Chapter 17: The Beginning Of Conquest

Cassian turned toward his forces.

​Under the dim glow of the twin moons, they looked every bit like an army of death.

The Elite Skeleton Knight stood motionless, its Bone Blade resting lightly against its shoulder. The Elite Skeleton Tank appeared as an immovable fortress of dark bone and steel armor.

The Elite Skeleton Assassin remained half-hidden in the shadows, blending seamlessly despite making no conscious effort to conceal itself.

​Even the Elite Skeleton Archer, whose earlier disappointment over not receiving new gear had faded, now stood with its bow drawn and ready.

​Beside them stood Nyxara. The undead elf’s violet armor reflected the moonlight, while sentient shadows subtly coiled around her ankles like striking serpents.

​Looking at the force assembled before him, Cassian couldn’t help but feel a surge of quiet satisfaction.

​Then, his gaze drifted back toward the projected map, and a bold thought crossed his mind.

​In his previous life, he would never have even considered such an aggressive move.

Back then, every decision had been made with agonizing caution. Every advance had been painstakingly planned, and every battle approached with the terrifying awareness that a single mistake could cost him his life.

​But things were different now. Completely different.

​Cassian silently reviewed his current assets.

​An A-Grade First-Order Champion.

Four S-Grade Elite Skeletons.

Refined equipment.

Elite-grade resources.

Infinite Mana.

Fusion.

Regression.

​Compared to the average newcomer entering the Lord’s Domain, his starting baseline was absurd.

​Under normal circumstances, it would take a newly awakened Lord months—or even years—to gradually clear and establish control over these surrounding zones.

Cassian didn’t believe he needed anywhere near that long. In fact, he doubted it would take more than a few days.

​Even if he pushed forward aggressively and encountered something unexpected, he still held his ultimate trump card: Regression.

​Not that he wanted to rely on it. Far from it. Regression wasn’t a primary strategy; it was insurance. A final, absolute safeguard, a second chance to recalibrate should he truly bite off more than he could chew.

​Dying was not an experience he wished to repeat.

​Reaching a firm decision, Cassian looked toward his assembled forces.

​"We’re splitting up."

​Instantly, the elite summons straightened, soul fires flaring in response.

​"The Bonefang Wastes are our first objective." His gaze settled on the four elites. "You four will head there immediately and establish absolute control over the area."

​The soul flames within their skulls flickered in unified acknowledgment.

​Cassian then turned toward Nyxara. "You’ll accompany me. We are heading into Umbralwood."

​Nyxara placed a hand over her chest, bowing her head deeply. "As you command, my Lord."

​"Once our respective objectives are complete, we will regroup here before launching a full-scale assault on the Kragmar Dominion," Cassian added.

​The strategy was simple, direct, and ruthlessly efficient.

​Most importantly, now was the perfect time to execute it. The novice protection barrier was still active, meaning there was no need to leave troops behind to defend the home territory.

For the next seven days, Lord’s Hollow was effectively untouchable, allowing every available combat unit to be committed to external expansion.

​This wasn’t born of arrogance or reckless overconfidence; it was simple, cold rationality. The faster he secured the Graveshade Expanse, the faster he could begin preparing for the apocalyptic threats waiting in the years ahead.

​After all, he knew what was coming.

​Somewhere beyond the horizon of time, ultimate destruction was already marching forward. The collapse of the Astral Dominion remained years away, but Cassian understood something most people realized too late: when disaster arrives, it is already far too late to prepare for it.

​Preparation had to begin now. Every single day mattered. Every resource mattered. Every drop of strength mattered.

​That oppressive sense of urgency constantly lingered in the back of his mind, driving him forward and refusing to let him become complacent.

​With the plan finalized, Cassian dismissed the map interface. The three-dimensional projection dissolved into a shower of light motes.

​The four elite skeletons turned as one and set off toward the Bonefang Wastes, their heavy armor disappearing into the dark mist beyond the dead plains.

​Meanwhile, Cassian assigned one final task to his remaining unit: his lone B-Grade Skeleton Soldier.

​Unlike the elites, the soldier lacked the raw combat power necessary for the front line campaign. Instead, Cassian stationed it at the Graveyard Fields.

