DEMON CASTLE

[Shining Bronze Treasure Chest][80,000 Gold Coins, Level 1 Greenhouse Building Blueprint, Level 2 Super Farmland Blueprint, 50 Life Gems]

Hazard glanced at it with a bright look and then started selling the Life Gems, earning fifty thousand gold coins.

His total gold balance was now 156,000, and he could finally afford to buy a Tier 3 Spirit. He had already obtained three Tier 1 Spirits, but they had only given him 9 additional points.

After purchasing and absorbing the Tier 3 Hero Spirit for 110,000 gold coins—which had increased in price due to high demand—he also unlocked the Death Scythe Skill, and a prompt for advancement appeared immediately.

[Advancement to Tier 3 is now ready][Proceed with evolution? Yes / No]

The choice was obvious. After selecting it, Hazard felt as though he was drowning in a deep sea, but the sensation only lasted for ten minutes. Since he knew he was an undead and didn't need to breathe, he remained calm. Once it was over, he looked around and checked his status.

Name: Hazard

Final Race: Demon Arch-Lich KingLevel: 3Health: 400Strength: 120Agility: 80Mana (Dark): 1400Stamina: -Skill Points: 81

Abilities:

Undead Resurrection:Consumes dark mana to resurrect dead creatures, binding them to servitude based on their level.

Negative Energy Orb:Expends 10 dark mana to release a dark energy orb, dealing 30 damage. Additionally, depending on the enemy's level and willpower, it may inflict confusion and paralysis.

Corpse Explosion:Activating this ability detonates a selected corpse or multiple corpses within a 100-meter radius.

Summon Death Scythe:A weapon infused with dark mana that inflicts poisonous and cursed wounds. Any living creature wounded by the Death Scythe, if killed while still under its bleeding curse and tenfold pain effect, will become the caster's slave.Consumes 50 dark mana per minute.

Summon Vengeful Spirits:Summons vengeful spirits capable of inflicting physical damage on enemies. Upon death, these spirits explode using dark energy, dealing significant damage to living creatures.Consumes 20 dark mana per spirit.

Demon Arch-Lich King's Second Form:Doubles all abilities for 10 minutes.Cooldown: 6 hours.

Death King's Aura (Inactive):Doubles the stats of all undead under your command within a 1-kilometer radius.Consumes 200 mana per minute.(Activation Cost: 1,000 Skill Points)

Curse of the Death King's Aura (Inactive):Inflicts 72 curses on all enemy creatures weaker than you within a 1-kilometer radius.Consumes 200 mana per minute.(Activation Cost: 1,000 Skill Points)

Death King's Domain (Inactive):Any unauthorized creature within 1 kilometer takes 20 damage per second.Consumes 200 mana per minute.(Activation Cost: 1,000 Skill Points)

Skills: Mana Sensitivity D

Hazard was satisfied—he could now compare himself to a Greater Hellhound.

After carefully reading through his Tier 3 abilities, he noticed that most of them focused on controlling territory and the surrounding area, but their mana costs were extremely high. He guessed that Tier 4 would require 10,000 points, and Tier 5 would demand 100,000 points—insane numbers given how difficult they were to obtain.

After some internal struggle, he discovered that Terror had reached Tier 4, completely killing his excitement over reaching Tier 3.

Minutes passed. As the walls of blackened stone and soil were completed, he looked at the corpses scattered around. Raising his hands, he used most of his mana to resurrect three Greater Hellhounds. Then, he turned toward the knights he had slain, resurrecting them, along with the village sorcerer and a few elite warriors. Even the ordinary villagers were brought back to life by the resurrected sorcerers.

The only corpses that could not be revived were those of the heroes, which were instead devoured by the Greater Hellhounds.

Hazard was pleased with his fodder army. The strength of resurrected creatures was only one unit lower than when they were alive, which was still better than nothing.

Only after finishing his resurrections did Hazard return to his altar to evaluate his new forces.

"Demonic Undead Death Knight"

Rank: Elite Tier 3Health: 100Strength: 75Agility: 60Mana (Dark): 100Stamina: -Abilities: Resurrection of the Fallen, Soul PrisonSkills: Swordsmanship C, Defensive Shield C, Charge C, Command D, Horsemanship DCost: 1,000 Gold Coins

"Demonic Undead Giant"

Rank: Lord Tier 1Health: 300Strength: 300Agility: 30Mana (Dark): 250Stamina: -Abilities: Giant's Strength, Giant's Roar, Giant's Death AuraSkills: Black Thunder B, Crusher C, Defense C, Combat C, etc.Cost: 15,000 Gold Coins

"Demonic Lich"

Rank: Lord Tier 1Health: 100Strength: 80Agility: 50Mana (Dark): 800Stamina: -Abilities: Undead Resurrection, Spirit SummoningSkills: Negative Energy Orb B, Death Magic C, Negative Energy Shield C, Flight D, etc.Cost: 20,000 Gold Coins

The new units were expensive, but Hazard felt they were worth it.

With 46,000 gold coins left and two farming blueprints, he realized he had workers who didn't need food or rest. However, the food market was controlled by Demon Plant Kings and Demon Lords with vast hunting grounds, meaning entering this industry would guarantee his bankruptcy.

After listing the blueprints for sale, he successfully sold:

Level 2 Super Farmland for 60,000 gold coinsLevel 1 Greenhouse Building for 25,000 gold coins

Now, Hazard was certain that the food market was not profitable for him. Instead, he decided to focus his forces on the Fire Gem Mine.

[If only all lairs were as valuable as the first mine…]

After selling the blueprints, his gold balance reached 131,000 coins. The altar, now larger than before, began to glow deep within the fortress.

Suddenly, six gigantic skeletal figures emerged.

Hazard watched with satisfaction as the six-meter-tall undead giants, clad in solid bone armor and wielding massive iron maces, knelt before him.

[The will of our Lord is our command.]

Hazard tried not to be shocked, but their deep, powerful voices in his mind completely derailed his thoughts.

[Two at the castle gate, two at the fortress entrance, two at the Fire Gem Mine.]

[Fulfilling your will is our duty.]

Hazard motioned for them to leave. Then, he summoned twenty Death Knights.

One by one, twenty figures clad in full armor, draped in long black cloaks, emerged from the glowing altar, each mounted on an armored skeletal horse. Their black horns jutted out from beneath their helmets, as did their steeds'.

[Our lord's will—]

[Go outside. I'll join you soon.]

The Death Knights said nothing and marched outside while Hazard prepared for the next summoning.