Though it was close to dawn in Aurora, the part of the Land of Origin where Michael stood felt like it was three to four hours behind his real world. The sky remained dark, with only the pale light of the moon illuminating his surroundings.
In front of him stood four undead, while beside him were two.
Lucky and the undead High Human stood at his side, while in front of him were Purple, the armored cricket, and the shadow mantis.
Knowing he could evolve them all at the same time, Michael didn’t waste any time and activated the process.
Immediately, the surroundings brightened as each of the undead emitted a glow. Their bodies trembled with violent reactions, but Michael, already used to the sight, remained calm.
However, the most surprising reaction didn’t come from the evolving undead. Instead, it came from the two standing beside him—Lucky and the undead High Human.
Through his connection with them, he could distinctly sense emotions—greed, envy, and desire.
His brow furrowed. Do they recognize the effects of evolution now? Does a higher intelligence allow the undead to develop more complex thoughts?
One had to remember—these were undead.
Though they were technically “living dead,” they were still, by all definitions, dead. The presence of a soul granted them some intelligence, but emotions were a different matter.
Yet what he sensed from them now…
It wasn’t just a surface-level reaction.
It felt deeper. More real.
As if the emotions weren’t just echoes of their intelligence but something embedded in their very being—something rooted in their souls.
They hungered for evolution.
They hungered to be evolved.
Fortunately, that was all. Despite the emotions rolling off them in waves, they remained in place.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Michael thought.
If his undead could develop deeper intelligence, it meant they could become stronger. Smarter. More adaptable.
As for thoughts of betrayal, as long as they weren’t two ranks above him or far too strong, he didn’t need to question their loyalty.
Michael’s thoughts were interrupted as the glow surrounding the evolving undead reached its peak.
A pulse of energy erupted from them, sending ripples through the air. The armored cricket’s exoskeleton hardened and expanded, gaining jagged edges that shimmered faintly in the moonlight. The shadow mantis grew larger, its once-translucent body deepening into a darker, more sinister hue.
Purple’s form stabilized, the glow around it fading to reveal its new body.
The three undead had all successfully evolved to Rank 1.
Michael felt a surge of power flowing through him thanks to the feedback gotten from the three evolving to rank 1.
Ignoring the feeling of strength his undead emitters now as rank 1 creatures, ignoring the three undead for a moment, Michael went on to check how much his stats had increased.
[Strength: 41.92{5.0^}]
[Agility: 62.66{9.0^}]
[Constitution: 43.22{5.0^}]
[Intelligence: 150.0]
Just as he expected, his intelligence stat didn’t increase.
At the very least, he regained some of his mana and felt a surge of energy.
Given the current pattern, Michael suspected it would take another dozen—or close to a dozen—more undead evolving into Rank 1 before he saw any improvement in his intelligence stat.
On the flip side, his other stats were still seeing noticeable gains.
However, even evolving three undead at once wasn’t enough to surpass the boost he had received from the Spectral Centurion Ant’s evolution.
That wasn’t to say these undead were far weaker than the Spectral Ant—Michael was simply much stronger now.
Michael turned to glance at Lucky and the undead High Human. The envy and desire he had sensed from them earlier had faded slightly, but he could still feel it lingering beneath the surface.
“Be patient,” he muttered.
There would be time for their evolution again.
For now, he focused on his newly evolved undead.
Their auras were stronger, their presence more defined.
A Rank 1 undead was no longer just fodder—they were beginning to step into true strength.
And this was only the beginning.
Michael’s lips curled into a small smile.
Michael’s gaze settled on the armored cricket first. Its evolution had brought about significant changes.
The once-smooth, dull exoskeleton had transformed into something far more menacing—its outer shell was now darker, reinforced with jagged ridges that reflected the moonlight with an eerie sheen.
The edges of its limbs were sharper, and its forelegs, which had been used for crushing, now looked even more deadly.
He checked its new race.
[Undead Ironclad Cricket – Rank 1]
As the name suggested, its defenses had grown considerably.
Just one look at It and it was obvious It would be much harder to injure now.
Next, Michael examined its skills.
The evolution had only given the Ironclad cricket a single bew skill.
