"Lord Leif, the First Legion of our undead army is now fully assembled—all present and accounted for!" One of the figures beside Leif spoke with bowed head and a deferential smile.
This man, named Kairo, possessed peak seventh-tier strength and was also a Darkwing Mage—though his true power paled in comparison to Leif's. After all, Leif's might rivaled that of an ordinary eighth-tier Archmage!
Leif let out a low chuckle, his gaze sweeping over the sea of undead before him.
Among the horde were creatures as seemingly weak as Snowbear Beasts, others as ferocious as panthers or tigers, and even grotesque aberrations unique to these ancient ruins—monstrosities never before seen.
Hundreds of undead beasts stood in formation within the fortress, their eyes gleaming with malice. At the forefront were four particularly fearsome creatures—their eyes burning crimson, their auras thick with violence.
These four beasts had reached the eighth tier!
They were Leif's ultimate trump card: four eighth-tier undead monstrosities. The rest of the legion consisted mostly of seventh-tier undead, numbering in the hundreds.
"The First Legion is complete. Our Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Legions are still being assembled. Once ready, we will command thousands of undead—enough to officially launch our Undead Legion Project!" The other subordinate, Heath, added with a grin. Like Kairo, he was a peak seventh-tier Darkwing Mage and one of Leif's most trusted lieutenants.
"Keh heh heh..." Leif cackled, his satisfaction evident as he surveyed his endless undead forces. "Indeed! In just a few short months, we've made such progress. Once all five legions are fully expanded, we'll have the power to conquer these ancient ruins outright!"
Leif swelled with pride as he observed his undead army.
And why shouldn't he? Among Darkwing Mages, few mastered necromancy to this degree. Even fewer could not only summon the undead but also control them.
Yet Leif possessed a forbidden art—a secret method to bend these undead to his will, turning them into an obedient puppet legion. As long as he lived, this army would follow his every command without question.
This was Leif's greatest advantage!
Truly, from this perspective alone, Leif was nothing short of a genius.
Thus, through deception, Leif had infiltrated these ancient ruins—a desolate land teeming with exotic beasts—to forge an undead legion. Now, his forces numbered over three thousand, each creature at least sixth-tier in strength. More crucially, this army required no supplies, remained utterly loyal to him, and would continue growing endlessly!
Leif's first goal was to assemble five grand undead legions, expanding their numbers to the fullest. His second step? To lead this horde in conquering the ruins, transforming them into a true paradise for the undead—exactly as Kael had speculated.
But Leif was far from satisfied. Once his legions were complete, he would inevitably leave the ruins. After all, he held the key to this realm's "lifeline"—the passage connecting it to the southern continent of Nanga. With it, he could march his undead army into the mortal world.
Should these forces reach Nanga, they would be like wolves among sheep. The continent's inhabitants stood no chance against such a legion. In time, Leif would establish an unstoppable undead empire.
As he gazed upon his completed First Legion, visions of dominating the three great continents danced before his eyes, drawing endless rasping laughter from his throat.
"However, my lord," Heath interjected, his face dark, "recent disturbances were detected near the Fifth Legion's fortress. Someone may have uncovered our movements. While the Fifth Legion suffered minimal losses, if our plans are exposed..."
"Tch. It can only be those damned fools from the Holy Temple and Sacred Council," Leif sneered. "But the ruins' rules bar entry to anyone above the eighth tier. Only seventh-tier weaklings dare venture here—perfect fodder for my legion!"
"The Council and Temple know I can summon undead, but none realize I control them. Let them send as many as they wish—they'll only swell my ranks!" His eyes glinted with icy malice.
"Indeed. Rumor says they've dispatched young 'geniuses' this time. While they may grow formidable someday, they're no threat now. Let Subject No. 1 devour them all—we'll add their corpses to our forces," Heath replied with a grin.
The so-called "Subject No. 1" was the leader of the four eighth-tier undead beasts currently stationed in the fortress—the strongest among them, having reached the peak of the eighth tier. It was Leif's ultimate trump card.
"Keh heh, don't underestimate the Holy Temple and Sacred Council. But you've reminded me—though these pests are weak, we can't afford to ignore them. Dispatch our undead legions to scour the ruins for their hiding spots. The moment they're found, feed them to my thousands of undead!" Leif snorted.
With his order, the undead horde scattered—all except the four leading beasts. One by one, they vanished into the night, carrying out Leif's command to hunt down Kael and his allies.
With thousands of undead combing through the confined space of the ancient ruins, locating a few humans would be child's play.

Meanwhile, Kael, Amelia, and Ethan were deep in discussion about their current predicament. Kael's explosive growth had once again left Ethan far behind. When Kael revealed his alliance with the Unicorn Rhinoceros, Ethan's spirits soared.
"Incredible, Kael! With this, we won't have to fear Leif's undead anymore!" Ethan exclaimed.
"We can't let our guard down. Leif is undoubtedly stronger than we imagine. But for now, our priority is to reach the Unicorn Rhinoceros territory and unite their entire tribe to crush those undead," Kael declared. His concern for Amelia had kept him from accompanying Alaric earlier, but now that the trio was reunited, they would head there together.
Only by witnessing the Unicorn Rhinoceros' full strength could Kael truly feel assured.
"Of course we can't relax. But with you laying down such a trump card, we're saved from fleeing like rats," Ethan chuckled.
Kael smirked and clapped him on the shoulder. "Since when did you start sweet-talking?"
Ethan blinked, then burst into roaring laughter—soon joined by Kael's own mirth.
With their group reunited, Kael wasted no time. Leading Amelia and Ethan, he set off eastward without delay.
Among magical beasts, hierarchy was absolute. In these ruins, the further east one traveled, the richer the land became—teeming with abundant resources and prey. Thus, the eastern regions housed the most formidable creatures.
And it was there that the Unicorn Rhinoceros tribe made their home.
The Unicorn Rhinoceros tribe was the most formidable beast faction in the eastern region!While other powerful magical and exotic creatures existed there, they either lived solitary lives or paled in comparison to the Unicorn Rhinoceroses' might. For generations, they had reigned as the undisputed rulers of these ancient ruins.
"Ahead should be the Unicorn Rhinoceros territory!" After traveling all night, Kael and his two companions finally neared the tribe's domain as dawn began to break.
The forest was dense with towering trees that blotted out the sky, and occasional beastly roars echoed in the distance—though none dared growl too loudly near the Unicorn Rhinoceroses' territory.
The moment they stepped into the woods, a thunderous roar shook the air.
"Humans!"
Clearly, the Unicorn Rhinoceros tribe was highly vigilant.
No sooner had the roar faded than the massive creatures emerged one after another, their sheer brute force toppling the ancient trees that stood in their way.
In an instant, countless Unicorn Rhinoceroses surrounded Kael's trio—colossal figures looming before them.