Building the Strongest Undead Empire from Scratch

Chapter 308: I was just unlucky, not having a powerful friend like this human girl

Alex smiled at Ruby. It had been a while since they had seen each other. Ruby looked weary, her breathing ragged, her injuries far from healed.

"Alex!"

Ruby threw herself into Alex's arms, and they embraced tightly.

Alex gently patted Ruby's back.

"This was reckless, you know."

Alex whispered. Tears welled up in Ruby's eyes.

"I just... I just wanted..."

"It's alright. I'm here now. Your subordinate found me, but you had already left by the time I arrived. That's why I wasn't here sooner."

Alex interrupted Ruby, sensing her distress.

She understood. After centuries of slumber, Ruby was still a child at heart, prone to impulsive actions.

"Sit down. Let me heal you."

Ruby obeyed, trusting Alex completely.

With her mastery of high-level soul and nature magic, Alex could heal both physical and spiritual wounds.

"I've persuaded Maulclaw and Shadowfang. They're on your side now. As for your opponents, I'll take care of them. You will rule the Arctic Tigerfolk. Now, focus on your healing and don't worry about anything else."

While healing, Ruby explained the situation within the tribe.

"There are still three elders at the tribe's territory. They're all King level. Can you defeat them?"

Despite Alex's reassurances, Ruby couldn't help but worry.

"Don't worry. They won't be a problem."

Alex smiled.

Death Spirit possessing the lv2 King level Reaper Guard, was now lv4. Even Bravetail wouldn't stand a chance.

And Maulclaw, the second strongest elder, was a lv3 King level.

Alex glanced at the sky. The remaining elder would soon be defeated by Maulclaw and Shadowfang.

Soon, Ruby's injuries were healed. She was still weak, but no longer in danger.

Ruby stood up, her face glowing with renewed vitality. She looked at Alex, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Alex."

"No need for thanks between friends."

Alex sensed that Ruby had reached half-step King level. In system terms, she was at max experience as a Monarch and could break through to King level at any moment.

"Alex, I want to break through to King level!"

Ruby's eyes were filled with determination. Even with Alex's help in unifying the tribe, she needed to be strong herself. Without King level power, she wouldn't be truly accepted as their leader.

"Alright, I'll help you."

Alex didn't ask any questions. Ruby sat down, a transparent spatial barrier forming around her. Icy energy swirled within, and the faint outline of a white tiger began to materialize.

Alex observed for a moment, realizing that Ruby's breakthrough was different from that of other lords. It would take time, much slower than the instant level-up process for lords using experience points.

She decided to leave Ruby to it and turned her attention to the battlefield.

Sabertooth and the Reaper Guard were locked in combat.

The Reaper Guard, outmatched, was struggling to hold its own against Sabertooth's relentless attacks.

Sabertooth glanced at Alex, its expression grim. It didn't know who this girl was, but it had witnessed her healing Ruby and Ruby's imminent breakthrough to King level.

Clearly, this girl, was most likely a King level as well.

And this strange shadowy creature was probably her subordinate.

With the two elders occupied, the Arctic Tigerfolk, sensing the shift in power, stopped fleeing and began to gather around Ruby.

They recognized Alex and knew she had saved their queen.

"Thank you for saving us!"

They surrounded Alex, expressing their heartfelt gratitude.

"Rise."

Alex waved her hand, instructing them to protect Ruby.

The battle between Sabertooth and the Reaper Guard would take some time. Alex was the deciding factor now.

She would end this quickly and ensure Ruby's safety.

A flash of light, and her scythe materialized in her hand. Sabertooth, seeing this, braced itself for the attack. But in the next instant, Alex vanished.

Sabertooth's eyes widened in alarm. It knew she was coming for it.

It swung its weapon, a pair of elongated fangs, forcing the Reaper Guard back.

Sabertooth reacted quickly, but Alex was faster. She appeared behind it, her scythe raised.

Sabertooth whirled around, its eyes meeting Alex's deep blue gaze. Its mind went blank.

