Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 659: Special Items

Arven’s tone lingered in the air, thick and unsettling. His lips curved again into that familiar grin, but it no longer reached his eyes.

"Well then, what’s it going to be?"

Michael didn’t answer. Neither did Rynne. Even the third student remained silent.

Arven’s grin widened, clearly amused by their hesitation. "Of course, I already said it’s mandatory for the top three. You must go to Hell."

"But," Arven added, leaning forward with mock sympathy, "if you truly don’t want to go, arrangements can be made."

Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Arrangements?"

Arven nodded. "Yes, yes. Nothing so dramatic. I’m a reasonable man." His grin turned sharp. "For those who prefer not to step into Hell, someone would just replace them."

Arven waved his hand lazily. He let the words hang there for a long moment, then looked at each of them in turn, his eyes gleaming faintly. "So, what will it be?"

His voice dropped an octave, losing all traces of humor. "Go to Hell... or be replaced?"

Before any of them could answer, Arven clapped his hands again and smiled as if none of that had happened. "Splendid!" he said cheerfully. "I’ll take that silence as a yes."

Rynne glanced sideways at Michael, her brow furrowing slightly. Michael didn’t respond, but his eyes stayed fixed on the director.

In the end, Michael signed.

He hadn’t planned to refuse, so it didn’t matter whether he was being forced or not. From the expression on the third student’s face, it seemed they felt the same way. They hadn’t truly intended to say no; they just wanted to understand the situation before accepting it.

Director Arven, perceptive as always, seemed to catch on. His smile brightened instantly.

"Excellent!" he said, snapping his fingers once more. "I knew you three would see reason. And really, you shouldn’t be so gloomy about it."

He leaned back in his chair with a satisfied hum. "After all, as top students, this comes with its own set of rewards. You’ve already been receiving some, haven’t you? The monthly academy points, the discounts in the school catalog, access to exclusive facilities—oh, and let’s not forget the expanded catalog itself. Twice the number of items compared to what the average student gets!"

"Privileges, privileges everywhere. I’d say the heavens themselves favor you three."

The third student tried to smile, though it came out stiff. Rynne merely folded her arms, unimpressed. Michael, for his part, gave a slow nod.

Arven chuckled. "Good. That’s the spirit! Remember, greatness always comes with expectations—and in this case, a little trip to Hell."

"Now then, this brings us back to what I mentioned earlier, about how this sort of matter should really be handled by the principal or vice principal."

He yawned before continuing. "You see, it’s tradition. Before the top three of the first year depart for Hell, they’re granted something special by the academy. A small gift, but one meant to show the school’s appreciation for your excellence."

"You will each receive a free item from the special catalog. Not the ordinary one your peers can access, mind you. This is an exclusive list reserved for the top of the top—items that can’t be bought with points or credits, no matter how hard one tries."

Michael blinked, caught off guard. "A free item?"

"Indeed," Arven replied. "A token of recognition, and perhaps a little something to keep you alive when you step into that charming place we call Hell."

Michael remained quiet. This was news to him. He had heard nothing about such a privilege. In fact, he had assumed the only special treatment he would get from the academy was the one he had already received—the replacement corpses to make up for those lost during the third round of the Unified Exams.

So there was something like this too?

Arven noticed his reaction immediately. "Ah, you didn’t know? Well, consider it a pleasant surprise. The principal usually handles these matters personally, but since he’s off gallivanting somewhere beyond my reach, I’ll be the one issuing the catalog this year."

He reached into a messy pile of folders on his desk, rummaging through papers until he pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Michael. "Here," he said, sliding it across the desk. "This contains the catalog. You’ll find everything from extraordinary-grade artifacts to enchanted accessories, law seeds, and even a few oddities."

Arven smiled. "Pick wisely, my dear top three. Once you’ve made your choice, you tell me. I’ll have the item prepared and delivered before your departure."

