[Experience Gained +4000]

[Summoned Entities: Experience Gained +2000]

[Level Up!]

[Level: 6 (10950/10500)]

[Unassigned Attribute Points +5]

[Level: 7 (450/14000)]

Looking at the notification, Thoren allowed a faint smile to appear on his lips as his eyes lingered on the floating panel for a brief moment.

His level was increasing steadily, and he could already sense the gradual growth of his strength with each advancement.

At this pace, reaching level ten was no longer a distant goal but an inevitable outcome waiting just ahead of him.

Even without attaining level ten, only a handful of individuals could challenge him directly, and that fact filled him with quiet confidence.

With every increase in level, his courage grew, and the hesitation that once lingered within him began to fade completely.

His thoughts drifted briefly toward the Jackal Chief and the Slave Trade Guild that had worked together in secrecy.

A cold glint appeared in his eyes as he imagined their eventual downfall.

Just enjoy your time while it lasts.

He did not dwell on that thought for long, pushing it aside as he shifted his focus toward something far more immediate.

His attributes.

He had already invested his previous points into strength, but this time his approach would be different.

His gaze sharpened slightly as he made his decision without hesitation.

[Constitution 39 +(5) → 44]

[Unassigned Attribute Points: 0]

A quiet breath escaped his lips as he evaluated the result.

’I should focus on my constitution until it reaches fifty before increasing my agility.’ 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The thought formed clearly within his mind as he mapped out his path forward.

Although intelligence and perception remained his most critical attributes, he could not afford to neglect the others.

Each attribute played a role, and any weakness could become fatal in the wrong situation.

The events within the Blood Mine were still fresh in his memory.

They served as a harsh reminder that he could not rely entirely on his undead servants at all times.

There would come a moment when he would have to act personally, and when that moment arrived, he could not afford to be unprepared.

That realization alone was enough to solidify his resolve.

After confirming his plan, his gaze shifted toward the battlefield around him.

Dozens of shattered Echo Scarabs lay scattered across the ground, their broken bodies still faintly vibrating with residual energy.

He studied them silently for a moment, his mind already analyzing their potential value.

"The Echo Scarabs might prove useful in the future."

He spoke softly under his breath as his eyes narrowed slightly.

What intrigued him most was their ability to detect movement through sound and vibration.

If he could incorporate that ability into his undead legion, the advantages would be immense.

Combined with his already powerful perception, very few creatures would be able to escape his awareness.

Beasts, Beastmen, or even humans would struggle to avoid detection under such surveillance.

That alone made the decision obvious.

These creatures would become part of his army.

[Undead Summon.]

Whoosh.

Ten of the fallen Echo Scarabs trembled as a surge of dark energy poured into their broken forms.

Their bodies twitched violently at first, then gradually stabilized as the energy took hold.

Slowly, they rose from the ground and hovered in the air once more.

Although they lacked eyes, faint soul fire flickered deep within their dish like heads, giving them an eerie presence.

Thoren observed them closely and nodded in satisfaction.

Their transformation had been successful.

Without hesitation, he stored eight of them within his undead space, leaving only two behind for reconnaissance.

Their role would be simple but essential.

They would serve as his eyes and ears within the unseen.

At the same time, he dismissed the majority of his undead legion, leaving behind only two elite servants.

One wielded a heavy axe, while the other carried a broad saber.

Their presence alone was enough for immediate defense.

With his preparations complete, Thoren lifted his gaze and looked deeper into the distant ruins ahead.

Without hesitation, he stepped forward.

Within a few minutes, he left the smooth silk covered area and entered a completely different zone.

The transition was immediate and striking.

The path ahead widened significantly, broad enough for several vehicles to move side by side.

More importantly, the structure of the surroundings had changed entirely.

The architecture was far more intricate and refined than anything he had seen before.

Lapis lazuli inlays decorated the surfaces, though time had dulled their brilliance.

Silver filigree traced along the walls, now corroded and blackened by age.

Semi intact structures stood around him, some broken while others remained partially preserved.

Split level chambers extended into different directions, creating a complex layout that hinted at a once grand design.

At the center stood a collapsed dome, its remains scattered across the area like the bones of a fallen giant.

Thoren observed everything carefully, his curiosity growing with each step. Before reaching the central structure, his attention was drawn to a massive spiral ramp.

It wound upward in a wide helical pattern, though much of it had broken away over time. Large sections were missing entirely, leaving a sheer drop that extended downward into darkness.

Beside the ramp stood a massive broken door constructed from an unfamiliar material. Its surface was covered in strange engravings that seemed to shift under his gaze.

