This newfound knowledge only fueled Alex''s desire to eliminate her. Her Undead Empire could have seven vassal kingdoms. However, the Man-eating Ant Kingdom, the Hobgoblin Kingdom, the Dwarf Kingdom, and the Orc Empire didn''t count. It seemed that submitting to her had stripped them of their kingdom status, reverting them to ordinary races. Establishing a vassal kingdom required her explicit authorization. Seven kingdoms, one for each continent... A plan began to form in Alex''s mind. The Empire''s Tear, having fused with the city crystal, was gone. In its place, she now possessed seven Vassal Kingdom''s Tears. They looked identical to ordinary Kingdom''s Tears, except for a tiny black dot at their core, barely noticeable. [Item: Vassal Kingdom''s Tear] [Effect: Establishes a kingdom subservient to the Undead Empire. Item disappears upon use. Faith power gathered by creatures within the kingdom will be channeled directly to the Undead Imperial Capital.] So even if her vassal kingdoms were destroyed, they wouldn''t leave behind a Kingdom''s Tear. Their enemies wouldn''t even know which Empire they had been subservient to. Secrecy was paramount for any Lord. Alex was almost certain this was a perk exclusive to Empires. Establishing a kingdom wouldn''t have granted her this ability. Her Undead Empire was unique. Its territory spanned three continents. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the sole ruler of the Undead Empire, she now possessed the ability to perceive everything within her domain. It was an invaluable tool, allowing her to monitor her territory for any potential threats. She tested it out. It was similar to the system''s "perceive all" ability, but weaker. It was more of a subtle awareness, a feeling rather than a clear vision. But it was independent of the system, a power she could wield without relying on its interface. Her empire''s territory was divided into four distinct regions. She decided to keep things simple, naming them after the dominant races inhabiting each area. Arsen Continent: Former Dwarf Kingdom, now the Undead Empire''s Dwarf Territory; former Orc Empire and surrounding areas, now the Gemini Territory. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Mossvale Continent: Dragon City, now the Dragon Territory. As for the Undead Imperial Capital within the Dark Forest, she named it the Undead Territory. It encompassed the Hobgoblin Kingdom, Twinface Mountain, the Savage Plains, and the Frostwind Snowy Mountain. The far north, too distant and separated from the Savage Plains by a vast expanse of unclaimed land, was not included. And since her capital was located on the Eldoria continent, the first vassal kingdom would naturally belong to Ruby. These four territories, each one vast and powerful, dwarfed any ordinary Empire. [Your Empire has been recognized by the World''s Heart. The Undead Empire has entered the world stage!] Alex froze, her heart skipping a beat. "What?! Does that mean the other races know about the undead now?!" Her face paled. Was she suddenly under everyone''s scrutiny? As if sensing her panic, the system, after a slight delay, provided further clarification. [Note: Entering the world stage does not reveal the location of the Undead Empire. The native races are only aware of the emergence of a new Empire.] "Phew, that''s a relief." The system had her back, as always. If her location were exposed, she wouldn''t last long as queen. The other major factions would descend upon her like vultures. As long as her location remained a secret, she could continue to develop her forces within the safety of the Dark Forest. Whether they knew the race of the newly established Empire was another matter. The system hadn''t clarified that. If they knew it was an Undead Empire, she would still be in danger. "Why is the system so slow now that I''ve established an Empire?" she wondered, a flicker of suspicion crossing her mind. And what was this "World''s Heart" it had mentioned? Was it some kind of world consciousness? Was the system battling it, causing the delay? "Whatever. It''s not my concern right now." She claimed her rewards: a new skill and the Undead Quintessence. [Sacrifice: Sacrifice undead to temporarily increase your level. The higher the level increase, the greater the number of undead sacrificed. No side effects. CD: 24 hours.] This skill... it was on par with Life Link! Life Link passively sacrificed undead to shield her from harm. Sacrifice actively sacrificed undead to enhance her power. It was a trump card, a powerful tool to be used strategically. After all, she had an abundance of undead. And just like Life Link, which prioritized sacrificing lower-level undead, she assumed Sacrifice would follow the same principle. It meant preserving her high-level units while maximizing the utility of her cannon fodder. A win-win situation. And let''s not forget her scythe''s summoning ability. The more enemies she slew, the stronger the fear she absorbed, the higher the level of the summoned Scarecrow. Another ace up her sleeve for large-scale battles. Temporary power, but enough to turn the tide. She looked at the Undead Quintessence, her heart pounding with anticipation. This time, the Undead Quintessence was the complete edition. What changes would it bring? She claimed it, but instead of absorbing it immediately, she turned her attention to her undead forces. The Empire was established. It was time to get back to work. The palace''s increased size was proving to be a minor inconvenience. Instead of walking down the seemingly endless staircase, she teleported to the center of the square. She noticed that the skull statue that once stood at the square''s center had been replaced with a statue of herself. It depicted her wielding her scythe, her left foot resting atop a pile of skulls, her gaze cold and emotionless, fixed on the city gates. "Crane, lead the undead eastward, expanding our territory within the Dark Forest. Azure, take the Bone Dragons into the Barren Plains. Go around the Frostwind Snowy Mountain. Avoid any contact with the humans. John, you''re in charge of the region between the Savage Plains and the far north." "As you command, my queen," the three race kings replied in unison. Alex turned to the other three kings. "Arthas, Riven, Arthur, you''re still in charge of the Featherfolk campaign. All King level undead are under your command. Take them down swiftly and then begin expanding outwards." "As you command, my queen." "Death Spirit, you''re still in charge of intelligence gathering and coordination." The Death Spirit, despite its lack of combat prowess, was an invaluable asset. The black mist pulsed, acknowledging her command. With the undead''s tasks assigned, she turned her attention to the subjugated races. The seven race kings had the authority to deploy them as they saw fit. Wasting a Monarch level troop each day was not an option. "You are my trusted lieutenants. Reach King level as soon as possible. But remember, your survival is paramount. Don''t take unnecessary risks." She couldn''t afford to lose any of her potential god-candidates. "Thank you for your concern, my queen!" the seven race kings replied, their voices filled with gratitude. "Go." They bowed and departed, leading their undead forces out of the city. Alex estimated there were at least five hundred Monarch level units present. A formidable force, capable of overwhelming any non-King level faction. The subjugated races from the other cities remained. Alex''s policy was simple: Auxiliary Barracks belonged to the city they were built in. They were essentially extensions of the three cities, not directly under the command of the race kings. Alex returned to the palace, approaching the four who had been patiently waiting. "Miss Alex, congratulations! You''re a great queen now!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Shouldn''t you be addressing her as ''Your Majesty'' now?" Sophie chimed in, her tone laced with amusement. Chapter 323: Discuss Xiao Hui stammered, unsure how to respond. Even Xiao Mu and Drake seemed to hold their breath, unsure of the proper protocol.Sophie, however, remained unfazed. As Alex''s first follower, she had been privy to Alex''s casual approach to titles and formalities. Alex had made it clear that she preferred to be addressed by her name, fostering a sense of camaraderie and equality among them. Alex herself wasn''t particularly concerned with titles. She valued their friendship and trust above all else. Besides, these four were bound to her by the system''s unbreakable Submission Contract. Even if one of them were to betray her, the system would detect their treacherous intent and eliminate them before they could act. The Submission Contract wasn''t just about surrendering one''s life; it was an absolute submission of both body and soul. Alex had no reason to doubt their loyalty. She treated them fairly, recognizing their shared struggle as Lords, thrust into this unfamiliar world. As the current top-ranked Lord, she offered them protection and guidance. Why would they betray her? "Don''t worry about titles. Call me whatever you like. Unless you want to become undead," Alex said, her gaze sweeping over the four. Xiao Hui shuddered. "No thanks. I''d rather not be a walking skeleton." "That settles it then. Come on, let''s go inside. It''s been a while since we''ve all been together. We have things to discuss." Alex led the way into the palace, the four exchanging amused glances before following her. Ruby, however, remained rooted to the spot, her mind reeling. Ever since Alex had established the Undead Empire, she had been in a state of perpetual shock. Her submission to Alex had granted her access to the "god," the system. It was a revelation that shattered her understanding of the world. The city''s expansion, seemingly defying the laws of nature, the system notifications, the intricate details of Barracks, cities, Empires, skills, levels... it was all overwhelming. "So this is what it means to be a Lord," she murmured, finally snapping out of her daze. She glanced around, realizing that the others had already gone inside. She hurried after them. They gathered in the main hall, their gazes fixed on Alex. "First things first, let''s discuss the division of the Empire''s territory," Alex announced, her voice clear and authoritative. She outlined her plan, and the others readily agreed. The Undead Empire''s territory was vast and scattered, requiring a clear and organized structure. "It''s better than coming up with random names and trying to remember which one is which," Drake remarked, earning a chuckle from the others. Alex, after a moment of contemplation, began assigning tasks. She retrieved a Vassal Kingdom''s Tear and handed it to Ruby. "Ruby, take this back to the far north and establish the Arctic Tigerfolk Kingdom." She noticed Ruby''s confused expression and patiently explained the details, easing her concerns. "Alright," Ruby said, carefully storing the Kingdom''s Tear. The reason she hadn''t given the others a Kingdom''s Tear was simple. Only Ruby had reached King level, a prerequisite for establishing a kingdom. The others were still a ways off. "Sophie, your task is the easiest, but also the most demanding. You''re in charge of logistics for the Undead Imperial Capital. That includes weapon and item development, overseeing the construction of specialized undead structures, and managing the resources in the Warehouse. Anyone who reaches King level and wants to establish a kingdom will have to go through you. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? And you''ll still be responsible for overseeing the dwarf city." "Got it, Big Shot. I''m on it," Sophie replied, nodding confidently. Alex turned to Xiao Mu. "Xiao Mu, you''re not the same as you were before. Your talent and your troops are too valuable to waste. The orcs in Gemini City have been conquered. I''m putting you in charge of the entire city. Lead your Light Titans and expand our territory." "Sounds good," Xiao Mu replied, eager to put his newfound power to the test. "Xiao Hui, you''ll be taking over Xiao Mu''s previous role. You''ll be stationed at the Undead Imperial Capital, keeping an eye on things and reporting any unusual activity. You''ll also be our mobile unit, assisting wherever needed." "Yes, Miss Alex!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, thrilled at the prospect of becoming the acting city lord. "And lastly, Drake. The Mossvale continent is different from Eldoria and Arsen. It''s the dragon''s domain, a land of powerful creatures. You, with your dragon bloodline, are the best suited for this task. Be careful out there. The Dragon Territory is yours to command." Alex had no doubts about their abilities. Drake had proven himself to be a capable leader. "Alright," Drake said, nodding in agreement. "Now that we''ve established an Empire, we need to implement some structure. Things can''t be as casual as they were before. You, as city lords, will convene at the Undead Imperial Capital every seven days to report on your progress. Xiao Hui will then relay that information to me. The undead''s primary objective is to conquer powerful races. If you encounter a force beyond your capabilities, don''t hesitate to request assistance from the undead. Don''t waste time or resources trying to handle it on your own. I''ll have Death Spirit clones stationed in each city. Report any emergencies to them immediately." Alex''s voice was firm, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Yes, leader (Miss Alex)!" they replied in unison. Rules and structure were necessary, especially now that they were an Empire. But despite the hierarchy, their friendship remained strong. "Death Spirit, you''re in charge of overall coordination. If a city lord requests assistance, assess the situation first. Only provide support if it''s feasible. If not, advise them to avoid confrontation. And report any unusual circumstances to Xiao Hui immediately so she can contact me." The Death Spirit, capable of instantaneous communication between undead, was crucial for maintaining order and responding to emergencies. It didn''t respond verbally, lacking a suitable undead to possess, but Alex could sense its acknowledgment. "That''s all for now. It''s still early. Feel free to relax and chat." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex''s demeanor softened, and the others visibly relaxed. "Drake, remember, we''re a team now. You''re welcome to visit the Undead Imperial Capital anytime. Let''s not be strangers." Drake''s heart warmed at her words. He glanced at the others, who were all smiling at him. "Yeah, Mr. Aloof," Xiao Hui teased, earning a chuckle from the group. This was different from his time with the Justice Alliance. They genuinely treated him as one of their own. "Thanks to all of you," Drake said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. Chapter 324: The Undead Empire has emerged, we must join our emperor The black beam of energy that had erupted from Undead City an hour earlier, marking the World''s Heart''s recognition of the newly established Undead Empire, went unnoticed by most.But in the heart of the Eldoria continent, where a colossal golden beam of light pierced the heavens, bathing the land in its perpetual glow, a change was felt. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. High above the clouds, nestled atop the golden beam, stood a magnificent city, radiating an aura of divine power. This was one of the three main cities of the Angel race on planet Astralon: the Central Holy City. Its inhabitants weren''t all true angels. Angel beasts, templar knights, and other creatures loyal to the Angel race also called this city home. Even among the Angel race, there were commoners, born without the inherent strength and battle prowess of their winged brethren. They were, in many ways, indistinguishable from humans. Angel children were born wingless. Only upon reaching adulthood, at the age of eighteen, did they undergo a ceremony where they sought the guidance of the holy light. Those deemed worthy sprouted wings, becoming true angels. This holy light, according to legend, was a remnant of the Angel race''s supreme deity, their creator. Those who failed to receive its blessing remained wingless, relegated to the status of commoners. And these commoners, despite their angelic lineage, often lived in squalor, their existence ignored by the winged elite. Why didn''t they simply blend in with the humans, leveraging their appearance to escape their plight? Pride. Even these commoners, barely angels in the truest sense, clung to their lineage, believing that their failure to receive the holy light''s blessing was a result of their own shortcomings. They looked down upon all other races, their lives consumed by the pursuit of becoming true angels. The Central Holy City, being the first city established on the Eldoria continent, had the largest population of commoners. Their treatment was often worse than that of the angel beasts. Beneath the facade of a pristine, holy city lay a grim reality: a city teeming with commoner slaves. Filth and squalor were rampant, garbage and excrement littering the streets. Only the Angel Palace at the city''s heart remained pristine, a beacon of divine purity amidst the decay. Within the palace''s hallowed halls, a six-winged angel stirred, its eyes slowly opening as if sensing a disturbance in the cosmic balance. It glanced at a skull-shaped ornament on its desk, noticing a hairline crack that hadn''t been there before. "The undead have resurfaced. Inform Halo City immediately." Its voice, soft and androgynous, echoed through the palace, carrying an undeniable weight of authority. A commoner, sweeping the streets outside, looked up at the palace, its eyes filled with a fervent, almost fanatical devotion. Suddenly, the palace erupted in a blinding golden light. A beam of pure energy shot skyward, and several angels emerged from the palace, their wings beating powerfully as they ascended, vanishing into the golden light. The commoners throughout the city, upon witnessing this divine display, prostrated themselves, their voices murmuring prayers and hymns. Among them, a young man with blue eyes and golden hair stood out. His head was bowed, but his gaze, sharp and calculating, lacked any trace of reverence. As the golden light faded, he hurried back to his dwelling, retrieving a piece of parchment and scribbling furiously on it. He then ignited it with a weak flame, watching as the ink-stained paper turned to ash. He glanced towards the palace, his thoughts hidden behind a carefully constructed mask of subservience. ... On the opposite side of the Eldoria continent, in the scorching southernmost region, where even the coastal Sea Folk avoided venturing inland, a secret lay hidden. Beneath a towering cliff, overlooking the churning ocean, a cave entrance, concealed from casual observation, led deep underground. The air within the cave, a stark contrast to the sweltering heat above, was cool and damp, carrying a faint scent of decay. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? A long, sloping tunnel led down to a vast cavern, dimly lit by flickering lanterns fueled by rancid oil, their green light casting eerie shadows on the walls. A massive white magic circle dominated the cavern floor. Dozens of figures, cloaked in black robes, sat motionless within its confines, resembling a gathering of cultists. Black energy flowed from their bodies, converging at the circle''s center, where another robed figure sat, absorbing the dark power. In its skeletal hand, it clutched a decaying staff. Suddenly, it opened its eyes, a trickle of blood staining its pale lips. Ignoring its apparent injury, it rose to its feet, its heart pounding against its ribcage. The sensation, a pull from deep within its soul, was unmistakable. The other robed figures, sensing the shift in energy, looked up, their faces hidden within the shadows of their hoods. "My lord, what troubles you?" one asked, its voice muffled by the thick fabric. The figure at the center ignored the question, its attention focused elsewhere. Clang! The wooden staff slipped from its grasp, clattering against the stone floor. It raised its arms, closing its eyes, savoring the sensation, the pull that resonated deep within its being. Moments later, it opened its eyes, a look of pure joy spreading across its face. "It''s true! It''s really true!" It laughed, a sound that echoed through the cavern, a mixture of delight and madness. The other robed figures exchanged uneasy glances. "My lord, is your ailment cured?" one asked tentatively. "No. But I am no longer your lord." It turned its gaze northward, its voice firm, its eyes burning with a newfound purpose. The others gasped, fear creeping into their hearts. "You will always be our lord! We pledge our unwavering loyalty!" they exclaimed, rising to their feet and dropping to one knee, their heads bowed in submission. "No. What I mean is... the Undead Empire has emerged. We must join our emperor!" The others stared at him, their faces pale with shock. "But... but how? Is the emperor still alive?" "It is his heir, our new emperor." Its voice was low and raspy, its gaze unwavering. "A new emperor! We will to serve our new emperor!" they declared, their voices echoing through the cavern. They, like their lord, were loyal followers of the previous undead lord. "Lord, your wounds... and the angels hunting us... The new emperor might not be strong enough yet. Our presence could endanger him," one of the robed figures cautioned, its voice laced with concern. "You''re right. But you cannot heal me. And I fear Zarvox, hiding in the shadows, has also sensed the new emperor''s emergence. Knowing him, he will seek to challenge him." He knew his former comrade well. Bloodline alone wouldn''t be enough to earn his loyalty. Only overwhelming strength could force his submission. "We cannot wait any longer. I will find a way to evade the angels. The Undead Empire is newly established. All races have sensed its emergence. The new emperor needs our support now more than ever!" Chapter 325: The enemy of our enemy is our friend On the Valoria continent, deep within a dank, shadowy cave, a creature stood motionless, its presence radiating an aura of evil.It stood upright, its four limbs ending in razor-sharp claws. Its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, piercing the oppressive darkness. The air was thick with the stench of decay, the overwhelming odor of rotting flesh. "Torin, you must have felt it too. You want to pledge your allegiance to the new emperor? How foolish. Why not enjoy your reign here? But I know you. You''ll go." Zarvox chuckled, its voice dripping with mockery. It was thriving here, in the heart of the Valoria continent, the demon''s domain, a place even angels avoided. Why would it submit to a fledgling emperor? Here, it was king. There, it would be just another subordinate, constantly facing danger. It wasn''t even a choice. As it settled back down, ready to resume its slumber, one of its subordinates burst into the cave. "My lord, we''ve received word that Croakzoth is dead." "So? It was just a King level demon. Why bother me with such trivial matters?" Zarvox snapped, its voice laced with annoyance. "It hadn''t fully recovered its strength. Judging by the traces of battle, it was likely slain by undead. And its soul... is gone." "What?!" Zarvox shot up, its eyes widening in alarm. Undead? On the Valoria continent? Besides itself, there were no other undead here. Unless... "It''s the new emperor!" "Take me to Croakzoth''s remains. Now!" A cruel smile spread across Zarvox''s face. If the new emperor was on the Valoria continent, it wouldn''t hesitate to eliminate the threat. Why shouldn''t it claim the throne for itself? Bloodline above all else? Nonsense! Strength was the only true measure of power. ... On the Mossvale continent, a lone figure rode across the vast grasslands, enjoying the tranquility of the open plains. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat. His face contorted in shock, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Your Majesty... you''ve returned!" He spurred his horse into a gallop, a shrill whistle echoing across the plains. In the distance, horses, their saddles adorned with saddlebags, each containing a cowboy hat, converged on his location. The hats rose from their bags, hovering above the horses'' backs. Flames erupted, and skeletal figures, their bony fingers gripping the reins, materialized, their empty sockets fixed on their leader. As the horses galloped, the flames consumed them, transforming them into skeletal steeds. Over a thousand Death Knights gathered around the man, their skeletal mounts pawing the ground impatiently. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "The new emperor has emerged. What say you?" he asked, his voice booming across the assembled ranks. "Hail the new emperor!" the Death Knights roared in unison. "Then we ride! We leave the Mossvale continent and seek our new emperor!" He turned his gaze towards a towering, treacherous mountain peak in the distance. He dug his heels into his mount''s flanks and charged forward, the Death Knights following close behind. Atop the mountain, nestled amidst the clouds, stood a magnificent palace, home to the Dragon race. To leave the Mossvale continent, he needed their assistance. But first, he needed to ascertain the location of this new Empire. And, considering their past interactions, whether they would even agree to help. Aiding outsiders in intercontinental travel was a sensitive topic among the dragons. Meanwhile, the Dragon Chieftain had also sensed the birth of the undead emperor. Its dwelling, located at the heart of the Mossvale continent, was surprisingly humble. A dilapidated palace, weathered by time and neglect, stood alone, surrounded by an eerie silence. Even the wild beasts and sub-dragons avoided this place. They knew that this seemingly insignificant palace was where the dragon kings convened every century to discuss matters of great importance. However, the emergence of a new Empire wasn''t enough to warrant their immediate attention. What did it have to do with them? But within the crumbling palace walls, representatives of the various dragon kings had gathered. This unprecedented meeting had been called because they had received word that this wasn''t just any Empire. It was a newly established Undead Empire. Twelve figures, their forms humanoid but their auras distinct and powerful, sat around a massive circular table. Some radiated intense heat, while others emanated a chilling cold. Each one represented a different branch of the Dragon race. They sat in silence, awaiting the words of the imposing figure at the head of the table. "The undead have emerged. Once again, they have become a force that cannot be ignored. They will be the enemies of most races. And the enemy of our enemy is our friend. The dragon kings have consulted with the Dragon God and received his blessing to act." The figure''s eyes glowed with a golden light, its divine power radiating outwards. The representatives gasped, their eyes widening in surprise. Their kings hadn''t informed them of this development. "When do we strike?" a man clad in crimson robes roared, his voice thick with barely contained rage. "Those damned angels murdered the Azure Dragon and stole our sacred artifact! This blood debt must be repaid!" another man, his hair as blue as ice, snarled, his voice laced with venom. The Azure Dragon clan, lacking a Dragon King, is currently led by this man. The initial war was precisely because the angels launched a surprise attack on the Azure Dragon clan, leading to their current weakened state. A millennium ago, the Azure Dragons, with the Dragon God himself presiding, were the most powerful dragon clan. Now, they have become the weakest. How could this not fuel his anger? "We have endured humiliation for far too long. But patience, my friend. We must await the Dragon God''s command," the imposing figure at the head of the table said, his voice deep and calming. "The Undead Empire is located on the Eldoria continent, the land that was once almost called the Undead Continent. Perhaps this is fate. The Death Knight Garethor seems to have a connection to one of your clan members. If he seeks your aid, send him to Eldoria." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He addressed a woman seated third from his left. She nodded, understanding his instructions. "The undead, in their current state, might not pose a significant threat to them, but they will distract our enemies, buying us time." "Indeed. What news from the Demon continent?" he asked, turning to another representative. "Their conflict with the human Holy Court is reaching a boiling point. War is imminent. And the Titans... they are unlikely to offer us any assistance." The plainly dressed man spoke calmly, his voice devoid of regret. "The Sea Race has been restless lately. Be vigilant. Let us remain hidden for a while longer. Recall our brethren scattered across the other continents." The imposing figure''s voice, calm yet commanding, resonated through the hall. The representatives nodded in unison. Chapter 326: Hope this reward will not disappoint Alex was blissfully unaware of the ripples her newly established Undead Empire had sent through the world''s power structure.She had no idea that her ascension had alerted not only the major factions but also the remnants of the previous undead lord''s loyal followers. The memory of the former Undead Empire, its reign of terror, still lingered in the minds of many, not just the major factions but also the smaller races. However, most were unaware of the new Empire''s race. They assumed it was simply another faction that had risen to prominence. The only cause for concern was the fact that an Empire hadn''t emerged on the Eldoria continent for eight hundred years. A new Empire wouldn''t threaten the established order of the major factions. It was the smaller races that had reason to worry. The major factions, however, possessed special methods for detecting undead activity, a safeguard against a repeat of the undead scourge that had once ravaged the seven continents. Fortunately, the Undead Imperial Capital was shrouded by the Dark Forest, its spatial distortions a legacy of Ruby''s father, a powerful Sovereign level powerhouse. While weakened over time, these distortions were still potent enough to deter casual observation. Establishing the Empire prematurely had its drawbacks. It exposed the undead to the world while Alex was still at King level, lacking the power to defend against a concerted attack. But it also had its advantages. The system rewards, the ability to gather faith power... these were significant boons. Ultimately, it was a gamble, a calculated risk with both opportunities and challenges. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As evening descended, the six gathered in the palace dining hall, enjoying a rare moment of camaraderie. It was their first time dining together like this, and, considering their upcoming departures, it would be their last for a while. "Miss Alex, do you know anything about human customs and traditions? Especially their food?" Xiao Hui asked, her curiosity piqued. Since arriving on the Eldoria continent, they had spent most of their time within their respective castles, venturing out only to explore the surrounding areas. Entering a human city was a risky proposition, one they hadn''t dared to consider. Alex savored a bite of sub-dragon meat, carefully considering Xiao Hui''s question. "I''ve only been to the Mage Association''s city. It''s mostly mages and apprentices, not many commoners. I imagine it''s quite different from a regular human city." Her knowledge of other races, aside from the humanoid ones, was limited to their basic habitats and behaviors. Without a proper identity, she hadn''t dared to venture into a human city. Her appearance, with her striking white hair, would have drawn unwanted attention. "Oh, well. You''ll have to tell me all about it when you get back," Xiao Hui said, her voice laced with longing. "No problem," Alex replied, nodding in agreement. She then turned to Drake, her expression turning serious. "One of my objectives for this trip is to eliminate the Angel Lord." "You found Stone Pillar Mountain?" Drake asked, his eyes lighting up. He had no sentimental attachment to his former allies, especially now that they were under Raphaela''s influence. Eliminating them was the most logical course of action. "Yes. I learned its location from two human mages on the Arsen continent. It''s some distance from the human kingdoms. It was originally an Angel scheme to gather faith power, but the Mage Association caught on, and it was abandoned." Alex couldn''t allow Raphaela to continue amassing power unchecked. Now that she knew her location, she had to act decisively. ???¦®????.??? Her biggest concern was that Raphaela, having experienced death multiple times, had shed her humanity, becoming a tool for the Angel race, a weapon to be wielded against the extraterrestrial visitors. But even more importantly, Raphaela knew about the undead. That knowledge couldn''t fall into the hands of the Angel race. Eliminating Raphaela was her top priority. "Good. The sooner, the better. Her strength has barely recovered. She hasn''t reached King level yet. You''ll crush her," Drake said, relieved. Alex was a woman of action. If she said she had found Raphaela, then Raphaela''s days were numbered. "But won''t killing the Titan Lord alert her? What if she''s already moved her city?" Xiao Mu asked, voicing his concern. If Raphaela relocated, finding her would be nearly impossible. "Stone Pillar Mountain is a valuable source of faith power for her. She won''t abandon it easily. I learned that much during my previous encounters with her," Drake countered. He believed that Raphaela, desperate to regain her strength, wouldn''t risk leaving such a valuable asset. While she possessed the inherent ability to gather faith power, Stone Pillar Mountain amplified that ability, extending its reach. That was why she was so eager to subjugate other Lords. "Now that you mention it, I''ve noticed that they''ve been less active in the World Chat lately. It''s mostly Freelancers talking now," Sophie chimed in. "Probably scared after Miss Alex took out the Titan Lord," Xiao Hui muttered. "Either way, I''m going. And she better not have left Stone Pillar Mountain," Alex said, her voice cold and resolute. Alex now possessed the ability to gather faith power herself. Raphaela wouldn''t be able to outpace her. If she could kill her twice, she could kill her a thousand times. "Remember to suppress your killing intent when you''re within range of Stone Pillar Mountain. We don''t want to spook her and give her a chance to escape," Drake cautioned. "Got it." Thanks to Drake and Lilith, Alex had a basic understanding of angels'' heightened senses. They chatted for a while longer, lightening the mood before turning their attention to their respective tasks. Drake, preferring the comfort of his own Dragon City, departed first, his dragon soaring into the night sky. Xiao Mu, eager to familiarize himself with his new responsibilities, opted to spend the night in Gemini City. Ruby had already returned to the far north to establish her kingdom after receiving the Vassal Kingdom''s Tear from Alex. The Arctic Tigerfolk Kingdom, Alex''s first vassal kingdom, was now a reality, its territory encompassing the northernmost reaches of the Eldoria continent. Xiao Hui and Sophie retired to their respective palaces. Alex returned to her own palace, deciding to absorb the complete Undead Quintessence reward and level up that night. "Hopefully, this reward won''t disappoint," she murmured, gazing out the window at the Undead Imperial Capital, bathed in the eerie red glow of the blood moon. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She opened her system interface and selected "Absorb." Chapter 327: What if we had submitted to Alex back then? The Undead Quintessence was absorbed in an instant. Alex barely registered the process before it became a part of her."That was fast." Even Alex was surprised by the speed. Had the system always been this efficient? She focused inwards, examining the changes. Her experience bar was full. She was ready to level up. [Congratulations! You have successfully absorbed the Undead Quintessence (Complete). You have gained all inheritances and fixed experience points.] [Notice: Your current level is insufficient to fully utilize the primal power!] [Special Announcement: All rewards have been distributed. You will not receive any further special rewards, except for fixed event rewards. All other features remain functional.] Alex paused, her brow furrowing. Her suspicions were confirmed. Upgrading her castle to an Empire was the end of the line, as far as the system''s direct assistance was concerned. From now on, she was largely on her own. The system''s helping hand would gradually fade as her power grew. It felt like the system was eager to wash its hands of her, to retire and leave her to her own devices. But that seemed unlikely. There were still plenty of Lords who hadn''t even upgraded their towns to cities. She still had a hundred years. Plenty of time. The system''s notifications were frustratingly vague. She had no idea what specific abilities she had gained from absorbing the Quintessence. The message simply stated that her current strength didn''t match her status. But that was fine. An Empire corresponded to Emperor level. Once she reached that level, all would be revealed. She closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze from the open window wash over her. In the darkness of her room, she focused on the changes within her, the subtle shifts in her power. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, one glowing blue, the other crimson. "It''s my right eye!" After absorbing the Quintessence, she was almost certain that her Annihilation Realm was primarily controlled by her left eye. She hadn''t paid much attention to it before, as her left eye already housed all her undead abilities. But now, she could sense another realm within her right eye! The seven magic types she had collected were merging, forming a new, unique realm. It was incomplete, however. She had only mastered six magic types, and only five were currently integrated into her right eye. Basic wind magic was still missing. She could sense the flaws, the incompleteness of this nascent realm. It was merely a blueprint, a framework waiting to be fleshed out. It was clearly linked to the number and level of magic types she had collected! Without hesitation, she integrated basic wind magic into her right eye. As expected, the realm''s framework solidified, becoming more defined. But she still only had six magic types in her right eye. One was missing. She couldn''t fully unleash its power yet, but she could sense its potential. It was a realm as powerful as her Annihilation Realm, but entirely separate from her undead abilities. "I need to complete my right eye''s magic collection as soon as possible." She gazed out the window, her mind racing. The Mage Association was the quickest way to acquire new magic books. "My left eye''s undead magic is all high-level. My right eye still has mid-level and even basic magic. I need to upgrade those." She had initially assumed her right eye''s abilities were merely a backup plan, a way to counter opponents who were resistant to her undead magic. But it was clearly more than that. As an undead lord, her powers weren''t limited to undead magic. This realization didn''t surprise her. With the primal power absorbed, she closed the window, shed her clothes, and slipped under the covers, ready for sleep. The night deepened, the blood moon slowly drifting westward. Upstairs, in another room, Ruby, fast asleep, twitched her ears, as if disturbed by a distant sound. Time: 00:00 AM A new day dawned. It was the seventh day, the day the leaderboard refreshed and the system distributed attribute points. But the first notification that rang out wasn''t about attribute points. It was a server-wide announcement that sent shockwaves through the community, stunning both Lords and Freelancers. [Server Announcement] [Congratulations to [Hamburger], the top-ranked Lord, for surpassing all others and establishing the first Empire on the Eldoria continent!] [The Age of Lords has ended. The Age of Kingdoms has begun. Strive to establish your own kingdoms and conquer the world!] [...] [The Age of Kingdoms has ended. The Age of Empires has begun. Strive to forge your own Empires, achieve ultimate glory, and claim everything you desire!] [Fixed attribute points have been distributed. The leaderboard has been refreshed. The Hundred Kingdoms War event has begun!] [Hundred Kingdoms War Special Event Details: Establish a kingdom and participate in the All-Races Battle Royale. The event will last for 100 days. Any Lord who fails to establish a kingdom or join a kingdom faction within 100 days will be eliminated!] [Note: Freelancers can choose to join either a Lord faction or a local faction. Those who fail to join a faction within the time limit will be eliminated!] [Current Number of Kingdoms (Empires): 1/100] [Time Remaining: 99 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 32 seconds] The announcement, arriving in the dead of night, sent a wave of panic through the Lord community. Alex''s achievement was awe-inspiring, but the system''s message was a stark reminder of the pressure they were under. One hundred days. Establish a kingdom or join a faction, or face annihilation. This time, even Freelancers weren''t exempt. The few remaining Traitors, however, felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps their ranks would swell as Lords, faced with this ultimatum, chose to abandon their current paths. Being a Lord offered a degree of security, a life free from hunger and the constant threat of death. Those who had survived this long had likely eliminated any immediate threats to their territories. ???¦®????.??? Giving up everything they had worked for, regressing in power, venturing into unfamiliar territory, facing unknown dangers... it was a gamble most Lords were unwilling to take. Joining human society was the true path of a Freelancer. Joining another race was essentially becoming a Traitor. But simply entering human society wasn''t enough to satisfy the system''s requirements. They had to join a specific faction, like the Mage Association, or integrate into a human Empire''s structure. Living as an ordinary civilian didn''t count. The Hundred Kingdoms War event had thrown the Lord and Freelancer communities into chaos. Not only did they have to choose a side, but the number of kingdoms was limited. One hundred days, one hundred kingdoms. Join a Lord faction or a local faction? The decision weighed heavily on their minds. Becoming a Freelancer offered a better chance of survival, but it came at a cost. They would have to relinquish their bloodlines and abilities. While this allowed them to integrate more seamlessly into human society, it also made them significantly weaker than their Lord counterparts. The World Chat exploded with activity. The once-quiet channel was now a cacophony of voices, most of them cursing the system''s unfairness, its blatant attempt to cull their numbers. "Seriously? Is this what it means to be the top-ranked Lord? She''s already established an Empire?!" "I haven''t even figured out what comes after a town, and you''re telling me the top player has an Empire?!" "Fuck this! I''m becoming a Freelancer! To hell with being a Lord!" "Holy cow, you''re serious? Your name''s actually white now." "I told you, aligning ourselves with the top ten Lords was the right call. One hundred kingdoms... the top ten will get at least one each, right?" "Hah! Those smug Freelancers won''t be so cocky now, will they?" "Freelancers join local factions, Lords join other Lords'' kingdom factions. Simple as that." "First, it''s the Hundred Kingdoms War, dividing us into factions. Next, it''ll be Lords versus Freelancers, right?" "You''re overthinking it. Lords would crush Freelancers. Look at the top player. None of the top ten are Freelancers." While they argued and debated, many Lords were already discreetly seeking potential allies, their survival instincts kicking in. On the Arsen continent, at Stone Pillar Mountain, Raphaela, within her city, stared at the announcement, her eyes wide with shock. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I underestimated you. You''ve come so far." Her voice, cold and emotionless, echoed through the palace halls. A sense of urgency gripped her. Alex was her nemesis, her greatest rival. While she was confident in her ability to establish a kingdom, this announcement highlighted the vast gulf between their current power levels. But there was a silver lining. This announcement had instilled fear in every Lord, except for Alex. She glanced at her system interface, noting the 999+ friend requests. A faint smile touched her lips. This was an opportunity to amass faith power, to accelerate her recovery. These Lords were coming to her, seeking her protection. Even Alex couldn''t fault her for that. "Inform all Lords seeking to join us that we only accept submission. Those who refuse will be turned away." Her command spread swiftly through the ranks of Lords gathered at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain. They abandoned their tasks, their focus shifting to recruiting potential followers. Freelancers were welcome to join, but without castles, they couldn''t teleport. Unless they were willing to travel to Stone Pillar Mountain and submit to her in person, they were of no use to her. On the edge of the Arsen continent, where crashing waves pounded against the cliffs, Lilith, within her fallen angel city, stared at the announcement, her heart sinking. "The gap between us widens with each passing day..." She sighed, glancing at her city. It was still a ways off from reaching the level required to establish a kingdom. "Alex''s progress is terrifying. I need to catch up. Otherwise, this so-called alliance will become meaningless. No, it''s already meaningless. Her sights are set on something far greater." She opened her system interface, noting that the Lord who had submitted to her was still alive. She decided to reactivate her expansion plans on the Valoria continent. She also began sifting through the influx of friend requests, aiming to select one Lord from each continent to submit to her, establishing a network that would facilitate her rapid growth. Deep within the abyss on the Valoria continent, Satan seemed less surprised than one might expect. If it had been anyone else, he might have been shocked. But this was Alex. Nothing she did surprised him anymore. "I thought demons were the most badass creatures in existence. But this girl... she''s on another level!" He had just upgraded his town to a city that very night. And now, within hours, Alex had achieved something far greater. "Alex, Alex, you sneaky little devil! You went and established an Empire without telling me!" The demons, witnessing their leader''s outburst, wisely kept their distance. Even Cain and Earl were used to his eccentricities. But even they couldn''t hide their astonishment. They remembered their first encounter with Alex, back when she was a mere Commanding level Lord. The seven of them had fought Baldwin together, and it was Alex who had ultimately driven him away. Cain had recognized her potential back then, but he hadn''t expected her to become the most powerful Lord in such a short time. "Damn," Cain muttered, comparing his current situation to Alex''s meteoric rise. It was enough to make one weep. "Don''t worry. Knowing Satan, he''ll establish a kingdom soon enough," Earl said, assuming Cain was worried about the deadline. "Earl, do you ever wonder... what if we hadn''t left? What if we had submitted to Alex back then? Would things be different now?" Cain''s question caught Earl off guard. He had no answer. Chapter 328: The president of the Mages Association in Hurricane City [Night retreats, dawn arrives.]Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up right on time, feeling refreshed after a good night''s sleep. She was blissfully unaware of the chaos her Empire''s establishment had caused among the other Lords, or the server-wide announcement the system had issued. She blinked in surprise as she opened her system interface. The notification icon in the bottom right corner displayed a staggering 9999+ friend requests and thousands of unread messages from strangers. Even her system messages were overflowing. Ignoring the friend requests, she checked her system messages first. A wry smile touched her lips as she read through them. This new event had nothing to do with her, yet it was her actions that had triggered its premature activation. She rejected all friend requests with a single click, ignored the messages, and began getting ready for the day. After dressing, she changed the bedsheets, taking a moment to savor her newfound strength as a lv3 King level Lord. "Good." She went upstairs and knocked on Ruby''s door. "Ruby, it''s time to go!" Ruby, still groggy from sleep, glanced at the barely-lit sky outside. "That early?" she mumbled, reluctantly getting out of bed and throwing on some clothes. She opened the door for Alex. "Yes, the sooner we leave, the better." Their destination was the Arsen continent, but to reach Stone Pillar Mountain, they had to pass through the Southridge Republic. While her Honorary Mage status granted her safe passage, it also meant she had to leave the Eldoria continent from Hurricane City. According to the Mage Association''s records, she was supposed to be on the Eldoria continent. Suddenly appearing on the Arsen continent would raise eyebrows and potentially attract unwanted scrutiny. She had to avoid unnecessary complications. She had even prepared a cover story for Ruby, blaming everything on Eldrin. "Shouldn''t we pack some food?" Ruby asked, worried about getting hungry on the journey. Alex chuckled, shaking her head. "Don''t worry. I have money." And with that, they vanished from the Undead Imperial Capital. Time: 07:00 AM Xiao Hui and Sophie sat together, enjoying a leisurely breakfast. With Xiao Mu stationed in Gemini City, they were now roommates, forced to tolerate each other''s presence. "Miss Alex is gone, right?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice subdued. "Yep. Even if she skipped breakfast, Ruby wouldn''t," Sophie replied matter-of-factly. "Where''s that dragon? Haven''t seen him in ages," Xiao Hui mused, her usual combative demeanor replaced with a rare moment of genuine curiosity. With no one else to bicker with, she was surprisingly pleasant to be around. "Alex said he left. He''s a dragon, after all. He can''t level up by killing enemies like us. But don''t worry, he''s pledged his loyalty to Alex. He''ll be back," Sophie explained. "True." ... Starfallen Empire, Mage Association, Hurricane City Branch. Two figures, cloaked in black robes, approached the city gates. It was Alex and Ruby. To conceal Ruby''s distinctive white hair, Alex had given her a robe as well. It made her look more like a mage and helped them blend in. The city gates were wide open, bustling with activity. Commoners and mage apprentices went about their business, their paths crisscrossing amidst the towering mage towers that dotted the cityscape. Unlike Thunder City, Hurricane City lacked the usual throngs of merchants and vendors. This was because a human city was located nearby, absorbing most of the commercial activity and allowing Hurricane City to function as a dedicated mage hub. Alex and Ruby made their way towards the city center, their presence unnoticed by the preoccupied apprentices. Being a mage seemed to be a demanding profession. ????????.??? The palace at the city center housed the administrative offices, including the branch president''s chambers. To use the teleportation array, they needed the president''s authorization. Two human guards, stationed at the palace entrance, snapped to attention as Alex approached. "Honorable mage, please present your badge," one of them requested. "I am a three-star Honorary Magus from the Thunder City branch," Alex replied, presenting her badge. The guards immediately stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. A King level Magus, especially an Honorary one, was a rare sight, even for them. They didn''t even bother checking Ruby. Anyone accompanying an Honorary Magus was clearly someone of importance. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A King level powerhouse commanded respect, regardless of their race. Inside the palace, Alex, unsure who to approach, decided to head straight for the president or vice president''s office. Ruby, her eyes wide with curiosity, took in the sights, but she knew better than to speak out of turn. She would follow Alex''s lead. After searching for a while, Alex couldn''t find the vice president''s office. Her gaze fell upon a door at the end of the hallway, a sign above it proclaiming it to be the "President''s Office." Her credentials were legitimate. She had nothing to fear. With that thought in mind, she led Ruby towards the door. Knock, knock! She rapped her knuckles gently against the wood. "Come in," a woman''s voice called out from within. The Hurricane City branch president was a woman? Alex pushed the door open and stepped inside. A woman, her short hair framing a face that still held traces of youthful beauty, sat behind a desk near the window, her gaze fixed on Alex. The office was sparsely furnished, the desk cluttered with stacks of documents. It was a workspace, not a place for idle chatter. "You must be Alyssa. Are you returning to Thunder City?" the woman asked, a warm smile gracing her lips. Her skin was smooth and unblemished, making it difficult to gauge her age. But considering Eldrin was centuries old, this president was likely of a similar age. "It''s an honor to be recognized by the esteemed president. However, I''m not returning to Thunder City. I''m heading to Yellowrock City," Alex replied, her tone respectful. She wasn''t surprised that the president knew her. After all, she had come from Thunder City. It would have been strange if the president hadn''t been informed. "Oh?" The woman''s eyebrows rose in surprise. "Eldrin must have sent you on an errand. You''ve progressed quickly. You have talent. He certainly cares for you, going through all this trouble." Alex''s mind raced. Eldrin had been here? That explained how Edgar had learned about her abilities. Eldrin, a friend of the previous undead lord, would have been familiar with his powers. He must have informed Edgar. But why hadn''t he revealed himself? And how had he pinpointed her location so accurately? It must have something to do with her badge. She quickly pieced together the events, but she kept her expression neutral, careful not to betray her surprise. But why did the Hurricane City president sound so... strange when mentioning Eldrin? Was there something more to their relationship? "Thank you for your kind words. I''ve been fortunate. The vice president has taken me under his wing. My progress is a testament to his guidance. I came to Hurricane City on his recommendation," Alex replied, deflecting the praise and subtly distancing herself from Eldrin. "He sent you here? Did he explain why?" the woman pressed, her curiosity piqued. "No, he didn''t. The vice president rarely discusses matters unrelated to magic," Alex replied, further emphasizing her professional relationship with Eldrin. By now, she was almost certain that this woman knew Eldrin personally. Chapter 329: Yellowrock City "He''s always been like that. Don''t take it personally. Magic is his life," the woman said, her tone softening as she realized Alex and Eldrin weren''t particularly close. Alex''s description of their interactions was consistent with Eldrin''s personality.The woman, however, had been initially wary. Alex, despite her concealing robes, was undeniably attractive. She had feared a romantic connection between Alex and Eldrin. But Alex''s words had quickly dispelled those concerns. Alex remained silent, patiently waiting for the woman to dismiss her. "And this... extraterrestrial visitor accompanying you. Can you tell me about your relationship?" the woman asked, her gaze shifting to Ruby. Her voice was gentle, devoid of any accusatory tone. The term "extraterrestrial visitor" in this context didn''t refer to Lords, but to all non-human races. "As you know, the Mage Association has strict rules regarding the use of the teleportation array by outsiders." The woman''s gaze returned to Alex, silently urging her to provide a suitable explanation. "She is my servant," Alex replied, deciding to play it safe. If the woman had already sensed Ruby''s non-human nature, this was the simplest explanation. "Very well. That will suffice." Alex breathed a sigh of relief. She had feared a more thorough interrogation, questions about Ruby''s race and origins. That would have been a nightmare. "You can proceed to the third basement level and inform the teleportation department. As a Magus, you have unrestricted access to the teleportation array. No need to seek my approval," the woman said, finally dismissing Alex. She even offered a helpful tip. Alex hadn''t been aware of this rule. "Thank you, madam. I''ll take my leave then." Alex placed her left hand on her right shoulder, bowing slightly to the president before leading Ruby out of the office. Ruby, eager to speak, opened her mouth, but Alex quickly silenced her with a gesture. They were still within the Hurricane City branch, potentially under observation. Silence was their best course of action. Loose lips sink ships. Upon reaching the third basement level, Alex was surprised to find Robert, the mage who had gifted her the bag of gold coins, in charge of the teleportation department. "Miss Alyssa, it''s a pleasure to see you again," Robert said, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed the badge on her chest. His tone became noticeably more respectful. "I didn''t expect to find you here." Seeing Robert meant they wouldn''t have to waste time explaining themselves. "Ah, well, we''re short-staffed. They had to pull us mages in. This job is more tedious than meditation. It''s mind-numbingly boring," Robert grumbled, clearly unhappy with his current assignment. His badge still displayed a single star, indicating he hadn''t reached lv2 Monarch yet. Under Robert''s guidance, they quickly reached the teleportation chamber. The mages stationed there, mostly Novice Mages (Commanding level), treated Alex with deference. The teleportation array was identical to the one in Thunder City. "Miss Alyssa, where are you headed?" Robert asked politely. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yellowrock City," Alex replied curtly. The Novice Mages began preparing the array for teleportation. As usual, a mage was sent through first to test the connection and ensure the array''s stability. Once the mage returned, Alex and Ruby stepped into the array. "Alyssa, you''re always in such a hurry. Perhaps you''ll have time to visit Hurricane City and relax for a few days?" Robert asked, a hopeful smile on his face. "Another time," Alex replied vaguely. The array hummed to life, a blinding white light engulfing the chamber. When it faded, Alex and Ruby were gone. "Robert, you seem to be quite familiar with this Honorary Magus," one of the other mages remarked, his curiosity piqued. "I first met her when she was still a Novice Mage. Now she''s a Magus. Her talent is incredible. No wonder the president took an interest in her. Those chosen by the president are never ordinary," Robert mused, his voice laced with admiration. He didn''t know Alex''s background, but she had been granted Honorary Mage status in Thunder City. And only a vice president or higher could authorize that. This mysterious white-haired mage was clearly a prodigy, handpicked by one of the presidents. ... Arsen Continent, Yellowrock City. Alex and Ruby exited the teleportation chamber and made their way into the city. This time, Alex didn''t bother seeking an audience with the president. The teleportation array handled numerous mages daily. The president wouldn''t single her out for special attention. Yellowrock City, as its name suggested, was a hub for earth magic. It was responsible for recruiting and training individuals with earth magical talent from across the continent. Its architectural style was a stark contrast to Thunder City and Hurricane City. Sturdy walls and roads, constructed from thick layers of rock, dominated the cityscape. The air was dry and hot, the sun beating down mercilessly. Gusts of wind whipped up clouds of dust and sand, obscuring the horizon. Sandstorms were clearly a common occurrence here. The Southridge Republic was likely mostly rocky wasteland or desert. There were fewer mages here compared to the other cities, and most of them wore masks to protect themselves from the dust. Alex signaled to Ruby that it was safe to speak. "Alex, what level was that president? She seemed so... ordinary," Ruby asked, her voice laced with confusion. "Emperor level or Sovereign level, I''m not sure," Alex replied. Her knowledge of the Mage Association''s inner workings was limited. There might be multiple branches on a single continent. "Sovereign level? So there are at least seven Sovereign level humans on the seven continents? They''re that strong?" Ruby exclaimed, awestruck. She had always known humans were powerful, but this was on another level. No wonder the Beastman Empire avoided provoking them. "And that''s not even their full strength. They''re at the top of the food chain, alongside angels and other top-tier races, for a reason." Alex didn''t want to linger in Yellowrock City. Reaching Stone Pillar Mountain and eliminating Raphaela was her top priority. Grumble... Ruby''s stomach growled, interrupting her thoughts. "Alex, I''m hungry..." Alex had almost forgotten. She didn''t need to eat, but Ruby did. She glanced at the sun''s position, estimating the time to be around one in the afternoon. She avoided checking the system time, not wanting to raise any suspicions. ???¦®????.??? "Come on, let''s find something to eat." Alex led Ruby to a small, unassuming eatery in the city. It was an open-air establishment, its furnishings simple and worn. This wasn''t a cost-saving measure on Alex''s part. As a Mage Association branch city, Yellowrock City lacked the usual amenities and services geared towards ordinary citizens. Mages had dedicated staff to cater to their culinary needs. This eatery was primarily for commoners and aspiring mages. With few dining options available, they had to make do. Alex wasn''t keen on returning to the Mage Association branch for a meal. Ruby, however, was unfazed. She enjoyed human food, regardless of its presentation or sophistication. A few rickety tables and mismatched stools were scattered outside the eatery. Alex grabbed two stools and settled down at a table, Ruby mimicking her actions. "Honorable mages, what can I get for you?" the owner asked, rushing out to greet them, his face beaming with a mixture of surprise and delight. Alex glanced at the fire-powered stove and the ingredients stacked within the kitchen, quickly deducing the local culinary preferences. It seemed the Southridge Republic favored hand-held meals, like rice dishes meant to be eaten without utensils. "Just bring us whatever you recommend. Lots of meat," Alex said, her voice muffled by her hood. The owner paused, momentarily startled by the feminine voice emanating from beneath the dark robes. He quickly nodded and hurried back to the kitchen. The open-air eatery was deserted. They were the only customers. Alex frowned. This was unusual. A Mage Association branch city should have attracted a sizable population of commoners. Why was the city so desolate? "What''s wrong?" Ruby asked, sensing her unease. "This city... it''s too empty. It''s not right." But she quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn''t her concern. The owner returned, carrying a large platter piled high with food. Several flatbreads, made from some kind of ground plant, accompanied the main dish. As expected, there were no utensils. "Enjoy your meal, honorable mages," the owner said politely. Alex wanted to ask him about the city''s unusual emptiness, but she decided against it. It would seem suspicious. "Excuse me, do you have any forks or knives?" she asked instead. The owner looked at her, a confused smile on his face. "Are you not from around here, honorable mages? This is how we eat in the Southridge Republic. We use our hands. But if you''re not comfortable with that, I can make you some utensils." "No, that''s alright. Thank you. You can go," Alex said, waving him away. She glanced at Ruby, who was already digging in, clearly unconcerned about the lack of utensils. "Strange. Humans eat with their hands? Like savages?" Ruby asked, her voice muffled by a mouthful of food. Alex ignored her, her gaze scanning the surroundings, her eyes sharp and alert despite the shadows cast by her hood. Suddenly, she spotted someone. She stood up abruptly. "Wait here. I''ll be back in a bit," she said, leaving the eatery and heading towards the city''s central square. Ruby, engrossed in her meal, simply grunted in acknowledgment, paying little attention to Alex''s sudden departure. Yellowrock City''s layout was simple. Four main roads connected the four city gates, converging at a large central square. The eatery was located near the northern gate, offering a clear view of the square. Alex watched as her target entered a tavern near the square, two mages trailing behind him, acting as bodyguards. She changed course, following them discreetly. Inside the tavern, Nori settled into a familiar corner booth. Without a word, the owner brought him a large tankard of the local brew. The two mages remained near the entrance, their postures relaxed but alert. Nori drained the tankard in a few long gulps, savoring the strong, earthy flavor. He slammed the empty tankard on the table, and the owner immediately brought him another. Things were finally looking up. His relationship with his mother had improved, and she had grudgingly accepted his identity. The two mages, upon returning to Yellowrock City, had accused Nori of orchestrating their capture, causing quite a stir. He had been forced into hiding for a while. If not for his mother''s intervention, he would have been killed. Fortunately, he inherited more human traits than dwarven ones. Aside from his slightly shorter stature, he looked like any other human male. Without a proper examination, no one would suspect his true heritage. His mother''s influence had helped to suppress the accusations. However, she had forbidden him from leaving the city. As for the supposedly destroyed dwarf kingdom, investigations had revealed that it was still functioning, its unity restored. Nori''s claims of an undead invasion had been dismissed as absurd, especially since no evidence could be found. Ultimately, the word of two Monarch level mages held more weight. They hadn''t seen any undead, only dwarves. Nori, though furious, was powerless to change the outcome. He didn''t understand why the mages had survived, or why they had accused him of treachery, but he had abandoned them, and that was undeniable. "At least life is good now. No more constant danger. Why bother with revenge?" he mumbled to himself, his words slurred slightly. He had a low tolerance for alcohol, but he enjoyed drinking, perhaps a trait inherited from his father. "Honorable Magus," one of the mages said, rising to his feet as Alex entered the tavern. Alex nodded curtly, ignoring them as she made her way towards Nori. The tavern was empty, just like the eatery. Nori, hearing the mage''s greeting, glanced over his shoulder, but he didn''t pay much attention. As the footsteps approached, he realized they were heading towards him. Assuming it was someone sent by his mother, he quickly set down his tankard and stood up, turning to face the newcomer. His eyes widened as he saw the golden badge on the figure''s black robes. A Magus! As powerful as his mother! Even though it was only a three-star badge, he couldn''t afford to be disrespectful. "Greetings, honorable Magus," he said, bowing slightly. As the figure drew closer, he caught a glimpse of the face beneath the hood, a face of breathtaking beauty. His blood ran cold. His instincts screamed at him. Danger! Chapter 330: The Mage Associations request A cruel smile played on Alex''s lips. To Nori, she was a beautiful reaper, her presence radiating an aura of imminent doom.He was certain she would strike him down without hesitation, right here in the tavern. He tried to speak, to plead for his life, but his voice caught in his throat. A searing pain ripped through his chest. He looked down in disbelief, his eyes widening as he saw a slender hand, crackling with purple lightning, protruding from his chest. His strength drained away, his body paralyzed by the electric current coursing through his veins. His vision blurred, his head growing heavy. Thump! As Alex withdrew her hand, Nori''s lifeless body slumped to the floor, the sound of his fall a dull thud in the otherwise silent tavern. Alex, without uttering a single word, turned and walked away. The two mages at the entrance, their faces pale with shock, stared at the scene unfolding before them. They hadn''t expected the Magus to strike so suddenly, so ruthlessly. They scrambled to block her path, their voices trembling slightly. "Hold it right there! Even an Honorary Magus cannot escape justice for murder within Yellowrock City. You will provide us with an explanation." They stood their ground, their voices firm despite their fear. This was a King level powerhouse they were dealing with. "An explanation? What if he wasn''t human? Is that explanation enough?" Alex said coldly, her magic aura flaring, pushing the two Monarch level mages back. She strode out of the tavern, her steps measured and deliberate. But as she stepped onto the square, her instincts screamed at her. She dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a massive stone pillar that erupted from the ground, shattering the tavern''s entrance. She looked up, her eyes narrowing as she saw a mage hovering in the air, her face contorted with rage. "Murder in broad daylight! Resisting arrest! Your crimes are unforgivable, even for an Honorary Mage!" The mage charged towards Alex, her intent clear. This wasn''t an arrest. It was an execution. A woman. That explained it. Alex, her expression hardening, made no attempt to explain herself. Lightning crackled around her as she rose into the air, meeting the mage''s aggression head-on. A purple magic circle materialized before her, and a colossal lightning dragon, its scales crackling with energy, roared towards her attacker. The clash of lightning and earth magic tore through the square, sending shockwaves rippling outwards. The air crackled with energy, the ground trembled, and debris flew in all directions. Mages, drawn by the commotion, gathered around the square, their faces a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. The two mages from the tavern emerged from the rubble, their eyes wide with shock. "What do we do?" "I''ll inform the vice president. You secure the body!" One of the mages hurried away. They couldn''t ignore Alex''s claim. Nori''s body was the evidence. Whether she was telling the truth or not, a simple examination would reveal the truth. Ruby, witnessing the battle from the eatery, jumped to her feet, ready to intervene. But she remembered Alex''s parting words and reluctantly sat back down. Alex, however, was struggling. Her opponent was far stronger than she had anticipated. A glance at the mage''s badge revealed her to be a lv8 King level mage. Without her scythe, she couldn''t access her double attribute bonus. And she couldn''t unleash her full power without risking exposure. She was outmatched. If not for her Life Link skill, she would have been injured already. Her mana points were depleting rapidly as she countered the relentless barrage of earth magic. Her most powerful lightning spells were ineffective against her opponent''s mastery of earth. She dodged and weaved, her lightning bolts shattering the incoming stone pillars. The mage, however, wielded her earth magic with surprising fluidity and precision, her attacks flowing like water, adapting to Alex''s every move. Alex couldn''t use her other magic types, her scythe, or even her full lightning potential without arousing suspicion. She was forced to rely on incantations, limiting her speed and power. A yellow magic circle materialized behind her, and thick, earthen tendrils shot out, attempting to bind her. Alex countered with a lightning magic circle, the two elements clashing violently. Boom! The explosion sent a shockwave through the square, a cloud of dust and debris obscuring the battlefield. The mage''s magic circle shattered. But the attack wasn''t over. A surge of yellow energy, emanating from the remnants of the shattered magic circle, rushed towards Alex. It was her realm! Using Alex''s own realm to defend would expose her. But without it, she was doomed. Just as she was about to activate Sacrifice, sacrificing undead to temporarily boost her power, a gruff voice boomed across the square. "Enough!" The mage''s realm vanished instantly, her magic circle dissolving into nothingness. Alex felt a strange pressure, a force that prevented her from accessing her magic. The dust settled, revealing a middle-aged man with brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He wasn''t wearing mage robes, and his aura was completely concealed. He was clearly the Yellowrock City branch president or vice president. The female mage landed gracefully before him, her voice laced with indignation as she launched into her accusations. "Vice President, this woman committed murder in broad daylight and resisted arrest! She must be punished severely!" Alex landed beside her, her gaze fixed on the man. "Vice President, how can your tolerate such blatant disregard for justice? I merely eliminated an extraterrestrial visitor. This mage, however, shielded the criminal and attacked me without provocation, denying me even a chance to explain myself. Perhaps there''s more to this story than meets the eye." Alex''s words, a thinly veiled accusation, enraged the female mage. "You''re lying! I was simply upholding the law! How could a three-star Magus possibly identify an extraterrestrial visitor? You''re spouting nonsense!" "Whether he was an extraterrestrial visitor or not is for the vice president to decide. But you, attacking an Honorary Mage of the Mage Association... your crimes are far greater." Alex, confident in her assessment, stood her ground. Even if the vice president sided with the woman, she had a valid defense. ???¦®????.??? "Enough! Celine, your actions were reckless and unjustified. You are confined to the mage tower for three months." The man''s voice, firm and authoritative, silenced them both. He seemed to be aware of the situation. Alex realized Celine was Nori''s mother. The Silverbeard Clan chieftain was quite the charmer, it seemed, managing to get involved with a human mage. As Alex''s mind wandered, the man turned to her, his gaze filled with approval. "You must be Alyssa, the newly appointed Honorary Magus. I''ve heard of you." "Mr. Vice President, shouldn''t you examine the body first?" Alex gestured towards the ruined tavern. "That won''t be necessary. He was indeed an extraterrestrial visitor. I''m aware of Celine''s... involvement in this matter. However, we''re currently short-staffed. A Magus is a valuable asset. I apologize for Celine''s reckless actions." The man''s voice was deep and gravelly, his expression neutral. He bowed slightly to Alex, a gesture of genuine apology. "Since you''ve confirmed it yourself, I won''t press the matter further. But you mentioned hearing of me. Am I that well-known?" Alex asked, her tone laced with curiosity. Surely they didn''t keep tabs on every mage who passed through their teleportation array. "Not particularly. It''s just that the Association hasn''t had an Honorary Magus in several years. I was... curious," the vice president explained, his tone casual. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So it wasn''t anything personal. That was a relief. "Miss Alyssa, if you don''t mind my asking, how many magic types have you mastered?" the man asked abruptly, catching Alex off guard. She had only used lightning magic during the fight. "Just lightning," she replied. She had only visited two cities. At most, she could reveal her mastery of wind and lightning magic. Revealing her other magic types was out of the question. "You have talent. To reach three-star Magus at such a young age... It''s time you mastered a second magic type. What are your thoughts on earth magic?" "Impressive defensive capabilities. Are you trying to recruit me to the Yellowrock City branch?" Alex asked, recognizing his intentions. There was no such thing as a free lunch, especially from a stranger. But joining the Mage Association was out of the question. It would classify her as a Traitor in the system''s eyes. She wouldn''t compromise her standing for the sake of earth magic. "You seem hesitant," the man observed, a hint of amusement in his voice. It was rare for a mage to refuse a vice president''s offer so directly. "Mr. Vice President, I appreciate your offer, but I''m not one for rules and restrictions. That''s why I''m only an Honorary Mage," Alex explained politely. The "honorary" part of her title meant she had the status but no real authority within the Mage Association. And she wasn''t bound by their rules. That was why the system didn''t consider her a member of the human race. It was a temporary position, one she could relinquish at any time. The vice president wasn''t surprised by her refusal. He wouldn''t force the issue. He paused, considering his options. "How about this? You can become an Honorary Mage of Yellowrock City. And I''ll grant you access to our earth magic teachings." He was willing to compromise. For a mage, the allure of learning new magic was almost irresistible. He was confident she would accept. "But I''m already an Honorary Mage of Thunder City. And Mr. Vice President, I suspect there''s more to your offer." Alex wasn''t naive. There had to be a catch. And judging by his eagerness to recruit her, coupled with his earlier comments and the city''s unusual emptiness, something was amiss in Yellowrock City. Something that had led to this shortage of personnel. "You''re perceptive. It''s a small favor, one you''re uniquely qualified for as an Honorary Mage." He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "There''s no rule stating that an Honorary Mage can only be affiliated with one city. Who issued your badge? I''ll speak to them. You can remain an Honorary Mage of Thunder City." "It was Vice President Eldrin. Perhaps you could elaborate on this ''favor,''" Alex said cautiously. She wouldn''t agree to anything without knowing the details. Sensing her hesitation, the man decided to be upfront. He explained the situation in Yellowrock City. The elves and giants had declared war on the Southridge Republic, the human nation on the Arsen continent. The giants were one of the three strongest local factions on the Arsen continent, their overall strength surpassing even the elves and Featherfolk. Their sudden declaration of war had caught the humans off guard. The lack of personnel in Yellowrock City was due to the mobilization of forces to the front lines. However, unlike other races, the human kingdoms, while bolstered by powerful organizations like the Mage Association and the Holy Court, had relatively weak armies. Their strength lay in their alliances with these powerful factions. Their ordinary troops were no match for the inherently powerful races. Without the mages'' support, the war would have been lost already, the Republic overrun. Perhaps this was why the Holy Court was so eager to abandon the human kingdoms. Alex frowned. Even with their combined might, the elves and giants shouldn''t pose a significant threat. A single Sovereign level powerhouse could easily crush them. Why were they being held back? And what could she possibly do? Was he asking her to join the war effort? "Our investigations suggest that the Holy Court is behind this war. And the Holy Court, in turn, is backed by the Angel race," the man revealed, his voice grave. Alex wasn''t surprised. She already knew this. "But we lack concrete evidence. We can''t openly confront them. The Holy Court''s recent actions only confirm our suspicions. The president is currently dealing with them. I''m in charge of Yellowrock City in his absence." "Why not request assistance from other branches?" Alex asked. "Alyssa, you misunderstand. We''re simply short-staffed, not overwhelmed." The man''s gaze was steady, his confidence unwavering. It seemed the elves, giants, and the Holy Court''s interference weren''t enough to truly threaten the Yellowrock City branch. "We''ve discovered a large concentration of angel beasts northwest of the Republic, near Knight City. We believe they''re connected to this war. We need you to eliminate them and investigate the situation." His voice was firm, his request clear. "We can''t intervene directly without giving the Angel race a reason to retaliate. But you... you don''t have that constraint." Chapter 331: Helpless Raphaela Alex quickly grasped the vice president''s intentions.If things went south, the Mage Association could easily distance themselves, claiming she had acted independently. They could even revoke her Honorary Mage status, severing all ties. But it was just a request. She had every right to refuse. However, as the vice president described the location of the angel beasts, Alex''s eyes widened in realization. It was Stone Pillar Mountain! So Raphaela hadn''t left after all. She kept her composure, careful not to betray her knowledge. As a first-time visitor to Yellowrock City, knowing about Stone Pillar Mountain was suspicious. And Knight City, the location mentioned by the vice president, was where the Holy Court''s branch was located. Every Holy Court branch on every continent was called Knight City. Why these Holy Court-aligned races had suddenly turned on the humans was a mystery, but Alex had a feeling this was just the beginning. Something bigger was brewing. The vice president''s request aligned perfectly with her own objective. This was her chance to eliminate Raphaela. "No problem. I accept," Alex said. The vice president nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. "Excellent. I await your good news." He turned to leave, but then he paused, turning back to face Alex, a mid-level earth magic book in his hand. "Consider this a token of our appreciation. Once you''ve mastered it, I''ll provide you with the subsequent high-level earth magic books. As for your Honorary Mage badge, I''ll have someone customize one for you." The Yellowrock City vice president was pulling out all the stops to recruit her. Alex graciously accepted the book. "Thank you for your trust," she said politely. "You''re welcome. I have matters to attend to. Farewell." This time, he truly departed, his steps hurried. Alex suspected that the Yellowrock City branch''s shortage of personnel wasn''t solely due to the war. Perhaps it was the weakest branch on the seven continents. He was likely trying to bolster their ranks, to elevate their status. "Madam, please forgive our earlier disrespect," the two mages who had been guarding Nori said, approaching Alex with apologetic expressions. They hadn''t known they were protecting an extraterrestrial visitor. "It''s fine," Alex replied dismissively, turning to leave. She headed back to the eatery, where Ruby was likely waiting impatiently. The crowd, which had gathered to witness the confrontation, had dispersed upon the vice president''s arrival. As Alex passed by, she noticed a newfound respect in their eyes. "Alex, what happened?" Ruby asked anxiously as Alex returned. "Nothing serious. Just a dwarf. I took care of him," Alex replied casually, glancing at the half-eaten food on Ruby''s plate. "Finished?" "Yep," Ruby said, nodding. "Let''s go then." Alex led Ruby out of the eatery, tossing a gold coin to the owner as they left. "Honorable mage, your change!" the owner called out, rushing after them. "Keep the rest. It''s a tip." Alex and Ruby vanished before he could protest, leaving the bewildered owner staring at the gold coin in his hand. The war was raging in the north, in the giants'' territory, bordering the Storm Elf kingdom. Lilith''s city was likely located in the northernmost reaches of the Arsen continent. Alex and Ruby, having left Yellowrock City, were heading northwest. As they flew, Alex casually flipped through the earth magic book, her brow furrowing at the complex incantations. She couldn''t rely on the system''s instant learning feature this time. It would make the book disappear, raising awkward questions. She had to learn it the old-fashioned way. "Alex, why did he give you a magic book?" Ruby asked, her head tilted in confusion. She had glanced at the book''s contents and found them utterly incomprehensible. "He wants to recruit me to the Mage Association." "What? Did you agree?" Ruby asked, her eyes widening in alarm. She thought Alex was about to abandon them and join the humans. "Of course not." Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "But why did he give it to you then?" "He asked me for a favor. And his request happens to align perfectly with our objective," Alex said, a sly smile on her face. It was a stroke of luck. She would have gone after Raphaela regardless of the vice president''s request. "Oh, right. I haven''t even asked where we''re going," Ruby said, realizing she had been blindly following Alex without knowing their destination. "To kill a Lord." Alex suppressed her killing intent, reminding Ruby to do the same. They had to avoid triggering Raphaela''s senses. Their speed slowed slightly, but it didn''t matter. They were flying over a desolate, rocky wasteland. Visibility was excellent. According to Drake, Stone Pillar Mountain wasn''t a mountain in the traditional sense. It was a colossal stone pillar, more like a giant rod jutting out from the earth, its peak piercing the clouds. It should be easy to spot. They flew for hours, the sun slowly sinking towards the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and red. The setting sun cast long shadows across the land, creating a breathtaking spectacle. They continued westward, the sunlight glinting off their robes. "Strange. Shouldn''t we have seen the pillar by now?" Ruby asked, her voice laced with confusion. Alex was puzzled as well. Surely they couldn''t miss such a massive structure. She double-checked their direction, using the sun as a guide. They were on the right track. "Don''t worry. Maybe it''s just further than we thought," Alex said, reassuring Ruby. They pressed on. Suddenly, Alex felt a subtle shift, as if they had passed through an invisible barrier. The space ahead shimmered, and Stone Pillar Mountain materialized before them. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Ruby hadn''t noticed the barrier, but Alex, with her heightened sensitivity to light-aligned energy, had detected it instantly. Without her dark affinity, she would have missed it entirely. "Alex, look!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the towering pillar. Alex, however, frowned. "Full speed ahead! We might have been detected. We can''t let her escape!" In fact, her caution was unwarranted. Raphaela hadn''t detected them. She didn''t possess the ability to conceal such a massive structure. It was Stone Pillar Mountain''s inherent power, not Raphaela''s doing. At the foot of the pillar, Raphaela had gathered all the Lords under her command. As dusk settled, she began her speech, her voice echoing across the assembled ranks. She spoke of unity, of cooperation, of survival. But it was all a carefully crafted facade, a means to manipulate them with her holy light. Thanks to the leaderboard refresh, she had managed to subjugate twenty new Lords in a single day. The faith power they and their troops provided had allowed her to level up. However, relying on the holy light had its drawbacks. She had to periodically "bless" her subjects, reinforcing her influence. It was a slow, subtle process, not a quick fix. Fortunately, these Lords had submitted to her willingly. They were loyal, their minds open to her influence. Her progress was accelerating. She had already reached lv7 Monarch. She glanced at the leaderboard, a smug smile on her face. She could almost taste victory, envisioning the day she would crush the undead Lord. Aside from the Behemoth Lord and the Troll Lord, who were still technically allies, all ninety-six Lords under her command were now her subjects! Their combined forces, including their troops, numbered over two hundred thousand. A staggering number. Almost one-twentieth the size of Alex''s undead army. But numbers alone were meaningless. None of them were King level, and even their Monarch level count paled in comparison to Alex''s forces. She had subjugated them for one purpose: to provide her with faith power. She didn''t care about their development. She hoarded resources, prioritizing her own growth and using the rest to upgrade their Barracks. Her goal was simple: to maximize their troop output. She hovered in the air, her white robes pristine, her divine aura radiating outwards, inspiring awe and reverence. Holy light bathed the land, seeping into the Lords below. They gazed up at her, their eyes filled with a fervent, almost fanatical devotion. To them, she was a goddess. As she basked in their adoration, a sudden jolt of awareness shot through her. She opened her eyes, her aura flaring, her expression hardening. Intruders! "Southeast! Enemies approaching! The time for unity is now! Eliminate the intruders!" Her voice, cold and emotionless, echoed across the gathering. The Lords scrambled to their feet, directing their troops towards the southeast. "Protect our goddess! Slay the invaders!" "May the holy light guide us!" A golden aura erupted from Raphaela, and the angel beasts, receiving her command, charged alongside the Lords. Raphaela, however, didn''t hesitate. She turned towards the Angel City atop Stone Pillar Mountain, her instinct screaming at her to flee. She had sensed a dark presence, a powerful being shrouded in shadows. It had to be Alex. "She found me!" Panic surged through her. She could only hope the Lords would buy her some time, gather some intel. If it weren''t for Alex, she wouldn''t be running. The Angel Resurrection Pool and the city crystal were her most valuable assets. They couldn''t be compromised. As she flew towards the summit, a figure materialized before her, blocking her path. Her heart skipped a beat. Fear, a sensation she had thought she had conquered, gripped her. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex stood before her, a faint smile on her lips. But it was a chilling smile, her eyes cold and calculating. "It''s been a while." Raphaela''s eyes widened as a strange red light emanated from Alex''s right eye. Before she could react, the space around her solidified, trapping her in an invisible prison. In a single instant, she was immobilized. She struggled, her mind reeling. How could the gap between their powers be so vast? She tried to activate her trump card, but her body was paralyzed by lightning magic, the space around her locked down. She couldn''t even access the system, let alone activate her city teleportation ability. She was helpless. As Alex guided her towards the Angel City, her heart sank. Alex knew her secret, the secret of her resurrection. Drake must have betrayed her! "I wonder if you''re even human anymore. What a waste of beauty and talent," Alex mused, her voice devoid of sympathy. She wouldn''t give Raphaela a chance to speak, to plead for her life. Not until she was dealt with permanently. The system should have purged the angelic divinity from her. But Raphaela had chosen to retain it. Drake and Alex, despite being partially influenced, had retained their humanity, their minds intact. As for Raphaela''s followers, their numbers meant nothing. Alex had learned, through experience, that Monarch level units, even in overwhelming numbers, couldn''t defeat a King level opponent. She wasn''t worried about Ruby. She hadn''t even sent any undead to assist her. Ruby could handle this on her own. As her subject, Ruby, now a king, enjoyed the same benefits as the subjugated Lords. Her kills granted Alex experience points, albeit a reduced amount. Her own people''s kills, however, no longer contributed to Alex''s experience. Instead, they benefited Ruby directly. It was one of the perks of submitting to Alex. She gained access to certain system features, like experience gain from kills, allowing her to grow stronger faster. They reached the summit of Stone Pillar Mountain, a perpetual cloud cover obscuring the peak, providing a natural veil of protection for the Angel City. As the clouds parted, Alex finally saw it. The city, bathed in a golden light, radiated an aura of divine power that made Alex''s skin crawl. It was a magnificent structure, a fitting abode for a god. She noticed faint streams of golden energy converging on the city from below, flowing towards the crystal at its peak. "Is that faith power?" Chapter 332: Death Angel Raphaela''s eyes widened in horror. Alex knew about faith power?Alex, with Raphaela in tow, landed just outside the Angel City, her arrival immediately drawing the attention of the angelic guards. They surged from the city, their forms radiating a blinding holy light, their wings beating furiously as they charged towards Alex. Alex, however, didn''t even flinch. A flick of her wrist, a mere thought, and a wave of spatial blades sliced through the air. The blades passed through the angels effortlessly, severing them in half. Their bodies tumbled towards the ground, their holy light flickering and fading. The spatial blades, their momentum unchecked, continued onwards, shattering the Angel City''s protective barrier, cleaving through the city walls, and tearing through buildings before finally dissipating. This casual display of power shattered Raphaela''s last vestiges of hope. King level. So powerful. It was despair-inducing. Alex, with Raphaela still imprisoned, entered the city. The remaining angels, their previous bravado gone, kept their distance, their eyes wide with fear. "I thought angels were fearless. Turns out they''re just as afraid of death as everyone else," Alex scoffed, ignoring them as she headed towards the palace, her destination the Angel Resurrection Pool. Destroying the pool was the only way to permanently eliminate Raphaela. Destroying the city crystal might work, but Alex couldn''t gauge the city''s level. If it was maxed out, it wouldn''t affect Raphaela directly. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had to be thorough. She guided Raphaela towards the palace, the angels trailing behind cautiously. Even with her back turned, they didn''t dare attack. Suddenly, Alex stopped, her gaze fixed on the palace entrance. The angels, startled by her abrupt halt, froze in their tracks. The angels she had just slain were emerging from the palace, their wounds healed, their holy light restored. The Angel Resurrection Pool could resurrect not only Raphaela but also ordinary angels. Witnessing it firsthand, Alex finally understood its true power. It was true immortality. And angels, unlike undead, were powerful individuals, capable of flight and wielding the purifying power of holy light. No wonder Raphaela had been so formidable in the early stages. Then, a thought struck her. Transform Undead! She had almost forgotten about this skill. She had intended to experiment with it after acquiring it, but it had been put on hold. Now was the perfect opportunity. What would happen if she tried to transform an angel, a creature whose very essence was antithetical to her own? Would they become undead? Or would they simply perish? She suspected angels had a high level cap. If this worked, it could significantly boost her power. She turned, her gaze locking onto one of the angels. The angel froze, its movements seized by an unseen force. In the blink of an eye, it was standing before Alex, its wings bound, its holy light flickering uncertainly. The other angels gasped, but they didn''t dare intervene. Even Raphaela, despite her fear, looked on with a flicker of curiosity. Alex''s left eye glowed with an eerie blue light. A black orb, the size of a coin, formed in her palm. She thrust it into the angel''s chest. "Aaargh!" The angel screamed in agony. Alex released her hold and stepped back, observing the transformation. The angel writhed on the ground, its holy light flaring, its form seemingly purifying, becoming even more angelic. What was happening? Why was it becoming more angelic? Then, as quickly as it had intensified, the holy light vanished, replaced by a dark, unsettling aura. The angel''s white wings and robes turned black in an instant. It rose to its feet, its strength restored, its gaze flickering between Raphaela and Alex, its mind struggling to comprehend the transformation. Its former master, the source of its holy power, and the new emperor, its bloodline now calling to a different master... It was torn. Its once-sacred form was now a twisted mockery of its former self, a dark, corrupted being resembling a fallen angel. The other angels, witnessing this horrifying transformation, recoiled in fear. But their lord was still in Alex''s clutches. They had to stand their ground. Raphaela, however, was utterly horrified. This was beyond anything she had ever witnessed. Alex could transform angels into fallen angels? No, not fallen angels. She stared at Alex, fear gripping her heart. She knew her fate was sealed. She struggled against her bonds, but it was futile. Alex, pleased with the successful transformation, approached the death angel, who stood frozen, its gaze fixed on her, its mind a whirlwind of confusion and fear. Alex, however, didn''t harm it. She stood beside it, opening her system interface. Even she wasn''t sure if this creature was truly undead. [Death Angel] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 30%] [Life Tier: Commanding Level] [Level: lv5 (Can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 150] [Strength: 91] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 84] [Growth Limit: Emperor Level] [Active Skills: Death Mark, Death Shroud] [Passive Skill: Infect Summon] ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "Death angel?" Alex blinked in surprise. It was indeed an undead creature. But the transformation process seemed excruciating, and the creature retained its memories. She could now summon not only the dead but also the living, transforming them into undead. Even angels, beings of pure light, were susceptible to her power. She skimmed through its skills. Nothing particularly noteworthy, except for the passive skill. Death angels emitted a constant aura of darkness that corrupted living beings, eventually transforming them into undead. "Interesting." She unleashed a soul attack, instantly killing the death angel. Its loyalty was too low. It was useless to her. The advantage of transforming living creatures was that, unlike summoned undead, they could level up by killing enemies. The downside was that their kills didn''t grant her experience points. She had kept her system interface visible throughout the process, allowing Raphaela to see the death angel''s stats. Death angel. A creature she had never heard of. It was distinct from a fallen angel, possessing the undead''s inherent immortality. Alex glanced at Raphaela, her face pale with terror, and guided her towards the palace steps. "Don''t worry. Your turn is next." === Meanwhile, at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain, Ruby was having a field day, effortlessly cutting through the enemy ranks. As the Arctic Tigerfolk queen, she excelled in close combat. But these opponents weren''t even worthy of getting close. Her spatial and ice magic were more than enough to handle them. The thousands of angel beasts, mostly transformed from the Lords'' troops, were all Commanding level. Despite their angelic transformation, they hadn''t changed much physically. They had sprouted white, feathery wings and gained a faint holy aura, but that was about it. They were weaker than their undead counterparts, serving primarily as cannon fodder for Raphaela''s rapidly expanding army. Ruby was making short work of them. The dozens of Monarch level Lords, instead of engaging her directly, had sent their troops forward, hoping to deplete her mana points. It was a sound strategy, considering she was outnumbered. But Ruby was happy to oblige. She ignored the Lords for now, focusing on obliterating the rank-and-file troops. The more she killed, the more her experience bar surged, fueling her excitement. To maximize her efficiency, she expanded her spatial domain, its reach encompassing almost the entire battlefield. The Lords were forced to retreat, lest they be caught in her deadly embrace. Finally, one of the Monarch level Lords, snapping out of his holy light-induced fervor, realized the truth. "This isn''t Monarch level power! She''s a King level!" he shouted, his voice laced with terror. His words jolted the others back to reality. Some of them, their minds clearing, finally grasped the situation. Raphaela hadn''t sent them to fight. She had sent them to die! They looked around, their hearts sinking as they realized Raphaela was nowhere to be found. Not a single angel was in sight. "What are we waiting for? Run!" one of the Lords, a recent addition to Raphaela''s ranks, shouted. The holy light''s influence hadn''t fully taken hold yet, and fear had shattered its grip on his mind. But they had forgotten one crucial detail. They had submitted to Raphaela. Where could they possibly run? As the Lord turned to flee, a spatial blade pierced his chest. Ruby''s domain had expanded, its reach encompassing them all. She wouldn''t let them escape. She had to eliminate them before Alex dealt with Raphaela. If Raphaela died, these Lords, bound by the Submission Contract, would perish as well. But their deaths, caused by the system''s power, wouldn''t grant her any experience points. She had to act now. Seeing her intent, the Monarch level Lords and their remaining troops, trapped and desperate, charged towards Ruby. "Brothers, attack! We outnumber her! We can take her!" one of the Lords shouted, his voice laced with false bravado. His words were cut short as his head flew from his shoulders. Ruby, teleporting into the heart of their formation, unleashed a wave of icy power, freezing them in their tracks. Then, a ring of spatial energy, expanding outwards from her position, ripped through their ranks. Most of the Lords were obliterated instantly. Only a handful of Monarch level Lords managed to escape the initial onslaught. Among them were Raphaela''s two allies: the Behemoth Lord and the Troll Lord. They stared at Ruby, their eyes wide with terror, and activated their transformation abilities, boosting their resilience. Then, they turned and fled. They were allies, not subjects. Raphaela''s death wouldn''t affect them. While they were influenced by the holy light, their survival instincts outweighed their loyalty. "So you''re the Behemoth and the Troll Alex mentioned," Ruby muttered, abandoning the other fleeing Lords and pursuing the two. In the blink of an eye, she teleported in front of them, blocking their path. "Please, spare us..." Ruby, however, wasn''t interested in negotiations. She conjured a barrage of ice spikes, impaling their limbs, pinning them to the ground. Then, she encased them in ice, adding a layer of spatial sealing for good measure. Their powerful regenerative abilities, a byproduct of their bloodlines, wouldn''t allow for a quick kill. With them secured, she turned her attention back to the other Lords. The surge of experience points thrilled her. At this rate, she would definitely level up! Under the onslaught of Ruby''s formidable assault, the angel beasts were decimated, leaving only the disarrayed Lords and their dwindling troops behind. To buy themselves time, the Lords sacrificed their troops, mostly low-intelligence units. High-intelligence troops, realizing they were being used as pawns, would likely rebel and flee. "This is so tedious," Ruby grumbled, watching as the Lords scattered in all directions. She couldn''t maintain her domain''s reach across such a vast area. Eliminating them all at once was no longer an option. She had to resort to chasing them down individually. Fortunately, her spatial magic granted her incredible speed. These Monarch level Lords couldn''t outrun a King level. Chapter 333: Sword of Judgment Meanwhile, at the Angel City.Alex, with Raphaela still imprisoned, had reached the palace, locating the Angel Resurrection Pool in a side chamber. The room pulsed with holy energy, making Alex uncomfortable. She could even sense Raphaela''s strength increasing slightly. But it was futile. This minor boost wouldn''t break Alex''s hold. Alex had refrained from killing the angels initially because of the Angel Resurrection Pool. Its resurrection ability meant they wouldn''t provide her with experience points unless she completely obliterated their souls. That was too much of a hassle. It was easier to destroy the pool and then eliminate them. She stepped closer, examining the Angel Resurrection Pool. It was similar in size to her Blackwater Altar, but circular. And instead of liquid, it contained a swirling mass of golden energy. A golden holy sword was embedded in the pool''s center, only the hilt visible, the blade submerged within the golden energy. The energy seemed to revolve around the sword. Had the pool created the sword, or was the sword the pool''s core? Alex frowned, her curiosity piqued. Raphaela, noticing Alex''s interest in the sword, panicked. She had never revealed the pool''s true nature to anyone. This Angel Resurrection Pool... it didn''t seem like a structure. It felt more like an item, or a weapon. Alex, her suspicions growing, decided to experiment. She approached the pool''s edge, conjuring a black orb of energy in her palm. She tossed it into the pool. She wanted to see how the energy that transformed creatures into undead would react to the Angel Resurrection Pool. The black energy, like a drop of ink in clear water, spread rapidly, tainting the golden energy. For a moment, it seemed to be working. But Alex had underestimated the pool''s power. The holy sword at the center blazed with light, and the pool''s energy intensified, the entire structure glowing brightly. In an instant, the black energy was purged. Raphaela breathed a sigh of relief. Alex, however, was stunned. "This thing''s got some kick to it, huh?" she muttered, impressed despite herself. But her experiment hadn''t been entirely fruitless. She had identified the pool''s true core: the golden holy sword. She flew towards the pool, hovering above it, her right eye glowing red. She extended her hand, spatial energy enveloping it as she grasped the sword''s hilt, attempting to pull it free. Raphaela gasped, her eyes widening in fear. But Alex''s attempt failed. The sword remained firmly embedded in the pool''s center, unyielding. "Strange. Why can''t I pull it out?" Even with her King level strength, she couldn''t budge it. But Alex suspected that Raphaela, a mere Monarch, could have easily removed it. Was this thing bloodline-specific? But that didn''t make sense. Alex''s scythe, a Companion Weapon, a future Divine Weapon, could be wielded by anyone, although they wouldn''t be able to unleash its full power. Why couldn''t she pull this sword out? Was it truly an integral part of the pool, a mere ornament? Wait, why was she being cautious? She had Life Link. This thing couldn''t harm her. Realization dawned, and she flew towards the pool''s center, deciding to try a more direct approach. As she reached the center, Alex glanced back, catching Raphaela''s surprised expression and the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips. To be safe, Alex avoided touching the golden energy, extending her arm and grasping the sword''s hilt. A coolness spread through her palm, but nothing else happened. She had suppressed her dark energy, just in case. She pulled, her muscles straining. The golden holy sword slowly emerged from the pool, its true form gradually revealed. The golden energy below churned violently, swirling like a whirlpool, converging on the sword in her hand. As the last vestiges of energy drained from the pool, the sword came free. "I see," Alex murmured, a knowing smile on her lips. The Angel Resurrection Pool wasn''t a structure. It was a weapon. The holy sword in her hand. And as a weapon in her possession, she could examine its properties using the system. [Companion Weapon: Sword of Judgment] [Quality: Monarch Level Weapon (Upgradeable)] [Soul Concentration Level: 15%] [Current Attribute: Holy] [Active Skill 1: Transform into a special summoning structure (Currently: Angel Resurrection Pool)] [Active Skill 2: Judgment. Consumes 80% of current Mana Points to unleash an unavoidable, powerful soul attack, enhanced by the wielder''s attributes.] [Passive Skill 1: Adapts to the wielder''s primary attribute, changing its attribute accordingly.] [Passive Skill 2: Absorbs faith power to enhance the structure''s energy.] [Passive Skill 3: When transformed into a structure, the wielder receives a vassal weapon of the same level, possessing all the original weapon''s abilities (excluding structure-specific abilities).] [Owner: Raphaela] A Companion Weapon?! Alex stared at the description, her heart pounding. This was the first Companion Weapon she had encountered besides her own scythe. And Raphaela had one! She carefully read through the skill descriptions. A Companion Weapon that could transform into a special structure, with a powerful active skill... It was incredible. She wondered if it had any hidden attributes, like doubling her attribute points. "How do I claim it? Do I have to kill Raphaela first?" The system interface allowed her to view the Angel Resurrection Pool''s features, but she was more interested in claiming the weapon itself. [Notice: A Lord can only possess one Companion Weapon at a time.] §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Damn!" She immediately abandoned that idea. The Sword of Judgment was impressive, but it couldn''t compare to her scythe. It was a weapon. If it wasn''t in her possession, killing Raphaela would result in a random drop, with no guarantee of obtaining it. But since she was holding it, it was essentially a guaranteed drop. And it seemed the only way to make it unowned was to kill Raphaela. Her assumption was correct. That was indeed the system''s rule. But if she hadn''t discovered the weapon and had simply killed Raphaela, the Companion Weapon, in its structure form, wouldn''t have a blueprint, making the drop rate zero. It was also worth noting that Companion Weapons weren''t indestructible. With Alex''s King level strength, she could easily destroy this Monarch level Companion Weapon. But destroying it seemed like a waste. Its ability to adapt to different attributes intrigued her. Would it become a dark attribute weapon if she wielded it? And would its transformed structure change accordingly, its effects altered? It seemed this weapon''s power lay in its unique features, not its direct combat capabilities. Its only offensive ability was a mana-intensive active skill. The Sword of Judgment resembled a standard cruciform sword, but with a longer blade, adorned with intricate golden engravings. Even without a wielder, it radiated a potent holy aura. But it was nothing Alex couldn''t handle. Alex released her grip, letting the Sword of Judgment hover behind her, held aloft by spatial magic. She then led Raphaela away, her gaze sweeping over the chamber, searching for anything else of value. Killing her outright would be too merciful. With the Angel Resurrection Pool deactivated, Raphaela shouldn''t be able to resurrect. But to be safe, Alex decided to test it out on the remaining angels. Her left eye glowed blue, and several angels outside burst into flames, their souls and bodies consumed by an agonizing inferno. She then unleashed a barrage of lightning spears, impaling several more angels, their lifeless forms collapsing to the ground. The remaining angels, their fear overwhelming their loyalty, scattered, abandoning their attempts to rescue Raphaela. But before they could reach the city limits, an invisible spatial barrier halted their flight. Alex had sealed the entire Angel City with high-level spatial magic! She hadn''t just been testing the resurrection ability. She had also targeted and eliminated all the Monarch level angels. The remaining angels, all below Monarch level, were trapped, their escape routes cut off. She opened her system interface, checking the experience points gained from the angel kills. She waited for fifteen minutes, her gaze fixed on the Sword of Judgment, ensuring they wouldn''t resurrect. Satisfied, she finally relaxed. She couldn''t be entirely certain about the Trolls or the Behemoths, but Raphaela, the Angel Lord, definitely had unique troops. Killing her would grant her the angel bloodline and Barracks. She pondered how best to utilize them. "If I transform her into an undead and then kill her, would I obtain the death angel bloodline and Barracks?" The thought crossed Alex''s mind, but she quickly dismissed it. Death angels were classified as undead. And she was the sole undead Lord. Transforming Raphaela into a death angel might result in losing both the angel bloodline and the Barracks. It was too risky. Killing her outright was the safest bet. Even if the angel bloodline was useless to Alex, she''d rather keep it in her Warehouse than risk losing it entirely. Alex searched the city, but she couldn''t find anything else of value. The city was too vast to explore thoroughly in such a short time. The Warehouse was empty, its contents likely used to upgrade Raphaela''s subjects. But the Sword of Judgment was a valuable prize. Alex decided not to waste any more time. The sky was dark now, the blood moon rising in the east, casting an eerie red glow over the land. Stone Pillar Mountain, its peak piercing the clouds, offered a breathtaking view of the starry sky, the stars seemingly close enough to touch. "The stars are beautiful on the Arsen continent," Alex murmured, her voice carrying on the wind. Alex released Raphaela''s speech restriction, allowing her to speak. "Raphaela, if you had a chance to do it all over again, would you still join forces with them to attack me?" Raphaela remained silent, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. She had never considered that question, never imagined this would be her fate. "I only regret not submitting to the Angel race sooner," she finally replied, her voice cold and emotionless. Even now, facing imminent death, she showed no fear. Perhaps it was acceptance, Alex thought. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But then, Raphaela''s final act of defiance began. The faith power she had amassed surged into her, her aura flaring, her strength growing, threatening to break Alex''s hold. "Hah!" Alex scoffed, unimpressed. With a clang, she slammed her scythe into the ground, reinforcing the spatial lock. Raphaela was once again immobilized, her power surging, reaching half-step King level. Just one step away from becoming a true King. But it was futile. A half-step King was no match for a true King, especially not against Alex. She knew that system enhancements and skill boosts couldn''t exceed one''s current level cap. Raphaela was a Monarch. No matter how much she boosted her power, she wouldn''t reach King level. She could only approach it. And Alex, with her scythe''s attribute bonus, could easily overpower her. "It''s pointless. Stop struggling. It''s over," Alex said, her voice cold and final. Raphaela was beyond redemption. Alex raised her scythe, ready to deliver the final blow. As the blade descended, Raphaela''s body went limp, her golden blood staining the ground. The Angel City shuddered violently, its walls crumbling, its buildings collapsing. The once-pristine city was falling apart. Alex rose into the air, her Death Domain expanding, engulfing the entire city, trapping the remaining angels within its deadly embrace. Alex wouldn''t let a single one escape. As the Angel City crumbled into ruin, her domain retracted, returning to her. The angels'' bodies, consumed by black flames, plummeted from the sky, turning to ash before they could reach the ground, their remains scattering on the wind. Chapter 334: Death Angel Bloodline [Congratulations! You have slain the Angel Lord. You have received the special rewards: Angel Bloodline Power, Angel Barracks.][Calculating loot...] [Due to the Angel Lord''s death, all her subjects have been eliminated. Their loot will be calculated as well.] Alex closed the system interface. The loot from Raphaela''s subjects was likely insignificant, probably just basic resources like stone and crystals. As the Angel City crumbled into dust, Alex unleashed a wave of spatial magic, sweeping the debris from the mountaintop. This location would be ideal for an undead fortress. It was secluded and strategically advantageous. But expanding outwards was too risky. The Mage Association and the Holy Court, both powerful factions, were nearby. Antagonizing them wasn''t a wise move. She claimed the system rewards, intending to conduct an experiment. Its outcome would determine whether she established a fortress here. "Claim." The two rewards materialized in her hands. The Angel Barrack was a diamond-shaped crystal, the size of a pocket watch, pulsing with holy light. As long as she didn''t activate it, it would remain in this dormant state. The Angel Bloodline Power was a concentrated sphere of golden energy, similar to the Titan Bloodline Power, but its holy energy was purer, more intense. Alex held the Angel Bloodline Power in her left hand, pondering the possibility of transforming it into death angel bloodline power. Undead were a diverse race. Surely one of their king''s bloodlines would be equivalent to this angel bloodline. What if Alex wasn''t the sole undead Lord? Would the undead race''s various sub-races be distributed among other Lords, granting them exceptional talents? And what level was this angel bloodline within the Angel race''s hierarchy? Perhaps it possessed Divine potential, just like her own. "Ah, what the heck. Let''s give it a shot. If it fails, no big deal. I still have the Barrack." Alex wanted to use her innate ability to transform this angel bloodline into undead bloodline. Trial and error. Even if it failed, she still gained an Angel Barrack. She conjured a black orb of energy in her right hand, slowly merging it with the angel bloodline in her left hand. There were no system prompts. She was on her own. The system couldn''t assist her with this. It was transformation magic. Alex refused to believe she couldn''t transform angel bloodline into undead bloodline! As the two energies merged, a blinding golden light erupted, illuminating the mountaintop. It was like pouring water into a vat of boiling oil. The holy light, intense and purifying, washed over the area. Alex, instead of resisting, watched as the black energy in her right hand dissipated. She acted decisively, unleashing her high-level summoning magic. A wave of darkness surged from her hand, engulfing the angel bloodline. Darkness clashed with light, the holy angel bloodline struggling to resist the encroaching corruption. Her mana points drained at an alarming rate. The scythe appeared in her other hand, its double attribute bonus doubling her mana pool, allowing her to intensify the flow of dark energy. Down below, Ruby, having eliminated her opponents, was preparing to bring her two captives to the summit. She glanced back, her eyes widening as she saw a golden light piercing the clouds, bathing the mountaintop in holy light. "What the heck is going on? I thought that woman was dead." She had witnessed one of the Lords dying just moments ago. It was her final kill. Alex had apparently beaten her to it. She hurried towards the summit, the two captured Lords, Magnus and Grom, encased in ice, looking on with confusion. The system had notified them of Raphaela''s death. What was this holy light then? Before they could reach the summit, the golden light vanished, plunging the area back into darkness. As they landed, Ruby saw Alex kneeling in the center, her scythe supporting her weight, her breath ragged, her forehead beaded with sweat. "Alex, what happened? Are you okay?" Ruby asked, teleporting to her side, her voice laced with concern. She then noticed a black orb of energy hovering beside Alex, so unassuming she had almost missed it. "I''m fine. Just a bit of a headache," Alex said weakly, pushing herself to her feet, her scythe clattering to the ground. Even with her scythe''s double attribute bonus, her mana had been completely drained. The strain on her soul force had left her weak and slightly disoriented. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But her experiment had succeeded. She gazed at the bloodline power, a satisfied smile on her face. It had been worth the effort. She opened her system interface, confirming her suspicions. The fusion with the angel bloodline had retained some of its original properties. It was undead, but not ordinary undead. It was death angel bloodline power! [Death Angel Bloodline] [Life Tier: Divine] [Effect: Absorbing this bloodline will transform the user into a death angel (classified as undead), making them the king of their race, granting them the ability to summon troops.] Alex''s smile widened. This was a game-changer for Xiao Hui. She hadn''t expected her high-level summoning magic to possess the ability to create a race king. It was overpowered, although the angel bloodline deserved most of the credit. After all, Raphaela''s angel bloodline had Divine potential. Alex had merely transformed it. And the transformation itself was a system-granted ability. So technically, the system had done the heavy lifting. But still, the fact that Alex could achieve this meant her own life tier was also Divine. Of course, having a Divine life tier didn''t guarantee godhood. It merely meant she had a chance, however slim. All the undead race kings had Divine potential, yet they remained subservient to Alex. It spoke volumes about her own bloodline''s uniqueness. If their chances of achieving godhood were 1%, hers was at least 10%. Alex was their master, despite their shared Divine potential. Alex flashed a slight smile and said to Ruby, "It looks like we need to make a trip back to the Undead Empire first." "Go back?" Ruby asked, confused. They had just left the Undead Empire. Why were they returning so soon? Alex pulled out a Fortress Essence Shard, activated it, and tossed it into the center of the cleared mountaintop. A massive magic circle unfolded, and an undead fortress materialized, its dark towers rising from the ground. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "Yeah, we need to head back to the Undead Imperial Capital. As for these two..." Alex paused, approaching the two captured Lords, Magnus and Grom, still encased in ice. With a flick of her wrist, she released their spatial seals. But even with their newfound freedom, they didn''t dare make a move, not with Alex standing right there. "Tell me, are your troops unique?" she asked, getting straight to the point. "No, we''re not," one of them stammered, his voice trembling. The other shook his head vigorously. Alex''s shoulders slumped slightly. She had been hoping for unique troop Lords. "And are you aware that you''ve been influenced by Raphaela''s holy light?" Alex asked, her curiosity piqued. She had always wondered about the extent of the holy light''s influence. "Yes," Grom, the Behemoth Lord, replied, his voice heavy with regret. The Troll Lord, however, looked at Grom in surprise. He had been unaware. "I see," Alex murmured, her gaze sweeping over them. Then, her expression hardened. "But you''re still going to die. It''s the price you pay for your actions." With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a wave of spatial energy, instantly killing them both. Then, she summoned their corpses as necromancers. "Death Spirit," Alex snapping her fingers. A Death Spirit clone materialized beside the two necromancers. "Go summon all the corpses at the foot of the mountain as undead." "As you command, my queen," the Death Spirit replied, its voice a hollow echo. The three undead flew towards the base of the mountain. Alex turned and headed towards the undead fortress. "Ruby, let''s go." They entered the fortress, their figures vanishing within its dark walls. ... Eldoria Continent, Undead Imperial Capital. Alex and Ruby materialized at the entrance of the main fortress. It wasn''t too late. Xiao Hui was likely still awake. They entered the palace, and Xiao Hui, surprised by their sudden return, rushed to greet them. "Miss Alex, what are you doing back?" "I killed the Angel Lord, built an undead fortress on Stone Pillar Mountain, and brought you a treasure. Actually, two treasures," Alex said, heading towards the main hall and settling into a chair. She placed the unowned Sword of Judgment on the table. Xiao Hui and Ruby followed her, their gazes drawn to the black orb hovering beside Alex. Xiao Hui hadn''t even noticed it until she felt the surge of dark energy. "Miss Alex, what is that? How come I didn''t see it before?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. The orb was so unassuming, it was almost invisible. Alex chuckled. "That''s one of the treasures I brought you. Death angel bloodline power, Divine potential. Transformed from the Angel Lord''s bloodline. I just... tweaked it a bit, turning the holy attribute into dark." "Holy crap, an angel?!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. She quickly realized that a dark angel was likely similar to Lilith''s fallen angels. But the ability to alter a bloodline''s attribute... that was seriously overpowered. "So I can become an angel? Does that mean I''m stronger than my brother now?" Xiao Hui asked excitedly. "Theoretically, yes. Death angels aren''t part of the Angel race. They''re transformed undead, possessing traits from both races. And like my other race kings, their growth limit is Divine." Alex wasn''t sure about the specific differences between transformed undead and her own undead. She lacked the data to make a proper assessment. "Wait, undead? Will I turn into a skeleton?" Xiao Hui asked, her excitement replaced with apprehension. "Do I look like a skeleton?" Alex rolled her eyes. She had already tested the death angel transformation on one of the angels. It didn''t turn them into skeletons, or even emaciated, skeletal figures like necromancers. They retained their flesh and blood. Xiao Hui would be fine. "Phew, that''s a relief," Xiao Hui said, letting out a sigh. "So I can absorb it now?" "Go ahead. But it might be a bit painful. Just try to bear with it," Alex warned. "If Xiao Mu can handle it, so can I!" Seeing her determination, Alex didn''t waste any more time. She guided the bloodline power towards Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui sat down and began absorbing it. As the black energy flowed into her, her own dark energy flared, its corrosive aura making Ruby uncomfortable. Alex gestured for her to step back. Sophie entered the hall, witnessing the scene unfolding before her. She was about to speak, but Alex quickly silenced her with a gesture. The three of them watched in silence as Xiao Hui''s body contorted, her muscles twitching. But there were no screams, no cries of pain. Xiao Hui, her face flushed, her fingers digging into the arms of her chair, was enduring the agony in silence. "I can''t hold it anymore! My stomach hurts! I need the bathroom!" she finally gasped, her voice weak. But her current state made it impossible for her to move on her own. She needed help. Alex and Ruby looked at Sophie, who stared back at them, her face blank. "Huh?" "What ''huh''? Help her get to the bathroom!" Alex ordered. Sophie, with a resigned sigh, helped Xiao Hui to her feet and guided her towards the bathroom. Chapter 335: Fuse the Angel Barracks Time: 9:00 PMAbout twenty minutes after Xiao Hui had disappeared into the bathroom, Ruby heard the door open. "Hey, where''d she go?" Ruby asked, confused. "Duh, she went to change," Sophie said, a mischievous grin on her face. "Change? Why?" Ruby, bless her heart, was clueless. "She''s back," Alex announced, her gaze fixed on the entrance. As if on cue, Xiao Hui entered the hall, her face still slightly flushed, now sporting a black hoodie and black pants. "Miss Alex, I''m done!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. The transformation was complete. She could feel the surge of power, the elevation of her Life Tier. It was truly an epic upgrade. "How do you feel?" Alex asked, her voice laced with concern. "Amazing! And I think I understand the difference between death angels and fallen angels now." She spread her arms, and a pair of massive black wings, similar to Lilith''s, sprouted from her back. The dark energy swirling around her was identical to Alex''s dark magic. Alex smiled, pleased with the outcome. The death angel bloodline, combined with Xiao Hui''s dark affinity, had granted her complete mastery of dark magic. Currently, only Crane, among the undead, could utilize a sliver of dark magic, enchanting his blade with it. Xiao Hui then proceeded to explain the specific characteristics of death angels, comparing them to fallen angels and regular angels. Fallen angels, despite their dark nature, were still classified as angels, or rather, half-angels. Of course, the system considered fallen angels and angels to be distinct races. But fallen angels originated from angels. It made sense to group them together. Fallen angels possessed not only dark attributes but also lacked gender. They typically maintained their angelic appearance, but their forms shifted during combat. This was similar to demons, who also possessed powerful transformation abilities. Death angels and regular angels, however, lacked this ability. Alex suspected fallen angels were a hybrid of angels and demons. Another key difference was that fallen angels didn''t grow additional wings as their power increased. Their wing count was determined by their Life Tier. In other words, they were born with a fixed number of wings. Alex could even gauge a fallen angel''s Life Tier by counting its wings. Below Monarch level, fallen angels had one pair of wings. King level fallen angels had two pairs, or four wings, Emperor level fallen angels would have six wings. Death angels, on the other hand, shared the Angel race''s wing growth pattern and lacked transformation abilities. They also possessed certain undead traits, like immortality and the ability to summon troops. Their primary combat style revolved around dark magic and soul magic, a stark contrast to angels'' holy light. All three types possessed angelic senses. But death angels, unlike the other two, lacked manipulation abilities. Instead, they could kill enemies and summon them as undead. However, summoning death angels was costly, a consequence of their transformed nature. Ordinary souls below Monarch level couldn''t be summoned. And summoning a death angel using a Monarch level soul only resulted in a Standard unit. Xiao Hui, as a race king, could only summon her own troops, not all types of undead. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, she could summon both living and dead angels as death angels without any restrictions. Alex even suspected she could summon fallen angel corpses. In short, all three types had their strengths and weaknesses. "That summoning method sounds like a pain," Sophie remarked, her brow furrowed. It seemed unnecessarily complicated. Why not just summon a Monarch level undead directly? Summoning a Standard death angel using a Monarch level soul was a waste. But death angels had a Sovereign level growth limit. That was their main advantage. Currently, only the race kings among the undead had surpassed the Sovereign level cap. The rest were limited to Emperor level. It seemed only the most elite troops could reach Sovereign level. "It has its merits. It''s a bit roundabout, but with Xiao Hui, their level cap is unlocked. They can level up after being summoned," Alex thought. Since the death angels have a high life limit, it is certain that these troops will not be easily summoned. Drake''s dragons, for example, required three days to summon a single unit. "Oh, and I have one more goodie for you," Alex said, picking up the Sword of Judgment and handing it to Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui, without hesitation, accepted it and opened her system interface. Sophie and Ruby, their curiosity piqued, leaned closer. Two gasps echoed through the hall. Ruby, however, remained silent, her face blank. She didn''t understand what all the fuss was about. "Holy cow, this weapon is insane!" "A Companion Weapon? It levels up with the owner?" They were stunned, speechless. This was too valuable. Alex should keep it for herself. "I don''t get it, but I''m impressed," Ruby said, her gaze fixed on Alex. "Miss Alex, you should keep this awesome weapon. I don''t want it," Xiao Hui said, quickly handing it back. This was a future Divine Weapon! "Did it ever occur to you that my scythe is also a Companion Weapon?" Xiao Hui/Sophie: "Huh?!" "Wouldn''t two be better? One in each hand! Double the fun!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her logic impeccable. "You can only have one at a time. I can''t use it. And its special structure might improve your summoning method. It could be really helpful," Alex explained, shaking her head. In the end, Xiao Hui accepted the Sword of Judgment. Upon claiming the Sword of Judgment, the blade turned black, its surface now wreathed in black flames. Afterwards, Alex explained the concept of weapon spirits to Xiao Hui, advising her to choose wisely in the future. Alex had entrusted the weapon to Xiao Hui. Its final form, its evolution, was now in her hands. "Now you''re a true top-tier Lord," Alex said. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Hee hee, I''m gonna leave Xiao Mu in the dust!" Xiao Hui declared, her competitive spirit ignited. Alex then turned her attention to the Angel Barracks crystal on the table, gesturing for Xiao Hui to take it. "Go ahead and fuse the Angel Barracks." "Okay." Xiao Hui nodded and approached the table, picking up the crystal. But as she held it in her hand, she suddenly froze, turning towards Alex with a look of confusion on her face. "Miss Alex, there''s no system prompt." "Huh?" Alex, surprised by this unexpected development, approached Xiao Hui. "What''s the deal? Can''t you fuse it?" Xiao Hui shifted the crystal from hand to hand, but nothing happened. There was no system prompt, only a display interface showing basic information. But the interface was unresponsive. She couldn''t interact with it. "It won''t fuse?" Alex was puzzled. If it couldn''t be fused, she would have to build the Angel Barracks directly. While it would only produce ordinary angels, she could always transform them into death angels later. Or she could simply use the angels as they were, although their loyalty would be questionable. "Miss Alex, what should we do?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice laced with disappointment, handing the crystal back to Alex. As Alex''s fingers brushed against the crystal, a series of system prompts popped up, startling them all. [Death Angel bloodline detected in one of your subordinate Lords. New troop type unlocked: Death Angel.] [You must fuse the Angel Barracks crystal to unlock death angel troops. Fusing the crystal is irreversible.] [Option 1: Fuse with the Undead Barracks crystal.] [Option 2: Fuse with the Dark Jiao Barracks crystal (The Undead Barracks crystal will be unable to summon death angels. The Dark Jiao Barracks crystal will be consumed. Only one Barracks can exist between the main city and a vassal city).] [Note: If built separately, the Death Angel Barracks will be an auxiliary Barracks to the Undead Barracks, but it can still be upgraded. Destroying the main Barracks will also destroy the auxiliary Barracks.] They stared at the options, their gazes shifting to Alex. Essentially, it was about splitting off a portion of the Undead Barracks'' functionality to create a separate Death Angel Barracks. This was a unique situation, triggered by the death angel bloodline. Like the Lich Barracks and the Bone Dragon Barracks. "So the trigger was with me all along," Alex murmured, realizing why Xiao Hui couldn''t activate the crystal. As for the options, she quickly dismissed Option 1. Whether fused or not, the Barracks'' level would likely be fixed. Her Undead Barracks was already maxed out. Fusing the Angel Barracks wouldn''t allow for further upgrades. It was better to split off its functionality, creating a separate Barracks that could be upgraded independently. Alex selected Option 2, and the Angel Barracks crystal vanished from her hand. A new system prompt appeared. [Option 1: Build in the Undead Empire.] [Option 2: Build in Gemini City.] She selected Option 2, and the two Dark Jiao Barracks crystals, one in the Undead Imperial Capital and one in Gemini City, shattered simultaneously, turning to dust. A new Barracks, radiating a dark, unsettling aura, materialized in the original Dark Jiao Barracks'' location in Gemini City. "Boom, done," Alex said, closing the system interface. Xiao Hui beamed with delight. Gemini City now possessed both light and dark top-tier troops. It was well on its way to becoming the second most powerful city in the Undead Empire. "Hey, didn''t the Angel Lord have two buddies? A Behemoth and a Troll? They seemed pretty tough. Weren''t they unique troop Lords?" Xiao Hui asked, recalling Drake''s description of the Justice Alliance. "Nope. They bit the dust. Only the Angel, Titan, and Dragon Lords had unique troops," Alex explained. "Oh, right. A whole horde of undead are heading back to the main fortress soon. About three hundred thousand. Make sure they''re settled in. I''m gonna crash." "You got it." Alex headed upstairs, exhausted after a long day. She needed a good night''s sleep to replenish her soul force. Ruby, however, had already made her way to the kitchen, her priorities firmly focused on food. Meanwhile, in Gemini City, Xiao Mu, returning late at night, was startled by the sight of several angels. "Fallen angels?" He assumed Lilith had arrived, but a quick system check revealed their true nature: undead. He scrolled through the barrage of messages from Xiao Hui, finally understanding what had transpired. Overall, it was a good thing. Xiao Hui''s newfound power would allow her to keep up, preventing her from becoming dead weight. Xiao Hui: "Xiao Mu, check out the leaderboard! I finally kicked that old bat down a notch!" Xiao Mu chuckled. Only something like this could make his sister this happy. He opened the leaderboard. | Rank | Name | | 1 | [Hamburger] | | 2 | [Sky Dominator] | | 3 | [Phoenixcrest] | | 4 | [Dragonridge] | | 5 | [Inferno] | | 6 | [QuartzStriker] | | 7 | [Calamity Source] | | 8 | [Flame Spirit] | | 9 | [Earth Lord] | | 10 | [Bumble] | Chapter 336: Clayton City [Night retreats, dawn arrives.]Time: 6:00 AM Alex woke up feeling refreshed and energized, her mana points and soul force fully replenished. Her cheeks were flushed, her complexion radiant. She was in peak condition. As she was about to head downstairs, she paused, a thought striking her. "Almost forgot." She shed her clothes and changed into a fresh set. Ruby had slain over two hundred thousand enemies at the Angel City. While most were Standard units, and Ruby had taken a share of the experience points, Alex had still leveled up. She was now lv.4 King level. It was just one level, but it was a significant milestone, marking her transition from early King level to mid-King level. Her power had increased exponentially, far beyond the simple addition of attribute points. She went downstairs. The others were still asleep. Their biological clocks were set for sometime between six-thirty and seven. She took advantage of the quiet time, pulling out the earth magic book and immersing herself in its contents. She wanted to master these spells before they continued their journey. They had completed the Yellowrock City vice president''s request in less than a day. It had been too easy. She would take her time, mastering this mid-level magic book before returning. Ruby, her eyes still half-closed, stumbled down the stairs, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She seemed oblivious to Alex''s presence in the main hall, heading straight for the dining room. Time: 7:00 AM Alex and Ruby were ready to leave. Xiao Hui and Sophie had finally woken up. "Miss Alex, you''re leaving already?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice laced with disappointment. "Yeah, we just came back to drop off your goodies." They had dealt with two minor issues. Their real journey was about to begin. "Okay. Leave everything to me," Xiao Hui said confidently. Sophie waved goodbye. Alex and Ruby vanished from the Undead Imperial Capital. Sophie, watching them leave, headed towards the palace entrance. "Hey, where are you going?" Xiao Hui asked, curious. She had always assumed Sophie had a lot of free time. "I''m going out. You should come with me. You''re undead now, right?" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Huh?" Xiao Hui stared at Sophie, confused. "Haven''t you noticed? Alex has a ton of undead now, but most of them are just cannon fodder. Useless. And all those corpses... it''s a waste not to summon them, but summoning them just makes the Undead Imperial Capital more crowded. And the Dark Forest is only so big. We can''t let all those low-level undead roam free. It''ll increase our chances of being discovered. The best solution is to develop some kind of special structure, like a bone pile or something, to power them up." Sophie''s sudden burst of seriousness caught Xiao Hui off guard. "You know, you actually have a point." She had to admit, Sophie was right. "I have a feeling Alex will be gone for a while. When she gets back, if everything''s still the same, won''t she think we''re slacking off? We should surprise her, you know? Look at all she''s done for us. We haven''t done nearly enough in return. We can''t let her carry all the weight." Sophie''s words resonated with Xiao Hui. They could relax when Alex was around, but now that she was gone, they had to prove their worth, to show her they were capable. "You''re right. Everyone else is working hard. We can''t just sit around and do nothing!" They left the palace, heading towards the outer city. The alchemy warlocks had already made some progress on developing new structures, but they hadn''t achieved any breakthroughs before Alex''s departure. Now, with the dwarves and hobgoblins as vassal troops, most of the artisans had reached Monarch level, expanding their capabilities. Several alchemy warlocks had also broken through to Monarch level. As their levels increased, their research would progress faster. After all, the system wouldn''t provide any more special rewards after establishing an Empire. They were on their own now. ... Meanwhile, on the Arsen continent, at Stone Pillar Mountain... Alex and Ruby emerged from the undead fortress, stepping onto the mountaintop. With no races left within Stone Pillar Mountain''s range, faith power had ceased to gather. The countless corpses that had littered the mountainside were gone, the area seemingly returned to its former state. "Alex, are we heading back to Yellowrock City?" Ruby asked. "Yeah, but let''s take our time. No rush." They flew southeast, their pace leisurely. An hour later, they left the rocky wasteland behind, a small oasis appearing in the distance. And near the oasis, a human city stood tall. "Let''s check out that city," Alex said, her curiosity piqued. She had noticed it on their way to Stone Pillar Mountain, but they had been focused on reaching their destination. "Sweet!" Ruby exclaimed, excited to explore a real human city. Mage Association branch cities were too sterile, too boring. The city, called Clayton City, had a massive gate, only half of it open. Dozens of human soldiers, clad in brown armor, stood guard on either side. The walls were lined with various high-tech gadgets, remnants of the Republic''s technological prowess, designed to repel invaders. Yellow triangular flags fluttered atop the watchtowers. The city itself was primarily constructed from a locally sourced type of rock. As they approached, Alex noticed the city''s sparse population. The guards at the gate seemed tense, their focus on defense. There was no sign of civilian traffic. But they had come this far. Alex wasn''t about to turn back now, especially with her Mage Association credentials. As Alex and Ruby descended from the sky, the soldiers tensed, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. Even the commanding general was alerted. Alex, with a single glance, assessed the general''s strength: lv1 Monarch, on par with Baldwin. "Who are you? Why have you come to Clayton?" the general shouted from atop the wall. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Alex raised her golden badge, and the general and his soldiers'' faces lit up with relief. "Greetings, honorable Magus!" they shouted in unison, kneeling on one knee. The general hurried down from the wall, his face apologetic. "Forgive our rudeness, honored Magus." "It''s fine. Is this city also facing conflict?" Alex asked, waving away his apology. The general led them into the city. "It''s a long story. Clayton City, as the Republic''s frontier city, has been plagued by strange creatures lately. They''re elusive, shadowy figures, usually appearing in groups of two or three. They haven''t launched any large-scale attacks, but they''ve caused widespread panic." He led them to a small, sparsely furnished room within the city walls. It contained only a bed, a table, and a chair. It hardly seemed fitting for a general. "Is this where you live?" Ruby asked, surprised by the room''s simplicity. "Yes, our city is a frontier town, scarce in resources. Moreover, we''re threatened by those cunning creatures. As the city''s only Monarch, I must remain vigilant, and it''s only fitting that I reside in such a place. Once the danger has passed, I can move to somewhere more comfortable. However, the Mage Association is currently assisting the Republic with the war effort and can''t spare any support, so I have no idea when that might be," the general explained, his face etched with worry. Alex settled into a chair, her brow furrowed in thought. Why was Clayton City a frontier city? Knight City, the Holy Court''s stronghold, was located further northwest. Did the Holy Court''s human cities not fall under the Republic''s jurisdiction? She decided to keep her questions to herself. It was best not to reveal her ignorance. According to the general, almost every frontier city was experiencing similar harassment from these mysterious creatures. Their objective was clearly to sow chaos and fear. And Alex had never encountered creatures like the ones he described. It was either a new race she hadn''t encountered before or some kind of summoned entity. "This is likely the Holy Court''s doing," she mused aloud. The general, despite his limited knowledge, grasped her meaning instantly. His eyes widened in alarm. "You mean... the Republic''s sudden invasion is also their doing?" "It''s just a theory. And the Mage Association will handle it. You have nothing to worry about," Alex reassured him. She wasn''t here to clean up the Mage Association''s messes. Unless it directly affected her interests, of course. "Honored Magus, I implore you to help us eliminate these creatures!" the general pleaded, his voice sincere. Alex considered his request. If she could find evidence linking the Holy Court to these attacks, it could spark a conflict between them and the Mage Association. And for Lords like her, chaos among the local factions was always a good thing. It created opportunities. "I''ll stay in Clayton City for three days. Then I must leave," she said, her tone noncommittal. Alex needed time to master the earth magic book. Dealing with these creatures was just a side quest. "Thank you!" the general exclaimed, his face beaming with gratitude. He had no doubt about her abilities. A four-star Magus, a King level mage... With her help, they would get to the bottom of this mystery. He then remembered something, retrieving a circular yellow badge from his room. "Honored mages, please accept this general''s badge. It will grant you free food, lodging, and transportation within the city. Shall I arrange accommodations for you?" Alex declined, but Ruby, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of free food, eagerly accepted the badge. "No need. We''ll explore the city on our own." They bid the general farewell and headed into the city. The soldiers at the gate, their spirits lifted by the mages'' arrival, watched them go. Clayton City, as a frontier city, had little in the way of human culture. Its inhabitants were mostly soldiers and their families. But, compared to Yellowrock City, it felt more like a real human city. The streets were wide and clean, paved with stone. The buildings, tall and imposing, with black, pointed roofs, resembled medieval castles. As they approached the city center, the number of shops increased, but the streets remained deserted. Many shops were open, but their interiors were empty. Windows were shuttered, the houses huddled together, their walls forming a continuous barrier, broken only by the main roads and a labyrinth of narrow alleys. Ruby, her eyes wide with curiosity, wanted to explore every nook and cranny. Alex, however, was unimpressed. This city was no different from the ancient cities she had seen in history books. One thing puzzled her, though. If humans were originally summoned by Lords, and Freelancers had been integrating into their society for countless eras, shouldn''t their architecture be more advanced? Humans on Earth had entered the industrial age long ago. Why hadn''t those technologies appeared in these human cities? Was her assumption wrong? They found a small inn near the city center. It wasn''t fancy, but it was clean and unpretentious. The rooms, like the shops, were empty. And since everything was free, they chose the largest room on the fifth floor. The innkeeper, awestruck by the presence of two mages, treated them with the utmost deference. Even without the general''s badge, he wouldn''t have charged them. Mages, arriving in Border Town at a time like this, were their saviors. "This is your room, honored mages," the innkeeper said as he unlocked the door with a rusty key. A musty odor wafted from the room, a testament to its long disuse. The furnishings were sparse: two beds, a table with an oil lamp, and a bathroom. Everything was newly replaced and spotlessly clean. The room itself was surprisingly spacious. Creak! Alex stepped inside, the wooden floorboards groaning under her weight, as if threatening to collapse. "You can leave now," she said, dismissing the innkeeper. "Yes, honored mages. Please don''t hesitate to call if you need anything." The innkeeper backing out of the room and closing the door. Alex settled down at the table near the window, the sunlight streaming in, illuminating the pages of her book. The window offered a panoramic view of the city. After a while, she closed the book, retrieved her badge, and handed it to Ruby. "Go ahead. I knew you couldn''t wait. I''ll skip this one." "Yay!" Ruby exclaimed, snatching the badge and rushing out of the inn, eager to sample the local cuisine. Chapter 337: Mysterious shadowy creatures Alex wasn''t worried about Ruby''s safety. As a King level powerhouse, she was practically invincible in this backwater town. Who could possibly threaten her?Alex, meanwhile, would use this time to master the earth magic book. It was a welcome break from their hectic schedule. ... Time flew by, and soon evening arrived, the sky darkening as the sun dipped below the horizon. Alex closed the earth magic book, rubbing her tired eyes. Her understanding of the book''s contents had deepened, her control over earth magic becoming more fluid, more instinctive. It would take an ordinary mage at least a year to master a mid-level magic book, but Alex''s affinity for magic was exceptional. She had learned it in a matter of days. "Maybe I''m a magical prodigy," she mused, gazing out the window. The setting sun bathed the small town in a golden light, creating a picturesque scene. As darkness deepened, lights flickered to life in the houses below. Wealthier families used mage-enchanted stones for illumination. But judging by the inn''s humble appearance, the owner couldn''t afford such luxuries. Alex, using her earth and fire magic, crafted a makeshift lamp. It was crude, but it served its purpose, illuminating the dimly lit room. Ruby had been gone for hours. Alex was about to go looking for her when the door creaked open, revealing Ruby, a smudge of grease on her cheek. "You''ve been eating all day?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not all day. Maybe half a day," Ruby replied matter-of-factly. "By the way, this inn was empty when we arrived this morning. Now it''s packed," Ruby remarked, her brow furrowed in confusion. Alex, after a moment''s thought, understood. "The owner must have spread the word. People feel safer staying near mages." The townsfolk were terrified of the unknown creatures. And proximity to mages offered a sense of security. Night fell, but the city remained peaceful. Alex and Ruby were about to turn in for the night. "Looks like those creatures are taking a night off," Alex said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. She had been hoping to catch a glimpse of these mysterious beings. "Good riddance. If they show up, we''ll squash ''em!" Ruby declared, her voice brimming with confidence. These creatures couldn''t be King level. Otherwise, Border Town would have been wiped out already. Or perhaps they were trying to avoid attracting the Mage Association''s attention, deliberately keeping their forces below King level. If Border Town fell, the Mage Association would definitely intervene. Ruby burrowed under the covers, ready for sleep. Alex was about to do the same when a muffled conversation from the next room caught her attention. The walls were thin, and their King level senses picked up every word. "Jenny, scoot closer. Spread your legs wider!" ... "Oh my God, Richard, you useless man! Your cock is smaller than my finger!" Alex, hiding under the covers, cringed. She hadn''t expected to encounter such an awkward situation in this city. The walls were paper-thin. She could hear every detail of their lovemaking. It was over in less than three minutes, much to the woman''s displeasure. Judging by their voices, they were a young couple, likely wealthy, considering they could afford a room on the fifth floor, right next to hers. "Alex, are they fighting?" Ruby asked, poking her head out from under the covers. "Maybe they''re... exercising," Alex replied vaguely, hoping to change the subject. "Exercising?" Ruby looked at her skeptically. "Yeah, they''re just... working out." As if on cue, the sounds from the next room ceased. Alex was about to drift off to sleep when a scream ripped through the night, jolting her awake. "Aah!" It was the man''s voice. Had he been brutally murdered for failing to satisfy his partner''s desires? Alex and Ruby hadn''t sensed anyone else entering the room. The woman had to be the killer. "Alex, should I go check it out?" Ruby asked. "Nah, I''ll go." Alex got out of bed, activating her Invisibility skill as she headed towards the door. The hallway was abuzz with activity, the guests whispering anxiously, their fear palpable. But no one dared open their doors. Even the innkeeper was nowhere to be found. Alex, her Invisibility concealing her presence, opened the door to the next room and stepped inside. The sight that greeted her sent a chill down her spine. The woman was dead! The room was dark, the woman''s face frozen in a mask of terror, her eyes wide with shock, as if she had witnessed something unimaginable. The man lay on the bed, his throat slashed, blood staining the white sheets crimson. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It wasn''t the woman. There had been a third person in the room, someone who had evaded both her and Ruby''s senses. Alex hurried to the window, peering out into the darkness. The street below was deserted, the only sound the gentle whisper of the wind against her face. She was certain these two had been killed by the creatures, those elusive, shadowy beings. She focused her senses, trying to detect any trace of their presence, but there was nothing. They had vanished without a trace. She pulled out a mage-enchanted stone, illuminating the room, and examined the woman''s wound. It was identical to the man''s: a clean, precise cut to the throat, an instant kill. She stood up, her brow furrowed in thought. What kind of creature could infiltrate this inn without her noticing? Then, her gaze fell on the woman''s body, and her eyes widened in horror. "They don''t have shadows!" She hurried to the bed, her mage-enchanted stone illuminating the man''s body. He, too, lacked a shadow. How was that possible? She was stunned, baffled. This was beyond creepy. She drew her scythe, activating her Soul Sight. The world around her turned white, the details fading away, replaced by a hazy, ethereal glow. Behind the two corpses, their souls lingered, their forms fading rapidly, their essence dissipating into nothingness. Their souls were still present, but they were fading, dissolving. That was the truly disturbing part. ???¦®§®???.?§°? The man and woman hadn''t been powerful. They were Standard level. Their souls should have lingered for at least seven days after death. But these were fading fast, their essence dissolving into nothingness. They would be gone within half an hour. "It''s the wound on their necks!" Alex realized the truth. The creatures'' attacks could harm souls, accelerating their dissipation. What kind of creatures were these? She deactivated her Soul Sight, secured her scythe, and flew out the window, heading towards the city gate. She needed to speak to the general, to learn more about these creatures. ==== Clayton City Gate, City Defense Fortress. Alex arrived at the gate, only to be greeted by another unexpected sight. Beasts were attacking the city! There were only a dozen or so, mostly Commanding level, with no Monarchs in sight. They were a distraction, their presence clearly orchestrated. The Clayton City general was engaged in battle outside the city walls, his lv1 Monarch strength barely holding back the onslaught of Commanding level beasts. The soldiers on the walls were providing support fire, their attacks peppering the battlefield. Within the city, however, the defense force was woefully inadequate, numbering only a few hundred, with no Commanding level soldiers in sight. Alex guessed that most of the border troops had been deployed to the front lines, leaving Clayton City vulnerable. And the attackers, despite possessing the strength to overrun the city, were merely harassing them. Their motives were unclear. The soldiers and the general, their attention focused on the beasts, were oblivious to Alex''s arrival. Suddenly, a bolt of purple lightning struck the battlefield, instantly obliterating the beasts. The general turned, his eyes widening as he saw Alex hovering in the air. "Thank you for your assistance, honored Magus!" The soldiers, breathing a collective sigh of relief, followed his gaze and saluted. "Thank you, merciful mage!" "Let''s go inside. I have some questions for you," Alex said, landing gracefully beside the general and leading him back into the city. The soldiers began clearing the beasts'' corpses. The conversations of powerful figures were none of their concern. "Tell me everything you know about those shadowy creatures," Alex said, leading the general to his room. She noticed, that the general did have a shadow. One of her theories had just been debunked. "I only saw them once. It was a shadowy figure, moving incredibly fast. I tried to pursue it, but it vanished around a corner," the general replied, his voice respectful. "Was it during the day or at night?" "At night." "Have there been any attacks during the day?" The general paused, racking his brain. "No, all the victims were killed at night. But the beasts have been spotted during the day." Alex''s question had made him realize that the beasts were a red herring, a distraction. Of course, as the city''s sole protector, burdened with both administrative and combat duties, it was understandable that he had overlooked this detail. "Do you still have the victims'' bodies?" "Yes, we have a few. They were killed recently. We haven''t had time to dispose of them yet." "Take me to them." The general led her to the city morgue, where three bodies lay, all killed on the same day. Each victim had a single, fatal wound to the neck. Alex illuminated the bodies with her mage-enchanted stone. "Notice anything unusual?" she asked the general. The general, his brow furrowed in concentration, examined the bodies carefully. But he couldn''t find anything out of the ordinary. "Their shadows," Alex prompted. The general''s eyes widened in realization. The victims had no shadows. Nighttime attacks. Shadowy figures. Missing shadows. These clues pointed towards a specific type of creature. But with thousands of races in this world, no one could claim to know them all. "Do you recognize this race?" Alex asked. The general shook his head. "Never seen anything like it." "Perhaps you didn''t lose it. Perhaps it merged with the shadows, becoming invisible," Alex suggested. "So they only attack at night to conceal themselves?" the general murmured, piecing together the clues. "And they can evade my senses. Interesting." Alex turned and left, her mind racing. She had a good idea of what they were dealing with now. The general, watching her go, was stunned. "What kind of creature can even evade a King level mage?" Alex, instead of returning to the inn, suppressed her aura and wandered through the deserted city streets. She wanted to draw the creatures out. If they could evade a King level mage''s senses, finding them in this sprawling city would be nearly impossible. It was better to use herself as bait. She also wanted to test whether ordinary light could reveal their presence. If so, finding them would be much easier. And if she could kill one, she could use the system to identify its race. But she wasn''t sure how many there were, or if they would even attack tonight. These creatures, with their shadowy nature, were likely aligned with darkness, the opposite of angels. Perhaps the Holy Court wasn''t behind this after all. She walked aimlessly, blending in with the darkness, the city shrouded in an eerie silence. After half an hour, with no sign of the creatures, she changed tactics, venturing into the city''s dark, narrow alleys. A faint sound, a soft thud, echoed from the end of one alley. Alex, her eyes adjusting to the dim moonlight, peered into the darkness. "Just a stray cat," she muttered, her shoulders slumping slightly. She turned and continued her exploration. Just then, a cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the blood moon, plunging the city into absolute darkness. Chapter 338: Shadow race Suddenly, a surge of killing intent washed over Alex, a cold shiver running down her spine. A shadowy blade, its edge glinting menacingly in the darkness, pierced the darkness, aimed straight for her throat.In the blink of an eye, an invisible ripple spread outwards, freezing the surrounding space, time itself grinding to a halt. The blade, however, was mere millimeters from her neck. "Gotcha!" Alex snapping her fingers. A burst of flame illuminated the alley, revealing her attacker. It was a humanoid figure, shrouded in darkness. No, calling it a shadow was more accurate. Its entire form was pitch black, the blade in its hand an extension of its body. It had no discernible face, only two glowing red eyes peering from its featureless head. The firelight cast its flickering shadow on the ground, but the shadow was amorphous, a shapeless blob. It could clearly conceal itself within shadows, merging seamlessly with the darkness. Even now, with the creature completely immobilized, Alex couldn''t sense its presence. It was like trying to sense a void. After all, who could sense a shadow? "What a freaky creature. But I''ll figure you out soon enough," Alex muttered, her gaze fixed on the shadowy figure. She had no intention of questioning it. This creature was unlike anything she had ever encountered. Releasing her spatial lock, even for a moment, would give it a chance to escape, rendering all her efforts pointless. Killing it was the best course of action. At least the system would tell her what it was. But it seemed to be a dark entity, lacking a physical form. Ordinary attacks wouldn''t work. Her left eye glowed blue, and she unleashed a powerful soul attack. The shadowy figure dissolved instantly. As the last vestiges of darkness faded, Alex was certain it was dead. No creature, regardless of its form, could exist without a soul. [Congratulations! You have slain a lv1 Monarch Shadowling. You have gained 110 experience points.] "Shadow Race?" Alex blinked in surprise. It was a race she had never heard of. And judging by its power, it should have been a powerful race. But she had never encountered any mention of shadow race in her dealings with the other powerful races. Shadowling, upon death, left behind neither a physical body nor a soul. If there was a corpse, a fragment of the soul would linger, allowing for undead summoning even after a soul-based death. But without a physical form, the shattered soul simply dissipated. Now that Alex knew what she was dealing with, she had to inform the general. She would advise him to instruct the townsfolk to keep their lights on at night, to maintain a well-lit environment. It would make it harder for the shadow race to infiltrate their homes. And it would give her a chance to intercept them. Then, she would return to Yellowrock City and consult with the vice president. As an Emperor level mage, he would surely know something about Shadowlings. ... By the time Alex returned to the inn, dawn was breaking. Ruby, who had been waiting up for her, perked up as she saw Alex enter. "You''re back! What happened?" "I killed one, but I''m not sure how many more are lurking around. They''re called Shadowling. Ever heard of them?" Ruby thought for a moment. Her mother had drilled her with all sorts of knowledge from a young age, grooming her to be the next clan leader. And her father had regaled her with tales of the outside world, expanding her horizons despite her sheltered upbringing in the far north. But she shook her head. "A race that powerful shouldn''t be so obscure. Maybe they''re not from the Eldoria continent." "You might be right." Alex changed her clothes and crawled back into bed. "I''m beat. I need to catch some Z''s. If you''re hungry, go grab some grub. It''s almost dawn. They won''t be active during the day. And after losing one of their own, they''ll probably lay low for a while." Alex buried her head under the pillow and fell asleep instantly. Ruby, having stayed up all night, was famished. She headed downstairs for breakfast. The innkeeper, his face pale and drawn, was hovering nervously in the main hall. He practically jumped for joy when he saw Ruby, as if her presence had banished all his fears. "Oh man, and could you have those two bodies upstairs removed? We took care of the creature. We''re terribly sorry about their deaths," Ruby said, her sensitive nose wrinkling at the thought of spending another night with the scent of blood lingering in the air. "Y-yes, of course! Thank you, honored mages!" the innkeeper stammered, his relief palpable. He hurried off to summon two employees to handle the gruesome task. "Did I say that right? Is that how humans talk?" Ruby wondered as she left the inn. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] After Alex''s encounter with the shadow race, peace returned to Clayton City. There were no more attacks, no more beastly distractions. But the townsfolk remained wary, keeping their lights burning brightly at night, their fear of the shadows lingering. "Was it really just that one Shadowling causing all the trouble?" Alex wondered, her brow furrowed in thought. It seemed too simple. Surely it hadn''t just stumbled into Clayton City by accident. The general had mentioned that other border cities were experiencing similar disturbances. But it was wartime, and communication between cities was restricted. The generals only had contact with their superiors. Even the Clayton City general was unaware of the situation in other cities. Alex had mastered the mid-level earth magic book, her skills honed to perfection. With some free time on her hands, she and Ruby decided to explore the city, experiencing its local culture. But as a border city, it wasn''t exactly a bustling metropolis. After a day of sightseeing, they hadn''t found anything particularly noteworthy. There were no powerful families vying for control, as Alex had initially assumed. The wealthy residents were mostly merchants, their families content with their businesses, avoiding unnecessary conflicts. ... Time flew by, and their departure day arrived. "Honored Magus, the general requests your presence at a dinner tonight, as a token of gratitude for restoring peace to Clayton City," a soldier announced, bowing respectfully before Alex and Ruby. Alex wasn''t keen on attending, but Ruby''s pleading eyes swayed her decision. It was their last day in Clayton City. Who knew when they would return? ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? "Alright, we''ll be there." "Excellent!" the soldier exclaimed, rushing off to inform the general. "You only agreed because of the food," Alex said, rolling her eyes at Ruby. "You''re the best, Alex!" Ruby chirped, her smile widening. They continued their leisurely stroll through the city. Despite its small size, the townsfolk were incredibly welcoming, greeting them with smiles. To them, mages were revered figures. And Alex and Ruby''s approachable demeanor only enhanced their popularity. ... Meanwhile, a hundred miles north of Clayton City, a lone figure stood amidst a desolate wasteland, the scorching sun beating down mercilessly. He gazed towards Clayton City, his eyes narrowed. Several shadowy figures, Shadowlings, stood beside him. The Shadowling that had attacked Clayton City three nights ago hadn''t been alone. Another one had been lurking in the shadows, observing the situation. When its comrade fell, it had retreated, returning to this man with the news. The Shadowlings gathered here were responsible for harassing the border cities. He had summoned them all to this location. The surviving Shadowling hadn''t seen Alex clearly, so it couldn''t gauge her strength. But the man was certain she was a Monarch. He knew the number of King level mages in Yellowrock City. He was aware of their locations. The mage in Clayton City couldn''t be a King. A high-level Monarch, at most. That explained how she had defeated a lv1 Monarch Shadowling so easily. "Strange. Why would a mage be stationed in a small border town? Well, you won''t be leaving that city alive," he muttered, his voice laced with venom. It was daytime. Attacking now would be disadvantageous for the Shadowlings. He would wait until nightfall. He doubted the mage could identify them, but he couldn''t risk it. She had to die, even if it meant disobeying his superiors'' orders. "Merge!" he commanded the Shadowlings. The shadowy figures dissolved, merging into a single, amorphous blob on the ground. The shadows swirled and coalesced, forming a new Shadowling, its aura radiating power. The man smiled, satisfied. This King level Shadowling would surely eliminate the mage. ... Night fell, and Alex and Ruby arrived at the palace for the dinner, as promised. The gathering was small, consisting of the general, a few high-ranking officials, and no one else. "Honored Magus, please, take a seat," the general said, gesturing towards the head of the table. "Thank you," Alex replied politely, choosing a random seat. Ruby, as always, sat beside her. As Ruby removed her hood, revealing her long, flowing white hair, the general and the officials gasped, their eyes widening in surprise. They were stunned by her beauty, her youthful appearance. Alex, however, kept her hood up. She was only here for Ruby. The general and the officials didn''t dare comment. Mage Association robes were specially designed to conceal the wearer''s face. Ordinary people rarely saw a mage''s true appearance. The dinner conversation revolved around the general''s expressions of gratitude and Alex''s polite responses. The others mostly listened in silence. Ruby, however, was focused on the food, her appetite seemingly insatiable. She was the only one actually eating. "General, you have nothing to worry about. I''ll report this matter to the Yellowrock City branch tomorrow. We''ll get to the bottom of this. Those civilians'' deaths won''t be in vain," Alex said, her voice firm. "That''s reassuring," the general replied, relieved. A Magus carried weight within the Association. With Alex involvement, they would surely take this matter seriously. A lull fell over the conversation, broken only by the clatter of Ruby''s utensils. The servants had already replenished the dishes three times. As Ruby finished her meal, Alex prepared to leave. But suddenly, the shadow beneath her feet rippled, and a shadowy figure materialized behind them, its movements silent, its presence undetectable. The general and the officials gasped, but it was too late. The creature was too fast! A black dagger shot towards Alex''s throat, its trajectory precise, its speed blinding. Clang! A flash of white, and a long blade intercepted the dagger. The temperature in the room plummeted, and a wave of icy energy sliced through the air. The shadowy figure vanished, the attack missing its mark. The palace wall, however, crumbled, a massive crack appearing where the icy energy had struck. Ruby, her long blade in hand, stood protectively behind Alex, her eyes narrowed and her expression fierce. Yet she was still chewing, with a piece of food visible in her cheek. The general and the officials breathed a collective sigh of relief. This girl wasn''t just a bottomless pit, she was also a powerful warrior. The general knew that if he had been the target, he would be dead. Ruby, sensing something, vanished, her form blurring as she pursued the attacker. "You guys should hide. It''s a King level. They''re clearly after us," Alex said calmly, rising to her feet. The officials, their faces pale with fear, scrambled for cover. Only the general remained composed. "Please be careful, honored Magus," he said, bowing respectfully. A King level battle was beyond his capabilities. Even a stray attack could kill him. "It seems that Shadowling wasn''t alone," Alex muttered, her gaze fixed on the shattered wall. She was certain now that they were being watched, their movements tracked. This attack had been too precise, too deliberate. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Outside the city, Ruby hovered in the air, her blade at the ready, her senses alert. Alex joined her, her right eye glowing red. A massive red magic circle materialized above her head. A fireball, a hundred times larger than her own body, erupted from the circle, its heat and light intense, illuminating the entire city. The Shadowling, caught in the sudden blaze of light, was exposed. Chapter 339: A King level Magus, who could it be? Ruby quickly scanned her surroundings and noticed a patch of darkness on the ground. A shadow existing in such a brightly lit area could only mean one thing: a Shadowling.An invisible slash shot towards the shadow, leaving a massive crack on the hard rock street. The shadowling, however, split into countless smaller shadows, dodging the attack and flying towards Ruby at high speed. They then merged back into their original form in front of her. A black dagger thrust towards Ruby''s chest, but she parried it with her blade. Spatial energy instantly locked down the surrounding area, but it failed to trap the Shadowling, who dodged again. However, the surroundings were now brightly lit, and the Shadowling had lost its greatest advantage. It was still fast, but its speed was nothing compared to Ruby, who possessed spatial magic. Through their brief exchange, Alex had already determined that the Shadowling was no match for Ruby. It was even slightly weaker than the average level 1 King level. Lacking in frontal combat ability and unable to use stealth, the Shadowling had nowhere to hide and could only choose to flee. Ruby blocked its path, and it looked back to see Alex standing calmly behind her. After a moment''s thought, it actually charged directly at Alex. Alex hadn''t revealed her true strength, which might have seemed like an opportunity to the Shadowling. As it lunged at Alex, the Shadowling suddenly froze in mid-air. It felt a soul-piercing attack that dulled its reactions. In the next instant, Alex raised her right hand, and a lightning spear crackling with terrifying destructive power condensed in her hand. She then hurled it with lightning speed. The Shadowling tried to dodge, but the surrounding space was locked down, rendering it immobile. The lightning spear pierced straight through it. Alex extinguished the fireball, plunging the entire city back into darkness. The King level Shadowling was easily killed by the combined efforts of Alex and Ruby. With the commotion in the city gone, people started to cautiously open their windows, peeking out to observe the situation. There were only two mages emitting terrifying auras in the sky, and the enemy was long gone. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The general was also shaken by the battle he had just witnessed. He had never seen such a high-level fight, but he didn''t expect the enemy to be so weak that two mages could easily defeat it. Meanwhile, on the rocky wasteland a hundred miles away from Clayton City. A man looked ahead, watching the firelight that had suddenly lit up in the distance disappear. He knew that this operation had failed. The opponent knew how to deal with Shadowlings and had survived the first assassination attempt. Their strength was definitely not to be underestimated. Even he himself might not be fully confident in winning against them now. "A King level Magus, who could it be?" he wondered. It wasn''t surprising that the opponent used fire magic, as most mages in Yellowrock City preferred to cultivate both fire and earth magic, which could significantly enhance their combat effectiveness. But as far as he knew, there should only be one level 8 female Magus left in Yellowrock City, and she wasn''t skilled in fire magic. He racked his brains but couldn''t figure out where this King level Magus had come from. The man turned and left. He had already lost too many Shadowlings, and he had to report this situation to his superiors. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] By now, Alex and Ruby had left Clayton City and were heading back to Yellowrock City. Alex had no intention of dealing with the mess in Clayton City. She would just tell the Yellowrock City Mage Guild branch about it. If it weren''t for the remaining magic books, she wouldn''t even want to go back to Yellowrock City. Of course, she had another purpose in mind. She was quite interested in this Shadow race and hoped to learn more about them through the Mage Guild. Intelligence and information were always paramount. Unfortunately, the King level Shadowling didn''t leave a corpse behind, so she couldn''t summon it as an undead. However, Alex didn''t dwell on it too much. These Shadowlings were somewhat similar to Elemental Lords in that they could elementalize themselves to dodge attacks. This time, Alex and Ruby didn''t waste any time on their way back and soon returned to Yellowrock City. "Ruby, you can wait for me at that restaurant. I''ll be back soon," Alex instructed, deciding not to take Ruby with her to avoid unnecessary explanations. "Ugh, I can''t believe I can''t freeload here anymore. How depressing," Ruby complained. "Didn''t they say they were inviting you to be the guardian mage of Clayton City when we left?" Alex said with a smirk. "As if! I''m never staying in that godforsaken place," Ruby said with a disgusted look. Alex gave Ruby some gold coins, gave her a few more instructions, and then headed alone to the Mage Palace in the city center. The layout inside was similar to the Hurricane City Mage Guild. She quickly found the Vice President''s office. Knock, knock! "Come in," a husky and magnetic voice came from inside. Alex pushed the door open and saw the Vice President looking at her with a smile. "How did it go?" he asked. Alex recounted the events as they had transpired. Since Raphaela was already dead, there was no need to hide anything. After listening to her story, the Vice President pondered for a moment, a hint of surprise on his face. "I can''t believe there''s an Angel Lord among those extraterrestrial visitors." The Vice President looked a little ashamed. "You did well. If she had been discovered by the Angels or the Holy Court, it would have been a huge problem." Alex thought she heard something in his words and immediately asked, "Aren''t Angels very exclusive? Shouldn''t they have just killed her outright?" "No, on the contrary, they might even offer her a position. Angels aren''t born emotionless creatures. They are transformed through repeated holy light baptisms. To them, those who haven''t undergone the baptism don''t count as Angels. Conversely, any creature that has completed the baptism will be accepted, even if they weren''t born an Angel." The Vice President''s words told Alex that the Angels weren''t a race that developed for the sake of their own kind. They were more like a church. They gained power through faith, and those who couldn''t gain power weren''t considered their "followers," even if they were their own children. They would be treated as extraterrestrial visitors. "What a cold and ruthless race, yet they have such grand ambitions," Alex remarked. "You''re right. They are quite annoying," the Vice President unexpectedly agreed with Alex. If there were outsiders present, they would probably spread rumors detrimental to the human race. "Give me your badge," the Vice President said. He wanted to help Alex register. When he received the badge, he was a little surprised to see that it was a growth-type badge, which meant it could automatically level up with Alex''s level. "I can''t believe you''ve already reached four stars in just a few days." "Just a little bit of luck," Alex said modestly. "Don''t be so humble. You are a rare magic genius." ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® The Vice President handed the badge to a subordinate to have the Yellowrock City mark engraved on it. "By the way, I encountered something strange while passing through Clayton City on my way back." Alex then told the Vice President about the Shadow race. The Vice President''s face was etched with astonishment as he listened. This was the first time Alex had seen him so shocked. "Shadowling, are you sure the creature you encountered was a Shadowling?" Alex nodded firmly. Of course, she couldn''t say that the system had confirmed it. She could only come up with an excuse, like saying she had seen it in a magic book in Thunder City or that Eldrin had told her about it. "Vice President, is there something wrong with the Shadowling?" The man stood up abruptly, his expression grave. "There are records of the Shadow race in the guild''s library. They were wiped out by the Titans five hundred years ago. How could they suddenly appear on the Arsen Continent?" Alex was also taken aback. A race that had been wiped out five hundred years ago? "Vice President, what''s the relationship between the Titan race and the Angel race?" "The Titans and the Angels have always kept to themselves. However, recently, the conflict between the Titans and the Demons has intensified again, and they are on the verge of war. The Holy Court has also intervened for some reason, but it''s unclear whether the Angels are behind it." The Vice President was still deep in thought, but he answered Alex''s question. He himself was a little skeptical of his last sentence. The Holy Court''s recent actions were very unusual. If the Angels weren''t behind it, he wouldn''t believe it himself. The Holy Court used to have its own mind, but in recent years, it had completely become a vassal of the Angel race. It could be said that behind every action of the Holy Court, there was the shadow of the Angel race. Now that the Shadow race had reappeared, it could only mean that the Titans hadn''t completely wiped them out five hundred years ago. Perhaps they had become their vassals. Both the Titans and the Shadow race were on the Tyrangar Continent. Moreover, the Shadow race''s development background was very similar to that of the undead race. Both were suppressed and eventually wiped out by powerful races just as they were about to reach their peak. And now, the Shadow race had not only appeared on the Arsen Continent but was also harassing human cities at such a sensitive time. There was no doubt that the Titans had joined forces with the Angel race! Among the mages in the Mage Guild, almost no one except those at the president level knew about the existence of the Shadow race. It was just like how the native races of the Arsen Continent didn''t know about the undead. Therefore, they were being cautious and only dared to harass and distract, as they were worried about the risk of the Shadowlings being exposed. "This information is very important. I must report it to headquarters immediately." The Vice President realized the gravity of the situation and immediately sat back down, starting to write on the desk. Then, right in front of Alex, he lit the letter on fire, turning it into ashes. The Titans and the Angel race were suspected to have joined forces, and now they were planning to attack the Demon race. It seemed that the current situation was about to become chaotic. Alex hadn''t expected that her unintentional actions would unearth such important information. If it weren''t for the system, she wouldn''t have known the name of the race. Because it had been such a long time, even the current Vice President would have had a hard time associating these basic characteristics with the Shadow race. He then began to flip through books, looking for information about the Shadow race''s characteristics and how to counter them. Shadowlings were natural assassins, which happened to be the bane of all mages. Soon, he found records of the Shadow race in a dusty book called "Records of Extinct Races." It detailed all the races that had been wiped out. However, there was no mention of the undead race because the undead empire had only been scattered, not truly destroyed. There were still many undead survivors. The most terrifying thing about Shadowlings was their ability to devour shadows. They could rapidly grow stronger by assassinating their targets and devouring their shadows (souls). Moreover, Shadowlings could also devour each other. It was more accurate to call it fusion. Several low-level Shadowlings could fuse into a higher-level one, and the process was irreversible. Shadowlings also had a special way of communicating. They were intelligent, of course, but no one could understand their language. Their weakness was naturally light. They were more suited to being invisible in dark environments. Once they merged into the shadows, they would completely lose their presence, coming and going without a trace. However, according to the book, the power of light could directly dispel them. It was what they feared the most. Both the Titans and the Angels possessed this ability. The Vice President wrote down these characteristics, intending to inform all the mages. If there were Shadowlings on the front lines, their losses would be multiplied. They had to be on guard. "Your unintentional act has made a great contribution to the Mage Guild." The Vice President thanked Alex and handed her a high-level earth magic book. "This is what you deserve. This information alone is enough." "Thank you." Alex politely accepted the magic book and returned the original mid-level magic book. Just then, a mage walked in. Her badge had been engraved. Along with it was her Honorary Mage personal record. The Vice President took it and examined it, a strange look on his face. "Do you know the basic requirements of an Honorary Mage?" he asked, looking at the blank file. Alex was taken aback. So there were requirements for Honorary Mages like her? "I''m not sure. Eldrin didn''t tell me," Alex shook her head. "One month, complete a task for the Mage Guild. This is the basic requirement. After all, Honorary Mages are considered part-time personnel of the guild," the Vice President explained. "Then I should be considered to have completed two tasks this time, right?" Alex asked, relieved. The Vice President just laughed. "Discovering the Shadow race can be considered a first-class honor for the guild. You won''t have to complete these basic requirements in the future." Alex was speechless. Then why did he even bother telling her? Although she complained inwardly, she still put on a respectful expression. "It''s my honor to serve the guild. I just don''t like being restricted, which is why I didn''t join. However, my passion for magic remains unchanged." "Very well," the Vice President said with a gratified smile. As evening approached, Alex bid farewell and left the Mage Guild. Chapter 340: Shadow Specter Alex arrived at the restaurant and found Ruby. Alex was still holding the high-level magic book the Vice President had given her."Looks like I''ll be staying here for a few more days." She couldn''t imagine having to return to Yellowrock City to return the book after she had finished learning all the spells. It was too much of a hassle. She might as well stay here for a few more days and leave after she had mastered high-level earth magic. "Alex, are we leaving?" Ruby asked, looking up at her. "Let''s stay a few more days," Alex said, explaining her reasoning. She planned to return directly to Hurricane City from Yellowrock City. After all, the Eldoria Continent was her main focus. They found an inn and went in to rest. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Early the next morning, a mage apprentice found Alex. "Respected Magus, your mage tower is complete. It was previously occupied by a fallen Magus. You started the renovations before you left, and it''s now ready for you to move in," the apprentice said respectfully. Alex nodded. She hadn''t expected the Vice President to be so thoughtful. The interior of the mage tower was engraved with many magic circles, which could greatly enhance the gathering of elemental energy. It was an excellent place for mages to cultivate and meditate. Moreover, the environment was quiet and undisturbed, and it could save her expenses. Soon, Alex took Ruby to her mage tower. It was a little different from the Vice President''s mage tower that she had seen before. This mage tower was smaller in scale and weaker in gathering elemental energy. The exterior was very ordinary. It was thick at the bottom and narrow at the top, forming a slender cone that looked like a straight ivory tusk. Arriving at the bottom of the tower, Alex gathered her magic energy on a crystal, unlocking the door and entering. The interior was a different world. The rooms, excavated using spatial magic, didn''t feel cramped at all. There were five floors in total. The facilities inside were all very complete, and there was a dedicated person to deliver meals at fixed times every day. At the same time, mages with mage towers could also take on apprentices and teach them. Of course, Alex didn''t have that in mind. She was just a passerby in the Mage Guild. She went to the window, opened the magic book, and began her boring and tedious study. Meanwhile, in the undead imperial capital. After a few days of research and development, Sophie and Xiao Hui had actually managed to create a special building to strengthen the undead. Both of their faces were filled with joy. Their hard work with the artisans over the past few days had paid off. "Great! Should we find some undead to test it out?" Xiao Hui asked Sophie. "Sure." Soon, they summoned a few hundred specters for the experiment. In front of them was a blue magic circle emitting magical waves. It was filled with various energy enchantment stones and tiny runes. Standing beside them were liches, necromancers, and even a clone of the Death Spirit. Setting up this magic circle required a lot of summoning magic and the liches'' ability to ignite soulfire. As the magic circle activated, a raging blue flame ignited in front of them and the undead. The only way to make these low-level undead useful and prevent them from becoming cannon fodder was to reduce their numbers, fuse them together, and create a new type of undead with a higher life limit. They had gotten this idea from the bone pile that Alex had created. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Soon, the specters, following their orders, entered the magic circle and were instantly engulfed in blue flames. Their soul bodies then began to shrink and compress, finally merging completely with the soulfire burning within them. Hundreds of soulfires floated quietly in the huge magic circle. As a blue light shot out from the center of the magic circle, all the soulfires converged towards the center. When the blue light in the center of the magic circle disappeared, a dense ball of soulfire formed. It slowly unfolded, finally taking on its original form. Its appearance was not much different from the original specter. It was still an inconspicuous pale blue ethereal form. But now, it emanated the aura of a Monarch level undead. Seeing this, Xiao Hui and Sophie were overjoyed. This meant that their fusion experiment was a success. The specter had broken through the original level cap of Commanding level and reached Monarch level! Xiao Hui immediately stepped forward excitedly and opened the system interface to check its information. [Shadow Specter] [Race: Undead] sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Monarch] [Level: 1 (Can be leveled up by killing enemies)] [......] [Life Limit: King level] "Its life limit has reached King level! Doesn''t that mean that as long as we fuse enough specters, we can create a King level specter?" Xiao Hui was very happy that their hard work over the past few days had paid off. However, fusing a King level specter would probably require tens of thousands of ordinary specters. "Yes, specters are ethereal to begin with, and with the liches'' help, it''s relatively easy to fuse them. I think the hardest part is fusing the corpse-type undead," Sophie said. She had done a lot of research on the undead in the past few days and knew a little more. She had divided Alex''s undead into three categories: skeleton-type, ethereal-type, and corpse-type. The first two were represented by the bone dragon and specters, while the latter included zombies, ghouls, zombie titans, and so on. The hardest to fuse were the corpse-type undead. However, among the corpse-type undead, only the zombie had a relatively low level cap. The other types mostly had very high level caps and basically didn''t need to be fused. These three types were all natural undead summoned by Alex. Then there were the transformed undead like the death angel, and the fused undead like the bone pile and the Shadow Specter. Based on this, Sophie further divided them into three categories: summoned, transformed, and fused. When she discussed this with the artisans, they all agreed with her classification method. "It''s really troublesome to fuse corpse-type undead. I think ethereal-type is the easiest, but it''s a shame there''s only one type of specter," Xiao Hui said. When it came to corpse-type undead, she didn''t know where to begin. Although the ghost dragon was also an ethereal-type undead, its life limit was already very high, so there was obviously no need to fuse it. Of course, the higher the life limit, the more difficult it was to fuse. "Forget it, we''ll think about that later. Let''s focus on fusing all the specters first." "Okay." Chapter 341: Apostle of the Dragon Race [Night retreats, dawn arrives.]On the third day, on the Mossvale Continent, in Dragon City. Drake claimed his system rewards, built another Auxiliary Barrack in the city, and casually tossed the Tear of the Race into his Warehouse. He hadn''t slept a wink the previous night, busy conquering yet another race. Looking at the Tears of the Race in his Warehouse, he now had five. Thanks to Sophie''s successful development of the specter fusion method in the undead imperial capital, the number of King level undead had surged, successfully alleviating the pressure on the Featherfolk battlefield. They had also sent several King level undead to support Dragon City and Gemini City. This greatly reduced the pressure on Drake. Even with his current Monarch level strength, he now had the confidence to challenge some King level race. He only needed to give the orders, and the Death Spirit would handle the summoning. As the war continued, there would only be more and more King level undead. Drake had now reached level 9 Monarch level and was only one step away from breaking through to King level. Once he reached King level, he would be able to establish a vassal kingdom. This way, he could collect faith for the undead empire. He believed that as a vassal king, he would definitely have a lot to offer. A few days ago, Alex had completely wiped out the Angel Lord and her followers. As instructed, all the resources she gained were given to Drake. With Alex''s strong support, both Drake''s city and Barracks had reached max level. However, to his disappointment, the improvement wasn''t as significant as he had imagined. Summoning one dragon every three days seemed to be the limit of the Barracks, even at max level. The good news was that the dragons summoned now had a higher bloodline activation level and would grow stronger faster. Coupled with the Monarch level troops summoned by so many Auxiliary Barracks every day, he could now easily deal with the current dangers. His primary goal now was to break through to King level and establish a dragon kingdom. But today was the seventh day since he had left the undead imperial capital. According to Alex''s rule, they had to gather and discuss their progress and future plans. Drake put aside his current tasks and left the undead and dragons in charge. With the Death Spirit and several King level undead here, nothing could go wrong. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as Drake was about to leave for the undead imperial capital, a green dragon suddenly barged into his territory. This green dragon wasn''t as big as an adult dragon and didn''t have forelegs. It only had two thick hind legs and a pair of massive wings. It slowly landed on the ground, using its folded wings as forelegs to support its body. The entire green dragon was about as tall as Dragon City''s walls. It was green all over, but the Dragon Presence it emanated told Drake that it was a pure-blooded dragon. The terrifying Dragon Presence pressed down on the sub-dragons in the city, making it difficult for them to even lift their heads. Only the Rock Dragon and the undead were unaffected. Drake was shocked and on high alert. All the Shadow Specters were ready for battle. "Is the one supporting you that newborn undead lord?" the green dragon spoke in human tongue. It didn''t seem too surprised to see the undead in the city, as if it had known all along. It''s not here to cause trouble? Drake was taken aback, but he didn''t stray too far from the Portal of Transit, ready to escape at any moment. "Yes." Besides Alex, who else could the undead lord be? ???¦®§®???.?§°? "Don''t be nervous. I am an apostle of the dragon race and mean you no harm. The bloodlines of these dragons are not fully activated. They are not true dragons and are of little use to us. You can continue to develop here. We will not interfere." The green dragon stood outside the city, looking at Drake, who was on top of the palace, and said some strange things. It was not hard to hear from its words that they considered Drake''s dragons to be outsiders and did not accept them. The same went for the sub-dragons in the primeval forest. The dragon race''s strength didn''t rely on these sub-dragons to pave the way for them. To them, these sub-dragons were no different from outsiders. "Then what is the purpose of your visit?" Drake asked. If it wasn''t here for him, then it must be here for Alex. "The undead lord, the newly born undead lord, is exceptionally talented. She is bound to reach Sovereign level within a hundred years. We hope to cooperate with the undead lord, after she reaches Sovereign level, of course." The green dragon revealed its purpose. In return, they would not interfere with Undead Lord''s development on the Mossvale Continent. This was their sincerity. What?! Drake was shocked and incredulous. Alex was only at King level now, and the powerful dragon race actually wanted to cooperate with her? The green dragon saw Drake''s doubts but didn''t explain further. If the undead lord were here, it might have said a few more words, but it obviously wasn''t very interested in Drake. It wasn''t even worried about whether the undead lord would agree because they had a common enemy. "But I can''t make the decision for the undead lord," Drake said tactfully, trying to contain his surprise. "She will agree. You just need to tell her what I said." With that, the green dragon spread its wings and flew away. It couldn''t very well tell Drake that they needed the undead to attract the attention of the Angel race, could it? The dragon race was currently weak. If they went to war with the Angel race, they would definitely lose. Their best ally would have been the Demon race, but the Titans'' involvement had disrupted their plans. The human race was preoccupied with their own affairs, and the Sea Race was too mysterious. Therefore, the dragon race could only set their sights on the resurgent undead race. There was no other way. They had to take revenge on the Angel race. The undead race had the shortest development cycle among all races. The dragon race could wait for them for ten or even a hundred years. But don''t forget that the undead still had many old allies. Once these old allies joined them, this time would only be shortened. Once the undead lord reached Sovereign level, the Angel race would definitely come to kill her. At that time, the dragon race would seize the opportunity and launch a direct attack on the Angel race. The dragon race knew very well that the Angel race had become increasingly active in recent years. They had to take the initiative. Drake, left behind, was completely dumbfounded. He didn''t even know what the dragon race was up to. He immediately sent a message to Alex, telling her everything the dragon apostle had just said. However, Drake felt that Alex on the other side didn''t seem too shocked. She simply replied, "Let''s talk about it when I reach Sovereign level." "The dragon race, so they''ve had their eyes on me for a long time?" But this was also good news. If the dragon race promised not to interfere, then Alex and Drake could be bolder in their development on the Mossvale Continent and no longer have to hold back. Soon, Drake, having adjusted his mindset, reassigned tasks to his troops and changed his development strategy. This time, their development would be even more aggressive. With everything in order, Drake entered the Portal of Transit and headed for the undead imperial capital. Chapter 342: Warlord Skull In the grand hall of the undead imperial capital, four figures sat around a table, the Death Spirit Clone standing silently beside them. They were gathered to report on their respective progress.Death Spirit, Drake, and Xiao Mu took turns detailing their advancements, while Xiao Hui listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with a comment or question. The northern regions, from the Twinface Mountains to the far north, were now completely under their control, seamlessly connecting the undead territory with the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. Expansion efforts continued eastward in the Dark Forest and westward in the Barren Plains. Gemini Territory, surrounded by weaker factions, faced no significant threats. Their primary concern lay with the two most powerful native races of the Arsen Continent, currently embroiled in a war against the humans. These formidable forces were also engaged in their own power struggles, creating a volatile landscape. Xiao Mu believed that if not for the presence of major factions, the undead could easily conquer the Arsen Continent, given enough time. Both Gemini Territory and the undead territory were developing smoothly, their expansion almost effortless. Drake, bolstered by the King level undead reinforcements and the dragon race''s non-interference agreement, was making remarkable progress in Dragon Territory. He was growing bolder with each passing day. The Featherfolk battlefield in the dwarf territory remained the most challenging front. Progress was slow and arduous, a grueling war of attrition. However, the undead held a distinct advantage in a war of attrition against the Featherfolk. Among Alex''s subordinates, Drake was level 9, Xiao Mu was level 8, and Xiao Hui remained at level 7. "Your top priority now is to reach King level," Xiao Hui addressed Xiao Mu and Drake. "Kill as many enemies as you can. Try to avoid accepting their submissions. With our current fusion technology, we can create one King level undead from roughly ten thousand standard undead." "We''ll continue to research new fusion techniques here to further enhance our strength," Sophie added. "By the way, what about that bone thing in the city? I heard it can summon King level undead too. Why aren''t we using it?" Drake''s question reminded the others of the bone pile. "Let''s go take a look. Alex made that thing. We haven''t touched it," Xiao Hui said. The group headed towards the wall, where the bone pile stood. From afar, it appeared small, but up close, it towered over them at a staggering 10 feet tall. An eerie black energy emanated from the structure. However, there was no system interface to be found. All eyes turned to Xiao Hui, urging her forward. As a death angel, she was considered undead and might possess a natural affinity for the structure. "If I remember correctly, this bone pile was created by fusing all those Skeleton Soldiers," Xiao Hui said. Tens of thousands of Skeleton Soldiers had been sacrificed to create it. If they were truly all fused together, its level couldn''t possibly be just level 1 King level. As the bone pile activated, a massive magic circle unfurled beneath it, stretching to the edges of the wall, its diameter reaching almost a hundred meters. The bone pile trembled, and gigantic bones rose from its depths, converging above. They assembled into a colossal skeletal creature, identical to the one that had attacked the hobgoblin kingdom, but this one was even larger and radiated a more terrifying aura. The magic circle on the wall began to shrink, condensing into a ball of blazing soulfire that then shot towards the giant skeletal creature and merged into its body. At that moment, blue flames ignited in the creature''s empty eye sockets, and its massive body stirred to life. "Thank goodness, it''s just one. I thought there would be a whole bunch of them," Sophie sighed in relief. Fewer numbers usually meant greater individual strength. Xiao Hui, with everyone watching, opened the system interface to check the creature''s information. Its true power was finally revealed. [Warlord Skull] [Race: Undead] ???¦®§®???.?§°? [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: King level] [Level: 6 (Can be leveled up by killing enemies)] sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [......] [Life Limit: Emperor level] "Level 6?!" Everyone gasped in astonishment. This was currently the highest level among all the undead in the undead imperial capital. Tens of thousands of max-level Commanding level skeletons had fused into a single level 6 King level entity. It was definitely more cost-effective than ten level 1 King level undead. "As expected of Alex. The undead summoned by the structures she creates have a life limit of Emperor level, while ours are only King level," Sophie said, her admiration for Alex evident. This was the first time the bone pile had been fully activated. Even Alex herself might not know its true strength. "Let''s send it to the Featherfolk battlefield with the Death Spirit. That''s where we need high-level King level support the most. Any objections?" Xiao Hui asked the group. "None," Xiao Mu and Drake agreed. Low-level King level undead were already a great help to them. With the addition of the Warlord Skull, they might be able to take down the Featherfolk and significantly bolster the undead empire''s power. "Right, all the special structures in the undead imperial capital have been upgraded to King level. Who''s taking the enhancement crystal?" Sophie retrieved the crystal from her Warehouse and offered it to Drake and Xiao Mu. They exchanged glances. "You take it. You need it more than I do," Xiao Mu said. Drake didn''t refuse and accepted the enhancement crystal from Sophie. "Don''t lose it, or our leader will be very upset," Sophie reminded him. The group returned to the palace, while the Death Spirit left with the Warlord Skull, which, after all, didn''t need any food. As evening descended and the four of them enjoyed dinner and light conversation, a different scene was unfolding on the eastern border of the dwarf kingdom on the Arsen Continent. A group of Templar Knights clad in silver armor had gathered. They had just completed a mission and were preparing to return to Knight City. However, they stopped less than a hundred miles from the Featherfolk territory and began to confer amongst themselves. "The Featherfolk are too close to the human cities. We''ve been making too many moves lately. It''s not wise to provoke them further." "Agreed. Featherfolk were at war with the undead. They''re of no use to us. They just want us to help them fight those undead." The Templar Knights were aware of the undead empire''s rise, so the mention of undead didn''t faze them. Their goal was to get the Featherfolk to help them attack the humans, not to fight the undead for them. These were critical times. Even though the undead weren''t a major threat, they didn''t want to stir up trouble. If the humans discovered their presence in Featherfolk territory, it would be a huge problem. "Alright, Bofur, you go alone. Investigate the situation and remember to stay hidden." They were still reluctant to give up on the Featherfolk as a potential ally. "Yes, Captain." Bofur removed his armor, handed it to his comrades, and ventured alone into Featherfolk territory. Chapter 343: Celines threat Three days later, Alex received an unexpected message from Xiao Hui. The Warlord Skull had slain a human King level on the Featherfolk battlefield. Judging from the human''s abilities, it was highly likely they were from the Holy Court.Alex paused her studies in the mage tower. It seemed the Holy Court had set their sights on the Featherfolk, aiming to conquer them, but had stumbled upon the ongoing war between the Undead and the Featherfolk. However, something didn''t add up. If their goal was to subdue the Featherfolk, why send a single King level weaker than the Featherfolk chieftain? While she couldn''t be certain of the intruder''s identity, one thing was clear: they weren''t a mage. Alex had been secluded in her studies and hadn''t heard any news about the Featherfolk. Since the slain individual was undoubtedly human, the most logical conclusion was their affiliation with the Holy Court. "When was this person killed?" Alex inquired. "Last midnight. We''ve already summoned them as an undead. They''re a level 7 King level now," Xiao Hui reported. "Is their body still intact?" Alex pressed. "It should be. I''ll check with the Death Spirit." A moment later, Xiao Hui confirmed that the body remained untouched. The battle had taken place on Featherfolk territory, and the undead lacked the capacity to disassemble corpses. Alex deduced that the body was likely abandoned on the battlefield. "Good. Find two dwarves immediately and have them deliver the body to Yellowrock City. Remember, it has to be under the pretense of the dwarf kingdom," Alex instructed. This was a golden opportunity, a gift from the Holy Court to the Mage Guild, and Alex intended to exploit it fully. The only puzzle was why they had only sent one person. "Well, no use dwelling on it," Alex muttered, dismissing the thought. She closed the system interface and returned her attention to the magic book. With all seven spells learned and her new realm ability successfully integrated, she was eager to test her newfound power. However, Yellowrock City wasn''t the place for such trials. For now, she could only continue her studies and further hone her abilities. "Alex, are you ever going to finish those books?" Ruby whined, scratching at the door with her claws. She had been cooped up for three days straight and was bored out of her mind. "Almost done. Be patient," Alex said, assuring her that they would leave Yellowrock City as soon as she finished her studies. An hour later, a peculiar parchment materialized on the wooden table before her. Alex''s brow furrowed. This was the Mage Guild''s unique communication method. Why would it be delivered to her? She picked up the parchment and read the message. "Come to my mage tower. We need to talk. Make sure you''re not followed." It was signed simply, "Celine." Celine? Nori''s mother? What could she possibly want? Despite her reservations, Alex decided to hear her out. This was Yellowrock City. Surely Celine wouldn''t dare to break the rules and harm her here. Closing her magic book, Alex stood up, activated her Invisibility, and slipped out of the mage tower, leaving a slumbering Ruby oblivious to her departure. Mage towers in Yellowrock City bore their owner''s name, and those currently in use emitted a soft yellow glow. Even without knowing Celine''s exact location, Alex could easily identify her tower. ???¦®§®???.?§°? It didn''t take long for Alex to find it. The entrance at the base of the tower stood open, concealed from view by a swirling barrier of quicksand magic. While visually impressive, any mage with even a rudimentary understanding of earth magic could easily bypass it. Alex, still invisible, stepped through the barrier, deactivating her Invisibility as she entered Celine''s mage tower. She ascended the spiraling staircase, finally reaching Celine on the third floor. This floor served as Celine''s meditation chamber, a cluttered expanse of books, artifacts, and various magical paraphernalia. "I didn''t expect you to actually come," Celine said, her voice laced with surprise. She wasn''t wearing her mage robes, her attire a form-fitting yet elegant gown that accentuated her figure. She was, as Alex noted, a woman who aged gracefully. "Why wouldn''t I? State your business," Alex retorted, her patience wearing thin. She harbored no illusions about Celine''s animosity towards her. If not for the chance to glean valuable information, Alex wouldn''t entertain this meeting for a second. "So it was you, the outsider lord who controls the dwarf kingdom. To think you''ve infiltrated the Mage Guild," Celine sneered, her gaze fixed on Alex, as if trying to decipher her thoughts. "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Alex replied calmly, suppressing her inner turmoil. Celine had no proof. As long as Alex maintained her innocence, there was nothing Celine could do. "Don''t play coy with me. You know about Nori and me. The look on his face when he died, a mixture of fear and shock, told me he knew you. The others may not believe what he said, but I do. You are the true ruler behind the dwarf kingdom," Celine declared, unwavering in her conviction. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''m just an Honorary Mage from Thunder City. The Vice President is fully aware of your accusations. If you bear a grudge because I killed that outsider, take it up with him. Don''t you dare slander me with baseless accusations. If that''s all you have to say, then I''ll be on my way." Alex''s words were flawless, leaving no room for argument. She turned to leave. "If I report this to the guild, they''ll have no choice but to investigate," Celine threatened from behind. Alex stopped in her tracks and turned back, her expression a mixture of amusement and disdain. "Be my guest. Do you honestly believe the Vice President would take your word over mine, an Honorary Mage who just made a significant contribution to the guild? You''ll be the one facing ruin when the truth comes out." To Alex''s surprise, Celine burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Did I say I was going to report it to the guild? The Vice President is away on guild business. There''s no one here. I could kill you right now and blame it on the Shadowlings." Celine began gathering mana, her intentions clear. She was going to make good on her threat! She didn''t care if Alex was the outsider controlling the dwarf kingdom or not. "You killed Nori. Now that you''re here, you''re not leaving alive!" With a flick of her wrist, Celine unleashed a wave of magic, sealing the entire third floor, trapping Alex inside. Alex, playing along, feigned terror, backing away until her back hit the cold stone wall, leaving her nowhere to run. "This is Yellowrock City! You wouldn''t dare harm me here!" Celine only grew more emboldened by Alex''s fear. "How naive. Perhaps you''ll be more careful in your next life!" Chapter 344: Weakness is a sin When Celine had so confidently revealed her suspicions about Alex''s true identity, a plan had begun to form in Alex''s mind. The very reason Celine wanted her dead would become the key to her demise.After all, no one would believe a four-star Magus could kill an eight-star Magus. Alex''s fear was a carefully crafted act, designed to make Celine drop her guard. Celine had every advantage. Her level, her mastery of earth magic ¨C the perfect counter to Alex''s lightning magic ¨C and the fact that Alex was trapped within her mage tower, with no escape route. Celine, feeling confident and in control, never expected Alex to strike first. But Alex was done playing the victim. Two points of light, one blue, one red, flared within the depths of Alex''s hood ¨C her eyes. In a flash, Alex vanished, activating her Sacrifice skill. Nearly one hundred thousand undead were instantly sacrificed, their essence surging into her, propelling her to level 8 King level! She reappeared before Celine, a massive black scythe in her hand, its blade aimed at Celine''s heart. Soul magic and curses slammed into Celine. Alex was going all out. At level 8 King level, within this confined space, Alex was confident no mage, especially not one as physically weak as Celine, could withstand her. Celine stared in disbelief. How could Alex have become so powerful so quickly? Instinctively, she conjured a wall of rock around herself. But it was futile. The ornament on Alex''s scythe pulsed ¨C a soul attack! Celine''s mind was assaulted by unimaginable pain. Blood trickled from her eyes and mouth, her thoughts scattered. She had to get away! But her rock wall shattered upon contact with the scythe. Impossible! Fighting through the pain, Celine scrambled back, narrowly avoiding being cut in two. But the scythe still grazed her. She crashed against the wall, falling to the ground. One exchange. That''s all it took for Alex to cripple her. Celine, struggling to stay conscious, was shocked. Alex had been hiding her true power. She was defeated. She looked at Alex, a stranger now, with mismatched glowing eyes, wielding a monstrous black scythe, radiating an aura of menace. "You... You''re one of them! A extraterrestrial visitor!" Celine gasped. "You''re right, but it''s too late for you. I''ll make your death look like the work of a Shadowling. No one will believe a four-star Honorary Mage could kill you," Alex said coldly, echoing Celine''s own words. Out in the open, it might have been more difficult, but here, trapped within Celine''s own mage tower, her fate was sealed. Celine fumbled for a potion, but Alex saw her and shattered the vial with a blade of spatial energy. "Don''t bother. Weakness is a sin. Did you really think I was a weak mage like yourself?" Celine had guessed Alex''s secret, but instead of exposing her, she had chosen to act on her own. Foolish. Celine, weakened by blood loss and the soul attack, was fading fast. Alex retracted her scythe, summoned a dagger of dark magic, and plunged it into Celine''s neck. Simultaneously, she used nature magic to heal the wound inflicted by her scythe. The scene was now a perfect imitation of a Shadowling attack. She couldn''t forget to take Celine''s soul. She used summoning magic to capture Celine''s soul, holding it in her hand. Finally, she erased any traces of her own magic with dark magic. Satisfied, Alex activated Invisibility and left Celine''s mage tower. She couldn''t return to her own tower yet. Celine''s soul wouldn''t last long. With the Vice President away, it was the perfect opportunity to slip out of Yellowrock City and summon Celine as an undead. Twenty minutes later, Alex''s level dropped back to level 4 King level. She was miles away from Yellowrock City. "This will do," she muttered, landing on the ground. She opened her hand, releasing Celine''s soul, and summoned her as an undead. It was the first time Alex had used her Sacrifice skill in battle. She hadn''t pushed her level to 9 because the higher the level, the greater the sacrifice. She had managed to cripple Celine due to several factors: the enclosed environment, Celine''s arrogance, and her ignorance of Alex''s true abilities. The loss of one hundred thousand standard level undead was a small price to pay for a lv 8 King level undead. With this new addition to their ranks, the Featherfolk battlefield would soon fall, providing them with yet another high-level King level undead. As the summoning ritual concluded, Alex turned back towards Yellowrock City. An hour later, she was back in her mage tower, still invisible. The entire had taken less than two hours. Ruby was still asleep, oblivious to Alex''s actions. Bored and unable to indulge in fine dining, Ruby could only sleep to pass the time. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex calmed herself and resumed her studies. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell, and the Vice President returned to Yellowrock City. With only two King level mages under his care, he made an effort to look after them. During their scheduled meal delivery, the apprentices noticed something amiss at Celine''s mage tower. There was no response to their calls. Wary of disturbing a high-ranking mage, they continued their rounds, calling out every half hour. After four attempts with no answer, they reported the anomaly. Soon, shocking news spread throughout Yellowrock City: Celine, an eight-star Magus, was assassinated in her own mage tower! "Respected Magus, the Vice President requests your presence in the main hall. It''s urgent," an apprentice called out from outside Alex''s tower. "Understood," Alex replied calmly. She closed her book and left her mage tower, her heart calm. "I heard a King level Magus was killed in the city?" Ruby asked. "Yes, the one I fought with a few days ago," Alex replied casually, not revealing the truth. The Vice President was back, and caution was advised. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "I''ll be back soon. Wait here." Alex left her mage tower and headed towards the main hall. Inside, the hall was packed with every official mage in the city. Alex, the only King level mage present, along with a few Monarch level mages, stood out amongst the mostly Novice Mages. Apart from the Vice President, Alex was the highest-ranking mage present. Celine''s body lay in the center of the hall, surrounded by whispering mages. The Vice President, his face worried, brightened slightly upon seeing Alex enter. "Alyssa, come take a look. Do you think this was the work of a Shadowling?" His knowledge of Shadowlings came solely from books. He had never encountered one and hadn''t expected their retaliation to be so swift. The mages parted, creating a path for Alex. She crouched beside Celine''s body, examining the wound on her neck. "Vice President, this is identical to the wounds I''ve seen before. It''s definitely the work of a Shadowling," Alex confirmed. The mages were uneasy. A powerful eight-star Magus, slain in her own tower without a sound. It was a chilling reminder of their own vulnerability. The Vice President pondered. Could it be that their presence had been discovered, prompting this attack? Shadow race were the bane of mages, capable of silent, swift assassinations. But how did they know he was away? This crisis had caught him off guard. The Shadow race were a threat, and they needed to act quickly. Upon his return, he began to investigate and found that both Celine and Alex had not left their mage towers. Besides, Alex had no motive to kill Celine, nor the power to do so. She was only a lv 4 King level mage, and instant kills were practically unheard of in mage-on-mage combat. "Alyssa, what are your thoughts on this?" the Vice President asked. All eyes turned to Alex. "I believe the Shadowlings are connected to the Holy Court. The Angel race doesn''t have a branch in the Arsen Continent, so the Holy Court acts as their representatives. They''re up to something. As for why a Shadowling attacked Yellowrock City today, it means our cover is blown." The Vice President understood. There was a traitor among them. As for why Alex had been spared, she was a newcomer, an Honorary Mage, not officially registered. The traitor was unaware of her existence. The mages began to debate. Some advocated for informing their superiors and strengthening their defenses. Others wanted to confront the Holy Court. Knock, knock! A knock on the door silenced the room. All eyes turned to the entrance. "Enter." A mage apprentice entered. "Vice President, two dwarves are here with a body. They believe it belongs to a member of the Holy Court." The Vice President was surprised. "Bring them in!" Two dwarves, escorted by apprentices, entered the hall, carrying the body of a Templar Knight. They laid the body on the ground. The mages gathered around, the Vice President''s face grim. Even from his seat, he could sense the residual energy from the body. It was a Templar Knight, his level comparable to Celine''s. "Where did you find this body?" the Vice President asked the dwarves. The dwarf kingdom lacked the power to kill a high-level King level. "Your Excellency, we found him on the border of the Featherfolk territory. Our king instructed us to deliver his body to you," one of the dwarves replied. They didn''t recognize Alex in her mage robes. "The Featherfolk?" The Vice President wasn''t concerned with how the Templar Knight had been killed. The Featherfolk chieftain was a high-level King level, capable of killing a Templar Knight. He was furious at the Holy Court. They were manipulating the elves and giants against the humans, and now they were targeting the Featherfolk. The Mage Guild had lacked evidence, but now they had a body. They could easily prove it belonged to the Holy Court. Coupled with the suspicion surrounding the Shadowlings, it was clear the Holy Court held the Mage Guild in contempt. "Very well. You are dismissed. Thank your king for me." The dwarves left. The mages urged the Vice President to report the incident and declare war on the Holy Court and the Angel race. The Vice President, armed with evidence, knew he had to act. The death of a Magus and the Holy Court member''s body were enough to justify action. If the Holy Court denied involvement, they would confront the Titans. If the Titans couldn''t explain, they would join forces with the Demon race. The situation had escalated beyond his expectations. The meeting ended abruptly. Alone in the hall, the Vice President wrote a message to his superiors. Alex returned to her mage tower and resumed her studies. At her current pace, she would master high-level earth magic within five days. Before leaving, she planned to visit the Mage Guild''s library, hoping to find useful information. The recent events all pointed to the Holy Court. Alex was certain the Mage Guild would retaliate. Chapter 345: History of the Astralon Era The next day, Alex woke up early, threw on her mage robe, and headed for the library. She wanted to gather as much intel as possible about the planet Astralon during these few days.Once she returned to Hurricane City, she would probably no longer have such freedom. After all, she wasn''t a mage there. She had to apply for everything in advance, and her actions would be restricted. Arriving at the library, Alex found it wasn''t as grand as she had imagined. The room was small, with only three rows of bookshelves. There were a few mage apprentices searching for materials. Seeing Alex walk in, they all seemed a bit surprised. Moments later, they all left the library with their books, leaving Alex alone. "They probably think I''m here on a mission to find something? So they all politely left." It was better this way. If someone saw a Magus reading history books, wouldn''t that be strange? Alex browsed the shelves, trying to find some useful information. "''Basic Concepts of Magic''? Nope. ''Coordination and Mobilization of Elemental Power''? Not this one either. ''The Encyclopedia of Lovemaking Positions''... What the heck?" Alex flipped through the books one by one. Most of them were basic materials, useless to her. Of course, there wouldn''t be any classified information here, but the development history of the continents of Astralon, the origin of races... these couldn''t be considered classified, right? Alex almost went through the entire first shelf but couldn''t find any useful information. As for those basic magic theories, Alex casually glanced at them, feeling like they were as simple as calculating one plus one equals two. After all, she now mastered several high-level magic spells. "Huh? What''s that?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex spotted some yellowed papers pressed beneath a few books on the dusty bottom shelf. It seemed like the books there hadn''t been touched in ages. As she pulled out the somewhat tattered paper and unfolded it, her face lit up with joy. "A complete map of the Arsen continent!" As a top power, it wasn''t surprising that the Mage Guild possessed a map of the continent. It was just that the map had been hidden here for a long time. Could it be that no one had ever found it and looked at it? Or did these mages already know about it, or simply not care? Unfolding the map, Alex first observed the more familiar forces marked on it. Of course, only some of the larger forces, or races with fixed settlements, were labeled. "Stone Pillar Mountain is actually located in the center of the Arsen continent?" Alex was a bit surprised. It was consistent with the information she had received. But strictly speaking, it wasn''t located in the exact center. Instead, the Southridge Republic seemed to be in the central position. The entire Arsen continent is roughly shaped like a long, narrow isosceles triangle, featuring two distinct vertical bands on the east and west sides. The eastern border is dominated by a mountain range that spans the entire continent, known as the Aurora Highlands. In contrast, the western side consists of a vast, intermittent plateau that is not continuous and remains unnamed. Lilith''s city was located on this western plateau, adjacent to the Endless Sea. Similarly, the southwestern side was the gathering place of the elves. The southeastern Aurora Highlands, adjacent to it, was the territory of the giants. The territories of humans, giants, and elves combined occupied nearly 30% of the Arsen continent. As for Dwarf City and Gemini City, the two cities were not far apart and were close to the human territory, so they were also located in the south-central part of the continent. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? As for the northern part of the Arsen continent, it was all occupied by weak forces with very limited territory. The entire continent was divided into two types of terrain. The north was mostly desert and rocky wasteland, while the south had more grasslands and forests, with a better environment. This was also the reason why most of the powerful races on the continent were located in the south. Alex memorized the map of the Arsen continent and then put it back in its original place. Apart from powerful forces like the human race and the Holy Court, the current native races of the Arsen continent might not be a match for the undead. There was a reason why the Arsen continent was called the weakest continent, but there was never a clear definition of the strongest continent. However, most races agreed that the Nytheria continent, unified by the Angel race, was the strongest continent. Alex continued to search for other useful books and soon found one on the second shelf. "History of the Astralon Era"! Although Edgar had told her about the history of the planet Astralon, it was definitely not that detailed. Alex immediately opened the book and began to read. "In the early days of Astralon, there was only one continent. However, the tectonic plate movement here was frequent, and it was a planet full of magma and toxic gases, unable to support any race. God bestowed his grace, dividing the continent into seven, improving the world''s environment, and creating holy cities scattered across the seven continents. From then on, races were continuously born from the holy cities, marking the beginning of the First Era." Alex was a bit puzzled. This was completely different from what Edgar had said. Wasn''t it the first batch of Lords who descended on this void continent, and after thousands of years of fighting, the troops of the dead Lords slowly formed the races? Holy cities? It seemed that they were referring to the castles left behind by the former Lords. "It seems that the information here can''t be completely trusted. Most of it has been distorted." Alex continued to read, but only skimmed through it. She didn''t care about the ruling races of each era, as they were all in the past. Most era races would be wiped out by other races when a new era arrived, leaving them no chance to rise again. Only a very small number of era races could survive by relying on their unique advantages. It was conceivable that this must involve the intervention of the Lords who descended in each era. As for why every thousand years was called an era, which coincided with the time when the Lords descended, the book did not explain it, and there was even no record of the Lords from other worlds. This made Alex feel very strange. As a result, there was no way to know the connection between the two. But Alex guessed that the arrival of each batch of Lords might have the ability to change an era. Closing the book, Alex began to search for other books. These history books were not confidential but were very helpful for her to understand the planet Astralon. Therefore, she would not miss any history books. Chapter 346: City of Glory [Night retreats, dawn arrives.]Alex rose early, packing her belongings into her ring and donning her mage robe. Closing the magic book on the table, she descended to the second floor, where Ruby was resting. "Wake up, sleepyhead. We''re leaving." Ruby bolted upright, her hair a mess, and rushed over. "Really? We''re finally leaving?" "Yes." Alex nodded, and with Ruby also cloaked in black, they left the mage tower and headed towards the main hall. But before leaving, they had to see the Vice President and return the magic book. Knock, knock! "Come in," the Vice President''s raspy voice came from within. Alex pushed the door open and saw a mountain of documents scattered across his desk. He seemed to be in the middle of something. Seeing Alex, he seemed to understand her purpose. "Vice President, I have finished studying the earth magic book and came to bid you farewell." The man didn''t seem surprised, merely looking at Alex with approval. "Go. A mage with your talent should venture out more to grow quickly." "Take care." Alex placed the magic book on the table and left the Vice President''s room. She then took Ruby down to the third basement level and informed the teleportation department of their departure. "Miss Alyssa, you''re leaving so soon? Why not stay in Yellowrock City for a few more days?" "I must be on my way. I''m not just a mage of Yellowrock City, so I can''t stay in one place for too long." Alex flashed her badge, and the person immediately understood. "I see. We look forward to your next visit." The person in charge quickly prepared the teleportation array. After a test run, Alex and Ruby vanished in a flash of white light, leaving Yellowrock City behind. Eldoria continent, Hurricane City. As soon as they stepped out of the teleportation array, Alex received a system notification. Someone was messaging her. For them to reach out at this particular time, it must be important. However, this place was too public, right inside Hurricane City. Alex didn''t reply immediately but headed outside with Ruby. This time, they weren''t planning to stay in Hurricane City. Their destination was the capital of the Starfallen Empire: the City of Glory. That was where the true power of the human race was gathered. Could the Holy Court and the Mage Guild be the only ones representing the vast human race? Alex didn''t buy it. If it weren''t for the need to apply, she would have even wanted to see a map of the Eldoria continent. But at this point, it didn''t matter. The Starfallen Empire would definitely have maps. Alex and Ruby set off north. The terrain here wasn''t much different from the Barren Plains, but the vegetation was more lush, with more greenery. Alex stopped in mid-air and opened the system dashboard. It was a message from Xiao Hui. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ruby, the Beastman Empire''s envoy has gone to the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom." Ruby was taken aback, her face etched with surprise. "What are they doing there? Shouldn''t they be bothering the humans?" "This news came from Death Spirit. Maulclaw is dealing with them. They come with ill intentions." Alex said grimly. The fact that they didn''t directly attack the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom meant that the deaths of the previous Beastmen hadn''t aroused their suspicion. She had successfully deceived them. And this time, they came without knowing that Ruby now ruled the Arctic Tigerfolk. Their goal must be the Arctic Tigerfolk''s bloodline. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Ruby was worried about the safety of her people. She knew that the current undead were no match for the Beastman Empire. Therefore, they couldn''t afford to engage in a war unless absolutely necessary. The priority was to stabilize the situation. "Alex, I have to go back and take charge." Ruby had made up her mind. She couldn''t let Alex get caught up in this. "Yes, it''s good for you to go back. After all, Maulclaw can''t lead the tribe right now. But remember not to act rashly again. If they insist on this, we can just try to appease them for now and leave the far north later." Alex advised, understanding Ruby''s concerns. For now, it was best to avoid confrontation. The Beastman Empire had Sovereign-level powerhouses, making them one of the top forces among the local powers. "I know, don''t worry." Ruby promised solemnly. With that, they bid each other farewell. Ruby headed north to the undead Imperial Capital, while Alex continued south towards the City of Glory. Hurricane City was located in the heartland of the Starfallen Empire, as was the Glory City, so the distance between the two cities wasn''t too far. It only took Alex an hour to see the City of Glory in the distance. It was a magnificent imperial city. The entire city was enveloped in a giant, pale green barrier. The official road outside the city was wide and straight, stretching into the distance, bustling with people coming and going. Alex landed in the distance and walked towards the royal city, a sense of awe rising within her for the first time. Both the city walls and the area it covered were comparable to her undead Imperial Capital, incredibly grand. The guards at the gate routinely checked the passing pedestrians. The light curtain also had the ability to detect races, preventing extraterrestrial visitors from sneaking in. Although there weren''t as many mages here as in Hurricane City, there were still quite a few visible. The guards treated mages differently, not subjecting them to special checks. As long as they showed their badges, they could directly enter the city. As soon as Alex appeared at the gate, the surrounding people turned their gazes towards her. Even in such a royal city, the identity of a mage still attracted envious and admiring looks. Ignoring the stares, Alex walked straight into the city. Passing through the city gate, the rich architectural style of the Middle Ages came into view. Alex was captivated by its magnificent and mysterious atmosphere, as if exploring a medieval labyrinth. The ground beneath her feet was paved with black stone bricks, clean and tidy. The passing pedestrians and the noisy chatter made Alex feel like she was truly in this world for the first time. Alex walked slowly through the city, observing her surroundings with her deep-set eyes hidden beneath her hood. Suddenly, she seemed to catch a glimpse of a familiar figure, but a passing carriage blocked her view. When she looked back, the figure had vanished. Alex didn''t believe it was her imagination. She immediately quickened her pace and crossed the street, searching for the figure from earlier. Following the trail, she arrived at a church in the city and stopped in her tracks. The figure was standing at the entrance of the church, gazing at her. He wore a black mask, obscuring his face, but the familiar build and aura gave Alex an overwhelming sense of familiarity. "Is there something I can help you with, esteemed Magus?" That familiar voice! Alex''s memory came flooding back in an instant. She hadn''t expected it to be him! Chapter 347: Liberty Church Alex slowly lifted her hood, letting her long, flowing white hair cascade over her shoulders, revealing a face of breathtaking beauty."You''re... Alex?!" The man was stunned, never expecting to see her in City of Glory. "Follow me." He opened the church doors, gesturing for Alex to enter. Inside, only a handful of people were present, all wearing the same strange black masks. It seemed this church wasn''t usually open to the public. He led Alex down to the basement, which was surprisingly spacious and well-organized, with numbered rooms lining the halls. They entered room 013. The man closed the door and gestured for Alex to sit down before removing his mask. A rather ordinary face came into view. "Samson, it is you." Alex spoke, not showing much surprise. She had already confirmed his identity when he brought her here. She hadn''t expected to meet Samson again in a human city. It seemed he was now a freelancer, successfully integrated into human society. "Never thought I''d see you here. So even someone as powerful as you chose to become a Freelancer and join the Mage Guild?" Samson''s gaze was complex as he looked at Alex, a hint of melancholy in his expression. He couldn''t imagine her being here in a mage robe if she were still a Lord. "Didn''t you check the system?" Alex asked, puzzled. "After joining this organization, we''re not allowed to use the system. The goal is to fully integrate into human society." Hearing this, Samson threw caution to the wind and opened his system dashboard. When he saw that her name was still green, ranked first on the leaderboard, shock washed over him, followed by a wry smile. "You mentioned rules. Does your organization know about the system?" Alex keenly picked up on the crucial information in his words. Samson didn''t hide anything. He knew Alex''s character, and there were no conflicts of interest between them. Besides those former allies, Alex was the one he had interacted with the most. Seeing her here brought back a sense of familiarity. "Before I tell you about my organization, I have some shocking news. There was a batch of Lords before us, and among them, the Freelancers have the highest survival rate." Samson observed Alex, but her expression remained unchanged. That''s when he noticed the gleaming golden badge on her chest. Four-star Magus, a symbol of King level! "Wow, that mage robe..." "Honorary mage robe. Is there a problem?" Alex looked at him questioningly. Why did he keep staring at her chest? Didn''t he know it was ungentlemanly to ogle a lady like that? "No, nothing. Please, continue." Samson averted his gaze, a wave of melancholy washing over him. He thought he had progressed quickly enough during this time, but Alex was still so ridiculously OP. "The organization I joined is called the Liberty Church. It''s a vast organization spanning all seven continents. The church''s goal is to gather Freelancers, provide support, and integrate them into human society, while also strengthening ourselves. It''s a good choice for Freelancers like us. As you might have guessed, Church bishop consists of Freelancers from the previous batch. They''ve lost their systems and fully integrated into human society. But for some reason, their strength is capped at King level. That''s why the Liberty Church can''t become a major faction." Liberty Church, spanning all seven continents? It made sense. It was only natural for these Lords-turned-Freelancers to seek each other out for support among humans. This way, the Hundred Kingdoms War wouldn''t affect them, or perhaps their bishops had anticipated this event long ago. But could King level lifespans reach a thousand years? Why was there such a huge gap between the upper limits of Lords and Freelancers? These questions plagued Alex. She felt that the Liberty Church was the key to obtaining more information. "I never imagined the Liberty Church would be so widespread. You don''t have the ability to travel between continents, do you? How do you communicate?" Alex asked a crucial question, touching upon the organization''s secrets. To her surprise, Samson didn''t hesitate to answer. "Through dreams. We can''t physically travel between continents, but we can connect and exchange information through dreams. We even sell information unrelated to humans to other races for profit." Samson explained, suspecting that a powerful archbishop possessed this ability, which was also the key to holding their organization together. "I see. So this church is your gathering place in City of Glory?" Alex understood. It seemed this Liberty Church was quite something, essentially an intelligence organization. "That''s right. We have members in the royal cities of every human kingdom, allowing us to obtain information as quickly as possible." Speaking of this, Samson felt fortunate to have chosen this organization. As a lone Freelancer, integrating into human society would be troublesome. Although the Liberty Church mainly gathered Freelancers, they didn''t accept just anyone. "It seems this church is doing quite well, despite being a bit lacking in strength," Alex remarked casually. "Yes, we''re different from you. This might be the best ending for us Freelancers." Samson didn''t know if his choice back then was the right one, but at least he wouldn''t witness too much bloodshed here. "By the way, have you seen any of my former allies? How are they... doing?" Alex thought for a moment and shook her head. She could barely remember them, only vaguely recalling that they were all Elemental Lords with decent potential. Samson seemed a bit disappointed. Alex, on the other hand, asked curiously, "Why did you choose to become a Freelancer? You could have been in the top ten on the leaderboard and even established your own kingdom." "I abandoned them. Perhaps it was a sign of my cowardice and weakness. I couldn''t stomach this world, witnessing death time and time again." Samson sighed. "Enough about me. What about you? How have you been?" "Me?" Alex paused, then said frankly, "Just the same old, same old. Following the system''s path, climbing the ladder. In the end, we''re all just pitiful souls trying to survive in this game world." Samson seemed to resonate with her words, nodding in agreement. Their encounter was like two people from the same hometown bumping into each other in a foreign land. They chatted for a bit, catching up, but soon it would be time to go their separate ways. "What brings you to City of Glory?" Samson asked, curious. It was a risky move for a Lord, potentially fatal if discovered. Of course, he didn''t know about Alex''s special mage robe. "I don''t know enough about this world. I have to step out of my castle, see the world for what it is. Understanding the world is one thing, but developing my forces and strengthening myself is the ultimate goal." Alex didn''t hide anything. Samson was sincere with her, so she would reciprocate. "I see. Your vision is as far-reaching as ever. I''m afraid most Lords wouldn''t even dare to think of such a thing." "Does your church happen to have a map of the Eldoria continent?" Alex suddenly asked. "No, we''re just a branch. Such important information wouldn''t be entrusted to us." ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Samson shook his head. Alex picked up on a crucial detail. The Liberty Church here wasn''t even the headquarters for the entire continent? "There''s more than one branch on a continent?" "Of course. Freelancers are scattered all over the planet. Gathering them is a hassle. As far as I know, there are three Liberty Church branches in Eldoria alone. I''ve heard the headquarters is in a border city on the Eldoria continent called Tomb City, but we''ve never been there. I assume those materials are kept at the headquarters." Samson explained, oblivious to Alex''s thoughtful expression. "You''ve never been to the headquarters? Aren''t you worried they might have ulterior motives for gathering you all?" Alex realized Samson had reached Monarch level. Logically, he should be considered a leader, he should have visited the headquarters at least once, right? Could they really manage all the branch members and keep them united solely through dreams? It seemed a bit far-fetched. "I''m not sure, but at least for now, the church has been helping everyone." Samson had no doubts about the church, in fact, he held a high level of trust in it. "Well, it''s getting late. It was great seeing you again, and thank you for broadening my horizons. I must continue my journey now." Alex stood up, pulling up her hood, ready to leave. Samson nodded in response and stepped forward to open the door for her. As they walked side by side, Alex turned to Samson. "Samson, how about joining my empire?" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sudden question caught Samson off guard. He looked at Alex, but her face was hidden in the shadows of her hood. Should he join Alex for greater opportunities or maintain the status quo and integrate into this world? For a moment, Samson was torn. Before, he might have joined Alex without hesitation, but now, he hesitated. He suddenly thought of his past choices, Ivy''s death, the betrayal of his allies. He knew he couldn''t stomach constant killing. Perhaps, this was his best ending. With that thought, Samson felt at peace. "I''m sorry, Alex." He didn''t offer further explanation, unaware that Alex, with her high-level soul magic, could clearly sense his emotional turmoil. "It''s alright. Everyone has their own aspirations. It''s your choice." "Then, until we meet again." "Farewell." Alex left the Liberty Church with Samson watching her disappear into the bustling street. Samson sighed and returned to the church, only to be met with wary gazes from the other members. "Who was that mage?" "You''re getting too close to mages. You''ll get us all killed!" Facing their accusations, Samson apologized and assured them that nothing like that would happen, but he didn''t reveal anything about Alex. Meanwhile, Alex strolled aimlessly through the streets, taking in the human society and its civilization. However, her mind wasn''t fully focused on her surroundings. She was deep in thought. What she didn''t tell Samson was that they might meet again very soon. The Liberty Church possessed a wealth of information and was a King level force. How could Alex let them be? Control or destruction, in this world, everyone was looking out for themselves. But Samson''s refusal meant he would gradually fade from her sight. "Perhaps he hasn''t fully grasped reality yet." Alex shook her head, pushing away the jumbled thoughts. She had already decided on her next destination. Tomb City, on the border of the Starfallen Empire. "As I thought, this place isn''t for me." The busy commoners rushed about, their faces devoid of joy. Everyone was struggling to survive, prepared to face death at any moment. This feeling was less pronounced in City of Glory, but it was most evident in these border cities. Although humans were strong, they weren''t the rulers of this continent. And the strength lay with the Mage Guild and the Holy Court, not the entire human race. Who knew if the founders of those two forces were Lords themselves? As dusk approached, the gates of the royal city began to close. Although it wouldn''t be difficult for her to leave with her status, she didn''t want to attract unnecessary attention. "Excuse me, a room, please." Alex addressed the innkeeper. He was a scrawny old man, balding slightly, and seemed awestruck by Alex''s presence. "Of course, esteemed Mage, please come in!" He hurried from behind the counter to the door, ushering Alex inside. "You''re not a mage from Hurricane City, are you? His Majesty''s new decree states that all mages are entitled to free food and accommodation in the royal city, but you need to apply for a voucher from the relevant department." "I''m from Yellowrock City. I''m new here and wasn''t aware of this. I''ll pay as usual." Alex wasn''t interested in this. It was a way to keep tabs on all mages entering the royal city. "That wouldn''t be right. I can''t accept your money. Please, stay as you are. You can get a voucher tomorrow." Although the innkeeper couldn''t see Alex''s face or recognize her badge, he could tell from her youthful voice that she was an exceptionally young and talented mage. "Very well, then." Chapter 348: Met Robert again Alex settled into the inn, taking the largest room available, a suite comparable to a presidential suite in the real world. It was spacious, fully furnished, and brightly lit with mage-enchanted stones, keeping it illuminated even at night.She had no intention of applying for a voucher. Glory City wouldn''t dare question an Honorary Mage like her. Alex planned to stay for a few days, observe the city, and see if there were any other factions of interest. Of course, her top priority was to find out the location of Tomb City. However, such information wasn''t readily available to just anyone. Alex found herself at an impasse. She wished Glory City had something akin to an underground black market. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Early the next morning, Alex decided to visit the Mage Guild''s branch in the royal city and inquire about the situation with other mages. It was foolish not to utilize her status; it was the most efficient way. The Mage Guild''s branch was located within the royal palace, serving both as a liaison and a protector of the royal family. The bustling and magnificent palace at the center was the residence of the Starfallen Empire''s royal family. Heavily guarded, it commanded respect and a wide berth from ordinary citizens. A broad road led straight to the palace gates, opening into a vast plaza. Alex strolled towards the palace gates. A mage visiting the royal palace wasn''t unusual and didn''t attract much attention. Just then, a carriage escorted by guards approached the palace gates from behind. However, as the carriage drew alongside Alex, it abruptly stopped. A surprised voice called out from within. "Honorary Mage?!" "Miss Alyssa?" A familiar figure emerged from the carriage, practically leaping out to greet Alex. "Robert?" Alex was taken aback. Wasn''t he in charge of teleportation affairs in Hurricane City? What was he doing in City of Glory? "Miss Alyssa, it''s an honor to see you here!" Robert recognized Alex''s voice instantly. Besides, Honorary Mages were rare, and Alex was the only one who frequented the Hurricane City branch. "What are you doing here?" Alex asked, not particularly averse to this mage who always seemed eager to befriend her. He was at least polite and knew his boundaries. "Miss Alyssa, you might not know this, but this is my home. I had to practically beg the President to transfer me back here." Robert explained with a smile. "You''re a member of the royal family?" Alex was surprised. She had only realized the true value of the gold coins he had gifted her after using them. No wonder he was so generous. But then a strange thought crossed her mind. It seemed the Mage Guild treated everyone equally, not even giving special treatment to royalty like Robert. "That''s just what the commoners call us. My family simply contributes what we can to the rule of the human race." Robert said modestly. He knew Alex was the one with a truly impressive background. Besides, most mages in the guild were renowned figures among humans. True commoner mages were rare. "Miss Alyssa, are you heading to the branch? Allow me to show you the way." Robert offered, knowing Alex must be unfamiliar with the palace layout. "Thank you," Alex replied politely. Robert led Alex towards the palace, the carriage and guards following behind. His presence smoothed the way, the guards readily stepping aside for the prince''s friend. The palace beyond the high walls was opulent, with troops patrolling its sprawling grounds. Alex had assumed the Mage Guild''s branch would be located in a less prominent area, but Robert led her straight towards the grandest palace at the center. Seemingly sensing her confusion, or perhaps wanting to avoid misunderstanding, Robert explained, "Miss Alyssa, the branch is located within the royal palace itself. We live alongside the royal family, responsible for their protection, and enjoy high authority and honor." "Then why didn''t you stay here?" Alex asked curiously. She had been making conversation along the way, both to avoid awkward silence and to glean any useful information. "Although I''m a member of the royal family, as a mage, I can protect myself. As for authority, my father has been grooming me as his heir ever since I became a mage." Robert wanted to strengthen the royal family, but the branch here had limited opportunities. Only larger mage branch cities could offer him more significant growth. He had returned because his progress had plateaued, and his mentor had advised him to relax and seek new opportunities. He hadn''t found any breakthroughs yet, but his mindset had indeed relaxed since returning to Glory City. They arrived at the branch, where only five mages were present. Despite the small number, all of them, except Robert, were King level. Alex was surprised by the branch''s unexpected strength. In her experience, the total number of King level mages in a branch rarely exceeded ten. To have five stationed here demonstrated the guild''s emphasis on the Starfallen Empire. The mages here had relatively light duties and were very welcoming to Alex. Being new here, Alex didn''t immediately reveal her purpose, politely exchanging pleasantries instead. Robert, despite being only Monarch level, acted more like the host. ????????.??? He proposed a celebratory banquet that evening, ostensibly to commemorate his return. As a prince, his invitation carried weight, and no one declined. After some small talk, Robert seemed to sense Alex''s discomfort with the atmosphere and excused themselves, offering to show her around the palace. "Miss Alyssa, you don''t seem to enjoy talking to strangers." "Indeed. Meaningless chatter," Alex replied. She was here with a purpose and had no time to waste. Robert''s sudden appearance was a stroke of luck. He should have all the information she needed. The two strolled through the palace gardens, Robert diligently explaining the various features of the palace without directly inquiring about Alex''s purpose. "Miss Alyssa, how was your trip to Yellowrock City?" Robert was curious about the situation in other branches. As a Monarch level mage, he didn''t have the authority to freely travel between continents within the guild. "The situation in Yellowrock City is... not ideal. It''s rather chaotic, unlike the stability here. I believe they''ll be requesting aid from headquarters soon." "What kind of situation could pose such a threat to them?" Robert was surprised. He knew the strength of a Mage Guild branch. What kind of force could push them to such a point? "That''s actually why I''m returning to Hurricane City. Robert, have you heard of the Liberty Church?" Alex smoothly steered the conversation towards her objective. "Liberty Church?" Robert pondered for a moment. "They''re a rather small, inconspicuous organization. They keep a low profile." Of course, this was relative to the Mage Guild. "Now that you mention it, I believe their headquarters is on the Eldoria continent!" Robert suddenly recalled seeing records of them in both Hurricane City and the royal archives. So this was the reason for Alyssa''s return to Hurricane City and her presence in City of Glory? S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s right, their headquarters is in Tomb City. They might have some crucial information I need, but I don''t know where Tomb City is located." Alex feigned a hint of helplessness. "As it happens, I know its location. It''s my pleasure to be of assistance in such a trivial matter." Robert immediately offered his help. As the future heir, he was naturally familiar with the locations of cities within the Eldoria continent. "If possible, I''d appreciate it if you could show me a map of the Eldoria continent. It would save me the trouble of requesting one from Hurricane City. Technically, I''m an Honorary Mage and not affiliated with any specific branch, which makes things a bit inconvenient." Alex laid out her request, and Robert readily expressed his understanding. As an Honorary Mage, she certainly had the authority. More importantly, this was an opportunity to gain her favor. The royal family possessed maps of the Eldoria continent. It wasn''t classified information, and it could earn him brownie points with Alex. "Of course, it''s my honor to assist you and the Mage Guild. Please wait a moment. I''ll have someone fetch the map." Robert summoned a subordinate and instructed them to retrieve the map from the palace. "Thank you," Alex said with a grateful smile. Meeting Robert here was turning out to be quite fortunate. "This Liberty Church sounds rather intriguing. I''ve never heard of them before, having spent most of my time in Thunder City. I didn''t realize the Mage Guild tolerated their existence." Alex casually probed for more information, explaining her lack of knowledge. Even without her saying it, Robert assumed she was a descendant of some prominent figure in Thunder City. It was only natural for a sheltered genius like her to be unaware of such grassroots organizations. "The Liberty Church has actually been around for a very long time, even longer than the Starfallen Empire. I''m not sure why they haven''t expanded their influence. They''re humans too, and the Mage Guild treats them no differently from ordinary citizens, as long as they don''t pose a threat to humanity." Robert chatted casually with Alex, sharing his knowledge of this historical organization. "Besides the Liberty Church, are there any other interesting organizations?" Seeing her keen interest, Robert racked his brain. "Well, you could say our nations themselves are organizations: the Starfallen Empire, the Celestian Empire, the Southridge Republic, and so on. As for interesting organizations, there are a few small, profit-driven ones. Their existence is rather peculiar." He first mentioned the Bounty Hunter''s Guild, its name self-explanatory. It was a small organization within the Starfallen Empire, its strongest member, the president, being only a Monarch. Desperadoes seeking a second chance or members of other organizations looking to make a quick buck often frequented it. Robert shared how he had once disguised himself and joined their ranks, earning a tidy sum. The guild sold the materials gathered from their missions to nobles within the empire, which funded their operations. Another organization was the Worker''s Union, formed by ordinary citizens. Their goal was mutual aid, seeking better treatment and benefits. There were countless such small organizations within the Starfallen Empire, all insignificant in the grand scheme of things. "So there are actually so many of these small organizations, but none as powerful as the Liberty Church." Alex quickly understood. If they were too powerful, they would have threatened the Empire''s rule. Besides, the Mage Guild wouldn''t stand idly by and watch humans engage in internal strife. Ultimately, the true rulers of humanity were the Mage Guild, who didn''t concern themselves with internal human affairs. Their primary focus was on the major factions of other races. "Indeed. Perhaps only the Mage Guild knows the true origins of the Liberty Church. As for those other organizations I mentioned, they''re all relatively new and insignificant." Robert still held a degree of respect for the Liberty Church, but he looked down upon the others. Chapter 349: The distribution of factions in the Eldoria continent A guard soon returned with a map of the Eldoria continent, presenting it to Robert."Miss Alyssa, this is a copy of the Eldoria continent map. On behalf of the royal family, I present it to you." Robert offered the map with both hands. Alex nodded and took it. "Thank you for your assistance, and please extend my gratitude to the royal family." "You''re too kind, Miss Alyssa. It''s our duty to assist the Mage Guild." Robert smiled. For him, it was a simple gesture. They chatted for a while longer, mostly Alex asking questions and gathering information from Robert. Soon, Robert finished showing Alex around the palace. He had noticed her distraction during the tour and didn''t overstay his welcome. As they parted ways, he reminded her not to forget the evening banquet. After leaving Robert, Alex returned to the inn. Robert had, of course, taken care of the voucher, discreetly handing it to her earlier. This made navigating the city on her own much easier. However, Alex had no intention of lingering in Glory City. She planned to leave immediately after the banquet. Back in her room, Alex unfurled the map of the Eldoria continent, carefully studying the distribution of power. This way, she would know the locations of all the major factions, saving her undead troops from aimless exploration. "The Eldoria continent is so much larger than the Arsen continent?" Alex was surprised. She had assumed the continents were roughly the same size. Although there was no scale, she could estimate the size difference based on the Orc Empire''s territory and the area of the far north. The far north was undoubtedly larger than the Orc Empire, yet their markings on the map were almost identical. This highlighted the significant size disparity between the two continents. Based on her observations, the Eldoria continent was at least one and a half times larger than the Arsen continent. Furthermore, the Starfallen Empire wasn''t even located at the center. The central power was a city called Holy City. "That must be the Angel race''s city!" Alex quickly scanned the map, noting three Holy Cities on the Eldoria continent. Interestingly, there were also three Mage Guild branches, each situated near Holy City. It was clear that humans were constantly wary of the Angel race. The absence of Angel race presence on the Arsen continent explained why Yellowrock City only had one Mage Guild branch. The Eldoria continent resembled an irregular, flattened shape, vast and teeming with a complex web of factions. The Angelic Holy City at the center divided the continent into northern and southern regions. The north was larger, dominated by plains, while the south was smaller but geographically diverse. Most factions were clustered around the center, their strength seemingly correlated to their proximity to it. The undead empire was situated in the north. Crossing the Starfallen Empire would lead to the central region, but their location in the northeastern corner placed them in one of the most desolate areas of the continent. To the west of the Barren Plains and the Frostwind Snowy Mountains lay the true heartland of the Beastman Empire. "No wonder they''ve been pressuring the Arctic Tigerfolk. It seems the Beastman Empire aims to unify the north." With the map, the motivations behind the factions'' actions became crystal clear. The Beastman Empire hadn''t launched a full-scale invasion, resorting to diplomacy and intimidation instead. They didn''t want to alert other races to their ambitions. ???¦®????.??? Little did they know, the undead empire was right on their doorstep, and Alex shared their goal of northern unification. The only remaining obstacle to the expansion of the Undead Empire was the Beastman Empire, and defeating them was essential for growth. Alex pondered her next move. It seemed discretion was still the better part of valor. She needed to reach Sovereign level before revealing the Undead Empire to the world. "There''s not much left to gain on the Arsen continent. My only hope is the Drake territory." Alex sighed. The world''s power structure was already established, making it difficult for the undead empire to rise among the major factions. The Nytheria continent was the heartland of the Angels and the Holy Court, making it an unwise target. The Tyrranagar continent was embroiled in a conflict between Titans and Demons, on the verge of all-out war, making it equally unsuitable. Apart from these, there was the mysterious Arcadia continent. Information about it was scarce. Alex had never encountered any records or individuals from there. This was strange. Billions of Lords had descended from Earth. It was improbable that none originated from Arcadia. Yet, she had never encountered a single one. This was another reason why she needed to gain control of the Liberty Church. With their presence on all seven continents, they surely knew something about this mysterious land. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex then turned her attention to the southern factions of the Eldoria continent. It was home to several powerful races, no less formidable than those in the north. First and foremost were the werewolves and vampires she had encountered before. Their territories, the Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City, were both located in the south. However, these were merely large branches, not their main headquarters. Alex didn''t know the locations of their true bases, only that both factions possessed Sovereign level powerhouses and were significantly stronger than the Beastman Empire. Vampires and werewolves were eternal enemies, yet their territories were practically adjacent. Conflicts between them were inevitable, consuming their resources and hindering their expansion. The remaining factions were mostly Emperor level and King level powers. Compared to the north, the south was more racially diverse and chaotic. However, the presence of the remaining Angel and human branches kept these smaller races in check. It seemed the two dominant factions, humans and Angels, effectively controlled the entire Eldoria continent. The other races could only vie for survival within the balance of power between them. Alex rolled up the map. It only showed the races that had established kingdoms, some powerful factions, and a few forbidden areas, like the volcanic region in the south. Weaker races inhabiting those areas, like the man-eating ants, weren''t even deemed worthy of mention. As Alex examined the map, she felt a surge of experience points, reaching the threshold for a level up. "Huh?" "Must be the Featherfolk." With two high-level King level troops assisting, their victory was a foregone conclusion. This meant another powerful troop for the undead empire. Their territory would expand once more. The fate of the giants and elves remained uncertain. Would the humans wipe them out? It all depended on the outcome of the conflict between the Holy Court and the Mage Guild. Alex had a hunch that the Angel race was up to something. Despite the current peace, she sensed an impending storm brewing on the Eldoria continent. "It seems I should return to the undead empire after dealing with the Liberty Church. I can''t afford to waste any more time. I need to grow stronger." Alex glanced at the sky outside. There was still some time before the banquet. It was enough for a level up. As long as she didn''t refresh her badge, it would still display four stars, avoiding unwanted attention. Chapter 350: Heading to Tomb City [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends]Time flew by, and soon it was evening. Alex stepped out of the bathhouse, droplets of water cascading down her breasts. She tilted her head, toweling her hair dry. Feeling that drying her hair with a towel was a waste of time, Alex released a wave of heat from her body, instantly evaporating the remaining moisture around her. After packing her belongings into her ring, she left the room and headed towards the palace. Robert, dressed in formal attire, waited patiently at the palace gates with his guards. His face lit up as he saw her approach. "Miss Alyssa, you''ve finally arrived. Please, come in." "Am I late?" "Not at all, you''re right on time." Robert ushered her into the palace. The grand hall bustled with nearly a hundred nobles and royals, elegantly dressed and engaged in polite conversation. Despite the crowd, the atmosphere remained surprisingly subdued. They greeted Alex with respectful nods as she entered. In such formal settings, a mage in their robes commanded a certain level of deference, especially among the royals. Knowing her dislike for such gatherings, Robert led her to a private chamber. "Miss Alyssa, the banquet commences at eight. Please make yourself comfortable while you wait." With a wave of his hand, servants appeared, laden with trays of exquisite refreshments and a selection of beverages that surpassed even the offerings outside. "Miss Alyssa, these are some of the Starfallen Empire''s culinary specialties, quite different from what you might find in the Celestian Empire. Please, try some." Alex glanced at the clock on the wall. 7:50. Ten minutes to eight. Her gaze swept over the spread, the intricate craftsmanship of the refreshments certainly appetizing. "Well then, I won''t stand on ceremony." "Please, make yourself at home." Robert smiled. As expected, even powerful mages couldn''t resist the allure of delectable treats. Ten minutes later, the banquet began. Robert led the procession to the main hall. The nobles were honored by his personal escort. Typically, such duties were delegated to servants. The prince''s direct involvement signified the importance of the occasion. They basked in the implied significance, showering Robert with gratitude and praise. A crimson carpet stretched the length of the grand hall, illuminated by ornate wall sconces that cast a warm, inviting glow. Intricate carvings adorned the walls, seemingly shimmering under the golden light. At the center stood a massive table, easily accommodating dozens of guests. Two smaller tables flanked it, reserved for those of lesser standing. The main table was occupied by individuals of high status: royalty, Mage Guild members, and nobles whose lineage and contributions to the empire were beyond question. The other nobles watched with a mixture of envy and admiration. As the last guest found their seat, the King of the Starfallen Empire entered the hall. Everyone rose to greet him, mages included, paying their respects to the aging king. A long-winded speech followed, which Alex politely ignored, her mind elsewhere. "Father, may I present Miss Alyssa?" Robert''s voice startled her from her thoughts. She turned to face his father. A flicker of surprise ran through her. The King of the Starfallen Empire was an ordinary human! Her senses couldn''t be mistaken. His frail appearance and lackluster aura were genuine. Her surprise stemmed from the fact that his children, several sons and daughters, possessed considerable strength. Most were Commanding level, with a few reaching Monarch level. However, compared to Robert''s status as a Monarch level mage, their strength paled in comparison. "Miss Alyssa, your talent and beauty are truly remarkable." The king spoke, his voice raspy with age. As one of the six strongest individuals present, Alex outranked even him. Even as Starfallen Empire''s king, he addressed her with respect. "You flatter me, Your Majesty." Alex responded politely. This exchange pleased the old king, raising Robert even further in his esteem. The other princes seethed with envy. They had tried every tactic to curry favor with the five mages present, but their efforts were met with indifference. Robert, on the other hand, had effortlessly befriended an Honorary Mage, one who clearly held significant sway within the Mage Guild. It was a bitter pill to swallow. The banquet commenced, and Alex found herself bombarded with attention. But she couldn''t be bothered with these ordinary humans. Only Robert, seated beside her, seemed to understand her disposition, refraining from any overtures that might annoy her. Their easy camaraderie did not go unnoticed, fueling speculation about their connection. As the evening drew to a close, the old king made a surprise announcement. Robert would be named his heir apparent. The news wasn''t entirely unexpected, but it extinguished any lingering hopes the other princes might have harbored. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex had been contemplating her escape, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. "Miss Alyssa, may I borrow you for a moment?" Robert''s request, voiced for all to hear, surprised her. She nodded and excused herself. "Miss Alyssa, you''re leaving Glory City tonight, aren''t you?" They stood on a balcony, overlooking the city illuminated by moonlight. "Yes," Alex confirmed, seeing no reason to hide it. "Then go. I''ll handle the explanations." "Thank you, Robert. You''re a true friend. Until next time." Under the cover of darkness, Alex slipped out of Glory City. While it was a human kingdom, it couldn''t compare to the amenities offered by the Mage Guild. Although it possessed a teleportation array, it only connected to major cities. Tomb City, a small, remote settlement, was too far from any major hub to make teleportation viable. The name itself, Tomb City, was unsettling. Alex suspected it might resemble Clayton City: sparsely populated, an ideal location for the Liberty Church to hide their headquarters. ???¦®????.??? She had scrutinized the map of the Starfallen Empire. It had twelve border cities, each strategically placed to counter potential threats. Tomb City, however, was surrounded by nothing. Even Robert couldn''t explain its purpose. Three hours later, Alex arrived at the outskirts of Tomb City. She didn''t rush in. Three hours of sustained flight had depleted her mana reserves. Caution dictated she enter the city at full strength. Besides, she couldn''t use her Honorary Mage status here. Her goal was to gain control of the Liberty Church from the shadows, turning them into her eyes and ears. Alex had already activated her Invisibility mode by the time Tomb City came into view. At this moment, even if she stripped naked and ran around the outskirts of Tomb City, she wouldn''t be noticed. ... After storing her mage robe in her ring, Alex changed into a set of attire. While not exactly her style, it wasn''t hideous either. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and sat down, focusing on replenishing her mana and stamina. An hour later, fully recovered, Alex stood and headed towards Tomb City. The city gates were closed, but that posed no obstacle. The defenses of a border city were weak, easily bypassed without raising any alarms. Once inside, Alex stood atop the wall, her gaze sweeping across the city. There were no distinctive landmarks, no grand structures hinting at the Liberty Church''s headquarters. Even the familiar sight of a church, like the one in Glory City, was absent. "Is the Liberty Church headquarters really here?" Alex wondered, a flicker of doubt creeping in. This organization was incredibly discreet. No landmarks, no obvious signs, and the city was shrouded in darkness. Where was she supposed to find them? Then it struck her. She could ask the city''s Castellan! A blue light flashed in her left eye, and the two guards stationed at the gate froze, their eyes glazing over. "Where is your Castellan?" "In the barracks near the east gate," they replied in unison, their voices flat and emotionless. Alex vanished in an instant, leaving the guards to snap back to reality, their memories of the encounter wiped clean. The east gate, nestled beside the barracks, was the most heavily guarded of the four entrances. However, it was late, and even the increased guard presence couldn''t fight off the drowsiness that came with the late hour. An invisible wave of soul magic washed over them, plunging them into a deep slumber. Alex approached the barracks, her senses on high alert. She quickly located the strongest presence within, a level 1 Monarch. This had to be the Castellan of Tomb City. With a resounding crash, the door splintered, ripped from its hinges. The Castellan, startled awake, tried to react, but his body refused to obey. "Tell me, where is the Liberty Church headquarters?" Alex''s voice, cold and sharp as a winter wind, sent a shiver down his spine. The room was pitch black. Alex held him bound with spatial magic. Humans lacked night vision, so the Castellan could only discern that his captor was female. Her appearance remained a mystery. "Who are you? Why are you trespassing in a city of the Starfallen Empire?" Instead of answering, the Castellan tried to intimidate her with the empire''s name. A spatial blade sliced through the air, leaving a deep gash across his side. "No more games. I''ll ask again. Where is the Liberty Church headquarters?" Alex''s voice was laced with steel. She couldn''t believe the Castellan, of all people, wouldn''t know about the Liberty Church. Unless he was a member himself? A new line of questioning formed in her mind. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. You''ll face the wrath of the Starfallen Empire! We are under the protection of the Mage Guild. Their powerful mages will hunt you down!" Despite the pain, the Castellan remained defiant, resorting to threats. "Oh, so you''re one of those Freelancers, are you?" Alex''s words hung in the air, causing the Castellan''s pupils to constrict. His composure faltered for a moment, but he quickly schooled his features. He didn''t believe she could see him in this darkness. He was wrong. Alex had sensed his every micro-expression, every flicker of emotion. She was now certain the Liberty Church was hidden within Tomb City. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," he repeated, his voice a notch weaker than before. He couldn''t deny her power, and her knowledge of the Liberty Church suggested she wasn''t here on a whim. He made a silent vow. He wouldn''t betray the others, even if it cost him his life. She was asking about their location, which meant she didn''t have concrete proof. He would deny everything. Death was preferable to betrayal. He was prepared to die. His role as Castellan included protecting the Liberty Church. He wouldn''t fail them. "The Liberty Church spans seven continents, yet each branch only has a few dozen members? I find that hard to believe." Alex abandoned her direct questioning and began talking to herself. "There must be at least a billion Lords who became Freelancers. That''s over a hundred million per continent. Even if not all of them joined the Liberty Church, there should still be hundreds of thousands." She paced the room, her footsteps echoing in the silence. The Castellan watched, his heart pounding against his ribs. He feared she was getting closer to the truth. "Freelancers have nowhere else to go. They have to integrate into human society. And with the guidance of the previous generation of Freelancers, gathering them wouldn''t be difficult, would it?" The Castellan''s jaw dropped. How did this assassin know so much? She even knew about the previous batch of Freelancers. Who was she? Could she be a survivor from the previous generation, or rather, is she a Lord? The thought of her being a Lord was too absurd. No Lord would be foolish enough to venture into a human city, courting death. "If I''m not mistaken, this entire city is populated by Freelancers, isn''t it?" Alex''s words, a bombshell dropped into the tense silence, hung in the air. She watched the Castellan intently, searching for any telltale signs. He clamped his mouth shut, refusing to engage. "Silence? That''s fine." Alex stepped closer, a cold smile playing on her lips. "I''ll just kill you. The system will confirm your identity for me." The Castellan''s face paled. He couldn''t contain his shock. "Impossible! You''re a Lord?!" Chapter 351: Dream Race "You really are a Freelancer," Alex muttered, seemingly to herself, yet her words were also directed at Castellan. With that, she conjured a fireball in her hand, as if about to strike him down.Just then, a dark figure appeared in front of Castellan. "Must you do this?" The newcomer was a middle-aged man, seemingly in his thirties or forties. He shielded Castellan with his own body. Unlike the Liberty Church members in Glory City, this man wore no mask. Judging by his power, he had already reached King level and was undoubtedly one of their bishops. "You could have shown yourself earlier. Sneaking around like a rat," Alex said disdainfully, not taking the man seriously. "Thank you for saving me," Castellan expressed his gratitude to the man, but received no response. The middle-aged man was facing immense pressure from Alex. He was like a small boat adrift in a vast ocean, about to be swallowed whole. "May I ask why you have come to Tomb City?" the man asked politely. He knew he was no match for Alex and could only try to stabilize the situation and negotiate with her. "Can you represent the Liberty Church?" Alex asked coldly, staring at the middle-aged man. "Why don''t you tell us your demands first? We will do our best to satisfy them," the man replied calmly, unfazed by Alex''s attitude. Of course, there was another reason for his composure. Alex had sensed the changes around her. Her arrogance was meant to provoke them. "I want the Liberty Church to submit to me," Alex stated, her voice icy. The middle-aged man and Castellan''s expressions changed drastically. The former even revealed a hint of anger. "Don''t push your luck!" the middle-aged man roared, his King level aura exploding as he prepared to attack. At the same time, the situation in the room suddenly erupted. Four King level bishops emerged from the surroundings, charging towards Alex. Outside, hundreds of Freelancers had surrounded the area. Facing the siege of five King level opponents, Alex remained calm and composed. Snap! A crisp snap echoed through the air. The five Liberty Church bishops who were attacking Alex froze in their tracks. Even the remaining ordinary members were stunned, unsure of what to do. Ten black figures had suddenly appeared before them, each emanating a King level aura! Moreover, the aura from each figure was even stronger than that of the five Liberty Church bishops! Were they surrounding Alex? No, it was Alex who had surrounded them! Ten King level Reaper Guards stood in the air, their overwhelming presence preventing all Liberty Church members from making a move. The immense pressure made it difficult for them to breathe, their legs trembling uncontrollably. "Undead?! Those are undead!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. The Freelancers were in an uproar. "She''s the number one Lord on the leaderboard!" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The undead Lord is already this strong?!" "How is this possible?!" Disbelief was etched on everyone''s faces. If they knew that this was only a fraction of Alex''s true power, they would be even more astonished. The five bishops were also stunned. They had guessed that Alex was the current number one Lord, but they never expected her power to have grown to such an extent! The five bishops who had founded the Liberty Church were reminded of the fear they felt a thousand years ago when another number one Lord had dominated an era. They too had been forced to become Freelancers. "So, still want to fight me? Freelancers will always be Freelancers, forever in the shadows," Alex taunted. She had shown mercy by not killing them outright for daring to attack her. The five bishops fell silent. Alex could easily eliminate them. Once their headquarters were destroyed, the Liberty Church would cease to exist. "We apologize for our actions. On behalf of the Liberty Church, I sincerely apologize. We are but a group of pitiful souls with nothing of value to offer. You must be here for information. Ask, and we shall tell you everything we know," an elderly King level church bishop finally spoke up. Alex guessed that he was the archbishop of the Liberty Church. Alex tossed the fireball into the air, illuminating the surroundings. She turned her back on the five bishops and took a few steps forward. "I''m not one for unnecessary bloodshed. It''s always better to resolve conflicts peacefully. I heard that you are the previous generation of Freelancers? I''m curious, how did you survive until now?" The five bishops exchanged glances and dismissed the other Freelancers in the city. This matter likely involved their secrets, and they didn''t want ordinary Freelancers to hear. Alex didn''t stop them. The entire city was already sealed by her spatial magic, preventing anyone from escaping. With the Reaper Guards monitoring the situation, she had complete control. The five bishops had no choice but to comply. They had lived for over a thousand years and had faced countless dangers. They didn''t want to die here and now without understanding why. "Slumber. We survived through slumber." "Slumber? Don''t tell me you can just put yourselves into slumber." Alex was skeptical. Not everyone could simply decide to slumber. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? It was clear that with their King level strength, they couldn''t achieve this on their own. They must have relied on some object or received help from a powerful being. Seeing that they couldn''t fool Alex, the five bishops had no choice but to tell the truth. Their slumber relied on the ability of a certain race that could induce deep sleep in their souls, slowing down their bodily functions. As long as protective measures were taken, they could slumber for centuries. It was through this race''s ability that they controlled all the Liberty Church members across the seven continents. Even without the ability to travel between continents or communicate directly, they could still issue commands and direct operations. This race was the foundation of the Liberty Church''s existence. Without it, the entire organization would crumble. Alex was intrigued. This was the first time she had heard of a race with such an ability. "Take me to this race." The five bishops lead Alex to their headquarters in the city. Their headquarters were located underground, with the entrance hidden in the northeast corner of the city. It was so well-concealed that no one would have suspected a thing without knowing that Tomb City was the Liberty Church''s base. Even in the dimly lit underground passage, they didn''t dare to attack Alex. They had no idea if she could summon twenty King level beings now after summoning ten earlier. Soon, they arrived at the depths of the dungeon and saw the race with the peculiar ability. "Are you sure it''s her?" Alex asked, a hint of doubt in her voice. In the room before them stood a human woman. There was nothing extraterrestrial visitor about her appearance. "Yes, within the church, we treat her as an equal. But she rarely speaks and prefers to stay in her room," one of the bishops explained to Alex, clearly considering this extraterrestrial visitor as one of their own. "She''s the only one?" Alex asked, sensing the woman''s King level strength with slight surprise. They had mentioned a race, so where were the others? "She is the entire race. Her race seems to be ancient, possibly survivors from a bygone era. It''s been so long that their origins are lost to time," the bishops explained helplessly, their hearts filled with trepidation. They feared that Alex would harm her, which would spell doom for the Liberty Church. Ignoring the others, Alex entered the room. A moment later, to the astonishment of the five bishops, the woman willingly handed over her race''s Tear to Alex! When Alex emerged from the room, she didn''t explain anything to the stunned group. The truth was, from the moment Alex had stepped foot underground, she and the woman had been communicating telepathically. The race was called the Dream Race, and her name was Selene. She was the last of her kind. The only difference between Dream Race and humans was their ability to create dreams and kill their enemies within those dreams. Their potential was arguably even greater than that of humans. However, their numbers were few. Although their way of life and civilization were similar to humans, they were eventually discovered. Fearing for their own future, humans had waged war on the Dream Race. Alex already knew the outcome. Selene was the sole survivor, forced into hiding. She had come to the Liberty Church nearly a thousand years ago, hoping for a chance to avenge her people. Of course, the power gap between them had grown too vast, and revenge seemed like a distant dream. That was until today, when she met Alex, a Lord with the potential to become a god. This was her best chance for partnership. To Alex''s surprise, the Dream Race'' enemy wasn''t all of humanity, but the Holy Court. To be precise, it was the Holy Court of old, a time when they were still dedicated to the advancement of humanity, albeit through extreme measures. This had led to numerous conflicts with the Mage Guild. It wasn''t until they became servants of angels that they completely abandoned their original ideals and turned their backs on humanity. Alex explained the difference between the Holy Court and the Mage Guild to Selene. She had to be truthful about the situation outside the human world. Not all humans were enemies of the Dream Race. In this way, Alex and Selene found common ground and immense potential for collaboration. To earn Alex''s trust, Selene had willingly offered her race''s Tear. However, all of this communication had taken place within the dream world, unbeknownst to the five Liberty Church bishops. That was why they were so shocked by what they had just witnessed. The five bishops knew that without Selene, the Liberty Church would be finished. But she had submitted to Alex, and they seemed to have no other choice. No, perhaps their fate had been sealed the moment Alex arrived in Tomb City. "So, you five are the true leaders of the Liberty Church?" Alex asked, ignoring their astonishment. "Yes. There used to be one more, but he passed away. Now it''s just the five of us." "How many Freelancers from the previous generation are there in the Liberty Church?" Alex pressed further. "Three hundred and fifty-two. But very few managed to reach King level. Most of them died of old age." Alex suddenly understood. Becoming a Freelancer meant losing the talent bestowed upon them by the system. In simpler terms, their lifespan was shortened. Even for a King level, living for a thousand years was a difficult feat. "I''ll give you a choice: submission or death. And one more thing, I''m very interested in the powerful previous generation of Lords." Alex''s cold voice echoed through the silent, dark passage. The five bishops barely hesitated. Perhaps they had already come to terms with their situation. "We are willing to lead the Liberty Church in submission to you!" they declared in unison. A satisfied smile spread across Alex''s face. Her mission here was a resounding success. Now, it was time to gather information. "Very well. Now, let''s find a more private place where you can tell me everything you know about the seven continents." Chapter 352: Gather intelligence "Right this way, please."They led Alex towards a hidden chamber, navigating through layers of intricate mechanisms until they reached the deepest room underground. The room was small, its surfaces cluttered with letters, unfurled scrolls, and stacks of paper, all covered in minuscule writing. "This is where you gather intelligence?" Alex asked, her eyes struggling to make sense of the sheer volume of information. How did they even differentiate between the intelligence from different continents? "Indeed. Besides ourselves, the church has a couple dozen personnel who assist us in managing, organizing, and selling this information to other races. However, our primary clientele remains the human nobles within the Empire. They''re mainly interested in information about the Empire and the Mage Guild, which is easy enough to obtain." "What intelligence would you like to know first, leader?" Alex settled casually into a seat as the five men stood respectfully before her. "Tell me about the previous generation of Lords." The Lord enigma was the most intriguing to Alex. The five exchanged glances. Finally, the eldest King level stepped forward to address Alex. This wasn''t because he was one of the Liberty Church''s founders, but because he was the last of the five to become a Freelancer, and therefore knew the most about the Lords. Silence descended upon the cramped, dimly lit room, broken only by the man''s voice. Alex listened intently, lost in thought from time to time. As she had initially suspected, once these former Lords became Freelancers, the loyalty of their troops vanished completely. Barracks lost their summoning abilities, but their existing troops remained unaffected. This aligned perfectly with Alex''s earliest hypothesis. Upon arriving in this world and becoming Lords, they all possessed a certain "foreign element" within them. Becoming a Freelancer meant the disappearance of this element, allowing them to integrate into human society. However, humans were intelligent beings with diverse cultures and customs. Even without the foreign element, there was always a risk of their true identities being exposed if they weren''t careful. Similarly, this foreign element also existed within their troops. Once their Lord became a Freelancer, these troops would assimilate into the native races of this world. Less intelligent races would fully integrate, becoming a part of the existing power structure. Unique troops, those without a corresponding race on Astralon, would evolve into an entirely new race. Their future development depended entirely on the potential of that new race. This explained the increasing diversity of races on Astralon. At least, that was the prevailing theory shared by the Liberty Church, Edgar, and even Alex herself. As for the previous generation of Lords, none had survived long enough to witness the fate of those who came after. The most crucial piece of information they revealed was this: two months from now, at the conclusion of the Hundred Kingdoms War event, the system would force all Lords who had established kingdoms to fully integrate into the Astralon and begin their conquest. Of course, this "full integration" wasn''t as simple as gaining the World''s Heart''s recognition like Alex had done with her Undead Empire. It meant the commencement of a multi-racial ranking system, where only ten factions would ultimately survive. This revelation startled Alex. It seemed the system''s plan was entering its final stage. When that time came, all Lords would face a choice: become a Freelancer, join another Lord''s faction, or perish. However, Alex wasn''t overly concerned. Two months was ample time to reach Emperor level. Self-preservation wouldn''t be an issue then. "Leader, this was just the event during our time. Things might be different now. Consider it a point of reference." The five bishops spoke respectfully. This was the extent of their knowledge about the system. Beyond this point, Freelancers were completely out of the loop. "What do you know about the number one Lord of your time?" Alex asked. Ruby''s father, like herself, was once the top-ranked Lord. He couldn''t have been a nobody. Having survived the previous Lord''s struggle for dominance, they must know his name. "That''s..." The mention of that name made the five bishops uneasy. Their knowledge was limited. The former number one Lord had only begun exploring the outside world after reaching Emperor level. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His exploits had only become known after he officially entered the Eldoria continent. By then, these bishops were already Freelancers, the church wasn''t established, and they were practically living like illegal immigrants hiding within human cities. They had been in no position to pry into other people''s business. "Leader, his name is forbidden. A god has placed a taboo on it. Speaking his name invites disaster." The five bishops explained, their expressions strained. They were especially wary of mentioning gods, afraid of being discovered. Alex wanted to ask which god, but thought better of it. These bishops knew little about the Lord''s deeds, let alone matters of the divine. Logically, the Liberty Church could have easily investigated the number one Lord during its early days. It was likely divine intervention that had deterred them from such a risky endeavor. "Leader, he''s not the only one with a taboo placed upon him. There are others, influential figures who could disrupt the world''s balance. To our knowledge, there are four in total." "The former number one Lord, the undead Lord, the chieftain of the Shadow race, and a demon." "A demon?" Alex was puzzled. The Shadow race, similar to the undead, possessed immense potential for growth. It made sense for them to be targeted. But why a demon? Weren''t they always powerful? "Legend has it that after the Demon Era, the Demon race was poised to rule a second era. Unfortunately, just as they were about to succeed, a god broke the rules and intervened. It''s said that this led to the unspoken rule of one race, one era." This information was ancient, its veracity impossible to verify. Hence, the five bishops used the term "legend." "I see. You must have heard from other Freelancers about my troops. You know their race, don''t you?" Of course, they did. Even before meeting Alex, they knew that the current number one Lord was the undead Lord. "Are you interested in information about the undead Lord, leader?" Alex nodded. She wanted to know if the Liberty Church possessed any deeper knowledge. After all, the undead Lord''s fall had occurred shortly after their arrival, and in Eldoria, no less. "Leader, you''re probably already aware of the basic information about him. But we have heard some rumors." Alex was surprised. The Liberty Church was merely a King level organization. Seeking such information was a considerable risk. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "It''s said that the last known location of the previous undead Lord before his disappearance was Holy City." "The Holy City of the Angel race?" "Yes. He vanished completely after that. Some say he perished at the hands of the Angel race. Others believe he''s imprisoned beneath Holy City." The five bishops explained that Holy City wasn''t an ordinary city, but a sky city, perpetually bathed in a radiant pillar of holy light. The tomb of the previous undead Lord was rumored to be within that very pillar of light, beneath Holy City. If true, that was troubling. Even at Sovereign level, Alex wouldn''t dare to go there. Unless she became a god. But once she reached that level of power, would the mystery of the previous undead Lord''s fall even matter? "No, remember the former number one Lord who sought revenge for him?" One bishop suddenly interrupted, as if recalling something crucial. "It''s said he erected a tombstone for the previous undead Lord. Obviously, it was a fake. There was nothing inside." Another bishop countered. If there had been, any relics or inheritance would have been claimed by the previous undead Lord''s followers long ago. However, Alex merely sought the truth. Her current inheritance was complete. She didn''t need the help of the previous undead lord. Still, that former number one Lord was a loyal, if somewhat foolish, soul. Why couldn''t he have been more discreet? Wouldn''t it have been a better choice to seek revenge after becoming a god? "Where is this tombstone he built?" Alex asked after a moment of thought. "It''s no secret. The tombstone is located on Cliffside Mountain in the south, overlooking the sea. After the former number one Lord''s death, the Alphas(Kings) of other races didn''t bother destroying it." Of course not. Firstly, the tomb was a fake. Secondly, those Alphas knew the truth. As long as the undead Lord was dead, a fake tomb was of no consequence. However, the official story remained that the undead Lord had gone missing. The truth about the fake tomb was known only to a select few. The Liberty Church bishops, with their ability to enter people''s dreams, had access to these hidden truths. But these were distant memories, events of the past, offering little help to Alex''s current situation. What she needed now was information about recent major events in this era and the movements of the various races. First on her list was the most mysterious of the seven continents: Arcadia. "Arcadia?" The five bishops exchanged glances, a hint of apprehension in their eyes. One of them leaned closer to Alex, lowering his voice. "Leader, there''s a god present in Arcadia!" Alex''s eyes widened. She looked expectantly at the bishop, eager for more information. Arcadia was home to the Mage Guild''s headquarters, and that god was none other than the youngest deity alive: the Magic God of the Mage Guild! Many races had gods, but only this Magic God had been known to intervene in worldly affairs, making their presence known to all. The reason for this remained a mystery. The whereabouts of the other races'' gods were also unknown. Arcadia was the complete opposite of Nytheria. The former welcomed extraterrestrial visitors, integrating them into human society, while the latter sought their extermination. It wasn''t that Arcadia had no Lords. It was just that they had all been absorbed into the human race. That continent was the true heart of humanity. Even the notoriously bold Angel Race wouldn''t dare to make any significant moves in Arcadia. Of course, humans and angels maintained a superficial alliance that had lasted for millennia. "So, this Magic God is the true ruler of humanity?" Alex was astonished. She knew that powerful races had gods, but this was the first time she had heard concrete information about one. "Not entirely. The ruler is the president of the Mage Guild. It''s said that he''s just one step away from becoming a god himself. With his talent and the support of a god, he should have ascended long ago. But for nearly a thousand years, he hasn''t taken that final step." This was a mystery that puzzled even the Liberty Church. It wasn''t exactly a secret, so the bishop shared it freely with Alex. Alex pondered this new information. Why was the Magic God present, yet the president held the reins of power? The Magic God himself had been the president before ascending to godhood. "Is it possible that gods are forbidden from interfering in the affairs of races?" Alex voiced her thoughts. The five bishops immediately grasped the implications. "You''re right! Perhaps there''s a time limit on how long gods can remain in this world. The gods of other races might have already departed, while the younger Magic God still has time left." "That would explain why they can''t interfere in their own race''s affairs. It could be a restriction imposed by some higher power." "The true rulers of the major races are all on the verge of godhood. Perhaps their inability to ascend is for the sake of their race''s development!" Inspired by Alex''s words, the five bishops engaged in a lively discussion, their minds racing with possibilities. Alex''s line of thinking stemmed from the countless web novels she had read back on Earth. Weren''t these tropes common in those stories? However, one thing still bothered her. If humanity had a god, making them the undisputed strongest race, why would the Angel race dare to make any moves against them? And why wasn''t humanity more assertive? They weren''t weak, but their actions were far from dominant. They were¡­average, not at all like a race with a god on their side. As Alex lost herself in thought, the five bishops dropped an even bigger bombshell: Gods didn''t exist in the same world as them. There might be a "divine realm" above their own! Chapter 353: The power rankings of the Continents Alex engaged in a deep conversation with the bishops, absorbing a wealth of information, both familiar and unknown. It provided her with a much clearer understanding of this world.She now had a firm grasp on the power dynamics of the seven continents. The relationships between these powerful races were becoming increasingly intricate. Taking out a pen and paper, Alex summarized the distribution of power across the continents, ranking them from strongest to weakest based on her current knowledge. The actual pecking order, of course, remained to be seen. First on the list was the enigmatic Arcadia, undoubtedly the most powerful with a god at its helm. Its primary race was human, but it also housed branches of the Holy Court, angels, dragons, and other formidable races. Second was Nytheria, the seat of the Angel race. Their clans spanned all seven continents, their strength undeniable. However, judging by their current actions, they were still a notch below humanity. Third place was a tie between Valoria and Mossvale. Alex couldn''t definitively say whether demons or dragons were stronger, her knowledge of both being limited. Valoria was also home to fallen angels and demon servants, while Mossvale boasted countless sub-dragon species. Alex tentatively placed Tyrangar fourth. This continent was the domain of titans, another top-tier race with a Sovereign level cap. However, their numbers were few, and they had always maintained a low profile. Fifth was Eldoria. With the fall of the once undead empire, it had become the second weakest of the major continents. Otherwise, the might of the undead would have easily secured its place at the top. Last, and certainly not least, was Arsen, the undisputed weakest link. Beyond the seven continents, however, lay another force to be reckoned with: the Sea Race of the Endless Sea. While the true size of the Endless Sea remained a mystery, if Earth''s geography was anything to go by, it was safe to assume that it dwarfed the seven continents combined. The Sea Race, dwelling in the deepest trenches, harbored the greatest ambitions. They yearned to conquer the land and unite the seven continents of Astralon under their rule. This wasn''t about dominating an era. It was about eradicating all other life forms, leaving only the ocean and the Sea Race. Their previous attempt had been met with fierce resistance from the land races, leading to the downfall of the Sea God Era. Otherwise, their reign would have continued for at least another era. The five bishops agreed with Alex''s assessment. Without the undead, Eldoria had indeed become the second weakest of the major continents. This power vacuum had allowed smaller races to thrive, resulting in the current chaotic landscape. Alex pulled out a map and located Cliffside Mountain. She decided to pay it a visit after leaving Tomb City before returning to her undead empire. Tomb City was, after all, a human city. Building an undead fortress here was out of the question. The Liberty Church possessed a decent understanding of the continents'' history, but their knowledge of the truly powerful races was limited. For instance, they had no idea what the Angel race was planning with their alliance with the Holy Court and the titans. It was likely that even the current human leaders were in the dark. Alex spent the rest of the day poring over the documents and files, questioning the five bishops whenever she came across something unclear. Finally, she finished reviewing all the information. Stretching languidly, she rose to her feet and addressed the five men. "You''ve all done well. I won''t force you into a Submission Contract. A simple Master-Servant Contract will suffice." The difference between the two was significant. The latter allowed the servants to regain their freedom upon the master''s death. The Submission Contract, however, was absolute. If Alex perished on another continent, these five, even hiding within the dream world, would die alongside her. The bishops were visibly relieved. They had experienced a similar situation centuries ago, signing a similar contract. In the end, they had outlived their master and regained their freedom. "Thank you, you are a merciful leader." The bishops expressed their gratitude. The Master-Servant Contract posed no threat to their lives. The bishops readily signed the contract. This wasn''t their first rodeo, and they showed no resistance. They accompanied Alex out of the hidden chamber. Outside, night had fallen. As Alex contemplated her next move, the five men spoke up. "Leader, we usually send out intelligence reports at dawn. Why don''t you stay the night and depart tomorrow?" ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Having pledged their allegiance to Alex, they were quick to adapt to their new roles. Alex nodded. She was curious to witness Selene''s dream manipulation abilities firsthand. It was fascinating that Selene, with only King level strength, could reach across the Endless Sea and pull Freelancers from other continents into her dreams. The bishops wasted no time arranging accommodation for Alex. While the other bishops were busy, Alex turned to the eldest, the Archbishop, and asked, "What''s your name?" "Leader, to better blend in with humans after joining the Liberty Church, we discarded our original names and adopted codenames. A thousand years have passed, and I''m ashamed to admit that I can''t quite recall my real name." "Then what''s your codename?" To Alex, names and codenames served the same purpose. "M, leader," the Archbishop replied respectfully. Alex raised an eyebrow. What a strange codename. "Very well. You''re dismissed." She waved them away, then paused. "Oh, there''s a man named Samson in Glory City. Give him a promotion if you can, but don''t mention my name." "As you wish, leader." Seeing that Alex had no further instructions, the five bishops took their leave. Alex turned and headed towards Selene''s room, her curiosity piqued. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If Selene could drag people into her dreams regardless of distance and kill them silently, wouldn''t that be incredibly overpowered? "Selene, I''m quite curious about your dream manipulation abilities. Would you mind telling me more?" Alex asked, taking a seat beside Selene, who was adorned in a flowing white gown. "Of course." Selene readily agreed. It wasn''t as if it were a secret. However, Alex''s hopes were quickly dashed. The dream manipulation ability came with several limitations. Firstly, it required a trigger: a specific incantation from the Dream Race, activated by magical energy. This marked the target, allowing Selene to pull them into the dream world. While the ability had no range limit, the incantation could be transmitted through the system, explaining how the Liberty Church had expanded its influence to other continents despite lacking intercontinental travel. "That''s incredible," Alex remarked. "Just a substitute for your system," Selene said wistfully. To her, the system''s chat feature was the most overpowered ability. Alex didn''t contradict her. Selene had no concept of cell phones, the internet, or other instant communication tools. To Freelancers, the system''s features were nothing more than a glorified chatroom. Using it openly, however, was too risky. No one dared to take that chance. "You know, I think the Dream Race is even more suited to being assassins than the Shadow race." Alex wasn''t joking. This ability was far more insidious than anything the Shadow race possessed. Within a certain range, Selene could forcefully drag people into her dreams. Weaker beings would be rendered unconscious, while stronger ones would be trapped in a battle within the dream world. All it would take was one well-placed strike to eliminate their slumbering bodies in the real world. "We are not assassins! Dream Weavers are a peaceful race. We rarely involve ourselves in the conflicts of others," Selene retorted, emphasizing her race''s pacifistic nature. Unfortunately, such idealism had nearly driven them to extinction. Alex refrained from voicing this thought, not wanting to dampen Selene''s spirits. "Actually, I''m a pacifist myself." "I don''t believe you," Selene replied flatly. Alex: ??? Chapter 354: Has the Holy Court split? Time flew by, and soon it was midnight. Alex, wide awake, awaited Selene''s summons to the dream world. She was eager to witness how the Liberty Church used dreams for intelligence sharing and perhaps glean some valuable information herself.**Time: 12:00 AM** As Selene activated her ability, a wave of drowsiness washed over Alex. She realized she could resist it with her high-level soul magic, but she chose not to. Instead, she allowed her consciousness to relax, surrendering to Selene''s influence as she drifted into slumber and the embrace of the dream world. Alex opened her eyes to a bright, sunny day. The sun blazed overhead, radiating intense heat. She found herself atop a towering mountain, facing a magnificent cathedral. Its grand doors stood wide open, beckoning her inside. Stepping through the threshold, Alex watched as the scenery morphed instantly, transporting her into a circular, amphitheater-like structure. At the bottom, chairs were arranged in a circle, surrounded by ascending tiers of seats. A quick scan told her there were at least a thousand chairs. Beside her, the air shimmered, and Selene materialized. "Shall we take a seat?" Selene asked. "This place is incredible! What are your limits here?" Alex asked, her curiosity piqued. Within this dreamscape, Selene was undoubtedly the ultimate authority. "Indeed, I can shape this space into anything I desire," Selene replied with a gentle smile. Alex felt a bit surprised, momentarily startled before her reason returned. It made sense. This ability was likely the key to ensuring loyalty within the Liberty Church. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Any traitor attempting to infiltrate the church would be met with a swift and painless death the moment Selene perceived their true intentions. With a graceful wave of Selene''s hand, their figures dissolved, granting them an omniscient view of the gathering below. One by one, Freelancers materialized, their faces concealed behind black masks. They moved with practiced ease, taking their designated seats in silence. Alex was struck by the lack of chatter. Instead of engaging in idle conversations, they settled in quietly, their focus solely on the task at hand. Her gaze swept across the assembly, quickly locating Samson in the second row. He sat ramrod straight, his eyes scanning the room. None of the attendees seemed aware of Alex and Selene''s ethereal presence. The five bishops, including M, were the last to arrive, taking their positions at the very center. A hush fell over the gathering. There were no long-winded speeches, no elaborate rituals. As soon as M declared the meeting open, the Freelancers began their reports, each taking their turn based on their seating order. Twenty or so church personnel, seated around the five bishops, diligently transcribed the incoming information onto sheets of paper that materialized at a rapid pace. "Did you do this?" Alex asked, her gaze fixed on the scene below. Selene nodded. "It streamlines the process. I can manifest their reports directly, eliminating the need for manual recording." Alex was impressed by their efficiency and discipline. Everyone played their part, their reports concise and factual. As the reports went on, the information was categorized and organized, ready to be sold to the human nobles within the Empire. Alex listened intently, Selene respectfully silent beside her. The intelligence sought by these nobles was¡­interesting, to say the least. It was mostly gossip, ranging from the scandalous to the downright salacious. A certain duke''s late-night rendezvous with his mistress, a count''s eldest son''s affair with his stepmother¡­the list went on. It was a bizarre mix of triviality and depravity, yet these nobles paid handsomely for such information, making it a significant source of income for the Liberty Church. "This is how the church has always operated. Every member needs to integrate into human society. It''s all about supply and demand," Selene explained. Alex simply nodded, her attention still fixed on the proceedings below. Samson''s turn was approaching, and she wanted to see if he would betray her. Soon, it was his turn. His masked face betrayed no emotion as he rose and spoke in a flat tone. "The honorary Magus from the Mage Guild arrived in Glory City. He visited the Imperial Palace and departed the same day. His purpose is unknown." With that, Samson sat back, and the next Freelancer stood to report. Alex didn''t react to this piece of information. Many knew about the Magus''s visit. It was harmless enough for Samson to offer it as intelligence, especially since he hadn''t divulged anything else about Alex. Selene, however, sensed a connection between Alex and this Magus, but she chose not to pry. The intelligence gathering continued, but Alex heard nothing of real significance until the second-to-last member stood up. His report sent shockwaves through the entire assembly. "The Holy Court has split! Nearly half of their knights have defected to the human race!" Even the five bishops, including M, shot to their feet, their faces etched with astonishment. Alex was equally stunned, barely able to believe her ears. Beside her, Selene, as the weaver of this dream, felt the collective shock reverberating through the minds of everyone present. "Selene, is he telling the truth?" Alex asked urgently, turning to her companion. "It''s true," Selene confirmed with a nod. "Do you have more details?" M''s voice boomed across the dream, only his second utterance since the meeting began. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® The Freelancer who had delivered the report was taken aback by the impact of his words. "I only know that the leader of the Holy Court, for reasons unknown, has chosen to sever ties. A faction of knights has openly sided with humanity, while another has declared their allegiance to the Angel race, becoming their sworn enemies." His knowledge was limited, likely gleaned from Freelancers operating in Nytheria. However, news of this magnitude wouldn''t remain hidden for long. It was only a matter of time before it spread throughout Astralon like wildfire. Alex was still reeling from the revelation, her mind racing back to the words of the Vice President of Yellowrock City. Could this be the Mage Guild''s doing? Or was the relationship between the Holy Court and the Mage Guild not as adversarial as it seemed? She was tempted to contact the Mage Guild directly but quickly dismissed the idea. Her current status wouldn''t grant her access to such sensitive information. In the end, she decided to let it go. The power plays of these factions were of little concern to her. Her priority was to grow stronger and establish the strongest undead empire the world had ever seen. With the conclusion of the intelligence gathering, the dreamscape dissolved, and Alex found herself back in Selene''s room. She rose from her seat, feeling surprisingly refreshed. Selene stood before her, her gaze steady. "The Holy Court is bound by faith. How could they possibly split? Has their faith been shaken?" Selene asked, struggling to comprehend the sudden schism. The Holy Court had stood for millennia. How could they simply fracture, dividing themselves in two? "If I recall correctly, whispers of dissent within the Holy Court, voices advocating for the Angel race, began surfacing during the Angel Era. Somehow, the Angel race orchestrated a schism, swaying the Holy Court''s radicals to abandon humanity and declare their independence. This split likely stems from an agreement between the Mage Guild and the remaining conservatives within the Holy Court. Their methods may differ, but their ultimate goal, protecting humanity, remains unchanged," Alex explained, though these were merely her deductions. The Holy Court, on its own, couldn''t rival any of the top-tier races. Yet, they remained a constant presence, a curious anomaly. Was it the Angel race emboldening them? Or were they content to be mere pawns in the angels'' game? "You''re right. The Angel race has grown increasingly audacious in recent centuries. They''re openly recruiting other races, annihilating those who refuse." As the heart of the Liberty Church, Selene had gathered considerable intelligence on the Angel race over the centuries. "Selene, we need to prepare ourselves. I have a feeling this world is about to descend into chaos." Alex wasn''t being alarmist. It was a gut feeling, a premonition. The recent actions of all the races seemed to be connected to the Angel race in some way. "I understand," Selene replied with a solemn nod. The Liberty Church was now Alex''s eyes and ears, and their operations needed to be even more discreet. Their focus could no longer be on petty gossip. "I need to rest. You should get some sleep as well." With that, Alex left Selene''s room and returned to the one M had prepared for her. She lay down on the bed, her mind buzzing with possibilities. As for her Reaper Guard, they would remain hidden within the city for now. She would retrieve them upon her return to the undead empire. The next morning, Alex awoke before dawn. It was time to leave Tomb City. She had decided against bringing Selene to her undead empire. Selene was more valuable here in Tomb City. Besides her dream manipulation abilities, her King level strength made her more than capable of protecting herself. "M, I''m leaving the Liberty Church''s intelligence gathering in your capable hands. Remember, prioritize information on the major races and keep a close eye on the movements of the seven continents. Report any significant developments immediately." Alex delivered her final instructions. She had already entrusted Sophie with Selene''s incantation. If Alex was ever unavailable, Sophie would take her place in the dream world, gathering intelligence on her behalf. "Rest assured, leader. We understand," the five bishops chorused, vowing to remain vigilant and refrain from entering their prolonged slumber for the next decade. They would dedicate themselves to maintaining the Liberty Church''s operations for Alex. "Excellent." Alex gave them a final nod, her figure vanishing in an instant. The five bishops exchanged glances. "Let''s focus on serving her well. You all know the potential of an undead Lord," the Archbishop said, his voice laced with a hint of awe. The other bishops nodded in agreement, each returning to their tasks. Besides gathering intelligence for Alex, they still had a church to run and profits to make. Two hours later, Alex found herself at the edge of the Skyreach Mountains. Donning her mage robe to avoid unwanted attention, she consulted her map once more, pinpointing the location of Cliffside Mountain. "This is going to take a while. At this rate, I won''t reach Cliffside Mountain until tonight." She checked the time on her system interface, then tucked the map away and picked up her pace. Paying her respects to the previous undead Lord was a secondary objective. Her true goal was to establish an undead fortress at Cliffside Mountain, extending her influence to the southern reaches of Eldoria. She couldn''t remain confined to the north forever. That was another reason for her to go to Cliffside Mountain. Chapter 355: Emperor level undead? After a long journey, Alex finally arrived at Cliffside Mountain.As Alex arrived, she was a little surprised. The so-called Cliffside Mountain was not a mountain at all, but a continuous cliff next to the sea. The map only marked the name and the only information she had was that it was located on the southernmost edge of the continent. Looking at the endless coastline, Alex was completely at a loss. "Where can I find that fake tomb?" "Forget it, I''ll find a suitable place to build the undead fortress first." Alex sighed. After all, this was her main purpose in going to the southern border. The turbulent waves hit the bottom of the cliff, making a loud noise. Alex, wearing a robe, flew southward along the edge, looking for a hidden location suitable for building an undead fortress. These cliffs were at least fifty meters above sea level, and below were irregular boulders blocking the tide, making the terrain very uneven. Building an undead fortress below the cliff was not a good location. No one could predict whether the Sea Race would land and harass them after the tide receded. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, Alex''s eyes narrowed. She saw several angels in her vision. As she spotted them, the angels all turned to look at her. King level angels? Otherwise, their perception couldn''t be so keen from such a distance. Seeing the group of angels flying towards her, Alex''s fingers under the black robe had touched the bracelet, ready to summon the sickle at any time. But then she thought of her honorary mage status, so she decided to wait and see. There were seven angels in total. If they were all King level, killing them would definitely expose her abilities. "What are you doing in Cliffside Mountain?" The group of angels quickly came to Alex and stopped her way in a semi-encirclement. The leading angel questioned her. "You guys can come to Cliffside Mountain, why can''t I? Since when has this place become the territory of your Angel race?" Alex didn''t panic. According to the relationship between the human race and the angel race, it was impossible to communicate peacefully, so she had to maintain a tough stance at the moment. The leading angel pondered for a moment and spoke again with a blank expression. "We are being rude. We are here on a mission. Your sudden arrival made us suspicious. Could you please tell us the purpose of your visit to Cliffside Mountain so that we can report it?" The angel''s tone softened a lot. Alex guessed that they didn''t dare to directly attack a Magus from the Mage Guild. "Then why don''t you tell me what your mission is in Cliffside Mountain?" Alex didn''t answer but asked back. If the other party refused to answer, she could also use the Mage Guild''s secrets to refuse. "Our mission is to hunt down the undead here." As soon as the leading angel said these words, Alex was shocked and almost started directly. But soon Alex reacted. She had never been to Cliffside Mountain, and her undead troops had never been to the southern part of the Eldoria continent. Therefore, the undead that these angels wanted to hunt down here should have nothing to do with Alex. Could it have something to do with the fake tomb? If it was just ordinary undead, it wouldn''t be possible for angels to make such a big fuss to hunt them down. There must be some secret. Alex''s brain raced, and she quickly came up with a reason to fool them. "I''m secretly assisting the werewolves of the Skyreach Mountains in tracking down a vampire. I think the other party led me to Cliffside Mountain to divert your attention and buy time." Alex didn''t blush and her heart didn''t skip a beat. She was talking nonsense in a serious manner. Sure enough, these angels didn''t see through her lies. "You''d better leave Cliffside Mountain as soon as possible. If we find that vampire in Cliffside Mountain, we will kill it for you directly." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "Thank you for your help." Alex nodded to them and went back the same way. Seeing them leave, the angels started searching again. In fact, after the angels disappeared from sight, Alex directly activated Invisibility and returned. She didn''t believe that the Angel race would make a fuss about a fake cemetery. There must be some unknown secret. As Alex continued south, she saw more and more angels. Besides the team just now, she also saw two other teams. There was no doubt that all the angels here were King level. As for why Alex was so sure, it was because the angel who had just talked to her had four wings. And all the angels she saw afterwards had four wings! A team of seven angels, three teams would be twenty-one King levels. What kind of undead needed twenty-one King levels to search in person? Wait, Alex suddenly froze, as if she had thought of a terrible idea. There were so many King level angels here, so the enemy they were looking for was very likely... Emperor level! An Emperor level undead, near the fake tomb, was a subordinate of the previous undead lord, a Race King! Alex didn''t expect to find such shocking news when she came here to pay homage to the fake tomb. She stopped and wondered if she should continue. If the undead here was Emperor level, it meant that there must be an Emperor level angel nearby. Just as Alex was hesitating, she suddenly found a cave at the bottom of the cliff. She didn''t know what magic the tunnel used, but it was well hidden. But she saw through it at a glance. She thought that the other party must be hiding in this cave. Alex came to the bottom of the cliff, next to the tunnel. There might be an Emperor level existence inside, which made her hesitate. "Death Spirit!" She directly summoned the Death Spirit''s clone and let it explore the way, so that she wouldn''t have to worry about danger. The Death Spirit entered the cave, while Alex stood outside the cave, anxiously waiting. Soon, the Death Spirit flew out. Alex didn''t dare to summon the undead to let the Death Spirit report the news through possession. Maybe this was the only shortcoming of the Death Spirit as an assistant. Although the Death Spirit couldn''t use words to describe the specific situation in the cave, it could still clearly express simple things like whether there was danger through body language. "No danger?" Alex was stunned. It seemed that she had guessed wrong. The Emperor level undead was not hiding in this cave. "Okay, I got it." Alex waved her hand, and the Death Spirit''s clone dissipated directly. She decided to go in and have a look since she was already here. Now that she had made sure that there was no danger inside, she had nothing to worry about and strode in directly. Inside the cave, dim lights illuminated the white magic circle in the center of the open space, where two desiccated corpses sat quietly. Alex recognized that this magic circle was undead magic, which meant that this was indeed the place where the other party had been hiding, but she didn''t know where they had gone. Just as she walked towards the keystone in the center of the magic circle, the two desiccated corpses beside her suddenly opened their eyes and slowly stood up. "Who are you! How dare you come to our territory!" Chapter 356: The Race Kings of the previous Undead Lord It wasn''t until this moment that Alex realized the two desiccated corpses beside her weren''t actually dead, but in a state of disguise. As they awakened, their current levels were revealed.King level necromancers! Seeing that they weren''t race Kings, Alex breathed a sigh of relief and released her aura. "Open your eyes and look at me!" Alex shouted angrily, and a wave of pressure from a king directly pressed down on the two necromancers. Feeling this power, the pupils of the two necromancers shrank, and they immediately knelt down. This pressure was even stronger than their king''s! At this moment, Alex''s identity was self-evident. "Respected Undead Queen!" The two necromancers prostrated themselves on the ground, and Alex turned to look at them. "Are you subordinates of the previous Undead Lord?" "Yes, Your Majesty. After the fall of the Undead Empire, we followed Leader(King) Torin and hid here. A while ago, he sensed the establishment of the new Undead Empire and has already left." The two necromancers said respectfully. They were somewhat delighted to see the Queen here, but they were also worried about whether the departed Torin had encountered any danger. Torin hadn''t met the new Undead Lord, so where had their leader gone? "Torin? Is he the Race King of your necromancers?" Alex was slightly surprised. As expected, this Emperor level undead was indeed a Race King. However, Alex didn''t think this level was high, but rather a little low. Logically speaking, the previous Undead Lord had been dead for hundreds of years. With the Race King''s Divine level cap, he should have reached the Sovereign level by now. How could he only be at Emperor level? "Yes, Your Majesty. Leader Torin is one of the seven Race Kings. After the defeat of the previous Undead Empire, we were all hunted down. According to our intelligence, only Torin and Zarvox escaped the purge, but Torin was seriously injured and had been hiding in Cliffside Mountain to heal." The two necromancers explained to Alex and told her all their information. It was only then that she realized that there were actually two Race Kings, Necromancer and Ghoul, still alive. Torin, the Necromancer Race King, was seriously injured by angels while leading his subordinates to escape. Unable to leave the Eldoria continent, he had to hide in Cliffside Mountain. In the end, only twenty-four King level necromancers followed him and escaped. Torin was injured, and his level dropped from mid-level Emperor to low-level Emperor, and his strength was greatly reduced. It was not until he sensed the establishment of the new Undead Empire that he finally risked leaving Cliffside Mountain and dragged his seriously injured body to the north of the Eldoria continent. These old Race Kings could sense the specific location of the Undead Empire after its establishment, as if guided by some unknown force. These two necromancers were also left here after Torin left. As for what they were specifically guarding, Torin didn''t say. But Alex guessed that these two necromancers might be used as cannon fodder, sacrificing themselves to attract the attention of the Angel race. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for other information, they knew very little. However, one thing was certain: Torin was on Alex''s side. The addition of an Emperor level existence would directly bring a qualitative leap to the overall strength of the Undead Empire. "Although Torin was injured, several hundred years have passed. Why hasn''t his level reached the Sovereign level?" After listening to their story, Alex asked the question that had been puzzling her. "Your Majesty, we don''t know, but Leader Torin once said that their potential to become gods depends on the Undead Lord. After the fall of the previous Undead Lord, the levels of the other Race Kings were not much different, all at the Emperor level." The two necromancers had limited information and could only recall what Torin had said as much as possible. After hearing this, Alex had a guess: after the death of the Undead Lord, these Race Kings lost the potential to become gods. In other words, their upper limit might have fallen to Emperor level. As for why they hadn''t reached the Sovereign level, Alex thought about it and understood. Without the help of the Undead Lord, the growth rate of these undead would be much slower. Even a dragon''s growth cycle took five hundred years, so it was already very good for those Race Kings to reach Emperor level after hundreds of years. Moreover, judging from the information obtained from these two necromancers, the previous Undead Lord''s Undead Empire seemed to be very different from her Undead Empire. Why did the previous Undead Lord only have seven Race Kings? This number was obviously less than the number of Race Kings Alex had. It seemed that she could only find out more specific information after seeing Torin. "I heard that the previous Undead Lord was originally a human?" Alex asked tentatively, not sure if the necromancers in front of her knew the specific information. "Yes, Your Majesty. Our former emperor and the seven Race Kings were all originally humans, and only later transformed into undead." This news was not a secret among the undead, or even among some major factions. Alex was taken aback. The Race Kings of the previous Undead Lord were not obtained through summoning? Instantly, Alex thought of the Death Angel, which was transformed from her. Could it be that the situation of the seven Race Kings was the same as Xiao Hui''s? There was a slight difference between transformed undead and naturally summoned undead: they retained all their memories, including their race, relatives, friends, and so on. In other words, the undead bloodline Alex currently possessed couldn''t completely suppress the transformed undead and make them absolutely loyal. Not all the Undead Race Kings currently in existence were 100% loyal to Alex. Some of them might only be loyal to the previous Undead Lord. Alex had to be wary of this. After all, these Race Kings were all at least Emperor level, and she was no match for them at the moment. The most important piece of information was that the previous Undead Lord was not killed in the Undead Empire. At that time, the Undead Empire was still intact. Maybe some old members got the news in advance, and they immediately left the Undead Empire and escaped after the death of the previous Undead Lord! It was very likely that there were other Race Kings besides Torin and Zarvox, and all the Undead Race Kings could sense the location of the Undead Empire. Maybe they were all rushing towards the north of the Eldoria continent! Thinking of this, Alex felt a sense of urgency. What if those former Race Kings had malicious intentions? "Where is the fake tomb of the Undead Lord?" Alex looked at the two necromancers and asked. The two necromancers were taken aback. It turned out that the Undead Queen had come to Cliffside Mountain for this matter. "Your Majesty, the fake tomb is under this magic circle, but we need to destroy the foundation of the formation, which risks being discovered by angels. I don''t recommend taking the risk." Chapter 357: Fake tomb "Under this magic circle?"Alex looked down at the enormous magic circle beneath her feet, pondering whether to take the risk. The two necromancers'' meaning was clear: there was no need to expose herself for a fake tomb. But this contradicted Torin''s actions of hiding his healing place here. At least from the current situation, this Torin was still quite sentimental. "It doesn''t matter. It''s just a fake tomb. Since I''m here, I have to see what''s going on." Alex quickly made up her mind. At worst, she would just waste an undead fortress. Although she couldn''t defeat these angels, it was still easy for her to escape. Besides, there was only a risk of exposure, not a guarantee. The space inside the cave wasn''t large, so it wasn''t possible to directly build the undead fortress hidden inside. However, Alex mastered all undead magic, so she could easily see the core of this magic circle. Alex stomped her right foot forcefully. Black energy burst out from it, directly shattering the foundation of the formation beneath her feet. With a loud bang, the entire cave began to shake, and dust filled the air. Alex and the two necromancers landed steadily on the ground, looking around. "This magic circle is actually hollow underneath?" The two necromancers only knew that the fake tomb was located under the magic circle. This was their first time here, so like Alex, they were surprised and observed their surroundings. As the dust settled, Alex''s gaze first locked onto the center of the space. There was a circular platform in the middle, like an altar, with a stone tablet placed on top. There was something written on it, but Alex couldn''t see it clearly. The most striking thing was that there was a black spear stuck on top of the stone tablet, which was particularly conspicuous. "Is this the weapon of the previous Undead Lord?" Alex''s doubtful echo echoed through the pitch-black, empty cave. "Yes, Your Majesty. Our former emperor''s weapon was indeed a spear," the two necromancers said respectfully from behind Alex. Alex took off her large black hood, revealing her beautiful long white hair. She walked slowly towards the center of the cave and stepped onto the altar. The first thing she did was reach out and grab the spear, but then she shook her head with a wry smile. What am I thinking? This is just a fake tomb. How could it possibly hold the weapon of the previous Undead Lord? This black spear wasn''t a weapon at all, but was integrated with the stone tablet, completely carved out of stone. Since it was just a decoration, Alex didn''t bother to pay attention to it and looked down at the inscription on the stone tablet. It was only then that Alex saw the information on it with confusion. It was very simple, only a few short words. Tomb of ____. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Alex was startled. The name in the middle was blank, meaning that the name of the previous Undead Lord had been deliberately erased. "Is this the power of the god''s taboo?" This power was truly terrifying, able to directly erase all traces of a person''s existence. It was likely that no one except those who had interacted with the previous Undead Lord would know about him. Indeed, without even a name, even if someone found it, they wouldn''t know it was the tomb of the previous Undead Lord. Alex looked at the tombstone, her heart unmoved. She just wiped the dust off the tombstone with her hand. Since Alex was the new Undead Lord, it was only right to pay her respects to the former Undead Lord. The two necromancers behind her silently watched Alex pay homage to their former emperor without saying anything. Then Alex stood silently in front of the tomb for a long time. After a long while, Alex seemed to have thought of something. She squatted down, the six-pointed star magic circle in her right eye flashed with white light, and she reached out to touch the tombstone. Since this fake tomb was built by the first Lord for the previous Undead Lord, there might be some spatial sealing on it. Her spatial magic originated from the same source as his, so maybe it would trigger some special reaction? Of course, Alex was just giving it a try. The main reason was that she wanted to know if the first Lord had left any important information here. The moment her hand, wrapped in spatial power, touched the tombstone, the tombstone suddenly shattered into pieces. Alex was a little embarrassed. Not to mention whether she was overthinking it and had to try this, she was the first person to destroy the tombstone right after paying homage. But it was a fake tomb anyway. It was fine if it was destroyed. The dead should be allowed to rest in peace forever, and Alex would become his successor in the future, even surpassing him and completing what he had not finished. Alex stood up, ready to turn and leave. This place was too dangerous. It was better to return to the Undead Empire as soon as possible. But at this moment, a black mist suddenly emerged from the ruined tombstone and flew straight towards her. Seeing the black mist suddenly attacking her, Alex was shocked. She immediately released her aura and touched the bracelet with her right hand. A huge black sickle slashed straight at it. The sickle had the ability to cut through everything. No matter what form the enemy was in, as long as it was touched by the sickle, it would die! But before the sickle could touch the black mist, something unexpected happened. The black mist suddenly expanded, as if the sun had been switched off. The surroundings instantly became pitch black. Even with her enhanced vision, Alex couldn''t see anything. There was nothing but emptiness around her. She couldn''t see her hand in front of her face. There was no difference between opening her eyes and closing them. At this moment, Alex had completely lost her sight and was in a completely unfamiliar space. But Alex didn''t panic. Instead, she was very calm, and there was even a hint of a smile on her lips. She had indeed sensed it just now. This power made the Source of Fear somewhat excited, and at the same time, it resonated with her own spatial magic. Alex was not trapped here. As long as she wanted, she could leave this space at any time. She had guessed correctly. There were indeed clues left by the first Lord here! The two necromancers in the cave saw Alex suddenly disappear from the tombstone and their expressions changed drastically. They thought that something had happened to their Queen and hurriedly went to the fake tomb to check, but they found nothing after checking. Because only Alex saw the black mist that had just surged out, the two necromancers didn''t see anything. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 358: The truth "After all these years, my guess was right."A magnetic male voice came from the darkness. Just hearing this voice made Alex feel like the speaker was a high-spirited, handsome, and valiant young man. Following the sound, the surrounding darkness instantly receded. Although it was still pitch black, she could now see her surroundings. Standing not far in front of Alex was a dark shadow. She couldn''t see his face or any specific features, only that it was a human figure and that the voice came from him. "Are you the previous Undead Lord or the first Lord from back then?" Alex asked the shadow with a hint of doubt in her voice. She couldn''t sense any power from him, nor could she determine his identity. After all, this space was built by the first Lord, but the tomb belonged to the Undead Lord. "Oh, right. I almost forgot to introduce myself. To be able to come here and trigger this seal, you must be my future successor. I am the previous Undead Lord, a dead man." The shadow spoke slowly. Alex was a little excited to hear this, but his next words quickly disappointed her. "Back then, I knew I was going to die, so I separated a trace of primal power and handed it over to him. He sealed a part of my memory. To be precise, I am now just a pre-designed image and cannot communicate with you." The shadow just muttered to himself, "Since you are here, it means that he also failed to ascend to godhood, right? Then his ending must be the same as mine, his traces will be erased. I won''t mention his name, it will be noticed. Next, I will tell you some things, listen carefully." "So it''s just an image. It seems that he deliberately left it behind to convey a message." Alex felt somewhat disappointed. She thought she could communicate with him, but now it seemed that she could only listen to what he had to say. "Where should I start? This is really troublesome. The origin of the world? But since you are here, your strength must have at least reached the Emperor level, right? You should know something about this world. First of all, the World''s Heart of Planet Astralon, the will of this world, is actually the god who helped the first batch of pioneers descend. He created this world. With his change of identity, the first batch of pioneers successfully settled down here. It''s right to say that they were the first batch of pioneers, and it''s also right to say that they were the first batch of native races on Planet Astralon. Speaking of this, you should understand why Planet Astralon has become like this. My friend told me that after their god brought them here, he would leave after a hundred years. He guessed that their god would have a confrontation with the will of Planet Astralon. The loser would be assimilated, and the winner would become the new World''s Heart. Obviously, the World''s Heart of Planet Astralon has become stronger and stronger. In the past tens of thousands of years, no one has been able to defeat the World''s Heart. Of course, this won''t have any impact on the native creatures. But haven''t you noticed? We are all descendants of those pioneers. We are like guinea pigs in a cage, sacrifices in the battle between two unknown Gods. This is a cycle, endless. Only by successfully ascending to godhood can we jump out of this cage. The birth of every god will weaken the power of the World''s Heart. On the contrary, if God''s power becomes stronger and stronger, it will become more and more difficult to become a god. This is the truth of this world. This place is like a huge battlefield, and the fighting will never stop. These two gods are the players, and we are all just chess pieces. Of course, if you want to live a peaceful life in the Eldoria continent, be a pawn, and be devoured by the storm in the end, just treat what I said as nonsense. But I believe you are not that kind of person." The previous Undead Lord rattled on and on, then suddenly stopped, obviously giving the listener, Alex, time to digest the information. The previous Undead Lord didn''t speak very directly, but Alex understood. Simply put, the struggle on Planet Astralon would never stop. If you didn''t want to be affected, the only way was to become a god and jump out of this scope. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Otherwise, the final outcome would be to become a sacrifice for either side. However, this Undead Lord didn''t know that Alex was an extraterrestrial visitor. So strictly speaking, the current extraterrestrial visitors were on the opposite side of the World''s Heart. "But what I just said is just the beginning. Some powerful races know the truth, which is why they keep wanting to become gods. Of course, there are exceptions, such as the Angel race. They are now puppets of the World''s Heart, guardians of this world. If you want to become a god, you will definitely be obstructed by them. This is public information. As for whether there are other races, I don''t know. You have to be prepared. The number of gods in the Angel race is almost the sum of all other races." Alex was taken aback. The Angel race was that strong? "Speaking of this, you must have a question: where did those gods go after they ascended? Why did they disappear? It''s very simple. The World''s Heart will reject them and expel them. You have to understand that the World''s Heart represents the entire world, and the time these gods can stay will vary according to the strength of their power. Every time they take action, it will increase the World''s Heart''s rejection of them, thus shortening their stay. If they don''t want to leave, they can only stand on the side of the World''s Heart and become a pseudo-god." Alex''s pupils constricted. Although she still had some questions, some things had become clear. Even gods couldn''t fight against the entire world. It was inevitable to be expelled by the will of the world. This also explained why the human race''s Magic God didn''t take action, and the Angel race''s pressing every step of the way was obviously forcing him to take action. Perhaps this was the primary goal of the Angel race. How could a race without a god resist the Angel race''s targeting? As for the pseudo-god that the previous Undead Lord just mentioned, did all the gods of the Angel race become pseudo-gods after they surrendered to the World''s Heart? Alex remembered that pseudo-gods were those who achieved godhood by using the Godheads of other gods. Logically speaking, how could these pseudo-gods be a match for a real god? Thinking about it this way, although the Angel race had many gods, they didn''t seem to be invincible. Obviously, the races that cooperated with it must have also surrendered to the World''s Heart, such as the Titan race. As for the Holy Court, it remained to be seen. "Now that you understand the truth of the world, I will tell you about the levels of gods." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex''s eyes lit up. This was exactly what she wanted to know. "Since you have already reached the Emperor level, you should understand the importance of the power of law. How to achieve the Sovereign level, or rather, after reaching the Sovereign level, the strength of your power is entirely determined by the strength of the power of law." The previous Undead Lord said to himself, but Alex couldn''t help but retort. "You think too highly of me. I''m only at the King level!" Chapter 359: Never underestimate the power of knowledge "The Sovereign level is different from all previous realms. The previous five realms are divided into nine levels, but the Sovereign level is simple, with only three.""You should have heard that reaching the Sovereign level means having the potential to become a god, but that''s only for the second stage of the Sovereign level." "The first stage is called the Divine Fire Sovereign level. As the name suggests, as long as you successfully ignite the divine fire, you can step into the second stage. Only then can you truly be said to have the potential to become a god." "The second stage is the God''s Path Sovereign level. After igniting the divine fire, the God''s Path will also appear. As long as you officially step onto the God''s Path, you will have entered the third stage." "After reaching the third stage, the God Ascension Sovereign level, you can walk the entire God''s Path, shape your divine body, and achieve godhood, becoming invincible." "Generally speaking, all races have the most first-stage Sovereign levels. Relatively speaking, as long as you step into the second stage, reaching the third stage is not difficult." Speaking of this, the Undead Lord, a mass of black shadow, seemed to become melancholy. The appearance of this image meant that he had failed to ascend to godhood. He didn''t know what level he had reached at that time, but he thought it should be the third stage, the Peak Sovereign level. As long as he didn''t encounter a god, he was basically invincible. "Next, I''m going to talk about the classification of gods. Listen carefully. This information is very important. It''s something I learned by chance and combined with my own understanding and deduction." "First of all, gods are not just one level, or two, as you think. The difference between them is not just the difference between pseudo-gods and true gods." "When you reach the Sovereign level, you have to choose your path to godhood. Although it''s easiest to become a pseudo-god, you can''t jump out of this world." "Pseudo-gods, as I told you before, can ascend to godhood as long as they are recognized by the will of the world. Relatively, ascending to pseudo-godhood requires the power of faith. The more power of faith, the stronger the divine power, and vice versa." "But whether it''s the pseudo-god himself or the people who provide him with the power of faith, they are all recognized by the World''s Heart, so he can''t jump out of this scope. Even if he does, without the power of faith, the pseudo-god''s divine power will gradually disappear, and he will become no different from a peak Sovereign level." Alex was stunned. So only gods who rely on the power of faith to ascend are called pseudo-gods. What about those who rely on Godheads? No wonder the Angel race relied so much on the power of faith. It turned out that this was the only way for them to become gods. The races that provided the power of faith to pseudo-gods were undoubtedly loyal followers of angels, which was equivalent to standing on the side of the World''s Heart. "Above pseudo-gods are true gods, only gods who have reached this level can be considered true gods." "The biggest difference between the two is that true gods don''t need to rely on the power of faith at all, which means that they can jump out of the control of the World''s Heart and leave this world." To be able to become a god without external forces, indeed, this is a true god. "Speaking of this, I want to give you a piece of advice. It''s best not to use the power of faith in the Undead Empire, otherwise it will become a burden on your path to godhood. I suffered this loss and stayed at the second stage of the Sovereign level for a long time." "But the power of faith is a good thing. Although you can''t absorb it yourself, you can''t waste it either. You can give it to the Race Kings to absorb. Their upper limit is Divine, but in fact they can only reach pseudo-godhood at most. The power of faith is what they need. If they can achieve pseudo-godhood, it will be of great help to you in the future." Sure enough, the Divine upper limit of the Race Kings was different from Alex''s. Her upper limit was obviously higher! Just now, Alex was still thinking about how to use the power of faith, and the Undead Lord''s suggestion enlightened her. Although the previous Undead Lord had no legacy to leave to Alex, the wisdom and information he possessed were already very valuable. "Finally, I want to talk about the highest level of godhood, which is also the most difficult. Speaking of this, have you noticed that your realm is like a world?" "As long as you continue to improve and strengthen your realm, you can gradually turn it into the prototype of a small world, and you will be the master of this world. However, this method requires you to constantly strengthen your realm from the King level, and you also need to master multiple rules and integrate them to improve it." "And the godhood achieved in this way is called the God of Creation!" "I only discovered this way of becoming a god when I was at the Sovereign level. It was too late, so I deliberately left this image to tell you." "But you are at the Emperor level now. Although you missed the optimal period, it''s still recoverable. The advantage of being human is that you can practice magic, and the forbidden spell level of each type of magic represents a rule. That''s why I learned all kinds of magic." The words of the previous Undead Lord could be said to be top secret. Above the two ways of becoming a god, there was actually a stronger path to godhood. The information provided by the previous Undead Lord was too vast, giving Alex a clear understanding of this world and herself. The ability mastered at the Emperor level was the power of rules, which was also the highest power that could be accessed in this world. What she had to do now was to fuse the two realms, advance to the Emperor level, comprehend all the forbidden spell magic, integrate the power of rules she had comprehended into it, and construct the prototype of a small world. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Undead Lord directly pointed out the way forward for Alex. At least before reaching the Sovereign level, she wouldn''t encounter any bottlenecks in her cultivation. "By the way, I forgot to mention another way to become a god, which is to absorb the Godheads left behind by fallen gods, skipping the process of becoming a god and directly reaching godhood. We call such gods demigods." ???¦®????.??? That''s right, demigods. Speaking of this, the previous Undead Lord even showed a hint of disdain. Thinking about it carefully, most of the Godheads left behind were left behind by pseudo-gods. Achieving godhood by absorbing the Godhead of a pseudo-god would indeed be looked down upon. However, this method was not so easy to implement. After all, Godheads were very rare and not very common. Only first-stage Sovereign levels who had no other choice and had Godheads in their hands would reluctantly choose this method. "You should also have a clear understanding of the Divine and Sovereign levels. You must have decided on your future path. The rest is up to you." "Once the path to godhood is determined, it cannot be changed. After stepping onto the path to godhood, there is no turning back. Success means becoming a god, and failure means disappearing completely from this world." After saying these words, the Undead Lord also told Alex an important piece of information. That is, in this world, as long as they are not on opposite sides of the two forces, there is no absolute hatred between the races. This was to tell Alex that even though she led the undead race, there was no need to worry too much about it. In other words, the only absolute enemies of the undead at present were some races led by the Angel race. It was a pity that the previous Undead Lord didn''t know that Alex was an extraterrestrial visitor, nor did he know that she was only at the King level now, otherwise he could have given more detailed advice. But Alex didn''t care. If she had to rely on others for advice on everything, she would lose the ability to think independently. It was already a great honor for her to get this information. "Heh, although I, a dead man, can''t give you any useful help, sometimes knowledge is the most priceless thing. All the magic I mastered in my life has reached the forbidden spell level. I think I still have some unique insights into the understanding of magic. Listen carefully later, I will teach you one by one and help you master the power of rules." Alex was shocked when she heard this, and then her face lit up with joy and an incredulous expression. Indeed, the previous Undead Lord could do nothing for her except utter a few more words. Yet, these few words could provide Alex with unprecedented help. Never underestimate the power of knowledge. "This space can exist for a year. During this time, you can practice magic here with peace of mind until you master the power of rules at the forbidden spell level. As for this image, it will dissipate after I finish teaching you the knowledge. The rest is up to you." That''s great. He even provided her with a place to practice. It seemed that Alex wouldn''t be able to return to the Undead Empire for the time being. After all, only by becoming stronger could she gain a foothold in this world. Alex was filled with gratitude towards the previous Undead Lord. It could be said that he had provided her with great help. "Thank you." Although it was just an image, Alex still thanked him respectfully. His reminders and suggestions would save Alex a lot of detours. The Undead Lord began his explanation. Alex sat down on the ground, cleared her mind of distractions, and listened attentively to his explanation. The first thing he taught her was the forbidden spell level of undead magic. The Undead Lord taught Alex everything in great detail. It took a full five days just to teach her the forbidden spell level knowledge of Undead Summoning Magic. After the teaching was over, the previous Undead Lord didn''t immediately start explaining the next one. Instead, he gave Alex time to comprehend it, letting her concentrate on memorizing it. After another five days, he continued his explanation. In such a short period of time, Alex naturally couldn''t comprehend the forbidden spell magic. She just kept these key points in mind for the time being. After recording all the knowledge, she would start to comprehend it one by one. Under the guidance of the previous Undead Lord, Alex began her closed-door cultivation in this space. Outside, the two necromancers, unaware of the situation, were still waiting quietly for Alex''s return. Although this space was well hidden, it was actually very fragile. Alex couldn''t leave here, because once she left this space, it would shatter. Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Alex entered the cave for closed-door cultivation. The two necromancers guarding outside still hadn''t moved at all. They had turned into two desiccated corpses again, facing the direction of the shattered fake tomb. The angels outside Cliffside Mountain were still patrolling the vicinity, as if endlessly, tirelessly, determined to find Torin''s whereabouts. But Cliffside Mountain was too big. The entire southern coastline of the Eldoria continent was cliffs. Strictly speaking, the entire area here belonged to Cliffside Mountain. Therefore, it was obviously not easy to find a few undead who were good at hiding in such a large area. What''s more, after such a long time, the angel captain began to suspect that the other party had left Cliffside Mountain, so he took the initiative to expand the search area. At the same time, under the influence of unknown reasons, the relations between other major factions were also gradually entering a tense atmosphere. Even around Cliffside Mountain, Sea Races began to attempt to land, but unfortunately, they encountered the angels who were looking for Torin here and were all killed. Chapter 360: Return of the Necromancer King Dark Forest, the Undead Imperial Capital.It was the day of the weekly meeting, but everyone''s faces were filled with worry. Ever since Alex summoned the Reaper Guard last time, they had completely lost contact with her. It had been a whole month. Fortunately, Xiao Hui was now part of the undead race, and she could clearly sense that Alex was still alive. Moreover, there had been no sign of a large number of undead dying in the city recently, which also indicated that Alex was currently safe. As the acting leader, Xiao Hui had to stabilize the morale of the army and prevent everyone from panicking because of Alex''s departure. "Death Spirit, report the situation of the last time you saw the leader." The Death Spirit possessed a specter, and its ethereal voice echoed through the hall. "The last time I saw the Queen was in a coastal cliff area. There was an undead aura in the cave at the bottom. I was responsible for going in to check for danger for the Queen. Since then, the Queen has never summoned me again." "Undead aura? Are there other surviving undead?" Drake asked with some doubt. He had always thought that Alex ruled all the undead. He didn''t expect that there were other undead. Sophie kindly explained it to him. Through her explanation, Drake quickly understood. "Everyone, don''t worry too much. Maybe our leader is in the Mage Guild and doesn''t have time to use the system. What''s more, we can judge Alex''s current level by observing the Death Spirit''s level." Xiao Hui said. The order in the city was normal, and everyone was performing their duties. "That''s right. We should continue to expand our power and seize the time to gain experience points." "By the way, how is Ruby doing?" Xiao Hui remembered that she hadn''t paid attention to the situation in the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom for a while. Ruby hadn''t returned for a long time, which made her a little worried. The Beastman Empire was a big problem, but Ruby was also a friend to them. If a war really broke out, they wouldn''t dare to make a decision without Alex. After all, a slight misstep could destroy the entire newly established Undead Empire. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since it was a long distance, the Death Spirit was naturally responsible for contacting them. A moment later, the Death Spirit Clone over there inquired about the specific situation. "The situation is not optimistic. The Beastman Empire has been pressing forward step by step. But recently, one of their subjugated races offended the human race. Although they abandoned that subjugated race without hesitation, they were still held accountable by the human race. The human race and the beastman race are currently in conflict and are in the process of mediation, which gives Ruby a breather." Hearing this information, everyone was a little worried. The Beastman Empire had gone too far. In the Eldoria continent, if they wanted to unify the north, the Beastman Empire would be the first powerful enemy the Undead Empire would face. Not only that, there were also the Mage Guild, the Holy Court, and the angels in the central region; and the werewolves and vampires in the south. Any one of these forces alone would make the Beastman Empire afraid. Now, the Undead Empire was still very weak and didn''t want to face the behemoth that was the Beastman Empire. "If there''s no way to avoid it, then fight!" Xiao Hui slammed the table and stood up. Everyone looked at her in surprise. "They are the enemies we will have to face sooner or later. If it were Alex, do you think she would sacrifice Ruby in exchange for the peaceful development of the undead? I believe she would definitely choose to go to war. Our leader will never abandon her allies." Xiao Hui''s eyes were firm as she scanned the crowd. Everyone fell silent and expressed their approval of Xiao Hui''s suggestion. Up to now, none of them were afraid of death. If they abandoned their companions now, what about next time? Who should they abandon next time? As for the undead, they were even less afraid of death. As long as it was beneficial to their Queen, they would do anything. "One more thing, there are more and more Sea Races on the edge of the far north. Even Monarch level Sea Race creatures have begun to appear. I think we can mobilize a group of undead to go over and kill them." The Death Spirit said emotionlessly. This was the information that its clone had just received from the Arctic Tigerfolk. If it was only below the Monarch level, the Arctic Tigerfolk could still handle it with ease. Once a Monarch appeared, it would be different. It would cause considerable casualties to those Arctic Tigerfolk living on the edge of their territory. "Yes, we can''t let go of even a single experience point now. Alex has important things to attend to and probably doesn''t have time to level up, so we can only rely on the undead to kill enemies and gain experience points." Soon, the meeting ended, and everyone dispersed, preparing to return to their palaces to rest. Just then, Lilith, who had just asked Xiao Hui for help some time ago, came to the Undead Imperial Capital again, in the middle of the night. She knew that Alex was not there, so she came in person whenever something happened. Although Xiao Hui couldn''t see the system prompt, she happened to see Lilith coming out of the Portal of Transit when she walked out of the palace to return to her own palace. Their eyes met. Everyone also looked at each other in confusion and gathered in the hall again. "What''s the matter?" Xiao Hui, as the leader, was the first to ask. "My subjects, the lord in the Valoria continent, he encountered a creature that looks like an undead!" Lilith said in an incredulous tone. She and Drake shared the same understanding that Alex ruled all the undead. But she clearly remembered that after the last demon incident, all the undead had returned. How could they encounter undead there? This also stunned everyone, but then they understood. Lilith might have encountered the remnants of the former Undead Lord''s forces, but they tacitly didn''t say it. Xiao Hui was the first to look at the Death Spirit, because in the previous meeting, they had learned that Alex''s last contact was lost in that cave with the undead. There might be some connection between the two. "Is your subject dead?" "No, the undead was killed by my troops stationed there. It was a Ghoul. I remember that Alex''s troops seemed to have this kind of creature." As soon as Lilith finished speaking, the Death Spirit immediately relayed the message. Soon, a Ghoul arrived in the hall. The Ghoul''s rotten flesh emitted a disgusting smell. Its sharp claws gleamed with a blood-colored cold light, and its red eyes stared at everyone present. The Ghoul prostrated itself on the ground, showing respect. Their intelligence was very low, and Standard level Ghouls couldn''t even speak. "Yes, that''s the creature, exactly the same." Lilith said in an extremely certain tone. Hearing this, everyone looked at each other. "Death Spirit, go and check out the situation. If possible, subdue them." Xiao Hui was very cautious. If the other party was a remnant of the previous Undead Lord''s forces, how could they be a match for them after so many years? It was safest to let the Death Spirit go and investigate the situation. Meanwhile, outside the Dark Forest, a figure in a black robe finally arrived. Its eyes were bright, and there was even a hint of excitement when it looked in the direction of the Dark Forest. "Great, I''ve finally found it." ???¦®????.??? Torin stepped into the Dark Forest. As the Necromancer Race King, he knew these Grimface Trees responsible for reconnaissance like the back of his hand. Soon, he arrived at the depths of the Dark Forest and looked at the spatial distortions in front of him with a surprised expression. The sealing of this spatial distortion was very interesting. Even at his current level, he couldn''t break it unless he was at his peak. "This power gives me a sense of familiarity, like the work of that person." He didn''t try to enter. Instead, he waited quietly at the edge. The necromancers who followed behind him showed puzzled expressions. "King, why don''t we go in?" "No need. There will be undead coming out to see us. Even if we go in, we won''t find the Undead Empire." Torin signaled the necromancers to be patient and wait for a moment. Inside the palace of the Undead Imperial Capital, Lilith was still here, waiting for the Death Spirit to return with news. But the Death Spirit, who had just left, reappeared in the palace. Everyone stood up and looked at the Death Spirit, thinking that it had returned with news so quickly. "A group of undead has come outside the Dark Forest. They are all King level, and I can''t see the specific strength of the leader. They are waiting there, and they are here for us." The Death Spirit''s words shocked everyone. "What''s going on? We just found out that undead appeared in the Valoria continent, and now a group of unknown undead has come outside the Dark Forest?" "This is too much of a coincidence." "Death Spirit, you said they are waiting there. Are they waiting for us to show up and meet them?" Everyone started talking at once. Lilith, on the other hand, was not only clueless but also confused. "Don''t be rash. Even the Death Spirit can''t sense their strength..." Xiao Hui''s expression was a little grave. The Death Spirit was the highest level among them. If even it couldn''t sense the other party''s strength, then there was a high probability that it was Emperor level! Although Xiao Hui didn''t finish her sentence, everyone felt the seriousness of the matter. "No matter what, since the other party has come to our doorstep, Death Spirit, you go and communicate with them first, and then everyone else be ready to escape at any time!" Xiao Hui immediately gave the order, and everyone started to move. Facing the undead, whose intentions were unknown, they had to be prepared for anything. The Death Spirit quietly followed everyone. It had already sent another clone to the periphery. Leaving a clone here was also to better convey information. Even Lilith sensed that something was wrong. She also realized that Alex didn''t rule all the undead. Those undead were like native races who came knocking on their door. Now that the native races had found the extraterrestrial visitors, no one knew what would happen! Lilith sighed. She didn''t expect that even the powerful Alex would face such a big problem. She secretly clenched her fists and prayed that her fallen angels would never be discovered by the native fallen angels! On the other side, at the edge of the Dark Forest, Torin suddenly looked to the side. A dark shadow slowly appeared in front of him. Torin was a little puzzled. He could sense that the Death Spirit was undead, but he had never seen this kind before. "I am Torin, the Necromancer King, one of the seven Race Kings of the Undead Lord. After learning about the rebuilding of the Undead Empire, I came here with my old troops to pledge my allegiance." Without waiting for the Death Spirit to speak, Torin introduced himself and showed his sincerity. Torin''s words surprised the Death Spirit. It had never thought that the other party would come to pledge allegiance to the Undead Queen. "Our Queen is not in the Undead Empire. We have no right to make a decision on this matter." The Death Spirit rejected Torin. Torin was too strong. How could they let him enter the Undead Imperial Capital so easily? Now that the Undead Queen was not here, it was up to them to assess the other party''s attitude. Torin was also a little surprised to hear this. He didn''t expect that the current Undead Lord was not only a woman, but she was not even in the Undead Empire. "May I know your name and your position in the Empire?" Torin was not angry. He knew that the Undead Empire had just been established and the Lord''s strength was still very weak. Of course, she wouldn''t let an Emperor level like him enter so easily. "Same as you, one of the Race Kings, Death Spirit." The Death Spirit said emotionlessly, its ethereal voice echoing from the specter it possessed. Meanwhile, the Death Spirit''s clone in the Valoria continent had also found out information about the Ghoul. And now, the Torin in front of it was the best chance to understand the other party. "Do you know if there are any other old troops like you?" "Zarvox, like me, is the Ghoul King, one of the seven Race Kings. He escaped to the Valoria continent when the Undead Empire collapsed. His current whereabouts are unknown. But I have to remind you that Zarvox is violent and unpredictable. He has lost most of his humanity. He may not come to pledge allegiance to the Queen like me. He may even become our enemy." Torin didn''t hide anything about this. He and Zarvox were just former colleagues. They had almost no friendship to speak of. "I see. Your guess is right. He has indeed made his stance clear to us. My clone was just killed by his subordinates." Seeing that Torin was not hiding anything, the Death Spirit also told him the truth. "He has come to the Eldoria continent?" Torin was a little surprised. Necromancers were not good at fighting, not to mention that he was still injured. If he fought Zarvox, he would definitely lose. But then he looked at the spatial distortions in front of him. This thing could at least trap that idiot Zarvox for more than ten days. "No, he is in the Valoria continent. As for whether he has the means to cross continents, we don''t know." The Death Spirit''s words shocked Torin even more. The Undead Empire actually had the means to cross continents? How was this possible?! "Is the place where you are hiding located in a cave at the bottom of a cliff?" The Death Spirit suddenly remembered the cave that Alex had entered before. The undead hiding there was most likely the Torin in front of it. "Yes, how do you know that?" Torin found that this newly established Undead Empire had brought him a lot of surprises, including the ability to cross continents and the brand new undead race. Especially the Death Spirit in front of him. Although its level was not high at the moment, its various abilities were simply too practical. "The Queen and I have been to that cave," the Death Spirit said lightly. Chapter 361: Allegiance of Emperor-Level Undead "I see. When will the Queen return?"Torin was eager to meet the new Undead Lord, but he didn''t expect that he had come at a bad time. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We don''t know. Our Queen has been away from the Empire for some time." Even though it was a test, the Death Spirit could be sure that the Torin in front of it was trustworthy, but it still couldn''t let such a powerful creature enter the Undead Imperial Capital at will. Torin didn''t mind. To show his sincerity, he took the initiative to choose to be stationed outside the Dark Forest. In the end, all the necromancers were brought into the city, leaving only Torin and a clone of the Death Spirit outside. One reason was to keep an eye on him, and the other was to exchange information with him. Of course, before knowing his true intentions, the Death Spirit wouldn''t reveal any core information about the Undead Empire. Inside the palace, everyone who heard the Death Spirit''s report was also dumbfounded. As for Lilith, the Death Spirit didn''t care if she heard it. "So the necromancers who came from outside are here to pledge allegiance to Alex? And he''s not only a Race King, but also Emperor level?!" Emperor level! To them, this was almost the highest level of existence. Except for Alex, they had never even seen an expert of this level, let alone interacted with one. They were completely shocked. The most shocked one was Lilith. She thought the other party was here to pick a fight, but she didn''t expect that he was here to pledge allegiance! "What about the one in the Valoria continent? Why does it want to be our enemy? They should both be Race Kings, which means that the other party must also be Emperor level. What should we do if it comes knocking on our door?" As soon as Xiao Hui said this, everyone began to worry. Anyone would be worried if they were targeted by an Emperor level. "Why don''t we let the one who just arrived deal with it?" "He''s a necromancer, and he''s injured. He might not be a match for the other party." The Death Spirit''s words poured cold water on everyone. Necromancers were more suitable for zerg tactics. Their ability to duel was indeed not very good. "Don''t worry too much. It''s alone and weak in the Valoria continent. It doesn''t have the means to teleport. We are in the Eldoria continent. What are we afraid of it for?" Drake''s words brought everyone back to their senses. Their primary enemy now was the Beastman Empire. With the addition of the Necromancer King, at least they had a little more confidence in facing the Beastman Empire. But Xiao Hui had a feeling that things were going to get more complicated. If Alex didn''t come back soon, she wouldn''t be able to handle it. It was getting late. Everyone dispersed. Lilith''s trip not only reported the situation but also clarified the origin of these undead. She didn''t stay long either. Back in the city of fallen angels, looking at the deserted city and listening to the waves crashing against the rocks, Lilith looked up at the dark night sky with a melancholy expression. Now, even the troops of twins had been promoted to the top level, and their strength was no less than hers. "Her development is too fast." At the same time, Lilith admired Alex''s courage. As she came into contact with more and more external forces, she understood better that the King level was not invincible. Some medium-sized forces had King level existences, let alone the human race, the top race. And Alex actually dared to leave the city at the King level and go to the human race. It really took great courage. Now, with the allegiance of the Emperor level undead, her power had directly jumped from the King level to the Emperor level. Not to mention the first Lord, even among all the races on the seven continents, she was already qualified to be on the list. Lilith sat down on a chair in the hall and opened the system dashboard to send a message to Satan. Lilith: "How is the development in the Mossvale continent going?" Satan: "What? How did you know that I''m already a level 9 Monarch?" Lilith: "Be serious!" Satan: "Not good. Some of the smaller forces around have been destroyed, and even King level forces are few and far between. The rest are either high King level or Emperor level forces. I can''t deal with them at all unless I risk going deep inland." Lilith sighed when she saw this message. With the help of the undead, those King level forces were no match for Drake at all. Lilith: "Find a way to change places to develop. Your place is too close to Alex''s forces. You won''t be able to develop there." As soon as Lilith sent this message, she received a system prompt. Satan had teleported to the city of fallen angels. "What I''m worried about now is experience points. As long as I''m promoted to the King level, I can establish a kingdom." Satan actually spoke seriously for once, but Lilith, as a fallen angel, keenly noticed the slight upward curve of his lips. This guy was showing off... Lilith didn''t bother to argue with him. After all, that was Satan''s personality, but she didn''t mind giving him a blow. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "I just went to Alex''s territory." "She''s back?" Satan asked with a puzzled look on his face. "No, but she received the allegiance of an Emperor level undead." Lilith said calmly, quietly watching Satan''s reaction. "Oh, it''s just an Emperor level undead. What''s the big deal?" As he spoke, Satan sat down next to Lilith unceremoniously. Then, as if he had reacted, he jumped up from his seat. "Wait, holy fuck, what? Emperor level?!!Are you kidding me, lady?" Lilith knew he would be surprised, so she had covered her ears with her hands in advance. "Of course it''s true. I''m not lying to you. This directly widens the gap between her and all the other Lords by two or three levels." "Oh my god, why is she so lucky? Damn it, I hate it!" Satan directly went into screaming mode, roaring crazily. "Alright, stop your impotent rage. You didn''t have to compare yourself to her in the first place." Lilith rolled her eyes at Satan. "That''s not right. Why doesn''t Alex have a bottleneck in her development?" As expected of Satan, his expression changed quickly. One second he was roaring, and the next second he was talking to Lilith seriously. Indeed, although a month had passed, it was already their third month in this world. Compared to the previous two months, their development speed had slowed down significantly this month. Otherwise, they would have reached the King level and established a kingdom long ago. The weak forces around them had all been wiped out, and the ones standing in front of them now were those King level forces. And their current strength had not yet reached the King level. This was the root cause of their limited development. Therefore, they could only venture deep inland to continue conquering these small races and try to break through to the King level before they could continue to develop. For some reason, they didn''t understand why Alex didn''t seem to have encountered such a bottleneck in her development. Could it be related to geographical location? "Maybe it''s due to a combination of factors: troops, geographical location, opportunities. None of them can be missing." Lilith sighed. She thought that the small gap in the early stage would gradually disappear as their strength increased in the later stage, but she didn''t expect that the gap would actually widen. "I wanted to discuss it with her and ask her to help me break through the development bottleneck, but I didn''t expect that she hasn''t come back after such a long time." Satan was a little worried. The Valoria continent was the gathering place of demons. No matter from which aspect, it was much stronger than the Arsen continent and the Eldoria continent. Therefore, his development was greatly restricted. Compared to Alex, they knew less about the continents. "We can only wait for her to come back and discuss it. Xiao Hui can''t make the decision." Lilith sighed. Compared to Satan, her situation was much better. At least the Arsen continent wasn''t that strong. And under the undead''s help, the elves had been defeated, providing her with a lot of room for development. What Satan needed was merely for the undead to act as his thugs, and he didn''t want to give the experience points to the undead. Therefore, Xiao Hui naturally wouldn''t agree to such an act that would disperse their forces and bring little benefit. The reason was naturally that she couldn''t make the decision. As for what Alex would choose after she came back, that was her business. The next day, Sophie in the Undead Imperial Capital received information from the Liberty Church and immediately reported it to Xiao Hui. These days, everyone had a clear division of labor and was doing things according to Alex''s rules. "We''ve found out the division of forces after the Holy Court split up." Sophie had learned this in her dream last night. At least for now, they had identified all the Holy Court branches. With the help of the Liberty Church, they could get this information in a timely manner even if they didn''t set foot in human territory. Xiao Hui once again admired Alex''s foresight. "Tell me more." Xiao Hui motioned for Sophie to sit down. The two of them were having breakfast together, and she learned more specific information from Sophie. Chapter 362: Holy Courts split The main reason for the Holy Court''s split was unclear, but there were at least two guesses at the moment.One was internal disagreement, and the other was the intervention of the Mage Guild. Obviously, these two pieces of news were released by the Angel race and the human race respectively. After more than a month, the Holy Court, which had split up, had now completely separated into two forces. The one on the human side was called the [Holy Church], which had become an organization that existed in the form of religion. Even Xiao Hui could see that this was to change the faith of the knights at the bottom and indirectly weaken the Angel race. The other side still used the name of the Holy Court. Although it also existed in the form of religion, the god they had faith in was the Goddess of Light. The supreme ruler of the Holy Church was the Holy Pope, a mysterious Sovereign level powerhouse. The ruler of the Holy Court was the Knight Champion, also of Sovereign level. They didn''t have a Pope, so it was obvious that the real power behind them was the angels. After talking about the changes in forces, the next thing was their distribution of forces. Apart from its headquarters, the original Holy Court had ten branches in the seven continents. One of them was in the Arsen continent and was still under the Holy Court, fighting openly and covertly with Yellowrock City. There were two in the Eldoria continent, which had now been divided into two. Knight City in the south belonged to the Holy Court, while Holy Church City in the north (renamed from Knight City) belonged to the Holy Church. "So, the Knight City in the south of the hobgoblin kingdom is now under the Holy Church?" Xiao Hui had never seen a map of the Eldoria continent, but based on the undead''s exploration, she knew the situation around the Starfallen Empire in the south. She had a hunch that the Undead Empire and the Beastman Empire were now completely blocked in the north by the human race. If they wanted to go south, unless they relied on the undead fortress, it would be impossible to cross the human race''s territory. "This is all very strange. Logically speaking, shouldn''t a force that has a disagreement fight first and then try to annex the other party? But the Holy Court and the Holy Church are acting so peacefully." Sophie was a little puzzled. She didn''t know enough about the relationship between these external forces. "It has nothing to do with us for now, but we still need to pay more attention to it. It will be troublesome if they want to expand to the north of the continent. Is there any other useful information?" "Not at the moment, but I heard that the Beastman Empire seems to have paid some price and is easing relations with the human race. I''m afraid they will soon free up their hands to deal with the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom." Speaking of this, both of their faces were filled with worry. "Sigh, what''s coming will come." After breakfast, Xiao Hui stood up and walked out of the hall with Sophie. "Let''s hurry up and continue to study the fusion of the undead. This is one of the few ways we can become stronger besides gaining experience points." "Okay." Sophie nodded. She stayed in the Undead Imperial Capital with Xiao Hui, so she knew the current development of undead technology best. Now, the development of the undead was about to reach a bottleneck. If they didn''t make any major improvements, the situation would be the same as Satan and Lilith''s. The Undead Empire was located in the Eldoria continent. If they wanted the empire to develop better, their primary goal was naturally to unify the north. But standing in front of them was the Beastman Empire. The current situation was that the Undead Empire and the Beastman Empire divided the north of the Eldoria continent equally. The development of the undead in the Eldoria continent had come to a standstill. The situation in the Arsen continent was chaotic. The four forces were all caught in a whirlpool. Although the Featherfolk had been taken down, the three-way battle between the giants, elves, and humans made the undead afraid to intervene rashly. The undead only dared to sneakily farm experience points behind the elves. Now, the forces in the Arsen continent were basically divided into three parts: the undead, the elves and giants led by the Holy Court, and the humans led by the Mage Guild. The development of the two continents could be said to have completely reached a bottleneck. Only the Mossvale continent, where Drake was currently located, could still develop smoothly. Satan also wanted to develop in the Mossvale continent, but when he went there, he found that the weaker forces around had been wiped out, because most of the undead''s main force was invested here. With the dragon race''s promise, the undead could expand freely in the Mossvale continent. These sub-dragon races basically posed no threat. As long as they didn''t alarm those powerful sub-dragons, it wouldn''t matter. Therefore, the Mossvale continent had become Alex''s main source of experience points. Of course, Xiao Hui and Sophie didn''t know the specific situation of the other continents. They believed that some continents were not places where the undead could set foot at present. "Why don''t we go to the Valoria continent to develop?" Sophie suggested. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Demons are no weaker than dragons, right? The Valoria continent doesn''t have the promise of demons. It''s too difficult to develop there. Besides, don''t forget that the King Ghoul is still in the Valoria continent." Xiao Hui''s words startled her. That''s right, even if they went to the Valoria continent, they might attract the King Ghoul before they attracted the demons. "Sigh, what should we do?" === Time flew by, and another month passed quickly. It had been more than two months since Alex entered the cave to practice magic. The forces of the various races in the Eldoria continent hadn''t changed much. They were still the same as before, and even calmer than before. It was like a calm lake, but all it took was a stone to stir it up again. Lilith and Satan had also established their own kingdoms. After a brief period of losing contact with Alex, everyone in the Undead Imperial Capital had gradually adapted to the current state, and everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. During this time, everyone had also changed a lot. Except for Sophie, the other three had all broken through to the King level. Drake and Xiao Mu had established the Dragon Kingdom and the Gemini Kingdom respectively. Now, these two kingdoms both belonged to the Undead Empire. At present, Alex had three vassal kingdoms. A very strong power of faith had gathered at the crystal above the palace. Everyone knew that as long as Alex returned, she could use this power of faith to quickly level up. In addition, the six Race Kings had also broken through to the King level. Torin had been guarding the periphery of the Dark Forest during this time. It was with his guidance that the six Race Kings were able to break through to the King level so quickly. At present, except for Sophie, all the other leaders had reached the King level. Their current levels were: Drake level 5 King, Xiao Mu level 4 King, Xiao Hui level 2 King, Sophie level 9 Monarch. As for the six Race Kings, their strengths were similar. They were all about to break through from the early stage of the King level to the mid stage of the King level. However, the reason why the levels of Xiao Hui and others were different was partly because of their troops and partly because of their responsibilities. In terms of talent, the three of them were actually similar. It was just that Xiao Hui, as the acting Lord, rarely killed enemies, so she was left behind. Drake and Xiao Mu, on the other hand, were combatants, so they gained more experience points. This was the current development of the Undead Empire. The development in the Eldoria continent had completely stagnated. There were only two major factions left in the north, the Beastman Empire and the Undead Empire. Of course, the Undead Empire was still hidden in the dark, and no one knew about it. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The same was true for the Arsen continent. The giants and elves had ceased fire with the humans. They had lost. In the end, the Holy Court came forward and stopped the Mage Guild from killing them all. The current distribution of forces was: the human race was the largest, the Holy Court was the second, and the undead were the smallest. As for the Mossvale continent, apart from the dragon race, the largest force, there were branches of some major races, such as the Holy Court and the angels. Apart from that, the Dragon Kingdom was the largest force. It was worth mentioning that, apart from Drake, who still had a little room for development, the entire Undead Empire was about to fall into a state of stagnation. Except for Drake, who was still in Dragon City, even Xiao Mu had returned to the Undead Imperial Capital and began to deal with the Beastman Empire. Ruby was under a lot of pressure. The Beastman Empire was pressing forward step by step, and they were almost on the verge of war. Inside the main hall of the Undead Imperial Capital. "Death Spirit, what is Torin''s attitude?" Xiao Hui urgently needed to know his attitude. This was one of their biggest trump cards at the moment. "I''ve told him about the current situation. Facing the Beastman Empire, which might start a war at any time, he didn''t hesitate. I think we can completely trust him now." The Death Spirit conveyed Torin''s meaning, and at the same time, it was also telling Xiao Hui that they had been observing Torin for long enough. If Alex didn''t come back, they couldn''t keep him hanging outside the Dark Forest. "I understand. He has indeed helped us a lot during this time. He has also proved his determination and loyalty. I think we can bring him into the city. What do you think?" Xiao Hui asked everyone, but she was actually only asking for Drake and Sophie''s opinions. "No problem." Both of them nodded in agreement. As for Xiao Mu, as Xiao Hui''s brother, he naturally supported Xiao Hui unconditionally. "Then please invite him into the city. As for the matter of submission, we''ll wait for Alex to come back." Chapter 363: Declare war on the Beastman Empire At the edge of the Dark Forest, Torin, who was quietly meditating and recuperating, raised his head and looked towards the depths. He saw the spatial ripples in front of him flicker, and Xiao Mu and Drake walked out of it."Torin, come into the city with us." Xiao Mu said. Torin was stunned. "Has the Queen returned?" "No, you have gained our trust. This is the result of our unanimous decision. The current Undead Empire is managed by the Death Angel Lord on her behalf." Drake explained. In their opinion, it couldn''t be helped that they had left him hanging here for a month. After all, they had to consider everyone''s safety. However, to Torin, it was insignificant. He had spent centuries in deep recuperation, so a mere month was nothing to him. During this month, he had already learned from the Death Spirit that there were several talented humans in the Undead Empire. This was the first time he had seen them. One with Titan bloodline, and one with Dragon bloodline! They were indeed remarkable. It just so happened that during this month, although he had been on the periphery, he had also felt the atmosphere in the city and the loyalty of many subordinates to the Queen. The Queen had been missing for more than two months, but they not only managed the Undead Empire in an orderly manner, but also controlled so many races without causing any panic. This was truly rare. Torin became even more curious about his new master, whom he had never met. At the same time, the Undead Imperial Capital, which was close at hand, also made him feel a sense of yearning. Soon, under the leadership of the two, Torin passed through the maze and arrived at the Undead Imperial Capital. Even he was slightly surprised by the magnificent giant city in front of him. As for some other facilities in the city, they were just small things to him. At most, he was just a little curious about some special buildings. Arriving at the hall, Torin finally met Xiao Hui, the Death Angel he had never heard of before. "Greetings, Acting Lord." Torin bowed slightly. "You''re welcome. Although I''m the Acting Lord, you can just call me by my name. My name is Xiao Hui." As she spoke, Xiao Hui didn''t forget to introduce Xiao Mu, Drake, and the others. "Death Angel, this kind of undead has never appeared before. May I ask if your bloodline was created by the Queen?" Torin was extremely curious about this brand new undead race, Death Angel. He could even sense that this brand new undead had the highest upper limit among all the current undead, directly on par with some top races. "Yes, this is a special kind of undead born from the combination of the bloodlines of the undead and angels. The upper limit of its level is Sovereign level." Xiao Hui didn''t choose to hide it. Telling the truth could actually increase Alex''s status in his heart. Torin was astonished. A King level lord could create a Divine level bloodline. What kind of concept was this? He even had a hunch that this Undead Queen was even more powerful than the previous Undead Lord. "This is truly shocking." Torin glanced at everyone and found that all three of them had talent no less than the Race Kings. In this way, these people under the Queen would also be a great help in the future. However, he had not yet come into contact with the Queen and did not know her personality. He hoped that the Queen would not be as stubborn as the previous Undead Lord. "Torin, what method is needed to heal your injuries?" What Xiao Hui was more worried about now was that Torin''s injuries were serious and he couldn''t exert much combat power. But even so, Torin''s strength was still much stronger than King level. "As a divine bloodline created by the Undead Queen, you should be able to sense the Queen''s existence, right?" Torin didn''t answer Xiao Hui''s question, but looked at her and asked back. "Yes, I can indeed sense it, but this guidance can only tell me whether the Queen is safe or not. It can''t determine her specific location." Xiao Hui had always thought that this was an angel''s sense, a unique ability after fusing with the angel bloodline. But in fact, it was all bestowed upon her by Alex. "After the death of the old Emperor, those of us who were his old troops were directly affected because we were all bloodlines created by him." Torin''s calm tone suddenly became a little heavy, and then he continued. "Our original Divine level bloodline will directly drop to Sovereign level, losing the last chance to become a god." ????????.??? "What?! You mean the Divine bloodlines of the Race Kings all rely on the Undead Lord to exist? Then aren''t we the same?" This was the first time Xiao Hui had received such shocking news. It was also the first time she had heard of bloodline power regressing. "I don''t know about you, but at least we are like this. I''m afraid only the previous Undead Lord can heal my injuries." Torin didn''t show any sadness, as if he had known this result long ago. However, judging from the fact that the current Undead Queen could create a Divine level undead race, there might be a way to heal his injuries. "Death Spirit said that you were injured in a battle with angels, and that you suffered irreparable injuries. Does that mean that only the previous Undead Lord, who created your bloodline, can make up for this defect?" Xiao Hui could only think of this possibility. "Although it''s not that simple, your understanding is not wrong." Torin''s current level was level 3 Emperor. Although he was injured, he had no problem dealing with some level 1 Emperors. With him here, everyone felt much safer and no longer afraid of going to war with the Beastman Empire. Then, under Xiao Hui''s leadership, everyone learned about the abilities of the Emperor level from Torin, including the higher Sovereign level. As for the Divine level, this was not something Torin could know. "Sophie, does the Liberty Church have any information about the Beastman Empire?" This was a task that Xiao Hui had given to Sophie before. The Beastman Empire was a force that had only risen in the past hundred years. In Torin''s time, it was just an unknown small race that no one paid attention to. Therefore, Torin''s understanding of them was also very limited. Xiao Hui could only pin her hopes on the Liberty Church. "I only found out some basic information. The Beastman Empire is a federal system. There are five Alphas from five races who jointly make decisions on the affairs of the Beastman Empire. These five races are the demihumans, gnolls, birdmen, lionmen, and mammoths. Among them, the demihumans are the leaders. The Alpha of the demihumans is the highest combat power in the Beastman Empire and has the level of Sovereign level. In addition, each of the five races has an Emperor level powerhouse. As for their subordinate races, there are more than a hundred of them, with strengths ranging from Monarch to King level." Sophie explained eloquently. One Sovereign level and five Emperor levels, this was the surface strength of the Beastman Empire. Xiao Hui pondered for a moment. There were more than five individuals at the Emperor level, all of whom were Alphas of the Beastman Empire. They probably wouldn''t take action easily, which provided them with an opportunity. "Torin, can you summon Emperor level undead?" Xiao Hui looked at Torin again. This ability was the basis of their confidence in fighting the Beastman Empire. "Of course I can, but summoning an Emperor level corpse is too troublesome. It will take at least two hours to complete. During this time, I can''t participate in the battle, and it will consume nearly half of my mana points." Torin, as a former subordinate of the previous Undead Lord, although he was a necromancer, his strength was currently limited. A corpse of the same level was his limit. Although it was a bit troublesome to summon, fortunately, Emperor level corpses could be summoned. In this way, as long as they found a way to kill one of the Emperor level Alphas of the other party, as long as the Sovereign level Alpha of the demihumans didn''t participate in the battle, they could even drag the other party to death. "Emperor level corpses seem to be the limit of the undead. Even if Alex comes, I''m afraid she won''t be able to summon Emperor level undead, right?" Xiao Mu, who was standing by the side, suddenly said. Sophie, who was standing next to him, was about to ask why when she suddenly froze. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That''s right, the current upper limit of the undead was only Emperor level. How could they summon Emperor level undead? As for the only Sovereign level Death Angel, it needed a special method to summon. "Don''t think too much about it. If we encounter a Sovereign level now, we''ll be dead. Don''t even dream of summoning a Sovereign level corpse." Xiao Hui rolled her eyes at Xiao Mu and continued to look at Torin. "During this time, I''m afraid the Beastman Empire will put pressure on our vassal kingdom again. By then, war will be inevitable. The safety of the Undead Empire will depend on you." Xiao Hui said respectfully to Torin. After all, he hadn''t officially joined the Undead Empire yet, and besides, strong people should be respected. There was nothing wrong with that. During this time, the Beastman Empire had become more and more aggressive. They didn''t want Ruby to bear this huge pressure alone. Xiao Hui had no choice but to give the order to go to war with the Beastman Empire. Now, Torin''s arrival had greatly boosted their confidence. "No need to say more. Although I''m seriously injured, I''ve had enough of hiding. Now that the new Undead Lord has appeared, I will definitely do my best for the Undead Empire!" Torin''s expression was solemn, and his eyes were firm. They were just weak undead, forced by the angels to live like rats in the sewers. Now they finally had an organization. Torin had had enough of wandering. Chapter 364: Gnoll stronghold The Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, Ice Palace.Ruby sat on the throne with a worried look on her face, flanked by Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Neither of them looked well. Maulclaw''s worry was mixed with a hint of hesitation, while Shadowfang''s was more of anger. "Queen, we have found out that those Gnolls have set up strongholds on the border of our territory. They are obviously trying to force our submission by force!" Maulclaw knew that there was really no way to delay any longer. The Beastman Empire''s patience had reached its limit. This time, they were probably determined to win. "Queen, I think since war is inevitable, we might as well take the initiative and catch those mongrels off guard!" Shadowfang said indignantly. In the past, his radical demands would have been opposed by Maulclaw, but this time, the latter did not say a word. Because now it was a matter of no choice. Perhaps resistance would be the only option. Where else could they go if they left the land where they had lived for generations? Could it be that they would lead the Beastman Empire, a formidable enemy, to the undead empire in the south? "How many troops are stationed at the Gnolls'' stronghold? What is the strength of their leader? Do you know?" Although Ruby was looking at Maulclaw when she spoke, it was clear from her tone that she also favored Shadowfang''s suggestion. "Reporting back to the Queen, the information we have received so far is that the other side has stationed 10K troops, including at least five King level or above. They have calculated our strength." Maulclaw was very wary. It was afraid that even a sneak attack would not cause much damage to the Gnolls, who were prepared in advance, but would instead give them a legitimate reason to go to war. "Queen, has that undead lord said anything?" Maulclaw asked. If the undead could help, then there would be no need to worry about these stationed Gnolls at all. They had sufficient reason and strength to directly wage war against the Gnolls. "Alex hasn''t returned yet, and besides, you should know what I mean. The Beastman Empire is too powerful. I don''t want to bring such a powerful enemy to Alex because of me." The Beastman Empire had existed for hundreds of years, and their strength was enough to destroy the newly established undead empire. Ruby didn''t want to hurt Alex because of herself. But for the sake of her people, Ruby would fight the Beastman Empire to the death even if she was at a disadvantage. "Take action, tonight." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruby said decisively, making up her mind. On the other side, inside the iceberg, the undead fortress. Xiao Hui had arrived in the far north through the teleportation of the main fortress. The Death Spirit Clone had been waiting for a long time. In the huge undead fortress, there were only Death Spirit and a Specter, plus Xiao Hui, a total of only three undead. "Death Spirit, have you found out about the situation over there?" As soon as Xiao Hui arrived, she asked Death Spirit about the situation on the western border of the far north. "The Gnolls are setting up strongholds. They should be planning to intimidate the Arctic Tigerfolk and want them to submit to the Beastman Empire. In addition, many races in the eastern part of the Beastman Empire are also mobilizing their forces." Through the information passed by Death Spirit, Xiao Hui immediately made up her mind. Since the enemy was ready for the invasion, she would definitely not wait to be beaten passively. She planned to strike first and catch them off guard. "Destroy their strongholds. You and I will be here to attract their firepower. Inform the six race kings and Xiao Mu to let them launch an attack directly from the south of the Beastman Empire." Since Beastman Empire wanted to march into the far north, they would first attract most of their attention here, and then launch a sneak attack from the south. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® "Understood." As for Ruby, Xiao Hui had her own idea. She planned to lead the undead to act alone, so she didn''t inform the other party for the time being. What''s more, since she had decided to go to war with the Beastman Empire, there was no need to hesitate. Let the battle between the two empires begin now! Xiao Hui''s figure disappeared directly into the iceberg and galloped towards the west. Death Spirit''s clone reported the order to the remaining six race kings and Xiao Mu in the Undead Empire. Hearing the order, everyone began to take action. The western border of the far north, although not an ice field, was still a harsh environment. It was a permafrost area with sparse vegetation and a desolate appearance. The stronghold established by the Gnolls was near a deep mountain. The environment here was not bad. Some races of the Beastman Empire, led by the leader of the Gnolls, all gathered here. The number of these troops was far more than the information obtained by Maulclaw. The number alone was nearly 50K, and there were several King levels. Even if they attacked the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom head-on, they would win 100%. Therefore, the Beastmen here were not worried about the other party''s sneak attack at all. Instead, they were relaxed and took this trip as a vacation. It was said to be a stronghold, but it was just a piece of open space temporarily created by them, and some simple tents made of animal skins were built for them to rest. Tents were scattered all over the mountains and plains. Even the birds in the sky dared not approach here. The surroundings were silent, and only the laughter of these Beastmen could be heard. In the center, all the Gnolls living here were of noble status. They gathered together to discuss the itinerary of this trip, how to provoke the Arctic Tigerfolk, and how to let them take the initiative to attack. Humans were watching them too closely. If they directly attacked the Arctic Tigerfolk without a legitimate reason, they were worried that humans would intervene. "Grix, you will lead the team to the Arctic Tigerfolk this time. Your attitude must be tough and let them make it clear when they will exchange bloodlines with us. We have given them the greatest limit. Don''t let them be ungrateful!" The Gnoll at the head said to the Gnoll envoys who were going to the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom this time. "Yes, Leader Tazz!" Grix wagged its tail excitedly and set off for the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom enthusiastically. It didn''t expect that it, with its weak strength, would also be reused by the leader! This time, there was a reason why Tazz sent Grix as an envoy. He used a little trick, that is, the Gnolls headed by Grix were all Commanding level, not even Monarch level. Their weak identities but tough attitudes were to arouse the anger of the Arctic Tigerfolks. This was a psychological tactic. This was what Tazz learned from humans. Grix and the other Gnolls, who had been ''entrusted with an important task'', had set off. They ran on all fours on the frozen soil like dogs. Suddenly, a human woman blocked their way. Grix stood up straight and stretched out its hand to signal the other Gnolls to stop. With Grix''s strength, it couldn''t judge the strength of the human woman in front of it, but the woman''s beautiful appearance and sexy figure gave it an urge to mate. It could even smell that the air was filled with a faint pheromone. This woman was a virgin. If she could be impregnated, she would definitely give birth to a Gnoll with a stronger bloodline! "Miss, I want to have children with you..." Before Grix could finish speaking, the surrounding Gnolls saw a flash of black sword light, and its dog head fell to the ground instantly. "Damn it! Run away and tell our leader!" The Gnolls fled in panic, but a white energy suddenly surged above their heads, and then they all turned into desiccated corpses. With the blowing of the biting cold wind, they completely turned into ashes. Xiao Hui squeezed her hand hard, and the energy gathered in her hand dissipated directly. She didn''t stop, spread her two pairs of black wings, and flew westward with all her might. Chapter 365: Destroy the stronghold Tazz was lying leisurely in his tent, eating barbecue and quietly waiting for the return of good news.He had marked those envoys. As long as they died, Tazz would get the news immediately. Slap! A sheep leg slammed directly into his face. He sat up abruptly and shook his head, his face full of excitement. "The good news came so soon!" "Arctic Tigerfolk, you are finished. You dare to kill the envoys of the Beastman Empire. Now we have enough reason to start a war!" The death of Grix and his teammates was the best news for Tazz. Tazz walked out of the tent excitedly and began to shout. "Guys, the Arctic Tigerfolk dared to frame the envoys of the Beastman Empire. They are simply lawless. I will destroy them today!" Click! The sound of a stone landing sounded, just in front of Tazz. He, who was about to make a passionate mobilization, was suddenly stunned, and looked at the stone in front of him suspiciously. It was a delicate ball, emitting black energy, which gave it a feeling that Tazz wanted to bite into his mouth. What is this? But then, a huge magic circle unfolded out of thin air, directly covering most of the tents. In an instant, a huge fortress rose from the ground, directly razing the surroundings to the ground. Tazz reacted in time and hurried back, so that he was not affected. He looked at the fortress in front of him in horror. In just a few breaths, several figures flew out of it directly, each standing in the air, exuding a terrifying aura. "It''s actually a King level creature! Come on, enemy attack!" It was too late when Tazz reacted. More than a dozen King level undead directly entered the beastman army, harvesting their lives like the Grim Reaper. And Xiao Hui in the distance was quietly suspended in the air, calmly watching the scene in front of her. Soon, the King level Gnolls joined the battle, a total of nine, but unfortunately, there were a full fifteen on the undead side, and the undead were generally of a higher level. Therefore, how could these Gnolls be opponents? Fifteen King level undead quickly killed all the Gnolls. Xiao Hui didn''t plan to use ordinary undead in this operation, but directly sent King level undead to participate in the operation. This elite undead was like a well-trained special force, and soon established an absolute advantage on the battlefield. The King level Gnolls were killed one after another. Tazz below was completely panicked. He didn''t know where his side had offended such a race, and the other party didn''t mean to negotiate at all. As soon as they made a move, they were rushing to kill them all, obviously prepared. "Do you know the fate of angering the Beastman Empire?" Tazz asked loudly, fantasizing about using the name of the Beastman Empire to scare the enemy away. Facing Tazz''s loud question, the undead did not answer. They did not stop their movements, and every attack could kill a large number of troops. "I see, you are the reinforcements of the Arctic Tigerfolk!" Tazz roared loudly, but still no undead paid attention to its roar, and they were all frantically harvesting lives on the battlefield. Soon, the 50K Beastmen present were all killed by fifteen King level undead. Blood stained the earth red, and their broken limbs were everywhere. At this time, a group of undead had surrounded the only remaining Tazz. It tucked its tail and looked at the surrounding undead with pleading eyes. Unfortunately, the undead were only loyal to their queen and had no feelings for the enemy. At this moment, Xiao Hui slowly descended from the sky. Seeing this angel with black wings, Tazz rekindled the hope of life. "Please spare my life, I don''t want to die, I just obey orders, I''m innocent!" ???¦®§®???.?§°? Tazz''s body trembled violently, and at the same time, it emitted a stench. It was so scared that it peed. Xiao Hui frowned. She didn''t expect this Gnoll to be so spineless. She didn''t know how it had gotten to its current position in the Beastman Empire. "You bully the weak and fear the strong, you are just a dirty reptile!" "You are right, I am a reptile, please let me go!" Tazz''s body was lying on the ground, showing absolute submission. The momentum exuded by the surrounding undead made it feel terrified. It didn''t even dare to look up at Xiao Hui, and could only lower its head to look at her shoes. "Tell me the truth about your actions." Xiao Hui looked at Tazz under her feet indifferently, holding the Sword of Judgment tightly in her hand. Tazz, who was cowardly, certainly didn''t dare to lie, and quickly told all about their plans and actions. Of course, what Xiao Hui cared about was not why they attacked the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, but what the Beastman Empire had been collecting these bloodlines for. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tazz also possessed King level strength. He was not low in status in the Beastman Empire and knew a lot of news. In order to survive, Tazz quickly confessed everything he knew. They had been collecting bloodlines to increase the life tier of the races in the clan, which was well known. However, their purpose was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. It was said that the alpha of the demihumans, that is, the current highest combat power of the Beastman Empire, was about to ignite its own divine fire, so that it could enter the Second Stage Sovereign level. Obviously, the entire empire was frantically collecting bloodlines, which was inseparable from its desire to ignite the divine fire. It was the first time that Xiao Hui knew about the Second Stage Sovereign level, but she couldn''t pretend to be ignorant. "That''s all?" "That''s all I know, I''ve said everything I should say, please let me go!" Tazz lay on the ground quickly, wagging its tail frantically. Chi¡ª Facing Tazz''s plea, Xiao Hui pierced its back with a sword, and the blood dripped to the ground from its chest. Tazz felt that its life was passing away rapidly. It tried its best to turn its head upwards, wanting to look at Xiao Hui. Finally, it saw clearly. Xiao Hui''s face was expressionless, her eyes were indifferent and emotionless, she directly pulled out the Sword of Judgment and completely ended its life. "You''ve said everything you should have said, so there are things you shouldn''t have said? Since you didn''t explain everything, I have no reason to let you live." After teasing, Xiao Hui looked at Death Spirit again. "Summon all the bodies of these beastmen into undead, then return to the Imperial Capital through the undead fortress for fusion, and I will deal with the rest." Death Spirit nodded, instantly splitting into hundreds of clones. With the assistance of necromancers and liches, they quickly summoned all the corpses present into undead. An hour later, all the undead had returned to the undead Imperial Capital. Xiao Hui set the stronghold on fire and turned it into ashes. The earth burned by her dark magic turned into a black, leaving only a white bone undead fortress standing quietly in it. Then Xiao Hui sat alone on the wall of the undead fortress and waited quietly. She wanted to attract a large number of troops from the Beastman Empire here with a part of the undead. She believed that the Beastman Empire would be very angry if they lost ten King levels at once, not to mention that they were all Gnolls, one of the five races. The purpose of building this undead fortress here was to attract the attention of the other party. Xiao Hui had already made up her mind to give up this fortress. If the other party didn''t dispatch an Emperor level troop, she would kill as many as came. If an Emperor level troop came, she would at most abandon the undead fortress and escape back to the undead Imperial Capital, or let Torin fight the other party. Anyway, Xiao Hui had the Dark Angel Resurrection Pool created by the Sword of Judgment, so she didn''t have to worry about her own death at all. Chapter 366: Night raid on birdmen (one) The Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, Ice Palace.Maulclaw burst through the door in a panic. Ruby shot him a puzzled look. "It''s not good, Queen. All the strongholds built by those Beastman Empires on the border of our territory have been destroyed. The Arctic Tigerfolk who went to investigate also found the bodies of several Gnolls. I guess they should be envoys sent by the Beastman Empire." "How dare they act without Alex''s order?!" Ruby was startled. She could guess who killed these Beastmen even if Maulclaw didn''t tell her. She didn''t expect them to take the initiative to attack the Beastman Empire! "Queen, let''s go and support the undead empire quickly. Now the war is inevitable!" Maulclaw was also a little surprised by the sudden intervention of the undead, and at the same time, he felt a little excited. Although Alex said that he would only accept their submission and would not care about them, now that the Arctic Tigerfolk were really in trouble, the undead still took action without hesitation. "No, I have to go to Xiao Hui first. Against the powerful Beastman Empire, she will die. That idiot, she really thinks she is the undead lord? Alex is not here." Ruby stood up directly, but just as she was about to leave, Death Spirit floated in directly through the gate. "Xiao Hui is the Acting Lord appointed by the undead queen, and she is also a race king. Now that the undead queen is not here, her order is the queen''s order." Death Spirit''s ethereal and dead voice echoed in the hall, and at the same time blocked Ruby''s way. "Death Spirit, why are you doing this?!" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruby asked loudly, while Maulclaw on the side breathed a sigh of relief. He was really worried that Ruby would mess around. "You will always be one of us, and the undead queen will not abandon her companions. In this battle with the Beastman Empire, the Arctic Tigerfolk don''t have to participate in the battle. The losses in this battle are immeasurable. If you Arctic Tigerfolk really want to help, you can do what you can. These are the original words of the Acting Lord, and I am responsible for conveying them on her behalf." Death Spirit repeated the words that Xiao Hui had already told her and told Ruby. "The Beastman Empire has blocked the undead empire''s expansion. It was inevitable that they would clash, and this conflict has simply come sooner than expected. By the way, this is just my point of view." After saying that, Death Spirit''s figure disappeared directly into the hall, leaving only a confused Specter. She didn''t know what happened, so she could only obediently pass through the wall and fly out of the palace. Ruby froze in place, at a loss, and the entire hall fell into a long silence... On the other side, the southern border of the Beastman Empire, which was also the current location of Xiao Mu and others. Strictly speaking, this place belonged to the junction of the three races. From the Frostwind snowy mountain to the west and the Barren Plains to the north, this place belonged to the territory of the Beastman Empire. The reason why the Beastman Empire had always been in dispute with humans was that the territories of the two were adjacent. The Beastmen often hunted down the weak races that fled to the human territory, thus causing conflicts with humans. Although humans did not bully the weak, they happened to be the ones who disliked and disgusted the creatures born from the interbreeding of humans and beasts the most among all races. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Xiao Mu stood on a high ground, looked down at the distance, then lowered his head and thought for a while. "This place is now located at the junction of the Starfallen Empire and the Beastman Empire. We have to go further inside, otherwise it will easily attract the attention of humans when we fight. If humans find us, it will be troublesome." Xiao Mu said, although the overall strength of their side was stronger than the fifteen King level troops led by Xiao Hui, the enemies he had to face would be stronger. "Well, I think so too. The territory we currently belong to should be in charge of the birdmen. The first thing to deal with is definitely them. I hope Torin''s strength can bring us surprises." Drake looked serious. It was only a matter of time before he faced an Emperor level enemy in a war with a powerful force like the Beastman Empire. Now he could only believe in Torin''s strength. The battle with the Beastman Empire was very important to the undead empire. Originally, Xiao Hui''s order was to let Drake continue to be in charge of Dragon City, but Drake felt that one more person would be more powerful, and he was willing to contribute to the development of the undead empire. Under Drake''s strong request, Xiao Hui agreed to let him come to assist Xiao Mu. Drake and Xiao Mu continued to advance into the territory of the Beastman Empire. They passed by several small cities and strongholds along the way, all of which were cleverly bypassed by them. It wasn''t until night that they came to a narrow valley, and at the end of the valley was a vast plain. There was a city on the plain, which was one of the main gathering places of the birdmen. From here, it officially entered the core area of the Beastman Empire. There would be more Beastmen inside, flying in the sky, running on the ground, swimming in the water, and even digging holes. There were all kinds of races. Entering rashly would greatly increase the probability of being discovered. "Let''s build the undead fortress here. Our first goal is to capture this city." Xiao Mu looked at the city in the distance and said, both of them had already made a plan, and destroying the city in front of them was only the first step. "Okay, it stands to reason that, except for a very small number of eagles and falcons, most birdmen should have no night vision ability. Night actions are just right for us." Of course, this was just Drake''s guess. Maybe the birdmen had evolved some special abilities. In order to reduce the risk to the lowest level, Xiao Mu didn''t waste any time. He directly took out a Fortress Essence Shard from the space ring and clicked on the construction. Then the two quickly disappeared into the valley. In the next second, a huge undead fortress rose from the ground, emitting strong death energy. Some small animals resting in the valley heard the movement and fled in all directions. Immediately afterwards, the undead in the undead Imperial Capital received the news and began to pour into the main fortress. In an instant, tens of thousands of gargoyles poured out, took to the sky, covering the stars and the moon, and swarmed towards the distant city like locusts crossing a border. To deal with the birdmen, of course, air force had to be used. The birdmen in the city were still sound asleep, unaware that danger was approaching. The gargoyles quickly spread throughout the city, breaking through the windows and killing all the birdmen who were still sleeping. By the time they reacted, it was too late. The birdmen flew up into the sky one after another to meet the unknown enemy, but at this moment, the city had already suffered heavy losses, and there were corpses everywhere. The chief in charge of being stationed in the city was a King level birdman. It let out a sharp whistle and instantly killed the gargoyles that were besieging it. The chief birdman seemed to have the upper hand, but its move directly exposed it. Next, it would face the siege of thirteen King level gargoyles! Chapter 367: Night raid on birdmen (two) In the valley, Xiao Mu and Drake looked at the chaotic city in the distance and looked at each other."Next, you and I will go our separate ways." "Well, be careful, and your own safety is the main thing." "You too." After saying that, the two figures disappeared from the spot and went their separate ways. Their plan was simple: to throw the entire Beastman Empire into chaos. These undead fortresses built in the Beastman Empire were actually just bait, targets they had planned to abandon in advance. The overall strength of the Beastman Empire was strong, and they couldn''t fight them head-on. Xiao Mu and Drake split their forces into two groups, and along the east and west borders respectively, taking advantage of the night, they directly built several undead fortresses throughout the territory. Endless undead poured out of the fortresses and launched attacks on the enemy. Overnight, the unsuspecting Beastman Empire suffered heavy losses. Many cities were completely massacred, turned into experience points, and strengthened the overall strength of the undead army. For a time, the Beastman Empire was in chaos. They had no idea how the enemy appeared. The information passed from various places was that the entire empire was under attack by the undead. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] At this moment, Xiao Mu was located on the western border of the Beastman Empire, and further west was the vast Endless Sea. He looked at the city with corpses everywhere and blood flowing like rivers, without a trace of pity in his heart. "The sneak attack is almost over. I think the Beastman Empire will react before noon. Their counterattack will be very strong. We still have a few hours. " Xiao Mu turned around and entered the undead fortress behind him, returning to the undead Imperial Capital, where Drake had been waiting for a long time. "Done?" "Done, all twenty-five undead fortresses on my side have been built." Xiao Mu nodded towards Drake. Overnight, the two of them built a total of fifty undead fortresses around the southwest and southeast borders of the Beastman Empire! This directly consumed nearly 80% of the Fortress Essence Shard reserves in the main fortress. Although the consumption was huge, the results were remarkable. "Act according to the plan, we will leave immediately!" "Death Spirit, go and inform the six race kings to launch an attack on them from the south of the Beastman Empire with us!" As soon as Xiao Mu gave an order, the six race kings, who had been preparing for a long time, led the undead army directly into the main fortress. At the same time, in the Beastman Empire, a special city in the north. It was located in a forest, and the city was also a hanging city built on several giant trees. This was the headquarters of the birdmen. It was said to be a city, but it was actually just a huge bird''s nest. Drake had sneaked in here last night and secretly built an undead fortress, but he didn''t send the undead to attack the city immediately, just for this moment. At this moment, Xiao Mu, Drake, Arthas and other six race kings gathered here, their eyes locked on the city on the top of the tree in the distance, their faces showing murderous intent. "According to the information from the Liberty Church, the five Emperor level Alphas are generally stationed in the main city of the demihumans. The highest combat power of this bird''s nest in front of us is estimated to be only King level, which is completely insufficient." With Sophie''s intelligence support, Xiao Mu knew the enemy''s forces like the back of his hand. Everyone present was at King level. As long as they didn''t encounter an Emperor level enemy, they would definitely win in the end. "The federal system of the Beastman Empire has given us a great advantage. The five most core races actually have their own factions, and our main force is attacking the birdmen. This is also what other races like to see. I guess, before the birdmen race are hit hard, other races will remain on the sidelines." Drake analyzed that this was the benefit of having intelligence. Of course, these secrets were not big secrets. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It doesn''t matter, if the alpha of the birdmen is here, it would be even better. Torin has already made preparations in the city, so you don''t have to worry." Xiao Mu said. After a brief exchange, Xiao Mu and the six race kings quickly agreed on the next tactic. "Take action!" Following an order from Xiao Mu and Drake, the magic circle around the undead fortress shattered directly, and a huge undead fortress also appeared in this forest. The moment the undead fortress appeared, golden light surged around Xiao Mu''s body, the ground under his feet instantly shattered, and he flew directly to the bird''s nest in the sky like a rocket, transforming into a huge Light Titan in mid-air. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Drake also spread his wings and flew upwards, his eyes emitting a yellow light. The next second, he transformed into a Rock Dragon of the same huge size. The six race kings also launched an attack towards the huge bird''s nest in the sky, and as the main city of the birdmen, this bird''s nest was also surrounded by many strongholds, and the target of the undead army was naturally them. The undead fortress suddenly appeared from the magic circle, and it took less than a minute for the undead army to launch an attack. When the birdmen in charge of patrolling reacted and sounded the alarm, the undead army had already arrived in front of them! Arthur, Riven, Drake, three completely different dragon breaths set the bird''s nest on fire. Xiao Mu fell from the sky and landed heavily in the hanging bird''s nest city. A punch with the power of light directly destroyed most of the buildings in the city, and at the same time caused the death of more than 1,000 birdmen. The entire bird''s nest almost collapsed in the face of this huge force. The undead army below had also completed the encirclement of the birdmen around the city. In terms of speed, they were no match for these flying birdmen. As for the number, the undead were rarely at a disadvantage. The battle continued, and the necromancers and liches on the battlefield were carrying out endless summoning. As more and more birdmen fell, the number of undead would only increase. For a time, the forest was filled with roars and begging for mercy, and the scene became completely chaotic. At this moment, Xiao Mu couldn''t help but sigh at the unique intelligence-gathering ability of the Liberty Church. Sophie was right. There was indeed no Emperor level alpha in this bird''s nest-like city, otherwise it would have taken action long ago. At this moment, a terrifying cyclone suddenly erupted in the bird''s nest, directly forcing the six race kings, Xiao Mu, and Drake back. Immediately afterwards, everyone saw several birdmen flying out of the city. The attack just now was launched by the leading birdman. A full ten of them all exuded the aura of King level, and the leading birdman even reached lv9 King level! "You are asking for your own death!" The birdman roared angrily and attacked everyone directly. Seeing the terrifying strength displayed by the opponent, Xiao Mu and Drake didn''t show any worry, but a smile appeared on the corners of their mouths. Because soon, this lv9 King level would become their own combat power. Since they dared to attack the main city of the birdmen, they had expected that there would be a High King level existence. "Warlord Skull!" Arthas shouted loudly, swinging the huge bone blade in his hand, and then a hurricane arose. The Skull behind him opened its skull, and a scorching purple-red breath hit all the King level birdmen present. Boom! There was a loud noise, and a strong smoke erupted. Half of the birdmen were repelled by this strong attack, while the remaining High King level birdmen easily blocked the Warlord Skull''s blow. But Arthas'' attack wouldn''t be so simple. As the smoke billowed, the Warlord Skull was seen rushing out of the smoke, its body emitting a strange black aura. And its level had actually reached the lv9 king level! The High King level birdman was startled, and quickly distanced himself from the opponent. He flapped his wings vigorously, using a gust of wind to blow away the surrounding smoke. It was only then that it discovered that it was not only the huge skeleton creature in front of it that had suddenly become stronger, but even the levels of the other King level around it had all increased. What was going on?! But before it had time to think about it, the birdmen fought fiercely with the undead. In order to protect the main city from being destroyed, they could only choose to fight to the death with the opponent before reinforcements arrived. And the purpose of the undead was to completely wipe them out before the enemy''s reinforcements arrived. At this moment, the territory of the birdmen was in complete chaos. The night attack last night had increased the pressure on the main city, and several patrol guards had been sent out overnight to destroy the undead fortress. At this moment, nearly half of their combat power was located on the border of the undead empire, and it was too late to return to help. Even if they returned with all their strength the moment they learned the news, it would take nearly two hours. Otherwise, the defensive strength of their main city would not be so weak. At the same time, on the northwestern border of the Beastman Empire, this was one of the gathering places of the birdmen. At this moment, it had been littered with corpses, and all the birdmen had been killed by the undead. The patrol guards who arrived were even more outraged when they saw this scene. The birdman leading the team was in mid-air, looking at the enemy in front of him angrily. The highest combat power among these undead was only a few Monarchs, and it could kill them all in an instant! The birdman leading the team let out a roar, and led his subordinates to kill the undead army, causing the death of more than a hundred undead in just a moment. At this moment, the undead fortress had long since stopped transporting the army, so this birdman did not choose to destroy it immediately. But what it didn''t notice was that the undead fortress in the distance was undergoing some kind of change. Chapter 368: Undead behemoth The shield outside the undead fortress was gradually dissipating, and the energy slowly gathered in the Essence Shard above the head. Then the Essence Shard began to sink and completely melted into the fortress and disappeared.Immediately afterwards, a huge magic circle emerged from the ground, and the entire undead fortress began to vibrate violently. The white bones on the outer wall slowly detached along the cracks and floated up. The six turrets began to be reorganized, and the teleportation array in the center was also re-spliced. The soul fire inside emitted a dazzling blue light. Bang! A huge bone claw stepped out from it, causing a huge shock. The High King level birdman who was slaughtering the undead in the distance was instantly attracted, and his face was full of horror. "What kind of creature is this?" Whoosh! A huge beam of light arrived in an instant, even bigger than the entire body of this birdman! It quickly retracted its wings and made a spin in the air, dodging the beam attack, but some of the feathers on its wings were still blackened by the scorching beam. Although it was not a serious problem, it was extremely humiliating for it. It was not until this moment that the birdman saw the huge creature clearly. It looked like a beast, but its body was only bones left, two groups of blue flames were burning in its huge eye sockets, and the huge fangs in its mouth even protruded out of its mouth. Its body shape and appearance were more like a tiger without flesh, but there was a pair of wing-like existences on its back, which were covered with muzzles, which were combined from six turrets. It was too big. Even if the Zombie Titan and the Bone Dragon stood in front of it, they were only a quarter of its size. This birdman had never seen such a huge creature. Although the other party also exuded the aura of a King level, it gave him a feeling that it was impossible to defeat. Facing such a behemoth, the suffocating pressure made it feel fear. "Retreat!" The birdman made a decisive decision and immediately planned to retreat, but when it looked behind it, it found that all its subordinates had died at some point! Bang! The undead behemoth jumped up, the earth trembled, and it flew up! "Damn... This undead behemoth is too big, I can''t beat it at all, I will die here!" Just as the birdman was thinking wildly, the huge claws that greeted him seemed to tear it to pieces. At this point, it had no choice but to fight the undead behemoth. However, on the battlefield, morale was very important. If one was afraid, failure was a foregone conclusion. The birdman gathered all its strength and met the huge undead behemoth with all its might. In an instant, a dazzling white light erupted from the center of the two, and a terrifying air wave spread out. The surrounding trees were uprooted, cracks appeared in the ground and spread wildly outward, and even the surrounding undead were blown away by the terrifying momentum of the two, causing quite a few casualties. ¡­ Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ten minutes later, the King level birdman was completely dead, and the entire forelimb of the undead behemoth had completely collapsed. However, this was not a big deal to it. Soon, a little soul fire emerged from the corpses of the undead who died around, and merged into the undead behemoth. The High King level birdman didn''t know until its death that its fear was infinitely magnified under the influence of the [Passive Skill] of the undead behemoth. However, the undead behemoth was the product of the self-destruction of the undead fortress, and it did not exist forever. Instead, it needed to absorb the soul fire remaining in the bodies of the dead undead to prolong its existence. In other words, the undead behemoth was born for war. Although this process was irreversible, the undead behemoth could feel the location of other undead fortresses. As the undead behemoth flew into the sky, it took the remaining undead to the nearest undead fortress... === On the other side, on the border of the far north. Xiao Hui and Ruby were standing on the undead fortress, looking ahead. The undead had received the news that the Gnolls clan was assembling an army and attacking this way. That''s right, the eastern border of the Beastman Empire, which was connected to the far north, was the territory of these Gnolls. As for conquering the Arctic Tigerfolk, the current Archalpha of the Beastman Empire had given full authority to the Gnolls. Therefore, the Gnolls had already assembled most of their forces in the border area, preparing to conquer the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom by force. The sudden attack of the enemy did not seem to attract the attention of the alpha of the Gnolls. In the Beastman Empire, the territories of each race were governed by each race. Perhaps the Gnolls and the birdmen did not communicate with each other, and they did not realize that the enemy they encountered was the same one. Xiao Hui had built three undead fortresses here. They stood side by side, like an indestructible line of defense, to block these Gnolls outside the far north. And in front of the fortress were the undead army that had already been stationed. Except for the Silverscale Leviathan, they were all land forces. Xiao Hui was now the commander-in-chief of this army of hundreds of thousands of undead. More than 500,000 undead were gathered together, creating a spectacular and daunting scene. The undead army spread as far as the eye could see, their sheer numbers filling the entire landscape. Ruby on the side looked worried. Facing a truly powerful enemy, it was impossible to win by quantity alone. Xiao Hui had already explained her plan to Ruby. Currently, there were also Emperor level fighters in the undead empire. As long as they could lure out the alpha of the Gnolls and kill it, they would have the capital to completely deal with the opponent. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? It was just that the idea was simple and useful, but it was extremely difficult to implement. "Xiao Hui, what if there are Emperor level alphas on both your brother''s side and ours?" Ruby meant that this would cause heavy losses to the undead. "Of two evils choose the lesser." Xiao Hui said lightly, her eyes fixed on the front and never moved. Her meaning was obvious. If what Ruby said really happened, she would not hesitate to abandon her own side. "So, Ruby, you should go back, or go over there and help Xiao Mu and the others." "No, I can''t let you guard my people all by yourself. I want to do my part too. I''m not afraid of death." Ruby said stubbornly, her eyes full of firmness. "Okay, remember that when danger comes, your own safety is the main thing. I won''t die, but you only have one life." Xiao Hui didn''t persuade Ruby anymore, she knew that the other party had made up her mind. "Don''t worry, I have already informed Maulclaw and Shadowfang to gather their people to the undead fortress. If the situation is not right, Death Spirit will let them leave immediately." As she spoke, Ruby''s ears suddenly moved, as if she heard something. "They are here, underground!" Ruby''s reminder also made Xiao Hui react immediately. "Zombie Titan!" Thousands of Zombie Titans around heard Xiao Hui''s order, and fiery red lines immediately lit up on their bodies. Then, with the flames of huge power, they slammed their fists directly at the ground. The power caused by so many Zombie Titans attacking at the same time was terrifying. For a time, even the ground vibrated violently, as if there was an earthquake. Boom! The earth collapsed instantly, and countless undead fell into the huge pit under this unexpected attack. As the ground cracked open, Xiao Hui also saw the creatures underground clearly. They were a group of humanoid mice. However, under the blow just now, most of the ratmen were crushed to death. The army of the Beastman Empire no longer hid, and they broke out of the ground from the distant mountains and forests, and killed the undead army in the huge pit. "Charge, crush our enemies!" Xiao Hui gave an order, her wings spread out behind her, and at the same time, she took out her weapon and Ruby killed the opponent''s army. However, most of the King level troops of the undead were on the birdmen battlefield, and the combat power on Xiao Hui''s side was probably only half that of Xiao Mu''s. Therefore, this battle might be more difficult than imagined. The forces of the Beastman Empire were not only Gnolls, but also many races under their clan. The opponent''s general was a Gnoll in golden armor, with strong muscles, black skin, and a tall stature. Except for its head being a dog''s head, it was basically no different from a human in other aspects. This was completely different from the Gnolls that Xiao Hui had killed before! This general''s weapon was a golden giant axe, his yellow-brown pupils looked straight ahead, and with just one glance, he could tell that Xiao Hui and Ruby were unusual among the undead army. As a native race of the Eldoria continent, they were no strangers to the undead. Originally, the general of this army was not it. It was temporarily transferred from the main city. Before that, it had already learned about the enemy attacking the birdmen. At this moment, it came to the battlefield and finally understood everything. "Report to the empire immediately, the enemy''s forces are the newly born undead empire, and the Arctic Tigerfolk have taken refuge in them!" After saying this to the subordinate beside him, the Gnolls general disappeared from the spot, exuding a terrifying aura at the same time. He swung his giant axe and attacked Xiao Hui and Ruby at the same time. Xiao Hui felt a huge sense of crisis in her heart. The opponent was Lv9 King level! "Death Spirit!" She shouted loudly, and Death Spirit directly possessed her, and Xiao Hui''s aura soared. The pitch-black Sword of Judgment in her hand emitted frightening black energy, and she met the opponent''s attack with a sword. Ruby''s reaction was not slow either. She directly transformed into a huge white tiger. With a fierce tiger roar, she attacked the opponent with all her might, her claws containing the power of frost and space. Two months had passed, and Ruby''s level had already reached lv7. She could tell at a glance that the opponent was at lv9, so she didn''t dare to be careless. As the queen of the Arctic Tigerfolk, she could only display all her strength when she transformed into a white tiger. The Gnolls didn''t expect that Xiao Hui, who was only at lv4 King level, would suddenly increase her strength to lv8. Facing the siege of two high-level Kings, even if it was a lv9 king, it didn''t dare to be careless. The moment the attacks of the three touched, the Gnolls felt bad. It was actually a little invincible! It clenched the golden giant axe in both hands and wrestled with the two of them. At the same time, its eyes glowed, and yellow energy overflowed from its body. In the next second, its body instantly grew larger, and the energy wrapped around it made it impossible to see its original appearance. The axe also turned into a huge weapon wrapped in black and gold energy at this moment. Boom! With a loud noise, it instantly knocked Xiao Hui and Ruby into the air at the same time, and their bodies fell heavily to the ground. Chapter 369: Gloating Alpha Gnoll Looking at the enlarged Gnolls general, Xiao Hui and Ruby quickly stood up, flew into the sky, stood side by side, and attacked the opponent again.Their primary goal was, of course, to kill the opponent''s leader, but if they couldn''t kill him, they would just hold him back, and they would win in the end. After having the undead bloodline, Xiao Hui''s stamina was infinite, and she didn''t know what it was like to be tired. But other creatures were different. They would get tired and exhausted, and then they would show their flaws. Many races'' perception of the undead was that they had the basic ability of immortality, and few people would notice that they also had the characteristic of infinite stamina. The surrounding undead were also fighting with the Beastman army. While confronting Xiao Hui and Ruby, the Gnolls general was also paying attention to the situation on the battlefield. His face was serious, and his brows were furrowed. Just like the rumors! Seeing the troops of the Beastman Empire dying continuously, and then transforming into undead, the number of undead had now gained an overwhelming advantage. Although the former undead empire had been destroyed, the prestige of the undead race on the Eldoria continent had never diminished. There was no doubt that if the undead empire in its heyday faced the current Beastman Empire, the Beastman Empire would have no power to fight back. But the Gnolls general knew a little inside story. The once powerful undead empire no longer existed. The seven Race Kings of the old undead race had disappeared. Some died and some fled. The current undead race probably didn''t even have one percent of the strength of the past undead empire. "Hmph, a bunch of lowly boneheads!" The Gnolls general scoffed. What was the use of having more numbers? They were just cannon fodder. The Gnolls general fought with Xiao Hui and Ruby again. His purpose was very clear, to kill them all. However, this was not the case. In this special period, every King level was an indispensable combat power. Due to their insufficient understanding of the undead race, the troops of the Beastmen Empire failed to notice that all the corpses on the battlefield had been summoned into Specters. Half an hour later, under the double summoning of the Death Spirit Clone, 100,000 Specters quickly appeared. They had no entities, floated in the air, and all flew towards the undead fortress. However, at this moment, the Gnolls general''s physical strength had been consumed by nearly half, while Xiao Hui was still as if nothing had happened, but Ruby''s physical strength was relatively more consumed. Seeing that Xiao Hui and Ruby had stopped, the Gnolls general thought that the other party was going to retreat, and scoffed in his heart. He once again launched a full-scale attack on Xiao Hui and Ruby, never giving them any chance to escape. Just as the Gnolls launched the attack, a dark force burst out from Xiao Hui''s body, instantly covering the entire field. The Gnolls general quickly retreated. It knew that this dark energy had the ability to erode everything. Suddenly, the Gnolls general''s mind was shaken, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The black and gold energy around him dissipated directly, and his body returned to its original state. Chi! In the black mist, two figures flew out instantly, and a sword and a blade directly pierced its chest. The Gnolls general''s pupils constricted violently, and before his consciousness completely dissipated, he finally saw a faint figure in the black mist. It was actually the same as himself, also a lv9 king! The curse attack was invisible and intangible, coupled with Xiao Hui''s cover, making it impossible for him to guard against. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It didn''t understand until its death where this lv9 king specter came from... "Phew, finally got rid of it." Ruby propped her hands on the ground with her sword and gasped for breath. Obviously, the long battle had also consumed a lot of her physical strength. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "You rest first, I will lead the undead to wipe out the remaining Beastmen." After speaking, Xiao Hui rose into the air and killed the enemy army again. This time, the opponent had no general, and they were doomed to lose. On the other side, in the Beastman Empire, the Five Colors City. This was the ruling center of the entire Beastman Empire, and it was also a city where all the Alphas gathered. At this moment, in a magnificent palace in the center of the city, chieftains of all races gathered here, arranged in order of status. However, the Archalpha of the demihumans, who possessed Sovereign level, was not here, but the beta of the demihumans attended the meeting on behalf of him. At the same time, the alphas of several other major races were also sitting at the top. At this moment, Alpha Gnoll''s expression was not particularly worried. For the undead race, it just felt a little troublesome. Because from the current point of view, apart from the fact that the undead might have an advantage in numbers, they were no match for them in other aspects. It believed that the general it sent would be able to wipe out the undead in the territory and conquer the Arctic Tigerfolk by the way. And the purpose of their meeting was just to wipe out the undead race and exchange some benefits with those races that were hostile to the undead. The meeting continued, and the chieftains were all discussing fiercely. There were two current steps, one was to find the location of the undead empire, and the other was to contact those races that were hostile to the undead. "The undead empire must be in the north of the Eldoria continent. Now that the human Starfallen Empire divides the continent in two, it is impossible for them to cross the human territory to the north." It was the beta of the demihumans who spoke. He also possessed Emperor level strength. But he was yawning and drowsy when he spoke, as if it had nothing to do with him. "If it''s in the north, then it''s easy to say. It also appeared in the far north, so their location can be roughly locked." Alpha Gnoll said excitedly. "Frostwind snowy mountain, Dark Forest, Savage Plains, Tara Plain, Twinface Mountain, Muddy Swamp." A chieftain with a lion head added. The other Beastmen immediately became excited when they heard this. Next, they just had to contact those races. Just as the Beastmen were having a heated discussion, a guard of the Birdmen race suddenly walked in. Alpha Birdman glanced at it, frowning slightly. Obviously, it was dissatisfied because the other party disturbed it at this time. It whispered a few words in front of the Alpha, and Alpha Birdman was furious when he heard it, and even slapped the table in front of him into powder. "I''m going to kill them!" Its roar immediately silenced the scene, and all the Beastmen looked at each other in dismay. After saying that, it ignored the other chieftains present, did not explain anything, exuded a strong murderous aura, and flew directly out of the palace. Alpha Birdman wanted to leave, but was stopped by several other Alphas. Helpless, it had to explain to the others. Just as Alpha Gnoll displayed a gloating expression, a Gnoll guard hurried in, causing him to instantly drop his smile. It suddenly had a bad feeling... Chapter 370: Hostile King Ghoul The meeting eventually fell apart because of the sudden departure of the two alphas.The other chieftains also began to worry about their own territories after learning about the situation of the empire, and they all began to apply to return to their own cities (clans). The undead empire had actually angered the two alphas of the Beastman Empire at the same time. All the Beastmen believed that this undead empire was finished. The other three alphas didn''t mean to help the Gnolls and the Birdmen, because in their intelligence, it was impossible for the undead empire to have Emperor level beings. How could two Emperor levels fail to destroy those undead? Anyway, the undead race didn''t cause them any losses. Unless it completely threatened the core interests of the Beastman Empire, they would not take action. Rash action would not only bring no benefits, but also consume the resources within the clan. Wouldn''t they fall behind in the competition with other races? However, they still had to spread the news of the discovery of the undead race, although the other party might destroy the undead empire and occupy the north of the continent. Beastmen hated the undead very much. They would rather be neighbors with demons than have anything to do with the undead. Before that, several Alphas had also discussed with each other that the division of human territory was very obvious, and the purpose was to block the way out of the Beastman Empire. The Beastman Empire didn''t have the ability to cross the continent, and the characteristics of these creatures born from the interbreeding of humans and beasts were too obvious to be mixed into the human race. Otherwise, they could cross the human border and continue south to inform the Angel race of the news. But this was just a thought. The beta of the demihumans had analyzed that even if they could inform the Angel race of the news, the humans would probably not agree to the angels coming to the north. So after thinking about it, their final goal could only be to inform the human race. However, at this moment, the giant bird''s nest of the Birdmen had been completely destroyed, and the entire forest had become a sea of fire. Xiao Mu, Drake, and the six race kings had already left this place and headed northeast of the Beastman Empire. They left some undead behind to attract attention. Xiao Mu knew that the destruction of the main city of the Birdmen would definitely alarm the opponent''s alpha, so before the opponent arrived, they had to create as much chaos as possible in the south of the Beastman Empire. Let the opponent''s alpha not know where their main force was. On the other side, Xiao Hui and Ruby were still waiting on the border of the far north for the opponent''s next attack. === Muddy Swamp, this place had been severely damaged by the battle between Alex and the lords, but now it had returned to its former appearance. The swamp didn''t cover a large area, but there was an abandoned instance in the center. It usually didn''t look special at all, and it didn''t feel any other breath. But in such an ordinary place, a strange black mist emanated from the abandoned instance at this moment, and then several figures appeared here. "Zarvox, don''t forget your promise." The black shadow said to Zarvox in a cold tone. "Don''t worry, I will return to the Demon Continent soon, and I will keep my promise then." Hearing Zarvox say this, the black shadow was relieved and completely disappeared into the instance. The place returned to calm, leaving only Zarvox and its subordinates. "Heh, these selfish demons." Seeing the other party leave, Zarvox showed its yellow fangs and spat on the ground. The saliva with corrosive properties immediately made a hissing sound and white smoke came out. "Eldoria continent, I really miss it. I haven''t been back here for hundreds of years." Zarvox took a deep breath, his face full of excitement. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "My little ones, follow me, the position of the new undead lord is right in front of you. After killing him, you will be the seven race kings!" After speaking, Zarvox led the group of Ghouls out of the swamp and headed for the Dark Forest. As one of the race kings under the previous undead lord, it had a sense of the location of the undead empire. It happened that there was no power of the Angel race in the north of the Eldoria continent, which made its actions even bolder. Undead Imperial Capital, at this moment, only Torin was left in this huge city. It stood in front of the main fortress, with the Death Spirit Clone standing beside it, so that it could provide support as soon as possible in case of danger on both sides. At this moment, Death Spirit suddenly possessed a Specter and said in a hurried tone, "Someone has broken into the Dark Forest!" Because Death Spirit had previously marked all the Grimface Trees in the Dark Forest for easy teleportation. But just now, it suddenly felt that several of its previous marks had disappeared. Obviously, those Grimface Trees had been killed. Summoning those Grimface Trees on the periphery of the Dark Forest had only one function, which was to detect the surrounding situation. Under normal circumstances, although the Grimface Trees were not very powerful, they were extremely concealed. It was almost impossible for ordinary people to find them. At least they had to reach the King level. Hearing this, Torin had a bad feeling in his heart. Was it a human or a beastman? It was proficient in some divination techniques, which was a little hobby it had learned before it became undead. Torin threw out a small crystal ball and immediately began to cast the spell. After a while, the crystal ball shattered directly, and there was still a trace of black mist inside. Torin was startled, and his heart was filled with surprise. "The shattered crystal ball means that the person who came is stronger than me, and the black mist means that it is a dark race." There were only a few dark races, such as demons, fallen angels, undead, shadow races, etc. "It''s that King Ghoul!" Death Spirit instantly guessed the identity of the other party. Except for it, no one else could find the undead empire. "This is troublesome. Although I don''t know how it was teleported to the Eldoria continent, judging from your previous words and deeds, I feel he may be hostile towards us." Torin turned around and walked slowly out of the city, no longer guarding the gate of the main fortress. Death Spirit immediately followed. "How long can the magic circle in the depths stop it?" "I''m not sure, maybe three hours, maybe less than an hour." Torin said with a serious face, it decided to show up on its own initiative and have a talk with this former colleague. On the periphery of the Dark Forest, Zarvox had led the Ghouls to the spatial distortions. "This magic circle actually feels familiar." Looking at the magic circle in front of it, the induction in its heart told it that the undead empire was inside. At this time, it couldn''t hide its excitement. "So what if it''s his masterpiece? He''s dead, his time is long gone!" Zarvox didn''t enter it, because then it would be trapped for a long time. It planned to use its own power to directly smash the magic circle in front of it. Just as it was gathering its power to attack the magic circle in front of it, Torin suddenly appeared in front of it. "Stop!" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 371: The attitude of the Mage Guild "Well, well, well, if it isn''t you, you imbecile." Zarvox ceased his attack, his gaze filled with disdain as he looked upon Torin. He had long known that Torin hadn''t left the Eldoria continent."Zarvox, what brings you here?" Torin inquired calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Hahahaha!" Zarvox burst into laughter. "Torin, are you really that dense?" "Step aside now, and for old times'' sake, I''ll spare you. But if you dare to obstruct me, I won''t hesitate to end you right here!" In an instant, Zarvox unleashed his Emperor level aura. The sheer force of it instantly annihilated the Death Spirit Clone, leaving only Torin, standing unflinchingly before him. The moment Zarvox laid eyes on Torin, he detected the unhealable wounds that marred its form. Had Torin been unscathed, Zarvox might have faced some difficulty. But now, if not for the level cap limitations of his Ghoul form, he could have slain Torin on the spot and summoned him back as a Ghoul. "Zarvox, remember your race! The undead blood that flows through your veins, it was bestowed upon you by the lord!" Torin drew its staff, slamming it against the ground with force. Another surge of Emperor level aura clashed against Zarvox''s, the two forces ultimately neutralizing each other. "So you''ve chosen to pledge allegiance to this new lord of yours?" Zarvox, cunning and treacherous, feigned amicable persuasion, but before he could finish his sentence, he launched a swift attack. Torin, however, was prepared. He knew this former comrade all too well, intimately familiar with his personality and character. Gripping his twisted, deadwood staff, Torin effortlessly blocked Zarvox''s sharp claws. Zarvox immediately unleashed a cloud of green poison gas. The surrounding trees withered instantly, their life force flowing into him. Blocking the attack, Torin swiftly retreated, taking to the sky. As he did so, several enormous magic circles materialized, enveloping the entire forest. Countless bones and pools of blood seemed to come alive at Torin''s command, all converging upon Zarvox. But these attacks proved futile. A green solution oozed from Zarvox''s body, seemingly capable of corroding anything it touched. It coated him entirely, forming an impenetrable armor. The surrounding trees were torn to shreds by their immense power, creating a large clearing. The epicenter of their battle became an absolute domain. The other Ghouls retreated, distancing themselves from their king''s battlefield. A Death Spirit Clone re-formed, observing the battle from the periphery. It feared that Torin might be outmatched, which would plunge the undead empire into its greatest crisis yet. Boom! Another terrifying surge of aura erupted, expanding their domain of combat. The sheer force of it rippled through the depths of the magic circle. The Death Spirit Clone, unable to escape, was caught in the crossfire once more. When it reappeared, both Torin and Zarvox had vanished from the sky. It exchanged glances with the remaining Ghouls, utterly helpless. The undead''s main force was currently engaged with the Beastman Empire, leaving no spare forces to deal with these few Ghouls. Conversely, they didn''t dare to venture deeper into the Dark Forest. Death Spirit''s possession enhancement had its limitations. It wasn''t that it didn''t want to help Torin; it was simply incapable. Most of its power was deployed against the Beastman Empire. Furthermore, Torin hadn''t fully submitted to Alex, preventing Death Spirit from possessing it. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Therefore, it was utterly powerless to intervene in this battle between two Emperor level undead. Torin and Zarvox had entered a realm of their own to continue their fight. Although the space within this realm existed on a different plane, their power was so immense that even without seeing their forms, one could witness the terrifying aftershocks that periodically erupted in the sky. Even within the depths of the undead Imperial Capital, the tremors from the clash of these two powerhouses could be felt. Meanwhile, in the Starfallen Empire, within the city of Hurricane. Inside the palace, the president frowned slightly as she examined the letter in her hand. "The undead empire... it has indeed resurfaced on the Eldoria continent..." The letter from the Beastman Empire had reached the Mage Guild branch in Hurricane City and had landed in the president''s hands. "President, the undead empire is in the north. Based on the timeline, their strength shouldn''t be a match for the Beastman Empire. And the Beastmen have always been wary of us, so why would they willingly share this information with us?" A King level magus beside her posed the question. He was the president''s confidant, and he couldn''t help but feel puzzled upon seeing the news. "It''s just a clever little ploy by those demihumans, thinking they''re so smart." The president''s voice was laced with a hint of annoyance, her tone casual. However, her confidant could sense the growing irritation within her. Dealing with the Angel race was already troublesome enough, and now the undead race had emerged in the north. These were all areas under the jurisdiction of Hurricane City. "The undead''s expansion is too rapid. We can''t afford to ignore it. It''ll become a major problem for the Starfallen Empire if we do. Inform Vice President Fenquinal in Glory City and have him deal with this undead empire." The president ultimately decided to dispatch the guild branch''s vice president to handle the undead. As president, she had more pressing matters to attend to. "President, Vice President Eldrin has arrived." A mage entered abruptly, delivering the news. Upon hearing this, a glint of interest flickered in the president''s eyes. "There''s no need. I bring word from the president." The voice preceded the person. Eldrin, clad in a luxurious black mage robe, strode into the president''s chambers. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The president he referred to was, of course, the president of the headquarters, the true authority of the Mage Guild. "Eldrin, what brings you here?" The president rose to her feet. Following her subtle cue, the surrounding mages discreetly took their leave. Only the two of them remained in the room, the atmosphere somewhat delicate. Eldrin, however, maintained a strictly professional demeanor, seemingly oblivious to the subtle tension. "The president has decreed that we are not to interfere in the affairs of the undead race." The president froze, immediately unsealing Eldrin''s decree to verify its authenticity. It was indeed true. "Why? Isn''t the president concerned that the undead race might become the next Angel race?" "Rest assured, even if the undead race were to perish and rise again, they would never side with him." Eldrin''s confident reply, far from alleviating her confusion, only deepened it. Why wouldn''t the undead race? "But what if the undead race..." Before the president could finish her sentence, Eldrin cut her off. "Time is of the essence. We can''t afford to be distracted by such trivial matters. The era crisis is upon us. If the undead race manages to survive this crisis, then what does it matter if we grant them a place on this continent?" Chapter 372: Liliths plea for assistance On the continent of Arsen, along the southern coastline, a colossal cliff rose from the sea. Perched atop this precipice stood a magnificent kingdom, the territory of the fallen angels.Lilith stood upon the ramparts, her gaze sweeping across the vast expanse of the ocean, its horizon merging seamlessly with the sky. Four months had passed since her arrival on planet Astralon, and this was the first time she had witnessed a cloudy day on the Arsen continent. She had initially assumed that, like Eldoria, one continent perpetually basked in sunshine while the other remained shrouded in perpetual gloom. Now it seemed that it was merely the influence of ordinary weather patterns. Towering waves crashed relentlessly against the cliff face below, their thunderous roar a constant presence. As time passed, the sky grew increasingly overcast, and a fierce wind whipped across the sea. The wind, funneling through the windows, buffeted Lilith''s face, sending her long hair swirling behind her. Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter-patter! Raindrops began to fall upon the palace, quickly intensifying into a torrential downpour. Lilith frowned slightly. Rain usually brought her a sense of tranquility, but today, an unsettling premonition gnawed at her. Her gaze drifted towards the distant sea, lost in thought. Suddenly, she noticed several creatures emerging from the churning waters. They possessed wings and bodies covered in scales. Sea race creatures! What followed sent chills down Lilith''s spine. More and more Sea race creatures surfaced, their numbers swelling rapidly. Soon, as far as her eyes could see, the entire ocean teemed with Sea race creatures! There were at least a million of them! They surged towards the Arsen continent, carried by the wind and waves. Lilith immediately rushed out, taking to the sky. Along the seemingly endless coastline, Sea race creatures were making landfall everywhere. "The Sea Race is invading the land!" Lilith stood amidst the driving rain, her mind reeling. Her kingdom, situated on the continent''s edge, was the first in their path. She swiftly summoned all the fallen angels and the elf troops under her control, assembling them at the cliff''s edge, ready to defend with all their might. She couldn''t be bothered with the Sea Race invading other regions, but if they dared to encroach upon her kingdom, she would fight them to the bitter end! The Sea Race was clearly prepared for this invasion. The entire ocean was a sea of sea race creatures. It was likely that every coastline on the Arsen continent was currently under attack. Soon, the Sea Race reached the shore, scaling the cliffs and engaging in fierce combat with the elf troops under Lilith''s command. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Initially, the elves, leveraging their terrain advantage, easily repelled the invaders. However, as the enemy''s numbers swelled, elf casualties mounted. The defensive line at the cliff''s edge was on the verge of collapse. It was time for the fallen angels to intervene. Lilith, weapon in hand, plunged into the fray. She knew that if the line fell, her newly established kingdom would face utter annihilation. But the Sea Race was a formidable force in its own right, relying on more than just sheer numbers. The higher-ranking Sea Race creatures lurking in the depths quickly took notice of the situation and dispatched reinforcements. ???¦®§®???.?§°? Countless Commanding level and Monarch level sea creatures began to make landfall. Within moments, the elf defenses crumbled entirely, and even the fallen angels began to suffer casualties. Cold sweat beaded on Lilith''s forehead as she witnessed the unfolding carnage, her heart pounding in her chest. The Sea Race''s assault showed no signs of abating; in fact, it grew even fiercer. Although no King level sea race creatures had yet joined the battle, Lilith was the only King level being in the fallen angels'' kingdom. Facing a relentless onslaught of Monarch level troops, they would soon be overwhelmed. While Lilith possessed numerous life-saving abilities, ensuring her own survival, the fallen angels'' kingdom was doomed. "Damn it, what do we do?!" "Where are the other races of the Arsen continent? Are they all dead?" Even the usually composed Lilith found herself growing agitated. As far as she could see, apart from her own forces, vast numbers of sea race creatures had already begun to advance inland. In their wake, the Sea Race left nothing but carnage, slaughtering every land creature they encountered, leaving no survivors. Humans also had cities on the Arsen continent, but they were located in the center. It would take time for them to learn of the events unfolding on the border. The waves grew even more turbulent. Lilith couldn''t shake the feeling that the sea level had risen slightly. But she quickly dismissed the thought. How could that be possible? As the battle raged on, the rainwater on the ground turned crimson with blood. One hour, two hours, three hours... Lilith was nearing exhaustion. Her mana points were almost depleted, yet the Sea Race Monarchs seemed endless. The enemy had yet to deploy any King level creatures, relying solely on these Monarch level troops to wear her down. The ground was littered with the corpses of sea creatures. The elf troops had been completely wiped out, and the fallen angels had suffered heavy losses. They now circled in the sky, desperately trying to hold their own. Most of the fallen angel casualties were due to exhaustion, their strength drained in the relentless fight. The Sea Race creatures that had scaled the cliff were overwhelming, and the defensive line was about to crumble completely. "Do we have to abandon the kingdom..." Lilith felt a sense of defeat. Her face and clothes were stained with a mixture of Sea Race blood and rainwater. She knew that in the face of such a life-or-death crisis, allies wouldn''t come to their aid. After all, helping others required ensuring one''s own safety first. The best course of action was to abandon the kingdom and flee. "Wait, the undead!" A sudden realization struck Lilith. The Sea Race''s surprise attack had clouded her judgment, hindering her ability to think clearly. How could she have forgotten about the undead! The Sea Race excelled at overwhelming their enemies with sheer numbers, but so did the undead! "Morgana, go to the Undead Empire immediately and request that they send a few necromancers!" Hope flickered in Lilith''s eyes. She immediately issued the order to a nearby fallen angel. At this rate, as long as the Sea Race didn''t deploy any King level creatures, with the help of the undead, they wouldn''t be able to conquer the fallen angel kingdom! A few Monarch level necromancers were nothing to the undead empire, so they would surely agree to her request. With just a few necromancers, Lilith could turn the tide of the battle! Chapter 373: This vast army was the work of a single undead Soon, reinforcements from the undead arrived at the fallen angels'' kingdom. However, it wasn''t necromancers who came, but a clone of Death Spirit.Seeing this, Lilith finally breathed a sigh of relief. Death Spirit''s summoning abilities were far superior to those of necromancers. Such a large-scale battlefield was the perfect breeding ground for death energy, and Death Spirit wouldn''t miss this opportunity. Although its clone lacked combat prowess, its summoning speed was unmatched, second only to Alex herself. No, Death Spirit was now third, as Torin had joined the ranks of the undead empire. Upon arrival, Death Spirit wasted no time. With a mere surge of its energy, it instantly split into hundreds of clones. These clones swiftly dispersed, descending upon the battlefield below. To others, this might have seemed like a disaster, but to Death Spirit, it was a paradise of experience points. As the numerous Death Spirit clones entered the fray, Lilith immediately ordered all fallen angels to retreat. They were exhausted and could no longer afford unnecessary casualties. In her eyes, the undead were more than capable of handling this Sea Race invasion. The moment the fallen angels ceased their defense, the Sea Race surged forward like a swarm of locusts, overwhelming the fallen angel city atop the cliff. They trampled over the corpses of their comrades, driven by a single-minded desire for destruction. However, whether due to a lack of intelligence or simply failing to notice what was happening behind them, these Sea Race creatures remained oblivious to the peculiar transformation occurring among their fallen brethren. Bang! Bang! Bang! Several Monarch level necromancers suddenly materialized in front of the advancing army, blocking the Sea Race''s path. With a wave of their staffs, countless bone spikes erupted from the ground, sweeping through the ranks like a thorny thicket. Thousands of Sea Race creatures were caught in the onslaught, instantly reduced to a bloody mist. Yet, their souls found new life, transforming into undead, rising from within the Sea Race army itself. In mere moments, the Sea Race troops assaulting the fallen angel city were thrown into disarray, turning their attention to the undead in their midst. Death Spirit''s objective was clear. It prioritized summoning the corpses of Monarch level sea creatures. Lilith had slain fewer than a hundred of these, and Death Spirit had now summoned them all back as undead. This instantly bolstered the battlefield with nearly a hundred Monarch level necromancers, accelerating the summoning process exponentially. More and more undead rose from the fallen. These low-level Sea Race creatures had no concept of what the undead were. Their sole purpose was to eliminate any enemy within sight. As sea creatures, their combat effectiveness was hampered on land, while the undead remained unaffected. With the mounting Sea Race casualties, the undead ranks swelled at an alarming rate. Lilith, having recovered some of her strength while observing the battle, decided to rejoin the fight. Her target was simple: to eliminate the Monarch level creatures within the Sea Race army. Although Death Spirit couldn''t speak, it understood her intentions perfectly. Lilith''s presence effectively compensated for the undead''s lack of Monarch level combat power. With her assistance, it took only half an hour for the undead to completely overwhelm the Sea Race creatures surrounding the fallen angel city. For the first time, Lilith felt a sense of awe towards the undead. She glanced at Death Spirit. This vast undead army, nearly a million strong, was the work of a single undead! And it was merely one of Alex''s subordinates. She had no doubt that Alex could achieve the same, perhaps even surpass Death Spirit. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Sea Race''s landing rate could no longer keep pace with the undead''s slaughter. To her astonishment, she noticed the undead spreading out along the coastline in both directions. Could they be planning to hold back the entire Sea Race invasion?! Lilith couldn''t fathom the sheer scale the undead army would reach after this battle. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? The carnage she had just witnessed had already granted her a level up. Imagining all those experience points accumulating for Alex, she dared not think further. "Continue the fight, but don''t overexert yourselves. Prioritize eliminating Monarch level Sea Race creatures!" Lilith issued a new order. This way, they could not only gain experience points but also assist Death Spirit. If she continued to hold back the fallen angels, this Sea Race invasion might be completely quelled by the undead before nightfall. That was, of course, assuming the enemy didn''t deploy any King level troops. Suddenly, while engaged in combat, Lilith noticed a system notification pop up. "Someone''s coming?" She immediately disengaged from the battle and soared into the sky, her gaze fixed on the city. A group of figures clad in black robes, over a hundred strong, approached. She recognized these beings. "Aren''t those Alex''s logistics troops? Can they even fight?" "Leader, please grant us permission to assist King Death Spirit." The hundred alchemy warlocks spoke in unison, their voices filled with respect. Lilith agreed without hesitation. She was curious to see how they intended to assist Death Spirit. Although these alchemy warlocks were all Monarch level, she knew they possessed no combat abilities. With her permission granted, the alchemy warlocks marched out of the city. The ground was littered with the corpses of Sea Race creatures, all of which had already been summoned. They placed down magic circle stones, setting the corpses ablaze, quickly clearing a large area. As for danger, the moment they arrived, several Monarch level undead had converged upon their location, providing protection. "Magic circle?" Lilith watched with curiosity as the alchemy warlocks began to set up a magic circle. What puzzled her was that over a hundred Monarch level alchemy warlocks were collaborating on a single magic circle. What were they up to? With their combined efforts, the magic circle was completed in mere minutes. Their research, refined over two months, had yielded portable magic circle setups. All the necessary steps were pre-integrated into individual magic circle stones, enabling rapid deployment. A magic circle ablaze with blue flames? Lilith was baffled. This magic circle didn''t appear to possess any offensive capabilities. The moment the magic circle was activated, tens of thousands of Specters broke away from the battlefield, converging upon the magic circle like moths drawn to a flame. As their ethereal forms entered the magic circle, they dissipated, transforming into points of soul fire. Lilith was already privy to these secrets of the undead, so she wasn''t surprised. However, as she witnessed these soul fires begin to merge, a realization dawned upon her, a conjecture so unbelievable that she could hardly believe it herself! Moments later, a Shadow Specter emerged from the magic circle, its terrifying aura sweeping across the battlefield. "That''s a King level aura!" Lilith''s eyes widened in shock, her body trembling with disbelief. "It''s actually a King level, how is that possible?!" Heavens, Alex had actually acquired the ability to create King level undead! Chapter 374: Alpha Birdman As the King level Shadow Specter was brought into existence, the undead seemed to have gained an absolute advantage. However, Death Spirit, privy to the situation on all battlefields, sensed a looming threat, yet found itself utterly powerless to intervene.Its greatest fear was the involvement of an Emperor level combatant on the front lines. Torin was currently occupied with holding back Zarvox, unable to spare any attention elsewhere. However, there was some progress. The battlefield on the Arsen continent provided the undead empire with a vast influx of undead, primarily those capable of fusion. Therefore, while stabilizing the Sea Race front, Death Spirit had already dispatched the surplus King level undead back to the undead Imperial Capital. Their first priority was to eliminate the King level Ghouls on the periphery. It was worth noting that undead were essentially beings summoned from the souls of the deceased, having technically died once already. The only way to truly kill an undead was to obliterate its soul. Therefore, these enemy Ghouls couldn''t be summoned again to bolster their own forces. They were, for all intents and purposes, dead beyond death. Death Spirit showed no mercy towards them. In its eyes, regardless of species, any being that stood against the queen was an enemy. The distinction between enemy and friend extended beyond the realm of the undead. Torin''s battle with Zarvox raged on. Death Spirit estimated that it wouldn''t be long before a victor emerged. The situation was becoming increasingly tense. Should Torin fall, Death Spirit would immediately order a full retreat, abandoning the undead Imperial Capital and relying on the spatial distortions to buy them time. An Emperor level Ghoul was simply beyond their ability to resist. Suddenly, space itself fractured, and two figures crashed heavily to the ground. Death Spirit''s gaze snapped towards them, filled with apprehension. "Torin, have you gone mad? To resort to using primal power!" Zarvox struggled to his feet, his form ravaged. Most of his rotting flesh had been stripped away, revealing the bones beneath. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and several bone spikes protruded from his chest. Even Death Spirit could sense the waning aura emanating from him. Torin, staff in hand, also rose to its feet. It, too, was in a sorry state. Its black robes were tattered, and its skeletal frame bore numerous deep wounds, though no blood flowed from them. In contrast to Zarvox, Torin''s aura was now exceptionally powerful, even surpassing its previous strength. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We were both phantoms, abandoned by the world. It was the undead lord who bestowed upon us power. Now, a new undead lord has arisen, rebuilding the undead empire. We must not forget our oath to serve the undead queen!" Torin''s voice was resolute as it began to gather magical energy once more. From the moment their battle commenced, it had no intention of persuading Zarvox to surrender. Its words now served only to declare its purpose. "Madman!" Zarvox cursed. He had no desire to fight to the death here. While he could kill Torin, it would come at a heavy cost to himself. After hiding in the Valoria continent for so long, he wasn''t willing to pay such a price. Moreover, Torin had tapped into primal power, a power it couldn''t sustain for long. Once unleashed, primal power was irreversible. Zarvox had no desire to see his own level regress. "Since your so-called queen isn''t even present in the undead empire, I shall pay another visit another day. I hope you''ll be standing before me just like this then!" With a parting threat, Zarvox departed the Dark Forest, his destination unknown. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "Torin, are you alright?" Death Spirit was concerned about its condition. Damage to one''s quintessence could lead to a decline in level, or even death in severe cases. "I''m fine. Zarvox is severely injured and won''t dare to return anytime soon. However, after this battle, my level might drop to King level. I won''t be able to assist you any further." Torin''s voice was filled with sorrow and a hint of shame. It was they, the old race kings, who had brought this calamity upon the undead empire. "Return to the city and rest. Thank you for your intervention. Don''t worry, when the undead queen returns, she will surely find a way." Death Spirit believed that Alex would have a way to heal Torin. A decline in level was an acceptable price to pay. Death Spirit''s current concerns were the front lines and the ever-present threat of Zarvox''s return. The undead empire might be facing its greatest crisis yet. Meanwhile, on the southern border of the Beastman Empire. Alpha Birdman soared through the sky, gazing upon the smoldering ruins of the undead fortress, his rage still burning. His name was Skyplume. His entire body was covered in pure white feathers. He possessed the head of an eagle and the body of a man, his feet ending in massive talons. In addition to the wings on his back, he also had functional hands. This was the twenty-eighth undead fortress he had destroyed, bringing the total number destroyed by the Birdmen to thirty-five. However, Skyplume wasn''t foolish. He could tell that these massive fortresses could teleport undead, making them ideal for guerrilla warfare. Each fortress housed around ten thousand undead, totaling a staggering three hundred and fifty thousand undead troops. Even considering the undead summoned from the corpses of his slain brethren, the forces within each fortress wouldn''t exceed fifty thousand, with only one, or even no, King level undead present. Therefore, he concluded that the main force of the undead army, which had previously attacked his main city, had long since vanished to parts unknown, utilizing the undead fortresses. Even as the alpha of the Birdmen, Skyplume couldn''t simply scour the vast Beastman Empire to find them. His current objective was to destroy all these undead fortresses and then systematically eliminate all undead within the empire''s territory. "Alpha, it''s not good! Windcrest is under attack!" A birdman hurriedly flew towards him, delivering the report with utmost respect. Skyplume, who was about to head towards the next undead fortress, halted in his tracks. Windcrest, the third largest city of the Birdmen. Now that their main city had been destroyed, the nearest city, Altocirrus, remained untouched, while the farthest, Windcrest, had suddenly come under attack. There was no doubt that the main force of the undead army was there! Skyplume''s sphere was wind. The sky was his playground. Utilizing the power of his sphere, his speed was unmatched. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight, speeding towards Windcrest. At that very moment, Xiao Mu and his companions were indeed at Windcrest. However, they were unaware that their actions had provoked the enemy alpha, who was now racing towards them at full speed. Fortunately, Death Spirit, with its grasp of the overall situation, immediately relayed the information to them. "Over twenty undead fortresses have been destroyed in less than two hours. It''s the enemy alpha. Be extremely careful!" Chapter 375: Another race king? Xiao Mu was taken aback. They hadn''t yet secured Windcrest, but they should be able to retreat before the enemy arrived.Seeing that the group showed no signs of retreating, Death Spirit revealed the truth. "Torin clashed with the King Ghoul in the Dark Forest. Although it managed to repel the enemy, its injuries worsened, and its level has dropped to King level!" "What?!" Xiao Mu and Drake were stunned. "Abandon Windcrest, retreat immediately!" Xiao Mu and Drake wasted no time in issuing the order. The Beastman Empire was unaware of the undead empire''s location. As long as they escaped through the undead fortress, it would take the enemy days to find them. The six race kings immediately abandoned their assault on Windcrest and retreated towards the distant undead fortress behind them. "Death Spirit, inform Xiao Hui and Ruby immediately. Tell them to retreat as well and have all members of the Arctic Tigerfolk migrate to the undead empire!" The situation was becoming increasingly dire. Xiao Hui''s side was also likely to face retaliation from the Gnolls. If an Emperor level being attacked, it would be without warning. Xiao Hui and Ruby wouldn''t even have time to escape. "They''ve been notified." Death Spirit had informed everyone simultaneously to ensure they could react immediately. The undead empire and the Beastman Empire were now sworn enemies. Once they escaped, the enemy would scour the entire northern continent. It was uncertain how long the undead empire could hold out in its current state. As the undead fortress came into view, a deafening roar echoed through the air, and the fortress crumbled before their very eyes! Their pupils constricted as they looked up. A white birdman hovered in the sky, his gaze fixed upon them, filled with murderous intent. He had arrived so quickly! Xiao Mu and Drake''s hearts pounded in their chests. They knew they were in grave danger. "You damned undead, who gave you the audacity to trespass on our territory!" Skyplume roared, and a tempestuous wind erupted around him, its force like countless blades. The undead below King level were instantly swept away, disintegrating into dust that scattered in the wind. Such overwhelming power! A mere aura was enough to obliterate all undead below King level! The surviving King level undead felt immense pressure. Facing Skyplume''s formidable aura, they struggled to maintain their forms, resisting with all their might. A wind field had formed around them, created by Skyplume''s powers. From the outset, he sealed off all escape routes, leaving them with nowhere to run. "Damn it, fight him!" Xiao Mu roared. They had no choice but to fight for their lives. Even Death Spirit, in this moment, stood its ground. It gathered the power of all its clones into this single clone and then split into dozens of fragments, merging with all the surrounding King level undead. They unleashed their abilities, all targeting Skyplume. However, within his wind field, under the influence of his sphere, they couldn''t even take flight! With a mere glance, Skyplume immobilized Xiao Mu and Drake. Two wind blades sliced through their bodies, instantly reverting them to their human forms. Thud! They crashed to the ground, completely paralyzed. Skyplume spread his white wings, and hundreds of feathers materialized, hovering in the air before transforming into streaks of light that scoured the ground. The density of these attacks was akin to a torrential downpour. No undead could possibly dodge such an onslaught. However, these white streaks of light avoided the immobilized Xiao Mu and Drake lying on the ground. Skyplume intended to capture them alive! "Damn it, I can''t break free!" No matter how hard Drake struggled, he couldn''t escape the enemy''s grasp. Even his bloodline seemed to have become unresponsive, beyond his control. They could only watch helplessly as Skyplume slaughtered the surrounding King level undead, powerless to intervene... Meanwhile, on the western border of the far north. Upon receiving Death Spirit''s notification, Xiao Hui and Ruby immediately chose to retreat. With the undead fortress right behind them, the process was smooth. However, Xiao Hui didn''t retreat herself. Instead, she instructed Ruby to return to the far north and organize the evacuation of her people. As a death angel, with the Dark Angel Resurrection Pool at her disposal, she didn''t fear death. Xiao Hui had her reasons for doing this. She intended to use her ability to resurrect indefinitely to keep the enemy''s attention focused on the far north. She wanted to buy time for Xiao Mu and Ruby''s escape, while also preventing the enemy from easily locating the undead Imperial Capital. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Although the enemy alpha had taken action, it was in the south of the Beastman Empire. As for the north, at least for now, Xiao Hui believed it was still safe. Currently, nearly a third of the undead empire''s forces were concentrated here. After learning that Torin''s level would drop to King level, Xiao Hui had ordered all elite troops to withdraw, leaving behind only some Monarch level undead and cannon fodder to deceive the enemy. Her duty was to hold this position, to fight defensively. Besides, they were running low on Fortress Essence Shards, so she couldn''t employ the same tactics as Xiao Mu and Drake. With a resolute gaze, Xiao Hui stood atop the undead fortress, her eyes fixed on the distant forest. She had only one hope: that Alex would return soon. What was she doing? Two months had passed without a single word. "Awooo~" Suddenly, a wolf''s howl pierced through the forest, echoing across the land. Xiao Hui felt a sharp pain in her head. The next second, a massive Gnolls materialized before her! A giant axe descended towards her, its blade growing larger and larger in her vision. The surrounding space seemed to lock down, paralyzing her body. Her mind went blank as death loomed. In a split second, the Sword of Judgment erupted with black energy, and Xiao Hui vanished from sight, narrowly dodging the Emperor level attack. This was the Sword of Judgment''s passive life-saving ability, with a twenty-four-hour cooldown. The undead fortress behind her wasn''t so fortunate. It was reduced to ashes under the enemy''s attack, and countless undead were caught in the blast, their soul fires extinguished instantly. Seeing her dodge the attack, Alpha Gnoll was slightly surprised, but he swiftly followed up with another unstoppable axe blow. With nowhere to retreat, Xiao Hui gripped the Sword of Judgment, channeling all her strength, and charged towards the attack. Death was a small price to pay! === Was this the power of an Emperor level being?! Xiao Mu, Drake, and the others were utterly helpless against it. They were only mid-King level. Would the outcome have been different if they were high-level? They had misjudged the situation, underestimating the enemy''s reaction speed. They hadn''t anticipated that Skyplume, wielding the sphere of wind, would be so swift. This miscalculation would cost them their lives, and the undead empire they had painstakingly built would crumble overnight. Could Alex arrive in time? She always seemed to appear at crucial moments. However, Death Spirit''s level hadn''t reached Emperor level, which implied that Alex''s level was still at King level. Even if she arrived, could a King level being stand a chance against an Emperor level opponent? By now, most of the King level undead had been slain. Forget about attacking Skyplume, even touching him was a challenge. Death Spirit remained silent, observing. Through analysis, it had determined that this Alpha Birdman was at least stronger than the King Ghoul. He was definitely not a low-level Emperor! "Your bloodlines are quite impressive, worthy of research. I shall capture you and study you. Consider it compensation for your transgression against the Beastman Empire." Skyplume chuckled sinisterly as he descended to the ground. He intended to personally extract their bloodlines and bring them back to the empire. Compared to the loss of his people, he could leverage these bloodlines for greater gains. This was actually a blessing in disguise. As Skyplume approached, they remained paralyzed, utterly helpless. The other King level undead had been slain, leaving only the six race kings, Xiao Mu, and Drake. The powerful wind field held them captive. Skyplume slowly raised his right hand, a peculiar energy gathering in his palm. His fingers curled into claws, reaching for Drake first, aiming to extract his bloodline. This was a special technique developed by the demihumans, a method unique to the Beastman Empire for bloodline extraction. Drake couldn''t resist. He glared at Skyplume, filled with rage and regret for his own lack of strength. Was this the end for him? Crack! Suddenly, a black chain, wreathed in flames, shot towards them, wrapping itself tightly around Skyplume''s right hand, halting his advance. "Ladies and gentlemen, are you okay?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A deep, magnetic voice called out. They turned to see a man clad in a denim jacket, astride a flaming skeletal warhorse. He held his cowboy hat with one hand, the other pulling taut on the chain. Who was he? Confusion filled their faces. They didn''t recognize him, but judging by the undead warhorse beneath him, he was likely another former race king, like Torin! Chapter 376: Return of Ice Cream "Who are you?" Skyplume glared at the newcomer. The man didn''t waste time with words. He yanked on the chain, and the flames engulfing it flared intensely.His entire body, including the man himself, transformed into a skeleton, every bone ablaze with crimson fire. A terrifying aura erupted, instantly shattering Skyplume''s wind field. Flames engulfed the surroundings, consuming everything in their path. Skyplume, startled, broke free with all his might and soared into the sky. He glanced at his right wrist, now a mangled mess of flesh and bone. His pristine white feathers were scorched black. Without hesitation, Skyplume turned and fled, vanishing in an instant. Xiao Mu and Drake watched in astonishment. This clearly demonstrated that Skyplume was no match for this man. Capitalizing on the advantage of his wind sphere, he had chosen to flee. "Thank you for saving us!" Drake immediately expressed his gratitude to the man. The man withdrew his flames, returning to his human form. Even the skeletal warhorse beneath him transformed back into an ordinary steed. "You''re welcome. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Garethor, King Death Knight, one of the seven former race kings under the previous undead lord." Garethor dismounted, removing his cowboy hat and holding it to his chest as he nodded in greeting. With his flowing brown hair, blue eyes, and distinctive attire, no one would have guessed that this man was an Emperor level undead. "Are you, like Torin, here to pledge allegiance to the undead empire?" Relief washed over them. It seemed that this Garethor was at least an ally. "Indeed. I teleported from the Mossvale continent to the south of the Eldoria continent, evading angels along the way. During my travels through human territory, I learned of the ongoing war between the undead empire and the Beastman Empire. I rushed here with all haste, and it seems I''m not too late." Garethor smiled politely. "I never expected to find my old friend still alive." They recounted Torin''s situation to Garethor, who frowned upon hearing the news. "The King Ghoul, his name is Zarvox. He was always a ruthless scoundrel, willing to do anything to achieve his goals. I never liked him. So he''s come to the Eldoria continent as well." "As for Torin''s injuries, I''m afraid I can''t do much. But rest assured, this is a problem we brought upon you, and it''s my responsibility to resolve it." When speaking of Zarvox, Garethor''s face showed no signs of worry. This reassured the others that Zarvox was no match for him, especially after being severely wounded by Torin. "Have the humans been informed? What was their reaction?" Xiao Mu was concerned about the humans'' stance and inquired directly. Their conflict with the Beastman Empire hadn''t lasted long, yet the humans had already received the news. He was worried about whether the human forces would intervene. If they did, it would spell disaster for the undead empire. "As for the humans, their inaction speaks volumes." Garethor reassured Xiao Mu. The humans, upon learning of the undead empire''s existence, had chosen not to interfere in the affairs of the two empires. This indicated their tacit approval of the undead empire''s presence. Moreover, the human division of the Eldoria continent into north and south actually worked in their favor, effectively blocking the troublesome Angel race. This was a good thing. As for the reasons behind the humans'' stance, Garethor could only offer speculation. It was best to keep it confidential until they had concrete information. "It must have been the Beastman Empire who leaked the news. Why didn''t you stop that birdman earlier?" Drake was also puzzled. Based on their previous encounter, it was clear that there was a significant power gap between Skyplume and Garethor. Skyplume had fled in fear, and Garethor clearly had the opportunity to stop him, yet he had let him go. Garethor maintained his smile, addressing the group. "That''s a long story. It involves a friend I met upon arriving on the Eldoria continent. He advised me against making a mortal enemy of the Beastman Empire. He, too, hails from the undead empire. I believe you must remember him..." === Due to the arrival of the Ice Cream, while Xiao Mu was now safe, Xiao Hui remained in peril. She faced an Emperor level Gnoll, putting her at a severe disadvantage. Against Alpha Gnoll''s relentless assault, Xiao Hui wielded the Sword of Judgment with all her might, prepared to fight to the death. A smug look crossed Alpha Gnoll''s face. She dared to kill his subordinate; he would make her pay! Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere, landing a foot on the side of the descending giant axe. Bang! A deafening roar echoed as the giant axe veered off course, missing Xiao Hui. A massive crack split the ground beside her, extending for hundreds of meters. Even now, Xiao Hui''s heart pounded in her chest. Alpha Gnoll, his face filled with confusion, turned to face the newcomer. Xiao Hui, seeing the figure standing beside her, also turned to look. She didn''t recognize this person. He appeared to be a young man with short black hair and a muscular build. He exuded the aura of a lv9 King, a fact that Alpha Gnoll sensed clearly. However, he couldn''t understand how this person had managed to deflect his attack. Alpha Gnoll scoffed. If the newcomer were an Emperor level being, he might have been wary. But a mere King level, even ten of them, posed no threat. With this thought in mind, Alpha Gnoll prepared to attack again without hesitation. He rarely wasted time with words before securing victory. However, as he was about to strike, he noticed a glint of azure light in the young man''s eyes! He froze, a realization dawning upon him. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Are you a dragon?!" Xiao Hui was also taken aback. She couldn''t tell that this young man was a dragon, but this was the first time the Gnoll had spoken since the battle began. His tone was laced with apprehension towards dragons. "The undead race is an ally of the dragon race. Does your Beastman Empire have a death wish?" The young man uttered the most audacious words in the calmest of tones, seemingly unconcerned that he was facing an Emperor level being. Alpha Gnoll was stunned but not intimidated. "Ally? Who would know if I killed you both right here?" A dragon envoy? He didn''t believe that the mighty dragon race would send only a single King level dragon. This was clearly a bluff. "You''re welcome to try. But I''m afraid that tomorrow, the Sovereign level Alpha Demihuman will be delivering your head to the dragon race as an apology." The young man remained unfazed, meeting the opponent''s imposing aura with unwavering confidence. His words were a clear threat. This time, Alpha Gnoll was truly taken aback. Seeing the young man''s unwavering confidence, he couldn''t help but reconsider. The Gnoll race had risen to become one of the five major races of the Beastman Empire through their unwavering loyalty and flattery towards the Demihuman Race. It was thanks to the grace of the Sovereign level Alpha Demihuman (Archalpha) that he had achieved Emperor level and become the alpha of the Gnolls. This was also why he was so enraged by the death of the lv9 King level Gnoll. As long as they continued to please the demihumans, there was a chance that the Sovereign level demihuman, in a moment of good humor, might bestow upon them another Emperor level being. Alpha Gnoll was well aware of the resources the Alpha demihuman had expended to maintain relations with the major factions. If he were to act rashly and kill a dragon envoy, incurring the wrath of the dragon race, not only would he perish, but the entire Gnoll race might be slaughtered by the demihumen as an offering of appeasement. He had strived for so long to achieve his current status, and he had no desire to die. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Alpha Gnoll panicked. If this young man truly was a dragon envoy, then he wouldn''t be able to kill anyone today. "How can you prove that you are a dragon envoy?" Alpha Gnoll feigned composure as he questioned the young man. He feared the dragon race, but he feared the wrath of the Alpha Demihuman even more. "Why should I prove anything to you?" "You..." Alpha Gnoll gritted his teeth in frustration, but he suppressed his anger and attempted to reason with the young man. "My apologies, I was out of line earlier. However, it was the undead race who attacked us first, and we were merely defending ourselves. We were unaware that the undead race was an ally of the dragon race. Please, show us some proof so that I can report back to the Alpha Demihuman." Despite his seemingly conciliatory tone, rage burned within him. For an Emperor level being to bow his head to a King level was a humiliation. He was already contemplating how he would torture these two if they couldn''t provide any evidence. The young man, observing the slightly bowed head of the Gnoll, smirked. He leaped into the air, his body enveloped in icy power and a formidable Dragon''s Presence. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a colossal Azure Dragon. Recognition dawned upon Xiao Hui. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was the Azure Dragon from Alex''s castle! Xiao Hui remembered clearly. Both Azure Dragon and Sophie were veteran figures under Alex''s command. Sophie had even mentioned that Ice Cream had been with Alex longer than she had! A dragon scale fell to the ground before Alpha Gnoll, his pupils constricting in shock. This young man truly was a dragon envoy! Moreover, such scales were meticulously documented within the dragon race. In this moment, Alpha Gnoll was grateful that he hadn''t acted impulsively. If he had killed this dragon, the dragon race would have known instantly that it was the Beastman Empire who was responsible. "Is that proof enough?" Ice Cream didn''t even bother to look at the Gnoll beneath him, his tone dripping with disdain. Alpha Gnoll, his arrogance completely extinguished, adopted an exceptionally respectful tone. "My apologies, I was blind. Please forgive my transgression. I shall return to the empire and report this to the Alpha Demihuman. On behalf of the Beastman Empire, I propose a ceasefire with the undead race, with the far north as the boundary. What do you say?" Alpha Gnoll then turned his gaze towards Xiao Hui, knowing that she was the one who could make decisions for the undead race. Xiao Hui knew that Ice Cream wasn''t actually a dragon envoy, but the dragon race''s desire to form an alliance with the undead race was genuine. She didn''t dare to make any excessive demands. Both sides had suffered losses, and the undead were currently weaker. A ceasefire was perhaps the best course of action. Everything else could wait until Alex returned. "Agreed." Seeing Xiao Hui''s agreement, Ice Cream didn''t press the matter further. After all, the dragon scale he possessed had been given to him by the lava dragon from the southern volcano. Its purpose was to provide him with a means of self-preservation in times of danger. The Gnoll couldn''t possibly discern the authenticity of a dragon token, and the dragon scale wasn''t fake. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, he was a dragon envoy. "Very well, then it''s settled. I shall take my leave." Alpha Gnoll spoke respectfully and vanished in an instant. This matter was of utmost urgency. He had to report to the Alpha Demihuman immediately. Although Ice Cream''s identity seemed legitimate, they still needed to confirm it with the dragon race. Each continent had a dragon presence, with their strength at least at the Sovereign level. Unable to cross continents themselves, beastmen could only seek confirmation from these dragons. Chapter 377: Meeting "You were too reckless. Engaging in war with the Beastman Empire was unwise." Ice Cream reverted to his human form, his physique noticeably larger than before, a testament to his rapid growth in strength."We don''t abandon our comrades." Xiao Hui met Ice Cream''s gaze with unwavering determination. She didn''t know him well and was unfamiliar with his personality. "You extraterrestrial visitors are truly peculiar, yet at times, undeniably admirable." Ice Cream harbored no fear of the Beastman Empire''s verification. If they dared to displease his uncle, he might just wipe them out himself. With the ceasefire between the undead empire and the Beastman Empire in place, Xiao Hui immediately contacted Xiao Mu and Drake. The Arctic Tigerfolk no longer needed to migrate. This period of respite would allow them to recuperate and rebuild their strength. The Sea Race invasion could even serve as a catalyst for their development. "Let''s go." Xiao Hui beckoned to Ice Cream and proceeded to erect a new undead fortress on the spot. Compared to the losses suffered by Xiao Mu and Drake, Xiao Hui''s side had fared much better. Alpha Gnoll had initially focused his attack on Xiao Hui, sparing the surrounding undead from significant casualties. They then utilized the undead fortress''s teleportation to return to the undead Imperial Capital. Xiao Mu and the others had already arrived ahead of them. Upon seeing the young man beside Xiao Hui, they were taken aback. Only Sophie felt a sense of familiarity, though she couldn''t quite place him. "Xiao Hui, who is this?" Xiao Mu stepped forward, and all eyes turned towards the newcomer. "Huh, this is the friend I mentioned, the one from the undead empire. Why do you all seem to not recognize him?" Garethor chuckled, finding the situation rather odd. "Are you a dragon?!" Drake instantly recognized his bloodline. "That''s right, no need to guess. This is Ice Cream, just in human form." Upon hearing Xiao Hui''s explanation, realization dawned upon them. Drake knew that Alex had an Azure Dragon under his command. So this young man was him. "A human transforming into a dragon? Your bloodline isn''t complete yet. There''s still a significant amount of human bloodline within you." Ice Cream instantly discerned Drake''s situation. Drake nodded, acknowledging Ice Cream''s keen perception. He knew that Ice Cream''s bloodline must be prestigious within the dragon race to see through him so easily. "Torin, how are your injuries? Have you found a way to heal them?" Xiao Hui turned to Torin, her voice laced with concern. "I''m fine. Perhaps the queen will have a solution when she returns." Torin didn''t seem too bothered. Looking at the assembled group, he felt a sense of nostalgia, as if transported back to their former glory. Xiao Hui called for a meeting, and everyone quickly took their seats. This was a full house, with the exception of the true leader, Alex. First, there were the veterans of the undead empire: the seven race kings, the siblings Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu, Drake, Ruby, Sophie, and Ice Cream. Now, with the addition of the two returning race kings, Torin and Garethor, the hall was filled to capacity. Excluding the vacant seat at the head of the table, there were fifteen participants in this meeting. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® The first order of business was to assess their losses. The King level undead had suffered heavy casualties, creating a significant gap in their troops. All high-level undead had perished, resulting in a two-thirds reduction in their overall combat power. Compared to the experience points gained from slaying the Beastmen, this battle was arguably the most costly in the history of the undead empire. However, they weren''t overly concerned. As long as their core members survived, it wasn''t a true loss. Fortunately, the ongoing Sea Race invasion provided them with a perfect opportunity to replenish their ranks. Next, they assessed their combat strength. It was crucial for the newcomers to have a clear understanding of each other''s capabilities. Garethor, the King of Death Knights, possessed lv8 Emperor level strength, making him the current strongest member of the undead empire. Compared to the injured Torin and Zarvox, Garethor possessed greater talent. He had even befriended a dragon in the Mossvale continent, leading a rather successful life. Over four hundred years, his strength had not only remained intact but had even slightly improved, nearing his full potential. Then there was Torin. In his desperate battle with Zarvox, he had tapped into primal power, resulting in a decline in his strength. He was now on par with Ice Cream, both at lv9 King level. As for the others, their levels had increased after their relentless slaughter on the battlefield. However, most of them remained at the mid-King level, their strength ranging from lv4 to lv6. It was worth noting that Death Spirit, through its constant absorption of death energy, had surpassed the six race kings and the four lords in terms of level. It had now reached lv9 King level, which was undoubtedly good news for everyone. This meant that the missing Alex had also reached lv9 King level. Ruby, the second member of the original group to reach King level after Alex, had now entered the ranks of high-level King level, reaching lv8. Of course, there was only one person whose level had remained unchanged: Sophie. She was still at lv9, but as a Monarch. However, no one dared to underestimate Sophie now. Without her tireless research efforts over the past two months, the undead fusion technology wouldn''t have advanced so significantly. This wasn''t solely the achievement of the alchemy warlocks. The dwarves and hobgoblins had also played a crucial role. It could be said that Sophie deserved a large share of the credit for the undead empire''s ability to mass-produce King level undead. Her troops were dwarves. Due to certain inherent limitations, they weren''t particularly effective in combat, which explained her lower level. However, Sophie was personally appointed by Alex as the head of logistics, and she wasn''t required to fight on the battlefield, so it didn''t matter much. The undead empire could now be considered a true Emperor level faction. With Garethor''s strength, they could face any Emperor level force without fear. Therefore, the undead empire''s current priority was to recover their strength. "We suffered heavy losses in this battle, losing nearly a million undead. Our King level combat power has also been almost completely wiped out. During this ceasefire, let''s focus on the Sea Race invasion on the Arsen continent. This will allow us to quickly recover our strength." Xiao Hui addressed the group. This was currently their best course of action. Now, they could only hope that the Sea Race would step up their game and deploy some King level troops. "Drake, you and Ice Cream will be in charge of matters on the Mossvale continent. Be bold in your military endeavors. With Garethor backing us up, we have nothing to fear from ordinary Emperor level factions." "Understood." Drake nodded. With Ice Cream joining them and Garethor as their shield, he felt a surge of confidence. "As for the troublesome Zarvox, I''ll leave him to you, Garethor." Xiao Hui turned to Garethor, who stood up and nodded slightly. "Rest assured." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 378: Satans situation And so, a few peaceful days passed.Since the ceasefire between the undead empire and the Beastman Empire, everyone had settled back into their routines. Sophie resumed her research, the other Race Kings continued their conquests and leveling up, while Xiao Hui and Garethor held down the fort at the undead Imperial Capital. Garethor would occasionally venture out for a few days, but he couldn''t find any trace of Zarvox. He had no idea where the injured King Ghoul had gone into hiding. One thing was certain: Zarvox hadn''t left the Eldoria continent. Whether he had sought refuge in the south was unclear. Meanwhile, news of the Sea Race invasion of the Arsen continent had reached the major factions, sending shockwaves through them. This information came courtesy of the Liberty Church. However, the Arsen continent was essentially a lawless land. Apart from the Holy Court and the Humans, no other faction was willing to intervene. The land races, who had always been wary of the Sea Race, were now acting strangely. They remained silent, as if the matter had nothing to do with them. However, this collective indifference presented an opportunity for the undead. Near the southwestern border of Gemini City on the Arsen continent, Xiao Mu led the Undead and the Light Titans in a relentless slaughter against the invading Sea Race. Similarly, the fallen angels'' city was also under the control of the undead. In a single day, the undead ranks could swell by nearly a million, further bolstered by fusion technology. Although the overall number of undead didn''t increase significantly, the number of King level undead was rapidly recovering. Xiao Hui sat in a room within the castle, her eyes fixed on the system leaderboard. Less than a month remained until the Hundred Kingdoms War event. Currently, fewer than twenty kingdoms had been established by other lords. The difficulty of establishing a kingdom had forced many lords to become Freelancers. Time was running out. The most challenging aspect of establishing a kingdom wasn''t conquering races but reaching King level. Xiao Hui had instructed Sophie to inform the bishops to recruit as many Freelancers as possible during this time. This would not only allow them to join the Liberty Church for protection but also expand the undead empire''s intelligence network. Meanwhile, on the Valoria continent, within the endless abyss. Satan wasn''t having a good time either. The Holy Court and the Titan Race were planning to wage war against the Demon race. Their troops were closing in, and his territory was in danger of being discovered. The Demon race, despite being the dominant force on Valoria, was in a state of disarray. Although individually powerful, they lacked unity, resulting in a lack of true leadership. Their meetings were filled with insults and bickering, barely distinguishable from brawls. As the Holy Court and the Titans advanced, the Demon race was gradually converging towards Satan''s territory. Minor skirmishes between them were escalating, threatening to erupt into full-scale war. Based on Satan''s calculations, the epicenter of their conflict was likely to be near the endless abyss! This was his biggest headache. He was desperately trying to figure out how to escape this place. Suddenly, the Portal of Transit flared with an orange-red light, catching Satan''s attention. "What brings you here?" He was in a foul mood, his voice cold as he addressed the newcomer. "Just passing through." "Suit yourself." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan turned away, dismissing the visitor. However, a thought struck him, and he turned back. "Has Alex returned?" "Still no news." Sophie shook her head. Torin, standing beside her, went unnoticed by Satan. Seeing him ignore her, Sophie quickly approached. "Hey, don''t just walk away! I have questions for you!" "What is it?" ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? Satan turned back, tilting his head as he looked at her. "Tell me about your progress on the Valoria continent, the distribution of factions, that sort of thing." Sophie didn''t mince words. She followed him into the hall and plopped down on a chair. "You want to establish a stronghold on the Valoria continent?" Satan instantly grasped her intentions. "That''s right. We were at war with the Beastman Empire. We suffered heavy losses and need to recover our strength." Sophie didn''t hide anything. This wasn''t their first encounter, and she was somewhat familiar with Satan''s eccentric personality. However, she notice that he seemed more subdued than usual. "Alright, I''ll tell you what I know." It was a small favor to ask. Satan sat down beside her and began his narration. Half an hour later, Satan had shared everything he knew about the current situation on the Valoria continent. "Your situation is even worse than we imagined!" Sophie was surprised. It seemed that Satan, who appeared to be the most stable of the three, was also facing a major crisis. "Tell me about it." Satan sighed. He wanted to relocate his kingdom, but the entire Valoria continent was on edge. Any disturbance could attract the attention of those troublesome demons. "So what are you going to do?" "What else can I do? Leave it to fate." Satan rolled his eyes at Sophie. Her question was pointless. His options were limited: relocate his kingdom, leave the Valoria continent, become a Freelancer, or abandon his kingdom altogether. If he were as strong as Alex, he would have confronted those demons head-on. "But this is just the current situation. If they actually start fighting, they won''t have time to worry about other areas. This could be an opportunity." Sophie, drawing from the undead empire''s experience, offered her analysis of the situation, which gave Satan a glimmer of hope. "You''re right! If they start fighting, I can take the opportunity to expand elsewhere. They won''t have time to bother with me!" Satan realized he had been trapped in a negative mindset. He had always felt that his King level strength was too weak. However, in times of war, the enemy wouldn''t necessarily deploy their strongest forces from the outset. "It''s a shame you don''t have a map of the Valoria continent. I suggest you develop near the border. I can help you conceal your city''s presence. That way, you won''t have to worry. Even if they do fight, it''ll likely be in the upper abyss. They won''t notice anything down below." Sophie''s solution was, of course, the concealment magic circle developed by the alchemy warlocks. "Thanks. You seem to have become even more beautiful than before, especially your breasts. It''s so big and round, like two ripe papayas." Satan''s worries had eased somewhat thanks to Sophie''s analysis. "Thank you, but I suggest you refrain from such comments in the future. If you can''t compliment someone properly, don''t bother." Sophie rolled her eyes at Satan and departed with Torin. Yesterday, she had finally reached King level, becoming the one who had spent the longest time at lv9 Monarch among the group. She could now establish a vassal kingdom. They already had Gemini City on the Arsen continent, so after some discussion, they decided to build this vassal kingdom on the Valoria continent. This would provide the undead empire with another avenue for expansion. With Zarvox no longer a threat, they had nothing to worry about in that regard. Before leaving, Sophie informed Xiao Hui, requesting a few alchemy warlocks to assist Satan with the concealment magic circle. She and Torin then set off towards the opposite side of the endless abyss. Her goal was to establish the vassal kingdom near the border of the Valoria continent. She would likely spend the next few days traveling. Chapter 379: Clouds disperse, and sunlight shines on the Eldoria continent Arsen ContinentThe scorching sun blazed overhead, and the sea breeze carried a pungent, fishy odor. The ocean had calmed, no longer churning with monstrous waves, but its waters were now murky, tainted with something unknown. Atop the cliff, the corpses of Sea Race creatures were piled high, forming a grotesque wall that towered over the ramparts of the fallen angels'' city. The endless hordes of the undead started converging, gathering within the city before teleporting back to their designated locations. Only a contingent of high-level undead remained, led by Arthas and the six other race kings. Although the Monarch level undead had suffered some losses, Arthas had resurrected most of them. It could be said that they had sustained almost zero casualties above Monarch level. These were extraordinary times, and Arthas was unwilling to lose even a single Monarch level undead. During the fusion process, a single Monarch undead was worth over a thousand Standard level undead. The skies cleared, and the Sea Race assault had subsided. Lilith breathed a sigh of relief. At least for now, her kingdom was safe. However, Death Spirit had a nagging feeling that this wasn''t the end, or perhaps not as simple as they had initially thought. The Sea Race had deployed millions of lesser troops to invade the land. Surely, they hadn''t done so just to die? Lilith had also considered this, but what could she do? She was currently preoccupied with cleaning up the stench of rotting Sea Race corpses. "Be prepared to evacuate at any moment." Death Spirit materialized before Lilith, its voice abrupt. "I understand. I''ve already made preparations. I won''t die here, especially not at the hands of these stinking fish." Lilith was surprised by the undead''s intelligence. They had also anticipated this possibility. "Has there been any response from the humans or the Holy Court?" Arthas inquired curiously, addressing Death Spirit. Even if they were located in the center of the continent, they should have received news of the Sea Race invasion by now. Why had they remained silent? Death Spirit paused, its clone within the undead empire relaying the question to Xiao Hui, who then used the system to contact Sophie, who was far away on the Valoria continent. This back-and-forth communication took some time. Finally, Death Spirit spoke. "The ordinary citizens of the Southridge Republic are completely unaware of the Sea Race invasion." The other race kings were stunned, and even Lilith looked surprised. "The Mage Guild must be suppressing the information. It would cause widespread panic." This explanation seemed plausible, but Death Spirit pondered the situation further. Something felt amiss. There might be another possibility. "Perhaps the Mage Guild has been cut off from information." "Why would you say that?" Lilith couldn''t believe that the mighty Mage Guild would be unaware of such a significant event. Death Spirit explained its reasoning. Although the Sea Race invasion was massive, the highest-level creatures they had deployed were only Monarch level. Did this truly pose a threat to the Mage Guild, with its Emperor level and even Sovereign level members? The power dynamics on the Arsen continent were clear. Apart from the undead, the only other major faction was the Holy Court and its affiliated races. If they intended to target the Mage Guild, they could easily isolate the Southridge Republic, located in the center of the continent. Would the elves and giants inform the Mage Guild? Lilith was taken aback. Had the undead unknowingly become the third major faction on the Arsen continent? "If that''s the case, why didn''t you inform the humans?" But then she realized the folly of her question. The Sea Race had retreated. Informing the humans now would only expose the fallen angel kingdom, bringing trouble upon herself. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "I understand." Lilith''s face grew serious. She had a feeling they might be caught in a grand conspiracy. "It all depends on the Sea Race''s next move. Their invasion was likely aimed at securing control of the Arsen continent''s coastline, but they didn''t anticipate encountering us." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Death Spirit remained expressionless, as if the matter was of no concern to it. "Death Spirit, report this information to Xiao Hui and have the others prepare." Crane, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. Their forces on the Arsen continent weren''t limited to Lilith''s kingdom. There was also the dwarf city, which hadn''t yet been relocated, and the Light Titan kingdom. With the Sea Race invasion quelled, the seven race kings were gradually withdrawing the main undead force back to the undead empire. Given the undead''s expansion capabilities, leaving a few King level necromancers behind was enough to quickly raise a new army. "Now that the fighting has ceased, we shall return to the undead empire. Leaving a few King level undead here will be sufficient to assist you in repelling any future Sea Race incursions." Arthas stepped forward, addressing Lilith. "Thank you for your assistance." Lilith responded with gratitude. "The remaining elves and giants no longer pose a threat. If you need to quickly regain your strength, you could target them." John offered a suggestion before departing. "Thank you." Lilith watched as the six race kings left the fallen angel kingdom, leaving behind only Death Spirit''s clone and a few King level undead. On the Eldoria continent, within the undead empire. Xiao Hui had already informed Xiao Mu and Sophie of the situation. Their kingdoms were located inland, giving them ample time to react if their suspicions proved true. The undead currently controlled nearly one-sixth of the Eldoria continent and less than one-third of the Arsen continent. They were reluctant to abandon these territories unless absolutely necessary. "Garethor, what is the relationship between the Holy Court, the angels, and the Sea Race?" Xiao Hui suspected that this was all part of the Holy Court''s machinations. She was unfamiliar with the intricacies of these major factions and could only seek answers from Garethor. "The Sea Race? They''ve always kept to themselves. In my memory, they''ve never collaborated with other races. Besides, most land races despise those sea creatures." Garethor''s explanation only deepened Xiao Hui''s confusion. Could it be that the Holy Court wasn''t involved after all? As they continued their discussion in the hall, a beam of sunlight suddenly pierced through the open doorway, illuminating the interior. "How is there sunlight?" Xiao Hui immediately stepped out of the hall and looked up at the sky. A tunnel had appeared amidst the perpetually overcast sky, as if pierced by the sun''s rays, allowing sunlight to reach the ground. This beam of sunlight fell directly upon the palace. "What''s going on?" Xiao Hui turned to Garethor, who had followed her out. Sunlight on the Eldoria continent?! "The clouds disperse, dawn illuminates the land, and the Eldoria continent shall be reborn!" Garethor gazed at the sunlight, his voice filled with excitement. Chapter 380: Its time to go back Twenty-three days flew by. Since Xiao Hui had first noticed the change in the sky, the perpetual gloom had begun to recede.Massive gaps in the cloud cover expanded rapidly, merging with others, allowing sunlight to gradually bathe the land. Even the vegetation surrounding the Dark Forest was no longer so lifeless, slowly regaining its vibrancy. During this time, the undead empire had recovered its strength to pre-war levels. The Sea Race had gone quiet. While they periodically culled their weaker members, this recent invasion was clearly not a simple matter of population control. Zarvox remained elusive, as if he had vanished into thin air. Logically, he couldn''t have known about Garethor''s arrival. Once his injuries healed, he should have returned to the Dark Forest. Everyone had enjoyed a period of relative peace. The Beastman Empire, cowed by the dragon race''s warning, had become more restrained. They tacitly accepted the undead''s expansion. Without the Beastmen''s interference, the surrounding minor races were no match for the undead empire. However, these were all small races, offering little value to the undead empire''s development. Sophie had secretly established a dwarf kingdom in a remote region of the Valoria continent, and the undead''s progress there was well underway. Furthermore, the undead empire had developed fusion techniques for zombies, Death Knights, and gargoyles, further enhancing their strength. Sophie, with the assistance of Arthas, had perfected the zombie fusion. By reconstructing the flesh and merging soul fires, they could create a King level Roaring Zombie. Death Knight fusion was achieved with the help of Garethor. The King level Flame Knights now wielded hellfire, the same type of flame used by Garethor. The fusion concept involved separating the human and horse into two distinct entities. They had also discovered a way to fuse zombies and Death Knights, two completely different troop types. This new troop type was named the [Fearless Warrior]. It possessed the characteristics of both zombies and Death Knights, boasting greater combat power and a level cap of Emperor level! However, despite their best efforts, Sophie and the others couldn''t directly fuse a Fearless Warrior at the Sovereign level cap. They suspected they were missing something, or perhaps a King level Fearless Warrior needed to level up to reach Sovereign level. This project was still ongoing. With the Fearless Warrior serving as a template, they successfully cracked the gargoyle fusion puzzle. The fused gargoyle''s level cap was raised to Emperor level. The new gargoyle was significantly larger, retaining its magic immunity and gaining the ability to reflect magic. As for troop types with an inherent Emperor level cap, after much discussion, they decided that fusion was unnecessary. Their current focus was on enhancing the undead empire''s lower-level forces. Thanks to these technological advancements, the five million strong undead army was reduced by 70%, resulting in the creation of over a dozen new King level undead. Although everyone had advised Sophie to abandon her research on Sovereign level cap troop fusion, she remained persistent. The Light Titan, the Rock Dragon, and the death angel all had a level cap of Sovereign level. She wanted Alex''s troops to have a Sovereign level cap troop type as well. This was her motivation, a goal she had never shared with anyone but held close to her heart. There were quite a few Emperor level cap undead troop types: bone dragons, zombie titans, Reaper Guards, Destroyers, ghost dragons, liches, and so on. Among these, she, like Alex before her, believed that the bone dragon was the best candidate for fusion. However, even Alex had failed, so Sophie''s chances of success were slim. She explored several other research avenues, but they all ended in failure. She concluded that fusing Sovereign level cap troops was simply too difficult, or perhaps her own strength was insufficient, and she hadn''t found the right method. Then, one day, inspiration struck, and she stumbled upon a new research direction. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? She attempted to fuse a zombie and a Death Knight. Although it didn''t result in any improvement and cost her a zombie, the scientific value was invaluable. It proved that cross-race fusion was possible. If zombies and Death Knights could be fused, what about bone dragons and ghost dragons? Both were dragons, making them seemingly compatible. Excited by this discovery, Sophie immediately began her research. Soon, she made some progress, but significant challenges remained. Fusing these two creatures was incredibly difficult, far beyond her current capabilities. However, Sophie was confident that she was on the right track. She immersed herself in her research, rarely leaving her lab within the city. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Hui knew that Sophie wanted to surprise Alex, but she was also concerned about Sophie overworking herself to the point of mental exhaustion. However, Sophie''s approach was sound. Developing undead fusion technology was a viable way to enhance their combat power, especially when the undead empire faced developmental bottlenecks. And so, the undead empire, like the other races on the Eldoria continent, entered a period of tranquility, quietly biding their time. Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. Since the undead empire''s location had been exposed in the north of the Eldoria continent, they hadn''t encountered any trouble. The anticipated Angel race attack never materialized. Night fell. Today marked the hundredth day of the Hundred Kingdoms War event. Although scattered across different continents, Xiao Hui and the others were closely monitoring the event''s progress. One hundred kingdoms to be established in one hundred days. This meant that at least one hundred lords had to reach King level. It was the final night of the event, but only fifty-two kingdoms had been successfully established. They were far from reaching the target of one hundred. The World Chat was abuzz with activity as the event''s end drew near. However, white names now dominated the chat, accounting for over ninety percent. Most lords had chosen to become Freelancers instead of establishing kingdoms. No one dared to gamble on reaching King level, let alone securing a spot among the top one hundred kingdoms. Judging by the current activity in the chat, the number of surviving lords was likely less than one in fifty thousand. Everyone was now waiting for midnight, eager to see what new event the system would introduce after the Hundred Kingdoms War concluded. Time: 00:00 AM [Congratulations to all lords who have achieved the goal of establishing a kingdom. You are true heroes!] [Event Reward: All kings receive an unlimited level +1 (vassal kingdoms are not ranked and do not receive rewards).] [Now, the fifty-two kings shall embark on their final trial. Establish your divine kingdoms, ascend to godhood, and stand atop all races!] [Event Description: You are all heroes, possessing the potential for godhood. Each continent has a core of will. Conquer it, and you shall establish your divine kingdom!] [Event Duration: Indefinite] [Good luck to you all. We eagerly await your ascension to godhood!] The next day, on the other side, within the Cliffside Mountain Cave. Alex''s figure suddenly materialized within the cave. Two desiccated corpses slowly stirred, having stood guard all this time. The first thing Alex did was to open the system dashboard. "It''s been over two months. It''s time to go back." Chapter 381: Welcome back, Queen Alex was overwhelmed by the influx of information from the past two months, feeling as if she had stepped into a different world.She turned and prayed respectfully towards the shattered tombstone. "Thank you for your guidance. May your soul rest in peace." ... "Welcome back, Queen!" The two necromancers seemed excited to finally see Alex again. They didn''t inquire about what had transpired during her absence, nor was it their place to do so. They had simply remained here, steadfast in their loyalty. "You''ve worked hard. Return to the undead empire with me." Alex nodded in acknowledgment. Although she had been out of contact, Xiao Hui had kept her informed of all major events. These reports, along with system notifications, were the only messages she had received during her absence. Therefore, Alex had some understanding of the changes that had occurred within the undead empire. Stepping out of the cave, she was momentarily blinded by the sunlight. Having spent so long in darkness, she was unaccustomed to the brightness. "Is that sunlight? The sky is clear on the Eldoria continent..." Alex quickly adjusted to the light and looked up at the sky. It was a cloudless, azure expanse, the air fresh and invigorating. Even the ocean seemed more inviting. She didn''t know why the sky had cleared on the Eldoria continent, but if the perpetual gloom was connected to the previous undead lord, then its disappearance was likely related as well. Alex didn''t bother concealing her presence. She didn''t even wear her mage robe. With her current strength, she no longer needed the guise of an Honorary Mage. It was time for the undead empire to reveal itself to the world. The patrolling angels had long since departed. Alex, accompanied by the two necromancers, traveled to the southern coast and erected an undead fortress. She then summoned the dozen or so Reaper Guards she had left behind in Tomb City, sending them to the undead empire along with the necromancers. As for herself, she returned to Tomb City alone. Upon arriving, she noticed that the city was more populated than before, clearly with newly recruited Freelancers. Under M''s leadership, they had remained well-hidden, evading detection by the Starfallen Empire. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You''ve arrived!" The five bishops spoke respectfully. Alex nodded in acknowledgment and proceeded towards the Liberty Church''s underground headquarters. She quickly caught up on the events of the past three months, gaining a basic understanding of the current situation. "All the factions have been eerily quiet lately. It feels like the calm before the storm." Alex murmured as she reviewed the reports. "I''ve gathered some information about the era. It''s highly sensitive, so I chose to keep it confidential until now." Selene entered the room, approaching Alex from behind, her voice soft. "Tell me more." Alex turned, her interest piqued. "The initial phase of each era is known as the Chaotic Era. I was too weak to know this before, but it''s said that within the first hundred years of a new era, a great war will erupt between the races, determining the dominant race for that era. This might explain their recent silence." Selene met Alex''s gaze, her voice calm, as if the matter didn''t concern her. "The era crisis, I see." Alex pondered for a moment. "By the way, I can now build Dream Race crystals, which can help you restore your race." This was a reward she had received when Selene pledged her allegiance. Since she hadn''t returned to the Undead Empire, she had kept the Auxiliary Barrack of the Dream Race with her. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "Really? That''s wonderful!" Selene''s face lit up with genuine joy. Nothing brought her greater happiness than the prospect of restoring her race. "It''s a small matter. The Liberty Church relies on your support. Once I return to the undead empire, I might launch a larger-scale war. The entire world will know of the undead race''s existence. You should remain here for now." Selene understood Alex''s intentions. Her combat abilities were limited, and it would be too dangerous for her to return to the undead empire. Moreover, she was the heart and soul of the Liberty Church. The bishops relied on her leadership and guidance. "Then I shall take my leave." Alex rose to her feet, bidding farewell to Selene before vanishing in an instant. As she journeyed back to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex pondered the system''s update announcement. After learning of the information revealed by the previous undead lord, she found the system increasingly suspicious. "Establish a divine kingdom, achieve godhood, huh." Alex scoffed. The concept of a divine kingdom was a lie, a mere trick employed by pseudo-gods. Divine kingdoms were nothing more than tools for gathering faith power. Conquering the will of a continent was essentially a way to siphon power from the planet Astralon''s World''s Heart. This confirmed what the previous undead lord had said. The system was trying to weaken the unconscious World''s Heart, perhaps even replace it entirely. Although the system hadn''t explicitly stated that this was the final event, Alex had a feeling that it was. While it differed slightly from the final event described by the five members of the Liberty Church, this only meant that the current system was more cunning. Alex had no intention of establishing a divine kingdom. She had already built an empire, and she wouldn''t become a pawn in the system''s game against the World''s Heart. The system had only presented one path to godhood. For lords who hadn''t dabbled in empire building, this was their only option. As for godhood? It was nothing more than a tempting illusion offered by the system. Last night''s announcement had ignited the passions of all lords and Freelancers. The surviving lords were ecstatic, while the Freelancers were filled with regret. Establishing a kingdom meant the possibility of achieving godhood, driving everyone into a frenzy. A new wave of Freelancers seeking to pledge allegiance to lords emerged. Based on Xiao Hui''s reports, Alex suspected that the Sea Race''s planned actions were also connected to the era crisis. Even the Angel race, who had always harbored deep animosity towards the undead, had adopted a wait-and-see approach after learning of the undead empire''s existence. Everything seemed out of the ordinary. The Holy Court''s internal strife, the Angel race''s observation, the Sea Race''s strange behavior, the dragon race''s alliance request, and the friction between the two powerful factions on the Valoria continent... Given the demons'' fiery tempers, the Valoria continent should have erupted into war by now. However, so far, the Valoria continent has not erupted into any war. Lost in thought, Alex arrived at the depths of the Dark Forest. As she stepped through the gates of the undead Imperial Capital, Garethor appeared before her. He removed his hat with his right hand, placing it over his heart, his expression filled with unprecedented respect. "My name is Garethor, one of the seven former race kings of the undead, at your service, Queen. I pledge my unwavering loyalty to your will." Chapter 382: She was her own god Garethor, Torin, Zarvox - these three names represented the Death Knight, the Necromancer, and the Ghoul respectively. They were former subordinates of the previous undead lord, and Alex was well aware of their existence.Alex wasn''t surprised to see Garethor. He was the highest-level being in the city, so it was only natural that he would be the first to sense her return. Alex accepted Garethor''s pledge of allegiance. The moment she did, Garethor regained his status as a race king, his level cap rising from Sovereign level back to Divine. Both Garethor and Torin had contributed significantly to the undead empire, and Alex intended to reward them accordingly. "Thank you for your grace, Queen." Garethor expressed his gratitude once more. His appearance was indistinguishable from that of a normal human. Although undead, his state of being, like Alex and Xiao Hui, was that of a living person. "Let''s go. I''ve heard that Torin is severely injured. I''d like to examine him. Perhaps I can help." As for the Zarvox, Alex would deal with him later. Upon entering the main hall, she saw only a few dark elves and Xiao Hui, sitting alone on a chair. The other race kings were nowhere to be seen. The moment Xiao Hui saw Alex, her eyes widened in disbelief, quickly replaced by joy. She rushed towards Alex, throwing her arms around the girl. "Miss Alex, you''re finally back!" Xiao Hui''s voice trembled with relief. "You''ve worked hard during my absence. You''ve managed the undead empire well." Alex gently patted Xiao Hui''s back, knowing how much she must have endured. "It''s nothing. As long as you''re safe, that''s all that matters." Xiao Hui''s face was radiant with joy. She now understood the immense burden of managing a vast undead empire, navigating the complexities of external relations, and attending to countless tasks. Yet, Alex had never complained, always maintaining a cheerful facade, as if it were all effortless. Xiao Hui quickly opened the system and notified everyone. The undead empire wasn''t currently in a critical phase, so everyone was relatively free. "Alex, you''re finally back! Where have you been all this time?" Ruby was the first to arrive, having rushed down from her room upstairs upon hearing the commotion. "I was out exploring. Don''t worry, I''m back now, and the Beastman Empire will pay for what they''ve done." Alex now wielded multiple spheres (Powers of Laws). She had undergone significant changes during her absence and was supremely confident in her current strength. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, Sophie, who had been engrossed in her research, also arrived at the palace, eager to see Alex after so long. She had so much to say, but the words caught in her throat. In the end, she could only manage a simple, "Big Shot, you''re back." "Yes." Alex nodded. Sophie hurried to the kitchen and returned with a plate of donuts. "Big Shot, try these. I made them with the dwarves when I had some free time." She smiled gently and sat down beside Alex. Soon, the other race kings, along with Xiao Mu and Drake, returned to the undead Imperial Capital. "Welcome back, Great Queen!" The other race kings paid their respects. The men, less expressive, said little, but their faces were filled with joy. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "I''am Torin, one of the former race kings of the Undead Lord, at your service, great Queen." Torin, looking frail, finally met Alex two months after arriving at the undead Imperial Capital. His current state was concerning. His level had dropped to lv8 King level. "There''s no need for formalities. I''ve seen all that you''ve done, and I won''t forget your contributions." As Alex accepted Torin''s pledge of allegiance, his level cap was raised to Divine, but his injuries remained. Alex rose to examine Torin''s wounds. Although she possessed healing abilities and the power to repair souls, these transformed undead had unique properties, and she couldn''t treat them all the same way. If it were simply a matter of physical and soul injuries, she could heal them in an instant. However, Torin''s primal power was damaged. Primal power, also known as Undead Quintessence, was the core essence of a necromancer. Everyone remained silent, watching as Alex examined Torin''s injuries. They assumed that it would be a simple matter for the undead lord to heal a subordinate race king. After a while, Alex turned to Torin, a thoughtful expression on her face. She wasn''t entirely sure of the method, and she needed to experiment. "I have two ideas, but they''re just guesses." Alex extended her right hand, palm up, and a ball of undead energy materialized above it. "Absorb this. It might alleviate your injuries, but you weren''t transformed by me, so I''m not sure if it will completely heal you." Torin sensed the potent energy emanating from the ball. It might indeed help repair some of his core essence damage. He didn''t hesitate to absorb it. As an undead, the process was swift and painless. In that instant, Torin''s level surged, reaching lv3 Emperor level. "My primal power injuries are completely healed!" Alex observed the changes within Torin. He had two sets of injuries. The other set was at least a century old, inflicted by an angel''s holy light. Those would be much harder to heal. "I see. The second method won''t work on your current injuries." Alex was certain of this because she had initially planned to kill Zarvox and have Torin absorb his primal power. Extracting primal power from an undead was child''s play for her, but healing it was proving to be a challenge. Alex thought of the last, and only, way to heal Torin''s injuries: faith power. This was something only she could control within the undead empire. Fortunately, Alex didn''t currently need faith power. She was grateful for her good fortune. If she hadn''t left the undead empire and had chosen to engage in war with the Beastman Empire, she would have been forced to use faith power, which would have hindered her future ascension to godhood. Alex had no desire to become a pseudo-god, nor did she need anyone''s faith. She was her own god. "There''s no rush. I''ve thought of a solution. Everyone, please take a seat. I''ll outline our next steps." Alex wasn''t in a hurry to heal Torin''s injuries. She had been absent for a long time and needed to hold a meeting first. Everyone quickly took their seats. This time, the massive round table was fully occupied, all eyes fixed on the beautiful face at the head of the table. They waited patiently for Alex to speak. Her opening words, however, took them all by surprise. Chapter 383: Alexs plan "I want to announce something," Alex declared, her voice ringing with authority. "The undead empire is declaring war on the Beastman Empire!"A stunned silence fell over the room. No one had expected Alex''s first order of business to be another war against the Beastman Empire. However, despite their surprise, no one voiced any objections. They simply waited for Alex to elaborate. Such was their unwavering trust in Alex. If it had been Xiao Hui making this declaration, the others would have surely protested. "But before that, we need to deal with the troublesome Zarvox. Garethor, what do you think is the difference between Emperor level and first-stage Sovereign level?" Alex turned to Garethor, the highest-level being present. All eyes followed her gaze. With this single question, Garethor understood Alex''s intentions. He smiled and replied, "As everyone knows, Sovereign level is divided into three stages, each with a significant power gap. However, first-stage Sovereign level isn''t actually that different from Emperor level." Garethor''s words only deepened the confusion. How could Sovereign level and Emperor level be similar? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Reaching Emperor level means mastering a sphere. Perfecting that sphere allows one to ascend to Sovereign level, specifically the first stage. Therefore, the main difference between the two lies in the degree of mastery over one''s sphere." Of course, there were also significant differences in attributes, but at this level, who would engage in simple brute force combat? "Garethor is right. Do you all understand now?" Alex nodded, her gaze sweeping across the room. Although still puzzled, everyone grasped the essence of Garethor''s explanation. In other words, the Beastman Empire''s Sovereign level beings were only at the first stage. With Alex''s current strength, she wasn''t afraid of them. "Now, let me explain the era crisis. After hearing this, you''ll understand why I''m declaring war on the Beastman Empire." Alex concisely shared her knowledge about planet Astralon and the Eldoria continent. It was clear that she had acquired a vast amount of information during her absence. As for her own level increase, it was entirely due to the experience points gained from her troops slaying enemies. If the undead empire had remained idle for the past three months, her level wouldn''t have changed. Well, the system reward would have granted her one level, but that was it. Therefore, the undead''s constant fighting provided Alex with a massive amount of experience points, significantly boosting her level. Alex was pleased. Everyone had done an excellent job. "Queen, if I''m not mistaken, this is only the first year of the Chaotic Era. How are the other races already prepared?" Only Garethor and Torin had some understanding of this matter. "That''s a misconception. Although the system has set a time limit of one hundred years, why wait until the very end?" Alex''s words left the two race kings speechless. If they couldn''t overthrow the current era''s dominant race, they could only wait for the era to end and prepare to compete for dominance in the next era. However, Alex felt that there was more to it than that. Could a race only rule for a single era? Was this a system rule? Nonsense. It was definitely connected to the World''s Heart. Throughout the history of planet Astralon, every era''s dominant race had been overthrown by a coalition of other races towards the end of their reign. Except for the Angel race. They had ruled until the very end of their era, their strength growing at an alarming rate, far exceeding everyone''s expectations. If the Angel race had wanted to rule for a second era, a coalition of all other races could have stopped them, but it would have resulted in a catastrophic war that would have engulfed the entire planet. Yet, nothing of the sort had happened. