Chapter 544: Hierarchy

Chapter 544: Hierarchy

Meanwhile in the perilous Death Valley of the Undead World...

A deathly cloud loomed overhead, a manifestation of the concentrated deathly power and necromantic elements pervading the area.

For the creatures of the Undead World, this valley was the ideal sanctuary for dwelling and resting.

In the past, the Death Valley was dominated by a Peak Rank Two Specter Knight.

However, two years ago, the valley witnessed a change of rulers.

The formidable newcomer not only vanquished the Specter Knight but also led an army of twenty thousand undead creatures, annihilating nearly sixty percent of the valley’s undead inhabitants.

This onslaught resulted in over a hundred thousand undead creatures being buried here, significantly intensifying the concentration of necromantic elements—more so than in any prior decade.

To dominate and to be dominated were common in the expansive realms of the Undead World.

While the majority of the undead creatures preferred to slumber in their tombs, there were always exceptions.

The recent upheaval in the Death Valley, though significant, was minor compared to the broader scope of the Undead World.

A battle involving around only a hundred thousand undead creatures was considered merely a small skirmish.

In contrast, when conflicts involved the divine beings of Rank Four or above, the scale and devastation would be unimaginable, with casualties potentially reaching into the billions.[1]

In the heart of the valley, Sanchez the skeletal dragon sprawled across a clearing where the necromantic energy was most potent, snoring softly.

Two years earlier, it had led its undead legions to claim this Death Valley as its first territorial conquest upon returning to the Undead World.

To Sanchez, conquering the valley was not an end but merely the beginning.

Once restored to its optimal condition, the skeletal dragon planned to continue expanding its territory until it ascended to demigod status.

Suddenly, a subtle shift in elemental energies interrupted Sanchez’s slumber.

As its hollow eye sockets flared to life, hundreds of light blue flames, each the size of a palm, flew toward it and vanished into its nostrils.

These blue flames known as soul flames were vital to the beings of the Undead World, with each flame encapsulating the life of an undead creature.

The ceaseless strife in the Undead World often revolved around the capture of these soul flames.

The weakest of the undead offered up a wisp of their soul flame to the undead sovereign as a sincerest gesture of submission.

In the Undead World, soul flame was a replenishable resource, akin to the constant birth of new lives in the Magus World.

Contrary to Sanchez’s remark, they did not spend the entire time whispering sweet nothings to each other.

On the first day, Sein and Leena did exchange a few affectionate words, but the conversation soon shifted to more scholarly topics.

Over the next two days, they delved deeply into their research on interplanar summoning arrays.

During this exchange, Leena explained her research progress in detail to Sein.

In return, Sein shared the summoning knowledge he had acquired in the Summoner Alliance, pouring a wealth of information into Leena’s eager mind.

While Leena’s immediate grasp of the information was limited, this transfer of knowledge provided her with a substantial foundation to build upon at her own pace.

The resources and mental focus required for such long-distance communication were significant.

The strain prevented Sein and Leena from sustaining their discussions for a more extended period.

After their communication ended, Sein reclined in a chair in his laboratory, feeling physically and mentally depleted.

Yuri, familiar with the equipment in the laboratory, assisted Sein with finalizing his experiment.

Meanwhile, Azelia, the fox maiden Sein had recently taken under his wing, quietly massaged his shoulders.

Sein had to admit that her skills in this area surpassed those of Yuri and Elisa.

Nevertheless, Yuri was indispensable in assisting with experiments, and Elisa was tasked with simpler duties like cleaning the laboratory—beyond just looking pretty.

Though frail in appearance, the fox maiden excelled at giving a massage and taking care of others, suggesting that perhaps House Jobbs had specifically trained her in these skills.

Under her soothing touch, Sein’s tension melted away, and he gradually drifted off to sleep.

Given his recent grueling experimental schedule, it had been a long time since he last slept.

As Sein began to snore softly, Yuri made a silent gesture to the fox maiden, motioning her to leave the laboratory quietly.

Being lower than Rank One in life level, the fox maiden complied without question.

In Sein’s laboratory, the hierarchy was clear—Sein commanded the highest respect, followed by Yuri and Elisa. This meant all of them were positioned to give orders to the newly arrived fox maiden.

The fox maiden obediently exited the room. However, Yuri stayed behind.

She watched Sein, her cheeks tinged with pink and her eyes shimmering with unspoken thoughts.

After a moment of hesitation, she slowly approached Sein.

1. Author’s Note: The wars among the gods in the Undead World can also be perceived as strategic military exercises conducted periodically to identify the elite undead. This is crucial since the ruling civilization of the Undead World, the Magus World, relies heavily on vast legions of expendable troops to assert its dominance over neighboring star domains. Should the undead legions fall short in quality, the higher echelons of the Magus World would not hesitate to exert pressure on the gods of the Undead World, including its overlord master. ☜