Michael only had 16 evolution points left.
It was just enough to evolve three three-star Common-rank creatures into one-star Rare-rank creatures.
The problem was that he had more than three undead he was interested in evolving.
Technically, he could have waited for his undead to reach max level in their unranked stage before evolving them, maximizing their potential growth.
However, the difference in strength wouldn’t be too significant compared to evolving a level 25 undead directly into a three-star Rare-rank creature.
Besides, leveling them up took time and effort. If he wanted to go down that route, it was better to do it at a stage where the undead were already useful.
Take his illusion-using undead, for example.
Against ordinary humans, they were powerful. But that was their limit.
To be truly valuable, they didn’t just need to be stronger—they had to be unique.
They had to be rare.
Michael was still far more interested in evolving his insect undead than the bodies he had acquired from the cracks in Aurora.
Creatures like the long-armed monkey and the sand scorpion were certainly intriguing—not only because they were the first of their kind he had encountered, but also because he had yet to see their evolved forms.
Still, his focus remained on the insects.
Maybe it was due to his expectations. Insects seemed to tend to have fascinating evolutionary paths based on his experience and the potential he thought they had, and that alone made him eager to prioritize them.
And that was exactly what he did.
Michael had a total of five insect undead.
Aside from the Spectral Ant, which he had just evolved—now officially named Ghost—he had four others:
Blue – the Undead Platform Morpho.
Purple – the Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth.
The Undead Shadow Mantis.
The Undead Armored Cricket.
Now, he had to choose three out of these four to evolve.
One of them would have to wait until next time.
As Michael pondered, he gathered all four undead in front of him and carefully observed them.
For those that could alter their size, he had them return to their normal forms.
The first was blue.
The Undead Phantom Morpho was an ethereal creature with transparent wings that shimmer in pale blue hues, resting delicately at its sides. Its sleek, black exoskeleton, with glowing blue accents, contrasts with its dormant form, exuding an eerie beauty.
Though bizarre, and undeniably pretty, perhaps only someone like Michael, whose sense of reality had already warped, would sincerely call it beautiful.
It was like standing in front of a ferocious lion and calling it a kitten.
Blue had two sets of skills.
The first skill.
[{Illusory Mirage} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 16.3%]
Creates multiple shimmering duplicates of itself to confuse enemies. At basic mastery, the illusions move erratically but fade upon contact, making it harder for foes to pinpoint the real creature.
The second skill.
[{Shifting Form} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 26.8%]
The Undead Phantom Morpho can alter its size, amplifying the range and power of certain skills through expansion.
Both skills seemed to have potential if used well—or at least, that was what Michael thought. To a certain extent, he believed there were no bad skills, only skills that weren’t utilized properly.
It was like on Earth, where even the most basic skill, something anyone could have, could be turned into a way to make millions. It wasn’t that those people were inherently special; they simply knew how to make the most of what they had.
Michael then turned to Purple.
The Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth had a striking appearance. Its wings shimmered with dark, iridescent blues and purples, resembling fragmented shadowy glass, a haunting yet elegant reflection of the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly.
The body of the moth is long and sleek, with a shadowy, almost ethereal quality to it. Its abdomen is armored with faint, skeletal plating, and its antennae are sharp, flicking with an unsettling motion.
Its Size was 1.5 meters (4’11”) wingspan when stretched.
The Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth also had its own set of interesting skills.
[{Illusive Flight} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 18%]
The Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth can create a deceptive illusion of multiple moths during flight, capable of causing mass confusion.
[{Venomous Dust} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 9.3%]
The Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth can release a cloud of toxic dust from its wings that lingers in the air for a short period. At basic mastery, the poison is relatively weak but still capable of numbing limbs and disorienting enemies who inhale it. Prolonged exposure can result in mild paralysis and dizziness.
[{Shifting Form} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 26.8%]
The Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth can alter its size, amplifying the range and power of certain skills through expansion.
The Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth was clearly another illusory-type creature, similar to the Undead Phantom Morpho, with little to no direct combat power.
The Undead Spicebush Swallowtail Moth had one more skill than Blue. Its abilities were intriguing, making Michael curious about how strong it would become after evolving.
However, he didn’t dwell on Purple for long and instead turned his attention to the Undead Shadow Mantis.
The Shadow Mantis seemed like it would stand at an imposing height of nearly 1.6 meters (5’3″) if fully upright.
It had a sleek, dark exoskeleton that shimmered faintly under dim light, a mix of deep black and smoky gray that seemed to absorb the surrounding shadows.
Its elongated forelimbs, each over a meter long, were razor-sharp with serrated edges
It had sturdy, powerful-looking yet slender hind legs that appeared capable of launching it into swift, silent leaps, adding to its deadly appearance.
By its sides were translucent wings, and when Michael had it stretch them, they extended to a span of 1.2 meters. The wings shimmered like a shadowy mirage as it moved.
It moved silently, almost eerily quiet, though it was uncertain if the wings could actually allow it to glide in midair.
“An Assassin.”
This was what Michael always thought about the Shadow Mantis.
Even in the insect kingdom, praying mantises were known as silent killers.
Michael glanced at its skill with familiarity.
[{Shadow Cloak} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 10.2%]
The Shadow Mantis wraps itself in a thin veil of darkness, blending seamlessly into its surroundings. At basic mastery, the skill makes it nearly invisible in low-light environments.
—
And then there was the Undead Armored Cricket.
The Undead Armored Cricket stood at a modest height of around 35 cm (1’1″), but its appearance was anything but modest.
The exoskeleton was a deep, weathered brown with streaks of black and green, providing a natural camouflage in darker environments.
The armor was thicker around its back and legs, giving it a bulky, protective appearance.
Its long hind legs were powerful looking and seemed perfectly built for leaping, with sharp, jagged spikes protruding from the sides, almost like spiked shields.
The forelegs were shorter but thickly muscled, ending in pincers that gave it a predatory look.
A pair of translucent wings were folded against its back and when Michael had it extend them, when extended, the wings spanned about 50 cm (1’7″).
Michael didn’t waste time and then went on to check its skill.
—
[{Echoing Chirp} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 9.2%]
The Armored Cricket emits a high-pitched, resonating sound that creates a disorienting echo in the surrounding area. At basic mastery, this sound lowers enemy accuracy by 15% within a 20-meter radius, making it harder for enemies to land successful attacks. Additionally, physical attacks have a 20% higher chance of landing on disoriented targets.
—
Michael folded his arms, deep in thought.
All four insect undead had their own strengths. Blue and Purple leaned toward deception and illusions, while the Shadow Mantis and Armored Cricket had more direct combat applications.
The choice wasn’t just about which undead had the most potential.
It was purely about which undead Michael was more curious about their next evolution form.
After all the left out one could be evolved in a few hours.
All this contemplation was just a short thought one would have when deciding on several interesting options that didn’t have significant consequences.
Four undead..
Blue’s illusory abilities were undeniably useful, but Purple had similar traits while also possessing venomous dust, giving it an additional edge.
The Shadow Mantis, on the other hand, was an assassin-type undead, with a skill that made it almost invisible in the dark. That alone was invaluable for surprise attacks and stealth-based strategies.
Then there was the Armored Cricket. Its skill, Echoing Chirp, could disorient enemies and make physical attacks more effective—something that could benefit all his undead in battle.
Michael exhaled, his decision clear.
Blue would have to wait.Between Blue and Purple, if one were to judge purely based on their status, Purple would likely appear more interesting at first glance.
The decision wasn’t difficult for Michael.
Unlike Lucky and Prince, he didn’t have a strong emotional attachment to these two.
If he had to choose between Prince and Lucky, it would have been a much harder choice.
But between Blue and Purple?
Purple had the edge.