Its surroundings shifted, dissolving into an empty void. It felt as if it was falling into an abyss, paralyzed, utterly alone.

In reality, Sabertooth stood frozen, its eyes glowing blue.

It was Soul magic, amplified by her scythe's weapon spirit, and was one of Alex's realm abilities. A mere glance into her eyes had trapped Sabertooth in an illusion.

Within Alex's realm, Sabertooth was helpless prey. A single swing of her scythe would end its life.

But Alex didn't kill it. She bound it with thorny vines, intending to let Ruby decide its fate.

When Sabertooth's mind cleared, it found itself entangled in thorny vines that pierced its flesh. The plague magic coursing through its veins prevented it from resisting.

The longer it remained bound, the weaker it would become, but it wouldn't die.

"Keep an eye on it."

Alex instructed the Reaper Guard, then flew towards the other battle, deciding to lend Maulclaw and Shadowfang a hand.

The Reaper Guard stood silently, its scythe a grim reminder of Sabertooth's impending judgment.

Sabertooth's face was ashen. It knew its mission had failed, and its life hung in the balance. Fear gnawed at its heart.

It couldn't understand why Bravetail and the others hadn't arrived to help or intercepted Maulclaw. They shouldn't have failed.

It struggled against the vines, but they only tightened their grip. The potent toxins coursed through its body, turning its skin a sickly hue. The Reaper Guard's looming presence and its deadly scythe felt like a death sentence.

Their intentions were clear. They would hand it over to Ruby.

And Ruby, facing a traitor, would show no mercy.

On the other side of the battlefield.

"Maulclaw, Shadowfang, are you betraying the tribe?!"

The elder, battered and bruised from Maulclaw and Shadowfang's combined assault, could only roar in anger. It was nearing its limit.

"The true traitors are you!" Maulclaw retorted.

The elder paused, assessing the situation.

It noticed the human girl's intervention and Sabertooth's capture. Sensing imminent defeat, it decided to flee.

But Alex appeared before it, blocking its path. Maulclaw and Shadowfang closed in, forming a triangle.

With her mastery of high-level spatial magic, Alex was practically unmatched in speed among King levels.

"Are you coming quietly, or do I have to persuade you?"

Magic circles materialized around Alex, thorny vines snaking out.

Seeing no chance of escape, the elder surrendered.

Unlike Sabertooth, it had been a neutral elder. It might still have a chance to survive under Ruby's rule.

Shadowfang took charge of guarding the captured elder.

Alex glanced at Shadowfang's retreating figure, a thoughtful expression on her face. Despite its impulsive nature, it had kept its word. It hadn't betrayed them.

After all, Shadowfang's allegiance was based on a verbal agreement, not any binding contract.

With the two elders captured, the battle here was over. Now they just had to wait for Ruby to break through to King level.

Maulclaw, however, remained worried. It remembered Bravetail's attempt to stop them when they left. Alex had intercepted them, but now she was here, and the other three elders were nowhere to be seen.

Maulclaw didn't believe Alex could kill three elders in an instant. It feared their arrival would turn the tide of battle.

Only Shadowfang was excited, curiously examining the Reaper Guard, wondering how Alex had acquired such a powerful ally.

"What about the other three elders?"

Maulclaw asked Alex, its voice laced with concern.

"My subordinates will handle them."

Alex's casual dismissal surprised Maulclaw. This girl was clearly more than she appeared.

Meanwhile, at the heart of the Arctic Tigerfolk territory...

The clash of six King levels sent the Arctic Tigerfolk scattering, fleeing the city in terror, fearing the devastating power of the battle raging above.

As they ran, they glanced anxiously at the sky. To them, those strange black figures were invaders, and they hoped their elders would prevail.

Their feelings towards Ruby were ambivalent. Thanks to the elders' deliberate misinformation, they were completely unaware that the former queen had an heir.

Bravetail's face was grim. It had initially dismissed the three black figures as mere distractions, but it soon realized its mistake.