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? In the end, the Angel race had voluntarily relinquished their dominance. Alex didn''t believe there wasn''t something fishy going on. "So, you''re saying that the current peace among the races is a sign that the era crisis is imminent, a war that will engulf all seven continents!" Although Xiao Mu spoke calmly, his expression betrayed his shock. The others were equally stunned. They hadn''t expected Alex''s return to bring such alarming news. "Therefore, we must seize every opportunity to grow stronger. Otherwise, when the era crisis arrives, we''ll be defenseless." Alex''s words were heavy with gravity. While other lords were still reveling in the joy of establishing their kingdoms, Alex and her companions were already preparing for the upcoming challenges. Although it was called the era crisis, there was no set time for its arrival. All the major races were likely waiting for someone to make the first move. Perhaps one day, a sudden action by the Angel race would ignite the entire planet, dragging all races into a war for era dominance. But no one knew when they would strike, nor how much time remained. It could be ninety-nine years, or it could be tomorrow. Therefore, their current priority was to become stronger. The system''s plan to have lords conquer the continents'' cores of will was a pipe dream. This might be the unconscious World''s Heart''s countermeasure against the system, initiating the race war prematurely, denying those lords a hundred years of development. Forget a hundred years, with the system''s assistance, those lords could become major factions on the seven continents within a decade. Alex, however, had no intention of becoming a puppet of the system. She wouldn''t establish a divine kingdom, nor would she devour a continent''s core of will. These things had nothing to do with her own path to godhood. Alex had her own plans and ambitions. "Garethor, Ice Cream, you need to focus on increasing your strength. The battles ahead will be difficult. We''ll be facing Emperor level and even Sovereign level factions." The undead empire''s high-end combat power was still insufficient. Even in their current state, Alex wasn''t sure of their chances against the Beastman Empire. After all, although she understood Sovereign level, she had never actually fought against one. Another limiting factor was that Alex hadn''t yet mastered the ability to summon Emperor level undead. Her previous tactics were no longer as effective. Losing even a single high-level combatant would be a major blow. Although the death angel could summon Sovereign level beings, after the enhancement, summoning a Sovereign level death angel was incredibly difficult, requiring the death of two Sovereign level angels. This was currently impossible for the undead empire, let alone killing two Sovereign level angels. The Rock Dragon and the Light Titan were also out of the question. They weren''t undead. Relying on the barracks'' natural growth rate was far too slow. After a moment of contemplation, Alex continued issuing her orders. "I''ve already established an undead fortress in the south of the Eldoria continent. The Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City are also our targets. Torin, you''ll be in charge of this operation. Discreetly eliminate the surrounding minor races. Be cautious and avoid detection by the Angel race." Alex turned to Torin, who was more familiar with the terrain there than anyone else. "I''ll heal your injuries before you depart. As for Garethor, you''ll accompany Drake and Ice Cream to the Mossvale continent." With Alex now back in the undead empire, it would be a waste to keep Garethor, their strongest combatant, idle. "We stand ready to obey, Queen." Chapter 384: Absorb the power of faith The meeting concluded, and Alex had assigned tasks to everyone. They were going to war with the Beastman Empire, so thorough preparations were essential.Alex rose from her seat, motioning for the others to follow her. They walked out of the hall and into the plaza, where she stopped. "There are three paths to godhood," she began, her back to the group. "But the world only knows of two, or perhaps just one. That one is what the system has told us: establish a divine kingdom and conquer the continent''s core of will." Alex continued, her voice low. This information was top secret. Even Torin and Garethor only knew bits and pieces, but she had no intention of delving deeper into the topic. Apart from Drake, Xiao Mu, Ice Cream, and Ruby, everyone else present had a level cap of pseudo-god. They couldn''t become true gods, so there was no point in discussing it further. As for the four of them, it wasn''t that they had the potential to become true gods. On the contrary, even achieving pseudo-godhood would be a challenge for them. Relying solely on faith power and the dragon race''s treasure wouldn''t suffice. If it were that simple, every dragon could become a pseudo-god, and other races would be scrambling to establish divine kingdoms. Garethor, sensing something profound, looked astonished. Torin, noticing his expression, instantly understood. "Could it be that our Queen intends to take the most difficult path?!" "Patience." Garethor and Torin whispered to each other, patiently awaiting Alex''s next move. Alex raised her hand, her fingers spread wide. The next moment, a surge of white energy coursed through the city, converging towards her palm. The energy emanating from the empire''s core crystal was particularly intense. "Faith power!" Garethor and Torin gasped. The others instantly understood as well. For a full half hour, all the faith power within the undead empire gathered in Alex''s hand. The amount of faith power generated over such a long period was staggering. A massive white sphere of energy represented the undead empire''s faith power. Beside it floated four smaller orbs of faith power. These represented Sophie''s dwarf kingdom, Drake''s Dragon kingdom, Xiao Mu''s Light Titan kingdom, and Ruby''s Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. All four were vassal kingdoms of the undead empire, their faith power naturally under Alex''s control. Alex could now manipulate everything she desired without relying on the system. This wasn''t just a testament to her increased strength but also proof that she was gradually breaking free from the system''s control. The four smaller orbs flew towards the four vassal kings. "Absorb it." Alex spoke calmly. "But doesn''t this allow one to rapidly increase their strength? Why aren''t you absorbing it yourself?" Xiao Hui was puzzled. Why was Alex giving this power to them? "The undead queen doesn''t need faith power." Garethor smiled, explaining to Xiao Hui. He saw a greater ambition in Alex''s eyes than he had ever seen in the previous undead lord. The others, hearing this, didn''t question further. They knew that Alex had her own plans. They immediately began to absorb the faith power. "Don''t rely on the system''s power. You must absorb it through your own comprehension." Alex reminded them. They trusted her unconditionally and followed her instructions. Absorbing through comprehension was significantly slower than with the system''s assistance. What could be accomplished in an instant might now take hours, even days. Alex then began to manipulate the largest white orb in her hand. It contained all the faith power of the undead empire, not just from the undead races but also from the other subjugated races. It was quite a mixed bag. She divided the faith power into equal portions, preparing to distribute them to her ten race kings. John (Skeleton King), Crane (Zombie King), Azure (Specter King), Arthur (Bone Dragon King), Riven (Ghost Dragon King), Arthas (Lich King), Garethor (Death Knight King), Torin (Necromancer King), and Xiao Hui (Death Angel King). Distributing the faith power to the nine race kings was straightforward. She simply gave them the faith power generated by their respective troops. Death Spirit, however, was a special case. It had no troops. Similarly, the Reaper Guards considered Alex their sole ruler. As for other troop types like zombie titans, Destroyers, and gargoyles, which didn''t yet have race kings, Alex had no intention of keeping their faith power. Although the remaining faith power was quite mixed, different troop strengths provided different levels of faith power, also influenced by their numbers. Therefore, the nine race kings wouldn''t receive equal portions. Alex decided to divide the remaining faith power equally among them, balancing out any discrepancies. For Alex, even another race king wouldn''t be of much help at this point. That was why she hadn''t kept any for herself. Soon, all the faith power was divided into nine equal portions and distributed to the nine race kings. A small amount remained in Alex''s hand. Everyone assumed she would give it to Death Spirit, but to their surprise, she simply released it, allowing it to return to the undead empire''s core crystal. They looked at Alex questioningly. She didn''t hide anything. "Death Spirit has no troops, so it can''t receive faith power. Forcing the faith power of other races upon it would only be a burden." Only Garethor and Torin exchanged knowing glances, as if they had guessed something. Death Spirit, of course, had no objections. It was absolutely loyal to Alex and would obey her every command without question. Besides, its role wasn''t combat-oriented. As the nine race kings began to absorb the faith power, they joined the four vassal kings in the plaza, surrounding Alex as they quietly absorbed the energy. The faith power was like a vast empire, with Alex as the supreme ruler and the race kings as her vassal kings, each commanding their own troops. By absorbing this faith power, their troops'' loyalty towards them would increase, but their primary allegiance would always be to the ruler of the undead empire. ???¦®§®???.?§°? The previous undead lord''s empire was a prime example. Upon his death, the empire had fractured. He had ordered the seven race kings to flee, but only three had managed to escape with their remaining forces. However, this wasn''t a concern for Alex. Everyone present had been tested and proven their unwavering loyalty to her. === The fusion process was quicker than Alex had anticipated. Garethor and Torin, being the highest-level, were the first to complete the integration of faith power, taking less than an hour. "Queen, my injuries are healed!" Torin reported respectfully. Alex nodded, unsurprised. She had expected this outcome. However, most of the faith power had been used to heal his injuries, resulting in only a minor level increase. By dusk, everyone had finished absorbing the faith power. Their faces were filled with excitement. They hadn''t expected faith power to boost their levels so significantly. Essentially, as long as faith existed, their power would endure. If one day, all their troops perished, they would no longer receive faith power, and the faith power they had absorbed would gradually dissipate. This could lead to a decline in level, or even a reduction in their level cap. However, as undead, as long as the race king survived, their lineage would never be severed. This limitation didn''t apply to them. "Is this faith power? It''s incredible! My troops now look at me as if I''m a god!" Xiao Hui exclaimed in awe. The others were also experiencing the transformative effects of faith power. The boost provided by faith power was in line with Alex''s expectations. Garethor''s level remained unchanged. This amount of faith power wasn''t enough to push him to lv9 Emperor. Torin, now fully healed, had regained his lv6 Emperor level strength. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruby was stuck at lv9 King level. She needed to comprehend a sphere to ascend to Emperor level, something she hadn''t achieved yet. Once she grasped the power of a sphere, she would break through. The remaining six race kings, along with Xiao Mu and Drake, had reached high-level King, still some distance from lv9, but it was a significant improvement nonetheless. Sophie had experienced the most dramatic increase, jumping from lv1 King level to lv5. This was understandable. She ruled the entire dwarf kingdom, the most populous race besides the undead. Therefore, she received the second largest amount of faith power, second only to the undead. It was no surprise that her level had soared to lv5 King level. Although Death Spirit didn''t receive a faith power boost, its experience points had long since overflowed. Like Ruby, it hadn''t yet comprehended a sphere, limiting it to lv9 King level. Alex was pleased to see everyone grow stronger. In the upcoming Chaotic Era, only the truly powerful would survive. Ice Cream suddenly stepped forward. He hadn''t absorbed any faith power and had been idle during the process. He extended his hand, revealing two round fragments emanating a potent icy aura. "Frost Heart?" Alex was surprised. She didn''t know what Ice Cream had been up to during his training, but he had managed to acquire two Frost Heart fragments. "My uncle gave me these fragments. He found one by chance many years ago, and the other he snatched from the Angel race." Ice Cream explained. Alex took the Frost Heart fragments and retrieved the remaining one from her warehouse. She pieced the three fragments together, forming almost half a circle. "If I gather all the fragments, can it help you become a true god?" Alex asked Ice Cream abruptly. Ice Cream was taken aback, unsure how to respond. He had assumed that Alex''s previous offer was just a casual remark, but her current tone was serious. "The remaining three fragments are in the hands of the Angel race, and the whereabouts of the last fragment are unknown. The Angel race is powerful. Even the entire dragon race isn''t confident in retrieving those fragments..." "Just answer my question." Alex cut him off, repeating her question. Ice Cream hesitated for a moment before replying solemnly, "Yes. The dragon race''s treasure has two abilities. One is to achieve pseudo-godhood through its power. The other is to merge with the treasure and become a true god. However, after the fusion, the treasure will disappear, and other members of the race will no longer be able to rely on its power." "Well, I''m the one who gathered these fragments. I should have the right to use them, shouldn''t I?" Alex weighed the three fragments in her hand, her gaze fixed on Ice Cream. "Of course. It was a gift to you. You have the right to use it as you see fit." This was part of their agreement. Ice Cream nodded in confirmation. "Very well. I will gather the Frost Heart and help you ascend to true godhood!" Alex pocketed the three fragments, her voice firm and unwavering. Ice Cream was stunned, speechless. True godhood? He hadn''t even dared to dream of such a thing. Even pseudo-godhood was beyond his reach. If he were to merge with the treasure and become a true god, he would be the new Dragon God, ruling over the entire dragon race! However, Alex''s motives were pure. She had never intended to use Ice Cream to control the dragon race. She was simply fulfilling her promise. "Everyone, it''s time to get to work. I hope that one day, I will lead you all to make the name of the undead a legend once more!" Alex spread her arms wide, her gaze fixed on the horizon. A terrifying aura erupted from her, sending a shiver through the Dark Forest. All the undead knelt before her, facing the plaza. "Eternal reign to the Queen! The Undead Empire shall endure!" Chapter 385: Death Dragon Everyone dispersed, resuming their duties as instructed by Alex.Xiao Hui, finally relieved of her administrative burdens, could now leave the undead Imperial Capital. She much preferred slaying enemies to managing the undead empire. Soon, only Alex and Sophie remained in the vast undead empire. "You''ve done an excellent job during my absence. Thank you for your hard work." Alex turned to Sophie, the woman who had been instrumental in her early development. They had, in a way, helped each other succeed. Without Sophie, Alex wouldn''t have progressed so quickly. Similarly, if Sophie hadn''t pledged allegiance to Alex, her corpse would likely have rotted away by now. "Big Shot, please don''t say that. It''s my duty. I know I don''t have extraordinary talent or powerful troops. This is all I can do." Sophie smiled sincerely. She was content with simply surviving in this world, and surviving well. "Come, let''s take a look at that new fusion technique. Your idea is quite intriguing. It might actually work." Alex led Sophie towards the outer city. She had already inspected the other fused undead troops, and the results were impressive. Transforming them into magic circles allowed the alchemy warlocks to deploy them anywhere, eliminating the need to return to the undead Imperial Capital for fusion. It was incredibly convenient. The previous fusion techniques hadn''t posed any significant challenges. However, when Alex saw the bone dragon and ghost dragon fusion technique, she paused. She could tell at a glance that this was beyond Sophie''s current capabilities. Yet, significant progress had been made. "Hehe, I wanted to surprise you, but my abilities are limited, so the research has been slow." Sophie chuckled sheepishly, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "It''s alright. You''ve done more than enough. I''ll help you complete the research." Alex observed the busy alchemy warlocks, a sense of appreciation washing over her. "Hey, hey, hey, it''s me helping you, Big Shot!" Sophie quickly corrected her. Alex, lost in thought, didn''t respond. Why choose such a difficult challenge? She could see that Sophie was trying to fuse a troop type with a Sovereign level cap. Her goal was to fill the gap in the undead''s high-end combat power. "Don''t worry. I can even create Divine bloodlines. A Sovereign level cap troop type is nothing." Alex was brimming with confidence. Although challenging, it wasn''t an insurmountable obstacle for her. For the next few days, the two of them immersed themselves in research within the city. The others were temporarily dispatched to various locations to continue slaying enemies and summoning undead, bolstering the undead empire''s strength. These newly summoned troops would then be sent back to the undead Imperial Capital for fusion, allowing them to rapidly produce more King level undead. Alex had also explained why they couldn''t directly fuse Emperor level undead. Mastering a sphere wasn''t something that could be achieved overnight. These fused undead, born with King level strength, needed time to adapt to their abilities, let alone comprehend a sphere. Sophie was slightly disappointed. She had initially hoped to mass-produce Emperor level undead. Alex chuckled. "Emperor level beings are true powerhouses. They''re not as common as apples in a supermarket." ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? The ratio of King level to Emperor level beings was roughly 1:50. A faction with at least fifty King level members might have one Emperor level being. As for Sovereign level, the ratio was even lower. Of course, there were exceptions. The Beastman Empire''s ratio was quite peculiar. How could hybrids reach Sovereign level? Alex strongly suspected there was a secret behind it. Alex''s current plan was to wait for Ruby, Death Spirit, Ice Cream, and the other lv9 King level undead to break through to Emperor level, and for the new troop type development to be completed. Then, she would officially launch her attack on the Beastman Empire. With Alex''s assistance, Sophie''s research progressed rapidly. In just five days, they achieved a groundbreaking breakthrough. At noon that day, Alex, Sophie, and the surrounding artisans gathered in the plaza, gazing upon the colossal creature before them with a mixture of awe and excitement. A smile spread across Alex''s face. Sophie''s idea had been correct. Fusing bone dragons with each other seemed impossible, but fusing a ghost dragon with a bone dragon had yielded remarkable results. This new troop type was named the [Death Dragon]. Like the death angel, it possessed both dragon and undead characteristics, a truly formidable force. Its level cap was Sovereign level, surpassing all other undead and rivaling true dragons. The Death Dragon was larger than a normal bone dragon, comparable in size to Arthur. Unlike both bone dragons and ghost dragons, it possessed flesh and blood. Its black flesh was covered in pitch-black scales. If not for the eerie blue glow emanating from its eyes, one might mistake it for a living creature. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Rows of white bone spikes ran along its broad back, culminating in a tail tipped with black flames. Its massive black wings, when unfurled, blotted out the sun. "Great Queen, I am your eternally loyal servant." The Death Dragon was an intelligent creature, a King level being born from the fusion of several Monarch level bone dragons and ghost dragons. Its abilities were undoubtedly complex and diverse. "Death Dragon, unleash your strongest attack towards the sky." The best test was to have the Death Dragon demonstrate its power. Alex issued the command, and the creature, after letting out a deafening roar, soared into the sky, circling above them. Its scales shifted, and a surge of black energy coursed through its body, rising from its abdomen to its head. "Roar!" A terrifying roar ripped through the air, followed by a massive black dragon breath that shot skyward, forming a pillar of darkness. The sheer force of it sent Sophie''s hair flying. She stared at the Death Dragon in awe. After several seconds, the dragon breath dissipated. Alex had personally witnessed the terrifying power of this attack. No King level creature would dare to withstand such a blast. "It''s amazing! We did it!" Sophie was ecstatic. She had witnessed countless undead fusions, but this Death Dragon was undoubtedly the most powerful. "Indeed. I''ll leave the rest of the fusion process to you. I have a small matter to attend to." Alex sensed a peculiar aura. A cold smile spread across her face as she turned and left the outer city, heading towards the Dark Forest beyond. Chapter 386: The new Ghoul King "I was just about to look for you. I''m surprised you dared to show your face." Alex stood at the edge of the Dark Forest, her gaze fixed on Zarvox, a hint of disdain in her eyes."Garethor''s gone, isn''t he? Why wouldn''t I dare to come?" Zarvox cackled, as if victory was already within his grasp. Upon seeing the new undead lord, his bloodline surged with excitement. He was thrilled, his eyes gleaming with predatory hunger, as if looking at prey already caught in his trap. Alex didn''t know how Zarvox had sensed Garethor''s presence, but he had deliberately released his aura as he approached, intending to lure her out. He even seemed to know about new undead lord return. "It seems I underestimated you. No wonder Garethor couldn''t find you." Alex had a hunch. This was likely a unique ability of the King Ghoul. "Since you''re about to die anyway, I don''t mind telling you. I can sense the bloodline of every one of you. You could call it a pheromone. I can even devour you and claim your bloodline for myself." Zarvox cackled again, taking a step forward. "So, only I can plunder bloodlines. Those fools, Garethor and Torin, can''t!" He was gloating, revealing his reason for refusing to submit. Zarvox wanted to become the undead lord himself. "Oh, is that all? You just have a keen sense of smell. You''re nothing but a dog of the undead race. I never thought the day would come when you''d bite your master." Alex''s words enraged Zarvox. "You bitch! My loyalty lies with the previous undead lord. Who are you? I''ve never betrayed anyone!" Zarvox lunged forward, transforming. He didn''t want to talk anymore. He would end her now. "Ignorant fool. Do you really think you can devour me with the power bestowed upon you by the previous undead lord?" Although Alex looked down on this King Ghoul, he was still a race king. She drew her scythe, waiting for him to attack. "Arrogant!" Zarvox had transformed into a monstrous creature. The pustules on his back erupted, spewing green poison gas that instantly withered the surrounding trees, spreading rapidly. Green slime shot from the pustules towards Alex, coating his body in a venomous armor. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Wind." Alex murmured, and a gentle breeze stirred around her, quickly intensifying into a raging tempest. The poison gas dissipated, and the slime, as if hitting an invisible barrier, hung suspended in the air before her. With a wave of her hand, Alex sent the slime crashing to the ground, where it corroded the vegetation, releasing wisps of white smoke. Zarvox charged on all fours, his massive claws dripping with venom, aiming to tear her to shreds. Shing! A flash of silver, too fast for Zarvox to even register, and his entire right arm was severed. Zarvox stared in horror, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Then, he felt an invisible force slam into him. His body flew backward like a cannonball, crashing through several trees before coming to a halt hundreds of meters away. With a deafening crash, Zarvox slammed into the ground, feeling every bone in his body shatter. His usually reliable self-healing ability was completely useless! How was this possible?! He had been utterly defeated in their first exchange. He was a lv6 Emperor level being! Even if Alex had also reached Emperor level, he shouldn''t have been so easily overwhelmed. (Alex was initially lv9 King level, and the system reward had granted her a level up, making her Emperor level.) ???¦®????.??? Alex stood her ground, unmoved. This was the outcome she had expected. If she couldn''t even defeat a mid-level Emperor, how could she possibly challenge the Beastman Emperor? Emperor level battles weren''t decided by level differences but by the mastery of one''s sphere. However, generally speaking, higher levels correlated with deeper comprehension. But there were exceptions, like Alex. She wielded over a dozen spheres and possessed a rudimentary world of fusion. This was her true strength. Alex slowly walked towards Zarvox. Her pace seemed leisurely, but she covered the distance of several hundred meters in an instant. "Do you understand the gap between us now?" Alex''s eyes glowed, and a wave of black energy rippled outward. This black energy was irresistible to any undead. Under its influence, Alex could instantly kill any undead. Zarvox, feeling the overwhelming power at close range, was terrified. His muscles trembled uncontrollably, and he couldn''t muster even a sliver of strength. "I understand now. Thank you for your respect, Queen. I am ready to die." Zarvox lay on the ground, closing his eyes. He finally realized that it was impossible for them, the race kings, to defeat the undead lord. Alex could have easily killed him with this black energy, but she had given him a chance to fight her head-on. He had been wrong, but unfortunately, there were no second chances. Alex simultaneously cast summoning and soul magic, extracting Zarvox''s bloodline and gathering it in her hand. As his soul fire extinguished, his body began to decay, eventually turning to ash. Returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex immediately summoned all the Ghouls to the plaza. She surveyed the assembled Ghouls. There were only a few tens of thousands, a small number compared to other undead types. Their usefulness had been limited, so Alex hadn''t focused on developing them until now. It wasn''t until King level that she truly discovered the Ghoul''s potential. They were like scavengers of the undead race. They could gain experience points by devouring corpses, indicating their potential for growth. This was why Alex had kept Zarvox''s bloodline. Among the tens of thousands of Ghouls present, there was only one King level. It had reached this level through its own efforts, without any assistance from other kings. The Ghoul''s level cap was King level, so this Ghoul had reached its peak. "From now on, your name is Vulture. You are the new King Ghoul." Alex infused the bloodline into Vulture, supplementing it with undead transformation magic. The process was smooth. "Thank you for your grace, Queen!" Vulture knelt before Alex, his face filled with reverence. Alex then gathered the dissipated faith power. This was what she had intended to give to the newly born King Ghoul. After absorbing the faith power, Vulture''s level surged to lv6 King level. Although still lagging behind the other race kings, it didn''t matter. The undead''s growth and expansion relied on slaughter. Vulture could increase its strength by devouring countless corpses. Alex believed that it wouldn''t be long before Vulture surpassed the other race kings in level. Chapter 387: Changes of the Elven Race Alex then proceeded to the area in the outer city where the Auxiliary Barracks were located. Most of the barracks in the undead Imperial Capital housed troops that were beneficial to the empire''s development.The miscellaneous troop types were stationed in other cities. The undead empire had very few vassal troops, only a handful, such as hobgoblins and the dream race. Alex had now reached Emperor level, and although the Auxiliary Barracks only summoned one troop per day, they were elite units one level below her own, meaning King level. Unfortunately, Alex had only reached Emperor level after the ceasefire with the Beastman Empire, so these King level vassal troops hadn''t been able to assist Xiao Hui and the others. After months of recovery, the total population of these subjugated races had exceeded one hundred thousand. However, Alex no longer needed them to die to provide her with experience points. Deploying King level and Monarch level troops was sufficient. Currently, Emperor level combat power was the key to victory against the Beastmen. Alex sat down, lost in thought. How could she eliminate one of the enemy''s Emperor level alphas and then transform them into an asset for her own side? If they engaged in a full-scale war, the enemy''s Sovereign level Archalpha would definitely intervene. With Alex only at Emperor level, she wouldn''t have the opportunity to do anything else while holding back the Archalpha. "It seems we need to wait a little longer. Once Ice Cream and Ruby break through to Emperor level, victory will be assured." Alex decided to play it safe. She couldn''t afford to be reckless. The absence of a single Emperor level combatant would not only put their high-end forces at a disadvantage but could also lead to a complete collapse on the lower-level battlefields. The enemy had five Emperor level beings, while Alex currently only had two under her command. It wasn''t enough. Over the next few days, Alex summoned Ruby and began guiding her towards breaking through to Emperor level. Ruby had two potential spheres to master, both of which Alex possessed. Torin was also summoned back to guide Death Spirit''s breakthrough. As for Ice Cream, Alex couldn''t help him. She wasn''t familiar with the dragon race, so he had to rely on himself. Furthermore, they needed time to replenish their Fortress Essence Shards. The undead fortresses they had left behind in the Beastman Empire''s territory had likely been destroyed by now. As for undead fusion technology, it seemed to have hit a bottleneck after the creation of the Death Dragon. No matter how hard Sophie tried, she couldn''t fuse any other troop types. They currently had five fused troop types: Warlord Skull, Shadow Specter, Roaring Zombie, Fearless Warrior, and Death Dragon. The remaining troop types, such as Destroyers, zombie titans, and liches, had a level cap of Emperor level, so there was no urgent need to fuse them. Instead, they needed to focus on researching troop types with a King level cap, such as Gargoyles, Necromancers, and Ghouls. Alex advised Sophie not to rush. These troop fusions weren''t their current priority. She needs to pay more attention to the movements of other races through the Liberty Church. Under Alex''s guidance, the undead empire steadily developed, enjoying a period of relative stability. Until one day, Lilith''s sudden arrival shattered the peace. Looking at their long-lost ally, Alex knew that she must be facing some kind of trouble. But the Sea Race had retreated. What other race on the Arsen continent could threaten the fallen angels'' kingdom, located on the coast? "Miss Alex, I want to express my gratitude once more. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be standing here today, having this casual conversation with you." Lilith''s first words upon seeing Alex were of thanks. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "You''re welcome. We''re allies. It''s only natural to help each other." Alex never tired of war. Her troops were undead, after all. At the mention of the word "ally," a bitter smile crossed Lilith''s face. They could no longer be considered true allies. They had only survived thanks to Alex''s help. "I''ve come to share some important information." Lilith''s tone turned serious. She found the matter highly suspicious. "Remember the elf Tree of Life I mentioned before?" Alex nodded, urging her to continue. "The Mother Tree has been fused with the king of the light elf clan. He''s broken through his level cap and is now at Emperor level." But that wasn''t the main point Lilith wanted to convey. "With the Mother Tree gone, all the other Trees of Life in the elf kingdoms have withered. The light elf clan, along with several elf kings, have abandoned their territories and joined the Holy Court!" Alex frowned. What was going on? "What about the forest elf?" Alex was referring to the forest elf king who had submitted to Lilith. "I had him also join the Holy Court. He can continue to provide me with information covertly. I doubt even the angels and the Holy Court can detect the system''s submission contract." Lilith explained. It was a clever move. The angels couldn''t detect traces of the system''s power. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be limited to pseudo-godhood. "But that''s not the strangest part. They took almost all the powerful elves with them, leaving behind only the dark elves and some commoners from other races." "They only left the dark elves?" Alex pondered this. She vaguely recalled that the dark elf king had perished during the war with the humans. There should only be a few Monarch level dark elves and some commoners left. Perhaps they were deemed useless, or maybe the Angel race simply despised all dark creatures. Without the Mother Tree, the dark elves could no longer reproduce. Their extinction was only a matter of time. Alex''s first thought was that she could completely subjugate the dark elf clan, and then use the system to build an Auxiliary Barrack. But then she wondered, why could the system create races in the first place? After some thought, an idea formed in her mind. The system''s divine nature must be the God of Creation! But shouldn''t the God of Creation only be able to create life within its own world? Wait, what if planet Astralon was his world? Perhaps the system wasn''t the invader. Perhaps the World''s Heart was the one who had usurped control! Come to think of it, the origins of all the races on the planet Astralon seemed to be connected to the system. Perhaps summoning lords from Earth was his way of fighting back against the invader. If that was the case, was the system actually the good guy? sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 388: I wont be anyones puppet "Hey, Alex, what are you thinking about?" Lilith asked, noticing Alex''s spaced-out expression. Her voice snapped Alex back to reality."Nothing, just thinking about some things," Alex replied vaguely. "What are those elves doing running off to the Holy Court?" Knight City didn''t accept commoners, let alone Freelancers. Its inhabitants were descendants of knights, raised from birth to become holy warriors. Therefore, Alex had little knowledge of the Holy Court''s inner workings. The forest elves residing in Knight City were a better source of information for Lilith. "It seems they''re preparing to leave," Lilith replied, recalling the information she had received. The city''s inhabitants were packing their belongings, including the elf king. "Leave?" Alex looked puzzled. The Holy Court was one of the most powerful factions on the Arsen continent. If they were planning to leave, it meant they were leaving the continent altogether. "Are they abandoning their stronghold on the Arsen continent?" Lilith shook her head. That was beyond her knowledge. Essentially, Lilith had come to thank Alex, share some information, and offer her the remaining dark elves. "Torin, accompany Lilith to the Arsen continent and conquer the dark elf clan." "As you command, my Queen." As Torin and Lilith stepped into the Portal of Transit, Alex immediately summoned Sophie. "Any unusual activity from the humans?" She was concerned about the Holy Court''s strange behavior and hoped to glean some information from the humans. "Nothing out of the ordinary," Sophie replied, shaking her head. This was odd. Either the Liberty Church hadn''t uncovered this information, or... the humans were unaware. Alex gazed towards the city''s outskirts, wondering what the Holy Court was up to. Both Holy Church and the Mage Guild had been unusually quiet, even the Angel race. Why was the Holy Court so active? Soon, Alex received a notification. Torin had returned with the dark elves. Subjugating the dark elves had been a breeze. They didn''t even have a King level being, so they were no match for an Emperor level opponent. As Alex had suspected, the system recognized the dark elves as a distinct race. Therefore, the dark elf Auxiliary Barrack was automatically established. Alex had no intention of using them in battle. Having them serve as servants within the undead empire wasn''t a bad idea either. The leader of the dark elves was a Monarch, likely an leader chosen as their temporary leader. He followed Torin nervously as they made their way to the palace. He was about to meet his new master. "Respected Undead Queen, the dark elves pledge their eternal loyalty to you." "Very well. I can ensure the continuation of your race. You won''t be required to fight. From now on, you will remain within the city, under Sophie''s command." Alex waved her hand. "Thank you for your grace, Queen!" The dark elves were no strangers to the undead. As dark creatures, they felt a natural affinity towards them. "Do you know why the other elf kings left?" "Reporting to the Queen, I only heard rumors. They said it was to seek refuge. I know nothing more." Seek refuge? From what? "Alright, you may leave." Alex pondered the situation, but something felt amiss. She summoned Death Spirit. "Inform Lilith to be prepared." That was all she could do for now. Alex went to her bedroom and changed into local human attire. She then retrieved her Honorary Mage robe and badge, carefully folding them. As she held the badge, her gaze sharpened. "There''s a tracking magic circle embedded within it." Eldrin must have placed it there for her safety. He was an Emperor level mage, so his methods couldn''t escape Alex''s detection now. Considering his actions, she suspected that the relationship between the previous undead lord and Eldrin was more complex than it appeared. She no longer needed his protection, but she was grateful for his past kindness. She decided to visit Thunder City and return these items to him personally. And perhaps get some answers. With Alex''s guidance, Ruby had made significant progress in comprehending a sphere. She no longer needed Alex''s direct instruction and would likely reach Emperor level within a few days. Everything was stable for now. The undead empire wasn''t facing any immediate threats. Alex decided to use this opportunity to inquire more from Eldrin. Before leaving, she gave Garethor specific instructions. Someone had to manage the empire in her absence. ... Starfallen Empire, Hurricane City. As Alex stepped into the city once more, she could sense the aura of every inhabitant. The vice president was an Emperor level mage, his level similar to hers. The president, that woman, was a Sovereign level mage, although Alex couldn''t determine her exact stage. There were over twenty Magus, hundreds of mages, and tens of thousands of apprentices within the city. The Mage Guild''s foundation was truly formidable. Even a single branch possessed such terrifying strength. However, Alex had no time for idle observations. She didn''t bother greeting the two presidents. She concealed her aura and headed straight for the teleportation department in the basement. She didn''t wear her hood, allowing her long, white hair to cascade down her shoulders, drawing curious glances from the mages. The most eye-catching feature was the gleaming gold badge on her chest, bearing the insignia of two branches, signifying her status as an Honorary Magus recognized by both Thunder City and Yellowrock City. "I need to go to Thunder City." Ignoring their surprised gazes, Alex addressed the mage in charge of the teleportation array. A flash of white light, and Alex found herself in Thunder City, on the continent of Nytheria. She materialized in the dimly lit teleportation chamber, exchanging polite greetings with the surrounding mages before hurrying upstairs. Knock, knock! "Enter," a deep, masculine voice boomed from within. Alex paused, puzzled. That wasn''t Eldrin''s voice. She glanced at the sign on the door, confirming that this was indeed the vice president''s office. Creak¡ª The old wooden door groaned as she pushed it open. A tall, middle-aged man sat behind the desk, his short beard and black hair framing a face with a dark complexion, hinting at African ancestry. "Who are you?" Alex didn''t recognize the man, but anyone occupying Eldrin''s office must be the president of the Thunder City branch. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? However, the man wore no insignia of his position, so Alex couldn''t be sure. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am one of the Seven Guardians of the headquarters, codenamed Thunder. You may address me as Mr. Thunder." Alex''s eyes narrowed. Not the president, but someone from the headquarters?! She scrutinized the man. He was powerful, a Sovereign level being! Alex quickly realized that his position must be even higher than the president. Why would he bother introducing himself to a mere Honorary Magus? S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Your real name is Alex. You''re a lord from another world, an Emperor level being, and the new undead lord. Am I correct?" Alex frowned, a black blade materializing in her hand. She was about to strike when a hand clamped down on her arm. "Alex, calm down. He''s not your enemy." It was Eldrin, arriving just in time. "Ah, youth. I was just as impulsive in my younger days. Action before words." Thunder chuckled, seemingly unfazed. Fearing that Alex might become wary, Eldrin quickly explained. It was Mr. Thunder who had issued the order to allow the undead empire''s expansion. Upon hearing this, Alex lowered her weapon, but she was still displeased. "Eldrin, you betrayed me?" "You misunderstand him. The undead''s growth couldn''t remain hidden forever. I learned of it by chance, not from Eldrin. However, considering his connection to the previous undead lord, I deduced that you two were acquainted." Thunder rose from his seat, defending Eldrin. "So, what do you want?" Alex glared at Thunder, her guard still up. "Allow me to explain." Thunder remained calm and composed. "But first, I have a question for you." His tone turned serious. "Which side are you on?" So he was here to gauge her allegiance. It seemed the Mage Guild had the same intentions as the dragon race. Alex considered her answer carefully. "I won''t be anyone''s puppet." Thunder smiled, impressed by Alex''s unwavering gaze. "Good. You''re truly his successor." "Now, listen carefully. Follow your own path, and trust no one." "I don''t need you to tell me what to do." Alex retorted. Thunder ignored her remark, continuing his explanation. "The Mage Guild, despite its outward appearance of unity, is actually riddled with factions. The root cause of this division is the World''s Heart. Its influence runs deeper than anyone realizes." Thunder paced around the room, stopping by the window. "All Sovereign level beings, even gods, are forced to choose between the two sides. But very few have the courage to break free. He (the previous undead lord) was one. You are another. As for the top lord of the previous generation, although he was exceptional, he ultimately chose a side. But in the end, they were all failures." Thunder turned back to Alex. "Do you understand what it means to step outside this game?" "To break free from control, to become a player instead of a pawn?" Alex replied calmly. "No. Have you never considered ending their conflict, making this world a true world, where those extraterrestrial visitors are no longer subject to interference and persecution?" Thunder''s words stunned Alex. She had never thought of that before. However, her stance remained clear. "I''ll do what I can. But ultimately, self-preservation comes first." Alex''s philosophy was simple. She would only act if she was capable. Reckless heroism was for fools. Eldrin was completely lost, unable to follow their conversation. As an Emperor level mage, he wasn''t privy to such high-level information. "Good. We will do everything in our power to help you achieve this, to bring peace to this world!" Thunder''s sudden declaration stunned both Eldrin and Alex. "Are you joking? Why would you help me?" First, the dragon race had sought an alliance with the undead. Now, the Mage Guild was extending an olive branch. It was all too strange. Did they really see her as some kind of savior? "When I say ''we,'' I''m not referring to the entire Mage Guild. If other guilds target you in the future, fight back. As long as we''re alive, we won''t abandon you." Thunder''s gaze was serious as he approached Alex. "As for the reason..." He pulled out a wristwatch from his pocket. Eldrin looked puzzled, but Alex gasped. "You''re a lord too!" No wonder Mr. Thunder resembled someone of African descent. That wristwatch was clearly an Earth artifact, something that shouldn''t exist on planet Astralon. "Yes, it was a long time ago. This is my only memento, unfortunately, it''s broken." A nostalgic look crossed Thunder''s face. Realization dawned upon Eldrin. He was Thunder''s confidant, yet this was the first time he had heard such shocking news. "Then, who else is involved?" Knowing that Thunder was a lord, Alex finally understood his words. Her wariness towards him lessened considerably. "Myself, Wind, and..." Thunder paused. "The president of the Thunder City." "What?" Alex was bombarded with one surprise after another. "What about the others? And the god?" Alex blurted out her questions. "That Divine Mage? No one knows what he''s thinking. As for the others, trust no one except us three. I have a reason for asking you to trust us." Thunder''s voice was firm and deliberate. "Because the deceased undead lord was the president''s son!" Chapter 389: Truth of the world "What?!" Eldrin exclaimed before Alex could even react. Both Alex and Thunder shot him a puzzled look."Why are you so surprised? Why else would I have made you vice president?" Thunder retorted, rolling his eyes at Eldrin as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Did Eldrin really think their connection to the previous undead lord was a secret? Alex, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. Ever since she learned that the previous undead lord was originally human, she had suspected he had a powerful background. Moreover, the previous undead lord had mastered several natural forbidden spells, which was highly unusual. Each Mage Guild branch on a continent was only allowed to teach one type of magic. For example, Hurricane City only taught wind magic, Thunder City only taught lightning magic, and so on. The fact that the previous undead lord could wield all these spells suggested a connection to the seven main schools of magic within the Mage Guild. "So, the humans... no, your goal is to find someone who can bring peace to this chaotic world?" Alex raised an eyebrow, her gaze fixed on Thunder. "That''s right," Thunder confirmed with a nod. "And you are currently the most promising candidate." "Why not that Divine Mage? Why me?" Alex couldn''t believe that she was the only one chosen for this task, nor could she believe that only humans had this ideal. "If I''m not mistaken, your two realms represent life and death. Only by combining them and fusing multiple natural spheres can you create a rudimentary world." Thunder paused, accurately describing the nature of Alex''s realms. He continued, "Very few possess dual realms, let alone with such compatible attributes. Neither I nor the president qualify for this task." "As for that legendary Divine Mage, his path has reached its end. It''s clear that even true gods can''t achieve what we desire. Let me reiterate: there can only be one God of Creation." Alex understood Thunder''s meaning. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to undertake this task, but their paths had reached a dead end. They were incapable of achieving it. Even a genius like Alex only had a chance of success. "But this is a burden you''re placing on me. Why should I do something that even Divine Mage couldn''t achieve?" Alex was reluctant. Even if she owed the Mage Guild a favor, there were countless ways to repay it, not by undertaking such a daunting and seemingly impossible task. "It''s not for us. Once you choose this path, you must break free from their control. If you can''t, what''s the difference between you and a pseudo-god?" Thunder''s words silenced Alex. If that was truly the case, then she had no choice but to accept this responsibility. "What about the system? Is it the God of Creation of this world?" Alex recalled her previous speculation. The system had the power to create races, just like the God of Creation. "No, this world doesn''t have its own God of Creation. It''s the product of two gods." Thunder casually erected a barrier within the room. "Based on our speculation, the World''s Heart was originally a true god. It absorbed the unclaimed, shattered planet Astralon, seeking to become supreme. However, the system intervened." What followed was a conflict spanning several millennia between the two gods. Their goal was to gain control of planet Astralon. "I see. Only when planet Astralon gives birth to its own God of Creation can it break free from their control." Alex understood. Although she had her suspicions, Thunder''s explanation provided more details. Having obtained the information she sought, Alex retrieved her Honorary Mage robe and badge from her spatial ring, placing them on the desk. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Thunder had anticipated her purpose for coming here. He had been waiting for her. "Very well. You no longer need the Mage Guild''s protection." Thunder smiled faintly. "So, what''s your next move?" "Soon, Emperor level factions will be no match for me. What about you humans? What are your plans?" Alex didn''t answer directly, instead posing a question to Thunder. "We''ll wait and see," he replied calmly. "How many races have sided with the World''s Heart?" Alex pressed. "More than you can imagine. We know of those who have openly declared their allegiance, and so do you. As for those who haven''t, neither of us knows." Alex took Thunder''s words to heart. It seemed his previous warning wasn''t an exaggeration. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even the human Mage Guild was divided. The situation among other races was likely even more complex. "What''s the purpose of the continent''s core of will?" Alex seized the opportunity to ask all her burning questions. Thunder was not only an elder of the Mage Guild but also a lord. "It''s essentially a clone of the World''s Heart. Fusing with it will allow you to reach Divine level faster, but you''ll also be completely bound to its power. The same applies to the system." Thunder explained calmly. "My advice is to destroy it, to weaken the World''s Heart. At the same time, you need to find a way to break free from the system''s control at Sovereign level and eliminate all the lords to weaken the system." "I see." So that was why the Angel race was eliminating all the lords, and why most races in this world were hostile towards the extraterrestrial visitors. The numerous lords were manifestations of the system''s power. If Alex wanted to remain neutral, she had to weaken both sides before ascending to godhood. "Thank you for telling me all this. If the opportunity arises, I''d like to meet your president." Alex stood up, smoothing her dress as she prepared to leave. Thunder remained silent. He had told her everything he could. As he watched her disappear, he murmured to himself, "I hope you succeed. Planet Astralon can''t endure another upheaval..." "Mr. Thunder, what if other races approach Alex?" Eldrin voiced his concern. "That''s her problem, not ours. We should focus on our own duties." "Yes, Mr. Thunder." Eldrin nodded solemnly. He had initially thought that Elder Mr. Thunder merely wanted to assign territories to the undead. He hadn''t expected them to be tasked with directly destroying the core of will. The information he had received today was shocking. Was the world they lived in not real? Eldrin suddenly felt a pang of curiosity about the worlds those extraterrestrial visitors came from. Chapter 390: All forces, advance Back in the undead Imperial Capital, Alex sat in the main hall, poring over a map of the Eldoria continent.She had a lot to consider. Thunder''s suggestion of breaking free from the system''s power left her clueless. The entire undead empire had been built with the system''s assistance. What would happen to the city''s structures without it? The castle crystal and the barrack crystals were entirely dependent on the system. Undead didn''t need barracks, but what about the other troops? Not all lords could summon their own troops like the undead lord. Besides, the idea of killing all the lords was insane. Although slaughter benefited the undead''s development, Alex wasn''t a bloodthirsty warmonger. "There''s no rush. We''ll deal with that after securing our position on the Eldoria continent." Alex closed the map, stood up, and walked out of the hall. "Gather everyone." ... Half an hour later, Alex''s followers assembled in the main hall. "Everyone, I''m going to share some highly classified information with you: the system, the World''s Heart, the path to godhood, and so on." Alex sat at the head of the table, her gaze serious as she addressed the group. They needed to know the truth about this world. Otherwise, they wouldn''t understand her future actions. In just twenty minutes, Alex revealed everything, omitting irrelevant details like the previous undead lord''s identity and his connection to the Mage Guild. The group listened in silence, each revelation hitting them like a bombshell. After a long pause, Xiao Mu spoke first. "So, we''re not only going against many others, but we also have to eliminate all the lords?" "Alex''s intentions are clear. She wants to lead us out of this chaotic world," Xiao Hui added. "Do the other races know about this?" "Of course they do. They just don''t have the power to do anything about it." "So, our primary enemies are the followers of the World''s Heart. Then we''ll deal with the neutral races. As for the lords, they don''t pose a threat to us for now. But their situation isn''t ideal. Without the system, they''ll lose access to many functions." Sophie understood, grateful that she had sided with Alex early on. "Speaking of losing the system, without the ability to summon troops, we''ll have to rely on natural reproduction. That''s what will happen after the system disappears in a hundred years anyway. We''re just adapting in advance." Drake didn''t seem bothered. He had no friends besides Alex and the others. As long as he could become stronger, he was willing to do anything. "No, there''s another way. We can force the lords to become Freelancers. Although this would still leave a small portion of the system''s power intact, it''s the best way to minimize bloodshed." Alex spoke up. She didn''t want to kill innocent lords. They were just pawns in this game. At least they could join the Liberty Church, where she could impose rules prohibiting them from using the system. "What about Satan and Lilith?" "I''ll talk to them later. If I can easily break free from the system''s control at Sovereign level, so can they." Alex had already planned their escape route. She just hoped that those lords would make the same choice as her. Otherwise, there was nothing she could do. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? "So, does this mean we can''t become gods?" "No, faith power is still useful. All undead are summoned by us, and regardless of their intelligence, they are absolutely loyal. They have no connection to the World''s Heart." Alex''s words reassured everyone. She didn''t mention that if she truly became the God of Creation, she would be the Supreme Deity everyone spoke of. The undead weren''t particularly shocked by this news. They simply had to follow their queen''s lead. They didn''t need to worry about the rest. Tap, tap! Alex''s knuckles rapped gently on the table, silencing the discussion. As everyone turned to look at her, she slowly raised three fingers. "Three days. You have three days to break through to Emperor level. In three days, the undead empire will officially declare war on the Beastmen Empire!" "Yes!" They responded in unison, rising to their feet. Then, they dispersed, resuming their duties. Time was of the essence. Alex couldn''t wait any longer. The era crisis could erupt at any moment, plunging the world into chaos. The undead empire needed to be prepared. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the surface, the races were fighting amongst themselves. But who knew how many had secretly sided with the World''s Heart? Would they join forces to eliminate the other races? When that time came, all the lords would be targeted, and Alex, the strongest among them, would be their primary target. ... Three days passed in a flash. Ruby was the first to master a spatial sphere and ascend to Emperor level. On the final day, Ice Cream and Death Spirit also broke through, as expected. The undead empire now had six Emperor level beings, more than enough to deal with the Beastmen Empire. The pressure was now on Alex. She would have to face the Sovereign level Archalpha alone, with only her Emperor level strength. Although she had expressed confidence, Alex was secretly apprehensive. According to their intelligence, the Demihuman Archalpha had been in seclusion for a long time, likely researching bloodline power. This was closely related to his ascension to the second stage. If they delayed any longer, and he reached the second stage, the undead empire would stand no chance. The second and third stages were realms of true divinity. Even ten first-stage Sovereign level beings couldn''t defeat a second-stage opponent. It was a qualitative difference. Strictly speaking, first-stage Sovereign level was still within the realm of Emperor level. They had simply perfected their sphere and begun to ignite their divine fire. ... "The Beastmen Empire''s capital, Five Colors City," Alex murmured, tapping her lips thoughtfully. "The demihuman Archalpha is likely there." Following Alex''s orders, the undead army outside the city began to assemble under the command of the race kings. The Silverscale Leviathan in the sky slowly descended, landing on the ground to load the undead. However, it wasn''t carrying ordinary undead. It was transporting the elite fusion undead and the powerhouses from the various subjugated races. They were all King level, nearly seven hundred strong! The remaining space was filled with Monarch level troops. This was an all-out assault, the entire might of the undead empire mobilized to crush the Beastmen Empire. Alex was determined to win. They couldn''t forget the alchemy warlocks, essential for mass-producing King level undead on the battlefield. Alex stood outside the palace, gazing upon the endless sea of undead in the plaza below. The wind howled, her white hair whipping wildly as she leapt into the air, issuing her battle cry. "All forces, advance! We march on Five Colors City! " Chapter 391: Archalpha appears This time, Alex wasn''t even planning on using the undead fortresses. Well, not entirely. She would only use one.As the undead army swarmed into the main fortress, Alex vanished into thin air. Far north, on the western border of the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An undead fortress stood here, untouched, a remnant from Xiao Hui''s previous retreat. Alex had checked the main fortress. The runes of the fifty-odd undead fortresses within the Beastmen Empire had all been extinguished, indicating that the enemy had thoroughly purged their territory. With the arrival of the undead army, the desolate icy plains were instantly teeming with life. A Gnoll scout stationed within the Beastmen Empire''s territory, tasked with monitoring the undead fortress, noticed the commotion. He tried to report back, but it was too late. He clutched his chest in agony, collapsing to his knees. With a final, agonizing wail, a massive bone spike erupted from his heart. Torin lowered his staff, the surrounding magical energy subsiding. Alex hovered in the air, surveying the surroundings before turning to her companions. "Xiao Hui, you''ll be in charge of commanding the army when the battle begins." She then addressed the others. "Quickly eliminate the factions surrounding Five Colors City, then expand outward from the capital, conquering the entire Beastmen Empire." "Yes, Queen (Leader)!" "Torin, Ruby, Garethor, Death Spirit, Ice Cream, follow me!" Alex selected the five Emperor level beings of the undead empire, leaving the undead army to await further instructions. They swiftly flew towards the heart of the Beastmen Empire''s territory. Five Colors City, the largest city within the Beastmen Empire, was also the Demihumans'' main city. It was built in the style of a human city, surrounded by eight strongholds that formed a protective ring around the capital. Five Colors City itself had no visible defenses, not even a single guard stationed outside its walls. Such was the confidence of a faction with a Sovereign level being at its helm. However, six uninvited guests had arrived at the city''s outskirts. The surrounding strongholds, oblivious to their presence, were rendered useless. Alex retrieved a Fortress Essence Shard, infusing it with undead magic before hurling it from the sky. The shard, radiating black energy, streaked through the air like a meteor, crashing down near Five Colors City. A massive gray magic circle materialized, and a towering undead fortress rose from its center. Having learned from the previous surprise attack, the Beastmen were now wary of these structures. Screech! Roar! Moo! A cacophony of animalistic cries echoed from the surrounding strongholds, frantically relaying the alarm to Five Colors City. Alex and her companions ignored the panicked signals. As the undead fortress materialized, undead troops began to pour out. These beastmen lacked the strength to destroy the fortress. Alex led her five companions into Five Colors City, where the five races'' troops were converging on the vast plaza. There was no panic within the city. The troops surrounded Alex and her companions, quickly filling the plaza to capacity. A path opened up amidst the crowd, and five figures, each with a distinct form, strode forward, their faces contorted with rage. Alex instantly recognized their races: a birdman with white feathers and two wings on his back, a massive mammoth with two enormous tusks, a black-skinned Gnoll clad in golden armor, a lion-man with a flowing mane, and a man who closely resembled a human. If not for the two small antennae on his head, Alex would have mistaken him for a human. ???¦®????.??? These five Beastmen were the five Emperor level alphas of their respective races. The Gnoll and the birdman were particularly enraged, while the other three looked down on them with disdain. "We agreed to a ceasefire because we didn''t want to provoke the dragon race. But that doesn''t mean we''re afraid of undead!" "You dare to come here yourselves? You''re courting death!" The two Alphas roared at Alex and her companions. The Demihuman stepped forward, attempting to calm them down. "Why waste words on them? They''re the ones who broke the peace. We can''t be blamed for this. We didn''t start this war. Even if the dragon race intervenes, we won''t back down!" Shing! A flash of silver, and the Emperor level Demihuman leaped back, the other four Alphas scattering as well. A gash appeared on his chest, his clothes torn. Alex twirled her scythe, slamming the massive blade into the ground as she glared at them. "You talk too much. Kill them!" With Alex''s command, the three race kings, along with Ruby and Ice Cream, charged towards the enemy. The surrounding Beastmen troops were mere decorations. Even the aftershocks of the battle could easily wipe them out. "You''re asking for death!" The five Alphas exchanged glances and lunged forward. The mammoth and the lion-man transformed into their beast forms, but they were met by even larger creatures. A dragon, and a powerful Azure Dragon at that! Besides the Azure Dragon, there was also a white tiger, its size rivaling the lion-man''s. Ruby and Ice Cream''s beast forms were their strongest, and the four colossal beasts clashed in the sky. Skyplume, knowing Garethor''s strength, avoided a direct confrontation, instead targeting Death Spirit, the weakest among them. The Gnoll faced Torin, while the strongest Demihuman battled Garethor. The ground cracked, buildings crumbled, and countless Beastmen, caught in the crossfire of the Emperor level battle, perished. The scene descended into chaos. Alex didn''t intervene, her attention focused on the Archalpha, who could strike at any moment. "If you continue to hide, I''ll kill all your subordinates!" Alex raised her scythe, the blade turning pitch black as it crackled with energy. Just as she was about to unleash her attack, a blinding sword beam shot towards her. Alex vanished in an instant. A deafening roar echoed as the ground beneath Five Colors City split open, massive fissures extending beyond the city walls. The attack had cleaved the entire city into six sections! The ten Emperor level beings instantly ceased their fighting. The Beastmen were ecstatic. They had sensed the undead''s strength during their brief clash, but now that their Sovereign level Archalpha had intervened, victory was assured! The five Emperor-level figures from the undead empire looked towards Alex with concern. Her gaze was firmly fixed on the source of the attack. Chapter 392: Since you reject my offer of mercy, dont blame me for what happens next A figure clad in white robes materialized, his gaze sharp as the long sword returned to his hand.Alex stared, momentarily stunned. She had imagined the Archalpha might have a strange appearance, perhaps resembling some kind of beast, but she never expected this. The Archalpha was strikingly handsome, with no beastly features whatsoever. And his weapon was a sword! "You''re a lord too, aren''t you?" Alex''s gaze locked onto his face, searching for a reaction. However, the Archalpha seemed to ignore her question, scoffing, "Undead are abominations, disrupting the natural order. You deserve judgment!" He raised his sword, and Alex felt herself locked onto by multiple sword beams. But she remained calm. This attack was still within her capabilities to handle. Her eyes glowed with red and blue light as thirteen spheres rose around her, spinning rapidly before merging into her body. "Sword sphere!" The Archalpha swung his sword, and hundreds of sword energies coalesced into a massive dragon-shaped form of pure energy, its jaws gaping wide as it lunged towards Alex. "Earth sphere!" Alex felt herself become one with the earth, her body radiating a golden light. She swung her scythe, and a thick wall of earth materialized before her, blocking the sword dragon''s attack. "Space sphere!" Boom! A deafening roar echoed as all the attacks were compressed and annihilated. Alex appeared before the Archalpha in an instant, her scythe sweeping towards him. He parried the blow with his sword, unyielding. As they locked blades, the bells on Alex''s scythe jingled frantically, emitting a disorienting sound. "Soul sphere!" But it had no effect on the Archalpha, only causing him to pause momentarily. When he recovered, Alex was gone, leaving only her scythe locked with his sword. She reappeared above him, a roundhouse kick aimed at his head. "Lightning sphere!" Boom! A bolt of lightning struck from the sky, crackling with terrifying power. Blue turned to purple, purple to black. Black lightning! The Archalpha, as if finally realizing the danger, swatted away Alex''s scythe with his sword, then pointed the tip towards the descending lightning. A white sword beam pierced the sky, shattering the lightning bolt. Bang! Alex seized the opportunity, landing a kick on his chest, sending him flying backward. However, the lightning''s residual energy still reached him, scorching his white robes. "You can summon heavenly tribulation? Interesting! Bring it on! I shall ascend!" Ignoring his injuries, the Archalpha charged towards Alex once more. This guy was definitely not normal! Alex realized that he wasn''t as fast as her. With the combined power of her lightning, wind, and space spheres, her speed was unmatched. However, she couldn''t discern his sphere, and this Archalpha seemed to only possess one. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Alex parried his attacks with her scythe, their blades clashing in a flurry of sparks. Waves of terrifying sphere energy rippled outward, each more powerful than the spheres wielded by the ten Emperor level beings below. Five Colors City, ravaged by their battle, was now a pile of rubble. The surviving Beastmen, their fighting spirit broken, fled towards the city gates. Only now, with the walls shattered, could they see what lay beyond. An endless sea of undead, the ground littered with beastmen corpses, rivers of blood flowing through the streets. It was a scene straight out of hell! The undead stationed outside the city seemed to have been waiting for the fleeing beastmen. They charged forward, engaging the enemy in a desperate attempt to escape. But their hopes were quickly dashed. The undead were not only numerous but also incredibly powerful, their lowest level being Monarch, with dozens of King level beings among them! There was no escape for the beastmen. The ten Emperor level beings locked in combat below were stunned. Garethor and his companions were ecstatic, while the five alphas of the Beastmen Empire were horrified. "How is this possible?!" "She''s only at Emperor level! Why hasn''t the great Archalpha defeated her yet?" They had exchanged blows hundreds of times, yet Alex hadn''t faltered. She had even managed to injure the Beastmen Empire''s Archalpha with her superior speed. "Focus fire on the Alpha Gnoll!" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ice Cream shouted, alerting the others. After Death Spirit''s breakthrough to Emperor level, it had gained the ability to summon Emperor level undead. They instantly understood his plan. If one of the enemy''s Emperor level beings fell, the balance of power would shift dramatically, ensuring the Beastmen Empire''s defeat. At this point, they could only trust that Alex could defeat the Sovereign level Archalpha. Even if she couldn''t kill him, she could at least hold him back. "You want to kill me? You''re delusional!" The Alpha Gnoll roared, swinging his massive axe. He felt insulted, being singled out as the weakest among them. Ice Cream hadn''t whispered his plan. He had shouted it loud and clear. But beastmen were unaware that Alex''s forces could summon Emperor level undead. Their understanding of the undead was still limited to basic skeletons and zombies. Outside the city, under Xiao Hui''s command, the undead army had split into five groups, advancing towards the territories of the five races, using Five Colors City as their central point. With all the high-level combatants occupied, the beastmen were no match for the undead. The five alphas were deeply worried. They understood the situation but were powerless to intervene. The Archalpha, clad in white, remained calm. His focus was solely on Alex. He didn''t care about the fate of his Beastmen Empire. "You''re no match for me. But since you''re a lord, I''ll give you a chance to submit." Alex parried several sword beams with her scythe. She hadn''t even used her undead sphere yet, and the Archalpha was already struggling. Apart from his superior vitality and attack power, he had nothing else going for him. "Who dares to claim invincibility? Who dares to claim they cannot be defeated?" The Archalpha seemed to ignore Alex''s offer, as if they were speaking different languages. He charged towards Alex once more, his speed blindingly fast. Even Alex was caught off guard. He disarmed her with a swift strike, his sword aimed at her heart. Unable to defend herself in time, Alex didn''t panic. She instantly activated her undead sphere. "Since you reject my offer of mercy, don''t blame me for what happens next!" Chapter 393: Please accept this small token of my gratitude "Summoning sphere!"A wave of gray energy erupted from Alex, instantly engulfing Five Colors City. Thousands of blue flames flickered to life atop the corpses of fallen Beastmen, like eerie, ethereal flowers blooming amidst the carnage. The Archalpha''s sword, poised mere inches from Alex''s heart, froze mid-air, held back by an invisible force. The blue flames below extinguished simultaneously, and the corpses withered into desiccated husks before crumbling into dust. The Archalpha stared, bewildered. His attack had no effect on Alex. "Darkness sphere." Seizing the moment of his distraction, Alex unleashed her darkness sphere. Her scythe crackled with black energy, as if capable of devouring everything in its path. Clang! The scythe slammed into the long sword, cleanly slicing the Archalpha''s weapon into two pieces! He leaped back, his face etched with shock. Alex''s scythe could cleave through anything, but it was ineffective against intangible spheres. The Archalpha''s long sword had been protected by a strange sphere, preventing her scythe from making contact. Throughout their battle, their weapons had never truly clashed. But the darkness sphere possessed the power to devour all spheres! The moment the scythe connected with the sword, the Archalpha''s weapon was severed. Alex had realized that the Archalpha''s strength stemmed largely from his weapon. She had held back, hoping to reason with him, considering he was also a lord. But now, with communication proving futile, there was no point in wasting time. "Unorthodox and insidious! Truly bizarre!" The Archalpha discarded his broken weapon, his two fingers pressed together before his chest. "The sword resides within the heart. All things can be a sword!" A surge of sword energy erupted from him, his aura even more formidable than before. Alex was surprised. She had underestimated these Sovereign level beings. Even with her mastery over multiple spheres, defeating a true Sovereign level opponent was proving to be a challenge. "It seems I can''t hold back any longer!" Multiple spheres of energy swirled around Alex, each a different color. Thirteen spheres intertwined, forming a dazzling rainbow. Her left eye, pitch black and bottomless, radiated death and destruction, like an endless void. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her right eye, brimming with vitality, pulsed with green and life, as if containing a world within. The two eyes merged, unleashing a blinding white light that engulfed everything. Instinctively, the Beastman Empire''s Archalpha, the ten Emperor level beings, and even the undead below shielded their eyes. When the light subsided, Alex and the Archalpha were gone. They reappeared in another space. Beneath their feet, lush green grass swayed in the gentle breeze. Emerald trees rustled softly, and a crystal-clear stream babbled nearby. Everything was bathed in a soft, white light, as if this wasn''t a real world. The Archalpha gazed at his surroundings, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. This place seemed familiar. He turned sharply, and behind him stood the school from his memories. The weathered wooden door spoke of time''s passage, and the sign above it hung crookedly. Inside the school, a teacher paced back and forth, his expression stern. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Slap! A ruler struck a child''s arm, sending a small wooden carving hidden within a textbook tumbling to the floor. Although crudely carved, it resembled a sword. "Yi Chen, you''re always fooling around, neglecting your studies! How can you face your parents who worked so hard to raise you?!" "Teacher, I don''t want to study! I want to practice swordsmanship! I want to become a sword immortal!" Slap! Another blow from the ruler. Tears welled up in the child''s eyes, but he fought them back, his gaze fixed defiantly on the teacher. "Sigh, you''re truly hopeless!" The exasperated teacher turned and left. ... The Archalpha stood frozen, as if struggling to remember something. Suddenly, he clutched his head, collapsing to his knees in agony. "Yi Chen..." "My name is Yi Chen!" A faint golden energy emanated from his body, quickly fading away. He stood up, his gaze resolute, the confusion gone. He remembered everything. In that moment, he had ignited his divine fire, ascending to the second stage of Sovereign level. However, the divine fire was weak, flickering as if about to be extinguished. "So it''s true..." There was no joy in Yi Chen''s eyes, only determination. He suppressed his divine fire and bowed respectfully behind him. "Thank you for your guidance. I am eternally grateful!" "It seems you''ve regained your memories. I didn''t expect you to be an ancient Chinese." Alex materialized before him. Yi Chen looked puzzled, unfamiliar with the term "ancient Chinese." "I was deceived by the World''s Heart, becoming its puppet. I reached Sovereign level through the way of the sword, so naturally, I sought to achieve godhood through the same path. One day, I stumbled upon a source of pure energy, crucial for my advancement at the time. I absorbed it without hesitation, but it cost me my memories." A melancholic look crossed Yi Chen''s face. He continued, "I had this feeling, this urge to build an empire and make it prosper. This must have happened centuries ago. Later, I tainted my bloodline, ruining my chances of becoming a true god." The World''s Heart had no conscious will and couldn''t have deliberately targeted Yi Chen. His current state must have been the result of some powerful race''s influence. "Thank you for helping me rediscover myself." "You''re welcome. This is my world. It can isolate those energies, allowing you to break free from their influence." This was all part of Alex''s plan. She wasn''t worried about Yi Chen betraying her. Although she couldn''t kill a second-stage Sovereign level being, she could easily seal him within her world. "Is this... the power of the God of Creation?" Yi Chen asked, recalling their previous battle. "Your goal is truly ambitious, but I believe that with your talent, you will succeed." "Perhaps. But the path I''ve chosen is far more difficult than I imagined," Alex replied calmly. "I can never repay your kindness. Please accept this small token of my gratitude." Yi Chen extended his hands, a translucent white sphere of energy materializing within them. Alex''s eyes widened. She could sense the potent sphere energy emanating from it. He was offering her his comprehension of his sphere! "This is [Qi], my sphere. I offer it to you as a token of my gratitude for saving my life." Chapter 394: Ghost race "This is [Qi], my sphere. I offer it to you as a token of my gratitude for saving my life."Yi Chen''s expression was sincere, his gaze unwavering. He seemed genuinely truthful. "As far as I know, this is your only sphere. If you give your [Qi] to me, your level will drop to Emperor level." Could he be planning to cultivate a new sphere? Alex looked at him questioningly, her mind racing. "Please accept this as a token of my appreciation. I hope that one day, this humble offering will help you become a Supreme Xian(God) and bring peace to this wretched world!" Yi Chen bowed even lower, as if refusing to rise until Alex accepted his gift. "There''s no rush. Why don''t you tell me about your past first?" "Very well. If you wish to hear it, I shall tell you." Yi Chen, an ancient Chinese man. It seemed Edgar was right. They were all from parallel worlds. And he had arrived in this world long before any of the other lords Alex knew. Back then, the dominant race was known as the [Ghost Race]. The Dragon race, Sea Race, Angel race, Demon race, and all the others were merely up-and-coming factions. Then, the era shifted, and the Ghost Race perished. It was said that their downfall was due to internal strife. Although Alex had never encountered this race, she knew from their name that they must have been a dark race. Yi Chen, being from ancient times, didn''t understand the modern concept of levels. His understanding of power was based on the principles of cultivation. Unlike many prodigies, Yi Chen was slow-witted. He lacked natural talent, possessing only an unwavering determination. He had remained at Emperor level for two entire eras (two thousand years). But the moment he broke through to Sovereign level, before he could even unleash his full potential, he was ambushed and lost his memories. He wandered aimlessly for countless years, his only constant being his unwavering desire to achieve Godhood (Xian). Then, he discovered the truth about the world, and his faith was shattered. Coupled with the influence of an unknown energy, he became a puppet, a mere shell of his former self. He founded the Beastman Empire, gathering the ostracized Beastmen races under his banner... Alex already knew the rest of the story. Yi Chen''s tale offered little useful information, apart from the existence of the Ghost Race. But the Ghost Race was extinct, and his life had been unremarkable. "In your current state, you could still become a pseudo-god. Would you be interested in joining me, in fighting against this world?" Alex left the rest of her sentence unspoken. With Yi Chen''s talent, it would take him thousands of years to become a pseudo-god. She needed an Emperor level combatant now. "I''m already dead. Just bury me here. This is the last thing I can do to help you." Yi Chen''s gaze was resolute. Only now did Alex realize how much weaker he had become. His life force was fading, even within her world! It made sense. He had lived for at least ten thousand years. He hadn''t mentioned any periods of slumber in his story. A Sovereign level being''s lifespan was only ten thousand years. Yi Chen was already dead. He had only survived this long due to the influence of that unknown energy! There was nothing wrong with his body or soul. If not for his battle with Alex, he might have achieved immortality under the influence of that energy! "I understand. I will uncover the truth about this world." Alex spoke sincerely. Yi Chen was aging rapidly, but his hands remained outstretched, holding the [Qi] sphere. He hadn''t lowered them since he began his story. Alex accepted the sphere. A flicker of light appeared in Yi Chen''s eyes as his life ebbed away. Rumble! The ground collapsed, forming a large pit. Yi Chen sank into it, and the surrounding earth surged, covering him completely, forming a small mound. Lush green grass sprouted from the freshly turned soil, and a tombstone materialized before the mound. It read: Here Lies Yi Chen. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? The world began to collapse, and Alex vanished. The next moment, she reappeared above the ruins of Five Colors City. The Alpha Gnoll was dead. It was now a four vs four battle. Death Spirit, fully focused on summoning an Emperor level undead, needed time and a significant amount of energy. Boom! The magic circle before Death Spirit flared with increased power. He turned his gaze towards the source. "My great Queen!" His exclamation startled the other Emperor level beings. They all looked up at Alex, who had returned alone. The remaining four alphas paled. They couldn''t believe it. They were in deep trouble! The Emperor level demihuman felt a chill run down his spine. He tried to flee, but a slender hand clamped down on his throat, multiple spheres of energy pinning him in place. He had already been injured by Garethor during their previous clash. "I see. He shared his primal power with you." The other three alphas, terrified by Alex''s aura, didn''t dare to approach. They were utterly shaken by her power. This woman had just defeated a Sovereign level being! Shing! A blade flashed, severing the two black horns on the Emperor level demihuman''s head. A wisp of black mist escaped from the severed horns, radiating a sinister aura. Alex frowned. This was a type of dark energy she had never encountered before. She had faced demons, fallen angels, undead, shadow creatures, and all sorts of dark races. "So you''re the remnants of the Ghost Race." "What are you talking about? I don''t understand!" The demihuman looked panicked, seemingly unaware of the truth. Snap! Alex twisted his neck, multiple spheres of energy instantly extinguishing his life force. "Kill all demihumans on sight!" As Alex''s command echoed across the battlefield, Death Spirit swiftly relayed the queen''s decree to all undead on the front lines. The demihumans were likely the result of the surviving Ghost Race members intermingling with Yi Chen''s primal power. The true Ghost Race might have perished long ago, leaving only a trace of their bloodline within the demihumans. It was strange, though. Among the five major races of the Beastman Empire, very few possessed more than two bloodlines. It was the lesser races, with lower level caps, that had more mixed bloodlines. With Alex''s return, the battle''s outcome was no longer in doubt. The remaining three alphas had assumed she would be exhausted after her fight with the Archalpha, even if she won. But in reality, Alex could easily handle all three of them at once. She had no intention of sparing these Emperor level beings, nor any of the other races within the Beastman Empire. She would wipe them all out. Death Spirit and the other race kings could now summon Emperor level undead, so these Beastmen were of no use to her alive. As for Yi Chen''s soul, Alex had initially considered trying to fuse it with the Death Dragon during its creation, hoping to create a powerful Sovereign level undead. But the situation had changed. Without his sphere, Yi Chen''s soul could only summon lv9 King level undead. To break through to Emperor level, the undead would have to comprehend a new sphere on its own. Therefore, transforming Yi Chen into an undead wasn''t a worthwhile endeavor. Besides, Yi Chen wasn''t inherently evil. He had been a puppet for thousands of years. Rest was his best reward. Alex absorbed the Qi sphere Yi Chen had given her. It would only benefit her, further enhancing her strength. Moreover, her battle with Yi Chen had proven her current strength. She could indeed contend with a first-stage Sovereign level being. So, there was no need to turn Yi Chen into an undead. Alex glanced at the four alpha corpses nearby. "Death Spirit and Torin, I leave their summoning to you." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "As you wish, great Queen." Chapter 395: Undead empire would reveal itself to the world The war was nearing its end, and Alex''s gains were substantial. She had acquired five new Emperor level troops, significantly bolstering the undead empire''s strength.The undead empire now ranked third in power on the Eldoria continent. The first and second positions belonged to the angels and humans, respectively. The angels'' true strength remained unknown, but Hurricane City likely only had one Emperor level and one Sovereign level being, the vice president and the president. However, they had the backing of their headquarters, so Alex wasn''t getting complacent. As for the south of the Eldoria continent, the only notable powers were the Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City, two local factions that the undead empire no longer considered a threat. "Ice Cream, Ruby, Garethor, assist the others in sweeping the battlefield and unifying the entire north!" With that, Alex turned and strode into the undead fortress, teleporting back to the undead Imperial Capital. Absorbing a complete sphere wasn''t a quick process. She had to make the most of her time. After this battle, the undead empire''s name would resound throughout the north of the Eldoria continent. They could no longer remain hidden. She had to become stronger, and fast. Unifying the Eldoria continent was a daunting task, given the presence of the angels and humans. Therefore, Alex had set her sights on the weakest continent: Arsen. She now had the confidence to face the Holy Court. The Arsen continent was the most likely candidate for unification by the undead empire. However, one thing puzzled Alex. Was the continent''s core of will not tempting to these powerful races? Why hadn''t the weakest continent, Arsen, been unified, or even targeted by other powerful races? The situation on the Eldoria continent was understandable. The presence of the previous undead empire had attracted all the major factions, clearly vying for something. But to prevent further conflict, they seemed to have tacitly agreed to maintain the status quo, with no race attempting to conquer the Eldoria continent''s core of will. But what about the Arsen continent? Apart from Eldoria and Arsen, all other continents had their respective rulers. Valoria continent - Demon race; Nytheria continent - Angel race; Mossvale continent - Dragon race; Tyrangar continent - Titan race; Arcadia continent - Human race. A chilling thought struck Alex. Could it be that each of these five powerful races had a puppet controlled by the World''s Heart? What about the Sea Race? Their strength rivaled that of any of the other races, yet they hadn''t claimed any continent''s core of will. Could it be that the Sea Race was the only truly neutral faction? Was that why all the other races seemed to despise them? Regardless, Alex was determined to obtain the Arsen continent''s core of will. Not to absorb it, but to destroy it. She also had to be wary of the energy Yi Chen had mentioned. It was likely a manifestation of the World''s Heart''s power through its subjugated races. === Upon returning to the undead empire, Alex immediately stripped off her clothes and teleported to the bathhouse. "Ah, a nice hot bath. It''s been a while since I''ve been able to relax like this." ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? Alex leaned back in the tub, her shoulders exposed, her arms resting on the edges. White foam covered the water, concealing her breasts and other private parts. The undead were still battling in the Beastman Empire, slaying countless enemies. As she felt her experience points rapidly increasing, Alex began to understand Thunder''s intentions. He wanted her to use the system''s assistance to quickly reach Sovereign level. After that, further advancement might no longer be solely dependent on experience points. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In that case, the system would become less important. "Although the Beastmen are numerous, it''s unlikely to grant me two level ups at once." Alex swished the water with her hand. "When will the Sea Race deliver another wave of experience points?" ... After soaking in the bath for half an hour, Alex stood up, her bare feet padding across the floor as she walked out of the bathhouse. She had made up her mind. This time, the undead empire would reveal itself to the world. She no longer needed to hide. She could wear any beautiful dress she desired, no longer needing to disguise herself in local human attire. Alex wore a sailor-style top, paired with a black pleated skirt, and thigh-high stockings, complemented by white canvas shoes. From now on, everyone would know that the ruler of the undead empire was a lord from another world. Alex had just finished bathing, her hair falling loosely over her shoulders. She decided to secure it with a hair clip. As she pulled out the clip, thoughts of the adorable Chi-Chi filled her mind. "I must become stronger as quickly as possible," she resolved. "Once I have the power, I will bring Chi-Chi back to life." It would take some time for the undead empire to completely conquer the north, and Alex''s current method to increase her power was to understand the Qi sphere. The application of Qi was similar to telekinesis, but they were fundamentally different. Meanwhile, at the heart of the Eldoria continent. A blinding golden light erupted from the Holy City in the sky, and a six-winged angel soared out, heading north at breakneck speed. He suddenly stopped, his path blocked by a human. He frowned, recognizing the man before him. "Wind, why do you stand in my way?" "You cannot go north." Wind smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on the six-winged angel. "The undead are the angels'' sworn enemies. Step aside!" The six-winged angel''s voice was cold, unafraid of the man before him. "I don''t care about your grudge against the undead. The agreement we signed clearly states that angels are forbidden from entering the north. We overlooked your previous transgression, but you will not violate the agreement again." Wind''s voice was firm as he released his powerful magic aura, a clear warning. "I will report this. The humans are colluding with the undead!" With that, the six-winged angel turned and flew away. Wind withdrew his aura, muttering, "Go ahead and report it! I don''t give a damn!" Chapter 396: They had messed with the wrong opponent Seven days passed in a flash. Alex had made significant progress in mastering the Qi sphere, but she was still far from perfecting it.The north was completely pacified. The undead empire now stretched from west to east, encompassing both coastlines, bordering the human Starfallen Empire along its entire length. As Thunder had predicted, the humans hadn''t reacted at all. Under normal circumstances, Alex would have been suspicious. But now, there was only one explanation: Wind, the Mage Guild elder, was stationed in Hurricane City. As Alex sat on her throne, lost in thought, Death Spirit burst into the hall. "Queen, the Sea Race has attacked the Arsen continent''s coastline again!" "They''re back? I was just running low on experience points! Mobilize the troops! We''ll wipe them out!" Alex was thrilled. This was perfect timing. "Queen, I suggest you see this for yourself. They have King level combatants this time, nearly a thousand of them. The rest of their troops are at least Monarch level. I believe the Sea Race is serious this time. They might even deploy Emperor level, or even Sovereign level beings." Death Spirit reported respectfully. This time, the Sea Race''s invasion wasn''t as massive as the previous one, but their strength was far greater. Death Spirit was worried that they wouldn''t be able to withstand a Sovereign level attack. If that happened, not only would Lilith perish, but many undead would also be lost. It would be a devastating blow to the undead empire. Alex was taken aback. Was the situation really that dire? Why was the Sea Race making such a bold move? Could they also be aiming to unify the Arsen continent, like her? S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex decided to investigate personally. As she stood up, preparing to depart for the fallen angels'' city with Death Spirit, Xiao Mu entered the hall. "Leader, the northern border of the Arsen continent is under a large-scale Sea Race invasion. Their forces consist of King level and Monarch level beings, and their numbers are vast. It''s highly likely that they''ll deploy even stronger forces this time." Xiao Mu reported the situation. The Titan kingdom''s borders had already expanded north to the edge of the continent. Alex paused. The Sea Race was attacking both sides simultaneously? Regardless of their intentions, this was good news for Alex. As long as they didn''t deploy multiple Sovereign level beings, they were essentially providing free troops for the undead empire. This was a golden opportunity for the undead empire to grow stronger. The Sea Race''s ruler was a fool to think they could outnumber the undead. "Xiao Mu, take Torin and Garethor with you. Death Spirit and I will head to the fallen angels kingdom first." Alex strode out of the hall, and Xiao Mu acknowledged her orders. "Roger that." ... Arsen continent, fallen angels kingdom. Lilith stared at the scene before her, despair filling her heart. Her entire kingdom only had three King level combatants. And they were all newly ascended, at the initial stage. The Sea Race had landed with over a thousand King level troops, and they were intentionally converging on her kingdom. The other coastal areas only faced Monarch level threats. Clearly, their first target was to eliminate the fallen angels kingdom. Although there were some King level undead within the city, Lilith didn''t believe they could defeat the enemy. The difference in numbers and strength was at least a hundredfold! "Do we have to abandon this place?" Lilith was unwilling to give up, but she understood. The Sea Race was relentless. If they withstood this wave, there would be a second, a third, and so on. It would never end. After the elf incident, Lilith had absorbed the remaining elves into the fallen angels kingdom, apart from the dark elves she had given to Alex. Although they were numerous, over a hundred thousand strong, most were only Standard level and Commanding level. The weakest Sea Race troops were Monarch level. They were no match, destined to be slaughtered. The fallen angels within the city were few in number, mostly newborns, incredibly fragile. "Death Spirit, what''s the situation?" Lilith asked anxiously, her gaze fixed on the approaching Sea Race army. She gripped her weapon, ready to fight. The Sea Race was closing in, and the undead outside wouldn''t hold them off for long. Suddenly, a black streak of energy shot down from the sky, crashing into the heart of the Sea Race army. A shockwave of terrifying power rippled outward, forming a massive black ring. No Sea Race creature within its radius was spared. The moment they touched the energy, they collapsed, dead. In an instant, the Sea Race army was decimated. The Sea Race creatures still landing on the shore and the fallen angels atop the cliff were stunned. "Oh my god, she wiped out over a thousand King level beings with a single attack! I must be hallucinating..." Lilith was speechless, her jaw agape. Alex hovered in the sky, her back to them, her long hair billowing in the wind, like a goddess descending from the heavens. She hadn''t even drawn her weapon! The Sea Race creatures in the ocean hesitated for a moment before charging towards the shore once more, but this time, they were stopped at the water''s edge. The corpses of the tens of thousands of fallen Sea Race creatures had transformed into undead! Over a thousand King level undead, the rest Monarch level! ????????.??? With a single attack, Alex had evened the odds. This time, she hadn''t even deployed her other undead. She had only brought Death Spirit. "Death Spirit, lead the undead towards the coastline. Stop all Sea Race invaders!" With Alex''s command, Death Spirit split into dozens of clones, leading the King level undead towards the other coastal areas. Alex descends from the air to the ground. "Are you alright? This could be serious. The Sea Race might deploy Emperor level beings." Lilith looked at Alex, who had landed beside her, her voice filled with concern. "Emperor level beings?! Why would the Sea Race attack the Arsen continent? There''s nothing here!" "I don''t know. The Sea Race might have other motives." Alex''s presence was no longer needed on the battlefield. She had come here hoping to encounter an Emperor level Sea Race being. "I think there''s another faction involved. The Sea Race''s behavior is too unusual, and the other races are acting strangely as well. The Sea Race is causing such a commotion, yet the major factions seem oblivious." Lilith was puzzled. She could understand why the other races hadn''t reacted last time, but what about now? Both the Holy Court and the humans were acting as if they were asleep, completely unresponsive. If either of them had noticed and intervened, they could have easily repelled the Sea Race. Alex, however, seemed to ignore Lilith''s words, her gaze fixed on the ocean. "An Emperor level Sea Race being is approaching!" Lilith instinctively took a step back. Alex had already vanished, flying towards the Emperor level Sea Race being emerging from the ocean. Although Sea Race creatures were stronger in water, it wouldn''t make a difference against Alex. As long as it wasn''t a Sovereign level being or higher, she was invincible. The Emperor level Sea Race being had the upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish. He was merman, with deep blue skin and a grotesque fish head covered in strange scales. Seeing Alex approaching at high speed, he raised his trident-like weapon. The calm sea churned violently, and a hundred-meter-tall wave rose from the depths, crashing towards Alex. Alex drew her scythe, swinging it gently towards the oncoming wave. Whoosh! The wave split in two. Before the merman could react, a black blade flashed, severing his weapon. He was stunned, quickly transforming into water and merging with the ocean, dodging Alex''s attack. The water surged, carrying him to a safe distance. Swoosh! Merman raised his severed trident, attempting to summon another wave. He knew from their brief exchange that he was no match for Alex. He was merely stalling for time, waiting for reinforcements. "Space sphere!" Alex raised her hand, and the merman froze mid-air, completely immobilized. He stared in horror as a massive black scythe appeared at his throat. "Tell me everything you know!" Alex''s gaze was icy, her aura so powerful that it sent the surrounding King level Sea Race beings flying. "So you''re a survivor. The Mage Guild has fallen. You''ll be buried on this continent forever! Hahaha!" To Alex''s surprise, the Emperor level Merman laughed maniacally, his voice devoid of fear. Alex''s expression hardened. Without another word, she beheaded him. Lilith, too far away to hear their conversation, only saw Alex effortlessly slay an Emperor level being. A terrifying thought crossed her mind. "Could Alex already be at Emperor level?!" As Lilith pondered this, Alex suddenly reappeared beside her, holding the corpse of the merman. "I need to go to Yellowrock City. I''ll send a few Emperor level undead to assist you. Contact me if you need anything." "Okay." Lilith, still bewildered, nodded numbly. Alex dropped the corpse, and a gray magic circle materialized beneath it. The next moment, Alex was gone. Within moments, several Emperor level undead arrived on the battlefield. Lilith had expected only two, but to her astonishment, she counted seven! Seven Emperor level reinforcements! The undead empire had become incredibly powerful, far surpassing the progress of other lords. And this might not even be their full strength. Lilith suddenly realized that the Death Spirit clone, busy summoning corpses nearby, was also at Emperor level! Thanks to Alex''s enhancements, they could even summon Emperor level undead. Facing such a powerful undead empire, the Sea Race was doomed. They had messed with the wrong opponent... Chapter 397: No one would save a future enemy Meanwhile, within the Southridge Republic.Alex was flying towards Yellowrock City at breakneck speed. Along the way, she passed over human cities, all seemingly untouched by the conflict. This was the heart of the continent, and there was no sign of the Sea Race. But when she arrived at Yellowrock City, she found it in ruins. Three figures clashed fiercely in the sky above. Two Sea Race Sovereign level beings were besieging the president of the Yellowrock City branch. The vice president, whom Alex knew, was gravely injured and out of the fight, lying amidst the rubble, praying for the president''s victory. As a mere Emperor level mage, his survival was a miracle. The president wasn''t faring well either. His mana reserves were dwindling, and fatigue was setting in. The two Sea Race Sovereigns, on the other hand, seemed relaxed, deliberately wearing down their opponent, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike a fatal blow. Tap, tap! Footsteps approached, and the vice president, who had been observing the aerial battle, turned his head. He recognized the familiar face and white hair. It was the honorary magus he hadn''t seen in months. "Alyssa, what are you doing here? It''s dangerous! You need to leave the Arsen continent and report to headquarters!" The vice president''s face was etched with worry. This might be their only hope. She had to escape before the two Sea Race Sovereigns noticed her. Alex smiled sweetly, her expression unreadable. "Let me reintroduce myself. I''m not Alyssa. My real name is Alex, and I''m the current ruler of the Undead Empire." The vice president stared at her, speechless. He could sense that Alex''s aura was even stronger than his own. As the vice president, he was well aware of the undead empire. He knew that they had just conquered the Beastman Empire a few days ago. It was said that their powerful undead lord had slain the Sovereign level Archalpha! "You''re from the Eldoria continent?" After a long silence, the bewildered vice president could only manage that single question. He didn''t ask why Alex was here, or why she had joined the Mage Guild. "Yes, I am." The vice president was stunned once more. He couldn''t believe that the ruler of the Undead Empire was a young woman. Alex turned her gaze towards the battle raging above. Three first-stage Sovereign level beings. If she intervened, the Sea Race would surely lose. But she didn''t act immediately. The [Earth] wasn''t on her side. She needed to understand the situation before deciding whether to help them. "Vice President, why is the Sea Race attacking the Mage Guild?" Alex asked, her eyes still fixed on the aerial battle. The vice president pondered for a moment. "The Holy Court completely withdrew from the Arsen continent a few days ago. It seems the Sea Race is targeting the entire continent, so we''ve become their next target." The weary vice president continued, "Two Sovereign level Sea Race beings launched a surprise attack on Yellowrock City, cutting off our retreat. We have no choice but to fight to the death." "Why didn''t you take precautions when the Sea Race attacked the coastline before?" Alex''s voice was laced with suspicion. The vice president''s eyes widened in realization. "It must have been the Holy Court! That explains their strange behavior a few days ago. They were distracting us, suppressing the news of the Sea Race invasion!" He finally understood. The Sea Race wouldn''t deploy Emperor level and Sovereign level beings without careful planning. He had been puzzled before, but now it was clear. They had already tested the waters! "Vice President, the undead and humans have always kept to themselves. I''ll save you, but not him." Alex pointed towards the sky, referring to the president of Yellowrock City. "One last question. Which side are you on?" Alex stepped closer. "Think carefully before you answer. It will determine whether I intervene." The vice president fell silent, struggling to grasp the meaning behind Alex''s words. Then, his eyes widened in shock as realization dawned upon him. Thunder had approached them countless times, asking the same question. But for both him and the president of Yellowrock City, those matters seemed distant and irrelevant. They were practitioners of the earth sphere, simple and honest folk, unconcerned with such grand and abstract concepts. So he replied, "I won''t choose a side. It has nothing to do with us. We only strive for the advancement of humanity. Godhood is something we''ve never even considered." "Good. Your answer has saved his life. No one would save a future enemy." ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® Alex drew her scythe and shot towards the sky. The two Sea Race Sovereign level beings, seeing a young human woman charging towards them, scoffed, dismissing her as a minor nuisance. One of them broke off from the fight, intending to eliminate her swiftly. He thrust his massive trident towards Alex, already picturing her riddled with holes. However, a crisp clang echoed as the trident shattered. The Sea Race Sovereign stared at his broken weapon, his hands trembling. "So careless?" Alex had assumed he would protect his weapon with his sphere. She hadn''t expected him to be so negligent. "Damn you! This might not be the ocean, but my power is beyond your comprehension! I''ll kill you!" Alex responded to the Sea Race Sovereign''s roar by unleashing fourteen spheres of power, channeling them into her scythe. Judging by her appearance, the Sea Race being had naturally assumed she was a mage. And as everyone knew, mages were weak in close combat. Regardless of their level, melee combat was always their Achilles'' heel. But this young woman, a high Emperor level being wielding a scythe, shattered his preconceived notions. The Sea Race Sovereign was immobilized by the overwhelming power of the spheres. He could break free, but it would take time. And with Alex''s speed, that brief moment was more than enough to kill him ten times over! The blade flashed, its image growing larger in the Sea Race Sovereign''s eyes. Without his weapon, he instinctively raised his arm to block. Clang! Just as Alex''s scythe was about to sever his arm, the other Sea Race Sovereign appeared in a flash, his weapon enveloped in sphere energy, intercepting the fatal blow. "This human is unusual. Be careful! Don''t underestimate her!" But when he turned to look at his companion, he was gone. He looked back at his opponent, but the human girl had also vanished! Only her scythe remained, pressing down on his weapon. Suddenly, his antennae twitched frantically. He swatted away the scythe and turned to block an attack from the Yellowrock City president. "You were hiding your true strength?" The Sea Race Sovereign''s face hardened for the first time. Even with the president unleashing his full power, it was still impossible for him to fight them both at once. But now, with his companion gone, it was a different story. He might not be able to defeat the Yellowrock City president alone! The Sea Race Sovereign wanted to flee. That Emperor level human girl was too mysterious. His instincts screamed at him to escape, but he couldn''t abandon his companion. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You stinking fish think you can conquer the land?!" The president unleashed his earth sphere, and the ground trembled beneath them. A wave of terrifying energy crashed towards the Sea Race Sovereign. He gritted his teeth, unable to withstand the full force of the attack. He could only summon his ocean sphere, but this wasn''t the ocean. He couldn''t unleash his full power on land. But it should be enough to hold back the enemy temporarily. With a roar, the Sea Race Sovereign unleashed his power. The vice president, caught off guard, was blown back several meters. He stared in awe as a massive tsunami materialized out of thin air, towering over the dry land. But the next moment, a scene unfolded that he would never forget. Alex reappeared, holding the corpse of the other Sea Race Sovereign! "Oh my god, how is this possible?!" Even if Alex was strong, the vice president had assumed that the Yellowrock City president would be the first to defeat his opponent. Thud! The corpse crashed to the ground, blue blood oozing from the severed neck. Alex summoned her scythe with a flick of her wrist. Without hesitation, she charged towards the remaining Sea Race Sovereign. The vice president wasn''t the only one stunned by this scene. The other two combatants were also closely observing the situation. The key to victory was for one side to break through, tipping the scales in their favor. But when the Sea Race Sovereign witnessed Alex effortlessly slay his companion, he panicked, desperately trying to escape back to the ocean. But this was the heart of the continent, far from the sea. And how could he possibly outrun Alex? Chapter 398: Undead Race will handle the Sea Race invasion "Thank you for your assistance," the president said, hovering in the air, his gratitude towards Alex genuine.Both Sea Race Sovereign level beings were dead. Alex was extracting their souls, intending to fuse them through a special method to summon a Sovereign level undead. "You''re welcome. I have a question for you. Do you know my true identity?" Alex replied with a faint smile. The president paused. Judging by this woman''s ability to defeat Sovereign level beings with Emperor level strength, only one possibility came to mind. He exchanged glances with the vice president below, and seeing the confirmation in his eyes, his suspicion was confirmed. "You''re the undead lord?" The president knew that the previous undead lord was human. Looking at this woman, she indeed resembled a human in appearance. "That''s right. And you should also know that I have a reason for saving you." Alex descended slowly, holding the two Sovereign level souls in her hand. The president landed nearby. The vice president immediately approached, whispering something to the president. "I see. Rest assured, we don''t participate in higher-level decisions. That''s precisely why we were transferred to Yellowrock City." "Pfft¡ª" Alex couldn''t help but laugh. "You''re a Sovereign level mage. You got ostracized for being a loner?" "It''s not exactly ostracization. The Arsen continent is resource-poor and strategically insignificant. We weren''t trusted, so we were sent here." The president explained politely. He was a burly middle-aged man with a short beard. Like the vice president, he didn''t wear a mage robe. "Alright, I can help you leave the Arsen continent. But in return, I need you to deliver a message to the Mage Guild." Alex gazed at the horizon, her tone serious. "Tell us." The two men were delighted at the prospect of leaving the Arsen continent. Although they were safe for now, escaping the continent would be difficult in their current situation. The Arsen continent was essentially devoid of major factions. It wouldn''t be long before the Sea Race conquered the entire continent. Their deployment of Sovereign level beings indicated that they were serious this time. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I need you to convey a message to the Mage Guild. The undead race will handle the Sea Race invasion. No other faction needs to intervene." The two men were stunned. They had expected some kind of excessive demand, but this? The undead race dealing with the Sea Race? It was a win-win situation for the Mage Guild. "That''s no problem at all. With Yellowrock City destroyed, constructing a transcontinental teleportation array would be a massive undertaking. The Mage Guild, and all other races, are unwilling to waste the time and resources. We''re grateful for your willingness to shoulder this burden. I speak for all of humanity." The president spoke respectfully. He hadn''t expected the new undead lord to be so selfless. "But what about the civilians in the Southridge Republic?" The vice president voiced his concern, worried about the innocent humans caught in the crossfire. "I can only guarantee your safe passage. As for the Southridge Republic, I''ll do my best. If the Sea Race can threaten the civilians in the heart of the continent, then I''ve already failed." The Southridge Republic had a population of at least 1.5 billion. Evacuating them would be a logistical nightmare, and even if they reached another continent, resettlement would be another challenge. "If such a crisis arises, we won''t stand idly by and watch you fight alone!" "Rest assured, I can handle anything short of the Sea God''s personal intervention." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Alex exuded confidence. She wasn''t concerned about first-stage Sovereign level beings. As for second-stage Sovereign level beings, Alex had a plan. Third-stage Sovereign level beings rarely intervened in such matters. They were close to achieving divinity and were focused on their breakthroughs, not petty squabbles. Besides, a top-tier race usually had no more than five third-stage Sovereign level beings. Alex chatted with the two men for a while, learning that the president''s name was Faelan and the vice president''s name was Elric. They had revealed their names, a sign of their goodwill towards Alex. As leaders of the Mage Guild, Faelan and Elric were familiar with the undead race. There had never been any fundamental conflict between the two factions. Moreover, Alex had just saved their lives. After some small talk, Alex asked the crucial question. "The Holy Court left early. Can they still return to the Arsen continent?" Alex''s knowledge of the Holy Court was limited to their early encounters. She hadn''t seen them since. "Knight City was their only stronghold on the Arsen continent. They likely destroyed the teleportation array when they left. But to be safe, we can accompany you and destroy the entire city." Faelan offered his suggestion. Knight City had no civilians, and their relationship with Yellowrock City was distant. They rarely interacted. "In that case, I would appreciate your assistance." "It''s a small matter." The three of them departed from the ruins of Yellowrock City, flying towards Knight City, located on the Republic''s border. But when they arrived, they were stunned. Knight City was in ruins. "It''s been destroyed?" Alex descended slowly, examining the rubble. The debris was damp, and a faint stench of fish lingered in the air. "Could it be the Sea Race?" Elric stared at the ruins, puzzled. But neither Alex nor Faelan shared his suspicion. They still believed in their previous theories. There were only two possibilities. Either the Holy Court had received some kind of warning and fled, deliberately leaving the Mage Guild to suffer the consequences before suppressing the news. A classic case of "if I''m going down, you''re coming with me." Or, this was all a staged act by the Holy Court and the Sea Race. Perhaps they had formed an alliance, with the Sea Race acting as mercenaries against the Mage Guild. Regardless of the truth, it didn''t concern Alex. It wasn''t her problem. Whether the Sea Race remained neutral or not, the undead empire''s expansion would inevitably put them at odds. Alex activated her earth sphere, examining the ruins of Knight City. The two men behind her gasped in astonishment. President Faelan finally understood how she had managed to slay a Sovereign level being. Her mastery of the earth sphere was even greater than his own! Chapter 399: If youre reading this, I may already be dead Alex quickly determined that Knight City was nothing but a pile of rubble. There were no hidden magic circles or anything of the sort.Moreover, she was incredibly sensitive to light magic. If they had left any traps behind, she would have sensed them immediately. "It seems they''ve completely abandoned this place." Alex decided to have the undead search the rest of the Arsen continent later. There was no guarantee that they hadn''t left something behind. President Faelan remained silent, lost in thought. Constructing a transcontinental teleportation array was a costly endeavor for the Holy Court, both in terms of resources and manpower. They wouldn''t simply abandon it, would they? As the two men watched, Alex retrieved a Fortress Essence Shard and tossed it onto the rubble. Moments later, a massive fortress rose from the ground. "Let''s go. I''ll take you out of here." Alex entered the undead fortress, and the two men quickly followed, stepping into the teleportation array. The world spun around them, and when their vision cleared, they found themselves inside the massive main fortress. It was pitch black, with black mist swirling across the floor. The only light came from a strange rune glowing on a distant wall. In the center of the room stood a massive portal, its destination unknown. Alex didn''t give them time to observe their surroundings. She set the coordinates to the northwestern region of the Eldoria continent, the closest fortress to Hurricane City. She wouldn''t be foolish enough to reveal the locations of her other fortresses. Everyone knew that the north belonged to the undead empire now. Exposing one fortress wouldn''t make a difference. "Gentlemen, this way. The portal leads to the Eldoria continent." Alex gestured towards the portal with a smile. "We are eternally grateful for your assistance. We will remember your words." President Faelan spoke respectfully before stepping into the teleportation array. Alex ignored them and walked out of the main fortress, heading towards the plaza in the city center. She had two Sovereign level souls in her possession. She was contemplating whether to combine them and summon a death angel or attempt to fuse a Death Dragon. But if the fusion failed, she wouldn''t be able to summon a death angel with the remaining soul. Thanks to her summoning sphere, as long as she held the souls in her hand, they wouldn''t dissipate. But she couldn''t hold them forever. At least she had some time to think. "To fuse a Sovereign level undead, the newly created Death Dragon needs to be at least max level Emperor level. Then, by using the soul to master a sphere, there might be a chance for it to ascend to Sovereign level..." Alex pondered the challenge. Moreover, she was currently at Emperor level. She couldn''t directly summon two Sovereign level undead. Although the Death Dragon had a Sovereign level cap, it only meant that its maximum level was first-stage Sovereign level. After all, the path to godhood began at the second stage. Strictly speaking, they were no longer considered Sovereign level beings. Excluding the second and third stages and above, mastering a sphere to perfection was the pinnacle for those below Divine level. After some deliberation, Alex decided to fuse a Death Dragon. She immediately instructed Death Spirit to summon all the King level bone dragons and ghost dragons. ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? The fusion process was smooth. She had already mastered the technique. The challenge lay in integrating the Sovereign level soul at the final stage. As a massive black cloud rose into the sky, a colossal dragon began to take shape within the magic circle. Alex decisively fused one of the Sovereign level souls into it. The Death Dragon''s aura surged, breaking through King level and reaching Emperor level. It was simply grafting another Sovereign level being''s sphere, so mastering it initially was relatively quick. However, the Death Dragon''s level stalled at lv6 Emperor level. "What''s going on?" Alex was puzzled. Was its mastery of the sphere insufficient? Logically, a single Sovereign level soul should have been enough to push it to lv9 Emperor level. Why was it stuck at high Emperor level? As the Death Dragon''s fusion neared completion, Alex glanced at the remaining Sovereign level soul in her hand. She decided to go all in, tossing it into the magic circle. With the second soul integrated, the Death Dragon''s level surged once more, reaching lv9 Emperor level. Powerful sphere energy swirled within the magic circle. As the two spheres fully merged with the Death Dragon, it broke through lv9 Emperor level, reaching first-stage Sovereign level! Alex sighed in relief. She seemed to understand the problem. Perhaps because the Death Dragon was fused from two troop types with an Emperor level cap, it required two souls. Although the fusion was successful, she wasn''t entirely happy. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had concluded that summoning an Emperor level Death Dragon, like a Death Angel, required two souls. And it also required sacrificing two King level Bone Dragons and Ghost Dragons. "It seems I can''t mass-produce Sovereign level units after all. Two souls are required." Alex also had to consider how to preserve a single Sovereign level soul if she encountered an odd number. She couldn''t just hold it in her hand indefinitely. "Well, it''s better than nothing." At least she could summon Sovereign level units now. Otherwise, she would have to wait for her race kings to break through, which could take a long time. By then, the era crisis might be over. "Death Dragon, go support the fallen angels'' city." After issuing the command, Alex decided to check on Xiao Mu. But as she passed by the warehouse, she sensed a faint magical fluctuation emanating from within. "What''s causing that?" She entered the warehouse, her gaze sweeping across the room. She spotted a dusty scroll in the corner, glowing with a white light. "It''s that scroll. There''s writing on it?" Alex approached the scroll, picking it up from the floor. She remembered Edgar giving it to her before he left, saying it contained important information. If not for the magical aura it had just emitted, she would have forgotten about it. "I''m Edgar. If you''re reading this, I may already be dead." Chapter 400: How about we join forces and pull off something big? Alex paused, her mind reeling. She couldn''t believe it was true. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she continued reading."I''ve uncovered some truths about this world. You are the current undead lord, and I see ambition in your eyes. We were all wrong. Siding with the system was a mistake. He has the power to create races, leading us to believe he was the original God of Creation of this planet. The ideal scenario was to help him devour the World''s Heart. Thankfully, he (the previous undead lord) failed. Otherwise, the consequences would have been dire. Planet Astralon might be just a plaything to him. If he were to gain control, his next step might be to move on to other worlds, continuing his cycle of devouring. Of course, this is just my speculation..." Alex stood alone in the warehouse, murmuring to herself as she absorbed the information. She already knew the rest of what Edgar had written, mostly about the truth behind the World''s Heart and the system. Edgar probably didn''t know that Alex had already reached Emperor level and was just a step away from Sovereign level. He hadn''t mentioned his cause of death, perhaps because he didn''t have time, or perhaps it wasn''t important. But Alex suspected he had been killed while investigating. "Although the previous undead lord''s death was shrouded in mystery, I''ve uncovered some clues. It was a conspiracy, a reaction from the major races after they learned he had sided with the system. Those confirmed to be involved include: Fire, one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians; the Silver Dragon chieftain of the dragon race; and the Knight Champion of the Holy Court. There might be others, but I''m not sure yet. There might be some neutral factions involved, but I suspect most of them are on the World''s Heart''s side. I''ve also learned something about the continent''s core of will. The reason why we can''t travel between continents isn''t because the Endless Sea is dangerous. It''s because there''s a barrier of will between the continents, a manifestation of the World''s Heart''s power. It''s what isolates the seven continents. Gods, having partially broken free from his control, can easily cross between continents. I suspect that only by destroying the core of will can we eliminate these barriers. The World''s Heart is suspected to be located in the depths of the ocean. I hope you can achieve this. And finally, be wary of the dragon race!" The message ended abruptly. Alex stared at the scroll, overwhelmed by the information. Edgar was dead. No one knew where or how he had died. "He warned me to be wary of the dragon race?" Alex was puzzled. The dragon race, like the Mage Guild, should be divided into multiple factions. Why didn''t he specify which dragon race to be wary of? Something didn''t add up. As for the core of will, its secrets would be revealed when she unified the Arsen continent. The scroll had served its purpose. With Edgar''s message revealed after his death, it was now just an ordinary piece of parchment. Alex held it in her hand, a flame erupting from her fingertips, reducing it to ashes. She knew a lot about the Mage Guild, but her knowledge of the dragon race was limited. She only knew of four dragon races: Sky Dragons, Azure Dragons, Rock Dragons, and Lava Dragons. Adding the Silver Dragons mentioned in Edgar''s message, that made five. She didn''t even know which race currently ruled the dragon race. Time wasn''t pressing, so Alex sat in the main hall, pondering Edgar''s message. As she was lost in thought, Death Spirit floated into the hall. "Queen, there''s a mage outside the Dark Forest requesting an audience with you. I can''t discern his level or strength." ???¦®????.??? Death Spirit''s report snapped Alex back to reality. She was puzzled. She had just sent Faelan and Elric away. Why was another mage here? They certainly weren''t here to express their gratitude. "Alright, I''ll go see him." Alex flew towards the edge of the Dark Forest. No one should know about the undead Imperial Capital hidden within. The northern region of the Eldoria continent was vast. How had this mage managed to find this place so precisely? Alex was curious about his identity. As she reached the edge of the Dark Forest, she finally saw the visitor. She didn''t recognize him. He was a young man with green hair and large earrings. He was wearing a suit, which looked oddly out of place with his overall appearance. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hey there, beautiful. Are you mesmerized by my handsomeness?" the man asked with a smile. Alex: ??? "You make me want to puke, thanks." "I know, most beautiful women are shy. Allow me to introduce myself. I''m Wind, one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians. You must have met Thunder, right? Isn''t he less handsome than me?" Wind said confidently, although Alex couldn''t fathom where his confidence came from. "He also didn''t mention that you''re insane..." Alex was speechless. He didn''t even need to hide his identity. Anyone could tell that this Wind was also a lord. If not for his immense power, other races would have killed him long ago. "Ah~" Wind wagged his finger. "You misunderstand. Geniuses who aren''t widely recognized are often mistaken for lunatics." "Can you cut to the chase? Tell me why you''re here. How does Thunder even tolerate you?" Alex was getting impatient. It wasn''t that she disrespected him. It was just that his behavior was baffling. "Thunder? He''s just a brute. In this situation, he would probably punch me in the face. Why don''t you give it a try?" Wind flipped his green hair, smoothing it with his hand. Alex turned and walked away, ignoring him. Wind panicked, hurrying after her. "Hey, hey, hey, beautiful, don''t leave! I''m here on serious business." "Speak." Alex glared at him, her voice cold. "How about we join forces and pull off something big?" Wind seemed to realize that Alex didn''t appreciate his theatrics and adopted a more serious tone. "How big?" "Let''s take down all the Angel race strongholds on the Eldoria continent. I''ve had it with those bastards!" Chapter 401: A simple and brute-force plan "What''s their strength?" Alex asked, recalling that the Angel race had three branches on the Eldoria continent, with one located right in the center.Although Wind''s attire was strange, he was clearly not a coward. She had always assumed that humans would only retaliate after the Angel race attacked. She hadn''t expected them to strike first. "They have two first-stage Sovereigns and one third-stage Sovereign. I don''t have enough manpower, so I came to you." Wind shrugged. Alex sensed something was amiss. "You''re not acting on your own, are you?" She wouldn''t put it past this lunatic to do something like that. "Of course not. The Archpresident approved this operation. But we have to keep it under wraps. Mobilizing forces from headquarters might alert the enemy." Alex understood. Wind suspected that there might be Angel race spies within the Mage Guild headquarters. The Archpresident had approved his plan but couldn''t provide support. He had to figure it out on his own. "Alright." Alex was relieved. Wind seemed somewhat reliable when it mattered. But another thought occurred to her. "What about Thunder? Aren''t you worried about retaliation from the Angel race?" "Nope, nope, nope. You''re someone we can trust, so I''ll let you in on a little secret." Wind wagged his finger, leaning closer with a mischievous grin. "We''re going to abandon Thunder City. Thunder will escort everyone back to headquarters. And the moment the Archpresident receives my message, he''ll destroy the Angel race branch on the Arcadia continent." So the Mage Guild was launching a preemptive strike, aiming to eliminate the Angel race branches on two continents! The humans were serious this time. "I see. I''m in." But they had to act quickly. The Sea Race battlefield might present new challenges. "When do we strike?" "Tonight, at midnight. You and the branch president will handle the two branches in the south. I''ll take care of the central one. The Holy Church will keep the other factions occupied." Wind''s plan was simple and straightforward: a direct assault on the three Holy Cities. The sooner they acted, the better. "We have an inside man in the Angel Holy City. We''ll infiltrate the city and destroy the Sacred Pool in the main city''s plaza, cutting off their teleportation." "Alright, I understand. It''s a simple, brute-force plan." Alex glanced at the sky. It was still early. She didn''t want to bring Wind to the undead Imperial Capital. She decided to use this opportunity to assess the Holy Church''s strength. After all, if Wind was confident in killing a third-stage Sovereign level angel, he must be incredibly powerful. "Why aren''t the Holy Church''s Sovereign level beings participating in the war? Are there other factors at play?" "You should know that the Angel race relies on faith to achieve godhood. I''ve tasked them with killing all the angels. That way, the third-stage angel''s strength will gradually weaken, giving me a chance to kill him." "And after this battle..." Alex asked, her voice grave. "Don''t worry, you can have all the enemy souls. That''s how the undead race grows stronger." "No, that''s not what I meant." Alex interrupted him. Wind paused, quickly understanding her concern. "That''s right. The enraged Angel race will retaliate. All the races are prepared. The era crisis is coming." ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? As expected, everything was proceeding according to plan. But it was happening sooner than anticipated, and the humans were the ones initiating the conflict. "Here, take this. When it glows, it means it''s time." Wind handed Alex a small, transparent orb before turning to leave. "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be on my way." "Okay. Hurry along, then." Alex nodded, dismissing him. "So cold! I''m one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians! Can''t you be a little nicer to me?" Wind grumbled before vanishing. Alex ignored him and returned to the undead Imperial Capital to prepare. Although her target was only one Holy City, there was always a chance of unforeseen circumstances. She had to be cautious. If the Angel race was eliminated, the humans would dominate the Eldoria continent. The humans were already stronger than the Angel race. Why did they need the undead''s help? Could this be a gesture of goodwill from the humans and the Holy Church towards Alex? ... Alex arrived at the Arsen continent. Her summoning sphere possessed abilities similar to Death Spirit''s. She needed to mark all her Emperor level undead so she could summon them directly to the Angel race''s Holy City. Undead like the Reaper Guards and Death Spirit, who had their own teleportation abilities, didn''t need to be marked. Most importantly, she had to mark the Death Dragon, her Sovereign level undead. The death angel was a fused troop type. Apart from Alex and Xiao Hui, neither Death Spirit nor Torin could summon them. But this operation would result in the deaths of countless angels. Alex wouldn''t let those precious souls go to waste. She quickly marked all her Emperor level undead and gave Death Spirit some instructions, asking him to relay them to the others. Then, she returned to the undead Imperial Capital and headed south, alone. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cliffside Mountain, undead fortress. Alex materialized on the familiar cliff, the waves crashing against the rocks, creating a soothing rhythm. Everything seemed peaceful and serene. She opened her map, studying the locations of the two Angel race branches. Wind had assigned her the eastern branch, the one that had sent angels to pursue Torin. This undead fortress was roughly equidistant from both branches. But the eastern branch required crossing the Skyreach Mountains, while the western branch lay beyond Eternal Night City. It seemed these two branches were strategically positioned to counter those two factions. Speaking of which, the werewolves and vampires had been quiet for a while. Had they joined forces with the angels? Alex shook her head. Werewolves and angels were already at odds, and vampires were inclined towards darkness. Besides, humans would not allow the angel race to absorb them. Having determined her course, Alex set off. Chapter 402: Kill every enemy in sight On the northern border of the Skyreach Mountains, nestled within a small town, Alex blended seamlessly into the surroundings, her invisibility skill concealing her presence. This town was the closest settlement to the stronghold of the Angel Holy City.Werewolves typically preferred the seclusion of forests, making this town a likely strategic outpost built to counter the encroaching Angel race. Observing the werewolves going about their daily lives, Alex found herself reminiscing about a distant past. All she had to do now was wait for nightfall and then make her way to the Holy City. With an inside man aiding her infiltration, Alex wondered if the Angel race''s methods of detecting extraterrestrial visitors would still be effective against her. She perched on a rooftop, taking a short nap as she patiently awaited the arrival of darkness. She had already assessed the werewolves in this town. The strongest among them was only at the Lv1 Emperor level, posing no threat to her concealment. As night fell, Alex rose and set off towards the Angel race branch. Moments after her departure, a burly werewolf materialized on the rooftop, gazing intently in the direction she had vanished, its mind seemingly preoccupied with unknown thoughts. ... The Holy City was impressive in size, but it paled in comparison to the floating Holy City at the heart of the Eldoria continent. The most striking difference was that this city was grounded, its foundations firmly rooted in the earth. Even under the cloak of night, the city emanated a faint golden glow, radiating an aura of divine sanctity. The city gates were sealed shut, an invisible barrier seemingly encasing the entire city, rendering its interior impenetrable to prying eyes. Unable to see the angels within, Alex relied on her invisibility to approach the city''s edge. She suspected that the golden film enveloping the city wasn''t a shield but an alarm system. The slightest touch would likely trigger an immediate response from the angels within. Instead of rushing in, Alex took out a piece of paper, inscribed a coded message on it with magic, and set it ablaze. Moments later, a figure emerged from a side gate, approaching the city''s outskirts. Alex spotted him and walked towards him. The man showed no surprise at her sudden appearance, bowing respectfully. "At your service, Leader. I await Wind''s instructions." "You can get me inside the city?" Alex looked at him questioningly. The man was dressed in white robes, his head bowed like a devout believer. "Leader, take this. It will shield you from the Holy City''s radiance, allowing you to enter undetected." Alex accepted the badge-like object, its holy light aura repulsive to her senses. The inside man led her towards the city. As expected, the golden energy parted before them, creating a human-sized tunnel. "Leader, I can only take you this far. Without this badge, I would be detected if I went any further." S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The inside man stopped at the edge of the barrier. Alex nodded, watching him disappear. Once inside the city, Alex suppressed her aura and reactivated her invisibility. The city''s interior was a stark contrast to its exterior. The buildings were densely packed, the streets narrow, crowded, and filthy. The outer city was shrouded in darkness, the only light emanating from the towering palace in the center, radiating a holy glow. Garbage littered the streets, alleys, and corners. Alex sensed countless life forms within the cramped buildings. Many civilians lived within the Holy City, but Alex sensed no holy light within them. They were essentially no different from humans. The living conditions of human and Angel race civilians were worlds apart. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? "So this is the Angel race? Not as impressive as I imagined." Alex murmured, making her way towards the grand palace in the city center. Her first objective was to destroy the Sacred Pool that facilitated the teleportation of angels. Then, she would deal with the Sovereign level angel within the city. As she ventured deeper, the city''s appearance changed dramatically. The streets became wider, the ground spotless. Even the walls seemed to radiate a faint holy light aura, a stark contrast to the outer city. The grand palace in the center was circular, surrounded by towering structures. The Sacred Pool lay within the inner circle, enclosed by these buildings. It was this pool that powered the entire Holy City, giving it its holy aura. Alex didn''t know where the Sovereign level angel was, nor did she dare to approach recklessly. Although she was powerful, her actual level was still Emperor level. Even with invisibility, there was a risk of being detected if she entered the angel''s perception range. She decided to wait for Wind''s signal, hiding a short distance from the palace. With her darkness sphere, destroying the Sacred Pool would be child''s play. Time seemed to crawl by. Alex guessed that several hours had passed, but she couldn''t be sure. She could only wait for the orb in her hand to glow, signaling the start of the operation. Suddenly, she felt a warmth in her hand. She looked down and saw the orb emitting a faint yellow light! Before she could react, the palace before her erupted in a blinding golden light. A thick beam of light shot up from the Sacred Pool, piercing the sky. The entire palace lit up, and countless angels poured out, preparing to enter the beam of light. Alex was surprised by the Angel race''s swift reaction. It seemed there was some kind of connection between the Sacred Pools. It was time to act. Alex teleported to the center of the palace complex, appearing at the edge of the Sacred Pool. She unleashed a wave of black energy, like ink dripping into the pool. Instantly, the entire pool was tainted, its golden light extinguished. The angels, who had leaped into the beam of light, fell through empty space, staring at the Sacred Pool in confusion. A beautiful woman stood at the edge of the pool, smiling at them! The angels charged towards Alex, and a terrifying power erupted from the city, shaking its very foundations. Buildings in the outer city collapsed. The Sovereign level angel had arrived! "Are you courting death?" Angel''s voice, usually devoid of emotion, was laced with rage. Alex remained calm. A massive gray magic circle materialized behind her. A colossal Death Dragon emerged from the circle, its aura equally formidable! But that wasn''t all. Several Emperor level beings followed the Death Dragon. "Undead!" The surrounding angels gasped. Even the Sovereign level angel was puzzled by the undead''s presence. But his ingrained hatred for the undead left him no time for contemplation. He rallied all the angels in the city, ordering them to attack! Alex smirked, rising into the air. "Kill every enemy in sight!" Chapter 403: Alpha werewolf Instantly, several Emperor level undead charged towards the surrounding angels. This was just a branch of the Angel race. Even with a Sovereign level being present, there couldn''t be more than five Emperor level angels.The Death Dragon clashed with the Six-winged Angel high in the sky. Both were first-stage Sovereigns, their powers evenly matched due to their opposing attributes. The six-winged angel had never encountered a creature like this before, a being that seemed both dragon and undead. The other four Emperor level angels were also surrounded, the undead focusing on incapacitating them rather than killing them. This was, of course, at Alex''s instruction. She intended to transform all the angels in the Holy City into death angels! Alex raised her arm, unleashing a massive wave of gray energy that instantly enveloped the entire city. The golden radiance that had bathed the city was devoured by a strange, dark energy, like a light bulb suddenly going out. The six-winged angel, sensing Alex''s actions, was stunned. He tried to intervene, but the Death Dragon wouldn''t give him the chance. The next moment, agonizing screams echoed throughout the city. The six-winged angel knew it was the ordinary angels suffering. Civilians, lacking holy light within them, couldn''t be transformed into death angels. But they had been thoroughly brainwashed, willing to sacrifice everything for the Angel race. Alex wouldn''t spare them either. She transformed them into ordinary undead. One by one, the holy angels, radiating golden light, turned black, their energy corrupted into darkness. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What''s happening?" The six-winged angel''s face hardened. He had never imagined that someone could transform living angels into undead creatures! The undead lord''s abilities was beyond comprehension. Undead Race had to be eradicated! He made up his mind. Even if it meant dying here, he had to relay this information. He spread his six wings, holy light illuminating the land. His entire body began to glow as he raised his holy sword, preparing for a final, desperate clash with the Death Dragon. Suddenly, he noticed the human girl standing behind him, a massive scythe in her hand, a smile playing on her lips, like a Grim Reaper. ... Meanwhile, the presidents of Hurricane City and Yellowrock City were engaged in fierce battles with the Angel race at the other branch. Their tactics were simpler yet more complex than Alex''s. They had led a direct assault on the Angel Holy City with their mages. The King level angels were dealt with by the mages, while the two vice presidents, both high Emperor level mages, handled the Emperor level angels. As for the Sovereign level six-winged angel, both presidents had joined forces, unleashing their full power from the start, determined to kill him. The Holy City was reduced to rubble under the onslaught of wind and earth magic. The sheer destructive power of their assault even reached Eternal Night City in the south. Holy Church knights had surrounded the city, preventing the angels from escaping. The representative of the Holy Church on the Eldoria continent was initially an entity at the Emperor level. However, due to a schism within the Holy Court, the Angel race had lost control over their information network. A knight captain from the Holy Church, a prominent figure among humans and a first-stage Sovereign level being, had been secretly dispatched to this location. Suddenly, several dark figures streaked across the night sky, leaving trails of shadows in their wake. Bang! A massive silver sword slammed into the ground, sending out a silver shockwave. "Halt! One more step, and I''ll consider you Angel race spies. My blade will grant you eternal slumber!" A deep voice boomed from the ground. The figures in the sky froze. "It''s a Sovereign level knight captain..." ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? The vampire''s face darkened. The humans had anticipated their move and sent someone to intercept them. He contemplated engaging the knight, but as fellow first-stage Sovereigns, the outcome was uncertain. Perhaps he could use his speed to escape. "Hey, knight, mind if I take care of these bloodsuckers?" Heavy footsteps echoed through the night, and a burly figure emerged from the darkness, approaching the standoff. The vampires trembled, their blood running cold, every cell in their bodies screaming in terror. "Alpha werewolf!" The Sovereign level vampire didn''t hesitate. He turned and fled, abandoning his companions. He was out of luck. This werewolf was the true ruler of the Skyreach Mountains, a third-stage Sovereign level being! "Be my guest." The Holy Church knight replied politely, his hands still gripping his sword hilt, standing motionless as if guarding this location was his sole purpose. "Thanks." The alpha werewolf grinned, revealing his sharp fangs. The next moment, he vanished into the night. The opportunity to slay a Vampire Prince (Sovereign level) from Eternal Night City stirred something within him, awakening a long-dormant primal instinct. It seemed his decision had been the right one. All the factions believed that the Alpha Werewolf was in seclusion, attempting to break through to Divine level. But he had ended his seclusion after hearing certain rumors. He finally understood why Eternal Night City had suddenly deployed a vampire prince tonight. The long-standing animosity between the humans and the Angel race had erupted. The vampires were suspected of colluding with the Angel race. This gave the Alpha Werewolf a perfect excuse to wage war against Eternal Night City. "So that woman I saw in the Skyreach Mountains was the undead lord?" The Alpha Werewolf grabbed the severely injured vampire prince, his claws piercing the vampire''s neck, ending his life. After dealing with the vampires, he paused, lost in thought, before turning and racing back towards the Skyreach Mountains. He would use this opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Eternal Night City while the vampires were still reeling! ... The battle at the heart of the continent was the most brutal. Wind was injured, the enemy proving to be more formidable than he had anticipated. But the six-winged angel guarding this Holy City was also in bad shape. His wings were broken, golden blood dripping onto the ground below. "Wind, you''re provoking a war with the Angel race! Your actions will doom all of humanity!" The six-winged angel roared in fury. Wind had entered the city under the pretense of negotiation, launching a surprise attack the moment he stepped inside. The four-winged angels (Emperor level) were no match for a third-stage Sovereign level being and were swiftly slain. The human mages were now rampaging through the city, slaughtering angels. The six-winged angel, feeling his faith power dwindling, knew that defeat was inevitable. Moreover, the other branches hadn''t sent reinforcements, indicating that they were also under attack. This was a well-planned operation by the humans! "Fuck you! Shut the hell up!" Wind''s verbal assault was as relentless as his physical attacks. Chapter 404: The truth behind this world Dawn broke, painting the eastern horizon with hues of pale orange and pink.Alex surveyed the numerous death angels, a satisfied smile gracing her lips. This battle had yielded a bountiful harvest: one Sovereign level, four Emperor level, and countless King and Monarch level undead. The Angel Holy City remained intact but stood eerily silent, a ghost town devoid of life. She wasn''t worried about the battle at the other branch. A two-on-one fight was a guaranteed victory. Her only concern was Wind. If he failed, the entire Eldoria continent would face the wrath of the Angel race. Just as she turned her gaze northward, a massive bolt of lightning, reminiscent of Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods, struck from the sky! She had a feeling that was the location of the Eldoria continent''s core. An undead fortress materialized within the Holy City, and Alex swiftly recalled all her undead, sending them back to the Sea Race battlefield. She then teleported to the other Angel branch. Wind had promised her the souls. The president of Hurricane City, Liora, wasn''t a lord. She was the daughter of a lord and a native human. The battle here had long ended. Liora and President Faelan of Yellowrock City were waiting for her. Alex arrived shortly after. She looked around and realized the battle here must have been intense. The entire city was in ruins. Liora greeted Alex with a warm smile, reminiscent of their first encounter. "Should I address you as Miss Alyssa or Lord Alex?" Liora teased, clearly still annoyed about being deceived for so long. "Either is fine." Alex smiled politely. "It wasn''t my intention to hide my name. Blame Eldrin." Knowing Eldrin as she did, Liora instantly understood. But Wind and Thunder had known all along. She was Wind''s confidante, yet she was the last to know. Faelan quickly steered the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Lord Alex, the angel''s body is over there." Alex walked over and examined the corpse. The soul had already dissipated. It had only been a few hours. It seemed Sovereign level souls had a very short lifespan. Death angels could only be transformed from living angels. For deceased souls, she would need Xiao Hui''s companion weapon. "The Sovereign level soul has dissipated. I can''t summon it anymore." Alex explained, but she wasn''t disappointed. She had anticipated this outcome. At least the other angels in the city were still viable. With the two presidents present, Alex didn''t bother concealing her abilities. She unleashed her summoning sphere. "What''s that strange sphere?" Liora and Faelan looked puzzled. They had never witnessed how undead were summoned. Soon, all the angel corpses in the city transformed into undead. One by one, they rose from the rubble. Alex didn''t specify or control the types of undead summoned; they appeared randomly. There were massive bone dragons, ethereal specters floating in the air, and bewildered skeleton soldiers standing on the ground. Once all the undead were summoned, Alex erected an undead fortress, providing a way for them to return to the northern continent. These two fortresses also served another purpose: as staging grounds for future attacks on the Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? The three of them returned to Hurricane City. Alex had intended to part ways here, but she wanted to check on the situation at the central Holy City. Upon arriving in Hurricane City, she met Wind. He seemed to be injured, but his usual flippant demeanor remained unchanged. "Hey there, beautiful. I might be injured, but seeing you makes me feel all better." Wind flipped his hair, which had been messed up during the battle. He had even used wind magic to style it. Alex''s lips twitched, but she remained silent. The others were used to his antics. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides Wind, she also saw a familiar face and a stranger. The familiar face was Thunder. It seemed that lightning bolt had been his doing. Alex could still sense the residual energy of that attack, even from this distance. The stranger was a Templar Knight, or rather, a Holy Church Knight now, also their ally. There were five Sovereign level beings present, two of them at the third stage. It was a formidable lineup. "The Angel race''s influence on the Eldoria continent is gone. But to make the continent''s core of will appear, we need the consent of the other two races." Thunder stepped forward, explaining the situation to Alex. Compared to the unreliable Wind, Thunder seemed much more dependable. "What do you mean?" Alex was confused. She had always assumed that the core of will was hidden somewhere on the continent, waiting to be found. But Thunder''s words suggested it wasn''t that simple. "The core of will only appears after the continent is unified. But there''s another way: if all the races acknowledge a single race''s dominance over the continent." Wind explained on Thunder''s behalf. "That sounds vague and mystical." There was no specific ritual or method, leaving Alex puzzled. "Don''t worry. The World''s Heart has no conscious will. Once you unify the continent, it will appear automatically. You can then choose to destroy it or absorb it." That was all Thunder knew. At least, that''s what the intelligence reports said. But Wind raised a question. "That''s what they say, but has anyone ever actually destroyed a core of will?" "Yes, he (the previous undead lord) did." "Huh? You mean he was attacked by all the races because he destroyed a core of will?" "Not necessarily. It''s just a theory." Alex pondered this. If it was true, she would have to reconsider whether to destroy the core of will. After all, she would be no match for a third-stage Sovereign level being. "I understand. But the Skyreach Mountains (werewolves) and Eternal Night City (vampires) are also formidable forces. After tonight, this world might undergo a drastic change. I need to become stronger as soon as possible." Alex spoke with a newfound sense of urgency. Her spheres were already perfected. She had to break through to Sovereign level and find a way to ignite her divine fire. The others listened silently to their conversation. This was the first time they had learned so much about the truth behind this world. Chapter 405: Time is running out Alex left Hurricane City with a heavy heart. Now that most members of the Mage Guild knew her true identity, no one stopped her.As Thunder and Wind had said, unifying the Eldoria continent was still too difficult for Alex. Besides gaining the humans'' approval, she also needed to conquer or gain the approval of the werewolves and vampires. She was no match for a third-stage Sovereign level being on her own, and the relentless Sea Race on the Arsen continent showed no signs of letting up. Moreover, the Angel race would surely retaliate for the destruction of their branches on the Eldoria continent. The undead empire wouldn''t be spared. In the evening, Alex received a report from the Liberty Church. The alpha werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains had led a surprise attack on Eternal Night City the previous night, plunging the two races into all-out war! Alex was taken aback. She had just been contemplating how to deal with these two races, and now they were fighting each other. But it wasn''t surprising. The werewolves and vampires had a long-standing feud. They were sworn enemies, and war was inevitable. Two days passed quickly. News of the two Sovereign level Sea Race beings'' deaths must have reached their leaders. The Sea Race could escalate their attacks and deploy even stronger forces at any moment. Alex had to be prepared. The entire Arsen continent had become a battleground between the undead race and the Sea Race. If the Sea Race went all out, the undead race wouldn''t be able to withstand them. After two days of contemplation, Alex finally made up her mind. Perhaps she could contact the dragon race. If they wanted to cooperate, the condition was that they send a third-stage Sovereign level dragon to help her deal with the Sea Race threat. But the time wasn''t right yet. The Sea Race had only shown signs of escalating their attacks. They hadn''t taken any concrete actions. Alex''s priority was to break through to Sovereign level, which she estimated would take a few more days. She also had to deal with the system issue before igniting her divine fire. Otherwise, it might have unforeseen consequences. "Damn it, time is running out." Alex was worried. She and Sophie were the only living beings in the vast undead Imperial Capital. Everyone else was on the Arsen continent. Two Sovereign level souls could only summon one Sovereign level undead. This had created a bottleneck in the undead race''s development, limiting their ability to rapidly increase their high-end combat power. Alex, stripped down to her underwear, lay in bed, her mind heavy with worries. ... At 3:00 AM, Alex jolted awake. She threw on a nightgown and walked to the window. The red moon hung high in the sky. Dawn was still hours away, but she couldn''t fall back asleep. A sense of foreboding washed over her, a premonition of impending danger. Perhaps something had happened on the Sea Race battlefield on the Arsen continent. She hurried downstairs, barefoot, and walked out of the palace, descending the steps towards the warehouse. Her gaze swept across the vast warehouse, finally landing on a small, transparent orb in the corner where she stored special items. "I''m glad I didn''t throw this away." She picked up the orb, a sense of relief washing over her. With this, she could contact the Mage Guild at any time. If a major crisis arose, at least the undead empire wouldn''t need to rely on other races for help. It would allow her to weather this difficult period. "Death Spirit, recall the Death Dragon. Keep a close eye on the Sea Race and report any unusual activity immediately!" Alex, clad in her thin nightgown, stood barefoot in the cold wind, addressing the empty, dark plaza. A moment later, a Death Spirit clone materialized before her. "As you wish, Queen." Alex''s worries were somewhat eased, but there were still two major threats: the Alpha Werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains and the Vampire Antediluvian of Eternal Night City, both third-stage Sovereign level beings. It wasn''t just their power that worried her. It was the fact that she had no idea when they might ascend to godhood. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "I need to deal with them as soon as possible..." Alex murmured, walking back towards the palace. Death Spirit vanished, and the undead Imperial Capital fell silent once more. Meanwhile, on the Valoria continent, in the endless abyss. Satan had just slain a King level demon. After examining its chaotic memories, he learned that the demon had been a messenger. The message was simple: The undead race and the humans have joined forces to eliminate all Angel race strongholds on the Eldoria continent. The era crisis is upon us! Satan was stunned. He hadn''t slept all night, his mind racing. "The Eldoria continent, the undead race?" At first, he didn''t see anything unusual about it. But Earl, standing beside him, casually remarked, "It''s gotta be her, right? There aren''t any other undead races around." Earl was just stating the obvious. He had never encountered any other undead besides Alex. "Man, stop!" Cain quickly pulled the honest Earl aside, facepalming. Why did he have to tell him that? "Argh! Alex, you''re insane!" As expected, Satan went ballistic, his screams echoing through the silent abyss. After venting his frustration, he turned to Earl, his eyes narrowed. "Tell me, what''s the strength of an Angel race branch?!" "Emperor level or Sovereign level, I guess!" Earl stammered, taking a step back. "Sovereign level? What''s a Sovereign level? Is it stronger than Emperor level? I''m about to become an Emperor level man!" "A Sovereign level being could probably crush an Emperor level being with a single finger..." Earl replied helpfully, scratching his head. "Man, shut up." Cain quickly covered Earl''s mouth, exchanging a look with him. ''Why are you being so blunt? Just humor him! Tell him that Sovereign level and Emperor level are similar, not that different.'' ''Shouldn''t we tell him the truth? What if he encounters a real Sovereign level being in the future?'' "What are you two whispering about?" Satan approached them, pulling them apart. "You don''t think I''m discouraged, do you?" Earl nodded, his expression saying "Yep, you are." Cain shook his head frantically, his eyes conveying his unwavering support for Satan. As they were talking, a blinding light erupted from the abyss above, illuminating the night sky. The golden light vanished as quickly as it appeared. The three of them stood frozen, speechless. Only Satan''s pupils constricted, understanding the significance of that light. Boom! Boom! A series of deafening roars followed, and several terrifying auras washed over them, sending shivers down their spines. Earl and Cain didn''t recognize the auras, but Satan knew them all too well. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was the aura of powerful demons. "Recall all demons and servants within the abyss! Activate the alchemy magic circle!" Satan was always serious when it came to important matters. The other two knew this well. At least in critical moments, he still possessed some rationality and the ability to make sound decisions. Satan stood there, a mix of emotions swirling within him. He hadn''t expected this crisis to arrive so soon. "The Demon race and the Titan race are at war!" Chapter 406: The Angel races retaliation In the heart of the Arcadia continent lies a majestic empire made up of interconnected cities, at the center of which stands the headquarters of the Mage Guild.This was the Elemental Empire. At its heart stood a towering palace, piercing the clouds, its surface shimmering with elemental energies. From its peak, even an ordinary person could survey the entire empire. The Archpresident of the Mage Guild, a third-stage Sovereign level being on the cusp of godhood, was holding a meeting in his chambers. All the core members were present: the Seven Guardians, the presidents and vice presidents of the seven continental branches, the presidents of the ordinary branches, and several cabinet members of the Elemental Empire. Dozens of individuals, all high Emperor level or above, gathered to discuss how to deal with the Angel race''s inevitable retaliation. The Archpresident had acted decisively, recalling everyone to prevent their forces from being scattered. Although the guild was divided into two factions, they all shared a deep hatred for the Angel race. No one objected to this war. In fact, they had been itching for a fight! The Angel race had lost seven Sovereign level beings and over twenty Emperor level beings in the humans'' surprise attack. They wouldn''t take this lying down. Retaliation was certain. Sovereign level beings were the absolute leaders of their races, their strongest combatants, their future pillars, all with the potential to achieve godhood. Especially third-stage Sovereign level beings, who were just a step away from becoming Divine! Just at that moment, the entire Arcadia continent began to tremble. The top-secret meeting was only halfway through when the entire continent shook. Seven pillars of light, reaching towards the heavens, illuminated the night sky, turning it as bright as day. The seven pillars, located in seven different directions, were rapidly converging on the Elemental Empire. Within each pillar, angel could be seen, but unlike ordinary angels, these all had eight wings! The commotion alerted everyone in the palace. The Archpresident stood up, his gaze fixed on the approaching pillars. The others looked on in fear. The Angel race''s magic circles had been destroyed. They had flown here directly from the Nytheria continent! The Angel race''s retaliation had arrived, and they had brought seven pseudo-gods. "Archpresident, they''re trying to force our Divine Mage to intervene, to get him banished by the World''s Heart!" Thunder exclaimed, his voice laced with urgency. "Indeed. We cannot disturb the Divine Mage. He has more important matters to attend to. We must face this ourselves." The Archpresident turned to the Seven Guardians, his expression unreadable. The others looked bewildered. How could they possibly face seven pseudo-gods without the Divine Mage''s help? Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "For the Elemental Empire and the Mage Guild, we are willing to sacrifice everything!" The Seven Guardians knelt on one knee, pledging their loyalty. They were: Wind, Thunder, Fire, Earth, Water, Natural, and Shadow. All seven were third-stage Sovereign level beings, the pinnacle of power within the Elemental Empire and the Mage Guild. If they worked together, pseudo-gods would be no match for them, unless they encountered a true god. True gods were incredibly rare in this world. Even the Seven Guardians, the alpha werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains, and the vampire Antediluvian of Eternal Night City, all aspired to become true gods. But reality was cruel. They had been stuck at the third stage of Sovereign level for centuries, unable to complete their God''s Path. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? Now, they had to make a choice. For the sake of the Elemental Empire and the Mage Guild, they had to abandon their ultimate goal of becoming true gods. "The Elemental Empire is recognized by the World''s Heart. We shall establish a divine kingdom, using the power of faith to help the Seven Guardians ascend to godhood!" The Archpresident''s voice boomed throughout the empire. The mages within the empire stopped what they were doing, their gazes drawn towards the palace. The four massive walls surrounding the empire radiated a golden light, forming a shield that blocked the seven Pseudo-god Angels. Establishing a divine kingdom and gaining the World''s Heart''s recognition was a process that couldn''t be interrupted. It was a form of unconscious protection from the World''s Heart for its followers. Of course, the World''s Heart could only create pseudo-gods. The Angel race also had a true god, but like the Divine Mage, he wouldn''t intervene lightly. Faint golden lights flickered throughout the Elemental Empire, converging towards the central palace. All the races on the Arcadia continent knelt, facing the Elemental Empire, offering their faith. The main hall was bathed in golden light. The Seven Guardians radiated a powerful aura, their strength increasing steadily. Upon closer inspection, the vast Elemental Empire was divided into seven sections. This was the Archpresident''s trump card, a plan he had prepared long ago. The Mage Guild''s core members were stunned. They hadn''t expected their Archpresident to have such a plan. No wonder the Mage Guild had dared to attack the Angel race. The humans had no pseudo-gods, while the Angel race had many. But even they wouldn''t risk an all-out war against the humans. Unlike the humans, they had more than one enemy. "The Angel race won''t last long. It''s time for the dragon race to make their move." The Archpresident wasn''t worried about the humans'' situation. He understood the relationships between the major races all too well. The Angel race, arrogant and self-righteous, had alienated all the other races. Even if the Titan race was currently allied with the Angel race, they would eventually be defeated by the Demon race. It wasn''t because the demons were stronger than the titans. It was because demons were insane. In battle, they would fight to the death, even burning their own Quintessence to kill their opponents. They didn''t seem to understand the concept of retreat. The Titan race, like the dragon race, had a small population. They wouldn''t risk their lives against the demons. Even if they won, they might end up losing their status as a top-tier race in the next era. The process of ascending to pseudo-godhood wasn''t slow. The Angel race pseudo-gods outside were patiently waiting for the Elemental Empire''s barrier to disappear. They probably assumed that the Archpresident, cornered and desperate, was attempting to become a pseudo-god and fight them all at once. Of course, the Angel race pseudo-gods (now Pseudo-god Angels) had a simple objective. Their initial orders weren''t to destroy the humans but to force the Elemental Empire''s Divine Mage to intervene, leading to his banishment by the World''s Heart. Without a true god, the humans would be like sheep without a shepherd, descending into chaos, posing no threat to the Angel race. But suddenly, the Elemental Empire''s barrier vanished. A powerful aura erupted from the central palace, engulfing the entire empire. Seven figures stood in the sky, radiating an immense power. They were all pseudo-gods! Chapter 407: Alexs alliance plan Alex was stunned when she heard that the Angel race had sent pseudo-gods to directly engage in a full-blown war with the human race.Seven pseudo-god angels had been completely wiped out, and among the Seven Guardians, Shadow, Water... and Wind had fallen. Yes, Wind was dead. He had ascended to pseudo-god and perished on the same day, taking a pseudo-god angel with him. Their spheres were indeed lacking in offensive power. It was no surprise that they were no match for the Angel race at the same level. Liora brought Alex the news. The battle had ended a few days ago, and the humans and the Angel race were now at war. However, both sides seem to be refraining from deploying new pseudo-god level combatants for now. Liora explained that the Angel race needed to conserve their strength to deal with other races. As for the humans, the surviving Guardians were severely injured and unable to fight, requiring a long period of recovery. Surprisingly, Thunder and Fire had sustained the least injuries, suggesting they were the strongest among the Seven Guardians. As for Nature and Earth, their tenacious vitality had allowed them to outlast their opponents. Alex was shocked. She had just met Wind a few days ago, and now he was gone. But one thing puzzled her. The Angel race had immediately deployed pseudo-gods after losing a Sovereign level being, and Eternal Night City had gone to war with the Skyreach Mountains after losing a Sovereign level vampire. Why hadn''t the Sea Race reacted at all after losing two Sovereign level beings? Did they have an abundance of Sovereign level beings? Alex had reached lv9 Emperor level and was just a step away from Sovereign level. But she knew she couldn''t rush it. As she was pondering this, Drake entered the hall. "The dragon race''s apostles have come to see me. They''ve declared war on the Angel race. They want us to stay out of the Angel race conflict and focus on holding back the Sea Race. They claim that the Sea Race, like the Angel race, has sided with the World''s Heart." "As expected, they''re taking advantage of the war between the humans and the Angel race." Alex wasn''t surprised. Given the animosity between the dragon race and the Angel race, it would have been strange if they hadn''t seized this opportunity. "They also shared some information about the Sea Race. They''ve been a top-tier race since the Sea God era. For millennia, they''ve remained in the depths of the ocean, avoiding conflict. The dragon race suspects that their strength might rival that of the Angel race." Drake''s tone was grave. Alex was stunned. The Sea Race was that powerful? Historical records indicated that the Sea Race occasionally harassed the land, but their strongest forces were only King level. Now it seemed they had been hiding their true strength all along. After all, no race dared to challenge the entire Sea Race in their own domain. "If they''re allied with the Angel race, we''re in trouble." All the races on the continents were at war, leaving the Sea Race unchecked. If they joined forces with the Angel race, the humans, dragons, and demons would be doomed. The Titan race was currently allied with the Angel race, and their strength was not to be underestimated. "What should we do?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Drake was worried. He knew that the undead relied on numbers for victory. They couldn''t directly summon troops above first-stage Sovereign level. Alex pondered the situation. The war between these top-tier races had far-reaching consequences. The undead race was in no position to intervene. "Continue fighting the Sea Race. If they deploy pseudo-god level or higher combatants, we''ll abandon the Arsen continent. For now, we can only hope that our race kings level up quickly." "Okay." Drake nodded and left. The undead empire''s main focus was now on the Sea Race battlefield on the Arsen continent. Neither the dragon race nor the humans could easily extend the war to the Nytheria continent unless they were willing to face all the pseudo-god angels. Therefore, the battlefield between the dragon race and the Angel race would likely be the Mossvale continent. Drake couldn''t afford to focus on his own development anymore. ????????.??? "Damn it, this is a headache." Alex wasn''t worried about the Sea Race deploying second-stage or even third-stage Sovereign level beings. Her concern was that if the Sea Race was truly as powerful as the Angel race, they might deploy pseudo-gods. That would be a disaster. Not only would they lose the Arsen continent, but the undead empire would also suffer heavy losses against pseudo-god level pursuers. What if they didn''t play by the rules and attacked the Eldoria continent directly? Crossing continents was no problem for gods. No, she couldn''t just sit here and wait! Alex stood up and vanished from the undead Imperial Capital. ... On the Eldoria continent, in the south, on the battlefield between the werewolves and vampires. Hordes of vampires clashed with werewolves, their ranks filled with King and Emperor level beings. This was a serious conflict. Alex hovered high above the battlefield, surveying the carnage below. She was here because she was confident in her ability to assassinate either race''s third-stage Sovereign level leader if she caught them off guard. But Liora''s report had reminded her that both leaders aspired to become true gods, leading their races to the top. These Sovereigns had been stuck at the third stage for a long time, accumulating vast reserves of power. Moreover, they were the rulers of their races. If Alex''s assassination attempt failed, they might choose to become pseudo-gods, sacrificing their chance at true godhood to take her down with them. If either the werewolves or the vampires had a pseudo-god, the undead empire would suffer losses. This was a risky gamble. When either the alpha werewolf or the vampire antediluvian chose to become a pseudo-god, the World''s Heart would provide unconscious protection, drawing power from the continent''s core of will. Only a true god could break through that defense. To destroy the continent''s core, she had to unify the continent. But to unify the continent, she had to eliminate the vampires and werewolves. It was a vicious cycle. "Wait, that''s not right!" A realization struck Alex. "I''ve fallen into a trap of my own thinking!" "Why do I have to eliminate them? Their goal is to become true gods. Doesn''t that mean they''re neutral?" If they were neutral, the undead could ally with the werewolves and vampires to face the era crisis. But then Alex remembered the long-standing animosity between the vampires and werewolves. That was another major obstacle. She was closer to the Skyreach Mountains, so she decided to head towards the werewolves'' core territory. ... The Skyreach Mountains were a vast expanse of mountains and forests. At the heart of this range stood a towering peak, its summit adorned with a magnificent palace complex. This was undoubtedly the alpha werewolf''s lair. An eerie silence hung over the area. There wasn''t a single werewolf in sight, and Alex couldn''t sense any powerful auras within the palace. "Strange." Alex landed at the palace gates, which swung open on their own. A cold smile played on her lips as she stepped inside, unafraid. Chapter 408: Cooperate The main hall of the alpha werewolf''s palace was dimly lit, the air thick with a pungent odor of decay. A tattered carpet lay beneath Alex''s feet, and rows of flickering candles lined the walls, casting long, dancing shadows.At the far end of the hall, a burly, hairy man sat upon a throne, his gaze fixed on Alex as she stood at the entrance. "Undead lord," the alpha werewolf''s voice boomed, raspy and gruff, a hint of menace in his tone. "What brings you to my Skyreach Mountains?" "You know me?" Alex asked, puzzled. She had no recollection of ever meeting the alpha werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains. "More than just know you," the alpha werewolf chuckled, rising from his throne. "I''ve heard countless tales of the undead race''s exploits lately. There''s no denying the undead empire''s strength. So, have you come to eliminate me?" Alex was taken aback. This alpha werewolf was even more intelligent than she had anticipated. But why did he think that she, a mere Emperor level being, could defeat him? He was a third-stage Sovereign level being, holding a significant advantage. "You jest," Alex replied calmly. "I''m only at Emperor level. I have no intention of conquering the Skyreach Mountains." "Hmph, I wouldn''t be so sure," the alpha werewolf scoffed, stepping closer, his towering figure casting an imposing shadow over her. "I distinctly remember that the Godhead from the Snowy Mountains fell into your hands. But think carefully. I can ascend to pseudo-godhood at any moment. You can''t win." Alex''s heart skipped a beat. He had seen through her plan. This alpha werewolf was no fool. But she didn''t flinch under his oppressive aura. The alpha werewolf had remained at the third stage of Sovereign level for so long, clearly aiming to become a true god. He wouldn''t choose to become a pseudo-god unless absolutely necessary. Such a choice would permanently sever his path to true godhood. "Hahaha!" The alpha werewolf suddenly burst into laughter. "We both know that the undead empire has the potential to unify the Eldoria continent. How about we cooperate? I have a small request." "Help you eliminate Eternal Night City?" Alex frowned. "Clever girl," the alpha werewolf said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Once it''s done, the werewolf race will acknowledge your undead empire''s dominance over the Eldoria continent." It seemed the alpha werewolf had anticipated her arrival. His request was difficult to refuse. Although he praised the undead empire''s strength, they both knew that the undead race couldn''t unify the Eldoria continent on their own. They were developing rapidly, but time was running out. "Alright, what do I need to do?" Alex asked after a moment of contemplation. She couldn''t handle the Skyreach Mountains or Eternal Night City on her own. But she had to destroy the continent''s core of will. It was an obstacle to her becoming a true god. "Simple. Eliminate all the vampires. You can have their corpses," the alpha werewolf said, his grin widening. He knew she would agree. "When the Vampire Antediluvian is cornered, he''ll surely ascend to pseudo-godhood. This will weaken his faith power." Alex understood his reasoning. It seemed he didn''t intend to ascend to pseudo-godhood and fight the vampire himself. The alpha werewolf seemed to sense her confusion. "That''s right. You''ll help me deal with the Vampire Antediluvian. Don''t worry, his strength in that state is comparable to a pseudo-god. My only condition is that you capture him alive. Only I can kill him!" "Capture a pseudo-god alive?" Alex raised an eyebrow, skeptical. If the vampire fought back with all his might, the undead empire would suffer heavy losses. "It won''t be that difficult," the alpha werewolf assured her, his confidence unwavering. "We just need to exhaust him. I''ll seize the opportunity to strike. You know my blood can kill him." Seeing Alex still weighing the pros and cons, he dropped another bombshell. "Their antediluvian has been stuck at the third stage for so long. The vampires are starting to waver. If they side with the World''s Heart, it won''t just be one pseudo-god we have to deal with." "I see. That is a problem," Alex conceded, finally understanding the alpha werewolf''s plan. His goal was to become a true god, so he didn''t want to ascend to pseudo-godhood. But if he didn''t act, the werewolves would be wiped out by the vampires. He had to strike first. "Don''t worry, I always keep my word. Besides, the core of will is useless to me." ????????.??? At this point, Alex had no choice but to trust the alpha werewolf. "Alright, I''ll trust you this once." "You won''t regret this decision," the alpha werewolf said, his grin returning. ... Alex returned to the undead Imperial Capital. After learning more about the two races, she no longer dared to launch a surprise attack. Especially against the vampires. If they were already considering siding with the World''s Heart, her attack would give them a legitimate excuse. The alpha werewolf''s plan was simple. He would propose a truce with the vampires and challenge their Antediluvian to a one-on-one duel between third-stage Sovereign level beings. The winner would absorb the loser. It seemed reckless, especially considering the stakes involved, but he seemed confident that the vampires would agree. That was the alpha werewolf''s problem, not hers. Her task was to wipe out the vampires while they were distracted by the duel and then help the alpha werewolf exhaust the Vampire Antediluvian after he ascended to pseudo-godhood. The alpha werewolf needed some time to set things in motion, so the duel was scheduled for three days later. "This werewolf doesn''t care about the core of will. It means his goal is to become a true god. He intends to remain neutral," Alex mused. He was a strange creature indeed. As she sat on her throne, she suddenly felt her experience points reach a critical threshold. The next moment, Death Spirit appeared before her. "My great Queen, the Sea Race deployed four second-stage Sovereign level beings. They''ve all been slain!" "Bring their corpses back immediately." Alex issued the order without hesitation. It seemed the Sea Race was making their move. They were still unsure of the undead race''s true strength and were hesitant to deploy pseudo-gods. This was perfect timing. She was short on high-level combatants. These four corpses could provide her with two Sovereign level undead. Death Spirit knew what to do without further instructions. Within minutes, the four Sovereign level corpses were transported to the undead Imperial Capital through the Portal of Transit. Their souls were fused, one becoming a Death Angel, the other a Death Dragon. The undead empire had gained two more powerful combatants! Although she couldn''t replicate beings above first-stage Sovereign level, Alex still had her trump card. "Join the Sea Race battlefield and report any unusual activity immediately." The two newly summoned undead and Death Spirit departed. Alex headed towards her bedroom. After an hour of rest, she took a bath and changed her clothes. Then, she sat on her bed and began her breakthrough to Sovereign level. The process was smooth and silent, without any outward signs of energy fluctuations. But the effects were undeniable. Alex''s power surged once more. Finally, she had the strength to execute her plans. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 409: Remove system powers After reaching Sovereign level, Alex opened the system dashboard, which she hadn''t checked in a while.[Lord: Alex] [Level: First-stage Sovereign level] [Territory: Undead Empire] [Troops: Undead Race] S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: ¡Þ] [Mana Points: 999+] [Strength: 8897] [Stamina: 9632] [Agility: 9588] Note: Attributes are doubled when fighting with the scythe. Besides basic information, the system also allowed her to view the chat between lords. Messages were flying across the chat screen at a dizzying pace, just like before. She opened her friends list. There were eight names, most of them her allies. One name was grayed out: Chi-Chi''s. She was dead. The other was Samson. Having reached Sovereign level, Alex decided to try resurrecting Chi-Chi. She took out the hair clip Chi-Chi had given her before she died. It was Chi-Chi''s only remaining possession, a memento of their friendship. Alex cast a resurrection spell. As she chanted the incantation, Chi-Chi''s soul gradually materialized. Seeing her friend''s familiar form, Alex''s heart swelled with joy. However, to her disappointment, Chi-Chi''s soul remained silent, unresponsive. No matter how hard Alex tried, Chi-Chi didn''t react, as if a barrier separated them, preventing any communication. Alex knew that if she continued with the resurrection spell, the resurrected Chi-Chi would be nothing more than a hollow shell, a clone lacking her original thoughts and consciousness. Such an existence, while physically resembling her friend, would be devoid of the soul that connected them. It was an outcome she couldn''t accept. The other option was to transform Chi-Chi into an undead. However, due to the time that had passed since her death, reassembling her soul would be incredibly difficult. Even if the transformation succeeded, the resulting undead wouldn''t retain Chi-Chi''s consciousness. This was far from what Alex desired. Neither option would yield the result she longed for. She had to abandon the idea of fully resurrecting Chi-Chi for now. Perhaps when she possessed the power to create and control all things, she could bring Chi-Chi back, restoring her life and soul. Alex sent messages to both Satan and Lilith. She needed to gather them and reveal the truth about this world. As allies, it was time they faced reality. Lilith arrived at the undead empire quickly. After all, Alex''s undead forces were still fighting there. Satan wasn''t far behind. The war between the two races had hampered his development, forcing him to hide in his kingdom. Besides the two of them, Earl, Cain, and the lord who had submitted to Satan after clashing with Drake were also present. Lilith had brought the cat-eared maid lord from the Valoria continent. Alex had specifically requested that they bring all their subordinates. Seeing the two former elemental lords stirred a mix of emotions within her. They had once been her equals in strength, but now she had far surpassed them. Alex nodded at Earl and Cain, acknowledging their presence. There was no time for small talk. She had more important matters to attend to. "Please, have a seat." Alex sat on the throne, gesturing for the others to sit as well. Satan and Lilith found seats. As the cat-eared maid lord was about to sit, Lilith glared at him, and he quickly retreated, standing behind his leader. Seeing this, Cain and Earl also stood behind Satan. They no longer had the right to sit at the same table as Alex. Alex didn''t mind, but she didn''t comment either. It was their choice. Soon, Drake, the Xiao siblings, Sophie, and the others entered the hall, taking their seats beside Alex. Satan and Lilith could sense that these individuals were far stronger than them! Drake glanced at Satan but ignored him, focusing his attention on Alex. "Everyone, what I''m about to tell you is top secret information, something even Sovereign level beings might not be privy to. I''ll also be sharing my next course of action, which will affect all lords. But I have no choice." Alex''s voice, low and serious, echoed through the empty hall. Her gaze swept across the room, observing their reactions. ???¦®????.??? Lilith, having interacted with the undead more frequently, knew some of the inside story. Satan, on the other hand, looked completely clueless. Alex began by revealing the truth about the world. There were no outsiders present. What their subordinates thought was none of her concern. Everyone, except Alex''s close allies, gasped in disbelief. But this wasn''t the main reason she had gathered them here. "Let me make my stance clear. I won''t side with anyone." Alex spoke calmly. Seeing no one reacted, she continued, "The current world is divided into two factions. One seeks to break free from control and end this cycle. I call them the neutral faction. The other, like the Angel race, has completely sided with the World''s Heart and aims to eliminate all lords. They are the hostile faction." "What about us? The system faction? Are we the friendly faction?" It wasn''t Satan or Lilith who spoke, but one of Lilith''s subordinates, a lord Alex didn''t recognize. Before Alex could answer, Xiao Hui scoffed and said, "Hmph, the system might have had a chance in the beginning, but the world''s structure has already been established. Even if he gathers more lords, it''s pointless." "Indeed. Perhaps that explanation is too abstract. Let me put it another way. I intend to completely destroy the system and the World''s Heart. But before that, I''ll weaken them as much as possible. This is my path." Alex''s words were clear. Although the others still didn''t fully understand, Satan and Lilith grasped her intentions. "So, you''re going to eliminate all the lords?" Lilith''s voice was filled with disbelief. The others gasped. If anyone else had proposed such a plan, they would have dismissed it as bravado. But coming from Alex, they believed she could actually pull it off. "That''s the most extreme option. There are currently fifty-two lord-established kingdoms on this planet. I can absorb them all, including the Freelancers. I can even arrange a place for them. But there''s one condition: their system powers must be removed." Alex''s tone was matter-of-fact. This was the first step she had to take as a Sovereign level being. "What level is required to remove system powers?" This time, it was Cain who spoke. He didn''t ask about the drawbacks of losing system powers. That would be foolish. "Sovereign level." Alex''s answer silenced the room. She was also subtly revealing that she had reached Sovereign level. Even if all the lords joined forces, they couldn''t defeat her. "So you want us to help you gather all the lords and reveal the truth?" Satan frowned, interjecting abruptly. "But what about those who are unwilling to abandon their kingdoms? The system tells us that lords who establish kingdoms during the Hundred Kingdoms War have the potential to become gods." "Those are just pseudo-gods, tools for the system to gain power. Besides, the era crisis has already begun. All the continents are engulfed in war. Those lords have no chance of survival. And it''s not just me they have to worry about. It''s all the races on this planet. Once they''re discovered, they''re dead." The others quickly understood. It was almost impossible for these lords to reach Sovereign level now that the era war had begun prematurely. Satan suddenly thought of his own predicament. The war between the Demon race and the Titan race had severely limited his options. He could only hide in his kingdom, unable to do anything else. If he was discovered, he would be killed. Lilith was in a similar situation. The war between the undead race and the Sea Race was massive, engulfing the entire coastline of the Arsen continent. If she hadn''t known Alex, she would have been defeated by the Sea Race long ago. Unless they were as strong as Alex, capable of facing these powerful races head-on, they had no chance of survival. "Alright, I trust you." Lilith was the first to speak, her words met with surprised looks from the others. "I trust you too." Satan understood Alex''s character. It was better to gamble on her than to leave his fate to chance. "Good. Rest assured, you only need to relocate your kingdoms or cities to the Eldoria continent. I won''t force you to submit to me. I''ll also help you remove your system powers. But before that, I hope you''ll use the system to further strengthen yourselves." Alex''s plan was simple. Before abandoning the system, she had to milk it for all it was worth. Chapter 410: Alliance Alex''s words resonated with the assembled lords. Satan and Lilith''s experiences were not unique or coincidental; other lords were likely facing even worse situations.Alex''s goal was simple: to rally as many lords as possible. As for the remaining lords who clung to the system''s promises, she would leave them to their fate. She didn''t have time to travel across continents dealing with individual lords. It was too time-consuming. Their plan was straightforward, something they could accomplish without even leaving the undead empire''s main hall. They all opened their system dashboards and started spamming the World Chat. The effect was immediate. The lords present comprised the top ten of the leaderboard, wielding immense influence. Especially Alex, who had consistently held the top spot since the leaderboard''s introduction. Her message sent shockwaves through the World Chat. The second to tenth-ranked lords followed suit, echoing her message verbatim. All the Freelancers and lords were captivated. Their current situation was precarious, forcing them to live in constant fear and hiding. The World Chat was their only source of information and connection. Moreover, it is common knowledge that the top-ranked lord commands an undead army. Any lord with even a modicum of power is aware of the recent remarkable performance of the undead. [Greetings, fellow lords. This is Alex, the undead lord. I''m here to announce that the system has deceived us. We are all pawns in his game. The era crisis has begun, and we are all in danger. We must unite to face this impending threat. The Eldoria continent is in chaos. The major races are joining forces to target us. I urge you to join my alliance. Come to the Eldoria continent and find me. This is the last safe haven. This is a voluntary invitation, but I welcome all who wish to join. For your information, I''m currently at Sovereign level.] [...This is Drake, the Rock Dragon lord...] [...This is Lilith, the fallen angel lord...] [...This is Satan, the demon lord...] [...This is Xiao Mu, the light titan lord...] [...This is Xiao Hui, the death angel lord. We have all joined forces. We are allies. You will not face any discrimination. If you don''t want to hide in your kingdoms and wait for death, we welcome you...] As these messages from the big shots flooded the World Chat, the other lords went wild. Even many Freelancers started contacting their acquaintances, eager to join Alex''s alliance. But there was a better option for Freelancers: the Liberty Church. However, the number of surviving Freelancers far exceeded their expectations. A single Liberty Church couldn''t accommodate them all. Therefore, the undead empire would take in the Freelancers on the Eldoria and Arsen continents. As for the other continents, Alex couldn''t help them. They were on their own. [Pika Princess]: "Thank you so much! I''m finally free from hiding! I''ve had enough of that life!" [Kobe]: "Basketball kingdom requests to join!" [Donut]: "Wait, the top-ranked lord is already at Sovereign level?" [NotARobot]: "I swear, the top-ranked lord is a beautiful lady. I''m joining her!" [Morningstar]: "Where''s the Eldoria continent? I''m a Freelancer. What should I do?" §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? ... The World Chat was buzzing with activity. Drake and the others ignored the idle chatter, focusing on the lords who wished to join their alliance. However, a steady stream of Freelancers continued to express their interest. But lords were the primary source of faith power for the system. Their priority was to deal with the lords. As for the Freelancers, Alex decided to simply post the coordinates of all the undead fortresses on the Eldoria continent in the World Chat. If they could find them, they could use them to reach the undead empire. She also instructed Sophie to inform the Liberty Church to find ways to accommodate the Freelancers on the other continents. However, many Freelancers had already integrated into human society and didn''t respond to their invitation. This saved them some trouble. Satan and Lilith decided to relocate, abandoning their original kingdoms and establishing cities on the outskirts of the Dark Forest. They also left their previous alliances and formed new ones to accommodate the incoming lords. This would streamline the process. But it wasn''t as complicated as they had anticipated. There were only about fifty surviving lords. The rest had become Freelancers. The disparity in numbers was significant. The Freelancers were the bigger challenge. Within three days, the undead empire had taken in nearly a hundred thousand Freelancers, while the Liberty Church had taken in over a million. Thirty lords had chosen to join Alex''s alliance. As for the remaining twenty lords, they were likely unwilling to abandon the system. Alex didn''t bother with them. Freelancers were still joining, and Alex had relaxed the restrictions, allowing them to choose any city within the undead empire''s territory. But to her amusement, they all chose to join the undead Imperial Capital. Accommodating a mere hundred thousand individuals was a trivial matter for the vast undead Imperial Capital. The city was becoming livelier, shedding its former lifelessness. During these three days, everyone except Alex was busy settling the new Freelancers and lords, explaining the truth about the world and the undead empire''s plans. Although abandoning the system was a difficult decision for lords who had reached King level, seeing the abundance of Emperor level troops within the undead empire and hearing Alex''s promises, they ultimately chose to trust her. They no longer felt any regret about losing the system. The Freelancers were more casual about it. They had already lost almost everything related to the system the moment they became Freelancers, except for the World Chat. And the World Chat didn''t matter much to them. They had stopped using the system when they decided to integrate into human society. Alex had other matters to attend to, so she left the rest to Sophie and the others. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, a large number of dwarves arrived at the undead Imperial Capital, constructing houses, roads, and other infrastructure. The undead empire was no longer lifeless, gradually developing a vibrant atmosphere. As the Freelancers marveled at the grandeur of the undead empire and its mysterious structures, Alex had already arrived at the Skyreach Mountains, ready to fulfill her agreement with the Alpha Werewolf. Chapter 411: Destroy Eternal Night City From her vantage point in the western undead fortress, Alex could sense the earth-shattering clash between the Alpha Werewolf and the Vampire Antediluvian.Their battle raged in the skies above the heartland of their respective territories, a spectacle of raw power that resonated even from this distance. She gazed southward, discerning that this was no mere sparring match. Both were unleashing their full might. "If the Vampire Antediluvian loses, will he really agree to a merger?" Alex thought. But she quickly dismissed the thought. It wouldn''t be that simple. The moment either of them sensed defeat, they would likely ascend to pseudo-godhood. That was the most likely scenario. The Alpha Werewolf was gambling, betting on Alex''s promise to come to his aid. He had already informed Alex about the (Vampire race) blood clan''s strength. Besides the Antediluvian, a third-stage Sovereign level being, there were five first-stage Sovereign level vampires. One had been killed by the Alpha Werewolf in a previous clash, leaving only four. Alex was confident in her ability to handle them alone. With a plan in mind, Alex activated her invisibility skill and set off towards the vampires'' stronghold. Eternal Night City. Judging by its name, it shouldn''t be that large, just a city. How many vampires could a single city hold? But she was curious about how the blood clan had managed to thrive for so long. When Alex arrived at Eternal Night City, she was stunned. This wasn''t just a city. It was practically a divine kingdom in the making. "It seems the Vampire Antediluvian has been preparing for his ascension to pseudo-godhood. The Skyreach Mountains, on the other hand, haven''t made any such preparations." This comparison made the Alpha Werewolf seem even more trustworthy. "Death Spirit, wipe out this city!" Alex issued the command. Death Spirit materialized, instantly splitting into hundreds of clones that descended upon the vampire kingdom like black meteors. Hundreds of domains unfolded, blanketing the entire city. The unsuspecting vampires were caught off guard and slaughtered in an instant. Even King level vampires were no match for this onslaught. The Emperor level vampires reacted quickly, but they were still no match for Death Spirit, who was also at Emperor level.(The clones possesses Emperor level) Four Sovereign level vampire princes, clad in crimson robes, took to the skies, radiating powerful auras, attempting to confront Death Spirit. But a beautiful woman wielding a massive scythe stood in their path. "Who are you? I advise you to leave here quickly, otherwise we will surely make you regret it!" Sensing Alex''s power, the four vampire princes hesitated, resorting to threats. "Hmph." Alex smirked. The next moment, a black blade flashed, cleaving through the air, bisecting all four vampire princes before they could even react. Their prized self-healing abilities were useless against this strange power. They could only watch in despair as their life force drained away. The woman before them remained motionless, as if the attack had been a trivial matter. The vampire princes were filled with despair. Their life force rapidly faded, their bodies plummeting towards the ground as their strength waned. "Death Spirit, I leave the rest to you! These vampire princes are all Sovereign level. Don''t waste their corpses." Alex glanced down at Eternal Night City, now engulfed in black flames. "As you wish, Queen." Alex, accompanied by her death angel, rushed towards the battlefield where the Alpha Werewolf and the Vampire Antediluvian were clashing. ... The sky had turned blood red. Two colossal figures, one black, one crimson, grappled with each other, their forms intertwining, each attempting to devour the other. Vampires and werewolves were both warlike races. Despite their familiarity with each other, they hadn''t spoken a single word since the battle began. It was as if this duel was something they both craved, or perhaps they both understood its significance. Words were unnecessary. The victor would dictate the outcome. ????????.??? Suddenly, the Vampire Antediluvian froze, blasting the Alpha Werewolf away with a shockwave of blood. His face contorted with rage. "Eternal Night City is under attack! Fuck you, Skoll! You tricked me!" "Foolish Dracula, you didn''t even see it coming?" Skoll roared with laughter. "Then we''ll die together!" Dracula transformed into a handsome man with pale skin, his anger barely contained. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Eternal Night City is recognized by the World''s Heart! I hereby establish a divine kingdom, using the power of faith to ascend to godhood!" Dracula''s voice boomed across the battlefield. Skoll, his expression calm, seemed to have anticipated this. He didn''t try to stop him, knowing it was futile. He could only wait for Dracula to become a pseudo-god. He had no intention of fleeing. A crimson-gold light enveloped Dracula, drawing in the faith power from Eternal Night City. But it was a meager amount, a paltry offering of tainted faith from the vampire''s subjugated races. Dracula realized that not only were the vampire princes dead, but Eternal Night City was also lost. Who could have accomplished this in such a short time? There was no such powerful being on the Eldoria continent! But he had no time to dwell on this. The ascension ritual was nearing completion. Even as a pseudo-god, he could easily crush Skoll. The blood-gold light faded, revealing the Vampire Antediluvian, radiating a formidable aura. But He froze. "You were behind the attack on Eternal Night City!" A human woman stood beside Skoll, accompanied by four creatures: two resembling angels, two resembling dragons. "Kill him!" Alex commanded casually. The four undead charged towards Dracula. "Four pseudo-gods!" Dracula was stunned. For the first time, he felt a sense of dread. He had ascended to pseudo-godhood, but with Eternal Night City destroyed, his faith power was meager. He was the weakest among pseudo-gods. He had lost 99% of his subjects. He couldn''t replenish his divine power through faith. If this dragged on, he would be defeated when his divine power was exhausted! "Skoll, I won''t forgive you! I''ll kill you myself!" Dracula roared, turning to flee. But two more pseudo-gods appeared behind him. Six! Six pseudo-gods surrounded him, blocking all escape routes! Dracula knew he could not escape; he transformed into a massive red shadow, spreading across the sky like a domain. He would fight to the death! Skoll and Alex retreated quickly. They couldn''t intervene in a battle between pseudo-gods. The slightest misstep could result in instant death. "You have this many Godheads?" Skoll was surprised. The battle''s outcome was no longer in doubt. He had assumed the undead race only had one pseudo-god. Alex had surprised him. "Even you can be caught off guard, huh?"Alex scoffed. The Alpha Werewolf didn''t seem to mind, chuckling instead. "I see. I understand how you did it now." Chapter 412: Core of will Seven terrifying figures clashed in the sky, their immense divine power rippling outward, wreaking havoc on the surroundings. Mountains crumbled, the earth cracked, and the heavens themselves seemed to darken under the weight of their might.Even from miles away, Alex could sense the terror of a pseudo-god''s power. She couldn''t even begin to imagine the immense devastation once caused by the battle on the continent of Arcadia. The pseudo-gods'' divine power was imperfect, tainted with impurities. But Alex had no choice. She had used Godheads to create pseudo-gods as a quick fix for the undead empire''s immediate needs. She still had five Godheads, enough to create five more pseudo-gods, but that required slaying at least ten more Sovereign level or higher enemies. As she pondered this, Skoll watched the battle intently, his gaze fixed on the weakening Dracula. He was biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. "So this is the extent of a pseudo-god''s power without faith?" Alex had noticed something peculiar. Pseudo-gods were heavily reliant on their divine kingdoms. Without faith power, their strength was significantly diminished. If the undead empire wanted to become the dominant force, they needed a true god. Suddenly, Dracula''s eyes turned blood red, and he lashed out, his claws piercing through a death angel. Alex, watching from afar, was startled. The impaled death angel retaliated, severing Dracula''s arm with its sword before retreating swiftly. Both wounds were tainted with divine power, preventing them from healing. But Dracula couldn''t afford to rest. Five other pseudo-gods were closing in. Fighting with reckless abandon, Dracula managed to injure three pseudo-gods, but his own power plummeted, leaving him barely able to stand. As the death angels and death dragons closed in for the kill, Skoll still hadn''t intervened. Alex glanced at him. Skoll smirked. "He''s hiding his true power. He''s saving it for me." Alex''s eyes widened in realization. Since they were allies, there was no need for secrecy. Why was Dracula so confident that Skoll would intervene? Moments later, realizing that Skoll hadn''t taken the bait, Dracula let out a piercing shriek, unleashing his remaining power, blasting away his attackers. Then, he gathered his energy, attempting to commit suicide! "Stop him!" Skoll''s voice was laced with panic as he charged forward. But they had retreated to avoid being caught in the crossfire. It was too late. "Death Spirit!" Alex shouted. Six clones emerged from the six undead pseudo-gods, and a massive black void enveloped Dracula. His claws, poised to strike his own forehead, froze. But only for a moment. The black void shattered. Roar! A black dragon''s breath, like a laser beam, pierced Dracula''s arm, halting his suicide attempt. The other pseudo-gods arrived just in time. It was too late for Dracula to try again. "You despicable cowards!" Dracula finally realized that the six pseudo-gods had been toying with him. They had the power to kill him from the start. They had deliberately exhausted him. ???¦®§®???.?§°? "Face reality, Dracula. You''ve lost." Skoll approached Dracula, his gaze fixed on his defeated foe, restrained by the six pseudo-gods. There was no mockery in his voice, only a cold statement of fact. Dracula glared at Skoll, his face pale, his body weak and trembling. He had reached his limit. They both fell silent. Skoll glanced at Alex, but she ignored him. "She''s the undead queen," Skoll explained calmly. Dracula''s eyes widened in realization. So that was it. No wonder he had lost. He had been defeated by the undead queen. He should have known! "So our fates were decided by our choices. You seem to have made the right one. I wish you luck." Dracula laughed bitterly, closing his eyes. Skoll wasted no time, plunging his claws into Dracula''s heart. "It was a bit messy, but everything went smoothly. This is the best outcome," Skoll said, turning to Alex with a smile. Seeing her frown, he realized it was time to fulfill his promise. "I, Skoll, hereby declare that the werewolf clan of the Skyreach Mountains acknowledges the undead empire''s dominance over the Eldoria continent!" Skoll''s voice boomed across the land. Golden energy materialized, converging in his palm, forming a sphere of light. He slammed it into the ground. The earth trembled, no, the entire Eldoria continent seemed to shift. It was a subtle change, imperceptible to the naked eye, but both Skoll, Alex, and the six undead pseudo-gods could sense it. The strange sensation lasted for several seconds before fading away. "The core of will should have appeared in the undead Imperial Capital. You''ll see it when you return," Skoll said to Alex. "I told you I was a man of my word. I look forward to our next collaboration." "Farewell." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex didn''t waste any more time, departing from the Skyreach Mountains with her troops, heading back to the undead empire. Skoll vanished into the sky. "What do you make of that werewolf?" Alex asked her death angels, a sense of unease lingering in her mind. "My Queen, I believe it might be related to his God''s Path," one of the death angels replied, a thoughtful expression on its face. "That makes sense. It seems the vampires and werewolves have the same God''s Path." Alex understood now. Both races likely needed to eliminate each other to ascend to godhood. As the rulers of their respective races, they possessed immense power, creating a delicate balance between the two factions. As for the core of will, their goal was to become true gods. It was useless to them. They weren''t powerful enough to unify a continent and create pseudo-gods at will, like the humans and the Angel race. By acknowledging the undead empire''s dominance, Skoll had secured his own chance at becoming a true god. "I''ll have to keep an eye on that werewolf," Alex thought, a sense of suspicion lingering. Upon returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex wasted no time. She immediately dispatched the death angels and death dragons to the Sea Race battlefield. Then, she looked up at the sky above the city, where a golden core of will had materialized. Chapter 413: Poseidon is awakening "So this is the Eldoria continent''s core of will?" Alex murmured, her gaze fixed on the golden orb hovering above the undead Imperial Capital.It radiated a powerful and alluring energy, a siren song that tempted even Alex to absorb it. She had a feeling that doing so would grant her immense power, allowing the undead empire to birth dozens of pseudo-gods overnight. She could become the ruler of the Eldoria continent in no time, vying for dominance alongside the other major races. "Such terrifying power," she whispered, a shiver running down her spine. Alex even suspected that the previous Beastman Empire''s ruler had absorbed this energy, albeit incompletely, leading to his enslavement by the World''s Heart. Shing! With a flick of her wrist, Alex sent her black scythe spinning, a deadly arc of black steel aimed at the core of will. Her scythe could sever anything. Surely, it could destroy this orb of energy. Whum! To Alex''s surprise, a golden barrier erupted from the core of will, blocking her attack! "It has a self-defense mechanism?" Black flames engulfed the scythe, unleashing a torrent of dark energy that battered against the golden barrier. As expected, the barrier began to fade, slowly eroded by the darkness sphere. Crack! A sharp crack echoed through the air as the golden orb split open. The entire continent trembled, as if caught in a massive earthquake. Alex enveloped the core of will with her darkness sphere, completely sealing its energy. The orb''s glow dimmed, its energy dwindling until it finally extinguished. The tremors ceased. Alex sensed a barrier shattering, perhaps the one Skoll had mentioned, the barrier erected by the World''s Heart to isolate the continents. One more down, and two continents would be connected. At the same moment, massive golden pillars of light erupted from the heartlands of the Arcadia, Mossvale, Nytheria, and Tyrangar continents. All the races engaged in war felt the shift. Someone had destroyed a core of will! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "If all seven cores are destroyed, the world will fall apart. We cannot tolerate the undead race''s reckless actions any longer." In a radiant golden hall, an angel, standing motionless with arms crossed, resembling a statue, suddenly spoke. Its voice was devoid of emotion, betraying no concern for the ongoing war. "By the Holy Decree, we shall eradicate the undead race!" The angels below relayed the decree, and countless angels, encased within statues throughout the city, stirred, their eyes snapping open as if awakening from a long slumber. Golden streaks of light shot out from the city, heading towards various destinations. The other major races on the other continents also reacted. Destroying a core of will weakened the World''s Heart''s power, which in turn weakened all the races. Some factions wouldn''t tolerate this. In other words, any race that attacked the undead race during this period could be definitively classified as belonging to the hostile faction. Meanwhile, deep beneath the vast Endless Sea, miles below the surface, lay a sprawling complex of underwater palaces. This was the Sea Race''s headquarters. Like the other races, they were bound by the World''s Heart''s isolation, unable to cross between continents, even from the depths of the ocean. Deep within the magnificent underwater palace, a colossal Sea Race being, wielding a trident, sat upon a throne. Its eyes were closed, its body motionless, as if in a deep slumber. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? A strange energy emanated from its being, influencing everything around it. When the faint golden light from the destroyed core of will reached the depths of the ocean, its scales rippled, as if breathing. One of its fingers twitched slightly. The movement was subtle, but a nearby guard noticed it. "The great Poseidon is awakening! Inform the High Priest immediately!" The entire Sea Temple buzzed with excitement. The calm ocean surface churned violently, waves crashing against each other. Even the sky above darkened with storm clouds, as if welcoming or perhaps dreading the Sea God''s awakening. Meanwhile, in the undead Imperial Capital, Alex was contemplating how to break free from the system''s control and help others do the same, weakening the system''s power. Her core members were still some distance away from reaching Sovereign level. Their current goal was to ascend to pseudo-godhood, which was relatively easy with the support of faith power. But completely severing their connection to the system would prevent Drake and Xiao Mu from progressing beyond Sovereign level. They didn''t possess the aptitude for godhood. "I need to wait. Everyone has to reach Sovereign level before we abandon the system." Alex pondered this, her thoughts drifting to the Sea Race battlefield on the Arsen continent. They still hadn''t deployed any pseudo-god level combatants. It was unusual. Why did people say the Sea Race was as powerful as the Angel race? Why hadn''t they sent pseudo-gods even when facing defeat? Was it possible that the Sea Race didn''t have any pseudo-gods? "No! The Sea Race is definitely not as simple as we think!" A sudden realization struck Alex. Her thoughts became clearer. "Death Spirit, summon Ice Cream!" Moments later, Ice Cream arrived, looking weary from battle. "You called for me, Your Majesty?" "Do you know anything about the dragon race''s internal factions and their strength?" Alex wasn''t sure if Ice Cream knew, but she had to ask. Ice Cream pondered the question. "The dragon race is divided into several major races: Rock Dragons, Lava Dragons, Azure Dragons, Sky Dragons, Venom Dragons, and Silver Dragons. The Azure Dragons are the current royal family. The previous Dragon God was an Azure Dragon," Ice Cream said proudly. He was an Azure Dragon himself. "The previous Dragon God was a true god?" "I believe so. But the Dragon God hasn''t been seen for millennia. Silver Dragon race have been relaying his decrees." Ice Cream told Alex everything he knew about the dragon race. "So, the historical records about the dragon race''s war with the Angel race were actually just battles between pseudo-gods?" Alex asked. "I''m not sure. But their strength should range from third-stage Sovereign level to pseudo-god level. At least, the chieftains of the Azure Dragons and Silver Dragons are both pseudo-gods." "Alright, I understand. You''re dismissed." Alex watched Ice Cream leave, her brow furrowed in thought. She had to inform the humans about her new theory and the situation with the Sea Race. Otherwise, the humans might be at a disadvantage in their future actions. Information about the Sea Race was crucial. Their first engagement had been against the undead race, and Alex was the only one who truly understood their capabilities. She had to go to Hurricane City. Chapter 414: Encounter Boreas once again Since the war between the humans and the Angel race had begun, human powerhouses from across the continents had been steadily returning to the Arcadia continent to bolster the Mage Guild headquarters. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Liora was no exception, but the guild branches on the other continents still needed leadership. The human empires were being managed by their respective royal families, so there was no cause for concern on that front. Alex now held a single, paramount title: Queen of the Undead Race, the new Undead Lord. This placed her on equal footing with the rulers of any major race. Of course, in their eyes, the undead race was still just a rising power, not yet among the true top-tier factions. ... After a long flight, Alex arrived at Hurricane City, a place she had visited many times before. This time, however, she returned with a different identity, and the familiar face she expected to see was missing. She had assumed Robert, being both a Mage Guild member and a member of the Starfallen Empire''s royal family, would be the logical choice to lead Hurricane City in Liora''s absence. Instead of entering through the main gate, Alex phased through Hurricane City''s protective shield, appearing directly in front of the palace. She walked towards Liora''s former office, a sense of familiarity washing over her. As she pushed open the door, she saw a young man sitting at Liora''s desk. He was only at the initial King level. Startled by the intrusion, he looked up. Their eyes met, and a flicker of surprise crossed both their faces. Alex recognized him, and he clearly hadn''t expected her sudden visit. "Greetings, Undead Lord," he said, quickly composing himself. "I am Boreas, the acting president of Hurricane City." "I thought you would have established your own kingdom," Alex said, taking a seat on the sofa. "I didn''t expect you to join the humans." She looked at the last remaining member of the former Elemental Alliance. "I was mentored by Mr. Wind," Boreas explained. "I eventually relinquished my lord status and chose to cultivate magic with the humans." It turned out that Boreas possessed an exceptionally high affinity for wind magic. He was, in fact, the most talented among the five members of the Elemental Alliance. Wind, also a former lord, had naturally taken Boreas under his wing, treating him as his successor. Even if Boreas couldn''t become a god, reaching Sovereign level was well within his reach. Unfortunately, Wind had perished in the war between the humans and the Angel race. The Mage Guild hadn''t ostracized Boreas for his past affiliation. On the contrary, thanks to Wind''s influence, he had been appointed as the acting president of Hurricane City. The Eldoria continent was arguably the safest of the seven continents now. Boreas seemed more composed and less impulsive than before, a testament to his growth over the past few months. "I''ve come to Hurricane City to deliver some crucial information," Alex said, her expression turning serious. Their current positions and allegiances were different now. There was no room for nostalgia. She couldn''t go to the Arcadia continent herself. Informing the humans was partly to repay a debt, but more importantly, she couldn''t allow the hostile faction to win this era war. "Please, tell me, Undead Lord," Boreas said, grabbing a pen and paper, ready to take notes. "Before I do, can you access Hurricane City''s information archives?" Alex wasn''t about to share this intelligence with someone who wasn''t high enough level. "As acting president, I certainly can," Boreas replied politely, without questioning her motives. ???¦®????.??? "Good. I need you to look up information on the Sea God era and the last time the Sea Race launched a large-scale invasion of the land." Alex watched Boreas expectantly. "One moment, please." Boreas stood up and left the room to retrieve the information. He returned shortly after, carrying a stack of thick documents, which he placed on the table. "Would you like to read them yourself, or should I summarize the key points for you?" "Summarize it for me," Alex said after a moment of thought. "The Sea God era began fifty thousand years ago," Boreas began, his voice even and steady. "Its leader was Poseidon, a true god. However, there are no records of a second Sea God emerging within the Sea Race. At its peak, the Sea Race had one true god, twenty-four pseudo-gods, and countless Sovereign level beings. In the early stages of that era, all land-dwelling races lived in fear of the Sea Race. Towards the end of the era, the major races, after nearly a thousand years of preparation, joined forces and waged war against the Sea Race. From then on, the Sea Race gradually faded from public view." That was all the information the archives contained about the Sea God era. Back then, the human race was just a moderately powerful faction, still far from being a true top-tier race. Consequently, the available records weren''t particularly comprehensive. Clearly, the Sea Race had pseudo-gods. Even if all their pseudo-gods had perished in that war, they should have replenished their ranks by now. So why hadn''t they deployed any pseudo-gods against the undead race? Boreas looked at Alex, awaiting further instructions. "Continue," Alex said calmly. "After the Sea God era ended, all the races gained a new understanding of the Sea Race. Regardless of their internal conflicts, they all shared a tacit agreement: never allow the Sea Race to encroach upon the land. The Sea Race invasion you''re referring to occurred ten thousand years ago. It lasted for several months, beginning with a surprise attack by the Sea Race and ending with a joint counteroffensive by the major races that severely crippled them. It was a massive war, one of the largest in this world''s history. The Sea Race deployed over a dozen pseudo-gods in their assault on the Arsen continent. The dominant race on the Arsen continent at the time was the Ice Race, led by the Ice God. He faced the Sea Race pseudo-gods alone, slaying them all, but the battle drained his power, leaving him unable to resist the World''s Heart''s influence. He was forced to ascend. The Ice Race, having lost their god, was then subjected to a full-scale invasion by the Sea Race. They were wiped out overnight. The other six continents joined forces and repelled the Sea Race, inflicting heavy losses, including nearly ten more pseudo-gods. The Sea Race retreated to the ocean, vanishing from sight." Boreas added, "Until now." Alex was stunned. It seemed the Sea Race''s power was indeed comparable to the Angel race. No wonder the Arsen continent was so weak. It had once been home to Ice race, but they had been annihilated by the Sea Race. So, the Sea Race was not only powerful but also decisive, as evidenced by their willingness to deploy over a dozen pseudo-gods in their surprise attack on the Ice Race. But the Sea Race''s current behavior didn''t match the historical records. To understand their motives, she needed to learn more about the Ice Race. But they had been wiped out overnight, and even the Mage Guild had limited information about them. From these clues, Alex only knew that the Ice Race was led by a true god and seemingly had no pseudo-gods. Chapter 415: A terrifying truth Alex pieced together her theory based on the information gathered and shared her thoughts with Boreas. Although he was the acting president, his understanding of the current landscape of the major races was undoubtedly less comprehensive than hers.He was visibly astonished. The humans had no other allies. "Thank you for informing me," Boreas said, his voice filled with a mix of awe and concern. "I will report your warning and speculation immediately." He immediately began drafting a letter, his urgency evident. Alex rose from her seat. "Then I''ll take my leave." ... Outside Hurricane City, Alex glanced back at the familiar cityscape. A premonition told her this might be her last visit. Just as she was about to depart, a red-haired man materialized before her. He wore open red leather armor, revealing a muscular physique crisscrossed with scars. His face, framed by a thick beard, looked weary, but his eyes burned with an intense fire. "Dragon race?" Alex questioned, sensing the volatile aura characteristic of dragons, specifically a Lava Dragon. He was a second-stage Sovereign level being. He didn''t seem hostile, but Alex remained cautious, ready to summon her undead troops at a moment''s notice. "I am Emberon," the man said, his voice a low, gravelly rumble. "Greetings, Undead Lord." "A dragon apostle?" Alex asked. "What brings you here?" If he wasn''t here to fight, he must have another reason. "A few days ago, I stumbled upon a terrifying truth," Emberon said, his voice grim. "I''ve come to share it with you." He opened his hand, revealing four shards radiating an icy aura. Alex gasped. "Frost Heart!" It was the Azure Dragon race''s treasure, shattered into seven pieces by the Angel race. Alex possessed three shards. The remaining four should have been in the Angel race''s possession. How did this Lava Dragon get them? Ignoring Alex''s surprise, Emberon continued his story, seemingly unconcerned whether she was listening or not. "That day, like the other apostles, I returned to the Mossvale continent to report. Dragons value solitude and typically keep to themselves. But I discovered that some dragon race alphas were gathering their kin to build a city, seemingly intending to unite all dragon races to face the upcoming era crisis. That in itself wasn''t unusual. But they were also gathering the sub-dragon races. Dragons are proud creatures. We consider sub-dragons to be no better than rats. Something felt wrong. Our Lava Dragon clan''s alpha is in slumber. He wouldn''t have ordered this. I suspected there was a traitor among the dragon race, and my years of experience as an apostle gave me a hunch. I investigated all the dragon races in secret and discovered that not all of them were building cities and gathering their kin. Moreover, the Dragon God''s pronouncements, relayed through the azure dragon race, had become increasingly infrequent over the years. They all seemed to be following the Venom Dragon alpha''s lead." Emberon paused, meeting Alex''s gaze before revealing the most crucial piece of information he had uncovered. ???¦¥§®?¦´§Á.??? "I decided to confront the Venom Dragon leader. But when I arrived at their territory, he was nowhere to be found. In his room, I found four Frost Heart shards. It all clicked. He had made a deal with the Angel race, or perhaps he was planning to join them. Returning the Frost Heart shards was proof of his allegiance. The Venom Dragons alone couldn''t have retrieved all those shards from the Angel race." Emberon''s voice was filled with barely controlled rage, his aura flaring. "I decided to confront the Dragon God himself. But two first-stage Sovereign level Venom Dragons guarded the Dragon God''s temple. They refused me entry. But they didn''t know I had already ignited my divine fire and reached the second stage. I injured them and forced my way in. But when I finally opened the doors, my heart sank. The Dragon God wasn''t there. He had already ascended!" "What?!" Even Alex was shocked. The dragon race''s actions pointed to only one conclusion. They were siding with the World''s Heart! "Doesn''t that make you a traitor to the dragon race?" Alex asked, a strange look on her face. "A traitor? Preposterous!" Emberon scoffed. "The Dragon God has always been neutral. He wanted to lead the dragon race away from conflict. It must have been those despicable Venom Dragons who forced him to ascend! They, and the other dragon races who support them, are the true traitors!" Emberon, as a Lava Dragon, was clearly hot-headed and stubborn. He had sought her out for Ice Cream''s sake. "Take the Frost Heart," Emberon said, handing the shards to Alex. "The undead race is neutral. Ice Cream grew up on the Eldoria continent and has been following you. He must understand the truth about this world. He''s the only one I can trust now." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You want Ice Cream to become the new Dragon God and unify the dragon race?" "The dragon race cannot follow those villains to their doom. We need a new Dragon God to lead us. I can''t obtain our race''s treasure, so I can only place my hopes on him." If he could, Emberon would have claimed the treasure himself and become a true god to unify the dragon race. But the Lava Dragon alpha was a pseudo-god, making it impossible for him to obtain it. He was certain of the undead race''s neutrality because Alex had destroyed the core of will without hesitation. "I understand," Alex said gravely. This put the humans in a dangerous position. But she had already warned them. She had done all she could. "News of the Dragon God''s ascension has leaked. They won''t come after me. Instead, they''ll accelerate their plans before the news spreads." Emberon said. This meant the dragon race had two targets: the Demon race and the humans. They didn''t need to defeat the true gods of those races. They just needed to force them to ascend. Without their true gods, those races would be vulnerable. "How about you join the undead empire?" Alex offered. A lone Sovereign level being was insignificant in this chaotic war without the backing of a powerful faction. "I will join the undead empire," Emberon replied. "But not now." Chapter 416: High Priest Alex returned to the undead Imperial Capital, parting ways with Emberon. The situation was escalating, and as she had suspected, the dragon race sought the undead race''s assistance."The dragon race, having lost their true god and with only pseudo-gods remaining, seems to be the weakest among the major factions now," Alex mused. If she had a true god level combatant, she could wipe them out easily. It seemed it was time to try communicating with the Sea Race. ... On the Arsen continent, the battle between the undead and the Sea Race raged on. The undead race had demonstrated strength on par with the Sea Race. Without deploying pseudo-gods, the Sea Race had no hope of defeating the undead. Any Sovereign level beings above the first stage were easily handled by the undead pseudo-gods, posing no real threat. However, since their last encounter, the Sea Race had been deploying fewer and fewer Sovereign level beings. The war had devolved into a brutal war of attrition between lower-level combatants. The low-level Sea Race creatures flung themselves at the undead hordes on the coastline with suicidal abandon, their attacks disorganized and ineffective. They seemed to be endlessly throwing themselves into the meat grinder. The sky above the ocean was filled with a swarm of undead, and the ground below teemed with their ranks. The once azure waters were now stained a sickly green, the air thick with the stench of blood and decay. Alex surveyed the scene, appalled by the Sea Race''s apparent descent into mindless aggression. She flew out over the ocean, her gaze sweeping across the teeming masses of Sea Race creatures, searching for a leader, someone with intelligence. Activating her space sphere, Alex pulled an Emperor level Sea Race being from the horde. It struggled in vain, its eyes wide with terror as it faced Alex. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was the commander of this battlefield, a mere Emperor level being, hiding among its troops, endlessly sending them to their deaths on the shore. "I am the lord of the undead race," Alex said coldly. "Inform your true rulers, those with actual authority, that I wish to speak with them." The Emperor level Sea Race creature stared at her, stunned. Before it could respond, Alex kicked it back into the ocean. It immediately dove towards the depths, eager to relay her message. ... Beneath the waves, swaying seagrass carpeted the ocean floor. Marine life teemed around a magnificent, sacred palace, carefully avoiding it. Strange-looking Sea Race creatures, more fish-like than humanoid, guarded the palace. Their enormous bellies expelled thousands of eggs every second. The eggs drifted on the currents, collected in a massive container, where a Sea Race priest imbued them with power, transforming them into a swarm of tiny fish. Within days, these hundreds of thousands of hatchlings would become fierce warriors. This was the Sea Race''s method of replenishing their ranks, not through summoning like the undead, but through sheer, relentless reproduction. A Sea Race priest suddenly stopped what he was doing, glaring at the Emperor level being that had just entered the palace. "Why aren''t you commanding your troops? What are you doing here?" "Leader, the undead lord has appeared," the Emperor level Sea Race creature reported respectfully. "She wishes to speak with us." "There''s nothing to discuss," the priest scoffed. "We must obey Poseidon''s divine decree. We must conquer the Arsen continent." Unless Poseidon himself countermanded the order, they wouldn''t stop. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Yes, Leader." The Emperor level being turned to leave, knowing its trip to the surface had likely been a suicide mission. But it couldn''t disobey a direct order, even if it meant certain death. "Wait." A voice echoed through the hall. A slender figure emerged from the palace''s depths. She looked almost human, with pale skin and flowing hair, like a human woman, except for her sky-blue tresses, piled high on her head. She was barefoot, and small bells, attached to anklets around her ankles, chimed melodiously as she walked. "Greetings, High Priest." Both the Emperor level being and the priest bowed respectfully. "I''ll go see her." As the High Priest spoke, she floated towards the surface. The marine life, both flora and fauna, parted before her, and even the water itself seemed to divide, creating a path. The two Sea Race beings exchanged stunned glances. The High Priest hadn''t left the Sea Temple in nearly a thousand years! And now she was going to meet with an lord? Could there be more to this than met the eye? ... Above the waves, Alex hovered in the air, sensing a powerful aura approaching. The ocean churned violently. To Alex''s astonishment, the sea parted, creating a massive chasm. A breathtakingly beautiful woman, borne aloft by the water, rose from the depths, stopping before Alex. The sheer power radiating from her was unmistakable. This Sea Race being was a pseudo-god! "Greetings, Undead Lord," the woman said with a gentle smile, her manner of speaking oddly formal, as if mimicking human customs. "I am the High Priest of the Sea Race, the current acting ruler." "What is your stance in this conflict?" Alex asked directly, her gaze unwavering despite the High Priest''s overwhelming power. "We are but small fish in the vast ocean," the High Priest replied, her smile unwavering. "The great Sea God granted us life, and as his subjects, we have no right to choose." The High Priest''s words implied that they couldn''t obtain a core of will and therefore had no right to choose a side. "And what about after you conquer the Arsen continent and obtain a core of will?" Alex pressed. The High Priest simply shook her head. "You won''t tell me?" Alex''s tone hardened. "Do you think the undead race is your only enemy?" The High Priest didn''t seem interested in a genuine discussion. It was as if she was merely indulging her curiosity. "No, I don''t know," the High Priest replied. "How can you not know?" Alex muttered under her breath. "You don''t know, and I''m supposed to?" "This is the will of the great Sea God. We are merely following his orders. After realizing we couldn''t defeat you, I''ve scaled back our attacks to minimize our losses," the High Priest explained, a hint of helplessness in her voice. Even she, despite understanding the futility of their efforts, couldn''t disobey the Sea God''s decree. She could only make minor adjustments within the confines of his divine will. Chapter 417: Sea Gods command The Sea God had been silent since his last decree, likely due to his impending awakening.Alex was puzzled. Couldn''t this Sea Race pseudo-god act on her own? The High Priest, sensing Alex''s confusion, elaborated, "I am only responsible for internal affairs. All commands regarding external conflicts come directly from the Sea God." Alex was taken aback. Did the Sea Race have no other pseudo-gods? The High Priest''s words implied that, in the Sea God''s absence, she was obligated to rule the Sea Race. The most likely reason for this was the lack of other pseudo-gods within the Sea Race. It was clear now. This pseudo-god mermaid was the current ruler, but she was merely carrying out the Sea God''s orders. And with the Sea God slumbering, Alex had no way of knowing his next move. Unless she could speak with the Sea God himself, she wouldn''t know the Sea Race''s true intentions. "This war has become meaningless," Alex stated, testing the waters. "If you don''t intervene personally, the Sea Race stands no chance against my forces." She was subtly trying to goad the Sea Race into attacking other continents, stirring up trouble for the other races. "Conquering the Arsen continent is the Sea God''s command," the High Priest replied flatly. "Even if you can''t win, you''ll continue fighting?" Alex asked, a hint of incredulity in her voice. The High Priest nodded. Further discussion was clearly futile. "Then maintain the status quo," Alex said, glancing at the High Priest. "If your Sea God awakens, please inform him that the undead race remains neutral." "I will," the High Priest replied with a nod, acknowledging the unusual nature of the situation, but unable to deviate from sea god''s given orders. The Sea Race''s governance was peculiar, resembling a feudal dynasty under an absolute monarch. The Sea God was the emperor, his word law. Any other race would have abandoned this pointless war long ago. Their conversation ended on an unsatisfactory note. The war on the Arsen continent would continue, albeit without further escalation. Both Alex and the High Priest understood this unspoken agreement. The Arsen continent would remain a battleground for low-level skirmishes, nothing more. This was good news for Alex. She no longer had to worry about this front. Furthermore, having reached Sovereign level, she no longer gained experience, meaning her Race Kings would receive more experience and level up faster. Alex left the Arsen continent and returned to the undead Imperial Capital, her mind already strategizing her next move. The undead could now spare a significant portion of their forces. She was contemplating whether to aid the humans or the Demon race. If either faction fell, the entire war''s outcome would be decided, and the undead race would face more than just the Angel race. But before Alex could decide, uninvited guests arrived on the Eldoria continent. In the east, three pillars of light shot up into the sky, hurtling towards the Dark Forest. Everything in their path was annihilated, leaving behind three scorched trails across the land, like pathways carved by gods. ... In the Skyreach Mountains, Skoll watched the three eight-winged angels approaching from the north, his expression grim. "They''ve finally come..." he murmured. In Hurricane City, within the Starfallen Empire, Boreas also noticed the approaching angels. His proximity to the undead empire gave him a clearer view. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? Panic seized him. He frantically scribbled a message, his handwriting a jumbled mess. He remembered Wind''s words: "If I should fall in battle, and you see her in danger, report it to the president or Mr. Thunder immediately. Alex must not die!" Wind rarely spoke with such gravity. This matter was clearly of utmost importance to him. Although Boreas didn''t understand, he reacted immediately. ... Meanwhile, in the undead Imperial Capital, Alex stepped out of the palace and looked towards the west, where three golden lights were rapidly approaching. "I''ll kill you all today!" she declared, a cold fire in her eyes. The Angel race had underestimated the undead empire. Or rather, they had overlooked one crucial detail: she also had the race kings left by the previous undead lord. Garethor and Torin. When they had joined the undead empire, Alex was only at King level, while they were both high-level Emperor level beings. Now, thanks to the constant influx of experience from the Sea Race battlefield, Garethor had already broken through to second-stage Sovereign level. Torin, though slightly behind, had just reached first-stage Sovereign level. During this era crisis, Alex had prioritized allocating experience points to her high-level undead. More and more lords were joining the undead empire, providing a substantial amount of faith power, more than enough for Garethor to ascend to pseudo-godhood. With the support of eight pseudo-gods and Death Spirit, although killing the three angel pseudo-gods would be difficult, holding them back was certainly possible. As the three angels neared the Dark Forest, Alex channeled the faith power of the entire undead empire. "The undead empire is recognized by the World''s Heart! By the power of faith, I hereby grant Garethor ascension to godhood!" Alex''s voice boomed across the undead Imperial Capital. All the lords looked towards the palace in astonishment. The undead empire now commanded a staggering number of undead, over nine million, providing a vast reservoir of faith power. Fortunately, the World''s Heart was an unconscious entity. It wouldn''t specifically prevent Garethor''s ascension just because of Alex''s choices. Perhaps, in its view, whoever ascended through faith was on its side. Therefore, the process couldn''t be interrupted. It was similar to the Mage Guild''s Divine Mage. He was neutral, but that didn''t prevent the Seven Guardians from becoming pseudo-gods. The same principle applied to Alex. The next moment, a golden barrier enveloped the entire undead empire. A torrent of faith power surged into Garethor, instantly propelling him to third-stage Sovereign level and initiating his ascension ritual. With the support of faith power, finding one''s God''s Path as a pseudo-god was almost effortless. The three angel pseudo-gods stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the golden barrier. This scene seemed eerily familiar. They had no idea how many Sovereign level beings within the undead empire were undergoing ascension. The three angels exchanged glances, seemingly contemplating retreat. They wouldn''t throw their lives away needlessly. If the Mage Guild scenario repeated itself, their deaths would be a significant blow to the Angel race. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 418: Mysterious Island Their priority was to report back, not to engage in a suicidal battle. Just as the three angels were about to leave, two figures materialized behind them.One was a human man wreathed in crackling purple lightning: Thunder, one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians. The other, clad in heavy silver armor and radiating a holy aura, was the leader of the Holy Church, recently ascended to pseudo-godhood. The three angels'' expressions hardened as their auras clashed. The golden barrier around the undead empire began to weaken. Thunder and the Holy Church leader attacked simultaneously. A battle between pseudo-gods erupted. Within the undead Imperial Capital, the lords watched the battle in awe. "Is that... a god?" They looked at Garethor on the plaza, his aura steadily intensifying, realizing that he, too, was about to become a pseudo-god. Alex''s declaration had been more than just words. A pseudo-god''s power was directly linked to faith. The more followers they had, the greater their divine power. The Angel race had many pseudo-gods, but their population was average, which explained their relatively unremarkable strength. As the golden barrier dissipated, Garethor''s ascension was complete. He looked towards Alex, standing on the steps of the palace, and reaffirmed his loyalty. "My great Queen," Garethor boomed, "I shall repel the enemy!" A black streak of light shot towards the battle raging outside the undead Imperial Capital. ... Golden light and purple lightning clashed as an angel forced Thunder back with a sword strike. The angels sensed Thunder wasn''t fighting at full strength. "He''s injured," they realized, identifying their target. They focused their attack on Thunder. Suddenly, black chains materialized, swirling and writhing like living things, forming a cage of burning black fire that trapped the three angels. They turned to see Garethor standing behind them. His arrival had disrupted their attack. The three angels combined their holy light, attempting to purify Garethor''s attack. But Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god wouldn''t miss this opportunity. The Holy Church pseudo-god''s holy light merged with the attack, disrupting the angels'' spellcasting. Simultaneously, a bolt of purple lightning struck the cage. Garethor and Thunder''s combined attack constricted, trapping the angels. A strange stalemate ensued. The Holy Church pseudo-god focused on disrupting the angels'' holy light, while Garethor and Thunder maintained the fiery cage. The three angels needed to combine their power to break free, but they were constantly interrupted. The constricting cage, while unable to inflict significant damage, kept them trapped. The six pseudo-gods were locked in a delicate balance, a battle of attrition to see whose divine power would be exhausted first. Garethor had the most power, but Thunder''s injuries were a wildcard. The three angels had no idea how long they could hold out. Even if they broke free, their situation wouldn''t improve. They wouldn''t have the strength to defeat the three pseudo-gods. Watching the stalemate, Alex paused, realizing the situation wasn''t going as planned. They needed an external intervention. "I wonder if the Source of Fear will work," she mused, drawing her scythe. She vanished into the soul realm, where everything was rendered in shades of gray, as if frozen in time. Behind the six pseudo-gods, she could clearly see their souls, manifested as giant white shadows. Alex''s scythe turned into a black shadow, a stark contrast to the gray world. Here, she wielded the power of the Source of Fear, devoid of the scythe''s attribute bonus that severed anything. This wasn''t a typical soul attack, designed to inflict pain or damage, but to sever the soul from the body. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Source of Fear bypassed all soul defenses, unless the target''s soul was exceptionally resilient. The massive black shadow, like a ravenous beast, lunged towards the three angel pseudo-gods. A blinding white light, tinged with gold, erupted from their soul shadows, attempting to purify the Source of Fear. But this was Alex''s domain. The black shadow transformed into an ancient beast, devouring the white light. Then, Alex saw the other two souls stir, joining forces to resist the Source of Fear. Her attack was momentarily suppressed. "It won''t be that easy," Alex frowned. Pseudo-gods were clearly beyond the scope of ordinary beings. Just as she was considering summoning her pseudo-god level death angels or death dragons for assistance, the battle outside shifted. Thunder''s attack pierced through an angel pseudo-god''s chest, spraying golden blood. The three angels'' resistance faltered. They were no longer a match for their opponents. Infernal flames engulfed the chains, forming a massive fireball that incinerated everything around it. The angels'' once pristine white wings were scorched and charred, their feathers turning to ash. Their divine power was rapidly depleting. They had to make a desperate gamble. A golden cross materialized in the sky, followed by a massive holy sword that descended from the heavens. Boom! The earth buckled under the force of the impact, obliterating everything in the vicinity. The shockwave rippled outwards, reaching the undead Imperial Capital, shaking the city as if in a violent earthquake. The lords within the city were thrown to the ground, their faces pale with fear as they looked towards the battlefield. Three golden lights shot up from the dust cloud. They were retreating! A black chain snaked out, ensnaring one of the weakened pseudo-gods. Infernal flames consumed it. Another angel coughed up golden blood mid-flight, its soul injured, losing its chance to escape. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god quickly surrounded and killed it. Only one angel pseudo-god managed to escape. Alex withdrew from the soul realm, her soul power severely depleted from maintaining the Source of Fear. ??¨N¦®????.§³?§® ... "Thunder, your injuries have worsened," Alex said, her voice laced with concern as she approached the pale-faced Guardian. "It''s nothing," Thunder replied, waving off her concern. "It''s just a shame we let one escape." He gazed towards the horizon, his brow furrowed with worry. "How is the situation on the Arcadia continent?" Alex asked, her concern shifting to the larger war. The Angel race''s deep reserves of power were a formidable threat, far beyond what the humans could handle alone. "Not good," Thunder sighed. "They''re pressing hard. Their target is the Divine Mage. They want to force him to ascend." Their current efforts were merely buying time for Alex. "I''ve reached an agreement with the Sea Race," Alex revealed. "The undead race can join the war." Even if the undead race lacked high-end combat power, they were still a force to be reckoned with, surpassing all other races except the major factions. She had destroyed a core of will, making her stance unequivocally clear. Thunder shook his head. "No. The relationships between the races are too complex. For now, just know that the undead are the only ones you can truly trust. They are eternally loyal." His words were a clear directive: focus on strengthening the undead race. The final outcome was uncertain, and Alex could only rely on her undead troops. "I understand," Alex replied, nodding solemnly. She then turned to the Holy Church pseudo-god. Since he had come to her aid alongside Thunder, he was likely trustworthy. He stood silently, like a statue. Alex decided to share a crucial piece of information. "I''ve received reliable intel. The Dragon God has ascended." Thunder''s face paled. The dragon race''s allegiance was now practically confirmed! "This is critical. I must return to headquarters and report to the president immediately." Alex nodded, watching as the two pseudo-gods hurried away. The Divine Mage couldn''t ascend. If he did, everything would be lost. A race could only have one true god at a time. If a race had two, the World''s Heart''s rejection would intensify, forcing both true gods to ascend. But with only one true god, a race could maintain their divine protector as long as they didn''t overuse their divine power. They became the ultimate safeguard for their race. Therefore, all major races cultivated several powerful third-stage Sovereign level beings to serve as successors in case their true god ascended. But becoming to true godhood was far more difficult than becoming a pseudo-god. It wasn''t something that could be achieved overnight. Therefore, during wartime, if a race''s true god ascended, it created a dangerous gap in their high-end combat power. ... Upon returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex found Death Spirit waiting for her in the main hall, clearly with a report to deliver. "Queen, the undead have discovered the legendary island beyond the far northern coastline." Alex paused, recalling the legend she had heard from the tiger guard during her expedition to the far north. After subduing the Arctic Tigerfolk clan, she had sent undead scouts to search for the island, but they had found nothing. She had dismissed it as a myth. "How did you find it? Is there anything unusual about it?" Alex asked Death Spirit, sensing something amiss. "My Queen, after you instructed us to abandon the search, the undead stopped looking. Today, by chance, the Arctic Tigerfolk clan, while patrolling the far north, noticed an anomaly and reported it. I led the undead out to sea and discovered a massive, floating island. It''s quite strange. The undead who went to investigate were all eliminated by an unknown force. We still don''t know what secrets it holds." "Indeed, strange," Alex murmured. What could be on this legendary island in the far north? "Garethor, Death Spirit, come with me. We''ll investigate." Alex decided to investigate immediately. This couldn''t be a coincidence. Why hadn''t it appeared before, only now? What was the difference between the Eldoria continent then and now? The island had appeared after Alex destroyed the core of will. She suspected a connection. Arriving in the far north, Alex and her companions flew towards the coastline. Standing on the vast, icy plains, they couldn''t see the ocean, let alone an island. "Queen, the island is very far away, and it seems to exert some kind of pull on the continent," Garethor said, his enhanced senses as a pseudo-god detecting something Alex and Death Spirit couldn''t. "It is indeed far away," Death Spirit added. "But when I first saw it, it was glowing, like a fallen star in the ocean. That''s how the Arctic Tigerfolk clan noticed it." "Let''s go. We''ll investigate," Alex said, taking to the skies. The island was within her territory. She had to know what it was. Even with her current speed, it took Alex three hours to reach the island. It was incredibly far away. During the flight, Alex noticed her energy draining faster than usual, likely due to the World''s Heart''s resistance to intercontinental travel. A being below Sovereign level wouldn''t have made it this far. Their energy would have been depleted, and they would have plummeted into the ocean. The surrounding sea was a dark, endless expanse, its surface eerily calm and smooth, like a perfect mirror. The island itself was even stranger than Alex had anticipated. As Death Spirit had reported, it was floating, hovering several meters above the water. Its edges were perfectly smooth, forming a complete circle. Like Death Spirit, Alex sensed a strange energy emanating from the island, but it didn''t feel dangerous. "Queen," Garethor said suddenly, "I remember my previous master mentioning this island. He didn''t tell us anything about it, though. Perhaps the Mage Guild president has more information." The previous undead lord knew about this island? "We''re both undead lords, following the path of the God of Creation, both on the Eldoria continent," Alex mused. "Which of these is the key connection?" If she couldn''t figure it out, she would have to ask the Mage Guild president. "Garethor, fly past the island and see how much further it is to the next continent," Alex instructed, turning to Death Spirit. "We''ll land on the island and investigate." Chapter 419: Undead race can no longer stand idly by Although the island''s power could obliterate low-level undead, Alex doubted it could kill Sovereign level beings or pseudo-gods. There had to be a secret hidden here.Death Spirit sent a clone onto the island. It was instantly vaporized. Alex paused, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. The power emanating from the island resembled the Angel race''s holy light, capable of purifying all things. No, it wasn''t quite like holy light. It was more akin to the energy radiating from the core of will. "Queen, that energy is strange. Please don''t approach the island!" Death Spirit warned as Alex stepped forward. "I know," Alex replied, stopping at the island''s edge and slowly extending her arm. A brilliant golden light flared, attempting to purify her. Alex had already prepared to use undead to shield herself. But then, a strange, equally powerful energy surged from within her, clashing with the island''s golden light. The entire island began to glow, radiating like a star, just as Death Spirit had described. Alex, caught in the center of the clashing energies, felt no pain, no discomfort. She was perfectly safe. The struggle continued for an unknown amount of time before the energies began to subside. A tiny golden flame flickered where the two energies met. "That''s... divine fire!" Alex exclaimed, realization dawning. What kind of clash could produce tangible divine fire? The System and the World''s Heart! The island possessed the World''s Heart''s power, while the strange energy within her came from the System! Her path to godhood was linked to both the System and the World''s Heart. Their opposing forces were now inadvertently weakening each other. This was a monumental opportunity. Alex extended her hand, gently cupping the divine fire. It radiated no heat, only a comforting warmth. The moment the divine fire touched her skin, it melted away like snowflakes, merging with her being. A strange power surged through her, a sensation she couldn''t quite describe. She had inadvertently reached the second stage of Sovereign level. With this breakthrough, a faint trace of divine power now resided within her. Her path to godhood had officially begun. This unexpected advancement didn''t conflict with her plans. The island still radiated a potent energy, but the clash had ceased. This meant the system''s power within her had been completely purged. She wondered if the other lords had been affected or if this method could be replicated. If so, it would be incredibly convenient. But it was also incredibly dangerous. Failure meant obliteration. Alex could no longer find the system button or access the dashboard. She was certain the system''s power was gone. Simultaneously, the top spot on the leaderboard vanished. Alex''s name was gone, replaced by Xiao Hui. "This island''s power is linked to the World''s Heart. I doubt anyone below Divine level (god) can set foot on it." Alex abandoned the idea of landing on the island, at least for now. Perhaps there were other methods she didn''t know about. But one thing was certain: the clash of energies had weakened the island''s power. If she destroyed all seven cores of will, she might be able to land on the island as a Sovereign level being. Alex and Death Spirit waited for Garethor''s return. He arrived shortly after, his expression mirroring Alex''s earlier surprise. "Queen, this island isn''t part of the Eldoria continent. It''s likely the center of the entire world!" Garethor''s words were blunt, his astonishment evident. Alex stared at him, stunned. That explained the island''s remote location. A barrier separated each continent. Only by destroying a continent''s core of will could the barrier be lifted. That''s why the mysterious island had appeared near the Eldoria continent. According to Garethor, the barriers around the other continents were still intact. The island was invisible beyond those barriers. He had only managed to find his way back by retracing his original route. "So, this island is at the center, with seven continents radiating outwards in seven different directions?!" Alex was intrigued. Now that the Eldoria continent''s core of will was destroyed, could pseudo-gods from other continents see the island if they crossed the barrier? If they came to the Eldoria continent, they would undoubtedly discover the island. "That''s right," Garethor confirmed. "I flew in a straight line. The continent on the other side is the Tyrangar continent. And adjacent to it is likely the Valoria continent." The distance from the island to each continent was roughly the same. "The Angel race already knows," Alex said grimly. But this island was connected to the World''s Heart. Perhaps they had known all along. Maybe that was the real reason they opposed the destruction of the cores of will. "Queen, there''s one more thing," Garethor said, his tone serious. "On my way back, I briefly visited the adjacent continents. One of them is the Arsen continent." Alex looked at him expectantly. "The Arsen continent has no barrier, and the island is visible from there!" "What?!" Alex exclaimed. How was that possible? A sudden realization struck her. She gave a quick order to Death Spirit and Garethor and immediately returned to the far north. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. During the flight back, Alex pondered this strange development. The Arsen continent had no core of will. What did that mean? ?????¦Ñ¦´?.??? Why did the Sea God want to conquer the Arsen continent? Without a core of will, they couldn''t gain the World''s Heart''s recognition and couldn''t choose a side. And if that was the case, the undead race''s conquest of the Arsen continent seemed pointless. To further weaken the World''s Heart, she would have to wage war on other continents. But first, she needed to consolidate her power and gather her strength. Alex suspected that the island was either a manifestation of the World''s Heart or somehow connected to her path to becoming the God of Creation. She needed to discuss this with the Mage Guild president. Upon returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex immediately contacted Boreas in Hurricane City, hoping to glean some information about the mysterious island. However, Boreas was clueless. He promised to relay the information to the president and inform Alex of any response. The situation on the Arsen continent was also a major concern for Alex. Although she didn''t know why the core of will had vanished, it was undoubtedly beneficial to the undead empire. It wasn''t until the following day that the Mage Guild president''s reply reached Alex. Unfortunately, the president was also unaware of the island''s true nature. He only offered a cryptic hint, suggesting it might be connected to her path to becoming the God of Creation. Unable to obtain any further information, Alex abandoned her inquiries, resolving to uncover the island''s secrets herself. Her current priority was to destroy as many cores of will as possible. Destroying all seven was likely impossible, so she had to do what she could. Alex directed all her undead forces to focus on gaining experience on the Sea Race battlefield. After purging the system''s power from herself, she discovered that it had only affected her, with no noticeable impact on the undead empire. It seemed there was a significant difference between passive and active removal of the system''s influence. Time was running out. Her actions were merely buying time for the undead. Over a month passed. Tonight was another full moon. Alex stood by the window, gazing at the moon. She noticed that the red moon''s light seemed dimmer than before, tinged with a warm, yellowish hue. She suspected the blood moon in the sky was also connected to the World''s Heart. Many significant events had transpired during the past month. The dragon race had openly sided with the World''s Heart, but their conflict with the Angel race was genuine. However, instead of fighting each other, they had joined forces to attack the Demon race. The dragon race''s reasoning was simple: they wanted to minimize their pseudo-god losses. Having lost their Dragon God, they were now the weakest among the top-tier races. As for why they chose to target the Demon race instead of the humans, the answer was simple: the Demon race had no true god. Their strongest combatants were pseudo-gods. They were a top-tier race solely due to their sheer number of pseudo-gods, second only to the Angel race. They had twenty-four pseudo-gods. Pseudo-gods couldn''t be banished by the World''s Heart. And since demons were inherently bloodthirsty and battle-crazed, they remained a formidable force even without a true god. Like the undead race, demons, being creations of a higher power, wouldn''t acknowledge the World''s Heart. They were only loyal to their own god. Therefore, not all races with pseudo-gods were necessarily aligned with the World''s Heart. Given the demons'' nature, Alex doubted they would ever choose a side. Facing the combined might of the Titan and dragon races, the Demon race was losing ground. The Valoria continent was mostly under enemy control, transformed into a desolate battlefield. The Holy Court had returned to the Nytheria continent, joining forces with the Angel race to attack the humans. Facing the full might of the Angel race, the humans were struggling. The Divine Mage might have to intervene soon. The tide of war had turned. The undead empire was in a precarious position. As Thunder had warned, the undead race shouldn''t intervene. But now, Alex had no choice. The Arsen continent had no core of will. She could abandon it if necessary. As for the Sea Race''s choice, she didn''t have time to worry about it. If the awakened Sea God sided with the World''s Heart, it would only worsen the situation. "I can''t wait any longer," Alex declared. "We have enough faith power. Tomorrow, I will purge the system''s power and begin my ascension!" She had made up her mind. The undead race could no longer remain neutral. Regardless of whether they had enough faith power or how many pseudo-gods the undead empire could produce, she had to act. Filled with anxiety, Alex drifted off to a restless sleep. The next morning, she rose early and summoned all her leaders. It was the first time they had all gathered in a long while. But unlike the last time, they were almost all at Sovereign level, just a step away from pseudo-godhood. They entered the hall, their expressions grim, knowing the reason for this meeting. Alex sat on her bone throne, surveying the assembled lords. Her gaze lingered on Ruby, her white hair mirroring Alex''s own, and Sophie, standing beside her. They were undoubtedly the least talented among those present. They had barely reached first-stage Sovereign level thanks to the faith power provided by the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. This was their limit. Ruby had no chance of becoming a god. As for Sophie, despite ruling the entire dwarf kingdom and receiving more faith power than the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, her potential was even lower, capped at Emperor level. "The undead race can no longer stand idly by," Alex declared, her voice calm but firm. "We must join the war. We have no time left. Ruby, Sophie, you will remain here and defend the empire." Ruby didn''t object. She knew her Sovereign level strength was insignificant in this war. Ruby and Sophie both nodded solemnly. Alex turned her attention to the remaining lords and Race Kings. "This is a war of unprecedented scale. Remaining neutral is impossible. Sovereign level beings are mere cannon fodder. Even gods can fall. We might all die in this war, including me. But I won''t wait for death, and I won''t let you wait for death either. Our only hope of survival is ourselves. Only the victors write history." Alex''s gaze swept across the room. Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by her voice. Every face was etched with grim determination. "We have no time left. Regardless of your current level, I will now remove the system''s power and use faith to help you ascend to godhood." Alex paused, seeing no objections. She rose from her throne. "Death Spirit, gather all the lords, Freelancers, and their troops on the plaza." "As you command, Queen!" Death Spirit vanished. Alex led the others out of the palace. Chapter 420: Remove the system Alex stood on the plaza, her core leadership flanking her. The surrounding lords, unsure of the purpose of this gathering, watched with curiosity.Death Spirit quickly relayed Alex''s command to all Lords and Freelancers within the empire. They converged on the undead Imperial Capital, assembling in a massive crowd. The Freelancers, though numerous, possessed only trace amounts of the system''s power, posing no significant threat. Purging their system was simple. Alex''s divine fire could easily accomplish this. The Sovereign level lords could also do it themselves, albeit more slowly. "Everyone," Alex announced, her voice carrying across the plaza, "as promised, I will now help you remove all traces of the system. This purging is complete, more thorough than becoming a Freelancer. Afterward, whether you choose to remain within the undead empire or integrate into human society is entirely up to you. I won''t stop you." Alex explained the purpose of this gathering. This was part of their agreement. The lords, now aware that they were merely pawns in the system''s game, had been waiting for this day. Moreover, the system would disappear in a hundred years anyway. And any pseudo-gods created through its influence would be banished by the World''s Heart, just like true gods, becoming puppets of the system. This was merely happening sooner than expected. Once the system vanished, alliances, submission contracts, barracks, and other special structures would lose their function. This meant Alex would no longer have absolute control over Ice Cream, the Xiao siblings, Drake, Sophie, and the others. They would regain their freedom. However, special structures like the Portal of Transit and other already constructed buildings would remain unaffected. Their magic circles were permanent, independent of the system. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was similar to the magic circles created by alchemy warlocks. Their death didn''t deactivate the magic circles they had created. "What do we need to do?" the lords asked. "Nothing. Just stand here. I''ll handle the rest." Alex placed two fingers on her forehead. A golden energy slowly flowed out, coalescing at her fingertips into a golden flame. She raised the divine fire above her head and released it into the sky. The divine fire blazed, bathing the lords and Freelancers in its golden light. They watched in awe. The light radiated no heat, only a sense of calm. A strange energy emerged from their bodies, clashing with the divine fire''s energy. "Is that the system''s energy within us?" Xiao Hui asked, surprised. She couldn''t sense any change within herself. If not for the divine fire, they wouldn''t have even noticed its presence. "Yes, this energy is unconscious. It only activates in the presence of the World''s Heart''s energy, acting as a defense mechanism. It''s harmless," Alex explained to Xiao Hui and the others. The energy flowed out, dissipated by the divine fire''s radiance. The amount of system energy within each lord, regardless of their level, was roughly the same. This was why lords could actively purge it upon reaching Sovereign level. However, the top-ranked lords on the leaderboard had received special treatment from the system, possessing more energy than the others. Therefore, Satan, Lilith, and the others had a greater amount of system energy within them. And Alex, having held the top spot, had the most. That''s why she had been able to withstand the island''s power for so long. The system''s distribution of energy was like placing bets. The higher-ranked lords had a greater chance of becoming gods and were therefore more valuable to the system. Within half an hour, the system''s influence was purged from all the Freelancers. An hour later, the lords were also cleansed. Only Alex''s core members and Satan and Lilith''s groups remained. "My task is complete," Alex announced. "You are free to go wherever you please." Her goal had been to weaken the system. Although the faith power provided by these lords and their troops was beneficial, it wasn''t essential. "We wish to stay!" the Freelancers declared unanimously. They had no home, no place to go. The lords, though harboring other ambitions, had no better options in the current climate. They agreed to remain in the undead Imperial Capital, at least for now. After dismissing the crowd, Alex waited patiently for the remaining individuals to be cleansed, maintaining her divine fire with her soul power. It wouldn''t take long. They were almost all Sovereign level beings and could purge the system''s influence themselves, with a little help from Alex. Three hours later, as midday approached, everyone except Drake and Xiao Mu had been cleansed. They stood beside Alex, watching the two Race Kings. Alex was worried. The Light Titan and Rock Dragon races were small, and without the system''s barracks, the faith power they provided might not be enough for them to reach pseudo-godhood. Death Spirit, lacking faith power, was still stuck at first-stage Sovereign level. But Alex wasn''t willing to give up on him. Perhaps she hadn''t found the right method yet. Or maybe, unlike the other Race Kings, his potential extended to true godhood. Regardless, she wouldn''t let him become a pseudo-god. Torin had recently ascended to pseudo-godhood, becoming the undead empire''s second strongest combatant. As the last vestiges of system energy dissipated, signifying the complete purging of its influence, the divine fire merged back into Alex. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? She felt her divine fire grow stronger, closer to illuminating her God''s Path. This was undoubtedly connected to the core of will. If she destroyed a few more cores of will, she could surely reach the third stage of Sovereign level. === With the system''s power purged, it was time to utilize the accumulated faith to help her followers ascend to godhood(Divine). Alex raised her right hand. An invisible energy began to manifest throughout the undead empire''s territory, converging towards the undead Imperial Capital, swirling like an invisible vortex above the city. The energy coalesced in Alex''s palm, growing larger and radiating an awe-inspiring power. Soon, a ball of faith power, larger than her hand, pulsed in her grasp. "By the power of faith within my divine kingdom," Alex declared, her voice echoing through the city, "I grant Xiao Hui, Arthur, Riven, John, Crane, Arthas, Azure, and Vulture to godhood!" The energy in her hand expanded explosively, splitting into eight streams of pale gold light that surged into her chosen champions. Eight golden pillars of light erupted into the sky, enveloping them as their bodies and souls underwent a divine transformation, their power surging. "Drake, Xiao Mu," Alex said, her tone apologetic, "your faith power is insufficient. You won''t be able to god this time." Thanks to the sheer number of undead, their faith power was abundant. The others, however, fell short. "We will expand our forces and grow stronger," Xiao Mu said, his voice filled with determination. "I can already sense that I''m close to breaking through to Divine level." Drake nodded in agreement. They wouldn''t remain stuck at third-stage Sovereign level. In the upcoming war, Divine level would be the deciding factor. "Ten gods are enough for now," Alex replied, nodding. Her gaze shifted to Ice Cream. He was the most talented among them, besides herself. With the complete Azure Dragon treasure, his ascension to true god was only a matter of time. Once Ice Cream became a true god, he would be their strongest combatant, securing the undead race''s position among the top-tier factions. Perhaps the current Dragon God had been too merciful, or perhaps he had fallen victim to the traitors within his race, choosing to ascend rather than fight. Otherwise, the dragon race''s pseudo-gods and gods would have been no match for a true god. His decision to ascend instead of eliminating the traitors was puzzling. "Ice Cream," Alex said, approaching him, "the system''s power is gone, and I''ve released you from our contract. You are free now. Whether you choose to return to the dragon race or stay is entirely up to you." Their relationship had been mutually beneficial, but Alex had arguably helped Ice Cream more than he had helped her. "I choose to stay," Ice Cream replied without hesitation. "I will help you achieve your dream." His eyes shone with unwavering resolve. Born on the Eldoria continent, he felt no connection to the dragon race. His only concern was his mother. Now, knowing that the dragon race had sided with his mother''s killers, he couldn''t tolerate it. Both Emberon and Alex hoped Ice Cream would ascend to true god and unify the dragon race. They had strayed from the right path. A new Dragon God was needed to lead them and prevent their destruction. This was the main reason Ice Cream chose to stay. "Welcome to the undead empire," Alex said, smiling. "I''m sure not all dragons have sided with the World''s Heart. When Emberon arrives, you can discuss your plans. I won''t show mercy to those traitors." The Frost Heart was restored, but fully merging with it was incredibly difficult. Alex hoped Ice Cream''s ascension wouldn''t be delayed for too long. As the city''s faith power dwindled, the Race Kings began to transform. Xiao Hui''s six wings became eight, her aura growing stronger. She was the first among the eight kings to Divine level. Azure and Riven''s ethereal forms solidified, becoming more tangible, almost like flesh and blood. Azure, in his human form, looked almost indistinguishable from an ordinary person. John and Arthur''s appearances didn''t change much, but their soul flames burned brighter, now enveloping their entire bodies instead of just flickering within their chests. Crane and Arthas looked more human, their deathly auras the only indication of their undead nature. Vulture, the new King Ghoul, was the only exception. He looked almost identical to his previous form. Alex had initially thought his ascension had failed, but the aura he radiated was unmistakably that of a Divine level. Without the system, Alex couldn''t analyze Vulture''s abilities. She would have to observe him in action. Eight gods hovered in the air, radiating immense power. In terms of overall strength, the undead empire now surpassed even the dragon race. Although slightly weaker than the Demon race, they were more than capable of facing the era crisis. The Race Kings descended, landing beside Alex, each radiating an unparalleled aura. Her next objective was simple: choose the weakest target and destroy their core of will. She didn''t need to aid any specific race. The Demon race, despite losing ground against the combined forces of the Titan and dragon races, still held control over the Valoria continent. Alex decided to communicate with the Demon race first and confirm their allegiance. After that, she would target the cores of will on the Arcadia continent (humans), the Tyrangar continent (Titans), and the Mossvale continent (dragons). Since the dragon race had betrayed them, Alex''s first target, after contacting the Demon race, would be the weakened dragon race. She was determined to obtain the Mossvale continent''s core of will. Chapter 421: Decision of the demon race The endless abyss was a scene of carnage.Demon corpses littered the landscape, shrouded in a sinister black mist. The combined miasma of thousands of decaying demons rose from the abyss, a horrifying yet strangely majestic sight. Among the fallen were massive corpses radiating a holy aura: Titans. The Titan race had no god, only a true god who rarely intervened in conflicts. On this lower-level battlefield, they were no match for the Demon race. The beleaguered Demon race had recklessly deployed their god-level combatants, but the Titans dared not risk their true god. (Gods were categorized into three tiers, from weakest to strongest: pseudo-god, god, and true god.) The Holy Court had withdrawn, but the dragon race, a far more formidable force, had joined the fray, stabilizing the situation and launching a counteroffensive against the Demon race. Deep within the Valoria continent, the chieftains of the twenty-four Demon tribes gathered in a strange, shadowy forest. They typically ruled their own territories, avoiding contact with each other, convening only under special circumstances. These twenty-four demons varied greatly in appearance and power. Most were pseudo-gods or gods. The rest were representatives of chieftains currently engaged in battle or acting chieftains, mere third-stage Sovereign level beings, filling in for fallen leaders. They stood silently, motionless, without a word exchanged between them. After a moment, they all looked up towards a figure descending from the western sky. She radiated an aura of darkness and death, her eight wings, black as ink, giving her the appearance of an angel of death. Xiao Hui landed gracefully, her expression impassive as she surveyed the assembled demons. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am a member of the undead race, the Death Angel King." "I know your purpose," the leading demon, a devil with a sinister grin, boomed. "I''ll say this now: the Demon race will remain eternally neutral!" The demons weren''t fools. They knew why she was here, and Alex''s destruction of the core of will was public knowledge. She had done what they had always wanted to do but hadn''t dared. The previous undead lord had done the same. It seemed this new undead lord was following in his footsteps. Only by eliminating the ruling race of a continent could a destroyed core of will slowly regenerate, a process that took centuries. Conversely, if the ruling race remained in power, the core of will couldn''t recover. This was why the other races had been so determined to destroy the former undead empire, regardless of the cost. "Then we are natural allies," Xiao Hui said coldly. She hadn''t come here for mere assurances. "Thamior," a small, unassuming demon, a low-level imp in appearance, but a chieftain and a god in power, spoke up. "Once the humans fall, we''re doomed. We should fight alongside them, even if it means mutual destruction!" "Even with our combined strength, we''d have a slim chance against the Angel race," Thamior replied, his gaze sharp as he assessed the situation. "There would be no turning back." Although the era war raged on, and the Demon race was losing ground, it had never escalated to a war of extermination. But destroying a core of will was different. It meant becoming an enemy of all races, fighting alone. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t believe the current undead lord would fare any better than the previous undead lord. ?¡Ì?¦¥§®?¦´?.??? "Thamior, when did you become such a fucking coward?!" the other demons roared in disapproval. Xiao Hui frowned. Just as Satan had said, they were prone to infighting. "I never thought the mighty Demon race would be so timid," Xiao Hui taunted. "It seems I overestimated you. The undead race does not fear failure. We would make the same choice again." The demons were angered by her words, but they dared not attack her. That would mean making another enemy, an enemy who could destroy them more quickly. "Farewell," Xiao Hui said, turning to leave. "Even if you lack the courage, I will keep my promise. The undead race will attack the dragon race to create a diversion for you. As for the second core of will, you can wait for news in this forsaken forest." The chieftains glared at her, then at Thamior, who remained silent. Thamior knew it was a taunt, but when had the Demon race become so hesitant? Now, they had to weigh the pros and cons of every action, prioritizing their race''s survival above all else. They had become afraid. Since the end of the Demon era, they had lived in fear of the Angel race. Thamior''s eyes hardened, a blood-red glint appearing in his pupils. "Wait!" He called out to Xiao Hui, stopping her departure. The other chieftains looked at him in surprise. "I know this is a taunt," Thamior said, his voice filled with newfound resolve. "But I''ll show you what true demonic courage looks like. The courage to face death is not exclusive to the undead!" He shot up into the sky, unleashing a massive black mist that slammed into the earth. The mist dispersed, enveloping the entire forest. The ground trembled. All the demons sensed what was happening and looked towards the center of the continent. On the front lines, a massive Titan, having just punched a demon away, roared, "Have demon race gone mad?!" "You fool! We don''t need your permission!" the demon retorted, unleashing a torrent of power. Xiao Hui smiled. Now, they could trust the Demon race without reservation. The Titan''s shock stemmed from Thamior''s actions. He had drawn out the Valoria continent''s core of will, a swirling mass of black mist tinged with gold. The golden light within the mist was slowly growing stronger. "Watch closely!" Thamior declared, meeting Xiao Hui''s gaze. He crushed the core of will in his hand. A cracking sound echoed through the air as the energy within the core dissipated. The entire continent shook violently as the energy burst outwards. Moments later, the core of will was gone. "Impressive," Xiao Hui said, her voice filled with admiration. "The undead empire won''t forget this." She vanished, returning to the undead empire. Chapter 422: Attack the Mossvale continent "They actually destroyed the core of will," Alex said, surprised by Xiao Hui''s report. She had expected them to wait for the undead race to act first."Death Spirit, has there been any change on the island?" Alex asked, turning to Death Spirit, who had left a clone behind to observe the island. "My Queen," Death Spirit replied after a moment, "the island has risen several meters!" It had risen? So, when all the continents'' cores of will were intact, the island had been at sea level? "Does that mean it will continue to rise as more cores of will are destroyed?" Xiao Hui asked, intrigued. "It''s possible," Alex replied, nodding. She suspected the island''s energy had also changed, but Death Spirit, being only at Sovereign level, couldn''t detect it. "Mobilize all forces. Prepare to attack the Mossvale continent," Alex commanded, her eyes filled with steely determination. The dragon race was no match for the undead empire now. The theft of the Frost Heart had revealed their true allegiance. "Yes, my Queen." Xiao Hui and Death Spirit departed. The recent surge in undead numbers had been drastically reduced through fusion, creating tens of thousands of King level undead. The undead army was not only vast but also far stronger than mere cannon fodder. The time had come to unleash the forces they had cultivated on the Sea Race battlefield. ... On the Mossvale continent, within the Rock Dragon kingdom, Drake stood guard. Since the last incident, the dragon race, fearing exposure, had taken precautions. They hadn''t openly antagonized Alex, but they had secretly deployed several Sovereign level dragons near the kingdom to monitor the undead race''s movements on the Mossvale continent. They still needed the undead race to keep the Sea Race in check. This suggested that the dragon race''s apprehension towards the Sea Race stemmed from some unknown factor. Their earlier request for the undead race to distract the Angel race had been a ruse. The humans were the true threat. A Death Spirit clone materialized beside Drake. He knew the time had come. As a third-stage Sovereign level being, he was acutely aware of the spies lurking nearby. With a pulse of his bloodline ability, he pinpointed the hidden dragons. "Southeast, due west, northwest, and northeast," Drake reported. Death Spirit waved a hand, and four pseudo-god undead emerged from the Portal of Transit, streaking towards the designated locations. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By the time the dragon spies sensed the danger, it was too late to transform and escape. Resistance was futile. Against fellow Sovereign level beings, they might have had a chance. But against pseudo-gods, they were hopelessly outmatched. The four death angels swiftly eliminated the spies. Dragon blood seeped into the earth, corroding the ancient trees, releasing plumes of white smoke. "Attack!" Death Spirit commanded. Several massive Silverscale Leviathans emerged from the Portal of Transit, soaring towards the heart of the Mossvale continent. Simultaneously, several gods descended upon the dragon race''s territory, unleashing waves of destructive black energy that incinerated everything in their path. Their blatant arrival was a deliberate provocation, designed to draw out the dragon race''s pseudo-gods. ?¡Ì?§¦§®?¦´?.?§°? Although the dragon race had only one god, their bloodline granted their pseudo-gods strength comparable to gods of other races. Most of their pseudo-gods were currently occupied, holding back the Demon race''s god-level combatants. They had few reserves. If they withdrew, the Demon race would push back against the Titans, turning the tide on both fronts. The dragon race panicked under the undead onslaught. The oppressive aura of the undead gods was suffocating. After a moment, a few powerful dragons took to the skies. Although dragon pseudo-gods possessed the strength of gods, they were outnumbered three to one. "What is the meaning of this?" one of the dragon pseudo-gods demanded, hoping for a peaceful resolution. "Kill them all!" Xiao Hui''s cold voice echoed through the air. The ten Race Kings attacked simultaneously. The three dragon pseudo-gods, realizing they were outmatched, turned and fled. They were three against ten, and all ten were god-level! Their retreat confirmed the suspicions of the other dragons. Had the Dragon God(true god level) truly ascended? If he were still present, they wouldn''t fear a few undead gods. Elsewhere, Alex, following Emberon''s intel, launched precision strikes against the dragon cities. Massive undead fortresses materialized, unleashing swarms of undead that devoured the cities like locusts. Dragon breath attacks lit up the sky like fireworks. Each attack was led by a pseudo-god, this was a full-scale invasion. Alex ordered the mass construction of undead fortresses, unleashing her undead hordes to sweep across the Mossvale continent, aiming for swift and total annihilation. She also sent a message to the dragon race: surrender and destroy your core of will, and the undead race will cease their attack. Within a day, the undead race had conquered a third of the Mossvale continent. The dragon race suffered heavy losses. All three dragon pseudo-gods were slain. The dragons fighting on the Valoria continent, enraged upon learning of the attack on their homeland, immediately withdrew and returned to the Mossvale continent. They had underestimated the undead race. The intel had mentioned only one god and a few pseudo-gods. They hadn''t expected over ten god-level combatants. Without their true god, the dragon race was no match for the undead. And with their limited number of pseudo-gods, the Mossvale continent was on the verge of collapse. But the enraged dragons were unwilling to surrender. The undead race''s intervention had turned their easy victory into a desperate struggle. The Angel race held the most advantageous position. The dragons could only hope that they would keep the undead race occupied while fighting the humans. But to their dismay, the Angel race refused! Ten god-level combatants were a significant force. They weren''t willing to divert so much power to contain a potentially unpredictable undead race. Moreover, they knew that the undead could only summon pseudo-gods. Their god-level forces were limited to the ten Race Kings, who couldn''t be replicated. The Angel race didn''t consider the undead a serious threat. "Damn it!" a dragon leader roared, smashing the table before him. His rage was almost uncontrollable. "At least this confirms that the humans are struggling," another dragon said, trying to maintain a semblance of calm. "If we hold out a little longer, the tide might turn." "We have no other choice but to hope for the best..." Chapter 423: Meeting with Poseidon As queen of the undead empire and the lowest level among her leadership, Alex wouldn''t be directly involved in combat. Her priority was to reach the third stage of Sovereign level and destroy more cores of will.She had revisited the island and discovered that it had not only risen higher but its energy had also weakened, though it was still inaccessible to Sovereign level beings. She suspected that only those with the strength of pseudo-gods or greater could set foot on it. Unexpectedly, the dragon race, instead of surrendering, had resorted to guerrilla tactics against the undead, clearly hoping for the Angel race to intervene. Alex, unfazed, ordered a full-scale sweep of the Mossvale continent, determined to flush them out. Conquering the Mossvale continent was only a matter of time. Her God''s Path was becoming clearer. Nearly half of the seven continental cores of will had been destroyed, a significant boon to Alex''s power. "Queen, the Sea Race High Priest has appeared again. She requests an audience with you," Death Spirit reported from the foot of the throne. "Could it be a new divine decree?" Alex wondered, setting off for the Arsen continent. The battlefield remained a gruesome stalemate, the air thick with the stench of decay. Sea Race corpses mingled with undead remains, the blood washing out to sea with each receding wave. Both races, with their unique methods of replenishing their ranks, cared little for the losses among their lower-level combatants. This war had become a macabre performance. Without the system, the Sea Race battlefield no longer provided substantial experience points, only a steady supply of corpses for her undead army. Alex looked up at the woman being lifted by the waves nearby, then she flew to the front of the Sea Race High Priest. "Our great Sea God, Poseidon, has awakened," the High Priest said, a playful smile on her face as she tilted her head. "You wished to speak with him. I''ve come to escort you." "He wants to see me?" Alex asked, surprised, but quickly understanding the implication. "Is there anyone else who could represent the undead empire?" the High Priest countered. "The Sea God has just awakened and cannot risk leaving the ocean. His divine power would be detected." The High Priest waved a hand, and the sea parted, creating a path leading down into the depths. The surrounding Sea Race creatures retreated like a receding tide. "He''s abandoning the attack on the Arsen continent?" Alex asked, surprised by the abrupt ceasefire. "Indeed. There''s no longer any need to continue," the High Priest replied, gesturing for Alex to follow. To the depths of the ocean, to meet the Sea God? It seemed she had no other choice. The Sea Race''s allegiance was crucial. They possessed enough power to tip the scales of this war. With her various abilities and safeguards, Alex was confident in her survival. Even if this was a trap, she could escape quickly. Following the High Priest, Alex descended through layers of underwater structures and mystical seals, finally arriving at a magnificent palace, nestled deep within the ocean floor. There were no guards, only an oppressive aura that made Alex''s heart pound. She could sense the Sea God''s immense power. Was this the Sea God? A true god, the first she had ever encountered. §®???§®?¦´§Á.??? "Great Poseidon awaits within," the High Priest said, gesturing towards the final flight of steps leading to the palace entrance. "I can only escort you this far." Alex nodded and approached the palace. With each step, the massive doors opened wider, revealing a pitch-black interior. Without hesitation, she stepped inside. The doors closed behind her. She finally stood before the legendary Sea God. He wasn''t particularly tall, only about seven feet, with rippling muscles and blue-green skin. He looked like an ordinary Sea Race being, but the faint divine power radiating from him was both dangerous and terrifying, an oppressive force that compelled submission. A true god. His mere presence exuded an aura far beyond that of any pseudo-god or god. "You must be the new undead lord," Poseidon said, his gaze fixed on Alex. A flicker of something complex, perhaps a distant memory, crossed his face. "You''ve made the same choice he did." "Someone has to," Alex replied, her voice filled with the same unwavering confidence as the previous undead lord. "Ascending to true god will be easy for you," Poseidon continued. "But if you wish to change this world, your power alone is insufficient." He was referring to becoming a God of Creation. "That''s why I need the Sea Race''s help," Alex said. "From what I understand, the Sea Race has been purging its ranks for millennia. Those fallen gods were likely aligned with the World''s Heart. You orchestrated their deaths, using external conflicts to eliminate internal dissent." Poseidon''s expression remained unchanged. "That is only part of the reason. The other reason is that the Arsen continent''s rightful rulers are the Sea Race." "What?! The Sea Race rules the Arsen continent?" Alex was stunned, her mind racing. She arrived at a shocking conclusion. The Sea Race had destroyed the Arsen continent''s core of will! As long as the ruling race remained, the core of will couldn''t regenerate. The reason the Sea Race had been attacked by all the land-dwelling races was because they had destroyed a core of will. In the end, the weakened Sea Race had been forced to retreat to the ocean. But completely eradicating them was practically impossible. No race dared to challenge the Sea Race in their domain. The ocean was their ultimate protection. The Sea Race, with their natural barrier, couldn''t be eliminated. The Arsen continent, devoid of its core of will, remained in a semi-desolate state. That''s why the other races hadn''t bothered to settle there. "Indeed," Poseidon said, rising from his throne. He looked at Alex, his gaze intense. "From that moment on, the Sea Race has been firmly neutral. This is my final awakening. Whether you succeed in changing this world depends on your ability to survive." It seemed Poseidon had lingered in this world for too long. He was about to ascend to a higher world. He had no time left. He wanted to witness the rise of a new era. "So that''s why the Sea Race is ostracized by the land-dwelling races," Alex said, a wry smile on her face. It all made sense now. There was no inherent animosity between the races. The Angel race, as minions of the World''s Heart, were simply enforcing its will. They wouldn''t tolerate any race opposing the World''s Heart. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 424: Divine Mage "You''ve seen the island at the world''s center, haven''t you? It''s called the Aether Isle," Poseidon said, pausing thoughtfully. "The World''s Heart resides there."Alex nodded gravely, confirming her suspicions. But how did her God''s Path relate to the World''s Heart? Surely, ascending to godhood didn''t mean replacing the system and opposing the World''s Heart? Both the system and the World''s Heart were beings from the realm of creation, beyond the reach of even true gods, let alone a third-stage Sovereign like herself. The logical progression was for her to ascend, destroy both the system and the World''s Heart''s will, and then choose one of three paths: become this world''s God of Creation, her own world''s God of Creation, or merge her world with the Astralon planet. Wait, *merge*? "You''re saying that to ascend, I have to confront the World''s Heart directly?" Alex asked, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. "You''ve already guessed, haven''t you?" Poseidon replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Follow your heart." "If that''s the case, how long will I be trapped?" Alex asked, a note of worry in her voice. "I won''t be able to do anything, will I?" "I don''t know," Poseidon admitted. "What do you think your chances are?" He was a true god, but not omniscient. He subtly prompted Alex to assess the current situation. These gods and their riddles! Alex understood the underlying message: if the undead empire could win, she could deal with the World''s Heart later. But if they couldn''t, she had to gamble *now*. The Angel race, the Titan race, the dragon race, and their subjugated races, like the Behemoths and the Shadow race, were all enemies. They had at least two true gods and countless gods and pseudo-gods. On her side, she had the undead race, the Sea Race, the Demon race, and *half* of the human race. The Divine Mage''s allegiance was still uncertain. Only the Mage Guild president, Wind, and Thunder had openly supported her. She had one true god and a considerable number of pseudo-gods. It seemed like an even match. But in reality, Alex was at a disadvantage. The Divine Mage''s neutrality made it difficult for Alex to commit to a course of action. "Our chances aren''t great," Alex admitted, shaking her head. "Do you know the human Divine Mage''s stance?" "That young one? Perhaps he has no ambition beyond protecting the human race," Poseidon mused, his knowledge of the outside world surprisingly detailed despite his long slumber. The Divine Mage was neutral, caught between the World''s Heart and its opposition. A strange stance indeed. The human race was under attack, yet he refused to choose a side. How could neutrality protect them? "So, given the current situation, I can begin my ascension once I reach the third stage of Sovereign level?" Alex asked. She was close to the third stage. Destroying another continent''s core of will should be enough. Then, it would be the final battle. She wondered where the previous undead lord had fallen. "The Sea Race will intervene," Poseidon assured her. "If you can become a god, I won''t have to leave the Astralon planet." He, too, was placing his hopes on Alex. His repeated awakenings had been a search for the right opportunity. Pseudo-gods often sided with the World''s Heart, lacking the potential to become true gods. Within the Sea Race, the hierarchy was absolute. Under Poseidon''s guidance, the Sea Race had spent millennia preparing for their attack on the land, using external conflicts to eliminate internal dissent. The Sea Race might be weaker now, but they were united. "Thank you. The Sea Race''s support strengthens my resolve," Alex said sincerely. With some of her questions answered, she returned to the undead empire. The Arsen continent''s battlefield fell silent, the uneasy truce unnoticed by the other races. The decisive moment was approaching. The pseudo-gods and gods were ready. But even ordinary individuals could play a role by weakening the pseudo-gods'' faith through attrition. And the undead race had numbers. This was the last task Alex could ask of them. "What''s the situation with the dragon race?" Alex asked, urgency growing after her conversation with Poseidon. The longer this dragged on, the more unpredictable the war would become. The Angel race''s true strength remained a mystery. "My Queen," Death Spirit reported, "the dragon pseudo-gods seem to have fled the Mossvale continent." "Fled?" Alex was surprised. This was problematic. Without eliminating the dragon race, the Mossvale core wouldn''t appear, preventing her from reaching the third stage. "Then send Ice Cream and Drake back to the dragon race," Alex ordered. "Let Ice Cream unify the remaining dragons, and Drake can gather faith power." With the pseudo-gods gone, third-stage Sovereign was the highest combat power. If Ice Cream revealed the truth, the dragon race''s faith would crumble, weakening the fugitive pseudo-gods. And if the other dragons abandoned their pseudo-gods and supported Ice Cream, he would become the new ruler, and the core of will would appear. "Xiao Hui, have the undead establish hidden undead fortresses on all continents for easy transportation," Alex instructed. ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? With her millions of undead, she would unleash chaos. No race, except the top-tier factions, could withstand the horde. "Yes, Leader," Xiao Hui replied, vanishing without question. The decisive moment was at hand. Success meant the undead empire''s rise to dominance, ending the cyclical disasters. Failure meant death. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But where did the system''s power go after being purged?" Alex wondered. "Is it truly unconscious, only to reappear in a hundred years to confront the World''s Heart?" After purging the system''s influence, it seemed to have vanished completely. Was the system merely a simple program? Alex doubted it. === Arcadia continent, Elemental Empire. The Mage Guild was down to its last three gods, their forces showing signs of exhaustion against the relentless Angel race. Inside the meeting room, the president''s face was etched with worry. The undead race''s timely intervention, halting the dragon race''s advance, had been a godsend. Otherwise, their situation would be even more dire. "President," Earth pleaded, "if we continue fighting, the human race will be destroyed! We should seek peace." Of the original Seven Guardians gathered here, less than half remained, a grim testament to the war''s brutality. "This is an era war, a struggle for dominance!" Thunder snapped, glaring at Earth. He despised cowardice. "Do you think hiding here and preserving our strength will keep us safe?" "Then we should seek help from other races!" Earth insisted. "Which race isn''t embroiled in war?" Thunder retorted. "Who can spare the resources to save us?" The three bickered amongst themselves, their voices rising in frustration. The president knew the Angel race wouldn''t relent until they forced the Divine Mage to ascend. The human race was simply too weak. If only he were more talented, capable of breaking through to true godhood himself. Even if it meant accelerated ascension, he would gladly sacrifice himself to secure the human race''s future. "Enough!" the president said, his voice heavy with resignation as he looked out the window. "All is not lost. We still have hope." Thunder remained silent, understanding the president''s meaning. Earth and Fire, however, looked confused, unsure where this hope lay. Just as silence fell upon the room, a young man in white robes materialized before them. The four were startled, stepping back in surprise. "Great Divine Mage, you''ve arrived!" The young man waved a hand dismissively, and the three Guardians withdrew, leaving him alone with the president. Even without moving, the Divine Mage commanded the surrounding elemental energies, drawing them towards him, leaving the others powerless. "They''ve arrived," the Divine Mage said, his voice flat and emotionless, as if discussing the weather. "I will ascend this time. The future of the human race rests on your shoulders. Perhaps you were right all along. Take your trusted companions and leave." The president froze, his face hardening. This meant pseudo-gods and gods had already arrived on the Arcadia continent, too many for them to handle. The Angel race had become desperate, willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their goal. "But the others..." the president stammered, struggling to accept this. "They won''t harm ordinary citizens. Obey my command. I hope your judgment is sound." The Divine Mage turned and walked away, vanishing before the president''s eyes. The president immediately summoned Thunder, relaying the Divine Mage''s words. "Send word to the undead empire. We''re leaving the Arcadia continent." Once the Divine Mage ascended, the president was the most likely candidate to become the next Divine Mage. His safety was paramount. ... High above, on his Elemental Empire, the young man in white robes stood with arms outstretched, eyes closed, drawing in the surrounding elemental energies. Beams of light appeared on the horizon, the unmistakable signature of the Angel race''s gods. Several massive dragon silhouettes joined them, converging on the divine kingdom. "Only twenty?" the Divine Mage scoffed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Do you underestimate me?" He opened his left hand, revealing a golden orb pulsing with energy. Crack! He crushed the core of will in his hand. The entire continent shuddered violently. The Divine Mage vanished, charging towards the twenty approaching gods. "I just hope I don''t ascend before I kill them all." Chapter 425: Its time Hours later, shocking news arrived at the undead Imperial Capital: the Divine Mage had ascended.Sophie''s face was pale, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at Alex. She didn''t understand the implications, only that the humans were allies, and their loss of the Divine Mage was a blow to the undead race as well. "This is bad," Alex said, her brow furrowed with worry. "The humans can''t hold back the Angel race. Did their true god intervene?" "No. Twenty pseudo-gods from the Angel and dragon races forced the Divine Mage''s hand. He killed over a dozen before being forced to ascend," Sophie reported. Her intel, from Hurricane City, was reliable. It wasn''t the worst outcome. The Divine Mage had weakened the enemy before ascending. The dragon pseudo-gods had indeed gone to the Nytheria continent. "When did this happen?" "Just now," Sophie replied. Suddenly, a tremor shook the palace. Alex''s divine fire blazed, and a golden stairway materialized before her. She ascended. Her aura surged. The Race Kings arrived, sensing the shift. "Our Queen has reached the third stage!" Alex opened her eyes, power coursing through her. The ethereal God''s Path, as Poseidon had foretold, pointed towards the Aether Isle. "The Divine Mage destroyed the core of will before ascending," Sophie reported, awe in her voice. In his final moments, the young Divine Mage had made his choice, aiding Alex one last time. Ice Cream control of the dragon race would take time. The Divine Mage''s destruction of the core was a welcome surprise. In the intervening week, Drake had also ascended to godhood. Xiao Mu was still close. The undead empire now had eleven gods, plus the Demon race''s dozen or so and the Sea Race''s true god. This was their strongest force yet. Further delay would only weaken them. The human race was a prime example. It was time to act. A final, desperate gamble. "Fuse all undead! Gather at the undead Imperial Capital! We attack the Angel race and the Titans!" Alex commanded. She didn''t know how long her ascension would take, the consequences of interruption, or what awaited her on the Aether Isle. But this gamble would enrage the Angel race and the World''s Heart''s followers. Their task was to create diversions, buying Alex time. With the Sea Race and Demon race as allies, her chances had increased. The humans had done enough. Undead from across the continents converged on the capital, undergoing fusion. King level undead emerged, bolstering their forces. The entire empire prepared for war. It was afternoon. By midnight, they would be ready. Alex awaited the Sea Race and Demon race''s response to her call to arms. "Leader, what about the Mossvale continent?" Xiao Mu asked, worried. They couldn''t spare any pseudo-gods. If the dragon pseudo-gods returned, Ice Cream would be in danger. "He''s found his God''s Path. He told us not to worry," Alex replied, a flicker of hope in her eyes. Ice Cream become god would be a game-changer. Night fell. The blood-red moon rose, casting a bloody pall over the land. Alex noted its fading crimson and the growing yellow light. The connection to the World''s Heart was undeniable. Xiao Hui returned, having established undead fortresses on three continents, ready to unleash chaos. "It''s done, Leader," she reported. "Thank you," Alex replied, gesturing for Xiao Hui to rest. She stood at the doorway, lost in thought, as the others watched her. "Prepare dinner," she instructed her dark elf servants. She had chosen tonight for several reasons. The Angel race was occupied with the aftermath of the Divine Mage''s ascension and unlikely to notice her movements. They wouldn''t react for several days, at least. Dinner was served. Alex sat, joined by Ruby, the Xiao siblings, Drake, Sophie, and the other non-undead leaders. "This is our final battle," Alex said quietly. A heavy silence fell upon the room. "Don''t worry, Leader!" Xiao Hui chirped. "Once you''re the God of Creation, ten Angel races won''t be enough!" Ruby ate in silence. Drake and Xiao Mu saw the grim determination in Alex''s eyes. This was the endgame. The title of era race was irrelevant. Failure meant the empire''s collapse. "I don''t know how long ascension will take," Alex said, worry lacing her voice. "There''s no precedent. And I don''t know if it will attract attention." "It''s bound to cause a reaction," Drake agreed. "My safety will be in your hands," Alex said. "This battle..." "Don''t worry, Leader," Xiao Mu interrupted. "We won''t let them near the island." "I trust you," Alex said, smiling. "Be prepared for attacks from five directions. The other five continents could be targeted." Her plan was to defend the Aether Isle with the Demon race and Sea Race. A true god wouldn''t intervene lightly. She had Poseidon as insurance. "We understand," Xiao Hui replied. "A floating island at the world''s center... fascinating." "How will *you* reach the island, Leader?" ???¦®§®???.?§°? Even pseudo-gods couldn''t endure the island''s power for long. Perhaps only those subservient to the World''s Heart were immune. True gods were unsuitable; the island accelerated their ascension. "If my divine fire fails, I''ll use the undead army as a shield," Alex said grimly. The island''s power was immense. Using her Life Link would decimate her forces, a last resort. A heavy silence fell. This was a tremendous risk. Dinner ended. Alex rose. Though it was still hours before midnight, she was ready. "It''s time," she declared. === In the far north, the eerie red moon cast a bloody pall over the snow-covered landscape. Alex and her companions stood at the edge of the coastline, gazing out at the vast, icy expanse where the land met the sea. This time, she had brought no ordinary undead. Her entire army awaited her command at the undead Imperial Capital. Beside her stood the ten Race Kings, all ascended to god, along with Drake, making eleven in total. Ten more pseudo-gods, comprised of death angels and Death Dragons, stood ready, along with a dozen Sovereign level beings, led by Xiao Mu and Death Spirit. This was the undead empire''s full might. Ruby and Sophie remained at the capital, coordinating the war effort. "Let''s go," Alex commanded, soaring into the sky towards the endless ocean. The closer they got to the World''s Heart, the darker the surroundings became, as if even the red moon''s light couldn''t penetrate the gloom. After several days of flight, Alex saw the island again, now hundreds of meters above the sea, its surface dull and lifeless, yet radiating a terrifying aura. The Demon race''s pseudo-gods hadn''t arrived yet. As for the Sea Race, she glanced down at the ocean below. They could emerge from anywhere. The absence of the Sea Race powerhouses didn''t faze Alex. They had all destroyed cores of will. If she failed, they would all face the consequences. They were all in this together. The Angel race would inevitably target them to restore the World''s Heart''s power. This was why the Demon race, despite their animosity towards the Angel race, hadn''t dared to destroy their core of will. It would have meant a war of extermination. "Once I''m on the island, you can begin," Alex said, her gaze sweeping across her companions, her expression grim. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Don''t worry, Miss Alex," Xiao Hui chirped, puffing out her chest. "We''ll hold the line!" "Good luck," Alex murmured, flying towards the island. Her divine fire blazed, enveloping her in a golden aura. As it collided with the island''s strange energy, the two forces began to neutralize each other. An immense pressure pressed down on Alex. Although the divine fire protected her from harm, her energy drained rapidly, and the pressure made movement difficult. The island was vast and flat, devoid of any vegetation or obstacles, more like a giant floating rock than an island. Alex sensed an invisible energy at the island''s center, stretching upwards, piercing the sky. "Beyond the heavens?" she wondered. She couldn''t fly here. She could only walk slowly towards the energy source. As she ventured deeper, she felt the World''s Heart''s repulsive force, the same force that banished true gods. But as a Sovereign level being, it didn''t affect her. Outside the island, the Race Kings watched as Alex landed and vanished from sight. The eleven gods split into five groups, heading towards the five continents. This was the center of the world. Any attack would have to pass through here. The Eldoria and Valoria continents were currently safe, so they only needed to defend the other five. As they flew further away, the Race Kings disappeared from each other''s sight. Their task was simple: stop any and all enemies. They were relieved that Alex''s arrival hadn''t triggered any immediate reaction. The other races were still unaware of her presence on the Aether Isle and her quest for godhood. Outside the Dark Forest, a figure cloaked in shadow watched the north, a cryptic message escaping its lips. "I hope you succeed." It vanished without a trace, unnoticed even by the nearby Grimface Trees. On the Valoria continent, the Demon chieftains gathered once more, their faces a mixture of madness and exhilaration. "The undead race has sent word. Their lord is on the island. Shouldn''t we act?" one demon asked Thamior. "We have no true god," Thamior replied, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. "We''ve suffered heavy losses against the Titans and dragons. We''ll gamble with her. If we win, even the despised Demon race can rise to the top." "But our strength is limited," another demon countered. "We face the Angel race, Titans, and dragons. Instead of dividing our forces, we should focus on one enemy. Our chances will be greater." The demons, despite their bloodlust, weren''t foolish. Even if they won, heavy losses would require centuries of recovery. All three races had once possessed true gods. Now, with the Dragon God''s ascension, the dragon race was the weakest. Half the Demon race could crush them. "The dragon race is the weakest," Thamior said suddenly, a sinister smile spreading across his face. The other demons assumed he would target the dragons, but he surprised them. "We''ll strike the Angel race with our full might!" Instead of fear, his words were met with exhilaration. This was a chance to prove the Demon race''s strength! "Contact the fallen angel clan. Gather all pseudo-gods and attack the Nytheria continent! Open the portal! Total war!" In the Sea Race palace, deep within the Endless Sea, the High Priest approached Poseidon. "Great Sea God, the undead lord is on the island." Poseidon nodded silently, acknowledging the report. "The future of the Sea Race rests on your shoulders," he said after a long pause. "I will hold back their true god. Command our forces to attack the angels and Titans." The High Priest trembled. Poseidon wasn''t asking her to fight. He was preparing to ascend. As the Sea Race''s only god, she would have to lead them in his absence, preventing their decline. Chapter 426: Full scale assault A great crisis loomed over the Astralon planet.... Deep within a mountain cave on the Mossvale continent, Ice Cream was absorbing the power of the Frost Heart. Although the Azure Dragon clan''s divine gear was restored, his progress was agonizingly slow, as if he were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. Emberon stood guard, protecting Ice Cream from any potential threats. Although Ice Cream was a third-stage Sovereign, even stronger than Emberon, any interruption during the absorption process would set him back significantly. Every dragon felt a deep connection to their race, but their opinions on the current situation were divided. One faction believed aligning with the World''s Heart was the only way to ensure the dragon race''s survival. The other vehemently disagreed. Both sides claimed to act in the best interests of their race, and neither wanted a civil war. "Emberon, so it was *you* who trespassed in the Dragon God''s temple and stole the dragon treasure," a melodious female voice echoed from the cave entrance. A slender figure, clad in white, stepped into the cave. She was a Silver Dragon, one of those Emberon had identified as firmly aligned with the Venom Dragons. Emberon, though wary, was relieved she wasn''t the Silver Dragon chieftain. "Sarya," Emberon growled, his voice filled with barely suppressed rage, "do you know they forced our Dragon God to ascend? They''re leading the dragon race to ruin!" He stood his ground. Even against a third-stage Sovereign like Sarya, he would fight to the death to protect Ice Cream, the dragon race''s last hope. "I can''t control the other dragons'' decisions," Sarya replied, her voice calm. "And I can''t stop him from ascending through his own talent. But stealing the dragon treasure is a capital offense." She knew the situation, but it didn''t concern her. She chuckled softly. "Do you really think the undead race can win? You''re naive. You haven''t seen the Angel race''s true power." "So, there''s nothing to discuss?" Emberon glared at her, ready to attack. "Oh, relax," Sarya said, her tone suddenly shifting, a playful smile gracing her lips. "I''m not here under orders. That little one behind you is an Azure Dragon. His mother once showed me kindness. I wouldn''t betray that." Emberon was taken aback, confused by her sudden change in demeanor. "I''m here to tell you there''s another way to ascend to godhood, even without the Frost Heart," Sarya continued. "It''s simple. Absorb the power of all the dragon treasures and fuse them. The dragon race can''t avoid this war. When the pseudo-gods are deployed, they''ll have to leave their treasures behind. That''s your chance." She produced a transparent crystal radiating intense heat, a Fire elemental Godhead. Indeed, if he became a pseudo-god, no Sovereign level being could stop him from obtaining all the dragon treasures while the pseudo-gods were away. Emberon''s eyes widened in realization. "So that''s how it is!" No wonder... "The dragon race''s leadership is corrupt," Sarya said, confirming his suspicions. "I despise them as much as you do. I''m here on my own accord. Don''t worry." Despite being second-in-command to the Silver Dragon chieftain, she opposed their allegiance. "Don''t look at me like that," she teased. "Unless you want to make some dragon babies with me?" "Sorry, no, thank you," Emberon replied, his voice filled with sincere gratitude. They weren''t alone after all. "The past is immutable. The future is not." Sarya left the cave, reinforcing it with spatial magic before departing. "The dragon race''s future rests on your shoulders." ... Meanwhile, Alex, exhausted but determined, reached the center of the Aether Isle. The invisible energy pulsed before her. Dawn broke, the red moon setting in the west as the sun rose in the east. The Race Kings had stood guard all night. The others at the undead Imperial Capital awaited her command. Messengers from the Sea Race and Demon race had arrived, contacting Death Spirit. The three races were preparing for a coordinated final assault. Alex studied the energy before her. It was just an empty space, yet she knew this was the island''s center, the point where the World''s Heart''s energy was strongest. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving. Maintaining her divine fire all night had drained her soul power. She didn''t know how she would withstand the World''s Heart''s power once her divine fire was extinguished. But there was no turning back. She stepped into the center. An immense power surged through her, threatening to tear her apart. She gritted her teeth, suppressing a cry of pain. Her life quintessence couldn''t protect her from this. Her divine fire flickered and died, merging back into her. Her eyes blazed with an unnatural red and blue light. A massive shadow materialized behind her, a giant scythe appearing in both her and the shadow''s hands. Dark energy surged through her. Even without her divine fire, she somehow withstood the World''s Heart''s power. The island pulsed with repulsive force, attempting to expel the intruder. ... Across the world, all seven continents trembled violently. The Endless Sea churned, alerting all races. From a high vantage point, a terrifying sight would have been visible: all seven continents were moving, converging on the Aether Isle! At the undead Imperial Capital, Xiao Mu surveyed the assembled undead army. ???¦¥??£¤?.??? "Death Spirit," he commanded, "inform the Sea Race and Demon race. Launch a full-scale assault on the Titans, angels, and dragons!" ... On the Tyrangar continent, within a massive crater, an alchemy magic circle shattered, revealing a magnificent undead fortress. A swarm of bone dragons erupted from the fortress, blotting out the sky. Gargoyles and Destroyers followed, filling the air with their destructive power. Below, zombie titans clawed their way out of the crater, lumbering towards the distant Titan temple. Warlord Skulls and Death Knights marched behind them, while Silverscale Leviathans transported slower undead across the continent. Elsewhere, a Death Spirit clone deployed another undead fortress. This scene repeated itself across the Tyrangar continent. Millions of undead swarmed the land, a tide of darkness consuming all life. They would soon join the undead empire, swelling its ranks. Simultaneously, the Sea Race, whose numbers rivaled the undead horde, launched their attack. While the undead swept inland, the Sea Race besieged the coastline, their numbers even greater than the undead. King, Monarch, Emperor, and Sovereign level Sea Race creatures surged forward. The combined forces of the undead and Sea Race outnumbered the Titans by tens of thousands! The Titan temples were the heart of the Titan race. Fifty-two such temples dotted the Tyrangar continent, each housing only a few thousand Titans. Within the largest temple, at the continent''s center, the Titan god was awakening. They had anticipated the undead attack, but not so soon, and not in conjunction with the Sea Race. A blinding golden light erupted from the main temple, a beam of light piercing the sky. Fifty-one other beams followed. Massive Titans emerged, hurtling towards the battlefield. The Behemoths, Shadow race, and other subjugated races joined the fray. The fifty-two temples unleashed a devastating barrage of golden light, like a meteor shower, striking the undead and Sea Race. But they had underestimated their enemies. The undead, with their ability to resurrect and convert, and the Sea Race, with their millennia of preparation and vast numbers of powerhouses, held a decisive advantage. The Titans, powerful but few, were outmatched. A Titan, landing with earth-shattering force, obliterated the surrounding undead. It rose, but the zombie titans, Warlord Skulls, bone dragons, and Death Dragons were its equals in size. This wasn''t the undead race they knew! To its horror, the shattered undead rose again, unharmed. Surrounded, the Titan felt both rage and fear. Fiery runes appeared on its skin as it unleashed a torrent of flames. A zombie titan met its attack head-on, mirroring its power. The clashing flames sent both titans staggering back. Both King level, yet the Titan couldn''t gain an advantage! A black dragon''s breath pierced the Titan''s chest, preventing healing. Its eyes widened in shock as it crashed to the ground, quickly becoming a zombie titan. This was war. The surrounding undead swarmed the fallen Titan. King level Titans faced certain death, let alone Monarchs and Commanders. This scene repeated itself across the Tyrangar continent. The Titans, overwhelmed, were quickly consumed. The Behemoths and Shadow race fared no better. The Behemoths, like the Titans, were powerful but few, specializing in close combat and regeneration. But they couldn''t fly, and lacked soul attacks. Their regeneration was useless against the undead. A single Roaring Zombie could kill a Behemoth of equal level. Their fate was even worse than the Titans''. The Shadow race, with their ability to blend into shadows, had a slight advantage, but they weren''t actively fighting. In the chaos, their absence went unnoticed. The Sea Race dominated the coasts. Despite heavy losses, their sheer numbers and powerhouses overwhelmed the Titans. Even with a five-to-one casualty ratio, the Sea Race could grind down the Titans, especially with undead support. The Titans were losing from the start, with no hope of recovery. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their numbers dwindled, while the undead horde grew. The Titans had many Sovereigns, but not as many as the Sea Race. As long as the Sea Race Sovereigns held the line, the undead Sovereign ranks would swell, quickly closing the gap in high-end combat power. Every fallen Sovereign became an undead. Once the undead had enough Sovereigns, the Sea Race could withdraw their elites, leaving the rest to the undead. Chapter 427: Full scale assault II In a strange forest on the Tyrangar continent, a perpetual mist clung to the ancient trees, impervious even to the sun''s rays. No living creatures stirred within its depths, only fleeting shadows that played tricks on the eye.At the heart of this vast, eerie forest stood a massive black castle. Death Spirit, silent as a wraith, approached the castle. As it reached the gate, several shadowy figures materialized, surrounding it. The dilapidated castle doors creaked open, revealing a figure cloaked in darkness, its form humanoid but obscured by shadows. "You must be the chieftain of the Shadow race," Death Spirit''s ethereal voice echoed through the forest. "Death Spirit, one of the Eight Kings of the undead race," the Shadow race chieftain replied, his voice smooth and polite. "Please, come in." Recognizing their chieftain''s guest, the other Shadow race figures melted back into the shadows. "Eleven Kings, now," Death Spirit corrected, following the chieftain into the castle. The Shadow race was known for its stealth and assassination skills, a near-unstoppable force in their prime. It was a shame to see them reduced to this. The Shadow race chieftain was only at Emperor level, albeit at its peak. He was far from reaching Sovereign level. Death Spirit, despite being the lowest-ranked of the undead Race Kings, was a third-stage Sovereign. The undead race was a behemoth compared to the dwindling Shadow race. Both races shared a similar history of decline, but the undead had risen again, while the Shadow race remained a minor faction. "Death Spirit," the chieftain said, getting straight to the point, "we are both races of darkness. I wish to pledge the Shadow race''s allegiance to your queen." "Do you know what we are doing?" Death Spirit asked, unfazed. The Shadow race was too weak to be of much use. Even as enemies, they posed little threat. "I have some understanding," the chieftain replied. "I am but a puppet chosen by the Titans. Much of our ancient knowledge is lost, but I''ve gleaned some information from the shadows of previous chieftains." "Tell me," Death Spirit said, its patience inexhaustible. This was just a clone. Maintaining it at standard power had minimal impact on its other clones on the battlefield. The chieftain, sensing an opportunity, shared what he knew. Unfortunately, it was all information Death Spirit already possessed. The chieftain''s motivation was simple: survival. He didn''t want the Shadow race to be used as cannon fodder. "The Shadow race is too weak," Death Spirit said bluntly. "We need divine level combatants, pseudo-gods or even true gods. You are merely an Emperor." The chieftain wasn''t offended. He knew his strength was insignificant in this war. The combined undead and Sea Race forces had thousands of Emperor level beings. They didn''t need him. "I..." he hesitated, unsure how to convince Death Spirit. After a long silence, the black mist surrounding Death Spirit stirred. "If that''s all, I''ll take my leave. If you remain neutral in this war, the undead race will spare you." It was a generous offer, but the chieftain wasn''t fooled. Death Spirit only spoke for the undead race. What about the others? If the world was reshaped after the war, and the Tyrangar continent fell under Sea Race control, the Shadow race, unable to leave, would be at their mercy. He could fuse with all the Shadow race members, reaching Sovereign level, perhaps even pseudo-godhood. But if he died, the entire Shadow race would perish. "Wait!" the chieftain exclaimed. "I can summon the Tyrangar continent''s core of will." Death Spirit paused, surprised. "How?" "The Titans came from the Nytheria continent," the chieftain explained, sensing a renewed interest. "They are only half-rulers of this land. The other half belongs to the Shadow race. If the Titan true god leaves, we can forcibly summon the core of will." A single race could only rule one continent, but that didn''t conflict with the undead race''s goal of destroying cores of will. After eliminating the dominant race, they could simply choose a minor faction to summon the core. The undead race had plenty of subjugated races to choose from. "So, if you refuse to acknowledge the Titans'' rule, the core of will will reappear." It was similar to the situation with the undead race and the Skyreach Mountains, except the Eldoria continent''s core was already destroyed. Time was of the essence. Every destroyed core brought Alex closer to her goal. "Leader, what do you think?" the chieftain asked cautiously. "I accept your allegiance on behalf of my Queen," Death Spirit replied. Any opportunity to accelerate Alex''s plan was too valuable to ignore. The chieftain, overjoyed, immediately ordered his hidden agents to turn against the Titans and Behemoths. ... Within the central Titan temple, the Titan true god sensed something was wrong. The Titan clan was no match for the combined forces of the undead and Sea Race. If this continued, they would be annihilated. He wanted to intervene, but even expending all his divine power wouldn''t be enough. More importantly, the Angel race had forbidden him from acting. A true god''s power was too valuable to risk, even if it meant sacrificing the entire Titan race. He seethed with rage, but he was powerless. "Deploy all Sovereigns! Fight to the death!" Several transparent orbs rolled across the floor. The Titans below god level quickly picked them up and departed. They had to sacrifice these Sovereign level Titans'' potential, hoping their ascension to pseudo-godhood would buy them time. But the Titan race didn''t have many Godheads. ??¨N?????.§³?? ... In the Nytheria Continent, the Angel headquarters faced a full-scale invasion, unlike the more measured assault on the Tyrangar continent. The undead, Sea Race, and Demon race had committed their main forces, unleashing their full might against the angels. Demonic portals, swirling black vortexes, disgorged legions of demons and their minions, wreaking havoc across Nytheria. The Sea Race swarmed the coastlines, while the undead deployed their fortresses. All three races had unleashed their subjugated races, a clear sign of their all-out commitment. Their combined forces aimed to crush the Nytheria continent, slaughter the angels, and cripple their faith power. Although the Angel race commanded vast faith power, much of it came from their civilian population, transformed angel beasts, and subjugated races. The true angel population, while not insignificant, was dwarfed by the sheer numbers of the undead and Sea Race. Eliminating these sources of faith power would be a simple task. The Angel race, unlike the Titans, seemed caught off guard, their response slow and disorganized. Within minutes, the outer regions of Nytheria were devastated. Countless angel beasts and civilians perished, cities reduced to rubble. The angels, however, were preoccupied with a higher priority: stopping the intruder on the Aether Isle. The World''s Heart couldn''t be compromised. The continents continued to drift rapidly across the Endless Sea, converging towards the Aether Isle. At the world''s center, a magnificent angel divine kingdom stood tall, its gleaming walls and towering structures a testament to their power. Angels of all shapes and sizes soared through the sky above. This divine kingdom occupied a quarter of the continent, a staggering size. All angel civilians resided within its walls, providing a constant stream of faith power. The Holy Court''s headquarters was also located here, its members acting as guardians, patrolling the divine kingdom and managing the civilian population. Outside the divine kingdom lived the subjugated races and angel beasts, along with a small number of civilians. Within a grand, golden hall, several powerful angel gods gathered. At the center of the room, a golden pool displayed images of the three-pronged invasion. The angels watched impassively. "Within the hour, the invaders will reach the divine kingdom," one angel stated. "The divine kingdom cannot fall. Let the Holy Court handle them," another commanded. "This undead lord is a greater threat than the last. The undead race should have been eradicated long ago," a third declared. "The World''s Heart is our foundation. Gather the Titan and dragon gods. We ride to the Aether Isle to vanquish these evils!" The angel gods seemed unconcerned by the invasion, their voices devoid of emotion. The images in the pool vanished. The angels transformed into streaks of light, disappearing from the hall. The three invading races could only watch as the angels flew towards the Aether Isle, praying their forces could hold them back. The divine kingdom, the true heart of the Angel race, was within their grasp. The time for their counterattack had come. Thousands of angels poured out of the divine kingdom, their golden forms a stark contrast to the dark forces below. They wielded holy swords, their holy light bathing the land. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An angel unleashed a sword beam that exploded on the ground, obliterating countless undead and demons. Holy light was incredibly effective against them. Death angels and fallen angels retaliated, cutting down angels, only to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. The battle raged, a chaotic maelstrom of light and darkness. The dark races, in turn, held an advantage against the angels, capable of both inflicting and receiving devastating blows. The angels controlled the skies, but Death Spirit had anticipated this. The undead forces attacking Nytheria were primarily airborne, while the ground forces focused on the Titans. Unlike the Titans, the angels were both powerful and numerous. Even with the Demon race''s assistance, the battle remained a bloody stalemate. Death Spirit, overseeing the undead forces, watched the aerial combat, its shadowy form flickering with thought. It couldn''t transform angels, only Xiao Hui could, but she had a more important task. For now, it could only convert the fallen angels into ordinary undead. Suddenly, Death Spirit''s shadowy form pulsed. It looked towards the angel divine kingdom. Two holy lights erupted into the sky. Pseudo-gods! A massive, unstoppable golden sword beam cleaved the battlefield in two, instantly obliterating nearly a million soldiers from the three invading races. The second pseudo-god, clad in heavy silver armor, wielding a sword and shield, was from the Holy Court! The two pseudo-gods plunged into the fray. The Demon race and undead race hadn''t stationed any pseudo-gods here. No one had expected the Angel race to have such reserves. Even if they deployed pseudo-gods now, the invading forces would suffer heavy losses before reinforcements arrived. Holding back pseudo-gods with ordinary troops was suicide. "Death Spirit!" the Sea Race commander exclaimed, finding Death Spirit amidst the chaos. "The Demon race will intercept the angels. We can''t let them continue this slaughter. I''ll contact Poseidon!" The Sea Race could react the fastest. But involving a true god would be costly. "No," Death Spirit said firmly. "We can''t risk a true god''s intervention. I''ll contact the other undead Kings for reinforcements!" Even the loss of their entire army was preferable to risking a true god''s power. Chapter 428: For the Queen Just as Death Spirit was about to summon the other Race Kings, a blinding purple lightning bolt shot into the sky, drawing the attention of everyone on the battlefield.A holy light followed close behind, both striking the angel pseudo-gods. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god had arrived! "The humans!" the Sea Race general exclaimed, relief washing over him, though his worry didn''t completely disappear. The Angel race might have other hidden forces. "Thunder is injured..." Death Spirit murmured, observing the two human pseudo-gods. Thunder had been fighting non-stop, his injuries accumulating. He couldn''t have fully recovered in just a few days. But Death Spirit saw a steely resolve in Thunder''s eyes, mirrored in the Holy Church pseudo-god''s gaze. Perhaps, knowing the Angel race better than any other, they had anticipated this and positioned themselves on the Nytheria continent. In the brief moments since the angel pseudo-gods had arrived, the allied forces had suffered heavy losses. The angels weren''t just targeting low-level troops. Sovereigns and Emperors were just as vulnerable. And with their knowledge of the undead, they were ensuring complete soul obliteration, preventing resurrection. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god''s timely arrival had stopped the carnage. The battle raged on, but now, four pseudo-gods clashed high above, their power shaking the very foundations of the nearby angel divine kingdom. "Attack the divine kingdom!" Death Spirit commanded, unleashing its domain. Fallen angels rose as undead, rejoining the fight. The Demon race and Sea Race echoed the command. Sovereign and Emperor level beings surged forward, engaging the angel Sovereigns. The tide of battle began to turn. The allied forces gained the upper hand, but the Angel race''s true strength remained unknown. The divine kingdom, the source of the angels'' faith power, had to be destroyed. But the Angel race was more formidable than they had anticipated. They still had a true god. He wouldn''t stand idly by and watch his divine kingdom fall. Another golden light erupted from the divine kingdom. Another angel pseudo-god emerged. Thunder, already struggling against a single angel pseudo-god, coughed up blood, his face grim. Since the human race''s defeat, his faith power had diminished, weakening him considerably. His injuries hadn''t fully healed. He could only barely hold his own. Now, facing two opponents, he knew this wasn''t the Angel race''s full might, but he had no choice. He exchanged a look with the Holy Church pseudo-god. They began to retreat slowly, drawing the angel pseudo-gods closer. The angels didn''t suspect a trap. Three against two. It was the logical course of action. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god continued to retreat, struggling to hold back the three angel pseudo-gods. Their only options were to flee or hope for reinforcements. But they had another plan. Golden runes appeared on the Holy Church pseudo-god''s silver armor, his weapon, and his shield. The runes blazed, and the armor melted away, revealing his gray robes and muscular physique. The angel pseudo-gods paused, confused. The molten armor transformed into a golden barrier, trapping all three angels. The Holy Church pseudo-god stood outside the barrier, while Thunder remained inside. "No!" one of the angels cried, charging towards the seemingly weakened Thunder. Thunder smirked, ignoring the approaching angel. He looked down at Death Spirit. "Tell Alex," he said, his voice filled with resolve, "this is humanity''s resolve!" A golden holy sword pierced Thunder''s chest. The angel tried to finish him, but Thunder''s grip on the sword held firm. Thunder''s body blazed with purple light, so bright it was almost white. The golden barrier became a miniature sun, radiating intense heat. Boom! A deafening explosion rocked the continent, momentarily halting its movement across the Endless Sea. The golden barrier contained the blast, but the Holy Church pseudo-god, his face pale with strain, opened a small gap in the barrier, unleashing a concentrated blast of energy towards the angel divine kingdom. The blast struck the towering divine kingdom wall, cracking it and sending a section crumbling to the ground, revealing the city within. Three orbs fell to the ground. Death Spirit collected them, the Godheads of the three fallen pseudo-gods. He immediately dispatched a clone to return them to the undead Imperial Capital. They would be reborn as undead pseudo-gods. A stunned silence fell over the battlefield. Thunder had sacrificed himself, detonating his Godhead, taking three angel pseudo-gods with him. Such a tactic was usually ineffective against opponents of equal level, but trapped within the barrier, the angels had nowhere to escape. It was clear that Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god had planned this from the start. Even now, the Angel race''s true god hadn''t intervened, seemingly unconcerned by the loss of three pseudo-gods. This was highly unusual. His power wasn''t significantly restricted by the World''s Heart. He should have been able to intervene. Had he already left the divine kingdom? Looking at the breach in the divine kingdom''s wall, Death Spirit ordered the assault. "For the Queen!" ?¡Ì¨N¦¥§®§²¦´?.??? He turned to the weakened Holy Church pseudo-god, his armor gone, his body battered. "On behalf of my Queen, thank you for your sacrifice," Death Spirit said. "It was my duty," the human pseudo-god replied, his voice weak but firm. He was out of the fight, but he remained, standing alongside the allied forces. ... On the Nytheria continent, fifteen shadowy figures hovered above the churning sea. Each demon radiated immense power. These were the Demon race''s remaining pseudo-gods, only slightly outnumbering the undead race''s current pseudo-god forces. Facing them were fifteen angels, their holy light piercing the gloom. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thirty pseudo-gods, and even a few gods, clashed on this precarious battlefield. Several angel pseudo-gods had already departed for the Aether Isle. Instead of exploiting their numerical advantage, the angels had chosen a one-to-one confrontation, perhaps a display of confidence, or perhaps they simply didn''t consider the Demon race a serious threat. The demons held back fifteen pseudo-gods, but several more had already slipped past, heading for the Aether Isle. The demons could only hope the undead reinforcements would arrive in time. The Angel race''s objective was clear: eliminate Alex on the Aether Isle. The World''s Heart couldn''t be compromised. Holy light and dark energy collided, unleashing a shockwave that roiled the sea and darkened the sky. Thirty pseudo-gods and gods clashed in a chaotic maelstrom, a battle of epic proportions, the likes of which hadn''t been seen in millennia. And this still wasn''t the Angel race''s full might... Four Race Kings had been stationed here, but with the sudden escalation, Death Spirit had recalled the forces defending the Arcadia continent. Eight Race Kings stood ready: Garethor, Torin, Vulture, Arthur, John, Riven, Azure, and Crane. They varied in size and shape, but their resolve was unwavering. This battle would be costly, but for their Queen and the undead empire, they would stand their ground. Eight angel gods approached, their numbers matching the Race Kings''. A collective sigh of relief swept through the undead ranks. They could hold them. They were all gods, and the Race Kings were confident their faith power surpassed the angels''. The battle was about to begin. These Race Kings were Alex''s last line of defense. "For the Queen!" Arthur roared, charging forward, his massive bone wings propelling him towards the enemy. Each Race King embodied a different aspect of the undead race''s power. Except for Crane, they weren''t purely beings of darkness. Against the angels, there was no inherent advantage or disadvantage, a welcome change from the usual dynamic. This was their first battle as gods, facing gods of other races. Their only hope of victory lay in the undead army''s ability to decimate the Angel race''s civilian population and weaken their faith. Divine power surged, plunging the sky into darkness, while the angels'' holy light blazed, attempting to purify the encroaching shadows. ... On the Mossvale continent, the dragon race was also mobilizing. This war would reshape the world. Even if they hadn''t chosen a side, they couldn''t remain neutral. In times of chaos, no race could truly isolate itself. Within the dragon race''s territory, where only five pseudo-gods remained, the situation seemed deceptively calm. But in reality, they faced the greatest danger. The allied forces had no more pseudo-gods or gods to spare! Only Xiao Hui, Drake, and Arthas stood guard, outnumbered and outmatched. Their chances of survival were slim. "Drake," Xiao Hui said, her voice grim as she looked at Drake, "you''re no longer bound by contract to Alex. You can leave now." She doubted Drake would fight to the death. It was a suicide mission. Rather than face betrayal later, she chose to address the issue directly, disregarding Drake''s pride. He was the newest member, and therefore, the least trusted. "Xiao Hui, are you kidding me? Who do you think I am?" Drake retorted, offended. He couldn''t believe she would doubt his loyalty at a time like this. It was true. Without the contract, he was free to leave. With his power, he could find a place in any faction. But he had never considered it. "So what if I die? I''m a pseudo-god! I''m not afraid of death!" Drake''s eyes blazed with golden light as he transformed into a massive, earth-colored dragon, his divine power surging. "Instead of worrying about me, figure out how to get Xiao Mu to god. That would actually help Alex!" Drake roared, his voice echoing across the land. "Fine. Let''s kill these dragons!" Xiao Hui declared, drawing the Sword of Judgment. Four pairs of black wings sprouted from her back, her aura shifting, becoming both sinister and divine. She wielded the true Sword of Judgment, meaning she had retrieved it from the undead empire''s Resurrection Pool. This maximized her combat power, but it also meant she couldn''t be resurrected. But she felt no fear. What was the point of surviving if everyone else perished? Better to fight to the death than cower in fear. "Tell Ice Cream to hurry," Arthas said to the Death Spirit clone responsible for communication. "Once the dragon pseudo-gods arrive, we wipe out the Mossvale continent and claim the core of will." Their plan was about to unfold. Chapter 429: New Dragon God At the center of the Aether Isle, Alex strained against the immense pressure of the World''s Heart, her God''s Path a torturous, uphill climb. She had only progressed a quarter of the way.Ascending to godhood was no easy feat. Her senses were blocked on the Aether Isle. She was unaware of the events unfolding outside, only that time was of the essence. If she didn''t hurry, her allies might not hold out. If the angel gods reached the island and disrupted her ascension, all would be lost. The Angel race, puppets of the World''s Heart for untold years, had the easiest path to pseudo-godhood, their ascension fueled by the faith power channeled through the World''s Heart. Even true gods received a degree of leniency from the World''s Heart, their banishment delayed. Alex had a growing suspicion about the reason for the true gods'' eventual banishment. They posed a threat to the World''s Heart. Since arriving on the Aether Isle, hidden truths had begun to surface. The World''s Heart wasn''t alive. It was the residual power of a deceased God of Creation. This explained its unconscious nature and its fear of true gods. Even in death, a God of Creation''s power was immense. It was terrifying to imagine their strength in life. This also explained the system''s desire to absorb the World''s Heart. But the system''s current whereabouts and its true nature remained a mystery. Alex had interacted with the system more than any other entity, yet it remained the most enigmatic. She could only hope it wouldn''t interfere at this crucial moment. Destroying cores of will caused the Aether Isle to rise. Now, as she ascended, the continents were converging. Alex didn''t know what this meant, perhaps an unconscious act of defiance by the World''s Heart. But both continents with and without cores of will seemed equally affected. And as she progressed further along her God''s Path, she felt the Aether Isle begin to descend. Were the continents and the Aether Isle merging into a single landmass? Did this herald a world reset? Time seemed to stand still on the Aether Isle. There was only the crushing pressure, the relentless force of the World''s Heart pushing against her. She had to endure, complete her God''s Path, ascend to godhood, and bring order to this chaotic world. ... On the Mossvale continent, a terrifying power erupted from a hidden tunnel. Emberon emerged, his body radiating heat. He had absorbed the Fire Godhead, forcibly ascending to pseudo-godhood. Ice Cream remained in the cave, absorbing the Frost Heart''s power. Emberon had sacrificed his own potential to ensure Ice Cream''s ascension. He would use this newfound power to claim the remaining dragon treasures while the chieftains were away, fighting on the Endless Sea. Ice Cream would become the new Dragon God. Emberon transformed into a massive fire dragon, soaring towards the heart of the dragon race''s territory. No dragon could stop him now. After Emberon''s departure, a shadowy figure appeared outside Ice Cream''s tunnel: Death Spirit, standing guard. Although it couldn''t defeat gods, it could handle weaker Sovereigns. Undead poured from the fortresses scattered across the Mossvale continent. The Rock Dragons and their vassal sub-dragon races joined the fray. Chaos engulfed the Mossvale continent. Whether Ice Cream would become the new Dragon God remained uncertain. Death Spirit couldn''t rely on him alone. Destroying the Mossvale continent''s core of will was their top priority. The dragons, having learned from their previous encounter with the undead, were prepared this time. Moreover, they were confident in their ability to repel this weakened undead force. If they couldn''t even handle this, they were unworthy of being dragons. While the dragon armies clashed with the undead, a red figure slipped through their lines, unnoticed. The undead attack was a perfect diversion, drawing the dragons'' attention away from Emberon. The battle raged. The Mossvale continent wouldn''t escape unscathed. ... Back on the Eldoria continent, in the undead empire, Death Spirit commanded the undead armies, while Xiao Mu and Ruby oversaw the defense of the undead Imperial Capital. Two Sovereign level beings were enough to handle most threats, as long as no pseudo-gods were involved. But just as the allied races had targeted the Angel race''s civilian population to weaken their pseudo-gods, the angels had devised their own plan. No race knew pseudo-gods better than the Angel race. But instead of sending an army to destroy the undead empire, they sent gods. Three beams of holy light streaked across the sky, heading towards the northern Eldoria continent. Within the light were three eight-winged angels! Xiao Mu, Ruby, Death Spirit, and Sophie were stunned. Despair washed over them. Even Death Spirit couldn''t believe the Angel race still had god-level combatants to spare. But if they had so many gods, why not send them to the Aether Isle instead of targeting the undead empire? ???¦¥??¦´?.?¦¨? The Angel race wasn''t foolish. They weren''t going to deploy their forces piecemeal. This was war, not a turn-based game. A terrifying realization struck Death Spirit. The Angel race had deployed their true god alongside these gods! The Aether Isle was the true god''s target. They were going for an all-out, decisive strike! The three approaching angel gods filled them with dread. The undead empire couldn''t be destroyed. "Death Spirit," Xiao Mu declared, stepping forward, "I''ll hold them off. Evacuate all undead. Better to die fighting on the battlefield than be slaughtered here!" He would attempt to ascend to godhood, using the rules to buy them time. He had nothing left to lose. Failure meant death anyway. Even as a god, he was unlikely to survive against three angel pseudo-gods. "Ruby, Sophie, evacuate with the undead," Xiao Mu instructed. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruby, a first-stage Sovereign with no potential for godhood, and Sophie, a mid-level Emperor, were no match for these foes. Death Spirit nodded. This was their best option. They had no other gods to defend the capital. It immediately began organizing the evacuation. The undead empire could be rebuilt as long as Alex lived. "Xiao Mu..." Sophie said, her voice filled with worry and a hint of sadness. This might be their last goodbye. "Don''t worry. I won''t die," Xiao Mu replied, a forced smile on his face, his eyes betraying his true feelings. He channeled the faith power of the Light Titan kingdom, focusing it above the undead Imperial Capital. With a roar, he absorbed the energy. A golden barrier enveloped the city. The three approaching angels paused, surprised. They hadn''t expected anyone within the undead empire to attempt godhood. Judging by the energy signature, it wasn''t an undead, but a... Titan? A rare smirk appeared on their emotionless faces. They weren''t mocking the Titan''s power, but its ignorance. Due to their racial traits, Titans couldn''t ascend to godhood through faith. Beyond Sovereign level, they had only one path: true godhood! This Titan''s attempt was doomed to fail. It would only buy them a few minutes. No matter what, it was still a Titan, bound by its racial limitations. The angels weren''t worried. As for ascending to true godhood? Preposterous. Within the undead empire, Death Spirit watched with growing unease as the golden barrier weakened. Xiao Mu''s aura, instead of growing stronger, was fading. He had failed. The barrier shattered. Xiao Mu coughed up blood, his aura flickering. His path forward was blocked. He had failed, his God''s Path severed, his strength permanently capped at first-stage Sovereign. "It wasn''t my fault! I had enough faith power!" he cried, confused and frustrated. "Xiao Mu, leave the capital!" Death Spirit yelled, flying towards him. The three angel gods had entered the Dark Forest, approaching the undead Imperial Capital. A holy light flashed. The Death Spirit clone approaching Xiao Mu was obliterated. The angels hovered above the city, radiating blinding light. A searing flash engulfed the undead Imperial Capital. Everything within its radius was purified, reduced to dust. The combined power of the three angels spread outwards like a nuclear blast, obliterating everything in its path. Walls crumbled, earth churned, and the magnificent palace collapsed. The imposing skeleton statues, the alchemy warlocks'' laboratories, the subjugated races'' dwellings, and any lords and Freelancers who hadn''t escaped were annihilated, consumed by the blinding golden light. Brak, Brok, the forest''s subjugated races, the Rock Serpents, the man-eating ants... all gone, without a trace. The dense forest was reduced to ashes. Even the spatial distortions within its depths offered no protection. The golden light faded, revealing a desolate wasteland where the undead Imperial Capital, and indeed the entire Dark Forest, had once stood. At the center of the devastation, Xiao Mu knelt, his eyes vacant, his face pale with shock. "It''s gone... everything''s gone..." He knew he had no chance of escape. Even at his fastest, he couldn''t outrun gods. He looked up at the three angels hovering above, wondering why they hadn''t killed him. One of the angels descended, landing before him, its white wings obscuring its face. "The light within you is pure," the angel said, its voice emotionless. "You have no connection to the undead race. Join us. We can restore your severed God''s Path, even help you become a true god, the ruler of the Titan race. What do you say?" Xiao Mu finally understood why he was still alive. The Angel race wanted the Light Titan clan. They had never doubted their victory. But this war would reshape the world, leading to the extinction of many races. They would control and manipulate the remaining races to solidify their dominance. Xiao Mu looked at the angel before him, then at the other two hovering above. He remained silent. The angels weren''t in a hurry. They had completed their mission. As a show of "good faith," they allowed Xiao Mu time to consider their offer. He wasn''t afraid of death. He was afraid of never seeing his sister again. Chapter 430: As long as Alex lived, they hadnt lost "I accept," Xiao Mu said, his gaze firm as he looked at the angel god."You won''t regret this. Come with me," the angel said, turning to leave. "Could you restore my God''s Path now?" Xiao Mu asked. The angel paused, exchanging a glance with its companions above. They nodded. A Titan couldn''t ascend to godhood anyway. A Sovereign level Titan posed no threat. "Very well. Experience the power of the Angel race." The angel unfurled its eight wings, radiating a gentle, healing holy light, a stark contrast to the destructive power it had wielded earlier. The light flowed towards Xiao Mu. He knew it could restore his God''s Path, but he also knew the insidious nature of angelic power, its ability to subtly influence the mind. This was likely why they had agreed to heal him so readily. As the angel focused on channeling the healing energy, a cold look flashed across Xiao Mu''s face. This was his chance. He lunged forward, his hand outstretched. Just as he was about to reach the angel, he froze, paralyzed. He had failed. A wry smile touched his lips as he accepted his fate. His body began to petrify, turning into a stone statue. As the transformation completed, a surge of power erupted outwards. The angel god, protected by its wings, easily deflected the attack. The wave of earthen energy dissipated, leaving one of the angel''s wings petrified. It severed the damaged wing and began to heal itself. It recognized the Titan race''s suicidal attack, surprised by its potency. Even a god had been injured. "Fool," the angel muttered. The statue crumbled, turning to dust. The angel, unmoved by Xiao Mu''s deception, felt only a flicker of regret at losing such a talented being. "Let''s go," it said to its companions. "To the Aether Isle." The three angel gods vanished, streaking towards the far north. ... Above the Endless Sea, the chaotic battle raged around the Aether Isle. Over fifty pseudo-gods and gods clashed, their power tearing at the very fabric of reality, shattering the edges of the converging continents. All three fallen angel pseudo-gods were dead. The Demon race pseudo-gods had suffered heavy losses, now fighting a desperate rearguard action. Embracing their inherent madness, the demons launched suicidal attacks, detonating their Godheads rather than falling to the angels'' swords. Their desperate gambit momentarily pushed back the numerically superior angels. The power of a detonating Godhead was difficult to avoid, and a single mistake could be fatal. The undead Race Kings, despite being gods, were struggling against the angels. The disparity in faith power was becoming evident. Arthur, John, and Azure, commanding the largest undead armies, held a slight advantage. Garethor and Crane were evenly matched with their angel opponents. Torin wasn''t a skilled fighter, and Vulture, hampered by the low numbers of ghouls in the undead empire, along with Riven, were barely holding on. Death Spirit had paired Xiao Hui and Arthas, the two strongest undead Race Kings, against the dragon pseudo-gods. They could kill angel gods one-on-one, and angel gods were stronger than dragon pseudo-gods. Despite being outnumbered, neither Xiao Hui nor Arthas was in immediate danger. The battle raged, a chaotic maelstrom of divine power, pseudo-gods and gods falling at any moment, their bodies lost to the Endless Sea. But the true outcome of this war wouldn''t be decided by this chaotic clash. Amidst the carnage, a serene figure moved towards the Aether Isle, unnoticed by even the gods. The churning sea grew strangely calm, an invisible force settling over the battlefield. The figure paused, looking down at the ocean, its expression grim. "He has awakened..." The figure, humanoid in form, with wrinkled brown skin and golden eyes, radiated no divine power, appearing almost ordinary. It stood motionless, watching the sea, waiting. The surface of the water rippled. A seven-foot-tall figure, wielding a trident, with deep blue skin, emerged. Poseidon, the Sea Race''s true god. He ignored the surrounding chaos, his gaze fixed on the distant Titan true god. The two true gods locked eyes, the anticipated clash never materializing. "You can''t resist much longer," the Titan true god said, his voice emotionless. Poseidon was the oldest of the gods, his long existence pushing him towards banishment. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I can still ascend with you," Poseidon replied, a confident smile on his face. The Titan true god was a mere child compared to him, powerful but lacking experience. The Titan true god remained silent. His hesitation stemmed partly from caution, but mostly from his unwillingness to ascend. His departure would weaken the Titan race significantly. ????§®?£¤§Á.??? "Why not witness the dawn of a new era with me?" Poseidon suggested. "Very well," the Titan true god agreed. They rose into the sky, facing each other, but neither attacked. Their objective was to contain each other, a silent agreement between two true gods. The Titan true god was confident in his side''s victory. Poseidon, though worried, could only hope to delay the inevitable. But who would face the Angel race''s god? Where were they? A tremor shook the sea, sending massive waves crashing against the converging continents. The Tyrangar continent shook violently. The gods turned their attention towards the source of the disturbance. Poseidon smiled, a hint of mockery in his voice as he looked at the Titan true god. "It seems your reign has encountered a slight hiccup." The Titan true god frowned. He knew what had happened. The Shadow race had betrayed them! The Tyrangar continent''s core of will had been destroyed! On the Aether Isle, Alex felt the pressure lessen, her pace quickening. The continents moved faster, the Aether Isle descending more rapidly. Only the Mossvale and Nytheria continents lagged behind. As the continents converged, the Titan true god grew anxious. Where were the angels?! On the Mossvale battlefield, the tide had turned. Drake, grievously wounded, his abdomen pierced, golden blood dripping into the Endless Sea, was out of the fight. He was lucky to have survived the last desperate attack. Xiao Hui and Arthas were relatively unharmed, though their divine power was depleted. Two of the dragon pseudo-gods were dead, two more were severely injured, leaving only the Venom Dragon pseudo-god capable of fighting. But it dared not risk further losses. A chieftain''s suicidal attack hadn''t even managed to take down a single enemy. It was now three against three, but effectively two against one. "Retreat!" the Venom Dragon pseudo-god commanded, fleeing with its injured companions. Xiao Hui and Arthas didn''t pursue. Their priority was protecting Alex. Xiao Hui''s hand, still gripping the Sword of Judgment, trembled slightly. Her victory had been partly due to her death angel abilities, partly due to the divine gear. Arthas was also battered, its armor cracked, a piece of its helmet missing, revealing its pale face. "Drake, go back and rest. We''ll handle this," Xiao Hui said. Drake, knowing he was a liability, nodded and left. Xiao Hui and Arthas looked up at the two figures clashing high above. "True gods..." "We have to get to the Aether Isle!" More concerned about Alex''s safety than the other battlefields, they turned and flew towards the Aether Isle. ... On the Tyrangar continent, the core of will had been destroyed with the Shadow race''s help. With no Titan god to defend them, further resistance was futile. The Sea Race general ordered a retreat, redirecting their forces towards the Nytheria continent to weaken the Angel race. It looked at the motionless Death Spirit, confused. "Aren''t the undead retreating?" "The undead empire is destroyed. We can''t retreat," Death Spirit replied. "Take your forces to Nytheria. There are still countless undead there. We''ll handle the Titans." The Sea Race general, unsure how to respond, silently commanded its forces to withdraw. The vast army retreated, vanishing into the sea. "Good luck, Death Spirit," the general said before departing. Death Spirit nodded, then split into thousands of clones, spreading across the battlefield, its dark domain expanding. "All forces," it commanded, its voice filled with rage, "destroy the Titans!" Fallen Sea Race, Titan, and Behemoth corpses rose as undead, swelling their ranks. As long as there were bodies, the undead army would never die. Even trapped on the Tyrangar continent, they would fight, eradicating the Titans. As long as Alex lived, they hadn''t lost. Chapter 431: The choice of race kings High above the churning Endless Sea, the Race Kings clashed with the angel gods, the battle reaching a fever pitch. The fight between gods was a war of attrition, a delicate balance of divine power. No one held a decisive advantage.The Race Kings fought on, clinging to the hope of reinforcements, knowing their duty was to buy time for their Queen, even if it meant their deaths. Alex''s success was their only hope. Torin, already struggling against one angel god, now faced two, his strength waning. He hadn''t fought alongside the previous undead lord, who had faced the world alone. But this time, his Queen needed him. He wouldn''t hesitate. He raised his crooked staff, his bony fingers surprisingly strong. A dark magic barrier shimmered around him, but it melted away like snow under the angels'' holy light. His dark magic, a mixture of Bone Magic and blood magic, was no match for these divine foes. "You think I''m just a summoner?" Torin roared, his staff dissolving as a sinister black energy enveloped him. He stood firm against the two approaching angels. An invisible ripple spread outwards, freezing space and time. One of the angel gods froze mid-flight, then vanished, compressed into a small, square crystal. Torin had sealed it. The crystal plummeted towards the Endless Sea. The other angel, ignoring its companion''s fate, lunged towards the weakened Torin. The angel''s sword pierced Torin''s chest effortlessly. His body dissolved into golden light, his flesh and soul purified by the holy light. "The undead race will never die," Torin said, a chilling smile on his face as a dark barrier reappeared. "And that seal will never break. You''ve achieved nothing." A torrent of dark energy erupted, a terrifying explosion engulfing both Torin and the angel god. The weakest of the Race Kings had taken two gods with him! The explosion rocked the battlefield, forcing the other gods to retreat. Garethor looked towards where Torin had fallen, a grim determination hardening his gaze. The other six Race Kings shared his resolve. The angel gods, sensing the shift, grew cautious. These undead were as fearless as the Demon race madmen. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Did these dark races not fear death? The angels, however, forgot that the undead were *already* dead. They had nothing left to lose. Garethor bound an angel god with his chains, engulfing it in hellfire. A portal, leading to an unknown destination, opened beneath them. He plunged into the portal, taking the angel with him, a fiery descent into oblivion. Even if he couldn''t take two gods with him like Torin, he would take one. The other angel gods, shaken by this suicidal tactic, were momentarily pushed back, just like on the Demon race battlefield. No angel dared to approach the Race Kings, fearing they were all walking time bombs. Crane seized the opportunity, plunging its blade into an angel''s chest. Its dark power was incredibly effective against angels, burning them from the inside out. A golden sword beam flashed, forcing Crane back. It had dodged, but not entirely. Its arm was severed, its weapon, the source of its dark power, falling into the Endless Sea. Two massive dragon breath attacks forced the angels back, giving the Race Kings a moment to regroup. Crane, knowing it couldn''t outrun the angels, looked at the equally exhausted Vulture. "Vulture, consume me!" Vulture stared at Crane, stunned by the desperate plea. "Consume me," Crane repeated, its voice firm. "You''ll regain your strength, become even stronger. You can fight the angel gods. Without my weapon, I''m useless." "I... I can''t. We''re Race Kings. I don''t have to obey you," Vulture protested, unwilling to accept Crane''s sacrifice. "Vulture, do it," Death Spirit''s voice echoed through the air as it materialized beside them. "It''s for the Queen! If she succeeds, we can all be resurrected. The undead empire will rise again!" It looked at Crane, and they nodded in silent agreement. Vulture could refuse Crane, but not Death Spirit, the Queen''s appointed general, whose authority superseded theirs. Moreover, Death Spirit''s presence and its approval of Crane''s sacrifice meant the other battlefields were also struggling. Unlike the other Race Kings, summoned or recruited, Vulture had been created by Alex. Its loyalty was absolute. "For the Queen!" Vulture roared, consuming Crane. Its power surged, surpassing even Xiao Hui and Arthas at their peak. Vulture, now the strongest of the Race Kings, lunged towards the angel gods, its massive claws tearing through the air. Eight angel gods remained. The undead had five Race Kings. The battle raged on. ... On the Nytheria continent, the allied forces poured through the breach in the angel divine kingdom''s wall. The divine kingdom was vast, teeming with angel civilians, ordinary beings who provided the angels with immense faith power. They fled in terror as the dark races invaded, their prayers for divine intervention unanswered. The angels they worshipped were locked in a desperate struggle high above, unable to protect them. Despite their vast faith power, the Angel race''s true strength lay in its elite. Their lower ranks, though powerful, were no match for the combined might of the three races. The three generals were elated. At this rate, they would crush the angel divine kingdom, crippling the Angel race. The loss of faith power would weaken the angel pseudo-gods and gods, turning the tide of the war. But just as victory seemed within their grasp, an invisible force pulsed outwards from the divine kingdom, unlike the familiar holy light. ?¡Ì?§¦???§Á.§³§°§® All angel civilians fell to their knees, the divine kingdom bathed in a blinding golden light. The invading forces within the city were annihilated. Stunned, they looked towards the divine kingdom. A beautiful angel, clad in white, with long flowing hair and six pairs of wings ¨C a twelve-winged angel, a true god ¨C rose from the city''s center. Unlike the other angels, her face wasn''t obscured by her wings. Her eyes were closed, her arms outstretched, as if accepting the adoration of the kneeling civilians. Death Spirit was shocked. This wasn''t how it was supposed to go. The Titan true god had already been deployed. Why was the angel true god still here?! Before the stunned invaders could react, the angel true god attacked. She raised a hand, and the sky darkened, storm clouds gathering. A massive golden holy sword pierced the clouds, hurtling towards the ground with terrifying speed and power. The Sovereign level beings below felt a wave of despair. No one could stop this. "Wait, it''s not targeting us!" Death Spirit exclaimed. The sword wasn''t aimed at the invading armies, but at a specific location behind their lines. A seven-colored light erupted from that spot, a swirling vortex of elemental energies forming a beautiful rainbow. The elements merged, transforming into a new, volatile energy that collided with the descending holy sword. A massive explosion ripped through the sky, splitting it in two. The shockwave sent the lower-level troops tumbling to the ground. The battle stopped as everyone stared at the figure now hovering in the sky. A young man in black robes, a gleaming medallion on his chest, stood defiant. The leaders of the three races were stunned. A human? "President!" the Holy Church pseudo-god exclaimed, relief flooding his voice. The Mage Guild president, having escaped the Arcadia continent with his followers, had ascended to true godhood! "You are stronger than he (the Divine Mage) was," the angel true god said, her eyes still closed, her voice emotionless, as if she didn''t consider him a threat. The president, his face a mask of rage and grief, didn''t reply. He charged towards the angel true god. The Mage Guild was destroyed, his friends were dead, and this angel was to blame. Regardless of Alex''s success, he would have his revenge. The two true gods clashed, their power shaking the continent. The invading armies could barely withstand the shockwaves. Attacking the divine kingdom was no longer an option. Their plan to weaken the Angel race had failed. The allied forces retreated, fleeing the true gods'' battle. The clash alerted the other battlefields. The remaining Demon race pseudo-gods exchanged worried glances, but they continued their assault. The two battlefields merged, undead and Demon race pseudo-gods fighting side-by-side against the angels. Despite being outnumbered, they were confident in their eventual victory. "Fools," a cold voice echoed through the air. A Demon race pseudo-god exploded, its body disintegrating. Another demon pseudo-god was obliterated. A single attack, instantly killing a pseudo-god. The Angel race''s true god had arrived. The allied forces turned to flee. They couldn''t face a true god. But it was too late. A twelve-winged angel, a male this time, stood behind them, blocking their escape. He raised a hand, sealing the surrounding space. They were trapped. Was this the power of a true god? A strange energy flowed from the trapped pseudo-gods, draining their life force and divine power. Within moments, they were all dead, their power absorbed by the angel. There would be no more reinforcements for the undead race. ... Eight of the eleven undead Race Kings were dead. The Demon race pseudo-gods were annihilated. Death Spirit watched in horror, not at the deaths, but at the angel true god''s actions. He had absorbed the dark races'' power, then killed his own pseudo-gods! Why? The angel, seemingly unaware of Death Spirit''s presence, turned and left. The battles around the Aether Isle were over. His destination was the island itself. He flew towards the Aether Isle, a smirk on his face as he saw Xiao Hui and Arthas standing guard. He looked towards the island, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "It''s time." Chapter 432: Its the system Meanwhile...On the continent of Mossvale, the dragon pseudo-gods, having retreated from Aether Isle in a not-so-graceful manner, hightailed it back to their homeland. They were facing a full-blown undead invasion, and their first order of business was to deal with these lingering undead pests. Although roughed up by Xiao Hui and Arthas, the two dragon pseudo-gods were still more than a match for these undead scrubs. A few more pseudo-god level undead might have made things interesting, but unfortunately for the undead race, their heavy hitters were all busy brawling with titans on the continent of Tyrangar. No time for a Mossvale vacation, apparently. Unsurprisingly, with three dragon pseudo-gods on the scene, the undead army on Mossvale was wiped out faster than free pizza at a college campus. Returning to their homeland, ready to kick back and wait out the rest of the war, they discovered something truly shocking: their dragon treasure had been swiped! Not just from the three main clans, but even the stashes of the deceased dragon chieftains were completely cleaned out. The dragon chieftain went ballistic. It was clear in a heartbeat: there was a traitor in their midst, someone who opposed his rule and wanted to create a new Dragon God! The traitor couldn''t be one of the chieftains, so it had to be one of the clan representatives, the next rung down on the power ladder. The poison dragon chieftain, in a fit of rage, decided to purge all the representatives. Little did he know, an uninvited guest had arrived outside the magnificent Dragon God Temple. A world-shattering aura erupted, instantly reducing the temple and the surrounding poison dragon territory to rubble. The three dragon pseudo-gods appeared in a flash, staring in horror at the figure before them. Bathed in holy light, with white wings eclipsing the sun, they couldn''t make out the face hidden in the shadows. But the twelve wings were a dead giveaway. "Leader, we were no match for the undead race, we had no choice but to retreat. Please forgive us!" The poison dragon pseudo-god immediately dropped to his knees, assuming the newcomer was there to chew them out for their less-than-stellar performance. They hadn''t just failed to defeat the enemy; they''d run away. A little divine wrath was to be expected. He was a true god, they were mere pseudo-gods. No arguing with that. The figure in the sky remained silent for a moment, observing the kneeling chieftains. Then, he spoke. "Summon the core of will." The chieftains exchanged confused glances. What was this about? But the angelic authority was undeniable, and they were firmly on the side of the Angel race. The dragon chieftain, without a second thought, summoned the core of will of Mossvale. As the golden orb of energy floated towards him, a smile finally crept onto the impassive face of the angel figure, unnoticed by the kneeling chieftains. The core of will, drawn by an unseen force, drifted into his outstretched hand. In the next instant, he clenched his fist, shattering it. *BOOM!* The entire continent shuddered. The three chieftains gaped at the god in the sky, utterly bewildered. Why would he do that? They dared not ask. Before they could even process what had happened, an invisible force bound them, immobilizing them completely. Danger! Their pupils constricted, minds reeling. A wave of pure terror washed over them. He was going to kill them! Completely helpless, facing the true power of a true god, they felt the crushing weight of despair. As pseudo-gods, they had no chance, no recourse. They were dead. Just as they braced for oblivion, a figure appeared before them. With a casual wave of his hand, he dispelled the true god''s lethal attack. "You think the dragon race is that easy to bully?" A cold voice echoed through the air. The three chieftains stared at the man''s back in astonishment. The new Dragon God¡­ it was him! "Interesting. You''re the unexpected surprise she left me." The god in the sky chuckled, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn''t anticipated a hidden true god among the dragons. And judging by the aura he radiated, he''d just broken through. "You''re not the real deal, just a clone." In a blink, Ice Cream vanished, reappearing in front of the angelic figure, a fist rocketing towards him. The god didn''t react, a strange smile playing on his lips as Ice Cream''s punch dispersed his form. Ice Cream hadn''t used any divine power, relying solely on the physical enhancements that came with godhood. Despite obliterating the clone, Ice Cream''s expression grew grave. Something felt off. It was as if the god had *allowed* himself to be destroyed. As far as Ice Cream knew, cloning wasn''t a standard Angel race ability, at any level. Of course, that didn''t rule out some sort of divine evolution. He himself could create clones using divine power, but such a clone wouldn''t be capable of effortlessly swatting three pseudo-gods. Ice Cream turned to the stunned chieftains. Meeting his icy gaze, they immediately begged for mercy. "New Dragon God, please forgive our transgressions!" With their power and treasure in his hands, they had no leverage. More importantly, Ice Cream wasn''t a Dragon God they had chosen. He had no reason to show them any leniency. "The dragon race was ruined by the likes of you!" Ice Cream unleashed a terrifying wave of divine might, engulfing the three chieftains. Their bodies began to disintegrate, inch by inch, until they vanished completely. ?¡Ì?¦¥?¦Ñ£¤?.?¦¨? "Uncle, send word. I will return and rebuild the dragon race!" Ice Cream appeared before Emberon. Emberon immediately knelt. "You are the Dragon God now. Such formality is unnecessary. Call me by my name." Ice Cream paused, then nodded. Emberon had helped him immensely. Without him, reaching true godhood would have been questionable, at best. "I understand. Go." Ice Cream watched Emberon fly away, his gaze fixed on distant Aether Isle. Now a true god, with Poseidon''s support, victory wasn''t guaranteed, but defeat was off the table. His only concern was the Angel race true god. Why destroy the core of will? One thing was certain: it wasn''t to help Alex. Ice Cream hadn''t intervened because he knew destroying the core of will would benefit Alex as well. In the next moment, Ice Cream vanished, speeding towards Aether Isle. .... "That''s¡­ the Angel race true god!!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her voice tight with tension as she stared at the approaching angel. As a death angel, she knew exactly what those twelve wings signified. Arthas, equally apprehensive, stood ready. They both knew they couldn''t hold the true god back for more than a second, but they had no choice. Behind them was Aether Isle, and Alex, still in the midst of his breakthrough. They would die before letting the angel reach him. "Two true gods for the Angel race?" Arthas hadn''t expected this. They''d just received word from Death Spirit that the Angel race true god was battling the Mage Guild president. And that true god was the only female among them. This angel was clearly someone else. The angel arrived in a flash, too fast for Xiao Hui and Arthas to react. "An extra Dragon God changes nothing." He sneered, launching his attack. Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and vanished. A crimson beam of energy, crackling with strange divine power, streaked past, narrowly missing Xiao Hui and Arthas. The angel reappeared in the distance, his face contorted in rage, as he turned towards the source of the attack. A hulking figure stood there, humanoid in shape, covered in black fur, with glowing red eyes. Sensing the divine power, the angel''s rage turned to a chilling laughter. "The werewolf race. You''ve given me another surprise!" The newcomer was none other than Skoll, now a true god after devouring Dracula. His God''s Path was simple: fuse the two bloodlines. Both he and Dracula had pursued the same path. Only Skoll had succeeded. "A true god of the angels, and you resort to bullying the weak?" Skoll sneered, hovering in the air, facing the angelic true god. "A weak god from a broken world." The angel''s anger subsided, replaced by cold calculation. He glanced towards Aether Isle, then charged at Skoll. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The god battle erupted, their power exceeding even the clash on Nytheria. Nearby, the Titan true god and Poseidon watched in bewilderment. A werewolf god? This was unexpected. Only Xiao Hui knew of Alex''s past dealings with Skyreach Mountains and his acquaintance with Skoll. "Why the surprise?" Poseidon chuckled, turning to the Titan true god. Poseidon addressed the Titan true god because his shock stemmed from seeing the angelic true god, not Skoll. After a moment of silence, the Titan true god spoke, his voice heavy. "I''ve met the Angel race true god. I''m certain. There is only *one*." Poseidon froze, incredulous. "You''re saying he''s not the Angel race god?" "Isn''t it obvious? The true angel is currently engaged with that new Divine Mage." The Titan true god gestured towards Nytheria. True god battles resonated, regardless of location. Both gods realized the anomaly. If there was only one Angel race true god, who was this? He''d infiltrated the Angel race and attacked the undead. He wasn''t on anyone''s side. And he was incredibly powerful. The Titan true god and Poseidon exchanged a look. Without hesitation, they joined the fray. A two-god battle became a five-god war, with four against one. Even facing four true gods, the angelic figure remained unfazed. He held his own, not giving an inch. Only Xiao Hui, her brow furrowed in thought, seemed to recognize something familiar in the power he wielded. "It''s the system!" she suddenly cried out. Chapter 1 - 1: Well, being a girl isnt too bad At a wild office party, Alex went all out on the booze and ended up totally plastered. He felt like he was spinning in a dizzy haze, as if the whole world was doing somersaults around him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Right then, a voice that sounded like it was straight out of a sci-fi movie echoed in his head. [Galactic Announcement: Everyone will be transported to the planet Astralon in six hours.] [Countdown: 05:59:52] [Here, everyone gets a fair shot at supremacy.] [Astralon is massive, larger than a star system, home to a hundred thousand races, filled with opportunities, dangers, and challenges.] [You start with a castle and a barracks.] [Summon troops, raid resources, grow your empire, dominate the planets.] [Here, you can have everything you desire¡ªpower, wealth, even immortality!] [Lords, go forth and conquer!] Alex couldn''t care less about the voice; he just wanted to crash and sleep off the booze. He wasn''t in the mood for games! But in the next moment, he snapped open his eyes and found himself in a strange room. [The game is about to begin, please select your character''s appearance] [Available genders: A Male B Female C Other] Though confused, as a seasoned gamer, Alex had a peculiar habit. He wasn''t keen on staring at male characters'' ass, so he almost always played as female characters! So, completely sloshed, Alex took this all as just another game and instinctively picked option B. [Gender confirmed, generating character appearance...] Under the influence of alcohol, Alex couldn''t hold up any longer and just collapsed onto the floor, passing out. When Alex woke up again, he found himself in an unfamiliar room, and despite it being a scorching summer, the room was surprisingly cool. Alex lifted his head to scope out the surroundings when suddenly a strand of hair slipped past his ear, and he was totally gobsmacked. "White hair! When did I turn into an old dude?" "Wait, why''s this hair so long?" Alex blurted out in surprise, but what came out was a crisp, pleasant female voice. He shot up from the floor, and immediately, a pair of boobs caught his attention. Pfft... Alex was stunned. Was this game seriously this realistic? He then peeked between his legs and his face turned beet red... Alex couldn''t believe how lifelike this game was; it felt like he was literally in a woman''s body. Now, he was starting to wonder, is this really just a game or is it reality? If it''s just a game, he could just log out and end this madness. But if it''s real, suddenly switching from a dude to a chick was seriously awkward! Thinking this, Alex couldn''t help but peek again and suddenly thought, well, being a girl isn''t too bad, lol... Right then, a virtual panel appeared in front of Alex, displaying some basic info about his current state. Name: Alex Age: 18 Height: 5.5 feet Weight: 95 pounds Measurements: 33 / 23 / 34 Appearance Rating: SSS Though the body looked great, Alex couldn''t just stay naked, so he grabbed some clothes from a nearby dresser. Alex shyly tried on a bra, but struggled big time to clasp it from behind. Then it hit him, why not clasp it in front and spin it around? Genius! Afterward, Alex changed into a white sailor dress. "Why does this feel a bit tight? No, wait, it''s just the boobs are too big!" Once dressed, Alex''s figure was undeniably prominent. Alex slipped on a pair of white knee-high socks, pulling them up to his calves, then looked down at his tiny feet in white socks. "These feet are so small, they''re smaller than my hands." Then Alex reached out with his hands and suddenly realized they were tiny too. Oops, he had forgotten he had crossed over. Next, Alex found a pair of black leather shoes under the bed, picked them up, and saw they were only size 36 (EU). Alex put on the shoes, got out of bed, and walked over to a full-length mirror to check out his reflection. His beautiful face was even prettier than models at Paris Fashion Week. The white sailor dress paired with white knee-high socks exuded a youthful vibe. The real Alex, introverted and self-conscious, wouldn''t even dare to talk to a girl like this, but here in this confusing game-or-reality scenario, his dream had come true. Alex admired his reflection in the mirror. "Ah, it''s a pity it''s a game, such a waste." Just then, a divine-sounding voice echoed in Alex''s mind again. [Galactic Announcement: Preparation phase has ended, you will enter the continent of Eldoria in one minute.] [Countdown: 00:00:58] "What the heck, am I not already in the game?" Alex realized something was off and instinctively tried to quit the game. But despite trying everything, there was no option to exit! "No way! Can someone tell me if this is just a prank?" Chapter 2 - 2: Undead Lord **WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT** **Welcome, players, to the Universal Lords game!** **Universal Lords is a hyper-realistic game developed by the gods themselves, combining management, strategy, and warfare.** **In Universal Lords, every player is a lord, with their own territory and castle.** **Every lord will receive the loyalty of a troop type at the beginning of the game.** **The specific initial troop type will be randomly drawn by each lord.** **The main goal of the game, in this boundless continent teeming with myriad races, is for each player, as a lord, to embark on the path of conquering the world.** **In Universal Lords, as long as you are smart enough and strong enough, you will have everything!** **Even becoming a god is no longer a pipe dream!** ¡­ Alex slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was an old castle. She was standing right in front of it. "Castle" might be a bit of an overstatement; "tiny castle" would be more accurate. The castle before Alex wasn''t big at all. It covered an area of a little over a hundred square meters, about the size of a small villa. Moreover, the castle walls were mottled and worn, looking like they were about to collapse. It made Alex seriously wonder if the whole thing would just crumble overnight. As Alex was mentally roasting her miniature fortress, a translucent screen, looking surprisingly high-tech, popped up in front of her. **[Respected Lord, would you like to draw your initial troop type?]** **[Yes]** or **[No]** *Initial troop type?!* Alex instinctively looked at the [Yes] option. Immediately afterward: **[Drawing initial troop type, please wait¡­]** Staring at the screen, Alex suddenly had second thoughts. "Darn it! I should''ve played it safe and learned more about the game first!" But, as they say, there''s no use crying over spilled milk. In the blink of an eye, the initial troop type draw was complete: **[Respected Lord, congratulations! Your initial troop type is Death Knight¡­]** **[Beep¡ª!]** **[Detected that the Lord is exceptionally handsome and possesses the bloodline of an ancient god¡­]** **[Initial troop type undergoing optimization and upgrade¡­]** **[Ding¡ª!]** **[Respected Lord, congratulations!]** **[You have obtained the Undying Legion''s oath of loyalty!]** **[Oath of Loyalty: Other lords will no longer be able to gain the service of the Undying Legion.]** **[You will also receive the "Lich King" inheritance!]** *Huh?* Alex was genuinely bewildered by the barrage of messages. "I know I''m good-looking, but what''s this about an ancient god''s bloodline?" she thought. "My initial troop type went from Death Knight to the entire Undying Legion? That''s an upgrade from a single unit to an entire race! And now only I can command the Undying Legion? And what''s the deal with this Lich King inheritance?" Although Alex didn''t quite understand what was happening, her gut told her it wasn''t a bad thing. Suddenly, a purplish-black light descended from the sky and landed on Alex. **[Lich King inheritance acceptance in progress¡­]** The message on the screen reassured her. As Alex relaxed, the purplish-black light gradually seeped into her body. In a short while, it had completely vanished within her. Outwardly, Alex looked the same, but¡­ She slowly clenched her fists, feeling a surge of power coursing through her. "I could punch the lights out of the world heavyweight champion right now!" Clearly, Alex''s physical strength had been significantly enhanced. With her current strength, she was basically Earth''s ultimate fighting machine. She opened her personal information panel: **[Lord: Alex]** **[Race: Human (Lich King Inheritance)]** **[Life Tier: King]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: ¡Þ (Undying Legion trait: Soul fire inextinguishable, thus immortal)]** **[MP: 20 (Recovery rate: 1 point per minute)]** **[Strength: 5 (Normal creatures start at 1)]** **[Endurance: 5 (Normal creatures start at 1)]** **[Spirit: 5 (Normal creatures start at 1)]** **[Castle Level: Lv1]** **[Undead Altar Level: Lv1]** **[Initial Troop: Undying Legion (including but not limited to Undead Skeletons, Undead Zombies, Death Knights, Liches¡­) (Unique)]** **[Skills: Undead Summoning, Parasite, Contamination, Enslave]** * **Undead Summoning:** Summons an Undead Skeleton from a target corpse. (The Undead Skeleton''s level is the same as the deceased''s level before death.) * **Parasite:** Inflicts a curse on the target, causing continuous damage. If the target dies from this skill, the corpse will automatically transform into a zombie under the caster''s control. * **Contamination:** Casts dark water over an area, causing continuous corrosive damage to targets within. If a target dies within the dark water, the corpse will automatically transform into an Undead Skeleton under the caster''s control. * **Enslave:** Targets a single individual, forcing them into a state of soul chaos. While in this state, the caster can control the target''s actions. **[Equipment: None]** ¡­ After closing her personal information panel, Alex noticed a ten-meter diameter altar next to the castle. In the center of the altar stood a towering throne! And on that throne sat a tall humanoid figure. The figure wore imposing armor, a menacing helmet, and gripped a broad, heavy sword in both hands¡ªa picture of pure badassery. They looked like a world-conquering overlord. "I guess this is the so-called Undead Altar," Alex murmured. As she spoke, a screen popped up from the altar. **[Undead Altar (Unique Building)]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[One summon can be performed daily]** **[Current summonable troop types (choose one): 1. Ten Undead Skeletons; 2. Ten Undead Zombies; 3. Two Liches; 4. Two Death Knights; 5. One Skeletal Dragon; 6. One Zombie Titan.]** **[Upgrade Requirements: 100 Magic Stones, 5 Red Crystals]** *"Undead Altar! Unique Building!"* Anyone who''d played a game before knew that the word "unique" meant rare and powerful. "I can actually *choose* my troops!" According to the information, Alex could choose what to summon each day. Currently, there were six options. "Six options, not bad! Judging by the summon quantities, the Skeletal Dragon and Zombie Titan are the strongest, followed by the Death Knights and Liches. Undead Skeletons and Zombies are the weakest." Alex thought for a moment but didn''t rush to summon anything. "Better get a handle on the situation first," she decided. With that, she turned and entered her castle. As soon as she stepped inside, another screen appeared. **[Respected Lord, welcome home!]** **[Your castle is currently under beginner''s protection.]** **[During the beginner''s protection period, your castle is invincible. No creature, not even a god, can breach it.]** **[Please note, Lord, your beginner''s protection period has 6 days, 23 hours, 55 minutes, and 18 seconds remaining¡­]** **[After the beginner''s period, your castle''s invincibility will be lifted, and other native forces or other lords can attack your castle.]** **[Furthermore, after the beginner''s period ends, your castle will face the first wave of the beast horde.]** **[Please take this seriously, Lord. If your castle is destroyed by the beast horde, you will lose your foothold in the Endless Continent.]** **[And a lord who loses their castle and foothold will be¡ªobliterated!]** Reading the message, Alex felt a sudden sense of urgency. "Only seven days of beginner''s protection! And then a beast horde¡­ If I can''t defend against it, I''m dead!" Alex wasn''t ready to die. Nobody is! "Seven days¡­" Her gaze hardened. "I have to develop my strength within these seven days! And my advantages are¡­" she thought, "the troops summoned from the Undead Altar, and¡­ my own skills!" After receiving the Lich King inheritance, Alex had gained four skills, three of which could create undead! "If I use them well, my army will only grow stronger!" With her mind made up, Alex left the castle and returned to the Undead Altar. **[Undead Altar (Summon Available)]** **[Summon the Undying Legion?]** **[Yes]** or **[No]** "Yes!" Alex chose without hesitation. **[Please select the troop type for this summon:]** **[1. Ten Undead Skeletons]** **[2. Ten Undead Zombies]** **[3. Two Liches]** **[4. Two Death Knights]** **[5. One Skeletal Dragon]** **[6. One Zombie Titan]** S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Time is of the essence. I''m going with the strongest!" "I choose¡ª5! A Skeletal Dragon!" As Alex made her choice, a purplish-black light erupted from the Undead Altar, looking eerily like some sort of evil ritual. ¡­ In an instant, a five-meter-tall figure appeared on the altar. It was a dragon-shaped¡­ creature?¡­ made entirely of bones, without a shred of flesh. Alex wasn''t even sure if it qualified as a living being. The Skeletal Dragon planted its massive bone feet on the altar, spread its bony wings, extended its neck, and roared towards the sky: "ROAR!" Along with the roar, a stream of blazing fire erupted from the Skeletal Dragon''s mouth! Having expressed its excitement, the Skeletal Dragon lowered its head. Two soul fires ignited in its empty eye sockets as it looked respectfully at Alex. "My respected master, your loyal servant greets you." Thanks to the Undying Legion''s oath of loyalty, Alex was the absolute, unquestionable master in the Skeletal Dragon''s eyes. And finally, Alex could see the Skeletal Dragon''s information panel. **[Skeletal Dragon (Unnamed)]** **[Race: Undead]** **[Loyalty: 100 (Will never betray)]** **[Life Tier: God]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: ¡Þ (Undying Legion trait: Soul fire inextinguishable, thus immortal)]** **[MP: 20 (Recovery rate: 1 point per 50 seconds)]** **[Strength: 6]** **[Endurance: 6]** **[Spirit: 6]** **[Skill: Dragon Flame]** * **Dragon Flame:** Spews scorching flames to incinerate enemies! **[Equipment: None]** Chapter 3 - 3: Skeletal Dragon "Arthur!" Alex declared, naming her first minion. "From now on, you shall be called Arthur!" Skeletal Dragon Arthur. One word¡ªpowerful! **[Life Tier: God]** Alex now understood what that meant. Life Tier represented a creature''s potential. It was divided into Normal, Elite, Commander, Lord, King, and God. Arthur''s God Tier potential meant he could eventually reach the level of a god. *A dragon god!* Plus, Arthur''s starting stats were 6, while Normal creatures only started with 1! Their growth potential was even more incomparable. Arthur gained 6 points per level, while Normal creatures only gained 1. The higher the level, the wider the gap! In short, Alex''s Skeletal Dragon was incredibly strong, with immense potential. Of course, creatures that started at Normal Tier *could* theoretically increase their Life Tier through hard work, climbing from Elite to Commander, Lord, King, and finally God. Theoretically. In practice, it was harder than a snowball''s chance in hell, especially the jump from King to God. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That was a fundamental transformation of life essence, way more difficult than a man giving birth! But these weren''t concerns for Alex right now. "Growth!" she thought. "Time to go grind!" The castle''s beginner''s protection only lasted seven days, after which the first beast horde would arrive. Alex had only seven days to power up. No time to waste! ¡­ **[Castle Level: Lv1]** **[HP: 10k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 500-meter radius]** **[Functions: Within the territory, the Lord has omniscience; can collect spoils of war; can decompose monster corpses to obtain materials.]** **[Upgrade Requirements: 1000 units of wood, 500 units of stone]** Thanks to her castle''s abilities, a mini-map appeared before Alex, centered on her castle and covering a 500-meter radius. Every rustle of leaves, every movement, was crystal clear. "Northwest, 380 meters out, deep in the jungle¡­ a pack of gray wolves," she observed. "Lowest level 7, highest level 43. Yikes, not messing with those¡­ yet." A level 43 gray wolf, even with Normal Tier growth, would have at least 43 points in each stat. Arthur, at level 1, only had 6. No match. "But once Arthur reaches level 10, his stats will be at 60! Then I can wipe out that wolf pack. No dangerous elements allowed in my territory!" Adding the gray wolves to her hit list, Alex scanned for closer, lower-level prey. She quickly found a suitable target. "Southeast, 50 meters, a huge flock of roosters! Mostly level 1, a few level 2, and only five level 3." **[Rooster]** **[Race: Native Monster]** **[Life Tier: Normal]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: 20]** **[MP: None]** **[Strength: 1]** **[Endurance: 1]** **[Spirit: None]** Normal Tier roosters. Weak growth potential. Even a level 3 rooster only had 3 points in Strength and Endurance. No match for Arthur, or even Alex herself, with her 5 points in each stat. Clearly, roosters were the perfect monster for a power-leveling grind. Alex immediately marched towards the flock with Arthur in tow. First step to conquering Eldoria: chicken slaying! "Arthur, kill them all!" "Yes, master!" With a command from Alex, Arthur spread his bony wings, swooped down, and lunged at the unsuspecting roosters. "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" "Dragon Flame!" Arthur unleashed his ultimate attack. A wave of scorching fire swept across the flock. The roosters that couldn''t dodge in time were instantly engulfed in flames, roasted alive in seconds. It was a poultry massacre. "Damn," Alex muttered, wiping away a tear¡­ or was it drool? "That smells *amazing*¡­" She gazed at the rampaging Arthur and the piles of roasted chicken, swallowing hard. With an effort of will, she suppressed the urge to dive in and feast. Instead, she focused on a rooster corpse and extended her hand. "Time to test out my skills." Alex had gained four initial skills from the Lich King inheritance: **[Undead Summoning]**, **[Parasite]**, **[Contamination]**, and **[Enslave]**. **[Undead Summoning]** allowed her to summon an Undead Skeleton from a corpse. This was the secret to the Undying Legion''s resilience, their ability to not only survive attrition but actually *grow* stronger from it. They couldn''t be killed, and they could turn enemy corpses into more undead. Locking onto the target corpse, Alex used **[Undead Summoning]**. No chanting, no incantations. As simple as snapping her fingers, the skill activated instantly. A black magic circle appeared on the corpse. "Clack¡ª!" A pale, bony hand emerged from the circle, followed by an arm, a head, a torso¡­ An Undead Skeleton crawled out. Strangely, despite being summoned from a chicken, it was humanoid. Alex stared at it, puzzled. **[Undead Skeleton]** **[Race: Undead]** **[Loyalty: 100 (Will never betray)]** **[Life Tier: Normal]** **[Level: Lv1]** **[HP: ¡Þ (Undying Legion trait: Soul fire inextinguishable, thus immortal)]** **[MP: None]** **[Strength: 1]** **[Endurance: 1]** **[Spirit: 1]** **[Skills: None]** **[Equipment: None]** The Undead Skeleton, upon emerging, immediately prostrated itself before Alex. "I greet you, master!" *Holy crap, it talks!* This **[Undead Summoning]** skill was ridiculously good. And it got even better. Alex noticed that the rooster corpse she''d used was still there! One corpse, infinite skeletons? She could have a million-strong undead army in no time! "Holy moly," she thought. "I''m gonna conquer Eldoria before the beginner''s protection even ends!" Chapter 4 - 4: Kill every last chicken here Alex''s dream of instantly raising a million-skeleton army was dashed. The rooster corpse she''d used for **[Undead Summoning]** couldn''t be used again. "So, one corpse, one skeleton," she noted in her little notebook. At least, that was the rule for now. She also noticed a detail she''d missed before: **[Undead Summoning]:** Summons an Undead Skeleton from a target corpse. *Cost: 2 MP.* Alex checked her current MP: **[MP]: 18/20 (1 point per minute)**. One summon cost 2 MP, leaving her with 18 points, enough for 9 more summons. After that, she''d have to wait two minutes for her MP to regenerate. "So even with enough corpses," she realized, "I can only summon one skeleton every two minutes with **[Undead Summoning]**. At this rate, a million-skeleton army would take¡­ well, let''s just say it wasn''t happening anytime soon. Her dream of a massive undead horde was on hold, at least for now. "But," Alex declared with a determined glint in her eye, "one day, I *will* have my instant million-skeleton army!" She had immense faith in her troops and her Lich King inheritance. The Undying Legion would only grow with time. That was undeniable. They were, after all, *undying*. Arthur, Alex herself, and even the freshly summoned level 1 skeleton all had infinite HP. How were they supposed to die? Not only were her troops immortal, but their numbers would increase with every battle. Alex''s confidence in her future was unshakeable. ¡­ **[Killed Level 1 Rooster, gained +1 experience]** **[Killed Level 1 Rooster, gained +1 experience]** **[Killed Level 2 Rooster, gained +3 experience, gained +1 Magic Stone]** **[Killed Level 1 Rooster¡­]** ¡­ Meanwhile, Arthur, diligently following Alex''s "kill them all" order, was carrying out a genocidal campaign against the roosters. Each kill granted Alex 1 experience point, and occasionally, a Magic Stone. "Magic Stones! Just what I need to upgrade the Undead Altar!" Alex observed Arthur, who stood tall and imposing, bony wings spread, blasting flames from his massive skull at the fleeing chickens. "Dragon Flame!" The roosters, facing the mighty Skeletal Dragon, could only run. Resistance was futile. But could they escape? Arthur''s Dragon Flame had a range of 50 meters. The roosters were trapped within his fiery domain. Their frantic flight only bought them a few extra seconds of life before they met their crispy end. "Just needs some cilantro and cumin," Alex mumbled, wiping her mouth. She targeted the nearest rooster corpse. "Undead Summoning!" The black magic circle appeared, a humanoid skeleton emerged, and prostrated itself. "My respected master!" Alex nodded and immediately cast **[Undead Summoning]** on another corpse. "Undead Summoning!" "Undead Summoning!" "Undead Summoning!"¡­ Nine more times, gaining nine more skeletons. With the first one, she now had ten. **[Undead Skeleton] (x10)** **(Same stats as before)** Alex reviewed the skeleton''s stats and nodded in satisfaction. Then, she issued her first command to her ten prostrate minions. "Go help Arthur. Kill every last chicken here!" "Yes, master!" The skeletons slowly rose and began their lumbering march towards the scattering roosters. Alex noticed a problem. Undead or not, they were *slow*. They couldn''t keep up with the winged, occasionally flapping chickens. "Good thing Arthur''s got this covered." Unlike the slow, stiff skeletons, Arthur was surprisingly agile. He could even duck his head and blast Dragon Flame under his belly at the chickens chasing his tail. Show-off. "Maybe that''s the difference in Life Tier," Alex mused. Arthur was God Tier, while her summoned skeletons were Normal Tier. A huge difference. "Looks like these summoned skeletons are only good for cannon fodder, or maybe manual labor. The troops from the Undead Altar are my main fighting force." Comparing Arthur and the skeletons, Alex understood their respective roles. Everything had its place. As a lord, she needed to recognize that, to put her troops in positions where they could be most effective. ¡­ Two minutes later, Alex''s MP regenerated, and she summoned another skeleton. The process continued. Arthur as the main damage dealer, the skeletons as a distraction, and Alex as the commander. Working together, they quickly wiped out the entire flock of over a hundred roosters, leaving behind a field of roasted poultry. Alex then spent the next few hours summoning skeletons from every corpse, gaining five level 3, seventeen level 2, and one hundred twenty-three level 1 skeletons. Her forces had grown exponentially! And there was another pleasant surprise. The rooster corpses could be salvaged! **[Respected Lord, monster corpses detected within your territory. Decompose and salvage?]** **[Yes]** or **[No]** "Yes!" No hesitation there. **[Decomposition and salvage successful]** **[Respected Lord, congratulations! You have obtained 145 rooster combs, 321 portions of roasted chicken, and 3 Magic Stones.]** "Jackpot!" Alex grinned at the sudden influx of resources in her castle''s warehouse. Just then, a chat window popped up. "Bro, add me! Gotta show you my Golden Retriever King!" The message was from Sophie, Alex''s younger sister. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *"Sophie''s in the game too? What about my older brother, my other sister, and my parents? Universal Lords¡­ could they all be¡­?"* Chapter 5 - 5: Highway robbery Seeing Sophie''s message, Alex felt a mix of relief and anxiety. Relief that even after this crazy isekai trip, her family was here, together. Anxiety because, despite being called a game, *Universal Lords* felt terrifyingly real. Death here was *permanent*¡ªnot a simple logout back to reality. Honestly, Alex wished her family *wasn''t* here, not in this dangerous world. She worried for their safety. She quickly added Sophie to her friends list. **[Alex]:** Sophie, is that you? **[Sophie]:** Alex! It says my level''s too low for video calls or sending pictures¡­ Alex saw the grayed-out video and picture icons in their chat window. *Seriously?* she thought. *Total cheap web game vibes.* But that wasn''t important right now. Family came first. **[Alex]:** Sophie, where are you? Are you safe? **[Sophie]:** Where¡­ I don''t know where I am! My castle''s surrounded by a giant grassland, bigger than the one we went to last month! I''m safe though, don''t worry. The castle has seven days of beginner''s protection. As long as I stay inside, I''m good! And guess what? My initial troops are Golden Retriever Kings! I wish I could show you how awesome they look! Sophie''s rapid-fire messages made Alex smile. Knowing her sister was safe eased her mind. Still, she couldn''t resist giving some advice. **[Alex]:** Be careful, Sophie. Stay inside the castle for now. Let your Golden Retriever Kings do the hunting. Don''t take any risks! I''ll figure things out here and give you some game tips later. **[Sophie]:** Okay, Alex! You''re the best! *Of course I am,* Alex thought. *You''re my little sister.* **[Alex]:** Let me know if you need anything. **[Sophie]:** Alex¡­ I''m hungry¡­ **[Alex]:** Send your Golden Retriever Kings out to hunt. Stick to low-level monsters for now, levels 1 and 2 are ideal. And hunt within your territory so you can use the castle to decompose the corpses for food directly. Dragging corpses back from outside your territory is a waste of time. **[Sophie]:** Alex¡­ I *have* food. My Golden Retriever Kings hunted some level 1 antelopes. I have tons of meat, but¡­ it''s all raw! There''s no kitchen in the castle, and I can''t find any fire to cook it. I can''t eat raw meat! Alex could practically feel Sophie''s misery through the chat window. Food, but inedible. *Wait a minute¡­* Alex looked around her own castle. No kitchen? What kind of castle was this? Was a kitchen, like video chat, a level-up unlock? She''d investigate later. For now¡­ Alex opened her castle warehouse: **[Roasted Chicken: 321 units]**. She immediately sent 21 units to Sophie. **[Alex]:** I have some roasted chicken. This should tide you over. Let me know if you need more. A while later, Sophie replied. **[Sophie]:** Mmm, Alex, this chicken is so good! This is plenty! One portion is enough for a whole meal! *(Universal Lords: 1 unit of food is enough for one person.)* A thought struck Alex. Were other lords facing the same raw meat problem? She doubted many modern people could stomach raw meat. If no one else could cook, this was a business opportunity! Her Skeletal Dragon breathed fire! Acting on the idea, Alex opened her lord panel and found what she was looking for: **[World Chat]** and **[Free Market]**. The market was already bustling with activity. **[Wood]** S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Sale Type: Fixed Price]** **[Price: 1 unit of water or 1 unit of cooked meat per 1 unit of wood]** **[Remaining: 27 units]** ¡ª **[Stone]** **(Similar listing)** ¡ª **[Fresh Water]** **(Similar listing, price 1 cooked meat)** ¡ª **[Pork (Raw)]** **[Price: 1 unit of cooked meat per 2 units of raw pork]** ¡­ Most listings were for wood, stone, and water. And the most common requests? Cooked meat! Someone was even offering *two* units of raw pork for one unit of cooked meat! This confirmed two things. First, Alex was right about the modern aversion to raw meat. Second, most lords couldn''t cook! They had no fire, or no way to make fire. They could *get* raw meat, but not *cook* it. And Alex''s fire-breathing Skeletal Dragon might be unique. On day one of *Universal Lords*, cooked meat was a hot commodity! "I''m gonna be rich!" Alex cackled. "Arthur, the Undying Legion, all bone, no stomachs! They don''t need food. They can just absorb¡­ whatever¡­ from the air. Same for me with this Lich King thing. And even if I *did* eat, I wouldn''t need much. Plus, with Arthur, I have an unlimited supply of cooked meat!" Alex opened her warehouse and listed all her roasted chicken on the market. **[Roasted Chicken]** **[Sale Type: Fixed Price]** **[Price: 20 units of wood or 20 units of stone per 1 unit]** **[Remaining: 300 units]** The moment her listing went live, World Chat exploded. "Who the hell is this?!" "Highway robbery!" "Everyone else is trading 1 for 1, and this jerk is charging *twenty* times the price!" "Talk about a capitalist pig!" "Even a black market isn''t this shady!" "I''m not even this shady!" Chapter 6 - 6: I can upgrade my castle On the first day of Universal Lords, half a day had passed since billions of humans from Earth arrived in Eldoria. Many lords had food in their castle warehouses. After all, every lord had initial troops. Even the weakest troops could easily handle level 1 Normal monsters. And with monster corpses, lords could obtain food through their castle''s decomposition and salvage function. The catch? The food¡ªwhether mutton, pork, or chicken¡ªwas all raw, bloody, and unappetizing. And there were no kitchens in the castles! The newly arrived lords hadn''t yet figured out how to unlock them. No kitchen meant no fire. In modern society, fire was readily available, but in this world, it was a precious resource. Without fire, no cooked food. And right now, anyone with cooked meat was a big deal. It meant they''d either unlocked the castle kitchen or had another fire source. Either way, Alex, with her 300 units of roasted chicken, was clearly someone to be reckoned with. Yet, World Chat was filled with complaints. **[World Channel 35623 players]** "Price gouging! Boycott this profiteer!" "Don''t buy! Let it rot in her warehouse!" "1 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat is the fair price. Twenty times the price? She''s taking us for fools!" "Anyone who buys is an idiot!" "You buying? I''m not!" ¡­ There were millions of World Chat channels, each holding up to 10,000 players. After Alex posted her listing, at least a hundred thousand channels were filled with people bashing her, calling her greedy, exploitative, and worse. She was infamous! Mainly because her prices were *insane*. The accepted market price, based on other market listings, was 1 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat. Alex had multiplied that by *twenty*. Who wouldn''t be furious? Chopping wood and mining stone took effort! But¡­ as millions continued to rant, someone noticed something terrifying. **[World Channel 251 (10,000 players)]** "Holy crap, you two-faced bastards!" "What happened?" "You''re all dogs! I hesitated for half a second, and it''s gone!" "I didn''t even hesitate, and I still missed out!" "What''s going on? Tell us!" "Check the Free Market." "Don''t bother. Alex''s 300 units of roasted chicken are *sold out*!" "???" "What the hell? Weren''t we boycotting this profiteer?" "Are you all crazy?! Twenty times the market price?!" "Have you never eaten meat before?!" "Anyone who bought is an idiot! You''re the reason profiteers like Alex exist!" "Boycott the profiteer! Boycott the idiot consumers!" "+1" "+2" "+999" ¡­ "Lol, you guys can boycott all you want. I''m not playing that game. Hey, Alex, you got any more cooked meat? I''ll buy!" "Are you insane? Licking the boots of a profiteer? Twenty times the price?!" "Price? What price? Tell me, what the hell is the ''price''?" "1 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat! That''s the price! Everyone agreed on it!" "Hah, flawed logic! That''s the price *buyers* are offering, a price that benefits *them*. If buyers set the prices, you''d be asking for 100 cooked meat for 1 wood!" "Look at the Free Market! Almost every listing is *buying* cooked meat. No one else is *selling* it, except Alex! That means cooked meat is scarce! And Alex is the only supplier! It''s a seller''s market! Billions of buyers, one seller! Alex sets the price, take it or leave it! It''s simple. Stop with the moral outrage. 20 wood or stone for 1 cooked meat isn''t even expensive. One tree gives you at least 8-10 units of wood. You could''ve gathered 20 while you were busy complaining!" "I¡­ I¡­ My castle is on a grassland! No trees! No stones! I''m screwed! Alex, can I trade grass for cooked meat? 100 grass for 1 meat? I''m so hungry¡­" ¡­ World Chat had done a complete 180. From furious boycott to desperate pleas for more cooked meat. Alex didn''t quite understand the logic, but she understood the *behavior*. Her 300 units of roasted chicken had sold out in under a minute. "Actions speak louder than words," she chuckled. The sale netted her 4210 wood and 1790 stone, all deposited in her castle warehouse. "No transaction fees!" she noticed. Another bonus. And the best news yet¡­ "I can upgrade my castle!" Alex exclaimed, her face beaming. **[Upgrade Requirements: 1000 wood, 500 stone]**. She had more than enough. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 7 - 7: Undead Altar **[Respected Lord, congratulations! Upgrade successful!]** Without hesitation, Alex spent 1000 wood and 500 stone to upgrade her castle. **[Castle Level: Lv2]** **[HP: 20k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 1000-meter radius]** **(Same functions)** **[Upgrade Requirements: 2000 wood, 1000 stone]** "10k more HP, and my territory''s doubled in size¡­ Is that it?" Alex blinked, checking her warehouse. **[Wood: 3210, Stone: 1290]**. Enough for another upgrade! "Do it!" **[Upgrade castle for 2000 wood and 1000 stone?]** **[Yes]** or **[No]** Alex firmly chose **[Yes]**. **[Respected Lord, congratulations! Upgrade successful!]** **[Castle Level: Lv3]** **[HP: 30k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 1500-meter radius]** **(Same functions)** **[Upgrade Requirements: 3000 wood, 2000 stone]** "So¡­" Alex was a bit underwhelmed. Level 1 to 3, and all she got was more HP and a bigger territory. No new functions, no bonus rewards. "If that''s all there is, there''s no point upgrading during the beginner''s period," she thought. The castle was invincible anyway. Better to save the resources. Her gaze shifted to the Undead Altar. The only other thing she could upgrade. **(Undead Altar stats, same as before)** But the altar needed Magic Stones and Red Crystals, not wood and stone. "If I''m not rushing the castle upgrades, I can sell the cooked meat for Magic Stones and Red Crystals," Alex mused. "Cooked meat is still in high demand. As long as the price isn''t *too* outrageous, billions of lords will be fighting over it. Upgrading the altar might increase my daily summons. Okay, new plan: focus on the altar for the next seven days. Castle upgrades can wait." Alex jotted down her new seven-day plan. And then immediately changed it. Because¡­ in the sky, 10,000 meters from her castle, she saw a massive¡­ dragon. Not a Skeletal Dragon like Arthur, but a real, flesh-and-blood, *living* dragon. A huge, mountain lion-like body, giant bat wings, a long, sinuous tail, powerful limbs¡­ a Western dragon. In every story, dragons were powerful creatures, often slain, but still representing the peak of a world''s power. Seeing this dragon, Alex''s face went pale. And when the dragon started circling and descending¡­ her heart sank with it. *"Crap. Am I neighbors with a dragon?!"* This was not good. Who knew what this dragon''s temperament was like? Maybe it would ignore her. But what if it didn''t? Alex wasn''t taking that chance. Her life was too precious to gamble on a dragon''s mood. The beginner''s protection only lasted seven days¡­ no, less than that. It was already late afternoon on day one. *"Can''t rely on anyone but myself,"* she thought. She immediately used her castle''s scouting function to check the dragon''s stats. Know thy enemy. *"Let''s see what kind of stats a dragon has in this world!"* **[Beep¡ª!]** **[Target outside territory range. Cannot view detailed information.]** "Oh!" Alex realized. Her castle''s omniscience only worked *within* her territory. That''s how she''d seen the wolves'' and roosters'' stats. Outside her territory, she was on her own. And right now, she couldn''t judge a dragon''s power to save her life. "So¡­" she concluded. "Castle upgrades are back on the menu." A bigger territory meant a bigger scouting range. Once the dragon was within her range, she could assess its strength and decide whether to slay it or¡­ run for the hills. Survival was paramount. "I need to expand my territory to at least 10,000 meters before the beginner''s protection ends!" Her resolve hardened. "And the Undead Altar needs to be upgraded too!" The altar''s troops were her best bet against the dragon. Castle and altar, both were crucial. Alex revised her plan again. "Cooked meat is still valuable. I need to milk this for all it''s worth." "Arthur!" The Skeletal Dragon flew to her side and bowed his bony head. "My respected master, your most loyal servant awaits your command." "Skeleton Squad!" The 145 skeletons lumbered over and knelt. "My respected master!" Alex pointed to a level 3 skeleton. "You 145 skeletons are now Skeleton Squad 1. You are the squad leader." "As you command, master!" Alex turned to Arthur. "Arthur, I command you to lead Skeleton Squad 1 and hunt monsters. Focus on low-level targets, and use your Dragon Flame to roast the corpses. I need lots of cooked meat. Understood?" Arthur spread his wings. "Master, entrust this task to Arthur. You will not be disappointed." "Go. Don''t let me down." "Yes, master!" Arthur and Skeleton Squad 1 marched off to hunt. Alex felt confident in Arthur. He was God Tier, with immense potential. And he''d already leveled up! After slaughtering the chickens, he was now level 2. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Skeletal Dragon (Arthur)]** **(Stats doubled from before)** Arthur, now twice as strong, followed Alex''s instructions to the letter. His opening move against any prey? "Dragon Flame!" Chapter 8 - 8: Night descends, the Blood Moon rises Arthur was a beast! God Tier was no joke. His **[Dragon Flame]** could blast continuously for over two minutes, costing 2 MP per use. But he regenerated 1 MP every 50 seconds, meaning he could keep the flames going indefinitely as long as he wanted. And at level 2, his damage had doubled! He could roast three chickens per minute on average. Of course, even a relatively weak creature like a rooster wasn''t going to just stand there and get barbequed. They ran, scattered, making Arthur chase them down. Three kills per minute was still impressive. Whenever Arthur roasted a chicken, Alex, if she had 2 MP available, would immediately cast **[Undead Summoning]**. The summoned skeleton would be the same level as the chicken and completely loyal to Alex. A truly god-level skill, its power would only grow as she leveled up. An ever-expanding army of immortal undead¡­ And after summoning a skeleton, Alex could still salvage the chicken corpse for roasted meat! Even a capitalist would weep at the efficiency! The roosters were getting the three-stage exploitation treatment: killed for experience and Magic Stones, their corpses used for summoning, and then salvaged for food. "The indignity!" a rooster might cry. "You''ve wrung me dry!" With Arthur''s fiery rampage, the Skeleton Squad''s harassing tactics, and Alex''s steady summoning and strategic direction, their teamwork was flawless. Soon, Alex leveled up too! **[Lord: Alex]** **[Level: Lv2]** **(Stats doubled from before)** Alex''s stats had doubled! She was King Tier, one below Arthur''s God Tier. Her base stats and stat growth were slightly lower. That small difference would add up. At level 100, ignoring equipment, she''d be 100 points behind Arthur in each stat. The gap between King and God Tier was real. "But," Alex mused, stroking her chin, "I''m not the main fighter. Arthur is! And he''s *my* soldier!" The thought filled her with glee. She was incredibly pleased with Arthur. ¡­ After a merciless slaughter, Arthur hit level 3! His stats jumped again, each increasing by 6. **[Strength: 18]** **[Endurance: 18]** **[Spirit: 18]** Another power surge! But just as Alex was basking in the joy of her growing power¡­ ¡­it got dark. **[WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT!]** **[Night descends, the Blood Moon rises!]** **[Monsters will be empowered during the night!]** **[Random 1-10x stat boost!]** **[Calculating tonight''s boost¡­]** **[Beep¡ª!]** **[9x!]** **[Tonight, monsters will receive a 9x stat boost!]** As the announcement ended, the level 3 rooster Arthur was chasing suddenly glowed with blood-red eyes. Bloodthirsty, enraged, and *very* dangerous. "Something''s wrong!" Alex quickly checked the rooster''s stats. **[Rooster (Night Frenzy, 9x)]** **[Level: Lv3]** **[HP: 480]** **[Strength: 27]** **[Endurance: 27]** "Holy sh*t!" Alex swore. This was insane! A Normal Tier level 3 monster, normally with 3 points in each stat, now had *27*! Nine points *higher* than Arthur''s level 3 stats of 18! The tables had turned. The empowered rooster was now chasing *Arthur*. "Arthur, retreat!" Alex yelled, fearing for her dragon''s safety. But Arthur didn''t obey. "Master, you go back to the castle! I''ll hold it off!" His words jolted Alex awake. *"I''m in its attack range too!"* Cold sweat trickled down her back. *Retreat! Back to the safety of the invincible castle!* She ran, then calmed down slightly, issuing commands as she retreated. "Arthur, come back with me! Skeleton Squad 1, distract that rooster!" "Yes, master!" She could resummon lost skeletons. Losing Arthur would be devastating. But just as she gave the order, Arthur and the night-empowered rooster clashed. *BOOM!* The tiny rooster sent the 5-meter-tall Arthur flying ten meters! Alex gasped. Night monsters were *strong*. The rooster''s 27 in each stat was far superior to Arthur''s 18. Arthur being knocked back was inevitable. But¡­ Alex looked closer. Things weren''t as they seemed. **[Rooster HP: 478/480]** **[Arthur HP: ¡Þ]** The Undying Legion¡­ *undying*. "Ha ha ha!" Alex burst out laughing. Arthur hadn''t lost a single HP! The rooster, despite its apparent advantage, had lost 2 HP! If the fight continued, the rooster would lose! Arthur was immortal! "Undying Legion, baby!" she yelled, her voice cracking. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But even with immortality, killing the rooster would take time. Arthur could only inflict 2 damage per hit, and the rooster had 480 HP, slowly regenerating. "Arthur, Skeleton Squad 1, retreat!" Alex ordered. No point fighting a monster on a rampage. They could deal with it tomorrow, when it lost its night boost. "Revenge is a dish best served cold!" ¡­ Alex and Arthur retreated to the castle. Skeleton Squad 1 was still slowly making its way back. Their speed was¡­ an issue. But they were also immortal, so no worries. Alex focused on the important task: salvaging the corpses. **[Salvage monster corpses?]** "Yes! Yes! Yes!" **[Salvage successful!]** **[Obtained 876 rooster combs, 2034 roasted chicken, and 31 Magic Stones.]** A massive haul! Keeping 34 units of chicken for herself, Alex listed the remaining 2000 on the Free Market. **[Roasted Chicken]** **[Price: 20 wood or 20 stone or 1 Magic Stone]** **[Remaining: 2000 units]** Then, she went to World Chat. **[World Channel 1 (10,000 players)]** **[Alex]:** I''ve listed some roasted chicken on the Free Market, same price as before. "Alex!" "Front row!" "Holy crap, are you all single? 2000 units gone already?!" "Sold out!" Alex stared at the messages, dumbfounded. *Gone? Just like that? 2000 units?* Chapter 9 - 9: I need to get stronger 2000 units of roasted chicken, gone in a flash. Billions of hungry lords, and Alex was the only supplier. It was a feeding frenzy. The sale netted her 24,680 wood, 12,320 stone, and 150 Magic Stones. Adding that to her existing stockpile, she now had 25,890 wood and 12,610 stone. Five digits! And her Magic Stone count was at 185, closing in on 200. Another massive win! Immediately, Alex upgraded her castle. **[Upgrade castle for 3000 wood and 2000 stone?]** "Yes!" **[Castle Level: Lv4]** "Keep going!" **[Castle Level: Lv5]** ¡­ **[Castle Level: Lv6]** Alex spent a total of 12,000 wood and 9,000 stone, reaching level 6. **[Castle Level: Lv6]** **[HP: 60k (Invincible State)]** **[Territory Range: 3000-meter radius]** **(Same functions)** **[Upgrade Requirements: 6000 wood, 5000 stone]** "3000-meter radius!" Alex thought. "Almost to that dragon''s lair! Dragons love treasure, right? Its lair must be full of it! Once my territory covers it, I can monitor the dragon''s movements. The moment it leaves, I''ll raid its lair!" *Perfect plan!* She couldn''t upgrade further because she was out of stone. **[Wood: 13,890, Stone: 3610]**. The next upgrade needed 5000 stone. "No problem. Another day of selling roasted chicken, and I''ll have enough." Tomorrow, she could summon again. Another Skeletal Dragon. More fire, more roasted meat. Two dragons working together¡­ double the fun! "I might get over 10,000 units of cooked meat tomorrow! Imagine the resources I can get for that! Massive castle upgrades! Yes!" The Undead Altar, however, remained stuck at level 1. She had 185 Magic Stones, but zero Red Crystals. "Do I need to kill higher-level monsters for Red Crystals?" she wondered. A dilemma. Higher-level monsters *might* drop Red Crystals, but would mean less cooked meat. Sticking to low-level monsters meant more meat, but maybe no Red Crystals. Life always presented choices. Alex decided to stick with low-level monsters for now. "The cooked meat gravy train won''t last forever. Someone else will figure out how to cook soon. I need to maximize my profits while I can." She opened her **[Contacts]** and was greeted with 530 million friend requests! "Alex, how did you get fire? Teach me!~" "Alex, add me! I have questions!" "You''ve caught my attention, man!" "Add me, I have a sister!" ¡­ Alex scrolled through the bizarre requests and rejected them all. This was a competition, against both native forces and other lords. She didn''t know who these people were. It wasn''t time for random friend requests. She was looking for her family. "Mom, Dad, brother, sister¡­" But there was no search function! How was she supposed to find them in a sea of billions? "Ask Sophie how she found me!" **[Alex]:** Sophie, you there? How did you find me on the friends list? **[Sophie]:** Alex, I''m scared! Alex''s heart leaped into her throat. **[Alex]:** Don''t be scared, Sophie. I''m here! What''s wrong? **[Sophie]:** There''s a big gray wolf outside my castle! It killed my Golden Retriever King! I''m so scared! *Oh no!* Sophie must have let her Golden Retriever King out at night, after the monster boost. **[Alex]:** Stay inside, Sophie. The wolf can''t hurt you in the castle. **[Sophie]:** I know, but¡­ my Golden Retriever King is dead! **[Alex]:** Did you only have one? **[Sophie]:** I had two. Two¡­ So, King Tier, like Alex. 5 points per stat, 5 points per level. A top-tier troop. Losing one wasn''t a disaster. She could summon two more tomorrow. **[Alex]:** Don''t worry, Sophie. You can summon two more tomorrow. Remember, stay inside if there''s danger. And watch the time! Don''t go too far from the castle, and always get back before nightfall. Monsters get stronger at night. **[Sophie]:** Okay¡­ **[Alex]:** How did you find me on the friends list? Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Sophie]:** I don''t know. There was a recommended friend, and it was you. "Recommended friend?" Alex checked her contacts. Nothing. The trail went cold. *"Mom, Dad, brother, sister¡­ you have to survive!"* This world was dangerous. A place where cooked meat was a luxury item couldn''t be safe. She worried for her family, but she couldn''t find them. She could do nothing. *"I''m too weak. I need to get stronger. If I had a million undead, if my territory covered all of Eldoria¡­ I could find them in an instant¡­*" Chapter 10 - 10: Im gonna be the richest person in Eldoria ************** "Hey everyone, I''m currently working on editing and adjusting this novel. I plan to rewrite the first 50 chapters, but it''ll take some time. The first ten chapters have been revised and are different from the later parts of the story. I''ve placed the original chapters here, so if you like the novel, please start reading from there. Thanks a lot!" *************** 1 Well, being a girl isn''t too bad At a wild office party, Alex went all out on the booze and ended up totally plastered. He felt like he was spinning in a dizzy haze, as if the whole world was doing somersaults around him. Right then, a voice that sounded like it was straight out of a sci-fi movie echoed in his head. [Galactic Announcement: Everyone will be transported to the planet Astralon in six hours.] [Countdown: 05:59:52] [Here, everyone gets a fair shot at supremacy.] [Astralon is massive, larger than a star system, home to a hundred thousand races, filled with opportunities, dangers, and challenges.] [You start with a castle and a barracks.] [Summon troops, raid resources, grow your empire, dominate the planets.] [Here, you can have everything you desire¡ªpower, wealth, even immortality!] [Lords, go forth and conquer!] Alex couldn''t care less about the voice; he just wanted to crash and sleep off the booze. He wasn''t in the mood for games! But in the next moment, he snapped open his eyes and found himself in a strange room. [The game is about to begin, please select your character''s appearance] [Available genders: A Male B Female C Other] Though confused, as a seasoned gamer, Alex had a peculiar habit. He wasn''t keen on staring at male characters'' ass, so he almost always played as female characters! So, completely sloshed, Alex took this all as just another game and instinctively picked option B. [Gender confirmed, generating character appearance...] Under the influence of alcohol, Alex couldn''t hold up any longer and just collapsed onto the floor, passing out. When Alex woke up again, he found himself in an unfamiliar room, and despite it being a scorching summer, the room was surprisingly cool. Alex lifted his head to scope out the surroundings when suddenly a strand of hair slipped past his ear, and he was totally gobsmacked. "White hair! When did I turn into an old dude?" "Wait, why''s this hair so long?" Alex blurted out in surprise, but what came out was a crisp, pleasant female voice. He shot up from the floor, and immediately, a pair of boobs caught his attention. Pfft... Alex was stunned. Was this game seriously this realistic? He then peeked between his legs and his face turned beet red... Alex couldn''t believe how lifelike this game was; it felt like he was literally in a woman''s body. Now, he was starting to wonder, is this really just a game or is it reality? If it''s just a game, he could just log out and end this madness. But if it''s real, suddenly switching from a dude to a chick was seriously awkward! Thinking this, Alex couldn''t help but peek again and suddenly thought, well, being a girl isn''t too bad, lol... Right then, a virtual panel appeared in front of Alex, displaying some basic info about his current state. Name: Alex Age: 18 Height: 5.5 feet Weight: 95 pounds Measurements: 33 / 23 / 34 Appearance Rating: SSS Though the body looked great, Alex couldn''t just stay naked, so he grabbed some clothes from a nearby dresser. Alex shyly tried on a bra, but struggled big time to clasp it from behind. Then it hit him, why not clasp it in front and spin it around? Genius! Afterward, Alex changed into a white sailor dress. "Why does this feel a bit tight? No, wait, it''s just the boobs are too big!" Once dressed, Alex''s figure was undeniably prominent. Alex slipped on a pair of white knee-high socks, pulling them up to his calves, then looked down at his tiny feet in white socks. "These feet are so small, they''re smaller than my hands." Then Alex reached out with his hands and suddenly realized they were tiny too. Oops, he had forgotten he had crossed over. Next, Alex found a pair of black leather shoes under the bed, picked them up, and saw they were only size 36 (EU). Alex put on the shoes, got out of bed, and walked over to a full-length mirror to check out his reflection. His beautiful face was even prettier than models at Paris Fashion Week. The white sailor dress paired with white knee-high socks exuded a youthful vibe. The real Alex, introverted and self-conscious, wouldn''t even dare to talk to a girl like this, but here in this confusing game-or-reality scenario, his dream had come true. Alex admired his reflection in the mirror. "Ah, it''s a pity it''s a game, such a waste." Just then, a divine-sounding voice echoed in Alex''s mind again. [Galactic Announcement: Preparation phase has ended, you will enter the continent of Eldoria in one minute.] [Countdown: 00:00:58] "What the heck, am I not already in the game?" Alex realized something was off and instinctively tried to quit the game. But despite trying everything, there was no option to exit! "No way! Can someone tell me if this is just a prank?" 2 The undead don''t feel fatigue or hunger, so their Stamina is infinite [Countdown: 3, 2, 1, 0] As the countdown hit zero, Alex felt a wave of weightlessness, her body yanked backwards by an invisible force. She tilted back involuntarily, losing all sense of support. The scene before her blurred, and she instinctively closed her eyes. [Initiating Lord status check.] [Tired bones reignite the soul''s fire, and thousands of subjects will bow at your feet.] A voice echoed in her mind, but the expected fall never came. Alex''s feet landed firmly, and she opened her eyes. Alex found herself in a dilapidated castle that looked extremely old. The collapsed stone walls were covered with cracks and the marks of time, with moss tenaciously growing in the crevices. Tattered tapestries hung on the walls, their colors faded, but the patterns of the past were still faintly visible. The sky around was a dull gray, with almost no trace of sunlight. Heavy clouds hung low, as if pressing down upon the ground. A few dead trees were scattered outside the castle, and occasionally, the wind would blow through, making their branches creak as if they were singing an ancient lament. The ground was covered with a thin layer of dust, indicating that no one had set foot here for a long time. The overall atmosphere felt incredibly oppressive. "Is this the real game world? Then what was all that before?" Alex looked down at herself, black leather shoes and white socks, sexy straight legs, still in that sailor dress. Phew, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness I didn''t turn into a monster, that''s a lucky break in an unlucky situation!" [Welcome back to your domain, esteemed Lord!] [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained the Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [As you possess the most noble bloodline of the undead, your troops will be summoned as the undead race, with uniqueness.] "Ah, what?" Before Alex could react, a red bracelet with two small bells appeared on her right arm. Alex touched it, and the bracelet detached from her arm, transforming into a massive scythe. The scythe was about 6 feet long, taller than Alex, with a blade about 32 inches long, half the length near the handle. It was red and black overall, with a huge blade that curved and emitted a chilling light. At the top and bottom of the handle were two skulls, the larger one at the top with blue flames in its eyes. The handle was wrapped in white cloth, and two bells and two white ribbons were tied where the blade met the handle. "Whoa, this is too cool, talk about maxing out the special effects!" Alex held the scythe in her hand, and details about it popped up in her mind. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Commanding level weapon (upgradable)] [Active Skill: Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 1)] [Passive Skills: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects, base values doubled] No wonder Alex felt a surge of strength holding the scythe, but how strong can a girl weighing just 95 pounds be? Even doubled, Alex still felt pretty weak. With a thought, the Grim Reaper''s Scythe transformed back into a bracelet on Alex''s right arm. [From now on, your castle will receive a seven-day newbie protection period.] [During the protection period, the castle is in an invincible state.] [After the seven days, all Lords will face the first wave of beasts.] [If the core crystal of the castle is destroyed, you and your castle will cease to exist.] [Be warned, this is not a traditional game, this is reality, and if you fail, you will truly die!] Suddenly, Alex noticed a huge protective shield appearing around the castle. This wasn''t just any game; a real defeat meant really kicking the bucket. Feeling the urgency, Alex took a tour around the castle. It had various rooms but was completely unfurnished. Basically, the castle was just a shell, totally empty, no kitchen, no bedroom. Are they expecting me to sleep on the floor? Alex stepped into the small courtyard outside the castle and found a green crystal. Approaching it, a virtual button appeared. Alex pressed the button. [Undead Crystal: lv1 (Unique Barracks)] [Barracks can randomly summon skeletons, zombies, specters, death knights, liches, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, and other undead troops.] [Level 1 Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters (random ten units) with a 1% chance of summoning higher-level troops.] [Upgrading Barracks requires: 100 magic crystals, 1 Essence Shard] "Am I really stuck hanging out with these brainless things forever, oh man!" Alex was on the verge of tears. This place was creepy enough, and now she''s got a bunch of undead for company. [Undead Crystal fully charged, would you like to recruit now?] Two buttons popped up, and Alex, without hesitation, pressed the one on top, [Yes] The Undead Crystal emitted a burst of green light, condensing into ten skeletal figures. The empty skeletons, ten skulls tilting with a creaking noise, then saw Alex and knelt down to show their allegiance. "Why do they look kinda dumb?" "1% chance and I still can''t get any other troops?" Alex couldn''t believe her bad luck, considering how back in the day, she was the lucky star who could succeed on a 0.1% chance when enhancing equipment. Looking at the ten Skeleton Soldiers in front of her, each armed with a round bone shield and a bone sword as long as an arm. "Hey, can you guys talk?" Alex asked, puzzled. The ten skeletons, upon hearing Alex''s words, lifted their empty skeletal heads, their tiny skulls filled with great confusion. "Alright, I expected too much." Alex sighed, her expression saying ''I should have known.'' "Hey, I can check their stats!" Then Alex tapped in the air. A display popped up showing the basic information of the ten skeletons. [Skeleton Soldier] [Race: undead race] S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 5] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] [Note: Troop levels include Standard, Commanding, Monarch, King, Emperor, Sovereign, Divine] [Undead Crystal recharging (recharges fully every midnight)] "Ah, I get it now, the undead don''t feel fatigue or hunger, so their Stamina is infinite." Life Tier is the growth limit of the troops. As for the level classification, the note made it pretty clear. An ordinary skeleton can only grow up to Commanding level. A normal adult male''s Strength and Agility are around 3 or 4 points, maxing out at 5. So, a level one skeleton soldier isn''t too bad, especially with the undead trait. Alex thought to herself. "Okay, I''m pretty good at comforting myself." Alex decided to ignore the dopey skeletons for now, since there were system prompts to explore, she figured she''d better get a handle on the other facilities and features first. She headed inside the castle to check out the internal info. [Castle Level: lv1] [Health Points: 3k (Invincible mode)] [Territory Area: 0.5 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special Buildings: None] [Upgrade Requirements: 1k wood, 500 stone] "Upgrading the castle needs wood and stone, upgrading Barracks needs magic crystals and Essence Shards. Wood and stone are easy enough, but what the heck are these magic crystals and Essence Shards?" Alex pondered, then suddenly a more pressing issue popped into her mind. "Looks like there''s no food in this castle, and what if the outside is just slimes and goblins?" "Ew, I''m not eating that stuff!" "Hey, you numbskulls, don''t just stand there, go out and hunt!" Alex shouted to the skeletons outside the castle. The ten skeletons looked at each other, clearly not getting what Alex was ordering them to do. "It means go outside the castle and fight, duh~" This time the skeletons got it, and with their 5 Agility, they started moving towards the outside of the castle. After getting the hang of the castle and crystal features, Alex was ready to dive into the other features. Inside the castle, there was a central system that could pull up all the features, making it unnecessary to run outside every time she wanted to summon troops. The system was divided into five modules: [Castle], [Barracks Crystal], [World Chat], [All-Races Fair Trade], and [My Profile]. All-Races Fair Trade was pretty self-explanatory¡ªit was a trading platform. Alex clicked to check it out. Although all humans from Earth had arrived on the continent of Eldoria, the platform was currently as empty as a ghost town, nothing for sale. Next, Alex tapped on [My Profile], which was split into [Personal Information] and [Warehouse]. She opened her personal info: [Lord: Alex] [Power Level: lv1 Standard (can be increased by killing enemies with personal and troops)] [Territory Level: lv1 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 100] [Magic Points: 20] [Strength: 2] [Stamina: 1] [Agility: 2] "I''m this weak? No way!" Alex was in disbelief. She then clicked on [Warehouse]: [Wood: 0] [Stone: 0] [Magic Crystal: 0] [Essence Shard: 0] "Great, starting from scratch here," Alex muttered, realizing she had her work cut out for her if she was going to survive and thrive in Eldoria. 3 Undead Summoning Magic These features reminded Alex of some strategy games she used to play, so she caught on pretty quickly. Upgrading the castle seemed straightforward, just needing wood and stone. Based on typical online game mechanics, Alex guessed that later upgrades would probably require gems, mercury, sulfur, and the like. She noticed the default Lord name in the top left corner of the page, "Undead Castle." Curious, she clicked on it and realized she could change it! Ditching the generic castle names, Alex punched in a new, catchier name for herself: Hamburger. Next, Alex opened the World Chat, where messages were zipping by so fast they were just a blur. Luckily, there was a pause button next to the chat, which she quickly used to catch her breath and read the messages. [NotARobot]: "Hey guys, what kind of troops do y''all have?" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Why did I summon a lv1 slime that can only bounce? I want to complain, I need a restart!" [Error404]: "Haha, I summoned an ogre, unbeatable from the start!" [BaconWrapped]: "I recruited elves, not only are they powerful, but they also have big butts! Most importantly, they are very obedient, helping me out with a blowjob right now!" [SirLaughsALot]: "Dang, I''m so jealous, I summoned a bunch of hyenas. They keep sniffing my butt." .... Alex peered at the World Chat, realizing just how uneven the playing field was. So much for a fair and square battle royale. Some folks started off with hydras, while others got stuck with mere peasants. "Ah, so it''s all down to luck, huh?" Alex mused. There was a newbie protection period of seven days, but who knew how many would survive the beast wave after that. Everyone started with a castle, and from there, it was all up to individual effort. Clearly, the so-called protection period was just a safe window to beef up. If she did nothing and just holed up in her castle, not only would the beast wave post-seven days likely overrun the city, but starvation would get her first. Curious about the outside world and how her Skeleton Soldiers were faring, Alex stepped up to the castle gate. Inside the castle, resources were non-existent; everything had to be sourced externally. Knowing she was only level 1 and unlike her Skeleton Soldiers, couldn''t resurrect if killed, Alex cautiously stayed within the protective barrier. Outside, the landscape was a mix of thickets and rocky terrain, with a few withered ancient trees and no visible water sources. In the distance, through the mist, a majestic snowy mountain loomed¡ªundeniably white and several dozen miles from her castle. That mountain surely held high-level monsters and rare materials! Meanwhile, not far from her, Alex spotted her Skeleton Soldiers clashing with a group of wild boars. The boars charged, scattering the Skeleton Soldiers, but their bone blades managed to stab into the boars'' backs. Bleeding profusely and losing balance, the boars started crashing around wildly. Luckily, the Skeleton Soldiers had the advantage in numbers and could reassemble after being scattered, rendering the boars'' attacks virtually ineffective. Eventually, ten Skeleton Soldiers teamed up and took down the boars. [Your troops have killed a lv1 wild boar, gaining five experience points] [Your troops have killed a lv1 wild boar, gaining five experience points] ... One-on-one, a Skeleton Soldier versus a level 1 wild boar was no easy match, and the odds weren''t great. Even though Skeleton Soldiers don''t die, those boars, man, they just bolt when they can''t win, and the slow-moving Skeleton Soldiers can''t keep up. Alex''s gorgeous face was etched with worry. "Man, these Skeleton Soldiers are kinda weak sauce!" But hey, Alex ended up bagging 30 experience points and leveled up to level 2, feeling all sorts of beefed up. "Leveling up feels awesome!" The Skeleton Soldiers that took down the boars also hit level 2. Looks like that''s the sweet XP from knocking out enemies. Not a bad way to level up while chilling. Soon enough, a few Skeleton Soldiers dragged back the boar carcasses. Alex looked at the dark-skinned boars and a prompt popped up. [Found wild boar carcass, do you want to Disassemble it now?] "Disassemble!" [Wild boar carcass successfully Disassembled, obtained 120 portions of wild boar meat, 12 boar tusks, 6 boar skins, and 2 magic crystals.] The boar carcass vanished in a flash, and the Warehouse got stocked with all the goodies from the Disassemble. "Nice little haul, y''all keep taking out enemies and bring back the bodies!" Alex commanded her Skeleton Soldiers. Out of 6 boar carcasses, only 2 magic crystals dropped; the rest of the loot was standard, with only the magic crystals being a random drop. One boar carcass could be Disassembled into 20 portions of meat, 2 tusks, and a skin, with a level 1 boar dropping 5 experience points. "Wait a sec, don''t I have some skill to summon undead too?" Alex touched the bracelet on her right hand, which instantly transformed into a massive scythe. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Commanding level weapon (upgradable)] [Active Skill: Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 1)] [Passive Skill: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects] Checking out the pop-up info, Alex tapped on the description of the active skill. [Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 1): Consumes 3 Magic Points to summon a Skeleton Soldier from a target corpse (cooldown 5 minutes)] Alex had 20 Mana Points, meaning she could summon up to 6 times, netting her 6 more Skeleton Soldiers in half an hour. Soon, notifications of her troops killing wild creatures popped up again. [Your troops have killed a lv1 wild rabbit, gaining three experience points] [Your troops have killed a lv2 wild chicken, gaining four experience points] Alex immediately ordered one of the Skeleton Soldiers to bring back the bodies, eager to test out the undead magic. Standing over the rabbit corpse, Alex wielded the scythe and used the Undead Summoning Magic. Mana Points 17/20. Mana Points regenerate at one point per minute, and after her first magic use, Alex got the hang of the regeneration rate. A gray magic circle appeared under the rabbit corpse, and a Skeleton Soldier slowly crawled out from it. "Whoa, it actually summoned a humanoid skeleton, and the corpse is still here!" Alex looked at the dorky skeleton in front of her. [Skeleton Soldier] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 5] Alex also spotted a catch¡ªthe Skeleton Soldiers she summoned were locked at their summoning level. Meaning, the Skeleton Soldiers she summoned couldn''t level up by killing enemies. Based on her years of gaming experience, Alex guessed that the level of the summoned Skeleton Soldiers probably depended on the level of the corpse used. 4 I''m so smart "The rabbit corpse is still here, so can I just keep summoning forever?" Alex waited another five minutes, all hyped up, and tried summoning from the rabbit corpse again. [Summoning Failed] Mana Points 17/20. "I knew it; how could there possibly be such a good thing? I just wasted three Mana Points for nothing." Once the cd was over, Alex immediately used her undead magic on the nearby wild chicken corpse, and just as she expected, this time the summoned Skeleton Soldier was level 2, with its level locked. "Disassemble, disassemble!" Alex hit the Disassemble button on both the rabbit and chicken corpses. [Rabbit corpse successfully Disassembled, obtained 10 portions of rabbit meat, 1 rabbit skin] [Chicken corpse successfully Disassembled, obtained 5 portions of chicken meat, 1 magic crystal] "Whoa, jackpot! The level 2 chicken dropped a magic crystal. Looks like higher-level creatures have a better chance of dropping magic crystals." "Y''all go fight some more, and remember to bring back the bodies!" Alex commanded the skeletons in front of her. Alex crouched down and started crunching numbers. Mana Points 20, takes 20 minutes to fully regenerate, skill cooldown 5 minutes, skill costs 3 points. "30 minutes for 6, an hour makes 12, and in an eight-hour day, that''s 96! Plus ten daily summons from the crystal, that''s over a hundred Skeleton Soldiers a day, seven hundred in a week!" "Time to go full zerg rush!" Alex stood tall, raised her hand confidently. "Chickens are easier to kill, rabbits work too. Right now, the Skeleton Soldiers are low level, taking on boars isn''t efficient." Alex entered the castle and headed to the Warehouse, looking at the neatly stacked food in the corner. The food stored in the Warehouse stays exactly as it was when put in, never spoils¡ªthat''s a pretty sweet deal. Alex planned to have the Skeleton Soldiers level up by fighting monsters first. That way, both the Skeleton Soldiers and she could level up and potentially get more troops. Once they had the numbers, gathering resources like wood and stone would be a breeze. "Lol, I''m a genius!" Alex was just chilling, squatting on the side, watching her Skeleton Soldiers hunt while peeking at the World Chat where other Lords were bragging. Honestly, that chat was the only entertainment around here. But Alex was kinda puzzled, This is the All-Races Battle Royale, a survival game, folks! Are all these Lords really that chill? Shouldn''t they be freaking out about how to get back to Earth? Don''t they need to gather resources? Don''t they eat? Why are they all just trash-talking in the World Chat? Alex''s head was buzzing with questions, and she really wanted to ask, but she was afraid of being labeled a weirdo by these folks. People in this world sure are quick to adapt... Meanwhile, at the All-Races Fair Trade, many Lords were listing resources for trade. Alex, bored out of her mind, clicked to check it out. One portion of food for ten portions of wood or five portions of stone. At the end of this trade info, there was a gray horizontal bar. And there were other messages too. One portion of food for twenty portions of wood or ten portions of stone. This trade had a green upward arrow at the end. Alex got it¡ªthe gray bar probably represented the system-set market price, and the green upward arrow meant it was overpriced, a heads-up that Lords would be at a loss with such trades. But on the flip side, some Lords were offering twenty pieces of wood for one portion of food, marked with a red downward arrow. That meant you''d score a bit if you traded with this Lord. But Alex noticed something¡ªtrades offering wood or stone for food were snapped up almost instantly, while offers of food for wood or stone just sat there, untouched. What does that tell you? It shows that these Lords, right at the start, find food super precious, so they''re willing to pay several times the price. On the other hand, trying to trade basic materials for food? Hardly anyone''s biting. Because Alex''s troops are undead, and hey, undead don''t need to eat! But the other Lords aren''t so lucky¡ªthey not only need to feed themselves, their troops need grub too. Alex was just hanging out, watching her Skeleton Soldiers do their thing, when she caught something interesting in the World Chat. Turns out, if troops go hungry, their loyalty drops. Who knew? It''s wild to think about how much grub those Lords who summoned dragons or Titans must need early on. Most Lords can scrape together enough food for themselves and their troops, but that leaves zilch for trading. Plus, they gotta hustle for stone and wood too. But here''s the kicker¡ªAlex only needs to keep a bit of food for herself; the rest she can trade off! This way, she can quickly stock up on stone and wood. Her Skeleton Soldiers aren''t just good for leveling up¡ªthey also bring in stone and wood. "Pretty slick," she thought. Alex spotted a business opportunity and jumped right in. In her Warehouse, she had 120 portions of wild boar, 10 portions of rabbit, and 10 portions of chicken. Each portion was about a kilogram, enough for a Lord to have a hearty meal. For Alex, though, a portion was more than enough. "But what''s the right price?" Alex pondered, chin in hand, scrolling through the market rates. "Every man for himself, right? I''ve made up my mind!" [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One portion of food for forty portions of wood or twenty portions of stone.] [Remaining quantity: 100 portions.] "People are marking up two or three times the price, so why not four times? Plus, I''m dropping a hundred portions on them, bam!" With billions of people in this game world, Alex was sure someone would bite. She continued to squat by the castle gate, refreshing the trade info like a boss. In less than ten seconds, a bunch of messages popped up. [Successful trade: one portion of food for twenty portions of stone] [Successful trade: ten portions of food for four hundred portions of wood] [Successful trade: twenty portions of food for eight hundred portions of stone] ... Just seconds after Alex listed her stash, all 100 portions of food were snapped up. She raked in 2,000 portions of wood and 1,000 portions of stone. The goods were automatically transferred to her Warehouse. Upgrading the castle only needed 1,000 wood and 500 stone. Time to level up! Alex pulled up the castle interface and hit upgrade without a second thought. [Castle Level: lv2] [Health Points: 6k (Invincible)] [Territory Area: 1 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the right to oversee everything, along with the ability to Disassemble and recycle the Warehouse.] [Special Buildings: None] [Upgrade Requirements: 2k wood, 1k stone] "Doesn''t seem much different¡ªjust more HP and a bigger turf," Alex mumbled. She was hoping for some cool new features, but nada. Feeling a bit let down, she went back to scrolling through the World Chat. "Wait, am I famous now?" Alex noticed a lot of chatter about her. [SirLaughsALot]: "Hamburger is so clutch, I''m literally eating shit here, and she had a hundred portions of food!" [NotARobot]: "@SirLaughsALot, did you fill up? How''s the taste?" [BaconWrapped]: "I''ve got some trained elf slaves here, wanna trade for some food?" [BigEarBull]: "@BaconWrapped, take a closer look; I suspect that Hamburger''s Lord is a lady. Keep your elves for yourself." [KingOfTheForest]: "Anyone else got food? I''ve got loads of wood to trade!" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Why can''t we see Error404 anymore? Why aren''t they talking, did their troops eat him?" [BlackTiger]: "Stop yelling, someone else just listed food for sale!" Seeing this, Alex also checked out the marketplace and noticed a Lord named "Flame Spirit" had listed 30 portions of food. Shortly after, another Lord called "King Ultraman" listed 50 portions of food. Both were charging four times the going rate, just like Alex had. She guessed these guys probably summoned troops that didn''t need to eat, just like hers. "Flame Spirit" made sense to Alex¡ªprobably elemental troops that don''t require food. But "King Ultraman"? What''s up with that? Did he summon actual Ultramen as troops? With billions of players worldwide, it''s inevitable some would summon powerful troops like Behemoths, Trolls, Titans, Dragons, and of course, those that don''t need food like Vampires, Demons, Golems, Elementals, and Plants. Even if people summoned these types of troops, they''d still be a drop in the bucket compared to the global player base. Even if all these players started selling food, the market could totally handle it without affecting Alex. And since it''s only day one, most Lords are still scrambling for food. Maybe in a few days, food won''t be as big of a deal, but for now, it''s prime time. "Alright, time to roll up the sleeves and get to work!" Alex was all fired up. 5 What a bountiful harvest [Congrats on leveling up to lv3.] "Man, leveling up feels awesome!" Alex exclaimed, already pumped for the next level up. It was the XP from slaying skeletons in the wild that bumped Alex up a level. She''d been glued to the World Chat and missed the kill notifications. Alex felt a bit stronger, not enough to KO a buffalo with one punch, but definitely could take out a rabbit. [Lord: Alex] [Power: lv3 Standard (Personal and troops'' kills can increase level)] [Territory Level: lv2 Starter Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 100] [Mana Points: 30] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: 5] [Agility: 6] Alex stared at her stats panel, kinda speechless. "Why do my lv3 stats look almost the same as a lv1 Skeleton Soldier?" It was nearing noon, but Alex didn''t feel hungry at all, and her Skeleton Soldiers had brought back all the corpses. She noticed a few of her Skeleton Soldiers looked different¡ªtaller, and their aura felt stronger. [Skeleton Warrior] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv3 (Increases with kills)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 15] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 10] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] "Did they just class up to lv3?" Alex looked at the three Skeleton Warriors in front of her, standing about 7 feet tall. Their old bone shields and knives were gone, replaced by huge bone longswords. Their bones looked shinier, probably tougher. Besides the three Skeleton Warriors, the remaining nine had all reached lv2. Then Alex pulled out her Grim Reaper''s Scythe, ready to start a troop boosting plan. Suddenly, she noticed the Grim Reaper''s Scythe''s info had changed too. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Commanding level weapon (upgradable)] [Active Skill: Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 2)] [Passive Skill: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects, victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead] Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 2): Summon double the Skeleton Soldiers. "Got a new passive skill, huh? So anything I slice up with this scythe turns into undead?" "And the active skill, Undead Summoning Magic, leveled up to Tier 2." Alex decided to test it out on a nearby wild chicken corpse. Using Undead Summoning Magic! Mana Points: 27/30 Alright, still burns three Mana Points each time. But Alex noticed that instead of one Skeleton Soldier crawling out from the chicken corpse, now there were two! And these Skeleton Soldiers kept their original levels, though their levels were still locked. Alex was stoked¡ªthis meant she could summon even more Skeleton Soldiers. She spent some time casting Undead Summoning Magic on all the corpses. Five lv1 wild boars, two lv2 wild boars, thirty lv1 wild chickens, ten lv2 wild chickens, eight lv1 wild rabbits, and two lv1 gazelles. That was the morning''s haul for twelve skeletons. In total, Alex summoned ninety lv1 Skeleton Soldiers and twenty-four lv2 Skeleton Soldiers. But this Tier 2 Undead Summoning Magic was only good for doubling the number of Skeleton Soldiers. To double summon other types of undead creatures, she''d probably need to level up the skill. Adding the originally summoned skeletons, Alex now had a whopping 126 skeletons¡ªthree lv3 Skeleton Warriors, thirty-three lv2 Skeleton Soldiers, and ninety lv1 Skeleton Soldiers. And that was just half a day''s work¡ªAlex could hardly believe it. She then disassembled all the corpses. [Wild boar corpse disassembled successfully, obtained 140 portions of wild boar meat, 14 wild boar tusks, 7 wild boar skins, 3 magic crystals.] [Wild rabbit corpse disassembled successfully, obtained 80 portions of wild rabbit meat, 8 wild rabbit skins, 1 magic crystal] [Wild chicken corpse disassembled successfully, obtained 200 portions of wild chicken meat, 18 magic crystals] [Gazelle corpse disassembled successfully, obtained 20 portions of gazelle meat, 1 gazelle skin, 1 magic crystal] "Jackpot! All this food can be traded for a ton of stone and wood." "Yo, grab that chicken over there for me, alive and clucking!" Alex pointed at a bush not too far off, commanding her skeleton crew. Three Skeleton Warriors, now with Agility at ten, not the measly five they started with, quickly nabbed the chicken. One of them held the chicken by the neck and brought it to Alex. "Cluck cluck!" The chicken struggled, but Alex, with a swift swing of her Grim Reaper''s Scythe, chopped it right in half. The body hit the ground, and instantly a magic circle appeared, spawning a Skeleton Soldier, just like the ones summoned by magic. But now, with Undead Summoning Magic at Tier 2, she could summon two at a time. The cool part? Slicing them up with the scythe didn''t use any Mana Points. Talk about perks! After disassembling the body, Alex sent all 126 of her skeletons out to hunt. With the castle grounds getting crowded, they spread further out. With over a hundred Skeleton Soldiers on the prowl, who knows how many bodies they''d drag back by dusk? Alex might have just found her gold mine. Tired of standing at the castle gate, Alex headed back inside. The Warehouse now held 400 units of food. Deciding she wasn''t hungry, Alex threw all 400 units up for trade in one go! [Hamburger initiated a trade!] [One unit of food for forty units of wood or twenty units of stone.] [Remaining quantity: 400 units.] Same old trade, same old rates. As soon as Hamburger''s trade hit the market, it sparked the usual buzz. [Everyone, hustle! Big Hamburger''s dropped food on the market again!] [Seriously, what kind of troops does this lord have? Bags 500 units of food in no time!] [Can someone drop a guide? My troops are farmers, surrounded by desert, and they''ve stopped working they''re so hungry.] [Same here, all grasslands around, no wood to chop, no stone to mine, I''m just grazing to stay full, feel like a bipedal rabbit over here.] 6Frost dragon "The fact that the trading post doesn''t charge a fee is pretty legit." In less than five minutes, all 400 units of food Alex put up were snatched up. She scored 6,000 units of wood and 3,000 units of stone. Time to upgrade the castle again. Even though Alex isn''t quite sure what upgrading the castle does, upgrading is always the way to go. Who knows, maybe there''s something special at troopslv3 or for the castle too! In a flash, 2,000 wood and 1,000 stone vanished from the Warehouse. [Castle Level: lv3] [Health Points: 10k] [Territory Area: 1.5 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle the Warehouse] [Special Building: None] [Upgrade Requirements: 4k wood, 2k stone] Just when Alex thought upgrading to lv3 was no biggie, a notification popped up. [Congrats Lord, on leveling up your castle to level 3, you''ve earned a random special building blueprint!] "Sweet, there''s actually a special reward!" Alex realized that hitting level 3, whether it''s her own level, her troops, or the castle, always brings some mysterious changes. She received the random special building blueprint, [Special Building Blueprint: Maiden''s Wardrobe.] [Building Level: None] [Feature1: The wardrobe has an auto-cleaning feature.] [Feature2: It can repair all clothes inside.] [Feature3: Increases other Lords'' favorability, but only if they''re already neutral or better.] [Building Materials: 1 magic crystal.] "What? A wardrobe?" Alex was stunned, her mouth agape. "Are you sure this thing has anything to do with Lord wars?" The system, being a fixed program, of course, didn''t answer Alex''s question. But luckily, it only needed one magic crystal to build, and a lv2 chicken could drop one, so Alex wasn''t sweating it. "Build it!" One magic crystal disappeared from the Warehouse, and Alex headed to her bedroom. Alex''s bedroom setup was extremely simple: it didn''t even have a bed for sleeping. Until now, that was all there was. Suddenly, a massive wardrobe appeared out of nowhere, occupying an entire wall. It was decked out in light blue and pink, with sliding doors and a simple yet stylish design that definitely didn''t blend in with the rest of the castle¡ªor the world, for that matter. It almost gave Alex the feeling of being back in a modern city. Besides the huge wardrobe, an additional bed appeared, so that Alex no longer had to sleep on the floor. Curious, Alex slid open the wardrobe doors and was blown away again. The wardrobe was packed with clothes, all neatly arranged, easily a thousand pieces, giving off major department store vibes. The wardrobe was divided into sections: tops and pants, suits, underwear, socks, and shoes. The underwear section was the smallest, followed by shoes. Inside, it seemed to contain every type of women''s clothing imaginable. There was a whole row of pleated skirts, plus all the usuals¡ªshirts, dresses, bodycon skirts, low-cut gowns, shorts, long pants, and bodysuits. But what really got Alex jazzed was the underwear section. The drawers were stuffed with all kinds¡ªcartoon-themed, lacy, sporty. There were white crew socks, thigh-highs, over-the-knee stockings, tights, and Alex''s favorite, black Balenciaga stockings. And of course, the shoe section wasn''t lacking either, with sneakers, casual shoes, leather shoes, and even high heels. It dawned on Alex that everything in the wardrobe was her size, even the bras matched her cup size. There was even a lift feature designed for easy access to the clothes. "And with the repair feature, I could literally rip my stockings and they''d just fix themselves?" Seeing all this, Alex got super excited about trying on the wardrobe''s offerings for a wild new look. Since it was just her, why not... Hold up, Alex, what are you doing? Don''t let those desires mess with your head, girl! This is Eldoria, a land with a hundred thousand races, countless Lords, and wars that can get real deadly! Alex snapped back to reality, resisting the urge to dive deeper into her wardrobe adventures. "Got to focus on the real deal, the real deal. Darn wardrobe, messing with my willpower!" "But hey, having some fresh clothes is pretty sweet. Can''t be rocking the same outfit forever, right?" Alex changed into a new outfit and stepped out of the bedroom. Back in the Warehouse, there were still 4,000 units of wood and 2,000 units of stone¡ªjust enough to level up the castle again. With no other immediate use for the wood and stone, Alex decided to go ahead and upgrade the castle. [Castle Level: lv4] [Health Points: 20k] [Territory Area: 2 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle the Warehouse] [Special Building: Maiden''s Wardrobe.] [Upgrade Requirements: 6k wood, 3k stone] Now, Alex''s Warehouse was empty of food, wood, and stone. She''d have to wait until evening to gather more resources from wild creatures. As for the boar tusks, boar skins, and rabbit skins in the Warehouse, Alex figured they were probably for crafting gear, but her current level was too low to unlock those options. But Alex''s undead troops not only could change classes but also came equipped with their own weapons, so she didn''t need these materials for crafting. "Guess I''ll just have to sell these materials later." Other Lords might guess that these materials could be used for crafting gear, but without knowing their specific uses, they definitely wouldn''t trade blindly. Suddenly, while standing in the castle courtyard, Alex spots a massive creature high in the sky. "Some kind of giant bird?" As the creature descends, getting closer, Alex finally sees it clearly. "Holy smokes, it''s a dragon!" A blue dragon, about 15 feet long, eventually lands gently on a snowy mountain not too far from Alex''s castle. Alex figures it must be a frost dragon¡ªthis is Eldoria, after all. From the novels Alex read in her past life, dragons were always at the pinnacle of power, the highest tier of creatures. "Can''t believe there''s actually a dragon living on that snowy mountain!" Alex had thought the mountain might harbor some high-level wild creatures, but she never imagined something as high-level as a dragon! The snowy mountain isn''t too close to Alex''s castle, and because it''s so tall, it''s visible from her location. After two upgrades, the castle''s Territory Area has reached 2 square miles, but the mountain is still a bit away. Alex really wants to check out the dragon''s stats, but alas, it''s not within her territory. The sense of urgency hits her¡ªAlex doesn''t want to end up as dragon food once her castle expands and the seven-day newbie protection expires. "I was just starting to enjoy being a lord!" 7 Darkness descends The first day in Eldoria has wrapped up. [Lord: Alex] [Power Level: lv4 Standard (can be increased by personal and troops'' kills)] [Territory Level: lv4 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 150] [Mana Points: 30] [Strength: 9] [Stamina: 8] [Agility: 9] Stats are nearing ten points, Mana Points haven''t increased, but Health Points are up by fifty. Another round of joyful leveling up! As evening falls, Alex watches her Skeleton Soldiers return loaded with loot, a charming smile playing on her lips. So far, Alex hasn''t spotted any signs of native forces nearby. The area is mostly populated by low-level wild creatures, the toughest being level three¡ªmostly wild boars, rabbits, chickens, and antelopes, which stand no chance against Alex''s undead army. Of course, the frost dragon on the snowy mountain is an exception. Alex needs to level up fast to capture that frost dragon from the snowy mountain and make it her mount. "Riding a dragon, just thinking about it feels epic!" While tirelessly casting Undead Summoning Magic, Alex fantasizes about the moment she''ll dominate the world. As the sky darkens, Alex finishes summoning all the wild creatures and sits down, panting, disassembling their bodies back into the Warehouse. Currently, the Warehouse holds a total of 900 units of food. Although just a dozen skeletons managed to gather 500 units in the morning, Alex knows the wild creatures around her castle aren''t infinite. After a morning of hunting, the number of wandering creatures around the castle has noticeably decreased. Gathering 900 units of food in one afternoon is quite a haul. The magic crystals have reached 155 pieces, but there are still no Essence Shards. Alex guesses that higher-level creatures might drop Essence Shards. The skeleton army has gained new members, now boasting 2 lv4 Skeleton Warriors, 10 lv3 Skeleton Warriors, 67 lv2 Skeleton Soldiers, and 150 lv1 Skeleton Soldiers. Most of the lv1 Skeleton Soldiers are summoned using undead magic and can only maintain a lv1 status, unable to level up. [Skeleton Warrior] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv4 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 18] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 12] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] The lv4 Skeleton Warrior''s Strength has increased by three points and Agility by two points compared to lv3. Alex noticed something odd; it''s been a day, and she still isn''t feeling hungry. Maybe it''s related to some undead lineage she''s awakened, inheriting traits from the undead race. That''s Alex''s guess anyway, because what normal person doesn''t get hungry after a whole day? At first, Alex thought maybe she just wasn''t eating enough. Alex puts up 900 units of food for sale again at the All-Races Fair Trade. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One unit of food for forty units of wood or twenty units of stone.] [Remaining quantity: 900 units.] As soon as Alex''s offer hits the market, it grabs the attention and astonishment of the crowd¡ª900 units of food isn''t something you see every day. "Damn, Hamburger''s at it again!" "LOL, I''ve already traded for a hundred units." "Dude! Are you a quick shooter or what? How''d you trade so fast?" While Alex is enjoying the banter in the World Chat, a new system alert pops up. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] [Nightfall brings double strength to wild creatures and a risk of higher-level creatures appearing.] "Guess it''s just a rage mode at night, huh? Does double the stats mean double the loot?" Alex isn''t too worried about any high-level creatures showing up; after all, there''s nothing around, and high-level creatures can''t just appear out of nowhere. Besides, the undead race is immortal! "Keep up the good work, go back out and hunt!" Why not make the most of an undead with infinite stamina? The first seven days of newbie protection are crucial for pulling ahead of other Lords. The World Chat continues its heated discussion, though the topic has shifted from Hamburger to the nightfall. As Alex watches the flashing system alerts, she zones out for a moment, and by the time she snaps back to reality, all 900 units of food have been sold. Alex ends up with 18,000 units of wood and 9,000 units of stone. Alex went straight for the upgrade after checking the stash. [Castle Level: lv5] [Health Points: 30k (Invincible)] [Territory Area: 3 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, along with the ability to Disassemble and recycle stuff at the Warehouse.] [Special Building: Maiden''s Wardrobe] Next level up needed 8k wood and 4k stone. Peeking into the Warehouse, Alex saw there was still 12k wood and 6k stone left¡ªenough for another level up. She was already getting hyped about unlocking a new special building at Castle lv6. [Castle Level: lv6] [Health Points: 40k (Invincible)] [Territory Area: 4 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, along with the ability to Disassemble and recycle stuff at the Warehouse.] [Special Building: Maiden''s Wardrobe] Next upgrade: 10k wood, 5k stone. [Congrats to the Lord on reaching Castle lv6, scoring a random special building blueprint.] Just as Alex guessed, every three levels up, you snag a special blueprint. She grabbed her reward and checked out the blueprint details. [Special Building Blueprint: Bone Throne.] [Building Level: Monarch level] [Feature1: Boosts troops'' loyalty to the Lord.] [Feature2: Within the territory, boosts the strength of the Lord and troops by one level (effective below Monarch level).] [Feature3: Inside the castle, boosts the experience gained by the Lord by 1.5 times (effective below Monarch level).] [Building Materials: 10k wood, 10k stone, 100 magic crystals, 10 Essence Shards.] "Nice, snagged a Monarch level blueprint this time, looks super fancy," Alex grinned, glad it wasn''t some random junk. Alex checked out the three features of the Bone Throne, and man, they were killer¡ªespecially the part about boosting her XP. "Speeding up the leveling fun, hehe..." All the Skeleton Soldiers in her territory got an instant upgrade, with over a hundred of them jumping to lv2 temporarily. "Give it a week, and I''ll show all the lords the might of the undead wave!" Alex flicked a strand of white hair behind her ear, all confident. But this whole boosting troop loyalty thing, she didn''t quite get it¡ªfelt a bit useless. Her Skeleton Soldiers were already 100% loyal. And those building materials? Way too pricey. Ten Essence Shards? She hadn''t even seen one, let alone owned any. Despite the darkness creeping in, the Blood Moon hanging over the lords'' heads still cast a faint red glow, adding a touch of eeriness to the dark lands of Eldoria. Now, Alex''s territory stretched over 4 square miles, a diameter of about 8 square miles. For a lord who just landed on Eldoria, that was pretty impressive. Suddenly, Alex sensed another creature entering her territory. All she could see was a white figure, about the size of a wild boar, way off in the distance. Too far to make out clearly. "Right, I can check the info since it''s my territory!" 8 Essence Shards Then Alex pulled up the deets on the mysterious critter. [Moon Silver Wolf] [Race: Moon Wolf Clan] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5] [Health Points: 150] [Mana Points: None] [Strength: 18] [Stamina: 25] [Agility: 20] [Skills: None] Alex finally got what that white shadow was¡ªit was a wolf, probably out hunting at night. "A lv5 wolf, huh? Its Strength''s the same as a lv4 Skeleton Warrior, but its Agility''s a whole 8 points higher." But Alex only had two lv4 Skeleton Warriors. She wasn''t sure if they could take on this lv5 Moon Silver Wolf. The rest of her Skeleton Soldiers were too low-level; the huge gap in attributes meant they couldn''t even touch the high-Agility Moon Silver Wolf. Wolves usually roll deep, but it was odd seeing this lone wolf. Still, Alex sent her two lv4 Skeleton Warriors and ten lv3 Skeleton Warriors to attack the lv5 Moon Silver Wolf. The Moon Silver Wolf, not the sharpest tool in the shed, didn''t get what these moving skeletons were all about. It was just chilling, gnawing on a wild boar carcass, enjoying its meal. It ain''t no dog, and had zero interest in bone-only Skeletons. As the Skeleton Warriors approached, the Moon Silver Wolf''s white ears twitched, clearly hearing them coming. The lv4 Skeleton Warrior, still a ways off, hurled its massive bone blade, aiming to take the enemy down in one hit. The Moon Silver Wolf nimbly dodged the sneak attack, spun around, and snarled at the Skeleton Warrior, as if it thought they were after its food. Seizing the moment, the Moon Silver Wolf lunged and bit. Without his bone blade, the Skeleton Warrior could only swing its arm, which the Moon Silver Wolf promptly bit off. The Moon Silver Wolf tried to crunch the bone but spit it out because it was too hard. Guess it really isn''t a dog. "Man, my lv4 Skeleton Warriors just can''t handle that lv5 Moon Silver Wolf!" But lucky for Alex, she''s got numbers on her side. Soon enough, the Moon Silver Wolf was wounded, while her Skeleton Warriors kept fighting even without their heads. The Moon Silver Wolf, bloodied and surrounded by Skeleton Warriors, still glared fiercely at its enemies. Suddenly, it threw back its white head and let out a howl that echoed through the silent night. The crows perched on distant dead trees scattered, spooked by the wolf''s cry. That''s when Alex figured out where this Moon Silver Wolf came from¡ªit had come down from the nearby snowy mountain! Turns out, there were about seven or eight more Moon Silver Wolves on that mountain, and hearing their buddy''s howl, they all started sprinting down towards Alex''s expanding territory. As Alex''s castle and land grew, it got closer to that snowy mountain, home not just to frost dragons but to Moon Silver Wolves too. Soon, those seven or eight Moon Silver Wolves joined the fray, each one lv5, and with their night-time double stats, they could scatter the bodies of even lv4 Skeleton Warriors with a single strike. Alex quickly had all her Skeleton Soldiers swarm them. Despite the Moon Silver Wolves'' high attack and low defense, even a lv1 Skeleton Soldier could land a hit. These wolves showed some serious pack smarts, each knowing their role. Surrounded by a skeleton army, they rarely got ambushed. Sometimes, they wouldn''t even dodge the lv1 Skeleton Soldiers, focusing instead on avoiding hits from the tougher Skeleton Warriors. As the battle dragged on, the pack of Moon Silver Wolves realized they couldn''t kill these undead foes and started to retreat, protecting their own. The first Moon Silver Wolf, badly injured, didn''t make it out. Another wolf tried to go back and save it but ended up getting caught too. In the end, only two Moon Silver Wolves were killed. "Boom! Your troops just bagged a lv5 Moon Silver Wolf and scored thirty XP points." "Boom! Another lv5 Moon Silver Wolf down for another thirty XP." The system chimed in with the kill alerts. "Argh!" Alex was about to lose it. All this effort for just two wolves? It''s not that the undead race isn''t tough, it''s just that the lowly Skeleton Soldiers are clearly the weak link. "Man, don''t even think about giving me ten Skeleton Soldiers tomorrow!" The Skeleton Soldiers hauled the two Moon Silver Wolf carcasses back, while the rest of the troops went off hunting again. The local critters had all bolted thanks to the Moon Silver Wolves, so the Skeleton Soldiers had to hunt further from the castle. But hey, being undead, Alex wasn''t sweating their safety. Though it was only two wolves, those were lv5 Moon Silver Wolves, no less. Alex, pumped, used her Undead Summoning Magic on the wolf carcasses. Underneath the wolves, a summoning circle appeared, and up crawled four Skeleton Warriors. [Skeleton Warrior] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Maxed Out)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 21] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 14] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] "Smashed through twenty points just like that!" Alex seemed to have cracked the pattern: aside from the big jump from lv2 to lv3, each level up meant a fixed increase in stats¡ªlike for a Skeleton Warrior, each level meant +3 Strength and +2 Agility. [Detected Moon Silver Wolf carcass, initiate Disassemble?] "Disassemble!" [Disassembly of Moon Silver Wolf carcass successful, yielded 80 wolf meat, 4 magic crystals, and 4 Essence Shards (Double Drop).] "Score, Essence Shards!" Alex was over the moon. Double stats meant double loot. High risk, high reward. If Alex wasn''t rolling with undead troops but some other kind, who knows how many would''ve been lost tonight. Looks like the Barracks could be upgraded now! Alex recalled that upgrading the Barracks needed 100 magic crystals and 1 Essence Shard. She had the crystals covered for a while, but those elusive Essence Shards? Finally snagged not just one, but four! Alex is guessing that maybe only creatures above level 5 have a shot at dropping Essence Shards, but with so little info, she''s just gonna put a pin in that for now. "Let''s upgrade the Barracks first!" [Undead Crystal: lv2 (Unique Barracks)] [The Barracks can randomly summon skeletons, zombies, specters, death knights, liches, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, and all sorts of undead troops.] [At level 2, the Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, and death knights¡ªten random troops with a 2% chance of snagging a high-tier troop, and a super slim chance of pulling a Race King.] [Upgrade requirements for the Barracks: 1000 magic crystals, 10 Essence Shards] "It''s still just ten random summons, only now there''s a death knight in the mix and a tiny bump in the chance for high-tier troops. And the materials for the next upgrade? They''ve gone up tenfold..." Alex is kinda speechless, was hoping that upgrading the Barracks meant at least bumping the daily summons from ten to twenty, but nope, just the summon types changed. As for that super slim chance of summoning a Race King, Alex figures it''s just hot air¡ªprobably a 0.01% chance, maybe even 0.001%. What''s she gonna summon, a Skeleton King? Or a Lich King? Every draw is like a ten-pull because each summon is separate; you won''t get lucky one day and pull all high-tier troops. Despite the equal odds for the three major troops, Alex somehow managed to summon ten Skeleton Soldiers in a row. "Who am I supposed to complain to about this?" "Let the skeletons keep fighting; I''m off to bed!" Back in her bedroom, Alex kicked off her shoes and tossed her socks aside, walking barefoot on the floor. With an auto-cleaning feature in her wardrobe, she didn''t have to worry about dirty clothes. Stripping down, Alex headed to the bathroom for a cold shower. Why a cold shower, you ask? Because there''s no hot water! This old-school castle is pretty basic¡ªjust having water is a luxury, let alone a warm bath. Dreaming of hot water? Keep dreaming. Luckily, the bed is still clean, just a bit old-fashioned. Alex made do and slipped naked into bed. 9 Bone dragon king Lying in bed, half-asleep, Alex suddenly had a lightbulb moment. "Wait a sec! Can''t I summon troops again at midnight?" Summoning at midnight means her troops can hunt all night long¡ªhello, extra food! Alex pulled up the system screen to check the time. It was just eleven o''clock. Still early, what to do? ... Five minutes later, Alex strolled out of her room, casually rocking an oversized T-shirt that showed off her long legs. She headed to the kitchen. Not really hungry, but feeling snacky. "Wonder if the meat in this game world tastes any good." Soon, Alex emerged with a giant pork chop, bigger than her face. Holding it with both hands, she took a big bite. The wild boar meat was tough, hard to bite through, so Alex had to tear at it vigorously. Finally, she managed to rip off a mouthful. The pork chop, now slobbered on from her efforts, surprisingly tasted pretty good. Alex was pleasantly surprised; she thought it would be awful. After finishing the pork chop, Alex''s mouth and hands were greasy and sticky. It took her a while to clean up, and by then, it was nearly midnight. Alex checked out the World Chat for a bit, and soon it was twelve o''clock. She was already by the Barracks, familiar prompt popped up again. [Undead Crystal fully charged, recruit now?] [Yes] or [No]. Alex took a deep breath and hit yes without hesitation. The Undead Crystal glowed green, and slowly, ten figures formed behind the light. One was massive, about 20 feet tall. The others were smaller, mostly the size of Skeleton Soldiers. Alex was instantly drawn to the huge figure. "Ha, luck''s on my side tonight!" Alex finally got a good look at the troops she summoned this time¡ªa massive bone dragon, three zombies, two specters, and four death knights. Talk about hitting the jackpot with beginner troops! The bone dragon laid its skeletal head on the ground, blue flames flickering in its eyes, wings sprawled out. "Your Majesty, your servant greets you." Alex jumped when both the bone dragon and the specters spoke. High-level undeads are smart, she remembered. Specters, being ethereal undead, are among the few lower-tier spirits with intelligence. A panel popped up with info on the four major troops. The bone dragon was clearly the top-tier creature here, so Alex didn''t hesitate to check its stats first. [bone dragon king (unnamed)] [Race: undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 50] [Strength: 20] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 20] [Max Potential: Divine level] [Active Skill: Nether Dragon Breath] Nether Dragon Breath: Spews a chilling blue soul fire that corrodes the enemy''s soul and freezes their body. [Passive Skill: Elemental Magic Immunity] [Note: Troop levels range from Standard, Commanding, Monarch, King, Emperor, Sovereign, to Divine] Alex''s jaw dropped. She couldn''t believe it wasn''t just any bone dragon, but the king of bone dragons¡ªbone dragon king! "This is insane, its base stats are even higher than a level 5 Moon Silver Wolf!" "Hold up, its max potential is Divine level! Wow, that''s awesome!!!" This means the bone dragon king could ascend to godhood! With such high initial stats, its growth potential is off the charts compared to regular troops. Alex noticed that there were more skills listed behind the bone dragon king, but they were locked and grayed out, probably because the level was too low to unlock them. "Arthur!" "From now on, you''ll be called Arthur!" Alex decided on a name for the bone dragon king. Suddenly, Alex felt that the frost dragon up on the snowy mountain wasn''t so terrifying anymore. Given enough time for Arthur to grow, she could totally crush that frost dragon. Alex didn''t even want the frost dragon as a mount anymore because now she had the way cooler Arthur. Then, she turned her attention to the other three standard troops nearby. The death knight was decked out in floating, tattered armor, with blue cursed flames burning inside, riding a skeletal horse that also blazed with blue flames, wielding a green scythe as a weapon. The specter floated in the air, its body in an ethereal form, radiating a chill and skilled in soul attacks. In contrast, the zombie was in a corpse form, slow-moving, and although not quite your typical zombie, Alex felt it was in the same ballpark, and it didn''t even have a weapon. This zombie seemed even lamer than a Skeleton Soldier. Alex first checked out the zombie''s stats, because the zombie was a real letdown. [zombie] [Race: undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 5] [Max Potential: Commanding level] To Alex''s surprise, this lame zombie could actually reach Commanding level, but its other stats were pretty much identical to a Skeleton Soldier. Next, Alex checked the specter''s stats. [specter (ethereal)] [Race: undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Mind: 6] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 8] [Max Potential: Commanding level] The specter didn''t have a Strength stat, replaced by a Mind stat instead. Being ethereal, it was much quicker than both the Skeleton Soldier and the zombie. Luckily, it was smart enough to hold a conversation. Finally, Alex started checking out the death knight''s stats, which could only be unlocked after upgrading to a level 2 Barracks. [death knight] [Race: undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 8] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 10] [Max Potential: Monarch level] The death knight''s Strength and Agility were way above those of the Skeleton Soldier, zombie, and specter, and its growth potential was higher, hitting Monarch level, but nothing too crazy¡ªpretty standard stuff. Since even the most basic Skeleton Soldier could change class after reaching lv3, Alex was pretty sure these troops could too, and she was already getting excited about it. "Arthur, take them out hunting to level up!" "Yes, my respected Queen!" Arthur led the three major troops out of the castle, joining the Skeleton Soldiers in the wild for some leveling up. "Yawn~" "I''m heading back to sleep, see ya tomorrow!" 10I''m gonna be the richest person in Eldoria On her second day in the land of Eldoria, Alex woke up to a system announcement. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex slipped into some fresh new clothes, tossing yesterday''s outfit into the closet. She threw on a casual white tee, her long white hair loosely hanging down her back, paired with blue denim shorts and flip-flops, and stepped out. Time to check out last night''s loot! As days passed, every Lord was beefing up their strength, and soon, food might not even be a scarce resource. As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm. At the castle''s entrance, Alex was stunned by the mountain of animal carcasses piled up. "Wow, that''s a lot!" With Arthur in the mix, even those high-agility antelopes were easy prey. Alex noticed that after a night in the wild, Arthur had leveled up to lv3. [bone dragon king (Arthur)] [Race: undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv3 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 60] [Strength: 30] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 30] [Max Potential: Divine level] [Active Skill: Nether Dragon Breath] [Passive Skill: Elemental Magic Immunity] Arthur''s Strength and Agility had each spiked by ten points, and his Mana Points had increased by ten as well, though no new skills had unlocked. But that was already terrifying enough¡ªif they encountered a Moon Silver Wolf at night, Arthur could totally dominate. As for the three zombies, only two had made it to lv2, with one still stuck at lv1, probably because zombies are just too dopey. Couldn''t snag enough kills, Alex figured. The two lv2 zombies hadn''t even hit lv3 or changed class, so Alex didn''t bother checking their stats. On the flip side, both specters had reached lv3. Being ethereal undead immune to physical attacks, snatching kills from the clueless Skeleton Soldiers was a piece of cake. [Phantom] [Race: undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv3 (Levels up by defeating enemies)] [Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Mind: 15] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 10] [Max Growth: Commanding level] The lv3 specter has evolved into a Phantom, with significant boosts in Mind and Agility. Despite being one of the basic three troops, it still lacks skills, primarily relying on soul attacks. Though the specter has class-changed, the difference isn''t too drastic¡ªprobably just an enhanced soul attack. The real freaks of nature are the death knights, who''ve undergone a radical transformation. Their usual blue flames have vanished, replaced by eerie, temperature-less red flames. Their scythes have turned blood-red, and they''ve bulked up significantly. [Death Conqueror] [Race: undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv3 (Levels up by defeating enemies)] [Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 16] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 14] [Max Growth: Monarch level] The death knights have also class-changed into, well, death conquerors. As troops unlocked from a level 2 Barracks, their growth stats are significantly higher than those of Skeleton Soldiers. After reviewing her troops'' stats, Alex started to check out her loot. Of course, she didn''t count it herself¡ªthe system automatically did that. Alex also noticed dozens of unread messages in the top right corner of her panel, all about the XP gained from killing wild beasts. She realized she had leveled up again, but hadn''t noticed anything off while she was asleep. [Lord: Alex] [Power: lv5 Standard (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Domain Level: lv6 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 150] [Mana Points: 40] [Strength: 12] [Stamina: 11] [Agility: 12] In just one day and night, Alex had zoomed up to level 5, feeling like leveling up was pretty swift. After checking her stats, Alex turned to start her day''s grind¡ªsummoning, disassembling, recycling! She dealt with 10 wild boars, 15 antelopes, 25 rabbits, and 150 wild chickens. "Man, did I just raid a chicken coop or what?" With so many bodies, it took Alex the whole morning to summon them all. She felt totally wiped out, plopping down on the ground, drained. "Man, using magic is exhausting!" It must be because Alex recruited other troops, but this time using Undead Summoning Magic, she not only summoned Skeleton Soldiers but also managed to bring forth zombies and specters. Of course, there were death knights too, but they were fewer in number compared to Skeleton Soldiers, zombies, and specters. 45 lv1 and lv2 Skeleton Soldiers; 15 lv3 Skeleton Warriors. 35 lv1 and lv2 specters, 25 lv3 Phantoms. 25 lv1 and lv2 death knights, 15 lv3 death knights. 40 lv1 zombies, 20 lv2 zombies. Alex figured out this tricky system¡ªshe couldn''t summon lv3 zombies since she hadn''t unlocked that level for her own zombies, no matter how hard she tried. When she summoned using lv3 wild beast corpses, she got either Skeleton Warriors, Phantoms, or death knights, but not a single lv3 zombie. However, through summoning, she noticed that the double summoning effect from the Grim Reaper''s Scythe wasn''t consistent; sometimes it only summoned one undead creature, but its stats were significantly higher than normal. Though she didn''t know why it was like this, Alex didn''t really sweat it. "This undead army just got bigger again. I wonder what that others Lord with only twenty troops will think when they see my hundreds of undead." Playing games with me? You''re way out of your league! Alex smirks, feeling pretty smug. "Disassemble! Disassemble! Disassemble everything!" [Successfully disassembled wild boar corpse, obtained 400 food portions, 40 wild boar tusks, 20 wild boar skins, 12 magic crystals, 1 Essence Shard.] [Successfully disassembled antelope corpse, obtained 300 food portions, 15 antelope skins, 10 magic crystals, 2 Essence Shards.] [Successfully disassembled rabbit corpse, obtained 350 food portions, 35 rabbit skins, 20 magic crystals.] [Successfully disassembled wild chicken corpse, obtained 750 food portions, 77 magic crystals.] Total haul: 1800 food portions, 119 magic crystals, 3 Essence Shards. "I''m gonna be the richest person in Eldoria!" Chapter 11 - 11: Goblin "Right, with food being so scarce, why not trade it for a magic crystal? Man, I''m such an airhead!" Alex''s little noggin lit up with a spark of inspiration. After all, magic crystals weren''t exactly rare commodities, perfect for those Lords running low on grub. But Essence Shards were a different story, only dropping from level 5 and above, a high-tier resource. Alex figured not many folks had Essence Shards. Those lucky enough to have them probably summoned some powerful troops and wouldn''t be short on food either. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One unit of food for forty units of wood, twenty units of stone, or one magic crystal.] [Remaining quantity: 1,800 units.] One unit of food for one magic crystal, sounds fair, right? Yeah, totally fair. Alex nodded unconsciously. Once Alex''s offer hit the All-Races Fair Trade, it stirred up quite the commotion again. [UnpaidBill]: "I''m a girl, I can do anything for you!" [CaptainPanties]: "Even though I''m a boy, I can do the same..." [LordOfTheFries]: "Now I''m really curious what Hamburger''s troops are. They can''t actually be hamburgers, right?" [Snorezilla]: "Let me guess, Hamburger''s Lord must have some massive troops, only big troops could pack such a punch!" [ToiletPaperThief]: "No kidding, what else could it be if not big troops, mice?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... Soon, Alex started receiving system notifications that trades were happening. This time it took nearly ten minutes to complete all trades. Alex also got a ton of friend requests, too many to count, just showing up as three red dots... Being an orphan, Alex had come to this world alone, with no friends or family to speak of, so she felt no guilt in hitting ''reject all'' with a single click. ... Alex checked the trading post and ended up with a whopping haul of 30,000 units of wood, 15,000 units of stone, and 300 magic crystals. It was the biggest score ever! Alex was over the moon. The special structure, the Bone Throne, was still out of reach due to a shortage of Essence Shards. Looks like she''d have to keep hunting high-level creatures tonight. But upgrading the castle? She had that in the bag. The warehouse was now stocked with an impressive 34k wood and 17k stone, while the castle upgrade only needed 10k wood and 5k stone. Talk about having room to spare. Based on previous upgrade requirements, Alex figured she could probably bump the castle up two levels this time around. But she needed to save materials for the Bone Throne, so she decided to upgrade just one level for now. [Castle Level: lv7] [Health Points: 50k (Invincible)] [Territory Area: 5 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the right to see everything, along with the ability to Disassemble and recycle from the Warehouse.] [Special Structure: Maiden''s Wardrobe] [Upgrade Requirements: 12k wood, 6k stone] Sure enough, there was still enough material left for another upgrade, but Alex wasn''t tempted. The easier upgrades often turned out to be less impressive. She knew that special structures unlocked at levels 3, 6, and 9, and wondered just how high the castle could go¡ªmaybe up to lv100? "Arthur!" "From now on, you''re mainly in charge of taking down high-level wild creatures for leveling up. Also, scout around for any other local forces. Leave the hunting to the other undead." Alex instructed Arthur, who bowed in response. "Yes, my respected Queen." Then, the remaining 456 undead were split into three groups. Two groups of a hundred undead each took on the tasks of mining stone and chopping wood, led by a few lv3 Phantoms. The remaining 200+ undead continued hunting, but those assigned to stone and wood were all lv1, summoned by Alex. This way, the higher-level undead and those with room for advancement could continue hunting to gain experience. Alex had maximized this detail to its fullest. Alex had already noticed that she wasn''t the only one selling food on the World Chat channel; many other Lords were peddling grub too. While a few Lords had prices matching hers, some had started to slash their rates. However, these were just small deals, and Alex''s bulk orders weren''t affected yet. The food market was cooling off, and although Alex''s castle kept leveling up and her territory expanding, it was clear that the local wild creatures were nearly hunted to extinction by her skeleton crew. The undead labor force was limitless, but the number of wild creatures was not. So, Alex decided to divert some of her undead to chop wood and mine stone, capitalizing on their infinite labor. "Seriously, even if zombies are dumb as bricks and can''t snag kills to level up, they should at least handle some mining and lumberjacking, right?" Meanwhile, Arthur was soaring above, hunting wild creatures around the castle. As the local beasts became scarce, he used his aerial advantage to venture further from the castle. Just then, he spotted a group of green humanoid creatures below¡ªlikely a local force. With the advantage of the skies, he dove down, unleashing a breath of dragon breath. The green creatures couldn''t dodge in time and were frozen by the dragon''s breath, their souls extinguished. Only one, a mage-like figure wielding a staff, managed to magically dodge to the side and hurled a fireball at Arthur. Boom! The smoke cleared, and Arthur was unscathed. [Passive Skill: Elemental Magic Immunity!] The green humanoid mage was terrified and tried to flee, but Arthur landed in front of him, roaring mightily. The sheer force of the dragon''s roar and its imposing presence caused the mage to kneel, trembling. "Please... don''t kill me!" Arthur ignored the plea. This intelligent creature surely knew about the local forces around the castle. He grabbed the mage with his claw and took flight. Back at the castle, Alex suddenly received a series of system notifications. [Your troops have killed a level 5 Goblin Warrior, gaining thirty experience points.] [Your troops have killed a level 4 Goblin Warrior, gaining twenty-five experience points.] Chapter 12 - 12: Arthur, send him to meet his great-grandma Before long, Alex spotted Arthur soaring through the sky towards the castle, clutching a green creature in his front claws. "Wow, Arthur''s even nabbing live ones now. Having a smart undead really makes a difference." Soon, Arthur returned to the castle and landed in front of Alex, casually tossing the Goblin mage to the side. The Goblin immediately prostrated himself, trembling all over. "Respected human powerhouse, please don''t kill me, I''ll tell you anything!" the Goblin pleaded. "Your Majesty, this is a suspicious intelligent creature from near the castle. I deliberately kept one alive for questioning," Arthur said respectfully. Alex was quite intrigued as she examined the creature, which was about 4.5 feet tall with green skin and two pointy ears. Not too shabby recognizing authority, huh? This Goblin was clearly terrified, unaccustomed to such a spectacle, and even the castle''s protective barrier seemed to pose a great threat to him. Alex asked questions, and the Goblin answered promptly. The Goblin''s name was quite a mouthful, so Alex decided to call him "Greenbean" for now. Outside of Hamburger, beyond the southern marshes, there was a hidden cave where Greenbean and his Goblin tribe lived. The tribe consisted of over a thousand Goblins, forming a small community. Since they were not far from the Snowy Mountains and Goblins are naturally timid, they mostly ventured out at night. Alex wondered if there might be hobgoblins around, and whether finding them could mean striking it rich. However, Greenbean''s subsequent revelations dashed her hopes. Unlike Goblins, hobgoblins in Eldoria were organized under the rule of a Hobgoblins King, making it highly unlikely to encounter them outside the Hobgoblins Kingdom. "A whole kingdom, huh? That''s gotta be huge." According to Greenbean, the strongest in their tribe was their chieftain¡ªa Commanding level¡ªand they also had several level 9 Goblin Warriors and Goblin Mages. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That strong? Then how mighty must the frost dragon up on Snowy Mountain be?" It turned out she was just a small fry in a big pond... On Snowy Mountain, there were two factions. Saying two factions might be a bit misleading, as the frost dragon alone was a force to be reckoned with, capable of holding its own against the other faction. The other faction was the Moon Wolf Clan, which Alex had previously encountered. The clan boasted over three thousand members, with seven or eight at the Commanding level, and their leader''s strength was unfathomably deep. However, they definitely weren''t at the Monarch level, otherwise the Goblin tribe would have been history long ago. Only the Moon Silver Wolves at level 7 could transform into werewolves. The werewolves of the Moon Silver Wolf lineage weren''t numerous, most being the non-sentient Moon Silver Wolves. On nights of the full moon, the Moon Silver Wolf clan''s strength greatly increased. Bathed in moonlight, some of the ordinary Moon Silver Wolves could also transform into werewolves. Alex was taken aback. "Seriously?" Great, wolves hold grudges like nobody''s business. Now she''d really stirred up a hornet''s nest! Alex fell silent, and seeing the beautiful girl''s silence, Greenbean wisely shut his mouth. Suddenly, Alex had a thought and asked Greenbean, "Have you guys come across any other castles like mine?" Greenbean''s face paled, and sensing something was off, Alex pressed her foot down on Greenbean''s head. "Spill it!" "I''ll talk, I''ll talk, mercy, Your Majesty! There was indeed a castle like yours near our tribe, but it''s gone now," Greenbean hurriedly pleaded. "Gone? Explain!" Alex pressed harder with her foot. "Not long after that castle appeared, some unfamiliar members of our tribe came out from it and started hunting. Through our interactions, we learned that these tribe members were enslaved by the castle''s owner. To rescue them, we had these tribe members lure the humans out of the castle and then... they were killed." Greenbean''s voice trembled, his heart seemingly about to leap out of his chest. In his eyes, Alex must be in league with that person, he having killed her comrades. What? Alex was dumbfounded. Someone had that kind of bad luck? Summoning Goblin troops right at the Goblin''s doorstep and then getting tricked and killed by their own troops? That''s just tragically ironic. "Rest in peace, buddy. I''ll avenge you!" But Alex couldn''t help but throw some shade, "Seriously, dude? Venturing out of the castle on day one? Kinda had it coming, didn''t you?" In her mind, Alex wasn''t driven by any desire for resources; she simply decided to avenge this fellow countryman she had never met. Luckily, her undead troops were the only troops she had. Alex breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like that sort of mess wouldn''t happen to her. However, the system had mentioned that if a Lord died, the castle would disappear, or if the castle''s crystal exploded, it was game over for the Lord too. Curious, Alex asked Greenbean, "After that human died, did the castle still exist?" "The castle just vanished, as if it had never been there. But we found five hundred magic crystals and five Essence Shards at the site of the old castle," Greenbean replied, sensing that Alex wasn''t going to harm him and relaxing a bit. What?! Was that the loot drop from killing a Lord? That''s way too much. If other Lords got wind of this, it would be chaos. Once the newbie protection period was over, the lords of Eldoria might just ignore everything else and start a free-for-all. Alex mentally noted this information. So, this Goblin tribe had at least five hundred magic crystals and five Essence Shards? This only strengthened Alex''s resolve to avenge her human compatriot! Alex soon learned why this group of Goblins dared to roam about during the day¡ªthey had set their sights on her castle! But before the squad even reached Alex''s fortress, they were spotted by Arthur flying high in the sky and were wiped out by him. "Thanks a bunch for filling me in. I''d be clueless otherwise. The outside world is a scary place, huh?" Alex said with a cheeky grin. "Respected human powerhouse, I''ve told you everything I know, please spare my life," Greenbean pleaded, kneeling on the ground. "Sure thing!" Alex responded. Greenbean immediately looked up at Alex, grateful. But then Alex turned to Arthur and said, "Arthur, send him to meet his great-grandma!" Arthur didn''t quite catch Alex''s drift, but he saw a flicker of murderous intent in her eyes. Before Greenbean could feel relieved, Arthur''s dragon breath turned him into an ice sculpture. "Man, oh man!" That was probably the last thought running through Greenbean''s mind. But hey, this was a level 5 Skeleton Warrior¡ªAlex wasn''t about to let that go to waste. Looks like Greenbean was going to stick around as a permanent member of her crew. "Now I''ve got three level 5 Skeleton Warriors, hehe." [Your troops have successfully killed a level 5 Goblin mage, gaining thirty experience points.] [Detecting Goblin mage corpse, would you like to Disassemble immediately?] "Disassemble!" [Successfully disassembled Goblin mage corpse, obtained one common-grade leather armor, one common-grade weapon.] [Note: Weapon grades include common, Commanding gear, King''s gear, Sacred gear, Emperor''s gear, and Divine gear.] "Didn''t Goblin have any meat on him?" "Ew, no meat is probably for the best. Just the thought is gross." "Arthur, go fetch the other Goblin corpses and then continue leveling up!" Goblins didn''t drop food, but they did drop equipment. While the gear was of no use to Alex, she spotted yet another business opportunity. Chapter 13 - 13: Death Warrior The undead creatures were still too weak for Alex''s liking. Arthur was only level 3, and if he were a bit higher, he could easily steamroll the Goblin tribe. Alex had considered grinding down the enemy with her undead army, but she feared that before they even got close, the Goblins would smash her skeletons to bits with a single hammer blow. The disparity was just too great; it wasn''t about wearing down the enemy, it was about exhausting them to death. She could imagine fighting for five days and nights without any result, which would just waste her precious leveling time. Besides, Goblins were intelligent beings, not fools¡ªthey''d run if they couldn''t win! For now, it was best not to stir the pot and quietly develop her strength. Alex remembered what Greenbean had mentioned about the Moon Silver Wolf clan in the snowy mountains, which immediately heightened her sense of urgency. "I wonder if Arthur can reach Commanding level in seven days?" "It would be great to get four Essence Shards. Then I''d have ten in total, and I could start building the Bone Throne. That would really speed up my leveling." As for upgrading the Barracks, the magic crystals in the Warehouse were far from enough; she needed a thousand, and Alex didn''t even have five hundred. Moreover, compared to unlocking troops by upgrading the Barracks, building the Bone Throne seemed a more profitable move. Alex decided to bet her luck on the Barracks. Arthur brought back the remaining Goblin corpses, and Alex, buzzing with excitement, prepared to start summoning. Mana Points: 37/40 A gray magical circle shimmered over Greenbean''s body, and a figure gradually emerged. Standing about six feet tall, clad in black armor, with eyes glowing red and a long, narrow sword¡ªslightly longer than a katana¡ªstrapped to his waist. "Whoa, what the heck is this?! Not a Skeleton Warrior, but what?!" It was a completely new species that Alex had never seen before. [Death Warrior] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 18] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 16] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] "Death Warrior! Must be a job change from zombie level 3. This is way too cool!" Alex only had zombies that hadn''t reached level 3 and undergone a job change, but now a brand-new undead had appeared, definitely a zombie that had leveled up by some fluke and changed jobs. It seemed that Alex had lucked out and managed to summon one directly. The Death Warrior''s Agility was significantly higher than that of a Skeleton Warrior of the same level, but its Strength was somewhat lower. It was like comparing a tank to a fighter¡ªeasy to understand. Phantoms were mages, death knights were spell-warriors, and as for Arthur, he was probably at the tyrant level by now. Alex continued her summoning, with Lady Luck smiling upon her! This time, she didn''t summon any Skeleton Warriors. From the five Goblin corpses, she summoned two level 5 Phantoms and three level 5 Death Warriors. [Death Knight] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 24] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 20] [Growth Limit: Monarch level] As troops unlocked from the second-level Barracks, death knights had attributes that were more balanced compared to Skeleton Warriors and Death Warriors, without any significant weaknesses. And really, can those with mounts be compared to those without? The attributes of a level 5 Death Warrior still didn''t match up to Arthur at level 3, a difference determined by their growth limits. The gap between a Monarch level cap and a Divine level cap was vast from the start. "Maybe I won''t have to wait for Arthur to reach level 9 before attacking the Goblin tribe." Alex checked the attributes of the two level 5 Phantoms nearby, [Phantom (ethereal)] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Mind: 21] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 16] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] The Mind attribute of the Phantoms had also successfully broken through twenty points, a pity that these summoned undead creatures couldn''t level up. She was now curious to see if any changes would occur if these undead reached level 6. Alex dismantled the Goblin corpses, scoring five sets of common-grade gear, 5 magic crystals, and 1 Essence Shard. She tossed them into the Warehouse. All in all, a tidy little profit¡ªshe now had 7 Essence Shards, just 3 shy of her goal. Keep it up! After a morning of hunting, Arthur had also leveled up to lv4, beefing up his strength a bit more. Now, Alex commanded 8 level 5 undead, a massive army of 500 sub-level 5 undead, plus a level 4 Arthur. It was hard to imagine that in just a day and a half, Alex had amassed such a formidable force. It was like an undead apocalypse! Yet, this undead army couldn''t even beat the nearby Goblins. Alex sighed, her stunning face clouded with thought. Could she kill monsters and summon at the same time? She immediately shook her head. No, summoning would require her to venture out herself, and she was still too weak. Goblins were at the Commanding level; one wrong move and she could be toast. "Alright, alright, you guys go hunt too," Alex commanded the level 5 undead. By noon, the skeleton army returned from another hunting trip. This time, they brought back nothing but wild chickens! "Did they really just raid a chicken coop?" Alex wondered. There were hundreds of these wild chickens. Although they had less meat compared to wild boars or antelopes, their sheer numbers were a win! This meant Alex could summon another wave of undead. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Your Majesty, we found a chicken coop about 1.5 miles northeast of the castle, and we''ve slaughtered them all," the leading level 4 Phantom reported respectfully. Alex extended her thumb in approval, "Nice job!" Using her mana points and recovery rate, summoning undead from the hundreds of wild chickens took a lot of time. Alex sat on the ground, exhausted, her forehead dotted with sweat as if she had just finished a strenuous workout. Tiring, but thrilling! The undead army was bolstered again¡ª356 wild chickens meant 356 new undead, including 45 level 3 chickens, 120 level 2 chickens, and 191 level 1 chickens. Chickens, whether level 1, 2, or 3, didn''t offer much of a boost, but for the undead army, dealing with them was like, well, a walk in the park. Chapter 14 - 14: Special structure blueprint The types of undead Alex summoned were diverse, including skeletons, specters, zombies, and death knights. With the addition of these 356 undead, Alex''s undead army had grown to a terrifying count of over nine hundred. "What, a Goblin tribe with over a thousand Goblins? Watch me bulk up my troops and take them down in no time!" Alex mused with a smirk. Once Arthur leveled up a bit more, Alex planned to lead her undead army to annihilate the Goblin tribe, letting Arthur leverage his aerial advantage to grind them down from above. Did Goblins have any anti-air measures? Goblin archers, Goblin mages¡ªsorry, my Arthur is magic immune! As for physical attacks, pfft, if physical attacks were effective, who would need an undead army? "Let''s mercifully give them a couple more days," Alex decided with a mock magnanimity. "First, let''s disassemble these chicken corpses." [System detected 356 wild chicken corpses, proceed with Disassemble?] "Disassemble!" [Successfully disassembled all wild chicken corpses, obtained 1780 units of food, 167 magic crystals.] Adding to the 80 units of wolf meat left in the Warehouse, there were now a total of 1860 units of food. Alex rested for a while, regaining some strength. She got up from the ground and without hesitation, listed all the food for trade. [Hamburger initiated a trade!] [One unit of food, trade for forty units of wood or twenty units of stone or one magic crystal.] [Remaining quantity: 1860 units.] In less than two days, Alex had already listed over two thousand units of food at the trading post. She also discovered a secret about her body¡ªshe felt like she truly had the traits of the undead, even capable of going without food or drink. Maybe because her level was still low, Alex hadn''t reached the point of infinite stamina yet. Wait, why infinite stamina? "I''m not about to give up my physical body to become a skeleton, I''d rather die!" But not needing to eat was pretty cool, like entering ''cultivation mode''. On the All-Races Fair Trade, unlike the first day when only a few Lords were selling food, now there were many more. These Lords, after a day''s development, seemed to have caught their breath and also realized the huge benefits of food trading. They started having their troops find ways to gather food, even selling at low prices to compete with Alex and others for market share. Alex and a few other Lords who were also trading food at four times the markup faced significant impacts. However, the advantage of Alex and her allies was the large and stable quantity of food they offered, with Alex''s trades being the most abundant. By the second day, it seemed likely that by the third or fourth day, even the fourfold markup on food might not find any takers. By the fifth or sixth day, even selling at cost might not attract buyers. "Prices are dropping so fast," Alex sighed. By then, even the most inept Lords wouldn''t lack basic resources like food, but with billions of Lords, there were always a few who were foolish, like the unlucky one next to Alex''s castle. However, these foolish Lords might not survive past the seventh day of the newbie protection period, and even if they did, the beast tide after seven days would likely finish them off. Even though Alex''s food trading was currently impacted, it wasn''t a big problem. With over a billion Lords, the supply would eventually be absorbed. Alex watched the trading post''s updates; it seemed that until those orders with lower-priced food were cleared, her own listings wouldn''t stand a chance. This time, it took a full hour before Alex''s 1860 units of food were successfully traded off. After Alex''s orders were completed, the trading post was practically devoid of food orders, with only occasional small orders of about a dozen units of food popping up, which were snapped up in less than a second. One order, however, caught Alex''s attention. A Lord with the ID [QuartzStriker] had traded for 300 units of Alex''s food all at once, paying with a whopping 6,000 units of stone. This was quite rare. Could it be that this Lord was surrounded by mountains? Or perhaps his summoned troops were made of stone, literally using local resources? From what Alex had seen in previous transactions, including this round, the largest orders usually involved trading up to a hundred units of food at a time, mostly in smaller increments. How could a Lord who could dish out 6,000 units of stone be short on food? Alex was puzzled. Reviewing the gains from this round at the trading post, Alex had amassed a total of 40,000 units of wood, 20,000 units of stone, and 360 magic crystals. Most Lords who traded magic crystals for food did so in small amounts, one or two at a time, indicating they didn''t have many and couldn''t use them, yet were desperate for food. They had no choice but to trade their few precious magic crystals for sustenance. Otherwise, both the Lord and their troops would starve. What good were a few magic crystals if you were dead? By accumulating them one or two at a time, Alex had gathered a total of 360 magic crystals, adding to the 660 already in her Warehouse, breaking the thousand mark! Now Alex was in a quandary. Just a moment ago, she had decided not to upgrade her Barracks because she lacked magic crystals. Now that she had enough crystals, she was short on Essence Shards. She was only three Essence Shards away from being able to build the special structure, the Bone Throne, or upgrade her crystal. "Oh, what a dilemma," Alex muttered. "If only I could get my hands on thirteen more Essence Shards." Hoping Arthur could snag three Essence Shards today, Alex had no choice but to pin her hopes on him. Even if he didn''t earn them during the day, the appearance of high-level troops at night still offered a chance. If tonight turned out like last night, with a dozen or so Moon Silver Wolves showing up, Alex was confident she could take them all down. But first things first, she''d consider her next moves once she had enough materials. Alex''s immediate goal was to upgrade her castle. She had already set aside the materials needed to build the Bone Throne, and with the 40,000 units of wood and 20,000 units of stone she''d just traded for food, her Warehouse was nearly bursting with close to a hundred thousand units of wood and stone. [Upgrade Requirements: 12k wood, 6k stone] Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex glanced again at the castle''s upgrade requirements. Upgrading to a level 7 castle only needed 12,000 units of wood and 6,000 units of stone. Without hesitation, she clicked to upgrade. [Castle Level: lv8] [Health Points: 60k (Invincible)] [Territory Area: 6 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special Structure: Maiden''s Wardrobe] [Upgrade Requirements: 16k wood, 8k stone] Nothing much changed, just more health points and a larger area. And the upgrade materials got pricier... "I''m upgrading again!" [Castle Level: lv9 (Max)] [Health Points: 70k (Invincible)] [Territory Area: 6 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special Structure: Maiden''s Wardrobe] [Upgrade Requirements: 50k wood, 30k stone, 10k iron ingots.] [Note: The castle has reached its maximum level. Upgrading again will elevate it to a town.] [Congratulations, Lord, on upgrading your castle to lv9, and receiving a special structure blueprint.] Chapter 15 - 15: Blackwater Altar "50K wood, 30K stone? Geez, that''s a ton!" "And what the heck are iron ingots? I''ve never even seen those before, and now you want 10K of them just like that?" It looks like reaching level 9 castle means it''s maxed out, and the next upgrade turns it into a town. Just from the name, you can tell a town''s gotta be way bigger than a castle, and it definitely adds more features. For Alex, who''s always gaming online, iron ingots are pretty straightforward. She''s not naive enough to think you need to slay high-level monsters to get them, although I bet there are some noobs out there who might think that. Clearly, the game wants Lord to go mining, find some iron ore and smelt those iron ingots in a furnace, just like in the games Alex used to play. "This is just setting us up for a tough time, isn''t it? The castle''s surrounded by swamps and snowy mountains. Where am I supposed to find iron ore, huh?" Alex figures she must be among the first to max out his castle to the top level. As for the iron ingots, there''s always a way around obstacles. Alex believes there''s always more solutions than problems. "Let''s see how lucky this queen is today, hehe!" Alex claims her reward: a special structure blueprint. [Congratulations Lord on obtaining the special structure blueprint: Blackwater Altar.] [special structure blueprint: Blackwater Altar.] [Building level: Monarch level.] [Feature1: Generates a perpetual black water lake at the center of the altar. Living beings thrown into the altar will gradually have their souls and bodies corroded, while corpses will be transformed into undead under the Lord''s command (ineffective against Monarch level and higher creatures).] [Feature2: Forms a barrier around the altar that allows entry but no exit (ineffective against undead creatures and Monarch level and higher creatures).] [Feature3: Undead bathed in the black water will be strengthened, with a very low chance of causing a Life Tier transformation (ineffective against Monarch level and higher creatures and other creatures).] [Building materials: 10k wood, 5k stone, 100 magic crystals, 1 Essence Shard.] "Wow, another building with support features. Now I don''t have to use Undead Summoning Magic on each corpse individually!" The Blackwater Altar, like the Bone Throne, is a Monarch level special structure, but it requires far fewer materials than the Bone Throne. Alex decides to build the Blackwater Altar right away. Otherwise, with more special structures popping up, her indecisiveness might just kick in. Honestly, the main issue is that upgrading to a town requires too many resources, and Alex is just too broke. "Build the Blackwater Altar." As Alex commands, four massive stone pillars rise from the ground in the middle of the castle courtyard, each engraved with the symbols of all undead races. The pillars are a slate gray, topped with large skull heads, their hollow eye sockets burning with pale blue flames. The pillars encircle the center of the altar, where a square altar slowly emerges, marked with strange symbols that Alex can''t decipher. Soon, a layer of black water seeps out above the altar, completely covering it. The black water seems shallow yet unfathomably deep, stopping at the edges of the four pillars without flowing further. The four skull heads cast a pale blue protective shield, enclosing the entire altar. The altar is not small, about half the size of a soccer field. Thankfully, Alex''s castle had been upgraded beforehand; otherwise, the courtyard might not have accommodated the Blackwater Altar. Alex opens her personal dashboard. [Lord: Alex] [Power: lv6 standard (can be increased by personal and troops'' kills)] [Territory Level: lv9 initial castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 160] S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Mana Points: 40] [Strength: 15] [Stamina: 14] [Agility: 15] "Nice, my stats are barely at the level of a lv4 Skeleton Warrior." Although the dashboard shows that Alex''s attributes aren''t particularly strong, it''s worth noting that when she wields her weapon, her attributes double. At lv6, Alex''s attributes nearly match those of Arthur at lv3. Oops, that''s not really something to brag about. Her doubled lv6 attributes are just about equal to Arthur''s base at lv3... That''s a bit of a bummer. Alex couldn''t wait to test out the effects of the Blackwater Altar. She immediately ordered a Skeleton Soldier from outside the castle to bring over a dead rabbit and a live boar. Alex instructed the Skeleton Soldier to toss the rabbit corpse into the Blackwater Altar. The moment the corpse touched the black water, a massive cloud of black smoke erupted, with flashes of teal magical runes.From the rabbit''s body, a Skeleton Soldier emerged, its bones darkened, noticeably different from the Skeleton Soldier standing beside the altar. Alex distinctly remembered checking the level of the rabbit corpse before it was thrown into the altar; it was definitely lv1. The Skeleton Soldier beside the altar was also lv1, so why did the one summoned by the Blackwater Altar look like it had been dipped in batter? Could this be the enhancement effect of the Blackwater Altar? Alex checked the stats of this batter-coated Skeleton Soldier and found that its attributes hadn''t changed much from a regular Skeleton Soldier, just a slight increase of one point in each attribute. It seemed that the Blackwater Altar''s enhancement was a modest boost to the base attributes of undead troops. Putting that aside for now, Alex rushed to the altar to check if the rabbit''s corpse was still there. This was crucial for her plans. If the Blackwater Altar had consumed the corpse, she might have to stop using it and stick to summoning manually. "The body''s still here, nice!" Relieved by the system''s user-friendliness, Alex then had another Skeleton Soldier throw a live boar into the Blackwater Altar. The boar was roughly tossed into the altar by the Skeleton Soldier standing beside it. As soon as the boar hit the black water, it began to struggle wildly, its body corroding into black smoke under the water''s effect. Just as the boar was about to escape the altar''s boundary, a pale blue energy shield blocked its path. Amidst its cries, the boar turned into a pile of bones, its body completely corroded. Then, the magical runes lit up, and the boar''s bones reassembled into another batter-coated Skeleton Soldier, identical to the previous one. Alex figured out the pattern: corpses thrown into the Blackwater Altar would retain their form and summon undead, while live creatures would have their flesh corroded, leaving nothing behind. It seemed too cruel to throw living creatures into the altar in the future. Alex then had the utility Skeleton Soldier step into the altar. The reaction of undead creatures entering the altar was completely different from that of other beings. She watched as the surrounding black water seemed to transform into specks of energy that surged towards the Skeleton Soldier''s skeleton, successfully coating it in the same batter-like substance. Upon checking the stats, Alex confirmed that each attribute had indeed increased by one point, aligning with the two previously summoned Skeleton Soldiers. Curious, Alex began her experiments with various types of undead: Skeleton Warriors, specters, Phantoms, zombies, Death Warriors, and death knights, each entering the Blackwater Altar for testing. The specters and zombies, like the Skeleton Soldiers, had each attribute increased by one point. Skeleton Warriors, Phantoms, Death Warriors, and death knights, being advanced or second-level troops, saw a two-point increase in each attribute. As for the death knight''s advanced class, the death conqueror, there was a three-point increase. This was akin to a half-level permanent increase in attributes. As for the appearance changes, the skeletons looked as if they had been dipped in batter, their bones turning darker. Specters and Phantoms became more ethereal, giving off a ghostly vibe. Zombies and Death Warriors began to emit a faint black mist¡ªwhether it was the stench of decay or something else, Alex wasn''t sure. The death knights and death conquerors had their cursed flames burning more vigorously, perhaps the least noticeable change. "Wait, does the Blackwater Altar have prompts? How did I miss that before?" Alex opened the dashboard of the Blackwater Altar''s special structure and, to her surprise, found prompts indicating the troops'' attribute enhancements. [The Skeleton Race: Bone Hardening¡ªenhances the skeleton''s overall strength, boosting both attack and defense capabilities.] [The Specter Race: Mind Enhancement¡ªstrengthens mental power, allowing a group of specters to resonate when attacking simultaneously.] [The Zombie Race: Body Strengthening¡ªzombies'' attacks carry a corpse poison that can slow down enemy movements, and the effects of the poison can stack.] [The Death Knight Race: Soul Strengthening¡ªenhances the lethality of curses and the mental attack power of the death knights, with a chance to intimidate weaker enemies into surrendering their souls voluntarily.] "Whoa, it''s not just a basic attribute boost; they''ve also added passive skills tailored for each troop!" Alex exclaimed, impressed by the Blackwater Altar''s capabilities. Truly a Monarch-level structure, it was incredibly powerful. Now, Alex''s undead army could not only outnumber but also match the quality of other troops. The Skeleton Soldiers were no longer just cannon fodder; they were at least a bit tougher now! Next, Alex planned to enhance her entire undead army in batches, striving to boost her own strength. In a world where billions of people descended, endless wars were inevitable. Strength was everything, and only the powerful could engage in the All-Races Battle Royale. The weak didn''t even deserve to survive! Moreover, before the end of the seven-day protection period for new players, Alex needed to construct the Bone Throne. Considering how powerful the Blackwater Altar was, she could only imagine how formidable the Bone Throne, requiring even more materials, would be. "It''s only the second day; no rush. I''m already ahead of most people and definitely won''t be cannon fodder after seven days," Alex reassured herself, mentally gearing up for the challenges ahead. Chapter 16 - 16: Enhanced Arthur Alex continued with her food trading and then focused on rapidly increasing her troops. Arthur was in charge of leveling up and finding ways to acquire iron ingots to build the Bone Throne and upgrade the town. She recorded all these tasks she planned to accomplish over the next few days. If completed, the upcoming beast tide in seven days would pose no problem. Subsequently, Alex began directing the undead to enter the Altar in batches for enhancement. Although the Altar could accommodate all the undead at once, there was still work to be done, and she couldn''t afford to stop. Once all the undead were enhanced, Arthur would return in the evening and it would be his turn to undergo enhancement. As the bone dragon king with a Divine growth limit, his enhancement was bound to be earth-shattering. Alex was really counting on Arthur to boost their strength. By the afternoon, Alex had managed to enhance all the undead without affecting their work efficiency. "It looks like any undead I summon in the future will need to take a bath first!" she joked. The Blackwater Altar was convenient for direct summoning without the need for further enhancement. Each undead took about a minute to enhance, and the Altar was large enough to handle the capacity without any issues. Before evening, Arthur returned early, his claws clutching the bodies of several unidentified creatures. Knowing Alex needed the bodies, he had brought them back specially. Intelligent creatures were indeed considerate¡ªabsolutely fantastic... Alex rushed over to inspect the bodies¡ªfour red-haired gorillas about six feet tall and one creature as large as a buffalo, covered in black scales, resembling a giant pangolin. "Arthur, did you hunt these outside our territory?" Alex asked curiously. She remembered Greenbean mentioning that there were no such species as red-haired gorillas or pangolins around. "Yes, my Queen. I caught them about ten miles west of the castle, outside our territory. These four gorillas were hunting this giant pangolin together. Your most loyal subject, Arthur, killed them all and brought them back," Arthur reported respectfully. Being able to fly was indeed a great advantage¡ªit allowed him to travel far. Indeed, flying was the ultimate form of freedom, Alex thought enviously. "Arthur, well done. Throw all these bodies into the Blackwater Altar!" Alex instructed. Arthur had noticed the suddenly appeared Blackwater Altar upon returning to the castle and could feel a strength emanating from it that was akin to his own. Following Alex''s command, he grabbed the bodies of the gorillas and the pangolin, tossing them all into the Blackwater Altar. As dark smoke billowed out, a greenish-blue magical circle formed beneath the five bodies. Four Death Warriors and one Death Conqueror emerged from it. The four Death Warriors were all enhanced to level 5 but were otherwise unremarkable. However, the death conqueror summoned from the pangolin caught Alex''s attention. [Death Conqueror] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Ordinary] [Level: lv6 (cannot be increased)] S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 28+3] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 23+3] [Growth Limit: Monarch level] [Enhancement: Soul, all attributes +3] Alex was pleasantly surprised that the pangolin had reached level 6, making it the strongest troop she currently had, a death conqueror. The dashboard below indicated the enhancements, simplifying the display with plus signs representing the added attributes. It seemed like everything she wished for was coming true. Each of these five bodies was above level 5, surely dropping Essence Shards. Arthur had done an excellent job. "Let''s disassemble and see!" Alex couldn''t wait any longer and opened the system dashboard that appeared above the bodies. [Detected 4 Red Blood Gorilla bodies, would you like to disassemble immediately?] [Detected Armored Pangolin body, would you like to disassemble immediately?] "Disassemble, disassemble!" [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully disassembling the Red Blood Gorilla bodies, obtaining 4 magic crystals and 4 Essence Shards.] What?! No meat, and this time not even any equipment? Alex was quite puzzled. At least she got the Essence Shards, which was a small consolation. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully disassembling the Armored Pangolin body, obtaining 50 portions of Armored Pangolin meat, 1 piece of Armored Pangolin hide, 2 magic crystals, and 1 Essence Shard.] Alex was surprised to find two magic crystals. She remembered that creatures level 3 and above were guaranteed to drop one magic crystal, and those below level 3 had a chance to drop them. Could it be that creatures level 5 and above now had a fixed drop of one crystal plus a chance for additional drops? Alex noted this information down. It was her first time killing a creature above level 5, and with limited information, she couldn''t be sure yet. Unbeknownst to Alex, at that moment, a Lord named [King Kong] was furiously ranting in the World Chat channel. [King Kong]: "Damn it, my summoned Gorillas went hunting and got snatched by some unknown flying creature. It''s infuriating!" [King Kong]: "I can only summon two Gorillas a day, and just when I got them to level 5, they''re gone! Such damn bad luck! I want to file a complaint!" [Godzilla]: "Don''t be mad, it''s just two monkeys!" [King Kong]: "Fuck off, if it was local forces that killed them, I''d have nothing to say. The system shows it was an enemy Lord who killed them but doesn''t reveal the name. Just don''t let me find out who it was, or I swear I''ll beat the shit out of you!" [Anonymous Player]: "That''s insane, someone killed four level 5 troops in one go, and they were flying? Could it be a dragon, damn!" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "It''s only the second day, which Lord is this strong? Looking at my own slime, this is really depressing¡­" Meanwhile, Alex was immersed in the joy of having harvested four Essence Shards and wasn''t paying any attention to the chatter in the World Chat. "This time the Essence Shards are enough, and the magic crystals were supposed to be enough too, but building the Blackwater Altar used up a hundred, and now I''m short again¡­" Alex now had 12 Essence Shards in her Warehouse, but only 926 magic crystals, just shy of what she needed. She would have to wait until the undead army returned from hunting tonight to collect a new batch of bodies. "Ah, right, Arthur, into the Blackwater Altar you go!" Alex suddenly remembered that she needed to strengthen Arthur, otherwise, once he went out to gain experience, it would be a long time before he returned. Arthur''s massive body entered the Blackwater Altar, making it look exceptionally crowded. He barely fit inside with his wings tucked in. The energy in the black water began to surge towards Arthur continuously. Alex could feel Arthur''s aura growing stronger and stronger. Unlike the usual one-minute enhancement for ordinary undead, Arthur was enhanced for a full nine minutes before it ended. Arthur stepped out of the Altar, spread his wings, and let out a mighty roar towards the sky. Roar!!! Alex noticed significant changes in Arthur. His originally white skeletal frame began to emit a faint blue glow from inside out. Below the two dragon horns growing backwards from his head, a blue flame burned, and the flames in his eye sockets blazed even more fiercely. His massive bone wings and the tip of his tail also burned with a pale blue flame. Chapter 17 - 17: Dragons Presence Alex reviewed Arthur''s attributes. [Bone Dragon King (Arthur)] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 100] [Strength: 50+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 50+10] [Growth Limit: Divine] [Active Skill: Nether Dragon Breath] [Passive Skills: Elemental Magic Immunity, Dragon''s Presence] Dragon''s Presence: Exerts an invisible mental pressure on creatures of a lower Life Tier, weakening their magical and physical defenses. [Enhancement: Comprehensive enhancement; the burning nether fire increases soul defense, hardened bones increase physical defense, unlocks Dragon''s Presence, overall attributes +10 points.] So strong! Alex was thrilled. The enhancement from the Blackwater Altar had boosted Arthur''s mental and physical defenses, and he inherently possessed Elemental Magic Immunity, making him even more defensively robust. Additionally, Arthur had acquired a new passive skill, Dragon''s Presence, which could reduce the enemy''s resistance to both magic and physical attacks. This was a significant boost! Increasing his own resistances while reducing the enemy''s meant that Arthur could hit enemies hard while their attacks would barely tickle him. Arthur had also advanced to level 5. His attributes had increased by 20 points from level 3, and with the additional 10 points from the enhancement, Arthur''s attributes had reached a formidable 60 points. Indeed, prioritizing Arthur''s leveling was the right decision. He could rely on his aerial advantage to fly beyond the castle''s range, and his undead nature meant there was no need to worry about him dying. Of course, as long as he didn''t foolishly fly up to the snowy mountains. Would the frost dragons on the snowy mountains spare one of their own kind? No, that''s wrong. Bone dragons are no longer part of the dragon race; they''ve been transformed into undead, belonging to the undead race. It''s said that dragons despise bone dragons... If that frost dragon sees Arthur, it might go berserk. However, this doesn''t mean that bone dragons are weaker than living dragons. Once Arthur grows, even facing a Azure Dragon, he would have the strength to fight! "Arthur, how are you feeling?" Alex looked up at the towering figure of Arthur. "Respected Queen, I feel stronger than before!" Arthur bowed his head respectfully. "Arthur, continue slaying monsters!" There was nothing left for Arthur here; he had already been enhanced. There was no need for him to linger around the castle. It was time to make use of his infinite stamina. "Yes, respected Queen." Arthur spread his fiery wings and flew out of the castle. Now, Alex had nothing urgent to attend to. She just needed to wait for the skeletons to finish their tasks. She skillfully opened the World Chat channel, planning to check out the Lords'' conversations to pass some boring time. Alex was slightly obsessive-compulsive; she couldn''t stand any unread notifications in her dashboard and clicked them away one by one. After opening the system notifications, there were numerous alerts about her skeletons killing wild monsters, informing her of the experience gained. [Your troops have killed an enemy Lord''s troops, gaining thirty experience points.] [Your troops have killed an enemy Lord''s troops, gaining thirty experience points.] ... What? When did this happen? Alex was baffled, but the kill notifications didn''t specify the names of the enemy Lords or their troops, leaving her clueless. Wait! Alex suddenly remembered what Arthur had mentioned earlier about the four Red Blood Gorillas surrounding a giant pangolin, and those gorillas hadn''t dropped any food... Could it be that these Red Blood Gorillas belonged to another Lord?! Okay, I really didn''t mean to do this! Alex silently apologized in her heart. This is bad, she had just offended the Moon Silver Wolf of the snowy mountains, and now another Lord. Wait, why should Alex be afraid of that Lord if Arthur could easily annihilate his troops? Once the newbie protection period was over, if that Lord didn''t accept Alex''s apology, she could just send him to reunite with his ancestors! Hmph. It seemed that besides the unfortunate soul killed by the goblins, there was another Lord nearby, and not too far from Alex''s castle! She wondered if that Lord had noticed the Hamburger yet. The lv5 Red Blood Gorillas probably weren''t very mobile, and that Lord''s castle surely wasn''t as large as Alex''s. Estimating the distance, the Red Blood Gorillas could have wandered off about 3 to 4 miles from their territory, considering the opponent''s Territory Area and the distance in between, along with the size of Alex''s own castle. So, um... how much was it? After some calculations on the ground, Alex figured that the straight-line distance between the two castles was about 13 miles, which was quite close. "A Goblin tribe, the Moon Silver Wolf clan, and this Lord. The Goblin tribe should be easy to handle, but the other two might be seeking revenge." Alex noted them all down, planning to deal with them one by one. She felt that Arthur was now strong enough to handle the Goblin tribe, but she hadn''t encountered a monster of Commanding level before, so she wasn''t sure how powerful they could be. To be safe, she decided to let Arthur level up some more. With the newbie protection period still in effect, she couldn''t be harmed as long as she stayed inside her castle! Meanwhile, in the World Chat, [King Kong] had stopped cursing, and with so many Lords spamming messages, the chat was moving too fast to read without pausing. [You have received a private message!] Could it be that Lord coming after her?! A nervous Alex was startled by the sudden notification. She clicked it open and breathed a sigh of relief; it was just someone wanting to buy food. [QuartzStriker]: "Respected Hamburger Lord, do you have any surplus food? I need 500 portions. I''ll trade with stones at your usual price." [Hamburger]: "Not available now, it will be ready by tonight." [QuartzStriker]: "Can I add you as a friend for easier trading? I''ve tried to add you many times before, but was rejected." Alex scratched her head awkwardly. She received so many friend requests daily that she usually rejected them all without a second thought. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Big order coming in, hehe! Alex was very pleased. She quickly accepted [QuartzStriker]''s friend request, making [QuartzStriker] the first friend on her list. [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you, Big Shot!" [Hamburger]: "You seem well-resourced. There''s plenty of food on the trading post. Why not buy from there?" Alex asked, curious. She wasn''t worried about losing a customer; with billions of Lords out there, her small amount of food would easily find buyers. She wasn''t concerned about sales at all. Chapter 18 - 18: Alexs body enhancement [QuartzStriker]: "I need a large amount of food, and the quantities on the trading post are too small, plus I always miss out on them..." Alex understood. Although there were low-priced foods on the trading post, the quantities were too small and not enough for the hordes of Lords scrambling for them, clearly not meeting this Lord''s needs. Moreover, Alex noticed that this Lord didn''t seem to be short on materials. In other words, a big spender¡ªoh no, rather, an excellent business partner for Alex. Having a long-term buyer might not be a bad idea. Alex responded to [QuartzStriker] with an emoji and then ignored him, learning to maintain a cool demeanor as a Big Shot. