Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 1133: Return

A satisfied smile appeared on Michael's face.

"This is even better than I expected."

Just as Michael finished confirming everything, another series of panels suddenly appeared before every awakener within the Origin Battlefield.

The Tutorial Phase has officially ended. Origin Battlefield Restrictions Updated.

A second notification followed immediately.

From this point onward, awakeners may freely enter and leave the Origin Battlefield.

Current accumulated participation requirements will remain in effect.

Failure to satisfy the required participation time before the designated deadline may result in penalties determined by the Origin Battlefield.

"So the forced schedule is finally over."

Michael quietly nodded. Although awakeners now possessed the freedom to leave whenever they wished, they couldn't simply ignore the Origin Battlefield altogether.

The Origin Will had clearly established a minimum participation quota. Exactly what the penalties were remained unknown. Michael had no intention of finding out.

The timer in the corner of his vision finally reached zero.

Before he could react, his body gradually became translucent. The surrounding scenery blurred. The brilliant white temple. The Universal Cornerstone. His undead. Everything slowly faded from sight.

Only his second body remained standing where he was, calmly watching the original disappear.

The next instant, Michael felt a brief sensation of weightlessness. His vision darkened.

Then light returned. The familiar scent of home entered his nose. The quiet hum of an air conditioner replaced the distant sounds of the Origin Battlefield.

Michael blinked at the sudden change.

"Cousin!"

Not far away, seated on the couch, Lily, who had also just returned, immediately turned toward him.

Compared to Michael, who looked almost exactly as he had before entering the Origin Battlefield, Lily looked considerably more disheveled.

Her clothes were covered in dirt and dust. Several dried leaves clung to her hair, while faint streaks of dried mud covered her exposed arms and cheeks.

Fortunately, the armor covering most of her body remained spotless. Not a single scratch could be found on it.

A quick glance confirmed what his senses had already suspected. Lily had no hidden injuries and simply appeared very disheveled.

Only after confirming all of that did he finally relax.

However, something else immediately caught his attention. His brows furrowed.

"…Where are your beasts?"

The two tamed monsters Lily had entered the Origin Battlefield with were nowhere to be seen. Lily scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"I released them."

Michael blinked in surprise.

"You what?"

She quickly waved both hands.

"I broke the contracts."

"…Why?"

Michael's expression became thoughtful.

Lily shrugged helplessly.

"They weren't strong enough. They helped at first, but after I entered the deeper areas, they would've only become burdens."

She lowered her voice slightly. "If I had kept forcing them to follow me, they would've died. So before that happened, I broke the contracts."

Michael silently looked at her for a moment. Then he nodded.

"I would've done the same."

There was no blame in his voice. If he didn't have his talent and wasn't a necromancer, if the beasts lacked the strength to survive, forcibly keeping the contracts would only have resulted in needless deaths without them even serving as cannon fodder.

Michael was actually quite pleased by Lily's judgment. She hadn't stubbornly clung to sentiment or confused morals. She had made the correct decision. That alone showed considerable maturity.

Still, something felt off.

Michael narrowed his eyes. Lily's strength wasn't weak. With her talent, trait, and equipment, ordinary monsters shouldn't have pushed her to such an extent.

Unless…

"You met someone powerful?"

The moment he asked, Lily's eyes lit up. She clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you!"

Michael waited quietly.

"There weren't many, but I did meet some really strong people." She gestured animatedly as she spoke. "I don't even think they were normal."

"For example…" She pointed at herself. "I was literally being chased by a dragon before I got dragged back here."

Michael stared at her.

"…A dragon?"

"Yep!" She nodded enthusiastically. "A huge blue one! It kept yelling that it was going to eat us."

"'Us?'"

"Me and another guy."

Lily couldn't help laughing as she remembered.

"It was actually pretty funny."

Michael's eyelid twitched.

"…Funny?"

"Yeah. He kept teasing the dragon." She mimicked the conversation while trying not to laugh, then burst into laughter. "The dragon became so angry its face practically turned blue."

Michael remained silent.

"…It already was blue."

Lily paused for a second.

"…That's true."

The two looked at each other. Then Lily laughed even harder.

"It was hilarious! It kept roaring that it was going to eat both of us while we just kept running."

Michael couldn't help shaking his head. Only his cousin could describe being chased by a dragon as a funny experience.

Still, his attention settled on something else.

"There was another human capable of escaping a dragon…"

That was considerably more important than the dragon itself. If Lily's description was accurate, that unknown awakener wasn't ordinary.

Michael remained silent for a few seconds. Then his expression became serious.

"Lily."

His tone immediately caused her smile to fade.

"What?"

Michael looked directly into her eyes.

"If something like that happens again, be careful around other awakeners."

Lily blinked.

"The dragon guy?"

"Not just him." Michael slowly shook his head. "Everyone."

He walked over and sat on the couch opposite her.

"The Origin Battlefield isn't Aurora. It isn't a school. It isn't somewhere people have to obey laws. There, strength is the law."

Lily quietly listened.

Michael continued calmly.

"Some people may genuinely cooperate. Others may save you. But many will smile while thinking about how to use you. They'll pretend to be friends. They'll pretend to be allies. They'll help you once or twice just so you'll lower your guard. And when the opportunity comes, they'll stab you in the back."

Lily's cheerful expression gradually disappeared. Then Michael said something that made her expression turn strange.

"Especially men."

Lily tilted her head.

"Huh?"