Read Novel Full Chapter 917: Progress [2]
Chapter 917: Progress [2]
The plan to evolve Aunt Mia and Lily would be brought forward. Alongside that would come evolving his undead. Jester in particular was the only one still at Rank 2, and unlike the others, evolving him carried no concerns.
With Jester at Rank 3 or potentially Rank 4 if circumstances allowed, combined with another undead at Rank 4 and his family having cultivated power of their own, Michael believed that level of protection would be enough to keep them safe in Aurora while he was away.
"It would be best if Lily can awaken a class within three months. I wonder if the academy can give me that much time before I need to leave."
As Michael sat deep in thought about the future and whether the situation back at the academy had been resolved, Jester came to the sitting room, pulling Michael out of his thoughts.
Jester inclined his head slightly. "Welcome back, Master."
Michael’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, his expression turning somewhat odd.
Among all his undead, Jester stood apart. It was not just strength. It was everything else. Knowledge. Awareness. The way he thought, the way he acted, the way he spoke. If not for knowing the truth, it would have been easy to mistake him for a living person. In many ways, Jester felt more alive than most of the undead under Michael’s command.
He was at the very top.
Placing someone like Jester here to guard his home was overkill, and yet because of those exact qualities, Michael felt completely at ease. There was a strange reliability in knowing that someone who could think, judge, and adapt like a human was the one watching over his family in his absence.
After a brief silence, Michael spoke. "How has it been?"
He did not specify. He did not need to.
"The past few months have been stable," Jester replied calmly. "There were no incidents that posed a direct threat to your family." He paused briefly before continuing. "Most developments were centered around Lily."
Michael’s attention sharpened slightly.
"With consistent training, her combat capabilities have improved significantly. At her current level, she can disarm at least five grown men without difficulty. She is also proficient with two weapons and can switch between them seamlessly in combat."
Michael nodded faintly. That level of progress was not ordinary. He found himself wondering what methods Jester had used to achieve it. Even without a system, even without formal awakening, she had already reached a level most ordinary people could never touch.
Jester continued. "She is also approaching an awakening threshold."
Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"A supernatural threshold," Jester clarified. "Based on her current progress, she should be able to achieve it within two months."
Michael fell silent for a moment. Two months. Faster than he had expected, but not a bad thing. His gaze lowered slightly as thoughts moved rapidly beneath the surface.
He found himself hoping Lily would awaken. But he did not have any real confidence in it.
Awakening was rare. No matter how much potential someone showed beforehand, no matter how hard they trained, it did not guarantee anything. Too many people reached the age limit and remained ordinary. Lily was sixteen now, which meant she still had three chances, three opportunities before she turned eighteen and the window closed completely.
Even so, failure was still very possible. Michael had seen enough to understand that reality clearly.
Because of that, he could not base any of his plans around her awakening. Hope was one thing. Reliance was another.
Those thoughts passed quickly before he looked back at Jester. "And you?"
He already had an idea. He could see the level clearly. Level 50. But Jester was not following the same path as the others.
Jester inclined his head slightly. "Thanks to your glorious body, Master, my progress has been smooth. I have already completed Foundation Establishment and formed a Golden Core."
There was no pride in his voice. Just a statement of fact.
"With some additional refinement, by the time Lily reaches her threshold I should already be preparing for the Nascent Soul stage." A brief pause. "In truth, I have already stepped into it."
Michael did not respond immediately.
Golden Core. One foot into Nascent Soul.
Even by that world’s standards, that was fast. Too fast. But considering who Jester was and what he had access to, it made sense. Whether it was Jester himself who was simply a freak of nature or whether the body Michael had given him was just that exceptional, Michael couldn’t say. He did not think too deeply into it.
"Jester, come. I have a task for you."
He did not explain further. Instead he brought out the Damaged Coffin of the Forgotten and a body slid out onto the floor. It was the demonic supernatural he had captured earlier.
The man’s condition had stabilized somewhat. The wounds that should have taken his life had already closed, having received healing from the undead within the coffin space.
Michael looked down at him briefly before speaking. "I want you to interrogate him about the demonic supernaturals. There should be value in what he knows. I want their movements, their purpose in this city, and anything related to their broader plans."
His tone was calm.
Jester’s gaze lowered to the unconscious figure. A brief silence followed. Then he nodded. "It will be done."
Michael did not doubt that. This was exactly the kind of task Jester was best suited for, and without needing to say anything else, he left the body to him.
Jester’s gaze lingered on the unconscious man for a moment longer before he spoke again, his tone as calm as always.
"Master, interrogation is unnecessary."
Michael paused slightly.
"This individual is already in a weakened state. His mind is unstable and his resistance is minimal. Extracting information through conventional means would only waste time." Jester took a small step forward, looking down at the man. "Instead, I can directly devour his memories."
There was no fluctuation in his voice.
"As long as his consciousness remains intact to a certain degree, I can access everything. His knowledge, his experiences, his connections. Even details he himself may not consciously recall can be extracted." A brief pause. "More importantly, this method eliminates any risk of deception."
Jester’s eyes remained fixed on the target. "If you permit it, I will proceed."
Hearing those words, Michael felt a deep sense of reassurance settle over him.
Now that was the Jester he knew.