​Resources and materials didn’t harvest themselves; the infrastructure required active labor to yield output. Eventually, Cassian planned to purchase dedicated worker summoning cards, but for now, the lone soldier would suffice.

​The B-Grade Skeleton shuffled toward the designated plots and immediately began its duties.

​Seeing everything arranged, Cassian turned toward the translucent boundary of the protection barrier. Nyxara silently fell into step beside him.

​The shimmering barrier pulsed faintly before them. Beyond it lay the true, untamed wilderness of the Lord’s Domain.

A lethal and dark expanse overflowing with opportunity.

​Without a second thought, Cassian stepped through.

​Nyxara followed closely behind. Together, Lord and Champion crossed the threshold, leaving the safety of the novice barrier behind as they vanished into the dark woods.

....

The moment Cassian stepped through the novice barrier, he felt the difference immediately.

​The air itself seemed heavier. Within the barrier, the death and dark elements had felt calm and orderly, as though some unseen force kept them restrained.

​Outside... They were wild and untamed.

​Death energy drifted freely through the atmosphere like invisible currents, while dark mana lingered beneath every shadow. The entire world felt more hostile. More alive, or perhaps, given where he was, more dead.

​Cassian instinctively drew in a breath. The dense death energy resonated with his Undead Lord Seed, causing a faint sense of comfort to spread through his body.

​Beside him, Nyxara appeared completely unaffected. If anything, the undead elf looked more at home out here than inside the domain.

​Without wasting time, the pair headed west, the direction opposite the Bonefang Wastes. The four elite skeletons had already departed eastward to begin conquering their assigned area, while Cassian and Nyxara made their way toward the Umbralwood.

​They had only been traveling for a few minutes when a notification suddenly materialized before his eyes.

​[+90 Experience]

​Cassian’s lips curled upward. "It seems the others found prey before us."

​The elites had already begun their hunt. Judging from the experience gain, they had likely encountered a small pack of mana beasts.

Knowing their individual strength and S-Grade potential, Cassian wasn’t worried. If anything, he felt slightly envious that they had managed to draw first blood.

​However, his thoughts were quickly interrupted.

​Nyxara abruptly stopped, her violet eyes narrowing as she shifted into a low stance. In one fluid motion, she brought her massive scythe forward, the shadow beneath her feet churning like a living creature.

​"My Lord..." Her voice remained bone-chillingly calm. "We have company."

​The surrounding atmosphere shifted instantly.

​A low, guttural growl echoed through the dead trees. Then another. And another.

​Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

​Bones cracked beneath heavy, approaching paws. Figures emerged from behind the blackened trunks, while others crawled out from shallow pits hidden beneath the dark soil or prowled atop nearby rocky outcrops.

​In the blink of an eye, Cassian and Nyxara were surrounded.

​The creatures resembled wolves—if wolves had been stitched together from rotting corpses. Their bodies were gaunt and skeletal, with patches of decayed flesh clinging stubbornly to exposed bone.

Pale green soul fire flickered within empty eye sockets, sharp bone spikes protruded from their spines, and black, corrosive saliva dripped from their jaws, hissing whenever it touched the dead earth.

​[Shadowfang Wolves]

Grade: Advanced ★

​Cassian quickly counted their numbers. Ten. At least ten of them.

​The beasts circled slowly, searching for a weak spot in their defenses. Their primal instincts warned them that the two figures before them were lethal, yet hunger prevented them from retreating.

​The pack leader stepped forward. It was nearly twice the size of the others, with jagged ribs protruding from its flanks and crimson soul fire burning within its eye sockets. A deep rumble vibrated through its chest.

​Cassian calmly drew the Refined ★★★ Bone Blade, the pale ivory sword gleaming beneath the twin moons.

​His eyes narrowed. The panic and hesitation he had felt years ago when first facing mana beasts no longer existed, not after everything he had survived, and certainly not after dying once already.

​Looking at the encircling pack, a faint smile touched his lips.

​"Good. I was wondering when we’d find our first prey."

​A dense, violet aura erupted along the length of his blade.