Looking at the nature of his loot, Michael wore a thoughtful expression.
His gaze shifted to the towering black structure in the distance.
“Was this place some sort of research site in the past?”
The intricate design and functionality of the Gargoyle’s internal mechanisms amazed him.
Even after years of abandonment, it still functioned, albeit at a diminished rank.
This alone was a testament to the skill and ingenuity of its creators.
However, the strength of the Gargoyle also gave him pause.
The ruins had clearly been abandoned for many years, yet the signs of decay were natural, not the aftermath of a violent conflict.
“So, where did all the people who once lived here go?”
Michael frowned, considering the possibilities.
Did they evacuate, taking everything valuable with them?
However, what could make people with such resources evacuate?
Michael wasn’t the best at analyzing such things, and after some fruitless speculation, he gave up.
“Whatever happened here is long in the past. The place is abandoned now… but I should still be cautious. Who knows what kind of inventions might still remain?”
Michael’s expectations weren’t high.
This wasn’t a place destroyed suddenly, but one that seemed systematically evacuated.
Anything of real value would have been taken long ago, and whatever wasn’t would have likely deteriorated into dust by now.
Still, he clung to the hope of finding something worthwhile to sell and make some money.
Unbeknownst to Michael, his sense of value was slowly being warped.
Compared to the Evolution Points his talent provided, everything else seemed trivial.
Where others might feel disappointed at the likely lack of treasure, Michael simply shrugged and continued with the flow, focusing on potential sales. Read new chapters at empire
With such a skewed mindset, only time would tell what Michael might consider valuable.l
Michael stopped dwelling on the possible history of the ruins and stored all the remains of the Gargoyles in his storage space.
“It’s a pity they’re non-flesh monsters, so I can’t use {Undead Revival} on them,” he muttered.
The thought frustrated him.
After witnessing the Gargoyles’ prowess and flight capabilities, his wish to add a flying undead to his arsenal increased.
Unfortunately, it seemed that wish would not be easily fulfilled.
“If only I could evolve normal animals like eagles—” Michael abruptly paused, his expression shifting as he clenched his teeth.
“Did I seriously only think of this now?”
As long as it was a living creature with flesh, it could be turned into an undead. Eagles, or even something as mundane as fish, fit the criteria perfectly.
The thought struck him as both simple and ingenious.
Most Necromancers wouldn’t bother with ordinary animals, seeing it as a waste of a valuable contract slot.
But Michael, with his unique ability to acquire high-rank undead without much difficulty, could afford to think differently.
“An ordinary animal is probably, at best, a one-star Common-rank creature. But after becoming an undead, surely I could use my Evolution Points on it, right?”
The moment the idea took hold, Michael couldn’t shake it.
His mind spun with possibilities.
Ants. Bees. Countless other creatures with fascinating traits. What would happen if he evolved them?
The thought filled him with a newfound curiosity and excitement for experimentation.
However, knowing he had tasks to focus on, Michael forced himself to calm down.
Once he settled his thoughts, Michael shifted his gaze toward the black tower.
Taking a deep breath, he mentally commanded Lucky and Prince to follow him, positioning them in front as he approached the entrance of the imposing structure.
The entrance was a black, metal double door that appeared heavy and formidable at first glance. But Michael wasn’t particularly concerned.
Whether metal or stone, enough brute force would bring it down eventually.
Scanning his surroundings briefly, he called over one of the orcs nearest to him, interrupting its search for items.
“Break it down,” Michael ordered, pointing directly at the doors.
The orc, without hesitation, followed the command.
It reeled back its fist and delivered a powerful punch to the door.
Boom!
A loud impact echoed, but the door remained undamaged.
Instead, intricate magic circles glowed faintly on its surface, absorbing the force of the attack.
“Magic circles? And they’re still functional?” Michael murmured, a mix of surprise and intrigue in his tone.
Despite the apparent obstacle, Michael remained unfazed.
“Continue. Don’t stop.”
The orc obeyed, hammering the door with relentless punches.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The once-quiet ruins, briefly tranquil after the battle with the gargoyles, were now alive with noise again.
Michael observed silently as the orc’s attacks persisted.
Gradually, he noticed the light from the magic circles dimming with each strike.
“Not surprising,” Michael thought. “After so many years, they shouldn’t be at their peak. It’s only a matter of time. The orc, being undead with infinite stamina, can keep this up for days if necessary.”
The fact that the magic circles were still operational gave Michael hope.
If the tower’s defenses had lasted this long without maintenance, there was a good chance valuable treasures might still lie within.
As the orc continued its relentless assault, Michael briefly considered scouting other parts of the ruins.
However, he quickly dismissed the thought when he noticed faint mist seeping from the orc’s body.
The body of the orc also increased slightly but it was visible.
Curious, Michael tugged at his connection with the orc and realized it had become frustrated with its lack of progress.
In its irritation, the orc had instinctively activated one of its skills.
BANG! BANG!
The strikes became harder, faster, and more forceful.
The magic circles’ light dimmed at a noticeably quicker pace.
Momentarily shifting his focus from the door, Michael checked the details of the skill the orc had activated.
It was one he hadn’t checked before, despite all the time spent evolving his undead.
[{Berserk} (Basic Mastery) Proficiency: 0.7%]
Berserk temporarily increases the user’s physical strength and agility by 25% each, at the cost of reducing defense by 10% and significantly increasing aggression. Stamina is rapidly drained when skill is active.
