Through Prince’s vision, Michael didn’t need to activate {Detect} to recognize the danger in front of him.
The two massive gargoyles looked like the bigger, stronger siblings of the one Prince had just ambushed.
It was safe to assume they were much more powerful than the one that had just shrugged off Prince’s attack.
Michael’s instincts kicked in immediately. Stretching out his hand, he activated {Undead Summoning} to call forth his strongest undead. Lucky.
The area near the exit of the abandoned dormitory was spacious, so there was no risk of Lucky being cramped upon summoning.
A towering, hulking figure appeared, immediately scanning the surroundings.
Though Lucky didn’t know what he was up against, he could sense his master’s urgency through their bond and prepared to act.
“Lucky! Go help Prince!” Michael commanded sharply.
Lucky didn’t hesitate.
With a burst of speed, he barreled toward the exit.
The entrance itself was too narrow for his massive frame, so he tore through it, demolishing the structure as his bulk forced its way outside.
Michael maintained {Share Senses} with Prince, observing the situation through his eyes.
The two gargoyles had already taken to the skies, hovering about seven meters above the ground.
Their flapping wings created powerful gusts of wind that swirled violently.
Michael didn’t bother questioning how creatures made of stone could fly—this was a magical world where anything was possible.
Prince, on the other hand, wasn’t concerned at all. It wasn’t out of indifference; his limited intelligence simply didn’t allow for such thoughts.
All Prince knew was that his master had ordered him to kill the smaller gargoyle, and now these two larger ones were interfering. That made them enemies.
With a loud howl, Prince activated {Plant Control}.
Thick, powerful vines erupted from the ground, growing rapidly and surging toward the two airborne gargoyles.
As for the original gargoyle his master had ordered him to kill? Prince had momentarily shifted focus.
Your journey continues at empire
It wasn’t that he had forgotten, but his limited intelligence only allowed him to focus on one task at a time.
To Prince, the two new, stronger enemies were the immediate threat. His goal was clear. Destroy them first, then deal with the original target afterward.
Just because Prince didn’t know how to handle the situation and was acting on his limited intelligence didn’t mean there wasn’t someone who could do it for him.
The moment Michael sent Lucky out, he immediately took control of Prince’s actions.
Though he didn’t know exactly how powerful the two gargoyles were, the pressure radiating from them was undeniable.
Even from where he stood, Michael could sense they were leagues above Prince.
Something within the gargoyle seemed to be awakening; even in Prince’s black-and-white vision, the colors around them darkened ominously.
Not wanting to lose his undead after so much investment, Michael acted quickly.
Just as Prince summoned vines from the ground, the area erupted with thicker, larger vines that grew even faster.
They shot toward the air, aiming to entangle their targets.
Lucky had arrived.
Prince’s movements came to a halt mid-action as Michael asserted full control.
The vines paused in the air for a brief moment before adjusting their trajectory.
Everything was happening so fast, yet Michael felt his brain working overtime to keep up.
While his eyes couldn’t track the rapid movements of the monsters and his undead, his enhanced intelligence allowed his mind to calculate and adapt in real time.
For the first time since his awakening, Michael felt like he was truly fighting as a Necromancer, leveraging the speed and processing power that came with his improved intelligence stat.
He issued two quick orders. One for Lucky to deal with the two flying gargoyles in the air and another for Prince to finish off the injured level 20 gargoyle before it could recover and complicate the battle.
The undead sprang into action immediately.
Prince’s vines, which had initially targeted the air, redirected toward the grounded gargoyle.
The creature’s body was covered in cracks, but Michael noticed through Prince’s vision that they were slowly mending.
“Is it regenerating? What kind of monster is this? Is that even stone?”
While Prince charged toward his designated target, Michael shifted his focus to Lucky.
With his current mastery of the {Share Senses} skill, he could only link his vision to two undead at a time, but in this scenario, it was enough.
Lucky’s mastery of his abilities was far superior to Prince’s.
His vines were not only faster but also thicker, longer, and more durable.
They moved like a living forest, chasing the two airborne gargoyles as they darted through the sky at incredible speed.
Despite Lucky’s overwhelming power, the flying gargoyles skillfully avoided the writhing mass of vines, weaving through the air like predators teasing their prey.
