Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 766: You Look Like A Fraud [1]

Michael felt uneasy.

The calm of the room wrapped around him like a blanket, but instead of comfort, it made the distant sounds beyond its walls feel heavier.

He pushed himself up slowly.

The roots loosened their hold at once, reacting to his movement. The green paste on his skin dried slightly as the roots retreated, flaking away in thin layers that crumbled into the floor and vanished.

Michael swung his legs down and stood.

There was no dizziness. No physical weakness. His balance was steady, his breathing even. Yet the strange hollowness inside him remained, faint but undeniable.

He clenched his fist once, then relaxed it.

I cannot stay here.

The thought came naturally.

Michael turned his head toward the far side of the chamber. A doorway stood there.

It was open. Beyond it, soft green light spilled inward.

His heart began to beat faster.

As he took his first step forward, another instinct rose inside him.

His undead.

For a brief, sharp moment, fear stabbed through his chest.

He reached out instinctively to the bond that tied him to them.

The response came instantly.

Dozens of presences answered him at once.

And they were close.

Michael’s breath caught for a second before he let it out slowly.

His heart calmed.

The tight knot in his chest loosened, replaced by a quiet relief that made his shoulders sag slightly. The fear that he might have lost all of them dissolved.

Then another thought followed.

The ones that did not answer.

More than a hundred presences were gone.

Michael stopped walking.

Images flickered through his mind. Memories of the battle rose again in fragments.

This was the most serious battle he had fought since coming to this world.

Michael’s jaw tightened.

Before, he had been comfortable with his strength. Confident. He had believed he was prepared for what this world could throw at him.

Now, that comfort felt thin.

Insufficient.

I need more.

More strength. More power.

Not for pride or to show off.

Just so he would never feel this helpless again.

As he reached the doorway, another question surfaced in his mind.

Were his undead the ones who brought him here, given how they surrounded him?

Michael did not call them back. He wanted to see the situation for himself and avoid drawing attention if there was any to be drawn outside the doors.

He could only hope the sounds of the commotion he was hearing were not coming from his undead.

As several thoughts flashed through his mind, Michael stepped through the doorway.

Michael stepped out.

The sight in front of him made him stop.

A vast forest stretched endlessly ahead, layered in depth and color. Towering trees rose high into the sky, their trunks thick and ancient.

Wide canopies overlapped above, filtering the light into soft beams that painted the ground in shifting shades of green.

The leaves were alive with motion.

The ground beneath his feet was firm soil mixed with roots and moss. Flowers bloomed in quiet clusters along the paths, their colors muted and calm rather than flashy. Clear streams cut through the forest at intervals, their water so pure it reflected the sky and the leaves above with perfect clarity.

Michael stared.

This did not look like Hell.

Not even remotely.

His first instinct was disbelief. His second was confusion.

Which floor is this?

He drew in a slow breath.

His eyes widened slightly.

Mana.

Dense, rich mana saturated the atmosphere, pressing gently against his senses from every direction.

This level of mana density was far beyond anything he had experienced before.

It was many times higher than Aurora.

Michael exhaled slowly, his heartbeat quickening despite himself.

Where was this place?

At this point, Michael felt like consulting his undead was the best option. After reaching out to several of them, he found they were just as confused as he was.

They all said the same thing.

They had simply found themselves here and were ordered to guard Michael.

As for who could command his undead aside from him, it could only be higher-level undead, yet for some reason, he could not sense them all.

Spartan and Ghost, for example, were nowhere to be found.

As for Beginning and Lily, he could sense them close by, but they seemed to be asleep.

All of this made Michael alert.

"Fade," Michael called out into the empty air as the shadow beneath his feet moved.

"Congratulations on your recovery, Master."

The voice rose softly from behind him.

Michael turned.

The shadow at his feet rippled, then peeled away from the ground like a curtain being drawn aside. Fade emerged soundlessly, his form stabilizing as he lowered himself into a respectful bow.

"Thanks," Michael said without thinking.

The word left his mouth naturally.

Only after it did he pause.

Did I just thank an undead?

The thought surfaced briefly, then vanished just as fast. He had done it countless times before. There was nothing strange about it anymore.

Michael’s gaze sharpened as another question followed immediately.

"Why weren’t you with me inside?" he asked. "You only came close after I stepped out."

Fade straightened slightly, his expression unchanged.

"The chamber you were placed in contained energy that is harmful to undead like me," he replied evenly. "It was not lethal, but prolonged exposure would have caused degradation. We detected its nature the moment you were taken inside."

Michael frowned faintly.

"And you just stayed out?"

"Yes," Fade said. "We knew the space was meant for healing. We could sense your condition at all times through the bond. There was no indication of danger to your life. Forcing entry would have interfered with the process and possibly worsened your state."

He lowered his head again.

"I apologize for not remaining at your side."

Michael shook his head at once.

"It’s fine," he said. "You made the right call."

Fade paused for half a second, then inclined his head deeper.

"As you say, Master."

Michael looked past him, back at the forest.

Then he glanced back at Fade.

"Do you know where we are?" he asked.

*

A/N: Refresh next Chapter to clear possible errors.

Fade answered without hesitation.

"We are in the elven realm," he said.