Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 786: A Strange Feeling

A/N; Posted my other novel recent Chapter by mistake. So sorry dear readers.

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After listening to Arianna recount everything, Michael could not help but wear an odd expression.

From her words, he came to understand that the intense soul injuries and massive losses he had suffered in Hell had not stayed isolated there. They had reflected directly onto his other body in the Land of Origin.

That realization, while unsettling, made a certain kind of sense to him.

If there was one thing his two bodies did not possess separately, it was his soul. The soul was not something that could be divided or duplicated. It was his true identity, unchanged no matter how many bodies he inhabited or how many worlds he existed in at once.

Because of that, any damage to it would inevitably echo everywhere.

This was also why the destruction of his undead in any world affected him across all his bodies, even if the effect was usually small. A thread was still there, no matter how thin.

This time, however, the loss had been too great.

The scale of destruction in Hell had been massive enough to throw both of his bodies into shock at the same time.

Returning to Arianna’s explanation, she said they did not know exactly when it began. At some point during the night, strange energy fluctuations started leaking from Michael’s room. When she and her father went to check after receiving no response from him, something she shyly apologized for, much to Michael’s quiet amusement, they found him lying there without any visible injuries.

On the surface, he looked fine.

That was what made it frightening.

His breathing was steady. His body showed no obvious wounds. Yet his energy was in complete disorder, spreading unevenly through the room as if it no longer obeyed any stable pattern.

At that moment, it became obvious to them that something was seriously wrong.

Arianna explained that her father had moved closer to inspect him, intending only to check his condition. The instant he crossed a certain distance, Michael’s body reacted on its own.

It entered a defensive state.

If Duke Evermoon had not reacted quickly, retreating the moment he sensed danger, Michael might have left him gravely injured or worse.

Of course, Arianna did not describe it so bluntly, but Michael understood what had happened.

She then said the situation continued to worsen. The fluctuations around Michael grew so unstable that no one could approach him anymore. The pressure alone was enough to make most people retreat instinctively.

And not everyone was Duke Evermoon.

With no one else able to safely intervene, someone else was brought in to assess the situation.

Or rather, someone arrived on her own after sensing the disturbance.

As expected, it was the Great Princess, the old king’s sister.

Given Michael’s power and the fact that this was the capital, it was not surprising. If his condition spiraled out of control, the consequences would not stay hidden for long.

Either that, or the princess had already been keeping an eye on his location and immediately realized something was wrong.

According to Arianna, the princess stated that Michael’s soul was indeed damaged. Severely so. Yet at the same time, she noted something unusual.

He was benefiting from it.

She admitted that she did not fully understand what was happening to him or why his soul was suffering such extreme damage. However, she could clearly see that Michael was also growing stronger through it.

Because of that, she instructed them not to disturb him.

She said his outcome depended entirely on himself and on what the world had in store for him.

Hearing this, Michael took a moment to imagine the scene.

It seemed the princess had arrived at the exact point when he had begun comprehending his law, which explained why she could tell that he was becoming stronger despite the damage.

After all, part of the reason he had managed to grasp his current law at all was because of that soul injury. It had forced him to perceive things he could never have understood otherwise.

Pain had torn something open inside him.

And through that opening, he had finally seen what lay beyond.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The tea had gone lukewarm. Sunlight still filtered through the tall windows, but the warmth felt thinner now.

Arianna was the first to break the silence.

"Sir Mic," she said softly.

Michael looked up.

She hesitated, fingers tightening around the porcelain cup in her hands before relaxing again. When she spoke, her voice was careful.

"May I ask you something?"

"Of course," Michael replied.

She took a small breath.

"Are you advancing toward the next stage?"

The question caught him off guard.

Michael blinked once, then leaned back slightly, studying her expression.

"Why do you think that?" he asked.

Arianna lowered her gaze briefly, then looked back at him.

"I might be naïve about many things," she said slowly, "but even I can tell when someone no longer fully belongs to their current stage."

Michael stayed quiet.

"You were already at the peak," she continued. "That much was clear long ago. But now..." Her voice softened. "Now you are growing stronger without changing realms."

She paused.

"That only happens when someone already has a step into the next rank."

Michael exhaled.

"I do," he admitted.

The words were calm, honest.

Arianna stiffened for just a moment.

Then she drew in a deep breath, steadying herself, and let it out slowly. When she smiled, it was restrained, careful, but not false.

"I thought so," she said quietly.

"I’m happy for you, Sir Mic. Truly."

Michael felt something tighten in his chest.

Her smile did not quite reach her eyes.

"I haven’t fully reached it," he said after a moment. "That step is there, but crossing it completely won’t be easy. It could take a long time."

Arianna nodded.

"But you’re already standing at the door," she said. "And given your age... you will cross it eventually."

She looked at him again, the strained smile returning, gentler this time.

"That’s enough for me."

Michael did not argue.

But as he watched her lift her cup again, pretending to focus on the tea, he knew something had shifted between them.

He just did not yet understand what it meant.

The silence lingered longer than Michael expected.

It was not uncomfortable in the usual sense. There was no tension pressing down on the room, no hostility or unease. Yet something sat between them, quiet and heavy, like a thought neither of them was ready to voice.

Michael was the one who broke it.

"By the way," he said casually, lifting his cup again though he did not drink from it this time, "is there any news about the ruins?"

Arianna looked up, surprised for a fraction of a second.

"The ruins?" she echoed.

"Yes," Michael continued. "The expedition the kingdom was organizing. I’ve been unconscious for a few days. There’s no way I’d know if anything changed."

Her shoulders relaxed slightly, as if grateful for the shift in topic.

"Oh," she said, nodding. "That."

She placed her cup down gently.

"The team has already been finalized," Arianna said. "Just as planned before. Your name is still on the list, Sir Mic."

Michael nodded. That was expected.

"The only new development," she continued, "is that the departure has been confirmed. In about a week, maybe two at most, the expedition will move out."

"With other kingdoms," she added after a brief pause.

Understanding settled in immediately.

So it had reached that stage.

The ruins were important enough that cooperation was unavoidable, or dangerous enough that no single kingdom wanted to shoulder the risk of greed. Either way, it meant complications, politics, and eyes watching from every direction.

Michael opened his mouth to respond.

Before he could speak, Arianna stood up abruptly.

"I’m sorry," she said quickly. "Please excuse me for a moment."

Her movement was stiff, awkward in a way that did not match her usual composure.

"My stomach feels a little unsettled," she added, offering a polite smile that appeared just a second too late.

Michael paused.

He knew immediately it was a lie.

With her strength and constitution, a cup of tea was not enough to upset her body. Not even slightly. Even if it had been poisoned, she would have noticed long before now.

But he did not call her out.

Instead, he rose halfway from his seat, concern softening his voice.

"Are you sure you’re alright?"

Arianna froze for a brief moment.

Then she nodded quickly.

"I’m fine," she said. "Really."

She did not meet his eyes as she turned away.

"We’ll talk later, Sir Mic," she added, already moving toward the door.

Michael watched her back as she left the room, the door closing softly behind her.

The tea room felt quieter after that.

Not empty. Just... hollow.

Michael remained standing for a moment before slowly sitting back down. He stared at the cup in front of him, the surface of the tea barely rippling.

Something was wrong.

He could feel it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​