The once-clear sky was now filled with an intricate web of Lucky’s vines, twisting and turning under his control.
Michael was in awe.
This was the true power of a creature that could contend with a Rank 2 beast.
The display was breathtaking, and for the first time, Michael fully understood the power of his undead.
If a being like Lucky ever appeared on earth, it would be no exaggeration to call it a god.
For a while, the gargoyles did nothing but circle in the air, skillfully staying out of Lucky’s range.
However, through Lucky’s eyes, Michael noticed the colors around the creatures darkening further.
He didn’t know what it signified, but it didn’t feel like good news.
Fortunately, Prince had managed to finish off the level 20 gargoyle. Michael quickly ordered him to move closer to Lucky and assist in any way possible.
There was no time to check whatever notification panel had popped up or savor the satisfaction of overcoming a major obstacle.
Just as Michael was starting to believe the airborne gargoyles wouldn’t make an immediate move, they acted.
In an instant, several magic circles of varying sizes appeared in the sky around the two gargoyles.
The sight sent a shiver down Michael’s spine.
He didn’t know what the circles were for, but he didn’t need Lucky’s enhanced senses to understand they weren’t good news.
Even from within the dorm, the overwhelming mana emanating from the magic circles was palpable.
“Is this why they didn’t retaliate earlier?”
Michael clenched his fists, uncertainty gripping his mind.
These creatures, seemingly made of stone, weren’t mindless. They could think, strategize, and now, apparently, wield magic.
He had no idea what concept governed their existence, but it was far beyond what he had anticipated.
Acting quickly, Michael used his connection with the verdant wolf beside him, commanding it to create a dome of thick vines around them for protection.
At the same time, he sent a mental order to his other undead within the building to brace themselves.
Even though the magic circles were clearly aimed at Lucky and Prince, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.
The moment Michael issued his command, the purpose of the magic circles became clear.
Stone spears materialized within the circles and, without warning, shot toward Lucky and Prince at incredible speeds.
Fortunately, Michael had already commanded Lucky to protect them, and a dome of thick vines surrounded the two undead.
However, the spears came in overwhelming quantities to strike the dome from all angles, slowly chipping away at it.
But it would take more than this to bring Lucky down.
As sections of the dome weakened or broke apart, Lucky immediately replaced them with more vines, maintaining the barrier.
For a while, this exchange repeated—stone spears breaking through, only for new vines to grow in their place.
Inside the dome, Michael was surrounded by darkness, unable to see what was happening outside.
The vibrations and tremors, however, were unmistakable.
Just as he had suspected, his side had indeed been caught in the crossfire.
The vibrations weren’t just from the ongoing attacks but from the abandoned building collapsing around them.
At least, for now, they were safe.
Neither Lucky nor Prince appeared to be in immediate danger.
Then, the vibrations stopped.
Before issuing any further commands, Michael activated another one of his skills.
“{Bone Armour}.”
Immediately, skeletal bone structures began forming around his body, wrapping him in a protective shell.
The armor wasn’t comprehensive, covering only key areas such as his head, chest, arms, and legs, but the sturdy bone plating gave him some reassurance.
Satisfied with his protection, Michael turned his attention back to Lucky.
“Clear the dome and remove the debris,” he ordered.
The verdant wolf responded immediately, vines pulling away to reveal the aftermath of the attack.
Dust and rubble shifted and fell as the dome opened, the debris on top of it pushed aside.
Michael reconnected his vision with Lucky, ready to assess the situation and give the next set of commands.
*****
[Name: Michael Norman]
[Class: Adept Necromancer]
[Level: 15]
[EXP: 0/17,718]
[Strength: 30.42]
[Agility: 41.16]
[Constitution: 31.72]
[Intelligence: 110.1]
[Attribute Points: 30]
[Skills: Undead Summoning, Undead Revival, Detect, Basic Shot, Share Senses, Spearmanship, Acid Shot, Bone Spear, Slow Curse, Bone Armour, Corpse Explosion]
[Talent: Infinite Evolution]
[Class Skill: Contract Slot {20/40}]
[Gift: Mark of Origin]