Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 700: The Situation [3] [Edited!!!]

Michael did not waste another second.

"Let’s move."

The soldier nodded sharply. The Starborn’s armor folded into a travel mode, soft light pulsing along its edges. Spartan adjusted his glasses and stepped forward to match Michael’s pace.

They began running across the red desert.

The second floor of Hell stretched far and wide. Jagged dunes rolled like frozen waves beneath a crimson sky. The heat pressed down on them, but none of them slowed.

Michael was new to the second floor.

He had hunted here for only a short while, so he followed their lead.

The Starborn ran ahead, leaving a faint trail of shimmering motes behind him. The soldier followed on the right.

As they moved, the second floor revealed more of its nature.

Unlike the first floor, which was mostly barren frozen land, the second floor had more life and more danger.

Beasts prowled the dunes.

Winged predators circled the sky.

Burrowing creatures stirred beneath the ground whenever Michael’s group passed.

But none approached them.

Perhaps they sensed Michael’s aura.

Or Spartan’s.

Or the Starborn’s potent armor.

Regardless, the monsters kept their distance.

"Over that ridge," the Starborn called out without looking back. "There is a settlement. Several races have also established small bases in the second floor."

Michael nodded. He had expected as much.

The second floor was dangerous but manageable for many advanced factions.

It was natural that various capable races would build settlements here.

"And Aurora?" Michael asked.

The soldier replied immediately.

"We have a small settlement here as well. Not very large, but it has direct channels that lead both to the first floor and to Aurora."

"Then that is where we are heading," Michael said.

The soldier nodded and increased his speed.

When they reached the top of the next dune, Michael finally saw it.

A fortified settlement built with metal and reinforced stone stood nestled between two curved ridges. Faint blue shields shimmered around it, protecting it from the ambient heat and from the monster activity outside.

The soldier pointed.

"There. The gate access room is inside that building. If it is intact, we can go straight to the first floor."

Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"If it is intact," he repeated.

"Yes." The soldier’s voice grew quieter. "We do not know if the demonic supernaturals up there would have done something."

Michael agreed.

They approached the settlement.

From afar, it looked normal.

Guards positioned at the entrances.

Activity moving through the streets.

But the moment they stepped closer, Michael felt it.

Tension.

The guards at the entrance stood rigidly, weapons ready.

Every pair of eyes scanned the desert beyond the walls like predators waiting for danger to pounce from any direction.

Even before they reached the gate, several rifles were already aimed at them.

"Identify yourselves!" someone shouted from above.

The recovering soldier stepped forward immediately.

"It is me. Captain Ruel of the First Floor Outpost."

The shout rippled through the guards.

Then,

"Captain Ruel?!"

Weapons lowered instantly.

The shield at the gate flickered and opened.

A squad rushed out to meet them.

"Captain, we thought you were dead."

"How did you get here?"

"What happened on the first floor?"

Questions flew like arrows, but Ruel raised a hand.

"I will explain to the Overseer. Clear the path."

Though his expression was calm, his heart sank. The fact they were aware of this meant there was a new update.

The guards quickly obeyed, stepping aside. Their gazes naturally drifted to Michael next and then to Spartan, whose Rank 3 presence pressed faintly against the air on purpose.

They also stared curiously at the Starborn who stuck close to Michael.

The soldiers led the group into the heart of the settlement.

Ruel finally stopped before a reinforced building with thick metal doors and a carved Federation emblem above it.

"Inside," he said.

The moment the doors opened, the atmosphere shifted again.

A tall man stood in the center of the room, armor polished with a bluish sheen, spear strapped to his back, and aura steady like a mountain.

A Rank 3.

The Overseer of the Second Floor Aurora Settlement.

His gaze locked onto Ruel instantly and widened.

"Captain Ruel?"

Ruel saluted sharply.

"Overseer Varun."

The Overseer stepped forward quickly.

"You are alive. That is good." His gaze swept over the charred remnants of Ruel’s armor. "But what happened? What of the outpost on the first..."

His words broke as he finally noticed the rest.

Michael.

The Starborn.

Spartan.

