Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 1140: Intimidation [1]

Danger.

An unmistakable sense of danger.

It resembled a dormant volcano. Quiet. Motionless. Yet capable of erupting at any moment.

General Caelum's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. Teacher Brian's breathing slowed. Even Director Lin's smile faded slightly.

Without exchanging a single word, the four reached almost the same conclusion.

This being was powerful.

Teacher Brian felt his heart grow increasingly heavy. Michael himself had already become one of Aurora's greatest geniuses.

According to their new intelligence, the world all awakeners had been forced to enter was divided into layers according to their ranks.

Officially, Michael was still a Rank Three awakener, but not only had he not remained in the Third Layer, he had entered the Fourth and ranked within the top two hundred among the thousands of awakeners gathered from across the universe.

None of them knew precisely what that rank signified, but to be stronger than dozens of peak Rank Four individuals meant Michael was far more dangerous than initially thought.

Wasn't he supposed to be a one-year-old supernatural? What was this demonic level of growth?

General Caelum remained expressionless. However, his heart couldn't help but grow heavier with every passing second.

When he had first received the order to personally visit Michael Norman on behalf of the Federation, he had refused. It wasn't because he had been afraid of Michael at the time. It was because the entire matter smelled like trouble. Nothing but trouble.

To begin with, his relationship with Michael could hardly be described as friendly. The misunderstanding surrounding the Hell operation had already left an unpleasant impression between them.

More importantly, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with the Awakener Academy Michael was enrolled in. Over the past year, it had become increasingly obvious that the Academy had every intention of protecting Michael. Especially Arven.

Just recalling that man's face made Caelum's temples ache.

Months ago, the two of them had fought inside Hell. To outsiders, it might have appeared evenly matched. Only Caelum himself knew the truth. He had never been Arven's equal. Hell had heavily suppressed the strength of higher-ranked supernaturals.

The stronger one was, the greater the suppression became. That was the only reason he had been capable of exchanging blows with Arven in the first place.

Even under such overwhelming restrictions, Arven had fought with his usual carefree smile. He even looked distracted for most of the battle. Yet Caelum had failed to gain even the slightest advantage.

If that battle had taken place inside Aurora, without Hell's suppression, Caelum didn't believe he could have lasted very long.

That man was publicly acknowledged as the strongest Rank Four combatant within the Awakener Academy, and some argued it was the same across Aurora as a whole. Whether that claim was entirely accurate or not, Caelum had absolutely no desire to verify it personally.

Which was precisely why, when the Federation decided to send someone to negotiate with Michael, he had wanted no part of it.

Unfortunately, his superior had used the argument that he had interacted with Michael Norman before and had played a role in ensuring he survived the Hell incident.

Regardless of the misunderstandings that followed, an existing connection was already there, making him one of the most suitable candidates.

Suitable?

Caelum had nearly laughed when he heard that. Suitable for what? Walking straight into the center of a political storm?

Yet orders were orders. As a General of the Federation, he could refuse once. Perhaps twice. But eventually, he still had to obey.

However, when the intelligence reports from the Origin Battlefield arrived, he regretted not trying harder to reject the order.

Each page of the report made less sense than the previous one. Officially, Michael Norman was still only a Rank Three awakener. Yet he hadn't remained in the Third Layer. He had entered the Fourth. Not only that, among the countless Rank Four awakeners gathered from innumerable realms, Michael had ranked within the top two hundred.

At first, Caelum thought there had been a mistake. To his understanding, the Fourth Layer wasn't populated by ordinary Rank Fours. Many of the strongest Rank Four awakeners in the universe had entered as well.

Veterans who had spent centuries accumulating experience. Yet Michael Norman's demonstrated combat ability was estimated to be comparable to the top ten percent of Rank Four awakeners across the known universe.

Caelum had still been managing his composure until he reached Arven's estimated standing.

Top one percent.

"…"

For the first time in many years, General Caelum genuinely questioned whether the Federation was intentionally trying to get him killed.

What do you mean Michael is already at that level? What do you mean Arven is even stronger?

He had almost marched straight back into his superior's office.

Sending him to negotiate with two individuals who already had reasons to dislike him, both of whom apparently stood among the most terrifying combatants in the universe, was that truly diplomacy?

Or had the Federation simply found an exceptionally polite method of arranging his funeral?

Before arriving at Michael's location, Caelum had clung to his doubts. But after seeing the enormous figure standing in the doorway, all of those thoughts vanished entirely.

Why did this undead feel as though it could contend with one of the weaker members of the Federation's Thirteen Pillars?

The thought itself sounded ridiculous. Yet the more he observed the undead, the harder it became to dismiss.

The Thirteen Pillars of the Federation were publicly recognized as the highest representatives of Aurora's Federation. They consisted of one Chairman and twelve Elders.

Across Aurora, to the moderately knowledgeable, they were often referred to as the leaders of the realm. In reality, that description wasn't entirely accurate.

Representative would have been a more fitting title.

Although the Thirteen Pillars undoubtedly stood among Aurora's strongest experts, they were far from being the only ones.

Though Aurora had only existed as a supernatural realm for four hundred years, the foundation it had managed to carve out in that time was simply extraordinary.