He knew the previous skill would be upgraded Michael first turned to check the new skill.
[Shockwave Stomp]
By rapidly exerting force on the ground, the user generates a concussive shockwave, briefly destabilizing enemies within a short radius. The impact increases with the user’s strength and weight.
This was the skill at basic mastery.
Michael raised a brow.
This was a solid offensive ability, something the cricket had lacked before. Now, it had a way to disrupt opponents rather than just endure attacks.
“Not bad,” he muttered, impressed.
Michael then turned to check the Ironclad previous skill that was now at Intermediate Mastery.
[{Echoing Chirp} (Intermediate Mastery) Proficiency: 0.0%]
The Undead Ironclad Cricket releases a high-pitched, resonating screech that spreads violently through the air, creating a chaotic echo that disrupts all within its range.
At Intermediate Mastery, the disorienting soundwave extends to a 40-meter radius, affecting every creature within its range.
Effects:
All beings suffer from severe auditory overload, causing dizziness and impaired balance.
If used consecutively within 30 seconds, the disorientation worsens, potentially leading to temporary paralysis or unconsciousness.
Warning: This ability does not differentiate between allies and enemies. Any being caught in the soundwave will suffer the effects.
Michael’s eyes flickered with intrigue as he read the updated description.
The skill had transformed into something truly dangerous—a double-edged weapon that could cripple an entire battlefield if used correctly.
However, if he wasn’t careful… it could just as easily turn against him.
With the thought that he really needed to use these undead in an actual battle to understand them more, with expectations, he turned his attention to the shadow mantis.
The shadow mantis had also undergone transformation.
Its once-translucent exoskeleton had darkened into an inky, shadowy hue, absorbing light rather than reflecting it.
Its body had grown leaner yet more sinister, its bladed forelimbs extending longer, now resembling curved scythes meant for clean, precise kills.
A faint mist-like aura flickered around it—almost as if it was partially fading in and out of existence.
Michael checked its new race.
[Undead Phantom Mantis – Rank 1]
Phantom? Michael mused.
Moving on, he examined its skills.
Just like the armored cricket, the mantis had gained a single new skill, while its old one had been improved.
Michael checked the new skill first.
—
[Phantom Step] (Basic Mastery)
The user’s movements become partially incorporeal for a brief moment, allowing it to slip through attacks or obstacles within a short range.
Activation time: 0.5 seconds.
Duration: 1 second.
Cooldown: 15 seconds.
—
Michael’s eyes widened at the description.
This… was strong.
Even at its basic level, Phantom Step gave the mantis a way to evade attacks that would otherwise be unavoidable. A half-second activation time wasn’t instant, but with good timing, it could slip through strikes and reposition itself before the enemy could react.
More importantly, the skill’s potential was massive. If this ability evolved further, the mantis could become a true nightmare on the battlefield.
Michael clenched his fist, feeling a surge of satisfaction. “Good.”
Right there, on the spot, he gave it a name.
“Fade.”
It was simple, direct, and fitting. The mantis flickered like a ghost, its body blurring between existence and nothingness. The name suited it perfectly.
However Michael also wanted to try out the effect of the skill now.
Michael’s eyes gleamed with interest as he gave Fade a simple command.
“Use Phantom Step.”
The undead mantis twitched, then, in the span of half a second, its entire form blurred. A faint distortion rippled through the air, and then—it was gone.
Michael’s pupils shrank.
Fade didn’t move fast—it disappeared.
At least that was what it felt like.
“Space Magic?”
Michael didn’t know.
The thought was a bit too incredible for him.
A second later, the mantis flickered back into existence a few meters away.
Michael exhaled. “That’s… incredible.”
The transition had been seamless. If he hadn’t been watching closely, he might’ve thought Fade had teleported instead of simply phasing through space.
And this was just at Basic Mastery?
If the skill improved, it might become a true blink or even a way to phase through attacks indefinitely.
A deadly assassin.
Michael nodded, satisfied.
“Good. You’ll be even more useful in a real fight.”
At this point he had decided in his heart that unless he needed stronger strength, if he could he’d actually start using his other undead and try to understand them.
His attention then shifted to the Phantom mantis’ old skill.