His aura sharpened. The pressure in the room thickened for a moment.

Ruel spoke quickly.

"They are allies. The young man healed me."

Varun’s sharp aura softened at once. He gave Michael a deeper look.

"I see." His tone shifted subtly. More polite. "Then welcome to Aurora’s second floor station."

Michael nodded lightly.

Ruel straightened his back.

"Overseer, I have a report," he said.

Varun gave a short nod. "Go on."

Ruel took a breath then recounted everything from the start again.

"I understand your side now," he said. "It fits with what we experienced here earlier."

Ruel frowned.

"Here?" he asked. "Something happened in this post too?"

Varun nodded once.

"Not long after we lost contact with your outpost, the floor gate in this base activated on its own. Before anyone could react, demonic supernaturals came out from the first floor into our station."

Ruel’s fingers curled.

"So it spread here too," he muttered.

"At first, we were shocked," Varun said. "Then we took advantage of the situation. They were outnumbered here. We pushed them back into the gate."

He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"It was only then I realized the situation was the same."

Ruel blinked.

"The same?" he echoed. "How?"

Varun’s voice went colder.

"When our forces entered the gate to pursue them, they arrived on the first floor into a battlefield where we were the ones outnumbered. The demonic supernaturals held the advantage there exactly like we held it here. Every attempt to push deeper into their line met overwhelming resistance. The gate became a choke point both ways."

Ruel’s jaw tightened.

"A stalemate," he said.

Varun inclined his head.

"Exactly. They cannot break through us into the second floor. We cannot break through them into the first. For now, the gate connects two fronts locked in dead balance."

Michael finally spoke.

"Then why not request help from the Federation directly?" he asked. "With higher ranks, the balance will break."

Varun looked at him and gave a small nod.

"I was coming to that," he said.

He folded his arms, expression turning complicated.

"After we realized the stalemate, I ordered a team to use the Federation gate. We went to report and request reinforcements."

Ruel’s eyes lit with faint hope.

"And?" he pressed.

Varun sighed.

"That was when we learned something strange."

Michael’s gaze sharpened slightly.

Varun continued.

"For some reason, no one from Aurora can use the Federation gate in Aurora City to access the first floor anymore. Every attempt fails. It is as if the path is locked to us. However, the gate from Aurora to the second floor still works. The route from the main station to this post is still intact."

Ruel’s brows knitted together.

"So they cannot send troops directly to the first floor," he said slowly, "but they can send them here."

"Yes," Varun answered. "The Federation confirmed it. Their technicians checked the formation structures. Nothing is broken on this side. Something is interfering with the route specifically to the first floor."

Michael’s eyes flashed faintly.

"The demonic supernaturals," he said. "They are blocking the line on their end."

"Most likely," Varun agreed.

Ruel exhaled, some tension leaving his shoulders.

"So reinforcements..." he said quietly.

Varun nodded.

"They come here," he finished.

He looked at Michael, then at the Starborn and Spartan.

"Which means," Varun added, "you three came at a good time. We are no longer an isolated station. When the reinforcements arrive, we will have options."

Michael leaned slightly forward.

"That is good news," he said. "But are you not forgetting something?"

Ruel blinked and turned to him. "Forgetting what?"

Before Michael could answer, the Starborn spoke instead. His silver eyes flickered faintly as he stepped forward.

"If the demonic supernaturals are left alone for too long before reinforcements arrive," he said quietly, "will the situation not worsen? If they consolidate control on the first floor, retaking it later will be far harder."

The room fell silent for a brief moment.

Overseer Varun exhaled slowly, his shoulders rising and falling.

"I know," he said at last. "We all know that. But there is no helping it right now."

The Starborn’s eyes narrowed.

"And what about the other issue?"

Varun looked at him. "Other issue?"

The Starborn’s voice dropped lower, almost solemn.

"The demon," he said. "The one half a step into Rank 4."

The Overseer froze. He turned to Ruel with confusion.

"What demon? And what do you mean by half a step into Rank 4?"

Ruel sighed, then began explaining the situation.

For a moment, silence filled the office.