These creatures were incredibly powerful. The three elders were no match for them.

The other two elders were holding their own, but Bravetail was already wounded, its strength waning.

"What the hell are these things? They're unkillable!"

Bravetail's eye twitched. It had initially scoffed at their reckless, injury-for-injury fighting style. Now, it was sweating, desperately searching for a way to kill them.

If this dragged on, they would lose.

And they had heard Alex's parting words loud and clear.

[Kill them!]

Suddenly, the Reaper Guard fighting Bravetail split into two shadows, merging with the other two Reaper Guards.

Bravetail was momentarily relieved, thinking its opponent had weakened. But the other two elders were caught off guard and severely wounded.

Then, all three Reaper Guards unleashed their realm powers, merging them into one!

Bravetail and the other elders tried to resist, but their combined realm power shattered instantly. They coughed up blood.

Bravetail could only watch helplessly as they were enveloped by the enemy's realm.

They were all Arctic Tigerfolk, but their realms distinct and incompatible. How could those three black figures merge theirs?

A merged realm was unheard of among the Arctic Tigerfolk.

They didn't know that this was one of Death Spirit's abilities. Even with identical realms, the three Reaper Guards wouldn't be able to merge them without it.

The moment they entered the enemy's realm, Bravetail and the others knew their fate.

They couldn't defeat the master of this realm.

They were plunged into an endless abyss of darkness, their night vision useless.

Bravetail knew the enemy's realm power had blocked their senses. It couldn't even sense the other two elders.

Perhaps they were right beside it, or perhaps light-years away.

A scythe pierced Bravetail's chest from behind. It coughed up blood. Without its realm, it was as helpless as a newborn cub.

Whether it was a realm or a domain, being shattered by an opponent's power resulted in severe injuries, preventing its immediate re-activation.

Losing one's realm meant losing both combat power and a means of escape.

This was why many King levels hesitated to use their realms unless they were certain of their opponent's strength.

Great power came with significant drawbacks.

Bravetail felt its life force draining away. It wanted to warn the other elders, but no sound escaped its lips.

It wouldn't go down without a fight. It grabbed the scythe, preventing it from penetrating further, and activated the last vestiges of its realm power.

A brilliant blue light emanated from its body, dispelling the darkness. But it couldn't find the other elders.

The blue light intensified, turning white as it reached its peak.

Boom!

A deafening explosion rocked the realm.

The Reaper Guard, hidden in the shadows, retreated deeper into its realm, avoiding the blast.

Bravetail had detonated its realm, hoping to take its enemy down with it.

But its remaining realm power was too weak. It barely scratched the merged realm, causing only a slight tremor.

A Reaper Guard appeared before Bravetail's mangled remains, casting a summoning spell to extract its soul and raise it as an undead.

As for the other two elders, they had been swiftly killed by the Reaper Guard the moment they entered the realm.

===

The Blood Moon hung high in the night sky, casting an eerie crimson glow over the Far North.

On the island, Alex stood silently beside Ruby, guarding her as she went through her breakthrough.

She was closest to Ruby, surrounded by the Arctic Tigerfolk, with Maulclaw and Shadowfang forming an outer perimeter.

The Arctic Tigerfolk clearly trusted Alex more than the two elders.

Maulclaw didn't mind. It could tell from their attitude that Alex and Ruby were close friends.

Sabertooth and the other captured elder had resigned themselves to their fate, no longer struggling or pleading for mercy. Bravetail hadn't come to their rescue. Sabertooth had to accept Alex's words. They were most likely dead.

Tonight, the Arctic Tigerfolk would see a change in leadership.

Before finding Ruby, Alex had instructed her Reaper Guards to kill their opponents. It was easier and more efficient than capturing them and guarding them.

Now that Ruby was safe, she would decide the fate of these two elders.

Suddenly, Alex sensed a shift in Ruby's aura. A smile spread across her face.

The other King levels present also noticed it, but Alex, being closest and constantly observing Ruby, was the first to react.