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was still some time until evening when she could harvest another batch of food. The skies of Eldoria continent were perpetually overcast, with no sun in sight. If it weren''t for the system dashboard, she wouldn''t even know whether it was morning or evening. Looking at the massive Blackwater Altar in the center of her castle, Alex suddenly had a thought. "Right, the Blackwater Altar can strengthen the undead, but can it also strengthen me?" "No, no, living things that fall in turn into rotting, stinking skeletons immediately. I definitely don''t want that!" "I''m not undead, but I do have undead lineage, maybe it could work?" "Should I try it?" The main issue was that Alex felt her own attributes were too weak, almost on par with a Skeleton Warrior. From this perspective, Alex figured she could at most reach a Commanding level and that would be her limit. As a Lord, having strong troops wasn''t enough. If she herself was weak, wouldn''t that make her a vulnerability in her undead army? If enemies just charged at her and killed her, that would be game over. Although having strong troops provided a sense of security, having strong personal abilities was definitely more reassuring. Alex walked over to the Blackwater Altar and entered its protective shield, then hesitantly tested it again. Yep, she could indeed enter and exit at will. Alex breathed a sigh of relief, but the real challenge was next. She carefully crouched beside the black water, planning to gently touch it to test the waters. She wouldn''t be foolish enough to just dive in. What if she turned into a skeleton? Wouldn''t that scare off all her esteemed readers? Alex gently extended a finger towards the black water, gritted her teeth, and suddenly touched it down. "Ah, it hurts so much!" Alex shouted, then realized there was no pain. "Huh, it''s fine!" Alex turned her head to look at her finger, which was now extended into the Altar. Her finger hadn''t actually touched the black water; instead, a small vacuum area had formed around her finger. It was touching the bottom of the Altar directly, not the black water. "What''s going on?" Alex clearly felt a tingling sensation at her fingertips, as if energy was flowing into her body. Alex could feel her strength increasing slightly, even though she hadn''t touched the black water. Skeletons turn black when strengthened, zombies emit black smoke, wait a minute! Alex quickly withdrew her finger, looked left and right, and saw no blackening or smoke or any other strange phenomena. She then put her finger in her mouth to taste. Confirmed, it was definitely a human hand! Finally reassured, Alex stood up and stepped into the Altar. As expected, the surrounding black water actively avoided her, but the tingling sensation in her entire leg almost made her fall. Alex took off her shoes and walked barefoot into the Blackwater Altar, feeling as if her whole body was electrified, trembling as she endured the discomfort. As soon as she stepped into the Altar, the bracelet on Alex''s right arm automatically fell off, transforming into a huge scythe that dropped into the Blackwater Altar, with the surrounding black water crazily rushing towards the scythe. Weapons could be strengthened too! This was an unexpected joy. Ignoring the weapon that fell to the ground, Alex continued forward to about the center of the Altar and immediately sat down, as she really had no strength left. The surrounding black water enveloped Alex, leaving only the area beneath her as an absolute domain. Invisible energy from around her slowly converged towards her body. She closed her eyes, enjoying the pleasure brought by the enhancement of her attributes. Drowsy Alex eventually fell asleep. After an unknown amount of time, she rubbed her bleary eyes and stood up, feeling invigorated and as if she could punch a hippopotamus to death with one blow. "Ah, where did all the black water go?!" Alex looked around and noticed that the black water inside the Blackwater Altar had almost completely disappeared, with the scythe lying quietly on the ground not far away. She walked over, picked up the scythe, and examined it. "There doesn''t seem to be any change?" "Never mind, I''ll deal with it later." The scythe transformed back into a bracelet on Alex''s right wrist. Alex noticed that the ground of the Altar was still slowly seeping black water, although very slowly, indicating that the Blackwater Altar was gradually recovering. This was somewhat good news. Alex breathed a sigh of relief. It would be a huge loss if a Monarch level special structure was destroyed by her own actions. Outside, the sky had completely darkened, and a pile of wild beast corpses accumulated at the castle gate. Opening the system dashboard, Alex glanced at the time; it was already 8:30 PM. She had slept for nearly four hours... During this time, Alex had received several private messages from [QuartzStriker]. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, are you there?"--- 6:00 PM [QuartzStriker]: "When can we trade, Big Shot?"--- 6:30 PM [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, please reply when you see this." ---7:30 PM It was clear that the other party was anxious, messaging Alex every half hour. Alex felt a bit embarrassed; she couldn''t just say she had fallen asleep. The persona of Big Shot was always busy! Alex quickly replied, worried about losing a big deal. [Hamburger]: "Got tied up with some stuff, didn''t get to check messages. Give me a moment and we can trade, how about that?" As soon as Alex sent the message, [QuartzStriker] almost instantly replied. [QuartzStriker]: "Okay, thank you, Big Shot!" Alex guessed that the other party must still have some leftover food; if they kept waiting for Alex, they would probably go hungry. Looking at the small mountain of animal corpses next to her and then back at the Blackwater Altar, Alex fell into silence... "Let''s check my attributes first." [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv6 Standard Level (can be enhanced by killing enemies personally or with troops)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: Undead Race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 170] [Mana Points: 50] [Strength: 30] [Stamina: 29] [Agility: 30] [After absorbing the essence of the source, the left eye of the Undead Queen has awakened, permanently increasing all attributes by 15 points, and Health Points and Mana Points by 10 points each.] Alex: "???!!!" Chapter 19 - 19: Undead Queens eye Alex had absorbed all the energy from the Blackwater Altar, only to gain a mere 15 points in attributes and not a single skill? Could it be that the scythe had stolen half of the Blackwater Altar''s energy, resulting in an incomplete evolution? Alex looked down, her two large eyes blinking in confusion. What exactly was the Queen''s left eye? She ran back to her castle bedroom and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were still the same deep blue, and after tugging at her left eyelid, flipping it up and down, she found no difference compared to her right eye. Alex then opened her personal attributes interface and noticed a small question mark next to her name. She clicked on the question mark. [Tip: The Undead Queen''s left eye possesses all summoning and transformation spells, requiring no chanting or incantations. The magic level will unlock gradually with the Lord''s level. Other effects are for the Lord to explore on their own.] This tip is not very detailed, at least it should tell what magic can be used at the current stage, how much mana it costs, and other such details... Now Alex understood. It seemed that her left eye had absorbed most of the energy, and she hoped that this effect would be strong. Otherwise, during this vacuum period while the Blackwater Altar was recovering, how was Alex supposed to summon undead creatures? If it depended solely on her, it would be a massive undertaking. Wait, the tip mentioned Alex mastering all summoning magic, right? She stepped out of the bedroom and went outside the castle, where a group of corpses lay¡ªperfect for testing her new skills. The moment she saw these corpses, Alex suddenly understood the magic in her mind and even knew how to cast it! Not only that, but she could also prevent these corpses from turning into skeletons and directly transform them into bone beasts. However, considering they were just wild boars, she decided against it... Alex realized that she truly wouldn''t always summon ordinary undead from wild beast corpses. If you killed a wild boar and summoned a skeleton, you might not think much of it because a skeleton would definitely be stronger than a wild boar. But if you killed a mighty dragon and only managed to summon a skeleton, that would definitely be frustrating. A gray symbol appeared in Alex''s left pupil, followed by her entire left eye emitting a pale blue glow. At the entrance of the castle, a huge gray formation materialized over the corpses, and undead began to crawl out from it. After a short while, no more undead emerged from the formation. Alex stopped the magic, the symbol in her eye vanished, and the glow ceased, returning to normal. However, she felt a bit dizzy, so she quickly checked her Mana Points. [Mana Points: 50] No Mana Points were consumed! What was used then? Mental energy? Physical strength? Or perhaps the soul? Who cares, this is way too powerful! It could be said that Alex''s left eye is now a walking Blackwater Altar, albeit without the enhancement effects of the actual altar. She examined the newly created troops¡ª40 level 1 undead of various types. There were 25 level 2 Skeleton Soldiers, specters, and zombies, but no death knights. Finally, there were 10 level 3 advanced troops: 5 Skeleton Warriors, 2 death knights, 2 Phantoms, and 1 Death Warrior. A total of seventy-five corpses, now all summoned at once, and next, she could disassemble the corpses! [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 45 wild boar corpses, obtaining 900 units of food, 90 wild boar tusks, 45 wild boar hides, and 30 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 20 antelope corpses, obtaining 400 units of food, 20 antelope hides, and 10 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 10 rabbit corpses, obtaining 100 units of food, 10 rabbit hides, and 5 magic crystals.] A total of 1400 units of food were collected. [QuartzStriker] needed 500 units, and the rest could continue to be listed on the trading post for sale. As for keeping it all for [QuartzStriker]? That was out of the question. Alex wasn''t that foolish. Keeping it for them would only result in a trade for a bunch of rocks. But the castle''s construction needed more than just rocks; wood was essential too. Alex initiated a private chat. [Hamburger]: "Food collected, ready to trade now?" [QuartzStriker]: "Sure thing, Big Shot, I''m ready!" Just as Alex was about to reply, a trade interface popped up. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [QuartzStriker has initiated a trade with you!] [Trade details: 10,000 units of stone for 500 units of food.] [Do you agree?] "Agree!" Alex tapped on agree, guessing the other party was eager to proceed. Instantly, 500 units of food disappeared from the warehouse, replaced by 10,000 units of stone. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, can we make this a long-term trade?" [Hamburger]: "You only have stone? That''s going to be tough for me!" [QuartzStriker]: "I can trade stone for wood with other Lords. How about a 2:1 ratio of wood to stone for each trade? If you can''t use up all the food, you could just list it on the trading post, how about that?" [Hamburger]: "Pleasure doing business!" Indeed, if some Lords are born in mountains full of stones, others must be stuck in forests full of trees, the exact opposite situation. One has only stone, the other only wood. But thankfully, the trading post feature allows Lords to supplement their lacking resources. Wait, something doesn''t feel right. Where will the remaining magic crystals come from? Previously, Alex traded wood, stone, and magic crystals, and even after selling all the food, she still made some profit from magic crystals. This was much faster than farming magic crystals from monsters. "Never mind, since I''ve agreed to cooperate, I''ll keep the food for now and just list a smaller amount, setting the trades to only accept magic crystals." Alex couldn''t help but marvel at her own genius. She was now about fifty magic crystals short of being able to build the Bone Throne. "Let''s try selling a hundred to see how it goes." If it doesn''t sell well, Alex might have to consider dropping the price or finding another way. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One unit of food for one magic crystal] [Remaining quantity: 100 units.] Hamburger''s small order on the trading post caught the attention of other Lords. [NotARobot]: "Is Big Shot Hamburger running out of food? Why only sell a hundred units?" [Falcon]: "Has Big Shot''s castle reached max level? Not needing wood or stone anymore, only trading for magic crystals..." [Blank]: "Damn, that''s ruthless. Do they think we''re newbies? Magic crystals are so crucial, and they''re only trading them for one unit of food, what a rip-off!" [Wild Boar Prince]: "My troops are boar demons, they eat a ton. I''m afraid they''ll eat me if they get too hungry, I''m buying first, guys!" [Severe Psychopath]: "If you have plenty of magic crystals, I''ll trade with you. I have plenty of food, don''t go to this rip-off merchant! We must boycott him together. Today he dares to trade food for magic crystals, tomorrow he might trade food for Essence Shards. Don''t be fooled!" Chapter 20 - 20: Bone Throne After about half an hour, amidst numerous complaints from other Lords, Alex finally managed to sell all one hundred units of food. Fortunately, in a world with billions of Lords, a large population base means that some resistance and complaints don''t really matter¡ªthere will always be buyers. With one hundred magic crystals successfully acquired, Alex now had the option to either upgrade her Barracks or build the Bone Throne. After some thought, she decided to construct the special structure, the Bone Throne, as upgrading the Barracks didn''t offer as much value. The Bone Throne would provide a more direct enhancement to her combat capabilities. [special structure blueprint: Bone Throne.] [Building level: Monarch level] [Feature1: Increases troops'' loyalty to the Lord.] [Feature2: Within the territory, enhances the strength of the Lord and troops by one level (effective below Monarch level).] [Feature3: Within the castle range, increases the experience gained by the Lord by 1.5 times (effective below Monarch level).] [Construction materials: 10k wood, 10k stone, 100 magic crystals, 10 Essence Shards.] "Build!" The ten hard-earned Essence Shards were gone just like that, but Alex wasn''t bothered. Only spent Essence Shards have value; those sitting in the warehouse are no different from stones. The Blackwater Altar was located in the center of the castle courtyard, directly facing the main gate. Upon opening the gate, one would see the castle''s grand hall, and at its end now stood a throne made of dry bones, with two glowing skull heads as armrests. The throne was about 6 feet 7 inches tall, overall grayish-white, with an elliptical arch at the top and two bone swords crossed behind it, exuding an aura of solemn majesty. The seat was covered with a gray cushion marked with magical runes, integrated with the throne itself. Alex walked over to inspect the throne, touching the cushion, unsure of the material it was made from. The seat of the throne was quite high. Alex placed her hands on the seat, jumped up, twisted her body, and managed to sit on the throne, her feet swinging below, unable to touch the ground. After sitting for a while and the novelty wearing off, she hopped down. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It seems I don''t necessarily have to sit on the throne. This special structure is just presented in the form of a throne; it could also be a table, a mirror, or even a toilet." The range of the experience boost from the Bone Throne encompasses the entire castle, but not the lands outside the castle walls. As long as Alex is within the castle, her experience acquisition speed is increased by 1.5 times. She opened the system interface to check the information on the undead killing wild beasts. Ignoring previous data, she waited eagerly for the interface to refresh to see how much experience was now gained from killing wild beasts. After about five minutes, the system finally popped up a message. [Your troops have successfully killed a level 2 wild boar, gaining fifteen experience points.] Fantastic! Previously, a level 2 wild boar only provided ten experience points, but now, with the 1.5 times increase, it''s fifteen points. It took Alex just two days to reach level 6, and now with the 1.5 times experience boost, wouldn''t it be reasonable to aim for Commanding level by day seven? Let''s check out what enhancements her weapon has! [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Commanding level weapon (upgradable)] [Soul Concentration: 12%] [Active Skill: Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 2), Dark Magic (Tier 1)] [Passive Skill: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects; victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead] Alex noticed two differences. One was mastering another type of magic, Dark Magic, although it was only Tier 1. This was somewhat understandable for Alex; it was similar to her ability to cast magic with her left eye, except this wasn''t summoning or transformation magic, but Dark Magic. As for the Soul Concentration, Alex was a bit puzzled. What did that mean? Was it something like a spirit within the weapon? She felt like she had suddenly stumbled upon something profound, yet she understood none of it. But whatever, it must be a good thing! Now, Alex was curious about what skills Tier 1 Dark Magic could use. [Dark Magic (Tier 1)] [Skill: Black Flame Blast, a sphere of black flames that consumes everything in its path, attacking the enemy. Mana Points cost: 10, no cd.] A spell that consumes ten Mana Points seemed quite powerful! Of course, Alex can cast the skills from the Grim Reaper''s Scythe even without the scythe itself, but she would miss out on the additional buffs from the scythe, such as the ability to turn slain targets into undead creatures. For now, it seems that only this passive ability is influenced by the weapon, but who knows what powerful Passive Skills might emerge in the future. After all, the scythe belongs to Alex, and whatever the scythe can do, Alex can do too¡ªeven the skills the scythe doesn''t possess. Moreover, there might be skills that the scythe has acquired which Alex will also learn, like the Undead Summoning Magic. However, the scythe only knows the most basic undead summoning, while Alex is proficient in all summoning magic. Currently, Alex has only 50 Mana Points, which means she can cast five Black Flame Blasts before running out of mana. Alex decided to test her skills at the castle entrance. It was night, and a blood-red moon hung high in the sky, its red moonlight scattering across the land, dispelling some of the darkness of the Eldoria continent but adding an eerie touch. At night, high-level wild beasts randomly appear, and all wild beasts have double attribute enhancements and double item drops. However, Alex was asleep in the Blackwater Altar at dusk and missed the system''s notification. Using the eerie moonlight, she spotted a withered tree not far from the castle. That''s the target! Alex slowly raised her left hand, fingers spread, palm facing the withered tree. As she consumed Mana Points, a black magic circle formed in front of her palm, and a black fireball emerged from the circle, shooting towards the withered tree. The black fireball, burning with eerie black flames, brought no light, and Alex felt no heat from it. Boom! The black fireball hit the withered tree, making a dull sound, and immediately blasted a large hole in the trunk, the edges beginning to burn with black flames. Unlike normal flames consuming wood, the black flames seemed sentient, quickly engulfing the entire withered tree. In less than ten seconds, the withered tree completely vanished from Alex''s sight, leaving not even a trace of ash. Alex was startled by the power of the magic that cost just ten Mana Points. It was like a god-level skill for destroying evidence¡ªif it hit an enemy, not even Sherlock Holmes could solve the case. Alex''s own enhancements and the strengthening of her weapon had indeed catapulted her abilities to a new level. "Tonight has been a huge gain; I''ll soon be ready to take on those goblins," she mused. There was still some time left until midnight. Alex had overslept by four hours this evening, but now she wasn''t the slightest bit tired¡ªperfect for waiting until midnight to summon another wave of troops. With an endless labor force of the undead at her disposal, how could Alex not make the most of their potential? Chapter 21 - 21: Gargoyle Alex strolled through the castle under the moonlight, and soon it was midnight. She immediately went to the Barracks to choose summoning. However, she didn''t hold much hope for summoning a creature as powerful as Arthur, because a level two Barracks could only summon skeletons, specters, zombies, and death knights. The chance of summoning other high-level troops was extremely low¡ªlower than winning a lottery jackpot. Alex didn''t believe her luck would be that good, but there was one advantage: the ten native troops she summoned could be upgraded, which was the main difference from the troops she summoned herself. [Undead Crystal fully charged, summon now?] Alex pinched her breast, hoping this gesture would bring her luck, and then she pressed the summon button. Instantly, the Undead Crystal emitted a ghostly green light, illuminating the entire room. As the light gradually faded, ten blurry figures appeared. "No way, another golden legend!" Alex noticed that one of the figures was larger than the others, about ten feet tall, but that wasn''t the key point¡ªthe figure had wings! It was clearly a high-level troop. Alex was thrilled. As the figure became clearer, she could finally see what it was. It had a wide mouth, a bald head, and two pointed ears¡ªclearly not a human head¡ªbut it had a humanoid body with strong limbs, long sharp claws on its hands and feet, resembling a beast. It also had a long tail. Most of its body was gray, composed of stone and metal, with two wings spread out behind it, similar to those of a bat. Upon seeing Alex, it immediately prostrated itself on the ground, lowering its head in submission to her. As for the remaining nine undead, they weren''t so lucky¡ªall were ordinary undead creatures, perhaps because Alex had only pinched her breast once. The nine undead were all ordinary undead from level one and two Barracks: two skeletons, three specters, three zombies, and one death knight. Since summoning the gargoyle, Alex''s aerial strength had increased once again. Alex had realized that all the powerful troops could fly, so she wondered when she herself would be able to fly. Alex first checked the attributes of her new troops. [Gargoyle] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard level] [Level: lv1 (can be upgraded by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 8] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 7] [Growth Limit: King level] [Unique Passive: Magic Immunity (depends on the magic level and its own level)] Seeing the gargoyle''s attributes, Alex was very pleased. The gargoyle''s base attributes were significantly higher than those of other troops, and its growth limit reached King level. Moreover, it was born with a skill¡ªmagic immunity. It was practically a magic terminator. Although Alex knew that very strong magic could still kill the gargoyle, at this novice stage, there was almost no magic that could harm it. Although the gargoyle was a high-level troop, it lacked intelligence. Well, not exactly¡ªit had some intelligence, just not much. Here, Alex generally considered creatures that couldn''t speak as lacking intelligence. Now, Alex''s air force included Arthur, the gargoyle (although there was only one), specters, and phantoms, which could be considered her highest combat power at the moment. Her ground forces consisted of death knights, skeletons, and zombies. Although not very strong, they had strength in numbers. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Go hunting, all of you. You, focus on leveling up!" Alex instructed the surrounding undead, assigning the gargoyle the main task of leveling up. Being able to fly was a significant advantage, and with such strong attributes, it would be a waste not to utilize the long night. "Alright, finally time to sleep!" Alex was already looking forward to tomorrow''s gains. With double drops at night, plus the 1.5x experience boost from the Bone Throne, she could earn triple the experience overnight. After her bath, Alex went to bed feeling refreshed. The night passed, and light dispelled the darkness over the continent of Eldoria, though the sun was obscured by clouds, making even the daytime seem dim and gloomy. A thick fog enveloped the distance, with only the snowy mountains faintly visible. Beyond the castle''s domain, the view was quickly swallowed up by the mist. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] It was Alex''s third day in the land of Eldoria. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Alex threw off the covers and got out of bed. Standing naked, Alex began searching for clothes in her wardrobe. Now that she had become a girl, she couldn''t be as casual as before. She chose a pair of pink strawberry bear panties and a black sports bra¡ªwhy wear a matching set? Nobody does that. For her outfit, Alex selected a white pleated skirt and wore a white semi-transparent blouse over her sports bra, revealing it underneath. She paired these with white over-the-knee socks and white sneakers. With her long white hair, Alex looked like a white elf. After getting dressed, she realized how enjoyable the process was, and the fact that she didn''t have to wash clothes every day was incredibly convenient. After freshening up, Alex appeared in the castle courtyard, full of energy. "Let''s check my attributes." [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv7 Standard level (can be upgraded by personal and troops'' kills)] [Domain Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 180] [Mana Points: 60] [Strength: 35] [Stamina: 34] [Agility: 35] "Not bad, my Mana Points increased by ten, now I can cast an extra skill!" Overnight, the Blackwater Altar had accumulated more of the dark water, forming a small pool in the middle. It was definitely enough for summoning undead, though the process might be slower. However, that was fine as the undead summoned would be enhanced by the Blackwater Altar. After a morning''s effort, Alex had enhanced all the previously summoned, unenhanced undead, and all the bodies had been summoned. "Another major project completed!" Alex successfully summoned 90 undead ranging from levels 1 to 3, including four different types. The summoning was based on the level of the Barracks. Even though she managed to summon a gargoyle through the Barracks by chance, using Undead Summoning Magic wouldn''t summon a gargoyle unless the Barracks level had unlocked it. Alex then proceeded to disassemble all these resources. [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 30 wild boar carcasses, obtaining 1200 units of food, 120 wild boar tusks, 60 wild boar hides, and 45 magic crystals (double).] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 40 wild rabbit carcasses, obtaining 800 units of food, 80 rabbit hides, and 65 magic crystals (double).] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 20 antelope carcasses, obtaining 800 units of food, 40 antelope hides, and 30 magic crystals (double).] In total, that''s 2800 units of food and 155 magic crystals. The rest are miscellaneous items with no significant value. Since these basic wild creatures were essentially easy prey and none were above level 5, Alex didn''t obtain any Essence Shards. Now, her hopes were pinned on Arthur. Chapter 22 - 22: Fight and conquer It''s worth mentioning that Alex had previously instructed the skeletons to chop wood and quarry stone. After a day and night of continuous work, she had amassed 2,000 stones and 1,000 pieces of wood. For those undead locked at level 1, hunting might be a bit challenging, but chopping wood and quarrying stone were just right for them. Today was the third day, and the demand for food among the Lords had dropped again. Seeing this, Alex felt almost embarrassed to be charging a fourfold markup like a profiteer. She checked the trading post for food transactions and noticed that even the Big Shots, who were on par with Alex, weren''t selling food well either. More and more Lords were starting to trade food at lower prices. This was a bit tricky. Alex now had 3,600 units of food in her Warehouse, clearly too much for [QuartzStriker] alone to consume. "Screw it, let''s list 3,000 units of food for now, see how much we can trade, and if it doesn''t work, I''ll just delist them." Since every animal carcass obtained from hunting had to be subjected to Undead Summoning Magic before being disassembled, and now with the addition of the Blackwater Altar, it added an extra step, leading to additional time consumption. Alex decided to list the food early in the morning, otherwise, if she waited until evening, the selling price might plummet again. [Hamburger initiated a trade!] [One unit of food, trading for forty pieces of wood or twenty pieces of stone.] [Remaining quantity: 3,000 units.] After listing the food on the trading post, Alex left it to fate. She knew without thinking that the World Chat was probably already full of complaints about her. If she relied solely on the undead to collect stone and wood, Alex figured the area around the castle would be stripped bare by the undead army. The system in this world clearly didn''t want these Lords to have an easy few days. If they relied solely on the resources around the castle to survive, probably more than half of the Lords would perish. If Lords think they can just peacefully develop during the seven-day newbie protection period, they are sorely mistaken. This is a universal Lord, All-Races Battle Royale. While some might naively think this is just a game, Alex knows better¡ªit''s not just a game, it''s a battlefield. If you approach everything with a defeatist attitude, death isn''t far behind. Slacking off in school as a kid? Just quit studying! Slacking off at work as an adult? Just quit the job! Even slacking off in old age? Just give up on living! A life of slacking off is truly dreadful. If any other Lord thinks Alex is just a pretty girl with white hair, they are dead wrong. Alex will show them what an undead apocalypse really looks like. It''s a battlefield of many races¡ªfight and conquer! Alex isn''t the type to be soft-hearted or sentimental. Talk about feelings? Sorry, go talk to God. She grew up in an orphanage, unencumbered by attachments or burdens, and certainly not about to get romantically involved like some other Lords who think they can afford to fall in love after being transported to the continent of Eldoria. Think about surviving first! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides, Alex is a beauty herself, not interested in other beauties, and definitely not interested in any man. If she had to choose a partner, she''d rather stab herself with a scythe. She''s not twisted enough to fancy men. Meanwhile, outside the western side of the castle, in the territory beyond. Arthur was soaring in the sky, chasing a griffin only one-tenth his size. The griffin, small and agile, maneuvered swiftly between boulders and trees, using its smaller size to its advantage. In contrast, Arthur opted for a more direct approach, which made the griffin slightly faster. Roar! The griffin let out an angry screech at Arthur, trying to intimidate him. Arthur: ?? Roar!! Arthur responded with a roar imbued with Dragon''s Presence, instantly wilting the griffin. Feeling the immense fear from Arthur behind it, the griffin was completely intimidated, losing all will to resist Arthur. The griffin''s anger extinguished instantly, turning into sheer terror as it flew away at full speed. It flees, Arthur chases, it cannot escape! With a mighty roar, Arthur unleashed the Nether Dragon Breath from behind. The griffin, sensing something amiss, turned back in shock to find Arthur''s dragon breath thicker than its own body! In a panic, the griffin tried to roll to the side to dodge, but Arthur''s dragon breath was faster, grazing its wing. Ice crystals quickly formed on the griffin''s wing, and it let out a painful cry. Losing balance, the griffin plummeted downwards. Arthur dove swiftly, catching up with the griffin and embedding his front claws into it. His massive skeletal frame carried the griffin rapidly towards the ground. Boom! Arthur, with the griffin in his claws, smashed into the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. At this point, the griffin was barely alive in Arthur''s grasp, while Arthur himself was unscathed. Arthur killed the griffin, then took flight, carrying the griffin''s body back towards the castle. [System: Your troops have successfully killed a level 7 Cloudwing Griffon, earning eighty experience points.] Alex: ?!! Alex, receiving the troop kill notification, was utterly baffled. Without a doubt, the only one in her troops capable of killing a level 7 Cloudwing Griffon was Arthur. Arthur being Arthur, awesome as always! Alex knew well the nature of griffins, creatures with the body and claws of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Like Arthur and the gargoyles, they were creatures capable of combat both on land and in the air, though they mostly preferred to circle and attack from the sky. Alex checked Arthur''s attributes, which, after a night of double experience and a morning of battling, had surely leveled up. [Bone Dragon King (Arthur)] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard Level] [Level: lv6 (Can be raised by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 110] [Strength: 60+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 60+10] [Growth Limit: Divine Level] [Active Skill: Nether Dragon Breath] [Passive Skill: Elemental Magic Immunity, Dragon''s Presence] Arthur had leveled up to lv6, but he seemed different from other ordinary undead; he wasn''t limited to gaining special changes every three levels, and acquiring skills depended entirely on chance. However, each level up granted Arthur a full ten points in attributes. With the enhancement from the Blackwater Altar, Alex estimated that even a lv8 Cloudwing Griffon might not be a match for Arthur. It was unfortunate that the Cloudwing Griffon was killed outside the castle''s domain, as there was no feature to inspect the corpse''s attributes within the territory; otherwise, she could have compared them. Still, Alex felt that the strength of the Cloudwing Griffon was probably similar to that of a gargoyle, perhaps slightly stronger. No, not necessarily¡ªshe almost forgot that gargoyles are undead. Alex looked up just in time to see Arthur returning to the castle, clutching the body of the griffon with its brownish-yellow fur. Chapter 23 - 23: Iron ingots Arthur folded his wings and landed, tossing the body of the Cloudwing Griffon aside. Alex stretched out her small hand towards the towering Arthur and gave him a thumbs up. "Awesome!" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at the griffin, which was about 10 feet long excluding its tail, Alex noted that its height ranged from about 6 feet to 7 feet. In comparison to Arthur, who was about 50 feet long, the griffin indeed seemed minuscule. Alex planned to use the magic of her left eye to transform the griffin into bone beasts. This griffin was an excellent choice, given its level 7 status, surely stronger than Skeleton Warriors and Death Warriors. In Alex''s left pupil, a gray triangle appeared instantaneously, rotating to form a hexagram magic circle that emitted a faint blue light. Beneath the griffin''s corpse, a hexagram pattern identical to the one in Alex''s eye emerged. A bony wing stretched out from the magic circle first, followed by the second wing, then the body and limbs all materialized. The original griffin''s body softened, likely having lost its bones, but fortunately, the flesh remained. Alex observed the bone beast summoned from the Cloudwing Griffon''s body. Its size was the same as before, but now it was all bones, which made it look much uglier. "So there''s not much change, huh? So it just extracts the bones and soul to form a new creature, turning it into an undead?" Alex wasn''t really impressed, but what she cared about wasn''t the appearance. Functionality was what mattered most to her; it didn''t matter if it was ugly. Up to now, apart from the bone dragon, Alex still thought all undead creatures were quite ugly. [Bone Beast Griffin] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv7 (Cannot be raised)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 38] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 43] [Growth Limit: King Level] With about 40 points in Strength and Agility, the lv7 bone beast griffin indeed had impressive attributes compared to other basic undead. "Disassemble!" The corpse was of no further use, so Alex chose to make the most of it. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully disassembling the lv7 Cloudwing Griffon corpse. You have obtained 50 food, 2 magic crystals, and 1 Essence Shard.] Having secured an Essence Shard was a good outcome; it seemed Alex''s previous records were correct that creatures above lv5 could drop Essence Shards. She remembered that griffins were also capable of magic. After all, this was Eldoria, a continent home to a hundred thousand races. It was unrealistic for a high-level creature not to know magic. However, after the transformation into undead, as a trade-off for gaining the undead trait and infinite stamina, it also lost all abilities it had in life. As products of transformation and summoning, bone beasts having such attributes was already quite impressive. Any undead capable of flight was a good undead. Alex also noticed a peculiar detail: all undead not summoned from the Barracks shared this oddity. Their levels were clearly locked and couldn''t be upgraded, yet the dashboard still displayed their growth limits. Could this indicate that these undead might have a chance to break through the level lock in the future? Alex stored this question in her mind, knowing it would be answered later. She recalled a feature introduced when constructing the Blackwater Altar yesterday. [Feature3: Undead bathed in Blackwater will be enhanced and have a very low chance of changing their Life Tier (ineffective for Monarch level creatures and others).] Alex''s count of undead had now reached a staggering 1,232, including Arthur and the newly summoned bone beasts, totaling 1,234. All these undead, except for the griffin, had been enhanced by the Blackwater Altar. The Blackwater Altar''s enhancement had a very low chance of changing the Life Tier, and Alex hadn''t noticed any changes yet, perhaps because all her luck was spent on Barracks draws. Luck was indeed a mysterious and elusive thing. Some people might open a hundred game loot boxes and get nothing, while others might strike gold on their first try. Such is the unpredictable nature of luck. Alex sent the Bone Beast Griffin into the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. Its attributes successfully increased by 6 points. The enhancement, like that of the skeletons, was a bone strengthening. "Arthur, continue leveling up!" she commanded. Alex sent Arthur away, and since the Bone Beast Griffin couldn''t level up, it was naturally assigned by Alex to hunt various wild beasts outside the castle. "Damn! I just remembered, the troops I summoned early yesterday morning¡ªI forgot to send them to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement!" Alex slapped her forehead, realizing she must have been too tired yesterday to forget such an important task. Just as the Bone Beast Griffin was about to fly off, Alex quickly stopped it, "Go bring back the gargoyle and those undead that haven''t been through the Blackwater Altar." Alex instructed the confused Bone Beast Griffin. The Griffin shook its head, as if it understood what Alex was saying, but also as if it didn''t quite get it. It spread its wings and flew towards the outside of the castle. "Has anyone ever said that becoming undead also lowers IQ?" "Or was this griffin just dumb to begin with?" Well, it''ll come back eventually, and the timing of the enhancement doesn''t really matter. Alex opened the trading post, curious to see how the food trading was going. "Holy shit! Iron ingots!" Alex could hardly believe her eyes; she actually saw iron ingots. She considered her development speed to be quite fast, not quite reaching T0 among the billions of Lords, but surely close to T0.5, right? To this day, Alex was still clueless about iron ingots, having never seen them, let alone known where to get them. She guessed it might involve mining, but setting aside whether undead could mine, there had to be mines around her castle, right? The territory of Alex''s castle wasn''t small, but there wasn''t even a small hill in her domain, let alone a mountain. The only mountain was that snowy mountain, a clearly dangerous area. For Alex, who was still in her novice phase, the snowy mountain was too much of a challenge. The trading information for iron ingots was ridiculously expensive, even more extortionate than Alex herself. [One iron ingot trades for eighty pieces of wood, two food items, or two magic crystals. One hundred iron ingots trade for one Essence Shard.] The trading prices were set at four times the surplus compared to what big shots like Alex would normally pay, with one iron ingot directly exchanging for two magic crystals. One hundred iron ingots for an Essence Shard? What was this Lord thinking? Right now, iron ingots were as scarce as food on the first day, giving these Lords a false sense of security. By the time their castles reach level 9, they''ll realize that the previously unseen iron ingots are suddenly required in massive quantities¡ªten thousand for upgrading to a town. That''s when they''ll be truly shocked. The value of ten thousand iron ingots versus one hundred Essence Shards is clear; Essence Shards remain the scarcest high-level resource. Alex wouldn''t easily trade away her Essence Shards. The trading post only shows the Lord who initiated the trade at the moment it''s listed; afterwards, their name isn''t displayed and you have to open the trade order to check. Alex, feeling indignant and pouting, muttered, "Let''s see which jerk managed to beat me to it!" Chapter 24 - 24: The real identity of QuartzStriker Alex clicked on the trade order message and finally saw the name of the cunning merchant. The moment she saw the name, her mouth dropped open wide enough to fit an egg. "Holy Fuck!!!" "QuartzStriker! It''s him!" Alex hadn''t expected that the one trading iron ingots would be her first friend, [QuartzStriker]. Playing possum, huh? Trying to pull one over on me? Alex felt like her persona as a big shot crumbled in front of [QuartzStriker], who turned out to be the real big shot. At this moment, Alex couldn''t bring herself to approach [QuartzStriker] about the iron ingots. Should she just buy directly from the trading post? But that would be a huge loss. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away from Alex''s castle, next to a large mountain, stood a castle built primarily of stone. The castle was surrounded by white stones and several large mountains, with nothing else around. It was located at the foot of the largest mountain. Inside the castle, a sexy young woman was sitting in the kitchen enjoying her ''delicate'' lunch. It was actually just a piece of overcooked roasted rabbit. The girl was about 6 feet 3 inches tall, with long, wavy black hair and a beautifully made-up face. She was pretty, but her looks were not quite on par with Alex''s. The young woman wore a tight white shirt that showed off her belly button, with the first button undone to reveal her cleavage. Due to the size of her breasts, the second button was also under immense pressure, almost popping off. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She wore a black micro-mini skirt that showcased her long, sexy legs, covered by black semi-transparent stockings that extended up to the private area under her skirt. The girl sat on the dining chair, crossing her legs in a relaxed pose, with a high heel dangling from her toes. This girl was none other than Alex''s first friend: [QuartzStriker]! QuartzStriker''s real name is Sophie, and she''s 21 years old, three years older than Alex. She''s also an orphan. To make a living, Sophie chose to leave school early and started working as a clerk at a company. Sophie''s job wasn''t very demanding, and she enjoyed playing games in her spare time. With her understanding of games and her own intelligence, she quickly adapted to this new world. Sophie''s summoned troops are dwarf artisans, capable of summoning ten per day. These dwarves are experts in construction, mechanics, smelting, and forging, though they are somewhat weak in combat and consume a lot of food. On her first day in this world, Sophie surveyed the surroundings of her castle, which was entirely encircled by mountains with few wild monsters, indicating both a lower risk and fewer high-level monsters. This provided Sophie with a relatively safe and stable development location. However, the dwarves needed food, and they ate a lot. Sophie sent them hunting, but they often returned empty-handed. During one of their outings, the dwarves surprisingly brought back other dwarves of their kind, all wanderers who agreed to join Sophie''s castle as long as she provided them with food. Consequently, the number of dwarf artisans in Sophie''s castle expanded to two hundred. Sophie learned from these wandering dwarves that the old Dwarf King had passed away, leading to a civil war within the dwarf kingdom that was so severe it threatened to split the kingdom. These dwarves were civilians affected by the war. Feeling sympathy for them, Sophie took them in. Although this significantly increased the efficiency of stone mining, the daily food requirement also grew... Later, Sophie realized the combat limitations of the dwarf artisans and decided to abandon the idea of having them hunt. Instead, she focused on having them mine stone, which they then traded for food. This was far more efficient than hunting and avoided any casualties. Food prices were outrageously high, and although there was a slight price drop from yesterday to today, the quantity of affordable food remained too low. Sometimes Sophie could only manage to grab one or two portions, and sometimes she couldn''t get any at all. This amount of food was simply not enough. Sophie spent her days glued to the trading post, ready to snatch up any low-priced food that appeared. Fortunately, her troops were skilled at mining, and there were several large mountains just outside the castle. Resources were not an issue, especially with the trading post feature that allowed for continuous exchange. No wood? No problem, trade stone for it! No food? No problem, trade stone for it! The one thing they weren''t short of was stone. While mining in the mountains, the dwarves suddenly discovered an iron ore deposit. During a castle upgrade, Sophie also unexpectedly obtained a special structure blueprint, which made her even happier. The special structure was a furnace. Sophie successfully unlocked and built the furnace, which smelted the iron ore into iron ingots. Although it was her first time seeing iron ingots, she understood they would be extremely useful. Yesterday, the dwarves brought back over a hundred more dwarves, which became the last straw for Sophie. Her strategy of snatching up low-priced food at the trading post was no longer viable. Reluctantly, Sophie had to turn to lords who had plenty of food. For instance, Alex. Of course, Sophie wasn''t foolish; she didn''t rely solely on Alex, but his food supply was the most abundant and stable. Today, Sophie finally managed to trade stone continuously for wood, magic crystals, and various other resources, upgrading her castle to level 9. Sophie also learned about the uses of iron ingots. With such a large iron mine and the furnace''s output combined with the efforts of over three hundred dwarf artisans in her castle, they could produce five hundred iron ingots daily. However, upgrading the town required ten thousand iron ingots. At this rate, it would take Sophie twenty days to upgrade the town. Sophie had her own plans and preferred to be independent. Seeing that the castle couldn''t be upgraded to a town anytime soon, Sophie decisively planned to trade using iron ingots. Taking advantage of the fact that most lords'' castles hadn''t reached level 9 and although they didn''t know the uses of iron ingots, they would surely understand it was a high-level material. Currently, it seemed she was the only lord trading iron ingots at the trading post, so Sophie planned to follow the other lords'' example and trade at high prices. This was an opportunity to make a substantial profit. With an endless supply of stone, over three hundred dwarf artisans, and the ability to smelt iron ingots, Sophie didn''t need to rely on anyone else to secure a continuous flow of resources. At this moment, Sophie was brimming with confidence and hopeful about the future. She had already surveyed the area around the castle and knew it was safe from any dangers. Chapter 25 - 25: Consider it a friendship with a Big Shot like you Although Alex verbally criticized [QuartzStriker] as a cunning merchant, she didn''t just sit back and watch. Previously, she had listed three thousand portions of food, and still had six hundred in her warehouse. Alex decisively chose to trade food for iron ingots. Food, after all, was something the undead Lord was never short of! However, the iron ingots [QuartzStriker] listed were too few, only one hundred fifty portions. While other Lords were still discussing the uses of iron ingots in the World Chat, Alex quickly traded two hundred portions of food to secure the last remaining one hundred iron ingots. Alex took out the recently traded iron ingots from the Warehouse, holding them in his hand. The iron ingots were shaped like bricks, each weighing about 20 pounds, but with Alex''s strength attribute of 35 points, they felt almost weightless. "So this is what iron ingots are, just unrefined chunks of iron..." She had thought it was some high-end material, but it turned out to be just ordinary iron, as the name suggested. To upgrade the castle to a town required ten thousand iron ingots, and obtaining them through food would need twenty thousand portions, assuming such quantities were available on the market. Moreover, the price of food was only going to decrease, and if no one had other means to obtain iron ingots, their price would only increase. Looking at the ten thousand iron ingots needed to upgrade the town, then at the one hundred iron ingots in the Warehouse. "When will I ever accumulate enough?" Alex felt somewhat worried about the future. She wondered if there were any miners among the undead race. No, mining was easy; the hard part was smelting. Given the intelligence of the undead, it was doubtful they could handle such work. "Hey, the gargoyle and a few unenhanced undead from yesterday are back! It seems I misjudged that silly bird; it actually understood what I said." Alex sent the gargoyle and other undead into the Blackwater Altar for enhancement, and a minute later, the process was complete. The gargoyle turned even darker. She checked the gargoyle''s attributes. [gargoyle] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (can be raised by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 28+5] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 23+5] [Growth Limit: King level] [Exclusive Passive: Magic Immunity (depends on the magic level and its own level)] [Enhancement: Skin, increases own defense, can absorb some magic when transformed into a statue, enhances self (not exceeding own level). All attributes +5 points.] In this world, gargoyles aren''t like the legends where they fear sunlight and turn back into statues under its rays. Instead, after this enhancement, they can voluntarily transform into statues and even absorb magic to strengthen themselves. High-level troops really are different; the higher the enhancement, the better the effects. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a night and a morning of upgrades, the gargoyle reached level 5. Now, Alex was starting to look down on the level 1 Skeleton Soldiers she had summoned initially, which couldn''t be upgraded. Having the undead kill enemies within the castle''s domain was more efficient because of the enhancement from the Bone Throne, which added +1 level. Even the non-upgradable level 1 Skeleton Soldiers could become level 2. Unfortunately, there weren''t many wild monsters around the castle anymore, and the number of undead was increasing. Alex could see several skeletons just by glancing outside the castle. To carry out Alex''s orders, the skeletons had to venture further away from the castle. At that moment, Alex suddenly received a notification. [You have a new private message from a friend!] She didn''t need to guess who it was, as she only had one friend. "I hope he''s not telling me he''s run out of food again. I''m starting to think you''re a bottomless pit!" Alex muttered under her breath, already branding the annoying [QuartzStriker] as a cunning merchant and a glutton in her mind. Alex opened the private chat. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I''m out of food again, I need another 500 portions. This time I''ve got wood, I''ll trade it with wood and stone!" [Hamburger]: "I''m not short on food, but I have a question for you. Do you have iron ingots?" [QuartzStriker]: "Yes, I have a mine nearby, and my troops can smelt the iron ore." Haha, how foolish to reveal where the iron ingots come from. Just as Alex had guessed, iron ingots were just plain chunks of iron, obviously mined and then smelted in a furnace. Alex felt she had overestimated this world; some things are just as plain and simple as they are described. Why would he tell me this? Because even if he tells me, I don''t have a mine, nor a furnace, and I don''t know how to smelt ore. With that realization, Alex understood. Just as she was about to reply to [QuartzStriker] and agree to cooperate, Alex paused to think it over more carefully. If she traded food for his iron ingots, then his stockpile of stone would be freed up. This would allow [QuartzStriker] to trade stone for food with other Lords, reducing his need to frequently trade with Alex for iron ingots using food. [QuartzStriker] surely understood the importance of iron ingots and wouldn''t be as casual about trading them as Alex was with food. Damn, she needed to find a way to change this situation. While Alex was brainstorming, [QuartzStriker] sent another message, growing impatient with her delayed response. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, do you want to trade for iron ingots?" This also gave Sophie a piece of information¡ªthat Alex''s castle was fully upgraded. Sophie, not being foolish, had only upgraded her castle to full capacity because she had such an advantage. Alex, on the other hand, must not have had conditions as favorable as Sophie''s. Sophie speculated that Alex''s troops were likely powerful and probably consumed very little, or even no food at all¡ªperhaps they were earth elementals or treants. Otherwise, it didn''t make sense how Alex could so easily spare so much food. Sophie believed Alex must be very strong, while her own troops were too weak. Although Sophie felt confident about surviving the upcoming beast tide, the All-Races Battle Royale that followed was a different story. Relying solely on her dwarf artisans, it would be difficult to gain an advantage in confrontations with other Lords. Thus, forming an alliance with a powerful ally was crucial for Sophie. [Hamburger]: "Yes, how much can you trade?" [QuartzStriker]: "To show my sincerity, how about I trade 300 iron ingots for 500 portions of your food this time? And if you need, I can promise to trade 200 iron ingots every day for just 300 portions of food. Consider it a friendship with a Big Shot like you." Alex: ?! This [QuartzStriker] really knows how to do business! [Hamburger]: "Alright, my dear friend!" Chapter 26 - 26: A siege of silver shadows [QuartzStriker has initiated a trade with you!] [Trade details: 300 iron ingots for 500 portions of food.] [Do you agree?] "Agree!" Alex clicked ''agree'' without hesitation. [Trade failed, insufficient food!] What?! Alex checked the Warehouse and saw that after trading 200 portions of food for iron ingots, only 400 portions remained from the original 600. Broke, now! Right, there should still be some food left at the trading post! In a panic, Alex delisted all the food from the trading post. Out of 3000 portions, 1000 were left¡ªenough to cover the trade. Alex''s fingers hovered over the trade order again. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Agree!" [Trade successful!] As 500 portions of food disappeared from the Warehouse, Alex successfully gained 300 iron ingots. This [QuartzStriker] was definitely a Big Shot, guaranteeing 200 iron ingots daily to Alex, which meant her production of iron ingots was at least 500 per day. The 3000 portions of food had been on the trading post for half a day, and only 2000 had been traded. Alex fell into deep thought. Most Lords, after three days of development, could procure their own food. In fact, the stronger Lords were also trading their surplus food, leading to an increase in low-priced food, which greatly impacted Alex''s business. Even the Lords who initially sold food were forced by market pressures to lower their prices, and currently, Alex was the only one trading at a fourfold markup. "Headache! I need to find new revenue streams fast." Alex ran her hands through her hair, causing a few strands to stand up. The trade of 2000 portions of food had netted her 32,000 units of wood, 18,000 units of stone, and 400 magic crystals. Overall, the gains were still decent, and the profits from the fourfold markup were impressive, but moving forward, such high markups might no longer be feasible. Alex had two choices: either drop the prices or have all the undead start mining and logging. Business is tough! "When will I be able to mine my own ores? Right now, I only have 400 iron ingots. It''s going to take forever to save up to 10,000..." Alex sighed. The wood and stone needed for upgrading the castle to a town were already sufficient; only iron ingots were lacking. For now, wood and stone weren''t as crucial for Alex, since upgrading to a town was still a ways off. Alex needed to think of other ventures. Like the unused monster materials in the Warehouse¡ªboar tusks and various animal furs. But currently, no one on the trading post was selling these items, and Alex didn''t have a reference price. She feared not that she might sell too high, but too low and at a loss. Food was no longer profitable, and the most important thing now was to find a way to get iron ingots and Essence Shards. Alex''s next goal was to upgrade the Barracks, and finally, upgrade the castle to a town. There''s still so much to do! Alex glanced at the nearby Blackwater Altar, which now had a thin layer of black water on its surface. Suddenly, an idea struck her, "Can I enhance it a second time?" Saying this, Alex walked over, took off her shoes, and stepped into the Blackwater Altar in her white socks. The black water still avoided her as before, but the pleasure was gone. Alex felt disappointed; clearly, a second enhancement wasn''t possible. Now it was afternoon, and Alex had nothing to do. In the land of Eldoria, without internet or mobile phones, what could Alex do? Might as well go to sleep! The undead were still hard at work, chopping wood, mining stone, hunting, upgrading. As their Lord, Alex enjoyed a 1.5x experience boost just by staying in the castle. Going outside to fight personally would be beneath Alex''s dignity, and besides, she would lose the 1.5x experience boost outside the castle walls. It simply wasn''t worth it. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] A refreshed Alex woke up in the evening, just in time to see the system notification. Alex loved the night because it offered double loot drops, and it was the best opportunity for the undead army to grow stronger. "Hey, could I choose to attack the goblin territory at night? With all drops doubled, wouldn''t I make a fortune?" Alex really thought it was a good idea. But no, that Goblin leader was at a Commanding level, meaning its attributes would double¡ªtotally unbeatable! Alex felt her newly conceived plan crumble before it even began. [Warning, hostile creatures have breached the territory!] What?!! Alex was startled by the sudden system alert and bolted upright from her bed. What the hell? Barefoot, Alex ran out of the bedroom, dashed downstairs to the lobby, and pushed open the castle''s grand doors. Instead of darkness, she was greeted by moonlight, eerier than usual. Unconsciously, Alex looked up to see a cloudless sky with a red full moon hanging high. Using the moonlight, she looked outside the castle and saw dozens of white figures sprinting towards the castle. "Moon Silver Wolves!" These grudge-holding creatures had been quiet last night, but tonight they came charging at Alex with their kin. Alex estimated there were at least thirty Moon Silver Wolves, with the leader being significantly bulkier than the others, its eyes emitting a red glow, clearly the pack''s alpha. They had entered Alex''s territory, allowing her to view their information. [Moon Silver Wolf] [Race: Moon Wolf Clan.] [Life Tier: Standard.] [Level: lv9 (max)] [Health Points: 180¡Á2] [Mana Points: None] [Strength: 34¡Á2] [Stamina: 45¡Á2] [Agility: 35¡Á2] [Skill: Bloodlust (Killing an enemy grants a berserk effect lasting thirty seconds, with the timer resetting upon another kill.)] A level 9 Moon Silver Wolf! And with the night''s double enhancement, they were incredibly strong? Alex hadn''t expected the alpha wolf to be level 9, which was terrifying. After the double enhancement, its attributes were nearly catching up to Arthur at level 6. Just then, a specter flew back into the castle from outside, but Arthur had not yet returned. Without Arthur, Alex felt completely vulnerable. Seeing this, Alex immediately shouted at the specter, "Quick, go find Arthur and bring him back!" Chapter 27 - 27: Let me help you maintain your werewolf form forever "Wait a minute, the castle has a protective shield, and I''m still within the seven-day newbie protection period. I''m supposed to be invincible inside the castle." Alex patted her chest to calm her racing heart and even gave her bosom a reassuring squeeze. Surprisingly, the level 9 Moon Silver Wolf had a skill. Seeing the ''bloodlust'' skill, Alex couldn''t help but smirk slyly. "Let''s see if these Moon Silver Wolves can trigger their bloodlust skill against my undead who can''t be killed. If they can, I''ll consider it a loss!" The undead scattered around the castle also noticed the silver intruders. The undead in the air and on the ground began to converge on the wolf pack. These Moon Silver Wolves were elite creatures, capable of scattering the bodies of Skeleton Soldiers with a single pounce, but it was futile. The Skeleton Soldiers quickly reassembled and launched another attack on the wolves. "It seems these Moon Silver Wolves aren''t very smart!" "Didn''t any of the wolves from the last time go back and tell them that these skeletons are undead?" Oh, right, these dumb wolves can''t talk. More and more Skeleton Soldiers and zombies gathered, along with numerous death knights and a flock of specters flying above. The number of undead was nearing five hundred. Thirty-something wolves, how dare you attack a undead castle? As more and more undead besieged them, it wasn''t long before some unlucky wolves got injured. Their space to maneuver grew smaller, increasingly cornered by the undead. Their high Agility was of no use now. "It looks like these wolves can''t win even without Arthur!" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was the first time Alex had seen so many undead attacking an enemy together. The scene was truly spectacular. Howling mournfully, the leading Moon Silver Wolf let out a cry, and the surrounding Moon Silver Wolves joined in with their own howls. The leading Moon Silver Wolf''s veins bulged, and its limbs grew thick and powerful. Its front paws even lifted off the ground, standing on its hind legs alone. The claws on its forelimbs grew as large as its head, sprouting five sharp black nails. The leading Moon Silver Wolf, over six and a half feet long, transformed into a werewolf standing nearly ten feet tall! As the lead wolf transformed, the surrounding Moon Silver Wolves began to change as well. Eventually, all thirty-some Moon Silver Wolves turned into werewolves about eight feet tall. Some of the injured Moon Silver Wolves healed their wounds during the transformation, their eyes glowing with a blood-red light. "Holy fuck!!!" Isn''t this cheating? How can they transform? Alex remembered something Greenbean had mentioned before: high-level Moon Silver Wolves can freely switch to werewolf form, while ordinary Moon Silver Wolves can only transform on a full moon night. And tonight was indeed a full moon! No wonder the wolves didn''t come yesterday; they were waiting for tonight. [Howling Moon Werewolves] [Race: Moon Wolf Clan.] [Life Tier: Standard.] [Level: lv9 (max)] [Health Points: 240¡Á2] [Mana Points: None] [Strength: 50¡Á2] [Stamina: 45¡Á2] [Agility: 40¡Á2] [Skill: bloodlust (Killing an enemy grants a berserk effect lasting thirty seconds, with the timer resetting upon another kill.) ] [Skill: Self-healing (All injuries except fatal ones can heal rapidly.)] Alex quickly checked the opponent''s attributes, surprised by their strength. Health Points increased by forty points, doubling to eighty. Strength and Agility were further enhanced, with Strength reaching an astonishing one hundred points after the night''s enhancement. And they gained another skill, self-healing! But Alex thought it over carefully; while self-healing might seem overpowered to other races, it was somewhat useless against Alex''s undead army. What? You can heal yourself? Sorry, the undead don''t die! The transformed werewolf leader, using its massive claws, could kill a weak skeleton soldier with a single swipe. Even the mind attacks used by the Phantoms flying above had minimal effect on this werewolf. It seemed that after transforming into werewolves, their defense had significantly strengthened, or perhaps the gap was too large and the distance too far for Alex to see clearly. A death knight wielding a scythe charged at a werewolf, who easily blocked the attack with crossed claws, only for the blocking claws to turn black from the curse''s erosion. However, the death knight''s curse couldn''t stack, and it was clear that these Howling Moon Werewolves'' Life Tier was not lower than that of the death knights, so the intimidation had no effect. The damage inflicted by the death knight was quickly repaired by the werewolves'' Self-healing skill. The only thing that had an effect was the Death Warrior''s corpse poison, which, by accumulating, could effectively suppress the werewolves'' Self-healing skill. As the phantoms and specters'' soul attacks began to stack, their power increased, and some of the lower-level werewolves started to be affected. Suddenly, a gargoyle swooped down from the sky, its claws piercing into a werewolf''s body, then flew high into the air with it. The gargoyle then pulled its hands apart, ripping the werewolf in two, its halves falling to the ground. The werewolf split in two lay motionless; it seemed that the injury was beyond the range of its Self-healing skill, and it was completely dead. A light bulb suddenly lit up over Alex''s head. "Got it!" Alex cautiously approached the castle gate, his left eye flashing blue light, a magical array appearing in her eyes. The werewolf corpses in the distance remained unchanged. Alex: "..." The casting distance wasn''t enough! Seeing the werewolves tightly surrounded by the undead, Alex felt much relieved and moved a few steps forward. Alex summoned again, this time the distance was sufficient! A magical array identical to the one in Alex''s eyes appeared on the halves of the werewolf''s corpse. Then, a werewolf made of skeletons was successfully summoned from within, the bone beast werewolf immediately charged at its former kin. The surrounding werewolves were stunned by this scene. The red glow in the eyes of the transformed werewolf turned into blue flames dancing within its eye sockets, and its body was gone, leaving only a skeleton that could still stand and even attack. This was utterly inconceivable to the other werewolves. [bone beast werewolves] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 34] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 30] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] Alex examined the attributes of the bone beast werewolves and felt satisfied. She had guessed that summoning on the werewolves'' corpses would definitely produce an undead werewolf, rather than its original wolf form. Alex flashed a wicked smile. "How troublesome it must be to transform every full moon night. Let me help you maintain your werewolf form forever, hehehe!" "Wow, how wicked!" Chapter 28 - 28: Battle the werewolf leader Although these werewolves possess self-healing abilities, their stamina is limited, unlike the undead who have infinite stamina. As Alex continued to summon more undead from the rear, the number of werewolves dwindled, and the bodies of the fallen werewolves turned into enemies of their own kind. The werewolf leader, engaged in fierce combat with the undead, finally realized that the girl hiding at the back was the cause of his people''s gruesome transformation. Realizing the truth, the werewolf leader unleashed a formidable burst of combat power, nimbly maneuvering through the undead army. When faced with unavoidable undead, a swipe of his wolf claw would scatter them. With level 9 double attributes, the werewolf leader could dominate all the undead on the battlefield. However, the undead would not die; they would only continue to relentlessly attack him. The werewolf leader identified a key figure, likely the lord of these undead creatures. He knew that by slaying this figure, the undead might instantly lose their combat effectiveness. Capture the leader to defeat the enemy! With swift movements, the werewolf leader easily broke through the undead blockade and charged directly towards Alex, who was hiding in the back. "Oh no, I''ve been spotted!" Alex panicked as she saw the werewolf leader sprinting towards her, instinctively trying to cast a dark magic attack. Boom! A massive figure dropped from the sky, blocking the werewolf leader''s path to Alex. "Good timing, Arthur!" Alex sighed in relief upon seeing Arthur protect her, and she began to taunt the enemy. "Arthur, crush your enemies and show them your strength!" Arthur swiped at the werewolf leader, who hadn''t expected an enormous creature to suddenly fall from the sky. Facing Arthur''s attack, the werewolf leader could only raise his wolf claw in defense. Contrary to expectations, the werewolf leader wasn''t sent flying by Arthur''s strike; he merely stepped back, using his exaggerated strength attribute to block the attack. Arthur roared and then exhaled a stream of blue dragon breath. At such close range, the werewolf leader couldn''t dodge and had to endure it. The dragon breath completely enveloped him, burning both his soul and flesh, and layers of ice crystals formed around him, attempting to freeze him solid. Despite the intense attack, the werewolf leader struggled against Arthur''s dragon breath with his high attribute values. Suddenly, a black fireball struck him from the side. [Mana Points: 50/60] It was Alex''s magical attack! The werewolf leader realized too late to dodge and was hit on the right arm. The black flames, like Arthur''s Nether Dragon Breath, inflicted dual damage to both body and soul. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The black flames continued to burn on the werewolf leader''s body, and unlike Arthur''s dragon breath, his self-healing skills were ineffective against Alex''s Black Flame Blast. At this point, the flesh on the werewolf leader''s right arm had completely disintegrated, revealing the bone underneath. Facing the dual soul attacks from Arthur and Alex, the werewolf leader couldn''t hold on any longer and was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture by Arthur''s dragon breath. Strangely, the black flames on his body continued to burn even though he had turned into an ice sculpture. If the werewolf leader could speak, Alex guessed he would curse her for hiding and ambushing him, challenging her to a fair fight. [You have successfully killed a level 9 Howling Moon Werewolf, earning 240 experience points (double experience).] "Huh, I killed him?" It seemed that the real cause of the werewolf''s death was Alex''s Black Flame Blast, which had extinguished his soul. The werewolf''s body lay on the ground, and Alex, having broken through an experience bottleneck, leveled up once again. This was the first time Alex had used Black Flame Blast on a living creature, and she hadn''t expected it to be so powerful, burning continuously on the body, even through freezing. After the battle, Alex''s clothes were dirty and disheveled. She dusted off the dirt from her buttocks. "Holy fuck, my meat!" Alex realized that her dark magic left no corpse behind and quickly stopped the black flames from continuing to burn the werewolf leader''s body. Compared to the meat, Alex was more pleased to have gained a level 9 bone beast werewolf, a peak combat force under her command, which was very nice. With the death of the werewolf leader, the morale of the other werewolves plummeted, especially with Arthur''s addition. The balance of victory on the battlefield began to tilt towards Alex. "Arthur, you''re strong!" Without him, Alex''s other undead might not have been able to wear down this level 9 werewolf. Alex used her left eye''s magic to transform the werewolf into a bone beast. Currently, only Alex had the ability to transform bone beasts; the scythe did not have this function yet. A level 9 bone beast werewolf seemed stronger than a level 9 Skeleton Warrior, right? [Bone beast werewolf] [Race: undead race.] [Life Tier: Standard (non-upgradable).] [Level: lv9 (max)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 50] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 40] [Growth Limit: Monarch level] Alex felt somewhat disappointed that the werewolves'' double attribute enhancement at night was lost after becoming undead creatures. "Well, it''s still very strong, only slightly weaker than Arthur." The bodies of these werewolves would be handled by the undead, and Alex returned to the castle to change her dirty clothes. The werewolf leader was killed outside the castle, so she only received the double experience bonus for nighttime, without the 1.5 times bonus from the Bone Throne. Alex started calculating with her fingers. "Ah, I lost 120 experience points!" "Wait, that''s the total loss, not counting the other werewolves!" Alex glanced back at the battlefield where seven or eight werewolves were still desperately holding on. She hurried back to the castle to try to salvage some of the lost experience points. Upon entering the castle, Alex went straight to the bathroom, kicking off her shoes and yanking off her hair tie, letting her white hair flow freely. "First, a bath, and I''ll even earn triple experience points while at it¡ªthis is just too awesome..." Chapter 29 - 29: What a massive haul After her bath, Alex casually slipped into a white dress, opting to go commando since she was just going to sleep soon anyway and couldn''t be bothered to change into more clothes. "Eh~" As she stepped out of her bedroom, she felt a cool breeze down there and quickly covered her skirt. "Phew, it was just my imagination. Thought my skirt flew up for a second." That settled, she decided it was fine to just make do. Three days had passed, and Alex had been cooped up in the castle for all of them, nearly going stir crazy. It felt like being quarantined, especially with no internet! The world was vast, and Alex was eager to explore it. However, her own strength was still too weak. She had barely stepped out of the castle gates when she was almost caught by werewolves. Alex had considered riding Arthur to see the world, but she gave up after a brief attempt. Arthur, being a bone dragon, was all bones with no flesh, offering no stable place to sit. Unlike in other novels where characters could stand on a dragon''s head like a dragon-taming sage, that just wasn''t feasible with Arthur. The moment Arthur took flight, Alex nearly fell off; riding a bone dragon provided no comfort at all. "According to my past life''s web novel experiences, I should be able to fly once I level up enough. Surely not even a Divine being can''t fly, right? That would be too low," she mused. She checked her attributes: [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv8 Standard (can be increased by personal and troops'' kills)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 200] [Mana Points: 70] [Strength: 41] [Stamina: 40] [Agility: 41] Emm¡­ Besides the usual attribute increases, there seemed to be no changes. But Alex never lost hope, always expecting some special reward with each level up. "This monster killing gives experience points, but there''s no experience bar. I never know when I''ll level up; it''s always so sudden, no time to prepare mentally." She was close to reaching level 9, the excitement palpable, hoping for additional enhancements after reaching level 9. The undead army had brought all the werewolf corpses into the castle, and Alex used magic to transform them into bone beasts. These werewolves couldn''t be directly thrown into the Blackwater Altar; otherwise, they might randomly summon other undead creatures. After completing the magical summoning, Alex then ordered these bone beasts into the Blackwater Altar. She discovered that bone beasts were actually a variant of skeletons, with the same fixed skeletal enhancement effects. Nothing new there. However, adding over thirty level 5 bone beast werewolves did strengthen her undead army a bit. Among them were thirty-two level 5 bone beast werewolves, two level 6, one level 7, and one level 9 leader. [Bone beast werewolves] [Race: undead race.] [Life Tier: Standard (non-upgradable).] [Level: lv9 (max)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 50+7] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 40+7] [Growth Limit: Monarch level] [Enhancement: increases attack power and defense, Strength and Agility +7 points.] The attributes of this level 9 leader wolf were enhanced just like the other werewolves, with no special changes. Although it was a bit troublesome being targeted by the wolves from the snowy mountains, at least for now, it was a good thing for Alex. The castle''s invincible barrier meant she feared no enemy. As long as she was within the newbie protection period, any number of enemies would just be sending troops her way, providing her with extra food and resources. Alright, it seemed unlikely that any enemies would come now; the wolf pack had been severely weakened. Currently, there were only a few forces around Alex''s castle, and as for the Goblins, Alex guessed they didn''t have the courage to initiate an attack. If a frost dragon went mad and attacked Alex, she would have to resort to a turtle strategy, hiding inside the castle. Of course, Alex had no quarrel with the frost dragon, so there was no reason for it to attack her. "The long night continues, everyone please keep up the effort, those who need to hunt, hunt; those who need to level up, go level up!" Alex couldn''t miss the opportunity for double loot drops, she had to cherish the time and make good use of these endlessly laboring undead. Although the undead''s work efficiency wasn''t high, their stamina was infinite, allowing them to work 24 hours a daynon-stop. Once all the undead had left the castle, Alex planned to disassemble all the werewolves, as well as the animal corpses the undead had hunted that afternoon. The animal corpses were quickly summoned by Alex, and the castle instantly gained eighty undead ranging from levels 1 to 3. Alex ordered them to strengthen themselves in the Blackwater Altar and then disassemble the corpses. [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 40 wild boar corpses, obtaining 800 units of food, 80 wild boar tusks, 40 wild boar skins, and 25 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 20 antelope corpses, obtaining 400 units of food, 20 antelope skins, and 19 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 20 rabbit corpses, obtaining 200 units of food, 20 rabbit skins, and 10 magic crystals.] Since these corpses were hunted by the undead in the afternoon, there was no double loot drop. The haul was still decent, with 1400 units of food and 54 magic crystals in total. The undead laborers also brought Alex 3000 units of wood and 2000 units of stone. Although not a lot, it was better than nothing. After all, who would complain about having too many resources? Now for the main event of the evening: the thirty-six werewolf corpses, each a Moon Silver Wolf of at least level 5. Alex had previously obtained Essence Shards from Moon Silver Wolves, and if she remembered correctly, monsters above level 5 always dropped an Essence Shard. That meant Alex would directly obtain thirty-six Essence Shards. "What a massive haul!" Excited heart, trembling hands. Alex''s fingers eagerly pressed the Disassemble button. [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 32 level 5 Howling Moon Werewolves corpses, obtaining 1280 units of elite food, 100 magic crystals, and 32 Essence Shards (double loot drop).] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 2 level 6 Howling Moon Werewolves corpses, obtaining 80 units of elite food, 8 magic crystals, and 2 Essence Shards (double loot drop).] ... [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling a level 9 Howling Moon Werewolves corpse, obtaining 38 units of elite food, 20 magic crystals, and 4 Essence Shards (double loot drop).] S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Cool, there really are surprises, wait, wait, wait, too many surprises!" Alex was almost overwhelmed. Firstly, what caught Alex''s attention was the elite food. What exactly was elite food? How did it differ from regular food? The level 5 werewolves dropped elite food, but Alex, who had previously killed a level 7 griffon, only found it dropped regular food. Strange! Right, Alex had also killed level 5 Moon Silver Wolves before, and they dropped regular food too. After a minute of thought, Alex seemed to understand. It was because they had transformed into werewolves that they dropped elite food! Chapter 30 - 30: Woohoo—taking off "Killing over thirty werewolves, plus the double loot drop, tonight''s haul is even more than the last three days combined!" This just proves the old saying: rather than working hard to make money, it''s better to lie in bed and count it. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The unexpected boon for Alex was this group of werewolves; if they attacked every night, Alex would gain an even greater advantage. Of course, being somewhat intelligent creatures, the werewolves probably wouldn''t dare leave the snowy mountain again. Alex was a bit surprised that a normal werewolf should drop 20 units of food, but this level 9 werewolf only dropped 19? After some analysis, Alex realized that part of the wolf''s body had been burned away by her black flames, hence the 19 units of food. The rules of this world were quite strict. However, Alex also discovered that it wasn''t guaranteed for creatures above level 5 to drop an Essence Shard¡ªit was a chance drop... The previous consistent drops were just good luck, leading her to a mistaken assumption. But with the night''s double loot drop, even a single shard dropping would double, and Alex ended up with 40 Essence Shards, making a fortune. Alex had amassed 1438 units of elite food, 130 magic crystals, and 40 Essence Shards, enough to upgrade her Barracks. Perfect timing to complete the upgrade before dawn, and then summon new troops on the fourth day¡ªsweet! Curious about the elite food, Alex decided to try it out in the kitchen, assuming it must have some special effects. The system hadn''t indicated any difference, so personal testing was necessary. Soon, Alex walked out of the kitchen with a plate of roasted werewolf meat, blowing gently on it before taking a bite. Chewed on the left, then the right. Hmm, not tasty. It seemed no different, but Alex felt a warm flow from the elite food, an indescribable sensation. [Using elite food, gain two experience points!] What?! The effect of elite food was to provide experience points. With over fourteen hundred units of elite food, that meant she could gain 2800 experience points! What a concept¡ªAlex guessed this could boost her directly to Commanding level! Tempted by the prospect of rapid power gain, Alex headed to the Warehouse but stopped dead in her tracks upon opening the door. Faced with a mountain-like pile of elite food, she was dumbfounded. How long would it take to eat all this? She''d probably burst before leveling up... Better to trade it, she thought, realizing her naivety. Checking the time, there was still a while until dawn. She decided to list the elite food for trade immediately, hoping it might be sold by tomorrow. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One unit of elite food, trading for 2 magic crystals or 1 iron ingot.] [Remaining quantity: 1437 units.] [Note: Consuming elite food grants two experience points.] Alex chose to trade for magic crystals and iron ingots, as she wasn''t short on wood or stone, and it was still early days for upgrading her castle to a town. To speed up the trade of the elite food, she even highlighted the note in bold... As soon as Alex''s trade went live, it exploded among the Lords chatting in the World Chat. Some were still struggling with regular food, and elite food was unheard of. [Seban]: "Holy fuck, what''s elite food? Dropped by high-level monsters? That''s awesome, are all Big Shots this strong?" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Are you kidding me? It''s only day three, and I was just feeling proud about barely scraping by. Now I''m already being outclassed by a Big Shot." [BigBreastGirl]: "Big Shot, my pussy''s a bit itchy, can you help scratch it?" [SirLaughsALot]: "Can you not be disgusting, please? I''ll say it again, there''s absolutely no Yuri here. Also, aren''t you guys missing the point? Consuming elite food grants two experience points!" [NONTR]: "It''s that damn Hamburger merchant again, isn''t she charging too much? What the hell are iron ingots? If I had those, would I care about the two experience points from your elite food?" [CheeseLovingMouse]: "Iron ingots aren''t valuable, anyone who can smelt them will definitely trade for elite food. It''s a great opportunity to level up oneself and troops without risking combat for experience." Alex watched the World Chat with a ''just as I thought'' expression. To her, a few experience points might not make a big difference since her undead army was constantly fighting, and she had the 1.5 times experience bonus from the Bone Throne. But for weaker Lords, those two experience points were a huge temptation. For example, Sophie in [QuartzStriker] castle was completelyflabbergasted by Alex''s move. She looked at the food in her hand, suddenly finding it less appealing. She was about to throw it away but then thought better of it; for Sophie, food was still the most crucial resource. "Why is it that everyone starts from zero, but the gap is so huge, sigh," Sophie mused, sitting in her chair, resting her head on her hand, a look of melancholy on her face. She thought they were friends, but Alex hadn''t even asked her about it. Sophie sighed again, feeling a bit naive. After all, a verbal promise doesn''t mean much when there are no strings attached, and in a world without constraints, all Lords are essentially enemies. Sophie wondered if Alex still had any elite food left, but seeing the 1437 units listed on the trading post, she guessed Alex must be out of stock. "What to do, this [Hamburger] Lord is really strong, even managing to get elite food," Sophie mused. She looked at her own situation; the dwarf artisans and humans didn''t have much difference in their lifestyle, needing sleep at night just like everyone else. Just out of the forge tonight were five hundred iron ingots. Sophie pondered whether to trade them for elite food, tempted by the prospect of gaining two experience points per unit of food. Most of Sophie''s dwarfs were around levels 2 and 3, very weak in combat, making leveling up through fighting a fantasy. Mining and smelting provided no experience, their only advantage being their numbers. "Hmph, I''ll trade. Iron ingots can be smelted daily, but who knows when elite food will be available again." Sophie finally decided to trade five hundred iron ingots for five hundred units of elite food, equating to a thousand experience points¡ªenough to level up both herself and the strongest dwarf in her castle. Sophie, holding a friend position with Alex, noticed two additional features besides [Chat]: [Alliance] and [Submission]. She wondered if forming an alliance with Alex might improve her situation. "Just don''t know what her attitude would be," Sophie sighed. Unlike Sophie''s sighs, Alex was thrilled. She had thought no one would recognize the value of her elite food. Yet, less than ten minutes after listing it, she had already traded five hundred units. It seemed there were still some smart folks around, marking another unprecedented large transaction. "Woohoo¡ªtaking off!" Alex exclaimed, excited about her successful trade strategy. Chapter 31 - 31: Maidens Bedroom If Arthur can defeat a level 9 werewolf, then surely a Goblin Commanding shouldn''t be a problem, right? Goblins, being lower-tier creatures with a low Life Tier, shouldn''t become too monstrous even if they reach Commanding attributes. Alex felt it was necessary to launch an attack on the Goblins. Tomorrow would be the fourth day, and she worried about potential complications if she didn''t deal with them soon. However, it was nighttime now, and Alex respected the double attribute enhancement that the Goblin Commanding received during these hours. With nothing much left to do for the night except to upgrade her Barracks and summon troops, she could then head to sleep. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Requirements to upgrade Barracks: 1000 magic crystals, 10 Essence Shards] "Upgrade the Barracks!" A thousand magic crystals and ten Essence Shards from the Warehouse were used up first, followed by a system notification. [Undead Crystal: Level 3 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 3 Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death knights, gargoyles¡ªfive types of troops (random ten units) with a 4% chance of summoning higher-tier troops, and an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Requirements to upgrade Barracks: 2000 magic crystals, 20 Essence Shards] [Congratulations Lord, your Barracks has been upgraded to level 3, and you have received a random special structure blueprint.] "Turns out gargoyles can be unlocked at just level 3 Barracks; I thought they were higher-tier creatures." It seemed Alex''s luck the previous night wasn''t as good as she thought, with gargoyles being unlockable by just a level 3 Barracks. Now that she could summon gargoyles, it was a significant step, but the Barracks was just a means to unlock capabilities. Without her own summoning abilities, Alex would only have forty undead. The materials for upgrading the Barracks had doubled again. While she had enough Essence Shards, she was short on magic crystals. It was always something¡ªenough of one thing but not another, which was quite frustrating. However, Alex was confident. Magic crystals were easy to come by, and she aimed to upgrade the Barracks to level 4 the day after tomorrow. As for the summoning odds, it didn''t really matter. A 0.01% chance would hit if it was meant to, and a 99.99% chance wouldn''t if it wasn''t meant to. Unless it was 100%, it was all up to fate. Special structure blueprint, heh heh heh... "Let''s try my luck." Alex rubbed her hands together, about to click to open the blueprint. "Almost forgot!" She quickly pinched her breast to apply a luck buff to herself, then chose to open the blueprint. Couldn''t forget the luck buff. [Special structure blueprint: Maiden''s Bedroom.] [Building level: None.] [Feature 1: Enhances rest quality, essential for a good night''s sleep, increases the recovery rate of mental strength.] [Feature 2: All items in the bedroom have automatic cleaning and repair functions.] [Building materials required: 1 magic crystal.] Alex: ??? What''s with this fancy stuff? A bedroom counts as a special building? Well, Alex adhered to the principle of not refusing anything free, albeit reluctantly. Perhaps the system felt sorry for her living conditions. She walked to her bedroom, observing the cracked walls, dark ceiling, old candle chandelier, and the white single bed that seemed quite dated. Although not dirty, it indeed looked very old. Only the wardrobe next to it, full of modern items, seemed out of place. Indeed... a bit shabby? Aren''t all Lords supposed to live in such houses? Or could it be possible to get different styles of castles based on the troops summoned? Alex didn''t know, as she hadn''t seen other Lords'' castles. But as far as her own castle was concerned, she found it quite spooky on her first day. "Let''s build it, and see how much of a difference it makes!" Magic crystal -1. As a blinding light flashed, the entire bedroom was transformed. The new bedroom adopted a blue and pink decor style, matching Alex''s wardrobe, indicating they were originally designed as a set. The cracked walls became clean and smooth, the black ceiling turned light blue, and the floor was covered with a blue and pink carpet. The old white single bed transformed into a large two-meter-wide pink double bed, complete with a large pillow and several teddy bears on the sides. A modern-style dressing mirror was added to the bedroom, and the old candle chandelier was replaced with a modern crystal chandelier. A new European-style round window was installed on the wall, and since Alex''s bedroom was on the third floor, she could directly see the outside of the castle through it. Alex was thrilled. "This is too awesome!" A special building that only cost 1 magic crystal turned out to be so exquisite! Alex walked into the bedroom, feeling as if she had traveled through time again. It seemed other Lords were here for life and death challenges, but Alex was here to enjoy life. With such a large bedroom all to herself, she ran to the bed and flopped down on it. So soft, much more comfortable than the old bed. Indeed, without comparison, there is no harm. Alex turned on the light, and the crystal chandelier emitted a soft glow, instantly enveloping the entire bedroom. When she saw the crystal chandelier, she knew there must be electricity in the bedroom. Yes, electricity, but no wires. Alex was no longer surprised. Having been in Eldoria for just three days, she had seen too many incredible things. Moreover, in this magical land where dragons and angels existed, why not electricity? Perhaps it only required some magical transformation to convert lightning elements into energy for the crystal chandelier. "Alright, time to summon troops and then I can go to sleep!" Alex checked the system time; it was already past midnight, time to go downstairs to summon troops. She approached the Barracks, and the familiar prompt appeared again. [Barracks fully charged, ready to begin summoning!] [Yes!] The Barracks glowed green, and ten figures gradually emerged in the light. Ten identical figures, three 7 feet tall with wings on their backs¡ªten gargoyles! Alex wasn''t sure whether to be happy or disappointed with her luck. This time, the troop draw didn''t produce any special creatures, and now that gargoyles were basic troops for level 3 Barracks, it wasn''t surprising to summon all gargoyles. Well, luck can''t always be good. Four draws, two golds, was already quite good. Ten gargoyles were much better than the ten Skeleton Soldiers she got on the first day. If Alex had drawn ten Skeleton Soldiers again, that would have been terrible. This time, Alex didn''t forget to send the ten gargoyles to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. After they were strengthened, she directly sent them off to level up. "Alright, today''s work is done, time to go to sleep!" Chapter 32 - 32: Attack the Goblin tribe Alex slipped out of her dress and tossed it aside, diving naked into the cozy confines of her bed. There was nothing quite like the bliss of curling up under the covers after a long day. With the castle''s invincible protection, not even god intervention could disturb her sleep. Yet, despite the comfort, Alex was driven. She knew that once the newbie protection period ended and the protective shield was gone, her nights might not be so restful. The thought of potential enemies attacking was frightening enough to keep anyone on edge. Drifting into sleep, Alex found herself caught in the grip of a strange dream¡ªthe first since her arrival in Eldoria. She dreamt of a horde of green-haired monsters storming her castle. They laughed menacingly, looting and somehow bypassing the castle''s protective shield. Her undead army was nowhere to be found, and in the end, the monsters dismantled her castle completely, not even leaving a stone unturned. They left her shivering, clutching her chest on the cold, barren ground, not even sparing her a single undergarment. "Ah, this is intolerable, utterly unbearable!" Alex jolted awake, relieved to find her castle still intact. "Damn it, isn''t this bedroom supposed to enhance mental recovery? Why am I having nightmares instead of waking up refreshed? And why such a miserable dream at that?" Checking the system time, she realized she had only slept for three hours. "Green-haired monsters, huh? I''ll wipe you out myself!" In Alex''s mind, green-haired monsters equated to Goblins. It was logical¡ªboth were green, after all. With over three hours until dawn, the timing was perfect. The only real challenge was the Goblin Commanding. Alex wasn''t sure of its strength, which is why she had planned to wait until she was stronger to confront them. But the night''s dream had infuriated her. Anger demanded action¡ªshe would take her frustrations out on the Goblins. Among the thousand or so Goblins, only the leader was at the Commanding level, with a few level 9 Goblin Warriors and Goblin Mages. Alex doubted these level 9 Goblins were stronger than the level 9 werewolves she had faced; at most, they might be comparable to the Moon Silver Wolves before their transformation. Goblin Mages might be a bit tougher, but to Alex, they were useless. First, her undead were immortal; second, Arthur and the gargoyles were immune to magic. Checking Arthur''s stats: [bone dragon king (Arthur)] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv7 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 110] [Strength: 70+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 70+10] [Growth Limit: Divine level] [Active Skill: Nether Dragon Breath] [Passive Skill: Elemental Magic Immunity, Dragon''s Presence] Arthur had leveled up, though Alex wasn''t sure if he had been level 6 or 7 when he fought the werewolves. Knowing that Arthur''s current strength surpassed that of most level 9 creatures was enough. Level 9 werewolves, even with their attributes doubled at night, were only about as strong as Arthur at level 6. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Previously, Alex might have hesitated to attack a Goblin tribe, but not tonight. She now had a level 9 bone beast werewolf, a top-tier force just below Commanding level, plus Arthur''s formidable power. What was there to worry about? Alex assessed the forces: the Goblin tribe had one Commanding, several level 9 Goblin Warriors and Mages, and over a thousand other Goblins. Alex''s undead army was led by the level 7 Arthur, included a level 9 bone beast werewolf and a level 7 Bone Beast Griffin, along with other level 7 to 5 bone beast werewolves. She counted over 60 undead of level 5 or higher, half of which were newly transformed bone beast werewolves tonight. The total undead count was 1823! Sweet, even Alex was stunned by the number. It was a testament to the undead''s ability to always maintain a numerical advantage. She had thought her forces would be fewer than the Goblins, but now it seemed today was the day to take revenge for the unfortunate neighboring Lord. The Goblins better be ready; tonight was going to be sleepless! Alex estimated the strength of both sides. Aside from the Goblin Commanding, whose power was an unknown, the undead army seemed poised to crush the Goblins. Excited, she jumped out of bed, the red moonlight casting a glow on her flawless skin. A cool breeze reminded her of her nudity, prompting her to quickly find clothes to wear. Dressed and calculating the time until dawn¡ªjust over three hours¡ªshe figured there was plenty of time for the undead army to annihilate all the Goblins. At night, that meant double loot drops. Just think, each Goblin could yield two experience points; a thousand Goblins equaled over two thousand experience points, and with double drops, four thousand. What a thrill! The only downside was the distance of the Goblin tribe from her castle, which meant no extra 1.5 times experience bonus. Nonetheless, it was enough for Alex to reach level 9, a significant boost. Alex''s eyes sparkled with the prospect of wealth. "We''re going to be rich!" She thought of the neighboring Lord resting below, promising to avenge him. And surely, the Goblin tribe held other treasures, not to mention the magic crystals and Essence Shards left from the fallen Lord''s castle. If the Goblin Commanding proved too strong, Alex planned to exploit the undead''s immortality by dragging out the fight until dawn. Once the enemy''s double attributes faded, even a strong Goblin Commanding would tire against her vast undead forces. Alex hadn''t heard of any self-healing Goblins. If the Goblin Commanding turned out to be weaker than expected, she''d have to kill it before dawn for the double rewards. Over a thousand corpses would significantly boost her undead army''s numbers. Alex realized that the strength of her undead forces wasn''t built¡ªit was fought for. Tonight''s thirty-plus werewolves had already increased her army''s overall strength by at least half. If she could also absorb the Goblin tribe, her power could double. More resources, more experience, and a stronger undead army. Alex finally understood the core gameplay of the undead: War! Chapter 33 - 33: Gather the troops, and storm their stronghold This time, Alex decided to join the undead army in their attack on the Goblin tribe. She realized that her dark magic was still potent. If Arthur couldn''t defeat the Goblin Commander, she could lend a hand. She had been in the castle for three days. Although it was safe, it was unbearably dull. She figured watching the undead battle the Goblins would be far more entertaining¡ªan epic battle she didn''t want to miss. "What should I wear?" Alex, stark naked, rifled through her wardrobe, struggling to decide. Since she was heading out to wipe out Goblins and expected a fight, dressing smartly was essential. She picked a white shirt with a black bow tied at the collar. Then, sitting on the edge of her bed, she skillfully gathered her black stockings, slipped her feet in, and pulled them up to her thighs in one smooth motion. Alex was getting quite adept at dressing like this¡ªpractice makes perfect, after all. However, Alex ended up wearing a blue and white plaid pleated skirt. "Screw it, I''m not leading the attack anyway, so it doesn''t really matter how I dress." Alex stepped out of the castle, pushed open the gate, and saw a Skeleton Soldier carrying wood into the courtyard. "You!" "Tell all the undead outside to gather at the castle gate!" The Skeleton Soldier dropped the wood, puzzled by Alex''s command, but then left the castle. The message spread quickly: from one to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand. In less than twenty minutes, the message had reached all the undead. Soon, they all returned to the castle gate, standing chaotically outside, not quite understanding what Alex meant by "gather." According to Greenbean, the Goblin tribe was located in a cave just beyond a swamp south of Alex''s castle. Just venture south out of her territory to find the swamp, and the Goblin tribe wouldn''t be far. Arthur also flew back and landed outside the castle. "Arthur, do you remember where you caught that Goblin last time?" Alex looked up at Arthur and asked. "Arthur remembers, my respected Queen." "Alright, you''ll lead the way later. Take the undead to that place and find the Goblin tribe, then kick their asses!" For the sake of convenience, she''d have to endure the bumpy ride. Alex asked Arthur to lower his head, climbed onto his back, and straddled his neck. "Ouch, my ass!" That was a regrettable decision! She had worn a skirt before setting off, and now, as she rode, the skirt''s hem had risen to her upper thighs, almost revealing her black panties. This was no way to sit! S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex thought for a moment, realizing that this wasn''t how girls were supposed to sit. Right, they sit sideways! So, Alex, on Arthur''s back, struggled to twist her body and adjust her position. Ssshh¡ªher black stockings tore on a bone spur on Arthur''s neck. "Whatever, let''s just go, there''s no time to change clothes anymore. Only two and a half hours till dawn, we need to hurry." Alex finally adjusted her position, her legs hanging on one side, sitting sideways on Arthur''s neck. "Much better!" Although not afraid of heights, Alex felt a bit anxious looking down from a height of about 16 to 20 feet. She sat on Arthur''s back, one hand tightly gripping his neck, the other clenched in a fist raised triumphantly. "Let''s go! To the Goblin tribe!" Whoosh! Arthur spread his wings, stirring up a gust of wind, and took off. "Ah!" Alex exclaimed in surprise, startled by the sudden ascent. Fortunately, Arthur was large enough that she didn''t have to worry about falling off. As they gained altitude, Alex saw the castle shrink in her view, and the undead at the gate looked like ants. The gargoyles and specters below also took flight¡ªwell, the specters floated, while the gargoyles and Bone Beast Griffins actually flew. As for the other undead, they had to run on the ground, with the death knights and bone beast werewolves moving the fastest and the Skeleton Soldiers the slowest. Arthur lowered his flying altitude, leading the way not too high above the ground to ensure the undead below could keep up. "Wow! That''s so cool." Alex felt like a child discovering a new world, thrilled beyond words. This was her first time venturing so far from the castle since arriving in this world. From this vantage point, she could see the entire environment around her castle. If not for the fog in the distance, she felt she could even spot the other Lords nearby. Although the view had expanded with their ascent, the surrounding fog limited visibility, probably a system protection for other Lords, otherwise, it wouldn''t explain the persistent heavy fog. Aside from a sore butt, the journey was otherwise unremarkable. Arthur occasionally circled back to wait for the undead below. Thus, Alex endured nearly an hour on Arthur''s back. They hadn''t flown far, spending most of the time waiting for the other undead. Finally, by moonlight, Alex spotted a large swamp not far away. The gray mud and black soil formed a subtle boundary. The swamp was larger than she had anticipated, seemingly bigger than her castle''s territory. The swamp was filled with thick, sturdy trees with black trunks and not a hint of green. The vast area and eerie atmosphere made it a daunting sight. "This is going to be tough. The skeletons will have a hard time crossing this swamp." Circling around would waste at least an hour, and by then, it would almost be daylight, potentially missing out on double loot drops. It was a miscalculation not to scout the route in advance. However, Alex felt it shouldn''t be too problematic. The undead had infinite stamina, and although moving through the swamp might slow them down, it shouldn''t trap them. "Arthur, keep flying forward!" Alex instructed Arthur to scout ahead and pinpoint the exact location of the Goblin tribe to facilitate their upcoming assault. "Arthur, fly higher, don''t let them spot you!" Arthur ascended, flying high above, with fast-moving black clouds on either side obscuring any view. Under Arthur''s full-powered flight, it took less than three minutes to clear the swamp, and then they continued forward for another two minutes. "Respected Queen, I think I have spotted the cave you mentioned, surrounded by a group of Goblin guards." Arthur''s vision was naturally better than Alex''s, who was nearly blinded by the wind and could hardly observe the situation below. "Good job, Arthur. Remember this spot. We''ll fly back, gather the troops, and storm their stronghold!" Based on Arthur''s flying speed, Alex estimated that the undead would need about forty minutes to cross the swamp. The swamp was wide but not very long. Chapter 34 - 34: Evil tree spirit Soon, Arthur flew back with Alex, and by then, the undead had already begun crossing the swamp. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Arthur, carrying Alex, circled in the sky, keeping an eye on the surroundings. Half the battle strength against the Goblins relied on the bone beast werewolves, but unfortunately, they couldn''t fly and had to wait to cross the swamp. A Skeleton Soldier at the forefront of the swamp stepped on a branch on the ground. Suddenly, the ground of the swamp began to shake, and branches around wildly thrashed as a huge tree monster made of black wood from the swamp emerged. It had four limbs, each made of thick wood. The tree monster''s size was second only to Arthur, dwarfing all other undead. The tree monster, likely disturbed by the Skeleton Soldier, lifted a wooden claw and smashed it down on the Skeleton Soldier, scattering its bones in all directions. "What the hell is that?!" Since Arthur was flying low, Alex saw everything clearly. The skeletons were slowed down by the terrain of the swamp, while the tree monster, with its massive body, seemed unaffected by the swamp. The tree monster began attacking the invaders, quickly scattering several undead, who were slowly reassembling. This was clearly a high-level creature. Alex instinctively wanted to check the monster''s stats but realized she couldn''t use her features outside her castle territory. "Never mind, let''s beat it first. We can''t let this thing stop the undead army, especially since dawn isn''t far off." "Arthur, take it down!" At the queen''s command, Arthur dove down. "Yikes, slow down!" Such sudden movements always caught Alex off guard. Arthur unleashed a breath of dragon onto the tree monster''s massive body. Its large size meant it couldn''t react quickly. However, the tree monster wasn''t completely frozen; perhaps it was too big, and instead, Arthur''s dragon breath enraged it. Countless branches extended from its thick wooden limbs, thrashing wildly around. Alex watched from above. Only the level 9 bone beast werewolves could barely withstand the tree monster''s strike, but they were also thrown back, while the other undead were shattered. Commanding level! And it was a night-time double attribute boost Commanding level! Only a Commanding level creature could nearly withstand Arthur''s dragon breath unscathed. Greenbean hadn''t mentioned a Commanding level tree monster in the swamp. That cunning goblins had deceived her. But this wouldn''t make Alex retreat. Since the tree monster was likely afraid of fire... "My turn to shine!" "Arthur, get close!" As Arthur dove near the tree monster, Alex raised her hand and unleashed a Black Flame Blast, then Arthur carried Alex swiftly upwards to avoid the tree monster''s counterattack. It was like a scene from a bomber movie. The Black Flame Blast hit the tree monster''s front limb, creating a large hole and the flames fiercely burned at the edges of the hole. Within seconds, the tree monster''s limb broke off, and it fell into the swamp, its severed limb turning to ash. ?! Alex suddenly realized that her dark magic was particularly effective against the tree monster; even Arthur''s dragon breath hadn''t done much, but her Black Flame Blast had obliterated its limb. Double strike! Triple strike! Fourfold joy! Alright, Alex had spent 40 Mana Points, and now all four limbs of the tree monster were gone, with black flames still burning rapidly at the wounds. The tree monster now lay motionless in the swamp. [Congratulations, you have successfully killed a level 1 Commanding level evil tree spirit, earning 400 experience points (double drop).] It''s dead! So, this creature was called an evil tree spirit, definitely Commanding level! Alex quickly ceased her magic, otherwise, the corpse would burn up too. Arthur landed, and Alex carefully climbed down from his back, her little boots stepping into the foul-smelling swamp water. Alex approached the evil tree spirit, ready to use her summoning magic, though she wondered how much combat power it could have without its limbs. But it was still Commanding level! Alex activated the magic in her left eye, but the evil tree spirit showed no reaction. [Summoning failed!] [Failure reason: Mud swamp derivative, no soul.] Huh? What a loss, damn, it can''t be summoned. I thought I could have a Commanding level force... Alex felt disappointed, but she also learned from the prompt that creatures without souls apparently couldn''t be summoned as undead. Alex quickly checked if it could be Disassembled. Phew, thankfully, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. "Disassemble!" Not being in her territory meant she had to manually Disassemble, lucky it was just one; otherwise, it would be a cumbersome task. But within the castle''s range, she could batch Disassemble and even auto-recover to the Warehouse. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully Disassembled the evil tree spirit''s corpse, obtaining the evil tree spirit suit.] The Commanding level corpse had no magic crystal or Essence Shard, which surprised Alex. Most importantly, it was a tree spirit! Disassembling the corpse didn''t yield food, at least some wood, right? The evil tree spirit''s corpse disappeared, leaving behind three pieces of equipment: a helmet, a chestplate, and leg armor. This must be the suit. Let''s check it. [Equipment name: Evil Tree Spirit Suit (3/3)] [Equipment level: Commanding level] [Set effect: Increases the wearer''s defense to Commanding level, Agility +10 points, Stamina +5 points.] [Note: Extremely afraid of fire.] Another unseen thing! Unexpectedly, this world''s equipment was divided into sets and individual pieces. Alex remembered that the equipment she had obtained before didn''t even have a name, just a level, let alone any attribute bonuses. This was a good item, just... a bit ugly. Alex felt if she wore it, it might be a bit hard to accept. "You wear it!" Alex pointed to the level 9 bone beast werewolves, saying that since items Disassembled outside the territory couldn''t be auto-recovered to the warehouse, it was better to let the level 9 bone beast werewolves wear it, which might allow it to go toe-to-toe with the Goblin Commanding. The bone beast werewolves struggled to put on the suit, and although it looked odd, the attributes indeed increased, making this kind of suit seem more suitable for humanoid creatures. The bone beast werewolves, although humanoid, were too bulky in the upper body. The surrounding Skeleton Soldiers'' bones also reassembled, and the skeletons stood up again. "Keep moving!" Beating this tree spirit had wasted another half hour. By the time they crossed the swamp to reach the Goblin tribe, Alex estimated there was just over an hour until dawn. They had to hurry. Alex lifted her foot and looked at the sole, covered in black mud and stinking water. "Disgusting." Chapter 35 - 35: It seems I overestimated their strength Once again, Alex climbed onto Arthur''s back and settled into a comfortable position. "Arthur, take off!" The undead resumed their crossing of the swamp, this time without encountering another evil tree spirit, which Alex felt somewhat relieved about. She figured if another one appeared, her Mana Points would likely be depleted. With no other creatures to interfere, the undead army quickly crossed the swamp. The level 9 bone beast werewolves, donned in the evil tree spirit suit, moved the fastest. Alex suspected that the suit had a hidden effect that allowed its wearer to move effortlessly through the swamp. Arthur, carrying Alex, flew ahead and soon hovered above the Goblin tribe. She saw a small valley below, dotted with numerous torches, each marking an entrance to a hole, densely packed like a honeycomb. The sight gave Alex goosebumps due to her fear of clusters. Outside the valley, there was a large bonfire with several wooden spits nearby. However, there were no Goblins around the fire, and the flames had died down considerably. Only a few Goblin guards armed with large clubs patrolled the area. It was, after all, five in the morning¡ªthe time when humanoid creatures are most sleepy, even Goblins. Looking back, Alex noticed that the undead were almost caught up. "Arthur, begin the operation!" Feeling the timing was right, Alex immediately commanded Arthur to attack. Arthur stopped circling in the sky, and at the queen''s command, he unleashed a breath of dragon on the patrolling Goblins below, instantly freezing them into ice sculptures, their souls extinguished. Unexpectedly, not far from the valley, a Goblin on a makeshift wooden watchtower spotted the attack. "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The Goblin frantically let out an ugly, piercing scream. Under Alex''s command, Arthur landed, and she skillfully climbed down, then jumped onto a level 1 gargoyle. The 8-feet-tall gargoyle had no problem carrying Alex, who lay flat on its back. To avoid hindering Arthur in battle, Alex specifically chose this level 1 gargoyle as her mount. The gargoyle, bending slightly, took off carefully, knowing that carrying its queen was a privilege that would make it the envy of other gargoyles for a lifetime. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the Goblin''s scream echoed, the entire valley began to stir, and various Goblins started pouring out. The most common Goblins wielded sharpened wooden spears and clubs, some holding torches in their other hands. Slightly more advanced Goblins carried bone weapons and makeshift weapons, like clubs embedded with numerous beast teeth, turning them into maces. From the largest cave entrance in the valley, a robust Goblin wielding a bone club and standing 7 feet tall charged out. Alex immediately recognized this Goblin as the tribe''s leader. "Damn it, where did these undead come from? They even outnumber our tribe!" The enraged Goblin Commanding, seeing the enemies appearing in the sky and around him, roared furiously. Behind the Goblin Commanding were four Goblin Mages and six Goblin Warriors, likely the level 9 Goblins who stood closest to their leader. "Dragons, dragons!" Some of the more cowardly Goblins, seeing Arthur''s massive body, a bone dragon, were terrified by the Dragon''s Presence, enough to intimidate the timid Goblins. Now, the Goblins were running out of their caves, saving Alex the trouble of sending the undead in to kill them one by one. The undead army was also converging from all sides, forming an encirclement. The undead, including the death knights of level 5 and above, had already arrived. Only some level 1 Skeleton Soldiers and zombies were still on their way, but they weren''t far off, so it wasn''t a big issue. "Begin the attack!" With a wave of her hand, countless specters in the sky swooped down like a parade of ghosts. Arthur also moved, soaring into the sky. The Goblins, except for a few Goblin Mages, had virtually no means to attack the air. Arthur, from his vantage point, was slaughtering the Goblins below. The ground troops of the undead, hearing Alex''s command, charged at the Goblins, and a melee ensued between over a thousand Goblins and a thousand undead. The Goblin Mages, wielding their staffs, were the only Goblins capable of ranged attacks. Their primary targets were the undead flying above. One after another, fireballs shot from the Goblin Mages'' staffs, lighting up the night sky like fireworks as they aimed at the specters. The fireballs passed right through the specters without effect, leaving the Goblin Mages confused and forcing them to switch targets. Arthur circled in the sky, his massive form a prime target for the Goblin Mages. Fireballs flew towards Arthur, but upon contact, they merely produced some smoke, leaving Arthur unscathed as he flew out of the smoke, baffling the Goblin Mages even more. In the air force, only the level 7 Bone Beast Griffin was unlucky. The other air units were either incorporeal or immune to magic, but it was shattered instantly by a fireball. Suddenly, a Goblin Mage below spotted a gargoyle hovering motionless in the sky, apparently carrying a human female. The Goblin Mage''s staff glowed red, and a fireball shot straight towards Alex. Just as the fireball was about to hit Alex, another gargoyle flew out and blocked the fireball with its body, absorbing the magic. Goblin Mage: ??? The Goblin Mage couldn''t believe it, thinking it was dreaming. So the Goblin tribe''s prized fireball spell was just a joke? The Goblin Mage''s fireball spell seemed to have no effect on any of the enemies, plunging it into deep self-doubt... "Damn sneaky little vermin, trying to ambush me." Although the Goblin leader was Commanding level, his size was still smaller than the level 9 bone beast werewolves. At the moment, the bone beast werewolves, wearing the evil tree spirit suit, were battling the Goblin leader, barely holding their own against the Goblin Commanding. If it weren''t for the Goblin leader''s double attribute boost, Alex felt that this Goblin leader might indeed struggle to defeat the suit-enhanced bone beast werewolves. "It seems I overestimated their strength!" Chapter 36 - 36: Kill the Goblin leader As more and more undead arrived, the Goblins began to falter, with only a few Goblin Mages and Goblin Warriors in the center of the field still desperately holding on. Even at level 1, the Goblins were no match for the Undead. With a casual breath of dragon, Arthur could instantly freeze dozens of Goblins. He then turned and dove towards the Goblin Commanding below. Arthur''s massive skeletal frame plummeted from the sky, and with tremendous inertia, his powerful claw smashed directly onto the Goblin leader, who was engaged in combat with a bone beast werewolf. Both the Goblin leader and the werewolf were sent flying by Arthur''s impact. "Well done, just like that, beat the hell out of it!" Alex shouted from the back of the gargoyle, cheering Arthur on. The Goblin leader was stunned by the sudden blow, seeing stars and lying dazed on the ground for a long time before regaining his senses. "Ow, ow, ow!" The Goblin leader got up, continuously pounding his chest with his fists and letting out angry howls. Protected by the evil tree spirit suit, the bone beast werewolves'' bones hadn''t scattered. It was the first to stand and charge at the Goblin leader, who was still howling in anger and didn''t notice the werewolf rushing towards him. In an instant, the werewolf''s claws penetrated the Goblin leader''s anus, causing green fluid to spray from his body. Fortunately, the Goblin leader''s sturdy physique saved him from instant death. The Goblin leader stopped howling foolishly, infuriated to the brink of death by the werewolf''s sneak attack. "Big Greenbean, take this!" The Goblin leader heard a human female''s voice, crisp and pleasant, even somewhat charming. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a black fireball flying towards him. !!! The Goblin leader swung his large bone club at the fireball, aiming for a home run. But Alex''s Black Flame Blast wasn''t a baseball; the fire directly shattered the Goblin leader''s bone club, and the fireball splattered under the impact, instantly creating a black firework. The bone beast werewolves and Arthur quickly retreated, fearing they''d be splashed by the black flames. The Goblin leader at the center wasn''t so lucky. The flames splashed onto his feet and arms, causing him excruciating pain. The Goblin leader frantically tried to extinguish the strange flames. The bone beast werewolves and Arthur, seeing the Goblin leader burning, turned and left to attack other Goblins, while Arthur flew up to avoid being affected. The Goblin leader was baffled; no matter what he tried, he couldn''t extinguish the flames. He stomped on them, buried them with dirt, even tried urinating on them, but the flames kept spreading. In agony, the Goblin leader rolled on the ground, wishing he had a knife to chop off his own hands and feet to stop the pain. The flames continued to burn the Goblin leader''s body as he rampaged through the battlefield between the Goblins and the undead. The undead fled in terror, while other Goblins, confused, were accidentally hit by their own leader, and the flames quickly spread to them. Soon, the Goblins engulfed in black flames began screaming and rampaging just like their leader. The other Goblins finally realized something was wrong and started to panic. The battlefield descended into chaos. Wherever the burning Goblins went, other Goblins and undead scattered in all directions. Some lower-level Goblins, with weaker souls, were burned to ashes almost immediately. "Alright, now let me down," Alex said, sensing that the Goblin leader would soon die from the burns. The Goblin tribe had already suffered heavy casualties. Although she hadn''t leveled up yet, she was sure that once the leader died, she would definitely level up. The recent Black Flame Blast had been cast using Alex''s scythe. Once the Goblin leader died, he would immediately turn into an undead, not waiting for his body to be completely reduced to ashes. Once his health was nearly depleted, she could stop the magic and just disassemble what was left of the body. Disassembling a Goblin corpse didn''t drop food, so the completeness of the body didn''t affect the drop of non-food items. For example, a Goblin would drop a magic crystal by default, even if Alex burned it down to just a toe, it would still drop a magic crystal. However, if it were a chicken''s body, and Alex burned it down to just a leg, the originally five portions of food might reduce to one. Alex moved to the rear of the battlefield, continuing to observe the developments. The Goblin leader, now ignored by everyone, had one of his feet burned off and couldn''t run around anymore, which somewhat relieved the other Goblins. "Please, your leader is about to die, and you''re relieved?" Seeing that the Goblin leader was no longer rampaging, a level 9 Goblin Mage tried to step forward to rescue their leader, but the black flame was too bizarre, leaving even the typically fire-savvy Goblin Mage at a loss for words. The Goblin Mage raised his staff, and flames gathered at the tip, slowly forming into a fireball. Whoosh! The Goblin Mage''s fireball unexpectedly hit the nearly dead Goblin leader. Goblin leader HP-3 ??? Alex was stunned, then realized what was happening. "Trying to steal the kill, huh?" Alex raised her hand and cast another Black Flame Blast. With increasing use, she was becoming more adept at casting the spell. The black fireball flew straight towards the Goblin Mage, whose gaze was still fixed on his leader, pondering how to kill... ah, rescue his leader. The Goblin leader, his head tilted to one side, saw the incoming Black Flame Blast and weakly pointed behind with his other intact arm. ? The Goblin Mage, puzzled, looked back. ! The Goblin Mage, terrified, dropped his staff and scrambled away. The Goblin leader''s pupils dilated with fear, and he let out a resentful roar, "You damn fool, I told you to block it, not run away!" The Black Flame Blast successfully hit the dying Goblin leader. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully killed a level 1 Commanding level Goblin, earning 400 experience points (double during night).] A pale blue experience orb emerged from the Goblin leader''s corpse and drifted towards Alex. Finally dead. Goblins, being lower creatures, even with a night-time double attribute boost, were just that. The experience orb merged into Alex, and she felt her experience reach a critical point. "I''m about to level up!" ... With the Goblin leader dead and the remaining Goblins surrounded by the undead, the Goblin group had no more resistance left. At this moment, Alex finally met the conditions to level up. She couldn''t help but check her attribute dashboard each time she leveled up, reveling in the joy of her increased strength. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv9 (Max) Standard (can be increased by personal and troops'' kills)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 200] [Mana Points: 80] [Strength: 50] [Stamina: 48] [Agility: 51] With a surge in attributes, Alex had finally reached level 9. Although her attributes weren''t the highest, her level certainly was. The Goblin leader had been killed by Alex using the Grim Reaper''s Scythe with a Black Flame Blast, and after death, automatically transformed into undead. What creature would it be? Bone beasts Goblin? Alex quickly shook her head, feeling that it didn''t seem quite right. Comparing Goblins to Skeleton Soldiers, Goblins weren''t even as strong as Skeleton Soldiers; transforming them into bone beasts would be a total loss. Might as well leave it to fate. What if the Goblin leader''s corpse summoned a Commanding level gargoyle? Heh heh. The black flames burning on the Goblin leader''s corpse had already been extinguished by Alex, and smoke wafted from the body as a black magic circle glowed beneath it. The first thing to emerge from the formation was a large wing, and seeing this, Alex was delighted. "Just as I thought, it really is a gargoyle!" Alex discovered that unlike other undead, gargoyles couldn''t change classes to undergo some kind of transformation. Maybe, just maybe, it only had this one form? As Alex''s first Commanding level undead, it was worth checking its attributes to compare with Arthur and get a clearer understanding of Arthur''s combat capabilities. [Gargoyle] [Race: undead race] sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 60] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 45] [Growth Limit: King level] 60 Strength? Considering that level 7 Arthur has 70 points, is the gargoyle too weak, or is Arthur just too strong? Arthur is a being that could ascend to divinity; how could he be compared to these ordinary undead? Later, Alex planned to enhance the gargoyle at the Blackwater Altar, which could increase its attributes by another 5 points. The slaughter on the battlefield continued, with the undead growing in number while the Goblins dwindled. The remaining few level 9 Goblins soon met their siblings in hell. At this moment, obscured by mist on the endless eastern horizon, the sun slowly revealed a bit of its outline, welcoming dawn to the land of Eldoria. The Goblin tribe was successfully annihilated by Alex before daylight. With so many experience points, not only did Alex level up, but Arthur also successfully advanced a level. The experience contributed by these more than a thousand Goblins brought a significant boost to Alex''s undead army. [Bone Dragon King (Arthur)] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv8 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 120] [Strength: 80+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 80+10] [Growth Limit: Divine level] [Active Skill: Nether Dragon Breath] [Passive Skill: Elemental Magic Immunity, Dragon''s Presence] Arthur had also reached level 8, with each level consistently increasing his attributes by ten points, although he gained no new skills. However, this was still very powerful. Transforming this group of Goblins into undead, Alex felt her power could rank in the top hundred among all Lords¡ªno, more confidently, in the top ten. "Arthur, have the other undead move these Goblin corpses into the nearest territory." Once the Goblin corpses entered the territory, Alex planned to use magic to summon them all and then use the one-click Disassemble recovery feature within the territory. This would be much faster than summoning them to drag the bodies back. The Goblin corpses needed to be piled together for convenient summoning, and besides, this was outside the castle territory, where Alex felt no sense of security. "At your command, respected Queen." Arthur began directing the undead to transport the Goblin corpses, while Alex walked alone to the center of the battlefield, approaching the Goblin leader''s corpse. "Disassemble." [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully Disassembled a lv1 Goblin Commanding corpse, obtaining 1 Commanding level equipment, 20 magic crystals, and 3 Essence Shards.] The Commanding level equipment was a large bone maul, adding 5 points to Strength. Alex wasn''t interested and casually tossed the weapon to the werewolf wearing the evil tree spirit suit, instructing it to bring it back to the castle. The staff was rudimentary, merely a stick with its top wrapped in vines holding an object. When Alex picked it up, he was surprised to find it was an Essence Shard. Alex promptly removed the Essence Shard from the staff and tossed the stick aside. "Who do you think you are to deserve an Essence Shard?" Wait, Alex thought of something, picked up the stick she had just thrown away, and then buried a small mound of dirt, planting the stick on top of it. [The night retreats, dawn arrives.] At this moment, the sun fully rose, marking the end of Eldoria''s long night and welcoming Alex''s fourth day on the continent. The sunlight cast a long shadow on Alex''s clothes, perfectly covering the small mound she had just made. "Rest in peace, fellow. I''ve avenged you. I''ll take good care of your legacy. I hope in your next life, when you cross over, you find the brain you left in the toilet." Now it was time for the joyful moment of counting money! Alex: (???) === *Some readers commented that the earlier content was not well written, so I am trying to rewrite it, which is why there are some inconsistencies in the plot at this point.* Chapter 37 - 37: Im rich Alex removed all the Essence Shards from the staffs of the surrounding Goblin Mages, totaling seventeen. She felt incredibly delighted. "I''m rich, I''m rich!" She glanced at the nearby Goblin lair, certain that it contained a treasure trove. However, the entrances on the hillside were too small for most undead to enter, so she had to send in the Skeleton Soldiers for a thorough search. The Skeleton Soldiers, slightly taller but similar in size to Goblins, had no trouble entering the caves. The Goblin tribe''s cave system was extensive, with over a thousand members. Alex sent three hundred Skeleton Soldiers to search, instructing them to bring out anything they could carry. Alex approached the largest cave, which was the residence of the Goblin leader. Curious, she picked up a torch and cautiously entered. The cave was spacious, over two meters high, so Alex didn''t have to stoop. It was dark and damp inside, with a particularly foul smell that nearly made her vomit. She wondered if the Goblin leader liked to defecate while sleeping. After a short walk, Alex reached the end of the cave. With the dim light of the torch, she could see the layout. There was a pile of straw with a burlap mat on top¡ªpresumably the leader''s sleeping area. It was incredibly crude; she couldn''t understand how such slovenly creatures could be considered intelligent. At the back of the cave were two smaller openings too narrow for Alex to enter. She approached with the torch to get a better look. !!! Using the light from the torch, Alex thought she saw several boxes made of bones, more like open-topped containers. She saw them filled to the brim with magic crystals, poking out. "Hmph, I can definitely get in there!" Alex stepped back, raised her left hand to gather magic, and blasted the entrance open with a Black Flame Blast. She stooped and walked into the cave, reaching the bone boxes. Each box was about one meter long and half a meter wide, filled entirely with magic crystals! Inside the cave, Alex also found a special structure blueprint, a map, and a magic book. "Holy fuck, there''s even a magic book!" Alex was stunned; she had thought Goblin Mages naturally knew how to cast fireballs, but they had learned it from this book. She opened the magic book to find it was an intermediate-level fire magic book. Fireball was just the most basic spell in it. The Goblin Mages had been practicing from this book, but their talents were so poor that only a few could master even the simplest fireball spell. Since all humans who arrived on Eldoria automatically learned the common language of Eldoria, Alex could understand the language of other native forces and read their books. This was part of the ''newbie package'' given to all Lords by the system. This intermediate fire magic book was incredibly simple compared to Alex''s dark magic. The basic principles were the same, involving chanting spells to manipulate elemental forces around and concentrate them on the staff. Thus, Alex could definitely learn from this fire magic book. She tucked the special structure blueprint and map into the magic book to examine more closely back at the castle. Additionally, she placed the Essence Shards and magic crystals she was holding into the box. The value of this magic book was immeasurable, far more precious than a box full of magic crystals. Alex exited the small opening and returned to the larger cave of the Goblin leader. Her heart was pounding with excitement as she eagerly looked towards another opening. "Damn it, why even look? Just blast it open." Boom! Alex slowly lowered her left hand after successfully blasting open the other entrance with magic. Excited, she stooped and hurried inside. "Ah, why is it like this..." Disappointed by what she saw inside, Alex was puzzled why the contents of the two caves didn''t match in value. What was Big Greenbean thinking? The cave was filled with miscellaneous items that seemed useless at first glance. There were some of the Goblins'' usual equipment, unfinished staffs, some stinky food, and a pile of rocks in the corner. "Are their brains broken, putting rocks in a cave? What''s that about?" Alex approached with the torch to take a closer look. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Huh, these seem a bit different. Why are all these rocks black?" Upon closer inspection with the torchlight, Alex realized that nearly half the cave was filled with black rocks. "They look familiar, what do they remind me of... Hmm... they kind of look like iron ore?" ?! Could it really be iron ore? Where did these Goblins get so much iron, and they don''t even have the technology to smelt it. Never mind. Alex exited the cave, quickly stepping outside to breathe in some fresh air; the inside was truly too foul, almost suffocating. After this campaign, besides strengthening her undead army, the greatest gain was probably the magic book. Alex instructed a few Skeleton Soldiers to carry out the items she had just seen; she supervised from outside. It took the Skeleton Soldiers nearly an hour to completely empty the Goblin caves. There were quite a few valuable items in the other Goblin caves as well, but they paled in comparison to the Goblin leader''s hoard. By now, all the Goblin corpses had been transported in one batch, and the remaining Skeleton Soldiers returned to carry the treasures from the Goblin caves back. Alex carefully climbed onto Arthur''s back. Rip... Her black stockings were torn again, revealing enticing thigh skin. Alex was speechless; her black stockings had been snagged by Arthur''s bones again. The quality of these stockings was really poor; the more careful she was, the more likely they were to tear. Alex was used to it by now and decided to just make do. She looked back at the Goblin tribe''s site one last time. There were no Goblin corpses left on the ground, just puddles of green fluid. The contents of the Goblin caves had been completely emptied by the Skeleton Soldiers. It must be said, the Skeleton Soldiers were quite thorough. Alex had instructed them to take everything they could carry out of the cave, and they did exactly that, not even sparing the Goblins'' underwear¡ªeverything was brought out. Outside the cave, there was a pile of miscellaneous items, including the clothes worn by the Goblins, all of which were useless. Looking at the scene, Alex felt as if the Goblin tribe had been robbed by thieves who, upon being discovered, had no choice but to kill everyone¡ªa classic case of burglary turned robbery and murder. Chapter 38 - 38: Alexs undead army had significantly increased in strength "Arthur, take off!" With a flick of her hand, Arthur flapped his wings and ascended. It wasn''t long before they reached the edge of the territory. Alex climbed down from Arthur''s back, though she really wanted to jump off stylishly, the height was prohibitive. "I mean, I''m level 9 now, surely a drop from 25 to 30 feet won''t hurt me, right?" While that made sense, Alex hadn''t overcome her psychological fear. After dismounting, Arthur flew off to provide aerial cover for the undead army. What if some unforeseen enemy tried to snatch the Queen''s treasures? Alex looked at her somewhat tattered stockings and decided to just take them off, not forgetting to sniff them as she did. "Hmm, not smelly at all." She stuffed the stockings into the pocket of her pleated skirt, planning to restore them later using her wardrobe back home. She thought about the other Lords who came to Eldoria from Earth with only the clothes they wore, while she had more clothes than she could wear. She was right at the boundary of her castle''s territory, with hundreds of Goblin corpses just inside the territory line. As soon as Alex stepped into her territory, she heard the system''s prompt. [System: Intermediate fire magic detected. Would you like to spend 500 magic crystals to learn it immediately? [Yes] or [No]] "Can I really learn it directly with magic crystals?" She was surprised by the convenience; she thought she''d have to study the magic book slowly. Alex opened her Warehouse, which still had 661 magic crystals¡ªenough. She tapped [Yes]. The magic book in her hand disappeared, transforming into a stream of energy that flowed into Alex. The special structure blueprint and map that were tucked inside fell out, and she quickly caught them. Alex felt her body for any discomfort but found none. Instead, her understanding of fire magic deepened suddenly; she felt as if she could use these spells effortlessly. The only regret was that the magic book disappeared after she learned the magic, thwarting her plan to make a little fortune from it. Alex opened her hand, and a red magic circle appeared. As she channeled her magic power, a huge pillar of fire shot out from the circle, exploding in the distance into a sea of flames. [Mana Points: 70/80] This fire spell also consumed ten mana points, but its power and range were substantial, leaving Alex very satisfied. "From now on, call me the Queen of Flames!" Alex got a bit carried away in her excitement. It turned out that as a lord of undead, not only could she practice soul magic, but other types of magic were also accessible to her. Alex felt that with a little research, she might combine dark and fire magic, although currently, she only mastered undead summoning magic, dark magic, and fire magic, none at the highest level. Her understanding of magic wasn''t very deep yet, and some techniques still needed to be explored gradually. Setting aside these thoughts for now, Alex picked up the special structure blueprint she had found, curious about it since she had been focused on the magic book earlier. [Special Structure Blueprint: Specter Chandelier.] [Building Level: Monarch level] [Feature 1: Conceals all structures within the territory.] S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Feature 2: Reduces the chance of being detected by surrounding native forces.] [Note: The building is only affected by the Specter Chandelier, which disrupts the sightlines of other creatures, making it difficult to be detected within the territory. It does not truly render anything invisible (ineffective against Monarch level and above).] [Note 2: The location of the building does not change, and the concealment effect is lost if a creature accidentally enters the building, discovering the castle''s presence.] [Note 3: Effective against other Lords as well, but ineffective against forces that have already discovered the castle. It does not affect the Lord who built the Chandelier or their troops.] [Construction Materials: 10k wood, 5k stone, 100 magic crystals, 10 Essence Shards.] This auxiliary building was intriguing; it could conceal her castle. According to the notes, even if creatures entered her territory, they wouldn''t discover the castle unless they came near it. This could effectively reduce unwanted attention from neighboring forces, minimizing unnecessary trouble. And the required materials were quite manageable; Alex had them in stock. "Construct!" The materials in the Warehouse vanished instantly. From her distance, Alex could only vaguely see her castle becoming blurred in the distance, like a mirage. Further observations would have to wait until she returned to the castle. While Alex was busy with magic and constructing the special building, the undead had transported all the remaining Goblin corpses back. The last group of Skeleton Soldiers moving the materials was slow, and Alex estimated it would take a bit longer. The undead had piled the Goblin corpses into two small hills. Alex stepped back, her left eye emitting a pale blue light, and a huge grey magic circle appeared beneath the piles of Goblin corpses. Undead began to crawl out from the circle, and Alex endured the headache from the massive summoning effort. Indeed, summoning over a thousand undead at once was too taxing even for her level 9 capabilities. It took a full five minutes for all the undead to be summoned. After dispelling the magic, Alex felt dizzy and slightly oxygen-deprived, but it was worth it for the 1,200 undead she gained. Two level 9 Skeleton Warriors, two level 9 Death Warriors, three level 9 Phantoms, three level 9 Death Conquerors, and two level 9 Gargoyles. Alex''s undead army had significantly increased in strength. If she had a few more Commanding level units, she felt she could even take on the Moon Silver Wolf in the snowy mountains. "Maybe not, what if a frost dragon notices?" Although the undead wouldn''t be killed by a frost dragon, they could still be frozen by its breath, effectively immobilizing them, which was almost as bad as being dead. However, these undead had reached their level cap since they were summoned by Alex, locking their levels permanently. "Everyone, head back to the Blackwater Altar for a soak!" Alex commanded the newly arrived undead, who began their march back to the altar. Chapter 39 - 39: let these foolish Lords be shocked Alex watched the undead march towards the castle, then turned her attention to the remaining Goblin corpses on the ground. Approaching a corpse, a semi-transparent system prompt appeared in front of her. "Disassemble!" Alex commanded with a simple touch. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully Disassembled 1208 Goblin corpses, obtaining 2416 pieces of standard equipment, 4039 magic crystals, and 300 Essence Shards (double drop).] "Wow¡ªjackpot!" Alex had never seen so many materials before. Previous claims of fortune were just talk, but this time, she truly struck it rich. Since these Goblins were slain at night, even though it was now daylight, the disassembly still yielded double drops, a fact she had previously experimented with. It wouldn''t make sense for their night-enhanced attributes to benefit them in life but not offer double in death, much like how the Moon Silver Wolf, once dead in its werewolf form, wouldn''t revert to a regular wolf. Alex swiftly transferred all the resources to her Warehouse, instantly clearing the land in front of her. Soon, under Arthur''s escort, the last of the Skeleton Soldiers finally arrived with the Goblin''s legacy. After tallying these items, she could head back to the castle for some rest. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex used the territory''s one-click recovery feature, and the materials in the Skeleton Soldiers'' hands vanished into thin air, leaving only the original bone boxes. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 900 magic crystals, 200 pieces of standard equipment, and 4500 units of iron ore.] "Huh, it really is iron ore, and so much of it! It''s a shame it''s raw and needs processing. I just don''t know what the output ratio will be." "Oh right, [QuartzStriker] can process iron ore. How could I forget him? I can ask for his help, but I need to figure out the ratio first." Watching the sudden disappearance of the materials, the nearby Skeleton Soldiers were baffled. They had just seen the items a moment ago; how could they vanish so suddenly? They shook their heads, looking around with the creaking sound of their bones. "Stop looking, I took them..." Their lack of intelligence was exasperating. Alex facepalmed as she watched the bewildered Skeleton Soldiers. "Go back to hunting." Rest? That was impossible, not in this lifetime. Do undead need rest? Of course not. "Hey, hey, wait a minute, bring me that equipment." Alex quickly stopped a bone beast werewolf, asking it to hand over the evil tree spirit suit and another large bone maul. Clearly, the bone beast werewolf''s trial period for the suit had expired, and the equipment no longer belonged to it. Such low-level equipment was subject to wear and tear; keeping it on constantly caused deterioration, which could affect the selling price if it was severely worn. "Arthur, go go go!" Alex, holding the four pieces of equipment, sat on Arthur''s back, ready to fly back to the castle. The mission to eradicate the Goblin tribe was perfectly concluded. When Alex once again set foot inside her castle, a sense of security filled her at that moment. Outside the castle''s gate, two new outdoor chandeliers had been added. Each chandelier, made of a hexagonal base and six sides, had a simple black frame made of an unknown material, very plain without any fancy decorations, hanging on either side of the gate. This was the special building, the Specter Chandelier. If anyone looked towards Alex''s castle from a distance, they would see nothing but barren land and dead trees¡ªnothing else. Outside the castle were also some animal carcasses, the result of the undead''s hunting before they attacked the Goblin tribe. Since they had also fought with werewolves, there weren''t many carcasses. Now a wealthy lord, Alex no longer cared for mere hundreds of food items. Food had become so devalued, its cost-effectiveness ever decreasing. Alex sighed. She disassembled these corpses, obtaining 1000 food units and 100 magic crystals. Given the undead''s tireless work 24 hours a day, it is evident that the number of wild animals has begun to sharply decline. Inside the castle, the newly summoned undead were crammed into the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. Once enhanced, Alex immediately sent them away. The castle was only so big; with so many undead, it was simply too crowded. Besides, was her castle a place where these low-level undead could just wander into? Humph. Alex opened the trading post and checked the elite food trades, surprised to find they had all been completed. She had thought there wouldn''t be any trades at night. It seemed elite food was incredibly popular, but unfortunately, she didn''t have any extra elite food to trade at the moment. Alex collected the materials from the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 1437 units of elite food, obtaining 874 magic crystals and 1000 iron ingots.] Another small profit. Alex then looked at other orders in the trading post, mostly still involving food trades, but now it was mostly Lords selling food, with few buying. She also noticed that almost all orders could be traded with magic crystals, which seemed to be becoming the common currency among Lords. Looking at the 6000 magic crystals in her Warehouse, Alex''s lips curled into a charming smile. "Just over a thousand units of elite food and you''re overwhelmed? What would you do if I put up over two thousand pieces of standard equipment for trade?" [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One piece of standard equipment, trade for ten magic crystals or five iron ingots.] [Remaining quantity: 2622 pieces.] [Three pieces of Commanding level equipment, trade for 1000 magic crystals or 500 iron ingots or six Essence Shards.] [Note: The three pieces of Commanding level equipment make up a complete set.] [Remaining quantity: three pieces.] [One piece of Commanding level equipment, trade for 500 magic crystals or 300 iron ingots or three Essence Shards.] [Remaining quantity: one piece.] Alex listed all the equipment she had obtained on the trading post. She wasn''t short of stone or wood, and all trades were for magic crystals and iron ingots. Her undead army was continuously replenished, and she didn''t need weapons. If it weren''t for the scarcity of Lords with iron ingots, which had driven up the price of iron ingots, a magic crystal would typically be worth more than an iron ingot. The evil tree spirit suit, comprising three pieces of defensive equipment, was undoubtedly more valuable when sold as a set than if sold separately like a comparable weapon. "Alright, let these foolish Lords be shocked." Chapter 40 - 40: Frostwind Snowy Mountains Alex glanced at the system time; it was only about seven in the morning. The usually quiet World Chat started to explode with activity due to the large number of items being listed simultaneously. [NotARobot]: "What''s happening? Am I seeing things? Just woke up and already shocked by Big Shot!" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Holy moly, over two thousand pieces of equipment? Did Hamburger Big Shot wipe out a whole tribe or what? This is insane!" [NoYuri]: "And there''s Commanding level equipment too? It''s only day four, and Hamburger is already taking down Commanding level creatures? Too strong, bowing down to Big Shot!" [I have three succubus slaves]: "The evil tree spirit suit is the real shocker, though. It''s just too expensive for me." [Big Lemon]: "How much for your succubus slaves? Can I buy them with food or magic crystals? My troops are orcs, and those female orcs are just too ugly..." ... What the heck, as the World Chat conversation started to derail, Alex decisively closed it. Typical Big Lemon, always thinking about naughty stuff. "I''m too pure for this; can''t let them corrupt me." Now that Alex was wealthy, it was time to splurge a bit. Having 323 Essence Shards meant she wouldn''t have to worry about acquiring more for a while. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aside from iron ingots, which Alex currently couldn''t procure herself, she was well-stocked with all other resources. With the number of wild animals dwindling, Alex had half of her undead workforce chopping wood and mining stone. This way, even if she didn''t need the wood and stone immediately, her stock would continue to grow. In less than a day, Alex''s Barracks were ready for an upgrade, which was really exciting. [Upgrade Barracks required: 2000 magic crystals, 20 Essence Shards] "Upgrade!" [Undead Crystal: lv4 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 4 Barracks can summon: Skeletons, Zombies, Specters, Death Conquerors, Gargoyles, Bone Dragons¡ªsix major troops (random ten) with a 5% chance of summoning higher-level troops, and an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 4000 magic crystals, 40 Essence Shards] Level 4 Barracks unlocked Bone Dragons, and the upgrade materials doubled, but that wasn''t a problem since Alex was quite affluent. "Upgrading again!" [Undead Crystal: lv5 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 5 Barracks can summon: Skeletons, Zombies, Specters, Death Conquerors, Gargoyles, Bone Dragons, Ghost Dragons¡ªseven major troops (random ten) with a 6% chance of summoning higher-level troops, and an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 8000 magic crystals, 80 Essence Shards] Another new troop, the Ghost Dragon, was unlocked. Alex wasn''t too familiar with Ghost Dragons, thinking they might be similar to Specters in being incorporeal, but she wouldn''t form an opinion until she saw one summoned. "Oops, forgot about the magic crystal consumption." Alex, who had just considered herself wealthy, suddenly felt ''bankrupt''. She still had 263 Essence Shards, more than enough, but not enough magic crystals for another upgrade... Just moments ago, she was marveling at her newfound wealth, but after upgrading the Barracks twice, her stockpile of 6000 magic crystals was completely depleted. However, considering she had successfully upgraded the Barracks twice, it was all worth it. Magic crystals were still easy for Alex to earn. Unlocking two powerful troops made her feel great. She believed she was definitely a T0 Lord on Eldoria. "Not so fast, can''t get too excited yet. Summoning is random, and it would be embarrassing if I couldn''t summon a Bone Dragon or Ghost Dragon tomorrow." Alex had just experienced what it was like to spend money like water. The next level of Barracks would need 8000 magic crystals¡ªhow long would that take to save up? As the undead finished their enhancements at the Blackwater Altar, Alex dismissed them, sending them out to hunt in farther areas, and Arthur was also sent to continue leveling up. The undead were busy again, and Alex walked into the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes, revealing her full, firm breasts and her completely hairless pubic area. The sound of running water filled the bathroom, and ten minutes later, Alex emerged wrapped in a bath towel, walking barefoot into the bedroom. She pulled a black sleep robe from the closet and put it on. "Why is this robe so short?" Alex realized after putting it on that the robe barely covered below her hips, exposing her long legs. The size was definitely right, so the robe was meant to be this revealing¡ªit was a lingerie robe. Sitting in the bedroom chair with her legs crossed, Alex pulled out the map she had obtained from the Goblin tribe. She had been on Eldoria for several days but still didn''t know the name of her location. The map was crudely drawn, and it only covered the area around her castle. Despite its simplicity, Alex could make out that the triangle on the map represented snowy mountains. With the snowy mountains as a reference, she could easily identify other locations. "Damn, there''s writing on the back!" Alex flipped the map over and realized she had made a basic mistake by not checking both sides first. It turned out she had been holding the map upside down... The snowy mountains were called Frostwind Snowy Mountains, and the map showed that the area was quite large; what Alex had seen from her castle was just the tip of the iceberg. The Frostwind Snowy Mountains were marked as dangerous, seemingly a forbidden area for Goblins. To the west of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains was a vast forest called the Dark Forest, also marked as dangerous by the Goblins. It might be due to the Goblins'' weakness as a species that they saw danger everywhere... Alex''s castle was located at the junction of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains and the Dark Forest, where there were few trees, just a few scattered dead ones. "According to this Goblin map, both east and west of my castle are dangerous!" Alex''s castle was outside the Dark Forest and closer to the Frostwind Snowy Mountains. "Could both places really be forbidden areas?" Alex''s current strength was only slightly better than a Goblin tribe and nowhere near a Moon Silver Wolf. If a place was considered forbidden by Goblins, it was likely forbidden for her too, at least for now. Moreover, the most important fact was that the Moon Silver Wolf tribe resided on the Frostwind Snowy Mountains. Surviving in a place considered forbidden by Goblins indicated that the tribe''s strength was extraordinary. Chapter 41 - 41: You’re actually a woman Having familiarized herself with her surroundings, Alex tossed the map aside, ready to hit the sack for a good nap. In life, the most important things are eating, sleeping, and leveling up. Scratch that, eating can be crossed off; Alex can do without food. Inside the castle of [QuartzStriker], Sophie had just woken up to see the Lords in the World Chat heatedly discussing something, leaving her puzzled. Driven by curiosity, Sophie paused the World Chat and started scrolling up through the messages, one by one. All the messages were about a Big Shot who had listed over two thousand pieces of equipment at the trading post. Sophie hurriedly opened the trading post to check, and indeed, it was true! Sophie''s dwarf troops were capable of crafting equipment themselves, so she wasn''t concerned about the gear. What intrigued her was which Lord was so formidable, and whether she had a chance to get acquainted with them. Sophie clicked on the trade information. "Hamburger!" "It''s him!" Sophie''s mouth gaped wide enough to fit a long eggplant, her face a picture of disbelief. That was Commanding level gear! Could he really have taken down a Commanding level so quickly? That seemed a bit exaggerated. If Sophie had been considering an alliance with Alex before, this confirmed her decision. Sophie had initially hoped that Alex''s ability to procure so much food was just due to his troops'' special skills, but as Alex traded over a thousand portions of elite food, she realized this Lord was no ordinary player. And now, with Alex directly trading over two thousand pieces of equipment, including several Commanding level items, Sophie was convinced of the strength of Alex''s troops. [Hamburger] was definitely a powerful Lord! Sophie immediately opened her dashboard and sent a message to [Hamburger]. Just as Alex lay down to sleep, a system notification popped up. She reached out from under the covers, opened the dashboard, and it was a message from [QuartzStriker]. She had thought it was just another system alert. "Wonder what he wants this early in the morning." [QuartzStriker]: "Respected Lord, in order to establish a long-term trade and cooperation, fostering friendship and relations between us, could we possibly form an alliance?" "An alliance?" Alex looked at [QuartzStriker]''s message, not replying immediately but instead glanced at the [Alliance] option next to the chat. She clicked on [Alliance], briefly reviewed what it entailed, and understood what this feature meant. In simple terms, it meant that both parties'' trades would be guaranteed by the system, preventing scams where one might run off with the other''s resources after receiving them. After forming an alliance, it would also eliminate any hostile relations between the two Lords, allowing them to jointly face other enemies. A maximum of five Lords could form an alliance. The limit was probably set to prevent too powerful alliances; otherwise, billions of Lords from Earth could just band together. Ultimately, it still boiled down to the individual strength of each Lord; the alliance seemed more like a lifeline for the weaker ones. However, for Alex, an alliance was beneficial. She was counting on [QuartzStriker] to help process her 4500 tons of iron ore, and with an alliance, she wouldn''t have to worry about him pocketing it. [Hamburger]: "Only stable friendships can promote long-term development and cooperation, I agree to the alliance." [QuartzStriker]: "Great, thank you, love you!" Sophie hadn''t expected Alex to agree so readily, her prepared arguments unused. [QuartzStriker requests an alliance with you!] "Agree." Alex directly chose to agree, looking at [QuartzStriker]''s message, a bit speechless at the overly familiar tone. Who says ''love you'' like that, really? Alex quickly replied. [Hamburger]: "Hold up, I''m not gay." [QuartzStriker]: "Respected Lord, I am a woman." [Hamburger]: "Are you Yuri?" [QuartzStriker]: "No." Wait, Sophie suddenly realized, her brain kicking into gear. "[Hamburger], you''re actually a woman!" While Sophie was surprised that Alex was a woman, she felt somewhat relieved that Alex wasn''t a handsome guy, which at least lessened her own psychological burden. Relationships between women can be complicated... If Alex had been a man, Sophie could have flirted or acted cute, at worst paying a small price, since men are creatures that think with their cock. But Alex is a woman, so this method won''t work. ... Lying in bed, Alex suddenly remembered something, got out of bed, and went to the Warehouse. She had forgotten to check the iron ore. Alex picked up a piece of iron ore and compared it with iron ingots. If she remembered correctly, based on knowledge from her previous life, the refining ratio of iron ore was about 1.5 to 2.5:1. Given the system''s nature, it was likely close to reality. That meant 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of iron ore could be refined into 1 pound of iron, and the iron ore in Alex''s hand was exactly double the weight of the iron ingots. Based on the fixed ratio in the continent of Eldoria, she guessed that one piece of iron ore should be able to refine into one iron ingot. "That means the 4500 tons of iron ore in the Warehouse equals 2200 tons of iron ingots." Alex felt relieved and went back to her bedroom to sleep, feeling that by the time she woke up, the equipment would probably have been traded. [Hamburger]: "What''s the refining ratio for iron ore?" Alex still unsure, asked Sophie. [QuartzStriker]: "One to one, what''s up?" Sophie''s response took Alex by surprise; she hadn''t expected that ore refining in this world would be different from Earth, achieving a 1:1 ratio with no loss at all. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Hamburger]: "I have 4500 tons of iron ore here, can you process it for me? Name your price." Sophie was sitting at the dining table drinking water when she heard this, and she almost spit out her drink. The reason Sophie''s daily production of iron ingots was low was due to the difficulty of mining; she obtained too little iron ore each day. Otherwise, her furnace would be refining non-stop, reaching a production of three thousand. Big Shot indeed, managing to secure so much iron ore was impressive. Sophie now understood why Alex had agreed to the alliance so decisively; she had been waiting for her. Sophie realized her only role was to act as labor to help the Big Shot process the iron ore... When Sophie realized her role was limited to this, she naturally didn''t dare to make excessive demands on Alex. [QuartzStriker]: "It''s no big deal, let''s skip the payment. If possible, just give me some food; my troops eat a lot, and we go through food quickly." Alex thought about it; her current stock of food was indeed not very useful, and food had severely depreciated in value, now trading at ten pieces of wood or five stones per unit. To maintain her Big Shot status, Alex sent over 4500 tons of iron ore and 1000 units of food. [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you for your generosity and trust!" Alex didn''t bother with Sophie anymore, lying back down and closing her eyes. "Alright, time to sleep!" Chapter 42 - 42: Local forces On the distant shores of a vast continent, the landscape is dominated by a fiery red hue, barren of any vegetation due to the presence of several massive volcanoes. Atop one of these volcanoes stands a castle built from obsidian. Inside, the Lord of the castle is a young man dressed in black shorts, his upper body bare, his complexion cool and handsome, his body slick with sweat due to the scorching heat around him. This man is Lord [Flame Spirit], known as Cain. At this moment, Cain is looking at the information on the trading post, his face a picture of shock. "Hamburger can kill Commanding level already?" Cain prides himself on being stronger than Alex and other Lords, but it seems he''s fallen behind. Cain''s troops are Flame Spirits, elemental beings naturally endowed with fire elements and lacking physical bodies. They don''t need to eat or sleep and can grow stronger by absorbing the power of fire elements while bathing in magma. Most outrageously, the Flame Spirits survive on Essence Shards within them, meaning each Flame Spirit represents an Essence Shard. Conversely, Cain can summon Flame Spirits by acquiring Essence Shards, quickly boosting his strength. This ability allows Cain to rapidly increase his power, though acquiring Essence Shards is challenging, significantly limiting his potential. However, Cain is not without danger, his situation mirroring Alex''s and perhaps even worse. The volcano where Cain''s castle stands is not the largest; within the magma at the top of the central, largest volcano resides a Magma Dragon, posing the greatest threat Cain might face in three days. Fortunately, the Magma Dragon spends most of its time asleep and has not shown much hostility towards Cain''s castle. Spurred by Alex''s progress, Cain''s resolve to become stronger is more urgent than ever. He immediately orders all Flame Spirits to leave the volcano and level up in the wild. Another classic protagonist template, a Lord facing both pressure and opportunity. With billions of Lords on the continent of Eldoria, there''s no shortage of those with both opportunity and strength. Although Alex is currently powerful, it''s improbable that she ranks first among billions of Lords. Unaware in her sleep, Alex doesn''t know that at the location of the Goblin tribe, two tall humanoid creatures stand atop a hill, overlooking the ruins of the Goblin village below. "They''re all dead, not a single body left, and the cave is emptied. Must be the work of those extraterrestrial visitors again. What are they really after?" One of the men, his voice hoarse, speaks to the other. "I don''t know. The latest message from above says these extraterrestrial visitors are all humans, and their castles are protected by a powerful force. Our leader tried to intervene but failed." "What, a protection not even a demigod can breach?" "I heard there''s some friction between the Moon Silver Wolf tribe and these extraterrestrial visitors. Tell them to stop provoking these humans for now." The two men transform into giant black wolves and vanish like the wind. On the snowy mountain, the leader of the Moon Silver Wolf tribe kicks the she-wolf beside him, "Damn it, this is too much!" "It''s all because of your damn bad ideas!" he kicks the she-wolf again. "All the other wolves are sent to the Dark Forest to enjoy themselves, and just my luck, I''m stuck in this godforsaken Frost Wind Snowy Mountain. I''ve had enough, it''s been a hundred years, how much longer do I have to stay here!" ... Alex groggily opens her eyes, sits up in bed, and feels refreshed under the bedroom''s restorative effects, compensating for the mental energy spent summoning earlier. Checking the system time, it''s already noon. She goes to the window and sees a pile of animal carcasses, along with wood and stone, at the castle gate. Alex recycles the wood and stone with a single click. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 4000 units of wood and 2000 units of stone.] Wearing slippers, Alex goes downstairs to the outside of the castle, instructing her undead to throw the carcasses into the Blackwater Altar, adding fifty new members to her undead army. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 30 wild boar carcasses, obtaining 600 units of food, 60 wild boar tusks, 30 wild boar hides, and 20 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 20 antelope carcasses, obtaining 400 units of food, 20 antelope hides, and 10 magic crystals.] A total of 1000 units of food, just enough to earn back the processing fee given to [QuartzStriker] this morning. "Only 30 magic crystals after a morning''s work, that''s too few. As her strength grows, Alex is gradually becoming dissatisfied with the meager resources she''s obtaining." "Let''s see if the equipment has been traded yet." Alex checks her orders at the trading post and finds that all but the evil tree spirit set have been traded. Perhaps the evil tree spirit set is too expensive; poor Lords can''t afford it, and rich Lords aren''t interested. "Let it hang there, someone will buy it eventually." Thinking this, Alex then collects the materials from the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 2266 pieces of regular equipment, obtaining 20,000 magic crystals and 3110 iron ingots.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded one Commanding level equipment, obtaining 500 magic crystals.] That''s a direct gain of 20k magic crystals! At this moment, Alex feels only one thing: exhilaration, sheer exhilaration! In addition, she has gained 3110 iron ingots. Indeed, Lords capable of refining iron ingots are numerous; to those without iron ingots, they are valuable, but for those who can produce them, they are not as precious. Compared to magic crystals, they naturally use iron ingots for trading, which is exactly what Alex currently needs most. Including the iron ore processed by [QuartzStriker], Alex now has over 9000 iron ingots, just a step away from upgrading her town. "Hehe, I''m rich again, indeed the most profitable role is that of a merchant." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex rubs her hands together, her face breaking into an excited smile. If she had to rely solely on wild hunting for magic crystals, who knows how long it would take to accumulate 20,000. [QuartzStriker]''s furnace can refine up to 3000 iron ingots a day, and Alex''s 4500 iron ingots will take at least two days to process. If Alex can secure another 1000 iron ingots within two days, she can upgrade to a town by the sixth day. Alex doesn''t know the exact strength of the upcoming beast tide, but it''s undeniable that the beast tide in seven days will likely kill a large number of negligent Lords, so Alex wants to become as strong as possible before then. "Ah, the protective shield will disappear in three days, I''m really ''scared''." Chapter 43 - 43: Magic Stone Pillar Currently, the only building Alex can upgrade is the Barracks, as the castle still lacks some iron ingots, and special buildings cannot be upgraded either. Who cares, money is meant to be spent. [Upgrade Barracks Required: 8000 magic crystals, 80 Essence Shards] "Upgrade!" [Undead Crystal: lv6 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 6 Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons¡ªsix major troops (random twenty) with a 6% chance of summoning high-level troops, and an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks Required: 10k magic crystals, 100 Essence Shards] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully upgraded the Barracks to lv6, rewarded with a random special structure blueprint.] Huh, lv6 Barracks didn''t unlock new troops, but the number of troops summoned increased to twenty. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Damn, what''s the use of increasing the number of summons? Alex can summon herself without any limit; this upgrade isn''t perfect. The next level requires ten thousand magic crystals and one hundred Essence Shards. Alex plans not to upgrade the Barracks for now and first see what this special structure blueprint can reveal; otherwise, if upgrading the Barracks just increases the number of summons again, she''ll be devastated. Twenty thousand magic crystals gone in an instant, nearly half spent just to increase quantity¡ªAlex''s heart is bleeding. Alex collects the reward for the special structure blueprint. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained a special structure blueprint, Magic Stone Pillar.] [Special Structure Blueprint: Magic Stone Pillar.] [Building Level: None (Gargoyle exclusive)] [Feature: Gargoyles perched on the Magic Stone Pillar will gain 2 experience points per minute.] [Note 1: Gargoyles on the Magic Stone Pillar will enter a dormant state, only awakening when enemies invade the territory or when called by the Lord.] [Note 2: Gargoyles on the Magic Stone Pillar will be bound and cannot be replaced.] [Construction Materials: 8k stone, 4k magic crystals, 4 Essence Shards.] A troop with its own exclusive special building? Two points of experience per minute, that''s one point every thirty seconds, which continuously for twenty-four hours a day equals, uh, Alex quickly calculates... 2880 experience points! That''s much faster than gargoyles hunting wild boars; even non-stop hunting wouldn''t yield nearly three thousand experience points a day. Outrageous, awesome! Alex almost wants to stand there herself and become a statue. The level cap for gargoyles is King level, which means a solid future King level force. It will be bound to this special building, destined to be just a guardian, but that''s still powerful. Luckily, Alex didn''t rush to upgrade the Barracks, or else she wouldn''t have enough magic crystals to build the Magic Stone Pillar. "Build!" This is a good thing, much better than just adding ten undead to the summoning count at the Barracks. Alex chooses to build without hesitation. Four circular stone pillars rise from the ground at the castle''s front gate, with square tops and the entire pillar in black, carved with majestic gargoyle reliefs. The four pillars are arranged in a trapezoidal pattern, two on each side of the gate and two more behind, with the overall height matching that of the castle gate. "What if binding a non-upgradable gargoyle breaks the limit?" Alex looks at the Magic Stone Pillar and suddenly thinks of the gargoyle Commanding she summoned from the Goblin chief''s body. If the undead she summoned could also gain experience from the Magic Stone Pillar, they would start at a higher level. "Never mind, can''t take the risk. If it still can''t upgrade, I''d be stuck, and it''s irreplaceable." Alex calls over four gargoyles summoned from the Barracks. Alex gestures to the four gargoyles, looking from them to the Magic Stone Pillar, the intent clear. The four gargoyles understand Alex''s gesture and immediately fly towards the four Magic Stone Pillars. The gargoyles perch on the pillars, tuck in their wings, and sit squatting on top. Their skin begins to petrify bit by bit until it covers their entire bodies, and the pale blue glow in their eyes completely extinguishes. The four gargoyles, in a squatting position, turn completely into four statues. "Alright, done. I hope you all can reach King level soon!" Alex leisurely walks back into the castle. [QuartzStriker] is refining her iron ore, her equipments have been traded away, and food trades aren''t viable now; she feels like there''s nothing left to do. Alex lies on her bed, her gaze fixed on the chandelier above, just staying still. She feels she shouldn''t be so idle; she should do something. Alex is currently lv9, still a way from leveling up. She suddenly sits up from the bed, sweeps the hair from her face, revealing her beautiful features. "No, I need to get stronger!" Alex takes off her robe and finds a set of ordinary black sportswear to put on, changing her usual style of wearing over-the-knee socks, casually picking a pair of white short socks and cute leather shoes. "Ah, remember to wear a bra, or the bounce will be too noticeable when moving." Alex takes out a black bra, lifts her T-shirt, and ties it back. She plans to go outside the castle to study her magic, get a handle on it in advance, and maybe wander around the castle to hunt some wild beasts for practice. Since Alex sent her undead further away from the castle to hunt, the wild beasts around the castle have reproduced and refreshed. Now at level 9, Alex, who is within the Bone Throne territory, is confident in her safety as long as she stays within the territory. The Dark Forest is dangerous, Frostwind Snowy Mountain is dangerous, making this area at the junction of the two a relatively safe zone. The exact amount of experience doesn''t matter much now; Alex mainly wants to hone her combat skills. Alex ties her hair at the back of her head as she walks out of the castle. Intermediate fire magic doesn''t have a particularly large area of effect. To achieve the kind of power seen in xianxia novels, where a huge fireball destroys a town, Alex estimates she''d need high-level magic, or even higher. Alex extends a finger, and a flame bursts forth, a basic manipulation of fire elements that doesn''t require chanting. "Natural lighter!" Alex plays with the flame in her hand as she leisurely walks out of the castle. Since learning fire magic, she has developed some resistance to fire elements; her fingers feel no heat at all now. Outside the castle gate, Alex spots a rabbit grazing. Alex shapes her hands like two small pistols, aiming at the rabbit not far away. "biu biu biu!" Instantly, many small flames burst from her fingers, flying towards the rabbit. The rabbit reacts quickly, spotting the flames and darting away before they reach it. The flames hit the ground, igniting a small fire. Alex quickly points at the fleeing rabbit, with small flames exploding continuously behind it, chasing after the rabbit. "Da da da da!" Chapter 44 - 44: Is this how you treat your guests? The little rabbit could only run desperately forward, trying to avoid the flames chasing it from behind. Alex, however, didn''t manage to hit it even once, which left her feeling quite frustrated. "You wretched rabbit!" Alex''s left hand suddenly opened, and a red magic circle appeared, launching a large fireball directly at the rabbit. Still, it missed... With a loud boom, the fireball exploded next to the rabbit, and the shockwave from the explosion killed it. "Not fun at all." Alex walked over, picked up the charred rabbit carcass, and swung it into the Blackwater Altar at the castle gate. Alex looked doubtfully at her enhanced attributes: [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 Commanding level (personal and troops can increase by killing enemies)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 220] [Mana Points: 100] [Strength: 60] [Stamina: 58] [Agility: 61] [Bone Throne Enhancement Level +1] Right, now at Commanding level, it''s a disgrace that a lv1 rabbit almost got away! Alex continued walking outside the castle. To the east was Frostwind Snowy Mountain, a high-risk area, so she chose to head west, hoping to reach the edge of the Dark Forest. It mainly depended on whether her castle''s territory extended that far; otherwise, Alex wouldn''t risk leaving her territory. Along the way, Alex also killed several wild boars, which were much easier to deal with than rabbits. Rabbits would run upon seeing you, but boars would charge at anything they saw, and their larger size made them easier targets. The boars Alex killed were used to summon undead, which she then instructed to carry the original carcasses back to the castle. Efficient and effective. Unknowingly, Alex wandered further from the castle, heading towards the western edge of her territory. It was six miles from the castle to the territory''s edge, and as she hunted and observed her surroundings, after more than two hours, the dead trees became more numerous than near the castle. The black soil underfoot became more moist, and there were more wild creatures around. Seeing more and more trees in front of her, Alex felt like setting them all on fire. But she thought better of it, as attracting the attention of high-level creatures in the forest would not be wise. "This is the edge of the territory, and there are plenty of wild creatures here, a good place to practice magic." Alex quietly practiced with the wild boars, becoming increasingly proficient in the use of fire magic, even managing to combine it slightly with her dark magic. Just then, Alex heard a loud noise from the western forest and stopped what she was doing to look. Several large, sturdy dead trees suddenly collapsed, scattering the crows perched on them. "What''s going on?" Before Alex could understand the situation, a huge, blood-soaked black cat burst out of the forest, a golden cross sword sticking out of its back. The black cat, seeing Alex, charged directly at her. !! Alex reacted quickly, though she hadn''t figured out the situation, deciding it was best to attack first. She opened her left hand, and from the palm, five huge red magic circles appeared on either side. Five fireballs, each a meter in diameter, shot out from the magic circles towards the black cat. Boom! Boom! The fireballs exploded, creating a sea of fire. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully killed a lv1 Commanding level Night Charm Cat, gaining one hundred twenty experience points.] "Is it dead?" Alex lowered her hand, the magic having consumed 40 of her Mana Points. As the fire dissipated, the charred body of the black cat was revealed. Alex looked up and saw a man in white-gold armor, holding a shield, walking towards her from the forest. A person?! Could it be a Lord? Alex felt nervous, as if facing a great enemy. The man reached the black cat''s body and pulled the cross sword from its back. "Thank you for your assistance, beautiful miss. I am Charles, a novice knight of the Holy Court." The man bowed to Alex, introducing himself. "I saw you use a fireball just now. May I ask which mage guild you belong to?" This caught Alex off guard. From Charles''s words, it was clear he was not a Lord, which left only one possibility¡ªhe was a native of the Eldoria continent! It was Alex''s first time hearing about humans on the Eldoria continent. Caught off guard and to avoid suspicion, Alex quickly replied. "Uh, respected knight of the Holy Court, my name is Carrie Oakey, I''m unaffiliated, and I live nearby." Unexpectedly, Alex''s response made Charles suspicious. "Miss, you are lying. All mages are governed by the Mage Association, and it''s impossible for a freelancer to learn magic!" Charles approached Alex with his sword, a glint of greed in his eyes. Since you''re not with the Mage Association and we''re in this deserted place, maybe... Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I shall take you to the Mage Association, but before that, please entertain me, beautiful miss." Damn, I didn''t know ordinary people couldn''t practice magic, and nobody told me! Alex internally ranted as she watched Charles approach with his sword. She decisively opened her palm, and a fire dragon spiraled out from the magic circle towards Charles. Charles raised his shield and surprisingly blocked Alex''s magic. Alex quickly raised her other palm, a black magic circle appearing, merging with the red one. The fire on the dragon turned black in an instant, striking Charles''s shield. Boom! Charles was unharmed, shaking off his shield to disperse the last traces of the black flames. Seeing the black flames burning on his shield, his expression turned grave. "Is this... dark magic?" "Dark magic has been lost for ages; you are an alien!" "Be purged!" Only these extraterrestrial visitors could possess such inexplicable abilities, and this girl fit the bill. The greed in Charles''s eyes vanished, replaced by endless killing intent. If previously Charles wanted to capture Alex for his lust, now he wanted her dead. Really? Just one sentence and one skill, and you''ve figured me out? Charles''s shield emitted a holy light, extinguishing the black flames. Holding his cross sword, he vanished from his spot, charging rapidly towards Alex. "Is this how you treat your guests?!" Chapter 45 - 45: Ethereal Wraith Alex unleashed a massive pillar of fire directly at Charles, who blocked it with his shield and continued advancing through the flames. Suddenly, two black fireballs attacked from both sides. Despite wearing heavy armor, Charles was exceptionally agile and performed a backflip to dodge Alex''s two Black Flame Blasts. Charles had realized that Alex''s proficiency in fire magic was at best intermediate, and her dark magic seemed limited to just one move. The most effective way to combat a mage is to get close. Mages are physically weak, and if he could close the distance, she would undoubtedly lose. "Holy sword, slay the person before me!" Charles raised his cross sword, the blade shining brightly, and a slash made of condensed light cleaved through Alex''s incoming fire magic, continuing its trajectory towards her. "Damn, he''s strong!" Alex quickly dodged to the side, but Charles seized the moment she evaded to close the distance, swinging his sword at her. "Damn it, you really think I''m just a mage?" In an instant, Alex produced a large scythe in her hands to meet Charles''s cross sword. The moment the sword met the scythe''s blade, the bells on the scythe jingled crisply. Charles suddenly felt a severe pain in his head. As Alex drew her scythe, her attributes doubled instantly¡ªher 60 points of Strength became 120, and she forcefully pushed Charles back. The large scythe blade nearly wounded him. "Mind attack, sudden appearance of a weapon, inexplicably enhanced Strength, truly bizarre!" Charles shook his head, the pain in his mind gradually subsiding. Alex, holding the scythe with one hand and dragging the blade along the ground, swung it at Charles. Though Alex lacked close combat skills, she knew one thing from childhood fights¡ªforce can work wonders. Charles was about to raise his shield to block. Ding-a-ling¡ª The sound of the bell distracted him, slowing his reaction. Slash¡ª Charles was struck by Alex''s scythe, the blade clashing against his armor with a grating noise. With a loud thud, Charles was knocked to the ground not far away, his shield flung aside by Alex''s strike. "Damn, thought you were strong. Turns out you''re not, feel the thrill of being beaten by double attributes." Alex felt a bit regretful; if it weren''t for his armor, he would have been dead. "Cough, cough..." As Charles tried to stand up, a black fireball came flying straight at him. Charles immediately swung his cross sword at the black fireball. But there wasn''t just one fireball¡ªBoom, boom, boom! Knowing her melee skills were lacking, Alex wouldn''t risk getting close. She preferred to wear him down from a distance first. Three Black Flame Blasts hit Charles squarely, knocking him down again, his armor ablaze with black flames. Then, his armor emitted a holy light, and the black flames were quickly extinguished. Alex noticed that this knight seemed not very susceptible to her dark magic; on the contrary, it seemed to be countered by their abilities. Charles realized he was completely outmatched by this extraterrestrial visitor. Wait, weren''t the previous extraterrestrial visitors weak? Why is she so strong? Charles had previously interacted with these Lords under the guise of being a native, then lured them out to kill them. The Holy Court had ordered that all extraterrestrial visitors be killed without mercy. Charles kicked up the moist black soil at Alex and then quickly got up, unleashing two golden sword energies before decisively turning to flee. He didn''t want to die here! Charles saw an unidentified creature flying towards them in the distance. Upon recognizing the creature, his pupils shrank. "A bone dragon! Why is there a bone dragon here?" Then, Alex''s voice came from behind him. "Arthur, stop him!" Charles was startled by Alex''s command. "They''re together!" Charles again decisively gave up on fleeing, dropped his cross sword, and turned to kneel before Alex. "Respected Miss Carrie Oakey, I submit to you, please spare my life!" Well, a man''s got to do what a man''s got to do. Arthur''s massive form landed behind Charles, who shuddered and bowed even lower. "Arthur, why are you here?" Alex was curious why Arthur was there. "Responding to my queen, Arthur received a distress call from a phantom saying that you were engaged in combat here, so I hurried over." That made sense. With a large base of undead within her territory, it wasn''t surprising that they noticed the fight. Alex looked down at Charles, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, wanting to violate and kill her, and now he was kneeling and begging for mercy. Alex signaled Arthur with her eyes, and understanding her intent, Arthur acted before Charles could react, ending his life with a breath of dragon. Charles''s body, still in a kneeling position, was frozeninto an ice sculpture. It wasn''t that Alex didn''t want to act personally; it was just that if she did, it would have been too cruel. Whether using her scythe or burning him with fire, having Arthur freeze him was somewhat more dignified. [Congratulations Lord, you have killed a lv2 Commanding level Holy Court knight.] "Huh, no experience points?" "Is it because he''s human?" Alex cast a spell, and a magic circle appeared beneath Charles, emitting a gray mist that formed a Phantom above his body. It looked like a Phantom but was distinctly different; its ethereal form was less human-like, its eyes glowed green, and its soul aura was denser, its size slightly larger than a typical Phantom. Alex sensed that something had changed and quickly checked the information. [Ethereal Wraith (ethereal)] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv2 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Mind: 45] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 40] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] [Skill: Soul Curse] Soul Curse: Casts a guaranteed hit curse on the target''s soul, cooldown thirty minutes, consumes 20 Mana Points. Ethereal Wraith! Indeed, a class change. The growth limit for the three basic troops is Commanding level, it seems the final class change must be after reaching Commanding level. A new curse skill added, along with the undead race''s traits, definitely a powerful combatant. "Arthur, you continue leveling up. I''ll practice here a bit longer." "You go back to the castle and strengthen yourself at the Blackwater Altar." Alex instructed the figures before her, Arthur and the Ethereal Wraith. "Yes, my queen." Arthur and the Ethereal Wraith flew away, the Necromancer heading towards the castle, while Arthur chose to delve deeper into the Dark Forest, opting to stay by Alex''s side. Chapter 46 - 46: Skeletal Demon Alex picked up the cross sword and shield that Charles had discarded nearby, noticing nothing particularly unusual about them. They seemed to be made of mithril, perhaps? Impossible, how could a novice knight''s weapons be made of mithril? Alex guessed that they might contain just a bit of mithril metal. "Have to admit, this gear is pretty decent. It definitely looks stronger than the evil tree spirit set and the large bone maul." Alex approached Charles''s body. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled and obtained five Commanding level items.] No experience, no drops... What the heck, don''t the humans of Eldoria have game attributes assigned by the system? This disassembly was a letdown; Alex could have stripped the equipment from him herself. This set looked luxurious at first glance. Let''s see what effects it has. [Equipment Name: Holy Court Novice Knight Set (5/5)] [Equipment Level: Commanding level] [Set Effect: Significantly increases the wearer''s defense, immune to 40% elemental magic damage, Strength +20, Agility +5, Stamina +5.] [Note: Receives 10% more Mind damage.] Is there such a big difference between a five-piece set and a three-piece set? This is pure heavy armor¡ªtanky and damaging. Alex stored the set in the castle''s Warehouse, planning to deal with it back at the castle. She then turned her attention to the black cat she had killed earlier. She had been so focused on Charles that she almost forgot about it, another Commanding level force. She hadn''t expected that leaving the castle would trigger such a lucky buff, yielding two Commanding level forces. "This black cat was probably quite strong in combat. Should I transform it into bone beasts or just ordinary undead?" After some thought, Alex decided to transform it into ordinary undead. Bone beasts, similar to skeletons at Commanding level, don''t undergo special changes; they just retain some characteristics from their lives. Now that Alex had discovered that undead could undergo special transformations upon reaching Commanding level, how could she waste this opportunity to satisfy her curiosity? Alex''s left eye flickered, and a gray formation appeared around the black cat''s corpse. The ground began to tremble slightly, and then a skeletal arm, larger than the black cat''s head, emerged. Although Alex referred to it as a black cat, its size was comparable to a tiger. Soon, an 26 feet tall giant skeleton crawled out from the magic circle, its body white, holding a massive bone maul. A skeletal giant?! 26 feet tall, that''s nearly the height of a three-story building! Commanding level, such a huge size, and with the undead trait, this was incredibly imposing. [Skeletal Demon] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 50] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 24] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] 50 points of Strength is quite high for a typical Commanding level. Don''t look at Arthur, who had this much at levels five or six; Arthur is a Divine limit being, not the same as these Commanding level creatures. But this Agility, a bit low, and why doesn''t a Commanding level skeletal demon have any skills? Is it because skeletons don''t deserve them?! "Back to the castle for strengthening." Alex waved at the skeletal demon, which started walking away, each step causing a slight tremor in the ground. Wait, it''s so big. "Be careful, don''t damage my castle!" Alex shouted at the skeletal demon. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled a lv1 Commanding level Night Charm Cat corpse, obtaining 100 elite food, 10 magic crystals, and 2 Essence Shards.] "Elite food dropped, not bad." Alex sat down, reflecting on her recent fight with Charles. Although she had equipment bonuses, her close combat skills were too weak, lacking any finesse, relying solely on overpowering attributes. In other words, no technique, all about strength. And her fire magic wasn''t fully mastered yet; there was still much room for improvement. "Continue practicing fire magic, after all, ranged combat is much safer than melee." Alex sheathed her scythe and continued to conjure magic until her Mana Points were depleted, then took out her scythe again, using the double attribute bonus from the scythe to continue practicing magic. Once her Mana Points were depleted, Alex picked up her scythe to practice, at least getting used to her weapon. Otherwise, if she couldn''t even use her weapon properly, she might be ridiculed by other Lords. As the leader of the undead race, how couldshe be incompetent? As the saying goes, you might choose not to strike, but you can''t afford to be weak. Alex practiced until evening, alternating between using her scythe when her Mana Points were depleted and practicing magic when they were replenished. By now, Alex was drenched in sweat, her T-shirt soaked through. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As night approached, Alex finally stopped, planning to return to the castle. Nighttime offered double experience, and with the Bone Throne''s enhancement, it was triple, a significant increase compared to the 1.5 times during the day. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] As Alex walked back to the castle, the sky had completely darkened. Returning to the castle, she saw a pile of animal carcasses soaking in the Blackwater Altar, the afternoon''s hunting bounty collected by her undead, with a pile of wood and stone at the gate. "Recycle!" [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 4000 units of wood and 4000 units of stone.] The piles of wood and stone at the gate instantly disappeared, neatly stored in the Warehouse. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 20 antelope carcasses, obtaining 400 units of food, 20 antelope hides, and 10 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 40 rabbit carcasses, obtaining 400 units of food, 40 rabbit hides, and 20 magic crystals.] That''s another 800 units of food and 30 magic crystals in the bank, the endless labor of the undead meaning Alex''s undead army had grown by 60 members. [You have new unread messages!] Alex guessed it was from [QuartzStriker], having ignored her all afternoon. She wondered how the processing was going. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, today I processed 2500 iron ingots for you and sent them over!" The message was sent half an hour ago, while Alex was still on her way back and hadn''t checked her messages. She glanced at the Warehouse and indeed, there were 2500 more iron ingots. Alex sent back 500 units of food to [QuartzStriker]. Right now, keeping the food didn''t serve much purpose; the trade for wood and stone wasn''t as efficient as what the undead could gather themselves. [Hamburger]: "Consider it a tip!" [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you, you''re too generous!" Alex no longer paid attention and walked into her bedroom to take a bath. She was too sweaty, her clothes sticking to her skin. She tossed all her clothes at the bathroom door and headed in for a shower, completely bare. Chapter 47 - 47: Ghost dragon Alex, fresh from her bath and wrapped in a towel, reflected on her afternoon''s practice. It wasn''t without progress; she had become more proficient with fire magic, and wielding her weapon felt increasingly natural. She sensed that the Dark Forest was extraordinary, possibly hiding secrets. She just hoped it wouldn''t attract the attention of the local human factions. "Next time, it might be best to play dumb. According to what Charles said, the native human factions on Eldoria are quite powerful and harbor significant hostility towards us Lords who suddenly appeared from Earth." Alex''s castle was located in a remote area, a place unlikely to interest the powerful native factions who probably congregated in more prosperous areas. With so many Lords around, who would bother with her out-of-the-way spot? Alex planned to sell the Holy Court Novice Knight Set; it was of no use to her, and the set had no benefits for her personally. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [Holy Court Novice Knight Commanding level Set (5/5): 4,000 magic crystals or 3,000 iron ingots] [Set Effects: Significantly increases the wearer''s defense, immune to 40% of elemental magic damage, Strength +20, Agility +5, Stamina +5, receives 10% more Mind damage.] [Remaining Quantity: One set.] Alex opted for a bundle sale, offering all five pieces at once, and set the price in magic crystals higher than in iron ingots, hoping to encourage Lords to trade using iron ingots. She also carefully detailed the set effects to ensure the Lords recognized the value. "Might as well sell the food too, keeping a thousand units in stock should suffice." [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One unit of food, trades for eight units of wood or four units of stone.] [Remaining Quantity: 2,700 units.] [One unit of elite food, trades for two magic crystals.] [Remaining Quantity: 100 units.] [BaconWrapped]: "Look, Hamburger has listed some great stuff again!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Queen of Harpies]: "Holy Court knights?! I''ve seen one; they are part of the native human factions of Eldoria. Even the lowest among them is at Commanding level, and they are incredibly strong, very hostile towards us outsiders. My troops are harpies, and we''ve seen them execute a Lord with our own eyes." [KingOfTheForest]: "Such a formidable Holy Court knight taken down, just how strong is Hamburger? He''s an idol to all of us Lords!" [NotARobot]: "Man, don''t scare me, I met a human in white gold armor today wanting to collaborate, asking me to leave the castle to a strange place, he couldn''t be a Holy Court knight, could he?!" [Donut Princess]: "Wow, that set is so powerful, are all the native human faction''s equipment this good? I really want it too..." ... The fifth day is approaching fast, and time is getting tight. Alex just hopes that after tonight''s monster hunting, she can level up to Commanding level herself. Ideally, Arthur would reach Commanding level too. With nearly 3K undead in her army and three at Commanding level, she doesn''t believe the beast tide could bring forth Monarch level wild beasts. With her current strength, she feels fully capable of handling the beast tide. Wait, doesn''t the beast tide adjust based on the Lord''s strength? Alex pondered this possibility. How would those unfortunate Lords with weak troops handle the beast tide, and what about those born on islands and deserts, where there are hardly any wild beasts around? Being born on an island has its perks; you can fish when hungry and don''t have to worry about wild beasts. Surely sea creatures wouldn''t come ashore to attack the castle; that would make them sea monsters, not wild beasts. Alex stayed in her bedroom, pulling up a chair to sit by the window, gazing out and occasionally checking the World Chat, watching the Lords boast to each other. There are always some Lords with boundless optimism, treating this place like a game without any sense of crisis. Alex is different; she''s always been someone who prepares for the worst, never taking uncalculated risks. As midnight approached, Alex got up, dressed in slippers, and headed to the Barracks to summon her troops, completing her tasks for the day so she could go to sleep with peace of mind. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon now!] "Yes!" She was close to unlocking all the high-level troops, wondering what use there was for the Barracks'' 6% chance to summon high-level troops when only liches and zombie titans remained to be unlocked. She felt that upgrading the Barracks to full level would likely unlock all troops. The green glow from the undead crystal filled the room, forming twenty silhouettes around it. Surprisingly, six of these were massive figures,which Alex recognized as bone dragons, no doubt about it. "Cool, summoning six at once, what luck!" Alex was thrilled. She looked at the other figures: six Skeleton Soldiers, four zombies, three death conquerors, and one gargoyle. The massive bone wings unfolded, and the four bone dragons materialized successfully. They were smaller than Arthur, lacked dragon horns on their heads, and otherwise didn''t look much different from Arthur before he was enhanced. The other two, as they extended their wings, Alex noticed something was off¡ªnot bone wings, but translucent wings ablaze with ghostly fire. They were ghost dragons! Ghost dragons were entirely ethereal, a translucent light blue in color, their bodies aflame with blue ghostly fire. Unlike bone dragons, ghost dragons consisted only of a soul, protected by this ghostly fire. Both creatures were of the same size, one a white skeletal dragon, the other a light blue ethereal dragon. "Respected Queen, we await your commands!" The four bone dragons and two ghost dragons spoke simultaneously, indicating they possessed intelligence. This was excellent news. [bone dragon] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 15] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 15] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Skill: breath of dragon] breath of dragon: Spews scorching flames to destroy everything in front of it. Even the basic attributes of a standard bone dragon were strong at 15 points, but this standard bone dragon''s breath of dragon... If I''m not mistaken, it should be a fire-breathing ability, right? Chapter 48 - 48: Leaderboard Alex felt a bit let down, but the growth limit of a regular bone dragon is Emperor level, which, aside from Arthur, is the highest among her troops. All she could hope for now was some special change in the future. Surely an Emperor level bone dragon can''t be incapable of any magic, right? It''s understandable that it no longer knows the magic of dragons from its past life, but to only be able to breathe fire seems a bit underwhelming, doesn''t it? [ghost dragon] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Mind: 25] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 15] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Skills: Death Ray, Death Mist] Death Ray: A death ray emitted from its mouth that withers enemies, sapping their vitality and lifespan. Death Mist: A large triangular cone of mist emitted from its mouth that reduces the Strength and Agility of any enemy it touches. One damage skill and one support skill, the ghost dragon actually has two skills. Why is there such a disparity among dragons? This ghost dragon is clearly too strong, and its base attributes are even higher than those of the bone dragon, possibly due to an imbalance between Mind and Strength attributes. Arthur, as the Dragon King, finally has some minions now, and Alex hopes they will play a key role in the beast tide three days from now. "You guys go ahead and strengthen yourselves at the Blackwater Altar." Alex waved her hand and led the way out of the Barracks, while twenty undead entered the Blackwater Altar for a soak. Alex opened the information panel for the Blackwater Altar. [bone dragon race: Skeleton enhancement, significantly increases defense and attack power, immune to 40% elemental magic damage, all attributes +6 points.] [ghost dragon race: Soul enhancement, Mind strength enhanced, Mana Points consumption for skills reduced, all attributes +7 points.] Alex looked at the bone dragon''s enhancement; this was more like it, just breathing fire was too low. The ghost dragon, on the other hand, had its soul enhanced, reducing mana consumption, which was also strong. Although the bone dragon, like the skeleton, also received a Skeleton enhancement, its bones did not turn black but became whiter, as if waxed. The ghost dragon didn''t have any significant changes; its ethereal form seemed more solid, but it was still translucent, emitting a faint blue light, still very distinctive. Alex sent these six dragons to the west to find Arthur, letting Arthur lead them in leveling up, while the rest of the undead were arranged by Alex to start leveling up from the wild and then hunt some high-level monsters together with other undead once they leveled up. However, they couldn''t fly and lacked aerial advantage, making it difficult for them to level up. Alex, wrapped in a towel, walked back to the bedroom, having completed her tasks for the day, it was time to sleep. Upon entering the bedroom, she flung off her towel and quickly dove under the covers. She quickly fell asleep, her arms hugging a pillow, one leg stretched outside the covers, her legs trapping the blanket. [The night recedes, dawn arrives.] The continent of Eldoria welcomed the dawn, and the Lords entered the fifth day of the newbie protection period. At six in the morning, still in her dreams, Alex heard the system''s notification sound. [Dear Lords, congratulations on surviving to the fifth day. There are only three days left until the beast tide arrives.] [The system will temporarily open a [Leaderboard] Feature for three days, continuing until the end of the beast tide.] [Afterwards, the leaderboard will be refreshed for one day each week, based on the strength and influence of the Lords.] [After the beast of the tide, Lords still ranked in the top tier will receive special rewards.] [Lords, go forth and conquer, among the myriad races there must be a place for you!] "Ugh... so noisy..." Alex muttered, tossing and turning in bed, annoyed by the noise early in the morning. "What leaderboard? Leader... leaderboard!?" Suddenly, Alex''s eyes snapped open, and she sat up abruptly, not minding the fallen blanket or her completely naked body. She pulled up the system dashboard, and sure enough, there was a new leaderboard feature on the far right of the main interface, complete with a countdown. [65 hours 55 minutes 32 seconds.] Alex calculated the time; it was exactly until the end of the eighth day, by which time the beast tide would also be over. She opened the leaderboard to see which Lords were impressive. [Top Tier (Top 1000)] [ID: Flame Spirit, King Ultraman, Troll Lord, Lucky Angel, Hamburger, Island Realm, Sky Dominator...] [Second Tier (Top 10,000)] [ID: Forest King, Golden Lion King, Stone Pillar, Round Table Knight, Dinosaur Warrior...] [Third Tier (Top 100,000)] [ID: Do You Believe in Light, Joker, Defending God, Donut Princess, Big Lemon...] [Fourth Tier (Top 1,000,000)] ... [Fifth Tier (Beyond 1,000,000)] ... [Your current position: Top Tier.] Alex looked at the leaderboard, and it actually made a lot of sense to rank only the top million Lords, considering there are several billion Lords on the continent of Eldoria. Many of the top Lords actually have similar strengths, and it would be hard to clearly determine who is slightly stronger without a real fight. Seeing her own name in the top tier, Alex couldn''t help but smile. "I knew it, there''s no way my strength wouldn''t make it into the top thousand." The top tier includes a thousand Lords, meaning the system will issue a reward to each one, but if every Lord gets the same thing, then it''s as if they''ve given nothing at all. Classic Canyon Relativity, slowing down the enemy is equivalent to speeding oneself up. This also widens the gap between those in the top tier and the Lords below, the very top Lords will still remain unchanged. Alex also saw many familiar names in the top tier; indeed, those who could offer food for trade in the past few days were among the top echelon. "This leaderboard feature is a bit rudimentary, though; it only shows the Lord''s ID and ranking, without any other features. Shouldn''t you be able to click on these Lords'' names to see their basic information? I understand not showing troops, but at least something like the castle level should be displayed." Alex had a feeling, now being the fifth day, that the castles of these top-tier Lords must all be at level 9, fully upgraded, ready to advance to town at any moment. "Well, I''m awake now, no more sleep. I must seize the time to enhance myself." Chapter 49 - 49: Upgrade Barracks Alex rolled out of bed and walked towards the wardrobe, her enticing breasts bouncing with each step. "What should I wear today?" While Alex was still pondering over her outfit for the day, Sophie was already silenced by her ranking on the leaderboard. [Your ranking: Fifth Tier.] Sophie couldn''t believe she didn''t even make it into the top million. "Are you kidding me? What a crappy system. My castle is at least Lv9, and I can''t even make it into the top million?" Sophie grumbled in disbelief, clearly not trusting the system''s ranking, although her troops weren''t great at fighting, it shouldn''t be this low. "Right, let''s see if Hamburger is in the top tier!" The top tier only had a thousand people, and it didn''t take long for Sophie to spot the name [Hamburger] among them. Sure enough, there it was... the gap was so big... But at least, the Big Shot she was trying to please was strong enough to be in the top tier, which somewhat reassured Sophie. Sophie walked barefoot towards the dining room, her stockings had just been washed and were still wet, so she couldn''t wear them yet. She arrived at the dining room and began to enjoy her exquisite breakfast. Actually, after eating barbecue for four days straight, Sophie was almost sick of it. She felt like she had gained several pounds, but in this godforsaken place, there were no vegetables to eat, and now the sight of barbecue was starting to make her physically nauseous. Yesterday, another dozen dwarves came to seek refuge with Sophie, increasing her food expenses again. If it weren''t for Alex generously giving her 1,500 portions of food, she would be worrying about food again. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With billions of Lords, the population was simply too large. Among a billion, there are a hundred million, and with several billion, there are many Lords like Sophie who were lucky enough to upgrade their castles to full level. It was quite normal not to make it into the top million. Although the leaderboard was a comprehensive ranking of strength, it mainly looked at the Lords'' own power. At this moment, our protagonist Alex was dressed in a black mini dress, her hair fluffy and spread out on her back, and she was wearing a pair of flip-flops as she walked into the yard. Today, Alex didn''t plan to leave the castle, so she could dress more casually. She went to the yard to check the spoils from last night''s undead. Speaking of which, Alex found that she hadn''t leveled up after waking up. The triple experience boost overnight didn''t help her break through to the Commanding level; it seemed that the experience needed to go from level 9 to level 1 Commanding was quite substantial. At the castle gate, there were piles of wood and stone, and the Blackwater Altar was soaking a bunch of animal corpses. "Recycle!" [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 2,000 wood, 4,000 stone.] "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 40 wild boar corpses, obtaining 1,600 portions of food, 160 wild boar tusks, 80 portions of wild boar skin, 60 magic crystals (double drop).] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 60 rabbit corpses, obtaining 1,200 portions of food, 120 rabbit skins, 80 magic crystals (double drop).] Just yesterday, she traded some food, and today she gained another 2,800 portions. For Alex, it was too much; she couldn''t possibly eat all this food. She opened the trading post to check the orders she had listed last night. "Ah, great, all traded." Alex clicked to collect all at once. [Congratulations Lord, you have traded for 4,200 magic crystals, 10,800 wood, 5,400 stone.] !!! The Holy Court Novice Knight Set was sold, but the buyer didn''t use iron ingots for the trade, opting instead for the more expensive magic crystals. It makes sense, as Lords are currently rushing to upgrade their towns, and a small amount of iron ingots is manageable, but no one would want to part with three thousand iron ingots all at once. Recently, Arthur hadn''t brought back any high-level monster corpses; he probably was leveling up by killing these ordinary animals. That Lord living next to Alex, who summons Red Blood Gorilla troops, seems to have been scared off from sending his troops outside his castle territory after Arthur killed a few of his troops. Alex guessed that once she upgraded to a town, she would immediately border him. If that Lord wasn''t friendly, she would deal with him then. Alex glanced at the current supplies in her Warehouse. [Warehouse: 12,910 magic crystals, 181 Essence Shards, 62,800 wood, 28,400 stone, 7,010 iron ingots, 3,800 food.] There were some other miscellaneous resources, but Alex couldn''t be bothered to tally them. The magic crystals from today''s equipment sale were enough for Alex to upgrade her Barracks again. She couldn''t help but feel a bit emotional; it would have been nice if the other party had traded with iron ingots, then she could have upgraded to a town directly. [Upgrade Barracks required: 10k magic crystals, 100 Essence Shards] "Upgrade!" [undead crystal: lv7 (unique Barracks)] [Level 7 Barracks can summon: skeleton, zombie, specter, death conqueror, gargoyle, bone dragon, ghost dragon, zombie titan¡ªeight major troops (random twenty), 7% chance of high-level troops, extremely low chance of Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 12k magic crystals, 120 Essence Shards] This time Alex was really broke, with only 81 Essence Shards left, and just over two thousand magic crystals, barely enough for a fraction of the next upgrade. The new troop, zombie titan, directly bolstered Alex''s undead army''s ground force, while other Barracks remained unchanged except for becoming more expensive. Sell the food just obtained! Upgrading the town required 30k stone, and because Alex used some for building the Magic Stone Pillar, she was still short by over a thousand. [Hamburger initiated a trade!] [One portion of food, trading for eight portions of wood or four portions of stone.] [Remaining quantity: 2,800 portions.] Alex still reserved a thousand portions of food, as it wouldn''t spoil in the Warehouse, just in case. She opened the trading post to check the orders inside, looking for Lords selling iron ingots, hoping to snatch some from the trading post. Alex searched for keywords, and all the orders that came up were for buying iron ingots. She scrolled for half an hour and didn''t see a single one selling iron ingots; they might have been listed but were immediately snapped up. The trading post was no help to Alex; it seemed she could only hope for [QuartzStriker] now. Sophie''s cooperation with Alex was still ongoing, trading two hundred iron ingots for three hundred portions of food, a low price Sophie deliberately offered to please Alex. Including the two thousand iron ingots Sophie hadn''t processed yet, that totaled nine thousand for Alex. If Sophie traded two hundred a day, it would take five days to gather enough iron ingots... Too slow, not good. See if [QuartzStriker] could be negotiated with to prioritize trading 1,000 iron ingots to her. No time like the present, Alex immediately clicked on [QuartzStriker]''s chat box and sent a message to Sophie. Chapter 50 - 50: Hobgoblin [Hamburger]: "How many iron ingots do you have right now? Could you lend me a thousand for now?" Meanwhile, Sophie, who was daydreaming, received Alex''s message and was pleasantly surprised. "Ah! Big Shot actually messaged me first!" Is Big Shot just a thousand short of upgrading to a town? Sophie checked her Warehouse for iron ingots. With the increasing number of dwarves, the production of iron ingots naturally increased. Now, Sophie''s furnace could produce up to eight hundred iron ingots a day (since currently, the dwarves could only mine eight hundred unprocessed iron ores daily). Sophie had unlocked her furnace on the second day, and now on the fifth day, she had produced just under three thousand iron ingots in total. During this time, she had used some to buy elite food and various supplies, leaving only seven hundred in her Warehouse. Sophie''s furnace efficiency could smelt three thousand iron ingots a day, and with the two thousand unprocessed ores at Alex''s place, plus Sophie''s daily production of eight hundred, she could smelt them all by evening. This was Big Shot''s only request to her so far; if she refused, Sophie felt that all her previous efforts to please Hamburger would have been in vain. Absolutely not! After calculating, Sophie immediately replied to Alex. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I don''t have enough iron ingots in my Warehouse right now, but I''ll send you all the remaining ones by tonight!" Alex didn''t expect Sophie to be so accommodating and agreed right away. [Hamburger]: "Thanks a lot!" [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, you don''t need to be polite with me!" Alex didn''t reply to Sophie again. She leisurely walked around the yard, practicing her control over fire magic. Small fireballs appeared on her fingertips, tossed back and forth like a baseball. [Your troops have successfully killed a lv6 Hobgoblin, gaining sixty experience points.] [Your troops have successfully killed a lv6 Red Blood Gorilla, gaining sixty experience points.] !!! Hobgoblin? Alex was surprised to encounter a Hobgoblin here. Wait, Red Blood Gorilla... isn''t that the troop of the Lord named [King Kong]? That''s the lord near Alex''s castle whose troops were previously killed by Arthur, causing that lord to curse loudly in the World Chat. How come the messages about killing a Hobgoblin and a Red Blood Gorilla came at the same time? Could it be... Meanwhile, in the unfortunate King Kong''s castle, Chi-Chi looked at the system''s notifications and was already getting furious. [Your lv6 Red Blood Gorilla has been killed by a lv7 Hobgoblin!] [Your lv5 Red Blood Gorilla has been killed by an enemy Lord!] Chi-Chi''s mentality was breaking down. Red Blood Gorillas could only summon two per day, and by today, the fifth day, there were only ten in total. Previously, four were killed by an unknown Lord, and now two more had died, leaving only the last four. Chi-Chi, who just started ninth grade this year, unlike other girls who liked various cosmetics, chasing celebrities, or discussing which male classmate was handsome, had always been a fan of the anime character Goku. When the game descended into the real world, Chi-Chi was still sleeping at home. So, she did nothing during the six hours of preparation time and came to this Eldoria continent wearing a cartoon pajama. After arriving, Chi-Chi wanted to name her castle after Goku. However, she found these names were already taken by other Lords. Eventually, she noticed her summoned Red Blood Gorillas resembled King Kong, so she named her castle after King Kong. "Damn it, it must be that Lord again, so annoying. What the heck is a Hobgoblin?" Chi-Chi had always been very cautious, especially at night, never encountering any high-level monsters, which made her think her starting location was relatively safe. Since the last time another Lord killed four of her Red Blood Gorillas, Chi-Chi started sending her troops out in turns to hunt, two monkeys per team. Unfortunately, two of the Red Blood Gorillas outside died today. Chi-Chi looked at the last four Red Blood Gorillas in her castle, one of which was lucky enough to have survived from the first day and had reached lv7. When Chi-Chi''s castle was upgraded to lv3, she drew a piece of equipment that Alex had been longing for¡ªthe ability to fly by summoning a cloud that one could stand on and fly in the sky. Chi-Chi called it the Flying Nimbus. "Let''s go, time for revenge. A lv7 Hobgoblin dares to kill my troops!" Chi-Chi immediately led the four Red Blood Gorillas towards the direction where the other two had died. With one lv7 and the rest lv6, Chi-Chi didn''t believe they couldn''t kill a single lv7 Hobgoblin. Chi-Chi guessed that the Hobgoblin must be fighting with that Lord''s troops by now. When both sides were weakened, she would take advantage, avenging her troops and letting that Lord know she was not to be trifled with! S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chi-Chi summoned the Flying Nimbus, stepped on it, and took off, with the four Red Blood Gorillas huffing and puffing behind her. ... [Your troops have killed a lv7 Hobgoblin, gaining seventy experience points.] [Your troops have killed a lv5 Hobgoblin, gaining fifty experience points.] The system continuously sent messages about killing Hobgoblins, and Alex realized that the appearance of Hobgoblins was no coincidence; her troops were likely fighting a large group of them. As for the unfortunate Lord''s troops that were mistakenly killed, well, that''s just bad luck for him. Alex, now intrigued, knew that in this world, Hobgoblins were much richer than Goblins, not just stronger. Simply put, Hobgoblins were the pro max version of Goblins. Alex thought about capturing a live Hobgoblin to gather some intelligence, especially since she forgot to leave a couple of Goblins alive last time to ask about the power distribution on Eldoria continent. And whether this game world was actually spherical, or perhaps it was indeed flat. Wait, why am I focusing on this? Alex called over a gargoyle, jumped onto its back, and had it carry her to the battlefield. Riding a dragon would have been cooler, but Arthur was hardly ever around, and it might even be Arthur fighting those Hobgoblins. Her undead had killed a Red Blood Gorilla, and Alex remembered that Lord''s castle was to the south of hers, seemingly closer to the original Goblin tribe than Alex''s location. Alex immediately directed the gargoyle to fly south. Chapter 51 - 51: White haired witch? Chi-Chi sat on her Flying Nimbus and finally arrived at the battlefield, only to witness a scene she would never forget. Below, over a hundred Hobgoblins were fighting... with a bunch of skeletons? There were also several huge skeletal dragons in the sky, breathing fire down on the Hobgoblins. Chi-Chi had always thought that creatures on Eldoria continent would at least be, well, creatures. Why were these skeletal beings moving? Chi-Chi recognized the bone dragons in the sky; those had to be that Lord''s troops! The last time Chi-Chi saw them from a distance, the impact wasn''t as profound as now, observing them up close, she realized just how enormous they actually were. Chi-Chi immediately turned around to see her four Red Blood Gorillas still running towards the area. She quickly flew back, shouting, "You idiots, do you have a death wish? Run, run!" Chi-Chi had a feeling that any single one of these troops could easily match her Red Blood Gorillas, and there were nearly a hundred of them. She looked back at her four meager troops. "You can''t get hurt, you''re my last hope." The four Red Blood Gorillas were quickly driven away by Chi-Chi. Driven by curiosity, she still stayed far back in the sky, lying on her Flying Nimbus to watch the battle. Chi-Chi couldn''t believe that those skeletal creatures were a Lord''s troops; they were incredibly strong! Fortunately, Chi-Chi was flying high enough that even if the Hobgoblins had anti-air capabilities, they couldn''t reach her, and the bone dragons in the sky seemed not to have noticed her either. Chi-Chi watched intently as the Hobgoblins threw spears, used magic, and wielded knives, torches, and hammers. Especially a giant Hobgoblin at the forefront of the group was much larger than the others, its huge hammer raising a cloud of dust on impact. Chi-Chi could feel its immense power. There was also a Hobgoblin wearing a strange long robe, holding a staff taller than Chi-Chi herself, constantly casting various spells on the battlefield. The skeletons were even more bizarre; Chi-Chi couldn''t even count how many types there were. And after being smashed by the Hobgoblins, they could reassemble themselves, as if they couldn''t die. Chi-Chi watched the supernatural melee between the Hobgoblins and the undead, realizing it should be called a magical battle. She thought about how her Red Blood Gorillas were limited to physical combat with monsters, highlighting a significant disparity in capabilities. At that moment, Alex was leisurely riding a gargoyle towards the area, not worried about the safety of her undead, only concerned that the Hobgoblins might escape. This was a huge opportunity for experience and resources! Quickly, Alex also spotted the green dots on the ground from the sky, which must be the Hobgoblins. The number of undead fighting the Hobgoblins wasn''t very large, about a hundred, mainly aerial units, all from nearby. "Hey, what''s that yellow dot on the horizon?" Chi-Chi''s Flying Nimbus was yellow, and against the dark, sunless sky, it was quite conspicuous. Arthur, who was fighting the Hobgoblins, had noticed Chi-Chi a while ago but since she didn''t show any hostility and her power was too weak, he hadn''t bothered with her. As Alex rode the gargoyle closer, she finally saw it clearly; it was a small yellow cloud, and there was a Lord on it! And why was Alex sure Chi-Chi was a Lord? Who else would wear pajamas here? Chi-Chi, engrossed in watching the fight, looked up and saw a nine feet tall creature with wings carrying a person flying towards her. That white hair was too conspicuous! Chi-Chi''s eyes met Alex''s. "Wow, what a beautiful woman." "No, wait, run!" Chi-Chi immediately turned her Flying Nimbus around to flee. The only humans who would appear here were those skeletons'' Lord. "Arthur, catch her!" Alex shouted to Arthur, who naturally prioritized Alex''s command. He immediately flapped his wings and turned to pursue Chi-Chi. "Holy fuck! Shit!" Chi-Chi looked back to see the biggest of the troops chasing after her and cursed out loud. Her heart rate nearly broke 200, terrified by the chase. At this moment, Chi-Chi wished she could slap herself. Why did she have to come out here? Now she was done for. Whoosh! Chi-Chi felt a gust of wind above her head as Arthur''s massive form quickly overtook her and flew in front of her. "You better stop voluntarily!" Arthur''s ability to speak shocked Chi-Chi anew; troops could talk? Why did her Red Blood Gorillas only howl stupidly? Arthur didn''t want to grab her with his claws because she was too weak, and he was afraid he might accidentally kill her with his strength. Alex''s order was to capture her alive. Chi-Chi braked sharply, controlling her Flying Nimbus to stop in mid-air. The big guy was much faster than her; she couldn''t escape. "It''s not fair, why can something so big fly so fast!" "Spare my life, I won''t run!" Chi-Chi''s heart pounded wildly, clearly terrified by Arthur. A fifteen-year-old girl had never experienced anything like this. Arthur ignored Chi-Chi and stayed in the air because he saw Alex approaching on a gargoyle. "Put away your little yellow cloud and land immediately." Alex arrived and immediately spoke to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi looked back and saw the white-haired beauty from before. She then looked forward at the menacing big bone dragon and obediently controlled her Flying Nimbus to descend. Alex also commanded her gargoyle to slowly land, while Arthur kept his eyes on Chi-Chi, making her scalp tingle. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chi-Chi landed slowly, put away her Flying Nimbus, and looked timidly at the white-haired beauty in front of her. Alex jumped down from the gargoyle''s back, facing away from the battlefield where Hobgoblins and undead were still fighting. "You seemed quite bold when you were running away, said some curse words, I didn''t catch them, could you repeat them?" Alex pretended to clean her ear with her pinky, sizing up the young girl in front of her. Respected lady, I was wrong. I didn''t say anything just now. Please, overlook my minor offenses. Please don''t kill me! Chi-Chi, frightened, looked at the white-haired beauty in front of her, trembling as she spoke. She knew that in this world, there were no rules, and she could very well be killed by this person. Thinking this, Chi-Chi became even more frightened, internally trying to comfort herself. Chi-Chi, don''t be deceived by her beauty, she must be a terrifying white haired witch. Chapter 52 - 52: Submission Alex looked at Chi-Chi, who appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. She thought to herself, why bother arguing with a child? "Are you King Kong?" Just as Alex finished speaking, a Hobgoblin sneaked up from behind and launched a sneak attack on her. Alex casually threw back a large fireball, sending the Hobgoblin flying. "So strong! This is a white-haired witch! My mom said white-haired witches eat children. I''m done for; I''m going to die. What do I do?" Chi-Chi thought to herself in shock. "I... I am!" Chi-Chi stammered, clearly frightened. "Respected lady... you... you know me?" "More than know you, you cursed me out in the World Chat." Alex said teasingly. "Ah, haha, that... that was just a joke, yes, a joke." Chi-Chi forced a laugh. Alex wasn''t angry; she wasn''t about to stoop to arguing with a little girl. "You have two choices. First, Submission." Before Alex could finish, Chi-Chi immediately interrupted. "I choose Submission!" Hearing that she wouldn''t have to die, Chi-Chi immediately felt a lot more relaxed. That decisive? Alex hadn''t expected Chi-Chi to agree so readily. It wasn''t that Alex saw anything particular in her; it was just that she couldn''t bear to harm a minor. However, their castles were too close, which would definitely affect Alex''s development. If Chi-Chi refused Submission, Alex would have had no choice but to send her to meet her maker. Alex wasn''t a saint; if Chi-Chi hindered her progress, she would have to eliminate the trouble. In this competitive continent, Alex felt this was quite appropriate for the current survival environment. It would be foolish to hinder her own progress for a stranger. "Aren''t you going to ask what the second option is?" "Isn''t it death? That''s what they always say in the novels." Chi-Chi said seriously. "No, it would have allowed you to live a few more days." Alex spoke frankly. "That''s the same thing..." Chi-Chi felt like the white-haired witch was joking with her. "Name?" "Chi-Chi." "Height?" "5.1 feet." "Weight?" "85 pounds." "Measurements?" "Why do you even need to ask that?!" "Less talking back." Alex glared at her, and Chi-Chi immediately wilted and answered truthfully. "27 / 25 / 29." "A bit flat-chested." Alex commented. "What! I haven''t even started developing yet!" Chi-Chi retorted immediately. "Tell me about your own level, and the levels of your castle and Barracks." As for troops, Alex already knew about the Red Blood Gorillas; ten summoned in five days, yet Alex had killed five of them. "I''m currently level 4, my castle is level 5, and my Barracks is level 1. How about that, not bad, right?" Chi-Chi asked Alex, somewhat expectantly. "Pretty weak." Alex''s blunt reply threw cold water on Chi-Chi''s hopes. Well, [QuartzStriker] has geographical and troop advantages, although weak in combat but can develop quickly. Maybe Chi-Chi''s level is what most Lords are at right now. "Add me as a friend." Submission could only be achieved through adding as a friend, a feature Alex had learned about before. A Lord under Submission becomes a territory of the other, similar to a main city and a sub-city, and it''s irreversible. The submissive party cannot defy the commands of their master, and if the master dies, the submissive party dies too, but not vice versa. Chi-Chi choosing to submit to Alex meant putting her life in Alex''s hands. If Alex died, she would too. Submitting to another Lord also meant losing the chance to participate in the All-Races Battle Royale. But this was trivial for Chi-Chi, as she hadn''t considered these things anyway. "Lady, what''s your ID?" Before adding as a friend, one must at least know the other''s ID. "Hamburger." "Ah! You''re the Hamburger Big Shot from the leaderboard?!" "That''s me." Alex nodded. Chi-Chi was shocked. The recent buzz in the World Chat about this Big Shot and the top-tier Lords all involved the person right in front of her. Seeing Alex''s powerful troops, it made sense; only a top-tier Lord could have such strength. No wonder she thought I was weak. Who would have thought that the top-tier Hamburger Big Shot would be such a beautiful lady! And she''s right here beside me! If being under the Submission of this Big Shot could be dangerous, then probably very few of the billions of Lords could survive. Chi-Chi quickly typed the nine letters of ''Hamburger'' into the friend search. [£ÛKing Kong£Ý requests to add you as a friend!] Alex clicked accept, and then Chi-Chi initiated something on her system dashboard. [£ÛKing Kong£Ý has initiated Submission to you!] Alex chose to accept, but after clicking accept, she had to enter her name. Alex signed a beautiful signature with her hand. [Contract generated, irreversible!] Suddenly, Alex''s system dashboard added a new section [Territory]. Curious, Alex clicked to see. [Territory Lord: Chi-Chi] [Strength: lv4 Standard] [Territory Level: lv5 Initial Castle] [Barracks Level: lv1 Gorilla Crystal] [Special Buildings: None] [Troops: Red Blood Gorilla] [Equipment: Flying Nimbus] It contained all sorts of information about Chi-Chi. It seemed the system was quite thoughtful. Similarly, Chi-Chi had some basic information about Alex, though not as detailed as what Alex had. "Big Shot lady, I still don''t know your name." Chi-Chi could have seen it from the system dashboard, but she hadn''t looked yet, and it was more polite to ask Alex directly since she was right there. "Alex." "Then I''ll call you Miss Alex from now on!" "Suit yourself." "Miss Alex, what kind of troops are these, and how are they so powerful?" Now free from the threat to her life, Chi-Chi relaxed and, upon learning that Alex was the Hamburger Big Shot, instantly became a little fan. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Undead." "Undead? I think I''ve read about them in novels, aren''t they like ghosts?" Chi-Chi, being a ninth-grade student, had limited knowledge and didn''t quite understand what exactly undead referred to. "You could say that." "Miss Alex, can I visit your castle?" Chi-Chi asked Alex, now very curious about everything related to the Big Shot. As a territory, strictly speaking, Chi-Chi and Alex''s troops weren''t much different; naturally, she was part of Alex''s castle and could freely enter. "Let''s wait until the battle is over." Chapter 53 - 53: Promoted to Commanding level Alex turned to watch the chaotic battle between the Hobgoblins and the undead, and only then did Chi-Chi shift her gaze from Alex to the battlefield behind them. Standing next to Alex, Chi-Chi could catch a whiff of her faint body fragrance and couldn''t help but glance at her stunning profile. It''s true what they say, comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable. Miss Alex is not only beautiful but also incredibly powerful. Alex stood at the edge of the battlefield, watching calmly. Although Chi-Chi was nervous, she tried to appear composed next to Alex. If any reckless Hobgoblin dared to attack Alex, it would be met with a fireball and sent flying. Alex noticed that most of these Hobgoblins were just standard level, except for the strong, bulky Hobgoblin and a Hobgoblin mage at the center, both at Commanding level. Alex informally referred to the bulky one as "Big Guy." This Big Guy was quite dumb, lacking any means to attack from the air, making it an easy target for the bone dragons. The Hobgoblin Mage was somewhat more capable, not only able to shoot fireballs but also able to summon a barrier. When the barrier hit the ground, it created a shockwave that could shield nearby Hobgoblin allies¡ªa useful support skill. However, that was about it. It seemed that once the barrier took enough damage, it would shatter, proving ineffective against the undead. If it weren''t for the presence of two Commanding level Hobgoblins among their ranks, and the absence of any Commanding level undead arriving yet, these Hobgoblins would have been wiped out already. "Go fetch the Ethereal Wraith," Alex instructed the gargoyle that had served as her mount, which immediately flew off. It wasn''t that Alex didn''t want to call another Commanding level Skeletal Demon; it''s just that the creature was too slow. By the time it would arrive, it might well be dawn the next day. "Miss Alex, that big Hobgoblin seems to be charging towards us!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, noticing the Big Guy breaking through the undead''s lines and heading straight for them. Relying on its Commanding level attributes, the Big Guy bulldozed its way through, scattering the undead blocking its path and resisting the Phantoms'' mental attacks with the shield provided by the Hobgoblin Mage, all while advancing through the bone dragons'' flames. "Step aside," Alex said calmly. "Ah, okay." Alex gently pushed Chi-Chi back and stepped forward, raising her right hand towards the charging Big Guy. Do you think it''s nighttime? You''ve messed with the wrong person! A magic circle appeared on the ground right in front of the Big Guy, perfectly sized to encompass it. Unaware or perhaps undeterred, the Big Guy stepped right into the magic circle. As soon as its entire body was inside, the ground''s fire elements rapidly converged, and a massive pillar of fire shot up, engulfing the Big Guy completely. Alex''s Mana Points visibly decreased at a rapid rate. Soon, the protective shield the Hobgoblin Mage had provided shattered under the excessive damage, and the Big Guy, engulfed in flames, endured Alex''s magic thanks to its own physical resilience and defense. Only a few hairs on its head were singed¡ªthough perhaps not only those. As the Big Guy stepped out of the magic circle, Alex clenched her fist, and the red magic circle on the ground darkened, losing its brightness. The flames turned into eerie black fire, and the Big Guy screamed in agony, falling to its knees. The black flames disappeared almost instantly because the Mana Points Alex used were enormously draining; just that brief moment had nearly depleted her reserves. As the flames dissipated, the Big Guy was left kneeling, screaming in pain, its body still burning with black flames that it couldn''t extinguish no matter what it tried. "So powerful!" Chi-Chi watched in awe as Alex effortlessly handled the situation with a single skill. The Big Guy, clearly the leader of the Hobgoblins, was brought down by Alex in one move. "Arthur, finish it off!" Alex called out to Arthur in the sky. If Arthur made the kill, both he and Alex would gain experience. If Alex did it alone, only she would benefit, which would be a loss. Besides, the main reason was that Alex was out of mana. Arthur, hearing Alex''s call, unleashed a Nether Dragon Breath. Just as it was about to hit the Hobgoblin Big Guy, Alex withdrew the black flames from its body. Seeing the black flames disappear, the Big Guy tried to get up and flee, but Arthur''s dragon breath arrived too swiftly, freezing it into an ice sculpture and extinguishing its soul instantly. [Your troops have successfully killed a lv1 Commanding level Hobgoblin Brute, gaining 120 experience points.] "It''sover," Alex informed Chi-Chi, who finally breathed a sigh of relief. In the distance, the Hobgoblin Mage, seeing how easily the Hobgoblin Brute was dispatched by the white-haired human girl, immediately started its escape. However, lacking the brute''s size and defense, and knowing only a fireball spell and a shield spell, it couldn''t break through like the Hobgoblin Brute. Even though it knew magic, there would come a moment when its Mana Points ran out. Just then, the gargoyle returned, accompanied by a Commanding level Ethereal Wraith. The efficiency was quite impressive. The Ethereal Wraith immediately spotted the strongest Hobgoblin Mage below. Seeing the Hobgoblin Mage attempting to flee, the Ethereal Wraith launched its ability, Soul Curse. A black chain made of soul energy shot towards the Hobgoblin Mage. Although the mage was intent on escaping, it kept a vigilant watch on its surroundings and saw the attack coming. Without hesitation, it cast a shield spell on itself. What the Hobgoblin Mage didn''t expect was that the black chain was intangible, passing right through its magical barrier and striking it directly. The mage felt as if its soul was being torn apart, a powerful Mind attack that it had no way of anticipating. The Hobgoblin Mage spat out a mouthful of green blood inside its barrier and then fell to the ground lifeless, the magical barrier dissipating with its death. So powerful, is this what a Commanding level mind attack looks like? Alex felt a slight shock. [Your troops have successfully killed a lv1 Hobgoblin mage, gaining 120 experience points.] It might have been the Hobgoblin mage''s frail body that led to its instant defeat by the Ethereal Wraith. But wait, aren''t mages supposed to have strong mental powers? It turns out that the Hobgoblin mage had already depleted its Mana Points and was overexerting its mental strength to cast spells, which made it particularly vulnerable when the Ethereal Wraith, who specializes in soul attacks, struck. Chi-Chi watched in awe. The two strongest Hobgoblins were dead just like that? With the Ethereal Wraith joining the fray, the standard Hobgoblins were even less of a challenge, easily obliterated by a single mental attack. Moreover, Ethereal Wraiths, unlike other undead, are inherently intelligent, making them much easier for Alex to command. "Remember to leave a few alive!" Alex shouted. The undead understood and began a one-sided slaughter of the Hobgoblins. Ten minutes later, Alex finally achieved a level up. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 Commanding level (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 250] [Mana Points: 120] [Strength: 65] [Stamina: 62] [Agility: 66] Sweet! As expected, advancing to Commanding level significantly boosted her attributes, with each increasing by about 15 points. Her health alone had increased by 50 points, and her Mana Points by 20. It was fantastic. After this enhancement, it seemed that among her undead peers, only Arthur had higher attributes than Alex. This at least proved that Alex''s growth potential was high. She couldn''t guarantee she was at a Divine level, but her attributes were currently better than those of a same-level bone dragon, whose growth limit was at the Emperor level. [Congratulations Lord on reaching lv1 Commanding level, Companion Weapon [Grim Reaper''s Scythe] will also advance.] So this is what a Companion Weapon means? It will advance as Alex levels up. When Alex was at Standard level, the scythe was at Commanding level. Now that Alex herself is at Commanding level, does that mean the scythe has become King gear? Dare to dream bigger, when Alex breaks through to Monarch level, does it mean she will directly obtain a Divine gear? Wow, just thinking about it is exciting. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Monarch level weapon (upgradable)] [Soul Concentration: 12%] [Active Skill: Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 3), Dark Magic (Tier 2)] [Passive Skill1: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects, victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.] [Passive Skill2: The weapon can be enchanted with magic, no chanting or magic circle needed.] Undead Summoning Magic (Tier 3): Can summon two of the four basic troops each time, with unchanged Mana Points consumption. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Indeed, it has become a Monarch level weapon! Not only have the magic levels been upgraded by one tier, but it also gained an additional passive skill. This Passive Skill essentially cancels the casting delay, no need to foolishly stand still while casting. Undead Summoning Magic has also advanced to Tier 3, although it''s still not very useful. Although the variety of summonable undead has increased, Alex has tested that this magic will always produce two undead. That means using the scythe''s Undead Summoning Magic can only summon the four basic troops, and this highly unstable double summoning currently does not work on anything above Commanding level, making it somewhat useless. It probably needs another upgrade to become useful. Alex summoned a gargoyle, which is certainly better than two Skeleton Soldiers and a zombie, right? If Alex could describe her current weapon in one word, it would be: powerful! It''s just too strong! At the moment, Alex really wanted to play with her scythe, but with Chi-Chi around, she felt a bit embarrassed. A master shouldn''t casually show their trump cards, huh. They must be revealed at a critical moment to shock everyone! ... The battle between the undead and the Hobgoblins was nearing its end. Three gargoyles each grabbed a Hobgoblin by the neck, bringing a total of six to Alex. "Miss Alex, why are you capturing these Hobgoblins?" Chi-Chi, now seasoned by significant events, wasn''t easily shocked anymore and believed more in Alex''s strength. "Don''t you want to know what kind of place this is, and what forces and dangers exist here?" "Wow, Miss Alex truly is my idol Lord, I''ve never thought about these things!" Indeed, Chi-Chi''s thinking clearly lagged behind that of a Big Shot like Alex. "Alright, enough with the flattery!" Alex said as she watched the six Hobgoblins being dumped on the ground by the gargoyles. They stood up instead of kneeling or begging for mercy, understanding that they might as well die than submit to the despised human race. Alex looked at the ugly Hobgoblins in front of her. They were about 2.1 feet tall when they stood up, barely reaching Alex''s legs. How to describe them? From a human aesthetic point of view, they were hideously ugly. "Despicable and foolish humans, we, the mighty Hobgoblin warriors, will never submit to you, even in death!" one of the Hobgoblins snarled at Alex, baring its yellow teeth. "Grant its wish!" Alex had no belief in creatures that weren''t afraid of death. A gargoyle behind her promptly grabbed the Hobgoblin''s head and crushed it like a watermelon. The warm mix of green and white splashed onto the face of another Hobgoblin next to it, which shuddered in fear. Even Chi-Chi, standing behind Alex, jumped in fright as if it wasn''t the Hobgoblin''s head that had been crushed, but her own. "I ask, you answer. If you cooperate, I''ll spare your lives." Alex''s voice reached the ears of the remaining five Hobgoblins. The one that had just spoken immediately knelt down. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk, respected human warrior, please spare my life!" "Traitor!" Another Hobgoblin that refused to submit tried to attack the kneeling one but was instantly blown away by a fireball from Alex. Half of its shoulder melted away, and it fell to the ground, wailing in agony. "My hand! My hand!" The screams of the Hobgoblin terrified the other three, who quickly knelt down before Alex. So there are those who fear death after all. Alex firmly believed that no intelligent creature truly wishes to die. "Good. First question, why are you here?" Alex asked. "The swamp''s Goblins were sent by our Hobgoblin kingdom to monitor the Frostwind snowy mountain. Today was the scheduled day to contact the Goblins, but we found their tribe annihilated, so we were sent to investigate." The kneeling Hobgoblin spoke tremulously. Alex understood the situation and became more interested. It seemed these Hobgoblins suspected that a nearby Lord was responsible, especially since Chi-Chi''s castle was close by and had shown signs of conflict with Chi-Chi''s troops. Alex guessed that the Hobgoblins had clashed with Chi-Chi''s Red Blood Gorillas. Coincidentally, Arthur and his minions were leveling up nearby and encountered the Hobgoblins, leading to the fight. It turned out the Goblins were just a watchful eye the Hobgoblin kingdom had placed in the snowy mountain, too weak to stay there and had to hide near the swamp. "What''s on the snowy mountain?" Alex continued her questioning. "I don''t know, I''m just a regular member following orders, that''s all I know." Alex suddenly wondered if the Moon Silver Wolves on the snowy mountain were also there on a mission, similar to the Goblins. "Do you know what the Moon Silver Wolves on the snowy mountain are up to?" "I know that. They belong to a branch of the werewolves from the Skyreach Mountains, relatively weak and probably also sent to the snowy mountain on a mission." The Skyreach Mountains? Indeed, behind the Moon Silver Wolves was a larger organization of werewolves, using them merely as cannon fodder. "How does the Skyreach Mountains compare to your Hobgoblin kingdom?" "Stronger... a bit stronger." "Hmm?" Alex clearly didn''t believe the Hobgoblin''s understatement. "Much stronger, much stronger than our Hobgoblin kingdom!" Afterward, Alex gathered some basic information about Eldoria continent from the Hobgoblins, though they knew little else. This world wasn''t a single landmass but was divided into seven continents, separated by vast, endless seas that only Divine beings could cross alone. The continent where Alex was located, known as Eldoria, was so vast that even the Hobgoblins had limited knowledge about it. According to the Hobgoblins, Eldoria had never been united historically. Although they didn''t know about the other six continents, it was likely that Eldoria was the most chaotic of them all. The most powerful forces on Eldoria included demons, angels, titans, dragons, and slightly less powerful races like humans, elves, orcs, and dwarves. It was said that the strength of humans wasn''t as simple as it appeared; the Holy Court''s influence, for example, spanned all seven continents of Eldoria. The dragon race even ruled an entire continent, and there were powerful sea gods in the endless seas. Of course, these claims were yet to be verified, merely hearsay. For ordinary lords, even leaving Eldoria continent was a significant challenge, let alone understanding the powers of other continents. Alex and the billions of other Lords were scattered across these seven continents. The native human populations of Eldoria viewed these Lords as extraterrestrial visitors, seeking to exterminate all Lords. Other races also saw the Lords as invaders from another world, harboring great hostility towards them. Indeed, Alex now had a basic understanding of Eldoria continent. Simply put, this game was a confrontation between all Lords and the native races of Eldoria, where ultimately, perhaps only one side could survive. The relationships between Lords and the native races of Eldoria were the same; they shared common enemies yet each fought their own battles. This information was quite a shock to Alex, and even more so for Chi-Chi beside her. Chapter 54 - 54: I said I wouldnt kill, but I didnt say my troops couldnt "Respected human mage, I have told you everything I know, please keep your promise and spare us!" The Hobgoblins thought Alex would ask them about the Hobgoblin kingdom, but she only asked for some basic information that any intelligent race would know. It made sense, these extraterrestrial visitors had only arrived in this world a few days ago, so it was normal for them not to know these details. The Hobgoblins had already decided that once they returned to the Hobgoblin kingdom, they would immediately seek help to avenge themselves. Among these extraterrestrial visitors, there were some with considerable strength, not as easily defeated as those around the Hobgoblin kingdom. Alex nodded, "Yes, I am someone who keeps her promises. I said I won''t kill you, and I won''t." The Hobgoblins were overjoyed, thinking the extraterrestrial human in front of them was foolishly naive. They stood up and immediately tried to flee. Roar! Arthur unleashed a breath of dragon, engulfing the four Hobgoblins completely. They didn''t even have time to react before their souls were sent to hell. "I said I wouldn''t kill, but I didn''t say my troops couldn''t." "Arthur, have the undead bring these Goblin corpses back to the castle." With all the Hobgoblins dead, Alex thoughtfully ordered the undead to clean up the battlefield. Chi-Chi thought Alex wanted the bodies for disassembly. "Don''t just stand there, let''s go!" Alex expertly jumped onto the back of a gargoyle, which slowly took off. Chi-Chi also summoned her Flying Nimbus again and followed Alex into the sky. Alex led the way with Chi-Chi following behind as they flew towards Alex''s castle. Now that Chi-Chi was in a servile relationship with Alex, which was irreversible, some special enhancements of Alex''s castle also benefited Chi-Chi. As Chi-Chi entered Alex''s castle territory, her Flying Nimbus suddenly sped up, and she felt her strength increasing. Chi-Chi quickly checked her attributes and exclaimed, "Hey, I''ve leveled up!" "Oh, that''s the special building enhancement of my castle. It disappears once you leave the territory," Alex explained to Chi-Chi, who was behind her. Chi-Chi was stunned again; she had never seen a special building before. Were their attributes really that strong? She then remembered she could access some of Alex''s information. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 Commanding level] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle (MAX)] [Barracks Level: lv7 Undead Crystal] [Number of Special Buildings: 6] [Troops: Undead race (unique troops)] [Number of Equipments: 1] Chi-Chi was dumbfounded. Alex was far stronger in every aspect compared to her, and Chi-Chi couldn''t even see what the special buildings of Alex''s castle were, only their number. Chi-Chi thought having one special building was outrageous enough, but Alex had six. Her strength had reached the Commanding level, and even her castle was at maximum level... This was a huge blow. Compared to Alex, Chi-Chi felt like a waste... The invisibility effect of the Specter Chandelier didn''t work on Chi-Chi. The moment she entered Alex''s territory, she could see Alex''s castle from afar. But the castle... why did it look a bit terrifying? Soon, Chi-Chi followed Alex as they landed at the castle entrance, where four menacing statues with bared fangs greeted them. Chi-Chi noticed they resembled the creature that had flown Alex here. They entered the castle gate and came to a courtyard with an altar the size of half a football field in the center. The skulls on the four pillars emitted a creepy blue light, and below was a pool of black, unidentified liquid. "You better not walk into this; if you can''t get out, I can''t save you," Alex warned Chi-Chi, who was staring at the Blackwater Altar. Currently, only the undead and Alex could freely enter and exit the barrier around the altar, and Alex wasn''t sure if Chi-Chi could come out if she went in. Alex glanced at the time; it was noon. She didn''t need to eat, but Chi-Chi probably did. "Are you hungry? There''s food in the Warehouse; you can take it to the kitchen and cook." "I am a bit hungry, can I really cook it?" Alex took out a portion of food from the Warehouse and handed it to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi, a bit embarrassed, took it and turned towards the castle. After a few steps, she turned back. "Miss Alex, aren''t you going to eat? I can''t finish this food by myself." "Alright, I''ll eat a bit too." Due to the Hobgoblin incident, Alex had been delayed all morning and hadn''t managed to deal with some supplies. Alex and Chi-Chi walked towards the kitchen while collecting the materials traded at the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 2800 portions of food, receiving 11200 units of wood and 5600 units of stone.] Once in the kitchen, Alex chopped the food into small pieces, threw them into a pot, added water, and prepared to stew everything together. "Given your age, you must still be a student, right? Have you found your parents here?" Alex asked, trying to make conversation while they waited for the food to cook. Alex, you really know how to start a conversation, bringing up such a heavy topic right away. As soon as she asked, Alex regretted it, noticing a flash of sadness in Chi-Chi''s eyes before she put on a brave face. "No, I haven''t. I believe they''re fine. Maybe they didn''t come to this world." For a child of her age, suddenly being transported to a strange world and being alone would undoubtedly be frightening and make her miss home. Unlike Alex, who had been an orphan since childhood and was used to living alone, and had already experienced one such transition, making it easier for her to adapt psychologically. "What about you, Miss Alex? Have you found your parents? Someone as strong as you could surely protect them." Chi-Chi, concerned about herself, also cared enough to ask about Alex. "Me? I don''t have parents." Alex''s response was startling. "Ah? I''m sorry, Miss Alex..." Chi-Chi realized she might have said something wrong and quickly apologized. "I''ve been an orphan since I was young, I don''t remember anything about my parents, you don''t need to apologize." Alex said nonchalantly, standing up to fetch two plates. She served the cooked meat onto the plates and placed one in front of Chi-Chi. "The meat''s ready, eat up." Chi-Chi began to eat hungrily, using the knife and fork. "Thank you, Miss Alex, you''re really kind." Alex also sat opposite Chi-Chi, leisurely eating the meat with a fork. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''m not as kind as you think." Chapter 55 - 55: Shadowghast Knight and Black Warrior Alex had finished her modest portion of food quickly, just as the undead outside began to return, carrying the bodies of the Hobgoblins. "Take your time, I''m going to check outside," she said, setting down her fork and standing up from the kitchen table. In the courtyard, the undead were methodically placing the Hobgoblin corpses into the Blackwater Altar. Given the small stature of the average Hobgoblin, a single gargoyle could grasp four of them in its two hands. There were only about one hundred and twenty Hobgoblins in total, each at least level 5, including two at the Commanding level¡ªthe Hobgoblin Brute and the Hobgoblin Mage. Alex surmised that these one hundred and twenty Hobgoblins constituted a complete squad sent to investigate the demise of the Goblin tribe. Due to the presence of only her and Chi-Chi''s castles nearby, and her castle being shielded by the Specter Chandelier, the Hobgoblins had failed to detect her fortress. Even if they had, it would have been futile; Alex''s castle was guarded by over two thousand undead, against which a mere hundred Hobgoblins stood no chance. Hobgoblins, being a technologically advanced but physically weak intelligent species, were no match for Alex''s forces, prompting her decision to transform them into ordinary undead. One by one, the undead enhanced by the Blackwater Altar emerged, each now above level 5, significantly bolstering the overall strength of Alex''s undead army. Otherwise, despite their numbers, most of Alex''s undead were only at level 1 and incapable of leveling up. At that moment, Alex noticed a particularly imposing undead climbing out of the Hobgoblin Brute''s corpse. This undead, engulfed in blue flames and wielding dual swords, was a death conqueror. Its body was larger, clad in black floating armor with blue flames burning within, and even its undead horse was draped in thick battle armor. If the previous death knights and death conquerors were akin to light cavalry armed with scythes, this Commanding level death conqueror was an upgrade to heavy cavalry. [Shadowghast Knight] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 44+3] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 35+3] [Growth Limit: Monarch level] [Enhancement: Soul, all attributes +3.] [Skill: Death Charge] Death Charge: A charge initiated by an army of death conquerors formed from soul flames. The Shadowghast Knight was likely the final form of a death conqueror, now equipped with an additional skill¡ªa significant improvement. Alex then turned her attention to the undead emerging from the Hobgoblin Mage''s corpse, hoping for a grand slam. A thin mist rose from the small body of the Hobgoblin shaman, coalescing into a humanoid undead wielding a long sword, standing about 6.3 feet tall¡ªroughly the height of an adult human male. Could the size of the transformed undead be related to the size of the original body? The undead from the Hobgoblin Brute''s body was large, while that from the Hobgoblin Mage was smaller. Had Alex not seen it summoned from the Hobgoblin mage, she might have mistaken it for a mere zombie, albeit one armed with a weapon. [Black Warrior] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 32+2] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 34+2] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] [Enhancement: Body, all attributes +2] [Skill: Vertical Slash] Vertical Slash: The skill activates instantly, tripling Agility and doubling Strength, delivering a downward slash that can tear apart both the flesh and soul of an enemy. Indeed, the attributes of the Commanding level Black Warrior were significantly lower than those of a Shadowghast Knight of the same level. However, Alex found the skill intriguing; while other undead had flashy attack methods, the Black Warrior''s was a simple yet potent slash, which Alex suspected to be very powerful. In summary, it was short-ranged but highly explosive. All the undead were becoming larger, except for the Black Warrior, who was an exception¡ªnot only did it not increase in size, but it actually became smaller. The Black Warrior wielded a narrow straight sword, not a katana, and its entire body was clad in black armor. If not for the strong scentof decay surrounding it, from a distance, it might be mistaken for a human. Just then, Chi-Chi, having finished her lunch, came out and was startled to see new undead continuously emerging from the Hobgoblin corpses in the dark waters of the Altar. She suddenly remembered Alex''s warning about the danger of stepping into the Altar, fearing she might end up as a pile of bones herself. "Miss Alex, is this also a special building?" Chi-Chi asked, intrigued by the structure that seemed to continuously summon undead. Each Lord''s castle had slight variations in its layout, and while Chi-Chi and Alex were in the same location, the differences in their castles were minimal. In other regions, most castles were built with materials sourced locally¡ªfor instance, [Flame Spirit]''s castle was constructed from obsidian, and [QuartzStriker]''s from stones quarried from nearby mountains. "Yes, it can continuously summon undead as long as there are corpses," Alex confirmed. "Cool, that''s so powerful. No wonder you have so many troops. How come I never get that lucky to have a special building?" Chi-Chi mused internally, slightly envious of Alex''s resources. Alex noticed something amiss¡ªthe one hundred and twenty Hobgoblins had transformed into the usual five types of troops: Skeleton Soldiers, zombies, specters, death conquerors, and gargoyles. Surprisingly, there wasn''t a single bone dragon or ghost dragon among them, even though Alex''s level 7 Barracks had already unlocked these types. Something must have gone wrong. Alex had been planning to build an army of bone dragons, but it seemed that plan was prematurely dashed. It might be a hidden attribute that the system didn''t mark, possibly due to the Barracks'' level being too low, or it might relate to the Blackwater Altar. Alex decided she would conduct her own summoning experiments next time. "Disassemble!" Alex commanded. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 120 Hobgoblin corpses, obtaining 118 ordinary equipment pieces, 2 Commanding level equipment pieces, 250 magic crystals, and 79 Essence Shards.] As expected, disassembling Hobgoblins didn''t yield any food, similar to Goblins. Could it be because they are an intelligent race? But then again, Moon Silver Wolves are also considered an intelligent race, and they drop food. However, it''s not entirely the same; lower-level Moon Silver Wolves lack intelligence, which might explain the discrepancy. Who cares about their food anyway? The biggest gain this time is these 79 Essence Shards. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 56 - 56: Keep going With the Essence Shards now sufficient and only needing over nine thousand more magic crystals to upgrade the Barracks, Alex decided to sell the equipment first to earn some magic crystals. The remaining needed crystals would be figured out later. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One Standard equipment, trading for ten magic crystals or five iron ingots.] [Remaining quantity: one hundred eighteen pieces.] [One Commanding level equipment, trading for three hundred magic crystals or one hundred fifty iron ingots.] [Remaining quantity: two pieces.] Chi-Chi watched as Alex expertly listed these weapons and equipment for sale, feeling a bit envious. So this is how Miss Alex acquires resources? It seemed so different from her own struggles, where she labored daily for food and worried about her troops being killed. In contrast, Miss Alex seemed on the verge of achieving financial freedom. Chi-Chi couldn''t help but wonder if Alex had some secret system boost or cheat. Chi-Chi opened the World Chat to see the reactions of other Lords. [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Big Shot has listed weapons again, everyone hurry!" [Night Queen]: "Excited over a bunch of ordinary weapons, a bunch of mongrels." [King Kong]: "Look at you guys acting like you''ve never seen the world." Chi-Chi couldn''t resist chiming in. [BlackTigerI]: "@King Kong, did you find that bastard Lord who killed your troops?" (?Skipping several messages?) [King Kong]: "@BlackTiger, I suggest you speak with some respect. The person beside me is ranked in the top tier [Hamburger], I am now a loyal follower of hers, so watch your tone!" Chi-Chi, now a keyboard warrior in the World Chat, flaunted her connection, attracting more Lords'' envy. They all envied Chi-Chi for having the protection of a Big Shot like Hamburger. [NotARobot]: "Holy fuck, you''re so damn lucky, what kind of troops does Hamburger have, please tell @King Kong." [BaconWrapped]: "What level is Hamburger now? Damn, you got taken in as a minion by Big Shot, you must be a lucky star @King Kong." [Fuuuuuck]: "Seeing your good fortune makes me feel worse than if you''d killed me!" A flood of Lords joined the discussion, and the name King Kong was quickly remembered by many. Chi-Chi, watching these unlucky fellows, couldn''t help but smirk. They''re asking about Miss Alex''s troops, do they think I''m a fool? Alex saw the messages in the World Chat too, but it didn''t matter to her. The Lords who chatted here daily were generally not very powerful. What would a real Big Shot do? Would they ignore the World Chat? No, no, they would, like Alex, secretly monitor but never engage. Coincidentally, Sophie saw the message. "What! Someone became a follower of Big Shot before me!" "Ah, damn, someone beat me to it!" The dwarves working in Sophie''s castle yard looked at her, puzzled by her outburst. Are all human females like this? Sophie was fuming. How lucky was this King Kong to be born near Big Shot''s castle, while she only had rocks for company? When the dwarves sought refuge with Sophie, she had asked them for some basic information about Eldoria continent, even before Alex knew. Besides mountains, Sophie''s castle was surrounded by more mountains, hundreds of square miles with nothing, not even another Lord''s castle! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No wonder the distressed dwarves all ran this way. Could it be that King Kong was an incredibly handsome guy who had charmed Hamburger? Yes, that''s possible. That despicable fellow, using his good looks to seduce Big Shot. If only she had submitted to Big Shot right from the start, now suddenly there was a competitor vying for favor! Sophie was still in the midst of a furious brainstorm. Alex and Chi-Chi were chatting in the hall, a rare opportunity for Alex to talk to someone after so long in this strange world. They waited for the trading post transactions to complete, after which Alex could upgrade her Barracks. As the afternoon approached, Chi-Chi prepared to return to her own castle. Alex courteously tried to persuade her to stay; after all, there were plenty of rooms in the castle, and one more person wouldn''t be a problem. But Chi-Chi declined, worried that her Red Blood Gorillas might revolt from hunger if she didn''t return to take care of them. Alex didn''t insist. Given their current location, aside from the frost dragon in Frostwind snowy mountain, there really weren''t any powerful flying creatures to worry about. Chi-Chi had her Flying Nimbus, so basic safety wasn''t a concern, but Alex still thoughtfully arranged for an Ethereal Wraith to escort her back to her castle. Knowing that Alex had arranged for a Commanding level undead to protect her all the way made Chi-Chi incredibly touched. "Miss Alex, goodbye!" Chi-Chi called out as she waved from the sky, with Alex waving back from the ground. Now, Alex''s undead army included five Commanding level undead, although Arthur hadn''t yet been promoted to Commanding level, he still possessed the combat power of one. Along with a dozen level 9 undead within her territory, they could perform at Commanding level capabilities. Alex felt completely unafraid of the upcoming beast tide in two days. With two days left, there was plenty of time for Arthur to be promoted to Commanding level. Alex collected the resources from the trading post. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded one hundred eighteen Standard equipment pieces, receiving 1180 magic crystals.] [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded two Commanding level weapons, receiving 600 magic crystals.] With over a thousand magic crystals now accounted for, she was only eight thousand short of the needed amount to upgrade her castle. Keep going! Ah, she had forgotten to change her clothes. The blood from the Hobgoblin had splashed on her during the battle and had now dried... Because Chi-Chi hadn''t left, Alex felt awkward about changing in her bedroom and only remembered now. Alex decided that next time she went out, she definitely needed to wear pants. Time for a bath first! After her promotion to Commanding level, Alex felt a significant enhancement in her physical condition; her strength had increased considerably. She felt that now she could do more than just punch a hippopotamus to death¡ªit was more like she could smash a car with a single punch. Alex walked into the bathroom, naked, and admired her perfect body in the mirror for a moment. "This body is just too perfect!" she exclaimed. Chapter 57 - 57: A very reliable ally On the fifth day in Eldoria, after her bath, Alex walked naked to her bedroom, unconcerned about privacy since she was alone in the castle. She casually pulled on a loose white T-shirt, deciding to stay in for the evening. It was getting dark, and she didn''t feel like changing again later. Although she didn''t wear a bra, she still wore something on the bottom. Alex casually put on a pair of cartoon underwear, and the length of the T-shirt perfectly covered it. As evening approached, Alex received a private message. It was from Sophie. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I''ve finished processing your iron ore and my own thousand iron ingots. Should I send them over now?" Perfect timing! This meant Alex could upgrade her castle. [Hamburger]: "Send them over now, thanks a lot." [QuartzStriker]: "No need for thanks, we''re allies after all." Sophie''s three thousand iron ingots were transferred instantly, two thousand from processing Alex''s ores and a thousand from Sophie''s reserves. Alex owed her a big favor now, highlighting the benefits of having allies who could support each other. Though Sophie''s castle was far from being upgraded to a town and she could have stored the iron ingots in her warehouse, her willingness to lend such a significant amount to Alex showed deep trust. Alex could have easily used up the iron ingots and ignored QuartzStriker, especially since they were already spent and couldn''t be reclaimed. But was that Alex''s style? Of course not. Alex was a girl of her word, not one to renege on promises. "Sigh, now I need to think about how to repay [QuartzStriker]. I don''t like owing favors." [town upgrade requirements: 50k wood, 30k stone, 10k iron ingots.] "Upgrade!" The moment Alex pressed the upgrade button, a blue light surged through the castle. She hurried to the courtyard to see the transformation. The castle had expanded significantly, growing from seven to twelve floors, and was now adorned with a faint blue glow that added a mysterious aura. This glow resembled the blue flames of the Shadowghast Knight and ghost dragon, suggesting that the castle''s architectural style was becoming more aligned with her troops. The castle was larger, and so was the courtyard, though the special buildings like the Blackwater Altar now occupied relatively less space. "Wait, isn''t it supposed to be a town now? Where are the other buildings?" The castle gates were open, allowing Alex to see outside, but there was nothing there, just bare ground. Alex had a sinking feeling and stepped outside to inspect the surroundings. The ground around the castle seemed to have been cleared by the system, devoid of any trees or rocks. "Meow, they just left space, and I have to build the rest myself?" [town level: lv1] [Health Points: 80k (invincible)] [town area: 2 square miles] [Territory Area: 6 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special Buildings: Maiden''s Wardrobe, Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Maiden''s Bedroom, Specter Chandelier] [Upgrade requirements: 80k wood, 40k stone, 12k iron ingots.] Reviewing the information, Alex realized that the cleared areas were intentionally left for the town''s territory. But as she was checking the town''s details, the system popped up more notifications. [Congratulations Lord on successfully upgrading your castle to a town, you receive two random special structure blueprints.] [Congratulations Lord on unlocking the town-exclusive building: Portal of Transit.] [Congratulations Lord on your castle''s upgrade to a town, you may now draw a random ability related to your lineage.] "Cool, what a pleasant surprise," Alex chuckled, pleased with the unexpected rewards. "I knew it, upgrading to a town couldn''t possibly come without any perks." Was it only her who received special structure blueprints upon upgrading? Chi-Chi''s castle was at level 5 and had no special buildings. The overall strength hadn''t increased much after upgrading to a town, but the accompanying perks were crucial. Alex was curious about the exclusive building: Portal of Transit. The name suggested some unique features. [town exclusive building: Portal of Transit] [Building level: none] [Feature: Constructs a two-way portal that allows free travel between the territories of the Lord''s allies and subjects.] [Building materials: 10k wood, 5k stone, 1k magic crystals.] "Damn!" Alex was initially excited but realized it was just a portal, and it only worked if the other party had the same structure. It seemed like a waste of resources, probably a feature unlocked by all Lords upon upgrading to a town. For now, Alex was likely one of the first Lords to upgrade to a town. Her allies were Sophie and her subject Chi-Chi, both far from upgrading their castles to towns, making the Portal of Transit currently useless. Thankfully, the territory hadn''texpanded with the town upgrade, which would have brought her closer to dangerous areas like the Frostwind snowy mountain and the Dark Forest. With the newbie protection period ending soon, any expansion could have been risky. .... First, claim the skill unlocked by upgrading the town¡ªthis is a great opportunity to get stronger! Although Alex doesn''t know what she''ll draw, the abilities are too many and too mixed to have any clue. But Alex hopes it will be an advanced ability that allows her to fly. After all, as a subject, Chi-Chi can fly, and it wouldn''t make sense if she, the boss, couldn''t. "Claim!" [Congratulations Lord on successfully drawing dark magic (intermediate level).] sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [It has been detected that Lord has already mastered dark magic (basic level), learning cost is halved, would you like to spend 50 magic crystals to learn it immediately?] Pfft¡ª Alex spits blood, her fantasies harshly slapped by reality. What bad luck, drawing a skill she already mastered, and she was so full of expectation. She''s also a bit confused about the ranking of the magic; previously, she wondered why her dark magic was basic level and her fire magic was intermediate. She thought it was because the magics were different, hence the different levels. Now that she''s drawn dark magic again, and it shows as intermediate, it means all magic categories are the same. However, one thing is certain, intermediate magic is definitely higher than third-level magic, because Alex''s Undead Summoning Magic is third-level and didn''t offer much of an upgrade. In contrast, intermediate fire magic can be freely combined with dark magic, showing a clear difference. "Learn." [Congratulations Lord on mastering dark magic (intermediate level).] This time Alex didn''t even see what the magic book looked like, just like the last time she mastered intermediate fire magic, and there was nothing unusual about her body. But her understanding of the dark element deepened, and several fixed skills appeared in her mind, making the use of magic more whimsical. She''s no longer just a weak mage who can only use Black Flame Blast. Dark Barrier: Uses dark energy to form a barrier, a defensive skill. Dark Corrosion: Uses dark energy to create a large area of black poisonous fog, corroding enemies while also obscuring their vision, an auxiliary skill. Dark Transference: Merges with the power of darkness, the body dissipates into black mist and reappears elsewhere, with a maximum distance of about 1 miles, similar to spatial teleportation but not as fast, basically, it''s a blink, good for both offense and defense. These are some of the feature skills, aside from the inherent offensive skills, Alex can even improvise. Now her magical abilities are more comprehensive, good for offense, defense, and support, and she can even wield a scythe for close combat. Although she didn''t learn to fly, being able to teleport is still pretty cool, definitely very cool. Alex suddenly realizes that although it''s the same old dark magic, it has directly boosted her combat level by several notches. Indeed, for Alex, dark magic is still a perfect fit. She hopes the last two special structure blueprints will turn up something good. Alex quickly pinched her breasts, even using both hands, having forgotten that this always brings her good luck. "Claim two special structure blueprints!" Alex frees one hand to click claim, while still pinching her breast with the other. [Congratulations Lord on obtaining the special structure wall.] [Congratulations Lord on obtaining the special structure defense tower.] Wow! Indeed, luck has improved, this really does bring good fortune. The defense tower is an offensive special structure, and the wall is a defensive special structure, suddenly Alex''s town is fully enhanced. [special structure blueprint: wall] [Building level: Commanding level (resources can be used to upgrade)] [Feature: Commanding level defense] [Building materials: 5k wood, 10k stone, 1k magic crystals, 5k iron ingots.] The building materials are a bit expensive, especially since iron ingots are scarce, and the fact that this wall is upgradeable is the most outrageous part. That means the wall won''t be phased out as Alex''s strength increases, but the upgrade materials will probably be difficult to manage, just building it requires a lot of materials. It kind of reminds Alex of some games she used to play. "Let''s check the defense tower!" [special structure blueprint: defense tower] [Building level: Commanding level (grows with the castle crystal level)] [Building limit: 20 towers] [Feature: Connected to the castle core crystal, attacks enemies entering the territory with magic.] [Building materials: 1k wood, 2k stone, 100 iron ingots, 1 Essence Shard.] [Note: Can only be built on the wall.] "Grows with the castle crystal level?" "So, a level 1 town corresponds to a level 1 Commanding?" This defense tower is nonsense, it can''t be built without a wall, and building a wall requires five thousand iron ingots, creating a vicious cycle. Sigh, it''s really impossible to get iron ingots without being restricted everywhere. Alex decides that she must find a way to produce iron ingots herself, although Sophie helps, her production is too low and not even enough for Sophie''s own use. Alex never counts on others, just struggling to find an effective way to produce iron ingots. Suddenly unlocking three buildings, Alex''s resources suddenly became tight. Stone and wood are also running low, and she needs to hurry up with the magic crystals. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] "Ah, is it already night?" She needs to hurry and have the undead hunt and gather resources. Arthur and the bone dragons'' upgrades can''t be neglected, hoping Arthur can smoothly level up to Commanding level tonight. Another day, and after summoning the troops, she can go to sleep. At this moment, the system notification sounds, Sophie suddenly sends Alex a message. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, do you have extra wild beast materials? Today I got another special structure blueprint, called the Blacksmith Shop, where dwarves can use it to make equipment, and it needs those wild beast materials." Alex is silent again, really lucky, if those miscellaneous items can be used to make equipment, the profit in it would be huge. [Hamburger]: "I have some, how much do you need?" [QuartzStriker]: "One wild boar tusk and any animal fur can be made into a piece of ordinary equipment, according to the market price of Standard equipment one piece of ordinary equipment costs ten magic crystals, you give me two hundred pieces, consider it repayment for those one thousand iron ingots." Two hundred pieces of materials made into equipment can sell for two thousand magic crystals, the market price of one thousand iron ingots is also about two thousand magic crystals, but they are priceless. Actually, Alex is still getting a good deal, using two hundred pieces of miscellaneous items to offset one thousand iron ingots, not even counting Sophie''s processing fee. "Could it be that I saved the galaxy in my past life? QuartzStriker is truly a very reliable ally." Chapter 58 - 58: New revenue model Alex was a bit puzzled as to why QuartzStriker was being so nice to her, almost to the point of being overly ingratiating. But Alex isn''t the type to take advantage of others. She sent over 250 pieces of materials instead, the extra 50 pieces'' profit enough for her to make a tidy sum. For Sophie, it was simply swapping iron ingots for magic crystals, no loss really, since she couldn''t upgrade her town anytime soon anyway, but upgrading her Barracks required a lot of magic crystals. Sophie didn''t lose out, but she did help Alex a great deal. [QuartzStriker]: "Dear Big Shot, you sent too much, I can''t use all of these!" [Hamburger]: "No worries, consider it a gift, thanks for your help." Actually, Alex could also collaborate with Sophie, leveraging Sophie''s ability to manufacture equipment, by buying up boar tusks and animal fur from the trading post and then reselling them for a profit. Sophie had thought of this too, but buying up large quantities of boar tusks and animal fur would require a lot of magic crystals, which Sophie didn''t have in abundance. Teaming up with Hamburger, using her funds and prestige, was a good choice to maintain a good relationship. So, before Alex could message Sophie again, Sophie had already shared her thoughts. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, we can collaborate, buy up boar tusks and animal fur in bulk at the trading post, then resell them for a profit. The dwarves can craft equipment quickly; a hundred dwarves working together can produce thousands of items in an hour." [Hamburger]: "Sounds good, I was thinking the same. How shall we split the profits?" [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I don''t have the magic crystals needed for buying, you''ll need to handle that. How about we split the profits fifty-fifty?" [Hamburger]: "Sounds fair, thanks." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex got a great deal again. Even without her initial capital, Sophie could have made a profit by flipping the two thousand magic crystals, though it would be slower, but eventually, it would still be a substantial gain. Of course, it might be three days later, or maybe two, when these Lords might realize that these miscellaneous items could be used to craft equipment, and then the prices would skyrocket, no longer as cheap as now. So, even though there was money to be made, timing was crucial. Alex immediately listed all her magic crystals on the trading post. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One magic crystal, trading for one piece of boar tusk and any animal fur.] [Remaining quantity: 4000.] Alex originally had 4980 magic crystals, but listing them all, both odd and even numbers, could arouse suspicion among other Lords, so she chose a round number. Even so, some of the top-tier Lords noticed something was up. Why would a top-tier Lord like Alex suddenly buy up these seemingly useless items? Even if these Lords guessed that Alex was buying these items to craft equipment, they were powerless to do anything about it because they couldn''t use these items themselves. Those Lords who noticed kept their miscellaneous items for the time being. The moment the order was listed, it caused a sensation among the other Lords, who began to scramble for the deal. These weaker Lords were very short on magic crystals, and seeing that two useless items could be traded for one magic crystal, they didn''t need to think twice. At this stage, where else could they find such a profitable deal? They didn''t care what Hamburger wanted with these items, as long as they could earn magic crystals. In less than ten minutes, the 4000 magic crystals were snapped up, and Alex collected 4000 boar tusks and 4000 pieces of various sizes of animal fur. Alex immediately sent all 8000 pieces of materials to Sophie, who would probably be working overtime tonight. [QuartzStriker]: "You''re so efficient~ It''s a pleasure working with you." [Hamburger]: "I have 160 more boar tusks left in my Warehouse, forge those too." [QuartzStriker]: "Alright Big Shot, you handle the sales when the equipment is ready. Your prestige is high, most Lords will think you got these from slaying monsters, they won''t think of crafting." [Hamburger]: "Okay." Then Alex took out another 160 pieces of materials from her Warehouse and sent them to Sophie. A total of 4160 pieces of materials, with a fifty-fifty split, Alex would get 20800 magic crystals. Suddenly, Alex''s Barracks could be upgraded again. If these Lords discovered that miscellaneous monster drops could be used to craft equipment, they would definitely raise the prices, and Alex didn''t want her business to be unable to continue after just a few transactions. Alex had a feeling that this secret might be discovered by the Lords before the beast tide arrived,and it definitely wouldn''t last long. With billions of Lords on this continent alone, it was impossible that none would discover it; that would be too unrealistic. Moreover, as the Lords grew stronger, the value of Standard equipment would inevitably depreciate. Even if the price of miscellaneous items rose, it wouldn''t exceed the price of equipment, but the final profit might only be one or two magic crystals, not like the current tenfold margin. By then, Alex wouldn''t be able to collaborate with Sophie anymore, as the profit of one or two crystals would be too low and not worth Sophie''s time. With that time, Alex could have her undead hunt and earn more. Alex suddenly thought that with her current strength, she might be able to take on the Moon Silver Wolf tribe. Their tribe was located in the snowy mountains, but Alex wasn''t sure of the exact location; she''d need to send undead to scout the area first to ensure there were no dangers before making a move. Moreover, it had to be done at night to maximize resources. Alex remembered that high-level monsters appeared at night. Since the Goblin tribe was wiped out by Alex, the Moon Silver Wolf tribe had been no further disturbances. Thinking this, Alex immediately summoned an Ethereal Wraith and ordered it to scout the snowy mountains for information. Firstly, the Ethereal Wraith could fly and was immune to physical attacks; secondly, being in an ethereal state, it was not easily detected at night. Most importantly, the Ethereal Wraith was intelligent and wouldn''t attract the enmity of frost dragons. Alex dared not send Arthur; if he unluckily encountered a frost dragon, trouble would ensue, as the two dragon-like creatures would definitely fight. Moreover, Arthur''s large size made him too conspicuous a target. Once the Ethereal Wraith gathered the information, Alex decided she would risk an attack on the Moon Silver Wolf tribe the following night. Ideally, waiting for a full moon night would be best, as all the Moon Silver Wolves could transform into werewolves. Although their combat power would increase, Alex would also gain a powerful group of allies. However, the last full moon had just passed, and waiting for the next one would take a month¡ªtoo long for Alex to wait. Alex glanced at the system time. "It''s midnight!" She walked out of her bedroom towards the Barracks outside. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon!] Chapter 59 - 59: Skeleton King "Yes!" Alex, one hand pinching her breast, now firmly pressed the confirm button. Originally, Alex planned to wait until Sophie had crafted the equipment and sold it for magic crystals before upgrading her castle and then performing the summoning. But now it was midnight, and there was still no response from Sophie, which probably meant a long wait. Alex didn''t want to waste time and decided to go ahead with the summoning herself so she could head to bed afterward. The Barracks crystal emitted a green glow, and twenty figures began to coalesce in the light. Another tall figure appeared, about ten feet tall, similar in size to a gargoyle but humanoid and wingless. Alex was sure this was a troop she had never seen before. "A rare troop has appeared!" Alex exclaimed as a figure wearing a crown and heavy armor, wielding a broadsword, materialized. However, inside the armor was a skeleton, not flesh. Its eyes burned with a distinct red flame, different from other skeletons, exuding an undeniable leadership aura. "Skeleton King!" Alex recognized at a glance that it was a king among the skeleton race. The appearance of the Skeleton King made the other nineteen troops seem less impressive, although the presence of two bone dragons and two ghost dragons was still notable. The Skeleton King, holding his greatsword, knelt on one knee and saluted Alex, with the other undead adopting a submissive posture. "Greetings, my queen!" The intelligent undead spoke in unison to Alex, who then motioned for them to rise and excitedly checked the Skeleton King''s information. [Skeleton King (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (Can be increased by slaying enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 12] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 8] [Growth Limit: Divine level] [Active Skills: Skeleton Fall, Soul Siphon] Skeleton Fall: Summons countless giant flaming skeletons from the sky, causing area physical and magical damage, Mana Points cost: 20. Soul Siphon: Drains the souls of all nearby creatures lower than its own level, causing soul damage while strengthening itself, Mana Points cost: 20. Similar to Arthur, who initially had one active and one passive skill, the Skeleton King had two active skills, both area damage skills costing 20 Mana Points each. "From now on, you shall be called John, and all Skeleton Soldiers will be under your command!" "Thank you, my queen, for naming me." Alex then led them to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. Knowing that Arthur had gained a skill during his enhancement, she was confident John would be no different. Alex let John go first for the enhancement, while the other undead waited. After about fifteen minutes, John''s enhancement was complete. Alex then allowed the other undead to enhance and opened the Blackwater Altar''s information to check John''s changes. [Enhancement: Comprehensive enhancement, the burning nether fire increases soul defense, hardened bones increase physical defense, skill breakthrough unlocked, all attributes +10 points.] Like Arthur''s enhancement, it was a comprehensive boost in soul, skeleton, and other aspects, also unlocking a skill. As kings, both John and Arthur received a 10-point increase in attributes. [Passive Skill: Breakthrough] Breakthrough: Allows all Skeleton Soldiers to break through their level limits. Holy fuck, this skill is insane! While it didn''t enhance John''s combat abilities directly, it significantly empowered Alex''s skeleton army. Breaking level limits meant that Skeleton Soldiers Alex personally summoned could now upgrade just like those summoned from the Barracks. With nearly three thousand undead under her command, and Skeleton Soldiers making up more than a third of that number, about 1300, the potential for upgrading them all was epic. It seemed Alex would return to her old ways of using weapons for summoning, as two Skeleton Soldiers capable of reaching Commanding level were far stronger than a Standard-level gargoyle. "John, your main task tonight is to level up and use the Breakthrough skill to unlock all skeletons'' level caps." The double experience at night was too good to waste. With low initial levels, leveling up was quick. Skeleton Soldiers could assist, and John could deliver the final blow if needed. "Your Majesty, my breakthrough skill does not need to be activated; the Skeleton Soldiers just need to see me to have their limits automatically lifted." John''s ethereal, raspy voice reached Alex''s ears, bringing more good news. "Great!" Alex slapped her thigh in excitement. Ouch, that hurt. She hadn''t expected this passive skill to be so user-friendly. Alex had thought it would take days to fully unlock so many skeletons, but this saved a tremendous amount of time. A godsend indeed! With all undead assigned theirtasks, Alex prepared to head back to her bedroom for some sleep, hopeful that both Arthur and John would bring pleasant surprises tomorrow. "By the way, John, let everyone know not to throw animal corpses directly into the Blackwater Altar anymore." "Yes, my queen." As John left, Alex glanced at the system time; it was nearly 1 AM. She walked to her bedroom, stripped off her clothes, and lay down in bed, pulling the covers over herself, ready to sleep. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ten minutes later, Alex suddenly opened her eyes again, still reveling in her joy, finding it hard to fall asleep. Suddenly, Sophie sent a message. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, all 4160 pieces of equipment are crafted and ready to be sent to you!" [Hamburger]: "OK, I''ll list them right away." Sophie was always a bit late, but Alex didn''t mind too much. Even if the equipment had been processed earlier, it would still take some time to trade, and who knew what time it would be when she finished? By now, Alex figured most Lords were probably asleep. Not everyone was like her, staying up until 2 or 3 AM, right? [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One piece of ordinary equipment, trading for ten magic crystals.] [Remaining quantity: 4160 pieces.] Alex felt that by the time she woke up, the trading would be nearly done. This was equipment worth 40,000 magic crystals, a peak she had never reached before. Every night, lying in bed, Alex liked to ponder life. Is this world really a sphere? If it is, there should be time differences, right? So while she''s sleeping, there must be other Lords whose day is just beginning? "Sleep, sleep, stop thinking about such things. What does it have to do with me!" Chapter 60 - 60: Moon silver wolfs lair [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] It''s Alex''s sixth day on the continent of Eldoria. The moment the system notification sounded, Alex was already up. As her strength increased, she felt her energy levels soaring too. "Another new day!" Alex started by pulling on a sports bra, comfortable and without clasps, then slipped into a black sailor blouse paired with a black pleated skirt, black tights, and black leather shoes. The first thing Alex did after getting dressed was to open the trading post to collect yesterday''s earnings. [Congratulations Lord on successfully trading 4160 ordinary pieces of equipment, earning 41,600 magic crystals.] Forty-one thousand magic crystals¡ªhow cool is that! Next, Alex relisted all her magic crystals, preparing to buy more materials. The Lords hadn''t discovered her secret yet, so it was the perfect time to use all her magic crystals to buy more materials at low prices and make a big profit. Only those who dare to invest can expect returns. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One magic crystal, trading for one boar tusk and one piece of any animal fur.] [Remaining quantity: 42,000 crystals.] Alex added 400 of her own magic crystals to round out the number. Sophie''s equipment production rate was about 1000 per hour, but unlike the undead, dwarves need to eat and sleep, so 10,000 pieces of equipment per day was probably Sophie''s limit. It would take Sophie at least four days to use up over 40,000 pieces of material, and by then, it''s likely that other Lords would have caught on to the use of these materials for crafting equipment, causing prices to skyrocket. But Alex''s latest listing had already started to raise suspicions among most Lords. Who would use 40,000 magic crystals to buy a bunch of useless junk? And the buyer is a Big Shot¡ªwhat does that tell you? These items aren''t junk; they''re treasures with some special use! Alex listing 40,000 magic crystals shocked the Lords. [BigEarBull]: "Forty thousand magic crystals? I''ve never seen that many in my life, and Hamburger is using them to buy junk?" [BigLemon]: "The guy above is an idiot. It''s obvious these items are important; we just don''t know their use yet, that''s why Big Shot is buying them cheap." [Green Forest]: "From my years of gaming experience, these materials are likely used for enhancing or crafting equipment!" [King Ultraman]: "Everyone stop guessing. These materials are used for crafting equipment, but you need special buildings and humanoid intelligent creatures to do it." [PigPeppa]: "Big Shot Ultraman has spoken. It''s clear these materials are undervalued, and Hamburger is making a killing. We should all stand firm and demand she raises the prices!" [MilkCoffee]: "Sorry, I''m just a bit short of magic crystals to upgrade my Barracks. I''m trading now. These items are useless to keep anyway. The beast tide is coming the day after tomorrow; it''s crucial to boost our strength now. Who cares about losses? If you die the day after tomorrow, you won''t lose anything. You guys can keep raising the prices!" [Thunder]: "Exactly, currently only Hamburger is collecting this resource. If you raise the price, won''t she just stop buying? Wait until after the beast tide to sell these materials." "I''m trading now, you guys can keep them in your Warehouse as souvenirs!" "+1" "+2" ... S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Phew, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Although these Lords had become aware of her actions, everyone was focused on the upcoming beast tide, eager to enhance their strength without caring how much Alex earned, as long as they made their own profits. It''s likely that after the beast tide, those Lords who survive won''t sell these materials anymore. Alex went outside the castle, ready to collect the materials and bodies. [Congratulations Lord on successfully obtaining 2k wood, 6k stone.] After collecting the materials and looking at the mountain of animal bodies piled up at the door, a massive summoning project was about to begin again. Alex took out her scythe and started the tedious summoning process. An hour later, Alex had successfully completed the summoning. After upgrading to Commanding level, she had regained the ability to double summon. Moreover, her summoning efficiency had significantly improved, no longer constrained by the 5-minute cd. This unstable summoning effect puzzled her. Perhaps these summoning effects were also related to Alex''s strength? That seemed the most likely explanation. It was unclear, however, whether the summoning effects would continue to grow stronger as her level increased. After a busy period, 60 bodies were summoned into 120 undead, with skeletons accounting for about one-third, or 45 skeletons. Although she could simultaneously double summon four types of troops, the probability ofsummoning a death conqueror was always much lower. "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 40 boar carcasses, obtaining 1600 food portions, 160 boar tusks, 80 boar skins, and 45 magic crystals (double drop).] [Congratulations Lord on successfully disassembling 20 antelope carcasses, obtaining 800 food portions, 40 antelope skins, and 25 magic crystals (double drop).] With an additional 160 materials, Alex promptly stored these materials and collected the previously listed materials from the trading post. Even though all Lords now knew the use of these materials, they still completed the trade of Alex''s magic crystals amidst envious and jealous remarks. [Congratulations Lord on successfully trading 42,200 magic crystals, obtaining 42,200 boar tusks and 42,200 pieces of animal fur.] Alex immediately sent these materials, along with the freshly collected 160, directly to Sophie. [Hamburger]: "A total of 42,160 materials, take them and start forging as soon as possible." As she spoke, Alex also sent 1000 portions of food to Sophie, who would be busy crafting equipment for the next few days and likely wouldn''t have time to gather food. The dwarves needed to smelt iron ingots and craft equipment, leaving them no spare energy for other tasks. Alex sent her 1000 portions, enough for her and her troops for two days. [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you, I''ll get right on the equipment crafting!" Sophie, seeing the 40,000 materials, was as excited as if she saw 400,000 magic crystals waving at her¡ªhow could she not be thrilled? With 1000 portions of food still in the warehouse and an extra 1400 portions of food, Alex could trade these for some wood and stone. Tonight, Alex and QuartzStriker would reap 10,000 pieces of equipment, worth 100,000 magic crystals. Splitting the profits fifty-fifty, Alex would gain a fabulous 50,000 magic crystals, enough to upgrade her Barracks. Just then, the Ethereal Wraith silently flew back to the castle. Alex saw it arrive. It looks like it found the Moon Silver Wolf''s lair! "How did it go, did you pinpoint the location?" The Ethereal Wraith had just landed in front of Alex and bowed. "Your Majesty, I have located their tribe. The Moon Silver Wolf tribe is situated on the outskirts of the snowy mountain. I observed the surroundings and did not detect any dangerous creatures." "Well done, tell me more!" Chapter 61 - 61: Melee on the Snowy Mountain Alex listened as the Ethereal Wraith, with its gender-neutral ethereal voice, relayed information about the snowy mountain. The snowy mountain that unfolded before Alex''s eyes was the outermost part of the Frostwind snowy mountain range. The mountain itself was already massive. Entering deeper into this mountain range, one would find a world blanketed in snow, with countless peaks closely linked to each other. Between two mountains lay gentle slopes, creating a plateau-like terrain. It was high, but uneven. The Moon Silver Wolf lair was situated halfway up the backside of this snowy mountain. The leader of the Moon Silver Wolves had commanded their subordinates to build a castle at this mid-mountain location, while the rest of the tribe was stationed around it. The Ethereal Wraith had surveyed the surroundings but did not venture deep into the snowy mountain. The area around the Moon Silver Wolf lair seemed to have been cleared by them. After all, wolves are creatures with a strong sense of territory. From the information Alex had about the Moon Silver Wolf lair, seven or eight Commanding level werewolves posed no threat to her. However, she was unsure about the level of the Moon Silver Wolf leader; if it was a level 9 Commanding, that could be problematic. "Well done, you may go now," Alex dismissed the Ethereal Wraith, which, as an intelligent undead, knew what it had to do even though it couldn''t level up. Tonight, regardless of the risks, Alex planned to rally all her undead to strike against the Moon Silver Wolf lair. The reasons were twofold: to gather resources and to strengthen her forces in preparation for the beast tide arriving tomorrow. It was her last day to prepare. Alex had already encountered these werewolves; they couldn''t kill her undead. Even if the werewolf leader was powerful, Alex believed her undead army, with infinite stamina, could wear them down. However, she couldn''t bring Arthur and the bone dragons on tonight''s mission, only the other undead. She had initially thought the frost dragon she saw was an adult until she summoned the bone dragon. Arthur was much larger than the frost dragon she had seen, which she had attributed to Arthur being a bone dragon king. But upon seeing the bone dragon, she realized that even a regular bone dragon was larger than the frost dragon she had encountered. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The truth was clear: that frost dragon was a juvenile, meaning there was an adult frost dragon on the snowy mountain! This was a critical issue to consider. Bringing the bone dragons could attract the attention of the adult frost dragon, leading to significant trouble. Soon, Alex''s trade of 1400 food portions was completed, netting her 3200 units of wood and 4000 units of stone. With all immediate tasks handled and nothing else to do, Alex waited for nightfall. As the afternoon wore on, Alex, bored in her bedroom, looked out the window and chatted with Chi-Chi to pass the time. Suddenly, while sitting by the window, Alex stood up sharply. A thick golden beam burst from the snowy mountain in the distance, shooting straight into the sky and dispersing the clouds. It was the first time Alex had seen the sky of Eldoria, a blue indistinguishable from Earth''s. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the clouds onto the snowy mountain, adding a touch of brightness. "What is that?" Alex had never seen such a terrifying attack before; even the mist between the snowy mountain and her castle couldn''t block the dazzling golden light. The holy light emanated from deep within the snowy mountain, far from her castle. She quickly summoned a specter to check it out, not daring to risk the Ethereal Wraith in case it got caught in the crossfire. Alex sensed the terrifying power of that attack; apart from the invincibility shield provided during a newbie''s grace period, no Lord could withstand such a strike. An hour later, the specter surprisingly returned to the castle, much to Alex''s relief. "What''s happening on the snowy mountain?" "Your Majesty, I saw a six-winged angel battling a frost dragon in the sky. Below on the ground, countless armored humans and werewolves, along with stone giants, are in a three-way battle. It seems they are fighting over something. I didn''t dare get too close to confirm." The specter''s report shocked Alex, who then asked for more details. The strongest among them seemed to be the six-winged angel, responsible for the earlier attack. According to the specter, the frost dragon was severely injured and appeared to be no match for the angel. The battling frost dragon had a smaller frost dragon behind it, confirming Alex''s guess. The armored humans below were likely knights from the Holy Court, numbering in the hundreds. An apprentice knight was at Commanding level, so these knights were probably regular troops. Alex couldn''t imagine the strength of an army with over a hundred Commanding level knights. As for the MoonSilver Wolves and the stone giants, they seemed to be allied with the frost dragon, jointly opposing the Holy Court knights. The two sides were fiercely contesting something. The plan to eliminate the werewolves'' lair was now in jeopardy. Three thousand Moon Silver Wolves were no match for over a hundred Commanding knights. In the depths of Frostwind snowy mountain, at the center of the battlefield, the frost dragon was battered and bleeding, its wounds inflicted by the angel and quickly freezing into ice crystals. Facing the frost dragon was a majestic six-winged angel, two wings covering its face, two shielding its body, and two enabling flight. The angel''s face was obscured, but a rich golden light radiated from behind it, and the long sword in its hand exuded a holy aura. "Hand over the item, and I will spare your life!" the angel commanded. "There is nothing here for you, leave my territory!" the frost dragon retorted in human speech, its massive wings beginning to accumulate layers of ice crystals. Roar (Leave this place)! With a furious roar, the frost dragon also communicated to the smaller frost dragon behind it. Between the frost dragon''s wings, a blue-white light emerged, and it chanted in a deep voice, singing strange syllables. The entire snowy mountain darkened again as a fierce blizzard swept across the battlefield. The strong winds made it impossible for the Holy Court knights below to see, and in an instant, dozens of knights were frozen into ice sculptures, with even the allied Moon Silver Wolves not spared. Giant ice walls suddenly rose from the ground, encasing the frost dragon and all nearby enemies, isolating the smaller frost dragon outside. Roar (Go)! The frost dragon unleashed a massive breath of dragon, a mix of ice and lightning, directed at the six-winged angel. Chapter 62 - 62: Shard of the Frost Heart The little frost dragon roared angrily, glanced at the frost dragon trapped by the ice wall, and turned to fly directly towards the outside of the snowy mountain. Alex had been standing at the window, her gaze fixed in the direction of the snowy mountain. She sent out a few specters to secretly check the situation, waiting for the final outcome of this great battle. Maybe she could even pick up some leftovers on the snowy mountain¡ªthere had to be some corpses after such a fight, right? Alex didn''t dare hope for more; she was just there to collect the bodies. That wasn''t too much to ask, was it? The golden light on the snowy mountain lit up again, and this time, even from a distance, Alex could clearly see a golden holy sword forming in the sky and plunging straight into the snowy mountain. A huge golden ripple spread out from within the snowy mountain, and Alex could even feel a slight tremor coming from the ground. "What kind of power does this angel have? This is terrifying!" Those two specters actually survived? Alex had thought the specters she sent out would be killed by the shockwave, but it seems she was wrong. The specters, being intelligent, had hidden away in advance when they saw the danger. It might also be that the angel''s attack didn''t include mind damage, which is why the two specters were spared. Suddenly, Alex saw a blue figure flying towards her castle from the sky. "Holy fuck, why is this frost dragon flying towards the castle!" The little frost dragon had seen Alex''s castle before and knew a bit about these extraterrestrial visitors'' castles, which don''t change location. Even if it couldn''t see Alex''s castle on its way, it firmly believed her castle was still in the same place. The little frost dragon also saw many undead, which it recognized naturally, and even a few bone dragons, a look of disgust flashing in its eyes, but it chose to ignore them. It wasn''t until the little frost dragon flew into Alex''s territory that all the undead realized this was an intruder and began to converge towards it. The little frost dragon had no choice; its mother had told it to leave, but where else could it go? The powers of the Holy Court on the continent of Eldoria were not something the little frost dragon could confront on its own, let alone the angelic race. Faced with the pressure from the Holy Court and the angels, it had no choice but to seek refuge with the extraterrestrial visitors, as there was absolutely no possibility of assimilation with these native human races. Although these extraterrestrial visitors were currently weak, they possessed strong potential for growth, and their castle''s defenses were astonishingly high. Even the little frost dragon''s mother had said that with its strength, it couldn''t make a dent. There were castles of these extraterrestrial visitors around the perimeter of Frostwind snowy mountain and inside it, but the reason for not choosing them was simply because Alex''s castle was the strongest. Seeking refuge with the extraterrestrial visitors and hiding in the castle, neither the Holy Court nor the angels could do anything to it if they found it. But, what the little frost dragon didn''t know was that Alex''s invincible protective shield had only one day left... If the little frost dragon knew, who knows what it would think. At this moment, the little frost dragon was already nearing Alex''s town territory. Arthur led the dragons circling in the sky, while below, the undead crowded densely. Even the four statues at the entrance of Alex''s castle opened their crimson eyes, the statues began to shake, and their stone skin flaked off layer by layer. Four gargoyles came back to life at this moment, all emitting a commanding level aura, flying towards the sky. With the enhancement of the Bone Throne, Alex''s undead included several commanding level beings, both in the army and the air force. The little frost dragon was surprised; it had only been a few days since it last saw these extraterrestrial visitors, and they had already grown to such an extent. If a real fight broke out, it might not be able to escape unscathed from the siege of these undead, even if it exhausted its dragon''s breath and froze all the undead. However, it wasn''t here to fight. The castle''s protective shield was right in front of it, and it could feel the infinite power contained within. The protective shield blocked it from advancing further. All the undead did not attack, just surrounded it. Alex could see clearly from inside the castle that this little frost dragon seemed to have no hostility, otherwise it would have attacked the moment it entered Alex''s territory. "I want to see your Lord!" The little frost dragon spoke in human language, looking at the largest bone dragon, Arthur. "See me?" Alex heard clearly inside the castle. What was this, seeking refuge? S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Don''t fucking bring the angels here!" Alex was a bit panicked; if the angels followed soon after,she would be doomed. Alex stepped outside the castle, and all the undead voluntarily cleared a path for her. She stood not far from the courtyard gate, looking up at the frost dragon. The little frost dragon, seeing Alex emerge from the castle, immediately landed on the ground. The intelligent undead around did not panic, as their queen was still within the range of the castle''s protective shield. There was no danger. "Human, I wish to submit to you!" The little frost dragon''s words startled Alex, but she was too wary to believe in such a stroke of luck falling from the sky. "I refuse. You would bring those native human forces down on me." The little frost dragon was also stunned, not expecting Alex to refuse. After all, it was a noble dragon; why would it submit to humans if not out of desperation? But the little frost dragon didn''t want to give up. It had nowhere else to go, and it was still too young and weak to risk seeking refuge with other powers. The little frost dragon opened its mouth and spat out a shard emitting a cold light, and Alex felt the temperature around her drop several degrees, even feeling a chill. "I am willing to offer my tribe''s sacred artifact to you. The angels and those human races have been trapped by my mother''s magic; they do not know where I have gone, nor do they know that the sacred artifact is inside me. Please be assured." If it could prevent the angels from getting it, what harm was there in handing this useless thing over to the extraterrestrial visitors? At this moment, the little frost dragon was ready to risk everything. Alex looked at the mysterious shard on the ground; even the aura it emitted let Alex feel this was no ordinary object. It seemed the angels and the frost dragon were fighting over this very thing. This was a tricky item indeed, but as long as the angels didn''t notice it, it would be fine. Seeing Alex silent, the little frost dragon spoke again. "I am willing to sign the lowest level of master-servant contract with you, as long as you promise not to hand this item over to the angelic race or other human races, no matter what you use it for, I will not interfere." Alex immediately used her territorial authority to check the information on the shard. [Detected: Shard of the Frost Heart (1/7), would you like to collect it now?] "Can you tell me about the origin and function of this Frost Heart?" Chapter 63 - 63: Little frost dragon The little frost dragon didn''t understand how this human knew the name of it''s sacred artifact. "Frost Heart is the sacred artifact of our frost dragon clan. Each dragon lineage has its own sacred artifact. Five hundred years ago, during a great war between our clan''s deity and the angels, the Frost Heart was shattered. Our deity fell, and the angelic deity was severely wounded and died shortly after. To preserve the fragments of the sacred artifact, my frost dragon clan fled with the pieces, scattering them across various continents. Subsequently, a great war broke out between the angelic clan and our dragon clan. However, our forces on the continent of Eldoria were not strong, and with our species being few in number, we were no match for the combined forces of humans and angels. Eventually, we were defeated and forced into hiding. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The only function of the sacred artifact, Frost Heart, is to create gods!" Is this a piece of Divine gear?! Alex was astonished. She was only at a commanding level now; wasn''t it too early for her to be dealing with such things? In summary, the frost dragons, bolstered by their sacred artifact, were more likely to ascend to godhood than the Angel clan, or perhaps there were special conditions needed for ascension that the angels desperately needed. Alex didn''t know; these were all her speculations. Thus, the angelic clan, in their determination to eradicate any threats, seized the fragments of the frost dragon''s sacred artifact, giving no chance for a reversal of fortunes. But that was Divine gear, surely it would be of great use to the angels as well. As for why the two clans went to war, the little frost dragon was unclear; after all, it had been just an egg at that time, not yet hatched. "This is a piece of Divine gear, the very thing you''ve been fiercely guarding. Are you really okay with entrusting it to me?" Alex was puzzled. "There are seven fragments. The angelic clan has already obtained four. We fight desperately just to keep them from getting it. After Frost Heart was shattered, it lost all its powers and became useless to us." The little frost dragon was responsive to Alex''s questions, patiently explaining everything. Alex understood now; the thing was a complete white elephant unless all the fragments were gathered. With four fragments still in angelic hands, and their strength so formidable, it was impossible to retrieve the remaining pieces. No wonder the little frost dragon had handed over the fragment so readily. Wait a minute, seven fragments... why does this feel like a Dragon Ball scenario? As a condition of the little frost dragon''s submission, Alex was to help guard this fragment, preventing it from falling into the hands of the angels and the local humans. Alex boldly speculated that if the angels managed to assemble this Divine gear, they might indeed bring forth a new deity. That would spell doom for the frost dragon clan, perhaps that''s why they were so desperate not to let the fragments go. Since the angels hadn''t discovered her location, it wasn''t impossible to subdue this frost dragon, which would be a significant boost for her. According to the little frost dragon, the angels weren''t sure if there were fragments of Frost Heart here; they had just happened to find their lair, which triggered the war. So Alex wasn''t too worried about the angels sending a massive search party around, after all, such a powerful being couldn''t possibly be idle all the time, focusing only on the snowy mountains, right? The more Alex thought about it, the more the benefits seemed to outweigh the risks. At least she''d have a mount now, right? No more worrying about getting her stockings snagged by bones. "I agree!" As soon as Alex spoke, the little frost dragon bowed its head, and a magical contract appeared, as if it had been prepared in advance. Alex confirmed it was indeed a master-servant contract, then wrote down her name. The little frost dragon touched the contract with the horn on its head. The contract was instantly completed. Alex felt a slight soul connection with the frost dragon in front of her; she could kill it with just a thought. The life and death of the frost dragon were now entirely in Alex''s hands, this master-servant contract was essentially similar to a Lord''s submission contract. With the frost dragon fully submitted to Alex, the surrounding undead began to disperse to do their own things, and the four gargoyles once again turned into statues and returned to the Magic Stone Pillars. The frost dragon also felt it could freely enter and exit the protective barrier now. "What''s your name?" Alex thought it best to ask, needing something to call it by. "Pablo Alejandro Sandigar Valeriz de la Cruz y Fernandez III." "What the heck? Why is your name so long! Forget it, from now on you''re Ice Cream..." Such a long name, who could remember that! The frost dragon didn''t understandhuman culture, and to it, a name was just a label, so it didn''t matter what it was called. Of course, Alex wouldn''t tell anyone its real name, because she hadn''t remembered it herself. Alex looked at the Frost Heart fragment on the ground, covered in Ice Cream''s drool¡ªdisgusting. She didn''t reach for it; since it was entrusted to her, she used the territory''s one-click retrieval feature to store the Frost Heart fragment in her warehouse. Then it was time to check Ice Cream''s attributes; Alex at least needed to know its capabilities and strength. [Frost Dragon] [Race: Dragon] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv5 (Can be increased by killing enemies and growth)] [Health Points: 500] [Mana Points: 200] [Strength: 140] [Stamina: 120] [Agility: 100] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Active Skills: Breath of Dragon, Dragon Roar, Dragon''s Presence] [Passive Skills: Dragon Scales, powers of ice, wind, and lightning elements] It was a level 5 commanding level, and Alex was not only surprised by its level but also by its capabilities, which were much stronger than a bone dragon that could only breathe fire. Dragon''s Presence and Breath of Dragon didn''t need much explanation; Arthur had them too. Dragon Scales enhanced its defense, not only against physical and magical attacks but even somewhat against mental damage. And then there were the passive skills; Ice Cream''s attacks could carry these three elemental attributes, and it had a home-field advantage in favorable terrains. The most outrageous part was its method of leveling up. After being endowed with attributes by the system, it could not only level up by killing enemies. Its original method of leveling was still in place; even if Ice Cream did nothing, by the time it reached adulthood, its strength would still rise to Emperor level. But dragon lifespans were so long, meaning this growth would take a very long time. So living dragons were so much stronger than a dead bone dragon? Or was it just that this dragon was particularly talented? Now, with the situation on the snowy mountain unclear, Alex didn''t dare let Ice Cream leave her castle. Staying inside at least had the support of the Specter Chandelier, making it less likely to be discovered. Even if they were unlucky enough to be discovered, there was still a protective barrier. In any case, without absolute safety assured, Alex wouldn''t dare let Ice Cream leave her castle lightly. "You just stay in the castle for now. I''ve sent undead to the snowy mountain, and they''ll report back if there''s any news." Chapter 64 - 64: Inspect the battlefield "Yes, master." The little frost dragon was smart. Having chosen to submit, it naturally adapted to its new role, addressing Alex as its master. Deep in the snowy mountains, the sky was chaotic. A six-winged angel, its two wings broken, hovered above. The ground was littered with numerous angel feathers, still radiating a holy aura despite the turmoil. The massive body of the frost dragon lay on the ground, pierced through by a giant sword of holy light, its eyes lifeless, having lost all signs of life. The surrounding ice walls were also destroyed, and the ground was covered with countless werewolf corpses, among them the bodies of some human Holy Court knights. The battle had ended, and the Moon Silver wolf lair, frost dragon, and stone giants had all been slain by the Holy Court knights and angels. The six-winged angel paid no attention to the corpses on the ground and flew straight towards the frost dragon''s lair. "Nothing I was looking for?" There was nothing of interest in the lair, but he was not disappointed; this was just a chance encounter. "The contents of the lair are yours to take. Bring the dragon''s body along, clean up, and move on." The authoritative voice of the six-winged angel echoed from the sky. He had no interest in the treasures within the lair, but he knew the human knights serving him were fond of the gold and jewels. Soon, the knights on the scene had divided the treasures of the lair and left with the bodies of the frost dragon and their fallen comrades. As for the bodies of the Moon Silver Wolves, they held no value to them. Perhaps in less than two hours, these bodies would be completely buried by the blizzard, erasing any trace of the battle that had taken place here. They had other missions to attend to, and time was pressing. They had stumbled upon the frost dragon during their passage through the area. For these Holy Court knights, the Frostwind snowy mountains might be considered forbidden areas, but for the angel in the sky, it was merely a bit more effort. Alex had been waiting for over two hours, and it was almost dark. There was no more noise coming from the snowy mountains. "Is it over?" At that moment, Alex saw two specters flying back. She immediately walked out of the castle into the courtyard. Ice Cream, seeing the two specters return, also knew there was news from the Frostwind snowy mountains and raised its head. "What''s the situation on the snowy mountain?" Alex asked eagerly. The two specters relayed everything they had seen. When Ice Cream heard that its mother had been killed, it visibly paused. From the moment its mother had told it to flee with the fragment, it knew she was no match for the angel, and she had been prepared to die in battle. Roar! Ice Cream roared towards the sky, venting its grief and anger, determined to seek revenge once it gained enough strength. Alex listened quietly to the specters'' account, already knowing the outcome. Fortunately, the angel had not bothered with the fleeing Ice Cream. Perhaps a commanding level was no different from an ant in his eyes, or maybe he thought it was normal for a mother to sacrifice herself to protect her child, not realizing the fragment was with Ice Cream. After killing the frost dragon, the angel and Holy Court knights left, taking the bodies of the frost dragon and their comrades with them. When Alex heard that the Moon Silver wolf lair had also been wiped out, leaving the werewolves'' bodies buried in the snow, her interest was piqued. These bodies could still be of great use to Alex; there seemed to be an opportunity to scavenge. Wait, that''s odd. If the angel was after the frost dragon''s sacred artifact, why would the Moon Silver wolf lair also be involved in the battle? "Ice Cream, why did those Moon Silver Wolves and stone giants help you?" Hearing Alex''s question, Ice Cream looked up. "The stone giants aren''t very intelligent; they didn''t know the angel was after the fragment. They were just defending against invaders. As for the werewolves, they''ve had a deep-seated hatred with the Holy Court, sent to the snowy mountains from the Skyreach Mountains a hundred years ago. I don''t know their purpose, my mother might have known, but she never told me. But it''s certain their goal wasn''t the Frost Heart fragment." So, the Moon Silver wolf lair had reasons to fight that weren''t just about old grudges? Surely facing over a hundred commanding level Holy Court knights with only a dozen wolves wasn''t just a suicide mission. The Moon Silver Wolf''s castle was on the edge of the snowy mountains, untouched and intact. There must be plenty of valuable items inside, plus the thousands of bodies buried in the snow¡ªthese two factors alone were enough for Alex to make a personal visit. But Alex was still cautious, repeatedly sending out specters toconfirm the situation deep in the snowy mountains. Finally, when Alex was completely sure that the Frostwind snowy mountains had fallen silent, she decisively took Ice Cream and a host of undead towards the snowy mountains. Ice Cream wanted to return to inspect the battlefield, and Alex did not refuse. After all, it was currently her strongest force and a valuable ally. This time, Alex''s ride was different. Previously, she could only ride a hard, uncomfortable bone dragon; now, she could ride a real dragon. Ice Cream lowered its body, and Alex climbed onto its back, straddling its neck. The only discordant note was that Alex was wearing a skirt, which made the posture somewhat awkward. "Let''s go." Alex signaled Ice Cream to take off, bringing all her aerial forces for convenience. Their first destination was naturally the outermost Moon Silver wolf lair in Frostwind snowy mountains. Alex couldn''t help but suspect that it was the distance of the wolves'' den from the depths of the snowy mountains that had spared it from being affected. Alex''s castle wasn''t very far from the outer edges of the snowy mountains, and it didn''t take long before she rode Ice Cream into the snowy mountains. The sky began to dump heavy snow, and even Alex felt a chill. Ice Cream stopped at the mid-slope of the outer snowy mountains. Alex jumped down from its back, stepping into ten inches of snow that reached up to her ankles. Fortunately, Alex had some undead traits in her body, making her immune to the cold; otherwise, her attire would have likely led her to freeze in the snowy mountains. Looking ahead, there was a castle built of stone, slightly smaller than Alex''s town before it had been upgraded. "Go check it out." Alex commanded the two gargoyles. The sky was already very dark, and with the arrival at the snowy mountains and the onset of a blizzard, it appeared even more ominous. The two gargoyles landed, opened the castle gates, and walked inside. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 65 - 65: Werewolves castle With two gargoyles leading the way, Alex followed behind and entered the castle, while Ice Cream and the bone dragons waited outside. The interior of the werewolves'' castle was quite different from those of the Lords from Earth. On wooden racks on either side of the rooms hung unknown black fur, and animal skulls were scattered in the corners. At the center of the castle stood something akin to a stone monument with four sides, each side having some rotting animal entrails placed beneath it. The pungent, foul smell made Alex nauseous. "It seems there''s no danger left in this castle." Alex instructed the gargoyles to start searching separately while she ascended the stone stairs to the upper floors. She checked each room one by one; most contained a pile of straw covered with animal fur, likely the sleeping quarters of the werewolves. After searching, Alex found nothing of value. Disappointed, Alex returned the way she came and proceeded to the third floor. As she entered, one room caught her attention. The doorway was adorned with two necklaces made from animal fangs and two fire pits supported by wooden sticks, flickering with red light. Alex approached the door and kicked it open. Just as she was about to step inside, a fierce claw strike came from the side. Fortunately, Alex reacted quickly, stepping back out of the room to dodge the attack. She saw her assailant clearly: a werewolf wrapped in animal fur, noticeably thinner than typical werewolves, with more vigorous fur on its wolf head and a protruding chest. "Female werewolf?" This was Alex''s first thought, having never seen a female werewolf before. "Human, I will kill you!" The werewolf''s voice was shrill as it crouched on its forepaws, ready to charge at Alex. Alex extended her arm, her two fingers hooking upward in a taunting gesture that seemed to say, "Come at me!" But in that instant, she activated a spell. The two fire pits behind the werewolf burst into flames, and two fire dragons emerged, engulfing the werewolf in fire. Only when Alex smelled the scent of roasted meat did she withdraw the flames, and the fire in the pits returned to normal. The werewolf''s charred body lay motionless on the ground. Alex stepped over it and entered the room. This room was larger and differently arranged from the others, even having a rudimentary bed made of stone, topped with dirt, straw, and several layers of animal fur. "This must be the werewolves'' leader''s room. Was that female the leader''s mate?" Alex searched the room but was disappointed to find nothing of value. "This is too poor." Alex left the room and continued her search upwards until she reached the top floor. The top floor had only one room, with windows on all four walls letting in the cold wind, and a thin layer of snow already on the floor. At the center, Alex found a human-height stone pillar with a red-glowing crystal embedded at the top. "What is this?" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex approached the crystal, and a system prompt appeared. She tapped it with her hand. [Discovered werewolves'' castle crystal. Disassemble now?] "Castle crystal?" Realizing this was the core of the castle, Alex knew that disassembling it would likely cause the castle to vanish. She returned to the ground floor, refusing to believe such a large castle had nothing of value. The gargoyles had already brought out many boxes, and more were being moved out. "Where did you find these?" Alex asked a gargoyle, which pointed to a corner of the hall. Following its direction, she discovered stairs leading to a basement. The basement was a large space with three passageways on the walls, all built of stone and covered with a thick layer of ice. "They even have a basement reinforced with ice. Are these werewolves too clever?" Alex didn''t go further, assuming this was where the werewolves stored their supplies. She returned to the first floor and began inspecting the boxes. "Food." "Magic crystals!" "Food." "Fur." "Essence Shard!" Most boxes contained food, stored in the basement for preservation, along with two boxes of magic crystals and one box of Essence Shards. The boxes for magic crystals and Essence Shards were much smaller than those for food, and the Essence Shard box also contained other miscellaneous items, possibly considered valuable by the werewolves. Alex didn''t inspect them closely. "Take these boxes back to my castle." "You, come with me!" Alex ordered the gargoyles to transport the supplies back first and led one gargoyle back to the top floor. Once again in front of the crystal, Alex commanded, "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled the werewolves'' castle crystal, obtaining 10k wood, 20k stone, 5k iron ingots.] As Alex tapped ''Disassemble,''the castle suddenly vanished, transforming into piles of wood, stone, and iron ingots scattered on the ground. The blizzard surged from all directions towards Alex, who quickly grabbed onto a gargoyle and flew into the air. "Phew, I knew it." Fortunately, Alex had anticipated this. The gargoyle gently landed with Alex, who immediately ordered the undead to start collecting the scattered resources and materials, then began transporting them back to the castle. However, since the materials were loose, transportation was a bit of a hassle. Alex had to wait for the gargoyles to bring back the boxes they had used to transport the other supplies. This would at least speed up the process. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] "Is it night already?" The severe weather on the snowy mountain made it impossible for Alex to discern the time of day; she only remembered it being very dark when she first entered the castle. Now, with the blizzard intensifying and the sky darkening further, she was completely disoriented. Once Alex had nearly finished organizing the transportation of the materials, she planned to proceed with Ice Cream to the deeper parts of the snowy mountain. From what Alex understood, the strongest entity in the entire Frostwind snowy mountain was the frost dragon, and with the angels and Holy Court knights gone, she was relatively safe for now. "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Chapter 66 - 66: Damn, theyre here to snatch the loot [You have a new private message!] Just as Alex was about to take off on Ice Cream, she saw the system notification and quickly opened it. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, ten thousand pieces of equipment are refined and sent to you!" That was quick. Alex thought she''d have to wait until midnight, but she was outside now and couldn''t access the trading post until she got back. [Hamburger]: "OK, I''m outside now, I''ll list them when I get back to the castle." Sophie couldn''t imagine why Alex would be out of the castle late at night. Do all the Big Shots level up by battling monsters at night? The gap is indeed big... Even though there were no dangers near Sophie''s castle at night, the timid her dared not step out. The night''s double attributes were for those Lords with courage, strength, and opportunity. But Sophie was overthinking it; Alex was only out because she had left in the afternoon and got delayed until evening. "Let''s go." Ice Cream took off instantly with Alex, and the gargoyle and bone dragon also took flight, leaving some undead on the ground to pick up materials as they headed deep into the snowy mountains. The blizzard at night grew fiercer, and Alex, in the air, could barely open her eyes due to the storm, trying her best to lie close to Ice Cream to minimize wind resistance. There was no moonlight over the snowy mountains, and it was pitch black all around; Alex couldn''t see anything. Fortunately, the reflection from the snow gave her some visibility. Lying on Ice Cream''s back, Alex turned her head slightly downwards as they flew over a snowy mountain, and she saw a monster on the peak with eyes glowing red. Because of the glowing eyes, Alex could only make out that it was a pair of eyes, but unlike Ice Cream, the undead could see clearly at night, unaffected by the darkness, and even in this weather, Ice Cream''s vision was enhanced. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What is that?" Alex knew Ice Cream must have seen the figure; this was its home, no one knew this place better. "Frost Sprite, a creature that only appears at night, wandering inside the snowy mountains, not very intelligent." Ice Cream didn''t seem too worried about it, so Alex didn''t ask further. These snowy mountains were not only full of dangers, but the harsh weather was also not something ordinary creatures could withstand. Alex just quietly lay on Ice Cream''s back, waiting to reach their destination. Ice Cream flew faster than Arthur, and with its attributes already higher than Arthur and the other bone dragons, plus the attribute boost from being in the snowy mountains, its speed was extremely fast. To hasten their journey, Alex had Ice Cream leave the other undead behind, with only Arthur following close by. Otherwise, waiting for the gargoyle to catch up while flying would be too slow and torturous. Phew! Two dragon shadows, one large and one small, sped through the dark sky above the snowy mountains. Even flying at such a high speed, it still took over two hours, showing just how vast these snowy mountains were. During the flight, Alex kept an eye on the system time, and it was now approaching 9 PM. As Ice Cream slowed down, Alex knew they were finally about to arrive. After two hours of flying, they could finally land. "Master, there are people below." Ice Cream immediately spotted several figures moving below, searching through the snow for werewolf corpses. The frozen werewolf corpses they found were set aside, seemingly ready to be transported away. How could a frail human lift a werewolf corpse with one hand? This was beyond Ice Cream''s understanding of humans. Alex was stunned to hear this; in such harsh weather, there were still people competing with her for corpses? "Holy Court knights?" If they were Holy Court knights, Alex would have no choice but to retreat, as they were dozens of Commanding, and she couldn''t possibly win against them. "No, they are humans but also not quite humans; I''ve never seen them on the snowy mountains before." With that, Alex understood. Damn, they''re here to snatch the loot! "Arthur, go!" Alex immediately commanded Arthur to test the strength of the opponents; after all, Arthur couldn''t be killed. On the snowy ground below, the leader, a man dressed in a black tailcoat, looked like a polite gentleman. The man directed others to search for werewolf corpses in the snow; they were far from the depths of the snowy mountains but had arrived earlier than Alex. The frozen werewolf corpses had already been transported back by the man, valuable items for them, which is why the man risked coming deep into the snowy mountains. The man''s keen senses detected an unusual sound in the air, and looking up, he saw a huge bone dragon descending from the sky. The man instantly dodged, turning into a black shadow. The huge noise caused by Arthur''s landing startled the surrounding figures, who all turned to look and, upon realizing it was an enemy, all transformed into shadows and attacked Arthur simultaneously. Only the man stood calmly at the back, watching everything unfold. Roar! Arthur let out a roar carrying the Dragon''s Presence, a massive breath of dragon that swept away the surrounding snow and snowflakes in an instant. A few unlucky ones couldn''t dodge in time and were hit by Arthur''s breath of dragon, their souls instantly extinguished. Yet many figures managed to reach Arthur and attacked him with sharp black claws. Arthur''s defense was already formidable, and after being fully enhanced at the Blackwater Altar, these people couldn''t even break through his defenses. Not to mention killing Arthur, they couldn''t even scatter his bones. "Commanding level bone dragon." The man quickly assessed Arthur''s strength. His own Commanding level troops had gone to escort the werewolf corpses and were not here now. How could there be a bone dragon, an undead creature, in the snowy mountains? This must be one of some Lord''s troops, the first time the man had encountered an undead creature. The man looked around; his night vision was limited, but he could still vaguely see a blue figure high in the sky. The man was confident in his own strength. To kill an undead, one needed a soul attack, but he currently lacked such skills. However, there was a quicker way ¨C to kill its Lord. The man had a feeling that the Lord must be on that blue figure. The man turned into a shadow and flew up directly. "It''s the frost dragon from the snowy mountains!" The man saw the blue figure clearly, and also saw Alex on Ice Cream''s back. Dressed in a black short skirt suit, with blue eyes and white hair. Definitely a Lord, the clothes completely out of this world were proof enough. Although the man didn''t know why a frost dragon would appear here with this human Lord, this frost dragon was smaller than the bone dragon and its strength couldn''t possibly exceed Commanding level. Chapter 67 - 67: Mysterious man From the moment he took to the air, the man didn''t hesitate and charged at Alex on Ice Cream''s back with his fastest speed. At that moment, Alex was completely unaware, only able to hear the sounds of fighting coming from the ground. Although Alex shared some traits with the undead, she didn''t know why she couldn''t ignore the darkness like they could. Suddenly, Alex felt Ice Cream move, followed by a muffled sound. Bang! The man hadn''t expected the frost dragon to react so quickly, and he was slapped away by its claw. The man dusted the snow off his clothes and stood up from the snowy ground. "Ice Cream, what happened?" Alex couldn''t see anything and had to ask Ice Cream. "The figure on the ground flew up and attacked, but I slapped him away." Alright, Alex could be sure now; this was definitely not human. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ice Cream hadn''t sensed any magical aura or seen any weapons, which meant this "person" could fly on his own without relying on anything. "Ice Cream, what''s his strength like?" "Low-level Commanding." "How does he compare to me?" "Stronger than you." Alex pulled out her scythe, and her attributes doubled instantly. "And now?" "Weaker than you." Alex felt relieved and immediately ordered Ice Cream to start descending to assist Arthur. After enduring two hours of blizzard, Alex had finally made it here; she wasn''t about to let someone else steal these werewolf corpses. As Ice Cream landed, Alex jumped down, the snow on the ground had reached about 8 inches deep, covering up to her lower legs. Alex launched a fireball upwards, which exploded directly. The entire battlefield was momentarily illuminated by the firelight. Alex could now see the man opposite her and the figures fighting with Arthur. Their first impression on Alex was their paleness, too white, even whiter than Alex''s skin, an unhealthy pallor that didn''t seem normal for humans. The man wore a black tailcoat, while the other figures were all in red tailcoat, standing out starkly against the white snow. The fire magic was ineffective in this weather condition, the light maintained only for a moment before dissipating. But Alex still saw the frozen werewolf corpses behind the man. Alex''s left eye emitted a pale blue light, and instantly a magic circle appeared beneath the werewolf corpses. The man also sensed the magical aura behind him and looked back, only to see bone beast werewolves crawling out from the corpses. The first reaction of these bone beast werewolves was to attack the man in front of them. At this moment, the man finally understood why this Lord wanted these corpses; she could actually use them to summon undead! The man quickly dispersed the bone beast werewolves attacking him; their bones were restricted by the snow, slowing their reassembly. The moment Alex used her left eye magic, she suddenly realized she could now ignore the darkness! Everything around her was clear under the enhancement of her left eye, no different from daylight. As long as she kept her left eye open, she could ignore the darkness without using magic, consuming no Mana Points, only requiring mental effort. Although the vision was limited to one eye and might be a bit narrower, it wasn''t a big problem. At least she wouldn''t be troubled by visibility at night anymore. "Are you a Lord?" Holding her scythe, with one eye emitting a blue light, Alex asked the man in front of her. The man, dressed differently from the others, was clearly the leader of the group, while the others were all in uniform attire. The man, seeing the girl nearby whose aura had strengthened, next to a frost dragon he couldn''t defeat, and on the other side, a bone dragon that could never be killed, made a decision. "Retreat!" The man''s cold voice rang out, not answering Alex''s question, and all the figures around him turned into shadows, shooting up into the sky and scattering. With her left eye enhanced, Alex felt her senses sharpened and her body became more agile. Alex cast dark magic, her figure instantly turning into a black mist and disappearing, reappearing in front of the man. She swung her scythe, the large blade burning with black flames, slashing towards the man. The black flames formed a long tail as Alex swung rapidly. The man hadn''t expected the girl in front of him to be so fast. He lifted the tail of his coat, trying to envelop Alex with a large piece of black cloth. But the cloth was easily torn by Alex''s scythe, and the man grew long nails on his hands to block the scythe''s attack. The man was pushed back several steps by the scythe, a wound on his hand burning with black flames, the pain of his soul burning contorting his face. Not only that, he also felt his lifespan diminishing. Decisively, the man chopped off his injured arm with his other hand. The fallen arm quickly turned to ash on the snowyground, and the man, clutching his severed limb, disappeared from the spot. "He''s quick on his feet." Arthur, meanwhile, took to the skies to pursue the group. Ice Cream stayed in place, ensuring Alex''s safety. Alex''s scythe transformed into a stream of light and reverted back into a bracelet on her wrist. Unable to fly, Alex could only watch helplessly as they escaped. Arthur had gone after them, but the enemy''s flying speed was not slow, and their small size made them more agile. Even if they couldn''t escape, they could easily hide. It turned out that activating her left eye also came with hidden attribute bonuses, something Alex had never realized before, having only used it as a summoning skill. The snow was disturbed in many places, indicating that these people had been here for a while and had already transported away many werewolf corpses. It seemed someone had beaten her to it. Alex specifically asked Ice Cream about them, but Ice Cream also had no recollection of them, suggesting that this man''s castle was likely outside the snowy mountains and also capable of observing the battles within the center of the snowy mountains. Alex couldn''t understand what use these corpses could have for other Lords besides her. Anyone with the strength to venture deep into the snowy mountains surely wouldn''t be interested in the food disassembled from these corpses, right? The werewolf corpses that those people had found had just been summoned by Alex, and now she had to search the area like them. Alex chose to summon all the werewolf corpses as bone beast werewolves, and for regular wolves, she used double summoning to turn them into other undead. "Ice Cream, can you clear the snow on the ground?" Alex remembered that Ice Cream had control over ice and snow, so this shouldn''t be difficult. Ice Cream lowered its head. Roar! A deafening roar erupted, carrying a massive gust of wind that instantly blew away all the snow on the ground in front of them, revealing the brown frozen earth below. The frozen corpses, being too heavy, surfaced. "Well done, Ice Cream." At that moment, Arthur also returned from his pursuit, having killed a few of the figures along the way but worried about chasing too far, he hurried back. "Ice Cream, take a look around. Arthur is back, and he can protect me now." Chapter 68 - 68: Free stuff, what more could one ask for Ice Cream flapped its wings and flew away, heading towards its nest. Meanwhile, Alex was on the ground, tallying the corpses. She used her left eye to summon from the werewolf corpses, and for regular wolf corpses, she used her scythe for double summoning. The frozen werewolf corpses, hard as ice blocks, would take an unknown amount of time to transport back for summoning. She figured she might as well summon what she could right there. Moreover, this was deep in the snowy mountains, not only was the terrain difficult, but the distance from Alex''s castle was also considerable. She couldn''t even imagine how long it would take for the land-based undead summoned here to reach her castle. Alex planned to summon some of the corpses here and then disassemble each one. It would be more convenient to transport the remaining bodies and materials back this way. An hour and a half later, the other bone dragons and gargoyles also arrived one after another, bringing help to transport the materials. By then, Alex had nearly finished summoning and disassembling the corpses. Besides discovering werewolf corpses, Alex also found a few strange stones, likely the stone giant corpses Ice Cream had mentioned. Beyond that, there was nothing else. Ice Cream returned as well, finding its nest raided and nothing left behind. Its mother''s body must have been taken too. Alex couldn''t believe that not a single Holy Court knight had perished in such a fierce battle; the absence of any human corpses suggested that they had likely been taken as well. In any case, anything of value was gone, all that remained were these bodies, and even some of those had been stolen. Alex approached the stone giant corpses and casually disassembled them. The stone giant''s body turned into a thousand units of stone and a glowing red Essence Shard. Alex picked up the Essence Shard from the ground. As for the stones, she had no interest in them; transporting a bunch of rocks back would be too much of a hassle. Alex looked around to see if there were any other stone giant corpses but found none. She didn''t find any bodies, but she did find quite a few units of stone. The useful items had all been taken by that other Lord after his disassembly; this body was only left because it was well-hidden and they hadn''t discovered it. However, stone giants were rare, and that Lord could have taken no more than ten at most. Alex wasn''t too upset about missing out on a few Essence Shards; she was more interested in how she might reunite him with his ancestors the next time they met. By 11:30 PM, Alex had completely tallied, disassembled, and summoned from these bodies. There were a total of 1,800 Moon Silver Wolf corpses. Alex remembered clearly that Greenbean had initially said there were over 3,000 wolves in the Moon Silver wolf lair, which meant that the other Lord had already transported away at least 1,200 Moon Silver Wolf corpses before Alex arrived. This indicated that the other Lord was not only early, but he also had a substantial number of troops, all capable of flying, and his own strength had reached the Commanding level. He was definitely a top-tier Lord in the first echelon! sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The Eldoria continent is so vast; how did I end up meeting him?" Conversely, the same could be said for the other party. Of the 1,800 Moon Silver Wolf corpses, only 300 were in werewolf form, the remaining 1,500 were regular wolves. Among the 300 werewolf corpses, there were five Commanding level werewolves. Alex summoned only one Commanding level bone beast werewolf, the other four were summoned as other types of undead. The four Commanding level were one Skeletal Demon, two Ethereal Wraiths, and one gargoyle. From the 300 werewolf corpses, disassembly yielded 6,000 units of elite food, 500 magic crystals, and 160 Essence Shards. The remaining 1,500 corpses could be used to summon 3,000 undead, allowing Alex''s undead army to expand significantly. Wishes are beautiful, but reality is often different. Summoning 1,500 corpses was a massive undertaking. Alex calculated that although there was no cooldown limit now, it still required Mana Points. Her Mana Points were 120, and each summoning consumed 3 points, with 1 point regenerating per minute. It would take two hours to summon 40 corpses, producing 80 undead. Alex would need to summon continuously for over three days without sleep to complete the summoning of 1,500 corpses. Wait, pulling out the scythe would double the Mana Points, meaning she could summon 80 corpses in two hours, significantly speeding up the process. But completing all the summoning before the beast tide was still unrealistic because Alex couldn''t afford to summon without rest. Alex abandoned the idea of summoning 3,000 undead from 1,500 regular wolf corpses as it was simply not feasible. After brief consideration, Alex decided to first summon from the 300 werewolf corpses because she could use her left eye magic for direct summoning without consuming Mana Points. As for the remaining 1,500 corpses, they would have to be transported back to the castle for slow summoning. Although swinging the scythe allowed summoning two at a time, it still consumed 3 Mana Points per use, and Mana Points needed time to regenerate, allowing only single-entity summoning. It would be more efficient to just throw them into the Blackwater Altar for rapid summoning, all in the interest of saving time. With the last day approaching and the beast tide imminent, Alex could at most summon from 400 corpses, producing 800 undead. She planned to throw the remaining 1,100 corpses directly into the Blackwater Altar. Summoning so many corpses using her left eye would probably knock her out from exhaustion. Alex used up her Mana Points to summon a portion tonight and would continue slowly the following night. Alex instructed the undead that had arrived to start transporting the Moon Silver Wolf corpses. As for the newly summoned land forces, she didn''t trouble them further, letting them head straight back to the castle. Since these undead couldn''t die, even if their movement through the snowy mountains was slow, they would still make it back. The good news was that Alex had brought all her aerial forces this time. The number of gargoyles was sufficient, and with the help of the bone dragons, they could transport all the corpses back in one go. Alex ordered Arthur to escort from behind while she rode Ice Cream back to the castle first. Two hours later, Alex finally flew out of the snowy mountains and returned to the castle, ending a night of grueling activity. It was now 2 AM, and the first thing Alex did upon returning to the castle was to list the 10,000 pieces of equipment Sophie had sent. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One ordinary piece of equipment trades for ten magic crystals.] [Remaining quantity: 10,000 pieces.] Now she only needed magic crystals to upgrade the Barracks, with the last day of the novice period already starting. Alex planned to upgrade the Barracks before continuing with summoning. After all, with her current number of undead, she wasn''t short of twenty. Alex collected the materials piled outside the gate, which had been scavenged from the werewolf castle. [Congratulations Lord, you have obtained 4,000 magic crystals, 5,000 units of food, 2,000 units of stone, 80 Essence Shards, and 200 pieces of animal fur.] These were the materials from inside the werewolf castle, along with 10k units of wood, 20k units of stone, and 5k iron ingots Alex had obtained from disassembling the werewolf castle''s crystals. This scavenging trip could definitely be called a huge harvest. Free stuff, what more could one ask for! Chapter 69 - 69: Prepare for the beast tide Alex harvested 2,800 units of wood and 2,000 units of stone, all collected by the land-based undead in one night. As for the animal corpses by the castle gate, Alex planned to leave them be until the next morning to disassemble and recycle them all at once. It was already late, and Alex decided to go to sleep. It would take at least three more hours for the Moon Silver Wolf corpses to be transported back. Waiting another three hours would mean daylight was upon them. She would arrange the resources obtained tonight the next morning. "Ice Cream, you''ll stay in the castle for the next few days to avoid drawing attention, just in case those Holy Court knights discover you." Alex had no plans to ride Ice Cream out anymore; such a conspicuous target was manageable at night, but would be problematic if spotted during the day. Being seen by that Lord tonight was already an unexpected mishap. Once the castle''s protection period ended, Alex planned to settle scores with him. She wanted to show him that even among top-tier Lords, there could be significant gaps in strength. Yawning, Alex was already tired. She entered the bathroom, kicked off her shoes, peeled off her black stockings, and stripped off her clothes completely. The shower sprayed warm water that was soothing against Alex''s smooth skin. Her feet pressed against the soft carpet, leaving wet footprints. Wrapped in a towel, Alex moved to the bedroom and sat on a chair, drying her damp hair with a towel. "All set." Alex crawled into bed and drifted off to sleep. [Night ends, dawn arrives!] It was the seventh day on the continent of Eldoria, and the last day of the novice protection period. Even the world channel chat had quieted down considerably. Every Lord felt the pressure; it was the last day, and everyone was doing their utmost to enhance their strength. No one knew the intensity of tomorrow''s beast tide, nor whether they would survive it. The undead had also transported the wolf corpses back, and even Arthur had ordered the bone dragons to go to the snowy mountains to pick up the ground-based undead. Otherwise, it would take them a month to return to the castle. It wasn''t until 8 AM that Alex, rubbing her eyes, prepared to get out of bed. "Ah, that was refreshing!" Alex felt as if she had replenished her mental energy, and her body was more relaxed than ever. She sat up, threw off the covers, and got out of bed. Today, Alex''s task was to use her scythe to double summon as many undead as possible. Whatever she couldn''t summon by the end of the day would be thrown into the Blackwater Altar for summoning. She needed to prepare for the beast tide. Alex dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt, paired with shorts and casual shoes, and twirled in front of the mirror. Hmm, a different vibe. Alex opened the trading post to collect the equipment sold last night. It was a tense time for all Lords, and equipment was sure to sell well since no one wanted to miss even the slightest chance to become stronger. Conversely, after the beast tide, these pieces of equipment would lose their value. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully traded 10,000 ordinary pieces of equipment, receiving 100,000 magic crystals.] Alex sent 50,000 to Sophie and stored the remaining 50,000 magic crystals in the Warehouse. Alex had also obtained 5,000 iron ingots from the werewolf lair, enough to build a wall, although a defense tower was still out of reach. "Build!" At the moment Alex clicked build, black walls rose from the ground at the edges of the town''s territory, completely encompassing the area. The black walls were 40 feet high and 15 feet wide, with a gate at the center of each side. Above each gate and at the four corners, there were square recesses, twenty in total, likely intended for building defense towers. Unfortunately, Alex didn''t have enough iron ingots to construct defense towers now. [Special Building: Wall] [Building Level: Commanding level (can be upgraded with resources)] [Feature: Commanding level defense] [Upgrade Materials: 50k wood, 100k stone, 10k magic crystals, 50k iron ingots.] The upgrade materials had increased tenfold... Monarch level was still too far off for Alex to consider right now. With the Commanding level defense of the wall, most of the beast tide could be kept outside the town''s territory. Combined with Alex''s undead army, there was nothing to fear! Alex went to the castle entrance to disassemble last night''s animal corpses, then threw them all into the Blackwater Altar. These lower-tier animal corpses weren''t worth using her Undead Summoning Magic on. Besides, with so many Moon Silver Wolf corpses to summon, she didn''t have time to bother with them. A Moon Silver Wolf, at minimum, was level 5, far stronger than those other beasts, right? "Disassemble!" [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 30 antelope corpses, obtaining 1,200 units of food, 20 magic crystals, and 60 antelope skins (double drop).] S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was too much food now; Alex had over 7,000 units of food and 6,000 units of elite food. However, she decided not to sell this batch of elite food but to keep it as feed for Ice Cream, which could also gain extra experience points from it¡ªperhaps even leveling up while eating. The regular food wasn''t much use anymore, so Alex sent 1,000 units each to Chi-Chi and Sophie. This food would last Chi-Chi a while, at least temporarily freeing her from worrying about food. As for Sophie, she had been too helpful to Alex to need any mention. Next, Alex planned to upgrade the Barracks, as today''s troops hadn''t yet been summoned. [Upgrade Barracks required: 12k magic crystals, 120 Essence Shards.] "Upgrade!" ... [Upgrade Barracks required: 14k magic crystals, 140 Essence Shards.] "Upgrade!" [Undead Crystal: Level 9 (Unique Barracks)] [Ninth-level Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancer, liches¡ªten types of troops (random thirty), with an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Upgrade Barracks required: 16k magic crystals, 160 Essence Shards] After two consecutive upgrades, the results were good. If not for the shortage of Essence Shards, Alex could have upgraded another level. Alex glanced at the Warehouse, still stocked with plenty of wood and stone, over 20,000 magic crystals, and more than a hundred Essence Shards. Except for iron ingots, she really wasn''t short on other materials. There was still one town-specific building, the [Portal of Transit], left to construct. Since resources were plentiful now, she might as well build it too. Alex clicked to build directly. The castle gate faced a black structure that emerged about 2,000 meters away from the wall gate, roughly in the middle. Alex walked over to inspect this teleportation portal. The black structure was about 16 feet high, with steps leading up to a large door. Alex opened it and saw an empty interior, except for a large rectangular teleportation portal at the far end. Next to the portal, Alex found a system dashboard where she could set the destination. The list only included Chi-Chi and Sophie, both in gray and unclickable. "Boring." Feeling uninterested, Alex returned to the castle. She approached the Barracks, ready to summon troops, hoping to draw some new types this time. Alex once again grabbed her breast, a unique technique to boost her luck. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon now!] Alex pressed firmly, not hesitating to click. "Summon!" Chapter 70 - 70: Necromancer The undead crystal emitted a familiar pale green glow. Twenty figures began to coalesce behind the Barracks crystal. Alex saw that ten unique figures had emerged, unlike any undead she had previously summoned. These were new troops, and ten of them appeared at once! Each figure was gaunt, with dark, sickly-looking skin, resembling a severely malnourished person rather than a typical humanoid form. Each one was draped in a loose, large black robe that stretched from their heads to their feet, and each held a long black magic staff in their hands. Upon seeing Alex, the ten figures immediately prostrated themselves. "Your most devout apostles greet you, my queen." The remaining twenty undead were ordinary summons, with no liches or zombie titans among them, so Alex didn''t pay them much attention. However, she did manage to summon two ghost dragons, which was a decent gain, although the elusive zombie titan and lich, despite being unlocked and having fifty chances, had yet to appear. The ten figures remained kneeling before Alex, clearly dressed as mages, undoubtedly necromancers. [Necromancer] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: 1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points:Immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 30] [Strength: 5] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 5] [Growth Limit: King level] [Skills: Ghost Form, Undead Summoning] Ghost Form: Allows the necromancer to turn into a ghost. In this form, the necromancer can become invisible and fly silently but cannot cast spells. Undead Summoning Magic: Similar to Alex''s 1-tier Undead Summoning Magic. Having two skills at level 1 was quite impressive for these troops. Although essentially human, they were endowed with undead traits by the system, allowing them to be immortal. As mages, their primary mode of attack was to use magic, specifically harnessing frost and dark elements to inflict damage, and they were also capable of flight. Alex mused that it seemed every troop could fly these days. Was she the only one who couldn''t? She hadn''t forgotten about the enhancement effects of the Blackwater Altar. Typically, those enhanced by the Blackwater Altar gained at least one passive or active skill. Alex intended for these necromancers to help alleviate her summoning duties. After all, she was the Queen of the Undead; why should she summon personally? She sent them into the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. The undead previously summoned on the snowy mountains were now almost fully enhanced. Minutes later, the necromancers were enhanced, and Alex eagerly checked their attributes. [Necromancer: Magic Enhancement] [Enhances the power of their magic, allowing negative attributes to stack with each other, adds 20 points to Mana Points limit, increases all attributes by 3 points.] While the attribute boosts were modest, the necromancers primarily relied on magic attacks. A level 1 necromancer, post-enhancement, having 50 Mana Points was quite significant. Since it was a magic enhancement, Alex revisited the necromancer''s skills. The enhanced Ghost Form now allowed them to cast spells or attack while remaining invisible. Alex was even more pleased to see the Undead Summoning skill; the necromancer''s Undead Summoning Magic had been elevated to about a second-tier level, allowing them to summon two undead at a time, though limited to skeletons. With skeletons breaking their level caps and John around, even the Skeleton Soldiers summoned by the necromancers could level up. Alex smiled happily; not only could all 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf corpses be summoned, but she wouldn''t have to lift a finger¡ªperfect! With the Bone Throne''s boost inside the castle, the necromancers gained an additional level and ten more Mana Points, allowing them to summon three more undead each. These necromancers were indeed the core of her undead army''s rapid expansion! Alex immediately set them to work on the massive task of processing the 1,500 corpses; there was no time for slack. While checking the system dashboard, Alex noticed a cluster of red notifications and realized something. Right, Arthur had slain many of that Lord''s troops last night, and there were kill notifications. Because the killings occurred outside her territory, the system didn''t pop up notifications during combat¡ªthat would be disastrous during a fight. Moreover, these notifications could be set to "Do Not Disturb" mode, as Alex''s undead were constantly in battle, and the constant alerts were nearly driving her mad. Especially that time they cleared a chicken coop¡ªthe notifications were incessant, prompting Alex to turn on the "Do Not Disturb" mode. Alex opened the system notifications. [Your troops have killed a level 6 vampire, gaining sixty experience points!] Vampires? Alex recalled the group she saw last night; aside from the Lord, they all had unnaturally pale faces, were incredibly fast, and could fly. That did fit her understanding of vampires, though she hadn''t considered it at the time because she didn''t see them feeding. Damn, undead don''t have blood, and the werewolf corpses were frozen solid, likely along with their blood. What did those vampires want with the corpses? While unsure of that Lord''s methods, Alex was certain he had some means other than a Barracks to summon vampires. And considering that Lord''s appearance, he was likely transformed into a vampire himself. Vampires granted him the power of immortality, meaning that as long as he didn''t seek his own death, just living could outlast many Lords. However, this was impractical, even if he could hide, his castle could not. Regardless, he dared to steal Alex''s corpses, and she had no intention of letting him live. He might also have vampire lineage like Alex''s undead lineage. Alex opened the leaderboard to check the top-tier Lords'' IDs, hoping to find some clues. Indeed, she found a few suspicious candidates: [Count Night], [Dracula], and [Supreme Bloodline]. The last one was too juvenile; Alex passed on it, suspecting it was one of the first two. Alex had already dispatched dozens of gargoyles to search around the snowy mountains. She would not let him off easily. Once Alex locates the vampire''s castle, she will certainly make them witness the formidable power of the undead scourge. Chapter 71 - 71: Barren Plains On the other side of the Frostwind snowy mountains, unlike Alex''s castle which is situated between the Dark Forest and the Frostwind snowy mountains, this area transitions into a desolate plain devoid of life, known as the Barren Plains. This territory belongs to a human empire, but it''s on the empire''s fringe. Even the empire itself keeps a respectful distance from the Frostwind snowy mountains. There used to be a human village here, but now it''s desolate, devoid of any human presence. Not far from this abandoned village lies the castle of a Lord named [Dracula]. The real name of this castle''s master is Lucian, the very Lord who clashed with Alex last night, and his arm has since healed. The humans of the village haven''t exactly died; rather, Lucian has granted them unnaturally long lives and peculiar abilities. Indeed, Lucian has transformed all the humans of this village into vampires, totaling about two thousand. Located on the edge of the empire and adjacent to the Frostwind snowy mountains, countless people have gone missing here, so the fall of the village didn''t attract much attention from the empire, which inadvertently allowed Lucian to strengthen his forces. Lucian awakened the bloodline of Dracula upon his arrival, becoming a true vampire. His castle is named after this lineage. His Barracks naturally summons vampire troops, but only Lucian himself possesses the ability to transform humans into vampires. The transformation of over two thousand vampires nearly drained him. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Vampires require human blood to maintain their longevity and boundless vitality, but the human forces native to Eldoria are overwhelmingly strong. Some weaker vampires have no chance to feed on human blood. Coupled with human oppression and their natural enemies, the werewolves, these vampires have had to settle for animal blood, which is far less effective but better than starvation. Since becoming a vampire, Lucian not only gains strength from killing enemies but also from consuming blood, which is even faster than from killing. This is why he needed the werewolf corpses. "Lester, you will absorb all the blood from these corpses," Lucian commanded the strongest vampire in his castle. The encounter with Alex last night made him aware of the gap in their strengths, but his Commanding level subordinates were not present, so Lucian didn''t believe he was truly outmatched. Lucian has six Commanding level vampires under his command, one of whom, Lester, has reached level 2. All the werewolf blood absorbed by Lester would significantly boost his strength, making dealing with a bone dragon and a frost dragon a trivial matter. Lucian thought of Alex''s stunning face and perfect figure from last night, imagining capturing her, piercing her neck with his sharp fangs, and deeply drinking her blood. Lucian''s vampire troops are not unique, meaning other Lords can also summon vampires, and there are native vampire forces on Eldoria. Lucian has always wanted to contact them and join them. Only there would he find the highest quality blood and resources, something he has long desired. "My lord, there are suddenly many gargoyles patrolling over Frostwind snowy mountain. They seem to be searching for our location," reported a vampire who had been out hunting, appearing instantly in the castle as a shadow. "I haven''t even gone looking for her, and she''s already searching for me!" "Send some of you to find her castle''s location and draw those gargoyles away!" Lucian was now curious about Alex''s troops. Initially, he thought Alex''s troops were bone dragons, but now with so many gargoyles appearing, it seemed unlikely she could summon the entire undead race. He also checked the leaderboard, where none of the Lord names were associated with the undead, except for a few ambiguous ones. The names of these castles were chosen randomly, revealing no clear intent. Lucian guessed Alex was one of them. Once the beast tide was over and he found Alex''s castle, he planned to capture her and bring her to his castle to provide fresh blood daily. Lucian smiled wickedly. ... Meanwhile, Alex felt much relieved with her necromancers, though she didn''t completely neglect them and occasionally helped with summoning. As the number of undead increased, the wildlife near Alex''s castle was nearly extinct, with most animals migrating to farther areas to survive, likely considering Alex''s castle a forbidden zone. Moreover, as the undead''s levels increased, killing simple wildlife like boars or chickens became less effective, and the undead army''s range of activity expanded. Some undead had even started hunting near Chi-Chi''s castle. The current situation was no longer sufficient for the undead''s leveling, so Alex began arranging for them to hunt on the outskirts of the snowy mountain and the Dark Forest. These areas still harbored many high-level beasts, providing a good source of experience. With Frostwind snowy mountain being so vast, it naturally housed more than just frost dragons, Moon Silver Wolves, and stone giants. There were also creatures like Frost Sprites, ice bears, and snow foxes. With the absence of the Moon Silver wolf lair, the snowy mountain was relatively safer. Plus, with the angels having killed the frost dragon, Alex could advance into higher-level maps earlier. Considering the frost dragon was among the strongest in Frostwind snowy mountain, though not Divine, Alex estimated it was at least Emperor level, possibly even Sovereign level. And the Moon Silver wolf lair was merely Commanding level, located on the outermost edges of the snowy mountain. There couldn''t be such a huge gap in strength in the middle; there must be other dangerous races present. Since undead don''t die, Alex let them roam the outskirts of the snowy mountain. With her current strength, Alex was more than capable of handling the beast tide, but if the beast tide''s intensity was influenced by the Lord''s overall strength or the terrain, it might still pose a challenge. Given that Alex''s castle was adjacent to two major forbidden areas, filled with countless magical beasts, it was understandable if the beast tide was particularly tough, especially since her castle had been upgraded to a town. The beast tide brought not only destruction and death but also immense rewards for those Lords who survived, including food, magic crystals, Essence Shards, experience, and other resources. Alex suddenly thought of Chi-Chi. Her castle was not far from Alex''s, and the scale of their beast tides was likely similar. Relying on a few Red Blood Gorillas, Chi-Chi would hardly survive the beast tide without Alex''s help. However, this also benefited Alex greatly. While other Lords gained from one beast tide, Alex could reap rewards from two if she helped Chi-Chi survive. Once the beast tide was over, Alex''s undead army would reach a terrifying scale. Chapter 72 - 72: Beast tide (1) As the afternoon approached, less than ten hours remained until the beast tide. All Lords were scrambling to enhance their strength. Alex''s undead were spread out beyond the castle''s territory, leveling up. John had successfully reached level 7, thanks to all the Skeleton Soldiers yielding their kills to him. Alex was confident that after the beast tide, even if John didn''t reach Commanding level, reaching level 9 should be feasible. Arthur did not disappoint Alex; he advanced to Commanding level. [Bone Dragon King (Arthur)] Race: Undead Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray) Life Tier: Commanding level Level: 1 (can be increased by killing enemies) Health Points: Immortal as long as the soul fire burns Mana Points:150 Strength: 100+10 Stamina: ¡Þ Agility:** 100+10 Growth Limit: Divine level Active Skills: Nether Dragon Breath, Withering Space Passive Skills: Elemental Magic Immunity, Dragon''s Presence Withering Space: Creates a barrier that drains the life force and souls of enemies within it, temporarily enhancing its own attributes. Arthur''s advancement to Commanding level added a powerful group active skill, perfect for the upcoming beast tide. Alex herself was also busy. Every two hours, as soon as her Mana Points were fully restored, she would assist the necromancers in summoning, aiming to have all corpses summoned by midnight. To ensure she had enough energy to face the beast tide, she planned to rest at 10 PM, ensuring her Mana Points were full and she was ready for battle. The World Chat fell into an eerie silence, a tense atmosphere pervading everyone''s mind. In the evening, Sophie sent a private message. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, the equipment has been sent." [Hamburger]: "Okay." Their conversation was brief and to the point, with no time wasted on small talk. It seemed Sophie also understood the importance of the last day; the equipment was clearly rushed. Alex checked the Warehouse, confirmed everything, and immediately listed the weapons for sale. There couldn''t be a better time to sell equipment. [Hamburger initiates a trade!] [One ordinary piece of equipment trades for ten magic crystals.] [Remaining quantity: 10,000 pieces.] Alex''s listing caused some stir, but not much. These Lords were now only concerned with their survival. Seeing Hamburger list equipment, and knowing their troops needed it, they began to frantically buy up the gear. No one could be sure they would survive the beast tide; what use were magic crystals if they were dead? [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] As night fell, Alex''s equipment sold out. She immediately sent fifty thousand magic crystals to Sophie, who might rely on these to boost her strength at the last minute. Inside Sophie''s castle, over two hundred dwarves had stopped mining and working, now gearing up for the beast tide at midnight. Sophie used the magic crystals from Alex to upgrade her Barracks, unlocking dwarf warriors, ready to be summoned after midnight. Sophie felt the time was excruciatingly slow. Although her location had few wild beasts, it didn''t necessarily mean the scale of the beast tide would be small. "Suddenly, I envy those powerful Lords. They must not have these worries..." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I hope I can still see you tomorrow!" [Hamburger]: "You''ve never seen me, have you?" Alex replied. [Hamburger]: "Believe in yourself. Once your castle upgrades to a town, you''ll see me." [QuartzStriker]: "I''ll upgrade to a town as soon as possible!" [Hamburger]: "Good luck!" Thanks to the relentless efforts of Alex and the necromancers, all 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf corpses were finally summoned. Alex''s undead army expanded to over eight thousand, with more than five thousand Skeleton Soldiers alone. But don''t underestimate these five thousand Skeleton Soldiers; each one was level 5 or above. Just the thought of five thousand level 5 Skeleton Soldiers was terrifying. "Disassemble!" Alex could finally disassemble the mountain of corpses. [Congratulations Lord, you have successfully disassembled 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf corpses, obtaining 30k units of food, 3k magic crystals, and 1,500 Moon Silver Wolf pelts.] The Moon Silver Wolf corpses vanished in an instant, and Alex''s castle yard was now much emptier. These undead, having been summoned in batches, had already been enhanced by the Blackwater Altar. Alex also needed to prepare for the beast tide. She summoned all her undead back and ordered them to surround the walls outside. "John, take a thousand Skeleton Soldiers to Chi-Chi''s castle, protect her, and help her withstand the beast tide." Alex commanded John, hoping that a thousand level 5 Skeleton Soldiers would be enough to handle Chi-Chi''s beast tide. Since John hadn''t reached Commanding level, Alex also sent two Commanding level Skeletal Demons. Two Commanding level and a thousand level 5+ Skeleton Soldiers¡ªif this formation couldn''t withstand the beast tide, Alex figured that 99.9% of Eldoria''s billions of Lords would perish. Sending John was mainly to let him gain more experience and quickly increase his strength. If John stayed by Alex''s side, he would struggle to gain significant experience, especially with the Bone Throne''s boost and the many Commanding level undead in the castle. ... Meanwhile, Chi-Chi was shivering in her castle, surrounded by her eight Red Blood Gorillas, each now above level 5, but she felt no sense of security. "Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh!" At that moment, the eight Red Blood Gorillas made strange noises. Chi-Chi looked out and saw a vast array of skeletons appearing outside the castle. Leading the skeletons, one wore heavy armor and wielded a broadsword, looking like a grand general, flanked by two huge skeletal giants. Chi-Chi recognized these skeletons. "These are Miss Alex''s troops!" She hadn''t seen so many skeletons at Alex''s castle before; it was like an army! As John entered Chi-Chi''s territory, she checked their levels and was shocked again. The two skeletal giants were not only Commanding level, but all the skeletons, even those Chi-Chi thought were just ordinary soldiers, were incredibly strong¡ªall one thousand skeletons were above level 5! "My God, are these really troops?" Chi-Chi turned to look at her eight monkeys: What are these things? The difference is too huge! Although somewhat disheartened, Chi-Chi''s worries vanished with Alex''s help; surviving the beast tide was no longer a problem for her. John led the skeletons to surround Chi-Chi''s castle. Compared to Alex''s, Chi-Chi''s castle was much smaller, and a thousand skeletons could defend it without any blind spots. As midnight approached, all Lords were ready for their final, desperate struggle. Time: 23:50 With the last ten minutes remaining, all Lords seemed unable to withstand the immense psychological pressure. Agony, fear, and even despair spread among the Lords. The World Chat became lively at this moment, perhaps as a way to relieve their immense stress, or maybe to say one last word. [Tunnel Rat]: "I don''t know if I can survive, if I''ll see tomorrow''s sun again." [Crow]: "Don''t talk like that, aren''t you a Tunnel Rat? If your castle is breached, you can just hide!" [CtrlAltDefeat]: "Sigh, I''m done for, see you all in the next life." [SirLaughsALot]: "Look on the bright side, maybe dying will let you exit the game and return to Earth." [Orc]: "Quick, say you want to live!" [QuartzStriker]: "I hope everyone survives!" [Sardine]: "This isn''t a game, it''s the real world, we can''t go back, everyone must survive!" With one minute left, Alex was already on top of the wall, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Today, Alex wasn''t wearing a skirt to facilitate movement. All her troops were fighting outside; she wouldn''t cowardly stay inside the castle. She planned to personally join the battle and keep the beast tide outside the walls. Alex noticed the protective shield in front of her beginning to flicker. As time drew closer, the flickering became more frequent, like a light bulb about to burn out. Time: 0:00 As the protective shield flickered rapidly, it finally vanished completely. At this moment, all Lords lost their last line of defense and faced the harsh realities of Eldoria. The upcoming beast tide would be the first step for all Lords transitioning from novices to participants in the All-Races Battle Royale! Chapter 73 - 73: Beast tide (2) Thud, thud, thud! The ground trembled as if a mighty army was charging forward. All the undead, including Alex standing on the wall, stared intently ahead at this moment. As the clock struck midnight, all the mists of Eldoria dissipated, confirming that these mists existed because of the Lords, not as a natural feature of Eldoria itself. Alex scanned the horizon, now clear. From nowhere, a dense horde of beasts had appeared, surrounding the castle. These included armored rhinos, giant black gorillas over ten feet tall, colorful pythons, and even some massive mammoths. These were just the creatures Alex could identify; many more bizarre and unknown species were present, all with eyes glowing red, seemingly driven mad, launching a fierce assault on Alex''s castle. Giant birds in the sky shot beams of light, and flocks of crows executed kamikaze attacks on Alex''s castle. "Kill!" Alex raised her hand and shouted commandingly. If this was all the beast tide had to offer, Alex would be profoundly disappointed. The creatures were merely Standard level; not even a Commanding level beast was in sight. In contrast, Alex''s forces were formidable. The sky above the castle was filled with hundreds of gargoyles flapping their wings, hundreds of ethereal specters floating around, and even a dozen bone dragons. The ground teemed with thousands of various undead¡ªbone beast werewolves, Skeleton Soldiers, zombies, and death conquerors. This was the first time Alex had amassed such a large undead force at the castle, a scene far more awe-inspiring than the beast tide itself. Beast tide? A joke! Alex scoffed coldly, ready to show these beasts what a real undead tide looked like. No need for defense; an offensive strike was more fitting. As the forefront of the beast tide approached, the undead clashed with the horde. The beasts seemed formidable but couldn''t even break through the undead''s ground blockade, not to mention that Alex''s aerial undead forces were the main strength. Standing on the wall, Alex looked up to see more magical beasts rushing down from the snowy mountain in the distance. She turned to see the same happening in the Dark Forest behind her. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It seemed this beast tide was not as simple as she had thought. The initial wave was probably what all Lords faced, a standard beast tide, but what followed likely varied based on the castle''s location and the Lord''s overall strength. Alex unleashed fire magic from the wall, attacking the magical beasts in the sky. After using about a third of her Mana Points, she pulled out her scythe and used dark magic to teleport directly from the wall to the ground. The beast tide was not particularly strong, providing Alex with a perfect opportunity to hone her combat skills. Moreover, using her scythe to kill beasts would directly transform them into undead, while other beast corpses were summoned by the necromancers on the wall. As the battle continued, Alex''s undead army only grew larger. For some Lords, the beast tide might be a disaster, but for Alex, it was an excellent opportunity to grow stronger. Beasts below level 9 were transformed into bone beasts by Alex, while those below were summoned as regular undead. These beasts, all below level 9, fell easily under Alex''s enhanced abilities from the Bone Throne and her scythe''s double properties¡ªalmost like slicing through butter. At this moment, Alex was merely using her scythe for basic attacks, not even needing to resort to magic. The beast tide stood no chance. Alex could only kill one beast at a time, but Arthur was merciless. His Withering Space skill instantly annihilated swathes of magical beasts. As magical beasts from the Frostwind snowy mountain and the Dark Forest, two major forbidden areas, joined the fray, the overall strength of the beasts increased. Now at Commanding level, Alex led the undead from the rear on her own. A massive white bear charged at Alex, its powerful swipe shattering Skeleton Warriors on either side. The bear, with eyes blazing red, lacked intelligence like a typical beast, relying solely on brute force. As the bear swiped at Alex, she deftly dodged and countered with her flaming scythe. Tingling! The bear, momentarily confused by the sound from the scythe, paused, its red eyes flickering with doubt. Why am I here? Why am I fighting this girl? Before it could ponder further, Alex''s scythe slashed a massive wound on its side, the flames charring the flesh. In pain, the bear swiped at Alex again. Bang! The force created a crack in the ground, but Alex had already vanished. The bear noticed a red magic circle under its feet, too late to react as a towering pillar of fire engulfed it. Then, several black spears flew into the flames, impaling the bear. The pain of the soul-piercing spears brought the bear fully to its senses, its eyes clearing of red as it tried to speak. But the surrounding flames vanished, the magic circle turned gray, and the bear, impaled and burning with eerie black flames, was overwhelmed. The bear felt its life force rapidly draining. Yes, this gray magic circle was Alex''s Undead Summoning Magic. Alex had been under the misconception that it could only be used on corpses, thinking it was a non-damaging skill. What if it was used on living beings? The answer was now clear: while living beings couldn''t be summoned, their life force would rapidly decay until death. This meant that Undead Summoning Magic could indeed harm living beings, with a slight restraining effect to prevent escape from the magic circle. A healthy bear might have broken free instantly, but now, severely injured, it couldn''t escape. It could only wait to die quietly within the summoning circle. As the bear died within the circle, a massive Skeletal Demon emerged and joined the battlefield, charging at the surrounding beasts. Alex couldn''t double summon from this beast because her current level of Undead Summoning Magic didn''t allow for doubling Commanding level corpses¡ªonly one could be summoned. [Congratulations Lord, you have killed a level 1 Winter Ice Bear, gaining 240 experience points.] Nighttime double experience¡ªwhat a thrill! With so many beasts, it was exhilarating! Chapter 74 - 74: Your most loyal subjects have come to see the Queen With so many beasts tonight, leveling up should be a breeze, and with the addition of the beast from Chi-Chi''s side, Alex''s level could rise by at least two. A level 1 Commanding beast was easily taken down by Alex, who is now a level 2 Commanding herself. With the enhancement from her scythe, she faced almost no pressure. It''s just that she used up a bit too many Mana Points, but for the sake of resolving the battle more quickly, it''s understandable. Right now, outside Chi-Chi''s castle, with John''s help, handling the beast tide has become incredibly easy. Even the second, more intense wave of the beast tide, which only brought some beasts from the Dark Forest, posed no challenge at all. Chi-Chi, of course, knew that if it weren''t for Alex, she would have been killed by the beasts by now. Several Red Blood Gorillas were also not idle; they were outside helping Alex''s troops fight, and although their impact was minimal, at least they felt involved. In Sophie''s castle, Sophie anxiously watched a group of dwarves, clad in armor, fighting the beasts outside. Just as Sophie had guessed, her castle was surrounded by mountains, posing no real danger, so the beast tide was just the basic level, without even a single Commanding level beast. Due to its remote location, the number of ordinary beasts in this tide was much fewer than that faced by other Lords. But the dwarves are not undead; many of them died in battle despite wearing armor. They were originally refugees, having suffered oppression and hunger before fleeing here. Sophie provided them with food and drink, and they only had to work eight hours a day. Being a wise race, they felt respected by Sophie here. These commoners didn''t care about extraterrestrial visitors; they only knew that the human woman in the castle behind them had helped them in their most difficult times. Now that she was in trouble, these dwarves were ready to risk their lives to protect her. Sophie watched the brave dwarves fall one by one in front of her, feeling indescribably sad, but she was too weak to help. This was a cruel battlefield, and Sophie understood that a Lord like herself couldn''t survive without relying on others. The beast tide was just a way to force out Lords like her, and being forced out meant death. Meanwhile, similar scenes were unfolding around the world. Beasts rampaged through the gates of castles, leaving only corpses of troops inside. "No!" A beast tore a Lord into pieces, and at that moment, the castle began to fade as if it had never existed. Except for the remains and bloodstains on the ground, there was nothing to show that a great battle had taken place here. As the castle vanished, the beasts also came to their senses and began to wander back to their own territories. At the Lava Volcano, Lord Cain of the Flame Spirits had successfully destroyed a salamander lair before the beast tide arrived. He had also reached the Commanding level, mastering an ability to transform himself into flames, allowing for rapid movement and immunity to physical damage. Compared to mages who control fire to cast fire magic, the flames seemed like an innate ability of Cain, making it more intuitive for him to use than for mages. Simply put, while mages control fire, Cain himself is fire. The Flame Spirits did not disappoint, and during Cain''s extermination of the salamander lair, they collected several hundred Essence Shards. Cain summoned all his troops, and several Flame Spirits also broke through to the Commanding level due to the experience gained from destroying the lair. They transformed into ten-foot-tall, floating fire giants. Under the attack of the Flame Spirits, the beast tide turned into roasted meat. Even the beasts on the Lava Volcano posed no challenge for Cain. On the other side of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains, Lord Lucian of the Draculas also found the beast tide easy to handle, with over two thousand vampires overwhelmingly crushing the beasts. Lucian''s top vampire general, Lester, had absorbed the bodies of fifteen hundred werewolves and reached the level 4 Commanding level. He was currently battling a Commanding level Flame Demon Wolf that emerged from the Frostwind Snowy Mountains. The Flame Demon Wolf, like the Frost Sprites, was active only at night in the Frostwind Snowy Mountains, spending most of the day in caves. Fortunately, there were caves near Lucian''s snowy mountain, and the night''s beast tide had successfully summoned them. This was the first time Lucian learned that in such harsh and cold conditions of the Frostwind Snowy Mountains, there existed Flame Demon Wolves that used fire magic. Although called Flame Demon Wolves, they were not in wolf form but rather in werewolf form, with red fur and black limbs, a black cloak over their heads, and their bodies covered in faint flames. The Flame Demon Wolf was at level 3 Commanding, and it struggled a bit against the level 4 Commanding vampire. But at that moment, the Flame Demon Wolf had lost its rationality, its claws continuously spewing flames, scorching the surrounding vampires and causing widespread destruction. The vampires had once slashed through the Flame Demon Wolf''s skin, but like a mummy, it bled not a drop. Even though the Flame Demon Wolf had double attributes at night, the vampires were also nocturnal creatures, similarly enhanced at night. Even so, the level 3 Flame Demon Wolf still firmly entangled the level 4 vampire, giving the vampire no chance to kill it alone. Suddenly, a huge black cloth appeared above the Flame Demon Wolf, enveloping it completely. Instantly wrapped up, the Flame Demon Wolf''s body burst into huge flames, but the black cloth was unaffected. Soon, the flames on the Flame Demon Wolf gradually extinguished, and it was tightly bound, unable to move. The black cloth was Lucian''s weapon. The level 4 vampire seized the opportunity and directly killed the bound Flame Demon Wolf. ==== Alex wielded her scythe, reaping the lives of the beasts as their numbers dwindled and the undead grew in number. The beasts, no match for the undead army, were increasingly on the defensive. Suddenly, from behind the beasts, a black bird-like creature swooped low and fast towards Alex. Fighting at night without night vision was a disadvantage for Alex, but upon hearing a warning from a necromancer above, she instantly activated her left eye, enhancing her senses. She immediately detected an approaching creature and, using her night vision, saw it clearly: a muscular humanoid body with a dog''s head and a pair of black wings granting it the ability to fly. Its entire body, including its skin, was black, and it wielded two objects resembling a scepter and a magic wand¡ªlikely its weapons. In an instant, the black dog-headed bird creature attacked, and Alex''s scythe burst into flames, illuminating the surroundings. With her heightened senses, Alex deftly dodged the bird creature''s attack. Upon seeing Alex''s left eye up close, the creature regained its clarity, stopped its attack, and a look of shock appeared on its dog face. The scythe swiftly struck the bird creature''s body. Strangely, the flames on the scythe were completely absorbed by the creature, and the wounds inflicted by the scythe began to heal. Alex felt the creature''s aura strengthen slightly after absorbing her fire magic. What was this creature? It was Alex''s first encounter with such a bizarre being. The bird creature, still in a dazed state, sensed the noble aura and power emanating from Alex. It immediately landed and knelt on one knee before her. "I have seen the Queen, my apologies for the offense, please punish me, Your Majesty!" it said, bowing its head even lower. What? What was happening? Alex was baffled, not understanding the situation at all. Seeing that Alex harbored no intention of blaming it, the bird creature''s dog head seemed to relax. It quickly flapped its wings and flew up, its eerie voice echoing across the battlefield, "The Queen has emerged, the undead race shall unite, submit swiftly!" A commotion arose from behind the beast tide; one by one, dozens, then hundreds of bird creatures flew from the rear. Not just in the sky, but even on the ground behind, there was disturbance. Alex, through her left eye, saw these ground-crawling creatures: humanoid, with legs like pig''s trotters, hunched backs, but walking upright on two legs, their hands large claws, their bodies covered in fungi. Before they even reached Alex, she could smell the foul odor emanating from them, due to their bodies being covered in fungi and their flesh highly decomposed, with bits of meat even falling off as they moved. What were these disgusting creatures? They were nearly as numerous as the dog-headed bird creatures. Both types of creatures approached Alex, seemingly sensing the aura she emitted. The disgusting creatures immediately knelt on all fours, and the bird creatures also landed and knelt. "Your most loyal subjects have come to see the Queen," they declared. Wait, Alex realized something. Only the undead would refer to her as "Queen," combined with the bird creature''s words and its strange abilities. So, these disgusting creatures and the group of bird creatures were all undead! Eldoria had other undead beings, but from the bird creature''s words, it seemed they had been scattered. It wasn''t that Alex was the only one summoning undead race troops, indicating that there were no other undead beings on Eldoria. There were others, but not many, mainly because there were too many types of undead. These native undead might have once been glorious, but now, for some unknown reason, they had fragmented and were fighting each other, their status essentially at the bottom of Eldoria''s hierarchy. According to the bird creature, the undead race once had a king, and after his death, the undead race fragmented into several smaller factions. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Kill all these beasts!" Alex commanded the more than two hundred undead who had submitted to her. These creatures immediately turned against the beast tide, attacking the surrounding beasts. Alex teleported to the top of the wall, sheathing her scythe. The beasts had stopped appearing. Alex glanced at the time. 00:45 In another fifteen minutes, these beasts would likely be slaughtered by her undead army. Alex still didn''t know what races these two types of undead were. She accessed the system dashboard to check. [Destroyer] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv2 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 100] [Strength: 65] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 70] [Maximum Growth: Emperor level] [Active Skill: Magic Devour] Magic Devour: Absorbs magic to strengthen oneself, initial mana at 0, when Mana Points reach 100, can advance and release the skill again, magic explosion. [Passive Skill: Magic Immunity] Chapter 75 - 75: Zombie Titan So strong! No wonder the fire magic she hit it with had no effect; it had been absorbed. Destroyers, with a life attribute cap at the Emperor level, over a hundred with the potential to reach Emperor level¡ªthis was Alex''s biggest gain this time! Among all Destrotyers, only one Destroyer was at the Commanding level, the one that had just attacked Alex. Alex had always seen in the World Chat that Lords had troops coming to join them, and today, it finally happened to her. [Ghoul] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 0] [Strength: 28] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 20] [Maximum Growth: King level] So, they were called Ghouls. None of the ghouls were at the Commanding level, so Alex randomly checked a level 5 for information. The conclusion was that they were quite ordinary. Too ordinary, indeed. Although their growth cap was the same King level as gargoyles, they had no special abilities, only describable as lackluster. Ghouls felt to Alex like a lower version of gargoyles, and crucially, they couldn''t even fly. "Can''t fly, and they''re so disgusting, ugh!" Of course, Alex just inwardly despised them a bit. After all, these ghouls had come to join her, and perhaps the Commanding level ones might have skills. ... After slaying so many beasts and gaining double the experience, Alex finally leveled up again. She felt that ever since she reached the Commanding level, the pace of her leveling had slowed considerably. Time: 01:00 AM Nearly all the beasts had been eradicated by Alex''s undead army. The beast tide was almost over, and the eyes of the remaining wild beasts suddenly returned to normal, no longer the eerie crimson, indicating they had regained their senses. All the wild animals and beasts began to turn away, losing interest in Alex''s castle. Some of the beasts, now rational, even showed a hint of fear in their eyes. They fled in panic, crashing through numerous trees. It seemed the beast tide was a system-designed purge to eliminate unfit Lords, forcibly controlling these beasts to follow a set program. This caused them to lose their sanity completely and attack all Lords indiscriminately. Alex returned to the bathroom in her castle, covered in blood from the battle, needing a wash. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She took a cold shower, the cool water on her skin providing immense relief and reducing the fatigue from the battle. After a quick shower, wrapped in a towel, Alex headed to her bedroom to change into clean clothes. She stepped out of the castle; the battle outside was over. She needed to summon today''s troops first, then deal with the corpses outside¡ªthere was much to do. [Undead crystal fully charged, ready to summon!] "Summon." A pale green light filled the room, and a massive figure materialized out of nowhere, instantly capturing Alex''s attention. Standing nearly sixty-six feet tall with robust limbs and somewhat human-like features, its gray skin and eye sockets devoid of eyeballs but burning with green flames made it imposing. A giant! That was Alex''s first thought, and being an undead, it could only be a zombie titan. Alex could hardly imagine the sheer scale of destruction this creature could cause, even without any special abilities. Among the other twenty-nine undead, there were ten necromancers¡ªwell done! There was also one bone dragon and one ghost dragon; the rest were lower-tier undead. "Greetings, Queen." "First, go to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement," Alex instructed the undead. Ten minutes later, after the enhancements were complete, Alex checked the attributes of the zombie titan. [Zombie Titan] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 30] [Strength: 12+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 8+10] [Maximum Growth: Emperor level] [Skills: Flame Body, Ice Body] [Enhancement Effect: Physical body significantly strengthened, reducing the mana consumption of body skills, all attributes +10 points.] This zombie titan was incredibly powerful! Likely one of the highest single-entity attributes, aside from Arthur, John, and Ice Cream. With a base Strength of over twelve points, enhanced by an additional ten points, Alex also reviewed the titan''s two skills, both enhancement types but with different attributes, continuously consuming Mana Points until depleted. The appearance rate of the zombie titan was quite low, much lower than other troops. If Alex could summon zombie titans as easily as skeleton soldiers, she felt she could sweep across the continent of Eldoria! Alas, it wasn''t feasible; zombie titans couldn''t fly, a significant drawback. Alex directed the undead on the wall to transport the beasts'' corpses, all within the town''s territorial range, with twenty necromancers beginning the lengthy summoning process. Alex also chose to directly summon some of the more powerful beasts into bone beasts. The siege on the castle this time wasn''t large, just over seven thousand beasts, bolstered by those from the Dark Forest and Frostwind Snowy Mountains. Alex estimated that a typical Lord''s beast tide ranged from three to five thousand, depending on the situation. She glanced at the time: 1:30 AM. Most Lords'' beast tides would have ended by this time, but the World Chat was eerily quiet. Perhaps everyone was still reveling in the joy of survival, or maybe they were busy clearing resources. At Chi-Chi''s castle, John had also eradicated all the beast tide. John had successfully leveraged the beast tide and the double experience at night to reach the Commanding level. John was directing skeletons to transport corpses, while Chi-Chi showed a slight smile of relief in her castle. Her castle, not far from Alex''s, faced a much smaller beast tide of just over three thousand beasts, likely due to her distance from the snowy mountains and weaker strength. John began leading skeletons to transport the beasts'' corpses back to Alex''s castle. Standing on the wall, watching the busy undead below, Alex finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew¡ª" "The beast tide is finally over; now onto the next journey!" Chapter 76 - 76: Sophies Submission Alex opened the dashboard to check her current stats. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv3 Commanding level (personal and troops can increase by killing enemies)] [Territory Level: lv1 town] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: 300] [Mana Points: 150] [Strength: 77] [Stamina: 72] [Agility: 76] After tonight''s beast tide, Alex had indeed leveled up twice! Although her current attributes are strong among ordinary Commanding levels, they still fall short compared to some of the more powerful Commanding levels. She''s about upper-middle tier. However, while her attributes aren''t outstanding, her equipment provides significant bonuses! This beast tide was both an opportunity and a disaster. For some weaker Lords, it could have been catastrophic, but for top-tier Lords, it was a feast. With Alex''s current strength, plus her numerous undead army, she was nearly invincible. However, her castle is surrounded by forbidden areas, and there are many stronger beings above the Commanding level, so she still needs to keep a low profile and not get too arrogant. ... Alex stood on the wall; feeling somewhat puzzled at that moment. Wasn''t there supposed to be a reward after the beast tide ends? It''s already 2 AM, why hasn''t there been a notification of the end? Alex opened the system leaderboard to check, and there were only twenty-one hours left on the leaderboard timer. She guessed that the rewards might be announced after the leaderboard countdown ends. While checking the leaderboard, Alex noticed that many Lords who were previously shown as online had turned gray. They had permanently gone offline, completely dead. In this beast tide, the top-tier Lords hardly had any offline, but from the second tier down to the fifth, the number of grayed-out Lords increased significantly. Alex didn''t need to think about it; these were the Lords who had died, and the number was much more staggering than she had anticipated, with a death rate close to seventy percent in the fifth tier. Looking around, more than half of the Lord names were gray. In contrast, there were virtually no gray names among the T0-T1 tier Lords. Lords in the World Chat also started to become active, celebrating the joy of surviving the beast tide. [Chatgpt-9]: "Hahaha, I actually survived!" [BlackTiger]: "Who would have thought, I actually made it!" [Biglemon]: "Although my troops all died, at least I survived. But now I''m the only one left in my castle..." [Rex]: "Tremble, everyone, from now on you are all my enemies. I''m starting an All-Races Battle Royale, hahaha..." [BigEarBull]: "Is the guy upstairs stupid? Got shocked?" Alex glanced at the World Chat, ignoring these Lords spamming crazily, and prepared to go back to sleep. The corpses outside could be slowly summoned by the necromancers; after all, their stamina is infinite, and they never tire. On her way back to the castle, Alex encountered a Destroyer and inquired about the origins of these creatures. As for the Ghouls, she decided not to bother since they couldn''t speak and wouldn''t be able to provide any information. Through some communication and understanding, Alex roughly figured out that both the Destroyers and Ghouls came from the Dark Forest. This forest was teeming with various wild animals and beasts, as well as some high-level intelligent races that had fled from other continents to seek refuge in the Dark Forest. The depths of the Dark Forest were very mysterious, and even the Destroyers didn''t know what lay at the deepest part; they only dared to linger on the outskirts. According to the Destroyers, Alex guessed that there must be an extraordinary powerhouse in the deepest part of the forest, and the danger level was very high, which is why it was called a forbidden area by weaker creatures. So far, the Destroyers hadn''t encountered any undead other than Ghouls, so Alex''s idea of recruiting other undead creatures through diplomatic means fell through. The beast tide was over, and a new journey began, leading to the brutal All-Races Battle Royale. To enhance her strength, Alex felt it was time to explore the Frostwind Snowy Mountain and the Dark Forest. She could send aerial forces to the snowy mountain, as its rugged terrain was unsuitable for ground undead forces. The ground undead forces would head to the outskirts of the Dark Forest to deal with lower-level Commanding creatures. Alex reorganized her undead forces, sending the air force to the snowy mountain and the ground forces to the forest, leaving some to do the heavy lifting, assisting the necromancers in summoning undead and transporting bodies. Of course, the logging and stone mining couldn''t stop; Alex still needed a lot of resources to upgrade her castle. Adhering to the principle of not wasting, Alex ordered the Destroyers and Ghouls to return to their old haunts to start moving. This wild undead force from the Dark Forest, numbering over two hundred, including Commanding level leaders, couldn''t possibly have nothing; they must have some assets. After arranging everything, Alex went to her bedroom, took off her clothes, including her panties. The clothes she took off were thrown directly into the wardrobe; the next time she wore them, they would be as good as new. Alex walked naked to the kitchen and gulped down several sips of water, alleviating her thirst somewhat. As she was about to return to her bedroom, she received a system notification. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I don''t want to struggle anymore, I want to submit to you!" [Hamburger]: "What?" ... Sophie''s beast tide had ended, with over twenty dwarves dead and several severely injured, currently being cared for by other dwarves. But the dwarves had also gained a lot, with several reaching lv9 and one breaking through to the Commanding level. If not for this Commanding level dwarf turning the tide, Sophie felt her castle might have been breached by the frenzied beasts. Sophie felt sad; she realized her strength was too weak. At the same time, she felt this world was too cruel. Why had she been so unlucky to be transported to this world to participate in some damn All-Races Battle Royale? Sophie had no ambitions for domination, nor did she have the strength; her survival was a big problem. After a few days of interaction, Sophie found Alex to be quite nice, and since she was also a girl, Sophie made a bold decision. She would submit to Alex! ... [QuartzStriker]: "My dwarf troops are really weak in combat, summoning twenty a day, only one hundred and forty in seven days. If not for the dwarves who joined me, I might be dead by now. After the beast tide, I truly realized how cruel this world is. Relying on dwarves alone, I can''t survive. You are a powerful Lord without this worry, but I can''t, I''m afraid of dying. The dwarves are also very kind to me; apart from being a bit short, they are almost no different from normal humans. They talk to me, feel pain, and die. These days, I''ve treated them as humans because I gave them food, and they would even risk their lives to kill the invading beasts, even if they were severely injured and couldn''t get up. But seeing me still alive, they still smile. I don''t want them to die, nor do I want to die. I want to submit to you and become your territory. This is a well-considered decision, and I hope you will consider it." Damn, Alex wasn''t paying attention, and Sophie directly sent such a long text. Alex skimmed through it. Wait, submit to me?! Are you serious? Alex had never seen anyone voluntarily submit before. Submission is entirely one-sided. If you encounter some bad Lords, there''s absolutely no bottom line. Not only would they drain Sophie of all her value, but they might even sell her as a sex slave to other Lords. So, unless driven to desperation, who would willingly hand over their life to someone else? Alex guessed that Sophie must be feeling desperate right now. For her, it''s because she''s afraid of dying that she''s gambling on submitting to Alex. If Alex were a bad person, it would just be a different way to die, and Sophie''s situation wouldn''t change at all. But at least it would be more dignified than being bitten to death by beasts. If she''s lucky and Alex is a good person, then her chances of surviving on Eldoria would greatly increase. Sophie knew that her role was very important to Alex now. If she waited until later to submit, her usefulness might be negligible, and why would Alex accept her, a useless waste? So, after careful consideration, Sophie decided to submit to Alex. [Hamburger]: "This is no joke, are you sure you''ve thought it through?" Sophie''s role was still very important to Alex at the moment, and since she chose to submit voluntarily, Alex had no reason to refuse. Seeing Alex''s reply, Sophie knew the other party would definitely agree, and her nervous mood eased a lot. [QuartzStriker]: "I''ve thought it through, either way, I''m dead. Following you is my only way out!" [Hamburger]: "Okay." Alex just replied with an okay, giving Sophie a glimpse of hope. Sophie quickly clicked on the [Submit] feature above her friend''s list. [You have joined an Alliance, you cannot initiate [Submission] to other Lords!] Seeing this message, Sophie thought about it and decided to talk to Alex before dissolving the Alliance. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, I need to dissolve the Alliance first before I can initiate Submission. I''ll dissolve the Alliance first." [Hamburger]: "Okay." Alex replied to Sophie, seeing from her words that a Lord who submits cannot be part of an Alliance. A submitting Lord has lost sovereignty and thus also loses the power to form alliances with other Lords. Conversely, those in an Alliance can at least be sure that their teammates are not another Lord''s territory. But there''s no limit to the number of territories; an Alliance of up to five Lords can have countless territories. [Your ally [QuartzStriker] has dissolved the Alliance with you. Since there is only one Lord left in the Alliance, the Alliance is automatically dissolved.] Dissolving the Alliance didn''t involve reclaiming anything; the two hadn''t borrowed anything from each other, it was just a very ordinary transaction between Lords. [Lord [QuartzStriker] has initiated Submission to you!] Alex clicked agree, and both started writing their names on it. The contract was successfully generated, and Alex''s system territory dashboard also added a new Lord. [Territory Lord: Sophie] [Strength: lv8 Standard] S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Territory Level: lv9 initial castle] [Barracks Level: lv3 dwarf crystal] [Special Buildings: Furnace, Blacksmith Shop] [Troops: dwarf (artisan, warrior)] [Equipment: none] ... [Hamburger]: "Alright, it''s late, rest now." Sophie replied to Alex, noticing a new belonging feature on her system dashboard. Sophie opened it and saw some basic information about Alex. [Belonging Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv3 Commanding level] [Territory Level: lv1 town] [Barracks Level: lv9 undead crystal] [Number of Special Buildings: 7] [Troops: undead race (unique troops)] [Number of Equipments: 1] Sophie had always been curious about Alex''s troops, wanting to know what kind of troops made Alex so strong. As for Alex''s lv3 Commanding level strength and the upgrade to town information, Sophie wasn''t too surprised. Alex is a Big Shot; if she wasn''t stronger than Sophie, could she be called a Big Shot? "Undead?" Sophie''s first thought was of a bunch of slow-moving, clumsy skeletons that couldn''t hit anyone and would fall apart if hit. Could these skeletons be that strong? "Unique means only Alex can summon undead?" Wait, the system said undead, not skeletons. Sophie suddenly realized, could Alex be able to summon the entire Undead Race? This would explain why Alex was so strong. Actually, Sophie''s understanding of undead was too one-sided. Even if Alex relied solely on skeletons and their variants, she could still comfortably sit in the first tier. But if she could control the entire undead race, she would undoubtedly become an even stronger presence! Alex sent a message to Sophie and then ignored it. She lay down on the bed, ready to sleep. Ah, there''s no helping it, sleeping naked had become a habit. That''s it for today. Chapter 77 - 77: Elemental Alliance At 3 AM, as Alex and Sophie, among others, drifted into sleep, all the Lords who survived the beast tide began to trend towards one thing: forming Alliances! Nearly all the surviving Lords had barely withstood the beast tide, much like Sophie, and had come to a clear realization about their own strength¡ªthey were too weak! So, other than increasing their own strength, was there another way to become stronger? Yes, forming Alliances. Alliances became the go-to choice for all weaker Lords. Although an Alliance could only have up to five members, the resource sharing and mutual support among them could greatly enhance the Lords'' sense of security. From the moment the first Lord suggested this idea in the World Chat, it completely ignited the enthusiasm of all Lords. The World Chat was abuzz with one topic: finding teammates to form Alliances! They even increased the conditions for joining and the penalties for leaving an Alliance to prevent members from leaving casually. Of course, these restrictions were part of a contract agreed upon by all members of the Alliance, enforced by the system, making it impossible not to comply. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the Lava Volcano, Cain was still tallying his spoils from the beast tide. Due to his castle''s location at the volcano, most of the beasts that attacked his castle were native fire-element creatures from the volcano itself. Of the four thousand beasts that participated in the attack, more than half were from the volcano, and their strength was at level 5 or above. Based on the drop rate of Essence Shards from level 5 and above beasts, the bodies of over two thousand level 5 beasts could drop around a thousand Essence Shards. A thousand Essence Shards could allow Cain to summon a thousand flame spirits, multiplying his strength many times over. Even the usually expressionless Cain showed a rare smile. Since Cain''s troops consisted only of flame spirits, after several upgrades to his Barracks, not only did the daily summoning quantity of flame spirits increase, but their base level did as well. Cain placed all the Essence Shards into a magma pool inside his castle, a special building similar to Alex''s Blackwater AltarFeature. This building could transform Essence Shards into flame spirits and was connected to the Barracks crystal, meaning that as the Barracks increased the base level of summoning flame spirits, the level of flame spirits Cain summoned himself would also increase. This indeed could bring a significant boost to Cain''s strength. As for the biggest threat on the volcano, the lava dragon, it had mysteriously awakened from its slumber a few days ago, roared, and then flew away from the volcano. It had not returned since. Watching the continuously emerging flame spirits, Cain''s confidence soared. Just as Cain was about to go to sleep, the system suddenly popped up a message. Somewhat puzzled, Cain opened it¡ªit was a friend request. "[Ice Queen]?" Cain didn''t understand why this person was adding him as a friend. He accepted the friend request, thinking this person might need something from him or something else. [Flame Spirit]: "What''s up?" [Ice Queen]: "Hello Big Shot, are you interested in joining an Alliance? We already have four Lords in our Alliance, all from the second tier, and we''re looking for a top-tier Lord from the first tier to join us. Are you interested?" Being in the top thousand, Cain was skeptical about being specifically chosen. [Flame Spirit]: "Why me?" Seeing Cain''s curiosity, the Ice Queen sensed a glimmer of hope and decided to reveal more details. [Ice Queen]: "Big Shot, to be honest, among all the Lords in the first tier, only your troops seem to be elemental beings." [Flame Spirit]: "Because of the name of my castle?" [Ice Queen]: "Not to hide anything from you, all three of my current allies and I command troops of elemental beings." Cain was genuinely intrigued by how these four Lords, all summoning elemental beings, had managed to come together. The Ice Queen and her allies were confident in their first-tier strength, but unfortunately, the leaderboard only had a thousand spots. They believed it was just bad luck that pushed them into the second tier. Even if not, they were among the top combatants in the second tier. [Ice Queen]: "Big Shot, I believe you''ve made a preliminary judgment about our strength. If you''re willing to join, we''d be honored to have you as our Leader." The Ice Queen was very sincere, and she was confident that Cain''s troops were elemental beings. Based on the strength of troops that summon elemental beings, they should be at least in the second tier, if not the first. Out of ten thousand in the second tier, the Ice Queen had reviewed them all and even conversed with a few suspicious Lords. None fit the criteria, so they must be in the first tier, and the only one who fit the name criteria there was Cain. After some thought, Cain realized the Ice Queen was right. Indeed, if they were all elemental beings, it would be greatly beneficial for him. The features of an Alliance surely weren''t limited to what was currently shown; there must be more functions that hadn''t been displayed yet. That meant only one thing: their current castle levels were too low to unlock the corresponding features. [Flame Spirit]: "I agree, an Alliance would indeed be very helpful under the current circumstances." [Ice Queen]: "Praise the Elemental Gods, this is truly our honor." Following that, the Ice Queen added Cain to the Alliance, and Cain''s World Chat channel now included an option for Alliance chat. [Ice Queen]: "@All members, Big Shot has arrived. Let''s all introduce ourselves to [Flame Spirit] and get familiar with each other''s troops." To Cain''s surprise, aside from the Ice Queen, the other three members were also awake. [Earth Lord]: "Hello Big Shot, my troops are earth monsters, and my castle is located within a human empire in the Barren Plains of Eldoria continent." [Vine Fairy]: "Sir, my troops are tree spirits, and my castle is in a forest on the Bodel continent. I''m so envious that you all are in the same place." [Wind Fury]: "My troops are wind spirits, and my castle is in the Wolf Valley of Eldoria continent." [Ice Queen]: "I summon snow maidens, probably the only high-intelligence beings among us. My castle is in the Frostwind Snowy Mountain of Eldoria continent." As everyone introduced themselves, Cain got a better understanding of their troops, and their names indeed sounded like elemental beings. [Flame Spirit]: "Just as the Ice Queen guessed, my troops are flame spirits, and my castle is in the Lava Volcano of Eldoria continent." [Vine Fairy]: "Wow, one of you is in the snowy mountain and the other in a volcano, how romantic." [Ice Queen]: "It''s been a bit unsafe here recently. There are always vampires and gargoyles appearing on the snowy mountain, fighting on sight. If it weren''t for my snow maidens being immortal and able to hide in the ice and snow, they would have been killed countless times by now." [Flame Spirit]: "How come there are vampires and gargoyles on the snowy mountain? Those are two Lords'' troops, what''s their strength?" [Ice Queen]: "Both the vampires and the gargoyles are about as strong as me." Chapter 78 - 78: The castle of vampires [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] The next morning, Alex woke up from her sleep. Although the protective barrier had disappeared, the presence of the Specter Chandelier, along with the guard of her undead army, meant she wasn''t overly worried, such as fearing sleeplessness. It might also be the calming effect of the bedroom. As the saying goes, the most dangerous places are often the safest. Frostwind Snowy Mountain and Dark Forest are both dangerous, which paradoxically makes Alex''s location between them quite safe. Alex jumped out of bed, took her time choosing her outfit, and decided to start the beautiful day by dressing up. She chose a crop top white shirt paired with a strapless invisible bra, which made her breasts look even larger. She felt her breast size had increased by a size, though it was a bit tight, probably due to the push-up effect. For the bottom, she selected a black micro skirt, paired with plain white socks and cute little leather boots. After getting dressed, Alex prepared to check the supplies near the castle. Glancing down at her outfit, she noted humorously that her large breasts almost blocked her view of her feet. Alex teleported to the wall using dark magic, collecting the stone and wood from the castle along the way, netting 3k wood and 2k stone. During the day, Alex could see the entire battlefield below the wall more clearly. John had already led the skeleton army back, and the bodies were piled on the other side. The ground was littered with various limbs and entrails of wild beasts, the bodies already stacked together by the undead, but the severed limbs and spilled guts still remained on the battlefield. The ground was stained red and green, likely from the beasts'' blood. However, this scene was much milder compared to other Lords''. After all, in Alex''s undead army, only skeletons, zombies, and gargoyles directly tore apart and chopped up enemies. Specters, ghost dragons, and death conquerors mostly killed enemies with curses and soul attacks, leaving intact bodies, so it wasn''t as bloody. Even the bone dragons burned the beasts to a crisp. After a night of continuous summoning by the necromancers, three thousand beast bodies had been summoned, of various levels. These bodies piled up under the wall were an eyesore, so Alex chose to Disassemble them, gaining 1200 magic crystals, 5k food, 1k elite food, and 500 Essence Shards. Looking at these dropped resources, Alex felt somewhat disheartened. The beast tide had arrived at midnight, but there was no double drop! It seemed that the newbie protection period had ended, and the normal conditions had resumed after seven nights, with all wild monster kills no longer offering double drops. Wait, she distinctly remembered getting double experience last night when killing that ice bear! Alex opened the system dashboard, and indeed there was an announcement: [Congratulations to the Lords for successfully surviving the beast tide, officially starting the All-Races Battle Royale journey!] [From the eighth day onwards, the double drop from night beasts will change to normal drops, but the double attribute enhancement and double experience drop will still be retained (only effective against beasts below Monarch level).] Damn, Alex thought she was going to make a fortune with so many beasts yielding a large amount of magic crystals and Essence Shards. Instead, the benefits were halved. Fortunately, the double experience was still there. As for the settings below Monarch level, with Alex''s current capabilities, she didn''t need to worry about it. Alex thought about it; indeed, the surviving Lords wouldn''t necessarily kill all the beasts during the beast tide, but they would at least hold out until the end of the beast tide. By then, every Lord would definitely have magic crystals and Essence Shards, which would severely depreciate in value. With the end of the beast tide, all Lords'' strengths would rapidly develop. There were still seven thousand bodies left, and the necromancers could likely finish summoning them within a day and night, which was quite fast. "Hey, John actually made it to Commanding level, sweet." [Skeleton King (John)] [Race: undead race] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv1 (can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 150] [Strength: 120+10] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 80+10] [Maximum Growth: Divine level] [Active Skill: Skeleton Fall, Soul Siphon] [Passive Skill: Breakthrough, King''s Glory] King''s Glory: Skeletons fighting alongside the Skeleton King gain +5 to all attributes and faster reassembly. Although the description is simple, it''s a powerful supportive enhancement skill. Skeletons'' maximum level is only Commanding, so a comprehensive increase of five points in attributes is quite significant. Moreover, as long as John is nearby, this skill is always active. John is increasingly resembling a general. Alex also checked the other undead; most of the skeletons that could level up had done so, and the bone dragons had reached level 7. Most of the other undead were no longer upgradable. What was thought to be the weakest, the Skeleton Soldier, had become the strongest force in Alex''s undead army since John was summoned. The zombie titan had also reached level 8 overnight; just killing one high-level beast, along with the double experience, allowed for rapid level advancement. Early stages level up quickly, but it slows down later¡ªthere won''t be a second beast tide. At that moment, Alex saw a specter flying back towards the castle. This one had returned from the snowy mountain, and Alex knew without thinking that it was bringing a message. Alex prepared to return to the castle, as watching a bunch of corpses wasn''t particularly interesting. She teleported back inside using magic and approached the specter. "Respected Queen, the gargoyles have located the castle of those vampires." Lucian''s vampires, of course, couldn''t find Alex''s castle, as the Specter Chandelier is not just for show. Without Monarch level strength, the concealment effect cannot be penetrated. Instead, it was the encounters of the vampires and gargoyles on Frostwind Snowy Mountain that completely exposed Lucian''s vampire castle to Alex''s field of vision. Chapter 79 - 79: Lets head to snowy mountain At the same time, a red figure suddenly appeared inside Lucian''s castle. "My lord, the gargoyles have found our castle!" Lucian was startled. Hadn''t he ordered them to lead the gargoyles away? How had they still been discovered? It wasn''t a big deal that the enemy had discovered his castle; the real issue was that his own troops hadn''t managed to gather any information about the enemy''s castle. These gargoyles and the Lord girl from that night seemed to appear out of nowhere. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the vampires did bring back some good news; they had discovered the lair of the Flame Demon Wolf from last night''s beast tide. Lucian decided to eliminate them to quickly enhance his own strength, especially since the oppressive presence of Alex was still palpable, and now his own castle had been discovered. But the location of the cave was not as close to his castle as Lucian had guessed; it was still some distance away, leading him to suspect it was a different cave altogether. Lucian immediately set out with his vampires. But neither Alex nor Lucian had realized that another Lord was hidden within Frostwind Snowy Mountain¡ª[Ice Queen] Samson. Yes, Samson. Who would have thought that the Lord known as [Ice Queen] would be a burly man! Alex''s castle was located on the eastern side of the snowy mountain, while Lucian''s was on the western side outside the mountain, with the distance between them spanning the entire Frostwind Snowy Mountain. In the middle of Frostwind Snowy Mountain, between two mountains forming a valley, lay Samson''s castle, covered in snow and indeed difficult to detect. Other Lords'' castles were either built on the mountainside or at the summit, but only Samson''s castle was uniquely located. Samson''s troops, the snow maidens, were beings formed from ice and snow, resembling bird-like creatures. These beings had a woman''s head and body, with arms that were wings made of frost, and their feet were large bird claws. Although the snow maidens were beautiful, they were not humanoid, having lost their legs in exchange for bird claws, which were their main method of attack. These ice-elemental beings also had a combat bonus in Frostwind Snowy Mountain and could remain immortal as long as they were in an icy environment. This was snowy mountain, covered everywhere with ice and snow, and Samson believed his snow maidens were invincible here. While the combat power of the snow maidens was not strong, they were highly intelligent and known for their immortality. Samson thought that the two factions of gargoyles and vampire Lords were like him, second-tier Lords who had somehow become enemies, constantly seeking each other''s locations and fighting on sight. Samson felt that these two forces were much stronger than his own, but his snow maidens were renowned for their wisdom and immortality. Even though undead were hard to kill, Samson didn''t see this as a problem. If they couldn''t be killed, why not just freeze them solid? In such a cold mountainous region, was being sealed away any different from being dead? "My lord, a frost cave has been discovered!" Upon hearing this, Samson''s face lit up with joy. Frostwind Snowy Mountain had several frost caves, each containing valuable treasures, much like instances in games from a previous life. But the locations of these frost caves were extremely hard to find, and each one contained at least a few Commanding level beings. While the two Lords fought each other, Samson could quietly develop his strength in the dangerous Frostwind Snowy Mountain with his snow maidens. He even fantasized about making those two Lords submit to him, kissing his toes. "Let''s go!" Samson and his snow maidens transformed into a pile of snow and disappeared from sight. ... Meanwhile, Alex was still in her castle, listening to the specter''s report. "His castle is outside the western side of Frostwind Snowy Mountain?" Alex fell silent; this was going to be tricky. Not to mention the dangers of crossing Frostwind Snowy Mountain, just the distance alone was a challenge. Ice Cream, flying at full speed, would take over four hours to cross Frostwind Snowy Mountain, and Arthur would need five hours in the harsh mountain environment. The bone dragons and gargoyles would take about eight hours. Alex couldn''t possibly think that just bringing Arthur and Ice Cream, both Commanding level, would be enough to destroy the vampire''s castle. As top-tier Lords, the enemy''s castle must have at least seven or eight Commanding levels. Moreover, it was a special period, and Ice Cream couldn''t just leave casually; he had to keep a low profile. Without Ice Cream, her strongest level 5 force, Alex wasn''t 100% confident she could defeat the enemy. She couldn''t really lead her undead army on a long march, taking half a month to get there, could she? The longer they stayed in snowy mountain, the greater the risk of encountering danger. "Respected Queen, the gargoyles have also discovered a strange cave in snowy mountain. I''ve been inside to check it out, and through the walls, I saw some strange werewolves, mostly at Commanding level." Hmm? Could this be an instance? With only a few Commanding levels inside, and it being daytime when the dangers of snowy mountain are relatively lower, and the cave''s monsters not having double attribute enhancements, wasn''t this just delivering resources on a platter? There should be treasures inside the instance, right? This was definitely worth exploring. Alex would not miss any opportunity to grow stronger; she had to make good use of the resources around her. "Arthur, John, let''s go!" Since it was a cave, they definitely needed to enter it. Arthur''s size was too large, probably unable to fit. So, Alex chose to bring John, who had a normal human form and could definitely enter. Having John as the main force should be sufficient. After all, Alex''s own strength was not to be underestimated now. As for why she brought Arthur, it was purely to serve as a flying mount. Alex rode on Arthur, his bony neck still as uncomfortable as ever. Because John couldn''t fly, Alex specifically brought a level 8 bone dragon to carry John. "Let''s head to snowy mountain!" Arthur, carrying Alex, took flight directly from the castle into the sky, followed by John, who transformed into a dragon rider, riding a bone dragon behind the undead queen. Alex didn''t bring the specter, as it was too slow and would delay them. She had the specter point in a general direction; once they reached the approximate location in snowy mountain, other gargoyles would lead the way. The location of the frost cave was on the northern side of Frostwind Snowy Mountain, slightly on the outer edge, which also proved that the guards inside the cave wouldn''t be too strong. With Arthur''s flying speed, it would take just over an hour to reach the destination. Chapter 80 - 80: Snowy mountain melee The icy winds mixed with snow began to howl across Alex''s face. This time, entering the snowy mountain was during the day, not as harsh as the nighttime weather of the previous visit. Although Alex, high in the sky, still couldn''t open her eyes due to the blizzard, she knew it was because she was flying too fast. Daytime visibility was at least much better than at night. Suddenly, upon spotting a gargoyle ahead, Arthur stopped flying, and the two undead began to communicate. Taking advantage of this break, Alex observed the surrounding scenery of the snowy mountain. After the newbie protection period had passed, the mist had lifted, and she could see through the snow to the distance. The entire snowy mountain was white, filled with continuous mountain ranges, offering an absolutely soul-purifying breathtaking view. After about 2 minutes, the conversation between the two undead ended. The gargoyle pointed in a direction, and Arthur immediately flew full force towards it, with the bone dragon following behind. About twenty minutes later, they encountered a few more gargoyles along the way. Arthur flew all the way and stopped atop a snowy mountain. Alex noticed nothing unusual, feeling it was no different from the usual snowy mountains. "Arthur, is the cave here?" Alex asked, puzzled. "Yes, my queen, the first gargoyle we met pointed out this location," Arthur replied. Arthur began to descend, landing halfway up this snowy mountain where there was a flat area. Alex jumped down directly and discovered a cave entrance frozen by ice and snow halfway up the mountain. The entrance to the cave was very hidden; indeed, it was hard to spot from a distance. Just as Alex was about to shatter the ice at the entrance, she suddenly turned her head to the side. Five figures appeared out of nowhere¡ªit was Lucian and four Commanding level vampires. Lucian hadn''t expected the undead Lord to also be here. As soon as the two met, they didn''t exchange words and immediately started attacking each other. As the saying goes, sworn enemies dive straight into battle mode, no need for chatter. Alex thought, "This damn vampire, stealing so many werewolf corpses wasn''t enough, now he wants to take this cave too?" She used dark magic to teleport instantly, and a huge scythe appeared in her hand. The blade of the scythe, burning with flames, swung towards Lucian. Lucian clapped his hands over his ears, instantly becoming deaf. Then, Lucian''s nails grew long, and he met Alex''s strike. Alex didn''t expect him to be so decisive, turning himself into a deaf man, which made the bells on her scythe ineffective against him. However, it wasn''t a big problem; being cut by the scythe still inflicted soul damage. Arthur and the bone dragon took flight, spewing dragon''s breath at the other vampires, while John also came forward with a broadsword. The two sides instantly clashed into a melee. At that moment, on the other side of the snowy field, the snow began to stir and finally formed the bodies of Samson and eight snow maidens. Samson had just steadied himself when he was stunned, "What''s going on, are these two Lords fighting?" Samson quickly looked at the troops on both sides¡ªone side was vampires, but why weren''t there gargoyles on the other side, but a bone dragon instead? Three exclamation marks appeared above both Alex and Lucian''s heads. !!! In the midst of battle, Alex and Lucian suddenly turned towards Samson and his snow maidens. "Uh... haha... hello everyone? What a pleasant day today, what did you have for breakfast?" Samson laughed awkwardly. John and the opposing Commanding level vampire simultaneously stopped fighting and, as if by tacit agreement, directly attacked Samson. "Damn, did I offend you guys?!" Samson and his snow maidens were also forced into the battle. Among Lords, you''re either allies or mortal enemies, especially with another Lord stirring trouble. Even if Alex could tolerate it, Lucian couldn''t. John''s sword cut a snow maiden in half, but instead of blood, the body simply fell and merged with the snow on the ground, then regenerated elsewhere. A vampire also pierced a snow maiden with a palm strike, resulting in the same scenario as John''s side. Samson broke into a cold sweat; those two snow maidens were Commanding level, his most elite troops. Although snow maidens have immortal abilities in the snow, watching them being instantly killed by the opposing Commanding level was a bit too much for him. The two regenerated snow maidens immediately flew into the sky, and the vampires, not to be outdone, also took to the air. The snow maidens released a tornado, carrying a blizzard towards John. But before the attack reached John, it was smashed by Arthur''s massive body in the sky, forcibly interrupting the spell. "Are you kidding me?" Samson was stunned again; his snow maidens, although the most numerous on the field, couldn''t completely handle these skeletons and vampires. Even if they successfully froze the vampires'' limbs, the vampires would unhesitatingly chop them off and quickly grow new ones. Trying to freeze the bone dragon was even more unrealistic; its body was too large, probably requiring five or six snow maidens to act together, and that''s only if the bone dragon didn''t resist. A terrifying thought suddenly occurred to Samson¡ªcould both these Lords be top-tier Lords from the first echelon? Oh, god! His castle was now surrounded by two top-tier Lords. Because John couldn''t fly, Samson became his target. Seeing the huge skeleton charging towards him, Samson hurriedly scrambled to the side. But a snow maiden who tried to come to his rescue was flung away by Arthur''s tail. On the other side. The scythe in Alex''s hand spun, the flames on the blade forming a ring of fire as she swung. Alex swung her scythe through the air, missing as Lucian turned into an afterimage and disappeared. Through a period of fighting, Lucian seemed to have discovered Alex''s weakness of not being able to fly and began to exploit his speed and aerial advantage. "Picking on me because I can''t fly, huh!" Having fought Alex once before, he knew the terror of the black flames on her body, so he was always looking for an opportunity. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucian slashed his wrist, flinging his blood towards Alex, which formed into fine needles in the air. A wall of fire rose in front of Alex to block, but unexpectedly, the blood pierced right through the flames. She immediately cast a Dark Barrier for defense. The blood hit the Dark Barrier, emitting puffs of black smoke, all blocked by the Dark Barrier. The blood that didn''t hit Alex sizzled as it fell to the snowy ground, corroding a hole in the surface. "What is this? Are you an Alien?" Alex instantly turned into a black mist and vanished. When she reappeared, she was already in front of Lucian in the air. Lucian was shocked; he hadn''t expected this girl to also teleport. The flames on the scythe instantly turned black as Alex gripped the scythe with both hands and swung it towards Lucian. "I''ll chop you down, you alien!" Chapter 81 - 81: Lets team up Seeing the black flames so close yet feeling no heat, Lucian''s pupils constricted, and he decisively threw away his black cloak once again. His black cloak had only just been repaired from the last time it was damaged by Alex''s scythe, costing him a great deal of resources. The black cloak instantly floated up, positioning itself in front of him. Without hesitation, Lucian turned into an afterimage and retreated. Rip¡ª The black cloak was sliced directly down the middle by Alex''s scythe, nearly splitting it in two. The black cloak seemed to lose its spirit, falling straight to the ground. Because Alex couldn''t fly, her body also began to fall. She teleported in an instant to adjust her position and landed steadily on the snowy ground. The black cloak, burning with black flames, was retrieved by Lucian from a distance. Miraculously, the black flames extinguished as soon as Lucian took it back. Although Alex felt the black cloak was quite ordinary, she had thought about burning it directly, but that plan fell through. Meanwhile, John had caught up with Samson and launched an attack. Samson had nowhere to hide. His own strength was at the Commanding level, and with some of the snow maidens'' traits, his combat power enjoyed an extra boost in the snowy terrain. Therefore, John couldn''t defeat Samson quickly. John swung his broadsword at Samson, who used a roll to dodge the attack. After creating some distance, he stretched out his hands, and the snow around John seemed to be enchanted, instantly forming a sphere that trapped John inside. The snow mixed with ice began to erode John''s body, causing slight stiffness in his limbs. A smile appeared on Samson''s face; he had also seen Alex and Lucian fighting. He admitted he was no match for Alex and Lucian, but it would be too embarrassing if he couldn''t even beat the troops of those two Lords. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hmph, even a mere skeleton thinks it can kill me. Be forever frozen in this snowy mountain!" Just as Samson was feeling somewhat smug, the ice-encased John raised his broadsword high, and his heavily armored body began to glow red. "Skeleton Fall!" John activated his skill. Unbeknownst to them, the sky had filled with giant flaming skulls that began plummeting towards the ground. The burning skulls, trailing long tails, resembled shooting stars. Boom! Boom! Boom! The giant skulls exploded upon hitting the flat area halfway up the mountain, melting the surrounding snow with the flames produced, and the snowflakes in the sky turned into droplets. Not only Samson, but even Lucian was taken aback. Such powerful magic from a skeleton? The surrounding snow quickly melted, and a snow maiden was hit by a skull, vaporized before it could turn into snow, and was directly killed by John. Samson was terrified; even he was too scared to turn into snow and escape, opting instead to use a huge ice shield formed from the ice to block. A skull smashed directly onto the snowball above John''s head. John shook his body, and the ice ball trapping him exploded, allowing him to walk out. Samson realized a problem; he seemed unable to even defeat a skeleton. The effect of Skeleton Fall continued, and one of the skulls smashed right at the entrance of the frost cave, blowing the ice blocking the entrance apart. Roar!!! A fierce roar came from the cave entrance, shaking it. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked towards the cave entrance. A big fellow had awakened, seemingly disturbed from a pleasant dream by the battle of the three Lords, and it appeared extremely angry. Bang! A white figure burst through the cave entrance. The three saw a creature similar in size and stature to the Howling Moon Werewolves, except it was covered in a layer of frost armor, stood 15 feet tall, had very long claws, blood-red eyes, and drool dripping from its open mouth. Lucian, being closest to the cave entrance, followed by Alex, was caught off guard by the werewolf creature''s incredible speed. Before he could react, its five long, sharp claws pierced through his chest. Thinking Lucian was dead, the werewolf creature tossed him aside and immediately charged at Alex. Its long claws aimed straight for Alex''s chest. Alex quickly cast a Dark Barrier for defense, but the creature''s strength was so immense that it pushed her back several steps, nearly causing her to fall. This creature''s attributes were even higher than Alex''s when her attributes were doubled! At that moment, Lucian''s wounds slowly healed, and he stood up again, his complexion somewhat pale. This creature was beyond his expectations. The werewolf creature didn''t expect not only that Alex wasn''t killed by its attack but also that the human it thought it had just killed had also stood up again. At the same time, other creatures inside the cave, awakened by the werewolf creature''s roar, began to emerge continuously¡ªFlame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites. The scene became even more chaotic. The Flame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites, not very intelligent and acting on instinct, considered everyone in their territory as enemies. "Let''s team up!" Alex shouted, realizing she couldn''t defeat this creature alone. Although the creature was strong, it wasn''t invincible. Alex estimated its strength might be comparable to that of Ice Cream, and it was fightable. Naturally, Lucian didn''t want to give up the cave. The stronger the creature, the more resources it indicated. Without a second thought, Lucian attacked the werewolf creature. Seeing the situation, Samson hesitated for a moment before also attacking the werewolf creature. The three Lords, who had just been fighting each other, now cooperated to tackle the werewolf creature. Their troops also began to attack the group of Frost Sprites and Flame Demon Wolves. "Let''s split the loot three ways." Lucian said coldly, regretting that his black cloak had just been damaged by Alex, which would have otherwise increased his combat level. Alex, while fighting, activated her left eye. Unlike Lucian, if she wasn''t careful and got hit by this creature, she could really get hurt. Alex''s scythe, burning with flames, swung down, easily blocked by the werewolf creature''s claws. Lucian seized the opportunity to stab at the werewolf creature''s neck with his claws, while Samson cast a spell to instantly freeze the creature''s feet, and countless ice spikes surged from the ground towards its lower body. Facing the combined attack of Lucian and Samson, the werewolf creature suddenly turned into an ice sculpture, successfully defending against their attacks. The moment the werewolf creature turned into an ice sculpture, it stirred up a blizzard, pushing the three back. At first, Alex thought Samson had frozen it, but it was clear now that the werewolf creature had frozen itself. At the same time, Alex felt a sharp pain in her arm. Looking down, she saw a piece of ice crystal had splashed onto her arm, causing frostbite from just a small shard. Flames instantly ignited on Alex''s arm, melting the ice crystal. As the werewolf creature actively thawed, a huge magic circle appeared in the sky, enveloping the three. Countless ice spikes formed from the condensed ice smashed down towards them. This werewolf creature could also perform magical attacks! Chapter 82 - 82: Shut up, dont tell me what to do Flames immediately ignited around Alex, enveloping her body and melting the ice upon contact. Similarly, Samson conjured a huge ice ball around himself to dodge the werewolf creature''s attacks. Lucian, who couldn''t use magic, had to endure the werewolf creature''s magical attacks directly, which was somewhat embarrassing. He once again pulled out his damaged black cloak, floating it above his head to block the ice crystals. The werewolf creature noticed¡ªone was in a fireball, another in an ice ball, and only this one holding a tattered cloth was easy to attack. Just as Lucian used the black cloak to defend against the werewolf creature''s magic, the creature approached him, its claws piercing through Lucian''s body once again. This time, the werewolf learned from its experience; the claws that penetrated Lucian''s body sliced upward, nearly tearing his body in half. Lucian fell to the ground, blood gushing out, his eyes widening in shock. The blood around him instantly formed into spikes, attacking the werewolf creature in front of him. The werewolf formed an ice armor for defense, but unexpectedly, it was corroded by Lucian''s blood. The blood-formed spikes successfully penetrated the werewolf creature''s body, corroding holes and leaking green pus. Roar! The werewolf roared in anger, surprised that it had been breached by this nearly split human. Lying on the ground, Lucian''s body was again pierced by ice spikes emerging from the ground, lifted high, with layers of ice forming on his surface. His blood flow slowed, and his bodily functions declined, as he was about to be completely frozen by the werewolf creature. Suddenly, a red magic circle appeared on the ground. Boom! A massive column of fire shot up, covering Lucian completely. Alex''s fire magic successfully thawed him. Lucian burst through the flames, holding a sword formed from his own blood, and stabbed directly at the werewolf creature''s throat. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The werewolf creature, now aware of the effects of Lucian''s blood, wouldn''t be fooled a second time. A huge ice wall appeared in front of it to block Lucian. But just as the ice wall formed, it suddenly shattered. It was Samson in the distance controlling the ice elements! Samson realized his half-baked frost magic was nowhere near as strong as the werewolf creature''s; his magic was basically ineffective against it, so he could only assist from the side, disrupting the ice elements the werewolf conjured. Lucian, holding the blood sword, stabbed at the werewolf, but the brief moment of delay was enough for the creature to react. The werewolf dodged, but Alex suddenly arrived from behind, blocking its path with her scythe. Lucian, now quite pale from blood loss, attacked again with the blood sword. If he didn''t strike the werewolf soon, the remaining blood wouldn''t be enough to maintain the weapon''s form. Lucian''s blood sword successfully pierced the werewolf creature''s back, hissing as it corroded. The werewolf, in pain, flung Alex away and swiped at Lucian with a claw. Lucian''s newly healed body was torn open again. At this moment, Lucian felt like his two teammates were just acting, and he was the only one truly fighting. Alex felt it was about time; she could probably steal the kill now. She raised her hand, and a huge fire magic circle appeared. Instantly, a sea of fire surged towards the werewolf, melting the surrounding snow. The werewolf not to be outdone, also conjured a blue-white frost magic circle. A blizzard mixed with ice crystals met Alex''s sea of fire. The contact between the fire and the blizzard created a massive steam explosion, surrounding the area in fog. Samson was dumbfounded. She''s an undead Lord, how can she have such strong fire magic? Lying on the ground, Lucian cursed Alex countless times in his mind. With such powerful magic, why hadn''t she used it earlier! The steam mixed with the blizzard obscured everyone''s vision. Alex teleported in front of the werewolf creature, which, though it couldn''t see, sensed the girl''s position and defended with its claws. Alex''s left eye emitted light, instantly capturing the werewolf creature''s attack. She deftly dodged to the side, her scythe cutting directly into the werewolf creature. The scythe easily broke through the werewolf creature''s armor, slicing into its flesh. A severed arm with long claws flew backward, landing right in front of Lucian, who twitched. Roar! The soul-deep pain made the werewolf unable to endure, letting out a painful roar, its severed arm still burning with black flames. Alex punched the werewolf creature in the stomach, and from her fist to her wrist, three black magic circles of increasing size appeared. Boom! Black flames burst from the magic circles, piercing through the werewolf creature''s stomach, the immense force sending it flying backward. Alex teleported and landed steadily. The werewolf creature fell next to Lucian, who was startled and quickly moved aside. "Did you do that on purpose?" Lucian said angrily. "What? I can''t hear you!" Alex tilted her head and shouted next to her ear. The werewolf creature, severely injured by Alex''s dark magic, tried to extinguish the flames but failed despite all attempts. Alex approached the severely wounded werewolf with her scythe. "Why didn''t you use that black flame earlier!" Lucian seriously suspected Alex was throwing the fight, but he had no proof. "My Mana Points aren''t unlimited; of course, I need to recover." Alex shrugged, indicating it wasn''t her fault. Samson, realizing there was no longer any danger, also approached from a distance. "Hey, man, you''re pretty lame!" Alex teased Samson. Samson laughed awkwardly, not knowing how to respond. How could he have imagined that this white-haired girl was so powerful? "Can you stop talking and just kill it with your black flame!" Lucian urged, looking at the ice-encased werewolf creature''s body. He dared not use his blood for attacks anymore; if these two Lords changed their minds, he wouldn''t even have the strength to run. "Shut up, don''t tell me what to do!" Samson shivered on the side, not daring to speak, surprised that such a pretty girl could be so fierce. Alex raised her hand, and five black spears appeared, instantly piercing the werewolf creature''s body. Three in the head, two in the chest¡ªthe red light in the werewolf creature''s eyes completely extinguished. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing a level 6 Commanding level Frost Werewolf, gaining 160 experience points.] Chapter 83 - 83: Search for treasure within the fortress Alex stared at the dead Frost Werewolf before her, pondering her next move. Should she turn it into bone beasts or just a regular undead? Turning it into bone beasts would definitely strip it of its original magical abilities, but opting for regular undead felt a bit like a lottery. Moreover, there was no guarantee of summoning powerful troops like bone dragons, ghost dragons, or zombie titans¡ªit was all uncertain. However, with a Commanding level of 6, even if she summoned a piece of shit, it would still be stronger than a standard creature. "Hurry up and disassemble it!" Lucian, unaware of what Alex was contemplating as she looked at the werewolf creature, urged her from the side. Alex shot Lucian a glare. Beneath the massive body of the Frost Werewolf, a gray magic circle suddenly emerged, completely covering the corpse. Lucian and Samson watched in confusion. What was she doing, desecrating the corpse? Did all powerful beings have this quirk? But soon, Lucian and Samson''s mouths fell open in shock. From the gray magic circle, a gaunt humanoid creature clad in a black robe and holding a staff crawled out. Even the dimmest could tell this was summoned from the dead werewolf creature. Lucian thought to himself, "How can we even play this game? Someone''s cheating here!" Samson, relieved that the werewolf creature''s body was still there, wasn''t surprised by Alex''s move. As a second-tier Lord, he had other methods of summoning troops, but seeing a first-tier Big Shot perform this wasn''t shocking; it just made him realize the huge gap between the second and first tiers. He wouldn''t boast again. Indeed, second place is always just second place. Alex, on the other hand, was thrilled to have directly summoned a necromancer¡ªan unexpected delight. She hadn''t intended to reveal this ability, but with the other two eager to divide the spoils, she couldn''t just waste the body. Basic trust among people had to be maintained, especially since these two had indeed contributed. Without them, Alex wouldn''t have been a match for the Frost Werewolf, considering there was a whole group of subjects nearby. The necromancer initially wanted to bow to his queen, but a look from Alex stopped him. As an intelligent being, how could the necromancer not understand her intentions? "Go help," she commanded. The troops of the three Lords were still battling behind them, and Alex instructed the necromancer to hurry over and assist (steal some kills). Alex approached the Frost Werewolf''s body to disassemble it first, knowing the other two were probably impatient. She tapped the Disassemble button on the system interface that popped up. The body of the Frost Werewolf instantly vanished, and she received a system notification. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully disassembling the body of a level 6 Commanding level Frost Werewolf. You have obtained a Frost Armor Set (4/4), 100 portions of elite food, 100 magic crystals, and 3 Essence Shards.] Seeing a pile of items scattered inside the ice, Alex walked over, flames igniting in her hand, and retrieved the two pieces of equipment from the ice. "The two pieces of equipment are mine; you guys split the rest," she declared, then headed towards the frost cave. As for the armor set, Alex couldn''t be bothered to check it. Seeing Alex enter the cave, Lucian and Samson didn''t dare lag behind, fearing she might reach the treasures first. They quickly divided the remaining spoils and followed her. Lucian took the three Essence Shards and a piece of equipment, leaving the remaining equipment, elite food, and magic crystals for Samson. Holding a fireball for light, Alex entered the cave and hadn''t walked far when she encountered a fork in the path. Two paths continued straight ahead, while directly in front was a downward slope, the floor entirely smooth ice, resembling a slide. With her previous experience looting werewolves'' castles, Alex was certain there would be valuable items below and didn''t hesitate to head straight down the icy slide. Samson and Lucian, arriving just in time to see Alex descend, exchanged a knowing look and split up, one going left and the other right. What they would find in the cave was entirely up to their luck. Alex slid down, and after about three minutes, she reached the end of the slope. The scene before her resembled a fortress, the cave opening located one meter above the fortress''s wall, the ground below no longer icy but smooth stone. Every five meters along the corridor, a brazier burned, illuminating the surroundings. Clearly, this was man-made. Alex hadn''t expected such a scene inside the frost cave. She jumped down from the opening and started down the corridor. If the fortress was large enough, the other two openings above likely also led here. Alex needed to hurry and find the treasures. As she passed a doorway, a huge burst of flames surged towards her. Luckily, Alex was always on alert and quickly raised a Dark Barrier to block the attack. The flames dissipated, revealing two Flame Demon Wolves. Alex raised her hand, and the flames from the braziers on either side turned black, forming two black fire dragons that flew towards the wolves, instantly killing them. After disassembling the two Flame Demon Wolves, Alex glanced inside but saw nothing of value and turned to leave. As she wandered the fortress, encountering several more forks and nearly getting lost, she also encountered several more Flame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites. Without any suspense, all were swiftly killed by Alex; the Commanding level ones must have been above, as these were just weak Standard level creatures. Eventually, Alex saw a staircase leading upwards not far from a junction. She sensed something unusual; there must be something valuable there. Reaching the corner with the staircase, Alex looked up to see a wooden dome door with braziers on either side, their flames long extinguished, giving the area a dim appearance. Ascending the stairs, Alex reached the wooden door and lit the two braziers before taking a deep breath and kicking the door open. A cloud of dust accompanied by a musty, moldy smell rushed towards Alex, and the door latch broke in two under her kick. The room was dark, so Alex threw in a small fireball for light, ensuring there were no dangers. The faint light instantly illuminated the room, and Alex saw directly in front of her a stone chair with a skeleton in armor sitting on it, staring right at her. Chapter 84 - 84: Ring of Space Alex was somewhat surprised at first, immediately thinking of undead. But then she thought, if it''s undead, what''s there to fear? Soon, Alex realized something was off¡ªit was just a long-dead person, decayed down to a skeleton. Realizing this, Alex, holding a fireball for light, walked in. Her shoes left thick footprints on the floor, indicating that no living creature had entered this place for many years. Still feeling a bit uneasy, Alex first approached the skeleton to check it thoroughly, making sure there was nothing wrong with it. "Anything interesting?" Alex found a letter in the skeleton''s embrace, tucked inside the armor. She felt no fear, reaching directly to retrieve the letter. She opened it, and the paper was very yellowed, showing its age, with some of the writing faded due to the passage of time. Holding the fireball in one hand for light and the letter in the other, Alex began to read. "To His Majesty, the Emperor of Starfallen, your most loyal servant has now been at the Frostwind snowy mountain for twelve years, and I have yet to find the item, disappointing you. ... I have encountered werewolves from the Skyreach Mountains, goblins from the Hobgoblin kingdom, and even the Demon race. My encounter with the Demon race attracted a frost dragon, and I was severely injured by it. My life is not long for this world, and I have led the surviving soldiers to hide in a frost cave within the Frostwind snowy mountain. One day, the arrival of knights from the Holy Court gave me hope, and I immediately sent all my soldiers to find the Holy Court knights. Unexpectedly, there were spies from the Demon race within the Holy Court, and our entire army was wiped out, with only one soldier who accidentally fell off a cliff surviving. He barely managed to bring me this news. I am writing this letter in the hope of sending this message back to the empire, but the entire snowy mountain''s Demon race is searching for me, and my chances of returning alive are slim." Alex guessed the rest¡ªthe letter was never sent, and the person died here, turning into a skeleton. From the letter, it was clear that the Starfallen Empire was definitely a human force. Looking at the skeleton''s attire, his identity must have been something like a general of the empire. But what did that have to do with Alex? Besides, as a Lord who was an extraterrestrial visitor, the more severe the internal conflicts among these native forces, the better for them. Thinking this, Alex decided to keep the letter, just in case she had a chance to contact this empire in the future and could stir up trouble among the Starfallen Empire, the Holy Court, the Demon race, and the Angel race. "Man, you''ve been dead for so many years, let me make use of what''s left of you. I''ll take your legacy without hesitation." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex stripped the armor off the skeleton, clearly recognizing it as valuable. She also found a ring on the skeleton''s finger and eagerly began to check the properties of the equipment. [Armor Set Name: Fearless Set (Damaged)] [Equipment Level: Commanding level] [Set Effects: Increases defense to Commanding level, reduces all damage except physical by 10%, adds ten points to all attributes.] [Note: Irreparable] The equipment properties dashboard was full of red downward arrows, even next to the equipment level, indicating that this damaged set was originally Monarch level equipment, but unfortunately, it was beyond repair. It was somewhat useless now, but still stronger than a typical Commanding level set. Alex then looked at the ring, its simple, unadorned design and as wide as her thumb, clearly a men''s model. [Equipment Name: Ring of Space (Unbound)] [Equipment Level: Monarch level] [Equipment Effect: Contains an internal space of 3000 cubic feet for storing items, cannot contain living beings. Once bound, if the holder dies, the ring''s self-destruct mechanism will activate, destroying everything inside.] This was clearly a storage ring. Just by seeing the name, Alex understood its function and was delighted. There must be the general''s legacy inside this ring. But seeing the latter part of the equipment description, she felt a bit dismayed¡ªit could self-destruct, which was frustrating. Missing out on a fortune, Alex felt a pang of regret. However, acquiring a Monarch level ring was still a cause for celebration. Alex clicked the bind option on the equipment dashboard, and the ring instantly resized from large and thick to small and thin, transforming into a white women''s ring. She slipped it onto her right index finger, a perfect fit. No legacy, no problem¡ªat least with this ring, things would be much more convenient. Alex directly stored the six pieces of equipment from the Frost Werewolf and the human general into the ring, along with the letter. After finishing this, Alex checked the rest of the room, finding nothing else. After all, with a space ring, why would any valuables be left out? Everything had turned to dust with the general''s death. She left the room and continued exploring. She hadn''t found the Frost Werewolf''s lair yet. After another fifteen minutes and checking several rooms, collecting some magic crystals and a few Essence Shards, she found no other significant items. Alex had now reached the edge of the fortress, the stone floor beginning to be covered with ice. The environment was changing, and she saw a huge cave, about 16 feet high, definitely the Frost Werewolf''s cave¡ªnormal Flame Demon Wolves and Frost Sprites were only about 6.5 feet tall, so they couldn''t have such a large cave. There was even an opening above the cave, leading outside to the snowy mountain, which also served as lighting during the day. "The interior of the cave is indeed interconnected," Alex realized, as this cave was right next to the other fork she had entered earlier. She had circled back here after all her wandering. Entering the cave, Alex found it cluttered with various items, magic crystals carelessly thrown in corners, and rotting flesh and bones everywhere. Alex didn''t see the Frost Werewolf as an intelligent being, just a beast with no intelligence, only fighting instincts. However, it might have been influenced by something, as she had never seen a creature above Commanding level without intelligence. Chapter 85 - 85: Dont worry, I wont chop you Alex''s guess was soon confirmed when she discovered a magic book inside the Frost Werewolf''s cave. It was a book on intermediate frost magic. During the battle, the Frost Werewolf''s eyes had glowed red, and it drooled all over the place, looking every bit the mad creature. Could such a creature really learn magic? S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This proved that the Frost Werewolf originally possessed intelligence, and its frost magic wasn''t an innate talent but acquired through learning. The truth was clear. Initially, the Frost Werewolf must have been normal, but something later influenced its mind, making it appear mad. Could this be related to the mysterious item everyone was searching for? Alex casually pocketed the magic book¡ªa valuable find, as it was one of the few ways to enhance strength besides leveling up. She then scoured the cave for anything useful. Having explored the area thoroughly, Alex prepared to leave. This expedition had been quite fruitful. The magic crystals and Essence Shards were secondary; the real prizes were the Ring of Space and the frost magic book. These items would be incredibly helpful to Alex. She retrieved the two pieces of equipment from the Frost Werewolf from the ring, careful to keep this precious ring hidden from others. Pretending to have found nothing else, she walked towards the cave entrance with the two pieces of equipment. As Alex reached the entrance, Samson emerged, using magic to freeze a large pile of supplies behind him and controlling them to move forward. Alex glanced over; nothing valuable, just some iron ingots, stones, a few magic crystals, and Essence Shards. However, Samson looked rather disheveled, with part of his hair burned off and his face scorched. Alex couldn''t help but laugh. "You''re at Commanding level and you still got burned by a Standard Flame Demon Wolf? Look at you now." Facing Alex, Samson was somewhat timid, and despite noticing that she had not obtained any loot, he dared not mock her. He approached her with a charred face, managing a smile that showed his white teeth. "Hey, those two frost pieces you''ve got, you won''t need them, right? You''re probably going to trade them at the trading post. How about we swap?" "Why can''t I wear them myself?" Alex suddenly noticed the iron ingots behind Samson. He must have found the warehouse used by the general to build the fortress; it was normal to find iron ingots there. Hearing Alex''s response, Samson''s smile widened, his eight teeth now appearing to be twelve. "You haven''t checked the properties of the equipment, have you? They''re not suitable for you." Seeing that Alex hadn''t even checked the properties, Samson assumed she didn''t care about the equipment and that he could secure them with a satisfactory offer. Curious about what made these items so desirable to this Lord, Alex decided to check the properties. [Equipment Name: Frost Breastplate] [Equipment Level: Commanding level] [Set Effect (1/4): Amplifies own frost magic by 10%, reduces own fire magic by 15%, increases Mana Points by 20, adds six points to all attributes.] The properties were indeed impressive, enhancing the wearer''s magical power¡ªno wonder Samson wanted them. The set could be somewhat useful to her, now that she had an intermediate book on frost magic. However, the reduction in fire magic power was a drawback; in a world where even those without magical knowledge could produce flames, reducing fire magic power was a significant disadvantage. This was a close-combat set, with weapons being two wolf claws, perfect for compensating for Samson''s weak close-combat abilities and enhancing frost magic¡ªit seemed tailor-made for him. No wonder he was so eager to get it and claimed it was useless to Alex. Alex used fire magic, and wearing something that reduced fire magic power was out of the question for her. "What do you want to trade?" Alex asked, though her gaze was fixed on the iron ingots behind Samson. Even Samson could tell what she wanted. "How about I trade you these two pieces of equipment for a thousand iron ingots?" A thousand iron ingots were worth two thousand magic crystals at base price. With the beast tide just ended, surviving Lords had plenty of magic crystals, but iron ingots were becoming rarer and had started to appreciate in value. Thus, a thousand iron ingots were actually worth far more than two thousand magic crystals. Samson''s offer was quite generous. "No," Alex flatly refused. "One of the pieces is a weapon. I''ll need two thousand." Alex boldly doubled the price. She wasn''t worried about Samson backing out; if he didn''t agree, she could simply keep the equipment, and he would never complete the set. Understanding this, Samson knew upgrading his town without strengthening his capabilities first would only increase the risk of exposure. If he didn''t upgrade his town, then the iron ingots were of no immediate use. Completing the set was worth it, especially since he had already traded with Lucian for other parts and only needed the two pieces Alex held to complete it. Of course, all this was just Samson reassuring himself. He knew they were outside the castle, and what if this fierce young lady decided to kill him? "Miss, why are you taking out the scythe...?" Samson was genuinely frightened. He couldn''t afford to disagree. "Oh, it''s nothing. We''re about to leave the cave, right? What if there''s danger outside? I''m just getting my weapon ready in advance. Don''t worry, I won''t chop you." Alex added that last bit, making Samson even more nervous. "Two thousand, then. It''s a deal, no going back on it," Samson confirmed one last time. "Don''t worry, I''m very trustworthy," Alex assured him. Samson thawed the ice block and counted out two thousand iron ingots. "Could you freeze these for me and maybe compress them a bit with magic? Thanks." Reluctantly, Samson froze the counted iron ingots into a sphere. Alex, her fingers ablaze, plunged her hand into the ice sphere like grabbing a bowling ball and lifted the frozen ball of two thousand iron ingots. She tossed the two pieces of equipment to Samson and walked out of the cave. Samson quickly donned the completed set, perhaps feeling a bit safer in it. Outside the cave, Alex found that the battle had long since ended. With a level 6 Commanding level necromancer present, victory was assuredly in the hands of the undead. Chapter 86 - 86: Intermediate Frost Magic Alex almost forgot; she hadn''t checked the properties of the Commanding level necromancer yet. She was curious about what skills it had compared to a Standard one. [necromancer] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding level] [Level: lv6 (non-upgradable)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 200] [Strength: 65] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 60] [Growth Limit: King level] [Skills: ghost form, undead summoning, bone manipulation] Bone manipulation¡ªa spell that controls the bones in a corpse for combat¡ªwas a decent addition, enhancing its combat capabilities. Moreover, the Commanding level Undead Summoning Magic was an upgrade, even more advanced than Alex''s own Undead Summoning Magic. Originally, Alex could only summon the three basic troops, but the Commanding level necromancer could summon five types, including death knights and gargoyles. At the moment, the three Lords'' troops were in a standoff, not attacking each other without their Lords'' commands. The vampires and undead were unharmed, but of the eight snow maidens Samson had brought, only six remained. One had been killed by John earlier, and another likely succumbed to its weakness against Flame Demon Wolves. The undead and snow maidens, seeing Alex and Samson clad in frost armor emerging from the cave, were gearing up for battle. The vampires, seeing their Lord hadn''t appeared yet, hesitantly stepped back. Being intelligent creatures, they could discern the situation and make their own decisions without their Lord''s command. Alex glanced at the bodies on the ground; the dead Flame Demon Wolves had turned to char. Only the Frost Sprites'' bodies were relatively intact. There were twenty in total, with each faction having made some kills. The snow maidens had the fewest, while the necromancer had the most, having killed nearly half the enemies by itself. "Respected Queen, Frost Sprites have no souls and cannot be summoned," the necromancer respectfully informed Alex. Alex was taken aback; the last time she encountered a soulless creature was the Commanding level evil tree spirit in the swamp. What was with these creatures, either going mad or losing their souls? There was definitely a problem here. Out of the twenty bodies, twelve were Frost Sprites, and of the six Commanding level creatures, four were Frost Sprites, yet they couldn''t be summoned. The necromancer had already summoned the other bodies before Alex emerged, resulting in sixteen undead, including two at the Commanding level. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex disassembled a Frost Sprite body, finding only an Essence Shard and a piece of equipment, then nothing else. The equipment was a wolf claw, a lower-tier version of the frost set claw. However, Alex wasn''t entirely selfish; she only disassembled the twelve bodies her troops had killed. She obtained 12 Essence Shards, 30 magic crystals, and 4 Commanding level pieces of equipment. By the time Alex and Samson had dealt with the bodies and were ready to leave, Lucian still hadn''t appeared. Alex guessed he might have been too injured earlier and was hiding in the cave to recover, particularly from her. Alex suspected he wouldn''t come out until she had left. Holding the iron ingots frozen into a sphere, she climbed onto Arthur''s back. John also mounted other bone dragon, which even carried the newly summoned non-flying undead, turning the bone dragon into a sort of transport vehicle. The necromancer''s body began to turn transparent, activating its ghost form skill. "I''m heading out first. You should pray that you don''t run into me again," Alex called out to Samson below as she rode Arthur. With a flap of his wings, Arthur dispersed the surrounding snow and soared into the sky, and the necromancer''s figure vanished in an instant. Watching Alex shrink to a speck in the sky, Samson breathed a sigh of relief. If they met again, he feared this formidable young woman might actually kill him. Lucian finally emerged from the cave, directing his vampires to transport supplies and disassemble bodies. Seeing nothing left to explore, Samson and his snow maidens dissolved into the snow and departed. Lucian glanced over but didn''t bother with them. Flying, Alex stored the supplies in her ring and headed back to her castle. Over an hour later, she successfully returned and dumped all the materials from the ring into her Warehouse. [System Notification: Lord has acquired Intermediate Frost Magic. Would you like to spend 1k magic crystals to learn it immediately?] The price had gone up, but it was a minor issue for Alex. "Learn," she commanded. The magic book vanished, and Alex''s mind filled with various techniques for using frost magic. Intermediate magic was different from basic levels; lower-tier magic only allowed fixed spells, but reaching intermediate level enabled personal spell development, a completely different class. Now, the most important thing was the 2k iron ingots. Compared to other resources, iron ingots were what Alex currently lacked the most. Although 2,000 iron ingots weren''t enough to upgrade her castle, they were just right to build twenty defense towers. Luckily, Alex had demanded an extra thousand iron ingots from Samson; otherwise, she could only have built half the towers. [Building Materials: 1k wood, 2k stone, 100 iron ingots, 1 Essence Shard per tower.] A defense tower required only these materials, which were quite cheap except for the iron ingots. "Build," Alex decided. The Warehouse''s 20k wood, 40k stone, 2k iron ingots, and twenty Essence Shards vanished instantly. Alex''s stone supply hit zero; the stone in the Warehouse, including some collected by the undead outside, just reached 40k. Twenty defense towers rose instantly at designated spots along the town wall, their bases square and tops round, matching the wall''s dark gray color. An Essence Shard floated at the top of each, drawing energy from the tower. Seeing the twenty new defense towers, Alex felt a slight increase in her sense of security; after all, each tower possessed Commanding level attack power. The necromancers on the wall continued their summoning tasks, and Alex had the Commanding level necromancer join them, greatly increasing their efficiency. Tonight, they would finish processing all the bodies. Looking at her Warehouse''s remaining resources, Alex noted plenty of magic crystals and Essence Shards, enough to upgrade the Barracks, but wood and stone were becoming scarce. "Ah, it always feels like there''s never enough resources!" Alex sighed. Chapter 87 - 87: Acolyte Alex opened the trading post to check the current market prices, and she was taken aback by what she saw. Just as she had guessed, after the beast tide, the weaker Lords had perished, and those who survived had amassed a great deal of resources. Some of the slightly stronger Lords had even begun promoting their troops to Commanding level, and with these Lords forming alliances, the circulation of resources had become more widespread. Previously, a standard piece of equipment could sell for ten magic crystals each, but in just half a day, the price had plummeted to five magic crystals per item. Alex and Sophie still had over 20,000 standard pieces of equipment unsold. This was a significant loss... Conversely, as the Lords'' Commanding level troops increased, the demand for Commanding level equipment rose, making it more expensive than before. The price of a single piece of Commanding level equipment had jumped from 500 to 1,000 magic crystals, and that wasn''t even the price for sets, which were even more costly. The materials for forging standard equipment had been figured out by some Lords in the World Chat, leading to more Lords being able to forge their own gear. This caused the price of animal hides to rise to 1 magic crystal per piece, and wild boar tusks, essential for standard equipment, had increased to 2 magic crystals each. The cost to produce a standard piece of equipment had reached 3 magic crystals, while the selling price was only 5 magic crystals. The profit margin had shrunk to just 2 magic crystals, a far cry from before. Alex decided not to focus on equipment sales anymore; the profits were no longer sufficient for her and Sophie to share. If Sophie wanted to continue, she could handle it herself. Alex listed over a thousand pieces of animal hide on the trading post, exchanging them one-for-one for magic crystals. However, Alex wasn''t in need of magic crystals right now; her Warehouse still held over 80,000. What she really needed was stone. While wood could be sourced by sending undead to the edges of the Dark Forest, where trees were abundant, stone was more problematic. Although Sophie had plenty of stone, her dwarves had suffered losses during the beast tide and were busy forging equipment and processing iron ingots, leaving no spare hands for stone mining. Alex planned to sell a few pieces of Commanding level equipment to acquire some stone as a reserve. Once Sophie upgraded her town, perhaps they could use the Portal of Transit to send troops to her location, significantly speeding up the process. Just as Alex was about to list the items, she hesitated. The wolf claw weapons were too recognizable. If she listed them, the other two Lords might recognize them and realize that Hamburger was Alex. Then, all the Lords would know her troops were undead capable of infinite summoning. She couldn''t sell the wolf claws, but she could sell the human general''s armor set. The other two Lords hadn''t seen this equipment. Alex started calculating the exchange rate; currently, one magic crystal could buy about three pieces of stone. The four pieces of Commanding level equipment from the armor set should be worth at least 6,000 magic crystals. Although the set was originally Monarch level and couldn''t be repaired, its attributes were much stronger than a typical Commanding level set. Only 18,000 stones? "No, that''s too little. Let''s make it an even 30,000." This time, Alex was smarter. With such a powerful Commanding level set, she set it up for piece-by-piece trading. She didn''t give Lords who had the resources but were still deliberating any chance because if they hesitated even slightly, one of the pieces might be sold, and they would lose the set bonus. Alex chose to list the items and didn''t bother checking the World Chat. Less than ten seconds later, she received a system notification. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully trading the Fearless Set (4/4) for 30k stone.] "Wow!" Alex hadn''t expected the armor set to sell so quickly. She gave the remaining four pieces of Commanding level wolf claw equipment, two each, to Chi-Chi and Sophie. Alex also warned Chi-Chi not to sell them carelessly, as Chi-Chi had once openly admitted in the World Chat channel that she was a subject of Hamburger. If she sold the equipment, Alex''s identity would still be exposed. [King Kong]: "Thank you, Miss Alex!" [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you, Big Shot! I really appreciate your generosity!" Alex casually responded to them and got down to serious business, upgrading the Barracks. [Upgrade Barracks Requirements: 16k magic crystals, 160 Essence Shards] "Upgrade." [Undead Crystal: lv10 (Unique Barracks)] [Ten-level Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancers, liches¡ªten major troops (random thirty), with an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King.] [Unlock special fixed unit: Acolyte] [Note: Every day, ten Acolytes will appear alongside other troops summoned by the Lord, not occupying other troops'' summoning slots. However, they cannot be obtained through other summoning methods.] "Acolyte, what kind of troops are these?" Alex hadn''t heard of such a unit among the undead before. The level 10 Barracks looked no different from before, except for the addition of this Acolyte unit. Unlike the castle, which entered a new tier after reaching level 9, the Barracks did not. Just then, Alex heard a noise from the Barracks and turned to look. She saw ten figures in black-gray robes, with red decorations on their sleeves and shoulders, wearing black masks, and holding daggers. From their partially visible faces, Alex could tell they were almost indistinguishable from humans, more so than necromancers. "Greetings, respected Queen," the ten figures knelt and spoke, their voices not much different from humans. "Rise," Alex commanded, sensing they must have some special function, otherwise they wouldn''t be unlocked only at level 10 Barracks. [Acolyte] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv1 (can be upgraded by killing enemies)] [Health Points: 80] [Mana Points: 20] [Strength: 6] [Stamina: 10] [Agility: 5] [Growth Limit: Commanding level] [Active Skill: Shadow Form] [Passive Skill: Resource Gathering] sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shadow Form: Transforms into a shadow for rapid movement; cannot attack while in shadow form. Resource Gathering: Increases the speed of gathering various resources by 20%. They had health and stamina, a growth limit of Commanding level, and two skills. At first glance, impressive, but upon closer inspection, Alex realized they were essentially worker units. With health and stamina, it indicated they were not pure undead but living beings, likely humans. This meant they couldn''t be enhanced at the Blackwater Altar, as they would simply die. Well, they were essentially workers and scouts combined. Chapter 88 - 88: Quantity could lead to a qualitative change "Are you humans?" Alex asked uncertainly. "Your Majesty, we have offered our souls to the queen and joined as members of the undead race," the Acolytes replied respectfully. Since they were human, this was good news. Not only dwarves could mine and forge equipment¡ªhumans could too. If they could forge equipment, then mining was certainly within their capabilities. Right now, Alex was short on iron ingots, but mining posed a significant challenge. She had neither the ore nor a furnace. What was she going to do, bake them with her laser eyes? The Acolytes'' Shadow Form skill could be used not only for scouting but also for escaping when gathering resources became dangerous. It seemed that the skeletons could be relieved from resource gathering duties, as their efficiency was quite low. However, for now, that wasn''t feasible due to the limited number of Acolytes. Alex reviewed her remaining resources and was pleasantly surprised to find she could upgrade her Barracks again. [Undead Crystal: lv11 (Unique Barracks)] [Level 11 Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancers, liches¡ªten major troops (random thirty), with an extremely low chance of summoning a Race King. Summoned troops start at base level 3.] [Unlock special fixed unit: Acolyte] [Upgrade Barracks Requirements: 22k magic crystals, 220 Essence Shards.] There wasn''t much change, just an improvement in the base level of summoned troops. The summoning didn''t extend to all undead races, indicating that some troops were still locked. Alex hoped the last two troops wouldn''t be Destroyers and Ghouls. Alex needed to keep some resources in reserve; she couldn''t afford to use up all her resources at once. "Let''s leave it at that for now..." Upgrading the Barracks required a significant amount of resources, and the current benefits were minimal. Meanwhile, Samson had returned to his own castle, lamenting the loss of his snow maidens. After managing his resources, Samson kept his castle at level 9, wary of upgrading his town while his iron ingots were still insufficient. But these were minor issues compared to the significant boost in combat ability he gained from acquiring the frost armor set. With this set, a level 1 Commanding Samson felt he could defeat a level 2 Commanding. Especially that vampire Lord, only at level 2 Commanding, didn''t seem very powerful. "I could crush his testicles with one hand!" he boasted. As for the undead Lord, Samson shuddered; he knew he couldn''t defeat that one. Samson immediately shared his encounter with the two Lords in the Alliance chat group. [Ice Queen]: "I encountered those two Lords on the snowy mountain and engaged them in combat. Their strength is definitely top-tier. One is a vampire Lord, and the other an undead Lord. Like us, they can summon their own troops through special methods." [Vine Fairy]: "Wow, you''re so strong! Did you take them both down?" Samson nearly choked on his drink when he saw this message. He couldn''t very well admit he was nearly the one defeated, could he? Choosing to ignore Vine Fairy''s question about the battle, he continued. [Ice Queen]: "We three met in a cave and immediately started a melee with our troops. The battle awakened the cave''s leader, a level 6 Commanding Frost Werewolf. We had to cooperate to defeat it. Because I wield ice magic and had the geographical advantage on the snowy mountain, I took the lead and ultimately killed the Frost Werewolf, which dropped a full set of armor. The other two Lords acknowledged my strength and willingly gave the equipment to me." [Earth Lord]: "Strong. You''ll definitely be top-tier in the next leaderboard update." The conversation continued sporadically, with Cain silently monitoring the chat. "Undead and vampires?" Cain murmured. The strongest Lords relied not only on troops summoned from Barracks but also had the ability to summon independently. Both undead and vampires nearly had immortality, not much weaker than their elemental spirits, which were affected by terrain and thus had unstable combat power. For example, Cain''s flame spirits and Samson''s snow maidens could perform about 1.5 times better in their respective home terrains of volcanoes and snowy mountains. But swapping their locations would be lethal for both, reducing their power significantly. The undead category was vast, and Samson hadn''t specified which type the undead Lord commanded. Cain, always striving to grow stronger, was surrounded by few and weak Lords. Although he knew he was top-tier, he was curious about the gap between him and other top-tier Lords. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cain''s castle had also successfully upgraded to a town today. He discovered a group of goblins transporting iron ore outside the volcano, led by a Hobgoblin. Not knowing their destination but having stumbled upon them, Cain attacked, seizing the iron ore. Though Cain lacked a furnace, the volcano itself served the purpose. He threw all the iron ore into the scorching lava, quickly melting the impurities. Before the iron completely melted, flame spirits scooped it out. The iron, still mixed with impurities, was taken back to the castle where the system disassembled it into individual iron ingots. Cain had built the Portal of Transit, realizing that allied Lords of towns could traverse distances instantly. However, among his allies, only his own castle had upgraded to a town level. ... As evening approached, Sophie''s ten thousand pieces of equipment, forged day and night, were finally ready. Alex hurriedly listed them on the market, as these items couldn''t just sit idle. However, sales were slow, with only a few pieces sold every few minutes. She could only hope they would all be traded by morning. The necromancers had finished summoning from the seven thousand beast corpses left from the beast tide, transforming Alex''s undead army, which had multiplied two or three times in number. Her undead forces now exceeded 30K. If assembled, they would present an overwhelming force, terrifying any Lord who witnessed it. However, despite their numbers, their overall strength was still weak. A Emperor level expert could easily overpower 30K undead. But Alex firmly believed that quantity could lead to a qualitative change. Now that the summoning process was complete, it was time to disassemble the beast corpses around the castle. The constant temperature around Alex''s location was about 75¡ãF, a very comfortable climate. If the beast corpses were left out much longer, they would rot and stink up the place. Alex disassembled the seven thousand beast corpses, obtaining 100,000 portions of food, 7,140 magic crystals, and 890 Essence Shards. She gave some animal hides and standard equipment to Chi-Chi, who sent a 500-word email thanking Alex, which we''ll skip over here. These items currently held no allure for Alex, but the rewards from two waves of beast tides were indeed substantial. She now had over 100,000 portions of food, more than she knew what to do with. After a beast tide, which Lord would lack food? Sitting in her castle, Alex pondered her next moves. Conquest was a long way off; upgrading was the immediate priority. Less than two hours remained on the leaderboard, and the rewards from the beast tide were likely to be distributed tonight. Alex guessed that the rankings would refresh one last time before the end, and the final rewards would be determined based on those rankings. Alex sat quietly in her bedroom, watching the seconds tick down on the leaderboard. Finally, the system notification sounded! [Dear Lords, the leaderboard will refresh in the final minute. Lords ranked in the top 1000 will receive additional rewards.] Chapter 89 - 89: Eye of Magic Time: 23:59 In the final minute, the leaderboard began to flicker, capturing the undivided attention of all Lords watching the system''s display. As the leaderboard stopped flickering and the refresh completed, the countdown for the last minute began. Every Lord immediately focused on their own ranking. With just one minute left, there was no time to check the rankings of other Lords. As expected, Alex remained in the top tier. Chi-Chi was still in the fifth tier, while Sophie had advanced to the third tier due to the emergence of her Commanding level troops. Samson''s previous boasts to his allies quickly backfired as he failed to make it to the top tier. Adding to his embarrassment, another Lord in their Alliance, [Earth Lord] from the Barren Plains, had ascended to the top tier. [Earth Lord]: "Guys, I''ve made it to the top tier!" Earth Lord shared his joy in the Alliance group chat, but at this moment, everyone was too preoccupied with their own rankings and rewards to respond. Samson felt incredibly awkward, as if he had dug himself into a whole new level of embarrassment. The minute passed in a flash, and the leaderboard permanently disappeared from the system interface, turning gray. A new countdown appeared, indicating the time until the next leaderboard refresh. At the same time, Alex received a message from the system. [Congratulations on your final ranking in the top tier. You have received a special reward: Essence of Bloodline (Universal).] Alex had a feeling that this was something similar to what was used in the Blackwater Altar, capable of enhancing her various abilities and possibly causing some unusual changes. "Claim it!" It was a good thing, so claiming it was the right move. Alex felt a surge of energy enter her body, similar to when she was enhanced at the Blackwater Altar, but this time the sensation was much more intense. Alex''s body trembled, which was a bit uncomfortable. After five minutes, Alex took a deep breath. The overwhelming Essence of Bloodline had been fully absorbed by her body. The discomfort had passed, though her face was still flushed, and she felt weak. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully absorbing the Essence of Bloodline (Universal). You have awakened the Undead Queen''s Right Eye. All attributes permanently increased by 15 points, Health Points and Mana Points permanently increased by 10 points.] Just as she had suspected, a special change had occurred. Additionally, her mind was filled with a plethora of memories, not only about the newly appeared right eye but also enhancements to the magic of her left eye. Since this reward was specific to Alex, her scythe received no benefits and thus underwent no special changes. The Undead Queen''s Left Eye, also known as the Eye of the Undead, previously mastered only summoning and dark magic. Now, it had gained curse, alchemy, and plague magics. Only curse and plague could be used directly for attack, while alchemy was about using magic and undead materials to concoct potions or dark items, which seemed of limited use. These auxiliary tools were something a necromancer would handle in the future; it wasn''t something a queen would do personally. The dark magic was intermediate, summoning magic was third-tier, and the rest¡ªalchemy, plague, and curse¡ªwere only first-tier, which were basically useless with only minor skills. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Undead Queen''s Right Eye, also known as the Eye of Magic, was not just about undead magic; mastering other types of magic was also essential. Unlike the left eye, the right eye did not come with inherent skills but had the ability to record. Since other magics were not part of the inheritance, Alex needed to learn them herself; the right eye merely added a learning aid. The Right Eye could record up to seven types of magic, allowing for the enhancement and fusion of recorded magics while also increasing their power and reducing Mana Points consumption. The magics recorded in the Right Eye could also be cast without chanting. In simple terms, the Eye of the Undead helped enhance her own legacy, while the Eye of Magic helped enhance Alex''s other abilities. Alex went to her bedroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her right eye had changed from its original blue to red! She had heterochromia now... Activating the ability of her right eye, it emitted a red light, and a hexagram magic circle appeared in her pupil, with symbols of fire and ice at two of its points, glowing red and blue respectively¡ªrepresenting the fire and frost magics she had just recorded. She felt that if she recorded all types of magic, this hexagram might become multicolored. Alex also activated her left eye, which emitted a blue light. Inside the pupil, a circular magic circle would change color depending on the magic she used; for example, black for dark and curse magics, gray for summoning, green for plague, and so on. However, unless someone observed Alex''s pupils closely, these subtle differences would go unnoticed. Using both eyes simultaneously was a huge drain on her mental energy. She could distinctly feel that with both eyes open, the world around her seemed to slow down. Standing by the window, Alex could even see insects crawling on the ground outside her territory through the darkness. With a blink, the glow disappeared, and her eyes returned to normal. She couldn''t just go to sleep yet; there were troops to summon, and she wanted to experience the effects of her newly enhanced magics. Most importantly, Alex wanted to check on Sophie''s situation, as she didn''t even know where Sophie''s castle was located. Her plan was for Sophie to upgrade to a town level as soon as possible and build a Portal of Transit so that Alex could send Acolytes to help mine. Being limited by iron ingots was not ideal. ... Besides obtaining the Eye of Magic, Alex had also leveled up. Upon checking, she indeed found that she had leveled up twice. This was quite surprising, especially since all top-tier Lords had received the same reward. It seemed that Lords below the top tier would only fall further behind. [Lord: Alex] [Power: lv5 Commanding level (can be increased by personal and troops'' kills)] [Territory Level: lv1 town] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe, Ring of Space] [Health Points: 350] [Mana Points: 180] [Strength: 103] [Stamina: 97] [Agility: 101] With the attribute enhancements from the Eye of Magic and the two-level increase, Alex''s attributes had significantly improved. Now at the same level as Ice Cream, if she encountered that level 6 Frost Werewolf again, Alex was confident she could defeat it alone. Alex sent a message to Sophie, asking if she had gone to bed yet. [QuartzStriker]: "Not yet." [Hamburger]: "Have you summoned your troops?" [QuartzStriker]: "No, the dwarves need to rest at night. They won''t work if summoned now, and they might even demand a midnight snack, so I usually summon them in the morning." Alex checked Sophie''s Barracks level on the system dashboard; it was already level 7, four levels higher than before, and the Essence Shards from the beast tide were probably almost used up. Alex opened the description of her Barracks. [lv7 Dwarf Crystal: Can summon dwarf race''s warriors and artisans, randomly forty units, initial level raised to lv3.] Alex sent Sophie 480 Essence Shards. As for magic crystals, Sophie surely had enough and didn''t need Alex to worry about them; the only thing lacking was Essence Shards. Based on Alex''s estimation, it would be difficult for Sophie to obtain Essence Shards after the beast tide. [Hamburger]: "Upgrade your Barracks to level 10, then focus on mining iron ore. Upgrade your town as soon as possible and build a Portal of Transit." Sophie was pleasantly surprised; Alex had just given her nearly five hundred Essence Shards, exactly enough to upgrade to level 10 Barracks. Although Sophie didn''t know what a Portal of Transit was, she understood it was a key structure that could only be unlocked by reaching town level. Sophie''s Warehouse currently held four thousand iron ingots. With the dwarves working at full capacity, it would take about two days to upgrade the town. [QuartzStriker]: "Okay, thank you so much for your generous support, Big Shot!" Sophie upgraded her Barracks to level 10, increasing the number of dwarves summoned to fifty, with an initial level of lv5. [Hamburger]: "By the way, where is your castle located?" Alex almost forgot to ask this crucial information. Sophie''s castle housed native dwarves, so she must know its location. [QuartzStriker]: "My castle is in the White Rock Mountains on the Arsen continent, not far from the border of the Dwarf Kingdom." She wasn''t on the Eldoria continent? That made sense. With so many Lords transported from Earth to this world, how could they all be on one continent? Alex suddenly remembered what Greenbean had said: apart from Divine beings, no creature could cross continents on its own. But considering the Holy Court, which had a presence on seven continents, Alex didn''t believe they lacked the ability to traverse continents. Once Sophie upgraded her castle, would Alex be able to use the Portal of Transit to cross from the Eldoria continent to the Arsen continent? A journey across an entire continent? After ending the conversation with Sophie, Alex began summoning troops. Before summoning, she used her resources to upgrade her Barracks by two more levels, spending a total of 55k magic crystals and 550 Essence Shards. This nearly depleted the Essence Shards and magic crystals in her Warehouse, leaving only 8k magic crystals and 170 Essence Shards. Sure enough, the two-level upgrade to the Barracks unlocked the troops Destroyer and Ghoul, which Alex should have anticipated. "Ah well, they had to be unlocked sooner or later." Alex sighed, but before starting, she habitually placed her hand on her breast to increase her ''luck value.'' At this moment, Alex began summoning troops. Fortunately, the lucky Alex once again summoned a zombie titan, seven necromancers, and two bone dragons. Ten Acolytes also appeared beside the Barracks. As more troops were unlocked, the chances of summoning ordinary skeletons decreased, and most Skeleton Soldiers were now summoned by the necromancers. Then, Alex experimented with her newly enhanced magic outside the castle. She discovered that using her right eye seemed to create a zone with a radius of about 500 yards where she could manipulate fire elements at will. The magic was incredibly powerful, nearly twice as effective as before. Alex was delighted and tested the Frost Magic with similar results. She really wanted to record dark magic and others in her right eye, but unfortunately, those magics belonged to the left eye and couldn''t be recorded. After some experiments, Alex had a basic understanding of her newly enhanced powers. She returned to the castle, finally ready to rest. Chapter 90 - 90: The hostile lords of the Dark Forest [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] The next day, Alex woke up promptly at 6:00 AM. Before even getting out of bed, she opened the trading post to check on the status of the ten thousand pieces of equipment. Fortunately, despite the price drop, they had all sold. Alex collected 50,000 magic crystals, sharing half with Sophie and storing the rest in her Warehouse. Today, Alex dressed casually in a white, loose-fitting T-shirt, a light blue skirt, white socks adorned with two white bows at the back, and a pair of casual shoes. She then headed outside the castle and fed some elite food to Ice Cream. Since the end of the beast tide, Alex had stopped sending the undead to hunt nearby. After all, food was no longer useful to her, and the local beasts, peaking at level 3, provided only ten experience points each¡ªhardly enough to level up a level 9 undead to Commanding level. Alex had now directed the undead air forces to expand towards the snowy mountain, while the ground forces were sent to the Dark Forest. Of course, with only twenty Acolytes, resource gathering was still slow, and some skeletons were needed to assist with chopping wood and mining stone. The outskirts of the Dark Forest had been stripped bare by the skeletons, yielding 8k wood but only 4k stone per day. However, the indiscriminate felling of trees in the Dark Forest had drawn the ire of one particular inhabitant. Unlike the Frostwind snowy mountain, all territories within the Dark Forest were clearly demarcated, and the beasts had a strong sense of territoriality. To claim another''s territory, one had to defeat its ruler. The outermost territory belonged to a level 1 Commanding Bloodrage War Bear, whose territory was not originally on the periphery. However, nine days ago, a castle suddenly appeared in its territory, bringing other creatures with it, which the Bloodrage War Bear perceived as an invasion. It led its kin in an assault on the castle. But the castle was protected by a strong barrier, which the Bloodrage War Bear could not breach until two days ago when the barrier suddenly disappeared. Many beasts, including the Bloodrage War Bear and its kin, had their minds affected and launched a frenzied attack on the castle. However, that Lord used purification magic, and most of the beasts were cleansed and regained their senses, naturally leaving the area. Only the Bloodrage War Bear and its kin continued the attack, but after just seven days, it realized the castle now housed Commanding level forces. It was no match for that Lord and had to leave with its kin in disgrace. The Bloodrage War Bear had no choice but to relocate its territory to the outskirts of the Dark Forest, driving out the beasts there and taking over their land. However, it soon discovered that all the trees within its territory had been chopped down by a group of skeletons. Although only at level 1 Commanding, it could not tolerate its home being destroyed. It immediately led its kin in a brutal beating of the invading skeletons. To the Bloodrage War Bear''s dismay, these skeletons could resurrect, making them impossible to kill. The skeletons, not fools themselves, quickly called for backup from the undead, and the sight of a few dozen skeletons swelling to hundreds panicked the Bloodrage War Bear. It realized it might have to move again... Among the undead, the Bloodrage War Bear even recognized some Ghouls, which it knew lived in the Dark Forest with a group of Destroyers, holding a territory much larger than its own. It couldn''t understand why they would help these skeletons against it. Its bear brain was baffled, only knowing that these skeletons were immortal, and it needed to move. Just then, the Bloodrage War Bear heard the sound of footsteps on leaves behind it. Turning around, it saw a young man in an open shirt and beach shorts approaching. Floating beside the man was a magic book glowing with golden light, followed by a group of armored soldiers. Startled, the Bloodrage War Bear recognized this human as the one who had taken over its territory. Without hesitation, it turned and fled. The man did not pursue but instead looked interestedly at the undead nearby. "Undead creatures, huh? The species diversity in the Dark Forest is truly rich." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The magic book moved in front of the man and began flipping rapidly. A holy light suddenly converged in front of the Skeleton Soldiers, hitting many and extinguishing their soul fires, reducing them to piles of bones that no longer showed signs of reassembly. The man watched the system''s kill log, his expression subtly changing before breaking into a smile. "So, these are the troops of a Lord." This was the man''s first time venturing outside the Dark Forest, and he hadn''t expected to encounter other Lords so soon. For him, eliminating other Lords was an excellent opportunity to grow stronger. The man, named James, had initially arrived in this forbidden area of the Dark Forest. With seven days of development, he had reached Commanding level. But he wasn''t the only Lord born in the Dark Forest; nearly ten others had started here, though only four survived. James and the other three survivors formed an Alliance, struggling to survive in the perilous Dark Forest. Any Lord who could live here was no ordinary individual. James had discussed leaving the Dark Forest to seek development elsewhere with his allies, but being the closest to the edge, he was tasked with this challenging mission. He had just reached the edge of the Dark Forest when he discovered other Lords'' troops, delighting him. He immediately informed his three allies. These people were all Lords who had survived in the forbidden Dark Forest, so their strength was formidable. The other three Lords were: Jareth; Isran; and Halvar. Among them, Isran was the strongest, at level 4 Commanding, while the other two were levels 3 and 2, respectively. James was only level 1. Upon receiving James''s message, the three Lords immediately led their troops towards this location, not wanting to miss this chance to strengthen themselves. James immediately engaged his troops with the skeletons, waiting for his allies to arrive. The skeletons, lacking high intelligence and fear, continued to attack the enemy even though James had the ability to kill them. However, James''s troops lacked the ability to kill the skeletons. To buy time, James was not in a hurry to finish them off. During the battle, a Ghoul from the rear turned and left. It wasn''t fleeing out of fear but because it possessed some basic intelligence. Knowing the undead were no match for this human, it needed to report back to the castle for reinforcements. James watched the departing Ghoul but didn''t interfere, assuming it was fleeing in fear. He planned to use the Ghoul''s escape direction to determine the location of this Lord''s castle. Even without the Ghoul''s report, Alex in her castle received system notifications. [Your lv5 Skeleton Warrior has been killed by an enemy Lord!] [Your lv6 Skeleton Warrior has been killed by an enemy Lord!] ... A series of messages popped up, startling Alex. This was the first time her undead had been killed. Although she didn''t know where the battle was taking place, the continuous notifications, all involving Skeleton Soldiers, zombies, and death knights, indicated they were all ground troops. Thus, Alex quickly deduced that the battlefield was likely in the direction of the Dark Forest. If native creatures had done the killing, Alex might have needed more information. But since it was an enemy Lord, she didn''t need to worry. The strongest Lords currently were only at Commanding level, posing no threat to her. All the air forces in her castle had gone to the Frostwind snowy mountain, and the bodies had all been summoned, with the necromancers also dispatched for leveling. "Shoot, I have no mount..." Just then, a specter flew over. It had encountered the Ghoul en route and was coming to deliver a message to Alex. Chapter 91 - 91: Have you figured out how youre going to die? Specter relayed the intelligence to Alex, and she instantly pinpointed the enemy''s location. Despite the lack of air power, with John and other commanding-level troops among the skeleton soldiers, zombies, and death conquerors, Alex was undaunted. "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Currently, there were no air forces in the castle. If she called back the gargoyles or the bone dragon, who knows how many of her Skeleton Soldiers would perish. Alex decisively mounted Ice Cream, pointed in a direction, and sped towards the battlefield. ... Meanwhile, James''s first assistant had arrived; it was Lord Halvar, who was closest to James. His troops were a group of giant lizards with a faint trace of draconic blood, thus their combat ability was decent. With Halvar''s giant lizard troops joining the battlefield, the undead were no match, constantly suppressed, though they couldn''t die. Suddenly, all the giant lizards seemed to sense something and stopped their attack, lying prostrate on the ground. Halvar noticed the unusual behavior of his troops and was puzzled. No one but he could make them show such a submissive posture. No, there was another creature¡ª Halvar looked up: "A dragon!" It was a true dragon! "What the fuck!" James also looked up and saw a frost dragon flying towards them with a human girl on its back. Could this beautiful girl be the undead Lord? From atop Ice Cream, Alex already had a bird''s-eye view of the two Lords below. "Ice Cream, attack!" As they neared the two, a magic circle began to form in front of Ice Cream. A blizzard carrying huge ice crystals instantly poured down towards the ground. Even then, the giant lizards dared not move; those hit by Ice Cream''s magic instantly turned into ice sculptures, which were then shattered by the ice crystals. James quickly cast a spell for defense, but his shield was soon shattered. Fortunately, Halvar intervened just in time, and together they barely managed to block Ice Cream''s magic. Alex''s right eye glowed, and the hexagram magic circle in her pupil transformed into an ice crystal pattern. She also cast Frost Magic, enhancing Ice Cream''s magic circle. The entire battlefield was now engulfed in a blizzard, the ground slowly icing over. Even James''s soldiers were struggling, their movements becoming sluggish and gradually freezing. Seeing that both Lords were mages, Alex decisively chose to close in and finish them off. Alex''s body on Ice Cream''s back slowly became transparent, and a stunning figure emerged from the snow below. Alex drew her scythe and vanished in a puff of black mist. In an instant, Alex appeared before the two Lords, swinging her scythe decisively at them. With her Eye of Magic activated, Alex''s senses were incredibly sharp. She suddenly sensed a dangerous aura and then a fierce blade light emerged from Halvar''s shadow, slashing towards her. Fortunately, Alex had anticipated this and blocked the blade with her scythe. Alex took a closer look¡ªit was a middle-aged man with a beard, wielding a long sword. "Another one?" Alex used the momentum to leap backward, while Isran licked his lips. "What a beautiful girl!" It wasn''t until Isran helped Halvar and James block Alex''s sneak attack that the two Lords finally reacted. "Well done." "Has Jareth not arrived yet?" "He''s always slow." The three of them talked while forming a triangular position around Alex, with Isran in front and James and Halvar behind. Isran''s troops were a group of armored warriors, including a few Commanding level ones. As the three Lords'' troops launched an attack on Alex''s undead army, Ice Cream provided support from the sky. Other undead reinforcements hadn''t arrived yet, but some fast-moving death conquerors had made it, which was enough to handle the other three Lords'' troops. Alex had observed that none of the troops present had the ability to kill undead, only James''s magic could, so he was the first target Alex planned to eliminate. The Lord named Isran was the strongest, only one level below Alex. At that moment, as the four stood in confrontation, Jareth finally arrived late with his troops, a group of pythons. "Ah!" Jareth roared, and then his body began to convulse wildly, swelling in his limbs and torso, eventually transforming into a 10-foot tall red giant. Transformed, Jareth stood next to Isran, two in front and two behind. "I can take less resources, but I want the girl''s corpse!" "I want her too, but wouldn''t it be better if we captured her alive and made her a sex slave?" "I totally agree." "But who gets to enjoy her first?" These four men, still in the mood to chat, completely disregarded Alex and her undead army, clearly blinded by Alex''s beauty ¡ª it seemed her looks had temporarily lowered their IQs. They had never seen such a beautiful girl and were completely lost in their fantasies! Alex stood by, scythe on her shoulder, one hand on the handle, fearless. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite the combined strength of the four men, Alex could easily handle and defeat them all in a 1v4 fight, thanks to the enhancements her scythe provided to her attributes. Daring to fantasize about defiling her body? Once Alex''s reinforcements arrived, they would completely surround the area, leaving the four Lords no chance to escape. Then, Alex would lead her undead army to demolish their castle. Alex noticed the four seemed to have finished their discussion and turned their gaze towards her. "Done talking?" "Have you figured out how you''re going to die?" Alex picked up her scythe, dragging one hand along the ground, her right eye emitting a red glow, the ice crystal pattern in her pupil replaced by a flame pattern. The surrounding area within 500 yards instantly burst into flames, the snow began to melt, trees burned down, and the ground completely disappeared, leaving only a sea of fire. The troops of the four Lords also began to flee. The burning fire formed a red hell, enveloping the four Lords. Alex stood unscathed, her eyes reflecting the wrath of the flames. Chapter 92 - 92: 1 vs 4 The four hostile lords all felt the heat of the flames, but each had equipment and magic to resist it, so the flames couldn''t harm them immediately. "What is this, a domain?" Halvar looked around in surprise as the flames even altered the terrain, creating a battlefield advantageous for the caster. "Impossible, only Monarch level strength can create a domain. This is a pseudo-domain," Isran countered first. He had once witnessed a clash between Monarch level creatures in the Dark Forest, and their domains were truly terrifying. "Don''t worry, she''s just a mage," James reassured as his spellbook floated in front of him, flipping pages, preparing to attack. Although unsure why this undead Lord could wield fire magic, James believed his holy light, effective against undead, would surely work against her too. Isran, the strongest of the four lords but unable to use any magic, charged at Alex with his sword. All his enhancements were in his physical and sword skills. Clang! Sparks flew as Alex''s scythe clashed with Isran''s long sword. Behind them, Halvar chanted an odd incantation, his staff striking the ground heavily. A massive stream of water appeared before him, attacking Alex and extinguishing the surrounding flames, sending up plumes of steam. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as Isran seemed to be gaining the upper hand, he suddenly heard the sound of bells. His head started to ache, slowing his reaction time. Alex raised her hands, and from the flames on either side, two fire dragons surged forth, pushing Isran back. His armor protected him from injury. Alex, having repelled Isran, faced the incoming tidal wave with her palms as if launching an air cannon. The wave shattered into a spray of water droplets, which then instantly turned into steam under the intense heat. Taking advantage of the moment, Jareth launched a sneak attack. A massive red fist, larger than Alex''s head, aimed at her. The sheer force and size of the fist would have crushed a normal person''s skull. But Alex didn''t dodge; instead, her left fist met it head-on, a magic circle in front of her fist preventing actual contact. Jareth''s full-force punch was not only caught by Alex, but she didn''t even step back, leaving him both puzzled and shocked. What the fuck, how could a female mage have such strength? Though Jareth was physically large, he was the weakest there, only a level 2 Commanding, despite his transformation significantly boosting his strength attribute. But Alex, now at level 5 Commanding and with her scythe''s double attribute enhancement, easily caught his attack under her complete suppression of level and attributes. Jareth tried to wrestle with Alex, but she wasn''t about to waste time as Isran and James attacked her simultaneously. A huge pillar of fire erupted from the magic circle in front of Alex''s fist, blasting Jareth away. Isran''s sword missed as Alex turned into a mist and vanished, reappearing in front of James. James was taken aback by her speed, unable to react as the scythe swung towards him. He hurriedly used his spellbook to block. Alex''s scythe sliced the spellbook in two, its light fading as it fell to the ground and was consumed by the flames. Losing his spellbook, James was furious. A golden magic circle appeared in front of him as he tried to counterattack with holy light magic. However, before his spell could complete, Alex dispersed it with a slap. James looked at Alex, noticing black flames burning in her palm. "You''re brave, kid? Heard you killed my undead?" Alex taunted. Isran and Jareth tried to help James, but walls of fire rising from the ground trapped them. While ordinary fire magic posed no threat, these walls could suddenly turn into black flames, whose power was formidable, forcing them to be cautious. At that moment, Alex''s left eye emitted a blue light, and the flames around James turned black, engulfing him. "Ah!" James screamed in agony as dark magic corrosion began. Already weak without his spellbook, he couldn''t dispel the dark magic consuming him. James rolled on the ground, unable to extinguish the black flames consuming him, his screams of pain weakening until he was completely lifeless. Alex turned to the other three Lords. Halvar tried to attack with water magic but was completely suppressed by Alex''s flame domain, losing control of his water magic. Of the remaining two, only Isran had some strength, but he couldn''t withstand Alex''s soul damage. Jareth, aside from being slightly larger, was practically useless. "Damn it, you killed James, I''ll avenge him!" Isran shouted, unleashing a circular sword energy that broke through the surrounding fire walls and charged at Alex. Under the enhancement of Alex''s Eye of the Undead and Eye of Magic, Isran''s speed slowed, as if time around him was decelerating. Isran and Alex engaged in hand-to-hand combat, Alex taking the opportunity to hone her melee skills, thus temporarily refraining from using other magic against Isran. Meanwhile, Halvar, knowing he''d be suppressed within Alex''s pseudo-domain, stepped out of the range of her flame domain. Removing his robe to reveal his muscular torso, he slammed his staff into the ground again. Chanting a complex and strange incantation, Halvar summoned a river that began to erode the edges of Alex''s fire domain. Though the river appeared murky, its power was formidable, slowly extinguishing the flames on the ground. Jareth joined the fray against Alex and Isran, but each time he was blasted away by Alex''s controlled fire magic. Despite this, he persisted in disrupting Alex''s battle. Engaged in combat with Alex, Isran didn''t notice the red flame pattern in her right pupil turning into a blue ice crystal pattern. The surrounding flames began to diminish, leading both to believe Halvar''s water magic was taking effect. Even Halvar himself thought he had the upper hand, a confident smile spreading across his face. As the flames dwindled, unable to resist Halvar''s magic any longer, the river broke through the fire, extinguishing it completely and surging towards Alex. Isran and Jareth quickly dodged aside, but Alex calmly stood her ground. Isran''s smile began to form, but his mouth soon dropped open wide enough to fit an egg. "What the hell?!" In an instant, the river froze solid, its icy surface reflecting Halvar''s shocked face. The surroundings morphed into a frozen tundra, the ground sheathed in solid ice, intensifying the biting cold. Halvar never expected to be frozen within the river he had summoned, losing his ability to move. His eyes darted around, his breath trying to melt the ice. But as oxygen grew scarce, his body became colder. Halvar realized that if no one came to his aid, he might suffocate before freezing to death. He could only cast pleading looks at Isran and Jareth. The two exchanged glances; Isran decisively charged at Alex, while Jareth quickly went to rescue Halvar. Before Jareth could reach Halvar, countless ice spikes surged from the ground, piercing Jareth''s limbs and spilling bright red blood. Jareth tried to break free, but four thicker ice columns emerged, compressing him at the center, further impaled by ice spikes. Thus, Jareth was completely immobilized before reaching Halvar. Frost Magic, unlike fire magic, could restrict an enemy''s movements, the only downside being its inability to merge with Alex''s dark magic. Isran''s eyelids twitched as both his teammates were quickly incapacitated, realizing he was no match for this girl alone. It was all James''s fault for provoking someone they shouldn''t have, leading them to their deaths! Chapter 93 - 93: Energy Cannon Isran didn''t hesitate; he turned and ran, not even bothering with his own warriors. All he wanted now was to survive. "Hey, where''s that bravery gone? Don''t run away!" Alex taunted. Isran ran with all his might, but how could he possibly outrun Alex? With a blink, she teleported in front of him, her scythe ablaze with black flames, slashing towards him. Isran reacted quickly, trying to block Alex''s attack, but the bell on her scythe slowed him down just enough. His chest armor was easily breached, a huge wound opening across his chest, blood spurting out nearly reaching Alex, who quickly used Frost Magic to block it. Thud! Alex kicked him away, and the ground ice surged, instantly encasing Isran in ice. "Phew¡ª" Alex took a deep breath. The sight was a bit too bloody for her, making her slightly nauseous. Her previous kills had been more gentle, and mostly non-human, so she hadn''t felt much of a burden. But this time, she had literally ripped open a living man''s chest. For a moment, her enhanced vision even allowed her to see his internal organs clearly. Feeling queasy, Alex quickly kicked him away and used magic to freeze him. Strictly speaking, this was her first kill in this world, and it was quite direct. Calm down, there''s no law in this world. It''s an All-Races Battle Royale, a kill or be killed world. The weak have no place here. Alex quickly adjusted her mindset and looked towards the other two Lords. Jareth had already lost the ability to resist and had returned to his normal human form, his limbs still dripping blood down the ice spikes. Halvar, completely encased in ice, had passed out, and it was unclear whether he was in shock or dead. Halvar was not the weakest of the four, but his sole mastery of water magic was his downfall against both Alex''s fire and ice magic, which severely countered him. Alex''s eyes returned to normal, as using both the Eye of the Undead and the Eye of Magic simultaneously was too draining. She felt a bit tired. Raising her arm towards the three, she clenched her fist. In an instant, all three incapacitated Lords were killed by Alex. After deactivating her Eye of the Magic, the environment slowly returned to normal. She dispelled the magic, and the frozen river fell to the ground, turning into puddles. With the three Lords dead, the giant lizards and pythons scattered, showing their low loyalty to Halvar. In contrast, the warriors and soldiers continued to fight the undead even after their Lords had died, with none fleeing. This showed that James and Isran''s troops had a loyalty level above 80, willing to fight to the death with their Lords. The undead reinforcements had arrived, and these troops stood no chance. Some undead began chasing the pythons and lizards; they couldn''t let them escape, as they were all valuable experience points. Meanwhile, in the Dark Forest, four distinct castles began to shake violently. The crystals at the top of the castles shattered, and the structures began to collapse. Alex opened her system dashboard, and four notifications popped up. [Congratulations on successfully killing the hostile Lord [Blessing of the Holy Light]!] [Congratulations on successfully killing the hostile Lord [Will of the Sword]!] ... [Resources are being tallied...] [You have obtained a special structure blueprint: Energy Cannon] [You have obtained 80% of the enemy Lords'' Warehouse resources: 8k magic crystals, 200 Essence Shards, 10k food, 70k wood, 8k stone, 7k iron ingots, and various other materials] [Note: After defeating other Lords, you obtain 80% of their Warehouse resources, and the drop rate for special buildings and other items within the castle is 35%. Resources used for upgrading the castle will not drop. This is your first time defeating other Lords, hence this declaration.] So little resources from four Lords? Combined, they weren''t as wealthy as Alex alone, but obtaining a special building was quite a catch, especially something sounding as powerful as a cannon. It wasn''t that the four Lords had only one special building; it was that Alex''s victory resulted in only one dropping. If only the resources they used for upgrading their castles could drop, but the system didn''t allow it, and even the Warehouse drop was only 80%. The Essence Shards were few, clearly, they had used up their rewards from the beast tide. However, the system was quite user-friendly, transferring the resources of the defeated Lords directly to Alex''s Warehouse, saving her the trouble of locating their castles in the vast Dark Forest. At the same time, Alex noticed one thing: in the Dark Forest, there was no shortage of wood. All Lords had it in abundance. The four Lords were all Commanding level, ranging from levels 4 to 1. Alex used her Undead Summoning Magic, and her undead army gained four more Commanding level commanders. Their troops also included four Commanding level troops, which Alex generously allowed to remain by their Lords'' sides in undead form. The combined troops of the four Lords totaled about five hundred, and aside from a few pythons and lizards that escaped early, nearly all were slain by the undead army''s numerical superiority. These soldiers and warriors strangely left no bodies upon death, vanishing completely, so they couldn''t be summoned as undead. Alex tallied up; only two hundred bodies could be summoned. She didn''t bother summoning them one by one and used her left eye to summon them all at once. Halvar''s staff was an amplifying weapon, not very useful. Alex had destroyed James''s spellbook, Jareth had no weapon, and only Isran''s long sword was a decent weapon. Alex stored all the obtained magic crystals and equipment in her ring, then rode Ice Cream back to her castle. The undead dispersed, some upgrading and others gathering resources. Back at the castle, Alex put all the miscellaneous items, including some equipment, up for sale at the trading post. Now, standard equipment and animal hides were considered miscellaneous and not very valuable. The only valuable items were the two Commanding level pieces of equipment and a full Commanding level suit. The two pieces of equipment belonged to the two Lords, and the suit was from James''s deceased Commanding level soldier. After dealing with the miscellaneous items, Alex turned her attention to the special structure blueprint she had acquired. [special structure blueprint: Energy Cannon] [Building level: Commanding level] [Feature: Commanding level offensive turret.] [Description: Connected to the castle crystal, the damage caused is related to the level of the castle crystal, and the attack range always matches the Territory Area of the castle.] [Construction materials: 10k wood, 10k stone, 2k magic crystals, 36 Essence Shards, 1k iron ingots.] "This is quite impressive, an attack with no blind spots within the territory." Alex was surprised; she hadn''t expected the four Lords to have such a valuable item. The defense towers on Alex''s wall had a limited attack range, only activating when enemies approached the wall, which is why she had built a circle of twenty towers around the wall. Traditional defense towers seemed rather low-tech. The only advantage was their quantity. But this turret was better, offering full-map coverage. "Build it!" Alex wasn''t short on resources, especially now that she had acquired some iron ingots, making construction a breeze. In the center of her castle, between the Blackwater Altar and the castle gate, a white turret appeared. It had strange patterns that flickered with light, and a huge cannon extended upwards, aiming at the sky. The turret''s internal energy unit was connected to the castle crystal, just like the defense towers. It looked a bit like a mortar, Alex thought, though she couldn''t underestimate the power of a Commanding level weapon. After defeating the four hostile lords, Alex had gained some iron ingots. She no longer needed to wait for Sophie to produce them and could even provide some to Sophie. Alex immediately sent a message to Sophie. [Hamburger]: "How many more iron ingots do you need to upgrade your castle to a town?" [QuartzStriker]: "I''m short 3k." Once Sophie replied, Alex immediately sent her 3k iron ingots. [Hamburger]: "Upgrade to town, then build a Portal of Transit." [QuartzStriker]: "Thank you so much!" Sophie was surprised at how quickly Alex had obtained the iron ingots. She immediately accessed her system dashboard and chose to upgrade her castle to a town. Sophie''s castle, nestled among mountain peaks, began to emit a white glow, becoming even more majestic. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dwarves were drawn by the activity at the castle, stopping to watch. The system also cleared a large area outside the castle, where Sophie''s Blacksmith Shop and Furnace were repositioned within the town''s territory. The uneven rocks within the town''s territory were disassembled by the system into stone materials, forcibly leveled. Sophie hadn''t even had time to look over her castle when she received a system notification, unlocking the exclusive building, Portal of Transit. "Portal of Transit, building materials: 10K wood, 5K stone, 1K magic crystals." This wasn''t expensive for Sophie, as she usually stockpiled some wood, and she had more than enough of the other resources. As Sophie clicked to build the Portal of Transit, a structure appeared in front of her castle within the town''s territory. Sophie had always been curious why Alex was so insistent on her building a Portal of Transit. Curious, she walked into the grand hall of the Portal of Transit and instantly understood. "A teleportation portal!" Sophie read the system''s description. As a Lord under Submission, she couldn''t have allies, so she could only teleport to other Lords who were also under Submission to Alex or to Alex''s castle. Next to the portal, she could choose the destination castle, with only two options: [King Kong] and Alex. But [King Kong]''s option was grayed out, indicating her castle hadn''t reached town level yet. "Should I go now?" Sophie was excited, not just about seeing Alex but about seeing another human. She had been isolated in this place for nine days and had never left. It felt like being quarantined at home with the flu, which was really hard to bear. Sophie firmed up her resolve and stepped through the portal. Chapter 94 - 94: Time Chamber These past few days, Chi-Chi had been in a foul mood, constantly snapping at her Red Blood Gorilla. Why were her troops so weak? Of course, if it hadn''t been for Alex''s selfless help during the beast tide, she might have perished. Alex not only helped her fend off the beast tide but also left her with over six hundred beast corpses. Chi-Chi disassembled these beasts, gaining a whopping 60 Essence Shards, 500 magic crystals, and a large amount of food. With these resources, she was finally able to upgrade her Barracks, and she did so twice in a row. Perhaps because Chi-Chi had submitted to Alex, her castle''s level 1 Gorilla crystal upgraded to a level 3 beasts crystal when she upgraded her Barracks. Chi-Chi initially thought all Lords'' Barracks were like this, so she wasn''t particularly surprised. The level 3 Barracks unlocked two new troops: the Prairie Lion and the Swamp Crocodile. Not only that, but their potential was also high, reaching up to the Monarch level. The only downside was that, like the Red Blood Gorilla, she could only summon two of each species per day. Now, Chi-Chi could summon six beasts daily, which was a significant improvement for her. Chi-Chi''s beasts were actually juveniles, similar to Alex''s Ice Cream, and could gain experience through aging. Once they reached maturity, they would become very powerful. Previously, Chi-Chi had naively sent her troops into battle without realizing that they just needed to survive to increase their strength, resulting in several Red Blood Gorillas dying. Now that she knew, Chi-Chi regretted her past actions, but her mood quickly shifted to excitement. After upgrading to a level 3 Barracks, she unexpectedly received a special structure blueprint: the Time Chamber. The Time Chamber had one function: to accelerate the flow of time within the room by a factor of 100. A hundredfold increase in time meant that a year inside the chamber was equivalent to a hundred years outside. This might seem useless to others, but for Chi-Chi, it was divine gear. She could let her troops stay inside to rapidly mature. By the time they were nearly grown, they would emerge with the strength of Commanding level troops. Why not Monarch level? Because the building only affected creatures below Monarch level, and it only worked on living beings. This was a way for Chi-Chi to strengthen her troops effortlessly, a zero-loss strategy. All she needed to do was feed them enough each day. Chi-Chi was in high spirits, planning to gather Essence Shards once her beasts had grown a bit, to quickly upgrade her Barracks. This would allow her to develop normally and strengthen her forces. ... Meanwhile, Alex had already sent her undead to find the Acolytes, planning to bring them back and send them to Sophie''s castle to mine with her dwarves. Of course, Alex''s cheap labor force of skeletons would also help. With the Portal of Transit, travel between the two Lords'' territories was much easier, and troops could move back and forth without issue. It was then that Alex remembered the function of her Bone Throne''s Feature1. [Feature1: Increases troops'' loyalty to their Lord.] This wasn''t to increase the undead''s loyalty to Alex, as their loyalty was already maxed out. The Bone Throne''s feature was meant to increase the loyalty of the troops of Lords who had submitted to Alex. Alex hadn''t fully understood this before, but the realization struck her suddenly when she thought about the Portal of Transit. Indeed, everything exists for a reason. At that moment, a burst of red light flashed through Alex''s castle''s Portal of Transit, and a woman stumbled out. "Ugh!" Sophie felt dizzy and disoriented, unable to tell up from down, her stomach churning until she couldn''t hold back and vomited. "That was rash, and no one... told me teleporting... ugh... was like a roller coaster..." It took a while for Sophie to recover. She wiped her mouth and awkwardly stood up. The doors of the great hall were open, and she could see the outside from within. The outside was eerie, emitting a strange aura. Even during the day, the sky was devoid of any light. A bit terrifying... Sophie looked back uncertainly to make sure it was indeed a teleportation portal before stepping outside. Is it always so oppressive around Hamburger''s place? Sophie suddenly felt that her own castle was quite nice, at least sunny with blue skies and white clouds, resembling a normal Earth environment. Hamburger''s surroundings, however, seemed bizarrely ominous. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since she was within the town''s territory, there weren''t many undead around, but Sophie still occasionally saw ghosts and creatures flying in the sky, making her shiver. Aren''t undead supposed to be just big skeletons? Why are there so many flying creatures? That''s terrifying... She suddenly thought dwarves were quite cute, although it would be better if they ate a little less. Sophie saw two dimly lit yellow lanterns at the castle''s main entrance and four winged creature statues, the castle itself dark in color. Gathering her courage, Sophie walked towards the castle. Inside, Alex was fetching some elite food from the Warehouse for Ice Cream. Although she didn''t need to eat, Ice Cream''s diet couldn''t be neglected. Alex glanced at the castle entrance and saw someone standing there. Turning her head, Sophie also looked at Alex in the courtyard, their eyes meeting. "Big Shot?" "Sophie?" Alex and Sophie spoke simultaneously, and Ice Cream, hearing the noise, also turned to look towards the entrance. With Ice Cream''s massive size, Sophie couldn''t help but notice, but she continued inside bravely. "Why are you here?" Alex sized up Sophie, who was dressed in a business suit, looking like an office worker. Her beauty could probably be rated A-grade, but Alex wondered why she walked with a swaying motion, giving her a strange impression. "Big Shot, I came to see you. You were so eager for me to build the Portal of Transit, wasn''t it to find me?" Sophie''s voice was coquettish, causing Alex to grimace involuntarily. "Speak properly, don''t disgust me." "Okay, Big Shot!" Seeing Alex a bit displeased, Sophie immediately reverted to normal. After approaching Alex, Sophie dared to take a closer look. She had been too nervous walking over, her eyes fixed on Ice Cream, fearing it might eat her. Alex was wearing a white T-shirt paired with a black pleated skirt, looking youthful, vibrant, and exceptionally beautiful, more so than any woman Sophie had encountered. Besides her striking beauty, Sophie noticed that Alex''s eyes were two different colors. "Big Shot, what is that?" Sophie stood beside Alex, pointing at Ice Cream and whispering. "A dragon, can''t you tell?" Sophie''s unfamiliarity with other races was understandable, but not recognizing such a famous creature as a dragon baffled Alex. "Stupid woman." Ice Cream''s face was full of disdain. After finishing its meal, it curled up on the ground, closed its eyes, and began to rest. Sophie was mortified to realize the dragon had heard her and her heart raced with fear. Alex called over a specter. "Call back the Acolytes and the skeletons who are chopping wood and mining." Then Alex led Sophie into the castle to chat while waiting for the Acolytes to return, planning to send them to help Sophie with mining. "Big Shot, what is this place? It feels a bit scary." Sophie finally remembered to ask about the location of Alex''s castle. "Eldoria continent, at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Dark Forest." "Ah, we''re not on Arsen continent anymore?!" Sophie was shocked to realize she had crossed a continent. She had heard from the dwarves that their kingdom''s explorers had never reached the edge of Arsen continent in their lifetimes, which spoke volumes about the vastness of a continent. "By the way, Big Shot, after I upgraded to town, the system gave me this." Sophie pulled a flat, shield-shaped token from her shirt pocket and handed it to Alex. Chapter 95 - 95: Submission Token Alex curiously took the token from Sophie, examining it closely. The word "Submission" was inscribed on it. [Special Item: Submission Token] [Belonging Lord: Sophie] [Feature: Allows the construction of a subsidiary castle within the territory of the Lord to whom one has submitted. The subsidiary castle will have the same features as the main castle, and as long as the subsidiary castle remains, the belonging Lord will remain unaffected even if the main castle is destroyed.] [Usage Condition: Must be approved by the Lord to whom one has submitted.] Alex was momentarily taken aback; this item was quite interesting. It functioned somewhat like a city relocation feature from traditional games, but instead of moving, it allowed for the construction of a subsidiary castle within her town''s territory while retaining the original castle. This must be a system benefit for Lords who have submitted, as even if a submitted Lord dies, it has no impact on the Lord to whom they have submitted. The Submission Token allows them to have two castles. If they can build a subsidiary castle within Alex''s town, it acts as an additional layer of security. If the external castle is destroyed, as long as the castle within Alex''s territory remains, they would still be safe. "This is a great item!" Alex hadn''t expected the system to pull off such a feat, allowing for the relocation of castle locations. "Big Shot, I''d like to use this Submission Token." This was Sophie''s main reason for visiting Alex''s castle¡ªto discuss this matter since constructing a subsidiary castle required Alex''s approval. Sophie didn''t really have a choice; the Submission Token had only this function, to use it or not. Clearly, using it was all benefit and no downside for Sophie. "Is your area very dangerous?" "Not really, my castle is in the mountains, but it''s not far from the dwarf kingdom''s territory. The dwarf kingdom is still in civil war, and the conflict could reach here any day." Sophie expressed her concerns. If the noble dwarves of the dwarf kingdom found her troops, they would capture these dwarves to bolster their own forces and send them to the front lines, which was unacceptable to Sophie. "I approve. Go ahead." "Thank you, Big Shot!" Sophie was relieved, feeling much more secure now. However, the subsidiary castle had a drawback; it had to be built within Alex''s town territory and strictly speaking, could only be considered a building within Alex''s town. Therefore, this subsidiary castle had no territory of its own and could not be upgraded, but it did have a subsidiary Barracks where troops could be summoned. The subsidiary Barracks was only level 1 and needed to be upgraded separately, and its cooldown time was shared with the main Barracks. The Acolytes and skeletons had already assembled outside the castle, ready to be sent to help at Sophie''s castle. Sophie''s dwarves totaled only about two hundred, and in front of a group of skeletons and Acolytes, their numbers seemed insignificant. Skeletons might not be able to forge equipment, but digging stone was no problem for them. Even if they were slow, working 24 hours a day could match the output of dwarves working eight hours a day. "Let''s go to your castle. I''ve brought a group of helpers for you." As they spoke, Alex stood up and walked outside, with Sophie quickly following. It was a good opportunity for her to also retrieve the resources needed to build the subsidiary castle. "Helpers?" Sophie saw the skeletons outside the castle, looking a bit dim-witted, and felt uncertain. "Don''t underestimate them; they can work non-stop, 24 hours a day." Alex seemed to notice Sophie''s skepticism and explained. "24 hours non-stop, that intense?" Alex ignored Sophie''s ambiguous remark and led the group of undead towards the Portal of Transit. Alex and Sophie, accompanied by the undead, approached the portal, which emitted a bright orange-red glow, illuminating the entire room. Smaller creatures could pass through this portal, but for zombie titans and creatures like Arthur, the portal was simply too small. "You two go first." Alex directed two skeletons, unsure if the portal could transport troops as well as Lords. As the skeletons stepped through the portal, Alex checked her system dashboard. She noticed that there had been a notification when Sophie arrived at her castle, but it was a regular message and she had it blocked. Only official notifications like leaderboard updates and remarks about her first Lord kill were forced through by the system. After waiting three minutes without any system alerts, it seemed the skeletons had successfully transported. "Let''s go." Alex stepped into the portal first, followed by Sophie and the undead. Alex felt a dizzying sensation, as if her head had been shaken twenty times to each side. She stumbled out of the portal, nearly falling. Thump! Thump! The undead following her tumbled out, piling up on the ground. "Ugh¡ª" Sophie, lying on top of a few skeletons, couldn''t hold back and vomited, her partially digested meal mixed with stomach acid covering the skulls beneath her. Alex, intending to help, recoiled from the sudden onslaught of vomit. "Teleportation is really uncomfortable, feels like I''m going to throw up everything, ugh¡ª" "It''s okay, think of it as a diet." Alex tried to offer some comfort. Outside, the sky was clear with a bright sun shining down, making Alex feel much better, almost like being back on Earth. After so many days in this world, it was Alex''s first time seeing such good weather and the sun. "How about it, Big Shot? Nice weather over here, right?" Sophie, having finished her bout of nausea, joined Alex, with the undead gradually standing up, awaiting Alex''s next command. Not far away was a white stone castle surrounded by mountains, and Alex could see some dwarves mining. "The weather is indeed nice. Get all these undead to start mining. Right now, we''re most in need of iron ingots. Any spare dwarf you have should be put to work mining full-time." Alex instructed Sophie, who was standing nearby. "Okay!" Sophie called over a dwarf to lead the undead to help, while other dwarves curiously watched this strange group. Sophie had also told the dwarves that the abundance of food they had was all thanks to Alex''s help. Thus, the dwarves treated Alex with a mix of curiosity and respect, understanding that they were now subordinate troops to this beautiful but powerful girl. This was the dwarves'' first impression of Alex, interestingly, their loyalty to Alex was at 70, even higher than Sophie''s. This was likely due to the loyalty boost from the Bone Throne''s feature, which had no range limit and affected all troops of Lords who had submitted to Alex. Alex sat in the castle for a while as Sophie went to fetch the materials needed to build the subsidiary castle. Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains, at [Earth Lord]''s castle... The real name of the Lord of this castle was Earl. At that moment, a flash of yellow light passed through his castle, which suddenly grew larger, and a cleared area appeared around it. Earl''s castle had successfully upgraded to a town, and he had built thick stone walls around the town''s perimeter with his powers. The exclusive building unlocked by upgrading to town, the Portal of Transit, didn''t surprise him, as Cain had already explained its function in the Alliance chat group. What Earl didn''t expect was the special item he received upon upgrading. Earl checked the information on this item. [Special Item: Alliance Token] [Belonging Leader: Earl] [Feature: Alliance members can relocate their castles to the vicinity of the Leader''s castle. The highest-ranking Alliance allies can share territories and some special buildings.] [Usage Condition: The Leader must invite Alliance members.] Alliance members are classified into three levels: junior allies, mid-level allies, and senior allies. Junior allies have few privileges and can leave the Alliance at will, while senior allies are the highest-ranking and cannot leave the Alliance without strong contractual obligations. Leaving the Alliance also requires the consent of all allies, but the benefits include resource sharing, representing a level of complete trust. Originally, the position of Leader was promised to Cain when Samson invited him into the Alliance. Cain, not fully trusting them, declined the offer. Later, as Earl advanced to the first tier, Samson passed the leadership to him. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides Cain, the other members were all senior allies, fully trustworthy. The Submission Token was for building a subsidiary castle, while the Alliance Token allowed for a complete relocation, gathering all Alliance allies together. Resources returned at 50%, and the relocated castles needed to be upgraded again. The Alliance Token was unlocked simply by the Leader upgrading to town, with no restrictions on the castle levels of the allies, differing from the Submission Token in this respect. Earl, honest and straightforward, might not be eloquent, but he wasn''t foolish. His rise to the first tier was not just due to luck but also his own strength. Earl immediately shared the information about the Alliance Token in the chat group, and the other four Lords saw the item almost simultaneously. [Vine Fairy]: "Wow, the Alliance Token allows for relocation, huh? Do you have any trees over there? I want to come to you guys!" The lively [Vine Fairy] was always quick to respond. As for another Lord and Cain, they were considering their options. Their current environments were very beneficial for their strength development, so they weren''t planning to move just yet. The only one somewhat undecided was Cain. If the lava dragon returned and unfortunately discovered him, he would have no choice but to move. Samson, on the other hand, didn''t hesitate. He couldn''t stand another day in the Frostwind snowy mountain, not only because of the undead Lord but also the vampire Lord, and he was trapped in the dangerous snowy mountains. Even if leaving meant significantly reducing the combat effectiveness of his snow maidens, he would move without hesitation. More and more undead were flying around in the sky, and it was only a matter of time before his castle was discovered. Once the undead filled the snowy mountains, it would be too late to escape. Chapter 96 - 96: Undead relied not on individual strength but on sheer numbers Samson immediately sent a private message to Earl, asking for an invitation. Earl gladly agreed. Compared to Samson''s snowy mountain and Cain''s volcano, Earl''s Barren Plains were much safer. Although located within the borders of the Starfallen Empire, they were on the edge, unlikely to attract much attention. After Earl sent the invitation, Samson immediately received a system notification and without hesitation, clicked ''accept''. At that moment, Samson''s castle began to shake violently, as if it was about to collapse. Magical runes appeared on the floor of the castle, and Samson guessed it was the teleportation matrix for the castle. As the magical runes spread throughout the castle, the shaking intensified. The vibrations of Samson''s castle attracted a passing gargoyle, which noticed the strange phenomenon and decided to investigate. Suddenly, the shaking stopped, and along with it, Samson''s entire castle disappeared. Two miles outside the territory of Earl town, Samson''s white castle abruptly appeared. Originally a level 9, Samson''s castle had fallen to level 7, and the Barracks had also dropped two levels. However, it was all worth it, as Samson had successfully escaped the dreaded Frostwind snowy mountain. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The environment of the Barren Plains was at least a hundred times safer than the Frostwind snowy mountain. At that moment, Samson suddenly noticed that besides his own and Earl''s castles, another castle had appeared nearby, completely enveloped in vines and tree branches¡ªit was Lord Ivy of the [Vine Fairy]. Both had chosen to move their castles next to Earl''s, and together, their combined strength was formidable. The three Lords met for the first time at the entrance of Earl''s castle. Earl was a towering figure at 7 feet tall, muscular and robust. Ivy, on the other hand, sported a cyberpunk look and was about 5.7 feet tall. Samson, wearing glasses, appeared scholarly, but among the three, he was the weakest, both in overall and individual strength. Regaining his confidence, Samson felt their collective strength had greatly increased now that they were together! Ivy suggested that today was a great day and must be celebrated. What Samson and Earl, who were almost sick of eating roasted meat, did not expect was that Ivy''s Warehouse was not only full of fungi but also various wild fruits and vegetables, offering a rich variety of ingredients. "Where did you get all these from?" "Just picked them up from the forest!" Ivy said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ... On the continent of Arsen, atop a mountain outside Sophie''s castle, Alex stood surveying the surrounding terrain, which was entirely mountainous. The complex terrain made it difficult for the dwarves of the dwarf kingdom to locate Sophie''s castle. The vast mountain range was perfect for air forces, but since dwarves couldn''t fly and the area was rugged and wild, it was no wonder the dwarves chose to flee here. Pondering, Alex suddenly thought she could use Sophie to deploy undead on the continent of Arsen, as the area around Sophie''s castle was relatively safe compared to the Dark Forest and Frostwind snowy mountain, offering a more stable development. She only needed to send a few necromancers and eliminate the surrounding Lords to endlessly expand her military forces. Alex didn''t believe such a vast mountain range housed only Sophie as a Lord. Later, Alex and Sophie returned to Hamburger. Sophie brought the resources needed to build a subsidiary castle and eagerly clicked to construct. A castle similar in style to Alex''s rose next to her own, though it was much smaller, about a quarter of the size and five stories high, without a courtyard. The subsidiary castle also had a level one dwarf Barracks, and other facilities were quite comprehensive, though special buildings were non-transferable and moving them to Alex''s location was pointless. Sophie, somewhat excited, ran into the castle to inspect it. The two castles had different styles and the internal room distribution varied slightly, but they were generally similar. With this subsidiary castle, Sophie could choose to sleep there at night and return to the continent of Arsen during the day. She no longer had to worry about enemies invading her castle at night and killing her. "Big Shot, I''ll be staying here at night from now on!" "Suit yourself." Alex paid no mind to the excited Sophie beside her, as she saw a gargoyle flying back. "Translator, come here!" Alex called over a specter, as she couldn''t understand what the gargoyle was trying to say. "What, you saw a castle suddenly disappear? Are you sure the disappearance of the castle wasn''t because the Lord was killed?" The gargoyle, sensitive to magical fluctuations, was indeed certain that the entire castle had disappeared, not just destroyed due to the Lord being killed. "Big Shot, you better check the World Chat, they''re all talking about something called an Alliance token, seems similar to the Submission token." Sophie familiarly opened the World Chat to look for information, and indeed, she found that all the Lords were discussing a strange item, the Alliance token. Alex opened the World Chat, where Lords were frantically spamming messages. Alex paused to read them one by one, discovering that everyone was looking for a Lord Alliance, this time with a peculiar condition added. [Petted Kitten]: "Looking for a powerful Lord Alliance." [Harem]: "My place is very safe, scenic with plenty of wild animals, first choice for moving Alliance! Currently only accepting single women under 29." [Pea Shooter]: "I''m about to upgrade my town, book your Alliance move in advance!" ... This was outrageous, Alliance members could actually move directly?! Alex seemed to understand a bit; it appeared that an Alliance Leader promoting their town could allow Alliance members to move, and all Lords were frantically seeking allies in the World Chat. This meant that Alliances would no longer be mere decorations; Lords would start banding together, significantly boosting their strength. This wasn''t good news for Alex, a lone wolf, as future enemies would change from a single Lord to an entire Alliance. Under the huge temptation of the Alliance token allowing relocation, the vast majority of Lords began choosing Alliances, forming one powerful group after another. Even an Alliance of five second-tier Lords already had the strength to confront a first-tier Lord. What about an Alliance of five first-tier Lords? Alex didn''t think her current strength could simultaneously confront five top-tier Lords, but fortunately, her castle was still relatively hidden. As long as she kept a low profile, she could quietly develop on the continent. Undead relied not on individual strength but on sheer numbers, and she had to make use of this. "Quick, call back my necromancers!" Chapter 97 - 97: Silverbeard Clan The first to return was the highest-level necromancer, currently at lv6 Commanding level. Alex tasked it with leading the team to the continent of Arsen. Arthur was not suitable; his size was too large to pass through the portal. John was also unsuitable; unable to fly, he couldn''t maximize his combat effectiveness in the mountainous terrain. The necromancers were the best choice. Not only could they fly, but they were also intelligent and strong, ranking as T1 level within Alex''s undead army. Besides them, Alex also summoned two Ethereal Wraiths and two gargoyles, making a total of five Commanding level beings, which she felt was more than sufficient. Watching the growing number of undead gathering outside, Sophie couldn''t help but ask, "Big Shot, what are you planning?" "They''re going to develop on your side; it''s much safer than here." Soon, Alex had gathered five hundred specters and gargoyles, in addition to ten more necromancers, besides the five Commanding level beings. She felt this should be enough and had already planned out her strategy. The land forces summoned by the necromancers would return to Hamburger, while the air forces would remain on the continent of Arsen. "Once you''re on the continent of Arsen, follow the necromancer''s commands. If there''s any intelligence, the specters will contact me. Alright, move out." Alex organized the tasks for the undead in front of her, and they all headed towards the Portal of Transit. On the continent of Arsen, the primary objective of the undead was to use Sophie''s castle as a base to spread out and start gathering intelligence. Whether it was other Lords or local forces, they were all targets. On the outer edges of the White Rock Mountains, there was a mine belonging to the dwarf Silverbeard Clan. A Lord named Gordon, born here, was thrilled by the rich environment and resources, unaware that he was already under the dwarves'' surveillance. Gordon''s troops consisted of robust wild boars, larger and darker than ordinary ones, with much greater stamina and strength. The leader of the dwarf Silverbeard Clan took an interest in Gordon''s troops and personally came forward to recruit him. Gordon could continuously provide mounts for his clan, allowing him to build an invincible cavalry. Even the materials for upgrading Gordon''s castle and barracks, including handling the beast tide, were all taken care of by the leader of the Silverbeard Clan. Gordon had little choice but to comply, at least it made his life more comfortable. Even if he didn''t surrender, the dwarves could easily imprison him. Lords like Gordon who allied with local forces were not uncommon. Lords received rewards for killing local forces, and vice versa, local forces also benefited from killing extraterrestrial visitors. But in the face of these interests, they could restrain their inner urge to kill, showing they were intelligent races, understanding how to maximize their benefits. Although the terrain of the White Rock Mountains was rugged, it was insignificant in front of flying undead like gargoyles and specters, and it wouldn''t be long before they were discovered. On the continent of Eldoria, at the lava volcano. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cain was worried about the return of the lava dragon, and the next, he saw a huge figure flying in the sky. It was the lava dragon! At that moment, the lava dragon was furious, with many injuries on its body, appearing as if it had been in a fight and returned wounded. Fire dragons are naturally temperamental, and now, injured, it was even more irritable. Previously, because Cain had newbie protection, the calm lava dragon had ignored him. But now, things were different. Cain had lost his newbie protection, and the enraged lava dragon could easily annihilate him! Cain didn''t dare to gamble. Earl had already sent him an invitation, and without hesitation, Cain clicked confirm. As Cain''s castle began to shake and magical runes started to cover it, Cain grew nervous. The flying lava dragon also noticed the vibrations coming from Cain''s castle in the distance. Teleportation magic, this human wants to run? The lava dragon opened its mouth, and a fiery red energy began to gather. Roar! A devastating column of molten lava fire shot towards Cain''s castle at high speed. Cain''s heart was in his throat, confirming that the lava dragon had indeed attacked him. The scorching temperature carried immense energy, and Cain faced death head-on for the first time. Just as the dragon''s breath was about to strike Cain''s castle, the teleportation matrix completed, and Cain''s castle vanished from sight. Boom! A massive explosion sounded, and the volcano where Cain''s castle had been was flattened by the lava dragon''s breath of dragon, with lava flowing out from both sides. The lava dragon, realizing it hadn''t hit the human, didn''t care and flew back to its nest. It was like a human trying to step on an ant, which luckily escapes into a cave; it simply didn''t matter. Meanwhile, on the Barren Plains, an elite human scouting team from the Starfallen Empire was heading towards the Frostwind snowy mountain. This elite imperial scouting team consisted of twelve people, all at Commanding level, clad in armor and riding warhorses, speeding across the Barren Plains. They were investigating the annihilation of a village within their territory, suspecting it was destroyed by beasts from the Frostwind snowy mountain, but they needed to confirm the situation. Although Lucian''s castle was located at the junction of the Frostwind snowy mountain and the Barren Plains, deeper into the Barren Plains, several Lords had gathered again, belonging to the Elemental Alliance. Cain''s castle suddenly appearing here also caught the attention of the other allies, and the obsidian and flowing lava on the castle indicated that this newly arrived Lord was [Flame Spirit]. At this moment, Cain''s lv1 town had fallen to a lv8 castle, but he wasn''t concerned about that. He was still somewhat shaken by the power of the lava dragon, which had shown him that the volcano was no place for a weakling like him. Fortunately, Cain had been cautious and was grateful that he could relocate through the Alliance, otherwise he would have been dead by now. The trio, Earl, Samson, and Ivy, had thought that [Wind Fury] Lord would be the first to move here, but it turned out Cain was even quicker. The three came together in front of Cain''s castle, welcoming this new ally. "Welcome, Big Shot, to joining us!" Samson and Ivy said happily, while Earl stood by, smiling. Cain, influenced by their enthusiasm, also smiled, feeling for the first time that forming an Alliance might indeed be a good choice. Chapter 98 - 98: The strength of top one tier Lords This might have been the most Cain had ever spoken, as he shared his ordeal with his three allies. All three were astonished, realizing that Cain''s homeland was a hundred times more dangerous than their own. "That''s really thrilling; I''ve never even seen a dragon before," Ivy remarked, while Samson was drawn into a moment of reflection. He vividly remembered the battle between two top-tier powers in the snowy mountain. Being inside the snowy mountain, he felt the distant tremors more acutely. If not for the newbie protection, those vibrations alone could have collapsed his castle. Since Samson''s castle was situated lower, surrounded by towering snowy mountains, he didn''t know what creatures were fighting. Although unsure of the creatures, he doubted anything could be stronger than a dragon. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Samson thought better of voicing his thoughts; firstly, it would only add to their worries, and secondly, he could already imagine what Ivy would say next. "Hey, your place is that dangerous, and you haven''t made it to the top one tier yet?" If Ivy said something like that, Samson would feel even more embarrassed. ... Meanwhile, the scouting team from the Starfallen Empire was resting by a river, feeding their warhorses. The scout who had been leading the way returned, dismounted, and immediately approached Captain Mos. "Captain Mos, we''ve discovered four castles of extraterrestrial visitors ahead!" "Hmph, it must be those damned extraterrestrial visitors who killed His Majesty''s subjects. Follow me, let''s eliminate these extraterrestrial visitors!" Captain Mos was shrewd. His team, all at Commanding level and part of an elite guard squad within the empire, had been assigned to this desolate area to investigate the cause of a small village''s demise. The hardships of traveling and camping out were unbearable for them, accustomed to a life of luxury. The appearance of extraterrestrial visitors was timely. Whether these visitors were responsible for the village''s slaughter was no longer important. By killing them and pinning the blame on them, Mos could complete his mission and return to the empire. Mos was inwardly pleased with the sudden appearance of a scapegoat, but he maintained a serious demeanor as he issued orders to his subordinates. The group rode their warhorses at full speed towards the location of the extraterrestrial visitors'' castles. At this moment, the Lords were still unaware of the impending threat, all gathered in Cain''s castle talking. It wasn''t until a noisy commotion erupted outside that a flame spirit hurried into the castle, alerting them to the trouble. The four Lords stepped outside and saw a group of human knights battling with elemental troops. "Native humans?" Cain voiced his confusion, having never seen native humans before. "They must be troops from the Starfallen Empire." Earl, familiar with his surroundings, naturally knew his castle was within the territory of the Starfallen Empire. Samson quickly assessed the battlefield. Although there were only twelve of them, each was at Commanding level. Now that these native humans had discovered them, they couldn''t let these knights live to report back. While eliminating these knights would also arouse suspicion from the Starfallen Empire, it could at least buy them some time. They didn''t know why the human troops had found them, but regardless of the reason, they couldn''t just stand by. "Earl, Cain, you two are the strongest here. Flank them from behind to cut off their retreat. Ivy and I will lead the troops to hold them off at the front." Samson''s strategy was sound; they needed to annihilate these humans. Cain immediately led his troops, transforming into a blaze of fire and soaring into the sky, while Earl burrowed into the ground. With the strength of these four Lords, each had at least three Commanding level troops. The Starfallen Empire''s cavalry, numbering only twelve, posed no threat to them. Mos was still commanding his subordinates to attack these troops, but as time passed, he realized these troops seemed virtually indestructible. Huge stone giants, fire elementals burning with flames, tree beings made of wood and vines, and flying snow maidens filled the battlefield. "Elemental creatures?" Although Mos had only heard of elemental creatures and had once seen a terra creature, which was somewhat different from Earl''s earth monster, the fact that they were all composed of earth elements and had undead properties confirmed his suspicions. "This is trouble. Damn, I should have called those arrogant mages from the magic association''s branch." Mos was already considering a retreat, as they had no effective means to combat elemental creatures. But seeing Samson and Ivy appear ahead, Mos smiled again. Why bother with these elemental creatures? Why not just kill these Lords? "Kill these extraterrestrial visitors!" Boom! Boom! Behind Mos, several balls of fire descended from the sky, forming a human figure and several flame spirits, while the ground beside them began to churn as stone and mud coalesced into a humanoid form. It was Cain and Earl, who had flanked to the rear with their troops. Cain''s lower body was entirely aflame, his hands forming two fireballs. With flames jetting from beneath him, he shot towards one of the knights like a cannonball. Cain tackled the knight off his horse, pinning him down with both hands. The intense heat quickly melted holes in the knight''s armor, and the knight was consumed by flames in an instant, losing his life. Facing the knights charging at Earl, Earl calmly placed his hands on the ground. The earth around the knights immediately softened, as if Earl had breathed life into it. The earth controlled by Earl shot up, enveloping three troops in pillars of mud, which hardened into stone columns as they rose. The three troops were trapped by Earl without any chance to resist. The Commanding level earth monsters and flame spirits were overwhelmingly powerful, immune to physical attacks, making them invulnerable to the knight troops'' assaults. The flame spirits, acting like powerful artillery, and the high-defense, robust earth monsters served as frontline shields. Their massive size and strength meant that even their basic attacks were devastatingly effective against the human knights. Such was the strength of top one tier Lords. Facing these lower-level Commanding level troops, they could easily handle them. And Samson, a dignified Lord of elemental creatures, was now clad in frost armor, wielding twin wolf claws, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the troops. Despite the boost from his melee gear, not everyone is naturally skilled in combat. Samson''s armor bore several scratches, marks from the knight''s sword strikes. If not for his armor, Samson wouldn''t know how many times he''d have been wounded. Even Ivy was shocked by Samson''s approach. "You, a mage, going up to brawl with knights?" Chapter 99 - 99: How could there be a beast tide in the White Rock Mountains? It was utterly embarrassing! Earl and Cain had already taken down three or four enemies each, and even Ivy was managing to suppress her opponent. Why couldn''t Samson defeat even one? In a flash, Samson transformed into a snowflake, instantly drifting away to create distance from his enemy. It seemed he was being forced to use his ultimate move. "Winter is coming!" Samson spread his arms wide, and a magic circle rapidly expanded, forming a barrier that enveloped the three troops in front of him. Inside the barrier, countless giant ice crystals fell from the sky, striking the troops, while the ground around Samson rapidly froze. Just as the entire barrier was about to be covered, Samson felt his Mana Points deplete. The three troops were only frozen from the waist down; their upper bodies could still move. They swung their swords to block the falling ice crystals, preventing their frozen bodies from being shattered. This was awkward; he had used too much mana earlier. "Ivy, help me out here!" "Huh?" Suddenly, countless vines sprouted under the three troops, wrapping around them. Deprived of their ability to resist, they were finally killed by Samson''s magic. "Samson, you''re so small!" Although Samson knew Ivy was referring to his mana bar, he couldn''t help but feel there was something off about her comment. Mos, seeing his subordinates being defeated, realized the danger and decisively chose to flee. However, he was quickly stopped by Cain and Earl, his horse''s legs sinking deep into the mud, rendering it immobile. The four surrounded Mos. Samson, seeing that the enemy was down to one man who had lost the ability to fight, was about to ask why they had attacked them. But then he felt the question was stupid and quickly changed his approach. "This place is so remote, what are you doing here?" Now a captive, Mos had no choice but to submit. If he didn''t cooperate, he was sure to die. Telling the truth might give him a slim chance of survival, and it wasn''t any imperial secret anyway. Mos thought for a mere fraction of a second, quickly understanding the stakes, and immediately spoke. "An imperial border village was slaughtered. We were ordered to investigate the cause of their deaths." "Earl, did you kill them?" Ivy immediately turned to ask Earl. Earl shook his head; he too was encountering the native humans for the first time. Seeing Earl shake his head, Samson naturally chose to trust his ally. Besides, even if Earl had been responsible, it wouldn''t matter. "Where is this village?" Samson continued to question Mos, certain he knew some information. "The village is at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains, some distance from here," Mos replied truthfully. "So you think the humans in that village were killed by us, the extraterrestrial visitors?" Ivy looked enlightened. Mos nodded reluctantly. Samson pondered for a moment, then seemed to realize something and signaled to Cain and Earl. Earl was still unclear about Samson''s intentions, but Cain understood. A pillar of fire pierced through Mos''s chest. Earl and Ivy looked at Cain, puzzled, with three question marks appearing above their heads. ??? The conversation wasn''t even finished. Why did you kill him? Cain, facing their gazes, looked helpless and turned to Samson as if to say, wasn''t it your command? Explain, please. "Earl, Ivy, don''t rush. I asked Cain to do it. You all know my original castle was near Frostwind snowy mountain, right?" The three turned to Samson, waiting for him to continue. "There are two powerful Lords on the snowy mountain, an undead Lord and a vampire Lord. Both have one thing in common: they can transform corpses into their troops. I''ve never met the vampire, but I''ve heard of him; he''s no longer human. As for the undead Lord, she still looks human, but I''ve seen her transform a wolf''s corpse into an undead." The three listened to Samson''s explanation, slightly shocked. "My goodness, so it''s likely they were the ones who killed the villagers?" Ivy felt like a genius for instantly pinpointing the crucial issue. "Not only that, these two Lords have clashed with Samson on the snowy mountain, which means their castles are nearby, matching the location of the Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains border mentioned by this human," Cain analyzed. "Ah, Cain, you''re so smart. I didn''t even think of that." Cain ignored Ivy''s flattery and continued, "We''ve become scapegoats." "That won''t do. If the Starfallen Empire comes seeking revenge, it''ll be trouble. We must find a way to pin this on those two Lords," Samson said, frustrated. He had just moved his castle here and already encountered such trouble. "Samson, Earl, you two are more familiar with this environment. It''s up to you," Cain said. Samson and Earl understood that not only would Cain''s flame spirit be greatly limited on the snowy mountain, but Cain''s own strength would also be significantly reduced, making it unsuitable for him to act in this environment. Ivy felt somewhat disappointed, internally roaring, ''What about me? Why didn''t you mention me? I''m useful too!'' With their roles assigned, two were responsible for investigating, and two for guarding the castle, determined not to become scapegoats for others. Back at the castle, Ivy, having nothing else to do, relayed the day''s events to another ally, [Wind Fury]. [Wind Fury] was also excited, almost ready to relocate immediately, but the wild wolf valley where he was located still offered some benefits to his strength, so he restrained himself for the time being. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] As night fell, Sophie''s dwarves completed the last batch of standard equipment purchased before the beast tide, totaling 11,600 pieces, which Alex listed on the trading post. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The price of standard equipment, which had already fallen to 5 magic crystals, dropped again to 4 magic crystals each, with raw materials priced at 3 magic crystals. Alex was indifferent; she had purchased the raw materials at a price of one magic crystal each, so she was not at a loss regardless. Once these equipments were sold, she planned to abandon this method of resource generation. All-Races Battle Royale, Struggle for Lord Supremacy, the fastest way to gather resources was through plundering. After building her subsidiary castle, Sophie no longer cared about her main castle''s level, using all resources to upgrade the Barracks. Now, the subsidiary castle''s Barracks were on par with the main castle''s. If her main castle were ever breached, it would be a significant loss. But her subsidiary castle was safer next to Alex''s castle, with no security risks. At that moment, Sophie was in the castle courtyard, munching on a greasy lamb leg, while Alex sat beside her, deep in thought. "Big Shot, are you really not going to eat?" Sophie''s mouth was stuffed with roasted meat, her speech unclear as she spoke to Alex. "I don''t eat, and stop calling me Big Shot; it feels weird. Just call me by my name." As Alex finished speaking, she saw a specter fly out of the Portal of Transit and immediately stood up. Could there be trouble on the continent of Arsen? "Respected Queen, there''s a large-scale beast tide near the castle over there." Beast tide?! How could there be a beast tide in the White Rock Mountains? Could it be those dwarves driving them here? "Quick, stop eating, there''s trouble on your side." Alex pulled Sophie up and headed outside, the lamb leg falling to the ground, leaving Sophie visibly distressed. "Ah, my roasted lamb leg!" Chapter 100 - 100: Things were not as simple as they seemed On the continent of Arsen, 100 miles north of the White Rock Mountains, there lies a castle. The lord of this castle is named Sienna, and fittingly, the castle bears her name as well. Sienna is extremely cautious. She waited until the beast tide had ended before daring to venture out from her castle to expand her territory. Tonight, she discovered the location of Sophie''s castle. Upon realizing that Sophie''s troops consisted only of dwarves, she didn''t hesitate to launch an attack. Her troops are griffins, which have a distinct advantage in the terrain of the White Rock Mountains. But that''s not all; she also possesses a weapon that can control and influence some lower-level wild beasts, compelling them to act. Currently, Sienna is atop a mountain, with a griffin crouching beside her. She plays a flute that drives the beasts below into a frenzy, furiously attacking Sophie''s castle. Sienna intended to use the beast tide to deplete the enemy castle''s main forces, then send in the griffins to finish the job. The tactic was flawless, but the first step encountered a problem. The beasts she had driven were completely ineffective. From somewhere within the castle below, a group of flying creatures emerged, and with their abilities, they slaughtered the beast tide. While Sienna was still puzzled above, she was unaware that the commotion she caused had already been detected by nearby dwarves. The dwarves of the Silverbeard Clan had orders to scout the White Rock Mountains for extraterrestrial visitors, and the beast tide Sienna created was too conspicuous. Given the geographical environment of the White Rock Mountains, where wild beasts are relatively scarce, the sudden appearance of a beast tide was highly unusual. At this moment, several patrolling dwarves at the top of a mountain peak were using binoculars to observe the direction of Sophie''s castle, faintly spotting a glimmer of light. The circling black eagles also relayed the observed information back, making the dwarves even more certain of their suspicions. The dwarves immediately descended the mountain, quickly relaying the information back to their clan. Meanwhile, Alex and Sophie had just stepped through the portal again. "Ugh¡ª" Alex immediately moved away from Sophie, knowing she was about to vomit. "I just had dinner, wuu wuu wuu..." "Forget about your dinner, your castle might be gone soon." Saying this, Alex walked outside. It was just some beast tide, and of course, the undead could handle it. But she knew very well that things were not as simple as they seemed. Initially, Alex suspected that Sophie''s castle might have been discovered by the guards of the dwarf kingdom, which had led to this trouble. Upon arriving here, however, Alex realized that the beast tide was too weak, even for the Skeleton Warriors she had sent as workers, who couldn''t be defeated by them. Sophie''s town had no walls to block the beasts rampaging outside the castle. Except for the Portal of Transit, all buildings were damaged to varying degrees. The Portal of Transit, a crucial structure connecting two places, was protected by the undead and therefore remained undamaged. The grand doors of the Portal of Transit were open, and the orange-red light emitted from the portal suddenly became blinding, naturally attracting the attention of Sienna on the mountain top. "Someone is coming through the Portal of Transit, is it his ally?" Alex began to survey the surroundings. This beast tide was too weak, clearly man-made, and felt different from those controlled by the system. Woo~ Woo~ Alex heard a melodious sound, barely distinguishable unless listened to carefully. "Is that the sound of a musical instrument?" Alex stood still, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound, but it seemed to come from all directions, making it impossible to discern the location. Sophie stood by, not disturbing her, knowing Alex might have sensed something. Truly a Big Shot, incredibly impressive! At that moment, a necromancer flew over to Alex. "My Queen, there is a sound-based magic on the battlefield controlling these beasts." Trust a necromancer to be so knowledgeable. "Can you locate this person?" Alex asked the nearby necromancer. If they could find the location, that would be great. She wasn''t concerned about the beasts; such a level of beast tide could never breach Sophie''s castle. The main thing was to find the person behind this, which was crucial. "My Queen, you could have the gargoyles spread out in all directions. They are very sensitive to magic and will quickly locate the source of this magic." The necromancer suggested to Alex, who agreed with this point. Gargoyles and Destroyers, these two troops, were like magic detectors, easily capable of finding the enemy when dispersed. Alex immediately ordered the gargoyles to stop fighting and spread out in all directions. Even with just the skeletons and specters, they could easily defeat the group of beasts. Alex didn''t let the dwarves join the battle; they were her excellent workers, and she couldn''t afford to lose any. The dwarves hiding in the castle were stunned by the combat capabilities of the undead. In their view, some of the dangerous beasts were easily handled by the undead, who were also very numerous, not fewer in number than the beasts. For the first time, the dwarves felt that their new lord was incredibly powerful. Atop the mountain, Sienna continued to play her flute, intending to exhaust all the beasts before commanding the griffins to raid Sophie''s castle. At this moment, Sienna was still observing the defensive capabilities of Sophie''s castle. If the beasts couldn''t inflict significant damage on Sophie''s castle, she planned to lead her griffins in a raid and then retreat. After all, griffins could fly, and in these continuous mountains, ground forces had no ability to catch up with her. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, it would be best to annihilate the castle in front of her. At this moment, a gargoyle in the sky sensed stronger magical fluctuations here than in other locations and immediately flew towards this spot. Sienna looked up and suddenly noticed a winged creature diving towards her. Startled, Sienna was about to stop playing and counterattack the gargoyle when the griffin beside her reacted first, soaring into the sky to attack the gargoyle. The griffin beside Sienna was at Commanding level, while the gargoyle that had discovered Sienna was only a lv5 Standard, no match for the griffin. The gargoyle''s wings were torn apart, and its stone and metal body was shattered by the griffin, falling towards the ground. Sienna breathed a sigh of relief. If she had stopped playing, the beasts would have regained their senses and scattered. However, Sienna knew her location had been discovered and that she needed to make a quick decision. Chapter 101 - 101: You dare to attack first? The sound of the gargoyle''s shattered body reached Alex effortlessly, and she immediately looked in Sienna''s direction. In the night, Alex could only see a small black dot rising into the air, gradually enlarging, and the sound of the flute becoming clearer. Soon after, the griffins hiding behind Sienna also soared into the sky, revealing dozens of them. "You dare to attack first?" Alex scoffed. She hadn''t even gone looking for her, yet she had come running over. "What?" Sophie was still confused, following Alex''s gaze and also vaguely seeing dozens of small black dots flying towards them in the sky. As Sienna drew closer, she chose to stop playing the flute and prepared for battle. The beasts below, no longer controlled by the flute''s sound, began to scatter and no longer engaged in the pointless fight with the undead. With a wave of her hand, Alex summoned all remaining gargoyles and the dispersed destroyers to converge in the sky. As Sienna approached, Alex, with her superior vision, could clearly see the creatures in the night sky¡ªgriffins. Alex was familiar with griffins, having killed one before. The griffins'' flying speed was not slow, making them a good match for the gargoyles. Although Alex had over five hundred undead on her side, most were specters, which, being incorporeal, were better suited for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. Specters, although also part of the air force, were too slow for this battle, so the main force was left to the gargoyles. Of course, Alex never considered the possibility of losing; she deployed the gargoyles to use their speed advantage to prevent the enemy from escaping. Even though most of the undead here were specters, Alex had hundreds of gargoyles, more than enough to handle the dozens of griffins. Sienna, flying over Sophie''s castle, only then realized that hundreds of gargoyles had suddenly appeared in the air around her, nearly three times her number. But Sienna was not panicked. She had seen the griffins engage with the gargoyles and knew these gargoyles were not strong; sometimes, numbers alone do not guarantee victory. "Attack!" Sienna commanded the griffins. After dealing with them, her next targets were Alex and Sophie below, whom Sienna had noticed early on. Countless wind blades formed at the griffins'' talons and shot towards the surrounding gargoyles. The scene Sienna imagined, where the gargoyles were directly sliced apart, did not occur. The gargoyles remained unscathed, absorbing the wind blades! Seeing that the creatures could absorb magic, Sienna immediately abandoned magical attacks and opted for a melee tactic with the griffins engaging the gargoyles. With similar sizes and strengths, it was clear the gargoyles were more formidable. Sienna''s previous assumption of their weakness was merely due to a level advantage. Gargoyles were also highly agile in the air, easily grasping the griffins'' necks or wings with their hands, while the griffins'' talon strikes had no effect on the gargoyles'' hard bodies. The griffins'' proudest magic was also completely ineffective against the gargoyles. If not for the presence of three Commanding level griffins among them, and only one among the gargoyles, the battle would have ended sooner. No griffin could defeat a gargoyle of equal strength alone. "What kind of creatures are these!" Sienna looked distressed, riding her griffin in circles in the sky, battling these gargoyles. As time passed, Sienna noticed her griffins dwindling in number, while the gargoyles maintained their initial count. Sienna clearly remembered that she had personally killed several gargoyles. Her weapon, a black whip capable of mid-range attacks and enchanted with magic, was very powerful. Below, Alex appeared very relaxed, showing no intention of assisting. She noticed Sienna wearing a pointed mage hat and dressed in a black mage robe, with various pendants hanging from her chest and hat brim, holding a whip while riding a griffin. The outfit was quite strange. "Should we go help them?" Sophie asked worriedly. Without Alex''s help, relying solely on the dwarves to deal with the griffins, she would have been defeated long ago. "You''re right, we can''t play anymore. It would be troublesome if she escapes later." Alex said seriously. "Ah?" So that was it. Sophie had been anxiously cheering for the gargoyles, fearing they couldn''t overcome the enemy, while Alex was actually worried that the enemy might escape? Sienna was just within the range of Alex''s magical attacks. As Alex observed the battlefield from below, she prepared to intervene. Above, Sienna thought the two Lords below were very weak, good-looking but useless, unable to fly or attack from a distance, otherwise they would have joined the battle by now. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex activated her right eye, which also enhanced perception and strength among other passive abilities. She seized the moment when Sienna, riding her griffin, dodged a gargoyle attack and entered Alex''s magical attack range. Sophie, still curious, saw Alex just staring at the sky. She even had a ridiculous thought¡ªwas Alex trying to kill someone with her gaze? Could that work? But the next moment shocked Sophie. She saw a light emanating from Alex''s right eye, and then the wings of the griffin Sienna was riding began to freeze. Not good! The griffin, in pain and with one side frozen, lost balance and began to fall. Below it, the ground surged with huge ice spikes. If the griffin fell on them, it would undoubtedly be impaled. The griffin, being a Commanding level creature, immediately launched wind blades at the ice spikes below, following the trajectory of the blades as it fell. Boom¡ª The griffin crashed heavily onto the ground, shattering the ice spikes and sustaining many cuts, bleeding profusely. Sienna looked disheveled but was unharmed thanks to the griffin''s protection. She caressed the griffin beside her, her palm glowing green, and the wounds on the griffin''s body visibly healed. Sophie was still confused, not understanding how the griffin flying in the sky had suddenly fallen. When she turned to ask Alex for an explanation, she found that Alex had already disappeared from her side. Ah, where did Big Shot go?! Chapter 102 - 102: I didnt say you could leave Although Sienna is a girl, she is indeed a powerful mage, mastering three types of magic: sensory magic, music magic, and healing magic. With her sensory magic, she detected Alex''s disappearance in an instant and swung her whip towards the predicted landing spot of Alex. Sensory magic also allows her to detect elemental fluctuations in the air, so Sienna was confident that Alex would appear at that location. Sure enough, Alex materialized there, but now she held a scythe in her hand, blocking Sienna''s preemptive strike. "Are you ready to meet your death?" !!! Three exclamation marks appeared above Sienna''s head, shocked by Alex''s incredible speed. Ice pillars surged towards Sienna, who responded by cracking her whip, shattering the ice with the sound waves it emitted. Sienna, leveraging her longer attack range, began to engage Alex. She was adept at predicting each of his teleportations in advance, narrowly avoiding them each time. After several such exchanges, Alex realized something was amiss. The opponent seemed to possess some magic or ability that could predict her landing spots and attacks, which was particularly effective against melee combat. Realizing this, Alex immediately retreated, opened her palms, and a sea of fire surged towards Sienna. Even if Sienna could predict the attacks, how could she possibly dodge an AOE attack? Boom, boom, boom! Explosions continuously erupted within the sea of fire, each creating a vacuum in the flames. Boom! A sonic explosion erupted beside Alex, who quickly dodged, her fire magic forcibly interrupted. If not for her enhanced senses, she might not have been able to evade the invisible sonic magic attack. "This sonic magic is indeed a bit tricky, but don''t think you''re the only one who can use such magic. I also have an invisible magic of my own!" Alex, still holding her scythe but not approaching, watched Sienna from a distance, making it difficult for Sienna to detect any anomalies. "Your strength is indeed formidable, but you''re no match for me," Sienna confidently stated, relying on her sensory and music magic combined with her melee capabilities. Not only were her attacks unpredictable, but they also compensated for the typical weaknesses in a mage''s defense. From a distance, Sophie hid behind a lv6 Commanding level necromancer, watching the battle between Alex and Sienna in shock. First, Alex''s attacks were impressive enough, and the enemy was also strong¡ªSophie couldn''t even discern her attack methods. Both women were so powerful¡ªwhy was she the only one who seemed useless? Sophie''s self-confidence took a deep hit. Suddenly, a loud horn sounded from behind the mountains. Everyone and every creature turned to look back, seeing many torches burning on a distant mountain peak, creating a swath of light. "Charge! Kill these extraterrestrial visitors and traitors!" The leader, a dwarf in black armor riding a boar with a war hammer in hand, pointed towards Sophie''s castle below. Instantly, hundreds of cavalry dwarves, each holding a torch and a war hammer, charged down the mountain. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had been discovered by the dwarf kingdom''s guards! The dwarves inside Sophie''s castle realized the severity of the situation. Some trembled with fear, while others grabbed weapons to fight against the dwarves outside. They recognized the sound of the dwarf horns; these nobles had made them homeless, and now they were trying to take away their last hope. They would not allow it. Of course, the dwarves summoned from Sophie''s Barracks didn''t share these emotions. These summoned dwarves were also considered extraterrestrial visitors, while the other dwarves were seen as traitors by the dwarf kingdom. Alex and Sienna were also startled by the untimely arrival. It seemed she couldn''t continue their duel with Sienna; it must have been her flute playing that had drawn these local dwarves here. Sienna made a quick decision to jump onto her griffin''s back and leave. She didn''t want to get involved with the local forces. The best course of action was to retreat immediately; her castle was far from here, and the dwarves couldn''t fly, making it highly unlikely they would find her castle. Sienna had just reached her griffin when the ground beneath it suddenly turned to ice, freezing the griffin''s limbs. Sienna tried to use her sonic magic to shatter the ice, but as she was about to do so, she spat out a mouthful of blood. "I didn''t say you could leave." Alex held a ball of flame in her hand, addressing Sienna from a distance. What happened? When? Sienna immediately used her sensory magic to check her body and discovered she had been poisoned without realizing it. "Did you do this?" "Weren''t you supposed to foresee this?" Alex taunted as she approached Sienna, holding the fireball, her presence overwhelmingly oppressive. Sienna tried to use her healing magic to treat her wounds, but the green magic circle in her palm extinguished instantly, her entire arm turning cold and numb, losing sensation. A curse? Curses typically hit their mark without fail, and Sienna, even if she could sense them, couldn''t dodge. How many types of magic does this girl know? After the explosion cleared, Sienna saw Alex surrounded by a black protective shield; her powerful sonic attack had been useless against Alex. Sienna despaired. Her most powerful magic had struck Alex but had no effect. Alex had demonstrated mastery over at least five different types of magic and formidable melee skills. Afflicted with plague magics, Sienna was severely weakened. Now cursed, her hands numb, she was completely unable to resist. She looked to her last hope, the griffin, which was still struggling but remained frozen in place, unable to break free from Alex''s magic. Then, the ground around Sienna turned to ice, freezing her limbs along with the ground, leaving only her head exposed to prevent suffocation. Alex, observing the powerless Sienna, offered neither mockery nor ridicule. "Just stay here for now. I''ll settle the score with you after dealing with these dwarves." Alex found the griffins quite useful and, therefore, decided to spare Sienna''s life for the time being. She also planned to interrogate Sienna about the magic she wielded, as her equipment and spells were of great interest to Alex. Chapter 103 - 103: One-sided slaughter instead Alex used frost magic to handle the remaining griffins, restricting their mobility and leaving only their heads exposed for breathing. However, the charging dwarf knights were the real concern now, and Alex couldn''t spare her attention for the griffins. "What are you all doing outside? Get back into the castle now!" Alex shouted to the dwarves who had stepped out of the castle, ready to join the fight. "Lord, we know you are strong, but this trouble is our doing. Please allow us to fight!" A dwarf, who seemed to be the leader among those who had pledged allegiance to Sophie, spoke up to Alex. "But war carries the risk of death. What if you die? Also, who are these dwarves, and how strong are they?" Alex questioned the dwarf leader, trying to gather some information. She knew these refugees might not know much, so she didn''t hold much hope. Hearing Alex''s concern for their safety, the dwarves were even more moved. Their loyalty to Alex increased by 5 points. "Two hundred miles outside the White Rock Mountains lives a noble faction from the dwarf kingdom, the Silverbeard Clan. Since the death of the dwarf king, they''ve harbored ambitions to unify the dwarf kingdom. It''s said they''ve been secretly building a force of boar cavalry," the dwarf leader shared everything he knew with Alex. Analyzing this, Alex guessed that this dwarf army wouldn''t be weak. But they wouldn''t all be at a Commanding level; otherwise, the Silverbeard Clan would have already had the strength to unify the dwarf kingdom. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ultimately, Alex allowed the dwarves to join the battle. Dwarves are straightforward and value loyalty; she didn''t want to force them against their will. "Big Shot, what do we do? The dwarf army is coming!" Sophie was panicking. It was all Sienna''s fault; if not for her interference, her castle wouldn''t have been discovered by the dwarf army so soon. Unlike Sophie''s panicked state, Alex was somewhat looking forward to this. It was her first time engaging with a local force''s army. Before the enemy arrived, Alex positioned two hundred Skeleton Warriors at the forefront, accompanied by the dwarves¡ªcurrently her entire ground force. Her advantage lay in the air forces, with five hundred gargoyles and specters ready in the sky, while the remaining necromancers guarded the Portal of Transit. With a level 6 Commanding necromancer there, Alex felt relatively secure. "Sophie, you and the Acolytes should hide inside the castle. It''s too dangerous outside." "Big Shot, are you sure you''ll be okay?" "Don''t worry, I''ve got this." Alex''s reassurance gave Sophie a great sense of security. Believing in Alex''s confidence, Sophie trusted that she had everything under control. As Sophie took refuge inside the castle, the dwarf knights charged down the mountain on their massive boar mounts. Using her enhanced right eye, Alex''s vision was so sharp she could even see in the dark. She noticed not only the knights wielding war hammers but also some dwarves pulling out firearms. Firearms? Bang! Bang! The dwarf knights began firing at range, shattering Skeleton Warriors directly and piercing through the bodies of gargoyles. However, the bullets passed harmlessly through the specters. As the dwarf knights drew closer, the undead launched their counterattack. Gargoyles dove from the sky, using their sturdy bodies to tackle the dwarves on their boars, while specters, invisible and elusive, launched psychic attacks from the air. The battlefield erupted into chaos as the dwarf knights clashed with the undead. The dwarf leader, clad in black armor, was stunned. These soulless spirits and animated skeletons reminded him of one thing¡ªundead. Undead on Arsen? They were supposed to have been extinct for years! Though the dwarf leader had never seen real undead, his experience led him to identify these creatures. He paused to survey the surroundings. If the opponents were indeed undead, then his forces stood no chance. Earlier on the mountain, the dwarves had only observed a group of beasts and griffins. They had seen gargoyles but hadn''t considered the possibility of undead because such creatures were numerous. As for specters, they were invisible in the dark night, making them hard to spot from such a distance. Just then, the dwarf leader spotted the glowing orange Portal of Transit. A portal? He realized that these undead might have come through the portal. Although he didn''t know where it led, it must be destroyed. The dwarf leader set his target, charging towards the Portal of Transit on his boar. He fired his firearm at the undead blocking his path, moving swiftly. But just as he was about to reach the portal, numerous bone spikes emerged in front of him. It was too late to dodge; he leapt from his boar, decisively abandoning it to avoid the attack. The boar was impaled by the bone spikes, turning into a corpse. The dwarf leader then faced his opponent, a level 6 Commanding necromancer. Bang! He fired his firearm at the floating necromancer, who easily blocked it with a bone shield. The bullet left only a black mark on the white bone, not even a crack. The necromancer''s power far surpassed the dwarf leader''s. His only aerial defense was his firearm, but it was ineffective. As the necromancer attacked, the dwarf leader dodged while using his weapon to fend off the bone spikes. Suddenly, a bone dagger appeared beside him, nicking his cheek. He turned to see a skeleton had appeared beside the corpse of his boar. He couldn''t understand how this skeleton had come into being. On the other side, Alex found it much easier to deal with the dwarf cavalry. Their only advantage was the massive impact of their charge. Once that was withstood, the dwarven knights had no advantage against the undead air forces. As the battle continued, the number of dwarves and their boar mounts dwindled, but the number of undead not only didn''t decrease¡ªit increased! Alex had expected a battle of equals but found it to be a one-sided slaughter instead. Chapter 104 - 104: Master-servant contract Although the knights of the Silverbeard Clan were among the bravest and most fearless warriors, they had never encountered such bizarre creatures before. The two Ethereal Wraiths hovering above were motionless, yet a single curse from them could kill a dwarf knight, leaving the dwarves utterly helpless. Unable to strike back and being randomly slain, fear began to spread through the ranks of the dwarves. As the dwarf leader struggled valiantly, his feet suddenly froze¡ªAlex had made her move. The necromancer''s twin bone spikes pierced through the joints of the dwarf leader''s arms, pinning him to the ground. It must be said, the dwarf leader''s armor was tough; the necromancer''s bone spikes only sparked against it and couldn''t fully penetrate, hence why they targeted the joints. Their boar mounts were nothing special, but the dwarves'' gear was top-notch for its class. Seeing their leader captured, the dwarf knights didn''t choose to flee; instead, they all attempted to rescue him. As a result, they were all frozen by Alex, losing their ability to move. It was like moths to a flame, and the battle ended in this strange manner. The dwarves inside Sophie''s castle also suffered some damage; after all, facing the dwarf knights was practically a suicide mission. However, the main force was on the undead side, and the battle was resolved quickly, so there were no significant casualties. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex kept these dwarves alive, actually hoping to recruit them to join Sophie''s castle as her auxiliary troops. "Milord, are you thinking of recruiting them?" asked the only commanding level dwarf in Sophie''s castle, approaching Alex. Seeing that Alex had subdued them without killing them, even a fool could guess her intentions. "Yeah, got any advice?" Alex wasn''t in a hurry and wanted to hear what the local dwarf had to say. "Milord, these dwarves are all members of the Silverbeard Clan, immensely proud at heart and unlike us commoners. They would rather die than surrender," the dwarf explained. How could clan members be like ordinary folks? The turmoil in the dwarf kingdom was stirred up by them, brainwashed by their clan leader, fanatically following him. Such dwarves would never surrender. "Is that so?" Since that was the case, Alex didn''t waste any more words. These dwarves were all under the control of Frost Magic, their lives hanging by a thread. A glint flashed in Alex''s right eye, and in an instant, all the dwarf knights were impaled by ice spikes, earning Alex a hefty batch of experience points. "Summon them all!" Alex commanded her necromancer. "As you wish, my queen." Alex led the dwarf towards the castle, suddenly struck by a thought. Since the noble dwarves couldn''t be recruited, perhaps the common dwarf folk wouldn''t be a problem. "What''s your name?" "Milord, Balin Forgeheart." Balin Forgeheart followed behind Alex, curious about what the beautiful Lord wanted with him. Having risen to the commanding rank after surviving a beast tide since arriving at Sophie''s castle, his background was clear and trustworthy. "Considering the oppression that other dwarf kin have suffered under the Silverbeard Clan, I''m eager to rescue them and establish a land of peace, free from exploitation and oppression," Alex said, and Balin Forgeheart''s face lit up with joy. Alex suddenly changed the topic. "But unfortunately, I can''t find the right person to lead these wandering, suffering dwarf kin. It''s not that there aren''t candidates, but I can''t fully trust them. After all, who knows if they might become the next Silverbeard Clan? Surface promises hold no weight, as people''s hearts can change. Otherwise, the major clans wouldn''t have rebelled." As she spoke, Alex sighed deeply, her face clouded with worry. "Poor friend of mine, naturally simple and kind-hearted, so easily trusting others. What if he gets swayed by other dwarves with ulterior motives down the line?" Alex painted a picture of a perfect future for Balin Forgeheart, who was initially thrilled. But as Alex voiced her concerns about loyalty, Balin wanted to argue that dwarves are loyal and straightforward, never betraying allies. Yet, recalling the chaotic dwarf kingdom and the Silverbeard Clan that came to kill them, he found himself unable to voice his objections. In Balin''s eyes, Sophie had sheltered them and was their benefactor. But to the clans, they were traitors for siding with extraterrestrial visitors, completely ignoring the clans'' exploitation and oppression of ordinary dwarves. The root cause of their displacement was clearly the wars stirred up by the clans. Suddenly, Balin thought of a type of contract that could enforce loyalty, where betrayal would result in death by the contract''s backlash. Surely, such a contract could prove his loyalty? Balin had the heart to save his fellow dwarves; otherwise, he wouldn''t have become the hardest-working and strongest dwarf in Sophie''s castle. "Lord, I''ve heard of a contract that ensures absolute loyalty. I''m willing to sign it voluntarily. Please, take action to save our suffering dwarf kin!" With that, Balin Forgeheart knelt on one knee and spoke earnestly to Alex, who nodded. To recruit dwarves, relying on a dwarf was essential. "Balin Forgeheart, you needn''t do this. Saving dwarf kin is my duty, and I''m truly heartened by your willingness. If a contract is necessary, sign it with my friend here." Inside the castle, Sophie watched as Balin Forgeheart and Alex approached, unsure what Alex was so pleased about. Although Balin wasn''t familiar with master-servant contracts, Sophie had a system to help. A voluntary submission between a creature and a lord was just like any other submission, resulting in a forced signing of the contract. Balin Forgeheart submitted to Sophie, and Sophie submitted to Alex, which meant Balin Forgeheart also submitted to Alex. With Alex''s assistance, Sophie and Balin Forgeheart signed a master-servant contract. Alex even gifted all the confiscated dwarf cavalry equipment to Sophie''s dwarves. Previously, they had only worn ordinary armor and wielded the poorest weapons. Now, they all received a significant upgrade. Balin Forgeheart donned the black armor of the dwarf leader, a commanding-level suit that greatly enhanced his combat abilities. Alex also equipped each of them with a musket, in addition to their war hammers. Sophie''s combat power saw a tremendous boost. The only slight regret was that the dwarves'' boar mounts had been killed by Alex''s undead. Although there were no boars left, Alex looked towards the distance at Sienna, only her head sticking out of the ice. Well, there were still griffins available. Chapter 105 - 105: Devouring an enemys crystal might also yield their troops? To continuously produce griffins, Sienna would need to submit to Alex, but currently, Alex has no interest in making this witch submit to her. All 150 dwarf warriors have had their equipment updated, and the older dwarves are left to continue working in the castle. Of course, everyone else needs to work too, but they must be ready to fight when necessary. "Balin Forgeheart, you''re familiar with this area. It''s already late today, so start tomorrow. Take a few dwarves and find other suffering kin to rally them. We''re still short on hands," Alex instructed Balin Forgeheart, while Sophie was completely unaware of what Alex and Balin were plotting. "Yes, my lord!" Balin Forgeheart responded enthusiastically. His own village had been raided by another clan, and the Silverbeard Clan, under whose banner they served, had ignored their plight. Balin had grown to despise these clans that had made them homeless. Eventually, Balin and some robust villagers had found Sophie''s castle by chance. The undead don''t need rest. After the battle, the skeletons resumed their work, heading out to mine ore. Alex also dispatched all specters to locate the Silverbeard Clan''s stronghold. If they could find Sophie''s castle, they definitely weren''t too far away, certainly within the bounds of the White Rock Mountains. "Dare to attack my castle, better not let me find you!" Alex walked towards Sienna, pulling Sophie along before leaving. "Ah, what are we doing?" Sophie asked. "I''m giving you a mount." "Don''t you want one for yourself?" "Have you seen the dragon in my castle?" Sophie had nothing to say to that¡ªokay, you win... Sienna, still thinking Alex was coming to kill her, was surprised when Alex ignored her and walked straight to the griffin. After some coercion, Alex finally forced the griffin to sign a contract with Sophie, making this Commanding level griffin her mount. Sophie was thrilled. Although her own power wasn''t as great as her mount''s, having such an impressive mount was truly prestigious. Initially, Sienna had brought dozens of griffins, but most were killed in the battle with the gargoyles, leaving only about a dozen alive. "Not enough, huh?" "Hey, where''s your castle?" Alex asked Sienna, who just turned her head away, ignoring Alex. "I see you don''t understand your situation, do you?" Alex approached, looking down at Sienna from a position of authority. "Hmph, you''re dreaming! Pah!" Sienna spat. Huh? Ignorance is bliss, huh? Alex was certain this person was not normal. She then unfroze Sienna, handed the weapon to Sophie, and let her handle the situation. "It''s up to you now!" Alex walked away, leaving professional matters to the professionals. Sophie, somewhat baffled, took the weapon from Alex''s hand. How could she refuse a task given by Big Shot? "I advise you to cooperate nicely." Sienna glared at Sophie but said nothing, her defiant look infuriating Sophie. Alex, listening from a distance, timed the interaction. After about fifteen minutes, she figured it was enough. Alex approached, and Sophie stopped interrogating Sienna. Both stared coldly at Sienna on the ground, who was covered in wounds and breathing heavily, blood seeping from her injuries. It was clear Sophie hadn''t held back. But even in her weakened state, Sienna, being Commanding level, hadn''t suffered any real damage; her pain was all an act. "Ready to talk now?" Alex crouched down to look at the battered Sienna. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk!" Sienna looked up at Alex, pleading. Sienna quickly divulged all the information she knew. Alex and Sophie then mounted the griffin, with Sienna slung across its back. The moment the griffin signed the contract with Sophie, it signified its defection from Sienna''s castle. Not all Lords sign master-servant contracts with all their troops; troop defection is actually quite common for Lords. Alex and Sophie, riding the griffin, took off towards Sienna''s castle. Although they couldn''t claim the griffins as their own, after midnight, they could force Sienna to summon a few more. This was much more profitable than simply killing Sienna. Sophie was experiencing flight for the first time, her hair blowing back in the wind, her face filled with joy. The griffin''s speed was comparable to that of a gargoyle, and though slightly injured and carrying three people¡ªwhich would definitely affect its speed¡ªit still made good time. After an hour and a half of flight, they finally saw Sienna''s castle, just as it was nearing midnight. Sienna''s castle was almost identical to Sophie''s, except Sophie''s had been upgraded to a town, while Sienna''s remained at level 9. As soon as Alex and Sophie landed, the defense towers at Sienna''s castle gate attacked them. Alex responded with two fireballs, obliterating them. "What kind of defense tower is this?" Between the exploded towers, a blueprint slowly fell to the ground. Lucky? Alex picked up the blueprint from the ground and handed it to Sophie without even looking at it, knowing the defense tower wasn''t strong. "Here, build this in your castle when you get a chance." "Thank you, Big Shot!" Sophie, who hadn''t done much, kept reaping benefits in the background, her heart filled with gratitude and admiration for Alex. After landing, Alex and Sophie entered Sienna''s castle. As for Sienna, Alex unfroze her legs, restoring her mobility, and had her lead the way to prevent any tricks. Inside the castle, they found about ten griffins below lv3 Standard, likely summoned by Sienna the previous day and too low-level to participate in the battle. "Hey, summon your troops!" Alex commanded Sienna to summon troops. Sienna raised her hands to show they were bound and couldn''t access the system dashboard. After unfreezing her, Sienna reluctantly summoned ten lv1 Standard griffins. Now, with about twenty in the castle and the captured ones, there were over thirty in total. For now, that would have to suffice. Alex walked around the castle but didn''t find anything valuable. The special buildings were just the defense towers they''d seen, and the Barracks level wasn''t high. Although also located in the White Rock Mountains, there weren''t iron mines everywhere, so Sienna''s Warehouse was devoid of iron ingots. Even if there were iron mines, the griffins wouldn''t be mining them. Alex collected all the resources from Sienna''s Warehouse. There was a pitiful amount of stone, almost no wood, and very few magic crystals and Essence Shards, but there was a lot of food. It was clear these griffins, aside from fighting, could do almost nothing else. Sienna was the poorest Lord Alex had ever seen, with virtually nothing to her name. However, Alex had discovered a system loophole: if she plundered an enemy Lord''s castle, she could obtain 100% of the Warehouse''s resources, whereas direct killing only transferred 80% to her Warehouse. The system was taking a 20% cut. At the top of the castle, Alex found Sienna''s castle crystal. [Enemy Lord''s castle crystal detected. Do you wish to devour it immediately?] [Note: There is a 5% chance of obtaining the subsidiary Barracks crystal of the enemy''s castle.] [Special note: Unique Barracks cannot obtain subsidiary Barracks crystals.] This was Alex''s first encounter with another Lord''s castle crystal, and the system also forced a reminder on her. There are two ways to defeat a Lord: kill the Lord directly or destroy their castle crystal. "So, devouring an enemy''s crystal might also yield their troops?" Alex muttered to herself, seeing this information for the first time. If other Lords knew this, it would likely intensify the battles between them. This mechanism provided a chance for Lords with weaker troops to turn the tables, which seemed quite fair. The special note was obviously for Alex since her Barracks were unique. If it were any other Lord, this note wouldn''t appear. Alex immediately called Sophie over. It was clear that for Alex to devour the crystal herself would be a loss; it was more beneficial for Sophie to do it, with a 5% chance of gaining a subsidiary Barracks. "Big Shot, I''m here!" Hearing Alex''s call, Sophie hurriedly dragged Sienna to the top floor. Boom! Suddenly, a loud noise came as Sienna, whose hands had just been freed, saw no way out and launched a sonic blast attack at Sophie. Previously, Alex had been by Sophie''s side, so Sienna dared not act. It was only when Alex left them on the sixth floor and went alone to the seventh floor that Sienna saw her chance. Thinking about how to escape, Sienna suddenly heard Alex''s voice as Sophie pulled her to the top floor. But as they turned a corner, Sienna saw Alex standing next to her castle''s crystal and chose to go all out. Even if she couldn''t kill Alex, she wanted to take Sophie down with her. Although her restored strength wasn''t sufficient, Sienna had been observing Sophie and noticed she had no real power. Her sonic blast magic could easily kill her. "Ah!" A scream echoed down the corridor. As the smoke from the explosion gradually cleared, a protective shield of black flames appeared, completely shielding Sophie, who was unharmed. Sophie had just been startled by the explosion. Sophie realized she was unscathed and looked towards the end of the corridor. There, Alex stood with one palm facing her direction, her eyes flashing blue, calm and powerful. "Ah, ah, ah, Big Shot, I love you!" Joking aside, Alex couldn''t let Sophie die. If Sophie died, and if her castle was lost, how would she return to the undead castle? Moreover, Alex''s plans for development on Arsen had just begun; she couldn''t afford any mishaps. As for how Alex detected Sienna''s sneak attack, she had been watching them since they started upstairs. Not all mages can cast spells instantly like Alex. Sienna''s sonic blast, even if fast, required a startup gesture, and at such close range, Sienna herself wouldn''t be spared. She had launched the attack fully prepared to die, and now Sienna, blown away by her own sonic blast, lay nearby, looking as though she was barely clinging to life. "Don''t just stand there, come over here!" There was no need to bother with Sienna now; letting Sophie merge with the castle crystal was the priority. "I''m coming!" Sophie hurried over, still unclear about what Alex wanted her to do. "Merge with this crystal." Alex pointed to Sienna''s castle crystal and instructed Sophie. Sophie couldn''t believe Alex was passing such a great opportunity to her; she was deeply moved. Sophie, encountering another Lord''s castle crystal for the first time, also received a system prompt. Sophie looked at Alex, puzzled. "Big Shot, aren''t you going to devour it yourself? I see there''s a chance to obtain a subsidiary Barracks." "My Barracks is unique; I can''t have a subsidiary Barracks," Alex explained patiently. In fact, Alex initially wanted to say, "Isn''t yours mine, silly?" Sophie seemed to understand Alex''s intention, hoping she would be lucky enough to obtain the subsidiary Barracks. Sophie clicked to devour, and the entire castle began to shake. As for other equipment, there was no need to pick it up; it would automatically transfer to Sophie''s Warehouse. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sophie had submitted to Alex, who could access Sophie''s Warehouse. As the castle began to collapse, all resources were transferred to Sophie''s Warehouse, and Alex teleported Sophie away from the castle. The collapsing ruins completely buried Sienna''s body. The griffins in the castle scattered, flying away. The newly summoned griffins had little loyalty to Sienna, and with her death, they naturally fled. Alex and Sophie, riding the griffin, naturally wouldn''t allow these newly summoned griffins to escape. At this moment, Sophie on the griffin''s back was still a bit dazed, probably because the system was tallying the spoils of war. Alex, meanwhile, used Frost Magic to capture them all. The lv1 Standard griffins were too fragile; Alex had to be careful not to handle them too roughly. Alex prepared to control the griffin to land, using this Commanding level griffin to intimidate the others and then bring them back. Chapter 106 - 106: The queen is the new ruler of our undead race After the griffin landed, Alex dismounted and took some time to communicate with the Commanding level griffin and the surrounding Standard griffins. As expected, the griffins were cooperative and readily agreed to her terms. About fifteen minutes later, Alex initiated the conversation. "Did you get the subsidiary Barracks?" "No..." Sophie replied, her voice tinged with disappointment. She hadn''t been lucky enough to secure the 5% chance of obtaining the subsidiary Barracks, and she worried that Alex might be disappointed. "It''s okay if you didn''t. We can''t always be that lucky. Don''t be disheartened. What about the other loot?" Alex asked, maintaining a practical outlook. The griffin subsidiary Barracks was a long shot anyway; it would have been a bonus but wasn''t essential. Alex''s undead didn''t need to ride griffins in the sky; she had merely entertained the idea of forming a dwarf griffin cavalry to enhance Sophie''s combat capabilities. Now that the plan had fallen through, they still had gained over thirty griffins. They would just have to focus on an elite strategy, promoting dwarfs to Commanding level and pairing them with a griffin. "We got two of that Lord''s weapons, the whip and the flute she used before, and a book on second-tier healing magic. That''s about it." These items had been transferred to the Warehouse, and Sophie couldn''t physically show them to Alex but reported what she had. Of course, that was all they had because Alex had taken everything else from Sienna''s warehouse. The special buildings were limited to the defense tower they had encountered earlier. As for Sienna''s abilities, Alex knew of three types of magic she possessed, but unfortunately, only the healing magic dropped, which had no offensive power and was of no use to Alex. The flute, according to Sophie''s description, was interesting because it didn''t require the user to know sonic magic; it inherently carried sonic and psychic magic attacks when played. Its only feature was to manipulate low-intelligence wild beasts. For Alex, the flute was somewhat useless. As for the whip, it was just a standard enchanted weapon, nothing special. "Keep these items. They will be helpful in enhancing your current strength," Alex told Sophie, then mounted a griffin. "Thank you, Big Shot." Sophie seemed to have gotten used to Alex''s personality by now. She was the Big Shot, unimpressed by anything less than extraordinary. What seemed valuable to Sophie might just be mundane to Alex. Sophie also climbed onto the griffin''s back, ready to leave the area. The griffin flapped its wings, kicking up dust as it carried Alex and Sophie, followed by twenty other griffins, back towards Sophie''s castle. Time: 02:00 AM Alex and Sophie successfully returned to the castle. The ground was cleared of dwarf corpses, and Alex had added nearly a thousand new undead to her forces. Each dwarf knight equated to one dwarf plus one boar, which meant four undead per knight. Alex handed over the griffins to the dwarfs, who were thrilled to learn that these griffins would be their mounts, cheering excitedly. Alex allowed Balin Forgeheart, the first to reach Commanding level, to pick a griffin and sign a master-servant contract, greatly motivating the dwarfs to strengthen themselves. The limited number of griffins meant it was first come, first served. "Big Shot, are you sure you don''t want this healing magic? It just costs a hundred magic crystals to learn," Sophie asked, still looking over her loot. "No need," Alex declined, and Sophie spent a hundred magic crystals to learn the second-tier healing magic. Alex, looking at the flute in Sophie''s hand, suddenly thought it could be the bane of dwarf cavalry. Although the flute couldn''t affect the dwarfs'' minds, it could influence their boar mounts, potentially disrupting the cavalry''s effectiveness. Then, Alex reminded the undead and dwarfs of their respective tasks. "Balin Forgeheart, remember your task for tomorrow." "Specters and gargoyles, hurry up and locate the dwarf stronghold." "Necromancer, the safety of the Portal of Transit and the castle is in your hands." Today, the dwarfs had mined a lot, but due to the invasion by Sienna and the Silverbeard Clan dwarfs, the mining targets were not met. However, to thank Alex for her help, the dwarfs were working overtime through the night. Alex leisurely walked towards the Portal of Transit, ready to head back and rest. Sophie quickly followed, feeling increasingly fearful after today''s events. Sleeping in the castle in the White Rock Mountains no longer felt safe. "Indeed, the red moon in the sky suits me better." Alex and Sophie exited, with Alex heading towards her own castle and Sophie towards her subsidiary castle. Back in her castle, Alex summoned her troops. The green light of the Barracks flickered, and forty figures appeared: the usual ten Acolytes, eight necromancers, seven Destroyers, and six Ghouls. No surprises there. "Let''s continue tomorrow," Alex decided, almost forgetting something important as she was about to head to bed. She immediately called a specter at the door, "Notify everyone, I want to see two thousand Death Knights here by dawn!" [The night recedes, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up on time, got out of bed, and began dressing. The weather in her castle was a bit cool, given the constant overcast skies, but considering the recent focus on development in Arsen, she decided to dress more comfortably and suitably for battle. After a casual outfit and a high ponytail, she was ready. Alex went to the castle yard to collect the basic materials. Outside, two thousand Death Knights had gathered, mostly Death Conquerors, with five Shadowghast Knights leading them. Their strength was considerable, at least in Alex''s view. Her plan was for the specters and gargoyles to locate the dwarf stronghold today and then destroy it. Sophie was probably still asleep at this point, and Alex didn''t plan to wake her. With or without her, Alex had access to her castle''s permissions, so she let her sleep a bit longer. "March to the Portal of Transit!" Alex commanded the Death Conquerors outside, who turned and orderly entered the portal. Yes, Alex intended to use the Death Conquerors against the Silverbeard Clan dwarfs. They like to conduct cavalry raids, right? Sorry, I have cavalry too. Alex was the last to step through the portal. Upon arriving in Arsen, Alex saw the diligently guarding necromancer by the Portal of Transit. Two thousand Death Conquerors had already gathered, just as Sophie''s castle had upgraded to a town, providing enough flat land between the mountains. "Found them yet?" Alex immediately asked a nearby specter. "Not yet, my queen," the specter respectfully informed her, stationed there specifically to relay messages to Alex. Alex wasn''t disappointed; it had only been four hours since midnight, too short a time to expect results. The scouting undead couldn''t determine the direction yet and had to spread out, which took time. "Go back to the castle and bring five hundred more specters to intensify the search," Alex instructed the specter, who then entered the Portal of Transit to fetch help. Her plan was to locate the Silverbeard Clan''s stronghold by the end of the day. It was unclear if there were other Lords nearby, but hopefully, they were stronger than those who summoned beasts, as those Lords were too poor since beasts don''t work. Meanwhile, Sophie had also gotten up. She put on black stockings and then took down the clothes currently drying on the balcony of her castle. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The weather at Alex''s castle was a bit chilly, and Sophie layered up, still feeling a bit cold. Sophie''s castle was close to Alex''s, and it didn''t take long for her to arrive at Alex''s castle. However, she didn''t dare shout because Ice Cream was still in the castle, and his oppressive presence was too strong. "The queen has entered the Portal of Transit," a specter at the castle gate informed Sophie. Hearing that Big Shot had already gone through so early, Sophie also wanted to go and see, having no use staying behind and feeling quite frightened. Suddenly, Sophie paused, curiosity piqued. Why did all of Alex''s troops call her "queen"? Was it at her request? Sophie, finding herself alone with the specter, quietly asked, "Hey, why do you call her ''queen''? Did she ask you to?" The specter, faced with such a naive question, looked at Sophie as if she were a fool. "Because the queen is the new ruler of our undead race." Chapter 107 - 107: What are you doing sneaking around near my castle? After saying this, the specter stopped paying attention to Sophie. Sophie was taken aback, realizing that these undead voluntarily referred to Alex in this manner. She suddenly realized something¡ªAlex''s identity seemed pretty badass. Sophie had seen in the World Chat before that some Lords awaken special bloodlines or something of the sort, and it turned out to be true. Just as Sophie was about to enter the Portal of Transit, she noticed a small yellow dot in the distant sky flying towards her. Sophie had never seen any of Alex''s troops that could fly and were yellow. Of course, it wasn''t troops; the small yellow dot was Chi-Chi riding a Flying Nimbus. As Chi-Chi got closer, Sophie could see the small yellow dot clearly. There was a person on it?! Sophie''s first reaction was that it was an enemy, but seeing that the other troops were indifferent, she realized that this must be the Lord who had previously submitted to Alex. Sophie remembered that this Lord''s castle was not far from Alex''s. As Chi-Chi landed, just as she was excited to go find Alex, the specter at the door told her Alex was not there. "Portal of Transit?" "What is that?" Chi-Chi looked in the direction the specter pointed and saw Sophie standing outside the Portal of Transit. Their eyes met. Actually, Sophie had been watching Chi-Chi approach. Dressed in cartoon pajamas and with a youthful face, Sophie realized this Lord was actually quite young, looking like a student. "Old witch, prepare to die!" Clearly, Chi-Chi didn''t think so, as she suddenly had a stick in her hand and charged at Sophie. Sophie: ????? "Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Chi-Chi screamed in pain as Sophie pinched her face, grabbing the stick with her other hand. Both were Standard, but Chi-Chi was only level 4 while Sophie had the attributes of level 9, so she easily subdued Chi-Chi. "Are you King Kong?" Sophie asked, puzzled, having thought King Kong was a man, only to find it was just an underage girl. "I am King Kong! Let go of me!" "Ah, still talking tough." Sophie''s grip tightened, causing Chi-Chi to nearly cry from the pain. "Wait till my Miss Alex comes back, then you''re done!" Sophie let go of Chi-Chi, who quickly covered her face with her hands. She had thought about retaliating, but a stern look from Sophie made her back down immediately. "Aren''t you looking for your Miss Alex? I''ll take you to her." Sophie said with a grin, looking at Chi-Chi. "Really? That''s great!" Chi-Chi immediately cheered up, now understanding that Sophie, appearing in Alex''s castle, must also be an ally or friend of Alex. "She is just across from the portal that''s behind us." Sophie pointed at the Portal of Transit, not really angry with a child, especially since this child was technically under Alex''s command. Sophie and Chi-Chi walked into the Portal of Transit together, and as expected, they both started vomiting wildly as soon as they stepped out. Luckily, Sophie hadn''t eaten breakfast, so after a few heaves, she was fine. Chi-Chi, on the other hand, threw up her breakfast from the day before. "Ugh, fuck, what kind of shitty portal is this!" Slap! Sophie smacked Chi-Chi on the head, "Watch your language." Oh, right, about to meet Miss Alex, can''t swear anymore. Chi-Chi immediately shut up. The two walked out of the Portal of Transit, and what they saw was Sophie''s castle. Chi-Chi realized that this portal could connect two castles. "Is this your castle?" "No shit, if it''s not mine, is it yours?" The two bickered all the way to the castle. For Chi-Chi, everything here was too novel, even the long-missed blue sky and white clouds made her happy for a long time. Of course, Alex was not in the castle; she had already gone to scout the nearby terrain riding a griffin. The dwarves also didn''t know where Alex had gone, so Sophie and Chi-Chi couldn''t just wander aimlessly; they had to wait for Alex to return. Barren Plains, Elemental Alliance. Cain and Ivy had already cleaned up all traces of the Starfallen Empire elite scouting team, creating fake battle marks on the other side of the Alliance. When people from the Starfallen Empire arrived, they would be led by the fake clues directly to the border of Frostwind snowy mountain. This way, they could divert attention to the real culprits behind the village slaughter, temporarily securing the safety of the Elemental Alliance. Samson and Earl also arrived at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains, but the border was too long to be found in a short time. Samson''s snow maidens could fly, making scouting much easier, while Earl''s earth monster was not good at reconnaissance. The two were sitting on the ground, eating grilled meat and drinking melted snow water, leaving all the scouting tasks to Samson''s snow maidens. "Earl, if we don''t find it today, let''s head back. Just create some signs of a fight here to mislead them. Staying here like this isn''t a solution." Samson said to Earl, as they had been out for nearly a day and a night, and there wasn''t even a hint of a Lord''s castle in sight. "Mm." Earl nodded, agreeing with Samson''s point. After all, their own strength was too weak. If their strength had been greater than that of the Starfallen Empire, they wouldn''t have feared them. After eating, they set off again to search, and it wasn''t entirely fruitless. Samson''s snow maidens found a frost cave, and Samson and Earl successfully looted it, making the trip worthwhile, even turning a small profit. However, this frost cave wasn''t as strong as the one Samson had encountered before; its strength was very ordinary, and the two easily took it down. By noon, just when Samson and Earl thought they had still found nothing in the morning, the snow maidens brought news. "Sir, we''ve found that vampire Lord''s castle, about fifty miles north of here." The snow maidens fluttered their wings in the sky, speaking to Samson, who immediately showed a delighted expression. "Has he spotted you?" "No, we scouted from the edge of Frostwind snowy mountain, quite a distance away, but there are now more undead on the snowy mountain." The snow maidens respectfully spoke to Samson, who didn''t care why there were so many undead on the snowy mountain; framing Lucian was the real task at hand. "Shall we take him out?" Earl asked, puzzled. "No, if we kill him, the Starfallen Empire will definitely point their spears at us. We just need to quietly make the marks and frame him, let the Starfallen Empire deal with him." Samson explained, the biggest threat now being the fear that the Starfallen Empire would come knocking. They wouldn''t be lenient just because you killed the murderer and handed him over; to them, all extraterrestrial visitors were enemies. So Lucian couldn''t be killed; he had to be kept to attract the Starfallen Empire''s firepower. "snow maidens, lead the way!" The two and the snow maidens chose to start from the direction of Frostwind snowy mountain, which was more covert and less likely to be discovered by the enemy. On the snowy mountain, Samson could transform into accumulated snow and sink into the ground, greatly speeding up his stealth movement. Conversely, Earl''s movement speed would be relatively slower because the ground beneath the snow was frozen soil, and Earl had to break through the frozen soil along the way, not only slow but also consuming a lot of energy. An hour later, the two stood on a mountainside looking towards the distant Barren Plains, where there was a small black dot, which upon closer inspection, was a castle. It was Lucian''s castle. Samson took out the armor of the human troops they had killed, forcefully scratching it with wolf claws. He then buried several sets under his feet. "Earl, wait here for me; I''ll go make some battle marks." Samson said to Earl, who nodded, knowing Samson was faster and more agile than him, and would definitely do a better job. Samson transformed into snow and disappeared in an instant, reappearing at the foot of the mountain at the border. He carefully approached Lucian''s castle, and when he was close enough, he used Frost Magic to freeze the surrounding ground and then instantly destroy it, then withdrew his magic, making it look like a battle had taken place there. Then Samson scattered the scratched weapons randomly on the ground, having already damaged the equipment beforehand, giving the impression that the damaged weapons hadn''t been taken because they were partially buried. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Otherwise, perfectly intact weapons half-buried in the soil and not taken by extraterrestrial visitors would be too suspicious. "Hey, what are you doing sneaking around near my castle?" Chapter 108 - 108: Please dont let me die here !!! Three exclamation marks appeared above Samson''s head as he looked up, only to see the pale-faced, tuxedo-clad Lucian standing not far from him. This ghostly thing, making no sound as he walked. Samson had calculated the range of Lucian''s castle territory, yet he was still discovered. Seeing that his plan to frame Lucian was failing, Samson stood up, ready to leave the area. As Samson tried to leave without another word, Lucian wasn''t about to let him go. In an instant, Lucian transformed into a blur and charged towards Samson. "Damn, you really think I''m afraid of you?" Seeing that Lucian had no backup, Samson decided not to run anymore and resolved to teach him a lesson right there, to show him that he was no longer the weakling from the snowy mountain. Ice armor appeared on Samson, and he used his wolf claw weapon to block Lucian''s palm strike. Samson, slightly arrogant, flashed a crooked smile. "Kid, is that all you''ve got?" Samson then conjured several ice spikes around him and thrust them towards Lucian, who teleported to dodge. At this moment, Lucian was puzzled, wondering how this Lord had become so arrogant in just a few days. In battle mode, Lucian didn''t waste words and ignored Samson''s taunts, pulling out a black cloak to shatter the incoming ice spikes. "Oh, your rag isn''t torn yet?" Samson continued to provoke, now more confident than ever. Knowing his melee skills were lacking, he decided to use his suit-enhanced Frost Magic against Lucian. A horde of ice wolves surged from the ground, as if given life by Samson, and attacked Lucian. Lucian was forced to keep his distance by Samson''s magic, but his strength lay in close combat. Now, seeing Samson growing more arrogant in the distance, a rare flash of anger appeared on Lucian''s face, even though becoming a vampire had greatly dulled his emotions. Fighting was just fighting; even if he lost, Lucian wouldn''t get angry. He would only blame his own lack of strength. But what was with this kid? He hadn''t even won yet and was already relentlessly mocking. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hey, it is only been a few days, how come this vampire Lord is so down?" Lucian''s forehead bulged with veins, and he was thoroughly angered now. Lucian simply didn''t want to waste his own blood. Lucian tore through the attacking ice wolves with his claws, deciding it was time to get serious with this arrogant kid, probably the only way to shut him up. Lucian slashed his wrist, and blood sprayed out instantly. "You''re not going crazy, are you? Starting to hurt yourself because you know you can''t beat me?" Samson gathered his hands, summoning two giant ice wolves to attack Lucian. If they were on the snowy mountain, this magic would be even more powerful. But soon, Samson was about to be shocked. Lucian''s blood gathered in his hand into a sword, easily breaking through Samson''s attack. The excess blood formed spikes that flew towards Samson. Samson immediately summoned an ice wall to block, but the blood easily pierced through the ice, luckily Samson reacted in time and transformed into snow to dodge Lucian''s attack. Samson was stunned; although he had reacted quickly, his armor was still stained with Lucian''s blood, which had already corroded it to black. How had he become so much stronger all of a sudden? While Samson was still in shock, Lucian had taken advantage of the moment Samson defended against his attack to get close. Lucian''s blood sword thrust directly towards Samson''s left chest, where his heart was. Samson immediately used his wolf claw to defend, but it was too late to transform into snow to escape. Unexpectedly, the wolf claw was directly chopped off by Lucian, but fortunately, it also deviated from its trajectory, and the blood sword that was supposed to stab Samson''s heart pierced through his left shoulder instead. Samson instantly transformed into snow and reappeared at a distance, unable to use his snow escape continuously since they were not on the snowy mountain. "Ah¡ª" Samson clutched his left shoulder, blood flowing from the pierced wound, which was still being corroded by Lucian''s blood, causing unbearable pain. Samson used Frost Magic to freeze his wound, which somewhat alleviated the pain. Samson dared not talk nonsense anymore; Lucian''s attack had made the power difference between them clear, and he had almost been killed instantly. Why had Lucian suddenly become so fierce? Now Samson was in a desperate situation, unable to fight or escape. Samson could only hope that Earl would come to his rescue soon. He looked back towards the snowy mountain, feeling utterly hopeless. Damn it, there was a bone dragon fighting with Earl in the sky¡ªwasn''t that one of the undead Lord''s troops? What was it doing here?! Of course, the snow maidens had warned him earlier that the undead on the snowy mountain had increased. It was over; he could only rely on himself now. Earl didn''t understand the undead! Samson knew the power of the undead; if he didn''t run now, more undead would appear soon. Foolish, you shouldn''t have fought it! One of the snow maidens tried to assist Samson but was directly dispersed by Lucian''s blood. There was no advantage in the sky, as vampires could fly too. Samson released his ultimate move, covering the surroundings with frost, countless ice crystals attacking Lucian. Anything hit by the ice crystals would be frozen, including Lucian''s black cloak, which was also frozen. Lucian didn''t want to be restrained. Although being frozen wouldn''t cause him any real harm, it would greatly affect his mobility. Samson kept up his magic effectively, holding Lucian back, but it was futile because Samson''s Mana Points would eventually run out. Just as Samson''s Mana Points were about to be exhausted, he had secretly created an ice path with his magic behind him. Samson instantly transformed into snow and quickly escaped towards Earl''s direction along the ice path. Lucian blocked the last of the ice crystals, and as the blizzard dissipated, Samson''s figure had already vanished from the spot. Lucian immediately transformed into a black shadow and chased after him. On the mountainside, Earl saw Samson frantically running towards him from a distance, with a black shadow in hot pursuit. Realizing Samson was in trouble, Earl immediately abandoned his struggle with the undead and burrowed into the ground, running towards Samson. Arthur also followed closely behind, diving down the mountain after Earl. At this moment, Samson was drenched in cold sweat, praying frantically in his heart. "Please don''t let me die here!" Chapter 109 - 109: Rock giant Earl and Samson quickly met up. Earl placed his hands on the ground, and massive rocks surged up, forming a sphere around them. Earl''s rocks successfully blocked Lucian''s blood attack. Soon after, Lucian and Arthur arrived. Arthur glanced at Lucian but ignored him, and Lucian, understanding the situation, did the same. The vampire and the bone dragon simultaneously attacked Earl and Samson. Arthur knew this was Lucian''s territory, and he had many allies here. Killing Lucian was unrealistic, but these two isolated Lords were perfect targets. Lucian had the same thought. The bone dragon was nearly impossible to kill with conventional means and was as fast as Lucian. Fighting it was a waste of time. Without a word, Arthur and Lucian tacitly agreed to cooperate and began attacking Earl and Samson together. Inside the stone sphere, Samson was anxious. "Earl, we need to find a way to escape. This is their territory. The longer we stay, the more enemies will come." Before Earl could respond, he sensed something and looked up. Boom! The stone sphere shattered. Earl grabbed Samson''s shoulder and quickly burrowed underground to escape. Arthur''s powerful dive had smashed the stone sphere. Seeing the two Lords fleeing, Arthur immediately took to the air to pursue them. "You''re injured. Go ahead. I''ll hold them off!" Earl decided to let Samson escape alone. If they both ran, neither would get away. By staying behind, he could buy Samson some time to find allies. Earl pushed Samson away and turned to face the charging Lucian and Arthur. His hands transformed from flesh to rock, connecting with the ground. The earth around Earl began to tremble violently. His rock-formed arms gradually extended to cover his entire body, as dirt and stones gathered around him. A massive stone pillar engulfed Earl and then rose from the ground. As the pillar shattered, countless rocks fell to the ground, revealing Earl transformed into a gigantic rock giant. Lucian was stunned. It was the first time he had seen such a magical transformation. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Samson glanced back at the rock giant Earl and decisively fled. Earl couldn''t hold out for long; this form must consume a lot of Mana Points. As he ran, Samson sent a distress message in the Alliance chat group. Without help, escaping unscathed would be difficult. [Ice Queen]: "Help! Urgent!" [Vine Fairy]: "What''s going on? Did the Starfallen Empire''s soldiers find you?" [Ice Queen]: "We''ve been discovered by a vampire Lord and undead Lord''s troops. I''m injured. This is their territory, and there are too many enemies. Earl is covering my retreat. We''re at the border between Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains. Hurry and save Earl!" [Wind Fury]: "Why do you guys keep getting into trouble? Can''t you stay out of it for a while?" [Flame Spirit]: "I''m on my way." Cain immediately left the castle, and Ivy ran over. "I''m coming too!" The two grabbed onto the feet of snow maidens and took off, as neither had a mount, and riding horses would be too slow. This was their only option, albeit not a graceful one. Meanwhile, the rock giant Earl, now as large as Arthur but taller, engaged in close combat with him. Arthur, with only lv1 Commanding, was at a disadvantage against Earl''s lv4. Their strength was evenly matched. The rock giant''s regenerative abilities allowed it to quickly heal any damaged limbs as long as there was soil around. Arthur could only be knocked off some skeletons by the rock giant''s powerful attacks, which it could also reassemble. Lucian, on the other hand, was having a tough time. Earl''s rock giant form was impervious to his attacks. Even if he managed to damage some limbs, they would quickly regenerate. It was like a rogue facing an unkillable tank. Similarly, Earl couldn''t do much to Lucian, who was too agile to hit. Earl''s goal was to stall Lucian, preventing him from chasing Samson. Lucian, constantly targeted by Earl, had to give up the pursuit to avoid taking hits. Facing Earl''s massive fists, Lucian could only dodge. Avoiding the attacks was much easier than taking them head-on. Lucian believed Earl couldn''t maintain this form for long. Once it ended, Earl would be done for. Lucian overlooked one thing, or perhaps Earl intentionally misled him: the rock giant Earl could still use magic, not just physical attacks. As Lucian dodged a punch, the ground erupted with sand and dirt, binding him in mid-air. Before he could react, the rock giant''s full-force punch landed. Boom! Lucian was sent flying, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His body crashed into the ground, creating a six-foot-deep crater, showing the punch''s immense power. Lucian''s body suffered multiple fractures. If it were any other Lord, they might have died mid-air. But Lucian, being a vampire, had incredible vitality and self-healing abilities. This was just a minor injury for him. Coughing up blood in the crater, Lucian''s body rapidly healed. "I was careless," he muttered. Earl didn''t receive a system notification, confirming Lucian wasn''t dead. In battles between Lords, the system ensured no one could fake death. Earl wanted to finish Lucian off, but more vampires were swarming around, flying like annoying flies. Arthur also attacked Earl, but his attacks couldn''t cause significant damage. Arthur had to rely on close combat, using his strong attributes to gain some advantage. The vampires and Arthur flying around made it hard for Earl''s magic to trap them. The rock giant''s slow movements couldn''t hit them either. Seeing the stalemate, Earl decided to retreat. His Mana Points were nearly depleted. Without them, he couldn''t even cast escape spells. Suddenly, a transparent chain shot out, piercing directly into the rock giant''s body. The rock giant''s fist, which was swinging towards Arthur, froze mid-air and shattered. The entire rock giant began to shake violently, breaking apart inch by inch. Lucian, who had just gotten up, saw this and turned his head. In the sky not far away, a ghostly undead figure had appeared. It was the Ethereal Wraith, launching a soul curse attack that shattered Earl''s final defenses. The rock giant could resist physical and magical damage and even regenerate infinitely, but its resistance to soul attacks was nearly zero. As the rock giant shattered, Earl''s form gradually separated from it. He was now weak, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he fell. A vine suddenly appeared, wrapping around Earl''s body to prevent him from hitting the ground. It was Cain, Ivy, and the returning Samson who had come to support him. Lucian hadn''t expected them to have reinforcements. With two more Lords joining the fray, if they were as strong as Earl, things could get really troublesome. Chapter 110 - 110: Cain VS Lucian Ivy and Cain released the snow maidens'' feet and jumped down from the air. Samson stepped forward to support Earl, and the four of them faced off against Lucian and Arthur in the sky. Lucian was deep in thought. Earl was out of commission, and he wasn''t sure if he and his vampires, along with the undead, could handle these two new Lords. As for Samson, Lucian dismissed him outright; someone of his caliber wasn''t worth considering as an opponent. "Are you the one who injured Earl?" Ivy spoke first, taunting Lucian. With four of them here, there was no way they could lose to him alone. "Don''t waste time talking to this guy. Cain, take him down!" Samson was furious and didn''t care about anything else. He wanted to kill this vampire first and then pin everything on Lucian to avoid a direct conflict with the Starfallen Empire. Despite his bravado, Samson didn''t dare to step forward himself. Fortunately, Cain was here, the strongest among them, and Samson was counting on him to beat Lucian to a pulp. Arthur had no interest in listening to these human Lords bicker. He immediately activated two of his skills: Dragon Breath and Withering Space. The Ethereal Wraith also launched its soul curse attack. "Watch out, that undead uses soul attacks!" Earl warned from the side. Cain''s arms erupted with massive flames, colliding with Arthur''s Nether Dragon Breath. Ivy cast a green magical shield around them. Arthur''s Dragon Breath was dispersed by Cain''s flames, and Withering Space and the soul curse were blocked by Ivy''s life magic, rendering them ineffective. Seeing the enemy launch an attack, they didn''t hold back either. It was a fight to the death. "Ivy, you handle the undead. Samson, protect Earl. I''ll take on the vampire Lord," Cain ordered. With that, Cain transformed into a blazing inferno, his eyes glowing red, and his body seemed to flow with molten lava. Whoosh! Cain''s figure vanished from in front of the three, leaving behind a wave of intense heat. Lucian was ready. A blood sword formed in his hand, and he turned into a shadow, charging at Cain. They clashed instantly. Cain''s magma-like hand grasped Lucian''s blood sword, the sound of corrosion filling the air, but it didn''t affect Cain''s hand at all. Cain''s other hand pierced through Lucian''s chest, spewing intense flames and magma, sending Lucian flying with a single blow. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Cain, he can self-heal!" Samson reminded from a distance. "Pathetic. I seriously doubt he''s in the top tier just because he''s hard to kill," Samson spat, conveniently forgetting how close he had come to being one-shotted by Lucian. Hearing Samson''s reminder, Cain immediately went after the airborne Lucian again. Lucian realized this flame Lord was even stronger than the rock Lord. Now wasn''t the time to conserve his blood. Lucian clenched his left fist, piercing his palm with his nails, letting the blood flow. The blood sword in his right hand disappeared, and blood began to surge, covering his arms. Lucian met Cain''s fists head-on. This time, he only took a few steps back, successfully blocking Cain''s attack. Magma burned Lucian''s hands, while Lucian''s blood corroded Cain''s arms. Blood flew from Lucian''s arms, attacking Cain. Cain turned into flames, disappearing from the spot, and reappeared at Lucian''s side. Cain''s flaming foot aimed for Lucian''s head. Lucian crossed his arms to block, but the force sent him flying back. Lucian felt the difference in their attributes. This flame Lord''s level was much higher than his. Cain''s arm turned into a mass of magma, shooting towards Lucian. Lucian used his black cloak to block, trying to confuse Cain while he circled to attack from the side. But as the magma was about to hit the cloak, it suddenly changed direction, flying upwards. Before Lucian could understand what was happening, Cain''s figure emerged from the magma above. Cain leaped down, grabbing Lucian''s neck. The scorching hand burned Lucian''s skin, filling the air with the smell of cooked flesh. Cain''s other hand pierced Lucian''s chest again, and the hand gripping Lucian''s neck gathered flames, trying to incinerate Lucian''s head. At the last moment, Lucian''s blood surged out, enveloping him and turning him into a puddle of black water that fell to the ground. The blood quickly reformed into Lucian''s figure a short distance away, and he flew into the sky. Blood dripped from his chest, and the burned skin slowed his self-healing. Lucian finally realized he wasn''t a match for this flame Lord. But killing him wouldn''t be easy either. Lucian turned into a shadow and fled. The surrounding vampires, seeing their leader leave, also scattered. Cain could only watch Lucian escape, as he couldn''t fly. Arthur, meanwhile, burned away the vines entangling him and flew high into the sky, out of their attack range. Arthur couldn''t handle a two-on-one fight. Seeing Lucian flee, he chose to leave as well. He didn''t have enough allies at the moment. These Lords were all higher level than Arthur. It would be hard to kill them alone. Seeing the bone dragon leave, Ivy sighed in relief. These undead were too troublesome. Ivy suspected that if they hadn''t had the numbers, the undead would have kept harassing them. Luckily, Samson and Earl''s magic bindings were strong. Even if they couldn''t kill it, they could restrain it, which might be why it chose to leave. "Cain, you were amazing. That vampire was no match for you," Samson praised, running over to flatter Cain. Cain returned to his normal state and, seeing Samson''s injured shoulder, remained silent. Samson fell quiet. "Cain, should we go destroy that vampire''s castle?" Ivy suggested. They knew its location, and the enemy wasn''t their match. Cain looked at the injured Samson and the weakened Earl and shook his head. They hadn''t brought troops for this support mission, and the other two were barely combat-capable. Charging in with just the two of them was too risky. Who knew how many vampires Lucian had under his command? A village could have at least a thousand people. If Lucian had slaughtered the villagers, his castle could house over a thousand vampires. That many could wear them down to death. Once their mana was depleted, they''d be done for. Cain didn''t want to take that risk. Ivy clearly hadn''t thought of this, but Samson had. "Next time. Once we''re healed, we''ll gather all our troops and come back. That way, we can''t fail." "By the way, how strong is that undead Lord?" Cain asked Samson, recalling the undead he had seen today. Chapter 111 - 111: Plundering was faster than mining Samson pondered for a moment before speaking. "Very strong. I haven''t seen her go all out, but there''s no doubt that the vampire Lord we just faced wouldn''t stand a chance against her. Her strength isn''t just in her personal power; her castle''s forces are also incredibly formidable." Cain saw the seriousness in Samson''s expression and knew he wasn''t joking. Samson was conveying that the undead Lord was the most powerful Lord he had encountered so far. This meant that in a one-on-one situation, none of them might be able to defeat her. Of course, Cain didn''t include himself in that assessment. While he wasn''t arrogant, he believed that even if he couldn''t defeat the undead Lord, he wouldn''t be easily beaten by her either. "Alright, let''s head back to the castle," Cain said. .... On the continent of Arsen, in the White Rock Mountains. Alex had returned to the castle, flying around on her griffin. She noticed that the surrounding mountains stretched endlessly. Sophie''s castle was fortunately located in the center of the White Rock Mountains, far from any immediate danger. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The White Rock Mountains were a typical, desolate terrain on the Arsen continent. The peaks were barren, just as their name suggested, with no greenery in sight, making it unsuitable for most life forms. Perhaps this was why Sophie''s birthplace was relatively safe, though it also meant a scarcity of basic resources. Thankfully, there was a trading system; otherwise, they might have starved in such a place. As Alex landed with her griffin, Chi-Chi hurried over to greet her. "Miss Alex!" Chi-Chi waved at Alex, while Sophie looked at Alex in surprise. Wait a minute, why is Alex wearing different clothes?! Could she have found clothes to wear here? But no, these were clearly modern clothes! Alex was dressed in a loose white T-shirt and casual pants, with her hair tied up in a high ponytail. Sophie distinctly remembered Alex wearing a dress yesterday. How could she change clothes so easily? Did she know she was coming to this world and brought extra outfits? Alex hadn''t expected Chi-Chi to be with Sophie. Even before landing, she had noticed the two of them looking rather stern, indicating they hadn''t gotten along well. "Miss Alex, my castle leveled up to lv6! Look what I got!" Chi-Chi excitedly showed her new staff, likely a reward for reaching lv6. Alex smiled. "Not bad." Chi-Chi beamed with joy at Alex''s praise, while Sophie internally rolled her eyes, thinking Chi-Chi was just a kid. It seemed that Alex had a soft spot for Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi''s castle was near Alex''s, hindering her expansion. Alex must have felt sorry for Chi-Chi and decided to make her submit. This realization reassured Sophie, as Chi-Chi''s help to Alex wasn''t as significant as she had feared. Alex chatted with them briefly before noticing Balin Forgeheart flying back, likely with news. Balin Forgeheart approached Alex. "My lady, I found some wandering dwarf kin in other villages. They are eager to move here but need some time to pack their belongings." "Well done, Balin Forgeheart. Continue overseeing this. I welcome our dwarf kin with open arms. There''s plenty of food here, but they must work for it. We''re not a charity, and we don''t support freeloaders. Make sure they understand that," Alex said, clearing her throat and putting on a serious face. "Thank you for your kindness, my lady. Rest assured, there are no lazy dwarves among us. If there are, I''ll deal with them before they become your problem," Balin Forgeheart replied, feeling that Alex was a genuinely good person, contrary to the rumors about humans being deceitful. "Go on," Alex dismissed him. With the dwarves'' help, she could continuously obtain iron ingots, easing her worries about castle upgrades. As for food, Alex''s warehouse had tens of thousands of portions, increasing steadily every day. That should be more than enough to feed them. Moreover, Alex didn''t plan to keep them in the mountains forever. She thought the Silverbeard Clan''s territory looked promising. However, Alex wasn''t sure about the Silverbeard Clan''s strength. She didn''t know if she could defeat them with her current power. If she could conquer the Silverbeard Clan, controlling a clan of dwarves would mean access to vast resources. The first step of her plan was to venture out of the White Rock Mountains. After hours of scouting and with more specters joining the effort, they finally discovered a Lord''s castle. "Your Majesty, we found a Lord''s castle at the western edge of the White Rock Mountains. There''s also a dwarf mine nearby," a specter reported respectfully to Alex. Sophie stood up, surprised they had found a stronghold so quickly. "That close? Why haven''t the dwarves fought the Lord?" Alex wondered. If there was a dwarf mine, there would be troops guarding it. How could they tolerate a Lord''s presence? "Your Majesty, we don''t know. They seem to be getting along well," the specter replied, having observed from a distance and lacking detailed information. Getting along well? That was unusual. Alex had never heard of local forces and Lords coexisting peacefully. Her encounters had always been hostile. "Big Shot, should we attack them?" Sophie asked. "Of course. Look, the two thousand death conquerors are ready," Alex replied. Although the Lord might be poor, the mine was the real prize, likely containing plenty of iron ore. Plundering was faster than mining. "Miss Alex, are you going to fight? I want to come too!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, excited at the prospect of action. She was tired of being cooped up in the castle and wanted to see the excitement. "You''re too weak. What would you do?" Sophie retorted. "It''s dangerous. You''re too weak. The dwarf army has firearms. Flying won''t help if you get shot," Alex explained, pulling a musket from her warehouse to show Chi-Chi. "Here, take this to play with," Alex said, handing the musket to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi took it happily but then paused. "Miss Alex, I''m not a child anymore!" "No, you''re not going," Alex said firmly, giving her a stern look. Chi-Chi wilted and didn''t dare argue further. The specters continued gathering intelligence, while Alex summoned all her gargoyles, totaling three hundred, along with the two thousand death conquerors. Their combat strength was more than sufficient. After last night''s encounter with the dwarf knights, Alex realized they weren''t very strong and had no effective means against the undead. She wasn''t worried at all. Alex mounted her griffin, with Sophie following closely behind. "Lead the way. Let''s go!" Alex commanded the specter. Chapter 112 - 112: Dwarf fortress With a wave of Alex''s hand, the griffin carrying her and Sophie took to the skies, followed by all the gargoyles. A specter led the way, while two thousand death conquerors charged forward on the ground. Chi-Chi could only watch enviously from the castle. Despite her desire to join, her lv4 strength was no match even for one of Alex''s skeleton soldiers. An hour later, Alex, riding her griffin, could vaguely see the outskirts of the White Rock Mountains. The area ahead was lush and green, likely a verdant grassland. After the specter pointed out a general direction, Alex and Sophie flew ahead on the griffin, as the death conquerors and specters were too slow. As they drew closer, Alex could see a castle in the distance, though she hadn''t yet noticed the dwarf mine. Let''s start with this Lord''s castle, she thought. Inside the castle, Gordon was lounging in the courtyard, basking in the sun with a bottle of fine dwarf wine beside him. Gordon found this life incredibly comfortable. Though a bit boring, it was far better than the brutal battles other Lords faced. He spent his days idly watching the World Chat, observing the various emotions of other Lords¡ªcomplaints, anger, regret, fear. Sometimes, Gordon would even engage in heated arguments to add a bit of excitement to his dull life. Unaware of the impending danger, Gordon believed that with the dwarves guarding him, he was safe from any threats. Alex and Sophie descended from the sky on the griffin, landing directly in Gordon''s castle courtyard. Alex grabbed Sophie and teleported just before hitting the ground, landing gracefully while Sophie stumbled and fell. They looked at the man lounging in the sun. Gordon heard the commotion and opened his eyes. "Holy fuck!" Gordon''s plump body jerked upright, his fat jiggling with the movement. Alex and Sophie thought he was scared by the sudden appearance of enemies, but his next words left them stunned. "Great dwarves, you are truly merciful and kind, sending me two girls. The white-haired one is stunning, and the other one isn''t bad either. Big tits, heh heh heh." Gordon wiped the drool from his mouth, his lecherous gaze making Alex and Sophie feel disgusted. "What are you waiting for? Get over here! Do I need to teach you what to do?" Gordon demanded arrogantly, oblivious to the fury in the girls'' eyes. In Gordon''s mind, it was normal for them to be angry, as they were likely forced by the dwarves. "Have you allied with the dwarves?" Alex asked coldly, realizing that this Lord was like a pig being fattened by the dwarves. Gordon didn''t answer but began to unbuckle his pants. "Disgusting," Alex muttered, casting a fireball that set Gordon ablaze. She turned and walked away without looking back. "Ahhh! Help!" Gordon screamed, rolling on the ground in agony. "You stupid women, help me put out the fire!" Gordon, somehow finding the strength, stood up and charged at Alex and Sophie, his massive body causing the ground to tremble. Whack! Sophie lashed out with a whip, knocking Gordon to the ground. His face split open, blood pouring out, and the flames intensified his pain. Despite this, he continued to curse them, running towards the castle to find water. Alex added more fire, turning the flames black. Gordon''s massive body finally collapsed, the soul-burning pain too much to bear. His screams echoed through the castle. If it were a normal person, Alex wouldn''t have tortured them, but this man was too vile. Her verdict: He deserved to die. Alex and Sophie mounted the griffin, and the castle began to shake, on the verge of collapse. They flew into the sky, searching for the dwarf mine. Although the Lord had allied with the dwarves, the castle was empty. There were no dwarves or troops in sight. Alex checked the loot from killing the Lord, finding only a pile of food. This Lord had set a new low for poverty. Most likely, the dwarves controlled all other resources, treating him like a fattened pig. What benefit did the dwarves gain from subjugating extraterrestrial Lords? It had to be the Lord''s troops. Considering Alex''s desire for the griffin barracks, it seemed likely that this Lord''s troops were valuable to the dwarves, which was why they spared him. But that was no longer Alex''s concern. She and Sophie were now at the edge of the White Rock Mountains, overlooking the grassland. It was their first time leaving the mountains. They flew along the mountain''s edge, searching for the dwarf mine or another stronghold, which shouldn''t be far from the Lord''s castle. After about ten minutes of flying, they hadn''t found the mine but spotted a dwarf fortress on the grassland. The fortress was about the same size as Alex''s castle, surrounded by walls with dwarf guards patrolling. Inside were several buildings, resembling a military camp or defensive outpost. Alex guided the griffin closer to get a better look. From a distance, she couldn''t see much. As they approached, Alex noticed about five to six hundred dwarves outside the fortress. Including those inside, the total wouldn''t exceed two thousand. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She also saw a transparent shield around the fortress, preventing a direct aerial assault. "Such advanced technology?" Alex mused. The shield was similar to the protective barrier Lords had during their novice period, though not as strong. The patrolling dwarves below sounded the alarm, and the fortress went on high alert. "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The griffin''s large size made it an obvious target. The dwarves spotted the two humans riding it and knew they were enemies. Clang, clang¡ª Two iron wheels rolled on the stone bricks of the wall, as two dwarves pushed a cannon into position. One dwarf adjusted the cannon''s angle with a crank, while another loaded a black spherical cannonball. The cannonball rolled to the bottom of the barrel, and a dwarf with a torch stood ready to light the fuse. Once the cannon was aimed, the dwarf lit the fuse. Boom! The black cannonball shot out with a loud bang, heading straight for the griffin in the sky. Alex, drawn by the noise, saw a black dot rapidly approaching. Chapter 113 - 113: Attack the dwarf fortress Boom! The cannonball hit the griffin, causing an explosion and a cloud of black smoke. The dwarves inside the fortress cheered, thinking they had successfully eliminated the enemy. As the smoke cleared, Alex was already riding the griffin away from the fortress. The cannonball hadn''t hit her; she had intercepted it with a fireball. "Was that a cannon?!" Sophie asked, still shaken. "Yes, something like a medieval cannon," Alex replied, suddenly understanding how the dwarves managed to survive in this dangerous world. She had thought a musket was outrageous enough, but they also had protective shields and cannons. They were a technologically armed race. No wonder the Commanding level dwarves seemed so weak; they relied heavily on their equipment. While the human empire likely had similar technology, humans had a cultivation system that made them stronger than the dwarves. What Alex didn''t know was that the Holy Court, despite its power, no longer considered itself part of the human race. They called themselves the Chosen of the Gods. The stronger and more intelligent a race, the more likely it was to experience internal divisions. This world was no exception. Alex decided to retreat for now and wait for the undead army to arrive before attacking the fortress. In the meantime, she would search for the dwarf mine, which was her primary concern. It was bound to be rich in resources. Inside the fortress, the dwarves realized they hadn''t killed the enemy. They quickly lit a bonfire on the massive central furnace, producing thick purple smoke that rose into the sky, signaling the surrounding dwarves. When Alex intercepted the cannonball, the dwarf commander in the fortress had assessed the human''s strength on the griffin, determining she was at least Commanding level. There were no human lairs or cities nearby, so these two had to be extraterrestrial visitor Lords. Such Lords always had their own troops, and upon discovering the fortress, they would likely send their troops to attack. As the fortress leader, the dwarf had to prepare in advance. Soon, Alex and Sophie noticed a large number of dwarf cavalry riding boars heading towards the fortress. The dwarves on the ground also spotted Alex in the sky but ignored her, focusing on speeding up. Following the direction from which the dwarf cavalry had come, Alex found a mine at the edge of the White Rock Mountains. The mine entrance was hidden by large rocks, making it hard to spot. No wonder she hadn''t found it earlier. Alex and Sophie landed the griffin and approached the mine entrance, which was about 7 feet high but quite wide inside. The height was just right for dwarves. Fortunately, Alex and Sophie weren''t particularly tall; otherwise, they would have had to stoop to enter. They walked into the mine, which extended deep into the mountain. The iron ore was located at the mountain''s core, hence the tunnel. Along the way, they encountered some dwarf troops who hadn''t managed to escape, easily dealt with by Alex. Strangely, even though all the dwarf troops had left, Alex could still hear the sound of mining from within. "Is someone still here?" They reached the deepest part of the mine, which had been excavated to a height of nearly 10 feet. There, they found a group of dwarves in shackles and tattered clothes, still mining. Several carts filled with iron ore were nearby. The dwarves, hearing the commotion, turned to see two humans and trembled in fear. "These must be dwarf civilians enslaved by the Silverbeard Clan," Sophie whispered to Alex. "Don''t be afraid. I''m here to rescue you!" Alex declared, using her scythe to cut their shackles and giving an impassioned speech. The dwarves believed her and explained that the iron ore mined here was transported to the fortress every few days and sometimes to more distant locations. These dwarf slaves weren''t allowed to leave the mine, living their entire lives inside it. They didn''t know much more. "I''ll take you to a safe place first. Other dwarves will come to help you soon. The troops outside have been dealt with, so don''t worry," Sophie reassured them, seeing this as an opportunity to gain prestige among the dwarves. The dwarves, having no other choice, decided to trust Alex. Nothing could be worse than their current enslavement. Alex and Sophie led the dwarves out of the mine and hid them on a mountaintop, waiting for the undead to arrive. The fifty or so dwarves looked at each other, still anxious and fearful, but the blue sky above gave them some hope in Alex''s words. Soon, the specters and gargoyles arrived, spotting Alex on the mountaintop and flying towards her. Alex smiled and instructed a specter, "Send a gargoyle back to the castle to fetch Balin Forgeheart. He''ll take care of these dwarf kin." "Yes, my queen," the specter replied, signaling the nearest gargoyle. The gargoyle, still airborne, turned back immediately, flying much faster without having to wait for the death conquerors. Alex left a few gargoyles to guard the dwarves. She still had to deal with the dwarf fortress and couldn''t waste time here. After leaving the guards, Alex and Sophie mounted the griffin and took off. The gargoyles followed closely behind, while the death conquerors sped across the grassland below. The death conquerors moved much faster on the grassland than in the White Rock Mountains. Twenty minutes later, Alex saw the dwarf fortress again. This time, a large number of dwarf knights had gathered outside the fortress, at least a thousand strong. The fortress couldn''t accommodate them all, so they had to camp outside. The dwarf commander on the fortress wall spotted Alex''s return. Seeing the mass of death conquerors and the flying creatures, his pupils contracted in fear. The commander immediately ordered all dwarves to prepare for battle. Cannons were pushed onto the walls, loaded, and aimed at the distant enemy. Boom! Boom! Boom! Before the undead could reach the dwarf fortress, the commander initiated the attack. Massive cannons lit up with sparks on the castle walls, followed by huge explosions within the undead army. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The charging death conquerors were hit by the cannonballs, their bodies instantly shattered and scattered across the ground. The remaining death conquerors took advantage of the dwarves reloading the cannons to continue their charge towards the fortress. Boom! Boom! Boom! Another round of cannon fire, and countless more death conquerors were obliterated. By now, the death conquerors were almost at the fortress gates. The cannons were no longer effective at such close range. The dwarf commander below immediately ordered the dwarf knights to charge. "Kill!" In an instant, the dwarves yanked their reins, and the boars reared up on their hind legs, beginning their charge towards the death conquerors. Chapter 114 - 114: Complete victory The death conquerors and dwarf knights quickly clashed. The immense force from the death conquerors'' charge easily knocked the short-statured dwarf knights off their boars. In contrast, the death conquerors were fused with their mounts, and their larger size gave them an advantage. Although the dwarves had protective gear to withstand physical damage, they couldn''t defend against the death conquerors'' curses and mind attacks. The dwarf commander on the fortress wall noticed that the death conquerors shattered by the cannons were regenerating, with some already rejoining the battle. This defied the commander''s understanding. Those undead should have been completely destroyed. But why have they come back to life? Not only the death conquerors but also the gargoyles exhibited the same resilience. Since the dwarves lacked aerial forces and the dwarf knights were engaged with the death conquerors, the cannons were redirected to target the gargoyles. Standard gargoyles, when hit by cannon fire, would also be shattered, but they too would regenerate. This was beyond the dwarf''s comprehension and seemed utterly illogical! The dwarf knights outside were no match for the death conquerors, forcing the commander to send reinforcements from within the fortress. These dwarf knights were elite troops crafted by the Silverbeard Clan. What was supposed to be their debut battle turned into a complete rout by the undead. Alex launched several fireballs at the fortress''s protective shield, causing only ripples. The shield was technologically advanced, blocking external attacks while allowing internal attacks to pass through¡ªa one-way barrier. Alex continued her assault on the shield, noticing that it seemed powered by some internal energy source. With sustained attacks, the shield''s glow weakened. Sensing the time was right, Alex summoned a scythe and leaped off the griffin. The dwarf commander, watching the shield''s durability decrease and the dwarf knights'' defeat outside, felt his heart ache. He had no solution. Their only long-range weapon was the cannon, which was ineffective against the girl. He could only watch as she attacked the shield from the sky. Seeing Alex leap down, the commander gripped his warhammer tightly, knowing the shield was about to break. Alex descended, her fist engulfed in black flames. Using the momentum, she punched the shield. The shield shattered instantly under her blow. Alex teleported to the wall, landing gracefully. The dwarf commander, gripping his warhammer, charged at Alex. His warhammer crackled with lightning, fully enchanted. The commander leaped high, both hands gripping the hammer, and swung it at Alex with all his might. Alex spun her scythe, meeting the airborne dwarf with a slash. The scythe ignited with black flames, its bell ringing crisply. The commander felt a sharp pain in his head as the lightning warhammer clashed with the black-flamed scythe. Boom! Shockingly, the commander''s warhammer shattered upon impact with Alex''s scythe. The scythe then easily sliced through his armor, sending him flying into the wall. The commander lay on the ground, barely alive. The scythe''s damage was corroding his body, tormenting his life, soul, and flesh. He clutched the broken hammer handle, coughing up blood. The dark magic-imbued scythe was incredibly sharp, capable of destroying equipment of the same level, including dwarf gear. Alex''s hand tingled slightly, but it was manageable. She flicked the scythe, extinguishing the flames. With the commander defeated, the other dwarves roared in anger, drawing their muskets and firing at Alex. Bullets rained down, but Alex walked towards them, her magical barrier deflecting every shot. Clang, clang¡ª With just two attacks, Alex eliminated them all. Seeing Alex''s prowess, Sophie, who had been watching from the sky, felt relieved and landed the griffin inside the fortress. "Big Shot, you''re amazing!" Sophie gave Alex a thumbs up. Alex nodded at her and then returned to the battlefield. With nothing else to do, Sophie began searching for loot but found only a few cannons and an ammunition depot. As for the fortress''s special buildings, she would wait for Alex to inspect them. She didn''t dare overstep. Outside, the death conquerors continued battling the dwarf knights. The knights'' numbers dwindled, and with the gargoyles'' aerial support, the fortress was no longer a safe haven. The dwarf knights, trapped and surrounded by the undead, were gradually overwhelmed. The battle was a resounding success, though Alex regretted not bringing necromancers. Even if she had, it would have been time-consuming to summon all the corpses. Transporting the dwarf bodies back to the castle might also frighten the other dwarves. Alex decided to summon them all here. While double summoning was useful, it was time-consuming and situational. She couldn''t linger here long, as reinforcements could arrive at any moment. As more dwarves fell, the undead''s advantage became apparent. The dwarves'' armor could withstand some physical attacks but offered no protection against soul attacks. Even if the specters couldn''t kill the dwarves, their powerful soul attacks disrupted their actions, allowing the other undead to inflict significant damage. Most of the dwarves'' equipment was standard, with limited stamina, breaking after a few hits. Dwarves could easily smash skeletons with their hammers, but they struggled against the agile zombies and death conquerors. With the specters and gargoyles providing aerial support, the dwarves were doomed. Sophie returned to the wall, observing the battle below. The sounds of combat outside the fortress had diminished significantly. The battle was nearing its end. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under Alex''s leadership, she and Sophie began searching the fortress for useful items. Alex used a fireball to destroy the door of a hidden room, revealing over ten thousand iron ingots and a massive furnace in the warehouse. The dwarves of the Silverbeard Clan must have used this furnace to smelt the iron ore into ingots. This furnace was enormous, about twice the size of the one in Sophie''s castle. Alex was thrilled, feeling as if Lady Luck had smiled upon her. Without hesitation, she destroyed the furnace. As expected, it dropped a special structure blueprint. Alex picked it up and examined it. "Advanced Furnace?" "Here, take it," Alex said, tossing the blueprint to Sophie. With this, they could significantly increase their smelting efficiency. Alex and Sophie also discovered the structure that generated the protective shield. It was a spire-like building with a recessed area at the base. Alex opened it to find twelve Essence Shards neatly embedded inside. She had thought it was some high-level item, but it turned out to be powered by Essence Shards. She destroyed it, and another special structure blueprint dropped. Alex picked it up and read the information. "Essence Shard Shield, Commanding level..." Seeing that the building was only Commanding level, Alex dismissed it and handed it to Sophie. Although Alex didn''t have any protective structures in her special buildings, a Commanding level defense was useless to her at this point. She preferred the Specter Chandelier. Her standards had risen, and she no longer valued anything below Monarch level. Aside from these, the fortress had little of value¡ªsome magic crystals, Essence Shards, food, and a few dwarf household items and equipment. Standard equipment was now of low value. In a corner of the fortress, they found a small warehouse filled with black cannonballs. Alex decided to blow it up when they left. After loading all usable materials into the Ring of Space, Alex and Sophie climbed onto the wall. The battle outside was nearly over. Nearly three thousand dwarves, including a thousand boar-mounted knights, had been defeated. Alex could summon at least four thousand undead from these corpses, so she got to work immediately, wasting no time. The undead below were already moving the bodies to make summoning easier for Alex. Her left eye glowed a ghostly blue as summoning circles appeared beneath about a thousand dwarf corpses. From these thousand or so bodies, she summoned nearly a hundred necromancers, who then performed double summoning. However, without the Blackwater Altar''s enhancement, the lv1 necromancers could only summon Skeleton Soldiers, and their limited mana made them barely effective. Despite their inefficiency, the lv1 necromancers were better than nothing. Alex took a break to recover her mental energy. An hour later, she had summoned all the corpses, disassembling the dwarf bodies. The ground was now filled with over four thousand undead of various types. Sophie was stunned, finally understanding why Alex was so powerful. She was like a Zerg Queen! They had arrived with just over two thousand undead and were leaving with over six thousand. It was terrifying. However, Alex was now feeling a bit of a headache from the mental strain. She needed a good night''s sleep. "All specters stay behind to continue scouting the area. The rest of the undead, follow me back to the castle!" Alex commanded from the fortress wall. At her command, the flying undead took to the skies, and the ground-bound ones began running. Alex and Sophie mounted the griffin, ready to leave. As the griffin took off, Alex turned and extended her hand, conjuring a Black Flame Blast aimed at the fortress''s ammunition warehouse. Boom! Boom! Boom! The first cannonball exploded, triggering a chain reaction that caused a series of explosions. The entire fortress was destroyed, with Alex flying away on the griffin, the exploding fortress serving as her backdrop. The summoning had drained her mental energy, and Alex just wanted to get back and sleep. She flew the griffin to the hiding spot of the dwarf slaves, relieved to find they and the specters had already left. She then headed back to the castle. She wasn''t foolish enough to leave undead to guard the area. The Silverbeard Clan might not seem strong, but Alex didn''t know their full capabilities. She couldn''t take risks. A quick hit-and-run was the best strategy, a retaliation for their attack on her castle. The lv1 specters she had summoned were weak and couldn''t level up. Without physical bodies, they were perfect scouts, almost invisible at night. An hour later, Alex and Sophie returned to the castle on the griffin, with the undead army still trudging along the mountain paths. Alex saw the dwarf slaves in Sophie''s castle, brought back by Balin Forgeheart, along with some new faces. Dismounting the griffin, Alex was followed by Sophie. Balin Forgeheart and the dwarves came to greet them. "Everyone, these are the two Masters I mentioned. Though they are human, they treat us like family," Balin Forgeheart said. Hearing this, the dwarves stepped forward to greet Alex and Sophie. Alex pushed Sophie forward to handle the greetings. The dwarf slaves from the mine believed Alex''s words, as many of their kin praised the two girls. They chose to trust their kin and what they saw with their own eyes. The first thing Balin Forgeheart did upon returning was to provide a hearty meal for the dwarves, who were now deeply grateful to Alex and Sophie. Balin Forgeheart explained the rules: this was a sanctuary, not a retirement home. Every dwarf had to work for their food. Though the dwarves'' fate of mining hadn''t changed, their work hours were shorter, the workload lighter, and their living conditions better. Surrounded by enthusiastic dwarves, Sophie handled the greetings while Alex slipped away to the Portal of Transit. She needed a good night''s sleep. "Miss Alex, are you leaving?" Chi-Chi hurried to catch up with Alex. She didn''t want to be left alone with that "old woman." Chapter 115 - 115: Tiger beings The portal emitted a flickering orange-yellow light as Alex and Chi-Chi emerged from the Portal of Transit. "I''m a bit tired and need to rest," Alex said, feeling a headache coming on. Chi-Chi, still bent over and retching, understood that Alex was likely exhausted from the battle. "Miss Alex, go ahead. Don''t worry about me," Chi-Chi said with a cheerful smile. Her beasts were in the Time Chamber, accelerating their leveling up, and she had enough food for a day, so she had nothing to worry about. The only downside was that she had to go hunting periodically for food, and she wasn''t gaining any experience herself, meaning she couldn''t level up. With nothing else to do, Chi-Chi wandered around Alex''s castle, occasionally chatting with other Lords on World Chat. Alex headed to the bathroom, stripped off her clothes, and took a shower. After her shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and walked barefoot to her bedroom, picking up her clothes from the bathroom floor on the way. She tossed her clothes into the wardrobe and slipped under the covers, discarding the towel. Time: 15:00 Alex slept for four to five hours, waking up feeling refreshed and full of energy. It was already afternoon when she woke up. The first thing she did was check the system for the time. She also checked her personal dashboard. After the battle with the dwarves, she had leveled up to lv6 Commanding level, with slight improvements in her attributes, though the changes weren''t significant. She felt that unless the level difference was substantial, a single spell or piece of equipment could provide a greater boost than leveling up. Alex got out of bed, walked to her wardrobe, and dressed. This time, she wore a white short-sleeved shirt, a khaki vest, a red tie, a black pleated skirt, black stockings, and small leather shoes. She looked in the mirror. Hmm, the only good thing about shirts is that they make your chest look bigger. Even if you''re a C cup, it looks like a C+. Alex let her hair down and left the bedroom. She noticed that Chi-Chi was still in the castle, now angrily arguing on World Chat, clearly bored. Seeing Alex, Chi-Chi closed World Chat. "Miss Alex, you''re awake! Wow, you look so pretty!" "Has Sophie come back?" Alex asked. "No, that old woman is probably having fun with the dwarves," Chi-Chi replied. Ignoring Chi-Chi''s nonsense, Alex opened her Warehouse and saw that some resources were missing, likely used by Sophie to build those special structures. There were still fifteen thousand iron ingots left, just enough for Alex to upgrade her town. Might as well upgrade the Barracks too. [Upgrade requirements: 80k wood, 40k stone, 12k iron ingots.] "Upgrade!" Chi-Chi watched as Alex upgraded the town. A flash of light, and the town upgrade was complete. There were no significant changes, just a deeper glow around the castle. [town level: lv2] [Health Points: 100k] [town area: 2 square miles] [Territory Area: 6 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special structures: Maiden''s Wardrobe, Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Maiden''s Bedroom, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon] [Upgrade requirements: 100k wood, 50k stone, 14k iron ingots.] Aside from increased health, there were no other changes. The territory and town area remained the same. Alex glanced at it and moved on to upgrading the Barracks. [undead crystal: lv14 (unique Barracks)] [Ninth-level Barracks can summon: skeleton, zombie, specter, death conqueror, gargoyle, bone dragon, ghost dragon, zombie titan, necromancer, liches, Destroyer, Ghoul (randomly thirty units), with a very low chance of summoning a Race King. Summoned troops'' base level increased to lv5.] [Unlock special fixed unit: Acolyte] [Upgrade requirements: 30k magic crystals, 300 Essence Shards.] No significant changes... Alex was a bit disappointed. The Barracks only increased the base level of troops from lv3 to lv5. Chi-Chi was stunned, watching in awe. Alex glanced at her and gave her a light smack on the head. "Hurry up and upgrade. My Barracks level is higher than yours!" "Got it, Miss Alex. I won''t hold you back!" Chi-Chi said, holding her head. "By the way, your beasts should be in that special building, right? I''ll give you some food." Seeing the tens of thousands of food portions in her Warehouse, Alex decided to give some to Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi watched in amazement as Alex sent her fifty thousand portions of food and another hundred thousand to Sophie, clearing out her Warehouse of ordinary food. "Wow, Miss Alex, that''s a lot!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, shocked by Alex''s generosity. Chi-Chi understood that Sophie had more dwarves to feed than she had beasts, so most of the food went to Sophie. She didn''t mind. But Chi-Chi was deeply touched that Miss Alex remembered her. "There are also some Commanding level equipment. If you can use them, take them. If not, sell them," Alex said, organizing her cluttered Warehouse and giving the items to Chi-Chi. Commanding level equipment was a huge deal for Chi-Chi, who was only lv4 Standard. These items were outdated for Alex. Now that she was in the latter half of the Commanding level, only Monarch level items caught her interest. With greater power came easier access to resources. Take the dwarf fortress, for example. In just one battle, she had gained twenty thousand magic crystals, equivalent to twenty Commanding level items. "Thank you, Miss Alex!" "By the way, Miss Alex, are we going back?" Chi-Chi asked, sensing that Alex had left something unfinished. "Why go back? Didn''t you say she''s having fun with the dwarves? Why disturb her?" Alex replied, rolling her eyes. ... While feeding Ice Cream, Alex noticed Arthur flying back from the snowy mountain. Arthur usually didn''t return to the castle, so it must have been important information. Arthur''s massive form landed in the town, kicking up dust. "Your Majesty, Arthur has information to report." Alex turned to Arthur, listening to his report about the battle with the vampire Lord and the other four Lords. "You saw the snow maidens Lord among them?" Alex asked, puzzled. "Yes, Your Majesty. There were four of them, with the flame Lord and rock Lord being the strongest, on par with the vampire Lord." Alex realized that the Lord who had disappeared from the snowy mountain was likely Samson. They were an Alliance, and Samson must have used the Alliance token to relocate. But it seemed his new territory wasn''t far from Frostwind snowy mountain, just on the Barren Plains. Alex knew Lucian''s castle was at the border of Frostwind snowy mountain and Barren Plains. If it weren''t for the long travel time across the snowy mountain, she would have dealt with him already. Now it seemed the vampire Lord had escaped her wrath only to face a new problem. But Alex was just gathering information. It didn''t concern her directly. "Let them fight. The more intense, the better. It has nothing to do with me," Alex said, feeling indifferent. "Wait, Miss Alex, isn''t this the part where you usually say, ''I''m going to take them down''?" Chi-Chi asked, surprised by Alex''s uncharacteristic response. "There are five of them. What if they team up against me? Didn''t you hear Arthur? At least three of them are top-tier Lords. Do I look like a fool?" Alex replied. "But we have three people too," Chi-Chi said, confused. Three against four didn''t seem too bad. "Your combined combat power is too weak!" Alex sighed. Even the weakest among them, Samson, could easily defeat Chi-Chi and Sophie. Chi-Chi felt a bit ashamed, knowing Miss Alex thought she was weak. Sophie could at least provide minerals, but Chi-Chi felt she wasn''t much help to Miss Alex. Feeling dejected, Chi-Chi quickly cheered herself up. "I''ll work hard and get stronger!" Chi-Chi summoned her Flying Nimbus and stood on it. "Miss Alex, I''m heading back. I''ll work hard to get stronger. Next time you see me, I''ll be stronger than that old woman!" With that, Chi-Chi left. "Huh? Why did she leave so suddenly?" "Arthur, continue upgrading and have the undead keep an eye on the snowy mountain and those Lords," Alex instructed. Meanwhile, in the southern part of Frostwind snowy mountain. A pack of black wolves was racing through the snow, heading deeper into the mountain. They moved swiftly, like shadows, reaching the depths of Frostwind snowy mountain in no time. They were sent to investigate the battle between the angel and the frost dragon. The Moon Silver Wolf, their eyes in the snowy mountain, had been mysteriously wiped out, and they needed to find out why. In the depths of the snowy mountain, another force was already investigating. These beings had tiger heads but human bodies, standing around 8 feet tall, with bulging muscles and large tiger claws. Their white fur had black stripes. They resembled werewolves but were more tiger-like. When the wolves arrived, they noticed the tiger beings, who also turned to look at the wolves. The reactions were starkly different. The tiger beings showed a hint of concern but no fear, as they weren''t sure if the wolves were a threat. The wolves, on the other hand, didn''t regard the tiger beings as a threat at all. "If you don''t want to die, get out of here. This isn''t a place for refugees!" one wolf snarled, baring its teeth. The tiger beings exchanged glances, looking to their leader. "Young one, I advise you to know your place. Frostwind snowy mountain isn''t Skyreach Mountains!" the tiger leader warned, indicating that this wasn''t the wolves'' territory. "Do you think you can compare to Skyreach Mountains? Kill them!" the wolf, feeling provoked, recognized the race. While individually strong, their background was nothing compared to Skyreach Mountains. The wolves'' bodies began to swell, transforming into werewolf form, and they charged at the tiger beings. The tiger beings outnumbered the werewolves, but their leader was only lv7 Commanding level, while the werewolf leader was lv8. Werewolves had terrifying self-healing and bloodlust abilities, making them superior in close combat. Just as the werewolf leader was about to reach the tiger beings, a little girl stepped out from among them. She wore a princess dress, clearly human attire, with long white hair and animal ears, indicating she wasn''t human. Her pupils contracted, becoming needle-thin, and a surge of spatial power surrounded her. The charging wolves were frozen in place, and massive claw marks appeared on each of them. As the spatial power dissipated, the werewolves were torn apart and flung away, howling in pain and bleeding profusely. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The girl, knowing the werewolves'' self-healing abilities, froze them before they could recover. Only the werewolf leader, heavily injured, escaped the freezing, glaring at the girl from a distance. "Damn it, you''ll pay for this!" he snarled before transforming back into a wolf and disappearing. The girl buried the frozen werewolves in the snow, then collapsed from exhaustion. The tiger leader caught her and addressed the others. "The queen has fallen asleep again to save us. It''s confirmed that the frost dragon is dead. Find a hiding place quickly!" Chapter 116 - 116: Imperial cavalry [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] After a busy day, Sophie left the continent of Arsen and returned to her subsidiary castle. Alex sent another batch of gargoyles to Arsen, recalling the previously summoned miscellaneous troops to enjoy the enhancements of the Blackwater Altar. Sophie''s castle now housed two thousand death conquerors, one thousand gargoyles, nine hundred specters, and one hundred necromancers. With a total of four thousand undead, the leader of the Silverbeard Clan would be wise not to launch an attack. In addition, Alex had twenty thousand undead on the continent of Eldoria. She felt her forces were now incredibly strong. As long as no enemies above Monarch level appeared, her advantage was overwhelming. Even if lv7 and lv8 Commanding creatures showed up, she could grind them down with sheer numbers. Alex glanced out the window at Sophie, who looked exhausted and had returned to her subsidiary castle. Bored, Alex scrolled through World Chat and noticed something odd. [Flame Spirit] was buying up Essence Shards at the trading post, offering iron ingots in exchange. Most Lords hadn''t upgraded their castles to towns yet, so iron ingots were still scarce. Alex was surprised to see someone selling them. But she didn''t dwell on it. Having passed the novice period, there was no need to stay up late summoning troops from the Barracks. She went to bed early. Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains, the Elemental Alliance gathered. A cracked castle appeared, belonging to the last member of the Elemental Alliance, [Wind Fury] Lord Boreas. Boreas, aware of the Alliance''s situation and the looming threat from the Starfallen Empire, decided to help his allies. The Elemental Alliance members welcomed Boreas. Samson had always thought Boreas would be an older man, but he turned out to be the youngest of the five, an eighteen-year-old boy. Boreas had a unique item that absorbed wind element strength to summon wind spirits. He hadn''t come earlier because the Wild Wolf Valley, where he was based, frequently experienced hurricanes, aiding his troop summoning. But now his troop numbers were nearly saturated, and he realized he had focused too much on quantity over quality, keeping him in the second tier. Wind spirits were the strongest troops among the five. Though elemental beings, they had physical forms and could take different shapes. Currently, Boreas''s wind spirits could transform into a ten feet long bird or a tiger-like beast. Being wind elementals, they could fly even in land beast form. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Now that we''re all here, and my injuries are healed thanks to Ivy, I propose we attack the vampire Lord tomorrow," Samson said, still shaken from nearly being killed by Lucian and eager to eliminate him with the Alliance''s help. Boreas, wanting to prove himself, quickly agreed to Samson''s proposal. Earl and Ivy were indifferent, leaving the decision to Cain. Seeing everyone eager to take down the vampire Lord, Cain agreed. As the first battle of the Elemental Alliance, targeting a top-tier Lord was a good choice. "Alright, we''ll set out tomorrow morning," Cain said. With Cain''s agreement, Samson and Boreas smiled. The vampire Lord was doomed. Time: 06:00 AM [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] In the depths of the Barren Plains, a massive city stirred. A general in armor led fifty thousand troops out of the city. The emperor of the Starfallen Empire was furious upon learning that his elite squad had been wiped out. He had received crucial information from the empire''s mage association: a six-winged angel had slain the frost dragon. The intelligent beings of Frostwind snowy mountain wouldn''t provoke the mage-backed Starfallen Empire, and the mindless creatures lacked the strength to annihilate his elite squad. The ministers quickly deduced that extraterrestrial visitors were causing trouble. The newly crowned emperor, realizing the situation, dispatched his general to eliminate the extraterrestrial visitors. Meanwhile, Cain and the other four Lords left three Commanding level troops each to guard their castles, taking the rest to march on Lucian''s castle. Boreas''s wind spirits carried the four Lords, moving much faster than Samson''s snow maidens. Below, their diverse troops followed: flame spirits, earth monsters, wind spirits, tree spirits, and snow maidens, totaling over six thousand, with Boreas and Cain having the most troops. Lucian, aware of the Alliance''s threat, had been desperately seeking allies. But having always been a lone wolf, suddenly asking to join another Lord''s Alliance or inviting them to his castle was impractical. Other Lords weren''t fools. Such a request would be seen as suspicious, and even if an Alliance was formed, no one would relocate their castle. Desperate, Lucian saw a glimmer of hope. He guessed the Alliance would soon attack, and with his castle''s location exposed, he couldn''t run. If anyone could save him, it was the undead Lord Alex. Knowing her strength, Lucian believed that with Alex''s help, the four Lords would be no match. He was about to message Alex but realized he didn''t know her castle''s name. Lucian looked towards the snowy mountain, needing to find an intelligent undead to relay a message to Alex. Gargoyles lacked intelligence. He needed a higher-level undead and didn''t trust his vampires with such an important task. Promising Alex enough benefits, he believed she would be tempted. Lucian transformed into a shadow and disappeared from his castle, heading towards the snowy mountain. Lucian searched the snowy mountain for over an hour before encountering a bone dragon, though not the one he had met before. He wasn''t sure if it was intelligent. "Hey!" Lucian shouted. The bone dragon turned and unleashed a breath of dragon at him, forcing Lucian to dodge. "I''m not here to fight. I need you to deliver a message to your Lord," Lucian said, waiting for the bone dragon''s reaction. "What do you want to tell our Queen?" The bone dragon''s ethereal voice reached Lucian''s ears, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Lucian relayed all the information to the bone dragon, emphasizing that if the Elemental Alliance attacked, he hoped Alex would intervene. To show his sincerity, he even revealed his castle''s name, [Dracula]. The bone dragon seemed to understand, or at least Lucian hoped it did. As long as it conveyed the message accurately to Alex, that was enough. "I will relay the message," the bone dragon said before flying off. Lucian could only wait for Alex''s response. Suddenly, a system notification startled him. [Your lv8 Standard vampire has been killed by an enemy Lord!] Apart from the Elemental Alliance, the only other nearby force was the undead Lord. Based on his observations, Alex''s castle was likely on the other side of Frostwind snowy mountain. The only ones who could have killed his troops now were the Elemental Alliance. With a heavy heart, Lucian rushed back to his castle. An hour later, Lucian''s castle came into view. The enemy had indeed arrived! Lucian saw five Lords leading numerous troops, attacking his vampires. His vampires, numbering just over a thousand, were outmatched in both quantity and quality. There was an additional Lord this time; the Elemental Alliance had fully mobilized. Lucian hadn''t done much to provoke them, yet they were determined to destroy his castle. He had been attacked multiple times, and if not for his vampire traits, he would have died. Now they were attacking his castle. It seemed they intended to kill all his troops. They didn''t realize Lucian wasn''t in the castle. Wait, what''s that?! Lucian''s eyes widened as he saw a cavalry force approaching from the horizon. Starfallen Empire! Lucian quickly realized that the village massacre had drawn the empire''s attention, and they had sent troops to kill him. But instead of panicking, Lucian smiled. The Starfallen Empire''s arrival was timely; he might not need to call for help after all. He could use the Starfallen Empire to fight the Elemental Alliance. The human cavalry, numbering in the tens of thousands, were potential reinforcements for Lucian. These imperial cavalry were practically delivering themselves to him. Lucian hurried back to his castle. As the Starfallen Empire cavalry approached, Samson and the others noticed the enemy force. "What''s going on? There must be tens of thousands of them!" Ivy exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock. "Damn it, just our luck. This guy has incredible luck," Samson muttered, begrudgingly admiring Lucian''s fortune. "Let''s deal with the human cavalry first. They''re not that strong, just numerous. Don''t be afraid," Boreas said, his blood boiling with excitement at the prospect of a large-scale battle. He didn''t take the Starfallen Empire cavalry seriously. The five Lords didn''t abandon their attack on Lucian''s castle. Their troops prepared to face the Starfallen Empire cavalry, while the vampires returned to defend the castle. "There are six extraterrestrial visitor Lords. The emperor was right; they are heretics and must be exterminated!" General Baldwin, clad in silver armor, drew his silver sword, ready for battle. "Kill! Exterminate the extraterrestrial visitors for the glory of the empire!" Baldwin and his fifty thousand cavalry charged at the six Lords. Baldwin didn''t care about the conflicts between the extraterrestrial visitors. To him, they were all the same. Lucian planned to watch them fight each other, focusing on protecting his castle. The Elemental Alliance, with their larger numbers, were the primary target for the cavalry. The Lords underestimated the imperial cavalry, thinking their advanced troops could easily handle them. They didn''t have specialized countermeasures, believing their elemental beings and vampires were nearly invincible. Baldwin led the charge, disappearing from his horse''s back and heading straight for the Elemental Alliance''s Commanding level troops. Ignoring the troops, Baldwin swiftly bypassed them, targeting the five Lords. "Watch out, he''s coming!" "He''s so fast!" The five Lords felt immense pressure, immobilizing them. Baldwin slashed with his sword, sending a silver blade of light that knocked all five Lords back. Lucian, watching from his castle, was stunned. What was happening?! The five Lords, injured, had used their defensive measures. Ivy and Earl''s bodies turned to wood and stone, healing. Samson, Cain, and Boreas transformed into their elemental forms, avoiding the attack. Despite their efforts, they couldn''t fully negate Baldwin''s damage, and blood trickled from their mouths. As they tried to get up, the oppressive force returned, pinning them down. "A domain?!" "He''s Monarch level!!" Chapter 117 - 117: Lich In the undead territory, after feeding Ice Cream, Alex walked towards the Barracks, intending to summon her troops. On the way, she noticed a bone dragon flying in from the direction of the snowy mountain. Alex paused, deciding to see why the bone dragon had returned. Undead without messages typically didn''t enter the castle on their own, so the bone dragon must have news to report. The bone dragon landed in the castle and began speaking rapidly to Alex. "What? He wants me to kill him?" Alex was baffled. What kind of brain-dead Lord was this? If he wanted to die, he could just bash his head against a wall. Alex was confused, unable to understand the bone dragon''s message. Lucian had said too much, and the bone dragon had mixed up a lot of the information. "Did he say his name or where he is?" "Yes, my Queen. He mentioned his castle''s name, Dracula." "What?!" Alex was surprised. She hadn''t expected it to be that Lord. Although the bone dragon''s explanation was unclear, Alex quickly guessed his identity. "Why is Lucian looking for me? Could it be business?" Alex waved the bone dragon away and continued towards the Barracks, opening her system dashboard. She entered the castle''s name and initiated a private chat with Lucian. ? Alex sent a question mark and then turned her attention back to the Barracks, clicking the summon button. A ghostly green light flickered, and along with ten Acolytes, thirty identical skeletons emerged. Skeletons?! Could she be this unlucky? But as they fully materialized, Alex noticed they were different from Skeleton Soldiers. They had no weapons, wore black robes, and their eye sockets burned with purple flames, unlike regular skeletons. "Your most loyal apostles greet you, my Queen." They could talk?! Alex quickly checked their information, finding it astonishing. [lich] [Race: undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: None (Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns)] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Mana Points: 80] [Strength: 24] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 25] [Growth Limit: Emperor level] [Skills: Skeleton Magic, Bone Magic, Frost Magic] Wow, she hadn''t had a single lich before, and now she had thirty. Alex examined the two magics. One was Bone Magic, similar to necromancers, and the other was Skeleton Magic, allowing them to summon all skeletons and their variants. As for Frost Magic, Alex didn''t need to look. It was standard ice damage spells. The most exciting part was that all liches had an Emperor level growth limit. They were quite powerful. "Go to the Blackwater Altar for enhancement!" Alex commanded. ... Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains. Lucian hid in his castle, watching Baldwin fight five Lords and even gain the upper hand. Lucian quickly realized Baldwin was Monarch level. Seeing the five Lords suppressed by Baldwin, Lucian felt a bit smug, but he soon realized the problem. If those five Lords died, Lucian would be next. So, he couldn''t just sit in the castle. He chose to join the battle, fighting Baldwin alongside the Elemental Alliance. The five stood together, facing the towering Baldwin. Just standing there with his sword, Baldwin exerted immense pressure, his domain power immobilizing them. Lucian joined them, ready to fight Baldwin with all his might. "Six Commanding levels, impressive, but not enough. I''ll ask you one more time: did you kill the villagers and the imperial scout team?!" Baldwin demanded, needing to confirm the true culprits. None of the six responded, essentially confirming Baldwin''s accusation. As Baldwin''s expression grew colder, the pressure increased. Samson, the weakest, was about to collapse. "Silence means affirmation." Boom! As Baldwin finished speaking, a lava projectile shot towards him. Cain had broken free, now a fiery figure covered in magma, charging at Baldwin. The smoke cleared, revealing Baldwin unharmed. He caught Cain''s attack with one hand and swung his sword with the other. Bang! A giant covered in rocks crashed into Baldwin, allowing Cain to escape. Earl had also broken free. Though his charge didn''t harm Baldwin, it distracted him, weakening the domain''s power. The remaining four unleashed their full strength. Ivy transformed into a treant, covered in vines, with countless tendrils reaching for Baldwin. Lucian, covered in blood, turned into a red bat, while Samson became an ice sculpture. Both attacked Baldwin simultaneously. Boreas, surrounded by wind blades, disappeared like the wind, reappearing with a massive wind blade aimed at Baldwin. Facing the combined assault, Baldwin remained unfazed. He could rely on his Monarch level armor to block most damage, but he chose not to. He wanted to show these Lords the true power of a Monarch level and his domain. The oppressive force suddenly vanished. As the six Lords'' attacks neared Baldwin, a surge of power erupted from him. Before they knew it, the six were flung back dozens of meters by Baldwin''s domain power, dirt and rocks flying in all directions from the impact. Everyone was left in a disheveled state, except Ivy, who had attacked from a distance. "The enemy is too strong. How can we fight him? We can''t even get close," Lucian realized the immense power of a Monarch level, far beyond what their Commanding levels could handle. "His domain power has intervals. We need to coordinate!" Samson shouted, rallying the others. They knew running was futile; attacking was their only chance. Earl raised four massive earth walls around Baldwin, blocking his view. Boreas sent a spiraling wind blade towards Baldwin. "Cain, add fire!" Boreas shouted. Cain followed, merging fire with the wind blade, creating a massive flaming wind blade, charging at Baldwin. Baldwin shattered Earl''s earth walls, only to face Cain''s flaming wind blade. As Baldwin prepared to swing his sword, vines wrapped around his arm, freezing it with Frost Magic. He broke free but couldn''t stop Cain''s attack in time. Boom! Cain was blasted away by the explosion, while Baldwin merely took a few steps back, his armor slightly charred but unbroken. Samson''s face grew grim. The enemy''s defense was too strong. How could they break through? Wait, break through! Samson remembered Alex''s black flames'' incredible piercing ability during their fight with the Frost Werewolf. Lucian''s blood also had good piercing power. Alex was currently unavailable, but Lucian was here! Samson turned to Lucian, who had just received a private message. [Hamburger]: "?" Chapter 118 - 118: Alexs support Lucian naturally recognized the name [Hamburger]. Early on, Hamburger had made a significant impression by selling large quantities of food to many people. Why is Hamburger messaging me? In the heat of battle, Lucian had no time for idle chat. He was about to close the interface when a realization struck him. Hamburger is the undead Lord! Hamburger is Alex! But the situation was different now. The opponent was from the Starfallen Empire and at Monarch level. Would she take such a risk? Wait, if they could kill this Monarch level enemy and promise her the corpse, she might agree! "Hey, you stupid bat! What are you doing? This is no time for chatting! Do you want to die faster? We need you to pierce through!" Samson shouted at Lucian, attacking as he spoke. "I can try to contact the undead Lord," Lucian replied coldly, ignoring Samson''s insults. Samson''s mood lifted at the thought. If Alex could come, they might actually stand a chance against this Monarch level enemy. After all, Alex was the strongest Lord in the vicinity. "Wait, why would she help us?" "The corpse," Lucian said, and Samson instantly understood. She could summon from corpses, and a Monarch level corpse was too valuable to refuse unless she was foolish. "Contact her now!" In this life-or-death moment, Samson didn''t waste any more time on Lucian and turned back to attack Baldwin. The five had ways to forcibly break free from the domain. With their cooperation, they could hold Baldwin off, even if they couldn''t defeat him. Lucian quickly messaged Alex. If the five died, he wouldn''t survive either. [Dracula]: "We are under attack by the Starfallen Empire. The leader is Monarch level. There are six of us, including the Elemental Alliance, fighting him. We need your help. If you can kill him, the corpse is yours. Location: near my castle at the snowy mountain and plains border." Lucian sent the message and started counting. If Alex didn''t reply within a minute, he would join the battle. 3, 2, 1... At the last moment, Alex saw the message and replied. [Hamburger]: "Is this for real? Are you sure you can make that call?" [Dracula]: "I''ve already discussed it with them." [Hamburger]: "Just make sure you don''t die before I get there." Lucian closed the chat and charged at Baldwin. "She agreed!" Samson smiled, hoping Alex''s castle wasn''t too far away. "Everyone, the undead Lord is coming to help. If we kill the enemy, the corpse is hers!" Samson shouted to the others. No one objected; survival was their priority, and the corpse was useless to them. ... Before Lucian''s message, Alex was examining a corpse brought back by a Destroyer from the depths of the snowy mountain. The corpse was unusual, a tiger being. "Ice Cream, this isn''t a race from your snowy mountain, is it?" Alex had never seen such a creature. The Destroyer had sensed a strong magical fluctuation in the area, which quickly vanished. Investigating, it found the corpse buried under snow and ice, along with werewolf bodies, and reported to Alex. Alex rode Ice Cream to the site to investigate. The werewolf bodies were laid out, but there was only one tiger being. Alex noted that the werewolves'' wounds were similar, as if they had been instantly killed. The tiger being, however, had many old wounds and seemed like a refugee. Ice Cream pondered, recalling something its mother had mentioned. "Arctic Tigerfolk, a race from the northern extreme cold regions. I don''t know much about them." Arctic Tigerfolk? Alex guessed they had fled from the far northern cold regions to Frostwind snowy mountain. Just then, Alex received Lucian''s private message. Intrigued by the more pressing matter, she stopped questioning Ice Cream about the Arctic Tigerfolk. "A Monarch level enemy?" Alex was genuinely surprised. She had never encountered a Monarch level creature. She had thought they would be incredibly powerful, capable of instantly killing Commanding level beings. But from Lucian''s message, it seemed the six Lords could hold their own against the Monarch level enemy, though they couldn''t win. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have sought her help. "If we can really kill him, that''s a Monarch level corpse. Worth a try." Alex felt a surge of excitement. "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Alex mounted Ice Cream and instructed the Destroyer, "Summon all flying units to the Lord''s castle at the snowy mountain and plains border." An imperial expedition wouldn''t come without troops, which meant more resources. Most importantly, if they reneged on the deal, Alex alone wouldn''t suffice. She needed a large undead force for deterrence. Ice Cream took flight, heading for the western border of Frostwind snowy mountain. Ice Cream was the fastest flyer in the snowy mountain, and Alex was starting from the central region, so it wouldn''t take long to reach Lucian. During the flight, Alex formulated a plan. She wouldn''t rush in blindly. She would observe the situation first. If it was winnable, she would join the fight; if not, she would retreat. ... On the battlefield, the five Lords had used up nearly two-thirds of their Mana Points. Lucian, relying on blood attacks, was nearly "anemic." Even Baldwin hadn''t expected the six Lords to put up such a strong fight. He had underestimated them and overestimated himself. If an Monarch level mage had come, these extraterrestrial visitors would be dead. Baldwin, no longer arrogant, realized he needed a strategy. He decided to eliminate one of them first. After prolonged combat, Baldwin identified Samson and Ivy as the weakest, followed by Lucian and Boreas, who could fly and were the hardest to kill. Baldwin targeted the Frost Magic user. He released his domain, sending Lucian, Cain, and Earl flying. Multiple uses of the domain had taken a toll on Baldwin, and this time the force was weaker, pushing them back less than ten yards. Using the dust and smoke as cover, Baldwin charged at Samson. Boreas''s wind blade was deflected by Baldwin''s armor. Eight vines rose, trying to entangle Baldwin, but his domain shattered them instantly. Samson''s Frost Magic summoned a giant ice bird for the next attack. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Baldwin''s silver sword glowed purple, shattering Samson''s magic and slashing at him. Under the domain''s gravity, Samson couldn''t turn to snow to dodge. He hastily summoned an ice armor and thick ice wall to block. It was futile. Bang! The ice wall shattered, and Baldwin''s gravity-enhanced sword sent Samson flying, crashing to the ground. "Ugh¡ª" Samson spat a mouthful of blood. His chest armor cracked, and a deep wound on his chest bled profusely. He used magic to staunch the bleeding. Samson was out of the fight. Without help, he would die. In his view appeared a pair of alluring legs and a black pleated skirt. Even lying on the ground, he could smell her faint fragrance. This girl was stunning. Samson wished he could just lie there and admire her beauty, but this was a battlefield. "Hey, it''s been a few days. Why do you look so pathetic?" Chapter 119 - 119: Your strength has earned my respect The weakened Samson could no longer muster a retort; he only knew that the undead Lord had arrived. "You look pretty bad. Need a hand?" Alex teased, looking down at Samson with a smirk. "No... no need... go help... them..." Samson, though barely able to speak, hurriedly refused Alex''s offer, fearing she might actually take the opportunity to kill him. "You should stop talking," Alex said, turning her gaze forward. She had seen Baldwin''s strike that had severely injured Samson. Without the frost armor, Samson would likely have met his end already. In the distance, Ivy noticed Samson being flung away and saw a white-haired girl talking to him. "Thank goodness, Samson''s not dead!" As the healer on the field, Ivy knew she could save any teammate as long as they were alive. She immediately rushed towards Samson. Baldwin also noticed Alex in the distance but didn''t pay her much mind. He regretted not killing Samson with one strike and knew he couldn''t let Ivy heal him. Baldwin charged at Ivy, while Cain, Earl, and Lucian tried to catch up, but they were too far away. Just as Baldwin was about to reach Ivy, her body trembled with fear, but she prepared to defend with all her might. At that moment, a figure suddenly dashed past Ivy. A scythe burning with black flames met Baldwin''s sword. Bang¡ª The scythe and sword clashed. Despite Alex''s double attribute boost, she felt immense pressure. The ground beneath her feet caved in, forming a pit. Alex felt her entire body creak, her wrists numb from gripping the scythe. Baldwin was surprised. This little girl had blocked his full-strength attack. Unbelievable! Moreover, her eyes glowed red and blue, giving her a mysterious aura. She seemed to be struggling to hold on. Baldwin was about to increase his strength when he noticed the black flames on the scythe corroding his weapon. He quickly retreated, not wanting to engage in a prolonged clash. Baldwin wasn''t a mage, but he understood that his prized armor couldn''t withstand those black flames. The five Lords watched in astonishment, especially Ivy, who felt it most acutely. "She... she... she actually repelled a Monarch level attack!" Cain and the others were equally shocked. Cain realized that Samson''s assessment of the undead Lord had been too conservative. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They knew they couldn''t withstand a Monarch level strike. If Alex hadn''t intervened, Ivy would have ended up like Samson. Taking advantage of the time Alex bought them, the others surrounded Baldwin again. Baldwin''s gaze remained fixed on Alex, recognizing her as the most powerful and threatening among them. Alex, holding her scythe, didn''t say a word but internally cursed. ''Holy fuck, his strength is insane. My wrists are killing me!'' Her hands still felt numb, and she had to lean the scythe on the ground, glaring fiercely at the Monarch level enemy. Ivy, snapping out of her shock, rushed to Samson. If she didn''t heal him soon, he might really die. Alex stood facing Baldwin, with Earl and Cain behind him, and Lucian and Boreas in the sky. The five surrounded Baldwin. As he swung his sword, they all attacked simultaneously. But Baldwin seemed to see only Alex as his enemy. He dodged her scythe before she could strike, kicking Cain away and slashing at Lucian. Lucian''s blood-formed sword was shattered by Baldwin, but Lucian turned into a shadow to evade the attack. Lucian wasn''t attacking blindly. As a vampire, his vision was far superior, and he noticed the burn marks on Baldwin''s sword from Alex''s flames. His blood had a similar, though weaker, effect, so he targeted that spot. Baldwin ignored Boreas''s attacks, relying on his armor to block the wind blades, which frustrated Boreas. Boreas, feeling insulted, decided to use a mana-intensive spell, his self-proclaimed ultimate move. All the wind elements around him gathered and compressed into a spinning wind blade slightly larger than his hand. "Cain!" Boreas, struggling to hold the wind blade, called out to Cain before launching it. Cain understood immediately. As Boreas released the wind blade, it ignited, turning into a flaming wind blade spinning towards Baldwin. Alex, hearing Boreas''s shout, looked up. The wind blade spun rapidly. Baldwin, turning around, saw Boreas''s attack and sneered. Wind blades were useless against his armor. But Baldwin''s eyes widened as the flaming wind blade turned black upon reaching him. Boom! The attack was the most effective yet, sending Baldwin flying and crashing to the ground. Everyone turned to Alex, who still had her hand raised. They had seen the black flames on her weapon when she blocked Baldwin, confirming that the attack was hers. Samson and Ivy smiled, realizing that calling the undead Lord for help had been the right choice. Under Ivy''s healing, Samson''s wound stopped bleeding and began to heal slowly. Ivy''s life magic couldn''t instantly heal like werewolves or vampires, so Samson needed time to recover. "Ivy, go help them. I''ll be fine here." Samson sighed. "Alright, rest well." Samson felt dejected, sitting painfully on the ground and watching the distant battle. Baldwin, being of Monarch level strength, had nearly one Commanding level captain for every thousand troops in his army. With fifty thousand cavalry, there were fifty Commanding level captains, while the six Lords had fewer than twenty Commanding level troops combined. Lucian had the most, as the Elemental Alliance members had left some Commanding level troops to guard their bases. Elemental beings weren''t immortal; they just had high limits. Flame spirits, for example, weakened with each death as their fire elements diminished, eventually dying when they couldn''t reform. Other elemental troops had similar weaknesses, like elemental countering. Snow maidens could melt into snow to avoid attacks but would die if evaporated instantly. Tree spirits feared fire, and flame spirits feared water. Only Earl''s earth monsters, drawing power from the ground, were the strongest among the Elemental Alliance troops. The fifty thousand human cavalry outnumbered the six Lords'' troops five to one. If not for the special nature of their troops, they would have been slaughtered. Even so, troops continued to die. The cavalry captains wore heavy Commanding level armor, easily blocking most elemental attacks. Supported by the mage association, the Starfallen Empire''s Commanding level troops practiced magic, mastering basic elemental spells like fire, water, and earth. These magic-wielding captains had the simplest and most direct methods to kill elemental beings. Ordinary cavalry relied on numbers, repeatedly killing and reforming the elemental beings until their cores were exposed and destroyed, a laborious process. All troops fought desperately. Even surrounded by human cavalry, they charged fearlessly at the enemy. Even the vampires, the most advantaged on the battlefield, weren''t invincible. Some captains wielded mithril weapons, which could directly harm vampires, preventing them from self-healing. ... In the northern part of Frostwind snowy mountain, the Arctic Tigerfolk had just settled when they saw undead flying overhead. "Something''s happening..." Among the undead were Commanding level beings. Nearly ten Commanding level undead flew over their cave, causing one Arctic Tigerfolk to feel a sense of crisis. It felt that Frostwind snowy mountain wasn''t as safe as they had thought after the frost dragon''s death. It decided to report to the tribe immediately. Meanwhile, the smoke cleared, and Baldwin stood up, looking disheveled. Though his armor had blocked the damage, the impact had left him uncomfortable. His armor was covered in scratches, with many black marks standing out. His sword had a small crack from the previous attack. The last time Baldwin had been this battered was decades ago when he was a lowly soldier. He couldn''t believe he had been injured by Commanding level beings. Now understanding their abilities, he wouldn''t be caught off guard again. "Your extraterrestrial visitor abilities are diverse. Even if you defeat me, can you defeat the entire empire?!" Baldwin threatened, knowing that Lords had castle limitations. Once their castle was discovered, they were exposed. Lucian had already decided to move his castle afterward. Everyone here knew its location, making it too dangerous. Even if they repelled Baldwin, what about next time? What if two Monarch level enemies came? "I''ll give you a chance. Your strength has earned my respect. Submit to the empire, and all past grievances will be forgiven." Baldwin tried to sow discord, knowing the extraterrestrial visitor Lords couldn''t be united. Seeing the others hesitate, Alex felt exasperated. "Hey, do you really think his words matter? If they did, why would they need an emperor?" Her clear, melodious voice snapped them out of their thoughts. Alex led by example, charging at Baldwin. She didn''t care if they surrendered. If they did, the promised corpse would be lost! Chapter 120 - 120: Time to settle the bill Seeing Alex initiate the attack, the others had no choice but to join in. Baldwin''s hatred for Alex skyrocketed as he glared at her. Alex stomped her left foot, and in an instant, the area around her turned into a sea of flames. The fire spread towards Baldwin but was halted by his gravity domain. Cain was stunned. He had no idea the undead Lord could use fire magic. Was this a domain? Baldwin immediately intensified his domain, increasing the gravity''s pressure on everyone. The flames were nearly extinguished under the weight. Cain poured his own flames into the ground, bolstering the fire and preventing it from going out. This environment was perfect for his combat style. However, this enhancement benefited Cain but left Ivy unable to contribute. Cain, now a being of fire, charged at Baldwin. Black fire pillars erupted from the sea of flames, causing Baldwin to dodge warily. The domain returned to its previous state, and the fire expanded again. Cain''s arm, encased in Earl''s rock, transformed into molten lava, forming a massive fist that he swung at Baldwin. Baldwin used his domain to defend but noticed the flames shifting. Alex appeared at his side, her scythe ablaze with black fire, slashing at him. The scythe''s bell''s interference was ineffective against Monarch level Baldwin, who quickly reacted. While using his domain to block Cain''s attack, he swung his sword to meet Alex''s scythe. This was the one attack Baldwin dared not block with his armor. Alex''s scythe struck the crack in Baldwin''s sword, and Lucian appeared beside her, his blood sword attacking the same spot. The black flames and blood corroded Baldwin''s sword, rapidly consuming Lucian''s remaining blood. In the sea of flames, Boreas''s attacks intensified, each wind blade now carrying fire. Crack¡ª The sword''s crack widened, and Baldwin noticed immediately. If this continued, his weapon would be destroyed. Baldwin tried to kick Alex away, but a Dark Barrier appeared in front of her, blocking his attack. She continued to press him. Seeing his attack fail, Baldwin released his sword with his left hand, gathering gravity in his fist, and punched Lucian away. His domain''s power surged, repelling Cain and Earl''s attacks. No longer spreading his strength to counter the other Lords, Baldwin quickly forced Alex back and followed up with a powerful strike. Alex teleported away just in time, retreating to a safe distance. From afar, Samson watched the battle. Since Alex''s arrival, the situation had improved, shifting from a disadvantage to a slight advantage. Suddenly, Samson felt a gust of wind above him. He instinctively looked up and witnessed the most shocking sight since arriving on Eldoria. Countless undead flew from the snowy mountain, descending on the battlefield like a swarm of locusts, even blocking out the sun. "It''s her troops!" Leading the charge was a massive bone dragon, the same one that had fought Samson and his allies before. Following it were smaller bone dragons and ghost dragons, gargoyles, Destroyers, and specters. "There must be over ten thousand! How is this possible?" Samson was stunned. He didn''t know this was only about 30% of Alex''s undead forces, with the rest being ground troops. Alex''s troop count alone exceeded the combined total of the six Lords'' troops. The combatants paused, looking towards the snowy mountain. The sight of ten thousand undead flying towards the battlefield was overwhelming. Though the number was around ten thousand, these weren''t human troops. Except for the specters, which were similar in size to humans, the gargoyles and Destroyers were massive. The bone dragons, over 30 feet long, were far more intimidating than thousands of human troops. Baldwin''s expression darkened. Undead were the hardest to kill among all troops because they lacked souls to attack. Cain and Earl were shocked, as were Lucian and Samson, who had dealt with Alex before. They hadn''t imagined her troops were this formidable. The undead quickly joined the battle, fully exploiting their aerial advantage. Cavalry relied on the momentum of their charge for powerful attacks, but the gargoyles'' diving strikes were even more terrifying. Gargoyles could easily tear through cavalry with their sheer impact and tough bodies, killing them effortlessly. Moreover, the gargoyles'' stone and metal bodies could crush weaker enemies just by falling from the sky. The bone dragons'' flames and ghost dragons'' breath scorched and destroyed the battlefield, while the specters'' soul attacks invisibly reaped the cavalry''s lives. Arthur, the bone dragon king, wielded overwhelming power. His Withering Space skill instantly annihilated large numbers of human cavalry souls. The imperial cavalry had no means to counter this. Except for the gargoyles, all the undead had ranged attacks, making it impossible for the cavalry to reach them. Even if they did, they couldn''t kill them. The battle shifted from the imperial cavalry surrounding the six Lords'' troops to the undead surrounding the cavalry. Cain had always thought of undead as weak, slow-moving skeletons with low combat power. Seeing Alex''s undead, he was utterly shocked. Over ten thousand undead, and not a single skeleton? Even though Alex''s troops were impressive, Cain still hoped they were just numerous but weak. But the undead''s performance against the imperial cavalry was overwhelming. At that moment, the six Lords'' troops seemed like mere decorations. Alex smiled. Her troops had finally arrived. To her, these imperial cavalry were just experience points. "Fuck, it''s the undead." If this continued, the cavalry would be wiped out. These were the empire''s elite troops; they couldn''t all die here. "Retreat, retreat!" Baldwin shouted, and the captains quickly organized the troops to retreat. Without Alex''s command, the undead naturally pursued. The cavalry couldn''t outrun the flying undead. Clang! Alex''s scythe clashed with Baldwin''s sword again. The other Lords also attacked Baldwin. Seeing Alex''s strength, they no longer feared the Monarch level enemy. Baldwin, exhausted, could no longer kill them. Baldwin, realizing he couldn''t win, decided to retreat. These Lords were too troublesome. He unleashed his domain power, briefly repelling the Lords, and fled. The Lords, wary of Baldwin''s attack, were surprised when he ran. Alex wanted to chase but saw the other Lords not moving. She couldn''t take him down alone. Sigh, a Monarch level corpse slipped away. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The undead stopped pursuing as Baldwin rejoined his troops. His gravity domain suppressed most of the undead''s speed, making further pursuit futile. The other Lords sighed in relief as Baldwin left. "Alright, time to settle the bill!" Alex, holding her scythe, looked at the others. She hadn''t gotten the Monarch level corpse, but she wouldn''t leave empty-handed. The Elemental Alliance members exchanged glances, all silent. What did she mean? Did she still want compensation? They hadn''t killed the Monarch level enemy, but it wasn''t their fault. Everyone had tried their best. Besides, it was the vampire who had called for help; she should ask him. "What, trying to renege on the deal?" Alex''s eyes glowed, and the undead in the sky spread out, surrounding the Lords. "Fine, fine, calm down. We''re all friends here." Samson, limping, tried to mediate. Angering her would be disastrous, especially with so many undead overhead. "Cut the crap. Who''s friends with you? Five thousand iron ingots each. If you don''t have it, trade other resources." Alex demanded payment. Lucian''s castle was right there; he couldn''t escape. "Five thousand iron ingots? Why don''t you just rob us?" Boreas protested. Everyone was short on iron ingots. He didn''t even have a thousand in his Warehouse. Before Boreas finished speaking, Alex appeared before him. He hadn''t expected her to act so quickly. She grabbed his neck and slammed him to the ground. Black flames appeared on Alex''s hand. "Do you think I''m joking?" Chapter 121 - 121: Seven thousand corpses The others hadn''t expected Alex to act so suddenly, and they instinctively prepared for battle. Lucian, on the other hand, watched with interest. If a fight broke out, he would definitely side with Alex, considering these guys had just tried to kill him. Samson trembled with fear, his body shaking. How could this girl be so quick to resort to violence? "Miss, he doesn''t know any better. Please don''t take it out on him. We''ll give you what you need," Ivy pleaded, her voice quivering. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who''s your leader? Speak up!" Alex demanded, looking directly at Cain and Earl, ignoring the woman who had spoken earlier, as she couldn''t possibly be the leader. "I''m the leader. We''ll give you what you want, just let him go," Earl stepped forward, speaking up. If Alex didn''t release Boreas soon, he might actually die. Alex took a step back and released her grip. Boreas immediately scrambled to the side. "Cough... cough..." Boreas coughed violently. When Alex had grabbed his neck, he genuinely thought he was going to die. This woman wasn''t just threatening; if they didn''t agree, she could kill them all and then plunder their castles. The end result wouldn''t change. Boreas''s face was flushed from lack of oxygen, and he felt humiliated being defeated by a girl. But he couldn''t fight Alex, so he could only seethe with impotent rage, not daring to breathe too heavily. The Elemental Alliance couldn''t just abandon Boreas. Losing trust among allies over resources would be a disaster. If they didn''t save Boreas now, what would happen next time if someone else was in danger? Without trust, the Alliance would be meaningless. Most importantly, they couldn''t afford the cost of fighting Alex. The best-case scenario would be three dead and two escaping, with their troops annihilated. Even Cain and Earl couldn''t bear that price. The five conferred briefly, and Samson, with a forced smile, approached Alex. "Miss, we don''t have that many iron ingots. How about we trade other resources instead?" "Two thousand magic crystals, thirty Commanding level equipment, or one thousand Essence Shards. You can choose one," Alex offered. These resources were equivalent to five thousand iron ingots. If they couldn''t provide the ingots, they would need to pay with other resources. "Deal," Samson agreed quickly. He returned to the group, and they seemed to reach a consensus. They began organizing the resources using their system dashboards. "Miss, what''s your castle''s name? I''ll send the resources to you," Samson asked, approaching again. The others had transferred their resources to Samson''s Warehouse, and he would send everything to Alex at once. "Hamburger," Alex replied. Samson''s hand froze for a moment as he entered the name. He had guessed correctly. Such a powerful undead Lord couldn''t be unknown on the world channel. He had suspected a few names, including this one. Samson added Alex as a friend and sent all the resources. Alex checked and saw a total of ten thousand iron ingots, four thousand magic crystals, and thirty pieces of Commanding level equipment. Perfect, five shares. Alex nodded, indicating she had received the payment. Her eyes returned to normal, the scythe disappeared, and the sea of flames extinguished, revealing a pure and innocent-looking girl. Seeing Alex relax, the others also breathed a sigh of relief. They quickly gathered their troops and retreated. Alex was a person of her word. She didn''t pursue the Elemental Alliance but watched them leave. Then she turned to Lucian. "And you?" "I''ll give you all the human corpses I killed on the battlefield. How about that?" Lucian offered after a moment''s thought. The undead had joined the battle late, and most of the enemies had been killed by the vampires before they arrived. There were over a thousand corpses. The Elemental Alliance''s five troops had killed three thousand human cavalry, suffering heavy losses themselves. The undead, though powerful, had joined the battle late, and Baldwin had retreated soon after. Even so, the undead had killed three thousand enemies. The Starfallen Empire''s cavalry numbered fifty thousand. In this battle, fewer than ten thousand had died, with the rest retreating under Baldwin''s cover. Alex considered it. Over a thousand corpses, including a few Commanding level ones, were indeed more valuable than direct resources, as they would directly enhance her combat power. "Deal." With Alex''s agreement, Lucian felt relieved. At least Alex had a reputation for keeping her word. Lucian led his vampires back to the castle, activating a red protective shield. Alex ignored him. The seven thousand corpses left on the battlefield were the most valuable and troublesome. She needed to find a way to handle them. After some thought, Alex had a plan. She stored four thousand corpses in her space ring and had the undead carry the remaining three thousand. Alex called Ice Cream from the snowy mountain and rode it back to her castle. Although she hadn''t obtained a Monarch level corpse, the payment she received was substantial. Meanwhile, the Elemental Alliance members were returning to their castles, each looking grim and defeated. How could a single Lord rival an entire Alliance? Earl and Cain were top-tier, and the other three were second-tier. Yet, their combined Alliance couldn''t defeat a single girl. The gap was too vast. They had thought their Alliance was among the strongest, but reality had slapped them hard. "Why didn''t we fight her?" Boreas fumed, seeing compromise as a sign of weakness. "Sigh, this isn''t a novel, and none of us are the protagonists. What would we fight her with? She can withstand Monarch level attacks and has a pseudo-domain. She''s far stronger than us," Samson sighed. If they had fought, Boreas would have been the first to die, followed by the injured Samson. "Her undead number at least twenty thousand. Let''s keep a low profile for a while. Her castle can''t be far. Avoid being discovered by her," Cain advised. Alex''s undead were too diverse, unlike their single-type troops. She must have ground troops too. Given the undead appeared in the snowy mountain, her castle was likely inside or nearby. Earl remained silent, lost in thought, while Ivy envied Alex. That girl was not only beautiful and well-built but also incredibly powerful. As a woman, which Lord wouldn''t envy such strength? Alex could survive in this world on her own, unlike Ivy, who relied on others. Most of the resources given to Alex had come from Cain. He had provided ten thousand iron ingots and twenty thousand magic crystals, showing his generosity. Samson had nothing left from the snowy mountain, and Ivy and Boreas weren''t much better off. The three felt ashamed, realizing they were burdens to the Alliance. If a fight had broken out, Cain would have had the best chance to escape. He could have left them behind. The five fell silent, continuing their journey back to the Alliance. Chapter 122 - 122: Theres really a frost dragon outside On Frostwind snowy mountain, the tiger being who had reported the earlier sighting was once again stationed at the cave entrance. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It had only been a few hours since it saw the undead flying over the snowy mountain, and now it saw them returning. "Frost dragon?" The tiger being couldn''t believe its eyes. It rubbed its eyes with its paws and looked again, but the frost dragon had already disappeared. The tiger being''s body was white, blending perfectly with the snow. It buried itself in the snow, leaving only its nose and eyes exposed to avoid detection by the undead above. A gargoyle carrying a human corpse flew overhead, and blood dripped from the sky. Plop! A drop of blood landed right on the tiger being''s nose. The tiger being shuddered, nearly jumping out of the snow in reflex. It touched its nose with a paw, then looked at it and sniffed. Human blood. The tiger being looked up again and saw that nearly every undead was carrying a human corpse. Had they fought humans somewhere? No, the snowy mountain was very unsafe! The tiger being quickly covered its head with snow and began to crawl slowly towards the cave, careful not to be seen. After several hours of travel, Alex finally returned to her castle. Seven thousand corpses were a massive undertaking, and Alex needed to gather all the necromancers to complete the summoning. Indeed, only war could rapidly increase strength. Alex dumped the corpses from her ring outside the town and summoned a hundred necromancers to start their work. It turned out Monarch level strength wasn''t as formidable as Alex had thought. This trip had been an eye-opener. Though Alex didn''t know Baldwin was one of the weakest Monarch levels. "Damn, I was in such a hurry to get back, thinking only about these resources, that I forgot the corpses deep in the snowy mountain!" "No way, I have to go back!" After storing the resources in the Warehouse, Alex mounted Ice Cream and headed back to the depths of the snowy mountain. In the depths of the snowy mountain, the Arctic Tigerfolk took the report very seriously. Their queen, who had absorbed the bloodline power of the previous queen, was currently digesting this power. Though her strength was growing rapidly, she often fell into deep sleep and couldn''t always protect her people. With the queen asleep, all matters were handled by the tiger being leader, the previous queen''s guard. She sent scouts to re-examine the site of the battle with the werewolves, looking for any clues. They found that all the werewolf corpses had been unearthed, even the one of their kin who had died from old injuries. Snow burial was the highest respect for the Arctic Tigerfolk. The burial site was some distance from the battlefield, yet it had been found and disturbed. The tigers feared it was the werewolves from Skyreach Mountains, but it wasn''t. The leader ordered a clever white tiger to retrieve the dead kin and rebury them. Coincidentally, Alex, riding Ice Cream, saw a tiger being carrying the dead tiger being''s corpse below. The tiger being also saw the frost dragon above and was utterly shocked. The frost dragon''s size was unmistakable. The tiger being had thought the scout''s report of a possible frost dragon sighting was nonsense, but now it saw it with its own eyes. The tiger being''s feline instincts kicked in, and it dropped the corpse, transforming into a white tiger and bolting out of sight. Alex, watching from above, was puzzled. The tiger being had fled at the sight of her. "Am I that scary?" Alex landed with Ice Cream and inspected the abandoned tiger being corpse, finding nothing unusual. Why had it come back for this corpse? The tiger being''s body was similar in size to a werewolf''s. Summoning it as a bone beast would be fine, but Alex''s slight OCD made her prefer summoning it as a regular undead. With a gray magic circle, the tiger being''s corpse transformed into two Phantoms. It seemed this tiger being was of a high level. Indeed, Alex noticed that high Life Tier beast races didn''t have lv1 Standard members. They naturally grew stronger with age. This was the difference between beasts and ordinary animals. Beast races had some level of civilization and intelligence, necessary for survival on the diverse continent of Eldoria. Alex looked at the frozen werewolf corpses. Besides Frost Magic, she sensed another magical force in them. But she couldn''t identify it yet. Using Frost Magic, she thawed them and began summoning. To her surprise, the werewolves'' wounds started healing, and some even opened their eyes. "They''re not dead?!" Crack, crack¡ª The healing stopped, and the eyes closed again. Alex refroze them. The gray magic circle enveloped them, and the summoning began. The werewolves, already weak from being frozen, quickly died from the summoning''s minor damage. Undead broke through the ice, emerging from the corpses. Summoning bone beasts wasn''t very beneficial now. Regular undead were stronger, and Alex needed more air units. "Another forty undead." Alex disassembled the corpses, stored the materials in her ring, and prepared to return on Ice Cream. In a spacious bunker within the cave, the tiger being guard and other tribe members gathered in a hall. Nearby was a small room, once used by the werewolves, now converted into their queen''s resting place. Their queen''s habits differed greatly from theirs. She ate cooked meat, slept in a bed, and even wanted to eat vegetables, claiming a balanced diet was important. But she was a tiger! In the snowy plains, where could they find such things? The queen knew this and reluctantly gave up. The tiger being who had fled from Alex returned to the Arctic Tigerfolk''s hidden cave. "Madam, I saw it. There''s really a frost dragon outside!" Tiger Being''s guards and the nearby clan members were all stunned. "Madam, should we consider moving again? This place is too dangerous." "Yes, Madam, it feels like Frostwind snowy mountain is even more perilous than where we lived before." The tribe members voiced their concerns. They had barely escaped to this place, only to find it chaotic and unsafe. Undead, frost dragons, werewolves, humans¡ªthese were all powerful entities they dared not provoke. And from the intelligence gathered, these factions seemed to be in conflict. The tiger being guard glanced at the room where their queen was sleeping, deep in thought for a moment. "No, we can''t move. The queen is still in her slumber. The snowy mountain is at least a suitable habitat for us. Everyone, stay hidden here for now. The queen''s safety is paramount. Let''s not forget why we fled our original home." Chapter 123 - 123: Why were all these forces converging on the snowy mountain? The tiger being guard spoke gravely, deciding to lead the tribe to hide deep within the bunker of the snowy mountain cave, waiting for their queen to complete her bloodline inheritance. Once the queen completed the inheritance, her strength would reach Monarch level, giving them the ability to protect themselves in Frostwind snowy mountain. When the queen grew stronger, they would have the power to return and confront the traitors of their tribe. Unfortunately, there were very few tribe members loyal to the queen. Most did not recognize her because she was not a purebred Arctic Tigerfolk but a human-beast hybrid. In reality, the Arctic Tigerfolk in the far north were the true traitors. Only this small group still supported the queen, fleeing from persecution to this place. Not only did the Arctic Tigerfolk see them as traitors, but almost all beast races viewed the queen as an outcast. The Beast Empire wanted to claim the queen for themselves, and humans hated them deeply, likely due to some significant entanglement between the queen''s father and the human race. At the root of it all was the queen''s extraordinary talent, surpassing even the previous queen. No faction wanted to see the rise of another powerful figure, so they fabricated charges to justify their pursuit. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If not for the queen''s treasures, relics left by the previous queen, they would have died countless times. If it had been a normal beast and human falling in love and having children, there would have been no issue. Otherwise, there wouldn''t be so many half-beasts in the world. "Have you covered the entrance well? For the next few days, only go out to search for food. Do not venture out unnecessarily," the tiger being guard instructed the others. "Understood." ... Alex returned to her castle and deposited the resources into the Warehouse. The appearance of new forces in the snowy mountain was not a good sign. Werewolves and tiger beings were not native to Frostwind snowy mountain. There was also the Hobgoblin that appeared when Alex met Chi-Chi. The Hobgoblin kingdom was very powerful, and they would surely seek revenge for their fallen kin. This raised a question for Alex. Why were all these forces converging on the snowy mountain? What was there in the snowy mountain? "I should remind Chi-Chi to be cautious of the Hobgoblins." Chi-Chi''s castle had already been discovered by the Hobgoblins, making it very dangerous. The recent series of events gave Alex a sense that something big was about to happen. "By the way, those people ''sponsored'' ten thousand iron ingots. I can upgrade the town again." The next level was town level 3. Based on past patterns, this upgrade should reward a special structure blueprint. Alex found that the blueprints from rewards were usually valuable, unlike many she obtained through other means, which were often useless. With a flash of light, the town upgrade was complete. Fortunately, Sophie produced iron ingots daily. With two furnaces, production was faster. Otherwise, the ten thousand iron ingots wouldn''t have been enough. As for wood, stone, and food, Alex had no shortage of these basic resources. The Dark Forest had plenty of trees, and the White Rock Mountains had abundant stone. Nearly a thousand dwarves and skeletons were mining, providing an endless supply. [Congratulations, Lord, for upgrading the town to level 3. You have received a special structure blueprint. Would you like to claim it now?] "Claim!" [special structure blueprint: Crystal Shield] [Defense Level: Commanding level (upgrades with town level)] [Feature 1: Connects to the castle crystal to generate a shield covering the entire town.] [Feature 2: The shield does not block the Lord or their troops.] [Construction Materials: 10k magic crystals, 100 Essence Shards.] "Such straightforward materials..." Alex needed a defensive special structure, and this came at the perfect time. "Build!" Alex saw the resources disappear from her Warehouse, but nothing seemed to change. The Warehouse now had fewer than fifty Essence Shards, but that wasn''t important. Disassembling the seven thousand corpses would yield a large amount of resources. The priority was to upgrade the town quickly. Both Alex''s shield and defense tower were connected to the town crystal. As the town level increased, the castle''s defense and attack power would also rise. She went to the top floor where the castle crystal was located and found it now encased in a spherical transparent shield. This must be the Crystal Shield. Alex approached and found a control panel. She activated it. Instantly, a transparent shield expanded from the crystal, passing through Alex and the castle, eventually covering the entire town. Alex noticed the shield''s size could be adjusted. She experimented with the size, finding that a smaller shield increased its thickness, enhancing its defense. Alex set the shield to cover only her castle, Sophie''s subsidiary castle, and the Portal of Transit, slightly increasing the defense. Returning to the ground floor, Alex instructed all airborne troops in the snowy mountain to focus on the Dark Forest''s perimeter, reducing the attention on the undead from the snowy mountain''s creatures. She also increased the number of specters sent to the snowy mountain to observe the races and gather intelligence. Two new races appearing in one day was highly unusual. Being so close to the snowy mountain, Alex needed to be cautious. As night fell, Alex decided not to visit Sophie and planned to take a relaxing bath. ... In the depths of the snowy mountain, Alex had disassembled the werewolf corpses, only bloodstains remained on the ground. A burly werewolf clawed a snow fox licking the blood to death. Twenty more werewolves followed, including the one driven away by the Arctic Tigerfolk queen. "There''s a magical scent on the ground. It must be those Arctic Tigerfolk," one werewolf sniffed the ground and rasped to the leader. "These nobodies dare to ignore Skyreach Mountains. Find them. I want her captured alive!" ... The next morning, Alex woke up early and checked the system dashboard, a habit she had developed. ?! [Your lv5 Standard Phantom was killed by an enemy creature!] Alex sat up abruptly, her breasts bouncing with the motion. The last time her troops were killed was by James in the Dark Forest, who had holy magic. This time, the notification didn''t indicate an enemy Lord, and most specters were in the snowy mountain or White Rock Mountains. It was clear the enemy was in the snowy mountain. "Something is definitely happening in the snowy mountain!" Alex quickly got dressed and went outside to investigate. In a blue and white sailor dress, Alex arrived in the courtyard. The specter had been killed at 3 AM, along with about ten others. She couldn''t believe they hadn''t reported anything. The specter guarding the courtyard gate immediately reported to Alex. "Killed by werewolves?!" Alex was silent. It must be the same group of werewolves from yesterday, seeking revenge for their fallen kin. It was normal for specters to be discovered, but Alex hadn''t expected the werewolves to have the ability to kill them. "Continue observing, but be careful." If the enemy could kill undead, Alex had to be cautious. Most specters were Standard level, but she needed to understand the werewolves'' purpose in the snowy mountain. "I heard wolves have a keen sense of smell. I brought their kin''s corpses back. Will they track me here?" Alex was worried and turned to Ice Cream. "Ice Cream, how strong is Skyreach Mountains compared to the dwarf kingdom, Hobgoblin kingdom, and human empire?" Ice Cream: ? Why ask such a question? To dragons, these forces are all the same... Wait, Skyreach Mountains is different. "Skyreach Mountains is decent. Their leader is said to be Sovereign level, with potential to become a god. My mother said their leader is slightly stronger than her. The dwarves and Hobgoblins are weak, without even an Sovereign level. The human empire is slightly stronger." Both humans and dragons had produced Divine level beings or currently had them. The wolves were close but not quite there. The dwarves and Hobgoblins were strong to lower-tier forces but weak to upper-tier ones. "So strong?!" Alex had thought Skyreach Mountains was at most King level, but they had an Sovereign level! Wait, so the frost dragon and six-winged angel were Sovereign level. Alex, then a Standard level, had witnessed an Sovereign level battle? Sovereign level was the upper limit for most strong beings. Ascending to Divine level was extremely difficult, requiring talent, opportunity, and luck. "Would an Sovereign level willingly die for this?" Alex held the Frost Heart, puzzled. Maybe different species had different beliefs. Never mind, better be cautious. She was too weak now; encountering a Monarch level would be fatal. Alex suspected there was a Monarch level werewolf in the snowy mountain. She decided to recall all ground troops from the Dark Forest perimeter, concentrating them in her territory to reduce the chance of being discovered. Fortunately, the Specter Chandelier was a Monarch level structure, making it invisible to anyone below Monarch level, giving Alex some peace of mind. "I need to increase my strength quickly. I''m only lv6 Commanding, far from Monarch level." Alex sighed, wondering where to find more experience. Meanwhile, in Lucian''s castle on the Barren Plains. Lucian faced a dire situation, discovered by three factions, each of which he couldn''t defeat. With werewolves in the snowy mountain, Alex wouldn''t go there for now, but Lucian didn''t know that. The Elemental Alliance, having suffered heavy losses, wouldn''t target Lucian for now. Both the Elemental Alliance and Lucian faced the same threat: the Starfallen Empire. The Alliance was better off, as their location was still hidden. Lucian was unlucky; if the Empire attacked, he was doomed. Lucian hadn''t slept, desperately seeking allies to relocate. Despite many Lords seeking allies, most were third-tier or lower. Second-tier and above had either found allies or decided to go solo, with few seeking alliances. Lucian couldn''t be picky. He needed to move, regardless of the ally''s strength. He even offered resources, but instead of attracting allies, it made the Lords think he was a scammer. One Lord, who had noted all first-tier Lords'' names, exposed Lucian on World Chat. [Peppa]: "Don''t trust him. I noted all first-tier Lords'' names. He''s definitely one of them, trying to scam an Alliance, move in, and kill everyone!" [White Tiger]: "My silence is deafening." [Banana Lover]: "Bro, now that you mention it, it makes sense. Why would a first-tier Lord seek us weaklings as allies and offer resources? He must be trying to scam us!" ... Lucian''s forehead veins bulged as he read World Chat. He wanted to kill these foolish Lords. Despite the insults, Lucian didn''t give up. He didn''t want to die. Finally, he found an ally. Amidst the scorn, someone chose Lucian. He almost thought he had found true love. But he was soon disappointed. The ally''s castle was in an even more dangerous location, and they wanted to move to Lucian''s place. Lucian sighed, realizing they were both in the same boat. He agreed, hoping the ally wasn''t too weak. [Dracula]: "I''ve invited you. Move over." Chapter 124 - 124: Lucians new ally On the other side of the continent, Peter, Lucian''s newly found ally, known by his castle ID [Lone Wolf], looked at Lucian''s invitation on his system dashboard and smiled. "Finally, I can leave this hellhole. If I stayed a few more days, my corpse would probably be crawling with maggots." Peter didn''t hesitate to accept the invitation. As his castle was gradually covered by the teleportation array, it vanished from its original location. In the Barren Plains, Lucian stood outside his castle, ready to welcome his new ally. With a flash of light, a black castle covered in claw marks appeared in Lucian''s view. Lucian suddenly caught a whiff of a foul stench, the air filled with a nauseating odor. "Oh, my esteemed ally, was your castle located in a garbage dump?" Peter emerged from his castle, covering his nose. When Peter and Lucian''s eyes met, it was as if they were long-lost enemies. Their eyes turned red with inexplicable rage. Both knew this wasn''t their doing. Could it be their bloodlines? What kind of bloodline would make a vampire feel such revulsion? Werewolves! The Flame Demon Wolves, Frost Werewolves, and Frost Sprites Lucian had fought before weren''t true werewolves. They were merely creatures resembling werewolves. Peter seemed to realize this too. His previous castle location had been overrun with vampires, prompting his urgent move. "Lowly werewolf!" "Weak vampire!" Vampires and werewolves had been mortal enemies since ancient times. Legend had it that the ancestors of both races were twin brothers who became bitter foes. Vampires enslaved werewolves for centuries. The werewolves eventually rose up, overthrowing the vampires'' rule, discovering that the high-and-mighty vampires weren''t invincible. Vampire and werewolf blood were incompatible. If either was bitten by the other, their blood cells would lose vitality, leading to instant death. Compared to other races, both vampires and werewolves had exaggerated self-healing abilities and formidable physical traits, making them nearly impossible to kill. But for these two races, killing each other was as simple as a single bite. Peter''s muscles bulged, his body swelling and tearing through his shirt. Fur sprouted all over his body, his head transforming into a wolf''s, revealing rows of sharp fangs dripping with foul saliva. In an instant, Peter became a 10-foot-tall werewolf covered in gray fur. "Fuck, this is so unlucky!" Even the usually emotionless Lucian couldn''t help but curse. He hadn''t just failed to find an ally; he had brought in an enemy. In a flash, they charged at each other, their newly formed alliance shattered. Countless vampires and werewolves poured out of their respective castles, clashing violently. Lucian was agile, and Peter was quick to react. They exchanged dozens of blows, leaving wounds that quickly healed, showing that such attacks were ineffective. Their enmity was ingrained in their blood, a primal instinct, leaving no room for negotiation. They saw only each other, intent on killing the other. Vampires outnumbered werewolves. Lucian had the luck to transform an entire village of humans, while Peter, born in vampire territory, wasn''t as fortunate. Each werewolf faced three to four vampires. Despite their superior individual strength, werewolves were at a disadvantage due to the vampires'' agility and ability to fly. The werewolves were quickly overwhelmed and killed by the vampires. Lucian realized Peter wasn''t his match. Finally, he had found someone he could defeat besides Samson. Lucian, done testing Peter, went all out, using his blood to attack. Lucian''s blood could be controlled and manipulated, posing a significant threat to Peter. A single wound from Lucian''s blood would be fatal. Peter''s only weapon was his claws, lacking any special abilities, making it increasingly difficult to counter Lucian. "Fuck you!" Peter, enraged, resorted to verbal attacks. Unlike the vampires'' inherent rationality and calm, werewolves became violent and frenzied when transformed. Peter leaped into the air, claws extended towards Lucian, but missed. Lucian''s sword slashed Peter''s hand, and Peter immediately severed his own hand, which turned to ash on the ground. His hand quickly regenerated. Lucian''s blood rained down, and Peter dodged swiftly, running on all fours. He didn''t believe Lucian''s blood was endless. Once it was exhausted, he could counterattack. As time passed, Peter hadn''t depleted Lucian''s blood, but his werewolves were all dead, surrounded by countless vampires. Lucian hovered above, sneering at Peter below. "I submit to you!" Seeing the hopeless situation, Peter chose to surrender. Besides Lucian, there were many other Commanding level vampires, making victory impossible. "Do you think I would trust a werewolf''s words?" Lucian knew that under the influence of racial hatred, even if Peter submitted, he would likely betray Lucian at the first opportunity. "Kill him!" The surrounding vampires, already furious at the werewolf, swarmed at Lucian''s command. In his final moments, Peter didn''t resist. In this harsh world, death was just an end. He sent a message on World Chat. [Lone Wolf]: "Brothers, I sacrificed my life to expose [Dracula] Lord''s plot. His troops are vampires, capable of transforming humans. He deceived everyone to strengthen himself!" [Lace Panties]: "A great pioneer!" [Cuban Cigar]: "I knew it! Thanks for your sacrifice!" As Lucian''s blood pierced Peter, his body turned to black smoke and dissipated, and his castle began to crumble. Lucian was puzzled. Why had Peter opened the chat interface before dying? Was he saying goodbye to loved ones? Curious, Lucian opened World Chat. Lucian: "Holy fuck." Lucian''s message was immediately met with a barrage of insults from the entire channel. ... Just at this moment, Alex was also browsing World Chat. "Did he break some kind of sacred rule?" Alex wondered, realizing she hadn''t spoken in World Chat for days. Feeling a bit sympathetic towards Lucian, she decided to speak up for him. [Hamburger]: "Sometimes, it''s worth reflecting on yourself. Have you gotten stronger over these days? Have you been seriously developing?" As a well-known Lord, Alex''s message immediately drew a flood of praise from other Lords, completely ignoring her actual words and forgetting their recent anger at Lucian. Alex didn''t reply further. She remembered she hadn''t visited the continent of Arsen for a day. With the snowy mountain in chaos, she couldn''t develop here, so she planned to send more undead to Arsen. Just as she was about to enter the Portal of Transit, she received simultaneous messages from Sophie and Chi-Chi. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [King Kong]: "Miss Alex, I''ve discovered a group of Hobgoblins!" [QuartzStriker]: "Specters have detected Silverbeard Clan dwarves heading into the depths of White Rock Mountains!" Chapter 125 - 125: Monarch-level dwarf？ This was exactly what she feared. Sophie had some undead, enough to fend off the Silverbeard Clan''s attack. Alex needed to first understand the situation with the Hobgoblins from Chi-Chi. [Hamburger]: "Have the Hobgoblins discovered your castle?" [King Kong]: "No, I observed them in the swamp. There''s one that looks like a mage, and it can fly. It''s leading a group of Hobgoblins towards the snowy mountain." Alex breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they hadn''t been discovered, Chi-Chi was safe for now. The flying mage-like Hobgoblin was likely a Hobgoblin Shaman. But Alex remembered that the Hobgoblin Shaman she had killed before couldn''t fly. Wait, could this Hobgoblin be Monarch level?! Alex felt she might be right. But what puzzled her was why the Hobgoblins were heading to the snowy mountain. What were they all after? Despite her curiosity, the immediate priority was to fend off the Silverbeard Clan''s attack. With that in mind, Alex stepped through the portal and arrived at White Rock Mountains. She noticed that Sophie''s castle now had two additional ballista towers, and a transparent shield covered the sky. A larger furnace had been built next to the existing one, likely the advanced furnace. The number of busy dwarves had increased, and Alex estimated there were at least five to six hundred of them. With two furnaces working, they could now produce eight thousand iron ingots daily, enough to upgrade the town every two days. Alex felt immensely satisfied with her decision to save the dwarves. As she walked towards the castle, the dwarves greeted her warmly. "No need to be so formal. Don''t use this as an excuse to slack off," Alex said, waving them off as she entered the castle. She found Sophie directing the dwarves to distribute food; it was mealtime. "Big Shot, you''re here! I noticed you weren''t in the castle several times yesterday." "Yesterday? Nothing much, just went out to collect some protection fees. What''s the situation with the dwarves?" Alex had been feeling uneasy lately. Since the battle with Baldwin, Monarch level beings had started appearing more frequently, making her suspect that the dwarves might also have a Monarch level among them. Though she wasn''t sure, she felt it was highly likely. "The specters at the White Rock Mountains'' border spotted ten dwarves investigating the dwarf mine and fortress, heading deeper into the mountains," Sophie reported. "Only ten?" Alex felt a pang of anxiety. The fewer the number, the higher the quality. Could there really be a Monarch level enemy? "Did they have any unusual features, like the ability to fly?" "No, but their armor and weapons were better than the dwarves we''ve encountered before," Sophie said, recalling the specters'' descriptions. Alex didn''t believe they were just there to investigate. No, she couldn''t sit idly by. If there was a Monarch level enemy, they were in serious trouble. "Don''t look so relaxed. I''m not invincible. Come with me; there''s a high chance one of them is Monarch level. We can''t let them find this place." Alex mounted her griffin, and Sophie hesitated for a moment. Monarch level? She had never even dared to think about it. She didn''t even have a Commanding level yet. Sophie tried to ride with Alex on the same griffin, but Alex stopped her. "You''ll lead the way. If the enemy is Monarch level, return immediately and warn everyone to evacuate. I''ll try to hold them off," Alex said seriously. Sophie nodded, realizing the gravity of the situation. She quickly found another griffin and mounted it. Whoosh¡ª Sophie took off on her griffin, with Alex following closely, heading towards the outskirts of White Rock Mountains. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, deep within White Rock Mountains, a group of ten dwarves continued their advance. They wore deep blue armor with faint arcs of electricity. The nine dwarves wielded war hammers, while the leader carried a spiked mace. They rode lizard-like beasts, swiftly navigating the rugged terrain of White Rock Mountains. Ahead, a tall mountain stood, the highest peak in the area. They climbed towards it, planning to survey the surroundings from the summit. "They must be hiding within White Rock Mountains. Send out all the scout eagles. Report to the leader as soon as you find them," the leading dwarf ordered. The dwarves stood on the summit and blew their whistles. The eagles circling above scattered in all directions. The dwarves took out telescopes, scanning the area for any signs, waiting for the eagles to report back. Alex and Sophie, flying on their griffins, soon spotted a group of eagles ahead. Alex wondered where so many eagles had come from, while Sophie shouted. "Those are the dwarves'' scout eagles, Big Shot! Kill them!" The eagles, seeing Alex and Sophie, began circling back. Alex closed her eyes, then opened them, her left eye glowing blue. The eagles burst into black flames and plummeted to the ground. Alex and Sophie flew towards the direction the eagles had come from, knowing the dwarves must be there. "Big Shot, they''re on that mountain peak!" Sophie exclaimed, pointing. "I see them. Stay here and observe. I''ll go down and test them." Alex, riding her griffin, saw the dwarves, who also saw her. Without hesitation, she leaped off the griffin. As she fell, the wind whipped her face, her white hair streaming behind her. Below, ten dwarves stood, one with a spiked mace standing out. If anyone was likely to be Monarch level, it was him. In mid-air, Alex drew her scythe, black flames trailing behind it, her eyes glowing different colors. Not knowing if he was Monarch level, Alex decided to go all out from the start, targeting the dwarf with the spiked mace. The dwarf, seeing her, swung his mace, arcs of electricity gathering, ready to strike Alex with a full-force blow. As Alex landed, she teleported in front of the dwarf, swinging her scythe. The dwarf met her attack with his mace. Boom! The small summit exploded, lightning arcing out, causing explosions around them. A circular shockwave spread from the summit, forcing the other nine dwarves to shield their faces from the dust and debris. Chapter 126 - 126: Alex VS dwarf leader Through this test, Alex judged that the opponent''s strength was on par with hers, not at Monarch level. Alex breathed a sigh of relief. However, even with the scythe''s double attribute boost, she could only barely match her opponent. This meant the dwarf was at least lv8 or lv9 Commanding level. Fortunately, it wasn''t a Monarch level. Monarch level beings were extremely powerful; it was unlikely to encounter them every time. The dwarf was equally surprised by the strength of this extraterrestrial visitor girl, marveling at the rapid growth of these visitors. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The small, irregularly shaped flat area on the mountaintop felt like a makeshift arena for the two of them. The dwarf''s deep blue armor seemed to activate, sending arcs of lightning from his hands into the spiked mace, increasing the force Alex had to withstand. In an instant, Alex turned into black mist, evading the dwarf''s attack. She reappeared among the other dwarves. She couldn''t let that dwarf hold her back; all these dwarves had to die to prevent them from reporting back. "Kill her!" the dwarf leader commanded, seeing Alex appear behind them. He ordered the surrounding dwarves to attack the human girl. He could sense that Alex''s strength was on par with his, so he planned to use the other dwarves to wear her down, giving him a chance to kill her. The surrounding dwarves, wielding war hammers, charged at Alex, surrounding her. Some dwarves'' war hammers crackled with lightning as they swung at her, while others leaped from their mounts, attacking from different directions. Alex''s right eye displayed a frost pattern, and the entire mountaintop was instantly frozen, exuding a bone-chilling cold. Countless ice spikes shot out from around Alex, striking the surrounding dwarves and forcing them back. Some dwarves shattered the ice spikes, while others were injured by them. Alex swung her scythe at one of the dwarves in front of her, shattering his war hammer and sending him flying with a single strike. Apart from the dwarf with the spiked mace, Alex found the others weren''t very strong. One-on-one, Alex could easily kill any of them. "Cough, cough..." The dwarves injured by the ice spikes suddenly started coughing, struggling to breathe. "There''s poison in the ice!" The dwarves noticed a faint green glow beneath the ice. Though the poison wasn''t lethal, it significantly weakened their combat abilities. Countless ice spikes shot out again, and this time the dwarves didn''t dare to take them head-on, scattering to avoid them. Two dwarves, poisoned and unable to dodge in time, had their feet frozen, and black flames quickly consumed them. In just a few breaths, Alex had killed three of the nine dwarves. The dwarf leader, seeing this, could no longer stand by. He had hoped they could hold Alex off, but she was killing them too quickly. The dwarf leader, wielding his spiked mace, leaped into the air, aiming to smash Alex from above. The ground shattered, sending ice shards flying. Alex teleported away, reappearing beside another dwarf and killing him instantly. The dwarf leader, enraged, found Alex''s teleportation speed too fast for the other dwarves to react. Alex used 50 Mana Points to cast a curse on the remaining five dwarves. The first-level curse magic had only one skill: physical curse, similar to a weakening effect, unable to kill enemies of the same level. The five dwarves spat blood, their faces pale. Alex was about to kill the five dwarves when she sensed a strong wind behind her. Clang! Alex turned and blocked the spiked mace with her scythe, her feet sliding back on the ice. "Leave here. I''ll handle this girl!" the dwarf leader ordered the remaining five dwarves, who immediately prepared to ride their lizards away. Suddenly, a melodious flute sound filled the air, and the five lizards inexplicably ran towards Alex instead of fleeing. ??? The dwarves quickly dismounted, trying to escape on foot. Alex reappeared behind one dwarf, her scythe easily cutting through his armor and killing him. Dark magic formed a spear, piercing another dwarf, while the ice on the ground surged, freezing another. The last two dwarves tried to run, but Alex intercepted them. They stopped, gripping their war hammers, too scared to move. The dwarf leader charged at Alex, who met him head-on. As she passed the two dwarves, she lightly touched them, freezing them in despair. These nine dwarves were all between lv1 and lv3 Commanding level, considered low-level Commanding. Alex, at lv6, could easily kill them. Hearing the continuous clash of weapons below, Sophie, riding her griffin in the sky, was stunned. It was her first time seeing Alex fight at full strength; she was incredibly powerful. Sophie put away her flute, silently praying for Alex. She could see that the dwarf with the spiked mace was very strong. The dwarf leader, seeing the nine dead dwarves, was furious but helpless. He couldn''t stop Alex. Alex''s teleportation made her very agile. However, to quickly deal with the dwarves, she had used a lot of magic, leaving her with only half her Mana Points. Alex considered deactivating her pseudo-domain to save mana, but then she saw the dwarf leader''s armor glowing blue, with lightning arcing from his spiked mace. A field of lightning elements formed around him, making Alex feel a tingling sensation all over. A domain? No, it was also a pseudo-domain! The dwarf leader''s spiked mace, now crackling with more lightning, swung at Alex. Even his armor was covered in lightning, glowing blue. Alex met the attack with her scythe, her hands numbed by the electricity, almost dropping her weapon. She quickly retreated, not wanting to take another direct hit. She couldn''t dispel the electric elements for now. The more they fought, the more electricity would accumulate in her body, eventually paralyzing her. Alex began dodging the dwarf leader''s attacks, knowing that the dwarf''s pseudo-domain must consume a lot of mana. He wouldn''t last long. It was a matter of who would run out of mana first. To Alex''s surprise, the dwarf leader could also attack from a distance with his pseudo-domain. Seeing Alex constantly dodging, he started launching lightning attacks at her. Alex countered with ice pillars rising from the ground, blocking the lightning. The dwarf leader, enhanced by his pseudo-domain, moved much faster, almost matching Alex''s usual speed. But Alex could teleport, remaining more agile. "Extraterrestrial visitors!" the dwarf leader shouted in anger. "Hello!" Alex responded politely. He chased, she dodged. They continued this dance until Alex felt the electric elements in the air diminishing. She guessed the dwarf leader''s Mana Points were nearly depleted. Alex suddenly stopped, turning to strike with her scythe. Black flames clashed with blue lightning, and they both stepped back. Alex noticed the numbness in her arms had lessened. Even so, Alex wasn''t entirely at ease. Her whole body was still numb, to the point where pinching her thigh wouldn''t hurt. At that moment, the dwarves Alex had frozen earlier died. Alex gained 120 experience points, leveling up. The level-up increased her attributes slightly, but it didn''t restore her state or remove the negative effects. The dwarf leader felt a strange sensation. The girl before him seemed stronger and quicker. He couldn''t understand it, but he had no interest in human girls. He preferred sturdy, bearded dwarf women. Human girls seemed too frail to him. "Now it''s my turn!" Alex swung her scythe, pushing the dwarf leader back. Countless ice pillars shot at him, but he shattered them with his spiked mace. Alex could only rely on her dark magic now. But dark magic couldn''t create a domain, a current limitation. The dwarf leader''s lightning pseudo-domain was fading. He canceled it, channeling all the electric elements into his spiked mace. The lightning turned from blue to purple, becoming thicker and more powerful. It seemed slow, but the dwarf leader absorbed the lightning in an instant. Alex wasn''t foolish enough to take the hit head-on and used her speed to dodge. The dwarf leader suddenly pulled out a flintlock pistol and fired at Alex. She hadn''t expected this move. "Damn, sneak attack!" Alex''s defense wasn''t strong. Even a firearm, which armor could block, forced her to dodge. She teleported away from the unexpected shot, while the dwarf leader, veins bulging, shattered the ice and charged at her, spiked mace crackling with purple lightning. Alex had just landed from her teleport when the dwarf leader reached her. She barely had time to teleport again, narrowly avoiding his attack. Bang! The dwarf leader''s spiked mace struck Alex''s scythe, sending it flying. Alex quickly enveloped herself in a Dark Barrier, but the impact still sent her crashing to the ground. Sophie, watching from above, was terrified. She saw Alex take a direct hit and immediately wanted to dive down to rescue her. "Big Shot, please be okay!" Alex hit the ice hard, shattering the surface. The Dark Barrier protected her from external injuries. She felt sore all over, her stomach churning, and a metallic taste in her mouth. Her hands were numb from the lightning, completely losing sensation. Alex struggled to move, surrounded by scorched earth from the lightning attacks. Only the spot where she lay was untouched. The dwarf leader wouldn''t miss this opportunity. He charged at Alex again, but she teleported away, landing near her fallen scythe. With the double attribute boost, the numbness in her body lessened. Chapter 127 - 127: Go to the Dark Forest Sophie sighed in relief. The dwarf leader''s speed had scared her, but Alex was unharmed. Alex had been careless. If not for her strong dark magic, she would have died. Facing Baldwin had made Alex overconfident. She thought Monarch level beings weren''t that formidable and felt no fear against lower levels. Clearly, she was wrong. He was surprised that Alex seemed unscathed after taking his full-force hit. Alex flexed her wrists, trying to regain some feeling. Her scythe ignited with black flames, and she charged at the dwarf leader. Through their previous exchanges, Alex realized that the dwarf leader''s equipment was quite formidable, with the entire set working in unison to greatly enhance his combat abilities. The dwarf leader, standing at about 5 feet tall, was considered tall for a dwarf. To gain an advantage, Alex targeted his chest armor with Frost Magic in every attack, always hitting the same spot. Despite his rich combat experience, the dwarf leader had no idea that Alex could use other types of magic, as she had never shown it until now. After several attacks, when Alex''s scythe clashed with his spiked mace again, she unleashed a pillar of fire at the same spot on his chest armor. The clash of extreme cold and intense heat. Crack¡ª A small crack appeared in the dwarf leader''s chest armor. Even a tiny crack significantly weakened the synergy of his armor set. The dwarf leader looked at his chest in surprise, then at Alex''s flaming left hand, his eyes widening in shock. With his chest armor cracked, the dwarf leader''s defense was greatly compromised. Suddenly, flames erupted around them, creating a sea of fire. Alex raised her left hand, gathering countless flames above her palm, forming a massive fireball. Alex hurled the fireball at the dwarf leader. He tried to dodge, but it was futile. The fireball hit the ground beside him, causing a massive explosion that engulfed the entire mountaintop like a volcanic eruption. Alex stood amidst the flames, surrounded by a sea of orange and red, obscuring everything from view. She conjured a spear burning with black flames. With a swift motion, she hurled the spear through the fire towards the dwarf leader. This was Alex''s last bit of Mana Points. If this didn''t kill him, she knew she wouldn''t have another chance. The dark spear pierced the dwarf leader''s chest armor, impaling him and allowing the black flames to corrode his life force. The dwarf leader, already exhausted and out of Mana Points after his strongest attack, found his defense severely weakened with his armor broken. His body grew weaker. His vision blurred, blood pouring from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground, lifeless. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing a lv9 Commanding enemy. You have gained 200 experience points.] So, he was lv9 Commanding level! Alex closed the system interface. As the flames died down, the mountaintop came into view. The surrounding dwarves'' bodies were completely incinerated, and the dwarf leader''s armor was destroyed by the black flames, leaving only the spiked mace intact. Alex collected the remaining equipment. With the bodies gone, there was nothing left to Disassemble. The fire had erased all traces of the battle. "Big Shot, are you okay?" Sophie landed her griffin and rushed to Alex, concerned. Alex shook her head weakly, indicating she was fine. Suddenly, she felt a surge in her stomach. "Ugh¡ª" Alex vomited a mouthful of clotted blood, a result of the dwarf leader''s impact. Sophie quickly placed her hand on Alex''s back, a soft green glow enveloping her as healing magic flowed through her body. Alex felt her condition gradually improve, her complexion becoming rosier. Healing magic was a slow process, not instantly curing injuries but providing significant relief. After about ten minutes, Alex''s injuries were mostly healed, and she felt much better. "This spiked mace is pretty good. It could be useful for Balin Forgeheart," Alex said, examining the spiked mace''s attributes. It was indeed powerful. The mace enhanced the wearer''s abilities and sensitivity to electric elements, boosting various attributes by nearly fifteen points. It was likely the armor set that had allowed the dwarf leader to develop a pseudo-domain. "Let''s head back. Keep an eye on things here with the Phantoms. I need to focus on leveling up," Alex said. Fortunately, the dwarves were in the midst of internal strife, their forces scattered. Otherwise, a Monarch level enemy would have come. Alex had barely managed to defeat a lv9 Commanding level; a Monarch level would have been impossible. "Got it!" Alex and Sophie mounted their griffins and flew back to the castle. Upon returning, Alex distributed the dwarves'' equipment to the castle''s dwarves. Dwarves using dwarven equipment¡ªno problem, right? The Commanding level equipment wasn''t worth much, but it allowed the dwarves to study the forging methods. Alex handed the spiked mace to Balin Forgeheart, whose bearded face lit up with joy. Though it was just one piece, it was a top-tier Commanding level item, far superior to ordinary Commanding level gear. Balin Forgeheart wanted to express his gratitude, but Sophie intercepted him at Alex''s signal. Alex finally had time to check her personal dashboard. She was now lv7, with attributes significantly higher than when she leveled from lv5 to lv6. Her health and mana had also increased. Through numerous battles and level-ups, Alex noticed a pattern: levels one to nine could be divided into three stages. Within the same stage, there wasn''t much difference in strength. Every three levels, the attribute boost was more substantial. "So, it''s early, mid, and late stages?" Alex muttered as she walked towards the Portal of Transit. Before entering, she waved to Sophie. "I''m leaving this to you. See you!" With a flash of the portal, Alex returned to her castle. She needed to level up quickly. Her encounters with the dwarf leader and Baldwin had shown her the strength of the local forces. Maybe it wasn''t that they were too strong, but that the extraterrestrial visitors from Earth were too weak. Even common beast tribes often had Monarch level members, while the highest among the Lords was Commanding level. With many foreign forces arriving at the snowy mountain, it had become a highly sensitive area. Alex didn''t dare send out her undead, only dispatching specters for reconnaissance. Smaller units like Ethereal Wraiths, Shadowghast Knights, and John were sent to the Dark Forest to develop. Their small size and agility made them hard to detect, unlike a zombie titan, which would be spotted immediately. Alex planned to have these undead secretly gain experience in the Dark Forest. She couldn''t remain idle either. Killing a few enemies of the same level would quickly level her up. But before grinding levels, Alex needed to disguise herself to blend in with the locals. Otherwise, she''d be recognized as an extraterrestrial visitor and attacked on sight. "Ice Cream, do you know what the mages from the mage association look like?" Alex asked, hoping for some insight. "Human mages? They probably wear black robes and carry magic staffs, maybe like necromancers," Ice Cream said, trying to recall. "Probably? Maybe?" Alex felt Ice Cream''s description wasn''t very reliable, but she figured the general image was close enough. She found a black robe in her wardrobe, similar to a raincoat, with a loose hood. The robe was large and comfortable. There were also some strange clothes, likely from the local human culture, but Alex found their fashion sense questionable. She kept her sailor dress on and donned the black robe, tying her hair into a bun. The hood covered her eyes, hiding the upper part of her face. To see the road ahead, she had to walk with her head slightly lowered. No wonder mages always looked like that; they couldn''t see the road otherwise. The pointed tip of the hood was crooked. Alex checked herself in the mirror, thinking she looked more like a witch than a mage. "Ice Cream, how do I look? Like a mage?" Ice Cream examined her and, after a moment of silence, replied, "Like." Satisfied, Alex dragged her robe and headed outside. At the castle gate, she tripped on the robe and nearly fell, but teleported to avoid the embarrassment. Alex called John and the Ethereal Wraiths, Shadowghast Knights, and set off stealthily to the Dark Forest. Today''s mission was simple: grind and level up! ... In the southern part of Frostwind snowy mountain, a group of werewolves had carved out a cave to temporarily settle. Without enough manpower to build a castle, they had to make do with the cave. "Have you found those tigers yet?" the werewolf leader asked impatiently. "Sir, their scent has been masked. We''ve searched most of the snowy mountain but haven''t found them," a giant wolf explained respectfully. The werewolf leader was annoyed. "No results mean no results. What''s the point of all this talk? You lot are just picking up useless human habits." "And the undead?" "None." The werewolf leader''s face twisted in anger. "Useless!" "Leader, we did find something. A group of Hobgoblins has also entered the snowy mountain," the giant wolf quickly added, wagging its tail. "Hobgoblins?" The werewolf leader''s mood improved as he stepped outside. "These lowly creatures, what makes them think they can meddle here?" Since the frost dragon''s death, all sorts of riffraff dared to venture into Frostwind snowy mountain. The werewolf leader decided to lead his pack to kill the Hobgoblins and feast on their meat. Meanwhile, in a hidden bunker on the other side of the snowy mountain, the Arctic Tigerfolk hadn''t ventured out for two days. They had sent a tiger being to forage, but after discovering the werewolves, they stayed inside. They survived on stored food, but supplies were running low, forcing them to ration. To conserve energy, the tiger being guard instructed everyone to sleep as much as possible, though they weren''t bears and couldn''t hibernate. This reduced food consumption but wasn''t sustainable long-term. The tiger being guard glanced at the queen''s chamber. If food ran out, they would have to risk foraging, but the harsh environment and scarcity of prey made it dangerous and likely to attract other forces. Sighing, the guard looked at the sleeping tribe members. He couldn''t let them starve. ... The perpetual blizzards and cold winds of Frostwind snowy mountain, with no clear skies. Werewolves and tiger beings, with their thick fur, were naturally resistant to the cold. But the Hobgoblins struggled. Their small bodies sank into the snow, sometimes burying them completely. Wrapped in thick animal pelts, the Hobgoblins trudged through the snow, cursing their fate. Why did they have to come to this godforsaken place? They glanced at the flying Hobgoblin Shaman, too afraid to complain. Suddenly, a group of giant wolves appeared ahead, led by the werewolf leader. The werewolf leader was surprised to see the Hobgoblin Shaman, recognizing him. "Snazzle, it seems your Hobgoblin kingdom is serious about coming to the snowy mountain," the werewolf leader mocked, implying that the Hobgoblins were too weak for this place. A Monarch level was high-end combat power in the Hobgoblin kingdom, but in Skyreach Mountains, a Monarch level was nothing. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The werewolf leader wasn''t afraid, but he found shamans and similar opponents annoying and didn''t want to waste time. Chapter 128 - 128: Count Nocturne The Hobgoblin Shaman, seeing the werewolf leader, became visibly tense. Skyreach Mountains was a force that the Hobgoblin kingdom could only look up to. Monarch levels were rare in the Hobgoblin kingdom, so it wasn''t surprising that the werewolf leader, backed by Skyreach Mountains, knew his name. In contrast, Skyreach Mountains had countless Monarch levels, and every wolf face looked almost identical, making it impossible for Snazzle to recognize the werewolf leader before him. "Are you here to stop us, leader of Skyreach Mountains?" Snazzle asked, his eyes wary as he hovered in the air, watching the werewolves below. The Hobgoblins on the ground were equally tense, not expecting to run into such bad luck right after arriving at the snowy mountain. The werewolf leader scanned the Hobgoblins, his gaze settling on Snazzle in the air. Snazzle was a Monarch level, flying around and using magic like an annoying fly. Among the Hobgoblins, there were also many Commanding levels, so the werewolves didn''t have a significant advantage. Without saying a word, the werewolf leader turned and left, followed by his pack, disappearing from the Hobgoblins'' sight. All the Hobgoblins breathed a sigh of relief. Although their strength was not inferior to the werewolves, they didn''t want to provoke the powerful Skyreach Mountains. As for the werewolf leader, he decided against engaging because the Hobgoblins had a Monarch level among them, making it a troublesome fight. Besides, they had more important tasks at hand and didn''t want unnecessary casualties. Meanwhile, Lucian''s castle received a group of unexpected visitors. They were pale, elegant, and the leader wore a black suit, contrasting sharply with Lucian''s attire. The only difference was his high-collared cloak, black on the outside and red on the inside. The group behind him wore white shirts and black vests, with red bow ties at their chests, looking very gentlemanly. The leader gazed at Lucian''s castle, sensing a familiar aura from this extraterrestrial visitor''s stronghold. Initially, they were just passing through and had no interest in these extraterrestrial visitors, unless they were Lords with human troops, which they would eliminate to obtain fresh blood. But according to this vampire leader, all Lords were supposed to be human. Some had other bloodlines, but they were generally weak, with their primary bloodline still being human. Such Lords'' blood disgusted vampires, like drinking coffee mixed with chili oil. The vampire leader stepped towards Lucian''s castle. The vampires inside sensed the intruders and wanted to attack, but the superior bloodline of the newcomers suppressed them, forcing them into submission. "A bunch of blood thralls." The vampire''s guess was confirmed. Only vampires with a count-level bloodline could transform blood thralls, and only pureblood direct-line vampires could reach the count level. Inside the castle, Lucian noticed the group of native vampires entering. He felt a surge of tension, his eyes wary as he watched them. Lucian sensed immense pressure from the leader, even greater than when facing Baldwin. The leader''s bloodline was on par with his own. However, Lucian didn''t detect any hostility from him and quickly calmed down. "Who are you?" Lucian asked. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Count Nocturne of the Nocturne family," the vampire leader said with a charming smile and a magnetic voice that seemed to captivate. "I am here today to invite you to join the blood clan and become part of our family." Lucian''s bloodline was not inferior to Count Nocturne''s, making it impossible to replicate or transfer. It could only be absorbed by the same clan, but it wouldn''t benefit Nocturne much. The blood clan had been forced into hiding for too long. Rather than killing Lucian, it was better to have him join and strengthen the clan. Nocturne knew that a vampire with such a high bloodline had immense potential, and killing him would be a waste. Of course, they wouldn''t force the Lord. If he refused, they could always kill him later. Such a high-level bloodline that couldn''t be controlled by the clan couldn''t be allowed to exist. Lucian fell silent, deep in thought. His first instinct was to find a way to kill the intruders, but seeing how their mere presence suppressed his troops, he abandoned that hope. This vampire was undoubtedly Monarch level, far stronger than Baldwin. "Do you have any concerns? Rest assured, if you join the blood clan, your status will be equal to mine. I guarantee you will not become a slave," Count Nocturne said, his tone casual and calm. "What if I refuse?" Lucian asked, knowing that vampires lacked emotions and couldn''t be read through their expressions. Lucian had no other options. Since the vampire was willing to talk, he had to ask, even if it seemed foolish. "You are an extraterrestrial visitor. Naturally, we would kill you," Count Nocturne replied, extinguishing Lucian''s last hope. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucian had already prepared himself for this outcome. It was the classic choice: submit or die. "In that case, I don''t seem to have any other choice," Lucian said, resigning himself to his fate. At least joining them was better than dying, and he wouldn''t become a slave. Count Nocturne smiled knowingly. He had expected Lucian to agree. Extraterrestrial visitors feared death, just like vampires. The higher the bloodline, the more they feared death. "Give me a drop of your essence blood. I will present it to the progenitor to complete the bloodline link," Count Nocturne said. Lucian pierced his chest and extracted a drop of his essence blood. A vampire quickly collected it in a special container designed to prevent corrosion. "Not submitting to you?" Lucian asked, surprised. He had expected to be controlled by the vampire before him. "You jest. Your bloodline is equal to mine. I don''t have that authority," Count Nocturne replied, pleased with the unexpected gain of a high-level bloodline. He knew the progenitor would reward him. Count Nocturne, in high spirits, stored Lucian''s blood and looked at him, his wound healing rapidly. The air was filled with the scent of Lucian''s blood, confirming he was a pureblood vampire. "Life in a dull castle can be boring, like a cage. Why don''t I take you out to see the world?" Count Nocturne suggested. Lucian couldn''t refuse and agreed. The group of vampires left Lucian''s castle, heading towards Frostwind snowy mountain. Chapter 129 - 129: Specter King [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell once again on the continent of Eldoria, and Alex returned to her castle. The creatures on the outskirts of the Dark Forest were now too weak for her, most being Standard level, with only the highest leaders barely reaching low-level Commanding. Today, the specters brought no news from the snowy mountain, as if it had suddenly fallen silent. This struck Alex as odd. She didn''t believe that the Hobgoblins and werewolves had just taken a stroll through the snowy mountain and left. Stretching as she walked into the castle, Alex had already stashed the uncomfortable black robe into her ring. With the undead forces needing to pull back, Alex wasn''t gaining much experience without going out to fight. White Rock Mountains had nothing but the Silverbeard Clan dwarves. It wasn''t that Alex didn''t want to attack them; she was genuinely afraid that next time, a Monarch level dwarf might show up, equipped with Monarch level gear. That would be a nightmare. Dwarves were master forgers, and Alex had never seen a dwarf without equipment. So, she could only hope to break through from the Dark Forest side, hoping the undead would kill more enemies at night, allowing her to enjoy the triple experience boost while lying in her castle. Alex wasn''t missing any opportunity for experience. She even started snatching Ice Cream''s food, eating some elite food herself. Even if it only gave her two points of experience, it was still experience. "Forget it, I''ll sleep first and deal with it tomorrow." Alex stripped off her clothes, preparing for a relaxing bath. It had been over ten days, and Alex figured that by now, the lowest level Lords should be at Commanding level. She wondered how many Lords had disappeared from this world over these days. She also wondered when this ordeal would end. Sometimes, Alex fantasized that this was all just a dream. After her bath, Alex slipped naked into bed, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. She smoothed her hair, pulled up the covers, and went to sleep. Time: 06:00 AM Alex had developed a fixed biological clock, waking up at six every morning. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If she remembered correctly, today was the thirteenth day. Tomorrow¡ªno, tonight¡ªthe leaderboard would refresh again. Alex was somewhat looking forward to it. She got out of bed and walked to her wardrobe. Opening it, she saw a white camisole. Alex was silent, feeling as if the wardrobe was hinting for her to wear it. She looked down at herself, realizing her breasts weren''t as large as she had imagined. So, even if she danced in that camisole, she wouldn''t have to worry about exposing herself. However, Alex decided against wearing it. She planned to venture deeper into the Dark Forest today, which would inevitably involve combat, so a skirt was out of the question. She opted for her usual attire. Ten minutes later, dressed in casual clothes and draped in the same black robe from yesterday, Alex was ready to head out. Before leaving, she checked the Warehouse. Another five thousand iron ingots had been produced, indicating the dwarves hadn''t been slacking. She glanced at the seven thousand corpses outside the wall, half of which had already been summoned. Alex quickly Disassembled the remaining corpses. Luckily, it had only been a day. If it had been two more days, the corpses would have started to rot, and the stench would have been unbearable. Alex would have had to throw them all into the Blackwater Altar, even if it meant losing the double summoning bonus. Alex clicked Disassemble within the castle, processing four thousand corpses, leaving only three thousand. The pile of corpses outside the wall instantly halved. Alex gained 3k magic crystals, 300 Essence Shards, nearly four thousand pieces of Standard equipment, and a few Commanding level items. She tossed all the Disassembled equipment to Chi-Chi, as it was of no use to her. "Perfect, I have 350 Essence Shards now. Time to upgrade the Barracks." Alex upgraded her Barracks by one level. Apart from the higher cost for the next upgrade, there wasn''t much change. The next level required 350 Essence Shards and 35k magic crystals, an increase of fifty and five thousand, respectively. The benefit was that the summoning quantity increased from thirty to forty. Early on, with fewer materials and lower levels, the upgrades were significant. Later, with more materials and higher costs, the upgrades became less impactful. After upgrading the Barracks, Alex remembered she hadn''t summoned today''s troops yet. She headed to the Barracks to do so. As the green light filled the room, today''s troops were freshly summoned. Bone dragons, specters, zombies, zombie titans, Destroyers¡ªthere was a bit of everything. Of course, there were also the ten adorable Acolytes she received daily. Just as Alex finished summoning and was about to leave, she noticed a strange figure emerging. ?! Alex turned back to see an undead floating in the air, also draped in a black robe. Blue flames burned within the robe, with no physical body, and its eyes glowed from within the hood. Alex could tell it was a specter, but it had distinct differences from ordinary specters. "Your most loyal servant greets you, my Queen." Those who could speak did so, and those who couldn''t, Alex didn''t mind. "What is this?!" Alex was incredulous. Often, the best luck came when she was least expecting it. As the Barracks level increased, the chances of summoning a race king also increased. Alex couldn''t wait to check its attributes. [Specter King (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Standard] [Level: lv5 (Can level up by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 110] [Mind: 55] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 50] [Growth Limit: Divine level] [Active Skill: Soul Storm, Soul Blade] [Passive Skill: Heart of the Specter] "It''s really a Specter King!" Alex had guessed it. It looked like a specter, so it had to be one. She quickly glanced at the two Active Skills¡ªone was an area attack, and the other boosted combat power. The Passive Skill was similar to John''s, allowing all specters to remove their level cap. Even specters summoned by Alex and necromancers could continue to level up. Sweet, Alex thought. She desperately needed to boost her strength, and the Specter King came at the perfect time. Looking at the blue flames burning within its robe and eyes, Alex decided to name it. "Azure, from now on, you''ll be called Azure!" "Thank you, my Queen, for the name." In high spirits, Alex took Azure to the Dark Forest. Such a small, agile figure was the perfect choice. Alex realized she needed to allocate resources more effectively. She couldn''t let the undead kill indiscriminately anymore. She was already lv7, while Arthur and John were only lv3. This disparity couldn''t continue; she needed to focus resources on the top-tier units. When she reached Monarch level, if they were still mid-level Commanding, they would be useless. Alex had nearly a hundred Commanding level undead, with many stronger than the three kings, but they couldn''t level up. She decided to focus on Arthur, John, and Azure. If they grew strong, they would be as powerful as Lords. In contrast, ordinary undead of the same level had more limited abilities and couldn''t match them. Alex had been too casual in her development. Now, she needed a proper plan. She led John, Azure, and some Commanding level Shadowghast Knights and Ethereal Wraiths deeper into the Dark Forest. Meanwhile, Chi-Chi, determined not to be a burden to Alex, led her beasts to the nearby swamp. The Dark Forest was too dangerous, so the swamp became her leveling ground. Despite some losses, the rewards were substantial. Chi-Chi felt she was adapting to this world. Hiding was not an option; to grow stronger, she had to kill. Chi-Chi earned money by selling the equipment Alex gave her. While ordinary gear was worthless to Alex, who had thousands of magic crystals, it was valuable to Chi-Chi. A single piece of ordinary equipment could sell for two magic crystals. Alex had given Chi-Chi thousands of Standard items and a few Commanding level ones. Chi-Chi sold them all, earning thousands of magic crystals. It was the first time she had seen so many. She used the magic crystals to upgrade her Barracks, significantly speeding up her development compared to hiding in her castle. Chi-Chi had reached lv7, close to Sophie''s level. The Red Blood Gorilla that had accompanied her from the start was now lv9, just a step away from breaking through to Commanding. Chi-Chi knew to funnel all experience to the Red Blood Gorilla, accelerating its growth. During the day, the beasts hunted, and at night, they rested in the Time Chamber. Chi-Chi believed she would soon catch up to Sophie. However, the beasts couldn''t mine or gather stone. While she could upgrade the Barracks with magic crystals and Essence Shards, she lacked resources to upgrade the castle. This frustrated her. If she traded magic crystals for wood and stone, she wouldn''t have enough to upgrade the Barracks. Collecting magic crystals herself was too slow. Chi-Chi was in the sky, directing her beasts to attack a tree monster, a lv1 Commanding level creature, the best target for her to kill with low risk and high reward. Finding one was rare, so Chi-Chi was excited, shouting commands to her beasts. "Go, kill it! Red Blood Gorilla, what are you doing? Use your hands! Do I need to lend you a stick?" Ding! [You have a new private message!] The system notification popped up, blocking Chi-Chi''s view. [Big Boobs]: "Chi-Chi, it''s Luca!" "Brother!" Seeing the name, Chi-Chi was certain it was her long-lost relative. Chi-Chi laughed and cried, overwhelmed with joy. In this foreign world, nothing was more comforting than knowing her family was alive. Ignoring her beasts, Chi-Chi started chatting with her brother, sharing all her experiences. She laughed through her tears, learning from Luca that their father was alive, though their mother was still missing. Luca had formed an Alliance near the desert, a relatively safe area, and had survived the beast tide thanks to the Alliance. Luca urged Chi-Chi to join him, but she hesitated. Miss Alex had been good to her, and she had already submitted, making it impossible to leave. Still, Chi-Chi was content knowing her family was alive and in contact. Chapter 130 - 130: The mysterious persons help In the Dark Forest, Alex was leading John, Azure, and a group of undead in pursuit of a horde of giant spiders. These spiders had legs that stretched over six feet, with ghostly face patterns on their abdomens and six glowing red eyes on their heads, making them a nightmare for anyone with arachnophobia. The trees around were all connected by white webs, indicating this was their habitat. Some webs even held the corpses of birds and beasts, corroded by the webs and oozing pus. "Disgusting and foul," was Alex''s assessment. Alex only dared to use magic for ranged attacks. The spiders'' shattered limbs and green blood were highly toxic, so she left the close combat to the undead. Among the spiders were several Commanding levels. Whenever the undead got entangled in the webs, Alex would use fire magic to burn the webs and free them. Soon, the spiders realized Alex wasn''t their prey but the hunter, and they began to flee frantically. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv3 Commanding level bloodlust spider, gaining 150 experience points!] "Finally, they''re all dead." Alex carefully walked over, avoiding the green liquid on the ground, and summoned the corpses before Disassembling them. She checked the time and realized it was getting late. She had no idea how far into the Dark Forest she had chased these spiders. Alex continued to lead the undead, searching for enemies nearby, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The interior of the Dark Forest wasn''t flat; there were ravines, rivers, and even hills up to twenty-five feet high, all covered in trees. Speaking of trees, Alex paused, realizing the trees around her had changed. "These are fir and pine trees?" Alex looked at the towering trees, each at least 130 feet tall, with lush branches blocking out the sky. She retracted her earlier statement about a zombie titan being easily spotted in the Dark Forest. These trees were easy to distinguish. Alex felt like she had entered a primeval forest, with trees so thick it would take two or three people to encircle them. This was completely different from the outskirts of the Dark Forest she had entered before, where the trees were just a few feets tall, leafless, and barren. "Is this the real Dark Forest?" Alex looked around, feeling like she had stepped into another world, entirely different from the terrain near her castle. She was stunned. She had thought the Dark Forest was just an ordinary forest. Alex walked forward, spotting a massive boulder about ten feet wide and high on a slope. She decided to climb it to get a better view of the surroundings. With a teleport, Alex landed on the boulder, immediately dropping to her stomach. "What is that?!" Alex exclaimed. Ahead was a downward slope, giving her a clear view. At the bottom was a river, and beside it stood a nearly thirty-foot-tall blue creature. The creature held a massive wooden club, looking like a giant human, but with blue skin, no hair on its head, and yellow mane running from its head down its spine. Of course, it wasn''t human. Alex only saw its back, not its front. The blue creature seemed to sense it was being watched and turned to look directly at Alex. It had a pointed nose, yellow eyes, and yellow fur on its ears. As their eyes met, Alex felt an intense sense of danger and immediately teleported away from the boulder. She hadn''t figured out how it had spotted her from such a distance when the boulder exploded, startling her. "Run!" Alex turned and fled with the undead, but the creature appeared in front of her, swinging its club. "How is that possible?!" The creature had been so far away, yet its attack seemed to be about to hit Alex. Boom! Alex and the undead suddenly vanished from the Dark Forest, the creature''s attack missing. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex felt the surroundings blur, turning black as if she were in a void, with a faint light at the end rapidly growing. "Child, it''s late. Go back." "Who?!" Alex shouted, but the light engulfed her, blinding her. When her eyes adjusted, she found herself outside the Dark Forest, recognizing the area as even further out than where she had been hunting spiders. It was already dark. Alex looked back, seeing the undead had followed her out. She didn''t hesitate to leave. "Return to the castle." This was too bizarre. Alex was bewildered, her mind reeling. Who had spoken and saved her? Alex clearly remembered the voice, guessing it was a middle-aged man. Why would a native human save an extraterrestrial visitor like her? And how had it gone from daylight to night so quickly? The Dark Forest was not only strange but terrifying. Even back at the castle, Alex''s heart was still pounding. "Ice Cream, do you know anything about the Dark Forest?" Alex asked, hoping the native dragon might have some information. But Ice Cream''s answer was disappointing. Without much thought, it said, "Because the Dark Forest is a forbidden area." "The Dark Forest is a forbidden area? Isn''t Frostwind snowy mountain also a forbidden area?" Alex didn''t understand. "Frostwind snowy mountain was called a forbidden area because of my mother''s presence. The Dark Forest is different." Alex wanted to ask more, but it seemed Ice Cream knew no more than that. Alex now knew the Dark Forest was a true forbidden area, while Frostwind snowy mountain had lost that status after the frost dragon''s death. Today''s accidental venture into the Dark Forest''s depths had left Alex shaken. The outskirts couldn''t even be called the Dark Forest. The creature''s attack was too bizarre. She had never seen such a strange attack. Whoosh¡ª Alex turned on the shower, taking a cold bath to calm herself. "Forget it. I''ll develop in White Rock Mountains." The unknown was the most terrifying. At least she understood the dwarves better. After drying off, Alex put on a loose T-shirt and went out. The corpses outside had been Disassembled, yielding over 2k magic crystals, 200 Essence Shards, and more Standard equipment, which she gave to Chi-Chi. Alex checked Chi-Chi''s progress. [Territory Lord: Chi-Chi] [Strength: lv7 Standard] [Territory Level: lv9 Initial Castle] [Barracks Level: lv7 Beasts Crystal] [Special Building: Time Chamber] [Troops: Seven types of beasts] [Equipment: Flying Nimbus, Doran''s Blade] "Wow, her castle is already lv9?" Alex understood the Barracks upgrade, given the equipment she had provided, but the castle upgrade seemed fast. But she didn''t question it. Chi-Chi might have had some fortuitous encounters. Alex asked Sophie about the situation in White Rock Mountains and was relieved to hear there were no issues. She sent all available necromancers, including liches, specters, death conquerors, Destroyers, and Ghouls, through the portal to Sophie''s side. With her area unsafe for development, the undead couldn''t sit idle. They could at least mine stone in White Rock Mountains. What? They don''t know how? They can learn. They can''t just do nothing. Alex returned to her bedroom, waiting for the leaderboard to refresh at midnight. She sat in her room, passing the time by browsing World Chat, finding the Lords'' discussions amusing. Time flew by, and at midnight, the long-awaited announcement appeared. Chapter 131 - 131: Traitors [Honorable Lords, the leaderboard has been refreshed!] [Special Announcement] [Some Lords have chosen to betray and join other races on the continent of Eldoria. They are hereby designated as [Traitors].] [Additionally, for those Lords who have no desire to participate in the All-Races Battle Royale, there is an option to change your role to [Freelancer]. By doing so, you will give up all Lord privileges, but the native races of Eldoria will no longer see you as an enemy (this option is permanently available and will not remove basic system features such as World Chat).] [All Lords, except for those who become [Freelancers], will be in opposition to [Traitors]. [Traitors] cannot form Alliances or submit to others. Within a certain range, Lords will be able to sense your location.] [The leaderboard will now feature a Hunt Ranking, lasting one week. The top ten on both sides, based on the number of kills, will receive final rewards!] [Lords, make your choices wisely, then fight and conquer!] "What the hell?!" Alex was stunned by the sudden influx of new information. The system had introduced the option to change roles. Alex tried to process the information. The system had pitted Lords against those who had joined the native races, forcing them into conflict. "Traitors, Freelancers, Lords¡ªthis is like evil, neutral, and lawful alignments." Becoming a Traitor meant no Alliances or submission, essentially preventing them from relocating. Not being able to submit meant the system offered no mercy to these Traitors. It felt like the system was targeting them specifically. As for Freelancers, it seemed more humane. They could abandon their castles and troops, becoming wanderers without the constraints of a castle, significantly increasing their chances of survival. Alex guessed that with this new option, more than half of the Lords would choose to become Freelancers. Since there was no time limit, everyone had time to consider and could switch roles at any moment. "The top ten will receive rewards. No doubt, they will be far more generous than the previous rewards for the top thousand. The system is really going all out to deal with these Traitors!" Alex opened the leaderboard to check the rankings. The previous five tiers were still there, but a new Hunt Ranking had been added. The system had marked names in different colors: green for Lords, white for Freelancers, and red for Traitors. Dead Lords were marked in gray, but since the leaderboard had just refreshed, there were no gray names yet. Curious about the Hunt Ranking, Alex quickly checked it. She found her name with a score of 2, tied with over a hundred other Lords, both green and red names. The top spot had 6 points, held by a single Lord, a Traitor. Alex remembered that the Lord she had killed in White Rock Mountains was a Traitor. Seeing the rankings could be tied, she realized the top ten could include many people. Just as she was about to complain about the system''s lack of humanity, she noticed a small question mark next to her score. Clicking on it, she learned that killing a first-tier Traitor earned 5 points, a second-tier Traitor 4 points, and so on. Points could be plundered but only from other participants. "This is forcing Lords to fight and grow stronger!" It seemed the Lord she had killed was from the fourth tier. Alex thought of a loophole: what if she captured a Traitor and had them kill other Lords? This would speed up point accumulation. But she quickly realized her mistake. The hunt was aimed at Traitors, and Freelancers didn''t participate. Lords could switch to Freelancers at any time, making the strategy of using Traitors to farm points ineffective. For the rewards, Alex decided to give it a shot. She didn''t need to be first; being in the top five would be enough to secure a good reward. The leaderboard announcement quickly ignited the Lords in World Chat. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The news was explosive, hard for many to accept. World Chat was flooded with messages, while Sophie and the others showed no reaction. Having submitted to Alex, their alignment followed hers. If Alex became a Freelancer, so would they. If Alex became a Traitor, they would too. [Cat Slave]: "I want to be a Freelancer, free from oppression and abuse!" [Yellow Bean]: "Heh heh heh, you Lords better prepare for the despair brought by the Hobgoblin kingdom!" [A Big Banana]: "My cousin is a Traitor. Today, I will uphold justice and show her the power of the Big Banana!" ... Alex glanced at World Chat, seeing the Lords'' reactions. Looking back at her ranking, she noticed she was still in the first tier. "[Dracula] is a red name!" Alex saw Lucian''s name in red, indicating he was a Traitor. The announcement said Lords could sense Traitors within a certain range. The snowy mountain was too large for her system interface to show nearby Traitors, but Alex knew where Lucian''s castle was. For the reward, she had to kill him. Although Lucian hadn''t made a pact with the vampires, he had clearly aligned with them, marking him as a Traitor. The system didn''t allow any loopholes. The snowy mountain was too dangerous at night. Alex decided to set out in the morning, planning to circle around the mountain to reach Lucian''s castle and kill him. Meanwhile, in the snowy mountain, Lucian informed Count Nocturne of the new information. "You mean other extraterrestrial visitors will come to kill you?" Count Nocturne knew that destroying a castle could kill an extraterrestrial visitor. He pondered this. The snowy mountain was relatively calm for now. They had been sent to monitor the situation, so staying at Lucian''s castle was fine. It wasn''t far from the snowy mountain. Lucian was silent, not expecting the system to pull such a move right after he had aligned with the vampires. He couldn''t face the Elemental Alliance or Alex alone, hoping Count Nocturne would help him. Count Nocturne wasn''t too concerned. From Lucian, he learned that the strongest extraterrestrial visitors were only Commanding level, not worth worrying about. Count Nocturne led Lucian and the vampires away from Frostwind snowy mountain, heading back to Lucian''s castle. During the journey, he had a Commanding level vampire take Lucian''s blood back to the family, requesting reinforcements to guard Lucian''s castle. Clearly, Lucian''s bloodline was more valuable to Count Nocturne than the contested treasures in the snowy mountain. With Count Nocturne accompanying him back to the castle, Lucian felt relieved. Count Nocturne was a Monarch level, far stronger than Baldwin. With Count Nocturne, even the combined forces of the Elemental Alliance and Alex wouldn''t stand a chance. Meanwhile, the Elemental Alliance also noticed Lucian''s Traitor status but decided not to act. The memory of the Monarch level battle and Alex''s intervention was still fresh. Fortunately, Samson confirmed that Alex wasn''t a Traitor. Otherwise, they feared the two Lords might join forces against them. This was good news, ensuring Alex and Lucian would no longer cooperate. After summoning her troops, Alex prepared to sleep. Eldoria was vast, and there weren''t many Traitors. Those Lords were just unlucky, forced to align with local forces to survive, but the system clearly didn''t want them to have it easy. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up on time, dressed, and tied her hair. She wore the same casual clothes from yesterday, freshly washed. She planned to circle around the northern edge of Frostwind snowy mountain but couldn''t ride Ice Cream, as it would draw too much attention. With Lucian now a Traitor, Alex feared Samson and the others might kill him first, so she had to hurry. Checking the leaderboard, Alex saw Lucian was still alive, reassuring her. She entered the Portal of Transit, arriving at Sophie''s place. She planned to ride a griffin, as gargoyles weren''t comfortable mounts. Bathed in orange light, Alex arrived on the continent of Arsen. There were more undead and dwarves around, forming a lair centered on Sophie''s castle. The dwarves had built houses nearby for themselves. Alex found a Commanding level griffin, not the one Sophie had contracted, but another. "Big Shot, where are you going this time?" Sophie asked, curious. "Oh, by the way, have the undead and dwarves spread out to find any Traitors. Notify me immediately if you find any, and I''ll take care of them." Sophie promised to search diligently, knowing the dwarves were familiar with the area beyond White Rock Mountains. If there were Traitors, they were likely aligned with the dwarves. "Alright, I''ll leave this to you. I''m off." Alex waved and entered the portal, surprising Sophie, who thought she was going to do something in White Rock Mountains. "So, Big Shot came just to ride a griffin?" Back at her castle, Alex took off on the griffin, heading north, planning to circle around the snowy mountain. It would take longer but was safer. The Commanding level griffin wasn''t slow, but the detour was cumbersome. The snowy mountain was too dangerous. Alex didn''t want to risk encountering werewolves or Hobgoblins. After two hours of flying, Alex was still circling the snowy mountain. Suddenly, she noticed several small black dots in the distance, floating in the air. "What are those, flies?" Alex had a bad feeling. Activating her left eye to enhance her vision, she saw the figures clearly. "People?" Alex was puzzled, wondering how people could float in the air. Then she saw their black robes and realized. "Damn, they''re mages from the local human mage association. Run!" Alex turned the griffin towards the snowy mountain, but the mages saw her and gave chase, attacking. Alex glanced back, startled. The leading mage was flying faster than the griffin, closing the distance rapidly. She couldn''t keep this up. Alex''s mind raced, spotting a familiar area below. It was the cave where she had defeated the Frost Werewolf! Alex remembered the cave was halfway up the snowy mountain ahead. The mage''s attack range was closing in. As the mage chanted, eight magic circles surrounded Alex. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Countless wind blades shredded the griffin into pieces. Alex teleported to the back of the snowy mountain, reaching the frost cave, a blind spot for the mage. The cave had signs of being covered, indicating it might be occupied, but Alex had no choice. It was better than being killed by the Monarch level mage. She cleared her footprints and entered the cave, covering the entrance. Only close inspection would reveal her hiding spot. The mage, seeing the griffin killed and Alex vanished, searched briefly before leaving. Inside the cave, Alex stood at the edge, awkwardly facing two tiger beings guarding the slope. "Uh... hello?" Chapter 132 - 132: Exchange information The two tiger beings were bewildered by the sight of a human in a black robe at the entrance of their hidden cave. They couldn''t fathom how someone had discovered such a secretive location. Danger! The two tiger beings weren''t foolish enough to confront Alex head-on. They immediately turned and ran deeper into the cave. With so many tiger beings inside, they weren''t about to sacrifice themselves needlessly. Of course, they needed to get help! "Am I that scary?" Alex muttered, surprised that the two tiger beings had fled at the sight of her. They looked different from the one she had seen before¡ªthinner, perhaps even malnourished. Alex sat down by the entrance, deciding not to pursue them. The outside was too dangerous, and fighting these tiger beings was clearly unwise. She wasn''t sure if the mage had left, and being discovered would spell disaster. Alex felt a bit anxious. She feared there might be a Monarch level among the tiger beings, so she stayed near the entrance, ready to escape if necessary. But on second thought, the probability seemed low. The fact that they were hiding so secretively suggested they didn''t have a Monarch level among them. If they did, they would have been more assertive. The two tiger beings stumbled back to the bunker, where most of the tiger beings were still asleep. Only the tiger being guard stood vigil before the queen''s chamber. Seeing the two tiger beings rushing in, the guard asked, "What''s going on?" "Leader, we''ve been discovered! There''s a human at the entrance!" The guard tensed up. Their queen was still asleep, and her safety was paramount. "Just one person?" "Yes, leader. We don''t know her strength. She didn''t attack us, but she sealed the entrance and is guarding it. She''s cutting off our escape and waiting for reinforcements!" The guard realized the gravity of the situation. If this was true, they were in serious trouble. The guard immediately roused all the able-bodied and combat-ready tiger beings, preparing to eliminate this threat. They couldn''t let anything happen to their queen. Leaving two Commanding level tiger beings to guard the queen''s chamber, the guard led over a hundred tiger beings up the slope to the entrance, where they saw Alex sitting, watching them warily. The guard''s eyes narrowed. She was indeed guarding the entrance, waiting for reinforcements! Alex saw the tiger beings and immediately identified the guard as their leader. She stood up, taking a step back, ready to flee at any moment. Without a word, the guard launched countless ice spikes at Alex. Alex sighed in relief, sensing the magic''s weak power. This meant the guard wasn''t a Monarch level. Since it wasn''t a Monarch level, there was nothing to fear. An ice wall rose before Alex, blocking the guard''s attack. The clash made the cave tremble slightly, worrying Alex about being discovered. The ice wall shattered, and the guard lunged with a slender ice spike. Alex grabbed it, her hand emitting heat, melting the spike. She kicked the guard back. "Can you understand me? I''m not here to cause trouble. I''m just seeking refuge. Don''t force my hand." If not for the fear of being discovered, Alex wouldn''t have bothered talking. She would have dealt with them already. The guard, hearing Alex''s words, signaled the others to stop attacking. The guard sensed Alex''s strength and knew they were no match for her. If they could talk it out, it would be best. Fighting would only result in many tiger beings dying, which the guard wanted to avoid. "Why seek refuge here? Can''t you find another place? This is our territory," the guard said, eyeing Alex. "Would you be able to choose your refuge if you were being hunted by a Monarch level? Besides, I cleared this cave initially. When did you outsiders from the snowy mountain come and claim it as your territory?" Alex hated negotiating with other species. Despite their intelligence and ability to speak, their logic often differed from humans. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The guard was speechless. Indeed, when they found the cave, it was empty, clearly cleared out. Its hidden location made it ideal, but Alex had found it, lending credibility to her claim. The guard picked up on a crucial detail: Alex was being hunted by a Monarch level, matching the intelligence they had received. The snowy mountain was indeed dangerous, and coming here had been a mistake. The guard feared their hiding place being discovered. With their queen still asleep, they dared not leave the cave, knowing little of the outside world for the past two days. "Is it a werewolf hunting you?" the guard asked, changing the subject. Alex froze. If the tiger being was right, the werewolf that killed her undead was indeed a Monarch level. "Not telling you." Alex tilted her head. Even if it was useless information, why give it away for free? ??? The guard was puzzled by the human''s strange way of speaking. "We could exchange information." Alex likely knew more than they did, better than risking sending out scouts who might get killed and increase their exposure. Alex looked at the thin tigers, almost certain they were starving. They seemed more like refugees. Considering they were an outsider race, Alex doubted they had much valuable information. She was most curious about why so many strong beings had gathered in the snowy mountain recently. Well, Alex''s curiosity got the better of her. She could ask why they were here. "Alright, I agree to exchange information." Through their exchange, Alex learned that the tiger beings were indeed refugees, just as she had suspected. They had fled to Frostwind snowy mountain because it was one of the few places suitable for their survival. As for why they were fleeing, the tiger being guard only mentioned racial conflicts and didn''t elaborate. Alex didn''t press for more details. It turned out that these unfortunate creatures had provoked the werewolves of Skyreach Mountains shortly after arriving in the snowy mountain. These were the same werewolves Alex had encountered deep in the snowy mountain. Now it all made sense to Alex. Tiger beings had inadvertently let an enemy escape, who had then returned with a Monarch level werewolf, searching for the tiger beings. Terrified, the tiger beings had hidden in this cave, surviving on the rotten meat Alex had discarded earlier, which explained their emaciated state. The snowy mountain already had scarce resources, further depleted by the undead, werewolves, and hobgoblins, all of whom needed food. This made the already resource-poor snowy mountain even more desolate, leaving the tiger beings struggling to find sustenance. "How pitiful. I didn''t expect you all to have such a tragic fate," Alex said, feigning sympathy. "Now, can you tell me about the situation outside the snowy mountain?" the tiger being guard asked, more concerned about the outside world. If possible, they wanted to leave the snowy mountain. Their queen''s slumber duration was unknown, and the guard couldn''t risk keeping her in such a dangerous place. "Emm... The one chasing me is a mage, probably from the human mage association, not a werewolf," Alex said, somewhat uncertain. She only knew the pursuer was a mage and human, nothing more. "Are you an extraterrestrial visitor?" the tiger being guard blurted out. Alex didn''t know how her identity had been exposed and immediately took a step back, eyeing the guard warily. "No need to be nervous. Given our current situation, extraterrestrial visitors are actually more trustworthy than other races," the guard said, noting Alex''s reaction and confirming her identity as an extraterrestrial visitor. This meant they didn''t have to worry about her posing a threat to their queen. "How did you guess?" Alex asked, lowering her guard slightly. "The human mage association is generally benevolent and aims to develop and strengthen the human race. They rarely attack other humans without reason, except for human traitors and extraterrestrial visitors. They even protect ordinary humans," the guard explained. The mage association''s core mission was well-known across the continent. Alex understood now. But the guard fell silent, realizing that the presence of humans, along with the werewolves of Skyreach Mountains, made the snowy mountain''s situation even more complicated. "Oh, by the way, hobgoblins have also come to the snowy mountain, led by a hobgoblin Shaman, likely a Monarch level," Alex added. The guard was disheartened. From Alex, they learned that the snowy mountain had been peaceful before their arrival. How unlucky could they be? The guard only hoped their queen would wake up soon. Once she absorbed the bloodline power, her strength would reach Monarch level, giving the Arctic Tigerfolk the ability to defend themselves in the snowy mountain. Not only were the tiger beings unlucky, but Alex also felt her luck had run out. She had planned to deal with Lucian, only to be chased by a mage and forced to seek refuge here. The worst part was that her griffin had been killed, leaving her without a mount and making escape from the snowy mountain much harder. Who knew if the mage was still waiting outside? "Oh, I have some food here. I''ll give it to you. I might need to stay here for a while," Alex said, realizing she had over a thousand portions of food in her space ring from Disassembling enemies in the Dark Forest. Yesterday''s events had left her so shaken that she hadn''t dealt with the items in her ring. These were normal beast drops, not from the disgusting spiders, whose Disassembled food she hadn''t even picked up. Seeing Alex produce food out of thin air, the tiger beings were stunned, their mouths watering uncontrollably. "Are you sure you want to give us this food?" the guard asked, incredulous. Food was their most pressing need. Alex nodded. With her confirmation, the tiger beings swarmed the food, tearing into it ravenously. The food was useless to Alex, but it could earn her the tiger beings'' goodwill. She needed to stay here for a while, and having them eyeing her hungrily wasn''t ideal. If they got desperate and tried to eat her, it would lead to a fight. Of course, the tiger beings didn''t know Alex didn''t need to eat and that the food was almost worthless to her. She carried it mainly for Chi-Chi''s beasts and Sophie''s dwarves. "Thank you for your generosity. You are our benefactor!" the guard said, not joining the others in eating but thanking Alex first. The guard saw that the food would last them three days, finally freeing them from the disgusting rotten meat. The guard had the food moved deeper into the cave and invited Alex to rest inside. Alex hesitated but agreed. She wasn''t afraid of a trap. Her strength was her greatest assurance, and she was somewhat familiar with the bunker. Unlike other intelligent species, tiger beings kept gratitude and grudges separate. Once they trusted someone, they wouldn''t easily betray them. Indeed, Alex followed the guard deeper into the bunker, finding that the remaining tiger beings were mostly old, sick, or injured, with little combat ability. The ones she had seen at the entrance were their entire fighting force. The tiger beings were all asleep. The guard woke them, distributing food and introducing Alex. They were all grateful to her. Alex sat aside, removing her hood, letting her white, beautiful hair cascade down. The guard stared at her, his expression one of shock. "Why are you staring at me?" Alex asked, puzzled. Chapter 133 - 133: Drastic change in the Snowy Mountains "It''s my mistake. Your appearance reminded me of our Arctic Tigerfolk queen," the tiger being guard said apologetically, though he wasn''t sure why it was considered a mistake. "Is your queen in that chamber?" Alex asked, having noticed something peculiar about it. The other tiger beings were casual, but that chamber was guarded, and all the tiger beings seemed to be subtly protecting it. "Yes, our queen is still asleep," the guard confirmed. "So, your queen looks a lot like me?" "Her hair is the same color as yours, white," the guard said, struggling with the human terminology for hair. At that moment, Alex felt the entire bunker begin to tremble slightly. The tiger beings continued eating happily, oblivious to the tremors. The guard stopped eating and looked at Alex, who had stood up. "Do you feel that?" "The ground is shaking, very slightly. Maybe something''s happening outside," Alex speculated, hoping the cave wouldn''t be discovered. Outside the frost cave, the entire Frostwind snowy mountain was experiencing slight tremors. At Lucian''s castle, Count Nocturne looked towards the snowy mountain. Even from there, he could feel the tremors. "Could the legends of Frostwind snowy mountain be true?" he wondered. The vague stories had led him here, but he had always been skeptical. With the mountain shaking, Nocturne couldn''t sit idly by. He led the vampires towards the snowy mountain, taking Lucian with them and leaving a few vampires to guard the castle. Inside the snowy mountain, the werewolves and hobgoblins also noticed the tremors. They observed that the entire mountain was shaking but didn''t know the cause. The human mages, all in black robes, stood silently on the highest peak of Frostwind snowy mountain, unmoving. The weather grew more ominous, the sky gray and the blizzard raging fiercely. Weaker races hid in their caves, trembling. Their instincts warned them of a great disaster in the snowy mountain. Inside the frost cave, Alex was unaware of the outside changes. The tremors continued. "The shaking seems stronger than before," Alex noted, wondering if two Monarch levels were fighting outside. She hoped one would kill the other. The tiger beings, now full, picked at their teeth, ignoring the tremors. ''No common sense. If this is an earthquake, you deserve to be buried,'' Alex thought, rolling her eyes. Suddenly, the chamber door was kicked open with a bang. The tiger being queen stormed out, furious. "Who is making all this noise?!" The queen''s anger was evident. Alex saw that, despite being a tiger being queen, she looked almost human. She had white hair like Alex, though it was messy. She was wearing a gothic-style princess dress, clearly a local fashion. The only difference was the pair of white, furry ears on her head. The tiger beings were delighted to see their queen awake. "Your Majesty, you''re awake," the guard and others greeted her. But the queen ignored them, her attention on Alex. "Wow, a human! I haven''t seen a human in months!" she exclaimed, ignoring the tiger beings and approaching Alex, inspecting her closely. "So pretty, and with white hair like mine. We must be fated," she said, sniffing Alex. "Uh... Your Majesty, she gave us food. She''s an extraterrestrial visitor," the guard explained, knowing their queen''s curiosity. "An extraterrestrial visitor? That''s so cool! What''s your name? I''m Ruby. Nice to meet you," Ruby said, her anger forgotten, smiling at Alex. Alex was surprised by the queen''s demeanor. Ruby was slightly shorter than Alex and seemed eager to make a good impression. "I''m Alex. Nice to meet you." "Alex, what a lovely name. These are my kin who have protected me. Thank you for helping them. You''re the best extraterrestrial visitor I''ve met," Ruby said, bowing to Alex. "It''s nothing, really. I just happened to be seeking refuge here," Alex replied, feeling a bit embarrassed by the bow. Ruby then turned to the guard, who had been waiting expectantly. But Ruby''s news disappointed him. She hadn''t broken through to Monarch level. The snowy mountain''s tremors had disturbed her, and she had sensed another energy that had forcibly awakened her. Alex remembered what the goblin and Ice Cream had mentioned. Could something in the snowy mountain be affecting her slumber? "Wait, haven''t you heard the legends of Frostwind snowy mountain?" Alex asked, realizing the tremors weren''t from a Monarch level fight. The ground was shaking more violently now, and Alex felt the tremors growing stronger. "What legends? Alex, do you know something? Tell us," Ruby asked, the tiger beings looking puzzled. "I don''t know the details, but there''s a legend that something is hidden in the snowy mountain, attracting all these forces. It might be what''s disturbing your sleep. Just a guess," Alex said. As she finished speaking, the ground shook violently. The bunker began to collapse, cracks forming everywhere. Alex and Ruby saw a blue orb floating in a crack caused by the tremors. The orb emitted a strong light, sending a blue beam into the sky, piercing the snowy mountain and shooting into the heavens. All the forces¡ªhumans, vampires, werewolves, hobgoblins¡ªsaw the beam and rushed towards it. The blue beam of light vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving a person-sized hole in the bunker ceiling that opened directly to the outside of the snowy mountain. Snowflakes and wind drifted in through the opening. "What is this thing?" the tiger being guard muttered, his gaze fixed on the object. The bunker hadn''t completely collapsed, but it was in ruins, a chaotic mess. "Damn it!" Alex realized the gravity of the situation. The commotion had undoubtedly attracted all the forces in the snowy mountain. "What are you standing around for? Run! At least three Monarch levels are heading this way!" she shouted, preparing to leave. She had no intention of staying to face certain death. Ruby, having heard Alex''s warning, quickly grasped the situation. The snowy mountain was teeming with forces, all likely drawn by this object. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex had no plans to take the object. Holding onto it would make her a target for all the Monarch levels. It was better to leave it and let it distract them, giving her an 80% chance of escaping. After all, they were all here for the object. They wouldn''t chase an escaping extraterrestrial visitor when the prize was right in front of them. Ruby glanced around, making a quick decision. "Hide here!" she ordered the other tiger beings. She knew leaving the object here would doom her kin. She grabbed the crystal from the crack and chased after Alex, intending to flee together and draw the Monarch levels away to protect her people. "Hey, don''t take that!" Alex saw Ruby with the object and shouted. "I can''t leave it here. My people will die," Ruby said firmly. Her kin had protected her all this way; she couldn''t let them die. Many of them were Standard level, unable to escape a Monarch level. "Let''s run together. We''ll have a better chance of surviving. Once we draw them away, we can ditch the object," Alex conceded. It was a plan. Together, they might stand a chance against a Monarch level. Alone, they were doomed. Alex quickly messaged Sophie, instructing her to gather all the undead outside Alex''s town territory and call Arthur to assist. She told the undead to wait between the territory and Frostwind snowy mountain. With so many Monarch levels, she wouldn''t risk exposing her castle''s location. "Let''s go," Alex said, and they ran towards the exit. The tiger beings began hiding in the more intact rooms of the bunker. Outside, the blizzard raged, the wind howled, and the sky was dark as night. The snowy mountain was riddled with massive cracks, as if struck by a natural disaster. Even the battle between the six-winged angel and the frost dragon hadn''t caused such destruction. "Which way?" Ruby asked Alex, unfamiliar with the snowy mountain. She didn''t even know where the cave was located. "East, outside the snowy mountain," Alex said, stepping into the snow. Ruby hesitated. "You''re just going to run?" "My mount was killed when I arrived," Alex explained. Suddenly, they both noticed a giant wolf figure ahead. So fast¡ªit was the Monarch level from Skyreach Mountains! The werewolf, closest to the location, had arrived first. The werewolf''s eyes locked onto the object in Ruby''s hand, filled with greed. Without a word, it attacked. Alex reacted first, grabbing Ruby''s shoulder and teleporting them away, dodging the werewolf''s strike. "Run!" Alex shouted, sprinting away. She didn''t use teleport again, as it had a five-second cooldown and couldn''t be used continuously. For a werewolf, a Monarch level known for physical prowess, the distance was nothing. In an instant, it was behind Alex and Ruby again. Alex hadn''t expected the werewolf to be so fast. With no time to dodge, she drew her scythe to block. Boom! Alex felt a tremendous force hit her, sending her flying into the snow. This werewolf was far stronger than the human empire knight Baldwin! The werewolf swiped at Ruby, who teleported away, landing beside Alex and helping her up. "Take this!" Ruby handed the object to Alex, transforming into a nearly ten-foot-long white tiger. "Get on!" Ruby''s voice was no longer that of a human girl but an ethereal, slightly distorted sound, though still recognizable. Alex climbed onto Ruby, thinking they couldn''t outrun the werewolf even in tiger form. To her surprise, Ruby took flight, narrowly avoiding the werewolf''s attack. "You can fly?" Alex was astonished. Ruby wasn''t even Monarch level, yet she could fly. "Of course, I''m the queen!" Ruby said, carrying Alex into the sky. The werewolf, unable to fly, transformed into a giant wolf and chased them on the ground. The giant wolf conjured numerous wolf shadows, launching them at Alex and Ruby. Though it couldn''t fly, it had ranged attacks. Ruby dodged in the air, relying on her ability to stay aloft. This state was draining her mental energy quickly. Alex, riding on Ruby''s back, didn''t have time to examine the object. She used Frost Magic to attack the giant wolf below. The werewolf was faster than them. They had to avoid getting too close to the mountain, as the werewolf could leap up and knock them down. Alex took the brunt of the werewolf''s attacks, preventing it from forcing Ruby into a bad position. The werewolf was growing desperate. It wasn''t worried about Alex and Ruby, but about the other Monarch levels arriving soon. If it couldn''t seize the object before they arrived, it would have to compete with them, increasing the pressure. Suddenly, several large wind blades attacked from the side. Alex turned to see the human mage who had chased her earlier. He had arrived too! The wind blades were too fast to dodge. Alex used Dark Barrier to envelop herself and Ruby. Chapter 134 - 134: Godhead The skill Dark Barrier was practically invincible, having never been broken before. However, its strength was tied to Alex''s mana. The stronger the attack it withstood, the more Mana Points it consumed. If the attack was too powerful, it would deplete Alex''s Mana Points, causing the Dark Barrier to shatter. In theory, as long as Alex had enough Mana Points, the Dark Barrier''s defense was unbeatable. Boom! Boom! Countless wind blades struck Alex''s barrier, producing loud crashes. The impact was so strong that it nearly knocked Alex and Ruby out of the sky. Fortunately, Ruby managed to stabilize herself. To withstand this attack, Alex had used up nearly half of her Mana Points. Although they weren''t knocked down, the situation was dire. With the mage able to fly, their aerial advantage was gone. The werewolf''s expression darkened, not expecting the human mage to interfere. The mage was equally surprised that his attacks had been thwarted by this extraterrestrial visitor girl. The hobgoblin Shaman arrived as well. The three Monarch levels, without acknowledging each other, all attacked Alex and Ruby. Alex''s heart sank. There was no way to escape the snowy mountain now. One Monarch level was already a life-and-death crisis; now there were two more. No, she couldn''t hold onto this thing any longer. Alex glanced at the three Monarch levels and, without hesitation, threw the object towards the werewolf. The werewolf was overjoyed, instantly transforming from a giant wolf to a werewolf, catching the object securely before running off. He wasn''t foolish. With the object in hand, he didn''t want to be attacked by both the human and the hobgoblin. Alex had counted on this. The werewolf couldn''t fly, and escaping two Monarch levels was nearly impossible. As expected, the hobgoblin and mage, seeing the werewolf with the object, immediately attacked him. Alex and Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, feeling temporarily safe. The mage and hobgoblin surrounded the werewolf, forcing him to stop, his eyes wary of the human mage and hobgoblin. "Bodhi Uss, that belongs to the human race. Hand it over, and I''ll pretend none of this happened," the mage said coldly, ignoring the hobgoblin. "Ridiculous. This thing has been dead for centuries, its bones gnawed clean by maggots, and you claim it belongs to the human race?" the werewolf retorted, then turned to the hobgoblin. "Snazzle, join me in killing him. Do you really think your hobgoblin kingdom can claim this? If you attack me today, Skyreach Mountains will destroy your kingdom tomorrow. Think carefully!" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Clap, clap¡ª Count Nocturne walked elegantly through the snow, followed by several vampires, including Lucian. "Typical werewolf, crude and disgusting," Nocturne sneered, clapping. "Snazzle, don''t listen to this filthy werewolf. Join us in killing him. If Skyreach Mountains dares trouble the hobgoblin kingdom, they can deal with my blood clan." "You''re courting death!" the werewolf roared, enraged. Seeing vampires made him furious. He lunged at Count Nocturne. The human mage and hobgoblin Shaman attacked simultaneously. The hobgoblin chose to offend the werewolf, showing the object''s allure. Meanwhile, Ruby reverted to human form, watching the Monarch levels fight from a snowy mountain with Alex. "Aren''t we running?" Ruby asked, thinking it was the perfect time to escape. Alex shook her head. When Alex had thrown the object, she had used the system to check its information. She could absorb it. "I know what that thing is," Alex said, noticing Lucian and the vampires below. So, Lucian had joined the vampires. "What is it?" Ruby asked, curious. "Do you know about Godheads?" Alex asked abruptly. "Yes, wait, are you saying that thing is a Godhead?!" Ruby was shocked, unable to believe it. She had heard of them but never seen one. "You know we extraterrestrial visitors have special abilities, right? I used mine to find out," Alex said, referring to the system, though explaining it would be complicated. "To ascend to godhood, one must ignite the divine fire and achieve a Godhead. Absorbing a Godhead skips the first two stages, becoming a pseudo-god. Pseudo-gods lack their own Godhead, their power between Sovereign level and true gods. Their strength is controversial; even several max-level Sovereign levels can kill a pseudo-god. Absorbing another''s Godhead also blocks the path to true godhood. So, no Sovereign level wants to absorb a Godhead," Ruby explained in one breath, leaving Alex stunned. "How do you know so much?" "My father told me," Ruby said, recalling her childhood memories of her father. "Is your father human?" Alex asked, knowing Ruby was a human-tiger hybrid, so one parent must be human. "Yes, a very powerful human, not a mage," Ruby said. "Is he a god?" "I don''t know. He left when I was very young, and there''s been no news since," Ruby said, looking dejected. It seemed her human habits were inherited from her father. Alex decided not to pry further. It was personal. She pondered Ruby''s words, guessing her father was at least Sovereign level if not a Divine. "Why don''t Sovereign levels want to absorb Godheads?" Alex asked, remembering Ice Cream saying it was hard for frost dragons to become gods, even needing the Frost Heart. Why wouldn''t other Sovereign levels absorb Godheads? "I don''t know. My father said to become a true god, you must rely on yourself. Only those who can never reach Sovereign level would choose a Godhead," Ruby said, recalling her father''s words. "I see," Alex said. Sovereign levels wouldn''t stoop to becoming pseudo-gods. So why did they want the Godhead? Maybe to absorb the divine power left by the previous god. "Do you understand? Any more questions?" "No," Alex said. This was a chance to become stronger, and she didn''t want to miss it. She decided to wait with Ruby on the snowy mountain for an opportunity. "You want that Godhead?" Ruby asked, seeing Alex nod. "If you ask nicely, I''ll help you." Alex ignored her, focusing on the battlefield below. "Hey, Alex, I''m talking to you!" "Quiet, someone''s coming." At that moment, a group of mages flew over, surrounding Alex and Ruby. Below, the werewolf was struggling against the three Monarch levels. His domain was being suppressed, and his body''s healing couldn''t keep up with the new wounds. Whether it was the hobgoblin, the human, or the vampire, they could all fly, putting the werewolf at a severe disadvantage. Seeing that he couldn''t run or fight effectively, the werewolf decided to mimic Alex''s earlier tactic. He threw the Godhead to the hobgoblin, who immediately found himself under attack from the mage and the vampires. The werewolf finally got a moment to breathe. The vampires clashed with the hobgoblins, while the mages turned their attention to Alex and Ruby. The four Monarch levels realized that trying to take the Godhead and escape was nearly impossible. They shifted their strategy, no longer aiming to retreat with the Godhead but to fight to the death. With the Godhead in the hobgoblin''s hands, the three Monarch levels attacked him, not just because of the Godhead but also because he was the weakest among them. The mage''s domain was a stormy field, filled with howling winds and a raging blizzard. As the mage chanted, countless magic circles appeared in the sky, unleashing fire, ice, rock, and wind magic at the hobgoblin Shaman. The mage attacked without hesitation, confident in the human race''s strength. He didn''t consider the other creatures a threat. The hobgoblin Shaman defended with a shamanic barrier and counterattacked with blue-flamed magic, clashing with the mage''s spells. The battlefield was a spectacle of colorful explosions. Count Nocturne drew his weapon, a slender sword. The hilt absorbed his blood, turning the blade from white to blood-red. Nocturne vanished, his sword piercing the hobgoblin Shaman''s barrier and body. He quickly retreated from the mage''s attack range. The hobgoblin Shaman, wounded, had his spells interrupted, and countless magical attacks struck him. The hobgoblin Shaman was knocked to the ground by the mage''s relentless magic. Nocturne and the werewolf stood by, waiting for the mage to finish him off. Severely injured, the hobgoblin Shaman threw the Godhead away. It rolled to the werewolf''s feet, who recoiled as if seeing a plague. Nocturne and the mage were also drawn to the Godhead. But this time, no one dared to pick it up. The Godhead lay quietly in the snow, surrounded by the four Monarch levels, who eyed each other warily. The mage began chanting again, and the werewolf and Nocturne attacked the hobgoblin Shaman once more. The hobgoblin Shaman, dragging his injured body, tried to flee. On the mountaintop, Alex and Ruby were fighting six mages. All were Commanding level, each mastering an elemental magic. Their coordination was impeccable, and their ability to fly made them agile. Alex couldn''t deal with them quickly. Without the ability to fly, Alex was at a disadvantage. The mages, being natural artillery, could unleash their full power from the air, bombarding Alex with spells. However, Alex was very agile and could teleport. Though she couldn''t kill the mages, they couldn''t defeat her either. It was a stalemate, with both sides draining each other''s mana. Ruby''s unpredictable attacks added to the mages'' difficulties. Alex used an ice wall to block the mages'' attacks and glanced at the battlefield below. She saw the Godhead lying in the snow, untouched, while the three Monarch levels attacked the hobgoblin. A perfect opportunity! "Ruby, get it over here," Alex whispered to Ruby, who nodded in understanding. The ice wall shattered under the fire mage''s assault. The ground rose, forming earthen walls to trap Alex and Ruby. Their feet were frozen by Frost Magic, and a lightning bolt and wind blades descended upon them. Alex and Ruby, both proficient in Frost Magic, easily broke free. Alex shot a pillar of fire into the sky, disrupting the mages'' lightning. By the time the lightning struck, they had already broken the stone walls and moved. At that moment, a massive figure finally arrived, and a breath of dragon scattered the mages'' formation. The mages turned to see a giant bone dragon, burning with blue ghostly flames. "Ruby, now!" Alex shouted. Ruby extended her hand, and the Godhead appeared in her grasp, its original place now occupied by a stone. With the prize in hand, Alex grabbed Ruby''s shoulder and teleported onto Arthur''s back. Arthur soared into the sky, the mages'' spells bouncing off his elemental immunity. His speed left the mages behind. Below, the three Monarch levels attacking the hobgoblin noticed a magical fluctuation. The mage turned to see the Godhead replaced by a stone. The mage saw the bone dragon in the distance and realized what had happened. "The Godhead has been taken by the extraterrestrial visitors!" he shouted, stopping his attack and leading the mages in pursuit. The Bodhi and Nocturne saw the mage stop and looked back, understanding immediately. "We''ve been tricked by two Commanding levels!" Chapter 135 - 135: The power of the Undead Army The hobgoblin Shaman watched the three Monarch levels retreating into the distance and breathed a sigh of relief. He completely abandoned any hope of seizing the Godhead, dragging his heavily injured body and leading the hobgoblins away. Initially, he had only harbored a glimmer of hope. Who would have thought that the snowy mountain not only truly had a Godhead but also caused such a massive commotion? This attracted the attention of all the Monarch levels, leaving the hobgoblin Shaman utterly hopeless. The hobgoblin Shaman and his hobgoblins staggered away, while Lucian and the vampires also flew off, following Count Nocturne. Lucian was curious to see how Alex dared to snatch the Godhead right under the noses of three Monarch levels. How could she, a mere Commanding level, possibly keep the Godhead? At this moment, Alex and Ruby were riding Arthur, flying as fast as they could out of the snowy mountain. Alex knew that no matter how fast Arthur flew, he couldn''t outrun the Monarch levels. Alex kept an eye on their rear and soon saw the human mage leading the other mages in pursuit. "This big fellow is your subject? So cool!" Ruby was still thrilled by the novelty of riding a bone dragon, something she had never seen before. "Of course. Be careful, they''re catching up," Alex said, glancing back with a serious expression. She had hoped to deceive them for a while, but they had discovered the Godhead immediately after she took it. Moreover, Alex couldn''t store the Godhead in her space ring; she had to hold it in her hand. If not for her mid-level Frost Magic resistance, she felt her hand would have been frostbitten by the Godhead. "Alex, I don''t think we can outrun them. They''re not fighting each other; they''re all chasing us!" Ruby looked back and saw not only the human mage but also the vampires and werewolves close behind. Ruby now understood why Alex hadn''t run earlier. It was all because of the Godhead. Wherever the Godhead was, it was the focal point. But now, it seemed they couldn''t escape. Unless they dealt with the Monarch levels, they wouldn''t stop pursuing. Alex''s heart was pounding. They were almost out of the snowy mountain. Once they were out, she would be safe. Her undead army was already waiting outside the snowy mountain. With over thirty thousand undead, Alex was confident that sheer numbers could overwhelm the Monarch levels. Fortunately, her undead had been concentrated at the castle, making it easy to mobilize them quickly. However, nearly ten thousand undead were still with Sophie and couldn''t be summoned immediately. But that wasn''t a big issue. Alex felt that thirty thousand should be enough. If not, an extra ten thousand wouldn''t make a difference. Sophie''s undead were mainly skeletons, specters, and gargoyles, with limited combat power. Alex had already messaged Sophie to send as many as possible. Soon, Arthur flew Alex and Ruby out of the snowy mountain, and the undead army came into view. Alex finally felt a bit relieved. "Alex, look at that! What is it?" Ruby exclaimed, seeing the dense mass of undead below, creatures she had never seen before. Whether it was the massive zombie titans, bird-like Destroyers, or the ghastly Ghouls, Ruby sensed no life from any of them. "Don''t worry, they''re all my subjects," Alex said with a smile, directing Arthur to land among the undead. Alex and Ruby landed at the rear of the undead army. Not far behind was Alex''s territory, but thanks to the Specter Chandelier''s effect, only Alex could see her castle. "Wow!" Ruby''s mouth hung open in disbelief. She seemed to understand why Alex dared to snatch the Godhead. Anyone with such an army would be confident enough to make a move. Surrounding Alex and Ruby were Commanding level undead, including Arthur, John, and Azure. All Commanding level undead, except those with Sophie, were present. Over a hundred Commanding level undead, including Ethereal Wraiths, Skeletal Demons, Death Warriors, Shadowghast Knights, gargoyles, ghost dragons, and bone dragons, representing nearly every race. "Honorable Queen, more undead are coming through the Portal of Transit from White Rock Mountains," Azure reported respectfully. Alex nodded, pleased with Sophie''s efficiency. Ruby, triggered by Azure''s words, stared at Alex. "You''re a queen too?!" "No way, there can only be one queen!" Ruby said loudly, baring her small fangs in displeasure. "It doesn''t matter. You''re the Arctic Tigerfolk Queen, and I''m the Undead Queen. No conflict," Alex said, rolling her eyes. At that moment, the human mage arrived, floating in the sky with the other mages, looking down at Alex and Ruby among the undead. The dense mass of undead made the mages'' eyes narrow. There were more undead here than on the entire continent of Eldoria, clearly the troops of the extraterrestrial visitor. "In less than a month, the extraterrestrial visitors have developed to this extent," the mage thought, realizing the threat they posed to all races on the continent. No wonder all races wanted to eliminate the extraterrestrial visitors. "Leader, what do we do?" a mage asked, shaken by the undead horde. As knowledgeable mages, they knew undead were immortal as long as their soul fire burned. To extinguish the soul fire, one needed soul and mind or holy magic. As elemental mages, they could only restrain the undead, not kill them. "Don''t get entangled with the undead. Seize the Godhead from the extraterrestrial visitor and retreat immediately," the mage ordered, diving towards Alex and Ruby. The Commanding level mages followed, covering their leader. Count Nocturne arrived slightly later, seeing the undead horde below. Without hesitation, he attacked. Commanding level vampires had soul attack capabilities, making the undead less of a problem for them. Lucian, knowing Alex best, was stunned by the sight of over thirty thousand undead. He couldn''t believe a Lord could achieve this in half a month. The vampires, led by Count Nocturne, attacked, while Lucian observed from the sky. The main force was the Monarch levels; his Commanding level wasn''t needed. Lucian wanted to see if Alex''s thirty thousand undead could really hold off two Monarch levels. No, three, as the werewolf had arrived. With Alex''s command, all airborne undead, including gargoyles, Destroyers, specters, bone dragons, and ghost dragons, took to the sky, attacking the mages and vampires. The ground undead surrounded Alex and Ruby, moving to engage the werewolf. The scene was chaotic, with undead fearlessly charging at their enemies. "Ruby, cover me. I''m going to absorb the Godhead''s energy," Alex said, planning to use the system to absorb the Godhead immediately. It would boost her strength, giving her an edge in the battle. After all, it was uncertain if the undead could defeat three Monarch levels with sheer numbers. "I''m a queen, not a bodyguard!" Ruby protested, though she was worried. If the undead couldn''t hold off the enemies, they were doomed. "Alright, my dear queen, please take care of me," Alex said, coaxing her. "That''s more like it. Leave it to me!" Ruby said confidently. Alex summoned four ice walls around herself, preparing to absorb the Godhead. She guessed it would either boost her abilities or give her experience points. If it gave experience points, she would level up. But there could be side effects, so she took precautions. Alex held the Godhead, looking at the blue-glowing orb. [Detected Frost Godhead. Do you want to extract and absorb its energy?] [Extracting the energy will greatly reduce the Godhead''s effect but won''t affect your path to divinity.] "Yes," Alex confirmed, and the Godhead''s blue glow vanished, absorbed into her body. The Godhead in her hand stopped emitting cold, becoming a transparent orb, like a glass ball. Alex felt her experience points break through a bottleneck, leveling up. She looked at the empty Godhead, wondering if the others would still want it. Meanwhile, notifications of undead being killed flooded Alex''s system. She ignored them. It would be absurd if a Monarch level couldn''t kill ordinary undead. Outside the ice walls, the three Monarch levels found the undead horde troublesome. The undead were too numerous. The mage and vampires tried to fly past, but countless gargoyles charged at them. The mage knew that the undead feared no death and were utterly loyal. Being already dead, they had nothing to lose. The mage tried to shatter the gargoyles with magic, but they absorbed the spells, unharmed. The mage realized the gargoyles'' unique trait. Unlike other undead, they could absorb magic. Seeing the gargoyles closing in, surrounded by specters and Destroyers, the mage stopped conserving mana. His wind domain swept the area, blowing the undead away. The mage chanted, releasing an invisible force. The specters were killed by his mind attack. As a Monarch level mage, he specialized in wind magic but knew other elements. Only mind magic could kill undead. Wind blades in his domain shredded the gargoyles, exceeding their absorption limit. Destroyers, however, remained unscathed, absorbing the wind blades. The mage was surprised, recognizing the creatures from his studies. "Destroyers!" the mage thought, knowing their abilities well. A wind shield formed around the mage, but explosions followed as the Destroyers released their stored energy. The mage aimed to kill Alex, knowing he couldn''t kill all the undead. But a spatial barrier from Arthur blocked his path, draining his life force. The mage chanted, preparing a soul attack, but a sudden force disrupted him. Arthur''s breath of dragon hit him, pushing him back. The mage, disheveled, saw his robe burning with blue flames, revealing his face¡ªa blond man. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He realized the specters'' coordinated soul attack had disrupted him, led by a special specter, Azure. Count Nocturne, wielding his slender sword, faced the undead horde. Limited to melee, he was at a disadvantage against the airborne undead. But with the mage and vampires'' help, the pressure was manageable. Nocturne''s speed allowed him to kill several specters with each strike. Unlike the mage''s active soul attacks, vampires and werewolves had innate soul attack abilities. However, they only had an overwhelming advantage against ordinary undead. Stronger undead posed a challenge. A vampire, about to strike a Death Warrior, was hit by a ghost dragon''s blue beam, disintegrating into black smoke. The ghost dragon''s beam, a powerful soul and physical attack, was something even Nocturne avoided. Chapter 136 - 136: Reaching Monarch level Count Nocturne moved swiftly and gracefully through the air, trying to get close to Alex. All the vampires were covering him. However, the necromancers and liches'' curses and withering skills were not to be underestimated. No matter how fast Count Nocturne was, these skills were unavoidable within their range. Although these skills didn''t cause significant damage to Count Nocturne, they greatly restricted his mobility. For an assassin who relied on speed, this was extremely frustrating. The most unfortunate was the Bodhi. His werewolf subordinates hadn''t arrived yet, leaving him to face countless undead alone. Skeletons were shattered one by one by the Bodhi, his claws tearing through zombies'' bodies, killing them. He deftly avoided the death conquerors'' charges. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even a Monarch level werewolf would get injured facing so many undead, but his powerful self-healing ability allowed him to instantly heal any wounds. He only needed to be wary of undead using mind attacks. The zombie titans were very noticeable among the undead army due to their massive size. Facing the giant fists of the zombie titans, Bodhi couldn''t dodge and had to take the hit head-on. The descending fists ignited in flames, the dried cracks on the zombie titans'' bodies glowing red and covered in magma. It was the zombie titans'' enhancement skill, Flame Body. Boom! Bodhi raised his claws to block the zombie titan''s punch. The immense strength caused the ground to crack and dust to rise. If the werewolf hadn''t been a race that fought by enhancing their bodies, this punch would have severely injured him. Even so, Bodhi''s arms were broken but healed instantly. Bodhi began to pay more attention to the zombie titans, avoiding their attacks to conserve his strength. John swung his sword at the Bodhi, who caught the blade and kicked John away. John cast his spell, a giant flaming skull falling from the sky towards the Bodhi. The werewolf transformed into a giant wolf, weaving through the undead army to avoid the attack. Bodhi grew increasingly furious, becoming more agitated. The three Monarch levels had been fighting for over ten minutes but hadn''t broken through the undead to reach Alex. They realized the severity of the situation; they could be worn down at this rate. They faced two choices: flee or continue fighting for the Godhead. The three Monarch levels hadn''t gone all out, saving their trump cards to use against each other after obtaining the Godhead. But now, surrounded by so many undead, they decided to stop holding back. ... Because Alex had absorbed the Godhead using a special method, she felt slightly uncomfortable but quickly adjusted and fully recovered. Ruby hadn''t issued a warning, indicating the Monarch levels were still being held off by the undead. Alex''s complexion returned to normal, and Ruby''s white, furry ears twitched. "Alex, are you okay? You seemed out of breath," Ruby asked, worried that something had gone wrong with Alex''s absorption of the Godhead''s energy. "I''m fine!" Alex quickly replied. Absorbing the Godhead''s energy had brought immense benefits. The system filtered out impurities, so although it seemed like Alex absorbed the entire Godhead, the utilization rate was low. The Godhead''s energy had dwindled over the centuries, forming the snowy mountain and then erupting. After filtering out impurities and divinity, the remaining energy was minimal. Alex melted the ice walls, reappearing in Ruby''s view. "Alex, I noticed something!" Ruby said, her keen observation skills picking up on the change. She could see that Alex''s strength had significantly increased. "What''s the situation?" Alex asked, looking at the aerial battle between the undead and the enemies. Ruby, still curious, sniffed Alex. "Did you break through to Monarch level?" Ruby asked, surprised. "You can smell that?" Alex asked, surprised. Absorbing the Godhead''s energy had allowed her to level up three times, which wasn''t surprising given the divine energy involved. Reaching Monarch level made Alex very happy, but she tried to remain composed in front of Ruby. Not only had her level increased, but every major breakthrough also enhanced her weapons. Absorbing the Frost Godhead had also advanced her Frost Magic to a higher level. There were many new abilities to explore, but Alex had no time to delve into them now. She quickly checked her system dashboard. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 Monarch level (can be increased by personal and troop kills)] [Territory Level: lv3 town] [Troops: undead race] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe, Ring of Space] [Health Points: 500] [Mana Points: 300] [Strength: 160] [Stamina: 145] [Agility: 150] "Of course!" Ruby said proudly, lifting her head. "So, can we take revenge on them now?" Ruby asked, looking at the three Monarch levels. The vampires were nearly all dead, two mages had fallen, and the others were heavily injured. Ruby thought it was time for revenge now that Alex had reached Monarch level. Alex looked at Lucian floating in the distance, thinking he was an easy target. Their goal was the Godhead. They wouldn''t leave without it, so the undead could keep fighting them as long as they didn''t break through the undead''s defenses. If they tried to flee, the undead couldn''t stop them, and Alex would have to intervene. She couldn''t let them escape like Baldwin did last time. Alex smiled wickedly at Lucian and the three Monarch levels. "No rush. Let them fight my subjects for a while. When have you ever seen a queen casually enter the fray?" "True," Ruby agreed, forgetting their earlier desperate escape. Even at Monarch level, Alex couldn''t take on three Monarch levels alone. With so many undead, she needed to wear down the three Monarch levels. Once they were exhausted and low on Mana Points, it would be Alex''s turn. Three Monarch level beings. If she killed them all and then summoned undead from their corpses, Alex had a feeling that if there were a precise power ranking, she would undoubtedly be at the top. Bodhi seemed to be getting desperate. Seeing Alex calmly observing from the rear only made him angrier. A giant wolf shadow appeared behind the Bodhi, blood-red and seemingly formed from his blood. He stopped dodging the undead''s attacks, charging through them with the wolf shadow''s support. Skeletons'' soul fires were extinguished upon impact, making it hard for the undead to get close. Count Nocturne wielded a blood-red whip, each strike carrying a soul attack, killing the surrounding undead and creating a clear area. The human mage retracted his domain, using fusion magic. He combined wind and mind magic, creating invisible wind blades imbued with mind damage. Every undead approaching him was killed by the wind blades. The undead feared no death but wouldn''t die needlessly, especially with Azure commanding them. The undead resorted to ranged attacks, but they were no match for the mage''s long-range capabilities. The undead could only drain the Monarch levels'' stamina and Mana Points. Inflicting real damage was nearly impossible. Even if they hit, it only made the Monarch levels look disheveled. A loud noise came from behind Alex, and she and Ruby turned to look. It was some of the undead Alex had previously sent to Sophie''s castle, mostly consisting of gargoyles and death conquerors. The White Rock Mountains had about ten thousand undead, but many were specters sent out for reconnaissance. The reinforcements numbered around five thousand. The three Monarch levels'' faces darkened. Despite the large number of undead, there were still reinforcements! How could an extraterrestrial visitor Lord have so many troops?! They couldn''t comprehend it. But that was the undead''s charm¡ªsheer numbers were their greatest advantage. Chapter 137 - 137: Death Domain "Wow, you really have a lot of subjects!" Ruby exclaimed with envy, imagining how amazing it would be to have so many subjects herself. Sophie had wanted to come over, but Alex had refused. Without any teleportation abilities, it would be suicide. Sophie was currently at the top of Alex''s castle, watching the battle through a reconnaissance telescope she had taken from the dwarves. Alex looked at the notifications of her undead being killed, feeling no emotional disturbance. Even if ten thousand undead died, it didn''t matter. As long as she could wear down and kill the three Monarch levels, it would be a huge win. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Almost simultaneously with the arrival of the undead reinforcements, the other Commanding level werewolves finally arrived and joined the battle. However, the Commanding level werewolves lacked soul attack capabilities, meaning they couldn''t kill the undead. Twenty Commanding level werewolves had no significant impact on the battle. Today''s battle gave Alex a clear understanding of her undead army''s combat power. This was the first time she had deployed nearly all her undead. The combat power of nearly forty thousand undead was indeed formidable. But these undead could only hold off three Monarch levels simultaneously. If it were just one Monarch level, the undead army could easily kill it. Two Monarch levels could be surrounded and worn down to death. However, if three Monarch levels decided to flee, the undead couldn''t stop them. It was fortunate that the hobgoblin Shaman hadn''t come. Otherwise, Alex''s undead army might have struggled. "Ah, I recognize that wolf! It was the one causing trouble when we first arrived. I was too weak to kill it then!" Ruby pointed out one of the werewolves she had encountered when she first came to the snowy mountain. "Huh?" Alex followed Ruby''s direction and saw a group of werewolves, but she couldn''t tell which one Ruby was referring to. "How can you tell? Don''t they all look the same?" "Of course not! That werewolf has a big mouth, that one has a small nose, and that one has a scar on its face. Are all humans face-blind?" Ruby analyzed the werewolves'' appearances, but Alex wasn''t interested in listening. She pulled up her system dashboard to check her new abilities and enhancements. The system dashboard was invisible to the native races of this world. Only Lords and their troops could see it. So Ruby only saw Alex''s hands moving in the air, not knowing what she was doing. Alex was reviewing the abilities and enhancements she gained from reaching Monarch level, familiarizing herself with them. She needed to be prepared for the battle, knowing her capabilities. Alex''s magic now included seven types: alchemy, curse, plague, dark, summoning, fire, and frost. The last two were learned later, while the first five, except dark magic, had all been upgraded to mid-level. Dark magic had been mid-level due to a previous draw, but it hadn''t upgraded to high-level with this advancement, which slightly disappointed Alex. Although dark magic hadn''t reached high-level, she felt it had been subtly strengthened. She would need to test it in battle to understand the changes. Frost Magic had advanced to high-level due to the Godhead''s power, while the other magics remained at mid-level. Alex''s domain was named Death Domain, encompassing all undead traits like decay, withering, and death. It also integrated her five main magics, greatly enhancing her combat power within the domain. Her right eye''s ability to enhance magic meant her fire and frost pseudo-domains had become true domains, with the frost domain being stronger due to its high-level status. Reaching Monarch level, Alex instantly had three domains, which was extraordinary. However, her left eye lacked the right eye''s ability, so dark magic and other magics couldn''t form separate domains. Her Death Domain was a combination of these magics. Alex''s weapon had also been enhanced. Previously, her weapon''s tier had always been higher than her level, but this time it hadn''t advanced. Even so, it had still been significantly strengthened. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: Monarch level weapon (upgradable)] [Soul Concentration: 15%] [Active Skill: Five types of undead magic.] [Passive Skill 1: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects; victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.] [Passive Skill 2: The weapon can be enchanted with magic without chanting or forming magic circles.] [Passive Skill 3: The bell''s soul strike range and damage are increased.] In simple terms, the scythe''s bell now had a larger influence range and could be enchanted with five types of magic, enhancing Alex''s combat power. Alex was no longer worried. With Monarch level strength, she wasn''t afraid of them. Once the undead had worn down the three Monarch levels, Alex would step in to finish them off. In the sky, Lucian continued to observe the battle, amazed by the different races'' Monarch level strengths. He was also shocked by the full strength of the undead Lord, Alex. He hadn''t expected her to hold off three Monarch levels with her troops. Lucian regretted not having such power. If he did, he wouldn''t have been forced to submit to the vampires. He had considered rebelling, but his blood had already been taken. Even if he resisted now, it was futile. The system was deliberately targeting Traitors like him, leaving them no options. Lucian watched the two white figures in the distance, wondering why Alex was so confident. Even if her troops could hold off the Monarch levels, killing them seemed impossible. The Monarch levels were getting closer to Alex. Why wasn''t she running? Alex was also observing the three Monarch levels. The werewolf was unstoppable, but as he advanced, more undead surrounded him. Despite getting closer to Alex, he was increasingly entangled. Bodhi was the least concerning. Alex could wear him down with her troops. Most of the undead were ground forces, surrounding a single Monarch level. Since Bodhi couldn''t fly, he had no escape. Alex''s main targets were the vampire and the human mage. Bodhi didn''t realize his life was ticking away. He kept trying to approach Alex but failed, surrounded by too many undead, including thirty to forty Commanding levels. Under John''s command, the undead coordinated to block Bodhi, giving him no chance to break through. Bodhi''s wolf shadow sprayed blood, forming giant wolves that attacked the undead. He leaped towards Alex, only to be intercepted by a zombie titan''s punch, forcing him back into the undead horde. A Black Warrior slashed deep wounds into him, and death conquerors and bone beasts swarmed him. Without life, Bodhi''s bloodlust ability was useless, leaving him constantly drained and unable to recover or enter a berserk state. Fifteen thousand undead surrounded Bodhi, with Alex and Ruby nearby but out of reach. Just at this moment, a human mage was knocked down by the undead, severely injured. Bodhi saw an opportunity and pounced, killing the mage and absorbing his blood, transforming him into a dried corpse. Bodhi''s muscles bulged, his eyes turned blood-red, and a violent aura surrounded him. Bodhi''s attributes were enhanced, his body restored, and his wolf shadow grew brighter. Alex was stunned. Was that even possible? Clearly, Monarch levels were never simple. Even the seemingly easiest to kill, Bodhi, would require a significant effort from the undead. In less than ten minutes, Bodhi could reach Alex. She placed her left hand on her right wrist, ready to act. "Ruby, hide behind me," Alex warned. Ruby reluctantly retreated. Alex ignored the empty Godhead shell, burying it in the ground. She didn''t want the enemies to realize it was useless and leave. None of the enemies could escape this time. In the sky, Count Nocturne was hit by a ghost dragon''s beam, transforming into a swarm of bats that flew towards Alex. The ghost dragon, bone dragon, liches, and necromancers attacked the bats, but one bat broke through and reached Alex. Count Nocturne had planned to use this move to ambush the other Monarch levels, but with the werewolf and mage unable to break through the undead, he couldn''t wait any longer. The bat transformed into Count Nocturne, who lunged at Alex with his clawed hand, aiming for her heart. Confident in his speed and surprise attack, Count Nocturne believed a Commanding level couldn''t react in time. But Alex had been watching the bat. She summoned her scythe, severing Count Nocturne''s arm and counterattacking. Count Nocturne, shocked, transformed into bats and retreated, reforming in the distance. Alex''s attack had only killed a few bats. Count Nocturne hadn''t expected his ambush to fail. His severed arm burned with black flames, preventing immediate healing. He needed to end this quickly or be overwhelmed by the undead. He also needed to retrieve his arm. Count Nocturne, not used to wielding a sword with his left hand, drew his blood whip and lashed at Alex. Chapter 138 - 138: Frost receding and darkness spreading At the moment Count Nocturne launched his attack, Alex''s arm was covered in a layer of ice crystals. She boldly grabbed Count Nocturne''s blood whip. As soon as she grasped the blood whip, frost began to spread rapidly from Alex''s hand towards Count Nocturne at the other end. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The blood whip sprouted countless blood spikes, piercing through the frost. The spikes then transformed into several tendrils, flying towards Alex. Alex used Dark Barrier to block all of Count Nocturne''s attacks. She glanced at her Mana Points, noting that she had only used about ten points. If she were still at Commanding level, Count Nocturne''s attack would have cost her at least half her Mana Points. One tendril from the blood whip didn''t attack Alex but extended to the ground, retrieving Count Nocturne''s severed arm. Count Nocturne reattached his arm and flexed his shoulder. Count Nocturne had never encountered Alex before; this was their first battle. He realized this girl was quite strong. He had been disarmed by a Commanding level. Could she be a lv9 Commanding? The blood whip melted into a pool of blood and disappeared. Count Nocturne drew his slender sword again and launched an aerial assault on Alex. Several ice dragons surged around Alex, seemingly alive. They flew towards Count Nocturne, who used his speed to dodge and occasionally shattered an ice dragon. But the ice dragons seemed endless, with new ones forming around Alex and attacking continuously. The mage, besieged by undead, glanced at the battle between Alex and Count Nocturne, surprised. He recognized that Alex''s Frost Magic had reached a high level. A massive tornado formed around the mage, with winds swirling violently. The mage''s figure became transparent and then vanished, transforming into wind and flying towards Alex. The mage''s figure suddenly appeared beside Alex, chanting rapidly. In an instant, a massive wind blade formed in his hand. Wind blades were usually invisible, but under the mage''s enhancement, Alex could see the air distorting around it. She knew her Frost Magic alone couldn''t block the mage''s enhanced wind blade. The surrounding ice dragons were instantly sliced apart by the wind blade, their surfaces smooth as mirrors. Count Nocturne shattered the last ice dragon and looked towards where Alex had been. But Alex had already teleported away. The ground around them froze instantly, and a blizzard began to fall from the sky, the temperature plummeting to snowy mountain levels. "Domain," the mage muttered. This wasn''t a pseudo-domain but a genuine Monarch level domain. This meant the extraterrestrial visitor had reached Monarch level! The mage was puzzled. If she had been Monarch level, why had she run from him earlier? This was bad. He had used too many Mana Points while being entangled with the undead. Count Nocturne had also expended too much energy earlier. They looked at the werewolf below, who was still rampaging. It seemed relying on him was futile. The ice on the ground began to form Alex''s figure. The mage sent a wind blade to shatter the ice. But Alex suddenly appeared beside him, scythe in hand, slashing at him. The mage quickly conjured a magical barrier to block the attack. The moment the scythe touched the barrier, it ignited with black flames, shattering the barrier instantly. The mage was shocked and hastily formed an earth magic circle to defend himself. No matter how powerful a mage was, being close to an enemy was always a disadvantage. Fortunately, Count Nocturne''s backstab arrived just in time, forcing Alex to dissolve into snowflakes and disappear. "She could appear in any snowflake," the mage warned Count Nocturne, then released his wind domain, blowing away all the snowflakes to prevent Alex from ambushing them. The wind raged within Alex''s frost domain, creating an even more intense blizzard. But Alex wasn''t limited to appearing in snow and ice. She reappeared in front of Count Nocturne, then teleported again, making him prepare to counter. Instead, Alex appeared beside the mage, attacking him again. The scythe, burning with black flames, easily tore through the wind blades and the mage''s barrier. The mage, knowing Alex could teleport, had prepared defenses. He could withstand the scythe''s soul attack thanks to a crystal necklace designed to resist such attacks. But as the mage tried to escape, he suddenly started bleeding from his nose, coughing violently, and lost feeling in his hands. Alex had anticipated the mage''s resistance to soul attacks and had prepared accordingly. Her undead had tested the enemies'' abilities, while the enemies knew little about her. The mage gritted his teeth and teleported out of Alex''s domain. Alex hadn''t expected him to have another trick up his sleeve, and her attack missed again. The mage chanted a purification spell to remove the curse from his body, then began healing himself. "Dark magic!" the mage muttered, his face grim. This magic could destroy everything, and its black flames were considered ominous. It had been lost for centuries. The mage knew dark magic was lost because it was too powerful, capable of destroying all elements, making it the bane of mages. The Archmages of the past had ensured it wouldn''t be passed down. Every child in the mage association knew that magic wasn''t inherently good or evil; it depended on the user. The mage also recognized plague and curse magics, which were nearly impossible to defend against. He couldn''t let Alex get close again; his life-saving measures were limited. Count Nocturne was also affected by plague magic, but his powerful self-healing ability allowed him to ignore most of its effects. Alex realized the mage was very weak in close combat. If she got close again, he would be dead. The vampire and mage floated in the sky, watching Alex below. The werewolf broke through the undead horde and reached Alex. For a moment, the three Monarch levels surrounded Alex from above and below. The undead army surrounded the three Monarch levels, creating a reverse encirclement. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, the frost receding and darkness spreading. "Come on!" Chapter 139 - 139: Death Domain The ground around Alex turned a desolate gray, vegetation withered, stones crumbled into dust, and the air filled with a dry, metallic scent. In areas shrouded by darkness, objects that couldn''t be corroded ignited with black flames. Within Alex''s domain stood a dead tree. Instead of burning, it underwent a transformation. The tree was imbued with a soul, its branches twisted, roots pulled from the ground, and a ghostly face formed on its trunk, eerie and sinister. This was a new undead, transformed by Alex''s domain, which combined all her undead magics¡ªcurse, plague, dark, summoning, and alchemy. The Death Domain repelled all living things, resembling a hellish landscape. Count Nocturne and the werewolf were within Alex''s Death Domain, feeling their healing abilities significantly reduced. The mage, at a distance, was horrified by Alex''s domain. This was unlike anything recorded in the association''s magic books, utterly bewildering. Lucian, further away, was stunned. He had initially thought Alex''s ability to fight Monarch levels was a fluke. But when she released her domain, he realized she had somehow ascended to Monarch level. The Death Domain consumed Mana Points at nearly twice the rate of the Frost Domain, so Alex needed to end this quickly. Surrounded by dense dark elements, Alex merely glanced at Count Nocturne, and he was instantly engulfed in black flames. Count Nocturne transformed into countless bats, but Alex''s dark elements formed thousands of arrows, piercing every bat. Count Nocturne reformed into a massive red shadow, covered in blood, transforming into a creature made entirely of blood. He lunged at Alex, while the werewolf controlled his wolf shadow to strike at her as well. Alex vanished, reappearing in mid-air to confront Count Nocturne, avoiding simultaneous attacks from the werewolf and the vampire. With one slash, Alex tore Count Nocturne''s form apart. His body split into blood, attempting to envelop Alex in mid-air. But countless black flame spikes erupted outward, breaking through Count Nocturne''s defense, corroding his blood and emitting white smoke. The blood reformed into Count Nocturne''s shape at a distance, looking weak and bleeding from the mouth. Dark magic could completely corrode his blood; he was no match for Alex. Alex landed, and countless undead swarmed the werewolf, preventing him from attacking her. As time passed, the werewolf''s bloodlust would fade, leading to his demise. Her undead army was fully capable of killing him, so Alex didn''t focus on him. The vampire and mage, who could fly, were the most likely to escape. The werewolf was already sentenced to death. Alex noticed that the werewolf and vampire lacked domains, or their domains differed from other Monarch levels. Their domains seemed to be enhancement types, unable to project outward, making them vulnerable to Alex''s domain. The mage''s wind domain clashed with Alex''s Death Domain. Dark magic burned away other elemental forces, making the mage''s domain no match for Alex''s, slowly being eroded. However, the mage''s immediate surroundings were within his domain, protecting him from Alex''s plague and curse magics. The mage was frustrated that his elemental attacks couldn''t even reach Alex, dissipating before hitting her. Count Nocturne was severely injured, the mage couldn''t exert his full power, and the werewolf couldn''t touch Alex. They had been fighting since the snowy mountain, worn down by the undead. Facing Alex, they couldn''t use their full strength. They were trapped, unable to advance or retreat. Advancing meant facing Alex, retreating meant being surrounded by undead. The mage didn''t hesitate, turning to flee. He valued his life over the Godhead. Count Nocturne saw the mage fleeing and chose to escape as well. Even if they obtained the Godhead, surviving to take it back seemed impossible. As for the werewolf, he was left to his fate. "Stop them!" Alex commanded, and the undead attacked the vampire and mage. Alex vanished, reappearing near the mage instead of the closer vampire. She had two reasons: the mage association was a powerful force, and mages were easier to kill. Alex teleported, closing most of the distance. A black vortex appeared before the mage, forcing him to change direction. In that moment, Alex teleported again, appearing beside him. Enhanced dark magic shortened teleport intervals, extended distances, and reduced mana consumption, making it a comprehensive upgrade. The mage conjured a lava wind blade with his left hand and an ice wind blade with his right, hurling them at Alex. He didn''t expect the wind blades to harm Alex, just to knock her back and buy time to escape. Alex shattered the wind blades with her scythe, the wind blowing her hair. Her left eye glowed as she stared at the mage. Alex floated in the air, not falling. The mage panicked. She could fly! Alex had planned to hide this ability, using it to severely injure or kill one of them. But with the Monarch levels fleeing, she had to act. The mage transformed into wind, distancing himself from Alex. A highly compressed wind blade formed before him. The massive wind blade sliced through the air, heading for Alex. Gargoyles, Destroyers, and bone dragons were cut in half, falling to the ground. Alex raised her left hand, summoning Dark Barrier. She also cast a soul curse on the mage. The wind blade struck Dark Barrier, depleting a hundred Mana Points, but Alex remained unharmed. The mage''s head emitted black smoke, blood streaming from his eyes, nose, and mouth. He fell, his wind domain dissipating. Alex ignored the mage, knowing from her system dashboard if he was dead. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv1 Monarch level mage association mage, gaining 300 experience points.] Alex turned to Count Nocturne, who was severely injured and entangled by undead, unable to escape. Count Nocturne''s bat transformation consumed blood, weakening him with each use. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Each transformation resulted in many bats being killed, significantly affecting him. In his current state, another transformation would be fatal, even without Alex''s intervention. Count Nocturne saw Alex approaching after killing the mage. Panicking, he transformed into bats again, trying to flee. But Alex''s teleportation was swift, and her Death Domain enveloped the bats. The bats ignited, turning to ash. Count Nocturne reverted to human form, looking old and frail, his skin wrinkled and covered in black spots, his self-healing greatly diminished, and his body rotting from plague magic. "Blood, I need blood!" Count Nocturne raved. Alex approached and sliced him in half, dark magic corroding his body and soul, killing him. Alex extinguished the flames on Count Nocturne''s corpse, preserving it. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv1 blood clan vampire count, gaining 300 experience points.] Chapter 140 - 140: Three Monarch-level undead "This can''t be happening!" Lucian, watching from a distance, was in utter disbelief as he witnessed Alex kill two Monarch levels. Seeing Count Nocturne fall, Lucian didn''t hesitate to flee. He hadn''t dared to run while Count Nocturne was alive, but now he had no such reservations. Alex noticed Lucian''s escape but didn''t pursue him. They were too far apart, and maintaining the Death Domain was already consuming a significant amount of her Mana Points. Alex''s flying skills were still unrefined, relying mostly on floating and teleporting for movement. Lucian''s castle wasn''t going anywhere. Alex needed to handle the immediate situation and get accustomed to her new abilities first. She retracted her domain and slowly descended to the ground. She walked over to where she had buried the Godhead, kicked away the dirt, and retrieved it. Ruby ran over as soon as she saw Alex had dealt with her opponents. "That was so cool, Alex! But your domain looks a bit... evil." "Undead are inherently dead things. Domain isn''t inherently good or evil; it depends on the user," Alex replied, her gaze shifting to the battlefield where her undead were fighting the werewolf. The werewolf''s bloodlust had faded, and he was visibly exhausted. Alex had no intention of personally dealing with the werewolf. The undead could handle it; he wasn''t going anywhere. Ruby listened to Alex and seemed to understand a bit. Her own abilities were inherited from the Arctic Tigerfolk, so it made sense that Alex, as the Undead Queen, would have undead abilities. When Alex killed the two Monarch levels, her Death Domain automatically began summoning, but even after five minutes, the process wasn''t complete. Alex''s mid-level Undead Summoning Magic allowed her to choose what to summon, unlike before when it was random. She decided to summon a necromancer and a lich from the two Monarch level corpses. They were small, mobile, and powerful, making them the best choices. Alex finally understood the magic grading system. She had been confused about the difference between third-tier and mid-level. Now she knew that the most basic magic had nine tiers, followed by mid-level, high-level, and forbidden spells. Thinking back, Alex realized she had been lucky to get a mid-level fire magic book directly. Each tier from one to nine essentially granted one skill, which was considered basic. "Now you don''t have to worry about the dangers of the snowy mountain, but be cautious. " Alex warned Ruby. With the Godhead now out in the open, the snowy mountain was in chaos and would no longer be considered a forbidden area. But just as the mage had threatened before, no one could guarantee that if you beat the small ones, the big ones might not come. "Don''t worry. Once I get back, I''ll sleep and ascend to Monarch level. Then I''ll be the boss of the snowy mountain!" Ruby said confidently, hands on her hips. Alex checked the system time. It had been fifteen minutes since the mage died. Finally, a necromancer appeared over the mage''s corpse. Alex couldn''t understand why summoning a Monarch level took so long. "Kill him," Alex ordered the necromancer. The werewolf was already on the brink of death, and with a Monarch level necromancer joining the battle, his fate was sealed. "Is this how you get so many undead?!" Ruby asked, suddenly envious of the extraterrestrial visitors. No wonder Alex took such risks; the rewards were incredibly tempting. "Of course," Alex replied, checking her system dashboard. The Monarch level necromancer had mid-level Bone Magic and ninth-tier summoning magic, making him very powerful. The necromancer waved his staff, and countless bone spikes erupted around the werewolf, piercing and immobilizing him. The werewolf howled in agony. His bloodlust had faded, and his wolf shadow was dissipating. Weak and bound by the necromancer, he was doomed. "You''ll face the retribution of Skyreach Mountains, and you''ll regret your foolish actions today!" the werewolf snarled, trying to turn his head to glare at Alex. Alex wasn''t afraid. All the werewolves were dead, leaving no witnesses. After summoning and disassembling the bodies, she''d burn everything, leaving no trace for Skyreach Mountains to find. Ignoring the werewolf''s threats, Alex didn''t bother responding. Who argues with a dying werewolf? S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The necromancer''s Bone Magic drained the werewolf''s blood and dismembered him, ending his life. Alex cast a summoning spell on the werewolf''s corpse and left it to the undead, then began cleaning up the battlefield. She had considered summoning other Monarch levels but decided against it. Bone dragons, ghost dragons, and zombie titans were too large. Alex wanted undead that could pass through the Portal of Transit, which would be useful in the war against the dwarves. Necromancers were essential for raising armies, so she decided to summon another necromancer from the last Monarch level corpse. Three Monarch level corpses yielded two necromancers and one lich. ... "Do you want this food?" Alex asked Ruby, offering the elite food dropped from the disassembled werewolf and vampire corpses. "No, thanks. Now that it''s safe, they can find their own food," Ruby declined. Since Ruby didn''t want it, Alex stored the food. Ruby found Alex''s ability to disassemble corpses into food fascinating. She only saw Alex point at the air, and the corpses turned into food. The abilities of extraterrestrial visitors were indeed strange. With three new Monarch level undead, Alex didn''t need to personally hunt for points. She instructed the three Monarch level undead to head to Lucian''s castle. "Go take him out." "Yes, honorable Queen," the necromancers and lich replied, flying towards the snowy mountain. Alex knew she needed to act quickly before Samson and the others claimed Lucian''s head. Surveying the battlefield littered with bones and undead corpses, Alex estimated that nearly three thousand undead had died in the battle. But gaining three Monarch level undead was a huge win. With the snowy mountain no longer dangerous, it would become Alex''s backyard. The undead could now develop without hiding in the castle. Alex disassembled the three Monarch level corpses, finding only magic crystals and Essence Shards. However, the vampire dropped his slender sword, a Monarch level weapon that required blood to use, clearly designed for vampires. This was Alex''s first Monarch level weapon, excluding her scythe. The trading post had no records of Monarch level weapons, so Alex priced it at ten thousand magic crystals and listed it. Standing in the center of the battlefield, Alex ignited black flames, burning the bloodstains and undead corpses to ashes. Satisfied that no traces remained, Alex turned to the undead tree affected by her domain. The system identified it as a Ghostface Tree, with a Commanding level cap, slow movement, and the ability to disguise as a dead tree, attacking only when enemies approached. It was similar to gargoyles but weaker. With everything settled, Alex prepared to return to the castle. She looked at the Godhead in her hand, deciding to keep it for future use. "Alex, are you leaving?" Ruby asked as Alex approached. "Yeah, I can''t stay here forever. My castle is just ahead. Want to come see it?" Ruby hesitated, clearly curious about the outside world but ultimately decided against it. "No, I need to take care of my people and find a place to sleep." Ruby felt unbalanced seeing Alex ascend to Monarch level. She knew she could grow stronger by sleeping, but she had fallen behind. "Alright. The area is full of undead. If you need to find me, just ask one of them. I still owe you a big thanks for your help." Without Ruby''s space magic to steal the Godhead, Alex might have given up. Running into three Monarch levels was nearly suicidal. "No need to thank me. It was nothing. I know you extraterrestrial visitors live in those big castles." Ruby looked towards the Dark Forest, seeing only flat land. "Stop looking. My castle has special concealment. You can''t see it." At the top of Alex''s castle, Sophie had watched the entire battle. Her expressions ranged from fear to worry, joy, and shock in just twenty minutes. When Alex urgently called for all the undead, Sophie knew it was serious. She had seen Alex go out often but never in such an emergency. Thankfully, the crisis was over, and Alex''s strength had grown significantly. The sight of three Monarch levels fighting thirty thousand undead was still etched in Sophie''s mind. She realized Alex had over a hundred Commanding level troops, while she was only a lv9 Standard. As the undead returned, Sophie went to the castle grounds. Alex and Ruby were saying their goodbyes. "I''m leaving," Ruby waved to Alex, then remembered something. "Alex, we''re friends now, right?" "Yes," Alex nodded. Ruby smiled, showing her small fangs. She had made her first friend. "Can humans tell extraterrestrial visitors apart?" Ruby was curious about human society. Alex was the first extraterrestrial visitor she had met. Alex thought for a moment. Without revealing abilities and ignoring cultural differences, extraterrestrial visitors and native humans were indistinguishable. "Just by appearance, if you change clothes, they can''t tell." Lords wore modern clothes, different from the native Gothic style. "Then take me to human society sometime." "Sure." Ruby transformed into a white tiger and flew towards the snowy mountain. Alex led her undead back to the castle. Having ascended to Monarch level, Alex no longer feared the Silverbeard Clan dwarves. She planned to send an army of ten thousand undead, five thousand air units, and five thousand death conquerors. Necromancers were essential, so once the three undead killed Lucian, she''d send a Monarch level necromancer. Alex tested her abilities, now able to fly freely using dark elements, similar to teleportation. Flying consumed Mana Points, but it felt great. "Flying feels amazing!" Alex finally had the flying ability she had longed for. Though she flew slowly without the Death Domain''s boost, she was content. She still had teleportation. Meanwhile, the three Monarch level undead flew out of the snowy mountain, spotting Lucian''s castle. Floating in the air, one necromancer rasped, "This must be the place the Queen mentioned." Chapter 141 - 141: The demise of Lucian To maximize the combat effectiveness of his troops, Samson had brought them to the snowy mountain, coincidentally experiencing the mountain''s upheaval. Samson didn''t know why the snowy mountain was shaking; he only saw a blue beam of light shoot into the sky and then disappear. Realizing something was wrong, Samson decided to retreat, informing the other Alliance members along the way. While on the edge of the snowy mountain, Samson saw three undead flying towards Lucian''s castle. He knew Alex''s humanoid undead were intelligent. "Could this undead Lord have some connection with these Traitors?" If they hadn''t been worried about the Starfallen Empire''s army, they would have gone to kill Lucian as soon as the leaderboard was announced. Samson found a vantage point on the snowy mountain where he could see Lucian''s castle from a distance. He wanted to observe any activity there, knowing that as a Traitor, Lucian''s castle would likely have local forces present. Three undead alone couldn''t possibly be there to kill Lucian. Samson checked the leaderboard again, confirming Alex''s name was still green, which reassured him. If Alex had become a Traitor, they would be in serious trouble. But soon, Samson saw the three undead attacking Lucian''s castle from the air. He couldn''t believe it. Did they really think three undead could kill Lucian? The vampire headquarters was far from the snowy mountain, and the scattered vampire outposts only had Commanding level vampires. Commanding level vampires couldn''t withstand Monarch level undead. However, only Count Nocturne''s group knew about Lucian''s submission to the vampires. Even though they had sent Lucian''s blood back to the headquarters, reinforcements wouldn''t arrive in time to provide support. Lucian was isolated, relying only on the two lv9 Commanding level vampires left by Count Nocturne and his own troops. Lucian hadn''t expected Alex to send only three undead, without any additional troops, and certainly not three Monarch levels. The presence of three Monarch levels was overwhelming. Lucian had no choice but to fight to the death. All the vampires took to the sky, a thousand strong with ten Commanding levels, swarming the three undead. Lucian could only hope that the undead summoned from Monarch level corpses were weaker than true Monarch levels. After all, he had seen Alex''s thirty thousand undead and over a hundred Commanding levels fail to kill three Monarch levels. The necromancer released his domain, and countless bones erupted from the vampires'' bodies, draining their blood. A thousand vampires weren''t enough to handle one Monarch level, let alone three. The necromancer''s Bones Domain instantly killed all the Standard vampires around him. The slain vampires transformed into various undead, attacking the remaining vampires. Lucian''s scalp tingled. This Monarch level couldn''t be defeated by sheer numbers. The more troops he had, the more undead the enemy could summon. Thinking quickly, Lucian realized that these undead were essentially mages, meaning they had fragile bodies. If he could get close, he might be able to kill them. Vampire blood could kill undead, so Lucian ordered all Commanding level vampires to attack the necromancer. They needed to focus on one target to have any chance of victory. The vampires used their speed to dodge the bone attacks, trying to get close to the necromancer. But they overlooked the lich. Although also a mage, liches had some close combat abilities. Liches could reach Emperor level, while necromancers capped at King level. The lich used ice magic, but his domain was the Skeleton Domain. A massive ice wall appeared, blocking the vampires. When it shattered, countless bone spikes shot towards them. Just as vampire blood could kill undead, the magic of liches and necromancers could kill vampires. Lucian and the vampires couldn''t afford to be hit by the bone spikes, dodging frantically. Floating bones formed a massive bone dragon, covered in frost, which roared and attacked the vampires. On the ground, countless skeletal archers appeared, their arrows long bone spikes, all aimed at the vampires. The arrows burned with blue flames, turning any hit vampire to ash. This was the lich''s domain, controlling and using all skeletons within it, even forming undead to command. These were temporary, as the undead summoned by the lich would dissipate when the domain ended. To summon them permanently, the lich needed corpses, which the necromancer had already used. Bone dragons were beyond the summoning range of a Monarch level lich, who could only summon various skeletal variants. Necromancers and liches were the least vulnerable to swarm tactics. Lucian felt despair. This Monarch level lich was even more troublesome than the two necromancers. In a short time, nearly a thousand vampires were killed, transformed into two thousand undead by the necromancer. Only Lucian and a few Commanding level vampires remained, struggling. Watching from a distance, Samson was stunned. How could three undead defeat nearly a thousand vampires? But the reality was that in less than ten minutes, the three undead had killed all the vampires. A terrifying thought crossed Samson''s mind. Could these undead be Monarch levels? If he replaced the three undead with the human empire''s Monarch level general Baldwin, Samson shook his head. Baldwin couldn''t achieve this. "All three are Monarch levels?!" Samson was shocked. From his distant vantage point, he couldn''t see the undead domains clearly, only their continuous summoning and control of bones and ice magic. Samson quickly led his snow maidens away from the snowy mountain, informing the Alliance of this significant discovery. Meanwhile, Sophie was waiting for Alex at the castle, having discovered a Traitor near White Rock Mountains, though it was far away. With the three Monarch levels attacking Lucian, Alex decided to go to White Rock Mountains herself. After arranging the undead at White Rock Mountains, Alex and Sophie used the portal to travel there. "Tell me about this Traitor," Alex said, surprised to find one so quickly. With seven days and the vast distances between Lords, the leaderboard''s top scorer wouldn''t have many points by the end. After all, castles were fixed, and the continent was vast. Finding many Traitor Lords was unlikely. "It''s far from White Rock Mountains. Specters detected it using the talent. The Traitor has likely allied with the dwarves, probably the Silverbeard Clan," Sophie explained as they walked towards the castle. "How can you be sure they allied with the dwarves?" Alex asked, puzzled. While the area was the Silverbeard Clan''s territory, White Rock Mountains was on the edge, and other races were possible. "Because the specters found a dwarf city near the Traitor Lord," Sophie explained. Alex was surprised. She hadn''t seen much of this world''s civilized society. Different races had different lifestyles, and humanoid races built cities to live together, even if weak. The Lord was unlucky, forced to submit. Being near another race''s city was fortunate enough not to be destroyed. "Big Shot, should we gather the undead to take him out?" Sophie asked. For Alex, even a fifth-tier Lord worth one point couldn''t be ignored. No one knew how many Traitor Lords they could find in seven days. "No need. I''ll go alone." With a dwarf city nearby, bringing undead would be too conspicuous. As a Monarch level, Alex couldn''t be stopped by less than ten thousand troops. Going alone was safest. "Be careful," Sophie urged. Alex nodded, mounted a griffin, and set off, donning a black robe to conceal her appearance. Her white hair, along with her stunning beauty, was too noticeable. Meanwhile, Lucian was severely injured, his left arm limp, and his right shoulder bleeding from a gaping wound that wouldn''t heal. All the vampires had been killed by the undead, leaving Lucian alone, surrounded by over two thousand undead. Even if the vampire carrying Lucian''s blood died en route, and Lucian became a Freelancer, abandoning his castle, he couldn''t escape. The undead had orders from Alex to kill him, regardless of his status. Lucian and Alex had always been enemies, from their first meeting to the battle with the Frost Werewolf. Their cooperation was purely for mutual benefit, with Alex keeping her promise. Now, with the system designating them as enemies, and Alex having dealt with the snowy mountain forces, she had no reason not to kill him. Lucian would have done the same in her place. His mistake was not fleeing when his castle was discovered, instead of stalling with the surrounding forces. In just a few days, Lucian had lost the ability to contend with Alex. Her troops could easily wipe him out. The Elemental Alliance, Starfallen Empire, and Alex all wanted him dead, and he couldn''t fight any of them. He failed to escape, attracted a werewolf Lord, fought him, then was discovered by Count Nocturne and forced to submit, leading to his current predicament, surrounded by undead and facing death. Perhaps this was fate. Lucian accepted it, feeling a strange calm instead of fear as death approached. Lucian''s broken body was pierced by the lich''s Ice Magic, his blood and life draining away. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Feeling drowsy, blood gushing from his mouth, Lucian looked at the three undead in the distance and smiled. "Finally, I can be free." Chapter 142 - 142: Dwarf city Lucian turned to ash and dissipated. With his death, his castle began to shake violently, eventually collapsing into ruins. The resources didn''t need to be collected by the undead, as the Lord''s Warehouse contents were automatically transferred to Alex''s Warehouse upon his death. With Lucian''s demise, the vampire corpses created from his blood also vanished, leaving no trace. Only a few scattered vampire corpses summoned from the Barracks remained. Now, the primary use of corpses for Alex was summoning undead. The materials obtained from disassembling corpses were negligible unless they were Commanding level or higher. The lich and two necromancers, along with over two thousand undead, left the area, taking the Commanding level vampire corpses with them. Alex received a system notification while in the air, confirming that the three undead had completed their mission and were returning to the castle. "This time, I even gained an extra two thousand undead. Summoning necromancers was the right choice." A Monarch level necromancer could summon undead just by releasing their domain, meaning Alex no longer needed to personally handle summoning tasks. Alex instructed Sophie to have one of the Monarch level necromancers take charge of defending White Rock Mountains, ensuring the castle''s safety in her absence. The other necromancer and the lich would guard Alex''s own castle, as the main base''s security was paramount. Flying on her griffin, Alex checked the loot from killing Lucian: a special structure blueprint for a blood pool and a blood clan core, along with some ordinary loot. The special structure was useless for her, meant for summoning vampires. The blood clan core, however, was intriguing, as it could transform humans into vampires, though not with Lucian''s high-level bloodline. "Is this a vampire starter pack?" Alex decided to store it in the Warehouse for now and deal with it later. She couldn''t imagine anyone wanting to become a vampire. While it might tempt weaker Lords, Alex wouldn''t let Chi-Chi or Sophie become vampires. Flying away from White Rock Mountains, Alex headed deeper into the plains. From high above, she surveyed the vast grasslands, spotting several dwarf fortresses. She wondered what they were guarding. These fortresses seemed like small dwarf settlements. As Alex flew further north, their numbers increased. After flying north for over two hours, the outline of a city appeared on the horizon. The Traitor was northwest of the dwarf city. Alex descended from the sky, choosing to approach on foot to avoid detection by the city''s dwarf sentries. Dressed in a black robe, Alex descended like a ghost, using dark elements to slow her fall and land smoothly. The griffin flew away, circling around to the back of the Traitor''s castle to await Alex''s signal. Alex looked towards the distant dwarf city, curious about this world''s urban centers. From afar, she could see the city was built on a raised hill, surrounded by tall white stone walls and covered by a transparent protective shield. A moat encircled the city, with a drawbridge over it. The area outside the city was empty, with only a few dwarf guards patrolling the walls. The defenses seemed lax, likely due to the city''s remote location. "This city looks like something from the classical era, just with a different style." Alex noted that the closer she got to the city, the more dwarf fortresses she saw. It seemed to be a defensive strategy, with the city at the center and fortresses spread out around it. She admired the specters'' efficiency in finding this place, thanks to their unlimited stamina, allowing them to execute orders tirelessly. Pulling her hood lower to conceal her face, Alex vanished from sight. Northwest of the dwarf city stood a modest castle on the plains, some distance from the city. The area was mostly empty grassland, but the castle was surrounded by many dwarves, as if waiting for something. Approaching from the back, Alex used the castle walls for cover, observing the dwarves. The castle was clearly low-level, disappointing Alex. It was likely a fifth-tier Lord''s castle. "No matter, a point is still a point." Peeking around the corner, Alex saw about thirty dwarves gathered at the castle gate, with several beasts or ponies tied to posts. Most bizarrely, a dwarf in armor stood at the gate, collecting money. ??? Alex was baffled by the scene. A satisfied dwarf emerged from the castle, greeting the others and preparing to leave. The dwarves chatted, but Alex couldn''t hear them clearly. She had checked earlier and knew no more dwarves were approaching, so she acted swiftly, releasing her Frost Domain. The dwarves at the gate saw the black-robed Alex appear and were instantly frozen. "A human mage!" The armored dwarf exclaimed in disbelief, unable to comprehend how a human mage could be here. Mistaking Alex''s attire and Frost Magic for a human mage was understandable. After his exclamation, the armored dwarf was frozen solid by Alex. The thirty dwarves, including their mounts, were turned into ice sculptures. Retracting her domain, Alex walked towards the castle, the ice sculptures shattering behind her. Entering the empty courtyard, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. A dwarf descending the stairs was immediately frozen by Alex as she passed his corpse and continued upstairs. The second floor had rooms lined up on both sides. A woman with golden hair, blue eyes, and pointed ears, wearing dirty, ill-fitting clothes, emerged from one of the rooms. Not human, Alex realized instantly. An elf. The elf''s eyes were red and swollen, and she limped as she walked past Alex, expressionless, like a dead person. Alex felt a surge of unease and continued forward. The hallway was filled with lewd sounds, making it clear what the dwarves were doing. "oh yes, oh yes..." The sounds from a nearby room caught Alex''s attention. She knew the Lord of this castle must be inside. Kicking the door open, Alex saw a naked dwarf. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a flick of her wrist, she sent an ice spike through the dwarf, freezing him solid. The dwarf''s body fell to the floor, revealing a human woman, about thirty years old, chained to the bed by a collar around her neck. This was no different from livestock. These damned dwarves! Seeing the dwarf killed, the woman turned and vomited over the side of the bed, then reflexively covered herself with a nearby cloth upon seeing Alex. "Th-thank you." The terrified woman had white, unknown fluids on her face. Realizing the black-robed figure had killed the dwarf, she remained desperate, unable to see an end to her suffering. She had tried to kill herself many times but couldn''t. "What''s your name?" A melodious female voice came from the black robe, slightly easing the woman''s fear. Tears welled up in her red eyes. "I''m Elizabeth. Please, kill me!" Elizabeth''s emotions surged, rattling her chains as she struggled. Alex felt a mix of emotions. The castle crystal was the Lord''s life. Elizabeth''s castle was here, and she had been forced to become a Traitor. She was a pitiful Lord. All the Traitors Alex had encountered were forced into it, none willingly submitting to local forces. The system seemed to be helping them find release rather than targeting them. Seeing Elizabeth''s suffering, Alex knew death would be a mercy. "Don''t be afraid. I''ll help you find peace." Alex removed her hood and approached. Elizabeth smiled, showing no fear. Alex ended her life swiftly and walked out of the room. Elizabeth''s troops were likely elves. Once the newbie protection period ended, the dwarves from the city must have taken control, turning her castle into a place for their depravity. They even turned it into a business. Disgusting. Standing in the hallway, Alex felt the castle shake as Elizabeth died. Dwarves ran out of their rooms in panic, seeing Alex at the end of the hall. Alex''s eyes glowed blue, and the dwarves burst into flames, screaming in agony as they fell. The collapsing castle buried them. Alex grabbed a dwarf and dragged him outside, throwing him to the ground. The pain from the black flames burning his soul was unbearable. "Tell me about the city to the southeast." Chapter 143 - 143: Miss Alex, thank you Alex''s cold voice emanated from within the black robe, and the flames on the dwarf''s body were extinguished. He immediately fell to his knees, begging Alex for mercy. The reputation of dwarves as honest and straightforward seemed unfounded now. These dwarf nobles had become corrupt, proving that any intelligent being could succumb to the lure of power. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk! Please, honorable mage leader, spare my life," the dwarf pleaded, his face contorted with pain, sweat pouring down his face. The agony of having his soul burned had left him weak. "The city is called Grimstone, ruled by the youngest son of the Silverbeard Clan''s chieftain. There are twenty thousand dwarf soldiers stationed there." That didn''t make sense. Alex had seen the city from afar, and it was quite large. How could it only have twenty thousand soldiers? "Such a large city with only twenty thousand soldiers?" Alex questioned, clearly skeptical. Black flames flickered in her hand, causing the dwarf to panic and beg for mercy. "Please, leader, calm down! I''m not lying! You see, Grimstone is on the edge of the Silverbeard Clan''s territory, far from the front lines. The chieftain dotes on his youngest son and placed him here because it''s relatively safe. That''s why there are only twenty thousand soldiers; the rest are just civilians." The dwarf hurriedly explained, terrified of experiencing the soul-burning pain again. So that''s it. The Silverbeard Clan was embroiled in internal conflict, vying for the throne. Fearing for his youngest son''s safety, the chieftain had stationed him in this remote location. "How many dwarves are in the Silverbeard Clan?" "There are fewer than ten thousand nobles. Including the army and civilians, there might be close to a million, but there''s no exact count." The dwarf didn''t dare look up at Alex, recognizing her as a human female mage from her voice. Alex extracted more information from the dwarf, learning about the surrounding area. Grimstone''s highest combat power was Monarch level, but the dwarf didn''t know how many or their exact levels. The dwarves Alex encountered in White Rock Mountains were sent by the chieftain''s second son. The iron mining in White Rock Mountains and the dwarf fortresses were all under Grimstone''s control. The Silverbeard Clan had seven cities and countless fortresses, with most of their forces engaged in battles with other clans. Alex didn''t know the exact strength of the clan chieftains, but the late dwarf king had reached King level. She estimated the clan chieftains were likely high-level Monarchs at most; otherwise, they would have rebelled long ago, not waiting for the king''s death. The dwarves, as a mid-tier race on Eldoria, weren''t particularly strong. For Alex, they weren''t too challenging. To be safe, Alex decided to proceed cautiously. While undead could quickly expand in number, she couldn''t indiscriminately slaughter dwarf civilians. Moreover, there was a significant gap between Monarch levels. A lv1 Monarch level and a lv9 Monarch level were worlds apart. Alex wasn''t confident she could take on a lv9 Monarch level dwarf. The distance between White Rock Mountains and Grimstone was considerable. Alex doubted that with dwarf technology, there must be teleportation arrays or similar structures between cities. If she couldn''t capture Grimstone in one go, she would face reinforcements from the Silverbeard Clan. Alex had no intention of exterminating all the dwarves. Her plan was to subdue them and have Sophie manage them, providing a steady supply of resources and support for her castle. "Let''s put this on hold for now. We''ll focus on Traitors this week and deal with the dwarves later when we''re stronger." Alex had silently marked the dwarves as her first opponents in the All-Races Battle Royale. She dealt with the dwarf, ensuring no traces were left, and whistled sharply. The griffin circling above descended swiftly, and Alex mounted it, flying back towards White Rock Mountains. On the way, Alex noted the general location for future reference. She expected the chieftain''s second son to send more dwarves to White Rock Mountains soon, given how many she had killed. Checking the leaderboard, Alex saw her score was now 8, putting her ahead of the 7-point Traitor Lord and into first place. It seemed climbing the ranks was easier than she had anticipated. By the time the sky had fully darkened, Alex returned to Sophie''s castle. "Big Shot, it looks like everything went smoothly. You weren''t spotted by the dwarves, were you?" Sophie asked, having been monitoring the leaderboard. She knew Alex had dealt with the Traitor when her score increased a few hours ago. "The Traitor was a pitiful soul. I gave her peace. As for the dwarf city, I''ll deal with it soon enough," Alex replied casually, not going into detail. She hoped Sophie and Chi-Chi would never have to face the world''s harsh realities. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''ve left a Monarch level necromancer here. You don''t need to worry about safety for now. Keep having the undead search for Traitors." Alex waved her hand and headed towards the Portal of Transit. The presence of a Monarch level necromancer gave Sophie a great sense of security. Her castle, deep within White Rock Mountains, was indeed very safe for now. Sophie would stay to manage the dwarves and gather intelligence. The Monarch level necromancer replaced the previous lv6 Commanding level necromancer, taking charge of the area. It would manage the undead, ensure the castle''s safety, and expand the undead forces. "This place is in your hands now." "Yes, my Queen." Alex stepped into the Portal of Transit, returning to her castle. She removed her black robe, satisfied with its effectiveness. While humans could easily see through it, it was useful for deceiving other races. "Arthur, John, Azure, focus on leveling up and gathering experience," Alex instructed the three race kings. Their ascension to Monarch level would be her greatest support. She then used the iron ingots she had collected to upgrade her town to lv4. After completing these tasks, she collected the ten thousand magic crystals from selling Count Nocturne''s Monarch level weapon on the trading post and fed Ice Cream. With her tasks for the day complete, Alex took a bath and went to bed. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up on time, getting dressed and ready for the day. She hadn''t checked World Chat when she sold the Monarch level weapon, unaware that her listing had shocked many Lords. Selling a Monarch level weapon implied the ability to kill a Monarch level! Most Lords chose not to believe it, thinking it was too soon for anyone to have developed that much. However, the five members of the Elemental Alliance believed it, as Samson had witnessed it firsthand. Alex''s strength was far beyond what other Lords imagined. Alex expected the next couple of days to be quieter. With the snowy mountain''s troubles resolved, finding Traitors wouldn''t be easy. She headed to the Barracks to summon troops. Meanwhile, at Chi-Chi''s castle, Chi-Chi had just killed a beast, successfully reaching Commanding level. Chi-Chi had woken up early, taking advantage of the double attribute boost at dawn to hunt. She had been lv9 Standard for a long time and felt she was on the verge of breaking through. Eager to level up, she had gone out at dawn and succeeded with her first kill. Chi-Chi was proud to have reached Commanding level before Sophie and planned to boast about it. She also wanted to visit her family, feeling more confident in her ability to protect herself now. But she wasn''t sure how to bring it up with Alex. Chi-Chi had discussed it with her brother Luca, who suggested using the Portal of Transit to visit, then dissolving the Alliance afterward. Chi-Chi knew Alex didn''t have an Alliance, and her brother''s side only needed one person to temporarily leave their Alliance to make room. Alliances could be dissolved unilaterally if there were no shared resources or personnel. If there were interactions, both sides had to agree to dissolve it. For example, if Alex used the portal to visit another Lord''s castle, they couldn''t dissolve the Alliance and leave her stranded. Chi-Chi''s brother had tested this, so even if her castle couldn''t be moved, she could still visit her brother. With this plan, Chi-Chi was eager to see her family. She had mapped out the swamp creatures and felt her beasts could manage without her. Determined, Chi-Chi rode her Flying Nimbus to Alex''s castle. Regardless of Alex''s response, Chi-Chi needed to discuss it with her. At Alex''s castle, she had just finished summoning troops and was instructing the undead to search for Traitors and hobgoblin kingdom traces. From the hobgoblin Shaman''s retreat and lack of pursuit, Alex deduced that the hobgoblin kingdom was the weakest of the four factions, likely just trying their luck in the snowy mountain. Alex saw the hobgoblin kingdom as a potential target for expansion, so she wanted to locate them while searching for Traitors. "Chi-Chi''s here." Alex remembered Chi-Chi''s promise to visit once she reached Commanding level. Checking her dashboard, she saw Chi-Chi had indeed leveled up. "Not bad. She really made it to Commanding level." Chi-Chi waved from the sky as she approached the castle courtyard. Landing her Flying Nimbus, she ran to Alex. "Miss Alex, I reached Commanding level!" Chi-Chi shared her joy with Alex. "Impressive. How were you so weak before?" Alex teased, genuinely impressed. For someone so young, reaching this level was remarkable. They chatted briefly, but Alex noticed Chi-Chi seemed troubled. She knew Chi-Chi had more on her mind and pressed her to share. Chi-Chi revealed she had found her family and explained her plan to visit them. Alex was silent for a moment, understanding Chi-Chi''s desire to see her family. "Are you sure your brother can be trusted? Is he a Traitor? Is it safe there?" Chi-Chi was touched by Alex''s concern. "Miss Alex, my brother and I have always been close. He''s not a Traitor, and he''s with my dad in a desert or wasteland. It''s safe there. That''s how they survived the beast tide." Chi-Chi explained, and Alex understood her longing to see her family. From Chi-Chi''s explanation, Alex knew what she wanted. Being in a foreign world, facing its harsh realities, Chi-Chi had done well to stay strong. "Alright, I respect your decision. But first, I''ll upgrade your castle to a town and build a subsidiary castle in my town. It''s too dangerous to leave your castle unattended." Alex had enough iron ingots to upgrade Chi-Chi''s castle and build a subsidiary castle. With full control over her subjects, Alex upgraded Chi-Chi''s castle to a town and built a subsidiary castle in her town, making Sophie a neighbor. "Miss Alex, I don''t know how to thank you. You''ve been so kind to me." Chi-Chi was emotional. Alex not only agreed to her plan but also ensured her castle''s safety by building a subsidiary castle. "Enough with the mushy stuff. Go contact your brother. I''ll have Sophie watch over your Barracks." Alex dismantled Chi-Chi''s Time Chamber and rebuilt it in her town, upgrading Chi-Chi''s Barracks to lv9, even higher than her main castle''s Barracks. Alex saw Chi-Chi''s beasts as valuable, especially when combined with Sophie''s dwarves to form a special army. With the focus on Alex''s castle, it would be easier for Sophie to manage. Alex wanted the dwarves to become her logistical backbone, not to destroy them, so Sophie would eventually manage the other dwarves. Chi-Chi messaged her brother while Alex summoned Chi-Chi''s beasts to her castle, then sent them to Sophie''s castle. Soon, Alex received a friend request from a Lord named [Big Boobs]. Luca knew Chi-Chi had submitted to a top-tier Lord who was kind to her, so he was very polite to Alex. He expressed gratitude for taking care of Chi-Chi, and Alex sensed he didn''t plan for Chi-Chi to return, but that was Chi-Chi''s decision. Alex and Luca formed an Alliance, and she and Chi-Chi went to the Portal of Transit, setting the destination to Luca. As the portal glowed orange, Chi-Chi hesitated, then hugged Alex. "Miss Alex, thank you." Alex gently patted Chi-Chi''s back. "If you face any trouble, let me know. I''m a Monarch level now, very strong." Chi-Chi nodded, releasing Alex and stepping into the portal. "Miss Alex, I''m leaving." Chapter 144 - 144: Alexs Plan Alex watched as Chi-Chi''s figure disappeared completely into the portal. Shortly after, Luca sent Alex a request to dissolve the Alliance. The portal returned to its default state, and moments later, it flickered as Sophie emerged from it. "Big Shot, you said Chi-Chi left to find her family?" Sophie asked, having received Alex''s message to come over and manage Chi-Chi''s beasts. Alex had simply said it was to find her family. "Yes, she just left," Alex replied, heading towards the door with Sophie following. "I wondered why I couldn''t use the portal earlier," Sophie said, noticing a new small castle next to her subsidiary castle. It was obviously Chi-Chi''s. "Don''t worry, Big Shot. I''m an orphan with no family, so I won''t be leaving," Sophie added, trying to reassure Alex. Alex responded with an eye roll. The beasts would take some time to reach Alex''s castle, and Chi-Chi had already summoned today''s troops. Sophie, with nothing to do, waited idly in the castle. Alex, however, was inspired by Luca''s method. Chi-Chi had mentioned her brother was a gaming nerd, and Alex hadn''t thought much of it. But it turned out he was quite clever. The inspiration was that Alex could form temporary Alliances with other Lords, using the Portal of Transit to quickly deal with nearby Traitors. This would be much more efficient than searching aimlessly and would expand her range. Acting on this idea, Alex realized that many Lords might have Traitors nearby but lack the strength to eliminate them. By offering to help, she could earn points while providing a service, a win-win situation. Although this might expose some of Alex''s strength, the leaderboard rewards were worth it. Other Lords knowing her power would only fear and envy her, but it wouldn''t change their weakness. Alex immediately posted a message in World Chat. [Hamburger]: "If anyone has Traitors nearby, you can private message me to add me as a friend and form an Alliance. I''ll teleport over to help eliminate the Traitors." [Rex]: "Big Shot, can I ask how you got that Monarch level weapon? Are you really a Monarch level?" [Boggle]: "You dare kill us traitors? I''ll show you the might of the hobgoblin kingdom!" [Cocck]: "Wow, Big Shot is speaking! Too bad I don''t have any Traitors nearby, so I can''t be your friend." [FunkyFerret]: "Do you have any specific requirements for forming an alliance? Can I just apply, or is there a process I need to follow?" [Hamburger]: "Your castle must be upgraded to a town and have a Portal of Transit. If you''re threatened by Traitors, you can contact me, and I''ll help for free." As soon as Alex spoke, World Chat exploded with activity, messages flooding in rapidly. Alex stared at the tens of thousands of friend requests and thousands of private messages, feeling overwhelmed. She regretted speaking up. Most of the messages were nonsense, with some even offering male sex slaves, boasting about their stamina and endurance. Alex ignored these, wondering how these Lords would defend their castles with their supposedly talented cocks when Traitors attacked. Despite the overwhelming number of private messages, Alex didn''t ignore them. She quickly browsed and filtered through them. There might be a genuine request among them. All for the rewards! Alex sat down and began sifting through the messages, rejecting all friend requests for now. She would add them if needed later. She noted the name of the [Boggle] Lord, who seemed to be in the hobgoblin kingdom. He''d better hope her undead didn''t find him. That way, he might live a few more days. It took Alex several hours to go through all the private messages, responding to those that seemed to have genuine Traitor information. By the time she finished, it was noon, and her backside was sore from sitting. She stood up to stretch. Sophie had taken Chi-Chi''s beasts to White Rock Mountains, leaving some in the Time Chamber to develop. Since White Rock Mountains wasn''t constantly under threat, development would slow down there. Soon, a Lord named [QuantumQuokka] replied to Alex. [QuantumQuokka]: "Big Shot, there''s a Traitor near me, very strong. I found his location, not far from my castle. Can you come help? I''m really scared with him nearby." [Hamburger]: "How strong?" [QuantumQuokka]: "He has Commanding level strength." You call that strong? Without hesitation, Alex formed an Alliance with this Lord. Since there was indeed a Traitor, she wouldn''t miss the opportunity. Alex only asked about the Traitor''s strength, not their troops or allied forces. It wasn''t arrogance; she never intended to go personally. Her reliable Monarch level necromancer would handle it. The necromancer could kill the enemy''s troops and bring back a batch of undead. As Alex formed the Alliance with the necromancer, another Lord replied. [Black Swan]: "Big Shot, help! There''s a Traitor here. Please help me. He attacked me once, but we''re evenly matched. Now he''s probably seeking local reinforcements. If they arrive, I''m done for." [Hamburger]: "Join the Alliance." Alex''s response was simple, inviting the Lord to join the Alliance without even asking about the enemy''s strength. She didn''t believe any Lord at this stage could be a Monarch level, and if they were, they wouldn''t be Traitors. Since the enemy wasn''t a Monarch level, Alex wasn''t worried about the undead''s safety. To reveal as little strength as possible, she decided to send another Monarch level necromancer, keeping the lich hidden for now. Soon, the three-person Alliance was formed, and the two Monarch level necromancers stood beside Alex. "Go to their castles and eliminate the Traitor Lords." "Yes, honorable Queen." The two necromancers entered the Portal of Transit one by one, disappearing from Alex''s sight. With the necromancers dispatched, Alex resumed her screening process. With so many Lords and Hamburger''s fame, there were bound to be genuine requests. Alex''s points would rise quickly. Other powerful Lords, seeing Alex''s method, began offering similar services in World Chat, competing with her. A wave of support for Lords against Traitors swept through the community. The Traitors, though fearful and angry, could do nothing but hope their allied local forces were strong enough. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 145 - 145: My god, this is OP At [QuantumQuokka]''s castle. Located in a canyon, the Lord''s castle was halfway up the cliff, with troops of seven feet long black eagles. The Lord, a middle-aged man, had discovered the Traitor''s castle thanks to his troops and remained hidden. He had never allied with other Lords before, and now, witnessing Big Shot''s arrival, he wanted to see the gap between himself and a first-tier Lord. In the Portal of Transit''s hall, the light flickered, and the waiting man saw a black-robed figure with a staff emerge. This Big Shot looks so eerie. The man felt a chill, hoping more troops would follow, but the portal''s light dimmed. He hadn''t expected Big Shot to come alone, without troops. Such confidence, facing a Commanding level enemy. "Where is the Traitor?" The necromancer''s raspy voice sounded as if he hadn''t spoken in years. "At the end of the canyon, at the top." As soon as the man spoke, the necromancer flew towards the canyon''s end without acknowledging him. The man wasn''t surprised by the necromancer''s ability to fly, as his own troops had taught him to fly. He sprouted wings and followed the necromancer, finding the frail-looking figure at odds with the Big Shot image. Can he really defeat a Commanding level enemy? At the canyon''s end stood a gray castle. The necromancer saw no local forces around, not that Alex cared. The distance between castles was unknown, and Alex wouldn''t waste time worrying about local forces. It was irrelevant. The Traitor Lord was a plump woman in her thirties, with troops of bird-headed creatures. The necromancer, with human intelligence, had a straightforward plan: destroy the castle crystal. A bone spike shattered the castle''s shield, alerting the troops and Traitor Lord inside. They rushed out, seeing two figures in the sky. The plump woman''s troops attacked the necromancer. Calmly, he raised his hand, releasing the Bones Domain, instantly killing the troops. "Wow! Am I dreaming?" QuantumQuokka exclaimed, shocked that so many enemies were instantly killed. The plump woman was equally stunned, realizing she was doomed. This is a Monarch level! This battle ended even faster than QuantumQuokka imagined. The necromancer destroyed the castle crystal, killing the Traitor. Her troops were summoned as undead, about three hundred in total. The necromancer returned with the undead, leaving QuantumQuokka in shock. Among the three hundred undead, the Lord saw many similar to the necromancer. So this necromancer wasn''t the Big Shot herself, but one of her troops! This is Hamburger''s true power? My god, this is OP! At [Black Swan] Lord''s castle, the other necromancer arrived. This was a dense, ancient forest, filled with towering trees. The Lord, a woman in her twenties, had goblins as her troops. However, the necromancer noticed that the goblin numbers were low, likely due to the war between Black Swan and the Traitor. This forest was home to the centaur race, and naturally, the Traitor had allied with them. Black Swan''s castle was on the edge of centaur territory, but she was unfortunate enough to be discovered by the Traitor. Traitors often sought to kill Lords for points. Not all Traitors were pitiable; many actively sought protection from local forces. Black Swan personally led the necromancer deeper into the forest. The terrain was complex, and she couldn''t just point out the location. Black Swan knew this was just one of Big Shot''s troops, as she had just explained the situation to Alex, and the necromancer had arrived immediately. She didn''t question why Big Shot only sent one troop but believed in its strength. "It''s just ahead," Black Swan said to the necromancer. Soon, they crossed a river, and the trees thinned out until they reached a clearing with a wooden castle. "The Traitor''s troops are female centaurs, who have bewitched the centaur race, making him second only to their leader." Black Swan blushed slightly. These female centaurs weren''t strong, which was why she could fight them with goblins. If they were the brutal male centaurs, she would have been killed long ago. The female centaurs roamed freely, attracting male centaurs daily. The castle was heavily guarded by centaurs, as it was crucial for their race''s development. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The necromancer listened to Black Swan''s explanation and soon saw a female centaur emerge from the castle. The centaur had the upper body of a beautiful woman with short brown hair, slender limbs, and slight muscle definition. She was naked, her upper body exposed, and her lower body was that of a white horse. As she walked, her breasts bounced visibly. Being non-human, she had no sense of shame, which might have caused Black Swan''s blush. But the necromancer was indifferent to her charms, focused only on gathering information about local forces for the Queen. The necromancer waved his staff, and a massive bone spike pierced the centaur''s stomach, killing her instantly. The necromancer flew towards the castle, targeting it directly. The Traitor and the centaurs inside had no time to react before being impaled by the necromancer''s bone spikes, turning into undead. Black Swan covered her mouth in shock. She had seen Monarch level beings and knew about domains, so she was certain Hamburger''s troop was a genuine Monarch level. Otherwise, it couldn''t have instantly killed the Commanding level centaurs. "It''s so strong!" .... At Alex''s castle, she continued sifting through Lord messages. The two necromancers returned, one reporting on the centaur race. "So, are those female centaurs considered human or horse creatures?" Alex pondered a philosophical question, leaving the necromancer unsure how to respond. Alex checked her points, now at 11. This indicated she had killed one fourth-tier and one fifth-tier Lord. It seemed most Traitors were weak, unable to grow strong near local forces. Alex remained in first place, with the second-place Traitor now in third. After dealing with two Traitor Lords, Alex left the Alliance. She had spent the day chatting with other Lords and sending necromancers to kill Traitors. She only sent two necromancers, never going herself or sending the lich. At this stage, only first-tier Traitors could potentially hold off a Monarch level undead with all their troops. Other Lords couldn''t. But there were no first-tier Traitors now. For other tier Traitors, a Monarch level necromancer could easily handle them. Necromancers weren''t afraid of swarm tactics. The more enemies, the more undead they could summon. Chapter 146 - 146: Sunset Alliance [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] It was evening, and Alex had killed six Traitors using this method, reaching 26 points, far ahead of the second place with 10 points. A Monarch level necromancer took between half an hour to three hours to kill a Traitor. The necromancers not only completed their tasks but also brought back over a thousand undead and resources from the defeated Lords. Alex was making a fortune. Others tried to imitate Alex, but they lacked her fame. Lords helped by Alex inadvertently revealed her strength, confirming she had a Monarch level troop. This revelation shocked the Lords, proving Alex''s Monarch level weapon sale wasn''t a fluke. Alex''s strength and reputation made her the top choice for Lords. However, not every Lord had Traitors threatening their lives. Some wanted to kill Traitors themselves for points, and others competed with Alex for business. Alex never expected many requests, so having a few was already good. Bored, Alex saw a Lord in World Chat who had failed to kill a Traitor and was now being berated by his Alliance partner for exposing their castle location. The partner cursed him for an hour, using every foul word imaginable. Alex listed a high-priced order on the trading post: one Essence Shard for 100,000 magic crystals. The note read: "Private message for help killing Traitors." This way, she wouldn''t need to keep posting messages. Any Lord browsing the trading post would see it. She didn''t set the price too high, in case a Lord disliked her and bought the order just to spite her. Ignoring World Chat, Alex waited for requests. With 26 points, she was likely secure in the top ten. Alex prepared to rest. The two necromancers waited in the castle, with the lich temporarily replacing them at Sophie''s. If anyone needed help before she slept, Alex would send the necromancers. No matter how the Lords speculated, they believed Alex had only one Monarch level troop. Not seeing Alex herself kept her strength a mystery. At 10 PM, Alex received over a hundred private messages. One Lord offered a deal, saying he had a Traitor nearby and wanted Alex to name her price. He wanted enough resources or magic crystals to reveal the Traitor''s location. Alex ignored him. "Asking me for payment? Dream on. Keep that Traitor near you and hope you don''t get killed." ... Alex didn''t take a bath today because she hadn''t gone out or sweated. She simply stripped off her clothes and slipped into bed. In White Rock Mountains, Sophie also dragged her tired body to complete the day''s tasks. Balin Forgeheart had returned with another group of dwarves, not many, only a few dozen, but among them were several high-level artisans capable of crafting Commanding level equipment. Sophie''s castle happened to have a high-level Furnace and Blacksmith Shop. These artisans, if working at full capacity, could produce about forty pieces of standard Commanding level equipment per day, similar to the quality found on the trading post. If they focused on higher-quality sets, they could make around twenty pieces a day. Sophie immediately shared this good news with Alex, asking how to handle the Commanding level equipment. Alex entrusted Sophie with full responsibility, as long as the magic crystals in the castle were sufficient for the needs of several castles. The remaining equipment could be used to arm the dwarves. The high-level dwarf artisans were grateful to Balin and Sophie for saving their lives and generously shared their crafting knowledge with other dwarf artisans. Besides Balin Forgeheart, several other dwarves had advanced to Commanding level, and one of the dwarves Balin brought back was already at Commanding level. Overall, the dwarves'' strength had significantly increased over the past few days. The beasts Sophie brought back, like the griffins before them, could be chosen as mounts by the Commanding level dwarves, without needing a contract. Since they were Alex''s subsidiary troops, their loyalty was assured. With so many dwarves settling in Sophie''s town, the territory was filled with houses, surrounding Sophie''s castle at the center. It had reached the point where upgrading the town to expand the territory was necessary. Sophie applied to Alex for the upgrade, and Alex agreed, allowing more dwarves to be accommodated. Sophie''s town now looked more like a town than Alex''s. The dwarves provided iron ingots and equipment for Alex. The undead ensured the castle''s security and gathered intelligence. With Sophie managing logistics, Alex was spared many hassles. Of course, resource allocation prioritized Alex, as her strength ensured their safety. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex''s displayed strength had shocked everyone, even the first-tier Lords who had high hopes for the All-Races Battle Royale. One of the Lords who sought Alex''s help to eliminate a Traitor was a first-tier Lord. He didn''t believe the other Lords'' claims that Alex had reached Monarch level. As a first-tier Lord at lv7 Commanding level, he considered himself among the top in the first tier. He had a Traitor nearby and initially planned to kill them for points. But to verify the claims, he let Alex handle it. He saw only one of Alex''s troops arrive, confirming the other Lords'' statements¡ªit was indeed a Monarch level. There were a thousand first-tier Lords, and Alex couldn''t remember all their names. But this first-tier Lord harbored deep malice towards Alex. He couldn''t allow such a powerful Lord to exist, threatening everyone. Such a frontrunner had to be eliminated. He believed other first-tier Lords felt the same. The leaderboard allowed checking if Lords had Alliances. Allied Lords had a mark next to their names, while unallied Lords did not. But it only showed the mark, not the specific Alliance members or their numbers. He checked all first-tier Lords, excluding the deceased Lucian. Only three Lords had no Alliance: [Hamburger], [Calamity Source], and [Inferno]. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Hamburger] had Monarch level strength and undead troops, likely not needing an Alliance. The other two were mysterious, even within the first tier. But the official Alliance limit was five members. Five Lords combined might have over a hundred Commanding levels, maybe even fewer. Given Alex''s unknown personal strength and troop numbers, even a first-tier alliance would still find it very difficult to defeat Alex. But that was just the system''s official Alliance. Couldn''t Lords form private Alliances? Of course, they could, but without the system''s support, trust was hard to build. Lords would struggle to unite and help each other, always at risk of betrayal, as they were inherently enemies. But to jointly target one Lord, it was enough. This Lord immediately messaged his Alliance. [Ember]: "This [Hamburger] Lord is severely disrupting the balance. We must unite with others to take him down." [Mishus]: "Galvin, what are you up to now? The guy has done nothing to you, and she''s a Monarch level." [Pandemonium]: "Mishus, you idiot, using your real name as your ID. Galvin''s right. Our Sunset Alliance can join forces with other Alliances to take down this Lord. Monarch level isn''t invincible." Chapter 147 - 147: Sunset Alliances plan Soon, Galvin and his allies reached an agreement. Most of them supported forming an Alliance to take down Alex. They began by slandering Alex in World Chat, claiming her troops were evil, ominous, and filled with violence and bloodshed. They said countless Lords had died at her hands and that she grew stronger by killing others. Quickly, those who admired Alex but didn''t know the full story started to believe these twisted facts. Jealous Lords, envious of Alex''s strength, found a sense of balance in these accusations. No wonder Hamburger was so powerful¡ªher troops were a bunch of ominous creatures! They joined in the denunciation, successfully stirred up by Galvin and the Sunset Alliance. Unaware, Alex found herself being vilified by the Lords in World Chat. This was just the first step for the Sunset Alliance. Their next plan was to contact all first-tier Lords who had already formed Alliances, recruiting as many as possible to form a larger Alliance. Once their combined strength was sufficient, they would locate Alex''s castle and plan to eliminate this "evil" Lord. They hoped to use their numbers to counter Alex, but they seemed to forget that undead were least afraid of numbers. The Sunset Alliance''s campaign in World Chat quickly drew attention, including from first-tier Lords. This gave them an opportunity to contact other first-tier Lords more easily. Soon, the five members split up to contact the Elemental Alliance. Cain and Earl, as first-tier Lords, received the message. They gathered the remaining three members to discuss the matter. The Elemental Alliance knew Alex better than most. They hadn''t attacked Lucian, the Traitor, partly because of the Starfallen Empire and partly out of concern for encountering Alex. Sure enough, Alex had overwhelmed Lucian. When Samson relayed the news, everyone was shocked. The Lords in World Chat knew too little about Alex. She had more than just one Monarch level undead. "So, you''re saying the first-tier Lords want to unite to eliminate her?" Samson asked, considering the feasibility of such a plan. Ivy opened World Chat, reading the messages. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Wow, they make a good point. Undead do seem ominous, and they''re right about one thing¡ªshe can grow stronger quickly with corpses." "I think we should join their Alliance and reveal her true strength. I don''t believe so many first-tier Lords can''t take her down," Boreas said, still bitter about their previous encounter with Alex. "Don''t be rash. Let me analyze this," Samson interrupted Boreas, taking over the conversation. "First, let''s assess her strength. She has at least three Monarch level undead. Her own strength is unknown. Besides that, she has at least thirty thousand undead. Among them, how many Commanding levels can we estimate? We, as an Alliance, have fewer than seventy Commanding levels combined. That''s not enough to defeat even one Monarch level undead. To match her strength, we need at least five Alliances, or twenty-five Lords, with strength comparable to ours. Only then do we have a chance to defeat the undead Lord." Samson''s words left Boreas silent. "Twenty-five Lords, just to have a chance to defeat her?" "I think we should avoid making an enemy of her. Her behavior so far seems more greedy than bloodthirsty. If she were truly violent, she would have sent her undead to find our castles by now. Clearly, she''s not very interested in us. So why provoke such a powerful enemy?" Cain added, speaking more than usual. Earl also opposed making an enemy of Alex, while Ivy''s stance wavered. Only Boreas initially wanted to join other Alliances to attack Alex, but after the discussion, he reconsidered, realizing it was better to stay alive than seek death. The Elemental Alliance decided not to join other Alliances in attacking Alex or reveal her true strength. They would remain observers. How other Lords found Alex''s castle was their problem. The Elemental Alliance''s decision was wise, but the Sunset Alliance''s actions cut off Alex''s path to earning points. Alex was puzzled by the sudden hostility in World Chat. Why was she being attacked online? Fortunately, Alex was mentally strong and unaffected, though she regretted losing a way to earn points. She considered using Sophie''s name to post similar messages, but Sophie''s fame wasn''t as great, so it wouldn''t be as effective. She abandoned the idea. Alex''s goal was simply to make it into the top ten. Her castle was between two forbidden areas, protected by the Specter Chandelier, and she had cleared the surrounding Lords. Only the Elemental Alliance knew the general location of Alex''s castle. Other Lords had no idea where it was. At that moment, Alex received a message from Sophie. [QuartzStriker]: "Big Shot, more dwarves are approaching our territory!" "Why doesn''t the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s second son learn his lesson?" Alex headed to the Portal of Transit and stepped through. With a Monarch level lich guarding Sophie''s place, the combat strength was sufficient. Alex wasn''t there to fight; she had something else in mind. Last time, a lv9 Commanding level dwarf squad was wiped out. This time, they might send a Monarch level enemy for revenge. Alex was there to add an extra layer of security. "Where''s Balin Forgeheart?" Alex asked Sophie upon arrival, not too concerned about the dwarf attack. "Balin Forgeheart went out on a griffin early this morning," Sophie replied honestly, unsure why Alex was looking for him. "Tell Balin Forgeheart to find some clever dwarves to infiltrate Grimstone and gather intelligence on how many Monarch level dwarves are there. Also, what strength are the dwarves sent by the Silverbeard Clan this time?" Alex figured that since Grimstone had civilians, it couldn''t be a closed city. Entering as a human would be conspicuous, but as dwarves, it wouldn''t be a problem. Having Balin Forgeheart gather intelligence would help Alex decide whether to attack and understand the Silverbeard Clan better. "Big Shot, the dwarves this time are airborne, riding strange birds. There are about two to three hundred of them. Once they entered White Rock Mountains, they spread out, covering a large area. This could be troublesome," Sophie said, worried. The Silverbeard Clan''s dwarves were clearly prepared, sending an aerial reconnaissance force. Hundreds of dwarves spread out could easily discover Sophie''s castle. Once they returned, the dwarves would surely send an army. Alex realized the dwarves had learned from their previous losses. The destruction of a fortress, the mining tunnels, and two dwarf squads had caught their attention. "Have all the gargoyles and specters follow them. You come too." To guard against a possible Monarch level dwarf, Alex brought the lich along. Sophie was needed for her flute, which could disrupt the beasts'' minds. Dwarves couldn''t fly, making aerial combat easier. Killing the beasts would cause the dwarves to fall to their deaths. Alex ordered a thousand gargoyles and specters to spread out in a larger circle to prevent the dwarves from escaping. Chapter 148 - 148: Something unexpected happened Alex and Sophie each mounted their griffins and flew towards the direction of the incoming dwarves. Soon, Alex spotted the dwarves riding beasts in the sky. As expected, they were scouts. Upon seeing the undead, they immediately turned to retreat. Although this wasn''t the main base of the undead, the dwarves had already pinpointed a general location. Realizing they had been discovered, they chose to retreat. Hundreds of dwarf riders circled in the air, turning to flee. The sky offered an unobstructed view, and even though the dwarf riders were spread out, they could still see each other and the approaching undead. Sophie quickly played her flute, and the sound spread through the air. Some nearby beasts were affected, flipping backward and throwing their dwarf riders to the ground. However, the distant dwarf riders, being farther away, were less affected and remained in control. But the gargoyles were faster than the beasts and outnumbered them. They quickly caught up to the dwarf riders and began cutting them down. Alex had overestimated these dwarves. This scouting force was merely cannon fodder, with no Monarch levels or even Commanding levels among them¡ªmostly seventh or eighth-level Standard dwarves. The dwarf riders were equipped with flame-enchanted crossbows, firing red-glowing bolts that ignited anything they hit. However, such attacks were ineffective against the gargoyles, only slightly slowing their flight. The gargoyles'' tough bodies were resistant to piercing attacks like crossbow bolts. Blunt force from war hammers would be more effective. The flames did no damage, as the gargoyles could absorb them instantly. Soon, dwarves and beasts began falling from the sky. Alex didn''t pursue them excessively. The gargoyles could handle it. She only killed the dwarf riders within her attack range. But then, something unexpected happened. Seeing no escape, the dwarf riders pulled out signal flares from their pockets and ignited them. Hundreds of dwarf riders, each with a signal flare. Even if Alex acted quickly, she couldn''t kill them all at once. Some would succeed. They were clearly prepared. Even if Alex tried to stop them, it was too late. The gargoyles could only ensure the dwarf riders didn''t escape White Rock Mountains but couldn''t prevent them from calling for reinforcements. White flares shot into the sky, exploding above the undead and dwarf riders. Boom! Boom! Alex''s heart sank. At the edge of White Rock Mountains, another group of dwarf riders had been lying in wait. With the signal flares, they immediately flew deeper into the plains, accompanied by a flock of scout eagles. Chasing them was futile. They were already dispersing, and the eagles made it even harder. "Big Shot, what do we do?" Sophie asked, panicking. Their location had been completely exposed. Although this wasn''t their castle, it was close enough. Alex remained silent, realizing she had to confront the Silverbeard Clan sooner than planned. Unbeknownst to them, the signal flares not only indicated urgency or a target but also signaled the presence of a Monarch level enemy. The dwarf riders were soon all killed, none escaping. Alex led the undead back to the castle. "If they dare attack, let them come. White Rock Mountains will limit their combat abilities, while we have the advantage with our air force." Alex felt something was off and began to ponder. Sophie stayed silent, unsure what to do. The first time the dwarves discovered them was when the sound mage attacked Sophie''s castle. All the dwarves were killed, leaving no survivors. The second time was the attack on the dwarf fortress to rescue the dwarf slaves. Alex flew over but didn''t follow the troops and rode a griffin. Even if the dwarves reported back, they wouldn''t know Alex''s troops were undead. The third time was the Commanding level dwarf squad. The leader, a lv9 Commanding level with a spiked mace, injured Alex. Their scout eagles and the squad were all killed. So, only today did the dwarves successfully report back, learning for the first time that Alex''s troops were undead. Dwarves were intelligent and knew the undead''s immortality. They wouldn''t attack without preparation, needing weapons with soul damage to kill the undead. "We can''t wait for them to attack. We must strike first before they prepare. Once they have weapons to counter the undead, we''ll lose our advantage." Alex''s resolve hardened. Waiting for the prepared dwarves would result in heavy undead losses. As Alex and Sophie returned, Balin Forgeheart also arrived on his griffin. Sophie looked between Balin and Alex. "Should we still send Balin to infiltrate Grimstone?" "No, we''ve been discovered. We must face them head-on." Alex returned to her castle to gather the undead. The longer she waited, the worse it would be. She knew nothing about Grimstone''s internal strength, but there were undoubtedly Monarch level dwarves, and she didn''t know how many. Sending three Monarch level undead to attack was unwise. They were her key strength and couldn''t waste Mana Points on ordinary dwarves. Alex needed to be cautious. Her troops had a numerical advantage, so she wouldn''t take unnecessary risks. ============= Frostwind snowy mountain was west of Alex''s castle, and Dark Forest was to the east. Dark Forest was a vast north-south forest, with Chi-Chi''s castle south of Alex''s, making it adjacent to Dark Forest. However, the west was no longer adjacent to the snowy mountain but close to the swamp. Dark Forest extended south to its edge, far from Chi-Chi''s castle, about ten times the distance between Chi-Chi and Alex''s castles. In this remote part of Dark Forest, even Alex''s undead rarely explored deeply, a Lord''s castle stood hidden, undetected by Alex''s undead. This Lord''s castle wasn''t hidden by terrain but by his own abilities. Blonde, the Lord''s name, was a priest but not a pure one. Before coming to this world, he had relations with 21 nuns, naming his castle [21 Nuns] in their honor. Blonde''s troops were alchemy warlocks, human but wielding dark alchemy magic. Yes, the same alchemy magic Alex mastered. Through dark alchemy, they could even turn inanimate objects into living beings. They could create undead, though flawed, with weak souls and limited stamina, only able to transform into skeletons. Even so, Blonde felt fortunate. He knew the power of undead and believed that with a summoning spell, he could quickly amass an army, making first-tier Lords seem trivial. Though he was third-tier, he thought first-tier Lords were overrated. Until he discovered real undead, perfect ones, not made by alchemy. Blonde realized they were natural undead, and though he didn''t know why they were there, he was thrilled and sent his skeletons to investigate. Learning the truth shattered his confidence. The undead were all troops of a Lord! He had painstakingly researched undead with his troops, summoning nearly a thousand skeletons in half a month without upgrading his castle or Barracks. But there were over 5,000 undead near Dark Forest alone. Blonde had always been resilient, but Alex''s power was overwhelming. Alex could summon all undead, while he could only summon weak skeletons through his troops. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Blonde wondered if killing Alex would grant him her Barracks, letting him reach the pinnacle without alchemy. But he wasn''t foolish. He knew challenging Alex was suicide. After discovering the undead were Alex''s troops, he used alchemy to hide his castle. Today, Sunset Alliance''s campaign in World Chat made Blonde realize they were targeting a first-tier Lord. He immediately linked it to Alex. Blonde knew other Lords might have undead troops, but any Lord with undead troops wouldn''t be weak. He understood the terror of undead. If the nearby undead Lord was their target, Blonde saw an opportunity. Even if not, they wouldn''t tolerate a second undead Lord. He realized he could ally with them, using them as a stepping stone to attack the undead Lord. Blonde felt blessed by fate. "Amen," he prayed. Chapter 149 - 149: She didnt need to develop, growing stronger through war Sunset Alliance, led by Galvin, reached out to all first-tier Lords. Most of them read the messages but didn''t respond, choosing to observe the situation. A few Lords agreed to join Galvin''s Alliance, but two first-tier Lords, [Flame Spirit] and [Earth Lord], outright rejected him. This made the suspicious Galvin even more wary, thinking these two must know something about Alex. But no matter how much Galvin pressed, Cain and Earl didn''t respond. Galvin had asked all the first-tier Lords, but the Alliance''s effectiveness was limited, with only a dozen Lords agreeing to join. First-tier Lords had their own ambitions and didn''t want to get involved in matters unrelated to them. Moreover, the world''s vastness, with several continents, made finding another''s castle a significant challenge. Frustrated, Galvin turned to second-tier Lords. Surprisingly, many second-tier Lords were willing to join, but they were more concerned about rewards and benefits. Under Galvin''s promises, he only recruited a few strong-looking Lords, avoiding a large crowd. After all, the resources of an undead Lord wouldn''t be enough for so many to share. Soon, Galvin bought crucial information about Alex from a second-tier Lord for 20,000 magic crystals. The revelation shocked Galvin, realizing how naive he had been. The undead Lord was far stronger than they had imagined. Galvin continued to prepare, informing his four companions of the news. As the leader, Galvin hosted the meeting at his castle. Their Alliance consisted of four towns together, with a fifth town left in its original location as a last-resort escape route. The five gathered quickly. Galvin began, "Important news: [Hamburger] has three Monarch level undead, not just one. Her troops exceed 10,000, with over a hundred Commanding levels." "What?!" The four were stunned. Such strength was terrifying, surpassing several Alliances combined. "Where did you get this information? Is it accurate?" Mishus asked, finding the strength unbelievable. "I bought it from a second-tier Lord. He not only saw the undead Lord but also knows her location, though he wouldn''t reveal it. I suspect his castle isn''t far from hers." Galvin felt regretful, almost learning Alex''s castle location. He had offered an Alliance to the Lord to jointly eliminate the undead Lord but was refused. Galvin had no choice but to give up. To attack Alex, they needed a nearby Lord to use the Alliance rules, allowing members to teleport through the Portal of Transit. But with billions of Lords in the world, finding a nearby Lord was a daunting task. Just then, Galvin received a private message. [21 Nuns]: "I know the undead Lord''s location and can cooperate, but my castle isn''t upgraded to a town, so I can''t teleport." [Ember]: "What level is your castle?" [21 Nuns]: "lv3" "Fuck!" Galvin cursed and immediately blocked Blonde. "What''s wrong?" the others asked, confused. "A scammer claiming to know the undead Lord''s location, asking me to help upgrade his castle." Galvin felt insulted, thinking the Lord took him for a fool. How could a Lord''s castle still be lv3 at this stage? Even scammers should come up with better lies. Blonde, seeing his message failed to send, was baffled, not understanding what he had said wrong. His castle was indeed lv3! ... On the continent of Valoria, a massive abyss cut through the land, desolate and lifeless. The abyss, known as the Endless Abyss, housed a black, imposing castle at its deepest point. This castle belonged to one of the three first-tier Lords without an Alliance, named [Inferno]. The Lord, a young man with a wicked look, was named Satan. Sitting on a throne in the grand hall, facing the open doors, Satan watched World Chat. "Undead, ominous creatures, huh." Satan sneered. If undead were considered ominous, what about his troops? He knew about Galvin''s plan to rally Lords against Alex, having been invited but ignored it. To Satan, these first-tier Lords were fools, never amounting to anything. The undead Lord might be a worthy opponent someday, though she seemed troubled now. "Let''s lend a helping hand." Satan searched for Alex in the friend list and sent her a message. [Inferno]: "These Lords are forming an Alliance to attack you. One Monarch level troop won''t be enough. Ally with me, and I''ll help you deal with them." [Hamburger]: "You just want to leech off my spoils, don''t you?" Satan: ??? Satan felt insulted. He merely disliked the other Lords'' actions, not seeking spoils. "Forget it. She doesn''t know how strong I am." Alex was gathering undead in her castle, unsure of the Lords'' plans but sensing they intended to supply her with resources. Her revealed strength was only one Monarch level undead. No one knew, including herself, that she actually had four, making her confident in handling the Lords. Alex didn''t know her information had been leaked. [Inferno]: "I don''t want spoils. I''ll help for free." [Hamburger]: "Is there really such a fool¡ªno, I mean, such a good person?" Without a chat recall feature, Alex''s slip was visible. Satan: ... Satan sent an Alliance request, but Alex disappeared, not replying. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Still, Satan sent another message. [Inferno]: "Agree to the Alliance, and I''ll support you immediately. For free!" Satan closed World Chat. With his strength, he needed no allies, just wanting to prevent a promising Lord from being killed by trash. After all, the All-Races Battle Royale would lose its fun otherwise. "Abaddon, guard the Portal of Transit. Notify me if it activates." ... Alex had never encountered someone offering free help. But she didn''t need anyone''s assistance, as she could handle everything on her own. In her view, the enemy''s targeting and attacks were merely acts that helped her expand her troops. With some free time, Alex decided to check out this person. He had to be a first-tier Lord to offer such help. "Wow, really a first-tier Lord, and without an Alliance." Alex found [Inferno] on the first-tier leaderboard, ranked fourth. While the leaderboard didn''t guarantee absolute strength, top ten in the first tier indicated strong capabilities, requiring both luck and skill. As for the Lords planning to attack her, Alex wasn''t too concerned. They were essentially delivering resources. Whether they could find her castle was another matter. She just needed to have more undead monitor the Barren Plains. The only nearby Lords were the Elemental Alliance and Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi was an ally, leaving the Elemental Alliance as the only potential informants. But first, she had to deal with the trouble at Grimstone. ... On the continent of Arsen, atop a towering stone pillar, stood a golden castle. The castle radiated a holy light, perched above the clouds. At the base of the pillar, four towns stood at the cardinal points, forming an Alliance centered on the castle. The Lord of the castle, named [Holy Wing], was Raphaela. Due to her bloodline, her hair was golden, her robe spotless, and she had white wings, floating in the air with a holy aura. "Undead, a scourge." Arsen, the smallest and weakest of the seven continents, was often overlooked by major powers. Major powers spanned multiple continents, focusing on the stronger ones. This gave Arsen''s Lords ample time to develop, as long as they avoided provoking mid-sized forces. Consequently, Arsen''s Lords were the strongest overall, having a safer environment for growth. Of course, this was also due to the higher survival rate of Arsen''s Lords. ... Another powerful Alliance joined Galvin''s, promising to find Alex''s castle and attack her. With more Lords joining, all idle Lords searched for Alex''s castle. If Alex''s troops were just a branch of the undead race, she might not be targeted. But her troops seemed to encompass the entire undead race, instilling fear in the Lords. Galvin had seen a Monarch level necromancer arrive alone and return with hundreds of various undead. She didn''t need to develop, growing stronger through war. This was an insurmountable advantage. Chapter 150 - 150: Set out to attack Grimstone In Galvin''s mind, such a Lord could not be allowed to exist. The ability to summon an entire race of undead was a terrifying concept. Undead were not like goblins or slimes, low-tier races. An entire race of undead was something that instilled fear in everyone. This was the chain reaction caused by Alex revealing her strength. Now, almost every Lord knew that the [Hamburger]''s troops were undead. Alex, of course, wasn''t afraid. After all, if they really attacked, she had the home-field advantage. What Alex didn''t know was that due to more detailed information being leaked, the Alliance searching for her was growing stronger, potentially exceeding what she could handle. In the westernmost part of the Arsen continent, there was the territory of the last of the three first-tier Lords without an Alliance, [Calamity Source]. The owner of Calamity Source was named Lilith. Her castle was perched on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the vast ocean. Beyond the sea lay an unknown continent. Not far from here was the border of the elf kingdom, and the occasional harassment from sea creatures also contributed to her rapid development. Outside the castle were thousands of sea and elf warriors under her control. Inside, her troops stood solemnly on either side, eerie yet dignified. Lilith, dressed in a black gown, stood on the castle balcony, gazing at the sea behind the castle, lost in thought. She had also received Galvin''s Alliance invitation. For lone wolves like Lilith and Satan, who had no Alliances, Galvin''s plan was to temporarily unite them. Lilith didn''t give a clear response, choosing to observe for now. World Chat was still targeting Alex, recruiting members for an attack. For some reason, watching this unfold, Lilith felt a sense of human hypocrisy. Claiming that undead were a symbol of disaster and ominous creatures, it was really just fear of someone being too strong and threatening these Lords. Disasters weren''t limited to undead; any creature could be a disaster if the Lord was strong enough. Lilith''s resources came entirely from the sea and elf races, rarely trading on the trading post, making her less known in World Chat. Castle and Barracks levels didn''t directly affect her strength, and she never planned to form an Alliance, keeping her town at lv1. Lilith turned from the balcony, walking through the castle. She looked at the thousands of elves and sea creatures under her influence and the troops standing motionless inside the castle. A black feather at the door caught Lilith''s attention. She bent down to pick it up, examining it. "Perhaps my troops are more ominous than the undead." If the undead Lord died, would she be the next "ominous"? To Lilith, good and evil, ominous and holiness, couldn''t be defined by one or a few people. Lilith remembered a Lord named [King Kong] who was near the undead Lord. The undead Lord didn''t kill her but made her submit. The submitted [King Kong] Lord hadn''t suffered misfortune; otherwise, she wouldn''t be active in World Chat. Lilith searched for this Lord, finding her alive and well. From this, Lilith deduced that the so-called ominous of the undead Lord wasn''t a madman. Lilith decided to help Alex. The actions of these Lords were truly disgusting. ===== "What kind of day is this, meeting all these strange people?" Alex wondered. Was it because someone wanted to attack her that they all wanted to help? But given the unique nature of the undead, no matter how many enemies came, if they couldn''t defeat Alex, her troops would only grow stronger. Even within the first tier, there were differences in strength. The top first-tier Lords were on a different level from the average first-tier Lords. Alex was directing the undead to enter the Portal of Transit. Many large undead couldn''t pass through, so she didn''t summon them. She gathered only twenty thousand undead, leaving some to guard the castle. With Arthur and Ice Cream there, she felt secure enough not to leave any Monarch level undead behind. Though twenty thousand undead weren''t many, Alex had other plans. Upon arriving at White Rock Mountains, the dwarves were ready, each wearing armor they had crafted, wielding swords or war hammers, lined up neatly. There were fewer than a thousand dwarves ready for battle. Not everyone had a mount, so Sophie only equipped the stronger dwarves with them. Without the ability to enchant equipment, the dwarves wore Commanding or Standard level gear, providing basic attribute boosts but no special effects. The batch of muskets Alex had seized was likely their most powerful weapon. The dwarves were needed because if Alex wanted to take over Grimstone, she needed them to govern it. Sending undead would cause panic and chaos among the dwarf civilians. Alex wasn''t a butcher; she only killed the corrupt dwarf nobles. It was afternoon, and marching to Grimstone would take until night. The distance was greater than crossing the entire Frostwind snowy mountain. Alex pondered, with all the dwarves and undead looking at her, waiting for her command. Her plan was to time the attack for the next morning. Without knowing Grimstone''s exact strength, a night attack would be risky, as the enemy would have double attribute boosts. "Move out!" Alex and Sophie mounted their griffins, leading the undead and dwarves. Due to the presence of ground troops, the march through the mountains was slow. In Grimstone, the youngest son of the Silverbeard Clan chieftain, Nori, lay in a luxurious palace, two dwarf women massaging his feet. The women were unwilling, as they weren''t Nori''s servants but the wives of two civilian dwarves, forcibly taken because Nori fancied their looks. If they disobeyed, the dwarf nobles outside would be waiting, and their husbands'' lives would be at risk. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Leader, we''ve found the extraterrestrial visitors in White Rock Mountains!" A dwarf troop burst in. Nori, about to get angry, brightened at the news, kicking the women to the ground. Nori stood up, towering at 5 feet, half a head taller than the dwarf troop, with fair skin, not looking much like a dwarf. "Mobilize the army immediately. We can''t allow extraterrestrial visitors behind our lines. I''ll wipe them out!" The previous scouting squad''s disappearance had enraged Nori. There were no major forces nearby, so it had to be extraterrestrial visitors. "Leader, their troops are undead." "Those disgusting things. No wonder our elite warriors vanished. If it''s undead, that explains it. Prepare immediately and enchant weapons with soul damage." Nori knew how to counter undead. Though they had disappeared from Arsen for years, the clan''s records detailed the terror of undead sweeping the continent a thousand years ago, including their weaknesses. Nori had suspected extraterrestrial visitors, now almost certain. He believed the legends were exaggerated. Undead were low-tier creatures, easily dealt with if you knew how. Alex''s army reached the outskirts of White Rock Mountains, 5 miles from the endless green plains. Alex halted the army, addressing three specters. "Tell me about the nearest three dwarf fortresses." "Yes, Queen." Only 20K undead troops came through the portal, and facing 20K dwarf soldiers is already quite challenging. Moreover, this is a siege battle, so the number of undead seems a bit insufficient. No problem. If there weren''t enough, she''d summon more. That''s why Alex arrived early. The specters knew the locations of the dwarf fortresses around Grimstone. Each fortress had about three thousand troops. Three fortresses meant nearly ten thousand, allowing Alex to summon twenty thousand undead. Alex planned to send two necromancers and a lich to fortress, increasing efficiency. The necromancers'' summoning magic wasn''t mid-level, so they could only summon random types. The lich could only summon skeletons. It didn''t matter to Alex. She couldn''t personally visit each fortress to summon air troops. She sent the three alone, without additional undead support. Alex led the army to wait. She looked up at the starry sky, knowing it would be a sleepless night. Ice Cream took four hours to fly over the snowy mountain. Ground troops would take at least ten hours. The distance to Grimstone was even greater, making an all-night march inevitable. The undead''s infinite stamina was an advantage. The dwarves and beasts, though not infinite, could endure a night of intense marching. They were only for cleanup; the undead would lead the siege. Alex worried Grimstone might have a teleportation array, but at the same time, she also hoped it did. If Grimstone was attacked, the news would reach the Silverbeard Clan chieftain, a downside. The upside was that the dwarves could replicate the array, easing future marches. Otherwise, Alex would have to leave troops at Grimstone, limiting her strength. She couldn''t afford to run a day''s journey for reinforcements, arriving too late. Chapter 151 - 151: Offer your souls to the great Queen of the Undead The necromancer, following the coordinates provided by the specter, transformed into ghost form and swiftly flew towards the target. Half an hour later, the necromancer arrived above the dwarf fortress. Although it was daytime, the necromancer remained in ghost form, unnoticed by the dwarves below. The necromancer waved its staff, releasing a blue fireball, a standard attack. Instantly, the necromancer''s form became visible in the sky. By the time the dwarves on the wall reacted, it was too late. The necromancer easily shattered the Commanding level protective barrier. The patrolling dwarves were shocked and immediately sounded the alarm, mobilizing the entire fortress. The dwarf leader ordered the signal fire to be lit, attempting to send a message. But before the dwarves could reach the tower, the necromancer destroyed it with a single blast. The dwarves on the wall quickly adjusted their cannons and crossbows, aiming at the necromancer in the sky. As the fuses burned down, the cannons fired. Boom! Cannonballs and arrows flew, but the necromancer blocked them all with a bone shield, emerging unscathed. The necromancer descended slowly, landing in the center of the fortress. All the dwarves turned pale, even the dwarf leader gripped his weapon tightly, eyeing the necromancer warily. In an instant, the area transformed into a bone hell, with dwarves impaled by bone spikes, writhing in agony. Only the dwarf leader narrowly avoided the initial domain attack. "Domain!" the dwarf leader exclaimed, but the necromancer gave him no second chance. Bone spikes surged around him, binding him tightly. His armor was no match for the spikes. His weapon fell to the ground, and as his blood drained rapidly, he lost his life. A Commanding level had no chance against a Monarch level. From the corpses of the slain dwarves, various undead emerged, both airborne and ground troops. The necromancer destroyed all the fortress''s structures, including barriers and furnaces. Unfortunately, no blueprints were found. The necromancer didn''t summon the dwarf leader''s corpse but grabbed it and flew into the sky. With the undead summoned, the necromancer began returning, leaving the corpses behind. In these special times, Alex wasn''t greedy for minor gains and didn''t bother disassembling them. The necromancer detonated the ammunition depot, obliterating the dwarf fortress and incinerating the bodies. Meanwhile, the lich took a more straightforward approach. In terms of raw power, the lich was stronger than the necromancer, not just because of its higher potential but also due to its additional abilities. The lich didn''t bother with stealth, flying openly to the dwarf fortress. The dwarves noticed the black-robed skeleton in the sky immediately. The dwarf leader ordered all dwarves to prepare for battle. As the lich released its Domain, the fortress''s shield shattered instantly, and the cannons on the wall froze solid. The dwarf fortress began to tremble, freezing outward from the lich''s center. The dwarves, confused, were soon impaled by flying bone spikes. They might have dodged, but their legs were frozen to the ground, rendering them immobile. Skeletons rose from the lich''s domain, finishing off the surviving dwarves. The dwarf leader, gripping his war hammer, struck at the lich standing silently on the ground. The lich blocked the hammer with a skeletal hand, then froze the dwarf leader entirely. A massive ice spike emerged beside the lich, piercing the dwarf leader and killing him. The lich also destroyed the fortress''s structures but was luckier than the necromancer. The lich picked up a blueprint from the ground, a high-level Furnace design. Using Skeleton Magic, not summoning magic, the lich didn''t have the double summoning effect. Looking at the three thousand skeletons, the lich seemed dissatisfied. The lich flew into the sky, conjuring two red orbs in its hands. The three thousand skeletons below disintegrated, their bones floating into the sky, swirling around the lich and coalescing. The remaining soul fires on the ground merged, and every group of ten formed a single flame. The bones assembled into bone dragons, the soul fires igniting in their eye sockets. The lich had the power to create these bone dragons because their souls were sacrificed to it. Other Skeleton Soldiers'' souls were sacrificed to Alex, so even with Skeleton Magic, the lich couldn''t control them. The lich''s potential was Emperor level, but currently, it was only Monarch level, so the bone dragons it summoned were also Monarch level at best. These bone dragons were inferior to those summoned by the Barracks. The lich continued casting, adding abilities to the bone dragons, making them more than mere skeletons. The bone dragons'' horns emitted a chilling aura, and their claws glowed faintly blue. The bone dragons inherited the lich''s abilities, their breath becoming frost breath, and their claw attacks gaining weak soul damage. Three thousand skeletons were transformed into three hundred frost bone dragons, now flying in the sky. The massive mana expenditure left the lich drained. "Offer your souls to the great Queen of the Undead." The lich''s raspy voice echoed as it conjured a blue light in its hand, the souls of the bone dragons. With a chant, the lich dispersed the souls, ensuring they weren''t bound to it. If the lich died, the bone dragons it created would vanish. The lich, riding a bone dragon, led the others back, destroying the dwarf fortress along the way. The two necromancers and the lich completed their tasks. The necromancers returned to Alex first. The lich, having spent time reshaping skeletons, hadn''t returned yet. Alex smiled at the Commanding level dwarf corpse the necromancer brought back. She hadn''t instructed them to bring corpses, so only one necromancer did. Understanding the necromancer''s intent, Alex''s left eye glowed, and a large gray magic circle summoned a Commanding level bone dragon. Alex dismounted her griffin, standing on the bone dragon''s back. The Commanding level bone dragon flew faster than a griffin of the same level. "How considerate, bringing me a mount," Alex remarked. Alex now had a Commanding level bone dragon, while Sophie took the only remaining Commanding level griffin. Alex, now mastering mid-level summoning magic, could specify the type of undead she wanted to summon. However, these high-tier undead didn''t benefit from the double summoning effect. "Oh my god!" At that moment, Alex saw the lich returning, followed by hundreds of bone dragons. Alex''s own bone dragon count had never reached such numbers, and the lich had brought her three hundred at once. She had been pleased with the necromancer''s thoughtfulness in bringing her a mount, but the lich''s surprise was on another level. Alex recognized that these bone dragons were summoned using the lich''s Skeleton Magic, making them different from the bone dragon she was riding. But for her undead army, these bone dragons were top-tier combatants. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, Alex''s bone dragons and zombie titans were too large to pass through the portal. Her undead army had now grown from 20K to 33K. With these reinforcements, Alex''s confidence soared. Taking Grimstone was now a certainty. The lich also handed Alex a high-level Furnace blueprint, a valuable find. "Move out!" Destroying the three dwarf fortresses had taken two hours. They needed to hurry to reach Grimstone before dawn. Chapter 152 - 152: Trying to run? The blood-red moonlight cast an eerie glow over the silent plains. Over thirty thousand undead marched silently across the grasslands. In the sky, Alex stood on her bone dragon, the wind rushing past her. Sophie remained silent, feeling both fear and excitement, with no trace of sleepiness. The dwarves followed behind the undead army, fully aware of their mission. They all envied Balin Forgeheart, who flew above them. If they successfully captured Grimstone, he would govern the city. The blood moon gradually set, and dawn was approaching. Grimstone''s outline finally appeared in Alex''s view. The dwarf guards on the walls were drowsy. This was the time when people were most prone to sleepiness, and dwarves were no exception. Moreover, being stationed in the safe rear of the clan for so long had made them complacent. Nori never expected these extraterrestrial visitors to launch an attack at dawn the next day after being discovered. "John, you''ll command the ground troops once the attack begins. Azure, you''ll command the air troops." "Yes, Queen," Azure and John replied in unison. Alex, of course, would first assess the enemy''s strength. "And remember, gain as much experience as possible. Your levels are still too low." The two race leaders understood this well. If they didn''t level up quickly, their usefulness to Alex would diminish. As Grimstone''s outline grew larger in their view, they were about to enter the undead''s attack range. The primary target was to break Grimstone''s protective shield. As for the moat, it posed no problem for the undead. The air troops would simply carry the ground troops over it. "Attack!" With Alex''s command, the two necromancers and the lich simultaneously launched their attacks on Grimstone''s shield. Three massive bone spikes struck the shield, causing ripples to spread across its surface. Clang! The sound instantly woke the drowsy dwarf guards. Despite their long period of peace, they retained their training and emergency protocols. The guards quickly sounded the alarm, waking all the dwarves in the city, both soldiers and civilians. The city quickly descended into chaos as the army mobilized. Nori, awakened by the commotion, was shocked by the reports. Meanwhile, Alex was surprised that the combined attack of three Monarch levels hadn''t broken Grimstone''s shield, alerting the dwarves. It had to be a Monarch level or higher defense shield. "I''ll handle this!" Alex floated off the bone dragon, wielding her scythe. With a powerful swing, a dark blade of energy shot towards Grimstone''s shield. The dark magic''s high corrosion instantly created a crack in the shield. Alex followed up with two more swings, and with a loud crash, the shield shattered. It was only a Monarch level shield. Without needing Alex''s command, the undead dove down, carrying the ground troops and flying towards Grimstone. Alex knew the shield could be reactivated, so they had to act quickly. The air troops carried the ground undead, dropping them onto the walls. Inside the city, they clashed with the dwarf army. A blue beam shot from the wall, freezing a gargoyle mid-air, causing it to fall. But a nearby death conqueror quickly destroyed the weapon. Dwarves poured out from the gates, blocking the undead''s advance. A group of dwarves on flying beasts took to the sky, engaging the undead. Chaos erupted at the gates, but Alex didn''t let the undead penetrate deep into the city to avoid harming the dwarf civilians. In single combat, the dwarves were weaker than the undead, and they were outnumbered. Despite their powerful equipment, the large devices were ineffective in close combat. Against the undying undead, the unprepared dwarves stood no chance. Alex stood on her bone dragon, observing the battle. She wondered why the Monarch level dwarves hadn''t appeared yet. The enemy''s strength seemed too weak. Balin Forgeheart, riding his griffin, was stunned by the undead''s terrifying power. Seeing the nobles who had oppressed them being overwhelmed by the leader''s forces, the nearly thousand dwarves below were equally excited. Boom! A massive hammer struck the ground, creating a shockwave that instantly killed the surrounding undead, scattering skeletons. "The Monarch level enemy is here. Attack!" At Alex''s command, the three Monarch level undead launched their assault on the Monarch level dwarf on the wall. Alex had held them back to conserve Mana Points and preserve their strength. She feared Grimstone''s Monarch level might be formidable. Now that the enemy had appeared, Alex was ready to act. Nori, wielding his hammer, looked at Alex standing on the bone dragon, realizing she was the extraterrestrial visitors'' leader. Nori had enchanted his weapon, making the undead easy prey. Nori, clad in enchanted armor and wielding a massive hammer, was flanked by two strong dwarf guards. These guards were Nori''s personal bodyguards, sent by the Silverbeard Clan chieftain to protect him and the city. Both were Monarch level. The guards wielded flails, swinging them at the approaching necromancers. As the highest combat power in Grimstone, their weapons were the first to be enchanted. The necromancers blocked the flails with bone shields, sending a barrage of bone spikes down at the wall. The guards'' armor glowed blue, and they shielded their faces, enduring the necromancers'' attacks. The bone spikes sparked against their armor, leaving no marks, let alone injuring them. The lich unleashed its domain, sending countless ice lances at Nori. Nori sneered, using his hammer and domain to shatter the attacks before they reached him. Arrogant, Nori underestimated the three Monarch level undead, thinking they were merely agile but lacked the destructive power of a Monarch level dwarf. Nori used his domain to withstand the lich''s attacks while smashing the surrounding undead with his hammer. Any ground undead hit by Nori''s shockwaves had their soul fires extinguished instantly. "Monarch level set." Alex''s eyes narrowed. This dwarf Monarch level was a high-defense tank, with only his bulkiness as a drawback. With the Monarch level set, his combat power was formidable. But the lich, with its Emperor level potential, couldn''t be so easily dismissed. Countless bone spikes, imbued with frost, attacked Nori. The lich''s magic focused on restricting Nori''s movements. Nori, though inexperienced in battle, was knowledgeable and quick-witted. He knew his weaknesses well. Nori''s domain ability was similar to Baldwin''s, altering his weight to wield the heavy hammer with agility. Nori, now agile, dodged the lich''s attacks, leaping from the wall and swinging his hammer at the lich mid-air. The hammer, carrying immense power, struck the lich''s bone shield. The shockwave, infused with soul damage, sent the lich flying. Fortunately, the lich had soul protection, surviving the attack. Nori, unable to regain his footing mid-air, was vulnerable to a counterattack. His arrogance had led him to believe his strike would kill the lich. He couldn''t understand why the undead hadn''t died from the soul attack. As Nori fell, the lich formed a sphere around him, encasing him in ice. The lich''s hand glowed white, and bone spikes extended inside the sphere, piercing Nori. Nori, unable to move, shielded his face with his arms, as his armor protected the rest of his body. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nori activated his domain, increasing his weight to several tons, breaking the bone sphere and crashing into the wall, creating a crater. But it wasn''t over. As Nori tried to catch his breath, the lich''s bone spear loomed, aiming for his face. Nori dodged, but the spear still grazed his left eye and cheek, narrowly missing his brain. "Argh!" In pain, Nori smashed the surrounding bone spikes and swung at the lich. The lich, quick to react, ascended, avoiding Nori''s wild swing. The two guards rushed to Nori, helping him up and retrieving his weapon. Nori, clutching his bleeding eye, glared at the lich with hatred. The two necromancers joined the lich, the three Monarch level undead facing the three Monarch level dwarves. Compared to Nori, the guards fared better, easily handling the necromancers'' Bone Magic. But the lich, with its flexible attacks combining Skeleton and Bone Magic, along with frost and soul damage, was much more challenging. The other undead had descended from the wall. Even without intentional summoning, the domains'' presence increased the undead numbers. Nori''s expression darkened. The dwarf warriors were dwindling, while the undead multiplied, overwhelming them. With three Monarch level undead blocking them, Nori understood why the ancient texts described undead as terrifying. Knowing how to kill undead was one thing, but the extraterrestrial visitors'' strength was formidable, threatening the clan''s rear. Grimstone''s fall was inevitable, and Nori realized he might not be a match for the lich. Nori exchanged glances with his guards, who nodded resolutely. The guards threw their flails, and Nori, using his domain, hurled his hammer at the lich. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] As dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight illuminated Grimstone. The necromancers blocked the flails with bone shields, but the bones turned liquid, trapping the weapons. The guards pulled the chains, engaging in a tug-of-war with the necromancers. The lich conjured bone chains, binding Nori''s hammer mid-air, freezing it. Chains also targeted the unprepared guards. Nori, fleeing, saw a white-haired girl with a giant scythe blocking his path. "Trying to run?" Chapter 153 - 153: Join us and overthrow these corrupt nobles The girl''s cold voice echoed, making Nori''s face turn grim. He recognized her as the leader of the extraterrestrial visitors. Without his weapon, Nori knew he stood no chance against Alex. "Do you know who I am? I am Nori of the Silverbeard Clan, one of the seven noble families of the dwarf kingdom. Do you really want to make an enemy of the entire dwarf kingdom?" Nori tried to use his background to intimidate the extraterrestrial visitor. In his mind, these visitors were cowardly and feared death. "Hmph." The surroundings turned into a frozen wasteland as Alex''s figure vanished, reappearing in front of Nori, swinging her scythe at his head. Nori seemed prepared, holding a device resembling a mechanical sphere. As Alex disappeared, he activated the device. A surge of spatial energy enveloped Nori, and he vanished, leaving behind his armor and clothes. Nori reappeared a hundred miles away from Grimstone, naked and panicked, fleeing immediately. This teleportation device was a new invention developed by the three major clans of the dwarf kingdom, given to Nori by the Silverbeard Clan chieftain for emergencies. Alex hadn''t expected Nori to have such a trick, allowing him to escape. But it didn''t matter. Alex wasn''t afraid of the Silverbeard Clan knowing about the attack on Grimstone. From Grimstone''s defenses, the Silverbeard Clan was weaker than Alex had anticipated. Given time, Alex believed Sophie could lead the dwarves to overthrow the Silverbeard Clan. With Nori''s escape, the two Monarch level dwarf guards were quickly overwhelmed by the undead. Alex stood behind the two dwarf guards, knowing the outcome was inevitable. The guards were doomed. Alex ordered the undead to surround the remaining dwarf troops, making them her prisoners. Although Alex wanted to kill them to summon more undead, she needed them to defend the city and operate the weapons. Sophie''s thousand dwarves wouldn''t be enough. Alex doubted all the remaining dwarf troops were loyal to the Silverbeard Clan. If they were, it was even better. She could kill them and increase her undead numbers. The massive zombie titan smashed open the city gates, allowing Balin Forgeheart and the dwarves to enter. The battle had been confined to the gates, minimizing the impact on the civilians. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Balin Forgeheart, it''s up to you now. If any dwarves don''t cooperate, John will handle them." "Yes, leader." Pacifying the civilians and troops was simple. The troops were conscripted by the Silverbeard Clan due to the kingdom''s internal war, and the civilians were heavily taxed. As long as Sophie and Balin were more benevolent than Nori, they would gain support. The two Monarch level dwarf guards were killed by the undead. As nobles, they refused to surrender, adding two more Monarch level undead to Alex''s forces. The battle had killed nearly ten thousand dwarf troops, increasing Alex''s undead army from thirty thousand to fifty thousand. Alex checked John and Azure''s levels, both reaching lv7 Commanding level, closer to Monarch level. Only Arthur remained at lv4. With the death of the two Monarch level dwarves, the remaining noble troops surrendered. The battle ended, and Alex withdrew the fifty thousand undead, leaving only herself, Sophie, the three Monarch level undead, and the dwarves. The three Monarch level undead were left to intimidate the dwarf troops, while their withdrawal allowed Balin Forgeheart to rally the civilians against the nobles. Balin Forgeheart passionately denounced the nobles'' injustices. Alex, uninterested, decided to search the city with two dwarf artisans for useful items. Nori and the nobles lived in the city center. Though not luxurious, their homes were far superior to the surrounding dwellings. Alex''s first target was Nori''s room, easily identifiable as the largest. The castle held no valuables, only miscellaneous items. However, Alex discovered a hidden chamber. Inside, a room filled with torture devices held a dying dwarf. Seeing Alex, the dwarf struggled to lift his head, surprised to see a human girl instead of Nori. "Where''s Nori? Cough, cough..." The dwarf, lying on the ground, weakly asked. How could a human enter Grimstone? He thought Nori was playing a trick. "He ran away." Alex casually replied, standing outside the iron bars, looking at the dying dwarf chained to the wall. The dwarf was a strong male. Alex wondered why Nori tortured him instead of killing him. "Hey, who are you?" The dwarf, seemingly enraged, or perhaps because Alex was close, suddenly lunged, punching through the bars at Alex. The bars were wide enough for the dwarf''s fist. Alex easily dodged, and the dwarf collapsed, exhausted. Alex considered killing him but sensed domain power in his punch, deciding to investigate further. "You''re a Monarch level, yet Nori tortured you. Why?" Before the dwarf could answer, a dwarf artisan entered. "Leader, we found Grimstone''s teleportation array in the castle''s basement, but it''s small." The imprisoned dwarf looked up, seeing the artisan''s attire and behavior, realizing he wasn''t a noble or soldier. Could the human girl be telling the truth? Had Nori been defeated? He had been imprisoned for months, hearing the recent battle outside, involving at least four or five Monarch levels. The dwarf pondered. Grimstone might have fallen, and perhaps the girl was worth talking to. "I am... the lord of Grimstone." As soon as the dwarf finished speaking, both Alex and the other dwarf artisan turned their attention to the imprisoned dwarf. "You say you''re the Lord of Grimstone. Then what''s Nori''s deal?" Alex asked, surprised to find Grimstone''s Lord imprisoned in Nori''s castle. She was skeptical. "First, tell me what happened in the city," the dwarf demanded, even as a prisoner, refusing to submit. He wanted to know the situation in the city. Alex saw no harm in telling him. He was just a prisoner, after all. "Grimstone is under my control now. The nobles are all dead. Nori had some kind of escape device and fled." "Why do the dwarves... serve you?" the imprisoned dwarf asked again. This time, the dwarf artisan stepped forward before Alex could respond. "We were refugees. This girl took us in and saved our lives. We follow her willingly," the artisan explained. Hearing this, the imprisoned dwarf fell into deep thought. He then began to recount his story to Alex. His name was Durin Silverbeard. His father was a Silverbeard Clan noble, and his mother was a commoner. Due to his exceptional talent, the chieftain appointed him as the Lord of Grimstone. Unlike other nobles, Durin treated everyone equally, whether they were commoners or nobles. He even punished nobles who committed crimes, which naturally made him unpopular among them. Because his mother was a commoner, he was often scorned and considered unworthy of being a noble, labeled a half-breed. After the Silverbeard Clan lost a battle to the Stoneforge Clan, the chieftain ordered the conscription of commoners from all cities. Durin refused to forcibly recruit soldiers, leading the nobles to accuse him of conspiring with commoners to rebel. They imprisoned him. Nori then took over Grimstone with his noble guards. He began torturing Durin, trying to force a confession of rebellion. Without sufficient evidence, and given Durin''s noble birth, neither Nori nor the chieftain could kill him outright. So, Nori resorted to brutal torture to extract a confession. After hearing Durin''s story, Alex didn''t know what to make of it. She could only marvel at the dwarves'' internal strife, even as their race remained divided. "Why not join us and help overthrow these corrupt nobles?" Alex suggested. Chapter 154 - 154: Win over Durin Sophie''s dwarves lacked high-level combatants, and Durin seemed like a good candidate. After months of torture, Durin had lost faith in the Silverbeard Clan. Nori, being the chieftain''s son, made it clear that the chieftain was complicit in his suffering. The city''s commoners believed their beloved Lord Durin was dead. "I am a noble. Can you trust me?" Durin asked. "Words alone aren''t enough. We need a contract," Alex replied. Durin fell silent. Signing a contract meant he couldn''t betray Alex, which was the safest option, but he also didn''t fully trust her. "I need... to see outside," Durin said. Alex used her scythe to break the iron door and cut the chains binding Durin. Durin struggled to stand, stumbling towards the exit. Alex watched silently. In Durin''s current state, she could kill him instantly if he tried anything. Outside the castle, Durin, covered in wounds, finally saw the sunlight. The bright light made him squint, taking a moment to adjust. Durin''s body was covered in scars, both old and new. His appearance was frightening. Some commoners peeking through windows recognized their former lord. "Look, isn''t that Lord Durin?" "Yes, it''s Lord Durin! He''s alive!" Brave dwarf commoners soon stepped into the streets, bringing clothes and food. They dressed Durin and supported his frail body. "Take me... to the gate," Durin said. The dwarves didn''t understand why Durin wanted to go to the gate despite his injuries, but they helped him anyway. Alex followed silently to avoid misunderstandings. "Fellow dwarves, to the nobles, we are nothing but livestock. They exploit and oppress us. In their eyes, we are not even considered sentient beings. Are you willing to continue living like this? Why not be brave and fight for freedom and equality with your own hands?" Before reaching the gate, Durin heard a dwarf passionately speaking. A crowd had gathered around him. On the wall stood a human and three undead, watching silently. They were the companions of the human girl. Durin also saw many dwarves from outside the city. Their armor was less refined, indicating they weren''t regular troops. Despite this, they maintained order. The city guards had been subdued, laying down their weapons. Balin Forgeheart''s speech was swaying many hearts. Durin was stunned. Alex hadn''t lied. From the dwarves'' behavior, it was clear they weren''t being coerced. "What do you think? While you may not fear death, I must say, if you choose to side with the nobles, I will kill you," Alex said, stepping in front of Durin. The two dwarves supporting him looked at the human girl in fear. "I am willing... to take a chance with you. The corrupt noble system... I''ve had enough of it," Durin said, coughing. He had long wanted to overthrow the nobles. "Good!" Alex waved to Sophie on the wall, who quickly came over. "Heal him and make a contract with him." Sophie, though puzzled, complied. She conjured a green magic circle, and life energy flowed, healing Durin''s wounds visibly. Durin''s complexion improved, and the dwarves released their hold on him. Durin then signed a contract with Sophie, not a life-and-death master-servant contract. It wouldn''t bind him to die if Sophie did. "Help stabilize the city," Alex instructed. She had other matters to attend to, such as the city''s equipment and resources, and the surrounding dwarf fortresses. Leaving the city''s affairs to Sophie and the dwarves, Alex returned to the central castle with the dwarf artisan to inspect the basement''s small teleportation array. "It seems the dwarves'' magic technology isn''t that advanced," Alex remarked. She had expected a large portal like the Portal of Transit but found a small one, only allowing one person through at a time. It was likely Nori''s emergency escape route. Where it led, Alex didn''t know. "Can you replicate it?" Alex asked the two dwarf artisans. They were among the few in Sophie''s castle capable of crafting Commanding level equipment. If they couldn''t, she''d have to abandon the idea. The artisans examined it carefully and shook their heads. "Leader, there''s magic involved. We don''t understand magic, so we can''t replicate it." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex had expected this answer. She destroyed the teleportation array and left the basement. The castle held some ancient texts about the Silverbeard Clan, but they contained little useful information. Who cared about the clan''s history? Durin knew everything she needed. The city also had many weapons and equipment, superior to those in the dwarf fortresses. Alex handed these over to the dwarves, as they were useless to her undead troops. "Durin, can you mobilize the troops in the surrounding dwarf fortresses?" Alex asked at the gate. If he couldn''t, she''d send the undead army to eliminate them. With Grimstone secured, Alex wouldn''t tolerate other dwarf fortresses between it and Sophie''s castle. "I can, but it will take some time." The troops within the city were not all loyalists of the nobility; those in the fortresses even less so. They simply followed orders from their superiors, and as for who those superiors were, that was not their concern. "Gather all the troops from the fortresses to Grimstone and restart the White Rock Mountains'' mines." Alex had a defense plan. The fortresses were too spread out, with scattered forces. Concentrating them in Grimstone was more effective. She''d withdraw all fortress troops to Grimstone. Excess dwarves would be sent to the White Rock Mountains to restart the mines, providing resources for Alex''s castle. Combining the fortress troops would yield about twenty thousand, plus the city''s remaining ten thousand, totaling thirty thousand. To be safe, Alex planned to leave twenty thousand undead in Grimstone to help Durin and Balin Forgeheart maintain control. These undead were all ground troops, too slow for long marches. Alex didn''t want to bring them back, as they were summoned from the corpses of the fallen dwarf troops. If the Silverbeard Clan attacked, Durin would lead the dwarves in defense, with the undead as a last resort, also collecting and summoning corpses on the battlefield. The lich remained the most powerful undead, with Emperor level potential, the highest among her troops besides the three race leaders. Alex summoned a lich and a Destroyer from the two Monarch level corpses. Though the zombie titan also had Emperor level potential, its size made it impractical for now. In this battle, Alex gained two additional Monarch-level fighters. To be precise, it was actually three, since Durin also counted. However, Durin had to stay and guard Grimstone, so Alex couldn''t bring him back. Alex gave Durin Nori''s armor and weapon to enhance his combat ability. With Durin, the former lord, the transition was smoother. His speech quickly rallied the commoners, who pledged to help overthrow the nobles. Balin Forgeheart led the dwarves in rooting out the remaining nobles, with the commoners'' support. Soon, Balin captured a group of Silverbeard Clan nobles who had hidden during the battle. With the commoners'' help, they were easily found. Balin brought them to the gate for Durin to deal with, as the troops and commoners watched. "Durin, are you betraying the clan to side with these lowly commoners? How dare you!" "This is treason!" The kneeling nobles cursed Durin, forgetting he was a Monarch level. Perhaps they thought Durin''s previous capture showed he was a coward, incapable of killing them. Durin knew this was the time to assert his authority. Without a word, he activated his domain, confining it to the nobles. They coughed blood and died instantly. The onlookers were stunned, then erupted in cheers, their faces alight with excitement. "Good, they deserved it!" Meanwhile, Alex inspected the dwarves'' high-tech equipment on the wall. She noted their proficiency in enchanting gear for various situations. Alex was glad she had attacked quickly. Given more time, the dwarves would have enchanted weapons with soul damage, causing heavy losses to her undead. By noon, the city''s affairs were mostly settled, and Alex prepared to leave. "Durin, what''s the Silverbeard Clan''s strength?" Alex almost forgot the crucial information. As a former noble, Durin would know the clan''s capabilities. "Leader, I haven''t seen the chieftain in six months. He was lv6 Monarch level then. The Silverbeard Clan controls seven cities, ranking mid to low among the seven clans. I don''t know the exact number of Monarch levels." Durin thought for a moment before answering. They talked for a few more minutes, and Alex learned that the former dwarf king had reached King level, the highest among the seven clans. None of the other clans had a King level, or they would have unified the kingdom. King level seemed to be the minimum strength to establish a kingdom. With this information, Alex realized she had overestimated the Silverbeard Clan. The chieftain was just a high-level Monarch, not a King level, making them less threatening. Durin and the dwarves could handle them. Alex left Grimstone to Durin and Balin, with twenty thousand undead, and took the remaining thirty thousand undead back to her castle. She also took several thousand dwarves to man the White Rock Mountains mines and Sophie''s castle. Chapter 155 - 155: Baldwin appeared again By the time Alex and Sophie returned to the castle, it was already afternoon. Looking at Sophie''s town and the surrounding mountains, it felt like returning from a city to a rural village. During their absence, the dwarf mines had been restarted. The dwarves would now settle near the mines. Alex, being considerate, arranged for the undead to handle the transportation of iron ingots, given the difficulty of transporting them over mountain paths. The dwarves only needed to focus on mining. Once the iron was transported back to the castle, the three Furnaces were put to work¡ªtwo for smelting ore and one for crafting equipment. As for the dwarf fortresses around Grimstone, Alex trusted Durin to handle them. Currently, the Silverbeard Clan was at war with other clans and had no time to deal with Alex. Besides, the rebellion was led by the dwarf commoners themselves, so other clans wouldn''t assist the Silverbeard Clan. Unless the Silverbeard Clan mobilized a large force, reclaiming Grimstone would be unlikely. Alex hadn''t even plundered Grimstone''s resources, knowing that maintaining a city consumed a vast amount of resources. She decided to leave those resources for Durin to allocate. "You should stay here for the next few days. I might have some trouble on my end," Alex told Sophie. Sophie was worried. She knew the Lords were forming an Alliance to find Alex''s castle, which was indeed a big problem. But she couldn''t help much, as the dwarves had just started to make progress, and there were plenty of issues to handle. "Big Shot, are you sure you''ll be okay? Maybe you should find an ally. Surely some Lords would be willing to form an Alliance with you." Sophie knew it was a long shot. With so many Lords targeting one, only a fool would ally with Alex. But there was always a chance. "Don''t worry. Whether they can find my castle is another matter. And being in the first tier doesn''t mean invincible. This is my home turf," Alex said nonchalantly. She had been worried before, but now, with five Monarch level undead under her command, she had no reason to fear them. Moreover, several undead had reached lv9 Commanding level. With the Bone Throne''s boost, they could become additional Monarch level forces. How could those Lords compete with her? If those fools dared to come, her fifty thousand undead army would teach them a lesson. Alex directed the undead army through the Portal of Transit back to the castle. Proper defenses were still necessary. With Grimstone secured, there was no need to station undead at Sophie''s castle anymore. Only the Acolytes would remain to mine. The iron ingot production had reached a high level, allowing Alex to upgrade her castle almost daily. The Barracks couldn''t be upgraded as frequently due to the scarcity of Essence Shards, despite having plenty of magic crystals. Excess resources could be used to upgrade Sophie''s castle, and then Chi-Chi''s. "I wonder what a fully upgraded town will look like," Alex mused, upgrading her town to lv5 and summoning her troops near the Barracks. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Currently, only skeletons and specters were free from level restrictions. Other undead summoned by Alex couldn''t level up, which would severely weaken her combat power. Without quality, sheer numbers wouldn''t suffice. As Alex''s exploration range expanded, the time spent traveling became a significant drawback. "Sigh." Alex sighed. There was nothing she could do but hope for the system''s favor. She glanced at the distant snowy mountain. The constant blizzards had finally ceased, though the massive cracks in the ground remained. It seemed that with the emergence of the Godhead, the snowy mountain''s influence was waning. Perhaps it wouldn''t remain a snowy mountain in the future. A dead deity''s residual power could alter the landscape, and the Godhead''s emergence had shattered the entire snowy mountain. Alex thought of the battle between the six-winged angel and the frost dragon. Both were Sovereign level, the highest below Divine, causing significant destruction. But compared to a deity, it seemed insignificant. Of course, the snowy mountain''s formation wasn''t instantaneous. It was likely a gradual process as the deity''s power seeped out over time. Having flown most of the way and barely fought, Alex''s stamina and soul power were nearly untouched. She didn''t need to rest. Alex went to the kitchen, tied on an apron, and began cooking. Though she hadn''t taken resources from Grimstone, she had secretly stashed a lot of food in her ring. These were mostly vegetables. Alex hadn''t eaten well in half a month, surviving on roasted and stewed meat. If she weren''t immune to hunger, she would have been sick of it. Seeing the vegetables, Alex''s eyes lit up. She cooked while checking World Chat to see how the Lords were progressing. It had been a day; surely things had calmed down. But Alex quickly regretted it. The situation had escalated, and the hatred towards her had spread from the first tier to the second tier. Lords below the second tier knew their place, staying out of Big Shot affairs and enjoying the show, occasionally making snide comments. In a few days, the number of white names in the channel had increased, almost surpassing the green names of the Lords. This indicated many had switched to Freelancers. Alex decided to stop reading. The constant vilification had made her a public enemy. Even a fifth-tier Lord dared to call her troops a disaster and an omen in World Chat. Alex didn''t care about these baseless accusations. She finished cooking, served the dishes, and enjoyed her meal of various vegetables and meat soup, looking satisfied. Meanwhile, at the border of the Barren Plains, a group of human troops arrived. Leading them was Baldwin, who had been repelled by Alex before. This time, he brought reinforcements, including a Monarch level mage from the Empire''s mage association. With two Monarch levels and ten thousand elite troops, they stood at the ruins of Lucian''s castle. They knew about the snowy mountain incident. The mage was here not only to kill the extraterrestrial visitors but also to investigate the previous mage''s death. Initially, the mage thought his colleague was killed by vampires or werewolves. The Eldoria continent''s mage association demanded answers from them. But the response was that their people had also died in the snowy mountain. The Starfallen Empire''s association branch, being closest, was tasked with investigating. "Search the area. There are at least six extraterrestrial visitor castles nearby!" Chapter 156 - 156: Crisis of the Elemental Alliance There were originally seven Commanding level extraterrestrial visitors here. Every time Baldwin thought about being defeated by these seven, he felt immense anger. He hadn''t killed a single one of them, only some of their troops, and the Empire''s cavalry had suffered heavy losses. When he returned with his troops, he found that the vampire Lord was already dead. But the other extraterrestrial visitor Lords could bring troops over, meaning they weren''t too far away. Except for the undead flying from the snowy mountain, none of the elemental troops could outpace the Empire''s cavalry. Moreover, the extraterrestrial visitors weren''t friends; they were competitors. The snowy mountain was treacherous, and the undead Lord was powerful. Baldwin decided not to send troops to search for the undead Lord yet. His primary targets were the others. Soon, the human cavalry split into two groups, advancing along both sides of the snowy mountain, while the remaining forces stayed behind to wait. The mage from the mage association looked ahead, deciding to investigate personally. "General Baldwin, I''ll leave this place to you. I''m going to the snowy mountain to check things out." A magnetic voice came from within the black robe. Baldwin was taken aback. His plan was to eliminate the extraterrestrial visitors first and then investigate the snowy mountain together. He didn''t expect the mage to be so eager. "Gareth, the snowy mountain might be dangerous. It''s not wise to go alone." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The appearance of the Godhead, the mysterious deaths of three Monarch levels¡ªeverything that happened on the snowy mountain was a mystery. "Don''t worry about me. I''ll just do a preliminary investigation and won''t go too deep." With that, Gareth flew towards the snowy mountain. He understood that any force capable of killing three Monarch levels was beyond his ability to handle, so he proceeded with caution. Baldwin had no choice but to wait with his troops. Gareth stood atop a mountain, surveying the devastated snowy landscape, filled with massive cracks and fewer and fewer living creatures. He didn''t know the exact location of the Godhead''s emergence, so he searched aimlessly. According to intelligence, there was an undead extraterrestrial visitor in the snowy mountain, but Gareth hadn''t seen a single undead on his way. "Strange." As Gareth ventured deeper, he encountered no danger. He noticed more cracks in the ground, leading him to the Godhead''s emergence site. Finally, Gareth arrived at the frost cave where the Godhead had appeared. The mountaintop had a gaping hole, surrounded by web-like cracks. Entering the cave, Gareth found it empty. "There are signs of life here." Gareth picked up a small piece of food residue and some hairs on the ground. It seemed to be from some beast race. Beast races shed fur, and Gareth estimated they had recently vacated the cave. As for what kind of beast race, Gareth couldn''t tell. The snowy mountain''s races mostly had white fur, making it impossible to identify by color alone. He''d have to take it back for magical analysis. Gareth exited the cave and found signs of a Monarch level battle. "Four Monarch levels?!" Gareth was shocked. The intelligence only mentioned werewolves and vampires sending forces, but the battle traces indicated three Monarch levels attacking another. He couldn''t sense any lingering elemental energy in the air. In a magically blasted pit, he brushed away the snow and found a green coagulated substance, possibly blood. Gareth immediately returned with these findings, not continuing his investigation. Unbeknownst to him, an Arctic Tigerfolk hidden under the snow was watching. Once Gareth flew away, it darted back to its tribe. Back at the Starfallen Empire''s mage association, Gareth personally delivered the findings for analysis, believing the unknown fourth Monarch level was the key to the mystery. He didn''t think the extraterrestrial visitors had the power to do all this. With Gareth gone, Baldwin was left to guard the area alone. ... In the Barren Plains, the Elemental Alliance. Because Samson and Boreas''s troops could fly, they handled all the scouting. Since repelling Baldwin last time, the Elemental Alliance had kept a low profile, fearing the Starfallen Empire''s return. But Starfallen Empire had shifted from investigating the border village deaths to exterminating extraterrestrial visitors. Even with Lucian dead, they wouldn''t spare the Elemental Alliance. And now, the inevitable had come. Wind spirits and snow maidens spotted a group of human cavalry heading towards their castle from the north, along the snowy mountain''s edge. It seemed they were specifically investigating extraterrestrial visitors. If they moved a bit south, they''d soon find the Elemental Alliance''s castle. In the open Barren Plains, without cover or special measures, their castle was too easy to spot. Samson and Boreas quickly informed the others, and they gathered at Earl''s castle. Everyone looked grim. What they feared had come to pass. "Do we know their strength?" Earl asked first, all eyes turning to Samson and Boreas. Samson shook his head. "The Starfallen Empire''s troops are numerous and spread out. I didn''t dare send the snow maidens too deep, fearing they''d be discovered. But they came from the east, likely finding the vampire Lord''s destroyed castle and now searching for us." "I''ve sent troops to the snowy mountain to circle around. It should be safe, but it''ll take time for them to report back," Cain said. Boreas was also anxious. Monarch levels were too powerful, and their current strength was insufficient to handle them. "This time, their strength will be greater than before. I''m afraid..." Cain didn''t finish. Their priority was survival. Fighting head-on would be suicide. The only options were to disband the Alliance and relocate or ally with Alex, using her powerful undead army to eliminate the threat. Cain saw that Alex wasn''t bloodthirsty. With her current strength, she likely didn''t covet their resources. Constantly fleeing would hinder their town''s development and risk demotion to a castle. The others were silent, contemplating the situation. Time was running out. The human cavalry would soon find their castle. Only Ivy remained silent, deep in thought. Chapter 157 - 157: There was no justice or evil, only the strong defining the weak "Actually, we could trade the undead Lord''s location to those first-tier Alliances and let them handle our problem," Ivy finally voiced her idea, shocking everyone. This was completely contrary to their previous decision not to antagonize Alex. "Why not just seek her help directly? How do you know she''s alone without allies? And even if she only has one Monarch level undead, do you think those first-tier Alliances can defeat her?" Samson immediately countered. In his view, those Alliances wouldn''t stand a chance against Alex. If they failed, the Elemental Alliance would be implicated, and they''d face Alex''s wrath with no chance to escape. "I..." Ivy wanted to argue but realized it was futile and fell silent. "Samson is right. If we ally with other Lords and they lose to the undead Lord, we won''t be able to escape," Cain agreed, believing the Lords wouldn''t be able to defeat Alex. "What''s the panic? Worst case, we switch to Freelancers and leave. Running around is a hassle, and the castle is a burden," the young and hot-blooded Boreas added. Though he disliked Alex, he despised the other Lords'' actions more. Alex had no quarrel with anyone, yet they targeted her just because she was the strongest. "So, what do we do?" Ivy asked, seeing everyone oppose her idea, her face showing frustration. "Fight or flee. Becoming Freelancers is the last resort," they concluded. In the end, they decided to station troops around the castle for defense, even building some makeshift fortifications. But with the enemy''s main force nearby, this wouldn''t hold for long. Samson was tasked with contacting Alex for help, while Boreas and Ivy sought allies as a backup plan. Earl and Cain, being first-tier Lords, found it hard to be accepted by weaker Lords who feared their strength. No Lord wanted a stronger Lord near their castle, as it would put them in a vulnerable position if the stronger Lord had ill intentions. At this moment, the Elemental Alliance members regretted gathering five Alliances together. In hindsight, they shouldn''t have invited Boreas, as it left them with no retreat. ... Sunset Alliance, Galvin received Raphaela''s Alliance request with a smug expression. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t know how strong Raphaela and her Alliance were, only that all five members were first-tier Lords, which was formidable. With the combined strength of multiple Alliances, Galvin believed they could handle Alex. The focus now was finding her castle. Galvin planned to attack before the leaderboard rewards were distributed, as Alex''s strength would increase further with the rewards. Alex''s troops being undead was known, and they had prepared accordingly. Though the combined troops of all Lords numbered a hundred thousand, Galvin knew quality mattered more than quantity against undead. Sending weak troops would only bolster the undead ranks. Galvin planned for all Lords to deploy only Commanding level troops. With nearly a thousand Commanding levels, even if Alex had three Monarch level undead, they would have the advantage. These Commanding level troops would be fully equipped, making it easy to kill low-level undead with soul attacks. Facing such a large-scale assault, Galvin didn''t believe Alex could resist. Without an Alliance, she couldn''t even flee. No Lord would be foolish enough to ally with her now, opposing all other Lords. Confident, Galvin suddenly received a private message, smiling as he saw it. Opportunity had come quickly. ... At the southern edge of Dark Forest, Blonde was furious. He had told the Lords he knew the undead Lord''s location, but no one believed him. Instead, he was insulted as a beggar. Blonde hadn''t expected this. He thought his castle would be upgraded to a town, and the Lords would flock to him. "Do I have to upgrade to a town first?" Blonde muttered, frustrated. He looked at the distant undead and abandoned his plan to send troops for resources. Wood was easy to gather at the forest''s edge, but stone, magic crystals, and iron ingots were out of reach. "Better keep trying. May the Holy Lord bless me." Blonde knew the first-tier Lords were forming an Alliance but didn''t know who exactly. He targeted the active Lords in World Chat, messaging them one by one. Blonde didn''t want to miss the chance to eliminate Alex. Only by removing the true undead Lord could he become the second undead Lord. Blonde had endured sixteen days of hardship¡ªno women, no going out, barely enough food, and constant company of skeletons. He felt he was going mad. Finally, Blonde messaged [Holy Wing] Lord, who responded differently. ... On the stone pillar mountain in Arsen, Raphaela looked at her system dashboard, her eyebrows raised. Her intuition told her the Lord named [21 Nuns] wasn''t lying. If he dared deceive her, he would have nowhere to hide once they relocated. Raphaela wasn''t worried about ambushes, confident in her strength. Raphaela and Galvin were the main decision-makers in the Alliance. Though Galvin hadn''t met Raphaela, he felt her invisible pressure. Raphaela decided to consult Galvin, as he was coordinating most of the Lords. She had a premonition they would soon find the undead Lord. Raphaela''s holy wings gently flapped as she flew down the mountain to discuss with her allies. The four castles surrounding the mountain made it seem like Raphaela''s subordinates, but they were equals. They had moved here for safety, and the mountaintop could only accommodate one castle, so the others were spread around. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] Night had fallen, and Alex, having enjoyed a hearty meal, was sitting on the rooftop of her castle, gazing at the stars, though she could barely see them. It was rare to have such a peaceful moment, staring blankly at the night sky with nothing to worry about. Alex had instructed Sophie to have the dwarves carve out a vegetable garden in the White Rock Mountains, so they wouldn''t have to eat just roasted meat anymore. After spending so many days together, Sophie had noticed Alex''s ability to not feel hunger even without eating. So, in her eyes, the vegetable garden Alex built was for her. Sophie was, of course, very happy about this, as it meant she could also enjoy some vegetables. Just as Alex was about to jump down from the castle to go to bed, a private message came through. It was from Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, my brother successfully infiltrated those Lords'' Alliance and got important information!" Alex was taken aback, not expecting Chi-Chi to still be concerned about her affairs while reuniting with her family. Alex: "Your brother made it to the second tier?" Chi-Chi: "No, he tricked them. There are ten thousand in the second tier; how could they check each one? Anyway, Miss Alex, let''s get to the point." Chi-Chi: "They have thirty-one first-tier Lords and over fifty second-tier Lords. The leader''s castle is named [Ember], and the Lord''s name is Galvin. Their combined troops total over 100K, with more than 1K Commanding level troops." How could there be so many? Even Alex was shocked. Nearly a hundred Lords with over 100K troops. Her castle only had 50K undead. Logically, they wouldn''t go to such lengths unless they were serious. Alex felt this was beyond her expectations. With so many troops, she estimated at least fifteen hundred Commanding levels. Fifteen hundred Commanding levels against five Monarch levels. On average, three hundred Commanding levels against one Monarch level. Clearly, her lv1 Monarch level undead couldn''t win. Alright, so they''re targeting me like this? Alex was furious. She had no quarrel with them, just wanted to develop peacefully and earn some system rewards, yet they united against her. Although her troops were undead, she hadn''t committed any atrocities or evil deeds. Alex didn''t consider herself a saint, but in this world, there were no absolute saints. Those kind-hearted people had long perished. Though Alex knew Chi-Chi''s brother took this risk for Chi-Chi''s sake, she still had to thank him. Alex: "Thank your brother for me. I owe him one. And tell him not to worry. I don''t want to die any more than he wants me to." Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, with so many of them, are you sure you''ll be okay?" Alex could see Chi-Chi was still worried. Alex: "Silly, did you forget Alliances can relocate? I''ll just move my castle. They won''t find me. Don''t worry, I''ve already found allies, but I can''t ally with them now, or they''ll notice." Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, I believe in you. If things get really bad, you can ally with my brother and move here. It''s poor, but safe." Alex: "Alright, get some rest." Alex didn''t want to trouble them. That was a last resort, only to be used if absolutely necessary. Besides, she said it to comfort Chi-Chi. Alex never planned to run. Running away would only embolden them, and they''d start targeting her everywhere in World Chat. They''d be relentless, and that''s not what Alex wanted. She needed to teach these Lords a lesson, showing them that in this world, absolute strength was everything. There was no justice or evil, only the strong defining the weak. Alex felt like her true strength had been exposed. Otherwise, they wouldn''t go to such lengths. When Alex and the Elemental Alliance had repelled Baldwin, it was just five Commanding level Lords. Despite Baldwin''s Monarch level strength, he struggled against five. Facing three hundred Commanding levels, her lv1 Monarch level undead couldn''t win. Alex had thought they''d gather a dozen Lords at most, but nearly a hundred? "Treating me like a boss fight? Don''t blame me for treating you like mobs." Alex jumped down from the castle, thinking of the first-tier Lord who wanted to ally with her. There was also a Lord named [Calamity Source], whom Alex remembered. These two, like her, were first-tier Lords without Alliances. Alex analyzed this. As first-tier Lords, they couldn''t be weak. Not allying meant they believed they didn''t need one, just like Alex. This indicated they were not only strong but also willing to help Alex, which was good news. Knowing she couldn''t defeat the enemy alone, Alex sought their help. She didn''t know the exact strength of the enemy Alliance, only estimating based on available data. Alex checked the time. It was past nine at night, so the Lord was probably still awake. She sent a message. Meanwhile, at the Elemental Alliance, Samson and Boreas''s troops returned, reporting that the Starfallen Empire had camped at Lucian''s castle. The snow maidens and wind spirits only saw Baldwin, with no other Monarch level individuals. As night fell, all human troops returned, not venturing further south. The further south, the closer to the Empire''s territory. The troops likely didn''t expect the Elemental Alliance to be deeper in the Barren Plains. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Boreas had been tasked with finding an ally, and no one had high hopes. But Boreas had a friend no one knew about, whom he assured was trustworthy. This must be Boreas''s backup plan. Though he seemed impulsive, the young man understood the need for a backup plan. He and his friend hadn''t joined the same Alliance, but no one minded. In this strange world, even absolute allies couldn''t be fully trusted. Because Boreas contacted his friend, they had a fallback, so Samson didn''t contact Alex. The Elemental Alliance decided that if the Starfallen Empire found them, they''d leave. If not, they''d stay and develop. There was no absolutely safe place in this world. No one could guarantee they''d be safer elsewhere. Chapter 158 - 158: Undead would never oppose this girl, no matter who created them In the abyss, Satan hadn''t seen the portal light up but instead received a private message from Alex. Satan had no friends, and it was rare for anyone to talk to him late at night. He opened the message and saw it was from Alex. [Hamburger]: "I think an alliance is necessary." [Inferno]: "Finally figured it out?" [Hamburger]: "Their strength is beyond my expectations. If you don''t have Monarch level troops, stay put and let me teleport you." [Inferno]: "You''re underestimating me. Do you think they can muster a hundred Monarch levels?" [Hamburger]: "They have nearly a hundred Lords and over 100K troops." Satan was stunned by this message, clearly underestimating the determination of these Lords to take down Alex. He had casually mentioned a hundred Lords, not expecting it to be true. Satan thought this undead Lord was just a coward, and he was full of disdain. But now, fuck, Satan realized he''d get his ass handed to him just the same. But Satan didn''t feel fear; he was excited. So many Lords fighting would be thrilling. [Inferno]: "This is..." [Hamburger]: "Too cool?" [Inferno]: "What?" [Hamburger]: "Nothing. So if you don''t have the strength, just leave me a way out." [Inferno]: "Don''t look down on me. You''ll see tomorrow!" As for why tomorrow, Satan was already preparing to sleep. Alex, lying in bed with a blanket wrapped around her, exposing her fair shoulders and arms, closed the chat with Satan. She found it strange that he seemed even more eager after learning about the Alliance''s strength. Alex wasn''t arrogant enough to think she was the only first-tier Lord with Monarch level troops. There had to be other hidden powerhouses. Alex had exposed herself to climb the leaderboard. Even if Satan had Monarch level troops, Alex wasn''t entirely reassured. One or two Monarch levels wouldn''t decide the battle. Who knew if the Alliance would recruit more Lords before finding her? Alex then messaged [Calamity Source] Lord, remembering that this person had also offered to help but wasn''t as arrogant as Satan. On the cliffside by the sea in Arsen, Lilith, about to sleep, received Alex''s message. [Hamburger]: "I might really need your help now." [Calamity Source]: "Is the enemy too strong?" [Hamburger]: "Yes, their strength is beyond my expectations. Nearly a hundred Lords and over 100K troops." [Calamity Source]: "No problem. If you want to fight, I''ll support you. If you want to flee, you can move here. It''s relatively safe." [Hamburger]: "Why help me? This means going against all the Lords." [Calamity Source]: "No reason. If I had to say, maybe it''s because I''m also seen as ''ominous'' like you." [Hamburger]: "Thank you. I''ll make them pay. I won''t back down." [Calamity Source]: "Good." Lilith knew this undead Lord wouldn''t back down. Her instincts were never wrong. Hesitation and indecision wouldn''t make a top-tier Lord. If it were Lilith, she wouldn''t back down either. Two Lords chose to help Alex despite knowing the enemy''s strength. These top-tier Lords weren''t fools; it showed their confidence in their own strength. Alex closed the dashboard, slid under the covers, and prepared to sleep. She hoped these two wouldn''t disappoint her. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM A new day began, and it was the third day of the leaderboard update. Alex woke up on time. Before sleeping, she had thought a lot, increasingly convinced that her strength had been leaked, leading to this situation. But all the enemies in that battle had died. Three Monarch level undead killed Lucian. Could Lucian have spread the news before dying? If so, Alex would accept it. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for the Elemental Alliance? No, since the battle with Baldwin, she hadn''t interacted with them. They shouldn''t know she had three Monarch level troops. Could the hobgoblin Shaman have returned to the kingdom and leaked the news through the Traitor Lord? Unlikely. The undead hadn''t found the hobgoblin kingdom, indicating it wasn''t nearby. Alex ruled out all possibilities, leaving only one explanation. There was a hidden Lord nearby who had evaded the undead and leaked the information! "There''s a sneaky bastard!" Alex sat up abruptly, the blanket sliding off. She quickly dressed and went outside the castle. After summoning her troops, she ordered the gargoyles and Destroyers around the castle to spread out and search for the sneaky bastard. If the undead hadn''t found them, they must have special means. She hoped the gargoyles and Destroyers could use their magical senses to find the hidden Lord. Alex directed them to search near Dark Forest, as her air troops had been focused on the snowy mountain. If there were a hidden Lord, they would have found them, especially with the recent upheaval. This time, Alex sent them to recheck areas previously scouted by ground troops. If there was a sneaky bastard nearby, they might leak Alex''s location, leading the Alliance to launch a surprise attack. Alex increased the undead''s vigilance, ordering immediate reports of any unusual activity. Meanwhile, Satan wanted to come over immediately, but Alex refused. She wanted the Alliance to think she was a lone wolf with no retreat. Forcing Alex to become a Freelancer was one of their main goals. Alex believed becoming a Freelancer wasn''t just about abandoning the castle and troops. For Alex, if she became a Freelancer, the undead army would still follow her, but the system wouldn''t let Freelancers live comfortably. Becoming a Freelancer might mean losing her bloodline and heritage. Alex would never become a Freelancer. With Satan and Lilith, two top-tier Lords, joining her, Alex was determined to fight to the end. Lilith claimed her troops were also "ominous," making Alex curious about them. ... At the edge of Dark Forest, Blonde had reached an agreement with Raphaela. She provided the resources to upgrade his castle to a town. But after upgrading one level, Raphaela told him to stop and continue hiding, awaiting further instructions. Blonde''s lv3 castle wasn''t large, and he had used alchemy magic to hide it. The expansion from the upgrade strained the formation, increasing the risk of discovery. Blonde was swearing like a sailor, knowing that getting caught in this situation would be a death sentence. He quickly took the risk of stepping out of the formation and started fixing things up with his troops around the castle. From last night until daylight, Blonde didn''t dare stop, fearing discovery. His skeletons patrolled the perimeter. A warlock tapped Blonde, who irritably asked, "What?" Blonde looked up and froze. A black bird was flying overhead. "Undead?!" Blonde panicked. How had they found him so quickly? His heart raced as he frantically tried to contact Raphaela. The Destroyer, being an intelligent race, knew what Blonde was trying to do and swooped down to grab him. The Destroyer was Commanding level, and Blonde''s troops had no Commanding levels or effective attacks. The skeletons, though undead, were no match for the Destroyer. It knew this needed to be reported to the Queen. Blonde and his troops couldn''t stop the Destroyer. His dark alchemy warlocks had attacks, but they were ineffective. "Is this really undead?!" Blonde''s thousand skeletons were useless. He knew too little about undead. The Destroyer interrupted Blonde''s call for help, grabbing him and flying back to the castle. Soon, more Destroyers and gargoyles arrived, surrounding Blonde''s castle and troops. Blonde was ashen-faced, knowing he was doomed. The Destroyer carried Blonde to the edge of the town''s territory and stopped. "Report to the Queen. I''ll watch him." The Destroyer told a gargoyle, which flew back to the castle. The Destroyer stopped here to prevent Blonde from learning more, unsure if he had other means to send messages. The gargoyle quickly returned to the castle. With many intelligent undead, it was easy to learn what had happened. "Undead??" Alex was puzzled. Wasn''t she the only one with the undead crystal? How could someone else summon undead? She hadn''t expected a hidden Lord nearby, evading detection. The truth was clear. This bastard had leaked her information. The Destroyer held him at the town''s edge. Alex flew over. She soon arrived and saw the Lord, a priest-like man with curly hair, held by the Destroyer. Seeing Alex, the Destroyer dropped Blonde to the ground. Blonde, dizzy and in pain, looked up at the undead Lord. The legendary undead Lord was a beautiful girl? And she looked no older than twenty. "Spare me, leader! I have no quarrel with you. Please don''t kill me. I''ll submit." Blonde crawled and cried, begging Alex, making her disgusted. "Kick him to wake him up." Alex told the Destroyer, who kicked Blonde in the stomach, sending him flying. Three ribs broke, and he spat blood, writhing in pain, unable to speak. "You''re the one who leaked my information, right?" Alex''s tone was hostile. Blonde, confused about why he was kicked, was even more bewildered by Alex''s accusation. He hadn''t left his castle. How could he know her information? "Leader, I''m innocent. I''ve never left my castle and don''t know anything about your information. Wait, you''re [Hamburger]?" Blonde suddenly realized why he hadn''t thought the nearby Lord was the undead Lord being hunted. "Yes, and it seems you''re not being honest. You planned to leak my location to those Lords, right? Kick him again!" Blonde tried to explain, but the Destroyer kicked him again, breaking three more ribs. "Take me to his castle." Alex was done questioning. The Destroyer grabbed the nearly unconscious Blonde and followed Alex to his castle. People like him always used the same excuses. He was the closest to Alex''s castle. If he didn''t leak the information, who did? Facing death, he still wouldn''t admit it. Soon, Alex arrived at Blonde''s castle, surrounded by gargoyles and Destroyers. "Undead?" Alex saw the thousand skeletons, similar to her Skeleton Soldiers, clearly undead. The skeletons trembled and knelt, submitting. Some extinguished their soul fires, turning to bones. Blonde was stunned. Why were his undead submitting to this girl? He was their creator. Seeing more undead turning to bones, Alex asked the Destroyer. "What''s happening?" "Queen, they believe their souls betrayed you and extinguished themselves to atone." The Destroyer explained, and Blonde seemed to realize a shocking truth, looking incredulous. Undead would never oppose this girl, no matter who created them. Chapter 159 - 159: Dark alchemy warlock Watching the undead below gradually turn into bones deeply impacted Blonde, making him forget his pain. Who is she, really? Alex turned her gaze to the alchemy warlocks. They were humans, likely Blonde''s original troops. "Dark alchemy warlocks?" Alex suddenly understood why they could create undead. Dark alchemy magic was a branch of undead magic. Alex herself had mid-level alchemy magic, but it was more for support and features, not combat, so she rarely used it. Alex walked closer, observing the alchemy warlocks and skeletons up close, noticing the flaws. "I see. The craftsmanship is so crude, no wonder the undead created are so flawed and weak." Alex also noticed the hidden formation at the edge of Blonde''s castle. She picked up an enchanted stone from the ground. As the dark green light flickered, Alex re-energized the stone and placed it back into the magic circle. The magic circle rewove itself, and the cracks in the shield disappeared instantly. Blonde and the surrounding dark alchemy warlocks were astonished. It would take three of them at least half an hour to repair it, yet she did it in an instant. Such alchemy magic could only be achieved at mid-level. Blonde couldn''t believe this girl had such high alchemy magic proficiency. His tricks were like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs in front of her. "Alright, I forgive you. I''ll give you a chance to pledge your loyalty." Alex addressed the skeletons. By the time she finished examining the formation, over half of the thousand undead had already perished. Hearing the Queen''s voice, they stopped their self-destruction and knelt motionless. Alex ignored them and entered the castle. It was even lower level than she thought, only lv4. Combined with the formation traces around the territory, Alex understood. This Lord had been hiding using alchemy magic. Alex''s undead didn''t understand alchemy magic, and she hadn''t personally visited, so he remained hidden until now. Upgrading the castle expanded its range, touching the formation and causing it to break, leading to the undead discovering it. Inside the castle, Alex first checked the Warehouse. The reserves were pitifully low. Besides alchemy materials and bones, there was some food. Magic crystals and Essence Shards were scarce. There was some wood and stone. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wait, why are there iron ingots? And so many, about 10K? Alex, familiar with upgrading castles, quickly estimated the resources. She found enough to upgrade a lv4 castle to a town, with nothing left after building a Portal of Transit. This was proof. He couldn''t have gathered so many resources alone; other Lords must have helped. "Stop playing dumb. Beat him until he talks!" "I..." Blonde tried to speak but was interrupted by the Destroyer. The Queen was angry, so he had to endure a beating first. Blonde''s wails echoed outside the castle. Every time he tried to speak, the Destroyer punched his stomach, making him howl in pain, unable to talk. The surrounding alchemy warlocks trembled in fear, finding the scene brutal. The castle was small and poor. Its total resources were worth less than what other Lords gave him to upgrade to a town. Alex had seen enough and walked to the castle entrance. Seeing her, the Destroyer stopped. Blonde seized the chance to speak. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk. Please stop hitting me." Blonde quickly confessed everything. He had only planned to lure the Alliance Lords here and hadn''t done anything else. He didn''t even know if Alex was the undead Lord they were hunting until today. As for information, he knew nothing, having never left his castle. At this point, he had no reason to lie. The resources were given by a Lord named [Holy Wing], but they hadn''t moved in immediately. After hearing Blonde, Alex pondered. The information wasn''t leaked by him; there was someone else. Combining [Holy Wing] Lord''s actions, Blonde seemed like a backup plan. Who was it? Was there another Lord nearby? Alex felt she was being watched, an unsettling feeling. The enemy might not know her exact location but knew the general area. Could it be the Elemental Alliance? Samson knew her castle was outside the snowy mountain, but they shouldn''t know her exact strength. It didn''t make sense. "Once this is over, I''ll clear out all the nearby Lords." Alex flew back to her castle. Blonde was overjoyed, thinking Alex would spare him. But as he was about to celebrate, the Destroyer grabbed him and snapped his neck, killing him instantly. For enemies, unless the Queen said otherwise, they were to be killed. The alchemy warlocks were also killed by the Destroyer. The remaining five hundred skeletons returned to Alex''s castle with the Destroyer and gargoyles. [Detected Dark Alchemy Warlock Barracks (absorbable). Absorb now?] What''s this? Alex didn''t understand but knew it had to be beneficial, so she chose to absorb it. She looked at the Barracks, noticing a change. [Unlocked special fixed unit: Dark Alchemy Warlock] [Note: Summoning troops daily will include ten of these, not occupying other summoning slots. They cannot be summoned by other means.] Unlocked a special fixed unit like the Acolyte? What a pleasant surprise. Alex turned to the Barracks, seeing ten Dark Alchemy Warlocks emerge. Like Acolytes, they were humans who sacrificed their souls to join the undead. They weren''t direct combat units but had support roles. Equivalent exchange was the principle of alchemy. Dark Alchemy Warlocks could craft dark items, enchant equipment, and more. With enough of them, Alex could fully arm her undead army, enhancing even low-level skeletons. Alex then looked at the undead created by the Dark Alchemy Warlocks. She didn''t know their potential, but they were all Standard and couldn''t level up. Even John couldn''t raise their limits. These skeletons had many flaws compared to true skeletons, essentially defective products. But Alex wasn''t discouraged and sent them to the Blackwater Altar, which indeed caused a change. The undead''s level restrictions were lifted, making them no different from regular Skeleton Soldiers. Alex discovered the Blackwater Altar could repair flawed undead. "This isn''t bad. It was worth bringing you back." Chapter 160 - 160: Move into the snowy mountain Alex needed to contact the Elemental Alliance next, wanting to meet them face-to-face to gauge their intentions. If they knew Alex had Monarch level strength and were intimidated, they wouldn''t dare come. If they didn''t know, why would five Commanding levels fear Alex alone? If they remained neutral, Alex could tolerate them for now. But if they allied with those Lords, Alex would be the first to settle the accounts with them. Alex only had Samson as a friend, added when he gave her supplies last time. She believed she had been friendly enough, and as neighbors, they had no reason to be enemies. [Hamburger]: "Are you guys allying with those Lords to take me down?" Alex was direct. There was no need to beat around the bush. [Ice Queen]: "No way, we wouldn''t dare!" [Hamburger]: "Come to the snowy mountain. Let''s talk alone. Don''t tell anyone else." [Ice Queen]: "The Barren Plains have Starfallen Empire troops. I can''t go. They''re still searching for us, and we''re ready to flee." Is that so? Alex chuckled. At such a critical moment, someone was coming to deliver troops for free. [Hamburger]: "Stop whining. If the Starfallen Empire troops show up, I''ll handle them. Just come to the snowy mountain." "Ice Cream, let''s go!" Alex figured it was likely the same human general as last time. With her strength, she could easily handle it, no need to worry. With the snowy mountain situation settled, Ice Cream needed to level up quickly to keep pace with Alex''s upgrades. ... In the Barren Plains, Gareth had returned, and Baldwin ordered his men to resume the search. Samson closed the private chat with Alex. Though he hadn''t agreed, he knew Alex would come. "What could be so important that I have to go alone?" With all five Lords'' castles together, Samson needed an excuse to leave. Disappearing without a word would arouse suspicion. Just then, Boreas spoke in the Alliance chat. [Wind Fury]: "The Starfallen Empire troops found us! They''re fighting the wind spirits!" Everyone was shocked, thinking they needed to move before the Monarch level arrived. Samson thought differently. Alex had promised to help, so she would. If Alex intervened, the Starfallen Empire troops wouldn''t be a threat, and they wouldn''t need to move. The troops had only found their forces, not the castles. Killing them would buy time. [Ice Queen]: "Don''t worry. The undead Lord has spotted them and is heading to the Barren Plains. I''ll divert the human troops there." Samson had already left the castle, heading to the snowy mountain. He had to mislead the troops, or their castles would be discovered. The others felt relieved knowing Alex was coming. Alex would handle the enemies, keeping their castles safe. On Frostwind snowy mountain, in a small frost cave, the Arctic Tigerfolk had found a new home, having dealt with the magic wolves. Even with the snowy mountain incident over, they didn''t dare move openly, remaining cautious. Their caution paid off when an Arctic Tigerfolk spotted a human mage in the snowy mountain. Fortunately, they had moved early, and the mage didn''t seem interested in them. Two tiger beings were dozing in the cave when a slight noise startled them. The wooden door opened, and Ruby, with her messy hair, yawned and stepped out. "Your Majesty, you''re awake!" The tiger beings were delighted, and the others in the cave were also pleased. Their queen had awakened on her own, undoubtedly reaching Monarch level. "It stinks in here. I''m going for a walk!" Ruby vanished, leaving the bewildered tiger beings behind. She appeared outside the cave. The previous bunker had only a musty smell, but this place reeked of the wolves, which Ruby couldn''t stand. Ruby immediately went outside, wanting to find Alex. Coincidentally, she saw a frost dragon flying overhead, with a figure standing on its back. "Alex!" Ruby shouted, and Alex looked down. "Ruby?!" Ice Cream descended, and Alex saw the messy-haired girl, clearly just awakened. "You broke through to Monarch level?" "Of course, hmph." Ruby stood proudly with her hands on her hips. "Come on, get on the dragon!" Alex grabbed Ruby and jumped onto Ice Cream''s back, which took off again. "Where are we going?" Ruby asked curiously. "You wanted to see humans and extraterrestrial visitors, right? You''ll see them soon." Ruby looked enlightened. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oh, so we''re going to see your friends!" "No, enemies." Alex explained the extraterrestrial visitors and their relationship with the native races. "Even though they''re the same race, they''re enemies. It''s like our Arctic Tigerfolk." "Pretty much. Conflicts between races and within tribes never stop. It''s frustrating." Soon, Ice Cream flew to the edge of the snowy mountain, and Alex saw Samson on a peak. On the other side was the vast Barren Plains, filled with human troops, led by Baldwin, whom Alex had repelled before. Alex also spotted a mage among them, another Monarch level. She wasn''t surprised by the mage''s presence. Baldwin wouldn''t return without a Monarch level mage. Samson had taken a great risk coming from the snowy mountain. His stealth ability was useful, but he wasn''t fast. If discovered, he''d be doomed. If Alex hadn''t promised to come, Samson wouldn''t have taken the risk. "Wow, so many humans!" Ruby had never seen so many humans before. Alex decided to talk to Samson first. The Starfallen Empire had two Monarch levels, which would take some time to deal with. Ice Cream descended on the snowy mountain''s inner side to avoid being seen by the humans. Alex and Ruby flew to the peak where Samson was. ... The Starfallen Empire troops were spread out searching for extraterrestrial visitor castles, reporting every three hours. The troops that found the Elemental Alliance were all killed, leaving Baldwin and Gareth waiting. "Gareth, did you find anything on your return?" Baldwin asked curiously. "I found some blood and hair. Preliminary tests show the blood is from hobgoblins, and the hair is from tigerfolk. The white hair suggests Arctic Tigerfolk." Gareth spoke calmly, indicating the fourth Monarch level was a hobgoblin. The hobgoblin kingdom wasn''t strong, with few Monarch levels. The mage association had sent people to negotiate with them. As for the Arctic Tigerfolk, Gareth knew they were likely seeking refuge in the snowy mountain, unrelated to the main event. The mage association didn''t contact the Arctic Tigerfolk in the far north, as they didn''t know about the rebel group hiding here. "Hobgoblins and Arctic Tigerfolk? One in the north, one in the south. What role do they play in this?" Baldwin thought the Arctic Tigerfolk might have a motive to seize the Godhead, fitting their race''s characteristics. But the mage association handled such matters, and it wasn''t the Starfallen Empire''s concern. "General Baldwin, are you sure one extraterrestrial visitor came from the snowy mountain?" Gareth pondered, feeling the extraterrestrial visitor might be involved. "Yes, the other five seemed allied, coming from the west. Only one came from the northern snowy mountain. Do you suspect her involvement? She''s the strongest of the extraterrestrial visitors but far from Monarch level. She shouldn''t be involved in Monarch level conflicts." Baldwin didn''t believe Alex could seize the Godhead and kill three Monarch levels alone. "General Baldwin, after the troops report, let''s consolidate our forces and move into the snowy mountain." Gareth decided. Though they showed mutual respect, Gareth held more power. The Starfallen Empire relied on the mage association for protection, and no one dared disrespect a mage. Chapter 161 - 161: So, were doing the giant thing now, huh? On the snowy mountain, Alex and Ruby stood face-to-face with Samson. To be honest, Samson was quite scared. "Samson, last time I sent troops to kill Lucian, you must have seen it, right?" After killing Blonde, Alex had eliminated her last doubts. All signs pointed to the Elemental Alliance. On her way here, Alex had been thinking and vaguely understood the truth. Alex hadn''t come personally; the three Monarch level undead had killed Lucian, and the Elemental Alliance must have seen it, leading to her information being leaked. After all, they were all in the Barren Plains, not too far apart. Samson didn''t expect Alex to ask this right away and was a bit confused. "Yes, I went to the snowy mountain last time and saw three undead wipe out over a thousand vampires. I informed the other Alliance members." So, her guess was right. Everything made sense now. "What do you think about the many Alliances in World Chat uniting to hunt me down?" Alex looked at Samson, worried he might have concerns, and added, "Don''t worry, just speak the truth. This is just a casual conversation. I will also share some information with you. As long as you haven''t done anything foolish, I won''t harm you. I value honesty." Samson didn''t know Alex well, but he knew she wouldn''t target him specifically because there was no need. Samson thought for a moment, recalling their discussions. "Our Alliance''s stance is to remain neutral. Those Lords approached us, but we refused because we believed you only had one Monarch level troop. But in reality, you have three. They won''t be your match, and finding your castle is another matter. Why would we be foolish enough to ally with them and offend you?" Samson didn''t know his information had been leaked. He was just choosing the best option, wanting to develop long-term and knowing interaction with Alex was inevitable. "Someone betrayed my information. The enemy has gathered nearly a hundred Lords. Your Alliance has a traitor." "What!" Samson was shocked, not understanding why someone would do this, risking the wrath of the undead Lord. "Why are you sure it''s our Alliance?" "Because besides your Alliance and me, there are no other Lords nearby." In other words, the Lords who interacted with Alex were limited. Alex didn''t suspect Samson because she could see he wasn''t foolish. He was just weaker. If it were Alex, she would use the information to gain rewards, then provide a passage and earn more, before relocating her castle and ignoring the others. Samson fell silent. He understood the simple logic. After informing his allies, someone sold the information, leading to the large Alliance. Samson now worried that Alex, pushed to the edge, would stop the enemy by killing them all. "What can I do to help?" Samson realized the severity. He had no clue who the traitor was. His first thought was Cain, who joined last, but Cain had been the first to support him, so it shouldn''t be him. Could it be Boreas? He had wanted to unite the Alliance to kill Alex but calmed down after learning her strength. Samson knew Boreas wasn''t brainless, so he was a likely suspect. "Don''t rush to think. The traitor will reveal themselves. I never said I feared those Lords." Whether she could win against a hundred Lords'' troops was a question, but Alex had to make them pay. Against the undead, numbers were never an advantage. "You''re going to fight them?" Samson was stunned. He didn''t doubt Alex''s information but thought she was crazy to want to fight a hundred Lords. Seeing Samson''s bewildered expression, Alex laughed. "Of course. I need you to help me spread false information. The traitor in your Alliance will fall for it." This was Alex''s main goal. She wouldn''t wait for the enemy to find her castle. She would choose the battlefield. "Okay." Samson agreed. Someone endangering the Alliance for personal gain couldn''t be tolerated. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If Alex feared being targeted by the hundred Lords, she would definitely use the undead to find the Elemental Alliance and eliminate them, so she could avoid being detected by her enemies. Even if it was Samson''s personal guess. The traitor''s selfishness nearly doomed the entire Elemental Alliance. ... In the Barren Plains, it was reporting time. All squads reported in, except one. Ten thousand elite troops were divided into twenty squads, each with five hundred men. When five hundred men went silent, Baldwin knew what had happened. "General, the missing squad is the fifteenth. They were scouting southwest." Baldwin and Gareth were puzzled. The Lords were deeper in the Barren Plains, not at the snowy mountain and Barren Plains border as they thought. "All troops, march southwest!" Baldwin shouted, and the squads reformed into a single army formation, marching southwest. Baldwin led from the front, with Gareth flying above. On the snowy mountain, Alex saw the plains army moving and stopped talking to Samson. "You''ve explained enough. I understand the situation. Return quickly. I''ll handle them." Alex and Ruby flew down the snowy mountain. Samson acknowledged and sank into the snow, disappearing. "Alex, were you sharing secrets with him?" As soon as Samson left, Ruby couldn''t wait to ask. She hadn''t had a chance to speak, only listening to their conversation. "Where did you learn to talk like that?" "My father told me. He often locked himself in a room with my mother. When I asked, he said they were sharing secrets. And it always took over an hour." "Your father, uh, must be quite strong." Baldwin had barely taken a few steps with his army when two white figures appeared before him. "It''s you!" Baldwin exclaimed, surprised to see the extraterrestrial visitor appear before him. "Gareth, she''s the Lord from the snowy mountain!" Baldwin shouted to Gareth, drawing his sword and activating his domain to attack Alex. Clang! Alex easily blocked Baldwin''s strike with her scythe. Now a Monarch level, Alex could clearly feel that Baldwin was the weakest Monarch level she had faced. Baldwin''s domain expanded, trying to push Alex away. Alex''s right eye glowed red, and the surroundings turned into a lava hell. A giant humanoid creature formed from flames behind her, punching Baldwin. Boom! A yellow shield appeared before Baldwin, blocking the attack. Baldwin was pushed back several meters by the force. Staggering, Baldwin steadied himself, his face full of disbelief. In just a few days, this extraterrestrial visitor had reached Monarch level. If Gareth hadn''t saved him, he would have been injured in one move. Baldwin''s domain had no effect on Alex. Alex looked at Gareth, who had five yellow orbs floating behind him, glowing and rotating. A Monarch level earth mage. "Ruby, take care of the weak warrior. I''ve never seen an earth mage before." Alex charged at Gareth with her scythe. Baldwin tried to intercept but couldn''t fly. He turned to face the beast-eared girl. Daring to look down on me? Baldwin condensed a longsword with gravity, the ground cracking under the immense pressure. Can''t beat her, but I can beat you! Baldwin swung his sword, creating a massive chasm that sped towards Ruby, gravity tearing everything apart. Boom! A loud noise erupted, dust flying everywhere. Baldwin was sure his opponent was dead. As the dust settled, Ruby stood with her palm out, unharmed. The chasm stopped a few meters in front of her. "What?!" Baldwin couldn''t believe it and charged at Ruby, holding a shield in one hand. Boom! Before Baldwin understood what happened, he was sent flying, crashing to the ground. Baldwin was bewildered. He hadn''t seen Ruby''s attack but was hit in the chest, denting his armor. "You''re really Monarch level? So weak!" Ruby hadn''t moved from her stance. Ruby''s taunt enraged Baldwin. He adjusted and charged again. Boom! Baldwin was sent flying again, and Ruby laughed. Baldwin was shocked. What ability was this? He couldn''t get close. How could he fight? "It''s spatial magic. Feel the elemental fluctuations!" Gareth reminded Baldwin, but Baldwin wasn''t a mage and couldn''t use it. Gareth wanted to throw his tools to Baldwin but was blocked by Alex. Gareth''s earth magic had high defense but no close combat ability. Gareth''s five orbs unleashed powerful earth magic, but Alex''s flame giant blocked it, turning rocks into lava. Alex''s agility made Gareth realize that dragging the fight would be disadvantageous. His earth magic was defensive, not offensive. Gareth released his domain, filling the area with dust and debris. Rocks broke from the ground, gathering around Gareth. He was soon encased in rock, growing into a 30-foot rock giant. The domain''s power merged into the giant. The five orbs embedded in the giant''s eyes and forehead, with the last two in its palms. Alex looked up at the rock giant, its three eyes glowing, providing endless energy. The rock hands glowed yellow, distinct from the rest. "So, we''re doing the giant thing now, huh?" Chapter 162 - 162: Bone dragon legion The rock giant''s massive fist slammed into the ground, and Alex quickly dodged. She felt the ground beneath her feet soften, as if quicksand was trying to devour her. Alex immediately decided to fly into the sky, but the surrounding soil and rocks shot up, enveloping her entirely. The soft soil turned into hard rock. Just as Gareth thought this move would be enough to subdue Alex, the rock pillar trapping her exploded. Alex had disappeared, merging with the flames and the fiery creature behind her. The flames within her domain continued to pour into the creature, making it grow larger until it matched the rock giant in size. Gareth was stunned. He had studied magic for decades and had never seen fire magic used this way. This was clearly an earth magic technique. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The flame giant punched the rock giant, melting the surrounding rocks into lava, resembling blood from a wound. Gareth retaliated with a punch, but it went straight through the flame giant''s body. The flame giant had no physical form. Alex could hit him because she relied on the impact force of fire magic. But Gareth wasn''t worried. With his feet on the ground, he could continuously draw power from the earth. He was confident he could outlast Alex. The two began a primitive brawl, exchanging punch after punch. Although Gareth couldn''t hit Alex, each attack drained her mana. When Alex hit Gareth, he quickly repaired the giant''s wounds with earth elements. Baldwin watched the battle above, feeling bitter. The ten thousand troops they brought had no chance to intervene in a Monarch level fight. They were too weak, with some not even reaching Commanding level. Even when surrounding Ruby, the troops gained no advantage. Ruby''s spatial magic was too fast, even for Baldwin, let alone the troops. Alex and Gareth continued their duel. The earth mage''s defense and vitality were enhanced, and his ability to continuously recover by standing on the ground was annoying. The flame giant and rock giant clashed, causing the ground to crack and tremble. The rock giant punched again, and the flame giant instinctively blocked. But after being hit by the orb on the rock giant''s forehead, its movements slowed. The rock giant punched through the flame giant''s chest. Flames surged from the giant''s back, forming the shape of a beautiful girl. Alex wasn''t forced out; she left the flame giant voluntarily. In mid-air, Alex''s left palm held a strange black energy. As she clenched her fist, the energy dissipated. Instantly, the flame giant turned into a sea of flames and vanished. The rock giant began to crumble. Gareth fell from it, blood at the corner of his mouth. As he was about to hit the ground, Gareth regained consciousness and stabilized himself, avoiding a crash. "This is a curse!" Gareth examined his body, seeing black smoke, a sign of being cursed. Curse magic was insidious and hard to detect. Once cursed, the consequences were severe. It was that girl! Gareth realized but had no anti-curse items, putting him at a significant disadvantage in the upcoming battle. Before Gareth could react, Alex appeared before him. He reflexively used earth magic to defend, while the five orbs attacked Alex. As the orbs reached Alex, their yellow glow dimmed, and they fell to the ground. Alex''s hands burned with black flames. She punched through Gareth''s stone wall, shattering his earth shield. Alex''s punch sent Gareth crashing to the ground. Before he landed, Alex appeared at his landing spot, scythe in hand, and swung it down. "I have seven types of magic and close combat skills you lack. Even if we are both at level 1 Monarch, how can you compete with me?" Seeing Gareth slain by Alex, Baldwin was terrified and ordered his troops to retreat. But it was too late. Darkness spread from Alex, and countless troops fell, vomiting blood as their life force drained away. Bone dragons emerged from the corpses, attacking the remaining human troops. In Alex''s domain, the troops couldn''t move. Only a few Commanding levels could barely function, but they soon succumbed to plague magic and darkness, dying in agony. "How do you have two domains?" Baldwin was shocked, helplessly watching his troops die. "You have much to learn." Alex walked towards Baldwin, scythe in hand, like a grim reaper harvesting lives. "Alex, he''s really weak. He couldn''t even touch me." Seeing Baldwin slain, Ruby couldn''t help but comment. This was her first opponent after reaching Monarch level, and she had hoped to test herself, but Baldwin was too weak. "Yes, he''s the weakest Monarch level I''ve faced." Alex retracted her domain and scythe. Summoning Gareth and Baldwin''s corpses would take time, so Alex and Ruby waited. Though Ruby fought with magic, Alex knew she was a tigerfolk, a warrior, not a mage. Close combat was her strength. Except for a few escapees, the Starfallen Empire''s troops were nearly wiped out, leaving about 9,500 corpses. Alex summoned bone dragons, forming a bone dragon legion. Bone dragons, as high-level undead, couldn''t benefit from double summoning, but one bone dragon was far stronger than two skeletons or zombies. If there had been more corpses, Alex would have wanted to additionally create a ghost dragon legion. Fifteen minutes later, the two Monarch level corpses were ready. Alex summoned a Gargoyle and a Destroyer. Both were resistant to magic attacks, though weaker in close combat, making them effective against mages. Alex''s troops gained two more Monarch levels, boosting her confidence for the upcoming battle with the Lords. "Let''s go. I''ll take you to my castle." With the summoning complete, Alex didn''t waste time and prepared to return. Alex communicated with Samson. If the Lords dared to come, she would know immediately and respond quickly. "Alright!" Ruby nodded, and they mounted Ice Cream, leading the bone dragon legion back towards the castle. The massive skeletal forms blotted out the sun, casting vast shadows of death across the ground as the undead army marched homeward. Chapter 163 - 163: The decision of the Elemental Alliance Samson returned to the Alliance, relieved that Alex had dealt with the danger. For now, they didn''t need to leave. The Elemental Alliance was his creation, and he vividly remembered the initial discussions with the other four members. Technically, the person who sold the information wasn''t a traitor, just someone who went against the Alliance''s collective decision. The Elemental Alliance had no direct ties to Alex. Whether they chose to oppose her or remain neutral was their decision. But despite this, Alex had been relatively friendly towards them. Others might not feel it, but Samson, having interacted with Alex multiple times, could sense it easily. Given this, why make an enemy of her? The All-Races Battle Royale wasn''t about killing everyone. Lords weren''t absolute enemies. Samson understood his members'' thoughts. Selling Alex''s information for resources seemed safe since Alex couldn''t find them. But this would rapidly deteriorate their relationship with Alex, making the Barren Plains uninhabitable for them. Samson wasn''t troubled by the member who sold the information. As an Alliance member, he naturally sided with the Alliance. He was thinking about the Alliance''s future. Though someone went against the decision, it wasn''t enough to label them a traitor. Samson had deep feelings for the Elemental Alliance. Samson''s resolve hardened. He had a plan. He couldn''t tell the others about this, as it would create distrust. Samson decided to go with the flow, openly providing a passage for those Lords and then leaving. Abandoning the castle and developing elsewhere. Of course, moving depended on Alex winning. If she lost, they wouldn''t need to leave. He would still release the information Alex gave him but wouldn''t hand over the traitor. That would be truly betraying his allies, something Samson couldn''t do. At worst, they would all leave together. Eldoria was vast; surely Alex couldn''t find them. Having made up his mind, Samson called a meeting at his castle to announce his decision. Soon, the other four arrived, curious about what he had to say. Usually, such meetings were for major decisions. Otherwise, they communicated through the system. "The Starfallen Empire crisis is resolved. Besides the human general, there was a Monarch level mage from the mage association. The undead Lord fought them both and killed them but was injured. She fled southeast, and I followed her to a swamp where I lost her. I suspect her castle is there." Samson scanned the four, noting their reactions. They didn''t understand why he mentioned Alex''s castle. Cain was the first to react, looking surprised. "You mean..." "Yes, since we have a way out, why not sell her information? Those Lords are looking for her. We can make a profit and leave before she finds us. There''s no need to fear her." Samson''s strategy was the opposite of before, confusing the others. He had been against this, so why the sudden change? "The Barren Plains are resource-poor and affected by the Starfallen Empire. Staying here is pointless. We can provide a passage for those Lords and tell them the undead Lord''s castle location, making a profit and leaving safely." Samson''s analysis tempted the others. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was right. Staying wasn''t viable. They had angered the Starfallen Empire. Though safe now, another attack would doom them. Better to move and profit before leaving. "Exactly. You should''ve fucking listened to me before. Why the hell didn''t you think this way then?" Boreas was puzzled, swearing. "It''s different now. The undead Lord is injured. Those Lords know the location of her castle; they have a chance to defeat her. Plus, with the threat from the Starfallen Empire, that''s why I changed my mind." Samson explained again. Earl remained silent, supporting whatever benefited the Alliance. Cain was also silent, sensing something off about Samson but unable to pinpoint it. Boreas agreed directly. Ivy seemed troubled, less lively than usual. "Who will contact those Lords?" Cain and Earl stayed silent. Boreas was about to speak when a soft voice interrupted. "I will." Ivy volunteered, and Samson''s gaze fixed on her. Samson was now certain. Ivy was the one who sold the information. "Alright, Ivy will handle it." The meeting ended quickly. Cain wanted to say something but hesitated and left with a sigh. Samson watched them leave, his gaze lingering on Ivy. He thought, "I''ll give you another chance. Don''t harm the Alliance''s interests again." Such foolishness could only be her doing. She could''ve discussed it with everyone. Samson took the blame, becoming the bad guy. Otherwise, if Ivy was exposed, everyone would see her as a traitor. The Elemental Alliance was Samson''s creation. He didn''t want it to fall apart over this. Back at her castle, Ivy was pleased with Samson''s sudden change of heart. Now she could openly contact Galvin. She traded Alex''s information with Galvin, who eagerly accepted, gaining details about Alex''s injury and castle. Galvin offered too many benefits to refuse. Galvin was thrilled, feeling like the luckiest person. Ivy didn''t mention moving the castle, as they had already planned it. [Vine Fairy]: "Don''t forget your promise." [Ember]: "Don''t worry. I keep my word. With me, they won''t touch you." ... In the Sunset Alliance, Galvin smiled, more out of disdain. "This Lord is naive. No wonder she''s only second-tier." Meanwhile, Raphaela, realizing Blonde was killed, knew the undead Lord had likely found them. Whether the undead Lord near Blonde was their target or not, Raphaela felt it necessary to inform Galvin. They might have alerted the enemy. Blonde hadn''t sent a message before dying, indicating the enemy''s strength, able to kill him before he could. [Holy Wing]: "How''s the preparation? [21 Nuns] was killed. We might have alerted the enemy. The undead Lord near him is likely our target." [Ember]: "Almost ready. The Lord who sold me information just revealed the undead Lord''s castle location. She was injured fighting two Monarch levels. It''s time to act." [Holy Wing]: "It''s late. We need time to notify the other Lords. Confirm with them and act at dawn." [Ember]: "Agreed. Let''s do it. We still need some equipment." Chapter 164 - 164: Demon and fallen angel As the enemies discussed their plans to attack Alex, she had just returned to her castle on Ice Cream, her undead army now numbering 60K. "Wow, your castle is huge! Do you live here all by yourself?" Ruby exclaimed, looking around in awe. Compared to the stinking cave she had been in, Alex''s castle was a paradise. "There are two others, but they''re not here right now." With the impending attack from over a hundred Lords, Alex had instructed Sophie to stay safely in the White Rock Mountains. Ruby wandered curiously around the castle, but Alex had no time to entertain her. She needed to mobilize all her undead troops to the southern swamp. She left only twenty-five lv9 Commanding level undead to guard the castle. With the Bone Throne''s boost, they could fight at Monarch level strength, though without domains, making them pseudo-Monarch levels. After all, the Bone Throne was only a Monarch level structure. These undead were early summons from chickens or rabbits, reaching lv9 Commanding level but still just Skeleton Soldiers, specters, and zombies. Their ceiling was Commanding level, making them cannon fodder even with the level cap lifted. Alex wasn''t without allies. She had the support of two Lords, so she decided to set the battlefield outside her town. It wasn''t arrogance; the castle crystal was her life. She wouldn''t expose the castle unless absolutely necessary. The undead began moving, a dense mass heading towards the southern swamp. With the information leaked, Alex had to prepare early. "Ruby, have you marked the target?" Alex called back to Ruby. "Don''t worry, I''m not that unreliable!" Ruby''s spatial magic included a skill to mark targets, allowing her to sense and manipulate them. Ruby had helped Alex obtain the Godhead by marking it when it appeared, enabling her to perform a remote switch. Meeting Ruby on the way to see Samson had changed Alex''s plans and strategy. She had Ruby mark Samson. Ruby''s spatial magic, mostly inherited, was undetectable unless by a highly sensitive Monarch level mage. Ruby could now easily find the Elemental Alliance, her sensing range vastly increased after reaching Monarch level. Alex wouldn''t blindly trust Samson to betray his allies for her. Most importantly, Alex wanted to ensure these Lords had no escape, cutting off their retreat. Chi-Chi''s castle was Alex''s second layer of defense. She would fight with the undead, while Chi-Chi''s castle would likely be mistaken for hers. With a hundred Lords, Alex doubted they would all charge blindly. Some would surely search for her castle. Chi-Chi''s castle was the perfect decoy. Alex used alchemy magic to create enchanted crystals, instructing the alchemy warlocks to hide Chi-Chi''s castle. A visible castle wouldn''t be believed to be Alex''s, so it had to be hidden. "Alex, what are you doing?" Ruby asked, seeing Alex busy since returning. "Today, tomorrow, or the day after, a large group of extraterrestrial visitors will come to attack me. I''m preparing." "Why are they attacking you?" In Ruby''s mind, extraterrestrial visitors lived alone. Why would they fight? "Maybe because I''m different from them." Soon, Alex''s town was empty, leaving only twenty-five undead and Ice Cream. The swamp''s terrain would hinder the ground troops. Alex just hoped the swamp would still exist after the battle. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] Night fell on Eldoria. Alex watched messages indicating the undead were clearing swamp monsters. Suddenly, a message from Chi-Chi popped up. Chi-Chi: "Miss Alex, accurate intel¡ªthey''ll attack at dawn!" Alex was surprised. It was sooner than expected, likely because Blonde''s death alerted them. Alex: "Don''t worry, I''m ready." Chi-Chi didn''t ask about Alex''s injury, suggesting the enemy leaders hadn''t disclosed it. Alex closed the chat and accepted the Alliance requests from Satan and Lilith. She informed them of the attack time. They were likely still awake. Accepting the Alliance would notify them. Satan replied first. Satan: "I thought it was just me. Who''s the other one?! Are you looking down on me?" Satan stood in his castle, surprised by the "Alliance members (3)" notification. With the Alliance formed, the Portal of Transit lit up, casting an orange glow in the abyss. Abaddon appeared before Satan, silent. Satan acknowledged Alex''s strength but was curious about the other Lord helping her. "Gather the troops. We''re going through the Portal of Transit." Black figures appeared before Satan, silent, their eyes glowing red in the darkness. Knowing the attack time, Satan prepared immediately. He didn''t care if it was night; he wanted to see the undead Lord. Twelve black figures and over 10K troops followed Satan through the Portal of Transit. On the other side, they saw a desolate landscape, with the snowy mountain to the west and a dark forest to the east. The castle stood on a plain between them. High walls surrounded the castle, which seemed ordinary. Satan was puzzled by the emptiness. He strode forward, his troops following. Inside the castle, Alex watched the system dashboard, aware of the arrival. She looked up, curious which Lord had come. A man, appearing no older than thirty, dressed in black sportswear, with a short haircut and an arrogant expression, approached. Behind him were twelve strange troops, some with two heads, black wings, feathers, scales, or red-skinned females with horns. Alex had never seen such creatures. "Didn''t expect the legendary undead Lord to be such a pretty girl." Satan was momentarily stunned by Alex''s appearance¡ªher delicate features and perfect figure looked like something straight out of a novel or anime. Satan wasn''t attracted but surprised that such a top-tier Lord was a girl who looked under twenty. He quickly composed himself and introduced himself politely. "I''m Satan, Lord of [Inferno]. My troops: demons." "I''m Alex." Alex replied politely. Her troops and ID were well-known, no need to repeat. She hadn''t expected Satan''s troops to be demons, explaining his previous outrageous actions. "Behind me are four Monarch level demons. With your undead, dealing with a hundred weak Lords will be easy." Satan''s words showed his displeasure at Alex seeking another Lord''s help, feeling it underestimated him. Alex hadn''t expected demons to be so powerful. Satan had four Monarch levels, while she could only gain Monarch levels through corpses. Seeing Alex''s slight surprise, Satan scoffed. "He volunteered to help, like you. I didn''t seek him out." Alex shrugged. "Wait a bit. He might come too. I sent false intel, setting the battlefield in the south, away from the castle. I''ll take you there." "Fine. Fighting near the town is risky." Though displeased, Satan decided to follow Alex''s plan. