abcnovels
Chapter 257 254: Return
Chapter 257 254: Return
Chapter 257 254: Return
Almost miraculously, the broken shards of the level 3 undead's limbs began to move on their own. Like magnetized pieces, they realigned, reformed, and reattached themselves to the undead's body!
This Level 3 undead was significantly more formidable than any of Val's Level 2 undead. Not only was it stronger and faster than them, but it also boasted enhanced durability that made it harder to take down.
However, what truly set it apart from its lesser counterpart was that it had a total of three skills.
While the first two skills were similar to those possessed by a Level 2 undead, the third skill was something else entirely.
It was called 'Partial Immortality.'
It allowed the level 3 undead to survive situations that would otherwise be unsurvivable for lesser undead.
It had used this very ability to recover from the damage of the fall.
Also, this allowed Val to know the full scope of what 'Partial Immortality' entailed.
After recovering its limb, the level 3 undead, in an almost unnatural display of loyalty and obedience, began to crawl up the steep hill back to Val, following his order to the letter.
Val watched this display of utmost loyalty, and a rare smile appeared on his usually stoic face.
'It really works and is far better than I expected,' he thought, deeply pleased with his newfound ability.
The enslavement effect of the Void Force skill seemed to be even more impressive than he had initially thought. It reduced the enslaved entities to a state of fanatic loyalty, on par with the most fervent worshipers of the God of Light.
It was to such a point that if he told them to kill themselves, they would immediately slit their throats, and if he told them to kill someone they would go as far as sacrificing themselves to complete his order.
Basically, the Void Force skill was quite wicked.
Val cracked a sinful smile.
'But I like it.'
Val then proceeded to use his remaining undead-creating energy to create as many level 3 undead as he could and enslaved them all using his Void force skill. Then, he stored them in the shrine of evil before returning to the northern frontier.
Eliana was in the 'haunted house,' and she was worried sick for Val. She hadn't seen him at home the previous night, which had prompted her to brave the dangers of the streets of the lower city at night in search of him. However, the night patrol of the lower city had stopped her, insisting it was too risky for a woman to roam alone in the dead of night, even if she was a revered priestess.
They had escorted her back home, but her worry had only deepened.
Upon entering the house, Val found Eliana sitting listlessly, her thumb absently in her mouth. She looked so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice him come in.
Her pretty eyes had dark circles under them, suggesting she had been up all night.
Val felt a complex mix of emotions at the sight.
On one hand, he found it a pity that a beautiful and young woman like Eliana was devoting so much emotional energy to someone like him, who was sick in the head.
On the other hand, he found himself surprisingly pleased.
The fact that she had been so affected by his disappearance meant she cared for him more deeply than he had initially thought. Maybe it had already reached the point where Val could manipulate her to commit a crime, but even if it had, he would never wrong her so badly. After all, he no longer saw her as a tool. She meant much more to him.
"Eliana, I am home," Val said, his voice tinged with a sweetness that was unusual for him.
Hearing his words, Eliana snapped out of her thoughts and looked up, her eyes meeting his.
Val looked unscathed, and that alone seemed to lift a weight off her shoulders.
She stood up swiftly, closing the distance between them to envelop him in a tight hug. Val hugged her back, feeling her soft and slender body melting into his arms. After a few moments, she pulled back and her expression turned into a pout.
"Where have you been?" Eliana asked, her voice tinged with aggrievement.
Val looked into Eliana's concerned eyes. Telling her the truth might harm his interest. The only way to keep their relationship stable was to tell her what she wanted to hear.
Thus, he told her a fabricated story he made on the spot.
"The upcoming expedition to the lesser dimension has been on my mind. I thought I wouldn't survive it if I didn't rapidly increase my strength. So, yesterday, I went to the mountain range to survive my heavenly tribulation and break through to the 3rd level of my bloodline. Unfortunately, it took longer than I expected. By the time I overcame the tribulation and leveled up, it was already dark, and the gates to the frontier were closed. I had no choice but to spend the night in a relatively safe cave back in the mountain range."
Val told this lie to Eliana to keep her from feeling indignant. He knew she would believe him because love often blinds us to the incongruities in the stories of those we care about deeply. And she did believe him, wholeheartedly.
"You're not mad at me, are you?"
"No, I'm not."
Eliana shook her head. How could she be made at her man for working hard?
Rather, her face blossomed into a smile and her eyes glowed with pride when she found out he had become a level 3 bloodline user at the tender age of 17.
"Anyway, congratulations on advancing to the next level," she said to Val, joy filling her voice.
"Thank you, my love. Your encouragement means a lot to me."
Saying so, Val leaned in and softly kissed her forehead. As he did, he felt her eyelashes tremble like delicate butterfly wings.
At this moment, he found her cuteness irresistible.
He allowed his surging emotions to control his actions. His lips then trailed from her eyes down to her nose and finally met hers. She offered no resistance to his touch and instead reciprocated, kissing him back passionately.