Sabertooth's heart sank. It knew judgment was upon it.

Ruby's breakthrough had reached a critical stage. A King level aura emanated from her.

A majestic white tiger phantom materialized behind her, radiating an aura of power and authority, its chilling presence lowering the already frigid temperature.

A wave of potent bloodline power washed over them, forcing the surrounding Arctic Tigerfolk to their knees.

Only now did Shadowfang believe Maulclaw's words. This overwhelming bloodline power couldn't be faked.

The pressure emanating from Ruby's very soul commanded their obedience. She was their queen!

Every Arctic Tigerfolk, except Alex, knelt, including Sabertooth and the other elder. Even bound and restrained, they didn't want Ruby's first act as queen to be their execution.

Survival was their priority now. A little kneeling wouldn't hurt. Anyone could put on a show.

A surge of spatial energy erupted, cracking the solid ice beneath their feet. Ruby opened her eyes, her aura surging as she crossed the threshold from Monarch to King level.

"Congratulations, great queen, on your ascension to King level! May you lead the Arctic Tigerfolk to greatness once more!"

The Arctic Tigerfolk cheered. Alex smiled.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you, Alex. I couldn't have done it without you."

Ruby acknowledged Alex before addressing her subjects.

"You're welcome."

Alex stepped aside, revealing Maulclaw and the captured elders.

It was time for Ruby to assert her authority and deal with them personally.

Ruby approached slowly, Alex following close behind. The Arctic Tigerfolk watched intently.

Ruby knew everything that had transpired. Maulclaw, defying the tribe, had secretly helped her by allowing the tiger guard to escape and find Alex. Shadowfang, persuaded by Maulclaw, had pledged its allegiance.

She could forgive these two elders and enlist their help in ruling the tribe. But the others would face her judgment.

Sabertooth watched Ruby approach, remaining silent. It had planned to beg for mercy the moment she awoke.

But now, facing her unwavering gaze and youthful appearance, it couldn't bring itself to grovel.

The other captured elder, however, writhed desperately against its restraints, pleading for its life.

"Please, have mercy! I was forced by Bravetail and the others! I'm weak, with no power or influence. I had to obey them! I never wanted any of this!"

But Ruby remained impassive. She had tried to win this elder over before, but it had refused. Now, it had chosen to oppose her.

She couldn't tolerate such a fickle individual.

"Enough!"

Ruby raised her hand, and a spatial blade flashed, decapitating the elder.

Its head rolled on the ground, its eyes wide with disbelief.

Maulclaw, ever composed, wasn't surprised. This was a show of force. Ruby wouldn't spare any of the elders who had betrayed her.

Sabertooth had already accepted its fate. Now, facing death, it felt a strange sense of calm.

"Do you have any last words?"

Ruby asked, her voice cold. Alex watched silently.

"Hmph, if it weren't for that human helping you, you wouldn't be standing here saying that. I was just unlucky, not having a powerful friend like this human girl. I have nothing to say!"

Sabertooth maintained its haughty demeanor, clinging to its pride as an elder, forgetting its previous display of subservience.

It didn't respect Ruby. It believed she had only won because of outside help. Otherwise, victory would have been theirs.

Ruby didn't argue or show anger.

They could grovel before the Beastman Empire, but they still looked down on her, the rightful heir to the throne.

Talking to them was a waste of time.

She ended Sabertooth's life without hesitation. She felt no remorse, only a fleeting thought: would it have been so defiant if it were facing execution by the Beastman Empire?

"Alex, you can summoning them as undead."

Ruby turned to Alex.

Alex didn't refuse. Two King level corpses were valuable assets, far more useful than the experience points gained from killing them.

"By the way, I was in a hurry when I arrived. My undead intercepted Bravetail and the others. They're probably dead by now."

Ruby wasn't bothered. In fact, she was relieved. She had been worried that Alex's undead wouldn't be able to handle Bravetail and the others, resulting in the loss of valuable high-level undead.

"It's fine, those three elders should already be dead. Let's go back."