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan''s over 10K troops arrived, neatly arranged in Alex''s castle. These were demon minions, sustained by the demons'' power, soulless, with standard eternal resilience. A versatile force. Satan''s true troops were the twelve demons, who summoned the minions. The minions were mindless killing machines, obeying orders without question. "Why are you helping me?" While waiting, Alex asked Satan. "Heh, I despise those Lords'' actions. They claim righteousness but seek personal gain. Besides, after half a month of development, I want to test my strength." Satan spoke disdainfully of the Lords. "I owe you one." Alex said seriously. Satan glanced at her but didn''t respond. Regardless of the reason, Alex would remember anyone who helped her unconditionally. Meanwhile, Ruby, after exploring Alex''s castle, found her bedroom and was now asleep in her bed. After a while, Satan grew impatient. [Inferno]: "Are you a dawdler? Hurry up!" Satan messaged in the Alliance chat. As they waited near the Portal of Transit, it lit up. A woman in a black dress appeared. Elegant and stunning, even Alex thought she was the most beautiful woman she''d seen, aside from herself. Lilith exuded an aura of aloofness, or perhaps majesty and sanctity. Alex and Satan felt a strange but indescribable vibe. Alex saw no "righteous race" traits in Satan. But this woman possessed both righteous and evil traits simultaneously. "You''re a woman too?!" Ignoring Satan''s exclamation, Lilith smiled and walked towards Alex, extending her hand. "I''m Lilith. Nice to meet you. My troops: Fallen Angels." Chapter 165 - 165: Light Alliance Just as Lilith finished speaking, the portal behind her lit up again, and angels with black wings began to emerge. These angels were completely different from the ones Alex had seen before. Regular angels gave off an aura of holiness and inviolability, but these fallen angels were sinister and ominous. No wonder Lilith said her troops were the real ominous ones. If the other Lords knew about the troops of the three present, it would likely provoke their wrath. Lilith wasn''t as aloof as Alex had initially thought. Her attitude towards Alex was actually quite friendly. Alex and Lilith shook hands, and for some reason, both of their hands were cold, neither feeling any warmth from the other. "Nice to meet you, I''m Alex." Satan, standing nearby, also eyed the fallen angels. He realized that this was another top-tier Lord, no less powerful than the two of them. "Why are you helping her?" Satan asked Lilith, feeling a sense of shared fate among the three of them. "Angel''s intuition," Lilith replied coolly, her tone completely different from how she spoke to Alex. Satan didn''t mind; he accepted this new ally. Lilith''s distinguished fallen angels numbered eight, similar to Satan''s twelve demons, all with the potential to become gods. Currently, there were three Monarch-level fallen angels. Compared to Satan, Lilith could also summon ordinary fallen angels and use their abilities to corrupt and control other races. In terms of sheer numbers, Lilith''s troops outnumbered Satan''s, but she had only brought her elite troops this time¡ªthree thousand fallen angels. As the three got to know each other, Alex decided to share her plans with them. But first, Alex went to the bedroom to find Ruby. Alex slipped her cold hand under the covers. "Ah, so cold!" Ruby jolted awake and sat up. "Come on! Haven''t you slept enough in the cave?" Ruby wasn''t really trying to sleep; Alex''s bedroom was just too comfortable, making her drowsy. Alex took Ruby outside the castle. "Is this your sister?" Satan asked, looking at the girl who was even smaller than Alex. "This is a friend of mine. She''s also Monarch-level, and her skills and abilities are quite impressive." Ruby''s ears twitched, and she lifted her head proudly. Alex explained her plan to the three of them. Satan quickly noticed a flaw in the plan. "Even if you have a hidden castle, what if it''s discovered? Who''s guarding it?" Alex pointed to the twenty-five undead at the castle gate. They instantly exuded a powerful aura in response to Alex. "Twenty-five Monarch-level?!" "No, they''re pseudo-Monarch-level. Your castle must have some special building that boosts their levels. They''ve reached Monarch-level but don''t have domains." Satan quickly noticed the discrepancy, but twenty-five pseudo-Monarch-level troops were more than enough to guard the castle. After all, aside from the top-tier Lords, no other Lords had Monarch-level troops. "If the enemy has a fast and stealthy Monarch-level, it could still be risky," Lilith cautioned, knowing the enemy''s goal was to capture the castle crystal. However, Lilith believed that with the castle''s shield, defenses, and twenty-five pseudo-Monarch-level guards, it was well-protected. She was just pointing out a possibility. Alex snapped her fingers, and the four statues at the castle gate began to tremble. Stones fell off, their eyes lit up, and the gargoyles spread their wings, coming to life. The four gargoyles exuded an astonishing aura, each releasing a domain. Satan and Lilith were both taken aback. Each of these gargoyles was stronger than anyone present. Not to mention, the four together were Alex''s true trump card. Each gargoyle was Monarch-level, but not the lowest tier. They were at least level 3 Monarch-level. Satan even thought that if Alex relied on this castle to defend against enemies, no matter how many there were, they wouldn''t be able to breach it. Indeed, no top-tier Lord was simple; not just any Lord could be easily provoked. "Let''s go, I''ll lead the way." The four of them flew into the sky, heading towards Chi Chi''s castle, with their army following closely behind. Soon, they arrived at Chi Chi''s castle, planning to rest there for the night. After all, they couldn''t wait in the swamp until dawn. "This formation is good. Even Monarch-levels wouldn''t notice it without careful observation. Commanding-levels definitely wouldn''t," Lilith commented after examining the alchemy formation. "There''s a Lord so close to you, and you haven''t killed him?" Satan quipped. "She''s just a kid, and now she''s useful. These intel reports were given to me by her." The three of them stood outside the castle, looking at the swamp to the south. Even at night, Lilith and Satan could vaguely see the endless undead army inside the swamp under the red moonlight. "After this, we''ll officially enter the sights of all the Lords, standing against them." "So what? If our troops are exposed, we''ll face the same situation as Alex. Undead are already ominous. Demons? Fallen angels? Ha, hitting them hard once will make them behave." Satan was full of confidence. Fourteen Monarch-level troops, plus three Lords and Ruby, made eighteen Monarch-level powerhouses. Satan didn''t believe the Lord Alliance could muster such a strong force. "No, I mean this alliance can last long-term. What do you think, Alex?" Lilith looked at Alex. "I think so too." Alex could already imagine the future. Having allies was indeed better than fighting alone. Moreover, their castles were on different continents, allowing for better development. The three of them decided to name their alliance the [Light Alliance]. Despite their troops being ominous and disastrous, they hadn''t done anything evil. Alex believed that what mattered was not what the troops were, but what they did. Even though Blonde holds the title of a priest, he had sexual relations with 21 nuns, completely disgracing the sanctity of his position. Their alliance name also symbolized a bright future. As dawn approached, Alex felt it was time. "Ruby, you can go now." Alex called out, but there was no response. She turned around to find Ruby wasn''t there. "Alex, why is the bedroom here so shabby?" Ruby suddenly appeared in front of Alex, having heard her call. Alex watched as Ruby left Chi-Chi''s castle, flying towards the snowy mountain. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 166 - 166: Shes just a plaything On the other side, the members of the Sunset Alliance led by Galvin and the Justice Alliance led by Raphaela had also stayed up all night, coordinating with other members and making final preparations for the attack. Raphaela''s four allies were [King Ultraman] Titus, [Monolithia] Magnus, [Blue Giant] Grom, and [Sky Dominator] Drake. Their troops consisted of Titans, Behemoths, Trolls, and Rock Dragons, all possessing Monarch-level strength. Any one of them alone could be considered a top-tier Lord, let alone an alliance of five such Lords. This was the confidence behind Raphaela and her allies'' decision to attack Alex. As a fellow top-tier Lord, Alex was bound to be their enemy in the future. They needed to eliminate this threat before she could grow stronger. Raphaela''s decision was unanimously supported by all members. They could allow themselves to be powerful, but they couldn''t tolerate anyone else being equally strong. Some races were mortal enemies, but this didn''t affect the relationships between Lords. For example, dragons and angels were natural enemies, but as Lords, they didn''t carry the burden of racial conflicts. Summoning powerful race troops came with significant risks. If Raphaela were discovered by the Angel race, she would face either submission or death, and the same applied to other Lords. An alliance only needed one castle as a base. The others could use the Portal of Transit to quickly bring their troops for support. In the Barren Plains, everyone in the Elemental Alliance except Ivy had already gone to bed. They knew the attack on Alex would happen at dawn, and it had nothing to do with them, so they didn''t waste time. Ivy''s heart was racing, filled with anxiety as she watched the World Chat, waiting for a message from Galvin. The World Chat was eerily quiet, as if most Lords knew what was going to happen this morning. Time: 04:00 AM S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Galvin sent Ivy a message. Ivy quietly left the Alliance, encountering no resistance since this had been discussed beforehand. Four unfamiliar Lords suddenly added Ivy as a friend. After she accepted, they immediately formed a new alliance. Ivy invited the four of them, and with a few slight tremors, four new castles appeared near Ivy''s castle. Ivy went to the balcony to check the situation outside by moonlight. When she looked back at the system, the four had already left the alliance. Then the ground began to shake more violently, and more castles appeared around the initial four. The commotion outside woke the other members of the Elemental Alliance. They came out of their castles to see what was happening near Ivy''s castle. A total of eighteen castles had appeared, representing eighteen alliances and ninety Lords, making the area instantly crowded. And this was with some Lords opting out of the siege on Alex; otherwise, there would have been even more. Lords began emerging from their castles to confirm each other''s identities before summoning their troops. After all, they hadn''t met each other since forming the alliance, and no one knew anyone else. With so many people, they needed to choose a leader and discuss their attack strategy. Earl, outside Ivy''s castle, re-invited Ivy to join the alliance but received no response. The Lords were chattering away, excited to see so many people for the first time since arriving in this world. Raphaela, dressed in a white robe, led her alliance members out of their castle, instantly drawing everyone''s attention. Raphaela exuded a holy aura, and her stunning beauty combined with her Monarch-level strength made many Lords turn their heads, nominating her as their leader. Galvin''s eyes showed a flash of greed when he saw that the Lord he had been in contact with was a beautiful woman, but he quickly hid it. Raphaela''s four allies were all very strong, each at Monarch-level, likely the strongest in the alliance. Galvin regretted not having gathered everyone to attack Raphaela if he had known her strength. She was a far greater threat than the undead Lord, and most importantly, she was a stunning beauty. If they succeeded in the siege, Galvin could imprison her and force her to become his sex slave. But now it was too late. Galvin pushed aside his inappropriate thoughts and approached Raphaela with his alliance members to greet her. When Raphaela learned that the man in front of her was Galvin, she decisively declined the nomination to be the leader, passing it to Galvin. She didn''t want to be a leader; she just wanted to kill the undead Lord and leave as quickly as possible. Galvin naturally became the leader, a smug smile on his face. "Ladies and gentlemen, please wait a moment. I want to especially thank a Lord who helped provide the passage for everyone to gather here to attack the undead Lord." With everyone''s eyes on him, Galvin walked towards the northernmost castle of the Elemental Alliance. Samson and the others watched Galvin warily, knowing they were no longer allies with Ivy. Ivy saw Galvin approaching from the balcony and came out of the castle, her eyes avoiding Samson and the others at the castle gate, not saying a word. "You must be Miss Ivy, who has been in contact with me," Galvin said, a hint of joy in his voice. Ivy was also quite beautiful and had a sexy figure. Although her beauty didn''t match Raphaela''s, it was enough to add some excitement to his otherwise dull life in this world. "Hello, Mr. Galvin," Ivy said, extending her hand for a handshake. Galvin shamelessly held onto Ivy''s hand, not letting go, making her face turn slightly uncomfortable. "Friends, from now on, Miss Ivy is no longer part of your alliance. She has officially joined our Sunset Alliance," Galvin announced with a smile, looking at Samson and the others. This wasn''t a discussion; it was a notification. Samson was stunned, his mind blank, not understanding why Ivy would do this. "Ivy, what are you doing? Are you being forced? Did we do something wrong?" "This is my own choice. It has nothing to do with you. Everyone has the right to make their own choices, don''t they?" Ivy''s voice echoed in Samson''s ears, cold and unfamiliar, making it hard for him to believe this was the Ivy they knew. "You guys are so naive. Don''t you get it? The root of the problem is that you''re too weak. You can''t give her what she wants. Only someone strong like me can survive here," Galvin said, pulling Ivy close and grabbing her breast. Ivy bit her lip, silently lowering her head, her hands pulling her clothes tightly to avoid being seen by others. Galvin wore a provocative expression, as if to say: "See? She was an indispensable ally to you, but to me, she''s just a plaything." Seeing this, Samson erupted in anger, ready to attack Galvin. "You bastard, I''m going to kill you!" Chapter 167 - 167: The real battle was just beginning Galvin unleashed his Monarch-level aura, instantly sending Samson flying. Earl and Boreas quickly caught Samson, glaring at Galvin with hostility. "Know your place. You should be grateful there are so many Lords watching; otherwise, today would be your last." Galvin was a Monarch-level! The Elemental Alliance was no match for Monarch-level strength. Everyone could only watch in anger as Galvin continued to squeeze Ivy''s breast, while Ivy remained unresponsive. Galvin was right; the Elemental Alliance was too weak. They had been powerless against the Starfallen Empire multiple times, and perhaps this was Ivy''s own choice. Galvin led Ivy away, leaving the remaining four standing there with mixed emotions. Samson silently returned to his castle, unable to understand why things had turned out this way. He could tolerate Ivy hoarding resources and even forgive her for selling information, but her departure had completely shaken the trust among the others. As for the other three, they each had their own thoughts. This time, no one discussed anything with each other. Galvin, pretending to be a gentleman, introduced Ivy, the key contributor, to the other Lords. Ivy revealed all the information she knew. "The undead Lord is a woman?" A scar-faced Lord licked his lips lecherously, already excited. "How does she compare to our Justice Alliance leader?" Another Lord jeered. These Lords had been suppressing their desires in this world for so long that they had become twisted. The Justice Alliance leader, of course, referred to Raphaela. Raphaela hadn''t revealed her troops, as angels were a sensitive race. With so many people around, she had to be cautious. The others only knew that Raphaela was a powerful Lord, but they had no idea what troops she commanded. "Different aura, but equally stunning," Ivy replied expressionlessly, playing along with these disgusting people. After all, she wouldn''t see them again after this. Galvin was also getting excited. He couldn''t wait to start the siege on Alex. Raphaela, seeing the ugly faces of these Lords, remained expressionless. Her goal was simply to kill the undead Lord. She was more interested in Alex''s ability to summon undead from corpses. The information Ivy provided was crucial. They couldn''t blindly pursue troop numbers, as that would only increase Alex''s forces. The other Lords, led by Galvin, were discussing strategies. Their goal was to kill Alex, but ideally, they wanted to capture her alive. The Lords were all excited and confident, already fantasizing about what they would do after capturing Alex. The Justice Alliance, led by Raphaela, formed a separate group. They disdained the behavior of the other Lords. The quickest and most effective way to kill Alex was to destroy her castle, without wasting troops fighting the undead. "Grom, you stay here and guard the castle. The rest of you, come with me to find and destroy the undead Lord''s castle," Raphaela instructed her four allies. As the other Lords began deploying their troops, Raphaela''s group decided to go alone, not revealing their troops. With Galvin and the other Lords fighting the undead at the front, they would take the opportunity to locate Alex''s castle. Raphaela''s goal was clear: kill Alex and leave immediately, without getting entangled with the others. By 5:00 AM, all the Lords had gathered their troops. Knowing Alex could summon undead from corpses, they only deployed Commanding-level troops and above, totaling around 10,000 Commanding-level troops and 10 Monarch-level troops. For the Lords, this was already a formidable force. Many second-tier Lords marveled at the strength of the first-tier Lords. The troops were diverse, including towering stone giants and beasts, flying light spirits and exotic birds, and strange races moving through shadows. There were even humans and orcs. Galvin was frustrated by the Justice Alliance''s refusal to deploy troops, but he didn''t dare say anything. After all, all five of them were Monarch-level, and the combined strength of the eighty-five Lords might not be enough to defeat them. "Iago, you stay and guard the castle, and keep an eye on Miss Ivy. Her former allies might do something drastic," Galvin instructed his trusted aide. He didn''t trust anyone else; these Lords needed to be watched, so the person guarding the castle couldn''t be weak. Each alliance chose one person to guard their castle, totaling eighteen people. They were still allies on the surface, wary of the Elemental Alliance and any potential dangers. Ivy didn''t follow the Lords. She only pointed Galvin and the others in the right direction. Now alone, she didn''t trust anyone to guard her castle. "Everyone, let''s move out and head to the undead Lord''s alliance!" Although it was still a bit before dawn, Galvin noticed that Alex had created an alliance, meaning she could escape at any time. No one wanted to miss this perfect opportunity, so they set off immediately. Samson, standing at his castle window, watched the Lords heading towards the swamp. He finally decided to send a message to Alex. If Samson had hoped for Alex to lose before, now he hoped she could kill all these Lords. Galvin led the Lords and over 10,000 Commanding-level troops towards the eastern swamp. The troops spread out, forming a large encirclement to prevent Alex from escaping. Raphaela and her four allies followed, but when they reached the edge of the swamp, they chose to circle around instead of entering. What they didn''t know was that Alex had already led her undead army to wait in the swamp. Beside Alex was Satan, hands in his pockets, along with all his troops. Satan found defending the castle boring, so Lilith stayed behind to ambush. To avoid exposing Lilith, her troops were hidden inside the castle, waiting for the right moment. If Alex and Satan couldn''t handle the enemy, the fallen angels would support them. Otherwise, they would remain hidden, aiming to kill as many Lords as possible. In the distance, the sound of marching could be heard. Crows scattered from the dead trees, and Alex and Satan looked ahead. "They''re here!" [Night retreats, dawn arrives] A ray of light pierced the darkness, and Eldoria welcomed the dawn. All the undead troops went on high alert. The ground shook as a massive stone giant rose from the undead army, attacking the surrounding undead. Various airborne troops also attacked the undead army, engaging in aerial combat. From discovery to attack took only a few seconds, showing the enemy''s troops were well-trained. In the sky, light spirits wielded holy light, which was highly effective against the undead. A single light blade could kill dozens of standard undead. A white unicorn, its horn gathering golden lightning, created a no-man''s land within the undead army. A shadowy figure emerged from the shadows behind the undead, spreading darkness and killing swathes of undead. In just a moment of battle, Alex lost 1,000 undead. The enemy troops continued to push into the undead army, aiming for Alex. Taking advantage of this, the undead began to encircle the advancing enemy troops. As the enemy gradually became surrounded, 2,000 elite undead suddenly counterattacked. Light spirits in the sky and unicorns on the ground were instantly targeted by several Ethereal Wraiths'' soul attacks, killed by Commanding-level Bone Dragons and Skeletal Demons. Their bodies decayed and began to transform into undead, causing the Lords to break out in cold sweats. 10,000 Commanding-level elite troops against 60,000 undead should have been a massacre, but the sudden counterattack by Commanding-level undead killed several Commanding-level troops, turning them into undead and shifting the balance. Galvin realized that if they couldn''t quickly defeat the undead, their numbers and strength would only grow stronger. Over 10,000 bone dragons flew in the sky, raining fire down and turning the swamp into a sea of flames. Stone giants, unafraid of fire, smashed bone dragons with their fists, but the dragons quickly reformed. The other troops were not so fortunate. Without fire resistance, the flames burning all around them scorched their skin, and they quickly perished. Meanwhile, the falling corpses of Bone Dragons from the sky occasionally crushed a few smaller creatures. The battle continued, with both the undead and the alliance forces suffering heavy losses. But to the Lords'' despair, the undead''s numbers weren''t decreasing; they were increasing! An orc struck down a death knight, but a massive gray magic circle appeared on the nearby kodo beast''s corpse. A Commanding-level zombie titan emerged, crushing the orc underfoot. It then used Flame Body, spewing molten lava and killing a tauren with a single punch. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The zombie titan''s massive size made it impervious to attacks, and it could crush enemy stone giants with a single punch. One by one, zombie titans rose from the magic circles, dominating the battlefield. Satan realized his worries were unnecessary. The Commanding-level undead were as strong as any other race''s Commanding-level troops. At that moment, a light spirit charged at a zombie titan, transforming into a beam of light and piercing the titan''s chest. The zombie titan''s lava extinguished, its eyes dimmed, and it fell heavily to the ground. Aside from soul attacks, holy light was the undead''s greatest weakness. Several light spirits took on the task of dealing with the remaining zombie titans. As the light spirits slaughtered the zombie titans, liches appeared before them, blocking their path. The battlefield constantly shifted as troops countered and were countered. As the battle continued, dead trees in the swamp fell and burned, and the ground''s water and mud turned into cracked earth from the heat. The enemy''s Commanding-level troops outnumbered Alex''s Commanding-level undead five to one, but Alex believed this gap would soon be closed. Satan''s demon followers also joined the battle, but the light spirits'' attacks were highly effective against them. Aside from the Commanding-level followers, the other followers were no different from ordinary undead, easily killed but able to revive. The swamp became a chaotic battleground, with various abilities and magic wreaking havoc. The enemy''s advance was successfully halted by the undead. Alex stood behind, looking at the Lords on the other side, not choosing to flee, as if taunting them. Suddenly, a shadow behind Alex shifted, and a Lord with a dagger lunged at her back. Satan grabbed the attacker''s arm, crushing it and causing the dagger to fall. He then grabbed the Lord''s neck and lifted him. Crack¡ª Satan snapped his neck without hesitation. A Commanding-level assassin dared to launch a sneak attack? How naive. At that moment, dozens of Lords emerged from the shadows of the dead trees, surrounding Alex and Satan. They had used special means to sneak in. Whoosh! A throwing knife flew towards Alex, who easily dodged it. The knife transformed into a Lord, attacking Satan, who punched him away. In an instant, the surrounding Lords all attacked Alex and Satan. These Commanding-level Lords were fearless, thinking that a dozen of them together could kill a Monarch-level. Satan was about to act when he sensed Alex''s aura and stopped. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, and the surroundings turned dark. Dead trees transformed into undead, flames turned black, and the air filled with decay and poison. Countless black spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the attacking Lords. Their weapons fell, and they writhed in pain, realizing the gap between their strength and Alex''s. But it was too late. They couldn''t escape and watched their life force drain away, turning into skeletons and becoming undead. Alex retracted her domain and looked at the battlefield ahead. "You don''t seem like an undead; you seem more like a devil," Satan said with a smile, complimenting Alex on his strength. The Lords and their troops no longer held back, with all Monarch-levels unleashing their domains. Ten Monarch-level Lords soared into the sky, attacking the battlefield. The real battle was just beginning. Alex and Satan were momentarily stunned, their expressions strange. This Lord alliance was weaker than expected. Seven undead and four demons released their domains, and eleven Monarch-levels charged at the enemy. Galvin was dumbfounded. The undead Lord''s intel was wrong; she had seven Monarch-levels and that man helping her. Alex''s strength far exceeded their expectations. Galvin couldn''t believe a Lord could have such power. Galvin had seen Alex and Satan kill those ambushing Lords, proving they were both Monarch-level. Including them, the enemy had thirteen Monarch-levels. "Damn it, where''s that Justice Alliance when you need them?!" Chapter 168 - 168: Nope At this moment, Raphaela and her three companions were circling the swamp. Feeling the intense magical fluctuations emanating from swamp, Raphaela''s face tightened. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Titus, Magnus, you two go help them. They won''t hold out much longer. Drake and I can handle things here." "Got it." Raphaela was in charge of the search because, as an angel, she had a heightened sensitivity to anything impure or ominous. She was confident that this ability would lead her to Alex''s castle. Titus and Magnus immediately turned and flew towards the depths of the swamp, cursing Galvin and his crew for being useless. The intel suggested that Alex''s castle was nearby. But Raphaela had already ruled out the possibility of it being inside the swamp. Raphaela and Drake began their search on the outskirts. The demon Lord was also powerful. If finding Alex''s castle wasn''t the priority, Raphaela would have loved to kill that demon Lord as well. It wasn''t about any "impure or ominous"; it was in her very blood that demons shouldn''t exist in this world. If they couldn''t find Alex''s castle, Raphaela would abandon the search and return to support the others, aiming to kill Alex and the demon Lord head-on. Destroying the castle was just a way to save effort and avoid exposing her own abilities. Meanwhile, in the Barren Plains. Iago figured it was about time; they should be engaging the undead Lord by now. He boldly walked towards Ivy''s castle. Everyone was guarding their own castles, so no one paid much attention to Iago stepping out. Inside the castle, Ivy was startled to see Iago approaching. But seeing the lecherous look in his eyes, she knew exactly what he wanted. "What do you want? Fuck off!" Ivy glared at Iago, green vines wrapping around her hands, ready to fight back. "Don''t be scared. I''m just here to help you relieve some stress." Iago smiled as he continued to approach. Seeing that her warning was useless, Ivy lashed out with her vine whip. Iago caught the whip with one hand, feeling the sting of pain. He was more angry than surprised that Ivy would dare strike him. "You bitch! Is this how you treat your allies?" With a yank, Iago pulled Ivy off balance and pinned her to the ground, revealing his lv9 Commanding level strength. Ignoring the fact that they were in the castle courtyard, he began tearing at Ivy''s clothes. "Let me go, you bastard!" Pinned to the ground, Ivy struggled desperately, but Iago seemed impatient. Slap! Iago slapped Ivy across the face, leaving her cheek swollen and red. He then tore open her top, exposing her breasts, which only excited him further. "Ah!" Ivy screamed, her heart filled with despair. The other members of the Elemental Alliance heard Ivy''s scream but remained indifferent to her betrayal. Samson couldn''t stand it any longer. He rushed out of his castle and ran towards Ivy''s. "Let her go!" Iago turned to see Samson, his face twisted with anger. "This has nothing to do with you. She''s no longer your ally. If you don''t want to die, get lost!" Samson responded Lago with a blast of Frost Magic. Seeing that persuasion was useless, Iago threw Ivy aside and charged at Samson. Iago''s attack shattered Samson''s Frost Magic, sending him flying with a single blow. "Cough, cough..." Samson felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, coughing uncontrollably on the ground. He couldn''t believe he couldn''t even withstand one hit. Ivy, now devoid of the will to fight, sat on the ground, covering her chest with her hands, silently crying. Samson looked at Ivy, who was trying to cover herself, and then at Iago, who was approaching him step by step. Gritting his teeth, Samson stood up, ready to fight to the death. The area around them instantly turned icy, forming a frozen space that began to encase Iago. Iago laughed mockingly, showing disdain for Samson''s full-strength attack. "You''re as stupid as that woman. You come to save her, risking your life, but look at her. She can be toyed with by Galvin and me, but in front of you, she pretends to cover herself. And you, dying to save her, haven''t heard a word from her. She''s just a bitch. Isn''t it pathetic? "I''ll give you a chance. Submit to me, and after I''m done fucking her, I''ll let you have a taste. Don''t worry, Galvin won''t mind. His focus is on the undead Lord now." Ignoring Samson''s attack, Iago shattered the ice barrier with a punch. His strength was just a step away from Monarch level, far beyond what an ordinary Commanding level could handle. Iago smirked, waiting for Samson''s response. "You''re full of shit!" Before Samson could finish, Iago sent him flying again, this time leaving him too weak to stand. "Ungrateful fool. Fine, just watch." Iago grinned lecherously, ready to humiliate Ivy in front of Samson. Ivy''s eyes were vacant as Iago pinned her down again. This time, she didn''t even resist, not saying a word, only tears streaming down her face. "That''s more like it! Such an obedient bitch." Iago laughed triumphantly, tearing off Ivy''s skirt and panties, exposing her completely. Samson lay helplessly on the ground, hoping someone would come to Ivy''s rescue. But the other three members of the Elemental Alliance remained indifferent. If they had wanted to help, they would have come by now. Their strength and speed surpassed Samson''s. Perhaps they also resented Ivy, believing she had betrayed the Alliance and wasn''t worth saving. Maybe Samson was just that naive. Samson closed his eyes, unable to watch Ivy''s humiliation. "Hey, what''s going on here?" A young girl''s voice suddenly broke the silence. Samson opened his eyes, and Iago turned to see who had spoken. A white-haired girl sat on the castle wall, her legs swinging, her expression curious. Iago''s eyes lit up. He had never seen such a beautiful girl in his life. Samson recognized Ruby. She had found her way to Samson by following her senses, stumbling upon this strange scene. "How did she find her way here?" Samson wondered. Iago approached Ruby, a lecherous grin on his face. Ivy, now free, curled up into a ball. "Little girl, come here. I''m not a bad guy. I''ll give you a lollipop, heh heh heh." "Sure!" Ruby jumped down from the wall, dusting off her clothes, and walked towards Iago. Iago was ecstatic, marveling at his luck. He opened his arms, ready to embrace the little girl. Squelch¡ª The sound of flesh being torn filled the air, and blood splattered everywhere. Iago''s pupils contracted as he looked down at his chest, where three deep gashes had appeared. Ruby stood still, not having moved an inch. "You..." Iago tried to speak but couldn''t. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Blood splattered on Samson''s face, the smell jolting him into a state of shock and clarity. "Alex mentioned that anyone outside the Elemental Alliance should be killed." Ruby pondered, glancing at the naked Ivy and the bloodied Samson. The ground shook as Iago''s castle collapsed, scattering its resources and debris. The commotion drew the attention of the surrounding Lords, who stepped out of their castles to investigate. They were filled with confusion and concern, unsure of how Iago had died. "Wasn''t he a member of the Sunset Alliance? What happened?" "Could there be an enemy nearby, or did the Elemental Alliance do this?" The Lords speculated, ignoring the scattered resources. They were more concerned about their safety. "He went to that woman''s place," Grom said coldly, turning back to his castle. Their fate was none of his concern. The sixteen Lords exchanged glances. "Could she have killed him?" "Maybe. He was probably caught off guard while having sex." "Haha, if that''s the case, then that woman is mine!" Another lecherous Lord stepped forward, ignoring the others. He headed towards Ivy''s castle, followed by the other Lords, eager to see what was happening or perhaps engage in some group activity. Inside the castle, Ruby squatted next to Samson. "Hey, did you find the traitor?" Samson glanced at the silently crying Ivy and remained silent. By now, Samson understood that Alex hadn''t fully trusted him. This girl was her backup plan. She was here not only to cut off the Lords'' escape but also to kill the traitor. "Don''t play dumb. If you don''t talk, everyone here will die." Ruby''s attitude towards Samson was far from friendly. She didn''t know the other members of the Elemental Alliance, only recognizing Samson. But it didn''t matter; if everyone here died, there would be no problem. Ruby''s ears twitched, and she stood up. "Someone''s coming." Ruby turned to see a group of extraterrestrial visitors approaching the castle gate. They wore different outfits, one leading the way while the others followed, entering the castle. Naked Ivy directly spiked their lust, turning the 206 bones in their bodies into 207. When they saw Ruby, they were even more amazed, unable to take their eyes off her. But the sight of Iago''s bloodied corpse and the injured Samson brought them back to reality. "Come on, what are we afraid of? There are so many of us against two girls." One Lord jeered, emboldening the others. They ignored Iago''s death, focusing on their desires. "Let''s go! Whoever catches her first gets her!" The sixteen Lords charged, most heading towards Ruby, while the lecherous Lord sneaked around to Ivy. "Idiots. They''ll fight over the girl, but this woman is mine," he thought, grinning. Ruby watched them approach, counting. "Only sixteen? Including the one on the ground, that''s still one short." Alex had told Ruby there were eighteen Lords. The castle count was accurate; she had counted twenty-three, subtracting the five Elemental Alliance castles, leaving eighteen. No need to search for them one by one. As the Lords neared Ruby, they found themselves unable to move. No matter how hard they tried, they were paralyzed. The lecherous Lord behind Ruby also froze, panic on his face. "What''s happening? Why can''t I move?" The Lords realized they had underestimated the girl. "Is this a domain?" The others'' faces turned pale. If she had a domain, she was Monarch level, which meant... Ruby extended her hand, making a grasping motion. Three deep gashes appeared on each Lord''s chest, blood spraying everywhere. As Ruby released them, they were flung back, some dying instantly, others barely clinging to life. Commanding level Lords, powerless against a little girl. Samson''s eyes widened in shock. He hadn''t expected the girl with Alex to be Monarch level. The ground shook violently, and Samson felt it clearly. The surrounding castles were collapsing. The Lords attacking Alex were doomed. Their escape route was cut off, leaving no chance of survival. Ruby finished off the remaining Lords, then turned to the trembling Ivy. She knew Ivy was next. Ruby looked down at Samson, meeting his gaze. Her expression was cold; she didn''t want to waste time. Ruby had a hunch. She knew these five castles were close, likely an alliance, but she didn''t know the traitor. She assumed Ivy was Samson''s ally, playing some strange game with the extraterrestrial visitors. "Are you the traitor?" Ruby''s face lit up with realization, thinking she had guessed correctly. If he remained silent under threat of death, it must be him. "Alex said if you''re the traitor, the whole alliance dies." Samson felt bitter. He knew Ruby wasn''t joking. This girl could wipe them out. "It''s her," Samson finally said, pointing to Ivy. He turned away, ignoring Ivy''s pleading eyes, closing his own. Ruby looked at the naked Ivy. As a half-human, half-tiger, she had no sense of shame. She walked towards Ivy, expressionless. "Please, spare me. I''ll submit to the undead Lord. I''ll be her servant. Just don''t kill me!" Ivy was terrified, tears and snot streaming down her face. She didn''t care about her state or shame. She knelt, kissing Ruby''s feet. Ivy crawled forward, trying to grab Ruby''s legs, but an invisible barrier stopped her. Ruby didn''t understand her actions or listen to her pleas. She simply raised her hand. "Nope." Chapter 169 - 169: Chaotic melee In the southern swamp, with the arrival of Magnus and Titus, the enemy''s Monarch-level count increased to twelve. The battlefield had begun to shift due to the necromancers'' involvement, but even as Monarch-levels, the necromancers struggled against their counterparts. However, the liches and Destroyers, with their bizarre attack methods, were pushing the enemy Monarch-levels back. Magnus immediately engaged a lich, relieving some of the pressure on his allies. Titus had a clear target: Alex and Satan at the rear of the undead army. With no other Monarch-levels available to intercept Titus, Alex realized she couldn''t afford to be lazy. But Satan stepped forward, cracking his knuckles and neck. Satan stomped the ground with immense force, launching himself like a cannonball towards Titus in mid-air. Satan had come here to fight, and he wasn''t about to miss this opportunity. Satan''s punch collided with Titus, but the immense force didn''t push Titus back. Titus''s body was covered in molten lava patterns, radiating intense heat as he stared at Satan with a serious expression. The two clashed and separated, exchanging dozens of blows in mid-air. Black and red energies collided violently in the sky. "This Lord''s abilities are so similar to the zombie titan''s," Alex observed, watching the intense battle. These two seemed to be the strongest Monarch-levels on the field. Indeed, Titus''s troops were titans, and he naturally used titan abilities. With these abilities, his close combat skills reached terrifying levels. Unfortunately for him, he faced Satan, a demon who also specialized in close combat. Satan exuded a sinister black and red aura, his eyes glowing red, and a horn growing from his head. This demonic energy formed a protective barrier around Satan, with strong offensive and corrosive properties. Even if Satan didn''t land a direct hit, the claws formed by the demonic energy could easily tear through Titus''s body. Titus''s body displayed strange patterns, like grooves, and he didn''t dodge Satan''s attacks. Even when hit, he healed instantly. A second blue pattern lit up on Titus, followed by a third golden pattern. The golden light instantly shredded Satan''s demonic energy. Golden and black energies exploded in the air, and even the golden light''s shockwaves could easily kill an undead or demon follower. Satan didn''t fall behind, and Alex didn''t intervene. Her purpose here was not only to oversee the battlefield but also to act as a sneaky bastard, ready to ambush any struggling Monarch-level. This was war; there was no need for chivalry. To Alex''s surprise, Satan''s four Monarch-level demons were all gaining the upper hand. One demon, with purple skin and a somewhat plump body, wielded a flag and wore dazzling golden ornaments on its head and neck. It had a bull''s head and a dog''s head on its shoulders and a pair of black wings on its back. It looked not only bizarre but also terrifying. This demon, named Greed, faced a Monarch-level thunderbird with a pterosaur-like appearance but covered in blue feathers. The thunderbird''s domain was filled with countless feathers, as hard as steel, as fast as lightning, and as sharp as blades. Alex hadn''t even seen Greed use its domain. It simply waved its flag, blocking all the feathers. The bull''s head and dog''s head on its shoulders glowed yellow, transforming into two creatures that attacked the thunderbird. The thunderbird quickly began to falter, sustaining injuries. Of the enemy''s twelve Monarch-levels, only Galvin, Titus, and Magnus were actual Lords. The rest were troops. Alex guessed these Lords had concentrated their experience to raise these Monarch-level troops. The Lords hiding behind these troops were mostly between lv2 and lv7 Commanding level. But this battle was between Monarch-level troops. The four necromancers weren''t skilled in combat and were at a disadvantage. The four demons had the upper hand, and the other undead had slight advantages. Just as Greed was about to deliver a fatal blow to the thunderbird, a light spirit intervened, allowing the thunderbird to escape. The thunderbird barely had time to breathe before countless giant bones formed a cage around it. Galvin quickly disengaged from his opponent, appearing before the lich and launching a massive fireball at it. The lich had to abandon its attack, using a bone shield to block Galvin''s assault but still being pushed back by the impact. Boom! Galvin didn''t have time to react as a violent explosion occurred around him. The Destroyer''s skill followed, and a yellowish-brown barrier appeared before Galvin, blocking the sneak attack. A gargoyle activated its domain, shattering Galvin''s barrier. Another lich attempted to ambush but was intercepted by a scaly humanoid creature. Except for Satan and Titus, who were dueling, all the Monarch-levels were engaged in a chaotic melee, with no one-on-one battles. On the other side, Magnus''s hands grew three massive claws each, his mouth sprouting two curved fangs. His eyes turned crimson, and his skin turned gray as his body rapidly enlarged. "Stop wasting time! Kill that undead Lord!" Magnus roared, his figure disappearing in an instant. He shredded the bone shield before him and sent the lich flying. Magnus moved swiftly across the battlefield, each strike repelling an undead. His massive size, speed, and explosive power were terrifying. Even demons hit by Magnus were sent flying, though his attacks were purely physical and couldn''t kill undead or demon followers outright. Magnus unleashed his domain, filling the area with countless claw blades. Any undead or demon follower caught in the blast was instantly pulverized. "What kind of magic is this?!" Alex was stunned. This creature''s strength rivaled Titan''s. Ordinary undead and demons were no match for him. Magnus had a clear target: Alex. The undead and demons couldn''t stop him. His full-force attack also relieved the pressure on the enemy Monarch-levels. "Damn, I can''t slack off anymore!" The seemingly evenly matched battle between Satan and Titus began to shift. But Satan, noticing Magnus charging at Alex, only grew more excited. A pair of black wings sprouted from Satan''s back, along with a tail. He wielded a black longsword, his demonic energy surging. With one strike, he pierced Titus''s chest and kicked him into the ground, creating a massive crater. "Hahaha, I like this guy. He''s all yours!" As Alex watched in bewilderment, Satan ignored the fallen Titus and turned to attack Magnus. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex always found Satan''s behavior during battle a bit manic and strange. She turned to the crater where Titus had fallen. As the dust settled, Titus stood up, his eyes glowing gold, and his chest wound healed. Alex drew her scythe and walked towards Titus. Chapter 170 - 170: Powerful self-healing The castle interior began to shake, growing more intense by the second. Ivy was completely frozen into an ice sculpture, her face twisted in terror, her skin turning purple as she suffocated to death. Samson sighed deeply, but Ruby paid him no mind. She teleported outside the castle. There was still one Lord left to deal with. As Alex''s first request, Ruby felt she had to complete the task perfectly. The simultaneous collapse of so many castles naturally caught Grom''s attention. He was shocked and stepped outside to see Ruby floating in the air. Indeed, only a Monarch-level could instantly kill these Lords. This Monarch-level might be an ally of the Elemental Alliance or a subordinate of the undead Lord, but it didn''t matter. The goal was to cut off their escape route, leaving them no way out. Without their castles, the Lords would be forced to abandon everything and become Freelancers. Although Grom had Monarch-level strength, his troops weren''t strong enough to reach Monarch-level, so he had to take matters into his own hands. Grom''s muscles bulged rapidly, his body enlarging until his clothes tore apart. A row of bone spikes grew along his spine, transforming him into a blue giant. However, his size wasn''t as exaggerated as Magnus''s, only about the size of a normal werewolf. Grom gripped a large, chipped blade, the iron rings on its back clinking. Without a word, he leaped towards Ruby, swinging his blade at her. Ruby teleported to dodge Grom''s attack and countered with spatial magic. But the expected result didn''t occur. Grom wasn''t blown away; his chest merely dented before quickly returning to normal. Grom activated his domain. Everything around seemed unchanged, but when Grom attacked Ruby again, she found she couldn''t teleport. An invisible barrier blocked Grom''s blade, and countless ice spikes surged towards him. He didn''t dodge, letting the ice pierce his body, blue blood oozing out. Blue flames ignited on his blade, his arm muscles bulging with immense strength, nearly shattering the spatial barrier. Clang! A white, curved blade appeared in Ruby''s hand, radiating cold and spatial energy, blocking Grom''s blade. Grom tried to push Ruby back but found she was immovable, her small body containing astonishing strength. Grom withdrew his blade and attacked again. Ruby parried gracefully, their blades clashing in a flurry of strikes. Grom couldn''t find a single opening. Grom was surprised. He had assumed Ruby was a mage, vulnerable in close combat, but she turned out to be a warrior. Ruby spun elegantly, her blade infused with spatial energy, striking Grom and sending him crashing to the ground. A white spatial blade formed from her sword, descending towards Grom, giving him no time to react. Falling, Grom barely managed to counterattack, his blade glowing blue as he swung a massive slash at Ruby, intending to trade blows. But Ruby''s spatial blade pierced Grom, pinning him to the ground, while she swapped places with a stone, dodging his attack. Pinned, Grom unleashed his domain, shattering Ruby''s attack. He stood up, his wounds healing instantly. Trolls'' regenerative abilities were even more terrifying than werewolves'' and vampires''. Grom''s eyes turned blood-red, bone spikes emerging from his shoulders, arms, and thighs, his strength increasing. He slashed the ground, causing it to crack, but couldn''t hit Ruby. In her domain, Ruby could freely change positions, manipulate objects, and enhance her combat power. Grom''s domain was more of a support, while Ruby''s every strike carried spatial energy, making it impossible for Grom to react in time. If not for his powerful self-healing, any other Monarch-level would have died. Ruby manipulated countless rocks to attack Grom. As he prepared to counter, she swapped places with a rock, severing his arm with a single strike. Grom seemed unfazed by pain, immediately swinging his remaining arm at Ruby. She blocked with her curved blade, retreating and creating distance. In his berserk state, Grom''s attributes were fully enhanced. Ruby struggled to face him head-on, relying on her agility to gain an advantage. But her strikes seemed ineffective, as Grom''s arm regenerated instantly. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How disgusting is this ability?" Ruby was frustrated. Grom''s self-healing seemed limitless, rendering her attacks futile. This could turn into a battle of attrition, seeing who would tire first: Ruby or Grom''s healing. Alex had told her to leave if she encountered a Monarch-level, but Ruby didn''t listen, insisting on fighting. Reaching Monarch-level meant none of these Lords were simple. Stubbornly, Ruby continued battling Grom. Her agility far surpassed his, making it impossible for him to catch her if she chose to flee. Ruby had initially planned to destroy Grom''s castle, but its strong shield, numerous defenses, and countless troops made it difficult. Meanwhile, in the ruins of Ivy''s castle, a slightly recovered Samson crawled out, standing unsteadily and watching Ruby and Grom''s fight from afar. As a Commanding level, even severely injured, he couldn''t be crushed by the rubble. Samson limped towards Earl''s castle, not returning to his own. He remembered Ivy''s gentle healing, feeling a mix of emotions. He couldn''t understand how things had come to this. What a joke this All-Races Battle Royale was. Fuck that. Reaching Earl''s castle, Samson dumped all his resources. Earl stepped out, puzzled. "What are you doing?" "Earl, do you think coming to this world is a blessing or a curse? It''s brutal, bloody, survival of the fittest, with no laws. The strong can dominate everything, while the weak are trampled. But do the weak not deserve to live? Are some people born strong?" Samson rambled, lost in thought. Earl remained silent, unsure how to respond. Samson continued transferring his castle''s resources until his Warehouse was empty. Finally, Samson looked at Earl, a relieved smile on his face. "Earl, I''m leaving the Alliance." "Samson, why?" Earl was puzzled. This Alliance was Samson''s brainchild, but due to his lack of strength, he had handed the leadership to Earl. As a founding member, Earl had watched as more members joined and the Alliance grew to its current size. He couldn''t understand why Samson would suddenly want to give it all up. Was it because of Ivy? No, Earl didn''t think so. He hoped Samson would give him an explanation. Otherwise, the original purpose of forming the Alliance¡ªto help each other and grow together¡ªwould seem like a sham. "Earl, I''m sorry. I''m just a weak person." As Samson finished speaking, Earl suddenly felt a tremor coming from the left side of the castle, where Samson''s castle was located. Earl turned sharply and saw Samson''s castle covered in cracks, shaking violently, and gradually collapsing. Samson, however, seemed unaffected, standing in the castle with Earl, watching the scene unfold. Earl had never seen anything like this but quickly realized what was happening. "You''re becoming a Freelancer?!" In Earl''s shocked exclamation, Samson nodded and turned to leave the castle. He could feel the changes in his body, his strength diminishing. Earl wanted to say something more but didn''t know how to begin. He could only watch as Samson''s figure disappeared from sight. Chapter 171 - 171: Lilith VS Raphaela The battle outside the castle had ended. Ruby couldn''t kill Grom and had to give up, leaving the area. Eighteen Lords had come, and seventeen were dead. They had formed an alliance to attack Alex, but as soon as they arrived, Alex cut off their escape route. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Twenty-three castles had stood in the Barren Plains, but within a few hours, only four remained. Grom reverted to his human form. Though uninjured, he was drenched in sweat, his gaze fixed on the spot where Ruby had disappeared, his expression grim. Meanwhile, outside the southern swamp. "There are traces of dark magic here." Flying in the air, Raphaela suddenly sensed a magical fluctuation below and stopped with Drake, descending to the ground. The damp, black soil was barren, looking unremarkable at first glance. There were subtle signs of disturbance, barely noticeable unless closely examined. Drake crouched down, digging out a black stone emitting magical energy, and showed it to Raphaela. "The energy inside is flowing in another direction. This must be part of a magic circle." Quickly, they unearthed all the enchanted stones in the area, revealing the magic circle. Without hesitation, Drake destroyed it, breaking the alchemy magic''s concealment effect and revealing Chi-Chi''s hidden castle. "So, it was hidden here." Their efforts paid off. Drake didn''t care if this was Alex''s castle or not. Hidden so well, it had to be significant. They had searched the surroundings and found no other castles. "The flaw in this magic circle is quite large. If one part is found and destroyed, the entire circle loses its effect." Raphaela and Drake approached the castle. Destroying it would ensure Alex''s death. Raphaela smiled, confident that Alex wouldn''t have expected her castle to be found and attacked. Suddenly, Raphaela and Drake stopped in their tracks as someone emerged from the castle. A stunning woman in a black dress stood at the entrance, calmly watching them. Three more women soon joined her, standing by her side. Clearly, another Lord was present. The two hadn''t expected the castle to hide an ally. But victory was within reach, and they wouldn''t give up easily. Drake didn''t take the newcomer seriously, though Raphaela''s intuition sensed something unusual. "Go kill the man," Lilith said calmly, her voice neither loud nor soft, but audible to Raphaela and Drake. Drake sneered, but their expressions soon turned to shock. The three women behind Lilith stepped forward, their eyes glowing red. Black wings sprouted from their backs, black feathers drifting to the ground. Some donned black armor, others grew strange horns, and one even transformed into a male. The three fallen angels, each unique, exuded a powerful and ominous aura. Fallen angels could take human form upon reaching Monarch level, but Lilith preferred them to remain female. Drake was stunned. Three Monarch-level beings! "What are they, angels or demons?!" "Fallen angels," Raphaela replied calmly. Despite the four Monarch-level opponents, she showed no fear. Drake had never heard of fallen angels, but now wasn''t the time for questions. His hands hardened into massive dragon claws, his body covered in fine, earth-colored scales. Four curved horns grew from his head, and his eyes turned into yellow slits. Drake charged at the fallen angels, dragon''s might radiating, cracking the ground. Raphaela faced Lilith, the two locking eyes. Though meeting for the first time, they felt like lifelong enemies. This enmity, etched in their blood and souls, couldn''t be reconciled, even as Lords. From the moment they met, they were destined to be foes. Raphaela no longer hid her angelic identity. Almost simultaneously, black and white wings unfurled behind them. Raphaela radiated holiness, surrounded by holy light, her face becoming indistinct. She held a golden, glowing holy sword, her feet lifting off the ground as she ascended. Lilith, unlike other fallen angels, retained her original appearance even after transforming. Her eyes turned purple, her aura more noble and menacing. Darkness enveloped her, and she wielded a sword shrouded in black energy, its outline obscured. They rose into the air, facing each other, not exchanging a single word. Below, Drake and the fallen angels'' battle was ignored. In an instant, they unleashed their domains, gripping their weapons and charging at each other. Their weapons clashed silently, but the immense shockwaves roared outwards. Their domains clashed continuously, the sky erupting in blinding light. Drake and the fallen angels paused, looking up at the duel above. The sky was split, one half a dazzling gold, the other a devouring black. Gold drove back black, black devoured gold. Drake looked down. Raphaela''s domain had made grass and flowers sprout, bathed in holy light, full of life. Across from him, the barren land turned even grayer, tainted with black, as if to corrode everything. At that moment, Raphaela seemed to forget her mission, fully engaged with Lilith. Drake wanted to destroy the castle, but the fallen angels blocked him. Fallen angels weren''t ordinary troops; Drake knew angels'' terror, and fallen angels were no different. Facing three fallen angels, Drake wasn''t sure he could win. Destroying the castle today seemed impossible. Drake formed a yellow energy ball, gathering more energy until a massive beam shot out. One armored fallen angel stepped forward, a black shield blocking the beam, splitting it and dissipating it. The other two fallen angels attacked Drake from the front and back. Drake backflipped, spreading large, earth-colored wings, flying into the sky, the fallen angels in pursuit. Drake lacked the self-healing abilities of his allies, relying on his scales'' defense. But the deep gash on his chest showed his scales weren''t invincible, cut by a fallen angel''s sword. Drake could only avoid close combat with the opponent. With a clap of his claws, two massive earth dragons burst from the ground, lunging at the two fallen angels. Then he swiftly turned around, his claws encased in thick rock, forming a massive fist, smashing at his enemy in front of him. A thin black beam shattered the earth dragons, and a fallen angel, caught off guard, was punched to the ground. Drake quickly turned to the other two fallen angels, his pupils contracting as they began to petrify, slowing down. But this seemingly powerful skill was ineffective against equals. The fallen angels ignited in flames, reversing the petrification. The ordinary-looking flames were anything but simple. In the brief skirmish, Drake could hold off the fallen angels, but his disadvantage grew over time. In the sky, Raphaela and Lilith clashed, white and black feathers falling around them. Raphaela raised her holy sword, her wings spread wide, the brilliant gold light brightening the dawn, making everything holy. A town-destroying attack swept towards Lilith, unavoidable. Lilith''s black wings wrapped around her, forming a black cross, flames igniting at the tips, enveloping her in fire, blocking Raphaela''s attack. Sss¡ª Raphaela''s holy light didn''t cut through Lilith but was corroded, hissing. Lilith''s wings lost some feathers, looking disheveled but unharmed. Chapter 172 - 172: Their only fate was death Raphaela was growing increasingly anxious. Lilith was equally powerful, and their battle wouldn''t be decided quickly. But the situation was different on the other side. Drake was being overwhelmed by three Monarch-level fallen angels. Raphaela knew the strength of fallen angels and realized Drake wouldn''t hold out much longer. As time dragged on, their defeat seemed inevitable. It was too late to call for reinforcements from their troops. The Justice Alliance members had come alone, without their troops, while Lilith had the support of her forces, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Lilith''s strategy was simple: she didn''t need to fight Raphaela to the death. She just needed her troops to defeat Drake. Once Drake was dead, Raphaela would inevitably fall. Alex''s precautionary measures had proven correct. Even though this was a decoy castle, it had been found by the enemy. But even if Raphaela and Drake found Alex''s real castle, they wouldn''t stand a chance against the four statues guarding it. With Lilith''s command, three thousand fallen angels from Chi-Chi''s castle took to the skies, heading towards the southern swamp. After this battle, the troops of all three would be exposed. To expedite the situation, Lilith sent her troops to assist, hoping Alex and Satan could quickly finish their fight. Raphaela and Drake tried to stop them but were powerless, watching as the troops flew off to provide support. Suddenly, Raphaela and Drake paused mid-battle, receiving a message in their Alliance chat. All four were fighting, leaving only Grom to send the message. "What? A Monarch-level little girl killed all the Lords guarding the castles?!" Drake exclaimed, but Grom''s next words brought some relief. The girl couldn''t kill Grom and had already retreated. Raphaela''s eyes narrowed. She hadn''t expected the enemy to have another hidden Monarch-level. At this stage, most Lords were at Commanding level, and a Monarch-level was a nightmare for them. Their plan to ambush Alex''s castle had failed. Although their own Justice Alliance castle remained intact, the other Lord Alliances weren''t so lucky. "Raphaela!" Drake shouted, urging her to leave. There was no point in staying; they had no chance of taking this castle. Raphaela understood, though reluctantly. Lilith''s displayed strength was superior, and her intuition told her the odds of winning were slim. Raphaela disengaged from Lilith, joining Drake. With a surge of magical energy, a massive earth dragon emerged from the ground, devouring them both before dissipating in the air. The battle in the southern swamp was still ongoing, making this the best time for Raphaela and Drake to escape. If they waited until the battle ended, facing multiple Monarch-level opponents would make escape nearly impossible. Most importantly, Magnus and Titus were still there. Raphaela and Drake couldn''t abandon them. They had to rescue them, and the fate of the other Lords was irrelevant. "Chase them!" Lilith and the three fallen angels immediately flew towards the southern swamp. Whether they were fleeing or providing support, even if it was a decoy plan by the enemy, Lilith wasn''t worried. The castle behind them belonged to Alex''s subjects. Her town had a subsidiary castle, so even if this one was destroyed, Alex wouldn''t suffer much loss. The other Lords were either fully engaged in battle or already dead. They had no time to check Alliance messages, and most hadn''t realized their allies were dead. They were trapped on Eldoria, with no way back. Their only fate was death. ... Alex drew her scythe and approached Titus. Titus was furious, having been pummeled by Satan, which was humiliating. But seeing the undead Lord approaching, he smiled. This was his chance. Titus flexed his massive hands, clenching his fists. His face and body markings glowed again. In the next second, the ground shattered, and Titus vanished, reappearing in front of Alex, throwing a punch. "Too slow!" Titus''s punch was about to land on Alex, who seemed unfazed. Compared to the demon Lord, this undead Lord seemed much weaker. Boom! A black shield appeared before Alex, absorbing Titus''s molten punch without budging. She didn''t even step back. Titus quickly retreated, dodging Alex''s scythe. But the ringing of a bell made Titus uncomfortable, though it was quickly dispelled by holy light. As Titus landed, still unsteady, Alex appeared before him. He realized then that this girl was faster than him! Titus crossed his arms, the markings merging and glowing gold. He went all out because the black flames on Alex''s scythe made him uneasy. Alex''s attack came swiftly, causing Titus intense pain. Golden blood splattered as he was pushed back several yards. The wounds on his arms didn''t heal immediately; he needed time to dispel the dark magic. Titus glanced at his arms, his face grim. If he hadn''t reacted quickly, his arms might have been severed. All five of Titus''s markings lit up simultaneously¡ªgold, brown, red, blue, and purple¡ªeach representing one of his divine abilities. He realized the undead Lord was more lethal than the demon Lord, forcing him to fight with all his might. Titus stomped the ground, a crack rapidly spreading towards Alex. The crack seemed harmless, so Alex planted her scythe''s head into the ground, using it to block the attack. But the crack exploded in front of Alex, dust obscuring her vision. It was a distraction, not an attack. Titus''s right fist enlarged, purple lightning crackling around it, and he swung a powerful punch at Alex. Alex''s left eye glowed, her Death Domain expanding, clearing the dust and revealing Titus''s approach. Her domain ignited with black flames, converging on her arm and spreading to her scythe. Alex charged, dragging her scythe, and swung it at Titus. Boom!! This wasn''t just a clash of fist and scythe but a collision of domains. Purple lightning raged, but Alex''s domain devoured it. The holy light on Titus''s fist resisted the dark magic''s corrosion. Suddenly, black flame creatures formed within the domain, a fusion of dark, alchemy, and summoning magic, moving freely within Alex''s domain. They wielded spears, thrusting at Titus. He knew their lethality and tried to retreat from Alex. But a black creature beside Alex caught a dark green energy ball she threw. Titus hesitated, trying to pull back. Splat¡ª Titus spat blood, his body pierced by seven or eight black spears. Alex''s scythe struck, sending him flying. Titus crashed to the ground, his right arm paralyzed by dark magic, black spots spreading across his body, his face pale. A swarm of fallen angels suddenly flew in, joining the chaotic battle in the swamp. "It seems Lilith has engaged the others." On the other battlefield, an excited Satan was pummeling Magnus. In his Behemoth form, possessing immense physical attack and armor-breaking abilities, Magnus was unstoppable against ordinary Monarch-level troops, but against Satan, he struggled. In his demon form, Satan grabbed Magnus''s tusks and threw him. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Magnus barely reacted before finding himself airborne. Satan''s weapon floated nearby, and with a thought, it shot like a black lightning bolt at the still-airborne Magnus. Magnus twisted in mid-air, blocking with his claws. He crashed to the ground, his hand impaled by Satan''s weapon, pinning him. Magnus tore his hand free, ignoring the pain, standing as his wound slowly healed. "Roar¡ª" Magnus charged at Satan again but froze mid-charge as a sharp blade sliced his arm off. Thud. His massive arm fell, unable to react to the spatial slash. Standing there was Ruby, her curved blade in hand, having rapidly reappeared with her spatial magic. Chapter 173 - 173: Soul judgment "Well done!" A black sword flew into Satan''s hand as he praised Ruby. Magnus had seemed formidable, but in reality, he was less of a challenge than Titus. Just a brute, Satan thought, regretting letting Alex handle Titus. "Of course," Ruby replied smugly. The two hovered in the air, weapons in hand, looking down at Magnus as if judging a dead man. Magnus, no longer as crazed, seemed to sense his impending death. Just as they both moved to strike Magnus, the ground began to tremble, and a cloud of dust and debris erupted into the air. By the time Ruby and Satan tore through the dust, Magnus had vanished. "He ran?!" Satan was furious. He had fought for so long and hadn''t claimed a single kill. "Over there!" Ruby shouted. Alex was about to finish off Titus when a beam of golden light descended from the sky, blocking her attack and saving Titus. Alex looked at the woman with a holy aura standing before her. She had a pair of pure white wings and radiated holy light. Her aura bore an uncanny resemblance to Lilith''s. "An angel," Alex muttered, gripping her scythe tightly, her right eye glowing red. Raphaela stared intently at the undead Lord before her, saying nothing. At that moment, Ruby and Satan joined Alex, and Lilith and her three fallen angels descended from the sky. Raphaela and the severely injured Titus were surrounded by seven Monarch-level beings. For the first time, Raphaela''s face showed a hint of worry. She glanced back at the injured Titus. "Drake, take Titus and Magnus and go. I''ll buy you time!" Drake didn''t hesitate. His body glowed with an earthy yellow light, and sand began to swirl around Titus, preparing to take him away. In an instant, all seven moved. Ruby''s attack was the fastest. Her slash shattered the sand around Titus before Raphaela could react, interrupting his escape. Spatial magic! Raphaela knew a bit about Lilith and her fallen angels'' abilities, but she had no knowledge of Satan, Alex, or Ruby. Raphaela tried to use her domain, golden holy light enveloping the ground and Titus. But her domain was nearly torn apart in an instant. Everyone''s domain, except Ruby''s, greatly suppressed hers. Raphaela bit her lip, her eyes turning gold. She radiated a blinding holy light, forcing everyone back. Holy light was also effective against them. But the intense holy light lasted less than half a second before dissipating. When they looked again, Titus was gone. Raphaela''s aura had noticeably weakened, indicating the high cost of such a powerful holy light attack. "I think you''ve lost your mind. First time I''ve seen someone willing to die for others," Satan remarked, almost using "dumb blonde" but reconsidering since the rest were women. Satan charged at Raphaela, sword in hand, and everyone else followed suit. Raphaela barely blocked Satan''s attack with her holy sword when Lilith''s strike arrived. She turned to defend, her shield also blocking Ruby''s ranged slash. Just fending off three attacks drained her significantly. With the three fallen angels joining in, she was overwhelmed. Alex attacked from the side. Raphaela tried to use her holy light shield to block, but it shattered instantly. She could only shield herself with her wings, but Alex and the fallen angels still left four wounds on her. Alex''s wound was the deepest and most painful. The seven Monarch-level beings attacked in two waves, effortlessly wearing Raphaela down. Raphaela lost her once-holy, pristine aura. Her wings were stained with blood, her holy light tainted by darkness, making her look pitiful. The three Lords had escaped, but Raphaela couldn''t be allowed to leave. Surrounded by seven Monarch-levels, even Drake couldn''t save her. Raphaela knew from the moment she stayed that she wouldn''t escape. At lv1, facing seven equals, she had no chance of winning. But why did she choose to stay? She hadn''t expected Lilith and her fallen angels to arrive so quickly, nor the addition of Ruby. Drake had intended to save their alliance members, but Alex''s quick reaction thwarted his rescue. Raphaela had to cover, but as soon as she landed, she was surrounded. As for the other Lords, they were a joke compared to these opponents. The other Lords had only ten Monarch-levels, already at a disadvantage. They struggled against the undead. With Titus and Magnus gone, they wouldn''t hold out long. Their castles destroyed, their escape routes cut off, they had no hope of leaving. Raphaela''s Justice Alliance could safely retreat because Grom held their castle. Seeking help from the other Lords was futile. Summoning their troops wouldn''t work either. Though the Justice Alliance had five Monarch-levels, their combined troops were fewer than Alex''s. By the time reinforcements arrived, the battle would be over, and Alex''s undead numbers would swell, making their troops cannon fodder. Raphaela quickly realized she had only one option: wait for death. Despite knowing her fate, Raphaela wouldn''t go down without a fight. She decided to give it her all. Raphaela suddenly flew skyward, and everyone thought she was fleeing, so they chased her. In the sky, Raphaela turned abruptly, her holy sword glowing brightly. She poured all her Mana Points into one strike, gripping her sword with both hands and pointing it at the ground. "Judgment!" The clouds parted, revealing seven beams of sunlight. Seven holy swords formed from the golden light, descending upon the group. Alex''s eyes narrowed. She recognized this move from when the six-winged angel killed the frost dragon! "Soul Judgment!" All the black flame creatures in Alex''s domain, along with hundreds of undead on the battlefield, perished instantly. The holy swords descended, and Alex raised her left hand, a dark vortex forming in her palm to meet Raphaela''s desperate attack. The holy swords'' judgment couldn''t be dodged; everyone had to withstand it. Satan threw his weapon into the sky, choosing to face it head-on. Lilith and her three fallen angels combined their domain powers to resist. The holy swords'' judgment seemed ineffective within Ruby''s domain. She swapped places and successfully dodged, stunning everyone. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Raphaela, now severely injured and exhausted, suddenly felt a powerful soul attack. In her prime, she could have resisted, purifying everything with holy light. But now, drained and out of Mana Points, she couldn''t. Raphaela''s mind went blank. Her body didn''t change, no blood flowed, but she began to disintegrate into golden light. Her entire body vanished. [Congratulations on successfully killing lv1 Monarch-level Angel Lord, earning 300 experience points.] Alex''s vortex dissipated, and she lowered her arm, still tingling from blocking Raphaela''s attack. Seeing the system notification, Alex confirmed Raphaela''s death and looked at the others. Except for Satan, who looked a bit disheveled from taking the attack head-on, everyone else was fine. If the attack had been focused on one target, it would have been powerful. But split into seven, it was manageable for top-tier Lords. "I think these angels are all a bit crazy. No wonder so many factions hate them," Satan said, reverting to his human form. "I thought she had some trump card, but that''s it?" Alex complained. She died without leaving a corpse, which was disappointing. "Is she dead?" Satan asked Alex, watching Raphaela disintegrate. He had clearly seen Alex''s attack hit her. "The system says she is," Alex replied. "It says she''s dead." Hearing Alex''s confirmation, everyone relaxed. The system wouldn''t lie. Lilith signaled to her three fallen angels, who immediately joined the battlefield to clean up the remaining enemies. The three of them hovered in the air, positioned behind the undead army, observing the battle below. At this point, even without their intervention, their troops could easily secure victory. There was no need for concern. "All these extraterrestrial visitors must come from the same world, right?" Ruby suddenly asked. Lords were called extraterrestrial visitors because they came from another world. Alex nodded, acknowledging Ruby''s question. "But if they''re from the same world, why do they have to fight each other here?" Ruby''s question left the three of them silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Chapter 174 - 174: They cant go back With the addition of the three fallen angels, Alex''s side now had fourteen Monarch-level beings, while the enemy still had only ten. Their defeat was inevitable. "Do you want the bodies?" Alex shifted the topic, asking Satan and Lilith. From her observations, Alex suspected that Satan might have a similar ability to manipulate corpses. As for Lilith, she had only brought fallen angels, so Alex wasn''t sure. After all, it wouldn''t be fair to let them help without some form of compensation. Giving resources seemed redundant since top-tier Lords didn''t lack them. These bodies, however, could be more valuable. "My troops can control minds, but corpses are useless. I need them alive," Lilith replied, hinting at her preference for capturing live targets. "I don''t need them either. Demons can control followers, even if they are corpses, but they won''t retain their domains. Monarch-levels would become pseudo-Monarch-levels, which is a waste," Satan explained. To get true Monarch-level followers, demons needed to reach King level. The difference between pseudo-Monarch-level and Monarch-level was significant. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Got it. That''s easy to handle," Alex said, immediately ordering the undead to leave some alive. Down below, Galvin was panicking. With the Justice Alliance gone, their Lord Alliance was no match for the undead. When the Justice Alliance fled, Galvin had wanted to leave too. But when he opened the Alliance interface to notify Iago, he was stunned to see the Alliance''s member count had dropped to four. The worst had happened¡ªthe Lords guarding their castles were dead! Galvin scanned the battlefield. At this moment, their Alliance had fewer than twenty Lords left. They were desperately fighting the undead, but as the number of undead grew, they were gradually being overwhelmed. They had been fighting continuously, immersed in the joy of gaining experience points from killing the undead, without realizing they had no escape route left. As the only remaining Monarch-level Lord, Galvin was receiving special attention from the undead. Galvin was fighting alone against a gargoyle and a destroyer, both Monarch-levels. Even one of them was hard for Galvin to handle, especially since he was a mage. And Gargoyles and Destroyers were the worst opponents for a mage. With their domains activated, Galvin''s magic attacks were rendered ineffective. As the undead devoured more magic, their attributes were enhanced. Galvin was terrified of gargoyle and destroyer. He hadn''t known there were undead immune to magic. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the sight of Alex floating above, overseeing the battlefield, only added to his fear. On the ground, the Commanding-level undead were initially at a disadvantage, but with the addition of a Monarch-level necromancer, the tide turned. The necromancer''s Bones Domain could instantly kill several Commanding-level troops. As these Commanding-levels were summoned as undead, Alex''s Commanding-level undead numbers grew, creating an overwhelming advantage. The enemy had only 5,000 troops, while Alex''s undead army boasted 65,000. "How did the Lords guarding the castles die?!" A Lord''s exclamation drew attention, and others checked, finding their guarding Lords all dead. "We''re finished. We have no way out... we can''t go back..." "It must be the Elemental Alliance. They betrayed us. Damn it, fuck!" "I submit!" Realizing the situation, the Lords fell into chaos. Some panicked, some despaired, and others raged. In this situation, there were only three options: defeat Alex, which was impossible; escape and become Freelancers, but the chances of escaping through the growing undead were nearly zero; or submit and hope for Alex''s mercy. Alex ignored the submitting Lords, while Satan and Lilith watched coldly. How ironic. These people had come to kill Alex, and now they wanted to submit. What a joke. The Lords, in their desperate cries, had lost the will to fight. They were Commanding-level, facing 66K undead, utterly hopeless. Alex gave them no chance. They had chosen to target her, and their fate was sealed¡ªdeath. The previously injured Monarch-level thunderbird had been slain by a demon. After fifteen minutes of summoning, the process was complete. Boom! A massive gray magic circle appeared, and a terrifying sight unfolded¡ªa Monarch-level zombie titan was summoned. This creature''s combat power was the most terrifying among all land-based undead. Now, a Monarch-level had emerged. The zombie titan''s five markings lit up, and its terrifying punch made even other Monarch-levels scramble to avoid it. Boom! A massive shockwave radiated from the zombie titan''s fist, covering the ground in dust and causing violent tremors. The Monarch-level troops managed to dodge, but the Commanding-level troops weren''t so lucky. The zombie titan''s punch killed over a hundred Commanding-level troops. "What the hell is this thing? Is it really an undead?!" Galvin was distracted by the zombie titan, not noticing the Destroyer charging its Mana Points. Boom! A brilliant explosion lit up the sky, bursting into a display of colors. Galvin was hit before he could react. After fighting the Destroyer for so long, he hadn''t expected such a powerful attack. "Cough, cough..." Galvin fell to the ground, coughing violently, several bones broken. He struggled to rise but failed. Suddenly, a broad sword filled his vision, and then everything went black. Galvin was successfully killed by John. A magic circle appeared beneath Galvin''s corpse, and fifteen minutes later, a ghost dragon wreathed in blue flames emerged. The ghost dragon''s attack was a soul ray, resembling a laser, causing massive damage to the surroundings. The ghost dragon then activated its domain, blue flames that could corrode souls flaring up. Any enemy touched by the flames had their soul instantly extinguished. The Monarch-level ghost dragon was larger than typical ghost dragons, its blue flames purer. Flying among the ghost dragons and bone dragons, it stood out. "Wow, that''s so cool!" Ruby exclaimed, noticing the ghost dragon among the undead. This ghost dragon had been summoned from Galvin''s corpse. Alex had expected Galvin, as one of the few Monarch-level Lords, to have some trump card. But the Destroyer''s attack had severely injured him, and John had easily finished him off. Alex''s side now had sixteen Monarch-level beings, while the enemy had only eight left. The swamp had been devastated by the battle, no longer resembling a swamp. Ruby went off to be a sneaky trickster, though her attacks were direct. Her unique methods left the Monarch-levels unable to react. Satan, finding the pace too slow, charged back into the fray. Alex and Lilith landed, waiting for the battle to end. Alex had muted the system notifications again. Each Lord''s death triggered four or five messages, which was annoying. It was always the same stuff, and she couldn''t be bothered to read it. In the Barren Plains, the three members of the Elemental Alliance saw the Justice Alliance Lords return and immediately move their castles. Realizing the swamp battle might be ending, they saw the Justice Alliance''s panic and knew they had been defeated by Alex. For the Elemental Alliance, it was time to leave the Barren Plains. Even without direct conflict with Alex, they couldn''t guarantee they wouldn''t be targeted. They were now filled with fear of Alex. Even if they wanted to submit, they feared rejection. The safest option was to leave the Barren Plains. "What about the resources outside?" Boreas asked, standing on the steps, looking at the supplies left in the castle ruins. Hearing Boreas, the other two understood. "We''re leaving anyway. Take everything!" Eighteen castles'' worth of resources couldn''t be left behind. Boreas went out to gather the supplies. Earl and Cain exchanged glances and followed. Grabbing the resources before leaving was a no-brainer. To their surprise, Ivy''s castle had the most resources, more than the three of them combined! "That bitch deserved to die," Cain spat. Ivy had gone back on their agreement, trying to hoard the resources and leave the Alliance. It was despicable. This was why they hadn''t helped her, choosing to stand by. Luckily, they hadn''t intervened, or Ruby might have killed them. The three quickly gathered all the resources, not wasting a moment, then returned to their castles. Boreas contacted his friends, and the three abandoned their castles, preparing to move. With three flashes of white light, the last three castles vanished, leaving the Barren Plains in silence¡ªa wasteland slowly dissipating in the wind. Chapter 175 - 175: Only the victors were remembered [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The sky darkened as the battle in the southern swamp concluded. Alex handed over three captured Monarch-level beings to Lilith as a token of gratitude for her assistance. As for Satan, Alex gave him two thousand corpses. While he didn''t need Monarch-level bodies, Commanding-level cannon fodder was still quite useful to him. Regarding the loot from the slain Lords, Alex had killed the most and wanted to share some with Satan and Lilith, but they insisted on declining, so she let it go. Alex divided the remaining Monarch-level corpses, summoning various undead: two bone dragons, two zombie titans, two ghost dragons, and more. Alex''s Monarch-level strength now totaled fourteen, a significant advantage. As an undead Lord, war only made her stronger. Seeing this, even Lilith and Satan felt a twinge of envy. With the undead''s unique trait, Alex''s power growth was undoubtedly the fastest among all Lords. For the remaining Commanding-level troops, Alex used summoning to bolster her ranks with various high-level undead. Although she had a 65K-strong undead army, most were weaker undead. The powerful ones were too few. High-level undead couldn''t be double-summoned, but Alex could now specify what undead she wanted to summon. The battlefield was quickly cleared by the undead, and Alex disassembled all the corpses, not wasting any resources. She busied herself on the battlefield, as the undead couldn''t help with disassembly. So, Alex had to do it herself. Satan''s eye twitched. This woman was incredibly frugal, not even sparing the corpses. These corpses only provided basic materials, and all combined, they weren''t as valuable as the loot from a single slain Lord. For example, stone giants, thunderbirds, and unicorns didn''t have weapons in life, so they wouldn''t drop Monarch-level equipment in death. "All done," Alex said, walking over after disassembling all the corpses. Suddenly, Alex remembered something and quickly asked Ruby. Learning that Ruby hadn''t checked the loot after killing the Lords, Alex immediately sent undead to see if the resources were still there. Nearly twenty Lords'' worth of loot was a significant fortune. But Alex suspected the resources were already gone. The Justice Alliance had fled, and it was reasonable to assume they took the loot with them. If Alex were in their shoes, she would have done the same. The undead army had suffered losses in this battle. Some troops were highly effective against Standard-level undead. Though many Standard-level undead had perished, it was worth it. Through the corpses, Alex''s undead army numbered close to 66K, with fourteen Monarch-level beings. Seeing this formidable lineup, Alex felt a surge of excitement. To hell with the Silverbeard Clan and the hobgoblin kingdom¡ªshe was going to crush them! Alex''s next goal was clear: to clear out all surrounding forces for better development, except for the Dark Forest. "It''s getting dark, and everything''s settled here. Why don''t you all stay for dinner at my castle? Let''s celebrate," Alex suggested. === All day, the Lords in the World Chat had been waiting for news. Though they hadn''t participated in the attack on Alex, they were eager to see the outcome. In the morning, many Lords had boasted in the World Chat about their plans to defeat the undead Lord. A day had passed with no updates. Soon, some Lords noticed something odd. The leaderboard was still up, and seeing the blacked-out names of first and second-tier Lords, while Alex''s ID remained green, the battle''s outcome was clear. [CerealKiller]: "Shocking!! The Lord Alliance couldn''t defeat the undead Lord!" [PurrfectStorm]: "Holy fuck! It''s true? How did they lose?" [SofaKingCool]: "Wow, that''s so cool. This is a true powerhouse. Miss Alex, do you need more undead? I''m willing to offer my summoned troops daily for you to transform into undead. Please take me as your subject!" [Boggle]: "Bunch of idiots. That undead Lord isn''t worth a hobgoblin kingdom''s toe!" [WombRaider]: "Traitors, fuck off!" ... On another continent, in a desert wasteland, five castles stood. Chi-Chi, having received confirmation of Alex''s victory, was overjoyed. Initially, hearing that Alex hadn''t fled but chose to fight had made Chi-Chi anxious. After all, facing such overwhelming odds seemed impossible. "I told you Miss Alex is amazing. Those Lords are just trash!" Chi-Chi sighed in relief, and Luca and Chi-Chi''s father shared a knowing smile. They had worried that Chi-Chi''s submission to another Lord meant putting their lives in someone else''s hands. But given the circumstances, it was the only way to survive. Chi-Chi''s submission to Alex had turned out to be a blessing. Alex was incredibly powerful. Submitting to her meant gaining her protection, greatly increasing Chi-Chi''s chances of survival. Now, with Alex displaying such overwhelming strength, many Lords would be vying to submit to her, but they wouldn''t have the chance. With Alex''s Alliance defeating over a hundred Lords, the negative talk about undead in the World Chat had mysteriously vanished. Now, there was only fear of Alex. In this world, strength was everything. In the castle, Alex personally cooked for the three of them. While her cooking wasn''t exceptional, she considered it decent. Soon, a variety of dishes made from strange vegetables and meats were served. Due to their bloodline'' influence, none of them could eat much. Lilith elegantly used a knife and fork, taking small bites. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan ate quietly, saying nothing. As for Ruby, being a native race of this world, she didn''t know human etiquette and simply grabbed the food with her hands. Most of the food was eaten by Ruby. Despite her small size, she had the biggest appetite. "Mmm... so good! This is a hundred, no, a thousand times better than raw meat!" Ruby said, patting her stomach with satisfaction. "The negative talk in the World Chat has disappeared," Lilith said, wiping her mouth with a napkin and looking at the World Chat. The other two checked and saw that the discussions were now focused on Alex''s strength. Only the victors were remembered. "What? What are you talking about? What negative talk disappeared?" Ruby asked, confused, seeing the three of them tapping the air. "It''s the system," Satan explained, glancing at Ruby. But what Ruby heard was, "It''s ** (system)." "Huh?" Ruby was even more confused. Native races couldn''t see or hear anything about the system. "Oh, I almost forgot, you''re not a Lord," Alex said, standing up and clearing the plates. "You can think of it as a special ability among extraterrestrial visitors." "Our troops have been exposed," Satan said, seeing the discussions in the World Chat. The Lords knew that Alex and two other powerful Lords had formed an Alliance to defeat the enemy, and that the other two Lords had demon and fallen angel troops. "You two are famous now," Alex said with a smile. It was obvious that the escaped Lords had spread the word. Alex decided to use their own tactics against them. "What troops do those escaped Lords have?" Alex asked. They hadn''t brought their troops, so it was hard to tell. Raphaela was obvious, and she was likely dead. Alex knew Titus''s troops were titans, similar to zombie titans but more versatile. As for Magnus, Alex couldn''t identify him, and Drake had revealed too little. "Behemoths," Satan said. He had seen these beasts before. They had no special abilities but possessed high physical attack and armor-piercing capabilities. "The other one''s troops should be rock dragons. He used earth elements, so it must be Rock Dragons." The fallen angels'' battle with Drake had revealed enough to deduce this. Ruby also described the abilities of the Lord guarding the castle, and Satan guessed they were likely trolls. Alex and Lilith looked at Satan in surprise, and he shrugged. "I''ve seen these creatures before. I''ve killed many of the weaker ones, so I recognize them." The three then shared information about their castle surroundings, planning to be long-term allies and needing to understand each other''s situations. After hearing each other''s stories, they fell silent. No wonder they were top-tier Lords; their experiences were rich and varied. Each had thought they were the first or only Monarch-level, but they were wrong. Lilith had developed by stealing resources from sea and elf races. Satan was in a high-risk, high-reward abyss. His original demons were only twelve, but they developed the fastest, with base levels different from other Lords'' troops. The twelve demons started at lv5 Standard, accelerating Satan''s early development. The abyss was filled with powerful races but had few inhabitants, requiring careful progress. All three had grown rapidly under high pressure, combined with their strong troops, to reach their current strength. Chapter 176 - 176: Harvest and upgrades After their discussion, Lilith and Satan returned to their respective castles. As for Ruby, she hadn''t had enough fun yet and decided to stay at Alex''s castle. After all, the castle was huge with plenty of rooms. The three chatted late into the night. After summoning her troops, Alex planned to rest, leaving the distribution of resources for the next day. When Alex returned to her castle, she was astonished to see the nearly overflowing warehouse. This time, she had truly struck it rich. In the White Rock Mountains, Sophie also breathed a sigh of relief. This battle had directly doubled Alex''s strength. Now, Alex had enough power to rely on war to grow rapidly. After reaching Monarch level, Alex''s experience points could accumulate. In other words, she could control when to level up. Even if she didn''t level up immediately, the experience points would continue to accumulate and wouldn''t be wasted. Theoretically, a lv1 Monarch level could save enough experience to jump straight to lv9 Monarch level. Alex glanced around her castle and, seeing the red moon in the sky, suddenly paused. There was a detail she hadn''t noticed until now. During the day, it was always overcast with no sun, but at night, the moon appeared, meaning the night sky was clear. Why was it overcast during the day but clear at night? "Strange." "Alex, goodnight!" Ruby''s head popped out from the fifth floor, pulling Alex from her thoughts. "Goodnight." Alex entered the castle, ready to take a bath and sleep. The night passed without incident. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex hurriedly got up, and began dressing. She used her accumulated experience to level up, jumping two levels to lv3 Monarch level. "Why does leveling up as a Monarch level seem to require less experience than going from lv9 Commanding to lv1 Monarch level? Maybe it''s because it''s a major rank jump?" Alex brushed her hair, dressed, and walked out of the castle. Defeating Galvin''s alliance had brought Alex a massive haul. So many resources awaited distribution, and she felt this would lead to a significant power boost. A necromancer approached Alex, reporting on the situation in the Barren Plains from the previous day. It had returned last night, but Alex was already asleep, so it had waited at the castle gate until now. "Barren Plains is completely empty?!" Alex was furious. There were no castles left in the Barren Plains, and the Elemental Alliance had moved out. Whether Grom or the Elemental Alliance took the resources, Alex didn''t know. However, this was expected by Alex¡ªfinders keepers, after all. Although the Elemental Alliance had fled, this was actually beneficial. The area was now thoroughly cleared, with no Lords left to interfere with Alex''s development. Alex decided to upgrade her town and Barracks first, as they were the most crucial and their resource requirements didn''t conflict. Her town, originally lv5, was upgraded to the maximum level, lv9. Alex didn''t know what changes would occur beyond that. With resources running low, Alex saved some for upgrading the wall. [town level: lv9 (max)] [Health Points: 150k] [town area: 40 square miles] [Territory Area: 75 square miles] [Feature: Within the territory, the Lord has the power to see everything, as well as to Disassemble and recycle at the Warehouse.] [Special Buildings: Maiden''s Wardrobe, Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Maiden''s Bedroom, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon, Crystal Shield] [Upgrade Requirements: 300k wood, 250k stone, 30k iron ingots.] Alex then upgraded the wall to Monarch level defense. Commanding level defense was now as flimsy as paper to her. The wall''s appearance didn''t change much, still black but looking sturdier. Other defensive structures were also enhanced with the town''s upgrade, so Alex didn''t need to upgrade them separately. With the wall upgraded, she turned to the Barracks. The Barracks were upgraded four levels, and to Alex''s surprise, new races could be unlocked. [undead crystal: lv20 (unique Barracks)] [Barracks can summon: skeletons, zombies, specters, death conquerors, gargoyles, bone dragons, ghost dragons, zombie titans, necromancers, liches, Destroyers, Ghouls, Reaper Guards (random fifty), with a very low chance to summon a race king. Summoned troops'' base level increased to lv7 Standard.] [Unlocked special fixed units: Acolyte, Dark Alchemy Warlock] [Upgrade Requirements: 55k magic crystals, 550 Essence Shards.] Alex had unlocked thirteen undead races so far, which she found a bit strange. "How many undead races are there?" Unlike the other lords, who had single-type troops, Alex commanded an entire array of undead species. Seeing nearly half the Warehouse''s resources gone, Alex''s castle had been significantly strengthened. With some resources left, not enough for further upgrades, Alex upgraded Sophie''s Barracks and castle by three levels each. Alex then went to the Barracks to summon her troops. This time, she was pleased to see the newly unlocked troops. The Reaper Guards resembled the Grim Reaper, wearing black robes, floating, and lacking a physical form. Their weapon was a short scythe connected to a long chain with strange runes. They exuded a mysterious aura, fitting for undead. One of their skills was teleportation, allowing them to instantly appear by Alex''s side, serving as her protectors. The Reaper Guards had an Emperor level cap, with high potential. If she had more corpses, Alex would summon a Monarch-level Reaper Guard to see its power. "Go do what you need to do." Alex waved them off. They were born at lv7, so reaching Commanding level should be easy. Alex then checked on the three race kings'' levels after the battle. Arthur was lv7 Commanding, John was lv8 Commanding, and Azure was lv9 Commanding. "Why do they level up so slowly? And why is Arthur leveling up even slower?" Maybe because their level cap was Divine, their leveling speed was slower? "Whatever, I''ll take it one step at a time." Alex left the Barracks and saw Ruby yawning as she came downstairs. "Alex, why are you up so early?" "Just a habit." "I helped you a lot this time. How are you going to thank me? Remember what I said last time?" Ruby teased. "Ah, you mean visiting a human city? Do you know where one is?" Alex asked, stumping Ruby. She had lived in cold regions and didn''t know where human cities were. Ruby looked at Alex expectantly. "I''m an extraterrestrial visitor. I don''t know where human cities are either." Ruby deflated at Alex''s words. "We''ll have to wait for another time." Alex knew the general direction of the Starfallen Empire but didn''t mention it. It was dangerous, with unknown strength, and she didn''t want to risk taking Ruby there. The Starfallen Empire, supported by the mage association, was likely stronger than the hobgoblin and dwarf kingdoms. Alex wouldn''t take Ruby to human territory, where escape would be difficult if they were targeted. With the recent upgrades, Alex''s castle territory had expanded significantly, now bordering the Dark Forest. Further expansion might encroach on the forest''s outskirts. Despite the large castle, it lacked life. Aside from Alex and Ice Cream, there were no living beings in the castle. This contrasted sharply with Sophie''s lively castle. Alex had many tasks to handle, so Ruby mimicked human behavior and made her own breakfast. With her Monarch-level strength secured, Alex''s first thought was Chi-Chi. She planned to send a necromancer to protect them. A necromancer could summon an army, making it a formidable protector against Commanding-level Lords. Alex contacted Luca, Chi-Chi''s brother, instead of Chi-Chi directly. If Luca was smart, he''d understand the immense advantage of having a Monarch-level protector. Unless he was foolish enough to think Alex''s necromancer had ulterior motives. But given Luca''s ability to infiltrate enemy alliances, he was clearly not the latter. Luca was overjoyed at Alex''s offer and expressed his gratitude. Alex didn''t waste words and invited Luca to join her Alliance. After leaving his own Alliance, Luca quickly joined Alex''s. [Big Boobs has joined the Alliance.] [Inferno]: "?" Seeing the names of the other two Lords in the Alliance, Luca was awestruck and didn''t dare speak. As the World Chat had said, these were top-tier Lords with demon and fallen angel troops. "You''ll go protect Chi-Chi and her family. Follow her instructions," Alex told the necromancer. "Yes, my queen." A Monarch-level necromancer disappeared into the Portal of Transit. Five minutes later, Luca left the Alliance. With the necromancer''s help, their safety was assured. While there were many strong beings in this world, Monarch-levels were rare. Alex handed the miscellaneous Commanding level equipment in the Warehouse to Sophie for handling. Next, she examined the special buildings and strange items dropped by the slain Lords, diving into the Warehouse for a closer look. "Energy Fruit, grants 1,000 experience points when consumed. This is great! Wait, why is it only for native races?" Alex looked at the green fruit in her hand, puzzled. It didn''t make sense for such a valuable item to be unused. Unbeknownst to Alex, the Lord who owned it had stone giants as troops, who couldn''t consume it. Without trading it, it had remained in the Warehouse, now a lucky find for Alex. "Undead can''t consume this either..." "Ruby, Ruby!" Alex called Ruby over, who came running with a piece of burnt meat in her mouth. "Here, take this." "What''s this?" Ruby sniffed the fruit, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "It looks super gross." "It grants 1,000 *** (experience points)." "Huh? 1,000 what?" "..." "I don''t want it. It has energy but tastes awful. I''m not eating it." Since Ruby refused, Alex gave the Energy Fruit to Ice Cream, who swallowed it whole. With the 1,000 experience points, Ice Cream leveled up to lv7 Commanding. Alex continued examining the Warehouse items. "A beginner wind magic book, nice!" Alex spent 100 magic crystals to learn it but didn''t record it, planning to upgrade to mid-level later. "Elemental Shield, useless." "Contract Statue, for signing contracts? Useless." "Storm Cannon, requires manual operation, useless." ... Alex sifted through the Warehouse, finding most special structure blueprints unhelpful. Keeping them seemed pointless, but discarding them felt wasteful. While she couldn''t use them, Sophie could benefit greatly from most special buildings. "Wait, what''s this?" Alex found some blue energy stones and checked their information. [Enhancement Stones, can enhance special buildings, improving their level and quality.] "Such a good find?" Alex gathered all the Enhancement Stones, ten in total, and after five seconds of thought, decided to enhance the Bone Throne. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Bone Throne provided direct combat benefits, far more valuable than other buildings. The Magic Stone Pillar was unaffected, as it couldn''t raise the gargoyles'' level cap, which was fixed at King level. Alex enhanced the Bone Throne and upgraded it with resources. Now, the Bone Throne''s cap was King level, allowing Monarch-level Alex to enjoy a 1.5x experience boost. The remaining items were miscellaneous and not particularly useful. Not every slain Lord dropped special structure blueprints. Suddenly, Lilith sent a message in the Alliance chat. Lilith: "I found a group of captured dark elves. Alex, do you want them? Your castle is too empty. They can be your servants." Satan: "I want them too." Lilith: "I also have some male dark elves." Satan: "..." Alex: "Sure!" Chapter 177 - 177: Dark elves The elf race has many varieties, such as fire elves, light elves, dark elves, forest elves, storm elves, and more. Relations between the different races are not harmonious. Near Lilith''s castle is the forest elf kingdom, known for their expertise with bows and daggers and their excellent stealth abilities. Dark elves, on the other hand, have pale skin, slender bodies, and silver or platinum hair. They excel in using dark elements. Compared to forest elves, dark elves are more powerful but fewer in number. They were likely discovered and captured by the forest elves. Lilith noticed the dark elves'' white hair and their use of dark magic, which reminded her of Alex. Alex was still sorting through the special structure blueprints in the Warehouse, planning to check on the dark elves afterward. After going through the blueprints, she found few that were useful to her. Once she finished, Alex greeted Ruby and then headed to the Portal of Transit. Basic wind magic had little offensive power, but its main use was to assist Alex in flying, slightly increasing her speed. With a flash of orange-red light, Alex appeared in Lilith''s town. Splash! Alex heard the sound of crashing waves as she arrived. Looking around, she saw a towering cliff behind her, with turbulent waves crashing against the rocks below, creating a thunderous noise. "Why is the weather always so good on Arsen Continent?" Alex wondered aloud. Every time she came to Arsen, it was sunny and clear. "Not always. It rains occasionally," Lilith replied, walking over. She had seen the system notification when Alex teleported. "I didn''t realize there were so many types of elves. I thought they were like dwarves." "Of course not. On this continent, there are dwarves, elves, humans, orcs, trolls, goblins, and beastmen, each with varying strengths. Humans are the strongest, followed by elves, with dwarves being the weakest." Lilith, who could infiltrate other races with her troops, had a wealth of information. All the elf races combined ranked among the top three on Arsen Continent, though this didn''t include super races like humans, angels, and dragons, whose influence spanned all continents. Elves were confined to Arsen, making comparisons difficult. Among the elves, light elves were the strongest, followed by dark elves and storm elves. The other elves had similar strength levels. Alex also noticed the sea race in Lilith''s castle. These races, controlled by fallen angels, appeared normal, making it easy for them to return to their tribes and infiltrate. It was Alex''s first time seeing the sea race, and she was curious. Lilith shared some basic information about the sea race. The sea race under Lilith''s control weren''t true sea races. They lived in the sea and were collectively referred to as the sea race by land dwellers. True sea races were powerful, among the top races on the continent, with Divine beings ruling the seas beyond the seven continents. They had no conflicts with land races, maintaining a mutual non-aggression pact. While true sea races were strong, those under Lilith''s control were mostly Standard and Commanding level. Their combat power weakened on land, so Alex didn''t see their strength. "Are you planning to attack the elf kingdom?" Alex asked Lilith, who nodded. The forest elf kingdom''s king was a mid-level Monarch, not too difficult to deal with, similar in strength to the dwarf Silverbeard Clan. However, the Silverbeard Clan''s ruler had recently died, leaving no King level to defend them. The forest elves had more Monarch levels and strong combat power. Lilith didn''t plan a direct assault but intended to use the fallen angels'' abilities to incite conflict among the elf races, leading them to war. Though different, the elf races were still kin. They would oppress and exploit each other, but the defeated would become slaves rather than being exterminated, unlike the dwarves. "I have no choice. They''re in the way," Lilith said. To continue her development, she had to deal with the forest elves. Attacking the sea race was suicidal. "Do you want the dark elves to submit willingly or forcibly?" Lilith asked Alex. Alex thought for a moment. Whether willing or forced, the result would be the same¡ªabsolute loyalty. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Given Lilith''s information, elves seemed united, making voluntary submission unlikely. "Force them to submit. The result will be the same." Alex waited for the fallen angels to bring the dark elves. She wandered to the back of the castle, sitting down and dangling her legs over the cliff, gazing at the sea. "I never thought I''d see the ocean for the first time in a place like this." "Before coming to this world, I lived by the sea. Even here, I''m still by the sea. Whenever I miss home, I stand on the balcony and look at the ocean," Lilith said, joining Alex and looking out at the sea. Soon, the fallen angels brought the dark elf captives. There were about thirty to forty dark elves. Most were attractive, but a few were not. Seeing themselves brought to an extraterrestrial visitor''s castle and noticing some forest elves showing great respect to the visitor, these intelligent elves immediately sensed the danger. The forest elves brought the dark elves before Alex and Lilith. Lilith, like a queen, exuded an invisible aura that intimidated the dark elves. She spoke slowly. "Submit or die. The choice is yours." "Despicable extraterrestrial visitors! You dream of making us submit!" one older dark elf shouted defiantly, despite the fear on the others'' faces. A fallen angel killed him and threw his body off the cliff, making the other dark elves tremble. Under Alex''s threats and promises, they eventually submitted to her. However, Alex didn''t take them all. Out of over thirty, she chose ten of the most attractive ones. She didn''t want the rest. "Greetings, Master," the ten dark elves said, bowing to Alex, who nodded in satisfaction. "If you need help, just ask," Alex said to Lilith before leaving. "I believe that day will come soon," Lilith replied with a smile, watching Alex enter the Portal of Transit. For the first time, the dark elves left Arsen Continent with Alex. Seeing so many Monarch levels in Alex''s castle, they were astonished. Their new Lord''s strength rivaled that of an elf kingdom! "You''ll live in the castle and handle logistics," Alex said. She didn''t plan to send them into battle. Staying in the castle was safe, with food and shelter, a good deal in this harsh world. The dark elves went to familiarize themselves with the castle, while Alex began planning the undead''s development. With a bit more resources, she could upgrade the town further. In two days, the leaderboard would end, and rewards would be distributed. Alex checked her ranking, still firmly in first place. With many first-tier Lords dead, four of the top ten were now Traitors. They occupied the seventh to tenth spots. The tenth name was familiar¡ª[Boggle]. Alex remembered him as the Traitor Lord who joined the hobgoblin kingdom and was very arrogant in the World Chat. With two days left, she wondered if she could find him before the leaderboard ended. But it didn''t matter. Alex was already secure in first place. Chapter 178 - 178: Three new Race Kings After the events at the snowy mountain, no other powerful forces had appeared, and things had remained peaceful for many days. Alex decided it was time for Ice Cream to go out and develop. After all, Ice Cream had a high level cap, and as Alex''s future mount, its strength needed to keep up. Additionally, the three Race Kings needed to level up quickly to reach Monarch level, which was the most important task at hand. Alex could finally relax for a couple of days. With more Monarch levels under her command, she didn''t need to handle everything personally. "Huh, Samson''s name has turned white. He''s become a Freelancer," Alex noticed. It seemed something had happened within the Elemental Alliance. In the evening, Alex and Ruby sat at the dining table, enjoying the delicious food cooked by the dark elves. Their culinary skills far surpassed Alex''s. Ruby was happily eating, her hands and feet moving in excitement. These dark elves had great potential as maids. Alex hadn''t eaten much before because she didn''t need to, but mostly because she was lazy. The twelve-story castle had hundreds of rooms, enough to accommodate hundreds of people. However, not everything could live in the castle. Alex had now categorized the undead. Aside from the three Race Sovereigns and the Monarch levels, no other undead were allowed inside the castle. Alex''s next goal was to locate the hobgoblin kingdom. They were her next target for development. As for the dwarves, she left them to Durin. If he couldn''t handle it, he would ask for her help. She had given them enough equipment to fight the Silverbeard Clan. After dinner, Alex and Ruby sat together, chatting. Alex told Ruby many fascinating things, leaving her amazed. "We all have this strange feeling that killing extraterrestrial visitors will drop special items. I think this intuition is why races and extraterrestrial visitors can''t coexist peacefully." "According to our system prompts, the final outcome might be that most extraterrestrial visitors will die. As for how to conquer, we don''t really know." "Do you miss home?" Ruby asked. "Of course. No one wants to be dragged into something like this. I guess many chose to commit suicide, while others are desperately trying to develop under immense pressure." They chatted late into the night. Alex then went to the Barracks. Since it was past midnight, she decided to summon her troops before going to bed. The Barracks glowed with the usual eerie green light. Alex didn''t bother with the ritual of touching her breast for luck anymore. Luck was a mysterious thing, after all. When the light faded, three exclamation marks appeared above Alex''s head. !!! Three unique undead forms caught Alex''s attention. There were three of them! Alex was already excited. The three undead were not large, so she hadn''t noticed anything unusual during the summoning. Zombie King: Its form was similar to that of the Black Warrior, clad in black armor, and its body appeared more human-like. The most striking feature was the long sword in its hand, burning with black flames¡ªdark magic. This meant that once it reached Monarch level, its close combat abilities would be terrifying, and it could fly using dark magic. Its weakness was obvious¡ªno ranged attacks. Similarly, the level cap for ordinary zombies was lifted. If John the Skeleton King was like a general, the Zombie King was more like a cold-blooded, invincible fighter. Ghost Dragon King: Alex hadn''t seen a large form, but one of them was the Ghost Dragon King. Ghost dragons had no physical form, composed entirely of blue ghostly flames. As the king of its kind, the Ghost Dragon King burned with purple flames, a stark contrast to other ghost dragons. Ghost dragons, as high-level undead, had comprehensive abilities, including single-target and area attacks, support, and healing. The Ghost Dragon King''s most powerful support skill was a group shield that protected undead souls from soul damage. Alex was most pleased to summon them. Compared to their attributes and skills, nothing surprised her. Each Race King had at least three skills, so Alex wasn''t surprised, just curious about their unique abilities. Satan and Lilith''s twelve demons and eight fallen angels were equivalent to Alex''s Race Kings. They had their powerful troops from the very beginning, whereas Alex had to slowly gather her race kings through summoning. The last figure was the most intriguing undead to Alex because it didn''t look like an undead. It resembled a human in blue heavy armor. Unlike John, whose helmet revealed his skeletal face, this one''s helmet was fully enclosed, with blue glowing eyes emitting a chilling aura. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What is this?" Lich King! It was the Lich King, a name Alex had known even before understanding undead. Clad in blue armor, with a crown-like helmet adorned with upward spikes, a tattered black cloak on its shoulders, and a blue-glowing sword in its hand. The Lich King''s skills shocked Alex¡ªfive in total. Frost and dark magic, bones and skeleton magic were its basic abilities. Its summoning ability was a combination of lich and necromancer, able to create skeleton undead and summon other undead races. Compared to the Ghost Dragon King''s shield, the Lich King was more powerful. It could reignite soul flames, resurrecting undead in the truest sense, even those whose soul flames had been extinguished. Combined with its close combat abilities, Alex knew the Lich King would be her greatest asset. "Your most loyal servants greet you, esteemed Queen," the undead said in unison, bowing to Alex. This was Alex''s luckiest summoning ever, gaining three Race Kings at once. "From now on, you''ll be called Crane (Zombie King), Riven (Ghost Dragon King), and Arthas (Lich King)!" "Thank you, Queen, for the names!" Alex waved them off to develop on their own. Though their potential was high, they were currently weak, only lv7 Standard, and couldn''t help Alex much. These Race Sovereigns were highly intelligent, with Arthas and Azure being the smartest, followed by John and Crane. Arthur and Riven had intelligence comparable to liches and necromancers. They had normal human intelligence and thinking but couldn''t command undead armies with tactical precision. But it didn''t matter. With undead troops, sheer numbers were enough. Who needed strategy? Alex went to bed, finally able to relax. The undead needed time to develop, and raising the Race Sovereigns'' overall strength was crucial. Currently, the outskirts of the Dark Forest were the best place for them to level up. With the town''s upgrade, the Dark Forest was now connected to Alex''s territory. She wouldn''t miss the resources on its outskirts. Though the Dark Forest''s depths held terrifying beings, the outskirts were a different world. With Alex at Monarch level and a massive undead army, as long as she avoided the depths, there was no danger. Chapter 179 - 179: Elemental beings of light and dark [Night retreats, dawn arrives] In the White Rock Mountains, Sophie''s dwarves had captured a herd of beasts near the mountain''s edge, allowing Sophie to finally reach Commanding level. The White Rock Mountains were slightly smaller in area compared to the Frostwind snowy mountain. Heading north from the White Rock Mountains led to the Silverbeard Clan''s stronghold, Grimstone. To the south, beyond the White Rock Mountains, lay numerous smaller hills. Unlike the barren peaks of the White Rock Mountains, these hills were lower and covered in vegetation. The area featured sparse forests, uneven hills, and several rivers running through it. If Alex were here, she would notice that, unlike the plains north of the White Rock Mountains, there were no signs of intelligent life in this region. At this moment, a specter was flying southward, having traveled far from the White Rock Mountains. They were ordered to scout the surroundings and would continue flying in the same direction unless they encountered something unusual. The White Rock Mountains had long been scouted by the undead. Including Sophie, there were only three Lords, but Alex had already eliminated the other two. The specter flew for an unknown duration, and the forest below began to thicken. In the forest below, trees swayed, and countless birds and beasts scattered in all directions. Shouts and cries echoed as a group charged in one direction. The specter''s eyes glowed, and it immediately changed direction to follow. In the forest was a group of orcs. They had wide mouths, fur-covered bodies, tails, and intelligence comparable to humans. Overall, they looked like large, muscular beings with few remaining animal traits, appearing more humanoid but taller and stronger than humans. They wore rough, beast-skin clothing, with teeth decorations on their chests and noses, wielding large bones as weapons. The orcs were excited, charging in one direction. Dozens of miles ahead, by a wide lake, stood two castles. The orcs were attacking these two Lords. Inside one of the castles, a man and a woman sat together, the man looking irritated. "These orcs are relentless!" Reports from their troops informed him that the orcs were attacking again. Since discovering them, the orcs had frequently harassed them. The orc camp wasn''t close, and their attacks weren''t particularly threatening. What worried and annoyed the man was the orcs'' persistence, attacking almost daily. As the attacks increased, so did the orcs'' strength. The man feared that one day they wouldn''t be able to fend off the orcs. "This time, let''s deal with them and find a way to leave. We can''t develop like this," the girl said, her face troubled. "They''re almost here. Let''s prepare for battle," the man said resolutely, pulling the girl up to go outside. Both were first-tier Lords, not the top but among the upper ranks. They were both lv7 Commanding level, with special troops and great potential. While not as powerful as Alex, they could at least protect themselves. Unfortunately, they had encountered an orc camp. The orcs were stubborn, never giving up despite repeated failures. On average, they attacked every two days, starting with a few Standard-level orcs and now numbering in the thousands, with countless Commanding levels. The specter followed the orcs'' charge and saw the lake and castles in the distance. If it had only seen other races, it might not have reported, but discovering other Lords required a report. The specter turned back, and on its way, it spotted another orc unit. This unit was different in decoration and slower, clearly from a different camp. The specter, with its basic judgment and intelligence, was Alex''s preferred scout. The specter returned to the castle as quickly as possible and reported to Sophie. "Two Lords discovered?" Sophie listened to the specter''s report. According to its description, the Lords'' castles were far away, even farther than Grimstone. "Orcs, huh? I''ve never seen them and know nothing about them. I''ll go personally to gather information on the orcs and those two Lords," Sophie decided. Sophie had a plan. It was just two Lords, not worth bothering Alex with. She would report back after gathering information. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To get information from the orcs and Lords, strength was needed. The specter couldn''t handle this task. Sophie couldn''t either, but the necromancer in the castle was formidable. As a Lord, Sophie could gather more details. Sending the necromancer alone might only result in bringing back a horde of undead. Soon, Sophie mounted a griffin and, with the necromancer, flew south of the White Rock Mountains. Without Monarch levels, Sophie had no worries. If there were Monarch levels, the specter would have been detected. Few Lords had Monarch-level strength, and Sophie doubted she would randomly encounter two such Lords. Without Monarch levels, the necromancer was invincible. Meanwhile, by the lake south of the White Rock Mountains. The man, named Xiao Mu, had extremely rare elemental troops. This was why he was in the first tier and had some confidence. His troops were called Light Phoenix, elemental beings formed from light, resembling large golden birds. Each Light Phoenix had long golden feathers formed from light elements. Their attacks were like lasers, causing explosions on the ground and killing orcs. The orcs were prepared, with orc shamans spreading green mist that polluted the Light Phoenix, allowing the orcs to kill them. Xiao Mu wielded a light sword formed from light elements, becoming a light shadow and charging into the orc army. This attack was fiercer than usual, worrying both of them. They had to fight personally. Their troops were being depleted, while the orc attacks never ceased. The girl''s troops were the opposite of Xiao Mu''s, dark elemental beings called Dark Jiao. Dark Jiao flew like dark loongs (Eastern dragons), breathing black flames of pure dark elements, burning souls and impossible to extinguish by conventional means. Similar to Alex''s dark magic, dark magic manipulated dark elements, while Dark Jiao were formed from them. Normally, dark and light elemental beings would be mortal enemies, never allying. But the girl, named Xiao Hui, was Xiao Mu''s sister. Both had top-tier elemental troops and, by chance, had come together. They had been developing here, seeking a place to survive on this continent. But since being discovered by the orcs, trouble had been constant. Initially, they thought it was a good thing, as the weak orcs provided experience. But they soon realized their mistake. The orc camp was like a persistent fly, never giving up until it was finally defeated. This time, the orc attack numbered in the thousands, with over a hundred Commanding levels, pushing the siblings to their limits. Dark Jiao and Light Phoenix flew in the sky, gold and black figures attacking the orcs below. The orcs had countermeasures for Dark Jiao, each warrior equipped with containers to store light elements, using Light Phoenix''s light elements to counterattack Dark Jiao. These containers couldn''t absorb dark elements and would be damaged, so the orc shamans polluted the Light Phoenix to kill them. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui fought silently, killing orcs with their elemental powers. Elemental beings didn''t tire, but Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui did. The orcs were large and tough, hard to kill even with their powers. After a long battle, most orcs were dead or injured, and the Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao had suffered significant losses. The siblings were exhausted, their elemental powers draining their stamina and soul energy. Sophie, riding her griffin, arrived and circled high above. As the specter reported, the orcs were fighting the two Lords. Sophie arrived as the battle was nearing its end. Another orc unit was stealthily following the first, but the first unit was dead. The second unit would likely track them to the Lords'' castles. The second unit was stronger than the first. In their current state, the Lords would be doomed if they encountered it. "What are those troops?" Sophie wondered, seeing the Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao. "Elemental beings of light and dark." The necromancer, a Monarch-level mage, sensed the elemental fluctuations. "Elemental beings of light and dark?!" Sophie was surprised. If so, their strength was top-tier, even if not the strongest Lords. Sophie worried if a Monarch-level necromancer could handle them but quickly realized her foolishness. The ground was littered with thousands of orc corpses. How could the necromancer lose? Initially, Sophie planned to capture them for information. But seeing their troops, she changed her mind. Dark elemental beings would be useful to Alex, and she wanted to try recruiting them. If recruitment failed, she would kill them. As for the light elements, they were enemies. Sophie felt they should be killed but decided Alex should make the final decision. Sophie was glad she came personally but puzzled. "Strange, why would light and dark elemental beings ally?" Chapter 180 - 180: Orc camp The strength of this wave of orcs wasn''t particularly high, and their numbers were dwindling, soon to be wiped out. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui focused intently, fully engaged in the battle, completely unaware of Sophie high above. Suddenly, Xiao Hui stumbled and fell to her knees. Xiao Mu, quick to react, blocked a fatal blow from a Commanding level orc, pushing it back. "Are you okay?" Xiao Mu asked, keeping his eyes on their surroundings without turning to look at Xiao Hui. "I''m fine, just a bit tired..." Xiao Hui replied, sounding dejected. Hearing this, Xiao Mu immediately picked her up and retreated to the castle. He didn''t say a word, gently laying her down and covering her with his coat. "Take care of yourself," he said before charging back into the fray. Xiao Mu was also injured, but his wounds were not as severe. Aside from some blood loss, his combat ability was largely unaffected. However, Xiao Hui didn''t recover as quickly. Once injured, she would remain weak for about twenty minutes, which was extremely dangerous on the battlefield. Before Xiao Mu could finish off the orcs, another orc unit arrived, launching a fresh assault. Both the previous orcs and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s troops were seen as enemies by this new orc unit, which attacked indiscriminately. Xiao Mu''s face darkened, feeling a sense of despair. This new orc unit was more elite and numerous than the previous one. Even at their peak, they couldn''t guarantee they could fend them off. The original orc unit was quickly slaughtered, and Xiao Mu was forced to retreat, nearing the town''s territory. The town''s defense towers activated, sensing the enemy''s invasion. Xiao Hui, hearing the commotion, came out to check. The sight before her was despairing: countless orc warriors charging at the town. To resist the orc charge, the Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao had abandoned their aerial advantage, fighting on the ground to block the orcs. Xiao Mu, already exhausted, was injured again in the struggle. Ignoring her own weakened state, Xiao Hui rushed to fight alongside him. "Brother, I don''t think we can hold out this time," Xiao Hui said. "Stay strong. Don''t give up until the last moment," Xiao Mu replied. Though both had reached lv8 Commanding level, the orc leader was a pseudo-Monarch level, with two lv9 Commanding level guards. They were no match. "Excuse me, but it seems you two could use a little help," Sophie said, suddenly appearing around Xiao Mu''s castle. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were startled, turning to see two figures and a griffin behind them. From their attire, they immediately recognized Sophie as a Lord. But Sophie didn''t wait for a response. As she spoke, the necromancer had already acted. Bones Domain activated instantly, and the orcs before Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were pierced by bones and killed. The siblings were shocked, realizing the necromancer was a undead, not a Lord. The orc leader, a pseudo-Monarch level, was familiar with domains. Seeing the opponent was a Monarch level, it didn''t flee but instead joined its two guards in attacking the necromancer. These orcs seemed to have lost their minds, showing no fear of the Monarch level. The biggest difference between Monarch and Commanding levels was the domain. Though the orc leader had Monarch-level strength, without a domain, it couldn''t be considered a true Monarch level. The domain''s gap couldn''t be bridged by attributes alone. The necromancer''s attack displayed immense pressure, with endless bones easily piercing the two lv9 Commanding level orc guards and trapping the orc leader. Other orc warriors abandoned their attack on Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and their troops, swarming the necromancer instead. To them, the necromancer was a frail mage with a staff. Even a Monarch level would die if overwhelmed. Unfortunately, the orcs didn''t understand undead. They had high battle lust but couldn''t kill the necromancer. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were stunned. A Monarch-level undead was too powerful, capable of fighting thousands of orcs alone. As more orcs died, Sophie finally relaxed. She had been gripping the griffin''s reins, ready to fly away if the necromancer was overwhelmed. The necromancer wouldn''t die, but the time it took to revive could be enough for the orcs to kill her. But she had underestimated the necromancer and overestimated the orcs. The ground trembled as more undead rose from the corpses. The necromancer summoned over three thousand corpses, creating more than six thousand undead. In an instant, the undead outnumbered the orcs, engaging them in battle. Initially, the orcs looked down on the undead, but they soon realized the undead couldn''t be killed. Skeletons, zombies, death conquerors, specters, ghouls, and gargoyles began slaughtering the orcs. Green blood stained the ground as the undead multiplied, and for the first time, fear appeared on the orc warriors'' faces. The necromancer''s growth cap was King level. Though it could double summon, it couldn''t summon undead beyond its level cap. Thus, it couldn''t summon high-level undead like liches, bone dragons, or Destroyers. The necromancer''s Bones Domain covered the battlefield, ceasing its attack and flying into the sky to prevent the enemy''s escape. Sophie stood with undead guards summoned from the two lv9 Commanding orc guards, watching the two Lords. "These are... undead!" If the siblings hadn''t recognized the necromancer''s troop before, the summoned skeletons made it clear. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Mu was shocked. He knew the undead Lord was on Eldoria, so why were there undead on Arsen? Xiao Hui looked at Sophie with concern. The Monarch-level necromancer and the undead summoned from orc corpses were beyond their ability to handle. The undead''s power shattered their understanding. A Monarch level could summon ten thousand undead in an instant, each one unkillable. What a terrifying troop. Xiao Mu knew they had no choice. Regardless, the other party had saved them. "Thank you for your assistance, Undead Lord," Xiao Mu said. Xiao Hui quickly followed, "Thank you for saving us." Sophie, seeing their similar faces, understood why light and dark elemental beings could ally. They were siblings. "Why are these orcs attacking you? I saw their camp was far from here," Sophie asked, adopting a friendly approach. "These orcs are a bit crazy. They attack nearby Lord territories for no reason every so often," Xiao Hui explained, with Xiao Mu occasionally adding details. There had been other Lords to the south, but some died resisting beast tides, and others were killed by orcs after their novice protection period ended. The siblings had survived due to their strength, but even a small orc camp had a Monarch-level leader. In the orc society, only Monarch levels could establish camps. Orcs governed by camps were similar to feudal lords. Monarch levels could create camps and receive land from the empire or stay in their original camp. The empire allocated land based on strength. To grow stronger, one had to defeat other camp leaders and annex their camps. Theoretically, a strong enough camp could overthrow the empire, becoming the new ruler. But in reality, the royal camp had remained unchallenged for thousands of years. Other camps couldn''t even shake it. Orcs valued freedom and power, leading to constant camp conflicts. The royal camp never intervened, as this was their belief, producing strong orc warriors. Sophie understood this was different from the dwarf kingdom''s rule. This was why orcs were stronger, not because of unity. The more intelligent a being, the more it craved power and absolute rule. "So, this is within the orc empire''s territory?" "This area is called the Emerald Hills. There are many orc camps here. The further south you go, the stronger the camps. The orc empire has no defined borders; they claim to be an empire," Xiao Hui explained, seeing Sophie''s interest in the orc empire. With her strength, ruling the Emerald Hills would be easy. "So, the orc camps aren''t united?" "On the contrary, orcs fight among camps, but they unite against external threats, fighting to the death," Xiao Mu explained. He described the orcs as vengeful mad dogs. "By the way, what are your names?" Sophie asked, as the battle ended and the necromancer returned. "I''m Xiao Hui, and this is my brother, Xiao Mu." "How about submitting to the undead Lord? The orcs won''t be a threat, and you''ll have security," Sophie suggested, her tone leaving little room for refusal. This was the confidence Alex had given her. Chapter 181 - 181: Youve finally arrived Even though Sophie''s tone wasn''t particularly harsh, Xiao Mu could sense that this wasn''t a negotiation. At the same time, Xiao Mu picked up on a crucial detail in Sophie''s words. She said "Submission to the undead Lord," not "Submission to her." "You''re not the undead Lord?" Xiao Mu asked. "Of course not. I''m just her subject. She''s still on Eldoria," Sophie revealed, hinting that the undead Lord they would be submitting to was the same one currently being hunted by many Lords on Eldoria. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui weren''t fools. They quickly pieced it together. The controversy surrounding the undead Lord hadn''t died down, and the information shared by Lords in the World Chat was plentiful. They knew all about it. So, the person before them wasn''t the undead Lord. She didn''t have that kind of aura anyway. Xiao Mu thought about it. Sophie must be a Lord from Arsen who had submitted to the undead Lord, allowing the undead Lord to expand across two continents. They had no choice. Even if given the opportunity, the complete annihilation of two orc camps meant they might not find allies in time to relocate before another attack. Moving two people was much harder than one. An Alliance could only have five members, and the two of them would take up two slots, making it unlikely anyone would accept them. Xiao Mu didn''t want to be separated from Xiao Hui. His primary concern was his sister''s safety. Submitting to someone meant placing their lives in another''s hands. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui exchanged a silent, conflicted look. "Can''t we form an Alliance?" Xiao Hui suggested. They could offer resources and pathways to conquer the orc camps. "Alliances are built on equal strength and trust, which we can''t guarantee," Xiao Mu explained, telling her that the undead Lord wouldn''t ally with weak Lords like them. "Exactly. The undead Lord''s allies are demons and fallen angels, each with several Monarch levels. They''re incredibly powerful. Think it over," Sophie said, implying they were too weak for an Alliance. Sophie, as Alex''s subordinate, now had a Monarch-level dwarf. With the leaderboard refresh, she would surely enter the first tier. "No need to think it over. We agree to submit," Xiao Mu said, understanding that their element troops were likely the reason for the offer. Other Lords wouldn''t have bothered with so much talk. "Good. That''s a wise decision. I''ll inform the undead Lord immediately," Sophie said, smiling at the fruitful outcome. "Wait, the undead Lord doesn''t know about this yet?!" Xiao Mu was stunned, and Xiao Hui was equally shocked. Even if they submitted, the undead Lord''s acceptance was uncertain. They felt a surge of anger, thinking Sophie was toying with them, but her next words reassured them. "Don''t worry. If she doesn''t agree, I''ll release you and leave with the undead," Sophie said. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui watched nervously as Sophie accessed the system interface. Sophie: "Big Shot, south of White Rock Mountains is Emerald Hills, within the orc empire. I, along with a necromancer, wiped out two orc units, summoning 10K undead. We also found two Lords." In her castle, Alex saw Sophie''s message and checked her system interface, seeing 999+ messages. Sophie was right; she hadn''t noticed. Alex was puzzled. If Sophie found two Lords, why not just eliminate them? Why contact her? Sophie: "Big Shot, they''re light and dark elemental lords. They admire you and want to submit willingly. Will you accept them?" Light and dark lords? Alex was intrigued. No wonder Sophie contacted her. Elemental troops were high-level. While becoming top-tier Lords might be challenging, they could easily be upper first-tier. Cain''s fire elements and Earl''s earth elements were mid-first-tier. Light and dark elements were top-tier. Unless the Lords were incompetent, they wouldn''t be weak. At least the siblings had some combat ability and great potential, giving Alex control over two elemental troops. Alex: "Yes." Sophie: "Great. I''ll have them add you!" Sophie closed the system interface, and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui watched her, waiting. "She agreed. Add her yourselves," Sophie said. They sighed in relief, though their feelings were mixed. They opened the system interface and searched for Alex''s name to send friend requests. [Dragonridge] requests to add you as a friend! [Phoenixcrest] requests to add you as a friend! Alex accepted their friend requests, and soon their submission requests popped up. With the ceremony complete, Alex felt a strange connection. She checked their subject information for a preliminary understanding. [Territory Lord: Xiao Mu/Xiao Hui] [Strength: lv8 Commanding level/lv8 Commanding level] [Territory Level: lv4 town/lv4 town] [Barracks Level: lv14 Light Crystal/lv14 Dark Crystal] [Special Buildings: defense tower, energy cannon.../Dark Pool, shield...] [Troops: Light Phoenix/Dark Jiao] [Equipment: None/None] No wonder they were siblings. Their development was balanced, with only special buildings differing. Alex guessed they shared resources for joint development. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui saw Alex''s information. She only displayed basic info, but it was enough to shock them. The gap in their strength was immense. "Don''t be too shocked. There''s more to come. Honestly, I was more shocked than you when I first met Alex. Now that you''ve submitted, I can take a shortcut back," Sophie said, preparing to return via the Portal of Transit with the undead. "Wait, is she easy to get along with?" Xiao Hui asked, worried about the undead Lord''s temperament. "Forgot to mention, she''s quite nice. Though I submitted to her, she never treated me as a subordinate. I just help her as much as I can," Sophie reassured them. "How many subjects does she have?" Xiao Mu asked. "Technically, just me. There''s also a child she spared, who left to find their family," Sophie replied. "Is it that King Kong?" Xiao Hui remembered a Lord who hindered Alex''s development but wasn''t killed. "Yes!" With a flash of orange-red light, the three disappeared from Emerald Hills, followed by the undead. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu left Arsen for the first time, seeing Eldoria''s gloomy sky. Sophie hadn''t been here for days. As they walked through the town, they noticed new buildings and busy Dark Alchemy Warlocks. In open rooms, they saw dark alchemists experimenting with strange green potions. Alex''s castle had two subsidiary castles, representing her two subjects. Sophie saw these troops for the first time. The town was bustling with undead, making it look like an undead empire. The siblings recalled Sophie''s words about greater shocks ahead. Seeing Alex''s castle was a hundred times more impressive than just reading her info. "This is a true top-tier Lord!" "So powerful!" Sophie led them to the castle, ensuring a less awkward meeting. The castle gates and doors were open, giving them a direct view of the grand hall. In the dim light, a massive throne was faintly visible, with a small figure seated on it. Though they couldn''t see her face clearly, the white hair was unmistakable. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui knew the white-haired girl was the undead Lord. As they entered the castle, two dark elves greeted them with smiles and gestures. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui didn''t dare look around, feeling the figure on the throne watching them. As they approached, the figure raised her head and spoke in a chilling voice. "You''ve finally arrived!" Startled by her tone, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui froze. Chapter 182 - 182: Experience farm Sophie was utterly baffled. What was going on here? It had only been a few days, and Alex''s castle had changed so much. And the girl on the throne wasn''t Alex; it was the one who mastered spatial magic. "Ruby, what kind of prank are you pulling now?" A voice came from upstairs, and Ruby''s expression changed. She quickly vanished from the throne. Xiao Mu: ??? Xiao Hui: ??? "She''s not the undead Lord. This is," Sophie explained with a hint of exasperation. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui then saw Alex, with her white hair and wearing slippers, descending the stairs. Alex noticed Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. They looked about her age, both quite young. "Hello, Sophie, take them to the living room. I''ll go change," Alex greeted them and went back upstairs. "She''s really beautiful!" Xiao Hui said enviously. Sophie led the siblings to the castle''s hall to wait for Alex. During their wait, the servants thoughtfully brought them some water, as there wasn''t much else in the castle at the moment. Soon, Alex returned, now wearing a dress and with her hair tied up. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu were still a bit nervous, but Alex was very casual, chatting with them normally. "We''re all on the same side now, no need to be so formal." After some conversation, the siblings found Alex to be very approachable, without any airs. Sophie hadn''t lied to them, and they weren''t treated differently just because they had submitted to Alex. They soon discussed the orcs, and Alex, learning about their habits, couldn''t help but marvel. "Orcs, huh? I''ve heard they''re stronger than dwarves. That''s great; it''s like a natural experience farm!" "Experience farm?" Xiao Mu was puzzled. Do all Big Shots think this way? What they saw as a life-and-death enemy, Alex saw as a source of experience points. "Don''t look at me like that. Didn''t you say that as long as you don''t provoke them, you won''t anger all the orc camps? These two camps will keep attacking, bringing experience to us. Isn''t that an experience farm?" Alex didn''t have the strength to provoke the orc empire directly, but whether they attacked her or she attacked them, the result was the same. These orcs seemed to have lost their minds, with an intense battle lust that drove them to attack relentlessly. Other camps saw it as a private matter and wouldn''t unite against her. Alex already saw the opportunity for her six Race Kings to reach Monarch level. Well, four of them. Arthur and Riven were too large to pass through the portal. Alex''s logic was sound. Enemies that couldn''t defeat her would only make her stronger. "Indeed, farming experience this way is effective." "Any news from Grimstone?" Alex asked Sophie, who shook her head. The Silverbeard Clan had yet to make a move. Alex, now at lv3 Monarch level, no longer saw the Silverbeard Clan as a threat. If not for wanting the dwarves'' support, she would have wiped them out already. "The orc camps must be troublesome. If you find it hard to develop there, you can stay here. I''m right next to the Dark Forest, a forbidden area. I''ll send undead to guard Emerald Hills." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing Alex''s offer, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded. The orcs had worn them down, and their troops were severely depleted. They needed time to recover. Compared to the orc empire, the outskirts of the Dark Forest were at least populated by low-intelligence beasts that wouldn''t use tactics against elemental beings. "Where should we focus our development?" Xiao Mu asked. "Here on Eldoria. The forces are more complex, allowing for faster growth. Emerald Hills will serve as a pathway to the orc empire." Facing an empire directly was impossible for early-stage Lords. Only in a place with complex forces and constant struggle could they maximize their potential. Also, Lilith was on Arsen. One Sophie was enough; Alex''s focus remained on Eldoria. Soon, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui built subsidiary castles here, on the left side of Alex''s castle, opposite Sophie and Chi-Chi''s castles. They moved some special-feature buildings but left the defensive and offensive facilities in their original castles. By noon, the servants had prepared a meal, and the four of them sat in the dining room, enjoying the food. The siblings, like Alex before, hadn''t had vegetables in a long time. The meat they ate was from some unknown animal, and they were tired of its strange taste. Xiao Hui watched Ruby devour her food, her ears twitching. So cute! Xiao Hui couldn''t resist wanting to touch her, but Sophie stopped her with a look and mouthed, "Don''t. She''s a Monarch level!" Startled, Xiao Hui quickly withdrew her hand and quietly ate her meal. Alex didn''t join them for lunch. Instead, she used the Portal of Transit to visit Emerald Hills. She wasn''t planning anything specific, just curious and wanted to take a look. Alex looked north, seeing a blurry mountain range in the distance, likely the White Rock Mountains. It seemed far away. She also saw the elemental beings, which were different from Cain''s flame spirits. These elemental beings took animal forms. After a while, Alex returned to her castle. The four had finished their meal, and Sophie was about to leave when she ran into Alex. "By the way, send a Monarch-level lich to Grimstone to assist Durin." With more Monarch levels, Alex needed to allocate them wisely. She wasn''t satisfied with just Durin and 20K undead. "Got it." Sophie took a necromancer and a lich, one to guard her castle and the other to Grimstone. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were busy building their subsidiary castle. Alex returned to her castle and spoke to a nearby dark elf. "Summon John, Crane, Azure, Arthas, and have them take a necromancer and a lich to Emerald Hills." These six undead were more than enough to guard Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s castle. Alex''s main goal was to level them up to high Monarch level. "Yes, Master." Today was the last day of the leaderboard. After midnight, the rewards would be distributed. This would bring another wave of strengthening. With the system''s help, Lords progressed quickly. Alex''s resources were almost enough. By tomorrow, she could upgrade her town to the maximum level, though she didn''t know what changes would occur. Alex was filled with anticipation for the leaderboard rewards and the town upgrade. Chapter 183 - 183: The hidden hobgoblin kingdom South of the Dark Forest, in a very distant place. This was a vast plain, more desolate than the Barren Plains, with an environment harsher than a desert. The plain was filled with decay and desolation¡ªwithered leaves, dried-up riverbeds, and the rotting carcasses of animals long dead. A few vultures scared off a flock of crows, descending upon the carcasses to feast on the decaying flesh. In the distance, a few bare tree trunks stood as a testament to a once fertile land. The further south one went, the harsher the environment became. A weak antelope staggered forward, followed by a flock of crows, seemingly waiting for its death. The antelope hadn''t eaten for days and was extremely weak. Suddenly, it saw a shimmering lake in the distance¡ªwater. The antelope quickened its pace, hope igniting in its eyes. But just as it was about to reach the lake, a green figure, seemingly waiting for a long time, appeared. Clad in a robe and holding a staff twice its height, the figure stood beside a pile of animal corpses stacked like a small hill. The antelope, terrified, tried to turn and flee, but it was too late. White energy began to flow from its body, and the antelope grew weaker, finally collapsing and losing its life. The white energy gathered and flowed into the green figure. "Just a bit more, and the injuries I sustained at the snowy mountain will be healed. Damn those bastards!" Indeed, this hobgoblin was the Monarch-level hobgoblin Shaman, Snazzle, who had fled from the snowy mountain during the Godhead battle. Snazzle walked towards the lake, and with a flash of light, disappeared. The lake was not a lake at all but a barrier created using hobgoblin technology. The true hobgoblin kingdom lay beneath this barrier. Originally a massive basin, the hobgoblins, weak in power, had combined magic and technology to protect themselves from other forces. They had moved their kingdom into the basin and used technology to disguise it as a lake. South of the basin was what other forces believed to be the hobgoblin kingdom, but the elite hobgoblins had long since moved. What remained was a shell, inhabited only by common hobgoblins. This was why the undead hadn''t found the hobgoblin kingdom¡ªit was too far and too well-hidden. The Lord who constantly boasted in the World Chat, [Boggle], had her castle located in the basin from the start, sealing her fate. [Boggle], named Mary, had slime troops, the most basic kind. Mary was short and plump, but her appearance was favored by the hobgoblins. Mary thought she was doomed, but her ''beauty'' caught the eye of Muckmire, the eldest son of the current hobgoblin king and the next in line for the throne. Mary initially resisted, disliking the green creatures. But after repeated advances, she relented, finding it better than being tortured to death. Mary happily became Muckmire''s wife, and her status in the hobgoblin kingdom soared. Muckmire adored her, declaring he would marry no one else. Though Mary was human, no hobgoblin dared speak ill of her, not wanting to offend Muckmire. Mary enjoyed royal treatment in the hobgoblin kingdom and often boasted in the World Chat, believing no Lord could rival the hobgoblin kingdom. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, Mary nestled in Muckmire''s arms, trying to appear delicate as they watched the monthly alchemy competition. "Darling, life under this barrier is so dull. Will you take your dear wife out for a walk?" Mary''s voice, grating to the ears, caused several hobgoblins to lose control of their potions. "Oh no, my potion!" A hobgoblin looked sadly at his potion, and the judge hobgoblin measured it, shaking his head. "Disqualified!" Muckmire stroked Mary''s hair, smiling with yellowed teeth. "No problem. I need to inspect the old kingdom tomorrow. Mary, come with me." "Okay!" Mary nodded shyly, snuggling closer to Muckmire, the stench almost making her vomit, but she pretended not to notice. Outside the basin, a mage flew quickly southward. "Strange, why does the Tara Plain look like this?" "Wait, what''s that?" The mage descended, finding the animal carcasses Snazzle hadn''t yet dealt with. "This is hobgoblin magic." The mage examined the carcasses, then looked at the strange lake. Why was there a lake with abundant water in such a desolate place? It was too odd. The mage''s hand hovered in the air, noticing something off about the lake. He didn''t touch it but moved away, a look of realization on his face. "I see." The mage flew away, not continuing south but returning the way he came. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The red moon hung high, and the sky turned eerily clear again. The Tara Plain seemed to return to its desolate peace. In the castle, Alex, Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Ruby were having dinner. The siblings had finished transferring their buildings and would now focus on upgrading their subsidiary castle''s Barracks. Today, they had explored the Dark Forest with the undead. Compared to the orc-inhabited Emerald Hills, the Dark Forest''s outskirts were much more comfortable for development, though slower for now. But it was better than losing their troops. "The leaderboard rewards will be distributed tonight." Hearing Alex, the siblings nodded. This time, the leaderboard had two rewards: one for the first-tier fixed reward and another for the Traitors'' ranking reward. Time: 23:59 Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu had returned to their castles, and Alex, having bathed, locked herself in her bedroom. [Dear Lords, the leaderboard will refresh in the final minute, determining the top 1,000 Lords who will receive rewards.] In the last minute, the leaderboard refreshed, followed by a one-minute countdown. Due to the recent Lord battles, nearly a hundred first and second-tier Lords had died, allowing third-tier Lords to advance. The most excited were the second-tier Lords who hadn''t fought, now with a better chance to enter the first tier and receive rewards. The system seemed fair but was actually cultivating the top first-tier Lords. Below the first tier, the system offered no support. The system''s goal appeared to be forcing Lords to fight for survival, strengthening themselves through conflict. The World Chat fell silent as all Lords checked their rankings in the final minute. In the White Rock Mountains, Sophie smiled at her ranking. [Your current ranking has advanced to: First Tier.] As expected, Sophie had successfully entered the first tier. This made her very happy. With her Monarch-level dwarf, she was now among the upper ranks of the first tier. In her castle, Alex received the notification but was more interested in the rewards. Chapter 184 - 184: Massive upgrade: from town to Undead City [Congratulations, Lord, for ranking in the top tier and receiving the fixed ranking reward: equivalent experience points (universal).] Alex had anticipated the underwhelming reward this time. After all, the previous ranking reward was mainly due to the beast tide. Without it, the reward was just experience points. Moreover, the term "universal" meant that all top-tier Lords received the same amount of experience points. Sophie leveled up from lv1 to lv5, the most significant increase, making her the weakest among the top-tier Lords. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui each leveled up once, reaching lv9 Commanding level, very close to Monarch level. Alex also leveled up to lv4 Monarch level. The experience required to go from lv9 Commanding to lv1 Monarch level was much more than what Alex needed to level up now. It was no surprise that the siblings hadn''t reached Monarch level. Besides, Alex had some experience before leveling up, while Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had just reached lv8, with empty experience bars. For others, the ranking reward might have ended, but for Alex, it wasn''t over yet. [Congratulations, Lord, for ranking first in the hunt leaderboard with 26 points.] [You have received a random primal ability. Drawing random ability...] [Congratulations, Lord, for obtaining the skill: Life Link.] Indeed, these points were harder to earn than expected, and Alex remained firmly in first place. This primal ability, if Alex understood correctly, should be related to her inherent abilities or bloodline, drawn from her primary class. For example, Alex would only draw undead abilities, and Satan would only draw demon abilities. They wouldn''t get something like holy light magic. "Just a skill?" Alex muttered, noting that the name didn''t sound like an offensive skill. Curious about the hunt ranking reward, Alex checked the skill. Life Link (Passive): As the noble Undead Queen, your life is linked to all your undead in a one-way life-sharing bond. Any damage you take will be distributed among all your undead. Conversely, the death of undead will not affect you. "Wait, what?" "Holy fuck!" Alex was stunned by the skill description and shouted in excitement. "Alex, what are you doing so late at night?" "Uh, nothing..." Alex realized she had woken Ruby up. This was definitely a top-tier passive skill. Alex double-checked the skill description several times, unable to believe her eyes. It was true. This meant Alex, like her undead, had become effectively immortal. As long as all her undead weren''t wiped out, she couldn''t die. Her undead would share her damage, making her truly the Undead Queen. "The number of undead now represents my health bar. I can be reckless from now on!" Eager to test the skill, Alex checked her health points. [Health Points: 600 ] To experiment, Alex formed a small wind blade and cut her wrist. The wound healed instantly before any blood could flow. Thinking boldly, Alex cast a curse on herself, targeting herself and bearing the cost. [Your lv7 Skeleton Warrior has died!] ... Three messages popped up. Though Alex''s curse wasn''t strong, it had some damage. Alex was unharmed, but three undead had died, with no indication of the cause. "This skill is too powerful!" The second place on the points leaderboard was still the Traitor, with 25 points, just one point behind Alex. Including ties, the top ten had fewer than twenty Lords. These Lords received similar primal abilities, shaping the future landscape of Lords. Alex noted their names. The leaderboard had closed, and Alex eagerly awaited the next one. Still excited, Alex''s shout had woken Ruby, who couldn''t sleep. Her ears twitched, picking up the rapid breathing of several people. "What''s going on? Are you all suffocating in your sleep?" ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex woke up on time, putting on her favorite sailor dress. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui came over for breakfast, enjoying the stark contrast to their previous diet of roasted meat. Now, they had freshly prepared meals with vegetables and fruits. Xiao Mu didn''t pay much attention to Alex, finding it impolite to constantly watch a girl. But Xiao Hui noticed Alex had changed clothes again. Since their arrival, she had seen Alex in at least three different outfits, which was unusual. Without knowing Alex was a Lord, Xiao Hui might have thought she was on vacation. "You guys eat. I''ll go summon troops." After summoning her troops, Alex checked her Warehouse resources. Thanks to the dwarves'' mining and refining, the iron ingots were nearly sufficient. With many low-level undead working, Alex never lacked basic resources like wood and stone. Additionally, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had some stock in their Warehouse, which Alex could use. Alex: "Send undead to collect the iron ore from the dwarf mines immediately." Sophie: "Got it, Big Shot." Sophie didn''t question Alex, knowing she might need resources to break through the town''s level cap. Alex flew into the sky, looking at the area where her town bordered the east. The trees had been cleared by the Acolytes. Countless beasts, displaced from their homes, had invaded other territories, uniting to resist the undead but were killed by Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. Their goal was to use the Dark Forest''s outskirts to quickly reach Monarch level, while Emerald Hills would help Alex''s four Race Kings grow rapidly. Following this plan, Alex''s strength would see a significant boost. Soon, the undead from the White Rock Mountains brought the iron ore to Sophie''s castle. Alex didn''t wait for the dwarves to refine it in the Furnace, which was too slow. She used her fire magic for a rough purification, then had the system disassemble it. Though some was wasted, Alex didn''t mind. With these resources, Alex had enough to upgrade the town. She couldn''t wait any longer. [lv9 town upgrade requirements: 300k wood, 250k stone, 30k iron ingots.] "Upgrade!" Alex wanted to see what changes would occur. The Warehouse emptied instantly, and the ground shook. Black and gold light spread around, more intense than the town''s previous upgrade. Outside the town wall, tall black walls rose, towering over the town''s walls. The ground cracked, revealing black stone tiles that covered the entire town, leaving no dirt visible. Alex stumbled as the castle courtyard disappeared, replaced by a massive stone staircase lifting her up. Looking back, Alex saw her castle had transformed into a luxurious palace exuding a dark, eerie aura. The four subsidiary castles became auxiliary palaces, surrounding Alex''s palace. The palace was much larger than the original castle, nearly surpassing the town''s previous area. The former town wall now protected the palace. The palace complex was uneven, with Alex''s palace being the tallest and grandest. The black stone staircase led directly to the wall gate. Special buildings within the town were rearranged to optimal positions. The Blackwater Altar, Portal of Transit, and defense towers were placed outside the palace, while the Magic Stone Pillar and Specter Chandelier remained at the wall gate. The stone pillars along the staircase were adorned with skulls, their eye sockets burning with blue flames, adding to the palace''s eerie atmosphere at night. "Wow~" Alex stood on the staircase, amazed by the transformation. The siblings and Ruby, hearing the commotion, came out and stood at the palace entrance, equally astonished. "This... is a city!" The luxurious palace felt like the royal palace of a city. [Congratulations, Lord, for upgrading to a city. You have unlocked the conditions to build a kingdom: lv9 city, lv1 King level, Kingdom''s Tear!] Building a kingdom! Alex was shocked again but saw the requirements were still far off. She needed to upgrade the city to the maximum level, reach King level, and obtain an item called the Kingdom''s Tear. Alex checked the item, finding it simple yet difficult to obtain: destroy a kingdom. From the system''s information and what Alex knew, the kings of these native kingdoms were at least King level! Alex stood in shock, her mind reeling from the information. The system had revealed so much. Before upgrading, she hadn''t even known the next level after town. The city''s tremors hadn''t stopped, and Alex guessed she might receive a special building like when upgrading the town. She checked her system interface for city information. [City Name: Undead City] [City Level: lv1] [Health Points: 1M] [City Territory: 150 square miles] [Buildings: Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon, Crystal Shield, Portal of Transit.] [Upgrade Requirements: 1M wood, 2M stone, 500K iron ingots.] Seeing the attributes, Alex felt like pulling his hair out. The upgrade was massive, but the resource requirements had increased tenfold, making it hard to bear. "Alex, what''s going on with your castle?" Ruby called from behind. Ruby and the siblings had come down the stairs to join Alex. "It''s no longer a castle. This is the City of the Undead." Chapter 185 - 185: Undead Fortress "City?!" "Above town is city!" Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui looked at the majestic city before them, unable to see any trace of the former town. "This is simply unbelievable." Even Ruby began to envy the special abilities of these extraterrestrial visitors. They did nothing, yet a city appeared out of thin air. The system''s power was indeed formidable. The vibrations within the city were gradually subsiding and would soon cease. The city also included many houses, though Alex wasn''t sure what they were for. The undead were equally baffled, staring at the city, not understanding why such a transformation had occurred. Finally, the town fully upgraded to a city, and the vibrations stopped. A black, eerie city now stood at the edge of the Dark Forest. The forest, city, and land, all composed of decay and withering, had become one. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully upgrading to a city. You have unlocked the troops'' exclusive building: Undead Fortress.] [Undead City Exclusive Building: Undead Fortress] [Building Level: None] [Number of Constructions: None] [Feature: A comprehensive fortress integrating offense, defense, and teleportation.] [Building Materials: 100K wood, 200K stone, 50K magic crystal, 100K iron ingots, 100 Essence Shards.] [Note: The Undead Fortress consists of one main fortress and several subsidiary fortresses. The main fortress can only be built within the city and has the feature of teleporting subsidiary fortresses. The main fortress produces one subsidiary fortress Essence Shard daily, which can absorb the materials needed for construction and be built anywhere. The construction materials for both are the same.] Alex was once again shocked. What kind of divine building was this?! A fortress that could be built anywhere and connected to the city. This meant that in future battles against dwarves, hobgoblins, or orcs, she wouldn''t have to march her undead army long distances. The system was clearly encouraging Lords to attack these native races! With the Undead Fortress, even without a Lord as a stepping stone, she could teleport her undead army. The leap from town to city brought an enormous upgrade. Alex looked at her empty Warehouse and then at Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s Warehouse. Although they had some iron ingots, it was far from enough to build the Undead Fortress. Her hope of immediately constructing the Undead Fortress was dashed; she would have to gather resources for a few more days. Her decision to subdue the dwarves instead of destroying them was indeed wise. They provided a steady supply of resources. But now, with the city''s upgrade, the resource requirements had increased tenfold. The current supply from the dwarves might not be enough; she needed to conquer the Silverbeard Clan quickly. "Let''s go." Alex walked up the stairs to inspect the palace''s interior rooms for any changes. Her own bedroom, due to its special building, looked the same, but other rooms, including the kitchen, bathroom, and hall, had changed, becoming more spacious and tidy. "One day, I''ll have to get more elves from Lilith. This place has become too big." Alex was already planning for Arthur and the Xiao siblings to break through to Monarch level and start external conquests. The first targets would naturally be the hobgoblin kingdom and dwarf kingdom. As for the Orc Empire... "Wait, Orc Empire, dwarf kingdom, Empire, kingdom?" "What''s the relationship between kingdom and Empire?" But it was clear that an Empire was stronger than a kingdom, which was troubling. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then again, Lilith had said elves were stronger than orcs, yet elves were just a kingdom. It might refer to overall strength, as elves had multiple kingdoms. The Orc Empire was self-proclaimed, and the human Starfallen Empire hadn''t shown exceptional strength. In fact, it seemed the weakest among the forces Alex had encountered, possibly due to the mage association. Alex was confused. Perhaps Empire and kingdom were just different names for similar entities. In the Undead City, the palace''s main gate faced a black-tiled road leading to the unchanged Bone Throne. Alex sat on the throne, looking out the door, feeling quite pleased. But the vast city felt empty with so few people. "Master, the undead have discovered hobgoblin traces to the south, along with a woman who appears to be an extraterrestrial visitor." A dark elf stood beside Alex, respectfully reporting. Alex perked up. After searching for so long, they had finally appeared. As for the extraterrestrial visitor, could she be the boastful [Boggle] from the World Chat? "Where are they coming from and going to?" Alex asked. Since the snowy mountain incident, the hobgoblins had vanished, no longer troubling Chi-Chi, leaving no trace. "The undead found them suddenly appearing on the black plain to the south, heading further south." The Tara Plain had been thoroughly scouted by the undead, with no buildings or hiding places. The hobgoblins'' sudden appearance seemed like they had emerged from underground. "Could they be returning to the hobgoblin kingdom? Is it further south?" Alex mused. No matter. Following them was troublesome. Now that the undead had found them, they wouldn''t be let go. As always, if there were a Monarch level, they would detect the undead. Even if there were, the undead''s death would reveal their location to nearby specters. "Tell Xiao Mu to take two Monarch levels and capture them!" With many Monarch-level troops, Alex could afford to be extravagant. A task that one Monarch level could handle, she sent two. In the Undead City, Xiao Mu was inspecting his subsidiary palace, finding it better than their own castle. Soon, the dark elves informed Xiao Mu, giving him a chance to explore the surroundings. Xiao Mu didn''t know the specific abilities of the undead. Assuming all Monarch levels were similar in strength, he chose the most impressive ones. A white and a blue giant figure flew from the Undead City, heading south. Yes, Xiao Mu chose a Monarch-level bone dragon and a Monarch-level ghost dragon. No man could resist such magnificent dragons. Flying creatures that reached Monarch level had their flight advantages magnified. The Monarch-level bone dragon flew at incredible speed. Riding the bone dragon, Xiao Mu watched the desolate, black landscape pass quickly below. ... On the Tara Plain, a seemingly luxurious convoy was heading south. In front were several riders on fly-like beasts, clearing the way. Below, a sturdy black beast pulled a cart made of straw and wood, creaking as if it might fall apart at any moment. Inside the cart were Muckmire, the hobgoblin kingdom''s crown prince, and his wife, Mary. The enclosed space amplified the unpleasant odors, making Mary gag. She looked out the window, trying to breathe fresh air. This was her first time leaving the basin since arriving. She felt oppressed, knowing she couldn''t escape, but used this opportunity to get some fresh air. Mary, being human, could never truly love an ugly hobgoblin. It was all due to circumstances. Before coming here, she was looked down upon, unable to find work. But here, she enjoyed unprecedented respect. No matter how the hobgoblins viewed her, she only needed Muckmire. "Dear Mary, the kingdom is just ahead. The commoners will be thrilled to see you and will bow in reverence." Muckmire smiled at Mary, having been sent to a human city before and fascinated by their culture. This was why he was captivated by Mary. Muckmire didn''t cackle like other hobgoblins and didn''t share female hobgoblins. Most importantly, he knew how to please the hobgoblin king. Even if he was otherwise useless, these were things he learned from humans. "Okay." Mary responded indifferently, her mind elsewhere. Suddenly, she saw a massive bone dragon fly by the window. Chaos erupted outside. "Enemy attack! Enem¡ª" A hobgoblin''s shout was cut short. Chapter 186 - 186: I promised not to kill you, but I didnt say Id protect you Mary''s face was filled with panic as Muckmire leaped out of the carriage upon hearing the commotion. All the hobgoblin riders on their flying mounts were dead, their charred bodies falling to the ground, emitting the smell of roasted meat. A bone dragon and a ghost dragon surrounded Muckmire and Mary from the front and back. Muckmire didn''t panic. Despite losing all his guards in an instant, as the eldest son of the hobgoblin king and a member of the royal family, he possessed Monarch-level strength. Had he not been preoccupied with Mary, he wouldn''t have been caught off guard so easily. Xiao Mu stepped out from beside the bone dragon, his expression cold as he looked at Muckmire and the carriage behind him. "The woman in the carriage, stop hiding. You must be [Boggle]." Mary, hearing this, lifted the curtain and saw the man standing opposite. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lord!" "Mary, don''t be afraid. I''ll protect you. It''s just two undead." Muckmire still hadn''t realized that the "just two undead" he dismissed were both Monarch-level. In his mind, as long as he confirmed the opponent was an extraterrestrial visitor, they couldn''t possibly have Monarch-level troops. His brain rarely engaged in deep thought. "Undead?! Are you the undead Lord?!!" Mary was terrified. She knew the undead Lord''s power well from the World Chat. She had thought she was far from the undead Lord and hadn''t mentioned it to Muckmire. But here they were, encountering them just days later. "Attack!" Xiao Mu didn''t waste words. As long as they didn''t kill them, it was fine. The bone dragon''s flaming domain expanded instantly, and it lowered its head to unleash a breath of dragon fire at Muckmire. ??? Muckmire was stunned. How could this be a Monarch level? He turned to see the ghost dragon''s domain spreading and a Death Ray coming straight at him. This was also a Monarch level!!! Boom! The combined attacks of the two dragons hit Muckmire. They didn''t use their full strength, fearing they might accidentally kill him. The initial attack was just a test. But Muckmire didn''t dodge at all. In reality, Muckmire, like Baldwin and the dwarves, relied heavily on equipment for combat despite being a Monarch level. Today, he thought it was just a sweet outing with Mary, so he hadn''t brought his equipment. According to intelligence, there were no significant forces nearby. This made him let his guard down. He never expected extraterrestrial visitors to have Monarch-level troops, which contradicted his understanding. In Muckmire''s mind, the opponent should be Commanding level, allowing him to elegantly defeat them and make Mary admire him more. Bang! Xiao Mu kicked the heavily injured Muckmire several meters away, bringing him back to reality. "If you''re not dead, move." "And you, do I have to invite you personally?" Xiao Mu looked at the trembling, bewildered Mary. "I am the crown prince of the hobgoblin kingdom. I advise you to think carefully!" Muckmire struggled to stand, glaring at Xiao Mu. "Who cares about your status? Take them away!" Xiao Mu leaped onto the bone dragon''s back. The bone dragon grabbed Muckmire and Mary with its claws and flew north. The ghost dragon spewed blue dragon breath on the ground, incinerating everything before taking off to follow the bone dragon. Muckmire, held in the bone dragon''s massive claw, felt humiliated and kept cursing, trying to regain his lost dignity. Mary, in the other claw, was pale with despair. She knew she was doomed. Just days ago, she had slandered the undead Lord in the World Chat. As a Traitor, the undead Lord had every reason to kill her. She had thought herself invincible under the hobgoblin kingdom''s protection, but now, facing the undead Lord, she no longer dared to think so. The hobgoblin kingdom was among the lowest of the intelligent races, facing one of the top lords. Who would win? The outcome was clear. Soon, Mary and Muckmire saw a grand, black city. They had entered Alex''s territory, and the Specter Chandelier''s effect had vanished. To them, the city seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Why is there a city here?!" Muckmire couldn''t believe his eyes. Inside and outside the city, on the ground and in the sky, undead were everywhere. Could an extraterrestrial visitor achieve this? Mary was equally stunned. Her castle hadn''t even upgraded to a town, and she didn''t know castles could become cities. But the undead everywhere proved this was the undead Lord''s stronghold. "Has the undead Lord developed to such an OP level?!" In Mary''s shocked gaze, they were taken to a palace. "Leader, I''ve brought them." Xiao Mu threw Muckmire and Mary to the ground. They trembled in fear, not daring to resist. Alex saw the hobgoblin and the Traitor and approached. "Are you [Boggle]?" "No, no... I''m not!" "Huh?" "Okay, I am, I am..." Seeing her admit it, Alex lost interest. The hunt ranking was over, and the Traitor wasn''t important. She was more interested in hobgoblin kingdom intelligence. "Tell me about the hobgoblin kingdom." Muckmire, seeing the palace and realizing there were no undead, only Alex and Xiao Mu, thought of resisting. But sensing Alex''s aura, he realized she might also be a Monarch level. Muckmire looked at the terrified Mary, who frantically signaled him to cooperate and not provoke them. Even the hobgoblin king might not be a match for this undead Lord. "Extraterrestrial visitor, you''re making an enemy of the entire hobgoblin kingdom. State your terms, and we can negotiate. I can overlook today''s actions." "What makes you think the hobgoblin kingdom can threaten me?" Alex''s eyes grew cold as she stepped forward, exuding killing intent. If he wouldn''t cooperate, she would kill him. She still had Mary, the Traitor, who surely knew the kingdom''s location. "Muckmire, please, I don''t want to die. She''s different from ordinary extraterrestrial visitors!" Mary was on the verge of tears, unable to understand Muckmire''s misplaced confidence. Alex sensed something unusual about their relationship. Xiao Mu informed her that Muckmire was the hobgoblin king''s eldest son. Such a high status? "Mary, you''re too naive. With her castle so hidden, we won''t leave here alive." Muckmire was firm, reminding Mary that with such a powerful opponent targeting the hobgoblin kingdom, he wouldn''t cooperate even if it meant death. As a hobgoblin royal, his insight was different from the brainless hobgoblins. "Quite clever. What about you? Do you think the same?" Alex turned to Mary, knowing this Lord from the Earth wouldn''t have such a strong mindset. "By the way, if the hobgoblin kingdom is destroyed, you could shed your Traitor status. I promise not to kill you if you cooperate." Alex''s words were like a ray of hope in the darkness for Mary. "I''ll talk, I''ll cooperate, just don''t kill me!" As expected, Mary quickly gave in. "Mary! Are you betraying the hobgoblin kingdom?" Before Muckmire could finish, Alex kicked him aside. "Fuck off." Alex approached Mary, who looked at her in fear. "What''s your relationship with him?" "I''m his wife." "Willingly?" Mary hesitated, then shook her head. Muckmire''s face turned even uglier. "Oh, I see. No human would willingly love an ugly hobgoblin. If you were forced, it makes sense." Alex''s words seemed to be aimed at provoking Muckmire. Under Alex''s questioning, Mary revealed all the information she knew. Her status in the hobgoblin kingdom was special, giving her access to the power center and a wealth of information. "One last question. What''s the hobgoblin king''s strength? Is he King level?" Alex turned her back to Mary. Mary thought back, recalling what Muckmire had told her. "I don''t know the exact level, but he''s definitely not King level." As soon as Mary finished speaking, Muckmire, who had been gathering strength, suddenly attacked. With Alex''s back turned and Xiao Mu distracted, no one could react in time. Muckmire punched through Mary''s chest, unwilling to let a kingdom traitor live. Alex and Xiao Mu "belatedly" reacted. Mary''s life was slipping away. She looked at Alex with pleading eyes. "I promised not to kill you, but I didn''t say I''d protect you." Alex said with a faint smile. Chapter 187 - 187: Just do it The dying Mary finally understood. With the undead Lord''s power, how could she not be faster than Muckmire? She had done it on purpose. Mary lost her life and collapsed to the ground. Muckmire, resolute, showed no fear of death. This woman had driven him mad. He thought he had found true love, but Mary was no different from other hobgoblins, only coveting his power. A black line sliced across Muckmire''s neck. With a spray of green blood, his vision spun until it finally stopped. His head ceased rolling on the floor. The intelligence about the hobgoblin kingdom differed from Alex''s expectations. First, the system''s conditions for establishing a kingdom were off. The hobgoblin king didn''t have King-level strength, disproving the theory that all kingdoms had at least one King-level combatant. Alex was puzzled. Moreover, according to Mary''s information, there were no powerful forces around the hobgoblin kingdom, yet they chose to relocate and hide their true kingdom. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Muckmire, as the hobgoblin king''s eldest son, was Monarch level but pathetically weak. "This hobgoblin kingdom is quite weak, just far away." Alex felt relieved. As long as there was no King level, it was manageable. No matter how many Monarch levels there were, they couldn''t threaten her. But she wouldn''t rush. She would wait until the Undead Fortress was built before launching a formal attack on the hobgoblin kingdom. The city they had exposed, the old hobgoblin kingdom, wouldn''t be spared either. It was another experience farm, after all. Unlike the dwarves, Alex had found the hobgoblin kingdom''s capital. Why waste effort attacking other places? "Xiao Mu, take Xiao Hui, Arthur, and Riven, along with two Monarch levels, to the exposed kingdom site to farm experience and quickly reach Monarch level." Following Alex''s orders, they soon departed. As for Muckmire''s corpse, Alex summoned it into a Reaper Guard. This troop could support Alex from any distance, a must-have for lone wolves. Alex should have summoned a necromancer. With her expanding territory, there were too many places to defend. The number of necromancers was becoming insufficient. They could summon undead, each one an undead army. Emerald Hills, Grimstone, King Kong, and Sophie''s castle all needed Monarch-level undead to guard them. Especially Emerald Hills and Grimstone, where wars could break out at any time. Necromancers were essential. "Never mind, I''ll summon a necromancer next time." Currently, only Alex could summon Monarch-level corpses. Monarch-level necromancers couldn''t summon them. The Blackwater Altar could, but its summoning was random, unlike Alex''s specific summoning. Alex devised a plan. Before attacking the hobgoblin kingdom, she would wait for the siblings, Arthur, and Riven to reach Monarch level. Then, with the Undead Fortress built, she could begin the assault. This would maximize benefits. Otherwise, the chaotic battlefield would make gaining experience difficult. Alex had nothing to do but wait in the palace for their upgrades. She could take this time to rest. On Arsen Continent, in Grimstone. Since the Silverbeard Clan nobles were purged, the oppressed dwarf commoners rejoiced. The city was now peaceful, and the dwarves were very supportive. Durin and Balin had completely taken control of Grimstone. Grimstone, near the White Rock Mountains, had its surrounding dwarf fortresses dismantled, and the dwarf army gathered in Grimstone. The city now housed 30,000 dwarf soldiers and 20,000 undead. Additionally, two Monarch levels guarded it: Durin and a necromancer. The city''s strength was no less than before. However, the city''s equipment and defenses were outdated. The forging techniques and personnel were controlled by the nobles, which was why they could firmly control the clan. But the remaining equipment was enough to defend Grimstone. A few days had passed, and the Silverbeard Clan, now able to act, should have made a move. Durin had been busy. As a former Silverbeard Clan noble, he knew the clan well. To overthrow the Silverbeard Clan, he needed the support of dwarf commoners from various cities and villages. Durin had sent dwarves to give speeches and rally the commoners while gathering intelligence on the Silverbeard Clan. Soon, they had collected the intelligence. The Silverbeard Clan faced a joint attack from two clans and was struggling to hold on. The Silverbeard Clan had seven cities, but three had been lost, and half their territory was gone. They couldn''t deal with Durin in the rear, giving him an opportunity. Rather than waiting to be attacked, Durin decided to strike first. The nearest city to Grimstone was Rockhammer City, one of the Silverbeard Clan''s four remaining cities. Rockhammer City was the clan''s logistics hub, surrounded by the other three cities. The two attacking clans aimed to capture Rockhammer City. The Silverbeard Clan wouldn''t let this city fall and was fighting desperately against the two clans. The two clans, though temporary allies, both wanted to unify the dwarf kingdom. Neither wanted to face the Silverbeard Clan head-on, fearing heavy losses and losing the chance to dominate. The stalemate gave Durin the perfect opportunity. Though Grimstone wasn''t directly behind Rockhammer City, attacking it was easier than for the other two clans. Rockhammer City was now poorly defended, with its main forces in the other three cities. Only a few dwarf fortresses stood between Grimstone and Rockhammer City. But as the Silverbeard Clan''s most important logistics city, even poorly defended, its defenses and fortifications were second only to the main city. A frontal assault would be costly. So Durin planned to take it by cunning. "Tomorrow night, I''ll disguise myself and a few dwarves as refugees from Grimstone and infiltrate Rockhammer City. Balin, you must seize the moment and attack the fortresses, creating as much chaos as possible. The more chaos, the better." Durin had decided to act that night, giving Balin instructions. "But..." Balin was worried. Would Rockhammer City really take in refugees in these times? The nobles didn''t care about commoners. "Don''t worry. This will create an illusion. They''ll think we''re escaping from Grimstone. To gather intelligence, they''ll take us in and report to the clan, seeking credit and requesting reinforcements." "Before dawn, I''ll disable the city''s defenses and open the gates. Then we''ll take Rockhammer City. Once the other clans see Rockhammer City fall, they''ll attack the Silverbeard Clan''s main city, and the clan will be finished." Durin knew the Silverbeard Clan''s nature well. Even if they couldn''t infiltrate, he could use his noble status. He had been missing for six months, so the guards wouldn''t recognize him. In the chaos, they wouldn''t have time to verify his identity. "Alright, let''s do it." Balin trusted Durin wouldn''t take unnecessary risks. Besides, he had submitted to Sophie and wouldn''t betray them. Soon, Balin and Durin informed Sophie of the Silverbeard Clan''s intelligence and their plan to strike first. Alex had entrusted Sophie with this task. If her dwarves couldn''t handle it, the undead would step in. It was also a test of Sophie''s abilities. Without combat talent, she had to prove her value in other ways. Sophie agreed without hesitation. With Alex''s city needing more resources, she had to accelerate the unification of the dwarves. Moreover, with two Monarch-level undead and 20,000 undead soldiers at her disposal, she didn''t think she would lose. Taking the entire Silverbeard Clan would provide more resources to help Alex. Sophie informed Alex, who had no comment. Her focus was on the hobgoblin kingdom and the Orc Empire. Alex simply replied, "No matter what difficulties you face, confront them bravely. The best way to eliminate fear is to face it. Just do it." Chapter 188 - 188: The experience farm of the Race Kings Sophie felt deeply encouraged and resolved not to disappoint Alex''s expectations. While Alex was resting, she was still contemplating the construction and development of the city. Through observation, she realized that the resources consumed to upgrade from a town to a city were not much, but the resources required for further upgrades after reaching city level would skyrocket. If conditions allowed, Alex even considered upgrading one of Sophie''s or the Xiao siblings'' castles to city level. However, for now, the priority was Alex''s own castle. After all, only by strengthening herself could she ensure the strength of everyone else. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] The night sky cleared once again, and the black undead city seemed to blend into the darkness, with only the eerie red moonlight casting a faint outline of the city. Tonight''s dinner was prepared for only two, as Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had already left the city to head towards the hobgoblin kingdom. Ruby was devouring her food at the dining table, not forgetting to wipe her mouth and let out a satisfied burp. "Alex, I''m leaving," Ruby suddenly said. She had been out playing long enough. "Tonight?" "Yes," Ruby nodded. "My primal power can continuously support my cultivation to King level without any pressure. Even though I don''t need to sleep now, I still need to focus on my training. Only by becoming stronger can I return to the far north and settle the score with those bastards." Although Ruby was playful, she hadn''t forgotten her race''s hatred. She still needed to lead her people back to their homeland and reclaim what was once theirs. "I don''t care much about those things, but they were left by my mother, so I must do it." Ruby''s eyes became resolute. Only she knew the hardships she had endured. To protect her, her people had willingly sacrificed themselves, leaving only a few hundred survivors. "If you encounter any difficulties, don''t hesitate to ask for my help. I''ll always be here, and you can come to play whenever you have time." "Thank you. I''ve had a lot of fun these past few days." Ruby stood up and walked towards the outside. "Don''t worry, I''ll definitely come back. We haven''t gone to the human city together yet." "Alright, I''m leaving." Ruby turned back, showing Alex her small fangs. Alex didn''t know the strength of the Arctic Tigerfolk, and she hadn''t asked Ruby, but she believed Ruby could do it. "Be careful, don''t be impulsive, and don''t do anything foolish." Alex gave one last piece of advice. "I know, I know, you''re so naggy." Ruby waved at Alex and disappeared. This time, who knew when they would meet again. Alex turned and walked deeper into the palace. She needed to become stronger quickly. She didn''t know what the system would come up with when the leaderboard refreshed next week. The Dark Alchemy Warlocks in the city had created some interesting gadgets, like containers that could release potent plague magic, various auxiliary potions, and some metal constructs. These things weren''t very useful for the undead, and nothing had particularly impressed Alex yet. It was probably because their levels were too low. Maybe things would improve as they leveled up. Weapons, equipment, and potions couldn''t be used by Xiao Mu because of his light attribute, but others could use them. The metal constructs were still limited due to immature technology. The useless potions were regularly stored and handed over to the dwarves by Sophie for use or research. Alex didn''t know what would come from the fusion of dwarf technology and alchemy technology. Currently, there were too few dwarves under her control. Alex planned to bring all the dwarf inventors to the Undead City once she fully controlled the dwarf kingdom. To become a powerful empire, she needed not only strong military power but also various talents. With only Alex and the dark elves left in the palace, she returned to her bedroom and went to bed early. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex woke up on time. The sudden appearance of the Undead City seemed to have caused some impact on the outskirts of the Dark Forest. She might have already attracted the attention of the deeper parts of the Dark Forest. Alex''s next plan was to build the Undead City into a kingdom. To achieve this, the Dark Forest had to become her backyard, just like the Frostwind snowy mountain. This was a problem she needed to solve. She couldn''t afford to let anyone pose a threat in her backyard. All the Lords and dangers around the Undead City had been cleared by Alex, leaving only the Dark Forest as a problem. Meanwhile, in the Emerald Hills, the orcs launched another attack, their battle lust fueled by a desire for revenge. Previous orc attacks on Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s castle had failed, but they had managed to retreat without being wiped out. However, the last attack was different; thousands of orcs had died, enraging the orc camp leaders. Two orc camps sent their armies, but before reaching the siblings'' castle, they encountered each other and began fighting. Afterward, the camp leaders learned that their warriors had been killed by extraterrestrial visitors, prompting them to stop fighting and unite to eliminate the visitors before settling their own scores. They believed the visitors had suffered heavy losses and had few troops left, making a large-scale attack unnecessary. Each camp leader sent a pseudo-Monarch level leader and 2,000 orc warriors, totaling 4,000 orcs, to attack the siblings'' castle. This time, they intended to wipe out the two hated extraterrestrial visitors. The Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao had been moved to the Undead City and sent to the Dark Forest. Now, the siblings'' castle was defended by six undead. A Monarch-level necromancer and lich, along with four Race Kings. The undead''s plan was simple: the two Monarch levels would defend the castle while the four Race Kings attacked the orc army. If the Race Kings couldn''t hold, the necromancer and lich would summon an undead army to eliminate the orcs. To prevent any orcs from escaping and reporting back, none could be allowed to flee. The orcs, facing undead for the first time, wouldn''t be prepared. They didn''t know the undead couldn''t be killed, allowing the Race Kings to farm experience without worry. Soon, the 4,000-strong orc army from two camps gathered at the castle, puzzled by the empty fortress. Only a few strange creatures stood before the castle. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Had they fled? The leading orcs couldn''t return empty-handed. They exchanged glances, raised their weapons, and shouted to their warriors. "Destroy the castle, for the glory of the orcs!" Chapter 189 - 189: Defeat of the Orc leader "For the glory of the orcs!" The orcs, clad in tattered beast hides, raised their weapons and charged towards the two castles. As natives of Arsen Continent, they had no concept of what undead were. To them, the skeletal, diminutive undead were weaklings. Sss¡ª Just as the orcs were about to reach the castle gates, the surrounding ice froze several orcs in place. Arthas swiftly cut them down, instantly leveling up from lv7 Standard to lv8. Among the four Race Kings, John and Azure had the highest levels, making their battles the easiest. John raised his broad sword, and countless flaming red skulls rained down, causing massive casualties among the orcs. Not to be outdone, Azure summoned a blue orb above its head, which then split into numerous beams, striking the orcs below. The orcs felt a sharp pain in their hearts before succumbing to curses and dying. Crane''s attacks were the simplest, with no flashy effects. He wielded a long sword wreathed in black flames, cutting down any orc that approached. The orcs, fearless of death, continued their charge. The two Commanding-level orcs watched from the rear, showing no signs of retreat even as their warriors were slaughtered. The orcs trampled over their fallen comrades, pressing forward. John and Azure fought effortlessly, their high Commanding levels and infinite stamina making the orcs no challenge. But Arthas and Crane, still at Standard level, were at risk of injury or death. A Commanding-level orc warrior smashed Crane with a hammer, sending him flying. Instantly, countless orcs swarmed Crane. No matter how they attacked Crane, his wounds healed instantly. A burly orc tried to tear Crane apart but found it impossible and was instead killed by Crane. "He''s immortal!" A one-eyed Commanding level orc shouted in horror. Despite Crane being only Standard level, their attacks couldn''t kill him. After suffering heavy losses, the orcs reached a terrifying conclusion. The one-eyed orc''s shout caught the attention of the two orc leaders. Observing closely, they realized these small enemies were indeed unkillable! "What are these strange creatures?!" "Use shamanic attacks!" Without needing a reminder, the orcs understood. They pulled teeth from their bone necklaces and crushed them, releasing green mist. The green mist spread quickly, but the leaders were shocked to see it had no effect on the strange creatures. Did they lack life force? As Crane killed more enemies, he broke through his bottleneck and reached Commanding level. With his level up, Crane''s power surged. A black ring of energy slashed out, cutting nearby orcs in half. Crane broke through the encirclement and continued his assault. "These are evil creatures! But orcs never retreat!" If 4,000 orc warriors couldn''t defeat these four strange beings, their camps'' honor would plummet in the Orc Empire. For the sake of their camps'' honor, the pseudo Monarch level orc leader didn''t retreat. He charged at Crane with a massive bone hammer. He needed to prove his courage and defend his camp''s honor. He also didn''t believe in the existence of immortal beings. If other orcs couldn''t kill them, it was because they weren''t strong enough, not because he couldn''t. The orc leader swung his giant bone hammer at Crane, finding him the most bizarre. As the hammer was about to strike Crane, a broad sword blocked it. "Your opponent is me!" John, having leveled up to lv9 Commanding level from his earlier area attack, was now capable of fighting a pseudo Monarch level. The two clashed fiercely, creating a spectacle that left Standard-level orcs no chance to intervene. They gave their leader space to fight. The remaining orcs didn''t stop. They swarmed the other three undead. To the orcs, killing the enemy was the priority. Destroying the castle was secondary. As the battle dragged on, nearly two hours passed. The other orc leader, who hadn''t joined the fight, realized something was wrong. Even if these evil creatures couldn''t be killed, they should have exhausted their stamina by now. The orc leader fighting John was losing strength, his combat ability halved. He used a berserk potion from the orc shamans to recover somewhat. Seeing the growing number of orc corpses, the other orc leader decided to retreat. This leader was more rational. While orc warriors were brave and fearless, they couldn''t make meaningless sacrifices. But they couldn''t leave empty-handed. They couldn''t return and tell their leaders they were defeated by four strange undead. Moreover, the enemy had no Monarch level, only four Commanding levels. The orc leader eyed the siblings'' castle, forming a plan. If they couldn''t kill the undead, they could at least destroy the extraterrestrial visitors'' castle. He decided to destroy the castle and then retreat, avoiding further entanglement with the strange beings. The four undead saw the orc leader running towards the castle. "Azure, go." Azure understood. The queen''s task was for them to reach Monarch level, and Azure was the closest, already at lv9 Commanding level before coming here. Azure flew into the sky and headed towards the castle. The orc leader saw the empty castle guarded only by a small mage with a staff. He charged at the necromancer without hesitation. He imagined the mage''s head being smashed. "Roar!" The sound of bones piercing flesh echoed. The orc leader''s charge halted, and he let out a pained scream. Before he could react, more bone spikes pierced his limbs, pinning him in place. He writhed in agony, each movement causing immense pain. The unfortunate orc leader didn''t have time to be shocked by the presence of a Monarch level. A transparent, eerie attack from behind pierced his body. His mind exploded, and he lost consciousness, dying without feeling pain. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Azure''s form became more solid, its soul stronger. The curse energy around it grew denser. Azure had reached Monarch level. Azure left the battlefield, leaving the experience for the other three undead. Unless John killed all the remaining orcs, he wouldn''t reach Monarch level. Knowing their leader was dead, the orcs would likely flee. Azure hovered in the sky, ready to prevent their escape. The three undead saw Azure stop fighting and realized it had reached Monarch level. John was now lv9 Commanding, and Crane and Arthas were around lv3-4 Commanding. The orc leader fighting John, his berserk potion wearing off, regained some clarity. Seeing the other leader head to the castle but not destroy it, and Azure emerging instead, he knew something was wrong. The orc leader likely was dead. Chapter 190 - 190: Iron beast South of Tara Plain, at the ruins of the hobgoblin kingdom. This place was farther from the hobgoblin kingdom. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, along with Arthur and Riven, brought two Monarch level beings to the outskirts of the kingdom ruins. In the distance lay a dilapidated city, filled with ruins and rubble, showing no signs of its former glory as the hobgoblin royal city. Outside the city, a few chevaux-de-frise were placed, but not a single hobgoblin was guarding them. Only a few sleepy hobgoblin sentries on the wall were dozing off, barely keeping their eyes open. The defense was shockingly lax. "The hobgoblin king''s eldest son is supposed to return here. How could they not have any news? Now that he''s missing, the city''s defense is still so slack. Isn''t that a bit unusual?" Xiao Mu found the hobgoblins'' reaction odd. Even if they didn''t know Muckmire was dead, they should at least put on a show of welcoming him, right? "I think we should just charge in. These hobgoblins seem super weak," Xiao Hui suggested, believing brute force could solve everything. "No way. Do you think you''re undead? What if there''s danger?" Xiao Mu disagreed, feeling it was too reckless. "We can always run if we can''t win," Xiao Hui muttered. "I''ll go," Arthur''s ethereal voice came from behind. He then spread his wings and flew towards the ruins of the hobgoblin royal city. A ghostly blue breath of dragon shot towards the hobgoblins on the wall but was blocked by an invisible barrier, causing a transparent ripple. Immediately after, Arthur was hit by an unknown attack. Half of his body was obliterated in mid-air, and he began to plummet to the ground. The siblings hiding behind were startled. "Brother, I was wrong!" Xiao Hui admitted she had been naive. The hobgoblins might be weak, but they weren''t as dumb as she thought. There was indeed an ambush. Arthur, with his level 7 Commanding strength and immunity to elemental magic, was undoubtedly attacked by a Monarch level being. The two Monarch level Destroyers in the rear, seeing Arthur under attack, no longer hid and launched their assault. At the very least, they needed to break the city''s defenses and take down the opposing Monarch level. This time, the enemy didn''t react as quickly. The two Destroyers attacked simultaneously, instantly shattering the city''s shield. Unexpectedly, the hobgoblins didn''t choose to defend passively. Instead, they opened the city gates and launched a counterattack. But what emerged from the gates weren''t hobgoblins; they were several iron beasts covered in magical runes. These iron beasts were entirely covered in magical runes, exuding a strong elemental aura. It was unclear whether hobgoblins were driving them from within or if they were operating autonomously. Inside the city, there were not only Monarch level guards but two of them, clearly prepared for this. The attack on Arthur came from one of the hobgoblin Shamans. Arthur''s body had already reformed and was attacking the iron beasts again. Riven and the siblings also charged towards the enemy. The most peculiar sight on the battlefield was the six iron beasts. Despite their large size, they were dwarfed by Arthur. However, their defense was astonishing, able to withstand Arthur''s attacks. "What the hell are these things?" Xiao Mu wondered. If it weren''t for the lack of a domain, he would have thought they were Monarch level. Whether it was Arthur or the siblings, facing an iron beast alone was challenging. With more iron beasts than them, plus the hobgoblins on the wall occasionally firing cannons, the situation quickly turned against them. These mechanical and magical constructs resembled oversized felines. Despite their bulky appearance, they were more agile than expected and had incredible magical and physical defenses. Xiao Mu''s holy light was completely blocked. Even when he blinked to the beast''s head and struck with all his light-element power, it caused no significant damage. The iron beast merely lowered its head slightly, unscathed, and Xiao Mu''s hand throbbed with pain. Arthur stopped wasting Mana Points and engaged the iron beast in close combat. Xiao Mu used his speed advantage to hold off two beasts, but that was his limit. He observed the beasts and the others'' battles, trying to find a weakness. To Xiao Mu''s surprise, the first problem arose with Riven''s opponent. It wasn''t Riven who had an issue, but the beast facing her. Previously, the iron beasts had seamlessly alternated between physical and magical attacks, even timing their ranged attacks perfectly. But Riven''s opponent now moved sluggishly and stiffly, as if its brain had shrunk. "I get it! These iron beasts are piloted by hobgoblins!" Xiao Mu realized, spotting the flaw. Alex had previously briefed the siblings on undead abilities, including specters and ghost dragons, which attacked with soul, life, or curse-based attacks. As a Ghost Dragon King, Riven had released an invisible attack that the hobgoblins couldn''t react to or fully defend against, killing the hobgoblin inside the iron beast. Given the iron beast''s size, it was unlikely to be piloted by just one hobgoblin. Xiao Mu guessed Riven had killed the hobgoblin controlling the beast''s limbs. With this realization, the situation became clear. If there were pilots, the beasts had weaknesses. When Xiao Mu looked at his sister, he was stunned. The joints of the iron beast she faced were oozing black mist, and its magical runes were destroyed, emitting a sizzling sound. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The beast stood frozen, rendered useless. Xiao Hui''s dark element had spread throughout the beast, destroying its internal mechanisms. Xiao Hui raised her right hand, and a giant fist formed of dark energy smashed into the iron beast. Boom! The iron beast exploded, its mechanical parts intact but scattered instantly. Broken hoses fell to the ground, spewing green pus like the beast''s blood. As the beast disintegrated, Xiao Mu saw six bewildered hobgoblins fall from its belly. The cockpit was in the belly, and six hobgoblins piloted it together! The fallen hobgoblins were quickly killed, and Xiao Mu noticed that more than half were Commanding level. Xiao Hui saw Xiao Mu watching her from the sky and realized she was the first to take down a iron beast. She proudly showed off to Xiao Mu. "How about that? Am I awesome or what?!" Xiao Mu, exasperated, didn''t praise her but instead scolded her. "Focus! Stop showing off. This is a battlefield." Chapter 191 - 191: The Destroyers charged strike "Blah blah blah!" Xiao Hui stuck her tongue out at Xiao Mu. Arthur and Riven quickly caught on to the iron beasts'' weakness. With this knowledge, taking them down became much easier. Arthur unleashed his skill, Withering Space. A transparent diamond-shaped barrier enveloped the iron beast, draining the life force of the hobgoblins inside. This was a continuous skill, and Arthur''s only task was to prevent the enemies from breaking the barrier and escaping. With Arthur''s massive body blocking the iron beast, it didn''t take long for the beast to stop moving entirely. The six hobgoblins inside perished from excessive life force loss. Riven should have been the nemesis of these iron beasts, but since she hadn''t reached Commanding level, her damage was low, only able to kill the Standard level hobgoblin pilots. Even so, this left many iron beasts severely hampered. In the sky, two hobgoblin Shamans were battling the two Destroyers. One of them was Snazzle, who had appeared on the snowy mountain. The hobgoblin kingdom had limited Monarch level beings, so even though Snazzle was still injured, he had to join the fight. As a Shaman, who didn''t rely on equipment, his combat power was stronger than the average hobgoblin, making him highly valued by the hobgoblin king. Of course, this was relative to other Monarch level hobgoblins. The hobgoblins'' life cap was Monarch level, and to advance further, they had to rely on technology. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A Monarch level hobgoblin Shaman was no match for a Destroyer, especially since Destroyers could ignore and be immune to most magic. Snazzle was already exhausted, his soul power and Mana Points severely depleted, while his opponent remained in peak condition. The other hobgoblin Shaman, uninjured and clearly stronger, rushed to the forefront of the battlefield to earn the hobgoblin king''s favor. But he was met with a barrage of dazzling magic bullets, forcing him to use a shamanic barrier to defend and counterattack with blue waves of light against the Destroyer. The Shaman''s counterattack, imbued with soul damage, should have been effective against all undead. But against the Destroyer, the attack dissipated before reaching its target. Initially, the Shaman thought this was some defensive ability of the Destroyer. It wasn''t until now that he realized it was the Destroyer''s domain. The Destroyer''s domain was invisible, undetectable by most creatures. Its domain ability was a simple amplification of its own powers. Below Monarch level, the Destroyer had to physically block magical attacks to absorb them. At Monarch level, the Destroyer only needed to release its domain, and any magic within that area would be absorbed into its body. This ability was something the hobgoblin Shaman had never seen or heard of. But he believed one thing: nothing was eternal. There were no immortal beings, and the Destroyer couldn''t absorb magic indefinitely. Once it reached its limit, it could be defeated. In fact, the Shaman was half right. The Destroyer''s Mana Points had indeed reached their limit, fully charged. Boom! A massive explosion erupted. The hobgoblin Shaman at the forefront didn''t even have time to react. His first thought was that the Destroyer had exploded from too much mana, but the explosion came from beside him. The Shaman''s brain momentarily froze. He was blasted against the wall by the explosion, dying instantly. The Destroyer''s charged attack was so powerful that even the ground and the hobgoblins on the wall felt the tremor. Xiao Mu could hardly believe the Destroyer could unleash such a powerful attack, instantly killing a Monarch level hobgoblin Shaman. He had thought the Destroyer was unimpressive aside from its magic immunity and had worried whether it could defeat the hobgoblin Shamans. Clearly, he had underestimated it. Snazzle was stunned. As a Monarch level being, he realized that if he had been at the forefront, he might have been the one to die. No wonder the Destroyer''s attacks had seemed weak; it had been charging up! How could they fight this? These undead were unbeatable! Snazzle turned to flee without hesitation, but the other Destroyer blocked his path, trapping him. "Leaders, could you spare my life?" Snazzle pleaded. The two Destroyers ignored him and charged. Snazzle felt foolish for trying to reason with these undead. How could they possibly talk? He attempted to fight back but was unsurprisingly captured alive by the two Destroyers. Oddly, Snazzle felt a glimmer of hope. Being captured alive meant he might still have a chance to survive. The other Destroyer returned to the battlefield once again, releasing all the Mana Points it had absorbed, instantly destroying all the remaining iron beasts. Though this attack was less powerful than the first due to not being fully charged, its destructive force was still immense. Xiao Mu couldn''t help but marvel at the power of Monarch level beings. They were leagues above Commanding level. He had struggled to kill one iron beast, while the Destroyers wiped them out with a single attack. "Leaders, I intended to capture the enemy alive, but they were too weak, and I accidentally killed one. I apologize for failing your trust," one of the Destroyers said in a raspy voice, holding Snazzle. The reason for capturing them alive was, of course, for experience points. It was the queen''s order to help Xiao Mu and the others advance to Monarch level. Snazzle''s eyes widened in disbelief. These bird-like undead could talk; they just didn''t want to talk to him. "No worries, it''s not your fault. They were just too weak," Xiao Mu said nonchalantly. What kind of statement was that? Try taking one of those attacks yourself! Snazzle cursed the human a hundred times over in his mind. Humans were truly despicable. "Wow, hobgoblins are so ugly. Gross," Xiao Hui couldn''t help but comment. Snazzle: Humans are despicable and hateful. Xiao Mu felt there was no useful information to be gained. It was clear the hobgoblin kingdom had discovered their movements and set up an ambush here. They just didn''t know who their enemy was or where they came from. "Any movements from the hobgoblin kingdom?" Xiao Mu asked Snazzle, not expecting an honest answer, given Muckmire''s precedent. "No movements. We were just ordered to defend here. The king suspects it''s the work of some major power and doesn''t dare to act rashly." Losing a son and still swallowing their pride, these hobgoblins were really cowardly. "Where is the hobgoblin kingdom?" Xiao Mu asked again, verifying the truth of Snazzle''s words. "Under a lake to the north. The lake is actually a barrier created by hobgoblin technology. The real hobgoblin kingdom is beneath it," Snazzle answered truthfully. Unlike Muckmire, he wasn''t willing to die for the kingdom. Cooperation was his best chance at survival. Xiao Mu was surprised by the honesty. Since Snazzle was so cooperative, they would take him back and let Alex decide his fate. Chapter 192 - 192: Alexs plan Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui led the undead into the hobgoblin royal city (old), finding that there weren''t many hobgoblin guards inside¡ªonly a few hundred, specifically tasked with managing the city''s defenses. Most of these hobgoblins were Standard level, likely because all the Commanding level ones were piloting the iron beasts. With just these hobgoblins, they couldn''t gain much experience, and the rest were just civilians. These hobgoblin civilians were dressed in rags and looked emaciated, clearly having a hard life. They were probably abandoned when the hobgoblin kingdom relocated. Seeing Xiao Mu and the others, the civilian hobgoblins knelt and begged for mercy, not daring to resist. Although they desperately needed experience points, Xiao Mu and the others didn''t slaughter these civilians. They made their way to the hobgoblin kingdom''s palace, which was less luxurious than the stables of Undead City. It was likely a difference in aesthetic taste due to their different races. Inside the palace, they found a hidden puppet king, thanks to Snazzle''s tip. As for whether there were any useful supplies in the city, there were none¡ªnot even a single hair. Disappointed, Xiao Mu and the others returned with Snazzle. Although they gained fewer experience points than expected, they did acquire two Monarch level combatants, which was a decent haul. When the siblings and the undead returned, the task of reporting naturally fell to Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. Arthur was too large to enter the palace. Xiao Mu initially thought of contacting Alex directly, but then realized it didn''t matter whether Snazzle lived or died; they would bring the body back anyway. Upon arriving in Undead City, Snazzle was utterly despairing. This city was undoubtedly more grand and powerful than their hobgoblin royal city. Even with Arthur and Riven gone, leaving only Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, Snazzle didn''t dare resist. Of course, his staff had been confiscated, rendering him unable to use any magic. The siblings escorted him to the deepest part of the palace. Inside, Azure was reporting on the situation in Emerald Hills to Alex. Alex was delighted to learn that Azure had advanced to Monarch level. Unexpectedly, the first Race King to reach Monarch level wasn''t Arthur but Azure. John was also close to advancing, and after him, it would be Arthas and Crane. Alex examined Azure''s new Monarch level abilities, noting enhancements to his soul attacks and curses, with his domain power following the same theme. Notably, as the specter king, Azure could now summon his subjects after advancing to Monarch level. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex was already looking forward to the other Race Kings'' performances after their advancements. At this moment, Alex saw Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui entering the hall, dragging one dead and one alive hobgoblin. Snazzle froze upon seeing Alex. "It''s you!" Snazzle recalled the painful experience of being beaten on the snowy mountain. If this girl hadn''t taken the Godhead, he might have died. Alex was puzzled: "Do I know you? You''ve seen me before?" Alex couldn''t remember the faces of hobgoblins¡ªthey all looked equally ugly to her. "Snowy mountain." "Oh, it''s you!" Alex suddenly realized. It was the hobgoblin Shaman who had escaped from the snowy mountain. "Did you kill the Monarch levels of the human race, werewolves, and blood clan?" "They''re dead, and I''m alive. What do you think?" Alex replied dismissively, then turned to Xiao Mu, who quickly recounted their journey. After Azure finished his report, he returned to Emerald Hills through the portal. "No worries. Two Monarch level corpses are still a gain, and Sophie will be taking action tonight. If we capture Rockhammer City, we''ll have plenty of resources," Alex said nonchalantly. Since the hobgoblin kingdom had relocated, the old city was bound to be devoid of resources. The unexpected gain of two Monarch levels was a pleasant surprise. Snazzle was shocked by Alex''s words and became agitated. "What do you mean, two corpses? I''ve been so cooperative, and you still want to kill me? I can help you take down the hobgoblin kingdom. Please, spare me..." Before Snazzle could finish, he was completely frozen, and Xiao Mu quickly let go. "Who needs your help?" Alex remarked, deeming Snazzle less useful than summoning an undead. "Kill him," Alex instructed the siblings. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui exchanged a glance, and Xiao Mu spoke first. "You do it. You should be the one to advance to Monarch level first." Xiao Hui understood her brother''s intentions and didn''t waste time with thanks. She formed a spear from dark energy and pierced Snazzle. Xiao Mu watched expectantly, but Xiao Hui didn''t level up. Xiao Hui''s experience points were shared with Alex. Subjects killing enemies still granted Alex experience points, but not when subjects'' troops did the killing. Soon, the two Monarch level corpses were summoned: one reaper guard and one necromancer. Alex had a slight obsession with symmetry, and having just one reaper guard felt off. Now, with two, it felt much better. "So, what''s next?" Xiao Mu asked Alex, disappointed that neither of them had leveled up. Both were at level 9 Commanding level and had hoped at least one of them would advance. "Rest for today. Tomorrow, when the dwarves capture Rockhammer City and we have resources to build an undead fortress, we can launch an attack on the hobgoblin kingdom," Alex replied. She planned to establish undead fortresses not only in the southern hobgoblin kingdom but also in Emerald Hills, Barren Plains, and Rockhammer City. The nearby fortresses would serve to protect Undead City. After all, the number of undead was constantly increasing, and they couldn''t have millions of undead crowding around the city, blocking the roads, and leaving no room to move. "Alright, we''ll wait then," Xiao Mu agreed. There was no rush. The hobgoblin kingdom didn''t know who their enemy was and still believed their kingdom was well-hidden, though it had already been discovered. "Let''s go eat. Are you joining us?" Xiao Hui asked. "Go ahead, I''m not hungry," Alex shook her head. Xiao Hui dragged Xiao Mu towards the dining hall, where the dark elves began preparing lunch for them. As Xiao Hui pulled him away, Xiao Mu complained, "Seriously, can''t you have some ambition? All you think about is eating!" Chapter 193 - 193: Successful ambush [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] A strange red moon hung high overhead on a clear, cloudless night. On the continent of Arsen, in Grimstone. Durin led a group of raggedly dressed dwarves away from Grimstone. They looked disheveled and hurried, with Durin carrying a bundle on his back that jingled with the sound of metal clinking in the silent night. Two hours after Durin and his group left, a dwarf cavalry unit of three thousand set off in pursuit in the same direction. Balin didn''t know Rockhammer City, but Durin had given him precise directions. All he had to do was follow them, and he would eventually encounter the fortress guards of Rockhammer City. The distance between the two guard fortresses was quite far, but Durin was still spotted by the fortress guards as he passed by. At night, the scout eagles'' vision was limited, so Durin deliberately exposed his whereabouts to the dwarves in the guard fortress. The dwarves on the fortress noticed the situation. Since Grimstone had long fallen, and these dwarves were fleeing from that direction, they couldn''t afford to ignore it. The lead dwarf quickly relayed the information, but before long, he saw a dwarf cavalry unit approaching from the southeast. "Attention, enemy attack!" The fortress leader was shocked. Rockhammer City''s defenses were thin, relying mainly on these guard fortresses in the south. They couldn''t let any enemies through. The fortress leader quickly organized the fortress''s dwarf troops, relayed the information again, and prepared to leave the fortress to meet the enemy. He never expected the extraterrestrial visitors ruling Grimstone to dare launch an attack on them. Soon, over two thousand dwarf cavalry were ready. The leader opened the fortress gates, and the dwarves on the fortress wall began adjusting their cannons, aiming at the enemy. Rockhammer City was known for its stout ponies, and all the dwarf mounts were these ponies. In contrast, Balin''s side had a mix of various beasts, looking more intimidating. Balin wasn''t foolish. He knew the enemy would intercept them, so he wouldn''t stupidly enter the range of the fortress cannons. "Charge! Don''t let those traitors cross Fortress Three!" The fortress leader swung his warhammer, and the two thousand dwarf cavalry charged at the enemy. As the dwarves closed in, the front-line dwarves pulled out their muskets. Bang! Bang! Bang! Countless sparks lit up the night. Balin''s troops held round shields in front of them, protecting their vital areas. Despite this, some were unlucky enough to get hit, but the spherical bullets only sparked against their armor. The dwarves of Fortress Three didn''t know that the front-line dwarves were wearing Commanding level gear, making them impervious to mere muskets. As for the beasts, such minor injuries didn''t affect them. Chi Chi''s beasts had been enhanced by Alex, with the lowest level being lv5 Standard. They were massive and incredibly fast. Balin''s troops also pulled out muskets to retaliate. After capturing Grimstone, they had acquired a lot of loot, so their equipment was no worse than the enemy''s. Before the two sides even clashed, casualties had already occurred, with Fortress Three''s leader suffering more losses. Soon, the two sides collided, engaging in a chaotic melee. The fortress leader realized that the enemy was not only well-trained but also superior in equipment, mounts, and numbers. This was completely different from the reports of Grimstone''s defenders being mere civilians. These civilians'' combat prowess shattered his expectations. Moreover, the enemy leader was clad in Commanding level gear, matching his own strength. The fortress leader could only hope for reinforcements from other fortresses to arrive quickly, or they were doomed. Behind them, Fortress Three was already ablaze, thick smoke signaling the enemy''s presence to other fortresses and Rockhammer City. Meanwhile, Durin saw Rockhammer City on the horizon. He quickly smeared mud on his face and ran towards the city in a panic. Rockhammer City''s city lord, Bofur, had just received news from Fortress Three when his troops reported someone approaching the city. "Lord, those suspicious dwarves are here!" "Hmph." Bofur snorted, getting up and heading to the wall. He had been woken up in the middle of the night, and anyone would be annoyed. On the wall, Bofur saw a group of disheveled dwarves running towards them in a panic. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Refugees?" Soon, Durin reached the base of the wall, ignoring the muskets aimed at them by the dwarf troops, and began to wail. "Honorable leader, please take us in! We escaped from Grimstone and have important information. Their pursuers are right behind us! We must report to the city lord!" Durin and the other dwarves prostrated themselves, repeatedly kowtowing. With mud on their faces and the dim light, Bofur couldn''t see their features clearly. "I am the city lord here. You say you escaped from Grimstone. How can you prove it?" Bofur''s cold voice came from the wall. Suddenly, a dwarf scout hurried over, and Bofur saw the distant fire and smoke. "Lord." The scout handed a letter to Bofur without saying much. After reading it, Bofur''s eyes turned cold. The enemy had indeed attacked! "Tell me everything you know!" Bofur demanded, signaling a scout beside him, who immediately left to relay the message. "Honorable city lord, Grimstone, under the extraterrestrial visitors, plans to overthrow the clan. They started mobilizing, and we learned of their plan early, so they came out before they were fully prepared. There''s a Monarch level in the city, 30K troops, and various weapons. We must be cautious." Durin reported, and Bofur''s face grew colder, realizing the gravity of the situation. As Durin finished, Bofur turned to leave. In such a critical moment, why would he take in a few refugees? Their lives meant nothing to him. Seeing Bofur about to leave, Durin''s next words stopped him. "Lord, I have Prince Nori''s weapon on my back. I risked my life to steal it from the city, and that''s why they''re chasing us." A Monarch level set of armor was invaluable, especially Prince Nori''s. "Throw it up here!" Bofur intended to retrieve it without letting them in. If they refused, he would kill them. Durin remained calm. "Lord, you must take us in. The armor is too heavy, and the wall is too high. I can''t throw it up." Durin dropped the bundle, revealing the blue-white armor and distinctive weapon. Seeing this, Bofur decided to go out and retrieve the equipment himself, to ensure there was no trickery. His dwarf troops couldn''t handle it, but as a Monarch level, he had no such concerns. The gate creaked open, and Bofur, dressed in animal skins, stepped out. Durin and the other dwarves kept their heads down, not moving. "Lord, the breastplate seems damaged. Take a look." Durin offered the breastplate with both hands. Bofur took it, noting the severe damage but still usable. "This is the leg armor, this is the arm guard, and this is the helmet." Durin handed over each piece, helping Bofur inspect the armor. Nori''s armor was a full set with many parts, and Bofur checked to ensure nothing was missing. "Finally, this is the weapon." Durin suddenly lunged. Bofur looked up to see Durin wielding a hammer crackling with electricity, swinging it towards him. Boom! Caught off guard, Bofur was struck with Durin''s full force, sent flying, and killed instantly without his armor. Chapter 194 - 194: Conquer Rockhammer City The dwarves of Rockhammer City were stunned by the sudden turn of events, caught completely off guard. Durin saw Bofur get flung away but wasn''t sure if he was dead. He quickly moved in to finish him off, then rushed towards the still-open city gate. Bofur, until his dying breath, never imagined that the supposed refugee was actually a Monarch level. He didn''t even have time to release his domain before Durin''s sneak attack killed him. Bang! Bang! The dwarves, snapping out of their shock, immediately opened fire, but such attacks were useless against Durin. He activated his domain, blocking all the shots, and charged into the city. Uncertain if there were other Monarch levels in the city, Durin quickly began donning Nori''s Monarch level armor, which was why he had brought it along. The other dwarves disguised as refugees were all Commanding level and followed Durin into the city. Rockhammer City descended into chaos. Many warriors and officials were roused from their sleep, gathering their forces and rushing towards the wall to desperately hold off the enemy. This was Rockhammer City, the logistical hub of the Silverbeard Clan. It couldn''t be lost! Soon, dwarves from within the city rushed towards the gate. Durin stood on the wall, watching the approaching dwarves. As for the guards on the wall, he had already dealt with them. He observed the enemy''s movements and confirmed that the Silverbeard Clan couldn''t spare any more Monarch levels to defend Rockhammer City. As a noble, Durin was well aware of all the Monarch levels within the Silverbeard Clan. Seeing the enemy forces gathering, Durin remained calm, knowing that reinforcements were on their way. Looking back, the fire at Fortress Three had died down, indicating the crisis was over. The black smoke had turned white, signaling the enemy''s retreat, but reinforcements were still needed. "I am Durin of the Silverbeard Clan. Bofur conspired with other clans to rebel and has been slain by me. Do you also wish to rebel?" Durin shouted from the wall, throwing down a token. The leading dwarf officer below picked it up and examined it. The front bore the Silverbeard Clan''s emblem, and the back had Durin''s name. It was indeed a noble''s token, a symbol of their identity. The officer was momentarily at a loss, unsure of what to do. Rockhammer City, being an important city of the Silverbeard Clan, was naturally staffed entirely by nobles, making it unlikely for them to be swayed by Durin. However, while they were nobles, they weren''t the main branch and had no knowledge of Durin''s imprisonment. The Silverbeard Clan''s chieftain would never publicize such a family scandal. Only a few core members knew, and Bofur was one of them. But dead men tell no tales. The dwarf troops below also saw Durin''s token. The officer, being a direct subordinate of Bofur, knew Bofur couldn''t have conspired to rebel. But given the current situation, it was clear this was a conflict among the high nobles. With Bofur dead, Durin had won. Why should he offend a noble? "Leader, forgive us. We were unaware of City Lord Bofur''s conspiracy with other clans. Our loyalty to the Silverbeard Clan is as steadfast as rock. We are at your command!" The officer knelt on one knee, addressing Durin on the wall. The other dwarves followed suit. Seeing the officer submit, Durin relaxed his grip on his hammer. This was a smart man; otherwise, Durin would have killed him first. Durin''s subordinates were impressed by how easily he had stabilized the situation in Rockhammer City. One crucial reason was that Rockhammer City''s defenses were thin, with the main forces at the front lines. Otherwise, a city like Rockhammer would have at least three Monarch levels stationed. Meanwhile, at Fortress Three, Balin had won but didn''t occupy the fortress, fearing reinforcements from other fortresses. He immediately began to retreat. Balin''s forces reached the designated location and joined the 30K dwarf army waiting there, heading straight for Rockhammer City. Grimstone was left with 20K undead and necromancers to hold it. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives] S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sophie, who had stayed up all night in the castle, finally received a report from the dwarves: Rockhammer City had been successfully captured! Excited, Sophie immediately sent a message to Alex, sharing the good news. Alex, just waking up, saw Sophie''s message and knew they now had the materials to build the undead fortress. Alex hadn''t doubted the success of the Rockhammer City assault, given the 20K undead army and necromancers. Sophie and the dwarves had proven their capabilities, achieving a brilliant victory without the undead''s help. The next target was the hobgoblin kingdom. But before that, Alex wanted to experiment with the undead fortress''s features by building one outside Grimstone. This would also serve as a final line of defense for Sophie''s castle. Dismantling a fortress would return resources, but Essence Shards wouldn''t be refunded. So, the location of the first undead fortress had to be chosen carefully. After capturing Rockhammer City, they had seized a lot of loot. However, transporting all the resources to Sophie''s castle was a logistical challenge. "There''s so much stuff here. I don''t know when we''ll be able to move it all," Sophie sighed. The distance from Rockhammer City to Grimstone was several hours by bone dragon flight, and even longer for ground troops. The distance from Grimstone to Sophie''s castle was even greater. Alex thought for a moment and asked, "Doesn''t Rockhammer City have a teleportation array?" Sophie was taken aback. "I don''t know!" Alex slapped her forehead, almost forgetting that the dwarf clan''s teleportation arrays only connected to a fixed location and weren''t interconnected. Undead City also needed its own teleportation array! The Portal of Transit was too limited. While the undead fortress could also serve this purpose, it required carrying the fortress''s Essence Shard. "Too bad Ruby''s gone. Otherwise, I''d ask her for help." Ruby could use spatial magic, making teleportation arrays a simple task for her. Alex had asked her Dark Alchemy Warlocks if they could create teleportation arrays, but it was beyond their capabilities. "It looks like I''ll have to go myself." Alex couldn''t rely on the slow-moving undead ground troops from Grimstone. Plus, no one else could use her storage ring, so she had to handle it personally. Besides, there was a Monarch level corpse waiting for her to summon. Alex called all the Monarch level undead capable of using the Portal of Transit to help transport the resources, ensuring maximum efficiency. Alex and five Monarch level undead teleported to the White Rock Mountains, disappearing from Undead City. Chapter 195 - 195: Dont ask me, do what you think is right "Please have a seat, leaders. Here is today''s breakfast. Enjoy," said the dark elves as they served breakfast to the siblings. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu were surprised to find that Alex was not in the palace early in the morning. "Huh, where did Miss Alex go?" Xiao Hui wondered aloud. "Master left the palace with a few undead just before you two arrived," one of the dark elves explained helpfully to Xiao Hui. "She probably went to check on the situation in Arsen after capturing that dwarf city," Xiao Mu said nonchalantly as he ate his breakfast. Given their current progress, they could launch an attack on the hobgoblin kingdom by tomorrow or the day after. By noon, after nearly six hours of long-distance flight, Alex and a few undead finally arrived at Rockhammer City. The distance was quite far, and if not for the fast flying speed of Monarch levels, Alex estimated she wouldn''t have arrived until the afternoon. Alex landed inside Rockhammer City, where Durin and Balin hurried out to greet her. The dwarf garrison in Rockhammer City had already been subdued by the dwarf army Balin had brought. Durin knew that the news of Rockhammer City''s fall must have already reached the Silverbeard Clan. He had also informed the other two clans besieging the Silverbeard Clan, ensuring that the Silverbeard Clan would soon be in dire straits. Without logistical support, they wouldn''t last long. The first thing Alex did upon arriving was to summon Bofur''s corpse, turning him into a necromancer. Currently, necromancers were the most helpful to Alex. Then, under Durin''s guidance, Alex headed to Rockhammer City''s warehouse. Upon entering the warehouse, Alex was stunned by the sight before her. The room was filled with equipment materials, iron ingots yet to be forged into equipment, magic crystals, and Essence Shards, all neatly stacked in boxes. There were also stones polished for wall repairs. "One Silverbeard Clan is this wealthy. I can''t imagine what the other dwarf clans are like!" Alex exclaimed. And this was just one warehouse. Durin then led Alex to another warehouse. This warehouse contained heavy weaponry. It wasn''t full, and the cannons at the back were covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating they hadn''t been used in a while. The outer area showed signs of recent movement, likely taken to the front lines. In another section, boxes of cannonballs were stacked. Alex pried open a wooden box to inspect the contents. Besides the large spherical cannonballs, there were also special types of ammunition. "Ice charged crystals? Fire charged crystals?" Alex picked up a long crystal, feeling the strong elemental power within. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lord, these are ammunition for the charged cannons. They can be inserted into the weapon''s end, and the cannon will absorb the elemental power to unleash a powerful attack," Durin explained, seeing Alex''s curiosity. Alex turned to see the cannon Durin mentioned, which was indeed more advanced than the regular ones. These charged crystals weren''t consumables and could be recharged and reused. There were also some finished armor and weapons, including muskets. "And what''s this?" Alex asked, pointing to a hexagonal object covered in magical runes, filled with Essence Shards likely providing its energy. "Lord, this is the energy core for the city shield, probably a spare," Durin explained. Alex saw various other strange items, and Durin patiently explained each one, giving her a better understanding of the Silverbeard Clan''s technological level. Finding nothing immediately useful, Alex generously left these items for Durin to allocate, strengthening their forces. Durin was thrilled. With this equipment, aside from lacking top-tier combat power, he no longer feared the Silverbeard Clan. The sheer quantity of these items would be enough to give them a headache. There was also a third warehouse, much smaller than the first two, used to store food. The entire warehouse was filled with preserved meats and magically preserved greens. Although Alex was tempted to take the greens, she remembered her mission and couldn''t let food take up space in her ring. After a quick glance, Alex left the food for Durin''s dwarf army. "Lord, there''s also a place where books are stored. Would you like to take a look?" Durin suggested, while Balin looked puzzled. Why bother with books? Alex''s eyes lit up. "Let''s go." Inside, Alex found books filled with practical knowledge and techniques, not just dwarf history. There were books on crafting various weapons and armor, enchanting methods, and the integration of technology and magic, including taming beasts and weaving clothes. These books encompassed the entire Silverbeard Clan''s civilization. Alex guessed other clans had similar collections, possibly with different focuses. With these books, even ordinary dwarf artisans could become top-tier craftsmen. No wonder the clan kept these tightly controlled. Without external help, it was nearly impossible for commoners to successfully rebel. "Teleportation array?!" Alex exclaimed, finding a book on teleportation arrays. She thought it was fate, but the book was incomplete. The technology was similar to the teleportation array in Grimstone, allowing only one person to pass at a time, making it useless to Alex. "Never mind, I''ll take it back and see if someone can improve it," Alex said, putting the book in her space ring and leaving. She ordered Durin and his men to transport all the books, equipment, and food back to Grimstone, which would now be their main dwarf city. Alex and the undead began collecting the warehouse''s materials, quickly filling Alex''s ring. The necromancers and liches used Bone Magic to encase the boxes in bone, making them easier for the undead to carry. Before leaving, Durin briefed Alex on the current situation and asked about her next steps. Durin understood that the human girl before him was the true mastermind. The undead she commanded had grown even more powerful. Durin could sense that Alex had become stronger since their last meeting, and the undead with her were all Monarch level. It had only been a few days, yet the extraterrestrial visitors'' potential was terrifying, explaining why all races were hostile towards them. "Don''t ask me. Do what you think is right. I''ll support you and won''t interfere," Alex replied. It seemed the Silverbeard Clan would soon fall. Alex and the undead, carrying the crucial materials, headed south. By the time Alex returned to the city, it was already dusk. She had spent nearly a whole day traveling back and forth. Alex felt a bit embarrassed. Clearly, not having a teleportation array was a problem. As she entered the range of Sophie''s castle, Alex used the system''s one-click recovery feature to transfer the materials to the warehouse. "Finally, we can start building the undead fortress," Alex said. Chapter 196 - 196: Accelerate expansion and building an undead fortress Alex entered the palace and found Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui there. She initially thought they were waiting for her, but it turned out they were just there for dinner. "Miss Alex, how did things go?" Xiao Hui asked eagerly upon seeing Alex. "Everything went smoothly," Alex replied with a smile. Alex then flew to the top of the palace. In the twilight, the wind blew through her white hair, and her dress fluttered gently. She gazed out over the entire Undead City. Outside the palace, there were a few houses and facilities, but not many. To Alex, the city felt too large for its current population. The areas near the city walls were mostly empty, with only a few undead stationed there, making the place look desolate. Undead City, where the dead outnumbered the living, felt more like a ghost town. [Undead fortress construction materials: 100K units of wood, 200K units of stone, 50K magic crystals, 100K units of iron ingots, 100 Essence Shards.] These resources were a significant fortune. "Build!" Alex commanded. To her surprise, nothing happened in the empty space before her. She turned around and realized the construction was happening behind the palace. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui heard the commotion and joined Alex, watching the scene unfold behind the palace. Hundreds of Essence Shards floated in the air, and massive bones emerged from the ground, assembling like building blocks. A colossal circular structure slowly took shape, its outer walls towering as high as the walls of Undead City, reaching two-thirds the height of the palace. The walls, made entirely of bones, were eerily white and unsettling. Facing Alex was a skull gate, with a giant skull emitting black mist. The mist fell to the ground, obscuring the land beneath. Aside from the mist, the structure was a simple, flat-topped cylinder. Alex jumped down to inspect the interior, with the curious siblings following closely. Upon approaching the building, Alex realized it was even taller than she had imagined. There were eight doors, each adorned with a strange skull emitting black mist from its eye sockets. Alex walked through the mist, which felt comfortable to Xiao Hui but made Xiao Mu uneasy, despite not harming him due to his connection to Alex. As they reached the undead fortress, the doors opened automatically, revealing a dark barrier inside. Even with the doors open, they couldn''t see what lay beyond. Xiao Hui felt a bit scared, imagining monsters lurking behind the barrier. Alex didn''t hesitate. She touched the Dark Barrier, her hand passing through it, and then stepped inside, disappearing from the siblings'' view. They exchanged glances and followed her in. Inside, Alex found a separate space, like a small world filled with twisted black light and endless darkness. "This place has spatial properties!" Alex observed. She looked up to see only darkness and down to find her feet hidden in black mist. Before her stood a massive black portal, large enough for a zombie titan to pass through easily. The circular, smooth black walls were covered in strange runes, each missing a piece, losing their original charm. A black hexagonal crystal slowly emerged from the mist at her feet. Alex picked it up to examine it. [Item Name: Undead Fortress Essence Shard] [Item Level: None] [Feature: Constructs an undead fortress] [Supplementary Materials: 100K units of wood, 200K units of stone, 50K magic crystals, 100K units of iron ingots, 100 Essence Shards.] "So expensive, it''s the same as the main fortress''s construction materials," Alex noted. She clicked to supplement the materials, and the Essence Shard was encased in bones, forming a sphere that emitted a special glow, indicating it was fully charged. The usage was simple: click to build and throw it on the ground. The feature seemed singular, but the teleportation function alone was impressive and would be very useful to Alex. "Miss Alex, will our castle upgrade to a city and have something like this?" Xiao Hui asked curiously. "I don''t know. It''s unclear if this is a special reward or a standard upgrade feature," Alex replied. She couldn''t tell if the teleporting undead fortress was a unique system reward or a fixed upgrade reward. Other Lords might have hobgoblin fortresses, demon fortresses, or similar structures. "Let''s go. There''s nothing else here," Alex said, turning to leave. The siblings quickly followed. "It''s almost dark. I''ll build the first fortress Essence Shard at Grimstone to see its effect. When the second one refreshes tomorrow, we''ll prepare to attack the hobgoblin kingdom," Alex explained. She guessed the Essence Shard refreshed every twenty-four hours, like the Barracks. "Xiao Mu, could you take this to Grimstone and build it in a suitable spot? It''s fully charged," Alex handed the fortress Essence Shard to Xiao Mu, not wanting to make another trip herself. She planned to use the fortress''s teleportation to travel directly from Undead City. "Sure," Xiao Mu agreed, taking the Essence Shard. "Miss Alex, I want to go too!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, eager to see the dwarf city. "You both go," Alex said, watching the siblings enter the Portal of Transit to the White Rock Mountains. After greeting Sophie at her castle, the siblings, accompanied by an undead mount to guide them, set off north to Grimstone. The sky cleared, revealing the red moon as night fell. Alex waited patiently in the palace for them to build the undead fortress. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time: 10:00 PM Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui finally arrived at Grimstone. The city, once under noble rule, wasn''t as prosperous as Xiao Hui had imagined. Grimstone was silent at night, with only a few houses still lit. Durin and Balin had left with the dwarf army, leaving the city much quieter. The siblings didn''t enter the city but searched for a suitable spot to build the undead fortress. "The area around here is all grassland. It feels the same no matter where we build it," Xiao Hui muttered. "Let''s build it south of Grimstone, within sight but not too close, so we can quickly support it," Xiao Mu suggested. "Sounds good. I was thinking the same," Xiao Hui agreed. They moved south until Grimstone looked as small as an egg in the distance. Xiao Mu took out the fortress Essence Shard, opened the system dashboard, and clicked to build, then casually tossed the Essence Shard to the ground. They flew into the sky, away from the Essence Shard''s location. The bones encasing the Essence Shard shattered, and the core emitted a green glow. A massive magic circle appeared, and a bone fortress began to rise from it. The fortress, a hexagonal structure with walls and everything inside made of bones, was larger than the siblings had expected. Compared to the dwarf guard fortresses, this undead fortress was even bigger, covering one-fifth of Grimstone''s area. The six walls had no gates, but each corner where two walls met had a round turret, six in total. Each turret had battlements and eerie cannon muzzles connected to them. The fortress''s interior was simple, with a tall undead tower at its center. The tower''s peak held the undead fortress''s Essence Shard, forming a transparent, slightly dark barrier. The Essence Shard at the top not only provided defense but also acted as a defense tower, automatically attacking nearby enemies. The siblings landed on the bone wall, which looked fragile but was incredibly sturdy. Each turret''s top had a black triangular flag, whose purpose they couldn''t discern but believed wasn''t just decorative. The undead tower''s base, the fortress''s interior, was also a hexagonal structure. Five of its walls had black teleportation arrays, with only one wall serving as an entrance. The five teleportation arrays were angled to maximize their passage area. The floor inside the fortress was also covered in bones, with stairs leading up the six walls. "This fortress is so eerie. Why is there so much empty space inside?" Xiao Hui wondered. Wouldn''t it be strange without other facilities? "Undead don''t need fancy stuff. Their mission is probably just war. Do you want them to build houses inside?" Xiao Mu retorted, using the time to contact Alex. Receiving the message, Alex entered the main fortress in Undead City. She noticed that one of the runes on the walls, previously missing a piece, was now complete and glowing green. "I see, building an undead fortress activates a rune," Alex realized. The massive teleportation gate lit up, and she walked through it. Chapter 197 - 197: This fortress isnt a building; its an undead As the teleportation gate activated, the five gates within the fortress began emitting black mist, and Alex''s figure appeared before the siblings. Alex started examining the fortress. Setting aside other features, the space was vast and spacious, capable of accommodating 30K small-sized undead without any issues. With her highest level of access, Alex could gather more information than the siblings. She first went to the turrets to inspect the undead cannons. These cannons were integrated with the turrets, immovable, and could only fire from the fixed battlements, though their angles could be adjusted. "Strange, how do they fire without ammunition?" Alex wondered aloud. "Don''t tell me I have to make the ammo myself. If that''s the case, these cannons are useless." Wait, Alex noticed a hole at the back of the cannon. Could it be that undead were supposed to crawl inside and be used as ammunition? That seemed absurd. Each turret had six undead cannons, which Alex temporarily called scatter cannons. In contrast, the opposite turret had only one massive cannon, several times larger than any cannon Alex had seen before. This time, there was no hole at the back but rather at the top. If it were to load Skeleton Soldiers, it could fit at least ten at a time. Alex dubbed it the big cannon. The scatter cannons and big cannons were alternately arranged, meaning three turrets had scatter cannons and three had big cannons. From a functional perspective, Alex found the undead fortress quite impressive. She planned to notify the 20K undead army at Grimstone to station here, avoiding scaring the dwarf civilians outside Grimstone. "Miss Alex, what powers this fortress? I remember most facilities use Essence Shards for energy, but I can''t find any here," Xiao Hui asked, puzzled by the undead Essence Shard at the tower''s peak. Her question reminded Alex that there should be a place to insert the Essence Shards. "Miss Alex, there''s another room near the teleportation gate!" Xiao Hui shouted, pointing out the sixth wall, which wasn''t a teleportation array. Alex jumped down from the wall and walked over to investigate. The siblings watched as Alex entered. They had tried to enter before but were denied access due to insufficient permissions. Alex expected to find a place for Essence Shards but found the room empty, save for a floating blue flame. "Soul Fire? How is this possible?!" Alex exclaimed. She discovered she could access the system dashboard here, but it only had one feature. Alex quickly left the room, looking shocked. The siblings were confused, not understanding what she had seen. "I understand why it doesn''t need Essence Shards for energy. It''s because it has a soul!" Alex explained. "This undead fortress isn''t a building; it''s an undead!" "What? This huge thing is an undead?" Xiao Hui''s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Alex had seen its mana value, a whopping thousand points. Even with the shield constantly active, its Mana Points regenerated faster than they were consumed. So the shield could stay up indefinitely unless under heavy attack or shattered by a powerful blow. "If it''s an undead, it makes sense. All its energy comes from its own Mana Points, so it doesn''t need external sources," Alex continued. The system dashboard feature she saw was the ability to self-destruct the fortress, transforming it into an undead. Such a massive fortress being an undead was unimaginable. Self-destructing the undead fortress to transform it into an undead was a last-resort measure, as it would waste a significant amount of resources. Alex hoped never to use this ability unless absolutely necessary. Now, Alex was more convinced that this was a unique feature for her. Other structures might have similar teleportation abilities, but nothing quite like this. "By the way, you two should try passing through the teleportation gate," Alex suggested, concerned that the gate might be exclusive to undead. As the Undead Queen, she had no issues, but it would be problematic if Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui couldn''t pass. "Alright, I''ll give it a try," Xiao Mu volunteered, walking towards the gate and passing through without hesitation. It seemed to work, possibly because they were Alex''s subjects or because the undead fortress, having a soul, could determine who could pass. "Let''s head back," Alex said, and Xiao Hui followed her through the gate. Their vision spun, and they found themselves in the main fortress of Undead City. The teleportation experience was far superior to the Portal of Transit. It was getting late, and the three decided to call it a night. Back at the palace, Alex gave her orders. "Tell Arthas to summon as many skeleton archers as possible with all the liches," Alex instructed. "Yes, Master," a dark elf replied. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The skeleton archers would be stationed at the undead fortress, providing long-range attacks from the walls. This was currently the most efficient ranged unit Alex could mass-produce. Alex had seen liches summon a batch of skeleton archers before and realized their necessity now. She planned to learn more about the liches'' Skeleton Magic to see what other undead variants they could create. After a bath, Alex slipped into bed, enjoying the improved facilities of the palace, including hot water for bathing. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] The next morning, Alex received more good news: John had advanced to Monarch level. Arthas and Crane had also reached level 7 Commanding level, indicating they would soon advance to Monarch level as well. Including the newly advanced Azure and John, Alex now had twenty Monarch level undead. From the information obtained from Muckmire, the hobgoblin king wasn''t at King level, so Alex had no concerns. A force of twenty Monarch level undead was more than enough to annihilate the hobgoblin kingdom. With nothing pressing to do, Alex joined the siblings for breakfast. "Miss Alex, after we conquer the hobgoblin kingdom, we should be able to advance to Monarch level, right?" Xiao Hui asked, already looking forward to her advancement. "It shouldn''t be a problem. Once the fortress Essence Shard refreshes at dusk, we''ll launch the attack on the hobgoblin kingdom. By the way, any movements from their side?" Alex inquired, having left the monitoring of the hobgoblin kingdom to the siblings. "No movements. It''s been eerily quiet, as if the old city has nothing to do with them," Xiao Mu replied, finding the hobgoblins'' behavior cowardly. Either that, or they were hiding something under the shield. Despite the heavy losses and the fall of their royal city, the hobgoblins had shown no reaction. In reality, the hobgoblin king had been terrified since learning about the snowy mountain incident, losing sleep every night, fearing retribution. With the Monarch levels of the three races dead and only the hobgoblin Monarch level surviving, the snowy mountain incident remained a mystery. The hobgoblin king couldn''t provide an explanation, adding to the tension. The complex power dynamics of the Eldoria continent left the weak hobgoblins in a precarious position. If they were on the Arsen continent, they might have thrived, but their weakness prevented them from relocating. The nearest power was the mage association''s branch, and the hobgoblin king worried daily about the human mages causing trouble. Living under the barrier, the hobgoblin kingdom was timid and cautious. However, the mage association had no interest in them, only wanting to investigate the snowy mountain incident. They knew the hobgoblin kingdom lacked the strength and courage for such actions. The hobgoblins'' relocation of their royal city only increased the mages'' suspicion, as humans were known for their cunning and distrust. At dusk, the main fortress refreshed another fortress Essence Shard. Alex, standing in the black mist, held the hexagonal shard and charged it with resources. "Finally, we can start the operation," Alex said, leaving the main fortress. She planned to place the fortress Essence Shard directly under the hobgoblin kingdom''s barrier, allowing the undead to confront the hobgoblins head-on and test the fortress''s offensive capabilities. As Alex exited the main fortress, she checked the system dashboard for the time, and a sudden message popped up. [Your lv1 Monarch level necromancer has been killed by an enemy angel!] What the hell??? Her Monarch level troop had been killed, and by an angel, no less? Chapter 198 - 198: Alex vs Two-Winged Angel Alex currently had four necromancers stationed in Rockhammer City, Emerald Hills, White Rock Mountains at Sophie''s castle, and with Chi-Chi. Emerald Hills and Sophie''s location were secure, and Alex would receive immediate updates from them. Chi-Chi had mentioned that her area was a desert and very safe. Could it be Rockhammer City? But why would there be angels in Rockhammer City? A sense of foreboding washed over Alex. Sure enough, the system''s voice chimed in again, confirming her fears. [Big Boobs]: "Big Shot, please help Chi-Chi! We''re under attack by a powerful enemy!" Alex immediately flew towards the Portal of Transit, sending an Alliance invitation to Luca and replying. [Hamburger]: "Where''s Chi-Chi? Why didn''t she contact me herself?" Luca quickly accepted the Alliance invitation and responded. [Big Boobs]: "She was worried the enemy was too strong and didn''t want to risk your safety. She refused to ask for help, so I..." Luca''s message abruptly ended. The siblings saw Alex flying towards the Portal of Transit. "Miss Alex, where are you going?" Xiao Hui asked, puzzled. Weren''t they supposed to attack the hobgoblin kingdom? Alex took ten seconds to briefly explain the situation to them before turning back to the Portal of Transit. "Leader, wait! This is too unusual. She didn''t contact you herself, but had someone else do it. Could she be captured, and the enemy is luring you into a trap?" Xiao Mu cautioned Alex. Alex considered it for a moment but deemed it unlikely. Luca had previously helped her gather intelligence for Chi-Chi, and they were family. Betraying Alex would mean betraying Chi-Chi. Besides, Alex had the Life Link passive skill, making her nearly invincible. Xiao Mu didn''t know this, which was why he tried to stop her. "Take this," Alex said, tossing the charged fortress Essence Shard to Xiao Mu. "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. Stick to the original plan and attack the hobgoblin kingdom. I''ll be back soon!" Alex''s figure disappeared into the Portal of Transit. When Alex reappeared, the scene before her left her stunned. She was in a vast desert, barren and devoid of greenery. The night air was cold, and even Alex felt a chill. She didn''t know the name of this place or which continent it was on, as she had never asked Luca. Alex quickly flew out of the Portal of Transit, finding herself amidst ruins. Except for the castle before her, everything else had collapsed. A holy, two-winged angel hovered in the night sky, radiating a sacred golden light. He looked at Alex as she emerged from the Portal of Transit. Below, a group of Templar Knights battled the undead, likely summoned by the necromancer. But the undead were no match for the Templar Knights and were nearly wiped out. Where were Luca and Chi-Chi? Alex scanned the area but saw no sign of them. "Are you looking for them?" a Templar Knight sneered, holding an unconscious Chi-Chi and a severely injured Luca. He threw them to the ground and stepped on Luca. The Templar Knight gripped his cross sword, ready to kill Luca. The angel in the sky ignored Alex and flew towards the castle''s top floor, clearly well-informed about the extraterrestrial visitors. Fuck! Alex''s eyes glowed red and blue, and she vanished from her spot. She reappeared before the Templar Knight, swinging a black scythe and decapitating him in one swift motion. The knight didn''t even have time to react before he was dead. In the brief moment Alex saved Luca, the angel was already looking down at her from above, holding a red crystal¡ªLuca''s castle crystal! Before Alex could move, the angel crushed the crystal without hesitation. "Save... save Chi-Chi..." Luca, on the brink of death, pleaded with Alex to take Chi-Chi away. As the castle began to shake, Luca''s life force faded completely. Alex''s face darkened as she glared at the angel above. The surrounding Templar Knights encircled her. Alex unleashed her Death Domain, instantly killing all the Commanding level Templar Knights around her. The angel''s expression turned cold upon seeing Alex''s domain, and he launched an attack. Alex, wielding her scythe, charged at the angel. Holy Light Domain clashed with Death Domain, light and dark intertwining. Alex could feel that the angel''s strength was on par with hers, if not higher. Their battle created a vortex, sending sand flying. As Alex was pushed back, her left eye flashed black, and several invisible curse spells shot towards the angel. The angel, seemingly able to see the attacks, enveloped himself in golden light, dispelling the curses. The angel''s holy light could purify Alex''s curse and plague magics, rendering them ineffective. He then spread his wings, raised his holy sword, and gathered all the golden light into the blade, forming a beam that reached the sky. The angel swung his holy sword at Alex. She didn''t choose to defend; only her dark magic could counter the holy light. Alex spun her scythe, creating a massive arc of black flames, like a crescent moon, and met the angel''s attack head-on. However, the angel''s attack wasn''t completely nullified, only dimmed. In contrast, Alex''s attack was cut through, forcing her to use Dark Barrier to block the remaining force. Alex couldn''t believe that an angel a few levels higher could be this powerful, even with her scythe''s attribute boost. She decided to change her strategy. Several massive ice dragons appeared behind her, and with a wave of her left hand, they shot towards the angel. The angel dodged the ice dragons with ease, shattering them with a single swing of his sword. To him, elemental magic was no match for holy light. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But as the ice dragons shattered, they turned into countless ice crystals, slowing the angel''s movements. He tried to dispel them with holy light but found it slower than dispelling darkness. Alex noticed this. It seemed the angel''s holy light wasn''t omnipotent. Her right eye turned icy blue, and numerous magic circles appeared around the angel. As he dodged an ice dragon, a blue magic circle behind him released an ice chain. The angel dodged again, only to find another magic circle above him. He teleported away, escaping the attack range. The angel, cold-faced, was about to relax when magic circles appeared on all sides, completely surrounding him. Ice chains shot out from every circle, threatening to freeze him instantly. The magic circles were interconnected, preventing him from using holy light to escape. A golden transparent barrier appeared, enveloping the angel. The ice chains struck relentlessly, the air thick with ice elements, assaulting the angel''s barrier. Inside, the angel''s holy light was rapidly depleting. At this point, it was a battle of Mana Points. But the angel couldn''t dispel the ice elements as fast as Alex could generate them. Suddenly, all the magic circles stopped attacking and merged into a single blue sphere, rapidly shrinking. Not good! The angel''s pupils contracted. Boom! A muffled explosion sent a blue shockwave outward, and the angel was completely frozen. Alex summoned countless ice pillars to reinforce the seal. "Hu..." Alex panted heavily, her head aching. She released her grip on her left arm. This angel excelled in close combat, and his holy light magic was stronger than Alex''s dark magic, putting her at a disadvantage. But if her dark magic were stronger, she would have had the upper hand. Unexpectedly, high-level Frost Magic proved to be very powerful, even more so than her current dark magic, with the added ability to seal. "It''s just too mana-intensive. Now I understand why mages are so strong," Alex mused. For a Monarch level, casting high-level magic consumes too much mana, which is far beyond what a Monarch level can withstand. The angel, connected to the ice pillars, remained suspended in mid-air, sealed. Alex didn''t pay him any more attention and flew down to the unconscious Chi-Chi. Chapter 199 - 199: Miss Alex... is that you? Alex knelt beside Chi-Chi, checking her breathing. It was faint. Chi-Chi had no visible wounds, but Alex, though not an expert in soul magic, had some understanding of souls. She guessed that Chi-Chi''s soul had been damaged. "I''m too late," Alex murmured, cradling Chi-Chi in her arms. Chi-Chi seemed to sense Alex''s warmth, her fingers twitching slightly, but she remained unconscious. Chi-Chi had likely been struck by the angel''s holy light, an attack that, like Alex''s dark magic, directly harmed the soul. Ironically, angels would call it soul purification. Alex''s escape route was cut off, surrounded by ruins in the desert. The angel had destroyed the castle crystal to prevent Alex from fleeing, but hadn''t anticipated losing to her. Despite the dire situation, Alex didn''t panic. She knew that if she could leave the desert and find a Lord, she could easily return to Undead City. Among the ruins, Alex saw the bodies of Luca''s other allies, including a middle-aged man who bore a resemblance to Chi-Chi. They were all dead, with no chance of survival. "Sigh," Alex sighed, realizing that Chi-Chi''s family was gone, and she herself was in grave danger. Alex dug a large pit, placing the bodies inside and setting them ablaze. She then buried their ashes in the desert sand. "Rest in peace," she whispered. Next, Alex approached the ice-sealed angel. His golden eyes glared at her with fury. Alex raised her right hand, conjuring a black spear that pierced the angel through the ice. With the angel dealt with, Alex quickly gathered the scattered supplies and summoned the angel and Templar Knights as Reaper Guards. She then ordered the Reaper Guards to leave and await further commands elsewhere. Summoning Reaper Guards was practical; regular undead would draw too much attention, but Reaper Guards could hide in shadows and teleport to Alex when needed. Alex buried all traces of the battle under the desert sand, ensuring no one would know what had happened there. She hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back, donned a black robe from her ring, and used the red moon in the sky to orient herself before flying east. In Undead City, the siblings waited for hours, but Alex didn''t return. "Do you think something happened over there?" Xiao Hui asked, worried. Even attacking a castle shouldn''t take this long. "I''ll ask," Xiao Mu said, sending a message to Alex. "Leader, how''s it going? Is it resolved?" Alex quickly replied, "There''s a problem. They were all wiped out. I couldn''t save them, and my escape route is cut off. I can''t return to Undead City for now." Xiao Mu: "What about the enemy? How will you get back?" Alex: "I killed the enemy. Returning to Undead City isn''t an issue. I just need to find a Lord." Alex: "Don''t worry about me. Proceed with the attack on the hobgoblin kingdom as planned. You take command and focus on gaining strength." Xiao Mu: "Got it." Xiao Mu closed the chat interface. Xiao Hui, who had been peeking over his shoulder, understood the situation. "Those damn angels are so despicable. They destroyed the castle just as Alex got there. Now Miss Alex might not be back for days," Xiao Hui fumed. The distance between Lords wasn''t fixed. If lucky, Alex might find a Lord in a few hours and return. If unlucky, it could take a month. "Don''t worry. She took a huge risk to save a subject, showing she''s worth following," Xiao Mu reassured her. "I know. I just hate those native races," Xiao Hui grumbled. "When should we attack the hobgoblin kingdom? Now?" Xiao Hui asked. Xiao Mu checked the system time. It was past eleven at night. "Tomorrow. We need to inform Alex''s undead," Xiao Mu said. Although he had Alex''s orders, coordinating all the undead required the cooperation of the Monarch levels and Race Kings. "Alright, let''s get some sleep," Xiao Hui said, heading to her palace, leaving the matter to Xiao Mu. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] The next morning, the undead army was assembled outside the main fortress. Azure and John had returned from Emerald Hills. With four Monarch levels stationed at Sophie''s and Emerald Hills, all other Monarch levels were in Undead City. Including Azure and John, there were fifteen Monarch levels in Undead City. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the city square, the siblings and several undead gathered to plan the attack. Since a necromancer had died and none were stationed in the city, Xiao Mu arranged for a necromancer from Emerald Hills to switch places with one of the Monarch levels. "We''ll build the undead fortress as leader instructed, directly under the hobgoblin kingdom''s barrier. You all will provide cover," Xiao Mu explained to the undead. "Five stay behind, not enough, support," Azure''s ethereal voice suggested. Xiao Mu understood, meaning ten Monarch levels would fight, leaving five to guard the city, with reinforcements if needed. "Alright, let''s move out," Xiao Mu said decisively. "Arthur, carry them. Focus on advancing to Monarch level," Azure instructed Arthur. "And me," John added. As a newly advanced Monarch level, John could fly but was slower than a Commanding level bone dragon. Xiao Hui noticed Azure''s blue eyes glance at John. Arthur carried the siblings and John south, followed by Azure, Riven, and ten Monarch levels. The massive zombie titan, though a Monarch level, was too slow and stayed to guard Undead City. Meanwhile, Alex was growing frustrated. The desert was larger than she had imagined. She had flown all night without seeing the end, and there were no signs of life, let alone a Lord. Alex felt she might have flown in the wrong direction. Luca and his allies couldn''t have thrived in such a barren place. One direction must be closer to the desert''s edge. But having flown all night, she decided to continue east. Luca hadn''t had time to tell her anything before he died. "Ugh... cough..." Chi-Chi suddenly coughed and spat out blood. Alex quickly landed and gently laid Chi-Chi down. "Miss Alex... is that you?" Chi-Chi asked weakly. Alex noticed her forehead was burning, her face pale, and her lips bloodless. "It''s me. I''m here," Alex said, letting Chi-Chi lean against her arm. She used ice and fire magic to create water, which she floated to Chi-Chi''s lips with wind magic. But Chi-Chi only managed a few sips before vomiting violently, expelling blood and remnants of food. "Miss Alex... thank you... where''s the enemy... and my father and brother?" Chi-Chi asked, her voice growing weaker. Alex hesitated for a moment. "The enemy is dead. They''re all fine, but you''re seriously injured. You need to speak less. I''ll find a way to heal you." "Okay..." Chi-Chi nodded weakly, not asking further questions, and Alex sighed in relief. "I didn''t want... to trouble Miss Alex anymore..." Chi-Chi said dejectedly. She could sense her own injuries clearly, feeling as if her soul and body were rejecting each other. "Don''t say such nonsense," Alex replied, seeing Chi-Chi grow weaker. She quickly hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back and flew east, ignoring her Mana Points'' consumption. She needed to get out of the desert fast. "Miss Alex... that angel... he emitted a golden light... and all our troops died... I was hit by the light... and then I lost consciousness..." Chi-Chi explained weakly. Alex''s eyes narrowed. That was the angel''s domain. She was surprised that Chi-Chi, as a level 1 Commanding, had survived the angel''s domain. "That angel... was really strong... but... Miss Alex is the strongest... I didn''t expect even an angel... couldn''t beat Miss Alex..." "I want to become as strong as Miss Alex... those damn angels... I thought they were supposed to be good..." Alex responded absentmindedly, but internally, she was growing more concerned. Chi-Chi''s increasing chatter was not a good sign, as if she were experiencing a final burst of energy before the end. Alex sped up, flying east as fast as she could, disregarding her Mana Points'' depletion. She needed to leave the desert as soon as possible. Before she knew it, Chi-Chi had passed out again. Chapter 200 - 200: They dont need any strategy, just sheer numbers to overwhelm the enemy At Tara Plain, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, along with their undead forces, arrived at the location of the lake based on the intelligence they had gathered. "The real hobgoblin kingdom is hidden beneath this lake," Xiao Mu said gravely. "These hobgoblins must be really dumb. This is the most desolate place I''ve ever seen, and there''s a lake here? It''s like they''re begging to be discovered. What were these ugly hobgoblins thinking? It''s an insult to our intelligence," Xiao Hui couldn''t help but scoff. "Let''s see if we can get in. If not, we''ll break through by force," Xiao Mu suggested, walking over to inspect the area. However, being clueless about magic, he couldn''t discern anything. Xiao Mu couldn''t sense the barrier''s presence at all and was shocked when he actually touched the lake. He had expected to encounter the barrier immediately, but it seemed that without knowledge of magic, he couldn''t even detect it. In the end, it was the necromancer and lich who discovered the way to enter. The necromancer and lich looked at Xiao Hui. "We need dark elements." Xiao Hui nodded without hesitation. Although Xiao Mu''s light elements could achieve the same effect, both were undead, making dark magic more compatible. The necromancer and lich began casting spells together, and soon, a barrier appeared before them. "Attack," Xiao Hui commanded, gathering dark elements and punching the barrier. It cracked instantly, revealing a large opening. Before the hobgoblins inside could react, the siblings and their undead forces quickly entered. Inside the barrier, a city was under construction, nearing completion. Outside the city were numerous makeshift hobgoblin camps, complete with arrow towers and watchtowers. In the middle of these camps, a large bonfire burned, around which hobgoblins danced wildly. The basin was vast, large enough to build five cities simultaneously. The walls around it were dotted with caves, likely used for storage. In addition to the surface arrow towers and watchtowers, the high walls were lined with black ballistae. The defenses didn''t seem lax, but the hobgoblins'' relaxed demeanor betrayed their complacency. Long hidden under the barrier, they had let their guard down. The siblings and their undead forces descended through the barrier''s crack, landing steadily on the ground. The hobgoblins dancing around the bonfire froze, and the world seemed to fall silent. "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The hobgoblins panicked, grabbing their weapons and charging at the undead. Alarms blared throughout the basin. Arrow towers and watchtowers responded quickly, with magic and arrows flying towards the intruders. The ballistae on the walls also turned to target the enemies below. These attacks were nothing more than a nuisance to the undead. Besides the siblings, Arthur, and Riven, all the undead present were Monarch level. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were stunned as ten domains unfolded simultaneously. They had never seen such a sight. In an instant, all attacks were blocked, and the attacking hobgoblins were annihilated. Even the distant watchtowers, arrow towers, and ballistae were destroyed by massive bone spikes. Xiao Mu took out the fortress Essence Shard, clicked to build, and threw it onto a large patch of empty ground. A massive magic circle covered the earth, and a towering undead fortress emerged. In Undead City, a Monarch level Reaper Guard saw the second rune on the main fortress''s wall light up, indicating the undead fortress was complete. The Reaper Guard immediately commanded the undead army to charge into the main fortress, entering the massive black teleportation array. In the basin, countless undead of various types poured out from the five teleportation gates within the fortress. The siblings and several Monarch levels floated in the air, silently observing from behind the fortress. The hobgoblin guards outside the royal city were bewildered as a giant fortress suddenly appeared before them. Undead swarmed up the bone stairs inside the fortress, climbing the walls like locusts and jumping down. Flying undead emerged from the gates, taking to the skies. The undead fortress activated its shield upon appearing, and the central undead tower began its assault. The hobgoblins were stunned, watching in disbelief as the fortress spewed forth enemies. The hobgoblins'' response was slow compared to the undead. The royal city behind them was still mobilizing troops, while the scattered hobgoblins outside numbered only a few thousand, unable to match the relentless undead. Slow-moving skeletons climbed the turrets, using their bodies as cannonballs. The undead seemed to instinctively know how to operate the cannons. Inside the turrets, other battlements were filled with skeleton archers, their arrows glowing blue, enhanced by liches to be stronger than regular skeleton archers. The fortress automatically adjusted the cannons'' angles. Since the cannonballs were undead, accuracy wasn''t an issue. Boom! Boom! White cannonballs shot towards the hobgoblins'' rear. The skeletons'' bodies, though fragile compared to stronger beings, were incredibly tough to the hobgoblins. The big cannon and scatter cannons fired in unison, skeletons crashing into the hobgoblins. As they landed, Skeleton Soldiers and Skeleton Warriors wielding bone blades attacked the surrounding hobgoblins. The already faltering hobgoblin army fell into chaos, further disrupted by the airborne undead. The hobgoblins had no means of defense. The undead, fearless and relentless, poured from the fortress, jumping from the walls and flying out, quickly numbering in the tens of thousands. They advanced towards the hobgoblin royal city, overwhelming everything in their path. "This is terrifying. They don''t need any strategy, just sheer numbers to overwhelm the enemy." Xiao Hui exclaimed, her mouth agape in astonishment. "Maybe it''s a case of quantity turning into quality?" Xiao Mu suggested, equally shocked by the undead''s combat prowess. No wonder the Lord Alliance suffered heavy losses. The undead feared no death, and with so many liches and necromancers, the rate of summoning new undead outpaced the enemy''s ability to kill them. "We need to join the fight. Our goal is to advance to Monarch level. We can''t just stand here and watch. If the undead kill them all, what will we have left to kill?" Xiao Mu urged, feeling they needed to act before it was too late. The siblings, along with Arthur and Riven, joined the battle. Their mission was not just to destroy the hobgoblin kingdom but to advance to Monarch level. Azure, John, and the other Monarch level undead continued to observe from the air, their target being the hobgoblin kingdom''s Monarch levels. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside the undead fortress, a specter floated above the teleportation gates, monitoring the situation and determining if support was needed. Chapter 201 - 201: The authority of the Skeleton King In the hobgoblin royal city, inside a palace, the elderly hobgoblin king was trembling with fear. His legs shook uncontrollably. He had spent years living cautiously, always on edge, and now the first enemy to challenge him wasn''t a local superpower but an extraterrestrial visitor. And this enemy was incredibly powerful! "We must hold them off! Notify the other reinforcements immediately! Open the teleportation gates and have them come to our aid at once!" the elderly hobgoblin king commanded, his voice trembling as he addressed his sons and the kingdom''s nobles. They had goblin allies and guards from other cities. With the combined strength of the entire kingdom, how could they not defeat a single extraterrestrial visitor? Despite the sudden attack, the hobgoblin king, though panicked, didn''t believe his kingdom would fall. The hobgoblin kingdom had only been established for a few hundred years, making it the youngest and weakest kingdom on the chaotic continent of Eldoria. He knew a bit about the undead, but not much. Outside the city, as the tide of undead approached the hobgoblin royal city, the hobgoblins inside finally gathered and launched a counterattack. Dozens of iron beasts leaped from the walls. Unlike last time, there were not only beast-shaped ones but also towering iron giants and even flying iron beasts. The addition of these mechanical creatures disrupted the undead army''s advance. The iron beasts crushed and shattered swathes of undead, who then slowly revived. The defensive structures on the walls also began to retaliate against the undead below. Hobgoblins wielded bows and javelins, operated giant ballistae, and several hobgoblin shamans floated in the air. Hobgoblin berserkers led the charge, wearing makeshift armor, and with the support of iron beasts and city defenses, they managed to hold the undead at bay outside the city gates. The number of hobgoblins in the royal city was even greater than the siblings had imagined, and most were troops. The hobgoblins charging out now matched the undead in numbers. "Those iron beasts again!" Xiao Hui exclaimed. These iron beasts were a nightmare for anyone below Monarch level, nearly impossible to kill. Against these pseudo-Monarch level iron beasts, the undead struggled, falling wherever the iron beasts went. Xiao Mu thought perhaps only the zombie titan could contend with these iron beasts. But he soon realized he was wrong. "Soul Resonance!" Azure''s ethereal voice echoed across the battlefield. All the specters, upon hearing Azure''s command, simultaneously launched soul attacks. These attacks intertwined, creating a resonance that greatly amplified their power. Ding¡ª The normally silent soul attacks produced a piercing sound. Several iron beasts piloted by hobgoblins froze in place, ceasing all movement. Undoubtedly, the hobgoblins inside had perished. However, not all iron beasts were immobilized. The iron giants and flying iron beasts seemed to have more advanced features, equipped with devices to defend against soul attacks. Even so, the siblings were astonished. It was clear that only the Race Kings truly understood their race''s capabilities. If Xiao Mu were in command, he wouldn''t even know what abilities each undead had, let alone coordinate them effectively. "Holy fuck, aren''t these specters supposed to be scouts? How are they this powerful?" Xiao Hui was equally shocked. She had always thought specters were weak. In the sky, bone dragons pounced on the flying iron beasts, dragging them down to the ground. Tens of thousands of specters, ghost dragons, and death conquerors attacked the iron beasts. Soul defense was a hobgoblin weakness, and the sheer volume of soul and curse attacks overwhelmed the mechanical limits. Soon, the iron beasts began to fall under the undead onslaught. All the Monarch level liches, necromancers, and John simultaneously acted. The fallen hobgoblin corpses turned to bones, and soul flames began to gather in the air. Countless bones floated towards the soul flames, as if drawn by gravity, and soon a massive skeletal creature, comparable in size to the undead fortress and the hobgoblin royal city, emerged. The skeletal creature had no legs, its arms were grotesquely long, and its hands were larger than its head. A black mist swirled within its ribcage, enabling its movement, and its eye sockets burned with large red flames. Though it lacked a domain, its power surpassed that of a typical Monarch level. However, its range of activity was limited, and it couldn''t return to Undead City. It would guard the outskirts of the undead city. John, having reached Monarch level, unlocked the authority of the Skeleton King, making him the core summoner of this creature. The other liches and necromancers merely assisted. This sight shocked not only the hobgoblin royalty but also Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. These mysterious undead, how many more hidden abilities did they have? Amidst the tens of thousands of undead, the red skeletal creature stood out, its size nearly matching that of a city. "This is like a battlefield boss!" Xiao Hui was awestruck, and Xiao Mu gave her a light tap on the head. "Stop gawking. If the undead kill all the enemies, we won''t get any experience points!" The giant skeletal creature was indeed impressive, but summoning it came at a cost¡ªJohn and three other Monarch levels were nearly drained of Mana Points. However, with Azure present, the undead weren''t too worried. A Race King advancing to Monarch level was far stronger than a typical Monarch level undead. The giant skeletal creature slowly advancing towards the hobgoblin royal city. It crushed any resisting hobgoblins like ants, and even the iron giants seemed like slightly larger ants to it. The giant skeletal creature raised its massive hand, and several flaming skulls shot from its head towards the hobgoblin royal city. This attack was similar to John''s skill. Boom! Boom! Boom! The flaming skulls struck the hobgoblin royal city''s shield, causing the entire city to shake violently and creating massive ripples in the shield. Seeing this, the Monarch level hobgoblins on the wall could no longer sit still. They took to the air, flying down from the wall, knowing the city''s shield wouldn''t hold for long. Five Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans summoned a shield, and ghostly blue fire pillars shot towards the skeletal creature. The skeletal creature opened its mouth, unleashing a massive beam of blue and red light that obliterated the Shamans'' attacks. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The beam continued towards the royal city, causing the five Monarch level hobgoblins to panic. This creature was stronger than they had imagined. The hobgoblin second prince on the wall threw a device in front of the beam, creating a green shield that only held for a moment before shattering. However, it weakened the beam enough for the five Shamans to block it. This single skeletal creature was enough to break through the hobgoblin defenses, not to mention the tens of thousands of undead. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui watched, preparing to strike as the Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans fell. They were ready to finish them off and gain the experience needed to advance to Monarch level. Chapter 202 - 202: Was this the true strength of a kingdom? In the hobgoblin royal city, the teleportation array within the city began to glow green, and one by one, hobgoblin lieges emerged. They were all Monarch level, usually stationed to guard other hobgoblin cities. There were over twenty of them, representing the last reserves of the entire hobgoblin kingdom. Inside the palace, the elderly hobgoblin king received infuriating news. The goblins had betrayed them, seeking to establish their own kingdom and break free from hobgoblin rule! The aged hobgoblin king trembled with rage. Those filthy goblins chose this moment to rebel. Although the goblins were weak, they did have a few Monarch levels among them. The hobgoblins treated the goblins poorly: not allowing them into the city, using them as cannon fodder in battles, making them do hard labor, and not paying them while taking their females. And for this, they dared to rebel? Under normal circumstances, the hobgoblin king could easily suppress them, reminding them who their master was. But now was different. He decided to deal with them later. The hobgoblins didn''t need to rely on the goblins. Despite his anger, the hobgoblin king knew he had to focus on the immediate threat. Soon, the hobgoblin lieges charged out of the royal city and joined the battlefield. Along with the five Monarch level Shamans and the king''s sons, there were now thirty Monarch levels floating in the sky. The siblings'' faces changed at the sight. Thirty Monarch levels! This far exceeded their expectations. Was this the true strength of a kingdom? And this was just the weakest hobgoblin kingdom. Seeing this, Azure immediately led the undead into battle. Although John was out of mana, his combat strength remained, and he also joined the fight. With the Undead Queen absent, they couldn''t replenish their Monarch level forces by converting the enemy''s Monarch levels. Sensing the dire situation, the specter within the fortress quickly entered the teleportation array to return to Undead City and summon the remaining five Monarch levels. After killing a few Commanding level hobgoblins, Xiao Hui finally broke through her experience threshold. ... Meanwhile, after flying for two and a half hours since dawn, Alex finally left the desert. Beyond the desert was a rocky wasteland, but it wasn''t vast, and Alex could see an oasis on the horizon. "Finally out," Alex sighed. She regretted giving the fortress core to Xiao Mu; otherwise, she could have built a fortress and returned to the castle directly. Alex had flown for a day and a night, indicating the desert''s vastness. Despite its size, she hadn''t encountered a single Lord. She didn''t know if it was bad luck or something else. Soon, Alex left the rocky wasteland and entered a forest, hoping to find a Lord and return to Undead City. Suddenly, Alex spotted several angels flying overhead, followed by Templar Knights. Alex quickly hid behind a tree. If it were just one, she would have attacked without hesitation, but she couldn''t take on a group. The angels soon disappeared from view, and Alex, cloaked in black, cautiously emerged. She didn''t even glance at the angels, remembering Lilith''s warning that angels could sense disrespectful gazes. If the angels had spotted her, it would have been trouble. Alex continued her journey with increased caution. She didn''t know why angels were frequenting this area, but it couldn''t be good. She needed to learn more about this continent. Looking around, she saw denser forests to the south, likely inhabited by some race. She didn''t need them to be highly intelligent, just capable of speech. She couldn''t keep flying aimlessly. In the forest''s center, five people¡ªthree men and two women¡ªwere being attacked by tiger-like beasts. Two men were injured, wielding weapons to protect the trembling women behind them. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What do we do? There are too many of them!" said the uninjured man, the group''s leader, at level 5 Commanding. The others were mostly level 2. "Fight to the death! We''re already in this mess; what''s there to fear?" shouted one severely injured man, adrenaline masking his pain. He was like a berserker, unafraid of death. As the beasts prepared to pounce, footsteps sounded behind them. The beasts turned to see Alex, cloaked in black and carrying Chi-Chi. Two beasts broke from the pack, charging at Alex, seeing her as easy prey. Alex''s left eye, hidden under her hood, flashed blue, and all the beasts were instantly cursed and killed. The five people didn''t even see Alex move before the beasts that nearly wiped them out were dead. As Alex approached, the five didn''t thank her but instead looked terrified, ready to fight. "Who are you? Where is this place?" came a clear, cold female voice from under the cloak, indicating the speaker wasn''t old. The five were stunned. Shouldn''t they be asking her that? She appeared at their doorstep and asked who they were? "We''re wanderers, living in this forest. What do you want?" one woman quickly explained. Alex examined the group. Their clothes were tattered, some ill-fitting, making them look like beggars. The woman who spoke caught Alex''s attention. A black, semi-transparent strap with lace peeked from her shoulder, partially covered by her ill-fitting clothes. It was a bra strap, and Alex noticed it immediately. "You''re Freelancers!" Alex exclaimed. The five were shocked, ready to fight Alex to the death. If discovered as extraterrestrial visitors here, they would be killed, whether Lord or Freelancer. Better to fight and possibly survive than wait to die. "Relax, I''m a Lord too," Alex said, surprising them. If they were Freelancers, they must know about this place. Alex''s slender fingers emerged from her cloak, removing it to reveal her white hair, stunning the three men. Seeing her casual clothes confirmed her Lord status. Only then did they notice Alex was carrying someone. "Thank you for saving us. Since you''re a Lord, why are you here?" one woman asked, now relaxed. "I ended up here by chance. You said Lords can''t be here. What do you mean?" Alex asked, puzzled. "You''re really unlucky. You should switch to Freelancer and hide," sighed an injured man, implying Alex''s days were numbered. The group began treating their wounds, with one woman using healing magic. Alex, hopeful, stepped forward. "Ms, can you help my friend?" "You saved us; we must repay you. I''ll treat her first," said the injured man, making way for Alex. Alex laid Chi-Chi on the ground before the healer. Chapter 203 - 203: Go to the Human Empire "What''s wrong with your friend? I can''t see any injuries," the woman asked Alex as she examined Chi-Chi''s body. Alex thought for a moment. She didn''t want to reveal that Chi-Chi had been injured by an angel. "I''m not sure, but I suspect it''s a soul injury." Hearing Alex''s words, the woman didn''t ask further. She had never encountered a soul injury before and wasn''t sure if she could heal it. As life energy flowed from her hands, she began to heal Chi-Chi. Seeing that it might take a while, Alex turned to the other woman. "Can you tell me about this place? The more details, the better." The woman was puzzled about how such a powerful Lord could survive without knowing anything about this place, but she decided to explain. "This area is ruled by angels and Templar Knights. You won''t see much conflict between races here because the angels and Templar Knights suppress it. As for us Lords, they don''t allow us to exist. Even Freelancers are hunted down. They aim to eradicate all Lords. So, we had no choice but to become Freelancers and live on the run. If we''re discovered, it''s a death sentence. We can''t integrate with the local humans and are forced to wander outside the cities." The woman looked lost as she spoke. They were just hoping for a full meal, not knowing if they would see the next sunrise. Alex fell silent. The worst-case scenario had happened. Based on the information, this might not be the continent of Eldoria anymore. Eldoria was too complex, with many powerful factions, making it impossible for angels to unify it completely. No wonder there were so many Templar Knights and angels but no Lords¡ªthey had all been killed. "Which continent is this?" Alex asked. "This is the continent of Nytheria, where the headquarters of the angels and Templar Knights are located," the woman replied, puzzled. Wasn''t this common knowledge? Why did this Lord seem so clueless? Alex nodded, understanding the situation. But now she faced a significant problem: how to return to Undead City without finding a Lord. No wonder Luca and his allies were attacked even in such a vast and hidden desert. The angels were purging Lords. "Ugh..." Chi-Chi suddenly coughed up a large amount of blood, drawing Alex''s attention. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Turning back, Alex saw Chi-Chi''s face had become even paler, her life force extremely weak. "What happened?" Alex asked, rushing over. "I don''t know. I checked her body and found no injuries. I have no idea where she''s hurt," the woman said, looking at Alex with fear, worried that Alex might blame her for worsening Chi-Chi''s condition. Alex remained silent, knowing it wasn''t the woman''s fault. It was the angel''s holy light causing this. Soul injuries couldn''t be healed with ordinary life magic. What to do? Chi-Chi''s life was hanging by a thread, and returning to Undead City was now a problem. Damn it! Roar¡ª A loud tiger''s roar echoed through the forest. "It''s the companions of those beasts from earlier!" The five people panicked. The two injured men hadn''t received proper treatment while Chi-Chi was being healed, significantly weakening their combat strength. A massive beast silently emerged from the forest. Seeing the beast, the five knew they couldn''t win. But Alex showed no fear. This was just a pseudo-Monarch level tiger. Alex raised her hand and clenched her fist. The tiger froze, panic in its eyes. Its limbs were encased in ice, unable to break free. It realized it had encountered a formidable opponent. Alex, deep in thought, ignored the panicked tiger and the shocked five. Even if there were surviving Lords, they would be hiding in extremely secretive places, making them hard to find. But it wasn''t impossible. "Have you encountered any other Freelancers or Lords?" Alex asked the five, who shook their heads. They hadn''t been an alliance before switching to Freelancers, just meeting by chance. They knew a bit about the area but not much. The woman who had spoken to Alex seemed to realize something. How could someone so powerful know nothing about Nytheria? The only explanation was that she wasn''t a Nytheria Lord but from another continent! "Miss, you..." the woman began. Alex interrupted her. "Don''t think about it. I''m trapped here too. If I had a way out, would I be asking you?" The woman''s face fell, her hope of leaving Nytheria with Alex dashed. "Is there a city nearby?" Alex asked, making the woman''s eyes light up. "I remember now. The only place unaffected in Nytheria is the mage association. They have a branch here, within a human empire. They''ve built a city there, where you might find a way to heal your friend and a way to leave." "You''ll get her killed! She''s our savior. The mages may not hunt us like the Templar Knights and angels, but they don''t accept us either. Entering their city is very dangerous!" the uninjured man argued, believing there must be another way. Alex thought for a moment and decided to try the human empire. Chi-Chi''s injuries were severe, and life magic was ineffective. Even returning to Undead City might not help. "Where is this human empire?" Alex asked. The man sighed, seeing Alex''s determination. "The empire is called Celestian Empire. Head south, and you''ll enter its territory. I escaped from there." "Thank you. But before I leave, I need you all to sleep for a while," Alex said, casting a curse spell that put the five to sleep for a day and a night. Alex hid the five in the forest, digging a hole to place them in and covering it with branches. She dispersed their scent and set up an array to ensure their safety. With everything done, Alex hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back, pulled up her hood, and approached the frozen tiger. The tiger looked at Alex in fear, thinking she was going to kill it. "Carry me. Behave, and I''ll let you go," Alex said. Chapter 204 - 204: Chaotic melee Tara Plain, the battlefield of the hobgoblin kingdom. In the sky, the battlefield had largely become a stage for the Monarch levels, with nearly fifty Monarch levels clashing in a chaotic melee. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the addition of the Monarch levels, the scene had descended into utter chaos. Xiao Hui, who had just advanced to Monarch level, was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu was being pursued by a Monarch level hobgoblin. The enemy had too many Monarch levels for the undead to intercept them all. As a result, Xiao Mu, being identified as an extraterrestrial visitor, became their primary target. Xiao Mu''s light attribute gave him speed, his greatest advantage, allowing him to dodge effectively. Otherwise, he would have been killed by the enemy Monarch levels long ago. Now, he could only evade and engage in a cat-and-mouse game with his pursuer. The situation looked grim. Would they be forced to use the undead fortress''s ultimate ability? But the problem was, he didn''t even know how to activate it! As Xiao Mu ran, he analyzed the situation. The creatures summoned by the Monarch levels could fight five enemies at once. The undead fortress, transformed into an undead, should be even stronger. Currently, including the giant skeletal creature, there were only eleven Monarch levels on their side. Each undead had to face nearly three Monarch level hobgoblins, not to mention the powerful hobgoblin king who had yet to join the fray. Whoosh¡ª As Xiao Mu fled, he felt a gust of wind pass over his head, parting his hair. A Monarch level gargoyle had swooped in to attack the hobgoblin Shaman chasing him. Xiao Mu finally escaped the pursuit of the enemy Monarch level. Next, two massive figures emerged from the undead fortress¡ªzombie titans had arrived. With the addition of five Monarch level undead, the tide of battle began to shift slightly in their favor. The zombie titans, with their massive size, rampaged through the battlefield, crushing countless hobgoblins with each punch. But the hobgoblins quickly responded, and two Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans teamed up to attack the zombie titans. The Shamans, capable of flight, were agile and could strike from a distance, effectively countering the grounded zombie titans. The Shamans'' blue flames, different from the undead''s, clung to flesh and couldn''t be extinguished, though they lacked soul damage. Soon, the zombie titans were covered in flames, their bodies corroding and revealing the bones beneath. But the titans couldn''t hit the flying Shamans, lacking any ranged attacks. On the other side, John, liches, and necromancers struggled. Their Mana Points were nearly depleted, and they were losing ground to the hobgoblin Shamans, especially the necromancers, who were weak in one-on-one combat. Fortunately, the giant skeletal creature summoned by John held off six Monarch level hobgoblins, easing the pressure on the undead. In this chaotic battle, the Destroyer stood out, able to fight two enemies without falling behind. The enemy''s magical attacks only served to recharge it faster. Once fully charged, the Destroyer didn''t create an advantage for itself but used its skills to launch surprise attacks across the battlefield. Besides the Destroyer, Azure also performed exceptionally. Surrounded by countless soul-forged weapons, Azure''s every attack carried devastating soul damage. A hobgoblin Shaman, unaware of Azure''s abilities, was severely injured. If not for the intervention of two more Shamans, Azure would have killed it. Suddenly, the injured hobgoblin Shaman sensed a strange energy fluctuation around it. But it was too late. Boom! The Destroyer''s charged attack exploded around the three hobgoblin Shamans, catching them off guard. Two Shamans died instantly, and one was severely injured. The hobgoblin Shaman fighting the Destroyer was stunned, and all the hobgoblins turned to look, shocked. With the hobgoblins now on guard, the Destroyer found it harder to launch surprise attacks. Azure seized the opportunity to kill the remaining hobgoblin Shaman. "Didn''t expect to kill three Monarch levels directly. Looks like we won''t need to destroy the undead fortress," Xiao Mu thought, observing the aerial battle while fighting hobgoblins on the ground. As a level 9 Commanding level, Xiao Mu was nearly invincible below Monarch level. He could kill hobgoblins in droves with his laser attacks. "Why haven''t I leveled up yet? I''ve killed so many enemies," Xiao Mu wondered, puzzled. Boom! Under relentless attacks, a zombie titan''s massive body collapsed, crushing undead and hobgoblins alike. Half its body had turned to bone, its eyes losing their light. The zombie titan had been killed by the combined efforts of the Monarch level hobgoblins! Xiao Mu frowned, but it wasn''t over. A necromancer in the sky also fell at the same time. Without Mana Points, a necromancer was just a melee mage with basic attacks, no match for a hobgoblin Shaman. And they didn''t revive, indicating the hobgoblin Shamans knew how to kill undead. At that moment, the giant skeletal creature seized an opportunity, striking a Monarch level hobgoblin berserker and severely injuring it. The berserker''s body crashed to the ground near Xiao Mu. A perfect chance! Xiao Mu transformed into light, disappearing and reappearing before the hobgoblin berserker. He conjured a massive blade of light and struck down, finishing off the injured berserker. Xiao Mu finally felt his experience break through the threshold, and in the next moment, he advanced to Monarch level. Xiao Mu''s light element differed from the angels'' holy light. It didn''t purify everything but provided incredible speed and power, along with dispelling darkness. He didn''t release his light domain, worried that his newly gained power might harm the surrounding undead. Instead, he formed a small barrier of light around himself. Xiao Mu shot into the sky, kicking a hobgoblin Shaman fighting John. With a golden beam, Xiao Mu''s kick sent the Shaman flying, the beam causing a massive explosion upon impact. The hobgoblin Shaman, injured by Xiao Mu''s sudden attack, looked up in confusion. How had this once-weak human become so powerful? Xiao Mu didn''t care about the Shaman''s thoughts. He wanted to test his new strength and abilities. He crossed his arms, gathering intense light energy, his body glowing brightly. Then he spread his arms, releasing countless light projectiles like falling stars, targeting the hobgoblin army on the ground. Chapter 205 - 205: Orc assault Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The explosions from the light projectiles were continuous, detonating amidst the hobgoblin army and causing massive casualties. Despite some hobgoblins deploying barriers for defense, they were largely ineffective. The hobgoblin army suffered heavy losses, their numbers quickly overwhelmed by the undead. Commanding level necromancers began summoning corpses, continuously generating new undead. The undead pushed the front lines forward, pressing towards the hobgoblin royal city. As the battle progressed, they moved beyond the range of the undead fortress''s attacks. "Damn, this consumes a lot of mana," Xiao Mu muttered. He had intended to repeat his previous attack but found his mana severely depleted, forcing him to abandon the idea. The hobgoblin Shaman he had previously fought stood up again, engaging Xiao Mu in battle. Meanwhile, the hobgoblins devised a countermeasure. They couldn''t allow the undead to continue advancing. These undead were fearless, and if they reached the royal city''s walls, it would be disastrous. A dozen hobgoblin Shamans descended from the battlefield, landing on the ground. They simultaneously released eerie shamanic magic, emitting green mist. Any undead touched by the mist had their soul flames extinguished, turning into piles of bones. In an instant, thousands of undead perished. Commanding level undead could resist for a while, but they were no match for the Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans and eventually fell as well. Seeing this, the Monarch level undead on the battlefield didn''t seem anxious. The loss of a few thousand undead was insignificant to the undead army, which could summon replacements with a wave of their hands. As long as there were corpses on the battlefield, the undead didn''t worry about their numbers. On the royal city''s walls, hobgoblin warriors deployed their hastily developed weapons. With a loud bang, a black cannonball exploded behind the undead army. This special black cannonball didn''t explode like a regular one. Instead, it created a black circular area upon detonation, killing any undead within it. The area lasted about a minute, forcing the undead to maneuver around the black spheres as they advanced. Meanwhile, a dozen hobgoblin Shamans'' combined soul poison mist spread rapidly, killing nearly ten thousand undead. They stood within shamanic barriers, unaffected by the undead''s attacks. Suddenly, a massive black sphere flew towards the hobgoblin Shamans. They quickly ceased their poison mist and combined their efforts to defend against the attack. The black sphere exploded silently against their barrier, dark elements spreading along its edges. "Damn it, nothing happened! Are you kidding me?" Xiao Hui, flying in the air, exclaimed in frustration. She had hoped to deliver a fatal sneak attack after her upgrade, but the results were disappointing. "Wait, are these dark elements?" Xiao Hui noticed the black areas created by the hobgoblin cannons. She extended her hand, forming a black vortex that absorbed all the dark elements from the battlefield. Seeing her sneak attack fail, Xiao Hui descended to the battlefield, releasing her dark domain. The undead, infused with dark elements, were strengthened, while the hobgoblins had their souls and life force drained, nourishing Xiao Hui. Three hobgoblin Shamans quickly attacked Xiao Hui, not because she was particularly strong, but because they wanted to eliminate her swiftly. Roar¡ª A dragon''s roar echoed, and the surroundings turned into a domain of blue flames. Hobgoblin corpses within the domain transformed into bone dragons, rising into the sky. Hobgoblins touched by the blue flames felt no heat but were instead frozen. Within the blue flame domain, hobgoblins'' life force rapidly dwindled, aging them quickly. Those trying to escape found an invisible barrier blocking their way. Arthur had broken through to Monarch level. His massive bone dragon form appeared before Xiao Hui, and a breath of dragon fire forced the three Monarch level hobgoblin Shamans back. Seeing another powerful undead join the fray, the hobgoblin lieges changed their strategy, deciding to eliminate the enemy Monarch levels first. The royal city''s teleportation gate opened again, and countless hobgoblin warriors poured out to replace the fallen, desperately defending the royal city. On the royal city''s walls, an elderly hobgoblin king, holding a scepter and wearing a crown, was helped up by two hobgoblins. He looked solemnly at the fierce battle outside the city, saying nothing. Meanwhile, in the Emerald Hills, Arthas, Crane, two Monarch-level beings, and a group of undead were stationed at the siblings'' castle. In the distant forest, birds and beasts scattered as an orc army approached once again. This time, the orc army numbered over 10K, clearly a serious assault. The leading orc was tall and imposing, adorned with numerous bone ornaments, marking him as the leader of an orc camp. ==== On the continent of Nytheria, Alex rode the tiger southward. She passed several human villages, confirming she had entered the Celestian Empire. Alex continued riding the tiger, using magic to cover her tracks and avoid detection by ordinary people, heading deeper into the Celestian Empire. She glanced at the sky, the scorching sun high overhead. It had been half a day since Chi-Chi was treated by the woman, but she still hadn''t woken up. Alex could feel Chi-Chi''s life force weakening. She wouldn''t last much longer. Riding the tiger conserved Alex''s Mana Points, allowing her to retain her strength. She didn''t know if Chi-Chi''s injuries could be healed or if any residual holy light would be detected by the mages, so she needed to be prepared for anything. "I have to take a chance," Alex thought. She needed to find a way to heal Chi-Chi and a way to return to Undead City. "Now that I''ve just entered the Empire, the mage branch should be deeper within. I''ll keep heading south and ask for directions," Alex murmured, watching the trees fly by. After over an hour of travel, Alex saw a city on the horizon, indicating nearby villages. She wouldn''t enter the city but planned to ask the villagers for information. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, Alex found a village and saw two farmers clearing land. She rode the tiger towards them, intending to display her power and avoid suspicion. In Nytheria, where Lords had been purged, someone openly riding a beast couldn''t possibly be an extraterrestrial visitor. The farmers, hearing the commotion, looked up and were terrified, dropping their tools and freezing in fear. But they soon saw the cloaked figure on the tiger, realizing she was a powerful mage. In Nytheria, ruled by angels and Templar Knights, the mage association was the highest human authority. The farmers recognized the mage''s protective role and knew a cloaked figure wasn''t an apprentice. They prostrated themselves before Alex, showing utmost respect. Alex dismounted, seeing their reaction and knowing she had them fooled. "There''s no need to be afraid. I''m from the mage association''s branch on the Arsen continent. I was caught in a spatial rift during teleportation and ended up in Nytheria. I didn''t arrive at the branch here and am unfamiliar with the area. Can you tell me where the association''s branch is?" Alex asked. The farmers, hearing a young female voice, paused. Was she a disciple of a great mage? They dared not delay, hoping to help her and possibly earn a reward from the mage association. "Honorable mage, it''s our duty to assist you. We are forever grateful to the mage association for bringing us stability and prosperity. You are the saviors of humanity, and we..." one farmer began, but the other quickly interrupted, knowing mages valued efficiency. "Leader, this is the Celestian Empire. The mage association''s branch is in Thunder City, about five hundred miles northwest," the other farmer answered succinctly. "Thank you," Alex said, turning to leave. A gust of wind blew, and the farmers fainted. Alex hadn''t killed them, just put them to sleep. "Northwest, Thunder City," Alex muttered, looking at the sun to determine direction. Based on her previous path, she quickly figured it out. "Five hundred miles. Let''s go. I''ll release you once we reach our destination," Alex said, patting the tiger''s rump. They set off again, heading straight for Thunder City. Chapter 206 - 206: Satans support Arsen Continent, Emerald Hills. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With John and Azure gone, Arthas and Crane were the highest-ranking commanders here, both at level 8 Commanding, close to reaching Monarch level. Before them stood a complete orc army, with even its leader present. The opposing force consisted of over ten thousand orc warriors, likely the entire strength of this camp. Standing in front of the orc warriors were five figures, all undoubtedly Monarch level, with the strongest being the orc camp leader. This was not a battle Arthas, Crane, and their undead could win, even with their ten thousand undead army. "Crane, return to the main city and contact the Queen," Arthas said, his blue eyes glowing through his mask. Crane immediately headed back to the castle and entered the Portal of Transit. Arthas wasn''t seeking reinforcements; he knew the undead were currently attacking the hobgoblin kingdom and couldn''t spare any forces. He also knew Alex wasn''t in the castle. He needed to ask if they should abandon the two castles if necessary. Crane understood Arthas''s intent without words. After stepping out of the portal, Crane adjusted his target and re-entered the Portal of Transit, heading to Sophie''s castle to contact Alex through her subjects and allies. Sophie, with nothing else to do, spent her days overseeing the dwarves'' equipment forging and resource production. Seeing the Portal of Transit''s system alert, she hurried out of the castle. To her surprise, it was an undead that looked like a zombie. "Please inform the Undead Queen that the orc camp is attacking Emerald Hills. We cannot defeat the enemy. Should we abandon the area?" Crane quickly explained without elaborating on the situation. They couldn''t win, and he wouldn''t make excuses. Sophie didn''t think much of it. She was unaware of Alex''s recent troubles, having stayed in her castle without visiting Hamburger. She didn''t know Alex was trapped, nor about the attack on the hobgoblin kingdom or the upgrade of Hamburger. Sophie assumed Alex had left the castle for some reason, and the undead had come to her for contact. She didn''t question why they didn''t contact the siblings or why the undead couldn''t defeat the orc army. Meanwhile, Alex, still on her journey, received Sophie''s message. Though not detailed, Alex understood the situation. An orc camp had mobilized its entire force against Emerald Hills, and with the main undead force at the hobgoblin kingdom, Arthas, Crane, and two Monarch levels couldn''t handle it. The hobgoblin kingdom couldn''t spare any forces. Though Alex didn''t know the exact battle situation, it must not be going smoothly. Otherwise, the Monarch levels in the city would have aided Emerald Hills instead of having Sophie message her. Should they abandon the castles in the Emerald Hills? The Orc Empire was some distance from White Rock Mountains, but it wasn''t insurmountable. Plus, Alex had the undead fortress; the Orc Empire couldn''t escape. However, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s castles were there, and Alex didn''t want to abandon it easily. It could be upgraded to a city. "Of course!" Alex suddenly thought of something and slapped the tiger''s flank. She wasn''t a lone wolf anymore; she could ask Lilith and Satan for help. This way, she wouldn''t have to abandon the siblings'' castle and could deal with the orc camp perfectly. Asking for help, it had to be Satan. Lilith was busy with the forest elves kingdom and likely couldn''t spare the time. Satan, who loved fighting, was perfect. Alex: "Got a moment? Need a favor." Satan: "What? How did you know I reached level 2 Monarch level?" Alex: "Did I ask you that?" Satan: "Got time for a fight, nothing else." Alex: "Come to my castle now. It''s urgent. Bring a few Monarch levels. The enemy is a bit strong. I''ll have my people meet you." Satan: "No enemy a level 2 Monarch level can''t handle." Satan seemed eager to show off his strength, but Alex didn''t reply further. She messaged Sophie and continued her journey. Meanwhile, Sophie, having received Alex''s reply, informed Crane and then passed through the portal with him. Satan had just arrived through the portal, seeing Sophie and Crane. "Lead the way," Satan said, knowing this woman was Alex''s subordinate. He and two demons followed her out. As Satan opened the door, Sophie saw the scene outside and was stunned. Satan: ??? Sophie: ??? What was this? A castle? "Holy fuck, what''s going on? Did I come to the wrong place?" Satan exclaimed, heading back to the Portal of Transit. "This is Undead City," Crane rasped. Sophie remembered Alex asking for resources and then eagerly taking all the Monarch levels to move them after capturing Rockhammer City. "Could it be that a city is a level above a town?" Sophie speculated, shocked but quickly understanding. Satan reluctantly accepted the reality. He had an eighth-level town, but how had Alex developed so quickly? "No need to leave the city. We''re going to Emerald Hills through the Portal of Transit," Sophie called, setting the portal''s target and gesturing for Satan to follow. Satan, silent, led his two demons through the portal, with Sophie and Crane following. At Emerald Hills, the undead and orcs were already fighting. Four Monarch level orcs were engaged. If they hadn''t been unfamiliar with the undead, the two Monarch level undead would have died many times over. The orc leader''s initial confidence had turned to confusion as he searched for the undead''s weakness. The orcs had never encountered undead before, having never left the Arsen continent. Satan, emerging from the Portal of Transit, forgot his earlier frustration and flew into the sky to observe the battle. "Where are the undead? Only this many? Where are the Monarch levels?" Satan wondered, seeing only five Monarch levels. He thought the undead could handle it easily. Why had they called him? Did they know he had leveled up? "I don''t know," Sophie replied, also unsure where the other Monarch levels had gone. "Where''s Alex? Where did she go?" Satan asked. "I don''t know," Sophie shrugged. "Aren''t you her subordinate? How do you know nothing?" Satan ignored her and charged into battle with his two demons. Satan immediately targeted the Monarch level orc leader, assuming it was the enemy boss, and attacked without hesitation. Sophie watched from the castle, knowing such large-scale Monarch level battles were rare. Satan transformed into a black streak, his arms shrouded in black mist, his hands growing long claws. He envisioned piercing the orc''s chest with this strike. The orc leader, wielding a bone weapon, met Satan''s attack head-on. Boom! Satan''s body was sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a large crater. ??? Satan was stunned, pulling his limbs from the dirt. His right hand hung limp, broken by the orc''s strike. Satan stood, his right hand healing instantly. He stretched his limbs, feeling like they might fall apart. "Alex, I believed your nonsense. You call this ''a bit strong''?" "But I like strong opponents!" Satan''s skin turned black, shrouded in black mist. Wings and a tail sprouted, and black horns emerged from his head. His eyes turned blood-red. Satan drew his weapon, flying into the sky and targeting the orc leader. In a flash, Satan charged like lightning. "Now I am the complete form of a demon!" Chapter 207 - 207: Enter Thunder City Satan, in his fully transformed demon form, charged at the orc leader once more. Boom! Satan was sent flying again, though this time he wasn''t as disheveled and didn''t get embedded in the ground. He quickly adjusted his posture in mid-air, looking at the orc leader with a mix of surprise and frustration. "Maybe we should get some help..." Sophie suggested from the rear, her voice tinged with resignation. She didn''t mean to belittle Satan, but the opponent was clearly too strong to handle alone. Satan, however, didn''t take it that way. He shot Sophie a glare. "Shut up and watch. I can handle this," he snapped, charging at the orc leader again. This time, he didn''t go for a head-on collision. Realizing he couldn''t match the orc leader in brute strength, he decided to use his abilities to wear the opponent down. It might not look as impressive, but a win was a win. Sophie sighed, thinking how stubborn Satan was. She couldn''t gauge the exact power difference between Satan and the orc leader, but seeing Satan get knocked back twice made it clear he wasn''t a match. Satan unleashed his demon domain, conjuring a massive black blade with his demonic power, slashing it towards the orc leader. The orc leader, seemingly without any special abilities, blocked every attack with his weapon. Even though Satan''s attack was powerful, the black blade couldn''t cut through the orc leader''s seemingly ordinary bone weapon, puzzling Satan. No matter the angle of Satan''s aerial attacks, the orc leader stood firm, countering effortlessly. This infuriated Satan, his eyes glowing brighter with rage. He could channel the power of his twelve demons, and now he was using the power of Wrath. Influenced by the demons, Satan''s body housed twelve balanced emotions, slightly affecting his personality but not driving him mad. This was his first time fully tapping into demonic power. His body transformed again, becoming more muscular, with his tail and wings disappearing, and his black skin turning black-red. Satan landed, punching at the orc leader. The orc leader raised his weapon to block. Boom! Satan''s strength surged, pushing the orc leader back a step. Feeling the shock in his hands, the orc leader was puzzled, while Satan''s hand bled profusely, red blood dripping down. Satan didn''t pause, attacking relentlessly. This time, they clashed on the ground, with Satan still at a disadvantage but no longer being knocked away. Ignoring his pain and injuries, Satan fought the orc leader, trading blows. The orc leader sustained minor injuries, becoming more disheveled. Meanwhile, the two demons Satan brought relieved the pressure on the two undead, turning a four-on-two into a four-on-four. In one-on-one combat, both the undead and demons had the upper hand. The undead here weren''t necromancers but liches. Sophie sighed in relief. As long as Satan could hold his ground, they could kill the orcs and then gang up on the orc leader, increasing their chances of victory. As for the battle between the undead and the orc army, the orcs relied on brute strength, while the undead couldn''t be killed, making them a tough match for the orcs. "Retreat!" the orc leader shouted, releasing his domain, causing numerous explosions around him, forcing Satan back. The other four Monarch level orcs used the cover to disengage and retreat. The orc leader wasn''t foolish. Realizing they couldn''t kill the undead and the battle''s outcome was uncertain, he decided to avoid unnecessary losses. He didn''t want his warriors to die in vain or his camp to be erased from the Orc Empire. He regretted not bringing another camp''s forces. The orcs retreated, leaving their fallen comrades behind. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Satan, though furious, didn''t lose his mind and didn''t pursue. "Such cowards, unworthy of being camp leaders," Satan taunted. The retreating orc leader gripped his weapon tightly, seething but knowing he had to endure for his camp''s sake. He vowed to find a way to deal with these extraterrestrial visitors and return with greater force. With the enemy retreating, Satan reverted to his human form, covered in wounds and bleeding. His injuries slowly healed as he stretched, feeling a bit unsatisfied. "Tell Alex the enemy was too weak. I wasn''t even warmed up before they ran," Satan said, glaring at Sophie before heading to the Portal of Transit with his demons. Sophie, speechless, decided to let it go. Crane and Arthas had reached level 9 Commanding during the battle, nearing Monarch level. With the orc leader''s failed attack, they likely wouldn''t return soon, at least not until they found a way to kill the undead. Crane planned to stay and guard, but Arthas had a different idea. "Staying here will slow our advancement. Leave the liches to guard. We should go to the hobgoblin kingdom to aid the other undead," Arthas suggested. Crane agreed, and the two undead race kings instructed the liches before entering the Portal of Transit. Sophie, returning to the Portal of Transit hall after Satan, found him observing Undead City. "Greed, Abaddon, look at this city. It''s magnificent. We need to gather resources and upgrade to a city too!" Satan said. Abaddon ignored him, while Greed''s three heads grinned. Satan noticed Sophie watching and felt awkward. "Ahem, let''s go," he said, leading his demons away. He decided he needed subordinates like Alex. Sophie, puzzled, watched him leave and reported to Alex before returning to her castle. With no further orders from Big Shot, she assumed her presence wasn''t needed. Meanwhile, on the continent of Nytheria, Alex saw Thunder City on the horizon and closed her system interface. For safety, she decided to walk the remaining distance. "You''ve had a tough journey. You can go now," Alex said, looking at the tiger behind her and signaling it to leave. "Roar!" The tiger looked puzzled but relieved. It hadn''t expected this human to keep her promise and not kill it. It quickly turned and left. Alex pulled her hood lower and walked towards Thunder City. Outside Thunder City, people were coming and going freely. Contrary to Alex''s expectations, the city gates were wide open, and there were no guards in sight. Anyone could enter and exit as they pleased. Among the crowd were many mage apprentices, and even some mages flying in the sky. Most of the people on the ground were ordinary folks hoping to try their luck in Thunder City, dreaming of becoming great mages. This made it easier for Alex to enter the city without drawing unnecessary attention. Her attire didn''t stand out among the crowd. Being deep within the Celestian Empire and home to the mage association''s branch, it made sense that there were no guards. As Alex approached, she slowed her pace, walking steadily into the city, feeling a bit anxious inside. Ordinary people stepped aside for Alex, not daring to speak to her. The mages in the sky were too busy to notice her, each preoccupied with their own tasks. Alex entered the city without arousing any suspicion. Inside, Thunder City was unlike any city Alex had seen. She was struck by its unique atmosphere. Thunder City wasn''t large, about the size of a level 1 Undead City. However, there were few residential houses for commoners. The most prominent features were the tall spires scattered throughout the city. Each spire emitted different elemental energies, indicating the residences of the mages. Alex continued walking, avoiding lingering at the city gate, which might seem suspicious. The wide, clean stone roads were lined with vendors. "Come and see! We have all kinds of elemental stones!" "Today''s special at the tavern: Martino Wine! Experience exotic flavors!" "I''m a guide in Thunder City. Do you need assistance?" The bustling atmosphere made Alex feel a bit out of place. These businesses had likely developed within Thunder City, where commoners couldn''t live long-term but could stay temporarily. Despite this, many commoners flocked to the city daily. Nobles, dressed in luxurious clothes and adorned with strange jewelry, also roamed the streets. Though arrogant outside, they dared not act haughty here. Regardless of their status, no one dared approach Alex. Her black robe marked her as a mage, a symbol of nobility and sanctity to the commoners. Mages were busy and powerful, rarely interacting with commoners. Alex walked at a measured pace, neither too slow nor too fast, scanning her surroundings. If the city had businesses, there must be a place to heal Chi-Chi. In the city center stood an ancient palace, surrounded by mage towers. The area bustled with mages, making Alex wary of getting too close. She searched the perimeter instead. At a corner, Alex finally found her target: a small shop with a green symbol representing life magic. It had to be the right place. The shop was small, near the corner, with wooden doors and windows open. From across the street, Alex saw it was empty inside. Life magic treatments were expensive, affordable only to the Empire''s nobles. Commoners couldn''t pay the fees, explaining the shop''s emptiness. Alex crossed the street and entered the shop. A young woman in a black cloak, marked as a mage apprentice, stood at the counter. "Welcome, great mage. How can I assist you?" the woman asked, assuming Alex was here to see her mentor. "My friend is gravely injured and needs treatment," Alex said directly. The woman wasn''t surprised and left the counter. "Please follow me." She led Alex to a room. Alex gently laid Chi-Chi, whom she had been carrying, on a bed. Chi-Chi''s clothes had been changed to local attire, making her look like a young local girl. No one in Nytheria would suspect she was an extraterrestrial visitor. The woman didn''t ask questions, focusing on her duty as a life mage. As life energy flowed from her hands, she began examining Chi-Chi. Alex sensed the magic''s fluctuations and realized the woman was only a Commanding level mage. She doubted the woman could heal Chi-Chi. Before Alex could speak, the woman said, "I''m sorry, but her injuries are soul-related. I can''t help." Alex remained silent. "If you agree, I can call my mentor. He might be able to help," the woman offered. So, she wasn''t the shop owner. Would her mentor be a Monarch level or King level mage? Would they discover Alex''s identity? Alex hesitated, weighing the risks. Healing Chi-Chi was crucial, but she couldn''t make a reckless decision. "Don''t worry. My mentor is a recluse, only interested in research. He doesn''t meddle in other affairs," the woman reassured, sensing Alex''s concerns. She suspected Alex wasn''t a registered mage, but it wasn''t her place to care. "Thank you," Alex finally agreed. Chi-Chi didn''t have much time left. "Please wait a moment. My mentor isn''t here, so I need to fetch him," the woman said, leaving the room. After she left, Alex sat by the bed, placing her hand on Chi-Chi''s chest. Chi-Chi''s heartbeat was faint, her face pale, and her condition dire. Alex sighed, feeling helpless. She knew how to destroy souls but not how to heal them. Chapter 208 - 208: So, you are the new undead lord Alex waited in the room for about half an hour before the door opened again. The young woman from earlier stood at the door, waiting without entering. "Mentor, she''s in here," she called out. Alex stood up and looked towards the door. A moment later, a scruffy, disheveled old man with a beard walked in. Despite his frail appearance, Alex could sense his immense power. He didn''t look at Alex; his eyes were fixed on Chi-Chi as he approached the bed. Alex followed him silently, praying he could heal Chi-Chi. The mage''s expression shifted between confusion and deep concentration. His magic was far more advanced than the young apprentice''s, but Chi-Chi''s condition showed no signs of improvement, making Alex increasingly anxious. If even this mage couldn''t help, Chi-Chi''s chances were slim. "If I''m not mistaken, her injuries were caused by an angel," a male voice suddenly said from behind. Alex turned quickly, as did the mentor and apprentice. "Archmage Eldrin, what brings you here?" the young woman asked respectfully. Her mentor looked puzzled, unsure why Eldrin was there. Alex''s heart raced. This man was incredibly powerful, even more so than the mentor. She began to think about how to escape. "I came to take a look," Eldrin said, his gaze shifting to Alex. "Don''t be nervous, young one. Let me introduce myself. I am Eldrin, Vice President of the mage association''s branch in Thunder City and on the continent of Nytheria. You remind me of an old friend," Eldrin said, smiling warmly. Alex didn''t know how to respond. Lying would be futile; Eldrin would see through it. Despite his friendly demeanor, Alex remained on guard. Eldrin didn''t seem to mind and turned his attention to Chi-Chi. "Mage Sylas, her injuries are soul-related, caused by an angel. Life magic won''t heal her," Eldrin explained. Sylas nodded in understanding. "I see. My apologies, but I can''t help her." "Can you save her?" Alex asked Eldrin, her voice filled with hope. If he could diagnose Chi-Chi''s injuries so easily, he might have a way to heal her. "Who is she to you?" Eldrin asked instead of answering. "A friend," Alex replied. "You risked coming to Thunder City for a friend. Do you realize that if you''re discovered, your strength won''t save you?" Eldrin''s words revealed much. He knew Alex''s true identity! Alex was stunned, unsure how to respond. Sylas remained indifferent, while the young woman assumed Alex was a rogue mage. "I can try, but don''t get your hopes up. She should have died long ago. It''s a miracle she''s still alive," Eldrin said. Sylas and the young woman stepped aside as Eldrin approached the bed. He didn''t start healing immediately but examined Chi-Chi''s condition more closely. Regardless, Eldrin''s willingness to help was a good sign. Maybe he had mistaken her for someone else. Before Eldrin began, he stood up. "You two, leave the room," he instructed. Once Sylas and the young woman left, Eldrin waved his hand, creating a barrier around the room. "I''m sorry, but your friend doesn''t have much time left. Even I can''t save her. Perhaps only a god could," Eldrin said. Alex fell silent. A gust of wind blew, knocking back Alex''s hood and revealing her white hair. Eldrin saw her face clearly. Alex looked at Eldrin, confused. Their eyes met, and she felt a surge of energy. Her eyes glowed blue and red. "So, you are the new undead lord," Eldrin said, confirming his suspicion. "Yes," Alex admitted. From the moment Eldrin identified her, she knew she couldn''t escape if he decided to act against her. "Aren''t you curious how I knew?" Eldrin asked, surprised by Alex''s calmness. "You mentioned an old friend. It must be the previous undead lord," Alex guessed. "Correct. I knew the previous undead lord well. We met when we were both Monarch level. He once did me a great favor. One day, he predicted a new undead lord would appear years later and asked me to help them. Then he disappeared. He was my only friend. How could I refuse such a small request?" Eldrin reminisced. Alex understood. Eldrin had set up the barrier to share these secrets. "How did you recognize me?" Alex asked. "You have a similar aura to his. It''s unique, and I''ve only sensed it in you. It means you share the same origin, making you the new undead lord," Eldrin explained, sighing. "He said your appearance meant he had either fallen or left this world. Unfortunately, my talents are limited, and I couldn''t join him in seeking the world''s truths," Eldrin added. Alex was taken aback by the mention of leaving this world. "Was he an extraterrestrial visitor?" she asked. Eldrin shook his head. "Do you not know, or is he not?" Alex pressed. "He wasn''t an extraterrestrial visitor. He was human and became undead later. I don''t know the specifics," Eldrin replied. Alex recalled what the Destroyer had said during the beast tide. The undead seemed to recognize her as the undead lord, even though she was human. "How did you know I was an extraterrestrial visitor?" Alex asked. Eldrin looked puzzled, realizing Alex had revealed her identity. He wasn''t surprised. "I didn''t know you were an extraterrestrial visitor. But many legendary figures have fought the undead lord and are familiar with their aura. You''re still weak. If discovered, you''ll be killed. As an extraterrestrial visitor, you should stay in your castle and grow stronger. Why are you wandering around?" Eldrin scolded. Alex felt embarrassed but relieved that Eldrin, as a friend of the previous undead lord, wasn''t hostile. "I got trapped on the continent of Nytheria..." Alex briefly explained her situation, and Eldrin found it quite intriguing. No wonder the angels were purging extraterrestrial visitors from the continent of Nytheria. These visitors had the ability to traverse continents at only the Commanding level, a feat only possible for those whose races had produced Divine-level beings. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eldrin didn''t know much about extraterrestrial visitors, and this was the first time he had heard of such an ability. "I see. So, you can''t go back," Eldrin said. Alex nodded helplessly. "Follow me," Eldrin said, waving his hand to dispel the barrier and heading towards the door. "But..." Alex glanced back at Chi-Chi. She couldn''t leave her behind. Eldrin looked back at Chi-Chi but said nothing. They left the room, and Eldrin led Alex towards a mage tower in the city center. It was his tower, where he lived and conducted his research. Mages they passed greeted Eldrin warmly, showing him great respect. No one suspected the girl following him was an extraterrestrial visitor. Soon, they arrived at Eldrin''s mage tower. The entrance was sealed with magical wards, and there was a single-person staircase leading up. Eldrin stepped forward and opened the door. "Go in," he said. Alex, carrying Chi-Chi, entered. The interior was much larger than it appeared from the outside, divided into several areas, rivaling a castle in size. "This place is infused with spatial magic. It''s quiet and undisturbed, perfect for a mage''s studies," Eldrin explained as he led Alex up to the seventh floor. This floor was lined with bookshelves filled with incomprehensible books. By the window, there was a desk and several chairs. Eldrin gestured for Alex to sit there. "I need to step out for a bit. Stay here; no one will find you," Eldrin said before leaving. Alex had many questions for Eldrin, about this world and the previous undead lord. As the vice president of a continent''s mage association branch, he was the highest-ranking person Alex had encountered. Alex took off her black robe, laid it on the floor, and gently placed Chi-Chi on it. Sighing, she thought, Chi-Chi might not even wake up. Alex looked out the window. It was the only window on this floor, and Eldrin''s mage tower was the tallest structure in Thunder City, offering a view of the entire city. Feeling bored, Alex browsed the bookshelves, but the books were too specialized for her to understand. She gave up and returned to her seat. Suddenly, she noticed Chi-Chi''s fingers twitch. Chapter 209 - 209: High-level lightning magic Alex hurried over to Chi-Chi, who was groggily opening her eyes. Her complexion looked slightly better than before. "Miss Alex, I feel like I had a really long dream. Where are we now?" Chi-Chi asked, trying to move but finding herself too weak. She could only stare blankly at the black ceiling. "We''re in Thunder City, the city of the human mage association," Alex replied, helping Chi-Chi sit up in the chair. Chi-Chi looked out the window and saw the city outside. "This is the first time I''ve seen a city in this world. It''s completely different from what I imagined," Chi-Chi said with a smile, marveling at the wonders of this world. "Miss Alex, this is a human city. Are we in danger here?" Chi-Chi asked, worried after hearing Alex''s earlier words. "Don''t worry. If it were dangerous, would I have brought you here?" Alex reassured her. Chi-Chi''s condition had miraculously improved. She spoke more fluently and seemed much better than when Alex first found her, though still weak. Maybe Chi-Chi had something special about her that allowed her to withstand the angel''s holy light. "You''re right. But Miss Alex, when can we go back? I''m a bit worried about them," Chi-Chi said. "How are you feeling now?" Alex asked, holding Chi-Chi''s wrist and touching her forehead. Her heart rate was faster than before. "I feel a bit dizzy and tired, and my limbs are weak, like having a fever," Chi-Chi said after thinking for a moment. "Speaking of tired, I suddenly feel very sleepy. Miss Alex, could you help me lie down again?" Chi-Chi asked. "Sure, you''ve had a tough journey. You should rest," Alex said, laying Chi-Chi back down on her black robe. "Yawn~" Chi-Chi yawned and suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot. I have a gift for you. I put it in the Warehouse during the attack. You''ll have to get it yourself," Chi-Chi said. "Okay," Alex replied, brushing Chi-Chi''s hair aside and searching the Warehouse for the item. Since Alex was far from her territory, she couldn''t retrieve items from the Warehouse, but she found it quickly. "It''s the butterfly hairpin, right? I really like it. It''s been very helpful. Thank you," Alex said. "I''m glad you like it, Miss Alex. I''m going to sleep now. I''m really tired," Chi-Chi said with a smile. "Sleep well," Alex said. "Goodnight, Miss Alex. See you tomorrow," Chi-Chi said. "Goodnight. See you tomorrow," Alex replied. ... Alex wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and stood up with a cold expression. Chi-Chi was dead. Everything that had just happened was merely a final burst of energy. Even Eldrin couldn''t save her. Alex had hoped for a miracle, but it didn''t happen. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "She passed without any pain. In this world, death is common. Don''t let it affect your mindset. Your path is much longer than hers," Eldrin''s voice came from behind Alex. She hadn''t noticed when he returned. "I know," Alex replied. From the moment she decided to participate in the All-Races Battle Royale, she knew she might not come out unscathed. Alex turned to look at Eldrin, who was holding a set of clothes and a medal. He placed them on the table. "Mages are divided into seven levels: Apprentice, Novice Mage, Mage, Magus, Archmage, Saint Mage, and Divine Mage. This is an honorary medal for a four-star mage, representing your level 4 Monarch strength. Honorary mages are those who have made special contributions to the association. With my authority, this is the best I can get. Regular mages require assessments, and even I can''t interfere. But often, honorary mages are more respected than regular ones. This robe is the honorary mage''s robe. Your current attire, though similar, can be easily identified by keen eyes," Eldrin explained patiently, giving Alex some basic knowledge about mages. This was to help her have a better disguise when she left the castle. The honorary medal was made of special materials and would change its stars as Alex''s strength increased. The mage robe also had magic to conceal Alex''s undead aura, making it undetectable by beings below Divine level. "Got it," Alex replied coolly. Eldrin didn''t mind her tone and smiled. "You even have a similar personality. It''s quite strange." "And this," Eldrin said, placing an old magic book on the table. Alex looked puzzled. "Don''t look at me like that. This book belonged to the previous undead lord. Consider it a return to its rightful owner," Eldrin said. Alex didn''t rush to look at the book but asked a question that had been on her mind. "What was the previous undead lord''s name? How strong was he, and why did he disappear?" "His name is now a taboo, erased from history. As for his strength, I only know he disappeared while attempting to break through to Divine. I don''t know the details," Eldrin said, pointing to the sky. A name erased from history must have been done by a god. "Then why are those associated with him unharmed?" Alex asked. "He didn''t wage war against the world; he disappeared suddenly. Though he had many enemies, he also had many friends. And this happened hundreds of years ago," Eldrin explained, answering Alex''s question. It seemed Eldrin wouldn''t reveal much more about the dreaded undead lord, so Alex asked another question. "Can you tell me about the world''s structure and the distribution of powers?" Eldrin thought for a moment and shared what he could. This world had seven continents, not just Eldoria. Only the angels, with the help of the Templar Knights, had unified a continent. Other races, though powerful, didn''t have the strength to rule an entire continent. For example, the dragon race''s main forces were spread across two continents, ignoring weaker races. Humans were widespread across all seven continents, with a philosophy of coexistence rather than domination. The titan race, Behemoths, shadow race, hydra race, and other powerful but sparse races kept to themselves. Only the demon race was aggressively expanding, trying to rival the angels. Eldoria had the most diverse races, while Arsen was the weakest continent. Nytheria, where Alex currently was, was the strongest. The war between angels and demons had lasted thousands of years, with the appearance of fallen angels and recent conflicts between the angel race and dragons adding to the strain. Even the powerful angel race was feeling the pressure, leading them to expand and strengthen their forces. The sea race of the Endless Sea was also becoming restless, testing the boundaries of other races. "The angel race has always wanted to control humans. The mage association has been resisting their pressure. The Templar Knights are foolish to follow the angels," Eldrin said, expressing his disdain for the hypocritical angels. Humans had two major forces. The Templar Knights'' allegiance to the angels had strengthened the angel race and weakened the humans. Fortunately, a human genius had recently risen to Divine Mage, deterring the angels from overstepping. However, human attitudes towards extraterrestrial visitors were divided. Some believed they could strengthen humanity, while others wanted them eradicated. "Eldoria is becoming more chaotic?" Alex asked. "Yes, tensions among races have reached a peak. Your arrival might be the final straw," Eldrin replied. The major powers of Eldoria hadn''t expected extraterrestrial visitors to descend from the sky. "Thank you for the information," Alex said. Eldoria seemed the best place for her to develop. Looking out the window, the horizon was painted orange by the setting sun, casting a warm glow into the mage tower and onto Chi-Chi''s peaceful face. Alex turned and donned the black robe, pinning the four-star medal to her chest. She picked up the old magic book and her eyes widened. High-level lightning magic! Chapter 210 - 210: I hope one day you can lead the undead race to the pinnacle of all races "Did the previous undead lord save your life? Just a word from a vanished person is enough for you to help me like this?" Alex asked, finding it hard to believe. "Not just that. Without his help, I wouldn''t be who I am today. This is the only request he ever made of me in all the years we knew each other," Eldrin said meaningfully. "So, I shouldn''t thank you but thank him?" Alex asked. "Interesting logic," Eldrin chuckled, then continued, "Thunder City has a teleportation array to Hurricane City on the continent of Eldoria. I can send you back. Just give me some time to coordinate with the branch there." Finally, a way back. It seemed coming to Thunder City was the right choice. "Alright," Alex nodded, placing Chi-Chi''s body into her ring. She planned to bury her properly once she returned to Undead City. With her new attire, Alex could now walk openly in human cities without any issues. Following Eldrin, Alex navigated through the city center''s castle, bypassing numerous guards and checkpoints, until they reached the teleportation array. The room was spacious, with a large magic circle on the floor emitting a dense spatial energy. The walls were covered in runes, and elemental stones were arranged around the teleportation array. Unlike the Portal of Transit, this teleportation array was entirely constructed with spatial magic. "Is your castle far from Hurricane City?" Eldrin asked openly in the room. "Hurricane City is in the Starfallen Empire, right? If so, it''s not far," Alex replied, knowing that Starfallen Empire was the only human empire she was aware of on the continent of Eldoria. Eldrin nodded, confirming that Hurricane City was indeed a city in the Starfallen Empire. A piece of paper and a pen floated in front of Eldrin, writing quickly on its own. "I''ll notify their branch. Hand this letter to their president," Eldrin said, giving the letter to a mage who had accompanied them, likely his disciple. Soon, the magic circle was ready. With a flash of white light, the mage disappeared, taking Eldrin''s letter to the continent of Eldoria. Alex and Eldrin waited for about half an hour before the mage returned. "Mentor, I delivered the message and handed the letter to their branch president," the mage reported. Eldrin nodded slightly, then turned to Alex. "It''s ready." Alex stepped into the teleportation array, and Eldrin''s disciple began adjusting the magic circle. As the white light around her intensified and the spatial energy grew stronger, Alex said, "Thank you for your help. I will remember this." Whoosh¡ª With that, Alex''s figure vanished from the room. "I hope one day you can lead the undead race to the pinnacle of all races," Eldrin murmured to himself. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] After a dizzying whirl, Alex found herself in another room. Two mage apprentices were already waiting. Alex looked around, confirming she was no longer in the previous room. "Honorable mage, we are honored to have you here. We have prepared dinner for you," one apprentice said, gesturing politely. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Due to recent unrest at the Empire''s borders and tensions between the Mage Association and the Temple, the city has been under lockdown. You won''t be able to leave until morning. Please allow us to host you," the other apprentice explained. Alex wanted to leave immediately, but with Hurricane City under lockdown, she couldn''t force her way out without raising suspicion. Even as a Monarch level mage, she couldn''t act recklessly. "Thank you," Alex replied courteously. Eldrin had already paved the way for her, so she wasn''t worried about being exposed. "May we know your name?" one apprentice asked as they led Alex, trying to be polite. After a moment''s thought, Alex replied, "Alyssa." ... Meanwhile, on Tara Plain, a group of mages heading to the hobgoblin kingdom suddenly stopped. "The president wants us to return. An Honorary mage has been assigned here," the leading wind mage informed his two companions, followed by a group of Novice Mages. "It''s been years since we''ve had an Honorary mage. Which branch are they from?" one mage asked. "The president said they''re from Thunder City, a four-star," the wind mage replied. "A four-star lightning mage? The president should have told us earlier. Now the city is locked down. How do we get back?" the female mage in the group complained. "We''ll have to stay at the border outpost for the night," the wind mage suggested. "Looks like it," the female mage agreed. The group of mages left, heading towards the Empire''s border, leaving the quiet and desolate Tara Plain behind. At the same time, within the hobgoblin kingdom, all hobgoblins had retreated into the city, activating a green barrier around the hobgoblin royal city. This barrier couldn''t be broken by the undead alone, and all the Monarch levels were exhausted from a day''s battle, having depleted their mana and unable to use their skills. The undead had also retreated to their fortress, with the hobgoblin royal city and the undead fortress facing off, the plaza between them littered with hobgoblin corpses and bones. The attack hadn''t gone as smoothly as expected, which was why Xiao Mu decided to halt the assault. Another reason was that at night, hobgoblins below Monarch level temporarily gained enhanced attributes. Arthas and Crane, who had arrived as reinforcements, had also advanced to Monarch level. Including the newly advanced Arthur and Riven, the siblings Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, and the giant skeletal creature summoned by Arthur, the undead had twenty Monarch levels in total. The hobgoblins, after losing three Monarch levels, still had twenty-seven left. It was a balanced battle, and by dusk, the undead had killed six more Monarch level hobgoblins, losing two of their own, and the situation looked promising. But then, the elderly hobgoblin king, who had been hiding on the wall, suddenly attacked. With the undead''s Mana Points nearly depleted, the hobgoblin king''s powerful wave attack killed tens of thousands of undead and five Monarch levels. Facing such a formidable foe, Xiao Mu and the undead chose to retreat. The hobgoblin king didn''t pursue but activated the royal city''s protective magic circle. The undead suffered heavy losses. The hobgoblin king''s attack left them with only thirteen Monarch levels, including six Race Kings, the siblings, and the giant skeletal creature. Even with twenty-one remaining Monarch level hobgoblins, the undead weren''t overly concerned. The real problem was the hobgoblin king, who, despite his age, was incredibly powerful in magic. "Miss Alex isn''t here. Otherwise, we could summon seven more Monarch levels," Xiao Hui said, looking at the seven hobgoblin corpses piled up on the undead fortress''s bone wall. These were brought back by the undead. Without Alex, they couldn''t generate high-level undead and could only summon cannon fodder from the corpses. "Monarch level corpses have a preservation limit of twenty-four hours. After that, their souls dissipate, and they can''t be summoned," Arthas explained. "So, if Alex doesn''t return by noon tomorrow, these corpses will be useless?" Xiao Hui asked, realizing the time constraint. "The stronger the soul, the faster it dissipates, and the shorter the summoning window," Arthas confirmed. Everyone hoped that Alex would return as soon as possible. Chapter 211 - 211: Crazy goblins Among the undead present, Arthas, the Lich King, was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable about summoning spells. However, even he couldn''t summon a Monarch-level corpse on his own. "How about summoning a skeleton creature instead?" Xiao Hui suggested. Arthas immediately dismissed Xiao Hui''s idea. "All the necromancers are dead. Summoning a skeleton creature would drain all of John''s and my mana. It''s not worth it." Xiao Mu agreed with Arthas. Xiao Hui always came up with useless ideas. Among all the Monarch-level beings, Arthas was the most powerful. If he lost his combat ability, they would be in an even more passive position. "Strange, these hobgoblins clearly have the advantage. Why aren''t they attacking?" Xiao Hui wondered aloud. Given their advanced technology, they didn''t seem like idiots. "They''ll probably attack soon," Xiao Mu said thoughtfully. "How can you be so sure?" "Idiot, because their Mana Points are almost fully restored!" "You''re the dumb one. I already figured that out!" Meanwhile, in the hobgoblin royal city, the elderly hobgoblin king made a move. Despite his age, he still had the strength to fight. "Mudhollow City has been taken by the goblins?!" In the palace, the hobgoblin king received the shocking news. It was one thing for the goblins to rebel, but to attack his city? Before the hobgoblin king could get angry, the teleportation array in the city lit up, and a group of goblins emerged. They carried no weapons, their eyes bloodshot, each holding a bomb as they charged at the surrounding hobgoblins. Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions echoed throughout the hobgoblin royal city. The hobgoblins had never seen such a suicidal attack and were thrown into chaos. Fortunately, the hobgoblin shamans arrived in time, quickly subduing the goblins and shutting down the teleportation array, cutting off the connection between Mudhollow City and the hobgoblin royal city. "Are they insane?" The hobgoblin king thought the goblins must have conspired with the undead to destroy the hobgoblin kingdom. As Xiao Mu and the others stood on the fortress wall, watching the explosions in the hobgoblin royal city, a section of the distant wall suddenly shattered, and a goblin emerged. The goblin held a strange device, which it immediately activated, creating a teleportation array. Xiao Mu noticed the goblin appearing on the empty ground and saw countless goblins emerging from the array. He quickly informed the other undead. He knew goblins were hobgoblin slaves, and their appearance was clearly to help. Endless goblins poured out of the teleportation array, soon numbering in the tens of thousands. They wore elaborate armor, with goblin mages wielding staffs made from Essence Shards and goblin warriors carrying metal clubs. Finally, five Monarch-level goblins and a human appeared, clearly leading the goblins. The man wore a checkered shirt, a crooked tie, and black suit pants. His gaze was dark and aggressive. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hobgoblin kingdom, here I come." "Take down the hobgoblin kingdom. I will conquer the hobgoblin race!" With his words, tens of thousands of goblins charged at the hobgoblin royal city, while the five Monarch-level goblins stayed behind. The man then noticed the undead fortress. He knew extraterrestrial visitors were attacking the hobgoblin kingdom but didn''t realize they were undead lords. "Looks like the undead lord isn''t as strong as the rumors say." With the man''s help, goblin technology had advanced rapidly, and since it shared roots with hobgoblin technology, breaking the hobgoblin royal city''s shield was no challenge for the goblins. Facing their former slaves'' attack, the hobgoblins were furious. With their Monarch-level mana points nearly restored, they didn''t wait for the goblins to break the shield; they deactivated it themselves. The hobgoblins charged out to meet the enemy, with Monarch-level beings flying from the walls to bombard the goblins indiscriminately. Seeing the goblins being slaughtered, the man''s expression remained unchanged, even showing a satisfied smile. He knew the goblins couldn''t defeat the hobgoblins. But the teleportation array behind him continued to flash, with more goblins emerging. Goblins loved to reproduce and had little interest in anything else. Female goblins were rare, but they could capture females of other races as substitutes. Goblins born from these unions inherited some of the mother''s power. The stronger the mother, the stronger the goblin offspring. But that wasn''t the most important thing. He needed the goblins to reproduce quickly. The goblin population was already three times that of the hobgoblins. Under the man''s rule, their numbers had exploded, all in preparation for this day. Attacking only the hobgoblin kingdom seemed too slow, so the man ordered the goblins to attack the undead fortress as well. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and the other undead on the wall were puzzled. These weak goblins were attacking both the hobgoblins and the undead? Even with the man, they only had six Monarch-level beings. Both the hobgoblins and the undead had two to three times that number. How could they possibly win? Was this a suicide mission? With the man''s sudden appearance leading the goblins, the hobgoblins stopped attacking the undead and focused on eliminating the traitors. As for Xiao Mu and the others, they knew the undead were weaker than the hobgoblins and wouldn''t actively attack them. The goblins'' sudden interference caused both sides, either passively or actively, to target the goblins. The undead didn''t even leave the fortress, attacking the goblins below from their stronghold. The Standard and Commanding-level goblins couldn''t even breach the undead fortress. Xiao Mu looked at the man in the distance, puzzled by his calm demeanor and slight smile. "Arthas, that man is a Lord. These goblins are too numerous to be his troops. Whatever his goal is, we should take him out first." The more Xiao Mu thought about it, the more he felt something was off. With their superior strength, they should eliminate him. Agreed. Let''s kill these goblins ourselves. It''ll give us a lot of experience points. The Race Kings agreed with Arthas and descended to kill the goblins themselves. Most undead couldn''t level up, so it was better for the Race Kings to gain the experience. The goblins were only Standard and Commanding level, easily killed by Monarch-level undead without wasting mana. Meanwhile, the Monarch-level hobgoblins weren''t fools. They knew the importance of capturing the leader. While the goblins'' fate didn''t concern them, their leader had to die. A dozen Monarch-level hobgoblins flew low, heading for the man. He calmly took out two devices. One created a circular barrier, enclosing him, the five Monarch-level goblins, and the teleportation array. The other formed another teleportation array, from which emerged a giant centipede, more like a beast. The centipede charged at the hobgoblins in the sky. Xiao Mu''s face changed as he watched from the fortress. The centipede was clearly the man''s troop, but it seemed to be a nemesis for the hobgoblin shamans. The shamans'' magic was ineffective against the centipede, and its hard exoskeleton resisted physical attacks. The centipede''s attributes allowed it to hold off a dozen hobgoblin shamans. While it couldn''t kill them, its venom could stall them indefinitely. "A dozen Monarch-level beings held off by a single centipede?" Xiao Mu was incredulous. He had thought the hobgoblins would handle the man, but now it was clear the man had come prepared. Xiao Mu stood on the wall, raising his hand to gather a bright elemental laser. Since attacking the hobgoblins was ineffective, he aimed for the large centipede. Zap! A blinding beam shot from the undead fortress toward the centipede. But the man had anticipated this. He appeared in front of the laser, casually blocking Xiao Mu''s attack. Xiao Mu wasn''t disappointed. This confirmed that the centipede was meant to counter the hobgoblins and had no advantage against other Monarch-level beings, which was why the man intervened. The man shook his blackened hand, glaring at Xiao Mu on the fortress wall, as if warning him not to interfere. Chapter 212 - 212: Devour centipede So brazen? Where does he get his confidence from? A Goblin (centipede) Lord reaching Monarch level? Xiao Mu dissolved into light and reappeared in front of the man, delivering a kick infused with light elements. To his surprise, the man blocked Xiao Mu''s kick with his right forearm, not budging an inch. Before Xiao Mu could react, the man grabbed his ankle and flung him away. Xiao Mu dissipated into light particles mid-air, reappearing as countless laser beams shooting towards the man. A barrier appeared, instantly blocking all of Xiao Mu''s attacks. He''s stronger than me! That was Xiao Mu''s first thought. The man smirked coldly, looking at Xiao Mu with disdain. "I suggest you let the undead Lord come here personally. You''re no match for me." Ignoring the man''s taunt, Xiao Mu attacked again. After a few exchanges, it was clear the man outmatched him in both speed and strength. Seizing an opening, the man''s right arm glowed with five purple rings, resonating with each other. He punched Xiao Mu in the stomach, sending him flying. As Xiao Mu flew back, he felt a wave of nausea, almost throwing up. The man vanished, and the ground cracked like a spiderweb. Just as the man was about to land another punch, Xiao Hui appeared, kicking him back. The man took a few steps back, looking at the dark elements on his hand. With a clenched fist, he dispelled them instantly. "Are you the undead Lord?" Dark magic, a woman¡ªit had to be her. Xiao Hui helped Xiao Mu up, glaring at the man. "Who are you?" "I''m Thalor, Simp Knight. I believe this castle ID isn''t unfamiliar to you." Thalor spoke nonchalantly, thinking only the undead Lord was worthy of knowing his name among all the Lords. "Simp Knight?" Xiao Hui looked puzzled, feeling the name was familiar. "You''re that traitor who almost surpassed Alex in the hunt rankings!" Xiao Mu blurted out. "Good memory. But I''m no longer a traitor," Thalor said, showing no interest in continuing the fight and instead engaging in conversation with Xiao Hui. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The siblings were stunned. Could a traitor become a Lord again? "Did you unify the race you defected to?" Xiao Hui asked, recalling Alex''s speculation, which turned out to be true. "Exactly. You and I have no quarrel. These goblins can''t harm the undead. They can give you experience points. Why not cooperate and kill more goblins? You''ll gain experience and increase your troop numbers. It''s a win-win." Thalor''s words shocked the siblings. It was the first time they''d heard someone asking others to kill their troops. There had to be a catch, but they couldn''t figure out why he was doing this. Xiao Mu guessed that Thalor must have unified the entire goblin race, meaning his defection was part of a larger plan. "Why are you doing this?" "That''s a stupid question. I refuse to answer. With your abilities, you''ll figure it out soon enough. After all, you''re the undead Lord. As for information about my abilities, that''s classified." Thalor crossed his arms, looking at the siblings coldly. The brief skirmish had shown him that neither of them was his equal. After tonight, they would never have a chance to defeat him. Thalor had initially considered allying with the undead Lord, but now he saw that the so-called undead Lord was overrated. They weren''t worthy of an alliance with him. "Also, the hobgoblin kingdom is mine. After you kill these goblins, I suggest you leave. I''m giving you experience points and corpses, so it''s not a wasted effort." Thalor turned and headed back to the teleportation array, ignoring the siblings. Thalor''s arrogance infuriated Xiao Hui. With so many Monarch-level beings on their side, why should they fear him? "Who do you think you are? We don''t take orders from you. The undead Lord will decide whether to fight or not." Thalor stopped in his tracks. "What did you say? You''re not the undead Lord?" Veins bulged on Thalor''s forehead. He felt tricked, having wasted time talking to two lackeys. "You''ve wasted my time. I''ll teach you a lesson!" Thalor charged at the siblings, who attacked him together. Xiao Hui wielded a dark blade, engaging Thalor in close combat, while Xiao Mu attacked from a distance. The siblings coordinated well, making it difficult for Thalor to suppress them despite his superior attributes. But Thalor''s abilities were diverse, with various small skills that caught them off guard. Thalor''s rise to Monarch level was thanks to his troop: the devour centipede. This troop could only exist as one, and its sole ability was to devour. Devouring different species granted it corresponding resistances, which it then transferred to Thalor. Thalor had grown stronger through the centipede, gaining diverse abilities and enhanced attributes. The centipede had devoured mostly goblins and hobgoblins, making it highly resistant to hobgoblin shamanic magic. This allowed it to hold off a dozen hobgoblin shamans, though it couldn''t kill them, nor could they kill it. In Simp Knight''s castle, only Thalor and the centipede resided. Thalor had initially defected to the goblins to provide his centipede with a constant food source to grow stronger. Goblin offspring had strange bloodlines, which Thalor desired. As a traitor, Thalor had used the goblins to attack Lords, earning rewards. But after reaching Monarch level, he found leveling up slow. He decided to wage war. After unifying the goblin race, he discovered a faster way to level up than having the centipede devour enemies. This method compensated for his slow leveling, while the centipede''s abilities provided him with various skills. Today, Thalor led the goblins to attack the hobgoblin kingdom. His goal was simple: to annihilate the goblin race and then conquer the hobgoblin kingdom. The goblins, unaware of his true intentions, believed Thalor was leading them to avenge themselves against the hobgoblin kingdom and were attacking with all their might. ... Thalor and the sibling duo fought to a standstill, but he remained unperturbed, even exuding confidence. The siblings were curious about his confidence, knowing that the undead had far more Monarch-level beings than Thalor. Xiao Hui glanced at Xiao Mu, and they shared a mutual understanding. If they couldn''t defeat him, they would exhaust his Mana Points and let the undead finish him off. A massive black projectile appeared behind Xiao Hui, crashing down on Thalor. Black mist surged, and countless dark-element spikes flew into it. The surrounding dark elements seemed to come alive, grabbed by Xiao Hui, and swept towards Thalor in the mist. A large purple ring appeared in front of Thalor, blocking all the attacks. A vortex formed around him, dispersing the black mist. Xiao Hui had hoped her attack would sever his legs, but Thalor vanished into a blur. He reappeared behind her, green poison mist emanating from his body, even his eyes glowing green. He reached out to grab her head. Fortunately, Xiao Mu intervened, kicking Thalor''s hand away and using several laser beams to push him back. Xiao Mu recognized the ability¡ªit was hobgoblin shamanic magic, capable of draining life force. Thalor, now with his hands open, conjured blue fireballs and hurled them at the siblings like stones. They dodged and began exchanging long-range attacks with Thalor, causing collateral damage to the surrounding goblins. "Whoosh¡ª" Thalor exhaled deeply. The fireballs he had thrown split in mid-air, covering the area and hovering. Boom! Boom! Boom! All the fireballs exploded simultaneously. Xiao Mu appeared in front of Xiao Hui, a light barrier forming around them, shielding them from the omnidirectional blast. Before the explosion ended, Thalor charged in, his fist''s purple rings bursting with energy. He shattered the light barrier with one punch, sending Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui flying. They landed smoothly using their elemental abilities, but the pain in their stomachs was unbearable. Xiao Mu lifted his shirt to reveal a purple ring-shaped mark on his abdomen. "It hurts so much. How did he suddenly get stronger?" Xiao Hui also felt the pain but couldn''t lift her shirt to check her injuries in public. "He leveled up," Xiao Mu said gravely, puzzled by Thalor''s sudden power increase. If this continued, wouldn''t he just keep getting stronger? Meanwhile, Thalor''s centipede was struggling. The five Monarch-level goblins had to join the fight against the hobgoblin shamans. Seeing the goblins'' limited strength, all the Monarch-level hobgoblins converged on the centipede. With twenty-one Monarch-level hobgoblin shamans attacking, Xiao Mu wondered how Thalor would respond. Just then, goblins stopped emerging from the teleportation array, indicating that all had been transported. Thalor decisively left the battlefield, no longer entangled with the siblings, who were no longer his match and couldn''t stop him. He reappeared in the teleportation array, and with a flash, he, his centipede, and the five Monarch-level goblins vanished. He ran?! "He''s really decisive. I thought he had more tricks up his sleeve," Xiao Mu said, returning to the undead fortress with Xiao Hui. The hobgoblin shamans, having missed their target, began slaughtering the goblins. There were nearly 100,000 goblins on the battlefield, including warriors and even elderly goblins who could barely hold weapons. It was a massacre. "The souls of these dead goblins are disappearing," Arthas said as the siblings returned to the fortress. "Why are their souls disappearing?" Xiao Hui asked, puzzled. Weren''t weaker creatures'' souls supposed to linger longer? "I don''t know. It might be related to that Lord''s power," Arthas speculated, unable to explain the phenomenon otherwise. "Though we don''t know the reason, it''s clear that these goblins'' deaths are making Thalor stronger. If I''m not mistaken, he started at level 2 Monarch and leveled up to level 3 as more goblins died, making us no longer his match," Xiao Mu explained his theory, which seemed the only plausible explanation. Otherwise, why would a few Monarch-level beings dare to attack the hobgoblin kingdom? "Then we can''t summon undead from these corpses. What a waste," Xiao Hui lamented. "It doesn''t matter. Most of them are Standard level. Even if we summoned them, they wouldn''t be much use," Xiao Mu reassured her. The siblings then joined the fray, with six Monarch-level undead guarding the fortress perimeter, relentlessly hunting down the suicidal goblins. The goblins seemed bewitched, showing no fear. The hobgoblins, seeing the Monarch-level goblins and Thalor flee, initially considered persuading the goblins to surrender. However, they quickly realized these goblins were undeterred, continuing their desperate charge. Seeing this, the hobgoblins had no choice but to kill them all. Chapter 213 - 213: Mana hairpin [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Alex spent the night in Hurricane City, where the food was truly delicious. Ruby would probably love it here. Alex got up, put on her mage robe, pinned her medal to her chest, and used her hat to cover her hair before stepping out of the room. "Good morning, esteemed Alyssa. Did you sleep well?" "Yes, thank you very much for your hospitality." The maid at the door greeted Alex politely, and Alex responded courteously. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Leaving the palace, Alex walked outside the city. Hurricane City was still quiet in the early morning, though a few early-rising mages were already busy. Hurricane City might not be as bustling as Thunder City, but its clever use of wind magic in its architecture gave it a unique charm. The shield outside the city had disappeared, indicating that Hurricane City was no longer under lockdown. Alex was eager to leave; she felt no sense of security staying here. "Alyssa, are you leaving the city so early?" This one-star mage, named Onak, seemed to have been waiting for her. He was the one who had hosted Alex at the banquet the previous night. "Yes, I have some matters to attend to." "Alyssa, you are indeed diligent. I won''t ask you to stay longer, as mages are always busy." Onak smiled, as if he and Alex were old friends. "By the way, please take this. When traveling, such items can be quite necessary. As protectors of humanity, we can''t always rely on others for food and drink." Onak handed Alex a heavy gray cloth bag. Opening it, she found it filled with gleaming gold coins, the common currency among the human empires. Onak had paid out of his own pocket, thinking that someone as young and powerful as Alex was worth befriending. "Thank you for your kindness." Alex knew this might come in handy later, so she accepted it, and Onak smiled. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Alex left. Onak watched Alex leave, then went to a study in the city''s palace. He knocked lightly on the doorframe. "Come in." A woman''s voice came from inside. Onak entered, facing a middle-aged woman with a mage hat, writing with a quill at her desk. "President, she has left." Onak spoke respectfully. "Did you find out her relationship with Eldrin?" The woman paused her writing and looked at Onak, her tone indifferent. "I discussed it with her. When I mentioned Vice President Eldrin, she didn''t seem particularly respectful, more like... grateful?" Onak thought for a moment, feeling this was the best way to describe it, though he didn''t understand why the president didn''t ask Eldrin directly. "Alright, let me know when she returns." After a brief exchange, the woman dismissed Onak, who bowed and left, leaving the woman deep in thought. Meanwhile, Alex, leaving the city, was grateful she had learned basic wind magic. Otherwise, a Monarch-level mage who couldn''t fly would be too suspicious. As an Honorary Mage, Alex moved freely in Hurricane City. A casual inquiry to a guard even got her a map of the entire Starfallen Empire. Through brief conversations, Alex learned some basics about the Starfallen Empire. It was vast, with a population in the billions, housing nearly half of Eldoria''s human population and protected by the mage association. The strength of the Starfallen Empire relied entirely on the power of its mage association branch. Hurricane City was the main hub for wind magic within the mage association. Most mages there practiced wind magic, though other types were also present, albeit less common. Talented mages were often sent to other major cities for further training. Located in the northwest of the Starfallen Empire, near the capital, Alex needed to leave quickly. She avoided using dark magic within the empire to prevent exposure. She also avoided using Hurricane City''s teleportation array to the empire''s border to keep her movements hidden. Alex had enough experience to level up but chose to continue accumulating it. Soon, Alex flew out of the core area of the Starfallen Empire, entering the Barren Plains, a near-border wasteland with only a few villages. No longer hiding, Alex stored her mage robe and medal in her ring and used dark magic to fly at full speed. Basic wind magic was too slow. Instead of crossing the Frostwind snowy mountain to return to Undead City, she headed south to the swamp near Chi-Chi''s castle. The castle was now ruins, soon to be reduced to sand by the wind. Alex landed and entered the alchemy magic circle she had set up, digging a pit to bury Chi-Chi''s body. "I wanted to bury you with your family, but I didn''t have the time or opportunity. Rest here." "From here it begins, and from here it ends." Alex wasn''t one for sentimental words. She had seen too many deaths, perhaps making this a fitting end. If asked whether she regretted saving Chi-Chi, Alex would say she would regret it either way. It was a choice with no perfect answer. After a few minutes of gazing at Chi-Chi''s peaceful face, Alex knew it was time to leave. Chi-Chi''s story ended here, but Alex''s was just beginning. Alex buried Chi-Chi, flattened a stone from the ruins as a tombstone, and carved Chi-Chi''s name on it. Standing up, she took one last look at the grave hidden by the alchemy magic circle before turning away. Undead City wasn''t far. At Alex''s flying speed, it would take only minutes to return. That battle had cost many Monarch-level undead lives, showing Alex the hobgoblin kingdom was no easy foe. She had underestimated them. Without Alex, the Monarch-level forces couldn''t be replenished, making victory against the hobgoblin kingdom uncertain. "But according to the system messages, no undead have died since dawn. What''s going on?" Alex was puzzled, not paying much attention to the goblin kill messages, knowing goblins were hobgoblin slaves. [Congratulations, Lord, on obtaining high-level lightning magic. Do you want to use 1,000 magic crystals to learn it right now?] Entering her territory, Alex received a system prompt and chose to learn without hesitation. Instantly, a flood of knowledge filled her mind. She could now touch and use the lightning elements in the air without discomfort. Alex knew the power of high-level magic. As a destructive force, lightning magic became her second high-level spell. She quickly integrated it into her right eye for enhancement. A purple arc flashed in her right eye, lighting up the third element on the six-pointed star magic circle. Alex then took out the gift Chi-Chi had intended for her from the Warehouse. [Item Name: Mana Hairpin] [Item Grade: Commanding level] [Item Feature: Increases Mana Points limit by 30, enhances Mana Points recovery efficiency.] It was a red butterfly hairpin with long ribbons, an auxiliary item. Alex pinned it to her hair, perfect for recovering Mana Points after flying. Originally, she recovered one Mana Point per minute. With the hairpin, it increased to 1.5 times, recovering three points every two minutes. With 300 Mana Points, full recovery took five hours. The hairpin reduced it to three hours and twenty minutes. This saved a lot of time, helpful in battles. Entering Undead City, Alex saw the army had stopped teleporting and gathered outside the main fortress. She didn''t notify the siblings of her return; the system dashboard showed no undead deaths, only goblin kill messages. Seeing this, Alex wasn''t in a hurry. She decided to take a bath and level up before checking the situation. Alex undressed, walked barefoot into the bathroom, and pulled the shower curtain closed. Chapter 214 - 214: Take the initiative Tara Plain, hobgoblin kingdom. The battlefield was littered with goblin corpses, dismembered limbs scattered everywhere, and the thick blood staining the ground green. At this moment, only a few goblins remained, on the brink of total annihilation, yet they continued their relentless assault, showing no fear of death. Most of these goblins were at the Standard level, offering little experience points. Throughout the night, the six Race Kings and the sibling duo had been killing enemies, but only Arthas and the siblings had leveled up to lv2. The other Race Kings remained at lv1 Monarch level. The hobgoblins, unlike the undead, had both their shamans and regular hobgoblins fighting, resulting in some losses, though not significant. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From the goblins'' behavior, it was clear they couldn''t kill the undead and were merely throwing their lives away. In contrast, the goblins attacking the hobgoblins were well-equipped, using both technology and magic, aiming to kill as many hobgoblins as possible. Thus, the undead faced less pressure compared to the hobgoblins. "It looks like the battle is coming to an end," Xiao Mu murmured, gazing at the hobgoblin royal city in the distance. The goblins were nearly wiped out. Around the undead fortress, goblin corpses had piled up into small hills, emitting a foul stench. Bone dragons were spewing flames, burning the goblin bodies. With the fall of the last goblin, the battlefield fell silent, leaving only the hobgoblins and undead facing each other. But neither side attacked immediately, as the matter with the goblins wasn''t over yet¡ªThalor hadn''t reappeared. A few minutes later, Thalor, no longer receiving notifications of goblin deaths, confirmed that all the goblins were dead. A teleportation array lit up again, this time in another cave entrance, likely a contingency plan he had left behind. Seconds later, Thalor emerged, rolling up his shirt sleeves and adjusting his loosened tie, exuding confidence. Behind him were the giant centipede and five Monarch-level goblins¡ªhis final forces. Xiao Mu, watching from the fortress, saw no changes in Thalor and wondered where his confidence came from. Seeing Thalor reappear without goblin cover, the remaining Monarch-level hobgoblins quickly launched an attack on him. From the walls of the hobgoblin royal city, the hobgoblin king watched the battlefield. The suicidal charge of nearly ten thousand goblins had drawn its attention, something it had never seen before and wanted to investigate. Thalor, seemingly anticipating this, remained unflustered. The centipede and the Monarch-level goblins fought together, holding off nearly half of the Monarch-level hobgoblins. Thalor himself unleashed a powerful aura, single-handedly facing dozens of hobgoblin shamans. Countless purple rings appeared, swirling around him. Purple and green energy surged from his body, and his seemingly slow punches landed precisely on each hobgoblin shaman. The struck hobgoblins were sent flying, their shamanic barriers offering no protection. In no time, Thalor had knocked out five or six hobgoblin shamans with single punches, appearing incredibly strong. The defeated hobgoblin shamans were all lv1, while the remaining higher-level shamans could barely hold their ground against Thalor. From a distance, Xiao Mu saw that even these remaining shamans were no match for Thalor and would eventually be defeated. "How did he get so much stronger?" Xiao Hui was shocked. How powerful must one be to single-handedly defeat so many Monarch-level hobgoblins? "What should we do? Just watch?" "Judging by Thalor''s displayed strength, he shouldn''t be stronger than the hobgoblin king. The hobgoblin king won''t stand by and watch his shamans get killed. He''ll intervene, and when they both exhaust their Mana Points, we''ll strike," Xiao Mu analyzed. Suddenly, Xiao Mu considered a startling possibility. "Wait, if his troops are resistant to shamanic magic, he must have their abilities too. So, he might be resistant to hobgoblin shamanic magic. Given his confidence, the hobgoblin king might not be his match. If he can control hobgoblins like he did goblins, we could face a suicidal charge from the entire hobgoblin race." "That''s very likely. It might be why he''s confident enough to attack the hobgoblin kingdom," Arthas agreed with Xiao Mu''s speculation. "Then we can''t just sit here. Doing nothing plays into his hands. We should take the initiative," Xiao Hui realized. "Finally, you had a smart idea," Xiao Mu praised. "I''ve always been smart!" Xiao Hui retorted, though Xiao Mu wasn''t really listening. Under Xiao Mu''s temporary command, all Monarch-level undead, except the giant skeleton creature, flew out of the fortress, heading towards the battle between Thalor and the hobgoblins. Their goal was clear: kill Thalor first, then attack the hobgoblins. The hobgoblin king on the wall was puzzled. This man was the strongest extraterrestrial visitor it had ever seen, already at lv4 Monarch level. It couldn''t understand how an extraterrestrial visitor could grow so strong overnight. Extraterrestrial visitors were indeed mysterious. If the hobgoblins had this ability, they would have become a dominant force on Eldoria long ago, instead of hiding here. Seeing that the hobgoblin shamans couldn''t defeat Thalor, the hobgoblin king wouldn''t let his subordinates be killed. Just as the hobgoblin king was about to intervene, he saw the undead attacking Thalor. Their goal was clear, so the hobgoblin king decided to wait and see. Whoever won, they would exhaust their Mana Points, and that would be the best time for the hobgoblin king to strike. Thalor, seeing the undead and the sibling duo charging at him, felt a change in his expression. Even at lv4 Monarch level, he couldn''t face both the hobgoblins and undead simultaneously. Thalor glared at the siblings with anger. "I advise you to stay out of this!" Thalor hadn''t expected the siblings to bring the undead into the fray. From a rational perspective, staying neutral would maximize their benefits. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui ignored Thalor, attacking from both sides with light and dark elemental strikes. Thalor immediately blocked, but the surrounding undead and hobgoblin shamans also converged on him. Xiao Mu''s guess was correct¡ªThalor had significant resistance to hobgoblin shamanic magic but not to the undead. In an instant, Thalor''s green and purple shield shattered, and he was knocked to the ground by the combined assault of the Monarch-level beings. The hobgoblin shamans and undead, in a rare moment of cooperation, refrained from attacking each other and focused solely on Thalor and his minions. "You are just a bunch of low-level undead. How can you hope to defeat the hobgoblin kingdom? Why not join forces with me? Together, we can take down the hobgoblin kingdom, and you can have the lion''s share of the spoils!" Thalor stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth, trying to persuade the undead to ally with him. He didn''t want his plans to fail at the last moment due to the undead''s interference. Taking down the hobgoblin kingdom had seemed like a sure thing, but these undead were complicating matters. "Do you think we''re fools?" Xiao Mu retorted, implying that their confidence in attacking the hobgoblin kingdom meant they had the strength to take it down. To Xiao Mu, Thalor was an unstable factor, and allying with him was too risky. "So, there''s no room for negotiation?" Thalor''s face turned cold. It seemed he would have to use his trump card sooner than planned. Chapter 215 - 215: Esteemed Queen, your return ensures our triumph In an instant, Thalor''s purple domain enveloped the entire battlefield. His centipede swung its massive body, blocking several hobgoblin shamans from attacking its master. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The centipede opened its gaping maw, and a purple vortex appeared at its head. Catching the five Monarch-level goblins off guard, it devoured them all in one gulp. They didn''t even have time to scream before their forms vanished completely. The five Monarch-level hobgoblins fighting the centipede were startled, fearing they might be next. They quickly retreated to avoid its attack. Both the hobgoblins and undead were stunned by the centipede''s unexpected move. It was the first time they realized the centipede had such a bizarre devouring ability. The key point was that this unexpected move wasn''t used to devour enemies but rather to consume its own allies in a disadvantageous situation. In an instant, the centipede digested the Monarch-level goblins, and Xiao Mu could clearly feel its aura growing stronger. All the hobgoblin shamans looked at the giant centipede with fear, worried they might be its next target. But then, the centipede, now within Thalor''s domain, began to shrink, quickly becoming the size of a normal centipede. It flew towards Thalor, and to everyone''s astonishment, Thalor swallowed it whole! "Ugh, that''s disgusting!" Xiao Hui covered her mouth in disbelief. As Thalor and his centipede fused, his aura surged, and the surrounding purple domain turned green. Thick armor began to grow over his skin, tearing through his shirt and pants. Curved skeletal structures, resembling the centipede''s mandibles, sprouted from his body. Thalor''s entire body was now covered in brown armor, including his head. Two curved spikes grew from his chin, and long antennae sprouted from his head. Thalor had transformed into a humanoid centipede, or more accurately, an insectoid creature. "What kind of creature is this? Did he merge with his centipede?" Xiao Hui felt Thalor''s power had increased significantly. Was this his trump card? Thalor became a blur, attacking the hobgoblin shamans. Two lv1 shamans couldn''t react in time and were caught by the pincers on Thalor''s arms. A purple vortex appeared on Thalor''s chest, instantly draining the life force from the hobgoblin shamans. The armor on Thalor''s neck split open, releasing two streams of green smoke, expelling the excess impurities from the hobgoblin shamans. The siblings felt Thalor grow even stronger, and the other hobgoblin shamans'' faces turned pale as they retreated. Now, Thalor was a figure of fear. Neither the undead nor the hobgoblins dared to attack him together. If he caught them, he would only grow stronger. This was exactly what Thalor wanted. If he feared a combined attack, he wouldn''t have shown up so early. He could have waited until both sides were exhausted before appearing. Thalor waved his hand, and countless giant whips formed from centipede bodies appeared within his domain, sweeping everything around them. Xiao Mu grabbed Xiao Hui and used his speed to dodge out of Thalor''s attack range. The other undead weren''t so lucky. Those hit by the whips disintegrated on the spot. The attacks carried the soul-damaging properties of shamanic magic, which, while not fatal to Monarch-level beings, could still injure them. Only Arthas, wielding his weapon, managed to shield Azure and Riven from the attacks. As soul entities, they were more vulnerable to soul attacks. Arthur used his body to protect John and Crane, being the most resistant among the six Race Kings. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Thalor charged at the injured undead, intending to devour them and gain the means to counter the undead. The siblings and Arthas attacked Thalor simultaneously, trying to stop him, but Thalor''s reaction speed and explosive power had greatly increased. In just five seconds, he had repelled the siblings. Facing Arthas''s attack, Thalor single-handedly grabbed his weapon, and using shamanic magic, sent Arthas flying. Just as Thalor was about to absorb the two trapped Monarch-level undead, he sensed something and turned sharply. Countless green vines intertwined, forming a massive maw that lunged at Thalor. Caught off guard, Thalor''s armor glowed brown, and a centipede shadow appeared behind him. Boom! The massive impact sent nearby undead flying, but Thalor, at the center of the attack, remained unmoved, blocking the powerful strike. As the attack dissipated, Thalor''s armor was slightly reddened, and a large crater appeared on the ground, but he was uninjured. Thalor looked up at the small figure floating in the sky, a smile forming under his mask. "Hobgoblin king, lv6 Monarch level, is this all you''ve got? Or are you just too old and useless?" Thalor taunted, revealing the hobgoblin king''s strength. Thalor''s focus was entirely on the hobgoblin king. His goal was clear: kill the hobgoblin king and conquer the hobgoblin race. The hobgoblin king finally made his move. Despite his age, he possessed lv6 Monarch level strength. Xiao Mu could feel the power of the previous attack; it would have killed any of them. Yet Thalor had blocked it without injury, confirming Xiao Mu''s suspicion that he had high immunity to shamanic magic, likely due to his centipede devouring hobgoblin shamans. "The hobgoblin king is at level six, and Thalor is even stronger," Xiao Hui said worriedly. With Thalor''s monstrous strength, taking down the hobgoblin kingdom would be even harder for the undead. Unless they could defeat Thalor in one go, he would continue to devour other undead, growing stronger. Regular Monarch-level beings were no match for him, only making him more powerful. Xiao Mu was at a loss. He had never encountered a Lord with such formidable abilities. Even with Thalor''s back turned to the undead, no one dared to attack. The hobgoblin shamans in the sky were equally hesitant, placing their hopes on the hobgoblin king. But if the hobgoblin king failed, all would be lost. "So, you''re the Lord who defected to the goblins and controlled them," the hobgoblin king said in goblin language, his voice aged. "That''s right. Soon, it will be your turn. Surrender and become my nourishment," Thalor replied confidently. Even if the hobgoblin king was higher level, his centipede had devoured many hobgoblins, giving him high resistance. He feared nothing. Once he devoured the Monarch-level hobgoblins, he would level up again. He didn''t need troops, just his centipede. Thalor soared into the air, attacking the hobgoblin king. Countless centipede shadows swirled within his domain, and his right hand transformed into a giant pincer aimed at the king''s head. The hobgoblin king had no choice but to fight. Behind him was his kingdom. Even if he couldn''t win, he had to try. He refused to believe this strange ability was unbeatable. The hobgoblin king released his domain, gathering life energy to protect himself and attack Thalor. But Thalor''s centipede shadows absorbed the attacks, unable to stop his advance. Just as Thalor was about to strike, the hobgoblin king swung his staff, unleashing a powerful shockwave that pushed Thalor back. Thalor steadied himself mid-air and attacked again, his body a blur. "Let''s see how many times you can use that trick!" Thalor taunted. The hobgoblin king''s face was grim. His attacks were ineffective. In his younger days, he could have fought Thalor with armor and weapons, but now he was too old. With no other choice, the hobgoblin king continued using shamanic magic. Blue and red flames spewed out, forming a fiery tornado that swirled around him and gathered above. The hobgoblin shamans behind him also channeled their energy into the tornado. Soon, a massive blue, white, and red tornado appeared above the hobgoblin king. He ignored Thalor''s approach. The tornado spun rapidly, the flames intertwining and merging, growing more powerful. Thalor didn''t care. He struck the hobgoblin king''s shamanic barrier with his domain-infused attack, cracking it instantly. But as the barrier shattered, the hobgoblin king''s crown glowed brightly, forming another shield. Thalor''s attack didn''t even ripple the new shield. Thalor increased his power, while the fiery tornado above the hobgoblin king reached its peak. The surrounding hobgoblin shamans retreated. Xiao Mu, sensing danger, also led the undead away, but it was too late. The fiery tornado exploded, sending a terrifying shockwave across the battlefield. Boom! A brilliant flame erupted where the hobgoblin king and Thalor clashed, and a ring-shaped shockwave spread out, shaking the entire basin. The walls cracked, and the sky above fractured. Even the hobgoblin royal city wasn''t spared. The shockwave shattered its shield and cracked its walls. The hobgoblin shamans, exhausted of Mana Points, were thrown to the ground by the shockwave. Despite their quick reaction, Xiao Mu and the undead couldn''t escape the blast. As they braced for impact, a massive black barrier appeared, shielding them from the shockwave. The siblings and the undead turned to see Alex standing not far behind them. "Miss Alex, you''re back!" "Esteemed Queen, your return ensures our triumph!" the six Race Kings said with utmost loyalty. Chapter 216 - 216: You brought this on yourself Alex appeared on the battlefield, followed by seven Monarch-level undead, summoned from the seven corpses within the fortress. "This guy can actually devour?" As the explosion''s shockwave dissipated, Alex saw that while the hobgoblin king was not visibly injured, he was utterly exhausted and unable to continue fighting. The hobgoblin king had intended to go down with Thalor, but the effect was less than ideal. Thalor''s armor was shattered, and blood seeped from within. Though he appeared gravely injured, lying there pretending to be dead, his body was rapidly healing. During the explosion, his chest had even absorbed some of the energy. His ability was undeniably terrifying. "Isn''t this the classic protagonist template?" Alex quipped, to which Xiao Hui had a different take. "He''s nothing. Miss Alex is the real protagonist!" Xiao Mu was taken aback. Since when did his sister become so good at flattery? Though Alex had grown stronger, she wasn''t reckless enough to charge in headfirst. The current situation was perfect; they hadn''t been able to defeat her at their peak, and now they were all half-dead. Victory was practically assured. With the seven Monarch-level undead Alex had summoned, the undead forces, which had been reduced to thirteen Monarch-level combatants, were now bolstered to over twenty, surpassing the hobgoblin kingdom''s Monarch-level numbers. Thalor had devoured two Monarch-level hobgoblins, leaving no corpses, which irked Alex. This centipede-man had to pay. "Kill them all." At Alex''s command, the Monarch-level undead charged at the weakened hobgoblins. Alex''s return had greatly boosted their confidence. Alex, along with the siblings, approached the prone Thalor. Hearing the undead''s movements, Thalor struggled to his feet, turning to see Alex and the siblings. Upon seeing Alex, Thalor''s pupils contracted in disbelief. "Wow, such a beautiful girl exists in this world!" Alex remained vigilant, unsure of Thalor''s intentions. "Beautiful lady, allow me to introduce myself. I am Thalor. Praise the Creator, you are truly stunning!" Thalor, visibly excited, reverted to his human form. Seeing Alex ignore him, Thalor felt a bit awkward, while the siblings looked on curiously. "Though this is our first meeting, I am completely captivated by your beauty. If you accept me, I am willing to share everything with you, including my centipede!" Hearing this, Alex felt a wave of disgust. That centipede could stay with him; she had no interest in it. Thalor believed he had made an irresistible offer, but received no response. Feeling slighted, he looked at Alex with a mix of longing and frustration. "Pfft, what a simp," Xiao Hui couldn''t help but comment. "Shut up! I am the most devoted man in Eldoria!" Thalor shouted. "Oh, really? So what?" Alex replied coldly, her eyes filled with disdain and disgust. Thalor was taken aback by her indifferent reaction. Realizing Alex''s status from the siblings'' respectful demeanor, Thalor had an epiphany. "You must be the undead Lord, right? I know you. Your name is Alex!" Thalor laughed maniacally. "I fell for you at first sight. Be my girlfriend! Together, we can form the strongest alliance and build a powerful empire." "I refuse. I don''t like you." Alex''s response was immediate, to avoid any misunderstanding from the siblings. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have bothered to reply. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why?! Can''t you feel my affection for you? Why don''t you react at all?" Thalor''s face twisted in anger and frustration. He had made so many concessions, yet Alex still rejected him. "That''s your choice, not mine," Alex said again. Xiao Mu sighed. This approach was highly disrespectful and would only make a girl more repulsed. Even a ten-year-old boy would understand this. How could Thalor not? "I am now at lv5 Monarch level. The hobgoblin king is only lv6. I can devour endlessly and grow rapidly. You are a revered undead Lord, a topic of great interest in World Chat. You understand what this means, right?" Thalor''s pursuit had no effect, but he didn''t give up. He thought Alex found him too weak and a burden, hence her refusal. Suddenly, Thalor had an epiphany. This wasn''t Earth anymore. "This is Eldoria. The strong make the rules. If you won''t agree willingly, I''ll take you by force. Let''s see if you''ll beg for mercy in bed!" Thalor''s face twisted with malice as he reverted to his previous form, stepping out of the crater towards Alex and the siblings. During their conversation, his external wounds had mostly healed. "Holy shit, the simp is going berserk!" Xiao Hui thought they might negotiate since they seemed to know each other. But how did it escalate so quickly? Thalor vanished from the crater''s edge, aiming to capture Alex. With her, the undead would fall, and he could conquer the hobgoblin kingdom and command the undead. Thalor''s domain swept everything aside, his arm transforming into a centipede pincer, reaching for Alex. "I''ve given you enough face. You started this, so don''t blame me for defending myself!" Alex''s left hand ignited with black flames, catching Thalor''s attack. With a squeeze, Thalor''s centipede pincer shattered. Before Thalor could react, Alex spun and kicked him away. Xiao Hui looked at her own dark elements, feeling they were nothing compared to Alex''s. Thalor, regaining his senses, found himself flying backward. What just happened? The next moment, Alex appeared before him, kicking him to the ground. Thalor crashed heavily, shocked. Even if he wasn''t at full strength, how could a girl send him flying? Thalor''s armor hadn''t fully repaired, leaving him vulnerable. Alex approached him unhurriedly. Thalor tried to rise, but Alex stomped on his chest. "You brought this on yourself." Alex looked down at Thalor''s centipede-masked face, her tone cold. Thalor tried to get up, but Alex''s strength was greater. He could only move his hands, summoning two centipede shadows to attack Alex. She blocked them with a Dark Barrier. The relentless Thalor summoned his centipede to devour the barrier, but it was incinerated by black flames. "Your centipede isn''t as strong as you claimed. It can''t devour everything." Alex''s right hand, covered in icy frost, exuded a chilling aura. Thalor saw the killing intent in Alex''s eyes. She intended to kill him! Realizing he couldn''t capture Alex, Thalor understood he wasn''t even a match for her at his full strength. Thalor''s centipede armor opened, revealing a purple vortex, attempting to devour Alex. Alex''s right foot, engulfed in black flames, remained on Thalor''s chest, letting the flames pour into the vortex. Thalor smirked, thinking his plan was working. But the black flames erupted with destructive power, shattering the vortex. "Ahhh!" The soul-wrenching pain made him scream. Alex''s icy right hand struck Thalor''s chest. Though in pain, Thalor reacted quickly, abandoning his centipede armor to escape. Alex''s attack destroyed the empty armor. [Congratulations, you have killed lv2 devour centipede, gaining 400 experience points.] Thalor''s centipede was dead. He stood, drenched in sweat, looking at Alex in terror. "Can''t you feel my love for you? Must you kill me?" "Drop the disgusting act, and maybe I''ll let you die with some dignity." Countless ice crystals floated behind Alex as she approached Thalor. Without his centipede, Thalor was no match for Alex, retreating in fear. "Give me another chance. I was wrong. Please don''t kill me, Alex. You''re my goddess!" "You should be grateful." Alex said. Thalor''s face lit up, but turned to despair at Alex''s next words. "I''ll give you a chance to stay by my side, but not in your current form." Alex''s icy right hand struck Thalor''s chest, freezing him rapidly. A curse ended Thalor''s life. Alex left him a whole corpse, a dignified death. "I guess I''m still too kind." [Congratulations, Lord, for killing lv4 Monarch level Lord, gaining 800 experience points.] Chapter 217 - 217: Kingdoms tear After killing Thalor, Alex turned her gaze towards the hobgoblin king. At this point, all the hobgoblin shamans had been slain, leaving only the weakened hobgoblin king surrounded by undead. The remaining hobgoblin army in the distance had also ceased their assault. With their king captured, they had lost the will to fight. "Esteemed extraterrestrial visitor, I am willing to submit to you!" The hobgoblin king prostrated himself before Alex as she approached, expressing his submission. Alex touched her cheek with her left hand, looking upwards in thought. If the hobgoblin king chose to submit, wouldn''t that count as the fall of the hobgoblin kingdom? The system should reward her with the Kingdom''s Tear. Wait, this wasn''t certain. Killing the hobgoblin king would not only grant her experience but also allow her to summon an undead and definitely earn the Kingdom''s Tear. There was no need to consider further. Without hesitation, Alex used her scythe to kill the hobgoblin king. The hobgoblin king died in confusion, thinking that Alex''s contemplation meant he had a chance, only to be struck down suddenly. [Congratulations, you have killed lv6 hobgoblin king, gaining 1,000 experience points!] [Congratulations, Lord, for destroying the hobgoblin kingdom, gaining the hobgoblin Barrack crystal and the exclusive item Kingdom''s Tear.] [Conquered Race count: 1] "A Barrack crystal? What does ''conquered race'' mean?" Alex immediately checked the system, feeling that Thalor''s rapid leveling method was hidden here. [The old king falls from the throne, and the new king will be reborn in glory] [Congratulations on conquering your first race. The entire race will submit to you, their souls sacrificed to you. Even in death, you will still gain experience points.] [Note: Only those who die in external battles will grant experience points, and only half of the original amount. Brutal slaughter and tyranny will lead to rebellion (eliminating a rebelling race will no longer grant experience points).] "So that''s how it works." Alex understood, and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui also gathered around to read the system description. "So, Thalor ruled the entire goblin race, using their hatred for hobgoblins to wage war. Even though he only gained 50% experience from their deaths, the nearly 100,000 goblins allowed him to reach lv4." "So that''s why Thalor sent the goblins to their deaths, just to gain experience points." Xiao Hui understood after Xiao Mu''s explanation. So, this was the method to conquer races? Just destroy their core rulers? Alex had always thought conquering a race meant eliminating all its members. Killing the hobgoblin civilians was pointless for Alex. At least keeping them alive meant they could mine resources and develop technology. With the hobgoblin king''s death, the battle was over. Aside from the entire hobgoblin race submitting to Alex, allowing her to utilize their resources, there didn''t seem to be any other benefits. Using these hobgoblins in battle was a joke. The system didn''t give any special rewards, or maybe it did, but Alex wasn''t the first Lord to conquer a race. Given Alex''s understanding of the system''s quirks, there might be a race conquest leaderboard in the future, but not yet. In that case, she needed to find ways to increase her conquered race count. "Xiao Hui, take the undead into the city and see if there are any resources we can use. Bring them back, and leave the rest for the hobgoblins." "Xiao Mu, there should be surviving goblins. They can''t be completely wiped out. Find out from the hobgoblins where their stronghold is and take it over. Also, bring the best hobgoblin artisans to Undead City." Alex assigned tasks to the siblings, who immediately set to work. In Eldoria, magic and supernatural powers were mainstream, but technology was also indispensable. With advanced technology, Alex could build special structures and even upgrade them. As development progressed, she could become less reliant on system rewards. However, participating in system events was still necessary, as they allowed Lords to grow stronger quickly, mainly through system rewards. After handling these matters, Alex took stock of her losses on the battlefield. Aside from the hobgoblin shamans devoured by Thalor, all the Monarch-level hobgoblins had been summoned as undead. Alex now had a staggering 43 Monarch-level undead, including the high-level hobgoblin king and Thalor, significantly boosting her strength. This didn''t include the six Race Kings, the Siblings, and Alex herself. In total, Alex had fifty Monarch-level combatants, an overwhelming force. Even Alex was surprised by the number, believing she must be the strongest among all Lords. "Arthas, Crane, take ten Monarch-level undead to Emerald Hills!" "Yes, my queen." The battlefield held nearly 40,000 hobgoblin corpses. Alex used her domain to summon 20,000 high-level undead, while the remaining 20,000 were summoned as regular undead by necromancers, enjoying a double summoning bonus. In total, she had 60,000 undead. Despite the losses in Monarch-level combatants and the undead army, the post-battle gains were substantial, with the undead numbers multiplying several times. The hobgoblins had lost all their high-end combatants, now weaker than the goblins. They lay prostrate, awaiting Alex''s judgment in fear. Alex didn''t concern herself with them. How they lived was their business. She only cared about their abilities and whether they could aid her development. The lv6 hobgoblin king was summoned as a Reaper Guard, the highest level currently, and would undoubtedly be useful to Alex. As for the other Monarch-level corpses, Alex summoned necromancers for mass production, while the rest became bone dragons, ghost dragons, and liches. Zombies, skeletons, and specters had low caps, maxing out at Commanding level, and couldn''t be summoned as Monarch-level beings. The battle ended, and the giant skeleton creature sank into the ground, leaving a massive circular magic circle, ready to awaken when enemies attacked again. The undead fortress needed a few Monarch-level guards. Alex looked up at the sky, thinking the hobgoblins should repair it. This would enhance the fortress''s concealment. Alex took a brief tour of the hobgoblin royal city, deciding to keep the teleportation array for communication with other hobgoblin cities. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Next was cleaning the battlefield and tallying the spoils. Alex sat on the wall, swinging her legs, waiting for the cleanup to finish. "Hey, Azure, tell Xiao Mu not to bother looking for goblins." Alex noticed a special item in the Warehouse after clearing Thalor''s belongings, resembling a tear, similar to the Kingdom''s Tear. Though she couldn''t take it out, she could view its attributes. [Name: Race''s Tear] [Item Level: None] [Description: A special item dropped after destroying or ruling an entire race. Its use is currently unknown. Can be absorbed by the Kingdom''s Tear to enhance its quality.] Alex also noticed her conquered race count had increased from 1 to 2. "It seems this item is key to conquering races." Alex speculated that if she gave the Kingdom''s Tear to someone else, the hobgoblins would submit to them instead. "Absorbing it means permanent submission, with no chance of rebellion?" At least, that was Alex''s current guess. By dusk, Xiao Hui returned with a large haul of resources, and Xiao Mu brought several hobgoblins. "Leader, these hobgoblins are responsible for most of their technology and research." "Esteemed leader." The hobgoblins trembled as they bowed to Alex. "Good. Arrange for them to live in Undead City." Alex nodded in satisfaction. Though she knew little about technology, she believed in the hobgoblins'' potential. As for the resources Xiao Hui brought, they were useful to Alex. She had no interest in weapons and armor. "Miss Alex, I found a batch of silver weapons in the city." Xiao Hui tossed a sword at Alex''s feet. These swords, shields, and armor were clearly not hobgoblin-made but human equipment. Alex picked up the sword and examined it. Made of specially processed silver, it could inflict soul damage, making it a bane for undead, werewolves, and vampires. "This equipment looks like Starfallen Empire''s, but different. Could it be from the templar knights?" Alex had seen both factions'' equipment, but these weapons were distinct. "Sell them on the World Chat." With no way to trace their origin, and the hobgoblin leaders dead, the trading post was the best place to offload them. Keeping them was pointless for Alex. Selling them quickly was best. With everything packed up, the undead army began to withdraw in an orderly fashion. "Let''s go." Alex called out, leading everyone back to the city. Chapter 218 - 218: Auxiliary barrack [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends!] Alex walked from the main fortress to the palace, noticing that the left annex was missing a section. The siblings noticed too but chose not to mention it. Alex arrived at the Barrack to summon troops, while the dark elves prepared dinner for the siblings, who hadn''t eaten in nearly two days. After summoning the troops, Alex took out the Kingdom''s Tear and the Race''s Tear from the Warehouse. When the two items collided, the latter was immediately absorbed. Alex didn''t notice any special changes and had to check the system for details. [Name: Kingdom''s Tear] [Level: None] [Progress: 1/100] [Description: Essential for establishing a kingdom.] There was a note next to [Progress], which Alex clicked to view. [Note: By merging a certain number of Kingdom (Race) Tears, it will upgrade to an Empire''s Tear. Possessing an Empire''s Tear allows the establishment of an empire without meeting the usual prerequisites.] "So that''s how it works." Alex studied it for a while and understood its use. Establishing a kingdom would require fusing the Kingdom''s Tear with the city crystal. The Race''s Tears seemed to enhance the kingdom''s energy. If one possessed an Empire''s Tear, it might be possible to bypass the kingdom stage and directly establish an empire. So, turning Undead City into an Undead Kingdom required her to reach King level, and an empire would require Emperor level? But Monarch level could also establish a kingdom. Strange. Native races in this world could, but Lords from Earth like Alex were not allowed. Alex had decided that a kingdom wasn''t her end goal. She planned to build the Strongest Undead Empire. However, compared to reaching King level and maxing out the city, conquering a hundred races seemed too difficult. Alex guessed that absorbing Race''s Tears wouldn''t always add just one point of progress. The differences between races, like dragons and rats, were too vast. "Leader, dinner is ready." A dark elf came to remind Alex. "Oh, okay." Alex joined the siblings for dinner. Xiao Hui seemed to have just taken a bath, her hair still damp. After dinner, Alex addressed the siblings, "Sophie is progressing too slowly. Her strength isn''t enough. Tomorrow, take the undead and help her. Finish off the dwarf kingdom quickly, then focus on the Orc Empire." In this world, one could never slack off. Only by constantly growing stronger could one survive. Alex wanted them to help Sophie not just to speed up progress but also to help the three of them develop quickly. "No problem, but there''s only one Monarch-level dwarf and two Monarch-level undead there. Can we handle it?" Xiao Hui felt it was risky, as the dwarf kingdom was likely stronger than the hobgoblin kingdom. "It''s fine. We''re not fighting all seven clans head-on. If they destroy one clan in their civil war, we''ll have a chieftain''s corpse, giving us a chance to turn the tide." Xiao Mu explained. "True, they''re not united and are still fighting among themselves." Compared to the hobgoblin kingdom, the dwarf kingdom was easier to deal with unless they united overnight. "Don''t worry, I''m here this time, and I''ve prepared in advance." Alex took out a fully charged fortress Essence Shard from her ring, showing it to the siblings to reassure them. With this experience, Alex wouldn''t make the same mistake again. Even if she wasn''t crossing continents, she didn''t know how large a continent was or if she could return, so she had to keep a fortress Essence Shard as a backup. After dinner, the three planned to rest. The siblings'' troops had been steadily growing in the Dark Forest, their numbers increasing. Alex suddenly had a new question. She was undoubtedly the ruler of the undead race, so why didn''t she have a Race''s Tear? Could there be other undead races scattered around the world? There were too many questions, and Alex didn''t want to think about them. She remembered the Hobgoblin Barrack crystal in the Warehouse hadn''t been built yet. Apparently, unique Barracks couldn''t acquire other Lords'' Barracks, but after conquering a race, even a unique Barrack would gain their corresponding Barrack crystal. This made things much easier. But how to conquer unorganized races? Boars were everywhere. How to conquer them? Kill them all? Alex took out the Hobgoblin Barrack crystal and clicked to build it. She looked towards the palace where the undead Barracks were but didn''t see the Hobgoblin Barrack there. "Where did it go?" Alex flew into the sky, activating her left eye to survey Undead City. She finally saw the Hobgoblin Barrack on a plot of land in the west. The area was divided into grid-like sections, which Alex had thought were for building houses. Now she saw the hobgoblin barrack fit perfectly into one of these sections. "So, it''s for building auxiliary Barracks. But Undead City is too dark, surrounded by barren mountains. When can we get some light here?" Alex landed back in the palace. The palace was the only illuminated area, and with the red moon hidden behind clouds, the outside was pitch black and a bit eerie. The city''s layout reserved the west for auxiliary Barracks, but there wasn''t much space, meaning selective construction was necessary. But that''s okay. There were other cities besides Undead City. When Undead City upgraded to a kingdom or empire, the space would increase again. As Alex walked towards the palace, she opened the system to check the auxiliary Barrack''s basic information. [Auxiliary Barrack: hobgoblin crystal] [Status: Cannot upgrade] [Barrack can summon: Automatically summons one hobgoblin daily, one major level below the Lord.] [Current summoning level: lv5 Commanding level] Alex had expected differences between main and auxiliary barracks but was still surprised. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Summoning one lv5 Commanding level hobgoblin daily was frustrating, as her Barrack could only summon lv7 Standard level undead. The auxiliary Barrack couldn''t upgrade and summoned automatically, which was convenient. The hobgoblins'' life cap was King level, so even if Alex reached Sovereign Level, the auxiliary barrack couldn''t summon Empire level hobgoblins. But Sovereign Level was far off. When Alex reached King level, the auxiliary Barrack would summon Monarch-level hobgoblins daily. Though only one, it would add up over time. This was fantastic. In high spirits, Alex decided to take a relaxing bath and then go to sleep. Chapter 219 - 219: Miss Alex, thank you [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Time: 06:00 AM Alex, just waking up, glanced at the system dashboard to check the time. Only eighteen hours remained until the leaderboard refreshed, meaning it would reappear at midnight tonight. Alex chose an outfit from her wardrobe that matched this world''s style, making her look more like a native and less like a Lord. Downstairs, the siblings were already preparing breakfast. Xiao Hui was wearing a gray hoodie and casual pants, but her clothes were in a state that was hard to describe¡ªlikely damaged from yesterday''s battle. The hoodie had turned into an off-shoulder design, revealing her black lace bra, which was quite inappropriate. "Xiao Hui, go to my room and find something to wear. They''re all new. I didn''t notice yesterday that your clothes were in such a state..." Hearing Alex''s words, Xiao Hui felt a bit embarrassed. She didn''t want to wear animal skins, so she had been making do. "We''re about the same size, so they should fit. As for you, Xiao Mu, you''ll have to make do. I don''t have any men''s clothes." Xiao Mu nodded, not minding. He was more concerned about his sister''s modesty. "Miss Alex, thank you!" Xiao Hui happily went upstairs. She had noticed that Alex always wore different and beautiful clothes, indicating she had plenty. "Fifth floor, second room on the left," Alex called out to the hurried Xiao Hui. Xiao Mu continued eating breakfast while Alex went to summon the troops. The hobgoblin artisans brought back yesterday were now living with the Dark Alchemy Warlocks in the eastern part of the city, busy building houses. Alex had authorized them to use any materials from the Warehouse. Once all the preparations were complete, they would first develop a prototype, and only after Alex''s approval would they mass-produce it, ensuring no excessive material consumption. For living needs, the Warehouse had tens of thousands of food portions, enough to last them centuries. The Auxiliary Barrack summoned a hobgoblin, which Alex sent back to the hobgoblin kingdom to help stabilize the chaotic situation there. These summoned hobgoblins were perfect for maintaining order. When Alex reached King level, the Auxiliary Barrack would summon Monarch-level hobgoblins, making them a race fully under her control. For the races that had submitted, Alex adopted a laissez-faire approach. Those useful for her development were brought to Undead City, while the rest continued their lives as usual. Her troops were undead, so she didn''t need these races'' military forces, except for high-end combatants. "Ahhh!! Holy fuck!!" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A scream from upstairs startled both Xiao Mu, who was eating breakfast, and Alex, who was outside the palace. What happened? Alex looked up and saw Xiao Hui peeking out the window. Their eyes met. Xiao Hui looked delighted, while Alex was puzzled. Xiao Hui''s shoulders were bare, with black straps prominently visible, making it seem like she wasn''t wearing anything, though most of her was hidden by the window. "Miss Alex, there are so many beautiful clothes and dresses here! I love them!" Xiao Hui shouted excitedly. Oh, it was because of the clothes. Understandable. For a girl who had worn the same outfit for a month, suddenly seeing countless clothes was indeed thrilling. "The clothes I''ve worn are in the bottom drawer. The ones on the hangers are all new. Take as many as you like, don''t be shy." Alex generously offered. With over a thousand outfits, even wearing one a day would take more than three years to go through them all. The two were similar in height and weight, so all the clothes would fit. "Thanks a lot!" Xiao Hui disappeared from the window, likely to try on more clothes. Alex continued checking the Warehouse, using the resources gained yesterday to upgrade the city''s level. The changes weren''t drastic; the walls extended outward, and the city''s territory expanded slightly. Alex also upgraded the Barracks by one level. The undead crystal reached lv21, raising the summoned undead to lv9 Standard level, though no new troops were unlocked. When the Barracks reached lv22, Alex could summon Commanding level undead directly. After these upgrades, Alex decided not to continue. Upgrading the city consumed too many resources. Unless the hobgoblins and dwarves could keep up with production, the Warehouse would be emptied quickly. She couldn''t deplete all resources at once, needing to reserve some for the undead fortress. With nothing valuable left in the Warehouse, Alex noted that the system didn''t automatically clear resources after conquering a race, nor did it destroy the city. Lords had to collect resources themselves. Special buildings and strange materials that seemed unrelated to city construction were left behind. After handling these matters, Alex returned to the palace just as Xiao Hui came downstairs in new clothes. Though she loved the dresses and high heels, she chose a hoodie and casual pants for their trip to the White Rock Mountains. Xiao Hui carried a few other outfits, suitable for daily wear but not for battle. She had a good figure and looks, easily rated at least S-rank. Unfortunately, Xiao Mu never saw his sister as a beauty. "Miss Alex, how do I look now?" Xiao Hui twirled in front of Alex, the clothes fitting perfectly. "I think you look the same as usual. It''d be better if you tied your hair up," Xiao Mu said before Alex could respond. "Did I ask you?" Xiao Hui glared at Xiao Mu but still tied her hair up, knowing they were about to leave for the White Rock Mountains. "You look great, very fitting. Feel free to take more clothes later, don''t be shy," Alex said. Though Alex offered, Xiao Hui politely took only two outfits, not wanting to seem greedy. "Miss Alex, this is enough for now," Xiao Hui said, holding several outfits and feeling a bit embarrassed. "Just take them," Xiao Mu insisted, pulling Xiao Hui away by the wrist. "Leader, we''re heading to the White Rock Mountains!" Xiao Mu waved to Alex and then walked away without looking back, while Xiao Hui looked at her brother with some annoyance. "Xiao Mu, you know, you''re really rude!" Chapter 220 - 220: Chieftains corpse White Rock Mountains, Sophie was still asleep, not yet awake. With nothing much to do these days, Sophie spent her time arranging for the dwarves to gather materials and forge equipment, chatting on World Chat, and then sleeping. After all, besides these activities, there wasn''t much for her to do in the castle. The dwarves were all working, and she could only rely on the dwarves at the Rockhammer City front line to kill enemies and gain experience, making her level up very slowly. As of now, Sophie had barely reached lv6 Commanding level, which was quite weak. However, Sophie didn''t mind at all, as she was only responsible for logistics, and being a bit weaker was acceptable. The siblings didn''t teleport directly from the main fortress to Grimstone but used the Portal of Transit to come to Sophie. This place was assigned to Sophie by Alex, and the siblings needed to understand the situation from her. "Leader is actually very kind to us. From these past few days of observation, she isn''t a cold and ruthless person, but she also doesn''t seem like someone who would easily accept subjects," Xiao Mu whispered to Xiao Hui in the palace. "I know, I think so too," Xiao Hui nodded in agreement. "Then what do you know? Tell me," Xiao Mu gave Xiao Hui a sideways glance, thinking she knew nothing. "Well, you go first. I''ll see if it matches what I think." "I think maybe Alex didn''t know what was happening in Emerald Hills at the time. It was all Sophie''s doing, and Alex thought we submitted voluntarily. That''s why she''s been so friendly to us, treating us as friends, which is different from the ''submit or die'' scenario we were told." Xiao Mu felt he had been deceived by Sophie. "Yeah, I noticed that too. With Miss Alex''s personality, she wouldn''t kill us if we didn''t submit. She wouldn''t kill the innocent. This kind of deceit is really annoying. What''s the word for it?" Xiao Hui pondered. "It''s called cunning and deceitful. But maybe we should thank her. After joining Alex, we no longer have to worry about our lives, unlike in Emerald Hills, where we lived in constant fear." Xiao Mu understood that, in a way, Sophie had helped them by deceiving them. Since they and Sophie were both Alex''s subjects, it was best to maintain a harmonious relationship. "Of course, I know that. Don''t worry, I''m not a child anymore." The main reason was that Alex treated them well. Otherwise, they would definitely hold a grudge against Sophie. As they whispered to each other, they reached Sophie''s castle. But upon learning from the dwarf guards that Sophie was still asleep, Xiao Hui exploded. "What? We''re out there fighting enemies, and she''s still sleeping in?" The dwarf guards trembled, not daring to speak. They knew the two before them were also subordinates of the leader, with positions no lower than their Lord. "Alright, alright," Xiao Mu pulled Xiao Hui back. The dwarf guards went into the castle to report but only dared to knock on the door from outside. Knock, knock, knock¡ª The frequent knocking woke Sophie. "What is it?" Sophie''s voice came from inside, and the dwarf guards immediately reported that two of the leader''s subordinates had arrived. Sophie felt embarrassed and quickly peeked out the window, seeing Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu. She hurriedly pulled down the black stockings drying outside the window, but Xiao Hui saw this. Xiao Hui''s eyelid twitched, feeling speechless. She could only think to herself, "These stockings are really good quality. They''ve been worn for a month and still haven''t torn?" In no time, Sophie rushed out, her hair still messy, having only washed her face. Sophie knew that the siblings'' sudden arrival must mean Alex had a task for them. "Please come in." Sophie didn''t have an arrogant attitude towards her allies, always maintaining a calm demeanor. "We do have a task here, but it''s not urgent. Let''s go inside first," Xiao Mu said, pulling Xiao Hui along. Sophie followed them into the castle. Inside, the dwarves served the siblings a special dwarf beverage. "This is a specialty of the dwarves. You should try it; it tastes pretty good," Sophie said with a smile. "Miss Alex is unhappy with your slow progress in conquering the dwarf kingdom. She sent us to help. Just tell us the situation with the dwarves," Xiao Hui said bluntly, though she couldn''t resist taking a sip of the drink, finding it delicious. Xiao Hui''s eyes widened, looking at Xiao Mu, then back at the drink, as if to say it was really good. Xiao Mu sighed. The aura they had tried to project was now halved. Sophie then explained the current progress and intelligence regarding the dwarf kingdom. After losing Rockhammer City, the Silverbeard Clan was exterminated under the combined assault of two major clans. The Silverbeard Clan chieftain chose death over surrender and was killed. Due to being of the same race, the two major clans absorbed the remaining Silverbeard Clan forces and gave the chieftain a proper burial. Durin hadn''t been idle. Using his former noble status, he infiltrated the clan territory last night and stole the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s corpse. No one would heavily guard a graveyard, and even if they did, they wouldn''t be a match for a Monarch level. Durin also took advantage of the chaos to recruit many civilians and deserters, strengthening his forces. Since Rockhammer City was the Silverbeard Clan''s logistics city, the two major clans didn''t know it had been emptied by Durin. The enemy was preparing to gather forces to capture Rockhammer City, Durin knowing he couldn''t win, had already retreated to Grimstone with the materials and equipment. Not only was the Silverbeard Clan unified, but two other weaker clans had also been absorbed. Now, the four clans had merged into two factions, fully attacking each other. Three major clans were attacking the once strongest royal clan. "That''s the current situation," Sophie sighed. The dwarf kingdom was in chaos, with civil wars and battles everywhere. They had gone mad. Xiao Hui didn''t care about the details. She only knew they had lost one city, which was a loss for their side. "Hmph, pathetic." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Hui turned away. "By the way, I want another cup of that drink!" Only Xiao Mu focused on the crucial issue. "Where is the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s corpse? If it''s been dead for over twenty-four hours, our leader can''t summon it as an undead." "What!" Sophie hadn''t known about this limitation and quickly calculated the time. "It''ll be over twenty-four hours by noon. The corpse is still in Grimstone!" Xiao Mu immediately stood up. This was a high-level Monarch level corpse, and losing it would be a huge loss. "Quick, notify Alex to summon it. Why didn''t you say this earlier?" Sophie felt helpless. "I... I wanted to wait until the corpse was brought back. I didn''t know about the time limit." Chapter 221 - 221: Not just to overthrow the Silverbeard Clan, but to unify the Dwarf Kingdom Upon receiving the news, Alex didn''t panic. There were still several hours until noon, and with the undead fortress at Grimstone, there was plenty of time. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex entered the main fortress and teleported to the undead fortress on the outskirts of Grimstone. "Esteemed Queen, your apostles greet you," the undead guards inside the fortress saluted Alex, who gave them a quick glance. "Notify everyone to bring in two more Monarch-levels. We don''t lack Monarch-levels anymore." With that, Alex left the undead fortress and flew towards Grimstone. Grimstone was on high alert, with dwarf troops patrolling everywhere. The other clans had learned that the Silverbeard Clan''s rear border city had been taken by rebels, orchestrated by extraterrestrial visitors, which they couldn''t accept. When the two major clans discovered Rockhammer City had become a ghost town, they would realize the supplies had been moved to Grimstone and would likely attack in unison. This was why the city had been so tense recently. Durin alone couldn''t fend off two major clans; he needed the undead''s help. "Move the body to the undead fortress!" Durin commanded the surrounding dwarves. The Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s body was wrapped in layers of animal skins to avoid detection by the civilians. "No need, I''m here," Alex''s voice came from behind Durin, who immediately knelt on one knee. "Esteemed leader." "Rise." Alex waved her hand and casually summoned the corpse the dwarves were carrying. With this high-level undead, Alex could be much more at ease. Otherwise, attacking the dwarf clans would require her personal involvement. "Tell me the situation," Alex asked Durin. Although she had learned some details from Sophie, it wasn''t comprehensive. Durin explained the current situation in detail. The Silverbeard Clan hadn''t been completely wiped out; only the chieftain and a few of his sons were killed. Most of the clan members were still alive but had been absorbed by the other clans. Nori, leading most of the clan members, chose to defect. "Again, Nori?" Alex had previously noted his impure bloodline, resembling a hybrid. Now, at the critical moment of the clan''s survival, he had chosen to betray. "Which clans are left, and how strong are they?" Durin''s intelligence was more detailed than Sophie''s. "The remaining clans are Ironfist, Hardbeard, Broadbeam, and Darkale. The Ironfist clan was once the royal family and is the strongest. They are currently resisting the combined forces of the other three clans." "The Ironfist clan is stronger than the Silverbeard Clan but not by much. However, as the former royal family, their strength is formidable. It''s said that the Ironfist chieftain reached lv8 Monarch level long ago, and he might be lv9 by now." After hearing Durin''s explanation, Alex understood why the other three clans had united against the Ironfist royal family. Durin also explained why the six clans hadn''t initially united to eliminate the Ironfist royal family. Initially, the Hardbeard clan and another now-extinct clan hadn''t rebelled, firmly supporting the Ironfist royal family. But the seven clans had their own agendas and weren''t united, leading to the current fragmented situation. Soon, the Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s body was summoned as a lich, with lv6 Monarch level strength, comparable to the hobgoblin king. A lich could continue to level up, and might even reach lv7 or lv8 during this war. "Esteemed Queen," the lich spoke, bowing respectfully to Alex. "It will assist you, and I''ll send more help. My goal is simple: not just to overthrow the Silverbeard Clan, but to unify the dwarf kingdom." Alex shared her plan with Durin, who, despite having guessed it, still showed surprise. "Yes, I will not fail you, leader!" With the lv6 Monarch level lich, Durin''s confidence was greatly boosted. With nothing more to do here, Alex gave Durin a few instructions and left the lich behind as she departed Grimstone. If a lv6 lich couldn''t handle the trouble, her presence wouldn''t make a difference. Alex herself was only lv5. If the hobgoblin king and Thalor hadn''t weakened each other, she wouldn''t have had such an easy victory. Meanwhile, at Sophie''s castle. "What? Chi-Chi is dead?!" Sophie was shocked, looking incredulously at the siblings. Xiao Mu nodded and explained the situation. "Her subsidiary castle has been destroyed." "Wasn''t her place very safe? How did this happen?" Xiao Mu shook his head, indicating he didn''t know. "How did Big Shot return?" Sophie asked Xiao Mu again. "We don''t know. The leader didn''t say, and we didn''t ask." Sophie fell silent. Chi-Chi had chosen to leave despite the safety of staying with Alex. If it were her, she might have made the same choice, resolutely seeking her family. "Sigh." Sophie sighed. Meanwhile, Xiao Hui was on her third drink, completely uninterested in the conversation. "By the way, not to discourage you, but you''re too weak. If you don''t get stronger soon, you''ll be left behind. And then, well..." Xiao Hui wanted to say that if Sophie didn''t improve, she might be the next to die, but Xiao Mu''s glare made her stop. "Are you both Monarch level now?" Sophie asked uncertainly. "Correction, lv2 Monarch level," Xiao Hui said, holding up two fingers seriously. Sophie was taken aback. When she first met them a few days ago, Xiao Hui had just reached lv8 Commanding level, only two levels higher than her. Now they were lv2 Monarch level, while she remained stagnant. Sophie glanced at Alex''s information: lv5 Monarch level! She had thought Alex had just reached Monarch level recently, but now she was already lv5. Damn, they''re all freaks, leveling up so fast. Even the demon Lord is only lv2! "My brother''s point is simple: if you don''t work harder, you''ll be useless." Xiao Hui took the opportunity to remind (warn) Sophie. At that moment, Alex notified them that the summoning was complete. "Let''s go to Grimstone. The leader entrusted us with this task. If we fail and she has to step in, it would be embarrassing." After the siblings left, Alex was alone in the vast Undead City. Alex took out the map of the Starfallen Empire, which marked the distribution of nearby powerful forces. She drew an X over the Frostwind snowy mountain in the north. With the frost dragon dead, the Empire''s eastern side, south of Undead City, had no strong races, only an autonomous human city, home to a Temple branch. Though nominally under the Empire''s jurisdiction, the Empire had no real control over the Temple. As minions of the angels, Alex despised the Temple, but their branch was beyond her current capabilities, even at King level. Take the mage association branch in Nytheria, for example. Eldrin, the Vice President, was a nine-star Archmage, a lv9 Emperor level powerhouse! Not to mention the President and possibly higher-ranking members. The Temple branch, being on par with the mage association, was undoubtedly formidable. Thus, Alex marked it as a no-go zone. She couldn''t go further south or west, as crossing the Frostwind snowy mountain led to the Starfallen Empire. With the mage association backing the human Empire, its strength was immense. Alex couldn''t afford conflict with them, especially with her Honorary mage title. East was the Dark Forest, and north was unknown. To develop in Eldoria, she could only choose these two directions. There was also the Arsen continent, with no powerful races, only mid-to-low-tier races, making it ideal for development. This was why many top Lords gathered there. But in Nytheria, Lords had no room to survive. Even the luckiest Lords born there couldn''t thrive. "Tough situation. Let''s check out the Dark Forest first." Alex didn''t dare venture deep, fearing getting lost. She planned to scout the outskirts for any clues. Logically, her city''s area already occupied the forest''s edge, with many trees cleared by the system. Yet, no races had come to cause trouble. Were the real secrets hidden deeper? Alex didn''t act overly cautious. With many undead and the siblings'' troops present, any issues would have triggered alarms long ago. Chapter 222 - 222: Though my troops are demons, it doesnt mean Im a devil Meanwhile, on the continent of Valoria, a battle was raging over a canyon. A group of dark figures clashed with massive rock giants and flame creatures. Not far from the battlefield, at the edge of the canyon, stood two castles. A slender man with a stern expression watched the distant battle, his face tense. Beside him stood a tall, burly man who looked simple and honest, lost in thought. "These black creatures are like the undead; ordinary methods can''t kill them," Cain observed. They were violent and frenzied, showing no signs of civilization. They weren''t a race but rather puppets under someone''s control. So, they were likely the troops of a Lord. Otherwise, they wouldn''t attack so madly upon sight. "This is a troublesome problem. We were so close to reaching Monarch level, and now we encounter them," Earl said in a deep voice. Their once five-member alliance was now down to just the two of them. Boreas had led them out of the Barren Plains and then left the Elemental Alliance, his whereabouts unknown. "Don''t worry. As long as there''s no Monarch level, it''s not a big problem," Cain reassured. He noticed the enemy''s troop numbers were similar to theirs. The frenzied black creatures were hard to kill, but their elemental beings weren''t easy to defeat either. "But the Lord of those troops hasn''t shown up," Earl worried about the Lord behind them. "Valoria is vast, with a billion Lords on this continent alone. Currently, fewer than 50 have reached Monarch level. Our luck can''t be that bad," Cain comforted Earl. Judging by the enemy troops'' performance, their Lord was likely on par with them. The chance of encountering a Monarch level was only 0.001%. "You''re right, but I must say, Lady Luck doesn''t seem to favor you," came a playful, unfamiliar voice from behind them. Startled, they turned around, ready for battle. They saw a man in black sitting on the castle''s courtyard wall, legs crossed, looking down at them. "Who are you?!" Cain demanded. Their castle had a barrier, yet this man had easily breached it, indicating Monarch level strength. Damn, why were they so unlucky lately? "Allow me to introduce myself. My castle''s name is [Inferno], and I am Satan!" Satan floated down, landing smoothly, looking at Cain and Earl with ease. To Satan, Commanding levels posed no threat. He could easily defeat them. "You''re that demon Lord!" Cain and Earl were drenched in sweat. "You''ve heard of me?" Satan''s grin widened. Cain and Earl felt immense pressure. The demon Lord was not only Monarch level but one of the strongest among all Lords. During the Lord wars, few names were remembered besides the standout Alex, and Satan was one of them. But Satan hadn''t attacked immediately, indicating a chance for negotiation. Cain quickly assessed the situation, remaining calm. "What do you want? Resources, crystals, or troops? We can even abandon everything and become Freelancers if you spare us," Cain offered. Though both were lv9 Commanding level, they were no match for Satan. Fighting would only provoke him, sealing their fate. Asking Alex for help was unrealistic as well. The Demon Lord and Undead Lord were equal allies, and Cain had no personal connection with Alex. Would she risk offending her ally for them? S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''m not interested in your resources. As for troops, do you think your elemental beings can compare to my demons?" Satan''s arrogance was palpable. "Then what do you want?" Cain asked, his face serious. Now was the time for patience; fighting was the last resort. Satan stepped forward, looking at them. "Let''s play a game. You two fight me. If you win, I''ll let you go. If you lose, you submit to me. How about it?" "It seems we have no choice," Cain and Earl exchanged glances, stepping back to prepare for battle. Why fight him? If they lost, they had no choice. If they won, they wouldn''t need his permission to leave. "Smart choice. Come on," Satan taunted, curling his finger in a slow, mocking gesture. Though unsure of Satan''s intentions, they had no other option. Cain''s hair floated up, turning into flames. His skin became black and red like charred coal, flames covering the area, transforming the terrain into his domain. Earl''s skin was covered in rock, his body hardening. His eyes turned into blue crystals, glowing. The ground rippled, and like Cain, he had touched the threshold of a domain despite not being Monarch level. "You both have pseudo-domains. Impressive. Out of respect, I''ll use 50% of my power," Satan said, evaluating their transformations. Cain charged at Satan as a flame, with Earl following, surrounded by spiraling rocks. Satan raised his arm, dark energy swirling. He caught Cain''s punch with a light grip and kicked him back. Facing Earl''s charge, a black barrier appeared before Satan. The rock attacks dissipated against it, and Earl''s collision didn''t budge Satan. Instead, Earl''s rock armor crumbled into sand. Earl was no match for Satan, who punched his chest and kicked him away. Satan didn''t pursue, waiting for them to rise. Their pseudo-domains were useless against Satan, the strongest Monarch level they''d faced. Satan was leagues above Baldwin, even at 50% power. Cain''s battle lust surged, his flames intensifying, his skin dripping like lava. Inspired, Earl controlled the surrounding rocks, which seemed alive, converging on Satan. Initially, Satan easily shattered the rocks, but as they multiplied, he struggled. The rocks clung to Satan, covering and compressing him. The rocks formed a massive sphere, which Earl levitated. Cain, having charged his right fist, struck with a magma-covered punch, shattering the rock. Boom! The rock exploded, revealing Satan, who had blocked Cain''s punch but was finally pushed back. They saw a glimmer of hope. Satan''s arms were scorched, but he smiled. His wounds healed instantly, their combined attack having no effect. "Nice teamwork. Now it''s my turn." As soon as Satan finished speaking, his figure vanished, and multiple shadows simultaneously attacked Cain and Earl. They couldn''t distinguish the real one from the fakes. Cain chose to face the attack head-on but was overwhelmed after just a few moves. He realized that each of these shadows seemed almost real. Earl opted for defense, confident in his earth element''s protective power. However, he fared worse than Cain. The earth elements were insignificant against the demon, shattering completely after just a few punches. Earl was pinned to the ground by two of Satan''s shadows, while another shadow, emanating black mist, looked down at him. "You''ve lost." Seeing Earl captured, Cain stopped resisting and chose to surrender. "I concede." Satan''s shadows dissipated, merging back into his true form. This was the only skill he had used during the fight. Cain and Earl realized the vast gap between them and Satan. He had defeated them with overwhelming ease, without using any special skills or even his domain. "Very good. A wise man knows when to yield. Rest assured, though my troops are demons, it doesn''t mean I''m a devil. I never mistreat my own." Chapter 223 - 223: Soul Hunter Satan felt incredibly fortunate. He hadn''t expected to gain two top-tier subordinates on this outing. This was far superior to Alex''s acquisition of that Commanding-level woman. Earl and Cain remained silent. They had no choice but to quietly accept Satan as their master. They had initially believed they could escape from Satan with their own strength. Reality, however, was often harsh. They couldn''t even handle 50% of Satan''s power. The two submitted to Satan, but he didn''t immediately accept. Instead, he smiled and said, "Don''t rush. Let me help you both ascend to Monarch level first, then you can submit." With a flash of red in his eyes, Satan''s demon followers were compelled to walk towards them. "Don''t just stand there. Kill them all." Earl and Cain were stunned. What kind of operation was this? He wanted them to kill his own troops to help them ascend to Monarch level? Wasn''t Satan afraid that once Earl and Cain reached Monarch level, they might turn against him? Was this confidence or arrogance? Satan didn''t mind. These demon followers weren''t technically his troops. He only had twelve true demons, so he didn''t care if these followers died. If he waited for Cain and Earl to submit and then level up, it would take too long. This method was much faster. Seeing their confused expressions, Satan said earnestly, "I trust you both are men of your word. Since you''ve decided to submit to me, helping you ascend to Monarch level is my gift to you." Earl and Cain nodded, saying nothing as they began to slaughter the unresisting demon followers. In this manner, they quickly ascended to Monarch level. With their newfound strength, Cain and Earl didn''t attempt to rebel. Satan, as a top-tier Lord, was no fool. His confidence stemmed from absolute faith in his power. Cain and Earl dared not take the risk. "Excellent, you truly are wise men." Satan smiled as he signed the contract with them. Only then did four hidden demon figures emerge from the shadows. All of them were Monarch level. Cain and Earl''s faces tightened. Their suspicions were correct; Satan had a backup plan. They were also relieved by their decision. If they had shown any resistance after ascending to Monarch level, they would have sealed their fate. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Alex returned to the palace from the Dark Forest. She had circled the forest''s outskirts but found nothing unusual. It was just like any other forest. The only difference was that there were signs of undead presence everywhere, severely damaging the environment. Large swathes of forest had been cut down, making it look nothing like a forbidden area. "The secrets must be hidden deep within the Dark Forest." Alex murmured. So far, there had been no significant changes in the Dark Forest, indicating nothing had happened. The forest currently didn''t hinder Alex''s development, only blocking her eastward expansion. "For now, I''ll head north. The forest''s depths are too dangerous... better to wait until I reach King level." To be safe, it was best to wait until she ascended to King level before venturing deeper. She just hoped nothing would change in the forest before then. "Right, the leaderboard refreshes tonight." Alex cared about this. The leaderboard rewards were crucial. Besides her own efforts, system rewards were the fastest way to grow stronger. Back at the palace, Alex took a bath and changed clothes. Soon, with her hair still damp, she wrapped herself in a towel, sat casually on a chair, and used her scythe to trim her nails. She then idly browsed World Chat. After a few days of not checking, Alex noticed World Chat had become quieter, indicating many Lords had died recently. Or perhaps those from Earth had realized the world''s harshness and were less willing to speak. The trading post was still bustling, but it was filled with low-tier items. Alex, now far ahead in development, had no interest in these goods. Midnight approached, and as the system''s numbers hit zero, signaling a new day, Alex received a mandatory system notification. [Esteemed Lords, the leaderboard has been refreshed] [Special Announcement] [This leaderboard will no longer be divided into five tiers. Instead, it will use an Alliance-based ranking system (Lords without an Alliance will be ranked individually. This ranking includes all Lords, Traitors, and Freelancers)] [The Soul Hunter has awakened and will devour your souls!] [Your presence has attracted a certain creature''s attention. They are powerful and lonely, numerous and omnipresent. They enjoy consuming high-quality souls, and you will be their prime targets!] [You will be hunted by these creatures, whose strength ranges between Monarch level and King level. Killing them will earn points. The faction with the highest points (all members) will receive exclusive rewards!] [Lords, go forth and fight, grow stronger through slaughter, and good luck!] At that moment, every Lord worldwide received the system announcement. World Chat fell silent as everyone processed the information. No Lord who had survived this long was foolish. System messages were crucial. Alex understood the message clearly. The previous event had Lords hunting Traitors; this time, an unknown creature would hunt all Lords. "But the final faction ranking rewards include all members. If I understand correctly, subjects should be included too, right?" Alex mused over the system message. This meant not only Alliance members would receive rewards, but even subordinate Lords of Alliance members would benefit. The system was being unusually generous. "I wonder how strong these creatures are. But with their strength between Monarch level and King level, even the weakest are Monarch level." Alex decided not to worry about it. The ranking system was different this time, and the system had stated that without points, rankings were based on overall strength. Since no one had points yet, it was a good time to see which Alliances were strong. Alex opened the leaderboard, which was simple and straightforward, showing only rankings. First place: [Light Alliance]. Second place: [Justice Alliance] Third place: [Mythril Alliance]. ... Your current rank: First place. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 224 - 224: A strange human-like figure Alex scrolled through, seeing that the top 1000 were all Alliances, with no individual Lords ranked. The lack of points indicated the rankings were purely based on strength. Alex''s three-member Alliance was unsurprisingly in first place. It seemed she had indeed pulled ahead of other Lords. ... On the continent of Valoria, within a castle nestled in the abyss, Satan burst into laughter. "See? You arrived just in time. This reward is only for the first place." Cain and Earl looked at the leaderboard in astonishment. [Your current rank: First place] It seemed that following Satan was far more advantageous than struggling to develop on their own. This time, the first-place reward on the leaderboard granted each member of the alliance a substantial amount of resources and experience, significantly enhancing their overall strength. Especially the resources, which were essential materials for city construction or rare blueprints. Satan didn''t let the joy cloud his judgment. He pondered the strength of the Soul Hunters, ranging from Monarch level to King level. Such power meant not every Lord would encounter them; otherwise, except for a few, 99.99% of Lords would be doomed. If they were unfortunate enough to meet a high-level Monarch or King level Soul Hunter, even the Light Alliance would struggle to cope. Satan sent a message in the Light Alliance group. Satan: "If you encounter difficulties, notify each other for support. I have a bad feeling about this." Alex: "You''re worried about encountering a King level Soul Hunter, right?" Satan was speechless at Alex''s message. Wasn''t that obvious? Was she not afraid? Had her strength reached such a level? Lilith: "No problem. Let''s all pause our activities this week to ensure we can provide timely support. Encountering a high-level Soul Hunter could be troublesome." To be honest, Alex wasn''t too worried about the Soul Hunters. As long as they weren''t Emperor level, she was confident. This confidence stemmed from her mastery of the Life Link skill, making her virtually unkillable. What was there to fear? Besides, if things went south, she could always flee to the mage association, which housed at least one Emperor level mage. Meanwhile, World Chat was buzzing. For most Lords still at Commanding level, the Soul Hunter pursuit was a nightmare. They could only pray not to encounter these creatures. [Phantom Werewolf]: "Fuck, this damn system, always finding ways to kill us!" [Daniel]: "Maybe you''re just too weak?" [Redcowl]: "Haven''t you noticed? The names of undead, demon, and fallen angel Lords haven''t appeared. This means they''re still maintaining their Alliance. Does anyone know what their Alliance is called?" [Sherlock Holmes]: "First, rule out Justice Alliance. That leaves Light Alliance and Mythril Alliance. I think the former is more likely." [I_like_pizza]: "Light Alliance currently has only three members. If only I could join them." [Tyrannosaurus Warrior]: "Are you an idiot? Have you even checked your own strength?" [Source of Life]: "At least you could try to get some rewards. Hurry up and submit. Becoming their ally seems unlikely." Alex was puzzled by what she saw. Suddenly, she received hundreds of friend requests, all with notes about submission and Alliance. Holy fuck, these people were crazy! Of course, it wasn''t just Alex''s Alliance. The top Alliances were all receiving similar requests. However, most of these Alliances were already full, leaving many Lords with no choice but to submit. This event targeted not only Lords but also Freelancers and Traitors. Soul Hunters weren''t creatures created by the system out of thin air. They were a native race of this world. The system merely utilized this fact to establish the leaderboard and distribute rewards, something no one could interfere with. Freelancer status wasn''t a guaranteed safety net. Soul Hunters had a way to identify souls, making it impossible to hide. Though hiding in human cities was safer, it wasn''t foolproof. "Yawn~" Alex closed World Chat, went to the Barrack to summon troops, and then went to sleep. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives] A new day began. Alex, as usual, checked the system for the time and glanced at World Chat. They were discussing the creature, indicating some unlucky Lords had been attacked last night. Opening the leaderboard, she saw that all scores were still zero, meaning someone had already been killed by the Soul Hunter. "A strange human-like figure?" Soul Hunters were human? Or some humanoid creature? The Lords'' descriptions were unclear, but the common trait was that Soul Hunters had human-like features. This meant hiding wouldn''t work, and even hiding in human cities wasn''t safe. If Soul Hunters were human, they could chase their targets into cities. It wasn''t that simple, after all. Alex chose a combat-ready outfit. Battles could happen anytime in the coming week, and she needed to be prepared. She also notified the siblings and Sophie to slow their assault on the dwarf kingdom and stay within a manageable range. Alex feared she might not be able to provide timely support otherwise. The main task now was to find Soul Hunters. The first-place reward was too tempting to ignore. "Maybe there are no such creatures in Eldoria." Alex didn''t know why this thought crossed her mind. Ding-dong, a message arrived in the Alliance group. Satan: "Hahaha, the demons score first!" Alex: "?" Lilith: "You killed a Soul Hunter?" Alex checked the leaderboard and saw Light Alliance''s score had changed from 0 to 1. Satan had indeed killed one. Satan: "Yes, it was a piece of cake. How about we compete to see who gets the most points?" Alex: "Boring." Lilith: "Haha, is this a man''s strange sense of competition?" Satan: "Stop talking nonsense. Don''t let your combined scores be less than mine." Lilith: "Well, reasonable competition can promote progress. I''m in." Alex: "Fine, I agree. So, can you share some intel on the Soul Hunters?" Satan: "Not telling." Alex/Lilith: "?" Of course, as allies, Satan wouldn''t withhold information. He was just joking. However, his intel was limited. The Soul Hunter he killed was only lv1 Monarch level, easily crushed by Satan. It had no special abilities and matched World Chat''s description: a strange human-like figure with a peculiar crow. Additionally, Soul Hunters seemed to have a way to track Lords, making hiding futile. ... Meanwhile, in Grimstone, the trio received Alex''s instructions. "Durin, plans have changed. This week''s task is to defend the city," Sophie instructed. Durin, though puzzled by the sudden change, chose to obey. "If we''re defending, there''s nothing for us to do. With a lv6 lich, we should be fine. Shouldn''t we spread out to find Soul Hunters?" Xiao Hui pointed out the key. To secure first place, they needed to be proactive. Waiting for points to come to them wasn''t an option. "Someone has already killed a Soul Hunter. Our score is now 1," Xiao Mu said, just as Alex sent him information about the Soul Hunters. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So, how do we find Soul Hunters?" Sophie asked, feeling it was like finding a needle in a haystack. "No need to search. We''ll stay in Grimstone. If they can track us, our combined presence will be a bigger target, making it easier to lure them in." This was the safest approach, avoiding dispersing their strength while ensuring timely support. With Grimstone as their base and a lv6 Monarch level lich, they were well-prepared. Chapter 225 - 225: Desperate Drake Meanwhile, on the other side of the Arsen continent, atop a steep mountain range, two figures¡ªone yellow and one black¡ªwere engaged in a high-speed chase. The fleeing man had a pair of large, fleshy wings on his back, with endless rock energy swirling around him, propelling him forward at great speed. Yet, he couldn''t shake off the black figure pursuing him. The black figure, wearing a hood and wielding a firearm, continuously attacked the fleeing man. It floated in mid-air with incredible speed, accompanied by a crow that followed closely behind. "Damn it, I can''t shake this guy off," the man cursed. He couldn''t understand how this strange figure had appeared on the continent. These Soul Hunters had many bizarre weapons, making them difficult to defeat even at the same level. The man abruptly changed direction, diving straight down. Under the puzzled gaze of the Soul Hunter, he burrowed into the ground and disappeared. The surroundings fell silent, as if the man had vanished into thin air. But the Soul Hunter didn''t stop. It seemed to know where the man was hiding and continued its pursuit. From within the Soul Hunter''s black robe, two tridents emerged, spinning in the air before being charged with immense energy. They shot towards the distant ground at an exaggerated speed. Boom! The rocks exploded, dust and debris flying everywhere. As the smoke cleared, the man reappeared, his arms transformed into massive claws covered in earth-colored scales, blocking the tridents. Drip¡ª Red blood dripped to the ground. Although the man had blocked the attack, his arms were still injured. The figure in the sky raised its firearm, aiming at the man. As the trigger was pulled, a lava projectile shot out. The man quickly used rocks to shield himself, but they were easily shattered. Boom! A massive explosion rocked the ground, creating a large crater filled with cracks. The rocks and soil melted into scorching lava. The Soul Hunter looked ahead, seeing the man taking a desperate gamble. Using the force of the explosion to propel himself, he protected his vital areas and flew far away. At the critical moment, he spread his wings and accelerated, quickly escaping. The Soul Hunter, undeterred, donned a black, pointed mask and entered a strange state. The Soul Hunter''s figure vanished, leaving only a black feathers drifting down. The fleeing man was none other than Drake from the [Justice Alliance]. Since his last battle with Alex, Drake had moved his castle from Stone Pillar Mountain. The area lacked resources for development, and hunting required long journeys. His troops were dragons, and in such a resource-poor area, development was difficult. The teleportation gates couldn''t accommodate his large dragons, limiting his growth. After discussing with his allies, they agreed that staying there would hinder Drake''s development, so he temporarily moved. Drake relocated to the Arsen continent, to a place called the Desolate Mountains, the very mountains he was now fleeing from. This area bordered the dwarf kingdom to the east, with the Medusa tribe to the north and the Azure Cloud Giant Eagles to the south. These were the known factions, making it a strategic location for development. The Desolate Mountains were barren. Unlike the White Rock Mountains, which had minerals, the Desolate Mountains had nothing. No creatures lived there. The mountains ran north to south, forming the eastern border of the dwarf kingdom and separating it from other races. Drake had only been there a few days, just getting his development on track, when the leaderboard event updated. Unluckily, he encountered a Soul Hunter and was no match, being chased all the way here. If not for the earth dragon''s resilience, he would have died already. Soul Hunters were strange. They didn''t kill troops or destroy castles, only targeting the Lords themselves. When discovered, Drake wasn''t in his castle and couldn''t call for help. The Soul Hunter appeared on his way back, and after a brief fight, Drake was quickly defeated and forced to flee in the opposite direction. Drake continuously called for help from his allies, who agreed to assist. But as he got further from his castle, he feared his allies wouldn''t arrive in time, leaving him with no escape. Desperate, he fought the Soul Hunter to buy time for his allies. After half an hour of fighting, covered in wounds and still without help, Drake realized his allies wouldn''t come. He had a hunch why. Drake decided to stop fighting and fled west. Among the nearby factions, the dwarf kingdom was the strongest, offering his best chance of survival. His plan was simple: hide in a dwarf city, burrow underground, use the Soul Hunter''s attacks to break the shield, and slip into the city, causing a battle between the dwarves and the Soul Hunter, allowing him to escape. Drake had flown out of the Desolate Mountains, with the Soul Hunter close behind. "A river!" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Drake, battered and bruised, was relieved to see a rushing river at the border of the Great Wasteland and the plains. A river meant a dwarf city downstream. Drake wrapped himself in his wings, diving into the water like a cocoon, creating a huge splash. He submerged beneath the riverbed, using his ability to avoid breathing, though it consumed Mana Points. He swam rapidly downstream. The Soul Hunter hesitated only briefly before following. Drake clung to this lifeline. In the distance, the river flowed rapidly, and a dwarf city stood on the high cliffs by the river. Drake accelerated, reaching the cliff base and leaping out of the water, burrowing into the soil outside the shield. The Soul Hunter attacked as Drake emerged, its lava projectile destroying the riverbank, causing large rocks to fall and creating massive splashes. Boom! The explosion and ground tremors alerted the dwarf guards, who saw the figure floating above the river and sounded the alarm. The figure ignored them, sensing Drake near the dwarf city, and fired again. The spinning lava projectile shattered the dwarf city''s shield in one shot. It wasn''t that the Soul Hunter was exceptionally strong, but its weapon was designed to break energy shields. Drake was overjoyed. Hiding in the soil, with the dwarves'' attention on the Soul Hunter, he slipped into the city through the broken shield. Dwarf gunners fired back, but their attacks were like mosquito bites to the Monarch level Soul Hunter. The Soul Hunter ignored the attacks, sensing Drake in the city, and prepared to enter. But several figures on the wall blocked its path. "Anvilcliff is not a place for your mischief!" The dwarf speaking was the city''s ruler, flanked by two guards, all Monarch level. The Soul Hunter didn''t respond, either unable or unwilling to speak. If these dwarves blocked its path, it would take their souls too. Lord souls were delicious, but native souls would suffice. The two dwarf guards, wielding hammers, flew up to fight the Soul Hunter. Using agile movements and a variety of weapons, the Soul Hunter easily countered them. Harpoons, firearms, scythes, bombs¡ªeach weapon had different features, making it hard for the dwarf guards to defend. But their superior equipment allowed them to hold their ground, avoiding immediate defeat. The dwarf ruler, observing the battle, seemed to recognize something. The crow beside the figure felt familiar. "It seems I''ve read about this figure in some ancient texts." Though humanoid, the figure''s weapons and fighting style indicated it wasn''t human. "I remember now. This is a Soul Hunter!" The dwarf ruler was surprised. Why was a Soul Hunter here? They hadn''t appeared in years. Why had one suddenly come to Anvilcliff? Ancient texts described Soul Hunters as creatures that fed on souls, with an insatiable appetite for them. No one knew how many there were, where they lived, or why they appeared. The only certainty was that when a Soul Hunter appeared before you, it wanted to devour your soul! Chapter 226 - 226: Oh my god, how could there be undead on the Arsen continent? The dwarf ruler decided not to stand idly by and joined the battle. It was said that these creatures had limitless stamina and relied heavily on their weapons. Engaging them in a prolonged fight would be disadvantageous. The only option was to overpower and kill it swiftly. Meanwhile, Drake, hiding within the city, didn''t dare move. He feared the Soul Hunter would abandon the fight and come after him. Drake sneaked into an alley, emerging from the ground. If he stayed underground any longer, his Mana Points would deplete before the battle outside ended. He opened the Alliance chat group, finding it eerily silent. No one seemed concerned about his safety. "What a bunch of cold-hearted bastards," Drake muttered. He realized that the so-called mutual aid and survival were lies; only self-interest was real. Drake could only hope the three dwarves outside could kill the Soul Hunter. Otherwise, he was doomed. While Anvilcliff''s dwarves battled the Soul Hunter and the civilians panicked, a blue-bearded dwarf cautiously moved through the alleys, quickly reaching a corner of the city. In this blind spot, he rolled up a letter, summoned a carrier pigeon, and placed the letter in its tube. He applied a special powder to the pigeon''s wings to deter hawks. Releasing the pigeon, it flapped its wings and flew into the sky. The dwarf quietly left, unnoticed by the patrolling guards focused on the city gate. Twenty minutes later, in Grimstone, Durin received the message. The trio was resting in a room, waiting for other clans or the Soul Hunter to attack. "Leaders, we have intel from Anvilcliff. It''s under attack by a figure resembling a Soul Hunter," Durin reported, surprising the trio. The Soul Hunter was supposed to attack Grimstone, so why was it at Anvilcliff? Durin detailed the letter''s contents and additional descriptions. "It does sound like the Soul Hunter described by the system," Sophie pondered. Though they didn''t know why it hadn''t come to Grimstone, they didn''t want to miss this opportunity. "What''s Anvilcliff''s strength, and how far is it?" Xiao Mu asked Durin, trying to gauge the Soul Hunter''s level based on the city''s defenses. "Anvilcliff has three Monarch levels, likely between lv1 and lv2. It''s not far from Grimstone, to the north, in Hardbeard clan territory, also on the kingdom''s border." Durin''s intel on Anvilcliff indicated that the Soul Hunter could handle three Monarch levels, suggesting it was at least lv3 Monarch. Xiao Mu doubted they could handle it alone. "Can we take Anvilcliff in the process?" Xiao Hui asked suddenly. "Anvilcliff has substantial defenses, and Hardbeard clan''s rule is stable, making it hard to incite rebellion. Additionally, Anvilcliff''s unique geography makes it hard to conquer. I don''t recommend attacking," Durin advised. "Then we''ll just kill the Soul Hunter. I''ll bring the lich with me. You two stay and defend," Xiao Mu decided. With the lv6 Monarch level lich, there was no need for others to follow. Xiao Mu and the lich headed towards Anvilcliff. By now, the battle at Anvilcliff was nearing its end. Drake noticed that the combined strength of the three dwarf Monarch levels was barely equal to the Soul Hunter. The dwarves'' stamina wasn''t infinite, and their defeat was only a matter of time. Drake didn''t wait for the battle to end and fled Anvilcliff. Abandoned, with no one to save him, he had to save himself. The Soul Hunter, sensing something, looked towards the city outskirts. It sensed Drake''s departure. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But it didn''t immediately pursue. It decided to finish off the three dwarves first, angered by their interference and determined to take their souls. Drake, seeing the Soul Hunter not pursuing, was relieved. This gave him more time to escape. He believed the Soul Hunter''s sensing range was limited. Once out of range, it couldn''t find him. Drake fled west for over an hour before stopping. Continuing west would take him deeper into the dwarf kingdom. He intended to mislead the Soul Hunter. He changed direction, heading south towards the dwarf kingdom''s border. After flying south for about half an hour, Drake saw two small black dots in the distance. "Human?!" The dwarf kingdom''s border was desolate, with few cities or villages. Only birds flew in the sky. Dwarves couldn''t fly, so these figures were undoubtedly not friendly. Drake''s first thought was another Soul Hunter. His pupils dilated in fear, his body trembling. As the figures became clearer, Drake realized they were Lords. Drake, proud as a top-tier Lord, didn''t plan to flee. This wasn''t Eldoria, so he was confident he wouldn''t encounter the undead Lord. He decided to ask the figures about the area. Drake, focused on escaping, knew nothing about his surroundings and couldn''t continue blindly. Xiao Mu, seeing Drake, realized they were close to Anvilcliff. The appearance of a Lord at this moment suggested the Soul Hunter was chasing him, leading it to the dwarf city, allowing his escape. If so, it explained why the Soul Hunter attacked the dwarf city. A Lord escaping a Soul Hunter must be Monarch level. At this stage, such Lords were not common, but Xiao Mu wasn''t worried. A low-level Monarch Lord was no threat. The lich beside him was lv6 Monarch. Seeing the figure approaching, Xiao Mu smiled playfully. "Looks like I''ve been underestimated." As they drew closer, Drake noticed something off. The figure beside Xiao Mu didn''t look like a Lord. It looked like an...undead?! Oh my god, how could there be undead on the Arsen continent? Drake still couldn''t believe it. How could he be so unlucky, encountering undead everywhere he went? He was sure he must be seeing things. Drake stopped first, waiting for Xiao Mu and the lich to approach, suppressing his growing unease and maintaining his composure. "Are you the Lord being chased by the Soul Hunter? Where is the Soul Hunter now?" Xiao Mu asked as he approached, his voice preceding him. Drake was startled. The other party knew he was being chased by the Soul Hunter, indicating they were here to kill the Soul Hunter for points. "Are you a dwarf Lord?" Drake didn''t answer but instead questioned Xiao Mu. Having encountered no other forces along the way, the only possible identity for this man was a dwarf Lord. Most of Drake''s battles had been against fallen angels, and he had rarely seen undead. He only guessed the lich''s identity based on its undead characteristics. But Drake dismissed this idea internally, which was why he dared to stand confidently. "It seems you haven''t grasped the reality. You''re fleeing from the Soul Hunter, while I''m here to kill it. If you didn''t have some useful information, do you think you''d still be standing here talking to me?" Xiao Mu didn''t like his attitude. He was like a frog in a well, only seeing a small part of the world around him. Thus, Xiao Mu didn''t hesitate to threaten him. Drake, though not angered, had no intention of cooperating. "Let''s see what qualifies you to talk so big." Drake attacked without hesitation. His right hand transformed into a massive claw, with earth-colored energy gathering in his claw, striking directly at Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu didn''t move, not even making a defensive gesture. But the lich behind him stepped forward, extending its bony hand from within its black robe, effortlessly catching Drake''s attack. Drake''s eyes widened, his heart racing, and he was utterly shocked, nearly wetting his pants. Without thinking, he quickly retreated. "Undead! Oh no! This can''t be real!" Drake exclaimed, now certain that the black-robed figure was indeed an undead, and a powerful one at that! "How can there be undead here?! Who are you really?" Chapter 227 - 227: I really want to tell you, but I genuinely dont know Drake could no longer maintain his previous composure. His first thought was that there was another undead Lord on the Arsen continent. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he knew that undead Lord was unique. Could this man''s troop be a part of the entire undead race? Drake would never have guessed that someone would willingly submit, providing Alex with the means to cross continents. "This isn''t something you need to know. Just cooperate and tell me everything you know," Xiao Mu said, stepping forward as the lich moved aside, staring intently at Drake. "It''s fighting three Monarch-level dwarves in a dwarf city, but those dwarves are no match for the Soul Hunter. I took the opportunity to escape and ran into you here," Drake admitted, feeling the pressure. This undead gave him a stronger sense of danger than the Soul Hunter. "In that case, you''ll come with us," Xiao Mu declared. A Monarch-level Lord was valuable, whether they killed him or not. Letting him go was not an option. Drake understood this and could only lament his unfortunate fate. Just as they were about to head towards Anvilcliff, a small black dot appeared in the distant sky, rapidly approaching. "It''s chasing me?!" Drake instinctively wanted to flee, but Xiao Mu''s face lit up with joy. He hadn''t expected the Soul Hunter to come to them. --- Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was examining the latest product developed by the hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks. Named the [Teleportation Dark Alchemy Enchantment Stone], Alex simply called it the Return Stone. The feature combined the hobgoblins'' teleportation ability into a device shaped like a multifaceted stone, or crystal. By holding the Return Stone and using Mana Points, one could instantly teleport back to Undead City. The artisans had built an altar-like structure for testing, with a circular altar surface inscribed with intricate magic circle patterns. Alex could see traces of alchemy magic within. "Infusing Mana Points will teleport directly here?" Alex asked the alchemy warlock beside her, holding the Return Stone. "Yes, Your Majesty. Testing has shown no issues, and it can be used. However, we don''t yet know the upper limit. We can confirm it works for anyone below Monarch level. The teleportation range depends on the Mana Points used. The farther the distance, the more Mana Points required. If it can''t teleport, the device won''t activate," the alchemy warlock explained respectfully, noting Alex''s interest in the new invention. "Good job. Start mass production. But remember, this is for emergencies, not for attacks. We also need to develop a device for teleportation," Alex said, pleased. Combining two technologies had indeed produced something unique. Neither hobgoblin artisans nor alchemy warlocks alone could have created this. "Yes, Your Majesty," the alchemy warlock replied, bowing and leaving. Alex flipped through their design sketches, mostly weapons, which didn''t interest her much. One design caught Alex''s attention. It involved basic applications of spatial attributes, similar to her space ring. Though the technology was still immature, with limited internal space, it was a start. Alex''s alchemy magic expertise surpassed that of the Dark Alchemy Warlocks, allowing her to occasionally guide them. Troops with special skills could gain experience not only through combat but also through activities like research and resource extraction, though at a slower rate. Alex had some useful items and equipment packed and sent to her allies'' palaces, keeping some for herself. However, the Return Stone had a clear drawback: it couldn''t teleport over long distances. It was useful for emergencies but not entirely reliable. Improvements were needed, as using it in a life-or-death situation required sufficient Mana Points. Alex returned to the palace and had just sat down when she received a message from Xiao Mu. "You mean you not only killed a Soul Hunter but also captured a Monarch-level Lord?" Alex checked the leaderboard. The good news was that Xiao Mu''s kill had earned them three points. The bad news was that [Light Alliance] was now in second place. [Justice Alliance] was in first with five points. "Who are these guys, getting points so quickly?" Alex wondered, heading to the main fortress while messaging the Alliance group. Alex: "@Satan, undead 3 points." Lilith: "Impressive, looks like I need to step up." Alex waited a couple of seconds. Satan, likely feeling competitive, remained silent. Far away on the Valoria continent, Satan was fuming as he looked at the system interface and the points ranking. "Damn it, I have to surpass her!" Satan muttered, banging his head against the wall in frustration. Abaddon ignored Satan, but Cain, entering the room, saw the scene. Satan quickly composed himself, becoming the master of facial expressions. "Ahem..." Cain, having seen enough, felt awkward. This demon Lord wasn''t quite what he had imagined. Meanwhile, Alex had teleported to the undead fortress outside Grimstone and quickly flew into the city. Landing in the central square, she saw the Xiao siblings, Sophie, and an unfamiliar man, presumably the captured Lord. At least tie him up. This is so unprofessional, Alex thought, approaching. Though Drake had suspected, seeing Alex confirmed his fears. It really was the undead Lord! Drake had hidden underground when rescuing his allies, so Alex hadn''t seen his face. But he had seen her clearly. "You''re Alex?!" Drake blurted out. The siblings looked at Alex in confusion, their eyes asking: Do you know him? Alex: ??? "Who are you? Do I know you?" Drake realized they had fought but never truly met, so it was normal for Alex not to recognize him. "I''m the one who saved the titan Lord and Behemoths Lord." "Oh, it''s you. So you''re hiding on the Arsen continent," Alex said, drawing out her words, feigning realization. Drake felt a hint of killing intent when Alex mentioned the Arsen continent. With her strength, she could indeed act on it. "Tell me where your castles are. Since you came here, don''t tell me you don''t know." Alex didn''t waste time, directly questioning him. She needed the information before deciding his fate. Drake was stumped. He had teleported here and didn''t know the way. He could only tell the truth, but Alex clearly didn''t believe him. "Stone Pillar Mountain? Is there such a place on the Arsen continent? Sounds made up," Alex said, asking Lilith, who confirmed she had never heard of it. "You''d better think carefully. If you tell me where the other three Lords in your alliance are, I might spare you. I keep my word." Drake was on the verge of tears. "I really want to tell you, but I genuinely don''t know!" Chapter 228 - 228: Angel resurrection pool "Since you know nothing, what''s the point of keeping you alive? Let''s just kill him!" Xiao Hui said viciously from the side. "But I know other information, about the angel Lord. To be honest, I''ve been abandoned by the [Justice Alliance], and I want to join another alliance," Drake said, believing that as a top-tier Lord, he had a chance to join Alex''s Alliance. He offered information about the angel and the Justice Alliance to pique Alex''s interest. After all, they had abandoned him, so why shouldn''t he sell their secrets? "Get a grip. Besides Sophie, you''re the weakest one here," Xiao Hui laughed. Sophie shook her head helplessly. She couldn''t argue, as it was the truth. Drake was even more confused. He thought this woman must be joking. He acknowledged Alex''s strength and status, but why were these two subjects mocking him? "Don''t doubt it. They''re both lv2 Monarch level. Even without the undead, you''re no match for them," Alex said. Drake had no choice but to believe her, though he was still in disbelief. Following the undead lord, even the subjects had reached lv2 Monarch level? This was unbelievable. Realizing he had no chance of becoming an ally, he resorted to his last option. "I am willing to submit!" "Stop. I don''t accept just anyone. You''d better spill the Justice Alliance''s secrets," Alex interrupted Drake. Drake had no choice but to reveal what he knew. After hearing him out, Alex learned that their alliance was called [Justice Alliance], currently ranked first in points. Drake mentioned the Angel Lord. Could she still be alive? This piqued Alex''s curiosity. Could this be an angelic trait, allowing for resurrection? "Alright, I''ll start with the information. [Holy Wing], the angel Lord Raphaela, has indeed been resurrected." Drake began to explain about the angel Lord and the Justice Alliance. Raphaela''s castle housed an angel race-exclusive structure: the Angel Resurrection Pool. The Resurrection Pool allowed her not only to revive but also to mass-produce troops, which was another reason Raphaela became a top-tier Lord. Reviving through the Resurrection Pool had side effects, but they were minimal for Raphaela at the time. This is why she chose to stay behind to buy time for her allies to escape. The side effect was that her strength would drop to the lowest level of her current tier upon revival. If Raphaela were killed at lv9 Monarch level, she would resurrect at lv1 Monarch level, a significant drawback. But if she was already lv1, the side effect was negligible. Besides birthing angels, the Resurrection Pool had another powerful ability: transforming all non-male (including female, asexual, and neutral) creatures into angel beasts. Transformed angel beasts had their life cap increased by one tier, but their current level dropped by one. For example, if Ice Cream was Commanding level with an Emperor level cap, it would drop to Standard level but have a Divine level cap after transformation. This was a terrifying ability. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Raphaela could quickly mass-produce troops, breed angels, and command various races, making her even more formidable than the undead. Raphaela''s troops, though few, were elite with high life caps, while Alex''s undead were mostly cannon fodder. For the first time, Alex felt the immense potential of the angel Lord, something she hadn''t sensed with Lilith or Satan. During the attack on Raphaela, she hadn''t deployed her troops, so Alex''s understanding was limited to that battle. In contrast, the undead''s information had been significantly gathered by the enemy. To kill her, one had to destroy the Angel Resurrection Pool first to prevent her from reviving. In essence, destroying the castle was more appropriate. But with her development, it wouldn''t be long before [Holy Wing] evolved into an angel city or even an angel kingdom. Hearing this, the siblings were also shocked. They had never encountered a Lord comparable to Alex, explaining why the Justice Alliance was second in overall strength but first in points. Moreover, Raphaela was no longer limited to the Alliance, aggressively recruiting Lords and forcing them to submit. According to Drake, there were already over a dozen Lords at Stone Pillar Mountain. Some came willingly, some were subdued, and others were influenced by holy light, all submitting to Raphaela. Their troops became a continuous source of angel beasts for Raphaela. Alex realized that the Angel Resurrection Pool was currently Monarch level, not very efficient. But if it leveled up, it would become increasingly terrifying. "Why didn''t your allies save you from the Soul Hunter?" Xiao Hui asked, hitting the key question. Everyone looked at Drake. "Because Raphaela is becoming less human. Angels have a sensing ability, similar to mind reading. I believed gathering together hindered development and wanted to move away. This went against Raphaela''s will, and she sensed my resentment. The other three might have been influenced by Raphaela, becoming very devoted to her. We used to be equals in the Alliance, each with our own development ideas. But since her last death, the others have started following her blindly, losing their independence. The equal relationship turned into one led by Raphaela." Drake spoke in a low voice, recalling his experiences in the Justice Alliance. Looking back, he noticed many unusual things. Raphaela sensed his realization but maintained a facade, not explaining, making Drake more suspicious. He suspected Raphaela''s holy light could influence minds. Drake wasn''t affected due to his high soul resistance as a dragon Lord. Realizing the anomaly, he used development as an excuse to move away, forcing them to agree. This led to the subsequent events, including Drake''s belief that he had been abandoned. Drake had other suspicions. As Raphaela''s strength grew or she resurrected, her so-called divinity was taking over, making her less human. She was losing her emotions, becoming a true angel, no longer a living person. "Can you contact her and find her location?" This was a future threat, but Alex''s current strength was enough to kill her ten times over. Drake shook his head. "No, she''s already guarding against me." Chapter 229 - 229: I want to join you If what Drake said was true, Raphaela would undoubtedly become a significant threat to Alex in the future. She couldn''t tolerate the rise of other powerful races. But why were angels like this? It contradicted her previous understanding of just and benevolent angels. Alex pondered but couldn''t come to a clear conclusion. The best course of action seemed to be directly attacking [Holy Wing] and killing Raphaela. However, with only Drake''s information, finding [Holy Wing] would be challenging. Indeed, a continent was vast, and teleporting to another place without knowing the original location was understandable. Drake only knew it was a place called Stone Pillar Mountain, with a towering stone pillar reaching the clouds, where Raphaela''s castle was situated among the clouds. It seemed they would have to wait for an opportunity to find that place, hoping it wouldn''t be too late. As for why the [Justice Alliance] had so many points, Alex guessed it was because they had gathered many Lords, attracting nearby Soul Hunters. "If we can''t find her, can we inform the angel race and have them eliminate Raphaela?" Xiao Mu suggested. "Once Raphaela fully transforms into an angel, she might no longer be seen as an extraterrestrial visitor by the angels. We can''t be sure if the angels will help her or kill her. Besides, how would we contact the angels?" Alex raised several critical questions. For now, they could only hope she and Lilith would be lucky enough to find Raphaela quickly. No one had an answer. Drake looked at Alex. "Your information is valuable," Alex acknowledged. "But it''s not enough. At most, it means I won''t kill you." Drake frowned. If he left the Justice Alliance, Raphaela would surely retaliate. Drake had used Raphaela''s subject to teleport to the Desolate Mountains. She had left some Lords who hadn''t submitted but had signed contracts outside for convenient teleportation. So Drake didn''t know the location of Stone Pillar Mountain, but the Justice Alliance knew his castle''s location. "Why? Isn''t my sincerity enough?" Drake was frustrated. Not killing him but not accepting him¡ªwhat did she want? "Miss Alex, we can use him to lure Raphaela out, then surround and...," Xiao Hui suggested, making a throat-slitting gesture and rolling her eyes, tongue out. "Hmm, that''s a good idea, but I doubt Raphaela will fall for it," Alex smiled and nodded. "I think we must actively attack the Justice Alliance to have a chance to kill her. She won''t agree to let Drake return," Xiao Mu reminded Alex. "Maybe I''ll be controlled if I go back," Drake said, spreading his hands helplessly. "In that case, we won''t attack her castle for now. We''ll find a way to lure her out and kill her once, resetting her experience points!" Alex said confidently, puffing out her chest. Xiao Mu/Xiao Hui/Sophie: ??? Drake was stunned. Was this undead Lord planning to torment Raphaela? Indeed, Alex''s plan was to avoid the risky task of killing Raphaela outright. Home-field advantage was significant, and the Justice Alliance might have unknown trump cards. Alex didn''t want to take such uncertain risks. "Hey, earth dragon, what do you think?" Alex turned to Drake. "If you can lure her out for me to kill, I''ll let you go." Drake internally ranted: Why not just kill Raphaela outright? If she revived, she''d surely seek revenge on me. "I want to join you." Drake said solemnly. "The Justice Alliance has no place for me anymore. I don''t want to become a puppet like them." "That''s easy. Of course, you can join. You mentioned the Desolate Mountains have two races, Medusa and Giant Eagle. They sound like small races. I won''t ask too much. Just conquer one of them and bring me the Race''s Tear, and I''ll let you join us." Alex quickly thought of using Drake as a free enforcer. To her, Drake had no choice but to grow stronger. He could either become a lone wolf hunted by Raphaela or rely on Alex and her allies for protection and development. In this world, where not growing stronger meant elimination, Drake understood his current predicament. Drake pondered, his mind racing. Though he didn''t know what the Race''s Tear was, it was undoubtedly related to ruling a race. These two races weren''t strong. He could handle them alone, and he needed to develop anyway. "Alright." Drake agreed, seeing more benefits than drawbacks. "But I can''t guarantee she''ll come." "That''s your problem." Alex and Drake then signed a contract, not a system submission contract but one that restricted some of Drake''s abilities to prevent betrayal and escape. Luring Raphaela out might take time. Alex couldn''t wait indefinitely, but she wouldn''t release him without assurance. "Just in case, I''ll give you something useful. Don''t use it unless absolutely necessary." Alex handed Drake a fortress Essence Shard, worried she might not reach him in time if he was attacked. The shard was a precaution. Drake examined it briefly, understanding its use. No wonder she told him not to use it lightly; the resource consumption was immense. "I understand." In their recent conversations, Drake discovered that Alex''s presence exerted more pressure than Raphaela''s. However, unlike Raphaela, Alex didn''t give off a cold, inhuman vibe. She seemed more like a normal human girl. But Drake knew that didn''t mean Alex wouldn''t kill him. Survival depended on his efforts. Alex checked the system, then looked at Drake. "Seven days. Before the leaderboard event ends, get the Race''s Tear and lure out Raphaela." Seven days was neither long nor short. Drake nodded. Drake left Grimstone under everyone''s watchful eyes. Alex gave a few instructions and returned to Undead City. The angel lord''s talents and abilities were terrifying. She needed to be dealt with. Alex shared the information with Satan and Lilith, who also felt the pressure. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their usual lighthearted tone was gone, replaced by serious responses. They, too, felt the threat from Raphaela. Alex had thought only fallen angels had the ability to manipulate other beings. She hadn''t expected angels to have it too. It made sense. Both originated from the same source. If fallen angels had certain abilities, angels likely did too. What a troublesome opponent. Meanwhile, on the cliff edge of the Endless Sea, Lilith pondered Alex''s message. "Stone Pillar Mountain?" She summoned her forest elf subordinates, instructing them to return to their tribe and search for this place. The angel Lord was a significant threat and couldn''t be allowed to grow unchecked. Chapter 230 - 230: Attack the orc camp [Night retreats, dawn arrives] The sky over the Arsen continent remained bright and sunny, while in Emerald Hills, four Race Kings had gathered. Aside from Arthur and Riven, who were responsible for clearing out the remnants of the hobgoblin kingdom, most of the undead main force was stationed here. "Leaders, we have located the camp of the orcs that attacked last time," an Ethereal Wraith reported, appearing ghost-like before Arthas and the other undead. "Continue scouting and find the other orc camps," Azure''s ethereal voice commanded, giving the next orders to the Ethereal Wraiths before turning to Arthas. Although all four were Race Kings, they needed a leader to unify their decisions. Among them, Arthas was the highest level and the strongest lich, naturally taking the lead. "We will attack proactively, eliminate them, and strengthen our forces," Arthas rasped, his voice sounding like that of a middle-aged human. In fact, Arthas did exist in a human form. Inside his armor was a fully intact human body. The other three kings were entirely different, showing no human traits. With the presence of a lv6 Monarch lich, the undead army had the confidence to destroy the orc camp and chose not to remain on the defensive. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Move out." Led by the four Race Kings, followed by Monarch-level undead, over 10,000 undead took to the skies, heading towards the orc camp as directed. At that moment, the orc camp was unaware of the impending danger. Female orcs played with young orcs, elderly orcs sat by the campfire eating roasted meat, and groups gathered to drink orc-made wine. Orc warriors received blessings from the priest near the altar. The orc priest, hunched over and holding a staff made from a deer antler, looked like a clothes rack. The orc priest, draped in animal pelts, waved his hands laboriously in the air, green energy swirling around as he chanted incomprehensible spells. The orc leader was in the central tent, meeting apostles from another camp to discuss plans to destroy the extraterrestrial visitors'' castle by the lake. "Who would have thought the brave warriors of the royal tribe couldn''t take down two extraterrestrial visitors? They disgrace the orc name," the apostles mocked the leader''s failure, angering him. "Say another word, and I''ll rip your head off!" the leader threatened, silencing the apostles who had only intended to taunt. "As for cooperation, our camp agrees. We''ve lost too many strong warriors to let them go unpunished, but¡ª" Before the apostle could finish, the ground shook violently. Boom! Boom!! Explosions erupted outside, accompanied by the chaotic sounds of orcs running and screaming. "What''s happening?" the apostles and the camp leader rushed out of the tent, witnessing an unbelievable scene. Massive flaming skulls fell from the sky like meteors, crashing into the ground. Giant bone dragons flew overhead, spewing fire and burning everything. The camp was littered with orc corpses, both elderly and female, who had no idea what hit them. Orc warriors, summoned by the priest, fought the incoming undead army, but they were vastly outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed. Fallen orc warriors rose again as part of the undead, further tipping the scales against the orcs. Seeing his camp being destroyed, the orc leader grabbed his weapon and charged at the undead. "For the honor of the orc!" The orc leader''s roar rallied the confused orc warriors, boosting their morale. Even the elderly and infirm orcs picked up weapons to fight back. The orc priest cast a spell from the rear, affecting all orcs. Their eyes turned red as they entered a berserk state, becoming fearless and relentless, determined to use their last strength to kill the invaders. The apostles were shocked, recalling the leader''s description of the undead. Realizing the danger, they tried to flee. Turning around, they found a black, eerie figure standing behind them, a long blade burning with black flames in hand, instilling fear. In an instant, a dark, sharp blade flashed, and the apostles felt their vision freeze. The world spun as they saw their headless bodies, blood spurting from their necks. John, not directly involved in the battle, stood behind, his broadsword embedded in the ground, continuously unleashing his skill. With his promotion to Monarch level, the skill''s destructive power had skyrocketed. The entire orc camp was covered by his skeletons, exploding skulls destroying everything and preventing any orc from escaping. The four Race Kings'' domain powers spread out. Even without necromancers, as kings of their race, they could summon their troops. Skeletons and zombies rose, while liches and specters dominated the skies. John stayed at the rear, Azure in the air, Crane moved through the chaos, and Arthas stood at the forefront of the undead army, like a commander. Arthas swung his weapon, each strike unleashing terrifying frost, freezing everything around. Raising his left hand, soul fire erupted from orc corpses, glowing blue as he clenched his fist. The floating soul fire exploded among the orc army. The invisible shockwave swept through, seemingly harmless. Orcs ignored it and continued charging, but after a few steps, they collapsed. Their souls extinguished, their bodies unscathed. Monarch-level liches flew overhead, breaking the orc formation. Their domain powers killed countless orcs, transforming them into various undead creatures. The battle was one-sided. Led by Arthas and the Monarch levels, the undead suffered no casualties. As time passed, the undead grew more adept at fighting. For the first time, the orc leader felt fear. He couldn''t believe such strange creatures existed in the world. But under the influence of the orc priest, the orc leader quickly became frenzied, his fighting spirit overcoming his fear. With a roar, he grabbed his weapon and charged at Arthas. He recognized Arthas as the leader, thinking that defeating him might kill the other creatures. As orcs fell around him, watching his once-proud camp being destroyed was something he couldn''t accept. With all his rage, the orc leader swung his weapon at Arthas with all his might. Bang! A wall of bones appeared in front of him, and his full-force strike couldn''t break through it! As the orc leader''s attack lost momentum, the bone shield dissipated, and countless bone spikes and ice shards pierced his body, causing him immense pain. He finally saw his opponent clearly. It was a skeleton draped in a black robe. From all directions, bone chains attacked, trying to bind him. The orc leader swung his weapon desperately, but the bones that pierced his body drained his life force, making him weaker. He felt the power gap. He couldn''t even get close, being firmly restrained. He was no match for this lich. More and more bone chains pierced his body, eroding his life force. The orc leader''s movements slowed, his struggles futile. He felt death''s call. If he could turn back time, he would never have attacked those two castles. Just then, a green barrier appeared, blocking the lich''s fatal blow and saving the orc leader. It was the orc priest who had been hiding in the rear. Two Monarch-level orcs quickly dragged their leader away, pulling out the bone spikes. The orc leader, weak and nearly collapsing, had lost too much life force and couldn''t fight anymore. The hunched orc priest approached slowly. The orc leader was about to thank him, but the priest grabbed his head instead. Chanting a spell, green energy flowed from the leader into the priest. "Ahhh!" The orc leader screamed in pain, struggling desperately, but to no avail. The two Monarch-level orcs held him down, leaving him powerless. The priest''s eyes turned white, glowing as he greedily absorbed the leader''s energy. The leader''s struggles weakened, his face aged, and he died, eyes wide open, glaring angrily at the priest who betrayed him. But the orc priest wasn''t satisfied, entering a frenzied state. He struck the ground with his staff, releasing a wave of green energy that swept across the battlefield. The energy wave had no lethal effect on the undead, but the orcs it touched clutched their heads in agony, green energy pouring from their eyes, mouths, ears, and noses, all converging on the priest. These orcs had all received his "blessing." The remaining elderly and infirm orcs were quickly slaughtered by the undead. The orc priest''s aura grew stronger. He swung his staff, sending countless eerie green mist attacks in all directions, targeting the undead. With a bang, the attacks exploded, killing the undead they touched, who didn''t rise again. The other Monarch-level orcs were astonished. This was the first time they had killed these creatures, giving them hope. "The leader is dead! Avenge the leader! Fight for the honor of the orcs!" A shout echoed across the battlefield. The orcs on the outskirts, unaware that their leader was killed by the priest, charged at the undead in fury. After testing his power, the orc priest decided to flee. He had a teleportation array ready in his tent, allowing him to leave quickly. But just then, a long blade burning with black flames appeared in his sight. The priest hesitated, wanting to turn around, only to find Arthas, clad in deep blue armor, standing behind him, weapon in hand. Chapter 231 - 231: Do you think Im an idiot? John, wielding his broadsword, approached with heavy steps, while Azure silently descended from the sky. The four Race Kings surrounded the orc priest. The priest stood still, contemplating whether he could defeat the four enemies before him. Just as his bony fingers tightened slightly around his staff, even before he could lift it, the four Race Kings simultaneously launched their attacks. The surrounding mist began to swirl around the priest, forming a venomous snake that lunged at Arthas. A second snake targeted John. As the priest was about to conjure a third, a sharp pain shot through his head, blood trickling from his mouth, and his staff fell to the ground. Squelch¡ª A black long blade pierced through his back, effortlessly breaking the barrier and stabbing through his heart. "No..." Crane withdrew his weapon, and the priest collapsed lifelessly to the ground. As for his attacks, Arthas and John easily shattered them. The priest''s strength was inferior to the orc leader''s. "lv3." Crane, usually silent, spoke up, indicating the priest''s level. In reality, the orc leader was only lv4. Crane had already advanced to lv2 during the earlier slaughter, and his long blade, enchanted with dark magic, had significantly increased its damage. Without another word, Crane returned to the battlefield to continue the fight. The battle was nearly over, with only a few Monarch-level orcs offering futile resistance. John''s initial area-of-effect skill had earned him a lot of experience, promoting him to lv2 Monarch level. Among the four Race Kings, only Azure remained at lv1, though he was close to leveling up. "Send the Monarch-level corpses back to Undead City for the Queen," Arthas ordered the surrounding liches. With the battle over, the undead began to clean up the battlefield and collect resources. Not a single orc survived, allowing them to keep the attack a secret for a while. This small orc camp, with about 10,000 orcs, was completely annihilated. The undead, summoned by the four Race Kings (without double summoning), and the Monarch-level necromancers totaled 15,000 undead. Among the Monarch levels, there were six in total: the lv4 orc leader, the lv3 orc priest, and the rest were lv1. The orc camp was now in ruins, with flames burning everywhere. The orc corpses were gathered and burned to ashes, erasing all evidence. "Return to the castle!" With Arthas''s command, the undead began to retreat with the collected resources. An orc camp on the border of the Orc Empire was silently wiped out. In Undead City, Alex noticed the undead emerging from the Portal of Transit, carrying a pile of resources, which surprised her. Soon, she saw the Monarch-level orc corpses and understood. "Esteemed Queen, Leader Arthas led us to destroy an orc camp. These are the spoils," a lich reported respectfully to Alex. "I see." Alex casually summoned the six corpses and collected the resources. "Well done. Keep up the good work. You may go." Alex dismissed the undead and checked the levels of the Race Kings. Except for Azure, they had all leveled up, which was excellent. Although Alex''s current strength was still somewhat insufficient to confront the Orc Empire directly, careful planning could allow the undead to grow stronger quickly. Arthas and the others could continue to target orc camps on the fringes. If they couldn''t win, they could always retreat. The siblings'' castles could be abandoned if necessary. After organizing the resources, Alex set off for the Dark Forest. She wanted to see if she could skirt around the forest''s edge to continue expanding eastward. She had no intention of venturing into the depths of the Dark Forest until she reached King level. Alex didn''t know her city''s exact position on the Dark Forest''s edge, so she flew north along the perimeter. "This Dark Forest is enormous." Alex flew north for an hour without reaching the end. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Along the way, she saw some strange races, like a six-legged dog with wings. In the past, Alex might have taken a closer look, but now, as a Monarch level, such Commanding level creatures didn''t interest her. Alex also discovered that a Race''s Tear only appeared if the race had at least one Monarch level member. Conquering ordinary creatures like boars or chickens, or races with a maximum level of Commanding, wouldn''t yield a Race''s Tear, which was why she ignored them. Suddenly, Alex stopped in her tracks. A black figure had appeared before her without her noticing. "Soul Hunter!" Alex''s face lit up with joy. She hadn''t expected to find a Soul Hunter here, ready to give her points. Alex touched her bracelet, drawing her scythe. Her attributes instantly boosted, and she charged at the Soul Hunter without hesitation. The Soul Hunter also drew a scythe, though much smaller than Alex''s. Clang! The blades clashed, sparks flying in the dim environment. The bell''s soul attack had no effect on the Soul Hunter, but Alex''s physical strength sent it flying. The Soul Hunter looked at its hands and abdomen in confusion, seeing its weapon broken and a massive wound from its chest to its stomach. But the Soul Hunter didn''t bleed. Instead, its body began to slowly heal. Alex, however, didn''t give it the chance, slashing it down with one strike. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing a lv1 Monarch level Soul Hunter, earning 1 point.] The Soul Hunter''s body turned to black dust and vanished. Killing a Soul Hunter didn''t grant experience or leave a corpse, as Alex already knew. Only system points were awarded, making it a significant loss if she didn''t secure first place. A lv1 Monarch level Soul Hunter earned 1 point, while a lv3 Monarch level earned 3 points, indicating that their level determined the points awarded. "Only a lv1 Monarch level? What a letdown." From the ease of her victory, Alex had already guessed its strength. Just as she was about to leave, a strong sense of danger washed over her. Danger!! Unable to dodge, Alex quickly summoned a Dark Barrier to cover herself. Boom! A massive explosion rocked the forest, sending birds and beasts fleeing. Alex was thrown to the ground by the force, finding herself surrounded by molten lava, with trees burning around her. The attack had consumed a third of her Mana Points. With her scythe''s attribute boost, she had 1,000 Mana Points, but this single attack had drained 300. Alex was shocked, as was the Soul Hunter behind her, who looked at its fire gun in confusion. This was the first time it had encountered a barrier it couldn''t break. "Another Soul Hunter!" This time, Alex wasn''t pleased but rather serious. The attack indicated this Soul Hunter was very strong! Several harpoons fell from the Soul Hunter''s robe, all seemingly alive, attacking Alex. Alex swung her scythe, deflecting them, but the force pushed her back. Unwilling to be outdone, Alex slashed a black arc of energy at the Soul Hunter, who easily blocked it. Suddenly, a massive magic circle appeared above Alex, exuding a terrifying and violent aura. "It can use magic?!" Alex had thought Soul Hunters only used various weapons. A terrifying flame creature emerged from the magic circle, burning with red and blue flames, surrounded by purple lightning. The creature lunged at Alex, the air around it distorting from the heat. Alex''s eyes glowed with different colors, and a thick ice wall rose around her, forming an ice mountain. Alex sealed herself inside. Boom! The magical collision created explosive elements, leveling the area. Trees turned to ash, the ground scorched, and rocks melted. Alex''s surroundings resembled an apocalypse. Far away in the Dark Forest, thousands of undead died, sharing Alex''s damage. The seal broke, and Alex, unable to use Dark Barrier in time, was hit. Facing such a powerful attack, she dared not use Dark Barrier recklessly. The previous attack had already consumed a third of her Mana Points. Alex feared using Dark Barrier again would deplete her Mana Points, leaving her defenseless. Fear gripped Alex, her hand trembling as she held her scythe. She tried to fly but couldn''t. Bang! The Soul Hunter appeared before Alex, wielding a flaming short sword, sending her flying. Her scythe fell to the ground, and Alex crashed heavily. Why am I so afraid of it that I can''t even hold my weapon? Domain, it must be its domain! Alex realized she was affected by the Soul Hunter''s domain. Her mind raced. The Soul Hunter didn''t give her time to recover. Without her scythe, her combat power was greatly reduced. Lying on the ground, Alex teleported away from the Soul Hunter''s attack. Alex retrieved her scythe, eyeing the Soul Hunter. Wait, the mage robe! Eldrin had said he had specially treated her mage robe to conceal her unique soul, making her appear normal. Would this make her indistinguishable from the native humans to the Soul Hunter, stopping its pursuit? Alex quickly donned the mage robe from her ring. The Soul Hunter looked at Alex in confusion. Though it couldn''t sense her unique aura, it wasn''t blind. It understood what she was trying to do. Soul Hunter: Do you think I''m an idiot? Chapter 232 - 232: Dwarf war The Soul Hunter paused for only 0.25 seconds before launching another attack on Alex. "Damn, it doesn''t work!" Alex quickly used teleportation to create distance. It seemed she had no choice but to use her trump card. She released her Death Domain. Although her domain was weaker than the Soul Hunter''s and would be suppressed, by compressing it to the extreme, Alex could temporarily escape the influence of the Soul Hunter''s domain. Alex compressed her domain to the smallest range, just enough to envelop herself. As expected, the fear in her heart vanished. She took out the Return Stone and injected Mana Points without hesitation. She hadn''t expected to be the first to use this newly developed item. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a flash, Alex disappeared, leaving the Soul Hunter bewildered and at a loss. It tried to sense Alex''s presence but couldn''t detect her at all, nor did it know where she had gone. Frustrated, the Soul Hunter had no choice but to abandon the search for Alex and look for its next target. Meanwhile, Alex reappeared on the teleportation altar. Without hesitation, she entered the Portal of Transit and headed to Emerald Hills. Undead City wasn''t safe; she feared the Soul Hunter might follow her. Leaving the Eldoria continent was the safest option. Soul Hunters were strange creatures, uninterested in anything but souls. They hunted Lords but didn''t destroy castles¡ªunless the castle was caught in the crossfire. Otherwise, few Lords would survive. Even in Emerald Hills, Alex was still shaken. The Soul Hunter wasn''t King level, but judging by its strength, it was at least three levels higher than Alex, leading to such a one-sided battle. What she thought was a lucky day nearly turned into her death day. Alex informed the siblings and Sophie to avoid returning to Undead City. She wasn''t sure if the Soul Hunter had left, so it was best to hide here for now. "Esteemed Queen, you have arrived," the undead guarding the Portal of Transit greeted her respectfully. "Uh, I''m just here to check things out," Alex said, calming herself. Fortunately, she hadn''t overused Dark Barrier; otherwise, she would have been unable to use the Return Stone to escape her enemies once her mana ran out. The four Race Kings were still discussing finding and destroying another orc camp. The Monarch-level corpses Alex had summoned were all sent here, making Emerald Hills the strongest in terms of combat power. These orc camps were nomadic, frequently changing locations, especially the smaller ones. They moved often, making it hard to pinpoint their exact positions. "Azure, have the specters found another orc camp?" Arthas asked Azure. "Not yet. They must be farther away. Finding them will take time. We could also head south to search for other orc camps," Azure suggested. "Agreed," Crane and John concurred. Multiple camps could be searched simultaneously. Alex didn''t join the Race Kings'' discussion. She went to the castle rooftop to bask in the sun, recovering her Mana Points with her hairpin. Meanwhile, north of the vast White Rock Mountains, Grimstone faced retribution from the Stoneforge Clan of the dwarf kingdom. Stoneforge Clan and Broadbeam Clan had defeated the Silverbeard Clan and taken their territory. Seven cities were divided between the two clans, with Grimstone, the last border city, assigned to Stoneforge Clan. However, Grimstone was still in the hands of extraterrestrial visitors, and Stoneforge Clan had to reclaim it themselves. Before the enemy even reached the city, Grimstone''s alarm sounded throughout the city. Under Durin''s command, dwarf troops swarmed the walls, readying their weapons to repel the invaders. Dwarf technology was akin to that of humans, making this a true siege battle. Countless cannons and firearms were brought to the walls. With Alex''s support, Grimstone''s equipment had been significantly improved, allowing for continuous fire without worrying about ammunition or supplies. The dwarves were fighting a well-equipped battle for the first time. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Sophie also climbed the walls, observing the distant Stoneforge Clan army, which was pushing massive siege weapons, clearly prepared for battle. "Why do I feel so anxious about this dwarf war? I didn''t feel this way during the hobgoblin and undead battles," Xiao Hui said, frowning at the approaching dwarf army. "Because dwarves are similar to humans. Your subconscious sees them as kin, making you more anxious," Sophie explained. Though it was her first time in such a scene, as a dwarf Lord, she had witnessed many dwarf deaths. "Should we call the undead for help?" Sophie asked Durin, worried. "No need. They underestimate Grimstone''s defenses. They won''t breach the city," Durin assured confidently. A long horn sounded from outside the city, signaling the Stoneforge Clan''s advance. Sophie looked out and saw they weren''t charging immediately. Instead, they brought out massive catapults, each stone larger than several dwarves combined. As the levers were pulled, the catapults were readied. With a command, countless boulders flew towards Grimstone. Boom! Boom! The boulders shattered against the shield, revealing strange red shells inside. Boom! Boom! The red shells exploded, not with great force but releasing a strange adhesive that corroded the shield, creating holes and quickly disabling it. The enemy charged, with countless flying knights taking to the sky and ironclad rhinos leading the ground assault, clearing the way for dwarf knights. "Attack!" Durin ordered, and the dwarves on the walls began their counterattack. Blue beams swept across the battlefield, piercing the ground dwarves, leaving no remains. Countless shells fell like stars, causing massive destruction among the enemy ranks. Dwarves manned heavy crossbows, adjusting their aim to target the airborne enemies, shooting them down with giant bolts. The enemy suffered heavy losses before even reaching Grimstone. The Stoneforge Clan leader had expected them to have many weapons but hadn''t anticipated such relentless firepower. Didn''t they consider running out of supplies for future defenses? Grimstone had no logistics or resupply! ... Outside Grimstone, corpses littered the ground, blood soaking the earth. Countless dwarves died in the charge. The dwarf leader, his face grim, ordered the troops to blow the horn again, changing their strategy. This time, the horn was short and urgent, its sound spreading across the battlefield. The dwarves understood their leader''s command. The flying dwarf knights circled above Grimstone. Without ground support, entering the city was suicide, so they waited for an opportunity. Hearing the horn, they took out fiery red crystals from their pouches and threw them into Grimstone. Boom! Boom! Boom! Countless explosive crystals fell, creating continuous explosions. The fire element within them ignited, forming a massive blaze, burning everything around. Chaos erupted in Grimstone. The enemy no longer cared about civilian casualties. As long as they took Grimstone, the commoners'' lives didn''t matter. "Fire!" The catapults launched flaming boulders, creating red arcs in the sky, smashing into the walls. The defending dwarves suffered heavy losses, with weapons destroyed and walls crumbling. The boulders that landed inside the city caused immense destruction, collapsing buildings and creating chaos among the fleeing civilians. Their screams and cries turned Grimstone into a scene of panic. Grimstone''s defenders suffered minimal losses compared to the enemy, but they couldn''t allow the enemy to massacre civilians and destroy their homes. "These madmen are killing civilians. How long until the shield is restored?" Durin was furious. The shield needed to be restored quickly to extinguish the fires and save the dwarves. "Is there a way to destroy the enemy''s catapults?" Xiao Hui asked. It was clear these were the main threat. Why not destroy them? "Out of range. The catapults'' range is twice that of our defenses. We can''t hit them. To destroy them, we''d have to leave the city," Durin explained. The catapults, though small from a distance, were massive. They required dozens of dwarves to operate. "Xiao Hui, go put out the fires in the city. I''ll handle the catapults," Xiao Mu said to his sister. His attacks had the longest range and should be able to reach them. Xiao Hui nodded and flew into the city. Xiao Mu''s figure shimmered on the wall, then flashed into the sky, emitting a brilliant golden light. Several golden beams shot out, targeting the distant catapults. Some airborne enemies were also hit, falling from the sky. With a series of explosions, golden waves spread through the enemy ranks, causing massive destruction. Even the enemy leader, after blocking a few attacks, was shocked. "A Monarch-level extraterrestrial visitor!" Looking back, he saw the catapults destroyed, reduced to rubble. In the city, Xiao Hui released her domain, dark elements extinguishing the flames. At that moment, Grimstone''s shield was restored, reactivating its protection. With heavy losses, the enemy had no hope of taking Grimstone. "Retreat!" The enemy leader ordered a retreat. They had underestimated Grimstone''s defenses, resulting in heavy casualties. They abandoned their comrades'' bodies and unnecessary equipment, retreating like a tide. "They''re retreating!" Sophie exclaimed from the wall. "We can''t let them escape. Seize this opportunity to capture their leader." Chapter 233 - 233: Silverscale Leviathan Xiao Mu decisively ordered a nearby lich to pursue the retreating enemy. The lich leaped off the wall and flew towards the dwarf army. The lv6 Monarch level lich''s flying speed far surpassed the dwarves'' movement speed. In no time, the lich descended before the army. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dwarf leader raised his hand, his face grim as he stared at the lich. The army halted, frozen in place. "You dare to chase us alone?" the dwarf leader shouted, charging at the lich with his weapon. He had never seen such an arrogant enemy. The lich hovered silently, making no move. The dwarf leader leaped high, his warhammer growing massive as he swung it with all his might at the lich. Bang! The dwarf leader''s full-force strike was effortlessly blocked. The lich grabbed the dwarf leader by the throat, lifting him into the air. The dwarf leader''s legs kicked frantically. He tried to resist, but the lich''s grip tightened, and he heard the sound of his bones about to break. He stopped struggling. The Bones Domain spread out, and the surrounding dwarves fell, writhing in agony. Their bodies shriveled and turned to bones. The dwarves were terrified. They had never seen such a bizarre creature or attack. It was beyond their comprehension. Thud¡ª Desperate dwarves dropped their weapons and knelt, not wanting to die so inexplicably. The lich, though silent, spared those who submitted. Seeing this, more dwarves knelt, expressing their submission. The lich, holding the dwarf leader, returned to Grimstone. The kneeling dwarves followed, having no desire to escape. Meanwhile, skeletons rose from the dwarf corpses, heading south to the undead fortress. "The lich is back, and it has the enemy leader. How pathetic," Xiao Hui remarked, seeing the lich return. Xiao Mu and Sophie looked over. Seeing the lich return with over a thousand captured dwarves, Durin was astonished. He knew the lich was strong but hadn''t expected such overwhelming power. ... Emerald Hills, Alex returned to Undead City after recovering her Mana Points. Confirming there was no danger, she finally relaxed. She kept her mage robe on, trusting Eldrin''s assurance that it could conceal her undead aura and her extraterrestrial visitor aura. Surely, an Emperor level mage wouldn''t overlook such a detail. His magic should surpass a King level Soul Hunter''s detection. She just hoped the Soul Hunter had moved on. Alex checked the leaderboard. They had surpassed the Justice Alliance. Currently, Light Alliance had 7 points, and Justice Alliance had 6 points. The gap was narrow, indicating Satan and Lilith had encountered Soul Hunters while she was fleeing. "We need to keep hunting Soul Hunters," Alex thought. With only five days left, the Justice Alliance could easily overtake them due to their numbers. The Soul Hunter''s interference had delayed their progress in the dwarf kingdom, hindering their development. Alex hoped the system''s final rewards would compensate for the lost time. Arthur and Riven returned from the main fortress, having cleared the remaining hobgoblin cities. They brought back many resources and some submissive hobgoblins. With the hobgoblins'' cooperation, consolidating the hobgoblin kingdom and integrating resources was easy. "Good job," Alex praised. Arthur and Riven had completed their task well and were now free to support other areas. Alex considered sending them to Grimstone. Their large size prevented them from using the Portal of Transit, making Emerald Hills inaccessible without a long detour. Unless the siblings'' castle was upgraded to a city, there was no way to fully connect the two locations. Large undead couldn''t cross over. The Orc Empire''s foothold was uncertain. If necessary, they could abandon it. Upgrading to a city and then losing it would be a significant loss. "Arthur, Riven, go support Grimstone," Alex ordered. "Yes, Your Majesty," they replied. Alex also sent a lv4 Monarch level undead and instructed the siblings to begin their assault on the dwarf kingdom. She decided not to waste any more time. With Arthur, Riven, the lv6 Monarch level lich, and the dwarf army, they could launch a counterattack. The lv4 Monarch level undead would protect the siblings, who would stay in Grimstone to avoid encountering a powerful Soul Hunter. If they couldn''t defeat a Soul Hunter in Grimstone, they could escape to the undead fortress. But encountering a Soul Hunter stronger than the lv6 Monarch level in the field would be fatal. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell over Undead City, eerie yet peaceful. Only the palace in the center emitted a faint light, indicating someone lived there. Alex worked late into the night, sorting the resources from the hobgoblin kingdom. She kept useful items and distributed the rest. Since the last Lord attack, Alex rarely listed items on the trading post. With the warehouse full of resources, she could upgrade the city again. Though it would deplete her resources, she didn''t need to build another undead fortress yet. Two fully charged fortress Essence Shards were enough. Alex upgraded Undead City, causing the entire city to tremble as the territory expanded in the night. Current city level: lv3 "One step closer to max level," Alex noted with satisfaction. Upgrading required vast resources, and even conquering the hobgoblin kingdom only raised her city by two levels. This was partly because Alex hadn''t traded for the necessary materials. No one stockpiled building materials in their warehouse. "Next, the Barracks." Alex''s warehouse held over a thousand Essence Shards and more than 100,000 magic crystals. Upgrading the Barracks twice was feasible. [Upgrade Barracks: 55k magic crystals, 550 Essence Shards.] Alex focused on the Barracks information and initiated the upgrade. The troops interface didn''t change, indicating either an increase in summoning level cap or quantity. The latter was less useful to Alex, so she hoped for the former. "Initial level raised to Commanding level!" Alex was delighted. The previous cap was lv9 Standard. Now, it was Commanding level. This upgrade had little impact on low-level undead, but it greatly benefited high-level and specialized troops. Future Race Kings wouldn''t start from Standard, and troops like Acolytes and alchemy warlocks would see significant improvements. "Sweet!" The next Barracks upgrade required more resources but was still within Alex''s expectations. The remaining resources were enough for another upgrade. Alex upgraded the Barracks again, depleting her resources. She eagerly checked the Barracks information, hoping for new troops. "There is!" [Unlocked special fixed unit: Silverscale Leviathan] [Note: Each day, one Silverscale Leviathan will be summoned with other troops, not occupying other summoning slots. It cannot be summoned by other means.] "A special fixed unit? What''s that?" Alex was curious. The Barracks would automatically summon the unit today, so she would soon see it. She closed the system interface and looked towards the Barracks. In the red moonlight, she saw a massive creature appear. To get a better view, Alex used her left eye, revealing the creature''s true form. It was a long, rectangular creature covered in alternating silver and black scales. The scales weren''t tightly packed, revealing the writhing black flesh beneath. It floated in the air, and Alex couldn''t understand how it flew or where its head was. From her vantage point, she could only see its underside. She had no idea what the top looked like. The creature gave her a strange feeling, a sense of dissonance. It didn''t look like an undead. It resembled... a zeppelin? Chapter 234 - 234: Features of the Silverscale Leviathan Alex didn''t even know why such an outlandish thought had crossed her mind. Curious, Alex flew up to get a better look at the creature. Its lower half was indeed a semi-circular structure, but the upper part was completely different¡ªa massive platform. The front half, which Alex assumed was the head, had two deep, cavernous openings on either side, resembling nostrils but more accurately described as cannon ports. Having seen the undead fortress, Alex wasn''t too surprised by this zeppelin-like undead. She landed on the platform, which was made of some unknown keratinous or hard material. It wasn''t soft but rather quite solid. The rear half of the platform had four hemispherical protrusions arranged in pairs. Whether these were rooms or limbs, Alex couldn''t tell. The edges of the platform were lined with large, undulating scales, each about the size of Alex herself. Additionally, two thick tentacles extended outward from either side. Its size was comparable to Arthur''s wingspan, making it one of the largest troops, second only to the zombie titan. It didn''t look like an undead or a building but more like an alien creature. Alex checked the basic information of the Silverscale Leviathan. [Silverscale Leviathan (Special Unit)] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: lv1 Commanding level (Can level up by killing)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 500] [Growth Cap: King level] [Undead Capacity: 5,000 (based on volume)] [It doesn''t understand language and has no intelligence. It will unconditionally follow the Queen''s orders. It is an undead formed from fragments of unyielding souls killed by dark magic, combined into a unique soul collective.] Its primary feature was transporting undead. Its flying speed was comparable to a bone dragon, making it the fastest undead below Monarch level. It also had basic attack and defense capabilities, but like Acolytes and alchemy warlocks, it wouldn''t have a domain even after reaching Monarch level. "Indeed, ground undead like skeletons, death conquerors, and ghouls are too slow." As Alex''s expansion and development continued, she realized that ground undead couldn''t keep up. Even with undead fortresses, she couldn''t build one every few miles. The Silverscale Leviathan could carry idle undead within its body. Skeletons wouldn''t appear on the Silverscale Leviathan''s deck unless attacking, at which point they would leap off. Soon, the fully loaded Silverscale Leviathan took to the skies again, its deck covered by a black barrier. The four tentacles retracted, and the scales aligned along the edges. The Silverscale Leviathan entered a dormant state, hovering motionless above Undead City. "Interesting. This special unit is today''s pleasant surprise." Alex withdrew her gaze and headed back to the palace. Tonight, Alex didn''t take a bath before bed. She didn''t remove her mage robe and even abandoned her habit of sleeping naked, opting to sleep in the robe. It felt like being back in the newbie protection period, making her anxious. World Chat was in a state of panic. Many Lords had encountered Soul Hunters, but most had died. Alex uneasily drifted into sleep. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex threw off the covers, jumped out of bed barefoot, and began her morning routine. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A new day had begun, and it was time to summon troops again. Alex glanced at the Silverscale Leviathan in the sky, knowing a second one would soon appear. Two Silverscale Leviathans could carry 10,000 undead. Excited, Alex began summoning, hoping for new luck. But life is full of disappointments. Alex didn''t summon a Race King this time. Race Kings were rare. Next time, she would have to squeeze her breasts harder for better "luck." Meanwhile, in Grimstone, Durin led the dwarves and undead in a counterattack against the Stoneforge Clan. The dwarf kingdom''s internal strife had reached a stalemate, making it the perfect time to strike. If they waited for the kingdom to unify, they''d face the entire kingdom''s might. While they could still win, it would be much more troublesome. Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Sophie remained in Grimstone, along with a lv4 Monarch level undead, to attract Soul Hunters. Conquering the dwarf kingdom was important, but system rewards were the fastest way to grow stronger and couldn''t be missed. "We''ve been here for two days, and not a single Soul Hunter has come for us," Xiao Hui complained, bored out of her mind. "These things are unpredictable. It''s a matter of luck. The leader encountered two on her own," Xiao Mu said, hoping they wouldn''t face one too strong. "Maybe there are too few Soul Hunters around here. Should we try another location?" Sophie suggested, also bored. She didn''t dare stay in the castle alone, as a Monarch level Soul Hunter would be a nightmare for her. "That''s a good idea. We could go to Emerald Hills and leave the lich here. The forces there are much stronger, so there''s nothing to worry about," Xiao Hui surprisingly agreed with Sophie. "No need," Xiao Mu interrupted. "Why¡ª" Xiao Hui turned to argue but stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening. Outside Grimstone, a Soul Hunter floated in the air, staring at the three of them. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui flew out of the city, not wanting to endanger the dwarves inside. The Soul Hunter, its attention on the siblings, followed them, ignoring Sophie. To the Soul Hunter, 2 > 1. It naturally pursued the larger group. Xiao Mu, pulling Xiao Hui along, flew at high speed, reaching the outskirts near the undead fortress in an instant. The Soul Hunter, in pursuit, was met with Xiao Mu''s surprise attack. It blocked Xiao Mu''s light beams with its robe, unharmed. Xiao Mu teleported and kicked the Soul Hunter, pushing it back several yards. Though it didn''t cause significant damage, Xiao Mu was pleased, indicating the Soul Hunter wasn''t too strong. The Soul Hunter drew two black short swords from its robe and attacked Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu conjured a sword of light and met the attack. To his surprise, the Soul Hunter was skilled in swordsmanship. Unlike Xiao Mu''s wild swings, the Soul Hunter''s strikes were precise, targeting vital points. Suddenly, the Soul Hunter''s black sword emitted a strange aura, slicing through Xiao Mu''s light weapon. Just as it was about to strike Xiao Mu, he teleported away, his body turning into light particles. Xiao Mu reappeared, and Xiao Hui, wrapped in dark energy, kicked the Soul Hunter''s wrist, disarming it. The Soul Hunter tried to attack Xiao Hui with its other weapon, but she unleashed a burst of dark energy, sending it flying. In mid-air, the Soul Hunter was trapped by a cage of giant bones, covered in black runes, preventing escape. The lv4 lich had arrived. The lich controlled the bone cage, suspending it in the air. The Soul Hunter inside frantically tried to break free, but it couldn''t do so quickly. Before it could escape, they had plenty of time to kill it a hundred times over. Chapter 235 - 235: Long time no see, Angel Lord Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui approached, closely observing the Soul Hunter. It had the face of a young boy, with dull, gray eyes devoid of any spark. They tried to communicate with it but failed. Clearly, it couldn''t speak. Soul Hunters didn''t leave corpses when they died, and even if you took their weapons while they were alive, they would soon turn into black mist and dissipate, making it impossible to keep them. "Let''s kill it. It doesn''t provide experience points anyway," Xiao Mu said. The lich ended the Soul Hunter''s life and followed the siblings back to Grimstone. Seeing them return, Sophie finally breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Mu checked the leaderboard and saw their points had increased from 7 to 10, indicating that the Soul Hunter they had just killed was a lv3 Monarch level. "Looks like we got lucky," Sophie said with a smile. "Yeah, its strength wasn''t too high, similar to the last one," Xiao Mu replied. Meanwhile, in the Desolate Mountains. For the past few days, Drake had been attacking the Azure Cloud Giant Eagles in the mountains and pondering how to lure Raphaela out. The Azure Cloud Giant Eagles were weaker than the Medusa and, being an aerial species, were easier to deal with. But to prove his strength and value, he decided to defeat both races. Although Alex only required one Race''s Tear, his pride wouldn''t allow him to settle for less. He didn''t know how far Alex had developed, but before he left the Justice Alliance, Raphaela''s castle was already maxed out and preparing for the next level. Drake believed Alex''s castle must be even more advanced. Drake was convinced that the Race''s Tear was a special item needed to upgrade the castle further. Additionally, after escaping from the Soul Hunter, he pretended to be angry and scolded the others in the Alliance chat. Their responses were flawless, claiming they were either attacked or couldn''t find him. Drake didn''t believe them. He suspected it was all part of Raphaela''s plan. Raphaela had tried to persuade Drake to return to the Alliance, promising resources for his development and assuring him that once the town was upgraded, the issue of dragons not fitting through the teleportation gates would be resolved. But when Drake asked what was beyond the town level, Raphaela evaded the question, saying she hadn''t seen it herself. These suspicions made Drake uneasy. Raphaela and the others were trying too hard to get him back into the Alliance, which was suspicious in itself. Drake became increasingly certain that something was amiss. At that moment, Drake was high in the sky, standing on a massive Rock Dragon, overlooking the endless Desolate Mountains below. He glanced at the system leaderboard and saw that Alex''s Alliance was now in first place. Raphaela must be anxious. Raphaela had gathered many Lords at Stone Pillar Mountain, aiming to secure first place on the leaderboard and quickly boost her strength with the system rewards. Drake had an idea. If he used the Soul Hunter as an excuse, would she take the bait? When Drake left the Alliance, Raphaela was already lv2. If she had talents and opportunities comparable to the undead Lord, she was likely lv3 by now. The chances of encountering two Soul Hunters simultaneously were low. If the Soul Hunter was too strong, it wouldn''t explain how he escaped. A level three Soul Hunter would be just right. Drake pondered on the back of his dragon. Two days had passed. To win Drake back, the initial tension had eased considerably. Drake decided it was time. If he claimed a Soul Hunter was attacking him again, Raphaela would have to come, either to win him back or for the points. "It''s time to go back." The dragon roared, carrying Drake towards the dwarf kingdom. At the same time, Drake contacted Alex, asking her to come. He couldn''t guarantee Raphaela would show up, but if Raphaela didn''t come this time, she probably never would. Alex didn''t know the location of his castle, so he had to meet her at Grimstone. In her palace, Alex received the message and was thrilled. Finally, she could deal with that detestable woman. "Teaming up with other Lords to attack me back then, now it''s my turn," Alex thought. She quickly traveled through the main fortress to Grimstone. The three there were curious about her sudden arrival. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Leader, why are you here?" "Drake is planning to lure out the angel Lord. You guys stay here. She can revive, so don''t reveal too much information to her." Alex didn''t plan to bring any undead. The high-level undead were either attacking the orc camp in Emerald Hills or the dwarf kingdom here. As for the lv4 Monarch level lich? It wasn''t even as strong as Alex. Why bring it? If Alex couldn''t handle this with her current strength, she might as well throw in the towel and call it quits. Soon, Drake arrived at Grimstone on his dragon. The earth-colored Rock Dragon circled high above, and Drake leaped down into the city. "It''s really a dragon!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, seeing a dragon other than Ice Cream for the first time. Though smaller than an adult dragon, it was still impressive. This was Drake''s only Monarch level dragon, which had helped him reach Monarch level. "How do you plan to lure her out?" Alex asked curiously. "Soul Hunter." "That''s a good plan. Let''s go." The siblings and Sophie watched as Alex and Drake left. The dragon carried them northeast for over an hour, finally leaving the dwarf kingdom and entering the Desolate Mountains. Continuing east, they reached a valley where Alex saw Drake''s castle, a sparse town built from rocks with few buildings outside the central castle. After landing, Drake shared his thoughts. "Angels have a sensing ability. To be safe, when I contact her, we need to calm our minds and emotions." Alex nodded, understanding. She moved to the back of the Portal of Transit building, crossed her arms, and leaned against the wall, waiting. She knew the Alliance mechanics well. Once Raphaela arrived, Drake couldn''t leave the Alliance to block her escape. To prevent her from fleeing, Alex needed to seal the Portal of Transit immediately. "Alright." Drake took a deep breath, calming his emotions and clearing his mind. He opened the system dashboard and sent a message to Raphaela. As planned, Drake claimed a Soul Hunter was attacking him again, urgently requesting Raphaela''s help and expressing his anxiety, indicating the Soul Hunter was stronger than before. Meanwhile, atop the towering Stone Pillar Mountain, a majestic, holy city stood in the sky. Raphaela had just upgraded her town to a city today. Below Stone Pillar Mountain, a dozen towns surrounded it, like devout worshippers kneeling before a deity. In the city, Raphaela, dressed in a white robe, received Drake''s message. Her expression was blank, lost in thought. Raphaela closed her eyes, emitting a holy light. She was predicting the danger of this trip. There was some risk, but it wasn''t a death trap, confirming Drake''s claim of a powerful Soul Hunter. The holy light around Raphaela faded, and she opened her eyes. This trip was necessary. To reclaim a follower and earn points. Raphaela didn''t call for help from the towns below. She took two Monarch level angels and headed to the city''s Portal of Transit. Meanwhile, in Drake''s castle, the Portal of Transit glowed orange-red. Drake watched from a distance, feeling anxious. Alex straightened up, sensing their arrival. As the Portal of Transit light faded, Raphaela and two angels appeared in the room. The angels immediately flew out, hovering above the town. Holy light illuminated the ground as Raphaela walked out, her gaze fixed on Drake. "Why did you deceive me?" The moment she arrived, Raphaela sensed there was no Soul Hunter. Drake had lured her here. Footsteps echoed behind her. Alex approached with a smile, her hand touching the wall of the Portal of Transit room. "Long time no see, Angel Lord." Chapter 236 - 236: You possess a Divine level bloodline Raphaela turned around and saw Alex, causing a rare ripple of emotion in her usually calm demeanor. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Buzz! Dark Barrier enveloped the Portal of Transit, completely blocking Raphaela''s escape route. Raphaela immediately became alert, spreading her wings and flying into the sky to distance herself from Alex, drawing her holy sword. She finally understood the source of her sense of impending doom. This was a death trap! Alex made no effort to hide her killing intent. The two angels in the sky immediately dove down to attack Alex. Drake, realizing the situation had escalated beyond reconciliation, couldn''t stand by and watch. Snap¡ª Alex raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. Two Monarch-level Reaper Guards appeared beside her, intercepting the angels. Drake halted his advance, and Raphaela was momentarily stunned. She had never seen this type of undead before. "You betrayed the Alliance to conspire with her against me?" Raphaela asked angrily, unable to believe Drake would do such a thing. "There''s nothing to say. I refuse to be your puppet. You always preach kindness, but your actions are deceitful and selfish. This is all part of your scheme," Drake retorted, not seeing his actions as betrayal. The Alliance was meant for mutual development, but Raphaela''s attempt to turn him into a puppet forced his hand. Raphaela didn''t argue further. She charged at Drake with her holy sword, determined to eliminate the traitor in this life-or-death situation. Clang! A scythe burning with black flames blocked Raphaela''s attack, shielding Drake. "Do you think you can just ignore me?" Alex said, her voice dripping with menace. A sharp black blade flashed, and Raphaela, holding her holy sword, barely managed to block it before being sent flying by Alex''s strike. Drake, standing behind Alex, was both terrified and awed. Raphaela had already seemed formidable to him, yet she was so easily overpowered by Alex. Alex dragged her scythe along the ground, sparks flying as she walked forward, resembling a grim reaper. When Alex''s strength surpassed her opponent''s, darkness absolutely suppressed light. There was no scenario where light could counter darkness. As an angel, Raphaela''s holy light was her greatest asset. But against Alex, it was rendered useless. Conversely, Alex had other options if she were countered. High-level elemental magic was also potent. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, and the Reaper Guards'' scythes in the sky ignited with black flames, empowered by Alex. The previously balanced battle turned into a one-sided slaughter. Raphaela watched Alex approach, shocked by her rapid growth in power. She had to do something before she died. Raphaela released her holy light domain, flooding the area with holy light, but it dissipated before reaching Alex. Raphaela raised her sword high, golden light radiating brilliantly, a beam shooting skyward. She slashed down with all her might, the ground cracking and debris flying towards Alex. The destructive force made Drake''s heart race. Damn, this was his castle... So, you want to go all out? Alex planted her scythe in the ground, black flames rising from it. In her Death Domain, a massive shadow formed, mirroring Alex, wielding a scythe made of dark elements. The golden sword beam rushed forward, but as it entered the domain, it mysteriously dissipated. The giant shadow swung its scythe, and a wave of darkness engulfed the area. Raphaela tried to defend, but it was futile. Her holy light vanished upon contact with the darkness. Countless dark blades pierced her, leaving her physically unharmed but severely weakened. Raphaela fell to her knees, her weapon slipping from her grasp, golden blood spilling from her mouth. Her life force was nearly extinguished. Alex lifted her scythe with one hand, dispelling the giant shadow, and walked towards Raphaela. Seeing Alex approach, Raphaela struggled to pick up her weapon and stand, her gaze now filled with astonishment. She wasn''t surprised by Alex''s strength, which she had anticipated. She was shocked by the giant shadow behind Alex, a manifestation of divine bloodline power. But the shadow wasn''t an undead deity; it was Alex herself! "You possess a Divine level bloodline!" Raphaela, who had always seen Alex as a rival, felt a surge of frustration. Her angelic bloodline couldn''t compare to Alex''s. "Looks like you''re at least lv3. You''ve developed quickly," Alex said, carrying her scythe. Unfortunately, Raphaela was about to be reset to lv1. "No need for words," Raphaela said weakly, attacking Alex again, only to have her weapon easily knocked away. "Still not giving up? I heard you''re not human anymore," Alex continued, advancing. She wanted to test if Drake''s suspicions were true, whether Raphaela was still human. "I am who I am, unchanged," Raphaela said coldly as she retreated. Suddenly, she shielded herself with her wings and fired countless feathers at Alex. But the attack was useless. The feathers ignited and disintegrated upon entering Alex''s domain. Alex vanished and reappeared before Raphaela, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her to the ground. Black flames corroded Raphaela''s skin, causing her pain. "Why are you controlling those Lords?" Alex asked, partly for Drake and partly to confirm her own suspicions. "Heh... They willingly follow me. How is that control?" With her Angel Resurrection Pool, Raphaela wasn''t afraid of death and refused to answer Alex''s questions. "I heard it''s to gather faith power. Their faith strengthens you, right? Otherwise, how could you reach lv3 so quickly? Do you think you''re the protagonist?" Alex''s words caused a subtle reaction in Raphaela, which Alex noticed. "So, my guess was right," Alex said with a cold smile. Black flames began to burn Raphaela, but unlike usual, they didn''t kill her instantly. Alex guessed this was due to Raphaela''s strong angelic bloodline. The most absurd part was that the flames didn''t kill her but burned off her clothes, revealing her naked body. Drake, watching from a distance, was stunned. He wouldn''t miss such a sight. Raphaela was a beautiful woman, after all. Alex felt awkward. She hadn''t expected this. She released Raphaela, intending to use a curse to kill her like last time. But she noticed Raphaela showed no shame, indifferent to her exposed breasts and genitals. Drake''s suspicion was correct. Raphaela was transforming into an emotionless angel. No normal person would remain so calm in such a situation. A fatal curse ended Raphaela''s life. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv3 Monarch level angel Lord, earning 300 experience points.] Raphaela''s body disintegrated into light particles, just like last time. She was truly dead, but she would soon revive. Alex had a wild idea. If she could control Raphaela and kill her repeatedly, could she farm infinite experience? "Alright, the body''s gone. Stop staring," Alex said, giving Drake a look. He didn''t seem to mind. "Raphaela was a beautiful woman. I once liked her, but she''s changed. She''s now a cold machine with a beautiful exterior," Drake said. Alex nodded and looked at the two remaining angels, now bound by Reaper Guards. Alex was about to kill them when Drake spoke up. "Her angels can also revive. I''m not sure of the exact rules, but the side effects are greater than her own revival. I suspect only pure souls can revive. If you kill them with dark magic, their souls might be corrupted and unable to revive." "Even troops can revive?" Alex was surprised. While undead could revive, only Arthas had that ability, and it didn''t work on those of the same level. Monarch level Arthas could only revive undead below Commanding level. Alex''s left eye glowed blue, and the two bound angels burst into flames. Their bloodline was lower than Raphaela''s, making them susceptible to dark magic. Creatures killed by dark magic had their souls and bodies completely destroyed. Revivable angels couldn''t be summoned as undead, just like Raphaela. The two bodies quickly turned to ash and vanished. Chapter 237 - 237: Why is there an undead presence? "Alright, it''s done," Alex said, clapping her hands. However, Drake''s town was now in shambles. Drake decisively left the Alliance, returning to being a lone wolf to avoid Raphaela''s revenge. Just as he didn''t know where Stone Pillar Mountain was, Raphaela didn''t know where the Desolate Mountains were, so he didn''t need to worry too much for now. Moreover, knowing that Drake had cooperated with Alex and having fallen back to lv1, Raphaela wouldn''t dare to cause trouble again anytime soon if she didn''t want to be killed again. "Keep up the good work. I''m leaving now. You did well this time," Alex said, retrieving the Essence Shard she had given him earlier. She then prepared to return to her city with the Reaper Guards. After Alex left, Drake used resources to repair his castle and immediately set out with his dragon to continue his conquests. He needed to quickly gain Alex''s approval and join her, as it was the fastest way to increase his strength. Meanwhile, atop Stone Pillar Mountain, in the City of Angels. Raphaela appeared, her expressionless face betraying her deep anger and helplessness. Her eyes now held a cold glint. The two angels hadn''t reappeared. She knew Alex had used some method to prevent their resurrection. The drawbacks of angelic resurrection were significant, lowering their growth cap. She would have to cultivate new Monarch-level angels again. Being tricked by Drake and Alex had reset her experience points and cost her two Monarch-level angels, which was unacceptable. "Undead Lord!" Of course, there was another difference: Raphaela had to guard against the Angel race, while Alex didn''t need to worry about the undead race. On her way back to the city, Alex briefly explained the situation to Lilith and Satan. Both were particularly interested, as angels were their mortal enemies. Satan: "Next time, take me with you. I want to beat up some angels." Lilith: "We need to find a way to eliminate this threat completely. I''ll focus on locating Stone Pillar Mountain." Alex: "Alright." After two hours of flying, Alex finally arrived at Grimstone. As soon as she landed, Xiao Hui eagerly asked, "Miss Alex, did you take her down?" "Piece of cake. She had leveled up quickly to lv3, but now she''s back to lv1," Alex replied. Having flown for two hours, Alex''s Mana Points were depleted. With undead guarding Grimstone, she decided to stay in Undead City for the rest of the week. The timing was unfortunate, as the Soul Hunter event made it impossible to act. "Let''s all head back. We''ll stay in Undead City for the next few days. With Arthur and Riven here, Grimstone should be fine. The main goal is to rack up points." The four of them returned to the city, hoping their presence would attract more Soul Hunters. Currently, Light Alliance had 12 points, Justice Alliance had 9 points, and even the third-place Mythril Alliance had 5 points. Three days had passed, and the gap hadn''t widened. Alex hated events that relied partly on luck. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] That evening, the four of them had dinner together, but no Soul Hunters showed up. A dark elf seemed to receive a message from the undead outside and approached Alex. "Master, the Arctic Tigerfolk of Frostwind Snowy Mountain have all retreated," the dark elf reported softly. Alex was surprised. She hadn''t been monitoring them; some passing undead had noticed by chance. "Which direction did they go?" "North," the dark elf replied, making Alex realize Ruby might be leading her people back to the far north. In such a hurry to return? Alex hoped Ruby had a plan. With only Monarch-level strength, overthrowing the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe was nearly impossible. Alex had thought Ruby would at least train to King level before returning. She hadn''t expected her to be in such a rush. "Alright, I understand. Tell the undead to keep an eye on the snowy mountain and report if they return." Though she said this, Alex doubted Ruby would come back. "Yes, Master," the dark elf said, leaving to relay the orders to the undead. Alex changed her clothes, washed up, and went to bed early. Meanwhile, in Whispering Meadows, a handsome blond man was leisurely walking towards the hobgoblin kingdom. "The hobgoblin kingdom has been destroyed?" Arriving at the hobgoblin royal city, he found it nearly deserted, with only a few ragged civilians remaining. Disgusted, the man walked through the streets, unable to tolerate the stench and complaining incessantly. "Why bother with such disgusting creatures?" After wandering around and finding nothing, he decided to question a hobgoblin. "Hey, what happened here? Where''s the royal family?" he asked, kicking a hobgoblin. "Sir, the royal city moved months ago, leaving us to fend for ourselves," the hobgoblin replied, trembling. "Where did they go?" "To the lake on the plains, I heard." The blond man kicked the hobgoblin again and walked away, thinking. "Damn it, couldn''t you just say you didn''t know? Then I could have gone back and reported." Before coming, he had studied the map. The only lake in Whispering Meadows was the one he knew of. It seemed the real hobgoblin royal city was hidden there. Soon, he arrived at the lake, pondering the strange sight before him. The lake clearly didn''t match the surrounding environment. He stepped forward, surprised to find his boots sinking into the water. