Outside the golden realm, cold wind continued sweeping across the mountain path while the massive portal pulsed quietly between the cracked stone pillars.

Golden light moved slowly across its surface now instead of blue. Every few seconds, faint waves of energy spread outward from the entrance before vanishing into the surrounding fog.

Arnold was still standing in the exact same position.

His coat shifted lightly under the wind while his eyes never left the portal for long. Even after all this time, his posture had not relaxed even slightly.

Cole walked back toward him and after much hesitation he spoke. "Sir, how long do you plan to remain standing there?"

"I’ll wait," replied Arnold without looking at him.

Cole sighed heavily afterward.

The answer sounded exactly the same every time.

Several guards farther back had already started whispering quietly among themselves because Arnold had barely moved since the realm changed into Gold Rank. Even they looked uncomfortable remaining near the portal this long.

Cole glanced toward the portal himself before speaking again.

"There were messengers earlier," he said. "People looking for Helen."

Arnold’s expression stayed calm.

"Who sent them?"

"The Player Association mostly. One from her mother." Cole scratched lightly at his jaw before continuing. "I only told them she entered a secluded mission and wouldn’t be available for some time."

Arnold finally nodded once.

"Keep it that way."

Cole stared at him for several seconds before asking quietly.

"You really think they’re surviving in there?"

This time Arnold did not answer immediately.

Instead, he slowly stepped closer toward the golden portal itself. His hand eventually pressed lightly against the shimmering surface, and faint resistance spread outward across his palm instantly.

"They’re alive," he said calmly.

Arnold’s hand stayed against the portal several seconds longer before he finally spoke again.

"I know for a fact they haven’t died yet. And sometimes... miracles happen."

The wind swept between the mountain cliffs again.

Cole looked sideways briefly after hearing that because Arnold was not the type of person who used words like miracle often. The old man usually trusted preparation more than hope.

Which meant the situation inside probably worried him more than he showed.

Meanwhile, deep inside the graveyard, violent tremors continued spreading through the black earth.

RUMBLE!!! RUMBLE!!!

Rows of undead knight tombstones shook continuously while cracks spread through the muddy ground beneath them. Rain hammered across the graveyard harder now that the creation process had begun.

Zich watched silently. One by one, the lesser knight tombstones slowly began sinking into the ground. Black mud swallowed them steadily while faint red light connected every grave together beneath the surface like veins.

The Knight Captain tomb remained standing longest.

Its red glow intensified several times before the massive tombstone also slowly descended into the earth itself. A silent necrotic pressure surged outward continuously during the process.

Eventually, silence returned.

Only a single tombstone remained.

The new grave stood larger than ordinary knight tombs but smaller than the captain’s original one. Dark red lines stretched across the stone while black mist curled slowly around its base.

Words slowly engraved themselves onto the surface.

[Here Lies Elite Undead Knight lv1]

Rainwater slid quietly down the tombstone afterward.

Unlike before, no organized rows surrounded it now. The lesser knight graves had disappeared completely during the fusion process.

Zich stared at the tomb for several seconds without speaking.

The pressure coming from it felt stable and not rebellious.

That alone already improved his mood slightly.

Without hesitation, he raised one hand slightly toward the tombstone.

"Arise."

The graveyard shook again.

CRAAAAACK!!!

The tombstone split vertically down the middle while black energy erupted upward from the opening beneath it. Mud and broken stone scattered nearly four meters outward as a tall armored figure slowly stepped out from the darkness below.

Zich immediately studied it carefully.

The summon stood nearly the same height as the former Knight Captain, though the armor now looked cleaner and more refined. Dark metal covered its entire body while deep crimson lines glowed faintly beneath several armor joints.

Unlike the rusted undead knights from before, this one carried no decay smell.

A massive black sword rested against its shoulder.

Its visor slowly lifted toward Zich afterward.

Both stared at each other silently for several seconds while rain continued falling between them. Red light burned behind the summon’s eyes, but unlike before, there was no hostility hidden inside the gaze.

The Elite Undead Knight eventually lowered its sword.

Slowly, it dropped onto one knee before Zich.

BOOM!!!

The impact cracked the muddy ground beneath it slightly.

Its head lowered afterward in complete submission.

Zich’s eyes flickered slightly as a hint of arrogance appeared within them. "So you know who owns this place."

The Elite Undead Knight stayed kneeling silently before him. Faint red mist drifted around the summon’s armor while familiar death aura rolled quietly through the graveyard.

Zich circled it slowly afterward as if he wanted to register every part of it into his memories.

More importantly, he noticed that the command trait no longer felt unstable. The fusion process had clearly forced it out, if that was possible for beginners.

But all he knew was that the summon became useful without becoming troublesome.

"Stand," Zich ordered.

The Elite Undead Knight rose without hesitation.

’Now let’s see your skills.’

Meanwhile, outside inside the golden courtyard, the protective barrier slowly began weakening.

Faint cracks of light spread across the golden dome overhead while the timer floating above the arena approached zero. Several people immediately stood up after noticing it.

Varok tightened his grip around his spear slightly.

"The barrier is dropping."

The giant Velhari rolled his shoulders once while standing back up fully. Nearby, Jayden slowly sheathed his sword while glancing toward the outer darkness beyond the barrier walls.

Helen frowned instead. Her eyes stayed fixed toward Zich, who still sat against the cracked pillar with his eyes closed. Even now, he had not moved once since entering whatever strange state he disappeared into earlier.

"He still isn’t awake."

***

Guys suggest a Name for the Next Summon!!