Five days wasn’t a short time.
But it wasn’t long either.
Still, it was enough for Michael to prepare a few things.
As a few thoughts flashed through his mind, he discussed the final details with Mage Lian before being escorted out again by Master Yuan.
Back outside the inner city, in the outer city streets, Michael made his way home while mentally listing everything he needed to do in the coming days.
He’d promised to join Mage Lian and the kingdom in the attack against that monster—so he would.
If he didn’t have the courage to face certain things now, then Michael felt that even with greater strength in the future, he still might hesitate.
Yes, it was wise to be cautious of dangerous things.
But there were times when bravery was needed—and cowardice was a sin.
Michael figured that time was now.
That said, he didn’t plan to fight the monster personally.
That was a job for his undead.
Moments like this were when Michael truly appreciated being a Necromancer.
“The Super Association in Brightgate City is far better than the one in Woodstone. All my stronger orcs have armor and weapons now. Even Spartan does. The weaker undead have armor too, though it’s lower-ranked.”
Compared to when he’d first Awakened, the quality of his undead army had skyrocketed.
Thanks to his strength and increasing wealth—and the many opportunities available through the dimensional cracks in Brightgate—he was better equipped than ever.
His wealth wasn’t growing, but it was holding steady.
Which was a win, considering the heavy spending.
Even his undead shamans had magic-enhancing items now.
Thinking about all this brought Michael back to an important realization:
He should start collecting gear for himself too.
He had an armor set, but he rarely used it. It was cumbersome to wear, and most of the threats he faced couldn’t even breach his regular physical defense.
But he didn’t have much else.
Wands were powerful, but his mana was already strong—meaning only high-tier wands would benefit him.
And those were rare.
Lesser mana-enhancing items like enchanted necklaces weren’t helpful to him anymore, so he hadn’t bothered with them.
But now, with an old enemy in his path, Michael began to think differently.
He didn’t need more mana.
He needed protection.
Specifically, protection for his mind.
He still remembered that moment clearly…
The monster had attacked him mentally, trying to kill him outright.
According to the System, his Intelligence stat could help him—but Michael didn’t want to gamble with his life.
So, he made a decision.
He was going to look for items that could protect his mind.
And now that the idea was in his head, it became his top priority.
Michael returned to his house in the outer city, letting the familiar scent of home wash over him as he pushed the door open.
It was quiet.
He scanned the living room out of habit, but it was empty.
A quick sense of the house confirmed his suspicion.
Ace and Lia were gone.
Probably off at their dojo training again.
Michael didn’t mind.
He made his way to his room and dropped onto the bed.
Summoning an undead shaman to stand guard, he closed his eyes.
In the next second, his consciousness slipped into his other body.
A pair of green eyes slowly opened.
Michael sat up from the bed in his room at the estate, stretched, and walked to the door.
He called out, “Aunt Mia?”
No answer.
A pulse of mana flowed out of him, his senses spreading across the estate like a ripple in a pond.
Only his undead responded.
Aunt Mia wasn’t here.
As for Lily, she was in school at this hour. He didn’t need to check.
So, he was alone. Him and his undead.
Michael didn’t waste any time and quickly went to freshen up.
After changing into a new set of clothes, he stepped out of his house and headed toward one of the Super Association branches in Brightgate City.
It didn’t take long for him to arrive at the center and begin speaking with the person in charge.
The woman at the counter had short, curled hair and wore a sleek black uniform with the Super Association’s silver crest emblazoned over her chest.
Her eyes flicked up briefly as Michael approached, but the moment she recognized him, her professional expression softened slightly.”Welcome back, Mr. Michael,” she said. “Is there something you’re looking for today?”
“Yes,” Michael replied without hesitation. “I need gear—something that can protect me from mental attacks.”
“Yes,” Michael replied without hesitation. “I need gear—something that can protect me from mental attacks.”
The woman raised a brow, intrigued, but said nothing as she pulled out a smooth, tablet-like device from beneath the counter. She tapped it a few times, and a list of items flickered into view, projected into the air.
