Chapter 456: Chapter 456 Rank Advancement [4]
Michael looked at the undead surrounding him, standing silently in a wide circle.
As he sensed their powerâthe subtle differences in their auras, the unique nature of eachâhe couldnât help but feel a quiet surge of pride.
And these werenât even all of them.
Several of his undead were still stationed in Aurora, maintaining the security of his family house. The ones present here were just a part of his total forces. Yet, even this subset would likely impress most people.
In truth, it was rare for Michael to summon his entire legion.
The first time had been during the demon assault on Woodstone City. That event had required everything he had.
Outside of such emergencies, it was unlikely anyone would witness the full might of his undead again.
There were only two scenarios where it might happen.
One, when he had a large task that needed many handsâlike the time he tracked and killed the mind-controlling monster.
Two, when he faced a truly formidable opponent. But in that case, numbers alone wouldnât help. Heâd need qualityâraw power, not just quantity.
It reminded him of Uga.
That bear-bodied, child-faced youth had pushed him hard enough to summon an elite undead mid-fight. If Uga had been any stronger, Michael might have called in even more.
After all, numbers only mattered when each undead was strong.
Fortunately, as Michael grew, so too did his army. Any opponent that forced him to rely on numbers now would have to be terrifying but also rare. It wasnât common to encounter forces capable of handling multiple Rank 2 undead at once.
So, as it stood, the only likely situation where someone might see the full horde of Michaelâs undead again⊠was when he simply needed more hands.
As several thoughts flashed past his mind, Michael called out his status panel.
âStatus.â
*****
[ Name: Michael Norman ]
[ Class: Adept Necromancer ]
[ Level: 25{MAX} ]
[Strength: 45.75]
[Agility: 61.51]
[Constitution: 56.12]
[Intelligence: 202.32]
[ Attribute Points: 50]
[ Skills: Undead Summoning, Undead Revival, Detect, Basic Shot, Share Senses, Spearmanship, Acid Shot, Bone Spear, Slow Curse, Blind Curse, Bone Armour, Corpse Explosion, Acid Ball, Mana Arrow, Death Ray, Basic Martial ArtâŠâŠ]
[ Talent: Infinite Evolution ]
[ Class Skill: Contract Slot {104/125} ]
[ Gift: Mark of Origin ]
*******
Michael let the panel hover before him, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the familiar numbers of his stats.
The difference wasnât small.
The sheer gap between his Intelligence stat and everything else.
Over two hundred in Intelligence.
The others, barely above forty.
Michael exhaled through his nose.
He could feel it too.
His mana pool had expanded to monstrous levels. It reminded him of the time he consumed the Soul Mana Fruit weeks ago. He remembered the strain, how his Constitution had briefly dipped afterward from being unable to handle the power. That had been a warning.
More mana didnât always mean more strength.
Without the body to control and contain it⊠it was like trying to pour a river through a cracked glass.
Michael clicked his tongue.
It was finally time.
He had been saving those attribute points for this very moment. Now, with advancement just a breath away, there was no longer any point in holding back.
If he didnât treat the situation now, it might worsen
He tapped the panel.
âAllocate 40 points to Constitution.â
The panel shimmered as the numbers shifted.
[Constitution: 56.12 â 96.12]
A warm heat rushed through his limbsâsteady, pulsing strength. His muscles felt firmer. His bones sturdier. The strain from his growing mana pool eased instantly, and his breath came easier.
Michael rolled his shoulders, already noticing the difference.
âMuch better.â
He eyed the remaining points.
âDivide the rest between Strength and Agility. Five each.â
Another shimmer.
[Strength: 45.75 â 50.75]
[Agility: 61.51 â 66.51]
âStatus.â
*****
[ Name: Michael Norman ]
[ Class: Adept Necromancer ]
[ Level: 25{MAX} ]
[Strength: 50.75]
[Agility: 66.51]
[Constitution: 96.12]
[Intelligence: 202.32]
[ Attribute Points: 0]
*******
The change wasnât as drastic as the boost to Constitution, but it was enough to keep his body balanced. Enough that if he needed to fight hand-to-handâor move at high speedâhe wouldnât falter.
He closed the panel with a small nod.
Michael turned his gaze toward the crates once more, then to the circle of undead around him.
He was ready.
Michael exhaled softly and stepped towards the crates in front of him.
He allocated each resource precisely.
But only a select few undead received materials.
The rest?
He left them untouched.
It wasnât neglect. It was by design.
Michael glanced across the rest of the undead in the clearingâthose who hadnât received any specialized items. They stood still, obedient and expectant. Rank 1 now, but not for long.
He would evolve them too.
Naturally.
Without interference.
Because while materials could influence the direction of an undeadâs next evolution, that influence was not⊠predictable.
There was no denying the power of mutation. It could create extraordinary resultsâperhaps in the future even completely unique evolution paths.
But it was a gamble.
And Michael didnât want to be one to gamble blindly.
Just because a mutated undead was different didnât always mean it was better. Strength wasnât guaranteed. Stability wasnât guaranteed. And above all, future evolutions could become even more chaotic and harder to control.
A path without precedent⊠was also a path without warning signs.
Who could say what a mutation might become several ranks later?
Michael didnât know. And neither did anyone else.
That was the danger.
Besides, even normal evolution could produce strength.
Who was to say that the so-called âordinaryâ path wouldnât eventually surpass a mutated one?
Evolution itself was a mystery.
Michael believed in balance. In control. In not putting all his eggs in one basket.
He would guide a few down chosen paths, tempering them with powerful materials and shaping their growth. But the rest?
Heâd let nature and the system decide.
Perhaps that unpredictability would become an advantage later on.
A grin ghosted across his lips.
âLetâs see what fate chooses for you all.â
He raised his hand.
He then summoned three more undead.
These ones werenât to be evolved now.
They were for his protection.
They were Prince, Lucky and Gale.