Thoren paused briefly, his curiosity intensifying as he studied the door.

Without hesitation, he commanded one of the undead Echo Scarabs to enter through the broken opening.

The creature moved swiftly, flying through the gap before releasing a powerful wave of sound.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then the ground trembled.

The vibration was subtle at first, but it quickly grew stronger.

Thoren’s expression hardened instantly.

Something was inside.

Without wasting time, he activated Bone Mirror skill once again.

The connection formed instantly, and his vision shifted as he began to see through the eyes of his undead servant.

With that perspective, he commanded the servant to enter the chamber.

Thud.

Thud.

The undead stepped forward cautiously, its broad saber held firmly in its grip.

Inside, the chamber was in ruins.

The ceiling had completely collapsed, burying much of the interior beneath heavy debris.

Fragments of stone and broken structures lay scattered everywhere.

However, Thoren’s attention was drawn elsewhere.

The walls were covered in ancient drawings.

Strange symbols and figures stretched across the surface, forming patterns that seemed deliberate yet incomprehensible.

He studied them briefly, attempting to decipher their meaning.

Yet no matter how long he looked, they revealed nothing.

Shaking his head, he chose not to waste time on them.

His priority remained unchanged.

He needed to identify whatever was hiding within the chamber.

The undead Echo Scarabs continued to emit waves of sound, scanning the area thoroughly.

However, the hidden presence refused to reveal itself.

It remained silent.

It was pretending.

Perhaps it waited for weakness.

Perhaps it waited for the perfect moment to strike.

If this had been earlier, Thoren might have hesitated.

But now, his approach was different.

He would force it out.

He commanded one of the Echo Scarabs to locate the hidden presence directly.

A sharp vibration surged outward as the creature accelerated forward.

It burrowed into the ground at astonishing speed, disappearing beneath the surface almost instantly.

Despite losing visual contact, Thoren remained calm.

The mental connection between them remained intact.

Although he could not see what lay below, he could still sense its presence faintly.

He waited patiently.

Then suddenly, a violent impact echoed from beneath.

Bang.

A sharp hissing echoed within the still and silent chamber. Tons of rubble in the distance trembled violently from beneath their weight. The undead Echo Scarabs burst forth at breathtaking speed, and behind them followed a far more powerful creature.

A serpentine creature.

The serpent slithered forward, attempting to capture the fleeing undead Echo Scarabs, yet its speed was insufficient to catch them.

Suddenly, the serpentine creature shifted its attention and redirected its movement toward the undead servant instead.

The serpent possessed a shifting opacity, making its form unstable and unsettling. It measured between twelve and eighteen feet in length and bore no scales across its elongated body.

Its skin appeared tightly packed with unknown sanguine grains that shimmered faintly in the dim light.

Each segment of its body resembled that of an earthworm, and every segment rotated independently with unnatural flexibility. Its head resembled that of a massive cobra, yet it lacked any visible eyes.

Its mouth formed a vertical slit, lined with hundreds of deadly serrated teeth that glistened with menace.

Observing such a terrifying beast through the vision of the undead servant, Thoren did not hesitate and immediately commanded the servant to attack.

Bang. Bang.

Crash.

The elite undead servant stepped forward and unleashed rapid strikes with its massive saber. The serpent hissed sharply in pain, yet instead of retreating, its tail twisted at an impossible angle and slammed forcefully into the servant’s chest.

The undead servant stood no chance against such overwhelming force and was sent hurtling backward. It crashed heavily into the wall with a resounding impact.

Enraged, the serpent surged forward with terrifying speed. Its slit mouth opened wide, prepared to devour the undead servant in a single decisive motion.

"T-This.."

Thoren was stunned briefly, but he quickly regained control and issued a new command. He ordered the undead Echo Scarabs to distract the serpent immediately.

A low hum filled the chamber.

While the undead Echo Scarab attacked the serpent relentlessly, Thoren severed his connection with the elite undead servant. Without hesitation, he summoned the undead Storm Tyrant.

He understood clearly that the serpent’s defenses were far too powerful for a standard elite servant to overcome.

The undead Storm Tyrant rushed into the chamber with immense force. Its hollow eye sockets burned fiercely with blazing soul fire

It raised its massive hammer high into the air and brought it down with devastating power.

Boom.

The entire chamber quaked violently as if it would collapse at any moment, yet it somehow held together. The serpent shrieked in agony as one of its body segments was completely smashed into fragments.

****

[AN: Please support this book with your golden ticket and power stones.]

Message Chair +1 Chapter.

Dragon +2 Chapters.

Magic Castle +5 Chapters]]