Michael lowered his gaze to the sheet in his hand. The paper was thick.

He had barely skimmed the top line when a small, almost imperceptible movement tugged at the edge of his vision.

Rynne.

When Arven slid the paper over, she had looked composed, even bored. But up close, the cracks showed. Her fingers, resting on her knee, had tightened for a heartbeat. The tendon at her wrist had stood out.

She was not as calm as she looked.

Michael’s mind flicked back to her brother, Ryn, and the way he had moved against him from the moment he entered the academy. Was this list the reason?

He had suspected it the instant Arven said "special catalog."

When he read the first entry, he stopped suspecting. He knew.

— Enhancer (Three-Star Extraordinary Grade)

Once a one-star epic-grade artifact that was partially destroyed and dropped in rank. Its effect, when activated, boosts the effectiveness of a law by at least 200 percent. The duration lasts ten minutes, and with natural recovery, requires four months of cooldown.

Michael’s eyes moved once, slowly, to Rynne.

Her posture did not change. But her throat worked, a small swallow she could not hide.

So this was it.

This was the highest-grade item on the list.

Michael leaned back slightly, eyes lingering on the description before flicking again toward Rynne. Her expression was smooth now, too smooth. No trace of tension remained, but that calmness was precisely what confirmed his suspicion.

So this was what she and her brother had been after all along.

It explained everything. The pressure during the unified exams, the sudden shift in their attitude once he began surpassing them. It was never just about rank. It was about the reward attached to it.

Still, Michael wasn’t about to play the benevolent fool.

Even if he hadn’t yet comprehended a law, the Enhancer’s effect was nothing short of extraordinary. Boosting a law’s strength by two hundred percent for even ten minutes could change the tide of a war, much less a single battle. Just because he hadn’t awakened a law didn’t mean it was useless to him. A patient man could wait.

He was not giving this away.

He was about to make his decision when something else caught his attention and made him pause.

Further down the list, nestled among the rare materials and strange fragments, was an item listed without flourish or lengthy description:

Spatial Ore (One-Star Extraordinary Material)

Estimated mass: 3 kilograms. A condensed fragment of spatial stone formed from the collapse of an artificial rift. Stable. Responsive to mana. High purity.

Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly.

While it wasn’t the flashiest thing on the list, he knew exactly how rare it was. Spatial materials of any grade were priceless.

But what made it more precious to him was that, for the first time in a long while, he had actually found something he could use to evolve Wisdom into a true spatial beast.

Unfortunately, this was the special list, and though he had the privilege of picking first, he couldn’t choose more than one item. After this, it would be hard for him to see such a material again.

Now Michael was in a sort of conflict. The Enhancer was surely a great item to have, but evolving Wisdom was just as important.

One was external strength, and the other was more of a personal one.

Suddenly, a soft, clear voice echoed in Michael’s mind.

Let’s make a deal.

Michael’s eyes froze on the paper for half a second. He didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

What kind of deal? Michael asked in his mind, his tone neutral.

Don’t play dumb, Rynne’s voice came again, smooth but sharper now. You already know what I’m talking about.

Of course he did.

He didn’t need to ask to understand what she wanted. The Enhancer. The three-star extraordinary artifact at the top of the list.

Still, he decided to play along.

I’m afraid you’ll have to be specific, he replied casually, shifting slightly in his seat as if stretching his legs. I’m not sure what you mean.

A faint scoff came through the telepathic link, one that sounded halfway between annoyance and disbelief. You’re not a fool, Michael. I want the Enhancer.

Michael’s lips twitched ever so slightly. You seem awfully confident that I’d give it up.

You can’t even use it yet, Rynne said bluntly. You haven’t comprehended a law. It’ll just sit in your storage collecting dust while someone who actually understands its worth could put it to use immediately.

Her reasoning was solid but irrelevant.

He let a brief silence fill the link before replying, And yet, you’re asking me for it. Which means you can’t get it without me.