“You’re in luck,” she said, scrolling. “Brightgate’s branch recently received a shipment. Several of their artifacts are designed specifically for psychic defense. Let me show you the ones available.”
Michael leaned in as she brought up the first option.
“This one here is called the Mindroot Pendant. It offers passive resistance to mental interference—around fifteen percent of your natural resistance. Nothing major but still very helpful. It also stacks well with other protections. Price: $122,000.”
Michael nodded.
Next, she swiped to another.
“This is the Veilband Circlet. Once per day, it can nullify a single mental attack completely. But that’s it. After that, it’s just ornamental until the cooldown resets. Price: $325,250.”
“Anything stronger?” Michael asked.
The woman nodded and flicked again.
“This one might be of interest—Dreamsteel Ring. Grants immunity to low-tier illusions, reduces the chance of mental debuffs, and boosts psychic clarity during combat. It’s rare. Price: $487,700.”
That caught Michael’s attention. It wasn’t exactly cheap, but considering what he was up against…
“Are there any that protect against high-tier psychic attacks directly?” he asked.
The woman thought for a moment, then brought up another item.
“This is the Warding Mantle,” she said, highlighting a silver-threaded cloak with runes sewn along its hem. “It’s a full-body garment enchanted with a static barrier that absorbs the first burst of psychic damage taken in a day—up to a high-tier threshold. It’s a favorite among field magi and telepaths. Price: $790,000.”
Michael narrowed his eyes slightly. That one sounded good, but he wanted more options.
“Any accessories? Smaller items?”
She nodded, lips curving faintly. “Actually, yes. This next one is special.”
She brought up an image of a sleek black case. As it opened in the projection, it revealed a pair of earrings—thin, elegant bands of platinum set with twin violet stones that shimmered faintly, like starlight trapped in crystal.
“These are the Siren’s Echo Earrings. Crafted from echo crystal and mindweave alloy. They’re quite powerful. When worn, they continuously dampen mental interference and redirect psychic pressure away from the wearer’s core. They also passively enhance mental clarity, which can sharpen casting speed for spellcasters. Most importantly, they contain a one-time mental shield that can block a direct high-tier psychic attack. Once triggered, the shield takes seven days to recharge. Price: $1.2 million.”
Michael’s eyebrows rose slightly. That was a steep price—but the effect matched the cost.
“That’s strong,” he admitted. “Anyone on the waitlist?”
“Not for this branch,” the woman replied, smirking slightly. “You’d be the first to request them.”
She scrolled again. “We also have a set called the Echo Pins. A lesser version of the earrings—only dampening effects and minor clarity boosts. No shield. Price: $178,000.”
Michael waved that one off.
The next item caught his eye: a small orb the size of a marble.
“This is a Nullcore Bead,” she explained. “You hold it or embed it in gear. When activated, it creates a temporary null field around your mind, making you invisible to mental scans and almost immune to mind-reading or suggestion spells. Duration: ten seconds. Cooldown: twelve hours. Price: $510,000.”
Michael stared at the bead for a moment before shaking his head. “I’ll pass on the orb. Everything else though—I’ll take it.”
The woman blinked, giving a professional nod. “Understood. That includes the Mindroot Pendant, Veilband Circlet, Dreamsteel Ring, Warding Mantle, and the Siren’s Echo Earrings, correct?”
Michael nodded. “Exactly.”
“I’ll begin the purchase process. It’ll take a few minutes to verify your authorization and confirm item retrieval,” she said, already tapping on her tablet.
Michael stepped aside, arms crossed loosely, his thoughts drifting again.
The thought of the monster still chilled him, but it also pushed him.
There was fear.
But also anticipation.
“Mr Michael?”
He looked up as the woman called to him again.
“All items have been reserved under your account. We’ll have them ready within two hours, packed and warded. Would you like them delivered?”
“No, I’ll come pick them up myself.”
She bowed slightly. “Very well. Thank you for your purchase, Mr. Michael.”
Michael gave a faint smile and turned away.