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the dim light, he couldn''t see the details. A holy light appeared in his hand, revealing a magic circle on the lake''s surface. "So that''s it." He examined the magic circle and found the breach Xiao Mu and the others had made. To avoid alerting anyone, he chose to enter through the same gap. Inside the basin, the sight made his face change. He immediately noticed the massive undead fortress. "What is that? Why is there an undead presence?" The blond man also saw the hobgoblin royal city in the distance, sparsely populated and poorly defended. A huge undead fortress stood opposite the hobgoblin royal city, which had no defenses. The man smiled, not wanting to alert anyone. He quietly retraced his steps. "Great, if the hobgoblin kingdom is in disarray, my mission is complete. Let them handle the rest." Chapter 238 - 238: Could it be a coincidence? [Night retreats, dawn arrives] South of Emerald Hills, deep into the Arsen continent. Here lies a massive and filthy city, surrounded by countless towers and camps. Whether on the tall walls or outside the city, burly orcs patrol everywhere. These orcs are different from those in the small camps of Emerald Hills. They wear heavy armor and are equipped with various weapons. Their faces are fierce, and they maintain strict discipline, ensuring the city''s security. This is Bloodrock City, the power center of the entire Orc Empire and the gathering place of the orc Bloodrock royal family camp. They named the city after their camp, showcasing their dominance. Before the Orc Empire was established, it was a chaotic period of camps fighting each other. Bloodrock camp eventually unified all the camps and founded the Empire. However, they retained the camp tradition. Although it appears to be a centralized Empire, each camp still fights independently, only restrained by Bloodrock camp''s strength. If Bloodrock camp ever shows weakness, the other camps will unite to overthrow its rule. Thus, internal strife is severe within the Orc Empire, with constant battles for dominance. Despite being a chaotic and uncivilized nation, Bloodrock City currently hosts several human guests. They wear bright silver-white armor, their eyes filled with disdain as they stand in the orc palace, refusing to sit. "Honorable Orc King, I am Gawain, representing the Holy Court to negotiate with Your Majesty," Gawain said, bowing slightly to show respect. The Orc King sat on the throne, his large yellow teeth exposed. He glared at the humans with undisguised hatred. He despised humans and had no intention of cooperating with them. Humans were deceitful and cunning, like detestable insects. "I have nothing to discuss with humans. Please leave!" the Orc King said bluntly, feeling he had already shown them enough respect by allowing them into the city. A knight behind Gawain was instantly enraged by the Orc King''s attitude. "Gawain, you''re a fool for trying to reason with these brainless creatures." "No, this is my knightly duty, Tristan. You seem more like a raging bull than a knight," Gawain replied, drawing his weapon and glaring at the Orc King, clearly ready to fight. "Orc King, I think you misunderstand. We''re here to inform you, not to negotiate!" Gawain declared. The atmosphere grew tense as many burly orc warriors flooded into the palace to protect their king. The Orc King reached for his giant axe, but the palace was suddenly bathed in golden light. Boom! A massive explosion reduced the palace to rubble. The Orc King remained in his previous stance, but his hand no longer dared to reach for his weapon. A sword was pressed against his throat, wielded by the much smaller Gawain. The surroundings were in ruins, and the orc warriors who had rushed to protect their king were all instantly killed. Hearing the explosion, Bloodrock City''s warriors rushed to the palace, but they only dared to surround the templar knights from a distance, not daring to approach. The Orc King''s pupils contracted. This human''s strength far surpassed his own. He was no match. To his surprise, Gawain withdrew his weapon and stepped back. "Orc King, shall we discuss the cooperation between the orcs and the Holy Court now?" "Speak. What does the Holy Court want?" the Orc King asked, setting aside his pride. "You will become vassals of the angel race," Gawain said calmly. The Orc King was instantly furious, unable to believe his ears. "Orcs will never be slaves! You''re dreaming!" Gawain wasn''t surprised by the Orc King''s response. He had expected it. "After hundreds of years, it seems the Orc Empire''s royal family needs a change." "Disgusting creature, we''re offering you a chance to submit. Even without the angel race''s leader, we could destroy Bloodrock City ourselves," Tristan snarled, unleashing a terrifying aura equal to Gawain''s. All five templar knights present were King level, each stronger than the Orc King. The defiant Orc King finally realized the power gap, feeling a sense of helplessness. Five King levels¡ªhis entire Bloodrock camp couldn''t match them. "Even if I agree, the other camps won''t necessarily follow." The Orc King''s tone softened. He didn''t want to lose his royal position and knew that if his camp refused, other camps would agree. "No problem. Just summon the other camp leaders to the royal city. We''ll handle the rest. Surely you have that authority?" Gawain said with a smile. "Fine," the Orc King reluctantly agreed. "Then I wish you a successful cooperation with the Holy Court," Gawain said, bowing slightly before leaving the ruined palace with the other knights. The terrified orcs made way for the five knights. Once they were gone, the Orc King slumped in his chair, drenched in cold sweat. "Summon the camp leaders to the royal city for a council. Tell them the Hundred Tribes Sacrifice is being held early." ... Meanwhile, at the Xiao siblings'' castle in Emerald Hills. "Leader, we''ve found orc camps to the north and south," an Ethereal Wraith reported to Arthas. "Good. We''ll split into two groups and take down both camps." The four Race Kings quickly gathered all the undead and, led by the Ethereal Wraith, split into two groups to attack the camps. Arthas and Crane led one group, taking most of the Monarch levels. Azure and John led the other, with the lv6 lich for added security. ... In Undead City, Alex had encountered another lv2 Monarch level Soul Hunter that morning, easily defeating it and gaining 2 points. The Xiao siblings and Sophie were leisurely having breakfast, while Alex, as usual, chose not to eat. After summoning troops, she watched the Silverscale Leviathan load undead. Suddenly, an orange-red light flashed, and Alex looked towards the Portal of Transit. "Who''s here?" Alex saw Lilith, in a black dress, elegantly emerge from the portal, followed by two fallen angels and a group of dark elves. Alex smiled, realizing Lilith had brought her servants. But she was curious¡ªLilith wouldn''t come personally just for this. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Lilith stepped into Undead City, she wasn''t surprised, only curious about the large city. To her, Alex upgrading to a city was expected. "Alex, I''ve basically taken control of the forest elves kingdom. These dark elves were captured during that time. Knowing you like them, I brought them for you," Lilith said with a smile. Alex welcomed her, leading her into the palace. Inside, they sat facing each other. Although their development was on track, leaving them some free time, Lilith''s visit surely had a purpose. "I was close to fully controlling the forest elves kingdom, but the elves seem to have internal issues. The light elf king, storm elf king, and dark elf king have summoned all the elves for a major discussion. The forest elves kingdom is too low in status to get any information. If I act now, it will attract attention from other elf races," Lilith explained, frustrated by the sudden change among the elves. Her town was already lv9, but the forest elves kingdom lacked building materials, preventing her from upgrading to a city. "These elves have always been full of conflicts. It''s strange for them to suddenly gather," Alex said, puzzled. The elves were stronger than the orcs, making Lilith cautious. "Are they unifying?" Alex could only think of this possibility. "Unlikely. They''ve ruled separately for thousands of years. They won''t change easily," Lilith said, shaking her head. She then spoke seriously. "I can''t let this delay my development. Alex, I might need your help." "No problem, happy to help," Alex agreed readily, owing Lilith a favor. "One more thing. I heard from the forest elves kingdom that the Holy Court has been very active lately. Be careful." The Holy Court was a vast force, spanning seven continents, far more threatening than the elves or orcs. Lilith''s warning was well-intentioned. If the Holy Court discovered their cities, it would be trouble. "Got it. I''ll be careful." After chatting a bit more, Lilith left. Alex watched her disappear into the Portal of Transit. Xiao Hui and the others approached. "Miss Alex, she''s so beautiful," Xiao Hui said. "Yes, she is. She came to ask for help. She''s facing some trouble," Alex explained. The lack of nearby forces was a disadvantage. Changes among the elves directly affected her development. Before leaving, Lilith had asked Alex to find a Lord on Eldoria for her. Alex understood her intention. Lilith wanted the Lord to submit, using the Portal of Transit to expand her influence to Eldoria. Her current situation was too limiting, so she needed other ways to grow. She likely asked Satan the same. Alex could help, but she had already explained her situation to Lilith. Finding a Lord at this stage was unlikely. Alex herself was expanding northward. Where would she find a Lord for Lilith? But there was a possibility¡ªDrake. He was a good candidate, but Alex didn''t want to reveal him yet. Drake could be a mobile Lord. The Desolate Mountains were too poor; Alex didn''t plan to keep him there. As evening approached, Eldoria was already dark. Arthas returned to Undead City with the undead, carrying a large amount of resources. "Looks like they took down another orc camp," Alex said happily. "Esteemed Queen, we destroyed two orc camps. One in the south was stronger, but the leader was absent, so we easily took it down. Azure also gathered some information from the other camp," Arthas reported. "Esteemed Queen, the orc leaders have been summoned by the Orc Empire. The camp I attacked was remote and had just received the message, so they hadn''t left yet," Azure added. Alex pondered their reports. Although they had successfully attacked both camps simultaneously, their actions would surely attract the attention of the Orc Empire. Their operation had been exposed. Would the Orc Empire retaliate? That could be troublesome. Alex didn''t know the Orc Empire''s governance, but Lilith had mentioned similar events in the elf kingdom. Could it be a coincidence? Chapter 239 - 239: lets launch a full-scale attack on the Orc Empire The elf kings'' gathering and the orc camp leaders'' summoning¡ªwas there a connection? Lilith had said the templar knights were active on Arsen. Could they be involved? "Forget it, no point in overthinking it. That''s Arsen''s problem, not Eldoria''s," Alex said, shaking her head and quickly shifting her focus to the more pressing matter of handling the resources. They had eliminated two camps, gaining fourteen Monarch-level corpses in total. One of the camps had nine Monarch levels. If it weren''t for Alex, any other Lord would have struggled against such a force. Although there were many Monarch-level corpses, the highest was only a lv6 Monarch level. They had also lost four Monarch-level undead in the battles. Unfortunately, Arthas hadn''t reached King level, so he couldn''t revive them. Moreover, Arthas''s resurrection skill consumed a lot of mana and caused a brief period of weakness, preventing frequent use. On the bright side, Azure had successfully advanced to lv2 Monarch level, and Arthas had reached lv3 Monarch level. The other Race Kings remained at their current levels. The number of ordinary undead had increased by 30,000, bringing the total undead army close to 200,000. Alex eagerly anticipated the day they would all mobilize again. "Since being discovered is inevitable, let''s launch a full-scale attack on the Orc Empire!" Alex declared. She had previously refrained from upgrading the siblings'' town as a fallback plan. But now, thinking back, she felt guilty for those undead who called her "Esteemed Queen" with every breath. As undead, there''s no need to always be on the defensive. They must take the initiative and use their numbers to gain an absolute advantage. Conquering these orc camps would bring in a wealth of resources. The only unchanging eternal truth was that strength mattered above all. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As night fell, Alex stood on the palace steps, looking down at the four Race Kings with determination in her eyes. "Azure, Crane, John, you three will follow Arthas''s lead and launch a full-scale attack on the Orc Empire starting today!" Alex''s melodious voice echoed outside the palace, and the four Race Kings knelt on one knee, bowing their heads. "At your command, Esteemed Queen!" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex turned and walked back into the palace. The four Race Kings rose and returned to Emerald Hills. "Sophie, after this week, regardless of the progress in the dwarf kingdom, sign contracts with the powerful dwarves and level up quickly. Although you''re in charge of logistics, I only allow you to be ten levels below me. I don''t want to see another situation like Chi-Chi''s." Alex suddenly addressed Sophie as she entered the palace, catching her off guard. "Yes, Big Shot, I''ll do my best," Sophie replied, determined. Xiao Hui looked at Alex expectantly, hoping for a goal as well, but Alex said nothing. Currently, the siblings'' growth rate was not slow; they were already stronger than most Lords. Alex''s requirement for them was simple: they must not be surpassed by the six Race Kings. As for their potential, Alex didn''t know. Not every Lord could reach Sovereign level, let alone Divine. However, Alex would find ways to help them improve. Humans are social creatures. If there were no living beings in the vast Undead City, spending all her time with undead might eventually affect Alex''s mental state. "By the way, we have three development routes: Sophie and two Race Kings will handle the dwarf kingdom, the four Race Kings will take on the Orc Empire, and you two will continue developing with me in Eldoria," Alex said seriously. "What about the dragon Lord?" Xiao Hui asked, eyes wide. "Emm... I haven''t decided yet," Alex replied, scratching her chin. Alex had some ideas but wasn''t ready to share them yet. She sat down on a chair and opened the system dashboard. The resources from the two orc camps were substantial but still insufficient for her Undead City. However, they were more than enough to upgrade the siblings'' town to a city. Upgrading a town to a city required fewer resources. But the siblings'' towns were too close. Expanding one would destroy the other. "Miss Alex, upgrade my brother''s town. Mine is useless anyway; it''s more comfortable living in the palace," Xiao Hui suggested. "No, upgrade Xiao Hui''s town. Her dark attribute will benefit the undead when her town becomes a city. It won''t have negative effects," Xiao Mu countered. Alex hadn''t considered this. Xiao Mu''s point was valid. Upgrading his town might introduce light elements harmful to the undead. Even Xiao Hui agreed with her brother''s reasoning. With that settled, Alex began upgrading Xiao Hui''s town. Only as a city would it have the features necessary for undead warfare. Alex upgraded Xiao Hui''s town to lv9. When she clicked to upgrade it to a city, a system prompt appeared. [Upgrading [Phoenixcrest] town to a city will destroy [Dragonridge] town. Continue?] [Note: Two closely located towns can merge into one city (requires both towns to be max level).] "Huh?" Both siblings and Alex were surprised. They hadn''t known this was possible. "Looks like we don''t have to sacrifice a town," Alex said with a smile. However, merging the towns would consume more resources. Alex suspected the resulting city would be grander than a typical lv1 city. Alex canceled the upgrade and began upgrading Xiao Mu''s town. Soon, both towns were max level, consuming nearly half the warehouse resources. [Merge the two towns into a city?] Alex clicked yes. The system prompt disappeared, indicating the towns were merging into a city. But since they were in Undead City, they couldn''t witness the city''s birth. "We''ll check it out tomorrow. It''s too late now," Alex said. Xiao Hui, though excited, had to agree. Nighttime visibility was poor. "Alright, everyone, get some rest," Alex said, heading upstairs. The others returned to their quarters. Back in her castle, Sophie sighed. "When will my town become a city?" Sophie realized she must also work hard to improve her own strength. Chapter 240 - 240: Is this a new race king? [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Time: 06:00 AM As dawn broke, Alex wanted to sleep a bit longer, but Xiao Hui was already eagerly heading to their new city to check it out. The moment Xiao Hui stepped out of the Portal of Transit palace, she was astonished, marveling at the system''s power. The first thing she saw were two towering palaces on either side of her. These palaces were incredibly tall, like two high towers, with completely opposite styles. The palace on the left had warm yellow walls, emitting a faint golden glow, with a giant Light Phoenix statue perched on top. The palace on the right had eerie black walls covered in strange patterns, with a dark Jiao dragon coiling up to the highest point, its head at the top, eyes glowing red. The two original Portals of Transit had merged into one, situated between the two palaces. Xiao Hui flew into the sky and saw that the city''s area was enormous, almost as large as the current Undead City, which was a level 3 city. Apart from the two palaces and necessary buildings, the city was still quite empty, with only the tall outer walls. Additionally, many of Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu''s similar structures had merged. For example, they both had basic shields. Originally, there were two Commanding level shields, but after merging, there was one Monarch level shield. Despite the city''s emptiness, it wasn''t desolate, as there were many undead on standby. Xiao Hui carefully checked her system mail. Besides necessary notifications, she and Xiao Mu each received a random special structure blueprint. The sudden appearance of a city was hard to ignore. The orcs, puzzled by the sudden destruction of several camps, had already sent scouts to investigate. When the orc scouts arrived, they were shocked to find a city! The orc scouts hurriedly rode their wolves back to the camp to report this news to their leader. Xiao Hui, still excited, continued exploring their city. Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex had just woken up. "My experience points are almost full. I''ll level up soon," Alex thought, as she skillfully put on her panties and bra, then sat on the edge of the bed, still a bit groggy. "Right, I forgot to check their city''s information yesterday. I wonder what special features the merged city has." Alex opened the system dashboard to check the city''s information. [City Name: Light Phoenix and Dark Jiao City (can be renamed)] [City Level: lv1] [Health Points: 1 million] [City Territory: 150 square miles] [Buildings: Energy Cannon, Dark Pool, Defense Tower, Wall, Fusion Shield, Portal of Transit.] [Upgrade Requirements: 1 million wood, 2 million stone, 500k iron ingots.] [Note: Some special buildings in the city can receive double effects and bonuses.] As a level 1 city, its size was indeed impressive, and the resource consumption was higher. Alex checked the special buildings in the city and found that most could be enhanced. For example, the Defense Tower''s number hadn''t increased, but its power had. "This name is too long. It definitely needs renaming." Alex dressed and left her bedroom, planning to ask the siblings. Alex is a Gemini, and since Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui are twins, why not call it Gemini City? [By the way, what are everyone''s zodiac signs? :)] Soon, Alex found Xiao Mu in Undead City, but Xiao Hui was nowhere to be seen. Knowing his sister well, Xiao Mu immediately knew where she had gone. Alex shared her idea with Xiao Mu. "I have no problem with it. A name is just a label. It''s more convenient for future reference. The name doesn''t really matter," Xiao Mu said without much thought. He didn''t see the need to ponder over it, as naming things could be a hassle. "By the way, did you receive any special notifications?" Alex almost forgot to ask. When she upgraded Undead City, she received the undead fortress and the conditions for establishing a kingdom. She wondered what they had received. Xiao Mu shook his head and handed Alex a special structure blueprint. "Nothing special, just this." Alex took the blueprint and examined it, her expression turning curious. "A steam room?" Xiao Mu shrugged helplessly. "The blueprint is random. I don''t know why I got something like this." A steam room was a combination of a gym and a bathhouse. It cost 1 magic crystal to build and had limited effects, granting 1 experience point per hour spent inside. Though not powerful, Alex liked it. She wouldn''t have to take cold showers every day. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Back to the main topic, it made sense that Xiao Mu didn''t receive a kingdom establishment prompt. Since they had submitted to Alex, they couldn''t establish a kingdom. This also confirmed that the undead fortress was Alex''s special reward. It was possible the system saw them as a unit, hence only one teleportation building was awarded. While Alex and Xiao Mu chatted, Xiao Hui finally returned. "Hahaha!" Hearing that Xiao Mu''s special building was a steam room, Xiao Hui boasted, "My special building is a super-strong defense tower covering the entire city. It''s a hundred times better than yours!" Xiao Mu could only shrug, but he could sense that Alex seemed to really like the steam room. "By the way, Xiao Hui, the city can be renamed. How about calling it Gemini City?" Alex suggested. "Great! I''m all for Gemini City. Brother, what''s your zodiac sign?" Xiao Mu: ??? Alex: ??? Xiao Hui looked at Xiao Mu in confusion, only to find both he and Alex staring at her like she was a fool. "Huh?" In the end, the city was named [Gemini City], and the steam room was built in Undead City. Hearing Xiao Hui''s exaggerated description, Xiao Mu became curious about the city and let Xiao Hui drag him to Emerald Hills. Alex had another theory. Perhaps Gemini City, once maxed out, would be truly maxed out and unable to advance further. But Undead City could still advance after reaching max level. "Soon, I''ll help upgrade Sophie''s castle to a city. She was the first to follow me." Alex then went to the Barracks to summon today''s troops. This time, before starting, Alex squeezed her breasts, hoping it would bring her more luck. The Barracks emitted a faint glow, but nothing miraculous happened. Feeling a bit disappointed, Alex was about to leave when she sensed a large concentration of death energy behind her. As an undead queen, she was highly sensitive to such things. "What''s happening?" Alex stopped and turned around. The Barracks summoned fifty undead each time, plus twenty-one special units, totaling seventy-one undead. Scanning the area, Alex spotted a unique figure among them. It was a humanoid undead entirely composed of black death energy, wearing a black robe. It had no arms or legs, with black death energy billowing from the bottom, causing it to hover above the ground. Unlike liches, necromancers, or Reaper Guards, whose hoods revealed glowing eyes, this undead''s hood was a pitch-black abyss, devoid of any features. The sight was so strange that even Alex found it unsettling. She had never seen an undead entirely made of death energy. It hadn''t spoken yet, so its intelligence was unknown, but it was clearly unable to communicate. "Is this a new Race King?" Chapter 241 - 241: Death Spirit Alex opened its information to check. [Death Spirit (Unnamed)] [Race: Undead Race] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Commanding Level] [Level: lv1 (Can level up by killing or absorbing death energy)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 200] [Soul: 50] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 25] [Growth Cap: Divine Level] [Skills: Death Energy Clone, Teleportation, Undead Summoning, Death Spirit Possession.] Seeing the name and growth cap, Alex knew it was a Race King, but the system didn''t specify what kind of king it was. And since it couldn''t speak, naming it seemed pointless. "From now on, you''ll be called Death Spirit," Alex said, keeping the original name. To her surprise, the Death Spirit suddenly turned into black mist and flowed into a nearby Ghoul. The Ghoul was instantly filled with death energy, becoming eerie. Its attributes increased, jumping from lv1 Commanding to lv3 Commanding. The Ghoul knelt on one knee. "Esteemed Queen, your most loyal apostle greets you. Thank you for the name," it said. Alex was taken aback. It could speak after all. A Race King with a Divine level cap that couldn''t speak would indeed be too lowly. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Death Spirit had many skills and a unique leveling method. Its special abilities made Alex quite pleased. After reviewing the Death Spirit''s four skills, Alex had one thought: Sweet! The Death Spirit was more of a support unit. None of its skills were direct damage abilities; they all had other uses. First, its leveling method allowed it to absorb death energy to level up. On the battlefield, there was plenty of death energy, which could be as effective as killing enemies for experience points. Experience points were shared among all undead, but death energy could only be absorbed by the Death Spirit. Death Energy Clone: It can create countless clones. The more clones, the weaker the main body. These clones can''t attack but can absorb death energy. The main body and clones can switch places. Teleportation: It can teleport to any undead marked by the Death Spirit (clones excluded) and can also teleport to Alex''s side, similar to the Reaper Guards. Undead Summoning: Similar to Alex''s summoning magic but stronger than a regular necromancer. The Death Spirit can summon undead of its level. If it reaches Monarch level, it can summon Monarch-level corpses even without Alex present. However, it can''t summon higher-level corpses. The hierarchy of Undead Summoning Magic is: Alex > Death Spirit > Necromancer > Other Race Kings. The Death Spirit had already demonstrated its possession ability. It could merge with other undead to enhance them. Below Race King level, the Death Spirit was dominant. At Race King level, the host was dominant. The Death Spirit could also possess enemies, its only offensive skill. Even speaking required possession, making it a complete support unit. Currently, the Death Spirit was only Commanding level. Its clones could only absorb death energy, but Alex believed it would show more impressive abilities at Monarch level. Alex was very satisfied with the Death Spirit''s abilities, which filled some gaps in the undead''s capabilities. She immediately sent the Death Spirit''s clones to the dwarf and orc battlefields. Though a support unit, Alex believed it would level up the fastest. In high spirits, Alex left the Barracks. The hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks had developed new weapons, which Alex had the undead transport to Gemini City to bolster its defenses. As for Alex''s side, she didn''t need those weapons. If the undead couldn''t stop an enemy, those weapons wouldn''t help either. The focus was now on researching feature-based or support equipment. With the siblings'' castle upgraded to a city, there was no need to build more undead fortresses. The Portal of Transit had expanded to accommodate the Silverscale Leviathan. The Silverscale Leviathans, hovering above Undead City, were like small, mobile undead fortresses. Alex immediately dispatched two fully loaded Silverscale Leviathans to Gemini City to support Arthas. On the other side of the Arsen continent, in the dwarf kingdom. With Alex''s order for a full-scale attack, Durin chose not to attack the Stoneforge Clan to the west but instead headed north, planning to swiftly capture the undefended Hardbeard Clan. The undead army continued north, with Arthur and Riven leading the undead in two directions, accelerating the attack. They planned to capture all the Hardbeard Clan''s cities in a day. Durin''s task was easier, focusing on calming the populace and executing those who resisted. An hour north, Durin led the dwarf cavalry to a city in the mountains, on the edge of the Desolate Mountains. This city, Anvilheim, was in chaos, with smoke rising and ruins everywhere. Buildings had collapsed, and the streets were littered with dwarf corpses, blood staining the ground. Flames burned the bodies, filling the air with the smell of cooked meat. The panicked civilians desperately tried to extinguish the fires. Arthur had launched an aerial assault on Anvilheim, leaving the gates closed, trapping the civilians inside. They screamed and cried, trying to escape, but the water they used to fight the fire was insufficient. A dwarf, despairing, dropped his bucket and sat down, seemingly waiting for death. This was the reality of war; civilians always suffered the most. Durin arrived to change that. Though harsh, he knew that saving the desperate civilians would make them willingly submit. Boom! Durin smashed the gate open with a hammer, and flying dwarf knights descended from above while Durin led the ground troops through the gate. The civilians saw hope and rushed to the gate, but the knights held them back. Armored Durin entered, swinging his hammer to create a massive whirlwind that extinguished the flames. Putting out the fires was effortless for a Monarch level. Durin quickly extinguished the fires and, guided by the knights, gathered the civilians. Durin''s speech was more effective than expected. To the civilians, all nobles were the same, offering no rights during war. Now, a rebel army promised peace, telling them they had to fight for it themselves. The civilians were stirred. They had been oppressed all their lives but now wanted to fight for their descendants'' future. Anvilheim''s civilians quickly submitted. Durin didn''t linger and moved on to the next city. He couldn''t waste time, as Arthur and Riven''s assault was swift. If he arrived late, there might be no dwarf survivors, only countless undead rising from the corpses. Chapter 242 - 242: Unexpected visitors At that moment, in another city, alarms blared throughout, and the dwarves on the walls were thrown into panic at the sight of the massive ghost dragons sweeping in like a dark tide. "What are those things?!" The city ruler''s face was grim. Most of the city''s troops had been sent to the front lines to fight the Ironfist royal family, leaving the city defenseless. Watching the sky fill with ghost dragons¡ªat least a thousand of them¡ªwhile the city had only three thousand defenders, he felt a deep sense of dread. "Alert! Alert! We''re under attack!" They never expected their city, near the Desolate Mountains and on the kingdom''s border, to be attacked by such creatures. Even the city ruler had never heard of these beings and had no idea what they were. Boom! At that moment, several blue beams struck the city, shattering the shield in an instant. The city ruler was shocked but powerless to stop it. Countless ghost dragons flew over the city like bombers, emitting eerie beams that obliterated everything. In just a moment, the dwarves suffered heavy losses. They manned the giant cannons on the walls, aiming at the ghost dragons, but the shells passed right through the enemies'' bodies without causing any harm. It was then that the dwarves realized these enemies had no physical form! The city ruler was terrified. These creatures were too bizarre. Ordinary dwarf warriors had few means to fight airborne enemies, relying mostly on the city''s defenses. But against these intangible beings, how could they defend? The experienced city ruler thought of using soul attacks, as physical strikes were ineffective. But the attack was so sudden, they were unprepared. At that moment, the city ruler noticed a black figure standing still in the city. Black mist drifted from the dwarf corpses, slowly converging on the black figure, whose surrounding black fog seemed to thicken. The Death Spirit''s level was rapidly increasing. ... The battle was brief. Riven, leading the ghost dragons, swept through the city. Unlike the city Arthur had attacked, this one showed almost no signs of warfare. Only the scattered dwarf corpses indicated that something eerie had happened here. As the strongest member of the Hardbeard clan, the Hardbeard chieftain was not in his clan''s territory. These city rulers were all below Lv 3 Monarch, no match for the undead. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell, and the undead army had captured all eight cities in the Hardbeard clan''s territory. The Hardbeard clan was on the brink of annihilation. Arthur, Riven, and all the undead were stationed in the Hardbeard main city, waiting for the Hardbeard chieftain to return with his people. When the Hardbeard chieftain discovered his cities had been taken over by the undead, he would surely go mad. .... [Night retreats, dawn arrives] "It''s already the sixth day." Time: 7:30 AM Alex was awake but hadn''t gotten out of bed. She was checking the leaderboard. Raphaela''s Alliance was now 6 points behind Alex''s. Alex had gained a small advantage. Unless Raphaela could kill a lv6 Soul Hunter, she wouldn''t catch up. But thinking about it, Alex shook her head and smiled. A lv6 Monarch could probably wipe out the entire Justice Alliance at this stage. It was almost impossible for the Justice Alliance to overtake them. Alex went to the bathroom to wash up, then put on her shoes and tied her hair before leaving her bedroom. After summoning her troops, Alex received a message from Drake. Her first thought was: Drake finally got the Race''s Tear. It had been six days since the start, and the leaderboard would end the day after tomorrow. As a top Lord, failing to conquer a weak race would be disgraceful. Drake: "I''ve done it. Can I earn your approval now?" Alex: "Well done!" Drake immediately sent the Race''s Tear to Alex. "Two of them?" Alex was surprised. She had been about to criticize him for taking six days to conquer a small race, but two made sense. Alex: "You managed to conquer both races?" Drake: "Otherwise, wouldn''t I look useless?" Alex: "True." Drake: "......" Alex took out her Kingdom''s Tear and touched it to the two Race''s Tears. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 4/100] Meanwhile, in the Desolate Mountains, Drake looked at the chat log, feeling both speechless and proud. From Alex''s words, it was clear she hadn''t expected him to get two Race''s Tears. This wasn''t just to prove himself to Alex but to show his determination. There were only two races here. After conquering them, he gave both Race''s Tears to Alex. He could have kept one for himself but chose not to. Upon touching the Race''s Tear, Drake guessed its use. But since his town hadn''t upgraded to a city and he didn''t have a Kingdom''s Tear, the system gave him little information. But it was clear this item was crucial for Lords. Conquering a race to obtain a Race''s Tear and upgrading a town to a higher level might signal the start of the All-Races Battle Royale. Alex: "Keep the resources and equipment from these races for yourself." ??? Drake was stunned, almost unable to believe Alex''s message. She didn''t want the resources? She was giving them to him? Drake: "Why leave these resources to me?" Alex: "They''re too poor, and so are you. Consider it charity." Drake was stunned, feeling as if several daggers had pierced his heart. This was... But he also felt a bit touched. Without comparison, there was no harm. Compared to the selfish Raphaela, Alex was like a benevolent goddess. Though Alex didn''t say it outright, this meant she had accepted Drake. Drake immediately sent a Submission request to Alex. [Your Submission request has been rejected!] Alex: "What are you doing? I don''t need your Submission. First, find a way to leave there. It''s best if you can leave the Arsen continent altogether." So she wanted him to move first. Drake realized. Drake: "Got it. You''re thorough as always. I was too hasty." Alex: "???" Drake: "By the way, what''s above a town?" Alex: "A city." Drake looked at the two words on the system screen, deep in thought, refining his theories. In her palace, Alex was also a bit exasperated. She always felt like she and Drake were on different wavelengths. ... At that moment, an alchemy warlock slowly approached the palace, coming before Alex. "Esteemed Queen, the improved Return Stone has been completed. Please take a look." The alchemy warlock bowed, holding the Return Stone with both hands. Alex took it and examined it closely, finding it not much different from before. The only difference was that it could now set coordinates, not just teleport back to the city but also to specific points. "The feature is more refined. Well done, a definite improvement." Alex was impressed by the hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks'' research speed. "Thank you, Esteemed Queen. It is our honor to serve you." The alchemy warlock bowed and left the palace. Alex studied the Return Stone in her hand. With current technology, it could only teleport one person at a time. Setting coordinates could save travel time, but it had no other special uses. Alex then thought about the dwarf artisans in Sophie''s town. Their role seemed less important now, as resource acquisition no longer relied on the trading post. The Commanding level equipment they forged was almost useless. With the undead joining, Alex believed they could soon conquer the dwarf kingdom. The dwarf artisans could be moved to Undead City to collaborate with the alchemy warlocks and hobgoblins on new inventions. Sophie could oversee this, so she wouldn''t have to stay alone in the White Rock Mountains. After handling these matters, Alex went to the steam room for a bath. Meanwhile, in Whispering Meadows, the hobgoblin kingdom received unexpected visitors. Outside the lake, a group of knights in silver armor gathered. "This is the place, right?" The blond knight in the lead asked the person beside him. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, there''s an undead presence below. The hobgoblin kingdom has likely become slaves to the undead." Another knight responded casually. "Why not just integrate this undead force?" One of the knights behind them voiced his confusion. Other forces were usually integrated, but the Holy Court had sent them to eliminate the undead. Their attitude was firm, leaving no room for the undead. "Watch your words. The leaders despise the undead. Even a weak skeleton must be destroyed." The blond knight leader warned, telling them to follow orders and not seek to understand too much. "Prepare to enter!" At the leader''s command, all the knights donned their helmets, drew their swords and shields, and readied for battle. A golden slash cut through the barrier, creating an opening. They all leaped through. Thud! Thud! Their armored bodies landed heavily, making a dull sound, not far from the undead fortress. "There really are undead here!" The knights behind saw the massive fortress, half the size of a small city, and were astonished. The fortress exuded a strong undead aura, making them highly alert. Only the blond leader frowned slightly. Such a large undead fortress likely housed tens of thousands of undead. The undead had formed an army, with different undead units even coordinating. This was going to be tricky. Chapter 243 - 243: These undead were far more powerful than he had imagined The Holy Court is currently short on manpower, and each force they dispatch is just enough to overpower the opposition. They wouldn''t send a King level warrior to deal with a force that only has Monarch levels¡ªit''s overkill and they simply don''t have the numbers. Thus, the Holy Court sent Sir Roland and his men to the hobgoblin kingdom. Most of them were Monarch level, with a few Commanding level apprentice knights, but they were more than enough to handle the hobgoblin kingdom. "Edwin, gather intelligence. The rest of you, attack!" Roland ordered immediately. They had no reason to hide; the moment they landed, the undead in the fortress had already noticed them. Rumble! The ground began to shake, and a massive magic circle glowed. Sir Roland then noticed a buried magic circle not far ahead. A giant skeletal hand burst from the ground, followed by the massive head and body of a colossal skeletal creature. Roar¡ª A deafening roar shook all nearby creatures, even causing the hobgoblins in the royal city to hide in fear. The wind howled, forcing the templar knights to shield their faces. Roland was shocked. He hadn''t expected to find a Monarch level among these undead. He hadn''t seen a Monarch level undead in years and had assumed someone was controlling them. Now it seemed these undead had their own consciousness. With the skeletal creature''s roar, a terrifying beam swept across, and the skeleton descended like a meteor, destroying everything in its path. Just this one colossal skeletal creature could cause such massive destruction. Roland stepped forward, his shield glowing with golden light, blocking the skeletal creature''s beam without flinching. He raised his silver sword, sending a massive golden slash toward the skeletal creature, then charged at it. The skeletal creature was too large, trading agility for destructive power. It couldn''t dodge the golden slash. It could only cross its massive hands to protect its head, where its soul fire resided. Boom! Even the colossal skeletal creature was pushed back, its massive hands severed and falling to the ground. With its hands gone, the skeletal creature''s vision cleared, and it saw Sir Roland leaping higher than itself. Roland gripped his sword with both hands and plunged it downward. The skeletal creature had no time to defend or counterattack. Bang! Roland''s sword pierced the skeletal creature''s head, the powerful golden light penetrating its entire body. The flames in the skeletal creature''s eyes dimmed, and its bones scattered. Roland landed gracefully behind it. Though he had easily dealt with the skeletal creature, Roland didn''t relax. He saw more Monarch level undead emerging from the fortress, engaging the other templar knights. At that moment, the knight named Edwin approached Sir Roland. "Sir, there''s a teleportation array inside the fortress. This isn''t their base!" "What?!" With so many undead here, and this not being their base, where were they coming from? How advanced was their origin? "Edwin, I order you to return to the branch immediately and report this!" "Yes, Sir!" ... Countless undead leaped from the fortress walls, stumbling toward the enemy. Swarms of airborne undead took to the sky. Six turrets and the fortress''s attacks swept the battlefield. The undead outnumbered the templar knights a hundred to one, with tens of thousands of undead surrounding them. In contrast, the templar knights numbered only about a hundred, most of them Commanding level. Soon, some Commanding level apprentice knights couldn''t hold out and were slain by the undead. Facing the overwhelming number of undead, Roland expanded his domain, exterminating the ordinary undead around him. He thought, thankfully, they were Holy Court knights; otherwise, they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He recalled the ancient texts in the Holy Court about the horrors of the undead apocalypse. "No wonder the angels want to exterminate the undead race." Roland muttered to himself, momentarily lost in thought. "Sir, there are too many undead, and there doesn''t seem to be a leader. What should we do?" A knight shouted to Sir Roland. They couldn''t waste their lives fighting these undead without purpose. The knight''s words snapped Roland back to reality. These Monarch level undead had no leader, indicating the one controlling them wasn''t here. "Destroy the fortress and retreat, quickly!" Roland surged forward, heading for the undead fortress. Any undead in his path were obliterated by his domain. The Monarch level undead tried to stop him but were intercepted by other knights, who fought with all their might to clear the way for their leader. Among the templar knights, Roland was the strongest, so the task of destroying the undead fortress fell to him. The undead fortress, being sentient, sensed the approaching threat and focused all its attacks on Roland. But these attacks couldn''t stop Roland. He shattered undead projectiles with his sword and blocked energy blasts from the fortress''s Essence Shard with his shield. He soon reached the fortress. With a single strike, Sir Roland shattered the fortress''s shield. Facing the towering bone wall with no gate, Sir Roland leaped to scale it. At that moment, a white figure appeared on the wall, wielding a massive scythe. Sir Roland quickly raised his shield to defend. Clang! The force knocked Sir Roland back, but he landed steadily, taking a few steps back. He looked at his shield, seeing a long black scratch. Sir Roland looked at the white figure. Alex had jumped down from the fortress, standing opposite him with a massive black and red scythe. Of course, Alex wasn''t alone. As they faced off, dozens of undead flew out of the fortress, all Monarch level. Sir Roland was shocked. The enemy''s numbers were far greater than he had anticipated¡ªthere were over thirty Monarch levels! The Monarch levels quickly spread out, forming a circle to surround the templar knights, preventing their escape. Damn, these undead were far more powerful than he had imagined! Sir Roland gripped his weapon tightly and charged at Alex without hesitation. Though the girl before him was an extraterrestrial visitor, he didn''t know what role she played among the undead. Roland had his suspicions. He thought this girl might be the undead lord, but he quickly dismissed the idea. He believed that no extraterrestrial visitor could have developed to such an extent at this stage. However, given her formidable strength and unique presence, killing her might be the key to breaking the deadlock. Chapter 244 - 244: Holy Court Clang! Clang! Alex swung her scythe, clashing with Sir Roland. For a moment, they were evenly matched. With her extensive experience in close combat, Alex''s melee skills had become formidable. The scythe moved fluidly in her hands, a testament to her training. Facing enemies like angels and templar knights, Alex''s dark magic was the perfect test of her strength. If her dark magic could hold its own against their holy light, it meant they were evenly matched. But right now, Alex was at a disadvantage, indicating that Sir Roland''s level was higher than hers. However, under the influence of the scythe, Alex''s attributes were enhanced, and she wasn''t falling behind. After hundreds of exchanges, Sir Roland seemed to gauge Alex''s strength. As time passed, he felt a headache coming on, likely due to the bell on Alex''s scythe. Sir Roland suddenly surged with power, his sword glowing gold. Hundreds of slashes flew toward Alex. She used Dark Barrier to defend but quickly realized her Mana Points were depleting rapidly. She teleported out of the attack range. This played right into Roland''s hands. He raised his sword to the sky, summoning countless golden sword shadows from above¡ªa lower-tier version of the skill used by the angel in the snowy mountains. Alex dodged, but Sir Roland didn''t stay still while casting. He attacked Alex again. Alex couldn''t dodge and fight simultaneously, so she activated Dark Barrier Possession and engaged Sir Roland once more. The golden sword shadows drained her Mana Points when they hit her, but they also struck Sir Roland, who absorbed the attacks to strengthen his next strike. Alex soon found herself at a disadvantage in close combat. Templar knights were melee specialists, and with Sir Roland''s higher level, it was impressive that she could hold her own. Several golden slashes tore through the ground, forcing Alex back. Her right eye began to glow purple. Alex''s toes pointed downward as her body floated up. Her white hair billowed behind her, and her right eye emitted a purple glow, surrounded by arcs of electricity. Crackle¡ª Holding her scythe, Alex was enveloped by thunderclouds, darkening the surroundings. Lightning flashed around her, and bolts struck the ground. Sir Roland frowned, realizing the girl could use magic. But before he could react, Alex vanished from the sky. His pupils contracted, sensing imminent danger. He quickly raised his sword and shield above his head to defend. Boom! A violent purple slash struck, creating a crater in the ground. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The purple lightning struck Roland, tearing through the ground like a giant claw and even destroying the wall on the opposite side of the basin. "High-level... magic!" Thud! Sir Roland fell to his knees, his sword and shield shattered, his armor covered in purple cracks. "Leader!" The other templar knights couldn''t believe their eyes. Their leader had been defeated by an extraterrestrial visitor. [Congratulations, Lord, for successfully killing lv8 templar knight, earning 800 experience points.] Alex''s hair slowly fell back into place, her eyes returning to their normal color. The arcs of electricity disappeared as she landed steadily, looking at the fallen templar knight. "Leave two alive. Kill the rest!" Among the templar knights, only a few were Monarch level, no match for thirty-plus Monarch level undead. Alex glanced at the battlefield. The templar knights, seeing their leader fall, were panicked and despairing. They knew their chances of escape were slim against so many Monarch levels. As for why these templar knights attacked, it was simple. They weren''t here specifically to attack the undead fortress. They likely had a mission in the hobgoblin kingdom and discovered it had submitted to the undead, prompting their assault. Since killing an apprentice knight in the Dark Forest, Alex hadn''t seen any templar knights for a month. Just as Lilith mentioned the Holy Court''s recent activity, Alex encountered templar knights in Eldoria, which was unusual. The templar knights quickly fell. Most of the Monarch level knights were around lv5, requiring six or seven undead to hold them off and wear them down. Alex decided not to waste time. She joined the battle, finishing them off and capturing the last Monarch level knight. She held a massive scythe to his neck, staring coldly at him. The templar knight''s eyes were resolute, showing no fear of Alex''s threat. Alex liked such tough opponents. Soon, the pain of soul burning made him scream in agony, a pain few could endure. Without his holy light protection, he might have already passed out. "Tell me your mission, and I''ll give you a quick death." Alex looked down at the templar knight writhing in pain. "Never! A knight... never betrays his faith!" Despite his weakness and sweat, he didn''t relent. Alex had no idea what kind of nonsense the Holy Court had filled them with to make them so stubborn. Since the Monarch level knight wouldn''t yield, she''d have to question the Commanding level ones. Soon, several Commanding level apprentice knights were brought before Alex. "Cooperate, or you''ll end up like him." Seeing the Monarch level knight in agony, they were terrified. "Lord, we''re too low-ranked to know much." "Cut the crap. Tell me everything you know." Alex''s shout made them tremble. "You dare... betray the Holy Court..." The Monarch level templar knight tried to threaten them, but Alex froze him solid, rendering him powerless. "Lord, we only know that the Holy Court has been moving people around a lot recently. Each team has different tasks. Our only mission was the undead fortress." "That''s it?" Alex frowned. They hadn''t said much. But it did show the Holy Court''s strict hierarchy, with lower members knowing very little. "Lord, I heard some rumors. A friend in another team said their mission was to subdue a race." Another apprentice knight spoke up, trying to please Alex. They were less brainwashed than the Monarch level knight. "Was the hobgoblin kingdom one of your targets?" Combining her earlier guess, Alex was almost certain. "I''m not sure, but someone was assigned here before us. Their task was likely to subdue the hobgoblin kingdom." "I see." Alex understood. After their confession, the apprentice knights awaited release, but death awaited them instead. The greatest mercy Alex gave them was to kill them directly, sparing them the agony of soul torment. This place was compromised. Facing the Holy Court was a huge problem. To keep Undead City hidden, she might have to abandon this undead fortress. Alex summoned the templar knights as undead, the strongest being a lv8 Reaper Guard from Roland''s body, capable of supporting her in all directions and ensuring her safety. The remaining three lv5 Monarch levels were also summoned as other undead. "Retreat." At Alex''s command, the undead returned to the fortress to lie dormant, and the Monarch levels used the portal to return to Undead City. Suspecting the location was compromised, Alex left two Monarch levels to monitor and relay information. She temporarily marked the undead fortress as semi-abandoned. Alex grabbed the frozen templar knight and returned to Undead City. She didn''t kill him immediately. As a Monarch level knight, he knew more. If she couldn''t make him talk, she''d take him to Lilith, hoping the fallen angel could extract information. Chapter 245 - 245: Alexs concerns Arsen Continent, Lilith''s town. Lilith wasn''t particularly surprised by Alex''s sudden visit, but she did look puzzled when she saw Alex dragging a frozen templar knight along. Alex quickly informed Lilith about the templar knights'' attack and shared some of her suspicions. "You suspect the templar knights in the elf kingdom are also there to subdue the entire elf kingdom?" Lilith was shocked. If it was the Holy Court, the elves'' strength would indeed be insignificant in comparison. "This is troublesome. If what you say is true, my development will become very difficult," Lilith said, her face showing concern. As for why the Holy Court was subduing these races, it was something far beyond their current reach. "Yeah, I''m at risk of being exposed too. But don''t worry too much. They can''t stay here forever, and the lower-level elves are bound to resist their rule. When the templar knights leave, it might even spark a rebellion. You can take advantage of that," Alex reassured her, though it was clear this wasn''t Lilith''s main concern. "I''m more worried that the elf kingdoms will merge because of this. If that happens, they''ll definitely clear out the surrounding forces, and the coastal areas will be their primary focus." All the border races on the continent were constantly on guard against the powerful races in the ocean, without a doubt. "These are just our guesses for now. See if you can control this knight. If we can gather information from him, we''ll know for sure." Alex unfroze the templar knight, and Lilith approached him. She extended her finger, black energy dancing at her fingertip, and touched his forehead, causing the knight to look terrified. The templar knight''s head immediately glowed with holy light, which clashed with Lilith''s black energy. Suddenly, the templar knight''s eyes rolled back, and he died instantly. ??? Alex was confused and looked at Lilith, who stood up and shook her head. "It''s no use. He had holy light protection inside him. When my energy invaded, the two forces clashed and destroyed his soul." Lilith felt it was a pity. She hadn''t expected the Holy Court to be so meticulous, preparing for capture and preventing information leaks. "Even his soul was protected? This knight must have known he''d die if he said anything he shouldn''t, which is why he refused to talk," Alex said, feeling a bit horrified. These templar knights seemed more like the angels'' minions and puppets than followers. "We''ll have to rely on our own investigations. Be extra careful in the coming days," Lilith advised Alex. Both of them were serious and didn''t chat much. Alex dragged the templar knight''s body back to Undead City. As for Satan in Valoria, Alex didn''t ask much. Most of the races there were evil, and the angels'' influence seemed weak. The templar knights wouldn''t try to subdue those "evil" races; they''d likely wage war to exterminate them. Thus, Satan''s side was relatively safe, at least from the Holy Court. "Let''s just hope Undead City remains undiscovered." Alex shook her head, pushing these thoughts aside. Upon returning to the city, she received good news. During her busy time, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had killed another Soul Hunter, earning 2 points. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] By nightfall, Alex received three more pieces of good news. Arthas had captured another orc camp, bringing all the resources back to the palace. Arthur and Riven had annihilated the Hardbeard clan''s main force, and both Race Kings had advanced to lv3. The Death Spirit had absorbed death energy from several battlefields, reaching Monarch level. Alex was amazed by the Death Spirit''s rapid leveling. In just two days, it had advanced from Commanding level to Monarch level. After reaching Monarch level, its abilities were greatly enhanced. Its clones could now possess and strengthen multiple undead simultaneously. Alex had a feeling that the Death Spirit''s rapid growth would play a crucial support role for the entire undead army. Alex looked at a dwarf corpse brought back by the undead. It was the Hardbeard clan''s chieftain. The Hardbeard chieftain was a middle-aged dwarf with long hair and a beard braided into plaits. This dwarf had lv7 Monarch strength and was summoned by Alex as a lich to assist Arthur, along with the Death Spirit''s clones, in the dwarf kingdom. So far, the dwarf kingdom''s front line had a lv7 and a lv6 undead. The remaining clans would have no chance of resisting. With the Death Spirit''s addition, Alex didn''t need to personally summon corpses on the front lines. The core of the undead was to wage war; only war and death could quickly expand the undead''s scale and strength. "The day after tomorrow, go sign contracts with those dwarves," Alex said, turning to Sophie, who nodded. As for the orc camp Arthas had destroyed, it wasn''t very strong, ranking low in the Orc Empire. There were no high-level Monarchs among them. Although the Orc Empire''s summoning of all camp leaders had accelerated Arthas''s progress and difficulty in eliminating these camps, it also prevented Alex from summoning high-level Monarchs. "Arthas, we need to speed up the progress in the Orc Empire. Destroy as many camps as possible before the leaders return and plunder their resources." Alex didn''t know what was happening in the Orc Empire or if the gathering of leaders was related to the templar knights, but speeding up progress was always a good idea. "Yes, Esteemed Queen." Arthas firmly supported the queen''s command and led the undead through the Portal of Transit, leaving the city. Alex tallied the current number of Monarchs and found it had reached nearly eighty! She could hardly believe the staggering number, not counting the seven Race Kings, the siblings, and herself. With today gaining a lv8 lich, her forces were nearing the peak of Monarch strength. Alex herself was only lv6. As long as she didn''t encounter a King level, Alex was confident her power was unmatched among Monarchs! But she still had concerns. The biggest fear was the templar knights sending a King level knight next time, which would be troublesome. The stronger the level, the more apparent the gap. A lv9 Commanding would struggle against a lv1 Monarch. Could a lv9 Monarch defeat a King level? Alex assessed her state. Her experience points were about halfway, still some distance from leveling up. Reaching King level would take time. "Ice Cream hasn''t come back for days. I wonder where it went." sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since Alex let Ice Cream roam freely, it had left the castle and hadn''t returned. These native creatures leveled up too slowly, incomparable to Lords. If Ice Cream followed its natural growth, it might reach Sovereign level in a few hundred years, by which time Alex''s undead might have already conquered the world. Alex walked into the palace, leaving the siblings puzzled. "Who''s Ice Cream?" Xiao Hui asked Sophie, confused. Ice Cream had been absent from the city since they submitted to Alex. "It''s an Azure Dragon. I don''t know where it went either." "Oh, so having a dragon is standard for a Big Shot?" Xiao Hui seemed to understand why she wasn''t a Big Shot herself, not questioning why Alex had tamed a dragon. Chapter 246 - 246: Mossvale continent [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Today is the last day of the leaderboard event, and Alex is very focused on her ranking. She checked and saw that she had pulled nearly ten points ahead of the Justice Alliance. They had no chance of catching up. Indeed, killing Raphaela was the right move, dropping her to lv1 Monarch and severely limiting her development. Alex stepped out of the palace. The resources seized from the Hardbeard clan had arrived, and Alex processed them, upgrading Undead City. It took the resources from an orc camp and a dwarf clan to upgrade Undead City by one level. There were still some surplus resources in the warehouse, which Alex used to charge a few fortress Essence Shards for future use. Undead City''s area expanded again, with a significant portion of its eastern territory now extending into the Dark Forest. The resources required for the next upgrade were even greater, increasing exponentially each time, making future upgrades more challenging. "This event is finally almost over, but I''m only lv2 Monarch. It''s really frustrating," Xiao Hui said as she entered the palace, wearing a black dress. She complained to Xiao Mu while eating. Due to the event, for everyone''s safety, they hadn''t gone out to fight, making their experience gain painfully slow. They had mostly been idle for a week, leaving them at only lv2 Monarch. Sophie, who hadn''t reached Monarch level yet, felt a bit embarrassed hearing this and pretended not to notice. Meanwhile, in the Desolate Mountains, at Drake''s town. Drake smiled as he looked at the system dashboard. He had found a way to relocate his castle. This was a new trading method emerging in World Chat, known only to Lords who paid close attention to it. It involved trading castle locations. Typically, a lone wolf or a Lord not yet gathered with an Alliance would offer their location for a price before moving to join their allies. Naturally, this wasn''t free. These Lords came up with the idea to profit by selling their location. They would list a common food item at an exorbitant price, like 100,000 magic crystals, in the trading post. Interested Lords would then privately message them to get the location and Alliance information for verification. Drake found a Lord willing to trade their castle location and negotiated a price of 150,000 magic crystals. The Lord''s castle was in a primeval forest, with no further details. As for danger, there was always some risk, but it wasn''t overly concerning. Few Lords traded locations, and even fewer could afford to buy them. Such listings often stayed on the trading post for a long time. If the location were truly dangerous, these Lords would have sought allies long ago. No one would risk their life for money. However, Drake had to proceed with caution. Having left the Justice Alliance, he knew Raphaela''s methods well. She had a unique ability to control Lords without their submission. Drake couldn''t be sure this wasn''t a trap set by Raphaela. To be safe, Drake proposed to ally with the other Lord to verify the location. [Sky Dominator]: "I need to verify the location in person." [Pink Vibrator]: "You know the location is highly confidential and can''t be disclosed without extra payment, right?" Drake frowned. This was the first time he''d heard of paying extra for verification, but he had no choice and agreed. [Sky Dominator]: "How much?" [Pink Vibrator]: "50k!" [Sky Dominator]: "Deal. Let''s start." [Pink Vibrator]: "No, pay first." [Sky Dominator]: "I''ll pay a 20k deposit first. If it doesn''t work out, forget it." [Pink Vibrator]: "Fine." The Pink Vibrator''s Lord, Lenny, agreed to Drake''s alliance request. The Portal of Transit connected, glowing brightly. Drake stepped through without hesitation, feeling a dizzying sensation before arriving at the new location. He immediately went on alert, fearing an ambush by Raphaela, but quickly realized there was only a sleazy-looking man waiting for him. Lenny seemed pleased with the money Drake had paid. Drake stepped outside the Portal of Transit and was stunned by the surroundings. The sky was green, with leaves blocking out the sun, creating a Tyndall effect as sunlight filtered through the gaps. Giant ancient trees surrounded him, one tree trunk even wider than Lenny''s town. The town nestled at the tree''s roots looked tiny in comparison. Drake had never seen such massive trees. Even a dragon flying among them would look like a small bird. The sight deeply impressed Drake. This was indeed a primeval forest, but magnified many times over. "What do you think of the surroundings?" Lenny asked. Drake snapped out of his reverie at the question. "A forest this large can''t be without danger." What kind of creatures lived here? Drake couldn''t imagine. "Information costs money. I risked my life to gather this intel," Lenny said matter-of-factly. "But considering your interest, I''ll give you a discount. Just 5,000 magic crystals, and the information is yours." Lenny extended his hand. The information was crucial. To impress Alex, this small amount was nothing. Thinking this, Drake immediately traded 5,000 magic crystals to Lenny, who smiled upon receiving the payment. "The creatures here are a type of sub-dragon, giant herbivores with a gentle nature, generally not dangerous. But beware of the carnivorous dragons. They''re violent and prey on herbivorous sub-dragons. However, to them, we''re too small to be worth their attention, so they''re rarely a threat. As for strength, most low-tier adult sub-dragons are around Monarch level. They''re not very intelligent and lack domains, but they''re tough and powerful, stronger than typical Monarchs. There might be more intelligent sub-dragons, but I haven''t seen any yet." Lenny shared all the information he had, though it was unclear if he held anything back. Most sub-dragons couldn''t fly. As Drake suspected, the creatures in this giant forest were also enormous. Some bipedal sub-dragons could reach 150 feet, comparable to an adult dragon. Though not as strong as dragons, they had dragon blood, making them formidable. "Sub-dragons, huh?" Drake wondered if this was fate. His troops were dragons, and now he was in a forest full of sub-dragons. Seeing Drake deep in thought, Lenny worried he might back out. This was a big client. "Don''t worry. I''ve lived here for over ten days and seen many sub-dragons. I''m still safe, aren''t I?" "No, I like it." Phew¡ª Lenny sighed in relief. "Then don''t delay. Move your castle here immediately." Lenny urged Drake, eager to finalize the deal. "No rush. I need to observe a bit more." Drake remained cautious. He had to be thorough. He inspected the surroundings, finding nothing but endless giant trees. Satisfied, he returned to the town. Lenny frowned slightly at Drake''s caution. After confirming the area was safe, Drake returned to the town and closed his eyes under Lenny''s watchful gaze. An invisible dragon''s aura enveloped the town. Though not as powerful as Raphaela''s angelic sense, it was enough to detect any life forms nearby. Moments later, Drake opened his eyes. The town was empty except for Lenny, with no ambushes. It seemed safe. "Alright, invite me." Drake said to the puzzled Lenny, who smiled and used the alliance function to invite Drake. "Done." Drake nodded, confirming the invitation and transferring the remaining magic crystals to Lenny. But Drake didn''t return to his castle. He stood there, staring at Lenny, and accepted the invitation. In just thirty seconds, a town appeared in the primeval forest. "Welcome to your new domain." Lenny smiled and left the alliance with Drake. The Portal of Transit dimmed. "By the way, what''s this forest called, and which continent is this?" Drake almost forgot to ask. The Portal of Transit glowed again as Lenny rejoined his original alliance. "These low-intelligence sub-dragons don''t name forests. This is the Mossvale Continent." Lenny seemed in high spirits, grinning widely, likely from the joy of making money. But after two minutes of staring at each other, Lenny still hadn''t left. "Why aren''t you leaving?" Drake asked, puzzled. "We agreed on 300,000 magic crystals, but you only paid 150,000. How can I explain that to my allies? How can I leave with peace of mind?" Lenny smiled, his eyes turning sinister. The Portal of Transit glowed as four more Lords emerged, surrounding Drake. "I advise you to listen to my brother and pay up." Drake laughed. He hadn''t expected these Lords to try and rob him. "Big brother, stop wasting time. He''s just a sucker. Kill him quickly; I have another client waiting," one of the Lords urged. Their conversation made Drake realize they weren''t genuinely selling locations. They lured people in to kill them, having done this many times. The five Lords drew identical magic wands and began chanting, unaware they had picked the wrong target. Drake might not match Alex, Raphaela, or Satan, but he was still a top-tier Lord, not someone these small fry could bully. "I intended to be honest, but you want to rob me. Don''t blame me for not leaving you a way out." Drake''s tone was calm, devoid of emotion. A brown domain slowly expanded, unnoticed by the five Lords, who continued to approach with sinister smiles. Suddenly, they found themselves unable to move. Looking down, they saw their bodies encased in stone, leaving only their heads exposed. "Oh my, he''s a Monarch level!!" Their eyes filled with terror, realizing they had provoked an unbeatable foe. They froze for a second, then, unable to break free, began begging for mercy, crying and pleading, ready to kneel if not restrained. Drake found their noise annoying. With a flick of his finger, the ground''s sand formed a sharp blade, slitting their throats. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Blood spurted, and their cries faded. The castle began to shake. Drake sneered. These Lords could have developed properly but chose robbery, sealing their fate. After killing the five Lords, the system began tallying their alliance''s resources. Drake returned to his castle, awaiting the rewards. "50K magic crystals?!" Seeing the amount, even Drake was shocked. How many Lords had these scoundrels robbed? Chapter 247 - 247: Enhancement Crystal [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As night fell, only a few hours remained until the end of the Soul Hunter event. At this moment, Drake sent a message to Alex. "You mean you''ve arrived on the Mossvale Continent?" Alex pondered. She remembered Eldrin mentioning that the Mossvale Continent''s dominant force was the Dragon Race. It was also one of the two continents where the Angels and the Holy Court had the weakest presence. The dragon race was incredibly powerful, making it difficult for the angels to establish a foothold in their stronghold. It was said that the angels and dragons were constantly clashing on the Mossvale Continent, with the potential for a large-scale war at any moment. Alex hadn''t expected Drake to end up there. She hoped he could develop rapidly in that environment, at least without worrying about Raphaela''s revenge¡ªunless she had a death wish. Drake''s move to the Mossvale Continent was good news for Alex. It meant she could now expand her influence on the Mossvale Continent as well. Developing on three continents simultaneously would significantly accelerate her power growth. Who would have thought that a Lord with only Monarch level strength could span three continents? A subsidiary palace floated into existence on the left side of the Undead City palace, completing its construction in an instant. The three palaces became four once again. Initially, Alex hadn''t wanted Drake to submit, but considering that without submission, he wouldn''t benefit from the leaderboard rewards, it seemed too much of a loss. Moreover, Alex didn''t want to expose Drake to others, so she had to accept his submission. The sudden appearance of an additional subsidiary palace didn''t go unnoticed by Xiao Mu and the others. They immediately guessed that it must be Drake''s. With only a few hours left until the event ended, they were finally free from being confined within the city and could start expanding outward. As night deepened, everyone returned to their respective palaces, waiting for the leaderboard rewards to be distributed. With less than an hour left, no more Soul Hunters would appear. Alex was pleased to find that during Drake''s time as a lone wolf, he had killed a few Soul Hunters, earning 3 points. With his submission to Alex, those points naturally counted towards her total. At this moment, she had pulled nearly ten points ahead of the Justice Alliance, securing first place in advance. Ding! A message popped up in the Alliance chat. Satan: "I got 8 points. I''m sure I''m not the lowest." Lilith: "I only got 6 points. Seems my luck wasn''t great." Satan: "Haha, I knew I wasn''t the lowest!" Satan: "Wait, a total of 27 points means Alex got 13 points?!" Alex: "You guessed right." Satan: "It was luck, pure luck!" Lilith: "Considering she has the most subordinates, it''s not surprising she got the most points." In his castle, Satan was puzzled. "More subordinates?" He looked at Cain and Earl nearby, feeling that he and Alex were about the same. "Could it be that women naturally have better luck?" Cain and Earl were used to Satan''s odd behavior. He always boasted while using the system functions to chat with others, but within a minute, he''d start acting crazy, his face turning incredulous. And shouting: "Impossible, absolutely impossible." Satan then noticed Cain, Earl, and the surrounding demons looking at him with strange expressions. He quickly regained control of his expressions, his face returning to its usual cold and calm demeanor. Cain and Earl were no longer surprised by this. Time: 23:59 [Dear Lords, the leaderboard will refresh in the final minute, and the top-ranked alliance will receive rewards based on points. Rewards will be distributed accordingly.] [Now announcing the rankings:] [First Place: [Light Alliance] Points: 27] [Second Place: [Justice Alliance] Points: 18] [Third Place: [Mythril Alliance] Points: 10] ... [Congratulations, your alliance is ranked first. All members receive fixed experience and resource rewards, as well as a special item (random type).] Alex felt her experience points surge to the brink of leveling up. She then took out the special item, a diamond-shaped crystal emitting a rainbow glow, slightly larger than her palm. [Item Name: Enhancement Crystal (Unbound)] [Item Level: None] [Item Feature: Enhances special buildings and items, improving quality without resource consumption. Cooldown: 24 hours. Enhancement level cannot exceed the current Lord level.] "Well, this is quite special." The description was straightforward. The feature was similar to the Enhancement Stone Alex had obtained before, but that was a one-time use item that consumed resources. This one was clearly much more powerful. Alex held the Enhancement Crystal and infused it with mana to bind it. Most of the special buildings in Undead City were already at Monarch level, so she couldn''t test it on them. She took out a Return Stone from her space ring to test the enhancement. The Enhancement Crystal glowed, enveloping the Return Stone. Moments later, the glow faded, and the crystal dimmed, with only a faint light at its base slowly spreading outward, indicating it was in cooldown. Alex examined the Return Stone and found that mana consumption had decreased, and the teleportation array''s range had expanded. Though she hadn''t tested it personally, the system''s analysis was reliable. This confirmed the Enhancement Crystal''s effectiveness. However, it was somewhat limited at the moment. Its true value would be realized when Alex reached King level. Most of Alex''s special buildings were capped at Monarch level and couldn''t be upgraded further. But with the Enhancement Crystal, those special buildings and other items wouldn''t become obsolete when Alex reached King level. "Tomorrow, give this enhanced Return Stone to the alchemy warlocks for further research and improvement." Alex placed the Return Stone on the table and stored the Enhancement Crystal in the warehouse. It wasn''t something to carry around, as losing it would be a significant loss. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex leveled up, feeling a surge of comfort and power throughout her body. As expected, Sophie had jumped from lv7 Commanding to Monarch level, making Alex realize that the experience rewards for alliance members were the same as hers. The only difference was that those who chose submission might not receive the special item reward. Alex had only leveled up once, reaching lv7 Monarch, but her experience points were more than halfway to lv8. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had also each leveled up, and based on Alex''s experience, they would soon reach lv4. For Alex and her allies, the leaderboard rewards were a significant boost. Other than the Light Alliance, no other Lords received any rewards. "Oh, and there''s Drake." Alex checked Drake''s information. [Territory Lord: Drake] [Strength: lv3 Monarch] [Territory Level: lv9 Town] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Barracks Level: lv15 Rock Dragon Crystal] [Troops: Rock Dragon] Alex was surprised that Drake had reached lv3. She remembered when she first met him in Grimstone; he was weaker than Xiao Mu. But he had caught up quickly. It made sense, though. Drake was a top-tier Lord, and his strength wasn''t low. Conquering two races had brought him to lv2, and the system rewards had pushed him to lv3. Not bad. Now all of Alex''s subordinates had reached Monarch level. Alex gathered everyone together. "The event is over. Remember the plans we discussed. After breakfast, get moving." After breakfast, Sophie left the palace and headed to her town. Sophie had already appointed new managers in her town to oversee resource extraction and equipment forging, freeing her to focus on her own strength. Though she hadn''t been back for days, the dwarves hadn''t stopped working. She checked the resource extraction progress and consumption, then called the town manager to reorganize and plan new tasks. After handling town affairs, Sophie used the undead fortress to travel to Grimstone, where the Death Spirit transported her to the front lines. This was another powerful support ability of the Death Spirit. Its clones were interconnected, allowing Alex''s orders to be quickly relayed, whether on the battlefield or elsewhere. This eliminated information delays, enabling Alex to receive real-time updates from all battlefields and respond accordingly. Meanwhile, in Undead City. "Miss Alex, are we heading north?" Xiao Hui asked, approaching Alex. "No, not yet. We''re still gathering intelligence there. The undead have found a few races, but they''re too weak and far from Undead City. We should head to the Dark Forest. There''s a race near the southern depths that we need to conquer." Alex felt this was a pleasant surprise. She thought the Dark Forest''s outskirts had been fully explored by the undead, but there was still a hidden race. And it wasn''t just a race; it was a kingdom. Alex could almost see the Kingdom''s Tear beckoning her. "Let me change my clothes first!" Xiao Hui didn''t want to dirty her new clothes and ran back to the palace to change into yesterday''s dirty ones. Women''s intuition was spot on. This target location was indeed related to "dirty." As Undead City''s area expanded, it encroached on the Dark Forest, yet the forest showed no reaction. This indicated that the mysterious race within the Dark Forest was at least friendly towards Alex. Thus, Alex became bolder. With countless undead and the Life Link, she had no reason to fear death. With accurate intelligence and no danger, there was no reason to worry. "Miss Alex, I''m ready!" Xiao Hui quickly returned, having changed her clothes. "Alright, let''s go." Alex smiled and led the siblings out of the palace, where forty undead awaited, led by a shadowy figure¡ªthe Death Spirit. All of them were Monarch level. This wasn''t a mission for the undead army. With these undead and Alex, they could quickly amass more troops if needed. "Wow, this lineup is amazing!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, surprised by the number of Monarch levels. It seemed they were ready to dismantle the enemy kingdom. "Leader, how strong is the enemy?" Xiao Mu asked, seeing the formidable lineup. Alex pressed her finger to her chin, thinking. "Hmm, probably similar to the hobgoblin kingdom?" ??? Xiao Mu was puzzled. Was such a large force necessary for an enemy like the hobgoblin kingdom? "Wow, Miss Alex, do you have a deep grudge against them or something? Are we going to dig up their ancestors'' graves?" Xiao Hui asked, confused. "No, it''s just that their lair is hard to find." "Huh?" Xiao Hui silently mourned for the race for two and a half seconds. Alex led the forty undead south of the city. Of course, they flew. Walking was too slow, and flying was easy for Monarch levels. Chapter 248 - 248: Man-eating ant kingdom Upon entering the Dark Forest, the group decided to proceed on foot, guided by a specter, as they ventured deeper into the forest. Along the way, they encountered numerous creatures, such as giant spiders and black worms with sharp fangs¡ªcreatures that made Xiao Hui scream in fright. Most of these creatures were only Commanding level, living in the Dark Forest without any race civilization. The passing Monarch level undead easily dispatched them, turning them into undead that silently followed the group. Intelligent creatures, sensing Alex and her party''s presence, fled in all directions. "These creatures are so disgusting," Xiao Hui muttered, stepping cautiously on the fallen leaves, wary of any large bugs that might suddenly appear. Despite her strength, she didn''t act like a Monarch at all. As they ventured deeper into the Dark Forest, the number of creatures gradually decreased. Alex signaled for the group to stop. In the distance, Alex had just seen a crow fly into an area and disappear, causing her expression to change slightly. If her guess was correct, that was the entrance to the Dark Forest''s depths. If not for the crow''s sudden disappearance, she wouldn''t have realized they were so close to the core area of the Dark Forest. From here, it looked no different from the rest of the forest. There was an invisible barrier; creatures passing through it would vanish, like entering a different realm. No wonder she had accidentally wandered into it before. Alex suspected that once inside, getting out wouldn''t be easy. This might be why the Dark Forest was considered a forbidden area. Countless people had entered, only to disappear into its depths, never to return. The forest seemed like a giant abyssal beast, devouring all who approached. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were puzzled, but Alex didn''t offer an explanation. Fortunately, they had reached their destination. "Miss Alex, are we there?" Xiao Hui looked around, seeing nothing that resembled a kingdom. Alex noticed their confusion and pointed downward. "We''re here. They''re right beneath us." Alex approached a spot where a specter stood. Though it looked no different from the surrounding area, lifting the fallen leaves revealed freshly turned soil. Alex conjured a massive ice spike with her right hand and pierced the ground, revealing a circular hole large enough for a person to enter. "Such a big hole¡ªwhat kind of creature lives here? Rabbits? Mice? Or snakes?" Xiao Hui shuddered at the thought of snakes, her greatest fear. "No, it''s man-eating ants," Alex said calmly. "Huh?" The two were shocked. They had never heard of such large ants. These ants, known as man-eating ants, were the size of an average human when fully grown. Their hard exoskeletons and sharp mandibles gave them formidable combat and adaptability. With the queen''s terrifying reproductive speed, no race on the Dark Forest''s outskirts dared provoke them. Everything here could be their food. They weren''t very intelligent and couldn''t communicate with other creatures, but they were known for their social behavior. Even without high intelligence, they gathered to form a massive man-eating ant kingdom, creating vast underground caves. This was just one entrance, discovered by a specter by chance. They usually sealed their entrances with acid, making them hard to detect even for undead. This was a complete man-eating ant kingdom, with an unknown number of ants. They needed food and hunted outside, yet had remained undetected by the undead. Alex found this puzzling. The information about the man-eating ant kingdom came from other creatures. These mindless creatures wouldn''t call themselves a kingdom; it was a term used by other races. Soon, everything would be revealed once they entered. Alex hadn''t brought the undead army for two reasons: the man-eating ant kingdom was underground with limited space, and the ants'' numbers were likely sufficient, so there was no need to worry about a lack of undead troops. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu joined Alex, peering into the deep, dark hole. It was pitch black inside, seemingly endless. The entrance was surrounded by a mix of green acid and mud, both disgusting and foul-smelling. But Alex had already frozen it with ice. "Let''s go." Alex''s words made Xiao Hui nervous, but she didn''t show fear and was about to jump in when Alex grabbed her. "What''s the rush? Let the undead go first." "Hehe." Xiao Hui scratched her head, embarrassed. The undead, unaffected by darkness, jumped into the hole. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui followed, with Alex bringing up the rear. The three Lords and forty undead entered the hole. The entrance was a winding, downward tunnel, like a slide. At the bottom was a slightly larger platform where the undead gathered. Xiao Mu could have landed steadily, but Xiao Hui fell on top of him, knocking him down. "Ouch!" Xiao Hui rubbed her head and stood up. "Hey? Xiao Mu, why are you underneath?" Xiao Mu stood up, brushing off the dirt, his face dark. He conjured a light ball to illuminate the area. Alex floated down from the tunnel entrance. The circular platform had dozens of tunnels leading in different directions, like a maze. Alex had anticipated this. The man-eating ants'' caves were complex, and only they could navigate them by following their companions'' scents. The tunnels were small, requiring them to stoop to enter, which was inconvenient. But Alex wasn''t here to play a maze game. Each tunnel would have enemies, so Alex didn''t need to explore. She just needed to attack. "Advance. Death Spirit, lead the way." At Alex''s command, the undead began to move. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With eleven tunnels, they split into ten groups, each with four Monarch undead, more than enough. The Death Spirit created eleven clones, turning into shadows that entered the tunnels. Alex, with the siblings, took the remaining tunnel. The Death Spirit led the way, followed by Xiao Mu holding the light ball, then Xiao Hui and Alex. "This tunnel is too small. It''s hard to even turn around," Xiao Hui complained as they walked. Alex, at the rear, suddenly sensed something. She conjured a barrier in front of Xiao Mu, just as a ripple spread out. A terrifying icy force surged forward, freezing the tunnel walls. A giant man-eating ant ice sculpture appeared in front of Xiao Mu. "Damn, they can turn invisible!" Chapter 249 - 249: The depths of the cave So that''s why the undead couldn''t detect these man-eating ants¡ªthey could turn invisible. However, even invisibility couldn''t hide their life activities, and they would still be discovered. Xiao Mu shot a laser from his finger, piercing the man-eating ant. Green fluid splattered out, corroding the surrounding ice and emitting white smoke. "Their blood is highly corrosive," Xiao Mu warned. Alex then summoned the man-eating ant as a skeleton, placing it in front of Xiao Mu to clear the path. At this moment, the Death Spirit had reached the end of the tunnel, where it encountered a fork. It sensed many invisible life forms around it. The Death Spirit waited quietly for Alex to arrive. Suddenly, ice shot out from the tunnel behind, instantly freezing everything, revealing the invisible man-eating ants. Soon, Alex and the others arrived. The space here was slightly higher, allowing them to stand, though Xiao Mu still had to duck. The tunnel''s height was only suitable for Alex and Xiao Hui. Alex quickly dealt with the frozen man-eating ants, turning them into undead. The Death Spirit possessed the strongest Commanding level undead among them. "Esteemed Queen, please wait here while I explore further," the Death Spirit said, then split into several clones and entered the tunnels. Alex and the siblings waited in the dark, damp cave. The Death Spirit, being a flying undead without a physical form, could ignore all obstacles and move quickly through the tunnels. It created clones at every fork, and given enough time, it could fully explore the vast underground cave of the man-eating ants. Nearly half an hour later, the Death Spirit returned, possessing an undead. "Esteemed Queen, I have explored the area. We are still on the outskirts. Deeper inside, there is a massive underground space where the queen and king ants reside. There are many man-eating ants there, including several Monarch level ants. They seem to have sensed the intrusion and are gathering there." "Good. Lead all the Monarch level undead there," Alex ordered. The underground cave was suffocating, and she didn''t want to stay any longer. At that moment, the Death Spirit relayed Alex''s command to all the Monarchs scattered throughout the cave. They all followed the Death Spirit''s lead, converging on the center of the man-eating ant kingdom. The Death Spirit led the way, and Alex flew through the tunnel in a low, ground-hugging position. Her ice domain spread out, turning everything into solid ice and emitting a chilling aura. This eliminated any possibility of invisible man-eating ants hiding within. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui quickly followed. Xiao Mu transformed into a light element, becoming a golden streak of light that illuminated the tunnel as he chased after Alex. Xiao Hui turned into a black mist, closely following behind. As elemental Lords, flying was a trivial matter for them. They had been able to fly even before reaching Monarch level. The complexity of the cave system surprised even Alex. The numerous forks made it easy to get lost. Without the Death Spirit, just exploring this place would take a tremendous amount of time. Deep within the cave, a massive underground plaza teemed with thousands of man-eating ants, crawling back and forth. These man-eating ants had red and black markings, with mandibles resembling giant pincers lined with sharp teeth. Corrosive green saliva dripped from their mouths, merging with the ground. Their antennae twitched, seemingly communicating, and their mandibles clacked loudly. At the edge of the spacious underground plaza were two caves, one large and one small, belonging to the queen and king ants. The king ant, aware of the impending attack, was busy with the queen, producing more ants. Worker ants diligently handled the newly laid eggs, placing them in the hatching cave. In addition to the man-eating ants, there was a middle-aged man named Donghae. Donghae was both a traitor and a freelancer. The man-eating ants had no concept of submission, so Donghae wasn''t initially labeled a traitor. The king ant, one of the few intelligent ants, listened to Donghae''s advice on race development. This collaboration saved Donghae''s life, and he became the "strategist" of the man-eating ant kingdom. With human intelligence and the ants'' abilities, their hunts were highly successful, with minimal casualties. The colony thrived and grew stronger. Donghae, valued by the king ant, rose in status. When he could switch to a freelancer, he abandoned his castle and troops without hesitation. Before coming to Eldoria, Donghae was an unemployed middle-aged man in Korea, with no hope for the future. After arriving here, he was even more despondent, contemplating ending his life. But things took a turn. The king ant could communicate with him, and Donghae''s methods proved effective, aiding the kingdom''s development. As a result, Donghae was allowed to taste the food first, except for the queen. He decided to live as an "ant," staying in the underground cave. However, long-term consumption of food contaminated with man-eating ant acid caused his hair to thin, and he was nearly bald. Donghae didn''t want to comment on the king and queen ants'' obsession with producing offspring. It was a primal instinct. He was more concerned about the current enemy. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Living in the dark underground for so long, Donghae had adapted to the darkness. He stood beside the king ant, eyes fixed on the northern caves. Hiss¡ª Ice spread out, emitting a chilling white mist. Alex and the Xiao siblings flew out, golden light filling the underground space and illuminating the surroundings. Undead of various forms emerged from other tunnels, gradually filling the spacious underground area. The undead gathered in front of Alex, their eyes burning with eerie blue flames, staring at the man-eating ants. In an instant, thousands of man-eating ants'' antennae twitched wildly, all facing the intruders. Alex observed the surroundings, not worried but rather impressed. "I didn''t expect such a large space here. It seems man-eating ants like big places too." The moment Alex finished speaking, a ripple of transparency spread through the ground. Instantly, thousands of man-eating ants vanished where they stood and then, without hesitation, launched an attack on the intruding enemies. Chapter 250 - 250: The powerful Reaper Guard Alex stood still, watching as the forty Monarch level undead charged forward. Various domains unfolded, crushing the invisible enemies despite their stealth. Seeing this, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui also joined the fray. These ants were precious experience points, and if the undead killed them all, how would they level up? Countless man-eating ants died instantly, their shattered bodies becoming visible before being summoned as undead by the necromancers. In less than a minute, the original forty undead had multiplied into thousands, charging at the remaining man-eating ants. Even though the undead couldn''t see their targets, it only affected those with single-target attacks. For undead like Ethereal Wraiths, which dealt area-of-effect soul and curse damage, invisibility was meaningless. On the battlefield, a Skeleton Warrior, unable to see its enemy, still charged forward, heading straight for the king and queen ants. The ant guards defending them crushed the Skeleton Warrior with their powerful mandibles, but their acid couldn''t corrode the bones. The bones slowly reassembled, and the Skeleton Warrior stood up again, charging forward. This was the nature of the undead: even the weakest Skeleton Warrior would charge fearlessly, never retreating. The powerful liches cast Bone Magic, summoning skeletal archers from the man-eating ants killed within their domains. Arrows imbued with blue light shot out, creating a rain of arrows that streaked through the dark cave like blue meteors. The man-eating ants were densely packed, and many invisible ants were hit by the soul arrows. A single arrow was enough to annihilate the souls of lower-level man-eating ants. More and more undead emerged from the corpses of the fallen ants. The number of undead now matched that of the man-eating ants! Inside the cave, the king and queen ants finally stopped their spawning. They had assumed their army had defeated the enemy. But when the king ant emerged to check its spoils, it found the undead army nearly at its tunnel entrance. Instinct told it that the enemy was very powerful. Its black compound eyes immediately spotted the human girl leisurely combing her hair at the back of the undead army. It knew she was the leader of these enemies, just like Donghae¡ªa human! It must have been Donghae who led her here. Traitors! The king ant, enraged, turned to confront Donghae. Donghae was terrified. He had never seen such a horrifying scene. Living underground, he had no idea of the outside world''s situation. Had the Lords outside all developed to this level? Seeing the king ant approach, Donghae clung to a desperate hope. If he could convince the king ant to flee, they might have a chance to escape with so many man-eating ants holding off the enemy! But Donghae, being human, couldn''t understand the thoughts of a man-eating ant. He didn''t sense the king ant''s murderous intent, thinking it was seeking his advice. Donghae saw the giant mandibles rapidly enlarge in his vision, and then he lost consciousness. Crunch¡ª The sound of bones breaking echoed as the king ant devoured him whole. A green light enveloped the king ant, and its body began to undergo a strange transformation after consuming Donghae. The middle legs of the six-legged king ant started to atrophy, the hind legs grew larger and stronger, and the front legs became slender and articulated. Its massive abdomen shrank, and its body became more balanced and coordinated. Finally, the king ant stood upright on its hind legs, with its front limbs transforming into human-like arms. It had evolved into a humanoid form! The king ant looked at its new body in confusion, its face showing a human-like expression for the first time. "Kill the intruders!" the king ant roared, speaking human words. The man-eating ants around the king and queen, all with wings, took flight and turned invisible, attacking the undead army. Alex was momentarily stunned by the king ant''s roar. Though she understood its meaning, she knew it wasn''t a human voice. She flew into the air, her gaze fixed on the king ant. She saw the humanoid figure clearly. "A humanoid creature?" Alex couldn''t tell if it was the king ant or a guard, but its ability to command the man-eating ants indicated it was no ordinary ant. Suddenly, Alex sensed something. She unleashed an icy wave, instantly freezing the airborne man-eating ants, which fell to the ground. "Kill that standing man-eating ant!" Alex ordered. A black shadow flew into the air, heading straight for the king ant. Countless man-eating ants swarmed to protect their king, but a scythe wreathed in black flames swung out, forming a black arc that instantly killed them. Among the man-eating ants was a lv1 Monarch ant, which was easily slain by the undead. Monarch level man-eating ants lacked domains, making them weaker than typical Monarchs. Facing a lv8 Monarch Reaper Guard, they stood no chance. The king ant felt fear but also excitement. If it could devour this enemy, its body might undergo another transformation. In an instant, most of the Monarch level man-eating ants fighting the undead army turned to attack the Reaper Guard, hoping to eliminate it. But these low-intelligence ants underestimated the Reaper Guard''s power. Sometimes, sheer numbers couldn''t defeat a stronger enemy. Invisible chains shot out, piercing the man-eating ants and revealing their souls as ghostly images. Unaware of the danger, the ants continued to charge at the Reaper Guard. As they reached the Reaper Guard, it turned into a black mist and vanished. The mist swirled and reformed into a massive scythe. The scythe swung, severing the chains and destroying the souls. In an instant, the Reaper Guard reappeared, and the man-eating ants fell dead, their souls extinguished. The scythe shot out, the chains clinking ominously. The king ant leaped back, narrowly avoiding the Reaper Guard''s attack. Even the king ant was unsettled. So many Monarch level man-eating ants had been killed by a single skill. It was terrifying. It sensed the enemy''s immense power. Looking at the distant white-haired girl, still calmly combing her hair, the king ant knew she was an even more formidable foe. The king ant made a swift decision, releasing a cloud of acidic poison mist that spread around, blocking the Reaper Guard''s advance. Unlike the other man-eating ants'' acid attacks, the king ant''s attack carried soul damage. The Reaper Guard watched as the king ant retreated into the cave, not rushing to pursue. In its domain perception, it knew the cave was a dead end, so it wasn''t worried about the king ant escaping. Even the king ant itself didn''t fully understand its actions. Upon realizing it could evolve, instead of fleeing from such a formidable enemy, it felt an urge to devour the opponent. But the enemy was too strong. To devour it, the king ant needed to increase its strength. With the Reaper Guard having cleared the area, there were no targets left to consume. So, the king ant turned its sights on the queen ant! The queen ant was merely a tool for laying eggs, with a massive body that was almost entirely non-combative, possessing only Commanding level strength. However, as a queen, it had its own special abilities. Soon, a scream echoed from the tunnel, causing chaos among the man-eating ants. They wanted to rush back to help, but to their shock, it was the king ant that emerged from the tunnel. The king ant had killed the queen ant! This threw the man-eating ants into disarray, unsure of what to do. The king ant, however, paid no mind to the chaos. It was focused on the newfound power it felt, its confidence soaring as it faced the Reaper Guard again. The poison mist dissipated, and the king ant''s powerful hind legs shattered the ground as it leaped forward. It conjured a green energy ball in its right hand and hurled it at the Reaper Guard in the sky. Boom! The green, corrosive energy exploded, but the Reaper Guard easily blocked it with a black barrier. The king ant''s face showed terror¡ªthis wasn''t how it had imagined it! A black, sharp blade of energy flashed, slicing off the king ant''s shoulder. Green fluid gushed out. A black wave of energy followed, knocking the king ant to the ground, creating a deep crater and shaking the entire underground cave. The king ant, thinking its increased power would allow it to fight back, was nearly killed in the first exchange, unable to even touch the Reaper Guard. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As it lay on the ground, its wound began to heal, but its green face looked noticeably paler. Before the king ant could stand again, countless chains wrapped around it. It struggled fiercely but to no avail, as the Reaper Guard slowly lifted it into the air with the chains. The king ant opened its massive mandibles, roaring defiantly at the Reaper Guard, spraying green, foul-smelling saliva in a final, futile struggle. The blue flames flickering in the Reaper Guard''s black hood seemed to be watching the king ant''s last moments. Whoosh¡ª A wind rose from nowhere, black energy swirling around the Reaper Guard and the king ant, enveloping them both. The king ant''s body began to glow with a ghostly blue light, its soul being absorbed by the Reaper Guard. The chains vanished, and the king ant''s lifeless body fell to the ground. Chapter 251 - 251: Ant King Evolution Energy [Congratulations on successfully killing the lv6 Monarch man-eating ant king, earning 600 experience points.] [Congratulations on conquering the man-eating ant kingdom, earning skills: Invisibility, Ant King Evolution Energy, Auxiliary Barrack, and Kingdom''s Tear.] With the death of the king ant, all the man-eating ants were slain by the undead and converted into new undead. This underground cave housed fifty thousand man-eating ants. Summoning them all as undead resulted in an army of one hundred thousand. In other caves, there were still some young and elderly man-eating ants. Alex didn''t bother having the undead kill them, as they had already submitted to her. There was no need for total annihilation. It wasn''t out of mercy but rather a strategic thought inspired by Thalor. These man-eating ants were of little use to Alex, but their rapid reproduction rate was beneficial. Once their population recovered, she could command them to fight, and their deaths would continuously provide her with experience points. Moreover, their low intelligence made them easy to control. The dead man-eating ants could be reused, summoned again as undead. However, with the queen ant dead, it would take some time for their population to recover. These man-eating ants survived by digging, and their lairs held little of value to Alex¡ªmostly rotting food, unappetizing and useless. Though she didn''t gain much in terms of resources from the man-eating ant kingdom, the other benefits were substantial. The system rewards for conquering the man-eating ant kingdom were even more generous than those for the hobgoblin kingdom. Alex''s experience points were maxed out, allowing her to level up at any time. Additionally, some of the lower-level Monarch undead had leveled up, though the lv7 or lv8 ones still had a long way to go. "Let''s get out of here. This underground cave is too oppressive," Alex said, gesturing to Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. "Let''s go. The undead can handle the rest," she added. "Miss Alex, I can level up again!" Xiao Hui exclaimed excitedly, amazed at how quickly her experience had increased. Following Alex had benefits beyond her imagination. The three of them, led by the Death Spirit, retraced their steps and left the underground cave. This wasn''t the nearest exit to the surface, but Alex worried that other exits might lead them into the depths of the Dark Forest. To be safe, they returned the way they came. It''s worth noting that the Death Spirit''s leveling speed was astonishing, having jumped from lv1 Monarch to lv3 Monarch. Phew¡ª The three of them breathed a sigh of relief. The dark, damp, sunless underground cave was suffocating, and they were finally back on the surface. "Finally out!" Xiao Hui took a deep breath of fresh air, feeling much better. "Death Spirit, you handle the rest. I''m heading back to Undead City," Alex instructed. The Death Spirit didn''t respond, but Alex knew it had heard her. Back in the city, Alex didn''t waste time and immediately checked her rewards. First, she took out the Kingdom''s Tear from the man-eating ant kingdom and absorbed it, increasing her progress by two points. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 6/100] This revealed a pattern: Race''s Tear added one point, while Kingdom''s Tear added two. "I wonder if it depends on the strength of the race," Alex mused. The man-eating ant kingdom and the hobgoblin kingdom were among the weakest. Surely stronger kingdoms like the Titans would add more than just two points? Next was the Auxiliary Barracks from the conquered race. Although Alex found the man-eating ants disgusting, she built their Auxiliary Barracks in Gemini City, adhering to her principle of not wasting resources. Like the hobgoblin Auxiliary Barrack, it automatically summoned units one major rank below Alex. However, the man-eating ants'' maximum rank was Monarch, making them suitable only as cannon fodder. Then there was the race skill Alex had gained¡ªthe man-eating ants'' invisibility. This skill was quite useful. Alex activated the skill, and a transparent ripple spread out, making her body disappear instantly. She looked down, unable to see her legs or arms but still feeling their presence. She took out her scythe, which also turned invisible in her hand. Pleased, Alex decided to test further. She walked over to Xiao Mu and placed her hand on his shoulder. Xiao Mu immediately sensed it and was about to react when he noticed his body becoming transparent and disappearing. "Leader, did the system reward you with the man-eating ants'' skill?" Xiao Mu quickly realized. In Undead City, it was safe, and only Alex could have done this. If it were Xiao Hui, Xiao Mu guessed she would have kicked him instead. "Yes, it seems this skill is quite good. Not only can I turn invisible, but I can also make those around me invisible," Alex said as she and Xiao Mu reappeared. Invisibility combined with teleportation made for a powerful ambush combo. Finally, there was the most peculiar reward: [Ant King Evolution Energy]. From the name alone, Alex had no idea what it was. She needed the system to check it. Alex took out the energy orb, and Xiao Mu curiously looked over. "Does this mean absorbing it will give you the ability to devour and evolve?" Xiao Mu speculated, seeing the name. "Evolve? I don''t want to turn into a slime. I think being a mage is fine," Alex said. If it was as Xiao Mu guessed, she didn''t want it. [Name: Ant King Evolution Energy] [Effect: After consuming the target''s flesh, gain the ability to evolve and acquire the target''s skills and race traits. Enhancement lasts one hour, with each evolution permanently increasing one attribute point.] [Note: Can continuously consume different flesh to extend enhancement time. Side effects stack.] Side effect: Weakness, vulnerability. [Absorb now?] Alex clicked "No" without hesitation. She shouldn''t have expected much from a Monarch-level man-eating ant. This ability was too disgusting. Especially the side effect¡ªAlex was stunned. Each evolution permanently increased one attribute point, which seemed strong but was actually quite useless. It added one point in total, not one point to each attribute. Alex''s level-ups added at least thirty points to her attributes. What use was one point? She handed it to Xiao Mu, who stepped back, clearly uninterested and disdainful of it. Just then, Xiao Hui, looking refreshed in new clothes, walked over. "Here''s something good for you," Alex said, tossing the Ant King Evolution Energy to Xiao Hui, who caught it, puzzled. "Huh?" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Hui checked the system interface. "Ah! I don''t want to turn into a man-eating ant. Don''t give it to me!" Xiao Hui was about to throw it to Xiao Mu but then stopped, a sly smile forming. ??? Alex was confused. "Miss Alex, this thing is useless to Xiao Mu and me. Look, even Sophie is at Monarch level now. As your earliest follower, she has no combat ability. This thing would be wasted if thrown away. Why not give it to her?" Xiao Hui suggested, pretending to be considerate of Sophie. "That makes sense," Alex thought. No one wanted it, and it seemed suitable for Sophie, whose rank cap was the lowest among them. Without special opportunities, Sophie might cap at King level. Alex wanted to help her, as strength was necessary for self-protection. Alex agreed but needed Sophie''s consent. She sent Sophie a message, showing her the Ant King Evolution Energy and asking for her opinion. Sophie understood her situation. Her combat ability was the lowest, and her value to Alex was mainly due to her early allegiance. With more elite Lords joining Alex, Sophie knew her role was diminishing. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu noticed Xiao Hui secretly messaging Sophie, persuading her. Under Xiao Hui''s persistent persuasion, Sophie agreed to absorb the Ant King Evolution Energy to enhance her strength. As for consuming flesh, Alex had the alchemy warlocks prepare pills from parts of powerful Monarch corpses, making it easier to consume and store. The only issue was the side effect, but Alex couldn''t help with that. There had to be some trade-off; otherwise, it would be too easy to boost attributes indefinitely. Xiao Hui smiled, pleased with her plan. She was eager to see Sophie''s transformation. Chapter 252 - 252: Enemy attack [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Night quickly fell, and the undead army gradually returned. The original forty Monarch level undead had increased to over fifty, accompanied by a hundred thousand undead troops. As Alex had expected, there wasn''t much of value among the spoils. The stored, rotting food was useless to anyone. But it didn''t matter. The experience points, the Invisibility skill, and the Kingdom''s Tear made the trip worthwhile. While Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were still downstairs having dinner, Alex had already gone upstairs to rest. After a bath, Alex slipped naked into bed. Downstairs, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui continued their banter at the dinner table, while the alchemy warlocks outside the hall worked noisily to turn the retrieved Monarch corpses into pills. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Having gone to bed early, Alex woke up early. She got dressed quickly, putting on her bra and panties, then her top and short skirt, followed by her favorite white over-the-knee socks and a pair of local noble-style leather boots. After tying her hair and washing up, Alex jumped out of the window, landing gracefully on the ground. Taking the stairs was too much trouble; this was much faster. After summoning her troops, Alex began organizing the loading of undead onto the Silverscale Leviathan, which would then travel through the Portal of Transit to Gemini City to aid Arthas. It''s worth mentioning that after becoming a city, the Portal of Transit''s functionality had greatly improved. It could now project above buildings, like futuristic technology. This reminded Alex of the sci-fi movies she had seen in her previous life. This was why the massive Silverscale Leviathan could pass through the Portal of Transit, and the zombie titan was no exception. "Oh, right, I almost forgot." Alex remembered noticing something strange in the ant cave yesterday: the Reaper Guard seemed to have leveled up. She had intended to ask about it upon returning but had forgotten due to the Ant King Evolution Energy. Reaper Guards were summoned by Alex herself, and it was unusual for them to level up without their race king being present. "Could it be due to the Reaper Guard''s unique nature?" But this was a good thing. Perhaps this lv8 Monarch Reaper Guard would be the first to advance to King level. Previously, the lv8 Monarch Reaper Guard was the strongest in Alex''s ranks. Now, with Alex herself at lv8, she believed it wouldn''t be long before she reached King level. Once she conquered the dwarf kingdom and the Orc Empire, Alex was confident she would reach King level. With a thought, the lv8 Reaper Guard appeared before her. "Esteemed Queen, at your service." "Why can you, who were summoned by me, continue to level up? Your race king hasn''t even appeared yet." Alex didn''t expect the Reaper Guard to know, but she asked anyway. Surprisingly, it did know something. "Reaper Guards have no king. Our only king is you, the Undead Queen." !!! Wait, Alex thought she understood. "So, I am your race king?" "Yes, Esteemed Queen." If that was the case, it made sense. The Reaper Guard had no king and only followed Alex. Being summoned by Alex, they could naturally level up. Moreover, if their king died or disappeared, the Reaper Guard would vanish until the next king appeared to reawaken them. The previous undead lord was a good example. The Reaper Guard had reformed after dispersing, so they had no memory of the previous king. To them, Alex was their first and eternal king. "I see." Alex waved her hand, dismissing the Reaper Guard, now understanding her earlier confusion. The Reaper Guard''s words also reminded Alex that not all undead races had kings. Some undead races were kingless. The first that came to mind was the zombie titan. Titans, symbols of light and divinity, became undead after death, retaining some of their former abilities. They weren''t originally undead, so it made sense they had no king. As for bone dragons, though they were dragons in life, their undead form was entirely different from zombie titans. They had completely shed their former abilities, making them true undead. Bone dragons were more like skeletal beasts than dragons. At least, that''s how Alex analyzed it for now. She wasn''t sure about other races. After all, even an undead being with only one member in the entire race, like the Death Spirit, could be summoned, so there might be other unique race kings out there. The undead Barracks hadn''t reached its maximum level yet, so there could still be new troops to unlock. "Miss Alex, what are our plans after this?" Xiao Hui approached, just in time to see Alex dismiss the Reaper Guard. "No rush. I''ve already sent the undead to clear out the small races to the north. They have a Return Stone with them. Once they reach a suitable location, they''ll notify us." The Return Stone was meant to be placed at the destination, not for the undead to return. This way, Alex could teleport directly to the location and build an undead fortress. "Got it. So, it''s free action time?" Xiao Hui, relieved there was no immediate task, ran towards the dining room, calling out to Xiao Mu. "Xiao Mu! Let''s go to Gemini City after breakfast!" After breakfast, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui headed to the Orc Empire. Gemini City felt like home to them, more so than watching dwarves fight in the dwarf kingdom. Killing orcs was less of a psychological burden. To Xiao Hui, dwarves were almost human, while orcs were just beasts. Two Silverscale Leviathans floated above Gemini City, standing still. Inside the city, Arthas and the other five race kings had gathered. There were no more orc camps nearby. The camps at the intersection of Emerald Hills and White Rock Mountains to the north of Gemini City had been cleared. To continue attacking the Orc Empire, they would have to move south. When Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu found Arthas, they saw it interrogating an orc priest, who was barely alive. The Death Spirit then possessed the priest, taking control of its body. Moments later, the orc priest raised its head, its green eyes now black, surrounded by eerie black mist. "The orc chieftain will return in three days. The Orc Empire is undergoing a major change, and all camps will migrate to Bloodrock City to merge!" The Death Spirit, controlling the orc priest, spoke in a raspy, indistinct voice. After extracting all the information, the black mist around the orc priest surged, and the Death Spirit exited its body. It couldn''t stay possessed for long, as it consumed Mana Points. Arthas turned to Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui. "You''re just in time. Please relay the Orc Empire''s intelligence to the Queen." Arthas knew they had special communication methods, faster than the Death Spirit possessing an undead to meet Alex. The siblings had heard the information and immediately sent it to Alex. The reason for the Orc Empire''s change in governance and merger was still unknown. The orc priest was merely an apostle sent by the royal city to deliver orders and had limited information. "Wait, if the chieftains are returning to their camps in three days to migrate, it means their mission is complete. We might have been discovered," Xiao Mu said suddenly. The Orc Empire had gathered all the chieftains, and they would notice the dead orc chieftains, determining the enemy''s location. "Why couldn''t it be other orc camps killing each other?" Xiao Hui asked, puzzled. They were the first to encounter the orcs and had some understanding of their habits and system. "If other camps had killed the chieftains, they would have claimed it as an honor, so they wouldn''t hide any information unless the camp had been destroyed by an external force," Xiao Mu explained. Defeating other camps was a glory for the orcs, and the royal family would reward them. "You''re right," Arthas agreed. They needed to be more vigilant. Boom! A loud noise interrupted them, and everyone looked up. Several boulders, like meteors, were crashing towards Gemini City, hitting the transparent shield and creating ripples. "Enemy attack!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Silverscale Leviathans in the sky began to move, their scales flapping, six giant tentacles extending from their sides, glowing with eerie purple light. The massive zeppelin-like bodies started moving towards the city outskirts. The siblings and the five race kings flew to the city wall, witnessing the scene outside. A massive square portal glowed green, with orcs pouring out, attacking Gemini City. Next to the portal stood four burly orcs, each dressed differently and carrying various weapons. They were clearly the chieftains of four camps. Chapter 253 - 253: Full attack "They came so quickly?" Xiao Hui was puzzled but not panicked. The orcs swarmed in like a tidal wave, and the undead quickly launched a counterattack. Although Gemini City didn''t have as many undead as Undead City, it still boasted 80,000 troops, plus over twenty Monarch level undead, including five race kings. This wasn''t something a few orc camps could handle. It saved them the trouble of hunting the orcs down. Unlike the orcs, who could only fight on the ground, the undead had an air force. Combined with the city''s defenses, the orcs couldn''t get close. The orcs had clearly underestimated the strength of the northern border invaders. As the orc army charged towards the city, a massive shadow suddenly appeared, blocking out the sun like a dark cloud. The orcs looked up in confusion as two black beams descended from the sky, slicing through the battlefield and piercing their ranks. Fallen orcs looked up, and in their dying moments, they noticed a massive zeppelin-like figure floating in the sky. The Silverscale Leviathan hovered above the orc army. Under the puzzled gaze of the four orc chieftains, it began to drop undead. In an instant, 5,000 undead rained down, landing behind the orc army. They quickly stood up and launched an attack on the orcs. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The orcs had already failed to break through the undead''s front lines and couldn''t even reach Gemini City''s moat. Now, with the undead attacking from behind, they had to pull back to protect the portal. If the portal was destroyed, their retreat would be cut off. What the orcs didn''t realize was that this was part of Arthas''s plan. If they had intended to destroy the teleportation array, they would have done so from the start. The array was left intact to continuously draw in orc reinforcements, providing a steady stream of experience points. The orcs, unaware of this, believed they were losing because they were outnumbered. Soon, more orc warriors poured out of the portal, bringing reinforcements. Two more orc chieftains appeared, making a total of six. These orc warriors were the elite troops from six orc camps. Now, the orcs outnumbered the undead and began to push the front lines towards Gemini City. The six orc chieftains smiled, seeing a glimmer of hope for victory. But then they noticed something strange. The undead that the orc warriors had killed were reassembling and coming back to life. Seeing this, the six chieftains joined the battle alongside other Monarch level orcs, causing the undead to start losing ground. "Aren''t we going to join the fight?" Xiao Hui asked anxiously, watching the undead retreat and the orcs advance towards Gemini City. "Wait a bit longer," Arthas said calmly. It could see that this was the full strength of the orc attack. If they continued to hold back, they might attract even stronger enemies. To maximize their gains, they needed to wait until the orcs had fully deployed before cutting off their retreat. Soon, the flow of orcs from the green teleportation array dwindled. All the troops from the six orc camps were now present. The orcs had crossed the moat and were at the city walls. It was time! "Full attack! Destroy the enemy''s teleportation array!" Arthas shouted. The last part was directed at the Monarch level undead, as only they had the power to do so. At Arthas''s command, the remaining tens of thousands of undead in Gemini City leaped from the walls, exiting the city in a simple and brutal manner, without using the gates. Nearly thirty Monarch level undead also surged out, attacking the orcs outside the city. Domains unfolded in the air, crushing all enemies within. Most of the Monarch level undead were liches, powerful and highly skilled in control. In an instant, two liches easily killed a Monarch level orc. A shadow teleported in, and the surrounding death energy thickened. The Death Spirit''s true form had swapped places with a clone, immediately summoning the corpses of the fallen Monarch orcs. Three lv6 liches and other lower-level liches charged at the six orc chieftains. The six orc camps had only brought about twenty Monarch level orcs, while the undead, including four race kings and the Xiao siblings, had nearly thirty. This wasn''t a fair one-on-one fight. As soon as a low-level Monarch orc died, the Death Spirit would summon it to undead, gradually tipping the balance in favor of the undead. The Death Spirit split into four clones, each merging with a race king. They were enveloped in eerie black mist, their levels increasing by one, and their attacks now carried death energy and soul damage. This was just the Death Spirit''s clones. If it canceled all clones and used its true form, the four race kings'' levels would increase by two. Arthas, now lv4 Monarch, was no longer a mere lv3. This was the dividing line between lower and mid-level Monarchs. Arthas plunged its sword into the ground, instantly freezing the area in an icy domain, killing all nearby orcs with Bone Magic. While the orcs struggled with their opponents, Arthas was unstoppable. It flew into the air, heading for the orc portal. A massive icy blade cut through everything, destroying the orc portal. The six orc chieftains looked on in despair, realizing this was the true strength of the city. They had never stood a chance against this combined force. The key issue was that the orc warriors were the only ones participating in the attack. The orc priests, who could deal soul damage, were absent. Each camp typically had only one priest, who wasn''t meant for combat. This made it difficult for the Monarch level orcs to kill the undead, especially since they were facing such enemies for the first time. The orc chieftains'' morale broke. They lost the will to fight and only wanted to escape. They didn''t want to die here. One chieftain raised his giant axe, his arms bulging with veins as green energy flowed into the weapon. With a powerful swing, the ground cracked, and a massive energy slash surged towards Gemini City, killing any undead in its path. Even some Monarch level undead struggled to withstand it. Most Monarch level undead were mages or assassins, making it hard to block a warrior''s attack head-on. But then, Crane appeared, his blade engulfed in flames. He stood firm, forming a black barrier in front of him. Crane, at lv3 Monarch , was going to block the orc chieftain''s attack! Chapter 254 - 254: What is the Holy Court up to? Boom! The green axe light struck the black barrier, shattering it instantly, but the attack was weakened. At that moment, Crane''s blade, burning with fierce black flames, slashed out, splitting the attack in two. Crane was thrown back, crashing into Gemini City''s shield. However, such physical impacts had no effect on him. The split attacks were intercepted by two liches, successfully neutralizing them. Defense wasn''t Crane''s strong suit; it was offense. He had the highest single-target damage among all the kings. While zombies were weak, their king was not. Of the four race kings, excluding Azure, all were warriors. At the same level, they had no fear of these orc chieftains. As Crane recovered and looked at the enemy, he saw the orc chieftain fleeing. The chieftain was retreating rapidly, with only a few ordinary undead in his path, unable to stop him. "Stop him!" Crane roared, gripping his curved blade and charging after the enemy. All the Monarch level undead heard Crane''s command and saw the fleeing orc chieftain. Seeing him flee, the other chieftains also wanted to retreat, but they were blocked by more Monarch level undead, leaving them no chance. On the battlefield, more and more Monarch level orcs were falling, increasing the number of Monarch level undead. The fleeing orc chieftain gradually broke through the undead encirclement. With fewer undead around him, he swept them aside, seeing a glimmer of hope. Suddenly, a golden light condensed in front of him, forming a figure that delivered a swift kick to his head, catching him off guard. The light-element-infused kick sent the orc chieftain flying, crashing heavily to the ground. In terms of speed, Xiao Mu was the fastest present. The orc chieftain, enraged, quickly got up and swung his axe at Xiao Mu, but Xiao Mu had already transformed into light and teleported away. In the brief moment the chieftain was down, Crane and Arthas arrived. Arthas wielded the frost-emitting Frostmourne, Crane wore black armor and held a long curved blade burning with black flames, and Xiao Mu shone with golden light. The three surrounded the orc chieftain and attacked simultaneously¡ªtwo lv3s and one lv4 against a lv6 orc chieftain. Darkness, light, frost, and bone. The four powers intertwined, quickly covering the orc chieftain in wounds, with Crane''s attacks causing the most damage. The chieftain, focused on escaping and already weakened by the liches, had no will to fight. Bone Magic and Frost Magic restricted his movements. He swung his axe wildly, but Arthas blocked it, though the force pushed Arthas back several meters. The orc chieftain exposed a fatal flaw! A sharp black blade flashed, severing the chieftain''s arms, and his axe fell to the ground. Xiao Mu teleported in, delivering a kick to the chieftain''s jaw, a golden light piercing through his head. Thud! The orc chieftain''s eyes widened, and his massive body, over 9 feet tall, collapsed. The remaining orcs despaired. Soon, the chieftain Xiao Mu had killed rose as a lv6 Monarch lich. The undead, now seemingly unkillable, multiplied, and the orc warriors felt an overwhelming sense of futility. Some orcs even dropped their weapons in despair, but they couldn''t escape death. Dozens of Monarch level undead surrounded the remaining five orc chieftains. Despite having lv6 Monarchs, the orcs were outmatched by the stronger undead. Several liches combined their spells, creating a giant skeletal serpent that swept across the battlefield. Bone dragons, massive skeletal giants, and skeletal archers were summoned. These undead, unlike the original ones, were truly unkillable, as their soul flames were controlled by the liches. Under the liches'' command, they attacked the orc chieftains, draining their stamina. The orc chieftains crushed the undead, turning them to ash, but the liches quickly summoned more, an endless cycle. The orc chieftains grew exhausted, more orcs fell, and more undead rose. "WAAAAGH! Orcs never retreat! For eternal glory!" one chieftain shouted, rallying the remaining orcs to charge the undead. But the other four chieftains looked at him like he was a fool. Some orcs were confused, others bewildered. One chieftain dropped his weapon and knelt. "I submit!" He prostrated himself, trembling, fearing the undead would kill him. The liches paused, looking to Arthas. Arthas nodded, and the liches turned their attention to the other orc chieftains. Seeing this, the other orcs quickly surrendered. "I submit!" The liches were momentarily confused but followed Arthas''s orders, leaving the surrendering orcs and attacking the last chieftain. The frenzied orc chieftain, shouting "WAAAGH," fought desperately against the undead, unaware that nearly forty Monarch level undead were closing in. Unsurprisingly, he died, seeing his kneeling, surrendering comrades in his final moments. His mouth moved, eyes filled with resentment, cursing the surrendering chieftains even in death. One kneeling chieftain shouted back, "The camp is gone! What glory is there to defend?" His eyes widened, understanding, and he died peacefully. "Take them into the city and await the Queen''s judgment!" Arthas ordered. The Monarch level undead surrounded the four orcs, escorting them into Undead City. Creak¡ª The city gates opened, and the undead began to enter in an orderly fashion. The Silverscale Leviathan landed, collecting the undead. A portion of the undead remained outside, transporting the orc corpses. Xiao Mu stopped them, using the system to disassemble and recycle the orc corpses, leaving nothing behind. Apart from the blood-soaked ground and cracked earth, there was no sign of the battle between the two races. Meanwhile, when Alex received the update from Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui, the sudden war had already ended. The number of Monarch level undead in Gemini City had doubled from twenty to forty, and the undead army had grown from sixty thousand to one hundred fifty thousand. The four race kings each leveled up, and the Death Spirit gained two levels. The Xiao siblings were nearing their level cap, about to level up. Although Alex hadn''t been on the battlefield, as their leader, she received a significant share of the experience points. "Enemies that can''t defeat me only make me stronger," Alex said softly, looking into the distance. Gemini City''s defenses now rivaled those of Undead City. However, this meant they needed to strengthen Gemini City''s defenses. The orcs'' sudden attack had gone undetected by the undead, showing that the orcs weren''t entirely incompetent. It might also be due to their advanced teleportation methods. Despite no pre-marked coordinates around Gemini City, the orcs had managed to teleport nearby. "The Orc Empire is merging. It seems we won''t need to seek them out," Alex mused. She didn''t know what the Orc Empire was planning, but they would undoubtedly attack Gemini City, saving her the trouble of finding them. The only downside was that this proactive attack meant no resources to loot. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Wait, the Orc Empire also has templar knights!" Alex suddenly remembered. The Orc Empire had existed in camp form for hundreds of years. Why merge now? It was similar to the situation in the elf kingdom. Alex was almost certain that templar knights were involved in the elf kingdom. The Orc Empire, also on the Arsen continent, was likely influenced by templar knights as well. After all, Alex had previously encountered their attacks. "What is the Holy Court up to? Could the Angels be involved too?" Chapter 255 - 255: Set out immediately Alex arrived in Gemini City through the Portal of Transit and saw the four orcs who had chosen to submit. They could tell that all the Monarch level undead present deferred to this girl. Upon seeing Alex, they immediately prostrated themselves, displaying utmost humility. "At least they know their place," Xiao Hui remarked sarcastically. The orc chieftains'' voluntary submission was a good thing. They might have valuable information about the Orc Empire, which would allow Alex to gather intelligence and prepare in advance. "Tell me everything you know about why the Orc Empire summoned you," Alex''s cold voice echoed. She stared at the orcs, indifferent to their fate. If they cooperated well, Alex might consider letting them submit. Otherwise, they''d just become undead. "Leader, Bloodrock camp summoned us by force, compelling us to submit and merge all camps under the Angel race!" one scar-faced orc quickly said, his face filled with anger and helplessness. The orc''s words were shocking, even to Alex. So, it was indeed related to the Angel race. The Holy Court''s actions were directed by the angels. The orc chieftain then detailed the events of Bloodrock camp''s summons. In an instant, Alex understood many things, including the templar knights'' missions in the elf kingdom and hobgoblin kingdom. The Holy Court was secretly recruiting races for the angels, forcing their submission. Why did the angels need so many races? For war, of course! In places Alex couldn''t see, the angels were aggressively recruiting races by force. She believed the Angel race would soon make a significant move. Through the orc chieftains'' accounts, Alex learned the specifics. The news was widespread in Bloodrock City, making it hard for the chieftains not to know. But the more Alex learned, the more alarmed she became. "Five King levels?!" "Just five of them forced the entire Orc Empire to submit!" The Orc King was also a King level, yet he was powerless. In three days, after the chieftains returned to their camps, they were to immediately relocate their members to the royal city for the merger. Before the chieftains returned, Bloodrock camp had already sent people to notify them. The camps were in turmoil, with some dissenters being executed by the templar knights as a warning. After a few chieftains were killed, the others, like the Orc King, complied. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had no choice; refusal meant death. The six orc chieftains had been tasked with eliminating the undead in the northern Empire, which is why they still haven''t gone to the royal city. This explained why one of them had said, "The camp is gone! What glory is there to defend?" The Orc King had signed a knight contract with the Holy Court, declaring the Orc Empire''s submission. Orcs, used to their freedom, were naturally resentful of this forced submission. Losing their camps also meant losing their faith, and they had lost all hope in the Orc King. Submission to anyone no longer mattered. Alex suddenly thought of something and quickly asked, "So, the orc camps are currently moving to Bloodrock City?" This worried Alex. If they all relocated and gathered, how would she attack them? "Yes, but I know the locations of all the surrounding camps. The other chieftains should have just returned and haven''t moved yet," the scar-faced orc chieftain said, bowing his head. "Good. I accept your submission." Alex looked at the siblings, and Xiao Mu stepped forward to sign a contract with the orc. The other three orc chieftains, seeing this, regretted not speaking up first. "What''s your name?" Xiao Mu asked the orc. "Leader, my name is Bloodfang." Bloodfang was the name of his camp. He straightened up, showing his high emotional intelligence among the orcs. "And you three, do you have anything to add?" The three orc chieftains, seeing a chance to live, quickly shared their information, which was almost identical to Bloodfang''s. "Alright, they are now your subordinates," Alex said, waving her hand, uninterested in their chatter. She kept them purely for strategic purposes. Thus, the four orc chieftains became a hierarchy, with Bloodfang as their leader. Clap! Alex clapped her hands. Four Silverscale Leviathans descended from the sky, hovering above the city walls. Two Reaper Guards appeared beside Alex. "No time to waste. Set out immediately, split into four groups!" At Alex''s command, the two Reaper Guards and four race kings divided into four teams, boarding the Silverscale Leviathans. The four orcs each took charge of navigation. Alex stood on the city wall, looking at the undead on the Silverscale Leviathans. "Wow, a giant zeppelin!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, shaking Xiao Mu''s arm excitedly. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui also boarded a Silverscale Leviathan. With their combined forces, including some Monarchs and the troops inside the Leviathans, they could easily wipe out an orc camp each. "Let''s go!" At Alex''s command, the Silverscale Leviathans ascended rapidly, flying south. After watching them disappear from sight, Alex left the wall. With nothing else to do, she wandered around Gemini City. This was her first visit since upgrading the siblings'' castle to a city. While strolling, Alex informed Lilith about the angels'' involvement, advising her to be cautious in the elf kingdom. Now was the best time to act. If they waited until the elves consolidated, Lilith would face not just the forest elves kingdom but the entire elf kingdom. That''s why Alex had decisively sent the Silverscale Leviathans with the undead to attack orc. Whether Lilith realized this wasn''t Alex''s concern. Besides the attacking undead, the city still had twenty Monarch level undead and 20,000 troops for defense, which was sufficient. Satisfied with her curiosity, Alex left Gemini City. Meanwhile, on the distant shores of the Arsen continent, in Lilith''s town, she received Alex''s warning and knew she couldn''t delay any longer. Lilith''s face was serious. Finding a Lord to submit across two continents was incredibly difficult. So far, Lilith was still alone. This severely limited her development, putting her at a disadvantage. Lilith had encountered other Lords but hadn''t chosen to make them submit, thinking weak Lords would only drag her down. But now, she realized that even top-tier Lords like Alex and Raphaela had many subjects. Her troops were strong, but being confined to one continent was problematic. "Morgana, gather all the sea races and attack the forest elves kingdom!" Lilith ordered a fallen angel. She couldn''t delay any longer. She planned to disguise the attack as a sea race invasion, forcing the elves to defend the coastline, then use the chaos to control the forest elves from within and take over. The intelligence was clear. Except for the light elves, dark elves, and storm elves, the other elf kingdoms had no King levels. Their kings were only Monarch level, so Lilith had no worries. With the three elf kings preoccupied with the templar knights, they couldn''t intervene in the other kingdoms. Lilith just needed to install a puppet as the new forest elves king to cover her tracks. Once she controlled the forest elves kingdom, she could expand inland. But Lilith''s development had stalled recently, barely reaching lv3 Monarch. She couldn''t imagine how powerful Alex had become. She might need Alex and Satan''s help. Her current strength was insufficient. Just then, the system notified her of a private message from Satan. "I found a Lord!" Lilith''s tense expression finally relaxed a bit. Great, now she could expand to other continents. Chapter 256 - 256: Youre already lv8 Monarch? At this moment, on the Valoria continent, far beyond the abyss, there lay a valley lush with dense trees. The valley was almost devoid of danger, inhabited mostly by ordinary animals, giving it a dreamlike quality that made one forget they were in another world. In this tranquil valley, a Lord had hidden himself. His castle was so well concealed that if not for the demon followers discovering traces of human activity, they might never have realized a Lord was lurking here. Satan stood outside the valley, his gaze fixed on the beautiful scenery within. He had found the Lord but chose not to alert him, waiting for Lilith to arrive. This Lord was too weak for Satan to bother with as a subject. But to help Lilith cross two continents, this was the best candidate. As time passed, finding another Lord would become increasingly difficult. At this moment, a pair of black wings slowly descended¡ªit was Lilith, arriving alone because her troops were dealing with the forest elves. "He''s hiding in there. The scenery is quite nice," Lilith remarked. "Indeed, I didn''t want to ruin it, so I waited for you," Satan said, feeling quite gentlemanly. Lilith smiled. "Thank you for that." Lilith retracted her wings and elegantly walked into the valley, her black dress trailing behind her. An invisible aura seemed to emanate from her, causing the flowers and grass to wilt as she passed. Lilith didn''t ask Satan if this Lord had allies. Judging by his demeanor, he probably knew nothing, so asking would be pointless. If this Lord had allies on other continents, that would be even better, opening up her development route completely. Inside the castle, the man was oblivious to the events outside, leisurely enjoying a massage from his troops, eating delicious food, and savoring life. He was arguably the most indulgent of the billions of Lords. The valley remained untouched because it was once a demon''s garden. The demon''s dormant presence kept weaker creatures at bay. Of course, Satan and Lilith were unaware of this. Since entering this world, the man had encountered no danger, leading him to believe the other Lords in World Chat were crazy. Beast tide? Nonsense, it never came. Rankings? He was perpetually last. He eventually ignored the other Lords, dismissing their talk of alliances and crusades as make-believe. Why bother when he could live comfortably in his castle, enjoying gourmet food and honeyed wine? His troops were top-tier: cat-eared maids, the ultimate all-purpose butlers. These maids, though non-combative, excelled in all domestic skills. They could be seen, touched, and even loved. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Who wouldn''t adore a cat-eared maid that catered to all your needs? Yet, the man was somewhat dissatisfied. Despite living better than any other Lord, he was unaware of it. Without the internet, he found life boring. Every day was a cycle of eating and making love. It got tiresome. He just wanted this reality show to end so he could go home. "Don''t use your teeth; they''re too sharp!" The man''s reluctant voice echoed from the castle, puzzling Lilith. What was going on? The defenses were so lax that she had walked into his territory unnoticed. Seeing the castle, Lilith was speechless. Was this a lv1 castle? "So fishy, meow~" "Don''t spit it out; swallow it all." Lilith approached the castle, overhearing their conversation. What were they doing? It sounded odd. The man was likely the Lord, his tone brooking no argument. Lilith thought as she pushed open the castle door. Creak¡ª The heavy door groaned, letting sunlight into the dim hall, adding a touch of brightness. The cat-eared maid inside froze, her heart racing as she locked eyes with Lilith, sensing immense danger. "Someone''s here... meow..." A commotion erupted upstairs, indicating they knew someone had arrived. The man upstairs seemed unusually excited. Lilith stood at the entrance, watching the staircase. Soon, the man, having put on his pants, ran down excitedly. "Miss, are you staff? Is this reality show finally over?" "Reality show?" Lilith covered her mouth, laughing. She hadn''t expected such naivety. Explaining would be tedious. Lilith pondered but decided there was no need to explain. He was just a puppet. "Add me as a friend and submit to me, and I''ll tell you when the show ends." The cat-eared maids wanted to warn the man, but Lilith''s presence was too intimidating. "Sure." The man agreed without hesitation. It was just a game, and the woman was beautiful and elegant... He looked up at Lilith, his gaze fixed on her stunning face. At that moment, his eyes glazed over, his pupils flashing black. The submission process was smooth. Lilith didn''t care about the man, not even asking his name. She let him continue his indulgent life. Lilith immediately upgraded his castle to a town and built a Portal of Transit. She then expressed her gratitude to Satan. "Want a ride back? We can go together." Lilith smiled at Satan, who predictably declined. "No, I have a fight to catch!" Satan left the valley with his demons, never stepping inside. Lilith returned to her town through the Portal of Transit. Unnoticed, the grass and plants Lilith had stepped on began to revive, the black mist seeping into the soil and disappearing. Everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. The man, regaining his senses, noticed his castle had grown but didn''t think much of it, continuing to enjoy his time with the cat-eared maids. === [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell, and by ten o''clock, Alex finally received the news she had been waiting for. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had returned to Undead City. With the orcs leading the way, finding the surrounding orc camps was a breeze. Besides the six orc chieftains'' own camps, they had wiped out five additional camps, capturing over ten thousand orcs. The resources were transported back to Undead City by the Silverscale Leviathan. Thus, the northern camps of the Orc Empire were completely eradicated. This time, the focus was on capturing rather than killing, so the experience points gained were not substantial. The undead army only summoned 40,000 elite undead, without doubling. Summoning low-tier undead that couldn''t fly was inefficient, as the Silverscale Leviathan had to transport both resources and the undead, wasting time. Therefore, they summoned higher-tier airborne undead instead. "You two have worked hard. Get some rest," Alex said, sitting at the dining table and watching Xiao Hui devour her food without any regard for her image. "Leader, it won''t be as easy to attack them next time. There are no more orc camps around," Xiao Mu pointed out. "I know. We''ll leave the Orc Empire alone for now and wait for them to attack us," Alex replied. She understood the situation well. With all the orc camps gathered in Bloodrock City, she could wipe them out in one go once she reached King level. "By the way, have the camps of these submissive orcs relocate around Emerald Hills to protect Gemini City." These submissive orcs were now Alex''s reserve troops, saving her the trouble of building an undead fortress and ensuring Gemini City''s safety. After all, once the Orc Empire was conquered, some of them would need to submit. It was better to start preserving their population now. After dinner, the Xiao siblings went to rest, while Alex continued to process the resources. Orcs, living in camps, had very few construction resources, and there were even unprocessed iron ores. Could they have been mined from White Rock Mountains? The resources from eleven camps, though limited, were enough to upgrade Alex''s city. The city leveled up by one, reaching lv5. Other resources were sufficient, but iron ingots were lacking. She would have to wait to seize more from the dwarf kingdom. Meanwhile, on the Mossvale Continent, in the primeval forest. Drake, who had activated the town shield, was asleep when he suddenly felt a violent tremor, like an earthquake. Drake woke up with a start, his eyes glowing yellow, and flew out of the castle through the window. He saw the ground shaking, the town fracturing, and a majestic city rising from the earth. The territory area expanded, towering walls rose, and the castle behind him transformed into a palace. "City..." Drake relaxed, observing his new city with a sense of bewilderment. He hadn''t expected Alex to upgrade his town to a city. When he checked Alex''s level, he was shocked. "You''re already lv8 Monarch?!" Chapter 257 - 257: The attack of the Bone Dragons and Ghost Dragons [Night retreats, dawn arrives] On the Arsen continent, the dwarf kingdom had reached its final battle. The Stoneforge Clan had been annihilated and fully captured. Only Broadbeam clan and the Ironfist royal family remained. Facing the powerful dwarf army led by Durin, the two clans had no choice but to set aside their differences and join forces. Nori, the former Silverbeard Clan chieftain''s second son who had fled to the Stoneforge Clan, was now captured by Durin and imprisoned in Grimstone. Ironforge, once the royal city of the dwarf kingdom and the largest city within its borders, had fallen into the hands of the Ironfist clan after the dwarf king''s death and the subsequent division of the seven clans. Now, Ironforge was fortified with a hundred thousand dwarf soldiers, both inside and outside the city, waiting for Durin to walk into their trap. Of course, they no longer had the courage or capability to launch an offensive. Durin, Arthur, and Riven had divided their forces into three armies, surrounding Ironforge in a triangular formation, effectively besieging the city. After absorbing the remnants of the Stoneforge Clan and other clans, Durin''s dwarf army was as numerous as the forces within Ironforge. However, Durin''s army consisted mostly of civilians, whose combat effectiveness was slightly weaker than the regular dwarf army. But the main force of this attack wasn''t Durin''s dwarves; it was the undead army led by Arthur and Riven. Facing the blitzkrieg tactics of the undead, which had already wiped out two major clans, the Ironfist clan was well aware of their enemy''s identity by now. They knew Durin had the undead''s support and had prepared accordingly. The dwarf kingdom''s history spanned thousands of years, and as the former royal family, the Ironfist clan had extensive knowledge about the undead, thanks to the royal archives. At dawn, the Death Spirit conveyed the undead queen''s orders to the three armies, and they marched towards Ironforge. Sophie and Durin led the dwarf army behind, while the undead, primarily airborne and requiring no logistics, moved swiftly. Meanwhile, in Grimstone, Nori was imprisoned in the same dungeon where he had once held Durin. His hands and feet were shackled, and the dungeon space was very confined. Yet, Nori showed no signs of despair. "Do you think you can hold me and torture me like this?" Nori sneered, even letting out a cold laugh. As Alex had suspected, Nori wasn''t a purebred dwarf. He lowered his head, trying to touch an earring on his ear with his hands. It was a gift from his mother, and everyone thought it was just a simple ornament, overlooking its true nature. The earring concealed a tiny magic circle, covered by its special material, making it very discreet. This technology wasn''t of dwarf origin; otherwise, Durin wouldn''t have overlooked it. Nori fiddled with the earring, and the covering ring opened, revealing the miniature magic circle inside. Instantly, the room filled with light, and Nori''s body vanished in an instant. Bang! The door burst open, and a lich rushed in, having sensed the magical fluctuation from the dungeon. But it was too late. The dungeon now only held Nori''s clothes on the floor, and the empty shackles clinked as they swung. Nori had vanished right under the noses of the dwarf and undead guards. ... On the walls of Ironforge, massive energy cannons were mounted, and the dwarves stood ready. Their weapons and armor glowed faintly blue, enchanted specifically to combat the undead. The walls were lined with dwarf riflemen and a few mages. These mages could only perform basic spells, relying on their wands, which was why magic wasn''t popular in the dwarf kingdom. Only the Ironfist royal family had a few dwarf mages; other clans had almost none. In the city''s central plaza, four formations of griffon riders stood ready, each armed with a crossbow and a quiver of arrows. The Ironfist chieftain and the Broadbeam chieftain stood side by side on the wall, looking out with worried expressions. This was their last stand. If they failed, the dwarf kingdom might cease to exist, and their clans would become prisoners. "The enemy is here!" A cry rang out, and the city went on high alert. The shield activated instantly, and the dwarves loaded energy crystals into the cannons, aiming at the approaching enemy. The sight before them left even the two chieftains in shock. Countless undead filled the sky, blocking out the sun. Massive figures instilled fear in the dwarves, as if the apocalypse had arrived. Arthur and Riven had brought no other undead, only bone dragons and ghost dragons, numbering over ten thousand! These massive undead created a terrifying visual impact and pressure. Roar! Dragon roars echoed, shaking the dwarves'' spirits. Flames spewed from the dragons'' mouths, destroying everything in their path. The dwarves'' pre-made defenses on the ground were utterly ineffective, easily destroyed by the bone dragons. The bone dragons swooped low, breathing fire, then soared high, circling back for another attack like cavalry preparing for another charge. Ironforge''s shield, under the relentless dragon breath, grew hot and strained, its energy rapidly depleting. The dwarves inside the city were terrified, their hands trembling on their griffons'' reins. How could they defeat these dragons? Despite their fear, the dwarves, following their officers'' orders, gritted their teeth and flew into the sky to engage the bone dragons. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The size difference was immense. The bone dragons'' massive bodies easily crushed the griffon riders, killing them with a single swipe. The enchanted weapons prepared by the two clan chieftains were effective against ordinary skeletons but had little effect on bone dragons and ghost dragons. The muskets and cannons couldn''t penetrate the bone dragons'' defenses, let alone kill them. The mages'' elemental attacks were also ineffective, as bone dragons had strong resistance to such attacks. Some dwarves, just taking off on their griffons, were instantly killed by ghost dragons passing through them, their souls extinguished. In less than ten minutes, the dwarves were in full retreat, unable to kill a single undead. The two clan chieftains were in despair. The undead''s power was beyond their imagination. These giant creatures required dozens of dwarves working together to have a chance of killing one. And even then, it was only a chance. The risk of the dwarves being wiped out was much higher. Roar! A massive blue breath attack, cold and deadly, surged towards the city''s shield. Arthur aimed to destroy the shield in one blow. "Protect the shield!" The Ironfist chieftain roared, leaping high with his weapon to block Arthur''s attack. If the shield fell, Ironforge would be overrun by the undead, turning it into a fiery wasteland. The Ironfist chieftain''s hammer struck Arthur''s dragon breath, forming a barrier that blocked it. He used his body to shield the city''s barrier. Zap! Two icy blue beams struck the Ironfist chieftain, carrying soul-destroying energy. It was Riven''s attack. Boom! A massive explosion occurred as Arthur and Riven''s attacks collided, sending the Ironfist chieftain crashing down. "Ironfist!" The other clan chieftain on the wall cried out. Arthur and Riven circled high, preparing for another attack. The Ironfist chieftain stood up, tearing off his chest armor and throwing it aside. The soul-enchanted armor had saved his life, but it was now useless. Without it, his combat effectiveness was reduced. He looked up and saw Durin''s dwarf army approaching from the distance. "Traitor!" The Ironfist chieftain''s leg armor glowed green, and he floated into the air, weapon in hand, charging at Arthur. Flying leg armor was rare, so most dwarves couldn''t fly. They were helpless against the bone and ghost dragons, forced to watch. Arthur saw the approaching enemy and breathed another dragon breath, aiming to knock him down again. The Ironfist chieftain, using his level advantage, shattered the attack with his hammer, only to be met by Arthur''s flaming blue tail. Wham! The Ironfist chieftain lost balance, flying backward. His flight ability, granted by equipment, was not well-practiced. He crashed into the ground, creating a crater. Though unharmed, he felt humiliated. Despite his higher level, he couldn''t match Arthur in aerial combat. On the ground, he was confident he could kill Arthur in three moves. But Arthur ignored him, continuing to attack the dwarves and the city. "Ironfist chieftain, surrender now, or Ironforge will be reduced to rubble," Durin''s voice called from the side. The Ironfist chieftain glared at him. "Silverbeard Clan Durin, you traitor, allying with outsiders!" "You couldn''t end the chaos in the dwarf kingdom, but I can. Your throne was seized by force, wasn''t it? Your words are naive and laughable. Think carefully," Durin replied coldly. He preferred not to storm the city, as it would cause more casualties. Chapter 258 - 258: Enemy invasion "Go to hell! I will never surrender!" The Ironfist chieftain gripped his warhammer tightly and suddenly lunged, channeling his full lv7 Monarch level power into a strike aimed at Durin. Even if he died, he would take down this traitor! Bang! A bone shield materialized out of thin air, blocking the Ironfist chieftain''s strike. The energy from the warhammer couldn''t even scratch it. Then, several bone spikes extended from the sides, instantly forcing the Ironfist chieftain back. He looked up to see three undead floating beside Durin, each as powerful as himself! "Kill him!" Sophie commanded coldly from not far away. There was no need to make such a stubborn individual submit. The three liches immediately surrounded the Ironfist chieftain, while Durin pulled the reins to steer his mount away from the battle, leading the dwarves towards Ironforge''s gates. Even though the dwarves'' mounts could fly, they dared not ascend recklessly. The sky was now a battlefield dominated by bone dragons and ghost dragons. With a crack, Ironforge''s shield, having endured so many dragon breaths, finally shattered. Countless bone dragons poured into the city, their flames destroying everything. The massive dragons landed within the city, their claws and tails wreaking havoc, and their breath of dragon incinerating the dwarves. Some bone dragons landed on the walls, their weight causing the structures to crumble, destroying weapons and equipment, and knocking dwarves off the walls. Almost instantly after the shield shattered, the dwarves on the walls were wiped out. The dwarf cavalry in the sky fared no better. The ghost dragons were even more terrifying than the bone dragons. Just opening their mouths could devour the dwarves'' souls. The souls burned in their mouths, then were expelled as breath of dragon, the corrosive blue beams annihilating everything. The dwarves fled in terror. If they were burned by the bone dragons'' flames, they might survive if lucky. But a ghost dragon''s attack meant certain death. Ironforge''s walls crumbled, the city engulfed in flames and smoke. The dwarves'' anguished cries filled the air, their faces etched with despair. This war was overwhelmingly one-sided. The undead''s power was terrifying. "Broadbeam chieftain... stop this futile resistance. Surrender..." "They''re all dead. Don''t send more to their deaths!" "What are these creatures? They can''t be killed. Why are we fighting them?" Some dwarves, their spirits broken, lost the will to fight and knelt. This was a war they couldn''t win. Whoosh¡ª A dragon tail swept through, killing one of the despairing dwarves. The bone dragons continued their battle, indifferent to the tiny figures below. In the sky, countless ghost dragons had completely covered Ironforge. They didn''t care if the enemy surrendered. They only followed Arthur and Riven''s orders. Without a command to stop, they would continue attacking until everything was destroyed. At the gates, Monarch level dwarves guarded the Broadbeam chieftain, fighting the bone dragons. Suddenly, a lv7 lich entered the fray, quickly overwhelming several lower-level Monarchs. The Broadbeam chieftain was shocked. He had long abandoned the idea of defending Ironforge with the Ironfist clan. Now, he only wanted to escape under his subordinates'' cover. Staying meant certain death. But it was too late. "Broadbeam chieftain, will you fight to the death like the Ironfist chieftain?" Durin asked, not just as a threat but as a final warning. Four liches surrounded the Broadbeam chieftain. The ground and sky were filled with undead. Even if he could fly, escape was impossible. "I surrender," the Broadbeam chieftain said through gritted teeth, dropping his weapon and kneeling. Durin sighed in relief. Continuing the fight would have killed all the dwarves in Ironforge. This was the best outcome, preserving some strength for the unified dwarf kingdom. The other Monarch level dwarves, seeing the Broadbeam chieftain kneel, also knelt, expressing their submission. Even the Ironfist royal family''s Monarch dwarves followed suit. Durin looked at Sophie. "Leader, they''ve surrendered. We can have the two race kings stop the attack." Sophie nodded. The battle was finally over, and the dwarf kingdom could be unified. ... [Congratulations on conquering the dwarf kingdom, earning Auxiliary Barracks and Kingdom''s Tear.] In her palace, Alex received the system notification and was instantly delighted. "Why are the rewards so few?" Alex was a bit disappointed. The rewards were less than those for the man-eating ant kingdom. Without hesitation, she built the Auxiliary Barrack in Sophie''s town, giving her two dwarf Barracks. As for the Kingdom''s Tear, Alex took it out and merged it with her own, absorbing it instantly. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 13/100] It increased by 7 points. Clearly, Kingdom''s Tears varied in value. The dwarf kingdom was stronger than the hobgoblin and man-eating ant kingdoms, even in their divided state. Resource tallying would take some time, but Alex wasn''t in a hurry. She could wait. The dwarf kingdom''s resources were undoubtedly the most abundant. She would soon have an abundant supply of iron ingots. Additionally, the dwarves provided countless laborers and artisans, making them more valuable than hobgoblins. This battle had cost tens of thousands of dwarf lives, with two-thirds of the main force lost. If not for the Ironfist chieftain''s death, they would have fought to the last. But Alex gained significant experience points, nearing her level cap. Opening multiple battlefronts accelerated her leveling. "I''m almost lv9 Monarch." She hoped the experience required to reach King level wouldn''t be too much. Meanwhile, in Whispering Meadows, within the hobgoblin kingdom''s basin. A blond man with flowing hair arrived, observing the undead fortress without attacking. He seemed to be sensing something. "So, the ones who obtained the Godhead were these undead." The blond man pondered, recalling the Godhead incident and the mysterious deaths of several Monarchs. A faint ripple of holy light spread out as he closed his eyes, sensing everything around him. Moments later, his eyes flashed gold as he opened them. "North." He whispered with a smile, disappearing instantly. Neither the hobgoblins nor the undead noticed. "An undead city?" The blond man stepped into Undead City''s territory, a massive black city appearing before him. Facing the shield blocking his path, he lightly touched it, and a golden light flashed, shattering the shield instantly. He continued walking towards the city, unfazed. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The defense towers sensed the intrusion and began charging, firing at the man. The undead outside the city were also alerted, swarming towards him. But the man walked leisurely, not even bothering to counterattack. The artillery vanished before him, and the undead began to fall within ten yards of him, their soul flames extinguished, their bones turning to dust. [Warning! Enemy invasion!] [Warning! Crystal Shield shattered!] Alex, who had just finished upgrading, saw the system''s urgent alerts, a sense of dread washing over her. How did someone find my city?! Immediately after, she saw notifications of nearly a thousand undead deaths. Chapter 259 - 259: A formidable enemy Alex swiftly flew out of the palace and landed on the wall, spotting the enemy. It was a young blond man, dressed in a simple black robe with a scarf tied at his chest, and striking white high-heeled boots. With just one glance, Alex''s pupils contracted. Thousands of undead couldn''t get close to him. Alex couldn''t even see how he was attacking; all the undead around him were annihilated by an invisible force. Alex had never seen such a bizarre method of attack. Even at her current lv9 Monarch level, she couldn''t achieve this. King level! He must be King level! Rather than believing he had some special magic, Alex was convinced he was a King level. At the very least, he could see through the Specter Chandelier''s effect. Alex immediately became vigilant. The pressure he exerted on her was immense, and he had already found her castle, leaving her with nowhere to hide. Without hesitation, Alex summoned all the Monarch level undead in the city. Over fifty of them quickly gathered and charged at the blond man at the gate. "So, extraterrestrial visitors, no wonder you''re so rude," the man said, smiling as he looked at the tense Alex on the wall. A strong golden light radiated from his body, instantly killing over 10,000 undead, including some low-level Monarch level undead. What?! Alex was shocked. How could this man be so powerful? With just one strike, he had killed nearly ten lv1 Monarchs and over ten thousand undead. Alex stared at the man in disbelief. He suddenly looked up at her, and their eyes met. A golden light flashed in his eyes, and Alex felt a sharp pain in her head, but it disappeared instantly. Alex wasn''t harmed, but the undead army below suffered heavy losses. Many undead died, leaving a field of bones. The man seemed to understand something, a playful smile on his face. "Damn it, is the gap between Monarch level and King level this huge?!" Alex had never seen a King level in action. She didn''t know this man''s exact level or the true extent of the power gap between Monarch and King levels. Wait, he''s in my territory! The system interface instantly displayed his information. [lv8 King level Templar Knights Captain] Almost max-level King level?! No wonder he could easily kill so many undead. "Damn it, let''s go all out!" Even if he was lv8 King level, Alex couldn''t just sit and wait for death. She''d start over if she had to! The four statues at the palace entrance shook violently, cracking and breaking apart. Wings extended as Alex awakened the gargoyles from the Magic Stone Pillar. Unfortunately, they hadn''t reached King level, remaining at lv9 Monarch, but with the Bone Throne''s boost, they could approach King level strength. All Monarch level undead gained a level. They''d wear this enemy down if they had to. Alex wouldn''t die, so what was there to fear? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Attack together!" At Alex''s command, all Monarch level undead launched an assault on the man. Alex stood on the wall, watching the man below. He looked relaxed, not even using a weapon. Each attack easily killed a Monarch level undead. Seeing her accumulated Monarch level undead die before her eyes, Alex felt no sorrow. As a Lord, survival was paramount. An lv8 King level was incredibly powerful. Even a group of low-level King level undead would struggle against him, let alone a mix of Monarch level undead. The man got a bit more serious. He summoned a sword made of golden light. He casually swung and stabbed, effortlessly killing every undead that attacked him, even the massive zombie titan. Conversely, the undead''s attacks were almost entirely ineffective against him. No, "almost" could be removed¡ªthey were completely ineffective. A transparent golden barrier surrounded the man, impenetrable by any attack. A Monarch level Death Conqueror approached the man, raising its bone sword to strike. But as soon as the weapon touched the golden barrier, its soul was extinguished, leaving only bones that turned to dust. The man remained relaxed, a faint smile on his lips. Though he hadn''t spoken to Alex, she could tell he was merely stretching, not taking the fight seriously. Even so, his power could utterly destroy Undead City. But the man''s goal wasn''t just destruction; he was observing. From the moment he realized the undead could absorb damage for Alex, he knew that girl status among the undead was extraordinary. An extraterrestrial visitor commanding so many undead, willing to die to protect her, was intriguing. "Interesting. Looks like I''ve stumbled upon something fun." The Holy Court and angels despised the undead, seeking to eradicate them not just due to their opposing natures but because of the undead''s terrifying growth rate. Even angels found them troublesome. They once ignored those weak skeletons, which brought extremely serious consequences, leading to the rise of the undead Empire, a formidable enemy. The former undead lord''s talent and power had frightened many factions. Only after the undead lord''s disappearance did the angels begin a large-scale purge, nearly wiping out the undead Empire. Now, they wouldn''t allow a second undead Empire to rise, though they doubted an extraterrestrial visitor could achieve that. Undead not under the Holy Court and angels'' control couldn''t be allowed to exist. But if they could control the undead? The undead would become their greatest asset! To control the undead, the man looked at Alex on the wall. This was why he hadn''t fought seriously. He was observing Alex, intending to capture her. The blond man was certain Alex held a high position among the undead. Even if he couldn''t control the entire undead race, her ability to mass-produce troops was enough. Why bother subduing weak races when the undead sufficed? Having observed enough, the man decided not to waste more time. Suddenly, Alex felt the space around her twist. The wall beneath her, the surrounding undead, all vanished. Alex found herself facing the blond man in a space filled with blinding golden light. Everything else had disappeared, leaving just the two of them in this strange realm. "A barrier space?!" What kind of power was this? Alex was shocked. This man could directly isolate her. The space was filled with holy light, golden as far as the eye could see, seemingly endless. Not only was Alex''s dark magic suppressed, but she couldn''t sense any elemental power to cast other spells. "Don''t struggle. This is my realm; you can''t escape." The man''s voice echoed from all directions, filled with contempt and arrogance. "Submit to me, and I will spare your life." A golden knight contract appeared before Alex. Seeing the contract, Alex laughed. Sign it? No way! A sharp blade of light shattered the contract. Alex held her scythe, her gaze calm and cold. Without magic, she still had her scythe. "Arrogant fool!" The golden light surged, the space boiling. An invisible force sent Alex flying, crashing to the ground. "How long do you think you can last?" In Undead City, the undead were at a loss, unable to find Alex or the man. Suddenly, more undead began to die, the numbers increasing with no end in sight. In the space, the man stood still, instantly appearing before the fallen Alex. Alex sprang up, swinging her scythe, but the man caught it with his hand. Bang! He kicked Alex, sending her flying, her scythe slipping from her grasp. He walked towards her leisurely. "Extraterrestrial visitor, I''ll give you one more chance to choose." Another golden knight contract appeared before Alex. The overwhelming power difference made Alex feel helpless. But even Alex didn''t know that the mage honor medal in her space ring was glowing faintly purple. Meanwhile, in Starfallen Empire, within Hurricane City. "Archmage Eldrin, what brings you here?" "Official business, we''ll talk later." With that, Eldrin transformed into a purple blur and vanished, leaving behind a massive magical ripple. In the palace study, a woman holding a quill watched the direction Eldrin had left, lost in thought. In the Frostwind snowy mountains, Eldrin had traveled thousands of miles in an instant, suddenly stopping mid-air, halting his flight. "She has connections with that one?" "Never mind, I''m already here. Time to call in a favor. I just hope my words still carry weight." Eldrin sighed and continued flying towards the Dark Forest, though this time at a more leisurely pace. Chapter 260 - 260: Arthur and Riven return At this moment, within the blond man''s realm in Undead City. Even when faced with the blond man''s second demand for submission, Alex remained defiant. "You want to control the undead for the angels? Dream on!" Alex raised her head, fearlessly meeting the man''s gaze. This time, the man was momentarily taken aback, surprised that Alex had guessed his intentions. "You''re quite clever, but that won''t help you." The man raised his hand, and countless beams of golden light surged forth, converging towards Alex''s head. Since this girl wouldn''t agree, he would use holy light to forcibly control her soul. Just then, the golden light began to dissipate, and the entire holy light realm collapsed. The two of them were back in Undead City. Blood trickled from the man''s mouth; the collapse of the realm had left him severely injured. The man''s face turned pale with fear, his previous composure gone. "Master, this is Holy Court''s affair. Why do you interfere?" Facing the immense pressure, the man was drenched in sweat but couldn''t afford to lose the honor of the Holy Court and the Templar Knights Captain. "Fuck off!" A raspy male voice echoed from the Dark Forest. Alex recognized it as the voice that had once guided her out of the depths of the Dark Forest. The man clutched his chest, wiped the blood from his mouth, and vanished from Undead City without a word. He had sensed the killing intent and knew that sparing his life was already a concession to the Holy Court. Alex stood up, looking towards the Dark Forest. "Thank you, for your assistance!" The mysterious figure did not respond, disappearing once more. Alex bowed for a moment, and seeing no response, she turned back to Undead City. This time, Alex''s undead suffered significant losses, the worst in history. She realized she needed to assess the strength of her undead forces. Regarding the mysterious figure in the Dark Forest, Alex had no way to reach out. As long as the figure remained friendly, that was enough. If the mysterious figure had been hostile, Alex would have been dead long ago. Undead City wouldn''t have grown to its current scale. The mysterious figure could injure an lv8 King level Templar Knight Captain from a distance, so their power might be Sovereign level. Alex didn''t know for sure, but she knew they were incredibly strong. Deep in the Dark Forest, a purple figure appeared out of thin air¡ªit was Eldrin. He looked at the middle-aged man meditating on a boulder not far away. "Thank you for your help. But someone like you wouldn''t care about old favors, would you?" Eldrin spoke politely. "She is a friend of an old friend''s child." The mysterious man didn''t open his eyes, maintaining his meditative posture. "I see. Regarding the human race, I apologize." Eldrin showed a look of realization, then apologized to the man. "No matter. Humans are like that." The mysterious man''s voice was raspy, devoid of emotion, as if indifferent to everything around him. "How much time do you have left?" "Not much. Today''s intervention wasted some energy. It''s a pity she hasn''t grown yet." For some reason, Eldrin thought of Alex at that moment and spoke. "Actually..." ==== In the palace of Undead City, Alex was physically and mentally exhausted. She realized she needed to quickly increase her strength. This was the first time an enemy had come to her doorstep, but it wouldn''t be the last. With the mysterious figure''s deterrence, the Holy Court likely wouldn''t cause trouble for a while. Alex needed to reach King level as soon as possible. But the undead''s existence would surely be exposed. She hoped trouble wouldn''t come too quickly. The losses from this battle were severe. Over twenty Monarch undead were killed, and 80,000 standard undead died protecting Alex. The power of a King level was truly terrifying. Alex didn''t feel sorry for the dead undead because it was pointless. Arthas currently lacked the ability to resurrect Monarch undead. Dead was dead. As for standard undead, Alex could summon large numbers in a short time if she wished, so there was no need to worry about their numbers. Near dusk, Arthur and Riven returned to Undead City with the spoils from conquering the dwarf kingdom. The dwarf kingdom''s resources were so abundant that the Warehouse was nearly full, allowing the city to be upgraded again. Additionally, the undead army had grown. When Arthur and Riven were dispatched, Grimstone had only 20,000 undead. Now, they returned with 100,000. Most of these undead were bone dragons and ghost dragons, personally summoned by Arthur and Riven. This was partly because they had captured some dwarves and spared the civilian dwarves. Otherwise, the number of undead would be even higher. Fifteen new Monarch undead were added, and twenty captured Monarch dwarves signed contracts with Sophie, becoming her subordinates. Durin led the dwarves in rebuilding their war-torn homes and handling post-unification affairs. Naturally, Durin became the new dwarf king. As for Nori''s escape, Alex didn''t pay much attention. What could a lv1 Monarch do? "Big Shot, I''ve had Durin gather the high-level dwarf artisans at Grimstone. What should we do with them?" Sophie asked. She had gained a lot from signing contracts with many Monarch level dwarves, though most of the experience went to the undead. Alex had already planned for this. "Move some skilled artisans to Undead City to collaborate with the hobgoblins and alchemy warlocks on technology. I''ll upgrade your town to a city soon, so the dwarves can develop industry. The dwarf kingdom will focus on the area from Grimstone to White Rock Mountains and your city." Sophie was delighted. This way, she wouldn''t have to shuttle back and forth and could stay in Undead City. "No problem, Big Shot." Alex opened the system interface to upgrade Sophie''s town. For Alex, upgrading a town to a city didn''t require many resources, so there was no need to worry about consumption. Soon, Alex upgraded Sophie''s town to a city. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Big Shot, I''ll notify Durin to send the artisans over and then check out my city." Sophie said happily. "Go ahead." The system''s power was truly impressive. When a town in the mountains was upgraded to a city, the area expanded significantly, flattening the surrounding mountains into a vast plain. In this transformed landscape, a dwarf city with two barracks was established. While Sophie arranged for the artisans, Alex didn''t idle. She began upgrading Undead City. The city''s area expanded, the walls emitted a faint black energy, and the palace behind Alex became more magnificent, covered in a mysterious blue energy. Undead City reached lv7, just two levels from max. Alex then upgraded the Barracks. The dwarf kingdom''s resources were comprehensive, covering everything. The biggest gain from conquering the dwarf kingdom was the resources. Currently, Drake''s Barracks were the strongest. Alex didn''t upgrade the Barracks for the Xiao siblings or Sophie but directly upgraded Drake''s Barracks. Drake''s Barracks went from lv16 to lv20, a significant boost. Alex''s own Barracks were only lv21. [Rock Dragon Crystal: lv20] [Barracks can summon: Rock Dragon troop, fixed at one, bloodline activation concentration 40%, initial level lv9 Commanding.] This was Drake''s Barracks information. The bloodline activation concentration indicated the dragons'' growth rate, ensuring they didn''t take too long to mature and could grow stronger faster. These dragons had a level cap of Sovereign level, equivalent to normal adult dragons, but their growth was slow. The most absurd part was that Drake''s Barracks differed from other Lords. Normal Barracks had a 24-hour cooldown, but Drake''s Barracks had a 120-hour cooldown, or five days. In other words, he could summon one Rock Dragon every five days, so his troops have never exceeded ten up to now. Dragons were powerful but had clear drawbacks: low numbers and slow growth. Next, Alex upgraded her own Barracks by five levels, depleting the resources from the dwarf kingdom. The Undead Barracks reached lv26. The upgrade removed the summoning of races under a race king, meaning skeletons, specters, zombies, liches, bone dragons, and ghost dragons would no longer be summoned. The initial level increased to lv3 Commanding, the summoning number doubled from fifty to one hundred, the chance of summoning a race king increased, and a new troop, the Crypt Fiend, was unlocked. Alex wasn''t particularly interested in the new troop. It had no standout features, with a level cap similar to Death Conquerors and Gargoyles, serving as a ground-based ranged unit. That was all for the five-level Barracks upgrade. The description page became simpler. Alex was puzzled. Shouldn''t higher levels unlock more advanced troops? The system wasn''t following the usual pattern. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The system prompt sounded, signaling nightfall. Alex had used up all the resources, closed the system interface, and returned to the palace. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui returned from Gemini City, shocked by the devastation outside and the piles of undead bones. "What happened?" Xiao Hui covered her mouth in surprise. Xiao Mu, without a word, pulled her into the palace, where they found Alex sitting there eating dessert. They sighed in relief, glad Alex was unharmed. "Miss Alex, what happened outside?" Xiao Hui asked urgently, seeing the countless undead bones, estimating at least tens of thousands. "Nothing much, just got beaten up." Alex said nonchalantly, as if it had nothing to do with her. Xiao Hui wanted to ask more, but Xiao Mu stopped her, and they headed out. "Leader, we''re going to eat." "Go ahead." Chapter 261 - 261: Liliths plea [Night retreats, dawn arrives] The experience bar for lv9 Monarch felt like a bottomless pit, making Alex wonder when she would finally reach King level. Now that the dwarf kingdom was unified and the Orc Empire was off-limits due to the Holy Court, it seemed Alex had no more places to expand. Alex didn''t want to take unnecessary risks by confronting the Orc Empire''s King level prematurely. Even if she reached King level, she might not be a match for the Orc King, who could be higher than lv1. To continue developing, Alex had two options: head north or go to the Mossvale Continent. These were the best choices for now. Alex took stock of her current forces. She had 70 Monarch undead, including one lv8, two lv7, and ten lv6. Her undead army totaled over 360,000. She also had seven race kings: Arthur, Riven, and Arthas were lv5, Death Spirit was lv8, and the other three were still lv3. Among her subjects, the Xiao siblings were lv4 Monarch, Drake was lv3 Monarch, and Sophie was lv2 Monarch. The dwarf troops that had submitted included over twenty Monarch levels. The Xiao siblings'' troops had four Monarch levels combined, and Drake had six Rock Dragons at Monarch level. This was Alex''s current strength. At first glance, over a hundred Monarchs seemed formidable. But against true powerhouses, it was insignificant. Undead City needed its own King level! After summoning her troops, Alex pondered her next move. "Although it''s not the best choice, it seems we have no option but to attack the Orc Empire. Anyway, I don''t need to be on the battlefield myself." Alex stood up from the steps and walked towards the palace. Fortune favors the bold. Maybe by the time they reached Bloodrock City, she would have ascended to King level. The main thing was that the Orc Empire was now a pawn of the Holy Court and angels. If they wanted to make her life difficult, she would return the favor. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Notify Arthur and Riven to start attacking the Orc Empire with the other four race kings." Alex instructed the Death Spirit beside her. "Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, take the undead and clear out the small races north of Undead City." It was time to clear them out and push northward, the only direction left for development on the Eldoria continent. As for Sophie, once the dwarves recovered, the small races around the dwarf kingdom wouldn''t be spared either. "As you command." Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui left the palace immediately. At this stage, Alex needed a lot of experience to level up, so the best strategy was to stay in the palace, enjoy the 1.5x experience boost, and quickly reach King level. Ding! [You have a new private message!] "Huh?" Alex opened the system and saw it was from Lilith. Lilith: "The progress in the forest elves kingdom has reached a critical point. I need your help." Alex: "Okay." "I thought I could stay in the castle, but now I have to go out again." Alex sighed. She owed Lilith a favor for helping her before, so she couldn''t ignore this request. Besides, sending only undead would be too dismissive. Alex grabbed two liches and set off, hoping to resolve the matter quickly and return. On the Arsen continent, in the city of the fallen angels. As soon as Alex stepped out of the Portal of Transit, she noticed something unusual. In just a few days, Lilith''s town had upgraded to a city. A black statue of a fallen angel stood in the central plaza, and many more fallen angels flew around the city compared to her last visit. Alex walked up the steps towards the palace. Lilith, having received the notification, came out to greet her, and they quickly entered the palace together. "What do you need me to do?" The surroundings of Lilith''s city looked secure, so it couldn''t be for city defense. "To infiltrate the forest elves kingdom and kill the forest elves king." The forest elves king''s level was much higher than Lilith''s, beyond her control. The best solution was to kill him and install a puppet elf, secretly making the kingdom a vassal of Lilith. Lilith had already chosen the puppet, a lv3 Monarch female elf, the highest level she could control. "What level is the elf king?" Alex asked curiously. "Lv7 Monarch, with several high-level Monarch guards. Their bodies will be your reward." Lilith explained, watching Alex''s expression. Seeing Alex remain indifferent, she felt relieved, knowing the forest elves king wasn''t a threat to Alex. Lilith was also curious about Alex''s current strength. Alex thought, just a lv7 small fry, not even as strong as the liches behind her. Both liches were lv7 Monarch. As for the bodies, Lilith had to give them to Alex because she couldn''t control dead bodies, and living elves were beyond her power. Alex then learned more about the forest elves kingdom''s situation and formed a plan. When Lilith controlled the sea race to attack the forest elves, the elf king couldn''t ignore the threat and sent a large force. They found the sea race was just a bluff, posing no real danger. This led to the near-total annihilation of the sea race controlled by Lilith, but the goal was achieved, drawing out the forest elves'' main force. Now, the forest elves'' royal city was left with Lilith''s puppets, poorly defended. A staged assassination of the elf king by the puppets would allow Lilith''s puppet to take the throne. The puppet was a royal bloodline. With the elf king''s authority, Lilith could quickly transform the high-ranking elves into puppets, making them her vassal troops. It wasn''t easy, but it was a clever plan because Lilith wasn''t as powerful as Alex at the moment. If it were Alex, she would have wiped out the forest elves before the templar knights could consolidate the elf kingdom. After all, the elf kingdoms weren''t all adjacent. Some were far apart. For example, the forest elves'' kingdom was on the continent''s edge. Even if they were wiped out, no one would know for half a month. But Alex kept these thoughts to herself. "No time to waste, let''s set off immediately." Alex didn''t want to delay. Repaying the favor and gaining some bodies was a good deal. "Wait a moment, I need to prepare." Lilith stood up and left the hall. Alex leaned back in her chair, resting. Chapter 262 - 262: Elf King In the depths of the vast, verdant forest lies the gathering place of the forest elves. They cherish the forest and nature, maintaining their own order and civilization without cutting down trees to build grand cities. Their homes are various treehouses. Deep within the forest stands a palace nestled among the trees, woven from wood and vines, exuding beauty and tranquility, signifying the extraordinary nature of its inhabitants. Yes, this is where the king of the forest elves resides. Beside the palace stands a sturdy tree, its leaves emitting a gentle green energy, with several vines hanging down, bearing green fruits. This tree is peculiar, entirely different from the surrounding trees, and is heavily guarded. "This tree is called the Lumoria Tree, also known as the Tree of Life. It''s the sacred tree of the elf race and crucial for their reproduction." Seeing Alex''s curiosity about the tree, Lilith patiently explained. The two had already sneaked close to the palace, successfully infiltrating the depths of the forest elves'' kingdom. The kingdom was poorly defended, and no one noticed the two intruders. "Elves reproduce through a tree?" Alex looked puzzled; it was the first time she had heard of such a thing. "Yes, when I first learned about it, I had the same expression as you. See those fruits? Those are unborn forest elves." Lilith smiled, her gaze fixed on the palace. This wasn''t her first time here. "So, moving this tree would be like having an Auxiliary Barrack?" Alex suddenly realized a loophole. "It''s a good idea, but the Tree of Life is said to be hard to maintain. Besides, uprooting it might drive all the elves insane." Lilith didn''t mention that the real Tree of Life wasn''t the one before them. Alex was merely curious. She wasn''t particularly interested in this tree; she had her sights set on the entire elf kingdom. The forest elves weren''t an independent race. Even if Lilith ruled them, it wouldn''t count as a conquest. Alex''s goal was the entire elf race. "The forest elves'' king is inside?" Alex turned to Lilith, who nodded. "Alright, I''ll go in and kill him!" Alex, accompanied by two liches, stopped hiding and flew towards the palace. Along the way, many forest elf guards finally noticed them. Lilith hadn''t expected Alex to be so reckless. With no other choice, she followed with her fallen angels. The royal puppet had already returned to the kingdom. Seeing the beautiful palace, Alex felt a bit reluctant to destroy it. Then, a massive fireball struck the ground, igniting a fierce blaze. The two liches immediately attacked the surrounding elves, unstoppable. No elf could withstand their assault. The remaining Monarch level elves spread their wings and controlled natural elements to attack the liches. In just one encounter, a lich used Bone Magic to kill a Monarch level elf guard. Lilith was stunned. Were these undead so powerful? To kill an equal-rank opponent instantly, the liches had to be at least five levels higher, meaning they were at least lv6 Monarch. The forest elves'' king was only lv7! When Lilith looked back at Alex, she found that Alex had already disappeared. While the liches caused chaos outside, Alex had already entered the palace. Alex had instructed the liches not to kill too many elves or summon them as undead. She didn''t want to feel like she was taking advantage. She was here to help, and a few bodies would suffice. Alex kicked open the palace door and walked in openly. A group of forest elf guards surrounded her with weapons. "The style here is nice. I like it." The interior was indeed ornate, with various decorations dazzling Alex. Many pieces of furniture and structures were made of wood, with vines everywhere, creating a green ambiance. The entire place had a natural feel. What was this style called again? S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Never mind. Alex''s figure suddenly vanished, leaving the elf guards bewildered. Since she was here to help, Alex thought it best to kill as few elves as possible. Invisible, Alex strolled through the palace, reaching a garden where she saw an elf man. He wore a green crown adorned with gems, a luxurious light green robe, and had long, pale golden hair draped over his shoulders. He held a scepter symbolizing his throne. No doubt, this was the king of the forest elves. Alex''s figure appeared at the garden entrance, her footsteps catching the elf king''s attention. "Do you know we have submitted to the Holy Court? You are opposing them." The elf king spoke calmly, his voice melodious and gentle, stating a fact rather than a threat. "Of course, that''s why we''re acting now." Alex looked at the elf king, puzzled. It seemed he already knew about Lilith''s puppet infiltration. "Nothing surprising. I''ve lived for 539 years, ruling for 361. I saw the lack of loyalty in the eyes of those manipulated elves." He sighed. "Unfortunately, I realized it too late. I am willing to lead the forest elves to submit to you. We are but lost insects in the vast forest, too weak to control our fate." Alex was taken aback. This wasn''t how she expected things to go. The elf king was clearly wise, with a long-term vision, understanding the situation. He knew that resistance was a dead end. Now, under the eaves, he had to bow. Whoever held the knife to their throats, they would submit to. Clearly, Alex''s scythe was closer to his throat than the Holy Court''s blade. But Alex disagreed. If he submitted, her trip would be in vain. Not getting a single body was hard to accept. "You better give me enough compensation." Alex''s cold voice broke the silence after a moment of thought. The elf king observed her expressions closely. "So, you''re just an outsider''s hired help. You''re in a mercenary relationship." The elf king saw through it. His voluntary submission disrupted her original plan. He also understood that if he didn''t offer enough compensation, the girl would still kill him. After all, that was their original plan. Chapter 263 - 263: Primal Nature As he spoke, the elf king''s palm glowed with green life energy, which coalesced into a glowing orb. He raised his hand, and the orb floated towards Alex. Curious, Alex extended her hand, and the orb hovered above her palm. She then looked back at the elf king. "This is the life energy of the forest elves'' royal lineage, passed down through generations. Absorbing it will grant you the ability to control nature. This should be sufficient compensation." The elf king''s tone remained calm, showing no reluctance or regret even as he handed over their royal family''s ancestral energy. He seemed to understand the situation well. After all, death would mean losing everything, while giving up the life energy would only weaken the future potential of the forest elves, which could be regained over a few thousand years. Alex didn''t immediately agree. She used the system to check the information before making a decision. The elf king, understanding that Alex was assessing the energy, remained silent and waited patiently. [Energy Source: Primal Nature] [Description: Pure primal power passed down through the forest elves'' royal lineage for millennia, possessing indescribable special abilities.] [Effect: Master high-level nature magic, and enhance all nature-based magic.] [Side Effect: Elf transformation (can be removed by consuming experience points)] Seeing the description, Alex couldn''t help but smile. It was a stroke of luck, far more valuable than a few Monarch level corpses. No wonder the elf race could stand strong on the Arsen continent; their heritage was indeed rich. However, Alex didn''t want to transform into a blond, pointy-eared elf. As for appearance, she already considered herself much more beautiful than any elf. So, she chose to consume experience points to remove the side effect. The elf king, noticing Alex''s smile, understood. "It seems you are satisfied." "Indeed. You can live. Hand over your life energy." The energy in Alex''s hand was just a sample. The elf king wasn''t foolish; he feared Alex might go back on her word. "No problem. Please come closer." The elf king stepped forward. Alex approached, showing no signs of defense, standing right in front of the elf king. Though she was shorter, her presence was imposing, exerting an inexplicable pressure on him. The elf king held his scepter and tapped it on the ground. Green energy radiated from him, causing the flowers around them to bloom, filling the area with vitality. Then, the energy from the elf king began to flow into Alex. As soon as it entered her body, she chose to remove the side effect. Ten minutes later, the transfer was complete. The elf king was surprised to see that Alex''s ears hadn''t elongated; she showed no signs of elf transformation. At that moment, a green light flashed in Alex''s right eye. "Can you take me to see her now?" "Yes." Alex led the elf king out of the garden. As they entered the palace, the surrounding elf guards immediately surrounded Alex with weapons. The elf king waved his hand, and the elves stepped back, clearing a path for them. Outside the palace, many buildings had burned from Alex''s earlier fire magic. However, the liches had used frost magic during the battle, turning the area into a snowy landscape. Lilith and her fallen angels were fighting other Monarch level elves, creating chaos outside. Alex called off the liches, who then approached her. The elf king''s pupils contracted upon seeing the liches, solidifying his thoughts. Lilith was surprised to see Alex and the elf king together. Had the elf king decided to submit? Order was quickly restored. The fallen angels ceased fighting, and the forest elves, having suffered heavy losses, stopped as well. Several Monarchs had died, and the ordinary elves had fared even worse. Lilith stood opposite, with her fallen angels and controlled elves behind her. On the other side were Alex and the elf king, with the central elves looking confused, unsure of what was happening. "It seems you are trustworthy." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The elf king condensed the remaining energy and handed it to Alex, who absorbed it. With the system''s detection, Alex knew the elf king had held back earlier. Now, with the energy complete, it was clear he had no more tricks up his sleeve. "You are wise, elf." Alex briefly explained the situation to Lilith, who chuckled upon hearing it. She hadn''t expected all her efforts to be in vain. If she had known, she would have just had Alex threaten the elf king. However, Lilith didn''t mind Alex''s deal with the elf king. After all, Alex could have killed him and summoned him as an undead. The elf king''s submission added a high-level Monarch to Lilith''s forces, greatly benefiting her. This outcome was far better than she had hoped. It was a win-win. Under Alex''s watch, the elf king led the forest elves to submit to Lilith, becoming undercover agents within the elf race for the Holy Court. "Great, now I can continue expanding inland." Lilith was in high spirits, grateful for Alex''s help. "Handle your affairs. I''ll take a walk." Alex knew Lilith would have her own plans and arrangements, but that was no longer her concern. The task was complete. Aside from the initial fireball, Alex had barely lifted a finger. An hour later, Alex and Lilith left the forest elves'' kingdom and returned to the city of the fallen angels. As for the bodies, Alex hadn''t planned to take them, but Lilith insisted, so she summoned five Monarch level undead from them. Their levels were low, but it was better than nothing. As for the ordinary elves, Alex didn''t summon them as undead, respecting Lilith''s territory. In the city of the fallen angels, Lilith invited Alex to dinner. It was clear that Lilith was genuinely happy this time. Alex couldn''t refuse, not wanting to dampen her spirits. "What''s your next plan for development?" Alex asked, leaning on the table with her chin resting on her hand. "With the forest elves'' intelligence, the Holy Court shouldn''t mobilize the entire elf race for now. I can continue to secretly control other elf races or expand inland to other races. Things are much easier now." Lilith smiled, sensing that the coming period would be a peak in her development. Chapter 264 - 264: The first King level among the Lords was about to emerge [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] That night, Alex returned to Undead City. The Xiao siblings were already waiting in the palace, ready to report on the day''s battles. Alex entered the palace. "Miss Alex, we took down a race to the north in just one day," Xiao Hui eagerly announced as soon as Alex walked in, holding out a race''s Tear. "So quickly?" Alex was a bit surprised. It seemed the Xiao siblings had grown stronger. She took the race''s Tear from Xiao Hui and absorbed it. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 14/100] It only increased by one point, which Alex had expected. This race was called the [Burrowing Beast], a small group with only a few low-level Monarchs. By eliminating the Burrowing Beasts, they gained an Auxiliary Barrack, which Alex built in Gemini City. Additionally, they acquired a race skill: digging. It wasn''t a conventional earth magic but rather an ability to channel energy through their hands to dig directly. Alex didn''t learn it, nor did the Xiao siblings or even Sophie. The skill was just too... underwhelming. "There are two more races to the north, but they''re a bit farther away. After dealing with the Burrowing Beasts, it was getting late, so we came back. They were hiding underground, and their king was a coward. It took too long to find him," Xiao Hui complained. Otherwise, they could have progressed even faster. The Burrowing Beasts provided Alex with five Monarchs, who joined the undead army clearing the north. "No worries, these small races are just appetizers. The best would be to find a kingdom." Conquering small races one by one was too troublesome. Alex needed to hurry. She needed to reach King level quickly, max out Undead City, and accelerate the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade progress. After chatting with the siblings for a bit, they all returned to their quarters to sleep. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] In the vast expanse of the Eldoria continent, a massive volcano erupted. A mushroom cloud of volcanic ash and embers formed, with lava flowing down, burning everything in its path. Countless animals fled in panic, trying to escape the danger. But one man walked towards the volcano. He had a youthful yet handsome face, with short ice-blue hair, looking only fifteen or sixteen years old. Despite his cold demeanor, he exuded a powerful aura, dressed in black like a cold-blooded assassin. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ground he stepped on was left with a thin layer of frost, which quickly evaporated. Suddenly, his eyes glowed blue, and a fiery figure appeared before him. It was a middle-aged man with a beard, his bright red hair striking. He wore an open red vest, revealing his muscular physique. His body was covered in scars, making him look like a seasoned fighter compared to the boy''s youthful face. He looked disheveled and irritable, but seeing the boy calmed him down. "What are you doing here?" The red-haired man spoke gruffly, his voice rough and unkind. "Uncle Barja, I heard you fought them and got hurt?" The boy asked with concern. "I''ve had worse. They think they can kill me?" The red-haired man scoffed, then seemed to remember something. He bent over and retched, spitting out a blue energy crystal. "Uncle, you..." Seeing the crystal, the boy''s pupils contracted, understanding why the red-haired man was injured. "Take your family''s thing. I''m not keeping it for you." The red-haired man tossed the blue crystal to the boy, who quickly caught it. "Let''s go. I''ll find a way to get you off the Eldoria continent." The red-haired man grabbed the boy''s arm, ready to leave, but the boy didn''t move. The man looked at him, puzzled. "No, Uncle. I''m staying. I want revenge." The boy''s eyes were cold and filled with killing intent. "You? A Monarch? Don''t be ridiculous. You''ve lost your mind!" The red-haired man laughed, turning to leave. "Fine, do what you want. Don''t blame me if you die." He walked towards the volcano. "Thank you, Uncle!" The boy''s voice came from behind, but the red-haired man didn''t respond, quickly disappearing. The boy also left the area. Uncle wasn''t a literal uncle; they had no blood relation. It was just a term of respect for an elder. They were from the same race, nothing more. The red-haired man left because he saw the determination in the boy''s eyes. This wasn''t just a personal grudge. If a youngster could be so resolute, how could he not be? ... Back in Undead City, Alex had just finished summoning her troops. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were already rushing north again. "Today should be uneventful, right?" Alex decided to stay in the city all day, enjoying the 1.5x experience boost to quickly reach King level. As for Drake, aside from resource allocation after submission and upgrading his Barracks and city, Alex didn''t interfere. She chose to let Drake develop on his own unless he asked for help. Drake had top-tier talent and troops. If not for Alex, he could have developed well on his own and become a significant figure. But now, Alex no longer saw other Lords as competitors. Her focus was on the native races. While many troops had higher potential than the undead, in the early stages, the undead were unbeatable. By leveraging her early advantage, Alex could outpace all other Lords. It wouldn''t be long before Alex leveled up. The first King level among the Lords was about to emerge! "Esteemed Queen, the orc army is attacking Gemini City." The Death Spirit, possessing a specter, flew to Alex to report. "Good. Let the surrounding orcs join in and handle it together with the undead!" Orcs, man-eating ants, and burrowing beasts were all potential experience points. Alex needed to develop her vassal races to fight for her. As for the hobgoblins and dwarves, they were still useful. Medusas and giant eagles were with Drake, and Alex didn''t plan to interfere. "Orcs are great. They''re delivering experience points." Today, Alex wasn''t planning to go out, so she didn''t even wear shoes. She sat in the hall with her bare legs, relaxed in a chair. Chapter 265 - 265: Beast Empire North of Undead City, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui continued their journey northward. The Burrowing Beasts were the closest race to Undead City. Further north, there were other races, and their mission was to eliminate these small races. The terrain here was similar to the Barren Plains¡ªdesolate, devoid of greenery, and lifeless. The only difference was the presence of more dead trees and some peculiar large rocks, making the landscape less flat. "Xiao Mu, how much more experience do you need to level up?" "More than half, but I''m getting there." The siblings stood on the back of a bone dragon, flying rapidly forward, accompanied by a few liches and the Death Spirit. These were all the undead they brought. Dealing with these small races didn''t require the entire undead army. Of course, ahead of them were numerous scattered specters, gathering intelligence. After flying for an unknown amount of time, they saw a continuous mountain range stretching east to west. The peaks soared into the clouds, covered in snow, appearing white. "Wow, those mountains are so high!" Xiao Hui stood on the bone dragon, flying high, yet the mountain peaks were still higher. Soon, the siblings and their undead landed on the mountain. The area was filled with dead trees and unknown black vines, along with many creepy-looking insects. "The last two races are on this mountain. Let''s go." Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and the undead followed the specters deeper into the mountain. Halfway up, they found a massive tunnel, large enough for the bone dragon to enter. It was pitch black inside, like a lurking abyssal beast. "Leaders, the race inside is called the Rockfang Beasts. There are nearly a hundred of them on this mountain, a unique creature forming a race." The specter informed the siblings about the creatures. These creatures were scattered across the mountain, each living in similar large caves. Each adult had strength ranging from Commanding level to Monarch level. There were only about a hundred of them, but being unique to this area, they were considered a race by the system. "Ugh?" Xiao Hui groaned, sensing trouble. "We have to find a hundred caves? That''ll take forever. Why can''t they just gather in one place for us to wipe out?" These creatures had no ruling class, each being independent. This meant there was no king to kill to indirectly control them. "It is troublesome, but we have no choice." Xiao Mu led the way into the cave, followed by the undead. Suddenly, a pair of yellow eyes lit up in the darkness, and the cave shook as a massive figure charged at them. Slash! A huge bone blade pierced it, pinning it to the wall. Xiao Mu used a light orb to illuminate the cave, finally seeing the creature''s appearance. It was a massive beast standing on four legs, with a head resembling an enlarged lizard, deep green skin, sharp black claws, and yellow bone spikes on its back. Its long tail ended in a spiked ball, like a flail. "So this is a Rockfang Beast? What a strange-looking creature." Xiao Hui commented. The Rockfang Beast was only Commanding level, easily killed by a Monarch level lich. However, it was only pinned to the wall, not killed, as the lich looked to Xiao Mu. "Kill it. These creatures are rare. Commanding level is useless. If a Monarch level submits, we can spare it, but they must relocate." Hearing Xiao Mu''s decision, the lich ended the Rockfang Beast''s life, summoning it as an undead. "Let''s split up. Searching cave by cave is too slow." Xiao Mu instructed the surrounding Monarch level undead. The undead split into ten groups, searching the mountain for Rockfang Beasts, leaving Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and a specter behind. "Aren''t we going to search the caves?" Xiao Hui asked. "I want to check out the mountain peak first." Xiao Mu looked up at the towering peak, shrouded in thick clouds, disappearing into the sky. Maybe there was something at the top. In typical web novels, isn''t that how it goes? But Xiao Mu had other reasons, unlike Xiao Hui''s whimsical thoughts. "It''s so high. It must be beautiful up there. I can already imagine standing above the clouds!" Xiao Hui was excited. "Let''s go!" She pulled Xiao Mu towards the peak, with the specter following silently. As they neared the peak, they could almost touch the clouds. Seeing the clouds so close, Xiao Hui closed her eyes. Xiao Mu pulled her through the clouds. After a moment of darkness, they were greeted by blinding light. Xiao Mu squinted, standing on the peak. The peak was barren, covered in ice and snow, surrounded by a sea of clouds, with the dazzling sun above. The sunlight had no warmth. Xiao Mu opened his eyes, observing the surroundings. "Wow, it''s so beautiful. It''s my first time flying this high." Xiao Hui marveled, feeling her spirits lift at the sight of the sun. "It''s my first time seeing the sun on the Eldoria continent." Xiao Mu was also filled with emotion. The endless sea of clouds seemed to cover the entire continent. "Xiao Mu, there''s nothing here. Why did you come up?" Xiao Hui wasn''t stupid. She knew her brother wasn''t here for the view, as he was never one to please girls. "This mountain is like a natural barrier, separating the north and south. The scenery to the north is completely different, with many races and no major powers. It''s perfect for us now." Xiao Mu explained, taking out a black energy crystal from his space ring¡ªthe fortress Essence Shard. He activated the construction and placed the Essence Shard in the center of the peak, then pulled Xiao Hui to the edge. A massive black magic circle spread from the Essence Shard, the ground trembling as the undead fortress slowly emerged. Xiao Mu faced north, looking at the endless sea of clouds. "This place is like the backyard of the Eldoria continent, or a zoo. No major powers interfere, making it a great place to develop. But we can''t guarantee the undead won''t be discovered, so building the fortress here is the most hidden option." With the lesson from the hobgoblin kingdom''s undead fortress being discovered, future fortresses had to be hidden, not in enemy territory. Distance wasn''t an issue with the Silverscale Leviathan for transport. "That makes sense. I knew you weren''t just here for the view." Xiao Hui pouted. "I did consider it." Xiao Mu''s words made Xiao Hui smile. "That''s more like it." "What''s the other race here?" Xiao Hui almost forgot there were two races. "The other race is on the other side of the mountain. Want to know the mountain''s name? Follow me." Xiao Mu led Xiao Hui off the northern edge, descending into darkness as clouds blocked the sky. Below, the scene was entirely different. The mountain was covered in green trees, with endless grasslands below, a stark contrast to the other side. "Eldoria has places like this?" Xiao Hui was surprised. She thought Eldoria was all desolate and corrupt, with no clear skies or green plants. "This mountain is called [Twinface Mountain]. The race on the lush side is the [Longtail Apes], but our target today is the Rockfang Beasts." Xiao Mu explained as they flew. "We came together, but you seem to know everything." Xiao Hui was puzzled. "The specters told us. You just didn''t listen." Xiao Mu rolled his eyes. "Really?" Xiao Hui was skeptical. The specter kindly explained again, and this time Xiao Hui listened. The northern grasslands were called [Savage Plains]. The Savage Plains were known as Eldoria''s backyard or zoo because most races here were strange beast races. Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was listening to the Death Spirit''s report. "What? The race at the foot of Twinface Mountain is the Minotaur?" According to the Death Spirit, it was indeed minotaurs¡ªcreatures with bull heads and human bodies, with purple skin. But the key point was that the minotaurs were organized. The Savage Plains had many such races, like lion-men and centaurs. These weaker races formed an alliance and joined the largest northern power. That was the Beast Alliance, or Beast Empire. A coalition of many races with a parliamentary system, don''t be fooled by the name. The beasts at the center of power were highly intelligent. These beasts were different from the Orc Empire on the Arsen continent, and they weren''t a single race. They were much stronger than the Orc Empire. Most of their groups were hybrids, rejected by their original races, forming independent races. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These outcast hybrids united to become strong and establish themselves among the races. Strictly speaking, Ruby was also part of the beast race. The Beast Empire''s growing strength made them more aggressive, even developing bloodline extraction technology. For selfish gains, some Beast Empire rulers began forcibly taking beasts'' bloodlines. A talented beast like Ruby was rare even in the Empire, which was why they hunted her. If you didn''t join the Beast Empire, they would extract your bloodline and transfer it to others. At its peak, the Beast Empire had hundreds of races, rivaling the werewolves of Skyreach Mountains and the vampires of Eternal Night City. It was a powerful force, possibly with an Emperor level being, far beyond Alex''s current capabilities. But the situation wasn''t all bad. The Beast Empire''s forces were scattered, not concentrated. Races like the minotaurs were peripheral, and their elimination wouldn''t attract attention. Alex didn''t know the exact location of the Beast Empire, but it wasn''t on the Savage Plains. Even a few thousand miles was too close for comfort. The mage association wouldn''t allow it, and the Beast Empire wasn''t bold enough to provoke humans. Humans might not be united, but mages were. No race would dare provoke human mages unless they had a death wish. "The Beast Empire, what a headache." Alex was troubled. Why did every force have a background now? Was it impossible to survive without one? "The angels wouldn''t control the Beast Empire, would they?" Alex shook her head. If the angels could easily control a force with a Sovereign level being, they would have unified the world by now. A Sovereign level being was rare; having one meant a top-tier race. Minotaurs were beasts, but not part of the core race, just cannon fodder. To be safe, Alex needed to investigate the Savage Plains before deciding to act. She didn''t want to provoke a bigger enemy. Chapter 266 - 266: Attack the orc camps The evening had arrived, and Alex was once again bored, using her scythe to trim her nails. Suddenly, a system notification sounded. [Congratulations on successfully conquering the Rockfang Beast tribe. You have obtained an Auxiliary Barrack and Race''s Tear.] This weak race, without any special traits, usually didn''t offer much in terms of rewards. Alex had already noticed the pattern. After absorbing it, sure enough, it only added a bit to her Progress. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade Progress: 15/100] "Already 15%. It''s getting close." Alex was eagerly anticipating the day when the Progress would reach 100/100. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As night fully fell, the siblings finally returned to the palace in the Undead City. Surprisingly, they didn''t use a Return Stone but came back from the main fortress, indicating they had built an undead fortress in the Savage Plains. "Miss Alex, we''re back!" Xiao Hui walked in, immediately taking off her coat and pulling the hair tie from her hair, letting it fall loose. "I need to take a bath first. My hair got dirty from the dirt falling in the cave." Xiao Hui tossed her coat to Xiao Mu and headed towards the bath. "Leader, what about the Minotaur camp?" Xiao Mu looked at Alex, his eyes full of inquiry. "Let''s take Twinface Mountain first. We''re not sure if there are other Beast Empire forces in the Savage Plains. While we need to develop quickly, it''s more important to be steady." Alex wanted speed but valued stability even more. The closer she got to advancing to King level, the more cautious she needed to be. Xiao Mu then explained the location of the undead fortress to Alex, which made her eyes light up. No one would have thought there was an undead fortress above the clouds, making it a natural barrier. "Aren''t you going to eat?" Alex asked curiously. "I''ll wait for Xiao Hui." "Are you sure?" Xiao Mu looked puzzled. What was there to be unsure about? In the end, Xiao Mu waited for two hours before Xiao Hui finally finished her bath. He seemed to understand why Alex had questioned him earlier. "Wow, you actually waited for me. Unbelievable." Xiao Hui took the coat from Xiao Mu''s hand, put it on, and walked with him to the dining room. Alex didn''t go to eat, and Sophie had already finished her meal. "Death Spirit, what''s the situation with the Orc Empire?" Alex found it strange that no information had come from Gemini City so late. "Esteemed Queen, the orcs only launched a feint attack this time, seemingly to gather intelligence. They sent only low-level orcs, not even a single Monarch level orc." Death Spirit''s ethereal voice echoed in the hall, as it had possessed a specter to communicate with Alex more conveniently. This had almost become its exclusive undead host. "Even the orcs are getting cautious now!" Alex lamented the missed opportunity for experience points. "In that case, notify Arthas to send the undead army to attack and clear out all the orcs outside Bloodrock City." As long as they didn''t face the Orc King of Bloodrock City, Alex didn''t believe he would personally join the battle. "Yes, Esteemed Queen." The night in Gemini City was silent and eerie. As soon as Arthas received Alex''s order, he set out with several other race kings. For the undead, there was no difference between day and night. They had infinite stamina and never felt tired. But for the orcs, it was a disadvantage. Their population was too large, and even if they gathered around Bloodrock City, they would be spread out far. To ease tensions between camps, there had to be buffer zones between them. This meant that the camps on the outermost edge were quite far from Bloodrock City. At this moment, a huge bonfire illuminated the central square of the camp. Several orcs patrolled with torches and weapons, while the others had already crawled into their tents and fallen into a deep sleep. They had no idea that a crisis was quietly approaching. Time: 00:00 AM A massive zeppelin silently appeared above the camp. In the pitch-black night, the orcs below had no way of noticing it. Swish, swish, swish! Several bone blades sliced through the night sky, piercing the chests of a few patrolling orcs. With a thud, they fell silently to the ground. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Kill them all, leave no one alive!" Azure didn''t make a sound but used soul vibrations to convey the message to every undead present. With Azure''s command, several Monarch level undead descended from the sky, attacking the surrounding orcs. This was a critical time for Alex to advance from level 9 Monarch to King level, and killing enemies to gain experience was the main goal. Although Alex had said she would accept the orcs'' submission, the loyal Azure, for Alex''s maximum benefit, didn''t give the orcs a chance to submit. He aimed for total annihilation from the start. All the undead deployed were high-level Monarchs, not a single one below Monarch level. They could easily kill the orcs without making a sound. This was an assassination mission, and the purpose of bringing the Silverscale Leviathan was not to deploy an undead army but to conveniently carry away the newly summoned undead. The orc Chieftain in the tent seemed to hear something and woke up with a start. His weapon was right by his side. The orc Chieftain jumped out of bed, immediately smashing a lich that tried to ambush him, and rushed out of the tent. He felt something sticky under his feet. Looking down, he saw orc blood flowing around him. Shadows flew everywhere in the sky, slaughtering the orcs around him, making the orc Chieftain furious. Roar! A roar echoed through the camp, waking all the remaining orcs, who rushed out. But by then, most of the orcs in the camp were already dead, and there were more than a dozen enemies in the sky, each one a Monarch level! There was no way he could resist. "Retreat, head towards Bloodrock City!" The orc Chieftain grabbed his weapon and charged at the surrounding undead, ordering his people to retreat while he bought time. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks as a ghostly enemy appeared before him, emitting a strange blue-black aura. It was Azure, enhanced by the Death Spirit. Several soul attacks hit the orc, and Azure immediately engaged in a fierce battle with the orc Chieftain. As for the fleeing orcs, the Silverscale Leviathan in the sky was not just for show. The same thing was happening in other camps. Six orc camps were simultaneously attacked by unknown creatures at night. The attackers were powerful, with strange abilities, and all were Monarch level. The sudden assault caught them completely off guard. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Sunlight bathed the land, heralding the dawn. The six orc camps lay in ruins, blood and corpses everywhere. In one night, the six orc camps were utterly annihilated. Chapter 267 - 267: Went all out In the morning, the Patrol Leader of Bloodrock camp was making his routine rounds of the various camps. This was a daily task mandated by the Orc King after gathering all the camps to Bloodrock royal city. Firstly, there were no communication methods other than sending messengers, and secondly, it was to prevent these unruly camps from secretly banding together to rebel. When the Patrol Leader from Bloodrock royal city arrived at the outermost camp and saw the devastation, his pupils instantly contracted in fear. "The Twilight Hammer Camp has been wiped out!" The Patrol Leader hurried back to Bloodrock royal city. The situation was too severe¡ªa camp had been reduced to ruins overnight. He had to inform the Orc King immediately! Meanwhile, the same thing was happening at the other destroyed camps. Orc patrol leaders were riding their mounts, frantically returning to Bloodrock city from all directions. Outside Gemini City, a massive pile of orc corpses had formed a small mountain. Last night, Death Spirit hadn''t summoned them into undead but had brought all the bodies back instead. These orc corpses had now been fully summoned, and disassembling nearly a hundred thousand orc bodies provided a significant amount of resources. With the addition of these thirty Monarchs and the hundred thousand undead army, combined with Gemini City''s original defenses, it was now a formidable force. As long as they didn''t encounter a King level enemy, no creature could take down Gemini City. The undead had already wiped out nearly twenty orc camps of the Orc Empire, turning half of the Orc Empire''s orcs into undead. The blatant destruction of six camps right under Bloodrock City''s nose had thoroughly enraged the Bloodrock camp. The remaining orc camps on the outskirts were all on edge, fearing they would be the next to be wiped out. They began to pray for the Orc King to quickly deal with the enemy. Faced with the camps'' pleas and the enemy''s provocation, the Orc King had no choice but to respond, or his authority would be completely undermined. What he had initially thought was just a small kitten of an enemy turned out to be a fierce tiger, now powerful enough that even the Orc King had to take notice. His original intention was to let this enemy reduce the internal conflicts of the camps, uniting them against a common foe and thereby reducing orc infighting. In the face of a powerful enemy, the orc infighting did stop, but half of the camps were destroyed, taking half of the Orc Empire with them. Now that the templar knights had left and the Orc King had regained full control, it was time to eliminate this enemy. With a command from the Orc King, the entire Bloodrock city mobilized. He wanted to show the enemy the consequences of angering the Orc Empire! ... On the other side, in Undead City, Alex had just woken up and felt a significant surge in her experience points. Alex carefully sensed her experience points and found they had increased substantially, making her very pleased. Alex opened the system dashboard to see what was going on. Seeing the system notifications, with kill records of 9999+, all orcs, she understood. It seemed the undead race kings had made a big move last night. "At this rate, one more wave and I can level up to King level!" At night, undead gained triple experience points for killing creatures below Monarch level, causing her experience to skyrocket, which made Alex very happy. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui had left the main fortress and headed to Twinface Mountain, leading the undead to attack the Longtail Apes. Alex chose to stay in the palace to enjoy the 1.5x experience boost from the throne (with an additional double experience boost at night). By noon, Death Spirit came to report to Alex. "Esteemed Queen, the orc army is about to launch an attack, and the Orc King is suspected to have appeared!" This was information from an orc spy in Bloodrock city. The entire Bloodrock city had mobilized all the camp armies, even the Bloodrock camp had sent troops, and they were building a portal. Building a portal could only mean one thing: an attack on Gemini City. Alex couldn''t think of any other possibility. This put Alex in a difficult position, and she instantly frowned. The Orc King was a King level enemy, and this was bad news. They had pushed the enemy too far. The strength of that templar knight from a few days ago was still fresh in Alex''s mind. She didn''t want to be beaten by a King level enemy again. "Gather the man-eating ants, Burrowing Beasts, Rockfang Beasts, and some hobgoblins. Let them be the vanguard. All Monarch level troops from Undead City and the dwarf city should head to Gemini City for support." Alex had no other choice but to go all out. Either the Monarch level troops would wear down the Orc King through attrition, or she would accumulate enough experience to level up to King level and take him down herself. Whether relying on the Monarch level troops to gang up or leveling up through experience, Alex wasn''t very confident. This was why she had to drag the other subordinate races, even though their numbers hadn''t fully recovered, onto the battlefield. At this moment, every bit of experience was crucial. "Yes, Esteemed Queen." Death Spirit immediately withdrew to carry out Alex''s orders. All the undead from the three cities began to move towards Gemini City. In terms of troop numbers, Alex wasn''t afraid of the Orc Empire. Hundreds of thousands of undead were enough to crush the orcs. The main problem was the Orc King. Other camp leaders would also need undead to deal with them, so some Monarch level troops would have to be spread out. "Let''s hope everything goes smoothly." Alex''s beautiful face showed a hint of worry. To maximize her experience gain, she naturally couldn''t leave Undead City. This war would have to be commanded by the undead. Soon, the man-eating ants from the Dark Forest were mobilized and entered Gemini City through the Portal of Transit. These were the survivors from the last great battle. They were all elderly man-eating ants. Alex kept the young and strong ones to continue repopulating the species. Even though the situation was urgent, Alex wouldn''t kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. These ants would be very useful in the future. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The same went for the hobgoblins. These two races had the largest numbers mobilized, with the Rockfang Beasts being the fewest, only a handful, and the Burrowing Beasts next. The four races combined had nearly 10,000 troops, but they were all old, weak, sick, and disabled, purely sent to die and increase experience points. Alex never intended to rely on them to kill the enemy. Once the four races were fully mobilized, all the undead were in position. Alex and Sophie stayed in Undead City, while the dwarf city was guarded by Durin. All Monarch level undead from Undead City headed to Gemini City. With the twenty taken by the Xiao siblings, Gemini City now had nearly a hundred Monarch level undead, and the troop count had reached 200K. This was Alex''s highest combat power at the moment. If this couldn''t wear down the Orc King, she might as well find a soft pillow and smother herself. Alex didn''t believe the Orc King could have the strength of a level 8 King. Chapter 268 - 268: The siege of Gemini City On the other side, in Gemini City, nearly a hundred Monarch level undead stood atop the wall, led by Arthas and the other six race kings. Inside the city, all the buildings were unmanned except for the shield. Outside the wall were the four races Alex had conquered, totaling nearly 10,000, with an additional 100,000 undead army stationed outside, providing these races with a great sense of security. In the city square, another 100,000 undead army, all air units, were quietly stationed on the ground, ready to take to the skies and tear apart any incoming enemies. Above the sky, six massive Silverscale Leviathans hovered silently. As for the orcs who had submitted and were stationed around Gemini City, Arthas had already ordered their retreat. Unless the entire orc race submitted, they were of no use. For the undead, there was never a shortage of low-level troops. Sending them to die was less beneficial than keeping them as potential experience points after the Orc Empire''s submission. Maximizing benefits was key. Whether a hundred Monarch level undead of varying strengths could defeat a low-level King would be determined by this battle. Arthas stood silently on the wall, holding Frostmourne. The other race kings had also received Alex''s orders: this battle must not be a mindless charge. If the Orc King''s strength proved too terrifying, the undead''s task was to spread out and kill as many other orcs as possible to gain experience points. If the Orc King''s performance was average, then the priority was to kill the Orc King. After all, killing the Orc King would mean Alex would gain her first King level undead. With a King level addition, the outcome of this battle would no longer be in doubt. As for how to judge, with Alex not present, it was up to the seven race kings to decide. ... At this moment in Bloodrock city, the leaders of various camps had gathered their elite warriors and were heading towards the city. In the square, over 200,000 orc troops from more than twenty camps had gathered, wearing different animal skins and bone ornaments to distinguish the warriors from each camp. These orcs surrounded the central square, with the Chieftains of each camp standing at the forefront of their respective camps. In the center of the square, several orc priests were waving their staffs, performing a strange ritual and chanting bizarre incantations. On either side were several large iron cages, holding various humanoid creatures, all tortured beyond recognition. Among them was even an elf. They clung to the cage bars, struggling desperately to escape, their wails and curses mingling with the orc priests'' incantations, creating a chaotic and noisy scene. Clearly, these prisoners knew what was about to happen, and their faces were filled with fear, some even hugging each other and crying. But no one paid them any mind. The surrounding orcs were excited at the prospect of going to war. A few camp Chieftains who knew the inside story were initially worried, but their confidence soared upon learning that the Orc King would personally lead the charge. As the first warrior of the Orc Empire, the Orc King had never faced an enemy he couldn''t defeat. Of course, except for the Holy Court. At this moment, the Orc King sat on a high platform outside the square, coldly observing everything below. He said nothing, waiting for the orc priests to complete the ritual. As the orc priests'' eyes glowed green and their staffs swung towards the prisoners in the cages, the prisoners let out agonizing screams. White energy began to pour from their mouths, eyes, and even ears, converging on the pre-arranged magic circle on the ground. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They aged rapidly, turning into skeletal corpses in an instant, collapsing to the ground. Buzz! A massive rectangular portal appeared on the ground, pulsating with green energy, revealing the scene on the other side. It was Gemini City, filled with undead, ready for battle! Seeing this, countless orcs raised their weapons in excitement. After sacrificing hundreds of lives, the orc priests had constructed this enormous portal. The Orc King stood up, weapon in hand, and took a few steps forward, looking down at the orc army. "For the glory of the orcs, destroy the enemy!" The Orc King raised his battle axe and shouted to the orc army below. "Orcs never retreat!" The orcs below, faces full of excitement, raised their weapons and shouted. "WAAAGH!" "Charge, kill the invaders!" With the Orc King''s command, countless orc warriors swarmed towards the portal, disappearing one by one as green ripples appeared. ... Outside Gemini City, a massive green portal appeared out of thin air, and countless orcs poured out. They raised their weapons, charging towards the enemies standing at the edge of the moat, beneath Gemini City. "Attack!" Arthas immediately ordered from the wall, and the undead and subjugated races below charged at the orcs. Meanwhile, at Twinface Mountain, Death Spirit suddenly possessed a lich and spoke to the Xiao siblings. "Gemini City is under attack by a King level enemy. Queen urgently needs experience points to level up to King level. Therefore, when facing the Longtail Apes, prioritize killing them and refuse their submission." Xiao Mu was momentarily stunned. Alex hadn''t mentioned this to them, and he immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. If Alex didn''t level up to King level, even with over a hundred Monarch levels, they might not be a match for the enemy''s King level. "Shouldn''t we go back to support? That''s a King level enemy!" Xiao Hui was very worried. She was only a level 4 Monarch and couldn''t even fathom the power of a King level. "No need. Killing the Longtail Apes here is also helping her. Alex can still share our experience points." Xiao Mu quickly calmed down. The King level enemy was attacking Gemini City, not Undead City. The worst-case scenario was losing the battle and Gemini City being destroyed. The King level in Arsen couldn''t threaten Alex''s safety in Eldoria. Of course, none of them wanted to see Gemini City destroyed. "Let''s act quickly. Summon the Monarch level corpses with Death Spirit, then return from the undead fortress to support Gemini City." Xiao Hui felt the pressure and became unusually serious. "Got it!" The siblings immediately led the undead forces into action. The Longtail Apes were a small race with only a few thousand members, and their Monarch levels could easily be counted on one hand. Facing the determined siblings and twenty Monarch level undead, the Longtail Apes stood no chance. Chapter 269 - 269: Orcs vs. Undead In Gemini City, with Arthas''s command, the undead army and the cannon fodder from other races outside the city walls immediately launched an attack on the orcs. The orc portal was enormous, much larger than the one used in the previous attack on Gemini City. Thousands of orcs poured out every second. This portal was constructed by the orc priests through the sacrifice of lives, creating a void gate. The orcs seemed to appear out of thin air through a thin membrane. This meant the teleportation array on this side couldn''t be destroyed to stop the orcs'' advance. The orcs had learned their lesson. The first wave consisted of Standard level and Commanding level orcs¡ªessentially cannon fodder. The undead were now locked in battle with them. The 100,000-strong ground undead army initially overwhelmed the orcs in numbers, creating chaos outside the city walls. Arthas hadn''t ordered the Monarch levels to engage yet, as the orc Monarch levels and the most threatening Orc King hadn''t appeared. The 100,000 undead air force inside the city also remained inactive for now. Below, the charging orcs wielded massive bone hammers, swinging them wildly. Their robust bodies and immense strength, even Skeleton Warriors and Death Warriors were shattered by their powerful blows. In the heart of the battlefield, countless bones and limbs flew through the air¡ªremnants of the undead. But it didn''t matter; the undead''s limbs quickly reassembled and came back to life. On the battlefield, Rockfang Beasts charged through with their massive bodies, their sharp bone spurs piercing through orc bodies with the force of their momentum. However, the Rockfang Beasts soon found themselves surrounded by the orc horde. Countless swords and axes hacked at them, and after killing a few orcs, the giant beasts lost their lives. As for the hobgoblins, they were no match for the orcs. The inherent size difference was an insurmountable disadvantage. Without technological support, the orcs easily cut down the hobgoblins, who were essentially cannon fodder. Thud! An orc suddenly fell to the ground, pain shooting through its calf. Looking down, it saw an invisible man-eating ant had ambushed it, its massive mandibles and corrosive acid biting through the orc''s leg. Just as the orc was about to be killed by the man-eating ant, another orc noticed and smashed the ant with a hammer. But before the orc could celebrate, a curse attack followed, instantly killing it. Death Conquerors, riding skeletal warhorses and wielding scythes, rampaged through the battlefield, harvesting orc souls. As one Death Conqueror activated its skill, countless others did the same. In an instant, ghostly knights wreathed in blue flames surged from the undead army, charging at the orcs and extinguishing their souls wherever they passed. For a moment, the orc offensive was halted. They hadn''t expected Commanding level and Standard level Death Conquerors to have such powerful skills. Seeing their offensive stall, the orcs decided to use their trump card early. "Use the potions!" The orc priest guarding the portal shouted. It was the only Monarch level orc present, having arrived first to command the orc army. Countless orcs heard the priest''s command and tore off the bone necklaces from their chests. The necklaces varied in shape¡ªsome were teardrop-shaped, others flask-shaped¡ªbut all were hollow and filled with green potion. As the orcs bit down on the necklaces, the bone containers shattered, and the potion flowed into their mouths. In moments, all the orcs on the battlefield had consumed the potions. Their eyes turned blood-red, veins bulged, and their bodies emitted green energy that even enveloped their weapons. The orcs felt an immense surge of power, and indeed, they had gained it. A Commanding level orc wielding a giant axe charged into the undead army, its axe sweeping through the ranks. Skeletons, zombies, Death Conquerors, and ghouls alike were shattered in an instant. The green energy corroded their bodies on contact, extinguishing the blue flames representing their souls. The orcs'' green energy not only enhanced them but also killed the undead! The seven race kings on the wall noticed this but remained unperturbed. After so many battles with the orcs, if the orcs hadn''t figured out how to kill the undead, the Orc Empire wouldn''t have lasted this long. The fallen were just Standard undead; it didn''t matter. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The undead''s relentless assault, their fearlessness in the face of death, kept them at the forefront. This ensured the subjugated races remained relatively safe, suffering minimal losses. Even with the orcs'' newfound ability to kill the undead, the seven race kings made no immediate changes. They allowed the orcs to kill the undead, maximizing the Queen''s experience points. Sure enough, the orcs soon regained the upper hand, pushing back the undead and advancing towards Gemini City. This boosted the orcs'' confidence, and with the undead''s fierce assault waning, the subjugated races quickly neared total annihilation. Compared to the undead, the subjugated races were no match for the orcs. The orc army continued to pour through the portal, though the later arrivals didn''t use the green energy, seemingly saving it for the next wave or believing they could now crush the undead without it. Soon, the undead army suffered heavy losses. Of course, "heavy losses" meant the kill ratio had shifted from 0:1 to 2:1. Even with the orcs'' ability to kill the undead, the undead''s skills allowed them to roughly trade two for one. This was all part of the seven race kings'' plan, as the giant undead and air force had yet to engage. The orcs would soon learn what true undead were. The 10,000 troops from the subjugated races were nearly wiped out, and the flow of orcs from the portal began to slow. Monarch level orcs started to appear, but like the initial orc priest, they stood guard by the portal, waiting for something. Undoubtedly, they were waiting for the Orc King. Outside Gemini City had become a hellscape, with countless orc corpses littering the ground, blood soaking the earth. The orcs continued their relentless charge towards Gemini City. The undead slowly retreated, giving the orcs a glimmer of hope for victory. Gemini City was within sight! Chapter 270 - 270: The arrival of the Orc King Seeing that the subjugated races were nearly wiped out, the seven race kings knew it was time to show the orcs the harsh reality. "Silverscale Leviathans, commence action! Deploy the troops!" With Arthas''s command, the Silverscale Leviathans in the sky began to move. This time, they weren''t carrying ordinary undead. The charging orcs suddenly noticed a massive shadow blocking out the sun. Many orcs stopped and looked up curiously. In the sky, a gigantic creature was descending, its deck packed with some kind of beings. As they leaped off the Silverscale Leviathans, small black dots rapidly grew larger. Boom! One of them landed heavily on the ground, causing a tremor. Before the surrounding orcs could react, a massive bone blade swept across the battlefield, instantly slicing five or six orcs in half. These creatures stood 20 feet tall, their bodies composed of thick, black-glowing skeletons. They dragged enormous bone blades that looked incredibly heavy. The orcs, standing just over 7 feet tall, barely reached the knees of these skeletal giants. These undead were the Skeletal Demons, the highest form of Skeleton Soldiers, preloaded onto the Silverscale Leviathans! Thud, thud, thud! The sound of heavy landings echoed as countless Skeletal Demons descended from the sky, sweeping through the orcs around them. In an instant, the battlefield, once dominated by smaller undead, was now dotted with thousands of towering Skeletal Demons, making the orcs feel like they were facing giants. The orcs had never seen such creatures before, let alone imagined that the undead could have such colossal beings. But it wasn''t over yet. Several massive magic circles appeared on the ground, and from them emerged zombie titans standing nearly 100 feet tall! Some glowed with fiery red magical runes, others with icy blue ones. Their enormous fists pounded the ground, creating massive craters and unleashing explosive shockwaves that instantly killed hundreds of orcs. In front of the zombie titans, even the Skeletal Demons seemed small, let alone the orcs. The orcs were stunned. This was terrifying¡ªhow could there be such enormous creatures? Could they even be killed? Even with the help of potions that could kill undead, facing the Skeletal Demons might be possible with sheer numbers and encirclement. But what about the zombie titans? Their size and strength were overwhelming. Perhaps only Monarch levels could take them down? The moment the orcs saw the zombie titans, they felt an insurmountable fear, even though these zombie titans were only Commanding level. The sheer size of the zombie titans shattered their mental defenses, and the battlefield began to turn once more. The orc army continued to pour through the portal, their numbers swelling to 198,000, nearing 200,000, while the undead army remained at 95,000. The undead losses had become negligible, while the orc losses continued to mount. Another ten minutes passed, and the flow of orcs from the portal finally stopped. The 200,000-strong orc army was fully assembled, but the battlefield was a gruesome sight, with heavy orc casualties. The portal''s shimmering membrane rippled again, and the leaders of the orc camps, along with their Monarch level elites, emerged. From twenty orc camps, over a hundred Monarch level orcs gathered, standing respectfully on either side of the portal. They were awaiting their king! Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the portal shimmered once more, a towering orc figure stepped through, wielding a giant axe and bearing a massive scar across his face. His presence exuded an unmatched aura of power. The Orc King stood taller than any other orc, bare-chested with his animal skin clothing tied around his waist. He glared at Gemini City in the distance. Seeing the countless orc corpses on the ground and realizing that the combined might of the orc empire was still struggling against the enemy, he was furious. Without a word, the Orc King swung his giant axe, unleashing a green axe light that swept across the battlefield. Boom, boom! All the zombie titans on the battlefield were instantly slain by the Orc King''s attack. But the axe light didn''t stop there; it continued, striking Gemini City''s shield. In an instant, the shield shattered. Boom! A massive crack appeared on the wall, and even the seven race kings on the wall felt the intense tremor. The Orc King''s single attack had killed all the zombie titans, shattered the city''s shield, and caused a huge crack in the wall! Was this the power of a King level? The seven race kings were shaken by the terrifying attack. With the Orc King''s arrival, the orcs completely overwhelmed the undead. The presence of over a hundred Monarch level orcs nullified the undead''s advantage. "Implement the second plan. Kill as many orcs as possible to provide experience for our great queen!" Arthas immediately abandoned the idea of fighting the Orc King. His hundred Monarch-level subordinates were not just for show. These Monarch-levels came from twenty different orc camps, and each camp leader was undoubtedly a high-level Monarch. Killing these Monarch-level undead and then surrounding the Orc King wouldn''t be easy. Moreover, with the Orc King on the battlefield, he wouldn''t just stand by and watch his Monarch level orcs get killed. "For the Esteemed Queen, to battle!" With Arthas''s command, the hundred Monarch level undead on the wall leaped down, charging at the orc army below. The undead air force also took to the skies, tens of thousands of bone dragons and ghost dragons darkening the sky, sweeping across the battlefield. Following them were countless gargoyles, Destroyers, Ethereal Wraiths, Liches, and Necromancers. All the undead poured out, determined to take the enemy down with them, not allowing the orcs to get within a step of Gemini City''s gates. The Orc King had been closely monitoring the battlefield. He hadn''t expected the undead to have such reserves, nor had he anticipated the presence of over a hundred Monarch level undead and 100,000 undead air force within the city. The Orc King was pleased with his decision to come. If he hadn''t, the orcs might not have been able to defeat these undead. "For the glory of the orcs, charge!" The Orc King raised his battle axe and roared, and the hundred Monarch level orcs charged into the battlefield. With the Orc King''s roar, all the orcs were invigorated. Those who hadn''t used their potions now did so, their combat power surging as they charged at the undead. The Orc King, wielding his giant axe, also charged into the fray, moving even faster than the Monarch level orcs. The Orc King ruled the orc empire through his strength and his invincible presence on the battlefield. The orcs revered strength and power, unlike other races whose kings stayed in the rear, waiting for the right moment or commanding from afar. The Orc King''s reputation was built on bloodshed. On the battlefield, he was fiercer than any orc, never retreating. Chapter 271 - 271: Crisis on the battlefield On the other side, at Twinface Mountain, Xiao Mu used a laser to kill the Alpha of the Longtail Apes. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead; killing these Longtail Apes had drained a significant amount of his elemental power, leaving him quite exhausted. "Finally done!" Xiao Mu took a deep breath. Although the experience points weren''t much, they would still be somewhat beneficial to Alex¡ªbetter than nothing. "Xiao Mu, go and get the necromancer to summon these corpses. Let''s head back immediately." Xiao Hui approached Xiao Mu, and the surrounding Monarch-level undead gathered around. This race, which numbered only a few thousand, had been completely wiped out. However, with the Auxiliary Barrack, their species wouldn''t go extinct. If their deaths allowed Alex to ascend to King level, future individuals of their race would all be Monarchs. Quickly, the corpses were all summoned into undead, and Death Spirit used magic to corrode and destroy the remains. The Xiao siblings and the undead immediately flew towards the mountain peak. Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was constantly monitoring her experience points and checking the system dashboard. [Congratulations, Lord, for killing the lv4 Monarch Longtail Apes Alpha and conquering the Longtail Apes race. You have obtained Natural Elemental Power, Auxiliary Barrack, and Race''s Tear.] "Natural Elemental Power?" Alex had inherited natural elemental magic from the Elf King, and this seemed like something she could absorb. After checking with the system and finding no issues or side effects, Alex absorbed it without hesitation. It added a small amount to her experience points and slightly enhanced her natural elemental magic. These were ways for Alex to grow stronger that she couldn''t afford to miss. Currently, Alex''s right eye controlled five types of magic: fire, ice, wind, lightning, and nature (wood). Among them, wind magic was only at the beginner level, acquired from the last Lord battle. Fire magic was mid-level. The remaining three types were high-level, serving as her primary combat methods aside from her innate abilities. High-level magic had unique abilities, such as Frost Magic''s sealing, natural elemental magic''s life force, and lightning magic''s annihilation. Alex built the Auxiliary Barrack in Gemini City and absorbed the Race''s Tear as usual. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade Progress: 16/100] Alex sensed her experience points had risen from around 60% to 80%, bringing her closer to leveling up to King level. Being in Undead City, Alex was unaware of the battle''s progress in Gemini City, so she kept an eye on the system dashboard for updates. She had just seen numerous notifications of zombie titan deaths and messages about the shield shattering almost simultaneously, making her realize that the Orc King had likely made a move. This worried Alex, as the Orc King''s exact strength was the biggest variable in this war. With the Orc King''s involvement, Monarch level undead were starting to die one by one. As for those below Monarch level, the casualty notifications were flooding in at a rate of 99+ per second. The war''s brutality was evident. At this moment, the Xiao siblings returned to the city with twenty-five Monarch level undead. Xiao Hui was the first to rush into the palace. "Miss Alex, how''s the situation? How much more experience do you need to level up to King level?" Xiao Mu followed closely behind, looking at Alex. "About 20% more. The situation isn''t looking good; that Orc King might be very strong." Alex had already decided that if she couldn''t level up to King level, she would personally fight the Orc King with her lv9 Monarch strength, hoping for a chance to kill him. After all, with Life Link, she wouldn''t die, and as the undead lord, she had no reason to retreat. Of course, this was all contingent on the Orc King not being overwhelmingly powerful. Otherwise, Alex''s efforts would be futile. However, based on the current situation, the Orc King''s performance seemed inferior to that of the templar knights'' captain from before, suggesting the Orc King was likely no higher than lv3, an entry-level King. In that case, Alex might stand a chance. "20% more, we''re almost there. We''ll head to Gemini City with the undead immediately!" "Yes, you stay here and enjoy the experience boost. We''ll report any issues to you right away!" Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui quickly set off for Gemini City. "Be careful, both of you. Keep a close eye on the intel over there. We''ll stay in touch so I can make an informed judgment." Alex spoke in a serious tone. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "By the way, aren''t you calling Drake and your allies for help? They have quite a few Monarch levels, right?" Xiao Hui suddenly remembered and reminded Alex, but Alex shook her head. She had already considered it. Satan and Lilith as allies to fight a King level? Alex didn''t want to comment further on that. Drake, although an ally, wouldn''t make a significant difference in this battle. The outcome wouldn''t hinge on an entry-level Monarch. "It''s not very useful. I have my plans. Don''t worry too much; prioritize your safety." Alex advised. "Got it." The siblings headed out of the palace towards Gemini City. ... In Gemini City, the siblings had just stepped out of the Portal of Transit when they heard the loud sounds of battle outside the city. Over a hundred Monarch levels were engaged in a fierce fight, and the entire city was at risk of being destroyed. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui flew up to the wall and saw the brutal scene below. "Orc King!" Xiao Hui immediately spotted the Orc King on the battlefield, not because he was easy to distinguish, but because he was overwhelmingly powerful, like a beast rampaging through a flock of sheep. No Monarch level could withstand the Orc King''s attacks, not even the Monarch undead. "Xiao Hui, it''s too dangerous. Stay on the wall and attack from here." Xiao Mu was also deeply shaken by the Orc King''s strength. "What about you?" Xiao Hui asked. "I''ll stay on the wall and attack too, but I''ll look for opportunities to kill the heavily injured Monarch level orcs," Xiao Mu said seriously. His elemental power gave him high mobility. Xiao Hui knew her brother''s abilities. As long as he stayed on the periphery and wasn''t targeted by the Orc King, he should be fine. Meanwhile, the Orc King noticed the twenty-plus Monarch undead emerging from Gemini City but paid them no mind, even showing disdain. He would prove through action that the gap between King level and Monarch level was insurmountable! Chapter 272 - 272: Arthass Tactic On the battlefield, the massive axe light tore through the ranks, with each swing from the Orc King causing the deaths of hundreds of undead. Whether it was the towering zombie titans or the ordinary Skeleton Soldiers, none could escape the Orc King''s wrath. Despite his overwhelming power, the Orc King didn''t charge into Gemini City to destroy it. Instead, he roamed the battlefield, slaughtering the Monarch level undead. He knew he could easily kill these undead, and destroying Gemini City held no real significance. He wanted to make the undead pay a heavy price. Additionally, he could gain a lot of experience in the process, potentially leveling up. The Monarch level undead, following Arthas''s plan, spread out as soon as they entered the battlefield. Their targets were the weaker orcs, avoiding the Monarch level orcs and staying on the battlefield''s periphery. However, the Monarch level orcs wouldn''t allow the undead to massacre their orc warriors. To them, the Monarch level undead avoiding direct confrontation and targeting Standard level orcs was a sign of cowardice and weakness. The number of Monarch level orcs was no less than that of the Monarch level undead. They spread out and quickly moved to intercept the undead. This played right into Arthas''s plan. Killing these Monarch level orcs would bolster their forces and give them a better chance against the Orc King. From the start, the orc corpses on the battlefield hadn''t been summoned into undead. The orcs were unaware that the undead could transform their fallen comrades into allies on the spot. This was part of Arthas''s second plan: to scatter the Monarch level orcs, kill them, and then have Death Spirit summon them all at once to surround the Orc King. But plans often change. The Orc King''s nearly invincible strength wreaked havoc on the battlefield, easily killing low-level Monarch undead. His keen senses allowed him to pinpoint the Monarch level undead on the battlefield. Under the Orc King''s targeted attacks, the plan to kill the Monarch level orcs hadn''t even begun, and the undead had already lost several Monarchs. Only some high-level Monarch undead, using their aerial advantage, could barely evade the Orc King''s attacks. The other Monarch level undead had to use various means to dodge his strikes. At the battlefield''s edge, Crane was engaged in combat with a Monarch level orc. Using a black blade, he blocked all of the orc''s escape routes, easily breaking the orc''s weapon. Without a weapon, the orc was as good as dead. Just as Crane was about to deliver the killing blow, a massive axe light suddenly struck from the side. Crane, with incredible reflexes, dodged, but not completely. Thud! Crane fell heavily to the ground, his legs completely severed. If not for his quick reaction, he would have been killed instantly. Even so, he was severely injured. Crane looked back to see the Orc King, momentarily stunned, seemingly wondering why his attack hadn''t killed the undead. The Orc King then charged at Crane with incredible speed. Boom! A Monarch level bone dragon crashed to the ground, attempting to block the Orc King. But it was no match. The Orc King halted his charge, an upward axe light shattering the bone dragon''s domain and breath of dragon, splitting it in two. As the Orc King scattered the bone dragon''s massive corpse and prepared to kill Crane, he found that Crane had already disappeared. Meanwhile, the severely injured Crane had been taken to the sky by Arthur, with Riven using her healing skills to treat him. Crane''s legs quickly regrew, but the soul damage inflicted by the Orc King was something Riven couldn''t heal quickly. "Don''t waste your Mana Points on me. Go kill the enemy." Crane rasped. Seeing the limited effectiveness of her healing, Riven had no choice but to stop. The weakened Crane, to avoid being targeted by the Orc King again, mounted a bone dragon to recover in the air. The Orc King spotted Crane and glared at the sky. He wanted to use his realm to lock onto Crane, but Crane immediately had the bone dragon ascend, out of the Orc King''s attack range. The Orc King considered flying up to kill him, but flight wasn''t his strong suit, and his speed wasn''t particularly fast. More importantly, he worried that focusing on killing one undead would cause greater losses elsewhere. The Orc King looked around and saw that in the brief moment he had stopped attacking, the orcs had fallen back into a disadvantage. Reluctantly, the Orc King resumed his assault on the Monarch level undead. Crane''s escape was a stroke of luck. Other Monarch level undead weren''t so fortunate. Once targeted by the Orc King, escape was nearly impossible. Arthas, having just killed a Monarch level orc, noticed Crane''s situation. Arthas quickly deduced that the Orc King was exceptionally sensitive to dark magic and death energy, prioritizing the elimination of undead with these abilities. Arthas swung his weapon, freezing the surrounding orcs with a blast of frost before cutting them down with a sword light. He then turned to a nearby Death Spirit Clone. "Death Spirit, use your Clones to possess other undead and create a diversion. Draw the Orc King away and have the other race kings converge here. We have only one chance to kill as many Monarch level orcs as possible." Arthas quickly relayed the plan to Death Spirit, whose Clone turned into black mist and vanished. This tactic could only be used once. The Orc King wasn''t foolish and wouldn''t fall for it a second time. Across the battlefield, a small group of Monarch level undead began converging on the western side, while the Monarch level orcs naturally pursued them. On the eastern side, the six race kings and all high-level undead were subtly gathering together. The Monarch level orcs, thinking the undead were retreating, didn''t give it much thought and continued their pursuit. The battlefield, with nearly 400,000 undead and orc troops, was vast. Even the Orc King couldn''t notice every detail. The undead''s coordinated movements were largely thanks to Death Spirit, who could quickly relay plans to all undead. Suddenly, on the western side, several black mists shot into the sky. The Monarch level undead fused with Death Spirit''s Clones, their combat power surging as they attacked the pursuing Monarch level orcs. The Orc King''s attention was immediately drawn. A massive axe light split the sky as he charged towards the western side. The gathering of Monarch level undead was exactly what he wanted! ... On the western side of the battlefield, over thirty Monarch level undead had gathered, merging with Death Spirit''s Clones. These Monarch level undead were being used as bait. Though the losses would be significant, it was necessary when facing the King level Orc King. Arthas knew that these low-level Monarch undead had little chance of survival if the Orc King got close. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the eastern side of the battlefield, nearly fifty Monarch level undead, led by the six race kings, had quietly gathered. Even ghost dragons and bone dragons circled above them. As the battle raged on, the number of Monarch level orcs outnumbered the Monarch level undead. The Orc King''s rate of slaughtering undead was astonishing. Soon, nearly seventy Monarch level orcs noticed the six race kings. Seeing the undead gathering together boosted their confidence, making them believe the opportunity to eliminate the enemy''s main force was at hand. "Take down the enemy now!" Seeing the timing was right, Arthas immediately gave the order. At the same time, Death Spirit beside him split into nearly fifty Clones, each possessing a Monarch level undead to enhance them. In an instant, the concentration of death energy on the eastern side far exceeded that on the western side. The Orc King glanced back but didn''t pay much attention, deciding to kill the enemies in front of him first. After all, the distance between the eastern and western battlefields was vast. Even if the Orc King wanted to rush over immediately, it would take nearly half a minute. He couldn''t just charge through in the most brutal manner, as that would risk injuring other orcs. With Death Spirit''s possession, all the undead''s levels increased instantly. Some low-level Monarchs even jumped two levels, resulting in a significant boost in overall combat power. Especially the highest-level Reaper Guard, which reached lv9 Monarch, becoming the strongest force on the battlefield aside from the Orc King. At that moment, all the undead launched a counterattack against the surrounding Monarch level orcs. Frost, bone, fire, and soul attacks, all now accompanied by a black mist that corroded everything, absorbing the orcs'' life force and damaging their souls. This gave the previously less lethal undead terrifying destructive power. Death Spirit''s level: lv9 Monarch! The six race kings realized that Death Spirit might ascend to King level even before their Queen. Arthas wielded his sword, wreaking havoc on the battlefield. A casual strike could cause widespread damage, while his other hand cast spells to assist in combat. Blocking an orc''s attack with his sword, Arthas''s left hand surged with icy power, transforming into a massive spike that impaled his opponent. Another orc attacked from the side, but the ice spike quickly vanished, replaced by a large bone shield. The orc saw a small gap in the shield, through which Arthas''s weapon thrust. But this orc was a leader, clearly higher in rank than the previous one. It blocked Arthas''s attack with the axe handle and retreated, raising its axe for a powerful strike aimed at splitting Arthas in two. Crack! The raised axe couldn''t descend, no matter how hard the orc tried. Looking up, it saw a chain wrapped around it. In the next instant, a black blade flashed, and the orc''s pupils contracted. With a thud, its head fell to the ground. The Reaper Guard retrieved its scythe and moved on to other orcs. A rectangular barrier appeared on the battlefield, enveloping five Monarch level orcs. It was Arthur''s skill from the sky. Arthur, originally burning with blue flames, now emitted black flames after being possessed by Death Spirit, looking even more eerie and powerful. Inside the barrier, the five Monarch level orcs'' life force rapidly drained. They decided to attack a single point together to break the barrier, but were met with a blue Death Ray. Riven''s skill ignited ghostly flames within the barrier, flames that were cold rather than hot. The five Monarch level orcs were quickly covered in frost, their souls and bodies weakened, leaving them unable to resist. Soon, their eyes went blank, and they died. Azure moved through the battlefield like a ghost, using his curse skill to ambush any injured orc he encountered. Soul damage was unavoidable and inescapable. No orc could evade Azure''s ambush. Soon, several Monarch level orcs had fallen to Azure. Crane, still injured, didn''t perform as well but managed to kill a few enemies. John, the Skeleton King, was the most formidable after Arthas. Lacking magic for combat support, John relied entirely on his own abilities. Orcs were known for their strength and bravery, but to John, this was no advantage. John''s broadsword clashed head-on with any orc weapon, relying on attribute boosts for power. To the orcs, John was the true warrior. Boom, boom! The battlefield echoed with the sounds of John clashing with Monarch level orcs. John''s broadsword, glowing with red runes, struck at his opponent. The orc, not to be outdone, met the attack with a green-glowing giant axe. Boom! The impact sent shockwaves outward, kicking up dust and obscuring the view. Red and green energies clashed within the dust, continuing their battle. A red slash, accompanied by a massive red skull, sent the orc flying out of the dust, crashing heavily to the ground. The orc spat blood, its weapon shattered, unable to fight any longer. Surrounding orcs rushed to aid their Chieftain, but in John''s domain, they were quickly killed. Other Monarch level orcs were too engaged in their own battles to help. The fallen orc Chieftain looked around in confusion. They should have had the numbers advantage, so why couldn''t they spare anyone? In an instant, the orc Chieftain''s pupils contracted. They had lost their numerical advantage, and now the Monarch level undead outnumbered them! But there was no time to ponder this, as a scythe rapidly filled his vision. Chapter 273 - 273: Kill the enemy for our great Queen On the battlefield, the Reaper Guard was the most efficient at killing enemies, thanks to its lv9 Monarch strength, leaving it virtually unmatched. The Reaper Guard''s ability to easily kill the orc Chieftain was due not only to its high level but also to the enhancements provided by Death Spirit. Death Spirit played a crucial and powerful support role on the battlefield. However, this also meant that Death Spirit couldn''t summon the orc corpses into undead in a timely manner, as it had split into over eighty Clones, consuming a significant amount of energy. Even at lv9, possessing and enhancing over eighty Monarchs was taxing. At this moment, more than seventy Monarch level orcs had been slain, and Death Spirit released some of the possessed undead to focus on another task: summoning undead. On the eastern battlefield, the undead had gained the upper hand over the orcs. The six race kings, along with liches and necromancers, began using their summoning powers. Instantly, the aura of death enveloped the battlefield, and tens of thousands of gray magic circles appeared. Countless skeletons, bone dragons, ghost dragons, and other undead emerged from all directions. In just a few breaths, the number of undead on the battlefield doubled, turning the original hundred thousand undead army into a terrifying three hundred thousand! Meanwhile, the orc army had dwindled to just over a hundred thousand, and their numbers continued to plummet. The Orc King on the western side immediately noticed this. Seeing the undead numbers double in an instant, his pupils trembled slightly¡ªnot out of fear, but because he had never encountered such a troublesome enemy. Despite their weak individual strength, they were incredibly persistent, like an endless swarm of locusts. The Orc King, while fighting, observed these newly summoned undead and realized they were emerging from the corpses of orc warriors! A bad premonition struck the Orc King. If the undead had such a unique ability, why hadn''t they summoned earlier? These Standard undead were very weak and had little impact on the battle. Why had they been hidden until now? As the Orc King pondered, he casually killed a Monarch Undead and suddenly had an unbelievable thought. Why would a force with over a hundred Monarch levels not have a King level leader? If they could summon Standard level undead, could they also summon Monarch level undead? Seeing the few remaining Monarch Undead before him, the Orc King decided to ignore them. He shot into the sky, heading towards the eastern battlefield. At that moment, nearly twenty Monarch Orcs on the eastern battlefield had yet to be killed, but some Monarch Undead had already been summoned. The number of Monarch Undead there now exceeded a hundred. "The Orc King is coming!" As soon as the Orc King took off, Death Spirit informed all the Monarch Undead through its Clones. The remaining Monarch undead on the battlefield began converging towards the eastern side. Countless undead surged forward, fearlessly charging at the Orc King. In the sky, the Orc King wore an expression of anger and surprise. These undead continually brought new shocks. Not only could they summon Standard Undead, but they could also summon Monarch Undead. The Orc King finally realized he had fallen into the undead''s trap. He had been deliberately lured to the western battlefield, giving the enemy time to summon Monarch undead. Facing the incoming Standard undead, the Orc King casually waved his weapon, killing hundreds at a time. But more and more undead swarmed towards him like locusts, making the Orc King increasingly irritable. He swung his weapon forcefully, a sharp axe light obliterating them all. He then landed heavily, the ground cracking like a spiderweb beneath him. Green energy blades swept across the area, forming a storm that instantly killed all nearby undead, leaving none standing. The Orc King expanded his domain, crushing everything in his path, and slowly advanced towards the gathering Monarch Undead. The undead hoped to exhaust the Orc King''s Mana Points with weak Standard undead, but the Orc King saw through this simple tactic and didn''t care. The gap between King level and Monarch level was vast. The six race kings watched in silence. The orc army was dwindling, and the Orc King had become the enemy they had to face head-on. Through the recent summoning, the number of Monarch undead exceeded one hundred again. These Monarch undead gathered around, encircling the Orc King, ready to fight to the death. The remaining twenty-plus Monarch Orcs gathered around the Orc King, but he dismissed them. "Go kill the others. I can handle these Monarch undead alone." As soon as the Orc King spoke, his eyes began to glow red, and red energy surged around him. His domain turned from green to red, and his giant axe was enveloped in red energy. The Orc King entered a berserk state, stomping the ground and disappearing in an instant. "Prepare for battle!" Arthas warned the undead as the Orc King vanished. Suddenly, his pupils contracted¡ªthe Orc King had appeared behind him, killing a lv7 Monarch level Reaper Guard with a single axe strike. The Orc King charged forward, beginning his slaughter. The surrounding Monarch Undead quickly reacted, launching a coordinated attack on the Orc King. It seemed like the undead were surrounding the Orc King, but in reality, no one could stop him. With a roar, the Orc King unleashed his domain power, sending hundreds of axe blades sweeping across the battlefield, striking the surrounding undead. Red light filled the area, some undead were sent flying, some blocked the attacks, and others were killed instantly. The Orc King not only had immense offensive power but also a red energy armor that protected him from the undead''s attacks. Only a few undead could injure him, but the Orc King was too quick, giving them no chance to get close. Crane, waiting on the periphery, was one of the few who could harm the Orc King. But just as Crane prepared to attack, a barrier suddenly appeared, rapidly expanding in the battlefield''s center, isolating all the undead. The Orc King vanished from the undead''s sight. Inside the barrier were only six undead: Crane, Arthas, John, Riven, Arthur, and Azure. "You must be their leaders? Too bad you''re too weak." The Orc King''s eyes glowed crimson. Within his realm, unless another King level realm clashed with it, no creature trapped inside could escape or break free. This was the Orc King''s confidence and the true gap between Monarch level and King level. The power of the realm could lock down targets, making it irrelevant how many Monarch levels attacked. With the realm''s power, he could come and go as he pleased, killing whoever he wanted. The six race kings found themselves in the Orc King''s realm, their expressions grim. Despite Alex''s warnings about the terrifying abilities of a King level, they had no choice but to confront the Orc King head-on. The six race kings stood in a strange space enveloped by red and green energy, seemingly endless and empty, with only the Orc King standing silently, holding his giant axe. Arthas, Crane, and John gripped their weapons tightly, while Arthur, Riven, and Azure hovered in the air, eyes fixed on the Orc King. "Delay him as long as possible." Arthas''s voice was low. He didn''t utter naive words about killing the Orc King. They were mid-level Monarchs at best, and even if they were all lv9 Monarchs, they wouldn''t be confident in killing him. "For the Great Queen!" Crane roared, and in an instant, the six race kings charged forward. Outside the realm, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui on the wall were terrified by what they saw. The Orc King''s power was overwhelming! "The six race kings and the Orc King have disappeared!" Xiao Hui, observing the battlefield, suddenly exclaimed. She saw the energy surging around the Orc King, enveloping the six race kings and making them vanish. Xiao Mu saw it too, his eyes fixed on where the six race kings had disappeared, his brow furrowed. "This must be some King level ability!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Mu made a quick decision, jumping off the wall and diving into the battlefield below. The six race kings were likely trapped, and the only thing they could do now was kill as many orcs as possible to provide Alex with experience points. "Don''t just stand there, kill the enemy! Only if your queen ascends to King level do we have a chance to win!" Xiao Mu teleported into the midst of the undead, shouting to remind them. "Kill the enemy for our great Queen!" Death Spirit''s voice echoed in the ears of All Undead. With their strength, they couldn''t break the realm. Staying here to try and rescue the six race kings would be a waste of time. It was better to kill the enemy quickly. With reminders from Death Spirit and Xiao Mu, nearly a hundred Monarch Undead quickly dispersed, attacking the surrounding orc army. At this point, the orc army had dwindled to less than a hundred thousand, with only about twenty Monarch Orcs left. Without the Orc King''s help, they were no match for over a hundred Monarch Undead and the three hundred thousand undead army. Seeing the undead charging, the orc army showed fear, instinctively stepping back. But their king hadn''t given the order to retreat. As long as the Orc King didn''t order a retreat, the orcs would fight the undead to the death. Xiao Hui also joined the battlefield, knowing that time was of the essence. They had to kill as many enemies as possible to help Alex ascend to King level. Inside the realm, the six race kings were still fighting the Orc King. Rather than fighting, it was more about desperately trying to delay him. The race kings understood that if the Orc King didn''t leave the realm, the orc army outside would surely be defeated. The Orc King understood this too, which is why he was going all out from the start, aiming to kill them all. The Orc King even speculated that once the six race kings were dead, the undead they had summoned might also perish. Of course, the Orc King didn''t know that the undead were loyal to Alex first and the six race kings second. This was just his speculation. In reality, the death of the six race kings wouldn''t affect the undead army. Inside the realm, the six race kings seemed silenced, unable to use their skills or magic, while also enduring the corrosive power of the Orc King''s realm. Endless red and green blades swept across the area, causing great trouble for the six race kings. Azure and Riven, being ethereal undead, were particularly vulnerable. Silenced and assaulted by the blade storm, they were injured and lost their combat effectiveness before even engaging the Orc King. The remaining four race kings faced the Orc King alone, the pressure mounting. Crane, with his strong body, resisted the realm''s power and slashed at the Orc King. But the Orc King''s giant axe came down, instantly destroying Crane''s weapon and splitting it in two. The giant axe cut into Crane''s shoulder, sinking into his chest. Just as it was about to cleave him in half, John and Arthas attacked from both sides, forcing the Orc King to withdraw his axe to block their strikes. Crane avoided being bisected, but his right arm was severed, leaving him gravely injured. The Orc King didn''t finish him off, knowing that Crane would die within three minutes from the realm''s corrosion. The Orc King kicked John in the chest, sending bones flying and scattering him. The giant axe slashed diagonally, and Arthas blocked with Frostmourne. Though he deflected the axe, the immense force sent him flying. The Orc King moved to pursue, but Arthur attacked from the sky, relying on his body to fight without skills. Before Arthur could get close, a red and green axe light severed his wings. Arthur opened his jaws to devour the enemy, but the Orc King raised his left hand, and the realm''s protective power isolated him. Boom! The red and green realm energy erupted, the massive shockwave shattering Arthur like John, scattering his bones. In just one move, four race kings were severely injured by the Orc King. Arthas struggled to stand, looking at the other kings. They were all gravely injured, their soul flames weakening under the realm''s corrosion, on the brink of death. Delaying time seemed laughable in the face of a King level enemy. Before Arthas could steady himself, the Orc King charged at him. The Orc King had timed it perfectly; by the time he killed Arthas, the other undead would have succumbed to the realm''s corrosion. Chapter 274 - 274: Alex ascended to King level At that moment, the Orc King''s realm space began to tremble violently, and the surrounding realm started to tear apart. A black figure appeared in front of Arthas, with a Reaper Guard emanating death energy standing beside it. "Arthas, take the other kings and leave. I''ll buy you some time!" Death Spirit''s hollow voice echoed through the space. Now, surrounding Death Spirit and extending behind it was an eerie blackness, filled with dense death energy¡ªDeath Spirit''s realm! The other half of the space was the Orc King''s red and green realm, but it was clear that the Orc King''s realm occupied a larger portion. Indeed, Death Spirit had ascended to King level at this moment. However, being primarily a support entity, it knew it wasn''t a match for the Orc King, but it could still delay him. Seeing Death Spirit ascend to King level, Arthas finally breathed a slight sigh of relief. The remnants of the other kings were moved into Death Spirit''s realm, and in the next moment, the six race kings were transported out of Death Spirit''s realm, returning to the battlefield outside. The Orc King was momentarily stunned. He had observed Death Spirit before and knew it was one of the undead leaders, but with so many clones, it was hard to kill. However, the Orc King knew this leader wasn''t skilled in combat, so he hadn''t considered it a threat. As for the Reaper Guard beside it, this was Death Spirit''s way of compensating for its lack of combat power. The Reaper Guard had initially been at lv8, and through the slaughter in the army, it had ascended to lv9. Now, with Death Spirit possessing it, the Reaper Guard could reach a power level infinitely close to King level. Death Spirit''s realm would now become its realm! To maximize combat power, Death Spirit had recalled all its Clones, leaving only one Standard level Clone in Gemini City as a last-resort safeguard. The only drawback was the Reaper Guard''s body. The combined King level power of Death Spirit and the Reaper Guard was naturally inferior to a true King level entity. After all, Death Spirit''s realm wasn''t the most suitable for the Reaper Guard. Death Spirit split into two Clones. One Clone hid in the darkness to manipulate the realm''s power, while the other Clone directly possessed the Reaper Guard, preparing for a head-on clash with the Orc King! The Orc King sensed the strengthened Reaper Guard and showed a hint of surprise, but it still wasn''t enough. In an instant, the powers of their realms collided, causing the entire space to tremble and begin to collapse. The Reaper Guard attacked the Orc King, its scythe blade shooting out. The Orc King blocked with his axe, then swung his giant weapon, sending several axe blades toward the Reaper Guard, whose figure quickly vanished. The axe blades struck Death Spirit''s realm, corroding its space, while the Orc King''s realm power grew stronger. Just as the Orc King''s morale soared, an invisible curse struck, causing a trickle of blood to appear at the corner of his mouth¡ªhis first injury. Red and green energy coalesced, quickly forming armor on the Orc King''s body, completely isolating the curse. Although the Orc King still held the advantage, quickly resolving the battle without being delayed was no longer easy. Outside the realm, the severely injured five race kings were already being protected by other Monarch Undead. With Death Spirit buying time, Arthas felt more at ease and rejoined the battle. In just a few minutes, the six race kings had been reduced to this state, shocking the Xiao siblings. "Brother, why hasn''t the Orc King come out?" Xiao Hui asked Xiao Mu in confusion. The six race kings were only Monarch level and couldn''t leave the realm on their own. Xiao Mu found it strange too. He scanned the battlefield and suddenly noticed that Death Spirit''s Clone had disappeared. Could it be Death Spirit? "I don''t know. Don''t worry about it. Just kill the enemy." Xiao Mu said, diving back into the battlefield. Xiao Hui, left pondering, soon resumed fighting as well. The battle outside continued, with the orc army''s numbers dwindling to just over fifty thousand. Facing the nearly three hundred fifty thousand undead army, their morale had collapsed, and they were trying to flee. As the orcs scattered, over a hundred Monarch Undead flew over the battlefield, unleashing domain powers to easily slaughter the orcs. Some Monarch Orcs continued to fight the undead, believing that once the Orc King reappeared, they would win and be rewarded. However, these Monarch Orcs suddenly froze, realizing that although the undead leaders were severely injured, none had died, and their Orc King had yet to reappear. One orc Chieftain, realizing the imminent collapse of the Orc Empire, abandoned any hope of the Orc King''s reward and turned to flee, prioritizing survival. But as he tried to escape, Xiao Mu, tipped off by Death Spirit, teleported in front of him, and several lasers pierced him before he could react. The battle between the two races was nearing its end, and with the Orc King still absent, Xiao Hui suddenly remembered something Alex had once said. "I remember now. Alex said that Death Spirit''s level must not surpass hers!" --- In Undead City, the entire palace was empty, with only alchemy warlocks and hobgoblins in the outer city working on various research projects. In the vast palace, Alex was alone. If one listened closely, a faint humming sound could be heard from within, growing clearer as the perspective drew closer. Alex was curled up on the throne, her face flushed, undergoing some kind of transformation. Her aura grew steadier, and the various elemental energies within her raged through the hall. After an unknown amount of time, Alex''s aura began to stabilize, and the surrounding energy started to retract into her body. At that moment, a system dashboard automatically popped up in front of Alex. [Congratulations on ascending to King level!] Seeing this message, Alex finally smiled, knowing it wasn''t over yet. Sure enough, the system continued to display several notifications. [Your attributes have increased, allowing you to wield your bloodline power more effectively] [Special ability reward: Soul Magic (high-level)] [Other enhancements, please check on your own] "Huh?" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Half-lying on the throne, Alex''s eyes widened. The system''s introduction was too brief. Was it really that simple? Only one high-level magic? Alex intended to integrate the new magic into her right eye''s abilities, but then she paused. It was actually left-eye magic? But the surprises didn''t end there. Alex discovered that all her existing magic had become high-level! The six high-level magics in her left eye began to merge, forming a pitch-black abyss, her pupils turning a deep, eerie blue. This was Alex''s realm, named Annihilation. The realm''s abilities were incredibly overpowered. Alex realized that a King level couldn''t be defeated by sheer numbers of Monarch levels. Her previous thoughts had been too naive. With her ascension to King level, she sensed that both her domain and realm had room for further improvement, and there was a level beyond high-level magic. A King level''s realm was unique, unlike domains, which could be multiple. But Alex was still puzzled. Her realm was centered on her left eye, and while it would still exist without the aid of her left eye, it would be significantly weaker. Yet her right eye was also real, so why didn''t it have a similar effect to her left eye? Strange. Before Alex could ponder further, the system displayed new information. [Kingdom establishment conditions: Lord level reaches King level (achieved); Kingdom''s Tear (achieved); city reaches max level (not achieved).] [Unlock Empire ascension conditions: Lord level reaches Emperor level; kingdom has at least thirty cities; at least twenty subjugated races.] [Note: Possessing an Empire''s Tear allows direct establishment of an Empire, bypassing kingdom ascension. Empire''s Tear can only be obtained by upgrading Kingdom''s Tear.] "So, kingdoms can continue to ascend and become empires." But the ascension conditions seemed as challenging as upgrading the Kingdom''s Tear. The last two conditions were manageable, but reaching Emperor level seemed extremely difficult. If she completed the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade conditions before reaching Emperor level, she would use the Empire''s Tear. Otherwise, she would ascend normally. Whichever was faster. But these weren''t Alex''s immediate concerns. [Lord: Alex] [Strength: lv1 King level (personal and troop kills can increase)] [Territory level: lv7 city] [Troops: undead] [Equipment: Grim Reaper''s Scythe, Ring of Space, enhancement crystal] [Health Points: 2k (¡Þ)] [Mana Points: 1k] [Strength: 310] [Stamina: 305] [Agility: 300] Alex glanced at her attributes. Ascending to King level had increased each attribute by a hundred points. With all her left-eye magic now high-level, Alex understood what the system meant by "attributes increased." "Oh right, I still have the enhancement crystal." Alex remembered that the Bone Throne would be obsolete when she at King level. Perfect timing to use the enhancement crystal on the Bone Throne. The other features weren''t as important, but the 1.5x experience boost was crucial. Alex used the crystal to enhance the Bone Throne, which lost its luster and needed twenty-four hours to recharge. As expected, upgrading the Bone Throne to a King level special building increased the experience boost to King level. Moreover, the effect now covered the entire city, meaning Alex could enjoy the experience boost anywhere in Undead City. "Sweet!" Alex was full of joy, but more pressing matters awaited her. Upon ascending to King level, Alex''s body underwent significant enhancement and transformation. Her bloodline became purer, expelling many impurities and toxins from her body in the process. This left her drenched and sticky, especially her clothes, which were completely unwearable. Alex tied her hair up high and took a quick shower, finishing in under two minutes. She didn''t even bother to dry off; her body emitted intense heat, instantly evaporating the water from her skin. With another teleport, Alex was already in her bedroom, hastily putting on clothes. There was no time to be picky; she grabbed whatever was at hand. "Damn it!" Fully dressed, Alex suddenly realized she had forgotten to put on a bra. Oh well, the situation was urgent; it would have to do. With that, Alex teleported outside the palace and sped towards the Portal of Transit. Chapter 275 - 275: We exist to serve the Queens greatness The battlefield outside Gemini City. The space suddenly tore apart as the realms of Death Spirit and the Orc King could no longer hold, finally shattering. Both figures emerged at that moment. The Reaper Guard was covered in wounds, its weapon shattered, and its soul fire flickering weakly. Death Spirit was also severely weakened, its death energy much thinner than before. Both the possessed Reaper Guard and Death Spirit were gravely injured. In contrast, the Orc King was also in a sorry state, with several scars on his body, his green skin stained red with blood, and his chest bone ornaments long gone. The Orc King was breathing heavily, clearly exhausted. But his eyes still burned with fighting spirit. These injuries were merely superficial; his greatest depletion was in stamina and Mana Points. Death Spirit''s attacks weren''t strong, but they were incredibly persistent. To deal with it quickly, the Orc King had to use skills, draining his Mana Points. But it was worth it. Both Death Spirit and the Reaper Guard were now out of the fight, and the undead were at their last gasp. The Orc King scanned the surroundings, his pupils contracting before they burned with rage. There wasn''t a single orc standing. He was surrounded by an endless sea of undead, completely encircled. The Orc Empire''s army was reduced to just the Orc King, alone! Despite the dire situation, the Orc King showed no fear or intention of retreating. His gaze locked onto the seven race kings and the Reaper Guard. He intended to kill them all first. "WAAAGH!" The Orc King let out a furious roar, unleashing a terrifying aura that instantly killed the ordinary undead nearby. His giant axe lifted off the ground, and the Orc King vanished, intent on slaughtering every undead present. Swish! At that moment, a blade flashed. The giant axe that had accompanied the Orc King for hundreds of years was suddenly cut in half. The Orc King''s pupils contracted as he looked at the white-haired girl with a high ponytail who had appeared before him. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui''s faces lit up with joy, and the seven race kings and surrounding undead were equally astonished. Boom! An invisible force sent the Orc King flying, crashing heavily into the undead army behind him. The undead quickly retreated, clearing a space. The Orc King couldn''t believe it. The undead had a King level! This wasn''t a support like Death Spirit but a genuine King level combatant! The Orc King stood up, his gaze fixed on Alex. His rage had been mostly extinguished, replaced by a cold calm. Why hadn''t their King level acted from the start? Had she just ascended to King level? The Orc King knew that, in his current state, he could easily be defeated by even a newly ascended King level. He was too depleted, his Mana Points nearly exhausted, leaving him with only basic attacks. The Orc King decided to escape into his realm, but Alex stood still, not pursuing. Her left eye glowed deeply, and a point of darkness rapidly expanded, enveloping the entire area and crashing into the Orc King''s realm. Crack! The Orc King''s realm cracked. He tried to retreat into it but was interrupted by Alex. The Orc King remained in place, as if nothing had happened, but blood trickled from his mouth. He knew he couldn''t escape. If he couldn''t run, he would fight to the end! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Orc King discarded his broken weapon, and his realm''s power surged, forming an axe made of rage in his right hand. He charged at Alex with all his might. But the same thing happened again. The rage axe was easily cut down by Alex''s scythe. The energy dissipated, and a massive black blade swept towards him. The Orc King dodged but still lost an arm. Before he could react, Alex was in front of him, several invisible blades piercing him. The Orc King found himself cursed, unable to move. His pupils contracted sharply as a black scythe rapidly filled his vision. The black scythe sliced upward, effortlessly cutting through the Orc King''s body, splitting him in two. Silence. The battlefield fell silent. Alex spun her scythe with one hand, transforming it into a bracelet. Thud! The Orc King''s bisected body fell to the ground, marking the complete annihilation of the Orc Empire. Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui were stunned. They hadn''t expected Alex to be so powerful now! [Congratulations on killing lv1 Orc King, conquering the Orc Empire, and obtaining the skill Berserk, Auxiliary Barrack, and Kingdom''s Tear.] Alex casually closed the system interface, planning to deal with it later. She turned away from the Orc King''s corpse and walked towards the rear. The undead parted to make way, all kneeling on one knee to show their utmost respect to their queen. "All hail the Great Queen, now ascended to King level!" The seven race kings were at the forefront, bowing respectfully to Alex. Alex looked at them, then at the smiling Xiao siblings in the distance. Surrounded by nearly four hundred thousand undead in varied forms stretching as far as the eye could see, with all the air units now grounded, the sky was clear and sunny. The undead outside Gemini City represented nearly all of Alex''s current combat power. Alex felt a surge of emotion. It had been a long journey since arriving in Eldoria, and she and the undead race had grown to this scale. But Alex wouldn''t stop. She aimed to build the strongest undead Empire and even compete with all the races! Back in the present, Alex looked at the severely injured seven race kings, extending her left hand. A radiant white energy gathered in her palm, spreading out to heal the race kings and the Reaper Guard. This was the power of her high-level soul magic, capable of healing soul injuries. "Death Spirit, Arthas, Arthur, John, Riven, Crane, Azure, and Reaper Guard, you all performed excellently in this battle." Alex hadn''t expected them to deplete the Orc King to this extent. The orc army was entirely wiped out. Without the experience from killing the orcs, Alex wouldn''t have ascended to King level, and they would have lost the battle. "It is our duty. We exist to serve the Queen''s greatness." The seven race kings and the Reaper Guard accepting Alex''s healing. Otherwise, the King level injuries would take a long time to heal. This battle had added three new King levels to Undead City, marking the official start of Alex''s All-races Battle Royale! The Queen''s ambition knew no bounds. Chapter 276 - 276: The changes of the scythe The injuries of the seven race kings were quickly healed under Alex''s treatment, and Crane''s weapon was also restored. The surrounding orc corpses had all disappeared, disassembled by the Xiao siblings and stored in the Warehouse, leaving no need to clean the battlefield. "Let the submitted orcs return and have them lead the way to completely clear out the remaining forces of the Orc Empire and confiscate their resources. Oh, and destroy Bloodrock City." Alex began issuing orders to handle the post-battle matters. There were bound to be surviving orcs in the camps, and they had two choices: submit or die. After destroying Bloodrock City, the remnants of the Orc Empire would migrate north to the vicinity of Gemini City, making it their new center. The annihilation of the Orc Empire had to be concealed to prevent the Holy Court from discovering that the undead could operate across continents. Alex couldn''t always rely on the mysterious figure from the Dark Forest; she had to depend on herself. "Yes, Esteemed Queen!" The seven race kings dispersed to carry out their tasks efficiently. With Death Spirit around, the remaining Monarch Orcs were no match for it. Even as a support-oriented King level, Death Spirit held a significant advantage over Monarch levels. The Orc King''s body was summoned by Alex into a Reaper Guard. She then turned her attention to another lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard, planning to cultivate it further as her next potential King level troop. "Miss Alex, you were so cool just now!" Xiao Hui ran over excitedly, with Xiao Mu following closely behind. "So, did you level up in this battle?" Alex turned to them, and both Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui nodded. They had both reached lv5 Monarch, and the surviving Monarch undead had also gained considerable experience, with some leveling up. The number of Monarch undead had increased by over a hundred. Although many had fallen in battle, the final total still resulted in a net gain of about fifty. Alex now had over a hundred and fifty Monarch undead. Even without considering King level power, this number of Monarch level undead alone surpassed all other Lords. Ascending to King level had significantly boosted Alex''s power. Not only had her personal strength increased, but her nine Auxiliary Barracks could now produce nine Monarch level troops daily. Some Lords didn''t even have a single Monarch level troop, while Alex received nearly ten Monarch level troops daily for free. "Let''s head back." Alex, Xiao Mu, and Xiao Hui vanished, returning to Undead City. The undead army at Gemini City also began to return. With nearly four hundred thousand undead, they couldn''t all stay there; Undead City needed defending too. Back at the palace, the first thing the siblings did was take a bath. Xiao Hui was in better shape, but Xiao Mu was covered in orc blood, his clothes stained red. Alex sat in a chair, crossing her legs, and opened the system dashboard. She first built the orc Auxiliary Barrack in Gemini City. As for the skill [Berserk], Alex didn''t even need to check to know it had side effects, as such short-term power-boosting skills always did. She didn''t consider using it herself. She thought about giving it to Sophie, but Sophie already had the side effects of Ant King Evolution Energy and didn''t want another burden. Alex agreed it wasn''t suitable and gave up on that idea. Alex asked everyone around her, but no one wanted the skill. It didn''t fit well with their abilities and was more suited for close combat. Suddenly, Alex thought of the perfect candidate and sent him a message. Alex: "Want a skill? [Berserk]" Satan: "What? How did you know I reached lv4 Monarch?" Alex: "???" Alex wanted to say that his level wasn''t even as high as her subordinates, but decided against it to avoid discouraging him. Satan didn''t reply immediately, seemingly checking the skill Alex sent. Less than a minute later, he responded with a puzzled tone. Satan: "Are you sure you''re giving this to me for free?" Alex: "Well, not exactly free." Satan: "I knew it! You need something from me, don''t you?" Alex: "Consider it payment for your help last time. So, it''s not exactly free." Satan: "I take back what I said. You, my friend, are the true hero!" Alex ignored him, wondering what nonsense he was spouting this time. Giving the skill to Satan was putting it to good use. Next, she absorbed the Kingdom''s Tear. Alex took out her own Kingdom''s Tear and the one rewarded for conquering the Orc Empire, touching the two crystals together and initiating the absorption. Instantly, the original Kingdom''s Tear in her left hand turned into a stream of light and was absorbed by the Orc Empire''s Tear in her right hand. ?!! Alex was stunned, staring at her empty left hand. "Holy fuck, the Orc''s Empire''s Tear swallowed mine!" She quickly checked the information and sighed in relief. "Phew, thank goodness. If the progress bar had reset, all this effort would have been for nothing." [Kingdom''s Tear upgrade Progress: 26/100] S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The progress had increased by ten points, proving that stronger forces provided more energy. The progress had reached a quarter, bringing Alex one step closer to establishing the Undead Empire. At that moment, Xiao Mu emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, his clothes washed and unwearable. Alex curiously watched from the doorway as Xiao Mu, instead of heading to the palace, walked outside with his wet clothes. Roar! With a dragon''s roar, a flame shot into the sky from the city. Xiao Mu was using a bone dragon to dry his clothes with fire. Alex gave him a thumbs-up. Soon, Xiao Hui also came out, in much better shape than Xiao Mu, at least having clean clothes to wear. "Miss Alex, can your weapon be upgraded too?" Xiao Hui sat beside Alex, curious. "Why do you ask?" Alex realized she hadn''t checked her scythe''s information yet. It must have become a King level weapon. "Because your scythe seems much sharper now. It even cut through the Orc King''s weapon like it was nothing." The scene of Alex slicing the Orc King in half had left a deep impression on Xiao Hui. She couldn''t help but notice the scythe''s enhanced sharpness. Even the previously enchanted black flame scythe hadn''t been this effective. It was the first time Xiao Hui had seen Alex''s weapon cut through an opponent''s weapon so effortlessly. Alex took out the scythe, placing the towering weapon on the table. It looked the same as before. If there was a change, it was that the scythe''s color was even darker than before. Chapter 277 - 277: Cut through anything Alex clicked on the system dashboard to check the messages. [Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Quality: King level weapon (upgradable)] [Soul Concentration: 30%] [Active Skill: All magic mastered by the user] [Passive Skill 1: Attacks include soul strike and withering effects; victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.] [Passive Skill 2: The weapon can be enchanted with magic without chanting or forming magic circles.] [Passive Skill 3: The bell''s soul strike range and damage are increased.] [Passive Skill 4: The weapon has the ability to cut through anything (based on current level and below).] "Cut through anything?" Alex''s eyes zeroed in on the last feature. This "anything" could refer to weapons, equipment, creatures, and even energy forms. But it couldn''t exceed King level, which was almost a given. Anyone wielding a weapon above King level would undoubtedly be stronger than Alex herself! If she couldn''t defeat them, what good would it do to just cut their weapon? Alex felt a surge of joy. Her scythe had become even sharper, making it more convenient for trimming her nails in the future! However, the "Soul Concentration: 30%" still puzzled her. Could it be referring to a weapon spirit? Seeing Alex''s weapon description, Xiao Hui was stunned. The features were overwhelming. "I suddenly want a weapon too," Xiao Hui said enviously. "Your hands are good enough," Xiao Mu retorted as he walked into the hall. It wasn''t that they couldn''t use weapons, but as elemental Lords, their need for weapons wasn''t as significant. "You don''t know anything!" Xiao Hui shot back, unwilling to be outdone. Alex put away her scythe. The weapon''s enhancements were crucial for her. Without the scythe, she''d just be a mage. "Make sure to learn about the surrounding environment from the orcs. See if there are any races or kingdoms nearby." Alex instructed the two. Of course, the dwarf kingdom couldn''t be neglected either. Typically, a kingdom or empire would be surrounded by weaker races, serving as buffer zones against other major powers. So far, Alex hadn''t seen any two major powers adjacent to each other. They would inevitably clash over territory or other reasons, leading to the eventual extinction of one race. "Got it." The siblings knew the benefits of conquering these races were immense. If the undead could wipe out a massive force like the Orc Empire, the smaller races around it posed no threat. "Also, tell the undead to let the orcs handle the investigation around the Orc Empire. But those orcs must sign soul contracts to prevent leaks." Alex was wary of the Holy Court. If they came to the Orc Empire and saw the undead, everything would be ruined. But if the Holy Court''s templar knights saw orcs, they wouldn''t think much of it. Even if they interrogated the orcs, the soul contracts would automatically trigger, erasing their souls and leaving the templar knights with nothing. Now that Alex had mastered soul magic, such contracts were a piece of cake. She could have the alchemy warlocks develop them into scrolls or other portable items. "Got it." Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui nodded repeatedly. "The most critical area to watch is the Orc royal city. Also, keep an eye on the hobgoblin royal city. These are places the templar knights have been." Alex added, though the siblings were already aware and needed no further reminders. The dwarf kingdom hadn''t been visited by templar knights, likely due to the seven clans'' division. The Holy Court didn''t want to deal with that mess. The dwarves'' strength wasn''t high, and they had no King level, making it not worth the effort. So the dwarf area was relatively safe. The only concern was the Desolate Mountains, where they might encounter the Justice Alliance. Another area to watch was the Savage Plains north of Twinface Mountain. Once the Minotaur camp''s intelligence was clear and it was far from the Beast Empire, Alex''s next target would be to wipe them out. Alex chatted with the siblings a bit more. By the time everything was arranged, it was getting late. The three, exhausted from the day''s work, planned to have dinner and rest early. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The clouds began to disperse, revealing twinkling stars and a massive, eerie red moon. Darkness enveloped the land, and the red moonlight added a touch of light to the blackened ground, making it even more eerie. "What a big moon, and it''s a full moon tonight!" Xiao Hui stood at the palace entrance, gazing up at the red moon. Alex remembered the first full moon when her castle was visited by a pack of lv5 Standard Moon Silver Wolves. They could transform into werewolves under the full moon, posing a significant threat to her at the time. Times had changed. The Moon Silver Wolves were extinct, her small castle had become a large city, and she had grown from a Standard level lord to a King level lord. Even now, her undead included bone beast werewolves summoned back then. "Let''s go have a meal." Alex called out, turning towards the dining hall. The siblings quickly followed, diving into their meal. In contrast, Alex ate much more elegantly. She didn''t need to eat but did so to enjoy the food and remind herself she was still human. After dinner, the siblings returned to their respective quarters. Alex stretched and headed upstairs. Only the dark elves remained downstairs, cleaning up the dishes. In her room, Alex stripped off her clothes, intending to sleep soundly. But she suddenly remembered she hadn''t bathed since returning from the orc battlefield. "I heard soaking in a bath relieves fatigue?" Alex looked down at her firm breasts and smooth legs. She remembered the palace had a bathhouse. Why not try it out? Getting dressed was too much hassle. After all, she was a King level now; who needed to walk? S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A white blur vanished from the room, and the next second, Alex teleported to the entrance of the women''s bathhouse. She didn''t even wear shoes, walking in barefoot. The bathhouse, like her wardrobe, had an automatic cleaning function. The water in the bath was fresh daily, no need for manual changes¡ªvery convenient. Alex walked to the edge of the bath, lightly touching the water with her toes. "Perfect temperature." "Wait, I''m a King level! Even bathing in lava wouldn''t feel hot!" With that, Alex jumped in, leaning against the edge and enjoying the bath. Clear water rippled, revealing a beautiful scene beneath the surface, with steam rising above. "This is definitely not like my bathroom!" Chapter 278 - 278: Bathe in the bathhouse "Ah, this feels so good~" Alex sighed in satisfaction, closing her eyes to enjoy the moment. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "???? La la la~????" A voice singing a tune approached, accompanied by strange dance steps. Alex''s eyes snapped open, and she looked towards the entrance. Xiao Hui, completely naked, pulled back the bath curtain and walked in. Seeing Alex already in the bath, she was momentarily stunned. Their eyes met. Without hesitation, Xiao Hui slipped into the large bath as well. After all, there was nothing inappropriate about sharing a bath, especially since they were both women. "This feels amazing. Miss Alex, I didn''t know you took baths too?" "Why wouldn''t I? I''m a normal person, aren''t I?" Xiao Hui chuckled and swam to the other side of the bath. "Miss Alex, your breasts are so beautiful. Not only are they well-shaped, but they''re also so perky. You''re at least a C cup. Compared to you, I feel so inadequate." "Can you not be so blunt?" Alex opened her eyes and gave Xiao Hui a sidelong glance. "I''m serious. Look at mine; they''re so small, not even a B cup. It''s pathetic." Alex didn''t know how to respond, so she decided to pretend she hadn''t heard. Xiao Hui dunked her head underwater, blowing bubbles. Underwater, Xiao Hui opened her eyes, her gaze darting around. She saw Alex''s private area, even noticing the pearl. Xiao Hui couldn''t help but admire Alex''s perfection. Her entire body was flawless, even in such intimate areas. Splash! Xiao Hui suddenly surfaced, creating a large splash, her body swaying with the momentum. She froze, looking towards the entrance. Alex, hearing the commotion, opened her eyes in confusion. "Oh my, they''re too huge!" Xiao Hui exclaimed. Sophie stood at the bathhouse entrance, looking a bit unsure. Xiao Hui''s exclamation didn''t embarrass Sophie; instead, it made her feel proud. Perhaps this was a woman''s competitive spirit? Sophie walked towards the bath, her large breasts swaying. Alex didn''t mind, closing her eyes to continue her bath, though she occasionally peeked at the two. Alex was in the middle of one side of the bath, while Xiao Hui and Sophie were on the other side. Sophie was more confident, even deliberately shaking her chest in front of Xiao Hui, then looking at her provocatively. "Jealous? Have you ever seen breasts this big?" Sophie was responding to Xiao Hui''s initial exclamation. "Who knows if they''re real or not." Xiao Hui blushed, turning her head away. "Of course they''re real. Don''t believe me?" "They''re bigger than your head!" Xiao Hui retorted, and Sophie quickly shot back. "You''re just jealous, little one." "At least mine don''t get in the way when I walk!" "Little one, your breasts look like they haven''t even developed yet. Maybe you should find a boy friend; they might grow bigger." The two started bickering, while Alex, looking like she was resting with her eyes closed, was actually watching them intently. "Your vaginal color looks a bit dark. You must have a chaotic sex life, tsk tsk." Xiao Hui eyed Sophie with a playful smile. "That''s nonsense. It''s no darker than yours, hmph." Sophie retorted, but Xiao Hui immediately stepped forward, placing one foot on the edge of the bath. "Take a good look!" Even Alex was taken aback by Xiao Hui''s bold move, her eyes widening. Sophie was momentarily speechless. From this distance, she could see clearly that Xiao Hui''s private area was indeed very delicate and tight... Xiao Hui, having won this round, began to gloat. "Old woman." Xiao Hui returned to her spot in the bath, ignoring Sophie. "You don''t understand. It''s melanin deposition, a normal physiological phenomenon!" But Xiao Hui ignored Sophie''s explanation. Silence fell over the bath. Seeing no more drama, Alex closed her eyes to continue her bath. Thirty minutes later, Xiao Hui was the first to get up. As she passed Sophie, she couldn''t resist a parting shot. "I''m leaving, old woman~" Sophie couldn''t argue. She knew Xiao Hui was indeed younger, so she just huffed and turned away, waiting for Xiao Hui to leave, choosing not to engage further. "Why do you two always clash the moment you meet?" Alex''s voice broke the silence, her eyes opening to look at Sophie. Sophie didn''t know how to explain, so she just shook her head. "I don''t know. Maybe she''s just crazy." Alex didn''t press further, just sighed. Women''s relationships were indeed complicated. Today, she finally understood. A while later, Sophie also got up to leave and shower. "Miss Alex, I''m heading out!" Xiao Hui''s voice echoed in the bathhouse. Alex, with her back turned, raised an arm out of the water and waved. Splash! Alex stood up, leaving the bath. She pulled the hair tie from her head, letting her white hair cascade down, covering her shoulders. Her wet, smooth shoulders and white hair clung together. Alex found a showerhead and began rinsing off. At that moment, Sophie noticed Alex was barefoot. She suddenly remembered that when she had come to the changing room outside, she hadn''t seen any clothes. This had led her to believe the bathhouse was empty. If she had known Xiao Hui was inside, Sophie wouldn''t have entered. "Big Shot, didn''t you bring any clothes?" Sophie asked curiously. "Why bring clothes? I can just teleport back to my room." "Then why didn''t Xiao Hui bring any?" "Huh? She didn''t bring clothes either?" Alex realized Xiao Hui might have teleported just like she did. "She probably teleported too." Alex added quickly. Great, you can both teleport, and I''m the primitive one. Sophie fell silent. She resolved to become a woman who could teleport. A while later, Sophie left, leaving Alex alone in the empty bathhouse. She steamed in the sauna for a bit before finally leaving. Back in her bedroom, Alex looked out the window and saw that the lights in the other palace buildings were off. It seemed everyone was asleep. Alex evaporated the water from her body and slipped into bed. She quickly drifted into sleep. Chapter 279 - 279: Skeleton enhancement magic circle [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] In the continent of Mossvale, within the dragon city, Drake rose early. Today was the day he would summon troops again, and he was excited to add another Rock Dragon to his forces. In this brutal world where only the strong survive, constant empowerment was the only way to secure a semblance of safety. However, just as Drake completed the summoning of the Rock Dragon, he was shocked to discover that the aura emanating from two of his city''s auxiliary barracks¡ªthe Azure Cloud Giant Eagles and the Medusa race¡ªwas of Monarch level. Drake was familiar with the rules of the Auxiliary Barracks; previously, the barracks automatically summoned Commanding level troops each day. However, now the barracks automatically summoned Monarch level troops. "Alex has reached King level already!" Drake was astounded by Alex''s rapid development. Currently, he was only at level 3 Monarch level, a standard that most top Lords strived to achieve. Yet, Alex had surged ahead, ascending to King level and becoming a unique force. Drake couldn''t fathom the consequences of being an enemy to such a Lord. "Mossvale continent, dragons, come forth!" His eyes glowed with a golden light. He didn''t aspire to surpass Alex, but since he had submitted to her, he refused to become a burden. Moreover, Alex had helped him upgrade his city and barracks, and even the daily summoning of two Monarch level troops from the Auxiliary Barracks greatly boosted his strength. Drake''s bloodline was of the pure Rock Dragon lineage, with a potential to reach Sovereign level. Thus, he was confident in his heritage. A stream of earthy yellow light shot into the sky as Drake, accompanied by his Rock Dragon, flew towards the vast forest outside the city to continue his development journey. ... In the Undead City, Alex had just finished summoning her troops. The other three, still groggy, were quietly having breakfast in the dining hall. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex sat on the steps outside the palace, watching yesterday''s undead army orderly enter the Blackwater Altar for enhancement. Today, however, Alex chose not to enhance the Blackwater Altar but instead strengthened the Magic Stone Pillar, a crucial defensive asset. Although she couldn''t change the gargoyle''s limit of King level, this enhancement allowed the four gargoyles on the pillar to gain experience more rapidly. Moreover, with the enhancement from the Bone Throne, they could reach near-Emperor level combat prowess. For Alex, this was more than sufficient; she wouldn''t be defenseless against a high-level King level enemy. The typical upper limit for undead didn''t guarantee a breakthrough to peak levels. Take the death conqueror, for instance; reaching Monarch level was challenging enough, let alone peaking at level 9 Monarch. The race kings also had a divine limit, with only a chance of ascension. Whether they could become gods depended on fate and opportunity. So, the gargoyles on the Magic Stone Pillar reaching level 9 King level was a significant enhancement. "Why aren''t there other special undead structures?" Alex wondered. As her power grew, the system seemed less inclined to provide special structure blueprints. "Wait, this is part of black alchemy magic, right?" Alex was proficient in high-level alchemy magic. Realizing she could now construct special buildings on her own, whether the system provided blueprints became irrelevant. Alex quickly recalled the information about undead in alchemy magic. With an overwhelming undead army, summoning more lower undead seemed pointless. Now that the Death Spirit had reached King level, it could handle all the heavy lifting alone. Along with the seven race kings, the lich, and the necromancer, rapidly bolstering forces was easy even without other standard undead. If these lower-level undead couldn''t reach their potential, they would be meaningless. In the presence of absolute power, weaker undead wouldn''t even qualify as cannon fodder. Alex found what she was looking for. "Sweet, there really is one!" Alex jumped down from the rooftop, landing steadily on the ground, then instantly disappeared, reappearing where the alchemy warlocks were studying in the eastern part of the city. "Come with me, everyone. I''m setting up a magic circle in Undead City." Alex led hundreds of alchemy warlocks to the city center''s square, where a black skull statue stood, signifying the city''s undead nature. She raised her right hand, and an Essence Shard appeared in her palm. She then taught the warlocks how to set up the magic circle using the shards. An hour later, hundreds of Essence Shards had been meticulously engraved. Alex floated in the air, slowly rising as the surrounding Essence Shards also levitated. With a sweep of her hand, the shards shot out in all directions, embedding evenly into the ground, covering the entire city except for the central palace. A massive dark green magic circle emerged from the ground beneath Alex''s feet, spreading rapidly. The surrounding warlocks chanted spells, infusing their alchemy magic to assist their queen. Soon, the entire city was covered by the magic circle, with the empowered Essence Shards cleverly positioned at the nodes of the circle, quickly resonating together. Half an hour later, Alex gently landed, having spent nearly five hundred Mana Points to complete the magic circle, while the warlocks'' magical energy was also depleted. "Finally done, though it sure burned through my Mana Points," Alex exhaled. The city-wide magic circle, similar in function to the Magic Stone Pillar, was essentially a replica Alex had created. However, it targeted the skeleton race. The skeletons in the city would disintegrate into piles of bones, entering a dormant state while gaining experience¡ªthough their limit was only Commanding level, the sheer number of over 100K Skeleton Soldiers was formidable. As for the energy source, Alex chose not to connect to the city crystal but used Essence Shards as containers, relying on the internal magic circle''s elemental transformation for power. This allowed the skeletons to continuously gain experience, albeit less than what the Magic Stone Pillar provided, but Alex was satisfied. With hundreds of thousands of skeleton soldiers in the city, space was a significant issue. Once transformed into bone piles, this problem was eliminated. Chapter 280 - 280: Bone piles Alex''s interest in alchemy magic had been piqued, and she planned to delve deeply into it. The effects on the skeletons had already been tested and proved to be without issues. With nothing pressing to attend to, Alex found herself with some free time to tinker around in the city, aiming to boost the combat capabilities of her undead forces. Currently, the Undead City was a chaotic sprawl of bones everywhere¡ªone could hardly step without crunching on them. These were the remains of the Skeleton Soldiers that had been stationed within the city walls. More bones piled up as Skeleton Soldiers from outside the city continued to stream in. "What''s with all these skeletons falling apart? Are they dead?" Sophie asked, puzzled as she looked out from the palace, where she and the others had gathered after hearing the commotion caused by Alex setting up the magic circle. "These skeletons are absorbing energy!" Xiao Hui, a Lord of the dark elements, had a keener sense of these energies than Xiao Mu and Sophie and could discern what was happening. "It''s like the effect of a special building, isn''t it? The undead can not only rapidly increase their numbers but now they can also collectively strengthen and absorb energy," Xiao Mu observed, having noticed the enhancements in the undead more than once. It was almost like having a cheat code. Meanwhile, Alex was deep in thought, then came to a realization. "Undead Summoning Magic can be combined with dark alchemy magic!" Her summoning magic was also high-level, capable of more than just raising undead from corpses. The magic directly affected both corpses and the undead. This new idea came to her as she observed the city filled with piles of bones. The piles of bones could be fused using summoning magic to form a sort of core that autonomously summons entities. In simpler terms, under the influence of Alex''s summoning magic, the city''s piles of bones could merge into a single massive pile, with the enhancement effects of alchemy magic still intact! Moreover, Alex could also fuse skeletons together, potentially breaking through the upper limits of the Skeleton Commanding level. However, this ability didn''t particularly surprise her, as John and the liches had demonstrated similar capabilities before. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex cast her magic again, and a gray-white magic circle rapidly expanded, enveloping all the bone piles in the city. Moments later, all the bone piles began to merge, and a deep green magic circle was released, covering them as the two magics worked in tandem. Soon, Alex completed her masterpiece. After the fusion, what remained was a vast mound of bones, slightly raised in the middle like a small hillock, topped with numerous skulls burning with blue flames. Moreover, a dark, mysterious energy enveloped the mound, with faint blue sparks moving about like fireflies, emitting an ominous aura. "Although the result is sweet, I feel like the magic circle was a bit wasteful..." Alex mused. It would have been sufficient to set up a magic circle just beneath this bone mound; covering the entire city seemed excessive. "Oh well, who doesn''t make mistakes on their first try?" Alex consoled herself, moving the bone mound to the main gate''s wall of the city, then set up another magic circle. Whenever undead city sensed an enemy approaching, Skeleton Soldiers would continuously emerge from the bone mound. Alex tested it, and hundreds of soldiers appeared each second¡ªnot too shabby a speed. But that wasn''t all. Not only could she disassemble it, but under her summoning magic, these hundred thousand Skeleton Soldiers could also be fused into a gigantic skeletal creature. The more she fused, the stronger the summoned entity would be. Alex estimated that the upper limit was close to half-step Emperor level. "Now this is a real bone pile," Alex nodded in satisfaction. Although it indirectly cost her an army of a hundred thousand skeletons, it could serve as a handy ace up her sleeve. "Summoning magic isn''t weak; it''s just that its lethality isn''t as conspicuous, which is why I''ve always felt it only played a supportive role." The bone pile formed from a hundred thousand skeletons was Alex''s current limit, not the limit of summoning magic. Alex believed that as her power continued to grow, she could fuse even more, turning what was once mere cannon fodder into a formidable force. Nowadays, the battle hardly relied on standard-level skeletons, and their role was indeed diminishing. "Bone dragons are technically skeletons too, right? Could they even be considered a type of bone beast?" Alex pondered anew. If skeletons could be used this way, why not bone dragons, since they seemed quite similar in appearance? She spent the afternoon researching this, not even returning to the palace once. This left the trio at the distant palace dumbfounded. "What''s gotten into Miss Alex? Has she gone mad?" "Bone dragons and skeletons, although both made of bones and seemingly of one race, differ vastly in strength. It''s probably not so easy to figure out," Xiao Mu knew Alex was trying to create something akin to a bone pile with bone dragons, but she hadn''t succeeded yet. "Knowledge is static in the mind; it needs to be applied flexibly. Big Shot might just not have figured it out yet, but I believe she can," Sophie said, and surprisingly, Xiao Hui didn''t retort but nodded in agreement. "I get it, it''s like how a math teacher teaches you to count to a hundred, but the exam is on quadratic equations. How''s that for an analogy?" Xiao Hui looked around, seeking approval. Sophie remained silent, while Xiao Mu gave Xiao Hui a look as if he were an idiot. "Hey! Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?" Just as Xiao Hui loudly questioned Xiao Mu, they saw a specter flying towards them. A specter approaching the palace meant only one thing: there was news from outside. Xiao Hui immediately stopped fooling around. "Leaders, there''s news from the Savage Plains," the specter announced, having chosen to come to the palace since Alex was busy, and it happened to find the three there. The news was about the Minotaur camp and the Beastman Empire. The ancestors of the Minotaurs were said to be born from a human male and a beastman, a history only a few hundred years old. Naturally, the Minotaurs couldn''t be accepted by humans, as such unions were taboo. Besides, apart from walking upright like humans, Minotaurs bore no resemblance to humans. It took hundreds of years for the Minotaurs to develop into the small-scale race they were now. Interestingly, the ancestors of the Minotaurs were a male and a female twin. The trio found this detail rather odd. "So all their descendants are from inbreeding?" Xiao Hui felt uncomfortable all over, almost wishing he could slap a Minotaur. "No wonder they have descendants and formed a camp," Sophie realized. But if you asked how other beasts reproduced, the answer would, of course, involve plundering females from other races, much like the Goblins. Over time, this layering of mixed blood led to increasingly bizarre appearances in newly born Orcs. Meanwhile, the truly powerful beastmen focused more on their bloodline, practicing survival of the fittest and gradually strengthening their genetic traits. The idea of mixed-blood beastmen caring about bloodlines sounded like a joke. Eventually, all the beastmen united to form an Empire, slowly becoming a force that lesser powers steered clear of. This was the brief history of the Beastman Empire. As for its location, the specter hadn''t yet discovered it, but it was definitely not in the Savage Plains. The Minotaur camp was merely an auxiliary race of the Beastman Empire, which had grown too powerful to accept just any riffraff. The trio took this as just another story, finding the beastmen disgusting yet somewhat fascinating. It was hard to believe that a group of mixed creatures could develop to such a scale. "So, to sum up, we can completely wipe out the Minotaur camp without any problem, right? The Beastman Empire won''t come knocking," Xiao Hui caught the essence of the matter and pulled Xiao Mu outside. "What for?" "To wipe them out!" "It''s getting dark." Xiao Mu noted the dimming sky. "Perfect, it''s double experience at night. Just call up the Death Spirit; it''s King level now!" That made sense. The Death Spirit quietly appeared beside them, and Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui entered the main fortress, leaving the Undead City. Only Sophie remained, standing alone at the palace entrance, watching Alex in the distance. Chapter 281 - 281: Undead Quintessence [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] "Where did those two go?" Alex suddenly appeared beside Sophie. "They took the Death Spirit to wipe out the Minotaur camp," Sophie explained, recounting the intelligence from the Savage Plains. Alex was unconcerned; without the backing of the Beastman Empire, the Minotaur camp was a minor issue. For forces below King level, Alex didn''t need to intervene personally; the Death Spirit alone could handle it. However, Alex couldn''t rely solely on the Death Spirit. Due to its unique nature, its level could always match Alex''s without needing to worry about experience points. If the Death Spirit was used for everything, then Alex''s other undead wouldn''t have the chance to level up. Thus, the Death Spirit served as a safety net, while the bulk of the experience needed to be allocated to other undead. "Let''s not worry about them for now; let''s go eat," Alex suggested, turning towards the palace to instruct the dark elves to prepare dinner. Throughout dinner, Alex pondered how to strengthen her undead during non-combat times. Clearly, it was a challenging problem, not solvable in the short term. She finally understood why so many researchers were bald. "Ah, this is so frustrating, it''s giving me a headache!" Alex decided to stop thinking about it. Starting with the bone dragon might have been a mistake; she should proceed step by step, starting with simpler tasks. She stripped off her clothes, dove into bed, pulled the covers over her head, and went to sleep. [Night retreats, dawn arrives!] Time: 06:00 AM Upon waking, Alex''s first sight was a system notification. [Congratulations on successfully conquering the Minotaur tribe, you''ve obtained an Auxiliary Barrack and a Race''s Tear.] Alex glanced at the time in the bottom right corner; the message had come at 1:30 AM. By now, the siblings had already returned to the undead city. Alex, wearing shorts and a long coat over her slippers, descended the stairs. The Race''s Tear was absorbed, increasing slightly. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade Progress: 27/100] As for the Auxiliary Barrack, after some thought, Alex decided to build it in Drake''s dragon city. A Monarch level Minotaur daily would be a significant aid to Drake. Dragons, though powerful, grew too slowly and could hinder Drake''s development pace. After summoning the troops, Alex resumed her research. Now that the development of the Undead City was on track, she could continue her studies while enjoying an experience boost. Her principle was simple: avoid direct involvement unless absolutely necessary, though she would intervene when needed. By midday, the siblings had just woken up. Learning that Alex hadn''t built the Minotaur Auxiliary Barrack in Gemini City, Xiao Hui showed no displeasure; in fact, she wasn''t fond of Minotaurs. As for Minotaur captives, there seemed to be none... All the Minotaurs had already been summoned by the Death Spirit and brought back as undead. In the afternoon, the six race kings had nearly cleared the remnants of the Orc Empire. The resources from Bloodrock City and surrounding camps had been brought back. Bloodrock City was burned to ashes by the undead, and the camps were destroyed. The surviving orcs were escorted north towards Gemini City by the undead. The triumphant race kings were now directing undead through the Portal of Transit to transport resources to the Undead City. Although the orc camps resources were meager, those from Bloodrock City were substantial. Meanwhile, the dwarf kingdom had restored order within a few days, and resources from some remote cities were also being transported to the Undead City. The dwarves'' labor productivity had significantly increased, boosting resource output by dozens of times. If asked what the most common building in the dwarf cities was now, it would undoubtedly be the Furnace. Even without relying on plunder from wars, Alex could sustain the Undead City''s consumption through production alone, though plundering was undoubtedly faster. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With resources from both dwarves and orcs arriving almost simultaneously at the Undead City, Alex temporarily set aside her research to deal with these materials. After collecting the resources with a single click and reviewing the system''s tally, Alex estimated she might be able to upgrade the city to its maximum level. "Looks like I can max out the city now?" Alex clicked to upgrade the city, and indeed, as the city reached level 8, just one level shy of level 9, the resource growth remained steady without the last level spiking in consumption. Without hesitation, Alex clicked to upgrade again, bringing the city to its maximum level. The entire Undead City began to expand; the walls grew taller and turned obsidian-like. The previously empty spaces were now covered with black stone surfaces. The palace area also expanded, with the black energy flowing through the walls becoming more solid, intertwining and covering the entire palace. Alex even felt that the blue flames burning in the skull''s eye sockets atop the black palace seemed more vigorous. "The area has expanded by about a quarter; this is the final scale of the Undead City," Alex observed from the air, overlooking the entire city. The exposed soil inside the city had turned into neat stone pavements. Although spacious, it at least looked decent now, unlike the previous impression of building a villa in a junkyard. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully upgrading the city to max level!] [You can now carry the city crystal and relocate the city at any time without wasting any resources, with a cooldown of seven days.] [From now on, your city crystal will no longer be linked to your life, but destruction of the city crystal will still have unknown effects on you.] A sudden system message made Alex think it was a reward notification, but it was actually informing her that even if the Undead City was destroyed, it wouldn''t affect her life anymore. "That''s... sort of good news, right?" At least now she wouldn''t be threatened by her city''s location being exposed or destroyed. "But what''s with this ''unknown''? There better not be any catch," Alex mused. She guessed that the city crystal might be crucial later on, so unless absolutely necessary, it shouldn''t be abandoned. Now that she could relocate the city at will, even if the Holy Court discovered the location of the undead city, Alex could easily move it, though she would need to scout a new location in advance. Overall, the two new features added to the max-level city made Alex much more flexible, no longer bound to her city and its original location. [City Name: Undead City] [City Level: lv.9 (Max)] [Health Points: 3000k] [City Territory: 30 square miles] [Buildings: Blackwater Altar, Bone Throne, Specter Chandelier, Magic Stone Pillar, defense tower, wall, Energy Cannon, Crystal Shield, Portal of Transit, undead fortress.] [Barracks: undead crystal, hobgoblin Auxiliary Barrack] [Upgrade Conditions: Non-upgradable] "Indeed, it''s maxed out, showing it can''t be upgraded anymore. I wonder if there will be changes after establishing the Undead Empire," Alex pondered, looking at the system dashboard. It seemed that not only the cities she subjugated but even her own city had reached their limits. The display of special buildings had eliminated those related to living conditions, showing only the barracks built within the Undead City. Now that the city was maxed out, the demand for resources was not as high, allowing her to focus on upgrading other cities. "I wonder when the Undead Barracks will reach max level," Alex mused, looking at the Essence Shards and magic crystals in the castle, mostly seized from the Orc Empire. These resources were not highly demanded for city construction but were plentiful for stockpiling. Alex chose to continue upgrading the barracks, but with her continuous upgrades, only four levels were achieved before the warehouse still had plenty left, and the barracks displayed a non-upgradable status. "The barracks are maxed out too?" Alex was surprised, followed by a system prompt. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully upgrading the undead crystal to max level!] [Special reward received: Undead Quintessence.] [The summoning method of the undead crystal has changed; it will now automatically summon thirty undead of any race each time, still able to randomly summon a race King (existing race kings will not be summoned), and it will not affect the summoning of special units.] The last system message provided Alex with a significant amount of information, giving her an epiphany. Recently, her attempts to summon troops had involved squeezing her chest, but it seemed not to bring her any luck. "So, it''s not that my luck has worsened or that I can''t summon a race King; it''s that their race Kings are still alive!" Alex became more convinced of her idea. Information from the Destroyer, Ghoul, and Eldrin had already informed her that the original undead Empire had nearly been wiped out, but some races had escaped the purge and hidden away. Now, it seemed not just the undead races had escaped the purge, but their race Kings had fled. A race King could endlessly summon their troops; a fleeing race King meant the race itself had escaped. Alex thought about her own situation¡ªif one day the Undead City lost her, the seven race kings would likely each go their own way. As for those undead without a king to command them, they would naturally be annihilated. Chapter 282 - 282: The ability to transform other beings into undead What exactly happened to the ancient undead Empire? Alex suspected that there were hidden secrets unknown to most. The previous undead lord was a native of the Eldoria continent and had many friends, yet he still disappeared in the end. His talents were undoubtedly not inferior to Alex''s. At his level, Alex couldn''t even begin to imagine how powerful the undead Empire must have been¡ªprobably filled with Emperor level beings as common as dogs and Sovereign levels everywhere. Influenced by her past life''s perspectives, "disappearance" often implied death. Otherwise, the vast undead Empire wouldn''t have crumbled. For instance, when Alex was trapped in the Nytheria continent, the Undead City continued to operate normally because all undead knew their queen was still alive. When Eldrin mentioned that the previous undead lord had disappeared, Alex was more inclined to believe he had died. Even the gods had decreed an oracle, turning the undead lord''s name into a taboo. "I hope I don''t end up like him," Alex thought. "Forget it, I shouldn''t dwell on this. I need to reach Emperor level before I can even think about approaching his level. Let''s check out the reward first." Alex decided not to ponder these thoughts anymore. Her only concern was that the feuds of the undead lord would inevitably involve her. For now, surviving and developing was the true path. As for other race Kings, it would depend on whether fate would allow her to encounter them. Even without them, the seven race kings were sufficient. What she needed to focus on now was the reward given by the fully upgraded Barrack system. Generally speaking, "Quintessence" was always valuable. [Energy: Undead Quintessence] [Effect: Has the ability to transform any living being into undead, with strength and form varying by species; enhances all personal undead magic; grants experience points.] [Side effects: Only absorbable by those with undead bloodline, otherwise, it will backfire and cause death.] "Sweet, this reward is really nice!" Alex was instantly thrilled. It seemed that Quintessence (primal power) of any species typically had severe side effects. For instance, Elf Quintessence would cause one to exhibit physical elf traits, and since undead were essentially reanimated dead, absorbing Undead Quintessence could likely cause instant death in ordinary beings. Alex took out the Undead Quintessence, a mass of black energy that looked unremarkable. "Absorb." Without hesitation, she chose to absorb it. Her experience points skyrocketed, and her six undead abilities were significantly enhanced, naturally granting her the ability to transform other beings into undead. Her magic was enhanced, but Alex didn''t feel a significant boost¡ªher understanding of her own magic deepened. For example, while both dark magic and lightning magic were high-level, her grasp of dark magic far exceeded that of lightning magic. "It looks like my research will progress quickly now." Alex stretched out her hand, feeling the growth in her strength. Although the description mentioned enhancing her magic, Alex distinctly felt a substantial increase in her attributes as well. "It''s a pity such a great reward only comes once." Alternatively, maybe this was always part of Alex''s abilities, just unlocked naturally at a certain level. With this thought, Alex felt much more comfortable. The Barrack would now automatically summon troops, freeing her from the daily reminder. Undead troops actually relied little on the Barrack; its remaining function might just be the random selection of race Kings, completely different from Drake''s reliance on his Barrack for troops. So whether the Barrack was at max level or not didn''t greatly benefit Alex. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Undead Crystal: lv30 (Max) (Unique Barrack)] [Troops: Skeleton Soldier, Zombie, Specter, Death Conqueror, Gargoyle, Bone Dragon, Ghost Dragon, Lich, Zombie Titan, Necromancer, Destroyer, Ghoul, Reaper Guard, Crypt Fiend.] [Description: Each undead type fixed at thirty units, extremely low chance to randomly summon a race King and special units, summoning troops'' base level raised to lv6 Commanding.] [Special Units: Acolyte, Dark Alchemy Warlock, Silverscale Leviathan] [Note: Special units have a fixed summoning number, not affected by Barrack changes, including: ten Acolytes, ten Dark Alchemy Warlocks, one Silverscale Leviathan.] "Fourteen types of troops, thirty each, that''s... four hundred and twenty units!" Alex was still a bit surprised. A max-level Barrack was something else, able to summon 441 undead daily. Special units and race Kings were now randomly drawn daily, rather than being obtained through Barrack upgrades. This was the most significant upgrade ever. Now, Essence Shards and magic crystals had purely become Alex''s alchemy materials, achieving resource independence. This greatly pleased Alex, as her power had indirectly increased again. As for the remaining resources, Alex allocated them all to Drake. His Barrack was upgraded six levels, and the resources in the Warehouse were completely depleted. Drake''s Rock Dragon Barrack reached level 21, reducing the cooldown from five days to three days. Alex''s next goal was to max out Drake''s Barrack to help him rapidly develop in the Mossvale continent. The Death Spirit''s clones were also in Dragon City, one to absorb the death energy produced by Drake''s battles, and the other to provide security protection. If Drake encountered a powerful enemy, the King-level Death Spirit could intervene. For the rest of the day, Alex didn''t continue her research but experimented with her newly acquired abilities. Suddenly, Alex paused. "Angels, Trolls, Titans, Dragons... could they all be transformed into undead? Wouldn''t having undead angels be cool?" Alex wasn''t sure, as angels and titans possessed divine attributes that might counteract her abilities. As for dragons, would transforming them into undead simply create bone dragons? No, bone dragons were summoned after death, which is [summoning]. The transformation from Undead Quintessence occurs while the target is alive, which is [transformation]¡ªthey are different abilities. So it definitely wouldn''t just create bone dragons; Alex suspected it would be a completely new type of undead. But these creatures were too powerful, and Alex had no opportunity to test this personally. "Looks like I need to focus on Raphaela!" Alex had set her sights on Raphaela, the angel Lord, surrounded by top-tier Lords¡ªexcellent subjects for experimentation. As Alex''s influence on the Arsen continent grew, Raphaela couldn''t hide for much longer. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] The sky gradually darkened, and Alex returned to the palace to dine with the trio. Xiao Hui and Sophie were still laughing and chatting like old friends, which Xiao Mu found very strange, but Alex didn''t notice because her mind was elsewhere. After dinner, Alex went upstairs to rest, and everyone else dispersed. Tonight at midnight was the leaderboard update, but Alex no longer cared. With her current stats, she didn''t think anyone could surpass her. After a bath, Alex stripped and fell into a deep sleep, not even waiting for the leaderboard refresh. Chapter 283 - 283: The first place on the leaderboard [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 7:00 AM The first thing Alex did upon waking was to level up to lv2 King level. As she opened the system dashboard to check the time, she was completely oblivious to the fact that she was sitting on her bed, stark naked. If anyone happened to be outside her window at that moment, they would have gotten quite the view. Fortunately, other than Alex, no one could access this place. "Why are there so many messages?" Alex noticed her private messages were at 999+ and so were her friend requests. Without even looking, she dismissed them all with a single click. Then she opened the system notifications in the bottom right corner, guessing it was probably due to the leaderboard update. As she read the dashboard, she got out of bed, barefoot, and started walking across the carpet to her wardrobe to get dressed. [The leaderboard has been refreshed!] [This ranking will conduct the most precise peak strength ranking. All Lords, Freelancers, Traitors, and Submissions will participate, and the leaderboard will now be permanently open!] [Special note: The leaderboard will no longer distribute special rewards, but Lords in the top ten will receive ten attribute points weekly, with double for the first place, uncapped.] Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [More and more local forces have started to notice the Lords; you must strive to become stronger!] After reading the message, Alex had put on her underwear and a skirt, and clattered downstairs in her slippers. By this time, the trio had already finished their breakfast and were casually chatting in the hall. "Ah, Big Short is here." Hearing the noise, the trio turned their heads as Alex slowly approached, casually pulled out a chair, yawned, and sat down. "Miss Alex, this time all four of us are in the top ten!" Xiao Hui was excited. It was the first time she had made it onto the leaderboard after so many updates. The only thing that slightly ''disappointed'' her was that Sophie was ranked ahead of them. But considering that after unifying the Dwarf Kingdom, many Monarch level dwarfs had submitted to her, and this ranking was about overall strength, not just personal power, it seemed reasonable that Sophie was ahead. "Is that so? Then we''ll be getting attribute points weekly, although the rewards aren''t as rich as before." Alex hadn''t checked the ranking yet, so she opened the leaderboard to see. | First place: [Hamburger] | Second place: [Calamity Source] | Third place: [QuartzStriker] | Fourth place: [Sky Dominator] | Fifth place: [Dragonridge] | Sixth place: [Phoenixcrest] | Seventh place: [Inferno] | Eighth place: [Holy Wing] | Ninth place: [King Ultraman] | Tenth place: [Amethyst] | ... "Huh, no wonder the Alliance has been so quiet. Could it be that Satan is sulking because his two allies are first and second, and he''s only seventh?" Alex could almost picture Satan''s expression. He wouldn''t know that Lilith ranked second because she had subjugated the elf king. Despite Alex''s efforts to suppress her, Raphaela still managed to stay in the top ten, which indicated that the current Lord hierarchy was settling. It was clear that these Lords were no longer a match for Alex. Half of the top ten were her people, and two others were allies, leaving only Raphaela, a potentially powerful hostile Lord. Aside from keeping an eye on Raphaela, Alex found the other Lords too weak to bother with. Raphaela wasn''t a threat yet, but Alex wasn''t about to wait for her to grow stronger before dealing with her. "Miss Alex, let me tell you, when I woke up today, I had 99+ messages. They all want to acknowledge me as their boss," Xiao Hui shared her excitement about receiving so many messages overnight, feeling like an overnight celebrity. "These Lords are strange. They''re so weak and yet they don''t focus on developing themselves, just on idle chatter," Sophie commented, but Xiao Hui just gave her a cold look and didn''t respond. Deep down, Xiao Hui knew that if it weren''t for the many Monarch Dwarfs, Sophie wouldn''t be ranked third. "This group of Lords lost their drive after surviving the beast tide. For them, staying hidden and alive is what matters most," Xiao Mu explained with a shrug, the World Chat was their only form of entertainment now. These Lords not only lacked initiative but also indulged in daydreams, hoping to latch onto the coattails of the top ten Lords. It was a typical gambler''s hope, like a street beggar dreaming of being noticed by a beautiful heiress and living a life of wealth. But is that realistic? Who would take in a useless person? However, this gave Raphaela a great opportunity to gather other Lords. While most of the leaderboard rejected these Lords, Raphaela''s acceptance would surely attract more followers, increasing her power through their faith. But not necessarily, as the surviving Lords had become very cautious and wouldn''t easily relocate their castles, making it not so easy for Raphaela to subdue them. Raphaela''s approach was something Alex disdained. She had already opened passages to three other continents, which was more than sufficient for her needs. "Now, World Chat is mostly about the leaderboard. One topic is about our leader, and the other is about us three because our names have never appeared before. Now we''re celebrities too," Xiao Mu said. "Yeah, Lords keep sending friend requests every moment. Now I understand why Alex always blocks system messages. It''s really annoying," Xiao Hui pretended to be distressed, but couldn''t quite suppress a smile. "Heh, before they only knew these top Lords were powerful. Now with a precise ranking of strength, there''s no more debate about which Lord is stronger," Sophie added, who followed World Chat daily. This topic was always under discussion, and now the leaderboard had effectively shut them up. "This leaderboard will always be there now, which is good because it clearly shows the current level of Lord strength." Alex was familiar with the top seven, and knowing each other''s strengths, she ranked first with her King level, indicating that the current Lords were only at the early to mid-level Monarch stage. The Lords'' growth time was still too short. Compared to the Local forces, they were still very weak. Alex scrolled through the leaderboard, but it was too long to see the end, and the system didn''t display the total number of Lords. She had hoped to use this opportunity to see how many Lords were left, but now she had to abandon that idea. Chapter 284 - 284: Mage captives In the continent of Valoria, deep beneath the surface in the town of demons, Satan was fuming with rage, a reaction that had him ironically laughing for the first time. "What kind of ridiculous ranking is this? I''m only in seventh place? Who are Dragonridge and Phoenixcrest? I''ve never even heard of them, and they rank higher than me! I want all their information in three minutes!" he commanded. Abaddon, standing beside him, simply turned and walked away. He wasn''t actually going to look up the information; it was an impossible task. He just didn''t want to deal with Satan''s frenzy. Inside the castle, Cain and Earl had grown accustomed to Satan''s antics. They acted as if they hadn''t heard anything and quietly moved away. Satan continued to rant and rave for ten minutes before he realized that, at some point, he had been left completely alone in the town. "Where is everyone, damn it?!" His voice echoed through the abyss, but no one responded. Meanwhile, on the continent of Arsen, several thousand yards away from Ironforge, atop a desolate mountain, stood three figures. Two were cloaked in black robes, their faces hidden. The third, slightly shorter and dressed in plain clothes that seemed to be women''s attire, had no discernible chest, confirming his male identity. "Gentlemen, just ahead lies the destroyed Ironforge; the dwarf kingdom has fallen," Nori said obsequiously to the two cloaked mages. The trio had traveled together to the dwarf kingdom, which indeed lay in ruins as Nori had described, obliterated by an unknown force. One mage lifted his head to look at the other, his eyes clear beneath the hood. "Could it be the Holy Court?" "Let''s go and see for ourselves," responded the other mage, a man of action who preferred not to overthink. Known among mages as a barbarian for his straightforward approach, he was not one to engage in unnecessary contemplation. However, Nori stopped them. "Gentlemen, I know where their headquarters are, at the southern border in Grimstone." "And how would you know that?" asked the mage, skeptical yet not entirely dismissive. "Gentlemen, I was once the city lord of Grimstone. I escaped from there; I assure you, I am not lying." Convinced by Nori''s earnestness, and knowing they were sent to investigate the fall of the dwarf kingdom, the mages decided to trust him. The group immediately set off for Grimstone to the south. Nori knew the creatures responsible were undead, supported by extraterrestrial visitors, but he kept this to himself. The idea was too far-fetched for the Mage Association to believe that extraterrestrial visitors had annihilated the dwarf kingdom. Thus, Nori provided only hints, leaving the mages to uncover the truth themselves. His lineage, as Alex had guessed, was indeed part human, part dwarf, born during a tumultuous time when the dwarf king had just died, and the kingdom was on the brink of chaos. The ambitious chieftain of the Silverbeard Clan, knowing he couldn''t seize the throne alone, had secretly sought human support from the Mage Association. The Mage Association, primarily concerned with human affairs, bluntly refused to help unify the dwarf kingdom under the Silverbeard Clan. The dejected chieftain then came to a human city tavern, hoping to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but this decision led to a fateful encounter. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Known for his love of ale, the chieftain met a one-star mage from the Mage Association in a tavern. Unaware of each other''s identities, they drank heavily and, under the influence of alcohol, the dwarf and the human female mage had sexual relations. This encounter directly led to the human female mage''s pregnancy with the dwarf''s child, who would become Nori. The human female mage then used cloning technology to extract the embryo from her body. The ''Nori'', still just a fertilized egg, was sent back to the Silverbeard Clan. It was then that the chieftain realized the gravity of his mistake. The human mage did not pursue the matter but severed all contact after imposing a gag order. ''Nori'' was implanted into a female dwarf and born into the world, only learning of his true heritage as an adult. When the Silverbeard Clan faced extinction, the chieftain again sought help from the human mage, only to be rebuffed. After the clan''s fall, Nori fled to other clans and eventually escaped from Grimstone to the Mage Association, where he met his biological mother for the first time. She denied their relationship and threatened him but agreed to use her influence to combat the forces that destroyed the dwarf kingdom¡ªa task fitting the Mage Association''s role, especially since a neighboring kingdom had been mysteriously wiped out. However, the precondition for action was to gather detailed intelligence and find a suitable pretext, which was why Nori and the two mages had come to this place. As they approached Grimstone, the silhouette of the town began to emerge. "What is that?" one mage asked, noting the ominous aura emanating from an undead fortress not far from Grimstone. "Be careful, do not engage with the enemy. We are here to investigate," the other mage cautioned, aware that the force capable of annihilating an entire kingdom was beyond their ability to confront. Their mission was to gather information covertly and then return to the Mage Association. "Nori, well done bringing two humans here," a raspy, chilling voice suddenly echoed. "Who''s there?" the mages reacted defensively, spotting a floating creature nearby. "It looks like... a lich?! What the hell, how could there be undead here?" The mages prepared to strike, hoping to eliminate the lich quickly before any major forces reacted. However, as they began to form a magic circle, several bone constructs swiftly bound them, preventing any rash actions. Seeing the situation turn dire, Nori pulled out a teleportation device and vanished, leaving only his womanly garments floating down from the sky. The lich had intentionally let Nori escape, following orders from the Death Spirit, which maintained clones in all cities for rapid intelligence transmission and defense¡ªa highly effective strategy commanded by Alex. The two human mages, merely level 2 Monarchs, stood no chance against a level 7 lich. They were taken to Grimstone, already under surveillance by the dwarfs, and Alex had been informed early on. Surprised by Nori''s audacity to return, Alex admired his courage. His bringing the mages indicated he had sought refuge with the humans after his escape. Why the humans had come here was unknown to Alex, but she did not wish to provoke the Mage Association. Thus, she had spared the two mages'' lives and intentionally let Nori escape to sow discord between him and the humans. The mages were now bound to the walls of Grimstone, silent and contemplative, aware that their fate might soon be sealed. The town housed only one lich, with other undead stationed in the distant fortress. However, a significant number of Monarch-level dwarfs, mostly mid to high-level, remained in the town, having submitted to this unknown force. These dwarfs alone were more than a match for the two mages. Their capture, rather than immediate execution, gave them a sliver of confidence. As members of the Mage Association, no power would openly antagonize them and risk becoming enemies. Their identity was their bargaining chip, hoping their captor was not a reckless madman. Soon, Alex arrived at Grimstone via the undead fortress, spotting the two mages in mage robes on the wall as she descended from the sky. The situation had been clarified to her by the Death Spirit before her arrival. Alex landed on the wall and slowly approached the mages, the dwarfs parting to create a path for her. The moment the mages saw Alex, their pupils constricted¡ªthey had not expected an extraterrestrial visitor! And judging by the dwarfs'' deference, this extraterrestrial visitor was likely the mastermind. How could an extraterrestrial have such formidable power? Alex, uninterested in interrogation since mastering high-level soul magic, now had the ability to control others, albeit briefly compared to the long-term control exerted by Raphaela and Lilith. As a flash of blue light passed through her left eye, the mages'' expressions became vacant and listless, their eyes dulling as they came under her influence. Chapter 285 - 285: The location of Stone Pillar Mountain Alex released their bindings and began to question them. "Where are you from?" "We are from the Mage Association of the Southridge Republic, specifically from the Yellowrock City branch, as one-star mages." "Why did you come to the dwarf kingdom?" "We were ordered to investigate because we received information that the dwarf kingdom has fallen." "What do you know about Nori?" "We''re not sure. It''s very likely that he was the one who spread the news of the dwarf kingdom''s demise. He informed higher-level mages and accompanied us here to assist with the investigation." Alex paused her questioning and began to ponder, while the two mages stood motionless, caught in their thoughts. Nori''s mysterious identity seemed to confirm that letting him escape had been a wise decision. These two mages were at the Monarch level, and anyone capable of commanding them must be at least at the King level. Therefore, killing Nori outright could have drawn unnecessary complications; it was better to gather more information first. The Republic seemed somewhat different from an Empire, but Alex suspected it was just a matter of terminology; in reality, their scale and power were probably comparable. What truly intrigued Alex was Yellow Rock City. From the name alone, she deduced that the Mage Association''s branch in this city likely specialized in earth-based magic. Since these two mages were unclear about Nori''s origins, Alex decided not to probe further and instead shifted the conversation to gather some information about the human race. From their discussion, Alex learned that the Southridge Republic was located north of the dwarf kingdom, at least ten thousand miles away¡ªa considerable distance. The buffer zones between them were inhabited by relatively weaker races that posed no threat to either humans or dwarfs. Even a Commanding level bone dragon would need several hours to cross such a distance. It seemed unlikely that the events in the dwarf kingdom would attract human attention, as a power without even a King level presence wouldn''t be taken seriously by the humans. Through further questioning, Alex discovered that the president of the Yellow Rock City branch was a seven-star Archmage, a level of power even weaker than the Vice President of Nytheria Continent. Eldrin, a nine-star Archmage, was a half-step Emperor level being. "By the way, do you know where Stone Pillar Mountain is?" Alex suddenly asked. She had previously inquired about this location with orcs, dwarfs, and even Lilith had asked the elves, but none knew of its whereabouts. Perhaps the humans had some information. After reaching the maximum city level, Alex was even more eager to locate Raphaela, as once her city reached max level, she could relocate it at any time, making it difficult for Alex to find her later. The two mages remained silent for a minute without speaking. Alex felt somewhat disappointed. Could it be that even the humans didn''t know the exact location of Stone Pillar Mountain? "It was originally called Mount Halo, wasn''t it? Stone Pillar Mountain is just a later name given by the beings," one mage finally spoke. "It''s said that Mount Halo is located at the very center of the continent, where the elemental forces are incredibly dense. It''s a place where various races go to seek blessings from their deities, hence it''s called a sacred mountain." "There''s also a belief that only those with sincere hearts can reach the sacred mountain, but we in the Mage Association don''t believe in deities because we have our own gods." "Senior officials once investigated and found out that the Angel race was manipulating things to gather faith power. After an unpleasant negotiation, the matter was dropped." "Once the truth was revealed, the so-called sacred mountain became a joke and was later referred to as Stone Pillar Mountain by the beings. It''s actually located on a rocky wasteland north of the Republic, not at the center of the continent as previously thought, roughly equidistant from the Holy Court and the Republic." The two mages took turns adding details, recounting the legend and the unveiled truth of Stone Pillar Mountain to Alex without missing a beat. Unexpectedly, the humans indeed knew the location of Stone Pillar Mountain! It seemed a visit to the Southridge Republic was in order. To reach Stone Pillar Mountain, bypassing the Republic was not an option. With her status as an Honorary Mage, Alex felt confident. In the relatively weaker Yellow Rock City branch, her two-star Magus status would certainly hold more sway than most mages there. Alex had no intention of revealing her plans to the humans. The identity of the Angel Lord required cautious handling. Moreover, although there were no angels on the Arsen Continent, there was a Holy Court. If they learned that one of the extraterrestrial visitors was an Angel Lord, the outcome could become unpredictable. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One possibility was that they might kill Raphaela outright, which Alex would prefer; another was that she could be accepted by the Angel race, after which Alex would lose any chance to eliminate her. The Holy Court was also human; what if they had insiders within the Mage Association? To be safe, Alex decided to take matters into her own hands. "You saw nothing today. The dwarf kingdom has not fallen; Nori tricked you into coming here to incite a war between the humans and dwarfs, understand?" Alex''s left eye flashed with a white light as she spoke to the two mages. "Understood," the mages nodded, and then Alex released them, allowing them to return to Yellow Rock City. When Nori next encountered these mages, he would surely be in for a shock. Since Nori was acquainted with higher-level mages, Alex decided to create some trouble for him. After manipulating the mages with her soul magic, they now harbored intense hatred for Nori and would not hesitate to kill him upon their next meeting. These two mages could not be killed; doing so would only bring trouble for Alex, and with her already vast number of undead, these two low-tier Monarch level mages were not essential. For Alex, these mages were far more valuable alive. "Well done. Increase surveillance in the area, and report any information on other races immediately to the Death Spirit," Alex instructed the gathering of dwarfs and liches. "Yes, leader (queen)," they responded. Soon, the two Monarch mages flew away from the dwarf kingdom. As they moved further from Grimstone, the confusion in their eyes faded, and they regained their senses, remembering nothing of what had just transpired. "Damn it, that scoundrel Nori dared to set us up!" one mage fumed. "Let''s report back immediately. I want to personally execute him!" the other declared, and they hastened their pace back to Yellow Rock City. As for why they thought they had escaped, they didn''t dwell on it, assuming it was due to the prestige of the Mage Association and their own strength. How could a bunch of non-flying dwarfs possibly hold them? Chapter 286 - 286: Fuse same races tears After handling matters on this end, Alex returned to Undead City, feeling elated upon learning the location of Stone Pillar Mountain. Raphaela was ranked eighth. As long as her ranking didn''t rise, Alex could roughly gauge her strength based on the top few ranks. Regarding the speed of upgrading the city, Alex considered herself quite fast. Normally, reaching a max-level city would require a Lord to have King-level power. Therefore, Alex wasn''t worried about Raphaela''s city reaching max level anytime soon. As for informing her two allies, Alex deemed it unnecessary. She could handle this herself, and neither Lilith nor Satan were mages. They''d likely expose their identities the moment they entered the Southridge Republic. Even as an honorary Magus, it wouldn''t make sense for Alex to appear in a human city with fallen angels and demons in tow. "Big Shot, did you catch Nori?" Seeing Alex return, Sophie immediately approached and asked. As for the siblings, they had no idea who Nori was. "No, I let the lich release him. He has some ties with the mage association. I''ll check it out myself another day." After all, he''s just a level 1 Monarch. He can''t stir up much trouble. If he had any real backing, he would''ve already led mages to attack Grimstone instead of investigating. "I could tell right away he''s a half-breed between a dwarf and a human. I''ve seen many dwarves, and his features are quite different. Plus, he''s taller than the average dwarf." Hearing that Nori had ties with humans, Sophie became even more convinced of her theory. She knew a lot about dwarves. Even dwarf women looked similar to men, with beards and rough features. Without close observation, it was hard to tell dwarf men and women apart. But Nori had no beard, which was very unusual. "That makes sense. It''s quite possible." Sophie''s words made Alex think it was indeed possible. Maybe Nori''s mother was a human mage. "Big Shot, I even asked Durin about this. Other dwarves know Nori is a dwarf, but Durin has no memory of ever seeing Nori''s mother. There''s definitely something fishy here." "Seems like our guess is pretty close to the truth." Alex didn''t pay much attention to it. If Nori was indeed born of a human, it would be even more taboo, especially if his mother was a human mage. Alex was sure the other party wouldn''t dare admit to any relationship with Nori. "Ah, so this Nori is just a half-dwarf?" Listening to their conversation, Xiao Hui couldn''t help but chime in. "Yeah, that sounds about right. But at least they''re both human, so the offspring wouldn''t be some creature that everyone would reject." Sophie nodded, and Alex remembered something Lilith had told her. Elves and humans often intermarried because many human men were fond of female elves... S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It depends on the genes. Look at goblins; they rely on females of other races to reproduce. But their genes are special, so their offspring always look like goblins." Xiao Mu gave an example that made the three of them feel quite disgusted. "Alright, let''s drop this topic. By the way, I forgot to enhance the buildings today." With that, Alex left the palace and took out an enhancement crystal. "Should I enhance the Blackwater Altar first or the Specter Chandelier?" Enhancing the Specter Chandelier to a King-level building might strengthen its concealment effect, making it undetectable even to King-level beings. But there was no guarantee of this effect. After some thought, Alex decided to enhance the Blackwater Altar first. The city''s location was already exposed, so enhancing the Specter Chandelier wouldn''t be very useful. A better approach would be to find a suitable place to relocate the castle. Once she ensured her city''s absolute safety, she would head to Stone Pillar Mountain to attack Raphaela''s city. After enhancing the Blackwater Altar, several new abilities were added. First, the range of increasing troop loyalty expanded to all cities under her command. Second, the enhancement level was raised to King level. Previously, it could only enhance troops below King level, granting them special abilities. Now, it could also enhance directly summoned King-level undead, addressing a previous shortcoming. Of course, some undead that couldn''t be enhanced, like Death Spirits, were still unaffected. The Blackwater Altar was more like an auxiliary building for enhancing low-level undead. While it had some effect on high-level undead, it was mostly useful in the early stages. Next, Alex assigned tasks to everyone. The current goals were twofold: relocate the undead city to a new location and eliminate Raphaela. The long-term goal was to establish an undead empire and become the strongest. The small races near the Orc Empire couldn''t be touched for now. The four King-level templar knights were still a strong deterrent. They had to be cautious and let the orcs explore the outskirts first. As for the dwarf kingdom, it was relatively safer. They could first eliminate the surrounding small races to upgrade the Kingdom''s Tear. Alex dispatched Crane and John for this task. With the Death Spirit Clone and a group of Monarch Undead assisting, there was no need to worry. The next target was the Savage Plains north of Twinface Mountain. There were many beast races there, which Alex couldn''t ignore. These Monarch races no longer posed any threat to Alex. She needed to focus on empires established by King-level beings to speed up the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade. Alex had already met the three basic conditions and could establish the Undead Kingdom at any time. As for the Undead Empire, it depended on whether the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade progressed faster or Alex''s own level-up speed. Without the system''s experience rewards, leveling up would only get slower as the level increased. Soon, the four race kings and the siblings headed directly to the undead fortress at Twinface Mountain and began their conquest of the Savage Plains. Alex controlled the overall situation from Undead City, while Sophie went to Grimstone to oversee the dwarves'' next actions. Everything was falling into place. Meanwhile, on the Mossvale continent, Drake, along with the Rock Dragon and a group of Monarch levels summoned from the Auxiliary Barrack, successfully conquered a race. This was a small sub-dragon species in the primeval forest, about the size of an adult human, feeding on the carrion of other herbivorous sub-dragons. Their strength was naturally weak, with the highest being only level 6 Monarch. But they lived in groups, and Drake found their lair and wiped them out. It''s worth mentioning that Drake''s Rock Dragon was a purebred dragon, which had absolute dominance over these sub-dragons with diluted bloodlines. This was the main reason he could easily conquer them. These creatures were called [Flame Dragon Lizards], bipedal with clawed forelimbs, resembling featherless chickens. As the name suggests, they could breathe fire and were known for their speed. However, they couldn''t fly due to the lack of wings. "How many types of dragon lizards are there?" Drake stood before the slain Flame Dragon Lizard leader, holding a race''s Tear. This wasn''t the first race he had conquered here. He had previously conquered two other races: Frost Dragon Lizards and Thunder Dragon Lizards. They were similar in size and appearance to the Flame Dragon Lizards but could breathe frost and lightning, respectively. Logically, these three creatures should belong to the same race. But when Drake conquered them, each rewarded him with a race''s Tear. This puzzled Drake, so he temporarily stored these race''s Tears in the Warehouse. He initially thought two races were a coincidence, but encountering a third one today was unexpected. These lizards had very weak dragon bloodlines. Drake didn''t even understand why they were called sub-dragons. As for why he conquered them, it was because they were weak and close to Dragon City. Drake didn''t even bother to disassemble the corpses, instead feeding them directly to the Rock Dragons. These sub-dragons with a trace of dragon blood were the best food for them. Whoosh¡ª A gust of wind blew, scattering leaves and dust as a Rock Dragon retracted its wings and landed. "Master, another type of dragon lizard has been found to the south." The Rock Dragon spoke to Drake. "Lead the way!" Drake leaped onto the Rock Dragon''s back, and five Rock Dragons and six Monarch levels flew south. The dragons weaved through the massive trees, then soared above the forest. Drake used magic to clear the leaves blocking his view. Instantly, a blinding light shone through, and the surroundings became clear. The dragons flew out of the primeval forest formed by giant ancient trees, soaring in the sky. The forest stretched endlessly in all directions, with no end in sight. Drake didn''t dare to imagine how vast this primeval forest was. The forest wasn''t suitable for the large dragons to fly in, but flying above the forest helped conceal their presence. After flying south for twenty minutes, the dragons dove into the forest. On the ground, the Rock Dragon Lizards were gnawing on a large carcass. When they heard the commotion and looked up, it was too late. Boom! The massive bodies of the Rock Dragons landed, surrounding the Rock Dragon Lizards. The lizards sensed danger but were paralyzed by the Rock Dragons'' Dragon''s Presence, unable to move. The leader roared, awakening the surrounding lizards, which trembled as they attacked the dragons. A yellow mist spewed out, their ability to petrify creatures, essential for hunting and defense. However, their survival skill had no effect on the Rock Dragons. A Rock Dragon opened its jaws and instantly devoured a Rock Dragon Lizard, scaring the others into fleeing. Roar! A breath of dragon''s earth-yellow flame engulfed them, turning them into statues. Drake kicked the lizard leader, shattering it. With the system''s prompt, he successfully conquered this race. "Rock Dragon Lizards..." What a strange race. Four types of lizards, each rewarding a race''s Tear and an Auxiliary Barrack, all with special rewards. Because of Drake''s dragon bloodline, some races with dragon bloodline offered special rewards that could be exchanged for Dragon Quintessence in the system. This was something Drake discovered after conquering the first sub-dragon race here, realizing he had a ''talent.'' Compared to the rewards of skills or items, Dragon Quintessence was clearly more important. Depending on the bloodline''s dilution, the size of the Quintessence varied, but without exception, the Quintessence not only enhanced his bloodline power but also provided experience points. Drake casually retrieved the race''s Tear and planned to return with his troops. Although this place was full of opportunities, it was also very dangerous, so he had to be cautious. Without stabilizing the city''s surroundings, he wouldn''t venture deeper. But just as Drake obtained the Rock Dragon Lizard''s reward, the system displayed a prompt he had never seen before. [Detected four types of the same race''s Tear. Fuse them?] [Note: Auxiliary Barrack will also fuse, granting additional rewards.] Drake hesitated for just a split second before choosing to fuse, not for the additional rewards, but out of curiosity to see what would happen after the fusion. Chapter 287 - 287: The mysterious mans plea for help [Congratulations on successfully fusing four types of the same race''s Tear, upgrading to Kingdom''s Tear, and obtaining an Auxiliary Barrack and Dragon Quintessence.] As night fell, Drake, who had been busy all day, needed rest and returned to his city alone. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends.] Back in the city, Drake immediately absorbed the Dragon Quintessence. His body trembled, and soon his level reached lv5, matching the Xiao siblings. He then checked the Auxiliary Barrack. As for the Kingdom''s Tear, he didn''t know its use and decided to leave it to Alex. [Auxiliary Barrack: Dragon Lizard] [Description: Automatically summons one Dragon Lizard daily. Current summoning level: lv2 Monarch.] "Dragon Lizard?" So the special change after fusion was just removing their prefixes? Drake didn''t mind; as long as he got the reward, it was fine. He then built the Auxiliary Barrack. Alex had previously said he could handle the Auxiliary Barracks he obtained from conquered races as he saw fit, either building them himself or handing them over to her. Drake chose to build it himself, making it the first Auxiliary Barrack he constructed here. Once the Barrack was completed, a lv2 Dragon Lizard was summoned. Seeing the Dragon Lizard, Drake''s mouth twitched. This Dragon Lizard wasn''t much different in size from the previous four types, except it had wings. The front claws were gone, replaced by wing tips like a bat''s wings. But its wings had feathers, and combined with its bipedal stance, it looked more like a... "Holy shit, it''s just a chicken!" Drake couldn''t help but curse, then checked the Dragon Lizard''s attributes. Unlike the previous four types with different attributes, this one had all four attributes, could fly, and had a domain. In terms of abilities, it completely surpassed the four different lizards, as those Monarch-level lizards didn''t have domains. Though it was still a Monarch, Drake could accept it. Sub-dragons came in various shapes and forms, many of them bizarre. "Sigh, if the dragons don''t hurry up and level up, the Auxiliary Barrack troops will surpass them." Sometimes Drake felt helpless. Alex''s leveling speed was too fast. She had just reached Lv1 King level not long ago and was already Lv2. Back in the palace, Drake started preparing his dinner. He casually took a Rock Dragon Lizard''s corpse and divided it into several pieces. Due to his dragon bloodline, he had developed a preference for meat. As his strength grew, he found more parts of his body could transform into dragon form. From his hands to wings and tail, it wouldn''t be long before he could perfectly switch between human and dragon forms. "So dragons can also take human form?" Based on his abilities, he speculated that powerful dragons might have a way to transform into human form. He just didn''t know if this was based on strength or bloodline awakening. Drake placed a large plate of roasted Dragon Lizard meat on the table and began feasting. While eating, he reported the day''s strange events to Alex, mainly to remind her about the Kingdom''s Tear in the Warehouse. Otherwise, Drake seriously doubted Alex would notice it for days... Meanwhile, in Undead City, Alex was having dinner with the three others when she received Drake''s message. She put down her knife and fork, listening to Drake''s account. Alex: "Four Auxiliary Barracks fused to summon a chicken?" Drake: "Correction, it''s a Dragon Lizard, not a Chicken. This fusion Barrack feature is new to me, so I thought I''d let you know." Alex: "I''ve never seen it either, but it''s not important. The important thing is getting the reward." Drake: "Also, the four race''s Tears fused into a Kingdom''s Tear. I already put it in the Warehouse." Alex: "Yeah, I noticed." It was indeed strange. Normally, it should only give one race''s Tear. Clearly, these four lizards belonged to the same race. Maybe they were once part of the same kingdom and later split up. Anyway, the rewards improved, so why overthink it? Alex took out two Kingdom''s Tears from the Warehouse. If Drake hadn''t mentioned it, she might not have noticed. But as their leader, could she admit that? Of course not. Seeing the suddenly appearing Kingdom''s Tears, everyone looked over in confusion. "Drake got them," Alex explained, then began absorbing them. [Kingdom''s Tear current upgrade progress: 31/100] It increased by 4 points, bringing her closer to upgrading to Empire''s Tear. "How did he manage to conquer a kingdom in just a few days?" Xiao Hui was surprised by Drake''s speed. "It''s normal. His troops are dragons, very powerful," Xiao Mu explained. The races near them had been cleared out, so their situation was different. "No, it''s four race''s Tears fused into one," Alex explained to the three, who were equally astonished. "Maybe it was originally one Kingdom''s Tear that split," Xiao Mu analyzed, which made sense to Alex. Otherwise, it wouldn''t explain why they could fuse, and each Dragon Lizard had one. As night fell, everyone dispersed and returned to their palaces. They had to fight enemies during the day, so these evening chats were their most relaxing moments. At dawn, unnoticed by anyone, a black energy beam shot into the sky from the center of the Dark Forest, then quickly disappeared. The mysterious figure meditating at the center had a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, and his aura weakened. "Sigh, maybe it''s time to bring her to the Dark Forest..." [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Dim light filtered into the room, and Alex groggily opened her eyes, got out of bed, and started her usual morning routine. As she bent down to put on her white thigh-high stockings, a system prompt suddenly appeared, making her pupils contract. [Your territory is under enemy invasion!] Alex immediately jumped out the window, grabbing her scythe mid-air and flying rapidly towards the city outskirts. An invasion of the city could only mean a King-level enemy! "Detect invading creature information!" [Enemy strength: lv3 King-level Troll, quantity: 1] As Alex wondered where this Troll came from, she reached the city edge and saw the creature outside the walls. The others had also responded, and the city''s defenses were now exceptionally tight after the last King-level templar knights'' invasion. Four gargoyles awakened and flew over the outer city; the bone piles on the walls shattered into a giant skeletal creature exuding King-level aura! The Death Spirit clone swapped places with the main body, appearing beside Alex, along with several Reaper Guards. The siblings and Sophie arrived last. "Wait!" Just as the King-level undead were about to swarm, Alex stopped them. She recognized this Troll as the one that attacked her when she first entered the Dark Forest. She didn''t expect it to be King-level. The Troll stood quietly outside the city gate, not even holding its weapon, with no killing intent. Considering its position deep in the Dark Forest and its possible connection to the mysterious figure, it might be here because the mysterious figure wanted to see her. Alex jumped off the wall. The Troll''s strength wasn''t enough to kill her instantly, especially on undead territory. "Does the one in the Dark Forest want to see me?" Alex asked, looking at the Troll''s towering figure. "Yes, my leader wants to see you. Follow me," the Troll''s rough voice replied, looking down at Alex before turning towards the Dark Forest. "Wait a minute!" Alex called out, and the Troll turned back, puzzled. "I need to put on my shoes first." With that, Alex flew back to the city, and the Troll noticed she was wearing only socks. The Troll thought for a moment, realizing its leader also wore shoes, and quickly understood. Back on the wall, the siblings were the first to ask. "What happened? Isn''t it an enemy?" "No, I need to go to the Dark Forest. You all carry on with your tasks." With Alex''s order, the undead began to disperse. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Will it be dangerous?" Xiao Mu asked, worried. "He saved me before. It should be safe. Don''t worry," Alex reassured them, and they had no choice but to let it go. Alex then flew to her palace bedroom. Within minutes, Alex, now wearing shoes, reappeared before the Troll. "Let''s go." Alex called out, and the Troll silently led the way into the Dark Forest. Entering the outskirts, Alex felt a bit embarrassed seeing the dead trees felled by skeletons. As she wondered why the Troll was walking so slowly, it suddenly stopped. A white magic circle appeared under its feet. With her knowledge of high-level magic, Alex recognized it as a spatial teleportation circle. She finally understood the Troll''s strange ability to appear instantly during the attack¡ªit involved spatial magic. But could a Troll, seemingly clumsy and not very smart, use magic? Alex had seen the Troll Lord before and remembered his transformation ability, with no trace of magic. The Troll looked at Alex, clearly indicating she should stand in the magic circle. Without hesitation, Alex stood beside the Troll in the teleportation array. With a flash of white light, they disappeared from the Dark Forest outskirts. After a moment of disorientation, Alex opened her eyes to observe her surroundings. The uneven terrain, towering pines and firs, and the faint sound of flowing water. Not far ahead, an elderly man with disheveled hair sat cross-legged on a boulder. His hair was shoulder-length, as if it hadn''t been groomed for years. When Alex saw his shoes, she was shocked. "You''re a Lord?!!" The white shoes bore a three-stripe logo, impossible to be from Eldoria. Hearing Alex''s exclamation, the mysterious man slowly opened his eyes, unsurprised by her reaction, as he had anticipated it. "Lord? I haven''t heard that title in many years," the mysterious man spoke slowly. His voice, mismatched with his appearance, sounded like a thirty-year-old despite looking ninety. Alex''s mind was in turmoil. This mysterious man couldn''t be from her batch of Lords. There had been another batch of Lords before they crossed over! This was shocking. The mysterious man didn''t rush to speak, giving Alex time to process. The Troll silently left after delivering Alex. Alex had many questions but didn''t know where to start. After a moment, the mysterious man broke the silence. "My name is Edgar. It''s been so long I can barely remember. I know you have many questions, but I''m here to ask for your help. I''ll answer your questions afterward." "What kind of help does someone as powerful as you need from me?" Alex asked humbly. After all, the mysterious man had saved her, but she needed to know the situation before agreeing to help. "There is some risk, but it should be manageable for you. If successful, you should receive a system reward," Edgar said calmly, waiting for Alex''s response. Chapter 288 - 288: Source of Fear Alex felt utterly bewildered by what she heard, but the promise of a reward and Edgar''s confident tone convinced her to give it a shot. "Though I''m not sure what you see in me, you saved my life, and I''ll do my best to repay you," Alex replied politely. "It was nothing. Even if I hadn''t saved you, someone else would have. This information was given to me by that person," Edgar said, leaving Alex puzzled. Huh? Since when did I have such a mysterious benefactor? Could it be that the missing undead lord suddenly appeared, wreaking havoc to protect his heir? "Can you tell me who this person is?" Alex asked with a curious, almost childlike expression, only for Edgar to respond with a simple, "That''s classified." "Alright then, let''s get down to business," Alex said, slightly miffed but willing to move on. "It''s a hidden threat in the Dark Forest. I''ve heard that the Undead Lord''s weapon has powerful sealing abilities. As the new Undead Lord, you likely have this ability too. Could I take a look at your weapon?" Edgar''s calm demeanor belied the shocking information he casually revealed, leaving Alex stunned. He was from the same era as the undead lord! Edgar remained seated on the boulder, unmoving, as Alex approached and handed him her scythe, taking the opportunity to ask, "Master, were you friends with the undead lord?" Edgar shook his head, accepting the scythe. "We only met a few times. We weren''t exactly friends." "What kind of person do you think the undead lord was?" Alex asked, seizing the chance to learn more while Edgar examined her weapon. Edgar pondered for a moment, as if recalling distant memories. "Most people saw him as a reckless youth, but his talent was undeniable." Reckless youth? Maybe that''s why he ended up being betrayed. Seeing Alex''s interest in the undead lord, Edgar shared a bit more from his memories. "From the fall of the undead Empire to your emergence, it''s clear he''s dead. The dark clouds over Eldoria are his doing. The red moon has a strange power, dispersing the clouds at night, only for them to return by day. This has been going on for centuries." Edgar sighed, perhaps lamenting the fall of a genius or simply sharing all he knew. It confirmed Alex''s suspicions. Alex absorbed the information, noting two key points: the undead lord was almost certainly dead, and he died on Eldoria. There might be some mysterious connection to her own origins here. Edgar offered no further details, and Alex didn''t press for more, waiting patiently as he examined her weapon. After a moment, Edgar returned the scythe to Alex. "Though I''ve never seen the previous undead lord''s weapon, yours is indeed extraordinary. What he said is true; your weapon has strong sealing capabilities." "What do I need to do?" Alex asked, holding the scythe. She hadn''t known about its sealing power, as the system description didn''t mention it. But Edgar had no reason to deceive her. She figured the sealing power must be related to the weapon''s "Soul Concentration." "A powerful creature is sealed in the forest. I need your scythe to seal it completely," Edgar said, looking at Alex. "Can you tell me more?" Alex asked, estimating Edgar''s strength to be at least Emperor level, possibly Sovereign level. If he couldn''t handle it, how could a King-level weapon suffice? And why "seal" instead of "kill"? Was the creature too strong for him to defeat? If so, how could she seal it? "The creature is called the [Source of Fear]. It''s formless and intangible, impossible to kill, only seal. As for its origin..." Edgar paused, a pained expression crossing his face before he continued, and Alex listened silently. "It''s not a native creature but a troop of a Lord. I won''t name him, but he was my close friend, as talented as the undead lord, the top Lord of his time, much like you now." Edgar paused, giving Alex time to process the information. She wasn''t too surprised; having such an immortal, soul troops would make anyone formidable. "He and the undead lord had a complex relationship, both rivals and friends. When he learned of the undead lord''s failed attempt to break through to godhood and subsequent ambush, he was furious and sought revenge. But his strength wasn''t enough, and he was gravely injured by the major powers, forcing him to hide." Alex could tell this Lord was a hot-blooded youth, much like the reckless undead lord, which explained their mutual respect and rivalry. "While in hiding, he fell in love with a woman who wasn''t human. They had a child, and once healed, he broke through his limits and reappeared before the major powers. Unknown to anyone, he had found me before this." Alex could predict the outcome. Such a disillusioned youth wouldn''t rest until he avenged the undead lord. By then, it wasn''t just about revenge; he was enraged by the corrupt, dog-eat-dog world and wanted to eradicate the vile powers. But fighting alone, his fate seemed sealed. "He told me he was affected by the Source of Fear, a fusion troop. If he died, he''d be controlled and turned into a puppet, killing everyone in his memory. He didn''t want his wife and child harmed, so he forcibly separated it and gave me a high-level spatial magic book. Through his guidance, I advanced it to a forbidden spell and learned how to seal the Source of Fear. He was weakened by this, but knowing he couldn''t escape unscathed, he chose to continue because it was his path to godhood, his choice. Before leaving, he hoped that if I ever met his daughter, I''d tell her he loved her very much." Edgar took a deep breath, followed by a long sigh. "Have you met his daughter over the years?" Alex asked Edgar. "I have, but she hasn''t met me. She''s your friend, Ruby!" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex was taken aback, never expecting it to be Ruby. In her memories, Ruby''s father was indeed a powerful human, but Alex never imagined Ruby''s father was also a Lord. However, Ruby had suffered a coup and was hunted, yet Edgar hadn''t intervened to save her. From his earlier words, it was clear he was a Sovereign-level powerhouse. Edgar seemed to notice Alex''s confusion and began to explain. "The reason I agreed to help him seal the Source of Fear and confine myself to the Dark Forest is because my journey from Standard to Sovereign level was largely due to his help. His kindness to me is immeasurable, and this is the only way I can repay him. Since choosing to seal the Source of Fear, I haven''t been able to leave the Dark Forest. I wanted to help his daughter, but I was powerless. As the sealing power weakens, I can''t even move my body now." "Can''t you release the seal after his death? Why persist?" Alex asked, not understanding why Edgar seemed so stubborn, even seeking her out to continue sealing the Source of Fear. "It''s not that simple. Over the years, the Source of Fear has developed some intelligence. It''s like his shadow, and anything related to him will restore its power. His weapon is with his daughter now. If the seal is broken, the Source of Fear''s first target would be her. Moreover, his weapon was left to his daughter as a contingency against the Source of Fear. Once Ruby reaches King level, some of her memories about him will awaken, guiding her to the Dark Forest. With his weapon, she can seal the Source of Fear again. At that point, the Source of Fear will become Ruby''s ally. However, the risk is significant. If Ruby can''t control it, she could be consumed. This is both an opportunity and a danger for her." Chapter 289 - 289: Absorb the Source of Fear Edgar''s meaning was crystal clear. He would temporarily seal the Source of Fear, waiting for Ruby to reach King level. Then, he would transfer the seal to Ruby''s weapon. At that point, the Source of Fear would become either her greatest opportunity or her gravest danger. As a father, this was a last resort. Given a choice, he wouldn''t want Ruby to shoulder the burden of the Source of Fear. After all, if she couldn''t control it, it would consume her. The risk was simply too great. Alex''s arrival was perfectly timed. "So you found me for this reason?" Alex asked. "Exactly," Edgar replied patiently. "Even he admitted that the undead lord''s weapon was incredibly powerful. You''re not only his successor but also a Lord yourself. With the system''s help, you''re the most qualified person for this." Since he was asking for help, he needed to be upfront about the stakes. "I see," Alex murmured, pondering the situation. If the system couldn''t neutralize this ticking time bomb, wouldn''t it pose a serious threat down the line? Suddenly, something struck Alex as odd. Ruby was only a teenager, which meant her father had died roughly a decade ago. But the Dark Forest had existed for far longer. The timeline didn''t add up. "Was the Dark Forest created because of the Source of Fear''s sealing?" she inquired. Edgar wasn''t surprised by Alex''s sharp mind. He knew exactly what she was getting at. "Yes," he confirmed. "He died over three hundred years ago, and I''ve been sealing the Source of Fear ever since. The original forest was consumed by it, twisted into what you see now." "Ruby was infused with primal power by her parents at birth, a legacy to accelerate her cultivation and ensure her safety. She''s been asleep ever since, only waking up a few years ago." "So, Ruby is actually over three hundred years old?" Alex exclaimed, astounded. No wonder she was betrayed and hunted by her own kind. The tiger being queen''s followers from three centuries ago would be long gone. "You could say that," Edgar chuckled. "Mentally, though, she''s still a teenager." "Three hundred years of sealing has taken its toll. My power has dwindled to Sovereign level, while the Source of Fear has grown to King level. Now is the perfect time to reseal it." "Although your weapon differs from the previous undead lord''s, the lineage is the same. Your power won''t be any weaker. In fact, you''re far stronger than I was at your stage." "As compensation for sealing the Source of Fear, I''ll pass on the spatial magic he entrusted to me. This Dark Forest will be yours to command." Alex''s eyes lit up at the offer. This was turning out to be quite the deal. Still, she needed clarification. "I''ll be using my weapon for the sealing. Won''t really need spatial magic, will I?" "Don''t worry, you won''t be bound here like I was. It won''t affect you in any way. With your talent, suppressing the Source of Fear will be child''s play. Consider it a reward for helping Ruby," Edgar reassured her, a wistful smile gracing his lips. Looking at Alex, he was reminded of their old Lord companions. "Alright, let''s do this," Alex agreed, eager to learn more about Lords from Edgar once this was over. "Good. When the time comes, touch the seal with your scythe. It should trigger a system prompt. Just follow the instructions. That''s the beauty of being a Lord," Edgar explained, forgoing any detailed instructions. He knew the system would guide her. Alex watched as Edgar, who had remained motionless, suddenly raised his hand. As he moved, the surroundings grew dark. His meditating body slowly levitated, and the boulder beneath him crumbled, revealing a bottomless tunnel. A King level aura erupted from the chasm as a dark figure shot out. But just as it emerged, Edgar clasped his hands together, freezing the space around them. The Source of Fear was trapped, unable to move. Alex finally got a clear look at the Source of Fear. It was a grotesque mass of black energy, distinct from both death energy and dark attributes. She drew her scythe and approached it, effortlessly passing through the spatial barrier. With the back of the blade, she tapped the Source of Fear. **[Special lifeform detected. Use Grim Reaper''s Scythe to absorb?]** "Absorb!" Alex commanded, tapping the confirmation on the system interface. The top of the scythe pulsed with an unseen force, greedily devouring the immobilized Source of Fear. It was then that Alex noticed a crack in Edgar''s spatial seal. It had only been a few seconds, yet his temporary seal was already on the verge of breaking. Once it shattered, the Source of Fear would vanish into thin air, becoming impossible to track. Fortunately, the system was powerful enough. The Source of Fear was essentially an evolution of Ruby''s father''s troops, and troops were summoned with the system''s aid. There was no way it could resist. Within moments, the Source of Fear was completely extracted from the spatial seal, absorbed entirely by Alex''s scythe. **[Congratulations! Your weapon''s Soul Concentration has reached 100%. Do you wish to designate the Special lifeform as your weapon spirit?]** S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **[Note: Any soul can become a weapon spirit. The weapon spirit''s abilities will be bestowed upon the weapon. Each weapon can only have one weapon spirit, and the choice is permanent.]** Was there even a question? The Source of Fear had accompanied Ruby''s father through countless battles. Its soul had to be at least Emperor level. Where else would she find a weapon spirit like this? Alex selected "Yes" without hesitation. Another message popped up. **[Designating the [Special lifeform] as your weapon spirit will erase its sentience. It will be fully integrated with the weapon, becoming inseparable. It will grow alongside the weapon''s level. Do you wish to proceed?]** What? Alex was taken aback. It gets even better? Wouldn''t that make it an inherent part of the weapon? She hit "Proceed." The scythe pulsed with an eerie black energy, gradually solidifying. Alex examined her weapon, noticing a faint black aura clinging to the blade. The blue flames within the skull''s eye sockets at the top of the hilt had turned black. She swung it experimentally, leaving a black trail in its wake. As Alex admired her enhanced weapon, Edgar gently landed. Years of constant meditation had stiffened his body. Every movement elicited a symphony of pops and cracks. As he slowly straightened up, the seal that had bound him for centuries finally dissipated. Yet, instead of elation, he gazed at Alex''s scythe with awe. He could tell that this wasn''t solely the system''s doing. The power emanating from her weapon was undeniable. The system had merely assisted; with any other Lord or weapon, the outcome wouldn''t have been as impressive. Meanwhile, Alex was engrossed in her scythe''s updated information, her eyes gleaming with delight. **[Companion Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe]** **[Quality: King level weapon (upgradable)]** **[Weapon spirit: Source of Fear]** **[Active Skill 1: Enter the soul realm, instantly severing the target''s soul regardless of distance.]** **[Active Skill 2: Absorb target''s fear, summoning fear troops: Scarecrow (strength capped at weapon''s current level)]** **[Passive Skill 1: Attacks inflict soul strike and withering effects. Victims slain by the scythe will be converted into undead.]** **[Passive Skill 2: The weapon can be enchanted without chanting or magic circles.]** **[Passive Skill 3: Increased soul strike range and damage.]** **[Passive Skill 4: The weapon can cut through anything (based on current level and below)]** Two new Active Skills! Alex immediately activated Skill 1, eager to test it out. The world shifted. Every living being appeared as a white silhouette, each with a faint white shadow trailing behind them. Everything seemed frozen in time. Alex focused on a nearby tree and swung her scythe. The shadow behind the tree vanished, and a wisp of black energy flowed into her weapon. That was the fear value for Skill 2, used to summon those special troops. So, it wasn''t just about instilling fear; killing them directly also yielded fear value. The more fear Alex accumulated, the stronger the summoned troops would be. It was similar to sacrificing, with the summoned being''s strength capped at King level. But it could reach level 9 King level! Edgar, observing from the sidelines, saw Alex swing her scythe at a pine tree. The tree instantly withered and decayed, ready to crumble into ash at the slightest breeze. Its soul was gone, devoured by the same soul-piercing ability as the Source of Fear! Even Edgar was stunned. Not only had the Source of Fear not become a burden, it had actually made Alex stronger. Alex deactivated the skill, and the soul realm faded from view. With this ability, she could launch surprise attacks that bypassed physical defenses. "It seems the Source of Fear is no longer a threat. Could I have a look at your weapon?" Edgar asked, curiosity piqued. Alex handed him the scythe. As he took it, he offered her a book on spatial magic. Alex accepted it without hesitation, learning it on the spot and storing it within her right eye. Edgar merely chuckled at this, reminiscing about his own struggles with deciphering magic books. "Having the system''s help sure is nice," he remarked. "Huh? Aren''t you a Lord too? Why don''t you have the system?" Alex tilted her head, looking up at Edgar. She was half a head shorter, getting a clear view of his face beneath his messy, graying hair. He was surprisingly youthful, with sharp features etched with experience. His eyes were deep and alert, defying his age. Besides, she had seen the system interface in his eyes earlier. "The system only lasts for a century," Edgar explained, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. "Once that time is up, it disappears. We can''t even summon Barracks anymore; troops can only reproduce naturally. All the other features vanish too. Even building an outhouse becomes a manual chore." "Basically, after a century, we''re no different from the natives. We''ve fully integrated." Alex was stunned, speechless for a moment. The system...disappears? But Edgar continued, as if a dam had broken, his gaze distant as he examined her scythe. Perhaps this was the joy of a man finally free after centuries. "Do you know how many Lords survived in the end?" he asked, holding up his hand, fingers splayed, then closing them into a fist, except for his thumb and index finger. "Eight hundred?" Alex guessed, thinking that was already a horrifying casualty rate. Billions of Lords reduced to a mere eight hundred. "Eight hundred?" Edgar scoffed. "Try eight." Chapter 290 - 290: The path to godhood "What?!" Alex gasped, flabbergasted. Only eight Lords made it out alive? "That can''t be right. Over three billion people transmigrated, practically everyone except the elderly and children. Everything seemed fine before I arrived!" This was huge! How could she have overlooked such crucial information? If thirty billion people crossed over, wouldn''t humanity be extinct? "Perhaps we''re not from the same world," Edgar suggested, a knowing look in his eyes. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Parallel universes?" Alex breathed, stunned. "Transmigration is real, so why not parallel universes?" Edgar countered, leaving Alex speechless. He had a point. It was the only logical explanation. But dwelling on the multiverse wasn''t a priority. Alex needed intel on the previous batch of Lords. Or were there even earlier generations? "Were there other Lords before you?" she pressed, her gaze fixed on Edgar. "Yes," he confirmed, a hint of solemnity in his voice. Just as she suspected! "We don''t even know which batch we were. We were just as shocked as you when we encountered the previous generation. Seeing them, learning about even earlier Lords...it led us to a bold theory." Edgar handed Alex back her scythe. "This world...it didn''t originally have races. We believe all the races are descended from the troops of past Lords!" "This weapon is powerful. It will serve you well," he added, but Alex barely registered his words. She was floored. "How old is this world?" she asked, her mind racing. "I don''t know for sure. Eldoria has existed for at least tens of thousands of years. A new batch of Lords arrives every millennium, like clockwork." Edgar himself had no knowledge of the world''s true age. Tens of thousands of years? That meant dozens of Lord generations! If Edgar and the others were right, Eldoria was once a barren wasteland. Then, the first Lords arrived, summoning troops and waging war. The troops of fallen Lords were either enslaved, scattered, or completely wiped out. But even a handful of surviving troops, given millennia to develop, could become a distinct race. Especially after the system vanished after a century, eliminating experience gain from combat. Those surviving troops would be left to their own devices, free from systematic culling. Even if Alex hadn''t completely conquered the man-eating ant kingdom, she wouldn''t need to worry about their revenge. Their strength capped at Monarch level. Why would a King level like her worry about a few ants? Then again, who knew what mutations and advancements millennia could bring? But after a certain point, who cared? Lords would be ancient history. So, the races populating the continents were remnants of the first Lords'' wars, multiplying with each subsequent generation of Lords. The world became a chaotic tapestry of power struggles, until eventually, the native races established their dominance, shaping the world as they saw fit. That''s why the current races were so powerful, while the Lords were locked in their own petty squabbles. At this rate, their numbers would only dwindle further. Eight survived from Edgar''s batch. How many would make it from hers? Three? One? Or would they all perish? "How many Lords are still alive now? Are any from your generation still around?" Alex asked, seizing the opportunity to glean as much information from Edgar as possible. "After losing the system and assimilating for centuries, we''re no longer Lords. Even if I encountered one, I wouldn''t recognize them. And how would I even learn such a thing?" Edgar sighed, settling onto a boulder. Alex sat beside him. "This world is vast. Seven continents scattered across its expanse, impossible to traverse without divine power. Perhaps some from the previous generation still live. But I can tell you this: I''m the last of my batch." "Could the current humans be the descendants of those original Lords?" Alex pondered. The native humans consist of three races, along with the divisions of the Holy Court and the Mage Association. If this hypothesis is correct, the reason humans stand at the pinnacle of power today might not be due to just one Lord or their troops. "I''ve been stuck here for far too long. There''s much I don''t know. But I''m fairly certain some remnants of the previous Lords still exist within the human race," Edgar agreed, his voice heavy with unspoken knowledge. Alex''s suspicions were confirmed. The humans were different, their actions shrouded in mystery. There had to be more to the story. "How did the war between Lords end?" Alex asked, shifting gears since Edgar''s knowledge of the current situation was limited. Edgar raised a finger, pointing ahead. Despite being a Lord from millennia past, he was still a modern man underneath, just like Alex. They understood each other. The only difference was the weight of centuries etched on his face. "One? Only one faction can survive?" Alex guessed, recalling his earlier gesture and the fact that eight from his generation had survived. "When the century ends, the system strips all Lords ranked outside the top ten of their status, turning them into Freelancers. Then, it disappears." "Of course, if a Lord conquers the world before the century is up, the system disappears prematurely. The victor receives a reward: the remnants of the system''s power. But there''s a catch. Only one Lord can remain." Alex''s eyes narrowed. The conditions for ending the war were simple: either secure a spot in the top ten within a century or conquer everything yourself. But that only ended the war between Lords. What about the local forces? "The reward for harnessing the system''s remnants must be incredible," Alex mused, her curiosity piqued. Edgar chuckled, surprised that her first thought was about the reward. "One remaining Lord includes those who submitted, but not allies. So, if you have any allies, don''t get too close. They''ll eventually turn on you." "As for the reward...it''s the same for anyone who achieves unification within the century: the path to godhood." "The path to godhood?" Alex echoed, her brow furrowing. "Can''t one ascend to godhood through their own talent?" She thought of the seven race kings with their Divine level potential. If their limits reached that high, it had to be possible. Edgar shook his head, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Perhaps. But no one I know of has ever received that reward, nor has anyone achieved godhood in my lifetime. Understand this, the system''s reward can shave centuries off your journey. In the past millennium, only one being has ascended to Divine level ¨C a young mage from the Mage Association." Alex nodded slowly, her earlier excitement fading. She knew full well that the Lords'' rapid growth was entirely thanks to the system. Without it, they were lambs to the slaughter, barely clinging to survival, let alone vying for dominance. Then again, if it weren''t for that blasted system, they wouldn''t be stuck in this mess in the first place! It seemed the path to godhood was incredibly difficult. At this rate, most wouldn''t stand a chance. Alex had envisioned her undead empire teeming with gods, crushing all opposition. Reality, it seemed, had other plans. "Ruby''s father once told me that those who reach Sovereign level have found their own path to godhood. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have reached that level in the first place," Alex recalled, a flicker of hope returning. "That''s not entirely wrong," Edgar conceded. "But didn''t he ultimately perish on his own path? Finding the path and walking it are two different things. You''re still young, your level too low. Everyone''s path is different. Knowing this now won''t benefit you. You''ll understand when the time is right." Edgar''s words resonated with Alex. Ruby''s father, a man of unparalleled talent, the first of their generation, couldn''t even achieve godhood. It was clear that reaching Divine level was incredibly difficult. Chapter 291 - 291: The Dark Forest is yours now "I see," Alex replied, nodding in understanding. Edgar turned his gaze towards the horizon, as if gathering his thoughts. "Now, let me tell you about the eras of this world..." Every millennium, coinciding with the arrival of a new batch of Lords, was marked as an era. It was initially a term used amongst Lords, but somehow, it had spread to the local forces and eventually became a universally recognized system of timekeeping. Each era represented the reign of a particular race, a testament to their overwhelming power. Eras were named after these dominant races ¨C Angel Era, Sea God Era, Dragon God Era, Human Supreme Era, Demon Era, and so on. As for the time before, when Astralon was still a primordial void, the Lords referred to it as the First Lord Era. The local forces, however, refused to acknowledge this, simply calling it the First Era. No one knew for sure how many eras had passed. Perhaps only the gods held that knowledge. The transition between eras occurred a century after the arrival of new Lords, giving them time to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with. However, as the local forces grew stronger, this grace period would only shrink further. The seven continents were currently mired in chaos, with no single race holding absolute dominance. Hence, the present era was known as the Chaotic Era. It was now the 901st year of the Chaotic Era, marking the first year since Alex and her cohort had arrived. If Edgar hadn''t mentioned it, Alex would have remained oblivious. She hadn''t bothered reading the books from the conquered dwarf kingdom. However, as an intelligent race, their records undoubtedly contained this history. It explained why races like dwarves and orcs were so much weaker than humans. Their ancestors simply weren''t as formidable. Furthermore, if humans were indeed a blend of multiple Lord troops, it would explain the Holy Court''s close ties to angels, a relationship potentially forged over several eras. Ultimately, Alex believed that human dominance stemmed from the influence of those ancient Lords. This naturally created an inherent animosity between Lords and the native powers. While smaller races might not care much for the arrival of new Lords, the rulers of powerful factions viewed them with open hostility, eager to eliminate the threat they posed. They feared the potential disruption to Astralon''s power balance. As for the humans'' ambiguous stance towards Lords, Alex suspected they were biding their time, waiting to assimilate them and bolster their own strength. After all, Lords were fundamentally human. What difference would there be after a century of assimilation? This realization unlocked a cascade of other mysteries for Alex. Even Eldrin''s kindness towards her made sense now. It wasn''t just because he was a friend of the previous undead lord. He was extending an olive branch on behalf of humanity. The rise of the undead lord was inevitable. By fostering a connection now, Eldrin ensured that even if Alex didn''t become an ally, she wouldn''t become an enemy. As a friend of the previous undead lord, Eldrin was privy to information about Lords that most weren''t. Edgar''s revelations had been a treasure trove of knowledge, illuminating the hidden workings of this world. "So, every powerful Lord who rises in an era establishes their troops as a dominant force?" Alex asked, wanting to confirm her understanding. "Indeed," Edgar affirmed. "The oldest among them are the dragons, while the youngest are the angels. The era preceding the Chaotic Era was the Angel Era." It didn''t take a genius to figure out why the Angel Era had fallen. Arrogance and greed were a potent combination for self-destruction. The angels were already at odds with demons, and their actions against the dragons and humans hadn''t helped their case. "By the way," Alex interjected, another question bubbling to the surface. "What''s the deal with forbidden-level magic?" Edgar''s words had hinted at something deeper, and she wanted to be sure. "Forbidden-level magic?" Edgar mused. "Normally, high-level is the pinnacle for ordinary magic. Unless you have a unique understanding of a particular spell, advancing it to forbidden-level is nigh impossible. Even the system can''t help you with that." "So, it requires personal enlightenment?" "Precisely." Their conversation continued for a while longer, with Edgar patiently answering every question Alex threw at him. While this information might have been common knowledge to him, it was invaluable to Alex. Edgar, too, held a sliver of hope that Alex, as the current frontrunner among Lords, might one day reshape Astralon''s destiny. As dusk settled around them, their conversation drew to a close. Edgar had shared all he could. He stood up and extended his hand, three Race Tears materializing in his palm. "Take these. The Dark Forest is yours now." "Race Tears?" Alex exclaimed, surprised by the unexpected gift. These were likely from the three races residing within the Dark Forest. Edgar chuckled, seeing right through her. She already had the ability to establish a kingdom but hadn''t done so yet. Clearly, her goal was an empire, and for that, she needed these Race Tears. "You''re giving me the Dark Forest?" Alex asked, her voice laced with disbelief as she accepted the Race Tears, her mind already racing with possibilities. "The threat of the Source of Fear is gone, and I''m free," Edgar replied, a youthful energy returning to his voice. "Three hundred years I spent trapped in this place. My strength has waned. It''s time I moved on." "The spatial barrier surrounding this place is forbidden-level. Those below Emperor level can''t break it. You can move your city here. It''ll serve as your shield, ensuring your city''s safety." Edgar had even considered the security risk posed by the Templar Knights'' discovery. Few knew the true nature of the Dark Forest''s forbidden areas. It was why the previous undead lord had chosen this location for the sealing. Security wouldn''t be an issue. With countless forbidden areas scattered across Eldoria, the major factions wouldn''t waste resources on a place of no consequence to them. "Where will you go?" Alex asked, her curiosity piqued. "Will you seek revenge for him?" Edgar let out a dry chuckle. "I''m no match for that. If a genius like him couldn''t succeed, what hope do I have? I''ve repaid my debt by sealing the Source of Fear for three centuries. I won''t throw my life away for a dead man." He pulled out a weathered piece of parchment and handed it to Alex. "I''m going to uncover the truth of this world. Why we''re here, what our existence means. Take this. It will reveal certain information when the time is right." Alex accepted the parchment, her mind buzzing with questions, and tucked it away in her spatial ring. "I initially sought your help solely for the sealing," Edgar admitted, his gaze softening. "But seeing your talent...I believe you can stand above all else, ushering in the Undead Era." His words were heavy with meaning, a passing of the torch. With a flick of his wrist, several spatial blades shot out, shearing away his unruly hair and beard. He straightened his back, a newfound determination in his eyes. "Brak! Brok!" he boomed. Two hulking trolls materialized before Alex. "This is your new leader," Edgar announced, his voice firm. "I''m leaving. Guard this forest well." The trolls, as if anticipating his departure, remained silent, their eyes filled with unspoken farewell. Alex turned to Edgar, her expression a mixture of awe and a newfound sense of responsibility. Would she one day guide those who came after her, just like he had? Edgar''s form began to shimmer, fading into transparency. He offered Alex one last smile before vanishing completely. No one knew where he went, but perhaps that was the true meaning of freedom. "The leader said you''re our new leader now," Brok rumbled, looking down at Alex with a surprisingly gentle expression. "But I gotta say, if the old leader ever comes back, he''s still our leader." "Sure, sure," Alex replied. "What do you guys usually do around here?" "Eat, sleep, bash heads of anyone who enters uninvited," Brok answered matter-of-factly. "Right. Well, carry on then. Just like always." The trolls, looking slightly confused, lumbered off, following Alex''s instructions. Looking up at the sky, now blanketed by the darkness of night, Alex vanished, making her way back to Undead City. She wasn''t sure if relocating the city would trigger any unforeseen consequences. It was best to wait until morning. Back in Undead City, the palace was brightly lit. Xiao Hui, Xiao Mu, and Sophie had been waiting anxiously in the main hall. A whole day had passed since Alex entered the Dark Forest, and her prolonged absence had filled them with worry. "It''s past eleven! Why isn''t Miss Alex back yet?" Xiao Hui paced back and forth, unable to contain her anxiety. "The undead in the city haven''t moved. She must be fine. It seemed like she knew that person," Xiao Mu reasoned, stifling a yawn. He couldn''t bear to watch his sister fret any longer. He pulled out a chair and gently guided her towards it. "She''s back!" Sophie announced, her voice laced with relief. Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu immediately turned towards the entrance, just as Alex strolled in. "Sorry to worry you all," she greeted them with a smile, settling down on a nearby chair. "But I have good news. That mysterious person in the Dark Forest was actually a Lord from the previous generation. I learned a lot from him." Her words hung in the air, momentarily stunning her three companions into silence. "Wait, did you just say...the previous generation?" Xiao Mu stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief. Sophie, too, stared at Alex, her expression mirroring her brother''s astonishment. "You heard right. There was another batch of Lords before us. He was one of the survivors," Alex reiterated, enjoying their gobsmacked expressions. She proceeded to share some of the less sensitive information, like the history of Astralon and the theory about the Lords'' origins. As for the undead lord and the sealing, that was a secret she would keep to herself for now. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her companions listened with rapt attention, their minds struggling to process this deluge of information. It was like explaining calculus to toddlers. "That''s all ancient history," Alex said, waving her hand dismissively. "No need to dwell on it now. Besides, it''s just a theory." Despite her words, she was convinced it was the truth. "It''s still mind-blowing," Sophie breathed, her mind still reeling. "To think that Astralon was shaped by Lords..." "Hey, doesn''t this mean the Dark Forest is our backyard now?" Xiao Hui interjected, her earlier anxiety forgotten. "And we got ourselves two King level bodyguards!" This was definitely a win. Their safety was practically guaranteed. "Exactly," Alex agreed. "We''ll move Undead City to the Dark Forest tomorrow morning. And another thing, from now on, whenever we conquer a new race, make sure to collect any books they might have." She was eager to learn more about this world. Knowledge, as always, was power. "Yes, leader (big shot)!" they replied in unison. It was almost midnight. They retired to their respective quarters, ready to rest. Chapter 292 - 292: Move the undead city [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Alex rose with the sun, eager to relocate Undead City. However, she wasn''t keen on subjecting her companions to the "delightful" experience of the city vanishing from under them, potentially leaving them stranded in their birthday suits. She decided to wait until they were awake and presentable. Besides, there was no rush. As she waited in the main hall, she pulled out the parchment Edgar had given her. The system identified it as an information storage device, with no level or special features. It didn''t seem particularly remarkable, except for the pungent, musty odor clinging to it. With no immediate use for it, Alex tossed it into her Warehouse and turned her attention to the three Race Tears. One by one, she absorbed them into her Kingdom''s Tear. **[Congratulations, Lord! You have conquered the Soul Devouring Crow race. You have obtained an Auxiliary Barrack.]** **[Note: The Soul Devouring Crows are a race influenced by a [Special Unknown Lifeform]. You can choose to absorb the Auxiliary Barrack into your weapon spirit.]** Interesting. A connection to the Source of Fear. Alex didn''t hesitate. She absorbed the Barrack without a second thought. Her scythe pulsed with power. It wasn''t a dramatic increase, but it seemed to primarily affect the Scarecrow, the Source of Fear''s summoned being. Alex hadn''t summoned it yet, so she couldn''t gauge the exact enhancements. She''d have to experiment later. The other two Race Tears belonged to the [Rock Serpents] and the [Vine Serpents]. These weren''t your average snakes. They possessed a unique ability to merge with each other, like skeletal warriors coalescing in a bone pit. The Vine Serpents were venomous wood-attribute snakes lurking beneath the forest floor, while the Rock Serpents were massive earth-attribute pythons dwelling underground. Each race boasted over twenty Monarch level individuals. Combined with their remaining kin, they could rival a King level entity in strength. Moreover, their chieftains were both genuine King level powerhouses. They would be valuable assets, bolstering the Dark Forest''s defenses alongside the two trolls. With the Dark Forest under her control, Alex had gained four King level guardians, plus two more in the form of the serpent chieftains. Her sense of security skyrocketed. Since both serpent races were native to the Dark Forest, Alex decided to establish their Auxiliary Barracks in Undead City instead of her other cities. With the Soul Devouring Crows, Rock Serpents, and Vine Serpents accounted for, Alex had effectively taken control of the Dark Forest''s core. As for the weaker races on the outskirts, she''d deal with them at her leisure. **[Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 51/100]** A significant jump of 26 points! It seemed upgrading the Kingdom''s Tear directly was far more efficient than slowly expanding her kingdom. Both serpent races, like the Orc Empire, had contributed ten points each, while the Soul Devouring Crows provided five. This confirmed Alex''s theory: factions with at least one King level individual, be it a race, kingdom, or empire, provided a fixed ten points towards the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade. As for Monarch level factions, the contribution likely varied based on their overall strength. This expedition to the Dark Forest had been incredibly fruitful. Alex had gained spatial magic, a strengthened weapon, powerful allies, and most importantly, invaluable information ¨C offering a glimpse into the true nature of this world. Undead City was thriving. With the twins, Drake, the seven race kings, and Sophie holding down the fort, it was time for Alex to venture out. She needed to experience the world firsthand, understand its conflicts, and uncover the truth behind the previous undead lord''s demise. Why were they so terrified of the undead? Was it simply because of the relentless undead scourge? Alex refused to believe it was that simple. Only by exploring, by challenging herself, could she hope to avoid her predecessor''s fate, ascend to the pinnacle of power, and unravel the mysteries of this world. Lost in thought, Alex didn''t notice her companions entering the hall until Xiao Hui''s cheerful voice broke through her contemplation. "Miss Alex, we''re ready to move the city!" she chirped, practically bouncing with excitement. Alex turned to greet them, glancing at the clock. "It''s still early. No need to rush. Have some breakfast first." "We can eat while we move!" Xiao Hui protested. "You goofball, the city disappears when we move it," Xiao Mu deadpanned, flicking his sister''s forehead. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oh, right." As the dark elves bustled about, preparing breakfast, Alex joined her companions, forcing down a few bites. After breakfast, Alex gathered all the alchemy warlocks, dark elves, hobgoblins, and dwarves in the city center. Over a thousand individuals assembled before her. With a final glance around, Alex teleported to the top floor of the palace, where the city crystal stood. It pulsed with black energy, radiating outwards, encased within a transparent barrier ¨C the [Crystal Shield], a special structure designed to protect the entire city. Today''s enhancement hadn''t been used yet. Alex decided to reinforce their defenses, upgrading the Crystal Shield to King level with an enhancement crystal. The barrier shimmered, now stronger than ever. With the Dark Forest''s natural barrier and the enhanced Crystal Shield, the Specter Chandelier seemed somewhat redundant. Alex decided to prioritize other upgrades for now. Deactivating the Crystal Shield, Alex placed her hand on the city crystal. It flared to life, and with a gentle tug, she lifted it free. The city around them dissolved, leaving Alex floating in mid-air, surrounded by open ground and the expectant gazes of her assembled forces. They couldn''t use the recall feature, so they were depending on her to transport them to the Dark Forest. Alex had anticipated this. Landing gracefully, her right eye pulsed with white light, and a massive spatial teleportation array unfolded before them. "Let''s go," she said, holding the array stable. She had marked their destination beforehand, and Edgar had taught her how to manipulate the spatial distortions within the Dark Forest. Her teleportation array wouldn''t be hindered. First, the special troops, followed by the ground troops, marched into the swirling vortex of the teleportation array. Once they were all inside, Alex stepped in, and the array winked out of existence. As for the flying troops...well, they could make their own way there. She wasn''t about to deplete her energy teleporting hundreds of thousands of undead. Chapter 293 - 293: Misunderstanding Deep within the Dark Forest, Alex hovered in the air, surveying the vast expanse below. The heart of the forest was far larger than she had imagined, easily capable of accommodating several fully upgraded Undead Cities. "This is perfect," she murmured. Undead City''s sudden appearance wouldn''t disturb the surrounding ecosystem. With a tap on the system interface, she initiated the construction. The ground rumbled as if awakening from an ancient slumber. Ravines were effortlessly filled, trees vanished into motes of light, and a vast clearing emerged, ready to receive its new master. A moment later, Undead City materialized in all its imposing glory. Alex and her companions watched from a safe distance. "Alright, guys, welcome home!" she announced, a satisfied grin on her face. "Woohoo!" The twins erupted in cheers, their earlier worries forgotten. As they explored their new domain, everything seamlessly resumed its functions. Outside, the undead army, led by Death Spirit, continued their march towards the heart of the forest. Suddenly, Alex noticed something peculiar. A nearby cedar tree, once withered and lifeless, sprouted a single, vibrant green leaf. "It seems the Source of Fear''s demise has breathed new life into the Dark Forest," she mused, a hint of wonder in her voice. Back in Undead City, Xiao Mu and Xiao Hui prepared for their next conquest, leading a contingent of undead towards the Savage Plains. The four race kings, meanwhile, had split up and ventured into the dwarf kingdom, aiming to subjugate the surrounding races. With the Kingdom''s Tear upgrade already past the halfway point, Alex was confident that it wouldn''t be long before she could establish her undead empire. Meanwhile, on the continent of Mossvale, Drake soared above the primeval forest surrounding Dragon City, his keen eyes scanning the landscape below. He had already cleared out the nearby races. Now, only wild beasts remained. He needed to venture deeper, seeking out new lairs to conquer. "Northwest," he commanded, his voice sharp. "I sense two races clashing." The Rock Dragon beneath him responded instantly, diving towards the source of the commotion. Crash! The dragon''s massive form slammed into the forest floor. The two battling factions, caught off guard, froze mid-fight, their gazes fixed on the unexpected intruder. One group consisted of massive rhinoceroses with twin horns protruding from their snouts. The other was a pack of sabertooth-like predators, smaller than the rhinos but clearly holding the upper hand. They had the rhinos surrounded, herding them like cattle. Drake didn''t care who started it. "Kill them all!" The Rock Dragon obliged, unleashing a torrent of searing dragon breath. The rhinos, caught in the blast, were instantly petrified. The agile sabertooths managed to dodge, but they were no match for Drake''s follow-up attacks. Within moments, the clearing was littered with corpses. There were about thirty of them, the strongest barely reaching Commanding level. They were nothing more than insects before Drake''s might. As he prepared to interrogate the few survivors, a system notification caught his eye. **[Congratulations, Lord! You have slain enemy Lord troops: Level 4 Commanding Swamp Rhinos. You have gained 140 experience points!]** "A Lord''s troops?" Drake muttered, surprised. He hadn''t encountered any other Lords since arriving in this continent. It dawned on him that rhinos weren''t exactly native to a primeval forest. They must have been brought here. He landed and quickly subdued a sabertooth, demanding information. Their nomadic nature and the distance to their current camp made them a low priority for now. Drake was more interested in this mysterious Lord. Before he could press the rhino for answers, he sensed movement in the distance. A figure was charging towards them from the depths of the forest. A moment later, a young man with short, spiky hair burst into the clearing, his eyes locked on Drake, rage burning in their depths. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Well, well. Looks like someone''s eager to join the party," Drake chuckled, unfazed by the newcomer''s fury. He casually swatted the rhino aside, its body splitting in two, and strode towards the approaching figure, ready for a fight. The Rock Dragon moved to flank him, its massive wings unfurling. The young man, consumed by anger, paid no heed to the dragon. He urged his rhino mount forward, a battle cry escaping his lips. A heartbeat later, a deafening roar ripped through the air. Wind howled, carrying with it a storm of razor-sharp rocks that tore through the ranks of rhinos behind the young man, leaving a trail of carnage in their wake. The young man, his blood running cold, slammed his heels into his mount''s flanks, bringing it to a screeching halt. His anger evaporated, replaced by a chilling fear as he watched a cascade of system notifications flood his vision, each one announcing the death of another one of his troops. This enemy...he was on a whole other level! Realizing he was outmatched, the young man spun his mount around, desperate to escape. But it was too late. Drake stood before him, his expression cold. "Do you have any idea who I am?" the young man blustered, trying to regain some semblance of control. He had recently sworn allegiance to a powerful Lord. Surely, his name would be enough to deter this attacker. "I don''t give a damn who you are," Drake snarled, his patience wearing thin. A blade of solidified earth shot out, narrowly missing the young man, who had leapt from his mount just in time. The unfortunate rhino wasn''t so lucky. Drake raised an eyebrow, impressed by the young man''s reflexes. He was clearly at least Monarch level. "My boss is the number seven ranked Big Shot! You''d better think twice before you mess with me!" the young man shouted, his voice trembling despite his attempt at bravado. Number seven? Drake wracked his brain. Who was that? He didn''t know Lilith or Satan''s aliases, or even the twins'' for that matter. But he could make an educated guess based on the ranking. The Justice Alliance''s names were well-known. That left only Alex''s faction. Seeing Drake hesitate, the young man mistook it for fear. His confidence swelled. "Yeah, that''s right! Now you''re scared, huh?" In reality, Drake was simply trying to avoid a misunderstanding. Attacking an ally wouldn''t do anyone any good. But the young man''s smugness was pushing his buttons. A predatory grin spread across Drake''s face. "You really think you''re a big shot?" "What are you doing? Stay away from me!" the young man shrieked, backing away, his bravado crumbling as the fear of death tightened its grip. "You should know better than to kick a dog without checking its owner first!" a voice boomed from behind Drake. A black-clawed hand shot towards him. Drake crossed his arms, deflecting the blow. Four gashes appeared on his arms, oozing with an eerie black mist. His flesh rapidly petrified, crumbled away, and then regenerated, good as new. He turned to face his attacker. A demon, with leathery black wings, a barbed tail, and a single, wicked horn protruding from his forehead, hovered in the air. Despite the demonic transformation, Drake recognized him instantly. "Satan!" Satan stared back, his brow furrowed in confusion. This opponent...he was strong. Familiar, even. But he couldn''t quite place him. And why did he seem to know who he was? Drake hadn''t revealed his true form during the rescue mission. Only Lilith had seen him then. However, Drake had seen everyone on Alex''s side. It was no surprise that Satan didn''t recognize him. "Wait a minute..." Satan''s eyes widened, a flicker of recognition igniting within them. "You''re one of those Angel Lord''s minions!" His eyes blazed crimson as he activated his Berserk skill. A black greatsword materialized in his hand. Without another word, he lunged at Drake, giving him no chance to explain. Drake instantly transformed into his dragon form, meeting Satan''s attack head-on with a swipe of his claws. The force of their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the air, kicking up a massive dust cloud. Demonic bloodline versus dragon bloodline. The young man, who had been about to celebrate Satan''s arrival, was sent flying by the sheer force of their confrontation. Clearly, he was just a fast Commanding level Lord, not a true Monarch. Both Drake and Satan were level 5 Monarchs, both champions among their peers. Their strength was nearly equal. Satan excelled in close-quarters combat, his attacks a whirlwind of demonic fury. Drake, on the other hand, relied on his superior defense and unmatched vitality. For a while, they were deadlocked, neither able to gain an advantage. The Rock Dragon watched from the sidelines, refraining from interfering. Drake had given the order, otherwise, the young man would have been reduced to a smear on the forest floor by now. Drake wasn''t in a hurry to explain. He wanted to test his strength against Satan, a worthy opponent who shared his level and pedigree. The young man, meanwhile, watched in terror. He hadn''t expected Drake to be this powerful. Even Satan couldn''t overpower him. Could he be a Big Shot too? Satan was equally surprised. This Angel Lord''s minion...he had grown strong in the few days since their last encounter. His demonic energy couldn''t fully penetrate Drake''s earth domain. Drake''s body pulsed with a golden light. Within his domain, a colossal dragon formed from solid rock, charging towards Satan. "Roar..." Drake roared, unleashing a torrent of ancient draconic, incomprehensible to most. A blinding beam of golden light erupted from his maw, aimed directly at Satan. Attack after attack crashed against Satan, who could only parry desperately, his demonic energy struggling to keep pace. He shattered the rock dragon with a wave of his greatsword, then raised his arms defensively, summoning a black energy barrier to block Drake''s onslaught. The impact sent him flying, half his body obliterated. But he regenerated instantly, twisting in mid-air to regain his footing, avoiding the indignity of crashing to the ground. Satan, his chest heaving, was starting to feel the strain. Both his stamina and mana were nearing their limits. Their eyes met. Satan, the battle-hungry demon, was eager to continue. But Drake had seen enough. He had gauged his current strength. Satan lacked endurance. In a prolonged fight, Drake would inevitably win. Moreover, Drake was nearing level 6, while Satan had only just reached level 5. It was a small difference, but at their level, even the slightest edge could decide the outcome. The system had ranked him fourth, Satan seventh. It wasn''t just because Drake had more Monarch level troops. Drake''s abilities were a hard counter to opponents who relied on burst damage over sustained assaults. "This is a misunderstanding," he called out. "Stand down. I am [Sky Dominator] Drake, your ally." The young man''s jaw dropped. He frantically opened his system interface, scrolling through the rankings. Number four! Higher than his own master! Satan, however, didn''t buy it. "Lies!" he roared, ready to resume their fight. Just then, Cain and Earl arrived, flanked by a contingent of Monarch level demons. "Perfect timing!" Satan bellowed. "Kill him!" Drake couldn''t believe his ears. Was this guy serious? He wasn''t even listening! The demons, eager to prove themselves, charged towards the Rock Dragon. It seemed Satan was determined to fight Drake one-on-one. Drake sighed. This was getting ridiculous. "Death Spirit!" A ripple of spatial distortion, and Death Spirit materialized beside him, its presence radiating an overwhelming King level aura that sent everyone, demons included, sprawling to the ground. "King...King level!" The stunned onlookers stared up at Death Spirit in terror. Its power was beyond anything they had ever encountered. Death Spirit might not be a combat specialist, but it was a genuine level 2 King, more than capable of wiping the floor with a bunch of Monarchs. "What are you waiting for? Run!" Satan screamed, wasting no time in beating a hasty retreat, his demon horde following close behind. Drake stared after them, dumbfounded. Death Spirit''s appearance had been meant to defuse the situation. It wasn''t about to attack Alex''s allies. Besides, they couldn''t outrun a King level entity even if they tried. Within moments, only Drake and the young man remained. The young man, his face ashen, fell to his knees, begging for his life. "I''m sorry! I was wrong! You''re the real boss! Please spare me!" Drake ignored him, shaking his head as he mounted the Rock Dragon and took off. Well, that was one way to end a fight. He hadn''t even needed to explain himself. Death Spirit had scared them off. He couldn''t very well kill the young Lord now. Drake sighed. It seemed he''d have to keep searching for a suitable target. Still, the fact that a top-ranked Lord like Satan was only on par with him was reassuring. It seemed his level hadn''t fallen as much as he had feared. Long after Drake had disappeared, the young man finally dared to raise his head, his gaze darting around frantically. Once he was certain the coast was clear, he scrambled to his feet and sprinted away, fear lending speed to his steps. "Number seven, my ass! He couldn''t even beat a number four!" Chapter 294 - 294: The arrival of the Arctic Tigerfolk Drake filled Alex in on the whole debacle, just to be safe. Later that night, Alex read through Drake''s message, her expression a mixture of amusement and disbelief. The fact that Satan had completely ignored Drake''s explanation and just bolted was too funny. What was that guy''s deal? As for the Lord who had pledged allegiance to Satan in Mossvale, it was probably a strategic move, a way to secure a powerful backer. And Satan, always eager to expand his influence, wouldn''t say no to a foothold on another continent. "Well, it''s just a misunderstanding," Alex muttered to herself. She doubted Satan would be showing his face in Mossvale anytime soon. Still, she was surprised to learn that he had already recruited two subject Lords. As the night deepened, Alex headed upstairs to bed. Meanwhile, in the Dark Forest, Alex''s influence was slowly transforming the withered trees. Many had already been reborn as [Grimface Trees], a type of undead unique to her domain. These weren''t your average combat units. They were her eyes and ears, silent sentinels scattered throughout the forest. Disguised as ordinary dead trees, they were virtually indistinguishable from their surroundings. But if an enemy drew near, they would awaken, their true nature revealed. And if they were destroyed, Alex would be instantly alerted, knowing that her domain had been breached. Compared to using undead scouts, which could easily raise suspicion, the Grimface Trees were the perfect spies. Most wouldn''t even recognize them as undead, mistaking them for a peculiar feature of the Dark Forest. With the Dark Forest now firmly under her control, Alex could continue her eastward expansion. But she wasn''t about to get careless. Prudence was always the best policy. She hadn''t asked Edgar about the surrounding factions. After three hundred years trapped in the forest, his knowledge was likely outdated. Besides, asking him about every little thing would make her look weak. She had tasked Azure with scouting the eastern borders of the Dark Forest, leading a contingent of specters. He had orders to eliminate any weak races he encountered. As Alex drifted off to sleep, the Dark Forest settled into an uneasy silence. Nocturnal creatures stirred, their eyes gleaming in the darkness. Owls hooted from the trees, their calls echoing through the silent woods. Vine Serpents, their scales glistening in the moonlight, slithered through the undergrowth, their forked tongues tasting the air. Meanwhile, on the Savage Plains, north of Twinface Mountain, a white tiger was racing towards the mountains, its breath coming in ragged gasps. Its body was covered in wounds, some fresh, some scarred over, all temporarily held at bay by a thin layer of ice. As it ran, several wounds reopened, staining the snow with crimson. But the tiger didn''t slow down. It couldn''t afford to. It was running on fumes, its mana reserves completely depleted. It crossed the Savage Plains and climbed the slopes of Twinface Mountain, its pace never faltering. Then, it descended into the Frostwind snowy mountain, heading south. The blood moon had set, and the sky was beginning to lighten. The white tiger pressed on, driven by unwavering loyalty to its queen. It remembered her words, spoken in a moment of desperation. East of Frostwind snowy mountain, near the edge of the Dark Forest, resided a powerful ally. Drops of blood, hot against the snow, melted tiny craters in its wake. The tiger''s body was screaming for rest, but it was so close. It had to keep going. As it entered the snowy mountain, the icy air invigorated it, replenishing its strength. It pushed eastward, towards the Dark Forest. The moment it left the mountain''s protective embrace, the boost faded. But the tiger didn''t despair. The Dark Forest was in sight, a beacon of hope in the distance. Still, a part of it worried. Would the queen''s ally help them? After all, they were dealing with an extraterrestrial visitor, a being of immense and unknown power. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex stirred awake, glancing at the system clock. Time to start the day. She pulled on a pair of comfy sweatpants and a t-shirt, then headed downstairs. A dark elf, waiting patiently by the door, greeted her with a bow. "Good morning, Master. Today''s breakfast is a croissant sandwich with a side of fresh fruit and a glass of cold milk." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sounds delicious," Alex replied. She wasn''t usually one for breakfast, but she had started letting the dark elves choose her meals. If the name sounded appetizing, she''d give it a try. As for milk, wheat, and other such staples, those were easily procured from the dwarf kingdom. Dwarves, it turned out, had similar tastes to humans, with a particular fondness for meat and ale. She had just taken a bite of her sandwich when another dark elf rushed into the room, an urgent look on her face. "Master, our specters have spotted a critically injured Arctic Tigerfolk at the edge of the Dark Forest." Alex froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. The Arctic Tigerfolk had migrated weeks ago. Could it be...? She set down her sandwich and stood up. A spatial teleportation array shimmered into existence, and she stepped through without hesitation, vanishing from the dining room. She reappeared at the edge of the Dark Forest, where Undead City had once stood. In the distance, she spotted a white tiger, collapsed on the ground, flanked by two specters. With a thought, she teleported to their location. She recognized the tiger instantly. It was one of Ruby''s guards! "What happened?" she demanded. "We found it unconscious, my Queen," one of the specters reported. Alex knelt beside the tiger, examining its wounds. "It''s not fatally injured. Just completely drained." There wasn''t much she could do except wait for it to regain consciousness. Green energy flowed from her hand, mending the tiger''s wounds. Then, she activated her ice domain. The air around them grew frigid, snowflakes swirling down as the temperature plummeted. Her domain was far more potent now that she was a King level. This should help speed up the recovery process. It was the least she could do. She couldn''t exactly invite the tiger up to her bedroom for a nap. "You''re dismissed," she told the specters. "I''ll handle this." "At your command, my Queen," they replied, melting back into the shadows. Alex crafted a chair from ice and sat on it, crossing one leg over the other, quietly waiting for the Arctic Tigerfolk to awaken. Chapter 295 - 295: To go rescue Ruby After a long while, the tiger being guard slowly regained consciousness, blinking groggily. The first thing he saw was a beautiful human girl sitting nearby, legs crossed, watching him. Around them, ice covered the ground, and snowflakes drifted gently down. Upon seeing Alex, the tiger guard became visibly agitated. Despite his exhaustion, he transformed into human form and knelt on one knee before her. "Leader, please save our queen!" His eyes were sincere, filled with anxiety as he bowed his head. "Get up. What happened? Wasn''t Ruby leading you back to the far north?" Alex asked, her expression confirming her suspicions. This tiger being guard, as Ruby''s trusted aide, had clearly come all the way to the Dark Forest specifically to find her. Something must have gone wrong on Ruby''s end to drive him to such desperation. "Our Queen intended to lead us back to our homeland, investigate the situation, and quietly gather strength. Once she reached King level, she planned to reclaim her rightful place," the tiger guard explained briefly, recounting why they had left ahead of time. Ruby was too hasty. She could have waited at Frostwind Snowy Mountain until she broke through to King level before returning to her homeland. But soon, Alex learned the specific reasons from the guard. The Arctic Tigerfolk, though secluded in the icy north, were stronger than most empires. The tribe was governed by seven elders, all King level, who handled all matters without a true chieftain. These seven elders belonged to different camps, and after the previous queen''s death, they each went their own way. To prevent internal strife, the tribe was divided among the seven camps. Among them, there were those close to Ruby, neutrals, and adversaries. The ratio was 1:2:4, with most elders unwilling to let Ruby lead the tribe. The faction close to Ruby, even if aware, was powerless. The adversaries went so far as to sell Ruby''s information to the Beastman Empire, even sending assassins after her. Ruby''s urgency to return was to win over the two neutral elders, but things took an unexpected turn. The white tiger tribe received uninvited guests¡ªhigh-ranking members of the Beastman Empire. Their intentions were unclear, possibly to recruit the Arctic Tigerfolk or for other reasons. Among them was a Kobold with a bloodline Quintessence skill that allowed him to smell other Beastmen. Ruby was discovered. The Arctic Tigerfolk didn''t want to join the Beastman Empire, but they were powerless against their pressure. The Kobold''s discovery of Ruby gave them leverage. The adversaries were furious, the neutrals turned against her, and the faction close to Ruby was helpless. They mobilized the entire tribe to capture Ruby, with four elders personally involved. Ruby was severely injured but managed to use spatial magic to hide in the place where she had once slept, a location sealed by her father. Even after centuries, the seal''s power, though waning, wasn''t something a few King levels could easily break. However, the tribe''s foundation was formidable, and Frost Magic also had sealing power. They must have studied the seal over the years. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tiger guard didn''t know how long the seal would hold. It could be destroyed at any moment, and Ruby, gravely injured, had no strength to resist. The guard managed to escape with the help of a tiger being from the faction close to Ruby, likely with an elder''s tacit approval. By the time he was discovered, he had already left the homeland. Ruby''s situation was dire, and the tiger guard had no one else to turn to for help. His last hope rested with Alex. Would she help the queen, even if it meant opposing seven King levels and possibly offending the powerful Beastman Empire? After recounting everything, the tiger guard lowered his head, staring at Alex''s swinging shoes. "Seven King-level tiger elders?" Alex murmured, analyzing the situation. She had a fair number of King-level forces, but she couldn''t mobilize Brak and Brok, and the far north was a long way off. Sending troops would take too much time. Of course, not all seven elders might act. The neutrals were uncertain, and the faction close to Ruby wouldn''t oppose Alex. "What about the strength of those Beastman Empire leaders?" Alex asked, standing up from her icy seat, looking down at the tiger guard. "They''re said to be a group of Monarchs, possibly led by a King level. By now, they might have left the far north," the guard replied, unsure of the exact details. "Lead the way," Alex''s cool voice commanded, surprising the guard with her quick agreement. Seven King levels were no small matter! Alex''s plan was simple. The high-ranking elders wouldn''t personally guard the outside. If she couldn''t win, she''d rescue Ruby and retreat. But if they were weaker than her, well, she wouldn''t mind granting them eternal life. "Death Spirit," Alex called, and the Death Spirit appeared before her. "I''m going out for a few days. You''re in charge of the undead city while I''m gone," she instructed. The Death Spirit''s shadowy form flickered, acknowledging the command before vanishing. "Leader, are you planning to go alone?" the tiger guard asked, worried. In his mind, Alex and Ruby were of similar strength. Even as a King level, she couldn''t possibly take on the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe. "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing. I won''t risk your queen''s life. Just lead the way," Alex reassured him, not offended by his doubts about her strength. Seeing the confidence in Ruby''s friend, the tiger being guard set aside his worries and chose to trust her. A spatial portal opened before Alex. "Let''s go. It''ll be quicker to travel from my city." The journey from here to Twinface Mountain was long, requiring even Monarch levels to fly for hours, let alone a Commanding level. Without hesitation, the tiger being guard stepped into the teleportation array, with Alex following closely behind. When they reappeared, they stood outside the main fortress gate. Through the undead fortress''s teleportation, they could reach the top of Twinface Mountain directly. Chapter 296 - 296: The greedy Beastman Empire At the summit of Twinface Mountain, Alex gazed out at the sea of clouds, the sun in the sky a little too bright for her eyes. It was the first time she had seen the sun of the Eldoria continent. The tiger guard was also a little dazed, having never seen the sun before. As a native race of the Eldoria continent, it had never seen the sun for as long as it could remember. "You''re way too slow. I''ll take you flying, you just point the way." As soon as Alex finished speaking, a spatial cage appeared around the tiger guard, trapping it inside. Their figures disappeared in an instant, speeding north. Meanwhile, in the far north... Here lay a vast, boundless expanse of ice fields, with white ice mounds rising and falling, crisscrossed by several frozen rivers. Vegetation was scarce, and the environment was harsh. Most races couldn''t stand such a harsh environment, so there were almost no races living in the far north. The Arctic Tigerfolk were arguably the only rulers here. They relied on hunting marine life under the frozen rivers for a living. The rivers here were interconnected, and there was a huge underground river, which was said to be connected to the Endless Sea, and also became their constant source of food. The center of the far north was also the gathering place of the Arctic Tigerfolk. There were eight tall mountain peaks here. Although they were relatively small compared to the real mountains, such as Frostwind Snowy Mountain and Twinface Mountain, they already looked very abrupt in this almost entirely flat far north. There was a city on top of each mountain peak, but obviously the top of the mountain peak was not enough to carry a whole city, so all the surrounding edges were reinforced by huge ice pillars, standing on top of the mountain peak. A total of seven cities, representing the seven camps of the Arctic Tigerfolk. The distance between the mountain peaks varied, but without exception, they were all surrounding the tallest iceberg in the center. The iceberg in the center of the seven mountain peaks stood tall and imposing, taller than the seven mountain peaks. Its surface was smooth and flat, revealing a chilling coldness. This was an iceberg built with magic! On a huge platform at the top of the mountain peak, there was a magnificent complex of palaces. The cities on the top of the seven mountain peaks were all connected by a huge chain of ice. The totem of the Arctic Tigerfolk was displayed on it, and just by looking at it, one could tell that this was the center of their power. Of course, it used to be. This palace was originally the residence of their previous queen. It had been abandoned for a long time since the death of the previous Arctic Tigerfolk queen, and now it had become a place for the seven elders to gather and discuss matters. Except for the people from the seven camps, no tiger beings could live on top of the mountain peak. They all gathered around the mountain peak. The entire Arctic Tigerfolk population was as high as several hundred thousand, and the seven camps alone accounted for nearly half. At this moment, around the iceberg below the central palace, the tiger being army was densely packed, and there were even several figures of Monarch level guarding here. This iceberg was where Ruby had slept, and it was also here that she had used the spatial coordinates she had set up in advance to hide a few days ago. It could be said that Ruby''s hiding place was right under the noses of the seven camps, and the situation was very dangerous. On top of the mountain peak, one of the cities was the largest, and at this time, the hall inside the palace seemed very crowded. On one side were four Arctic Tigerfolk elders and their confidants, and on the other side were a few Beastmen that looked like they had been put together with spare parts. "Master, please rest assured, that bastard won''t be able to hide for long. Soon we will be able to break the sealing. She is already seriously injured. Once caught, I will definitely offer her to the leaders to enjoy first." One of the elders flattered with a flattering smile, trying to please the creatures from the Beastman Empire. "Hmph, you better. My patience is limited. If she escapes again, you can wait to face the wrath of the Beastman Empire." The creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a man, with a pair of wings on its back, sneered. Its name was Windrider, and it was the "master" that the Arctic Tigerfolk elder had addressed, and also the leader of the Beastman Empire''s group. "Hehe, I can''t wait to taste her flesh. It must be delicious!" A creature with the head of a dog and the body of a man wagged its tail and stuck out its tongue at the eagle, revealing a lewd smile. "Masters, I hope that after we offer this bastard, your Beastman Empire will not entangle us anymore." Another elder ignored the disgusting faces of these Beastmen and spoke with a suppressed anger. Their tolerance was more for the benefit of the race. Otherwise, the four King levels could kill these Beastman Empire bastards in an instant. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Don''t worry, we will ask the higher-ups when we get back. As long as you can guarantee to hand her over, everything will be fine." A brown-maned lion sneered. Compared to other Beastmen who tended to have human appearances, it looked more like a beast that had just learned to stand. Obviously, its bloodline was not strong, and its status in the Beastman Empire was also low. Windrider on the side snorted disdainfully. The Beastman Empire was not only interested in Ruby, but also in the bloodline of their Arctic Tigerfolk. If they chose submission and contributed their bloodline to the Beastman Empire, then so be it. If they resisted stubbornly, they wouldn''t mind just wiping out the Arctic Tigerfolk, so that they could still get their bloodline. A race with an upper limit of King level, and their bloodline came with ice power, how could the Beastman Empire let it go? Did they think that handing over Ruby would bring peace? This idea was too naive. As early as the first time the Beastman Empire visited, they had no right to refuse. The four Arctic Tigerfolk elders were also secretly relieved to see the other party agree. Of course, they knew what it meant to join the Beastman Empire. They would gradually be assimilated, and the entire race would become all sorts of mixed-blood Beastmen. This was not what they wanted to see. "I wonder why the other three elders are not here?" Windrider spoke up, which gave it a reason to say that the other party did not respect the Beastman Empire, and it could take the opportunity to extort more benefits. One of the elders looked embarrassed and hurriedly smoothed things over. "The three elders are in charge of guarding that bastard, in case she uses that strange spatial power to escape again." In terms of power, the seven of them were equal, and there was nothing they could do if the other three elders didn''t come. One of them was a radical, very irritable, and wanted to directly kill the envoys of the Beastman Empire. How could the other elders let it come? The ones present were three elders from the hostile faction and one from the neutral faction. Another elder from the neutral faction was in charge of guarding the irritable one. As for the last elder who was close to Ruby, he rarely participated in such occasions, as if he was intentionally or unintentionally fading out of the sight of the other elders. This answer left the Windrider with nothing to say. Ruby''s priority was higher than that of the entire Arctic Tigerfolk, so capturing Ruby was their primary concern at the moment. "Three days, I''ll give you three more days. You must bring her to me." Chapter 297 - 297: Archipelago ice canyon At that moment, within the sealing of the central iceberg, Ruby lay quietly on an ice bed, surrounded by tiger beings who were responsible for taking care of her. The space here was very large, and there were traces of spatial magic carved everywhere. The ice-blue dome reflected the scene outside. The constant loud noises and the vibrations inside the iceberg all told these tiger beings that the sealing here would not last long. The tiger beings were restless and terrified. They could only look at Ruby, who was in a coma, hoping that their queen would wake up soon. Compared to the previous time in Frostwind Snowy Mountain, the number of tiger beings hiding in the iceberg had decreased again. Ruby had paid a considerable price to save them. If they were caught, they would basically die. They had resolutely betrayed their camp to follow Ruby and secretly provided her with help to leave the far north. After the incident, they were also branded as traitors, but even so, they still chose to follow Ruby. It was fair to say that if Ruby, who had just woken up, had not had their help, she would never have been able to escape the far north with her own Commanding level strength. At this time, Ruby, who was lying on the ice bed, suddenly moved her finger, and then slowly opened her eyes. "Queen, you''re awake!" A tiger being noticed the situation on Ruby''s side and said happily. The attention of the other tiger beings was also attracted, and they all surrounded her. "How long have I been unconscious?" Ruby wanted to sit up, but she felt weak all over. She tried but gave up. "Queen, you are still very weak now. Don''t sit up. It''s more important to heal your injuries." A tiger being immediately helped Ruby lie down again. "Queen, you have been in a coma for five days. Winterfang left three days ago. It was the help of the Claw camp people in secret." The other tiger beings told her what had happened in the past few days when she was in a coma. The tiger guard had left when Ruby was in a coma, so she didn''t know what it was doing. "Five days?" Ruby didn''t expect that she had been unconscious for so long. When she hid here, she knew that this sealing could only block them for seven days at most, which meant that she only had two days left. "What did Winterfang go to do?" "It didn''t say specifically. It only said that we can''t just sit here and wait for death. It''s going to move reinforcements." Reinforcements? Who would come to save her? Ruby was a little puzzled, but it was not so easy to escape from the heavy siege of several camps. It was only a Commanding level. Although she didn''t want to admit it, Ruby had already prepared for the worst, that Winterfang was likely dead outside. And Ruby didn''t know where Winterfang would go to find reinforcements, or who to look for, so now she could only rely on herself. She couldn''t just sit here and wait for death. "Everyone, be prepared. Tomorrow, at the latest the day after tomorrow, when I recover a little, I will take you out of here." Ruby''s eyes were firm, and her eyes were full of determination as she looked at the heavily guarded Arctic Tigerfolk outside the dome. Even now, she still had a trump card. "Queen, your injury..." What the other tiger beings were more worried about at the moment was Ruby''s injury. "It''s okay, I''m not that fragile. Thank you all for taking care of me along the way. I promise that I will definitely lead you out of here alive." Ruby''s eyes were a little apologetic. If it weren''t for her, these tiger beings wouldn''t have ended up like this. "Queen, what are you talking about? We have already put our lives on the line since we decided to follow you." "Yeah, the queen is the rightful one. They are just rebels who want to usurp the throne!" "Sworn to follow the queen to the death!" More than a hundred tiger beings in the iceberg knelt down on one knee. Ruby looked at them sideways, her eyes a little moist. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What they didn''t know was that because of the decision of these tiger beings today, they would become the absolute top brass of the entire Arctic Tigerfolk Empire in the future. Of course, that was something for later. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] On the other side, Alex, who was flying in the air, looked at the continent that had completely turned pitch black. The system prompt also sounded at this time. A King level flying at full speed, for a whole day, from the Dark Forest, had not yet reached the far north! "How much further?" Alex asked the tiger guard beside her. At this moment, it had been flying all the way, and its physical strength had recovered a lot. "Back to the leader, the archipelago ice canyon is not far ahead. After passing through there, you can enter the far north." The tiger guard observed the rapidly retreating environment around it and judged their current location. It had originally relied on the clan''s teleportation equipment to leave, and then it began to run wildly. Otherwise, with its Commanding level strength, it would have taken ten days to travel. "Archipelago ice canyon? Is this a canyon or a strait?" Alex didn''t recognize any of the places she had passed along the way, let alone their names, so she had to ask the tiger guard to confirm the exact terrain information so that she could make a judgment. And the tiger guard only knew the general direction of the far north and the surrounding areas. As for other places, it didn''t recognize them just like Alex. "Back to the leader, it is a strait frozen by ice. There are many small islands there, all connected by ice, which looks like a white continent." "Strait? Is the far north an island?" Alex was a little surprised. She originally thought that the far north was just an ordinary name there. If it was an island, it meant that the far north was located on the edge of the Eldoria continent! Don''t tell me it''s an inland island. "Leader, the far north is not an island, but a peninsula, but it is said that further north of the far north, there is a huge island, but it has not been confirmed, and it is still unknown whether it is true or a legend." The tiger guard answered honestly. Because of its low status, it didn''t know much. It only knew that their Arctic Tigerfolk turned a deaf ear to this unknown island, and other races around them were not interested at all. But whether the far north was a peninsula or an island, Alex''s conclusion still held true. That was, the far north was on the edge of the Eldoria continent. From this, Alex could also judge her approximate location on the Eldoria continent. Undead City was located in the north of the continent. Although Undead City was not adjacent to the sea, it was also a relatively remote place. "There are no sea races in the far north?" If it was the edge of the continent, it would probably be harassed by sea races. "Sea race?" Looking at the puzzled expression of the tiger guard, Alex also knew that they had never seen a sea race, so she stopped asking and concentrated on rushing. When they arrived in the far north, everything would be clear. Chapter 298 - 298: Its waking up The night on Eldoria was eerie and silent, with only the howling wind echoing in the ears. Alex, accompanied by the tiger guard, traveled through the night. The mana cost of flying was negligible for her now, so even flying all night wouldn''t deplete her mana reserves. Time: 11:30 PM In a certain valley on the continent of Valoria, the first Lord that Lilith had subdued resided. This idyllic place was about to receive a group of uninvited guests, who were well-informed and had come with a purpose. They were a group of shadowy figures, blending seamlessly with the night, their red eyes glowing, faces hidden behind dark masks. The leader wore an elegant black high-collared coat, his skin deathly pale, eyes filled with a sinister gleam. The leader led the shadows into the valley, crouching to scoop up a handful of soil, sniffing it. "This place is indeed tainted by other dark energies. Our worst fears have come true; the fallen angels have made their base here." The man''s expression turned angry. He couldn''t allow these intruding outsiders to disrupt their master''s plans. "Kill all these fallen angels. We must not let [Croakzoth] awaken!" The shadows behind him surged forward, racing into the valley''s depths. Inside the valley, the cat-eared maid Lord continued his monotonous life, finding joy only in flirting and making love with his maids. The cat-eared maids, conditioned to serve, complied with the Lord''s every whim. He had reached the point where he could make love with three maids at once, but his indulgence, lack of exercise, and absence of experience points had left him physically weak. After Lilith subdued him, she didn''t alter his lifestyle, using him merely as a teleportation conduit and not engaging with him. The fallen angels stationed there had begun to expand their influence, unaware they had provoked a demon. Outside the town, the fallen angels detected the shadows'' assault, taking to the skies to survey the town and quickly spotting the figures hidden in the darkness. Without a word, both sides clashed, dozens of shadows and fallen angels locked in combat. The shadow leader approached, gazing at the distant town with a look of realization. "So there''s an extraterrestrial visitors Lord here. No wonder fallen angels appeared." With that, black mist swirled from his palm, instantly killing several fallen angels in the sky. Meanwhile, on the continent of Arsen, Lilith received the notification of her troops being slain. She quickly rose, organizing the fallen angels in her city to head to Valoria. The Valoria passage was a rare opportunity for development, and she wasn''t willing to abandon it unless necessary. Thus, she had to rescue the detestable cat-eared maid Lord. But Lilith wasn''t foolish. Without knowing the enemy''s strength, she wouldn''t risk going herself, opting to send troops to gauge their power. Outside the town, the man saw more fallen angels emerging, his expression displeased. "Let''s see how many more you have!" He shot forward, aiming to destroy the castle and eradicate the fallen angels. Along the way, he casually slaughtered the angels, unaware that their bodies turned into black blood upon hitting the ground, seeping into the soil. In the dark night, no one noticed this small detail. As he neared the town, thinking he could easily handle them, a fallen angel with a spear ambushed him from above. He dodged skillfully, but his path was blocked. "Monarch level?" The man touched his cheek, feeling a shallow cut oozing blood. Despite his quick reflexes, the fallen angel''s spear had grazed him. He was a noble demon! To be wounded by a fallen angel was a disgrace! Black mist surged around him, and the demon clashed fiercely with the fallen angel. Boom! The battle between two monarch-levels triggered a fierce storm, with echoes that were deafening. Under the impact of the immense noise, the body of the lord with cat ears in the castle suddenly started twitching, and then his dick went limp. He finished before he even started, feeling both frustrated and furious. "Fuck, who''s out there!" The sudden noise killed his mood. He pushed the maid off, rushing to the window. "What the hell are you doing out there!" His shout caught the attention of the combatants. The demon squinted, realizing the Lord''s low level. Killing him would destroy the castle. "What the fuck? Is this some new kind of cosplay?" The Lord, oblivious, admired the approaching demon. Suddenly, Lilith appeared outside the window, wearing a black long skirt. A swift sword strike severed the demon''s arm, black blood spraying as the limb fell. The demon clutched his wound, retreating in alarm. This extraterrestrial visitor posed a lethal threat. "Wow, the special effects on that severed arm are amazing, better than the real thing," the cat-eared maid Lord exclaimed, oblivious to the danger. Lilith''s gaze was icy, the demon on high alert. But his fallen arm was corroded by the earth, turning into black blood that seeped into the ground. Realizing his arm''s disappearance, the demon felt a surge of dread, scanning the area. "Not good!" He noticed the fallen angels he had slain left no bodies. "All this dark energy is being absorbed!" Without hesitation, the demon turned to flee. Lilith, puzzled, moved to strike him down. But then, the entire valley began to tremble violently. Plants withered rapidly as a black barrier, thick and opaque, rose ominously to enclose the valley. "Not good, it''s waking up!" Roar! A deafening roar shook the valley, echoing off the distant mountains. Lilith felt her head splitting, blood trickling from her nose. Inside the castle, the Lord and maids were knocked unconscious by the sheer force of the roar. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ground cracked, earth churning as a massive green figure emerged. Its enormous belly resembled a small mountain, limbs short in comparison. Its head was like a toad''s, skin deep green, mouth full of sharp fangs, lips bright red. It surveyed everyone with a sinister smile, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light. Chapter 299 - 299: Stop using these excuses to cover up your incompetence The sky was already bright. The scenery beneath Alex''s feet had transformed into a boundless expanse of ice. The frozen sea connected numerous irregularly shaped islands, making them appear as a single, massive landmass. This was the Archipelago Ice Canyon that the tiger guard had mentioned. Even without being told, Alex could feel the surrounding temperature gradually dropping. They would reach the Far North soon. Meanwhile, within the iceberg of the White Tiger Tribe''s territory, Ruby had recovered some strength and vitality. Her complexion was slightly better than the previous day. The place where she had been sleeping was formed from the purest ice elemental energy. The ice bed beneath her, in particular, was personally crafted by her father. It could gather all the ice elemental energy within the entire space and channel it into Ruby''s body. This naturally advantageous condition for Arctic Tigerfolk could greatly accelerate the recovery of Ruby''s injuries and stamina. However, the ice elemental energy within the space couldn''t be replenished. Sooner or later, it would be exhausted, and now, very little remained. Ruby sat up from the ice bed, her gaze fixed on the tiger beings outside the dome. Today, they were unusually calm, and they hadn''t attempted to break through the sealing again. Something was off! Ruby had an ominous premonition that the enemy might have found a way to break through the sealing. Ruby looked down at the ice bed. It was showing signs of melting, its function gradually fading. Time was running out. "All forces, prepare yourselves!" Ruby commanded, ready to use her last resort for escape. Although her injuries had just slightly healed, she had no time to waste. The tiger beings loyal to Ruby immediately began to assemble upon hearing their queen''s order. Ruby, on the other hand, entered a chamber carved from ice. This chamber was not only small but also completely empty. There was nothing inside, except for a white tiger paw print carved on the icy wall. Ruby pressed her hand against it. Instantly, a blue light wave spread out from her palm, reaching every corner of the entire structure. A blueish-white light emanated throughout the grand hall within the iceberg. Ruby had activated the backup hidden energy source. The sealing was reinforced at this moment. Of course, she didn''t do this to continue hiding here. This energy could only last for half a day at most and wouldn''t change the final outcome. Ruby arrived at the grand hall, where over a hundred tiger beings stood in formation. She stood at the head of the hall. Although she was a bit short, she exuded an air of regal authority. Ruby didn''t speak. She simply locked eyes with them for two seconds. Then, she walked to the center of the hall and abruptly smashed her fist into the ground. The ice shattered, her hand sinking deep into it. Immediately afterward, a spatial magic circle rapidly expanded with her as the center, and the surrounding blueish-white energy converged towards it. Ruby stood up coldly and glanced at the tiger beings around her. The magic circle had now enveloped them all. This spatial magic circle wasn''t cast by Ruby. It had been set up beforehand, and she was only responsible for activating it. "I will lead you into the teleportation array shortly. Our destination is the Subglacial River. Follow the current downstream, and you will reach the Endless Sea directly." Ruby''s words surprised and delighted the tiger beings. They were delighted that their queen still had a trump card up her sleeve and surprised that the Subglacial River of the Far North was actually beneath the iceberg. Previously, the tiger beings had only heard rumors of a massive Subglacial River in the Far North that led to the Endless Sea, but no one had ever seen it. Some even dismissed it as a myth. Now it seemed that it was all true. As for the spatial magic circle that Ruby activated, it was merely a switch, another exit from this chamber. It didn''t have any teleportation effects. When this place was first built, its security level was extremely high, reinforced with various abilities to protect Ruby''s safety. As for teleportation, such a minor trick couldn''t possibly penetrate this sealing. Otherwise, the elders wouldn''t have gone through so much trouble to attack it. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Back then, let alone five King levels, even an Emperor level might not have been able to break through by force. It was precisely because Ruby''s father had made this place too secure that he realized he hadn''t left himself a way out. By then, it was too late to add a teleportation array, so he had to settle for an exit that led directly to the Subglacial River. He never expected that his decision back then would actually be used by Ruby today. This was the heart of the Far North. Going downstream would save energy, but Ruby wasn''t sure if these tiger beings could make it to the Endless Sea. After all, the distance was too great, and no one knew the exact condition of the Subglacial River. If there were no places to breathe along the way, lack of oxygen alone would be a fatal problem. But now, there was no other way. Ruby could only try this. Even so, she was still very worried. At this point, she was willing to expend her own Mana Points to cast a shield on the tiger beings to prevent any accidents. "Your Highness, what are you doing?" The tiger beings were puzzled. "Yeah, Your Highness, are you worried that we''ll drown? Don''t worry, swimming is my forte." "Your Highness, please don''t waste your Mana Points on us." The tiger beings all refused to be covered by the protective shield. They knew how far the Subglacial River below was from the Endless Sea and the dangers involved. But they wouldn''t let the injured Ruby waste her precious Mana Points on them. "You go first. I''ll be the last one. I need to see all of you enter the magic circle." Ruby commanded in an unquestionable tone, her voice extremely serious. The tiger beings didn''t speak and all looked at Ruby. "Get ready, hold your breath!" All the tiger beings took a deep breath. With a wave of Ruby''s arm, their figures instantly vanished from their spots. Ruby controlled the magic circle to become transparent, allowing her to see the true appearance of the Subglacial River. Beneath the darkness, the turbulent current surged against the surrounding rock walls. The tiger beings fell into the water one after another and disappeared from her sight. Ruby shrank the magic circle until it only covered her. She used the remaining energy to reinforce a mechanism here. Then, her figure completely disappeared within the iceberg, leaving the entire hall empty. Moments after Ruby''s disappearance, the magic circle began to dissipate, and the previously shattered ground returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened. With a splash, the icy river water instantly soaked Ruby''s entire body, making her mind incredibly alert. It was pitch black all around, the only sound being the roaring of the rushing water as it slammed against the rock walls. Fortunately, their Arctic Tigerfolk race was born with night vision, so this level of darkness didn''t affect them much. Ruby controlled her body, moving swiftly through the current towards the front. She quickly caught up with the tiger beings ahead, her heart filled with anxiety. She had observed the area above. There was a gap between the river''s surface and the rock walls, making it easy to come up for air. This was only easy for Ruby, a Monarch level. For the other tiger beings, it was extremely challenging. Maintaining their balance in such a dark and fast-flowing underground river was already difficult enough, let alone surfacing for air. But if they couldn''t breathe, they would all drown in less than half an hour. After drifting along the river for about ten minutes, most of the tiger beings were already struggling to hold their breath. They were only at the Standard level and couldn''t use magic. Just as Ruby was getting desperate, she suddenly saw a white light flickering on the distant rock wall. Saved! Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed her father had thought of this. The magic circle on the rock wall was activated simultaneously with the one inside the iceberg. Ruby leaped out of the water and teleported next to the magic circle, activating it. The white spatial magic circle instantly emitted a transparent barrier, sealing off the entire Subglacial River cave. The tiger beings were carried by the current through the barrier, their figures instantly disappearing, their destination unknown. Ruby didn''t overthink it. Watching all the tiger beings vanish into the Subglacial River, she too entered it. Then, the one-time teleportation array completely disintegrated, leaving no trace of magic behind. On the northeastern edge of the Far North, there was a cluster of scattered islands, a vast expanse of ice stretching as far as the eye could see. Bang! The smooth, icy surface instantly shattered. With a splash, a tiger being leaped out of the water, followed by the continuous sound of ice breaking. One by one, tiger beings emerged from the water, gasping for fresh air. Ruby was the last to surface. She quickly flew into the air, surveying the surrounding terrain. While underground, she hadn''t noticed any signs of the subglacial river merging with other bodies of water. This meant that the teleportation array didn''t directly transport them to the exit, which was the Endless Sea. It seemed her old man had been incredibly thorough. "We''re at the outskirts of the Far North." Ruby was completely relieved. This way, they had completely escaped their pursuers. The tiger beings quickly helped each other climb onto the ice, awaiting Ruby''s next command. "Clear any traces. We''ll hide on the largest outer island." Ruby''s gaze was determined. This time, she was unexpectedly discovered solely because of that dog-like creature from the Beastman Empire. If it weren''t for its interference, Ruby could have remained hidden, advanced to King level, rallied the neutral faction, and with the support of an elder confidant, could have stood toe-to-toe with the other tiger beings. Currently, Ruby was only at lv9 Monarch, just one step away from King level. Her top priority now was to recover from her injuries, break through to King level, and then put her plan into action again. This was the fastest way for her to unify the Arctic Tigerfolk. Otherwise, who knew how long it would take for her to reach Empire level. At the tiger being tribe''s territory, outside the iceberg, the sudden strengthening of the sealing alarmed the four elders and the Beastman Empire''s representatives. They rushed over to investigate. "What''s going on? Didn''t you say you would definitely break the sealing and capture her alive today?" Windrider''s face was cold as he looked at the sealing around the iceberg, which had obviously been reinforced. He was furious. Windrider''s followers immediately glared at the four Arctic Tigerfolk elders. But the four elders were also dumbfounded. They couldn''t understand what was happening. The sealing''s energy had almost dissipated, so why was it suddenly strengthened? "Perhaps there''s some kind of backup energy source, but I believe that once the backup energy is exhausted, they won''t have any other options." One of the elders quickly came up with an explanation, trying to appease the angry Beastmen. "Cut the crap. Stop using these excuses to cover up your incompetence. We must see her today, no matter what!" The dog-headed man snarled at the four elders threateningly. "Why don''t you try testing the strength of this sealing yourself? It''s better than just talking big!" One of the elders at the back couldn''t stand it any longer and retorted sarcastically. The Gnoll immediately shut up upon hearing this. It was only at Monarch level. How could it possibly break through a sealing that even several King levels combined couldn''t? It could only look pleadingly at Windrider, wagging its tail. Windrider ignored the elder and instead tried to attack the sealing on the iceberg. A black claw struck the iceberg, but it remained unscathed. Even Windrider himself was a little surprised. It seemed that the Arctic Tigerfolk elders hadn''t exaggerated. This level of sealing couldn''t be broken by brute force. "Although this sealing has been strengthened, it has lost some of its previous properties. Perhaps if all of us here work together, we might be able to break it." One of the Arctic Tigerfolk elders placed his hand on the iceberg, carefully sensing it. After a moment, he came to a conclusion. "The sealing has been strengthened, but not completely. It''s like another layer of sealing has been added on top of the original one. Although it strengthens the original sealing, it''s not by much. This also indicates that they used some kind of internal backup energy source, which is completely different from the original caster personally casting it." The elder''s words enlightened everyone present. The other three elders immediately stepped forward to examine it. It was just as he said! Seeing the reactions of the four elders, Windrider instantly understood. "Let''s attack together and destroy the sealing!" In an instant, the remaining Monarch level Beastmen began to gather their strongest attacks. The four elders and Windrider simultaneously attacked a single point on the sealing. Boom! A powerful shockwave spread throughout the area, kicking up a blizzard. With a cracking sound, a crack finally appeared on the sealing. "Again!" The five King levels and dozens of Monarch levels joined forces once more. This time, the sealing shattered completely, and a large section of the iceberg collapsed, revealing the ice palace within. Before the four elders could react, Windrider charged straight in without hesitation, searching for Ruby. A moment later, the four elders and the other Beastmen arrived at the main hall. Windrider walked out from inside, his face grim. "She''s gone?" Windrider looked at the Gnoll, unable to understand how Ruby could have escaped from such a tightly sealed place. He was more inclined to believe that she had used some special method to hide herself, trying to mislead them. The Gnoll dropped to all fours, pressed its nose to the ground, and began sniffing around. After a while, the Gnoll stood up and shook its head at Windrider. Windrider immediately glared at the four elders angrily, demanding a reasonable explanation. Chapter 300 - 300: Well said At the same time, Alex finally arrived at the Far North with the tiger guard. She continued to fly with the tiger guard, heading straight towards the heart of the Far North, with no intention of concealing their presence. Seeing Alex''s plan to directly attack, the tiger guard couldn''t help but feel a bit worried. It thought this woman was too reckless. However, it didn''t want Alex to lose her life because of this, so it kindly offered a suggestion. "Leader, we can contact Elder Maulclaw from the seven tribes. He has always been on my queen''s side. With his help, the chances of rescuing my queen will be greatly increased." During this time, Alex had learned from the tiger guard about the place where Ruby was sleeping. It was practically surrounded by seven King level powerhouses. Thinking about it carefully, directly confronting seven King levels was indeed a tricky situation. Moreover, if they didn''t contact the pro-Ruby faction in advance, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Overall, one less enemy was better than one more. The more critical the situation, the calmer they needed to be. Alex naturally understood this principle, as did the tiger guard. "Alright, after we enter the tiger being territory, I''ll conceal myself. You take me directly to Maulclaw." Seeing Alex agree, the tiger guard secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, it didn''t know Alex''s true strength and still thought she was just a Monarch. For a Monarch level to try to save someone right under the noses of King levels was simply a fool''s errand. An hour later, Alex and the tiger guard slowly landed from the sky. "Are those seven mountain peaks ahead the power center of your tribe?" Alex looked at the city built on the mountain peaks with curiosity. "Yes, leader. The closest mountain peak city ahead belongs to Elder Maulclaw''s jurisdiction." The tiger guard replied respectfully. "That''s perfect. We can ask him for some information. Let''s go." As she spoke, Alex grabbed the tiger guard''s shoulder, and in the blink of an eye, both of them vanished before the tiger guard could even react. The tiger guard was amazed. When they reappeared, they were already inside the city. The cities of the tiger beings were very different from human cities. After all, their lifestyles were quite different from humans. Most tiger beings preferred to live in their beast forms. Nearly half of the city''s layout was dedicated to defense. There were no ordinary houses inside, mostly scattered castles. Alex guessed that these were probably the residences of the powerful and influential. After all, there were many tiger beings gathered at the foot of the mountain. Those who could live in the city must have extraordinary status. Moreover, there was nothing in the city that resembled the functions of a city. There were no merchants, no guards, and no entertainment facilities. It was more like a village than a city, no, perhaps not even a village. The lifestyle of the tiger beings in the city was no different from that of the ordinary tiger beings gathered at the foot of the mountain, except for the better living environment. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It felt to Alex as if a group of savage beasts had been forcibly brought into the civilized world. As Alex stood there, observing the surrounding city, the tiger guard remained vigilant. Its current identity was that of a traitor, so it was very worried that Alex and itself would be discovered by the tiger beings coming and going on the streets. But soon it found that the tiger beings around it would ignore it even if they passed right by. Just as it was puzzled, it suddenly realized that it was actually invisible. No wonder... It just didn''t know if it could hide from the elders'' scrutiny. While it was lost in thought, Alex had already found Maulclaw''s residence and directly teleported there with the tiger guard. At the very back of the city stood a magnificent palace, a landmark of the entire city. It was seven stories high, and from the top floor, one could overlook the entire city. Inside the palace, Elder Maulclaw was enjoying a steaming bowl of fish soup with another elder. "Maulclaw, my dear friend, your codfish soup is truly exceptional!" The elder said with a smile. Maulclaw responded politely, and for a moment, silence fell over the hall. "Shadowfang, pal, what are your thoughts on the Beastman Empire''s visit this time?" As Maulclaw spoke, Shadowfang''s tiger face immediately darkened, and a hint of anger flashed in its eyes. "Hmph, those mongrels! If it weren''t for you and Bravetail stopping me, I would have slaughtered them already!" "Shadowfang, mind your words. Don''t say such things again. Killing them would completely offend the Beastman Empire. What will happen to our tribe then?" Maulclaw lowered his voice and spoke with a serious expression. "Maulclaw, my brother, I call you brother not just because you are older than me. Can''t you see? Even if we compromise, the Beastman Empire won''t let us off the hook! It''s better to stand up and resist than to be passively beaten. Even death in battle is better than becoming vassals!" Shadowfang said somewhat agitatedly. If it weren''t for Maulclaw sitting opposite him, it would have already lashed out after saying such cowardly words. Seeing that Shadowfang was getting a little worked up, Maulclaw changed the subject. "Shadowfang, you are indeed perceptive. Then tell me, what do you think will become of the tribe with Ironstripe and the others colluding and leading it together?" "Hmph, handing over the tribe to those old geezers will only lead to our demise. I bet those elders have forgotten what kind of species they are!" Shadowfang said with disdain, scornful of the other five elders'' collusion and appeasement. "You''re right. The tribe has been divided for too long. We need a new leader." Maulclaw took a sip of fish soup and said these meaningful words to Shadowfang. Shadowfang was impulsive, but not stupid. It naturally understood the meaning behind Maulclaw''s words. "I won''t accept a Beastman. What''s the difference between that and submitting to the Beastman Empire?" "But she is the queen''s only bloodline. To whom do we owe the tribe''s current state of development? She is the queen''s only heir and the only royalty. Are you going to betray the queen too?" Maulclaw suddenly stood up, releasing his King level aura, and looked at Shadowfang coldly. "This..." Shadowfang was momentarily speechless. It truly resented the Beastmen, but it was also loyal to the tiger being queen. For a moment, Maulclaw''s words made it waver, caught in a dilemma. The other elders hadn''t put it this way before. "Don''t you want to change all of this?" "But what can we do with just the two of us?!" Shadowfang immediately retorted. Of course, it wanted to change things, but they were too weak. Let''s not even talk about resisting the Beastman Empire, even within the tribe, there were countless dissenting voices. Clap, clap¡ª A round of applause rang out. "Well said!" A clear female voice suddenly echoed through the room, instantly startling both Maulclaw and Shadowfang. "Who?!" They immediately turned their heads to see Alex leaning back on the sofa, crossing her legs, and tilting her head as she looked at the two tigers. The tiger guard standing beside her stared at Alex in bewilderment. Oh my godness, leader, didn''t you see two King levels here? Why did you just drop your invisibility?! Chapter 301 - 301: That man, he was a Sovereign level The tiger guard''s heart was pounding. Exposing themselves so openly was far too risky. Across from them, Maulclaw was a bit puzzled. It recognized the tiger guard; it was the one Maulclaw had helped escape. To think this guard would return so soon, and with a human no less. Reinforcements? But this was too reckless! Maulclaw frowned slightly, still pondering how to calm the impulsive Shadowfang and prevent a conflict. However, the moment Shadowfang saw Alex, it charged towards her without a word. "Be careful!" Maulclaw warned Alex out of goodwill. It knew this girl was here to rescue Ruby, and to be able to arrive here undetected meant she was no ordinary individual. On one side was Shadowfang, on the other, Ruby''s rescuer. Just as Maulclaw hesitated about whether to intervene, Shadowfang had already reached Alex. A giant tiger claw imbued with frost power shot straight towards Alex''s face. But at that moment, Shadowfang felt like its brain was about to explode, blood trickling from its eyes and ears. Under the assault of the curse magic, Shadowfang''s attack slowed down. Then, Alex, who had been sitting in the chair, moved. She lowered her crossed right leg, using it as a pivot, and swiftly raised her left leg. A beautiful roundhouse kick sent Shadowfang flying ten yards away. Shadowfang was incredulous. Its eyes flashed blue, and a chilling air emanated from its body. Just as it was about to unleash its realm power, a black scythe was already resting against its neck. Everything happened too fast. Not only Shadowfang, but even Maulclaw and the tiger guard were stunned. Shadowfang, unwilling to submit, still wanted to resist. But the eerie aura emanating from the scythe made it sense a tremendous danger. It felt that its head would roll before it could even fully unleash its realm. "This is just a misunderstanding. We can talk things through. Shadowfang is just a little impulsive. Please don''t take offense." Maulclaw immediately stepped forward to mediate, releasing its own aura. Alex sensed from it that Maulclaw was at least a lv3 King level, while the Shadowfang she had subdued was only lv1. "Are you Maulclaw, the one who supports Ruby?" Alex lowered the scythe and sat back in the chair, completely disregarding Shadowfang as she directly questioned Maulclaw. Shadowfang was furious but held back by Maulclaw. It couldn''t understand why they were being so polite to this human girl when they had two King levels on their side. Maulclaw shook its head slightly, signaling Shadowfang not to act rashly. Alex gave it a mysterious feeling, one that even it, a lv3 King level, couldn''t quite grasp. Shadowfang, as the youngest elder, was only at lv1 King level. It couldn''t perceive these nuances and simply thought it had been countered by Alex''s abilities. Alex was an undead queen, with enhanced magic and attributes, further amplified by the scythe. She was practically unrivaled at the same level, let alone against a newly advanced lv1 King level. "Did you come here specifically for me?" Maulclaw seemed to have figured something out. Seeing Alex sit back down, it withdrew its aura and stepped aside. "That''s right. He said you support Ruby. You can cooperate with me and help me rescue her." Alex pointed at the tiger guard, her tone indifferent. Only now did the tiger guard come back to its senses. The helper it had brought actually managed to intimidate two elders of the tiger being tribe! "As for certain irrelevant individuals, if you''re willing to help Ruby, I won''t hold this against you. But if you side with the other elders, I won''t hesitate to kill you all. I have my own ways to help Ruby ascend to the throne." Alex glanced at the enraged Shadowfang. Her presence had been discovered, so Shadowfang''s fate was sealed: submission or death. Before gathering information from Maulclaw, Alex naturally had to deal with the troublemaker Shadowfang first. This way, not only would Alex have one less King level opponent, but she would also gain a King level undead, greatly increasing her chances of success. This was also the reason why Alex chose to reveal herself and subdue Shadowfang first. To deal with them, she had to eliminate them one by one. "Who do you think you are? This is tiger being territory!" Shadowfang roared. As an elder, it was treated with respect wherever it went. Now, it was being looked down upon by this human girl. "Shadowfang, make your decision." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Maulclaw said meaningfully to Shadowfang. "Maulclaw, what are you saying? Are you choosing to believe this human girl?" Shadowfang was incredulous. It couldn''t believe that Maulclaw, who was still on good terms with it not long ago, would choose to side with Alex without hesitation after her appearance. "Shadowfang, no matter what, I will stand by the queen''s side. She is the only one who dared to openly stand against the entire Arctic Tigerfolk when Ruby''s life was in danger. I believe she is not as simple as she appears." Maulclaw declared its stance. As the longest-serving elder, it had a long-term vision and was a staunch supporter of the queen. Now, with Alex''s help, perhaps they could change the entire landscape of the tiger being tribe, end the rule of those corrupt elders, and support the queen''s bloodline to regain the throne. It also believed that Alex must have some kind of backing to dare to come here alone, so it chose to gamble. Otherwise, many years later, when it was old and frail, the entire tiger being tribe would stand against Ruby. Alex remained silent, quietly waiting for Maulclaw to persuade Shadowfang. This was the last chance she was giving it. Shadowfang fell silent. Without Maulclaw''s help, it was no match for this human girl. Moreover, judging from her confident demeanor, it was highly likely that it wouldn''t leave this room alive. "Why do you have so much faith in Ruby? Are you certain she can lead the entire Arctic Tigerfolk (tiger being) to become strong and free from the Beastman Empire''s oppression?" "You have to understand, Ruby is the child of the queen and that man. The queen was the most talented individual in generations, almost breaking through the King level life limit. And that powerful human man, do you know his true strength?" Maulclaw didn''t answer Shadowfang''s question but instead countered with another question. The life limit for Arctic Tigerfolk was King level, and the previous tiger being queen''s cultivation had reached lv9 King level, just a step away from breaking through to Emperor level. If it weren''t for the accident, with the help of Ruby''s father, her breakthrough to Emperor level would have been only a matter of time. Shadowfang was young and didn''t know these past events. Among the seven elders, Maulclaw was the oldest and had some understanding of what had transpired back then. At this moment, the youngest elder and the oldest elder locked eyes. "What... what was that man''s strength?" Shadowfang looked at Maulclaw''s deep gaze with confusion. "That man, he was a... Sovereign level!" Chapter 302 - 302: We attack directly "What?!" Shadowfang was taken aback. It had always assumed that the human man had married above his station, but in reality, it was their queen who had done so? This was a lot to process for Shadowfang. It contradicted everything it had heard. Now it made sense why the other elders always avoided mentioning the former queen''s husband. "He was truly a Sovereign level?" "As true as day. And with his talent and strength, an average Sovereign level wouldn''t stand a chance against him. I witnessed him battling another Sovereign level in the Endless Sea. After that, he vanished." Maulclaw seemed lost in thought, recalling that scene from centuries ago. The sheer power of a Sovereign level still sent shivers down its spine. Shadowfang fell silent. So, the Arctic Tigerfolk''s prosperity might have been partly due to that man''s help. But it was all in the distant past. Even if there was evidence, the other elders probably erased it. "And Ruby is their daughter. She inherited his bloodline. Do you really think her potential is limited to King level? Forget Emperor level, she might even reach Sovereign level!" Maulclaw continued, and this wasn''t just speculation. It was a conclusion drawn from observing Ruby. These words deeply shocked Shadowfang. It had never heard any of this before. For Shadowfang, its loyalty lay first with the tribe, and then with the queen who had led them to prosperity, even though it had never met her. The Beastman Empire dared to be so arrogant mainly because they had a Sovereign level. If their Arctic Tigerfolk also had one, why would they submit to those half-breed mongrels? Maulclaw''s words resonated with Shadowfang. Ruby had the potential to lead their tribe to greatness, at least more so than those corrupt elders. "It''s not too late to pledge your support to Ruby. Those old geezers will face their reckoning eventually." Seeing Shadowfang waver, Maulclaw pressed on. Alex stood up, the scythe reappearing in her hand. "I don''t have much time. So you have three seconds to decide." Between submitting to the Beastman Empire and following Ruby, Shadowfang chose the latter. Besides, it was still young. While not afraid of death, it didn''t mean it wanted to die. "Alright, I agree to support Ruby." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shadowfang hesitated for a moment before making up its mind. Maulclaw breathed a sigh of relief. It knew Shadowfang was just impulsive and resented the Beastmen. It wasn''t truly against Ruby, which was why Maulclaw had tried to persuade it. Alex put away the scythe and sat back down. Shadowfang''s submission didn''t make much difference to her. "Now, tell me about Ruby''s situation." Maulclaw gestured for Shadowfang to sit down and took a seat itself, beginning to explain Ruby''s situation to Alex. The tiger guard, whose emotions had gone from terror to joy to worry, finally relaxed, silently listening to the conversation between these powerful figures. It finally understood that this outcome was all thanks to Alex''s overwhelming strength. "Ruby escaped?" Alex was taken aback, while the tiger guard''s face lit up with joy. It seemed her injuries weren''t serious, or perhaps she had other tricks up her sleeve. The enraged elders had destroyed the palace within the iceberg and discovered the Subglacial River. The tiger beings had searched along the river, even reaching the Endless Sea to the north. But they still couldn''t find any trace of Ruby. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. The high-ranking Beastman was furious and threatened to wipe out the entire Arctic Tigerfolk. It had run out of patience. "It dared to say that? Do those elders plan to let it leave the Far North alive?" Alex was puzzled. She had learned about the Beastmen''s strength from Maulclaw. She couldn''t understand their audacity. "You don''t understand. I suspect their plan is to wait for the Beastmen to leave, then move the entire tribe away from the Far North, escaping the Beastman Empire." Maulclaw sighed. Shadowfang snorted, clearly angered by the elders'' cowardice. Letting them leave would leave room for negotiation with the Beastman Empire. But killing them would be a blatant declaration of war. No force would tolerate the loss of a King level without retaliation. The reason these Beastmen were considered high-ranking was that the King level among them was rumored to be a descendant of a certain Alpha in the Beastman Empire. This was another reason why the elders didn''t dare to act rashly. "Have they left yet?" Alex was already planning to intercept and kill them on their way out. "Not yet. They''re still waiting for the search results from the Endless Sea. They should have an answer by tonight. If they still can''t find Ruby, they''ll probably leave in a rage." Although Maulclaw rarely participated in tribe meetings, as the longest-serving elder, it had its eyes and ears everywhere. It was privy to most of the tribe''s affairs. Ruby was a Monarch level with spatial magic. Catching her was no easy feat. Therefore, the search party mainly consisted of Monarch levels, personally led by two elders. Their goal wasn''t to capture Ruby but to find the tiger beings who had escaped with her. As long as they found them, they could force Ruby to show herself. "Are there any other elders we can try to persuade?" Alex remembered the two neutral elders. If they could be won over, it would be a great help to Ruby. "It''s chaos out there now. I''m afraid there''s no opportunity to persuade them. Besides, those two old geezers are unlikely to give up their power." Maulclaw shook its head. If Ruby returned and overpowered the other elders with her strength, they might accept her without question. But asking them to relinquish their power and acknowledge a girl who was only at Monarch level as their queen? Even if they agreed, they wouldn''t be truly convinced. It would be a hidden danger in the future. Moreover, one of the neutral elders had already gone with the other elders to entertain the Beastmen. This was a clear indication of its stance. "I see. Then there''s no need to bother. If even you''re not confident, it''s better to just kill them." Alex stood up and walked towards the window, looking out at the city. "Don''t be rash. Now that Ruby has escaped, our top priority is to find her before they do. As for what comes next, we need to plan carefully." Maulclaw hurriedly tried to dissuade her. There were at least three King levels down there. If a fight broke out and alerted the other elders, the situation would spiral out of control once they returned. Alex didn''t answer Maulclaw but instead smiled at Shadowfang. "What do you think?" Shadowfang didn''t understand why Alex suddenly asked for its opinion. They had three King levels on their side, and there were three more down there. Two had already left to search for Ruby, leaving at most one neutral elder in the city. However that elder might not necessarily support the other elders. So, the worst-case scenario was a three-on-three. As long as they ended the fight quickly, there was nothing to worry about. "I say we attack directly!" Shadowfang blurted out. Alex''s smile widened. "I agree." Chapter 303 - 303: Liliths Plea "Let''s wait a little longer, until those Beastmen leave." Alex had already made up her mind. While they wouldn''t necessarily lose in a direct confrontation, it was better to be safe and eliminate those Beastmen first. Hearing Alex''s words, Maulclaw was about to breathe a sigh of relief when it tensed up again. It knew it couldn''t dissuade Alex. It could only hope that this girl wasn''t alone and had other cards up her sleeve. Ideally, she would have an army of over a thousand troops, with at least three Monarch levels among them. Only then would they have a decent chance of killing those Beastmen. "Aren''t we going to look for Ruby?" Maulclaw still believed that finding Ruby should be their top priority. "Then have Shadowfang send out some Monarch levels to search. It would be too suspicious otherwise." Alex looked at the tiger guard, who shook its head. As Ruby''s confidant, even it didn''t know where she was hiding. Alex didn''t hold out much hope in that regard. The Far North was vast. Even if all one hundred thousand Arctic Tigerfolk spread out, they might not be able to find Ruby if she was deliberately hiding. Instead of wasting time searching for Ruby, it was better to take care of those disobedient elders. "I agree." Maulclaw nodded. It was more worried that Ruby would be captured, rendering all their preparations for naught. Of course, Alex had another reason for delaying the attack. While she was talking to Maulclaw, she received a message from Xiao Mu. === Two hours earlier, in Undead City. With Alex gone, Xiao Mu was in charge of managing all the subjects and the city''s operations. In short, he was responsible for internal affairs, while the six race kings were in charge of military matters, with Death Spirit overseeing everything. Xiao Mu remained in the city, Xiao Hui led the undead army to conquer the Savage Plains. Suddenly, the Portal of Transit shimmered with an orange-red light. Lilith had arrived in Undead City. The moment Xiao Mu saw Lilith, a strange feeling washed over him. Lilith''s state was peculiar. Her entire body was enveloped in black mist, her face obscured, and her aura faint. Lilith gave Xiao Mu the impression that she wasn''t quite real. Were all fallen angels like this? Xiao Mu was puzzled. If a normal person was like a 4K resolution image, then Lilith was currently at 360p. Although she had never met Xiao Mu, Lilith knew that whoever was in Undead City at this moment must be one of Alex''s subjects, and a high-ranking one at that. After a brief exchange, Lilith learned from Xiao Mu that Alex wasn''t in Undead City. Resigned, she revealed the purpose of her visit. She had come to ask for help. Lilith hoped that Xiao Mu could contact Alex on her behalf. "Why don''t you contact her yourself? Why go through all this trouble?" Xiao Mu asked, puzzled. After a moment of silence, Lilith explained her situation. Her true body was trapped within the realm of a demon in the Valoria Continent. What stood before Xiao Mu wasn''t her true form but a clone-like entity. This body could transform into her second life if her true body perished or die in her place. However, while her true body was trapped, she couldn''t access the system or any of its functions. Moreover, the memories of her two bodies weren''t shared. She could only judge her true body''s condition based on her current state. If she became clearer, it meant her true body was closer to death. After listening to Lilith''s hurried explanation, Xiao Mu understood. While he could command the undead to help Lilith, he had to consult with Alex first. What if Alex refused to help? "That cat-eared maid lord is still alive?" Xiao Mu was surprised. Logically, a King level should have been able to instantly kill them, especially with the use of a realm. "I''m not sure. I don''t know anything right now. But the Portal of Transit in my city is still active, which means he''s not dead." Lilith only had one subject. She was certain of that. "When will Alex be back? She should be King level by now, right?" This was Lilith''s only hope. If Alex wasn''t King level yet, then there was no way she could be saved, unless Alex was willing to sacrifice a large number of undead for her. "She''s been gone for two days. She didn''t say when she''d be back. I''ll ask." Having grasped the situation, Xiao Mu quickly relayed everything to Alex. In her current state, Lilith couldn''t even see the system interface. She could only wait anxiously. Ding dong! The system notification sounded. Xiao Mu quickly checked the chat interface. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex: "Cat-eared maids? Sounds interesting. Get me a few." Xiao Mu: "Leader... why is that your focus?" Alex: "A King level demon of unknown strength? Have Death Spirit investigate first. If it''s high-level, we''ll abandon the mission. But if it''s not high-level, we must help, as it''s a King level corpse!" Xiao Mu: "Yes, leader." Alex: "Oh, and if you kill it, have Death Spirit summon it as a Reaper Guard." After replying, Xiao Mu closed the system interface and turned to Lilith. "Alex won''t be back anytime soon, but I''ve obtained authorization. I can have the undead help you." Alex hadn''t mentioned anything about returning to Xiao Mu, so naturally, she wouldn''t be coming back. With two King level undead in Undead City, they were more than enough to handle the situation. "The undead can fight a King level?" Lilith was rarely surprised, but she couldn''t help but blurt out. Xiao Mu just smiled without saying a word. Although he was Alex''s subject and Lilith was Alex''s ally, he didn''t feel inferior. Moreover, his strength was on par with hers. Soon, Xiao Mu summoned Death Spirit and two Reaper Guards, ordering them to accompany Lilith back to her city. After a moment of thought, Xiao Mu decided to go and see for himself. This way, he could report back to Alex with more detailed information. Besides, Sophie was still in Undead City. "I''m going out for a bit." Xiao Mu informed Sophie before stepping into the Portal of Transit. Sophie had sensed Lilith''s arrival, but since Xiao Mu was handling it, she didn''t intervene. She was currently engrossed in designing new clothes with the dwarves. Why hadn''t she thought of this before? She could have the dwarves make clothes for her! "Strange, why is everyone going out?" Sophie muttered to herself, only half-listening to Xiao Mu''s words. Her mind was preoccupied with designing clothes. Her goal was to create a fashion trend that would take this world by storm. Chapter 304 - 304: The Death Spirits true objective Arsen Continent, Lilith''s city. Xiao Mu''s figure arrived close behind. Lilith wasn''t surprised by Xiao Mu''s arrival; she was more concerned about the strength of these three undead. Standing before the Portal of Transit, she paused, looking back at Xiao Mu and the three undead. "Are you all going together?" "No, we need to assess the demon''s strength first." Xiao Mu explained, then gestured for Death Spirit to proceed. Without a word, Death Spirit flew into the Portal of Transit. Lilith watched anxiously as the orange-red light of the portal shimmered, her heart heavy with worry. Meanwhile, on the Valoria Continent, the valley had been razed to the ground. The once idyllic scenery of birdsong and fragrant flowers had transformed into a desolate wasteland, reeking of decay. The cat-eared maid Lord, the demon man, Lilith, and even the King level demon had all vanished, leaving only a ruined town behind. They were now trapped within Croakzoth''s realm. Instead of an empty void of darkness, the realm was littered with crumbling ruins. Croakzoth wasn''t its usual gigantic self here. It had taken on a human-like size, and instead of killing them outright, it was toying with them. Perhaps its long slumber had left it feeling playful, or maybe it simply enjoyed watching its prey struggle in vain. After all, who knew what strange whims a creature that had slept for centuries might have? This, however, gave Lilith and the others a chance to survive within Croakzoth''s realm. They hid among the ruins, desperately seeking a way out. Whenever Lilith or the demon man were about to be discovered, they would order their troops to distract the demon, buying them precious time. After a whole night of evasion, Lilith''s fallen angels, the demon man''s shadowy figures, and even the cat-eared maids had all been wiped out, sacrificing themselves to buy time for their masters. Lilith knew her time was running out. By morning, despair had set in. No matter what they tried, they couldn''t escape the demon''s realm. The time their troops had bought them only amounted to a few extra hours of life. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A King level''s realm was entirely under their control. To those below King level, it was an endless prison, boundless and timeless, beyond their reach. The only way to break it was with another King level''s realm, and even then, escape was not guaranteed. For them, the realm was an inescapable cage. Lilith and the cat-eared maid lord were hiding inside a dilapidated building. Her face was haggard as she looked up at the endless darkness above, knowing that escape was unlikely. She had kept the maid lord alive for one reason: to facilitate their escape through teleportation. The maid lord was terrified. Faced with the cruelty of this world, he had lost control of his bladder and bowels, his eyes rolled back, and he nearly fainted. If he weren''t still useful, even if Croakzoth hadn''t killed him, Lilith would have lost her patience and killed him herself. He was completely useless. As a lord, he wasn''t even as brave as those cat-eared maids. If that demon found them again, she would have to abandon him. Lilith sighed, glancing at the trembling figure huddled in the corner. Suddenly, the building above them began to shake. Cracks appeared on the walls and ceiling, and debris rained down. Lilith looked around in alarm, her eyes meeting Croakzoth''s, who was approaching with a sinister grin. This is bad! The maid lord beside her fainted dead away. Lilith immediately tried to spread her wings and flee. She had been holding back her fallen angel powers, afraid of attracting the demon''s attention. But as she was about to escape, she realized Croakzoth was staring at her with blood-red eyes. She can''t move! Lilith found herself rooted to the spot, her body refusing to obey her commands. She could only watch helplessly as Croakzoth approached. With each leisurely step, the demon closed the distance between them by dozens of meters. Even now, Lilith refused to give up. She knew she was going to die, but instead of panicking, she became calmer, focusing all her energy on breaking free. But courage and composure couldn''t bridge the gap in their strength. As the demon drew closer, Lilith felt a surge of resentment. She didn''t want to die like this. It seemed Alex''s rescue wouldn''t arrive in time. She knew herself well enough to know that her clone would definitely seek Alex''s help. But there was still no sign of reinforcements. Lilith sighed. Could it be that even Alex was powerless against this? Just as Croakzoth was about to reach them, the ground between them suddenly split open. A black light shot up into the sky, forcing Croakzoth to take a step back. The force of it slammed into Lilith, forcing her to close her eyes. A moment later, she felt the pressure vanish and slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the surrounding wasteland, then the ruined town in the distance. "I''m out of that creepy space!" Lilith was overjoyed, knowing she had been saved. It had to be Alex. She really had reached King level... "I... I''m out of hell! Hahaha!" The demon man behind her also woke up. Seeing their surroundings, he burst into laughter, overcome with relief. Lilith shot him a glare, then turned to return to her city. Whether this guy lived or died was of no concern to her. The Valoria Continent was too dangerous, filled with hidden threats. The Arsen Continent was much more to her liking. Within the realm, Croakzoth looked at the intruder with confusion, then flew into a rage. Its body swelled in size, and it charged towards Death Spirit. Its realm power clashed against Death Spirit''s, shaking the very foundation of the realm. Buildings crumbled, and space itself seemed to warp and crack under the immense pressure. The demon man watched in terror and relief. The sudden arrival of this King level intruder had given him a chance to escape. Cracks spread across Death Spirit''s realm, on the verge of collapsing, while Croakzoth''s realm only showed minor damage. It''s not enough! The demon man could see that this King level creature was no match for Croakzoth. At this rate, it would never escape. Gritting its teeth, the demon man decided to use its trump card, to aid Death Spirit and create an opportunity for its own survival. He pressed his fingers together, forming a sharp point, and plunged them into his own heart. With a grimace of pain, he drew out a single drop of black blood. A black magic circle appeared beneath his feet. He knelt, offering his most precious heart''s blood as a sacrifice. After a chant, the magic circle blazed with crimson light. Power surged into his body, etching red lines across his skin. His power surged, leaping across several levels, reaching half-step King level. The demon man seized the opportunity. He unleashed his full power, striking at the crack in Croakzoth''s realm. Boom! The crack, eroded by the demonic energy, widened slightly. The demon man didn''t hesitate. He transformed into a shadow and vanished. Croakzoth, locked in battle with Death Spirit, whirled around, eyes blazing with fury. "Korvex!" It roared, its power surging. Death Spirit''s realm, unable to withstand the onslaught, shattered. Croakzoth stood amidst the ruins, its chest heaving. It could sense that the Death Spirit it had just destroyed was merely a clone. Not only had the fallen angel escaped, but that damned demon had gotten away too! As the demon man fled, Croakzoth recognized the power it emanated. It was a minion of that other demon, Korvex! Outside the realm, Lilith, about to return to her city, spotted the fleeing demon man. He was weak, his energy depleted. Lilith wouldn''t miss this opportunity. If it weren''t for him, she wouldn''t be in this mess. The demon man, having just escaped Croakzoth''s realm, never expected to be ambushed by Lilith. He was swiftly cut down. Fallen Angel City. Just as Death Spirit entered the Portal of Transit, another Death Spirit clone appeared here. Lilith was puzzled but didn''t question it. Clearly, this undead possessed a cloning ability similar to hers. About ten minutes later, Death Spirit possessed a nearby lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard. Xiao Mu knew they had their answer. "The demon''s strength doesn''t exceed mid-level King. And it seems it can''t fully utilize its power, perhaps because it recently awakened and hasn''t mastered its full strength." Death Spirit spoke through the Reaper Guard, its voice raspy. It then saw the hope in Lilith''s eyes. "Your true body has been rescued. There''s no need to worry. But my clone won''t last much longer." Xiao Mu was relieved. This meant the demon could be killed by the undead. "Then we must act swiftly. Go to the Valoria Continent and kill it!" Death Spirit nodded and, along with the other Reaper Guard, stepped into the Portal of Transit. Lilith stared after them, stunned. Heavens, they were actually going to kill that demon?! Valoria Continent. Lilith''s true body had just slain the demon man. Within the realm, Croakzoth had destroyed Death Spirit''s clone. As Lilith prepared to return to her city, two shadows shot out from the ruined town. A giant black rift appeared, swallowing them whole. Two King level undead! Lilith gasped, realizing that it wasn''t Alex who had rescued her, but her troops. With the arrival of these two King level undead, she understood. Alex wasn''t here to save her; she was here to kill. Lilith decided to stay. She brought the cat-eared maid lord to the town, ensuring his safety and providing a return portal for the undead. Besides, she wanted to witness a battle between King levels. Only now did Lilith truly grasp the terror of the undead. It wasn''t that the undead were inherently stronger than their troops, but that Alex''s abilities were simply too overpowered. If they killed this demon, Alex would gain another King level powerhouse. The undead''s rise to power was happening at an alarming rate. As Lilith watched, space above the valley shattered. A green figure plummeted from the sky. Boom! Croakzoth''s massive body crashed into the ground, sending dust and debris flying. The impact created a crater. Black blood trickled from its mouth, and wounds marred its body. Its realm had been destroyed, leaving it severely weakened. Hovering in the sky, a Reaper Guard, radiating death energy, leveled its scythe. Lilith couldn''t believe it. This powerful demon had been wounded so quickly. Moreover, the Reaper Guard''s aura seemed even stronger than Croakzoth''s. "That''s right, I can use the system to check!" Lilith suddenly remembered that they were within the territory of her subject''s town. She quickly used the system to check their stats, hoping to glean more information. [lv2 King level Demon: Croakzoth] [lv1 (+2) King level Undead: Reaper Guard] [lv9 Monarch Undead: Reaper Guard] Lilith didn''t understand the "+2" next to the Reaper Guard''s level. She didn''t know it was due to Death Spirit''s possession. But then, the stats changed again. The King level undead dropped to lv1 (+1), while the lv9 Monarch became a half-step King level. What was going on? Lilith realized that she couldn''t even comprehend Alex''s troops anymore. On the battlefield, Death Spirit had split its consciousness, possessing both Reaper Guards. With Croakzoth''s realm destroyed, even a half-step King level could injure it. But Death Spirit''s goal wasn''t simply to injure the demon. Otherwise, it would have possessed the King level Reaper Guard and finished it off. The lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard was on the verge of a breakthrough. Killing this demon might be enough to push it to King level. That was Death Spirit''s true objective. Croakzoth, lying wounded on the ground, finally felt fear. It sensed the undeniable presence of death. Even at its peak, it wouldn''t be able to defeat these creatures. As it looked at the two Reaper Guards in the sky, realization dawned, and its eyes widened in horror. It finally recognized the familiar aura. These were undead! "You''re Zarvox''s minions?! I bear it no ill will! Why is it targeting me? Isn''t it afraid of angering all demonkind?!" The Reaper Guards ignored Croakzoth''s roars and questions. They charged, their scythes gleaming. The battle lasted less than ten minutes. Lilith witnessed a complete and utter beatdown. The demon was no match for the two undead. She was puzzled as to why the undead kept holding back, choosing to wear down the demon''s stamina and mana instead of finishing it off. Then, the lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard delivered the final blow, and she understood. The lv9 Monarch Reaper Guard had broken through to King level! Chapter 305 - 305: Youll never know Two hours later, in the Far North... Alex''s initial plan was to intercept the Beastmen as they were leaving and turn them into undead. This way, she would have enough power to confront the five elders of the Arctic Tigerfolk. But fate, it seemed, had other plans. Lilith''s sudden crisis had presented Alex with an unexpected opportunity. Not only had she gained a lv2 King level undead, but Reaper Guard had also broken through, adding two more King levels to her forces. Alex was ecstatic. With three King level undead, herself, and the two elders, their combined might could challenge the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe. With this lineup, Alex didn''t need any elaborate tactics. She had expected to wait until nightfall, but now it seemed unnecessary. Alex abruptly stood up, drawing the attention of Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Shadowfang knew it was time for action. It was raring to go. Just then, an young Arctic Tigerfolk barged in, freezing in its tracks upon seeing everyone in the room, unsure whether to speak. "How many times have I told you to knock before entering? Speak!" Maulclaw said, annoyed. The younger generation was always so impetuous. "Elder, the Beastman Empire''s envoys have left." Maulclaw was taken aback. "When did they leave? Which direction?" "They left towards the southwest, just now." The young Arctic Tigerfolk replied respectfully. "You are dismissed." Maulclaw waved its paw. As the Arctic Tigerfolk retreated, Maulclaw turned to Alex. A smile spread across Alex''s face upon hearing the news. What perfect timing. "What are you planning to do?" Maulclaw sensed the human girl''s recklessness and worried that she would kill the Beastmen, bringing trouble to the Arctic Tigerfolk. "Get rid of them, of course." Alex said with a charming smile. Why would she let those Beastmen go? Killing them meant more King level undead. As for Maulclaw''s concerns, Alex had a simple solution. She would wait until the Beastmen left the Far North, then eliminate them with magic, leaving no trace. She would pin the blame on the human Mages'' Association. Even the mighty Beastman Empire wouldn''t dare to provoke the humans directly. That would be suicide. "You can''t do that!" Maulclaw''s worst fear was realized. It hurriedly tried to dissuade her. "Maulclaw, your ways are outdated. I won''t bring trouble to the Arctic Tigerfolk. Trust me." "Wait for me here. We''ll proceed with our plan when I return." With that, Alex vanished, her voice echoing in the room. Maulclaw sighed, worry etched on its face. This upheaval would cost the Arctic Tigerfolk dearly. If they provoked the Beastman Empire, they would be forced to abandon their ancestral home. Alex activated Invisibility and flew southwest at full speed. The Beastmen had just left, and considering most of them were Monarch level, their speed wouldn''t be too fast. Alex estimated she would catch up to them soon. The vast, open expanse of the icy plains made it difficult for anything to escape her sight. Half an hour later, she spotted them. But Alex frowned. She hadn''t found them in the sky, but on the ground. Those Beastmen were running? Only an eagle was flying. The rest were sprinting across the frozen wasteland. Alex saw Dogs, Lions, leopards, horses, and with various other animalistic features. It was like a bizarre zoo. As she got closer, Alex realized why these Monarch level Beastmen chose to run. They were faster on land than in the air. They were completely oblivious to Alex, who was tailing them from the sky. Even eagle, soaring above, remained unaware. Alex followed them northwest, out of the Far North. Soon, they arrived at a mountain peak covered in lush forests, teeming with small animals. Alex followed the Beastmen into the mountains, reaching a hidden cave halfway up the slope. Several Beastmen stood guard at the entrance. "Leader Windrider, you''re back." The guards bowed respectfully to eagle. "Prepare the teleportation array. We''re returning to the Empire." Windrider said coldly, still fuming from their encounter in the Far North. It led the Beastmen into the cave. Alex followed, strolling casually past the guards. If even the King level Windrider couldn''t detect her in her invisible state, these two Commanding level Beastmen didn''t stand a chance. As she brushed past them, a white light flashed in Alex''s left eye. She took control of their minds with soul magic and entered the cave. Time to end this. The cave''s interior was larger than it appeared from the outside, with various facilities. It was clearly a hidden Beastman outpost. Windrider sat at the center, surrounded by its subordinates, angrily discussing how to deal with the Arctic Tigerfolk. "Why didn''t we just wipe them out?" A beastman with a Leon head and a human body asked, confused. It didn''t understand why they had been sent to negotiate time and time again. "You idiot, Leonidas. Do you think our Alpha has nothing better to do? They''re busy dealing with pressure from all the major factions. Besides, a living race is always more valuable than a dead one." A Gnoll sneered at Leonidas. This stupid question was the perfect opportunity for it to show off in front of Windrider. Windrider shot Leonidas a glare. The Gnoll, smug, puffed up its chest. But then, Leonidas noticed something strange about the Gnoll. A red line appeared around its neck, and its smug grin froze. Thump! The Gnoll''s head rolled on the ground, silencing the Beastmen. Windrider sensed something was wrong and leaped to its feet, claws slashing towards the tunnel entrance. Bang! An invisible barrier materialized, blocking its attack. A transparent ring expanded rapidly, engulfing the entire cave. In an instant, every Beastman except Windrider was sliced in half. Flames erupted, engulfing the cave in a fiery inferno. Alex reappeared, smiling at Windrider. She wasn''t afraid. Beacuse she could summon her undead army at any moment. "Who are you?" Windrider snarled, wary of the beautiful girl with human features. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You''ll never know." Alex''s right eye glowed red, and magic circles of various colors appeared around her. Elemental energy crackled, and a torrent of spells, woven together in a deadly symphony of destruction, hurtled towards Windrider. Chapter 306 - 306: Rubys whereabouts Boom! A kaleidoscope of magical energies flooded the tunnel, pulverizing the Beastman hideout. An invisible shield shimmered around Alex, deflecting dust and debris. A gust of wind followed, clearing the air. Bang! Windrider emerged from the rubble, disheveled but largely unharmed. Alex''s attack had been a mere probe. It unfurled its wings and shot into the sky. Its sharp eyes locked onto Alex below. It recognized a powerful human mage when it saw one. In an instant, possibilities raced through its mind. Why was a human mage here? Had something happened to the Alpha? But there was no time to ponder. Alex''s next attack was already upon it. Windrider snarled, flapping its wings furiously. Feathers shot out, transforming into razor-sharp darts that intercepted Alex''s magic. At the same time, Windrider''s body contracted, launching itself at Alex like an arrow loosed from a bow. It knew human mages were physically frail. If it could get close, victory would be swift. The darts shattered Alex''s spells, then continued their deadly trajectory. But as they were about to pierce her flesh, they stopped abruptly, half a meter from her body, held at bay by an unseen force. An invisible barrier surrounded Alex, deflecting all of Windrider''s attacks. The strange magic seemed familiar, but Windrider couldn''t quite place it. As Windrider dove, Alex vanished. Its eyes narrowed. It adjusted its course mid-flight, soaring back into the sky and circling, searching for its elusive opponent. But no matter how hard it looked, it couldn''t find any trace of Alex, not even a hint of her aura. Windrider hovered, flapping its wings, its expression grim. Had she retreated, fearing close combat or doubting her ability to defeat it? Then, a jolt of realization. No, that girl had come here with the intention to kill. She wouldn''t run. And if she wasn''t running, there was only one explanation. An ambush! But it was too late. A white light flashed above Windrider, severing its left wing. If it hadn''t shifted slightly at the last moment, it would have been cleaved in two. As the white light dissipated, searing pain brought a wave of icy clarity. Windrider finally recognized the familiar magic. Spatial magic! It tried to put distance between them, but Alex was nowhere to be seen. Then it remembered. She possessed an invisibility ability that even it couldn''t detect. Despite losing a wing, Windrider could still fly, but its advantage in the sky was gone. It had underestimated its opponent, assuming that all mages were physically weak and specialized in only one type of magic. It had believed that close combat guaranteed victory. In reality, many mages were dual or even triple-elemental specialists. Some could even wield four elements. These mages had few weaknesses, and with the right equipment and spells, they could be formidable in close combat. "Father warned me not to underestimate mages..." But the realization came too late. Without its wing, escape was unlikely. Windrider activated its domain. A raging gale erupted, whipping the air into a frenzy. Its pupils narrowed to slits, senses on high alert, scanning its surroundings. It would use the wind to pinpoint Alex''s location. Only then could it counterattack. Sensing Windrider''s plan, Alex deactivated her invisibility. Their eyes met. "Perhaps we can come to an understanding. I believe there might be a misunderstanding between us and the Mages'' Association." Windrider hoped this was just a warning from the humans, who had discovered their activities and sent a mage to destroy their outpost. But Alex ignored its plea. She raised her hand, summoning a giant purple magic circle. Lightning crackled, gathering power for a high-level spell. Alex didn''t know if the Beastman Empire''s Alpha would discover this place. To be safe, she stuck to elemental magic, not even using her scythe. She had to maintain the identity of a mage. Otherwise, she would have summoned her Reaper Guards to eliminate this Beastman long ago. Alex didn''t speak. A giant purple lightning dragon, crackling with energy, was her only response. Windrider''s expression darkened. This mage refused to communicate. It had its own concerns. As a descendant of one of the five Alphas of the Beastman Empire, its actions represented the entire empire. Killing a human mage here would give the Mages'' Association a legitimate reason to declare war. Seeing Alex''s resolve, Windrider decided to stop holding back. Its initial hesitation, stemming from its respect for the Mages'' Association and its underestimation of Alex, had cost it dearly. Or so it thought. The purple dot in Windrider''s vision expanded rapidly. The lightning dragon struck, sending jolts of electricity through its body, paralyzing its movements. But at that moment, a blood-red giant eagle materialized behind Windrider, enveloping it in a crimson sphere. The sphere exploded, transforming Windrider into a monstrous chimera. Six wings, covered in black feathers, sprouted from its back. Three heads, each with piercing eagle eyes, snapped and snarled. Its talons morphed into wicked hooks, and three long tails lashed out wildly. It was as if three eagles had been fused into one terrifying creature. Screech! It roared, its talons contracting. It shot towards Alex, its massive body angled for a deadly strike. Its tails, extending like flails, whipped out, aiming to bind her. Alex showed no fear. Her right eye glowed red, activating her magic enhancement. With a flick of her wrist, she froze Windrider mid-air. A cracking sound echoed as space itself fractured. Hundreds of cuts appeared on Windrider''s body as spatial blades materialized around it, slicing through flesh and bone. Countless miniature magic circles, glowing green like a field of stars, surrounded them. Then, vines, as thick as a man''s finger, shot out, piercing Windrider''s flesh. Ice spread across Windrider, encasing it in a solid block of ice. The spatial and frost magic held Windrider in an unbreakable grip. It could only watch helplessly as the vines burrowed into its flesh, drawing out a strange red energy. The tips of the vines had turned crimson, snaking towards the source of the magic circle. But as they pulsed with green energy, the red energy dissipated, neutralized. Windrider''s strength waned with each passing moment. Its struggles were futile. It could only watch as the green energy purged the red, leaving it weaker than before. As time passed, Windrider grew weaker, the red energy draining away. Finally, it reverted to its original form. "Spare... me... We can... talk..." Windrider pleaded, its eyes filled with fear and desperation. It knew humans valued profit above all else. But Alex remained unmoved. Besides, she wasn''t a human mage. A blade of lightning pierced Windrider''s chest. The restraints vanished, and its body plummeted towards the ground. Alex clapped her hands. Done! Three high-level spells to deal with a single, ordinary King level. What a waste. But while this method was effortless, it consumed a significant amount of mana. "Still, my undead magic is the most cost-effective." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex descended slowly, casting a high-level summoning spell. Windrider''s soul was extracted, forming a swirling ball of energy in her palm. She then flicked a spark of fire, igniting Windrider''s body. She controlled the flames, ensuring they would incinerate the corpse without completely destroying it, leaving enough evidence while concealing any trace of her summoning magic. With that done, Alex held the soul in her hand and summoned a spatial magic circle beneath her feet. She had marked Maulclaw''s room earlier. With a thought, she could teleport back instantly. A white light engulfed her, and she vanished. In the Far North, Maulclaw, Shadowfang, and the tiger guard waited anxiously. Maulclaw paced back and forth, worry etched on its face. Shadowfang, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement, as if it had personally slain the Beastmen. The tiger guard trembled, intimidated by the presence of the two elders. "She''s too reckless. How could she just kill them?" Maulclaw fretted. It was worried about Alex''s safety and the possibility of the Beastman Empire retaliating against the Arctic Tigerfolk. "Good riddance! Those cowardly bullies had it coming." Shadowfang scoffed, unconcerned. That Beastman was, at best, equal in strength to itself. It never doubted Alex''s ability to handle the situation. Crash! The door burst open, and a burly Arctic Tigerfolk stumbled in, its face pale with panic. "Elders! We''ve found those traitors!" Maulclaw and Shadowfang turned to the tiger being, who continued without hesitation, "The other elders found them. They captured some sea folk at the coast and learned of their whereabouts." "Sea Folk? What are sea folk doing here?" Maulclaw sighed. It didn''t know that Ruby was still in the Far North, hiding along the northwestern coastline. Ruby had chosen her hiding spot well, but her starving subordinates had been forced to hunt, attracting the attention of the sea folk. These sea folk were scouts, mere cannon fodder. They were no match for Ruby and her group. Unable to complete their mission or return home, they fled westward along the coastline, only to encounter the Arctic Tigerfolk searching for Ruby at the source of the Subglacial River. The sea folk, facing so many Monarch levels, were easily captured. Under interrogation, they revealed everything, including their encounter with a group of Arctic Tigerfolk on the northwestern coastline. The Monarchs were ecstatic. The western coast was on the fringes of the Far North, outside their search radius. The Arctic Tigerfolk they encountered there could only be Ruby and her group. They immediately reported their findings to the four elders. Without alerting the rest of the tribe, two elders had already set out. This explained why Maulclaw hadn''t noticed anything unusual. The other elders suspected that Ruby had inside help, allowing her to escape time and time again. And Maulclaw was their prime suspect. Ruby, still recovering from her injuries, had wanted to conserve her mana. She hadn''t anticipated that those sea folk would inadvertently expose her location. She also hadn''t expected the remnants of the sea folk to travel further inland instead of returning to the ocean. Maulclaw dismissed the messenger, its expression grave. It turned to Shadowfang, deep in thought. It didn''t fully trust Shadowfang yet and couldn''t risk bringing it along. But leaving it here wasn''t an option either. Maulclaw couldn''t be sure that Shadowfang wouldn''t betray their plan. "We must act quickly. Let''s go now. We have a better chance of rescuing Ruby before Bravetail and the others arrive." Shadowfang urged. Time was of the essence. They couldn''t wait for Alex. Two against two, they had a good chance of success. Clearly, Shadowfang was unaware of Maulclaw''s concerns, but it understood the urgency. "I''m afraid Bravetail has already sent someone to watch us. If we leave now, we''ll be intercepted." Maulclaw sighed. It knew Bravetail would be wary of it. "Are you going to wait until they bring Ruby back before you act?" Shadowfang was getting impatient. Maulclaw was too cautious. If it were up to Shadowfang, they would have left already. "Do you really think we should wait for her return? By then, Ruby would be imprisoned by Bravetail and the others." Maulclaw considered this. Shadowfang was right. It decided to trust Shadowfang this once and take a gamble. This was their best chance to rescue Ruby. Once she was taken back to the tribe''s territory, it would be much more difficult. Maulclaw turned to the tiger guard. "Stay here. We''ll go ahead. When Alex returns, tell her we''ve gone to rescue Ruby." Chapter 307 - 307: Hey Ruby, its been ages After giving the instructions, Maulclaw activated its realm power and vanished before the tiger guard''s eyes, leaving no room for reply. High above the city, three powerful auras surged skyward, converging on the spot where Maulclaw had disappeared. Three elders, led by Bravetail, hovered in mid-air, their gazes fixed on the city below. The tiger guard peeked through the window, its heart sinking. This is it, we''re done for. Bravetail, positioned in the center, frowned, its face contorted with rage. "Hmph, I knew that traitor Maulclaw was behind this!" The three elders unleashed their realm powers, attempting to trap Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Just as their realms were about to collide with Maulclaw''s, a black blade of energy sliced through them, severing the connection. "Who?!" Bravetail scanned their surroundings. As the energy dissipated, Alex materialized, her white hair billowing in the wind. She held a massive scythe, her gaze cold and unwavering as she stared down the three elders. "A human?" Bravetail was bewildered. Why was a human powerhouse here? "So it was Maulclaw, that treacherous old fool! To think he would collude with humans!" Seeing Alex outside Maulclaw''s city, Bravetail naturally assumed she was working with him. Bravetail wasn''t worried. Maulclaw only had one ally. They couldn''t stop them. And even if they did, there were two more elders waiting at their destination. They wouldn''t stand a chance. Alex''s reason for intercepting them was simple. Since they were here, might as well take care of them. It was a fortunate coincidence. They had to be dealt with sooner or later, and this was a good opportunity to test Shadowfang''s loyalty for Ruby. "Attack!" Bravetail roared. The three elders combined their realm powers, unleashing a devastating attack on Alex. They held nothing back. "Aren''t you afraid of offending the Mages'' Association by killing me?" Alex smirked, revealing her two-star magic mentor badge. The elders froze, their realm powers dissipating. They stared at the badge, dumbfounded. It couldn''t be fake. It dawned on them that a human powerhouse wouldn''t be without credentials. Bravetail stepped forward, forcing a smile. "We apologize deeply. We were blind to your esteemed status. Please forgive our transgression. May we inquire if your presence here concerns our Ruby?" Alex inwardly scoffed at Bravetail''s fawning. It had been a simple test. If these elders feared the Beastman Empire so much, then they would surely show respect to a human, representing a force even mightier than the Beastmen. Just as she had predicted. But her expression remained impassive. The mocking smile vanished. "You spineless sycophants, you parasites of the Arctic Tigerfolk!" Alex''s cold voice echoed across the snowy expanse of the Far North. Now she understood why Ruby, the daughter of the Arctic Tigerfolk queen, was being targeted. The elders flinched but maintained their smiles. They attributed Alex''s anger to their previous offense. "Kill them!" Three black vortexes appeared before Alex, coalescing into three Reaper Guards. One radiated an intense aura of death, distinct from the other two. But all three were King level. "You''re not with the Mages'' Association! They don''t have such strange magic!" Bravetail exclaimed. It had dealt with humans before and had never seen such magic. Alex ignored them and vanished. The three Reaper Guards charged towards the elders, led by Bravetail. Bravetail bristled at being ignored. It scoffed at the three shadowy figures. "You think you can stop us with three oddly dressed lackeys?" "Take them out! We need to reach Sabertooth!" Bravetail knew Alex must be a King level as well. Her involvement could jeopardize their plan to capture Ruby. That was unacceptable. Of course, it might soon be unable to see anything at all. The six King levels clashed in a fierce battle above the city. ... Meanwhile, on a small island off the northwestern coast of the Far North, Ruby and her followers were hiding. She was focused on healing her injuries, oblivious to the approaching danger. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had dug a series of interconnected ice huts beneath the surface, concealing themselves from prying eyes. Such a large group needed sustenance, and in this environment, that meant fishing. This was one of the reasons Ruby had chosen this remote coastline. It was close enough to the Far North, the cold climate was conducive to their strength, and food was readily available. But the main reason was that Ruby had reached a bottleneck in her cultivation. She needed a specific environment to break through to King level, and this was the perfect place. That was why she hadn''t left the Far North entirely. The exit was to the northwest, a vast expanse of the Endless Sea and countless islands. To leave the Far North, they would have to travel south, crossing the entire region, increasing the risk of discovery. Ruby had a feeling that she would break through to King level once she fully recovered, so she focused on healing. As for hunting, surely that wasn''t a task for the queen. This had led to their encounter with the sea folk. A careless mistake, a coincidence, or perhaps fate. The ice huts, flush with the surface, were only meant to blend in from a distance. A Monarch or King level could easily detect the Arctic Tigerfolk hidden within. Sabertooth and another elder were scouring the coastline, island by island. They knew Ruby was somewhere along the northwestern coast, but the area was vast. Even they couldn''t pinpoint the exact location. They had to resort to a slow and methodical search, flying low, extending their senses, checking every nook and cranny. They hadn''t brought any followers, fearing they might alert Ruby. But searching with only two elders was a slow process. Fortunately, their King level senses had a wide range. They would cover the area soon enough. Ruby was only a Monarch. Even with her powerful spatial magic, she wouldn''t be able to escape in this open terrain. Suddenly, Sabertooth paused, its eyes narrowing. It thought it saw movement on the ice in the distance. "Over there! Let''s check it out!" Trusting its keen eyesight, it alerted the other elder and changed course, flying towards the spot at full speed. The Arctic Tigerfolk beneath the ice, about to head out for a hunt, lifted the ice sheet slightly to peek outside. It spotted two white dots in the sky. There were no birds in the Far North. These were undoubtedly powerful members of their tribe, sent to search for them! It quickly concealed itself, hoping to avoid detection. At this distance, a Monarch level wouldn''t have noticed it. But these were two King level elders. As the Arctic Tigerfolk trembled in fear, a blinding light suddenly pierced through the ice. It looked up, its eyes widening in terror. "Found you!" Sabertooth grinned triumphantly, staring down at the trapped Arctic Tigerfolk. It had no intention of killing it. "She must be nearby. Seal off this area." Sabertooth acted decisively, snatching the Arctic Tigerfolk with a flick of its paw. It then split up with the other elder, moving in opposite directions to surround the island. Meanwhile, Ruby, hidden beneath the ice, remained oblivious to her discovery, focusing on enhancing her powers. Their hideout consisted of interconnected chambers carved out of the ice, concealed beneath the original ice sheet, blending seamlessly with the surroundings. However, these chambers weren''t connected to Ruby''s. Even if they realized they had been discovered, they couldn''t warn her. Surfacing would expose them and draw the elders'' attention to Ruby''s location. The Arctic Tigerfolk that had been spotted was merely a scout, stationed some distance from their main hideout. But they knew they couldn''t hide for long. If they didn''t warn Ruby now, she would have no chance to escape. Inside one of the ice chambers, a group of Arctic Tigerfolk huddled, their faces grim. They had sensed the elders'' arrival and were frantically discussing their options. "There are only two of them, but they''re elders! We have to warn the queen!" "But if we surface, they''ll spot us. The queen''s resting place is miles away. How do we reach her?" The Arctic Tigerfolk were in a panic. They were all Standard level. Their speed compared to a King level was vastly inferior. Then, one of them came up with an idea, their only option. "We''ll all surface and scatter, alerting the others. We''ll distract the elders while one of us sneaks off to warn the queen." By creating chaos, they could prevent the elders from pinpointing Ruby''s location. It was a desperate gamble, sacrificing themselves to buy Ruby time to escape. If Ruby escaped, they would have no chance of survival. Sabertooth had already found seven or eight Arctic Tigerfolk, each hiding alone in a separate chamber. The island was large, and their distribution was irregular, but Sabertooth wasn''t worried. There were only a hundred or so of them. It was only a matter of time before it found them all. The other elder was circling above, keeping watch, while Sabertooth searched for the hidden Arctic Tigerfolk on the ground. Ruby''s spatial magic shielded her from their senses, preventing them from finding her quickly. "Sabertooth, they''re all coming out!" The elder in the sky shouted. Sabertooth looked around, surprised to see over a hundred Arctic Tigerfolk emerging from the ice. "Hmph!" Sabertooth scoffed, seeing through their ploy. It soared into the sky, ignoring the fleeing Arctic Tigerfolk. It watched them from above. Most of them scattered in all directions, but the fewest were heading northwest. Sabertooth smirked. "She must be hiding there." It flew towards the northwestern part of the island, leaving the other elder to continue observing the fleeing Arctic Tigerfolk. Moments after Sabertooth left, Maulclaw and Shadowfang appeared in the distance. The elder''s eyes widened in alarm. Why hadn''t Bravetail and its companion stopped them? And why was Shadowfang with Maulclaw? Maulclaw and Shadowfang only needed to find traces of Sabertooth and the other elder. They didn''t need to waste time searching for Ruby, which was why they had arrived so quickly. Sabertooth, spotting them, ignored them, signaling the other elder to intercept them. Once they captured Ruby, they would have leverage over Maulclaw. It wasn''t worried. Meanwhile, Ruby opened her eyes inside her ice chamber. The commotion outside and the alarm she had set up told her she had been discovered. She didn''t waste time wondering how. She burst out of the chamber and onto the ice, coming face to face with Sabertooth, who was flying towards her. She glanced at the distance and saw Maulclaw and the other three elders. Without hesitation, she activated her spatial magic, attempting to escape. Sabertooth was the strongest of the elders, besides Maulclaw and Bravetail. Even at her peak, Ruby wouldn''t be able to handle a lv1 King level, let alone Sabertooth in its current state. "You''re not getting away!" Sabertooth roared, accelerating. Suddenly, it sensed danger and abruptly changed course, dodging to the side. A black scythe, wrapped in chains, slashed through the air where it had been a moment ago. Sabertooth stared at the attacker, a shadowy figure cloaked in black, wielding a chained scythe. "What is that thing?" Sabertooth was bewildered. It had never seen such a creature, but it sensed a King level aura from its attack. The Reaper Guard, rarely speaking except to their queen, ignored Sabertooth''s shock and charged. Sabertooth unleashed its full power, unwilling to waste time on this strange creature. Its only goal was to capture Ruby. Ruby, fleeing in the distance, sensed the clash behind her. She turned and gasped. That was Alex''s undead! Why was it here? Did that mean Alex was here too? She sensed a familiar aura and looked ahead, her face lighting up with joy. Standing before her was a beautiful girl with flowing white hair. "Hey Ruby, it''s been ages!" Chapter 308 - 308: I was just unlucky, not having a powerful friend like this human girl Alex smiled at Ruby. It had been a while since they had seen each other. Ruby looked weary, her breathing ragged, her injuries far from healed. "Alex!" Ruby threw herself into Alex''s arms, and they embraced tightly. Alex gently patted Ruby''s back. "This was reckless, you know." Alex whispered. Tears welled up in Ruby''s eyes. "I just... I just wanted..." "It''s alright. I''m here now. Your subordinate found me, but you had already left by the time I arrived. That''s why I wasn''t here sooner." Alex interrupted Ruby, sensing her distress. She understood. After centuries of slumber, Ruby was still a child at heart, prone to impulsive actions. "Sit down. Let me heal you." Ruby obeyed, trusting Alex completely. With her mastery of high-level soul and nature magic, Alex could heal both physical and spiritual wounds. "I''ve persuaded Maulclaw and Shadowfang. They''re on your side now. As for your opponents, I''ll take care of them. You will rule the Arctic Tigerfolk. Now, focus on your healing and don''t worry about anything else." While healing, Ruby explained the situation within the tribe. "There are still three elders at the tribe''s territory. They''re all King level. Can you defeat them?" Despite Alex''s reassurances, Ruby couldn''t help but worry. "Don''t worry. They won''t be a problem." Alex smiled. Death Spirit possessing the lv2 King level Reaper Guard, was now lv4. Even Bravetail wouldn''t stand a chance. And Maulclaw, the second strongest elder, was a lv3 King level. Alex glanced at the sky. The remaining elder would soon be defeated by Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Soon, Ruby''s injuries were healed. She was still weak, but no longer in danger. Ruby stood up, her face glowing with renewed vitality. She looked at Alex, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Alex." "No need for thanks between friends." Alex sensed that Ruby had reached half-step King level. In system terms, she was at max experience as a Monarch and could break through to King level at any moment. "Alex, I want to break through to King level!" Ruby''s eyes were filled with determination. Even with Alex''s help in unifying the tribe, she needed to be strong herself. Without King level power, she wouldn''t be truly accepted as their leader. "Alright, I''ll help you." Alex didn''t ask any questions. Ruby sat down, a transparent spatial barrier forming around her. Icy energy swirled within, and the faint outline of a white tiger began to materialize. Alex observed for a moment, realizing that Ruby''s breakthrough was different from that of other lords. It would take time, much slower than the instant level-up process for lords using experience points. She decided to leave Ruby to it and turned her attention to the battlefield. Sabertooth and the Reaper Guard were locked in combat. The Reaper Guard, outmatched, was struggling to hold its own against Sabertooth''s relentless attacks. Sabertooth glanced at Alex, its expression grim. It didn''t know who this girl was, but it had witnessed her healing Ruby and Ruby''s imminent breakthrough to King level. Clearly, this girl, was most likely a King level as well. And this strange shadowy creature was probably her subordinate. With the two elders occupied, the Arctic Tigerfolk, sensing the shift in power, stopped fleeing and began to gather around Ruby. They recognized Alex and knew she had saved their queen. "Thank you for saving us!" They surrounded Alex, expressing their heartfelt gratitude. "Rise." Alex waved her hand, instructing them to protect Ruby. The battle between Sabertooth and the Reaper Guard would take some time. Alex was the deciding factor now. She would end this quickly and ensure Ruby''s safety. A flash of light, and her scythe materialized in her hand. Sabertooth, seeing this, braced itself for the attack. But in the next instant, Alex vanished. Sabertooth''s eyes widened in alarm. It knew she was coming for it. It swung its weapon, a pair of elongated fangs, forcing the Reaper Guard back. Sabertooth reacted quickly, but Alex was faster. She appeared behind it, her scythe raised. Sabertooth whirled around, its eyes meeting Alex''s deep blue gaze. Its mind went blank. Its surroundings shifted, dissolving into an empty void. It felt as if it was falling into an abyss, paralyzed, utterly alone. In reality, Sabertooth stood frozen, its eyes glowing blue. It was Soul magic, amplified by her scythe''s weapon spirit, and was one of Alex''s realm abilities. A mere glance into her eyes had trapped Sabertooth in an illusion. Within Alex''s realm, Sabertooth was helpless prey. A single swing of her scythe would end its life. But Alex didn''t kill it. She bound it with thorny vines, intending to let Ruby decide its fate. When Sabertooth''s mind cleared, it found itself entangled in thorny vines that pierced its flesh. The plague magic coursing through its veins prevented it from resisting. The longer it remained bound, the weaker it would become, but it wouldn''t die. "Keep an eye on it." Alex instructed the Reaper Guard, then flew towards the other battle, deciding to lend Maulclaw and Shadowfang a hand. The Reaper Guard stood silently, its scythe a grim reminder of Sabertooth''s impending judgment. Sabertooth''s face was ashen. It knew its mission had failed, and its life hung in the balance. Fear gnawed at its heart. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It couldn''t understand why Bravetail and the others hadn''t arrived to help or intercepted Maulclaw. They shouldn''t have failed. It struggled against the vines, but they only tightened their grip. The potent toxins coursed through its body, turning its skin a sickly hue. The Reaper Guard''s looming presence and its deadly scythe felt like a death sentence. Their intentions were clear. They would hand it over to Ruby. And Ruby, facing a traitor, would show no mercy. On the other side of the battlefield. "Maulclaw, Shadowfang, are you betraying the tribe?!" The elder, battered and bruised from Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s combined assault, could only roar in anger. It was nearing its limit. "The true traitors are you!" Maulclaw retorted. The elder paused, assessing the situation. It noticed the human girl''s intervention and Sabertooth''s capture. Sensing imminent defeat, it decided to flee. But Alex appeared before it, blocking its path. Maulclaw and Shadowfang closed in, forming a triangle. With her mastery of high-level spatial magic, Alex was practically unmatched in speed among King levels. "Are you coming quietly, or do I have to persuade you?" Magic circles materialized around Alex, thorny vines snaking out. Seeing no chance of escape, the elder surrendered. Unlike Sabertooth, it had been a neutral elder. It might still have a chance to survive under Ruby''s rule. Shadowfang took charge of guarding the captured elder. Alex glanced at Shadowfang''s retreating figure, a thoughtful expression on her face. Despite its impulsive nature, it had kept its word. It hadn''t betrayed them. After all, Shadowfang''s allegiance was based on a verbal agreement, not any binding contract. With the two elders captured, the battle here was over. Now they just had to wait for Ruby to break through to King level. Maulclaw, however, remained worried. It remembered Bravetail''s attempt to stop them when they left. Alex had intercepted them, but now she was here, and the other three elders were nowhere to be seen. Maulclaw didn''t believe Alex could kill three elders in an instant. It feared their arrival would turn the tide of battle. Only Shadowfang was excited, curiously examining the Reaper Guard, wondering how Alex had acquired such a powerful ally. "What about the other three elders?" Maulclaw asked Alex, its voice laced with concern. "My subordinates will handle them." Alex''s casual dismissal surprised Maulclaw. This girl was clearly more than she appeared. Meanwhile, at the heart of the Arctic Tigerfolk territory... The clash of six King levels sent the Arctic Tigerfolk scattering, fleeing the city in terror, fearing the devastating power of the battle raging above. As they ran, they glanced anxiously at the sky. To them, those strange black figures were invaders, and they hoped their elders would prevail. Their feelings towards Ruby were ambivalent. Thanks to the elders'' deliberate misinformation, they were completely unaware that the former queen had an heir. Bravetail''s face was grim. It had initially dismissed the three black figures as mere distractions, but it soon realized its mistake. These creatures were incredibly powerful. The three elders were no match for them. The other two elders were holding their own, but Bravetail was already wounded, its strength waning. "What the hell are these things? They''re unkillable!" Bravetail''s eye twitched. It had initially scoffed at their reckless, injury-for-injury fighting style. Now, it was sweating, desperately searching for a way to kill them. If this dragged on, they would lose. And they had heard Alex''s parting words loud and clear. [Kill them!] Suddenly, the Reaper Guard fighting Bravetail split into two shadows, merging with the other two Reaper Guards. Bravetail was momentarily relieved, thinking its opponent had weakened. But the other two elders were caught off guard and severely wounded. Then, all three Reaper Guards unleashed their realm powers, merging them into one! Bravetail and the other elders tried to resist, but their combined realm power shattered instantly. They coughed up blood. Bravetail could only watch helplessly as they were enveloped by the enemy''s realm. They were all Arctic Tigerfolk, but their realms distinct and incompatible. How could those three black figures merge theirs? A merged realm was unheard of among the Arctic Tigerfolk. They didn''t know that this was one of Death Spirit''s abilities. Even with identical realms, the three Reaper Guards wouldn''t be able to merge them without it. The moment they entered the enemy''s realm, Bravetail and the others knew their fate. They couldn''t defeat the master of this realm. They were plunged into an endless abyss of darkness, their night vision useless. Bravetail knew the enemy''s realm power had blocked their senses. It couldn''t even sense the other two elders. Perhaps they were right beside it, or perhaps light-years away. A scythe pierced Bravetail''s chest from behind. It coughed up blood. Without its realm, it was as helpless as a newborn cub. Whether it was a realm or a domain, being shattered by an opponent''s power resulted in severe injuries, preventing its immediate re-activation. Losing one''s realm meant losing both combat power and a means of escape. This was why many King levels hesitated to use their realms unless they were certain of their opponent''s strength. Great power came with significant drawbacks. Bravetail felt its life force draining away. It wanted to warn the other elders, but no sound escaped its lips. It wouldn''t go down without a fight. It grabbed the scythe, preventing it from penetrating further, and activated the last vestiges of its realm power. A brilliant blue light emanated from its body, dispelling the darkness. But it couldn''t find the other elders. The blue light intensified, turning white as it reached its peak. Boom! A deafening explosion rocked the realm. The Reaper Guard, hidden in the shadows, retreated deeper into its realm, avoiding the blast. Bravetail had detonated its realm, hoping to take its enemy down with it. But its remaining realm power was too weak. It barely scratched the merged realm, causing only a slight tremor. A Reaper Guard appeared before Bravetail''s mangled remains, casting a summoning spell to extract its soul and raise it as an undead. As for the other two elders, they had been swiftly killed by the Reaper Guard the moment they entered the realm. === The Blood Moon hung high in the night sky, casting an eerie crimson glow over the Far North. On the island, Alex stood silently beside Ruby, guarding her as she went through her breakthrough. She was closest to Ruby, surrounded by the Arctic Tigerfolk, with Maulclaw and Shadowfang forming an outer perimeter. The Arctic Tigerfolk clearly trusted Alex more than the two elders. Maulclaw didn''t mind. It could tell from their attitude that Alex and Ruby were close friends. Sabertooth and the other captured elder had resigned themselves to their fate, no longer struggling or pleading for mercy. Bravetail hadn''t come to their rescue. Sabertooth had to accept Alex''s words. They were most likely dead. Tonight, the Arctic Tigerfolk would see a change in leadership. Before finding Ruby, Alex had instructed her Reaper Guards to kill their opponents. It was easier and more efficient than capturing them and guarding them. Now that Ruby was safe, she would decide the fate of these two elders. Suddenly, Alex sensed a shift in Ruby''s aura. A smile spread across her face. The other King levels present also noticed it, but Alex, being closest and constantly observing Ruby, was the first to react. Sabertooth''s heart sank. It knew judgment was upon it. Ruby''s breakthrough had reached a critical stage. A King level aura emanated from her. A majestic white tiger phantom materialized behind her, radiating an aura of power and authority, its chilling presence lowering the already frigid temperature. A wave of potent bloodline power washed over them, forcing the surrounding Arctic Tigerfolk to their knees. Only now did Shadowfang believe Maulclaw''s words. This overwhelming bloodline power couldn''t be faked. The pressure emanating from Ruby''s very soul commanded their obedience. She was their queen! Every Arctic Tigerfolk, except Alex, knelt, including Sabertooth and the other elder. Even bound and restrained, they didn''t want Ruby''s first act as queen to be their execution. Survival was their priority now. A little kneeling wouldn''t hurt. Anyone could put on a show. A surge of spatial energy erupted, cracking the solid ice beneath their feet. Ruby opened her eyes, her aura surging as she crossed the threshold from Monarch to King level. "Congratulations, great queen, on your ascension to King level! May you lead the Arctic Tigerfolk to greatness once more!" The Arctic Tigerfolk cheered. Alex smiled. "Congratulations." "Thank you, Alex. I couldn''t have done it without you." Ruby acknowledged Alex before addressing her subjects. "You''re welcome." Alex stepped aside, revealing Maulclaw and the captured elders. It was time for Ruby to assert her authority and deal with them personally. Ruby approached slowly, Alex following close behind. The Arctic Tigerfolk watched intently. Ruby knew everything that had transpired. Maulclaw, defying the tribe, had secretly helped her by allowing the tiger guard to escape and find Alex. Shadowfang, persuaded by Maulclaw, had pledged its allegiance. She could forgive these two elders and enlist their help in ruling the tribe. But the others would face her judgment. Sabertooth watched Ruby approach, remaining silent. It had planned to beg for mercy the moment she awoke. But now, facing her unwavering gaze and youthful appearance, it couldn''t bring itself to grovel. The other captured elder, however, writhed desperately against its restraints, pleading for its life. "Please, have mercy! I was forced by Bravetail and the others! I''m weak, with no power or influence. I had to obey them! I never wanted any of this!" But Ruby remained impassive. She had tried to win this elder over before, but it had refused. Now, it had chosen to oppose her. She couldn''t tolerate such a fickle individual. "Enough!" Ruby raised her hand, and a spatial blade flashed, decapitating the elder. Its head rolled on the ground, its eyes wide with disbelief. Maulclaw, ever composed, wasn''t surprised. This was a show of force. Ruby wouldn''t spare any of the elders who had betrayed her. Sabertooth had already accepted its fate. Now, facing death, it felt a strange sense of calm. "Do you have any last words?" Ruby asked, her voice cold. Alex watched silently. "Hmph, if it weren''t for that human helping you, you wouldn''t be standing here saying that. I was just unlucky, not having a powerful friend like this human girl. I have nothing to say!" Sabertooth maintained its haughty demeanor, clinging to its pride as an elder, forgetting its previous display of subservience. It didn''t respect Ruby. It believed she had only won because of outside help. Otherwise, victory would have been theirs. Ruby didn''t argue or show anger. They could grovel before the Beastman Empire, but they still looked down on her, the rightful heir to the throne. Talking to them was a waste of time. She ended Sabertooth''s life without hesitation. She felt no remorse, only a fleeting thought: would it have been so defiant if it were facing execution by the Beastman Empire? "Alex, you can summoning them as undead." Ruby turned to Alex. Alex didn''t refuse. Two King level corpses were valuable assets, far more useful than the experience points gained from killing them. "By the way, I was in a hurry when I arrived. My undead intercepted Bravetail and the others. They''re probably dead by now." Ruby wasn''t bothered. In fact, she was relieved. She had been worried that Alex''s undead wouldn''t be able to handle Bravetail and the others, resulting in the loss of valuable high-level undead. "It''s fine, those three elders should already be dead. Let''s go back." Chapter 309 - 309: Unified the Arctic Tigerfolk The crimson moon hung high overhead, bathing the Far North in an eerie red light. It was midnight. Most of the tribe was asleep, and only the gentle lapping of waves against the shore of the northern coastline disturbed the peaceful silence. But at the heart of the Far North, in the Arctic Tigerfolk territory, the seven mountain peak cities blazed with light, their fires casting a warm glow across the vast, icy expanse. At the center, the queen''s palace, the previously destroyed iceberg had been restored. Upon their return, Alex, Ruby, and the other Arctic Tigerfolk had immediately set about repairing it with their frost magic. Reconstructing an iceberg was a simple task for four King levels working together. The underground chamber where Ruby had slept was filled in, and the iceberg was restored to its former glory. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Finally, Alex and Ruby reinforced it with spatial magic, making it virtually indestructible. Meanwhile, Maulclaw and Shadowfang had been busy. Upon returning to the tribe''s territory, they quickly summoned the Monarchs from their respective camps, instructing them to gather the entire Arctic Tigerfolk at the foot of the iceberg. Soon, a massive crowd of Arctic Tigerfolk had assembled, surrounding the iceberg. They were unaware of the reason for this sudden summons, assuming it was another late-night meeting to discuss tribal matters or strategies against other races. Maulclaw and Shadowfang hovered above, observing the gathering. Once everyone had arrived, Maulclaw descended, landing in the center of the crowd. The Arctic Tigerfolk stared at the elder, who rarely made public appearances, wondering what announcement it was about to make. "We have gathered you all here tonight for a very important announcement." Maulclaw''s voice boomed across the crowd, silencing the murmurs. It continued, "Three hundred and seventy-two years ago, our queen perished, and the royal bloodline was thought to be extinguished. To prevent internal strife, the seven camps decided to rule the tribe jointly, forming the Elder Council. But as time passed, the flaws of the Elder Council became apparent. Parasites emerged within the tribe, prioritizing their own interests over the tribe''s well-being. They were selfish, corrupt, and formed factions. They forgot the true purpose of strengthening and expanding the tribe, blinded by power. They betrayed the queen''s legacy and are unworthy of their positions!" Maulclaw''s words were met with confusion. The Arctic Tigerfolk didn''t understand why the elder was telling them a story. To these Standard level beings, with their short lifespans, events from centuries ago were irrelevant. "We have discovered that the queen''s bloodline survives! Yet, these elders, clinging to their power, sought to eliminate the queen''s only heir! They are guilty of treason!" Maulclaw''s declaration sent shockwaves through the crowd. The queen''s bloodline still existed! The elders had tried to kill the queen''s heir to maintain their grip on power! To them, the queen from centuries ago was a legend, a symbol of their faith. Without her, the Arctic Tigerfolk wouldn''t exist as they did today. They would still be wandering nomads. Those who had heard rumors of these events finally understood the elders'' recent actions and the reason for the tribe''s mobilization. "They are traitors! They betrayed the tribe! According to tribal law, they must be executed!" Maulclaw''s words stunned the Arctic Tigerfolk. Executing elders? That was unthinkable! But what happened next shocked them even more. Thump! Thump! Several heavy thuds echoed through the air, drawing their attention. They rushed forward, their eyes widening in horror. The bodies of the elders lay before them! Maulclaw wasn''t joking. They had actually killed those elders! Maulclaw, seeing their reaction, knew they were shaken by the elders'' deaths. It continued, "Today, I announce that the Arctic Tigerfolk will follow our new queen!" Maulclaw and Shadowfang unleashed their King level auras, silencing the restless crowd. They turned towards the palace, bowing respectfully. "Let us welcome our new queen!" Ruby, standing atop the palace, knew it was her cue. She stepped forward, walking on air, her aura flaring as she activated her bloodline power. This was the most direct way to prove her royal lineage. A giant white tiger phantom materialized behind her, roaring fiercely. The soundless roar sent shivers down the spines of every Arctic Tigerfolk present. This was a bloodline power far superior to their own. There was no doubt that the young girl in the sky was the queen''s heir! Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s camps were the first to react, kneeling in unison, pledging their allegiance. "Long live the queen!" With the two largest camps declaring their loyalty, the smaller camps followed suit, their chieftains bowing before Ruby. Three of the remaining five camps quickly joined them, two of them former neutral factions, the other sensing the shift in power and choosing to side with the winner. The last two camps, facing immense pressure, reluctantly pledged their allegiance as well. Maulclaw observed the scene, taking note of the hesitant chieftains. They were Bravetail''s loyalists and would be dealt with later. Ruby hovered in the air, glancing back at Alex, who stood outside the palace, a sweet smile on her face. Then, she turned to her subjects. This day had finally arrived. She had unified the Arctic Tigerfolk! === Three days had passed. It had been a week since Alex left Undead City. She had spent her time exploring the Arctic Tigerfolk territory, reading their books, and investigating the Sea Folk situation along the coast. Ruby, now queen, had many matters to attend to. Fortunately, Maulclaw, her loyal steward, handled most of the administrative tasks, easing her burden. She consolidated her rule, purged dissenters from the camps, and formulated plans for the tribe''s future. Five of the seven camps, having lost their King level elders, were no longer at the top of the hierarchy. They were now on equal footing with the other camps. Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s camps became the largest, and to demonstrate their loyalty, they sent their elite warriors to serve in the palace atop the central iceberg. The palace was being expanded, transforming into a city to accommodate them. As for the seven vacant mountain peak cities, all Arctic Tigerfolk would have the opportunity to live there in the future. The first thing Ruby did after becoming queen was to announce the abolition of previously unequal treatment, ensuring now that all Arctic Tigerfolk could enjoy the same treatment. Alex was lounging in a room within the palace, her eyes closed, enjoying a nap. It was time to fulfill her promise to Ruby. Undead City was running smoothly, and after much deliberation, Alex had decided to stay here for a while. The Arctic Tigerfolk''s library was surprisingly small, hardly befitting a race with centuries of history. Perhaps they valued brute strength over intellectual pursuits. The books chronicled the tribe''s history and the surrounding regions of the Far North. To Alex''s surprise, there was no mention of the large island to the north. She was intrigued by this mystery, but whether the island was real or just a legend remained to be seen. The books also confirmed that the Far North was indeed on the edge of the Eldoria Continent, bordering the Endless Sea. The numerous islands and harsh environment had turned the coastal regions into a frozen wasteland. Even the Sea Folk avoided this place, preferring the warmer depths of the ocean. Yet, they had encountered Sea Folk just a few days ago. They had come ashore through tunnels dug in the ice. These coastal Sea Folk were weak. They weren''t true Sea Race. Even if they possessed valuable information, it would be useless. "Why are the Sea Folk venturing onto land instead of staying in the ocean?" Alex was puzzled, but it wasn''t her concern. If the Sea Race were planning something, it would be the major land races that would bear the brunt of their actions. The true Sea Race, it was said, were as powerful as the Angel Race, surpassing even demons and dragons. Humans were weaker than all of them. Alex didn''t believe such a powerful race would lack ambition. The Angel Race was already making their intentions clear. As for the Far North, its climate was harsh, with freezing temperatures year-round. What lay beyond the Endless Sea, north of the Far North? Was this world flat or round? Perhaps she would have to travel to human lands or seek out a more knowledgeable race to find the answers. But Alex wasn''t just driven by curiosity. To survive in this world, she needed to understand it. She hadn''t been idle during these three days. The Far North was two days'' travel from Undead City, far beyond the range of her teleportation magic. Unless she used a pre-constructed teleportation array, relying solely on her mana reserves would drain her completely. Although she had successfully framed the human Mages'' Association for the Beastman Empire incident, there was no guarantee they wouldn''t investigate further. As a precaution, after discussing it with Ruby, Alex had constructed an undead fortress to facilitate teleportation and provide support if needed. Naturally, such a large structure had to be hidden. The iceberg beneath her palace was the perfect location. She carved out a space within, reinforced it with spatial magic, and concealed the undead fortress inside. Thanks to the sealing, the Arctic Tigerfolk couldn''t see the fortress from outside. Alex hadn''t stationed any undead there. The fortress''s sole purpose was to serve as a teleportation hub. Just as Alex was about to doze off, the heavy wooden door creaked open. Ruby entered, her face etched with exhaustion. Alex straightened up, lowering her crossed legs, and opened her eyes, teasing, "So, how does it feel to rule a tribe?" "It''s awful! It''s so much work..." Ruby groaned, clearly exhausted from the past few days. "You can build a team, delegate tasks, and rely on Maulclaw and Shadowfang''s advice. With those two elders, you don''t have to worry about any unrest. Focus on the tribe''s overall well-being, and you''ll gain their trust and solidify your rule." Alex offered her advice. "But it''s a long process. How long it takes depends on how much authority you command as queen." Ruby''s face fell. It would take a long time? "Ugh, so I can''t just go out and have fun..." "Did you think ruling a tribe would be easy?" If it weren''t for her absolutely loyal undead, Alex would have to worry about consolidating her rule and preventing rebellions. "Well, wait a few more days. I''ll talk to Maulclaw, and then we can visit a human city together!" Ruby''s eyes lit up at the prospect of a trip. She was suddenly full of enthusiasm again. Alex chuckled. "Alright." Chapter 310 - 310: The world is vast. I need to see more of it The plan to venture into human territory didn''t worry Alex much. After all, she had a human identity here. It was also a good opportunity to learn more about the outside world. She had originally planned to leave Undead City, but Ruby''s situation had brought her to the Far North. It would take a few more days for Ruby to solidify her rule, and Alex had already explored the surrounding area. The undead fortress was complete. She didn''t want to waste any more time here. She decided to return to Undead City. It had been a while. Ruby knew all about the undead fortress''s capabilities. Once she had settled everything here, she could simply send a specter to inform Alex. After bidding farewell to Ruby, Alex teleported to the heart of the iceberg, stepping into the undead fortress''s portal. Dark Forest, Undead City. A white figure materialized in the throne room. Xiao Mu looked up, recognizing Alex. "Leader, you''re back!" Xiao Mu stood up, greeting Alex. Nothing significant had happened in Undead City, so he hadn''t contacted her. "Yes. Is everyone else still out?" Alex nodded. She had sensed that only Xiao Mu and the undead were present. Even the seven race kings were absent. The elders she had killed and summoned as Reaper Guards had returned earlier to help with the development of Undead City. Xiao Mu began reporting on their progress. During Alex''s absence, Xiao Mu, Xiao Hui, and Sophie had taken turns guarding the city, ensuring that Xiao Mu''s level didn''t fall behind. The siblings were still at the same level, but Xiao Hui had more experience points. Both were currently lv6 Monarch. Sophie was lv3 Monarch. They had each leveled up only once in the past few days. Their progress was steady. When checking Drake''s level, Alex was surprised to find that he had surpassed the siblings, becoming the highest-leveled subject after her. Drake was now lv7 Monarch. It seemed his development on the Mossvale Continent was going well. Alex estimated he would break through to King level soon. Dragons, undoubtedly, had greater potential than elemental beings. Alex suspected that the siblings'' level cap might be King level. Without some extraordinary opportunity, reaching Emperor level would be difficult. Of course, their cap might be Emperor level. The system didn''t display level caps for subjects, not even for Alex herself. Drake, on the other hand, being a dragon lord, most likely had a Sovereign level cap. As their levels increased, the leveling speed for species with lower level caps would slow down significantly. High-cap races would also experience a slowdown, but it would be less pronounced. At least for now, Alex hadn''t encountered any difficulty leveling up. She was confident that her current level cap was at least Sovereign level. It seemed she would have to prioritize giving any non-essential items or resources to her other subjects. The seven race kings had also leveled up. Their progress was comparable to the siblings''. Excluding Death Spirit, who was at the same level as Alex, four of the six race kings had reached lv7 Monarch. Riven was still lv6, while Arthas had taken the lead, reaching lv8. This was impressive progress. Although they were only Monarch level, with the help of the Reaper Guards, the race kings could easily conquer forces with King level leaders. And by defeating higher-level opponents, their leveling speed would naturally increase. At this point, Arthas alone could probably crush most lords. "Wait, why aren''t you using the resources in the warehouse?" Alex looked at the overflowing warehouse, puzzled. "We estimated that these resources wouldn''t be enough to max out a city, and we weren''t sure which city to prioritize. So we decided to leave the allocation to you." Xiao Mu explained. Of their three cities, only Dragon City was on the front lines. It was developing the fastest and had the greatest potential. Moreover, Drake was developing it independently, without relying on undead assistance, unlike Gemini City and the dwarf city, which benefited from Undead City''s support. After a moment of thought, Alex decided to upgrade Dragon City. Upgrading a city not only expanded its territory but also increased its capacity for auxiliary barracks and enhanced its castle crystal, which would benefit Drake. Most importantly, a max-level city could be relocated at will. Now that Alex was King level, the daily output of a Monarch level unit from each auxiliary barrack was significant. Every barrack was strategically valuable. No matter how repulsive the troops were, Alex wouldn''t pass up the opportunity. She quickly used up the materials, along with magic crystals and essence shards, to upgrade Drake''s barracks. Dragon City reached lv6, three levels away from max level. The barracks also went from lv21 to lv26, nearing its maximum level. "Next time we have resources, prioritize upgrading Dragon City. Once it''s maxed out, focus on Gemini City." Alex instructed Xiao Mu after reviewing the status of their cities. It wasn''t favoritism. The dwarf city was located deep within the White Rock Mountains. To the east was the dwarf kingdom, and to the west, across the Emerald Hills, was Gemini City. It was the safest of their cities, sandwiched between two allies. "Alright, understood." Xiao Mu nodded. Alex entrusted Undead City to Xiao Mu, not the race kings, not only because he was human and more adaptable but also because he could contact her at any time and access the system interface. It was midday. They had plenty of time before nightfall. They sat down, and Xiao Mu began reporting on the races they had conquered recently. This was more of a casual conversation. The conquered races were a done deal, and the rewards were fixed. Alex was more interested in the undead''s exploration progress and the surrounding power dynamics to formulate their next move. First, there was the Savage Plains north of Twinface Mountain. Besides the previously conquered Minotaur camp, there were several other minor races of comparable strength. They had all been conquered, and the undead were expanding outwards, pushing the boundaries of the Savage Plains. Next was the dwarf kingdom. To the west of the kingdom lay a vast desert, home to numerous minor races. But they were all Commanding level at best. Conquering them wouldn''t yield any race tears, and even if it did, Alex had no interest in expanding in that direction. Beyond the desert to the north lay the Southridge Republic, a human nation. In short, the desert was a buffer zone between the Southridge Republic and the dwarf kingdom. To the east of the kingdom lay the Desolate Mountains, which Drake had already pacified. The only option was to push further east. They had discovered a new kingdom there, ruled by the Featherfolk. Calling it a kingdom was an understatement. Based on its strength, it could easily rival an empire. The Featherfolk were comparable in strength to the elves. Their king, or chieftain, was at least a mid-level King, possibly even a high-level King. They were clearly stronger than the Arctic Tigerfolk. In the Arsen Continent, the Featherfolk were considered top-tier local beastmen, while the Arctic Tigerfolk on the Eldoria Continent were still being bullied by the Beastman Empire. This highlighted the power disparity between the two continents. Local races referred to those incapable of intercontinental travel. The top-tier races were spread across multiple continents. Even powerful factions like the Beastman Empire, Skyreach Mountains, and Eternal Night City, with their Emperor level leaders, possessed methods of intercontinental travel. They were considered high-level powers. But even among these high-level powers, there were differences. The Arctic Tigerfolk and the Beastman Empire were both King level factions, but their overall strength was vastly different. The Featherfolk were a formidable opponent. Even at its full strength, Undead City might not be able to defeat them. But that wouldn''t stop the undead from waging war. The undead were endless, possessing conventional immortality and the ability to travel between continents. They had nothing to fear. Xiao Hui and Arthas were in charge of this region, along with Undead City''s nine King level undead. They were currently engaged in battle with the Featherfolk. This was a war of attrition. It would likely take Alex reaching high-level King to conquer them completely. But it didn''t matter. As long as the Featherfolk didn''t flee, the undead would keep them occupied. The experience points and potential troops were valuable assets. As for the Emerald Hills, with Gemini City at its center, their influence extended to the eastern border of the Orc Empire. Beyond the Orc Empire''s territory lay a ravaged plain, half of which had already turned into a rocky wasteland. The Orc priests'' pollution had devastated the land, forcing the local races to flee. It was now a desolate wasteland, devoid of life. The refugees had sought shelter in a forest on the northeastern plateau. This forest wasn''t as eerie as the Dark Forest or as vast as the primeval forest. It was just an ordinary forest. But it was also home to another race: the centaurs. The same centaurs Alex had sent her undead to eliminate when dealing with the traitors. They weren''t particularly strong. They had only recently reached King level status. Their chieftain was a low-level King, easily dealt with. Sophie was currently leading the undead in conquering them. Based on Xiao Mu''s report and her own observations, Alex had to admit that the Arsen Continent was no different from their original world. It was a beautiful land, with lush forests, clear rivers, and relatively weak local races. It felt more like a vacation destination than a battleground. After listening to Xiao Mu''s report, Alex leaned back, deep in thought. "Xiao Mu, have them build undead fortresses in the Featherfolk and centaur territories. Traveling back and forth is too time-consuming." Xiao Mu nodded. He had been thinking about building more fortresses but hadn''t wanted to bother Alex with such a minor decision. "You can build them wherever you see fit. I''m giving you the authority. Don''t be so hesitant. As long as it benefits us, I won''t fault you." Alex appreciated Xiao Mu''s initiative. He didn''t bother her with trivial matters. "Oh, and you can send undead to scout the area east of the Dark Forest and west of the Barren Plains. Allocate your forces wisely and expand our influence." If they encountered minor factions, they could conquer them. But if they found a major faction comparable to the Featherfolk, it was best to avoid confrontation for now. Undead City could only handle one major war at a time. Moreover, the Eldoria Continent was different from the Arsen Continent. This was Alex''s base of operations. She couldn''t be too reckless. "Alright, understood." Xiao Mu sensed the underlying message. Alex was giving him detailed instructions, which meant she was planning to leave again soon. "Leader, are you leaving again?" "The world is vast. I need to see more of it." This was Alex''s carefully considered decision. Even without Ruby''s request, she would have left eventually. "We''re lords, outsiders. We know so little about this world. To survive, we need to learn more. Even if we don''t integrate with them, we need to understand them." Xiao Mu was taken aback. Alex''s words made sense. It was something most lords hadn''t considered. As lords, they were different from freelancers. They were inherently opposed to the native races. After all this time, Xiao Mu couldn''t imagine how many lords had never even left their castles. They only focused on developing their immediate surroundings, afraid to explore the outside world. They would never become truly powerful that way. Without understanding the shifting power dynamics of the continent, they were vulnerable to unforeseen threats. "Leader, you''re right. I support you. We''ve come this far. It''s time to venture out." Xiao Mu looked at Alex with determination. It was a risky move, but the knowledge they would gain was worth it. "Leader, do you think there might be former lords among the human rulers? What''s their attitude towards us?" Xiao Mu didn''t believe that none of the previous lords had survived. They must have integrated into human society. Alex agreed. Edgar had only mentioned the number of surviving lords. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But there were also freelancers, whose survival rate was likely higher. "Humans are suspiciously powerful. I doubt they achieved it without the help of former lords." That was Alex''s conclusion. As a fellow weak, intelligent race, she had been pondering a question: why were races like hobgoblins, beastmen, and dwarves limited to King level, while humans could ascend to godhood? They were all physically weak races, relying on magic and technology, with a high level of intelligence. Why was the power disparity so vast? Humans, unlike demons, angels, and dragons, were relatively weaker creatures. Yet, they were considered equals. Why? After receiving Edgar''s information, Alex understood. Humans had the accumulated knowledge and experience of previous generations of lords, even the very first lords. With their help, humans had gained a significant advantage, allowing them to develop rapidly. But this was just a theory. Whether the other races were eradicating lords for the "reward" or to suppress humanity remained a mystery. There were too many unanswered questions. Besides uncovering the truth about this world, Alex had to end the lord war and increase her own power. The undead race, once forgotten, would now rise to the top! Chapter 311 - 311: Raphaelas plans "Be careful out there, leader. And whatever you do, don''t let them find out you''re a Lord," Xiao Mu cautioned, a hint of worry in his voice. Alex simply grinned and pulled out her badge, handing it to Xiao Mu. The golden badge was heavy in his hand. Two stars adorned its front, while the back displayed a six-pointed star magic circle, a bolt of purple lightning striking through its center. "Leader, this is... a mage association badge?" Xiao Mu carefully examined the badge, venturing a guess. "Bingo. That''s my cover while I''m out and about," Alex said with a smile. Xiao Mu hadn''t expected Alex to get her hands on one of these. Having it would certainly make things easier. "Don''t worry about Undead City, leader. I''ve got this," Xiao Mu declared, assuring Alex with unwavering confidence. "Good. And remember, you have the authority to utilize any resources you need. No need to run every little thing by me." Alex granted him full authority. "Yes, ma''am!" Xiao Mu responded without hesitation. With their business concluded, Alex turned her attention to the race''s Tears she had acquired over the past few days. She had five in total. Three were obtained from the Savage Plains, while the remaining two were tributes from Drake. These races, all Monarch races, lived in camps and hadn''t established kingdoms. Alex absorbed them all. The reward notifications, tucked away in the system messages, had long been ignored. She wasn''t in the mood to sift through them now. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 81/100] A wave of excitement washed over Alex as she saw the progress. The Kingdom''s Tear upgrade was nearly complete! She briefly pondered whether she should wait until after establishing her Empire before leaving, considering the progress was close to maxing out. Ruby still had a few days left. She should have enough time. Drake had already constructed two Auxiliary Barracks in his city. Alex decided to build the remaining three in Dragon City. Five Auxiliary Barracks meant five new Monarch level troops every day. Even as cannon fodder, they would still provide Alex with some experience points. "And done!" Alex put away the Kingdom''s Tear and clapped her hands together. After a few more words with Xiao Mu, she returned to her bedroom. ... [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As evening descended, Alex, wrapped in a towel, made her way to the bath. She hadn''t had a chance to bathe with all the running around lately. Xiao Mu was still out having dinner. As for Xiao Hui and Sophie, they hadn''t returned yet. Without an undead fortress constructed there, traveling back and forth was inconvenient and time-consuming. However, Xiao Mu had already informed them of Alex''s return, and an undead would soon deliver the fortress core to them. Once the undead fortress was built, they could return to Undead City every day, eliminating the need to spend nights in the wilderness. After her bath, Alex simply evaporated the water from her body with a flick of magic. Her figure vanished from the bath and reappeared in her bedroom. Alex walked over to her closet and began searching for clothes worn by the native humans. She couldn''t very well stroll into a human city wearing her pleated skirt; it would be a dead giveaway. While she couldn''t alter her face, she could at least blend in with her attire. Although the presence of Lords had diminished, it was better to be safe than sorry. She couldn''t wear her black robes everywhere, after all. She also needed to find some clothes for Ruby. Her attire was too flashy, and she had to find a hat to conceal her ears. Alex quickly located suitable clothes and stored them in her ring. With that taken care of, there wasn''t much else to prepare. It was then that she remembered the bag of gold coins the mage from Hurricane City had given her. She retrieved it from her ring and weighed it in her hand before opening the bag and taking out a coin for closer inspection. "This can''t be real gold, can it?" Alex held the coin under the light, scrutinizing it. She paid little attention to the image on the coin, as she didn''t recognize the old man depicted on it. However, as her gaze swept across the coin''s face, she froze. "Why does this old geezer look familiar? I swear I''ve seen him somewhere!" A strange feeling washed over Alex. No matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn''t recall where she might have seen the man before. With a shrug, Alex tossed the coin back into the bag and put it away. She slipped under the covers. After all the hustle and bustle, she could finally get a good night''s sleep. === [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up promptly at six in the morning. Dressed and ready for the day, she stepped outside, where a dark elf was already waiting for her. "Master, breakfast today is sandwiches and vegetable salad." Alex nodded and made her way downstairs. Xiao Hui and Sophie still hadn''t returned, and only a few dark elves were downstairs preparing breakfast. Xiao Mu arrived shortly after, and the two of them sat down at the dining table to eat. "Hey, did you ask Lilith to bring over some cat-eared maids?" Alex suddenly thought of this and joked with him. "Huh???" Xiao Mu looked confused. "Leader, I heard that those cat-eared maids were all taken by that Lord..." Xiao Mu didn''t finish his sentence, but his odd expression gave away a hint. Alex felt nauseous, thankful that there was no milk in this morning''s breakfast. "Can''t we just summon new ones every day?" "Leader, if I may speak frankly, I believe a normal male would never pass up these newly summoned cat-eared maids, especially since they are all virgins." Xiao Mu explained earnestly. "Let''s just send a few to Satan. I''m sure he''d be delighted," Alex said, finding the idea rather amusing. "Leader, Lilith and Satan''s levels are even lower than mine now. They''re no longer useful as allies," Xiao Mu said, steering the conversation in a different direction. "I know, I know. But forcing their submission wouldn''t be of much help either. No Lord can keep up with me anymore." Alex spread her hands. She had nothing to hide from Xiao Mu. "Besides, whether it''s submission or alliance, if I continue to grow stronger and widen the gap between us, the end result will be the same." "I see," Xiao Mu said. After breakfast, Alex sat idly in a chair, suddenly remembering that she hadn''t checked the World Chat in ages. It was the perfect way to kill some time this early in the morning and see what the other Lords were up to. Before opening the World Chat, however, Alex glanced at the leaderboard. She noticed some changes in the rankings. Drake had climbed to second place, surpassing Lilith. Sophie remained firmly in fourth, with the Xiao siblings trailing closely behind. Poor Satan was still stuck in seventh place. Opening the World Chat, Alex noticed that the once-frantic scrolling had slowed considerably. A significant number of Lords had perished during this time. Most of the names in the chat were white, indicating Freelancers. Green names, representing Lords, were few and far between. It seemed the Lords had settled into their roles and were no longer engaging in idle chatter. Only the Freelancers currently residing in human cities were busy boasting about their lives. [Amethyst]: "Looking to join a thriving community? Come pledge your allegiance to me! We have everything you could ever desire!" [GlitchWizard]: "Whoa, a top ten big shot! Joining them means we can rule the world! Guys, I''m in. See ya!" [SnackAttacker]: "??? Are you nuts? What if it''s a trap? How did you even survive this long with that pea-sized brain of yours?" [MemeMaestro]: "Don''t listen to those clueless Freelancers. We, the Lords, need to unite and rise together. Aligning ourselves with the top players is the only logical path." [Blue Giant]: "I''m also recruiting. Come join our ranks, and let''s build a powerful alliance. We don''t need the system''s Alliance mechanism; we can create our own. Only by standing together can we survive in this world!" Alex stared at the World Chat in astonishment. What in the world was going on? Raphaela''s lackeys were still relentlessly spamming the chat, trying to recruit Lords. There were even some unfamiliar names among them. She quickly opened the leaderboard to investigate. To her surprise, they were all Lords ranked in the top twenty. There were even some obvious "shills" urging others to join them. They were pulling out all the stops to attract new recruits. Most of the active Lords in the chat were indeed Raphaela''s subordinates. Only the Freelancers were genuinely criticizing them. What had happened to the World Chat? Alex observed for a while longer, realizing that these individuals were simply finding creative ways to spam and entice other Lords into joining their ranks. She briefly considered intervening but decided against it. While Alex''s influence could easily disrupt Raphaela''s plans, it wasn''t worth the effort. They posed no threat to her at the moment. Even if she managed to recruit dozens or even hundreds of Lords, most of them were only at the Commanding level, weaker than even one of Alex''s skeletons. Although she didn''t fully understand how faith power was calculated, Alex was certain it couldn''t compare to the exponential growth of Death Spirit''s power through absorbing death energy. Otherwise, Raphaela would have already become unstoppable. "How boring." Alex closed the World Chat. Apart from those who had submitted to Raphaela, most of the active participants were Freelancers. The Lords were eerily silent. She had a feeling that more of them would transition into Freelancers and integrate into human society in the coming days. If a significant portion of Lords chose this path, wouldn''t that ultimately strengthen the human race? Alex rose from her chair and headed towards the main fortress. It was time to visit Ruby in the far north. Chapter 312 - 312: The lord of Sea Lions Alex pushed those thoughts aside for the time being. She stood up and made her way towards the main fortress, intending to visit Ruby in the far north. Upon arriving, she found Ruby still occupied with other matters. Not wanting to interrupt, Alex decided to wait. It was then that she received unexpected news: a Lord had been discovered on a small island. "Where is this... extraterrestrial visitor?" Alex asked, turning to a nearby Arctic Tigerfolk. "This one''s on an uninhabited island to the northwest," the Arctic Tigerfolk replied respectfully. Alex pondered this. This Lord posed no immediate threat nor offered any particular advantage. Whether to eliminate them or not seemed like a decision driven more by whims than strategy. Without the promise of system rewards, Alex wasn''t keen on unnecessary bloodshed. This Lord wasn''t causing any trouble, but leaving them to develop unchecked in the vicinity didn''t sit well with her either. Suddenly, a thought struck her. She could use this Lord as a pawn to get closer to Raphaela! It would save her the trouble of going all the way to Stone Pillar Mountain and potentially provide a way to eliminate several enemies at once. "Take me to this extraterrestrial visitor," Alex instructed the Arctic Tigerfolk. The tiger being, unsure of Alex''s intentions but bound by Ruby''s decree to obey Alex above all others, complied without question. They departed from the settlement, soaring towards the northwest. Shortly after their departure, Ruby burst into the room, her face alight with excitement. Her cheerful expression morphed into confusion upon finding the room empty. "Huh? Where is everyone?" The northwestern region of the far north was a sprawling archipelago of over a hundred islands, both large and small. The Lord''s island lay on the northwestern edge of this chain, bordering the Endless Sea. Its location was similar to Lilith''s city, but it was devoid of any signs of life. Even the Arctic Tigerfolk rarely ventured into this desolate region, which explained why the Lord had remained undetected for so long. However, after Ruby became queen, the Arctic Tigerfolk, bound by tradition, were obligated to patrol their entire territory. While their official territory didn''t encompass the entire far north, the absence of other races had led them to regard it as their own. It was during one such patrol of this desolate expanse that they stumbled upon this Lord. The island''s remote location, buffered by the Arctic Tigerfolk territory, made it relatively safe, save for the scarcity of resources. From her vantage point in the sky, Alex spotted a white castle in the distance. Judging by its appearance, it had reached the town level, though its level wasn''t particularly high. "Such a large town, and it''s gone unnoticed for so long. This extraterrestrial visitor is one lucky fellow." "The Seven Elders, during their rule, were pressured by the Beastman Empire. Our people were forced to consolidate our forces and prepare for a potential migration. We haven''t paid much attention to these border areas." The Arctic Tigerfolk, mistaking Alex''s words as criticism, hastened to explain. "Wait for me here. I''m going to have a little chat," Alex instructed, gently lowering the Arctic Tigerfolk to the ground with her magic before flying towards the castle alone. As she approached the castle, Alex noticed several sea lions frolicking near the island''s shores. Unlike ordinary sea lions, these creatures sported a single, spiraled horn on their heads, resembling a drill bit. This, coupled with their long fangs, gave them a rather intimidating appearance. Alex had never encountered such creatures before, but she surmised they were the Lord''s troops. Several circular tunnels, carved into the thick ice sheet, revealed the churning, icy seawater beneath. These were clearly the work of the sea lions. It seems that a Lord''s summoned troops are often influenced by their native environment. Even under such harsh conditions, they are not starved to death. Alex bypassed the Monarch level shields, which were nothing more than an inconvenience to her now, and landed in the castle''s courtyard. The surroundings were blanketed in a thick layer of snow. Icicles, long and sharp, hung precariously from the eaves. It was clearly freezing. The sea lions, alerted to the intruder''s presence, converged on the castle, intent on eliminating the threat. Alex merely glanced at them, and in an instant, they were encased in ice, transformed into icy statues. Inside the castle, the Lord, alerted by the system''s intrusion notification, didn''t hesitate. He jumped from a window seven stories high. He landed gracefully on the ground, his eyes fixed on Alex, wary and alert. He appeared to be in his early thirties, clad in a thin, black down jacket, camouflage pants, and sturdy boots. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice laced with hostility. His body was tense, poised for action. As if remembering he could use the system to glean information, he brazenly opened his system interface right in front of Alex. Alex stared at him, a bemused expression on her face. She glanced down at her pleated skirt and white stockings, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind. Did she really look like a native in this outfit? [Intruder information detected: lv2 King level hostile Lord!] The man''s eyes widened in disbelief as he read the notification. The fight seemed to drain out of him as he processed this information. This Lord was leagues ahead of him. Resistance was futile. "Which one of the top lords are you?" he asked, his tone softening considerably. His own ranking was far lower, and he wasn''t familiar with the true strength of those at the top. However, he estimated that reaching King level at this stage meant being ranked within the top five, at the very least. "Relax. We have no quarrel. I''m not here to kill you. Just need a small favor. I''m a reasonable person, you see," Alex replied casually. The man frowned. Reasonable? Was she kidding? He knew better than to refuse. If he displeased this top lord, his life would end here and now. "No problem," he agreed readily, not even bothering to ask about the favor. His compliance was immediate and absolute. "You won''t regret this," Alex said with a smile. "It''s simple, really. I need you to contact these Lords: [Amethyst], [Blue Giant], [King Ultraman], [Holy Wing]. Send them a message expressing your desire to join their ranks." "That''s it?" The man looked at Alex, puzzled. "What if they refuse?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "They won''t. Once they agree, all you need to do is connect your Portal of Transit with theirs," Alex said, her voice turning cold as she mentioned those names. The man sensed the animosity radiating from her. It was clear she had a score to settle with these individuals and intended to use him as a stepping stone. Those names rang a bell, though he couldn''t quite place them. Seizing the opportunity while Alex seemed amicable, he discreetly opened the leaderboard on his system interface, careful not to directly add them as friends just yet. His eyes narrowed as he saw their rankings: eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh. A particular incident, widely discussed and debated, flashed in his mind. "You... You''re that top-ranked undead Lord!" He had spent countless hours on the World Chat, never imagining he''d meet the legendary top lord in person. "Sharp as ever, I see. Now, less talk, more action," Alex urged. The man quickly opened his friends list and sent a message to Titus, adding him as a friend in the process. The friend request remained pending, but Titus responded almost immediately. [King Ultraman]: "Ranking, strength, troop type and quantity, town and Barrack levels. Report everything." Alex was taken aback. They had an interview process now? The man looked at Alex, seeking guidance. "Tell him," she said. [PixelPirate]: "Rank 8008, lv8 Commanding, lv12 Sea Lion Barracks, 119 troops, lv5 town." [King Ultraman]: "My Alliance is currently full. Would you consider submission? If so, you can immediately relocate your town to my territory." Alex, observing the exchange, raised an eyebrow. They were turning him down? Before she could instruct him further, the man retorted. [PixelPirate]: "Full? You can always kick someone out. I haven''t even met you or seen your setup, and you expect me to hand over my life and hard work just like that? Do you top lords think we lower-ranked Lords are idiots?" Alex was surprised by the man''s boldness. He didn''t hold back. Silence followed. Titus seemed to be pondering his response. The man waited anxiously, stealing glances at Alex. Finally, a system notification chimed. [Your friend request has been accepted!] [King Ultraman]: "How about we form an alliance first? I''d like to assess your situation personally. What do you say?" The man immediately looked at Alex, who gave him a subtle nod. [PixelPirate]: "Sounds good." [King Ultraman]: "Tell me the exact location of your castle." Titus, seemingly suspicious, requested the man''s town coordinates. "Tell him you''re on a glacial island off the coast of the Mossvale continent," Alex instructed. To avoid raising suspicion, she couldn''t reveal his true location deep within the Eldoria continent. It seemed Titus was wary of this exact scenario. If Raphaela knew Alex well enough, she would realize that Alex currently had no presence on the Mossvale continent. This explained why Titus, tasked with recruiting Lords, insisted on personally verifying their claims. It prevented Alex from using the Portal of Transit to reach Raphaela directly. After all, Raphaela had already fallen for a similar trick once. She wouldn''t make the same mistake twice. "Well, taking out this Titan Lord wouldn''t be so bad either," Alex mused. She now knew their location. Eliminating them was only a matter of time. The man relayed the fabricated information to Titus. Meanwhile, on the Arsen continent, at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain... Titus stood beside Raphaela, who stood with her eyes closed, bathed in a holy light, seemingly sensing something. Moments later, she opened her eyes. "He''s telling the truth." Titus relaxed, relieved. "Shall I head over then?" "No. As a precaution, relocate your town first. Then you can investigate." Raphaela, it seemed, wasn''t taking any chances. Titus nodded and immediately contacted one of his subjects, instructing them to move his town away from Stone Pillar Mountain. They had been actively recruiting Lords, and to prevent Alex from using this to track them down, they had taken extensive precautions. Raphaela watched as Titus''s town vanished, a flicker of unease crossing her cold, stoic features. "Let''s hope everything goes according to plan." A large number of Lords had already gathered at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain. Their submission had significantly bolstered Raphaela''s power. "Still not enough. I need to regain my full strength and break through to King level as soon as possible." Chapter 313 - 313: Titan bloodline In the far north, as they waited, the man noticed Alex''s lack of hostility and found himself relaxing. He decided to strike up a conversation. "Excuse me, but is this place... the Mossvale continent?" he asked Alex, hoping she could shed some light on his whereabouts. He had been here for a while, but all he knew was that it was called the far north. He had no idea which continent it belonged to. His description of the island as a glacier-ridden wasteland wasn''t a lie, which was why it had fooled Raphaela''s senses. "No, this is the Eldoria continent," Alex replied. It wasn''t much of a secret, and judging by his question, she figured he didn''t even know where he was. For these isolated Lords who rarely ventured out, such basic information remained a mystery. As the man established an Alliance with Titus, the Portal of Transit sprang to life, pulsating with an orange-red glow. "He''s here," the man announced, though the system notification beat him to it. Alex, however, remained motionless, her expression unchanged. The man was puzzled. Wasn''t she going to kill him? The Portal of Transit shimmered, and Titus, clad in a brown leather jacket and sporting short hair, stepped out. A blast of frigid air hit him, sending a shiver down his spine before he could acclimate. His eyes fell upon the two figures waiting for him: a burly man and a beautiful girl... Titus froze, his blood turning to ice. Fear gripped him, paralyzing his thoughts. Without hesitation, he spun around, intending to dive back into the Portal of Transit. But as he turned, the air thickened, holding him captive. It was as if he were trapped in quicksand, unable to move a muscle. "Since you''re here, why the rush?" a voice that sent shivers down his spine echoed behind him. Titus tried to summon his powers, attempting to break free from the force that bound him, but his efforts were futile. He felt a disorienting shift in space, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing before Alex, ripped away from the safety of the Portal of Transit. The man beside Alex watched, bewildered. As a mere Commanding level Lord, the intricacies of this display of power were beyond his comprehension. He watched as fear contorted Titus''s face, wondering why he didn''t run, why he willingly moved closer to Undead Lord. Alex didn''t waste time with words. With a flick of her slender finger, a spatial blade materialized, slicing through Titus in an instant. From the moment he saw Alex to the moment he died, barely five seconds had passed. He didn''t even have the chance to utter a final word. As Raphaela''s minion, he elicited no sympathy from Alex. She had no need for his information, nor his submission. She could sense two distinct types of holy power emanating from his remains. One belonged to Titus himself, his titan power. The other, she surmised, was Raphaela''s angelic power. A quick glance at the system rewards brought a satisfied smile to her face, but now wasn''t the time to delve into those. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Good work," she said to the man, ignoring the corpse at her feet as she turned and left the island. The man stood there, alone, buffeted by the wind, the gruesome sight of Titus''s headless body etched into his mind. The sheer power undead lord had displayed in that single, fleeting moment sent shivers down his spine. Both were ranked among the top ten, yet that girl had obliterated Titus with such ease! A gray magic circle formed beneath Titus''s corpse, and a lich crawled out from its depths. Alex had initially planned to use his corpse to summon a zombie titan, but its sheer size would have been impractical. So, she opted for a lich instead. Lords with powerful bloodlines typically needed to reach the later stages of the King level for their bloodline to fully awaken. Therefore, technically speaking, Titus was still human, not even a half-titan. Meanwhile, in a remote region of the Arsen continent... Two towns stood side by side. Suddenly, one of them began to shake violently before collapsing in on itself. The Lord nearby gasped. "Titus is dead!" The titans within the crumbling town, now masterless, remained within the ruined walls. Their eyes flickered with a golden light. Then, in unison, they turned to the nearby Lord, offering their submission. The Lord readily accepted, immediately relaying the news to Raphaela. Raphaela received the news with a stoic expression. She let out a soft sigh and returned to her city. "Tell the others to ease up on the Lord recruitment for now." ... Back in the far north, Alex, accompanied by the Arctic Tigerfolk, returned to the palace. She settled into a chair and opened her system interface, eager to review the notifications. [Congratulations! You have slain a unique Barrack Lord and earned special rewards: Titan Bloodline Power, Titan Barrack.] [Note: Only one unique Barrack can exist at a time.] Alex shot up from her chair, her eyes wide with surprise. She had only skimmed the notification earlier, focusing on the word "titan." She hadn''t realized the rewards included not only the Barrack but also the bloodline power! So, Titus, like herself, possessed a unique Barracks. This was still Alex''s first time killing a Lord with a unique Barrack. Moreover, the system message implied that these unique elements could be plundered. "With these, I could create a new titan Lord!" This was far more advantageous than simply turning them into undead. Titans'' primary attribute was holy, and they could wield other elements as well, a stark contrast to Alex''s own affinities. But that didn''t matter. If she couldn''t utilize it, Xiao Mu could. As a light element Lord, the Titan Bloodline Power was practically tailor-made for him. With the Titan Bloodline, Xiao Mu''s potential would skyrocket, his growth no longer capped at the King level. He could reach the Emperor level! Furthermore, absorbing the Titan Bloodline wouldn''t clash with his existing abilities. It was perfect. And she couldn''t simply discard the Titan Barrack. She could have Xiao Mu switch from his current one. She had known for a while that only one unique Barrack could exist at a time. This explained why some Lords could plunder and possess multiple Barracks, while others had to rely on conquered races for Auxiliary Barracks. The difference was significant. Unique Barracks could be upgraded, unlike Auxiliary Barracks, which were limited to summoning a single unit. Glancing out the window, Alex noted the late hour. It was time to return to Undead City and rest. Sleeping on the cold, hard ice here couldn''t compare to the comfort of her bedroom back home. Besides, she could deliver the good news and the rewards to Xiao Mu in person. Upon her return to Undead City, she found Xiao Hui sitting outside the palace, lost in thought. Alex''s sudden appearance startled her. "Geez, you scared the life out of me! You just appear out of thin air like that," Xiao Hui exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. "What are you doing out here? Where''s Xiao Mu?" "He''s leading the undead army in an attack on the Featherfolk. I''m keeping watch for him, making sure he doesn''t fall behind in experience points," Xiao Hui explained. A smile spread across Alex''s face. "Don''t worry, you''ll be the one falling behind soon enough." She knew that absorbing the bloodline power would grant a significant experience boost and enhance the recipient''s talent. Xiao Mu''s leveling speed would soon surpass Xiao Hui''s. "Huh?" Xiao Hui looked at her, confused. They entered the palace and waited for Xiao Mu''s return. As the sky darkened, the red moon gradually ascended. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Sophie was the first to return. She looked surprised to see Alex. "Big Shot, I thought you weren''t coming back for a few days?" "Who said that?" "Xiao Hui did." Sophie turned to Xiao Hui, who immediately became defensive. Alex didn''t mind these; she just smiled. "Miss Alex, why are you waiting for Xiao Mu? What''s going on?" Xiao Hui asked, sensing something was up. She had a feeling Alex was about to give Xiao Mu some kind of advantage. "I took care of that titan Lord today," Alex said, deciding to be vague for now. Sophie immediately checked the leaderboard. [King Ultraman] was gone, replaced by an unfamiliar name in tenth place. Just then, Xiao Mu entered the palace. Xiao Hui jumped to her feet and shouted, "Brother! Miss Alex has a special treat just for you!" Alex: ??? Chapter 314 - 314: Light Titan Xiao Mu shot Xiao Hui a confused look, wondering what had gotten into her. Alex stood up and opened her system interface, claiming the two rewards. The Titan Bloodline Power materialized as a ball of golden energy, while the Barracks took the form of a dark gold crystal. Even from a distance, Alex could feel the heat radiating from them, searing her skin. "Whoa, Big Shot, what are those?" Sophie asked curiously. "These are the rewards for defeating the Titan Lord: his bloodline and his Barracks," Alex explained, using spatial magic to handle the objects without directly touching them. "What?!" Xiao Hui shrieked, rushing over from Xiao Mu''s side to get a closer look. The others followed suit, their curiosity piqued. "You can absorb those things?" "So you''re saying you can directly gain a Titan Lord''s bloodline abilities and his Barracks?" Alex nodded. "That''s right. And Xiao Mu, these are for you." "Oh, man, Miss Alex, I want some too!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her eyes filled with envy. "Sorry, but these are light-aligned. Neither you nor I can absorb them," Alex explained. Xiao Hui pouted, her gaze lingering on Xiao Mu with a mixture of envy and anticipation. Xiao Mu accepted the two objects, surprised by the sheer intensity of the holy power emanating from them. "Leader, I know bloodline power is a Lord ability, but what exactly does it do?" he asked, a hint of apprehension in his voice. He had never encountered a Lord with such a powerful bloodline before and worried about potential side effects. "It''s probably similar to Drake''s ability, some kind of transformation," Alex speculated. She wasn''t sure if titans could assume human form. Besides, bloodline powers varied. Some altered the user''s race entirely, while others granted them access to the abilities of that race. Lucian and Raphaela were examples of the former, while Titus and his ilk exemplified the latter. "I fought this Titan Lord back when I was at Monarch level. His power felt like a transformation," Alex recalled, adding, "So, does the system say you can absorb them?" Xiao Mu nodded, setting the Barracks crystal aside for the moment. "It does. I can absorb them right here." "Alright. We''ll be right here if you need anything," Alex assured him. Xiao Mu opened his system interface and selected the absorption option. The ball of golden energy slowly rose and surged into his body. A blinding golden light erupted from him as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his head, his face contorted in pain. The others backed away, watching anxiously as Xiao Mu grappled with the bloodline power coursing through his veins. His brow furrowed, his clothes becoming damp with sweat. The golden light showed no signs of abating. "Let''s give him some space. It looks like it''ll take a while," Alex said, taking a seat at the large meeting table in the hall. With the system''s assistance and the compatible attributes, the absorption shouldn''t fail, right? [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] They waited patiently as the hours ticked by. Sophie, curled up in a chair, was dozing off. Only Xiao Hui remained alert, her eyes glued to her brother, eager to witness the transformation''s outcome. Xiao Mu''s breathing gradually steadied, and the golden light pulsated rhythmically. Alex sensed that it was almost over. Suddenly, his skin began to bulge and darken, taking on a rough, brown texture. The transformation was still in progress. His limbs thickened, and strange, intricate patterns spread across his body. Alex''s eyes widened. This was eerily similar to Titus''s transformation. She braced herself, expecting him to grow even larger. She was ready to use spatial magic to move him if necessary. The palace wouldn''t be able to contain a full-grown titan. The ceiling would cave in. But just as she was about to intervene, the transformation halted. Xiao Mu''s body, no longer expanding, began to shift, gradually molding itself back into a humanoid form. The golden light slowly dissipated, and he opened his eyes. "How do you feel?" Alex asked, approaching him with a smile. Xiao Hui hurried over as well, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Leader, this bloodline is incredible. Top-tier races are something else," Xiao Mu replied, flexing his arms, testing his newfound strength. He opened his system interface to review the changes. Alex could also see her subordinate''s system interface, and her excitement grew with each line she read. This was even better than she had anticipated. It seemed that unique troops weren''t the only ones with special qualities. Elemental Lords, like Xiao Mu, possessed their own unique traits. Their elemental power could seamlessly fuse with any bloodline power. In essence, their elemental power acted as a catalyst, enhancing and complementing the bloodlines of unique troops. Xiao Mu''s light elemental power had merged with the Titan Bloodline Power, creating a brand new bloodline race: The Light Titan. "Wait, does that mean the Barracks can fuse too?" Alex retrieving the Titan Barrack crystal. As Xiao Mu initiated the absorption, a prompt appeared: [Your Light Phoenix Crystal can fuse with the Titan Barrack Crystal. Fuse?] [Fusion Result: Light Titan Barrack] Xiao Mu looked at Alex, seeking confirmation. With a nod from her, he selected "Fuse." Moments later, the fusion was complete. Xiao Mu was no longer just a Light Element Lord. He was now a Light Titan Lord! The others erupted in cheers and gasps of amazement. "I had no idea elemental Lords had this hidden ability," Alex admitted. This was a game-changer. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If Cain or Earl had absorbed the bloodline, they would have likely become Flame Titan or Rock Titan Lords, respectively. Of course, certain opposing elements were incompatible. If Xiao Hui had tried to absorb it, she wouldn''t have become a Dark Titan Lord. Titans were inherently light-aligned. Attempting to fuse their bloodline with a diametrically opposed element would likely result in rejection or worse. Alex exchanged a knowing look with Xiao Hui. Whether Xiao Hui truly grasped the implications of this discovery remained to be seen. This solved their earlier dilemma of finding ways to help the siblings reach their full potential. Now, the question was, which troops possessed an innate darkness affinity? Xiao Mu''s power surge lifted everyone''s spirits. Alex''s forces had just gained a significant advantage. Xiao Mu was now a true top-tier Lord, on par with Demon, Angel, and Dragon Lords. Alex knew for a fact that many Lords possessed unique Barracks, at least those ranked within the top ten. Whether this bloodline and troop plundering was linked to top-tier troops remained to be seen. It seemed slaying elemental Lords came with its own set of unique rewards. "This system is cleverly pushing us towards annihilation," Alex mused. Even with the current power balance, she had a feeling the system would continue to find ways to pit Lords against each other. "It seems bloodline Lords can be further categorized, perhaps into half-bloodline and pure-bloodline. And then there are the elemental Lords. Who knows what other types of Lords are out there," Xiao Mu pondered. "What about ordinary Lords who don''t have any of that?" Xiao Hui voicing a valid concern. "They''ll have to rely on system rewards or the world''s existing cultivation systems," Xiao Mu explained. This was precisely why such Lords remained at the bottom of the food chain. Xiao Hui, her eyes shining with longing, couldn''t help but envy her brother''s newfound power. "Don''t worry, I haven''t forgotten about either of you," Alex assured them. She had an idea, but it needed further testing. If only elemental Lords possessed this unique trait, then they couldn''t let Xiao Hui''s potential go to waste. It meant not only enhancing her abilities but also potentially gaining another top-tier Barracks. Reassured by Alex''s promise, Xiao Hui''s mood brightened considerably. She skipped over to Xiao Mu, her curiosity bubbling over. "So, did you level up after absorbing the Titan Bloodline?" "Just one level. I''m lv7 Monarch now." It seemed the bloodline primarily enhanced talent and bloodline strength. The experience gain was minimal. Xiao Hui had secretly hoped he would reach at least lv9 Monarch. "Xiao Mu, once Drake''s Barracks reach max level, we''ll focus on upgrading your Light Titans," Alex announced. She had decided to entrust Xiao Mu with overseeing their expansion on the Arsen continent. It would not only hone his leadership skills but also accelerate his growth. Light Titans had a life level cap of at least Sovereign level, possibly even Divine level. "Alright, everyone, get some rest," Alex said, dismissing the group. They dispersed, returning to their respective quarters to rest and recuperate. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] The following morning, everyone was bustling with activity. Alex, after reminding them to prioritize conquering new races and accelerating their development, departed for the far north. Once the Kingdom''s Tear reached 100% progress, she could establish the Undead Empire. And once that was stable, she could finally take a step back from the constant strategizing and micromanaging. However, the Featherfolk were proving to be formidable opponents. Most of her undead forces were tied up on that front, and she doubted the centaur race crystals would be enough to fully power up the Kingdom''s Tear. "Looks like it''s up to Drake. Hopefully, he''s having better luck conquering those races," Alex mused, gazing out the window at the endless expanse of ice and snow. Just then, the door swung open, and Ruby entered, her face beaming with excitement. "Alex, guess what? I''ve taken care of everything here!" "Already?" Alex turned around, surprised by her swift efficiency. "Of course! I delegated everything to Maulclaw. Shadowfang is assisting him and overseeing the tribe''s defenses." Ruby had already achieved Alex''s goal and transitioned into a hands-off leadership role. "Make sure they''re extra vigilant against the Beastman Empire. They might come looking for trouble," Alex cautioned. "Already taken care of. We fight if we can; we run if we can''t," Ruby replied, her approach far more pragmatic than Maulclaw''s constant worrying. She knew that the higher the level, the rarer the powerhouse. The Beastman Empire wouldn''t have an unlimited supply of King level individuals, and their Emperor level count wouldn''t exceed three. Besides, the major factions kept each other in check. The Beastman Empire wouldn''t launch a full-scale assault with Emperor level combatants just to eliminate them. Moreover, the Beastman Empire''s rule resembled a federation. Those alpha Emperors had their pride. Ordering them around wouldn''t be a walk in the park for the Beastman Ruler. "That''s a good strategy. Uprooting the Arctic Tigerfolk from their ancestral home after all these years would only breed resentment," Alex agreed. Most of the tribe was unaware of the recent events and the precarious situation they were in. It wouldn''t be wise for Ruby, still solidifying her position as their new leader, to rock the boat. "Alex," Ruby began, her expression turning serious. "Yes?" "After I ascended to King level, my bloodline awakened, and some of my sealed memories surfaced. It''s about my father. Do you know anything about him?" Ruby asked, her gaze unwavering. Her fragmented memories pointed her towards the Dark Forest, hinting at answers regarding her father''s past. And Alex''s undead city just happened to be located within the Dark Forest. She wasn''t sure if it was a coincidence, but she trusted Alex''s judgment and abilities. "Yes, I do know a few things," Alex confirmed, gesturing for Ruby to sit down. She pulled up a chair beside her. "You know we have a name for ourselves, right?" "You mean... extraterrestrial visitors?" Ruby asked, confused. "No, that''s just what you call us. We call ourselves Lords," Alex explained patiently. Ruby frowned, trying to process this new information. What did "Lord" even mean? And why was Alex telling her this? "Every millennium, Lords descend upon this world. We fight amongst ourselves, against the native races, against each other. It''s a battle for survival." Alex tried to explain it in a way Ruby could understand. Suddenly, it clicked. "I remember now. When we first met, you killed one of those... extraterrestrial visitors. No, you called him a Lord." "That''s right. We''re enemies. It''s kill or be killed." "But what does that have to do with my father?" Ruby asked, still puzzled. "Your father... was one of the Lords who descended upon this world a thousand years ago," Alex revealed, her voice grave. Ruby''s eyes widened in shock. "What? My dad was an extraterrestrial visitor?" Chapter 315 - 315: Special effects Alex had expected Ruby to have some recollection of her father''s past, given her surprised reaction. However, it seemed her memories held little beyond the pull towards the Dark Forest. It made her wonder. If even a powerhouse like Edgar refused to speak his name, perhaps Ruby''s father, like the former undead lord, was subject to some divine taboo. Just how far did the gods'' power extend? Could they truly erase someone''s existence from the world? After a moment of thought, Alex decided not to directly share what she knew with Ruby. Instead, she started from the origins of their group of Lords. Ruby, hearing about the Lords for the first time, found their situation somewhat pitiable. They were living well, only to be suddenly transported to this strange world to survive. Through Alex''s explanation, Ruby became curious about Earth, where Alex and the others originally came from. To her, it sounded like a paradise¡ªno fighting, no killing, no need to strive for power, just living peacefully. There were even people called ''police'' who maintained order. Ruby listened quietly, a look of envy on her face. "If I could, I''d love to live on this Earth you speak of." As for the system''s existence, Alex vividly described it as a deity. Indeed, in Alex''s view, the system''s power was comparable to that of a god. Boldly, she even considered that the system might actually be a god in disguise. Hearing this, Ruby, who had been puzzled, finally understood where the extraterrestrial visitors got the power to build castles and even cities out of thin air. "So, some of the words you say are blocked because it doesn''t allow us natives to hear them, right?" "Exactly, that''s one way to put it," Alex nodded. "Do you think the deity brought so many of you here to choose a successor?" Ruby''s words left Alex momentarily stunned. It was a possibility she hadn''t considered! Perhaps the previous Lords hadn''t become gods not because of their lack of talent. The system''s Lord competition might be a way to select its successor. The end of the path for a Lord was to become a god, but who knew if becoming a god meant turning into the next emotionless system? The thought was terrifying. Alex resolved that once she reached the Sovereign level, she must uncover the truth! Alex forced herself to remain calm, so Ruby wouldn''t notice anything unusual, and continued their conversation. Ruby had learned enough about the Lords, so Alex moved on to the main topic, sharing all the information she had gathered about Ruby''s father in the Dark Forest. After listening, Ruby fell silent, contemplating. "So, he left suddenly to protect us from getting involved, and he has many powerful enemies out there." "Yes, that''s my guess too. The native powerhouses wouldn''t allow an extraterrestrial visitor to become a god." A deity could transcend races and establish their own power, becoming a top force in the world. This would be a huge threat to the natives, who would naturally resist it. "Alex, you''ve helped me a lot. I''ve heard the Source of Fear is dangerous, constantly affecting its owner''s mind." This was Ruby''s impression of the Source of Fear, a memory that seemed to constantly remind her not to contact it. "Indeed, without [his] help, it would have been a big problem for me," Alex explained, referring to the system. "That''s all I know about your father. If you want to avenge him, you''ll need to reach the Sovereign level. Until then, don''t act recklessly." Alex spoke sternly to Ruby, knowing how deeply Ruby cared for her father. It showed that he had given Ruby a happy childhood. Now, suddenly learning of his death, it was hard to accept, even though she had suspected it. Seeing the determination in Ruby''s eyes, Alex knew she wouldn''t let this go. "I know, don''t worry." Ruby seemed to remember something and added, "So, this has been going on for at least three hundred years. I''ve been asleep, while the enemy has grown stronger. I don''t even know who my father''s enemies are." "It''s good you think that way. In this world, strength is everything." "I understand. Alex, are you the top Lord right now?" Ruby thought Alex was exceptional, progressing so quickly, unlike any Lord she had met before. Alex didn''t downplay it. The system''s rankings didn''t lie, and half of the top ten were her people. She was undoubtedly the top Lord. Seeing Alex nod, Ruby wasn''t surprised. In fact, she would have been surprised if Alex wasn''t number one. "Alex, I''ll finish handling my tribe''s affairs tonight, and then I can leave. I''ve been asleep too long; I need to see the world outside." Ruby''s expression was serious. This time, she didn''t mention going to the human city for fun. After all, Ruby''s mind was that of a teenager, having lived in the far north all her life. Since waking from her slumber, she had faced life-and-death crises and started a life on the run. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright, I also need to learn more about this world." Alex planned to wait for Ruby to finish her tribe matters while she upgraded the Kingdom''s Tear to establish the Undead Empire. It was something she had to do before setting out. "I''ll go take care of things now. I need to gather some tirbe members and give them instructions. Feel free to do as you please here. If you need anything, just ask them." Ruby needed to leave temporarily to instruct the other elders and set up contingency plans. "Alright, go ahead, don''t worry about me." With that, Ruby left the room, and Alex, naturally, wouldn''t just stay put. Being close to the Endless Sea, she could take the opportunity to learn more about the Sea Folk. The room quickly became empty, with only the cold wind howling through the window. [Blood Moon in the Sky, Darkness Descends] As night fell, Ruby concluded her tribal affairs, while Alex returned from her exploration near the Endless Sea. Despite her status as a King-level character, Alex wasn''t proficient in swimming and lacked the ability to breathe underwater. Initially, she had planned to explore the underwater realms, but she soon reconsidered. Diving unprepared into unknown waters could expose her to unforeseen dangers. Without the necessary magical abilities, her capabilities would be significantly reduced underwater, prompting her to decide against the venture. While exploring the coastal areas, Alex observed the Sea Folk. These creatures were not particularly strong. In fact, compared to the undead, their status was even lower than that of the most basic Skeleton Soldier, making them the weakest among the sea races. Like on Earth, the oceans in this world were vaster than the lands, and the sea races inhabiting the Endless Sea were undoubtedly the most numerous of all races. It was no wonder that Lilith''s enslavement of some sea creatures went unnoticed by the sea races; their sheer numbers made them difficult to keep track of. "Miss Alex, shall we go?" Ruby''s voice lacked excitement and seemed distracted, likely still pondering her father''s situation. "Do your people know you''re leaving?" Alex asked as they walked toward the undead fortress. "They don''t. Only Maulclaw, Shadowfang, and a few of my guards know. Very few have the information. I told them I''d be gone for a few days with you, and they''re at ease." The two passed through the undead fortress and were instantly transported to Undead City. Ruby was curious about the changes around her, constantly looking around and observing the grand undead city as Alex led her toward the palace. It was dinner time, and although Alex had the ability to go without eating without starving, others, including Ruby, needed to eat. "Did you have dinner before coming here?" "No, I eat fish every day, and I can''t cook. It''s awful." The Arctic Tigerfolk''s diet was primarily raw, unlike humans who preferred cooked food. "Perfect, let''s eat here then," Alex said, leading Ruby up the palace steps. From the high vantage point, Ruby noticed a black forest surrounding Undead City and was puzzled. Had the city moved? "This is deep within the Dark Forest." Hearing this, Ruby immediately wanted to fly outside, but Alex held her back. "Don''t bother; he''s long gone." Ruby was disappointed, realizing she wouldn''t get more information about her father. "Take it easy, one step at a time. Your strength is still lacking. Even if you learned something about your father now, what could you do?" "Yeah, I get it," Ruby nodded, acknowledging Alex''s point. At the palace entrance, dark elf servants respectfully opened the doors for Alex. "Master, tonight''s dinner is steamed freshwater dragon fish." "Ugh, fish again?!" Ruby exclaimed, hoping for a change of taste at Alex''s place, only to find they were also having fish. Alex looked at the dark elves, who quickly explained, "Master, these dragon fish were all sent by the leader from Mossvale Continent. After seeing them, the leaders unanimously decided on fish for dinner. If you don''t like it, we can prepare something else." It turned out Drake had sent them. Alex turned to Ruby, "Well, at least it''s cooked." The two entered the palace and headed to the dining room, where three others were already dining. The fish were large, weighing at least ten pounds each, with three in total¡ªone for each of them. Alex''s eyebrow twitched; could they really finish all this? Soon, the dark elves brought in two more fish, and Ruby immediately grabbed one and started devouring it. "Leader, you have to try this; it''s super tasty!" The others weren''t surprised by Ruby''s presence, as Alex had mentioned it earlier. "I can''t eat that much..." "This was sent by Drake. He found them by a freshwater lake. They''re a type of fish with a trace of dragon blood, and there are many of them. He caught dozens. They''re delicious and have special effects." Even Xiao Mu couldn''t help but praise it, indicating how good it was. Alex sat down, picked up a fork, and tasted the fish. The tender meat was unlike anything she''d ever had, prompting her to admit it was the best fish she''d ever eaten. [Consumed dragon fish meat, gained 10 experience points, acquired special effect: Soul Gathering] [Soul Gathering: Enhances soul power.] "Yeah, this is some good stuff," Alex remarked after checking the system information. "Miss Alex, what special effect did you get from eating the dragon fish?" Xiao Hui eagerly asked, as Alex closed her system interface. "Wow, you got such a good effect? Enhancing soul power?" Xiao Hui reopened her system interface, double-checking her own effect. [Nutrient Absorption: Speeds up metabolism.] As soon as Alex saw this peculiar effect, Xiao Hui dashed to the restroom. That fast? "What special effects did you two get?" Five minutes later, Alex was nearly full and curiously asked. "Stamina recovery," Xiao Mu replied, glancing at Sophie, who seemed hesitant. "Big Shot, I... I''d rather not say," Sophie stammered. Just then, Xiao Hui returned from the restroom. "Haha, I know! I peeked earlier. Her special effect is drooling!" Xiao Hui laughed. "Drooling?" Alex looked at Sophie, noticing only a ring of oil around her mouth, with no sign of any liquid. Wait a minute... Could Xiao Hui actually be referring to a more intimate kind of moisture? "Ahem!" Xiao Mu coughed loudly, glaring at Xiao Hui for her indiscretion. Xiao Hui stuck out her tongue and resumed eating. Alex was speechless. No wonder Xiao Mu initially mentioned "special effects." "How many more of these fish are there? Tell Drake to catch them all for me!" Hearing Alex''s command, Xiao Hui was taken aback, then grinned mischievously. "Oh~ so that''s the kind of leader you are!" Chapter 316 - 316: Why do I have to wear this? ??? Alex was bewildered, realizing Xiao Hui had misunderstood her. "What are you thinking? Ruby just loves eating," Alex said, giving Xiao Hui a glare. In the corner, Sophie breathed a sigh of relief; she wasn''t keen on eating this stuff every day. She had seen other Lords discussing in the world chat channel about similar foods that, once consumed, could grant many special effects. One special effect that was most talked about among the lords¡ªafter obtaining this ability, merely touching anyone with a hand could induce a prolonged and intense state of orgasm in the target. Honestly, Sophie was curious about gaining such an ability, but with others around, she didn''t want to embarrass herself. While Sophie was lost in thought, Ruby had already finished two fish and was on her third. To speed up her eating, she even started to hold the fish with her hands and gnaw on it directly. "What kind of fish is this? It''s so delicious! If we had this in the far north, I wouldn''t have become a tiger queen who hates fish!" "This is dragon fish from the Mossvale Continent. Probably not found on other continents," Xiao Hui explained to Ruby, who was eating with gusto. "Eat as much as you like; there''s plenty more," Alex said, smiling at Ruby. An hour later, the final tally was: Alex ate 0.2 fish, Sophie 0.5, Xiao Mu 1, Xiao Hui 1.5, and Ruby 3.5. Ruby''s appetite amazed everyone; despite her small stature, she could eat a lot. "Ugh... I''m so full!" Ruby patted her slightly rounded belly. "Arrange a room for Ruby," Alex instructed a nearby dark elf, who promptly went upstairs to prepare a room. "Come on, let''s pick out some clothes. It''s best to keep a low profile when we go to the human city," Alex said, leading Ruby upstairs. Ruby was already familiar with Alex''s room. Although it had transformed from a castle to a palace, the basic layout hadn''t changed much. Alex opened the wardrobe, revealing a dazzling array of clothes that left Ruby momentarily unsure where to look. Besides Earth-style outfits, there was a cabinet filled with local human attire. "Don''t look at the others, come here!" Alex motioned to Ruby. Ruby approached, finding the clothes in the cabinet more fitting. "Can I pick anything?" "Of course." Ruby and Alex were about the same height, so the slight difference wouldn''t affect the fit. Ruby was a bit shorter and had a smaller bust, but that was about it. Ruby quickly chose a dress similar in style to what she was wearing, clearly a garment only human nobles could afford. The wardrobe seemed to contain only such clothes, with no common linen garments. While changing, Ruby casually removed her dress in front of Alex, showing no hint of modesty. Alex quickly shut the window. "Wait, you''re not wearing a bra or panties?!" "Huh? Wear what? What are those?" Ruby asked, puzzled. Alex didn''t explain, instead rummaging through the cabinet. She soon found two pieces of underwear. Although Ruby''s bust was slightly smaller, it could be padded if necessary. "Put this on first." "What kind of weird clothes are these?" Ruby was confused as she took the garments from Alex. Seeing Ruby''s reaction, Alex realized Ruby had no idea how to wear them. "Why do I have to wear this?" Ruby tilted her head, looking at Alex. Alex didn''t explain, instead helping Ruby put on the bra. "There, all set. Try this dress now," Alex said, handing Ruby the noble attire. Ruby put it on without question. It fit well, not too revealing, and the gathered bust filled out the dress nicely. "So, why do I have to bind myself before dressing?" "Don''t ask. Just know that all humans dress this way. If you don''t, they''ll notice," Alex said, placing a hat on Ruby''s head to cover her beast ears. With her long hair, Ruby''s ears were naturally hidden, perfectly concealing her identity. She couldn''t tie her hair up like Alex, so it had to stay loose. After changing, Alex led Ruby to a mirror. Ruby spun around, satisfied with her reflection. "Looks good!" "If you like it, pick a few more," Alex suggested. Preparations were necessary, as Alex wasn''t sure if her Honorary Mage status would be recognized everywhere. Besides, using that status too often might draw unwanted attention. A King-level mage suddenly appearing in a city would surely attract notice. A moment later, Ruby had chosen her clothes. Alex''s plan for this trip wasn''t just the human city; she wanted to explore other places too and wouldn''t return to Undead City anytime soon. Alex glanced at the five fully charged fortress Essence Shards in her ring, smiling. Whatever she did, she couldn''t forget the goal of expanding the territory. With Ruby in tow, Alex headed downstairs, finding the three gathered around a table, shouting excitedly. As she approached, three question marks popped into her head. They were playing cards?! "Seriously, whose idea was this?" Sophie and Xiao Mu immediately pointed at Xiao Hui, who pointed at Xiao Mu with both hands, then split them to point at both when Sophie joined in. "Hehe, the night is long, and there''s nothing else to do, so why not relax a bit?" Xiao Hui explained awkwardly, like a child caught misbehaving. Alex picked up a card, noting it was made of thin wood with symbols drawn using Xiao Hui''s dark energy. "Pretty clever," Alex remarked. It was indeed boring in the palace with nothing to do but check World Chat, so a little relaxation was fine, as long as it didn''t interfere with important matters. "Go ahead, just don''t neglect your duties," Alex said, putting the card back and waving Ruby along. "Alex, what are they doing?" Ruby asked, intrigued. "Playing," Alex replied, unsure how else to explain it to Ruby. Opening the system dashboard, Alex checked the Warehouse. Drake had indeed lived up to expectations, conquering a small race in just two days. According to Xiao Mu, the centaur conflict was nearing its end and should conclude by tomorrow. Alex wondered if these two race''s Tears would be enough to upgrade the Kingdom''s Tear. Once upgraded, Undead City would become history, paving the way for a true undead empire. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 317 - 317: Trying to outnumber me? Alex took out the Kingdom''s Tear and the race''s Tear submitted by Drake. As the two touched, they instantly fused together. Ruby watched in awe, amazed by the system''s power as she witnessed a race''s Tear vanish before her eyes. [Kingdom''s Tear Current Upgrade Progress: 87/100] "Only 6 points? Still 13 to go," Alex sighed. A Monarch-level force couldn''t add more than ten points, so it seemed they''d have to wait another two days. "Alex, was that a race''s Tear just now?" Ruby asked, a bit unsure. "Yes, Lords can obtain them by conquering races. Collect enough race''s Tears, and you can establish a kingdom," Alex explained. "Sounds like a task given by a god?" "You could say that," Alex admitted. Ruby had a knack for understanding certain things. "We might have to wait two days before we can set off. The Kingdom''s Tear upgrade is almost complete. I need to transform Undead City into an Undead Empire before we leave, so I can be a hands-off leader," Alex said, not noticing Ruby''s subtle movements beside her. "Alex," Ruby called out. "Hmm?" Alex turned, momentarily stunned. "Here," Ruby said, handing over a white crystal. "Have you lost your mind? Take it back. Building the Undead Empire is just a matter of time; I don''t need your help," Alex refused outright, even a bit angry. "No, I''m serious," Ruby said earnestly, her gaze fixed on Alex. "Do you know what Submission means? It''s madness. Following me could endanger your entire tribe!" Alex''s voice rose, but Ruby remained unmoved. Alex had made it clear before that Lords were destined to be lonely, to stand against the world, and the risks were immense. "Ruby, you can''t gamble your fate and your tribe''s future on an extraterrestrial visitor," Alex said solemnly, reminding her that her father''s fate could very well be Alex''s future. "No, without you, I might have died long ago, and I certainly wouldn''t have united my tribe. I can''t do much for you. I know your talent; I probably won''t even have the chance to catch up to you, but this is all I can do," Ruby insisted stubbornly, ignoring Alex''s advice. Meanwhile, the three playing cards in the hall had stopped, secretly observing the argument. At such close range, they couldn''t avoid overhearing, so they remained silent, listening intently. "That''s still not okay. Listen, even though you''re the queen, the entire Arctic Tigerfolk tribe isn''t just yours," Alex''s tone softened. "How about this: go back and ask Maulclaw and Shadowfang. If the whole tribe agrees, we''ll talk. Is that okay?" Alex proposed a compromise, believing Maulclaw and Shadowfang would never agree. Even if Maulclaw did, the hot-tempered Shadowfang wouldn''t; it was a matter of principle. This was purely to placate Ruby. Her decision wouldn''t benefit her and would only put her in greater danger, something Alex didn''t want for Ruby. "Fine, I''ll go right now!" Ruby put away the race''s Tear and stormed off. Standing aside, Alex quietly summoned a Death Spirit. Instantly, a black mist formed beside her. "Death Spirit, inform Maulclaw and Shadowfang in the far north not to agree to Ruby''s Submission request." The Death Spirit dissipated immediately. The Death Spirit had a Clone there and could relay the message to Maulclaw and Shadowfang instantly, more efficiently than Ruby could. Alex valued her friendship with Ruby. The Kingdom''s Tear upgrade progress was close, but it wasn''t worth involving the Arctic Tigerfolk tribe. Alex''s initial intention in helping Ruby wasn''t to absorb her race''s Tear. Besides, the Arctic Tigerfolk''s strength was average and wouldn''t offer much help to Alex at this stage. There was no need to drag Ruby''s entire race into it just to establish the Undead Empire two days earlier. "Ah, still too young," Alex sighed, a bit helpless. The three nearby didn''t dare comment, nor would they interfere with Alex''s decision. For the Xiao siblings, Alex and Ruby had been close even before they joined, and their relationship was naturally strong. From the first day they met Ruby and from her attitude toward Alex, it was clear her identity was significant. "Stop staring and go to bed," Alex said, giving them a look. The three slunk away quietly. But just in case, Alex decided to work overtime tonight. She headed upstairs to change shoes; she couldn''t fight in slippers, after all. "Centaurs, tonight I''ll deal with you!" Alex declared, sending a message to Drake to check on his situation. Her plan was to personally eliminate three or four small races, max out the Kingdom''s Tear, and upgrade Undead City to an Undead Empire. Alex: "Do you have any races you''re currently dealing with, or other targets?" Drake: "There are a few, but they''re all King-level forces. I''m not a match for them yet and need to proceed gradually." Alex: "Get ready. In half an hour, I''ll take them out myself. By morning, I want the Undead Empire established!" Drake: "Understood." Alex put on her shoes and socks, her figure disappearing from the bedroom, reappearing at the main fortress. She entered alone, not informing anyone of her whereabouts. ... Arsen Continent, centaurs'' territory, undead fortress. The fortress was pitch black, surrounded by dense forest. Looking up, Alex could vaguely see several massive Silverscale Leviathans hovering above. The undead army stationed here was relatively weak, with only a few dozen Monarch-level members and a Death Spirit Clone. Of course, Alex wasn''t relying on them. As a King-level, Alex could conquer a Monarch race effortlessly. She stood on the bone wall, scanning the surroundings, spotting several hidden centaur sentries in the distant forest. Her eyes flashed blue, and the centaurs were instantly frozen into ice sculptures, caught off guard. "Death Spirit, lead the way to the centaurs'' royal family!" A black and a white figure simultaneously rose into the air, disappearing as they flew into the depths of the forest. Deep within the heart of this dense forest, there lay a massive cave, the gathering place of the centaurs'' royal family. Even at night, the tunnel was brightly lit with reflected light. Nighttime was when the centaurs reveled. Known for their brutality, love of drink, lust, and savagery, their celebrations were anything but wholesome. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Outside the cave, the scene was one-on-one mating, but inside, it was sheer madness. A fully aroused male Alpha had grown five penises, mating with five Omegas simultaneously in the night. [I''m just trying this out, in fact, I''m still not very clear about the relationship between Alpha and Omega. Is there anyone who can tell me if my expression is accurate?] The undead hadn''t crushed them with sheer numbers of Monarch level forces because these centaurs lived like nomads. Besides their formidable sexual prowess, they were naturally adept at running and archery. While Monarch level centaurs couldn''t fly, they could easily lose a few undead in the dense forest. Without eliminating their royal family, the system wouldn''t consider the conquest successful. It wasn''t that they couldn''t win, but the undead were hindered by the terrain. This had delayed the conquest until now, but the encirclement was complete. The entire forest was surrounded by undead, ready to close in and conquer them completely. For the centaurs, tonight was unfortunate because Alex had arrived. When Alex reached the cave, the Death Spirit''s Clone dissipated. A white figure suddenly appeared outside the cave, unnoticed by the Alphas and Omegas who had just finished mating and were still lost in their lust, their vigilance greatly reduced. Alex felt no disturbance at the debauchery around her. They weren''t human, and aside from their unusually large genitalia, there was nothing appealing. She''d seen enough. A spatial ripple emanated from her, instantly dismembering all the centaurs outside the cave. "Who goes there!" came an angry shout from within the cave, followed by the sound of a centaur collapsing and the clatter of hooves. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Several flaming arrows shot out from the tunnel, aimed straight at Alex. But such primitive attacks were ineffective even against a Commanding level, let alone a King level. The arrows halted before Alex, exploding in mid-air. In that moment, she vanished, charging into the cave. Moments later, crimson blood trickled out of the tunnel, the internal fires extinguished, leaving silence in their wake. [Congratulations, Lord, on successfully conquering the centaurs. Reward: race''s Tear, Auxiliary Barrack.] Alex''s clothes remained pristine, untouched by the chaos. They hadn''t even had a chance to lay a finger on her. Back at the undead fortress, Alex appeared. "Death Spirit, lead the undead to continue expanding. As for those centaurs, kill any who don''t comply." Returning to Undead City, Alex immediately absorbed the Kingdom''s Tear. The Auxiliary Barrack was constructed in Dragon City. [Kingdom''s Tear Current Upgrade Progress: 89/100] "Damn, only two points. I shouldn''t have expected much from them," Alex muttered, notifying Drake before entering the Portal of Transit. Her goal was to finish before midnight so she wouldn''t miss her sleep. Mossvale Continent, Dragon City. Drake was already waiting for Alex at the Portal of Transit. He suspected her urgency was due to the Kingdom''s Tear nearing its upgrade, eager to establish an Empire. The thought excited Drake; Alex, the top Lord, was skipping straight to an Empire. Arriving on Mossvale Continent, even in the dim night, the surroundings left Alex astounded. The trees were enormous, so much so that Dragon City seemed insignificant in the vast forest. Drake had mentioned it was a primeval forest, but Alex hadn''t paid much attention until she saw it herself. "It''s like a dreamscape!" Alex exclaimed. "I was even more shocked when I first saw it," Drake replied, standing nearby. "Let''s not waste time. Lead the way, and let''s head out," Alex urged, eager to get moving. Drake nodded, both ready for action. He summoned two Rock Dragons, and they each mounted one, flying out of Dragon City. On the way, Drake explained the situation, but Alex was distracted. She only knew the target was a weak King level force. Only the chieftain was King level, resulting in a Race''s Tear worth ten points, perfectly stopping at 99! This frustrated Alex, who had anticipated this outcome. She considered changing targets, but all nearby forces were similarly weak King level, and not close by. Even at Monarch Rock Dragon''s speed, it would take nearly two hours to reach them. Alex couldn''t leave them behind because she didn''t know the way. With nothing else to do, she admired the primeval forest''s scenery. The target race, [Winged Bird Sub-Dragon], numbered around ten thousand, with the strongest at King level, residing atop the giant trees. Sub-dragons, like dragons, had fewer numbers with higher bloodlines. The Winged Bird Sub-Dragon''s large numbers indicated a diluted bloodline. "Better be cautious. This Winged Bird Sub-Dragon might not be a low-tier King level," Drake shouted from the dragon''s back, warning Alex. Alex nodded. If needed, she''d call for help. The stronger the opponent, the more race''s Tear points they''d provide, saving the trouble of conquering a second race and saving time. Soon, the Rock Dragons brought them to the Winged Bird Sub-Dragon''s territory. Perched on the treetops, they spotted the intruders. A sharp screech echoed, and the treetops of several towering trees shook, sending room-sized leaves fluttering down. Instantly, thousands of Winged Bird Sub-Dragons took flight, charging at Alex and Drake, undeterred by the pure-blood Rock Dragons. Drake and the dragons were ready for battle, but Alex remained unfazed. Seeing the swarm of Winged Bird Sub-Dragons, she smirked. "Trying to outnumber me?" Chapter 318 - 318: Maulclaw agreed to Rubys request Dozens of black teleportation arrays materialized around Alex, and in a heartbeat, Monarch level Reaper Guards poured out, their ghost forms a stark contrast to the vibrant forest. Their black, chained scythes shot forward, reaping tools of death given unholy life. The Winged Bird sub-dragons, caught completely off guard, were easy prey. The scythes ripped through their ranks, Dark Corrosion clinging to the wounds, dragging their lifeless forms down towards the forest below. As they fell, gray magic circles bloomed beneath them. Before gravity could claim them, undead clawed their way out, taking to the sky to join the fray. The initial charge of the Winged Bird sub-dragons was utterly decimated in a single, brutal exchange, their bodies quickly turned into undead by Alex. Drake watched, momentarily stunned. He''d almost forgotten about Alex''s unique talent. Even alone, she was never truly outmatched. As an undead lord, she had an army at her beck and call. The remaining Winged Bird sub-dragons, finally realizing the threat, scattered as their hidden leader let out a piercing shriek. From the shadows of the canopy, Monarch level Winged Birds launched themselves into the fray. Alex''s head snapped up. This time, she''d pinpointed the source of the call, the unmistakable sound of their leader. With a flicker of movement, she vanished from Drake''s back, diving towards a specific point within the dense foliage. Drake watched as a fiery red ring exploded outwards, momentarily illuminating the night sky. The tops of dozens of ancient trees were sheared off, engulfed in flames. The forest floor was instantly cleared, revealing the Winged Bird leader, exposed and vulnerable. It beat its wings furiously, its gaze fixed on Alex, who stood calmly amidst the inferno, a massive, flame-wreathed scythe gripped tightly in her hand. The Winged Bird sub-dragon resembled an oversized, featherless bird, about the size of a gargoyle, perhaps ten feet tall. An icy aura emanated from the leader, prompting Alex''s choice of fire magic. Judging by its presence, it was a low-level King level, just like her. But Alex was confident in her abilities. She lunged, her scythe a blazing arc of destruction. The Winged Bird leader retaliated, flapping its wings to conjure a blizzard that instantly encased the surroundings in ice. Even Alex''s flames, though still burning brightly, began to sputter and shrink. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Mid-level fire magic is starting to lose its edge," Alex thought, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She needed to step it up. With a snap of her fingers, the orange flames turned black, their heat intensifying as they devoured the blizzard, leaving behind a trail of corrosive smoke. For a split second, the Winged Bird leader''s eyes glazed over. When its vision cleared, it was no longer staring at the familiar expanse of the primeval forest. Instead, it found itself teetering on the precipice of an endless abyss. It reacted instinctively, trying to deploy its realm to counter Alex''s attack. But that was precisely what Alex had been waiting for. Just as the Winged Bird leader''s realm was about to pierce through the oppressive darkness, Alex unleashed her full power. The two realms collided, locked in a stalemate. Then, a black blur flashed past the Winged Bird leader. It flinched, a cry escaping its throat as a searing pain ripped through its side. It whirled around, its eyes widening in horror as it saw a gaping fissure in its once-impenetrable realm. Alex''s scythe, imbued with the power to sever anything, including the realms of those within her power range. Its only limitation was the need for direct contact. The shockwaves from her swings didn''t carry the same potency. The Winged Bird leader reeled, fear gripping its heart. This girl, this seemingly harmless human-like creature, could shatter its realm! It had been a setup, a carefully orchestrated trap to lure it into a vulnerable position. With a desperate surge of power, it contracted its realm, pushing Alex back. It couldn''t afford to retract it completely while still trapped within her domain. Distance. It needed distance to regroup, to prevent another devastating attack. But this was Alex''s domain, her world. Even if it managed to create some space, where could it possibly run? Carelessness. That was its downfall. Two King level combatants, facing each other head-on, wouldn''t be caught off guard so easily. It bolted, choosing a random direction, hoping to tear through the fabric of her realm and escape. The surrounding darkness churned, coalescing into towering reapers, their scythes raised high, ready to strike. While these manifestations of Alex''s realm power posed a minor nuisance, they weren''t the real threat. They were merely buying her time. Within the Annihilation Realm, all her magic was amplified. And unlike her scythe''s unique ability, her other spells, except for dark magic, were not bound by range. Her left eye glowed with an icy blue light, a beacon in the oppressive darkness. In her right hand, the black-flamed scythe hummed with power, a grim reaper ready to claim another soul. Outside the realm, Drake, witnessing the sudden disappearance of both Alex and the Winged Bird leader, didn''t hesitate. He charged into the fray, his draconic might unleashed. Waves of ochre dragon breath swept across the battlefield, petrifying everything in their path. The two Rock Dragons, unstoppable forces of nature, tore through the remaining sub-dragons, their jaws crushing bone and flesh. The Winged Bird sub-dragons, their Monarch level champions outnumbered and outmatched, stood no chance. One by one, they fell, their bodies vanishing into the depths of the green abyss below. Then, Alex reappeared, the lifeless body of the headless Winged Bird leader floating beside her. Panic seized the remaining sub-dragons. They scattered, desperate to escape the carnage. But Alex wouldn''t let them deny her the experience points. Her Ice Domain expanded, engulfing the battlefield in a flash freeze, trapping the fleeing sub-dragons in their tracks. Then, her Spatial Domain descended, a wave of invisible blades reaping a bloody harvest. Most of the remaining sub-dragons were obliterated in an instant. She left the stragglers to her undead, their fate already sealed. Drake stared at the sheer scale of Alex''s domain, awestruck. Was this the true extent of a King level''s power? Alex, still hovering in mid-air, casually resurrected the Winged Bird leader as an undead, tossing the worthless corpse to one of the Rock Dragons, who swallowed it whole. "To the Featherfolk battlefield," she commanded, addressing the King level undead. "As you command, my queen." As the undead vanished into the night, Drake landed beside Alex, a wry smile on his face. "Should I have just let you handle this from the start?" "Nah, the undead will help you. There are plenty of King level ones now. I''ll be leaving Undead City soon.." Drake''s eyes widened in realization. He had a feeling she was showing off, but he couldn''t deny the truth in her words. She had earned the right to be confident. As they spoke, the Death Spirit materialized beside them, swiftly possessing a nearby Death Knight. "My queen, Maulclaw defied my orders. He''s agreed to Ruby''s request!" Chapter 319 - 319: Upgrade Progress: 99/100 "What?!" Alex exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. Drake, sensing her shock, turned to her, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Maulclaw? Has he gone mad?" Alex had planned for everything, even sending the Death Spirit ahead to reason with Maulclaw, to urge him to dissuade Ruby from acting rashly. And yet, he had agreed? Maulclaw, in Alex''s experience, was cautious, conservative, even somewhat set in his ways. The idea of him willingly submitting their entire race to an extraterrestrial visitor was unfathomable. "Did you explain that I''d already diverted the Beastman Empire''s attention towards the humans? That the Arctic Tigerfolk were no longer in danger?" Alex asked, struggling to comprehend the situation. "I did, my queen. But he offered no explanation. He simply stated his intention to accompany Ruby to Undead City," the Death Spirit replied, his voice devoid of inflection. "Those stubborn fools!" Alex abandoned her plans to conquest the next race. She needed to return to Undead City immediately and get to the bottom of this. It had only been two hours, and somehow, Ruby had managed to sway Maulclaw. Drake, sensing her urgency, asked, "We''re not conquesting the next race?" "No, I need to return immediately." And with that, Alex vanished, the Death Spirit dissolving into a wisp of black smoke. Drake and the two Rock Dragons were left alone, the silence of the forest pressing in around them. "Well then, let''s head back," Drake said. ... Dark Forest, Undead City. It was nearing midnight. The city was shrouded in an eerie silence, its inhabitants either asleep or diligently carrying out their tasks. Ruby, flanked by Shadowfang and Maulclaw, entered Undead City through the main fortress. The two Arctic Tigerfolk elders struggled to contain their astonishment as they took in the sight of the sprawling, macabre city. Silverscale Leviathans, resembling colossal warships, hovered in the sky, the city itself exuded an aura of darkness and power, sending a shiver down their spines. Bizarre undead creatures, unlike anything they had ever seen, roamed the streets, their presence both unsettling and awe-inspiring. "This... is her city?" Shadowfang, his usual boisterous demeanor subdued, whispered, his voice barely audible. He could sense dozens of half-step King level presences within the city walls. And that wasn''t even counting the four King level undead he knew Alex had at her disposal. But it wasn''t just the city itself that unnerved him. The surrounding forest, cloaked in an unnatural darkness, pulsed with an unseen power. Even with their King level senses, they couldn''t penetrate the veil shrouding the Dark Forest. Maulclaw, ever the pragmatist, had agreed to Ruby''s decision for two reasons. Firstly, Ruby, as their new leader, held the ultimate authority. The elders, bound by tradition, had to respect her choices, even if they didn''t fully understand them. Secondly, Ruby''s revelations had shaken him to his core. Alex, an extraterrestrial visitor of immense power, was already a cause for concern. But it was the truth about Ruby''s father that truly shocked him. The Sovereign level powerhouse who had protected the Arctic Tigerfolk for centuries, the one they had revered as a guardian deity, was, in fact, the former top-ranked Lord. And now, Alex held that title. Maulclaw understood the implications. Alex''s potential was limitless. If she survived long enough, godhood was not out of the question. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And the benefits of being associated with a future god were self-evident. Offering support in times of need was far more valuable than pledging allegiance after one had already achieved greatness. Alex was still on her rise to power. Their support, as a King level race, would be invaluable to her. But once she reached Emperor level or, heaven forbid, Sovereign level, their loyalty would mean little. Besides, there was no guarantee that Alex would always be there to bail them out. Submitting to her, however, would make their enemies think twice before attacking. In essence, Maulclaw was gambling on their future, betting that their connection to Alex, through Ruby, could elevate their race to new heights. The Arctic Tigerfolk, even without submitting to Alex, were living under the constant threat of the Beastman Empire. Submitting to a powerful leader, one with the potential to become a god, was starting to look like the safer option. Ruby led Maulclaw and Shadowfang towards the palace. The dark elves, sensing their approach, opened the grand doors, ushering them inside. The Death Spirit, possessing a specter, drifted towards them. "Greetings. The queen will return shortly. Please make yourselves comfortable." Ruby frowned. So Alex wasn''t asleep. "Where did she go?" The Death Spirit hesitated for a moment before deciding that honesty was the best policy. Ruby would find out eventually anyway. "The queen is currently on the Mossvale continent, gathering race''s Tears." Maulclaw''s eyes widened. Not only did the undead possess the ability to teleport, but they could also cross the Endless Sea and reach other continents? It seemed the rumors about the extraterrestrial visitors'' diverse and potent abilities were true. Currently, only races who had produced gods could traverse the vast expanse of the Endless Sea. Weaker races relied on the teleportation arrays of the stronger ones. And those were rarely shared, a measure to prevent the spread and potential rise of rival powers. After all, even the strongest races had relied on their gods to establish those initial connections, bridging the gap between continents. The extraterrestrial visitors, however, possessed this ability from the get-go, even only at the Commanding level. It was simply unheard of. Maulclaw, despite his initial skepticism, was starting to understand the true extent of their power. "She went through all that trouble just to avoid accepting our submission?" Ruby exclaimed, her shoulders slumping. She couldn''t access the system and had no way of knowing Alex''s current progress. She could only hope that Alex hadn''t reached her goal yet. Their offer of submission had to coincide with Alex''s needs. It had to be a mutually beneficial arrangement. Meanwhile, Alex had returned to Undead City. However, she remained within the confines of the Portal of Transit chamber. She opened her system interface and claimed her rewards. [Congratulations! You have conquered the Winged Bird sub-dragon race. Rewards: Auxiliary Barracks, Race''s Tear.] Alex retrieved the Kingdom''s Tear from her Warehouse and held it in her hands, channeling the newly acquired Race''s Tear into it. "Please, let this be it," she whispered, her voice tight with anticipation. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 99/100] "Are you kidding me?!" Chapter 320 - 320: Tomorrow, we establish the Undead Empire Although Alex had anticipated this outcome, she couldn''t help but feel a wave of exasperation wash over her. She exited the Portal of Transit chamber and made her way towards the main hall. The grand doors were wide open, granting her a clear view of Ruby, seated upon her throne, flanked by Maulclaw and Shadowfang. The Death Spirit hovered nearby, awaiting her arrival. As Alex stepped inside, it dissipated into a wisp of black smoke. "Alex! Maulclaw and Shadowfang have agreed. What do you have to say now?" Ruby exclaimed, her voice brimming with triumph. Alex turned to Maulclaw, her expression unreadable. "Explain yourself. I find it hard to believe you''d go along with Ruby''s antics." "Hey! I''m not being unreasonable!" Ruby protested, but Alex ignored her. Maulclaw, seemingly prepared for this line of questioning, launched into a detailed explanation, his deep voice echoing through the hall. Alex listened patiently, her gaze fixed on him. Ruby interjected occasionally, her excitement palpable. Shadowfang, however, remained silent, his expression unreadable. As Maulclaw concluded his explanation, Alex understood. He had been upfront about his motives. He saw potential in Alex, a chance to elevate his people, much like Ruby''s father had done centuries ago. "You''re surprisingly honest," Alex remarked, her tone neutral. She then turned to Shadowfang. "And you? Don''t give me the ''worried about other races'' excuse. We''re all in the same boat here. Strength is the only guarantee of survival. I''m a King level, just like you. We all face the same risks." Shadowfang met her gaze, his demeanor surprisingly calm and collected. He had clearly matured since their last encounter. "Change is inevitable if we want our people to thrive. The Arctic Tigerfolk''s level cap is King level. We''re not exactly a force to be reckoned with on this continent. Even without the Beastman Empire, there will always be another threat, another empire looking to expand its territory. As the weaker party, submission might be our best chance at survival." "They''re right, Alex. You saved my life. You''ve helped us so much. Offering our race''s Tear is the least we can do. Besides, most of the elders know and respect you," Ruby added, her voice softening. Alex sighed, pulling a chair back and settling into it, crossing her legs. "And what about the Beastman Empire? Aren''t you worried about dragging me into that mess?" Maulclaw and Shadowfang exchanged uneasy glances. She was right. The Beastman Empire was a formidable force, even for the strongest Lord. Wouldn''t this jeopardize her own safety? "Didn''t you say you took care of that? What''s there to worry about?" Ruby countered. "Rest assured, our submission is a collective decision. If the Beastman Empire targets us, we will handle it ourselves. We won''t burden you with our problems," Maulclaw declared, his voice firm. Alex, however, knew she couldn''t simply abandon them. Even without their submission, her friendship with Ruby compelled her to protect them. "That''s easy for you to say," Alex scoffed, her resolve unwavering. "I won''t allow it. End of discussion." Ruby''s face fell. She had been so sure that bringing Maulclaw and Shadowfang would sway Alex''s decision. A white vortex shimmered into existence before her. She reached into it, retrieving a blue-white crystal, the Arctic Tigerfolk''s Race''s Tear. It had formed within her after she became their ruler. It seemed they were intrinsically linked to the ruler, explaining why conquering a race and claiming their Race''s Tear required defeating their leader. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You''re taking it, whether you like it or not!" Ruby slammed the crystal onto the table. "Come on, let''s go!" She turned to leave, her anger palpable, Maulclaw and Shadowfang trailing behind her. Alex, however, was faster. She teleported in front of them, blocking their path. The Race''s Tear vanished from the table, reappearing in her hand. "Alex, don''t stop me! If you don''t accept, we''re through!" Ruby shouted, her voice trembling with emotion. "Don''t joke about something like that." "I''m not joking! Are you really going to deny me the chance to repay my debt?" "You and the Arctic Tigerfolk are two separate entities. Don''t conflate the two." "I speak for the Arctic Tigerfolk!" Ruby stood her ground, her gaze unwavering. Alex stared at her, her expression softening. She sighed, defeated. "Fine. I accept." Ruby, Maulclaw, and Shadowfang''s faces lit up with relief and joy. But before they could celebrate, Alex held up a hand. "On one condition. I won''t interfere in any of your internal affairs or decisions. You''re on your own. And vice versa." She stepped aside, clutching the Race''s Tear, and turned to leave. "Wait!" Ruby called out. Maulclaw and Shadowfang looked at her, confused. What more could she possibly want? "What is it?" Alex asked, her brow furrowed. "Absorb it. Now. Don''t think I don''t know what you''re planning. You''re going to stash it away and try to return it later, aren''t you?" Ruby might not have access to the system, but she had witnessed Alex absorbing a Race''s Tear before. Maulclaw chuckled, impressed by Ruby''s newfound astuteness. Alex didn''t argue. She retrieved the Kingdom''s Tear and channeled the Race''s Tear into it. She could see the determination in Ruby''s eyes. This wasn''t a joke. As the last vestiges of the Race''s Tear flowed into the Kingdom''s Tear, Ruby felt a strange pull, a sense of confirmation. Alex hadn''t lied. "You can go. I''m staying here," Ruby said, dismissing Maulclaw and Shadowfang with a wave of her hand. She, however, showed no intention of leaving. She bounded up the stairs, her earlier anger forgotten. "Honestly..." Alex muttered under her breath. Ruby, despite her newfound responsibilities, was still a child at heart, her impulsiveness a constant source of exasperation. She opened her system interface. The notification, bold and impossible to miss, brought a smile to her face. [Kingdom''s Tear Upgrade Progress: 100/100] [Upgrade Kingdom''s Tear to Empire''s Tear?] "Upgrade," Alex said, her voice flat, devoid of the excitement one might expect from such a momentous occasion. She tapped the upgrade option. A surge of energy pulsed through the Kingdom''s Tear. The tiny black speck at its core expanded rapidly, consuming the entire crystal in an instant. The once pristine, translucent crystal was now a swirling mass of obsidian, radiating an unsettling aura. Its shape remained largely unchanged. A system notification popped up, as if eager to usher in this new era. [Congratulations! You have successfully upgraded the Kingdom''s Tear to the Empire''s Tear. Establish Undead Empire now?] Alex, however, selected "Cancel." Experience had taught her that establishing an Empire would inevitably trigger a transformation, affecting both her palace and her city. Such a momentous occasion, she decided, deserved a proper ceremony, one witnessed by all her undead and subjects. After all, the establishment of an Empire was a significant milestone, the ultimate goal for any Lord. There were no higher levels of territorial expansion beyond Empire. According to the system, an Empire was on par with an Emperor level powerhouse. The next step was Sovereign level. Empire was the pinnacle of a Lord''s domain, just as Sovereign level was likely the ceiling for most Lords. No, most wouldn''t even reach Sovereign level. Even Emperor level was a distant dream for many. [Item: Undead Empire''s Tear] [Level: None] [Effect: Establishes an Empire. Exclusive to undead.] The description was frustratingly vague. All Alex could glean from it was that this Empire''s Tear was a limited edition, a one-of-a-kind item, exclusive to the undead. She tucked the Empire''s Tear away and summoned the Death Spirit once more. "Inform the six race kings and all undead of Commanding level and above. Cease all frontline operations and return to Undead City. Tomorrow, we establish the Undead Empire!" "As you command, my queen!" Chapter 321 - 321: The undead shall rise above all others The Death Spirit''s clone dissipated, its task of notifying the undead underway. Its other clones, scattered across various battlefields, received the message simultaneously, ensuring a swift dissemination of the queen''s command. Alex, feeling the weight of exhaustion, glanced at the time. It was past two in the morning. She retreated to her bedroom, ready for some much-needed rest. Before drifting off, she remembered to send a message to Drake, informing him of the upcoming event. Lilith and Satan, however, were left out of the loop. They were, after all, former allies, not part of her inner circle. She snuggled into her blankets, closed her eyes, and was soon fast asleep. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] Arsen Continent, Featherfolk territory. The Featherfolk chieftain perched atop a grand throne, its blue-feathered face creased in confusion as it listened to the reports from the front lines. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The undead powerhouses are retreating? All of them?" "Chieftain, should we pursue them? Strike while they''re vulnerable?" "But we don''t even know where their lair is!" "Then let''s destroy that fortress!" The Featherfolk alphas below erupted in a cacophony of suggestions, their voices echoing through the hall. The chieftain frowned, its patience wearing thin. They had learned, through countless skirmishes, that the undead, while susceptible to soul attacks, were relentless and seemingly inexhaustible. If not for their aerial advantage and the favorable terrain of their territory, the chieftain believed they might have been locked in a stalemate. Of course, with their superior numbers of powerhouses, they held a clear advantage in battles involving alphas. The lower ranks, however, were evenly matched. Most importantly, they had a high-level King level powerhouse on their side, a deterrent that the undead couldn''t easily overcome. But the sudden, coordinated retreat of the undead powerhouses raised alarm bells. "There''s no need for such drastic measures. The human Holy Court has been eager to collaborate. We''ll inform them of the situation. If they help us eliminate these undead, we''ll agree to their terms." The chieftain had found a convenient solution. These undead, their numbers swelling with each battle, were a drain on their resources. Letting the Holy Court deal with them was the most logical course of action. Despite their consistent victories, the Featherfolk had suffered significant losses. The chieftain, recognizing this unsustainable trend, had been actively avoiding direct confrontations with the undead. While not particularly powerful individually, their ability to teleport, coupled with the presence of King level undead among them, made it difficult to gauge the true strength of their leader. The chieftain wasn''t willing to risk facing a high-level King level opponent. Shifting the burden onto another race was the safest bet. The Featherfolk territory was relatively close to the dwarf kingdom, which, in turn, bordered the Southridge Republic. This proximity meant they were within the sphere of influence of the human factions. While the humans generally left them alone, the Holy Court couldn''t openly coerce them into submission without attracting the attention of the Mage Association. Such a blatant power grab, if exposed, would create unnecessary complications. Therefore, the Holy Court''s strategy regarding factions near the Mage Association''s territory was simple: collaborate if possible, abandon if not. They decided to ignore the retreating undead, leaving them to the Holy Court''s machinations. A decision they would come to regret. ... Time: 06:30 AM, Undead City. Xiao Hui woke with a start, not to the gentle caress of dawn, but to a cacophony of sounds echoing through the city. She scrambled out of bed, her curiosity piqued, and peered out the window. "What''s with all the undead today?" The source of the commotion was clear. Undead were pouring into the city through both the Portal of Transit and the main fortress. The largest undead, their movements ponderous and earth-shaking, were the main culprits. Xiao Hui, her sharp eyes scanning the scene, quickly noticed something unusual. Not only were all seven race kings present, but all ten King level undead had also returned. "Did the Featherfolk campaign end already?" "No, wait... all these returning undead are Monarch level!" Something big was happening. She quickly threw on some clothes and hurried downstairs. She found Xiao Mu, emerging from his adjacent palace, and Sophie, still half-asleep, her hair a tangled mess. "Xiao Mu, what''s going on?" "I have no idea." As they stood there, bewildered, a massive orange-red portal shimmered into existence above the Portal of Transit chamber. Drake, riding a Rock Dragon, emerged from its depths. Xiao Hui stared, her jaw slack. "Why is Drake here?" Drake landed gracefully, the Rock Dragon soaring towards the outer city. He looked at them, confused by their stunned expressions. "What''s with the stares? Do I have dragon droppings on my face?" "What are you doing here?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice laced with suspicion. "What do you mean? Why wouldn''t I be here for the establishment of the Undead Empire? It''s a momentous occasion!" Drake replied, genuinely puzzled by their reaction. Had he done something to offend them? "Huh?" "Did you say... Empire?" The three of them gasped. Xiao Mu suddenly recalled the argument between Alex and Ruby the previous night, the one about the Race''s Tear. "Yeah," Drake said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why didn''t Alex tell us she was establishing an Undead Empire? That''s so unfair!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, finally understanding the situation. That explained the influx of undead. They were preparing for the establishment of the Undead Empire. "Just a thought, but maybe it''s because we''re already in the city? No need for notifications?" Sophie chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Shut up! I know that!" Xiao Hui snapped, her fangs bared. Sensing another pointless argument brewing, Xiao Mu quickly pulled Xiao Hui towards the palace. "Come on, let''s go inside." The main hall was bustling with activity, dark elves scurrying about, attending to their duties. But Alex was nowhere to be found. "Where''s the leader?" "Maybe she''s still asleep?" Drake suggested, only to be met with a chorus of denials. "Impossible. Alex is always the first one up. She wouldn''t be sleeping at this hour. She must be out doing something." "Oh, right." Drake, unfamiliar with Alex''s daily routine, accepted their assessment. Outside, the seven race kings buzzed with anticipation. They had waited for this moment, the establishment of the Undead Empire, for far too long. The Undead Empire''s name would once again be etched into the annals of history. "Organize your troops and assemble in the square!" Arthas barked, directing the Monarch level undead. They quickly fell into formation. An unruly mob of undead wouldn''t do for such a grand occasion. John, Crane, and Azure, however, found themselves in an awkward position. Their troops, limited to Commanding level, had no Monarch level units. Arthas, realizing his oversight, quickly issued new orders. "Destroyers, Ghouls, Zombie Titans, Gargoyles, Death Conquerors, Necromancers, Crypt Fiends, Reaper Guards! Take your positions behind the four leaders!" The Death Spirit, like the three kings, had no troops of its own. As for the vast majority of Commanding level undead, they were currently stationed within the Silverscale Leviathans, hovering above Undead City. A colossal serpent, its body composed of rock, slithered up the city wall. A smaller, green serpent coiled around its neck. They were the chieftains of the Vine Serpent and Rock Serpent races, King level powerhouses who had pledged their allegiance to Alex. Their presence was expected. Brak and Brok, the two trolls, were absent. Their agreement with Alex lacked any formal binding oaths. All other subjugated races with Monarch level individuals were present. Those below Monarch level were gathered outside the city walls. With nearly a million undead already within the city, allowing everyone inside would create chaos and overcrowding. Time: 7:00 AM Alex finally stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She glanced at the time displayed on her system interface. "Seven o''clock already?!" She jumped out of bed and peered out the window, surprised to see the sheer number of subjugated races gathered below. "The Death Spirit must have informed them. But only Monarch level and above are allowed inside the city. Good work." She quickly freshened up, letting her long white hair cascade down her shoulders, and headed downstairs. "No breakfast today." She waved away the concerned dark elves and entered the main hall, where the other four were already waiting. "Miss Alex, you''re finally here!" "Yeah, overslept," Alex admitted sheepishly. The three exchanged awkward glances. Drake, oblivious to their discomfort, looked at them, confused. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing, nothing at all," they replied quickly, changing the subject. Just then, Ruby descended the stairs. Her enhanced hearing had alerted her to the commotion long ago, but she had waited for Alex to wake up before making an appearance. "You overslept too?" "Nope. I was woken up before dawn by all the noise outside," Ruby explained. She didn''t ask about the day''s events. She had overheard Alex''s orders to the Death Spirit and knew that today was the day the Undead Empire would be established. Alex retrieved the Undead Empire''s Tear from her Warehouse and walked towards the exit, her steps measured and deliberate. The two dark elves guarding the doors quickly opened them, and the four followed closely behind. Alex stood at the top of the grand staircase, the vast expanse of Undead City''s central square spread out before her. Hundreds of undead and other creatures, all Monarch level and above, stood in silent anticipation. The only sound was the rustling of leaves from the Dark Forest beyond the city walls. Alex cleared her throat, holding the Undead Empire''s Tear aloft, her King level aura radiating outwards, commanding attention. The four flanking her, two on each side of the staircase, watched in silence. At the forefront of the assembled crowd stood the seven race kings and the King level undead, their gazes fixed on Alex, their loyalty unwavering. All subjugated races with Monarch level individuals were present. Hobgoblins and dwarves were the most numerous, followed by orcs. Medusas, Longtail Apes, Minotaurs, Dragon Lizards, Man-eating Ants, and other races had fewer representatives, most of them summoned through Auxiliary Barracks. Xiao Mu and Drake''s troops stood out, their presence a testament to their unique abilities. Rock Dragons, Light Titans... Their massive forms towered over the other races, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Zombie Titans and Bone Dragons. Alex raised the Undead Empire''s Tear high, her voice amplified by magic, echoing across the silent square. "Today, we establish the Undead Empire! The undead shall rise above all others!" As she spoke, she opened her system interface and selected "Establish Empire." Chapter 322 - 322: Glory to the Undead Empire The moment Alex initiated the construction, a surge of black energy erupted from Undead City, shooting skyward like a dark beacon. The palace beneath her feet trembled, its foundations groaning as it rose from the ground, pulled upwards by an unseen force. A wave of black energy washed over it, transforming its once-pale stone into a deep, unsettling obsidian. Alex felt a strange pull, a surge of power coursing through her veins. Her aura flared uncontrollably. Her left eye blazed with a cold, destructive blue light, while her right eye pulsed with a captivating crimson energy. Dark energy poured from her, swirling around her like a living shroud. She couldn''t tell if it was her own realm power or dark magic. It felt like both, intertwined and amplified. The black energy emanating from Alex merged with the city''s own dark aura, coalescing above the palace into a colossal shadowy figure. It stood tall, its long hair flowing like a banner, its mismatched eyes gazing down upon the city. In its hand, it clutched a massive, shadowy scythe. It was the embodiment of Grim Reaper itself. The Undead Empire''s Tear, instead of vanishing, rose slowly, drawn upwards by the same unseen force that had lifted the palace. Alex, sensing something, turned her head. From the ascending palace''s peak, a black crystal emerged, pulsing with power. It was Undead City''s city crystal! The city crystal and the Empire''s Tear, like magnets drawn to each other, drifted towards one another. As Alex watched, mesmerized, they fused, becoming one. A wave of black energy erupted from the newly formed crystal, spreading outwards, enveloping the entire city. The assembled creatures below looked up, their gazes following Alex''s ascending form. The palace was now shrouded in darkness, the only visible light emanating from Alex''s glowing eyes. Then, the transformation ceased. The city''s expansion halted. The palace at the city''s heart stood tall and imposing, its obsidian walls radiating an aura of power and dread. A mere glance at its imposing structure sent shivers down one''s spine. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex, standing atop the palace, felt the change most acutely. The palace was immense. Its grand doors were now large enough to accommodate even a Zombie Titan with ease. From her vantage point, she could see the entire Dark Forest spread out before her. The palace''s height rivaled that of the distant Frostwind Snowy Mountain. The city itself had grown as well. If one were to compare the old Undead City to its current form, the former would occupy only a quarter of the space. The city crystal, its energy expenditure complete, returned to its resting place within the palace. The black energy that had engulfed the city slowly dissipated. Alex frowned. Establishing an Empire shouldn''t be this simple. As the last vestiges of the transformation faded, the city fell silent. The undead below, as if awakening from a trance, dropped to one knee, their heads bowed in submission. The other races, taking their cue from the undead, followed suit. Dragons, massive and powerful, lowered their heads alongside the smallest skeletons. "Long live the queen!" "Glory to the Undead Empire!" The undead roared in unison, their voices echoing across the city, reaching the ears of the hundreds of thousands of undead stationed beyond the walls. "Long live the queen!" they echoed, their voices a thunderous wave that shook the very foundations of the Dark Forest. The Grim Reaper behind Alex dissipated, its energy flowing back into her. She slowly retracted her aura, the oppressive pressure lifting from the assembled crowd. A strange sensation washed over her, a newfound connection to her city, her empire. It was a consequence of the transformation, a subtle shift in her being. Before she could open her system interface, it appeared before her, as if anticipating her needs. [Congratulations! You have established the Undead Empire. Your city has been upgraded to the Undead Imperial Capital. You have gained the special skill: Sacrifice. You have received the special reward: Undead Quintessence (Complete).] [Within your domain, all is yours! As the Undead Queen, you possess the ability to perceive all that transpires within your territory. Your subjugated races can establish vassal kingdoms (0/7) to gather faith power for you.] [Note: Faith power is a necessary element for some Sovereign level powerhouses seeking to ascend to godhood.] The word "godhood" snagged Alex''s attention. Her gaze darted to the note at the bottom. "So becoming a god isn''t just about finding your divine path, igniting your divine fire, and achieving god. You also need faith power from your followers?" It was a startling revelation. The system had revealed so little about the path to godhood, and she was still largely in the dark. "Wait, I can only gather faith power after establishing an Empire. But what about Raphaela? Are angels just naturally predisposed to god?" It was infuriating. No wonder she was progressing so rapidly. This newfound knowledge only fueled Alex''s desire to eliminate her. Her Undead Empire could have seven vassal kingdoms. However, the Man-eating Ant Kingdom, the Hobgoblin Kingdom, the Dwarf Kingdom, and the Orc Empire didn''t count. It seemed that submitting to her had stripped them of their kingdom status, reverting them to ordinary races. Establishing a vassal kingdom required her explicit authorization. Seven kingdoms, one for each continent... A plan began to form in Alex''s mind. The Empire''s Tear, having fused with the city crystal, was gone. In its place, she now possessed seven Vassal Kingdom''s Tears. They looked identical to ordinary Kingdom''s Tears, except for a tiny black dot at their core, barely noticeable. [Item: Vassal Kingdom''s Tear] [Effect: Establishes a kingdom subservient to the Undead Empire. Item disappears upon use. Faith power gathered by creatures within the kingdom will be channeled directly to the Undead Imperial Capital.] So even if her vassal kingdoms were destroyed, they wouldn''t leave behind a Kingdom''s Tear. Their enemies wouldn''t even know which Empire they had been subservient to. Secrecy was paramount for any Lord. Alex was almost certain this was a perk exclusive to Empires. Establishing a kingdom wouldn''t have granted her this ability. Her Undead Empire was unique. Its territory spanned three continents. As the sole ruler of the Undead Empire, she now possessed the ability to perceive everything within her domain. It was an invaluable tool, allowing her to monitor her territory for any potential threats. She tested it out. It was similar to the system''s "perceive all" ability, but weaker. It was more of a subtle awareness, a feeling rather than a clear vision. But it was independent of the system, a power she could wield without relying on its interface. Her empire''s territory was divided into four distinct regions. She decided to keep things simple, naming them after the dominant races inhabiting each area. Arsen Continent: Former Dwarf Kingdom, now the Undead Empire''s Dwarf Territory; former Orc Empire and surrounding areas, now the Gemini Territory. Mossvale Continent: Dragon City, now the Dragon Territory. As for the Undead Imperial Capital within the Dark Forest, she named it the Undead Territory. It encompassed the Hobgoblin Kingdom, Twinface Mountain, the Savage Plains, and the Frostwind Snowy Mountain. The far north, too distant and separated from the Savage Plains by a vast expanse of unclaimed land, was not included. And since her capital was located on the Eldoria continent, the first vassal kingdom would naturally belong to Ruby. These four territories, each one vast and powerful, dwarfed any ordinary Empire. [Your Empire has been recognized by the World''s Heart. The Undead Empire has entered the world stage!] Alex froze, her heart skipping a beat. "What?! Does that mean the other races know about the undead now?!" Her face paled. Was she suddenly under everyone''s scrutiny? As if sensing her panic, the system, after a slight delay, provided further clarification. [Note: Entering the world stage does not reveal the location of the Undead Empire. The native races are only aware of the emergence of a new Empire.] "Phew, that''s a relief." The system had her back, as always. If her location were exposed, she wouldn''t last long as queen. The other major factions would descend upon her like vultures. As long as her location remained a secret, she could continue to develop her forces within the safety of the Dark Forest. Whether they knew the race of the newly established Empire was another matter. The system hadn''t clarified that. If they knew it was an Undead Empire, she would still be in danger. "Why is the system so slow now that I''ve established an Empire?" she wondered, a flicker of suspicion crossing her mind. And what was this "World''s Heart" it had mentioned? Was it some kind of world consciousness? Was the system battling it, causing the delay? "Whatever. It''s not my concern right now." She claimed her rewards: a new skill and the Undead Quintessence. [Sacrifice: Sacrifice undead to temporarily increase your level. The higher the level increase, the greater the number of undead sacrificed. No side effects. CD: 24 hours.] This skill... it was on par with Life Link! Life Link passively sacrificed undead to shield her from harm. Sacrifice actively sacrificed undead to enhance her power. It was a trump card, a powerful tool to be used strategically. After all, she had an abundance of undead. And just like Life Link, which prioritized sacrificing lower-level undead, she assumed Sacrifice would follow the same principle. It meant preserving her high-level units while maximizing the utility of her cannon fodder. A win-win situation. And let''s not forget her scythe''s summoning ability. The more enemies she slew, the stronger the fear she absorbed, the higher the level of the summoned Scarecrow. Another ace up her sleeve for large-scale battles. Temporary power, but enough to turn the tide. She looked at the Undead Quintessence, her heart pounding with anticipation. This time, the Undead Quintessence was the complete edition. What changes would it bring? She claimed it, but instead of absorbing it immediately, she turned her attention to her undead forces. The Empire was established. It was time to get back to work. The palace''s increased size was proving to be a minor inconvenience. Instead of walking down the seemingly endless staircase, she teleported to the center of the square. She noticed that the skull statue that once stood at the square''s center had been replaced with a statue of herself. It depicted her wielding her scythe, her left foot resting atop a pile of skulls, her gaze cold and emotionless, fixed on the city gates. "Crane, lead the undead eastward, expanding our territory within the Dark Forest. Azure, take the Bone Dragons into the Barren Plains. Go around the Frostwind Snowy Mountain. Avoid any contact with the humans. John, you''re in charge of the region between the Savage Plains and the far north." "As you command, my queen," the three race kings replied in unison. Alex turned to the other three kings. "Arthas, Riven, Arthur, you''re still in charge of the Featherfolk campaign. All King level undead are under your command. Take them down swiftly and then begin expanding outwards." "As you command, my queen." "Death Spirit, you''re still in charge of intelligence gathering and coordination." The Death Spirit, despite its lack of combat prowess, was an invaluable asset. The black mist pulsed, acknowledging her command. With the undead''s tasks assigned, she turned her attention to the subjugated races. The seven race kings had the authority to deploy them as they saw fit. Wasting a Monarch level troop each day was not an option. "You are my trusted lieutenants. Reach King level as soon as possible. But remember, your survival is paramount. Don''t take unnecessary risks." She couldn''t afford to lose any of her potential god-candidates. "Thank you for your concern, my queen!" the seven race kings replied, their voices filled with gratitude. "Go." They bowed and departed, leading their undead forces out of the city. Alex estimated there were at least five hundred Monarch level units present. A formidable force, capable of overwhelming any non-King level faction. The subjugated races from the other cities remained. Alex''s policy was simple: Auxiliary Barracks belonged to the city they were built in. They were essentially extensions of the three cities, not directly under the command of the race kings. Alex returned to the palace, approaching the four who had been patiently waiting. "Miss Alex, congratulations! You''re a great queen now!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Shouldn''t you be addressing her as ''Your Majesty'' now?" Sophie chimed in, her tone laced with amusement. Chapter 323 - 323: Discuss Xiao Hui stammered, unsure how to respond. Even Xiao Mu and Drake seemed to hold their breath, unsure of the proper protocol. Sophie, however, remained unfazed. As Alex''s first follower, she had been privy to Alex''s casual approach to titles and formalities. Alex had made it clear that she preferred to be addressed by her name, fostering a sense of camaraderie and equality among them. Alex herself wasn''t particularly concerned with titles. She valued their friendship and trust above all else. Besides, these four were bound to her by the system''s unbreakable Submission Contract. Even if one of them were to betray her, the system would detect their treacherous intent and eliminate them before they could act. The Submission Contract wasn''t just about surrendering one''s life; it was an absolute submission of both body and soul. Alex had no reason to doubt their loyalty. She treated them fairly, recognizing their shared struggle as Lords, thrust into this unfamiliar world. As the current top-ranked Lord, she offered them protection and guidance. Why would they betray her? "Don''t worry about titles. Call me whatever you like. Unless you want to become undead," Alex said, her gaze sweeping over the four. Xiao Hui shuddered. "No thanks. I''d rather not be a walking skeleton." "That settles it then. Come on, let''s go inside. It''s been a while since we''ve all been together. We have things to discuss." Alex led the way into the palace, the four exchanging amused glances before following her. Ruby, however, remained rooted to the spot, her mind reeling. Ever since Alex had established the Undead Empire, she had been in a state of perpetual shock. Her submission to Alex had granted her access to the "god," the system. It was a revelation that shattered her understanding of the world. The city''s expansion, seemingly defying the laws of nature, the system notifications, the intricate details of Barracks, cities, Empires, skills, levels... it was all overwhelming. "So this is what it means to be a Lord," she murmured, finally snapping out of her daze. She glanced around, realizing that the others had already gone inside. She hurried after them. They gathered in the main hall, their gazes fixed on Alex. "First things first, let''s discuss the division of the Empire''s territory," Alex announced, her voice clear and authoritative. She outlined her plan, and the others readily agreed. The Undead Empire''s territory was vast and scattered, requiring a clear and organized structure. "It''s better than coming up with random names and trying to remember which one is which," Drake remarked, earning a chuckle from the others. Alex, after a moment of contemplation, began assigning tasks. She retrieved a Vassal Kingdom''s Tear and handed it to Ruby. "Ruby, take this back to the far north and establish the Arctic Tigerfolk Kingdom." She noticed Ruby''s confused expression and patiently explained the details, easing her concerns. "Alright," Ruby said, carefully storing the Kingdom''s Tear. The reason she hadn''t given the others a Kingdom''s Tear was simple. Only Ruby had reached King level, a prerequisite for establishing a kingdom. The others were still a ways off. "Sophie, your task is the easiest, but also the most demanding. You''re in charge of logistics for the Undead Imperial Capital. That includes weapon and item development, overseeing the construction of specialized undead structures, and managing the resources in the Warehouse. Anyone who reaches King level and wants to establish a kingdom will have to go through you. And you''ll still be responsible for overseeing the dwarf city." "Got it, Big Shot. I''m on it," Sophie replied, nodding confidently. Alex turned to Xiao Mu. "Xiao Mu, you''re not the same as you were before. Your talent and your troops are too valuable to waste. The orcs in Gemini City have been conquered. I''m putting you in charge of the entire city. Lead your Light Titans and expand our territory." "Sounds good," Xiao Mu replied, eager to put his newfound power to the test. "Xiao Hui, you''ll be taking over Xiao Mu''s previous role. You''ll be stationed at the Undead Imperial Capital, keeping an eye on things and reporting any unusual activity. You''ll also be our mobile unit, assisting wherever needed." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, Miss Alex!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, thrilled at the prospect of becoming the acting city lord. "And lastly, Drake. The Mossvale continent is different from Eldoria and Arsen. It''s the dragon''s domain, a land of powerful creatures. You, with your dragon bloodline, are the best suited for this task. Be careful out there. The Dragon Territory is yours to command." Alex had no doubts about their abilities. Drake had proven himself to be a capable leader. "Alright," Drake said, nodding in agreement. "Now that we''ve established an Empire, we need to implement some structure. Things can''t be as casual as they were before. You, as city lords, will convene at the Undead Imperial Capital every seven days to report on your progress. Xiao Hui will then relay that information to me. The undead''s primary objective is to conquer powerful races. If you encounter a force beyond your capabilities, don''t hesitate to request assistance from the undead. Don''t waste time or resources trying to handle it on your own. I''ll have Death Spirit clones stationed in each city. Report any emergencies to them immediately." Alex''s voice was firm, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Yes, leader (Miss Alex)!" they replied in unison. Rules and structure were necessary, especially now that they were an Empire. But despite the hierarchy, their friendship remained strong. "Death Spirit, you''re in charge of overall coordination. If a city lord requests assistance, assess the situation first. Only provide support if it''s feasible. If not, advise them to avoid confrontation. And report any unusual circumstances to Xiao Hui immediately so she can contact me." The Death Spirit, capable of instantaneous communication between undead, was crucial for maintaining order and responding to emergencies. It didn''t respond verbally, lacking a suitable undead to possess, but Alex could sense its acknowledgment. "That''s all for now. It''s still early. Feel free to relax and chat." Alex''s demeanor softened, and the others visibly relaxed. "Drake, remember, we''re a team now. You''re welcome to visit the Undead Imperial Capital anytime. Let''s not be strangers." Drake''s heart warmed at her words. He glanced at the others, who were all smiling at him. "Yeah, Mr. Aloof," Xiao Hui teased, earning a chuckle from the group. This was different from his time with the Justice Alliance. They genuinely treated him as one of their own. "Thanks to all of you," Drake said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. Chapter 324 - 324: The Undead Empire has emerged, we must join our emperor The black beam of energy that had erupted from Undead City an hour earlier, marking the World''s Heart''s recognition of the newly established Undead Empire, went unnoticed by most. But in the heart of the Eldoria continent, where a colossal golden beam of light pierced the heavens, bathing the land in its perpetual glow, a change was felt. High above the clouds, nestled atop the golden beam, stood a magnificent city, radiating an aura of divine power. This was one of the three main cities of the Angel race on planet Astralon: the Central Holy City. Its inhabitants weren''t all true angels. Angel beasts, templar knights, and other creatures loyal to the Angel race also called this city home. Even among the Angel race, there were commoners, born without the inherent strength and battle prowess of their winged brethren. They were, in many ways, indistinguishable from humans. Angel children were born wingless. Only upon reaching adulthood, at the age of eighteen, did they undergo a ceremony where they sought the guidance of the holy light. Those deemed worthy sprouted wings, becoming true angels. This holy light, according to legend, was a remnant of the Angel race''s supreme deity, their creator. Those who failed to receive its blessing remained wingless, relegated to the status of commoners. And these commoners, despite their angelic lineage, often lived in squalor, their existence ignored by the winged elite. Why didn''t they simply blend in with the humans, leveraging their appearance to escape their plight? Pride. Even these commoners, barely angels in the truest sense, clung to their lineage, believing that their failure to receive the holy light''s blessing was a result of their own shortcomings. They looked down upon all other races, their lives consumed by the pursuit of becoming true angels. The Central Holy City, being the first city established on the Eldoria continent, had the largest population of commoners. Their treatment was often worse than that of the angel beasts. Beneath the facade of a pristine, holy city lay a grim reality: a city teeming with commoner slaves. Filth and squalor were rampant, garbage and excrement littering the streets. Only the Angel Palace at the city''s heart remained pristine, a beacon of divine purity amidst the decay. Within the palace''s hallowed halls, a six-winged angel stirred, its eyes slowly opening as if sensing a disturbance in the cosmic balance. It glanced at a skull-shaped ornament on its desk, noticing a hairline crack that hadn''t been there before. "The undead have resurfaced. Inform Halo City immediately." Its voice, soft and androgynous, echoed through the palace, carrying an undeniable weight of authority. A commoner, sweeping the streets outside, looked up at the palace, its eyes filled with a fervent, almost fanatical devotion. Suddenly, the palace erupted in a blinding golden light. A beam of pure energy shot skyward, and several angels emerged from the palace, their wings beating powerfully as they ascended, vanishing into the golden light. The commoners throughout the city, upon witnessing this divine display, prostrated themselves, their voices murmuring prayers and hymns. Among them, a young man with blue eyes and golden hair stood out. His head was bowed, but his gaze, sharp and calculating, lacked any trace of reverence. As the golden light faded, he hurried back to his dwelling, retrieving a piece of parchment and scribbling furiously on it. He then ignited it with a weak flame, watching as the ink-stained paper turned to ash. He glanced towards the palace, his thoughts hidden behind a carefully constructed mask of subservience. ... On the opposite side of the Eldoria continent, in the scorching southernmost region, where even the coastal Sea Folk avoided venturing inland, a secret lay hidden. Beneath a towering cliff, overlooking the churning ocean, a cave entrance, concealed from casual observation, led deep underground. The air within the cave, a stark contrast to the sweltering heat above, was cool and damp, carrying a faint scent of decay. A long, sloping tunnel led down to a vast cavern, dimly lit by flickering lanterns fueled by rancid oil, their green light casting eerie shadows on the walls. A massive white magic circle dominated the cavern floor. Dozens of figures, cloaked in black robes, sat motionless within its confines, resembling a gathering of cultists. Black energy flowed from their bodies, converging at the circle''s center, where another robed figure sat, absorbing the dark power. In its skeletal hand, it clutched a decaying staff. Suddenly, it opened its eyes, a trickle of blood staining its pale lips. Ignoring its apparent injury, it rose to its feet, its heart pounding against its ribcage. The sensation, a pull from deep within its soul, was unmistakable. The other robed figures, sensing the shift in energy, looked up, their faces hidden within the shadows of their hoods. "My lord, what troubles you?" one asked, its voice muffled by the thick fabric. The figure at the center ignored the question, its attention focused elsewhere. Clang! The wooden staff slipped from its grasp, clattering against the stone floor. It raised its arms, closing its eyes, savoring the sensation, the pull that resonated deep within its being. Moments later, it opened its eyes, a look of pure joy spreading across its face. "It''s true! It''s really true!" It laughed, a sound that echoed through the cavern, a mixture of delight and madness. The other robed figures exchanged uneasy glances. "My lord, is your ailment cured?" one asked tentatively. "No. But I am no longer your lord." It turned its gaze northward, its voice firm, its eyes burning with a newfound purpose. The others gasped, fear creeping into their hearts. "You will always be our lord! We pledge our unwavering loyalty!" they exclaimed, rising to their feet and dropping to one knee, their heads bowed in submission. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No. What I mean is... the Undead Empire has emerged. We must join our emperor!" The others stared at him, their faces pale with shock. "But... but how? Is the emperor still alive?" "It is his heir, our new emperor." Its voice was low and raspy, its gaze unwavering. "A new emperor! We will to serve our new emperor!" they declared, their voices echoing through the cavern. They, like their lord, were loyal followers of the previous undead lord. "Lord, your wounds... and the angels hunting us... The new emperor might not be strong enough yet. Our presence could endanger him," one of the robed figures cautioned, its voice laced with concern. "You''re right. But you cannot heal me. And I fear Zarvox, hiding in the shadows, has also sensed the new emperor''s emergence. Knowing him, he will seek to challenge him." He knew his former comrade well. Bloodline alone wouldn''t be enough to earn his loyalty. Only overwhelming strength could force his submission. "We cannot wait any longer. I will find a way to evade the angels. The Undead Empire is newly established. All races have sensed its emergence. The new emperor needs our support now more than ever!" Chapter 325 - 325: The enemy of our enemy is our friend On the Valoria continent, deep within a dank, shadowy cave, a creature stood motionless, its presence radiating an aura of evil. It stood upright, its four limbs ending in razor-sharp claws. Its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, piercing the oppressive darkness. The air was thick with the stench of decay, the overwhelming odor of rotting flesh. "Torin, you must have felt it too. You want to pledge your allegiance to the new emperor? How foolish. Why not enjoy your reign here? But I know you. You''ll go." Zarvox chuckled, its voice dripping with mockery. It was thriving here, in the heart of the Valoria continent, the demon''s domain, a place even angels avoided. Why would it submit to a fledgling emperor? Here, it was king. There, it would be just another subordinate, constantly facing danger. It wasn''t even a choice. As it settled back down, ready to resume its slumber, one of its subordinates burst into the cave. "My lord, we''ve received word that Croakzoth is dead." "So? It was just a King level demon. Why bother me with such trivial matters?" Zarvox snapped, its voice laced with annoyance. "It hadn''t fully recovered its strength. Judging by the traces of battle, it was likely slain by undead. And its soul... is gone." "What?!" Zarvox shot up, its eyes widening in alarm. Undead? On the Valoria continent? Besides itself, there were no other undead here. Unless... "It''s the new emperor!" "Take me to Croakzoth''s remains. Now!" A cruel smile spread across Zarvox''s face. If the new emperor was on the Valoria continent, it wouldn''t hesitate to eliminate the threat. Why shouldn''t it claim the throne for itself? Bloodline above all else? Nonsense! Strength was the only true measure of power. ... On the Mossvale continent, a lone figure rode across the vast grasslands, enjoying the tranquility of the open plains. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat. His face contorted in shock, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Your Majesty... you''ve returned!" He spurred his horse into a gallop, a shrill whistle echoing across the plains. In the distance, horses, their saddles adorned with saddlebags, each containing a cowboy hat, converged on his location. The hats rose from their bags, hovering above the horses'' backs. Flames erupted, and skeletal figures, their bony fingers gripping the reins, materialized, their empty sockets fixed on their leader. As the horses galloped, the flames consumed them, transforming them into skeletal steeds. Over a thousand Death Knights gathered around the man, their skeletal mounts pawing the ground impatiently. "The new emperor has emerged. What say you?" he asked, his voice booming across the assembled ranks. "Hail the new emperor!" the Death Knights roared in unison. "Then we ride! We leave the Mossvale continent and seek our new emperor!" He turned his gaze towards a towering, treacherous mountain peak in the distance. He dug his heels into his mount''s flanks and charged forward, the Death Knights following close behind. Atop the mountain, nestled amidst the clouds, stood a magnificent palace, home to the Dragon race. To leave the Mossvale continent, he needed their assistance. But first, he needed to ascertain the location of this new Empire. And, considering their past interactions, whether they would even agree to help. Aiding outsiders in intercontinental travel was a sensitive topic among the dragons. Meanwhile, the Dragon Chieftain had also sensed the birth of the undead emperor. Its dwelling, located at the heart of the Mossvale continent, was surprisingly humble. A dilapidated palace, weathered by time and neglect, stood alone, surrounded by an eerie silence. Even the wild beasts and sub-dragons avoided this place. They knew that this seemingly insignificant palace was where the dragon kings convened every century to discuss matters of great importance. However, the emergence of a new Empire wasn''t enough to warrant their immediate attention. What did it have to do with them? But within the crumbling palace walls, representatives of the various dragon kings had gathered. This unprecedented meeting had been called because they had received word that this wasn''t just any Empire. It was a newly established Undead Empire. Twelve figures, their forms humanoid but their auras distinct and powerful, sat around a massive circular table. Some radiated intense heat, while others emanated a chilling cold. Each one represented a different branch of the Dragon race. They sat in silence, awaiting the words of the imposing figure at the head of the table. "The undead have emerged. Once again, they have become a force that cannot be ignored. They will be the enemies of most races. And the enemy of our enemy is our friend. The dragon kings have consulted with the Dragon God and received his blessing to act." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The figure''s eyes glowed with a golden light, its divine power radiating outwards. The representatives gasped, their eyes widening in surprise. Their kings hadn''t informed them of this development. "When do we strike?" a man clad in crimson robes roared, his voice thick with barely contained rage. "Those damned angels murdered the Azure Dragon and stole our sacred artifact! This blood debt must be repaid!" another man, his hair as blue as ice, snarled, his voice laced with venom. The Azure Dragon clan, lacking a Dragon King, is currently led by this man. The initial war was precisely because the angels launched a surprise attack on the Azure Dragon clan, leading to their current weakened state. A millennium ago, the Azure Dragons, with the Dragon God himself presiding, were the most powerful dragon clan. Now, they have become the weakest. How could this not fuel his anger? "We have endured humiliation for far too long. But patience, my friend. We must await the Dragon God''s command," the imposing figure at the head of the table said, his voice deep and calming. "The Undead Empire is located on the Eldoria continent, the land that was once almost called the Undead Continent. Perhaps this is fate. The Death Knight Garethor seems to have a connection to one of your clan members. If he seeks your aid, send him to Eldoria." He addressed a woman seated third from his left. She nodded, understanding his instructions. "The undead, in their current state, might not pose a significant threat to them, but they will distract our enemies, buying us time." "Indeed. What news from the Demon continent?" he asked, turning to another representative. "Their conflict with the human Holy Court is reaching a boiling point. War is imminent. And the Titans... they are unlikely to offer us any assistance." The plainly dressed man spoke calmly, his voice devoid of regret. "The Sea Race has been restless lately. Be vigilant. Let us remain hidden for a while longer. Recall our brethren scattered across the other continents." The imposing figure''s voice, calm yet commanding, resonated through the hall. The representatives nodded in unison. Chapter 326 - 326: Hope this reward will not disappoint Alex was blissfully unaware of the ripples her newly established Undead Empire had sent through the world''s power structure. She had no idea that her ascension had alerted not only the major factions but also the remnants of the previous undead lord''s loyal followers. The memory of the former Undead Empire, its reign of terror, still lingered in the minds of many, not just the major factions but also the smaller races. However, most were unaware of the new Empire''s race. They assumed it was simply another faction that had risen to prominence. The only cause for concern was the fact that an Empire hadn''t emerged on the Eldoria continent for eight hundred years. A new Empire wouldn''t threaten the established order of the major factions. It was the smaller races that had reason to worry. The major factions, however, possessed special methods for detecting undead activity, a safeguard against a repeat of the undead scourge that had once ravaged the seven continents. Fortunately, the Undead Imperial Capital was shrouded by the Dark Forest, its spatial distortions a legacy of Ruby''s father, a powerful Sovereign level powerhouse. While weakened over time, these distortions were still potent enough to deter casual observation. Establishing the Empire prematurely had its drawbacks. It exposed the undead to the world while Alex was still at King level, lacking the power to defend against a concerted attack. But it also had its advantages. The system rewards, the ability to gather faith power... these were significant boons. Ultimately, it was a gamble, a calculated risk with both opportunities and challenges. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] As evening descended, the six gathered in the palace dining hall, enjoying a rare moment of camaraderie. It was their first time dining together like this, and, considering their upcoming departures, it would be their last for a while. "Miss Alex, do you know anything about human customs and traditions? Especially their food?" Xiao Hui asked, her curiosity piqued. Since arriving on the Eldoria continent, they had spent most of their time within their respective castles, venturing out only to explore the surrounding areas. Entering a human city was a risky proposition, one they hadn''t dared to consider. Alex savored a bite of sub-dragon meat, carefully considering Xiao Hui''s question. "I''ve only been to the Mage Association''s city. It''s mostly mages and apprentices, not many commoners. I imagine it''s quite different from a regular human city." Her knowledge of other races, aside from the humanoid ones, was limited to their basic habitats and behaviors. Without a proper identity, she hadn''t dared to venture into a human city. Her appearance, with her striking white hair, would have drawn unwanted attention. "Oh, well. You''ll have to tell me all about it when you get back," Xiao Hui said, her voice laced with longing. "No problem," Alex replied, nodding in agreement. She then turned to Drake, her expression turning serious. "One of my objectives for this trip is to eliminate the Angel Lord." "You found Stone Pillar Mountain?" Drake asked, his eyes lighting up. He had no sentimental attachment to his former allies, especially now that they were under Raphaela''s influence. Eliminating them was the most logical course of action. "Yes. I learned its location from two human mages on the Arsen continent. It''s some distance from the human kingdoms. It was originally an Angel scheme to gather faith power, but the Mage Association caught on, and it was abandoned." Alex couldn''t allow Raphaela to continue amassing power unchecked. Now that she knew her location, she had to act decisively. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her biggest concern was that Raphaela, having experienced death multiple times, had shed her humanity, becoming a tool for the Angel race, a weapon to be wielded against the extraterrestrial visitors. But even more importantly, Raphaela knew about the undead. That knowledge couldn''t fall into the hands of the Angel race. Eliminating Raphaela was her top priority. "Good. The sooner, the better. Her strength has barely recovered. She hasn''t reached King level yet. You''ll crush her," Drake said, relieved. Alex was a woman of action. If she said she had found Raphaela, then Raphaela''s days were numbered. "But won''t killing the Titan Lord alert her? What if she''s already moved her city?" Xiao Mu asked, voicing his concern. If Raphaela relocated, finding her would be nearly impossible. "Stone Pillar Mountain is a valuable source of faith power for her. She won''t abandon it easily. I learned that much during my previous encounters with her," Drake countered. He believed that Raphaela, desperate to regain her strength, wouldn''t risk leaving such a valuable asset. While she possessed the inherent ability to gather faith power, Stone Pillar Mountain amplified that ability, extending its reach. That was why she was so eager to subjugate other Lords. "Now that you mention it, I''ve noticed that they''ve been less active in the World Chat lately. It''s mostly Freelancers talking now," Sophie chimed in. "Probably scared after Miss Alex took out the Titan Lord," Xiao Hui muttered. "Either way, I''m going. And she better not have left Stone Pillar Mountain," Alex said, her voice cold and resolute. Alex now possessed the ability to gather faith power herself. Raphaela wouldn''t be able to outpace her. If she could kill her twice, she could kill her a thousand times. "Remember to suppress your killing intent when you''re within range of Stone Pillar Mountain. We don''t want to spook her and give her a chance to escape," Drake cautioned. "Got it." Thanks to Drake and Lilith, Alex had a basic understanding of angels'' heightened senses. They chatted for a while longer, lightening the mood before turning their attention to their respective tasks. Drake, preferring the comfort of his own Dragon City, departed first, his dragon soaring into the night sky. Xiao Mu, eager to familiarize himself with his new responsibilities, opted to spend the night in Gemini City. Ruby had already returned to the far north to establish her kingdom after receiving the Vassal Kingdom''s Tear from Alex. The Arctic Tigerfolk Kingdom, Alex''s first vassal kingdom, was now a reality, its territory encompassing the northernmost reaches of the Eldoria continent. Xiao Hui and Sophie retired to their respective palaces. Alex returned to her own palace, deciding to absorb the complete Undead Quintessence reward and level up that night. "Hopefully, this reward won''t disappoint," she murmured, gazing out the window at the Undead Imperial Capital, bathed in the eerie red glow of the blood moon. She opened her system interface and selected "Absorb." Chapter 327 - 327: What if we had submitted to Alex back then? The Undead Quintessence was absorbed in an instant. Alex barely registered the process before it became a part of her. "That was fast." Even Alex was surprised by the speed. Had the system always been this efficient? She focused inwards, examining the changes. Her experience bar was full. She was ready to level up. [Congratulations! You have successfully absorbed the Undead Quintessence (Complete). You have gained all inheritances and fixed experience points.] [Notice: Your current level is insufficient to fully utilize the primal power!] [Special Announcement: All rewards have been distributed. You will not receive any further special rewards, except for fixed event rewards. All other features remain functional.] Alex paused, her brow furrowing. Her suspicions were confirmed. Upgrading her castle to an Empire was the end of the line, as far as the system''s direct assistance was concerned. From now on, she was largely on her own. The system''s helping hand would gradually fade as her power grew. It felt like the system was eager to wash its hands of her, to retire and leave her to her own devices. But that seemed unlikely. There were still plenty of Lords who hadn''t even upgraded their towns to cities. She still had a hundred years. Plenty of time. The system''s notifications were frustratingly vague. She had no idea what specific abilities she had gained from absorbing the Quintessence. The message simply stated that her current strength didn''t match her status. But that was fine. An Empire corresponded to Emperor level. Once she reached that level, all would be revealed. She closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze from the open window wash over her. In the darkness of her room, she focused on the changes within her, the subtle shifts in her power. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, one glowing blue, the other crimson. "It''s my right eye!" After absorbing the Quintessence, she was almost certain that her Annihilation Realm was primarily controlled by her left eye. She hadn''t paid much attention to it before, as her left eye already housed all her undead abilities. But now, she could sense another realm within her right eye! The seven magic types she had collected were merging, forming a new, unique realm. It was incomplete, however. She had only mastered six magic types, and only five were currently integrated into her right eye. Basic wind magic was still missing. She could sense the flaws, the incompleteness of this nascent realm. It was merely a blueprint, a framework waiting to be fleshed out. It was clearly linked to the number and level of magic types she had collected! Without hesitation, she integrated basic wind magic into her right eye. As expected, the realm''s framework solidified, becoming more defined. But she still only had six magic types in her right eye. One was missing. She couldn''t fully unleash its power yet, but she could sense its potential. It was a realm as powerful as her Annihilation Realm, but entirely separate from her undead abilities. "I need to complete my right eye''s magic collection as soon as possible." She gazed out the window, her mind racing. The Mage Association was the quickest way to acquire new magic books. "My left eye''s undead magic is all high-level. My right eye still has mid-level and even basic magic. I need to upgrade those." She had initially assumed her right eye''s abilities were merely a backup plan, a way to counter opponents who were resistant to her undead magic. But it was clearly more than that. As an undead lord, her powers weren''t limited to undead magic. This realization didn''t surprise her. With the primal power absorbed, she closed the window, shed her clothes, and slipped under the covers, ready for sleep. The night deepened, the blood moon slowly drifting westward. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upstairs, in another room, Ruby, fast asleep, twitched her ears, as if disturbed by a distant sound. Time: 00:00 AM A new day dawned. It was the seventh day, the day the leaderboard refreshed and the system distributed attribute points. But the first notification that rang out wasn''t about attribute points. It was a server-wide announcement that sent shockwaves through the community, stunning both Lords and Freelancers. [Server Announcement] [Congratulations to [Hamburger], the top-ranked Lord, for surpassing all others and establishing the first Empire on the Eldoria continent!] [The Age of Lords has ended. The Age of Kingdoms has begun. Strive to establish your own kingdoms and conquer the world!] [...] [The Age of Kingdoms has ended. The Age of Empires has begun. Strive to forge your own Empires, achieve ultimate glory, and claim everything you desire!] [Fixed attribute points have been distributed. The leaderboard has been refreshed. The Hundred Kingdoms War event has begun!] [Hundred Kingdoms War Special Event Details: Establish a kingdom and participate in the All-Races Battle Royale. The event will last for 100 days. Any Lord who fails to establish a kingdom or join a kingdom faction within 100 days will be eliminated!] [Note: Freelancers can choose to join either a Lord faction or a local faction. Those who fail to join a faction within the time limit will be eliminated!] [Current Number of Kingdoms (Empires): 1/100] [Time Remaining: 99 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 32 seconds] The announcement, arriving in the dead of night, sent a wave of panic through the Lord community. Alex''s achievement was awe-inspiring, but the system''s message was a stark reminder of the pressure they were under. One hundred days. Establish a kingdom or join a faction, or face annihilation. This time, even Freelancers weren''t exempt. The few remaining Traitors, however, felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps their ranks would swell as Lords, faced with this ultimatum, chose to abandon their current paths. Being a Lord offered a degree of security, a life free from hunger and the constant threat of death. Those who had survived this long had likely eliminated any immediate threats to their territories. Giving up everything they had worked for, regressing in power, venturing into unfamiliar territory, facing unknown dangers... it was a gamble most Lords were unwilling to take. Joining human society was the true path of a Freelancer. Joining another race was essentially becoming a Traitor. But simply entering human society wasn''t enough to satisfy the system''s requirements. They had to join a specific faction, like the Mage Association, or integrate into a human Empire''s structure. Living as an ordinary civilian didn''t count. The Hundred Kingdoms War event had thrown the Lord and Freelancer communities into chaos. Not only did they have to choose a side, but the number of kingdoms was limited. One hundred days, one hundred kingdoms. Join a Lord faction or a local faction? The decision weighed heavily on their minds. Becoming a Freelancer offered a better chance of survival, but it came at a cost. They would have to relinquish their bloodlines and abilities. While this allowed them to integrate more seamlessly into human society, it also made them significantly weaker than their Lord counterparts. The World Chat exploded with activity. The once-quiet channel was now a cacophony of voices, most of them cursing the system''s unfairness, its blatant attempt to cull their numbers. "Seriously? Is this what it means to be the top-ranked Lord? She''s already established an Empire?!" "I haven''t even figured out what comes after a town, and you''re telling me the top player has an Empire?!" "Fuck this! I''m becoming a Freelancer! To hell with being a Lord!" "Holy cow, you''re serious? Your name''s actually white now." "I told you, aligning ourselves with the top ten Lords was the right call. One hundred kingdoms... the top ten will get at least one each, right?" "Hah! Those smug Freelancers won''t be so cocky now, will they?" "Freelancers join local factions, Lords join other Lords'' kingdom factions. Simple as that." "First, it''s the Hundred Kingdoms War, dividing us into factions. Next, it''ll be Lords versus Freelancers, right?" "You''re overthinking it. Lords would crush Freelancers. Look at the top player. None of the top ten are Freelancers." While they argued and debated, many Lords were already discreetly seeking potential allies, their survival instincts kicking in. On the Arsen continent, at Stone Pillar Mountain, Raphaela, within her city, stared at the announcement, her eyes wide with shock. "I underestimated you. You''ve come so far." Her voice, cold and emotionless, echoed through the palace halls. A sense of urgency gripped her. Alex was her nemesis, her greatest rival. While she was confident in her ability to establish a kingdom, this announcement highlighted the vast gulf between their current power levels. But there was a silver lining. This announcement had instilled fear in every Lord, except for Alex. She glanced at her system interface, noting the 999+ friend requests. A faint smile touched her lips. This was an opportunity to amass faith power, to accelerate her recovery. These Lords were coming to her, seeking her protection. Even Alex couldn''t fault her for that. "Inform all Lords seeking to join us that we only accept submission. Those who refuse will be turned away." Her command spread swiftly through the ranks of Lords gathered at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain. They abandoned their tasks, their focus shifting to recruiting potential followers. Freelancers were welcome to join, but without castles, they couldn''t teleport. Unless they were willing to travel to Stone Pillar Mountain and submit to her in person, they were of no use to her. On the edge of the Arsen continent, where crashing waves pounded against the cliffs, Lilith, within her fallen angel city, stared at the announcement, her heart sinking. "The gap between us widens with each passing day..." She sighed, glancing at her city. It was still a ways off from reaching the level required to establish a kingdom. "Alex''s progress is terrifying. I need to catch up. Otherwise, this so-called alliance will become meaningless. No, it''s already meaningless. Her sights are set on something far greater." She opened her system interface, noting that the Lord who had submitted to her was still alive. She decided to reactivate her expansion plans on the Valoria continent. She also began sifting through the influx of friend requests, aiming to select one Lord from each continent to submit to her, establishing a network that would facilitate her rapid growth. Deep within the abyss on the Valoria continent, Satan seemed less surprised than one might expect. If it had been anyone else, he might have been shocked. But this was Alex. Nothing she did surprised him anymore. "I thought demons were the most badass creatures in existence. But this girl... she''s on another level!" He had just upgraded his town to a city that very night. And now, within hours, Alex had achieved something far greater. "Alex, Alex, you sneaky little devil! You went and established an Empire without telling me!" The demons, witnessing their leader''s outburst, wisely kept their distance. Even Cain and Earl were used to his eccentricities. But even they couldn''t hide their astonishment. They remembered their first encounter with Alex, back when she was a mere Commanding level Lord. The seven of them had fought Baldwin together, and it was Alex who had ultimately driven him away. Cain had recognized her potential back then, but he hadn''t expected her to become the most powerful Lord in such a short time. "Damn," Cain muttered, comparing his current situation to Alex''s meteoric rise. It was enough to make one weep. "Don''t worry. Knowing Satan, he''ll establish a kingdom soon enough," Earl said, assuming Cain was worried about the deadline. "Earl, do you ever wonder... what if we hadn''t left? What if we had submitted to Alex back then? Would things be different now?" Cain''s question caught Earl off guard. He had no answer. Chapter 328 - 328: The president of the Mages Association in Hurricane City [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 06:00 AM Alex woke up right on time, feeling refreshed after a good night''s sleep. She was blissfully unaware of the chaos her Empire''s establishment had caused among the other Lords, or the server-wide announcement the system had issued. She blinked in surprise as she opened her system interface. The notification icon in the bottom right corner displayed a staggering 9999+ friend requests and thousands of unread messages from strangers. Even her system messages were overflowing. Ignoring the friend requests, she checked her system messages first. A wry smile touched her lips as she read through them. This new event had nothing to do with her, yet it was her actions that had triggered its premature activation. She rejected all friend requests with a single click, ignored the messages, and began getting ready for the day. After dressing, she changed the bedsheets, taking a moment to savor her newfound strength as a lv3 King level Lord. "Good." She went upstairs and knocked on Ruby''s door. "Ruby, it''s time to go!" Ruby, still groggy from sleep, glanced at the barely-lit sky outside. "That early?" she mumbled, reluctantly getting out of bed and throwing on some clothes. She opened the door for Alex. "Yes, the sooner we leave, the better." Their destination was the Arsen continent, but to reach Stone Pillar Mountain, they had to pass through the Southridge Republic. While her Honorary Mage status granted her safe passage, it also meant she had to leave the Eldoria continent from Hurricane City. According to the Mage Association''s records, she was supposed to be on the Eldoria continent. Suddenly appearing on the Arsen continent would raise eyebrows and potentially attract unwanted scrutiny. She had to avoid unnecessary complications. She had even prepared a cover story for Ruby, blaming everything on Eldrin. "Shouldn''t we pack some food?" Ruby asked, worried about getting hungry on the journey. Alex chuckled, shaking her head. "Don''t worry. I have money." And with that, they vanished from the Undead Imperial Capital. Time: 07:00 AM Xiao Hui and Sophie sat together, enjoying a leisurely breakfast. With Xiao Mu stationed in Gemini City, they were now roommates, forced to tolerate each other''s presence. "Miss Alex is gone, right?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice subdued. "Yep. Even if she skipped breakfast, Ruby wouldn''t," Sophie replied matter-of-factly. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Where''s that dragon? Haven''t seen him in ages," Xiao Hui mused, her usual combative demeanor replaced with a rare moment of genuine curiosity. With no one else to bicker with, she was surprisingly pleasant to be around. "Alex said he left. He''s a dragon, after all. He can''t level up by killing enemies like us. But don''t worry, he''s pledged his loyalty to Alex. He''ll be back," Sophie explained. "True." ... Starfallen Empire, Mage Association, Hurricane City Branch. Two figures, cloaked in black robes, approached the city gates. It was Alex and Ruby. To conceal Ruby''s distinctive white hair, Alex had given her a robe as well. It made her look more like a mage and helped them blend in. The city gates were wide open, bustling with activity. Commoners and mage apprentices went about their business, their paths crisscrossing amidst the towering mage towers that dotted the cityscape. Unlike Thunder City, Hurricane City lacked the usual throngs of merchants and vendors. This was because a human city was located nearby, absorbing most of the commercial activity and allowing Hurricane City to function as a dedicated mage hub. Alex and Ruby made their way towards the city center, their presence unnoticed by the preoccupied apprentices. Being a mage seemed to be a demanding profession. The palace at the city center housed the administrative offices, including the branch president''s chambers. To use the teleportation array, they needed the president''s authorization. Two human guards, stationed at the palace entrance, snapped to attention as Alex approached. "Honorable mage, please present your badge," one of them requested. "I am a three-star Honorary Magus from the Thunder City branch," Alex replied, presenting her badge. The guards immediately stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. A King level Magus, especially an Honorary one, was a rare sight, even for them. They didn''t even bother checking Ruby. Anyone accompanying an Honorary Magus was clearly someone of importance. A King level powerhouse commanded respect, regardless of their race. Inside the palace, Alex, unsure who to approach, decided to head straight for the president or vice president''s office. Ruby, her eyes wide with curiosity, took in the sights, but she knew better than to speak out of turn. She would follow Alex''s lead. After searching for a while, Alex couldn''t find the vice president''s office. Her gaze fell upon a door at the end of the hallway, a sign above it proclaiming it to be the "President''s Office." Her credentials were legitimate. She had nothing to fear. With that thought in mind, she led Ruby towards the door. Knock, knock! She rapped her knuckles gently against the wood. "Come in," a woman''s voice called out from within. The Hurricane City branch president was a woman? Alex pushed the door open and stepped inside. A woman, her short hair framing a face that still held traces of youthful beauty, sat behind a desk near the window, her gaze fixed on Alex. The office was sparsely furnished, the desk cluttered with stacks of documents. It was a workspace, not a place for idle chatter. "You must be Alyssa. Are you returning to Thunder City?" the woman asked, a warm smile gracing her lips. Her skin was smooth and unblemished, making it difficult to gauge her age. But considering Eldrin was centuries old, this president was likely of a similar age. "It''s an honor to be recognized by the esteemed president. However, I''m not returning to Thunder City. I''m heading to Yellowrock City," Alex replied, her tone respectful. She wasn''t surprised that the president knew her. After all, she had come from Thunder City. It would have been strange if the president hadn''t been informed. "Oh?" The woman''s eyebrows rose in surprise. "Eldrin must have sent you on an errand. You''ve progressed quickly. You have talent. He certainly cares for you, going through all this trouble." Alex''s mind raced. Eldrin had been here? That explained how Edgar had learned about her abilities. Eldrin, a friend of the previous undead lord, would have been familiar with his powers. He must have informed Edgar. But why hadn''t he revealed himself? And how had he pinpointed her location so accurately? It must have something to do with her badge. She quickly pieced together the events, but she kept her expression neutral, careful not to betray her surprise. But why did the Hurricane City president sound so... strange when mentioning Eldrin? Was there something more to their relationship? "Thank you for your kind words. I''ve been fortunate. The vice president has taken me under his wing. My progress is a testament to his guidance. I came to Hurricane City on his recommendation," Alex replied, deflecting the praise and subtly distancing herself from Eldrin. "He sent you here? Did he explain why?" the woman pressed, her curiosity piqued. "No, he didn''t. The vice president rarely discusses matters unrelated to magic," Alex replied, further emphasizing her professional relationship with Eldrin. By now, she was almost certain that this woman knew Eldrin personally. Chapter 329 - 329: Yellowrock City "He''s always been like that. Don''t take it personally. Magic is his life," the woman said, her tone softening as she realized Alex and Eldrin weren''t particularly close. Alex''s description of their interactions was consistent with Eldrin''s personality. The woman, however, had been initially wary. Alex, despite her concealing robes, was undeniably attractive. She had feared a romantic connection between Alex and Eldrin. But Alex''s words had quickly dispelled those concerns. Alex remained silent, patiently waiting for the woman to dismiss her. "And this... extraterrestrial visitor accompanying you. Can you tell me about your relationship?" the woman asked, her gaze shifting to Ruby. Her voice was gentle, devoid of any accusatory tone. The term "extraterrestrial visitor" in this context didn''t refer to Lords, but to all non-human races. "As you know, the Mage Association has strict rules regarding the use of the teleportation array by outsiders." The woman''s gaze returned to Alex, silently urging her to provide a suitable explanation. "She is my servant," Alex replied, deciding to play it safe. If the woman had already sensed Ruby''s non-human nature, this was the simplest explanation. "Very well. That will suffice." Alex breathed a sigh of relief. She had feared a more thorough interrogation, questions about Ruby''s race and origins. That would have been a nightmare. "You can proceed to the third basement level and inform the teleportation department. As a Magus, you have unrestricted access to the teleportation array. No need to seek my approval," the woman said, finally dismissing Alex. She even offered a helpful tip. Alex hadn''t been aware of this rule. "Thank you, madam. I''ll take my leave then." Alex placed her left hand on her right shoulder, bowing slightly to the president before leading Ruby out of the office. Ruby, eager to speak, opened her mouth, but Alex quickly silenced her with a gesture. They were still within the Hurricane City branch, potentially under observation. Silence was their best course of action. Loose lips sink ships. Upon reaching the third basement level, Alex was surprised to find Robert, the mage who had gifted her the bag of gold coins, in charge of the teleportation department. "Miss Alyssa, it''s a pleasure to see you again," Robert said, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed the badge on her chest. His tone became noticeably more respectful. "I didn''t expect to find you here." Seeing Robert meant they wouldn''t have to waste time explaining themselves. "Ah, well, we''re short-staffed. They had to pull us mages in. This job is more tedious than meditation. It''s mind-numbingly boring," Robert grumbled, clearly unhappy with his current assignment. His badge still displayed a single star, indicating he hadn''t reached lv2 Monarch yet. Under Robert''s guidance, they quickly reached the teleportation chamber. The mages stationed there, mostly Novice Mages (Commanding level), treated Alex with deference. The teleportation array was identical to the one in Thunder City. "Miss Alyssa, where are you headed?" Robert asked politely. "Yellowrock City," Alex replied curtly. The Novice Mages began preparing the array for teleportation. As usual, a mage was sent through first to test the connection and ensure the array''s stability. Once the mage returned, Alex and Ruby stepped into the array. "Alyssa, you''re always in such a hurry. Perhaps you''ll have time to visit Hurricane City and relax for a few days?" Robert asked, a hopeful smile on his face. "Another time," Alex replied vaguely. The array hummed to life, a blinding white light engulfing the chamber. When it faded, Alex and Ruby were gone. "Robert, you seem to be quite familiar with this Honorary Magus," one of the other mages remarked, his curiosity piqued. "I first met her when she was still a Novice Mage. Now she''s a Magus. Her talent is incredible. No wonder the president took an interest in her. Those chosen by the president are never ordinary," Robert mused, his voice laced with admiration. He didn''t know Alex''s background, but she had been granted Honorary Mage status in Thunder City. And only a vice president or higher could authorize that. This mysterious white-haired mage was clearly a prodigy, handpicked by one of the presidents. ... Arsen Continent, Yellowrock City. Alex and Ruby exited the teleportation chamber and made their way into the city. This time, Alex didn''t bother seeking an audience with the president. The teleportation array handled numerous mages daily. The president wouldn''t single her out for special attention. Yellowrock City, as its name suggested, was a hub for earth magic. It was responsible for recruiting and training individuals with earth magical talent from across the continent. Its architectural style was a stark contrast to Thunder City and Hurricane City. Sturdy walls and roads, constructed from thick layers of rock, dominated the cityscape. The air was dry and hot, the sun beating down mercilessly. Gusts of wind whipped up clouds of dust and sand, obscuring the horizon. Sandstorms were clearly a common occurrence here. The Southridge Republic was likely mostly rocky wasteland or desert. There were fewer mages here compared to the other cities, and most of them wore masks to protect themselves from the dust. Alex signaled to Ruby that it was safe to speak. "Alex, what level was that president? She seemed so... ordinary," Ruby asked, her voice laced with confusion. "Emperor level or Sovereign level, I''m not sure," Alex replied. Her knowledge of the Mage Association''s inner workings was limited. There might be multiple branches on a single continent. "Sovereign level? So there are at least seven Sovereign level humans on the seven continents? They''re that strong?" Ruby exclaimed, awestruck. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had always known humans were powerful, but this was on another level. No wonder the Beastman Empire avoided provoking them. "And that''s not even their full strength. They''re at the top of the food chain, alongside angels and other top-tier races, for a reason." Alex didn''t want to linger in Yellowrock City. Reaching Stone Pillar Mountain and eliminating Raphaela was her top priority. Grumble... Ruby''s stomach growled, interrupting her thoughts. "Alex, I''m hungry..." Alex had almost forgotten. She didn''t need to eat, but Ruby did. She glanced at the sun''s position, estimating the time to be around one in the afternoon. She avoided checking the system time, not wanting to raise any suspicions. "Come on, let''s find something to eat." Alex led Ruby to a small, unassuming eatery in the city. It was an open-air establishment, its furnishings simple and worn. This wasn''t a cost-saving measure on Alex''s part. As a Mage Association branch city, Yellowrock City lacked the usual amenities and services geared towards ordinary citizens. Mages had dedicated staff to cater to their culinary needs. This eatery was primarily for commoners and aspiring mages. With few dining options available, they had to make do. Alex wasn''t keen on returning to the Mage Association branch for a meal. Ruby, however, was unfazed. She enjoyed human food, regardless of its presentation or sophistication. A few rickety tables and mismatched stools were scattered outside the eatery. Alex grabbed two stools and settled down at a table, Ruby mimicking her actions. "Honorable mages, what can I get for you?" the owner asked, rushing out to greet them, his face beaming with a mixture of surprise and delight. Alex glanced at the fire-powered stove and the ingredients stacked within the kitchen, quickly deducing the local culinary preferences. It seemed the Southridge Republic favored hand-held meals, like rice dishes meant to be eaten without utensils. "Just bring us whatever you recommend. Lots of meat," Alex said, her voice muffled by her hood. The owner paused, momentarily startled by the feminine voice emanating from beneath the dark robes. He quickly nodded and hurried back to the kitchen. The open-air eatery was deserted. They were the only customers. Alex frowned. This was unusual. A Mage Association branch city should have attracted a sizable population of commoners. Why was the city so desolate? "What''s wrong?" Ruby asked, sensing her unease. "This city... it''s too empty. It''s not right." But she quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn''t her concern. The owner returned, carrying a large platter piled high with food. Several flatbreads, made from some kind of ground plant, accompanied the main dish. As expected, there were no utensils. "Enjoy your meal, honorable mages," the owner said politely. Alex wanted to ask him about the city''s unusual emptiness, but she decided against it. It would seem suspicious. "Excuse me, do you have any forks or knives?" she asked instead. The owner looked at her, a confused smile on his face. "Are you not from around here, honorable mages? This is how we eat in the Southridge Republic. We use our hands. But if you''re not comfortable with that, I can make you some utensils." "No, that''s alright. Thank you. You can go," Alex said, waving him away. She glanced at Ruby, who was already digging in, clearly unconcerned about the lack of utensils. "Strange. Humans eat with their hands? Like savages?" Ruby asked, her voice muffled by a mouthful of food. Alex ignored her, her gaze scanning the surroundings, her eyes sharp and alert despite the shadows cast by her hood. Suddenly, she spotted someone. She stood up abruptly. "Wait here. I''ll be back in a bit," she said, leaving the eatery and heading towards the city''s central square. Ruby, engrossed in her meal, simply grunted in acknowledgment, paying little attention to Alex''s sudden departure. Yellowrock City''s layout was simple. Four main roads connected the four city gates, converging at a large central square. The eatery was located near the northern gate, offering a clear view of the square. Alex watched as her target entered a tavern near the square, two mages trailing behind him, acting as bodyguards. She changed course, following them discreetly. Inside the tavern, Nori settled into a familiar corner booth. Without a word, the owner brought him a large tankard of the local brew. The two mages remained near the entrance, their postures relaxed but alert. Nori drained the tankard in a few long gulps, savoring the strong, earthy flavor. He slammed the empty tankard on the table, and the owner immediately brought him another. Things were finally looking up. His relationship with his mother had improved, and she had grudgingly accepted his identity. The two mages, upon returning to Yellowrock City, had accused Nori of orchestrating their capture, causing quite a stir. He had been forced into hiding for a while. If not for his mother''s intervention, he would have been killed. Fortunately, he inherited more human traits than dwarven ones. Aside from his slightly shorter stature, he looked like any other human male. Without a proper examination, no one would suspect his true heritage. His mother''s influence had helped to suppress the accusations. However, she had forbidden him from leaving the city. As for the supposedly destroyed dwarf kingdom, investigations had revealed that it was still functioning, its unity restored. Nori''s claims of an undead invasion had been dismissed as absurd, especially since no evidence could be found. Ultimately, the word of two Monarch level mages held more weight. They hadn''t seen any undead, only dwarves. Nori, though furious, was powerless to change the outcome. He didn''t understand why the mages had survived, or why they had accused him of treachery, but he had abandoned them, and that was undeniable. "At least life is good now. No more constant danger. Why bother with revenge?" he mumbled to himself, his words slurred slightly. He had a low tolerance for alcohol, but he enjoyed drinking, perhaps a trait inherited from his father. "Honorable Magus," one of the mages said, rising to his feet as Alex entered the tavern. Alex nodded curtly, ignoring them as she made her way towards Nori. The tavern was empty, just like the eatery. Nori, hearing the mage''s greeting, glanced over his shoulder, but he didn''t pay much attention. As the footsteps approached, he realized they were heading towards him. Assuming it was someone sent by his mother, he quickly set down his tankard and stood up, turning to face the newcomer. His eyes widened as he saw the golden badge on the figure''s black robes. A Magus! As powerful as his mother! Even though it was only a three-star badge, he couldn''t afford to be disrespectful. "Greetings, honorable Magus," he said, bowing slightly. As the figure drew closer, he caught a glimpse of the face beneath the hood, a face of breathtaking beauty. His blood ran cold. His instincts screamed at him. Danger! Chapter 330 - 330: The Mage Associations request A cruel smile played on Alex''s lips. To Nori, she was a beautiful reaper, her presence radiating an aura of imminent doom. He was certain she would strike him down without hesitation, right here in the tavern. He tried to speak, to plead for his life, but his voice caught in his throat. A searing pain ripped through his chest. He looked down in disbelief, his eyes widening as he saw a slender hand, crackling with purple lightning, protruding from his chest. His strength drained away, his body paralyzed by the electric current coursing through his veins. His vision blurred, his head growing heavy. Thump! As Alex withdrew her hand, Nori''s lifeless body slumped to the floor, the sound of his fall a dull thud in the otherwise silent tavern. Alex, without uttering a single word, turned and walked away. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two mages at the entrance, their faces pale with shock, stared at the scene unfolding before them. They hadn''t expected the Magus to strike so suddenly, so ruthlessly. They scrambled to block her path, their voices trembling slightly. "Hold it right there! Even an Honorary Magus cannot escape justice for murder within Yellowrock City. You will provide us with an explanation." They stood their ground, their voices firm despite their fear. This was a King level powerhouse they were dealing with. "An explanation? What if he wasn''t human? Is that explanation enough?" Alex said coldly, her magic aura flaring, pushing the two Monarch level mages back. She strode out of the tavern, her steps measured and deliberate. But as she stepped onto the square, her instincts screamed at her. She dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a massive stone pillar that erupted from the ground, shattering the tavern''s entrance. She looked up, her eyes narrowing as she saw a mage hovering in the air, her face contorted with rage. "Murder in broad daylight! Resisting arrest! Your crimes are unforgivable, even for an Honorary Mage!" The mage charged towards Alex, her intent clear. This wasn''t an arrest. It was an execution. A woman. That explained it. Alex, her expression hardening, made no attempt to explain herself. Lightning crackled around her as she rose into the air, meeting the mage''s aggression head-on. A purple magic circle materialized before her, and a colossal lightning dragon, its scales crackling with energy, roared towards her attacker. The clash of lightning and earth magic tore through the square, sending shockwaves rippling outwards. The air crackled with energy, the ground trembled, and debris flew in all directions. Mages, drawn by the commotion, gathered around the square, their faces a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. The two mages from the tavern emerged from the rubble, their eyes wide with shock. "What do we do?" "I''ll inform the vice president. You secure the body!" One of the mages hurried away. They couldn''t ignore Alex''s claim. Nori''s body was the evidence. Whether she was telling the truth or not, a simple examination would reveal the truth. Ruby, witnessing the battle from the eatery, jumped to her feet, ready to intervene. But she remembered Alex''s parting words and reluctantly sat back down. Alex, however, was struggling. Her opponent was far stronger than she had anticipated. A glance at the mage''s badge revealed her to be a lv8 King level mage. Without her scythe, she couldn''t access her double attribute bonus. And she couldn''t unleash her full power without risking exposure. She was outmatched. If not for her Life Link skill, she would have been injured already. Her mana points were depleting rapidly as she countered the relentless barrage of earth magic. Her most powerful lightning spells were ineffective against her opponent''s mastery of earth. She dodged and weaved, her lightning bolts shattering the incoming stone pillars. The mage, however, wielded her earth magic with surprising fluidity and precision, her attacks flowing like water, adapting to Alex''s every move. Alex couldn''t use her other magic types, her scythe, or even her full lightning potential without arousing suspicion. She was forced to rely on incantations, limiting her speed and power. A yellow magic circle materialized behind her, and thick, earthen tendrils shot out, attempting to bind her. Alex countered with a lightning magic circle, the two elements clashing violently. Boom! The explosion sent a shockwave through the square, a cloud of dust and debris obscuring the battlefield. The mage''s magic circle shattered. But the attack wasn''t over. A surge of yellow energy, emanating from the remnants of the shattered magic circle, rushed towards Alex. It was her realm! Using Alex''s own realm to defend would expose her. But without it, she was doomed. Just as she was about to activate Sacrifice, sacrificing undead to temporarily boost her power, a gruff voice boomed across the square. "Enough!" The mage''s realm vanished instantly, her magic circle dissolving into nothingness. Alex felt a strange pressure, a force that prevented her from accessing her magic. The dust settled, revealing a middle-aged man with brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He wasn''t wearing mage robes, and his aura was completely concealed. He was clearly the Yellowrock City branch president or vice president. The female mage landed gracefully before him, her voice laced with indignation as she launched into her accusations. "Vice President, this woman committed murder in broad daylight and resisted arrest! She must be punished severely!" Alex landed beside her, her gaze fixed on the man. "Vice President, how can your tolerate such blatant disregard for justice? I merely eliminated an extraterrestrial visitor. This mage, however, shielded the criminal and attacked me without provocation, denying me even a chance to explain myself. Perhaps there''s more to this story than meets the eye." Alex''s words, a thinly veiled accusation, enraged the female mage. "You''re lying! I was simply upholding the law! How could a three-star Magus possibly identify an extraterrestrial visitor? You''re spouting nonsense!" "Whether he was an extraterrestrial visitor or not is for the vice president to decide. But you, attacking an Honorary Mage of the Mage Association... your crimes are far greater." Alex, confident in her assessment, stood her ground. Even if the vice president sided with the woman, she had a valid defense. "Enough! Celine, your actions were reckless and unjustified. You are confined to the mage tower for three months." The man''s voice, firm and authoritative, silenced them both. He seemed to be aware of the situation. Alex realized Celine was Nori''s mother. The Silverbeard Clan chieftain was quite the charmer, it seemed, managing to get involved with a human mage. As Alex''s mind wandered, the man turned to her, his gaze filled with approval. "You must be Alyssa, the newly appointed Honorary Magus. I''ve heard of you." "Mr. Vice President, shouldn''t you examine the body first?" Alex gestured towards the ruined tavern. "That won''t be necessary. He was indeed an extraterrestrial visitor. I''m aware of Celine''s... involvement in this matter. However, we''re currently short-staffed. A Magus is a valuable asset. I apologize for Celine''s reckless actions." The man''s voice was deep and gravelly, his expression neutral. He bowed slightly to Alex, a gesture of genuine apology. "Since you''ve confirmed it yourself, I won''t press the matter further. But you mentioned hearing of me. Am I that well-known?" Alex asked, her tone laced with curiosity. Surely they didn''t keep tabs on every mage who passed through their teleportation array. "Not particularly. It''s just that the Association hasn''t had an Honorary Magus in several years. I was... curious," the vice president explained, his tone casual. So it wasn''t anything personal. That was a relief. "Miss Alyssa, if you don''t mind my asking, how many magic types have you mastered?" the man asked abruptly, catching Alex off guard. She had only used lightning magic during the fight. "Just lightning," she replied. She had only visited two cities. At most, she could reveal her mastery of wind and lightning magic. Revealing her other magic types was out of the question. "You have talent. To reach three-star Magus at such a young age... It''s time you mastered a second magic type. What are your thoughts on earth magic?" "Impressive defensive capabilities. Are you trying to recruit me to the Yellowrock City branch?" Alex asked, recognizing his intentions. There was no such thing as a free lunch, especially from a stranger. But joining the Mage Association was out of the question. It would classify her as a Traitor in the system''s eyes. She wouldn''t compromise her standing for the sake of earth magic. "You seem hesitant," the man observed, a hint of amusement in his voice. It was rare for a mage to refuse a vice president''s offer so directly. "Mr. Vice President, I appreciate your offer, but I''m not one for rules and restrictions. That''s why I''m only an Honorary Mage," Alex explained politely. The "honorary" part of her title meant she had the status but no real authority within the Mage Association. And she wasn''t bound by their rules. That was why the system didn''t consider her a member of the human race. It was a temporary position, one she could relinquish at any time. The vice president wasn''t surprised by her refusal. He wouldn''t force the issue. He paused, considering his options. "How about this? You can become an Honorary Mage of Yellowrock City. And I''ll grant you access to our earth magic teachings." He was willing to compromise. For a mage, the allure of learning new magic was almost irresistible. He was confident she would accept. "But I''m already an Honorary Mage of Thunder City. And Mr. Vice President, I suspect there''s more to your offer." Alex wasn''t naive. There had to be a catch. And judging by his eagerness to recruit her, coupled with his earlier comments and the city''s unusual emptiness, something was amiss in Yellowrock City. Something that had led to this shortage of personnel. "You''re perceptive. It''s a small favor, one you''re uniquely qualified for as an Honorary Mage." He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "There''s no rule stating that an Honorary Mage can only be affiliated with one city. Who issued your badge? I''ll speak to them. You can remain an Honorary Mage of Thunder City." "It was Vice President Eldrin. Perhaps you could elaborate on this ''favor,''" Alex said cautiously. She wouldn''t agree to anything without knowing the details. Sensing her hesitation, the man decided to be upfront. He explained the situation in Yellowrock City. The elves and giants had declared war on the Southridge Republic, the human nation on the Arsen continent. The giants were one of the three strongest local factions on the Arsen continent, their overall strength surpassing even the elves and Featherfolk. Their sudden declaration of war had caught the humans off guard. The lack of personnel in Yellowrock City was due to the mobilization of forces to the front lines. However, unlike other races, the human kingdoms, while bolstered by powerful organizations like the Mage Association and the Holy Court, had relatively weak armies. Their strength lay in their alliances with these powerful factions. Their ordinary troops were no match for the inherently powerful races. Without the mages'' support, the war would have been lost already, the Republic overrun. Perhaps this was why the Holy Court was so eager to abandon the human kingdoms. Alex frowned. Even with their combined might, the elves and giants shouldn''t pose a significant threat. A single Sovereign level powerhouse could easily crush them. Why were they being held back? And what could she possibly do? Was he asking her to join the war effort? "Our investigations suggest that the Holy Court is behind this war. And the Holy Court, in turn, is backed by the Angel race," the man revealed, his voice grave. Alex wasn''t surprised. She already knew this. "But we lack concrete evidence. We can''t openly confront them. The Holy Court''s recent actions only confirm our suspicions. The president is currently dealing with them. I''m in charge of Yellowrock City in his absence." "Why not request assistance from other branches?" Alex asked. "Alyssa, you misunderstand. We''re simply short-staffed, not overwhelmed." The man''s gaze was steady, his confidence unwavering. It seemed the elves, giants, and the Holy Court''s interference weren''t enough to truly threaten the Yellowrock City branch. "We''ve discovered a large concentration of angel beasts northwest of the Republic, near Knight City. We believe they''re connected to this war. We need you to eliminate them and investigate the situation." His voice was firm, his request clear. "We can''t intervene directly without giving the Angel race a reason to retaliate. But you... you don''t have that constraint." Chapter 331 - 331: Helpless Raphaela Alex quickly grasped the vice president''s intentions. If things went south, the Mage Association could easily distance themselves, claiming she had acted independently. They could even revoke her Honorary Mage status, severing all ties. But it was just a request. She had every right to refuse. However, as the vice president described the location of the angel beasts, Alex''s eyes widened in realization. It was Stone Pillar Mountain! So Raphaela hadn''t left after all. She kept her composure, careful not to betray her knowledge. As a first-time visitor to Yellowrock City, knowing about Stone Pillar Mountain was suspicious. And Knight City, the location mentioned by the vice president, was where the Holy Court''s branch was located. Every Holy Court branch on every continent was called Knight City. Why these Holy Court-aligned races had suddenly turned on the humans was a mystery, but Alex had a feeling this was just the beginning. Something bigger was brewing. The vice president''s request aligned perfectly with her own objective. This was her chance to eliminate Raphaela. "No problem. I accept," Alex said. The vice president nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. "Excellent. I await your good news." He turned to leave, but then he paused, turning back to face Alex, a mid-level earth magic book in his hand. "Consider this a token of our appreciation. Once you''ve mastered it, I''ll provide you with the subsequent high-level earth magic books. As for your Honorary Mage badge, I''ll have someone customize one for you." The Yellowrock City vice president was pulling out all the stops to recruit her. Alex graciously accepted the book. "Thank you for your trust," she said politely. "You''re welcome. I have matters to attend to. Farewell." This time, he truly departed, his steps hurried. Alex suspected that the Yellowrock City branch''s shortage of personnel wasn''t solely due to the war. Perhaps it was the weakest branch on the seven continents. He was likely trying to bolster their ranks, to elevate their status. "Madam, please forgive our earlier disrespect," the two mages who had been guarding Nori said, approaching Alex with apologetic expressions. They hadn''t known they were protecting an extraterrestrial visitor. "It''s fine," Alex replied dismissively, turning to leave. She headed back to the eatery, where Ruby was likely waiting impatiently. The crowd, which had gathered to witness the confrontation, had dispersed upon the vice president''s arrival. As Alex passed by, she noticed a newfound respect in their eyes. "Alex, what happened?" Ruby asked anxiously as Alex returned. "Nothing serious. Just a dwarf. I took care of him," Alex replied casually, glancing at the half-eaten food on Ruby''s plate. "Finished?" "Yep," Ruby said, nodding. "Let''s go then." Alex led Ruby out of the eatery, tossing a gold coin to the owner as they left. "Honorable mage, your change!" the owner called out, rushing after them. "Keep the rest. It''s a tip." Alex and Ruby vanished before he could protest, leaving the bewildered owner staring at the gold coin in his hand. The war was raging in the north, in the giants'' territory, bordering the Storm Elf kingdom. Lilith''s city was likely located in the northernmost reaches of the Arsen continent. Alex and Ruby, having left Yellowrock City, were heading northwest. As they flew, Alex casually flipped through the earth magic book, her brow furrowing at the complex incantations. She couldn''t rely on the system''s instant learning feature this time. It would make the book disappear, raising awkward questions. She had to learn it the old-fashioned way. "Alex, why did he give you a magic book?" Ruby asked, her head tilted in confusion. She had glanced at the book''s contents and found them utterly incomprehensible. "He wants to recruit me to the Mage Association." "What? Did you agree?" Ruby asked, her eyes widening in alarm. She thought Alex was about to abandon them and join the humans. "Of course not." Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "But why did he give it to you then?" "He asked me for a favor. And his request happens to align perfectly with our objective," Alex said, a sly smile on her face. It was a stroke of luck. She would have gone after Raphaela regardless of the vice president''s request. "Oh, right. I haven''t even asked where we''re going," Ruby said, realizing she had been blindly following Alex without knowing their destination. "To kill a Lord." Alex suppressed her killing intent, reminding Ruby to do the same. They had to avoid triggering Raphaela''s senses. Their speed slowed slightly, but it didn''t matter. They were flying over a desolate, rocky wasteland. Visibility was excellent. According to Drake, Stone Pillar Mountain wasn''t a mountain in the traditional sense. It was a colossal stone pillar, more like a giant rod jutting out from the earth, its peak piercing the clouds. It should be easy to spot. They flew for hours, the sun slowly sinking towards the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and red. The setting sun cast long shadows across the land, creating a breathtaking spectacle. They continued westward, the sunlight glinting off their robes. "Strange. Shouldn''t we have seen the pillar by now?" Ruby asked, her voice laced with confusion. Alex was puzzled as well. Surely they couldn''t miss such a massive structure. She double-checked their direction, using the sun as a guide. They were on the right track. "Don''t worry. Maybe it''s just further than we thought," Alex said, reassuring Ruby. They pressed on. Suddenly, Alex felt a subtle shift, as if they had passed through an invisible barrier. The space ahead shimmered, and Stone Pillar Mountain materialized before them. Ruby hadn''t noticed the barrier, but Alex, with her heightened sensitivity to light-aligned energy, had detected it instantly. Without her dark affinity, she would have missed it entirely. "Alex, look!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the towering pillar. Alex, however, frowned. "Full speed ahead! We might have been detected. We can''t let her escape!" In fact, her caution was unwarranted. Raphaela hadn''t detected them. She didn''t possess the ability to conceal such a massive structure. It was Stone Pillar Mountain''s inherent power, not Raphaela''s doing. At the foot of the pillar, Raphaela had gathered all the Lords under her command. As dusk settled, she began her speech, her voice echoing across the assembled ranks. She spoke of unity, of cooperation, of survival. But it was all a carefully crafted facade, a means to manipulate them with her holy light. Thanks to the leaderboard refresh, she had managed to subjugate twenty new Lords in a single day. The faith power they and their troops provided had allowed her to level up. However, relying on the holy light had its drawbacks. She had to periodically "bless" her subjects, reinforcing her influence. It was a slow, subtle process, not a quick fix. Fortunately, these Lords had submitted to her willingly. They were loyal, their minds open to her influence. Her progress was accelerating. She had already reached lv7 Monarch. She glanced at the leaderboard, a smug smile on her face. She could almost taste victory, envisioning the day she would crush the undead Lord. Aside from the Behemoth Lord and the Troll Lord, who were still technically allies, all ninety-six Lords under her command were now her subjects! Their combined forces, including their troops, numbered over two hundred thousand. A staggering number. Almost one-twentieth the size of Alex''s undead army. But numbers alone were meaningless. None of them were King level, and even their Monarch level count paled in comparison to Alex''s forces. She had subjugated them for one purpose: to provide her with faith power. She didn''t care about their development. She hoarded resources, prioritizing her own growth and using the rest to upgrade their Barracks. Her goal was simple: to maximize their troop output. She hovered in the air, her white robes pristine, her divine aura radiating outwards, inspiring awe and reverence. Holy light bathed the land, seeping into the Lords below. They gazed up at her, their eyes filled with a fervent, almost fanatical devotion. To them, she was a goddess. As she basked in their adoration, a sudden jolt of awareness shot through her. She opened her eyes, her aura flaring, her expression hardening. Intruders! "Southeast! Enemies approaching! The time for unity is now! Eliminate the intruders!" Her voice, cold and emotionless, echoed across the gathering. The Lords scrambled to their feet, directing their troops towards the southeast. "Protect our goddess! Slay the invaders!" "May the holy light guide us!" A golden aura erupted from Raphaela, and the angel beasts, receiving her command, charged alongside the Lords. Raphaela, however, didn''t hesitate. She turned towards the Angel City atop Stone Pillar Mountain, her instinct screaming at her to flee. She had sensed a dark presence, a powerful being shrouded in shadows. It had to be Alex. "She found me!" Panic surged through her. She could only hope the Lords would buy her some time, gather some intel. If it weren''t for Alex, she wouldn''t be running. The Angel Resurrection Pool and the city crystal were her most valuable assets. They couldn''t be compromised. As she flew towards the summit, a figure materialized before her, blocking her path. Her heart skipped a beat. Fear, a sensation she had thought she had conquered, gripped her. Alex stood before her, a faint smile on her lips. But it was a chilling smile, her eyes cold and calculating. "It''s been a while." Raphaela''s eyes widened as a strange red light emanated from Alex''s right eye. Before she could react, the space around her solidified, trapping her in an invisible prison. In a single instant, she was immobilized. She struggled, her mind reeling. How could the gap between their powers be so vast? She tried to activate her trump card, but her body was paralyzed by lightning magic, the space around her locked down. She couldn''t even access the system, let alone activate her city teleportation ability. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She was helpless. As Alex guided her towards the Angel City, her heart sank. Alex knew her secret, the secret of her resurrection. Drake must have betrayed her! "I wonder if you''re even human anymore. What a waste of beauty and talent," Alex mused, her voice devoid of sympathy. She wouldn''t give Raphaela a chance to speak, to plead for her life. Not until she was dealt with permanently. The system should have purged the angelic divinity from her. But Raphaela had chosen to retain it. Drake and Alex, despite being partially influenced, had retained their humanity, their minds intact. As for Raphaela''s followers, their numbers meant nothing. Alex had learned, through experience, that Monarch level units, even in overwhelming numbers, couldn''t defeat a King level opponent. She wasn''t worried about Ruby. She hadn''t even sent any undead to assist her. Ruby could handle this on her own. As her subject, Ruby, now a king, enjoyed the same benefits as the subjugated Lords. Her kills granted Alex experience points, albeit a reduced amount. Her own people''s kills, however, no longer contributed to Alex''s experience. Instead, they benefited Ruby directly. It was one of the perks of submitting to Alex. She gained access to certain system features, like experience gain from kills, allowing her to grow stronger faster. They reached the summit of Stone Pillar Mountain, a perpetual cloud cover obscuring the peak, providing a natural veil of protection for the Angel City. As the clouds parted, Alex finally saw it. The city, bathed in a golden light, radiated an aura of divine power that made Alex''s skin crawl. It was a magnificent structure, a fitting abode for a god. She noticed faint streams of golden energy converging on the city from below, flowing towards the crystal at its peak. "Is that faith power?" Chapter 332 - 332: Death Angel Raphaela''s eyes widened in horror. Alex knew about faith power? Alex, with Raphaela in tow, landed just outside the Angel City, her arrival immediately drawing the attention of the angelic guards. They surged from the city, their forms radiating a blinding holy light, their wings beating furiously as they charged towards Alex. Alex, however, didn''t even flinch. A flick of her wrist, a mere thought, and a wave of spatial blades sliced through the air. The blades passed through the angels effortlessly, severing them in half. Their bodies tumbled towards the ground, their holy light flickering and fading. The spatial blades, their momentum unchecked, continued onwards, shattering the Angel City''s protective barrier, cleaving through the city walls, and tearing through buildings before finally dissipating. This casual display of power shattered Raphaela''s last vestiges of hope. King level. So powerful. It was despair-inducing. Alex, with Raphaela still imprisoned, entered the city. The remaining angels, their previous bravado gone, kept their distance, their eyes wide with fear. "I thought angels were fearless. Turns out they''re just as afraid of death as everyone else," Alex scoffed, ignoring them as she headed towards the palace, her destination the Angel Resurrection Pool. Destroying the pool was the only way to permanently eliminate Raphaela. Destroying the city crystal might work, but Alex couldn''t gauge the city''s level. If it was maxed out, it wouldn''t affect Raphaela directly. She had to be thorough. She guided Raphaela towards the palace, the angels trailing behind cautiously. Even with her back turned, they didn''t dare attack. Suddenly, Alex stopped, her gaze fixed on the palace entrance. The angels, startled by her abrupt halt, froze in their tracks. The angels she had just slain were emerging from the palace, their wounds healed, their holy light restored. The Angel Resurrection Pool could resurrect not only Raphaela but also ordinary angels. Witnessing it firsthand, Alex finally understood its true power. It was true immortality. And angels, unlike undead, were powerful individuals, capable of flight and wielding the purifying power of holy light. No wonder Raphaela had been so formidable in the early stages. Then, a thought struck her. Transform Undead! She had almost forgotten about this skill. She had intended to experiment with it after acquiring it, but it had been put on hold. Now was the perfect opportunity. What would happen if she tried to transform an angel, a creature whose very essence was antithetical to her own? Would they become undead? Or would they simply perish? She suspected angels had a high level cap. If this worked, it could significantly boost her power. She turned, her gaze locking onto one of the angels. The angel froze, its movements seized by an unseen force. In the blink of an eye, it was standing before Alex, its wings bound, its holy light flickering uncertainly. The other angels gasped, but they didn''t dare intervene. Even Raphaela, despite her fear, looked on with a flicker of curiosity. Alex''s left eye glowed with an eerie blue light. A black orb, the size of a coin, formed in her palm. She thrust it into the angel''s chest. "Aaargh!" The angel screamed in agony. Alex released her hold and stepped back, observing the transformation. The angel writhed on the ground, its holy light flaring, its form seemingly purifying, becoming even more angelic. What was happening? Why was it becoming more angelic? Then, as quickly as it had intensified, the holy light vanished, replaced by a dark, unsettling aura. The angel''s white wings and robes turned black in an instant. It rose to its feet, its strength restored, its gaze flickering between Raphaela and Alex, its mind struggling to comprehend the transformation. Its former master, the source of its holy power, and the new emperor, its bloodline now calling to a different master... It was torn. Its once-sacred form was now a twisted mockery of its former self, a dark, corrupted being resembling a fallen angel. The other angels, witnessing this horrifying transformation, recoiled in fear. But their lord was still in Alex''s clutches. They had to stand their ground. Raphaela, however, was utterly horrified. This was beyond anything she had ever witnessed. Alex could transform angels into fallen angels? No, not fallen angels. She stared at Alex, fear gripping her heart. She knew her fate was sealed. She struggled against her bonds, but it was futile. Alex, pleased with the successful transformation, approached the death angel, who stood frozen, its gaze fixed on her, its mind a whirlwind of confusion and fear. Alex, however, didn''t harm it. She stood beside it, opening her system interface. Even she wasn''t sure if this creature was truly undead. [Death Angel] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 30%] [Life Tier: Commanding Level] [Level: lv5 (Can be increased by killing enemies)] [Health Points: Undead trait, immortal as long as the soul fire burns] [Mana Points: 150] [Strength: 91] [Stamina: ¡Þ] [Agility: 84] [Growth Limit: Emperor Level] [Active Skills: Death Mark, Death Shroud] [Passive Skill: Infect Summon] "Death angel?" Alex blinked in surprise. It was indeed an undead creature. But the transformation process seemed excruciating, and the creature retained its memories. She could now summon not only the dead but also the living, transforming them into undead. Even angels, beings of pure light, were susceptible to her power. She skimmed through its skills. Nothing particularly noteworthy, except for the passive skill. Death angels emitted a constant aura of darkness that corrupted living beings, eventually transforming them into undead. "Interesting." She unleashed a soul attack, instantly killing the death angel. Its loyalty was too low. It was useless to her. The advantage of transforming living creatures was that, unlike summoned undead, they could level up by killing enemies. The downside was that their kills didn''t grant her experience points. She had kept her system interface visible throughout the process, allowing Raphaela to see the death angel''s stats. Death angel. A creature she had never heard of. It was distinct from a fallen angel, possessing the undead''s inherent immortality. Alex glanced at Raphaela, her face pale with terror, and guided her towards the palace steps. "Don''t worry. Your turn is next." === Meanwhile, at the foot of Stone Pillar Mountain, Ruby was having a field day, effortlessly cutting through the enemy ranks. As the Arctic Tigerfolk queen, she excelled in close combat. But these opponents weren''t even worthy of getting close. Her spatial and ice magic were more than enough to handle them. The thousands of angel beasts, mostly transformed from the Lords'' troops, were all Commanding level. Despite their angelic transformation, they hadn''t changed much physically. They had sprouted white, feathery wings and gained a faint holy aura, but that was about it. They were weaker than their undead counterparts, serving primarily as cannon fodder for Raphaela''s rapidly expanding army. Ruby was making short work of them. The dozens of Monarch level Lords, instead of engaging her directly, had sent their troops forward, hoping to deplete her mana points. It was a sound strategy, considering she was outnumbered. But Ruby was happy to oblige. She ignored the Lords for now, focusing on obliterating the rank-and-file troops. The more she killed, the more her experience bar surged, fueling her excitement. To maximize her efficiency, she expanded her spatial domain, its reach encompassing almost the entire battlefield. The Lords were forced to retreat, lest they be caught in her deadly embrace. Finally, one of the Monarch level Lords, snapping out of his holy light-induced fervor, realized the truth. "This isn''t Monarch level power! She''s a King level!" he shouted, his voice laced with terror. His words jolted the others back to reality. Some of them, their minds clearing, finally grasped the situation. Raphaela hadn''t sent them to fight. She had sent them to die! They looked around, their hearts sinking as they realized Raphaela was nowhere to be found. Not a single angel was in sight. "What are we waiting for? Run!" one of the Lords, a recent addition to Raphaela''s ranks, shouted. The holy light''s influence hadn''t fully taken hold yet, and fear had shattered its grip on his mind. But they had forgotten one crucial detail. They had submitted to Raphaela. Where could they possibly run? As the Lord turned to flee, a spatial blade pierced his chest. Ruby''s domain had expanded, its reach encompassing them all. She wouldn''t let them escape. She had to eliminate them before Alex dealt with Raphaela. If Raphaela died, these Lords, bound by the Submission Contract, would perish as well. But their deaths, caused by the system''s power, wouldn''t grant her any experience points. She had to act now. Seeing her intent, the Monarch level Lords and their remaining troops, trapped and desperate, charged towards Ruby. "Brothers, attack! We outnumber her! We can take her!" one of the Lords shouted, his voice laced with false bravado. His words were cut short as his head flew from his shoulders. Ruby, teleporting into the heart of their formation, unleashed a wave of icy power, freezing them in their tracks. Then, a ring of spatial energy, expanding outwards from her position, ripped through their ranks. Most of the Lords were obliterated instantly. Only a handful of Monarch level Lords managed to escape the initial onslaught. Among them were Raphaela''s two allies: the Behemoth Lord and the Troll Lord. They stared at Ruby, their eyes wide with terror, and activated their transformation abilities, boosting their resilience. Then, they turned and fled. They were allies, not subjects. Raphaela''s death wouldn''t affect them. While they were influenced by the holy light, their survival instincts outweighed their loyalty. "So you''re the Behemoth and the Troll Alex mentioned," Ruby muttered, abandoning the other fleeing Lords and pursuing the two. In the blink of an eye, she teleported in front of them, blocking their path. "Please, spare us..." Ruby, however, wasn''t interested in negotiations. She conjured a barrage of ice spikes, impaling their limbs, pinning them to the ground. Then, she encased them in ice, adding a layer of spatial sealing for good measure. Their powerful regenerative abilities, a byproduct of their bloodlines, wouldn''t allow for a quick kill. With them secured, she turned her attention back to the other Lords. The surge of experience points thrilled her. At this rate, she would definitely level up! Under the onslaught of Ruby''s formidable assault, the angel beasts were decimated, leaving only the disarrayed Lords and their dwindling troops behind. To buy themselves time, the Lords sacrificed their troops, mostly low-intelligence units. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. High-intelligence troops, realizing they were being used as pawns, would likely rebel and flee. "This is so tedious," Ruby grumbled, watching as the Lords scattered in all directions. She couldn''t maintain her domain''s reach across such a vast area. Eliminating them all at once was no longer an option. She had to resort to chasing them down individually. Fortunately, her spatial magic granted her incredible speed. These Monarch level Lords couldn''t outrun a King level. Chapter 333 - 333: Sword of Judgment Meanwhile, at the Angel City. Alex, with Raphaela still imprisoned, had reached the palace, locating the Angel Resurrection Pool in a side chamber. The room pulsed with holy energy, making Alex uncomfortable. She could even sense Raphaela''s strength increasing slightly. But it was futile. This minor boost wouldn''t break Alex''s hold. Alex had refrained from killing the angels initially because of the Angel Resurrection Pool. Its resurrection ability meant they wouldn''t provide her with experience points unless she completely obliterated their souls. That was too much of a hassle. It was easier to destroy the pool and then eliminate them. She stepped closer, examining the Angel Resurrection Pool. It was similar in size to her Blackwater Altar, but circular. And instead of liquid, it contained a swirling mass of golden energy. A golden holy sword was embedded in the pool''s center, only the hilt visible, the blade submerged within the golden energy. The energy seemed to revolve around the sword. Had the pool created the sword, or was the sword the pool''s core? Alex frowned, her curiosity piqued. Raphaela, noticing Alex''s interest in the sword, panicked. She had never revealed the pool''s true nature to anyone. This Angel Resurrection Pool... it didn''t seem like a structure. It felt more like an item, or a weapon. Alex, her suspicions growing, decided to experiment. She approached the pool''s edge, conjuring a black orb of energy in her palm. She tossed it into the pool. She wanted to see how the energy that transformed creatures into undead would react to the Angel Resurrection Pool. The black energy, like a drop of ink in clear water, spread rapidly, tainting the golden energy. For a moment, it seemed to be working. But Alex had underestimated the pool''s power. The holy sword at the center blazed with light, and the pool''s energy intensified, the entire structure glowing brightly. In an instant, the black energy was purged. Raphaela breathed a sigh of relief. Alex, however, was stunned. "This thing''s got some kick to it, huh?" she muttered, impressed despite herself. But her experiment hadn''t been entirely fruitless. She had identified the pool''s true core: the golden holy sword. She flew towards the pool, hovering above it, her right eye glowing red. She extended her hand, spatial energy enveloping it as she grasped the sword''s hilt, attempting to pull it free. Raphaela gasped, her eyes widening in fear. But Alex''s attempt failed. The sword remained firmly embedded in the pool''s center, unyielding. "Strange. Why can''t I pull it out?" Even with her King level strength, she couldn''t budge it. But Alex suspected that Raphaela, a mere Monarch, could have easily removed it. Was this thing bloodline-specific? But that didn''t make sense. Alex''s scythe, a Companion Weapon, a future Divine Weapon, could be wielded by anyone, although they wouldn''t be able to unleash its full power. Why couldn''t she pull this sword out? Was it truly an integral part of the pool, a mere ornament? Wait, why was she being cautious? She had Life Link. This thing couldn''t harm her. Realization dawned, and she flew towards the pool''s center, deciding to try a more direct approach. As she reached the center, Alex glanced back, catching Raphaela''s surprised expression and the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips. To be safe, Alex avoided touching the golden energy, extending her arm and grasping the sword''s hilt. A coolness spread through her palm, but nothing else happened. She had suppressed her dark energy, just in case. She pulled, her muscles straining. The golden holy sword slowly emerged from the pool, its true form gradually revealed. The golden energy below churned violently, swirling like a whirlpool, converging on the sword in her hand. As the last vestiges of energy drained from the pool, the sword came free. "I see," Alex murmured, a knowing smile on her lips. The Angel Resurrection Pool wasn''t a structure. It was a weapon. The holy sword in her hand. And as a weapon in her possession, she could examine its properties using the system. [Companion Weapon: Sword of Judgment] [Quality: Monarch Level Weapon (Upgradeable)] [Soul Concentration Level: 15%] [Current Attribute: Holy] [Active Skill 1: Transform into a special summoning structure (Currently: Angel Resurrection Pool)] [Active Skill 2: Judgment. Consumes 80% of current Mana Points to unleash an unavoidable, powerful soul attack, enhanced by the wielder''s attributes.] [Passive Skill 1: Adapts to the wielder''s primary attribute, changing its attribute accordingly.] [Passive Skill 2: Absorbs faith power to enhance the structure''s energy.] [Passive Skill 3: When transformed into a structure, the wielder receives a vassal weapon of the same level, possessing all the original weapon''s abilities (excluding structure-specific abilities).] [Owner: Raphaela] A Companion Weapon?! Alex stared at the description, her heart pounding. This was the first Companion Weapon she had encountered besides her own scythe. And Raphaela had one! She carefully read through the skill descriptions. A Companion Weapon that could transform into a special structure, with a powerful active skill... It was incredible. She wondered if it had any hidden attributes, like doubling her attribute points. "How do I claim it? Do I have to kill Raphaela first?" The system interface allowed her to view the Angel Resurrection Pool''s features, but she was more interested in claiming the weapon itself. [Notice: A Lord can only possess one Companion Weapon at a time.] "Damn!" She immediately abandoned that idea. The Sword of Judgment was impressive, but it couldn''t compare to her scythe. It was a weapon. If it wasn''t in her possession, killing Raphaela would result in a random drop, with no guarantee of obtaining it. But since she was holding it, it was essentially a guaranteed drop. And it seemed the only way to make it unowned was to kill Raphaela. Her assumption was correct. That was indeed the system''s rule. But if she hadn''t discovered the weapon and had simply killed Raphaela, the Companion Weapon, in its structure form, wouldn''t have a blueprint, making the drop rate zero. It was also worth noting that Companion Weapons weren''t indestructible. With Alex''s King level strength, she could easily destroy this Monarch level Companion Weapon. But destroying it seemed like a waste. Its ability to adapt to different attributes intrigued her. Would it become a dark attribute weapon if she wielded it? And would its transformed structure change accordingly, its effects altered? It seemed this weapon''s power lay in its unique features, not its direct combat capabilities. Its only offensive ability was a mana-intensive active skill. The Sword of Judgment resembled a standard cruciform sword, but with a longer blade, adorned with intricate golden engravings. Even without a wielder, it radiated a potent holy aura. But it was nothing Alex couldn''t handle. Alex released her grip, letting the Sword of Judgment hover behind her, held aloft by spatial magic. She then led Raphaela away, her gaze sweeping over the chamber, searching for anything else of value. Killing her outright would be too merciful. With the Angel Resurrection Pool deactivated, Raphaela shouldn''t be able to resurrect. But to be safe, Alex decided to test it out on the remaining angels. Her left eye glowed blue, and several angels outside burst into flames, their souls and bodies consumed by an agonizing inferno. She then unleashed a barrage of lightning spears, impaling several more angels, their lifeless forms collapsing to the ground. The remaining angels, their fear overwhelming their loyalty, scattered, abandoning their attempts to rescue Raphaela. But before they could reach the city limits, an invisible spatial barrier halted their flight. Alex had sealed the entire Angel City with high-level spatial magic! She hadn''t just been testing the resurrection ability. She had also targeted and eliminated all the Monarch level angels. The remaining angels, all below Monarch level, were trapped, their escape routes cut off. She opened her system interface, checking the experience points gained from the angel kills. She waited for fifteen minutes, her gaze fixed on the Sword of Judgment, ensuring they wouldn''t resurrect. Satisfied, she finally relaxed. She couldn''t be entirely certain about the Trolls or the Behemoths, but Raphaela, the Angel Lord, definitely had unique troops. Killing her would grant her the angel bloodline and Barracks. She pondered how best to utilize them. "If I transform her into an undead and then kill her, would I obtain the death angel bloodline and Barracks?" The thought crossed Alex''s mind, but she quickly dismissed it. Death angels were classified as undead. And she was the sole undead Lord. Transforming Raphaela into a death angel might result in losing both the angel bloodline and the Barracks. It was too risky. Killing her outright was the safest bet. Even if the angel bloodline was useless to Alex, she''d rather keep it in her Warehouse than risk losing it entirely. Alex searched the city, but she couldn''t find anything else of value. The city was too vast to explore thoroughly in such a short time. The Warehouse was empty, its contents likely used to upgrade Raphaela''s subjects. But the Sword of Judgment was a valuable prize. Alex decided not to waste any more time. The sky was dark now, the blood moon rising in the east, casting an eerie red glow over the land. Stone Pillar Mountain, its peak piercing the clouds, offered a breathtaking view of the starry sky, the stars seemingly close enough to touch. "The stars are beautiful on the Arsen continent," Alex murmured, her voice carrying on the wind. Alex released Raphaela''s speech restriction, allowing her to speak. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Raphaela, if you had a chance to do it all over again, would you still join forces with them to attack me?" Raphaela remained silent, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. She had never considered that question, never imagined this would be her fate. "I only regret not submitting to the Angel race sooner," she finally replied, her voice cold and emotionless. Even now, facing imminent death, she showed no fear. Perhaps it was acceptance, Alex thought. But then, Raphaela''s final act of defiance began. The faith power she had amassed surged into her, her aura flaring, her strength growing, threatening to break Alex''s hold. "Hah!" Alex scoffed, unimpressed. With a clang, she slammed her scythe into the ground, reinforcing the spatial lock. Raphaela was once again immobilized, her power surging, reaching half-step King level. Just one step away from becoming a true King. But it was futile. A half-step King was no match for a true King, especially not against Alex. She knew that system enhancements and skill boosts couldn''t exceed one''s current level cap. Raphaela was a Monarch. No matter how much she boosted her power, she wouldn''t reach King level. She could only approach it. And Alex, with her scythe''s attribute bonus, could easily overpower her. "It''s pointless. Stop struggling. It''s over," Alex said, her voice cold and final. Raphaela was beyond redemption. Alex raised her scythe, ready to deliver the final blow. As the blade descended, Raphaela''s body went limp, her golden blood staining the ground. The Angel City shuddered violently, its walls crumbling, its buildings collapsing. The once-pristine city was falling apart. Alex rose into the air, her Death Domain expanding, engulfing the entire city, trapping the remaining angels within its deadly embrace. Alex wouldn''t let a single one escape. As the Angel City crumbled into ruin, her domain retracted, returning to her. The angels'' bodies, consumed by black flames, plummeted from the sky, turning to ash before they could reach the ground, their remains scattering on the wind. Chapter 334 - 334: Death Angel Bloodline [Congratulations! You have slain the Angel Lord. You have received the special rewards: Angel Bloodline Power, Angel Barracks.] [Calculating loot...] [Due to the Angel Lord''s death, all her subjects have been eliminated. Their loot will be calculated as well.] Alex closed the system interface. The loot from Raphaela''s subjects was likely insignificant, probably just basic resources like stone and crystals. As the Angel City crumbled into dust, Alex unleashed a wave of spatial magic, sweeping the debris from the mountaintop. This location would be ideal for an undead fortress. It was secluded and strategically advantageous. But expanding outwards was too risky. The Mage Association and the Holy Court, both powerful factions, were nearby. Antagonizing them wasn''t a wise move. She claimed the system rewards, intending to conduct an experiment. Its outcome would determine whether she established a fortress here. "Claim." The two rewards materialized in her hands. The Angel Barrack was a diamond-shaped crystal, the size of a pocket watch, pulsing with holy light. As long as she didn''t activate it, it would remain in this dormant state. The Angel Bloodline Power was a concentrated sphere of golden energy, similar to the Titan Bloodline Power, but its holy energy was purer, more intense. Alex held the Angel Bloodline Power in her left hand, pondering the possibility of transforming it into death angel bloodline power. Undead were a diverse race. Surely one of their king''s bloodlines would be equivalent to this angel bloodline. What if Alex wasn''t the sole undead Lord? Would the undead race''s various sub-races be distributed among other Lords, granting them exceptional talents? And what level was this angel bloodline within the Angel race''s hierarchy? Perhaps it possessed Divine potential, just like her own. "Ah, what the heck. Let''s give it a shot. If it fails, no big deal. I still have the Barrack." Alex wanted to use her innate ability to transform this angel bloodline into undead bloodline. Trial and error. Even if it failed, she still gained an Angel Barrack. She conjured a black orb of energy in her right hand, slowly merging it with the angel bloodline in her left hand. There were no system prompts. She was on her own. The system couldn''t assist her with this. It was transformation magic. Alex refused to believe she couldn''t transform angel bloodline into undead bloodline! As the two energies merged, a blinding golden light erupted, illuminating the mountaintop. It was like pouring water into a vat of boiling oil. The holy light, intense and purifying, washed over the area. Alex, instead of resisting, watched as the black energy in her right hand dissipated. She acted decisively, unleashing her high-level summoning magic. A wave of darkness surged from her hand, engulfing the angel bloodline. Darkness clashed with light, the holy angel bloodline struggling to resist the encroaching corruption. Her mana points drained at an alarming rate. The scythe appeared in her other hand, its double attribute bonus doubling her mana pool, allowing her to intensify the flow of dark energy. Down below, Ruby, having eliminated her opponents, was preparing to bring her two captives to the summit. She glanced back, her eyes widening as she saw a golden light piercing the clouds, bathing the mountaintop in holy light. "What the heck is going on? I thought that woman was dead." She had witnessed one of the Lords dying just moments ago. It was her final kill. Alex had apparently beaten her to it. She hurried towards the summit, the two captured Lords, Magnus and Grom, encased in ice, looking on with confusion. The system had notified them of Raphaela''s death. What was this holy light then? Before they could reach the summit, the golden light vanished, plunging the area back into darkness. As they landed, Ruby saw Alex kneeling in the center, her scythe supporting her weight, her breath ragged, her forehead beaded with sweat. "Alex, what happened? Are you okay?" Ruby asked, teleporting to her side, her voice laced with concern. She then noticed a black orb of energy hovering beside Alex, so unassuming she had almost missed it. "I''m fine. Just a bit of a headache," Alex said weakly, pushing herself to her feet, her scythe clattering to the ground. Even with her scythe''s double attribute bonus, her mana had been completely drained. The strain on her soul force had left her weak and slightly disoriented. But her experiment had succeeded. She gazed at the bloodline power, a satisfied smile on her face. It had been worth the effort. She opened her system interface, confirming her suspicions. The fusion with the angel bloodline had retained some of its original properties. It was undead, but not ordinary undead. It was death angel bloodline power! [Death Angel Bloodline] [Life Tier: Divine] [Effect: Absorbing this bloodline will transform the user into a death angel (classified as undead), making them the king of their race, granting them the ability to summon troops.] Alex''s smile widened. This was a game-changer for Xiao Hui. She hadn''t expected her high-level summoning magic to possess the ability to create a race king. It was overpowered, although the angel bloodline deserved most of the credit. After all, Raphaela''s angel bloodline had Divine potential. Alex had merely transformed it. And the transformation itself was a system-granted ability. So technically, the system had done the heavy lifting. But still, the fact that Alex could achieve this meant her own life tier was also Divine. Of course, having a Divine life tier didn''t guarantee godhood. It merely meant she had a chance, however slim. All the undead race kings had Divine potential, yet they remained subservient to Alex. It spoke volumes about her own bloodline''s uniqueness. If their chances of achieving godhood were 1%, hers was at least 10%. Alex was their master, despite their shared Divine potential. Alex flashed a slight smile and said to Ruby, "It looks like we need to make a trip back to the Undead Empire first." "Go back?" Ruby asked, confused. They had just left the Undead Empire. Why were they returning so soon? Alex pulled out a Fortress Essence Shard, activated it, and tossed it into the center of the cleared mountaintop. A massive magic circle unfolded, and an undead fortress materialized, its dark towers rising from the ground. "Yeah, we need to head back to the Undead Imperial Capital. As for these two..." Alex paused, approaching the two captured Lords, Magnus and Grom, still encased in ice. With a flick of her wrist, she released their spatial seals. But even with their newfound freedom, they didn''t dare make a move, not with Alex standing right there. "Tell me, are your troops unique?" she asked, getting straight to the point. "No, we''re not," one of them stammered, his voice trembling. The other shook his head vigorously. Alex''s shoulders slumped slightly. She had been hoping for unique troop Lords. "And are you aware that you''ve been influenced by Raphaela''s holy light?" Alex asked, her curiosity piqued. She had always wondered about the extent of the holy light''s influence. "Yes," Grom, the Behemoth Lord, replied, his voice heavy with regret. The Troll Lord, however, looked at Grom in surprise. He had been unaware. "I see," Alex murmured, her gaze sweeping over them. Then, her expression hardened. "But you''re still going to die. It''s the price you pay for your actions." With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a wave of spatial energy, instantly killing them both. Then, she summoned their corpses as necromancers. "Death Spirit," Alex snapping her fingers. A Death Spirit clone materialized beside the two necromancers. "Go summon all the corpses at the foot of the mountain as undead." "As you command, my queen," the Death Spirit replied, its voice a hollow echo. The three undead flew towards the base of the mountain. Alex turned and headed towards the undead fortress. "Ruby, let''s go." They entered the fortress, their figures vanishing within its dark walls. ... Eldoria Continent, Undead Imperial Capital. Alex and Ruby materialized at the entrance of the main fortress. It wasn''t too late. Xiao Hui was likely still awake. They entered the palace, and Xiao Hui, surprised by their sudden return, rushed to greet them. "Miss Alex, what are you doing back?" "I killed the Angel Lord, built an undead fortress on Stone Pillar Mountain, and brought you a treasure. Actually, two treasures," Alex said, heading towards the main hall and settling into a chair. She placed the unowned Sword of Judgment on the table. Xiao Hui and Ruby followed her, their gazes drawn to the black orb hovering beside Alex. Xiao Hui hadn''t even noticed it until she felt the surge of dark energy. "Miss Alex, what is that? How come I didn''t see it before?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. The orb was so unassuming, it was almost invisible. Alex chuckled. "That''s one of the treasures I brought you. Death angel bloodline power, Divine potential. Transformed from the Angel Lord''s bloodline. I just... tweaked it a bit, turning the holy attribute into dark." "Holy crap, an angel?!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. She quickly realized that a dark angel was likely similar to Lilith''s fallen angels. But the ability to alter a bloodline''s attribute... that was seriously overpowered. "So I can become an angel? Does that mean I''m stronger than my brother now?" Xiao Hui asked excitedly. "Theoretically, yes. Death angels aren''t part of the Angel race. They''re transformed undead, possessing traits from both races. And like my other race kings, their growth limit is Divine." Alex wasn''t sure about the specific differences between transformed undead and her own undead. She lacked the data to make a proper assessment. "Wait, undead? Will I turn into a skeleton?" Xiao Hui asked, her excitement replaced with apprehension. "Do I look like a skeleton?" Alex rolled her eyes. She had already tested the death angel transformation on one of the angels. It didn''t turn them into skeletons, or even emaciated, skeletal figures like necromancers. They retained their flesh and blood. Xiao Hui would be fine. "Phew, that''s a relief," Xiao Hui said, letting out a sigh. "So I can absorb it now?" "Go ahead. But it might be a bit painful. Just try to bear with it," Alex warned. "If Xiao Mu can handle it, so can I!" Seeing her determination, Alex didn''t waste any more time. She guided the bloodline power towards Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui sat down and began absorbing it. As the black energy flowed into her, her own dark energy flared, its corrosive aura making Ruby uncomfortable. Alex gestured for her to step back. Sophie entered the hall, witnessing the scene unfolding before her. She was about to speak, but Alex quickly silenced her with a gesture. The three of them watched in silence as Xiao Hui''s body contorted, her muscles twitching. But there were no screams, no cries of pain. Xiao Hui, her face flushed, her fingers digging into the arms of her chair, was enduring the agony in silence. "I can''t hold it anymore! My stomach hurts! I need the bathroom!" she finally gasped, her voice weak. But her current state made it impossible for her to move on her own. She needed help. Alex and Ruby looked at Sophie, who stared back at them, her face blank. "Huh?" "What ''huh''? Help her get to the bathroom!" Alex ordered. Sophie, with a resigned sigh, helped Xiao Hui to her feet and guided her towards the bathroom. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 335 - 335: Fuse the Angel Barracks Time: 9:00 PM About twenty minutes after Xiao Hui had disappeared into the bathroom, Ruby heard the door open. "Hey, where''d she go?" Ruby asked, confused. "Duh, she went to change," Sophie said, a mischievous grin on her face. "Change? Why?" Ruby, bless her heart, was clueless. "She''s back," Alex announced, her gaze fixed on the entrance. As if on cue, Xiao Hui entered the hall, her face still slightly flushed, now sporting a black hoodie and black pants. "Miss Alex, I''m done!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. The transformation was complete. She could feel the surge of power, the elevation of her Life Tier. It was truly an epic upgrade. "How do you feel?" Alex asked, her voice laced with concern. "Amazing! And I think I understand the difference between death angels and fallen angels now." She spread her arms, and a pair of massive black wings, similar to Lilith''s, sprouted from her back. The dark energy swirling around her was identical to Alex''s dark magic. Alex smiled, pleased with the outcome. The death angel bloodline, combined with Xiao Hui''s dark affinity, had granted her complete mastery of dark magic. Currently, only Crane, among the undead, could utilize a sliver of dark magic, enchanting his blade with it. Xiao Hui then proceeded to explain the specific characteristics of death angels, comparing them to fallen angels and regular angels. Fallen angels, despite their dark nature, were still classified as angels, or rather, half-angels. Of course, the system considered fallen angels and angels to be distinct races. But fallen angels originated from angels. It made sense to group them together. Fallen angels possessed not only dark attributes but also lacked gender. They typically maintained their angelic appearance, but their forms shifted during combat. This was similar to demons, who also possessed powerful transformation abilities. Death angels and regular angels, however, lacked this ability. Alex suspected fallen angels were a hybrid of angels and demons. Another key difference was that fallen angels didn''t grow additional wings as their power increased. Their wing count was determined by their Life Tier. In other words, they were born with a fixed number of wings. Alex could even gauge a fallen angel''s Life Tier by counting its wings. Below Monarch level, fallen angels had one pair of wings. King level fallen angels had two pairs, or four wings, Emperor level fallen angels would have six wings. Death angels, on the other hand, shared the Angel race''s wing growth pattern and lacked transformation abilities. They also possessed certain undead traits, like immortality and the ability to summon troops. Their primary combat style revolved around dark magic and soul magic, a stark contrast to angels'' holy light. All three types possessed angelic senses. But death angels, unlike the other two, lacked manipulation abilities. Instead, they could kill enemies and summon them as undead. However, summoning death angels was costly, a consequence of their transformed nature. Ordinary souls below Monarch level couldn''t be summoned. And summoning a death angel using a Monarch level soul only resulted in a Standard unit. Xiao Hui, as a race king, could only summon her own troops, not all types of undead. Of course, she could summon both living and dead angels as death angels without any restrictions. Alex even suspected she could summon fallen angel corpses. In short, all three types had their strengths and weaknesses. "That summoning method sounds like a pain," Sophie remarked, her brow furrowed. It seemed unnecessarily complicated. Why not just summon a Monarch level undead directly? Summoning a Standard death angel using a Monarch level soul was a waste. But death angels had a Sovereign level growth limit. That was their main advantage. Currently, only the race kings among the undead had surpassed the Sovereign level cap. The rest were limited to Emperor level. It seemed only the most elite troops could reach Sovereign level. "It has its merits. It''s a bit roundabout, but with Xiao Hui, their level cap is unlocked. They can level up after being summoned," Alex thought. Since the death angels have a high life limit, it is certain that these troops will not be easily summoned. Drake''s dragons, for example, required three days to summon a single unit. "Oh, and I have one more goodie for you," Alex said, picking up the Sword of Judgment and handing it to Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui, without hesitation, accepted it and opened her system interface. Sophie and Ruby, their curiosity piqued, leaned closer. Two gasps echoed through the hall. Ruby, however, remained silent, her face blank. She didn''t understand what all the fuss was about. "Holy cow, this weapon is insane!" "A Companion Weapon? It levels up with the owner?" They were stunned, speechless. This was too valuable. Alex should keep it for herself. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don''t get it, but I''m impressed," Ruby said, her gaze fixed on Alex. "Miss Alex, you should keep this awesome weapon. I don''t want it," Xiao Hui said, quickly handing it back. This was a future Divine Weapon! "Did it ever occur to you that my scythe is also a Companion Weapon?" Xiao Hui/Sophie: "Huh?!" "Wouldn''t two be better? One in each hand! Double the fun!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her logic impeccable. "You can only have one at a time. I can''t use it. And its special structure might improve your summoning method. It could be really helpful," Alex explained, shaking her head. In the end, Xiao Hui accepted the Sword of Judgment. Upon claiming the Sword of Judgment, the blade turned black, its surface now wreathed in black flames. Afterwards, Alex explained the concept of weapon spirits to Xiao Hui, advising her to choose wisely in the future. Alex had entrusted the weapon to Xiao Hui. Its final form, its evolution, was now in her hands. "Now you''re a true top-tier Lord," Alex said. "Hee hee, I''m gonna leave Xiao Mu in the dust!" Xiao Hui declared, her competitive spirit ignited. Alex then turned her attention to the Angel Barracks crystal on the table, gesturing for Xiao Hui to take it. "Go ahead and fuse the Angel Barracks." "Okay." Xiao Hui nodded and approached the table, picking up the crystal. But as she held it in her hand, she suddenly froze, turning towards Alex with a look of confusion on her face. "Miss Alex, there''s no system prompt." "Huh?" Alex, surprised by this unexpected development, approached Xiao Hui. "What''s the deal? Can''t you fuse it?" Xiao Hui shifted the crystal from hand to hand, but nothing happened. There was no system prompt, only a display interface showing basic information. But the interface was unresponsive. She couldn''t interact with it. "It won''t fuse?" Alex was puzzled. If it couldn''t be fused, she would have to build the Angel Barracks directly. While it would only produce ordinary angels, she could always transform them into death angels later. Or she could simply use the angels as they were, although their loyalty would be questionable. "Miss Alex, what should we do?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice laced with disappointment, handing the crystal back to Alex. As Alex''s fingers brushed against the crystal, a series of system prompts popped up, startling them all. [Death Angel bloodline detected in one of your subordinate Lords. New troop type unlocked: Death Angel.] [You must fuse the Angel Barracks crystal to unlock death angel troops. Fusing the crystal is irreversible.] [Option 1: Fuse with the Undead Barracks crystal.] [Option 2: Fuse with the Dark Jiao Barracks crystal (The Undead Barracks crystal will be unable to summon death angels. The Dark Jiao Barracks crystal will be consumed. Only one Barracks can exist between the main city and a vassal city).] [Note: If built separately, the Death Angel Barracks will be an auxiliary Barracks to the Undead Barracks, but it can still be upgraded. Destroying the main Barracks will also destroy the auxiliary Barracks.] They stared at the options, their gazes shifting to Alex. Essentially, it was about splitting off a portion of the Undead Barracks'' functionality to create a separate Death Angel Barracks. This was a unique situation, triggered by the death angel bloodline. Like the Lich Barracks and the Bone Dragon Barracks. "So the trigger was with me all along," Alex murmured, realizing why Xiao Hui couldn''t activate the crystal. As for the options, she quickly dismissed Option 1. Whether fused or not, the Barracks'' level would likely be fixed. Her Undead Barracks was already maxed out. Fusing the Angel Barracks wouldn''t allow for further upgrades. It was better to split off its functionality, creating a separate Barracks that could be upgraded independently. Alex selected Option 2, and the Angel Barracks crystal vanished from her hand. A new system prompt appeared. [Option 1: Build in the Undead Empire.] [Option 2: Build in Gemini City.] She selected Option 2, and the two Dark Jiao Barracks crystals, one in the Undead Imperial Capital and one in Gemini City, shattered simultaneously, turning to dust. A new Barracks, radiating a dark, unsettling aura, materialized in the original Dark Jiao Barracks'' location in Gemini City. "Boom, done," Alex said, closing the system interface. Xiao Hui beamed with delight. Gemini City now possessed both light and dark top-tier troops. It was well on its way to becoming the second most powerful city in the Undead Empire. "Hey, didn''t the Angel Lord have two buddies? A Behemoth and a Troll? They seemed pretty tough. Weren''t they unique troop Lords?" Xiao Hui asked, recalling Drake''s description of the Justice Alliance. "Nope. They bit the dust. Only the Angel, Titan, and Dragon Lords had unique troops," Alex explained. "Oh, right. A whole horde of undead are heading back to the main fortress soon. About three hundred thousand. Make sure they''re settled in. I''m gonna crash." "You got it." Alex headed upstairs, exhausted after a long day. She needed a good night''s sleep to replenish her soul force. Ruby, however, had already made her way to the kitchen, her priorities firmly focused on food. Meanwhile, in Gemini City, Xiao Mu, returning late at night, was startled by the sight of several angels. "Fallen angels?" He assumed Lilith had arrived, but a quick system check revealed their true nature: undead. He scrolled through the barrage of messages from Xiao Hui, finally understanding what had transpired. Overall, it was a good thing. Xiao Hui''s newfound power would allow her to keep up, preventing her from becoming dead weight. Xiao Hui: "Xiao Mu, check out the leaderboard! I finally kicked that old bat down a notch!" Xiao Mu chuckled. Only something like this could make his sister this happy. He opened the leaderboard. | Rank | Name | | 1 | [Hamburger] | | 2 | [Sky Dominator] | | 3 | [Phoenixcrest] | | 4 | [Dragonridge] | | 5 | [Inferno] | | 6 | [QuartzStriker] | | 7 | [Calamity Source] | | 8 | [Flame Spirit] | | 9 | [Earth Lord] | | 10 | [Bumble] | Chapter 336 - 336: Clayton City [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Time: 6:00 AM Alex woke up feeling refreshed and energized, her mana points and soul force fully replenished. Her cheeks were flushed, her complexion radiant. She was in peak condition. As she was about to head downstairs, she paused, a thought striking her. "Almost forgot." She shed her clothes and changed into a fresh set. Ruby had slain over two hundred thousand enemies at the Angel City. While most were Standard units, and Ruby had taken a share of the experience points, Alex had still leveled up. She was now lv.4 King level. It was just one level, but it was a significant milestone, marking her transition from early King level to mid-King level. Her power had increased exponentially, far beyond the simple addition of attribute points. She went downstairs. The others were still asleep. Their biological clocks were set for sometime between six-thirty and seven. She took advantage of the quiet time, pulling out the earth magic book and immersing herself in its contents. She wanted to master these spells before they continued their journey. They had completed the Yellowrock City vice president''s request in less than a day. It had been too easy. She would take her time, mastering this mid-level magic book before returning. Ruby, her eyes still half-closed, stumbled down the stairs, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She seemed oblivious to Alex''s presence in the main hall, heading straight for the dining room. Time: 7:00 AM Alex and Ruby were ready to leave. Xiao Hui and Sophie had finally woken up. "Miss Alex, you''re leaving already?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice laced with disappointment. "Yeah, we just came back to drop off your goodies." They had dealt with two minor issues. Their real journey was about to begin. "Okay. Leave everything to me," Xiao Hui said confidently. Sophie waved goodbye. Alex and Ruby vanished from the Undead Imperial Capital. Sophie, watching them leave, headed towards the palace entrance. "Hey, where are you going?" Xiao Hui asked, curious. She had always assumed Sophie had a lot of free time. "I''m going out. You should come with me. You''re undead now, right?" "Huh?" Xiao Hui stared at Sophie, confused. "Haven''t you noticed? Alex has a ton of undead now, but most of them are just cannon fodder. Useless. And all those corpses... it''s a waste not to summon them, but summoning them just makes the Undead Imperial Capital more crowded. And the Dark Forest is only so big. We can''t let all those low-level undead roam free. It''ll increase our chances of being discovered. The best solution is to develop some kind of special structure, like a bone pile or something, to power them up." Sophie''s sudden burst of seriousness caught Xiao Hui off guard. "You know, you actually have a point." She had to admit, Sophie was right. "I have a feeling Alex will be gone for a while. When she gets back, if everything''s still the same, won''t she think we''re slacking off? We should surprise her, you know? Look at all she''s done for us. We haven''t done nearly enough in return. We can''t let her carry all the weight." Sophie''s words resonated with Xiao Hui. They could relax when Alex was around, but now that she was gone, they had to prove their worth, to show her they were capable. "You''re right. Everyone else is working hard. We can''t just sit around and do nothing!" They left the palace, heading towards the outer city. The alchemy warlocks had already made some progress on developing new structures, but they hadn''t achieved any breakthroughs before Alex''s departure. Now, with the dwarves and hobgoblins as vassal troops, most of the artisans had reached Monarch level, expanding their capabilities. Several alchemy warlocks had also broken through to Monarch level. As their levels increased, their research would progress faster. After all, the system wouldn''t provide any more special rewards after establishing an Empire. They were on their own now. ... Meanwhile, on the Arsen continent, at Stone Pillar Mountain... Alex and Ruby emerged from the undead fortress, stepping onto the mountaintop. With no races left within Stone Pillar Mountain''s range, faith power had ceased to gather. The countless corpses that had littered the mountainside were gone, the area seemingly returned to its former state. "Alex, are we heading back to Yellowrock City?" Ruby asked. "Yeah, but let''s take our time. No rush." They flew southeast, their pace leisurely. An hour later, they left the rocky wasteland behind, a small oasis appearing in the distance. And near the oasis, a human city stood tall. "Let''s check out that city," Alex said, her curiosity piqued. She had noticed it on their way to Stone Pillar Mountain, but they had been focused on reaching their destination. "Sweet!" Ruby exclaimed, excited to explore a real human city. Mage Association branch cities were too sterile, too boring. The city, called Clayton City, had a massive gate, only half of it open. Dozens of human soldiers, clad in brown armor, stood guard on either side. The walls were lined with various high-tech gadgets, remnants of the Republic''s technological prowess, designed to repel invaders. Yellow triangular flags fluttered atop the watchtowers. The city itself was primarily constructed from a locally sourced type of rock. As they approached, Alex noticed the city''s sparse population. The guards at the gate seemed tense, their focus on defense. There was no sign of civilian traffic. But they had come this far. Alex wasn''t about to turn back now, especially with her Mage Association credentials. As Alex and Ruby descended from the sky, the soldiers tensed, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. Even the commanding general was alerted. Alex, with a single glance, assessed the general''s strength: lv1 Monarch, on par with Baldwin. "Who are you? Why have you come to Clayton?" the general shouted from atop the wall. Alex raised her golden badge, and the general and his soldiers'' faces lit up with relief. "Greetings, honorable Magus!" they shouted in unison, kneeling on one knee. The general hurried down from the wall, his face apologetic. "Forgive our rudeness, honored Magus." "It''s fine. Is this city also facing conflict?" Alex asked, waving away his apology. The general led them into the city. "It''s a long story. Clayton City, as the Republic''s frontier city, has been plagued by strange creatures lately. They''re elusive, shadowy figures, usually appearing in groups of two or three. They haven''t launched any large-scale attacks, but they''ve caused widespread panic." He led them to a small, sparsely furnished room within the city walls. It contained only a bed, a table, and a chair. It hardly seemed fitting for a general. "Is this where you live?" Ruby asked, surprised by the room''s simplicity. "Yes, our city is a frontier town, scarce in resources. Moreover, we''re threatened by those cunning creatures. As the city''s only Monarch, I must remain vigilant, and it''s only fitting that I reside in such a place. Once the danger has passed, I can move to somewhere more comfortable. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the Mage Association is currently assisting the Republic with the war effort and can''t spare any support, so I have no idea when that might be," the general explained, his face etched with worry. Alex settled into a chair, her brow furrowed in thought. Why was Clayton City a frontier city? Knight City, the Holy Court''s stronghold, was located further northwest. Did the Holy Court''s human cities not fall under the Republic''s jurisdiction? She decided to keep her questions to herself. It was best not to reveal her ignorance. According to the general, almost every frontier city was experiencing similar harassment from these mysterious creatures. Their objective was clearly to sow chaos and fear. And Alex had never encountered creatures like the ones he described. It was either a new race she hadn''t encountered before or some kind of summoned entity. "This is likely the Holy Court''s doing," she mused aloud. The general, despite his limited knowledge, grasped her meaning instantly. His eyes widened in alarm. "You mean... the Republic''s sudden invasion is also their doing?" "It''s just a theory. And the Mage Association will handle it. You have nothing to worry about," Alex reassured him. She wasn''t here to clean up the Mage Association''s messes. Unless it directly affected her interests, of course. "Honored Magus, I implore you to help us eliminate these creatures!" the general pleaded, his voice sincere. Alex considered his request. If she could find evidence linking the Holy Court to these attacks, it could spark a conflict between them and the Mage Association. And for Lords like her, chaos among the local factions was always a good thing. It created opportunities. "I''ll stay in Clayton City for three days. Then I must leave," she said, her tone noncommittal. Alex needed time to master the earth magic book. Dealing with these creatures was just a side quest. "Thank you!" the general exclaimed, his face beaming with gratitude. He had no doubt about her abilities. A four-star Magus, a King level mage... With her help, they would get to the bottom of this mystery. He then remembered something, retrieving a circular yellow badge from his room. "Honored mages, please accept this general''s badge. It will grant you free food, lodging, and transportation within the city. Shall I arrange accommodations for you?" Alex declined, but Ruby, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of free food, eagerly accepted the badge. "No need. We''ll explore the city on our own." They bid the general farewell and headed into the city. The soldiers at the gate, their spirits lifted by the mages'' arrival, watched them go. Clayton City, as a frontier city, had little in the way of human culture. Its inhabitants were mostly soldiers and their families. But, compared to Yellowrock City, it felt more like a real human city. The streets were wide and clean, paved with stone. The buildings, tall and imposing, with black, pointed roofs, resembled medieval castles. As they approached the city center, the number of shops increased, but the streets remained deserted. Many shops were open, but their interiors were empty. Windows were shuttered, the houses huddled together, their walls forming a continuous barrier, broken only by the main roads and a labyrinth of narrow alleys. Ruby, her eyes wide with curiosity, wanted to explore every nook and cranny. Alex, however, was unimpressed. This city was no different from the ancient cities she had seen in history books. One thing puzzled her, though. If humans were originally summoned by Lords, and Freelancers had been integrating into their society for countless eras, shouldn''t their architecture be more advanced? Humans on Earth had entered the industrial age long ago. Why hadn''t those technologies appeared in these human cities? Was her assumption wrong? They found a small inn near the city center. It wasn''t fancy, but it was clean and unpretentious. The rooms, like the shops, were empty. And since everything was free, they chose the largest room on the fifth floor. The innkeeper, awestruck by the presence of two mages, treated them with the utmost deference. Even without the general''s badge, he wouldn''t have charged them. Mages, arriving in Border Town at a time like this, were their saviors. "This is your room, honored mages," the innkeeper said as he unlocked the door with a rusty key. A musty odor wafted from the room, a testament to its long disuse. The furnishings were sparse: two beds, a table with an oil lamp, and a bathroom. Everything was newly replaced and spotlessly clean. The room itself was surprisingly spacious. Creak! Alex stepped inside, the wooden floorboards groaning under her weight, as if threatening to collapse. "You can leave now," she said, dismissing the innkeeper. "Yes, honored mages. Please don''t hesitate to call if you need anything." The innkeeper backing out of the room and closing the door. Alex settled down at the table near the window, the sunlight streaming in, illuminating the pages of her book. The window offered a panoramic view of the city. After a while, she closed the book, retrieved her badge, and handed it to Ruby. "Go ahead. I knew you couldn''t wait. I''ll skip this one." "Yay!" Ruby exclaimed, snatching the badge and rushing out of the inn, eager to sample the local cuisine. Chapter 337 - 337: Mysterious shadowy creatures Alex wasn''t worried about Ruby''s safety. As a King level powerhouse, she was practically invincible in this backwater town. Who could possibly threaten her? Alex, meanwhile, would use this time to master the earth magic book. It was a welcome break from their hectic schedule. ... Time flew by, and soon evening arrived, the sky darkening as the sun dipped below the horizon. Alex closed the earth magic book, rubbing her tired eyes. Her understanding of the book''s contents had deepened, her control over earth magic becoming more fluid, more instinctive. It would take an ordinary mage at least a year to master a mid-level magic book, but Alex''s affinity for magic was exceptional. She had learned it in a matter of days. "Maybe I''m a magical prodigy," she mused, gazing out the window. The setting sun bathed the small town in a golden light, creating a picturesque scene. As darkness deepened, lights flickered to life in the houses below. Wealthier families used mage-enchanted stones for illumination. But judging by the inn''s humble appearance, the owner couldn''t afford such luxuries. Alex, using her earth and fire magic, crafted a makeshift lamp. It was crude, but it served its purpose, illuminating the dimly lit room. Ruby had been gone for hours. Alex was about to go looking for her when the door creaked open, revealing Ruby, a smudge of grease on her cheek. "You''ve been eating all day?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not all day. Maybe half a day," Ruby replied matter-of-factly. "By the way, this inn was empty when we arrived this morning. Now it''s packed," Ruby remarked, her brow furrowed in confusion. Alex, after a moment''s thought, understood. "The owner must have spread the word. People feel safer staying near mages." The townsfolk were terrified of the unknown creatures. And proximity to mages offered a sense of security. Night fell, but the city remained peaceful. Alex and Ruby were about to turn in for the night. "Looks like those creatures are taking a night off," Alex said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. She had been hoping to catch a glimpse of these mysterious beings. "Good riddance. If they show up, we''ll squash ''em!" Ruby declared, her voice brimming with confidence. These creatures couldn''t be King level. Otherwise, Border Town would have been wiped out already. Or perhaps they were trying to avoid attracting the Mage Association''s attention, deliberately keeping their forces below King level. If Border Town fell, the Mage Association would definitely intervene. Ruby burrowed under the covers, ready for sleep. Alex was about to do the same when a muffled conversation from the next room caught her attention. The walls were thin, and their King level senses picked up every word. "Jenny, scoot closer. Spread your legs wider!" ... "Oh my God, Richard, you useless man! Your cock is smaller than my finger!" Alex, hiding under the covers, cringed. She hadn''t expected to encounter such an awkward situation in this city. The walls were paper-thin. She could hear every detail of their lovemaking. It was over in less than three minutes, much to the woman''s displeasure. Judging by their voices, they were a young couple, likely wealthy, considering they could afford a room on the fifth floor, right next to hers. "Alex, are they fighting?" Ruby asked, poking her head out from under the covers. "Maybe they''re... exercising," Alex replied vaguely, hoping to change the subject. "Exercising?" Ruby looked at her skeptically. "Yeah, they''re just... working out." As if on cue, the sounds from the next room ceased. Alex was about to drift off to sleep when a scream ripped through the night, jolting her awake. "Aah!" It was the man''s voice. Had he been brutally murdered for failing to satisfy his partner''s desires? Alex and Ruby hadn''t sensed anyone else entering the room. The woman had to be the killer. "Alex, should I go check it out?" Ruby asked. "Nah, I''ll go." Alex got out of bed, activating her Invisibility skill as she headed towards the door. The hallway was abuzz with activity, the guests whispering anxiously, their fear palpable. But no one dared open their doors. Even the innkeeper was nowhere to be found. Alex, her Invisibility concealing her presence, opened the door to the next room and stepped inside. The sight that greeted her sent a chill down her spine. The woman was dead! The room was dark, the woman''s face frozen in a mask of terror, her eyes wide with shock, as if she had witnessed something unimaginable. The man lay on the bed, his throat slashed, blood staining the white sheets crimson. It wasn''t the woman. There had been a third person in the room, someone who had evaded both her and Ruby''s senses. Alex hurried to the window, peering out into the darkness. The street below was deserted, the only sound the gentle whisper of the wind against her face. She was certain these two had been killed by the creatures, those elusive, shadowy beings. She focused her senses, trying to detect any trace of their presence, but there was nothing. They had vanished without a trace. She pulled out a mage-enchanted stone, illuminating the room, and examined the woman''s wound. It was identical to the man''s: a clean, precise cut to the throat, an instant kill. She stood up, her brow furrowed in thought. What kind of creature could infiltrate this inn without her noticing? Then, her gaze fell on the woman''s body, and her eyes widened in horror. "They don''t have shadows!" She hurried to the bed, her mage-enchanted stone illuminating the man''s body. He, too, lacked a shadow. How was that possible? She was stunned, baffled. This was beyond creepy. She drew her scythe, activating her Soul Sight. The world around her turned white, the details fading away, replaced by a hazy, ethereal glow. Behind the two corpses, their souls lingered, their forms fading rapidly, their essence dissipating into nothingness. Their souls were still present, but they were fading, dissolving. That was the truly disturbing part. The man and woman hadn''t been powerful. They were Standard level. Their souls should have lingered for at least seven days after death. But these were fading fast, their essence dissolving into nothingness. They would be gone within half an hour. "It''s the wound on their necks!" Alex realized the truth. The creatures'' attacks could harm souls, accelerating their dissipation. What kind of creatures were these? She deactivated her Soul Sight, secured her scythe, and flew out the window, heading towards the city gate. She needed to speak to the general, to learn more about these creatures. ==== Clayton City Gate, City Defense Fortress. Alex arrived at the gate, only to be greeted by another unexpected sight. Beasts were attacking the city! There were only a dozen or so, mostly Commanding level, with no Monarchs in sight. They were a distraction, their presence clearly orchestrated. The Clayton City general was engaged in battle outside the city walls, his lv1 Monarch strength barely holding back the onslaught of Commanding level beasts. The soldiers on the walls were providing support fire, their attacks peppering the battlefield. Within the city, however, the defense force was woefully inadequate, numbering only a few hundred, with no Commanding level soldiers in sight. Alex guessed that most of the border troops had been deployed to the front lines, leaving Clayton City vulnerable. And the attackers, despite possessing the strength to overrun the city, were merely harassing them. Their motives were unclear. The soldiers and the general, their attention focused on the beasts, were oblivious to Alex''s arrival. Suddenly, a bolt of purple lightning struck the battlefield, instantly obliterating the beasts. The general turned, his eyes widening as he saw Alex hovering in the air. "Thank you for your assistance, honored Magus!" The soldiers, breathing a collective sigh of relief, followed his gaze and saluted. "Thank you, merciful mage!" "Let''s go inside. I have some questions for you," Alex said, landing gracefully beside the general and leading him back into the city. The soldiers began clearing the beasts'' corpses. The conversations of powerful figures were none of their concern. "Tell me everything you know about those shadowy creatures," Alex said, leading the general to his room. She noticed, that the general did have a shadow. One of her theories had just been debunked. "I only saw them once. It was a shadowy figure, moving incredibly fast. I tried to pursue it, but it vanished around a corner," the general replied, his voice respectful. "Was it during the day or at night?" "At night." "Have there been any attacks during the day?" The general paused, racking his brain. "No, all the victims were killed at night. But the beasts have been spotted during the day." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex''s question had made him realize that the beasts were a red herring, a distraction. Of course, as the city''s sole protector, burdened with both administrative and combat duties, it was understandable that he had overlooked this detail. "Do you still have the victims'' bodies?" "Yes, we have a few. They were killed recently. We haven''t had time to dispose of them yet." "Take me to them." The general led her to the city morgue, where three bodies lay, all killed on the same day. Each victim had a single, fatal wound to the neck. Alex illuminated the bodies with her mage-enchanted stone. "Notice anything unusual?" she asked the general. The general, his brow furrowed in concentration, examined the bodies carefully. But he couldn''t find anything out of the ordinary. "Their shadows," Alex prompted. The general''s eyes widened in realization. The victims had no shadows. Nighttime attacks. Shadowy figures. Missing shadows. These clues pointed towards a specific type of creature. But with thousands of races in this world, no one could claim to know them all. "Do you recognize this race?" Alex asked. The general shook his head. "Never seen anything like it." "Perhaps you didn''t lose it. Perhaps it merged with the shadows, becoming invisible," Alex suggested. "So they only attack at night to conceal themselves?" the general murmured, piecing together the clues. "And they can evade my senses. Interesting." Alex turned and left, her mind racing. She had a good idea of what they were dealing with now. The general, watching her go, was stunned. "What kind of creature can even evade a King level mage?" Alex, instead of returning to the inn, suppressed her aura and wandered through the deserted city streets. She wanted to draw the creatures out. If they could evade a King level mage''s senses, finding them in this sprawling city would be nearly impossible. It was better to use herself as bait. She also wanted to test whether ordinary light could reveal their presence. If so, finding them would be much easier. And if she could kill one, she could use the system to identify its race. But she wasn''t sure how many there were, or if they would even attack tonight. These creatures, with their shadowy nature, were likely aligned with darkness, the opposite of angels. Perhaps the Holy Court wasn''t behind this after all. She walked aimlessly, blending in with the darkness, the city shrouded in an eerie silence. After half an hour, with no sign of the creatures, she changed tactics, venturing into the city''s dark, narrow alleys. A faint sound, a soft thud, echoed from the end of one alley. Alex, her eyes adjusting to the dim moonlight, peered into the darkness. "Just a stray cat," she muttered, her shoulders slumping slightly. She turned and continued her exploration. Just then, a cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the blood moon, plunging the city into absolute darkness. Chapter 338 - 338: Shadow race Suddenly, a surge of killing intent washed over Alex, a cold shiver running down her spine. A shadowy blade, its edge glinting menacingly in the darkness, pierced the darkness, aimed straight for her throat. In the blink of an eye, an invisible ripple spread outwards, freezing the surrounding space, time itself grinding to a halt. The blade, however, was mere millimeters from her neck. "Gotcha!" Alex snapping her fingers. A burst of flame illuminated the alley, revealing her attacker. It was a humanoid figure, shrouded in darkness. No, calling it a shadow was more accurate. Its entire form was pitch black, the blade in its hand an extension of its body. It had no discernible face, only two glowing red eyes peering from its featureless head. The firelight cast its flickering shadow on the ground, but the shadow was amorphous, a shapeless blob. It could clearly conceal itself within shadows, merging seamlessly with the darkness. Even now, with the creature completely immobilized, Alex couldn''t sense its presence. It was like trying to sense a void. After all, who could sense a shadow? "What a freaky creature. But I''ll figure you out soon enough," Alex muttered, her gaze fixed on the shadowy figure. She had no intention of questioning it. This creature was unlike anything she had ever encountered. Releasing her spatial lock, even for a moment, would give it a chance to escape, rendering all her efforts pointless. Killing it was the best course of action. At least the system would tell her what it was. But it seemed to be a dark entity, lacking a physical form. Ordinary attacks wouldn''t work. Her left eye glowed blue, and she unleashed a powerful soul attack. The shadowy figure dissolved instantly. As the last vestiges of darkness faded, Alex was certain it was dead. No creature, regardless of its form, could exist without a soul. [Congratulations! You have slain a lv1 Monarch Shadowling. You have gained 110 experience points.] "Shadow Race?" Alex blinked in surprise. It was a race she had never heard of. And judging by its power, it should have been a powerful race. But she had never encountered any mention of shadow race in her dealings with the other powerful races. Shadowling, upon death, left behind neither a physical body nor a soul. If there was a corpse, a fragment of the soul would linger, allowing for undead summoning even after a soul-based death. But without a physical form, the shattered soul simply dissipated. Now that Alex knew what she was dealing with, she had to inform the general. She would advise him to instruct the townsfolk to keep their lights on at night, to maintain a well-lit environment. It would make it harder for the shadow race to infiltrate their homes. And it would give her a chance to intercept them. Then, she would return to Yellowrock City and consult with the vice president. As an Emperor level mage, he would surely know something about Shadowlings. ... By the time Alex returned to the inn, dawn was breaking. Ruby, who had been waiting up for her, perked up as she saw Alex enter. "You''re back! What happened?" "I killed one, but I''m not sure how many more are lurking around. They''re called Shadowling. Ever heard of them?" Ruby thought for a moment. Her mother had drilled her with all sorts of knowledge from a young age, grooming her to be the next clan leader. And her father had regaled her with tales of the outside world, expanding her horizons despite her sheltered upbringing in the far north. But she shook her head. "A race that powerful shouldn''t be so obscure. Maybe they''re not from the Eldoria continent." "You might be right." Alex changed her clothes and crawled back into bed. "I''m beat. I need to catch some Z''s. If you''re hungry, go grab some grub. It''s almost dawn. They won''t be active during the day. And after losing one of their own, they''ll probably lay low for a while." Alex buried her head under the pillow and fell asleep instantly. Ruby, having stayed up all night, was famished. She headed downstairs for breakfast. The innkeeper, his face pale and drawn, was hovering nervously in the main hall. He practically jumped for joy when he saw Ruby, as if her presence had banished all his fears. "Oh man, and could you have those two bodies upstairs removed? We took care of the creature. We''re terribly sorry about their deaths," Ruby said, her sensitive nose wrinkling at the thought of spending another night with the scent of blood lingering in the air. "Y-yes, of course! Thank you, honored mages!" the innkeeper stammered, his relief palpable. He hurried off to summon two employees to handle the gruesome task. "Did I say that right? Is that how humans talk?" Ruby wondered as she left the inn. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] After Alex''s encounter with the shadow race, peace returned to Clayton City. There were no more attacks, no more beastly distractions. But the townsfolk remained wary, keeping their lights burning brightly at night, their fear of the shadows lingering. "Was it really just that one Shadowling causing all the trouble?" Alex wondered, her brow furrowed in thought. It seemed too simple. Surely it hadn''t just stumbled into Clayton City by accident. The general had mentioned that other border cities were experiencing similar disturbances. But it was wartime, and communication between cities was restricted. The generals only had contact with their superiors. Even the Clayton City general was unaware of the situation in other cities. Alex had mastered the mid-level earth magic book, her skills honed to perfection. With some free time on her hands, she and Ruby decided to explore the city, experiencing its local culture. But as a border city, it wasn''t exactly a bustling metropolis. After a day of sightseeing, they hadn''t found anything particularly noteworthy. There were no powerful families vying for control, as Alex had initially assumed. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The wealthy residents were mostly merchants, their families content with their businesses, avoiding unnecessary conflicts. ... Time flew by, and their departure day arrived. "Honored Magus, the general requests your presence at a dinner tonight, as a token of gratitude for restoring peace to Clayton City," a soldier announced, bowing respectfully before Alex and Ruby. Alex wasn''t keen on attending, but Ruby''s pleading eyes swayed her decision. It was their last day in Clayton City. Who knew when they would return? "Alright, we''ll be there." "Excellent!" the soldier exclaimed, rushing off to inform the general. "You only agreed because of the food," Alex said, rolling her eyes at Ruby. "You''re the best, Alex!" Ruby chirped, her smile widening. They continued their leisurely stroll through the city. Despite its small size, the townsfolk were incredibly welcoming, greeting them with smiles. To them, mages were revered figures. And Alex and Ruby''s approachable demeanor only enhanced their popularity. ... Meanwhile, a hundred miles north of Clayton City, a lone figure stood amidst a desolate wasteland, the scorching sun beating down mercilessly. He gazed towards Clayton City, his eyes narrowed. Several shadowy figures, Shadowlings, stood beside him. The Shadowling that had attacked Clayton City three nights ago hadn''t been alone. Another one had been lurking in the shadows, observing the situation. When its comrade fell, it had retreated, returning to this man with the news. The Shadowlings gathered here were responsible for harassing the border cities. He had summoned them all to this location. The surviving Shadowling hadn''t seen Alex clearly, so it couldn''t gauge her strength. But the man was certain she was a Monarch. He knew the number of King level mages in Yellowrock City. He was aware of their locations. The mage in Clayton City couldn''t be a King. A high-level Monarch, at most. That explained how she had defeated a lv1 Monarch Shadowling so easily. "Strange. Why would a mage be stationed in a small border town? Well, you won''t be leaving that city alive," he muttered, his voice laced with venom. It was daytime. Attacking now would be disadvantageous for the Shadowlings. He would wait until nightfall. He doubted the mage could identify them, but he couldn''t risk it. She had to die, even if it meant disobeying his superiors'' orders. "Merge!" he commanded the Shadowlings. The shadowy figures dissolved, merging into a single, amorphous blob on the ground. The shadows swirled and coalesced, forming a new Shadowling, its aura radiating power. The man smiled, satisfied. This King level Shadowling would surely eliminate the mage. ... Night fell, and Alex and Ruby arrived at the palace for the dinner, as promised. The gathering was small, consisting of the general, a few high-ranking officials, and no one else. "Honored Magus, please, take a seat," the general said, gesturing towards the head of the table. "Thank you," Alex replied politely, choosing a random seat. Ruby, as always, sat beside her. As Ruby removed her hood, revealing her long, flowing white hair, the general and the officials gasped, their eyes widening in surprise. They were stunned by her beauty, her youthful appearance. Alex, however, kept her hood up. She was only here for Ruby. The general and the officials didn''t dare comment. Mage Association robes were specially designed to conceal the wearer''s face. Ordinary people rarely saw a mage''s true appearance. The dinner conversation revolved around the general''s expressions of gratitude and Alex''s polite responses. The others mostly listened in silence. Ruby, however, was focused on the food, her appetite seemingly insatiable. She was the only one actually eating. "General, you have nothing to worry about. I''ll report this matter to the Yellowrock City branch tomorrow. We''ll get to the bottom of this. Those civilians'' deaths won''t be in vain," Alex said, her voice firm. "That''s reassuring," the general replied, relieved. A Magus carried weight within the Association. With Alex involvement, they would surely take this matter seriously. A lull fell over the conversation, broken only by the clatter of Ruby''s utensils. The servants had already replenished the dishes three times. As Ruby finished her meal, Alex prepared to leave. But suddenly, the shadow beneath her feet rippled, and a shadowy figure materialized behind them, its movements silent, its presence undetectable. The general and the officials gasped, but it was too late. The creature was too fast! A black dagger shot towards Alex''s throat, its trajectory precise, its speed blinding. Clang! A flash of white, and a long blade intercepted the dagger. The temperature in the room plummeted, and a wave of icy energy sliced through the air. The shadowy figure vanished, the attack missing its mark. The palace wall, however, crumbled, a massive crack appearing where the icy energy had struck. Ruby, her long blade in hand, stood protectively behind Alex, her eyes narrowed and her expression fierce. Yet she was still chewing, with a piece of food visible in her cheek. The general and the officials breathed a collective sigh of relief. This girl wasn''t just a bottomless pit, she was also a powerful warrior. The general knew that if he had been the target, he would be dead. Ruby, sensing something, vanished, her form blurring as she pursued the attacker. "You guys should hide. It''s a King level. They''re clearly after us," Alex said calmly, rising to her feet. The officials, their faces pale with fear, scrambled for cover. Only the general remained composed. "Please be careful, honored Magus," he said, bowing respectfully. A King level battle was beyond his capabilities. Even a stray attack could kill him. "It seems that Shadowling wasn''t alone," Alex muttered, her gaze fixed on the shattered wall. She was certain now that they were being watched, their movements tracked. This attack had been too precise, too deliberate. Outside the city, Ruby hovered in the air, her blade at the ready, her senses alert. Alex joined her, her right eye glowing red. A massive red magic circle materialized above her head. A fireball, a hundred times larger than her own body, erupted from the circle, its heat and light intense, illuminating the entire city. The Shadowling, caught in the sudden blaze of light, was exposed. Chapter 339 - 339: A King level Magus, who could it be? Ruby quickly scanned her surroundings and noticed a patch of darkness on the ground. A shadow existing in such a brightly lit area could only mean one thing: a Shadowling. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An invisible slash shot towards the shadow, leaving a massive crack on the hard rock street. The shadowling, however, split into countless smaller shadows, dodging the attack and flying towards Ruby at high speed. They then merged back into their original form in front of her. A black dagger thrust towards Ruby''s chest, but she parried it with her blade. Spatial energy instantly locked down the surrounding area, but it failed to trap the Shadowling, who dodged again. However, the surroundings were now brightly lit, and the Shadowling had lost its greatest advantage. It was still fast, but its speed was nothing compared to Ruby, who possessed spatial magic. Through their brief exchange, Alex had already determined that the Shadowling was no match for Ruby. It was even slightly weaker than the average level 1 King level. Lacking in frontal combat ability and unable to use stealth, the Shadowling had nowhere to hide and could only choose to flee. Ruby blocked its path, and it looked back to see Alex standing calmly behind her. After a moment''s thought, it actually charged directly at Alex. Alex hadn''t revealed her true strength, which might have seemed like an opportunity to the Shadowling. As it lunged at Alex, the Shadowling suddenly froze in mid-air. It felt a soul-piercing attack that dulled its reactions. In the next instant, Alex raised her right hand, and a lightning spear crackling with terrifying destructive power condensed in her hand. She then hurled it with lightning speed. The Shadowling tried to dodge, but the surrounding space was locked down, rendering it immobile. The lightning spear pierced straight through it. Alex extinguished the fireball, plunging the entire city back into darkness. The King level Shadowling was easily killed by the combined efforts of Alex and Ruby. With the commotion in the city gone, people started to cautiously open their windows, peeking out to observe the situation. There were only two mages emitting terrifying auras in the sky, and the enemy was long gone. The general was also shaken by the battle he had just witnessed. He had never seen such a high-level fight, but he didn''t expect the enemy to be so weak that two mages could easily defeat it. Meanwhile, on the rocky wasteland a hundred miles away from Clayton City. A man looked ahead, watching the firelight that had suddenly lit up in the distance disappear. He knew that this operation had failed. The opponent knew how to deal with Shadowlings and had survived the first assassination attempt. Their strength was definitely not to be underestimated. Even he himself might not be fully confident in winning against them now. "A King level Magus, who could it be?" he wondered. It wasn''t surprising that the opponent used fire magic, as most mages in Yellowrock City preferred to cultivate both fire and earth magic, which could significantly enhance their combat effectiveness. But as far as he knew, there should only be one level 8 female Magus left in Yellowrock City, and she wasn''t skilled in fire magic. He racked his brains but couldn''t figure out where this King level Magus had come from. The man turned and left. He had already lost too many Shadowlings, and he had to report this situation to his superiors. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] By now, Alex and Ruby had left Clayton City and were heading back to Yellowrock City. Alex had no intention of dealing with the mess in Clayton City. She would just tell the Yellowrock City Mage Guild branch about it. If it weren''t for the remaining magic books, she wouldn''t even want to go back to Yellowrock City. Of course, she had another purpose in mind. She was quite interested in this Shadow race and hoped to learn more about them through the Mage Guild. Intelligence and information were always paramount. Unfortunately, the King level Shadowling didn''t leave a corpse behind, so she couldn''t summon it as an undead. However, Alex didn''t dwell on it too much. These Shadowlings were somewhat similar to Elemental Lords in that they could elementalize themselves to dodge attacks. This time, Alex and Ruby didn''t waste any time on their way back and soon returned to Yellowrock City. "Ruby, you can wait for me at that restaurant. I''ll be back soon," Alex instructed, deciding not to take Ruby with her to avoid unnecessary explanations. "Ugh, I can''t believe I can''t freeload here anymore. How depressing," Ruby complained. "Didn''t they say they were inviting you to be the guardian mage of Clayton City when we left?" Alex said with a smirk. "As if! I''m never staying in that godforsaken place," Ruby said with a disgusted look. Alex gave Ruby some gold coins, gave her a few more instructions, and then headed alone to the Mage Palace in the city center. The layout inside was similar to the Hurricane City Mage Guild. She quickly found the Vice President''s office. Knock, knock! "Come in," a husky and magnetic voice came from inside. Alex pushed the door open and saw the Vice President looking at her with a smile. "How did it go?" he asked. Alex recounted the events as they had transpired. Since Raphaela was already dead, there was no need to hide anything. After listening to her story, the Vice President pondered for a moment, a hint of surprise on his face. "I can''t believe there''s an Angel Lord among those extraterrestrial visitors." The Vice President looked a little ashamed. "You did well. If she had been discovered by the Angels or the Holy Court, it would have been a huge problem." Alex thought she heard something in his words and immediately asked, "Aren''t Angels very exclusive? Shouldn''t they have just killed her outright?" "No, on the contrary, they might even offer her a position. Angels aren''t born emotionless creatures. They are transformed through repeated holy light baptisms. To them, those who haven''t undergone the baptism don''t count as Angels. Conversely, any creature that has completed the baptism will be accepted, even if they weren''t born an Angel." The Vice President''s words told Alex that the Angels weren''t a race that developed for the sake of their own kind. They were more like a church. They gained power through faith, and those who couldn''t gain power weren''t considered their "followers," even if they were their own children. They would be treated as extraterrestrial visitors. "What a cold and ruthless race, yet they have such grand ambitions," Alex remarked. "You''re right. They are quite annoying," the Vice President unexpectedly agreed with Alex. If there were outsiders present, they would probably spread rumors detrimental to the human race. "Give me your badge," the Vice President said. He wanted to help Alex register. When he received the badge, he was a little surprised to see that it was a growth-type badge, which meant it could automatically level up with Alex''s level. "I can''t believe you''ve already reached four stars in just a few days." "Just a little bit of luck," Alex said modestly. "Don''t be so humble. You are a rare magic genius." The Vice President handed the badge to a subordinate to have the Yellowrock City mark engraved on it. "By the way, I encountered something strange while passing through Clayton City on my way back." Alex then told the Vice President about the Shadow race. The Vice President''s face was etched with astonishment as he listened. This was the first time Alex had seen him so shocked. "Shadowling, are you sure the creature you encountered was a Shadowling?" Alex nodded firmly. Of course, she couldn''t say that the system had confirmed it. She could only come up with an excuse, like saying she had seen it in a magic book in Thunder City or that Eldrin had told her about it. "Vice President, is there something wrong with the Shadowling?" The man stood up abruptly, his expression grave. "There are records of the Shadow race in the guild''s library. They were wiped out by the Titans five hundred years ago. How could they suddenly appear on the Arsen Continent?" Alex was also taken aback. A race that had been wiped out five hundred years ago? "Vice President, what''s the relationship between the Titan race and the Angel race?" "The Titans and the Angels have always kept to themselves. However, recently, the conflict between the Titans and the Demons has intensified again, and they are on the verge of war. The Holy Court has also intervened for some reason, but it''s unclear whether the Angels are behind it." The Vice President was still deep in thought, but he answered Alex''s question. He himself was a little skeptical of his last sentence. The Holy Court''s recent actions were very unusual. If the Angels weren''t behind it, he wouldn''t believe it himself. The Holy Court used to have its own mind, but in recent years, it had completely become a vassal of the Angel race. It could be said that behind every action of the Holy Court, there was the shadow of the Angel race. Now that the Shadow race had reappeared, it could only mean that the Titans hadn''t completely wiped them out five hundred years ago. Perhaps they had become their vassals. Both the Titans and the Shadow race were on the Tyrangar Continent. Moreover, the Shadow race''s development background was very similar to that of the undead race. Both were suppressed and eventually wiped out by powerful races just as they were about to reach their peak. And now, the Shadow race had not only appeared on the Arsen Continent but was also harassing human cities at such a sensitive time. There was no doubt that the Titans had joined forces with the Angel race! Among the mages in the Mage Guild, almost no one except those at the president level knew about the existence of the Shadow race. It was just like how the native races of the Arsen Continent didn''t know about the undead. Therefore, they were being cautious and only dared to harass and distract, as they were worried about the risk of the Shadowlings being exposed. "This information is very important. I must report it to headquarters immediately." The Vice President realized the gravity of the situation and immediately sat back down, starting to write on the desk. Then, right in front of Alex, he lit the letter on fire, turning it into ashes. The Titans and the Angel race were suspected to have joined forces, and now they were planning to attack the Demon race. It seemed that the current situation was about to become chaotic. Alex hadn''t expected that her unintentional actions would unearth such important information. If it weren''t for the system, she wouldn''t have known the name of the race. Because it had been such a long time, even the current Vice President would have had a hard time associating these basic characteristics with the Shadow race. He then began to flip through books, looking for information about the Shadow race''s characteristics and how to counter them. Shadowlings were natural assassins, which happened to be the bane of all mages. Soon, he found records of the Shadow race in a dusty book called "Records of Extinct Races." It detailed all the races that had been wiped out. However, there was no mention of the undead race because the undead empire had only been scattered, not truly destroyed. There were still many undead survivors. The most terrifying thing about Shadowlings was their ability to devour shadows. They could rapidly grow stronger by assassinating their targets and devouring their shadows (souls). Moreover, Shadowlings could also devour each other. It was more accurate to call it fusion. Several low-level Shadowlings could fuse into a higher-level one, and the process was irreversible. Shadowlings also had a special way of communicating. They were intelligent, of course, but no one could understand their language. Their weakness was naturally light. They were more suited to being invisible in dark environments. Once they merged into the shadows, they would completely lose their presence, coming and going without a trace. However, according to the book, the power of light could directly dispel them. It was what they feared the most. Both the Titans and the Angels possessed this ability. The Vice President wrote down these characteristics, intending to inform all the mages. If there were Shadowlings on the front lines, their losses would be multiplied. They had to be on guard. "Your unintentional act has made a great contribution to the Mage Guild." The Vice President thanked Alex and handed her a high-level earth magic book. "This is what you deserve. This information alone is enough." "Thank you." Alex politely accepted the magic book and returned the original mid-level magic book. Just then, a mage walked in. Her badge had been engraved. Along with it was her Honorary Mage personal record. The Vice President took it and examined it, a strange look on his face. "Do you know the basic requirements of an Honorary Mage?" he asked, looking at the blank file. Alex was taken aback. So there were requirements for Honorary Mages like her? "I''m not sure. Eldrin didn''t tell me," Alex shook her head. "One month, complete a task for the Mage Guild. This is the basic requirement. After all, Honorary Mages are considered part-time personnel of the guild," the Vice President explained. "Then I should be considered to have completed two tasks this time, right?" Alex asked, relieved. The Vice President just laughed. "Discovering the Shadow race can be considered a first-class honor for the guild. You won''t have to complete these basic requirements in the future." Alex was speechless. Then why did he even bother telling her? Although she complained inwardly, she still put on a respectful expression. "It''s my honor to serve the guild. I just don''t like being restricted, which is why I didn''t join. However, my passion for magic remains unchanged." "Very well," the Vice President said with a gratified smile. As evening approached, Alex bid farewell and left the Mage Guild. Chapter 340 - 340: Shadow Specter Alex arrived at the restaurant and found Ruby. Alex was still holding the high-level magic book the Vice President had given her. "Looks like I''ll be staying here for a few more days." She couldn''t imagine having to return to Yellowrock City to return the book after she had finished learning all the spells. It was too much of a hassle. She might as well stay here for a few more days and leave after she had mastered high-level earth magic. "Alex, are we leaving?" Ruby asked, looking up at her. "Let''s stay a few more days," Alex said, explaining her reasoning. She planned to return directly to Hurricane City from Yellowrock City. After all, the Eldoria Continent was her main focus. They found an inn and went in to rest. ... [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Early the next morning, a mage apprentice found Alex. "Respected Magus, your mage tower is complete. It was previously occupied by a fallen Magus. You started the renovations before you left, and it''s now ready for you to move in," the apprentice said respectfully. Alex nodded. She hadn''t expected the Vice President to be so thoughtful. The interior of the mage tower was engraved with many magic circles, which could greatly enhance the gathering of elemental energy. It was an excellent place for mages to cultivate and meditate. Moreover, the environment was quiet and undisturbed, and it could save her expenses. Soon, Alex took Ruby to her mage tower. It was a little different from the Vice President''s mage tower that she had seen before. This mage tower was smaller in scale and weaker in gathering elemental energy. The exterior was very ordinary. It was thick at the bottom and narrow at the top, forming a slender cone that looked like a straight ivory tusk. Arriving at the bottom of the tower, Alex gathered her magic energy on a crystal, unlocking the door and entering. The interior was a different world. The rooms, excavated using spatial magic, didn''t feel cramped at all. There were five floors in total. The facilities inside were all very complete, and there was a dedicated person to deliver meals at fixed times every day. At the same time, mages with mage towers could also take on apprentices and teach them. Of course, Alex didn''t have that in mind. She was just a passerby in the Mage Guild. She went to the window, opened the magic book, and began her boring and tedious study. Meanwhile, in the undead imperial capital. After a few days of research and development, Sophie and Xiao Hui had actually managed to create a special building to strengthen the undead. Both of their faces were filled with joy. Their hard work with the artisans over the past few days had paid off. "Great! Should we find some undead to test it out?" Xiao Hui asked Sophie. "Sure." Soon, they summoned a few hundred specters for the experiment. In front of them was a blue magic circle emitting magical waves. It was filled with various energy enchantment stones and tiny runes. Standing beside them were liches, necromancers, and even a clone of the Death Spirit. Setting up this magic circle required a lot of summoning magic and the liches'' ability to ignite soulfire. As the magic circle activated, a raging blue flame ignited in front of them and the undead. The only way to make these low-level undead useful and prevent them from becoming cannon fodder was to reduce their numbers, fuse them together, and create a new type of undead with a higher life limit. They had gotten this idea from the bone pile that Alex had created. Soon, the specters, following their orders, entered the magic circle and were instantly engulfed in blue flames. Their soul bodies then began to shrink and compress, finally merging completely with the soulfire burning within them. Hundreds of soulfires floated quietly in the huge magic circle. As a blue light shot out from the center of the magic circle, all the soulfires converged towards the center. When the blue light in the center of the magic circle disappeared, a dense ball of soulfire formed. It slowly unfolded, finally taking on its original form. Its appearance was not much different from the original specter. It was still an inconspicuous pale blue ethereal form. But now, it emanated the aura of a Monarch level undead. Seeing this, Xiao Hui and Sophie were overjoyed. This meant that their fusion experiment was a success. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The specter had broken through the original level cap of Commanding level and reached Monarch level! Xiao Hui immediately stepped forward excitedly and opened the system interface to check its information. [Shadow Specter] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: Monarch] [Level: 1 (Can be leveled up by killing enemies)] [......] [Life Limit: King level] "Its life limit has reached King level! Doesn''t that mean that as long as we fuse enough specters, we can create a King level specter?" Xiao Hui was very happy that their hard work over the past few days had paid off. However, fusing a King level specter would probably require tens of thousands of ordinary specters. "Yes, specters are ethereal to begin with, and with the liches'' help, it''s relatively easy to fuse them. I think the hardest part is fusing the corpse-type undead," Sophie said. She had done a lot of research on the undead in the past few days and knew a little more. She had divided Alex''s undead into three categories: skeleton-type, ethereal-type, and corpse-type. The first two were represented by the bone dragon and specters, while the latter included zombies, ghouls, zombie titans, and so on. The hardest to fuse were the corpse-type undead. However, among the corpse-type undead, only the zombie had a relatively low level cap. The other types mostly had very high level caps and basically didn''t need to be fused. These three types were all natural undead summoned by Alex. Then there were the transformed undead like the death angel, and the fused undead like the bone pile and the Shadow Specter. Based on this, Sophie further divided them into three categories: summoned, transformed, and fused. When she discussed this with the artisans, they all agreed with her classification method. "It''s really troublesome to fuse corpse-type undead. I think ethereal-type is the easiest, but it''s a shame there''s only one type of specter," Xiao Hui said. When it came to corpse-type undead, she didn''t know where to begin. Although the ghost dragon was also an ethereal-type undead, its life limit was already very high, so there was obviously no need to fuse it. Of course, the higher the life limit, the more difficult it was to fuse. "Forget it, we''ll think about that later. Let''s focus on fusing all the specters first." "Okay." Chapter 341 - 341: Apostle of the Dragon Race [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] On the third day, on the Mossvale Continent, in Dragon City. Drake claimed his system rewards, built another Auxiliary Barrack in the city, and casually tossed the Tear of the Race into his Warehouse. He hadn''t slept a wink the previous night, busy conquering yet another race. Looking at the Tears of the Race in his Warehouse, he now had five. Thanks to Sophie''s successful development of the specter fusion method in the undead imperial capital, the number of King level undead had surged, successfully alleviating the pressure on the Featherfolk battlefield. They had also sent several King level undead to support Dragon City and Gemini City. This greatly reduced the pressure on Drake. Even with his current Monarch level strength, he now had the confidence to challenge some King level race. He only needed to give the orders, and the Death Spirit would handle the summoning. As the war continued, there would only be more and more King level undead. Drake had now reached level 9 Monarch level and was only one step away from breaking through to King level. Once he reached King level, he would be able to establish a vassal kingdom. This way, he could collect faith for the undead empire. He believed that as a vassal king, he would definitely have a lot to offer. A few days ago, Alex had completely wiped out the Angel Lord and her followers. As instructed, all the resources she gained were given to Drake. With Alex''s strong support, both Drake''s city and Barracks had reached max level. However, to his disappointment, the improvement wasn''t as significant as he had imagined. Summoning one dragon every three days seemed to be the limit of the Barracks, even at max level. The good news was that the dragons summoned now had a higher bloodline activation level and would grow stronger faster. Coupled with the Monarch level troops summoned by so many Auxiliary Barracks every day, he could now easily deal with the current dangers. His primary goal now was to break through to King level and establish a dragon kingdom. But today was the seventh day since he had left the undead imperial capital. According to Alex''s rule, they had to gather and discuss their progress and future plans. Drake put aside his current tasks and left the undead and dragons in charge. With the Death Spirit and several King level undead here, nothing could go wrong. Just as Drake was about to leave for the undead imperial capital, a green dragon suddenly barged into his territory. This green dragon wasn''t as big as an adult dragon and didn''t have forelegs. It only had two thick hind legs and a pair of massive wings. It slowly landed on the ground, using its folded wings as forelegs to support its body. The entire green dragon was about as tall as Dragon City''s walls. It was green all over, but the Dragon Presence it emanated told Drake that it was a pure-blooded dragon. The terrifying Dragon Presence pressed down on the sub-dragons in the city, making it difficult for them to even lift their heads. Only the Rock Dragon and the undead were unaffected. Drake was shocked and on high alert. All the Shadow Specters were ready for battle. "Is the one supporting you that newborn undead lord?" the green dragon spoke in human tongue. It didn''t seem too surprised to see the undead in the city, as if it had known all along. It''s not here to cause trouble? Drake was taken aback, but he didn''t stray too far from the Portal of Transit, ready to escape at any moment. "Yes." Besides Alex, who else could the undead lord be? "Don''t be nervous. I am an apostle of the dragon race and mean you no harm. The bloodlines of these dragons are not fully activated. They are not true dragons and are of little use to us. You can continue to develop here. We will not interfere." The green dragon stood outside the city, looking at Drake, who was on top of the palace, and said some strange things. It was not hard to hear from its words that they considered Drake''s dragons to be outsiders and did not accept them. The same went for the sub-dragons in the primeval forest. The dragon race''s strength didn''t rely on these sub-dragons to pave the way for them. To them, these sub-dragons were no different from outsiders. "Then what is the purpose of your visit?" Drake asked. If it wasn''t here for him, then it must be here for Alex. "The undead lord, the newly born undead lord, is exceptionally talented. She is bound to reach Sovereign level within a hundred years. We hope to cooperate with the undead lord, after she reaches Sovereign level, of course." The green dragon revealed its purpose. In return, they would not interfere with Undead Lord''s development on the Mossvale Continent. This was their sincerity. What?! Drake was shocked and incredulous. Alex was only at King level now, and the powerful dragon race actually wanted to cooperate with her? The green dragon saw Drake''s doubts but didn''t explain further. If the undead lord were here, it might have said a few more words, but it obviously wasn''t very interested in Drake. It wasn''t even worried about whether the undead lord would agree because they had a common enemy. "But I can''t make the decision for the undead lord," Drake said tactfully, trying to contain his surprise. "She will agree. You just need to tell her what I said." With that, the green dragon spread its wings and flew away. It couldn''t very well tell Drake that they needed the undead to attract the attention of the Angel race, could it? The dragon race was currently weak. If they went to war with the Angel race, they would definitely lose. Their best ally would have been the Demon race, but the Titans'' involvement had disrupted their plans. The human race was preoccupied with their own affairs, and the Sea Race was too mysterious. Therefore, the dragon race could only set their sights on the resurgent undead race. There was no other way. They had to take revenge on the Angel race. The undead race had the shortest development cycle among all races. The dragon race could wait for them for ten or even a hundred years. But don''t forget that the undead still had many old allies. Once these old allies joined them, this time would only be shortened. Once the undead lord reached Sovereign level, the Angel race would definitely come to kill her. At that time, the dragon race would seize the opportunity and launch a direct attack on the Angel race. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dragon race knew very well that the Angel race had become increasingly active in recent years. They had to take the initiative. Drake, left behind, was completely dumbfounded. He didn''t even know what the dragon race was up to. He immediately sent a message to Alex, telling her everything the dragon apostle had just said. However, Drake felt that Alex on the other side didn''t seem too shocked. She simply replied, "Let''s talk about it when I reach Sovereign level." "The dragon race, so they''ve had their eyes on me for a long time?" But this was also good news. If the dragon race promised not to interfere, then Alex and Drake could be bolder in their development on the Mossvale Continent and no longer have to hold back. Soon, Drake, having adjusted his mindset, reassigned tasks to his troops and changed his development strategy. This time, their development would be even more aggressive. With everything in order, Drake entered the Portal of Transit and headed for the undead imperial capital. Chapter 342 - 342: Warlord Skull In the grand hall of the undead imperial capital, four figures sat around a table, the Death Spirit Clone standing silently beside them. They were gathered to report on their respective progress. Death Spirit, Drake, and Xiao Mu took turns detailing their advancements, while Xiao Hui listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with a comment or question. The northern regions, from the Twinface Mountains to the far north, were now completely under their control, seamlessly connecting the undead territory with the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. Expansion efforts continued eastward in the Dark Forest and westward in the Barren Plains. Gemini Territory, surrounded by weaker factions, faced no significant threats. Their primary concern lay with the two most powerful native races of the Arsen Continent, currently embroiled in a war against the humans. These formidable forces were also engaged in their own power struggles, creating a volatile landscape. Xiao Mu believed that if not for the presence of major factions, the undead could easily conquer the Arsen Continent, given enough time. Both Gemini Territory and the undead territory were developing smoothly, their expansion almost effortless. Drake, bolstered by the King level undead reinforcements and the dragon race''s non-interference agreement, was making remarkable progress in Dragon Territory. He was growing bolder with each passing day. The Featherfolk battlefield in the dwarf territory remained the most challenging front. Progress was slow and arduous, a grueling war of attrition. However, the undead held a distinct advantage in a war of attrition against the Featherfolk. Among Alex''s subordinates, Drake was level 9, Xiao Mu was level 8, and Xiao Hui remained at level 7. "Your top priority now is to reach King level," Xiao Hui addressed Xiao Mu and Drake. "Kill as many enemies as you can. Try to avoid accepting their submissions. With our current fusion technology, we can create one King level undead from roughly ten thousand standard undead." "We''ll continue to research new fusion techniques here to further enhance our strength," Sophie added. "By the way, what about that bone thing in the city? I heard it can summon King level undead too. Why aren''t we using it?" Drake''s question reminded the others of the bone pile. "Let''s go take a look. Alex made that thing. We haven''t touched it," Xiao Hui said. The group headed towards the wall, where the bone pile stood. From afar, it appeared small, but up close, it towered over them at a staggering 10 feet tall. An eerie black energy emanated from the structure. However, there was no system interface to be found. All eyes turned to Xiao Hui, urging her forward. As a death angel, she was considered undead and might possess a natural affinity for the structure. "If I remember correctly, this bone pile was created by fusing all those Skeleton Soldiers," Xiao Hui said. Tens of thousands of Skeleton Soldiers had been sacrificed to create it. If they were truly all fused together, its level couldn''t possibly be just level 1 King level. As the bone pile activated, a massive magic circle unfurled beneath it, stretching to the edges of the wall, its diameter reaching almost a hundred meters. The bone pile trembled, and gigantic bones rose from its depths, converging above. They assembled into a colossal skeletal creature, identical to the one that had attacked the hobgoblin kingdom, but this one was even larger and radiated a more terrifying aura. The magic circle on the wall began to shrink, condensing into a ball of blazing soulfire that then shot towards the giant skeletal creature and merged into its body. At that moment, blue flames ignited in the creature''s empty eye sockets, and its massive body stirred to life. "Thank goodness, it''s just one. I thought there would be a whole bunch of them," Sophie sighed in relief. Fewer numbers usually meant greater individual strength. Xiao Hui, with everyone watching, opened the system interface to check the creature''s information. Its true power was finally revealed. [Warlord Skull] [Race: Undead] [Loyalty: 100% (Never Betray)] [Life Tier: King level] [Level: 6 (Can be leveled up by killing enemies)] [......] sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Life Limit: Emperor level] "Level 6?!" Everyone gasped in astonishment. This was currently the highest level among all the undead in the undead imperial capital. Tens of thousands of max-level Commanding level skeletons had fused into a single level 6 King level entity. It was definitely more cost-effective than ten level 1 King level undead. "As expected of Alex. The undead summoned by the structures she creates have a life limit of Emperor level, while ours are only King level," Sophie said, her admiration for Alex evident. This was the first time the bone pile had been fully activated. Even Alex herself might not know its true strength. "Let''s send it to the Featherfolk battlefield with the Death Spirit. That''s where we need high-level King level support the most. Any objections?" Xiao Hui asked the group. "None," Xiao Mu and Drake agreed. Low-level King level undead were already a great help to them. With the addition of the Warlord Skull, they might be able to take down the Featherfolk and significantly bolster the undead empire''s power. "Right, all the special structures in the undead imperial capital have been upgraded to King level. Who''s taking the enhancement crystal?" Sophie retrieved the crystal from her Warehouse and offered it to Drake and Xiao Mu. They exchanged glances. "You take it. You need it more than I do," Xiao Mu said. Drake didn''t refuse and accepted the enhancement crystal from Sophie. "Don''t lose it, or our leader will be very upset," Sophie reminded him. The group returned to the palace, while the Death Spirit left with the Warlord Skull, which, after all, didn''t need any food. As evening descended and the four of them enjoyed dinner and light conversation, a different scene was unfolding on the eastern border of the dwarf kingdom on the Arsen Continent. A group of Templar Knights clad in silver armor had gathered. They had just completed a mission and were preparing to return to Knight City. However, they stopped less than a hundred miles from the Featherfolk territory and began to confer amongst themselves. "The Featherfolk are too close to the human cities. We''ve been making too many moves lately. It''s not wise to provoke them further." "Agreed. Featherfolk were at war with the undead. They''re of no use to us. They just want us to help them fight those undead." The Templar Knights were aware of the undead empire''s rise, so the mention of undead didn''t faze them. Their goal was to get the Featherfolk to help them attack the humans, not to fight the undead for them. These were critical times. Even though the undead weren''t a major threat, they didn''t want to stir up trouble. If the humans discovered their presence in Featherfolk territory, it would be a huge problem. "Alright, Bofur, you go alone. Investigate the situation and remember to stay hidden." They were still reluctant to give up on the Featherfolk as a potential ally. "Yes, Captain." Bofur removed his armor, handed it to his comrades, and ventured alone into Featherfolk territory. Chapter 343 - 343: Celines threat Three days later, Alex received an unexpected message from Xiao Hui. The Warlord Skull had slain a human King level on the Featherfolk battlefield. Judging from the human''s abilities, it was highly likely they were from the Holy Court. Alex paused her studies in the mage tower. It seemed the Holy Court had set their sights on the Featherfolk, aiming to conquer them, but had stumbled upon the ongoing war between the Undead and the Featherfolk. However, something didn''t add up. If their goal was to subdue the Featherfolk, why send a single King level weaker than the Featherfolk chieftain? While she couldn''t be certain of the intruder''s identity, one thing was clear: they weren''t a mage. Alex had been secluded in her studies and hadn''t heard any news about the Featherfolk. Since the slain individual was undoubtedly human, the most logical conclusion was their affiliation with the Holy Court. "When was this person killed?" Alex inquired. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Last midnight. We''ve already summoned them as an undead. They''re a level 7 King level now," Xiao Hui reported. "Is their body still intact?" Alex pressed. "It should be. I''ll check with the Death Spirit." A moment later, Xiao Hui confirmed that the body remained untouched. The battle had taken place on Featherfolk territory, and the undead lacked the capacity to disassemble corpses. Alex deduced that the body was likely abandoned on the battlefield. "Good. Find two dwarves immediately and have them deliver the body to Yellowrock City. Remember, it has to be under the pretense of the dwarf kingdom," Alex instructed. This was a golden opportunity, a gift from the Holy Court to the Mage Guild, and Alex intended to exploit it fully. The only puzzle was why they had only sent one person. "Well, no use dwelling on it," Alex muttered, dismissing the thought. She closed the system interface and returned her attention to the magic book. With all seven spells learned and her new realm ability successfully integrated, she was eager to test her newfound power. However, Yellowrock City wasn''t the place for such trials. For now, she could only continue her studies and further hone her abilities. "Alex, are you ever going to finish those books?" Ruby whined, scratching at the door with her claws. She had been cooped up for three days straight and was bored out of her mind. "Almost done. Be patient," Alex said, assuring her that they would leave Yellowrock City as soon as she finished her studies. An hour later, a peculiar parchment materialized on the wooden table before her. Alex''s brow furrowed. This was the Mage Guild''s unique communication method. Why would it be delivered to her? She picked up the parchment and read the message. "Come to my mage tower. We need to talk. Make sure you''re not followed." It was signed simply, "Celine." Celine? Nori''s mother? What could she possibly want? Despite her reservations, Alex decided to hear her out. This was Yellowrock City. Surely Celine wouldn''t dare to break the rules and harm her here. Closing her magic book, Alex stood up, activated her Invisibility, and slipped out of the mage tower, leaving a slumbering Ruby oblivious to her departure. Mage towers in Yellowrock City bore their owner''s name, and those currently in use emitted a soft yellow glow. Even without knowing Celine''s exact location, Alex could easily identify her tower. It didn''t take long for Alex to find it. The entrance at the base of the tower stood open, concealed from view by a swirling barrier of quicksand magic. While visually impressive, any mage with even a rudimentary understanding of earth magic could easily bypass it. Alex, still invisible, stepped through the barrier, deactivating her Invisibility as she entered Celine''s mage tower. She ascended the spiraling staircase, finally reaching Celine on the third floor. This floor served as Celine''s meditation chamber, a cluttered expanse of books, artifacts, and various magical paraphernalia. "I didn''t expect you to actually come," Celine said, her voice laced with surprise. She wasn''t wearing her mage robes, her attire a form-fitting yet elegant gown that accentuated her figure. She was, as Alex noted, a woman who aged gracefully. "Why wouldn''t I? State your business," Alex retorted, her patience wearing thin. She harbored no illusions about Celine''s animosity towards her. If not for the chance to glean valuable information, Alex wouldn''t entertain this meeting for a second. "So it was you, the outsider lord who controls the dwarf kingdom. To think you''ve infiltrated the Mage Guild," Celine sneered, her gaze fixed on Alex, as if trying to decipher her thoughts. "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Alex replied calmly, suppressing her inner turmoil. Celine had no proof. As long as Alex maintained her innocence, there was nothing Celine could do. "Don''t play coy with me. You know about Nori and me. The look on his face when he died, a mixture of fear and shock, told me he knew you. The others may not believe what he said, but I do. You are the true ruler behind the dwarf kingdom," Celine declared, unwavering in her conviction. "I''m just an Honorary Mage from Thunder City. The Vice President is fully aware of your accusations. If you bear a grudge because I killed that outsider, take it up with him. Don''t you dare slander me with baseless accusations. If that''s all you have to say, then I''ll be on my way." Alex''s words were flawless, leaving no room for argument. She turned to leave. "If I report this to the guild, they''ll have no choice but to investigate," Celine threatened from behind. Alex stopped in her tracks and turned back, her expression a mixture of amusement and disdain. "Be my guest. Do you honestly believe the Vice President would take your word over mine, an Honorary Mage who just made a significant contribution to the guild? You''ll be the one facing ruin when the truth comes out." To Alex''s surprise, Celine burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Did I say I was going to report it to the guild? The Vice President is away on guild business. There''s no one here. I could kill you right now and blame it on the Shadowlings." Celine began gathering mana, her intentions clear. She was going to make good on her threat! She didn''t care if Alex was the outsider controlling the dwarf kingdom or not. "You killed Nori. Now that you''re here, you''re not leaving alive!" With a flick of her wrist, Celine unleashed a wave of magic, sealing the entire third floor, trapping Alex inside. Alex, playing along, feigned terror, backing away until her back hit the cold stone wall, leaving her nowhere to run. "This is Yellowrock City! You wouldn''t dare harm me here!" Celine only grew more emboldened by Alex''s fear. "How naive. Perhaps you''ll be more careful in your next life!" Chapter 344 - 344: Weakness is a sin When Celine had so confidently revealed her suspicions about Alex''s true identity, a plan had begun to form in Alex''s mind. The very reason Celine wanted her dead would become the key to her demise. After all, no one would believe a four-star Magus could kill an eight-star Magus. Alex''s fear was a carefully crafted act, designed to make Celine drop her guard. Celine had every advantage. Her level, her mastery of earth magic ¨C the perfect counter to Alex''s lightning magic ¨C and the fact that Alex was trapped within her mage tower, with no escape route. Celine, feeling confident and in control, never expected Alex to strike first. But Alex was done playing the victim. Two points of light, one blue, one red, flared within the depths of Alex''s hood ¨C her eyes. In a flash, Alex vanished, activating her Sacrifice skill. Nearly one hundred thousand undead were instantly sacrificed, their essence surging into her, propelling her to level 8 King level! She reappeared before Celine, a massive black scythe in her hand, its blade aimed at Celine''s heart. Soul magic and curses slammed into Celine. Alex was going all out. At level 8 King level, within this confined space, Alex was confident no mage, especially not one as physically weak as Celine, could withstand her. Celine stared in disbelief. How could Alex have become so powerful so quickly? Instinctively, she conjured a wall of rock around herself. But it was futile. The ornament on Alex''s scythe pulsed ¨C a soul attack! Celine''s mind was assaulted by unimaginable pain. Blood trickled from her eyes and mouth, her thoughts scattered. She had to get away! But her rock wall shattered upon contact with the scythe. Impossible! Fighting through the pain, Celine scrambled back, narrowly avoiding being cut in two. But the scythe still grazed her. She crashed against the wall, falling to the ground. One exchange. That''s all it took for Alex to cripple her. Celine, struggling to stay conscious, was shocked. Alex had been hiding her true power. She was defeated. She looked at Alex, a stranger now, with mismatched glowing eyes, wielding a monstrous black scythe, radiating an aura of menace. "You... You''re one of them! A extraterrestrial visitor!" Celine gasped. "You''re right, but it''s too late for you. I''ll make your death look like the work of a Shadowling. No one will believe a four-star Honorary Mage could kill you," Alex said coldly, echoing Celine''s own words. Out in the open, it might have been more difficult, but here, trapped within Celine''s own mage tower, her fate was sealed. Celine fumbled for a potion, but Alex saw her and shattered the vial with a blade of spatial energy. "Don''t bother. Weakness is a sin. Did you really think I was a weak mage like yourself?" Celine had guessed Alex''s secret, but instead of exposing her, she had chosen to act on her own. Foolish. Celine, weakened by blood loss and the soul attack, was fading fast. Alex retracted her scythe, summoned a dagger of dark magic, and plunged it into Celine''s neck. Simultaneously, she used nature magic to heal the wound inflicted by her scythe. The scene was now a perfect imitation of a Shadowling attack. She couldn''t forget to take Celine''s soul. She used summoning magic to capture Celine''s soul, holding it in her hand. Finally, she erased any traces of her own magic with dark magic. Satisfied, Alex activated Invisibility and left Celine''s mage tower. She couldn''t return to her own tower yet. Celine''s soul wouldn''t last long. With the Vice President away, it was the perfect opportunity to slip out of Yellowrock City and summon Celine as an undead. Twenty minutes later, Alex''s level dropped back to level 4 King level. She was miles away from Yellowrock City. "This will do," she muttered, landing on the ground. She opened her hand, releasing Celine''s soul, and summoned her as an undead. It was the first time Alex had used her Sacrifice skill in battle. She hadn''t pushed her level to 9 because the higher the level, the greater the sacrifice. She had managed to cripple Celine due to several factors: the enclosed environment, Celine''s arrogance, and her ignorance of Alex''s true abilities. The loss of one hundred thousand standard level undead was a small price to pay for a lv 8 King level undead. With this new addition to their ranks, the Featherfolk battlefield would soon fall, providing them with yet another high-level King level undead. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the summoning ritual concluded, Alex turned back towards Yellowrock City. An hour later, she was back in her mage tower, still invisible. The entire had taken less than two hours. Ruby was still asleep, oblivious to Alex''s actions. Bored and unable to indulge in fine dining, Ruby could only sleep to pass the time. Alex calmed herself and resumed her studies. [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Night fell, and the Vice President returned to Yellowrock City. With only two King level mages under his care, he made an effort to look after them. During their scheduled meal delivery, the apprentices noticed something amiss at Celine''s mage tower. There was no response to their calls. Wary of disturbing a high-ranking mage, they continued their rounds, calling out every half hour. After four attempts with no answer, they reported the anomaly. Soon, shocking news spread throughout Yellowrock City: Celine, an eight-star Magus, was assassinated in her own mage tower! "Respected Magus, the Vice President requests your presence in the main hall. It''s urgent," an apprentice called out from outside Alex''s tower. "Understood," Alex replied calmly. She closed her book and left her mage tower, her heart calm. "I heard a King level Magus was killed in the city?" Ruby asked. "Yes, the one I fought with a few days ago," Alex replied casually, not revealing the truth. The Vice President was back, and caution was advised. "I''ll be back soon. Wait here." Alex left her mage tower and headed towards the main hall. Inside, the hall was packed with every official mage in the city. Alex, the only King level mage present, along with a few Monarch level mages, stood out amongst the mostly Novice Mages. Apart from the Vice President, Alex was the highest-ranking mage present. Celine''s body lay in the center of the hall, surrounded by whispering mages. The Vice President, his face worried, brightened slightly upon seeing Alex enter. "Alyssa, come take a look. Do you think this was the work of a Shadowling?" His knowledge of Shadowlings came solely from books. He had never encountered one and hadn''t expected their retaliation to be so swift. The mages parted, creating a path for Alex. She crouched beside Celine''s body, examining the wound on her neck. "Vice President, this is identical to the wounds I''ve seen before. It''s definitely the work of a Shadowling," Alex confirmed. The mages were uneasy. A powerful eight-star Magus, slain in her own tower without a sound. It was a chilling reminder of their own vulnerability. The Vice President pondered. Could it be that their presence had been discovered, prompting this attack? Shadow race were the bane of mages, capable of silent, swift assassinations. But how did they know he was away? This crisis had caught him off guard. The Shadow race were a threat, and they needed to act quickly. Upon his return, he began to investigate and found that both Celine and Alex had not left their mage towers. Besides, Alex had no motive to kill Celine, nor the power to do so. She was only a lv 4 King level mage, and instant kills were practically unheard of in mage-on-mage combat. "Alyssa, what are your thoughts on this?" the Vice President asked. All eyes turned to Alex. "I believe the Shadowlings are connected to the Holy Court. The Angel race doesn''t have a branch in the Arsen Continent, so the Holy Court acts as their representatives. They''re up to something. As for why a Shadowling attacked Yellowrock City today, it means our cover is blown." The Vice President understood. There was a traitor among them. As for why Alex had been spared, she was a newcomer, an Honorary Mage, not officially registered. The traitor was unaware of her existence. The mages began to debate. Some advocated for informing their superiors and strengthening their defenses. Others wanted to confront the Holy Court. Knock, knock! A knock on the door silenced the room. All eyes turned to the entrance. "Enter." A mage apprentice entered. "Vice President, two dwarves are here with a body. They believe it belongs to a member of the Holy Court." The Vice President was surprised. "Bring them in!" Two dwarves, escorted by apprentices, entered the hall, carrying the body of a Templar Knight. They laid the body on the ground. The mages gathered around, the Vice President''s face grim. Even from his seat, he could sense the residual energy from the body. It was a Templar Knight, his level comparable to Celine''s. "Where did you find this body?" the Vice President asked the dwarves. The dwarf kingdom lacked the power to kill a high-level King level. "Your Excellency, we found him on the border of the Featherfolk territory. Our king instructed us to deliver his body to you," one of the dwarves replied. They didn''t recognize Alex in her mage robes. "The Featherfolk?" The Vice President wasn''t concerned with how the Templar Knight had been killed. The Featherfolk chieftain was a high-level King level, capable of killing a Templar Knight. He was furious at the Holy Court. They were manipulating the elves and giants against the humans, and now they were targeting the Featherfolk. The Mage Guild had lacked evidence, but now they had a body. They could easily prove it belonged to the Holy Court. Coupled with the suspicion surrounding the Shadowlings, it was clear the Holy Court held the Mage Guild in contempt. "Very well. You are dismissed. Thank your king for me." The dwarves left. The mages urged the Vice President to report the incident and declare war on the Holy Court and the Angel race. The Vice President, armed with evidence, knew he had to act. The death of a Magus and the Holy Court member''s body were enough to justify action. If the Holy Court denied involvement, they would confront the Titans. If the Titans couldn''t explain, they would join forces with the Demon race. The situation had escalated beyond his expectations. The meeting ended abruptly. Alone in the hall, the Vice President wrote a message to his superiors. Alex returned to her mage tower and resumed her studies. At her current pace, she would master high-level earth magic within five days. Before leaving, she planned to visit the Mage Guild''s library, hoping to find useful information. The recent events all pointed to the Holy Court. Alex was certain the Mage Guild would retaliate. Chapter 345 - 345: History of the Astralon Era The next day, Alex woke up early, threw on her mage robe, and headed for the library. She wanted to gather as much intel as possible about the planet Astralon during these few days. Once she returned to Hurricane City, she would probably no longer have such freedom. After all, she wasn''t a mage there. She had to apply for everything in advance, and her actions would be restricted. Arriving at the library, Alex found it wasn''t as grand as she had imagined. The room was small, with only three rows of bookshelves. There were a few mage apprentices searching for materials. Seeing Alex walk in, they all seemed a bit surprised. Moments later, they all left the library with their books, leaving Alex alone. "They probably think I''m here on a mission to find something? So they all politely left." It was better this way. If someone saw a Magus reading history books, wouldn''t that be strange? Alex browsed the shelves, trying to find some useful information. "''Basic Concepts of Magic''? Nope. ''Coordination and Mobilization of Elemental Power''? Not this one either. ''The Encyclopedia of Lovemaking Positions''... What the heck?" Alex flipped through the books one by one. Most of them were basic materials, useless to her. Of course, there wouldn''t be any classified information here, but the development history of the continents of Astralon, the origin of races... these couldn''t be considered classified, right? Alex almost went through the entire first shelf but couldn''t find any useful information. As for those basic magic theories, Alex casually glanced at them, feeling like they were as simple as calculating one plus one equals two. After all, she now mastered several high-level magic spells. "Huh? What''s that?" Alex spotted some yellowed papers pressed beneath a few books on the dusty bottom shelf. It seemed like the books there hadn''t been touched in ages. As she pulled out the somewhat tattered paper and unfolded it, her face lit up with joy. "A complete map of the Arsen continent!" As a top power, it wasn''t surprising that the Mage Guild possessed a map of the continent. It was just that the map had been hidden here for a long time. Could it be that no one had ever found it and looked at it? Or did these mages already know about it, or simply not care? Unfolding the map, Alex first observed the more familiar forces marked on it. Of course, only some of the larger forces, or races with fixed settlements, were labeled. "Stone Pillar Mountain is actually located in the center of the Arsen continent?" Alex was a bit surprised. It was consistent with the information she had received. But strictly speaking, it wasn''t located in the exact center. Instead, the Southridge Republic seemed to be in the central position. The entire Arsen continent is roughly shaped like a long, narrow isosceles triangle, featuring two distinct vertical bands on the east and west sides. The eastern border is dominated by a mountain range that spans the entire continent, known as the Aurora Highlands. In contrast, the western side consists of a vast, intermittent plateau that is not continuous and remains unnamed. Lilith''s city was located on this western plateau, adjacent to the Endless Sea. Similarly, the southwestern side was the gathering place of the elves. The southeastern Aurora Highlands, adjacent to it, was the territory of the giants. The territories of humans, giants, and elves combined occupied nearly 30% of the Arsen continent. As for Dwarf City and Gemini City, the two cities were not far apart and were close to the human territory, so they were also located in the south-central part of the continent. As for the northern part of the Arsen continent, it was all occupied by weak forces with very limited territory. The entire continent was divided into two types of terrain. The north was mostly desert and rocky wasteland, while the south had more grasslands and forests, with a better environment. This was also the reason why most of the powerful races on the continent were located in the south. Alex memorized the map of the Arsen continent and then put it back in its original place. Apart from powerful forces like the human race and the Holy Court, the current native races of the Arsen continent might not be a match for the undead. There was a reason why the Arsen continent was called the weakest continent, but there was never a clear definition of the strongest continent. However, most races agreed that the Nytheria continent, unified by the Angel race, was the strongest continent. Alex continued to search for other useful books and soon found one on the second shelf. "History of the Astralon Era"! Although Edgar had told her about the history of the planet Astralon, it was definitely not that detailed. Alex immediately opened the book and began to read. "In the early days of Astralon, there was only one continent. However, the tectonic plate movement here was frequent, and it was a planet full of magma and toxic gases, unable to support any race. God bestowed his grace, dividing the continent into seven, improving the world''s environment, and creating holy cities scattered across the seven continents. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From then on, races were continuously born from the holy cities, marking the beginning of the First Era." Alex was a bit puzzled. This was completely different from what Edgar had said. Wasn''t it the first batch of Lords who descended on this void continent, and after thousands of years of fighting, the troops of the dead Lords slowly formed the races? Holy cities? It seemed that they were referring to the castles left behind by the former Lords. "It seems that the information here can''t be completely trusted. Most of it has been distorted." Alex continued to read, but only skimmed through it. She didn''t care about the ruling races of each era, as they were all in the past. Most era races would be wiped out by other races when a new era arrived, leaving them no chance to rise again. Only a very small number of era races could survive by relying on their unique advantages. It was conceivable that this must involve the intervention of the Lords who descended in each era. As for why every thousand years was called an era, which coincided with the time when the Lords descended, the book did not explain it, and there was even no record of the Lords from other worlds. This made Alex feel very strange. As a result, there was no way to know the connection between the two. But Alex guessed that the arrival of each batch of Lords might have the ability to change an era. Closing the book, Alex began to search for other books. These history books were not confidential but were very helpful for her to understand the planet Astralon. Therefore, she would not miss any history books. Chapter 346 - 346: City of Glory [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Alex rose early, packing her belongings into her ring and donning her mage robe. Closing the magic book on the table, she descended to the second floor, where Ruby was resting. "Wake up, sleepyhead. We''re leaving." Ruby bolted upright, her hair a mess, and rushed over. "Really? We''re finally leaving?" "Yes." Alex nodded, and with Ruby also cloaked in black, they left the mage tower and headed towards the main hall. But before leaving, they had to see the Vice President and return the magic book. Knock, knock! "Come in," the Vice President''s raspy voice came from within. Alex pushed the door open and saw a mountain of documents scattered across his desk. He seemed to be in the middle of something. Seeing Alex, he seemed to understand her purpose. "Vice President, I have finished studying the earth magic book and came to bid you farewell." The man didn''t seem surprised, merely looking at Alex with approval. "Go. A mage with your talent should venture out more to grow quickly." "Take care." Alex placed the magic book on the table and left the Vice President''s room. She then took Ruby down to the third basement level and informed the teleportation department of their departure. "Miss Alyssa, you''re leaving so soon? Why not stay in Yellowrock City for a few more days?" "I must be on my way. I''m not just a mage of Yellowrock City, so I can''t stay in one place for too long." Alex flashed her badge, and the person immediately understood. "I see. We look forward to your next visit." The person in charge quickly prepared the teleportation array. After a test run, Alex and Ruby vanished in a flash of white light, leaving Yellowrock City behind. Eldoria continent, Hurricane City. As soon as they stepped out of the teleportation array, Alex received a system notification. Someone was messaging her. For them to reach out at this particular time, it must be important. However, this place was too public, right inside Hurricane City. Alex didn''t reply immediately but headed outside with Ruby. This time, they weren''t planning to stay in Hurricane City. Their destination was the capital of the Starfallen Empire: the City of Glory. That was where the true power of the human race was gathered. Could the Holy Court and the Mage Guild be the only ones representing the vast human race? Alex didn''t buy it. If it weren''t for the need to apply, she would have even wanted to see a map of the Eldoria continent. But at this point, it didn''t matter. The Starfallen Empire would definitely have maps. Alex and Ruby set off north. The terrain here wasn''t much different from the Barren Plains, but the vegetation was more lush, with more greenery. Alex stopped in mid-air and opened the system dashboard. It was a message from Xiao Hui. "Ruby, the Beastman Empire''s envoy has gone to the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom." Ruby was taken aback, her face etched with surprise. "What are they doing there? Shouldn''t they be bothering the humans?" "This news came from Death Spirit. Maulclaw is dealing with them. They come with ill intentions." Alex said grimly. The fact that they didn''t directly attack the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom meant that the deaths of the previous Beastmen hadn''t aroused their suspicion. She had successfully deceived them. And this time, they came without knowing that Ruby now ruled the Arctic Tigerfolk. Their goal must be the Arctic Tigerfolk''s bloodline. Ruby was worried about the safety of her people. She knew that the current undead were no match for the Beastman Empire. Therefore, they couldn''t afford to engage in a war unless absolutely necessary. The priority was to stabilize the situation. "Alex, I have to go back and take charge." Ruby had made up her mind. She couldn''t let Alex get caught up in this. "Yes, it''s good for you to go back. After all, Maulclaw can''t lead the tribe right now. But remember not to act rashly again. If they insist on this, we can just try to appease them for now and leave the far north later." Alex advised, understanding Ruby''s concerns. For now, it was best to avoid confrontation. The Beastman Empire had Sovereign-level powerhouses, making them one of the top forces among the local powers. "I know, don''t worry." Ruby promised solemnly. With that, they bid each other farewell. Ruby headed north to the undead Imperial Capital, while Alex continued south towards the City of Glory. Hurricane City was located in the heartland of the Starfallen Empire, as was the Glory City, so the distance between the two cities wasn''t too far. It only took Alex an hour to see the City of Glory in the distance. It was a magnificent imperial city. The entire city was enveloped in a giant, pale green barrier. The official road outside the city was wide and straight, stretching into the distance, bustling with people coming and going. Alex landed in the distance and walked towards the royal city, a sense of awe rising within her for the first time. Both the city walls and the area it covered were comparable to her undead Imperial Capital, incredibly grand. The guards at the gate routinely checked the passing pedestrians. The light curtain also had the ability to detect races, preventing extraterrestrial visitors from sneaking in. Although there weren''t as many mages here as in Hurricane City, there were still quite a few visible. The guards treated mages differently, not subjecting them to special checks. As long as they showed their badges, they could directly enter the city. As soon as Alex appeared at the gate, the surrounding people turned their gazes towards her. Even in such a royal city, the identity of a mage still attracted envious and admiring looks. Ignoring the stares, Alex walked straight into the city. Passing through the city gate, the rich architectural style of the Middle Ages came into view. Alex was captivated by its magnificent and mysterious atmosphere, as if exploring a medieval labyrinth. The ground beneath her feet was paved with black stone bricks, clean and tidy. The passing pedestrians and the noisy chatter made Alex feel like she was truly in this world for the first time. Alex walked slowly through the city, observing her surroundings with her deep-set eyes hidden beneath her hood. Suddenly, she seemed to catch a glimpse of a familiar figure, but a passing carriage blocked her view. When she looked back, the figure had vanished. Alex didn''t believe it was her imagination. She immediately quickened her pace and crossed the street, searching for the figure from earlier. Following the trail, she arrived at a church in the city and stopped in her tracks. The figure was standing at the entrance of the church, gazing at her. He wore a black mask, obscuring his face, but the familiar build and aura gave Alex an overwhelming sense of familiarity. "Is there something I can help you with, esteemed Magus?" That familiar voice! S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex''s memory came flooding back in an instant. She hadn''t expected it to be him! Chapter 347 - 347: Liberty Church Alex slowly lifted her hood, letting her long, flowing white hair cascade over her shoulders, revealing a face of breathtaking beauty. "You''re... Alex?!" The man was stunned, never expecting to see her in City of Glory. "Follow me." He opened the church doors, gesturing for Alex to enter. Inside, only a handful of people were present, all wearing the same strange black masks. It seemed this church wasn''t usually open to the public. He led Alex down to the basement, which was surprisingly spacious and well-organized, with numbered rooms lining the halls. They entered room 013. The man closed the door and gestured for Alex to sit down before removing his mask. A rather ordinary face came into view. "Samson, it is you." Alex spoke, not showing much surprise. She had already confirmed his identity when he brought her here. She hadn''t expected to meet Samson again in a human city. It seemed he was now a freelancer, successfully integrated into human society. "Never thought I''d see you here. So even someone as powerful as you chose to become a Freelancer and join the Mage Guild?" Samson''s gaze was complex as he looked at Alex, a hint of melancholy in his expression. He couldn''t imagine her being here in a mage robe if she were still a Lord. "Didn''t you check the system?" Alex asked, puzzled. "After joining this organization, we''re not allowed to use the system. The goal is to fully integrate into human society." Hearing this, Samson threw caution to the wind and opened his system dashboard. When he saw that her name was still green, ranked first on the leaderboard, shock washed over him, followed by a wry smile. "You mentioned rules. Does your organization know about the system?" Alex keenly picked up on the crucial information in his words. Samson didn''t hide anything. He knew Alex''s character, and there were no conflicts of interest between them. Besides those former allies, Alex was the one he had interacted with the most. Seeing her here brought back a sense of familiarity. "Before I tell you about my organization, I have some shocking news. There was a batch of Lords before us, and among them, the Freelancers have the highest survival rate." Samson observed Alex, but her expression remained unchanged. That''s when he noticed the gleaming golden badge on her chest. Four-star Magus, a symbol of King level! "Wow, that mage robe..." "Honorary mage robe. Is there a problem?" Alex looked at him questioningly. Why did he keep staring at her chest? Didn''t he know it was ungentlemanly to ogle a lady like that? "No, nothing. Please, continue." Samson averted his gaze, a wave of melancholy washing over him. He thought he had progressed quickly enough during this time, but Alex was still so ridiculously OP. "The organization I joined is called the Liberty Church. It''s a vast organization spanning all seven continents. The church''s goal is to gather Freelancers, provide support, and integrate them into human society, while also strengthening ourselves. It''s a good choice for Freelancers like us. As you might have guessed, Church bishop consists of Freelancers from the previous batch. They''ve lost their systems and fully integrated into human society. But for some reason, their strength is capped at King level. That''s why the Liberty Church can''t become a major faction." Liberty Church, spanning all seven continents? It made sense. It was only natural for these Lords-turned-Freelancers to seek each other out for support among humans. This way, the Hundred Kingdoms War wouldn''t affect them, or perhaps their bishops had anticipated this event long ago. But could King level lifespans reach a thousand years? Why was there such a huge gap between the upper limits of Lords and Freelancers? These questions plagued Alex. She felt that the Liberty Church was the key to obtaining more information. "I never imagined the Liberty Church would be so widespread. You don''t have the ability to travel between continents, do you? How do you communicate?" Alex asked a crucial question, touching upon the organization''s secrets. To her surprise, Samson didn''t hesitate to answer. "Through dreams. We can''t physically travel between continents, but we can connect and exchange information through dreams. We even sell information unrelated to humans to other races for profit." Samson explained, suspecting that a powerful archbishop possessed this ability, which was also the key to holding their organization together. "I see. So this church is your gathering place in City of Glory?" Alex understood. It seemed this Liberty Church was quite something, essentially an intelligence organization. "That''s right. We have members in the royal cities of every human kingdom, allowing us to obtain information as quickly as possible." Speaking of this, Samson felt fortunate to have chosen this organization. As a lone Freelancer, integrating into human society would be troublesome. Although the Liberty Church mainly gathered Freelancers, they didn''t accept just anyone. "It seems this church is doing quite well, despite being a bit lacking in strength," Alex remarked casually. "Yes, we''re different from you. This might be the best ending for us Freelancers." Samson didn''t know if his choice back then was the right one, but at least he wouldn''t witness too much bloodshed here. "By the way, have you seen any of my former allies? How are they... doing?" Alex thought for a moment and shook her head. She could barely remember them, only vaguely recalling that they were all Elemental Lords with decent potential. Samson seemed a bit disappointed. Alex, on the other hand, asked curiously, "Why did you choose to become a Freelancer? You could have been in the top ten on the leaderboard and even established your own kingdom." "I abandoned them. Perhaps it was a sign of my cowardice and weakness. I couldn''t stomach this world, witnessing death time and time again." Samson sighed. "Enough about me. What about you? How have you been?" "Me?" Alex paused, then said frankly, "Just the same old, same old. Following the system''s path, climbing the ladder. In the end, we''re all just pitiful souls trying to survive in this game world." Samson seemed to resonate with her words, nodding in agreement. Their encounter was like two people from the same hometown bumping into each other in a foreign land. They chatted for a bit, catching up, but soon it would be time to go their separate ways. "What brings you to City of Glory?" Samson asked, curious. It was a risky move for a Lord, potentially fatal if discovered. Of course, he didn''t know about Alex''s special mage robe. "I don''t know enough about this world. I have to step out of my castle, see the world for what it is. Understanding the world is one thing, but developing my forces and strengthening myself is the ultimate goal." Alex didn''t hide anything. Samson was sincere with her, so she would reciprocate. "I see. Your vision is as far-reaching as ever. I''m afraid most Lords wouldn''t even dare to think of such a thing." "Does your church happen to have a map of the Eldoria continent?" Alex suddenly asked. "No, we''re just a branch. Such important information wouldn''t be entrusted to us." Samson shook his head. Alex picked up on a crucial detail. The Liberty Church here wasn''t even the headquarters for the entire continent? "There''s more than one branch on a continent?" "Of course. Freelancers are scattered all over the planet. Gathering them is a hassle. As far as I know, there are three Liberty Church branches in Eldoria alone. I''ve heard the headquarters is in a border city on the Eldoria continent called Tomb City, but we''ve never been there. I assume those materials are kept at the headquarters." Samson explained, oblivious to Alex''s thoughtful expression. "You''ve never been to the headquarters? Aren''t you worried they might have ulterior motives for gathering you all?" Alex realized Samson had reached Monarch level. Logically, he should be considered a leader, he should have visited the headquarters at least once, right? Could they really manage all the branch members and keep them united solely through dreams? It seemed a bit far-fetched. "I''m not sure, but at least for now, the church has been helping everyone." Samson had no doubts about the church, in fact, he held a high level of trust in it. "Well, it''s getting late. It was great seeing you again, and thank you for broadening my horizons. I must continue my journey now." Alex stood up, pulling up her hood, ready to leave. Samson nodded in response and stepped forward to open the door for her. As they walked side by side, Alex turned to Samson. "Samson, how about joining my empire?" The sudden question caught Samson off guard. He looked at Alex, but her face was hidden in the shadows of her hood. Should he join Alex for greater opportunities or maintain the status quo and integrate into this world? For a moment, Samson was torn. Before, he might have joined Alex without hesitation, but now, he hesitated. He suddenly thought of his past choices, Ivy''s death, the betrayal of his allies. He knew he couldn''t stomach constant killing. Perhaps, this was his best ending. With that thought, Samson felt at peace. "I''m sorry, Alex." He didn''t offer further explanation, unaware that Alex, with her high-level soul magic, could clearly sense his emotional turmoil. "It''s alright. Everyone has their own aspirations. It''s your choice." "Then, until we meet again." "Farewell." Alex left the Liberty Church with Samson watching her disappear into the bustling street. Samson sighed and returned to the church, only to be met with wary gazes from the other members. "Who was that mage?" "You''re getting too close to mages. You''ll get us all killed!" Facing their accusations, Samson apologized and assured them that nothing like that would happen, but he didn''t reveal anything about Alex. Meanwhile, Alex strolled aimlessly through the streets, taking in the human society and its civilization. However, her mind wasn''t fully focused on her surroundings. She was deep in thought. What she didn''t tell Samson was that they might meet again very soon. The Liberty Church possessed a wealth of information and was a King level force. How could Alex let them be? Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Control or destruction, in this world, everyone was looking out for themselves. But Samson''s refusal meant he would gradually fade from her sight. "Perhaps he hasn''t fully grasped reality yet." Alex shook her head, pushing away the jumbled thoughts. She had already decided on her next destination. Tomb City, on the border of the Starfallen Empire. "As I thought, this place isn''t for me." The busy commoners rushed about, their faces devoid of joy. Everyone was struggling to survive, prepared to face death at any moment. This feeling was less pronounced in City of Glory, but it was most evident in these border cities. Although humans were strong, they weren''t the rulers of this continent. And the strength lay with the Mage Guild and the Holy Court, not the entire human race. Who knew if the founders of those two forces were Lords themselves? As dusk approached, the gates of the royal city began to close. Although it wouldn''t be difficult for her to leave with her status, she didn''t want to attract unnecessary attention. "Excuse me, a room, please." Alex addressed the innkeeper. He was a scrawny old man, balding slightly, and seemed awestruck by Alex''s presence. "Of course, esteemed Mage, please come in!" He hurried from behind the counter to the door, ushering Alex inside. "You''re not a mage from Hurricane City, are you? His Majesty''s new decree states that all mages are entitled to free food and accommodation in the royal city, but you need to apply for a voucher from the relevant department." "I''m from Yellowrock City. I''m new here and wasn''t aware of this. I''ll pay as usual." Alex wasn''t interested in this. It was a way to keep tabs on all mages entering the royal city. "That wouldn''t be right. I can''t accept your money. Please, stay as you are. You can get a voucher tomorrow." Although the innkeeper couldn''t see Alex''s face or recognize her badge, he could tell from her youthful voice that she was an exceptionally young and talented mage. "Very well, then." Chapter 348 - 348: Met Robert again Alex settled into the inn, taking the largest room available, a suite comparable to a presidential suite in the real world. It was spacious, fully furnished, and brightly lit with mage-enchanted stones, keeping it illuminated even at night. She had no intention of applying for a voucher. Glory City wouldn''t dare question an Honorary Mage like her. Alex planned to stay for a few days, observe the city, and see if there were any other factions of interest. Of course, her top priority was to find out the location of Tomb City. However, such information wasn''t readily available to just anyone. Alex found herself at an impasse. She wished Glory City had something akin to an underground black market. [Night retreats, dawn arrives.] Early the next morning, Alex decided to visit the Mage Guild''s branch in the royal city and inquire about the situation with other mages. It was foolish not to utilize her status; it was the most efficient way. The Mage Guild''s branch was located within the royal palace, serving both as a liaison and a protector of the royal family. The bustling and magnificent palace at the center was the residence of the Starfallen Empire''s royal family. Heavily guarded, it commanded respect and a wide berth from ordinary citizens. A broad road led straight to the palace gates, opening into a vast plaza. Alex strolled towards the palace gates. A mage visiting the royal palace wasn''t unusual and didn''t attract much attention. Just then, a carriage escorted by guards approached the palace gates from behind. However, as the carriage drew alongside Alex, it abruptly stopped. A surprised voice called out from within. "Honorary Mage?!" "Miss Alyssa?" A familiar figure emerged from the carriage, practically leaping out to greet Alex. "Robert?" Alex was taken aback. Wasn''t he in charge of teleportation affairs in Hurricane City? What was he doing in City of Glory? "Miss Alyssa, it''s an honor to see you here!" Robert recognized Alex''s voice instantly. Besides, Honorary Mages were rare, and Alex was the only one who frequented the Hurricane City branch. "What are you doing here?" Alex asked, not particularly averse to this mage who always seemed eager to befriend her. He was at least polite and knew his boundaries. "Miss Alyssa, you might not know this, but this is my home. I had to practically beg the President to transfer me back here." Robert explained with a smile. "You''re a member of the royal family?" Alex was surprised. She had only realized the true value of the gold coins he had gifted her after using them. No wonder he was so generous. But then a strange thought crossed her mind. It seemed the Mage Guild treated everyone equally, not even giving special treatment to royalty like Robert. "That''s just what the commoners call us. My family simply contributes what we can to the rule of the human race." Robert said modestly. He knew Alex was the one with a truly impressive background. Besides, most mages in the guild were renowned figures among humans. True commoner mages were rare. "Miss Alyssa, are you heading to the branch? Allow me to show you the way." Robert offered, knowing Alex must be unfamiliar with the palace layout. "Thank you," Alex replied politely. Robert led Alex towards the palace, the carriage and guards following behind. His presence smoothed the way, the guards readily stepping aside for the prince''s friend. The palace beyond the high walls was opulent, with troops patrolling its sprawling grounds. Alex had assumed the Mage Guild''s branch would be located in a less prominent area, but Robert led her straight towards the grandest palace at the center. Seemingly sensing her confusion, or perhaps wanting to avoid misunderstanding, Robert explained, "Miss Alyssa, the branch is located within the royal palace itself. We live alongside the royal family, responsible for their protection, and enjoy high authority and honor." "Then why didn''t you stay here?" Alex asked curiously. She had been making conversation along the way, both to avoid awkward silence and to glean any useful information. "Although I''m a member of the royal family, as a mage, I can protect myself. As for authority, my father has been grooming me as his heir ever since I became a mage." Robert wanted to strengthen the royal family, but the branch here had limited opportunities. Only larger mage branch cities could offer him more significant growth. He had returned because his progress had plateaued, and his mentor had advised him to relax and seek new opportunities. He hadn''t found any breakthroughs yet, but his mindset had indeed relaxed since returning to Glory City. They arrived at the branch, where only five mages were present. Despite the small number, all of them, except Robert, were King level. Alex was surprised by the branch''s unexpected strength. In her experience, the total number of King level mages in a branch rarely exceeded ten. To have five stationed here demonstrated the guild''s emphasis on the Starfallen Empire. The mages here had relatively light duties and were very welcoming to Alex. Being new here, Alex didn''t immediately reveal her purpose, politely exchanging pleasantries instead. Robert, despite being only Monarch level, acted more like the host. He proposed a celebratory banquet that evening, ostensibly to commemorate his return. As a prince, his invitation carried weight, and no one declined. After some small talk, Robert seemed to sense Alex''s discomfort with the atmosphere and excused themselves, offering to show her around the palace. "Miss Alyssa, you don''t seem to enjoy talking to strangers." "Indeed. Meaningless chatter," Alex replied. She was here with a purpose and had no time to waste. Robert''s sudden appearance was a stroke of luck. He should have all the information she needed. The two strolled through the palace gardens, Robert diligently explaining the various features of the palace without directly inquiring about Alex''s purpose. "Miss Alyssa, how was your trip to Yellowrock City?" Robert was curious about the situation in other branches. As a Monarch level mage, he didn''t have the authority to freely travel between continents within the guild. "The situation in Yellowrock City is... not ideal. It''s rather chaotic, unlike the stability here. I believe they''ll be requesting aid from headquarters soon." "What kind of situation could pose such a threat to them?" Robert was surprised. He knew the strength of a Mage Guild branch. What kind of force could push them to such a point? "That''s actually why I''m returning to Hurricane City. Robert, have you heard of the Liberty Church?" Alex smoothly steered the conversation towards her objective. "Liberty Church?" Robert pondered for a moment. "They''re a rather small, inconspicuous organization. They keep a low profile." Of course, this was relative to the Mage Guild. "Now that you mention it, I believe their headquarters is on the Eldoria continent!" Robert suddenly recalled seeing records of them in both Hurricane City and the royal archives. So this was the reason for Alyssa''s return to Hurricane City and her presence in City of Glory? "That''s right, their headquarters is in Tomb City. They might have some crucial information I need, but I don''t know where Tomb City is located." Alex feigned a hint of helplessness. "As it happens, I know its location. It''s my pleasure to be of assistance in such a trivial matter." Robert immediately offered his help. As the future heir, he was naturally familiar with the locations of cities within the Eldoria continent. "If possible, I''d appreciate it if you could show me a map of the Eldoria continent. It would save me the trouble of requesting one from Hurricane City. Technically, I''m an Honorary Mage and not affiliated with any specific branch, which makes things a bit inconvenient." Alex laid out her request, and Robert readily expressed his understanding. As an Honorary Mage, she certainly had the authority. More importantly, this was an opportunity to gain her favor. The royal family possessed maps of the Eldoria continent. It wasn''t classified information, and it could earn him brownie points with Alex. "Of course, it''s my honor to assist you and the Mage Guild. Please wait a moment. I''ll have someone fetch the map." Robert summoned a subordinate and instructed them to retrieve the map from the palace. "Thank you," Alex said with a grateful smile. Meeting Robert here was turning out to be quite fortunate. "This Liberty Church sounds rather intriguing. I''ve never heard of them before, having spent most of my time in Thunder City. I didn''t realize the Mage Guild tolerated their existence." Alex casually probed for more information, explaining her lack of knowledge. Even without her saying it, Robert assumed she was a descendant of some prominent figure in Thunder City. It was only natural for a sheltered genius like her to be unaware of such grassroots organizations. "The Liberty Church has actually been around for a very long time, even longer than the Starfallen Empire. I''m not sure why they haven''t expanded their influence. They''re humans too, and the Mage Guild treats them no differently from ordinary citizens, as long as they don''t pose a threat to humanity." Robert chatted casually with Alex, sharing his knowledge of this historical organization. "Besides the Liberty Church, are there any other interesting organizations?" Seeing her keen interest, Robert racked his brain. "Well, you could say our nations themselves are organizations: the Starfallen Empire, the Celestian Empire, the Southridge Republic, and so on. As for interesting organizations, there are a few small, profit-driven ones. Their existence is rather peculiar." He first mentioned the Bounty Hunter''s Guild, its name self-explanatory. It was a small organization within the Starfallen Empire, its strongest member, the president, being only a Monarch. Desperadoes seeking a second chance or members of other organizations looking to make a quick buck often frequented it. Robert shared how he had once disguised himself and joined their ranks, earning a tidy sum. The guild sold the materials gathered from their missions to nobles within the empire, which funded their operations. Another organization was the Worker''s Union, formed by ordinary citizens. Their goal was mutual aid, seeking better treatment and benefits. There were countless such small organizations within the Starfallen Empire, all insignificant in the grand scheme of things. "So there are actually so many of these small organizations, but none as powerful as the Liberty Church." Alex quickly understood. If they were too powerful, they would have threatened the Empire''s rule. Besides, the Mage Guild wouldn''t stand idly by and watch humans engage in internal strife. Ultimately, the true rulers of humanity were the Mage Guild, who didn''t concern themselves with internal human affairs. Their primary focus was on the major factions of other races. "Indeed. Perhaps only the Mage Guild knows the true origins of the Liberty Church. As for those other organizations I mentioned, they''re all relatively new and insignificant." Robert still held a degree of respect for the Liberty Church, but he looked down upon the others. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 349 - 349: The distribution of factions in the Eldoria continent A guard soon returned with a map of the Eldoria continent, presenting it to Robert. "Miss Alyssa, this is a copy of the Eldoria continent map. On behalf of the royal family, I present it to you." Robert offered the map with both hands. Alex nodded and took it. "Thank you for your assistance, and please extend my gratitude to the royal family." "You''re too kind, Miss Alyssa. It''s our duty to assist the Mage Guild." Robert smiled. For him, it was a simple gesture. They chatted for a while longer, mostly Alex asking questions and gathering information from Robert. Soon, Robert finished showing Alex around the palace. He had noticed her distraction during the tour and didn''t overstay his welcome. As they parted ways, he reminded her not to forget the evening banquet. After leaving Robert, Alex returned to the inn. Robert had, of course, taken care of the voucher, discreetly handing it to her earlier. This made navigating the city on her own much easier. However, Alex had no intention of lingering in Glory City. She planned to leave immediately after the banquet. Back in her room, Alex unfurled the map of the Eldoria continent, carefully studying the distribution of power. This way, she would know the locations of all the major factions, saving her undead troops from aimless exploration. "The Eldoria continent is so much larger than the Arsen continent?" Alex was surprised. She had assumed the continents were roughly the same size. Although there was no scale, she could estimate the size difference based on the Orc Empire''s territory and the area of the far north. The far north was undoubtedly larger than the Orc Empire, yet their markings on the map were almost identical. This highlighted the significant size disparity between the two continents. Based on her observations, the Eldoria continent was at least one and a half times larger than the Arsen continent. Furthermore, the Starfallen Empire wasn''t even located at the center. The central power was a city called Holy City. "That must be the Angel race''s city!" Alex quickly scanned the map, noting three Holy Cities on the Eldoria continent. Interestingly, there were also three Mage Guild branches, each situated near Holy City. It was clear that humans were constantly wary of the Angel race. The absence of Angel race presence on the Arsen continent explained why Yellowrock City only had one Mage Guild branch. The Eldoria continent resembled an irregular, flattened shape, vast and teeming with a complex web of factions. The Angelic Holy City at the center divided the continent into northern and southern regions. The north was larger, dominated by plains, while the south was smaller but geographically diverse. Most factions were clustered around the center, their strength seemingly correlated to their proximity to it. The undead empire was situated in the north. Crossing the Starfallen Empire would lead to the central region, but their location in the northeastern corner placed them in one of the most desolate areas of the continent. To the west of the Barren Plains and the Frostwind Snowy Mountains lay the true heartland of the Beastman Empire. "No wonder they''ve been pressuring the Arctic Tigerfolk. It seems the Beastman Empire aims to unify the north." With the map, the motivations behind the factions'' actions became crystal clear. The Beastman Empire hadn''t launched a full-scale invasion, resorting to diplomacy and intimidation instead. They didn''t want to alert other races to their ambitions. Little did they know, the undead empire was right on their doorstep, and Alex shared their goal of northern unification. The only remaining obstacle to the expansion of the Undead Empire was the Beastman Empire, and defeating them was essential for growth. Alex pondered her next move. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It seemed discretion was still the better part of valor. She needed to reach Sovereign level before revealing the Undead Empire to the world. "There''s not much left to gain on the Arsen continent. My only hope is the Drake territory." Alex sighed. The world''s power structure was already established, making it difficult for the undead empire to rise among the major factions. The Nytheria continent was the heartland of the Angels and the Holy Court, making it an unwise target. The Tyrranagar continent was embroiled in a conflict between Titans and Demons, on the verge of all-out war, making it equally unsuitable. Apart from these, there was the mysterious Arcadia continent. Information about it was scarce. Alex had never encountered any records or individuals from there. This was strange. Billions of Lords had descended from Earth. It was improbable that none originated from Arcadia. Yet, she had never encountered a single one. This was another reason why she needed to gain control of the Liberty Church. With their presence on all seven continents, they surely knew something about this mysterious land. Alex then turned her attention to the southern factions of the Eldoria continent. It was home to several powerful races, no less formidable than those in the north. First and foremost were the werewolves and vampires she had encountered before. Their territories, the Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City, were both located in the south. However, these were merely large branches, not their main headquarters. Alex didn''t know the locations of their true bases, only that both factions possessed Sovereign level powerhouses and were significantly stronger than the Beastman Empire. Vampires and werewolves were eternal enemies, yet their territories were practically adjacent. Conflicts between them were inevitable, consuming their resources and hindering their expansion. The remaining factions were mostly Emperor level and King level powers. Compared to the north, the south was more racially diverse and chaotic. However, the presence of the remaining Angel and human branches kept these smaller races in check. It seemed the two dominant factions, humans and Angels, effectively controlled the entire Eldoria continent. The other races could only vie for survival within the balance of power between them. Alex rolled up the map. It only showed the races that had established kingdoms, some powerful factions, and a few forbidden areas, like the volcanic region in the south. Weaker races inhabiting those areas, like the man-eating ants, weren''t even deemed worthy of mention. As Alex examined the map, she felt a surge of experience points, reaching the threshold for a level up. "Huh?" "Must be the Featherfolk." With two high-level King level troops assisting, their victory was a foregone conclusion. This meant another powerful troop for the undead empire. Their territory would expand once more. The fate of the giants and elves remained uncertain. Would the humans wipe them out? It all depended on the outcome of the conflict between the Holy Court and the Mage Guild. Alex had a hunch that the Angel race was up to something. Despite the current peace, she sensed an impending storm brewing on the Eldoria continent. "It seems I should return to the undead empire after dealing with the Liberty Church. I can''t afford to waste any more time. I need to grow stronger." Alex glanced at the sky outside. There was still some time before the banquet. It was enough for a level up. As long as she didn''t refresh her badge, it would still display four stars, avoiding unwanted attention. Chapter 350 - 350: Heading to Tomb City [Blood Moon in the sky, darkness descends] Time flew by, and soon it was evening. Alex stepped out of the bathhouse, droplets of water cascading down her breasts. She tilted her head, toweling her hair dry. Feeling that drying her hair with a towel was a waste of time, Alex released a wave of heat from her body, instantly evaporating the remaining moisture around her. After packing her belongings into her ring, she left the room and headed towards the palace. Robert, dressed in formal attire, waited patiently at the palace gates with his guards. His face lit up as he saw her approach. "Miss Alyssa, you''ve finally arrived. Please, come in." "Am I late?" "Not at all, you''re right on time." Robert ushered her into the palace. The grand hall bustled with nearly a hundred nobles and royals, elegantly dressed and engaged in polite conversation. Despite the crowd, the atmosphere remained surprisingly subdued. They greeted Alex with respectful nods as she entered. In such formal settings, a mage in their robes commanded a certain level of deference, especially among the royals. Knowing her dislike for such gatherings, Robert led her to a private chamber. "Miss Alyssa, the banquet commences at eight. Please make yourself comfortable while you wait." With a wave of his hand, servants appeared, laden with trays of exquisite refreshments and a selection of beverages that surpassed even the offerings outside. "Miss Alyssa, these are some of the Starfallen Empire''s culinary specialties, quite different from what you might find in the Celestian Empire. Please, try some." Alex glanced at the clock on the wall. 7:50. Ten minutes to eight. Her gaze swept over the spread, the intricate craftsmanship of the refreshments certainly appetizing. "Well then, I won''t stand on ceremony." "Please, make yourself at home." Robert smiled. As expected, even powerful mages couldn''t resist the allure of delectable treats. Ten minutes later, the banquet began. Robert led the procession to the main hall. The nobles were honored by his personal escort. Typically, such duties were delegated to servants. The prince''s direct involvement signified the importance of the occasion. They basked in the implied significance, showering Robert with gratitude and praise. A crimson carpet stretched the length of the grand hall, illuminated by ornate wall sconces that cast a warm, inviting glow. Intricate carvings adorned the walls, seemingly shimmering under the golden light. At the center stood a massive table, easily accommodating dozens of guests. Two smaller tables flanked it, reserved for those of lesser standing. The main table was occupied by individuals of high status: royalty, Mage Guild members, and nobles whose lineage and contributions to the empire were beyond question. The other nobles watched with a mixture of envy and admiration. As the last guest found their seat, the King of the Starfallen Empire entered the hall. Everyone rose to greet him, mages included, paying their respects to the aging king. A long-winded speech followed, which Alex politely ignored, her mind elsewhere. "Father, may I present Miss Alyssa?" Robert''s voice startled her from her thoughts. She turned to face his father. A flicker of surprise ran through her. The King of the Starfallen Empire was an ordinary human! Her senses couldn''t be mistaken. His frail appearance and lackluster aura were genuine. Her surprise stemmed from the fact that his children, several sons and daughters, possessed considerable strength. Most were Commanding level, with a few reaching Monarch level. However, compared to Robert''s status as a Monarch level mage, their strength paled in comparison. "Miss Alyssa, your talent and beauty are truly remarkable." The king spoke, his voice raspy with age. As one of the six strongest individuals present, Alex outranked even him. Even as Starfallen Empire''s king, he addressed her with respect. "You flatter me, Your Majesty." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex responded politely. This exchange pleased the old king, raising Robert even further in his esteem. The other princes seethed with envy. They had tried every tactic to curry favor with the five mages present, but their efforts were met with indifference. Robert, on the other hand, had effortlessly befriended an Honorary Mage, one who clearly held significant sway within the Mage Guild. It was a bitter pill to swallow. The banquet commenced, and Alex found herself bombarded with attention. But she couldn''t be bothered with these ordinary humans. Only Robert, seated beside her, seemed to understand her disposition, refraining from any overtures that might annoy her. Their easy camaraderie did not go unnoticed, fueling speculation about their connection. As the evening drew to a close, the old king made a surprise announcement. Robert would be named his heir apparent. The news wasn''t entirely unexpected, but it extinguished any lingering hopes the other princes might have harbored. Alex had been contemplating her escape, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. "Miss Alyssa, may I borrow you for a moment?" Robert''s request, voiced for all to hear, surprised her. She nodded and excused herself. "Miss Alyssa, you''re leaving Glory City tonight, aren''t you?" They stood on a balcony, overlooking the city illuminated by moonlight. "Yes," Alex confirmed, seeing no reason to hide it. "Then go. I''ll handle the explanations." "Thank you, Robert. You''re a true friend. Until next time." Under the cover of darkness, Alex slipped out of Glory City. While it was a human kingdom, it couldn''t compare to the amenities offered by the Mage Guild. Although it possessed a teleportation array, it only connected to major cities. Tomb City, a small, remote settlement, was too far from any major hub to make teleportation viable. The name itself, Tomb City, was unsettling. Alex suspected it might resemble Clayton City: sparsely populated, an ideal location for the Liberty Church to hide their headquarters. She had scrutinized the map of the Starfallen Empire. It had twelve border cities, each strategically placed to counter potential threats. Tomb City, however, was surrounded by nothing. Even Robert couldn''t explain its purpose. Three hours later, Alex arrived at the outskirts of Tomb City. She didn''t rush in. Three hours of sustained flight had depleted her mana reserves. Caution dictated she enter the city at full strength. Besides, she couldn''t use her Honorary Mage status here. Her goal was to gain control of the Liberty Church from the shadows, turning them into her eyes and ears. Alex had already activated her Invisibility mode by the time Tomb City came into view. At this moment, even if she stripped naked and ran around the outskirts of Tomb City, she wouldn''t be noticed. ... After storing her mage robe in her ring, Alex changed into a set of attire. While not exactly her style, it wasn''t hideous either. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and sat down, focusing on replenishing her mana and stamina. An hour later, fully recovered, Alex stood and headed towards Tomb City. The city gates were closed, but that posed no obstacle. The defenses of a border city were weak, easily bypassed without raising any alarms. Once inside, Alex stood atop the wall, her gaze sweeping across the city. There were no distinctive landmarks, no grand structures hinting at the Liberty Church''s headquarters. Even the familiar sight of a church, like the one in Glory City, was absent. "Is the Liberty Church headquarters really here?" Alex wondered, a flicker of doubt creeping in. This organization was incredibly discreet. No landmarks, no obvious signs, and the city was shrouded in darkness. Where was she supposed to find them? Then it struck her. She could ask the city''s Castellan! A blue light flashed in her left eye, and the two guards stationed at the gate froze, their eyes glazing over. "Where is your Castellan?" "In the barracks near the east gate," they replied in unison, their voices flat and emotionless. Alex vanished in an instant, leaving the guards to snap back to reality, their memories of the encounter wiped clean. The east gate, nestled beside the barracks, was the most heavily guarded of the four entrances. However, it was late, and even the increased guard presence couldn''t fight off the drowsiness that came with the late hour. An invisible wave of soul magic washed over them, plunging them into a deep slumber. Alex approached the barracks, her senses on high alert. She quickly located the strongest presence within, a level 1 Monarch. This had to be the Castellan of Tomb City. With a resounding crash, the door splintered, ripped from its hinges. The Castellan, startled awake, tried to react, but his body refused to obey. "Tell me, where is the Liberty Church headquarters?" Alex''s voice, cold and sharp as a winter wind, sent a shiver down his spine. The room was pitch black. Alex held him bound with spatial magic. Humans lacked night vision, so the Castellan could only discern that his captor was female. Her appearance remained a mystery. "Who are you? Why are you trespassing in a city of the Starfallen Empire?" Instead of answering, the Castellan tried to intimidate her with the empire''s name. A spatial blade sliced through the air, leaving a deep gash across his side. "No more games. I''ll ask again. Where is the Liberty Church headquarters?" Alex''s voice was laced with steel. She couldn''t believe the Castellan, of all people, wouldn''t know about the Liberty Church. Unless he was a member himself? A new line of questioning formed in her mind. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. You''ll face the wrath of the Starfallen Empire! We are under the protection of the Mage Guild. Their powerful mages will hunt you down!" Despite the pain, the Castellan remained defiant, resorting to threats. "Oh, so you''re one of those Freelancers, are you?" Alex''s words hung in the air, causing the Castellan''s pupils to constrict. His composure faltered for a moment, but he quickly schooled his features. He didn''t believe she could see him in this darkness. He was wrong. Alex had sensed his every micro-expression, every flicker of emotion. She was now certain the Liberty Church was hidden within Tomb City. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," he repeated, his voice a notch weaker than before. He couldn''t deny her power, and her knowledge of the Liberty Church suggested she wasn''t here on a whim. He made a silent vow. He wouldn''t betray the others, even if it cost him his life. She was asking about their location, which meant she didn''t have concrete proof. He would deny everything. Death was preferable to betrayal. He was prepared to die. His role as Castellan included protecting the Liberty Church. He wouldn''t fail them. "The Liberty Church spans seven continents, yet each branch only has a few dozen members? I find that hard to believe." Alex abandoned her direct questioning and began talking to herself. "There must be at least a billion Lords who became Freelancers. That''s over a hundred million per continent. Even if not all of them joined the Liberty Church, there should still be hundreds of thousands." She paced the room, her footsteps echoing in the silence. The Castellan watched, his heart pounding against his ribs. He feared she was getting closer to the truth. "Freelancers have nowhere else to go. They have to integrate into human society. And with the guidance of the previous generation of Freelancers, gathering them wouldn''t be difficult, would it?" The Castellan''s jaw dropped. How did this assassin know so much? She even knew about the previous batch of Freelancers. Who was she? Could she be a survivor from the previous generation, or rather, is she a Lord? The thought of her being a Lord was too absurd. No Lord would be foolish enough to venture into a human city, courting death. "If I''m not mistaken, this entire city is populated by Freelancers, isn''t it?" Alex''s words, a bombshell dropped into the tense silence, hung in the air. She watched the Castellan intently, searching for any telltale signs. He clamped his mouth shut, refusing to engage. "Silence? That''s fine." Alex stepped closer, a cold smile playing on her lips. "I''ll just kill you. The system will confirm your identity for me." The Castellan''s face paled. He couldn''t contain his shock. "Impossible! You''re a Lord?!" Chapter 351 - 351: Dream Race "You really are a Freelancer," Alex muttered, seemingly to herself, yet her words were also directed at Castellan. With that, she conjured a fireball in her hand, as if about to strike him down. Just then, a dark figure appeared in front of Castellan. "Must you do this?" The newcomer was a middle-aged man, seemingly in his thirties or forties. He shielded Castellan with his own body. Unlike the Liberty Church members in Glory City, this man wore no mask. Judging by his power, he had already reached King level and was undoubtedly one of their bishops. "You could have shown yourself earlier. Sneaking around like a rat," Alex said disdainfully, not taking the man seriously. "Thank you for saving me," Castellan expressed his gratitude to the man, but received no response. The middle-aged man was facing immense pressure from Alex. He was like a small boat adrift in a vast ocean, about to be swallowed whole. "May I ask why you have come to Tomb City?" the man asked politely. He knew he was no match for Alex and could only try to stabilize the situation and negotiate with her. "Can you represent the Liberty Church?" Alex asked coldly, staring at the middle-aged man. "Why don''t you tell us your demands first? We will do our best to satisfy them," the man replied calmly, unfazed by Alex''s attitude. Of course, there was another reason for his composure. Alex had sensed the changes around her. Her arrogance was meant to provoke them. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I want the Liberty Church to submit to me," Alex stated, her voice icy. The middle-aged man and Castellan''s expressions changed drastically. The former even revealed a hint of anger. "Don''t push your luck!" the middle-aged man roared, his King level aura exploding as he prepared to attack. At the same time, the situation in the room suddenly erupted. Four King level bishops emerged from the surroundings, charging towards Alex. Outside, hundreds of Freelancers had surrounded the area. Facing the siege of five King level opponents, Alex remained calm and composed. Snap! A crisp snap echoed through the air. The five Liberty Church bishops who were attacking Alex froze in their tracks. Even the remaining ordinary members were stunned, unsure of what to do. Ten black figures had suddenly appeared before them, each emanating a King level aura! Moreover, the aura from each figure was even stronger than that of the five Liberty Church bishops! Were they surrounding Alex? No, it was Alex who had surrounded them! Ten King level Reaper Guards stood in the air, their overwhelming presence preventing all Liberty Church members from making a move. The immense pressure made it difficult for them to breathe, their legs trembling uncontrollably. "Undead?! Those are undead!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. The Freelancers were in an uproar. "She''s the number one Lord on the leaderboard!" "The undead Lord is already this strong?!" "How is this possible?!" Disbelief was etched on everyone''s faces. If they knew that this was only a fraction of Alex''s true power, they would be even more astonished. The five bishops were also stunned. They had guessed that Alex was the current number one Lord, but they never expected her power to have grown to such an extent! The five bishops who had founded the Liberty Church were reminded of the fear they felt a thousand years ago when another number one Lord had dominated an era. They too had been forced to become Freelancers. "So, still want to fight me? Freelancers will always be Freelancers, forever in the shadows," Alex taunted. She had shown mercy by not killing them outright for daring to attack her. The five bishops fell silent. Alex could easily eliminate them. Once their headquarters were destroyed, the Liberty Church would cease to exist. "We apologize for our actions. On behalf of the Liberty Church, I sincerely apologize. We are but a group of pitiful souls with nothing of value to offer. You must be here for information. Ask, and we shall tell you everything we know," an elderly King level church bishop finally spoke up. Alex guessed that he was the archbishop of the Liberty Church. Alex tossed the fireball into the air, illuminating the surroundings. She turned her back on the five bishops and took a few steps forward. "I''m not one for unnecessary bloodshed. It''s always better to resolve conflicts peacefully. I heard that you are the previous generation of Freelancers? I''m curious, how did you survive until now?" The five bishops exchanged glances and dismissed the other Freelancers in the city. This matter likely involved their secrets, and they didn''t want ordinary Freelancers to hear. Alex didn''t stop them. The entire city was already sealed by her spatial magic, preventing anyone from escaping. With the Reaper Guards monitoring the situation, she had complete control. The five bishops had no choice but to comply. They had lived for over a thousand years and had faced countless dangers. They didn''t want to die here and now without understanding why. "Slumber. We survived through slumber." "Slumber? Don''t tell me you can just put yourselves into slumber." Alex was skeptical. Not everyone could simply decide to slumber. It was clear that with their King level strength, they couldn''t achieve this on their own. They must have relied on some object or received help from a powerful being. Seeing that they couldn''t fool Alex, the five bishops had no choice but to tell the truth. Their slumber relied on the ability of a certain race that could induce deep sleep in their souls, slowing down their bodily functions. As long as protective measures were taken, they could slumber for centuries. It was through this race''s ability that they controlled all the Liberty Church members across the seven continents. Even without the ability to travel between continents or communicate directly, they could still issue commands and direct operations. This race was the foundation of the Liberty Church''s existence. Without it, the entire organization would crumble. Alex was intrigued. This was the first time she had heard of a race with such an ability. "Take me to this race." The five bishops lead Alex to their headquarters in the city. Their headquarters were located underground, with the entrance hidden in the northeast corner of the city. It was so well-concealed that no one would have suspected a thing without knowing that Tomb City was the Liberty Church''s base. Even in the dimly lit underground passage, they didn''t dare to attack Alex. They had no idea if she could summon twenty King level beings now after summoning ten earlier. Soon, they arrived at the depths of the dungeon and saw the race with the peculiar ability. "Are you sure it''s her?" Alex asked, a hint of doubt in her voice. In the room before them stood a human woman. There was nothing extraterrestrial visitor about her appearance. "Yes, within the church, we treat her as an equal. But she rarely speaks and prefers to stay in her room," one of the bishops explained to Alex, clearly considering this extraterrestrial visitor as one of their own. "She''s the only one?" Alex asked, sensing the woman''s King level strength with slight surprise. They had mentioned a race, so where were the others? "She is the entire race. Her race seems to be ancient, possibly survivors from a bygone era. It''s been so long that their origins are lost to time," the bishops explained helplessly, their hearts filled with trepidation. They feared that Alex would harm her, which would spell doom for the Liberty Church. Ignoring the others, Alex entered the room. A moment later, to the astonishment of the five bishops, the woman willingly handed over her race''s Tear to Alex! When Alex emerged from the room, she didn''t explain anything to the stunned group. The truth was, from the moment Alex had stepped foot underground, she and the woman had been communicating telepathically. The race was called the Dream Race, and her name was Selene. She was the last of her kind. The only difference between Dream Race and humans was their ability to create dreams and kill their enemies within those dreams. Their potential was arguably even greater than that of humans. However, their numbers were few. Although their way of life and civilization were similar to humans, they were eventually discovered. Fearing for their own future, humans had waged war on the Dream Race. Alex already knew the outcome. Selene was the sole survivor, forced into hiding. She had come to the Liberty Church nearly a thousand years ago, hoping for a chance to avenge her people. Of course, the power gap between them had grown too vast, and revenge seemed like a distant dream. That was until today, when she met Alex, a Lord with the potential to become a god. This was her best chance for partnership. To Alex''s surprise, the Dream Race'' enemy wasn''t all of humanity, but the Holy Court. To be precise, it was the Holy Court of old, a time when they were still dedicated to the advancement of humanity, albeit through extreme measures. This had led to numerous conflicts with the Mage Guild. It wasn''t until they became servants of angels that they completely abandoned their original ideals and turned their backs on humanity. Alex explained the difference between the Holy Court and the Mage Guild to Selene. She had to be truthful about the situation outside the human world. Not all humans were enemies of the Dream Race. In this way, Alex and Selene found common ground and immense potential for collaboration. To earn Alex''s trust, Selene had willingly offered her race''s Tear. However, all of this communication had taken place within the dream world, unbeknownst to the five Liberty Church bishops. That was why they were so shocked by what they had just witnessed. The five bishops knew that without Selene, the Liberty Church would be finished. But she had submitted to Alex, and they seemed to have no other choice. No, perhaps their fate had been sealed the moment Alex arrived in Tomb City. "So, you five are the true leaders of the Liberty Church?" Alex asked, ignoring their astonishment. "Yes. There used to be one more, but he passed away. Now it''s just the five of us." "How many Freelancers from the previous generation are there in the Liberty Church?" Alex pressed further. "Three hundred and fifty-two. But very few managed to reach King level. Most of them died of old age." Alex suddenly understood. Becoming a Freelancer meant losing the talent bestowed upon them by the system. In simpler terms, their lifespan was shortened. Even for a King level, living for a thousand years was a difficult feat. "I''ll give you a choice: submission or death. And one more thing, I''m very interested in the powerful previous generation of Lords." Alex''s cold voice echoed through the silent, dark passage. The five bishops barely hesitated. Perhaps they had already come to terms with their situation. "We are willing to lead the Liberty Church in submission to you!" they declared in unison. A satisfied smile spread across Alex''s face. Her mission here was a resounding success. Now, it was time to gather information. "Very well. Now, let''s find a more private place where you can tell me everything you know about the seven continents." Chapter 352 - 352: Gather intelligence "Right this way, please." They led Alex towards a hidden chamber, navigating through layers of intricate mechanisms until they reached the deepest room underground. The room was small, its surfaces cluttered with letters, unfurled scrolls, and stacks of paper, all covered in minuscule writing. "This is where you gather intelligence?" Alex asked, her eyes struggling to make sense of the sheer volume of information. How did they even differentiate between the intelligence from different continents? "Indeed. Besides ourselves, the church has a couple dozen personnel who assist us in managing, organizing, and selling this information to other races. However, our primary clientele remains the human nobles within the Empire. They''re mainly interested in information about the Empire and the Mage Guild, which is easy enough to obtain." "What intelligence would you like to know first, leader?" Alex settled casually into a seat as the five men stood respectfully before her. "Tell me about the previous generation of Lords." The Lord enigma was the most intriguing to Alex. The five exchanged glances. Finally, the eldest King level stepped forward to address Alex. This wasn''t because he was one of the Liberty Church''s founders, but because he was the last of the five to become a Freelancer, and therefore knew the most about the Lords. Silence descended upon the cramped, dimly lit room, broken only by the man''s voice. Alex listened intently, lost in thought from time to time. As she had initially suspected, once these former Lords became Freelancers, the loyalty of their troops vanished completely. Barracks lost their summoning abilities, but their existing troops remained unaffected. This aligned perfectly with Alex''s earliest hypothesis. Upon arriving in this world and becoming Lords, they all possessed a certain "foreign element" within them. Becoming a Freelancer meant the disappearance of this element, allowing them to integrate into human society. However, humans were intelligent beings with diverse cultures and customs. Even without the foreign element, there was always a risk of their true identities being exposed if they weren''t careful. Similarly, this foreign element also existed within their troops. Once their Lord became a Freelancer, these troops would assimilate into the native races of this world. Less intelligent races would fully integrate, becoming a part of the existing power structure. Unique troops, those without a corresponding race on Astralon, would evolve into an entirely new race. Their future development depended entirely on the potential of that new race. This explained the increasing diversity of races on Astralon. At least, that was the prevailing theory shared by the Liberty Church, Edgar, and even Alex herself. As for the previous generation of Lords, none had survived long enough to witness the fate of those who came after. The most crucial piece of information they revealed was this: two months from now, at the conclusion of the Hundred Kingdoms War event, the system would force all Lords who had established kingdoms to fully integrate into the Astralon and begin their conquest. Of course, this "full integration" wasn''t as simple as gaining the World''s Heart''s recognition like Alex had done with her Undead Empire. It meant the commencement of a multi-racial ranking system, where only ten factions would ultimately survive. This revelation startled Alex. It seemed the system''s plan was entering its final stage. When that time came, all Lords would face a choice: become a Freelancer, join another Lord''s faction, or perish. However, Alex wasn''t overly concerned. Two months was ample time to reach Emperor level. Self-preservation wouldn''t be an issue then. "Leader, this was just the event during our time. Things might be different now. Consider it a point of reference." The five bishops spoke respectfully. This was the extent of their knowledge about the system. Beyond this point, Freelancers were completely out of the loop. "What do you know about the number one Lord of your time?" Alex asked. Ruby''s father, like herself, was once the top-ranked Lord. He couldn''t have been a nobody. Having survived the previous Lord''s struggle for dominance, they must know his name. "That''s..." The mention of that name made the five bishops uneasy. Their knowledge was limited. The former number one Lord had only begun exploring the outside world after reaching Emperor level. His exploits had only become known after he officially entered the Eldoria continent. By then, these bishops were already Freelancers, the church wasn''t established, and they were practically living like illegal immigrants hiding within human cities. They had been in no position to pry into other people''s business. "Leader, his name is forbidden. A god has placed a taboo on it. Speaking his name invites disaster." The five bishops explained, their expressions strained. They were especially wary of mentioning gods, afraid of being discovered. Alex wanted to ask which god, but thought better of it. These bishops knew little about the Lord''s deeds, let alone matters of the divine. Logically, the Liberty Church could have easily investigated the number one Lord during its early days. It was likely divine intervention that had deterred them from such a risky endeavor. "Leader, he''s not the only one with a taboo placed upon him. There are others, influential figures who could disrupt the world''s balance. To our knowledge, there are four in total." "The former number one Lord, the undead Lord, the chieftain of the Shadow race, and a demon." "A demon?" Alex was puzzled. The Shadow race, similar to the undead, possessed immense potential for growth. It made sense for them to be targeted. But why a demon? Weren''t they always powerful? "Legend has it that after the Demon Era, the Demon race was poised to rule a second era. Unfortunately, just as they were about to succeed, a god broke the rules and intervened. It''s said that this led to the unspoken rule of one race, one era." This information was ancient, its veracity impossible to verify. Hence, the five bishops used the term "legend." "I see. You must have heard from other Freelancers about my troops. You know their race, don''t you?" Of course, they did. Even before meeting Alex, they knew that the current number one Lord was the undead Lord. "Are you interested in information about the undead Lord, leader?" Alex nodded. She wanted to know if the Liberty Church possessed any deeper knowledge. After all, the undead Lord''s fall had occurred shortly after their arrival, and in Eldoria, no less. "Leader, you''re probably already aware of the basic information about him. But we have heard some rumors." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex was surprised. The Liberty Church was merely a King level organization. Seeking such information was a considerable risk. "It''s said that the last known location of the previous undead Lord before his disappearance was Holy City." "The Holy City of the Angel race?" "Yes. He vanished completely after that. Some say he perished at the hands of the Angel race. Others believe he''s imprisoned beneath Holy City." The five bishops explained that Holy City wasn''t an ordinary city, but a sky city, perpetually bathed in a radiant pillar of holy light. The tomb of the previous undead Lord was rumored to be within that very pillar of light, beneath Holy City. If true, that was troubling. Even at Sovereign level, Alex wouldn''t dare to go there. Unless she became a god. But once she reached that level of power, would the mystery of the previous undead Lord''s fall even matter? "No, remember the former number one Lord who sought revenge for him?" One bishop suddenly interrupted, as if recalling something crucial. "It''s said he erected a tombstone for the previous undead Lord. Obviously, it was a fake. There was nothing inside." Another bishop countered. If there had been, any relics or inheritance would have been claimed by the previous undead Lord''s followers long ago. However, Alex merely sought the truth. Her current inheritance was complete. She didn''t need the help of the previous undead lord. Still, that former number one Lord was a loyal, if somewhat foolish, soul. Why couldn''t he have been more discreet? Wouldn''t it have been a better choice to seek revenge after becoming a god? "Where is this tombstone he built?" Alex asked after a moment of thought. "It''s no secret. The tombstone is located on Cliffside Mountain in the south, overlooking the sea. After the former number one Lord''s death, the Alphas(Kings) of other races didn''t bother destroying it." Of course not. Firstly, the tomb was a fake. Secondly, those Alphas knew the truth. As long as the undead Lord was dead, a fake tomb was of no consequence. However, the official story remained that the undead Lord had gone missing. The truth about the fake tomb was known only to a select few. The Liberty Church bishops, with their ability to enter people''s dreams, had access to these hidden truths. But these were distant memories, events of the past, offering little help to Alex''s current situation. What she needed now was information about recent major events in this era and the movements of the various races. First on her list was the most mysterious of the seven continents: Arcadia. "Arcadia?" The five bishops exchanged glances, a hint of apprehension in their eyes. One of them leaned closer to Alex, lowering his voice. "Leader, there''s a god present in Arcadia!" Alex''s eyes widened. She looked expectantly at the bishop, eager for more information. Arcadia was home to the Mage Guild''s headquarters, and that god was none other than the youngest deity alive: the Magic God of the Mage Guild! Many races had gods, but only this Magic God had been known to intervene in worldly affairs, making their presence known to all. The reason for this remained a mystery. The whereabouts of the other races'' gods were also unknown. Arcadia was the complete opposite of Nytheria. The former welcomed extraterrestrial visitors, integrating them into human society, while the latter sought their extermination. It wasn''t that Arcadia had no Lords. It was just that they had all been absorbed into the human race. That continent was the true heart of humanity. Even the notoriously bold Angel Race wouldn''t dare to make any significant moves in Arcadia. Of course, humans and angels maintained a superficial alliance that had lasted for millennia. "So, this Magic God is the true ruler of humanity?" Alex was astonished. She knew that powerful races had gods, but this was the first time she had heard concrete information about one. "Not entirely. The ruler is the president of the Mage Guild. It''s said that he''s just one step away from becoming a god himself. With his talent and the support of a god, he should have ascended long ago. But for nearly a thousand years, he hasn''t taken that final step." This was a mystery that puzzled even the Liberty Church. It wasn''t exactly a secret, so the bishop shared it freely with Alex. Alex pondered this new information. Why was the Magic God present, yet the president held the reins of power? The Magic God himself had been the president before ascending to godhood. "Is it possible that gods are forbidden from interfering in the affairs of races?" Alex voiced her thoughts. The five bishops immediately grasped the implications. "You''re right! Perhaps there''s a time limit on how long gods can remain in this world. The gods of other races might have already departed, while the younger Magic God still has time left." "That would explain why they can''t interfere in their own race''s affairs. It could be a restriction imposed by some higher power." "The true rulers of the major races are all on the verge of godhood. Perhaps their inability to ascend is for the sake of their race''s development!" Inspired by Alex''s words, the five bishops engaged in a lively discussion, their minds racing with possibilities. Alex''s line of thinking stemmed from the countless web novels she had read back on Earth. Weren''t these tropes common in those stories? However, one thing still bothered her. If humanity had a god, making them the undisputed strongest race, why would the Angel race dare to make any moves against them? And why wasn''t humanity more assertive? They weren''t weak, but their actions were far from dominant. They were¡­average, not at all like a race with a god on their side. As Alex lost herself in thought, the five bishops dropped an even bigger bombshell: Gods didn''t exist in the same world as them. There might be a "divine realm" above their own! Chapter 353 - 353: The power rankings of the Continents Alex engaged in a deep conversation with the bishops, absorbing a wealth of information, both familiar and unknown. It provided her with a much clearer understanding of this world. She now had a firm grasp on the power dynamics of the seven continents. The relationships between these powerful races were becoming increasingly intricate. Taking out a pen and paper, Alex summarized the distribution of power across the continents, ranking them from strongest to weakest based on her current knowledge. The actual pecking order, of course, remained to be seen. First on the list was the enigmatic Arcadia, undoubtedly the most powerful with a god at its helm. Its primary race was human, but it also housed branches of the Holy Court, angels, dragons, and other formidable races. Second was Nytheria, the seat of the Angel race. Their clans spanned all seven continents, their strength undeniable. However, judging by their current actions, they were still a notch below humanity. Third place was a tie between Valoria and Mossvale. Alex couldn''t definitively say whether demons or dragons were stronger, her knowledge of both being limited. Valoria was also home to fallen angels and demon servants, while Mossvale boasted countless sub-dragon species. Alex tentatively placed Tyrangar fourth. This continent was the domain of titans, another top-tier race with a Sovereign level cap. However, their numbers were few, and they had always maintained a low profile. Fifth was Eldoria. With the fall of the once undead empire, it had become the second weakest of the major continents. Otherwise, the might of the undead would have easily secured its place at the top. Last, and certainly not least, was Arsen, the undisputed weakest link. Beyond the seven continents, however, lay another force to be reckoned with: the Sea Race of the Endless Sea. While the true size of the Endless Sea remained a mystery, if Earth''s geography was anything to go by, it was safe to assume that it dwarfed the seven continents combined. The Sea Race, dwelling in the deepest trenches, harbored the greatest ambitions. They yearned to conquer the land and unite the seven continents of Astralon under their rule. This wasn''t about dominating an era. It was about eradicating all other life forms, leaving only the ocean and the Sea Race. Their previous attempt had been met with fierce resistance from the land races, leading to the downfall of the Sea God Era. Otherwise, their reign would have continued for at least another era. The five bishops agreed with Alex''s assessment. Without the undead, Eldoria had indeed become the second weakest of the major continents. This power vacuum had allowed smaller races to thrive, resulting in the current chaotic landscape. Alex pulled out a map and located Cliffside Mountain. She decided to pay it a visit after leaving Tomb City before returning to her undead empire. Tomb City was, after all, a human city. Building an undead fortress here was out of the question. The Liberty Church possessed a decent understanding of the continents'' history, but their knowledge of the truly powerful races was limited. For instance, they had no idea what the Angel race was planning with their alliance with the Holy Court and the titans. It was likely that even the current human leaders were in the dark. Alex spent the rest of the day poring over the documents and files, questioning the five bishops whenever she came across something unclear. Finally, she finished reviewing all the information. Stretching languidly, she rose to her feet and addressed the five men. "You''ve all done well. I won''t force you into a Submission Contract. A simple Master-Servant Contract will suffice." The difference between the two was significant. The latter allowed the servants to regain their freedom upon the master''s death. The Submission Contract, however, was absolute. If Alex perished on another continent, these five, even hiding within the dream world, would die alongside her. The bishops were visibly relieved. They had experienced a similar situation centuries ago, signing a similar contract. In the end, they had outlived their master and regained their freedom. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Thank you, you are a merciful leader." The bishops expressed their gratitude. The Master-Servant Contract posed no threat to their lives. The bishops readily signed the contract. This wasn''t their first rodeo, and they showed no resistance. They accompanied Alex out of the hidden chamber. Outside, night had fallen. As Alex contemplated her next move, the five men spoke up. "Leader, we usually send out intelligence reports at dawn. Why don''t you stay the night and depart tomorrow?" Having pledged their allegiance to Alex, they were quick to adapt to their new roles. Alex nodded. She was curious to witness Selene''s dream manipulation abilities firsthand. It was fascinating that Selene, with only King level strength, could reach across the Endless Sea and pull Freelancers from other continents into her dreams. The bishops wasted no time arranging accommodation for Alex. While the other bishops were busy, Alex turned to the eldest, the Archbishop, and asked, "What''s your name?" "Leader, to better blend in with humans after joining the Liberty Church, we discarded our original names and adopted codenames. A thousand years have passed, and I''m ashamed to admit that I can''t quite recall my real name." "Then what''s your codename?" To Alex, names and codenames served the same purpose. "M, leader," the Archbishop replied respectfully. Alex raised an eyebrow. What a strange codename. "Very well. You''re dismissed." She waved them away, then paused. "Oh, there''s a man named Samson in Glory City. Give him a promotion if you can, but don''t mention my name." "As you wish, leader." Seeing that Alex had no further instructions, the five bishops took their leave. Alex turned and headed towards Selene''s room, her curiosity piqued. If Selene could drag people into her dreams regardless of distance and kill them silently, wouldn''t that be incredibly overpowered? "Selene, I''m quite curious about your dream manipulation abilities. Would you mind telling me more?" Alex asked, taking a seat beside Selene, who was adorned in a flowing white gown. "Of course." Selene readily agreed. It wasn''t as if it were a secret. However, Alex''s hopes were quickly dashed. The dream manipulation ability came with several limitations. Firstly, it required a trigger: a specific incantation from the Dream Race, activated by magical energy. This marked the target, allowing Selene to pull them into the dream world. While the ability had no range limit, the incantation could be transmitted through the system, explaining how the Liberty Church had expanded its influence to other continents despite lacking intercontinental travel. "That''s incredible," Alex remarked. "Just a substitute for your system," Selene said wistfully. To her, the system''s chat feature was the most overpowered ability. Alex didn''t contradict her. Selene had no concept of cell phones, the internet, or other instant communication tools. To Freelancers, the system''s features were nothing more than a glorified chatroom. Using it openly, however, was too risky. No one dared to take that chance. "You know, I think the Dream Race is even more suited to being assassins than the Shadow race." Alex wasn''t joking. This ability was far more insidious than anything the Shadow race possessed. Within a certain range, Selene could forcefully drag people into her dreams. Weaker beings would be rendered unconscious, while stronger ones would be trapped in a battle within the dream world. All it would take was one well-placed strike to eliminate their slumbering bodies in the real world. "We are not assassins! Dream Weavers are a peaceful race. We rarely involve ourselves in the conflicts of others," Selene retorted, emphasizing her race''s pacifistic nature. Unfortunately, such idealism had nearly driven them to extinction. Alex refrained from voicing this thought, not wanting to dampen Selene''s spirits. "Actually, I''m a pacifist myself." "I don''t believe you," Selene replied flatly. Alex: ??? Chapter 354 - 354: Has the Holy Court split? Time flew by, and soon it was midnight. Alex, wide awake, awaited Selene''s summons to the dream world. She was eager to witness how the Liberty Church used dreams for intelligence sharing and perhaps glean some valuable information herself. **Time: 12:00 AM** As Selene activated her ability, a wave of drowsiness washed over Alex. She realized she could resist it with her high-level soul magic, but she chose not to. Instead, she allowed her consciousness to relax, surrendering to Selene''s influence as she drifted into slumber and the embrace of the dream world. Alex opened her eyes to a bright, sunny day. The sun blazed overhead, radiating intense heat. She found herself atop a towering mountain, facing a magnificent cathedral. Its grand doors stood wide open, beckoning her inside. Stepping through the threshold, Alex watched as the scenery morphed instantly, transporting her into a circular, amphitheater-like structure. At the bottom, chairs were arranged in a circle, surrounded by ascending tiers of seats. A quick scan told her there were at least a thousand chairs. Beside her, the air shimmered, and Selene materialized. "Shall we take a seat?" Selene asked. "This place is incredible! What are your limits here?" Alex asked, her curiosity piqued. Within this dreamscape, Selene was undoubtedly the ultimate authority. "Indeed, I can shape this space into anything I desire," Selene replied with a gentle smile. Alex felt a bit surprised, momentarily startled before her reason returned. It made sense. This ability was likely the key to ensuring loyalty within the Liberty Church. Any traitor attempting to infiltrate the church would be met with a swift and painless death the moment Selene perceived their true intentions. With a graceful wave of Selene''s hand, their figures dissolved, granting them an omniscient view of the gathering below. One by one, Freelancers materialized, their faces concealed behind black masks. They moved with practiced ease, taking their designated seats in silence. Alex was struck by the lack of chatter. Instead of engaging in idle conversations, they settled in quietly, their focus solely on the task at hand. Her gaze swept across the assembly, quickly locating Samson in the second row. He sat ramrod straight, his eyes scanning the room. None of the attendees seemed aware of Alex and Selene''s ethereal presence. The five bishops, including M, were the last to arrive, taking their positions at the very center. A hush fell over the gathering. There were no long-winded speeches, no elaborate rituals. As soon as M declared the meeting open, the Freelancers began their reports, each taking their turn based on their seating order. Twenty or so church personnel, seated around the five bishops, diligently transcribed the incoming information onto sheets of paper that materialized at a rapid pace. "Did you do this?" Alex asked, her gaze fixed on the scene below. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Selene nodded. "It streamlines the process. I can manifest their reports directly, eliminating the need for manual recording." Alex was impressed by their efficiency and discipline. Everyone played their part, their reports concise and factual. As the reports went on, the information was categorized and organized, ready to be sold to the human nobles within the Empire. Alex listened intently, Selene respectfully silent beside her. The intelligence sought by these nobles was¡­interesting, to say the least. It was mostly gossip, ranging from the scandalous to the downright salacious. A certain duke''s late-night rendezvous with his mistress, a count''s eldest son''s affair with his stepmother¡­the list went on. It was a bizarre mix of triviality and depravity, yet these nobles paid handsomely for such information, making it a significant source of income for the Liberty Church. "This is how the church has always operated. Every member needs to integrate into human society. It''s all about supply and demand," Selene explained. Alex simply nodded, her attention still fixed on the proceedings below. Samson''s turn was approaching, and she wanted to see if he would betray her. Soon, it was his turn. His masked face betrayed no emotion as he rose and spoke in a flat tone. "The honorary Magus from the Mage Guild arrived in Glory City. He visited the Imperial Palace and departed the same day. His purpose is unknown." With that, Samson sat back, and the next Freelancer stood to report. Alex didn''t react to this piece of information. Many knew about the Magus''s visit. It was harmless enough for Samson to offer it as intelligence, especially since he hadn''t divulged anything else about Alex. Selene, however, sensed a connection between Alex and this Magus, but she chose not to pry. The intelligence gathering continued, but Alex heard nothing of real significance until the second-to-last member stood up. His report sent shockwaves through the entire assembly. "The Holy Court has split! Nearly half of their knights have defected to the human race!" Even the five bishops, including M, shot to their feet, their faces etched with astonishment. Alex was equally stunned, barely able to believe her ears. Beside her, Selene, as the weaver of this dream, felt the collective shock reverberating through the minds of everyone present. "Selene, is he telling the truth?" Alex asked urgently, turning to her companion. "It''s true," Selene confirmed with a nod. "Do you have more details?" M''s voice boomed across the dream, only his second utterance since the meeting began. The Freelancer who had delivered the report was taken aback by the impact of his words. "I only know that the leader of the Holy Court, for reasons unknown, has chosen to sever ties. A faction of knights has openly sided with humanity, while another has declared their allegiance to the Angel race, becoming their sworn enemies." His knowledge was limited, likely gleaned from Freelancers operating in Nytheria. However, news of this magnitude wouldn''t remain hidden for long. It was only a matter of time before it spread throughout Astralon like wildfire. Alex was still reeling from the revelation, her mind racing back to the words of the Vice President of Yellowrock City. Could this be the Mage Guild''s doing? Or was the relationship between the Holy Court and the Mage Guild not as adversarial as it seemed? She was tempted to contact the Mage Guild directly but quickly dismissed the idea. Her current status wouldn''t grant her access to such sensitive information. In the end, she decided to let it go. The power plays of these factions were of little concern to her. Her priority was to grow stronger and establish the strongest undead empire the world had ever seen. With the conclusion of the intelligence gathering, the dreamscape dissolved, and Alex found herself back in Selene''s room. She rose from her seat, feeling surprisingly refreshed. Selene stood before her, her gaze steady. "The Holy Court is bound by faith. How could they possibly split? Has their faith been shaken?" Selene asked, struggling to comprehend the sudden schism. The Holy Court had stood for millennia. How could they simply fracture, dividing themselves in two? "If I recall correctly, whispers of dissent within the Holy Court, voices advocating for the Angel race, began surfacing during the Angel Era. Somehow, the Angel race orchestrated a schism, swaying the Holy Court''s radicals to abandon humanity and declare their independence. This split likely stems from an agreement between the Mage Guild and the remaining conservatives within the Holy Court. Their methods may differ, but their ultimate goal, protecting humanity, remains unchanged," Alex explained, though these were merely her deductions. The Holy Court, on its own, couldn''t rival any of the top-tier races. Yet, they remained a constant presence, a curious anomaly. Was it the Angel race emboldening them? Or were they content to be mere pawns in the angels'' game? "You''re right. The Angel race has grown increasingly audacious in recent centuries. They''re openly recruiting other races, annihilating those who refuse." As the heart of the Liberty Church, Selene had gathered considerable intelligence on the Angel race over the centuries. "Selene, we need to prepare ourselves. I have a feeling this world is about to descend into chaos." Alex wasn''t being alarmist. It was a gut feeling, a premonition. The recent actions of all the races seemed to be connected to the Angel race in some way. "I understand," Selene replied with a solemn nod. The Liberty Church was now Alex''s eyes and ears, and their operations needed to be even more discreet. Their focus could no longer be on petty gossip. "I need to rest. You should get some sleep as well." With that, Alex left Selene''s room and returned to the one M had prepared for her. She lay down on the bed, her mind buzzing with possibilities. As for her Reaper Guard, they would remain hidden within the city for now. She would retrieve them upon her return to the undead empire. The next morning, Alex awoke before dawn. It was time to leave Tomb City. She had decided against bringing Selene to her undead empire. Selene was more valuable here in Tomb City. Besides her dream manipulation abilities, her King level strength made her more than capable of protecting herself. "M, I''m leaving the Liberty Church''s intelligence gathering in your capable hands. Remember, prioritize information on the major races and keep a close eye on the movements of the seven continents. Report any significant developments immediately." Alex delivered her final instructions. She had already entrusted Sophie with Selene''s incantation. If Alex was ever unavailable, Sophie would take her place in the dream world, gathering intelligence on her behalf. "Rest assured, leader. We understand," the five bishops chorused, vowing to remain vigilant and refrain from entering their prolonged slumber for the next decade. They would dedicate themselves to maintaining the Liberty Church''s operations for Alex. "Excellent." Alex gave them a final nod, her figure vanishing in an instant. The five bishops exchanged glances. "Let''s focus on serving her well. You all know the potential of an undead Lord," the Archbishop said, his voice laced with a hint of awe. The other bishops nodded in agreement, each returning to their tasks. Besides gathering intelligence for Alex, they still had a church to run and profits to make. Two hours later, Alex found herself at the edge of the Skyreach Mountains. Donning her mage robe to avoid unwanted attention, she consulted her map once more, pinpointing the location of Cliffside Mountain. "This is going to take a while. At this rate, I won''t reach Cliffside Mountain until tonight." She checked the time on her system interface, then tucked the map away and picked up her pace. Paying her respects to the previous undead Lord was a secondary objective. Her true goal was to establish an undead fortress at Cliffside Mountain, extending her influence to the southern reaches of Eldoria. She couldn''t remain confined to the north forever. That was another reason for her to go to Cliffside Mountain. Chapter 355 - 355: Emperor level undead? After a long journey, Alex finally arrived at Cliffside Mountain. As Alex arrived, she was a little surprised. The so-called Cliffside Mountain was not a mountain at all, but a continuous cliff next to the sea. The map only marked the name and the only information she had was that it was located on the southernmost edge of the continent. Looking at the endless coastline, Alex was completely at a loss. "Where can I find that fake tomb?" "Forget it, I''ll find a suitable place to build the undead fortress first." Alex sighed. After all, this was her main purpose in going to the southern border. The turbulent waves hit the bottom of the cliff, making a loud noise. Alex, wearing a robe, flew southward along the edge, looking for a hidden location suitable for building an undead fortress. These cliffs were at least fifty meters above sea level, and below were irregular boulders blocking the tide, making the terrain very uneven. Building an undead fortress below the cliff was not a good location. No one could predict whether the Sea Race would land and harass them after the tide receded. Suddenly, Alex''s eyes narrowed. She saw several angels in her vision. As she spotted them, the angels all turned to look at her. King level angels? Otherwise, their perception couldn''t be so keen from such a distance. Seeing the group of angels flying towards her, Alex''s fingers under the black robe had touched the bracelet, ready to summon the sickle at any time. But then she thought of her honorary mage status, so she decided to wait and see. There were seven angels in total. If they were all King level, killing them would definitely expose her abilities. "What are you doing in Cliffside Mountain?" The group of angels quickly came to Alex and stopped her way in a semi-encirclement. The leading angel questioned her. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You guys can come to Cliffside Mountain, why can''t I? Since when has this place become the territory of your Angel race?" Alex didn''t panic. According to the relationship between the human race and the angel race, it was impossible to communicate peacefully, so she had to maintain a tough stance at the moment. The leading angel pondered for a moment and spoke again with a blank expression. "We are being rude. We are here on a mission. Your sudden arrival made us suspicious. Could you please tell us the purpose of your visit to Cliffside Mountain so that we can report it?" The angel''s tone softened a lot. Alex guessed that they didn''t dare to directly attack a Magus from the Mage Guild. "Then why don''t you tell me what your mission is in Cliffside Mountain?" Alex didn''t answer but asked back. If the other party refused to answer, she could also use the Mage Guild''s secrets to refuse. "Our mission is to hunt down the undead here." As soon as the leading angel said these words, Alex was shocked and almost started directly. But soon Alex reacted. She had never been to Cliffside Mountain, and her undead troops had never been to the southern part of the Eldoria continent. Therefore, the undead that these angels wanted to hunt down here should have nothing to do with Alex. Could it have something to do with the fake tomb? If it was just ordinary undead, it wouldn''t be possible for angels to make such a big fuss to hunt them down. There must be some secret. Alex''s brain raced, and she quickly came up with a reason to fool them. "I''m secretly assisting the werewolves of the Skyreach Mountains in tracking down a vampire. I think the other party led me to Cliffside Mountain to divert your attention and buy time." Alex didn''t blush and her heart didn''t skip a beat. She was talking nonsense in a serious manner. Sure enough, these angels didn''t see through her lies. "You''d better leave Cliffside Mountain as soon as possible. If we find that vampire in Cliffside Mountain, we will kill it for you directly." "Thank you for your help." Alex nodded to them and went back the same way. Seeing them leave, the angels started searching again. In fact, after the angels disappeared from sight, Alex directly activated Invisibility and returned. She didn''t believe that the Angel race would make a fuss about a fake cemetery. There must be some unknown secret. As Alex continued south, she saw more and more angels. Besides the team just now, she also saw two other teams. There was no doubt that all the angels here were King level. As for why Alex was so sure, it was because the angel who had just talked to her had four wings. And all the angels she saw afterwards had four wings! A team of seven angels, three teams would be twenty-one King levels. What kind of undead needed twenty-one King levels to search in person? Wait, Alex suddenly froze, as if she had thought of a terrible idea. There were so many King level angels here, so the enemy they were looking for was very likely... Emperor level! An Emperor level undead, near the fake tomb, was a subordinate of the previous undead lord, a Race King! Alex didn''t expect to find such shocking news when she came here to pay homage to the fake tomb. She stopped and wondered if she should continue. If the undead here was Emperor level, it meant that there must be an Emperor level angel nearby. Just as Alex was hesitating, she suddenly found a cave at the bottom of the cliff. She didn''t know what magic the tunnel used, but it was well hidden. But she saw through it at a glance. She thought that the other party must be hiding in this cave. Alex came to the bottom of the cliff, next to the tunnel. There might be an Emperor level existence inside, which made her hesitate. "Death Spirit!" She directly summoned the Death Spirit''s clone and let it explore the way, so that she wouldn''t have to worry about danger. The Death Spirit entered the cave, while Alex stood outside the cave, anxiously waiting. Soon, the Death Spirit flew out. Alex didn''t dare to summon the undead to let the Death Spirit report the news through possession. Maybe this was the only shortcoming of the Death Spirit as an assistant. Although the Death Spirit couldn''t use words to describe the specific situation in the cave, it could still clearly express simple things like whether there was danger through body language. "No danger?" Alex was stunned. It seemed that she had guessed wrong. The Emperor level undead was not hiding in this cave. "Okay, I got it." Alex waved her hand, and the Death Spirit''s clone dissipated directly. She decided to go in and have a look since she was already here. Now that she had made sure that there was no danger inside, she had nothing to worry about and strode in directly. Inside the cave, dim lights illuminated the white magic circle in the center of the open space, where two desiccated corpses sat quietly. Alex recognized that this magic circle was undead magic, which meant that this was indeed the place where the other party had been hiding, but she didn''t know where they had gone. Just as she walked towards the keystone in the center of the magic circle, the two desiccated corpses beside her suddenly opened their eyes and slowly stood up. "Who are you! How dare you come to our territory!" Chapter 356 - 356: The Race Kings of the previous Undead Lord It wasn''t until this moment that Alex realized the two desiccated corpses beside her weren''t actually dead, but in a state of disguise. As they awakened, their current levels were revealed. King level necromancers! Seeing that they weren''t race Kings, Alex breathed a sigh of relief and released her aura. "Open your eyes and look at me!" Alex shouted angrily, and a wave of pressure from a king directly pressed down on the two necromancers. Feeling this power, the pupils of the two necromancers shrank, and they immediately knelt down. This pressure was even stronger than their king''s! At this moment, Alex''s identity was self-evident. "Respected Undead Queen!" The two necromancers prostrated themselves on the ground, and Alex turned to look at them. "Are you subordinates of the previous Undead Lord?" "Yes, Your Majesty. After the fall of the Undead Empire, we followed Leader(King) Torin and hid here. A while ago, he sensed the establishment of the new Undead Empire and has already left." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two necromancers said respectfully. They were somewhat delighted to see the Queen here, but they were also worried about whether the departed Torin had encountered any danger. Torin hadn''t met the new Undead Lord, so where had their leader gone? "Torin? Is he the Race King of your necromancers?" Alex was slightly surprised. As expected, this Emperor level undead was indeed a Race King. However, Alex didn''t think this level was high, but rather a little low. Logically speaking, the previous Undead Lord had been dead for hundreds of years. With the Race King''s Divine level cap, he should have reached the Sovereign level by now. How could he only be at Emperor level? "Yes, Your Majesty. Leader Torin is one of the seven Race Kings. After the defeat of the previous Undead Empire, we were all hunted down. According to our intelligence, only Torin and Zarvox escaped the purge, but Torin was seriously injured and had been hiding in Cliffside Mountain to heal." The two necromancers explained to Alex and told her all their information. It was only then that she realized that there were actually two Race Kings, Necromancer and Ghoul, still alive. Torin, the Necromancer Race King, was seriously injured by angels while leading his subordinates to escape. Unable to leave the Eldoria continent, he had to hide in Cliffside Mountain. In the end, only twenty-four King level necromancers followed him and escaped. Torin was injured, and his level dropped from mid-level Emperor to low-level Emperor, and his strength was greatly reduced. It was not until he sensed the establishment of the new Undead Empire that he finally risked leaving Cliffside Mountain and dragged his seriously injured body to the north of the Eldoria continent. These old Race Kings could sense the specific location of the Undead Empire after its establishment, as if guided by some unknown force. These two necromancers were also left here after Torin left. As for what they were specifically guarding, Torin didn''t say. But Alex guessed that these two necromancers might be used as cannon fodder, sacrificing themselves to attract the attention of the Angel race. As for other information, they knew very little. However, one thing was certain: Torin was on Alex''s side. The addition of an Emperor level existence would directly bring a qualitative leap to the overall strength of the Undead Empire. "Although Torin was injured, several hundred years have passed. Why hasn''t his level reached the Sovereign level?" After listening to their story, Alex asked the question that had been puzzling her. "Your Majesty, we don''t know, but Leader Torin once said that their potential to become gods depends on the Undead Lord. After the fall of the previous Undead Lord, the levels of the other Race Kings were not much different, all at the Emperor level." The two necromancers had limited information and could only recall what Torin had said as much as possible. After hearing this, Alex had a guess: after the death of the Undead Lord, these Race Kings lost the potential to become gods. In other words, their upper limit might have fallen to Emperor level. As for why they hadn''t reached the Sovereign level, Alex thought about it and understood. Without the help of the Undead Lord, the growth rate of these undead would be much slower. Even a dragon''s growth cycle took five hundred years, so it was already very good for those Race Kings to reach Emperor level after hundreds of years. Moreover, judging from the information obtained from these two necromancers, the previous Undead Lord''s Undead Empire seemed to be very different from her Undead Empire. Why did the previous Undead Lord only have seven Race Kings? This number was obviously less than the number of Race Kings Alex had. It seemed that she could only find out more specific information after seeing Torin. "I heard that the previous Undead Lord was originally a human?" Alex asked tentatively, not sure if the necromancers in front of her knew the specific information. "Yes, Your Majesty. Our former emperor and the seven Race Kings were all originally humans, and only later transformed into undead." This news was not a secret among the undead, or even among some major factions. Alex was taken aback. The Race Kings of the previous Undead Lord were not obtained through summoning? Instantly, Alex thought of the Death Angel, which was transformed from her. Could it be that the situation of the seven Race Kings was the same as Xiao Hui''s? There was a slight difference between transformed undead and naturally summoned undead: they retained all their memories, including their race, relatives, friends, and so on. In other words, the undead bloodline Alex currently possessed couldn''t completely suppress the transformed undead and make them absolutely loyal. Not all the Undead Race Kings currently in existence were 100% loyal to Alex. Some of them might only be loyal to the previous Undead Lord. Alex had to be wary of this. After all, these Race Kings were all at least Emperor level, and she was no match for them at the moment. The most important piece of information was that the previous Undead Lord was not killed in the Undead Empire. At that time, the Undead Empire was still intact. Maybe some old members got the news in advance, and they immediately left the Undead Empire and escaped after the death of the previous Undead Lord! It was very likely that there were other Race Kings besides Torin and Zarvox, and all the Undead Race Kings could sense the location of the Undead Empire. Maybe they were all rushing towards the north of the Eldoria continent! Thinking of this, Alex felt a sense of urgency. What if those former Race Kings had malicious intentions? "Where is the fake tomb of the Undead Lord?" Alex looked at the two necromancers and asked. The two necromancers were taken aback. It turned out that the Undead Queen had come to Cliffside Mountain for this matter. "Your Majesty, the fake tomb is under this magic circle, but we need to destroy the foundation of the formation, which risks being discovered by angels. I don''t recommend taking the risk." Chapter 357 - 357: Fake tomb "Under this magic circle?" Alex looked down at the enormous magic circle beneath her feet, pondering whether to take the risk. The two necromancers'' meaning was clear: there was no need to expose herself for a fake tomb. But this contradicted Torin''s actions of hiding his healing place here. At least from the current situation, this Torin was still quite sentimental. "It doesn''t matter. It''s just a fake tomb. Since I''m here, I have to see what''s going on." Alex quickly made up her mind. At worst, she would just waste an undead fortress. Although she couldn''t defeat these angels, it was still easy for her to escape. Besides, there was only a risk of exposure, not a guarantee. The space inside the cave wasn''t large, so it wasn''t possible to directly build the undead fortress hidden inside. However, Alex mastered all undead magic, so she could easily see the core of this magic circle. Alex stomped her right foot forcefully. Black energy burst out from it, directly shattering the foundation of the formation beneath her feet. With a loud bang, the entire cave began to shake, and dust filled the air. Alex and the two necromancers landed steadily on the ground, looking around. "This magic circle is actually hollow underneath?" The two necromancers only knew that the fake tomb was located under the magic circle. This was their first time here, so like Alex, they were surprised and observed their surroundings. As the dust settled, Alex''s gaze first locked onto the center of the space. There was a circular platform in the middle, like an altar, with a stone tablet placed on top. There was something written on it, but Alex couldn''t see it clearly. The most striking thing was that there was a black spear stuck on top of the stone tablet, which was particularly conspicuous. "Is this the weapon of the previous Undead Lord?" Alex''s doubtful echo echoed through the pitch-black, empty cave. "Yes, Your Majesty. Our former emperor''s weapon was indeed a spear," the two necromancers said respectfully from behind Alex. Alex took off her large black hood, revealing her beautiful long white hair. She walked slowly towards the center of the cave and stepped onto the altar. The first thing she did was reach out and grab the spear, but then she shook her head with a wry smile. What am I thinking? This is just a fake tomb. How could it possibly hold the weapon of the previous Undead Lord? This black spear wasn''t a weapon at all, but was integrated with the stone tablet, completely carved out of stone. Since it was just a decoration, Alex didn''t bother to pay attention to it and looked down at the inscription on the stone tablet. It was only then that Alex saw the information on it with confusion. It was very simple, only a few short words. Tomb of ____. Alex was startled. The name in the middle was blank, meaning that the name of the previous Undead Lord had been deliberately erased. "Is this the power of the god''s taboo?" This power was truly terrifying, able to directly erase all traces of a person''s existence. It was likely that no one except those who had interacted with the previous Undead Lord would know about him. Indeed, without even a name, even if someone found it, they wouldn''t know it was the tomb of the previous Undead Lord. Alex looked at the tombstone, her heart unmoved. She just wiped the dust off the tombstone with her hand. Since Alex was the new Undead Lord, it was only right to pay her respects to the former Undead Lord. The two necromancers behind her silently watched Alex pay homage to their former emperor without saying anything. Then Alex stood silently in front of the tomb for a long time. After a long while, Alex seemed to have thought of something. She squatted down, the six-pointed star magic circle in her right eye flashed with white light, and she reached out to touch the tombstone. Since this fake tomb was built by the first Lord for the previous Undead Lord, there might be some spatial sealing on it. Her spatial magic originated from the same source as his, so maybe it would trigger some special reaction? Of course, Alex was just giving it a try. The main reason was that she wanted to know if the first Lord had left any important information here. The moment her hand, wrapped in spatial power, touched the tombstone, the tombstone suddenly shattered into pieces. Alex was a little embarrassed. Not to mention whether she was overthinking it and had to try this, she was the first person to destroy the tombstone right after paying homage. But it was a fake tomb anyway. It was fine if it was destroyed. The dead should be allowed to rest in peace forever, and Alex would become his successor in the future, even surpassing him and completing what he had not finished. Alex stood up, ready to turn and leave. This place was too dangerous. It was better to return to the Undead Empire as soon as possible. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But at this moment, a black mist suddenly emerged from the ruined tombstone and flew straight towards her. Seeing the black mist suddenly attacking her, Alex was shocked. She immediately released her aura and touched the bracelet with her right hand. A huge black sickle slashed straight at it. The sickle had the ability to cut through everything. No matter what form the enemy was in, as long as it was touched by the sickle, it would die! But before the sickle could touch the black mist, something unexpected happened. The black mist suddenly expanded, as if the sun had been switched off. The surroundings instantly became pitch black. Even with her enhanced vision, Alex couldn''t see anything. There was nothing but emptiness around her. She couldn''t see her hand in front of her face. There was no difference between opening her eyes and closing them. At this moment, Alex had completely lost her sight and was in a completely unfamiliar space. But Alex didn''t panic. Instead, she was very calm, and there was even a hint of a smile on her lips. She had indeed sensed it just now. This power made the Source of Fear somewhat excited, and at the same time, it resonated with her own spatial magic. Alex was not trapped here. As long as she wanted, she could leave this space at any time. She had guessed correctly. There were indeed clues left by the first Lord here! The two necromancers in the cave saw Alex suddenly disappear from the tombstone and their expressions changed drastically. They thought that something had happened to their Queen and hurriedly went to the fake tomb to check, but they found nothing after checking. Because only Alex saw the black mist that had just surged out, the two necromancers didn''t see anything. Chapter 358 - 358: The truth "After all these years, my guess was right." A magnetic male voice came from the darkness. Just hearing this voice made Alex feel like the speaker was a high-spirited, handsome, and valiant young man. Following the sound, the surrounding darkness instantly receded. Although it was still pitch black, she could now see her surroundings. Standing not far in front of Alex was a dark shadow. She couldn''t see his face or any specific features, only that it was a human figure and that the voice came from him. "Are you the previous Undead Lord or the first Lord from back then?" Alex asked the shadow with a hint of doubt in her voice. She couldn''t sense any power from him, nor could she determine his identity. After all, this space was built by the first Lord, but the tomb belonged to the Undead Lord. "Oh, right. I almost forgot to introduce myself. To be able to come here and trigger this seal, you must be my future successor. I am the previous Undead Lord, a dead man." The shadow spoke slowly. Alex was a little excited to hear this, but his next words quickly disappointed her. "Back then, I knew I was going to die, so I separated a trace of primal power and handed it over to him. He sealed a part of my memory. To be precise, I am now just a pre-designed image and cannot communicate with you." The shadow just muttered to himself, "Since you are here, it means that he also failed to ascend to godhood, right? Then his ending must be the same as mine, his traces will be erased. I won''t mention his name, it will be noticed. Next, I will tell you some things, listen carefully." "So it''s just an image. It seems that he deliberately left it behind to convey a message." Alex felt somewhat disappointed. She thought she could communicate with him, but now it seemed that she could only listen to what he had to say. "Where should I start? This is really troublesome. The origin of the world? But since you are here, your strength must have at least reached the Emperor level, right? You should know something about this world. First of all, the World''s Heart of Planet Astralon, the will of this world, is actually the god who helped the first batch of pioneers descend. He created this world. With his change of identity, the first batch of pioneers successfully settled down here. It''s right to say that they were the first batch of pioneers, and it''s also right to say that they were the first batch of native races on Planet Astralon. Speaking of this, you should understand why Planet Astralon has become like this. My friend told me that after their god brought them here, he would leave after a hundred years. He guessed that their god would have a confrontation with the will of Planet Astralon. The loser would be assimilated, and the winner would become the new World''s Heart. Obviously, the World''s Heart of Planet Astralon has become stronger and stronger. In the past tens of thousands of years, no one has been able to defeat the World''s Heart. Of course, this won''t have any impact on the native creatures. But haven''t you noticed? We are all descendants of those pioneers. We are like guinea pigs in a cage, sacrifices in the battle between two unknown Gods. This is a cycle, endless. Only by successfully ascending to godhood can we jump out of this cage. The birth of every god will weaken the power of the World''s Heart. On the contrary, if God''s power becomes stronger and stronger, it will become more and more difficult to become a god. This is the truth of this world. This place is like a huge battlefield, and the fighting will never stop. These two gods are the players, and we are all just chess pieces. Of course, if you want to live a peaceful life in the Eldoria continent, be a pawn, and be devoured by the storm in the end, just treat what I said as nonsense. But I believe you are not that kind of person." The previous Undead Lord rattled on and on, then suddenly stopped, obviously giving the listener, Alex, time to digest the information. The previous Undead Lord didn''t speak very directly, but Alex understood. Simply put, the struggle on Planet Astralon would never stop. If you didn''t want to be affected, the only way was to become a god and jump out of this scope. Otherwise, the final outcome would be to become a sacrifice for either side. However, this Undead Lord didn''t know that Alex was an extraterrestrial visitor. So strictly speaking, the current extraterrestrial visitors were on the opposite side of the World''s Heart. "But what I just said is just the beginning. Some powerful races know the truth, which is why they keep wanting to become gods. Of course, there are exceptions, such as the Angel race. They are now puppets of the World''s Heart, guardians of this world. If you want to become a god, you will definitely be obstructed by them. This is public information. As for whether there are other races, I don''t know. You have to be prepared. The number of gods in the Angel race is almost the sum of all other races." Alex was taken aback. The Angel race was that strong? "Speaking of this, you must have a question: where did those gods go after they ascended? Why did they disappear? It''s very simple. The World''s Heart will reject them and expel them. You have to understand that the World''s Heart represents the entire world, and the time these gods can stay will vary according to the strength of their power. Every time they take action, it will increase the World''s Heart''s rejection of them, thus shortening their stay. If they don''t want to leave, they can only stand on the side of the World''s Heart and become a pseudo-god." Alex''s pupils constricted. Although she still had some questions, some things had become clear. Even gods couldn''t fight against the entire world. It was inevitable to be expelled by the will of the world. This also explained why the human race''s Magic God didn''t take action, and the Angel race''s pressing every step of the way was obviously forcing him to take action. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Perhaps this was the primary goal of the Angel race. How could a race without a god resist the Angel race''s targeting? As for the pseudo-god that the previous Undead Lord just mentioned, did all the gods of the Angel race become pseudo-gods after they surrendered to the World''s Heart? Alex remembered that pseudo-gods were those who achieved godhood by using the Godheads of other gods. Logically speaking, how could these pseudo-gods be a match for a real god? Thinking about it this way, although the Angel race had many gods, they didn''t seem to be invincible. Obviously, the races that cooperated with it must have also surrendered to the World''s Heart, such as the Titan race. As for the Holy Court, it remained to be seen. "Now that you understand the truth of the world, I will tell you about the levels of gods." Alex''s eyes lit up. This was exactly what she wanted to know. "Since you have already reached the Emperor level, you should understand the importance of the power of law. How to achieve the Sovereign level, or rather, after reaching the Sovereign level, the strength of your power is entirely determined by the strength of the power of law." The previous Undead Lord said to himself, but Alex couldn''t help but retort. "You think too highly of me. I''m only at the King level!" Chapter 359 - 359: Never underestimate the power of knowledge "The Sovereign level is different from all previous realms. The previous five realms are divided into nine levels, but the Sovereign level is simple, with only three." "You should have heard that reaching the Sovereign level means having the potential to become a god, but that''s only for the second stage of the Sovereign level." "The first stage is called the Divine Fire Sovereign level. As the name suggests, as long as you successfully ignite the divine fire, you can step into the second stage. Only then can you truly be said to have the potential to become a god." "The second stage is the God''s Path Sovereign level. After igniting the divine fire, the God''s Path will also appear. As long as you officially step onto the God''s Path, you will have entered the third stage." "After reaching the third stage, the God Ascension Sovereign level, you can walk the entire God''s Path, shape your divine body, and achieve godhood, becoming invincible." "Generally speaking, all races have the most first-stage Sovereign levels. Relatively speaking, as long as you step into the second stage, reaching the third stage is not difficult." Speaking of this, the Undead Lord, a mass of black shadow, seemed to become melancholy. The appearance of this image meant that he had failed to ascend to godhood. He didn''t know what level he had reached at that time, but he thought it should be the third stage, the Peak Sovereign level. As long as he didn''t encounter a god, he was basically invincible. "Next, I''m going to talk about the classification of gods. Listen carefully. This information is very important. It''s something I learned by chance and combined with my own understanding and deduction." "First of all, gods are not just one level, or two, as you think. The difference between them is not just the difference between pseudo-gods and true gods." "When you reach the Sovereign level, you have to choose your path to godhood. Although it''s easiest to become a pseudo-god, you can''t jump out of this world." "Pseudo-gods, as I told you before, can ascend to godhood as long as they are recognized by the will of the world. Relatively, ascending to pseudo-godhood requires the power of faith. The more power of faith, the stronger the divine power, and vice versa." "But whether it''s the pseudo-god himself or the people who provide him with the power of faith, they are all recognized by the World''s Heart, so he can''t jump out of this scope. Even if he does, without the power of faith, the pseudo-god''s divine power will gradually disappear, and he will become no different from a peak Sovereign level." Alex was stunned. So only gods who rely on the power of faith to ascend are called pseudo-gods. What about those who rely on Godheads? No wonder the Angel race relied so much on the power of faith. It turned out that this was the only way for them to become gods. The races that provided the power of faith to pseudo-gods were undoubtedly loyal followers of angels, which was equivalent to standing on the side of the World''s Heart. "Above pseudo-gods are true gods, only gods who have reached this level can be considered true gods." "The biggest difference between the two is that true gods don''t need to rely on the power of faith at all, which means that they can jump out of the control of the World''s Heart and leave this world." To be able to become a god without external forces, indeed, this is a true god. "Speaking of this, I want to give you a piece of advice. It''s best not to use the power of faith in the Undead Empire, otherwise it will become a burden on your path to godhood. I suffered this loss and stayed at the second stage of the Sovereign level for a long time." "But the power of faith is a good thing. Although you can''t absorb it yourself, you can''t waste it either. You can give it to the Race Kings to absorb. Their upper limit is Divine, but in fact they can only reach pseudo-godhood at most. The power of faith is what they need. If they can achieve pseudo-godhood, it will be of great help to you in the future." Sure enough, the Divine upper limit of the Race Kings was different from Alex''s. Her upper limit was obviously higher! Just now, Alex was still thinking about how to use the power of faith, and the Undead Lord''s suggestion enlightened her. Although the previous Undead Lord had no legacy to leave to Alex, the wisdom and information he possessed were already very valuable. "Finally, I want to talk about the highest level of godhood, which is also the most difficult. Speaking of this, have you noticed that your realm is like a world?" "As long as you continue to improve and strengthen your realm, you can gradually turn it into the prototype of a small world, and you will be the master of this world. However, this method requires you to constantly strengthen your realm from the King level, and you also need to master multiple rules and integrate them to improve it." "And the godhood achieved in this way is called the God of Creation!" "I only discovered this way of becoming a god when I was at the Sovereign level. It was too late, so I deliberately left this image to tell you." "But you are at the Emperor level now. Although you missed the optimal period, it''s still recoverable. The advantage of being human is that you can practice magic, and the forbidden spell level of each type of magic represents a rule. That''s why I learned all kinds of magic." The words of the previous Undead Lord could be said to be top secret. Above the two ways of becoming a god, there was actually a stronger path to godhood. The information provided by the previous Undead Lord was too vast, giving Alex a clear understanding of this world and herself. The ability mastered at the Emperor level was the power of rules, which was also the highest power that could be accessed in this world. What she had to do now was to fuse the two realms, advance to the Emperor level, comprehend all the forbidden spell magic, integrate the power of rules she had comprehended into it, and construct the prototype of a small world. The Undead Lord directly pointed out the way forward for Alex. At least before reaching the Sovereign level, she wouldn''t encounter any bottlenecks in her cultivation. "By the way, I forgot to mention another way to become a god, which is to absorb the Godheads left behind by fallen gods, skipping the process of becoming a god and directly reaching godhood. We call such gods demigods." That''s right, demigods. Speaking of this, the previous Undead Lord even showed a hint of disdain. Thinking about it carefully, most of the Godheads left behind were left behind by pseudo-gods. Achieving godhood by absorbing the Godhead of a pseudo-god would indeed be looked down upon. However, this method was not so easy to implement. After all, Godheads were very rare and not very common. Only first-stage Sovereign levels who had no other choice and had Godheads in their hands would reluctantly choose this method. "You should also have a clear understanding of the Divine and Sovereign levels. You must have decided on your future path. The rest is up to you." "Once the path to godhood is determined, it cannot be changed. After stepping onto the path to godhood, there is no turning back. Success means becoming a god, and failure means disappearing completely from this world." After saying these words, the Undead Lord also told Alex an important piece of information. That is, in this world, as long as they are not on opposite sides of the two forces, there is no absolute hatred between the races. This was to tell Alex that even though she led the undead race, there was no need to worry too much about it. In other words, the only absolute enemies of the undead at present were some races led by the Angel race. It was a pity that the previous Undead Lord didn''t know that Alex was an extraterrestrial visitor, nor did he know that she was only at the King level now, otherwise he could have given more detailed advice. But Alex didn''t care. If she had to rely on others for advice on everything, she would lose the ability to think independently. It was already a great honor for her to get this information. "Heh, although I, a dead man, can''t give you any useful help, sometimes knowledge is the most priceless thing. All the magic I mastered in my life has reached the forbidden spell level. I think I still have some unique insights into the understanding of magic. Listen carefully later, I will teach you one by one and help you master the power of rules." Alex was shocked when she heard this, and then her face lit up with joy and an incredulous expression. Indeed, the previous Undead Lord could do nothing for her except utter a few more words. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet, these few words could provide Alex with unprecedented help. Never underestimate the power of knowledge. "This space can exist for a year. During this time, you can practice magic here with peace of mind until you master the power of rules at the forbidden spell level. As for this image, it will dissipate after I finish teaching you the knowledge. The rest is up to you." That''s great. He even provided her with a place to practice. It seemed that Alex wouldn''t be able to return to the Undead Empire for the time being. After all, only by becoming stronger could she gain a foothold in this world. Alex was filled with gratitude towards the previous Undead Lord. It could be said that he had provided her with great help. "Thank you." Although it was just an image, Alex still thanked him respectfully. His reminders and suggestions would save Alex a lot of detours. The Undead Lord began his explanation. Alex sat down on the ground, cleared her mind of distractions, and listened attentively to his explanation. The first thing he taught her was the forbidden spell level of undead magic. The Undead Lord taught Alex everything in great detail. It took a full five days just to teach her the forbidden spell level knowledge of Undead Summoning Magic. After the teaching was over, the previous Undead Lord didn''t immediately start explaining the next one. Instead, he gave Alex time to comprehend it, letting her concentrate on memorizing it. After another five days, he continued his explanation. In such a short period of time, Alex naturally couldn''t comprehend the forbidden spell magic. She just kept these key points in mind for the time being. After recording all the knowledge, she would start to comprehend it one by one. Under the guidance of the previous Undead Lord, Alex began her closed-door cultivation in this space. Outside, the two necromancers, unaware of the situation, were still waiting quietly for Alex''s return. Although this space was well hidden, it was actually very fragile. Alex couldn''t leave here, because once she left this space, it would shatter. Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Alex entered the cave for closed-door cultivation. The two necromancers guarding outside still hadn''t moved at all. They had turned into two desiccated corpses again, facing the direction of the shattered fake tomb. The angels outside Cliffside Mountain were still patrolling the vicinity, as if endlessly, tirelessly, determined to find Torin''s whereabouts. But Cliffside Mountain was too big. The entire southern coastline of the Eldoria continent was cliffs. Strictly speaking, the entire area here belonged to Cliffside Mountain. Therefore, it was obviously not easy to find a few undead who were good at hiding in such a large area. What''s more, after such a long time, the angel captain began to suspect that the other party had left Cliffside Mountain, so he took the initiative to expand the search area. At the same time, under the influence of unknown reasons, the relations between other major factions were also gradually entering a tense atmosphere. Even around Cliffside Mountain, Sea Races began to attempt to land, but unfortunately, they encountered the angels who were looking for Torin here and were all killed. Chapter 360 - 360: Return of the Necromancer King Dark Forest, the Undead Imperial Capital. It was the day of the weekly meeting, but everyone''s faces were filled with worry. Ever since Alex summoned the Reaper Guard last time, they had completely lost contact with her. It had been a whole month. Fortunately, Xiao Hui was now part of the undead race, and she could clearly sense that Alex was still alive. Moreover, there had been no sign of a large number of undead dying in the city recently, which also indicated that Alex was currently safe. As the acting leader, Xiao Hui had to stabilize the morale of the army and prevent everyone from panicking because of Alex''s departure. "Death Spirit, report the situation of the last time you saw the leader." The Death Spirit possessed a specter, and its ethereal voice echoed through the hall. "The last time I saw the Queen was in a coastal cliff area. There was an undead aura in the cave at the bottom. I was responsible for going in to check for danger for the Queen. Since then, the Queen has never summoned me again." "Undead aura? Are there other surviving undead?" Drake asked with some doubt. He had always thought that Alex ruled all the undead. He didn''t expect that there were other undead. Sophie kindly explained it to him. Through her explanation, Drake quickly understood. "Everyone, don''t worry too much. Maybe our leader is in the Mage Guild and doesn''t have time to use the system. What''s more, we can judge Alex''s current level by observing the Death Spirit''s level." Xiao Hui said. The order in the city was normal, and everyone was performing their duties. "That''s right. We should continue to expand our power and seize the time to gain experience points." "By the way, how is Ruby doing?" Xiao Hui remembered that she hadn''t paid attention to the situation in the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom for a while. Ruby hadn''t returned for a long time, which made her a little worried. The Beastman Empire was a big problem, but Ruby was also a friend to them. If a war really broke out, they wouldn''t dare to make a decision without Alex. After all, a slight misstep could destroy the entire newly established Undead Empire. Since it was a long distance, the Death Spirit was naturally responsible for contacting them. A moment later, the Death Spirit Clone over there inquired about the specific situation. "The situation is not optimistic. The Beastman Empire has been pressing forward step by step. But recently, one of their subjugated races offended the human race. Although they abandoned that subjugated race without hesitation, they were still held accountable by the human race. The human race and the beastman race are currently in conflict and are in the process of mediation, which gives Ruby a breather." Hearing this information, everyone was a little worried. The Beastman Empire had gone too far. In the Eldoria continent, if they wanted to unify the north, the Beastman Empire would be the first powerful enemy the Undead Empire would face. Not only that, there were also the Mage Guild, the Holy Court, and the angels in the central region; and the werewolves and vampires in the south. Any one of these forces alone would make the Beastman Empire afraid. Now, the Undead Empire was still very weak and didn''t want to face the behemoth that was the Beastman Empire. "If there''s no way to avoid it, then fight!" Xiao Hui slammed the table and stood up. Everyone looked at her in surprise. "They are the enemies we will have to face sooner or later. If it were Alex, do you think she would sacrifice Ruby in exchange for the peaceful development of the undead? I believe she would definitely choose to go to war. Our leader will never abandon her allies." Xiao Hui''s eyes were firm as she scanned the crowd. Everyone fell silent and expressed their approval of Xiao Hui''s suggestion. Up to now, none of them were afraid of death. If they abandoned their companions now, what about next time? Who should they abandon next time? As for the undead, they were even less afraid of death. As long as it was beneficial to their Queen, they would do anything. "One more thing, there are more and more Sea Races on the edge of the far north. Even Monarch level Sea Race creatures have begun to appear. I think we can mobilize a group of undead to go over and kill them." The Death Spirit said emotionlessly. This was the information that its clone had just received from the Arctic Tigerfolk. If it was only below the Monarch level, the Arctic Tigerfolk could still handle it with ease. Once a Monarch appeared, it would be different. It would cause considerable casualties to those Arctic Tigerfolk living on the edge of their territory. "Yes, we can''t let go of even a single experience point now. Alex has important things to attend to and probably doesn''t have time to level up, so we can only rely on the undead to kill enemies and gain experience points." Soon, the meeting ended, and everyone dispersed, preparing to return to their palaces to rest. Just then, Lilith, who had just asked Xiao Hui for help some time ago, came to the Undead Imperial Capital again, in the middle of the night. She knew that Alex was not there, so she came in person whenever something happened. Although Xiao Hui couldn''t see the system prompt, she happened to see Lilith coming out of the Portal of Transit when she walked out of the palace to return to her own palace. Their eyes met. Everyone also looked at each other in confusion and gathered in the hall again. "What''s the matter?" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Hui, as the leader, was the first to ask. "My subjects, the lord in the Valoria continent, he encountered a creature that looks like an undead!" Lilith said in an incredulous tone. She and Drake shared the same understanding that Alex ruled all the undead. But she clearly remembered that after the last demon incident, all the undead had returned. How could they encounter undead there? This also stunned everyone, but then they understood. Lilith might have encountered the remnants of the former Undead Lord''s forces, but they tacitly didn''t say it. Xiao Hui was the first to look at the Death Spirit, because in the previous meeting, they had learned that Alex''s last contact was lost in that cave with the undead. There might be some connection between the two. "Is your subject dead?" "No, the undead was killed by my troops stationed there. It was a Ghoul. I remember that Alex''s troops seemed to have this kind of creature." As soon as Lilith finished speaking, the Death Spirit immediately relayed the message. Soon, a Ghoul arrived in the hall. The Ghoul''s rotten flesh emitted a disgusting smell. Its sharp claws gleamed with a blood-colored cold light, and its red eyes stared at everyone present. The Ghoul prostrated itself on the ground, showing respect. Their intelligence was very low, and Standard level Ghouls couldn''t even speak. "Yes, that''s the creature, exactly the same." Lilith said in an extremely certain tone. Hearing this, everyone looked at each other. "Death Spirit, go and check out the situation. If possible, subdue them." Xiao Hui was very cautious. If the other party was a remnant of the previous Undead Lord''s forces, how could they be a match for them after so many years? It was safest to let the Death Spirit go and investigate the situation. Meanwhile, outside the Dark Forest, a figure in a black robe finally arrived. Its eyes were bright, and there was even a hint of excitement when it looked in the direction of the Dark Forest. "Great, I''ve finally found it." Torin stepped into the Dark Forest. As the Necromancer Race King, he knew these Grimface Trees responsible for reconnaissance like the back of his hand. Soon, he arrived at the depths of the Dark Forest and looked at the spatial distortions in front of him with a surprised expression. The sealing of this spatial distortion was very interesting. Even at his current level, he couldn''t break it unless he was at his peak. "This power gives me a sense of familiarity, like the work of that person." He didn''t try to enter. Instead, he waited quietly at the edge. The necromancers who followed behind him showed puzzled expressions. "King, why don''t we go in?" "No need. There will be undead coming out to see us. Even if we go in, we won''t find the Undead Empire." Torin signaled the necromancers to be patient and wait for a moment. Inside the palace of the Undead Imperial Capital, Lilith was still here, waiting for the Death Spirit to return with news. But the Death Spirit, who had just left, reappeared in the palace. Everyone stood up and looked at the Death Spirit, thinking that it had returned with news so quickly. "A group of undead has come outside the Dark Forest. They are all King level, and I can''t see the specific strength of the leader. They are waiting there, and they are here for us." The Death Spirit''s words shocked everyone. "What''s going on? We just found out that undead appeared in the Valoria continent, and now a group of unknown undead has come outside the Dark Forest?" "This is too much of a coincidence." "Death Spirit, you said they are waiting there. Are they waiting for us to show up and meet them?" Everyone started talking at once. Lilith, on the other hand, was not only clueless but also confused. "Don''t be rash. Even the Death Spirit can''t sense their strength..." Xiao Hui''s expression was a little grave. The Death Spirit was the highest level among them. If even it couldn''t sense the other party''s strength, then there was a high probability that it was Emperor level! Although Xiao Hui didn''t finish her sentence, everyone felt the seriousness of the matter. "No matter what, since the other party has come to our doorstep, Death Spirit, you go and communicate with them first, and then everyone else be ready to escape at any time!" Xiao Hui immediately gave the order, and everyone started to move. Facing the undead, whose intentions were unknown, they had to be prepared for anything. The Death Spirit quietly followed everyone. It had already sent another clone to the periphery. Leaving a clone here was also to better convey information. Even Lilith sensed that something was wrong. She also realized that Alex didn''t rule all the undead. Those undead were like native races who came knocking on their door. Now that the native races had found the extraterrestrial visitors, no one knew what would happen! Lilith sighed. She didn''t expect that even the powerful Alex would face such a big problem. She secretly clenched her fists and prayed that her fallen angels would never be discovered by the native fallen angels! On the other side, at the edge of the Dark Forest, Torin suddenly looked to the side. A dark shadow slowly appeared in front of him. Torin was a little puzzled. He could sense that the Death Spirit was undead, but he had never seen this kind before. "I am Torin, the Necromancer King, one of the seven Race Kings of the Undead Lord. After learning about the rebuilding of the Undead Empire, I came here with my old troops to pledge my allegiance." Without waiting for the Death Spirit to speak, Torin introduced himself and showed his sincerity. Torin''s words surprised the Death Spirit. It had never thought that the other party would come to pledge allegiance to the Undead Queen. "Our Queen is not in the Undead Empire. We have no right to make a decision on this matter." The Death Spirit rejected Torin. Torin was too strong. How could they let him enter the Undead Imperial Capital so easily? Now that the Undead Queen was not here, it was up to them to assess the other party''s attitude. Torin was also a little surprised to hear this. He didn''t expect that the current Undead Lord was not only a woman, but she was not even in the Undead Empire. "May I know your name and your position in the Empire?" Torin was not angry. He knew that the Undead Empire had just been established and the Lord''s strength was still very weak. Of course, she wouldn''t let an Emperor level like him enter so easily. "Same as you, one of the Race Kings, Death Spirit." The Death Spirit said emotionlessly, its ethereal voice echoing from the specter it possessed. Meanwhile, the Death Spirit''s clone in the Valoria continent had also found out information about the Ghoul. And now, the Torin in front of it was the best chance to understand the other party. "Do you know if there are any other old troops like you?" "Zarvox, like me, is the Ghoul King, one of the seven Race Kings. He escaped to the Valoria continent when the Undead Empire collapsed. His current whereabouts are unknown. But I have to remind you that Zarvox is violent and unpredictable. He has lost most of his humanity. He may not come to pledge allegiance to the Queen like me. He may even become our enemy." Torin didn''t hide anything about this. He and Zarvox were just former colleagues. They had almost no friendship to speak of. "I see. Your guess is right. He has indeed made his stance clear to us. My clone was just killed by his subordinates." Seeing that Torin was not hiding anything, the Death Spirit also told him the truth. "He has come to the Eldoria continent?" Torin was a little surprised. Necromancers were not good at fighting, not to mention that he was still injured. If he fought Zarvox, he would definitely lose. But then he looked at the spatial distortions in front of him. This thing could at least trap that idiot Zarvox for more than ten days. "No, he is in the Valoria continent. As for whether he has the means to cross continents, we don''t know." The Death Spirit''s words shocked Torin even more. The Undead Empire actually had the means to cross continents? How was this possible?! "Is the place where you are hiding located in a cave at the bottom of a cliff?" The Death Spirit suddenly remembered the cave that Alex had entered before. The undead hiding there was most likely the Torin in front of it. "Yes, how do you know that?" Torin found that this newly established Undead Empire had brought him a lot of surprises, including the ability to cross continents and the brand new undead race. Especially the Death Spirit in front of him. Although its level was not high at the moment, its various abilities were simply too practical. "The Queen and I have been to that cave," the Death Spirit said lightly. Chapter 361 - 361: Allegiance of Emperor-Level Undead "I see. When will the Queen return?" Torin was eager to meet the new Undead Lord, but he didn''t expect that he had come at a bad time. "We don''t know. Our Queen has been away from the Empire for some time." Even though it was a test, the Death Spirit could be sure that the Torin in front of it was trustworthy, but it still couldn''t let such a powerful creature enter the Undead Imperial Capital at will. Torin didn''t mind. To show his sincerity, he took the initiative to choose to be stationed outside the Dark Forest. In the end, all the necromancers were brought into the city, leaving only Torin and a clone of the Death Spirit outside. One reason was to keep an eye on him, and the other was to exchange information with him. Of course, before knowing his true intentions, the Death Spirit wouldn''t reveal any core information about the Undead Empire. Inside the palace, everyone who heard the Death Spirit''s report was also dumbfounded. As for Lilith, the Death Spirit didn''t care if she heard it. "So the necromancers who came from outside are here to pledge allegiance to Alex? And he''s not only a Race King, but also Emperor level?!" Emperor level! To them, this was almost the highest level of existence. Except for Alex, they had never even seen an expert of this level, let alone interacted with one. They were completely shocked. The most shocked one was Lilith. She thought the other party was here to pick a fight, but she didn''t expect that he was here to pledge allegiance! "What about the one in the Valoria continent? Why does it want to be our enemy? They should both be Race Kings, which means that the other party must also be Emperor level. What should we do if it comes knocking on our door?" As soon as Xiao Hui said this, everyone began to worry. Anyone would be worried if they were targeted by an Emperor level. "Why don''t we let the one who just arrived deal with it?" "He''s a necromancer, and he''s injured. He might not be a match for the other party." The Death Spirit''s words poured cold water on everyone. Necromancers were more suitable for zerg tactics. Their ability to duel was indeed not very good. "Don''t worry too much. It''s alone and weak in the Valoria continent. It doesn''t have the means to teleport. We are in the Eldoria continent. What are we afraid of it for?" Drake''s words brought everyone back to their senses. Their primary enemy now was the Beastman Empire. With the addition of the Necromancer King, at least they had a little more confidence in facing the Beastman Empire. But Xiao Hui had a feeling that things were going to get more complicated. If Alex didn''t come back soon, she wouldn''t be able to handle it. It was getting late. Everyone dispersed. Lilith''s trip not only reported the situation but also clarified the origin of these undead. She didn''t stay long either. Back in the city of fallen angels, looking at the deserted city and listening to the waves crashing against the rocks, Lilith looked up at the dark night sky with a melancholy expression. Now, even the troops of twins had been promoted to the top level, and their strength was no less than hers. "Her development is too fast." At the same time, Lilith admired Alex''s courage. As she came into contact with more and more external forces, she understood better that the King level was not invincible. Some medium-sized forces had King level existences, let alone the human race, the top race. And Alex actually dared to leave the city at the King level and go to the human race. It really took great courage. Now, with the allegiance of the Emperor level undead, her power had directly jumped from the King level to the Emperor level. Not to mention the first Lord, even among all the races on the seven continents, she was already qualified to be on the list. Lilith sat down on a chair in the hall and opened the system dashboard to send a message to Satan. Lilith: "How is the development in the Mossvale continent going?" Satan: "What? How did you know that I''m already a level 9 Monarch?" Lilith: "Be serious!" Satan: "Not good. Some of the smaller forces around have been destroyed, and even King level forces are few and far between. The rest are either high King level or Emperor level forces. I can''t deal with them at all unless I risk going deep inland." Lilith sighed when she saw this message. With the help of the undead, those King level forces were no match for Drake at all. Lilith: "Find a way to change places to develop. Your place is too close to Alex''s forces. You won''t be able to develop there." As soon as Lilith sent this message, she received a system prompt. Satan had teleported to the city of fallen angels. "What I''m worried about now is experience points. As long as I''m promoted to the King level, I can establish a kingdom." Satan actually spoke seriously for once, but Lilith, as a fallen angel, keenly noticed the slight upward curve of his lips. This guy was showing off... Lilith didn''t bother to argue with him. After all, that was Satan''s personality, but she didn''t mind giving him a blow. "I just went to Alex''s territory." "She''s back?" Satan asked with a puzzled look on his face. "No, but she received the allegiance of an Emperor level undead." Lilith said calmly, quietly watching Satan''s reaction. "Oh, it''s just an Emperor level undead. What''s the big deal?" As he spoke, Satan sat down next to Lilith unceremoniously. Then, as if he had reacted, he jumped up from his seat. "Wait, holy fuck, what? Emperor level?!!Are you kidding me, lady?" Lilith knew he would be surprised, so she had covered her ears with her hands in advance. "Of course it''s true. I''m not lying to you. This directly widens the gap between her and all the other Lords by two or three levels." "Oh my god, why is she so lucky? Damn it, I hate it!" Satan directly went into screaming mode, roaring crazily. "Alright, stop your impotent rage. You didn''t have to compare yourself to her in the first place." Lilith rolled her eyes at Satan. "That''s not right. Why doesn''t Alex have a bottleneck in her development?" As expected of Satan, his expression changed quickly. One second he was roaring, and the next second he was talking to Lilith seriously. Indeed, although a month had passed, it was already their third month in this world. Compared to the previous two months, their development speed had slowed down significantly this month. Otherwise, they would have reached the King level and established a kingdom long ago. The weak forces around them had all been wiped out, and the ones standing in front of them now were those King level forces. And their current strength had not yet reached the King level. This was the root cause of their limited development. Therefore, they could only venture deep inland to continue conquering these small races and try to break through to the King level before they could continue to develop. For some reason, they didn''t understand why Alex didn''t seem to have encountered such a bottleneck in her development. Could it be related to geographical location? "Maybe it''s due to a combination of factors: troops, geographical location, opportunities. None of them can be missing." Lilith sighed. She thought that the small gap in the early stage would gradually disappear as their strength increased in the later stage, but she didn''t expect that the gap would actually widen. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I wanted to discuss it with her and ask her to help me break through the development bottleneck, but I didn''t expect that she hasn''t come back after such a long time." Satan was a little worried. The Valoria continent was the gathering place of demons. No matter from which aspect, it was much stronger than the Arsen continent and the Eldoria continent. Therefore, his development was greatly restricted. Compared to Alex, they knew less about the continents. "We can only wait for her to come back and discuss it. Xiao Hui can''t make the decision." Lilith sighed. Compared to Satan, her situation was much better. At least the Arsen continent wasn''t that strong. And under the undead''s help, the elves had been defeated, providing her with a lot of room for development. What Satan needed was merely for the undead to act as his thugs, and he didn''t want to give the experience points to the undead. Therefore, Xiao Hui naturally wouldn''t agree to such an act that would disperse their forces and bring little benefit. The reason was naturally that she couldn''t make the decision. As for what Alex would choose after she came back, that was her business. The next day, Sophie in the Undead Imperial Capital received information from the Liberty Church and immediately reported it to Xiao Hui. These days, everyone had a clear division of labor and was doing things according to Alex''s rules. "We''ve found out the division of forces after the Holy Court split up." Sophie had learned this in her dream last night. At least for now, they had identified all the Holy Court branches. With the help of the Liberty Church, they could get this information in a timely manner even if they didn''t set foot in human territory. Xiao Hui once again admired Alex''s foresight. "Tell me more." Xiao Hui motioned for Sophie to sit down. The two of them were having breakfast together, and she learned more specific information from Sophie. Chapter 362 - 362: Holy Courts split The main reason for the Holy Court''s split was unclear, but there were at least two guesses at the moment. One was internal disagreement, and the other was the intervention of the Mage Guild. Obviously, these two pieces of news were released by the Angel race and the human race respectively. After more than a month, the Holy Court, which had split up, had now completely separated into two forces. The one on the human side was called the [Holy Church], which had become an organization that existed in the form of religion. Even Xiao Hui could see that this was to change the faith of the knights at the bottom and indirectly weaken the Angel race. The other side still used the name of the Holy Court. Although it also existed in the form of religion, the god they had faith in was the Goddess of Light. The supreme ruler of the Holy Church was the Holy Pope, a mysterious Sovereign level powerhouse. The ruler of the Holy Court was the Knight Champion, also of Sovereign level. They didn''t have a Pope, so it was obvious that the real power behind them was the angels. After talking about the changes in forces, the next thing was their distribution of forces. Apart from its headquarters, the original Holy Court had ten branches in the seven continents. One of them was in the Arsen continent and was still under the Holy Court, fighting openly and covertly with Yellowrock City. There were two in the Eldoria continent, which had now been divided into two. Knight City in the south belonged to the Holy Court, while Holy Church City in the north (renamed from Knight City) belonged to the Holy Church. "So, the Knight City in the south of the hobgoblin kingdom is now under the Holy Church?" Xiao Hui had never seen a map of the Eldoria continent, but based on the undead''s exploration, she knew the situation around the Starfallen Empire in the south. She had a hunch that the Undead Empire and the Beastman Empire were now completely blocked in the north by the human race. If they wanted to go south, unless they relied on the undead fortress, it would be impossible to cross the human race''s territory. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This is all very strange. Logically speaking, shouldn''t a force that has a disagreement fight first and then try to annex the other party? But the Holy Court and the Holy Church are acting so peacefully." Sophie was a little puzzled. She didn''t know enough about the relationship between these external forces. "It has nothing to do with us for now, but we still need to pay more attention to it. It will be troublesome if they want to expand to the north of the continent. Is there any other useful information?" "Not at the moment, but I heard that the Beastman Empire seems to have paid some price and is easing relations with the human race. I''m afraid they will soon free up their hands to deal with the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom." Speaking of this, both of their faces were filled with worry. "Sigh, what''s coming will come." After breakfast, Xiao Hui stood up and walked out of the hall with Sophie. "Let''s hurry up and continue to study the fusion of the undead. This is one of the few ways we can become stronger besides gaining experience points." "Okay." Sophie nodded. She stayed in the Undead Imperial Capital with Xiao Hui, so she knew the current development of undead technology best. Now, the development of the undead was about to reach a bottleneck. If they didn''t make any major improvements, the situation would be the same as Satan and Lilith''s. The Undead Empire was located in the Eldoria continent. If they wanted the empire to develop better, their primary goal was naturally to unify the north. But standing in front of them was the Beastman Empire. The current situation was that the Undead Empire and the Beastman Empire divided the north of the Eldoria continent equally. The development of the undead in the Eldoria continent had come to a standstill. The situation in the Arsen continent was chaotic. The four forces were all caught in a whirlpool. Although the Featherfolk had been taken down, the three-way battle between the giants, elves, and humans made the undead afraid to intervene rashly. The undead only dared to sneakily farm experience points behind the elves. Now, the forces in the Arsen continent were basically divided into three parts: the undead, the elves and giants led by the Holy Court, and the humans led by the Mage Guild. The development of the two continents could be said to have completely reached a bottleneck. Only the Mossvale continent, where Drake was currently located, could still develop smoothly. Satan also wanted to develop in the Mossvale continent, but when he went there, he found that the weaker forces around had been wiped out, because most of the undead''s main force was invested here. With the dragon race''s promise, the undead could expand freely in the Mossvale continent. These sub-dragon races basically posed no threat. As long as they didn''t alarm those powerful sub-dragons, it wouldn''t matter. Therefore, the Mossvale continent had become Alex''s main source of experience points. Of course, Xiao Hui and Sophie didn''t know the specific situation of the other continents. They believed that some continents were not places where the undead could set foot at present. "Why don''t we go to the Valoria continent to develop?" Sophie suggested. "Demons are no weaker than dragons, right? The Valoria continent doesn''t have the promise of demons. It''s too difficult to develop there. Besides, don''t forget that the King Ghoul is still in the Valoria continent." Xiao Hui''s words startled her. That''s right, even if they went to the Valoria continent, they might attract the King Ghoul before they attracted the demons. "Sigh, what should we do?" === Time flew by, and another month passed quickly. It had been more than two months since Alex entered the cave to practice magic. The forces of the various races in the Eldoria continent hadn''t changed much. They were still the same as before, and even calmer than before. It was like a calm lake, but all it took was a stone to stir it up again. Lilith and Satan had also established their own kingdoms. After a brief period of losing contact with Alex, everyone in the Undead Imperial Capital had gradually adapted to the current state, and everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. During this time, everyone had also changed a lot. Except for Sophie, the other three had all broken through to the King level. Drake and Xiao Mu had established the Dragon Kingdom and the Gemini Kingdom respectively. Now, these two kingdoms both belonged to the Undead Empire. At present, Alex had three vassal kingdoms. A very strong power of faith had gathered at the crystal above the palace. Everyone knew that as long as Alex returned, she could use this power of faith to quickly level up. In addition, the six Race Kings had also broken through to the King level. Torin had been guarding the periphery of the Dark Forest during this time. It was with his guidance that the six Race Kings were able to break through to the King level so quickly. At present, except for Sophie, all the other leaders had reached the King level. Their current levels were: Drake level 5 King, Xiao Mu level 4 King, Xiao Hui level 2 King, Sophie level 9 Monarch. As for the six Race Kings, their strengths were similar. They were all about to break through from the early stage of the King level to the mid stage of the King level. However, the reason why the levels of Xiao Hui and others were different was partly because of their troops and partly because of their responsibilities. In terms of talent, the three of them were actually similar. It was just that Xiao Hui, as the acting Lord, rarely killed enemies, so she was left behind. Drake and Xiao Mu, on the other hand, were combatants, so they gained more experience points. This was the current development of the Undead Empire. The development in the Eldoria continent had completely stagnated. There were only two major factions left in the north, the Beastman Empire and the Undead Empire. Of course, the Undead Empire was still hidden in the dark, and no one knew about it. The same was true for the Arsen continent. The giants and elves had ceased fire with the humans. They had lost. In the end, the Holy Court came forward and stopped the Mage Guild from killing them all. The current distribution of forces was: the human race was the largest, the Holy Court was the second, and the undead were the smallest. As for the Mossvale continent, apart from the dragon race, the largest force, there were branches of some major races, such as the Holy Court and the angels. Apart from that, the Dragon Kingdom was the largest force. It was worth mentioning that, apart from Drake, who still had a little room for development, the entire Undead Empire was about to fall into a state of stagnation. Except for Drake, who was still in Dragon City, even Xiao Mu had returned to the Undead Imperial Capital and began to deal with the Beastman Empire. Ruby was under a lot of pressure. The Beastman Empire was pressing forward step by step, and they were almost on the verge of war. Inside the main hall of the Undead Imperial Capital. "Death Spirit, what is Torin''s attitude?" Xiao Hui urgently needed to know his attitude. This was one of their biggest trump cards at the moment. "I''ve told him about the current situation. Facing the Beastman Empire, which might start a war at any time, he didn''t hesitate. I think we can completely trust him now." The Death Spirit conveyed Torin''s meaning, and at the same time, it was also telling Xiao Hui that they had been observing Torin for long enough. If Alex didn''t come back, they couldn''t keep him hanging outside the Dark Forest. "I understand. He has indeed helped us a lot during this time. He has also proved his determination and loyalty. I think we can bring him into the city. What do you think?" Xiao Hui asked everyone, but she was actually only asking for Drake and Sophie''s opinions. "No problem." Both of them nodded in agreement. As for Xiao Mu, as Xiao Hui''s brother, he naturally supported Xiao Hui unconditionally. "Then please invite him into the city. As for the matter of submission, we''ll wait for Alex to come back." Chapter 363 - 363: Declare war on the Beastman Empire At the edge of the Dark Forest, Torin, who was quietly meditating and recuperating, raised his head and looked towards the depths. He saw the spatial ripples in front of him flicker, and Xiao Mu and Drake walked out of it. "Torin, come into the city with us." Xiao Mu said. Torin was stunned. "Has the Queen returned?" "No, you have gained our trust. This is the result of our unanimous decision. The current Undead Empire is managed by the Death Angel Lord on her behalf." Drake explained. In their opinion, it couldn''t be helped that they had left him hanging here for a month. After all, they had to consider everyone''s safety. However, to Torin, it was insignificant. He had spent centuries in deep recuperation, so a mere month was nothing to him. During this month, he had already learned from the Death Spirit that there were several talented humans in the Undead Empire. This was the first time he had seen them. One with Titan bloodline, and one with Dragon bloodline! They were indeed remarkable. It just so happened that during this month, although he had been on the periphery, he had also felt the atmosphere in the city and the loyalty of many subordinates to the Queen. The Queen had been missing for more than two months, but they not only managed the Undead Empire in an orderly manner, but also controlled so many races without causing any panic. This was truly rare. Torin became even more curious about his new master, whom he had never met. At the same time, the Undead Imperial Capital, which was close at hand, also made him feel a sense of yearning. Soon, under the leadership of the two, Torin passed through the maze and arrived at the Undead Imperial Capital. Even he was slightly surprised by the magnificent giant city in front of him. As for some other facilities in the city, they were just small things to him. At most, he was just a little curious about some special buildings. Arriving at the hall, Torin finally met Xiao Hui, the Death Angel he had never heard of before. "Greetings, Acting Lord." Torin bowed slightly. "You''re welcome. Although I''m the Acting Lord, you can just call me by my name. My name is Xiao Hui." As she spoke, Xiao Hui didn''t forget to introduce Xiao Mu, Drake, and the others. "Death Angel, this kind of undead has never appeared before. May I ask if your bloodline was created by the Queen?" Torin was extremely curious about this brand new undead race, Death Angel. He could even sense that this brand new undead had the highest upper limit among all the current undead, directly on par with some top races. "Yes, this is a special kind of undead born from the combination of the bloodlines of the undead and angels. The upper limit of its level is Sovereign level." Xiao Hui didn''t choose to hide it. Telling the truth could actually increase Alex''s status in his heart. Torin was astonished. A King level lord could create a Divine level bloodline. What kind of concept was this? He even had a hunch that this Undead Queen was even more powerful than the previous Undead Lord. "This is truly shocking." Torin glanced at everyone and found that all three of them had talent no less than the Race Kings. In this way, these people under the Queen would also be a great help in the future. However, he had not yet come into contact with the Queen and did not know her personality. He hoped that the Queen would not be as stubborn as the previous Undead Lord. "Torin, what method is needed to heal your injuries?" What Xiao Hui was more worried about now was that Torin''s injuries were serious and he couldn''t exert much combat power. But even so, Torin''s strength was still much stronger than King level. "As a divine bloodline created by the Undead Queen, you should be able to sense the Queen''s existence, right?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Torin didn''t answer Xiao Hui''s question, but looked at her and asked back. "Yes, I can indeed sense it, but this guidance can only tell me whether the Queen is safe or not. It can''t determine her specific location." Xiao Hui had always thought that this was an angel''s sense, a unique ability after fusing with the angel bloodline. But in fact, it was all bestowed upon her by Alex. "After the death of the old Emperor, those of us who were his old troops were directly affected because we were all bloodlines created by him." Torin''s calm tone suddenly became a little heavy, and then he continued. "Our original Divine level bloodline will directly drop to Sovereign level, losing the last chance to become a god." "What?! You mean the Divine bloodlines of the Race Kings all rely on the Undead Lord to exist? Then aren''t we the same?" This was the first time Xiao Hui had received such shocking news. It was also the first time she had heard of bloodline power regressing. "I don''t know about you, but at least we are like this. I''m afraid only the previous Undead Lord can heal my injuries." Torin didn''t show any sadness, as if he had known this result long ago. However, judging from the fact that the current Undead Queen could create a Divine level undead race, there might be a way to heal his injuries. "Death Spirit said that you were injured in a battle with angels, and that you suffered irreparable injuries. Does that mean that only the previous Undead Lord, who created your bloodline, can make up for this defect?" Xiao Hui could only think of this possibility. "Although it''s not that simple, your understanding is not wrong." Torin''s current level was level 3 Emperor. Although he was injured, he had no problem dealing with some level 1 Emperors. With him here, everyone felt much safer and no longer afraid of going to war with the Beastman Empire. Then, under Xiao Hui''s leadership, everyone learned about the abilities of the Emperor level from Torin, including the higher Sovereign level. As for the Divine level, this was not something Torin could know. "Sophie, does the Liberty Church have any information about the Beastman Empire?" This was a task that Xiao Hui had given to Sophie before. The Beastman Empire was a force that had only risen in the past hundred years. In Torin''s time, it was just an unknown small race that no one paid attention to. Therefore, Torin''s understanding of them was also very limited. Xiao Hui could only pin her hopes on the Liberty Church. "I only found out some basic information. The Beastman Empire is a federal system. There are five Alphas from five races who jointly make decisions on the affairs of the Beastman Empire. These five races are the demihumans, gnolls, birdmen, lionmen, and mammoths. Among them, the demihumans are the leaders. The Alpha of the demihumans is the highest combat power in the Beastman Empire and has the level of Sovereign level. In addition, each of the five races has an Emperor level powerhouse. As for their subordinate races, there are more than a hundred of them, with strengths ranging from Monarch to King level." Sophie explained eloquently. One Sovereign level and five Emperor levels, this was the surface strength of the Beastman Empire. Xiao Hui pondered for a moment. There were more than five individuals at the Emperor level, all of whom were Alphas of the Beastman Empire. They probably wouldn''t take action easily, which provided them with an opportunity. "Torin, can you summon Emperor level undead?" Xiao Hui looked at Torin again. This ability was the basis of their confidence in fighting the Beastman Empire. "Of course I can, but summoning an Emperor level corpse is too troublesome. It will take at least two hours to complete. During this time, I can''t participate in the battle, and it will consume nearly half of my mana points." Torin, as a former subordinate of the previous Undead Lord, although he was a necromancer, his strength was currently limited. A corpse of the same level was his limit. Although it was a bit troublesome to summon, fortunately, Emperor level corpses could be summoned. In this way, as long as they found a way to kill one of the Emperor level Alphas of the other party, as long as the Sovereign level Alpha of the demihumans didn''t participate in the battle, they could even drag the other party to death. "Emperor level corpses seem to be the limit of the undead. Even if Alex comes, I''m afraid she won''t be able to summon Emperor level undead, right?" Xiao Mu, who was standing by the side, suddenly said. Sophie, who was standing next to him, was about to ask why when she suddenly froze. That''s right, the current upper limit of the undead was only Emperor level. How could they summon Emperor level undead? As for the only Sovereign level Death Angel, it needed a special method to summon. "Don''t think too much about it. If we encounter a Sovereign level now, we''ll be dead. Don''t even dream of summoning a Sovereign level corpse." Xiao Hui rolled her eyes at Xiao Mu and continued to look at Torin. "During this time, I''m afraid the Beastman Empire will put pressure on our vassal kingdom again. By then, war will be inevitable. The safety of the Undead Empire will depend on you." Xiao Hui said respectfully to Torin. After all, he hadn''t officially joined the Undead Empire yet, and besides, strong people should be respected. There was nothing wrong with that. During this time, the Beastman Empire had become more and more aggressive. They didn''t want Ruby to bear this huge pressure alone. Xiao Hui had no choice but to give the order to go to war with the Beastman Empire. Now, Torin''s arrival had greatly boosted their confidence. "No need to say more. Although I''m seriously injured, I''ve had enough of hiding. Now that the new Undead Lord has appeared, I will definitely do my best for the Undead Empire!" Torin''s expression was solemn, and his eyes were firm. They were just weak undead, forced by the angels to live like rats in the sewers. Now they finally had an organization. Torin had had enough of wandering. Chapter 364 - 364: Gnoll stronghold The Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, Ice Palace. Ruby sat on the throne with a worried look on her face, flanked by Maulclaw and Shadowfang. Neither of them looked well. Maulclaw''s worry was mixed with a hint of hesitation, while Shadowfang''s was more of anger. "Queen, we have found out that those Gnolls have set up strongholds on the border of our territory. They are obviously trying to force our submission by force!" Maulclaw knew that there was really no way to delay any longer. The Beastman Empire''s patience had reached its limit. This time, they were probably determined to win. "Queen, I think since war is inevitable, we might as well take the initiative and catch those mongrels off guard!" Shadowfang said indignantly. In the past, his radical demands would have been opposed by Maulclaw, but this time, the latter did not say a word. Because now it was a matter of no choice. Perhaps resistance would be the only option. Where else could they go if they left the land where they had lived for generations? Could it be that they would lead the Beastman Empire, a formidable enemy, to the undead empire in the south? "How many troops are stationed at the Gnolls'' stronghold? What is the strength of their leader? Do you know?" Although Ruby was looking at Maulclaw when she spoke, it was clear from her tone that she also favored Shadowfang''s suggestion. "Reporting back to the Queen, the information we have received so far is that the other side has stationed 10K troops, including at least five King level or above. They have calculated our strength." Maulclaw was very wary. It was afraid that even a sneak attack would not cause much damage to the Gnolls, who were prepared in advance, but would instead give them a legitimate reason to go to war. "Queen, has that undead lord said anything?" Maulclaw asked. If the undead could help, then there would be no need to worry about these stationed Gnolls at all. They had sufficient reason and strength to directly wage war against the Gnolls. "Alex hasn''t returned yet, and besides, you should know what I mean. The Beastman Empire is too powerful. I don''t want to bring such a powerful enemy to Alex because of me." The Beastman Empire had existed for hundreds of years, and their strength was enough to destroy the newly established undead empire. Ruby didn''t want to hurt Alex because of herself. But for the sake of her people, Ruby would fight the Beastman Empire to the death even if she was at a disadvantage. "Take action, tonight." Ruby said decisively, making up her mind. On the other side, inside the iceberg, the undead fortress. Xiao Hui had arrived in the far north through the teleportation of the main fortress. The Death Spirit Clone had been waiting for a long time. In the huge undead fortress, there were only Death Spirit and a Specter, plus Xiao Hui, a total of only three undead. "Death Spirit, have you found out about the situation over there?" As soon as Xiao Hui arrived, she asked Death Spirit about the situation on the western border of the far north. "The Gnolls are setting up strongholds. They should be planning to intimidate the Arctic Tigerfolk and want them to submit to the Beastman Empire. In addition, many races in the eastern part of the Beastman Empire are also mobilizing their forces." Through the information passed by Death Spirit, Xiao Hui immediately made up her mind. Since the enemy was ready for the invasion, she would definitely not wait to be beaten passively. She planned to strike first and catch them off guard. "Destroy their strongholds. You and I will be here to attract their firepower. Inform the six race kings and Xiao Mu to let them launch an attack directly from the south of the Beastman Empire." Since Beastman Empire wanted to march into the far north, they would first attract most of their attention here, and then launch a sneak attack from the south. "Understood." As for Ruby, Xiao Hui had her own idea. She planned to lead the undead to act alone, so she didn''t inform the other party for the time being. What''s more, since she had decided to go to war with the Beastman Empire, there was no need to hesitate. Let the battle between the two empires begin now! Xiao Hui''s figure disappeared directly into the iceberg and galloped towards the west. Death Spirit''s clone reported the order to the remaining six race kings and Xiao Mu in the Undead Empire. Hearing the order, everyone began to take action. The western border of the far north, although not an ice field, was still a harsh environment. It was a permafrost area with sparse vegetation and a desolate appearance. The stronghold established by the Gnolls was near a deep mountain. The environment here was not bad. Some races of the Beastman Empire, led by the leader of the Gnolls, all gathered here. The number of these troops was far more than the information obtained by Maulclaw. The number alone was nearly 50K, and there were several King levels. Even if they attacked the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom head-on, they would win 100%. Therefore, the Beastmen here were not worried about the other party''s sneak attack at all. Instead, they were relaxed and took this trip as a vacation. It was said to be a stronghold, but it was just a piece of open space temporarily created by them, and some simple tents made of animal skins were built for them to rest. Tents were scattered all over the mountains and plains. Even the birds in the sky dared not approach here. The surroundings were silent, and only the laughter of these Beastmen could be heard. In the center, all the Gnolls living here were of noble status. They gathered together to discuss the itinerary of this trip, how to provoke the Arctic Tigerfolk, and how to let them take the initiative to attack. Humans were watching them too closely. If they directly attacked the Arctic Tigerfolk without a legitimate reason, they were worried that humans would intervene. "Grix, you will lead the team to the Arctic Tigerfolk this time. Your attitude must be tough and let them make it clear when they will exchange bloodlines with us. We have given them the greatest limit. Don''t let them be ungrateful!" The Gnoll at the head said to the Gnoll envoys who were going to the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom this time. "Yes, Leader Tazz!" Grix wagged its tail excitedly and set off for the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom enthusiastically. It didn''t expect that it, with its weak strength, would also be reused by the leader! This time, there was a reason why Tazz sent Grix as an envoy. He used a little trick, that is, the Gnolls headed by Grix were all Commanding level, not even Monarch level. Their weak identities but tough attitudes were to arouse the anger of the Arctic Tigerfolks. This was a psychological tactic. This was what Tazz learned from humans. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Grix and the other Gnolls, who had been ''entrusted with an important task'', had set off. They ran on all fours on the frozen soil like dogs. Suddenly, a human woman blocked their way. Grix stood up straight and stretched out its hand to signal the other Gnolls to stop. With Grix''s strength, it couldn''t judge the strength of the human woman in front of it, but the woman''s beautiful appearance and sexy figure gave it an urge to mate. It could even smell that the air was filled with a faint pheromone. This woman was a virgin. If she could be impregnated, she would definitely give birth to a Gnoll with a stronger bloodline! "Miss, I want to have children with you..." Before Grix could finish speaking, the surrounding Gnolls saw a flash of black sword light, and its dog head fell to the ground instantly. "Damn it! Run away and tell our leader!" The Gnolls fled in panic, but a white energy suddenly surged above their heads, and then they all turned into desiccated corpses. With the blowing of the biting cold wind, they completely turned into ashes. Xiao Hui squeezed her hand hard, and the energy gathered in her hand dissipated directly. She didn''t stop, spread her two pairs of black wings, and flew westward with all her might. Chapter 365 - 365: Destroy the stronghold Tazz was lying leisurely in his tent, eating barbecue and quietly waiting for the return of good news. He had marked those envoys. As long as they died, Tazz would get the news immediately. Slap! A sheep leg slammed directly into his face. He sat up abruptly and shook his head, his face full of excitement. "The good news came so soon!" "Arctic Tigerfolk, you are finished. You dare to kill the envoys of the Beastman Empire. Now we have enough reason to start a war!" The death of Grix and his teammates was the best news for Tazz. Tazz walked out of the tent excitedly and began to shout. "Guys, the Arctic Tigerfolk dared to frame the envoys of the Beastman Empire. They are simply lawless. I will destroy them today!" Click! The sound of a stone landing sounded, just in front of Tazz. He, who was about to make a passionate mobilization, was suddenly stunned, and looked at the stone in front of him suspiciously. It was a delicate ball, emitting black energy, which gave it a feeling that Tazz wanted to bite into his mouth. What is this? But then, a huge magic circle unfolded out of thin air, directly covering most of the tents. In an instant, a huge fortress rose from the ground, directly razing the surroundings to the ground. Tazz reacted in time and hurried back, so that he was not affected. He looked at the fortress in front of him in horror. In just a few breaths, several figures flew out of it directly, each standing in the air, exuding a terrifying aura. "It''s actually a King level creature! Come on, enemy attack!" It was too late when Tazz reacted. More than a dozen King level undead directly entered the beastman army, harvesting their lives like the Grim Reaper. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And Xiao Hui in the distance was quietly suspended in the air, calmly watching the scene in front of her. Soon, the King level Gnolls joined the battle, a total of nine, but unfortunately, there were a full fifteen on the undead side, and the undead were generally of a higher level. Therefore, how could these Gnolls be opponents? Fifteen King level undead quickly killed all the Gnolls. Xiao Hui didn''t plan to use ordinary undead in this operation, but directly sent King level undead to participate in the operation. This elite undead was like a well-trained special force, and soon established an absolute advantage on the battlefield. The King level Gnolls were killed one after another. Tazz below was completely panicked. He didn''t know where his side had offended such a race, and the other party didn''t mean to negotiate at all. As soon as they made a move, they were rushing to kill them all, obviously prepared. "Do you know the fate of angering the Beastman Empire?" Tazz asked loudly, fantasizing about using the name of the Beastman Empire to scare the enemy away. Facing Tazz''s loud question, the undead did not answer. They did not stop their movements, and every attack could kill a large number of troops. "I see, you are the reinforcements of the Arctic Tigerfolk!" Tazz roared loudly, but still no undead paid attention to its roar, and they were all frantically harvesting lives on the battlefield. Soon, the 50K Beastmen present were all killed by fifteen King level undead. Blood stained the earth red, and their broken limbs were everywhere. At this time, a group of undead had surrounded the only remaining Tazz. It tucked its tail and looked at the surrounding undead with pleading eyes. Unfortunately, the undead were only loyal to their queen and had no feelings for the enemy. At this moment, Xiao Hui slowly descended from the sky. Seeing this angel with black wings, Tazz rekindled the hope of life. "Please spare my life, I don''t want to die, I just obey orders, I''m innocent!" Tazz''s body trembled violently, and at the same time, it emitted a stench. It was so scared that it peed. Xiao Hui frowned. She didn''t expect this Gnoll to be so spineless. She didn''t know how it had gotten to its current position in the Beastman Empire. "You bully the weak and fear the strong, you are just a dirty reptile!" "You are right, I am a reptile, please let me go!" Tazz''s body was lying on the ground, showing absolute submission. The momentum exuded by the surrounding undead made it feel terrified. It didn''t even dare to look up at Xiao Hui, and could only lower its head to look at her shoes. "Tell me the truth about your actions." Xiao Hui looked at Tazz under her feet indifferently, holding the Sword of Judgment tightly in her hand. Tazz, who was cowardly, certainly didn''t dare to lie, and quickly told all about their plans and actions. Of course, what Xiao Hui cared about was not why they attacked the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, but what the Beastman Empire had been collecting these bloodlines for. Tazz also possessed King level strength. He was not low in status in the Beastman Empire and knew a lot of news. In order to survive, Tazz quickly confessed everything he knew. They had been collecting bloodlines to increase the life tier of the races in the clan, which was well known. However, their purpose was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. It was said that the alpha of the demihumans, that is, the current highest combat power of the Beastman Empire, was about to ignite its own divine fire, so that it could enter the Second Stage Sovereign level. Obviously, the entire empire was frantically collecting bloodlines, which was inseparable from its desire to ignite the divine fire. It was the first time that Xiao Hui knew about the Second Stage Sovereign level, but she couldn''t pretend to be ignorant. "That''s all?" "That''s all I know, I''ve said everything I should say, please let me go!" Tazz lay on the ground quickly, wagging its tail frantically. Chi¡ª Facing Tazz''s plea, Xiao Hui pierced its back with a sword, and the blood dripped to the ground from its chest. Tazz felt that its life was passing away rapidly. It tried its best to turn its head upwards, wanting to look at Xiao Hui. Finally, it saw clearly. Xiao Hui''s face was expressionless, her eyes were indifferent and emotionless, she directly pulled out the Sword of Judgment and completely ended its life. "You''ve said everything you should have said, so there are things you shouldn''t have said? Since you didn''t explain everything, I have no reason to let you live." After teasing, Xiao Hui looked at Death Spirit again. "Summon all the bodies of these beastmen into undead, then return to the Imperial Capital through the undead fortress for fusion, and I will deal with the rest." Death Spirit nodded, instantly splitting into hundreds of clones. With the assistance of necromancers and liches, they quickly summoned all the corpses present into undead. An hour later, all the undead had returned to the undead Imperial Capital. Xiao Hui set the stronghold on fire and turned it into ashes. The earth burned by her dark magic turned into a black, leaving only a white bone undead fortress standing quietly in it. Then Xiao Hui sat alone on the wall of the undead fortress and waited quietly. She wanted to attract a large number of troops from the Beastman Empire here with a part of the undead. She believed that the Beastman Empire would be very angry if they lost ten King levels at once, not to mention that they were all Gnolls, one of the five races. The purpose of building this undead fortress here was to attract the attention of the other party. Xiao Hui had already made up her mind to give up this fortress. If the other party didn''t dispatch an Emperor level troop, she would kill as many as came. If an Emperor level troop came, she would at most abandon the undead fortress and escape back to the undead Imperial Capital, or let Torin fight the other party. Anyway, Xiao Hui had the Dark Angel Resurrection Pool created by the Sword of Judgment, so she didn''t have to worry about her own death at all. Chapter 366 - 366: Night raid on birdmen (one) The Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, Ice Palace. Maulclaw burst through the door in a panic. Ruby shot him a puzzled look. "It''s not good, Queen. All the strongholds built by those Beastman Empires on the border of our territory have been destroyed. The Arctic Tigerfolk who went to investigate also found the bodies of several Gnolls. I guess they should be envoys sent by the Beastman Empire." "How dare they act without Alex''s order?!" Ruby was startled. She could guess who killed these Beastmen even if Maulclaw didn''t tell her. She didn''t expect them to take the initiative to attack the Beastman Empire! "Queen, let''s go and support the undead empire quickly. Now the war is inevitable!" Maulclaw was also a little surprised by the sudden intervention of the undead, and at the same time, he felt a little excited. Although Alex said that he would only accept their submission and would not care about them, now that the Arctic Tigerfolk were really in trouble, the undead still took action without hesitation. "No, I have to go to Xiao Hui first. Against the powerful Beastman Empire, she will die. That idiot, she really thinks she is the undead lord? Alex is not here." Ruby stood up directly, but just as she was about to leave, Death Spirit floated in directly through the gate. "Xiao Hui is the Acting Lord appointed by the undead queen, and she is also a race king. Now that the undead queen is not here, her order is the queen''s order." Death Spirit''s ethereal and dead voice echoed in the hall, and at the same time blocked Ruby''s way. "Death Spirit, why are you doing this?!" Ruby asked loudly, while Maulclaw on the side breathed a sigh of relief. He was really worried that Ruby would mess around. "You will always be one of us, and the undead queen will not abandon her companions. In this battle with the Beastman Empire, the Arctic Tigerfolk don''t have to participate in the battle. The losses in this battle are immeasurable. If you Arctic Tigerfolk really want to help, you can do what you can. These are the original words of the Acting Lord, and I am responsible for conveying them on her behalf." Death Spirit repeated the words that Xiao Hui had already told her and told Ruby. "The Beastman Empire has blocked the undead empire''s expansion. It was inevitable that they would clash, and this conflict has simply come sooner than expected. By the way, this is just my point of view." After saying that, Death Spirit''s figure disappeared directly into the hall, leaving only a confused Specter. She didn''t know what happened, so she could only obediently pass through the wall and fly out of the palace. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruby froze in place, at a loss, and the entire hall fell into a long silence... On the other side, the southern border of the Beastman Empire, which was also the current location of Xiao Mu and others. Strictly speaking, this place belonged to the junction of the three races. From the Frostwind snowy mountain to the west and the Barren Plains to the north, this place belonged to the territory of the Beastman Empire. The reason why the Beastman Empire had always been in dispute with humans was that the territories of the two were adjacent. The Beastmen often hunted down the weak races that fled to the human territory, thus causing conflicts with humans. Although humans did not bully the weak, they happened to be the ones who disliked and disgusted the creatures born from the interbreeding of humans and beasts the most among all races. Xiao Mu stood on a high ground, looked down at the distance, then lowered his head and thought for a while. "This place is now located at the junction of the Starfallen Empire and the Beastman Empire. We have to go further inside, otherwise it will easily attract the attention of humans when we fight. If humans find us, it will be troublesome." Xiao Mu said, although the overall strength of their side was stronger than the fifteen King level troops led by Xiao Hui, the enemies he had to face would be stronger. "Well, I think so too. The territory we currently belong to should be in charge of the birdmen. The first thing to deal with is definitely them. I hope Torin''s strength can bring us surprises." Drake looked serious. It was only a matter of time before he faced an Emperor level enemy in a war with a powerful force like the Beastman Empire. Now he could only believe in Torin''s strength. The battle with the Beastman Empire was very important to the undead empire. Originally, Xiao Hui''s order was to let Drake continue to be in charge of Dragon City, but Drake felt that one more person would be more powerful, and he was willing to contribute to the development of the undead empire. Under Drake''s strong request, Xiao Hui agreed to let him come to assist Xiao Mu. Drake and Xiao Mu continued to advance into the territory of the Beastman Empire. They passed by several small cities and strongholds along the way, all of which were cleverly bypassed by them. It wasn''t until night that they came to a narrow valley, and at the end of the valley was a vast plain. There was a city on the plain, which was one of the main gathering places of the birdmen. From here, it officially entered the core area of the Beastman Empire. There would be more Beastmen inside, flying in the sky, running on the ground, swimming in the water, and even digging holes. There were all kinds of races. Entering rashly would greatly increase the probability of being discovered. "Let''s build the undead fortress here. Our first goal is to capture this city." Xiao Mu looked at the city in the distance and said, both of them had already made a plan, and destroying the city in front of them was only the first step. "Okay, it stands to reason that, except for a very small number of eagles and falcons, most birdmen should have no night vision ability. Night actions are just right for us." Of course, this was just Drake''s guess. Maybe the birdmen had evolved some special abilities. In order to reduce the risk to the lowest level, Xiao Mu didn''t waste any time. He directly took out a Fortress Essence Shard from the space ring and clicked on the construction. Then the two quickly disappeared into the valley. In the next second, a huge undead fortress rose from the ground, emitting strong death energy. Some small animals resting in the valley heard the movement and fled in all directions. Immediately afterwards, the undead in the undead Imperial Capital received the news and began to pour into the main fortress. In an instant, tens of thousands of gargoyles poured out, took to the sky, covering the stars and the moon, and swarmed towards the distant city like locusts crossing a border. To deal with the birdmen, of course, air force had to be used. The birdmen in the city were still sound asleep, unaware that danger was approaching. The gargoyles quickly spread throughout the city, breaking through the windows and killing all the birdmen who were still sleeping. By the time they reacted, it was too late. The birdmen flew up into the sky one after another to meet the unknown enemy, but at this moment, the city had already suffered heavy losses, and there were corpses everywhere. The chief in charge of being stationed in the city was a King level birdman. It let out a sharp whistle and instantly killed the gargoyles that were besieging it. The chief birdman seemed to have the upper hand, but its move directly exposed it. Next, it would face the siege of thirteen King level gargoyles! Chapter 367 - 367: Night raid on birdmen (two) In the valley, Xiao Mu and Drake looked at the chaotic city in the distance and looked at each other. "Next, you and I will go our separate ways." "Well, be careful, and your own safety is the main thing." "You too." After saying that, the two figures disappeared from the spot and went their separate ways. Their plan was simple: to throw the entire Beastman Empire into chaos. These undead fortresses built in the Beastman Empire were actually just bait, targets they had planned to abandon in advance. The overall strength of the Beastman Empire was strong, and they couldn''t fight them head-on. Xiao Mu and Drake split their forces into two groups, and along the east and west borders respectively, taking advantage of the night, they directly built several undead fortresses throughout the territory. Endless undead poured out of the fortresses and launched attacks on the enemy. Overnight, the unsuspecting Beastman Empire suffered heavy losses. Many cities were completely massacred, turned into experience points, and strengthened the overall strength of the undead army. For a time, the Beastman Empire was in chaos. They had no idea how the enemy appeared. The information passed from various places was that the entire empire was under attack by the undead. [Night retreats, dawn arrives] At this moment, Xiao Mu was located on the western border of the Beastman Empire, and further west was the vast Endless Sea. He looked at the city with corpses everywhere and blood flowing like rivers, without a trace of pity in his heart. "The sneak attack is almost over. I think the Beastman Empire will react before noon. Their counterattack will be very strong. We still have a few hours. " Xiao Mu turned around and entered the undead fortress behind him, returning to the undead Imperial Capital, where Drake had been waiting for a long time. "Done?" "Done, all twenty-five undead fortresses on my side have been built." Xiao Mu nodded towards Drake. Overnight, the two of them built a total of fifty undead fortresses around the southwest and southeast borders of the Beastman Empire! This directly consumed nearly 80% of the Fortress Essence Shard reserves in the main fortress. Although the consumption was huge, the results were remarkable. "Act according to the plan, we will leave immediately!" "Death Spirit, go and inform the six race kings to launch an attack on them from the south of the Beastman Empire with us!" As soon as Xiao Mu gave an order, the six race kings, who had been preparing for a long time, led the undead army directly into the main fortress. At the same time, in the Beastman Empire, a special city in the north. It was located in a forest, and the city was also a hanging city built on several giant trees. This was the headquarters of the birdmen. It was said to be a city, but it was actually just a huge bird''s nest. Drake had sneaked in here last night and secretly built an undead fortress, but he didn''t send the undead to attack the city immediately, just for this moment. At this moment, Xiao Mu, Drake, Arthas and other six race kings gathered here, their eyes locked on the city on the top of the tree in the distance, their faces showing murderous intent. "According to the information from the Liberty Church, the five Emperor level Alphas are generally stationed in the main city of the demihumans. The highest combat power of this bird''s nest in front of us is estimated to be only King level, which is completely insufficient." With Sophie''s intelligence support, Xiao Mu knew the enemy''s forces like the back of his hand. Everyone present was at King level. As long as they didn''t encounter an Emperor level enemy, they would definitely win in the end. "The federal system of the Beastman Empire has given us a great advantage. The five most core races actually have their own factions, and our main force is attacking the birdmen. This is also what other races like to see. I guess, before the birdmen race are hit hard, other races will remain on the sidelines." Drake analyzed that this was the benefit of having intelligence. Of course, these secrets were not big secrets. "It doesn''t matter, if the alpha of the birdmen is here, it would be even better. Torin has already made preparations in the city, so you don''t have to worry." Xiao Mu said. After a brief exchange, Xiao Mu and the six race kings quickly agreed on the next tactic. "Take action!" Following an order from Xiao Mu and Drake, the magic circle around the undead fortress shattered directly, and a huge undead fortress also appeared in this forest. The moment the undead fortress appeared, golden light surged around Xiao Mu''s body, the ground under his feet instantly shattered, and he flew directly to the bird''s nest in the sky like a rocket, transforming into a huge Light Titan in mid-air. Drake also spread his wings and flew upwards, his eyes emitting a yellow light. The next second, he transformed into a Rock Dragon of the same huge size. The six race kings also launched an attack towards the huge bird''s nest in the sky, and as the main city of the birdmen, this bird''s nest was also surrounded by many strongholds, and the target of the undead army was naturally them. The undead fortress suddenly appeared from the magic circle, and it took less than a minute for the undead army to launch an attack. When the birdmen in charge of patrolling reacted and sounded the alarm, the undead army had already arrived in front of them! Arthur, Riven, Drake, three completely different dragon breaths set the bird''s nest on fire. Xiao Mu fell from the sky and landed heavily in the hanging bird''s nest city. A punch with the power of light directly destroyed most of the buildings in the city, and at the same time caused the death of more than 1,000 birdmen. The entire bird''s nest almost collapsed in the face of this huge force. The undead army below had also completed the encirclement of the birdmen around the city. In terms of speed, they were no match for these flying birdmen. As for the number, the undead were rarely at a disadvantage. The battle continued, and the necromancers and liches on the battlefield were carrying out endless summoning. As more and more birdmen fell, the number of undead would only increase. For a time, the forest was filled with roars and begging for mercy, and the scene became completely chaotic. At this moment, Xiao Mu couldn''t help but sigh at the unique intelligence-gathering ability of the Liberty Church. Sophie was right. There was indeed no Emperor level alpha in this bird''s nest-like city, otherwise it would have taken action long ago. At this moment, a terrifying cyclone suddenly erupted in the bird''s nest, directly forcing the six race kings, Xiao Mu, and Drake back. Immediately afterwards, everyone saw several birdmen flying out of the city. The attack just now was launched by the leading birdman. A full ten of them all exuded the aura of King level, and the leading birdman even reached lv9 King level! "You are asking for your own death!" The birdman roared angrily and attacked everyone directly. Seeing the terrifying strength displayed by the opponent, Xiao Mu and Drake didn''t show any worry, but a smile appeared on the corners of their mouths. Because soon, this lv9 King level would become their own combat power. Since they dared to attack the main city of the birdmen, they had expected that there would be a High King level existence. "Warlord Skull!" Arthas shouted loudly, swinging the huge bone blade in his hand, and then a hurricane arose. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Skull behind him opened its skull, and a scorching purple-red breath hit all the King level birdmen present. Boom! There was a loud noise, and a strong smoke erupted. Half of the birdmen were repelled by this strong attack, while the remaining High King level birdmen easily blocked the Warlord Skull''s blow. But Arthas'' attack wouldn''t be so simple. As the smoke billowed, the Warlord Skull was seen rushing out of the smoke, its body emitting a strange black aura. And its level had actually reached the lv9 king level! The High King level birdman was startled, and quickly distanced himself from the opponent. He flapped his wings vigorously, using a gust of wind to blow away the surrounding smoke. It was only then that it discovered that it was not only the huge skeleton creature in front of it that had suddenly become stronger, but even the levels of the other King level around it had all increased. What was going on?! But before it had time to think about it, the birdmen fought fiercely with the undead. In order to protect the main city from being destroyed, they could only choose to fight to the death with the opponent before reinforcements arrived. And the purpose of the undead was to completely wipe them out before the enemy''s reinforcements arrived. At this moment, the territory of the birdmen was in complete chaos. The night attack last night had increased the pressure on the main city, and several patrol guards had been sent out overnight to destroy the undead fortress. At this moment, nearly half of their combat power was located on the border of the undead empire, and it was too late to return to help. Even if they returned with all their strength the moment they learned the news, it would take nearly two hours. Otherwise, the defensive strength of their main city would not be so weak. At the same time, on the northwestern border of the Beastman Empire, this was one of the gathering places of the birdmen. At this moment, it had been littered with corpses, and all the birdmen had been killed by the undead. The patrol guards who arrived were even more outraged when they saw this scene. The birdman leading the team was in mid-air, looking at the enemy in front of him angrily. The highest combat power among these undead was only a few Monarchs, and it could kill them all in an instant! The birdman leading the team let out a roar, and led his subordinates to kill the undead army, causing the death of more than a hundred undead in just a moment. At this moment, the undead fortress had long since stopped transporting the army, so this birdman did not choose to destroy it immediately. But what it didn''t notice was that the undead fortress in the distance was undergoing some kind of change. Chapter 368 - 368: Undead behemoth The shield outside the undead fortress was gradually dissipating, and the energy slowly gathered in the Essence Shard above the head. Then the Essence Shard began to sink and completely melted into the fortress and disappeared. Immediately afterwards, a huge magic circle emerged from the ground, and the entire undead fortress began to vibrate violently. The white bones on the outer wall slowly detached along the cracks and floated up. The six turrets began to be reorganized, and the teleportation array in the center was also re-spliced. The soul fire inside emitted a dazzling blue light. Bang! A huge bone claw stepped out from it, causing a huge shock. The High King level birdman who was slaughtering the undead in the distance was instantly attracted, and his face was full of horror. "What kind of creature is this?" Whoosh! A huge beam of light arrived in an instant, even bigger than the entire body of this birdman! It quickly retracted its wings and made a spin in the air, dodging the beam attack, but some of the feathers on its wings were still blackened by the scorching beam. Although it was not a serious problem, it was extremely humiliating for it. It was not until this moment that the birdman saw the huge creature clearly. It looked like a beast, but its body was only bones left, two groups of blue flames were burning in its huge eye sockets, and the huge fangs in its mouth even protruded out of its mouth. Its body shape and appearance were more like a tiger without flesh, but there was a pair of wing-like existences on its back, which were covered with muzzles, which were combined from six turrets. It was too big. Even if the Zombie Titan and the Bone Dragon stood in front of it, they were only a quarter of its size. This birdman had never seen such a huge creature. Although the other party also exuded the aura of a King level, it gave him a feeling that it was impossible to defeat. Facing such a behemoth, the suffocating pressure made it feel fear. "Retreat!" The birdman made a decisive decision and immediately planned to retreat, but when it looked behind it, it found that all its subordinates had died at some point! Bang! The undead behemoth jumped up, the earth trembled, and it flew up! "Damn... This undead behemoth is too big, I can''t beat it at all, I will die here!" Just as the birdman was thinking wildly, the huge claws that greeted him seemed to tear it to pieces. At this point, it had no choice but to fight the undead behemoth. However, on the battlefield, morale was very important. If one was afraid, failure was a foregone conclusion. The birdman gathered all its strength and met the huge undead behemoth with all its might. In an instant, a dazzling white light erupted from the center of the two, and a terrifying air wave spread out. The surrounding trees were uprooted, cracks appeared in the ground and spread wildly outward, and even the surrounding undead were blown away by the terrifying momentum of the two, causing quite a few casualties. ¡­ Ten minutes later, the King level birdman was completely dead, and the entire forelimb of the undead behemoth had completely collapsed. However, this was not a big deal to it. Soon, a little soul fire emerged from the corpses of the undead who died around, and merged into the undead behemoth. The High King level birdman didn''t know until its death that its fear was infinitely magnified under the influence of the [Passive Skill] of the undead behemoth. However, the undead behemoth was the product of the self-destruction of the undead fortress, and it did not exist forever. Instead, it needed to absorb the soul fire remaining in the bodies of the dead undead to prolong its existence. In other words, the undead behemoth was born for war. Although this process was irreversible, the undead behemoth could feel the location of other undead fortresses. As the undead behemoth flew into the sky, it took the remaining undead to the nearest undead fortress... === On the other side, on the border of the far north. Xiao Hui and Ruby were standing on the undead fortress, looking ahead. The undead had received the news that the Gnolls clan was assembling an army and attacking this way. That''s right, the eastern border of the Beastman Empire, which was connected to the far north, was the territory of these Gnolls. As for conquering the Arctic Tigerfolk, the current Archalpha of the Beastman Empire had given full authority to the Gnolls. Therefore, the Gnolls had already assembled most of their forces in the border area, preparing to conquer the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom by force. The sudden attack of the enemy did not seem to attract the attention of the alpha of the Gnolls. In the Beastman Empire, the territories of each race were governed by each race. Perhaps the Gnolls and the birdmen did not communicate with each other, and they did not realize that the enemy they encountered was the same one. Xiao Hui had built three undead fortresses here. They stood side by side, like an indestructible line of defense, to block these Gnolls outside the far north. And in front of the fortress were the undead army that had already been stationed. Except for the Silverscale Leviathan, they were all land forces. Xiao Hui was now the commander-in-chief of this army of hundreds of thousands of undead. More than 500,000 undead were gathered together, creating a spectacular and daunting scene. The undead army spread as far as the eye could see, their sheer numbers filling the entire landscape. Ruby on the side looked worried. Facing a truly powerful enemy, it was impossible to win by quantity alone. Xiao Hui had already explained her plan to Ruby. Currently, there were also Emperor level fighters in the undead empire. As long as they could lure out the alpha of the Gnolls and kill it, they would have the capital to completely deal with the opponent. It was just that the idea was simple and useful, but it was extremely difficult to implement. "Xiao Hui, what if there are Emperor level alphas on both your brother''s side and ours?" Ruby meant that this would cause heavy losses to the undead. "Of two evils choose the lesser." Xiao Hui said lightly, her eyes fixed on the front and never moved. Her meaning was obvious. If what Ruby said really happened, she would not hesitate to abandon her own side. "So, Ruby, you should go back, or go over there and help Xiao Mu and the others." "No, I can''t let you guard my people all by yourself. I want to do my part too. I''m not afraid of death." Ruby said stubbornly, her eyes full of firmness. "Okay, remember that when danger comes, your own safety is the main thing. I won''t die, but you only have one life." Xiao Hui didn''t persuade Ruby anymore, she knew that the other party had made up her mind. "Don''t worry, I have already informed Maulclaw and Shadowfang to gather their people to the undead fortress. If the situation is not right, Death Spirit will let them leave immediately." As she spoke, Ruby''s ears suddenly moved, as if she heard something. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "They are here, underground!" Ruby''s reminder also made Xiao Hui react immediately. "Zombie Titan!" Thousands of Zombie Titans around heard Xiao Hui''s order, and fiery red lines immediately lit up on their bodies. Then, with the flames of huge power, they slammed their fists directly at the ground. The power caused by so many Zombie Titans attacking at the same time was terrifying. For a time, even the ground vibrated violently, as if there was an earthquake. Boom! The earth collapsed instantly, and countless undead fell into the huge pit under this unexpected attack. As the ground cracked open, Xiao Hui also saw the creatures underground clearly. They were a group of humanoid mice. However, under the blow just now, most of the ratmen were crushed to death. The army of the Beastman Empire no longer hid, and they broke out of the ground from the distant mountains and forests, and killed the undead army in the huge pit. "Charge, crush our enemies!" Xiao Hui gave an order, her wings spread out behind her, and at the same time, she took out her weapon and Ruby killed the opponent''s army. However, most of the King level troops of the undead were on the birdmen battlefield, and the combat power on Xiao Hui''s side was probably only half that of Xiao Mu''s. Therefore, this battle might be more difficult than imagined. The forces of the Beastman Empire were not only Gnolls, but also many races under their clan. The opponent''s general was a Gnoll in golden armor, with strong muscles, black skin, and a tall stature. Except for its head being a dog''s head, it was basically no different from a human in other aspects. This was completely different from the Gnolls that Xiao Hui had killed before! This general''s weapon was a golden giant axe, his yellow-brown pupils looked straight ahead, and with just one glance, he could tell that Xiao Hui and Ruby were unusual among the undead army. As a native race of the Eldoria continent, they were no strangers to the undead. Originally, the general of this army was not it. It was temporarily transferred from the main city. Before that, it had already learned about the enemy attacking the birdmen. At this moment, it came to the battlefield and finally understood everything. "Report to the empire immediately, the enemy''s forces are the newly born undead empire, and the Arctic Tigerfolk have taken refuge in them!" After saying this to the subordinate beside him, the Gnolls general disappeared from the spot, exuding a terrifying aura at the same time. He swung his giant axe and attacked Xiao Hui and Ruby at the same time. Xiao Hui felt a huge sense of crisis in her heart. The opponent was Lv9 King level! "Death Spirit!" She shouted loudly, and Death Spirit directly possessed her, and Xiao Hui''s aura soared. The pitch-black Sword of Judgment in her hand emitted frightening black energy, and she met the opponent''s attack with a sword. Ruby''s reaction was not slow either. She directly transformed into a huge white tiger. With a fierce tiger roar, she attacked the opponent with all her might, her claws containing the power of frost and space. Two months had passed, and Ruby''s level had already reached lv7. She could tell at a glance that the opponent was at lv9, so she didn''t dare to be careless. As the queen of the Arctic Tigerfolk, she could only display all her strength when she transformed into a white tiger. The Gnolls didn''t expect that Xiao Hui, who was only at lv4 King level, would suddenly increase her strength to lv8. Facing the siege of two high-level Kings, even if it was a lv9 king, it didn''t dare to be careless. The moment the attacks of the three touched, the Gnolls felt bad. It was actually a little invincible! It clenched the golden giant axe in both hands and wrestled with the two of them. At the same time, its eyes glowed, and yellow energy overflowed from its body. In the next second, its body instantly grew larger, and the energy wrapped around it made it impossible to see its original appearance. The axe also turned into a huge weapon wrapped in black and gold energy at this moment. Boom! With a loud noise, it instantly knocked Xiao Hui and Ruby into the air at the same time, and their bodies fell heavily to the ground. Chapter 369 - 369: Gloating Alpha Gnoll Looking at the enlarged Gnolls general, Xiao Hui and Ruby quickly stood up, flew into the sky, stood side by side, and attacked the opponent again. Their primary goal was, of course, to kill the opponent''s leader, but if they couldn''t kill him, they would just hold him back, and they would win in the end. After having the undead bloodline, Xiao Hui''s stamina was infinite, and she didn''t know what it was like to be tired. But other creatures were different. They would get tired and exhausted, and then they would show their flaws. Many races'' perception of the undead was that they had the basic ability of immortality, and few people would notice that they also had the characteristic of infinite stamina. The surrounding undead were also fighting with the Beastman army. While confronting Xiao Hui and Ruby, the Gnolls general was also paying attention to the situation on the battlefield. His face was serious, and his brows were furrowed. Just like the rumors! Seeing the troops of the Beastman Empire dying continuously, and then transforming into undead, the number of undead had now gained an overwhelming advantage. Although the former undead empire had been destroyed, the prestige of the undead race on the Eldoria continent had never diminished. There was no doubt that if the undead empire in its heyday faced the current Beastman Empire, the Beastman Empire would have no power to fight back. But the Gnolls general knew a little inside story. The once powerful undead empire no longer existed. The seven Race Kings of the old undead race had disappeared. Some died and some fled. The current undead race probably didn''t even have one percent of the strength of the past undead empire. "Hmph, a bunch of lowly boneheads!" The Gnolls general scoffed. What was the use of having more numbers? They were just cannon fodder. The Gnolls general fought with Xiao Hui and Ruby again. His purpose was very clear, to kill them all. However, this was not the case. In this special period, every King level was an indispensable combat power. Due to their insufficient understanding of the undead race, the troops of the Beastmen Empire failed to notice that all the corpses on the battlefield had been summoned into Specters. Half an hour later, under the double summoning of the Death Spirit Clone, 100,000 Specters quickly appeared. They had no entities, floated in the air, and all flew towards the undead fortress. However, at this moment, the Gnolls general''s physical strength had been consumed by nearly half, while Xiao Hui was still as if nothing had happened, but Ruby''s physical strength was relatively more consumed. Seeing that Xiao Hui and Ruby had stopped, the Gnolls general thought that the other party was going to retreat, and scoffed in his heart. He once again launched a full-scale attack on Xiao Hui and Ruby, never giving them any chance to escape. Just as the Gnolls launched the attack, a dark force burst out from Xiao Hui''s body, instantly covering the entire field. The Gnolls general quickly retreated. It knew that this dark energy had the ability to erode everything. Suddenly, the Gnolls general''s mind was shaken, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The black and gold energy around him dissipated directly, and his body returned to its original state. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chi! In the black mist, two figures flew out instantly, and a sword and a blade directly pierced its chest. The Gnolls general''s pupils constricted violently, and before his consciousness completely dissipated, he finally saw a faint figure in the black mist. It was actually the same as himself, also a lv9 king! The curse attack was invisible and intangible, coupled with Xiao Hui''s cover, making it impossible for him to guard against. It didn''t understand until its death where this lv9 king specter came from... "Phew, finally got rid of it." Ruby propped her hands on the ground with her sword and gasped for breath. Obviously, the long battle had also consumed a lot of her physical strength. "You rest first, I will lead the undead to wipe out the remaining Beastmen." After speaking, Xiao Hui rose into the air and killed the enemy army again. This time, the opponent had no general, and they were doomed to lose. On the other side, in the Beastman Empire, the Five Colors City. This was the ruling center of the entire Beastman Empire, and it was also a city where all the Alphas gathered. At this moment, in a magnificent palace in the center of the city, chieftains of all races gathered here, arranged in order of status. However, the Archalpha of the demihumans, who possessed Sovereign level, was not here, but the beta of the demihumans attended the meeting on behalf of him. At the same time, the alphas of several other major races were also sitting at the top. At this moment, Alpha Gnoll''s expression was not particularly worried. For the undead race, it just felt a little troublesome. Because from the current point of view, apart from the fact that the undead might have an advantage in numbers, they were no match for them in other aspects. It believed that the general it sent would be able to wipe out the undead in the territory and conquer the Arctic Tigerfolk by the way. And the purpose of their meeting was just to wipe out the undead race and exchange some benefits with those races that were hostile to the undead. The meeting continued, and the chieftains were all discussing fiercely. There were two current steps, one was to find the location of the undead empire, and the other was to contact those races that were hostile to the undead. "The undead empire must be in the north of the Eldoria continent. Now that the human Starfallen Empire divides the continent in two, it is impossible for them to cross the human territory to the north." It was the beta of the demihumans who spoke. He also possessed Emperor level strength. But he was yawning and drowsy when he spoke, as if it had nothing to do with him. "If it''s in the north, then it''s easy to say. It also appeared in the far north, so their location can be roughly locked." Alpha Gnoll said excitedly. "Frostwind snowy mountain, Dark Forest, Savage Plains, Tara Plain, Twinface Mountain, Muddy Swamp." A chieftain with a lion head added. The other Beastmen immediately became excited when they heard this. Next, they just had to contact those races. Just as the Beastmen were having a heated discussion, a guard of the Birdmen race suddenly walked in. Alpha Birdman glanced at it, frowning slightly. Obviously, it was dissatisfied because the other party disturbed it at this time. It whispered a few words in front of the Alpha, and Alpha Birdman was furious when he heard it, and even slapped the table in front of him into powder. "I''m going to kill them!" Its roar immediately silenced the scene, and all the Beastmen looked at each other in dismay. After saying that, it ignored the other chieftains present, did not explain anything, exuded a strong murderous aura, and flew directly out of the palace. Alpha Birdman wanted to leave, but was stopped by several other Alphas. Helpless, it had to explain to the others. Just as Alpha Gnoll displayed a gloating expression, a Gnoll guard hurried in, causing him to instantly drop his smile. It suddenly had a bad feeling... Chapter 370 - 370: Hostile King Ghoul The meeting eventually fell apart because of the sudden departure of the two alphas. The other chieftains also began to worry about their own territories after learning about the situation of the empire, and they all began to apply to return to their own cities (clans). The undead empire had actually angered the two alphas of the Beastman Empire at the same time. All the Beastmen believed that this undead empire was finished. The other three alphas didn''t mean to help the Gnolls and the Birdmen, because in their intelligence, it was impossible for the undead empire to have Emperor level beings. How could two Emperor levels fail to destroy those undead? Anyway, the undead race didn''t cause them any losses. Unless it completely threatened the core interests of the Beastman Empire, they would not take action. Rash action would not only bring no benefits, but also consume the resources within the clan. Wouldn''t they fall behind in the competition with other races? However, they still had to spread the news of the discovery of the undead race, although the other party might destroy the undead empire and occupy the north of the continent. Beastmen hated the undead very much. They would rather be neighbors with demons than have anything to do with the undead. Before that, several Alphas had also discussed with each other that the division of human territory was very obvious, and the purpose was to block the way out of the Beastman Empire. The Beastman Empire didn''t have the ability to cross the continent, and the characteristics of these creatures born from the interbreeding of humans and beasts were too obvious to be mixed into the human race. Otherwise, they could cross the human border and continue south to inform the Angel race of the news. But this was just a thought. The beta of the demihumans had analyzed that even if they could inform the Angel race of the news, the humans would probably not agree to the angels coming to the north. So after thinking about it, their final goal could only be to inform the human race. However, at this moment, the giant bird''s nest of the Birdmen had been completely destroyed, and the entire forest had become a sea of fire. Xiao Mu, Drake, and the six race kings had already left this place and headed northeast of the Beastman Empire. They left some undead behind to attract attention. Xiao Mu knew that the destruction of the main city of the Birdmen would definitely alarm the opponent''s alpha, so before the opponent arrived, they had to create as much chaos as possible in the south of the Beastman Empire. Let the opponent''s alpha not know where their main force was. On the other side, Xiao Hui and Ruby were still waiting on the border of the far north for the opponent''s next attack. === Muddy Swamp, this place had been severely damaged by the battle between Alex and the lords, but now it had returned to its former appearance. The swamp didn''t cover a large area, but there was an abandoned instance in the center. It usually didn''t look special at all, and it didn''t feel any other breath. But in such an ordinary place, a strange black mist emanated from the abandoned instance at this moment, and then several figures appeared here. "Zarvox, don''t forget your promise." The black shadow said to Zarvox in a cold tone. "Don''t worry, I will return to the Demon Continent soon, and I will keep my promise then." Hearing Zarvox say this, the black shadow was relieved and completely disappeared into the instance. The place returned to calm, leaving only Zarvox and its subordinates. "Heh, these selfish demons." Seeing the other party leave, Zarvox showed its yellow fangs and spat on the ground. The saliva with corrosive properties immediately made a hissing sound and white smoke came out. "Eldoria continent, I really miss it. I haven''t been back here for hundreds of years." Zarvox took a deep breath, his face full of excitement. "My little ones, follow me, the position of the new undead lord is right in front of you. After killing him, you will be the seven race kings!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After speaking, Zarvox led the group of Ghouls out of the swamp and headed for the Dark Forest. As one of the race kings under the previous undead lord, it had a sense of the location of the undead empire. It happened that there was no power of the Angel race in the north of the Eldoria continent, which made its actions even bolder. Undead Imperial Capital, at this moment, only Torin was left in this huge city. It stood in front of the main fortress, with the Death Spirit Clone standing beside it, so that it could provide support as soon as possible in case of danger on both sides. At this moment, Death Spirit suddenly possessed a Specter and said in a hurried tone, "Someone has broken into the Dark Forest!" Because Death Spirit had previously marked all the Grimface Trees in the Dark Forest for easy teleportation. But just now, it suddenly felt that several of its previous marks had disappeared. Obviously, those Grimface Trees had been killed. Summoning those Grimface Trees on the periphery of the Dark Forest had only one function, which was to detect the surrounding situation. Under normal circumstances, although the Grimface Trees were not very powerful, they were extremely concealed. It was almost impossible for ordinary people to find them. At least they had to reach the King level. Hearing this, Torin had a bad feeling in his heart. Was it a human or a beastman? It was proficient in some divination techniques, which was a little hobby it had learned before it became undead. Torin threw out a small crystal ball and immediately began to cast the spell. After a while, the crystal ball shattered directly, and there was still a trace of black mist inside. Torin was startled, and his heart was filled with surprise. "The shattered crystal ball means that the person who came is stronger than me, and the black mist means that it is a dark race." There were only a few dark races, such as demons, fallen angels, undead, shadow races, etc. "It''s that King Ghoul!" Death Spirit instantly guessed the identity of the other party. Except for it, no one else could find the undead empire. "This is troublesome. Although I don''t know how it was teleported to the Eldoria continent, judging from your previous words and deeds, I feel he may be hostile towards us." Torin turned around and walked slowly out of the city, no longer guarding the gate of the main fortress. Death Spirit immediately followed. "How long can the magic circle in the depths stop it?" "I''m not sure, maybe three hours, maybe less than an hour." Torin said with a serious face, it decided to show up on its own initiative and have a talk with this former colleague. On the periphery of the Dark Forest, Zarvox had led the Ghouls to the spatial distortions. "This magic circle actually feels familiar." Looking at the magic circle in front of it, the induction in its heart told it that the undead empire was inside. At this time, it couldn''t hide its excitement. "So what if it''s his masterpiece? He''s dead, his time is long gone!" Zarvox didn''t enter it, because then it would be trapped for a long time. It planned to use its own power to directly smash the magic circle in front of it. Just as it was gathering its power to attack the magic circle in front of it, Torin suddenly appeared in front of it. "Stop!" Chapter 371 - 371: The attitude of the Mage Guild "Well, well, well, if it isn''t you, you imbecile." Zarvox ceased his attack, his gaze filled with disdain as he looked upon Torin. He had long known that Torin hadn''t left the Eldoria continent. "Zarvox, what brings you here?" Torin inquired calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Hahahaha!" Zarvox burst into laughter. "Torin, are you really that dense?" "Step aside now, and for old times'' sake, I''ll spare you. But if you dare to obstruct me, I won''t hesitate to end you right here!" In an instant, Zarvox unleashed his Emperor level aura. The sheer force of it instantly annihilated the Death Spirit Clone, leaving only Torin, standing unflinchingly before him. The moment Zarvox laid eyes on Torin, he detected the unhealable wounds that marred its form. Had Torin been unscathed, Zarvox might have faced some difficulty. But now, if not for the level cap limitations of his Ghoul form, he could have slain Torin on the spot and summoned him back as a Ghoul. "Zarvox, remember your race! The undead blood that flows through your veins, it was bestowed upon you by the lord!" Torin drew its staff, slamming it against the ground with force. Another surge of Emperor level aura clashed against Zarvox''s, the two forces ultimately neutralizing each other. "So you''ve chosen to pledge allegiance to this new lord of yours?" Zarvox, cunning and treacherous, feigned amicable persuasion, but before he could finish his sentence, he launched a swift attack. Torin, however, was prepared. He knew this former comrade all too well, intimately familiar with his personality and character. Gripping his twisted, deadwood staff, Torin effortlessly blocked Zarvox''s sharp claws. Zarvox immediately unleashed a cloud of green poison gas. The surrounding trees withered instantly, their life force flowing into him. Blocking the attack, Torin swiftly retreated, taking to the sky. As he did so, several enormous magic circles materialized, enveloping the entire forest. Countless bones and pools of blood seemed to come alive at Torin''s command, all converging upon Zarvox. But these attacks proved futile. A green solution oozed from Zarvox''s body, seemingly capable of corroding anything it touched. It coated him entirely, forming an impenetrable armor. The surrounding trees were torn to shreds by their immense power, creating a large clearing. The epicenter of their battle became an absolute domain. The other Ghouls retreated, distancing themselves from their king''s battlefield. A Death Spirit Clone re-formed, observing the battle from the periphery. It feared that Torin might be outmatched, which would plunge the undead empire into its greatest crisis yet. Boom! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Another terrifying surge of aura erupted, expanding their domain of combat. The sheer force of it rippled through the depths of the magic circle. The Death Spirit Clone, unable to escape, was caught in the crossfire once more. When it reappeared, both Torin and Zarvox had vanished from the sky. It exchanged glances with the remaining Ghouls, utterly helpless. The undead''s main force was currently engaged with the Beastman Empire, leaving no spare forces to deal with these few Ghouls. Conversely, they didn''t dare to venture deeper into the Dark Forest. Death Spirit''s possession enhancement had its limitations. It wasn''t that it didn''t want to help Torin; it was simply incapable. Most of its power was deployed against the Beastman Empire. Furthermore, Torin hadn''t fully submitted to Alex, preventing Death Spirit from possessing it. Therefore, it was utterly powerless to intervene in this battle between two Emperor level undead. Torin and Zarvox had entered a realm of their own to continue their fight. Although the space within this realm existed on a different plane, their power was so immense that even without seeing their forms, one could witness the terrifying aftershocks that periodically erupted in the sky. Even within the depths of the undead Imperial Capital, the tremors from the clash of these two powerhouses could be felt. Meanwhile, in the Starfallen Empire, within the city of Hurricane. Inside the palace, the president frowned slightly as she examined the letter in her hand. "The undead empire... it has indeed resurfaced on the Eldoria continent..." The letter from the Beastman Empire had reached the Mage Guild branch in Hurricane City and had landed in the president''s hands. "President, the undead empire is in the north. Based on the timeline, their strength shouldn''t be a match for the Beastman Empire. And the Beastmen have always been wary of us, so why would they willingly share this information with us?" A King level magus beside her posed the question. He was the president''s confidant, and he couldn''t help but feel puzzled upon seeing the news. "It''s just a clever little ploy by those demihumans, thinking they''re so smart." The president''s voice was laced with a hint of annoyance, her tone casual. However, her confidant could sense the growing irritation within her. Dealing with the Angel race was already troublesome enough, and now the undead race had emerged in the north. These were all areas under the jurisdiction of Hurricane City. "The undead''s expansion is too rapid. We can''t afford to ignore it. It''ll become a major problem for the Starfallen Empire if we do. Inform Vice President Fenquinal in Glory City and have him deal with this undead empire." The president ultimately decided to dispatch the guild branch''s vice president to handle the undead. As president, she had more pressing matters to attend to. "President, Vice President Eldrin has arrived." A mage entered abruptly, delivering the news. Upon hearing this, a glint of interest flickered in the president''s eyes. "There''s no need. I bring word from the president." The voice preceded the person. Eldrin, clad in a luxurious black mage robe, strode into the president''s chambers. The president he referred to was, of course, the president of the headquarters, the true authority of the Mage Guild. "Eldrin, what brings you here?" The president rose to her feet. Following her subtle cue, the surrounding mages discreetly took their leave. Only the two of them remained in the room, the atmosphere somewhat delicate. Eldrin, however, maintained a strictly professional demeanor, seemingly oblivious to the subtle tension. "The president has decreed that we are not to interfere in the affairs of the undead race." The president froze, immediately unsealing Eldrin''s decree to verify its authenticity. It was indeed true. "Why? Isn''t the president concerned that the undead race might become the next Angel race?" "Rest assured, even if the undead race were to perish and rise again, they would never side with him." Eldrin''s confident reply, far from alleviating her confusion, only deepened it. Why wouldn''t the undead race? "But what if the undead race..." Before the president could finish her sentence, Eldrin cut her off. "Time is of the essence. We can''t afford to be distracted by such trivial matters. The era crisis is upon us. If the undead race manages to survive this crisis, then what does it matter if we grant them a place on this continent?" Chapter 372 - 372: Liliths plea for assistance On the continent of Arsen, along the southern coastline, a colossal cliff rose from the sea. Perched atop this precipice stood a magnificent kingdom, the territory of the fallen angels. Lilith stood upon the ramparts, her gaze sweeping across the vast expanse of the ocean, its horizon merging seamlessly with the sky. Four months had passed since her arrival on planet Astralon, and this was the first time she had witnessed a cloudy day on the Arsen continent. She had initially assumed that, like Eldoria, one continent perpetually basked in sunshine while the other remained shrouded in perpetual gloom. Now it seemed that it was merely the influence of ordinary weather patterns. Towering waves crashed relentlessly against the cliff face below, their thunderous roar a constant presence. As time passed, the sky grew increasingly overcast, and a fierce wind whipped across the sea. The wind, funneling through the windows, buffeted Lilith''s face, sending her long hair swirling behind her. Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter-patter! Raindrops began to fall upon the palace, quickly intensifying into a torrential downpour. Lilith frowned slightly. Rain usually brought her a sense of tranquility, but today, an unsettling premonition gnawed at her. Her gaze drifted towards the distant sea, lost in thought. Suddenly, she noticed several creatures emerging from the churning waters. They possessed wings and bodies covered in scales. Sea race creatures! What followed sent chills down Lilith''s spine. More and more Sea race creatures surfaced, their numbers swelling rapidly. Soon, as far as her eyes could see, the entire ocean teemed with Sea race creatures! There were at least a million of them! They surged towards the Arsen continent, carried by the wind and waves. Lilith immediately rushed out, taking to the sky. Along the seemingly endless coastline, Sea race creatures were making landfall everywhere. "The Sea Race is invading the land!" Lilith stood amidst the driving rain, her mind reeling. Her kingdom, situated on the continent''s edge, was the first in their path. She swiftly summoned all the fallen angels and the elf troops under her control, assembling them at the cliff''s edge, ready to defend with all their might. She couldn''t be bothered with the Sea Race invading other regions, but if they dared to encroach upon her kingdom, she would fight them to the bitter end! The Sea Race was clearly prepared for this invasion. The entire ocean was a sea of sea race creatures. It was likely that every coastline on the Arsen continent was currently under attack. Soon, the Sea Race reached the shore, scaling the cliffs and engaging in fierce combat with the elf troops under Lilith''s command. Initially, the elves, leveraging their terrain advantage, easily repelled the invaders. However, as the enemy''s numbers swelled, elf casualties mounted. The defensive line at the cliff''s edge was on the verge of collapse. It was time for the fallen angels to intervene. Lilith, weapon in hand, plunged into the fray. She knew that if the line fell, her newly established kingdom would face utter annihilation. But the Sea Race was a formidable force in its own right, relying on more than just sheer numbers. The higher-ranking Sea Race creatures lurking in the depths quickly took notice of the situation and dispatched reinforcements. Countless Commanding level and Monarch level sea creatures began to make landfall. Within moments, the elf defenses crumbled entirely, and even the fallen angels began to suffer casualties. Cold sweat beaded on Lilith''s forehead as she witnessed the unfolding carnage, her heart pounding in her chest. The Sea Race''s assault showed no signs of abating; in fact, it grew even fiercer. Although no King level sea race creatures had yet joined the battle, Lilith was the only King level being in the fallen angels'' kingdom. Facing a relentless onslaught of Monarch level troops, they would soon be overwhelmed. While Lilith possessed numerous life-saving abilities, ensuring her own survival, the fallen angels'' kingdom was doomed. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Damn it, what do we do?!" "Where are the other races of the Arsen continent? Are they all dead?" Even the usually composed Lilith found herself growing agitated. As far as she could see, apart from her own forces, vast numbers of sea race creatures had already begun to advance inland. In their wake, the Sea Race left nothing but carnage, slaughtering every land creature they encountered, leaving no survivors. Humans also had cities on the Arsen continent, but they were located in the center. It would take time for them to learn of the events unfolding on the border. The waves grew even more turbulent. Lilith couldn''t shake the feeling that the sea level had risen slightly. But she quickly dismissed the thought. How could that be possible? As the battle raged on, the rainwater on the ground turned crimson with blood. One hour, two hours, three hours... Lilith was nearing exhaustion. Her mana points were almost depleted, yet the Sea Race Monarchs seemed endless. The enemy had yet to deploy any King level creatures, relying solely on these Monarch level troops to wear her down. The ground was littered with the corpses of sea creatures. The elf troops had been completely wiped out, and the fallen angels had suffered heavy losses. They now circled in the sky, desperately trying to hold their own. Most of the fallen angel casualties were due to exhaustion, their strength drained in the relentless fight. The Sea Race creatures that had scaled the cliff were overwhelming, and the defensive line was about to crumble completely. "Do we have to abandon the kingdom..." Lilith felt a sense of defeat. Her face and clothes were stained with a mixture of Sea Race blood and rainwater. She knew that in the face of such a life-or-death crisis, allies wouldn''t come to their aid. After all, helping others required ensuring one''s own safety first. The best course of action was to abandon the kingdom and flee. "Wait, the undead!" A sudden realization struck Lilith. The Sea Race''s surprise attack had clouded her judgment, hindering her ability to think clearly. How could she have forgotten about the undead! The Sea Race excelled at overwhelming their enemies with sheer numbers, but so did the undead! "Morgana, go to the Undead Empire immediately and request that they send a few necromancers!" Hope flickered in Lilith''s eyes. She immediately issued the order to a nearby fallen angel. At this rate, as long as the Sea Race didn''t deploy any King level creatures, with the help of the undead, they wouldn''t be able to conquer the fallen angel kingdom! A few Monarch level necromancers were nothing to the undead empire, so they would surely agree to her request. With just a few necromancers, Lilith could turn the tide of the battle! Chapter 373 - 373: This vast army was the work of a single undead Soon, reinforcements from the undead arrived at the fallen angels'' kingdom. However, it wasn''t necromancers who came, but a clone of Death Spirit. Seeing this, Lilith finally breathed a sigh of relief. Death Spirit''s summoning abilities were far superior to those of necromancers. Such a large-scale battlefield was the perfect breeding ground for death energy, and Death Spirit wouldn''t miss this opportunity. Although its clone lacked combat prowess, its summoning speed was unmatched, second only to Alex herself. No, Death Spirit was now third, as Torin had joined the ranks of the undead empire. Upon arrival, Death Spirit wasted no time. With a mere surge of its energy, it instantly split into hundreds of clones. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These clones swiftly dispersed, descending upon the battlefield below. To others, this might have seemed like a disaster, but to Death Spirit, it was a paradise of experience points. As the numerous Death Spirit clones entered the fray, Lilith immediately ordered all fallen angels to retreat. They were exhausted and could no longer afford unnecessary casualties. In her eyes, the undead were more than capable of handling this Sea Race invasion. The moment the fallen angels ceased their defense, the Sea Race surged forward like a swarm of locusts, overwhelming the fallen angel city atop the cliff. They trampled over the corpses of their comrades, driven by a single-minded desire for destruction. However, whether due to a lack of intelligence or simply failing to notice what was happening behind them, these Sea Race creatures remained oblivious to the peculiar transformation occurring among their fallen brethren. Bang! Bang! Bang! Several Monarch level necromancers suddenly materialized in front of the advancing army, blocking the Sea Race''s path. With a wave of their staffs, countless bone spikes erupted from the ground, sweeping through the ranks like a thorny thicket. Thousands of Sea Race creatures were caught in the onslaught, instantly reduced to a bloody mist. Yet, their souls found new life, transforming into undead, rising from within the Sea Race army itself. In mere moments, the Sea Race troops assaulting the fallen angel city were thrown into disarray, turning their attention to the undead in their midst. Death Spirit''s objective was clear. It prioritized summoning the corpses of Monarch level sea creatures. Lilith had slain fewer than a hundred of these, and Death Spirit had now summoned them all back as undead. This instantly bolstered the battlefield with nearly a hundred Monarch level necromancers, accelerating the summoning process exponentially. More and more undead rose from the fallen. These low-level Sea Race creatures had no concept of what the undead were. Their sole purpose was to eliminate any enemy within sight. As sea creatures, their combat effectiveness was hampered on land, while the undead remained unaffected. With the mounting Sea Race casualties, the undead ranks swelled at an alarming rate. Lilith, having recovered some of her strength while observing the battle, decided to rejoin the fight. Her target was simple: to eliminate the Monarch level creatures within the Sea Race army. Although Death Spirit couldn''t speak, it understood her intentions perfectly. Lilith''s presence effectively compensated for the undead''s lack of Monarch level combat power. With her assistance, it took only half an hour for the undead to completely overwhelm the Sea Race creatures surrounding the fallen angel city. For the first time, Lilith felt a sense of awe towards the undead. She glanced at Death Spirit. This vast undead army, nearly a million strong, was the work of a single undead! And it was merely one of Alex''s subordinates. She had no doubt that Alex could achieve the same, perhaps even surpass Death Spirit. The Sea Race''s landing rate could no longer keep pace with the undead''s slaughter. To her astonishment, she noticed the undead spreading out along the coastline in both directions. Could they be planning to hold back the entire Sea Race invasion?! Lilith couldn''t fathom the sheer scale the undead army would reach after this battle. The carnage she had just witnessed had already granted her a level up. Imagining all those experience points accumulating for Alex, she dared not think further. "Continue the fight, but don''t overexert yourselves. Prioritize eliminating Monarch level Sea Race creatures!" Lilith issued a new order. This way, they could not only gain experience points but also assist Death Spirit. If she continued to hold back the fallen angels, this Sea Race invasion might be completely quelled by the undead before nightfall. That was, of course, assuming the enemy didn''t deploy any King level troops. Suddenly, while engaged in combat, Lilith noticed a system notification pop up. "Someone''s coming?" She immediately disengaged from the battle and soared into the sky, her gaze fixed on the city. A group of figures clad in black robes, over a hundred strong, approached. She recognized these beings. "Aren''t those Alex''s logistics troops? Can they even fight?" "Leader, please grant us permission to assist King Death Spirit." The hundred alchemy warlocks spoke in unison, their voices filled with respect. Lilith agreed without hesitation. She was curious to see how they intended to assist Death Spirit. Although these alchemy warlocks were all Monarch level, she knew they possessed no combat abilities. With her permission granted, the alchemy warlocks marched out of the city. The ground was littered with the corpses of Sea Race creatures, all of which had already been summoned. They placed down magic circle stones, setting the corpses ablaze, quickly clearing a large area. As for danger, the moment they arrived, several Monarch level undead had converged upon their location, providing protection. "Magic circle?" Lilith watched with curiosity as the alchemy warlocks began to set up a magic circle. What puzzled her was that over a hundred Monarch level alchemy warlocks were collaborating on a single magic circle. What were they up to? With their combined efforts, the magic circle was completed in mere minutes. Their research, refined over two months, had yielded portable magic circle setups. All the necessary steps were pre-integrated into individual magic circle stones, enabling rapid deployment. A magic circle ablaze with blue flames? Lilith was baffled. This magic circle didn''t appear to possess any offensive capabilities. The moment the magic circle was activated, tens of thousands of Specters broke away from the battlefield, converging upon the magic circle like moths drawn to a flame. As their ethereal forms entered the magic circle, they dissipated, transforming into points of soul fire. Lilith was already privy to these secrets of the undead, so she wasn''t surprised. However, as she witnessed these soul fires begin to merge, a realization dawned upon her, a conjecture so unbelievable that she could hardly believe it herself! Moments later, a Shadow Specter emerged from the magic circle, its terrifying aura sweeping across the battlefield. "That''s a King level aura!" Lilith''s eyes widened in shock, her body trembling with disbelief. "It''s actually a King level, how is that possible?!" Heavens, Alex had actually acquired the ability to create King level undead! Chapter 374 - 374: Alpha Birdman As the King level Shadow Specter was brought into existence, the undead seemed to have gained an absolute advantage. However, Death Spirit, privy to the situation on all battlefields, sensed a looming threat, yet found itself utterly powerless to intervene. Its greatest fear was the involvement of an Emperor level combatant on the front lines. Torin was currently occupied with holding back Zarvox, unable to spare any attention elsewhere. However, there was some progress. The battlefield on the Arsen continent provided the undead empire with a vast influx of undead, primarily those capable of fusion. Therefore, while stabilizing the Sea Race front, Death Spirit had already dispatched the surplus King level undead back to the undead Imperial Capital. Their first priority was to eliminate the King level Ghouls on the periphery. It was worth noting that undead were essentially beings summoned from the souls of the deceased, having technically died once already. The only way to truly kill an undead was to obliterate its soul. Therefore, these enemy Ghouls couldn''t be summoned again to bolster their own forces. They were, for all intents and purposes, dead beyond death. Death Spirit showed no mercy towards them. In its eyes, regardless of species, any being that stood against the queen was an enemy. The distinction between enemy and friend extended beyond the realm of the undead. Torin''s battle with Zarvox raged on. Death Spirit estimated that it wouldn''t be long before a victor emerged. The situation was becoming increasingly tense. Should Torin fall, Death Spirit would immediately order a full retreat, abandoning the undead Imperial Capital and relying on the spatial distortions to buy them time. An Emperor level Ghoul was simply beyond their ability to resist. Suddenly, space itself fractured, and two figures crashed heavily to the ground. Death Spirit''s gaze snapped towards them, filled with apprehension. "Torin, have you gone mad? To resort to using primal power!" Zarvox struggled to his feet, his form ravaged. Most of his rotting flesh had been stripped away, revealing the bones beneath. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and several bone spikes protruded from his chest. Even Death Spirit could sense the waning aura emanating from him. Torin, staff in hand, also rose to its feet. It, too, was in a sorry state. Its black robes were tattered, and its skeletal frame bore numerous deep wounds, though no blood flowed from them. In contrast to Zarvox, Torin''s aura was now exceptionally powerful, even surpassing its previous strength. "We were both phantoms, abandoned by the world. It was the undead lord who bestowed upon us power. Now, a new undead lord has arisen, rebuilding the undead empire. We must not forget our oath to serve the undead queen!" Torin''s voice was resolute as it began to gather magical energy once more. From the moment their battle commenced, it had no intention of persuading Zarvox to surrender. Its words now served only to declare its purpose. "Madman!" Zarvox cursed. He had no desire to fight to the death here. While he could kill Torin, it would come at a heavy cost to himself. After hiding in the Valoria continent for so long, he wasn''t willing to pay such a price. Moreover, Torin had tapped into primal power, a power it couldn''t sustain for long. Once unleashed, primal power was irreversible. Zarvox had no desire to see his own level regress. "Since your so-called queen isn''t even present in the undead empire, I shall pay another visit another day. I hope you''ll be standing before me just like this then!" With a parting threat, Zarvox departed the Dark Forest, his destination unknown. "Torin, are you alright?" Death Spirit was concerned about its condition. Damage to one''s quintessence could lead to a decline in level, or even death in severe cases. "I''m fine. Zarvox is severely injured and won''t dare to return anytime soon. However, after this battle, my level might drop to King level. I won''t be able to assist you any further." Torin''s voice was filled with sorrow and a hint of shame. It was they, the old race kings, who had brought this calamity upon the undead empire. "Return to the city and rest. Thank you for your intervention. Don''t worry, when the undead queen returns, she will surely find a way." Death Spirit believed that Alex would have a way to heal Torin. A decline in level was an acceptable price to pay. Death Spirit''s current concerns were the front lines and the ever-present threat of Zarvox''s return. The undead empire might be facing its greatest crisis yet. Meanwhile, on the southern border of the Beastman Empire. Alpha Birdman soared through the sky, gazing upon the smoldering ruins of the undead fortress, his rage still burning. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His name was Skyplume. His entire body was covered in pure white feathers. He possessed the head of an eagle and the body of a man, his feet ending in massive talons. In addition to the wings on his back, he also had functional hands. This was the twenty-eighth undead fortress he had destroyed, bringing the total number destroyed by the Birdmen to thirty-five. However, Skyplume wasn''t foolish. He could tell that these massive fortresses could teleport undead, making them ideal for guerrilla warfare. Each fortress housed around ten thousand undead, totaling a staggering three hundred and fifty thousand undead troops. Even considering the undead summoned from the corpses of his slain brethren, the forces within each fortress wouldn''t exceed fifty thousand, with only one, or even no, King level undead present. Therefore, he concluded that the main force of the undead army, which had previously attacked his main city, had long since vanished to parts unknown, utilizing the undead fortresses. Even as the alpha of the Birdmen, Skyplume couldn''t simply scour the vast Beastman Empire to find them. His current objective was to destroy all these undead fortresses and then systematically eliminate all undead within the empire''s territory. "Alpha, it''s not good! Windcrest is under attack!" A birdman hurriedly flew towards him, delivering the report with utmost respect. Skyplume, who was about to head towards the next undead fortress, halted in his tracks. Windcrest, the third largest city of the Birdmen. Now that their main city had been destroyed, the nearest city, Altocirrus, remained untouched, while the farthest, Windcrest, had suddenly come under attack. There was no doubt that the main force of the undead army was there! Skyplume''s sphere was wind. The sky was his playground. Utilizing the power of his sphere, his speed was unmatched. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight, speeding towards Windcrest. At that very moment, Xiao Mu and his companions were indeed at Windcrest. However, they were unaware that their actions had provoked the enemy alpha, who was now racing towards them at full speed. Fortunately, Death Spirit, with its grasp of the overall situation, immediately relayed the information to them. "Over twenty undead fortresses have been destroyed in less than two hours. It''s the enemy alpha. Be extremely careful!" Chapter 375 - 375: Another race king? Xiao Mu was taken aback. They hadn''t yet secured Windcrest, but they should be able to retreat before the enemy arrived. Seeing that the group showed no signs of retreating, Death Spirit revealed the truth. "Torin clashed with the King Ghoul in the Dark Forest. Although it managed to repel the enemy, its injuries worsened, and its level has dropped to King level!" "What?!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Mu and Drake were stunned. "Abandon Windcrest, retreat immediately!" Xiao Mu and Drake wasted no time in issuing the order. The Beastman Empire was unaware of the undead empire''s location. As long as they escaped through the undead fortress, it would take the enemy days to find them. The six race kings immediately abandoned their assault on Windcrest and retreated towards the distant undead fortress behind them. "Death Spirit, inform Xiao Hui and Ruby immediately. Tell them to retreat as well and have all members of the Arctic Tigerfolk migrate to the undead empire!" The situation was becoming increasingly dire. Xiao Hui''s side was also likely to face retaliation from the Gnolls. If an Emperor level being attacked, it would be without warning. Xiao Hui and Ruby wouldn''t even have time to escape. "They''ve been notified." Death Spirit had informed everyone simultaneously to ensure they could react immediately. The undead empire and the Beastman Empire were now sworn enemies. Once they escaped, the enemy would scour the entire northern continent. It was uncertain how long the undead empire could hold out in its current state. As the undead fortress came into view, a deafening roar echoed through the air, and the fortress crumbled before their very eyes! Their pupils constricted as they looked up. A white birdman hovered in the sky, his gaze fixed upon them, filled with murderous intent. He had arrived so quickly! Xiao Mu and Drake''s hearts pounded in their chests. They knew they were in grave danger. "You damned undead, who gave you the audacity to trespass on our territory!" Skyplume roared, and a tempestuous wind erupted around him, its force like countless blades. The undead below King level were instantly swept away, disintegrating into dust that scattered in the wind. Such overwhelming power! A mere aura was enough to obliterate all undead below King level! The surviving King level undead felt immense pressure. Facing Skyplume''s formidable aura, they struggled to maintain their forms, resisting with all their might. A wind field had formed around them, created by Skyplume''s powers. From the outset, he sealed off all escape routes, leaving them with nowhere to run. "Damn it, fight him!" Xiao Mu roared. They had no choice but to fight for their lives. Even Death Spirit, in this moment, stood its ground. It gathered the power of all its clones into this single clone and then split into dozens of fragments, merging with all the surrounding King level undead. They unleashed their abilities, all targeting Skyplume. However, within his wind field, under the influence of his sphere, they couldn''t even take flight! With a mere glance, Skyplume immobilized Xiao Mu and Drake. Two wind blades sliced through their bodies, instantly reverting them to their human forms. Thud! They crashed to the ground, completely paralyzed. Skyplume spread his white wings, and hundreds of feathers materialized, hovering in the air before transforming into streaks of light that scoured the ground. The density of these attacks was akin to a torrential downpour. No undead could possibly dodge such an onslaught. However, these white streaks of light avoided the immobilized Xiao Mu and Drake lying on the ground. Skyplume intended to capture them alive! "Damn it, I can''t break free!" No matter how hard Drake struggled, he couldn''t escape the enemy''s grasp. Even his bloodline seemed to have become unresponsive, beyond his control. They could only watch helplessly as Skyplume slaughtered the surrounding King level undead, powerless to intervene... Meanwhile, on the western border of the far north. Upon receiving Death Spirit''s notification, Xiao Hui and Ruby immediately chose to retreat. With the undead fortress right behind them, the process was smooth. However, Xiao Hui didn''t retreat herself. Instead, she instructed Ruby to return to the far north and organize the evacuation of her people. As a death angel, with the Dark Angel Resurrection Pool at her disposal, she didn''t fear death. Xiao Hui had her reasons for doing this. She intended to use her ability to resurrect indefinitely to keep the enemy''s attention focused on the far north. She wanted to buy time for Xiao Mu and Ruby''s escape, while also preventing the enemy from easily locating the undead Imperial Capital. Although the enemy alpha had taken action, it was in the south of the Beastman Empire. As for the north, at least for now, Xiao Hui believed it was still safe. Currently, nearly a third of the undead empire''s forces were concentrated here. After learning that Torin''s level would drop to King level, Xiao Hui had ordered all elite troops to withdraw, leaving behind only some Monarch level undead and cannon fodder to deceive the enemy. Her duty was to hold this position, to fight defensively. Besides, they were running low on Fortress Essence Shards, so she couldn''t employ the same tactics as Xiao Mu and Drake. With a resolute gaze, Xiao Hui stood atop the undead fortress, her eyes fixed on the distant forest. She had only one hope: that Alex would return soon. What was she doing? Two months had passed without a single word. "Awooo~" Suddenly, a wolf''s howl pierced through the forest, echoing across the land. Xiao Hui felt a sharp pain in her head. The next second, a massive Gnolls materialized before her! A giant axe descended towards her, its blade growing larger and larger in her vision. The surrounding space seemed to lock down, paralyzing her body. Her mind went blank as death loomed. In a split second, the Sword of Judgment erupted with black energy, and Xiao Hui vanished from sight, narrowly dodging the Emperor level attack. This was the Sword of Judgment''s passive life-saving ability, with a twenty-four-hour cooldown. The undead fortress behind her wasn''t so fortunate. It was reduced to ashes under the enemy''s attack, and countless undead were caught in the blast, their soul fires extinguished instantly. Seeing her dodge the attack, Alpha Gnoll was slightly surprised, but he swiftly followed up with another unstoppable axe blow. With nowhere to retreat, Xiao Hui gripped the Sword of Judgment, channeling all her strength, and charged towards the attack. Death was a small price to pay! === Was this the power of an Emperor level being?! Xiao Mu, Drake, and the others were utterly helpless against it. They were only mid-King level. Would the outcome have been different if they were high-level? They had misjudged the situation, underestimating the enemy''s reaction speed. They hadn''t anticipated that Skyplume, wielding the sphere of wind, would be so swift. This miscalculation would cost them their lives, and the undead empire they had painstakingly built would crumble overnight. Could Alex arrive in time? She always seemed to appear at crucial moments. However, Death Spirit''s level hadn''t reached Emperor level, which implied that Alex''s level was still at King level. Even if she arrived, could a King level being stand a chance against an Emperor level opponent? By now, most of the King level undead had been slain. Forget about attacking Skyplume, even touching him was a challenge. Death Spirit remained silent, observing. Through analysis, it had determined that this Alpha Birdman was at least stronger than the King Ghoul. He was definitely not a low-level Emperor! "Your bloodlines are quite impressive, worthy of research. I shall capture you and study you. Consider it compensation for your transgression against the Beastman Empire." Skyplume chuckled sinisterly as he descended to the ground. He intended to personally extract their bloodlines and bring them back to the empire. Compared to the loss of his people, he could leverage these bloodlines for greater gains. This was actually a blessing in disguise. As Skyplume approached, they remained paralyzed, utterly helpless. The other King level undead had been slain, leaving only the six race kings, Xiao Mu, and Drake. The powerful wind field held them captive. Skyplume slowly raised his right hand, a peculiar energy gathering in his palm. His fingers curled into claws, reaching for Drake first, aiming to extract his bloodline. This was a special technique developed by the demihumans, a method unique to the Beastman Empire for bloodline extraction. Drake couldn''t resist. He glared at Skyplume, filled with rage and regret for his own lack of strength. Was this the end for him? Crack! Suddenly, a black chain, wreathed in flames, shot towards them, wrapping itself tightly around Skyplume''s right hand, halting his advance. "Ladies and gentlemen, are you okay?" A deep, magnetic voice called out. They turned to see a man clad in a denim jacket, astride a flaming skeletal warhorse. He held his cowboy hat with one hand, the other pulling taut on the chain. Who was he? Confusion filled their faces. They didn''t recognize him, but judging by the undead warhorse beneath him, he was likely another former race king, like Torin! Chapter 376 - 376: Return of Ice Cream "Who are you?" Skyplume glared at the newcomer. The man didn''t waste time with words. He yanked on the chain, and the flames engulfing it flared intensely. His entire body, including the man himself, transformed into a skeleton, every bone ablaze with crimson fire. A terrifying aura erupted, instantly shattering Skyplume''s wind field. Flames engulfed the surroundings, consuming everything in their path. Skyplume, startled, broke free with all his might and soared into the sky. He glanced at his right wrist, now a mangled mess of flesh and bone. His pristine white feathers were scorched black. Without hesitation, Skyplume turned and fled, vanishing in an instant. Xiao Mu and Drake watched in astonishment. This clearly demonstrated that Skyplume was no match for this man. Capitalizing on the advantage of his wind sphere, he had chosen to flee. "Thank you for saving us!" Drake immediately expressed his gratitude to the man. The man withdrew his flames, returning to his human form. Even the skeletal warhorse beneath him transformed back into an ordinary steed. "You''re welcome. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Garethor, King Death Knight, one of the seven former race kings under the previous undead lord." Garethor dismounted, removing his cowboy hat and holding it to his chest as he nodded in greeting. With his flowing brown hair, blue eyes, and distinctive attire, no one would have guessed that this man was an Emperor level undead. "Are you, like Torin, here to pledge allegiance to the undead empire?" Relief washed over them. It seemed that this Garethor was at least an ally. "Indeed. I teleported from the Mossvale continent to the south of the Eldoria continent, evading angels along the way. During my travels through human territory, I learned of the ongoing war between the undead empire and the Beastman Empire. I rushed here with all haste, and it seems I''m not too late." Garethor smiled politely. "I never expected to find my old friend still alive." They recounted Torin''s situation to Garethor, who frowned upon hearing the news. "The King Ghoul, his name is Zarvox. He was always a ruthless scoundrel, willing to do anything to achieve his goals. I never liked him. So he''s come to the Eldoria continent as well." "As for Torin''s injuries, I''m afraid I can''t do much. But rest assured, this is a problem we brought upon you, and it''s my responsibility to resolve it." When speaking of Zarvox, Garethor''s face showed no signs of worry. This reassured the others that Zarvox was no match for him, especially after being severely wounded by Torin. "Have the humans been informed? What was their reaction?" Xiao Mu was concerned about the humans'' stance and inquired directly. Their conflict with the Beastman Empire hadn''t lasted long, yet the humans had already received the news. He was worried about whether the human forces would intervene. If they did, it would spell disaster for the undead empire. "As for the humans, their inaction speaks volumes." Garethor reassured Xiao Mu. The humans, upon learning of the undead empire''s existence, had chosen not to interfere in the affairs of the two empires. This indicated their tacit approval of the undead empire''s presence. Moreover, the human division of the Eldoria continent into north and south actually worked in their favor, effectively blocking the troublesome Angel race. This was a good thing. As for the reasons behind the humans'' stance, Garethor could only offer speculation. It was best to keep it confidential until they had concrete information. "It must have been the Beastman Empire who leaked the news. Why didn''t you stop that birdman earlier?" Drake was also puzzled. Based on their previous encounter, it was clear that there was a significant power gap between Skyplume and Garethor. Skyplume had fled in fear, and Garethor clearly had the opportunity to stop him, yet he had let him go. Garethor maintained his smile, addressing the group. "That''s a long story. It involves a friend I met upon arriving on the Eldoria continent. He advised me against making a mortal enemy of the Beastman Empire. He, too, hails from the undead empire. I believe you must remember him..." === Due to the arrival of the Ice Cream, while Xiao Mu was now safe, Xiao Hui remained in peril. She faced an Emperor level Gnoll, putting her at a severe disadvantage. Against Alpha Gnoll''s relentless assault, Xiao Hui wielded the Sword of Judgment with all her might, prepared to fight to the death. A smug look crossed Alpha Gnoll''s face. She dared to kill his subordinate; he would make her pay! Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere, landing a foot on the side of the descending giant axe. Bang! A deafening roar echoed as the giant axe veered off course, missing Xiao Hui. A massive crack split the ground beside her, extending for hundreds of meters. Even now, Xiao Hui''s heart pounded in her chest. Alpha Gnoll, his face filled with confusion, turned to face the newcomer. Xiao Hui, seeing the figure standing beside her, also turned to look. She didn''t recognize this person. He appeared to be a young man with short black hair and a muscular build. He exuded the aura of a lv9 King, a fact that Alpha Gnoll sensed clearly. However, he couldn''t understand how this person had managed to deflect his attack. Alpha Gnoll scoffed. If the newcomer were an Emperor level being, he might have been wary. But a mere King level, even ten of them, posed no threat. With this thought in mind, Alpha Gnoll prepared to attack again without hesitation. He rarely wasted time with words before securing victory. However, as he was about to strike, he noticed a glint of azure light in the young man''s eyes! He froze, a realization dawning upon him. "Are you a dragon?!" Xiao Hui was also taken aback. She couldn''t tell that this young man was a dragon, but this was the first time the Gnoll had spoken since the battle began. His tone was laced with apprehension towards dragons. "The undead race is an ally of the dragon race. Does your Beastman Empire have a death wish?" The young man uttered the most audacious words in the calmest of tones, seemingly unconcerned that he was facing an Emperor level being. Alpha Gnoll was stunned but not intimidated. "Ally? Who would know if I killed you both right here?" A dragon envoy? He didn''t believe that the mighty dragon race would send only a single King level dragon. This was clearly a bluff. "You''re welcome to try. But I''m afraid that tomorrow, the Sovereign level Alpha Demihuman will be delivering your head to the dragon race as an apology." The young man remained unfazed, meeting the opponent''s imposing aura with unwavering confidence. His words were a clear threat. This time, Alpha Gnoll was truly taken aback. Seeing the young man''s unwavering confidence, he couldn''t help but reconsider. The Gnoll race had risen to become one of the five major races of the Beastman Empire through their unwavering loyalty and flattery towards the Demihuman Race. It was thanks to the grace of the Sovereign level Alpha Demihuman (Archalpha) that he had achieved Emperor level and become the alpha of the Gnolls. This was also why he was so enraged by the death of the lv9 King level Gnoll. As long as they continued to please the demihumans, there was a chance that the Sovereign level demihuman, in a moment of good humor, might bestow upon them another Emperor level being. Alpha Gnoll was well aware of the resources the Alpha demihuman had expended to maintain relations with the major factions. If he were to act rashly and kill a dragon envoy, incurring the wrath of the dragon race, not only would he perish, but the entire Gnoll race might be slaughtered by the demihumen as an offering of appeasement. He had strived for so long to achieve his current status, and he had no desire to die. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Alpha Gnoll panicked. If this young man truly was a dragon envoy, then he wouldn''t be able to kill anyone today. "How can you prove that you are a dragon envoy?" Alpha Gnoll feigned composure as he questioned the young man. He feared the dragon race, but he feared the wrath of the Alpha Demihuman even more. "Why should I prove anything to you?" "You..." Alpha Gnoll gritted his teeth in frustration, but he suppressed his anger and attempted to reason with the young man. "My apologies, I was out of line earlier. However, it was the undead race who attacked us first, and we were merely defending ourselves. We were unaware that the undead race was an ally of the dragon race. Please, show us some proof so that I can report back to the Alpha Demihuman." Despite his seemingly conciliatory tone, rage burned within him. For an Emperor level being to bow his head to a King level was a humiliation. He was already contemplating how he would torture these two if they couldn''t provide any evidence. The young man, observing the slightly bowed head of the Gnoll, smirked. He leaped into the air, his body enveloped in icy power and a formidable Dragon''s Presence. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a colossal Azure Dragon. Recognition dawned upon Xiao Hui. He was the Azure Dragon from Alex''s castle! Xiao Hui remembered clearly. Both Azure Dragon and Sophie were veteran figures under Alex''s command. Sophie had even mentioned that Ice Cream had been with Alex longer than she had! A dragon scale fell to the ground before Alpha Gnoll, his pupils constricting in shock. This young man truly was a dragon envoy! Moreover, such scales were meticulously documented within the dragon race. In this moment, Alpha Gnoll was grateful that he hadn''t acted impulsively. If he had killed this dragon, the dragon race would have known instantly that it was the Beastman Empire who was responsible. "Is that proof enough?" Ice Cream didn''t even bother to look at the Gnoll beneath him, his tone dripping with disdain. Alpha Gnoll, his arrogance completely extinguished, adopted an exceptionally respectful tone. "My apologies, I was blind. Please forgive my transgression. I shall return to the empire and report this to the Alpha Demihuman. On behalf of the Beastman Empire, I propose a ceasefire with the undead race, with the far north as the boundary. What do you say?" Alpha Gnoll then turned his gaze towards Xiao Hui, knowing that she was the one who could make decisions for the undead race. Xiao Hui knew that Ice Cream wasn''t actually a dragon envoy, but the dragon race''s desire to form an alliance with the undead race was genuine. She didn''t dare to make any excessive demands. Both sides had suffered losses, and the undead were currently weaker. A ceasefire was perhaps the best course of action. Everything else could wait until Alex returned. "Agreed." Seeing Xiao Hui''s agreement, Ice Cream didn''t press the matter further. After all, the dragon scale he possessed had been given to him by the lava dragon from the southern volcano. Its purpose was to provide him with a means of self-preservation in times of danger. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Gnoll couldn''t possibly discern the authenticity of a dragon token, and the dragon scale wasn''t fake. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, he was a dragon envoy. "Very well, then it''s settled. I shall take my leave." Alpha Gnoll spoke respectfully and vanished in an instant. This matter was of utmost urgency. He had to report to the Alpha Demihuman immediately. Although Ice Cream''s identity seemed legitimate, they still needed to confirm it with the dragon race. Each continent had a dragon presence, with their strength at least at the Sovereign level. Unable to cross continents themselves, beastmen could only seek confirmation from these dragons. Chapter 377 - 377: Meeting "You were too reckless. Engaging in war with the Beastman Empire was unwise." Ice Cream reverted to his human form, his physique noticeably larger than before, a testament to his rapid growth in strength. "We don''t abandon our comrades." Xiao Hui met Ice Cream''s gaze with unwavering determination. She didn''t know him well and was unfamiliar with his personality. "You extraterrestrial visitors are truly peculiar, yet at times, undeniably admirable." Ice Cream harbored no fear of the Beastman Empire''s verification. If they dared to displease his uncle, he might just wipe them out himself. With the ceasefire between the undead empire and the Beastman Empire in place, Xiao Hui immediately contacted Xiao Mu and Drake. The Arctic Tigerfolk no longer needed to migrate. This period of respite would allow them to recuperate and rebuild their strength. The Sea Race invasion could even serve as a catalyst for their development. "Let''s go." Xiao Hui beckoned to Ice Cream and proceeded to erect a new undead fortress on the spot. Compared to the losses suffered by Xiao Mu and Drake, Xiao Hui''s side had fared much better. Alpha Gnoll had initially focused his attack on Xiao Hui, sparing the surrounding undead from significant casualties. They then utilized the undead fortress''s teleportation to return to the undead Imperial Capital. Xiao Mu and the others had already arrived ahead of them. Upon seeing the young man beside Xiao Hui, they were taken aback. Only Sophie felt a sense of familiarity, though she couldn''t quite place him. "Xiao Hui, who is this?" Xiao Mu stepped forward, and all eyes turned towards the newcomer. "Huh, this is the friend I mentioned, the one from the undead empire. Why do you all seem to not recognize him?" Garethor chuckled, finding the situation rather odd. "Are you a dragon?!" Drake instantly recognized his bloodline. "That''s right, no need to guess. This is Ice Cream, just in human form." Upon hearing Xiao Hui''s explanation, realization dawned upon them. Drake knew that Alex had an Azure Dragon under his command. So this young man was him. "A human transforming into a dragon? Your bloodline isn''t complete yet. There''s still a significant amount of human bloodline within you." Ice Cream instantly discerned Drake''s situation. Drake nodded, acknowledging Ice Cream''s keen perception. He knew that Ice Cream''s bloodline must be prestigious within the dragon race to see through him so easily. "Torin, how are your injuries? Have you found a way to heal them?" Xiao Hui turned to Torin, her voice laced with concern. "I''m fine. Perhaps the queen will have a solution when she returns." Torin didn''t seem too bothered. Looking at the assembled group, he felt a sense of nostalgia, as if transported back to their former glory. Xiao Hui called for a meeting, and everyone quickly took their seats. This was a full house, with the exception of the true leader, Alex. First, there were the veterans of the undead empire: the seven race kings, the siblings Xiao Hui and Xiao Mu, Drake, Ruby, Sophie, and Ice Cream. Now, with the addition of the two returning race kings, Torin and Garethor, the hall was filled to capacity. Excluding the vacant seat at the head of the table, there were fifteen participants in this meeting. The first order of business was to assess their losses. The King level undead had suffered heavy casualties, creating a significant gap in their troops. All high-level undead had perished, resulting in a two-thirds reduction in their overall combat power. Compared to the experience points gained from slaying the Beastmen, this battle was arguably the most costly in the history of the undead empire. However, they weren''t overly concerned. As long as their core members survived, it wasn''t a true loss. Fortunately, the ongoing Sea Race invasion provided them with a perfect opportunity to replenish their ranks. Next, they assessed their combat strength. It was crucial for the newcomers to have a clear understanding of each other''s capabilities. Garethor, the King of Death Knights, possessed lv8 Emperor level strength, making him the current strongest member of the undead empire. Compared to the injured Torin and Zarvox, Garethor possessed greater talent. He had even befriended a dragon in the Mossvale continent, leading a rather successful life. Over four hundred years, his strength had not only remained intact but had even slightly improved, nearing his full potential. Then there was Torin. In his desperate battle with Zarvox, he had tapped into primal power, resulting in a decline in his strength. He was now on par with Ice Cream, both at lv9 King level. As for the others, their levels had increased after their relentless slaughter on the battlefield. However, most of them remained at the mid-King level, their strength ranging from lv4 to lv6. It was worth noting that Death Spirit, through its constant absorption of death energy, had surpassed the six race kings and the four lords in terms of level. It had now reached lv9 King level, which was undoubtedly good news for everyone. This meant that the missing Alex had also reached lv9 King level. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruby, the second member of the original group to reach King level after Alex, had now entered the ranks of high-level King level, reaching lv8. Of course, there was only one person whose level had remained unchanged: Sophie. She was still at lv9, but as a Monarch. However, no one dared to underestimate Sophie now. Without her tireless research efforts over the past two months, the undead fusion technology wouldn''t have advanced so significantly. This wasn''t solely the achievement of the alchemy warlocks. The dwarves and hobgoblins had also played a crucial role. It could be said that Sophie deserved a large share of the credit for the undead empire''s ability to mass-produce King level undead. Her troops were dwarves. Due to certain inherent limitations, they weren''t particularly effective in combat, which explained her lower level. However, Sophie was personally appointed by Alex as the head of logistics, and she wasn''t required to fight on the battlefield, so it didn''t matter much. The undead empire could now be considered a true Emperor level faction. With Garethor''s strength, they could face any Emperor level force without fear. Therefore, the undead empire''s current priority was to recover their strength. "We suffered heavy losses in this battle, losing nearly a million undead. Our King level combat power has also been almost completely wiped out. During this ceasefire, let''s focus on the Sea Race invasion on the Arsen continent. This will allow us to quickly recover our strength." Xiao Hui addressed the group. This was currently their best course of action. Now, they could only hope that the Sea Race would step up their game and deploy some King level troops. "Drake, you and Ice Cream will be in charge of matters on the Mossvale continent. Be bold in your military endeavors. With Garethor backing us up, we have nothing to fear from ordinary Emperor level factions." "Understood." Drake nodded. With Ice Cream joining them and Garethor as their shield, he felt a surge of confidence. "As for the troublesome Zarvox, I''ll leave him to you, Garethor." Xiao Hui turned to Garethor, who stood up and nodded slightly. "Rest assured." Chapter 378 - 378: Satans situation And so, a few peaceful days passed. Since the ceasefire between the undead empire and the Beastman Empire, everyone had settled back into their routines. Sophie resumed her research, the other Race Kings continued their conquests and leveling up, while Xiao Hui and Garethor held down the fort at the undead Imperial Capital. Garethor would occasionally venture out for a few days, but he couldn''t find any trace of Zarvox. He had no idea where the injured King Ghoul had gone into hiding. One thing was certain: Zarvox hadn''t left the Eldoria continent. Whether he had sought refuge in the south was unclear. Meanwhile, news of the Sea Race invasion of the Arsen continent had reached the major factions, sending shockwaves through them. This information came courtesy of the Liberty Church. However, the Arsen continent was essentially a lawless land. Apart from the Holy Court and the Humans, no other faction was willing to intervene. The land races, who had always been wary of the Sea Race, were now acting strangely. They remained silent, as if the matter had nothing to do with them. However, this collective indifference presented an opportunity for the undead. Near the southwestern border of Gemini City on the Arsen continent, Xiao Mu led the Undead and the Light Titans in a relentless slaughter against the invading Sea Race. Similarly, the fallen angels'' city was also under the control of the undead. In a single day, the undead ranks could swell by nearly a million, further bolstered by fusion technology. Although the overall number of undead didn''t increase significantly, the number of King level undead was rapidly recovering. Xiao Hui sat in a room within the castle, her eyes fixed on the system leaderboard. Less than a month remained until the Hundred Kingdoms War event. Currently, fewer than twenty kingdoms had been established by other lords. The difficulty of establishing a kingdom had forced many lords to become Freelancers. Time was running out. The most challenging aspect of establishing a kingdom wasn''t conquering races but reaching King level. Xiao Hui had instructed Sophie to inform the bishops to recruit as many Freelancers as possible during this time. This would not only allow them to join the Liberty Church for protection but also expand the undead empire''s intelligence network. Meanwhile, on the Valoria continent, within the endless abyss. Satan wasn''t having a good time either. The Holy Court and the Titan Race were planning to wage war against the Demon race. Their troops were closing in, and his territory was in danger of being discovered. The Demon race, despite being the dominant force on Valoria, was in a state of disarray. Although individually powerful, they lacked unity, resulting in a lack of true leadership. Their meetings were filled with insults and bickering, barely distinguishable from brawls. As the Holy Court and the Titans advanced, the Demon race was gradually converging towards Satan''s territory. Minor skirmishes between them were escalating, threatening to erupt into full-scale war. Based on Satan''s calculations, the epicenter of their conflict was likely to be near the endless abyss! This was his biggest headache. He was desperately trying to figure out how to escape this place. Suddenly, the Portal of Transit flared with an orange-red light, catching Satan''s attention. "What brings you here?" He was in a foul mood, his voice cold as he addressed the newcomer. "Just passing through." "Suit yourself." Satan turned away, dismissing the visitor. However, a thought struck him, and he turned back. "Has Alex returned?" "Still no news." Sophie shook her head. Torin, standing beside her, went unnoticed by Satan. Seeing him ignore her, Sophie quickly approached. "Hey, don''t just walk away! I have questions for you!" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What is it?" Satan turned back, tilting his head as he looked at her. "Tell me about your progress on the Valoria continent, the distribution of factions, that sort of thing." Sophie didn''t mince words. She followed him into the hall and plopped down on a chair. "You want to establish a stronghold on the Valoria continent?" Satan instantly grasped her intentions. "That''s right. We were at war with the Beastman Empire. We suffered heavy losses and need to recover our strength." Sophie didn''t hide anything. This wasn''t their first encounter, and she was somewhat familiar with Satan''s eccentric personality. However, she notice that he seemed more subdued than usual. "Alright, I''ll tell you what I know." It was a small favor to ask. Satan sat down beside her and began his narration. Half an hour later, Satan had shared everything he knew about the current situation on the Valoria continent. "Your situation is even worse than we imagined!" Sophie was surprised. It seemed that Satan, who appeared to be the most stable of the three, was also facing a major crisis. "Tell me about it." Satan sighed. He wanted to relocate his kingdom, but the entire Valoria continent was on edge. Any disturbance could attract the attention of those troublesome demons. "So what are you going to do?" "What else can I do? Leave it to fate." Satan rolled his eyes at Sophie. Her question was pointless. His options were limited: relocate his kingdom, leave the Valoria continent, become a Freelancer, or abandon his kingdom altogether. If he were as strong as Alex, he would have confronted those demons head-on. "But this is just the current situation. If they actually start fighting, they won''t have time to worry about other areas. This could be an opportunity." Sophie, drawing from the undead empire''s experience, offered her analysis of the situation, which gave Satan a glimmer of hope. "You''re right! If they start fighting, I can take the opportunity to expand elsewhere. They won''t have time to bother with me!" Satan realized he had been trapped in a negative mindset. He had always felt that his King level strength was too weak. However, in times of war, the enemy wouldn''t necessarily deploy their strongest forces from the outset. "It''s a shame you don''t have a map of the Valoria continent. I suggest you develop near the border. I can help you conceal your city''s presence. That way, you won''t have to worry. Even if they do fight, it''ll likely be in the upper abyss. They won''t notice anything down below." Sophie''s solution was, of course, the concealment magic circle developed by the alchemy warlocks. "Thanks. You seem to have become even more beautiful than before, especially your breasts. It''s so big and round, like two ripe papayas." Satan''s worries had eased somewhat thanks to Sophie''s analysis. "Thank you, but I suggest you refrain from such comments in the future. If you can''t compliment someone properly, don''t bother." Sophie rolled her eyes at Satan and departed with Torin. Yesterday, she had finally reached King level, becoming the one who had spent the longest time at lv9 Monarch among the group. She could now establish a vassal kingdom. They already had Gemini City on the Arsen continent, so after some discussion, they decided to build this vassal kingdom on the Valoria continent. This would provide the undead empire with another avenue for expansion. With Zarvox no longer a threat, they had nothing to worry about in that regard. Before leaving, Sophie informed Xiao Hui, requesting a few alchemy warlocks to assist Satan with the concealment magic circle. She and Torin then set off towards the opposite side of the endless abyss. Her goal was to establish the vassal kingdom near the border of the Valoria continent. She would likely spend the next few days traveling. Chapter 379 - 379: Clouds disperse, and sunlight shines on the Eldoria continent Arsen Continent The scorching sun blazed overhead, and the sea breeze carried a pungent, fishy odor. The ocean had calmed, no longer churning with monstrous waves, but its waters were now murky, tainted with something unknown. Atop the cliff, the corpses of Sea Race creatures were piled high, forming a grotesque wall that towered over the ramparts of the fallen angels'' city. The endless hordes of the undead started converging, gathering within the city before teleporting back to their designated locations. Only a contingent of high-level undead remained, led by Arthas and the six other race kings. Although the Monarch level undead had suffered some losses, Arthas had resurrected most of them. It could be said that they had sustained almost zero casualties above Monarch level. These were extraordinary times, and Arthas was unwilling to lose even a single Monarch level undead. During the fusion process, a single Monarch undead was worth over a thousand Standard level undead. The skies cleared, and the Sea Race assault had subsided. Lilith breathed a sigh of relief. At least for now, her kingdom was safe. However, Death Spirit had a nagging feeling that this wasn''t the end, or perhaps not as simple as they had initially thought. The Sea Race had deployed millions of lesser troops to invade the land. Surely, they hadn''t done so just to die? Lilith had also considered this, but what could she do? She was currently preoccupied with cleaning up the stench of rotting Sea Race corpses. "Be prepared to evacuate at any moment." Death Spirit materialized before Lilith, its voice abrupt. "I understand. I''ve already made preparations. I won''t die here, especially not at the hands of these stinking fish." Lilith was surprised by the undead''s intelligence. They had also anticipated this possibility. "Has there been any response from the humans or the Holy Court?" Arthas inquired curiously, addressing Death Spirit. Even if they were located in the center of the continent, they should have received news of the Sea Race invasion by now. Why had they remained silent? Death Spirit paused, its clone within the undead empire relaying the question to Xiao Hui, who then used the system to contact Sophie, who was far away on the Valoria continent. This back-and-forth communication took some time. Finally, Death Spirit spoke. "The ordinary citizens of the Southridge Republic are completely unaware of the Sea Race invasion." The other race kings were stunned, and even Lilith looked surprised. "The Mage Guild must be suppressing the information. It would cause widespread panic." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This explanation seemed plausible, but Death Spirit pondered the situation further. Something felt amiss. There might be another possibility. "Perhaps the Mage Guild has been cut off from information." "Why would you say that?" Lilith couldn''t believe that the mighty Mage Guild would be unaware of such a significant event. Death Spirit explained its reasoning. Although the Sea Race invasion was massive, the highest-level creatures they had deployed were only Monarch level. Did this truly pose a threat to the Mage Guild, with its Emperor level and even Sovereign level members? The power dynamics on the Arsen continent were clear. Apart from the undead, the only other major faction was the Holy Court and its affiliated races. If they intended to target the Mage Guild, they could easily isolate the Southridge Republic, located in the center of the continent. Would the elves and giants inform the Mage Guild? Lilith was taken aback. Had the undead unknowingly become the third major faction on the Arsen continent? "If that''s the case, why didn''t you inform the humans?" But then she realized the folly of her question. The Sea Race had retreated. Informing the humans now would only expose the fallen angel kingdom, bringing trouble upon herself. "I understand." Lilith''s face grew serious. She had a feeling they might be caught in a grand conspiracy. "It all depends on the Sea Race''s next move. Their invasion was likely aimed at securing control of the Arsen continent''s coastline, but they didn''t anticipate encountering us." Death Spirit remained expressionless, as if the matter was of no concern to it. "Death Spirit, report this information to Xiao Hui and have the others prepare." Crane, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. Their forces on the Arsen continent weren''t limited to Lilith''s kingdom. There was also the dwarf city, which hadn''t yet been relocated, and the Light Titan kingdom. With the Sea Race invasion quelled, the seven race kings were gradually withdrawing the main undead force back to the undead empire. Given the undead''s expansion capabilities, leaving a few King level necromancers behind was enough to quickly raise a new army. "Now that the fighting has ceased, we shall return to the undead empire. Leaving a few King level undead here will be sufficient to assist you in repelling any future Sea Race incursions." Arthas stepped forward, addressing Lilith. "Thank you for your assistance." Lilith responded with gratitude. "The remaining elves and giants no longer pose a threat. If you need to quickly regain your strength, you could target them." John offered a suggestion before departing. "Thank you." Lilith watched as the six race kings left the fallen angel kingdom, leaving behind only Death Spirit''s clone and a few King level undead. On the Eldoria continent, within the undead empire. Xiao Hui had already informed Xiao Mu and Sophie of the situation. Their kingdoms were located inland, giving them ample time to react if their suspicions proved true. The undead currently controlled nearly one-sixth of the Eldoria continent and less than one-third of the Arsen continent. They were reluctant to abandon these territories unless absolutely necessary. "Garethor, what is the relationship between the Holy Court, the angels, and the Sea Race?" Xiao Hui suspected that this was all part of the Holy Court''s machinations. She was unfamiliar with the intricacies of these major factions and could only seek answers from Garethor. "The Sea Race? They''ve always kept to themselves. In my memory, they''ve never collaborated with other races. Besides, most land races despise those sea creatures." Garethor''s explanation only deepened Xiao Hui''s confusion. Could it be that the Holy Court wasn''t involved after all? As they continued their discussion in the hall, a beam of sunlight suddenly pierced through the open doorway, illuminating the interior. "How is there sunlight?" Xiao Hui immediately stepped out of the hall and looked up at the sky. A tunnel had appeared amidst the perpetually overcast sky, as if pierced by the sun''s rays, allowing sunlight to reach the ground. This beam of sunlight fell directly upon the palace. "What''s going on?" Xiao Hui turned to Garethor, who had followed her out. Sunlight on the Eldoria continent?! "The clouds disperse, dawn illuminates the land, and the Eldoria continent shall be reborn!" Garethor gazed at the sunlight, his voice filled with excitement. Chapter 380 - 380: Its time to go back Twenty-three days flew by. Since Xiao Hui had first noticed the change in the sky, the perpetual gloom had begun to recede. Massive gaps in the cloud cover expanded rapidly, merging with others, allowing sunlight to gradually bathe the land. Even the vegetation surrounding the Dark Forest was no longer so lifeless, slowly regaining its vibrancy. During this time, the undead empire had recovered its strength to pre-war levels. The Sea Race had gone quiet. While they periodically culled their weaker members, this recent invasion was clearly not a simple matter of population control. Zarvox remained elusive, as if he had vanished into thin air. Logically, he couldn''t have known about Garethor''s arrival. Once his injuries healed, he should have returned to the Dark Forest. Everyone had enjoyed a period of relative peace. The Beastman Empire, cowed by the dragon race''s warning, had become more restrained. They tacitly accepted the undead''s expansion. Without the Beastmen''s interference, the surrounding minor races were no match for the undead empire. However, these were all small races, offering little value to the undead empire''s development. Sophie had secretly established a dwarf kingdom in a remote region of the Valoria continent, and the undead''s progress there was well underway. Furthermore, the undead empire had developed fusion techniques for zombies, Death Knights, and gargoyles, further enhancing their strength. Sophie, with the assistance of Arthas, had perfected the zombie fusion. By reconstructing the flesh and merging soul fires, they could create a King level Roaring Zombie. Death Knight fusion was achieved with the help of Garethor. The King level Flame Knights now wielded hellfire, the same type of flame used by Garethor. The fusion concept involved separating the human and horse into two distinct entities. They had also discovered a way to fuse zombies and Death Knights, two completely different troop types. This new troop type was named the [Fearless Warrior]. It possessed the characteristics of both zombies and Death Knights, boasting greater combat power and a level cap of Emperor level! However, despite their best efforts, Sophie and the others couldn''t directly fuse a Fearless Warrior at the Sovereign level cap. They suspected they were missing something, or perhaps a King level Fearless Warrior needed to level up to reach Sovereign level. This project was still ongoing. With the Fearless Warrior serving as a template, they successfully cracked the gargoyle fusion puzzle. The fused gargoyle''s level cap was raised to Emperor level. The new gargoyle was significantly larger, retaining its magic immunity and gaining the ability to reflect magic. As for troop types with an inherent Emperor level cap, after much discussion, they decided that fusion was unnecessary. Their current focus was on enhancing the undead empire''s lower-level forces. Thanks to these technological advancements, the five million strong undead army was reduced by 70%, resulting in the creation of over a dozen new King level undead. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although everyone had advised Sophie to abandon her research on Sovereign level cap troop fusion, she remained persistent. The Light Titan, the Rock Dragon, and the death angel all had a level cap of Sovereign level. She wanted Alex''s troops to have a Sovereign level cap troop type as well. This was her motivation, a goal she had never shared with anyone but held close to her heart. There were quite a few Emperor level cap undead troop types: bone dragons, zombie titans, Reaper Guards, Destroyers, ghost dragons, liches, and so on. Among these, she, like Alex before her, believed that the bone dragon was the best candidate for fusion. However, even Alex had failed, so Sophie''s chances of success were slim. She explored several other research avenues, but they all ended in failure. She concluded that fusing Sovereign level cap troops was simply too difficult, or perhaps her own strength was insufficient, and she hadn''t found the right method. Then, one day, inspiration struck, and she stumbled upon a new research direction. She attempted to fuse a zombie and a Death Knight. Although it didn''t result in any improvement and cost her a zombie, the scientific value was invaluable. It proved that cross-race fusion was possible. If zombies and Death Knights could be fused, what about bone dragons and ghost dragons? Both were dragons, making them seemingly compatible. Excited by this discovery, Sophie immediately began her research. Soon, she made some progress, but significant challenges remained. Fusing these two creatures was incredibly difficult, far beyond her current capabilities. However, Sophie was confident that she was on the right track. She immersed herself in her research, rarely leaving her lab within the city. Xiao Hui knew that Sophie wanted to surprise Alex, but she was also concerned about Sophie overworking herself to the point of mental exhaustion. However, Sophie''s approach was sound. Developing undead fusion technology was a viable way to enhance their combat power, especially when the undead empire faced developmental bottlenecks. And so, the undead empire, like the other races on the Eldoria continent, entered a period of tranquility, quietly biding their time. Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. Since the undead empire''s location had been exposed in the north of the Eldoria continent, they hadn''t encountered any trouble. The anticipated Angel race attack never materialized. Night fell. Today marked the hundredth day of the Hundred Kingdoms War event. Although scattered across different continents, Xiao Hui and the others were closely monitoring the event''s progress. One hundred kingdoms to be established in one hundred days. This meant that at least one hundred lords had to reach King level. It was the final night of the event, but only fifty-two kingdoms had been successfully established. They were far from reaching the target of one hundred. The World Chat was abuzz with activity as the event''s end drew near. However, white names now dominated the chat, accounting for over ninety percent. Most lords had chosen to become Freelancers instead of establishing kingdoms. No one dared to gamble on reaching King level, let alone securing a spot among the top one hundred kingdoms. Judging by the current activity in the chat, the number of surviving lords was likely less than one in fifty thousand. Everyone was now waiting for midnight, eager to see what new event the system would introduce after the Hundred Kingdoms War concluded. Time: 00:00 AM [Congratulations to all lords who have achieved the goal of establishing a kingdom. You are true heroes!] [Event Reward: All kings receive an unlimited level +1 (vassal kingdoms are not ranked and do not receive rewards).] [Now, the fifty-two kings shall embark on their final trial. Establish your divine kingdoms, ascend to godhood, and stand atop all races!] [Event Description: You are all heroes, possessing the potential for godhood. Each continent has a core of will. Conquer it, and you shall establish your divine kingdom!] [Event Duration: Indefinite] [Good luck to you all. We eagerly await your ascension to godhood!] The next day, on the other side, within the Cliffside Mountain Cave. Alex''s figure suddenly materialized within the cave. Two desiccated corpses slowly stirred, having stood guard all this time. The first thing Alex did was to open the system dashboard. "It''s been over two months. It''s time to go back." Chapter 381 - 381: Welcome back, Queen Alex was overwhelmed by the influx of information from the past two months, feeling as if she had stepped into a different world. She turned and prayed respectfully towards the shattered tombstone. "Thank you for your guidance. May your soul rest in peace." ... "Welcome back, Queen!" The two necromancers seemed excited to finally see Alex again. They didn''t inquire about what had transpired during her absence, nor was it their place to do so. They had simply remained here, steadfast in their loyalty. "You''ve worked hard. Return to the undead empire with me." Alex nodded in acknowledgment. Although she had been out of contact, Xiao Hui had kept her informed of all major events. These reports, along with system notifications, were the only messages she had received during her absence. Therefore, Alex had some understanding of the changes that had occurred within the undead empire. Stepping out of the cave, she was momentarily blinded by the sunlight. Having spent so long in darkness, she was unaccustomed to the brightness. "Is that sunlight? The sky is clear on the Eldoria continent..." Alex quickly adjusted to the light and looked up at the sky. It was a cloudless, azure expanse, the air fresh and invigorating. Even the ocean seemed more inviting. She didn''t know why the sky had cleared on the Eldoria continent, but if the perpetual gloom was connected to the previous undead lord, then its disappearance was likely related as well. Alex didn''t bother concealing her presence. She didn''t even wear her mage robe. With her current strength, she no longer needed the guise of an Honorary Mage. It was time for the undead empire to reveal itself to the world. The patrolling angels had long since departed. Alex, accompanied by the two necromancers, traveled to the southern coast and erected an undead fortress. She then summoned the dozen or so Reaper Guards she had left behind in Tomb City, sending them to the undead empire along with the necromancers. As for herself, she returned to Tomb City alone. Upon arriving, she noticed that the city was more populated than before, clearly with newly recruited Freelancers. Under M''s leadership, they had remained well-hidden, evading detection by the Starfallen Empire. "You''ve arrived!" The five bishops spoke respectfully. Alex nodded in acknowledgment and proceeded towards the Liberty Church''s underground headquarters. She quickly caught up on the events of the past three months, gaining a basic understanding of the current situation. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "All the factions have been eerily quiet lately. It feels like the calm before the storm." Alex murmured as she reviewed the reports. "I''ve gathered some information about the era. It''s highly sensitive, so I chose to keep it confidential until now." Selene entered the room, approaching Alex from behind, her voice soft. "Tell me more." Alex turned, her interest piqued. "The initial phase of each era is known as the Chaotic Era. I was too weak to know this before, but it''s said that within the first hundred years of a new era, a great war will erupt between the races, determining the dominant race for that era. This might explain their recent silence." Selene met Alex''s gaze, her voice calm, as if the matter didn''t concern her. "The era crisis, I see." Alex pondered for a moment. "By the way, I can now build Dream Race crystals, which can help you restore your race." This was a reward she had received when Selene pledged her allegiance. Since she hadn''t returned to the Undead Empire, she had kept the Auxiliary Barrack of the Dream Race with her. "Really? That''s wonderful!" Selene''s face lit up with genuine joy. Nothing brought her greater happiness than the prospect of restoring her race. "It''s a small matter. The Liberty Church relies on your support. Once I return to the undead empire, I might launch a larger-scale war. The entire world will know of the undead race''s existence. You should remain here for now." Selene understood Alex''s intentions. Her combat abilities were limited, and it would be too dangerous for her to return to the undead empire. Moreover, she was the heart and soul of the Liberty Church. The bishops relied on her leadership and guidance. "Then I shall take my leave." Alex rose to her feet, bidding farewell to Selene before vanishing in an instant. As she journeyed back to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex pondered the system''s update announcement. After learning of the information revealed by the previous undead lord, she found the system increasingly suspicious. "Establish a divine kingdom, achieve godhood, huh." Alex scoffed. The concept of a divine kingdom was a lie, a mere trick employed by pseudo-gods. Divine kingdoms were nothing more than tools for gathering faith power. Conquering the will of a continent was essentially a way to siphon power from the planet Astralon''s World''s Heart. This confirmed what the previous undead lord had said. The system was trying to weaken the unconscious World''s Heart, perhaps even replace it entirely. Although the system hadn''t explicitly stated that this was the final event, Alex had a feeling that it was. While it differed slightly from the final event described by the five members of the Liberty Church, this only meant that the current system was more cunning. Alex had no intention of establishing a divine kingdom. She had already built an empire, and she wouldn''t become a pawn in the system''s game against the World''s Heart. The system had only presented one path to godhood. For lords who hadn''t dabbled in empire building, this was their only option. As for godhood? It was nothing more than a tempting illusion offered by the system. Last night''s announcement had ignited the passions of all lords and Freelancers. The surviving lords were ecstatic, while the Freelancers were filled with regret. Establishing a kingdom meant the possibility of achieving godhood, driving everyone into a frenzy. A new wave of Freelancers seeking to pledge allegiance to lords emerged. Based on Xiao Hui''s reports, Alex suspected that the Sea Race''s planned actions were also connected to the era crisis. Even the Angel race, who had always harbored deep animosity towards the undead, had adopted a wait-and-see approach after learning of the undead empire''s existence. Everything seemed out of the ordinary. The Holy Court''s internal strife, the Angel race''s observation, the Sea Race''s strange behavior, the dragon race''s alliance request, and the friction between the two powerful factions on the Valoria continent... Given the demons'' fiery tempers, the Valoria continent should have erupted into war by now. However, so far, the Valoria continent has not erupted into any war. Lost in thought, Alex arrived at the depths of the Dark Forest. As she stepped through the gates of the undead Imperial Capital, Garethor appeared before her. He removed his hat with his right hand, placing it over his heart, his expression filled with unprecedented respect. "My name is Garethor, one of the seven former race kings of the undead, at your service, Queen. I pledge my unwavering loyalty to your will." Chapter 382 - 382: She was her own god Garethor, Torin, Zarvox - these three names represented the Death Knight, the Necromancer, and the Ghoul respectively. They were former subordinates of the previous undead lord, and Alex was well aware of their existence. Alex wasn''t surprised to see Garethor. He was the highest-level being in the city, so it was only natural that he would be the first to sense her return. Alex accepted Garethor''s pledge of allegiance. The moment she did, Garethor regained his status as a race king, his level cap rising from Sovereign level back to Divine. Both Garethor and Torin had contributed significantly to the undead empire, and Alex intended to reward them accordingly. "Thank you for your grace, Queen." Garethor expressed his gratitude once more. His appearance was indistinguishable from that of a normal human. Although undead, his state of being, like Alex and Xiao Hui, was that of a living person. "Let''s go. I''ve heard that Torin is severely injured. I''d like to examine him. Perhaps I can help." As for the Zarvox, Alex would deal with him later. Upon entering the main hall, she saw only a few dark elves and Xiao Hui, sitting alone on a chair. The other race kings were nowhere to be seen. The moment Xiao Hui saw Alex, her eyes widened in disbelief, quickly replaced by joy. She rushed towards Alex, throwing her arms around the girl. "Miss Alex, you''re finally back!" Xiao Hui''s voice trembled with relief. "You''ve worked hard during my absence. You''ve managed the undead empire well." Alex gently patted Xiao Hui''s back, knowing how much she must have endured. "It''s nothing. As long as you''re safe, that''s all that matters." Xiao Hui''s face was radiant with joy. She now understood the immense burden of managing a vast undead empire, navigating the complexities of external relations, and attending to countless tasks. Yet, Alex had never complained, always maintaining a cheerful facade, as if it were all effortless. Xiao Hui quickly opened the system and notified everyone. The undead empire wasn''t currently in a critical phase, so everyone was relatively free. "Alex, you''re finally back! Where have you been all this time?" Ruby was the first to arrive, having rushed down from her room upstairs upon hearing the commotion. "I was out exploring. Don''t worry, I''m back now, and the Beastman Empire will pay for what they''ve done." Alex now wielded multiple spheres (Powers of Laws). She had undergone significant changes during her absence and was supremely confident in her current strength. Soon, Sophie, who had been engrossed in her research, also arrived at the palace, eager to see Alex after so long. She had so much to say, but the words caught in her throat. In the end, she could only manage a simple, "Big Shot, you''re back." "Yes." Alex nodded. Sophie hurried to the kitchen and returned with a plate of donuts. "Big Shot, try these. I made them with the dwarves when I had some free time." She smiled gently and sat down beside Alex. Soon, the other race kings, along with Xiao Mu and Drake, returned to the undead Imperial Capital. "Welcome back, Great Queen!" The other race kings paid their respects. The men, less expressive, said little, but their faces were filled with joy. "I''am Torin, one of the former race kings of the Undead Lord, at your service, great Queen." Torin, looking frail, finally met Alex two months after arriving at the undead Imperial Capital. His current state was concerning. His level had dropped to lv8 King level. "There''s no need for formalities. I''ve seen all that you''ve done, and I won''t forget your contributions." As Alex accepted Torin''s pledge of allegiance, his level cap was raised to Divine, but his injuries remained. Alex rose to examine Torin''s wounds. Although she possessed healing abilities and the power to repair souls, these transformed undead had unique properties, and she couldn''t treat them all the same way. If it were simply a matter of physical and soul injuries, she could heal them in an instant. However, Torin''s primal power was damaged. Primal power, also known as Undead Quintessence, was the core essence of a necromancer. Everyone remained silent, watching as Alex examined Torin''s injuries. They assumed that it would be a simple matter for the undead lord to heal a subordinate race king. After a while, Alex turned to Torin, a thoughtful expression on her face. She wasn''t entirely sure of the method, and she needed to experiment. "I have two ideas, but they''re just guesses." Alex extended her right hand, palm up, and a ball of undead energy materialized above it. "Absorb this. It might alleviate your injuries, but you weren''t transformed by me, so I''m not sure if it will completely heal you." Torin sensed the potent energy emanating from the ball. It might indeed help repair some of his core essence damage. He didn''t hesitate to absorb it. As an undead, the process was swift and painless. In that instant, Torin''s level surged, reaching lv3 Emperor level. "My primal power injuries are completely healed!" Alex observed the changes within Torin. He had two sets of injuries. The other set was at least a century old, inflicted by an angel''s holy light. Those would be much harder to heal. "I see. The second method won''t work on your current injuries." Alex was certain of this because she had initially planned to kill Zarvox and have Torin absorb his primal power. Extracting primal power from an undead was child''s play for her, but healing it was proving to be a challenge. Alex thought of the last, and only, way to heal Torin''s injuries: faith power. This was something only she could control within the undead empire. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, Alex didn''t currently need faith power. She was grateful for her good fortune. If she hadn''t left the undead empire and had chosen to engage in war with the Beastman Empire, she would have been forced to use faith power, which would have hindered her future ascension to godhood. Alex had no desire to become a pseudo-god, nor did she need anyone''s faith. She was her own god. "There''s no rush. I''ve thought of a solution. Everyone, please take a seat. I''ll outline our next steps." Alex wasn''t in a hurry to heal Torin''s injuries. She had been absent for a long time and needed to hold a meeting first. Everyone quickly took their seats. This time, the massive round table was fully occupied, all eyes fixed on the beautiful face at the head of the table. They waited patiently for Alex to speak. Her opening words, however, took them all by surprise. Chapter 383 - 383: Alexs plan "I want to announce something," Alex declared, her voice ringing with authority. "The undead empire is declaring war on the Beastman Empire!" A stunned silence fell over the room. No one had expected Alex''s first order of business to be another war against the Beastman Empire. However, despite their surprise, no one voiced any objections. They simply waited for Alex to elaborate. Such was their unwavering trust in Alex. If it had been Xiao Hui making this declaration, the others would have surely protested. "But before that, we need to deal with the troublesome Zarvox. Garethor, what do you think is the difference between Emperor level and first-stage Sovereign level?" Alex turned to Garethor, the highest-level being present. All eyes followed her gaze. With this single question, Garethor understood Alex''s intentions. He smiled and replied, "As everyone knows, Sovereign level is divided into three stages, each with a significant power gap. However, first-stage Sovereign level isn''t actually that different from Emperor level." Garethor''s words only deepened the confusion. How could Sovereign level and Emperor level be similar? "Reaching Emperor level means mastering a sphere. Perfecting that sphere allows one to ascend to Sovereign level, specifically the first stage. Therefore, the main difference between the two lies in the degree of mastery over one''s sphere." Of course, there were also significant differences in attributes, but at this level, who would engage in simple brute force combat? "Garethor is right. Do you all understand now?" Alex nodded, her gaze sweeping across the room. Although still puzzled, everyone grasped the essence of Garethor''s explanation. In other words, the Beastman Empire''s Sovereign level beings were only at the first stage. With Alex''s current strength, she wasn''t afraid of them. "Now, let me explain the era crisis. After hearing this, you''ll understand why I''m declaring war on the Beastman Empire." Alex concisely shared her knowledge about planet Astralon and the Eldoria continent. It was clear that she had acquired a vast amount of information during her absence. As for her own level increase, it was entirely due to the experience points gained from her troops slaying enemies. If the undead empire had remained idle for the past three months, her level wouldn''t have changed. Well, the system reward would have granted her one level, but that was it. Therefore, the undead''s constant fighting provided Alex with a massive amount of experience points, significantly boosting her level. Alex was pleased. Everyone had done an excellent job. "Queen, if I''m not mistaken, this is only the first year of the Chaotic Era. How are the other races already prepared?" Only Garethor and Torin had some understanding of this matter. "That''s a misconception. Although the system has set a time limit of one hundred years, why wait until the very end?" Alex''s words left the two race kings speechless. If they couldn''t overthrow the current era''s dominant race, they could only wait for the era to end and prepare to compete for dominance in the next era. However, Alex felt that there was more to it than that. Could a race only rule for a single era? Was this a system rule? Nonsense. It was definitely connected to the World''s Heart. Throughout the history of planet Astralon, every era''s dominant race had been overthrown by a coalition of other races towards the end of their reign. Except for the Angel race. They had ruled until the very end of their era, their strength growing at an alarming rate, far exceeding everyone''s expectations. If the Angel race had wanted to rule for a second era, a coalition of all other races could have stopped them, but it would have resulted in a catastrophic war that would have engulfed the entire planet. Yet, nothing of the sort had happened. In the end, the Angel race had voluntarily relinquished their dominance. Alex didn''t believe there wasn''t something fishy going on. "So, you''re saying that the current peace among the races is a sign that the era crisis is imminent, a war that will engulf all seven continents!" Although Xiao Mu spoke calmly, his expression betrayed his shock. The others were equally stunned. They hadn''t expected Alex''s return to bring such alarming news. "Therefore, we must seize every opportunity to grow stronger. Otherwise, when the era crisis arrives, we''ll be defenseless." Alex''s words were heavy with gravity. While other lords were still reveling in the joy of establishing their kingdoms, Alex and her companions were already preparing for the upcoming challenges. Although it was called the era crisis, there was no set time for its arrival. All the major races were likely waiting for someone to make the first move. Perhaps one day, a sudden action by the Angel race would ignite the entire planet, dragging all races into a war for era dominance. But no one knew when they would strike, nor how much time remained. It could be ninety-nine years, or it could be tomorrow. Therefore, their current priority was to become stronger. The system''s plan to have lords conquer the continents'' cores of will was a pipe dream. This might be the unconscious World''s Heart''s countermeasure against the system, initiating the race war prematurely, denying those lords a hundred years of development. Forget a hundred years, with the system''s assistance, those lords could become major factions on the seven continents within a decade. Alex, however, had no intention of becoming a puppet of the system. She wouldn''t establish a divine kingdom, nor would she devour a continent''s core of will. These things had nothing to do with her own path to godhood. Alex had her own plans and ambitions. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Garethor, Ice Cream, you need to focus on increasing your strength. The battles ahead will be difficult. We''ll be facing Emperor level and even Sovereign level factions." The undead empire''s high-end combat power was still insufficient. Even in their current state, Alex wasn''t sure of their chances against the Beastman Empire. After all, although she understood Sovereign level, she had never actually fought against one. Another limiting factor was that Alex hadn''t yet mastered the ability to summon Emperor level undead. Her previous tactics were no longer as effective. Losing even a single high-level combatant would be a major blow. Although the death angel could summon Sovereign level beings, after the enhancement, summoning a Sovereign level death angel was incredibly difficult, requiring the death of two Sovereign level angels. This was currently impossible for the undead empire, let alone killing two Sovereign level angels. The Rock Dragon and the Light Titan were also out of the question. They weren''t undead. Relying on the barracks'' natural growth rate was far too slow. After a moment of contemplation, Alex continued issuing her orders. "I''ve already established an undead fortress in the south of the Eldoria continent. The Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City are also our targets. Torin, you''ll be in charge of this operation. Discreetly eliminate the surrounding minor races. Be cautious and avoid detection by the Angel race." Alex turned to Torin, who was more familiar with the terrain there than anyone else. "I''ll heal your injuries before you depart. As for Garethor, you''ll accompany Drake and Ice Cream to the Mossvale continent." With Alex now back in the undead empire, it would be a waste to keep Garethor, their strongest combatant, idle. "We stand ready to obey, Queen." Chapter 384 - 384: Absorb the power of faith The meeting concluded, and Alex had assigned tasks to everyone. They were going to war with the Beastman Empire, so thorough preparations were essential. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex rose from her seat, motioning for the others to follow her. They walked out of the hall and into the plaza, where she stopped. "There are three paths to godhood," she began, her back to the group. "But the world only knows of two, or perhaps just one. That one is what the system has told us: establish a divine kingdom and conquer the continent''s core of will." Alex continued, her voice low. This information was top secret. Even Torin and Garethor only knew bits and pieces, but she had no intention of delving deeper into the topic. Apart from Drake, Xiao Mu, Ice Cream, and Ruby, everyone else present had a level cap of pseudo-god. They couldn''t become true gods, so there was no point in discussing it further. As for the four of them, it wasn''t that they had the potential to become true gods. On the contrary, even achieving pseudo-godhood would be a challenge for them. Relying solely on faith power and the dragon race''s treasure wouldn''t suffice. If it were that simple, every dragon could become a pseudo-god, and other races would be scrambling to establish divine kingdoms. Garethor, sensing something profound, looked astonished. Torin, noticing his expression, instantly understood. "Could it be that our Queen intends to take the most difficult path?!" "Patience." Garethor and Torin whispered to each other, patiently awaiting Alex''s next move. Alex raised her hand, her fingers spread wide. The next moment, a surge of white energy coursed through the city, converging towards her palm. The energy emanating from the empire''s core crystal was particularly intense. "Faith power!" Garethor and Torin gasped. The others instantly understood as well. For a full half hour, all the faith power within the undead empire gathered in Alex''s hand. The amount of faith power generated over such a long period was staggering. A massive white sphere of energy represented the undead empire''s faith power. Beside it floated four smaller orbs of faith power. These represented Sophie''s dwarf kingdom, Drake''s Dragon kingdom, Xiao Mu''s Light Titan kingdom, and Ruby''s Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. All four were vassal kingdoms of the undead empire, their faith power naturally under Alex''s control. Alex could now manipulate everything she desired without relying on the system. This wasn''t just a testament to her increased strength but also proof that she was gradually breaking free from the system''s control. The four smaller orbs flew towards the four vassal kings. "Absorb it." Alex spoke calmly. "But doesn''t this allow one to rapidly increase their strength? Why aren''t you absorbing it yourself?" Xiao Hui was puzzled. Why was Alex giving this power to them? "The undead queen doesn''t need faith power." Garethor smiled, explaining to Xiao Hui. He saw a greater ambition in Alex''s eyes than he had ever seen in the previous undead lord. The others, hearing this, didn''t question further. They knew that Alex had her own plans. They immediately began to absorb the faith power. "Don''t rely on the system''s power. You must absorb it through your own comprehension." Alex reminded them. They trusted her unconditionally and followed her instructions. Absorbing through comprehension was significantly slower than with the system''s assistance. What could be accomplished in an instant might now take hours, even days. Alex then began to manipulate the largest white orb in her hand. It contained all the faith power of the undead empire, not just from the undead races but also from the other subjugated races. It was quite a mixed bag. She divided the faith power into equal portions, preparing to distribute them to her ten race kings. John (Skeleton King), Crane (Zombie King), Azure (Specter King), Arthur (Bone Dragon King), Riven (Ghost Dragon King), Arthas (Lich King), Garethor (Death Knight King), Torin (Necromancer King), and Xiao Hui (Death Angel King). Distributing the faith power to the nine race kings was straightforward. She simply gave them the faith power generated by their respective troops. Death Spirit, however, was a special case. It had no troops. Similarly, the Reaper Guards considered Alex their sole ruler. As for other troop types like zombie titans, Destroyers, and gargoyles, which didn''t yet have race kings, Alex had no intention of keeping their faith power. Although the remaining faith power was quite mixed, different troop strengths provided different levels of faith power, also influenced by their numbers. Therefore, the nine race kings wouldn''t receive equal portions. Alex decided to divide the remaining faith power equally among them, balancing out any discrepancies. For Alex, even another race king wouldn''t be of much help at this point. That was why she hadn''t kept any for herself. Soon, all the faith power was divided into nine equal portions and distributed to the nine race kings. A small amount remained in Alex''s hand. Everyone assumed she would give it to Death Spirit, but to their surprise, she simply released it, allowing it to return to the undead empire''s core crystal. They looked at Alex questioningly. She didn''t hide anything. "Death Spirit has no troops, so it can''t receive faith power. Forcing the faith power of other races upon it would only be a burden." Only Garethor and Torin exchanged knowing glances, as if they had guessed something. Death Spirit, of course, had no objections. It was absolutely loyal to Alex and would obey her every command without question. Besides, its role wasn''t combat-oriented. As the nine race kings began to absorb the faith power, they joined the four vassal kings in the plaza, surrounding Alex as they quietly absorbed the energy. The faith power was like a vast empire, with Alex as the supreme ruler and the race kings as her vassal kings, each commanding their own troops. By absorbing this faith power, their troops'' loyalty towards them would increase, but their primary allegiance would always be to the ruler of the undead empire. The previous undead lord''s empire was a prime example. Upon his death, the empire had fractured. He had ordered the seven race kings to flee, but only three had managed to escape with their remaining forces. However, this wasn''t a concern for Alex. Everyone present had been tested and proven their unwavering loyalty to her. === The fusion process was quicker than Alex had anticipated. Garethor and Torin, being the highest-level, were the first to complete the integration of faith power, taking less than an hour. "Queen, my injuries are healed!" Torin reported respectfully. Alex nodded, unsurprised. She had expected this outcome. However, most of the faith power had been used to heal his injuries, resulting in only a minor level increase. By dusk, everyone had finished absorbing the faith power. Their faces were filled with excitement. They hadn''t expected faith power to boost their levels so significantly. Essentially, as long as faith existed, their power would endure. If one day, all their troops perished, they would no longer receive faith power, and the faith power they had absorbed would gradually dissipate. This could lead to a decline in level, or even a reduction in their level cap. However, as undead, as long as the race king survived, their lineage would never be severed. This limitation didn''t apply to them. "Is this faith power? It''s incredible! My troops now look at me as if I''m a god!" Xiao Hui exclaimed in awe. The others were also experiencing the transformative effects of faith power. The boost provided by faith power was in line with Alex''s expectations. Garethor''s level remained unchanged. This amount of faith power wasn''t enough to push him to lv9 Emperor. Torin, now fully healed, had regained his lv6 Emperor level strength. Ruby was stuck at lv9 King level. She needed to comprehend a sphere to ascend to Emperor level, something she hadn''t achieved yet. Once she grasped the power of a sphere, she would break through. The remaining six race kings, along with Xiao Mu and Drake, had reached high-level King, still some distance from lv9, but it was a significant improvement nonetheless. Sophie had experienced the most dramatic increase, jumping from lv1 King level to lv5. This was understandable. She ruled the entire dwarf kingdom, the most populous race besides the undead. Therefore, she received the second largest amount of faith power, second only to the undead. It was no surprise that her level had soared to lv5 King level. Although Death Spirit didn''t receive a faith power boost, its experience points had long since overflowed. Like Ruby, it hadn''t yet comprehended a sphere, limiting it to lv9 King level. Alex was pleased to see everyone grow stronger. In the upcoming Chaotic Era, only the truly powerful would survive. Ice Cream suddenly stepped forward. He hadn''t absorbed any faith power and had been idle during the process. He extended his hand, revealing two round fragments emanating a potent icy aura. "Frost Heart?" Alex was surprised. She didn''t know what Ice Cream had been up to during his training, but he had managed to acquire two Frost Heart fragments. "My uncle gave me these fragments. He found one by chance many years ago, and the other he snatched from the Angel race." Ice Cream explained. Alex took the Frost Heart fragments and retrieved the remaining one from her warehouse. She pieced the three fragments together, forming almost half a circle. "If I gather all the fragments, can it help you become a true god?" Alex asked Ice Cream abruptly. Ice Cream was taken aback, unsure how to respond. He had assumed that Alex''s previous offer was just a casual remark, but her current tone was serious. "The remaining three fragments are in the hands of the Angel race, and the whereabouts of the last fragment are unknown. The Angel race is powerful. Even the entire dragon race isn''t confident in retrieving those fragments..." "Just answer my question." Alex cut him off, repeating her question. Ice Cream hesitated for a moment before replying solemnly, "Yes. The dragon race''s treasure has two abilities. One is to achieve pseudo-godhood through its power. The other is to merge with the treasure and become a true god. However, after the fusion, the treasure will disappear, and other members of the race will no longer be able to rely on its power." "Well, I''m the one who gathered these fragments. I should have the right to use them, shouldn''t I?" Alex weighed the three fragments in her hand, her gaze fixed on Ice Cream. "Of course. It was a gift to you. You have the right to use it as you see fit." This was part of their agreement. Ice Cream nodded in confirmation. "Very well. I will gather the Frost Heart and help you ascend to true godhood!" Alex pocketed the three fragments, her voice firm and unwavering. Ice Cream was stunned, speechless. True godhood? He hadn''t even dared to dream of such a thing. Even pseudo-godhood was beyond his reach. If he were to merge with the treasure and become a true god, he would be the new Dragon God, ruling over the entire dragon race! However, Alex''s motives were pure. She had never intended to use Ice Cream to control the dragon race. She was simply fulfilling her promise. "Everyone, it''s time to get to work. I hope that one day, I will lead you all to make the name of the undead a legend once more!" Alex spread her arms wide, her gaze fixed on the horizon. A terrifying aura erupted from her, sending a shiver through the Dark Forest. All the undead knelt before her, facing the plaza. "Eternal reign to the Queen! The Undead Empire shall endure!" Chapter 385 - 385: Death Dragon Everyone dispersed, resuming their duties as instructed by Alex. Xiao Hui, finally relieved of her administrative burdens, could now leave the undead Imperial Capital. She much preferred slaying enemies to managing the undead empire. Soon, only Alex and Sophie remained in the vast undead empire. "You''ve done an excellent job during my absence. Thank you for your hard work." Alex turned to Sophie, the woman who had been instrumental in her early development. They had, in a way, helped each other succeed. Without Sophie, Alex wouldn''t have progressed so quickly. Similarly, if Sophie hadn''t pledged allegiance to Alex, her corpse would likely have rotted away by now. "Big Shot, please don''t say that. It''s my duty. I know I don''t have extraordinary talent or powerful troops. This is all I can do." Sophie smiled sincerely. She was content with simply surviving in this world, and surviving well. "Come, let''s take a look at that new fusion technique. Your idea is quite intriguing. It might actually work." Alex led Sophie towards the outer city. She had already inspected the other fused undead troops, and the results were impressive. Transforming them into magic circles allowed the alchemy warlocks to deploy them anywhere, eliminating the need to return to the undead Imperial Capital for fusion. It was incredibly convenient. The previous fusion techniques hadn''t posed any significant challenges. However, when Alex saw the bone dragon and ghost dragon fusion technique, she paused. She could tell at a glance that this was beyond Sophie''s current capabilities. Yet, significant progress had been made. "Hehe, I wanted to surprise you, but my abilities are limited, so the research has been slow." Sophie chuckled sheepishly, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "It''s alright. You''ve done more than enough. I''ll help you complete the research." Alex observed the busy alchemy warlocks, a sense of appreciation washing over her. "Hey, hey, hey, it''s me helping you, Big Shot!" Sophie quickly corrected her. Alex, lost in thought, didn''t respond. Why choose such a difficult challenge? She could see that Sophie was trying to fuse a troop type with a Sovereign level cap. Her goal was to fill the gap in the undead''s high-end combat power. "Don''t worry. I can even create Divine bloodlines. A Sovereign level cap troop type is nothing." Alex was brimming with confidence. Although challenging, it wasn''t an insurmountable obstacle for her. For the next few days, the two of them immersed themselves in research within the city. The others were temporarily dispatched to various locations to continue slaying enemies and summoning undead, bolstering the undead empire''s strength. These newly summoned troops would then be sent back to the undead Imperial Capital for fusion, allowing them to rapidly produce more King level undead. Alex had also explained why they couldn''t directly fuse Emperor level undead. Mastering a sphere wasn''t something that could be achieved overnight. These fused undead, born with King level strength, needed time to adapt to their abilities, let alone comprehend a sphere. Sophie was slightly disappointed. She had initially hoped to mass-produce Emperor level undead. Alex chuckled. "Emperor level beings are true powerhouses. They''re not as common as apples in a supermarket." The ratio of King level to Emperor level beings was roughly 1:50. A faction with at least fifty King level members might have one Emperor level being. As for Sovereign level, the ratio was even lower. Of course, there were exceptions. The Beastman Empire''s ratio was quite peculiar. How could hybrids reach Sovereign level? Alex strongly suspected there was a secret behind it. Alex''s current plan was to wait for Ruby, Death Spirit, Ice Cream, and the other lv9 King level undead to break through to Emperor level, and for the new troop type development to be completed. Then, she would officially launch her attack on the Beastman Empire. With Alex''s assistance, Sophie''s research progressed rapidly. In just five days, they achieved a groundbreaking breakthrough. At noon that day, Alex, Sophie, and the surrounding artisans gathered in the plaza, gazing upon the colossal creature before them with a mixture of awe and excitement. A smile spread across Alex''s face. Sophie''s idea had been correct. Fusing bone dragons with each other seemed impossible, but fusing a ghost dragon with a bone dragon had yielded remarkable results. This new troop type was named the [Death Dragon]. Like the death angel, it possessed both dragon and undead characteristics, a truly formidable force. Its level cap was Sovereign level, surpassing all other undead and rivaling true dragons. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Death Dragon was larger than a normal bone dragon, comparable in size to Arthur. Unlike both bone dragons and ghost dragons, it possessed flesh and blood. Its black flesh was covered in pitch-black scales. If not for the eerie blue glow emanating from its eyes, one might mistake it for a living creature. Rows of white bone spikes ran along its broad back, culminating in a tail tipped with black flames. Its massive black wings, when unfurled, blotted out the sun. "Great Queen, I am your eternally loyal servant." The Death Dragon was an intelligent creature, a King level being born from the fusion of several Monarch level bone dragons and ghost dragons. Its abilities were undoubtedly complex and diverse. "Death Dragon, unleash your strongest attack towards the sky." The best test was to have the Death Dragon demonstrate its power. Alex issued the command, and the creature, after letting out a deafening roar, soared into the sky, circling above them. Its scales shifted, and a surge of black energy coursed through its body, rising from its abdomen to its head. "Roar!" A terrifying roar ripped through the air, followed by a massive black dragon breath that shot skyward, forming a pillar of darkness. The sheer force of it sent Sophie''s hair flying. She stared at the Death Dragon in awe. After several seconds, the dragon breath dissipated. Alex had personally witnessed the terrifying power of this attack. No King level creature would dare to withstand such a blast. "It''s amazing! We did it!" Sophie was ecstatic. She had witnessed countless undead fusions, but this Death Dragon was undoubtedly the most powerful. "Indeed. I''ll leave the rest of the fusion process to you. I have a small matter to attend to." Alex sensed a peculiar aura. A cold smile spread across her face as she turned and left the outer city, heading towards the Dark Forest beyond. Chapter 386 - 386: The new Ghoul King "I was just about to look for you. I''m surprised you dared to show your face." Alex stood at the edge of the Dark Forest, her gaze fixed on Zarvox, a hint of disdain in her eyes. "Garethor''s gone, isn''t he? Why wouldn''t I dare to come?" Zarvox cackled, as if victory was already within his grasp. Upon seeing the new undead lord, his bloodline surged with excitement. He was thrilled, his eyes gleaming with predatory hunger, as if looking at prey already caught in his trap. Alex didn''t know how Zarvox had sensed Garethor''s presence, but he had deliberately released his aura as he approached, intending to lure her out. He even seemed to know about new undead lord return. "It seems I underestimated you. No wonder Garethor couldn''t find you." Alex had a hunch. This was likely a unique ability of the King Ghoul. "Since you''re about to die anyway, I don''t mind telling you. I can sense the bloodline of every one of you. You could call it a pheromone. I can even devour you and claim your bloodline for myself." Zarvox cackled again, taking a step forward. "So, only I can plunder bloodlines. Those fools, Garethor and Torin, can''t!" He was gloating, revealing his reason for refusing to submit. Zarvox wanted to become the undead lord himself. "Oh, is that all? You just have a keen sense of smell. You''re nothing but a dog of the undead race. I never thought the day would come when you''d bite your master." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex''s words enraged Zarvox. "You bitch! My loyalty lies with the previous undead lord. Who are you? I''ve never betrayed anyone!" Zarvox lunged forward, transforming. He didn''t want to talk anymore. He would end her now. "Ignorant fool. Do you really think you can devour me with the power bestowed upon you by the previous undead lord?" Although Alex looked down on this King Ghoul, he was still a race king. She drew her scythe, waiting for him to attack. "Arrogant!" Zarvox had transformed into a monstrous creature. The pustules on his back erupted, spewing green poison gas that instantly withered the surrounding trees, spreading rapidly. Green slime shot from the pustules towards Alex, coating his body in a venomous armor. "Wind." Alex murmured, and a gentle breeze stirred around her, quickly intensifying into a raging tempest. The poison gas dissipated, and the slime, as if hitting an invisible barrier, hung suspended in the air before her. With a wave of her hand, Alex sent the slime crashing to the ground, where it corroded the vegetation, releasing wisps of white smoke. Zarvox charged on all fours, his massive claws dripping with venom, aiming to tear her to shreds. Shing! A flash of silver, too fast for Zarvox to even register, and his entire right arm was severed. Zarvox stared in horror, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Then, he felt an invisible force slam into him. His body flew backward like a cannonball, crashing through several trees before coming to a halt hundreds of meters away. With a deafening crash, Zarvox slammed into the ground, feeling every bone in his body shatter. His usually reliable self-healing ability was completely useless! How was this possible?! He had been utterly defeated in their first exchange. He was a lv6 Emperor level being! Even if Alex had also reached Emperor level, he shouldn''t have been so easily overwhelmed. (Alex was initially lv9 King level, and the system reward had granted her a level up, making her Emperor level.) Alex stood her ground, unmoved. This was the outcome she had expected. If she couldn''t even defeat a mid-level Emperor, how could she possibly challenge the Beastman Emperor? Emperor level battles weren''t decided by level differences but by the mastery of one''s sphere. However, generally speaking, higher levels correlated with deeper comprehension. But there were exceptions, like Alex. She wielded over a dozen spheres and possessed a rudimentary world of fusion. This was her true strength. Alex slowly walked towards Zarvox. Her pace seemed leisurely, but she covered the distance of several hundred meters in an instant. "Do you understand the gap between us now?" Alex''s eyes glowed, and a wave of black energy rippled outward. This black energy was irresistible to any undead. Under its influence, Alex could instantly kill any undead. Zarvox, feeling the overwhelming power at close range, was terrified. His muscles trembled uncontrollably, and he couldn''t muster even a sliver of strength. "I understand now. Thank you for your respect, Queen. I am ready to die." Zarvox lay on the ground, closing his eyes. He finally realized that it was impossible for them, the race kings, to defeat the undead lord. Alex could have easily killed him with this black energy, but she had given him a chance to fight her head-on. He had been wrong, but unfortunately, there were no second chances. Alex simultaneously cast summoning and soul magic, extracting Zarvox''s bloodline and gathering it in her hand. As his soul fire extinguished, his body began to decay, eventually turning to ash. Returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex immediately summoned all the Ghouls to the plaza. She surveyed the assembled Ghouls. There were only a few tens of thousands, a small number compared to other undead types. Their usefulness had been limited, so Alex hadn''t focused on developing them until now. It wasn''t until King level that she truly discovered the Ghoul''s potential. They were like scavengers of the undead race. They could gain experience points by devouring corpses, indicating their potential for growth. This was why Alex had kept Zarvox''s bloodline. Among the tens of thousands of Ghouls present, there was only one King level. It had reached this level through its own efforts, without any assistance from other kings. The Ghoul''s level cap was King level, so this Ghoul had reached its peak. "From now on, your name is Vulture. You are the new King Ghoul." Alex infused the bloodline into Vulture, supplementing it with undead transformation magic. The process was smooth. "Thank you for your grace, Queen!" Vulture knelt before Alex, his face filled with reverence. Alex then gathered the dissipated faith power. This was what she had intended to give to the newly born King Ghoul. After absorbing the faith power, Vulture''s level surged to lv6 King level. Although still lagging behind the other race kings, it didn''t matter. The undead''s growth and expansion relied on slaughter. Vulture could increase its strength by devouring countless corpses. Alex believed that it wouldn''t be long before Vulture surpassed the other race kings in level. Chapter 387 - 387: Changes of the Elven Race Alex then proceeded to the area in the outer city where the Auxiliary Barracks were located. Most of the barracks in the undead Imperial Capital housed troops that were beneficial to the empire''s development. The miscellaneous troop types were stationed in other cities. The undead empire had very few vassal troops, only a handful, such as hobgoblins and the dream race. Alex had now reached Emperor level, and although the Auxiliary Barracks only summoned one troop per day, they were elite units one level below her own, meaning King level. Unfortunately, Alex had only reached Emperor level after the ceasefire with the Beastman Empire, so these King level vassal troops hadn''t been able to assist Xiao Hui and the others. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After months of recovery, the total population of these subjugated races had exceeded one hundred thousand. However, Alex no longer needed them to die to provide her with experience points. Deploying King level and Monarch level troops was sufficient. Currently, Emperor level combat power was the key to victory against the Beastmen. Alex sat down, lost in thought. How could she eliminate one of the enemy''s Emperor level alphas and then transform them into an asset for her own side? If they engaged in a full-scale war, the enemy''s Sovereign level Archalpha would definitely intervene. With Alex only at Emperor level, she wouldn''t have the opportunity to do anything else while holding back the Archalpha. "It seems we need to wait a little longer. Once Ice Cream and Ruby break through to Emperor level, victory will be assured." Alex decided to play it safe. She couldn''t afford to be reckless. The absence of a single Emperor level combatant would not only put their high-end forces at a disadvantage but could also lead to a complete collapse on the lower-level battlefields. The enemy had five Emperor level beings, while Alex currently only had two under her command. It wasn''t enough. Over the next few days, Alex summoned Ruby and began guiding her towards breaking through to Emperor level. Ruby had two potential spheres to master, both of which Alex possessed. Torin was also summoned back to guide Death Spirit''s breakthrough. As for Ice Cream, Alex couldn''t help him. She wasn''t familiar with the dragon race, so he had to rely on himself. Furthermore, they needed time to replenish their Fortress Essence Shards. The undead fortresses they had left behind in the Beastman Empire''s territory had likely been destroyed by now. As for undead fusion technology, it seemed to have hit a bottleneck after the creation of the Death Dragon. No matter how hard Sophie tried, she couldn''t fuse any other troop types. They currently had five fused troop types: Warlord Skull, Shadow Specter, Roaring Zombie, Fearless Warrior, and Death Dragon. The remaining troop types, such as Destroyers, zombie titans, and liches, had a level cap of Emperor level, so there was no urgent need to fuse them. Instead, they needed to focus on researching troop types with a King level cap, such as Gargoyles, Necromancers, and Ghouls. Alex advised Sophie not to rush. These troop fusions weren''t their current priority. She needs to pay more attention to the movements of other races through the Liberty Church. Under Alex''s guidance, the undead empire steadily developed, enjoying a period of relative stability. Until one day, Lilith''s sudden arrival shattered the peace. Looking at their long-lost ally, Alex knew that she must be facing some kind of trouble. But the Sea Race had retreated. What other race on the Arsen continent could threaten the fallen angels'' kingdom, located on the coast? "Miss Alex, I want to express my gratitude once more. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be standing here today, having this casual conversation with you." Lilith''s first words upon seeing Alex were of thanks. "You''re welcome. We''re allies. It''s only natural to help each other." Alex never tired of war. Her troops were undead, after all. At the mention of the word "ally," a bitter smile crossed Lilith''s face. They could no longer be considered true allies. They had only survived thanks to Alex''s help. "I''ve come to share some important information." Lilith''s tone turned serious. She found the matter highly suspicious. "Remember the elf Tree of Life I mentioned before?" Alex nodded, urging her to continue. "The Mother Tree has been fused with the king of the light elf clan. He''s broken through his level cap and is now at Emperor level." But that wasn''t the main point Lilith wanted to convey. "With the Mother Tree gone, all the other Trees of Life in the elf kingdoms have withered. The light elf clan, along with several elf kings, have abandoned their territories and joined the Holy Court!" Alex frowned. What was going on? "What about the forest elf?" Alex was referring to the forest elf king who had submitted to Lilith. "I had him also join the Holy Court. He can continue to provide me with information covertly. I doubt even the angels and the Holy Court can detect the system''s submission contract." Lilith explained. It was a clever move. The angels couldn''t detect traces of the system''s power. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be limited to pseudo-godhood. "But that''s not the strangest part. They took almost all the powerful elves with them, leaving behind only the dark elves and some commoners from other races." "They only left the dark elves?" Alex pondered this. She vaguely recalled that the dark elf king had perished during the war with the humans. There should only be a few Monarch level dark elves and some commoners left. Perhaps they were deemed useless, or maybe the Angel race simply despised all dark creatures. Without the Mother Tree, the dark elves could no longer reproduce. Their extinction was only a matter of time. Alex''s first thought was that she could completely subjugate the dark elf clan, and then use the system to build an Auxiliary Barrack. But then she wondered, why could the system create races in the first place? After some thought, an idea formed in her mind. The system''s divine nature must be the God of Creation! But shouldn''t the God of Creation only be able to create life within its own world? Wait, what if planet Astralon was his world? Perhaps the system wasn''t the invader. Perhaps the World''s Heart was the one who had usurped control! Come to think of it, the origins of all the races on the planet Astralon seemed to be connected to the system. Perhaps summoning lords from Earth was his way of fighting back against the invader. If that was the case, was the system actually the good guy? Chapter 388 - 388: I wont be anyones puppet "Hey, Alex, what are you thinking about?" Lilith asked, noticing Alex''s spaced-out expression. Her voice snapped Alex back to reality. "Nothing, just thinking about some things," Alex replied vaguely. "What are those elves doing running off to the Holy Court?" Knight City didn''t accept commoners, let alone Freelancers. Its inhabitants were descendants of knights, raised from birth to become holy warriors. Therefore, Alex had little knowledge of the Holy Court''s inner workings. The forest elves residing in Knight City were a better source of information for Lilith. "It seems they''re preparing to leave," Lilith replied, recalling the information she had received. The city''s inhabitants were packing their belongings, including the elf king. "Leave?" Alex looked puzzled. The Holy Court was one of the most powerful factions on the Arsen continent. If they were planning to leave, it meant they were leaving the continent altogether. "Are they abandoning their stronghold on the Arsen continent?" Lilith shook her head. That was beyond her knowledge. Essentially, Lilith had come to thank Alex, share some information, and offer her the remaining dark elves. "Torin, accompany Lilith to the Arsen continent and conquer the dark elf clan." "As you command, my Queen." As Torin and Lilith stepped into the Portal of Transit, Alex immediately summoned Sophie. "Any unusual activity from the humans?" She was concerned about the Holy Court''s strange behavior and hoped to glean some information from the humans. "Nothing out of the ordinary," Sophie replied, shaking her head. This was odd. Either the Liberty Church hadn''t uncovered this information, or... the humans were unaware. Alex gazed towards the city''s outskirts, wondering what the Holy Court was up to. Both Holy Church and the Mage Guild had been unusually quiet, even the Angel race. Why was the Holy Court so active? Soon, Alex received a notification. Torin had returned with the dark elves. Subjugating the dark elves had been a breeze. They didn''t even have a King level being, so they were no match for an Emperor level opponent. As Alex had suspected, the system recognized the dark elves as a distinct race. Therefore, the dark elf Auxiliary Barrack was automatically established. Alex had no intention of using them in battle. Having them serve as servants within the undead empire wasn''t a bad idea either. The leader of the dark elves was a Monarch, likely an leader chosen as their temporary leader. He followed Torin nervously as they made their way to the palace. He was about to meet his new master. "Respected Undead Queen, the dark elves pledge their eternal loyalty to you." "Very well. I can ensure the continuation of your race. You won''t be required to fight. From now on, you will remain within the city, under Sophie''s command." Alex waved her hand. "Thank you for your grace, Queen!" The dark elves were no strangers to the undead. As dark creatures, they felt a natural affinity towards them. "Do you know why the other elf kings left?" "Reporting to the Queen, I only heard rumors. They said it was to seek refuge. I know nothing more." Seek refuge? From what? "Alright, you may leave." Alex pondered the situation, but something felt amiss. She summoned Death Spirit. "Inform Lilith to be prepared." That was all she could do for now. Alex went to her bedroom and changed into local human attire. She then retrieved her Honorary Mage robe and badge, carefully folding them. As she held the badge, her gaze sharpened. "There''s a tracking magic circle embedded within it." Eldrin must have placed it there for her safety. He was an Emperor level mage, so his methods couldn''t escape Alex''s detection now. Considering his actions, she suspected that the relationship between the previous undead lord and Eldrin was more complex than it appeared. She no longer needed his protection, but she was grateful for his past kindness. She decided to visit Thunder City and return these items to him personally. And perhaps get some answers. With Alex''s guidance, Ruby had made significant progress in comprehending a sphere. She no longer needed Alex''s direct instruction and would likely reach Emperor level within a few days. Everything was stable for now. The undead empire wasn''t facing any immediate threats. Alex decided to use this opportunity to inquire more from Eldrin. Before leaving, she gave Garethor specific instructions. Someone had to manage the empire in her absence. ... Starfallen Empire, Hurricane City. As Alex stepped into the city once more, she could sense the aura of every inhabitant. The vice president was an Emperor level mage, his level similar to hers. The president, that woman, was a Sovereign level mage, although Alex couldn''t determine her exact stage. There were over twenty Magus, hundreds of mages, and tens of thousands of apprentices within the city. The Mage Guild''s foundation was truly formidable. Even a single branch possessed such terrifying strength. However, Alex had no time for idle observations. She didn''t bother greeting the two presidents. She concealed her aura and headed straight for the teleportation department in the basement. She didn''t wear her hood, allowing her long, white hair to cascade down her shoulders, drawing curious glances from the mages. The most eye-catching feature was the gleaming gold badge on her chest, bearing the insignia of two branches, signifying her status as an Honorary Magus recognized by both Thunder City and Yellowrock City. "I need to go to Thunder City." Ignoring their surprised gazes, Alex addressed the mage in charge of the teleportation array. A flash of white light, and Alex found herself in Thunder City, on the continent of Nytheria. She materialized in the dimly lit teleportation chamber, exchanging polite greetings with the surrounding mages before hurrying upstairs. Knock, knock! "Enter," a deep, masculine voice boomed from within. Alex paused, puzzled. That wasn''t Eldrin''s voice. She glanced at the sign on the door, confirming that this was indeed the vice president''s office. Creak¡ª The old wooden door groaned as she pushed it open. A tall, middle-aged man sat behind the desk, his short beard and black hair framing a face with a dark complexion, hinting at African ancestry. "Who are you?" Alex didn''t recognize the man, but anyone occupying Eldrin''s office must be the president of the Thunder City branch. However, the man wore no insignia of his position, so Alex couldn''t be sure. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am one of the Seven Guardians of the headquarters, codenamed Thunder. You may address me as Mr. Thunder." Alex''s eyes narrowed. Not the president, but someone from the headquarters?! She scrutinized the man. He was powerful, a Sovereign level being! Alex quickly realized that his position must be even higher than the president. Why would he bother introducing himself to a mere Honorary Magus? "Your real name is Alex. You''re a lord from another world, an Emperor level being, and the new undead lord. Am I correct?" Alex frowned, a black blade materializing in her hand. She was about to strike when a hand clamped down on her arm. "Alex, calm down. He''s not your enemy." It was Eldrin, arriving just in time. "Ah, youth. I was just as impulsive in my younger days. Action before words." Thunder chuckled, seemingly unfazed. Fearing that Alex might become wary, Eldrin quickly explained. It was Mr. Thunder who had issued the order to allow the undead empire''s expansion. Upon hearing this, Alex lowered her weapon, but she was still displeased. "Eldrin, you betrayed me?" "You misunderstand him. The undead''s growth couldn''t remain hidden forever. I learned of it by chance, not from Eldrin. However, considering his connection to the previous undead lord, I deduced that you two were acquainted." Thunder rose from his seat, defending Eldrin. "So, what do you want?" Alex glared at Thunder, her guard still up. "Allow me to explain." Thunder remained calm and composed. "But first, I have a question for you." His tone turned serious. "Which side are you on?" So he was here to gauge her allegiance. It seemed the Mage Guild had the same intentions as the dragon race. Alex considered her answer carefully. "I won''t be anyone''s puppet." Thunder smiled, impressed by Alex''s unwavering gaze. "Good. You''re truly his successor." "Now, listen carefully. Follow your own path, and trust no one." "I don''t need you to tell me what to do." Alex retorted. Thunder ignored her remark, continuing his explanation. "The Mage Guild, despite its outward appearance of unity, is actually riddled with factions. The root cause of this division is the World''s Heart. Its influence runs deeper than anyone realizes." Thunder paced around the room, stopping by the window. "All Sovereign level beings, even gods, are forced to choose between the two sides. But very few have the courage to break free. He (the previous undead lord) was one. You are another. As for the top lord of the previous generation, although he was exceptional, he ultimately chose a side. But in the end, they were all failures." Thunder turned back to Alex. "Do you understand what it means to step outside this game?" "To break free from control, to become a player instead of a pawn?" Alex replied calmly. "No. Have you never considered ending their conflict, making this world a true world, where those extraterrestrial visitors are no longer subject to interference and persecution?" Thunder''s words stunned Alex. She had never thought of that before. However, her stance remained clear. "I''ll do what I can. But ultimately, self-preservation comes first." Alex''s philosophy was simple. She would only act if she was capable. Reckless heroism was for fools. Eldrin was completely lost, unable to follow their conversation. As an Emperor level mage, he wasn''t privy to such high-level information. "Good. We will do everything in our power to help you achieve this, to bring peace to this world!" Thunder''s sudden declaration stunned both Eldrin and Alex. "Are you joking? Why would you help me?" First, the dragon race had sought an alliance with the undead. Now, the Mage Guild was extending an olive branch. It was all too strange. Did they really see her as some kind of savior? "When I say ''we,'' I''m not referring to the entire Mage Guild. If other guilds target you in the future, fight back. As long as we''re alive, we won''t abandon you." Thunder''s gaze was serious as he approached Alex. "As for the reason..." He pulled out a wristwatch from his pocket. Eldrin looked puzzled, but Alex gasped. "You''re a lord too!" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No wonder Mr. Thunder resembled someone of African descent. That wristwatch was clearly an Earth artifact, something that shouldn''t exist on planet Astralon. "Yes, it was a long time ago. This is my only memento, unfortunately, it''s broken." A nostalgic look crossed Thunder''s face. Realization dawned upon Eldrin. He was Thunder''s confidant, yet this was the first time he had heard such shocking news. "Then, who else is involved?" Knowing that Thunder was a lord, Alex finally understood his words. Her wariness towards him lessened considerably. "Myself, Wind, and..." Thunder paused. "The president of the Thunder City." "What?" Alex was bombarded with one surprise after another. "What about the others? And the god?" Alex blurted out her questions. "That Divine Mage? No one knows what he''s thinking. As for the others, trust no one except us three. I have a reason for asking you to trust us." Thunder''s voice was firm and deliberate. "Because the deceased undead lord was the president''s son!" Chapter 389 - 389: Truth of the world "What?!" Eldrin exclaimed before Alex could even react. Both Alex and Thunder shot him a puzzled look. "Why are you so surprised? Why else would I have made you vice president?" Thunder retorted, rolling his eyes at Eldrin as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Did Eldrin really think their connection to the previous undead lord was a secret? Alex, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. Ever since she learned that the previous undead lord was originally human, she had suspected he had a powerful background. Moreover, the previous undead lord had mastered several natural forbidden spells, which was highly unusual. Each Mage Guild branch on a continent was only allowed to teach one type of magic. For example, Hurricane City only taught wind magic, Thunder City only taught lightning magic, and so on. The fact that the previous undead lord could wield all these spells suggested a connection to the seven main schools of magic within the Mage Guild. "So, the humans... no, your goal is to find someone who can bring peace to this chaotic world?" Alex raised an eyebrow, her gaze fixed on Thunder. "That''s right," Thunder confirmed with a nod. "And you are currently the most promising candidate." "Why not that Divine Mage? Why me?" Alex couldn''t believe that she was the only one chosen for this task, nor could she believe that only humans had this ideal. "If I''m not mistaken, your two realms represent life and death. Only by combining them and fusing multiple natural spheres can you create a rudimentary world." Thunder paused, accurately describing the nature of Alex''s realms. He continued, "Very few possess dual realms, let alone with such compatible attributes. Neither I nor the president qualify for this task." "As for that legendary Divine Mage, his path has reached its end. It''s clear that even true gods can''t achieve what we desire. Let me reiterate: there can only be one God of Creation." Alex understood Thunder''s meaning. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to undertake this task, but their paths had reached a dead end. They were incapable of achieving it. Even a genius like Alex only had a chance of success. "But this is a burden you''re placing on me. Why should I do something that even Divine Mage couldn''t achieve?" Alex was reluctant. Even if she owed the Mage Guild a favor, there were countless ways to repay it, not by undertaking such a daunting and seemingly impossible task. "It''s not for us. Once you choose this path, you must break free from their control. If you can''t, what''s the difference between you and a pseudo-god?" Thunder''s words silenced Alex. If that was truly the case, then she had no choice but to accept this responsibility. "What about the system? Is it the God of Creation of this world?" Alex recalled her previous speculation. The system had the power to create races, just like the God of Creation. "No, this world doesn''t have its own God of Creation. It''s the product of two gods." Thunder casually erected a barrier within the room. "Based on our speculation, the World''s Heart was originally a true god. It absorbed the unclaimed, shattered planet Astralon, seeking to become supreme. However, the system intervened." What followed was a conflict spanning several millennia between the two gods. Their goal was to gain control of planet Astralon. "I see. Only when planet Astralon gives birth to its own God of Creation can it break free from their control." Alex understood. Although she had her suspicions, Thunder''s explanation provided more details. Having obtained the information she sought, Alex retrieved her Honorary Mage robe and badge from her spatial ring, placing them on the desk. Thunder had anticipated her purpose for coming here. He had been waiting for her. "Very well. You no longer need the Mage Guild''s protection." Thunder smiled faintly. "So, what''s your next move?" "Soon, Emperor level factions will be no match for me. What about you humans? What are your plans?" Alex didn''t answer directly, instead posing a question to Thunder. "We''ll wait and see," he replied calmly. "How many races have sided with the World''s Heart?" Alex pressed. "More than you can imagine. We know of those who have openly declared their allegiance, and so do you. As for those who haven''t, neither of us knows." Alex took Thunder''s words to heart. It seemed his previous warning wasn''t an exaggeration. Even the human Mage Guild was divided. The situation among other races was likely even more complex. "What''s the purpose of the continent''s core of will?" Alex seized the opportunity to ask all her burning questions. Thunder was not only an elder of the Mage Guild but also a lord. "It''s essentially a clone of the World''s Heart. Fusing with it will allow you to reach Divine level faster, but you''ll also be completely bound to its power. The same applies to the system." Thunder explained calmly. "My advice is to destroy it, to weaken the World''s Heart. At the same time, you need to find a way to break free from the system''s control at Sovereign level and eliminate all the lords to weaken the system." "I see." So that was why the Angel race was eliminating all the lords, and why most races in this world were hostile towards the extraterrestrial visitors. The numerous lords were manifestations of the system''s power. If Alex wanted to remain neutral, she had to weaken both sides before ascending to godhood. "Thank you for telling me all this. If the opportunity arises, I''d like to meet your president." Alex stood up, smoothing her dress as she prepared to leave. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thunder remained silent. He had told her everything he could. As he watched her disappear, he murmured to himself, "I hope you succeed. Planet Astralon can''t endure another upheaval..." "Mr. Thunder, what if other races approach Alex?" Eldrin voiced his concern. "That''s her problem, not ours. We should focus on our own duties." "Yes, Mr. Thunder." Eldrin nodded solemnly. He had initially thought that Elder Mr. Thunder merely wanted to assign territories to the undead. He hadn''t expected them to be tasked with directly destroying the core of will. The information he had received today was shocking. Was the world they lived in not real? Eldrin suddenly felt a pang of curiosity about the worlds those extraterrestrial visitors came from. Chapter 390 - 390: All forces, advance Back in the undead Imperial Capital, Alex sat in the main hall, poring over a map of the Eldoria continent. She had a lot to consider. Thunder''s suggestion of breaking free from the system''s power left her clueless. The entire undead empire had been built with the system''s assistance. What would happen to the city''s structures without it? The castle crystal and the barrack crystals were entirely dependent on the system. Undead didn''t need barracks, but what about the other troops? Not all lords could summon their own troops like the undead lord. Besides, the idea of killing all the lords was insane. Although slaughter benefited the undead''s development, Alex wasn''t a bloodthirsty warmonger. "There''s no rush. We''ll deal with that after securing our position on the Eldoria continent." Alex closed the map, stood up, and walked out of the hall. "Gather everyone." ... Half an hour later, Alex''s followers assembled in the main hall. "Everyone, I''m going to share some highly classified information with you: the system, the World''s Heart, the path to godhood, and so on." Alex sat at the head of the table, her gaze serious as she addressed the group. They needed to know the truth about this world. Otherwise, they wouldn''t understand her future actions. In just twenty minutes, Alex revealed everything, omitting irrelevant details like the previous undead lord''s identity and his connection to the Mage Guild. The group listened in silence, each revelation hitting them like a bombshell. After a long pause, Xiao Mu spoke first. "So, we''re not only going against many others, but we also have to eliminate all the lords?" "Alex''s intentions are clear. She wants to lead us out of this chaotic world," Xiao Hui added. "Do the other races know about this?" "Of course they do. They just don''t have the power to do anything about it." "So, our primary enemies are the followers of the World''s Heart. Then we''ll deal with the neutral races. As for the lords, they don''t pose a threat to us for now. But their situation isn''t ideal. Without the system, they''ll lose access to many functions." Sophie understood, grateful that she had sided with Alex early on. "Speaking of losing the system, without the ability to summon troops, we''ll have to rely on natural reproduction. That''s what will happen after the system disappears in a hundred years anyway. We''re just adapting in advance." Drake didn''t seem bothered. He had no friends besides Alex and the others. As long as he could become stronger, he was willing to do anything. "No, there''s another way. We can force the lords to become Freelancers. Although this would still leave a small portion of the system''s power intact, it''s the best way to minimize bloodshed." Alex spoke up. She didn''t want to kill innocent lords. They were just pawns in this game. At least they could join the Liberty Church, where she could impose rules prohibiting them from using the system. "What about Satan and Lilith?" "I''ll talk to them later. If I can easily break free from the system''s control at Sovereign level, so can they." Alex had already planned their escape route. She just hoped that those lords would make the same choice as her. Otherwise, there was nothing she could do. "So, does this mean we can''t become gods?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No, faith power is still useful. All undead are summoned by us, and regardless of their intelligence, they are absolutely loyal. They have no connection to the World''s Heart." Alex''s words reassured everyone. She didn''t mention that if she truly became the God of Creation, she would be the Supreme Deity everyone spoke of. The undead weren''t particularly shocked by this news. They simply had to follow their queen''s lead. They didn''t need to worry about the rest. Tap, tap! Alex''s knuckles rapped gently on the table, silencing the discussion. As everyone turned to look at her, she slowly raised three fingers. "Three days. You have three days to break through to Emperor level. In three days, the undead empire will officially declare war on the Beastmen Empire!" "Yes!" They responded in unison, rising to their feet. Then, they dispersed, resuming their duties. Time was of the essence. Alex couldn''t wait any longer. The era crisis could erupt at any moment, plunging the world into chaos. The undead empire needed to be prepared. On the surface, the races were fighting amongst themselves. But who knew how many had secretly sided with the World''s Heart? Would they join forces to eliminate the other races? When that time came, all the lords would be targeted, and Alex, the strongest among them, would be their primary target. ... Three days passed in a flash. Ruby was the first to master a spatial sphere and ascend to Emperor level. On the final day, Ice Cream and Death Spirit also broke through, as expected. The undead empire now had six Emperor level beings, more than enough to deal with the Beastmen Empire. The pressure was now on Alex. She would have to face the Sovereign level Archalpha alone, with only her Emperor level strength. Although she had expressed confidence, Alex was secretly apprehensive. According to their intelligence, the Demihuman Archalpha had been in seclusion for a long time, likely researching bloodline power. This was closely related to his ascension to the second stage. If they delayed any longer, and he reached the second stage, the undead empire would stand no chance. The second and third stages were realms of true divinity. Even ten first-stage Sovereign level beings couldn''t defeat a second-stage opponent. It was a qualitative difference. Strictly speaking, first-stage Sovereign level was still within the realm of Emperor level. They had simply perfected their sphere and begun to ignite their divine fire. ... "The Beastmen Empire''s capital, Five Colors City," Alex murmured, tapping her lips thoughtfully. "The demihuman Archalpha is likely there." Following Alex''s orders, the undead army outside the city began to assemble under the command of the race kings. The Silverscale Leviathan in the sky slowly descended, landing on the ground to load the undead. However, it wasn''t carrying ordinary undead. It was transporting the elite fusion undead and the powerhouses from the various subjugated races. They were all King level, nearly seven hundred strong! The remaining space was filled with Monarch level troops. This was an all-out assault, the entire might of the undead empire mobilized to crush the Beastmen Empire. Alex was determined to win. They couldn''t forget the alchemy warlocks, essential for mass-producing King level undead on the battlefield. Alex stood outside the palace, gazing upon the endless sea of undead in the plaza below. The wind howled, her white hair whipping wildly as she leapt into the air, issuing her battle cry. "All forces, advance! We march on Five Colors City! " Chapter 391 - 391: Archalpha appears This time, Alex wasn''t even planning on using the undead fortresses. Well, not entirely. She would only use one. As the undead army swarmed into the main fortress, Alex vanished into thin air. Far north, on the western border of the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. An undead fortress stood here, untouched, a remnant from Xiao Hui''s previous retreat. Alex had checked the main fortress. The runes of the fifty-odd undead fortresses within the Beastmen Empire had all been extinguished, indicating that the enemy had thoroughly purged their territory. With the arrival of the undead army, the desolate icy plains were instantly teeming with life. A Gnoll scout stationed within the Beastmen Empire''s territory, tasked with monitoring the undead fortress, noticed the commotion. He tried to report back, but it was too late. He clutched his chest in agony, collapsing to his knees. With a final, agonizing wail, a massive bone spike erupted from his heart. Torin lowered his staff, the surrounding magical energy subsiding. Alex hovered in the air, surveying the surroundings before turning to her companions. "Xiao Hui, you''ll be in charge of commanding the army when the battle begins." She then addressed the others. "Quickly eliminate the factions surrounding Five Colors City, then expand outward from the capital, conquering the entire Beastmen Empire." "Yes, Queen (Leader)!" "Torin, Ruby, Garethor, Death Spirit, Ice Cream, follow me!" Alex selected the five Emperor level beings of the undead empire, leaving the undead army to await further instructions. They swiftly flew towards the heart of the Beastmen Empire''s territory. Five Colors City, the largest city within the Beastmen Empire, was also the Demihumans'' main city. It was built in the style of a human city, surrounded by eight strongholds that formed a protective ring around the capital. Five Colors City itself had no visible defenses, not even a single guard stationed outside its walls. Such was the confidence of a faction with a Sovereign level being at its helm. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, six uninvited guests had arrived at the city''s outskirts. The surrounding strongholds, oblivious to their presence, were rendered useless. Alex retrieved a Fortress Essence Shard, infusing it with undead magic before hurling it from the sky. The shard, radiating black energy, streaked through the air like a meteor, crashing down near Five Colors City. A massive gray magic circle materialized, and a towering undead fortress rose from its center. Having learned from the previous surprise attack, the Beastmen were now wary of these structures. Screech! Roar! Moo! A cacophony of animalistic cries echoed from the surrounding strongholds, frantically relaying the alarm to Five Colors City. Alex and her companions ignored the panicked signals. As the undead fortress materialized, undead troops began to pour out. These beastmen lacked the strength to destroy the fortress. Alex led her five companions into Five Colors City, where the five races'' troops were converging on the vast plaza. There was no panic within the city. The troops surrounded Alex and her companions, quickly filling the plaza to capacity. A path opened up amidst the crowd, and five figures, each with a distinct form, strode forward, their faces contorted with rage. Alex instantly recognized their races: a birdman with white feathers and two wings on his back, a massive mammoth with two enormous tusks, a black-skinned Gnoll clad in golden armor, a lion-man with a flowing mane, and a man who closely resembled a human. If not for the two small antennae on his head, Alex would have mistaken him for a human. These five Beastmen were the five Emperor level alphas of their respective races. The Gnoll and the birdman were particularly enraged, while the other three looked down on them with disdain. "We agreed to a ceasefire because we didn''t want to provoke the dragon race. But that doesn''t mean we''re afraid of undead!" "You dare to come here yourselves? You''re courting death!" The two Alphas roared at Alex and her companions. The Demihuman stepped forward, attempting to calm them down. "Why waste words on them? They''re the ones who broke the peace. We can''t be blamed for this. We didn''t start this war. Even if the dragon race intervenes, we won''t back down!" Shing! A flash of silver, and the Emperor level Demihuman leaped back, the other four Alphas scattering as well. A gash appeared on his chest, his clothes torn. Alex twirled her scythe, slamming the massive blade into the ground as she glared at them. "You talk too much. Kill them!" With Alex''s command, the three race kings, along with Ruby and Ice Cream, charged towards the enemy. The surrounding Beastmen troops were mere decorations. Even the aftershocks of the battle could easily wipe them out. "You''re asking for death!" The five Alphas exchanged glances and lunged forward. The mammoth and the lion-man transformed into their beast forms, but they were met by even larger creatures. A dragon, and a powerful Azure Dragon at that! Besides the Azure Dragon, there was also a white tiger, its size rivaling the lion-man''s. Ruby and Ice Cream''s beast forms were their strongest, and the four colossal beasts clashed in the sky. Skyplume, knowing Garethor''s strength, avoided a direct confrontation, instead targeting Death Spirit, the weakest among them. The Gnoll faced Torin, while the strongest Demihuman battled Garethor. The ground cracked, buildings crumbled, and countless Beastmen, caught in the crossfire of the Emperor level battle, perished. The scene descended into chaos. Alex didn''t intervene, her attention focused on the Archalpha, who could strike at any moment. "If you continue to hide, I''ll kill all your subordinates!" Alex raised her scythe, the blade turning pitch black as it crackled with energy. Just as she was about to unleash her attack, a blinding sword beam shot towards her. Alex vanished in an instant. A deafening roar echoed as the ground beneath Five Colors City split open, massive fissures extending beyond the city walls. The attack had cleaved the entire city into six sections! The ten Emperor level beings instantly ceased their fighting. The Beastmen were ecstatic. They had sensed the undead''s strength during their brief clash, but now that their Sovereign level Archalpha had intervened, victory was assured! The five Emperor-level figures from the undead empire looked towards Alex with concern. Her gaze was firmly fixed on the source of the attack. Chapter 392 - 392: Since you reject my offer of mercy, dont blame me for what happens next A figure clad in white robes materialized, his gaze sharp as the long sword returned to his hand. Alex stared, momentarily stunned. She had imagined the Archalpha might have a strange appearance, perhaps resembling some kind of beast, but she never expected this. The Archalpha was strikingly handsome, with no beastly features whatsoever. And his weapon was a sword! "You''re a lord too, aren''t you?" Alex''s gaze locked onto his face, searching for a reaction. However, the Archalpha seemed to ignore her question, scoffing, "Undead are abominations, disrupting the natural order. You deserve judgment!" He raised his sword, and Alex felt herself locked onto by multiple sword beams. But she remained calm. This attack was still within her capabilities to handle. Her eyes glowed with red and blue light as thirteen spheres rose around her, spinning rapidly before merging into her body. "Sword sphere!" The Archalpha swung his sword, and hundreds of sword energies coalesced into a massive dragon-shaped form of pure energy, its jaws gaping wide as it lunged towards Alex. "Earth sphere!" Alex felt herself become one with the earth, her body radiating a golden light. She swung her scythe, and a thick wall of earth materialized before her, blocking the sword dragon''s attack. "Space sphere!" Boom! A deafening roar echoed as all the attacks were compressed and annihilated. Alex appeared before the Archalpha in an instant, her scythe sweeping towards him. He parried the blow with his sword, unyielding. As they locked blades, the bells on Alex''s scythe jingled frantically, emitting a disorienting sound. "Soul sphere!" But it had no effect on the Archalpha, only causing him to pause momentarily. When he recovered, Alex was gone, leaving only her scythe locked with his sword. She reappeared above him, a roundhouse kick aimed at his head. "Lightning sphere!" Boom! A bolt of lightning struck from the sky, crackling with terrifying power. Blue turned to purple, purple to black. Black lightning! S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Archalpha, as if finally realizing the danger, swatted away Alex''s scythe with his sword, then pointed the tip towards the descending lightning. A white sword beam pierced the sky, shattering the lightning bolt. Bang! Alex seized the opportunity, landing a kick on his chest, sending him flying backward. However, the lightning''s residual energy still reached him, scorching his white robes. "You can summon heavenly tribulation? Interesting! Bring it on! I shall ascend!" Ignoring his injuries, the Archalpha charged towards Alex once more. This guy was definitely not normal! Alex realized that he wasn''t as fast as her. With the combined power of her lightning, wind, and space spheres, her speed was unmatched. However, she couldn''t discern his sphere, and this Archalpha seemed to only possess one. Alex parried his attacks with her scythe, their blades clashing in a flurry of sparks. Waves of terrifying sphere energy rippled outward, each more powerful than the spheres wielded by the ten Emperor level beings below. Five Colors City, ravaged by their battle, was now a pile of rubble. The surviving Beastmen, their fighting spirit broken, fled towards the city gates. Only now, with the walls shattered, could they see what lay beyond. An endless sea of undead, the ground littered with beastmen corpses, rivers of blood flowing through the streets. It was a scene straight out of hell! The undead stationed outside the city seemed to have been waiting for the fleeing beastmen. They charged forward, engaging the enemy in a desperate attempt to escape. But their hopes were quickly dashed. The undead were not only numerous but also incredibly powerful, their lowest level being Monarch, with dozens of King level beings among them! There was no escape for the beastmen. The ten Emperor level beings locked in combat below were stunned. Garethor and his companions were ecstatic, while the five alphas of the Beastmen Empire were horrified. "How is this possible?!" "She''s only at Emperor level! Why hasn''t the great Archalpha defeated her yet?" They had exchanged blows hundreds of times, yet Alex hadn''t faltered. She had even managed to injure the Beastmen Empire''s Archalpha with her superior speed. "Focus fire on the Alpha Gnoll!" Ice Cream shouted, alerting the others. After Death Spirit''s breakthrough to Emperor level, it had gained the ability to summon Emperor level undead. They instantly understood his plan. If one of the enemy''s Emperor level beings fell, the balance of power would shift dramatically, ensuring the Beastmen Empire''s defeat. At this point, they could only trust that Alex could defeat the Sovereign level Archalpha. Even if she couldn''t kill him, she could at least hold him back. "You want to kill me? You''re delusional!" The Alpha Gnoll roared, swinging his massive axe. He felt insulted, being singled out as the weakest among them. Ice Cream hadn''t whispered his plan. He had shouted it loud and clear. But beastmen were unaware that Alex''s forces could summon Emperor level undead. Their understanding of the undead was still limited to basic skeletons and zombies. Outside the city, under Xiao Hui''s command, the undead army had split into five groups, advancing towards the territories of the five races, using Five Colors City as their central point. With all the high-level combatants occupied, the beastmen were no match for the undead. The five alphas were deeply worried. They understood the situation but were powerless to intervene. The Archalpha, clad in white, remained calm. His focus was solely on Alex. He didn''t care about the fate of his Beastmen Empire. "You''re no match for me. But since you''re a lord, I''ll give you a chance to submit." Alex parried several sword beams with her scythe. She hadn''t even used her undead sphere yet, and the Archalpha was already struggling. Apart from his superior vitality and attack power, he had nothing else going for him. "Who dares to claim invincibility? Who dares to claim they cannot be defeated?" The Archalpha seemed to ignore Alex''s offer, as if they were speaking different languages. He charged towards Alex once more, his speed blindingly fast. Even Alex was caught off guard. He disarmed her with a swift strike, his sword aimed at her heart. Unable to defend herself in time, Alex didn''t panic. She instantly activated her undead sphere. "Since you reject my offer of mercy, don''t blame me for what happens next!" Chapter 393 - 393: Please accept this small token of my gratitude "Summoning sphere!" A wave of gray energy erupted from Alex, instantly engulfing Five Colors City. Thousands of blue flames flickered to life atop the corpses of fallen Beastmen, like eerie, ethereal flowers blooming amidst the carnage. The Archalpha''s sword, poised mere inches from Alex''s heart, froze mid-air, held back by an invisible force. The blue flames below extinguished simultaneously, and the corpses withered into desiccated husks before crumbling into dust. The Archalpha stared, bewildered. His attack had no effect on Alex. "Darkness sphere." Seizing the moment of his distraction, Alex unleashed her darkness sphere. Her scythe crackled with black energy, as if capable of devouring everything in its path. Clang! The scythe slammed into the long sword, cleanly slicing the Archalpha''s weapon into two pieces! He leaped back, his face etched with shock. Alex''s scythe could cleave through anything, but it was ineffective against intangible spheres. The Archalpha''s long sword had been protected by a strange sphere, preventing her scythe from making contact. Throughout their battle, their weapons had never truly clashed. But the darkness sphere possessed the power to devour all spheres! The moment the scythe connected with the sword, the Archalpha''s weapon was severed. Alex had realized that the Archalpha''s strength stemmed largely from his weapon. She had held back, hoping to reason with him, considering he was also a lord. But now, with communication proving futile, there was no point in wasting time. "Unorthodox and insidious! Truly bizarre!" The Archalpha discarded his broken weapon, his two fingers pressed together before his chest. "The sword resides within the heart. All things can be a sword!" A surge of sword energy erupted from him, his aura even more formidable than before. Alex was surprised. She had underestimated these Sovereign level beings. Even with her mastery over multiple spheres, defeating a true Sovereign level opponent was proving to be a challenge. "It seems I can''t hold back any longer!" Multiple spheres of energy swirled around Alex, each a different color. Thirteen spheres intertwined, forming a dazzling rainbow. Her left eye, pitch black and bottomless, radiated death and destruction, like an endless void. Her right eye, brimming with vitality, pulsed with green and life, as if containing a world within. The two eyes merged, unleashing a blinding white light that engulfed everything. Instinctively, the Beastman Empire''s Archalpha, the ten Emperor level beings, and even the undead below shielded their eyes. When the light subsided, Alex and the Archalpha were gone. They reappeared in another space. Beneath their feet, lush green grass swayed in the gentle breeze. Emerald trees rustled softly, and a crystal-clear stream babbled nearby. Everything was bathed in a soft, white light, as if this wasn''t a real world. The Archalpha gazed at his surroundings, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. This place seemed familiar. He turned sharply, and behind him stood the school from his memories. The weathered wooden door spoke of time''s passage, and the sign above it hung crookedly. Inside the school, a teacher paced back and forth, his expression stern. Slap! A ruler struck a child''s arm, sending a small wooden carving hidden within a textbook tumbling to the floor. Although crudely carved, it resembled a sword. "Yi Chen, you''re always fooling around, neglecting your studies! How can you face your parents who worked so hard to raise you?!" "Teacher, I don''t want to study! I want to practice swordsmanship! I want to become a sword immortal!" Slap! Another blow from the ruler. Tears welled up in the child''s eyes, but he fought them back, his gaze fixed defiantly on the teacher. "Sigh, you''re truly hopeless!" The exasperated teacher turned and left. ... The Archalpha stood frozen, as if struggling to remember something. Suddenly, he clutched his head, collapsing to his knees in agony. "Yi Chen..." "My name is Yi Chen!" A faint golden energy emanated from his body, quickly fading away. He stood up, his gaze resolute, the confusion gone. He remembered everything. In that moment, he had ignited his divine fire, ascending to the second stage of Sovereign level. However, the divine fire was weak, flickering as if about to be extinguished. "So it''s true..." There was no joy in Yi Chen''s eyes, only determination. He suppressed his divine fire and bowed respectfully behind him. "Thank you for your guidance. I am eternally grateful!" "It seems you''ve regained your memories. I didn''t expect you to be an ancient Chinese." Alex materialized before him. Yi Chen looked puzzled, unfamiliar with the term "ancient Chinese." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I was deceived by the World''s Heart, becoming its puppet. I reached Sovereign level through the way of the sword, so naturally, I sought to achieve godhood through the same path. One day, I stumbled upon a source of pure energy, crucial for my advancement at the time. I absorbed it without hesitation, but it cost me my memories." A melancholic look crossed Yi Chen''s face. He continued, "I had this feeling, this urge to build an empire and make it prosper. This must have happened centuries ago. Later, I tainted my bloodline, ruining my chances of becoming a true god." The World''s Heart had no conscious will and couldn''t have deliberately targeted Yi Chen. His current state must have been the result of some powerful race''s influence. "Thank you for helping me rediscover myself." "You''re welcome. This is my world. It can isolate those energies, allowing you to break free from their influence." This was all part of Alex''s plan. She wasn''t worried about Yi Chen betraying her. Although she couldn''t kill a second-stage Sovereign level being, she could easily seal him within her world. "Is this... the power of the God of Creation?" Yi Chen asked, recalling their previous battle. "Your goal is truly ambitious, but I believe that with your talent, you will succeed." "Perhaps. But the path I''ve chosen is far more difficult than I imagined," Alex replied calmly. "I can never repay your kindness. Please accept this small token of my gratitude." Yi Chen extended his hands, a translucent white sphere of energy materializing within them. Alex''s eyes widened. She could sense the potent sphere energy emanating from it. He was offering her his comprehension of his sphere! "This is [Qi], my sphere. I offer it to you as a token of my gratitude for saving my life." Chapter 394 - 394: Ghost race "This is [Qi], my sphere. I offer it to you as a token of my gratitude for saving my life." Yi Chen''s expression was sincere, his gaze unwavering. He seemed genuinely truthful. "As far as I know, this is your only sphere. If you give your [Qi] to me, your level will drop to Emperor level." Could he be planning to cultivate a new sphere? Alex looked at him questioningly, her mind racing. "Please accept this as a token of my appreciation. I hope that one day, this humble offering will help you become a Supreme Xian(God) and bring peace to this wretched world!" Yi Chen bowed even lower, as if refusing to rise until Alex accepted his gift. "There''s no rush. Why don''t you tell me about your past first?" "Very well. If you wish to hear it, I shall tell you." Yi Chen, an ancient Chinese man. It seemed Edgar was right. They were all from parallel worlds. And he had arrived in this world long before any of the other lords Alex knew. Back then, the dominant race was known as the [Ghost Race]. The Dragon race, Sea Race, Angel race, Demon race, and all the others were merely up-and-coming factions. Then, the era shifted, and the Ghost Race perished. It was said that their downfall was due to internal strife. Although Alex had never encountered this race, she knew from their name that they must have been a dark race. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yi Chen, being from ancient times, didn''t understand the modern concept of levels. His understanding of power was based on the principles of cultivation. Unlike many prodigies, Yi Chen was slow-witted. He lacked natural talent, possessing only an unwavering determination. He had remained at Emperor level for two entire eras (two thousand years). But the moment he broke through to Sovereign level, before he could even unleash his full potential, he was ambushed and lost his memories. He wandered aimlessly for countless years, his only constant being his unwavering desire to achieve Godhood (Xian). Then, he discovered the truth about the world, and his faith was shattered. Coupled with the influence of an unknown energy, he became a puppet, a mere shell of his former self. He founded the Beastman Empire, gathering the ostracized Beastmen races under his banner... Alex already knew the rest of the story. Yi Chen''s tale offered little useful information, apart from the existence of the Ghost Race. But the Ghost Race was extinct, and his life had been unremarkable. "In your current state, you could still become a pseudo-god. Would you be interested in joining me, in fighting against this world?" Alex left the rest of her sentence unspoken. With Yi Chen''s talent, it would take him thousands of years to become a pseudo-god. She needed an Emperor level combatant now. "I''m already dead. Just bury me here. This is the last thing I can do to help you." Yi Chen''s gaze was resolute. Only now did Alex realize how much weaker he had become. His life force was fading, even within her world! It made sense. He had lived for at least ten thousand years. He hadn''t mentioned any periods of slumber in his story. A Sovereign level being''s lifespan was only ten thousand years. Yi Chen was already dead. He had only survived this long due to the influence of that unknown energy! There was nothing wrong with his body or soul. If not for his battle with Alex, he might have achieved immortality under the influence of that energy! "I understand. I will uncover the truth about this world." Alex spoke sincerely. Yi Chen was aging rapidly, but his hands remained outstretched, holding the [Qi] sphere. He hadn''t lowered them since he began his story. Alex accepted the sphere. A flicker of light appeared in Yi Chen''s eyes as his life ebbed away. Rumble! The ground collapsed, forming a large pit. Yi Chen sank into it, and the surrounding earth surged, covering him completely, forming a small mound. Lush green grass sprouted from the freshly turned soil, and a tombstone materialized before the mound. It read: Here Lies Yi Chen. The world began to collapse, and Alex vanished. The next moment, she reappeared above the ruins of Five Colors City. The Alpha Gnoll was dead. It was now a four vs four battle. Death Spirit, fully focused on summoning an Emperor level undead, needed time and a significant amount of energy. Boom! The magic circle before Death Spirit flared with increased power. He turned his gaze towards the source. "My great Queen!" His exclamation startled the other Emperor level beings. They all looked up at Alex, who had returned alone. The remaining four alphas paled. They couldn''t believe it. They were in deep trouble! The Emperor level demihuman felt a chill run down his spine. He tried to flee, but a slender hand clamped down on his throat, multiple spheres of energy pinning him in place. He had already been injured by Garethor during their previous clash. "I see. He shared his primal power with you." The other three alphas, terrified by Alex''s aura, didn''t dare to approach. They were utterly shaken by her power. This woman had just defeated a Sovereign level being! Shing! A blade flashed, severing the two black horns on the Emperor level demihuman''s head. A wisp of black mist escaped from the severed horns, radiating a sinister aura. Alex frowned. This was a type of dark energy she had never encountered before. She had faced demons, fallen angels, undead, shadow creatures, and all sorts of dark races. "So you''re the remnants of the Ghost Race." "What are you talking about? I don''t understand!" The demihuman looked panicked, seemingly unaware of the truth. Snap! Alex twisted his neck, multiple spheres of energy instantly extinguishing his life force. "Kill all demihumans on sight!" As Alex''s command echoed across the battlefield, Death Spirit swiftly relayed the queen''s decree to all undead on the front lines. The demihumans were likely the result of the surviving Ghost Race members intermingling with Yi Chen''s primal power. The true Ghost Race might have perished long ago, leaving only a trace of their bloodline within the demihumans. It was strange, though. Among the five major races of the Beastman Empire, very few possessed more than two bloodlines. It was the lesser races, with lower level caps, that had more mixed bloodlines. With Alex''s return, the battle''s outcome was no longer in doubt. The remaining three alphas had assumed she would be exhausted after her fight with the Archalpha, even if she won. But in reality, Alex could easily handle all three of them at once. She had no intention of sparing these Emperor level beings, nor any of the other races within the Beastman Empire. She would wipe them all out. Death Spirit and the other race kings could now summon Emperor level undead, so these Beastmen were of no use to her alive. As for Yi Chen''s soul, Alex had initially considered trying to fuse it with the Death Dragon during its creation, hoping to create a powerful Sovereign level undead. But the situation had changed. Without his sphere, Yi Chen''s soul could only summon lv9 King level undead. To break through to Emperor level, the undead would have to comprehend a new sphere on its own. Therefore, transforming Yi Chen into an undead wasn''t a worthwhile endeavor. Besides, Yi Chen wasn''t inherently evil. He had been a puppet for thousands of years. Rest was his best reward. Alex absorbed the Qi sphere Yi Chen had given her. It would only benefit her, further enhancing her strength. Moreover, her battle with Yi Chen had proven her current strength. She could indeed contend with a first-stage Sovereign level being. So, there was no need to turn Yi Chen into an undead. Alex glanced at the four alpha corpses nearby. "Death Spirit and Torin, I leave their summoning to you." "As you wish, great Queen." Chapter 395 - 395: Undead empire would reveal itself to the world The war was nearing its end, and Alex''s gains were substantial. She had acquired five new Emperor level troops, significantly bolstering the undead empire''s strength. The undead empire now ranked third in power on the Eldoria continent. The first and second positions belonged to the angels and humans, respectively. The angels'' true strength remained unknown, but Hurricane City likely only had one Emperor level and one Sovereign level being, the vice president and the president. However, they had the backing of their headquarters, so Alex wasn''t getting complacent. As for the south of the Eldoria continent, the only notable powers were the Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City, two local factions that the undead empire no longer considered a threat. "Ice Cream, Ruby, Garethor, assist the others in sweeping the battlefield and unifying the entire north!" With that, Alex turned and strode into the undead fortress, teleporting back to the undead Imperial Capital. Absorbing a complete sphere wasn''t a quick process. She had to make the most of her time. After this battle, the undead empire''s name would resound throughout the north of the Eldoria continent. They could no longer remain hidden. She had to become stronger, and fast. Unifying the Eldoria continent was a daunting task, given the presence of the angels and humans. Therefore, Alex had set her sights on the weakest continent: Arsen. She now had the confidence to face the Holy Court. The Arsen continent was the most likely candidate for unification by the undead empire. However, one thing puzzled Alex. Was the continent''s core of will not tempting to these powerful races? Why hadn''t the weakest continent, Arsen, been unified, or even targeted by other powerful races? The situation on the Eldoria continent was understandable. The presence of the previous undead empire had attracted all the major factions, clearly vying for something. But to prevent further conflict, they seemed to have tacitly agreed to maintain the status quo, with no race attempting to conquer the Eldoria continent''s core of will. But what about the Arsen continent? Apart from Eldoria and Arsen, all other continents had their respective rulers. Valoria continent - Demon race; Nytheria continent - Angel race; Mossvale continent - Dragon race; Tyrangar continent - Titan race; Arcadia continent - Human race. A chilling thought struck Alex. Could it be that each of these five powerful races had a puppet controlled by the World''s Heart? What about the Sea Race? Their strength rivaled that of any of the other races, yet they hadn''t claimed any continent''s core of will. Could it be that the Sea Race was the only truly neutral faction? Was that why all the other races seemed to despise them? Regardless, Alex was determined to obtain the Arsen continent''s core of will. Not to absorb it, but to destroy it. She also had to be wary of the energy Yi Chen had mentioned. It was likely a manifestation of the World''s Heart''s power through its subjugated races. === Upon returning to the undead empire, Alex immediately stripped off her clothes and teleported to the bathhouse. "Ah, a nice hot bath. It''s been a while since I''ve been able to relax like this." Alex leaned back in the tub, her shoulders exposed, her arms resting on the edges. White foam covered the water, concealing her breasts and other private parts. The undead were still battling in the Beastman Empire, slaying countless enemies. As she felt her experience points rapidly increasing, Alex began to understand Thunder''s intentions. He wanted her to use the system''s assistance to quickly reach Sovereign level. After that, further advancement might no longer be solely dependent on experience points. In that case, the system would become less important. "Although the Beastmen are numerous, it''s unlikely to grant me two level ups at once." Alex swished the water with her hand. "When will the Sea Race deliver another wave of experience points?" ... After soaking in the bath for half an hour, Alex stood up, her bare feet padding across the floor as she walked out of the bathhouse. She had made up her mind. This time, the undead empire would reveal itself to the world. She no longer needed to hide. She could wear any beautiful dress she desired, no longer needing to disguise herself in local human attire. Alex wore a sailor-style top, paired with a black pleated skirt, and thigh-high stockings, complemented by white canvas shoes. From now on, everyone would know that the ruler of the undead empire was a lord from another world. Alex had just finished bathing, her hair falling loosely over her shoulders. She decided to secure it with a hair clip. As she pulled out the clip, thoughts of the adorable Chi-Chi filled her mind. "I must become stronger as quickly as possible," she resolved. "Once I have the power, I will bring Chi-Chi back to life." It would take some time for the undead empire to completely conquer the north, and Alex''s current method to increase her power was to understand the Qi sphere. The application of Qi was similar to telekinesis, but they were fundamentally different. Meanwhile, at the heart of the Eldoria continent. A blinding golden light erupted from the Holy City in the sky, and a six-winged angel soared out, heading north at breakneck speed. He suddenly stopped, his path blocked by a human. He frowned, recognizing the man before him. "Wind, why do you stand in my way?" "You cannot go north." Wind smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on the six-winged angel. "The undead are the angels'' sworn enemies. Step aside!" The six-winged angel''s voice was cold, unafraid of the man before him. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don''t care about your grudge against the undead. The agreement we signed clearly states that angels are forbidden from entering the north. We overlooked your previous transgression, but you will not violate the agreement again." Wind''s voice was firm as he released his powerful magic aura, a clear warning. "I will report this. The humans are colluding with the undead!" With that, the six-winged angel turned and flew away. Wind withdrew his aura, muttering, "Go ahead and report it! I don''t give a damn!" Chapter 396 - 396: They had messed with the wrong opponent Seven days passed in a flash. Alex had made significant progress in mastering the Qi sphere, but she was still far from perfecting it. The north was completely pacified. The undead empire now stretched from west to east, encompassing both coastlines, bordering the human Starfallen Empire along its entire length. As Thunder had predicted, the humans hadn''t reacted at all. Under normal circumstances, Alex would have been suspicious. But now, there was only one explanation: Wind, the Mage Guild elder, was stationed in Hurricane City. As Alex sat on her throne, lost in thought, Death Spirit burst into the hall. "Queen, the Sea Race has attacked the Arsen continent''s coastline again!" "They''re back? I was just running low on experience points! Mobilize the troops! We''ll wipe them out!" Alex was thrilled. This was perfect timing. "Queen, I suggest you see this for yourself. They have King level combatants this time, nearly a thousand of them. The rest of their troops are at least Monarch level. I believe the Sea Race is serious this time. They might even deploy Emperor level, or even Sovereign level beings." Death Spirit reported respectfully. This time, the Sea Race''s invasion wasn''t as massive as the previous one, but their strength was far greater. Death Spirit was worried that they wouldn''t be able to withstand a Sovereign level attack. If that happened, not only would Lilith perish, but many undead would also be lost. It would be a devastating blow to the undead empire. Alex was taken aback. Was the situation really that dire? Why was the Sea Race making such a bold move? Could they also be aiming to unify the Arsen continent, like her? Alex decided to investigate personally. As she stood up, preparing to depart for the fallen angels'' city with Death Spirit, Xiao Mu entered the hall. "Leader, the northern border of the Arsen continent is under a large-scale Sea Race invasion. Their forces consist of King level and Monarch level beings, and their numbers are vast. It''s highly likely that they''ll deploy even stronger forces this time." Xiao Mu reported the situation. The Titan kingdom''s borders had already expanded north to the edge of the continent. Alex paused. The Sea Race was attacking both sides simultaneously? Regardless of their intentions, this was good news for Alex. As long as they didn''t deploy multiple Sovereign level beings, they were essentially providing free troops for the undead empire. This was a golden opportunity for the undead empire to grow stronger. The Sea Race''s ruler was a fool to think they could outnumber the undead. "Xiao Mu, take Torin and Garethor with you. Death Spirit and I will head to the fallen angels kingdom first." Alex strode out of the hall, and Xiao Mu acknowledged her orders. "Roger that." ... Arsen continent, fallen angels kingdom. Lilith stared at the scene before her, despair filling her heart. Her entire kingdom only had three King level combatants. And they were all newly ascended, at the initial stage. The Sea Race had landed with over a thousand King level troops, and they were intentionally converging on her kingdom. The other coastal areas only faced Monarch level threats. Clearly, their first target was to eliminate the fallen angels kingdom. Although there were some King level undead within the city, Lilith didn''t believe they could defeat the enemy. The difference in numbers and strength was at least a hundredfold! "Do we have to abandon this place?" Lilith was unwilling to give up, but she understood. The Sea Race was relentless. If they withstood this wave, there would be a second, a third, and so on. It would never end. After the elf incident, Lilith had absorbed the remaining elves into the fallen angels kingdom, apart from the dark elves she had given to Alex. Although they were numerous, over a hundred thousand strong, most were only Standard level and Commanding level. The weakest Sea Race troops were Monarch level. They were no match, destined to be slaughtered. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The fallen angels within the city were few in number, mostly newborns, incredibly fragile. "Death Spirit, what''s the situation?" Lilith asked anxiously, her gaze fixed on the approaching Sea Race army. She gripped her weapon, ready to fight. The Sea Race was closing in, and the undead outside wouldn''t hold them off for long. Suddenly, a black streak of energy shot down from the sky, crashing into the heart of the Sea Race army. A shockwave of terrifying power rippled outward, forming a massive black ring. No Sea Race creature within its radius was spared. The moment they touched the energy, they collapsed, dead. In an instant, the Sea Race army was decimated. The Sea Race creatures still landing on the shore and the fallen angels atop the cliff were stunned. "Oh my god, she wiped out over a thousand King level beings with a single attack! I must be hallucinating..." Lilith was speechless, her jaw agape. Alex hovered in the sky, her back to them, her long hair billowing in the wind, like a goddess descending from the heavens. She hadn''t even drawn her weapon! The Sea Race creatures in the ocean hesitated for a moment before charging towards the shore once more, but this time, they were stopped at the water''s edge. The corpses of the tens of thousands of fallen Sea Race creatures had transformed into undead! Over a thousand King level undead, the rest Monarch level! With a single attack, Alex had evened the odds. This time, she hadn''t even deployed her other undead. She had only brought Death Spirit. "Death Spirit, lead the undead towards the coastline. Stop all Sea Race invaders!" With Alex''s command, Death Spirit split into dozens of clones, leading the King level undead towards the other coastal areas. Alex descends from the air to the ground. "Are you alright? This could be serious. The Sea Race might deploy Emperor level beings." Lilith looked at Alex, who had landed beside her, her voice filled with concern. "Emperor level beings?! Why would the Sea Race attack the Arsen continent? There''s nothing here!" "I don''t know. The Sea Race might have other motives." Alex''s presence was no longer needed on the battlefield. She had come here hoping to encounter an Emperor level Sea Race being. "I think there''s another faction involved. The Sea Race''s behavior is too unusual, and the other races are acting strangely as well. The Sea Race is causing such a commotion, yet the major factions seem oblivious." Lilith was puzzled. She could understand why the other races hadn''t reacted last time, but what about now? Both the Holy Court and the humans were acting as if they were asleep, completely unresponsive. If either of them had noticed and intervened, they could have easily repelled the Sea Race. Alex, however, seemed to ignore Lilith''s words, her gaze fixed on the ocean. "An Emperor level Sea Race being is approaching!" Lilith instinctively took a step back. Alex had already vanished, flying towards the Emperor level Sea Race being emerging from the ocean. Although Sea Race creatures were stronger in water, it wouldn''t make a difference against Alex. As long as it wasn''t a Sovereign level being or higher, she was invincible. The Emperor level Sea Race being had the upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish. He was merman, with deep blue skin and a grotesque fish head covered in strange scales. Seeing Alex approaching at high speed, he raised his trident-like weapon. The calm sea churned violently, and a hundred-meter-tall wave rose from the depths, crashing towards Alex. Alex drew her scythe, swinging it gently towards the oncoming wave. Whoosh! The wave split in two. Before the merman could react, a black blade flashed, severing his weapon. He was stunned, quickly transforming into water and merging with the ocean, dodging Alex''s attack. The water surged, carrying him to a safe distance. Swoosh! Merman raised his severed trident, attempting to summon another wave. He knew from their brief exchange that he was no match for Alex. He was merely stalling for time, waiting for reinforcements. "Space sphere!" Alex raised her hand, and the merman froze mid-air, completely immobilized. He stared in horror as a massive black scythe appeared at his throat. "Tell me everything you know!" Alex''s gaze was icy, her aura so powerful that it sent the surrounding King level Sea Race beings flying. "So you''re a survivor. The Mage Guild has fallen. You''ll be buried on this continent forever! Hahaha!" To Alex''s surprise, the Emperor level Merman laughed maniacally, his voice devoid of fear. Alex''s expression hardened. Without another word, she beheaded him. Lilith, too far away to hear their conversation, only saw Alex effortlessly slay an Emperor level being. A terrifying thought crossed her mind. "Could Alex already be at Emperor level?!" As Lilith pondered this, Alex suddenly reappeared beside her, holding the corpse of the merman. "I need to go to Yellowrock City. I''ll send a few Emperor level undead to assist you. Contact me if you need anything." "Okay." Lilith, still bewildered, nodded numbly. Alex dropped the corpse, and a gray magic circle materialized beneath it. The next moment, Alex was gone. Within moments, several Emperor level undead arrived on the battlefield. Lilith had expected only two, but to her astonishment, she counted seven! Seven Emperor level reinforcements! The undead empire had become incredibly powerful, far surpassing the progress of other lords. And this might not even be their full strength. Lilith suddenly realized that the Death Spirit clone, busy summoning corpses nearby, was also at Emperor level! Thanks to Alex''s enhancements, they could even summon Emperor level undead. Facing such a powerful undead empire, the Sea Race was doomed. They had messed with the wrong opponent... Chapter 397 - 397: No one would save a future enemy Meanwhile, within the Southridge Republic. Alex was flying towards Yellowrock City at breakneck speed. Along the way, she passed over human cities, all seemingly untouched by the conflict. This was the heart of the continent, and there was no sign of the Sea Race. But when she arrived at Yellowrock City, she found it in ruins. Three figures clashed fiercely in the sky above. Two Sea Race Sovereign level beings were besieging the president of the Yellowrock City branch. The vice president, whom Alex knew, was gravely injured and out of the fight, lying amidst the rubble, praying for the president''s victory. As a mere Emperor level mage, his survival was a miracle. The president wasn''t faring well either. His mana reserves were dwindling, and fatigue was setting in. The two Sea Race Sovereigns, on the other hand, seemed relaxed, deliberately wearing down their opponent, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike a fatal blow. Tap, tap! S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Footsteps approached, and the vice president, who had been observing the aerial battle, turned his head. He recognized the familiar face and white hair. It was the honorary magus he hadn''t seen in months. "Alyssa, what are you doing here? It''s dangerous! You need to leave the Arsen continent and report to headquarters!" The vice president''s face was etched with worry. This might be their only hope. She had to escape before the two Sea Race Sovereigns noticed her. Alex smiled sweetly, her expression unreadable. "Let me reintroduce myself. I''m not Alyssa. My real name is Alex, and I''m the current ruler of the Undead Empire." The vice president stared at her, speechless. He could sense that Alex''s aura was even stronger than his own. As the vice president, he was well aware of the undead empire. He knew that they had just conquered the Beastman Empire a few days ago. It was said that their powerful undead lord had slain the Sovereign level Archalpha! "You''re from the Eldoria continent?" After a long silence, the bewildered vice president could only manage that single question. He didn''t ask why Alex was here, or why she had joined the Mage Guild. "Yes, I am." The vice president was stunned once more. He couldn''t believe that the ruler of the Undead Empire was a young woman. Alex turned her gaze towards the battle raging above. Three first-stage Sovereign level beings. If she intervened, the Sea Race would surely lose. But she didn''t act immediately. The [Earth] wasn''t on her side. She needed to understand the situation before deciding whether to help them. "Vice President, why is the Sea Race attacking the Mage Guild?" Alex asked, her eyes still fixed on the aerial battle. The vice president pondered for a moment. "The Holy Court completely withdrew from the Arsen continent a few days ago. It seems the Sea Race is targeting the entire continent, so we''ve become their next target." The weary vice president continued, "Two Sovereign level Sea Race beings launched a surprise attack on Yellowrock City, cutting off our retreat. We have no choice but to fight to the death." "Why didn''t you take precautions when the Sea Race attacked the coastline before?" Alex''s voice was laced with suspicion. The vice president''s eyes widened in realization. "It must have been the Holy Court! That explains their strange behavior a few days ago. They were distracting us, suppressing the news of the Sea Race invasion!" He finally understood. The Sea Race wouldn''t deploy Emperor level and Sovereign level beings without careful planning. He had been puzzled before, but now it was clear. They had already tested the waters! "Vice President, the undead and humans have always kept to themselves. I''ll save you, but not him." Alex pointed towards the sky, referring to the president of Yellowrock City. "One last question. Which side are you on?" Alex stepped closer. "Think carefully before you answer. It will determine whether I intervene." The vice president fell silent, struggling to grasp the meaning behind Alex''s words. Then, his eyes widened in shock as realization dawned upon him. Thunder had approached them countless times, asking the same question. But for both him and the president of Yellowrock City, those matters seemed distant and irrelevant. They were practitioners of the earth sphere, simple and honest folk, unconcerned with such grand and abstract concepts. So he replied, "I won''t choose a side. It has nothing to do with us. We only strive for the advancement of humanity. Godhood is something we''ve never even considered." "Good. Your answer has saved his life. No one would save a future enemy." Alex drew her scythe and shot towards the sky. The two Sea Race Sovereign level beings, seeing a young human woman charging towards them, scoffed, dismissing her as a minor nuisance. One of them broke off from the fight, intending to eliminate her swiftly. He thrust his massive trident towards Alex, already picturing her riddled with holes. However, a crisp clang echoed as the trident shattered. The Sea Race Sovereign stared at his broken weapon, his hands trembling. "So careless?" Alex had assumed he would protect his weapon with his sphere. She hadn''t expected him to be so negligent. "Damn you! This might not be the ocean, but my power is beyond your comprehension! I''ll kill you!" Alex responded to the Sea Race Sovereign''s roar by unleashing fourteen spheres of power, channeling them into her scythe. Judging by her appearance, the Sea Race being had naturally assumed she was a mage. And as everyone knew, mages were weak in close combat. Regardless of their level, melee combat was always their Achilles'' heel. But this young woman, a high Emperor level being wielding a scythe, shattered his preconceived notions. The Sea Race Sovereign was immobilized by the overwhelming power of the spheres. He could break free, but it would take time. And with Alex''s speed, that brief moment was more than enough to kill him ten times over! The blade flashed, its image growing larger in the Sea Race Sovereign''s eyes. Without his weapon, he instinctively raised his arm to block. Clang! Just as Alex''s scythe was about to sever his arm, the other Sea Race Sovereign appeared in a flash, his weapon enveloped in sphere energy, intercepting the fatal blow. "This human is unusual. Be careful! Don''t underestimate her!" But when he turned to look at his companion, he was gone. He looked back at his opponent, but the human girl had also vanished! Only her scythe remained, pressing down on his weapon. Suddenly, his antennae twitched frantically. He swatted away the scythe and turned to block an attack from the Yellowrock City president. "You were hiding your true strength?" The Sea Race Sovereign''s face hardened for the first time. Even with the president unleashing his full power, it was still impossible for him to fight them both at once. But now, with his companion gone, it was a different story. He might not be able to defeat the Yellowrock City president alone! The Sea Race Sovereign wanted to flee. That Emperor level human girl was too mysterious. His instincts screamed at him to escape, but he couldn''t abandon his companion. "You stinking fish think you can conquer the land?!" The president unleashed his earth sphere, and the ground trembled beneath them. A wave of terrifying energy crashed towards the Sea Race Sovereign. He gritted his teeth, unable to withstand the full force of the attack. He could only summon his ocean sphere, but this wasn''t the ocean. He couldn''t unleash his full power on land. But it should be enough to hold back the enemy temporarily. With a roar, the Sea Race Sovereign unleashed his power. The vice president, caught off guard, was blown back several meters. He stared in awe as a massive tsunami materialized out of thin air, towering over the dry land. But the next moment, a scene unfolded that he would never forget. Alex reappeared, holding the corpse of the other Sea Race Sovereign! "Oh my god, how is this possible?!" Even if Alex was strong, the vice president had assumed that the Yellowrock City president would be the first to defeat his opponent. Thud! The corpse crashed to the ground, blue blood oozing from the severed neck. Alex summoned her scythe with a flick of her wrist. Without hesitation, she charged towards the remaining Sea Race Sovereign. The vice president wasn''t the only one stunned by this scene. The other two combatants were also closely observing the situation. The key to victory was for one side to break through, tipping the scales in their favor. But when the Sea Race Sovereign witnessed Alex effortlessly slay his companion, he panicked, desperately trying to escape back to the ocean. But this was the heart of the continent, far from the sea. And how could he possibly outrun Alex? Chapter 398 - 398: Undead Race will handle the Sea Race invasion "Thank you for your assistance," the president said, hovering in the air, his gratitude towards Alex genuine. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Both Sea Race Sovereign level beings were dead. Alex was extracting their souls, intending to fuse them through a special method to summon a Sovereign level undead. "You''re welcome. I have a question for you. Do you know my true identity?" Alex replied with a faint smile. The president paused. Judging by this woman''s ability to defeat Sovereign level beings with Emperor level strength, only one possibility came to mind. He exchanged glances with the vice president below, and seeing the confirmation in his eyes, his suspicion was confirmed. "You''re the undead lord?" The president knew that the previous undead lord was human. Looking at this woman, she indeed resembled a human in appearance. "That''s right. And you should also know that I have a reason for saving you." Alex descended slowly, holding the two Sovereign level souls in her hand. The president landed nearby. The vice president immediately approached, whispering something to the president. "I see. Rest assured, we don''t participate in higher-level decisions. That''s precisely why we were transferred to Yellowrock City." "Pfft¡ª" Alex couldn''t help but laugh. "You''re a Sovereign level mage. You got ostracized for being a loner?" "It''s not exactly ostracization. The Arsen continent is resource-poor and strategically insignificant. We weren''t trusted, so we were sent here." The president explained politely. He was a burly middle-aged man with a short beard. Like the vice president, he didn''t wear a mage robe. "Alright, I can help you leave the Arsen continent. But in return, I need you to deliver a message to the Mage Guild." Alex gazed at the horizon, her tone serious. "Tell us." The two men were delighted at the prospect of leaving the Arsen continent. Although they were safe for now, escaping the continent would be difficult in their current situation. The Arsen continent was essentially devoid of major factions. It wouldn''t be long before the Sea Race conquered the entire continent. Their deployment of Sovereign level beings indicated that they were serious this time. "I need you to convey a message to the Mage Guild. The undead race will handle the Sea Race invasion. No other faction needs to intervene." The two men were stunned. They had expected some kind of excessive demand, but this? The undead race dealing with the Sea Race? It was a win-win situation for the Mage Guild. "That''s no problem at all. With Yellowrock City destroyed, constructing a transcontinental teleportation array would be a massive undertaking. The Mage Guild, and all other races, are unwilling to waste the time and resources. We''re grateful for your willingness to shoulder this burden. I speak for all of humanity." The president spoke respectfully. He hadn''t expected the new undead lord to be so selfless. "But what about the civilians in the Southridge Republic?" The vice president voiced his concern, worried about the innocent humans caught in the crossfire. "I can only guarantee your safe passage. As for the Southridge Republic, I''ll do my best. If the Sea Race can threaten the civilians in the heart of the continent, then I''ve already failed." The Southridge Republic had a population of at least 1.5 billion. Evacuating them would be a logistical nightmare, and even if they reached another continent, resettlement would be another challenge. "If such a crisis arises, we won''t stand idly by and watch you fight alone!" "Rest assured, I can handle anything short of the Sea God''s personal intervention." Alex exuded confidence. She wasn''t concerned about first-stage Sovereign level beings. As for second-stage Sovereign level beings, Alex had a plan. Third-stage Sovereign level beings rarely intervened in such matters. They were close to achieving divinity and were focused on their breakthroughs, not petty squabbles. Besides, a top-tier race usually had no more than five third-stage Sovereign level beings. Alex chatted with the two men for a while, learning that the president''s name was Faelan and the vice president''s name was Elric. They had revealed their names, a sign of their goodwill towards Alex. As leaders of the Mage Guild, Faelan and Elric were familiar with the undead race. There had never been any fundamental conflict between the two factions. Moreover, Alex had just saved their lives. After some small talk, Alex asked the crucial question. "The Holy Court left early. Can they still return to the Arsen continent?" Alex''s knowledge of the Holy Court was limited to their early encounters. She hadn''t seen them since. "Knight City was their only stronghold on the Arsen continent. They likely destroyed the teleportation array when they left. But to be safe, we can accompany you and destroy the entire city." Faelan offered his suggestion. Knight City had no civilians, and their relationship with Yellowrock City was distant. They rarely interacted. "In that case, I would appreciate your assistance." "It''s a small matter." The three of them departed from the ruins of Yellowrock City, flying towards Knight City, located on the Republic''s border. But when they arrived, they were stunned. Knight City was in ruins. "It''s been destroyed?" Alex descended slowly, examining the rubble. The debris was damp, and a faint stench of fish lingered in the air. "Could it be the Sea Race?" Elric stared at the ruins, puzzled. But neither Alex nor Faelan shared his suspicion. They still believed in their previous theories. There were only two possibilities. Either the Holy Court had received some kind of warning and fled, deliberately leaving the Mage Guild to suffer the consequences before suppressing the news. A classic case of "if I''m going down, you''re coming with me." Or, this was all a staged act by the Holy Court and the Sea Race. Perhaps they had formed an alliance, with the Sea Race acting as mercenaries against the Mage Guild. Regardless of the truth, it didn''t concern Alex. It wasn''t her problem. Whether the Sea Race remained neutral or not, the undead empire''s expansion would inevitably put them at odds. Alex activated her earth sphere, examining the ruins of Knight City. The two men behind her gasped in astonishment. President Faelan finally understood how she had managed to slay a Sovereign level being. Her mastery of the earth sphere was even greater than his own! Chapter 399 - 399: If youre reading this, I may already be dead Alex quickly determined that Knight City was nothing but a pile of rubble. There were no hidden magic circles or anything of the sort. Moreover, she was incredibly sensitive to light magic. If they had left any traps behind, she would have sensed them immediately. "It seems they''ve completely abandoned this place." Alex decided to have the undead search the rest of the Arsen continent later. There was no guarantee that they hadn''t left something behind. President Faelan remained silent, lost in thought. Constructing a transcontinental teleportation array was a costly endeavor for the Holy Court, both in terms of resources and manpower. They wouldn''t simply abandon it, would they? As the two men watched, Alex retrieved a Fortress Essence Shard and tossed it onto the rubble. Moments later, a massive fortress rose from the ground. "Let''s go. I''ll take you out of here." Alex entered the undead fortress, and the two men quickly followed, stepping into the teleportation array. The world spun around them, and when their vision cleared, they found themselves inside the massive main fortress. It was pitch black, with black mist swirling across the floor. The only light came from a strange rune glowing on a distant wall. In the center of the room stood a massive portal, its destination unknown. Alex didn''t give them time to observe their surroundings. She set the coordinates to the northwestern region of the Eldoria continent, the closest fortress to Hurricane City. She wouldn''t be foolish enough to reveal the locations of her other fortresses. Everyone knew that the north belonged to the undead empire now. Exposing one fortress wouldn''t make a difference. "Gentlemen, this way. The portal leads to the Eldoria continent." Alex gestured towards the portal with a smile. "We are eternally grateful for your assistance. We will remember your words." President Faelan spoke respectfully before stepping into the teleportation array. Alex ignored them and walked out of the main fortress, heading towards the plaza in the city center. She had two Sovereign level souls in her possession. She was contemplating whether to combine them and summon a death angel or attempt to fuse a Death Dragon. But if the fusion failed, she wouldn''t be able to summon a death angel with the remaining soul. Thanks to her summoning sphere, as long as she held the souls in her hand, they wouldn''t dissipate. But she couldn''t hold them forever. At least she had some time to think. "To fuse a Sovereign level undead, the newly created Death Dragon needs to be at least max level Emperor level. Then, by using the soul to master a sphere, there might be a chance for it to ascend to Sovereign level..." Alex pondered the challenge. Moreover, she was currently at Emperor level. She couldn''t directly summon two Sovereign level undead. Although the Death Dragon had a Sovereign level cap, it only meant that its maximum level was first-stage Sovereign level. After all, the path to godhood began at the second stage. Strictly speaking, they were no longer considered Sovereign level beings. Excluding the second and third stages and above, mastering a sphere to perfection was the pinnacle for those below Divine level. After some deliberation, Alex decided to fuse a Death Dragon. She immediately instructed Death Spirit to summon all the King level bone dragons and ghost dragons. The fusion process was smooth. She had already mastered the technique. The challenge lay in integrating the Sovereign level soul at the final stage. As a massive black cloud rose into the sky, a colossal dragon began to take shape within the magic circle. Alex decisively fused one of the Sovereign level souls into it. The Death Dragon''s aura surged, breaking through King level and reaching Emperor level. It was simply grafting another Sovereign level being''s sphere, so mastering it initially was relatively quick. However, the Death Dragon''s level stalled at lv6 Emperor level. "What''s going on?" Alex was puzzled. Was its mastery of the sphere insufficient? Logically, a single Sovereign level soul should have been enough to push it to lv9 Emperor level. Why was it stuck at high Emperor level? As the Death Dragon''s fusion neared completion, Alex glanced at the remaining Sovereign level soul in her hand. She decided to go all in, tossing it into the magic circle. With the second soul integrated, the Death Dragon''s level surged once more, reaching lv9 Emperor level. Powerful sphere energy swirled within the magic circle. As the two spheres fully merged with the Death Dragon, it broke through lv9 Emperor level, reaching first-stage Sovereign level! Alex sighed in relief. She seemed to understand the problem. Perhaps because the Death Dragon was fused from two troop types with an Emperor level cap, it required two souls. Although the fusion was successful, she wasn''t entirely happy. She had concluded that summoning an Emperor level Death Dragon, like a Death Angel, required two souls. And it also required sacrificing two King level Bone Dragons and Ghost Dragons. "It seems I can''t mass-produce Sovereign level units after all. Two souls are required." Alex also had to consider how to preserve a single Sovereign level soul if she encountered an odd number. She couldn''t just hold it in her hand indefinitely. "Well, it''s better than nothing." At least she could summon Sovereign level units now. Otherwise, she would have to wait for her race kings to break through, which could take a long time. By then, the era crisis might be over. "Death Dragon, go support the fallen angels'' city." After issuing the command, Alex decided to check on Xiao Mu. But as she passed by the warehouse, she sensed a faint magical fluctuation emanating from within. "What''s causing that?" She entered the warehouse, her gaze sweeping across the room. She spotted a dusty scroll in the corner, glowing with a white light. "It''s that scroll. There''s writing on it?" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alex approached the scroll, picking it up from the floor. She remembered Edgar giving it to her before he left, saying it contained important information. If not for the magical aura it had just emitted, she would have forgotten about it. "I''m Edgar. If you''re reading this, I may already be dead." Chapter 400 - 400: How about we join forces and pull off something big? Alex paused, her mind reeling. She couldn''t believe it was true. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she continued reading. "I''ve uncovered some truths about this world. You are the current undead lord, and I see ambition in your eyes. We were all wrong. Siding with the system was a mistake. He has the power to create races, leading us to believe he was the original God of Creation of this planet. The ideal scenario was to help him devour the World''s Heart. Thankfully, he (the previous undead lord) failed. Otherwise, the consequences would have been dire. Planet Astralon might be just a plaything to him. If he were to gain control, his next step might be to move on to other worlds, continuing his cycle of devouring. Of course, this is just my speculation..." Alex stood alone in the warehouse, murmuring to herself as she absorbed the information. She already knew the rest of what Edgar had written, mostly about the truth behind the World''s Heart and the system. Edgar probably didn''t know that Alex had already reached Emperor level and was just a step away from Sovereign level. He hadn''t mentioned his cause of death, perhaps because he didn''t have time, or perhaps it wasn''t important. But Alex suspected he had been killed while investigating. "Although the previous undead lord''s death was shrouded in mystery, I''ve uncovered some clues. It was a conspiracy, a reaction from the major races after they learned he had sided with the system. Those confirmed to be involved include: Fire, one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians; the Silver Dragon chieftain of the dragon race; and the Knight Champion of the Holy Court. There might be others, but I''m not sure yet. There might be some neutral factions involved, but I suspect most of them are on the World''s Heart''s side. I''ve also learned something about the continent''s core of will. The reason why we can''t travel between continents isn''t because the Endless Sea is dangerous. It''s because there''s a barrier of will between the continents, a manifestation of the World''s Heart''s power. It''s what isolates the seven continents. Gods, having partially broken free from his control, can easily cross between continents. I suspect that only by destroying the core of will can we eliminate these barriers. The World''s Heart is suspected to be located in the depths of the ocean. I hope you can achieve this. And finally, be wary of the dragon race!" The message ended abruptly. Alex stared at the scroll, overwhelmed by the information. Edgar was dead. No one knew where or how he had died. "He warned me to be wary of the dragon race?" Alex was puzzled. The dragon race, like the Mage Guild, should be divided into multiple factions. Why didn''t he specify which dragon race to be wary of? Something didn''t add up. As for the core of will, its secrets would be revealed when she unified the Arsen continent. The scroll had served its purpose. With Edgar''s message revealed after his death, it was now just an ordinary piece of parchment. Alex held it in her hand, a flame erupting from her fingertips, reducing it to ashes. She knew a lot about the Mage Guild, but her knowledge of the dragon race was limited. She only knew of four dragon races: Sky Dragons, Azure Dragons, Rock Dragons, and Lava Dragons. Adding the Silver Dragons mentioned in Edgar''s message, that made five. She didn''t even know which race currently ruled the dragon race. Time wasn''t pressing, so Alex sat in the main hall, pondering Edgar''s message. As she was lost in thought, Death Spirit floated into the hall. "Queen, there''s a mage outside the Dark Forest requesting an audience with you. I can''t discern his level or strength." Death Spirit''s report snapped Alex back to reality. She was puzzled. She had just sent Faelan and Elric away. Why was another mage here? They certainly weren''t here to express their gratitude. "Alright, I''ll go see him." Alex flew towards the edge of the Dark Forest. No one should know about the undead Imperial Capital hidden within. The northern region of the Eldoria continent was vast. How had this mage managed to find this place so precisely? Alex was curious about his identity. As she reached the edge of the Dark Forest, she finally saw the visitor. She didn''t recognize him. He was a young man with green hair and large earrings. He was wearing a suit, which looked oddly out of place with his overall appearance. "Hey there, beautiful. Are you mesmerized by my handsomeness?" the man asked with a smile. Alex: ??? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You make me want to puke, thanks." "I know, most beautiful women are shy. Allow me to introduce myself. I''m Wind, one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians. You must have met Thunder, right? Isn''t he less handsome than me?" Wind said confidently, although Alex couldn''t fathom where his confidence came from. "He also didn''t mention that you''re insane..." Alex was speechless. He didn''t even need to hide his identity. Anyone could tell that this Wind was also a lord. If not for his immense power, other races would have killed him long ago. "Ah~" Wind wagged his finger. "You misunderstand. Geniuses who aren''t widely recognized are often mistaken for lunatics." "Can you cut to the chase? Tell me why you''re here. How does Thunder even tolerate you?" Alex was getting impatient. It wasn''t that she disrespected him. It was just that his behavior was baffling. "Thunder? He''s just a brute. In this situation, he would probably punch me in the face. Why don''t you give it a try?" Wind flipped his green hair, smoothing it with his hand. Alex turned and walked away, ignoring him. Wind panicked, hurrying after her. "Hey, hey, hey, beautiful, don''t leave! I''m here on serious business." "Speak." Alex glared at him, her voice cold. "How about we join forces and pull off something big?" Wind seemed to realize that Alex didn''t appreciate his theatrics and adopted a more serious tone. "How big?" "Let''s take down all the Angel race strongholds on the Eldoria continent. I''ve had it with those bastards!" Chapter 401 - 401: A simple and brute-force plan "What''s their strength?" Alex asked, recalling that the Angel race had three branches on the Eldoria continent, with one located right in the center. Although Wind''s attire was strange, he was clearly not a coward. She had always assumed that humans would only retaliate after the Angel race attacked. She hadn''t expected them to strike first. "They have two first-stage Sovereigns and one third-stage Sovereign. I don''t have enough manpower, so I came to you." Wind shrugged. Alex sensed something was amiss. "You''re not acting on your own, are you?" She wouldn''t put it past this lunatic to do something like that. "Of course not. The Archpresident approved this operation. But we have to keep it under wraps. Mobilizing forces from headquarters might alert the enemy." Alex understood. Wind suspected that there might be Angel race spies within the Mage Guild headquarters. The Archpresident had approved his plan but couldn''t provide support. He had to figure it out on his own. "Alright." Alex was relieved. Wind seemed somewhat reliable when it mattered. But another thought occurred to her. "What about Thunder? Aren''t you worried about retaliation from the Angel race?" "Nope, nope, nope. You''re someone we can trust, so I''ll let you in on a little secret." Wind wagged his finger, leaning closer with a mischievous grin. "We''re going to abandon Thunder City. Thunder will escort everyone back to headquarters. And the moment the Archpresident receives my message, he''ll destroy the Angel race branch on the Arcadia continent." So the Mage Guild was launching a preemptive strike, aiming to eliminate the Angel race branches on two continents! The humans were serious this time. "I see. I''m in." But they had to act quickly. The Sea Race battlefield might present new challenges. "When do we strike?" "Tonight, at midnight. You and the branch president will handle the two branches in the south. I''ll take care of the central one. The Holy Church will keep the other factions occupied." Wind''s plan was simple and straightforward: a direct assault on the three Holy Cities. The sooner they acted, the better. "We have an inside man in the Angel Holy City. We''ll infiltrate the city and destroy the Sacred Pool in the main city''s plaza, cutting off their teleportation." "Alright, I understand. It''s a simple, brute-force plan." Alex glanced at the sky. It was still early. She didn''t want to bring Wind to the undead Imperial Capital. She decided to use this opportunity to assess the Holy Church''s strength. After all, if Wind was confident in killing a third-stage Sovereign level angel, he must be incredibly powerful. "Why aren''t the Holy Church''s Sovereign level beings participating in the war? Are there other factors at play?" "You should know that the Angel race relies on faith to achieve godhood. I''ve tasked them with killing all the angels. That way, the third-stage angel''s strength will gradually weaken, giving me a chance to kill him." "And after this battle..." Alex asked, her voice grave. "Don''t worry, you can have all the enemy souls. That''s how the undead race grows stronger." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No, that''s not what I meant." Alex interrupted him. Wind paused, quickly understanding her concern. "That''s right. The enraged Angel race will retaliate. All the races are prepared. The era crisis is coming." As expected, everything was proceeding according to plan. But it was happening sooner than anticipated, and the humans were the ones initiating the conflict. "Here, take this. When it glows, it means it''s time." Wind handed Alex a small, transparent orb before turning to leave. "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be on my way." "Okay. Hurry along, then." Alex nodded, dismissing him. "So cold! I''m one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians! Can''t you be a little nicer to me?" Wind grumbled before vanishing. Alex ignored him and returned to the undead Imperial Capital to prepare. Although her target was only one Holy City, there was always a chance of unforeseen circumstances. She had to be cautious. If the Angel race was eliminated, the humans would dominate the Eldoria continent. The humans were already stronger than the Angel race. Why did they need the undead''s help? Could this be a gesture of goodwill from the humans and the Holy Church towards Alex? ... Alex arrived at the Arsen continent. Her summoning sphere possessed abilities similar to Death Spirit''s. She needed to mark all her Emperor level undead so she could summon them directly to the Angel race''s Holy City. Undead like the Reaper Guards and Death Spirit, who had their own teleportation abilities, didn''t need to be marked. Most importantly, she had to mark the Death Dragon, her Sovereign level undead. The death angel was a fused troop type. Apart from Alex and Xiao Hui, neither Death Spirit nor Torin could summon them. But this operation would result in the deaths of countless angels. Alex wouldn''t let those precious souls go to waste. She quickly marked all her Emperor level undead and gave Death Spirit some instructions, asking him to relay them to the others. Then, she returned to the undead Imperial Capital and headed south, alone. Cliffside Mountain, undead fortress. Alex materialized on the familiar cliff, the waves crashing against the rocks, creating a soothing rhythm. Everything seemed peaceful and serene. She opened her map, studying the locations of the two Angel race branches. Wind had assigned her the eastern branch, the one that had sent angels to pursue Torin. This undead fortress was roughly equidistant from both branches. But the eastern branch required crossing the Skyreach Mountains, while the western branch lay beyond Eternal Night City. It seemed these two branches were strategically positioned to counter those two factions. Speaking of which, the werewolves and vampires had been quiet for a while. Had they joined forces with the angels? Alex shook her head. Werewolves and angels were already at odds, and vampires were inclined towards darkness. Besides, humans would not allow the angel race to absorb them. Having determined her course, Alex set off. Chapter 402 - 402: Kill every enemy in sight On the northern border of the Skyreach Mountains, nestled within a small town, Alex blended seamlessly into the surroundings, her invisibility skill concealing her presence. This town was the closest settlement to the stronghold of the Angel Holy City. Werewolves typically preferred the seclusion of forests, making this town a likely strategic outpost built to counter the encroaching Angel race. Observing the werewolves going about their daily lives, Alex found herself reminiscing about a distant past. All she had to do now was wait for nightfall and then make her way to the Holy City. With an inside man aiding her infiltration, Alex wondered if the Angel race''s methods of detecting extraterrestrial visitors would still be effective against her. She perched on a rooftop, taking a short nap as she patiently awaited the arrival of darkness. She had already assessed the werewolves in this town. The strongest among them was only at the Lv1 Emperor level, posing no threat to her concealment. As night fell, Alex rose and set off towards the Angel race branch. Moments after her departure, a burly werewolf materialized on the rooftop, gazing intently in the direction she had vanished, its mind seemingly preoccupied with unknown thoughts. ... The Holy City was impressive in size, but it paled in comparison to the floating Holy City at the heart of the Eldoria continent. The most striking difference was that this city was grounded, its foundations firmly rooted in the earth. Even under the cloak of night, the city emanated a faint golden glow, radiating an aura of divine sanctity. The city gates were sealed shut, an invisible barrier seemingly encasing the entire city, rendering its interior impenetrable to prying eyes. Unable to see the angels within, Alex relied on her invisibility to approach the city''s edge. She suspected that the golden film enveloping the city wasn''t a shield but an alarm system. The slightest touch would likely trigger an immediate response from the angels within. Instead of rushing in, Alex took out a piece of paper, inscribed a coded message on it with magic, and set it ablaze. Moments later, a figure emerged from a side gate, approaching the city''s outskirts. Alex spotted him and walked towards him. The man showed no surprise at her sudden appearance, bowing respectfully. "At your service, Leader. I await Wind''s instructions." "You can get me inside the city?" Alex looked at him questioningly. The man was dressed in white robes, his head bowed like a devout believer. "Leader, take this. It will shield you from the Holy City''s radiance, allowing you to enter undetected." Alex accepted the badge-like object, its holy light aura repulsive to her senses. The inside man led her towards the city. As expected, the golden energy parted before them, creating a human-sized tunnel. "Leader, I can only take you this far. Without this badge, I would be detected if I went any further." The inside man stopped at the edge of the barrier. Alex nodded, watching him disappear. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once inside the city, Alex suppressed her aura and reactivated her invisibility. The city''s interior was a stark contrast to its exterior. The buildings were densely packed, the streets narrow, crowded, and filthy. The outer city was shrouded in darkness, the only light emanating from the towering palace in the center, radiating a holy glow. Garbage littered the streets, alleys, and corners. Alex sensed countless life forms within the cramped buildings. Many civilians lived within the Holy City, but Alex sensed no holy light within them. They were essentially no different from humans. The living conditions of human and Angel race civilians were worlds apart. "So this is the Angel race? Not as impressive as I imagined." Alex murmured, making her way towards the grand palace in the city center. Her first objective was to destroy the Sacred Pool that facilitated the teleportation of angels. Then, she would deal with the Sovereign level angel within the city. As she ventured deeper, the city''s appearance changed dramatically. The streets became wider, the ground spotless. Even the walls seemed to radiate a faint holy light aura, a stark contrast to the outer city. The grand palace in the center was circular, surrounded by towering structures. The Sacred Pool lay within the inner circle, enclosed by these buildings. It was this pool that powered the entire Holy City, giving it its holy aura. Alex didn''t know where the Sovereign level angel was, nor did she dare to approach recklessly. Although she was powerful, her actual level was still Emperor level. Even with invisibility, there was a risk of being detected if she entered the angel''s perception range. She decided to wait for Wind''s signal, hiding a short distance from the palace. With her darkness sphere, destroying the Sacred Pool would be child''s play. Time seemed to crawl by. Alex guessed that several hours had passed, but she couldn''t be sure. She could only wait for the orb in her hand to glow, signaling the start of the operation. Suddenly, she felt a warmth in her hand. She looked down and saw the orb emitting a faint yellow light! Before she could react, the palace before her erupted in a blinding golden light. A thick beam of light shot up from the Sacred Pool, piercing the sky. The entire palace lit up, and countless angels poured out, preparing to enter the beam of light. Alex was surprised by the Angel race''s swift reaction. It seemed there was some kind of connection between the Sacred Pools. It was time to act. Alex teleported to the center of the palace complex, appearing at the edge of the Sacred Pool. She unleashed a wave of black energy, like ink dripping into the pool. Instantly, the entire pool was tainted, its golden light extinguished. The angels, who had leaped into the beam of light, fell through empty space, staring at the Sacred Pool in confusion. A beautiful woman stood at the edge of the pool, smiling at them! The angels charged towards Alex, and a terrifying power erupted from the city, shaking its very foundations. Buildings in the outer city collapsed. The Sovereign level angel had arrived! "Are you courting death?" Angel''s voice, usually devoid of emotion, was laced with rage. Alex remained calm. A massive gray magic circle materialized behind her. A colossal Death Dragon emerged from the circle, its aura equally formidable! But that wasn''t all. Several Emperor level beings followed the Death Dragon. "Undead!" The surrounding angels gasped. Even the Sovereign level angel was puzzled by the undead''s presence. But his ingrained hatred for the undead left him no time for contemplation. He rallied all the angels in the city, ordering them to attack! Alex smirked, rising into the air. "Kill every enemy in sight!" Chapter 403 - 403: Alpha werewolf Instantly, several Emperor level undead charged towards the surrounding angels. This was just a branch of the Angel race. Even with a Sovereign level being present, there couldn''t be more than five Emperor level angels. The Death Dragon clashed with the Six-winged Angel high in the sky. Both were first-stage Sovereigns, their powers evenly matched due to their opposing attributes. The six-winged angel had never encountered a creature like this before, a being that seemed both dragon and undead. The other four Emperor level angels were also surrounded, the undead focusing on incapacitating them rather than killing them. This was, of course, at Alex''s instruction. She intended to transform all the angels in the Holy City into death angels! Alex raised her arm, unleashing a massive wave of gray energy that instantly enveloped the entire city. The golden radiance that had bathed the city was devoured by a strange, dark energy, like a light bulb suddenly going out. The six-winged angel, sensing Alex''s actions, was stunned. He tried to intervene, but the Death Dragon wouldn''t give him the chance. The next moment, agonizing screams echoed throughout the city. The six-winged angel knew it was the ordinary angels suffering. Civilians, lacking holy light within them, couldn''t be transformed into death angels. But they had been thoroughly brainwashed, willing to sacrifice everything for the Angel race. Alex wouldn''t spare them either. She transformed them into ordinary undead. One by one, the holy angels, radiating golden light, turned black, their energy corrupted into darkness. "What''s happening?" The six-winged angel''s face hardened. He had never imagined that someone could transform living angels into undead creatures! The undead lord''s abilities was beyond comprehension. Undead Race had to be eradicated! He made up his mind. Even if it meant dying here, he had to relay this information. He spread his six wings, holy light illuminating the land. His entire body began to glow as he raised his holy sword, preparing for a final, desperate clash with the Death Dragon. Suddenly, he noticed the human girl standing behind him, a massive scythe in her hand, a smile playing on her lips, like a Grim Reaper. ... Meanwhile, the presidents of Hurricane City and Yellowrock City were engaged in fierce battles with the Angel race at the other branch. Their tactics were simpler yet more complex than Alex''s. They had led a direct assault on the Angel Holy City with their mages. The King level angels were dealt with by the mages, while the two vice presidents, both high Emperor level mages, handled the Emperor level angels. As for the Sovereign level six-winged angel, both presidents had joined forces, unleashing their full power from the start, determined to kill him. The Holy City was reduced to rubble under the onslaught of wind and earth magic. The sheer destructive power of their assault even reached Eternal Night City in the south. Holy Church knights had surrounded the city, preventing the angels from escaping. The representative of the Holy Church on the Eldoria continent was initially an entity at the Emperor level. However, due to a schism within the Holy Court, the Angel race had lost control over their information network. A knight captain from the Holy Church, a prominent figure among humans and a first-stage Sovereign level being, had been secretly dispatched to this location. Suddenly, several dark figures streaked across the night sky, leaving trails of shadows in their wake. Bang! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A massive silver sword slammed into the ground, sending out a silver shockwave. "Halt! One more step, and I''ll consider you Angel race spies. My blade will grant you eternal slumber!" A deep voice boomed from the ground. The figures in the sky froze. "It''s a Sovereign level knight captain..." The vampire''s face darkened. The humans had anticipated their move and sent someone to intercept them. He contemplated engaging the knight, but as fellow first-stage Sovereigns, the outcome was uncertain. Perhaps he could use his speed to escape. "Hey, knight, mind if I take care of these bloodsuckers?" Heavy footsteps echoed through the night, and a burly figure emerged from the darkness, approaching the standoff. The vampires trembled, their blood running cold, every cell in their bodies screaming in terror. "Alpha werewolf!" The Sovereign level vampire didn''t hesitate. He turned and fled, abandoning his companions. He was out of luck. This werewolf was the true ruler of the Skyreach Mountains, a third-stage Sovereign level being! "Be my guest." The Holy Church knight replied politely, his hands still gripping his sword hilt, standing motionless as if guarding this location was his sole purpose. "Thanks." The alpha werewolf grinned, revealing his sharp fangs. The next moment, he vanished into the night. The opportunity to slay a Vampire Prince (Sovereign level) from Eternal Night City stirred something within him, awakening a long-dormant primal instinct. It seemed his decision had been the right one. All the factions believed that the Alpha Werewolf was in seclusion, attempting to break through to Divine level. But he had ended his seclusion after hearing certain rumors. He finally understood why Eternal Night City had suddenly deployed a vampire prince tonight. The long-standing animosity between the humans and the Angel race had erupted. The vampires were suspected of colluding with the Angel race. This gave the Alpha Werewolf a perfect excuse to wage war against Eternal Night City. "So that woman I saw in the Skyreach Mountains was the undead lord?" The Alpha Werewolf grabbed the severely injured vampire prince, his claws piercing the vampire''s neck, ending his life. After dealing with the vampires, he paused, lost in thought, before turning and racing back towards the Skyreach Mountains. He would use this opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Eternal Night City while the vampires were still reeling! ... The battle at the heart of the continent was the most brutal. Wind was injured, the enemy proving to be more formidable than he had anticipated. But the six-winged angel guarding this Holy City was also in bad shape. His wings were broken, golden blood dripping onto the ground below. "Wind, you''re provoking a war with the Angel race! Your actions will doom all of humanity!" The six-winged angel roared in fury. Wind had entered the city under the pretense of negotiation, launching a surprise attack the moment he stepped inside. The four-winged angels (Emperor level) were no match for a third-stage Sovereign level being and were swiftly slain. The human mages were now rampaging through the city, slaughtering angels. The six-winged angel, feeling his faith power dwindling, knew that defeat was inevitable. Moreover, the other branches hadn''t sent reinforcements, indicating that they were also under attack. This was a well-planned operation by the humans! "Fuck you! Shut the hell up!" Wind''s verbal assault was as relentless as his physical attacks. Chapter 404 - 404: The truth behind this world Dawn broke, painting the eastern horizon with hues of pale orange and pink. Alex surveyed the numerous death angels, a satisfied smile gracing her lips. This battle had yielded a bountiful harvest: one Sovereign level, four Emperor level, and countless King and Monarch level undead. The Angel Holy City remained intact but stood eerily silent, a ghost town devoid of life. She wasn''t worried about the battle at the other branch. A two-on-one fight was a guaranteed victory. Her only concern was Wind. If he failed, the entire Eldoria continent would face the wrath of the Angel race. Just as she turned her gaze northward, a massive bolt of lightning, reminiscent of Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods, struck from the sky! She had a feeling that was the location of the Eldoria continent''s core. An undead fortress materialized within the Holy City, and Alex swiftly recalled all her undead, sending them back to the Sea Race battlefield. She then teleported to the other Angel branch. Wind had promised her the souls. The president of Hurricane City, Liora, wasn''t a lord. She was the daughter of a lord and a native human. The battle here had long ended. Liora and President Faelan of Yellowrock City were waiting for her. Alex arrived shortly after. She looked around and realized the battle here must have been intense. The entire city was in ruins. Liora greeted Alex with a warm smile, reminiscent of their first encounter. "Should I address you as Miss Alyssa or Lord Alex?" Liora teased, clearly still annoyed about being deceived for so long. "Either is fine." Alex smiled politely. "It wasn''t my intention to hide my name. Blame Eldrin." Knowing Eldrin as she did, Liora instantly understood. But Wind and Thunder had known all along. She was Wind''s confidante, yet she was the last to know. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Faelan quickly steered the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Lord Alex, the angel''s body is over there." Alex walked over and examined the corpse. The soul had already dissipated. It had only been a few hours. It seemed Sovereign level souls had a very short lifespan. Death angels could only be transformed from living angels. For deceased souls, she would need Xiao Hui''s companion weapon. "The Sovereign level soul has dissipated. I can''t summon it anymore." Alex explained, but she wasn''t disappointed. She had anticipated this outcome. At least the other angels in the city were still viable. With the two presidents present, Alex didn''t bother concealing her abilities. She unleashed her summoning sphere. "What''s that strange sphere?" Liora and Faelan looked puzzled. They had never witnessed how undead were summoned. Soon, all the angel corpses in the city transformed into undead. One by one, they rose from the rubble. Alex didn''t specify or control the types of undead summoned; they appeared randomly. There were massive bone dragons, ethereal specters floating in the air, and bewildered skeleton soldiers standing on the ground. Once all the undead were summoned, Alex erected an undead fortress, providing a way for them to return to the northern continent. These two fortresses also served another purpose: as staging grounds for future attacks on the Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City. The three of them returned to Hurricane City. Alex had intended to part ways here, but she wanted to check on the situation at the central Holy City. Upon arriving in Hurricane City, she met Wind. He seemed to be injured, but his usual flippant demeanor remained unchanged. "Hey there, beautiful. I might be injured, but seeing you makes me feel all better." Wind flipped his hair, which had been messed up during the battle. He had even used wind magic to style it. Alex''s lips twitched, but she remained silent. The others were used to his antics. Besides Wind, she also saw a familiar face and a stranger. The familiar face was Thunder. It seemed that lightning bolt had been his doing. Alex could still sense the residual energy of that attack, even from this distance. The stranger was a Templar Knight, or rather, a Holy Church Knight now, also their ally. There were five Sovereign level beings present, two of them at the third stage. It was a formidable lineup. "The Angel race''s influence on the Eldoria continent is gone. But to make the continent''s core of will appear, we need the consent of the other two races." Thunder stepped forward, explaining the situation to Alex. Compared to the unreliable Wind, Thunder seemed much more dependable. "What do you mean?" Alex was confused. She had always assumed that the core of will was hidden somewhere on the continent, waiting to be found. But Thunder''s words suggested it wasn''t that simple. "The core of will only appears after the continent is unified. But there''s another way: if all the races acknowledge a single race''s dominance over the continent." Wind explained on Thunder''s behalf. "That sounds vague and mystical." There was no specific ritual or method, leaving Alex puzzled. "Don''t worry. The World''s Heart has no conscious will. Once you unify the continent, it will appear automatically. You can then choose to destroy it or absorb it." That was all Thunder knew. At least, that''s what the intelligence reports said. But Wind raised a question. "That''s what they say, but has anyone ever actually destroyed a core of will?" "Yes, he (the previous undead lord) did." "Huh? You mean he was attacked by all the races because he destroyed a core of will?" "Not necessarily. It''s just a theory." Alex pondered this. If it was true, she would have to reconsider whether to destroy the core of will. After all, she would be no match for a third-stage Sovereign level being. "I understand. But the Skyreach Mountains (werewolves) and Eternal Night City (vampires) are also formidable forces. After tonight, this world might undergo a drastic change. I need to become stronger as soon as possible." Alex spoke with a newfound sense of urgency. Her spheres were already perfected. She had to break through to Sovereign level and find a way to ignite her divine fire. The others listened silently to their conversation. This was the first time they had learned so much about the truth behind this world. Chapter 405 - 405: Time is running out Alex left Hurricane City with a heavy heart. Now that most members of the Mage Guild knew her true identity, no one stopped her. As Thunder and Wind had said, unifying the Eldoria continent was still too difficult for Alex. Besides gaining the humans'' approval, she also needed to conquer or gain the approval of the werewolves and vampires. She was no match for a third-stage Sovereign level being on her own, and the relentless Sea Race on the Arsen continent showed no signs of letting up. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moreover, the Angel race would surely retaliate for the destruction of their branches on the Eldoria continent. The undead empire wouldn''t be spared. In the evening, Alex received a report from the Liberty Church. The alpha werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains had led a surprise attack on Eternal Night City the previous night, plunging the two races into all-out war! Alex was taken aback. She had just been contemplating how to deal with these two races, and now they were fighting each other. But it wasn''t surprising. The werewolves and vampires had a long-standing feud. They were sworn enemies, and war was inevitable. Two days passed quickly. News of the two Sovereign level Sea Race beings'' deaths must have reached their leaders. The Sea Race could escalate their attacks and deploy even stronger forces at any moment. Alex had to be prepared. The entire Arsen continent had become a battleground between the undead race and the Sea Race. If the Sea Race went all out, the undead race wouldn''t be able to withstand them. After two days of contemplation, Alex finally made up her mind. Perhaps she could contact the dragon race. If they wanted to cooperate, the condition was that they send a third-stage Sovereign level dragon to help her deal with the Sea Race threat. But the time wasn''t right yet. The Sea Race had only shown signs of escalating their attacks. They hadn''t taken any concrete actions. Alex''s priority was to break through to Sovereign level, which she estimated would take a few more days. She also had to deal with the system issue before igniting her divine fire. Otherwise, it might have unforeseen consequences. "Damn it, time is running out." Alex was worried. She and Sophie were the only living beings in the vast undead Imperial Capital. Everyone else was on the Arsen continent. Two Sovereign level souls could only summon one Sovereign level undead. This had created a bottleneck in the undead race''s development, limiting their ability to rapidly increase their high-end combat power. Alex, stripped down to her underwear, lay in bed, her mind heavy with worries. ... At 3:00 AM, Alex jolted awake. She threw on a nightgown and walked to the window. The red moon hung high in the sky. Dawn was still hours away, but she couldn''t fall back asleep. A sense of foreboding washed over her, a premonition of impending danger. Perhaps something had happened on the Sea Race battlefield on the Arsen continent. She hurried downstairs, barefoot, and walked out of the palace, descending the steps towards the warehouse. Her gaze swept across the vast warehouse, finally landing on a small, transparent orb in the corner where she stored special items. "I''m glad I didn''t throw this away." She picked up the orb, a sense of relief washing over her. With this, she could contact the Mage Guild at any time. If a major crisis arose, at least the undead empire wouldn''t need to rely on other races for help. It would allow her to weather this difficult period. "Death Spirit, recall the Death Dragon. Keep a close eye on the Sea Race and report any unusual activity immediately!" Alex, clad in her thin nightgown, stood barefoot in the cold wind, addressing the empty, dark plaza. A moment later, a Death Spirit clone materialized before her. "As you wish, Queen." Alex''s worries were somewhat eased, but there were still two major threats: the Alpha Werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains and the Vampire Antediluvian of Eternal Night City, both third-stage Sovereign level beings. It wasn''t just their power that worried her. It was the fact that she had no idea when they might ascend to godhood. "I need to deal with them as soon as possible..." Alex murmured, walking back towards the palace. Death Spirit vanished, and the undead Imperial Capital fell silent once more. Meanwhile, on the Valoria continent, in the endless abyss. Satan had just slain a King level demon. After examining its chaotic memories, he learned that the demon had been a messenger. The message was simple: The undead race and the humans have joined forces to eliminate all Angel race strongholds on the Eldoria continent. The era crisis is upon us! Satan was stunned. He hadn''t slept all night, his mind racing. "The Eldoria continent, the undead race?" At first, he didn''t see anything unusual about it. But Earl, standing beside him, casually remarked, "It''s gotta be her, right? There aren''t any other undead races around." Earl was just stating the obvious. He had never encountered any other undead besides Alex. "Man, stop!" Cain quickly pulled the honest Earl aside, facepalming. Why did he have to tell him that? "Argh! Alex, you''re insane!" As expected, Satan went ballistic, his screams echoing through the silent abyss. After venting his frustration, he turned to Earl, his eyes narrowed. "Tell me, what''s the strength of an Angel race branch?!" "Emperor level or Sovereign level, I guess!" Earl stammered, taking a step back. "Sovereign level? What''s a Sovereign level? Is it stronger than Emperor level? I''m about to become an Emperor level man!" "A Sovereign level being could probably crush an Emperor level being with a single finger..." Earl replied helpfully, scratching his head. "Man, shut up." Cain quickly covered Earl''s mouth, exchanging a look with him. ''Why are you being so blunt? Just humor him! Tell him that Sovereign level and Emperor level are similar, not that different.'' ''Shouldn''t we tell him the truth? What if he encounters a real Sovereign level being in the future?'' "What are you two whispering about?" Satan approached them, pulling them apart. "You don''t think I''m discouraged, do you?" Earl nodded, his expression saying "Yep, you are." Cain shook his head frantically, his eyes conveying his unwavering support for Satan. As they were talking, a blinding light erupted from the abyss above, illuminating the night sky. The golden light vanished as quickly as it appeared. The three of them stood frozen, speechless. Only Satan''s pupils constricted, understanding the significance of that light. Boom! Boom! A series of deafening roars followed, and several terrifying auras washed over them, sending shivers down their spines. Earl and Cain didn''t recognize the auras, but Satan knew them all too well. It was the aura of powerful demons. "Recall all demons and servants within the abyss! Activate the alchemy magic circle!" Satan was always serious when it came to important matters. The other two knew this well. At least in critical moments, he still possessed some rationality and the ability to make sound decisions. Satan stood there, a mix of emotions swirling within him. He hadn''t expected this crisis to arrive so soon. "The Demon race and the Titan race are at war!" Chapter 406 - 406: The Angel races retaliation In the heart of the Arcadia continent lies a majestic empire made up of interconnected cities, at the center of which stands the headquarters of the Mage Guild. This was the Elemental Empire. At its heart stood a towering palace, piercing the clouds, its surface shimmering with elemental energies. From its peak, even an ordinary person could survey the entire empire. The Archpresident of the Mage Guild, a third-stage Sovereign level being on the cusp of godhood, was holding a meeting in his chambers. All the core members were present: the Seven Guardians, the presidents and vice presidents of the seven continental branches, the presidents of the ordinary branches, and several cabinet members of the Elemental Empire. Dozens of individuals, all high Emperor level or above, gathered to discuss how to deal with the Angel race''s inevitable retaliation. The Archpresident had acted decisively, recalling everyone to prevent their forces from being scattered. Although the guild was divided into two factions, they all shared a deep hatred for the Angel race. No one objected to this war. In fact, they had been itching for a fight! The Angel race had lost seven Sovereign level beings and over twenty Emperor level beings in the humans'' surprise attack. They wouldn''t take this lying down. Retaliation was certain. Sovereign level beings were the absolute leaders of their races, their strongest combatants, their future pillars, all with the potential to achieve godhood. Especially third-stage Sovereign level beings, who were just a step away from becoming Divine! Just at that moment, the entire Arcadia continent began to tremble. The top-secret meeting was only halfway through when the entire continent shook. Seven pillars of light, reaching towards the heavens, illuminated the night sky, turning it as bright as day. The seven pillars, located in seven different directions, were rapidly converging on the Elemental Empire. Within each pillar, angel could be seen, but unlike ordinary angels, these all had eight wings! The commotion alerted everyone in the palace. The Archpresident stood up, his gaze fixed on the approaching pillars. The others looked on in fear. The Angel race''s magic circles had been destroyed. They had flown here directly from the Nytheria continent! The Angel race''s retaliation had arrived, and they had brought seven pseudo-gods. "Archpresident, they''re trying to force our Divine Mage to intervene, to get him banished by the World''s Heart!" Thunder exclaimed, his voice laced with urgency. "Indeed. We cannot disturb the Divine Mage. He has more important matters to attend to. We must face this ourselves." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Archpresident turned to the Seven Guardians, his expression unreadable. The others looked bewildered. How could they possibly face seven pseudo-gods without the Divine Mage''s help? "For the Elemental Empire and the Mage Guild, we are willing to sacrifice everything!" The Seven Guardians knelt on one knee, pledging their loyalty. They were: Wind, Thunder, Fire, Earth, Water, Natural, and Shadow. All seven were third-stage Sovereign level beings, the pinnacle of power within the Elemental Empire and the Mage Guild. If they worked together, pseudo-gods would be no match for them, unless they encountered a true god. True gods were incredibly rare in this world. Even the Seven Guardians, the alpha werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains, and the vampire Antediluvian of Eternal Night City, all aspired to become true gods. But reality was cruel. They had been stuck at the third stage of Sovereign level for centuries, unable to complete their God''s Path. Now, they had to make a choice. For the sake of the Elemental Empire and the Mage Guild, they had to abandon their ultimate goal of becoming true gods. "The Elemental Empire is recognized by the World''s Heart. We shall establish a divine kingdom, using the power of faith to help the Seven Guardians ascend to godhood!" The Archpresident''s voice boomed throughout the empire. The mages within the empire stopped what they were doing, their gazes drawn towards the palace. The four massive walls surrounding the empire radiated a golden light, forming a shield that blocked the seven Pseudo-god Angels. Establishing a divine kingdom and gaining the World''s Heart''s recognition was a process that couldn''t be interrupted. It was a form of unconscious protection from the World''s Heart for its followers. Of course, the World''s Heart could only create pseudo-gods. The Angel race also had a true god, but like the Divine Mage, he wouldn''t intervene lightly. Faint golden lights flickered throughout the Elemental Empire, converging towards the central palace. All the races on the Arcadia continent knelt, facing the Elemental Empire, offering their faith. The main hall was bathed in golden light. The Seven Guardians radiated a powerful aura, their strength increasing steadily. Upon closer inspection, the vast Elemental Empire was divided into seven sections. This was the Archpresident''s trump card, a plan he had prepared long ago. The Mage Guild''s core members were stunned. They hadn''t expected their Archpresident to have such a plan. No wonder the Mage Guild had dared to attack the Angel race. The humans had no pseudo-gods, while the Angel race had many. But even they wouldn''t risk an all-out war against the humans. Unlike the humans, they had more than one enemy. "The Angel race won''t last long. It''s time for the dragon race to make their move." The Archpresident wasn''t worried about the humans'' situation. He understood the relationships between the major races all too well. The Angel race, arrogant and self-righteous, had alienated all the other races. Even if the Titan race was currently allied with the Angel race, they would eventually be defeated by the Demon race. It wasn''t because the demons were stronger than the titans. It was because demons were insane. In battle, they would fight to the death, even burning their own Quintessence to kill their opponents. They didn''t seem to understand the concept of retreat. The Titan race, like the dragon race, had a small population. They wouldn''t risk their lives against the demons. Even if they won, they might end up losing their status as a top-tier race in the next era. The process of ascending to pseudo-godhood wasn''t slow. The Angel race pseudo-gods outside were patiently waiting for the Elemental Empire''s barrier to disappear. They probably assumed that the Archpresident, cornered and desperate, was attempting to become a pseudo-god and fight them all at once. Of course, the Angel race pseudo-gods (now Pseudo-god Angels) had a simple objective. Their initial orders weren''t to destroy the humans but to force the Elemental Empire''s Divine Mage to intervene, leading to his banishment by the World''s Heart. Without a true god, the humans would be like sheep without a shepherd, descending into chaos, posing no threat to the Angel race. But suddenly, the Elemental Empire''s barrier vanished. A powerful aura erupted from the central palace, engulfing the entire empire. Seven figures stood in the sky, radiating an immense power. They were all pseudo-gods! Chapter 407 - 407: Alexs alliance plan Alex was stunned when she heard that the Angel race had sent pseudo-gods to directly engage in a full-blown war with the human race. Seven pseudo-god angels had been completely wiped out, and among the Seven Guardians, Shadow, Water... and Wind had fallen. Yes, Wind was dead. He had ascended to pseudo-god and perished on the same day, taking a pseudo-god angel with him. Their spheres were indeed lacking in offensive power. It was no surprise that they were no match for the Angel race at the same level. Liora brought Alex the news. The battle had ended a few days ago, and the humans and the Angel race were now at war. However, both sides seem to be refraining from deploying new pseudo-god level combatants for now. Liora explained that the Angel race needed to conserve their strength to deal with other races. As for the humans, the surviving Guardians were severely injured and unable to fight, requiring a long period of recovery. Surprisingly, Thunder and Fire had sustained the least injuries, suggesting they were the strongest among the Seven Guardians. As for Nature and Earth, their tenacious vitality had allowed them to outlast their opponents. Alex was shocked. She had just met Wind a few days ago, and now he was gone. But one thing puzzled her. The Angel race had immediately deployed pseudo-gods after losing a Sovereign level being, and Eternal Night City had gone to war with the Skyreach Mountains after losing a Sovereign level vampire. Why hadn''t the Sea Race reacted at all after losing two Sovereign level beings? Did they have an abundance of Sovereign level beings? Alex had reached lv9 Emperor level and was just a step away from Sovereign level. But she knew she couldn''t rush it. As she was pondering this, Drake entered the hall. "The dragon race''s apostles have come to see me. They''ve declared war on the Angel race. They want us to stay out of the Angel race conflict and focus on holding back the Sea Race. They claim that the Sea Race, like the Angel race, has sided with the World''s Heart." "As expected, they''re taking advantage of the war between the humans and the Angel race." Alex wasn''t surprised. Given the animosity between the dragon race and the Angel race, it would have been strange if they hadn''t seized this opportunity. "They also shared some information about the Sea Race. They''ve been a top-tier race since the Sea God era. For millennia, they''ve remained in the depths of the ocean, avoiding conflict. The dragon race suspects that their strength might rival that of the Angel race." Drake''s tone was grave. Alex was stunned. The Sea Race was that powerful? Historical records indicated that the Sea Race occasionally harassed the land, but their strongest forces were only King level. Now it seemed they had been hiding their true strength all along. After all, no race dared to challenge the entire Sea Race in their own domain. "If they''re allied with the Angel race, we''re in trouble." All the races on the continents were at war, leaving the Sea Race unchecked. If they joined forces with the Angel race, the humans, dragons, and demons would be doomed. The Titan race was currently allied with the Angel race, and their strength was not to be underestimated. "What should we do?" Drake was worried. He knew that the undead relied on numbers for victory. They couldn''t directly summon troops above first-stage Sovereign level. Alex pondered the situation. The war between these top-tier races had far-reaching consequences. The undead race was in no position to intervene. "Continue fighting the Sea Race. If they deploy pseudo-god level or higher combatants, we''ll abandon the Arsen continent. For now, we can only hope that our race kings level up quickly." "Okay." Drake nodded and left. The undead empire''s main focus was now on the Sea Race battlefield on the Arsen continent. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Neither the dragon race nor the humans could easily extend the war to the Nytheria continent unless they were willing to face all the pseudo-god angels. Therefore, the battlefield between the dragon race and the Angel race would likely be the Mossvale continent. Drake couldn''t afford to focus on his own development anymore. "Damn it, this is a headache." Alex wasn''t worried about the Sea Race deploying second-stage or even third-stage Sovereign level beings. Her concern was that if the Sea Race was truly as powerful as the Angel race, they might deploy pseudo-gods. That would be a disaster. Not only would they lose the Arsen continent, but the undead empire would also suffer heavy losses against pseudo-god level pursuers. What if they didn''t play by the rules and attacked the Eldoria continent directly? Crossing continents was no problem for gods. No, she couldn''t just sit here and wait! Alex stood up and vanished from the undead Imperial Capital. ... On the Eldoria continent, in the south, on the battlefield between the werewolves and vampires. Hordes of vampires clashed with werewolves, their ranks filled with King and Emperor level beings. This was a serious conflict. Alex hovered high above the battlefield, surveying the carnage below. She was here because she was confident in her ability to assassinate either race''s third-stage Sovereign level leader if she caught them off guard. But Liora''s report had reminded her that both leaders aspired to become true gods, leading their races to the top. These Sovereigns had been stuck at the third stage for a long time, accumulating vast reserves of power. Moreover, they were the rulers of their races. If Alex''s assassination attempt failed, they might choose to become pseudo-gods, sacrificing their chance at true godhood to take her down with them. If either the werewolves or the vampires had a pseudo-god, the undead empire would suffer losses. This was a risky gamble. When either the alpha werewolf or the vampire antediluvian chose to become a pseudo-god, the World''s Heart would provide unconscious protection, drawing power from the continent''s core of will. Only a true god could break through that defense. To destroy the continent''s core, she had to unify the continent. But to unify the continent, she had to eliminate the vampires and werewolves. It was a vicious cycle. "Wait, that''s not right!" A realization struck Alex. "I''ve fallen into a trap of my own thinking!" "Why do I have to eliminate them? Their goal is to become true gods. Doesn''t that mean they''re neutral?" If they were neutral, the undead could ally with the werewolves and vampires to face the era crisis. But then Alex remembered the long-standing animosity between the vampires and werewolves. That was another major obstacle. She was closer to the Skyreach Mountains, so she decided to head towards the werewolves'' core territory. ... The Skyreach Mountains were a vast expanse of mountains and forests. At the heart of this range stood a towering peak, its summit adorned with a magnificent palace complex. This was undoubtedly the alpha werewolf''s lair. An eerie silence hung over the area. There wasn''t a single werewolf in sight, and Alex couldn''t sense any powerful auras within the palace. "Strange." Alex landed at the palace gates, which swung open on their own. A cold smile played on her lips as she stepped inside, unafraid. Chapter 408 - 408: Cooperate The main hall of the alpha werewolf''s palace was dimly lit, the air thick with a pungent odor of decay. A tattered carpet lay beneath Alex''s feet, and rows of flickering candles lined the walls, casting long, dancing shadows. At the far end of the hall, a burly, hairy man sat upon a throne, his gaze fixed on Alex as she stood at the entrance. "Undead lord," the alpha werewolf''s voice boomed, raspy and gruff, a hint of menace in his tone. "What brings you to my Skyreach Mountains?" "You know me?" Alex asked, puzzled. She had no recollection of ever meeting the alpha werewolf of the Skyreach Mountains. "More than just know you," the alpha werewolf chuckled, rising from his throne. "I''ve heard countless tales of the undead race''s exploits lately. There''s no denying the undead empire''s strength. So, have you come to eliminate me?" Alex was taken aback. This alpha werewolf was even more intelligent than she had anticipated. But why did he think that she, a mere Emperor level being, could defeat him? He was a third-stage Sovereign level being, holding a significant advantage. "You jest," Alex replied calmly. "I''m only at Emperor level. I have no intention of conquering the Skyreach Mountains." "Hmph, I wouldn''t be so sure," the alpha werewolf scoffed, stepping closer, his towering figure casting an imposing shadow over her. "I distinctly remember that the Godhead from the Snowy Mountains fell into your hands. But think carefully. I can ascend to pseudo-godhood at any moment. You can''t win." Alex''s heart skipped a beat. He had seen through her plan. This alpha werewolf was no fool. But she didn''t flinch under his oppressive aura. The alpha werewolf had remained at the third stage of Sovereign level for so long, clearly aiming to become a true god. He wouldn''t choose to become a pseudo-god unless absolutely necessary. Such a choice would permanently sever his path to true godhood. "Hahaha!" The alpha werewolf suddenly burst into laughter. "We both know that the undead empire has the potential to unify the Eldoria continent. How about we cooperate? I have a small request." "Help you eliminate Eternal Night City?" Alex frowned. "Clever girl," the alpha werewolf said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Once it''s done, the werewolf race will acknowledge your undead empire''s dominance over the Eldoria continent." It seemed the alpha werewolf had anticipated her arrival. His request was difficult to refuse. Although he praised the undead empire''s strength, they both knew that the undead race couldn''t unify the Eldoria continent on their own. They were developing rapidly, but time was running out. "Alright, what do I need to do?" Alex asked after a moment of contemplation. She couldn''t handle the Skyreach Mountains or Eternal Night City on her own. But she had to destroy the continent''s core of will. It was an obstacle to her becoming a true god. "Simple. Eliminate all the vampires. You can have their corpses," the alpha werewolf said, his grin widening. He knew she would agree. "When the Vampire Antediluvian is cornered, he''ll surely ascend to pseudo-godhood. This will weaken his faith power." Alex understood his reasoning. It seemed he didn''t intend to ascend to pseudo-godhood and fight the vampire himself. The alpha werewolf seemed to sense her confusion. "That''s right. You''ll help me deal with the Vampire Antediluvian. Don''t worry, his strength in that state is comparable to a pseudo-god. My only condition is that you capture him alive. Only I can kill him!" "Capture a pseudo-god alive?" Alex raised an eyebrow, skeptical. If the vampire fought back with all his might, the undead empire would suffer heavy losses. "It won''t be that difficult," the alpha werewolf assured her, his confidence unwavering. "We just need to exhaust him. I''ll seize the opportunity to strike. You know my blood can kill him." Seeing Alex still weighing the pros and cons, he dropped another bombshell. "Their antediluvian has been stuck at the third stage for so long. The vampires are starting to waver. If they side with the World''s Heart, it won''t just be one pseudo-god we have to deal with." "I see. That is a problem," Alex conceded, finally understanding the alpha werewolf''s plan. His goal was to become a true god, so he didn''t want to ascend to pseudo-godhood. But if he didn''t act, the werewolves would be wiped out by the vampires. He had to strike first. "Don''t worry, I always keep my word. Besides, the core of will is useless to me." At this point, Alex had no choice but to trust the alpha werewolf. "Alright, I''ll trust you this once." "You won''t regret this decision," the alpha werewolf said, his grin returning. ... Alex returned to the undead Imperial Capital. After learning more about the two races, she no longer dared to launch a surprise attack. Especially against the vampires. If they were already considering siding with the World''s Heart, her attack would give them a legitimate excuse. The alpha werewolf''s plan was simple. He would propose a truce with the vampires and challenge their Antediluvian to a one-on-one duel between third-stage Sovereign level beings. The winner would absorb the loser. It seemed reckless, especially considering the stakes involved, but he seemed confident that the vampires would agree. That was the alpha werewolf''s problem, not hers. Her task was to wipe out the vampires while they were distracted by the duel and then help the alpha werewolf exhaust the Vampire Antediluvian after he ascended to pseudo-godhood. The alpha werewolf needed some time to set things in motion, so the duel was scheduled for three days later. "This werewolf doesn''t care about the core of will. It means his goal is to become a true god. He intends to remain neutral," Alex mused. He was a strange creature indeed. As she sat on her throne, she suddenly felt her experience points reach a critical threshold. The next moment, Death Spirit appeared before her. "My great Queen, the Sea Race deployed four second-stage Sovereign level beings. They''ve all been slain!" "Bring their corpses back immediately." Alex issued the order without hesitation. It seemed the Sea Race was making their move. They were still unsure of the undead race''s true strength and were hesitant to deploy pseudo-gods. This was perfect timing. She was short on high-level combatants. These four corpses could provide her with two Sovereign level undead. Death Spirit knew what to do without further instructions. Within minutes, the four Sovereign level corpses were transported to the undead Imperial Capital through the Portal of Transit. Their souls were fused, one becoming a Death Angel, the other a Death Dragon. The undead empire had gained two more powerful combatants! Although she couldn''t replicate beings above first-stage Sovereign level, Alex still had her trump card. "Join the Sea Race battlefield and report any unusual activity immediately." The two newly summoned undead and Death Spirit departed. Alex headed towards her bedroom. After an hour of rest, she took a bath and changed her clothes. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, she sat on her bed and began her breakthrough to Sovereign level. The process was smooth and silent, without any outward signs of energy fluctuations. But the effects were undeniable. Alex''s power surged once more. Finally, she had the strength to execute her plans. Chapter 409 - 409: Remove system powers After reaching Sovereign level, Alex opened the system dashboard, which she hadn''t checked in a while. [Lord: Alex] [Level: First-stage Sovereign level] [Territory: Undead Empire] [Troops: Undead Race] [Weapon: Grim Reaper''s Scythe] [Health Points: ¡Þ] [Mana Points: 999+] [Strength: 8897] [Stamina: 9632] [Agility: 9588] Note: Attributes are doubled when fighting with the scythe. Besides basic information, the system also allowed her to view the chat between lords. Messages were flying across the chat screen at a dizzying pace, just like before. She opened her friends list. There were eight names, most of them her allies. One name was grayed out: Chi-Chi''s. She was dead. The other was Samson. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having reached Sovereign level, Alex decided to try resurrecting Chi-Chi. She took out the hair clip Chi-Chi had given her before she died. It was Chi-Chi''s only remaining possession, a memento of their friendship. Alex cast a resurrection spell. As she chanted the incantation, Chi-Chi''s soul gradually materialized. Seeing her friend''s familiar form, Alex''s heart swelled with joy. However, to her disappointment, Chi-Chi''s soul remained silent, unresponsive. No matter how hard Alex tried, Chi-Chi didn''t react, as if a barrier separated them, preventing any communication. Alex knew that if she continued with the resurrection spell, the resurrected Chi-Chi would be nothing more than a hollow shell, a clone lacking her original thoughts and consciousness. Such an existence, while physically resembling her friend, would be devoid of the soul that connected them. It was an outcome she couldn''t accept. The other option was to transform Chi-Chi into an undead. However, due to the time that had passed since her death, reassembling her soul would be incredibly difficult. Even if the transformation succeeded, the resulting undead wouldn''t retain Chi-Chi''s consciousness. This was far from what Alex desired. Neither option would yield the result she longed for. She had to abandon the idea of fully resurrecting Chi-Chi for now. Perhaps when she possessed the power to create and control all things, she could bring Chi-Chi back, restoring her life and soul. Alex sent messages to both Satan and Lilith. She needed to gather them and reveal the truth about this world. As allies, it was time they faced reality. Lilith arrived at the undead empire quickly. After all, Alex''s undead forces were still fighting there. Satan wasn''t far behind. The war between the two races had hampered his development, forcing him to hide in his kingdom. Besides the two of them, Earl, Cain, and the lord who had submitted to Satan after clashing with Drake were also present. Lilith had brought the cat-eared maid lord from the Valoria continent. Alex had specifically requested that they bring all their subordinates. Seeing the two former elemental lords stirred a mix of emotions within her. They had once been her equals in strength, but now she had far surpassed them. Alex nodded at Earl and Cain, acknowledging their presence. There was no time for small talk. She had more important matters to attend to. "Please, have a seat." Alex sat on the throne, gesturing for the others to sit as well. Satan and Lilith found seats. As the cat-eared maid lord was about to sit, Lilith glared at him, and he quickly retreated, standing behind his leader. Seeing this, Cain and Earl also stood behind Satan. They no longer had the right to sit at the same table as Alex. Alex didn''t mind, but she didn''t comment either. It was their choice. Soon, Drake, the Xiao siblings, Sophie, and the others entered the hall, taking their seats beside Alex. Satan and Lilith could sense that these individuals were far stronger than them! Drake glanced at Satan but ignored him, focusing his attention on Alex. "Everyone, what I''m about to tell you is top secret information, something even Sovereign level beings might not be privy to. I''ll also be sharing my next course of action, which will affect all lords. But I have no choice." Alex''s voice, low and serious, echoed through the empty hall. Her gaze swept across the room, observing their reactions. Lilith, having interacted with the undead more frequently, knew some of the inside story. Satan, on the other hand, looked completely clueless. Alex began by revealing the truth about the world. There were no outsiders present. What their subordinates thought was none of her concern. Everyone, except Alex''s close allies, gasped in disbelief. But this wasn''t the main reason she had gathered them here. "Let me make my stance clear. I won''t side with anyone." Alex spoke calmly. Seeing no one reacted, she continued, "The current world is divided into two factions. One seeks to break free from control and end this cycle. I call them the neutral faction. The other, like the Angel race, has completely sided with the World''s Heart and aims to eliminate all lords. They are the hostile faction." "What about us? The system faction? Are we the friendly faction?" It wasn''t Satan or Lilith who spoke, but one of Lilith''s subordinates, a lord Alex didn''t recognize. Before Alex could answer, Xiao Hui scoffed and said, "Hmph, the system might have had a chance in the beginning, but the world''s structure has already been established. Even if he gathers more lords, it''s pointless." "Indeed. Perhaps that explanation is too abstract. Let me put it another way. I intend to completely destroy the system and the World''s Heart. But before that, I''ll weaken them as much as possible. This is my path." Alex''s words were clear. Although the others still didn''t fully understand, Satan and Lilith grasped her intentions. "So, you''re going to eliminate all the lords?" Lilith''s voice was filled with disbelief. The others gasped. If anyone else had proposed such a plan, they would have dismissed it as bravado. But coming from Alex, they believed she could actually pull it off. "That''s the most extreme option. There are currently fifty-two lord-established kingdoms on this planet. I can absorb them all, including the Freelancers. I can even arrange a place for them. But there''s one condition: their system powers must be removed." Alex''s tone was matter-of-fact. This was the first step she had to take as a Sovereign level being. "What level is required to remove system powers?" This time, it was Cain who spoke. He didn''t ask about the drawbacks of losing system powers. That would be foolish. "Sovereign level." Alex''s answer silenced the room. She was also subtly revealing that she had reached Sovereign level. Even if all the lords joined forces, they couldn''t defeat her. "So you want us to help you gather all the lords and reveal the truth?" Satan frowned, interjecting abruptly. "But what about those who are unwilling to abandon their kingdoms? The system tells us that lords who establish kingdoms during the Hundred Kingdoms War have the potential to become gods." "Those are just pseudo-gods, tools for the system to gain power. Besides, the era crisis has already begun. All the continents are engulfed in war. Those lords have no chance of survival. And it''s not just me they have to worry about. It''s all the races on this planet. Once they''re discovered, they''re dead." The others quickly understood. It was almost impossible for these lords to reach Sovereign level now that the era war had begun prematurely. Satan suddenly thought of his own predicament. The war between the Demon race and the Titan race had severely limited his options. He could only hide in his kingdom, unable to do anything else. If he was discovered, he would be killed. Lilith was in a similar situation. The war between the undead race and the Sea Race was massive, engulfing the entire coastline of the Arsen continent. If she hadn''t known Alex, she would have been defeated by the Sea Race long ago. Unless they were as strong as Alex, capable of facing these powerful races head-on, they had no chance of survival. "Alright, I trust you." Lilith was the first to speak, her words met with surprised looks from the others. "I trust you too." Satan understood Alex''s character. It was better to gamble on her than to leave his fate to chance. "Good. Rest assured, you only need to relocate your kingdoms or cities to the Eldoria continent. I won''t force you to submit to me. I''ll also help you remove your system powers. But before that, I hope you''ll use the system to further strengthen yourselves." Alex''s plan was simple. Before abandoning the system, she had to milk it for all it was worth. Chapter 410 - 410: Alliance Alex''s words resonated with the assembled lords. Satan and Lilith''s experiences were not unique or coincidental; other lords were likely facing even worse situations. Alex''s goal was simple: to rally as many lords as possible. As for the remaining lords who clung to the system''s promises, she would leave them to their fate. She didn''t have time to travel across continents dealing with individual lords. It was too time-consuming. Their plan was straightforward, something they could accomplish without even leaving the undead empire''s main hall. They all opened their system dashboards and started spamming the World Chat. The effect was immediate. The lords present comprised the top ten of the leaderboard, wielding immense influence. Especially Alex, who had consistently held the top spot since the leaderboard''s introduction. Her message sent shockwaves through the World Chat. The second to tenth-ranked lords followed suit, echoing her message verbatim. All the Freelancers and lords were captivated. Their current situation was precarious, forcing them to live in constant fear and hiding. The World Chat was their only source of information and connection. Moreover, it is common knowledge that the top-ranked lord commands an undead army. Any lord with even a modicum of power is aware of the recent remarkable performance of the undead. [Greetings, fellow lords. This is Alex, the undead lord. I''m here to announce that the system has deceived us. We are all pawns in his game. The era crisis has begun, and we are all in danger. We must unite to face this impending threat. The Eldoria continent is in chaos. The major races are joining forces to target us. I urge you to join my alliance. Come to the Eldoria continent and find me. This is the last safe haven. This is a voluntary invitation, but I welcome all who wish to join. For your information, I''m currently at Sovereign level.] [...This is Drake, the Rock Dragon lord...] [...This is Lilith, the fallen angel lord...] [...This is Satan, the demon lord...] [...This is Xiao Mu, the light titan lord...] [...This is Xiao Hui, the death angel lord. We have all joined forces. We are allies. You will not face any discrimination. If you don''t want to hide in your kingdoms and wait for death, we welcome you...] As these messages from the big shots flooded the World Chat, the other lords went wild. Even many Freelancers started contacting their acquaintances, eager to join Alex''s alliance. But there was a better option for Freelancers: the Liberty Church. However, the number of surviving Freelancers far exceeded their expectations. A single Liberty Church couldn''t accommodate them all. Therefore, the undead empire would take in the Freelancers on the Eldoria and Arsen continents. As for the other continents, Alex couldn''t help them. They were on their own. [Pika Princess]: "Thank you so much! I''m finally free from hiding! I''ve had enough of that life!" [Kobe]: "Basketball kingdom requests to join!" [Donut]: "Wait, the top-ranked lord is already at Sovereign level?" [NotARobot]: "I swear, the top-ranked lord is a beautiful lady. I''m joining her!" [Morningstar]: "Where''s the Eldoria continent? I''m a Freelancer. What should I do?" ... The World Chat was buzzing with activity. Drake and the others ignored the idle chatter, focusing on the lords who wished to join their alliance. However, a steady stream of Freelancers continued to express their interest. But lords were the primary source of faith power for the system. Their priority was to deal with the lords. As for the Freelancers, Alex decided to simply post the coordinates of all the undead fortresses on the Eldoria continent in the World Chat. If they could find them, they could use them to reach the undead empire. She also instructed Sophie to inform the Liberty Church to find ways to accommodate the Freelancers on the other continents. However, many Freelancers had already integrated into human society and didn''t respond to their invitation. This saved them some trouble. Satan and Lilith decided to relocate, abandoning their original kingdoms and establishing cities on the outskirts of the Dark Forest. They also left their previous alliances and formed new ones to accommodate the incoming lords. This would streamline the process. But it wasn''t as complicated as they had anticipated. There were only about fifty surviving lords. The rest had become Freelancers. The disparity in numbers was significant. The Freelancers were the bigger challenge. Within three days, the undead empire had taken in nearly a hundred thousand Freelancers, while the Liberty Church had taken in over a million. Thirty lords had chosen to join Alex''s alliance. As for the remaining twenty lords, they were likely unwilling to abandon the system. Alex didn''t bother with them. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Freelancers were still joining, and Alex had relaxed the restrictions, allowing them to choose any city within the undead empire''s territory. But to her amusement, they all chose to join the undead Imperial Capital. Accommodating a mere hundred thousand individuals was a trivial matter for the vast undead Imperial Capital. The city was becoming livelier, shedding its former lifelessness. During these three days, everyone except Alex was busy settling the new Freelancers and lords, explaining the truth about the world and the undead empire''s plans. Although abandoning the system was a difficult decision for lords who had reached King level, seeing the abundance of Emperor level troops within the undead empire and hearing Alex''s promises, they ultimately chose to trust her. They no longer felt any regret about losing the system. The Freelancers were more casual about it. They had already lost almost everything related to the system the moment they became Freelancers, except for the World Chat. And the World Chat didn''t matter much to them. They had stopped using the system when they decided to integrate into human society. Alex had other matters to attend to, so she left the rest to Sophie and the others. Soon, a large number of dwarves arrived at the undead Imperial Capital, constructing houses, roads, and other infrastructure. The undead empire was no longer lifeless, gradually developing a vibrant atmosphere. As the Freelancers marveled at the grandeur of the undead empire and its mysterious structures, Alex had already arrived at the Skyreach Mountains, ready to fulfill her agreement with the Alpha Werewolf. Chapter 411 - 411: Destroy Eternal Night City From her vantage point in the western undead fortress, Alex could sense the earth-shattering clash between the Alpha Werewolf and the Vampire Antediluvian. Their battle raged in the skies above the heartland of their respective territories, a spectacle of raw power that resonated even from this distance. She gazed southward, discerning that this was no mere sparring match. Both were unleashing their full might. "If the Vampire Antediluvian loses, will he really agree to a merger?" Alex thought. But she quickly dismissed the thought. It wouldn''t be that simple. The moment either of them sensed defeat, they would likely ascend to pseudo-godhood. That was the most likely scenario. The Alpha Werewolf was gambling, betting on Alex''s promise to come to his aid. He had already informed Alex about the (Vampire race) blood clan''s strength. Besides the Antediluvian, a third-stage Sovereign level being, there were five first-stage Sovereign level vampires. One had been killed by the Alpha Werewolf in a previous clash, leaving only four. Alex was confident in her ability to handle them alone. With a plan in mind, Alex activated her invisibility skill and set off towards the vampires'' stronghold. Eternal Night City. Judging by its name, it shouldn''t be that large, just a city. How many vampires could a single city hold? But she was curious about how the blood clan had managed to thrive for so long. When Alex arrived at Eternal Night City, she was stunned. This wasn''t just a city. It was practically a divine kingdom in the making. "It seems the Vampire Antediluvian has been preparing for his ascension to pseudo-godhood. The Skyreach Mountains, on the other hand, haven''t made any such preparations." This comparison made the Alpha Werewolf seem even more trustworthy. "Death Spirit, wipe out this city!" Alex issued the command. Death Spirit materialized, instantly splitting into hundreds of clones that descended upon the vampire kingdom like black meteors. Hundreds of domains unfolded, blanketing the entire city. The unsuspecting vampires were caught off guard and slaughtered in an instant. Even King level vampires were no match for this onslaught. The Emperor level vampires reacted quickly, but they were still no match for Death Spirit, who was also at Emperor level.(The clones possesses Emperor level) Four Sovereign level vampire princes, clad in crimson robes, took to the skies, radiating powerful auras, attempting to confront Death Spirit. But a beautiful woman wielding a massive scythe stood in their path. "Who are you? I advise you to leave here quickly, otherwise we will surely make you regret it!" Sensing Alex''s power, the four vampire princes hesitated, resorting to threats. "Hmph." Alex smirked. The next moment, a black blade flashed, cleaving through the air, bisecting all four vampire princes before they could even react. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their prized self-healing abilities were useless against this strange power. They could only watch in despair as their life force drained away. The woman before them remained motionless, as if the attack had been a trivial matter. The vampire princes were filled with despair. Their life force rapidly faded, their bodies plummeting towards the ground as their strength waned. "Death Spirit, I leave the rest to you! These vampire princes are all Sovereign level. Don''t waste their corpses." Alex glanced down at Eternal Night City, now engulfed in black flames. "As you wish, Queen." Alex, accompanied by her death angel, rushed towards the battlefield where the Alpha Werewolf and the Vampire Antediluvian were clashing. ... The sky had turned blood red. Two colossal figures, one black, one crimson, grappled with each other, their forms intertwining, each attempting to devour the other. Vampires and werewolves were both warlike races. Despite their familiarity with each other, they hadn''t spoken a single word since the battle began. It was as if this duel was something they both craved, or perhaps they both understood its significance. Words were unnecessary. The victor would dictate the outcome. Suddenly, the Vampire Antediluvian froze, blasting the Alpha Werewolf away with a shockwave of blood. His face contorted with rage. "Eternal Night City is under attack! Fuck you, Skoll! You tricked me!" "Foolish Dracula, you didn''t even see it coming?" Skoll roared with laughter. "Then we''ll die together!" Dracula transformed into a handsome man with pale skin, his anger barely contained. "Eternal Night City is recognized by the World''s Heart! I hereby establish a divine kingdom, using the power of faith to ascend to godhood!" Dracula''s voice boomed across the battlefield. Skoll, his expression calm, seemed to have anticipated this. He didn''t try to stop him, knowing it was futile. He could only wait for Dracula to become a pseudo-god. He had no intention of fleeing. A crimson-gold light enveloped Dracula, drawing in the faith power from Eternal Night City. But it was a meager amount, a paltry offering of tainted faith from the vampire''s subjugated races. Dracula realized that not only were the vampire princes dead, but Eternal Night City was also lost. Who could have accomplished this in such a short time? There was no such powerful being on the Eldoria continent! But he had no time to dwell on this. The ascension ritual was nearing completion. Even as a pseudo-god, he could easily crush Skoll. The blood-gold light faded, revealing the Vampire Antediluvian, radiating a formidable aura. But He froze. "You were behind the attack on Eternal Night City!" A human woman stood beside Skoll, accompanied by four creatures: two resembling angels, two resembling dragons. "Kill him!" Alex commanded casually. The four undead charged towards Dracula. "Four pseudo-gods!" Dracula was stunned. For the first time, he felt a sense of dread. He had ascended to pseudo-godhood, but with Eternal Night City destroyed, his faith power was meager. He was the weakest among pseudo-gods. He had lost 99% of his subjects. He couldn''t replenish his divine power through faith. If this dragged on, he would be defeated when his divine power was exhausted! "Skoll, I won''t forgive you! I''ll kill you myself!" Dracula roared, turning to flee. But two more pseudo-gods appeared behind him. Six! Six pseudo-gods surrounded him, blocking all escape routes! Dracula knew he could not escape; he transformed into a massive red shadow, spreading across the sky like a domain. He would fight to the death! Skoll and Alex retreated quickly. They couldn''t intervene in a battle between pseudo-gods. The slightest misstep could result in instant death. "You have this many Godheads?" Skoll was surprised. The battle''s outcome was no longer in doubt. He had assumed the undead race only had one pseudo-god. Alex had surprised him. "Even you can be caught off guard, huh?"Alex scoffed. The Alpha Werewolf didn''t seem to mind, chuckling instead. "I see. I understand how you did it now." Chapter 412 - 412: Core of will Seven terrifying figures clashed in the sky, their immense divine power rippling outward, wreaking havoc on the surroundings. Mountains crumbled, the earth cracked, and the heavens themselves seemed to darken under the weight of their might. Even from miles away, Alex could sense the terror of a pseudo-god''s power. She couldn''t even begin to imagine the immense devastation once caused by the battle on the continent of Arcadia. The pseudo-gods'' divine power was imperfect, tainted with impurities. But Alex had no choice. She had used Godheads to create pseudo-gods as a quick fix for the undead empire''s immediate needs. She still had five Godheads, enough to create five more pseudo-gods, but that required slaying at least ten more Sovereign level or higher enemies. As she pondered this, Skoll watched the battle intently, his gaze fixed on the weakening Dracula. He was biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. "So this is the extent of a pseudo-god''s power without faith?" Alex had noticed something peculiar. Pseudo-gods were heavily reliant on their divine kingdoms. Without faith power, their strength was significantly diminished. If the undead empire wanted to become the dominant force, they needed a true god. Suddenly, Dracula''s eyes turned blood red, and he lashed out, his claws piercing through a death angel. Alex, watching from afar, was startled. The impaled death angel retaliated, severing Dracula''s arm with its sword before retreating swiftly. Both wounds were tainted with divine power, preventing them from healing. But Dracula couldn''t afford to rest. Five other pseudo-gods were closing in. Fighting with reckless abandon, Dracula managed to injure three pseudo-gods, but his own power plummeted, leaving him barely able to stand. As the death angels and death dragons closed in for the kill, Skoll still hadn''t intervened. Alex glanced at him. Skoll smirked. "He''s hiding his true power. He''s saving it for me." Alex''s eyes widened in realization. Since they were allies, there was no need for secrecy. Why was Dracula so confident that Skoll would intervene? Moments later, realizing that Skoll hadn''t taken the bait, Dracula let out a piercing shriek, unleashing his remaining power, blasting away his attackers. Then, he gathered his energy, attempting to commit suicide! "Stop him!" Skoll''s voice was laced with panic as he charged forward. But they had retreated to avoid being caught in the crossfire. It was too late. "Death Spirit!" Alex shouted. Six clones emerged from the six undead pseudo-gods, and a massive black void enveloped Dracula. His claws, poised to strike his own forehead, froze. But only for a moment. The black void shattered. Roar! A black dragon''s breath, like a laser beam, pierced Dracula''s arm, halting his suicide attempt. The other pseudo-gods arrived just in time. It was too late for Dracula to try again. "You despicable cowards!" Dracula finally realized that the six pseudo-gods had been toying with him. They had the power to kill him from the start. They had deliberately exhausted him. "Face reality, Dracula. You''ve lost." Skoll approached Dracula, his gaze fixed on his defeated foe, restrained by the six pseudo-gods. There was no mockery in his voice, only a cold statement of fact. Dracula glared at Skoll, his face pale, his body weak and trembling. He had reached his limit. They both fell silent. Skoll glanced at Alex, but she ignored him. "She''s the undead queen," Skoll explained calmly. Dracula''s eyes widened in realization. So that was it. No wonder he had lost. He had been defeated by the undead queen. He should have known! "So our fates were decided by our choices. You seem to have made the right one. I wish you luck." Dracula laughed bitterly, closing his eyes. Skoll wasted no time, plunging his claws into Dracula''s heart. "It was a bit messy, but everything went smoothly. This is the best outcome," Skoll said, turning to Alex with a smile. Seeing her frown, he realized it was time to fulfill his promise. "I, Skoll, hereby declare that the werewolf clan of the Skyreach Mountains acknowledges the undead empire''s dominance over the Eldoria continent!" Skoll''s voice boomed across the land. Golden energy materialized, converging in his palm, forming a sphere of light. He slammed it into the ground. The earth trembled, no, the entire Eldoria continent seemed to shift. It was a subtle change, imperceptible to the naked eye, but both Skoll, Alex, and the six undead pseudo-gods could sense it. The strange sensation lasted for several seconds before fading away. "The core of will should have appeared in the undead Imperial Capital. You''ll see it when you return," Skoll said to Alex. "I told you I was a man of my word. I look forward to our next collaboration." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Farewell." Alex didn''t waste any more time, departing from the Skyreach Mountains with her troops, heading back to the undead empire. Skoll vanished into the sky. "What do you make of that werewolf?" Alex asked her death angels, a sense of unease lingering in her mind. "My Queen, I believe it might be related to his God''s Path," one of the death angels replied, a thoughtful expression on its face. "That makes sense. It seems the vampires and werewolves have the same God''s Path." Alex understood now. Both races likely needed to eliminate each other to ascend to godhood. As the rulers of their respective races, they possessed immense power, creating a delicate balance between the two factions. As for the core of will, their goal was to become true gods. It was useless to them. They weren''t powerful enough to unify a continent and create pseudo-gods at will, like the humans and the Angel race. By acknowledging the undead empire''s dominance, Skoll had secured his own chance at becoming a true god. "I''ll have to keep an eye on that werewolf," Alex thought, a sense of suspicion lingering. Upon returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex wasted no time. She immediately dispatched the death angels and death dragons to the Sea Race battlefield. Then, she looked up at the sky above the city, where a golden core of will had materialized. Chapter 413 - 413: Poseidon is awakening "So this is the Eldoria continent''s core of will?" Alex murmured, her gaze fixed on the golden orb hovering above the undead Imperial Capital. It radiated a powerful and alluring energy, a siren song that tempted even Alex to absorb it. She had a feeling that doing so would grant her immense power, allowing the undead empire to birth dozens of pseudo-gods overnight. She could become the ruler of the Eldoria continent in no time, vying for dominance alongside the other major races. "Such terrifying power," she whispered, a shiver running down her spine. Alex even suspected that the previous Beastman Empire''s ruler had absorbed this energy, albeit incompletely, leading to his enslavement by the World''s Heart. Shing! With a flick of her wrist, Alex sent her black scythe spinning, a deadly arc of black steel aimed at the core of will. Her scythe could sever anything. Surely, it could destroy this orb of energy. Whum! To Alex''s surprise, a golden barrier erupted from the core of will, blocking her attack! "It has a self-defense mechanism?" Black flames engulfed the scythe, unleashing a torrent of dark energy that battered against the golden barrier. As expected, the barrier began to fade, slowly eroded by the darkness sphere. Crack! A sharp crack echoed through the air as the golden orb split open. The entire continent trembled, as if caught in a massive earthquake. Alex enveloped the core of will with her darkness sphere, completely sealing its energy. The orb''s glow dimmed, its energy dwindling until it finally extinguished. The tremors ceased. Alex sensed a barrier shattering, perhaps the one Skoll had mentioned, the barrier erected by the World''s Heart to isolate the continents. One more down, and two continents would be connected. At the same moment, massive golden pillars of light erupted from the heartlands of the Arcadia, Mossvale, Nytheria, and Tyrangar continents. All the races engaged in war felt the shift. Someone had destroyed a core of will! "If all seven cores are destroyed, the world will fall apart. We cannot tolerate the undead race''s reckless actions any longer." In a radiant golden hall, an angel, standing motionless with arms crossed, resembling a statue, suddenly spoke. Its voice was devoid of emotion, betraying no concern for the ongoing war. "By the Holy Decree, we shall eradicate the undead race!" The angels below relayed the decree, and countless angels, encased within statues throughout the city, stirred, their eyes snapping open as if awakening from a long slumber. Golden streaks of light shot out from the city, heading towards various destinations. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other major races on the other continents also reacted. Destroying a core of will weakened the World''s Heart''s power, which in turn weakened all the races. Some factions wouldn''t tolerate this. In other words, any race that attacked the undead race during this period could be definitively classified as belonging to the hostile faction. Meanwhile, deep beneath the vast Endless Sea, miles below the surface, lay a sprawling complex of underwater palaces. This was the Sea Race''s headquarters. Like the other races, they were bound by the World''s Heart''s isolation, unable to cross between continents, even from the depths of the ocean. Deep within the magnificent underwater palace, a colossal Sea Race being, wielding a trident, sat upon a throne. Its eyes were closed, its body motionless, as if in a deep slumber. A strange energy emanated from its being, influencing everything around it. When the faint golden light from the destroyed core of will reached the depths of the ocean, its scales rippled, as if breathing. One of its fingers twitched slightly. The movement was subtle, but a nearby guard noticed it. "The great Poseidon is awakening! Inform the High Priest immediately!" The entire Sea Temple buzzed with excitement. The calm ocean surface churned violently, waves crashing against each other. Even the sky above darkened with storm clouds, as if welcoming or perhaps dreading the Sea God''s awakening. Meanwhile, in the undead Imperial Capital, Alex was contemplating how to break free from the system''s control and help others do the same, weakening the system''s power. Her core members were still some distance away from reaching Sovereign level. Their current goal was to ascend to pseudo-godhood, which was relatively easy with the support of faith power. But completely severing their connection to the system would prevent Drake and Xiao Mu from progressing beyond Sovereign level. They didn''t possess the aptitude for godhood. "I need to wait. Everyone has to reach Sovereign level before we abandon the system." Alex pondered this, her thoughts drifting to the Sea Race battlefield on the Arsen continent. They still hadn''t deployed any pseudo-god level combatants. It was unusual. Why did people say the Sea Race was as powerful as the Angel race? Why hadn''t they sent pseudo-gods even when facing defeat? Was it possible that the Sea Race didn''t have any pseudo-gods? "No! The Sea Race is definitely not as simple as we think!" A sudden realization struck Alex. Her thoughts became clearer. "Death Spirit, summon Ice Cream!" Moments later, Ice Cream arrived, looking weary from battle. "You called for me, Your Majesty?" "Do you know anything about the dragon race''s internal factions and their strength?" Alex wasn''t sure if Ice Cream knew, but she had to ask. Ice Cream pondered the question. "The dragon race is divided into several major races: Rock Dragons, Lava Dragons, Azure Dragons, Sky Dragons, Venom Dragons, and Silver Dragons. The Azure Dragons are the current royal family. The previous Dragon God was an Azure Dragon," Ice Cream said proudly. He was an Azure Dragon himself. "The previous Dragon God was a true god?" "I believe so. But the Dragon God hasn''t been seen for millennia. Silver Dragon race have been relaying his decrees." Ice Cream told Alex everything he knew about the dragon race. "So, the historical records about the dragon race''s war with the Angel race were actually just battles between pseudo-gods?" Alex asked. "I''m not sure. But their strength should range from third-stage Sovereign level to pseudo-god level. At least, the chieftains of the Azure Dragons and Silver Dragons are both pseudo-gods." "Alright, I understand. You''re dismissed." Alex watched Ice Cream leave, her brow furrowed in thought. She had to inform the humans about her new theory and the situation with the Sea Race. Otherwise, the humans might be at a disadvantage in their future actions. Information about the Sea Race was crucial. Their first engagement had been against the undead race, and Alex was the only one who truly understood their capabilities. She had to go to Hurricane City. Chapter 414 - 414: Encounter Boreas once again Since the war between the humans and the Angel race had begun, human powerhouses from across the continents had been steadily returning to the Arcadia continent to bolster the Mage Guild headquarters. Liora was no exception, but the guild branches on the other continents still needed leadership. The human empires were being managed by their respective royal families, so there was no cause for concern on that front. Alex now held a single, paramount title: Queen of the Undead Race, the new Undead Lord. This placed her on equal footing with the rulers of any major race. Of course, in their eyes, the undead race was still just a rising power, not yet among the true top-tier factions. ... After a long flight, Alex arrived at Hurricane City, a place she had visited many times before. This time, however, she returned with a different identity, and the familiar face she expected to see was missing. She had assumed Robert, being both a Mage Guild member and a member of the Starfallen Empire''s royal family, would be the logical choice to lead Hurricane City in Liora''s absence. Instead of entering through the main gate, Alex phased through Hurricane City''s protective shield, appearing directly in front of the palace. She walked towards Liora''s former office, a sense of familiarity washing over her. As she pushed open the door, she saw a young man sitting at Liora''s desk. He was only at the initial King level. Startled by the intrusion, he looked up. Their eyes met, and a flicker of surprise crossed both their faces. Alex recognized him, and he clearly hadn''t expected her sudden visit. "Greetings, Undead Lord," he said, quickly composing himself. "I am Boreas, the acting president of Hurricane City." "I thought you would have established your own kingdom," Alex said, taking a seat on the sofa. "I didn''t expect you to join the humans." She looked at the last remaining member of the former Elemental Alliance. "I was mentored by Mr. Wind," Boreas explained. "I eventually relinquished my lord status and chose to cultivate magic with the humans." It turned out that Boreas possessed an exceptionally high affinity for wind magic. He was, in fact, the most talented among the five members of the Elemental Alliance. Wind, also a former lord, had naturally taken Boreas under his wing, treating him as his successor. Even if Boreas couldn''t become a god, reaching Sovereign level was well within his reach. Unfortunately, Wind had perished in the war between the humans and the Angel race. The Mage Guild hadn''t ostracized Boreas for his past affiliation. On the contrary, thanks to Wind''s influence, he had been appointed as the acting president of Hurricane City. The Eldoria continent was arguably the safest of the seven continents now. Boreas seemed more composed and less impulsive than before, a testament to his growth over the past few months. "I''ve come to Hurricane City to deliver some crucial information," Alex said, her expression turning serious. Their current positions and allegiances were different now. There was no room for nostalgia. She couldn''t go to the Arcadia continent herself. Informing the humans was partly to repay a debt, but more importantly, she couldn''t allow the hostile faction to win this era war. "Please, tell me, Undead Lord," Boreas said, grabbing a pen and paper, ready to take notes. "Before I do, can you access Hurricane City''s information archives?" Alex wasn''t about to share this intelligence with someone who wasn''t high enough level. "As acting president, I certainly can," Boreas replied politely, without questioning her motives. "Good. I need you to look up information on the Sea God era and the last time the Sea Race launched a large-scale invasion of the land." Alex watched Boreas expectantly. "One moment, please." Boreas stood up and left the room to retrieve the information. He returned shortly after, carrying a stack of thick documents, which he placed on the table. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Would you like to read them yourself, or should I summarize the key points for you?" "Summarize it for me," Alex said after a moment of thought. "The Sea God era began fifty thousand years ago," Boreas began, his voice even and steady. "Its leader was Poseidon, a true god. However, there are no records of a second Sea God emerging within the Sea Race. At its peak, the Sea Race had one true god, twenty-four pseudo-gods, and countless Sovereign level beings. In the early stages of that era, all land-dwelling races lived in fear of the Sea Race. Towards the end of the era, the major races, after nearly a thousand years of preparation, joined forces and waged war against the Sea Race. From then on, the Sea Race gradually faded from public view." That was all the information the archives contained about the Sea God era. Back then, the human race was just a moderately powerful faction, still far from being a true top-tier race. Consequently, the available records weren''t particularly comprehensive. Clearly, the Sea Race had pseudo-gods. Even if all their pseudo-gods had perished in that war, they should have replenished their ranks by now. So why hadn''t they deployed any pseudo-gods against the undead race? Boreas looked at Alex, awaiting further instructions. "Continue," Alex said calmly. "After the Sea God era ended, all the races gained a new understanding of the Sea Race. Regardless of their internal conflicts, they all shared a tacit agreement: never allow the Sea Race to encroach upon the land. The Sea Race invasion you''re referring to occurred ten thousand years ago. It lasted for several months, beginning with a surprise attack by the Sea Race and ending with a joint counteroffensive by the major races that severely crippled them. It was a massive war, one of the largest in this world''s history. The Sea Race deployed over a dozen pseudo-gods in their assault on the Arsen continent. The dominant race on the Arsen continent at the time was the Ice Race, led by the Ice God. He faced the Sea Race pseudo-gods alone, slaying them all, but the battle drained his power, leaving him unable to resist the World''s Heart''s influence. He was forced to ascend. The Ice Race, having lost their god, was then subjected to a full-scale invasion by the Sea Race. They were wiped out overnight. The other six continents joined forces and repelled the Sea Race, inflicting heavy losses, including nearly ten more pseudo-gods. The Sea Race retreated to the ocean, vanishing from sight." Boreas added, "Until now." Alex was stunned. It seemed the Sea Race''s power was indeed comparable to the Angel race. No wonder the Arsen continent was so weak. It had once been home to Ice race, but they had been annihilated by the Sea Race. So, the Sea Race was not only powerful but also decisive, as evidenced by their willingness to deploy over a dozen pseudo-gods in their surprise attack on the Ice Race. But the Sea Race''s current behavior didn''t match the historical records. To understand their motives, she needed to learn more about the Ice Race. But they had been wiped out overnight, and even the Mage Guild had limited information about them. From these clues, Alex only knew that the Ice Race was led by a true god and seemingly had no pseudo-gods. Chapter 415 - 415: A terrifying truth Alex pieced together her theory based on the information gathered and shared her thoughts with Boreas. Although he was the acting president, his understanding of the current landscape of the major races was undoubtedly less comprehensive than hers. He was visibly astonished. The humans had no other allies. "Thank you for informing me," Boreas said, his voice filled with a mix of awe and concern. "I will report your warning and speculation immediately." He immediately began drafting a letter, his urgency evident. Alex rose from her seat. "Then I''ll take my leave." ... Outside Hurricane City, Alex glanced back at the familiar cityscape. A premonition told her this might be her last visit. Just as she was about to depart, a red-haired man materialized before her. He wore open red leather armor, revealing a muscular physique crisscrossed with scars. His face, framed by a thick beard, looked weary, but his eyes burned with an intense fire. "Dragon race?" Alex questioned, sensing the volatile aura characteristic of dragons, specifically a Lava Dragon. He was a second-stage Sovereign level being. He didn''t seem hostile, but Alex remained cautious, ready to summon her undead troops at a moment''s notice. "I am Emberon," the man said, his voice a low, gravelly rumble. "Greetings, Undead Lord." "A dragon apostle?" Alex asked. "What brings you here?" If he wasn''t here to fight, he must have another reason. "A few days ago, I stumbled upon a terrifying truth," Emberon said, his voice grim. "I''ve come to share it with you." He opened his hand, revealing four shards radiating an icy aura. Alex gasped. "Frost Heart!" It was the Azure Dragon race''s treasure, shattered into seven pieces by the Angel race. Alex possessed three shards. The remaining four should have been in the Angel race''s possession. How did this Lava Dragon get them? Ignoring Alex''s surprise, Emberon continued his story, seemingly unconcerned whether she was listening or not. "That day, like the other apostles, I returned to the Mossvale continent to report. Dragons value solitude and typically keep to themselves. But I discovered that some dragon race alphas were gathering their kin to build a city, seemingly intending to unite all dragon races to face the upcoming era crisis. That in itself wasn''t unusual. But they were also gathering the sub-dragon races. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dragons are proud creatures. We consider sub-dragons to be no better than rats. Something felt wrong. Our Lava Dragon clan''s alpha is in slumber. He wouldn''t have ordered this. I suspected there was a traitor among the dragon race, and my years of experience as an apostle gave me a hunch. I investigated all the dragon races in secret and discovered that not all of them were building cities and gathering their kin. Moreover, the Dragon God''s pronouncements, relayed through the azure dragon race, had become increasingly infrequent over the years. They all seemed to be following the Venom Dragon alpha''s lead." Emberon paused, meeting Alex''s gaze before revealing the most crucial piece of information he had uncovered. "I decided to confront the Venom Dragon leader. But when I arrived at their territory, he was nowhere to be found. In his room, I found four Frost Heart shards. It all clicked. He had made a deal with the Angel race, or perhaps he was planning to join them. Returning the Frost Heart shards was proof of his allegiance. The Venom Dragons alone couldn''t have retrieved all those shards from the Angel race." Emberon''s voice was filled with barely controlled rage, his aura flaring. "I decided to confront the Dragon God himself. But two first-stage Sovereign level Venom Dragons guarded the Dragon God''s temple. They refused me entry. But they didn''t know I had already ignited my divine fire and reached the second stage. I injured them and forced my way in. But when I finally opened the doors, my heart sank. The Dragon God wasn''t there. He had already ascended!" "What?!" Even Alex was shocked. The dragon race''s actions pointed to only one conclusion. They were siding with the World''s Heart! "Doesn''t that make you a traitor to the dragon race?" Alex asked, a strange look on her face. "A traitor? Preposterous!" Emberon scoffed. "The Dragon God has always been neutral. He wanted to lead the dragon race away from conflict. It must have been those despicable Venom Dragons who forced him to ascend! They, and the other dragon races who support them, are the true traitors!" Emberon, as a Lava Dragon, was clearly hot-headed and stubborn. He had sought her out for Ice Cream''s sake. "Take the Frost Heart," Emberon said, handing the shards to Alex. "The undead race is neutral. Ice Cream grew up on the Eldoria continent and has been following you. He must understand the truth about this world. He''s the only one I can trust now." "You want Ice Cream to become the new Dragon God and unify the dragon race?" "The dragon race cannot follow those villains to their doom. We need a new Dragon God to lead us. I can''t obtain our race''s treasure, so I can only place my hopes on him." If he could, Emberon would have claimed the treasure himself and become a true god to unify the dragon race. But the Lava Dragon alpha was a pseudo-god, making it impossible for him to obtain it. He was certain of the undead race''s neutrality because Alex had destroyed the core of will without hesitation. "I understand," Alex said gravely. This put the humans in a dangerous position. But she had already warned them. She had done all she could. "News of the Dragon God''s ascension has leaked. They won''t come after me. Instead, they''ll accelerate their plans before the news spreads." Emberon said. This meant the dragon race had two targets: the Demon race and the humans. They didn''t need to defeat the true gods of those races. They just needed to force them to ascend. Without their true gods, those races would be vulnerable. "How about you join the undead empire?" Alex offered. A lone Sovereign level being was insignificant in this chaotic war without the backing of a powerful faction. "I will join the undead empire," Emberon replied. "But not now." Chapter 416 - 416: High Priest Alex returned to the undead Imperial Capital, parting ways with Emberon. The situation was escalating, and as she had suspected, the dragon race sought the undead race''s assistance. "The dragon race, having lost their true god and with only pseudo-gods remaining, seems to be the weakest among the major factions now," Alex mused. If she had a true god level combatant, she could wipe them out easily. It seemed it was time to try communicating with the Sea Race. ... On the Arsen continent, the battle between the undead and the Sea Race raged on. The undead race had demonstrated strength on par with the Sea Race. Without deploying pseudo-gods, the Sea Race had no hope of defeating the undead. Any Sovereign level beings above the first stage were easily handled by the undead pseudo-gods, posing no real threat. However, since their last encounter, the Sea Race had been deploying fewer and fewer Sovereign level beings. The war had devolved into a brutal war of attrition between lower-level combatants. The low-level Sea Race creatures flung themselves at the undead hordes on the coastline with suicidal abandon, their attacks disorganized and ineffective. They seemed to be endlessly throwing themselves into the meat grinder. The sky above the ocean was filled with a swarm of undead, and the ground below teemed with their ranks. The once azure waters were now stained a sickly green, the air thick with the stench of blood and decay. Alex surveyed the scene, appalled by the Sea Race''s apparent descent into mindless aggression. She flew out over the ocean, her gaze sweeping across the teeming masses of Sea Race creatures, searching for a leader, someone with intelligence. Activating her space sphere, Alex pulled an Emperor level Sea Race being from the horde. It struggled in vain, its eyes wide with terror as it faced Alex. This was the commander of this battlefield, a mere Emperor level being, hiding among its troops, endlessly sending them to their deaths on the shore. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I am the lord of the undead race," Alex said coldly. "Inform your true rulers, those with actual authority, that I wish to speak with them." The Emperor level Sea Race creature stared at her, stunned. Before it could respond, Alex kicked it back into the ocean. It immediately dove towards the depths, eager to relay her message. ... Beneath the waves, swaying seagrass carpeted the ocean floor. Marine life teemed around a magnificent, sacred palace, carefully avoiding it. Strange-looking Sea Race creatures, more fish-like than humanoid, guarded the palace. Their enormous bellies expelled thousands of eggs every second. The eggs drifted on the currents, collected in a massive container, where a Sea Race priest imbued them with power, transforming them into a swarm of tiny fish. Within days, these hundreds of thousands of hatchlings would become fierce warriors. This was the Sea Race''s method of replenishing their ranks, not through summoning like the undead, but through sheer, relentless reproduction. A Sea Race priest suddenly stopped what he was doing, glaring at the Emperor level being that had just entered the palace. "Why aren''t you commanding your troops? What are you doing here?" "Leader, the undead lord has appeared," the Emperor level Sea Race creature reported respectfully. "She wishes to speak with us." "There''s nothing to discuss," the priest scoffed. "We must obey Poseidon''s divine decree. We must conquer the Arsen continent." Unless Poseidon himself countermanded the order, they wouldn''t stop. "Yes, Leader." The Emperor level being turned to leave, knowing its trip to the surface had likely been a suicide mission. But it couldn''t disobey a direct order, even if it meant certain death. "Wait." A voice echoed through the hall. A slender figure emerged from the palace''s depths. She looked almost human, with pale skin and flowing hair, like a human woman, except for her sky-blue tresses, piled high on her head. She was barefoot, and small bells, attached to anklets around her ankles, chimed melodiously as she walked. "Greetings, High Priest." Both the Emperor level being and the priest bowed respectfully. "I''ll go see her." As the High Priest spoke, she floated towards the surface. The marine life, both flora and fauna, parted before her, and even the water itself seemed to divide, creating a path. The two Sea Race beings exchanged stunned glances. The High Priest hadn''t left the Sea Temple in nearly a thousand years! And now she was going to meet with an lord? Could there be more to this than met the eye? ... Above the waves, Alex hovered in the air, sensing a powerful aura approaching. The ocean churned violently. To Alex''s astonishment, the sea parted, creating a massive chasm. A breathtakingly beautiful woman, borne aloft by the water, rose from the depths, stopping before Alex. The sheer power radiating from her was unmistakable. This Sea Race being was a pseudo-god! "Greetings, Undead Lord," the woman said with a gentle smile, her manner of speaking oddly formal, as if mimicking human customs. "I am the High Priest of the Sea Race, the current acting ruler." "What is your stance in this conflict?" Alex asked directly, her gaze unwavering despite the High Priest''s overwhelming power. "We are but small fish in the vast ocean," the High Priest replied, her smile unwavering. "The great Sea God granted us life, and as his subjects, we have no right to choose." The High Priest''s words implied that they couldn''t obtain a core of will and therefore had no right to choose a side. "And what about after you conquer the Arsen continent and obtain a core of will?" Alex pressed. The High Priest simply shook her head. "You won''t tell me?" Alex''s tone hardened. "Do you think the undead race is your only enemy?" The High Priest didn''t seem interested in a genuine discussion. It was as if she was merely indulging her curiosity. "No, I don''t know," the High Priest replied. "How can you not know?" Alex muttered under her breath. "You don''t know, and I''m supposed to?" "This is the will of the great Sea God. We are merely following his orders. After realizing we couldn''t defeat you, I''ve scaled back our attacks to minimize our losses," the High Priest explained, a hint of helplessness in her voice. Even she, despite understanding the futility of their efforts, couldn''t disobey the Sea God''s decree. She could only make minor adjustments within the confines of his divine will. Chapter 417 - 417: Sea Gods command The Sea God had been silent since his last decree, likely due to his impending awakening. Alex was puzzled. Couldn''t this Sea Race pseudo-god act on her own? The High Priest, sensing Alex''s confusion, elaborated, "I am only responsible for internal affairs. All commands regarding external conflicts come directly from the Sea God." Alex was taken aback. Did the Sea Race have no other pseudo-gods? The High Priest''s words implied that, in the Sea God''s absence, she was obligated to rule the Sea Race. The most likely reason for this was the lack of other pseudo-gods within the Sea Race. It was clear now. This pseudo-god mermaid was the current ruler, but she was merely carrying out the Sea God''s orders. And with the Sea God slumbering, Alex had no way of knowing his next move. Unless she could speak with the Sea God himself, she wouldn''t know the Sea Race''s true intentions. "This war has become meaningless," Alex stated, testing the waters. "If you don''t intervene personally, the Sea Race stands no chance against my forces." She was subtly trying to goad the Sea Race into attacking other continents, stirring up trouble for the other races. "Conquering the Arsen continent is the Sea God''s command," the High Priest replied flatly. "Even if you can''t win, you''ll continue fighting?" Alex asked, a hint of incredulity in her voice. The High Priest nodded. Further discussion was clearly futile. "Then maintain the status quo," Alex said, glancing at the High Priest. "If your Sea God awakens, please inform him that the undead race remains neutral." "I will," the High Priest replied with a nod, acknowledging the unusual nature of the situation, but unable to deviate from sea god''s given orders. The Sea Race''s governance was peculiar, resembling a feudal dynasty under an absolute monarch. The Sea God was the emperor, his word law. Any other race would have abandoned this pointless war long ago. Their conversation ended on an unsatisfactory note. The war on the Arsen continent would continue, albeit without further escalation. Both Alex and the High Priest understood this unspoken agreement. The Arsen continent would remain a battleground for low-level skirmishes, nothing more. This was good news for Alex. She no longer had to worry about this front. Furthermore, having reached Sovereign level, she no longer gained experience, meaning her Race Kings would receive more experience and level up faster. Alex left the Arsen continent and returned to the undead Imperial Capital, her mind already strategizing her next move. The undead could now spare a significant portion of their forces. She was contemplating whether to aid the humans or the Demon race. If either faction fell, the entire war''s outcome would be decided, and the undead race would face more than just the Angel race. But before Alex could decide, uninvited guests arrived on the Eldoria continent. In the east, three pillars of light shot up into the sky, hurtling towards the Dark Forest. Everything in their path was annihilated, leaving behind three scorched trails across the land, like pathways carved by gods. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... In the Skyreach Mountains, Skoll watched the three eight-winged angels approaching from the north, his expression grim. "They''ve finally come..." he murmured. In Hurricane City, within the Starfallen Empire, Boreas also noticed the approaching angels. His proximity to the undead empire gave him a clearer view. Panic seized him. He frantically scribbled a message, his handwriting a jumbled mess. He remembered Wind''s words: "If I should fall in battle, and you see her in danger, report it to the president or Mr. Thunder immediately. Alex must not die!" Wind rarely spoke with such gravity. This matter was clearly of utmost importance to him. Although Boreas didn''t understand, he reacted immediately. ... Meanwhile, in the undead Imperial Capital, Alex stepped out of the palace and looked towards the west, where three golden lights were rapidly approaching. "I''ll kill you all today!" she declared, a cold fire in her eyes. The Angel race had underestimated the undead empire. Or rather, they had overlooked one crucial detail: she also had the race kings left by the previous undead lord. Garethor and Torin. When they had joined the undead empire, Alex was only at King level, while they were both high-level Emperor level beings. Now, thanks to the constant influx of experience from the Sea Race battlefield, Garethor had already broken through to second-stage Sovereign level. Torin, though slightly behind, had just reached first-stage Sovereign level. During this era crisis, Alex had prioritized allocating experience points to her high-level undead. More and more lords were joining the undead empire, providing a substantial amount of faith power, more than enough for Garethor to ascend to pseudo-godhood. With the support of eight pseudo-gods and Death Spirit, although killing the three angel pseudo-gods would be difficult, holding them back was certainly possible. As the three angels neared the Dark Forest, Alex channeled the faith power of the entire undead empire. "The undead empire is recognized by the World''s Heart! By the power of faith, I hereby grant Garethor ascension to godhood!" Alex''s voice boomed across the undead Imperial Capital. All the lords looked towards the palace in astonishment. The undead empire now commanded a staggering number of undead, over nine million, providing a vast reservoir of faith power. Fortunately, the World''s Heart was an unconscious entity. It wouldn''t specifically prevent Garethor''s ascension just because of Alex''s choices. Perhaps, in its view, whoever ascended through faith was on its side. Therefore, the process couldn''t be interrupted. It was similar to the Mage Guild''s Divine Mage. He was neutral, but that didn''t prevent the Seven Guardians from becoming pseudo-gods. The same principle applied to Alex. The next moment, a golden barrier enveloped the entire undead empire. A torrent of faith power surged into Garethor, instantly propelling him to third-stage Sovereign level and initiating his ascension ritual. With the support of faith power, finding one''s God''s Path as a pseudo-god was almost effortless. The three angel pseudo-gods stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the golden barrier. This scene seemed eerily familiar. They had no idea how many Sovereign level beings within the undead empire were undergoing ascension. The three angels exchanged glances, seemingly contemplating retreat. They wouldn''t throw their lives away needlessly. If the Mage Guild scenario repeated itself, their deaths would be a significant blow to the Angel race. Chapter 418 - 418: Mysterious Island Their priority was to report back, not to engage in a suicidal battle. Just as the three angels were about to leave, two figures materialized behind them. One was a human man wreathed in crackling purple lightning: Thunder, one of the Mage Guild''s Seven Guardians. The other, clad in heavy silver armor and radiating a holy aura, was the leader of the Holy Church, recently ascended to pseudo-godhood. The three angels'' expressions hardened as their auras clashed. The golden barrier around the undead empire began to weaken. Thunder and the Holy Church leader attacked simultaneously. A battle between pseudo-gods erupted. Within the undead Imperial Capital, the lords watched the battle in awe. "Is that... a god?" They looked at Garethor on the plaza, his aura steadily intensifying, realizing that he, too, was about to become a pseudo-god. Alex''s declaration had been more than just words. A pseudo-god''s power was directly linked to faith. The more followers they had, the greater their divine power. The Angel race had many pseudo-gods, but their population was average, which explained their relatively unremarkable strength. As the golden barrier dissipated, Garethor''s ascension was complete. He looked towards Alex, standing on the steps of the palace, and reaffirmed his loyalty. "My great Queen," Garethor boomed, "I shall repel the enemy!" A black streak of light shot towards the battle raging outside the undead Imperial Capital. ... Golden light and purple lightning clashed as an angel forced Thunder back with a sword strike. The angels sensed Thunder wasn''t fighting at full strength. "He''s injured," they realized, identifying their target. They focused their attack on Thunder. Suddenly, black chains materialized, swirling and writhing like living things, forming a cage of burning black fire that trapped the three angels. They turned to see Garethor standing behind them. His arrival had disrupted their attack. The three angels combined their holy light, attempting to purify Garethor''s attack. But Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god wouldn''t miss this opportunity. The Holy Church pseudo-god''s holy light merged with the attack, disrupting the angels'' spellcasting. Simultaneously, a bolt of purple lightning struck the cage. Garethor and Thunder''s combined attack constricted, trapping the angels. A strange stalemate ensued. The Holy Church pseudo-god focused on disrupting the angels'' holy light, while Garethor and Thunder maintained the fiery cage. The three angels needed to combine their power to break free, but they were constantly interrupted. The constricting cage, while unable to inflict significant damage, kept them trapped. The six pseudo-gods were locked in a delicate balance, a battle of attrition to see whose divine power would be exhausted first. Garethor had the most power, but Thunder''s injuries were a wildcard. The three angels had no idea how long they could hold out. Even if they broke free, their situation wouldn''t improve. They wouldn''t have the strength to defeat the three pseudo-gods. Watching the stalemate, Alex paused, realizing the situation wasn''t going as planned. They needed an external intervention. "I wonder if the Source of Fear will work," she mused, drawing her scythe. She vanished into the soul realm, where everything was rendered in shades of gray, as if frozen in time. Behind the six pseudo-gods, she could clearly see their souls, manifested as giant white shadows. Alex''s scythe turned into a black shadow, a stark contrast to the gray world. Here, she wielded the power of the Source of Fear, devoid of the scythe''s attribute bonus that severed anything. This wasn''t a typical soul attack, designed to inflict pain or damage, but to sever the soul from the body. The Source of Fear bypassed all soul defenses, unless the target''s soul was exceptionally resilient. The massive black shadow, like a ravenous beast, lunged towards the three angel pseudo-gods. A blinding white light, tinged with gold, erupted from their soul shadows, attempting to purify the Source of Fear. But this was Alex''s domain. The black shadow transformed into an ancient beast, devouring the white light. Then, Alex saw the other two souls stir, joining forces to resist the Source of Fear. Her attack was momentarily suppressed. "It won''t be that easy," Alex frowned. Pseudo-gods were clearly beyond the scope of ordinary beings. Just as she was considering summoning her pseudo-god level death angels or death dragons for assistance, the battle outside shifted. Thunder''s attack pierced through an angel pseudo-god''s chest, spraying golden blood. The three angels'' resistance faltered. They were no longer a match for their opponents. Infernal flames engulfed the chains, forming a massive fireball that incinerated everything around it. The angels'' once pristine white wings were scorched and charred, their feathers turning to ash. Their divine power was rapidly depleting. They had to make a desperate gamble. A golden cross materialized in the sky, followed by a massive holy sword that descended from the heavens. Boom! The earth buckled under the force of the impact, obliterating everything in the vicinity. The shockwave rippled outwards, reaching the undead Imperial Capital, shaking the city as if in a violent earthquake. The lords within the city were thrown to the ground, their faces pale with fear as they looked towards the battlefield. Three golden lights shot up from the dust cloud. They were retreating! A black chain snaked out, ensnaring one of the weakened pseudo-gods. Infernal flames consumed it. Another angel coughed up golden blood mid-flight, its soul injured, losing its chance to escape. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god quickly surrounded and killed it. Only one angel pseudo-god managed to escape. Alex withdrew from the soul realm, her soul power severely depleted from maintaining the Source of Fear. ... "Thunder, your injuries have worsened," Alex said, her voice laced with concern as she approached the pale-faced Guardian. "It''s nothing," Thunder replied, waving off her concern. "It''s just a shame we let one escape." He gazed towards the horizon, his brow furrowed with worry. "How is the situation on the Arcadia continent?" Alex asked, her concern shifting to the larger war. The Angel race''s deep reserves of power were a formidable threat, far beyond what the humans could handle alone. "Not good," Thunder sighed. "They''re pressing hard. Their target is the Divine Mage. They want to force him to ascend." Their current efforts were merely buying time for Alex. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''ve reached an agreement with the Sea Race," Alex revealed. "The undead race can join the war." Even if the undead race lacked high-end combat power, they were still a force to be reckoned with, surpassing all other races except the major factions. She had destroyed a core of will, making her stance unequivocally clear. Thunder shook his head. "No. The relationships between the races are too complex. For now, just know that the undead are the only ones you can truly trust. They are eternally loyal." His words were a clear directive: focus on strengthening the undead race. The final outcome was uncertain, and Alex could only rely on her undead troops. "I understand," Alex replied, nodding solemnly. She then turned to the Holy Church pseudo-god. Since he had come to her aid alongside Thunder, he was likely trustworthy. He stood silently, like a statue. Alex decided to share a crucial piece of information. "I''ve received reliable intel. The Dragon God has ascended." Thunder''s face paled. The dragon race''s allegiance was now practically confirmed! "This is critical. I must return to headquarters and report to the president immediately." Alex nodded, watching as the two pseudo-gods hurried away. The Divine Mage couldn''t ascend. If he did, everything would be lost. A race could only have one true god at a time. If a race had two, the World''s Heart''s rejection would intensify, forcing both true gods to ascend. But with only one true god, a race could maintain their divine protector as long as they didn''t overuse their divine power. They became the ultimate safeguard for their race. Therefore, all major races cultivated several powerful third-stage Sovereign level beings to serve as successors in case their true god ascended. But becoming to true godhood was far more difficult than becoming a pseudo-god. It wasn''t something that could be achieved overnight. Therefore, during wartime, if a race''s true god ascended, it created a dangerous gap in their high-end combat power. ... Upon returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex found Death Spirit waiting for her in the main hall, clearly with a report to deliver. "Queen, the undead have discovered the legendary island beyond the far northern coastline." Alex paused, recalling the legend she had heard from the tiger guard during her expedition to the far north. After subduing the Arctic Tigerfolk clan, she had sent undead scouts to search for the island, but they had found nothing. She had dismissed it as a myth. "How did you find it? Is there anything unusual about it?" Alex asked Death Spirit, sensing something amiss. "My Queen, after you instructed us to abandon the search, the undead stopped looking. Today, by chance, the Arctic Tigerfolk clan, while patrolling the far north, noticed an anomaly and reported it. I led the undead out to sea and discovered a massive, floating island. It''s quite strange. The undead who went to investigate were all eliminated by an unknown force. We still don''t know what secrets it holds." "Indeed, strange," Alex murmured. What could be on this legendary island in the far north? "Garethor, Death Spirit, come with me. We''ll investigate." Alex decided to investigate immediately. This couldn''t be a coincidence. Why hadn''t it appeared before, only now? What was the difference between the Eldoria continent then and now? The island had appeared after Alex destroyed the core of will. She suspected a connection. Arriving in the far north, Alex and her companions flew towards the coastline. Standing on the vast, icy plains, they couldn''t see the ocean, let alone an island. "Queen, the island is very far away, and it seems to exert some kind of pull on the continent," Garethor said, his enhanced senses as a pseudo-god detecting something Alex and Death Spirit couldn''t. "It is indeed far away," Death Spirit added. "But when I first saw it, it was glowing, like a fallen star in the ocean. That''s how the Arctic Tigerfolk clan noticed it." "Let''s go. We''ll investigate," Alex said, taking to the skies. The island was within her territory. She had to know what it was. Even with her current speed, it took Alex three hours to reach the island. It was incredibly far away. During the flight, Alex noticed her energy draining faster than usual, likely due to the World''s Heart''s resistance to intercontinental travel. A being below Sovereign level wouldn''t have made it this far. Their energy would have been depleted, and they would have plummeted into the ocean. The surrounding sea was a dark, endless expanse, its surface eerily calm and smooth, like a perfect mirror. The island itself was even stranger than Alex had anticipated. As Death Spirit had reported, it was floating, hovering several meters above the water. Its edges were perfectly smooth, forming a complete circle. Like Death Spirit, Alex sensed a strange energy emanating from the island, but it didn''t feel dangerous. "Queen," Garethor said suddenly, "I remember my previous master mentioning this island. He didn''t tell us anything about it, though. Perhaps the Mage Guild president has more information." The previous undead lord knew about this island? "We''re both undead lords, following the path of the God of Creation, both on the Eldoria continent," Alex mused. "Which of these is the key connection?" If she couldn''t figure it out, she would have to ask the Mage Guild president. "Garethor, fly past the island and see how much further it is to the next continent," Alex instructed, turning to Death Spirit. "We''ll land on the island and investigate." Chapter 419 - 419: Undead race can no longer stand idly by Although the island''s power could obliterate low-level undead, Alex doubted it could kill Sovereign level beings or pseudo-gods. There had to be a secret hidden here. Death Spirit sent a clone onto the island. It was instantly vaporized. Alex paused, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. The power emanating from the island resembled the Angel race''s holy light, capable of purifying all things. No, it wasn''t quite like holy light. It was more akin to the energy radiating from the core of will. "Queen, that energy is strange. Please don''t approach the island!" Death Spirit warned as Alex stepped forward. "I know," Alex replied, stopping at the island''s edge and slowly extending her arm. A brilliant golden light flared, attempting to purify her. Alex had already prepared to use undead to shield herself. But then, a strange, equally powerful energy surged from within her, clashing with the island''s golden light. The entire island began to glow, radiating like a star, just as Death Spirit had described. Alex, caught in the center of the clashing energies, felt no pain, no discomfort. She was perfectly safe. The struggle continued for an unknown amount of time before the energies began to subside. A tiny golden flame flickered where the two energies met. "That''s... divine fire!" Alex exclaimed, realization dawning. What kind of clash could produce tangible divine fire? The System and the World''s Heart! The island possessed the World''s Heart''s power, while the strange energy within her came from the System! Her path to godhood was linked to both the System and the World''s Heart. Their opposing forces were now inadvertently weakening each other. This was a monumental opportunity. Alex extended her hand, gently cupping the divine fire. It radiated no heat, only a comforting warmth. The moment the divine fire touched her skin, it melted away like snowflakes, merging with her being. A strange power surged through her, a sensation she couldn''t quite describe. She had inadvertently reached the second stage of Sovereign level. With this breakthrough, a faint trace of divine power now resided within her. Her path to godhood had officially begun. This unexpected advancement didn''t conflict with her plans. The island still radiated a potent energy, but the clash had ceased. This meant the system''s power within her had been completely purged. She wondered if the other lords had been affected or if this method could be replicated. If so, it would be incredibly convenient. But it was also incredibly dangerous. Failure meant obliteration. Alex could no longer find the system button or access the dashboard. She was certain the system''s power was gone. Simultaneously, the top spot on the leaderboard vanished. Alex''s name was gone, replaced by Xiao Hui. "This island''s power is linked to the World''s Heart. I doubt anyone below Divine level (god) can set foot on it." Alex abandoned the idea of landing on the island, at least for now. Perhaps there were other methods she didn''t know about. But one thing was certain: the clash of energies had weakened the island''s power. If she destroyed all seven cores of will, she might be able to land on the island as a Sovereign level being. Alex and Death Spirit waited for Garethor''s return. He arrived shortly after, his expression mirroring Alex''s earlier surprise. "Queen, this island isn''t part of the Eldoria continent. It''s likely the center of the entire world!" Garethor''s words were blunt, his astonishment evident. Alex stared at him, stunned. That explained the island''s remote location. A barrier separated each continent. Only by destroying a continent''s core of will could the barrier be lifted. That''s why the mysterious island had appeared near the Eldoria continent. According to Garethor, the barriers around the other continents were still intact. The island was invisible beyond those barriers. He had only managed to find his way back by retracing his original route. "So, this island is at the center, with seven continents radiating outwards in seven different directions?!" Alex was intrigued. Now that the Eldoria continent''s core of will was destroyed, could pseudo-gods from other continents see the island if they crossed the barrier? If they came to the Eldoria continent, they would undoubtedly discover the island. "That''s right," Garethor confirmed. "I flew in a straight line. The continent on the other side is the Tyrangar continent. And adjacent to it is likely the Valoria continent." The distance from the island to each continent was roughly the same. "The Angel race already knows," Alex said grimly. But this island was connected to the World''s Heart. Perhaps they had known all along. Maybe that was the real reason they opposed the destruction of the cores of will. "Queen, there''s one more thing," Garethor said, his tone serious. "On my way back, I briefly visited the adjacent continents. One of them is the Arsen continent." Alex looked at him expectantly. "The Arsen continent has no barrier, and the island is visible from there!" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What?!" Alex exclaimed. How was that possible? A sudden realization struck her. She gave a quick order to Death Spirit and Garethor and immediately returned to the far north. During the flight back, Alex pondered this strange development. The Arsen continent had no core of will. What did that mean? Why did the Sea God want to conquer the Arsen continent? Without a core of will, they couldn''t gain the World''s Heart''s recognition and couldn''t choose a side. And if that was the case, the undead race''s conquest of the Arsen continent seemed pointless. To further weaken the World''s Heart, she would have to wage war on other continents. But first, she needed to consolidate her power and gather her strength. Alex suspected that the island was either a manifestation of the World''s Heart or somehow connected to her path to becoming the God of Creation. She needed to discuss this with the Mage Guild president. Upon returning to the undead Imperial Capital, Alex immediately contacted Boreas in Hurricane City, hoping to glean some information about the mysterious island. However, Boreas was clueless. He promised to relay the information to the president and inform Alex of any response. The situation on the Arsen continent was also a major concern for Alex. Although she didn''t know why the core of will had vanished, it was undoubtedly beneficial to the undead empire. It wasn''t until the following day that the Mage Guild president''s reply reached Alex. Unfortunately, the president was also unaware of the island''s true nature. He only offered a cryptic hint, suggesting it might be connected to her path to becoming the God of Creation. Unable to obtain any further information, Alex abandoned her inquiries, resolving to uncover the island''s secrets herself. Her current priority was to destroy as many cores of will as possible. Destroying all seven was likely impossible, so she had to do what she could. Alex directed all her undead forces to focus on gaining experience on the Sea Race battlefield. After purging the system''s power from herself, she discovered that it had only affected her, with no noticeable impact on the undead empire. It seemed there was a significant difference between passive and active removal of the system''s influence. Time was running out. Her actions were merely buying time for the undead. Over a month passed. Tonight was another full moon. Alex stood by the window, gazing at the moon. She noticed that the red moon''s light seemed dimmer than before, tinged with a warm, yellowish hue. She suspected the blood moon in the sky was also connected to the World''s Heart. Many significant events had transpired during the past month. The dragon race had openly sided with the World''s Heart, but their conflict with the Angel race was genuine. However, instead of fighting each other, they had joined forces to attack the Demon race. The dragon race''s reasoning was simple: they wanted to minimize their pseudo-god losses. Having lost their Dragon God, they were now the weakest among the top-tier races. As for why they chose to target the Demon race instead of the humans, the answer was simple: the Demon race had no true god. Their strongest combatants were pseudo-gods. They were a top-tier race solely due to their sheer number of pseudo-gods, second only to the Angel race. They had twenty-four pseudo-gods. Pseudo-gods couldn''t be banished by the World''s Heart. And since demons were inherently bloodthirsty and battle-crazed, they remained a formidable force even without a true god. Like the undead race, demons, being creations of a higher power, wouldn''t acknowledge the World''s Heart. They were only loyal to their own god. Therefore, not all races with pseudo-gods were necessarily aligned with the World''s Heart. Given the demons'' nature, Alex doubted they would ever choose a side. Facing the combined might of the Titan and dragon races, the Demon race was losing ground. The Valoria continent was mostly under enemy control, transformed into a desolate battlefield. The Holy Court had returned to the Nytheria continent, joining forces with the Angel race to attack the humans. Facing the full might of the Angel race, the humans were struggling. The Divine Mage might have to intervene soon. The tide of war had turned. The undead empire was in a precarious position. As Thunder had warned, the undead race shouldn''t intervene. But now, Alex had no choice. The Arsen continent had no core of will. She could abandon it if necessary. As for the Sea Race''s choice, she didn''t have time to worry about it. If the awakened Sea God sided with the World''s Heart, it would only worsen the situation. "I can''t wait any longer," Alex declared. "We have enough faith power. Tomorrow, I will purge the system''s power and begin my ascension!" She had made up her mind. The undead race could no longer remain neutral. Regardless of whether they had enough faith power or how many pseudo-gods the undead empire could produce, she had to act. Filled with anxiety, Alex drifted off to a restless sleep. The next morning, she rose early and summoned all her leaders. It was the first time they had all gathered in a long while. But unlike the last time, they were almost all at Sovereign level, just a step away from pseudo-godhood. They entered the hall, their expressions grim, knowing the reason for this meeting. Alex sat on her bone throne, surveying the assembled lords. Her gaze lingered on Ruby, her white hair mirroring Alex''s own, and Sophie, standing beside her. They were undoubtedly the least talented among those present. They had barely reached first-stage Sovereign level thanks to the faith power provided by the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom. This was their limit. Ruby had no chance of becoming a god. As for Sophie, despite ruling the entire dwarf kingdom and receiving more faith power than the Arctic Tigerfolk kingdom, her potential was even lower, capped at Emperor level. "The undead race can no longer stand idly by," Alex declared, her voice calm but firm. "We must join the war. We have no time left. Ruby, Sophie, you will remain here and defend the empire." Ruby didn''t object. She knew her Sovereign level strength was insignificant in this war. Ruby and Sophie both nodded solemnly. Alex turned her attention to the remaining lords and Race Kings. "This is a war of unprecedented scale. Remaining neutral is impossible. Sovereign level beings are mere cannon fodder. Even gods can fall. We might all die in this war, including me. But I won''t wait for death, and I won''t let you wait for death either. Our only hope of survival is ourselves. Only the victors write history." Alex''s gaze swept across the room. Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by her voice. Every face was etched with grim determination. "We have no time left. Regardless of your current level, I will now remove the system''s power and use faith to help you ascend to godhood." Alex paused, seeing no objections. She rose from her throne. "Death Spirit, gather all the lords, Freelancers, and their troops on the plaza." "As you command, Queen!" Death Spirit vanished. Alex led the others out of the palace. Chapter 420 - 420: Remove the system Alex stood on the plaza, her core leadership flanking her. The surrounding lords, unsure of the purpose of this gathering, watched with curiosity. Death Spirit quickly relayed Alex''s command to all Lords and Freelancers within the empire. They converged on the undead Imperial Capital, assembling in a massive crowd. The Freelancers, though numerous, possessed only trace amounts of the system''s power, posing no significant threat. Purging their system was simple. Alex''s divine fire could easily accomplish this. The Sovereign level lords could also do it themselves, albeit more slowly. "Everyone," Alex announced, her voice carrying across the plaza, "as promised, I will now help you remove all traces of the system. This purging is complete, more thorough than becoming a Freelancer. Afterward, whether you choose to remain within the undead empire or integrate into human society is entirely up to you. I won''t stop you." Alex explained the purpose of this gathering. This was part of their agreement. The lords, now aware that they were merely pawns in the system''s game, had been waiting for this day. Moreover, the system would disappear in a hundred years anyway. And any pseudo-gods created through its influence would be banished by the World''s Heart, just like true gods, becoming puppets of the system. This was merely happening sooner than expected. Once the system vanished, alliances, submission contracts, barracks, and other special structures would lose their function. This meant Alex would no longer have absolute control over Ice Cream, the Xiao siblings, Drake, Sophie, and the others. They would regain their freedom. However, special structures like the Portal of Transit and other already constructed buildings would remain unaffected. Their magic circles were permanent, independent of the system. It was similar to the magic circles created by alchemy warlocks. Their death didn''t deactivate the magic circles they had created. "What do we need to do?" the lords asked. "Nothing. Just stand here. I''ll handle the rest." Alex placed two fingers on her forehead. A golden energy slowly flowed out, coalescing at her fingertips into a golden flame. She raised the divine fire above her head and released it into the sky. The divine fire blazed, bathing the lords and Freelancers in its golden light. They watched in awe. The light radiated no heat, only a sense of calm. A strange energy emerged from their bodies, clashing with the divine fire''s energy. "Is that the system''s energy within us?" Xiao Hui asked, surprised. She couldn''t sense any change within herself. If not for the divine fire, they wouldn''t have even noticed its presence. "Yes, this energy is unconscious. It only activates in the presence of the World''s Heart''s energy, acting as a defense mechanism. It''s harmless," Alex explained to Xiao Hui and the others. The energy flowed out, dissipated by the divine fire''s radiance. The amount of system energy within each lord, regardless of their level, was roughly the same. This was why lords could actively purge it upon reaching Sovereign level. However, the top-ranked lords on the leaderboard had received special treatment from the system, possessing more energy than the others. Therefore, Satan, Lilith, and the others had a greater amount of system energy within them. And Alex, having held the top spot, had the most. That''s why she had been able to withstand the island''s power for so long. The system''s distribution of energy was like placing bets. The higher-ranked lords had a greater chance of becoming gods and were therefore more valuable to the system. Within half an hour, the system''s influence was purged from all the Freelancers. An hour later, the lords were also cleansed. Only Alex''s core members and Satan and Lilith''s groups remained. "My task is complete," Alex announced. "You are free to go wherever you please." Her goal had been to weaken the system. Although the faith power provided by these lords and their troops was beneficial, it wasn''t essential. "We wish to stay!" the Freelancers declared unanimously. They had no home, no place to go. The lords, though harboring other ambitions, had no better options in the current climate. They agreed to remain in the undead Imperial Capital, at least for now. After dismissing the crowd, Alex waited patiently for the remaining individuals to be cleansed, maintaining her divine fire with her soul power. It wouldn''t take long. They were almost all Sovereign level beings and could purge the system''s influence themselves, with a little help from Alex. Three hours later, as midday approached, everyone except Drake and Xiao Mu had been cleansed. They stood beside Alex, watching the two Race Kings. Alex was worried. The Light Titan and Rock Dragon races were small, and without the system''s barracks, the faith power they provided might not be enough for them to reach pseudo-godhood. Death Spirit, lacking faith power, was still stuck at first-stage Sovereign level. But Alex wasn''t willing to give up on him. Perhaps she hadn''t found the right method yet. Or maybe, unlike the other Race Kings, his potential extended to true godhood. Regardless, she wouldn''t let him become a pseudo-god. Torin had recently ascended to pseudo-godhood, becoming the undead empire''s second strongest combatant. As the last vestiges of system energy dissipated, signifying the complete purging of its influence, the divine fire merged back into Alex. She felt her divine fire grow stronger, closer to illuminating her God''s Path. This was undoubtedly connected to the core of will. If she destroyed a few more cores of will, she could surely reach the third stage of Sovereign level. === With the system''s power purged, it was time to utilize the accumulated faith to help her followers ascend to godhood(Divine). Alex raised her right hand. An invisible energy began to manifest throughout the undead empire''s territory, converging towards the undead Imperial Capital, swirling like an invisible vortex above the city. The energy coalesced in Alex''s palm, growing larger and radiating an awe-inspiring power. Soon, a ball of faith power, larger than her hand, pulsed in her grasp. "By the power of faith within my divine kingdom," Alex declared, her voice echoing through the city, "I grant Xiao Hui, Arthur, Riven, John, Crane, Arthas, Azure, and Vulture to godhood!" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The energy in her hand expanded explosively, splitting into eight streams of pale gold light that surged into her chosen champions. Eight golden pillars of light erupted into the sky, enveloping them as their bodies and souls underwent a divine transformation, their power surging. "Drake, Xiao Mu," Alex said, her tone apologetic, "your faith power is insufficient. You won''t be able to god this time." Thanks to the sheer number of undead, their faith power was abundant. The others, however, fell short. "We will expand our forces and grow stronger," Xiao Mu said, his voice filled with determination. "I can already sense that I''m close to breaking through to Divine level." Drake nodded in agreement. They wouldn''t remain stuck at third-stage Sovereign level. In the upcoming war, Divine level would be the deciding factor. "Ten gods are enough for now," Alex replied, nodding. Her gaze shifted to Ice Cream. He was the most talented among them, besides herself. With the complete Azure Dragon treasure, his ascension to true god was only a matter of time. Once Ice Cream became a true god, he would be their strongest combatant, securing the undead race''s position among the top-tier factions. Perhaps the current Dragon God had been too merciful, or perhaps he had fallen victim to the traitors within his race, choosing to ascend rather than fight. Otherwise, the dragon race''s pseudo-gods and gods would have been no match for a true god. His decision to ascend instead of eliminating the traitors was puzzling. "Ice Cream," Alex said, approaching him, "the system''s power is gone, and I''ve released you from our contract. You are free now. Whether you choose to return to the dragon race or stay is entirely up to you." Their relationship had been mutually beneficial, but Alex had arguably helped Ice Cream more than he had helped her. "I choose to stay," Ice Cream replied without hesitation. "I will help you achieve your dream." His eyes shone with unwavering resolve. Born on the Eldoria continent, he felt no connection to the dragon race. His only concern was his mother. Now, knowing that the dragon race had sided with his mother''s killers, he couldn''t tolerate it. Both Emberon and Alex hoped Ice Cream would ascend to true god and unify the dragon race. They had strayed from the right path. A new Dragon God was needed to lead them and prevent their destruction. This was the main reason Ice Cream chose to stay. "Welcome to the undead empire," Alex said, smiling. "I''m sure not all dragons have sided with the World''s Heart. When Emberon arrives, you can discuss your plans. I won''t show mercy to those traitors." The Frost Heart was restored, but fully merging with it was incredibly difficult. Alex hoped Ice Cream''s ascension wouldn''t be delayed for too long. As the city''s faith power dwindled, the Race Kings began to transform. Xiao Hui''s six wings became eight, her aura growing stronger. She was the first among the eight kings to Divine level. Azure and Riven''s ethereal forms solidified, becoming more tangible, almost like flesh and blood. Azure, in his human form, looked almost indistinguishable from an ordinary person. John and Arthur''s appearances didn''t change much, but their soul flames burned brighter, now enveloping their entire bodies instead of just flickering within their chests. Crane and Arthas looked more human, their deathly auras the only indication of their undead nature. Vulture, the new King Ghoul, was the only exception. He looked almost identical to his previous form. Alex had initially thought his ascension had failed, but the aura he radiated was unmistakably that of a Divine level. Without the system, Alex couldn''t analyze Vulture''s abilities. She would have to observe him in action. Eight gods hovered in the air, radiating immense power. In terms of overall strength, the undead empire now surpassed even the dragon race. Although slightly weaker than the Demon race, they were more than capable of facing the era crisis. The Race Kings descended, landing beside Alex, each radiating an unparalleled aura. Her next objective was simple: choose the weakest target and destroy their core of will. She didn''t need to aid any specific race. The Demon race, despite losing ground against the combined forces of the Titan and dragon races, still held control over the Valoria continent. Alex decided to communicate with the Demon race first and confirm their allegiance. After that, she would target the cores of will on the Arcadia continent (humans), the Tyrangar continent (Titans), and the Mossvale continent (dragons). Since the dragon race had betrayed them, Alex''s first target, after contacting the Demon race, would be the weakened dragon race. She was determined to obtain the Mossvale continent''s core of will. Chapter 421 - 421: Decision of the demon race The endless abyss was a scene of carnage. Demon corpses littered the landscape, shrouded in a sinister black mist. The combined miasma of thousands of decaying demons rose from the abyss, a horrifying yet strangely majestic sight. Among the fallen were massive corpses radiating a holy aura: Titans. The Titan race had no god, only a true god who rarely intervened in conflicts. On this lower-level battlefield, they were no match for the Demon race. The beleaguered Demon race had recklessly deployed their god-level combatants, but the Titans dared not risk their true god. (Gods were categorized into three tiers, from weakest to strongest: pseudo-god, god, and true god.) The Holy Court had withdrawn, but the dragon race, a far more formidable force, had joined the fray, stabilizing the situation and launching a counteroffensive against the Demon race. Deep within the Valoria continent, the chieftains of the twenty-four Demon tribes gathered in a strange, shadowy forest. They typically ruled their own territories, avoiding contact with each other, convening only under special circumstances. These twenty-four demons varied greatly in appearance and power. Most were pseudo-gods or gods. The rest were representatives of chieftains currently engaged in battle or acting chieftains, mere third-stage Sovereign level beings, filling in for fallen leaders. They stood silently, motionless, without a word exchanged between them. After a moment, they all looked up towards a figure descending from the western sky. She radiated an aura of darkness and death, her eight wings, black as ink, giving her the appearance of an angel of death. Xiao Hui landed gracefully, her expression impassive as she surveyed the assembled demons. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am a member of the undead race, the Death Angel King." "I know your purpose," the leading demon, a devil with a sinister grin, boomed. "I''ll say this now: the Demon race will remain eternally neutral!" The demons weren''t fools. They knew why she was here, and Alex''s destruction of the core of will was public knowledge. She had done what they had always wanted to do but hadn''t dared. The previous undead lord had done the same. It seemed this new undead lord was following in his footsteps. Only by eliminating the ruling race of a continent could a destroyed core of will slowly regenerate, a process that took centuries. Conversely, if the ruling race remained in power, the core of will couldn''t recover. This was why the other races had been so determined to destroy the former undead empire, regardless of the cost. "Then we are natural allies," Xiao Hui said coldly. She hadn''t come here for mere assurances. "Thamior," a small, unassuming demon, a low-level imp in appearance, but a chieftain and a god in power, spoke up. "Once the humans fall, we''re doomed. We should fight alongside them, even if it means mutual destruction!" "Even with our combined strength, we''d have a slim chance against the Angel race," Thamior replied, his gaze sharp as he assessed the situation. "There would be no turning back." Although the era war raged on, and the Demon race was losing ground, it had never escalated to a war of extermination. But destroying a core of will was different. It meant becoming an enemy of all races, fighting alone. He didn''t believe the current undead lord would fare any better than the previous undead lord. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Thamior, when did you become such a fucking coward?!" the other demons roared in disapproval. Xiao Hui frowned. Just as Satan had said, they were prone to infighting. "I never thought the mighty Demon race would be so timid," Xiao Hui taunted. "It seems I overestimated you. The undead race does not fear failure. We would make the same choice again." The demons were angered by her words, but they dared not attack her. That would mean making another enemy, an enemy who could destroy them more quickly. "Farewell," Xiao Hui said, turning to leave. "Even if you lack the courage, I will keep my promise. The undead race will attack the dragon race to create a diversion for you. As for the second core of will, you can wait for news in this forsaken forest." The chieftains glared at her, then at Thamior, who remained silent. Thamior knew it was a taunt, but when had the Demon race become so hesitant? Now, they had to weigh the pros and cons of every action, prioritizing their race''s survival above all else. They had become afraid. Since the end of the Demon era, they had lived in fear of the Angel race. Thamior''s eyes hardened, a blood-red glint appearing in his pupils. "Wait!" He called out to Xiao Hui, stopping her departure. The other chieftains looked at him in surprise. "I know this is a taunt," Thamior said, his voice filled with newfound resolve. "But I''ll show you what true demonic courage looks like. The courage to face death is not exclusive to the undead!" He shot up into the sky, unleashing a massive black mist that slammed into the earth. The mist dispersed, enveloping the entire forest. The ground trembled. All the demons sensed what was happening and looked towards the center of the continent. On the front lines, a massive Titan, having just punched a demon away, roared, "Have demon race gone mad?!" "You fool! We don''t need your permission!" the demon retorted, unleashing a torrent of power. Xiao Hui smiled. Now, they could trust the Demon race without reservation. The Titan''s shock stemmed from Thamior''s actions. He had drawn out the Valoria continent''s core of will, a swirling mass of black mist tinged with gold. The golden light within the mist was slowly growing stronger. "Watch closely!" Thamior declared, meeting Xiao Hui''s gaze. He crushed the core of will in his hand. A cracking sound echoed through the air as the energy within the core dissipated. The entire continent shook violently as the energy burst outwards. Moments later, the core of will was gone. "Impressive," Xiao Hui said, her voice filled with admiration. "The undead empire won''t forget this." She vanished, returning to the undead empire. Chapter 422 - 422: Attack the Mossvale continent "They actually destroyed the core of will," Alex said, surprised by Xiao Hui''s report. She had expected them to wait for the undead race to act first. "Death Spirit, has there been any change on the island?" Alex asked, turning to Death Spirit, who had left a clone behind to observe the island. "My Queen," Death Spirit replied after a moment, "the island has risen several meters!" It had risen? So, when all the continents'' cores of will were intact, the island had been at sea level? "Does that mean it will continue to rise as more cores of will are destroyed?" Xiao Hui asked, intrigued. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s possible," Alex replied, nodding. She suspected the island''s energy had also changed, but Death Spirit, being only at Sovereign level, couldn''t detect it. "Mobilize all forces. Prepare to attack the Mossvale continent," Alex commanded, her eyes filled with steely determination. The dragon race was no match for the undead empire now. The theft of the Frost Heart had revealed their true allegiance. "Yes, my Queen." Xiao Hui and Death Spirit departed. The recent surge in undead numbers had been drastically reduced through fusion, creating tens of thousands of King level undead. The undead army was not only vast but also far stronger than mere cannon fodder. The time had come to unleash the forces they had cultivated on the Sea Race battlefield. ... On the Mossvale continent, within the Rock Dragon kingdom, Drake stood guard. Since the last incident, the dragon race, fearing exposure, had taken precautions. They hadn''t openly antagonized Alex, but they had secretly deployed several Sovereign level dragons near the kingdom to monitor the undead race''s movements on the Mossvale continent. They still needed the undead race to keep the Sea Race in check. This suggested that the dragon race''s apprehension towards the Sea Race stemmed from some unknown factor. Their earlier request for the undead race to distract the Angel race had been a ruse. The humans were the true threat. A Death Spirit clone materialized beside Drake. He knew the time had come. As a third-stage Sovereign level being, he was acutely aware of the spies lurking nearby. With a pulse of his bloodline ability, he pinpointed the hidden dragons. "Southeast, due west, northwest, and northeast," Drake reported. Death Spirit waved a hand, and four pseudo-god undead emerged from the Portal of Transit, streaking towards the designated locations. By the time the dragon spies sensed the danger, it was too late to transform and escape. Resistance was futile. Against fellow Sovereign level beings, they might have had a chance. But against pseudo-gods, they were hopelessly outmatched. The four death angels swiftly eliminated the spies. Dragon blood seeped into the earth, corroding the ancient trees, releasing plumes of white smoke. "Attack!" Death Spirit commanded. Several massive Silverscale Leviathans emerged from the Portal of Transit, soaring towards the heart of the Mossvale continent. Simultaneously, several gods descended upon the dragon race''s territory, unleashing waves of destructive black energy that incinerated everything in their path. Their blatant arrival was a deliberate provocation, designed to draw out the dragon race''s pseudo-gods. Although the dragon race had only one god, their bloodline granted their pseudo-gods strength comparable to gods of other races. Most of their pseudo-gods were currently occupied, holding back the Demon race''s god-level combatants. They had few reserves. If they withdrew, the Demon race would push back against the Titans, turning the tide on both fronts. The dragon race panicked under the undead onslaught. The oppressive aura of the undead gods was suffocating. After a moment, a few powerful dragons took to the skies. Although dragon pseudo-gods possessed the strength of gods, they were outnumbered three to one. "What is the meaning of this?" one of the dragon pseudo-gods demanded, hoping for a peaceful resolution. "Kill them all!" Xiao Hui''s cold voice echoed through the air. The ten Race Kings attacked simultaneously. The three dragon pseudo-gods, realizing they were outmatched, turned and fled. They were three against ten, and all ten were god-level! Their retreat confirmed the suspicions of the other dragons. Had the Dragon God(true god level) truly ascended? If he were still present, they wouldn''t fear a few undead gods. Elsewhere, Alex, following Emberon''s intel, launched precision strikes against the dragon cities. Massive undead fortresses materialized, unleashing swarms of undead that devoured the cities like locusts. Dragon breath attacks lit up the sky like fireworks. Each attack was led by a pseudo-god, this was a full-scale invasion. Alex ordered the mass construction of undead fortresses, unleashing her undead hordes to sweep across the Mossvale continent, aiming for swift and total annihilation. She also sent a message to the dragon race: surrender and destroy your core of will, and the undead race will cease their attack. Within a day, the undead race had conquered a third of the Mossvale continent. The dragon race suffered heavy losses. All three dragon pseudo-gods were slain. The dragons fighting on the Valoria continent, enraged upon learning of the attack on their homeland, immediately withdrew and returned to the Mossvale continent. They had underestimated the undead race. The intel had mentioned only one god and a few pseudo-gods. They hadn''t expected over ten god-level combatants. Without their true god, the dragon race was no match for the undead. And with their limited number of pseudo-gods, the Mossvale continent was on the verge of collapse. But the enraged dragons were unwilling to surrender. The undead race''s intervention had turned their easy victory into a desperate struggle. The Angel race held the most advantageous position. The dragons could only hope that they would keep the undead race occupied while fighting the humans. But to their dismay, the Angel race refused! Ten god-level combatants were a significant force. They weren''t willing to divert so much power to contain a potentially unpredictable undead race. Moreover, they knew that the undead could only summon pseudo-gods. Their god-level forces were limited to the ten Race Kings, who couldn''t be replicated. The Angel race didn''t consider the undead a serious threat. "Damn it!" a dragon leader roared, smashing the table before him. His rage was almost uncontrollable. "At least this confirms that the humans are struggling," another dragon said, trying to maintain a semblance of calm. "If we hold out a little longer, the tide might turn." "We have no other choice but to hope for the best..." Chapter 423 - 423: Meeting with Poseidon As queen of the undead empire and the lowest level among her leadership, Alex wouldn''t be directly involved in combat. Her priority was to reach the third stage of Sovereign level and destroy more cores of will. She had revisited the island and discovered that it had not only risen higher but its energy had also weakened, though it was still inaccessible to Sovereign level beings. She suspected that only those with the strength of pseudo-gods or greater could set foot on it. Unexpectedly, the dragon race, instead of surrendering, had resorted to guerrilla tactics against the undead, clearly hoping for the Angel race to intervene. Alex, unfazed, ordered a full-scale sweep of the Mossvale continent, determined to flush them out. Conquering the Mossvale continent was only a matter of time. Her God''s Path was becoming clearer. Nearly half of the seven continental cores of will had been destroyed, a significant boon to Alex''s power. "Queen, the Sea Race High Priest has appeared again. She requests an audience with you," Death Spirit reported from the foot of the throne. "Could it be a new divine decree?" Alex wondered, setting off for the Arsen continent. The battlefield remained a gruesome stalemate, the air thick with the stench of decay. Sea Race corpses mingled with undead remains, the blood washing out to sea with each receding wave. Both races, with their unique methods of replenishing their ranks, cared little for the losses among their lower-level combatants. This war had become a macabre performance. Without the system, the Sea Race battlefield no longer provided substantial experience points, only a steady supply of corpses for her undead army. Alex looked up at the woman being lifted by the waves nearby, then she flew to the front of the Sea Race High Priest. "Our great Sea God, Poseidon, has awakened," the High Priest said, a playful smile on her face as she tilted her head. "You wished to speak with him. I''ve come to escort you." "He wants to see me?" Alex asked, surprised, but quickly understanding the implication. "Is there anyone else who could represent the undead empire?" the High Priest countered. "The Sea God has just awakened and cannot risk leaving the ocean. His divine power would be detected." The High Priest waved a hand, and the sea parted, creating a path leading down into the depths. The surrounding Sea Race creatures retreated like a receding tide. "He''s abandoning the attack on the Arsen continent?" Alex asked, surprised by the abrupt ceasefire. "Indeed. There''s no longer any need to continue," the High Priest replied, gesturing for Alex to follow. To the depths of the ocean, to meet the Sea God? It seemed she had no other choice. The Sea Race''s allegiance was crucial. They possessed enough power to tip the scales of this war. With her various abilities and safeguards, Alex was confident in her survival. Even if this was a trap, she could escape quickly. Following the High Priest, Alex descended through layers of underwater structures and mystical seals, finally arriving at a magnificent palace, nestled deep within the ocean floor. There were no guards, only an oppressive aura that made Alex''s heart pound. She could sense the Sea God''s immense power. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Was this the Sea God? A true god, the first she had ever encountered. "Great Poseidon awaits within," the High Priest said, gesturing towards the final flight of steps leading to the palace entrance. "I can only escort you this far." Alex nodded and approached the palace. With each step, the massive doors opened wider, revealing a pitch-black interior. Without hesitation, she stepped inside. The doors closed behind her. She finally stood before the legendary Sea God. He wasn''t particularly tall, only about seven feet, with rippling muscles and blue-green skin. He looked like an ordinary Sea Race being, but the faint divine power radiating from him was both dangerous and terrifying, an oppressive force that compelled submission. A true god. His mere presence exuded an aura far beyond that of any pseudo-god or god. "You must be the new undead lord," Poseidon said, his gaze fixed on Alex. A flicker of something complex, perhaps a distant memory, crossed his face. "You''ve made the same choice he did." "Someone has to," Alex replied, her voice filled with the same unwavering confidence as the previous undead lord. "Ascending to true god will be easy for you," Poseidon continued. "But if you wish to change this world, your power alone is insufficient." He was referring to becoming a God of Creation. "That''s why I need the Sea Race''s help," Alex said. "From what I understand, the Sea Race has been purging its ranks for millennia. Those fallen gods were likely aligned with the World''s Heart. You orchestrated their deaths, using external conflicts to eliminate internal dissent." Poseidon''s expression remained unchanged. "That is only part of the reason. The other reason is that the Arsen continent''s rightful rulers are the Sea Race." "What?! The Sea Race rules the Arsen continent?" Alex was stunned, her mind racing. She arrived at a shocking conclusion. The Sea Race had destroyed the Arsen continent''s core of will! As long as the ruling race remained, the core of will couldn''t regenerate. The reason the Sea Race had been attacked by all the land-dwelling races was because they had destroyed a core of will. In the end, the weakened Sea Race had been forced to retreat to the ocean. But completely eradicating them was practically impossible. No race dared to challenge the Sea Race in their domain. The ocean was their ultimate protection. The Sea Race, with their natural barrier, couldn''t be eliminated. The Arsen continent, devoid of its core of will, remained in a semi-desolate state. That''s why the other races hadn''t bothered to settle there. "Indeed," Poseidon said, rising from his throne. He looked at Alex, his gaze intense. "From that moment on, the Sea Race has been firmly neutral. This is my final awakening. Whether you succeed in changing this world depends on your ability to survive." It seemed Poseidon had lingered in this world for too long. He was about to ascend to a higher world. He had no time left. He wanted to witness the rise of a new era. "So that''s why the Sea Race is ostracized by the land-dwelling races," Alex said, a wry smile on her face. It all made sense now. There was no inherent animosity between the races. The Angel race, as minions of the World''s Heart, were simply enforcing its will. They wouldn''t tolerate any race opposing the World''s Heart. Chapter 424 - 424: Divine Mage "You''ve seen the island at the world''s center, haven''t you? It''s called the Aether Isle," Poseidon said, pausing thoughtfully. "The World''s Heart resides there." Alex nodded gravely, confirming her suspicions. But how did her God''s Path relate to the World''s Heart? Surely, ascending to godhood didn''t mean replacing the system and opposing the World''s Heart? Both the system and the World''s Heart were beings from the realm of creation, beyond the reach of even true gods, let alone a third-stage Sovereign like herself. The logical progression was for her to ascend, destroy both the system and the World''s Heart''s will, and then choose one of three paths: become this world''s God of Creation, her own world''s God of Creation, or merge her world with the Astralon planet. Wait, *merge*? "You''re saying that to ascend, I have to confront the World''s Heart directly?" Alex asked, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. "You''ve already guessed, haven''t you?" Poseidon replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Follow your heart." "If that''s the case, how long will I be trapped?" Alex asked, a note of worry in her voice. "I won''t be able to do anything, will I?" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don''t know," Poseidon admitted. "What do you think your chances are?" He was a true god, but not omniscient. He subtly prompted Alex to assess the current situation. These gods and their riddles! Alex understood the underlying message: if the undead empire could win, she could deal with the World''s Heart later. But if they couldn''t, she had to gamble *now*. The Angel race, the Titan race, the dragon race, and their subjugated races, like the Behemoths and the Shadow race, were all enemies. They had at least two true gods and countless gods and pseudo-gods. On her side, she had the undead race, the Sea Race, the Demon race, and *half* of the human race. The Divine Mage''s allegiance was still uncertain. Only the Mage Guild president, Wind, and Thunder had openly supported her. She had one true god and a considerable number of pseudo-gods. It seemed like an even match. But in reality, Alex was at a disadvantage. The Divine Mage''s neutrality made it difficult for Alex to commit to a course of action. "Our chances aren''t great," Alex admitted, shaking her head. "Do you know the human Divine Mage''s stance?" "That young one? Perhaps he has no ambition beyond protecting the human race," Poseidon mused, his knowledge of the outside world surprisingly detailed despite his long slumber. The Divine Mage was neutral, caught between the World''s Heart and its opposition. A strange stance indeed. The human race was under attack, yet he refused to choose a side. How could neutrality protect them? "So, given the current situation, I can begin my ascension once I reach the third stage of Sovereign level?" Alex asked. She was close to the third stage. Destroying another continent''s core of will should be enough. Then, it would be the final battle. She wondered where the previous undead lord had fallen. "The Sea Race will intervene," Poseidon assured her. "If you can become a god, I won''t have to leave the Astralon planet." He, too, was placing his hopes on Alex. His repeated awakenings had been a search for the right opportunity. Pseudo-gods often sided with the World''s Heart, lacking the potential to become true gods. Within the Sea Race, the hierarchy was absolute. Under Poseidon''s guidance, the Sea Race had spent millennia preparing for their attack on the land, using external conflicts to eliminate internal dissent. The Sea Race might be weaker now, but they were united. "Thank you. The Sea Race''s support strengthens my resolve," Alex said sincerely. With some of her questions answered, she returned to the undead empire. The Arsen continent''s battlefield fell silent, the uneasy truce unnoticed by the other races. The decisive moment was approaching. The pseudo-gods and gods were ready. But even ordinary individuals could play a role by weakening the pseudo-gods'' faith through attrition. And the undead race had numbers. This was the last task Alex could ask of them. "What''s the situation with the dragon race?" Alex asked, urgency growing after her conversation with Poseidon. The longer this dragged on, the more unpredictable the war would become. The Angel race''s true strength remained a mystery. "My Queen," Death Spirit reported, "the dragon pseudo-gods seem to have fled the Mossvale continent." "Fled?" Alex was surprised. This was problematic. Without eliminating the dragon race, the Mossvale core wouldn''t appear, preventing her from reaching the third stage. "Then send Ice Cream and Drake back to the dragon race," Alex ordered. "Let Ice Cream unify the remaining dragons, and Drake can gather faith power." With the pseudo-gods gone, third-stage Sovereign was the highest combat power. If Ice Cream revealed the truth, the dragon race''s faith would crumble, weakening the fugitive pseudo-gods. And if the other dragons abandoned their pseudo-gods and supported Ice Cream, he would become the new ruler, and the core of will would appear. "Xiao Hui, have the undead establish hidden undead fortresses on all continents for easy transportation," Alex instructed. With her millions of undead, she would unleash chaos. No race, except the top-tier factions, could withstand the horde. "Yes, Leader," Xiao Hui replied, vanishing without question. The decisive moment was at hand. Success meant the undead empire''s rise to dominance, ending the cyclical disasters. Failure meant death. "But where did the system''s power go after being purged?" Alex wondered. "Is it truly unconscious, only to reappear in a hundred years to confront the World''s Heart?" After purging the system''s influence, it seemed to have vanished completely. Was the system merely a simple program? Alex doubted it. === Arcadia continent, Elemental Empire. The Mage Guild was down to its last three gods, their forces showing signs of exhaustion against the relentless Angel race. Inside the meeting room, the president''s face was etched with worry. The undead race''s timely intervention, halting the dragon race''s advance, had been a godsend. Otherwise, their situation would be even more dire. "President," Earth pleaded, "if we continue fighting, the human race will be destroyed! We should seek peace." Of the original Seven Guardians gathered here, less than half remained, a grim testament to the war''s brutality. "This is an era war, a struggle for dominance!" Thunder snapped, glaring at Earth. He despised cowardice. "Do you think hiding here and preserving our strength will keep us safe?" "Then we should seek help from other races!" Earth insisted. "Which race isn''t embroiled in war?" Thunder retorted. "Who can spare the resources to save us?" The three bickered amongst themselves, their voices rising in frustration. The president knew the Angel race wouldn''t relent until they forced the Divine Mage to ascend. The human race was simply too weak. If only he were more talented, capable of breaking through to true godhood himself. Even if it meant accelerated ascension, he would gladly sacrifice himself to secure the human race''s future. "Enough!" the president said, his voice heavy with resignation as he looked out the window. "All is not lost. We still have hope." Thunder remained silent, understanding the president''s meaning. Earth and Fire, however, looked confused, unsure where this hope lay. Just as silence fell upon the room, a young man in white robes materialized before them. The four were startled, stepping back in surprise. "Great Divine Mage, you''ve arrived!" The young man waved a hand dismissively, and the three Guardians withdrew, leaving him alone with the president. Even without moving, the Divine Mage commanded the surrounding elemental energies, drawing them towards him, leaving the others powerless. "They''ve arrived," the Divine Mage said, his voice flat and emotionless, as if discussing the weather. "I will ascend this time. The future of the human race rests on your shoulders. Perhaps you were right all along. Take your trusted companions and leave." The president froze, his face hardening. This meant pseudo-gods and gods had already arrived on the Arcadia continent, too many for them to handle. The Angel race had become desperate, willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their goal. "But the others..." the president stammered, struggling to accept this. "They won''t harm ordinary citizens. Obey my command. I hope your judgment is sound." The Divine Mage turned and walked away, vanishing before the president''s eyes. The president immediately summoned Thunder, relaying the Divine Mage''s words. "Send word to the undead empire. We''re leaving the Arcadia continent." Once the Divine Mage ascended, the president was the most likely candidate to become the next Divine Mage. His safety was paramount. ... High above, on his Elemental Empire, the young man in white robes stood with arms outstretched, eyes closed, drawing in the surrounding elemental energies. Beams of light appeared on the horizon, the unmistakable signature of the Angel race''s gods. Several massive dragon silhouettes joined them, converging on the divine kingdom. "Only twenty?" the Divine Mage scoffed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Do you underestimate me?" He opened his left hand, revealing a golden orb pulsing with energy. Crack! He crushed the core of will in his hand. The entire continent shuddered violently. The Divine Mage vanished, charging towards the twenty approaching gods. "I just hope I don''t ascend before I kill them all." Chapter 425 - 425: Its time Hours later, shocking news arrived at the undead Imperial Capital: the Divine Mage had ascended. Sophie''s face was pale, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at Alex. She didn''t understand the implications, only that the humans were allies, and their loss of the Divine Mage was a blow to the undead race as well. "This is bad," Alex said, her brow furrowed with worry. "The humans can''t hold back the Angel race. Did their true god intervene?" "No. Twenty pseudo-gods from the Angel and dragon races forced the Divine Mage''s hand. He killed over a dozen before being forced to ascend," Sophie reported. Her intel, from Hurricane City, was reliable. It wasn''t the worst outcome. The Divine Mage had weakened the enemy before ascending. The dragon pseudo-gods had indeed gone to the Nytheria continent. "When did this happen?" "Just now," Sophie replied. Suddenly, a tremor shook the palace. Alex''s divine fire blazed, and a golden stairway materialized before her. She ascended. Her aura surged. The Race Kings arrived, sensing the shift. "Our Queen has reached the third stage!" Alex opened her eyes, power coursing through her. The ethereal God''s Path, as Poseidon had foretold, pointed towards the Aether Isle. "The Divine Mage destroyed the core of will before ascending," Sophie reported, awe in her voice. In his final moments, the young Divine Mage had made his choice, aiding Alex one last time. Ice Cream control of the dragon race would take time. The Divine Mage''s destruction of the core was a welcome surprise. In the intervening week, Drake had also ascended to godhood. Xiao Mu was still close. The undead empire now had eleven gods, plus the Demon race''s dozen or so and the Sea Race''s true god. This was their strongest force yet. Further delay would only weaken them. The human race was a prime example. It was time to act. A final, desperate gamble. "Fuse all undead! Gather at the undead Imperial Capital! We attack the Angel race and the Titans!" Alex commanded. She didn''t know how long her ascension would take, the consequences of interruption, or what awaited her on the Aether Isle. But this gamble would enrage the Angel race and the World''s Heart''s followers. Their task was to create diversions, buying Alex time. With the Sea Race and Demon race as allies, her chances had increased. The humans had done enough. Undead from across the continents converged on the capital, undergoing fusion. King level undead emerged, bolstering their forces. The entire empire prepared for war. It was afternoon. By midnight, they would be ready. Alex awaited the Sea Race and Demon race''s response to her call to arms. "Leader, what about the Mossvale continent?" Xiao Mu asked, worried. They couldn''t spare any pseudo-gods. If the dragon pseudo-gods returned, Ice Cream would be in danger. "He''s found his God''s Path. He told us not to worry," Alex replied, a flicker of hope in her eyes. Ice Cream become god would be a game-changer. Night fell. The blood-red moon rose, casting a bloody pall over the land. Alex noted its fading crimson and the growing yellow light. The connection to the World''s Heart was undeniable. Xiao Hui returned, having established undead fortresses on three continents, ready to unleash chaos. "It''s done, Leader," she reported. "Thank you," Alex replied, gesturing for Xiao Hui to rest. She stood at the doorway, lost in thought, as the others watched her. "Prepare dinner," she instructed her dark elf servants. She had chosen tonight for several reasons. The Angel race was occupied with the aftermath of the Divine Mage''s ascension and unlikely to notice her movements. They wouldn''t react for several days, at least. Dinner was served. Alex sat, joined by Ruby, the Xiao siblings, Drake, Sophie, and the other non-undead leaders. "This is our final battle," Alex said quietly. A heavy silence fell upon the room. "Don''t worry, Leader!" Xiao Hui chirped. "Once you''re the God of Creation, ten Angel races won''t be enough!" Ruby ate in silence. Drake and Xiao Mu saw the grim determination in Alex''s eyes. This was the endgame. The title of era race was irrelevant. Failure meant the empire''s collapse. "I don''t know how long ascension will take," Alex said, worry lacing her voice. "There''s no precedent. And I don''t know if it will attract attention." "It''s bound to cause a reaction," Drake agreed. "My safety will be in your hands," Alex said. "This battle..." "Don''t worry, Leader," Xiao Mu interrupted. "We won''t let them near the island." "I trust you," Alex said, smiling. "Be prepared for attacks from five directions. The other five continents could be targeted." Her plan was to defend the Aether Isle with the Demon race and Sea Race. A true god wouldn''t intervene lightly. She had Poseidon as insurance. "We understand," Xiao Hui replied. "A floating island at the world''s center... fascinating." "How will *you* reach the island, Leader?" Even pseudo-gods couldn''t endure the island''s power for long. Perhaps only those subservient to the World''s Heart were immune. True gods were unsuitable; the island accelerated their ascension. "If my divine fire fails, I''ll use the undead army as a shield," Alex said grimly. The island''s power was immense. Using her Life Link would decimate her forces, a last resort. A heavy silence fell. This was a tremendous risk. Dinner ended. Alex rose. Though it was still hours before midnight, she was ready. "It''s time," she declared. === In the far north, the eerie red moon cast a bloody pall over the snow-covered landscape. Alex and her companions stood at the edge of the coastline, gazing out at the vast, icy expanse where the land met the sea. This time, she had brought no ordinary undead. Her entire army awaited her command at the undead Imperial Capital. Beside her stood the ten Race Kings, all ascended to god, along with Drake, making eleven in total. Ten more pseudo-gods, comprised of death angels and Death Dragons, stood ready, along with a dozen Sovereign level beings, led by Xiao Mu and Death Spirit. This was the undead empire''s full might. Ruby and Sophie remained at the capital, coordinating the war effort. "Let''s go," Alex commanded, soaring into the sky towards the endless ocean. The closer they got to the World''s Heart, the darker the surroundings became, as if even the red moon''s light couldn''t penetrate the gloom. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After several days of flight, Alex saw the island again, now hundreds of meters above the sea, its surface dull and lifeless, yet radiating a terrifying aura. The Demon race''s pseudo-gods hadn''t arrived yet. As for the Sea Race, she glanced down at the ocean below. They could emerge from anywhere. The absence of the Sea Race powerhouses didn''t faze Alex. They had all destroyed cores of will. If she failed, they would all face the consequences. They were all in this together. The Angel race would inevitably target them to restore the World''s Heart''s power. This was why the Demon race, despite their animosity towards the Angel race, hadn''t dared to destroy their core of will. It would have meant a war of extermination. "Once I''m on the island, you can begin," Alex said, her gaze sweeping across her companions, her expression grim. "Don''t worry, Miss Alex," Xiao Hui chirped, puffing out her chest. "We''ll hold the line!" "Good luck," Alex murmured, flying towards the island. Her divine fire blazed, enveloping her in a golden aura. As it collided with the island''s strange energy, the two forces began to neutralize each other. An immense pressure pressed down on Alex. Although the divine fire protected her from harm, her energy drained rapidly, and the pressure made movement difficult. The island was vast and flat, devoid of any vegetation or obstacles, more like a giant floating rock than an island. Alex sensed an invisible energy at the island''s center, stretching upwards, piercing the sky. "Beyond the heavens?" she wondered. She couldn''t fly here. She could only walk slowly towards the energy source. As she ventured deeper, she felt the World''s Heart''s repulsive force, the same force that banished true gods. But as a Sovereign level being, it didn''t affect her. Outside the island, the Race Kings watched as Alex landed and vanished from sight. The eleven gods split into five groups, heading towards the five continents. This was the center of the world. Any attack would have to pass through here. The Eldoria and Valoria continents were currently safe, so they only needed to defend the other five. As they flew further away, the Race Kings disappeared from each other''s sight. Their task was simple: stop any and all enemies. They were relieved that Alex''s arrival hadn''t triggered any immediate reaction. The other races were still unaware of her presence on the Aether Isle and her quest for godhood. Outside the Dark Forest, a figure cloaked in shadow watched the north, a cryptic message escaping its lips. "I hope you succeed." It vanished without a trace, unnoticed even by the nearby Grimface Trees. On the Valoria continent, the Demon chieftains gathered once more, their faces a mixture of madness and exhilaration. "The undead race has sent word. Their lord is on the island. Shouldn''t we act?" one demon asked Thamior. "We have no true god," Thamior replied, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. "We''ve suffered heavy losses against the Titans and dragons. We''ll gamble with her. If we win, even the despised Demon race can rise to the top." "But our strength is limited," another demon countered. "We face the Angel race, Titans, and dragons. Instead of dividing our forces, we should focus on one enemy. Our chances will be greater." The demons, despite their bloodlust, weren''t foolish. Even if they won, heavy losses would require centuries of recovery. All three races had once possessed true gods. Now, with the Dragon God''s ascension, the dragon race was the weakest. Half the Demon race could crush them. "The dragon race is the weakest," Thamior said suddenly, a sinister smile spreading across his face. The other demons assumed he would target the dragons, but he surprised them. "We''ll strike the Angel race with our full might!" Instead of fear, his words were met with exhilaration. This was a chance to prove the Demon race''s strength! "Contact the fallen angel clan. Gather all pseudo-gods and attack the Nytheria continent! Open the portal! Total war!" In the Sea Race palace, deep within the Endless Sea, the High Priest approached Poseidon. "Great Sea God, the undead lord is on the island." Poseidon nodded silently, acknowledging the report. "The future of the Sea Race rests on your shoulders," he said after a long pause. "I will hold back their true god. Command our forces to attack the angels and Titans." The High Priest trembled. Poseidon wasn''t asking her to fight. He was preparing to ascend. As the Sea Race''s only god, she would have to lead them in his absence, preventing their decline. Chapter 426 - 426: Full scale assault A great crisis loomed over the Astralon planet. ... Deep within a mountain cave on the Mossvale continent, Ice Cream was absorbing the power of the Frost Heart. Although the Azure Dragon clan''s divine gear was restored, his progress was agonizingly slow, as if he were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. Emberon stood guard, protecting Ice Cream from any potential threats. Although Ice Cream was a third-stage Sovereign, even stronger than Emberon, any interruption during the absorption process would set him back significantly. Every dragon felt a deep connection to their race, but their opinions on the current situation were divided. One faction believed aligning with the World''s Heart was the only way to ensure the dragon race''s survival. The other vehemently disagreed. Both sides claimed to act in the best interests of their race, and neither wanted a civil war. "Emberon, so it was *you* who trespassed in the Dragon God''s temple and stole the dragon treasure," a melodious female voice echoed from the cave entrance. A slender figure, clad in white, stepped into the cave. She was a Silver Dragon, one of those Emberon had identified as firmly aligned with the Venom Dragons. Emberon, though wary, was relieved she wasn''t the Silver Dragon chieftain. "Sarya," Emberon growled, his voice filled with barely suppressed rage, "do you know they forced our Dragon God to ascend? They''re leading the dragon race to ruin!" He stood his ground. Even against a third-stage Sovereign like Sarya, he would fight to the death to protect Ice Cream, the dragon race''s last hope. "I can''t control the other dragons'' decisions," Sarya replied, her voice calm. "And I can''t stop him from ascending through his own talent. But stealing the dragon treasure is a capital offense." She knew the situation, but it didn''t concern her. She chuckled softly. "Do you really think the undead race can win? You''re naive. You haven''t seen the Angel race''s true power." "So, there''s nothing to discuss?" Emberon glared at her, ready to attack. "Oh, relax," Sarya said, her tone suddenly shifting, a playful smile gracing her lips. "I''m not here under orders. That little one behind you is an Azure Dragon. His mother once showed me kindness. I wouldn''t betray that." Emberon was taken aback, confused by her sudden change in demeanor. "I''m here to tell you there''s another way to ascend to godhood, even without the Frost Heart," Sarya continued. "It''s simple. Absorb the power of all the dragon treasures and fuse them. The dragon race can''t avoid this war. When the pseudo-gods are deployed, they''ll have to leave their treasures behind. That''s your chance." She produced a transparent crystal radiating intense heat, a Fire elemental Godhead. Indeed, if he became a pseudo-god, no Sovereign level being could stop him from obtaining all the dragon treasures while the pseudo-gods were away. Emberon''s eyes widened in realization. "So that''s how it is!" No wonder... "The dragon race''s leadership is corrupt," Sarya said, confirming his suspicions. "I despise them as much as you do. I''m here on my own accord. Don''t worry." Despite being second-in-command to the Silver Dragon chieftain, she opposed their allegiance. "Don''t look at me like that," she teased. "Unless you want to make some dragon babies with me?" "Sorry, no, thank you," Emberon replied, his voice filled with sincere gratitude. They weren''t alone after all. "The past is immutable. The future is not." Sarya left the cave, reinforcing it with spatial magic before departing. "The dragon race''s future rests on your shoulders." ... Meanwhile, Alex, exhausted but determined, reached the center of the Aether Isle. The invisible energy pulsed before her. Dawn broke, the red moon setting in the west as the sun rose in the east. The Race Kings had stood guard all night. The others at the undead Imperial Capital awaited her command. Messengers from the Sea Race and Demon race had arrived, contacting Death Spirit. The three races were preparing for a coordinated final assault. Alex studied the energy before her. It was just an empty space, yet she knew this was the island''s center, the point where the World''s Heart''s energy was strongest. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving. Maintaining her divine fire all night had drained her soul power. She didn''t know how she would withstand the World''s Heart''s power once her divine fire was extinguished. But there was no turning back. She stepped into the center. An immense power surged through her, threatening to tear her apart. She gritted her teeth, suppressing a cry of pain. Her life quintessence couldn''t protect her from this. Her divine fire flickered and died, merging back into her. Her eyes blazed with an unnatural red and blue light. A massive shadow materialized behind her, a giant scythe appearing in both her and the shadow''s hands. Dark energy surged through her. Even without her divine fire, she somehow withstood the World''s Heart''s power. The island pulsed with repulsive force, attempting to expel the intruder. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... Across the world, all seven continents trembled violently. The Endless Sea churned, alerting all races. From a high vantage point, a terrifying sight would have been visible: all seven continents were moving, converging on the Aether Isle! At the undead Imperial Capital, Xiao Mu surveyed the assembled undead army. "Death Spirit," he commanded, "inform the Sea Race and Demon race. Launch a full-scale assault on the Titans, angels, and dragons!" ... On the Tyrangar continent, within a massive crater, an alchemy magic circle shattered, revealing a magnificent undead fortress. A swarm of bone dragons erupted from the fortress, blotting out the sky. Gargoyles and Destroyers followed, filling the air with their destructive power. Below, zombie titans clawed their way out of the crater, lumbering towards the distant Titan temple. Warlord Skulls and Death Knights marched behind them, while Silverscale Leviathans transported slower undead across the continent. Elsewhere, a Death Spirit clone deployed another undead fortress. This scene repeated itself across the Tyrangar continent. Millions of undead swarmed the land, a tide of darkness consuming all life. They would soon join the undead empire, swelling its ranks. Simultaneously, the Sea Race, whose numbers rivaled the undead horde, launched their attack. While the undead swept inland, the Sea Race besieged the coastline, their numbers even greater than the undead. King, Monarch, Emperor, and Sovereign level Sea Race creatures surged forward. The combined forces of the undead and Sea Race outnumbered the Titans by tens of thousands! The Titan temples were the heart of the Titan race. Fifty-two such temples dotted the Tyrangar continent, each housing only a few thousand Titans. Within the largest temple, at the continent''s center, the Titan god was awakening. They had anticipated the undead attack, but not so soon, and not in conjunction with the Sea Race. A blinding golden light erupted from the main temple, a beam of light piercing the sky. Fifty-one other beams followed. Massive Titans emerged, hurtling towards the battlefield. The Behemoths, Shadow race, and other subjugated races joined the fray. The fifty-two temples unleashed a devastating barrage of golden light, like a meteor shower, striking the undead and Sea Race. But they had underestimated their enemies. The undead, with their ability to resurrect and convert, and the Sea Race, with their millennia of preparation and vast numbers of powerhouses, held a decisive advantage. The Titans, powerful but few, were outmatched. A Titan, landing with earth-shattering force, obliterated the surrounding undead. It rose, but the zombie titans, Warlord Skulls, bone dragons, and Death Dragons were its equals in size. This wasn''t the undead race they knew! To its horror, the shattered undead rose again, unharmed. Surrounded, the Titan felt both rage and fear. Fiery runes appeared on its skin as it unleashed a torrent of flames. A zombie titan met its attack head-on, mirroring its power. The clashing flames sent both titans staggering back. Both King level, yet the Titan couldn''t gain an advantage! A black dragon''s breath pierced the Titan''s chest, preventing healing. Its eyes widened in shock as it crashed to the ground, quickly becoming a zombie titan. This was war. The surrounding undead swarmed the fallen Titan. King level Titans faced certain death, let alone Monarchs and Commanders. This scene repeated itself across the Tyrangar continent. The Titans, overwhelmed, were quickly consumed. The Behemoths and Shadow race fared no better. The Behemoths, like the Titans, were powerful but few, specializing in close combat and regeneration. But they couldn''t fly, and lacked soul attacks. Their regeneration was useless against the undead. A single Roaring Zombie could kill a Behemoth of equal level. Their fate was even worse than the Titans''. The Shadow race, with their ability to blend into shadows, had a slight advantage, but they weren''t actively fighting. In the chaos, their absence went unnoticed. The Sea Race dominated the coasts. Despite heavy losses, their sheer numbers and powerhouses overwhelmed the Titans. Even with a five-to-one casualty ratio, the Sea Race could grind down the Titans, especially with undead support. The Titans were losing from the start, with no hope of recovery. Their numbers dwindled, while the undead horde grew. The Titans had many Sovereigns, but not as many as the Sea Race. As long as the Sea Race Sovereigns held the line, the undead Sovereign ranks would swell, quickly closing the gap in high-end combat power. Every fallen Sovereign became an undead. Once the undead had enough Sovereigns, the Sea Race could withdraw their elites, leaving the rest to the undead. Chapter 427 - 427: Full scale assault II In a strange forest on the Tyrangar continent, a perpetual mist clung to the ancient trees, impervious even to the sun''s rays. No living creatures stirred within its depths, only fleeting shadows that played tricks on the eye. At the heart of this vast, eerie forest stood a massive black castle. Death Spirit, silent as a wraith, approached the castle. As it reached the gate, several shadowy figures materialized, surrounding it. The dilapidated castle doors creaked open, revealing a figure cloaked in darkness, its form humanoid but obscured by shadows. "You must be the chieftain of the Shadow race," Death Spirit''s ethereal voice echoed through the forest. "Death Spirit, one of the Eight Kings of the undead race," the Shadow race chieftain replied, his voice smooth and polite. "Please, come in." Recognizing their chieftain''s guest, the other Shadow race figures melted back into the shadows. "Eleven Kings, now," Death Spirit corrected, following the chieftain into the castle. The Shadow race was known for its stealth and assassination skills, a near-unstoppable force in their prime. It was a shame to see them reduced to this. The Shadow race chieftain was only at Emperor level, albeit at its peak. He was far from reaching Sovereign level. Death Spirit, despite being the lowest-ranked of the undead Race Kings, was a third-stage Sovereign. The undead race was a behemoth compared to the dwindling Shadow race. Both races shared a similar history of decline, but the undead had risen again, while the Shadow race remained a minor faction. "Death Spirit," the chieftain said, getting straight to the point, "we are both races of darkness. I wish to pledge the Shadow race''s allegiance to your queen." "Do you know what we are doing?" Death Spirit asked, unfazed. The Shadow race was too weak to be of much use. Even as enemies, they posed little threat. "I have some understanding," the chieftain replied. "I am but a puppet chosen by the Titans. Much of our ancient knowledge is lost, but I''ve gleaned some information from the shadows of previous chieftains." "Tell me," Death Spirit said, its patience inexhaustible. This was just a clone. Maintaining it at standard power had minimal impact on its other clones on the battlefield. The chieftain, sensing an opportunity, shared what he knew. Unfortunately, it was all information Death Spirit already possessed. The chieftain''s motivation was simple: survival. He didn''t want the Shadow race to be used as cannon fodder. "The Shadow race is too weak," Death Spirit said bluntly. "We need divine level combatants, pseudo-gods or even true gods. You are merely an Emperor." The chieftain wasn''t offended. He knew his strength was insignificant in this war. The combined undead and Sea Race forces had thousands of Emperor level beings. They didn''t need him. "I..." he hesitated, unsure how to convince Death Spirit. After a long silence, the black mist surrounding Death Spirit stirred. "If that''s all, I''ll take my leave. If you remain neutral in this war, the undead race will spare you." It was a generous offer, but the chieftain wasn''t fooled. Death Spirit only spoke for the undead race. What about the others? If the world was reshaped after the war, and the Tyrangar continent fell under Sea Race control, the Shadow race, unable to leave, would be at their mercy. He could fuse with all the Shadow race members, reaching Sovereign level, perhaps even pseudo-godhood. But if he died, the entire Shadow race would perish. "Wait!" the chieftain exclaimed. "I can summon the Tyrangar continent''s core of will." Death Spirit paused, surprised. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How?" "The Titans came from the Nytheria continent," the chieftain explained, sensing a renewed interest. "They are only half-rulers of this land. The other half belongs to the Shadow race. If the Titan true god leaves, we can forcibly summon the core of will." A single race could only rule one continent, but that didn''t conflict with the undead race''s goal of destroying cores of will. After eliminating the dominant race, they could simply choose a minor faction to summon the core. The undead race had plenty of subjugated races to choose from. "So, if you refuse to acknowledge the Titans'' rule, the core of will will reappear." It was similar to the situation with the undead race and the Skyreach Mountains, except the Eldoria continent''s core was already destroyed. Time was of the essence. Every destroyed core brought Alex closer to her goal. "Leader, what do you think?" the chieftain asked cautiously. "I accept your allegiance on behalf of my Queen," Death Spirit replied. Any opportunity to accelerate Alex''s plan was too valuable to ignore. The chieftain, overjoyed, immediately ordered his hidden agents to turn against the Titans and Behemoths. ... Within the central Titan temple, the Titan true god sensed something was wrong. The Titan clan was no match for the combined forces of the undead and Sea Race. If this continued, they would be annihilated. He wanted to intervene, but even expending all his divine power wouldn''t be enough. More importantly, the Angel race had forbidden him from acting. A true god''s power was too valuable to risk, even if it meant sacrificing the entire Titan race. He seethed with rage, but he was powerless. "Deploy all Sovereigns! Fight to the death!" Several transparent orbs rolled across the floor. The Titans below god level quickly picked them up and departed. They had to sacrifice these Sovereign level Titans'' potential, hoping their ascension to pseudo-godhood would buy them time. But the Titan race didn''t have many Godheads. ... In the Nytheria Continent, the Angel headquarters faced a full-scale invasion, unlike the more measured assault on the Tyrangar continent. The undead, Sea Race, and Demon race had committed their main forces, unleashing their full might against the angels. Demonic portals, swirling black vortexes, disgorged legions of demons and their minions, wreaking havoc across Nytheria. The Sea Race swarmed the coastlines, while the undead deployed their fortresses. All three races had unleashed their subjugated races, a clear sign of their all-out commitment. Their combined forces aimed to crush the Nytheria continent, slaughter the angels, and cripple their faith power. Although the Angel race commanded vast faith power, much of it came from their civilian population, transformed angel beasts, and subjugated races. The true angel population, while not insignificant, was dwarfed by the sheer numbers of the undead and Sea Race. Eliminating these sources of faith power would be a simple task. The Angel race, unlike the Titans, seemed caught off guard, their response slow and disorganized. Within minutes, the outer regions of Nytheria were devastated. Countless angel beasts and civilians perished, cities reduced to rubble. The angels, however, were preoccupied with a higher priority: stopping the intruder on the Aether Isle. The World''s Heart couldn''t be compromised. The continents continued to drift rapidly across the Endless Sea, converging towards the Aether Isle. At the world''s center, a magnificent angel divine kingdom stood tall, its gleaming walls and towering structures a testament to their power. Angels of all shapes and sizes soared through the sky above. This divine kingdom occupied a quarter of the continent, a staggering size. All angel civilians resided within its walls, providing a constant stream of faith power. The Holy Court''s headquarters was also located here, its members acting as guardians, patrolling the divine kingdom and managing the civilian population. Outside the divine kingdom lived the subjugated races and angel beasts, along with a small number of civilians. Within a grand, golden hall, several powerful angel gods gathered. At the center of the room, a golden pool displayed images of the three-pronged invasion. The angels watched impassively. "Within the hour, the invaders will reach the divine kingdom," one angel stated. "The divine kingdom cannot fall. Let the Holy Court handle them," another commanded. "This undead lord is a greater threat than the last. The undead race should have been eradicated long ago," a third declared. "The World''s Heart is our foundation. Gather the Titan and dragon gods. We ride to the Aether Isle to vanquish these evils!" The angel gods seemed unconcerned by the invasion, their voices devoid of emotion. The images in the pool vanished. The angels transformed into streaks of light, disappearing from the hall. The three invading races could only watch as the angels flew towards the Aether Isle, praying their forces could hold them back. The divine kingdom, the true heart of the Angel race, was within their grasp. The time for their counterattack had come. Thousands of angels poured out of the divine kingdom, their golden forms a stark contrast to the dark forces below. They wielded holy swords, their holy light bathing the land. An angel unleashed a sword beam that exploded on the ground, obliterating countless undead and demons. Holy light was incredibly effective against them. Death angels and fallen angels retaliated, cutting down angels, only to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. The battle raged, a chaotic maelstrom of light and darkness. The dark races, in turn, held an advantage against the angels, capable of both inflicting and receiving devastating blows. The angels controlled the skies, but Death Spirit had anticipated this. The undead forces attacking Nytheria were primarily airborne, while the ground forces focused on the Titans. Unlike the Titans, the angels were both powerful and numerous. Even with the Demon race''s assistance, the battle remained a bloody stalemate. Death Spirit, overseeing the undead forces, watched the aerial combat, its shadowy form flickering with thought. It couldn''t transform angels, only Xiao Hui could, but she had a more important task. For now, it could only convert the fallen angels into ordinary undead. Suddenly, Death Spirit''s shadowy form pulsed. It looked towards the angel divine kingdom. Two holy lights erupted into the sky. Pseudo-gods! A massive, unstoppable golden sword beam cleaved the battlefield in two, instantly obliterating nearly a million soldiers from the three invading races. The second pseudo-god, clad in heavy silver armor, wielding a sword and shield, was from the Holy Court! The two pseudo-gods plunged into the fray. The Demon race and undead race hadn''t stationed any pseudo-gods here. No one had expected the Angel race to have such reserves. Even if they deployed pseudo-gods now, the invading forces would suffer heavy losses before reinforcements arrived. Holding back pseudo-gods with ordinary troops was suicide. "Death Spirit!" the Sea Race commander exclaimed, finding Death Spirit amidst the chaos. "The Demon race will intercept the angels. We can''t let them continue this slaughter. I''ll contact Poseidon!" The Sea Race could react the fastest. But involving a true god would be costly. "No," Death Spirit said firmly. "We can''t risk a true god''s intervention. I''ll contact the other undead Kings for reinforcements!" Even the loss of their entire army was preferable to risking a true god''s power. Chapter 428 - 428: For the Queen Just as Death Spirit was about to summon the other Race Kings, a blinding purple lightning bolt shot into the sky, drawing the attention of everyone on the battlefield. A holy light followed close behind, both striking the angel pseudo-gods. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god had arrived! "The humans!" the Sea Race general exclaimed, relief washing over him, though his worry didn''t completely disappear. The Angel race might have other hidden forces. "Thunder is injured..." Death Spirit murmured, observing the two human pseudo-gods. Thunder had been fighting non-stop, his injuries accumulating. He couldn''t have fully recovered in just a few days. But Death Spirit saw a steely resolve in Thunder''s eyes, mirrored in the Holy Church pseudo-god''s gaze. Perhaps, knowing the Angel race better than any other, they had anticipated this and positioned themselves on the Nytheria continent. In the brief moments since the angel pseudo-gods had arrived, the allied forces had suffered heavy losses. The angels weren''t just targeting low-level troops. Sovereigns and Emperors were just as vulnerable. And with their knowledge of the undead, they were ensuring complete soul obliteration, preventing resurrection. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god''s timely arrival had stopped the carnage. The battle raged on, but now, four pseudo-gods clashed high above, their power shaking the very foundations of the nearby angel divine kingdom. "Attack the divine kingdom!" Death Spirit commanded, unleashing its domain. Fallen angels rose as undead, rejoining the fight. The Demon race and Sea Race echoed the command. Sovereign and Emperor level beings surged forward, engaging the angel Sovereigns. The tide of battle began to turn. The allied forces gained the upper hand, but the Angel race''s true strength remained unknown. The divine kingdom, the source of the angels'' faith power, had to be destroyed. But the Angel race was more formidable than they had anticipated. They still had a true god. He wouldn''t stand idly by and watch his divine kingdom fall. Another golden light erupted from the divine kingdom. Another angel pseudo-god emerged. Thunder, already struggling against a single angel pseudo-god, coughed up blood, his face grim. Since the human race''s defeat, his faith power had diminished, weakening him considerably. His injuries hadn''t fully healed. He could only barely hold his own. Now, facing two opponents, he knew this wasn''t the Angel race''s full might, but he had no choice. He exchanged a look with the Holy Church pseudo-god. They began to retreat slowly, drawing the angel pseudo-gods closer. The angels didn''t suspect a trap. Three against two. It was the logical course of action. Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god continued to retreat, struggling to hold back the three angel pseudo-gods. Their only options were to flee or hope for reinforcements. But they had another plan. Golden runes appeared on the Holy Church pseudo-god''s silver armor, his weapon, and his shield. The runes blazed, and the armor melted away, revealing his gray robes and muscular physique. The angel pseudo-gods paused, confused. The molten armor transformed into a golden barrier, trapping all three angels. The Holy Church pseudo-god stood outside the barrier, while Thunder remained inside. "No!" one of the angels cried, charging towards the seemingly weakened Thunder. Thunder smirked, ignoring the approaching angel. He looked down at Death Spirit. "Tell Alex," he said, his voice filled with resolve, "this is humanity''s resolve!" A golden holy sword pierced Thunder''s chest. The angel tried to finish him, but Thunder''s grip on the sword held firm. Thunder''s body blazed with purple light, so bright it was almost white. The golden barrier became a miniature sun, radiating intense heat. Boom! A deafening explosion rocked the continent, momentarily halting its movement across the Endless Sea. The golden barrier contained the blast, but the Holy Church pseudo-god, his face pale with strain, opened a small gap in the barrier, unleashing a concentrated blast of energy towards the angel divine kingdom. The blast struck the towering divine kingdom wall, cracking it and sending a section crumbling to the ground, revealing the city within. Three orbs fell to the ground. Death Spirit collected them, the Godheads of the three fallen pseudo-gods. He immediately dispatched a clone to return them to the undead Imperial Capital. They would be reborn as undead pseudo-gods. A stunned silence fell over the battlefield. Thunder had sacrificed himself, detonating his Godhead, taking three angel pseudo-gods with him. Such a tactic was usually ineffective against opponents of equal level, but trapped within the barrier, the angels had nowhere to escape. It was clear that Thunder and the Holy Church pseudo-god had planned this from the start. Even now, the Angel race''s true god hadn''t intervened, seemingly unconcerned by the loss of three pseudo-gods. This was highly unusual. His power wasn''t significantly restricted by the World''s Heart. He should have been able to intervene. Had he already left the divine kingdom? Looking at the breach in the divine kingdom''s wall, Death Spirit ordered the assault. "For the Queen!" He turned to the weakened Holy Church pseudo-god, his armor gone, his body battered. "On behalf of my Queen, thank you for your sacrifice," Death Spirit said. "It was my duty," the human pseudo-god replied, his voice weak but firm. He was out of the fight, but he remained, standing alongside the allied forces. ... On the Nytheria continent, fifteen shadowy figures hovered above the churning sea. Each demon radiated immense power. These were the Demon race''s remaining pseudo-gods, only slightly outnumbering the undead race''s current pseudo-god forces. Facing them were fifteen angels, their holy light piercing the gloom. Thirty pseudo-gods, and even a few gods, clashed on this precarious battlefield. Several angel pseudo-gods had already departed for the Aether Isle. Instead of exploiting their numerical advantage, the angels had chosen a one-to-one confrontation, perhaps a display of confidence, or perhaps they simply didn''t consider the Demon race a serious threat. The demons held back fifteen pseudo-gods, but several more had already slipped past, heading for the Aether Isle. The demons could only hope the undead reinforcements would arrive in time. The Angel race''s objective was clear: eliminate Alex on the Aether Isle. The World''s Heart couldn''t be compromised. Holy light and dark energy collided, unleashing a shockwave that roiled the sea and darkened the sky. Thirty pseudo-gods and gods clashed in a chaotic maelstrom, a battle of epic proportions, the likes of which hadn''t been seen in millennia. And this still wasn''t the Angel race''s full might... Four Race Kings had been stationed here, but with the sudden escalation, Death Spirit had recalled the forces defending the Arcadia continent. Eight Race Kings stood ready: Garethor, Torin, Vulture, Arthur, John, Riven, Azure, and Crane. They varied in size and shape, but their resolve was unwavering. This battle would be costly, but for their Queen and the undead empire, they would stand their ground. Eight angel gods approached, their numbers matching the Race Kings''. A collective sigh of relief swept through the undead ranks. They could hold them. They were all gods, and the Race Kings were confident their faith power surpassed the angels''. The battle was about to begin. These Race Kings were Alex''s last line of defense. "For the Queen!" Arthur roared, charging forward, his massive bone wings propelling him towards the enemy. Each Race King embodied a different aspect of the undead race''s power. Except for Crane, they weren''t purely beings of darkness. Against the angels, there was no inherent advantage or disadvantage, a welcome change from the usual dynamic. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was their first battle as gods, facing gods of other races. Their only hope of victory lay in the undead army''s ability to decimate the Angel race''s civilian population and weaken their faith. Divine power surged, plunging the sky into darkness, while the angels'' holy light blazed, attempting to purify the encroaching shadows. ... On the Mossvale continent, the dragon race was also mobilizing. This war would reshape the world. Even if they hadn''t chosen a side, they couldn''t remain neutral. In times of chaos, no race could truly isolate itself. Within the dragon race''s territory, where only five pseudo-gods remained, the situation seemed deceptively calm. But in reality, they faced the greatest danger. The allied forces had no more pseudo-gods or gods to spare! Only Xiao Hui, Drake, and Arthas stood guard, outnumbered and outmatched. Their chances of survival were slim. "Drake," Xiao Hui said, her voice grim as she looked at Drake, "you''re no longer bound by contract to Alex. You can leave now." She doubted Drake would fight to the death. It was a suicide mission. Rather than face betrayal later, she chose to address the issue directly, disregarding Drake''s pride. He was the newest member, and therefore, the least trusted. "Xiao Hui, are you kidding me? Who do you think I am?" Drake retorted, offended. He couldn''t believe she would doubt his loyalty at a time like this. It was true. Without the contract, he was free to leave. With his power, he could find a place in any faction. But he had never considered it. "So what if I die? I''m a pseudo-god! I''m not afraid of death!" Drake''s eyes blazed with golden light as he transformed into a massive, earth-colored dragon, his divine power surging. "Instead of worrying about me, figure out how to get Xiao Mu to god. That would actually help Alex!" Drake roared, his voice echoing across the land. "Fine. Let''s kill these dragons!" Xiao Hui declared, drawing the Sword of Judgment. Four pairs of black wings sprouted from her back, her aura shifting, becoming both sinister and divine. She wielded the true Sword of Judgment, meaning she had retrieved it from the undead empire''s Resurrection Pool. This maximized her combat power, but it also meant she couldn''t be resurrected. But she felt no fear. What was the point of surviving if everyone else perished? Better to fight to the death than cower in fear. "Tell Ice Cream to hurry," Arthas said to the Death Spirit clone responsible for communication. "Once the dragon pseudo-gods arrive, we wipe out the Mossvale continent and claim the core of will." Their plan was about to unfold. Chapter 429 - 429: New Dragon God At the center of the Aether Isle, Alex strained against the immense pressure of the World''s Heart, her God''s Path a torturous, uphill climb. She had only progressed a quarter of the way. Ascending to godhood was no easy feat. Her senses were blocked on the Aether Isle. She was unaware of the events unfolding outside, only that time was of the essence. If she didn''t hurry, her allies might not hold out. If the angel gods reached the island and disrupted her ascension, all would be lost. The Angel race, puppets of the World''s Heart for untold years, had the easiest path to pseudo-godhood, their ascension fueled by the faith power channeled through the World''s Heart. Even true gods received a degree of leniency from the World''s Heart, their banishment delayed. Alex had a growing suspicion about the reason for the true gods'' eventual banishment. They posed a threat to the World''s Heart. Since arriving on the Aether Isle, hidden truths had begun to surface. The World''s Heart wasn''t alive. It was the residual power of a deceased God of Creation. This explained its unconscious nature and its fear of true gods. Even in death, a God of Creation''s power was immense. It was terrifying to imagine their strength in life. This also explained the system''s desire to absorb the World''s Heart. But the system''s current whereabouts and its true nature remained a mystery. Alex had interacted with the system more than any other entity, yet it remained the most enigmatic. She could only hope it wouldn''t interfere at this crucial moment. Destroying cores of will caused the Aether Isle to rise. Now, as she ascended, the continents were converging. Alex didn''t know what this meant, perhaps an unconscious act of defiance by the World''s Heart. But both continents with and without cores of will seemed equally affected. And as she progressed further along her God''s Path, she felt the Aether Isle begin to descend. Were the continents and the Aether Isle merging into a single landmass? Did this herald a world reset? Time seemed to stand still on the Aether Isle. There was only the crushing pressure, the relentless force of the World''s Heart pushing against her. She had to endure, complete her God''s Path, ascend to godhood, and bring order to this chaotic world. ... On the Mossvale continent, a terrifying power erupted from a hidden tunnel. Emberon emerged, his body radiating heat. He had absorbed the Fire Godhead, forcibly ascending to pseudo-godhood. Ice Cream remained in the cave, absorbing the Frost Heart''s power. Emberon had sacrificed his own potential to ensure Ice Cream''s ascension. He would use this newfound power to claim the remaining dragon treasures while the chieftains were away, fighting on the Endless Sea. Ice Cream would become the new Dragon God. Emberon transformed into a massive fire dragon, soaring towards the heart of the dragon race''s territory. No dragon could stop him now. After Emberon''s departure, a shadowy figure appeared outside Ice Cream''s tunnel: Death Spirit, standing guard. Although it couldn''t defeat gods, it could handle weaker Sovereigns. Undead poured from the fortresses scattered across the Mossvale continent. The Rock Dragons and their vassal sub-dragon races joined the fray. Chaos engulfed the Mossvale continent. Whether Ice Cream would become the new Dragon God remained uncertain. Death Spirit couldn''t rely on him alone. Destroying the Mossvale continent''s core of will was their top priority. The dragons, having learned from their previous encounter with the undead, were prepared this time. Moreover, they were confident in their ability to repel this weakened undead force. If they couldn''t even handle this, they were unworthy of being dragons. While the dragon armies clashed with the undead, a red figure slipped through their lines, unnoticed. The undead attack was a perfect diversion, drawing the dragons'' attention away from Emberon. The battle raged. The Mossvale continent wouldn''t escape unscathed. ... Back on the Eldoria continent, in the undead empire, Death Spirit commanded the undead armies, while Xiao Mu and Ruby oversaw the defense of the undead Imperial Capital. Two Sovereign level beings were enough to handle most threats, as long as no pseudo-gods were involved. But just as the allied races had targeted the Angel race''s civilian population to weaken their pseudo-gods, the angels had devised their own plan. No race knew pseudo-gods better than the Angel race. But instead of sending an army to destroy the undead empire, they sent gods. Three beams of holy light streaked across the sky, heading towards the northern Eldoria continent. Within the light were three eight-winged angels! Xiao Mu, Ruby, Death Spirit, and Sophie were stunned. Despair washed over them. Even Death Spirit couldn''t believe the Angel race still had god-level combatants to spare. But if they had so many gods, why not send them to the Aether Isle instead of targeting the undead empire? The Angel race wasn''t foolish. They weren''t going to deploy their forces piecemeal. This was war, not a turn-based game. A terrifying realization struck Death Spirit. The Angel race had deployed their true god alongside these gods! The Aether Isle was the true god''s target. They were going for an all-out, decisive strike! The three approaching angel gods filled them with dread. The undead empire couldn''t be destroyed. "Death Spirit," Xiao Mu declared, stepping forward, "I''ll hold them off. Evacuate all undead. Better to die fighting on the battlefield than be slaughtered here!" He would attempt to ascend to godhood, using the rules to buy them time. He had nothing left to lose. Failure meant death anyway. Even as a god, he was unlikely to survive against three angel pseudo-gods. "Ruby, Sophie, evacuate with the undead," Xiao Mu instructed. Ruby, a first-stage Sovereign with no potential for godhood, and Sophie, a mid-level Emperor, were no match for these foes. Death Spirit nodded. This was their best option. They had no other gods to defend the capital. It immediately began organizing the evacuation. The undead empire could be rebuilt as long as Alex lived. "Xiao Mu..." Sophie said, her voice filled with worry and a hint of sadness. This might be their last goodbye. "Don''t worry. I won''t die," Xiao Mu replied, a forced smile on his face, his eyes betraying his true feelings. He channeled the faith power of the Light Titan kingdom, focusing it above the undead Imperial Capital. With a roar, he absorbed the energy. A golden barrier enveloped the city. The three approaching angels paused, surprised. They hadn''t expected anyone within the undead empire to attempt godhood. Judging by the energy signature, it wasn''t an undead, but a... Titan? A rare smirk appeared on their emotionless faces. They weren''t mocking the Titan''s power, but its ignorance. Due to their racial traits, Titans couldn''t ascend to godhood through faith. Beyond Sovereign level, they had only one path: true godhood! This Titan''s attempt was doomed to fail. It would only buy them a few minutes. No matter what, it was still a Titan, bound by its racial limitations. The angels weren''t worried. As for ascending to true godhood? Preposterous. Within the undead empire, Death Spirit watched with growing unease as the golden barrier weakened. Xiao Mu''s aura, instead of growing stronger, was fading. He had failed. The barrier shattered. Xiao Mu coughed up blood, his aura flickering. His path forward was blocked. He had failed, his God''s Path severed, his strength permanently capped at first-stage Sovereign. "It wasn''t my fault! I had enough faith power!" he cried, confused and frustrated. "Xiao Mu, leave the capital!" Death Spirit yelled, flying towards him. The three angel gods had entered the Dark Forest, approaching the undead Imperial Capital. A holy light flashed. The Death Spirit clone approaching Xiao Mu was obliterated. The angels hovered above the city, radiating blinding light. A searing flash engulfed the undead Imperial Capital. Everything within its radius was purified, reduced to dust. The combined power of the three angels spread outwards like a nuclear blast, obliterating everything in its path. Walls crumbled, earth churned, and the magnificent palace collapsed. The imposing skeleton statues, the alchemy warlocks'' laboratories, the subjugated races'' dwellings, and any lords and Freelancers who hadn''t escaped were annihilated, consumed by the blinding golden light. Brak, Brok, the forest''s subjugated races, the Rock Serpents, the man-eating ants... all gone, without a trace. The dense forest was reduced to ashes. Even the spatial distortions within its depths offered no protection. The golden light faded, revealing a desolate wasteland where the undead Imperial Capital, and indeed the entire Dark Forest, had once stood. At the center of the devastation, Xiao Mu knelt, his eyes vacant, his face pale with shock. "It''s gone... everything''s gone..." He knew he had no chance of escape. Even at his fastest, he couldn''t outrun gods. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He looked up at the three angels hovering above, wondering why they hadn''t killed him. One of the angels descended, landing before him, its white wings obscuring its face. "The light within you is pure," the angel said, its voice emotionless. "You have no connection to the undead race. Join us. We can restore your severed God''s Path, even help you become a true god, the ruler of the Titan race. What do you say?" Xiao Mu finally understood why he was still alive. The Angel race wanted the Light Titan clan. They had never doubted their victory. But this war would reshape the world, leading to the extinction of many races. They would control and manipulate the remaining races to solidify their dominance. Xiao Mu looked at the angel before him, then at the other two hovering above. He remained silent. The angels weren''t in a hurry. They had completed their mission. As a show of "good faith," they allowed Xiao Mu time to consider their offer. He wasn''t afraid of death. He was afraid of never seeing his sister again. Chapter 430 - 430: As long as Alex lived, they hadnt lost "I accept," Xiao Mu said, his gaze firm as he looked at the angel god. "You won''t regret this. Come with me," the angel said, turning to leave. "Could you restore my God''s Path now?" Xiao Mu asked. The angel paused, exchanging a glance with its companions above. They nodded. A Titan couldn''t ascend to godhood anyway. A Sovereign level Titan posed no threat. "Very well. Experience the power of the Angel race." The angel unfurled its eight wings, radiating a gentle, healing holy light, a stark contrast to the destructive power it had wielded earlier. The light flowed towards Xiao Mu. He knew it could restore his God''s Path, but he also knew the insidious nature of angelic power, its ability to subtly influence the mind. This was likely why they had agreed to heal him so readily. As the angel focused on channeling the healing energy, a cold look flashed across Xiao Mu''s face. This was his chance. He lunged forward, his hand outstretched. Just as he was about to reach the angel, he froze, paralyzed. He had failed. A wry smile touched his lips as he accepted his fate. His body began to petrify, turning into a stone statue. As the transformation completed, a surge of power erupted outwards. The angel god, protected by its wings, easily deflected the attack. The wave of earthen energy dissipated, leaving one of the angel''s wings petrified. It severed the damaged wing and began to heal itself. It recognized the Titan race''s suicidal attack, surprised by its potency. Even a god had been injured. "Fool," the angel muttered. The statue crumbled, turning to dust. The angel, unmoved by Xiao Mu''s deception, felt only a flicker of regret at losing such a talented being. "Let''s go," it said to its companions. "To the Aether Isle." The three angel gods vanished, streaking towards the far north. ... Above the Endless Sea, the chaotic battle raged around the Aether Isle. Over fifty pseudo-gods and gods clashed, their power tearing at the very fabric of reality, shattering the edges of the converging continents. All three fallen angel pseudo-gods were dead. The Demon race pseudo-gods had suffered heavy losses, now fighting a desperate rearguard action. Embracing their inherent madness, the demons launched suicidal attacks, detonating their Godheads rather than falling to the angels'' swords. Their desperate gambit momentarily pushed back the numerically superior angels. The power of a detonating Godhead was difficult to avoid, and a single mistake could be fatal. The undead Race Kings, despite being gods, were struggling against the angels. The disparity in faith power was becoming evident. Arthur, John, and Azure, commanding the largest undead armies, held a slight advantage. Garethor and Crane were evenly matched with their angel opponents. Torin wasn''t a skilled fighter, and Vulture, hampered by the low numbers of ghouls in the undead empire, along with Riven, were barely holding on. Death Spirit had paired Xiao Hui and Arthas, the two strongest undead Race Kings, against the dragon pseudo-gods. They could kill angel gods one-on-one, and angel gods were stronger than dragon pseudo-gods. Despite being outnumbered, neither Xiao Hui nor Arthas was in immediate danger. The battle raged, a chaotic maelstrom of divine power, pseudo-gods and gods falling at any moment, their bodies lost to the Endless Sea. But the true outcome of this war wouldn''t be decided by this chaotic clash. Amidst the carnage, a serene figure moved towards the Aether Isle, unnoticed by even the gods. The churning sea grew strangely calm, an invisible force settling over the battlefield. The figure paused, looking down at the ocean, its expression grim. "He has awakened..." The figure, humanoid in form, with wrinkled brown skin and golden eyes, radiated no divine power, appearing almost ordinary. It stood motionless, watching the sea, waiting. The surface of the water rippled. A seven-foot-tall figure, wielding a trident, with deep blue skin, emerged. Poseidon, the Sea Race''s true god. He ignored the surrounding chaos, his gaze fixed on the distant Titan true god. The two true gods locked eyes, the anticipated clash never materializing. "You can''t resist much longer," the Titan true god said, his voice emotionless. Poseidon was the oldest of the gods, his long existence pushing him towards banishment. "I can still ascend with you," Poseidon replied, a confident smile on his face. The Titan true god was a mere child compared to him, powerful but lacking experience. The Titan true god remained silent. His hesitation stemmed partly from caution, but mostly from his unwillingness to ascend. His departure would weaken the Titan race significantly. "Why not witness the dawn of a new era with me?" Poseidon suggested. "Very well," the Titan true god agreed. They rose into the sky, facing each other, but neither attacked. Their objective was to contain each other, a silent agreement between two true gods. The Titan true god was confident in his side''s victory. Poseidon, though worried, could only hope to delay the inevitable. But who would face the Angel race''s god? Where were they? A tremor shook the sea, sending massive waves crashing against the converging continents. The Tyrangar continent shook violently. The gods turned their attention towards the source of the disturbance. Poseidon smiled, a hint of mockery in his voice as he looked at the Titan true god. "It seems your reign has encountered a slight hiccup." The Titan true god frowned. He knew what had happened. The Shadow race had betrayed them! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Tyrangar continent''s core of will had been destroyed! On the Aether Isle, Alex felt the pressure lessen, her pace quickening. The continents moved faster, the Aether Isle descending more rapidly. Only the Mossvale and Nytheria continents lagged behind. As the continents converged, the Titan true god grew anxious. Where were the angels?! On the Mossvale battlefield, the tide had turned. Drake, grievously wounded, his abdomen pierced, golden blood dripping into the Endless Sea, was out of the fight. He was lucky to have survived the last desperate attack. Xiao Hui and Arthas were relatively unharmed, though their divine power was depleted. Two of the dragon pseudo-gods were dead, two more were severely injured, leaving only the Venom Dragon pseudo-god capable of fighting. But it dared not risk further losses. A chieftain''s suicidal attack hadn''t even managed to take down a single enemy. It was now three against three, but effectively two against one. "Retreat!" the Venom Dragon pseudo-god commanded, fleeing with its injured companions. Xiao Hui and Arthas didn''t pursue. Their priority was protecting Alex. Xiao Hui''s hand, still gripping the Sword of Judgment, trembled slightly. Her victory had been partly due to her death angel abilities, partly due to the divine gear. Arthas was also battered, its armor cracked, a piece of its helmet missing, revealing its pale face. "Drake, go back and rest. We''ll handle this," Xiao Hui said. Drake, knowing he was a liability, nodded and left. Xiao Hui and Arthas looked up at the two figures clashing high above. "True gods..." "We have to get to the Aether Isle!" More concerned about Alex''s safety than the other battlefields, they turned and flew towards the Aether Isle. ... On the Tyrangar continent, the core of will had been destroyed with the Shadow race''s help. With no Titan god to defend them, further resistance was futile. The Sea Race general ordered a retreat, redirecting their forces towards the Nytheria continent to weaken the Angel race. It looked at the motionless Death Spirit, confused. "Aren''t the undead retreating?" "The undead empire is destroyed. We can''t retreat," Death Spirit replied. "Take your forces to Nytheria. There are still countless undead there. We''ll handle the Titans." The Sea Race general, unsure how to respond, silently commanded its forces to withdraw. The vast army retreated, vanishing into the sea. "Good luck, Death Spirit," the general said before departing. Death Spirit nodded, then split into thousands of clones, spreading across the battlefield, its dark domain expanding. "All forces," it commanded, its voice filled with rage, "destroy the Titans!" Fallen Sea Race, Titan, and Behemoth corpses rose as undead, swelling their ranks. As long as there were bodies, the undead army would never die. Even trapped on the Tyrangar continent, they would fight, eradicating the Titans. As long as Alex lived, they hadn''t lost. Chapter 431 - 431: The choice of race kings High above the churning Endless Sea, the Race Kings clashed with the angel gods, the battle reaching a fever pitch. The fight between gods was a war of attrition, a delicate balance of divine power. No one held a decisive advantage. The Race Kings fought on, clinging to the hope of reinforcements, knowing their duty was to buy time for their Queen, even if it meant their deaths. Alex''s success was their only hope. Torin, already struggling against one angel god, now faced two, his strength waning. He hadn''t fought alongside the previous undead lord, who had faced the world alone. But this time, his Queen needed him. He wouldn''t hesitate. He raised his crooked staff, his bony fingers surprisingly strong. A dark magic barrier shimmered around him, but it melted away like snow under the angels'' holy light. His dark magic, a mixture of Bone Magic and blood magic, was no match for these divine foes. "You think I''m just a summoner?" Torin roared, his staff dissolving as a sinister black energy enveloped him. He stood firm against the two approaching angels. An invisible ripple spread outwards, freezing space and time. One of the angel gods froze mid-flight, then vanished, compressed into a small, square crystal. Torin had sealed it. The crystal plummeted towards the Endless Sea. The other angel, ignoring its companion''s fate, lunged towards the weakened Torin. The angel''s sword pierced Torin''s chest effortlessly. His body dissolved into golden light, his flesh and soul purified by the holy light. "The undead race will never die," Torin said, a chilling smile on his face as a dark barrier reappeared. "And that seal will never break. You''ve achieved nothing." A torrent of dark energy erupted, a terrifying explosion engulfing both Torin and the angel god. The weakest of the Race Kings had taken two gods with him! The explosion rocked the battlefield, forcing the other gods to retreat. Garethor looked towards where Torin had fallen, a grim determination hardening his gaze. The other six Race Kings shared his resolve. The angel gods, sensing the shift, grew cautious. These undead were as fearless as the Demon race madmen. Did these dark races not fear death? The angels, however, forgot that the undead were *already* dead. They had nothing left to lose. Garethor bound an angel god with his chains, engulfing it in hellfire. A portal, leading to an unknown destination, opened beneath them. He plunged into the portal, taking the angel with him, a fiery descent into oblivion. Even if he couldn''t take two gods with him like Torin, he would take one. The other angel gods, shaken by this suicidal tactic, were momentarily pushed back, just like on the Demon race battlefield. No angel dared to approach the Race Kings, fearing they were all walking time bombs. Crane seized the opportunity, plunging its blade into an angel''s chest. Its dark power was incredibly effective against angels, burning them from the inside out. A golden sword beam flashed, forcing Crane back. It had dodged, but not entirely. Its arm was severed, its weapon, the source of its dark power, falling into the Endless Sea. Two massive dragon breath attacks forced the angels back, giving the Race Kings a moment to regroup. Crane, knowing it couldn''t outrun the angels, looked at the equally exhausted Vulture. "Vulture, consume me!" Vulture stared at Crane, stunned by the desperate plea. "Consume me," Crane repeated, its voice firm. "You''ll regain your strength, become even stronger. You can fight the angel gods. Without my weapon, I''m useless." "I... I can''t. We''re Race Kings. I don''t have to obey you," Vulture protested, unwilling to accept Crane''s sacrifice. "Vulture, do it," Death Spirit''s voice echoed through the air as it materialized beside them. "It''s for the Queen! If she succeeds, we can all be resurrected. The undead empire will rise again!" It looked at Crane, and they nodded in silent agreement. Vulture could refuse Crane, but not Death Spirit, the Queen''s appointed general, whose authority superseded theirs. Moreover, Death Spirit''s presence and its approval of Crane''s sacrifice meant the other battlefields were also struggling. Unlike the other Race Kings, summoned or recruited, Vulture had been created by Alex. Its loyalty was absolute. "For the Queen!" Vulture roared, consuming Crane. Its power surged, surpassing even Xiao Hui and Arthas at their peak. Vulture, now the strongest of the Race Kings, lunged towards the angel gods, its massive claws tearing through the air. Eight angel gods remained. The undead had five Race Kings. The battle raged on. ... On the Nytheria continent, the allied forces poured through the breach in the angel divine kingdom''s wall. The divine kingdom was vast, teeming with angel civilians, ordinary beings who provided the angels with immense faith power. They fled in terror as the dark races invaded, their prayers for divine intervention unanswered. The angels they worshipped were locked in a desperate struggle high above, unable to protect them. Despite their vast faith power, the Angel race''s true strength lay in its elite. Their lower ranks, though powerful, were no match for the combined might of the three races. The three generals were elated. At this rate, they would crush the angel divine kingdom, crippling the Angel race. The loss of faith power would weaken the angel pseudo-gods and gods, turning the tide of the war. But just as victory seemed within their grasp, an invisible force pulsed outwards from the divine kingdom, unlike the familiar holy light. All angel civilians fell to their knees, the divine kingdom bathed in a blinding golden light. The invading forces within the city were annihilated. Stunned, they looked towards the divine kingdom. A beautiful angel, clad in white, with long flowing hair and six pairs of wings ¨C a twelve-winged angel, a true god ¨C rose from the city''s center. Unlike the other angels, her face wasn''t obscured by her wings. Her eyes were closed, her arms outstretched, as if accepting the adoration of the kneeling civilians. Death Spirit was shocked. This wasn''t how it was supposed to go. The Titan true god had already been deployed. Why was the angel true god still here?! Before the stunned invaders could react, the angel true god attacked. She raised a hand, and the sky darkened, storm clouds gathering. A massive golden holy sword pierced the clouds, hurtling towards the ground with terrifying speed and power. The Sovereign level beings below felt a wave of despair. No one could stop this. "Wait, it''s not targeting us!" Death Spirit exclaimed. The sword wasn''t aimed at the invading armies, but at a specific location behind their lines. A seven-colored light erupted from that spot, a swirling vortex of elemental energies forming a beautiful rainbow. The elements merged, transforming into a new, volatile energy that collided with the descending holy sword. A massive explosion ripped through the sky, splitting it in two. The shockwave sent the lower-level troops tumbling to the ground. The battle stopped as everyone stared at the figure now hovering in the sky. A young man in black robes, a gleaming medallion on his chest, stood defiant. The leaders of the three races were stunned. A human? "President!" the Holy Church pseudo-god exclaimed, relief flooding his voice. The Mage Guild president, having escaped the Arcadia continent with his followers, had ascended to true godhood! "You are stronger than he (the Divine Mage) was," the angel true god said, her eyes still closed, her voice emotionless, as if she didn''t consider him a threat. The president, his face a mask of rage and grief, didn''t reply. He charged towards the angel true god. The Mage Guild was destroyed, his friends were dead, and this angel was to blame. Regardless of Alex''s success, he would have his revenge. The two true gods clashed, their power shaking the continent. The invading armies could barely withstand the shockwaves. Attacking the divine kingdom was no longer an option. Their plan to weaken the Angel race had failed. The allied forces retreated, fleeing the true gods'' battle. The clash alerted the other battlefields. The remaining Demon race pseudo-gods exchanged worried glances, but they continued their assault. The two battlefields merged, undead and Demon race pseudo-gods fighting side-by-side against the angels. Despite being outnumbered, they were confident in their eventual victory. "Fools," a cold voice echoed through the air. A Demon race pseudo-god exploded, its body disintegrating. Another demon pseudo-god was obliterated. A single attack, instantly killing a pseudo-god. The Angel race''s true god had arrived. The allied forces turned to flee. They couldn''t face a true god. But it was too late. A twelve-winged angel, a male this time, stood behind them, blocking their escape. He raised a hand, sealing the surrounding space. They were trapped. Was this the power of a true god? Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A strange energy flowed from the trapped pseudo-gods, draining their life force and divine power. Within moments, they were all dead, their power absorbed by the angel. There would be no more reinforcements for the undead race. ... Eight of the eleven undead Race Kings were dead. The Demon race pseudo-gods were annihilated. Death Spirit watched in horror, not at the deaths, but at the angel true god''s actions. He had absorbed the dark races'' power, then killed his own pseudo-gods! Why? The angel, seemingly unaware of Death Spirit''s presence, turned and left. The battles around the Aether Isle were over. His destination was the island itself. He flew towards the Aether Isle, a smirk on his face as he saw Xiao Hui and Arthas standing guard. He looked towards the island, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "It''s time." Chapter 432 - 432: Its the system Meanwhile... On the continent of Mossvale, the dragon pseudo-gods, having retreated from Aether Isle in a not-so-graceful manner, hightailed it back to their homeland. They were facing a full-blown undead invasion, and their first order of business was to deal with these lingering undead pests. Although roughed up by Xiao Hui and Arthas, the two dragon pseudo-gods were still more than a match for these undead scrubs. A few more pseudo-god level undead might have made things interesting, but unfortunately for the undead race, their heavy hitters were all busy brawling with titans on the continent of Tyrangar. No time for a Mossvale vacation, apparently. Unsurprisingly, with three dragon pseudo-gods on the scene, the undead army on Mossvale was wiped out faster than free pizza at a college campus. Returning to their homeland, ready to kick back and wait out the rest of the war, they discovered something truly shocking: their dragon treasure had been swiped! Not just from the three main clans, but even the stashes of the deceased dragon chieftains were completely cleaned out. The dragon chieftain went ballistic. It was clear in a heartbeat: there was a traitor in their midst, someone who opposed his rule and wanted to create a new Dragon God! The traitor couldn''t be one of the chieftains, so it had to be one of the clan representatives, the next rung down on the power ladder. The poison dragon chieftain, in a fit of rage, decided to purge all the representatives. Little did he know, an uninvited guest had arrived outside the magnificent Dragon God Temple. A world-shattering aura erupted, instantly reducing the temple and the surrounding poison dragon territory to rubble. The three dragon pseudo-gods appeared in a flash, staring in horror at the figure before them. Bathed in holy light, with white wings eclipsing the sun, they couldn''t make out the face hidden in the shadows. But the twelve wings were a dead giveaway. "Leader, we were no match for the undead race, we had no choice but to retreat. Please forgive us!" The poison dragon pseudo-god immediately dropped to his knees, assuming the newcomer was there to chew them out for their less-than-stellar performance. They hadn''t just failed to defeat the enemy; they''d run away. A little divine wrath was to be expected. He was a true god, they were mere pseudo-gods. No arguing with that. The figure in the sky remained silent for a moment, observing the kneeling chieftains. Then, he spoke. "Summon the core of will." The chieftains exchanged confused glances. What was this about? But the angelic authority was undeniable, and they were firmly on the side of the Angel race. The dragon chieftain, without a second thought, summoned the core of will of Mossvale. As the golden orb of energy floated towards him, a smile finally crept onto the impassive face of the angel figure, unnoticed by the kneeling chieftains. The core of will, drawn by an unseen force, drifted into his outstretched hand. In the next instant, he clenched his fist, shattering it. *BOOM!* The entire continent shuddered. The three chieftains gaped at the god in the sky, utterly bewildered. Why would he do that? They dared not ask. Before they could even process what had happened, an invisible force bound them, immobilizing them completely. Danger! Their pupils constricted, minds reeling. A wave of pure terror washed over them. He was going to kill them! Completely helpless, facing the true power of a true god, they felt the crushing weight of despair. As pseudo-gods, they had no chance, no recourse. They were dead. Just as they braced for oblivion, a figure appeared before them. With a casual wave of his hand, he dispelled the true god''s lethal attack. "You think the dragon race is that easy to bully?" A cold voice echoed through the air. The three chieftains stared at the man''s back in astonishment. The new Dragon God¡­ it was him! "Interesting. You''re the unexpected surprise she left me." The god in the sky chuckled, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn''t anticipated a hidden true god among the dragons. And judging by the aura he radiated, he''d just broken through. "You''re not the real deal, just a clone." In a blink, Ice Cream vanished, reappearing in front of the angelic figure, a fist rocketing towards him. The god didn''t react, a strange smile playing on his lips as Ice Cream''s punch dispersed his form. Ice Cream hadn''t used any divine power, relying solely on the physical enhancements that came with godhood. Despite obliterating the clone, Ice Cream''s expression grew grave. Something felt off. It was as if the god had *allowed* himself to be destroyed. As far as Ice Cream knew, cloning wasn''t a standard Angel race ability, at any level. Of course, that didn''t rule out some sort of divine evolution. He himself could create clones using divine power, but such a clone wouldn''t be capable of effortlessly swatting three pseudo-gods. Ice Cream turned to the stunned chieftains. Meeting his icy gaze, they immediately begged for mercy. "New Dragon God, please forgive our transgressions!" With their power and treasure in his hands, they had no leverage. More importantly, Ice Cream wasn''t a Dragon God they had chosen. He had no reason to show them any leniency. "The dragon race was ruined by the likes of you!" Ice Cream unleashed a terrifying wave of divine might, engulfing the three chieftains. Their bodies began to disintegrate, inch by inch, until they vanished completely. "Uncle, send word. I will return and rebuild the dragon race!" Ice Cream appeared before Emberon. Emberon immediately knelt. "You are the Dragon God now. Such formality is unnecessary. Call me by my name." Ice Cream paused, then nodded. Emberon had helped him immensely. Without him, reaching true godhood would have been questionable, at best. "I understand. Go." Ice Cream watched Emberon fly away, his gaze fixed on distant Aether Isle. Now a true god, with Poseidon''s support, victory wasn''t guaranteed, but defeat was off the table. His only concern was the Angel race true god. Why destroy the core of will? One thing was certain: it wasn''t to help Alex. Ice Cream hadn''t intervened because he knew destroying the core of will would benefit Alex as well. In the next moment, Ice Cream vanished, speeding towards Aether Isle. .... "That''s¡­ the Angel race true god!!" Xiao Hui exclaimed, her voice tight with tension as she stared at the approaching angel. As a death angel, she knew exactly what those twelve wings signified. Arthas, equally apprehensive, stood ready. They both knew they couldn''t hold the true god back for more than a second, but they had no choice. Behind them was Aether Isle, and Alex, still in the midst of his breakthrough. They would die before letting the angel reach him. "Two true gods for the Angel race?" Arthas hadn''t expected this. They''d just received word from Death Spirit that the Angel race true god was battling the Mage Guild president. And that true god was the only female among them. This angel was clearly someone else. The angel arrived in a flash, too fast for Xiao Hui and Arthas to react. "An extra Dragon God changes nothing." He sneered, launching his attack. Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and vanished. A crimson beam of energy, crackling with strange divine power, streaked past, narrowly missing Xiao Hui and Arthas. The angel reappeared in the distance, his face contorted in rage, as he turned towards the source of the attack. A hulking figure stood there, humanoid in shape, covered in black fur, with glowing red eyes. Sensing the divine power, the angel''s rage turned to a chilling laughter. "The werewolf race. You''ve given me another surprise!" The newcomer was none other than Skoll, now a true god after devouring Dracula. His God''s Path was simple: fuse the two bloodlines. Both he and Dracula had pursued the same path. Only Skoll had succeeded. "A true god of the angels, and you resort to bullying the weak?" Skoll sneered, hovering in the air, facing the angelic true god. "A weak god from a broken world." The angel''s anger subsided, replaced by cold calculation. He glanced towards Aether Isle, then charged at Skoll. The god battle erupted, their power exceeding even the clash on Nytheria. Nearby, the Titan true god and Poseidon watched in bewilderment. A werewolf god? This was unexpected. Only Xiao Hui knew of Alex''s past dealings with Skyreach Mountains and his acquaintance with Skoll. "Why the surprise?" Poseidon chuckled, turning to the Titan true god. Poseidon addressed the Titan true god because his shock stemmed from seeing the angelic true god, not Skoll. After a moment of silence, the Titan true god spoke, his voice heavy. "I''ve met the Angel race true god. I''m certain. There is only *one*." Poseidon froze, incredulous. "You''re saying he''s not the Angel race god?" "Isn''t it obvious? The true angel is currently engaged with that new Divine Mage." The Titan true god gestured towards Nytheria. True god battles resonated, regardless of location. Both gods realized the anomaly. If there was only one Angel race true god, who was this? He''d infiltrated the Angel race and attacked the undead. He wasn''t on anyone''s side. And he was incredibly powerful. The Titan true god and Poseidon exchanged a look. Without hesitation, they joined the fray. A two-god battle became a five-god war, with four against one. Even facing four true gods, the angelic figure remained unfazed. He held his own, not giving an inch. Only Xiao Hui, her brow furrowed in thought, seemed to recognize something familiar in the power he wielded. "It''s the system!" she suddenly cried out. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 433 - 433: System mastermind behind all this Xiao Hui''s voice didn''t exactly send shockwaves through the other true gods. They weren''t exactly system experts. Sure, they knew the system was a higher-level god, on par with the World''s Heart, but no one had ever gotten as far as Alex. Basically, the gods had heard whispers about the system but never actually met the guy. Meanwhile, the true god brawl raged on. The five gods threw around so much power that even god-level Xiao Hui and Arthas had to backpedal. Xiao Hui glanced anxiously towards Aether Isle. She could feel the strange energy there dwindling, meaning Alex''s breakthrough was progressing, and the island was slowly descending. From the edge of the Endless Sea, six continents were visible, but Nytheria was conspicuously absent. Xiao Hui suspected this had something to do with the core of will. Arthas tried to contact Death Spirit, but he was ghosting them, nowhere to be found. Back on the battlefield, the system, now outnumbered four to one, was starting to look like he''d bitten off more than he could chew. This gave the others a glimmer of hope. If the system had limits, then four gods working together might actually be able to take him down. The system''s angelic divine body was cracking like a dropped iPhone screen, wings stained crimson. His aura flickered erratically, his expression a mask of rage. The angelic true god power was completely overshadowed by his own bizarre energy, an unsettling force that seemed to erase everything it touched. Something none of them had ever seen before. Ice Cream, having spent time with Alex, knew this power wasn''t from their world. It rivaled the World''s Heart, a power they all knew too well from constantly fighting its attempts to boot them out. Wind, snow, lightning, blood-red energy, holy light, and the power of the endless sea ¨C four devastating forces converged on the system from all directions. The combined attack was too fast to dodge, forcing him to take it head-on. Even if it didn''t kill him, it would definitely leave a mark. The impending collision radiated pure terror. Xiao Hui and Arthas retreated even further, fearing for Alex''s safety on Aether Isle. Then, time seemed to freeze. A blinding energy beam shot skyward, tearing a hole in the blue expanse, revealing a swirling abyss of darkness. The combined attack detonated, unleashing enough power to wipe out a continent. A massive, multicolored shockwave rippled outwards, churning the sea, shaking the land, and incinerating everything in its path. Countless lesser races on the seven continents were caught in the crossfire, erased from existence. But, miraculously, Aether Isle, shielded by an equally strange energy, remained untouched, not even a tremor disturbing its surface. Xiao Hui and Arthas, hiding behind Aether Isle, released the divine power they''d been holding, staring in disbelief. "The World''s Heart!" On the battlefield, the shockwave dissipated, the towering waves crashing back down, the sky returning to normal. At the center, the chaotic energy cleared, revealing a scene that made the four gods gasp. The system''s body had crumbled to dust, leaving behind a white, featureless figure radiating an eerie aura. The body he''d been possessing was destroyed, revealing his true form. "If my power wasn''t limited, you pathetic fools wouldn''t have pushed me this far!" The system roared, unleashing a torrent of white energy, forcing the four gods back. Their combined attack had weakened the World''s Heart further, allowing him to access more of his power. They were no longer a match for him. The World''s Heart, though weakened, was still the creator godhead, holding absolute control over this crumbling world. But the weaker it became, the stronger the system became. All he had to do was remove these obstacles, absorb Alex and the remnants of the World''s Heart, and he would regain his full power as the God of Creation, the ruler of this world. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The system assessed the four true gods, then targeted Poseidon, the weakest link. The other three gods, seeing his intent, moved to intercept, but the system unleashed a wave of white energy that suppressed their divine power, leaving them momentarily powerless. By the time they broke free, the system had reached Poseidon. A deluge of white energy threatened to consume the sea god, the blue power of the ocean no match for the system''s might. Suddenly, two figures appeared, unleashing a torrent of multicolored elemental energy and holy light. The combined attack of three gods shattered the system''s assault. The other three gods arrived, surrounding the system. Six native true gods faced off against the invading god. Even the arrogant system felt a twinge of unease. The Dragon God, the Wolf God, and the Divine Mage were all newly ascended, at the peak of their power. And with the World''s Heart weakened, Poseidon, the Titan true god, and the Angel race true god were regaining their strength. "So, you''re the mastermind behind all this!" The Angel race true god''s voice dripped with fury. They''d all been played, manipulated into becoming pawns in his game. If Death Spirit hadn''t risked everything to warn them, stopping their fight with the Divine Mage, who knows what would have happened. "You''re a little late to the party," the system sneered. Things were getting tricky, but not insurmountable. He still held the upper hand. "Did you really think she could become the God of Creation on that island?" The gods exchanged confused glances. The Angel race true god''s eyes widened. "The core of will of Nytheria¡­ it''s with you!" On Aether Isle, Alex opened her eyes, a frown creasing her brow. Something was wrong. The system¡­ was a true god, a living, conscious god. She''d only been half right. Now, awake at the heart of Aether Isle, she understood. They''d all been used, herself included. The system was the puppet master, pulling the strings of every major race, orchestrating their conflicts. He''d used the World''s Heart''s unconscious rejection of true gods to weave a lie, fooling everyone. For millennia, the system that aided each generation of Lords was the same entity, using clones. They hadn''t been consumed by the World''s Heart; they''d simply vanished because none of the Lords had possessed the God of Creation talent to threaten the World''s Heart. He''d withdrawn, needing millennia to recover before trying again. During that time, he''d possessed members of various races, spreading rumors and subtly manipulating events. He''d led the races to discover the "truth" about the world. This created factions, some seeking to appease the World''s Heart, others fighting for survival. Only the Angel race remained loyal to the World''s Heart, but their strength and the animosity of the other races made conflict inevitable. Then Alex arrived, a beacon of hope for the system. With her perfect talent and the accumulated knowledge of past Lords, she was on the path to becoming the God of Creation. Discovering the "truth," fighting the system ¨C it was all part of his plan. To become a god, Alex needed her own world, which meant eliminating the World''s Heart. Destroying the cores of will, confronting the World''s Heart on Aether Isle ¨C these were crucial steps. The World''s Heart would be at its weakest, allowing the system to manifest more of his power, absorb Alex and the World''s Heart, and become the new ruler. Alex had another option: cultivate her own nascent world. This would take millennia, and she''d be vulnerable during the era conflict. But the system had anticipated this, pushing her towards direct confrontation with the World''s Heart. Was he worried she might succeed? Not at all. He''d fused with the core of will of Nytheria. If Alex drained the World''s Heart, the core of will within him would transform him into the new World''s Heart of Astralon. A living, conscious World''s Heart. He''d be the most powerful being beneath the God of Creation, growing stronger with each new world, until he finally ascended. It was a perfect plan. But Alex had seen through it. She''d awakened early, stopping the process. Now, to become a god, she had to destroy the system and the core of will within him. Alex suspected the system was a displaced God of Creation, weakened by the loss of his world. He''d found this world, ruled by a dead god''s will, and sought to claim it. But even a weakened God of Creation couldn''t directly enter this world. He''d had to infiltrate, manipulate, and weaken the World''s Heart over millennia. Now, he was on the verge of victory. The system''s power surpassed that of a typical true god, but not by much. Alex, still technically a Sovereign, possessed divine power, more than even a true god. Both were on the cusp of godhood. Outside Aether Isle, the battle raged. Ice Cream and the Angel race true god tried to keep the fight away from the island, but the system, targeting the older gods, forced them to stay close. As the World''s Heart weakened, the system grew stronger, nearing his full potential. He wasn''t just a projection anymore; this was becoming his true form. "Six true gods¡­ and they can''t defeat him?" Xiao Hui whispered, her voice filled with dread. "That''s every god on Astralon!" The system''s power was beyond anything they''d imagined. Suddenly, a dark figure streaked across the battlefield. "Alex!" Xiao Hui and Arthas exclaimed. A massive black blade of energy, radiating terrifying power, sliced towards the system. He unleashed a wave of white energy, pushing back the six gods, and caught the attack. The unstoppable scythe, capable of severing anything, was held fast by the system''s white energy. Black and white energy clashed, sending shockwaves outwards. The six gods stared at the figure wielding the scythe, a beautiful woman with flowing white hair. "The Undead Lord!" Chapter 434 - 434: Grim Reaper had arrived Alex and the System were still in a deadlock. A faint smile appeared on the System''s face as his entire body became blurry, as if he was about to burrow directly into her. The scythe flew from Alex''s hand, and a massive black shadow appeared, severing the energy link. She quickly retreated, the scythe returning to her grasp. "What are you waiting for? Let''s take him down together!" Alex roared. In an instant, the six gods and Alex lunged forward, combining their power to attack the System. The divine war erupted once more. Alex swung her scythe, slashing fiercely at the System. The blade ripped through space with a sonic boom, aiming to cleave him in two. The System was incredibly fast. His divine power possessed terrifying and bizarre properties, allowing him to effortlessly parry the attacks of all the gods. Only Alex, who wielded the same divine power, made him wary. He raised a barrier to block Alex''s attack, and the divine power swirling around him shot out like rays, repelling the gods. In the next second, white divine power gushed forth, transforming into a tidal wave that surged outwards. Alex''s pupils constricted. She felt her divine power go dormant. A white light expanded in her vision, and she desperately twisted her body. *Tch!* The attack pierced Alex''s left shoulder. Life Link was useless against the System. Scalding blood sprayed from the sky. Her eyes blazed with dazzling light, and terrifying dark divine power surged from her back. In the next moment, the System''s arm, reaching for Alex, froze in place. A sharp blade of light severed the arm, followed by another aimed at his chest. A white barrier appeared before the System, attempting to block Alex''s attack. However, a black ripple suddenly emanated from within her, washing over everything. The System''s divine power dimmed abruptly, his movements slowing. Even the six gods surrounding him were affected. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a flash, Alex had replicated the System''s technique. Their divine powers were on the same level, making this possible. The scythe, enveloped in dark divine power, pierced the System''s body without resistance. The System''s eyes widened. In an instant, terrifying black and white divine powers collided, exploding outwards from the two of them. He gripped Alex''s scythe, preventing it from advancing an inch. Within the System, it was as if a black flame had ignited, fiercely battling against his own being. The two remained locked in this stalemate. Blood flowed, staining Alex''s clothes crimson. She gripped the scythe tightly, struggling to maintain her hold. The System was furious. His power began to darken, his divine energy waning. The situation had reached a bizarre equilibrium. The six gods didn''t intervene. As their divine powers neutralized each other, a different energy began to emerge from within the System, slowly dissipating. It was the power of Nytheria''s core of will! If they interfered now, they would interrupt this process. If the System escaped, the consequences would be dire. "I brought you into this world! You think you can kill me?!" The System snarled at Alex, teeth gritted. He couldn''t believe he''d been pushed to this point. "Then... let''s see!" Black divine power erupted. Alex attacked with reckless abandon, forcing the System to retaliate in kind. "The undead lord will die," the Angel True God stated calmly. The other five gods were taken aback. They had assumed the worst-case scenario was a mutual destruction. Unfortunately, while Alex''s divine power was potent, her reserves were too small to outlast the System. The System''s body, after all, had a continuous supply of energy. Not only did the gods know this, but Alex did as well. "Death Spirit... I''m sorry..." Alex, straining, her face contorted, uttered these cryptic words. In the next second, a black shadow appeared beside her: the Death Spirit. Unable to speak without possessing an undead, it simply glanced at Alex, its black mist churning as if in a final farewell. Then, without hesitation, it merged with Alex! Terrifying dark divine power soared skyward. Alex''s wounds began to heal, and a massive black shadow manifested behind her. Grim Reaper had arrived. Scythe in hand, it loomed over the System and struck! "No!" Black and white divine powers surged, the world dissolving into chaos, like a black hole devouring everything around it. The gods were stunned. The undead lord had a hidden ace up her sleeve. She had single-handedly destroyed the System''s avatar! ..... The energy dissipated, and the world returned to peace. At the center of the battlefield, only Alex remained. She stood, scythe in hand, gasping for breath, sweat dripping from her brow and onto her beautiful white hair. She looked at the six gods, each representing the most powerful races on Astralon. "I want to become the God of Creation, to inherit the will of the World''s Heart and protect this world. Will you aid me?" The gods exchanged glances. The Angel True God now understood the System''s scheme. The ravaged planet of Astralon desperately needed a new God of Creation. "We will aid you, and restore peace to the world!" The six gods spoke in unison, their voices echoing across the planet. All races ceased their conflicts, their gazes fixed on the massive island floating in the sky. The seven continents had merged into one, leaving only a void at the center. Aether Isle continued its descent. Alex stood at the heart of Aether Isle, the six gods surrounding it. Seven divine powers surged forth, intertwining with the energy of the World''s Heart. A colossal beam of light shot skyward, radiating brilliant, multicolored light. All races awaited the arrival of their new God of Creation. Meanwhile, on the continent of Arsen... Drake leaned weakly against a boulder, blood still seeping from his wounds. His breath grew shallow, his divine power leaking outwards. "Hah... is this the end...?" He looked towards Aether Isle, seeing the beam of light. He knew Alex was about to succeed. Drake had been gravely wounded in the dragon war. He had traded blows with his opponent, securing victory at the cost of near-fatal injuries. His divine power was fading. He struggled to contain it, but the damage was too severe. The Rock Dragon kingdom had been caught in the crossfire of the Dragon Pseudo-God''s wrath and destroyed. Without the power of faith, Drake''s wounds wouldn''t heal. He knew he was at his limit. No one could save him. He took one last look at the sky, at the beam of light brimming with divine power. Memories flashed before his eyes. He remembered his life on Earth, his arrival in this world, meeting Alex, and now, his end. "Too bad... I won''t see it..." Drake closed his eyes, his arm falling limply to the ground. After an unknown amount of time, a group arrived. It was Sophie, Ruby, and the others who had escaped before the destruction of the undead empire, along with Lilith, Satan, and the other Lords. The undead army had already been deployed to other battlefields during the evacuation. They wouldn''t simply hide; they would fight for their queen to the very end. "Drake!" Sophie cried, rushing forward. Everyone saw his body. This was the meeting point Death Spirit had designated before its demise. "He''s dead," Satan said somberly, standing beside Sophie. "Death Spirit... where''s Death Spirit? What''s happening on the battlefield?" Sophie turned to the others, but they didn''t respond. She looked around, but the familiar black figure was nowhere to be seen. The strongest among them were only Sovereign level. They couldn''t sense the divine energy or understand the significance of the beam of light. Silence fell, broken only by Sophie''s heartbroken sobs as she stared at Drake''s body. "Xiao Mu... Drake... Chi-Chi..." War was cruel. It wasn''t only the enemy who died; friends and allies fell as well. The sun set, casting a warm glow over the familiar yet alien landscape. With a resounding boom, Aether Isle connected with the seven continents, finally uniting the land. The beam of light in the sky vanished. A gentle breeze swept outwards from Aether Isle, quickly spreading across the continent. The world shifted, the setting sun beginning to rise. The approaching night transformed back into day. All races watched in stunned silence. As the breeze touched them, they felt invigorated, their wounds rapidly healing. Those on the brink of death were revitalized. Drake was reborn. Not just him, but all those who had perished were brought back to life. A massive barrier enveloped the world, then faded from view. Ruined buildings and cities rose into the air, swirling and merging, restoring themselves. On the continent of Eldoria, the magnificent undead empire reappeared. The Dark Forest returned, the chasm in the Frost Wind snowy mountain closed, and blizzards raged once more. On Nytheria, the walls of the Angel Divine Kingdom mended themselves. On Mossvale, the Dragon God Temple rose from the earth. ...¡­.. Everything was being restored, all thanks to Alex. At the center of Aether Isle, the energy of the World''s Heart had completely dissipated, leaving behind an ordinary island. Alex stood calmly, her white hair flowing, her gaze cold as ice. She had realized the truth. It was all because of the System. Without him, the World''s Heart would have readily accepted a new God of Creation from the inhabitants of the land. It would have been a simple matter for any race with sufficient talent. Because of the System, this planet had gone tens of thousands of years without a new God of Creation. She looked towards the sky, her gaze piercing the void to the System''s true body hiding in the outer reaches. The System seemed to sense her gaze and turned to flee. But it was too late. As he turned, his body was annihilated in the vast emptiness. A brilliant light flashed in the sky, visible even in the daytime, like a firework. Every living being on the planet witnessed the light, but none understood its meaning. Only the six True Gods knew that the System had been utterly destroyed by Alex, the new God of Creation. This world would finally know peace. There would be no more conflict between extraterrestrial visitors and the native races. Alex lowered her gaze to the six True Gods. "I will not interfere in racial disputes. However, if any of you ignite another divine war and bring ruin upon this world, do not expect me to show mercy." The six gods responded in unison, "As you wish, great God of Creation!" The World''s Heart could banish True Gods, and so could Alex. But she wouldn''t. As the new ruler of this world, she would establish her own rules. Racial conflicts would never truly cease, but Alex would impose limitations. As the price for remaining in this world, the True Gods would retreat and refrain from interfering with other races. The continents were re-divided, each corresponding to a powerful race. The undead retreated into the shadows, becoming the enforcers of this world, watching over all. Arcadia: Humans Nytheria: Angels Mossvale: Dragons Tyrangar: Titans Arsen: Sea Races Valoria: Demons Eldoria: Werewolves Order was restored, and the races reached an agreement. Peace settled over the world. The Dark Forest became the domain of the undead. They had suffered heavy losses in the war. Nine of the eleven Race Kings had fallen, along with Drake and Xiao Mu. But with Alex becoming the God of Creation, they were all reborn. Alex sat at the head of the undead palace''s main hall, surrounded by her people. Everyone had returned, but a flicker of uncertainty remained in her eyes. Then, a smile spread across her face. A cute girl with a pretty butterfly hair clip approached, smiling brightly. "Hi, Miss Alex! Long time no see! I missed you so much!" Chi-Chi had returned.