Aiden stared at the screen quietly.

Then a faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Level forty-five already..." he murmured.

The growth speed was honestly ridiculous.

He already commanded nearly nine thousand undead.

His eyes slowly moved down the screen.

"Fifteen body tempering undead..."

That part mattered more.

Normal undead were useful for overwhelming weaker enemies and exhausting armies.

But true strength still came from higher-grade units.

Especially against cultivators.

Aiden rested his chin against his hand thoughtfully.

"Still not enough to crush the Clear Water Sect head-on."

And if there were more people close to the Qi Sense Stage hiding in this city...

Then rushing recklessly would only create unnecessary losses.

His gaze shifted lower again.

Gold coins: 15321

That number immediately improved his mood slightly.

Aiden let out a quiet chuckle.

"At least I’m rich now."

Aiden stared at the amount of gold displayed on the screen for a few seconds longer.

Fifteen thousand.

Not bad.

War made money fast.

Captured towns, looted caravans, destroyed forces. Everything eventually became resources.

Aiden leaned back slightly in his chair, one hand resting against his chin.

"Another five thousand..." he murmured softly.

That was the amount he still needed.

With twenty thousand gold coins, he could directly evolve one of his body tempering undead into a Qi Sense Stage undead.

Just thinking about it made his eyes narrow slightly.

A true Qi Sense Stage undead.

Not someone close to the stage like Fuing.

Not half a step, but the real thing.

But waiting for another five thousand coins would take time, even with Graveknit’s current momentum. And right now, time was the one thing he didn’t want to waste.

The city was already reacting.

The Clear Water Sect was becoming cautious.

If he gave them too much time, they would adapt.

He leaned forward slightly.

"Then I might as well gamble."

His gaze shifted toward another option on the floating screen.

[Gacha System]

The moment he focused on it, the interface changed immediately.

A darker screen appeared in front of him, symbols slowly moving across it like drifting smoke.

[Gacha Cost Updated]

[Current User Level: 45]

[Required Gold Per Use: 5000]

Aiden clicked his tongue softly.

"It keeps getting more expensive."

Still, his expression didn’t show much concern.

He had enough for three pulls.

More than enough to try his luck.

And honestly...

The Gacha System had never truly disappointed him before.

Aiden straightened slightly in his chair.

"Use once."

The moment the words left his mouth, the screen flickered violently.

[5000 Gold Coins Deducted]

[Remaining Gold Coins: 10321]

A low humming sound echoed faintly through the room. Black mist began swirling across the screen, twisting into a massive circular formation covered in strange runes.

Aiden watched quietly.

The mist spun faster, then faster.

Until suddenly.

Crack.

The circle split open.

A shadow slowly stepped out from within the darkness.

A swordsman.

The figure wore damaged black armor covered in dried stains and deep scratches. A long sword rested loosely in his right hand, the blade chipped in several places from countless battles.

Unlike Carrion’s heavier presence, this undead looked sharper.

Faster.

Its body wasn’t bulky, but tightly built, like every movement had been refined through years of combat.

Long black hair hung loosely over its pale face.

Its eyes were hollow like all undead.

Empty.

But even standing still, it carried the pressure of an experienced warrior.

The system screen immediately updated.

The system screen flickered once more before lines of text slowly appeared beneath the figure.

[Name: Kael

Strength: Peak Body Tempering

[Special Trait: Swordmaster

Description: An undead swordsman who retained exceptional combat instincts and swordsmanship after death. Possesses refined close-combat techniques and high adaptability during battle.]

Aiden’s eyes narrowed slightly as he read the description.

"Master Swordsman..."

That alone already made this summon valuable.

Aiden stayed silent for a few moments, his eyes fixed on the undead standing before him.

Kael.

The swordsman remained motionless, but unlike ordinary undead, there was something different about the way he stood. Calm. Balanced. Like his body naturally understood combat even without needing instructions.

The chipped sword in his hand tilted slightly as he lowered his head.

"My lord," Kael said.

His voice was low and rough, like stone grinding together.

Aiden studied him carefully.

Unlike Carrion, whose fighting style relied on overwhelming pressure and direct force, Kael gave off a completely different feeling.

Dangerous.

Sharp.

Like a blade hidden in darkness.

Aiden slowly stood from his chair and walked closer.

The undead raised his head slightly.

Unlike normal summons, there was awareness in those hollow eyes.

"Your name is Kael," Aiden said calmly.

The undead lowered his head slightly.

"Yes, my lord."

His voice was calm and deep, carrying none of the stiffness ordinary undead had.

Aiden stopped in front of him, studying him carefully.

Kael’s armor was old and battle-worn, black steel scratched from countless fights. A torn dark cloak hung behind him, swaying lightly despite the still air inside the room.

