Another day had passed, and Hazard was gathering resources to craft new maps. The previous day, he had summoned four more Death Silkops through the Abyss Summoning and placed them as guards at the entrance of the castle and its gates. Today was another opportunity, but he was occupied with more important matters, as the treasure chest of the Gateways of the World city had not disappointed him.
[Large Shining Mithril Treasure Chest]
10 million gold coins2,000 Life JewelsLevel 5 Teleportation Portal Building BlueprintLevel 4 Trade Market Building Blueprint
By accounting for the city's casualties, the treasury's gold, and selling numerous skill stones he had acquired, he managed to gather 65 million gold coins. He easily spent 15 million to construct a teleportation portal beside his castle and gazed at it with admiration. If not for the Space Jewel, the cost would have been lower, but such a gem was exceedingly expensive. He had no choice but to pay an exorbitant price to the Demonic King of a strange race.
Nonetheless, in front of him, a colossal fifty-meter-high doorless gate materialized, formed from an absence of light. As Hazard approached, he sensed that the portal required coordinates to activate. However, it could only connect to another portal. If he attempted to set coordinates without another portal, the safe transportation of creatures and objects passing through would be left entirely to chance.
Because of this, Hazard had no regrets about spending gold. He knew that in times of crisis, he could, like other Demon Kings of level five and approaching level six, offer substantial sums for assistance or provide aid himself for immense profit. He was aware of the risks, but as he had heard, 90% of the time, such cooperative endeavors were successful, and some had even forged lasting trade and military alliances between powerful Demon Kings. This was something he strongly desired.
Hazard also knew that by attacking a city of such magnitude, he would not go unnoticed by the two powerful factions in the north and south. Soon enough, these two forces would dispatch armies to eliminate him as a potential threat—armies that he alone could not defeat.
Following this, he sold the Level 4 Trade Market Blueprint for 500,000 gold coins. He was deeply convinced of its strategic value but lacked the means and subordinates of the right race to utilize it effectively. Afterward, he went to his altar and began summoning.
This time, unlike before, he did not make the mistake of spending level four and five souls, as he had now fully grasped the cost requirements for summoning high-level units. Additionally, he felt resentment toward the trade city, as it had very few high-level heroes. In the end, he only stored two level five souls and twelve level four souls, absorbing the remaining souls—mostly level one and two—into the altar.
Next, his attention turned to the units he had not yet summoned.
Summonable Units
[Demonic Undead General]
Level: Lord Level 2
HP: 600
Strength: 350
Agility: 260
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Mana (Miasma): 700
Endurance: -
Talents: Resurrection of the Fallen, Soul Prison, Command, Summoning of Spirits
Skills: Swordsmanship (B), Protection Shield (B), Charge (C), Leadership (C), Riding (D),
Cost: 10,000 gold coins, 10 Death Jewels, and requires 5,000 undead per summon
[Demonic Archlich]
Level: Overlord Level 3
HP: 500
Strength: 250
Agility: 200
Mana (Miasma): 5,000
Endurance: -
Talents: Undead Resurrection, Spirit Summoning, Realm of Fear, Master of the Death Element
Skills: Negative Energy Orb (A), Death Magic (B), Negative Energy Shield (B), Abyss Summoning (C), Flight (C),
Cost: 500,000 gold coins, 300 Death Jewels, and requires 10,000 undead and two level four hero souls per summon
[Demonic Undead Grand General]
Level: Overlord Level 4
HP: 3,000
Strength: 1,500
Agility: 650
Mana (Miasma): 3,000
Endurance: -
Talents: Resurrection of the Fallen, Soul Prison, Command, Spirit Summoning, Realm of Fear, Realm of Death, Death Guide
Skills: Swordsmanship (A), Protection Shield (A), Charge (B), Leadership (B), Riding (D),
Cost: 1 million gold coins, 1,000 Death Jewels, and requires 100,000 undead and 10 level four hero souls per summon
(Additional units omitted for brevity...)
If he could sigh, he would have, but now was not the time. Instead, he summoned ten Demonic Undead Generals and one Demonic Archlich. As they emerged, the altar trembled.
The ten generals, clad in full black armor, were on foot rather than mounted like knights. Auras of power and dominance radiated from them, and their long black cloaks billowed as they unsheathed their black cursed steel swords, kneeling before Hazard. They spoke through magic, just like him.
"We salute the eternal majesty of the King!"
Hazard was taken aback by their response but simply ordered them to make way for the Archlich.
When the Demonic Archlich arrived, even the generals' auras were completely overshadowed. Clad in a black, eerie robe, gripping a skull-topped staff, he struck the ground and knelt before Hazard.
"My king, this lowly Archlich is at your command!"
Satisfied with their presence, Hazard entrusted the overall governance of his domain to the Demonic Archlich and instructed him to command the generals for better military stability. Then, he moved on to his next summon—the Demonic Undead Grand General.
If the Archlich exuded an oppressive aura, the Grand General radiated an intense, suffocating presence. Emerging with a fragmented sword, she wore intricately detailed black armor, adorned with carvings of the dead. At first, Hazard failed to notice the long, white hair flowing from beneath her helmet.
"Bestow your orders upon me."
When Hazard finally focused past the armor, he noticed her hair—and understood why her voice had been feminine.
"A heavily guarded obsidian mine exists northwest of here. Gather the necessary forces after scouting, and launch an attack at night."
The Grand General placed a cold black gauntlet over her chest in acknowledgment and left the altar.
Hazard then turned to the final remaining unit—the Demonic Undead Hero—and, driven by curiosity, summoned two of them.
What appeared shocked him.
One was a mummified warrior, clad in gold-and-black full mithril armor, carrying dual Damascus swords. The other was a female undead, dressed in light orichalcum armor, wielding a curved scythe-like spear and a golden star-patterned shield. She wore a horned black helmet.
Neither kneeled—something that immediately made Hazard tense up.
The spearwoman was the first to step forward, analyzing Hazard carefully.
And Hazard, in turn, examined her.
