The New Number One

Just some small details before we prepare our plan for the conquest of this world. I lost my passive [Scavenger] and my other sort of racial skill [Sneaky-Sneaky], meaning that I have truly evolved. As for the rest of the resistance, they are all related to my new condition. [Ethereal Vision] for my improved sight, like seeing beyond some small physical obstacles. [Status resistance], [Magical resistance] and [Physical resistance] must be linked to my new body. The higher is my physical since I should be impervious to any attack with common metal. And I have a strange [??? Resistance], and that's extremely weird. Because I shouldn't have anything blocked, the System should have unlocked everything when I turned into a ratman. So why, do those odd ??? reappear?

Anyway, all of this is directly coming from my [Ethereal Body], like you said Oslo. That is a powerful thing, to be that resistant against a lot of things.

(Yes, and that's just the beginning. Because, you are not at the end of your evolution, there is always more. I mean, you said that, because you still have your level, right?)

Yes, 0/35 level. Just thinking about the thousands and thousands kills that we achieved, but it will just be a small drop of all I really need. Like every other evolution. But, let's not talk about boring and desperate things. My healing regeneration is maxed out, everything related to magical is level 9. Means, more mana regeneration, less mana used in my spells, and better comprehension of magic.

Just before the last, my [Cause Terror] level max. That's some good thing, really. I mean, just one evolution and my original abilities were turned into something better. And this thing should be able to terrify everyone, just my [Cause Fear] level 8 could make those priests run. So the next level, with his full power unleashed? Maybe it will even be able to kill people just like the messenger. Just my presence and they will be so terrified, hehe.

Finally, [Essence of mana]. That should be the missing link between my intelligence and my huge MP pool. Because, with 60 in intelligence, I should only have 600MP. But, the level five of that ability is coincidentally very close to 500MP, the amount that suddenly appeared. Not that I complain, but that means, if I manage to improve that thing, I should have even more mana at the end, not needing to gain a true level. And that's it, that's the end.

(Sure? I mean, you have told me your attributes, your skills, and your abilities, but you have missed the titles.)

But what can appear inside? I mean, it is not like I killed a Hero or something like that. Let me see, forsaken by a stupid goddess, blessed by an unknown god, killed too many people to even remember, slain the Prophet of Krieg and … HOW DID YOU KNOW?

(Because I felt it, something in the atmosphere. I know you are mad, but I couldn't really have confirmed it, and I still have no idea who it is. But there is someone else that can see you now, right?)

Yes, [Followed by Hades]. Let me just assume something that can be totally abstract for you but … Is he the God of Death you were talking about?

(Yes, so that's Hades, a very nice fellow. I mean, that's the best possibility that could happen, because, he is part of the Nine Heavens. He won't interfere with your progress; you are not a god. I was fearing that Salazar managed to bypass the curse placed by Aria and could see you. Because, if it was that, we would have a hard time surviving.)

So, for the new stalker, what he is going to do? Nothing, just watch?

(Pretty much, yes. And please don't call him like that, again. Because you will still anger him, and that's not something you want. And don't call him Hades, call him the God of Death, he will be pleased. And don't insult death or do strange stuff. And ...)

Ok, stop! I get it, he is the big boss no one want to piss off, and that if I do that, it would be a disaster for us. I know how it is, don't worry, I won't do anything strange. I just want to ask you a question, if you can feel it, will I be able to use [De…

(LALALALALALALALALALALALALA, stop, don't think. Don't think that ever again, better, just forget about that spell for the moment. You can't use it anyway, so let's think about the future.)

Well, I still have time to lose, since it is the middle of the night. The first thing I want to do is testing my new [Raise Undead], with something that I was expecting the day I created it. The only undead that I have met multiple time and that I have a very clear vision about his form. Let me think about that, a human form, with rotten flesh attached to its bones. The capacity to create numerous undead and at the same time, fight with spells. The pinnacle of the skeleton magician, a lich. Be reborn, number one.

-Greetings, master. What are your orders for number one?

A much better voice I have to say, a great improvement on that part. Just keep creating the strongest warrior that you can, only the strongest. I watch number one beginning to cast a long spell. After a complete minute, I see appearing from the air a strange and strong zombie. He is black, and not exactly like a zombie. More like a ghoul, yes, he managed to create a ghoul. The reason I say that is the lack of open wounds on the body, but more of an intact corpse. His spine is also visible on his back, and a strange liquid is leaking from his maw. That's what I am talking about, a better zombie or what I will call a ghoul. He is slightly bigger than my Chosen, but just by a small margin.

I see that number one manages to create three of them before he has to stop. When I ask the time before he can increase the number of ghouls, he tells me that he will need an entire day. That's fair, seeing clearly the power that those warriors are showing. I ask number one to send them near the second wall, to see if they are feeling the influence of Aria in the capital. After dozens of minutes, number one informs me that they are feeling nothing, just the smell of living creatures ready to be eaten. That's the humans on the ramparts. Wait, maybe that's because of me too. I ask my remaining magicians and zombies to go near the wall as well.

Besides the zombies that are feeling some small needles on their skins, nothing else is reported. That means, I can attack the second wall with my current forces, and I won't even be pressured by the power of the Church. But that's still not the best time to do it. First of all, we are in the middle of the night, so the number of guards that I can kill is not that high. And the citizens will probably still be sheltered in time in the different vaults of the inner city. Even during the night, I don't think that a lot of people are sleeping well.

No, I want to wait the dawn of tomorrow, to create a new lich and have 6 of those ghouls. I ask them to climb on a nearby house, and that sight is a very good spectacle. They will have no problem climbing on the wall and creating a total chaos. I mean, that is the strongest warrior created by number one, I can be sure that they will be strong. He never betrayed me before, and he always has some good ideas.

The rest of the night was without surprise; I was only waiting for my mana to be enough for another lich. The former useless spirits were now capable of going even beyond the second rampart, meaning that Oslo finally recovered his sight. About the missing holy knights, the true forces of the Church, apparently, they are not located near the wall. That's strange, but maybe they need to sleep too. Even if it is really stupid to not even have one present anywhere near the wall. As for the different magicians, they are barely a quarter of what they were at the beginning of the night. There are truly some problems between the Church and the mages.

But that's fine for me, knowing that me and, by extension, my undead are resistant to the power of Aria. I can see the sun rising on the horizon, while my second lich is finishing his third invocation. I order the six ghouls to spread at six different locations around the ramparts. As for me, my Chosen, my magicians and my zombies, we will enter by the South Gate. And by entering, I meaning breaching the front door openly.