His face was pale, almost corpse-like, but still carried sharp human features. A scar ran across his jawline, old enough that it must have existed before death.

Most noticeable of all were his hands, it’s relaxed, steady.

The hands of someone who had held a sword for most of his life.

Aiden’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Peak body tempering," he muttered.

Aiden glanced toward the floating screen again.

[Remaining Gold Coins: 10321]

"...Still enough for two more," he murmured.

But this time, he didn’t rush immediately.

Instead, he looked back at Kael.

"Can you use techniques?"

Kael answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

"What kind?"

"The Black Severing Sword Art."

Aiden raised an eyebrow slightly.

The name alone sounded dangerous.

Kael continued calmly.

"A sword art focused on precision, speed, and fatal strikes."

Aiden’s interest deepened.

"Show me."

Kael nodded once.

The next second, his entire body moved.

Fast.

So fast that even Aiden’s eyes narrowed instinctively.

Kael stepped forward and swung his sword once.

Only once.

A black flash crossed through the room.

Shhhk.

The sound came a second later.

Aiden turned his head slightly.

The wooden table behind him split apart cleanly.

Not shattered.

Cut.

A perfectly smooth line divided the table in half before both sides slowly slid apart and crashed onto the floor.

Aiden stared at it for a moment.

Then he smiled faintly.

"Yeah," he muttered. "You’re definitely better than Vayne in pure combat."

Carrion was stronger physically.

But Kael...

Kael was a real martial artist.

And that mattered.

Especially against cultivators.

Aiden walked back toward his chair slowly, his mind already moving again.

"One more pull," he said quietly.

The system responded instantly.

[5000 Gold Coins Deducted]

[Remaining Gold Coins: 5321]

The dark summoning circle appeared once more.

The dark summoning circle expanded across the room once more.

This time, the pressure felt heavier.

The black mist pouring from the circle didn’t swirl wildly like before. It moved slowly, thick and dense, spreading across the floor like liquid shadows. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Even Kael’s gaze shifted slightly toward it.

Aiden narrowed his eyes.

"...Oh?"

Then came the sound.

Thump.

Heavy.

Like something massive stepping onto stone.

The floorboards creaked faintly.

Another step followed.

Thump.

The mist slowly parted.

And a giant figure emerged from within the darkness.

Aiden’s brows lifted slightly the moment he saw it.

The undead was enormous.

Nearly eight feet tall, broad enough that its shoulders almost blocked the entire summoning circle behind it. Its body looked less like a corpse and more like a walking fortress.

Black iron armor covered nearly every inch of it.

Not ordinary armor.

Heavy plate reinforced layer after layer, thick enough that even body tempering cultivators would struggle to pierce it directly. The surface of the armor was covered in deep dents, claw marks, and old cracks, as if it had walked through countless battlefields without ever falling.

Dark chains wrapped around its waist and shoulders.

A massive tower shield rested in one hand.

The shield alone was taller than most people.

Its surface was rough and scarred, covered in faded symbols and deep impact marks from weapons that had once tried and failed to break through it.

In its other hand was a brutal-looking mace made entirely of black metal, the head large enough to crush a man’s torso in one hit.

The undead’s face was partially hidden behind a broken iron helm.

Only the lower half remained visible.

Gray skin stretched tightly across a powerful jawline marked by old scars. One glowing pale-blue eye stared forward through the cracked helmet while the other side remained hidden in darkness.

Then the undead slowly knelt.

The entire wooden floor groaned beneath its weight.

"My lord."

Its voice was deep, calm, and steady.

Like distant thunder.

The system screen flickered again.

[Name: Dragmar

Strength: Peak Body Tempering

Special Trait: Fortress Undead

Abilities: Iron Wall, Undying Guard, Earthshaker

Description: A heavily armored undead guardian specialized in defense and battlefield control. Possesses overwhelming durability, immense physical strength, and defensive combat techniques retained from life.]

Aiden stared at the screen for a few moments.

Then his gaze returned to the undead kneeling before him.

"...Now this," he muttered quietly, "is exactly what I needed."

Kael specialized in killing, but Dragmar...

Dragmar looked like something capable of standing in front of an entire army alone.

Aiden slowly walked closer.

The closer he got, the larger Dragmar seemed.

The undead’s armor wasn’t simply thick. It was layered intelligently, protecting every weak point while still allowing movement. Even the joints were reinforced with overlapping iron plates.

This wasn’t some mindless brute.

This was a veteran battlefield guardian.

Aiden stopped in front of him.

"Raise your shield."

Dragmar obeyed immediately.

Boom.

The tower shield slammed against the floor with enough force to shake the room lightly.